Christmas Reading Challenge

You know I couldn't pass this one up! All you have to do is read 1-3 Christmas books. I already have The Christmas Lamp by Lori Copeland, The Christmas Secret by Donna VanLiere, and
*One Imperfect Christmas by Myra Johnson
on my list to read. Simple. Simple. Simple.

(I hope. You know how Murphy acts up when you've made plans.)


You can sign at The True Book Addict. The challenge runs from Thanksgiving Day, November 26 through New Year's Eve, December 31, 2009.

Christian Nonfiction Challenge 2010

I need to introduce more nonfiction into my reading diet, so I thought this challenge would fit right in. Visit Debi at the Twiga blog to join. All you have to do is read 10 nonfiction titles by December 2010.

Introducing Eternity Falls by Kirk Outerbridge

In the future, death is only a problem if you can’t afford the price. Such is the promise of Gentec Corporation’s “Miracle Treatment”, a genetic anti-aging elixir that grants eternal life—or does it?

When a Gentec client suddenly dies of natural causes, the powers that be will stop at nothing to ensure their version of eternity remains unchallenged; even if it means concocting a religious sabotage conspiracy to cover a lie.

With the media about to blow the story wide open, the credibility of Gentec and the lives of millions of clients rest on one man’s ability to uncover the truth.
Enter detective Rick Macey, religious counterterrorist expert and Gentec executive Sheila Dunn’s last hope for salvation.

Now with the clock ticking and the corporate brass seeking their own solution at any cost, Macey must track down a religious zealot out to destroy the Miracle Treatment for good.

But when Macey finds himself not only falling for his client, but confronted with the possibility that the culprit could hold a connection to his shaded past, the truth suddenly becomes a dangerous thing.

Only through a test of faith can he stop the crisis before it’s all too late and eternity falls.

If you would like to read an excerpt from Chapter 1 of Eternity Falls, go HERE


Kirk Outerbridge developed a passion for storytelling at an early age. Through years of reading Fantasy and Science Fiction novels, comics, table top gaming and watching endless hours Japanese anime, he developed a keen sense for what made stories enjoyable and more importantly—what didn’t.

While pursuing an engineering degree in college, Kirk endeavored to tell his own stories, choosing writing as the easiest and cheapest medium to master—or so he thought. Several years and several hundred thousand words later, he produced a Sci-fi trilogy that shall never (God willing) see the light of day, but that did teach him much needed lessons about the craft of writing fiction.

After college Kirk returned to his homeland of Bermuda where he reunited with his childhood friend and future wife, Ria. But before marrying his lovely wife, Kirk entered an even greater marriage and devoted his life to Christ in 2002.

With a new found direction in life, writing fell by the wayside but the urge to tell futuristic stories never left. After much prayer and contemplation, Kirk purposed his writing for God’s Will, seeking to draw to Christ those who shared his passions for all things futuristic and Sci-fi.

Kirk currently lives with his wife Ria and 18 month old son Miles in beautiful Bermuda. He is a faithful member of the Church of Christ and is a professional engineer employed by the government.

Winner of White Picket Fences is...

Victoria!!! Congrats

Book MYView: What the Bayou Saw by Patti Lacy

Segregation and a chain link fence separated twelve-year-old Sally Flowers from her best friend, Ella Ward. Yet a brutal assault bound them together. Forever. Thirty-eight years later, Sally, a middle-aged Midwestern instructor, dredges up childhood secrets long buried beneath the waters of a Louisiana bayou in order to help her student, who has also been raped. Fragments of spirituals, gospel songs, and images of a Katrina-ravaged New Orleans are woven into the story.

The past can't stay buried forever. Rising author Patti Lacy's second novel exposes the life of Sally, set amid the shadows of prejudice in Louisiana.

Since leaving her home in the South, Sally Stevens has held the secrets of her past at bay, smothering them in a sunny disposition and sugar-coated lies. No one, not even her husband, has heard the truth about her childhood.

But when one of her students is violently raped, Sally's memories quickly bubble to the surface unbidden, like a dead body in a bayou. As Sally's story comes to light, the lies she's told begin to catch up with her. And as her web of deceit unravels, she resolves to face the truth at last, whatever the consequences.

MYView: In What the Bayou Saw, the familiar adage, “The truth will set you free” is portrayed in vivid and sometimes uncomfortable detail. Community college instructor, Sally Stevens harbors a secret that eats away at everything she touches, mostly her marriage and her soul. When Sally’s favorite student implicates three of her other students in a brutal assault, the burden of her past comes back to haunt her. Can she find healing from harmful traditions and the secret she swore to keep?

This isn’t a formulaic story where readers will sit back in their easy chair able to predict what happens next. Layer by layer, the story unfolds exposing the cruelty of racism and the bitter pill of betrayal, mixed with the beauty and heartache of a hidden friendship.

Each character has a distinct and memorable voice. It’s astonishing how one author can capture the nuance of numerous characters whether they are young or older, black or white, female or male. From Colored Town to Normal, Illinois, to post-Katrina New Orleans, Lacy takes readers on an unforgettable journey through hatred, lies, betrayal, and redemption.

I must agree with Julie Lessman's endorsement of What the Bayou Saw when she writes,"There is a blazing light on the horizon of women’s fiction, and her name is Patti Lacy."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Though Patti's only been writing since 2005, she thinks her latest profession of capturing stories on paper (or computer files) will stick awhile.

The Still, Small Voice encouraged Patti to write after a brave Irish friend shared memories of betrayal and her decision to forgive. In 2008, An Irishwoman’s Tale was published by Kregel Publications. Patti’s second novel, What the Bayou Saw, draws on the memories of two young girls who refused to let segregation, a chain link fence, and a brutal rape come between them.

The secrets women keep and why they keep them continue to enliven Patti's gray matter. A third book, My Name is Sheba, has been completed. Patti's WIP, Recapturing Lily, documents a tug-of-war between a Harvard-educated doctor and an American pastor and his wife for a precious child and explores adoption issues, China's "One Child" policy, and both Christian and secular views of sacrifice.

Patti also facilitates writing seminars in schools, libraries, and at conferences and has been called to present her testimony, "All the Broken Pieces," at women's retreats. She also leads a Beth Moore Bible study at her beloved Grace Church.

Patti and her husband Alan, an Illinois State faculty member, live in Normal with their handsome son Thomas, who attends Heartland Community College. On sunny evenings, you can catch the three strolling the streets of Normal with their dog Laura, whom they've dubbed a "Worchestershire Terrier" for her "little dab of this breed, a little dab of that breed.

Check back tomorrow

for my review of What the Bayou Saw!

In the meantime, watch the book trailer:

True. So True.

"The worst thing about new books is that it keeps us from reading the old ones." Joesph Joubert

Ends of the Earth Teaser

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"Certain insects are attracted to decomposing bodies, " Nick said. " Blowflies and flesh flies, for example--those things buzzing around your head. The females are looking for places to lay their eggs." p. 23. Ends of the Earth by Tim Downs

Count Me In

I'm joining another challenge. I just couldn't pass this one up.

Yes, yes, I know I need to update my sidebar for the other challenges. It's on my to-do list.

For more information about the Christy Awards challenge, click here. I'll begin the challenge at tier 2.

Musing About Gifts

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about your bookshelf…

With the holiday season now upon us, have you left any hint – subtle or otherwise – for books family and friends might buy you for Christmas? Do you like to receive books, or do you prefer certificates so you can choose your own?

I gave up on hinting long ago. It's no use. I tell them I would be happy to receive a card with a $5 gift certificate to a book store, but I never receive it. I'd rather receive a homemade card than receive a gift that will end up in the back of my closet. I'd also be happy with a gift of Downy, Tide, or paper towels for those who think $5 is too small a gift. Why? I use the products.

Dear Family and Friends, let's exchange useful gifts. Don't waste money!

Every year, I say we shouldn't waste money on useless gifts. Every year I'm ignored. I bet you this year, with money tighter than ever, they will listen. To be honest, we should give gifts to the children and exchange cards with the adults. But they won't listen.

Giveaway and Book MYView: White Picket Fences by Susan Meissner

Amanda Janvier’s idyllic home seems the perfect place for her niece Tally to stay while her vagabond brother is in Europe, but the white picket fence life Amanda wants to provide is a mere illusion. Amanda’s husband Neil refuses to admit their teenage son Chase, is haunted by the horrific fire he survived when he was four, and their marriage is crumbling while each looks the other way.

Tally and Chase bond as they interview two Holocaust survivors for a sociology project, and become startlingly aware that the whole family is grappling with hidden secrets, with the echoes of the past, and with the realization that ignoring tragic situations won’t make them go away.

Readers of emotional dramas that are willing to explore the lies that families tell each other for protection and comfort will love White Picket Fences. The novel is ideal for those who appreciate exploring questions like: what type of honesty do children need from their parents, or how can one move beyond a past that isn’t acknowledged or understood? Is there hope and forgiveness for the tragedies of our past and a way to abundant grace?

My Thoughts: White Picket Fences is an interesting story examining the harmful effects of secrets. Unfortunately, the four story lines and numerous characters didn’t work well for me. I think the story about the son dealing with his past and his parents’ marital problems should have been in one book. The story dealing with the Holocaust survivors (my favorite story) and the missing father should have been in another. The two books separately would have been great because the story lines were compelling. Don’t get me wrong, White Picket Fences was never boring; however, the disjointed plots hampered the overall flow of the story.

Meissner is an talented author who thinks of imaginative stories. I love that in an author because I get tired of reading the same plots over and over. I particularly enjoy how she weaves historical events into her stories. While White Picket Fences did not work for me, I did enjoy The Shape of Mercy, and I look forward to Meissner’s next book.

WaterBrook Press generously offered a copy of White Picket Fences to give away. If you would like to read the story for yourself, comment to this post by November 20, 2009.

While I appreciate the support of my international readers, I am unable, at this time, to offer this giveaway outside of the U.S. and Canada.

Introducing A Prisoner of Versailles by Golden Keyes Parsons

Madeleine's faith puts her at odds with an intimidating rival: King Louis XIV.

Having fled their homeland of France because of the persecution by Louis XIV, the Clavell family seeks refuge in Switzerland. However, the king is not about to let the recently widowed Madeleine, his childhood sweetheart, escape that easily. He sends musketeers to kidnap her and her oldest son, Philippe, holding them captive in his opulent palace. King Louis is suspicious that Philippe could be his son, and he's enraged by the growing affection of one of his courtiers for Madeleine.

Will Madeleine escape the king with her life or lose everything that she's fought so hard to keep?

If you would like to read the first chapter of A Prisoner of Versaille , go HERE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

In her deep plowing of the heart, moving from tears one moment to laughter the next, Golden will touch your heart with her dynamic Bible teaching, combined with her vivid personal examples, moving from tears one moment, to laughter the next, all the while communicating the message that God is faithful--keep trusting Him. She has a passion to communicate the Word of God in such a manner that will lead to godly living.

Golden, and her husband, Blaine, have just retired as pastors at Faith Mountain Fellowship Church in Red River, NM. They have three grown daughters and eight grandchildren. Her testimony and myriad of life experiences lend a touch of authenticity to her teaching. She loves to speak for women's conferences, seminars, luncheons, retreats and Mother/Daughter events.

If deep Bible teaching that brings the Scriptures alive is what you want, Golden is the speaker you need.

Waiting on Listen

Nothing ever happens in the small town of Marlo . . . until the residents begin seeing their private conversations posted online for everyone to read. Then it’s neighbor against neighbor, friend against friend, as paranoia and violence escalate. The police scramble to identify the person responsible for the posts and pull the plug on the Website before it destroys the town. But what responsibility do the people of the town have for the words they say when they think no one is listening? Life and death are in the power of the tongue.

Listen by Rene Gutteridge will be available in February from Tyndale House. You go, Renee. This sounds good!


Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine,

Day of Thanks and Remembrance

Book MYView: Fit to Be Tied by Robin Lee Hatcher

Cleo Arlington dresses like a cowboy, is fearless and fun-loving, and can ride, rope, and wrangle a horse as well as any man. In 1916, however, those talents aren’t what most young women aspire to. But Cleo isn’t most women. Twenty-nine years old and single, Cleo loves life on her father’s Idaho ranch. Still, she hopes someday to marry and have children.

Enter Sherwood Statham, an English aristocrat whose father has sentenced him to a year of work in America to “straighten him out.” Sherwood, who expected a desk job at a posh spa, isn’t happy to be stuck on an Idaho ranch. And he has no idea how to handle Cleo, who’s been challenged with transforming this uptight playboy into a down-home cowboy, because he has never encountered a woman succeeding in a “man’s world.”

Just about everything either of them says or does leaves the other, well, fit to be tied. Cleo Arlington knows everything about horses but nothing about men. And though Cleo believes God’s plan for her includes a husband, it couldn’t possibly be Sherwood Statham. Could it?

Their bumpy trot into romance is frustrating, exhilarating, and ultimately heartwarming.

My Thoughts: Robin Lee Hatcher deftly brings to life the story of an independent cowgirl and a spoiled aristocrat, brought together by circumstances beyond their control. At first, I didn’t like the story because I wasn’t feeling anything but annoyance for the main characters. Cleo was spoiled, and I was getting tired of her acting one way then moralizing about it later. Sherwood annoyed me too, but he had reasons to act out. I’m not making excuses for his behavior. I just understood him.

My annoyance lessened as the story drew me in. I begin to realize both were flawed, wounded characters with heart. I would make a corny reference to the title and being lassoed into the story, but I’ll refrain. (*smile*)

In a Note From the Author, Hatcher writes how she already knew Cleo would be the heroine but was unsure who the hero would be. I’m glad Sherwood convinced the author to write him as an aristocrat instead of a cowboy. The combination made for a satisfying “oil and water” love story any romance lover would enjoy.

I look forward to spring 2010 to read about Daphne McKinley in The Word to the Wise. She had my attention in Fit to Be Tied when she rushed out of a burning house lugging a suitcase full of books.

Now that’s a book lover!



Robin Lee Hatcher discovered her vocation as a novelist after many years of reading everything she could put her hands on, including the backs of cereal boxes and ketchup bottles. The winner of the Christy Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction (Whispers from Yesterday), the RITA Award for Best Inspirational Romance (Patterns of Love and The Shepherd's Voice), two RT Career Achievement Awards (Americana Romance and Inspirational Fiction), and the RWA Lifetime Achievement Award, Robin is the author of over 50 novels, including Catching Katie, named one of the Best Books of 2004 by the Library Journal.

Robin enjoys being with her family, spending time in the beautiful Idaho outdoors, reading books that make her cry, and watching romantic movies. She is passionate about the theater, and several nights every summer, she can be found at the outdoor amphitheater of the Idaho Shakespeare Festival, enjoying Shakespeare under the stars. She makes her home outside of Boise, sharing it with Poppet the high-maintenance Papillon



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

Watch the book video Trailer:

What the Bayou Saw Teaser

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!


Since the cookies hadn't done the job, she'd try a Diet Coke. Sally put in her money, waited for the plunk and thud, popped the tab, and drank. But the fizzy sound, the feel of the icy metallic can, usually sure bets, failed to soothe her. p. 31

Musing About Book Space

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about your bookshelf…

Does your house have a communal bookshelf? If not, is your bookshelf centrally located so everyone has access to it?


We have a communal bookshelf but my books hog up all the space. I really need to get them under control. Even my private bookshelves are overflowing. My family can access my books just fine; they just can't add their own books to the communal shelf. I never thought how selfish my collection was until today. Ooops.