My review of Stuck in the Middle by Virginia Smith!

Here it is! The review you've all been waiting for. I finished the book last night so it's not as fresh in my mind, but the story will stick with me. Here goes...

About the book!

Joan Sanderson's life is stuck. Her older sister, Allie, is starting a family and her younger sister, Tori, has a budding career. Meanwhile, Joan is living at home with Mom and looking after her aging grandmother. Not exactly a recipe for excitement-or romance.

That is, until a hunky young doctor moves in next door. Suddenly Joan has a goal--to catch his eye and get a date. But it won't be easy. Pretty Tori flirts relentlessly with him and Joan is sure that she can't compete. But with a little help from God, Allie, and an enormous mutt with bad manners, maybe Joan can find her way out of this rut and into the life she's been hiding from.

Book 1 of the Sister-to-Sister series, Stuck in the Middle combines budding romance, spiritual searching, and a healthy dose of sibling rivalry that is sure to make you smile.



My review:

This story was fabulous! It wasn't edgy, IMHO, but it was still very intriguing and incredibly romantic, not to mention downright hilarious at times. For me, Stuck in the Middle was the perfect example of the best of the best Christian fiction. Not too much angst and drama, but just enough tension and issues to keep you turning the pages. The internal dialogue was so well done I felt like I was the main character dealing with the spiritual struggles and the sister issues. Such honest and fresh fiction is not common. The spiritual struggles were realistic, and yet there was depth to the lessons that really cut to the heart of the issues. But it was such a seamless part of the story it seemed natural, like the point about being equally yolked with your partner and not being ashamed of your faith.

Stuck in the Middle was so heartwarming and deep, yet fun and light at the same time. How did the author do that??? I totally loved the hero, too. He was delectable. Those "almost kisses" were making me nuts. I loved the misunderstandings, too. This story was also a great example of what not to do to win a man's heart. The flirting lessons were hilarious, especially when Joan tossed her hair and noted each time he moved inside her hula hoop. To find out what that means you have to read the book. I loved it. Highly recommended.

Stuck in the Middle was published by Revell and released in February 2008!

March 2008 list of New Fiction Releases by ACFW authors.

1. A Lady of Hidden Intent, Book 2 in the Ladies of Liberty series by Tracie Peterson from Bethany House Publishers. Catherine Newbury flees her past, but has hidden intentions to right the wrongs done her family.

2. A Soldier's Family, Book 2-Wings of Refuge Series by Cheryl Wyatt from Steeple Hill-Love Inspired. A USAF Pararescue jumper recovering from a skydiving accident opens his heart to a widow and her troubled teen, and discovers he's been given a second chance at family.

3. A Suspicion of Strawberries Scents of Murder Series, Book 1 by Lynette Sowell from Barbour. Andromeda Clark loves control, and that's tough to hang onto while tracking down a murderer, saving her business, all while her boyfriend decides it's time to settle down.

4. A Treasure Worth Keeping by Kathryn Springer from Steeple Hill, Love Inspired. Single school teacher seeks solitude. . .and ends up on the adventure of a lifetime!

5. Amber Morn, Kanner Lake series #4 by Brandilyn Collins from Zondervan. The lives of the nationally read “Scenes and Beans” bloggers are on the line when they’re taken hostage by three volatile men whose demands are impossible to meet.

6. Another Stab at Life in The Volstead Manor Series by Anita Higman from Barbour Publishing. Another Stab at Life is about a woman who inherits not only a Gothic mansion, but the shadows and secrets that lie within.

7. Better than Gold Book Three in the Iowa Historical Series by Laurie Alice Eakes from Heartsong Presents. She wants to leave the small, Iowa town. He wants to stay and create a settled life. They both want to find the missing gold.

8. Blue Heart Blessed by Susan Meissner from Harvest House. A jilted bride opens a secondhand wedding dress shop but can't seem to let go of the one dress that started her business - her own.

9. Broken Lullaby by Pamela Tracy from Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense. When Mary Graham finally starts making right choices, DEA officer Mitch Williams interferes. From small steps to large leaps, trust, love, and faith are born in the midst of a mystery.

10. Dear to Me, Book 3 in the Brides of Webster County series by Wanda E. Brunstetter from Barbour Publishing. Melinda Andrews is torn between two loves -- her dear animal friends and Gabe, the man she loves.

11. Don't Look Back, #3 in Reunion Revelations (Love Inspired Suspense Continuity Series) by Margaret Daley from Steeple Hill. Jameson vows to help Cassie solve her brother's murder by delving into his secrets. But Jameson has his own secrets that might tear them apart.

12. Goldeneyes by Delia Latham from Vintage Romance Publishing. In the darkness of a Depression-era night, an alcoholic man commits a heinous crime, and over twenty years will pass before the horrible wrong begins to be made right.

13. John's Quest by Cecelia Dowdy from Barbour Publishing. John, an agnostic science professor, finds romantic love while searching for Jesus.

14. Leaving November, Book 2 The Clayburn Novels by Deborah Raney from Howard Books/Simon & Schuster. After failing the bar exam twice, a young woman comes home to discover love--with an artist who is everything she never wanted in a man.

15. My Heart Remembers by Kim Vogel Sawyer from Bethany House. United by blood, divided by time, three orphan train siblings seek to reunite eighteen years after fate separated them.

16. Seneca Shadows by Lauralee Bliss from Heartsong Pesents, Barbour Publishing. Lucy's quiet world has been invaded as soldiers come to train in her valley. Will love be the consequence?

17. Sincerely, Mayla, The Sequel to Just As I Am by Virginia Smith from Kregel. For control freak Mayla Strong, learning to lean on the everlasting arms is the toughest lesson of all.

18. The Renovation: Carter Mansion, First book in the 3-book Project Restoration Series by Terri Kraus from David C. Cook. Single father Ethan Willis is a master at restoring old buildings, returning what was once in ruins to the beauty of its original design. Can a new woman help restore his life after a tragedy that changed everything?

19. The Truth About Love by Tia McCollors from Moody Publishers - Lift Every Voice Imprint. In this powerful sequel to Zora's Cry, four friends face issues that test the strength of their faith and their love.

20. Trouble the Water by Nicole Seitz from Thomas Nelson. Three flawed women find God's healing in the loving hands of a Gullah community on a South Carolina sea island.

21. Wildfire Book #3, Snow Canyon Ranch series by Roxanne Rustand from Steeple Hill. Snow Canyon Ranch---where sinister family secrets lurk in the majestic Rockies.Happy reading ~

Check out my interview of my cover model Katie!

Katie models as Annie for my book cover. To read her interview, click on the link below.

Interview with model Katie, who poses as Annie

Growing up in the 1970s - what did little girls like?

I received this e-mail from a friend today and it made me laugh. I thought I'd post it for you all to snicker along with me, except I am going to asterisk the statements that are actually true for me. If you find one statement particularly hilarious and want to comment (because it rings true for you) feel free to do so! Here goes...

IF YOU WERE A LITTLE GIRL IN THE 1970s......

You had that Fisher Price Doctor's Kit with a stethoscope that actually worked. *

You owned a bicycle with a banana seat and a plastic basket with flowers on it. *

You learned to skate with actual skates (not roller blades) that had metal wheels. *

You thought Gopher from Love Boat was cute (admit it!) *

You had nightmares after watching Fantasy Island .

You had either a 'bowl cut' or 'pixie', not to mention the 'Dorothy Hamill'.
(People sometimes thought you were a boy.) *

You had rubber boots for rainy days and Moon boots for snowy days. *

You owned a 'Slip-n-Slide', on which you injured yourself on a sprinkler head more than once. *

You owned 'Klick-Klacks' and smacked yourself in the face more than once ! *

Your Holly Hobbie sleeping bag was your most prized possession.

You wore a poncho, gauchos, and knickers. *

You begged Santa for the electronic game, Simon.

You had the Donnie and Marie dolls with those pink and purple satiny shredded outfits, or the sunshine family.

You spent hours in your backyard on your metal swing set with the trapeze. *

The swing set tipped over at least once. *

You had homemade ribbon barrettes in every imaginable color.

You had a pair of Doctor Scholl's sandals (the ones with hard sole & the buckle). You also had a pair of salt-water sandals. *

You wanted to be Laura Ingalls Wilder really bad; you wore that Little House on the
Prairie-inspired plaid, ruffle shirt with the high neck in at least one school picture;
and you despised Nellie Olson! *

You wanted your first kiss to be at a roller rink! *

PONG! ('video tennis' ) was the most remarkable futuristic game you've ever heard of ! *

Your hairstyle was described as having 'wings' or 'feathers' and you kept it 'pretty'
with the comb you kept in your back pocket. *

When you walked, the 'wings' flapped up and down, looked like you were gonna 'take off'. *

You know who Strawberry Shortcake is, as well as her friends, Blueberry Muffin and Huckleberry Pie. *

You carried a Muppets lunch box to school and it was metal, not plastic. *

With the thermos inside some were glass inside and broke the first time you dropped them. *

You and your girlfriends would fight over which of the Dukes of Hazzard was your boyfriend.

YOU had Star Wars action figures, too! *

It was a big event in your household each year when the 'Wizard of Oz' would come on TV.
Your mom would break out the popcorn and sleeping bags! *

You often asked your Magic-8 ball the question: 'Who will I marry.
Shaun Cassidy, Leif Garrett, or David Cassidy?' *

You completely wore out your Grease, Saturday Night Fever, and Fame soundtrack record album. *

You tried to do lots of arts and crafts, like yarn and Popsicle-stick God's eyes, decoupage,
or those weird potholders made on a plastic loom. *

You made Shrinky-Dinks and put iron-on kittens on your t-shirts! *

You used to tape record songs off the radio by holding your portable tape player up to the speaker. *

You had subscriptions to Dynamite and Tiger Beat.

You learned everything you needed to know about girl issues from Judy Blume books.
(Are you there God, It's Me, Margaret.) *

You thought Olivia Newton John's song 'Physical' was about aerobics. (?? its not??) *

You wore friendship pins on your tennis shoes, or shoelaces with heart or rain bow designs. *

You wanted to be a Solid Gold dancer. *

You drowned yourself in Love's Baby Soft - which was the first 'real' perfume you ever owned. *

You glopped your lips in Strawberry Roll-on lip-gloss till it almost dripped off. *

LOL! How pathetic is that! And I thought I was unique. Apparently I was more like every other young girl in the 1970s than I realized. What about you???

Win a copy of Stuck in the Middle. I'm giving one away!

To win a copy of Stuck in the Middle by Virginia Smith, simply post a comment and make sure to leave me a way to contact you if you win. This book is SOOO good. I'm like a few chapters from the end and plan to post a review as soon as I can finish it! I'll pick a winner Sunday!

About the book!

Joan Sanderson's life is stuck. Her older sister, Allie, is starting a family and her younger sister, Tori, has a budding career. Meanwhile, Joan is living at home with Mom and looking after her aging grandmother. Not exactly a recipe for excitement-or romance.

That is, until a hunky young doctor moves in next door. Suddenly Joan has a goal--to catch his eye and get a date. But it won't be easy. Pretty Tori flirts relentlessly with him and Joan is sure that she can't compete. But with a little help from God, Allie, and an enormous mutt with bad manners, maybe Joan can find her way out of this rut and into the life she's been hiding from.

Book 1 of the Sister-to-Sister series, Stuck in the Middle combines budding romance, spiritual searching, and a healthy dose of sibling rivalry that is sure to make you smile.

Stuck in the Middle by Virginia Smith is up on CFBA!

I'm on page 225 and plan to have a review posted by tomorrow night along with a giveaway for this book. You are gonna love it!!!

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Stuck in the Middle
Revell (February 1, 2008)
by
Virginia Smith

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Virginia Smith left her job as a corporate director to become a full time writer and speaker with the release of her first novel Just As I Am.

Since then she has contracted eight novels and published numerous articles and short stories. She writes contemporary humorous novels for the Christian market, including Murder by Mushroom (Steeple Hill, August 2007) and her newest release, Stuck in the Middle(Revell, February 2008), book 1 in the Sister-to-Sister Series.

Her short fiction has been anthologized, and her articles have been published in a variety of Christian magazines. An energetic speaker, she loves to exemplify God’s truth by comparing real-life situations to well-known works of fiction, such as her popular talk, “Biblical Truths in Star Trek.”

Virginia is a speaker, and an avid Scuba diver. She and her husband Ted, divide their times between Kentucky and Utah, and escape as often as they can for diving trips to the Caribbean!

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Joan Sanderson's life is stuck. Her older sister, Allie, is starting a family and her younger sister, Tori, has a budding career. Meanwhile, Joan is living at home with Mom and looking after her aging grandmother. Not exactly a recipe for excitement-or romance.

That is, until a hunky young doctor moves in next door. Suddenly Joan has a goal--to catch his eye and get a date. But it won't be easy. Pretty Tori flirts relentlessly with him and Joan is sure that she can't compete. But with a little help from God, Allie, and an enormous mutt with bad manners, maybe Joan can find her way out of this rut and into the life she's been hiding from.

Book 1 of the Sister-to-Sister series, Stuck in the Middle combines budding romance, spiritual searching, and a healthy dose of sibling rivalry that is sure to make you smile.

"A gentle story of one young woman's season of growth, deftly blending the tangle of family relationships with gifts of whimsey and revelation. A joy to read."
~SHARON HINCK, author of Renovating Becky Miller and Symphony of Secrets~

"Virginia Smith has created a charming and humerous novel that celebrates small-town life, generations of women caring for each other, and the value of finding a deeper, more active faith."
~SHARON DUNN, author of the Bargain Hunters mysteries~

This really blessed me today! For authors only!

The following "devotion" was written by Cynthia Ruchti and used with permission. I hope it blesses you like it blessed me. Enjoy!

One simple Scripture that helps propel us through the smoking, sulphurous swampland of Writer Doubts.

Jesus did not say, "Take up your paycheck and follow Me." He didn't say, "Take up your accolades and follow Me." Or "Take up your family's admiration and follow Me."

He said, "Take up your cross."

He laid out a writing path for each of us, all steps but the one we're on shrouded in shadows. "Take up your cross and come on. Let's go."

What do writers' crosses look like?

Writing is our bliss, our joy, our fulfillment. We know that few are called or equipped to write and that gives us such a sense of awe that the Lord would choose to gift us that way.

But there are crosses involved. REAL crosses.

One of them is that in ministry and in writing, we will never be paid a decent hourly wage. NEVER. We will never be paid MINIMUM WAGE! Even those with a five thousand dollar advance have probably put two thousand hours into their project!

Those called to devote themselves to ministry or writing bear the cross of being misunderstood by those who find their joy in or don't mind bagging groceries or working at Kwik Trip or punching a time card at the shoe factory. We admire their tenacity and endurance for their tasks. We admire their willingness to do whatever it takes to put food on the table. But they won't always admire ours because to them, capturing words is like skipping through the meadow with a butterfly net.

We will be misunderstood by those who put in fewer hours than we do and make ten times the income. We will be misunderstood by caring but misguided family members who ask, "Why can't you get a real job?"

We will also bear the cross of forgoing normal signs of approval for what we do. No steady paycheck (for most of us). No merit increase. No performance evaluation where we hear, "You are so prompt!" Or "I can always count on you to do your work with excellence." If the Lord allows, we'll sometimes hear an editor make a comment like that. But mostly, we have to draw our own conclusions from an acceptance or rejection letter and an occasional positive critique.

Writers are artists and artists bear the cross of living in the intangibles. We can't lay that paycheck on the kitchen table or point to our company's 401K. We lay our words on the altar. Most of us can't pay for new carpeting. We wear it out on our knees. We can't bring home groceries. We write article ideas or character qualities on the back of our grocery list and forget where we put it.

When we look at those issues as facts of the writing life, when we doubt that we have anything to offer because we have nothing to show, we slip off the one-step-at-a-time path and onto the unstable bog of the slurpy swamp.

When we recognize that the weight we feel pressing upon us is a writer's cross, we stand taller, shift the weight, take a deep breath, and keep climbing. (Did I mention the path is all uphill?)

Pressing on, picking splinters, guarding against infection,

Cynthia Ruchti

It's been awhile since I've posted photos of my niece. She just keeps getting cuter and cuter!

My review of Bluegrass Peril by Virginia Smith

About the book:


WHO KILLED HER BOSS?

Local police had tagged single mom Becky Dennison as their prime suspect. But she'd only been in the wrong place at the wrong time… admittedly, with her boss's lifeless body. Sure, it looked bad, but Becky had no motive for killing the man—even if she had opportunity.

Then, Scott Lewis, handsome assistant manager of a nearby horse farm, entered Becky's life. Soon the amateur detectives were hot on the trail of the murderer…even as their feelings for each other deepened. And for Becky and Scott, this race on the Kentucky tracks had the greatest stakes of all: life or death.

My review:

Bluegrass Peril seemed more like a cozy mystery than a suspense, but I enjoyed it. I usually don't finish most of the LI Suspense stories I begin so this one kept my attention. It was romantic, but that part was minimal. The ex getting back into their lives definitely perked up the tension and I liked how she concluded that sometimes things seem right and people would like them to be right, but they are still wrong for you. I felt for Becky because she had a rough deal being a single (divorced) parent with two boys. I understood her situation and desire to restore her family, but was glad when she came to her senses. I also thought the breeding barn scene was LOL funny! Poor Becky was mortified, while Scott was oblivious.

Bluegrass Peril was published by Steeple Hill LI Suspense and was released in December 2007.

Now I'm giving away White Soul by Brandt Dodson

All you have to do to be entered to win is post a comment and make sure to leave me a way to contact you if you win. Some people are still forgetting that part. Thanks!


About the book:

Police officer Ron Ortega is a cop caught in the middle:His wife and new baby want him home. His superiors-and his own naked ambition-want him in Miami.

When he infiltrates one of the city's most vicious gangs, someone, or someones, want him dead. They will stop at nothing to achieve their goal. In a test of his faith, Officer Ortega must decide if he will succumb to the challenges and the temptations that surround him or live the life he's always proclaimed...Or for that matter, whether he'll live at all.

Winner posted for the Reviewers Only contest!

Remember, the winner does NOT get a book, just a mention. I thought it would be fun and it was. You need to read the entries to get to the winner. Here is a link to that post. Scroll down and enjoy!

Find out who the winner is here!

What are you reading? - Tagged!

Okay, I was tagged by Margo to do this, but it gets tricky for me because most of the books I'm reading now are ARCs or galleys and they specifically say not to quote from them before they are released as the content may change. So I grabbed the nearest book that is not a galley.

You want to know what I'm reading? The "tag" says to turn to page 123 of the nearest book, go to the fifth sentence and post the next three! Then tag five more people.

So I obey. Here goes...

It was a tiny enclave, a mere remnant of what once was, casting a ghostly pall over their revelry. But Daria attempted to smile, engage the villagers who stood aside, mouths agape at the visitors.

They paused to purchase a salted ham and fresh bread, even two oranges, from several merchants and pushed forward toward the oldest church in all the region.

This comes from The Betrayed by Lisa T. Bergren and was published by Berkley Books and released in 2007.

Now I'm tagging Trish Perry, Deb Ullrick, Angela Breidenbach, Laura Williams, and Cara Putman.

My review of Adam by Ted Dekker.

About the book:

He died once to stop the killer...now he's dying again to save his wife.

FBI behavioral psychologist Daniel Clark has become famous for his well-articulated arguments that religion is one of society’s greatest antagonists. What Daniel doesn’t know is that his obsessive pursuit of a serial killer known only as “Eve” is about to end abruptly with an unexpected death-his own.

Twenty minutes later Daniel is resuscitated, only to be haunted by the loss of memory of the events immediately preceding his death.

Daniel becomes convinced that the only way to stop Eve is to recover those missing minutes during which he alone saw the killer’s face. And the only way to access them is to trigger his brain’s memory dump that occurs at the time of death by simulating his death again…and again. So begins a carefully researched psychological thriller which delves deep into the haunting realities of near-death experiences, demon possession, and the human psyche.


My review:

This story is compelling, gripping, fascinating and amazing. It's clear to me that the author spent countless hours on research. I was at the hospital the other day and recommended it to a doctor who saw me reading it. I told him it had a gross autopsy scene with plenty of details and a mysterious illness they were trying to understand. I think he wrote the title down. Anyway, the natural realm and the supernatural converge in this impressive tale about good and evil. Who better to tell this frightening story than Ted Dekker?

Dekker has an impressive imagination, is incredibly intelligent, and writes in terrifying detail. I think this is the scariest Christian fiction story I've ever read. But it's not mere horror for entertainment's sake. There is a pretty profound message in this story that I believe is well worth reading. I don't recommend reading it at night, though. It would give you creepy dreams and you'd be digging in your drawer for duct tape. Trust me on that one. Read the book and you'll see why. However, if the power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you (Romans 8:11) you have nothing to fear by reading this story. Some of the theology is "iffy," but hey, this is fiction! This page turner comes highly recommended. Enjoy!


Adam was published by Thomas Nelson and is scheduled to be released in April 2008.

For book reviewers only! Post a comment on your top five!

If you review books either formally for authors and publishing houses, or even just for Amazon, this blog today is for you. I thought it would be fun to pose the question to you all and have you come up with the top five ways you know how you have too many books to review. Post a comment with your thoughts and I'll post who I think had the most creative answers by Sunday. But don't worry, I won't send you a book if you win. :) You just get a mention here.

Here are my top five ways I know I have too many books to review!

1. My bookshelves were buckling and I had to borrow from the savings account to buy more bookcases.
2. I get giddy with relief when I open a package and discover I already have the book.
3. My friends at church run when they see me because I've given them too many books.
4. I want to do a Snoopy Dance when my mailbox is empty.
5. Even if I quit my job and read full-time it would take me two years to read all of the books on my TBR pile.

Now tell me, what are your top five???

Now I'm giving away Torrent Falls by Jan Watson

To enter to win all you need to do is leave a comment, but PLEASE leave me a way to contact you if you win! Thanks!



About the book:

The year is 1888; Copper is a young widow with a baby trying to make a go of the ramshackle farm she received from her father in Troublesome Creek. Copper's life seems as dilapidated as the farm as she struggles to come to terms with her shattered world. Desperate to rekindle the easy faith she had as a child, she searches for peace and God's direction in the serenity of the Kentucky mountains. Further complicating her life is a budding romance with John Pelfrey, Copper's long ago sweetheart. Once sure she could never love again, Copper gives her heart to John only to face betrayal. A skilled midwife, Copper is challenged in many ways as she ministers to the women of eastern Kentucky. Always a believer, Copper still has much to learn as she grows in wisdom and in faith.

Read the first chapter on Barnes & Noble's site here...

Torrent Falls chapter 1

To find the chapter click on the "features" tab under the picture of the cover.

Adam by Ted Dekker is up on CFBA this week!

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
ADAM

(Thomas Nelson April 1, 2008)


by
Ted Dekker

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ted is the son of missionaries John and Helen Dekker, whose incredible story of life among headhunters in Indonesia has been told in several books. Surrounded by the vivid colors of the jungle and a myriad of cultures, each steeped in their own interpretation of life and faith, Dekker received a first-class education on human nature and behavior. This, he believes, is the foundation of his writing.

After graduating from a multi-cultural high school, he took up permanent residence in the United States to study Religion and Philosophy. After earning his Bachelor's Degree, Dekker entered the corporate world in management for a large healthcare company in California. Dekker was quickly recognized as a talent in the field of marketing and was soon promoted to Director of Marketing. This experience gave him a background which enabled him to eventually form his own company and steadily climb the corporate ladder.

Since 1997, Dekker has written full-time. He states that each time he writes, he finds his understanding of life and love just a little clearer and his expression of that understanding a little more vivid. Dekker's body of work encompassing seven mysteries, three thrillers and ten fantasies includes Heaven's Wager, When Heaven Weeps, Thunder of Heaven, Blessed Child, A Man Called Blessed, Blink, Thr3e, The Circle Trilogy (Black, Red, White), and Obsessed, with two more...Renegade, and Chaos to be released later this year.



ABOUT THE BOOK

He died once to stop the killer...now he's dying again to save his wife.

FBI behavioral psychologist Daniel Clark has become famous for his well-articulated arguments that religion is one of society’s greatest antagonists. What Daniel doesn’t know is that his obsessive pursuit of a serial killer known only as “Eve” is about to end abruptly with an unexpected death-his own.

Twenty minutes later Daniel is resuscitated, only to be haunted by the loss of memory of the events immediately preceding his death.

Daniel becomes convinced that the only way to stop Eve is to recover those missing minutes during which he alone saw the killer’s face. And the only way to access them is to trigger his brain’s memory dump that occurs at the time of death by simulating his death again…and again. So begins a carefully researched psychological thriller which delves deep into the haunting realities of near-death experiences, demon possession, and the human psche.

"As always with a Ted Dekker thriller, the details of ADAM are stunning, pointing to meticulous research in a raft of areas: police and FBI methods, forensic medicine, psychological profiling-in short, all that accompanies a Federal hunt for a serial killer. But Dekker fully reveals his magic in the latter part of the book, when he subtly introduces his darker and more frightening theme. It's all too creepily convincing. We have to keep telling ourselves that this is fiction. At the same time, we can't help thinking that not only could it happen, but that it will happen if we're not careful."

New York Times best-selling author Ted Dekker unleashes his most riveting novel yet...an elusive serial killer whose victims die of unknown causes and the psychologist obsessed with catching him.

My thoughts:

I'm on page 152. This story is fascinating, compelling. creepy, amazing and hard to put down. I'm totally into it, thought it's sort of nuts, too, but in a very intelligent and frighteningly real manner. I will have a review in a few days. If I didn't have a job I would've finished it already.

Final final cover. NO more tweaks. This is it!

Check out my interview of my cover model Devan!

Curious about the handsome fella on the left side of my cover who plays bad boy Tony Lane in my upcoming novel? Well, I've got more information about him and you can read all about it here. If you enjoy the interview please post a comment. Thanks!



Click here to link to the spotlight on Devan--posing as Tony Lane!

My review of Happily Ever After by Marilynn Griffith

About the book:

I marry a gorgeous executive, have a baby, lose all the weight (most of it)—and move to a fine house in the suburbs with a welcoming new church. Wait—did I say welcoming? One teeny waaah! and new mothers and their crying babies are exiled to a separate room. At least there's some enlightening conversation. Like about my husband and issues I didn't even know about! And then there's my aptly named mother-in-law,

Queen Elizabeth, who can't stand me.

I'm about to lose my mind! So it's high time for a visit to the Sassy Sistahood for some much-needed advice about men, marriage and motherhood!

My review:

Great mom lit! Marilynn knows how to keep a story moving. I loved this sassy tale of friendship and church ladies, love and despair, hope and frailty, forgiveness and commitment. Great stuff! I felt so bad for Tracey for the first two thirds of the book. I truly felt her pain. But I also enjoyed the drama and the tension between her and her man over his mother. Great stuff. Wait - I already said that. Anyway, this book is engrossing and entertaining and has enough twists to crimp your hair, but not your style. Okay, so that was a bit corny. Seriously, if you love sassy sistah lit with a smattering of spiritual nourishment, this book is one you'll enjoy. And the humor about her weight was pretty hilarious and realistic, too. Did I mention the romantic element was divine? I loved it!

Happily Ever After was published by Steeple Hill Cafe and released in January 2008.

I'm giving away Learning to Fly by Roxanne Henke.

To enter to win simply post a comment. Only people in the USA or Canada may enter. Thanks! And don't forget to leave me a way to contact you if you win!


About the book:

Nervous new mom Susan feels like she may never get a handle on "the mothering thing"---so she's grateful when a chance meeting reconnects her with JoJo, an acquaintance with a daughter the same age. Over the years, the family friendships deepen, but as graduation nears, will they be ready to let their girls fly?

My thoughts:

I started this book and it was interesting. I don't have a daughter and my mother died 10 years ago, and was in the hospital dying around this time of the year, so I'm not sure if this book will be painful for me or healing. We'll see. The opening was good, though. :)

My Name is Russell Fink is up on the CFBA!

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
My Name is Russell Fink
Zondervan (March 1, 2008)
by
Michael Snyder


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Michael Snyder has spent the bulk of his professional career in sales, has fallen in love, and continues to struggle with the balance between art and vocation. He's never investigated a murder, much less that of an allegedly clairvoyant dog.






ABOUT THE BOOK:

Russell Fink is twenty-six years old and determined to salvage a job he hates so he can finally move out of his parents house for good. He's convinced he gave his twin sister cancer when they were nine years old. And his crazy fiancée refuses to accept the fact that their engagement really is over.

Then Sonny, his allegedly clairvoyant basset hound, is found murdered.

The ensuing amateur investigation forces Russell to confront several things at once-the enormity of his family's dysfunction, the guy stalking his family, and his long-buried feelings for a most peculiar love interest.

At its heart, My Name is Russell Fink is a comedy, with sharp dialogue, characters steeped in authenticity, romance, suspense, and fresh humor. With a postmodern style similar to Nick Hornby and Douglas Coupland, the author explores reconciliation, forgiveness, and faith in the midst of tragedy. No amount of neurosis or dysfunction can derail God's redemptive purposes.


My thoughts:

I've read the first thirty or so pages of this book and it's a hoot! At least in the beginning of the story. I loved the sarcasm and humor. It almost has a chick lit feel but the main character is a guy so if this is lad lit, I want more of it. I can see this type of fiction becoming a trend as it's sooo entertaining. The humor about calling off work and playing sick is to-die-for-funny. Anyone who has a job they don't like will appreciate it!

But then when I read the fact that his doggie was murdered...oh boy, that stinks. Not so funny there. I'll have to keep reading this one to see where it leads. It's totally enthralling!

My review of Healing Stones by Nancy Rue and Stephen Arterburn.

ABOUT THE BOOK

With one flash of a camera, Demi's private life becomes public news. She doesn't know it yet, but her healing has just begun.

Christian college professor Demitria Costanas had vowed to end her affair with a colleague. But she gives into temptation one last time...and a lurking photographer captures her weakness for all to see. Quite literally, she's the woman caught in adultery. And almost everyone--herself included--has a stone to throw.

Enter Sullivan Crisp, a decidedly unorthodox psychologist with his own baggage. He's well-known for his quirky sense of humor and incorporation of "game show" theology into his counseling sessions. And yet there's something more he offers...hope for a fresh start.

Reluctantly the two of them begin an uplifting, uneven journey filled with healing and grace. By turns funny and touching, this story explores the ways humans hurt each other and deceive themselves. And it shows the endlessly creative means God uses to turn stones of accusation and shame into works of beauty that lead us onto the path of healing.

An auspicious debut for a candid yet tender series about pain, healing, and God's invitation for second chances.

My review:

I'd never heard of this book before it landed in my mailbox, but I've loved every book I've read that was written by Nancy Rue because she usually writes pretty edgy stuff. I started reading this novel for the blog tour and I was not disappointed. I literally couldn't put it down. It captivated me from the first page! I stayed up late at night reading it and took it with me to read every chance I got. The characters were rich and the emotions were real. The story within the story, about the therapist Dr. Sullivan Crisp, was impressively heartbreaking and emotionally moving. I was totally caught up in the emotion and the trauma in the characters' lives. I cried several times. And the ending was so powerful it left me speechless.

The authors did a fantastic job at torturing their characters, but better than that, they did an incredible job of showing you the healing that took place in their lives. That is not easy to do, not like creating the pain is, anyway. You--the reader--see the benefits of not running from the pain and of learning to understand yourself and your own heart so you can truly be vulnerable and love others. Forgiveness is a strong theme in this book. So is spiritual pharisee-ism and judgmental attitudes and the pain they cause. I gained so much insight into my own life through the spiritual struggles of the characters that I can't recommend this novel highly enough. I loved it!

Healing Stones was published by Thomas Nelson and was released January 1, 2008.

Now I'm giving away One Holy Night by J. M. Hochstetler!

This exciting story will be released April 1st, but you can win a copy ahead of time by posting a comment on this blog. Just make sure to leave me a way to contact you if you win. I've read this book and it's emotionally gripping and a real page-turner. And it's not just a "Christmas story" even though the title sort of implies that. This story is awesome to read any time of the year. Best wishes! Enjoy!



About the book:

Slumped in his easy chair in the darkened living room, Frank McRae stared at the television screen, raw images of war exploding in his head long after the news had finally ended, replaced by an inane sitcom. The grainy black-and-white video of battle-weary troops slogging through the sodden rice paddies and shadowy jungles of Viet Nam ate away at his heart like sulfuric acid.

There was nothing left of his life now but the bitterness and the pain that were tearing him apart. The silence in this house that had once been a cherished home, rich with happiness and love, was deafening. He was drowning in it the same way he’d seen sailors thrown from a torpedoed ship drown in the hostile, oily waters of the South Pacific during that other war more than twenty years earlier.

Always another war. Always more purposeless killing, senseless dying, and fractured relationships that couldn’t seem to be put back together again. If there really was a God, why had he let this happen? What kind of God would tear from a man those dearest to him?

None of it made any sense. The Bible spoke of a God of love and mercy, but for all Frank could tell, God remained indifferent to suffering. When one needed help the most, God turned his back. Surely the Bible was nothing but a hollow myth.

What Frank doesn’t know is that on this bleak Christmas Eve, God has in mind a miracle. Once more, as on that holy night so long ago, a baby will be born and laid in a manger—a baby who will bring forgiveness, peace, and healing to a family that has suffered heart-wrenching loss.

Top fiction list for 2008!

I need to put these down before they get past me. I've read so many awesome books in 2008 that I wanted you to know these books are worth buying. Here is my list...

Fallen by Matthew Raley
A Passion Most Pure by Julie Lessman
Distant Heart by Tracey Bateman
Lady of Milkweed Manor by Julie Klassen
Blue Heart Blessed by Susan Meissner
Awaken My Heart by Diann Mills
Healing Stones by Nancy Rue and Stephen Arterburn

Healing Stones by Nancy Rue and Stephen Arterburn is up on CFBA!

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Healing Stones
(Thomas Nelson January 1, 2008)
by
Stephen Arterburn & Nancy Rue


ABOUT THE AUTHORS:





Stephen Arterburn is the founder and chairman of New Life Ministries—the nation’s largest faith-based broadcast, counseling and treatment ministry—and is the host of the nationally syndicated “New Life Live!” daily radio...






By 1996 Nancy was a full-time writer. The Christian Heritage Series made that possible. She was writing those books from the early 1990's until 2000.

And then a new opportunity came along--the Lily series. If she ever doubted that she was going to make it as a writer, man, that little red-head put those fears to rest! And, of course, Sophie followed Lily, with some teen and grown-up books in between -- plus the non-fiction books designed just for you.

Nancy and her husband live in Tennessee now, overlooking a beautiful lake, lots of sycamore trees, and the rocky Tennessee hills. They have a bright yellow power boat named BANANA SPLIT which you can find us on no matter what the weather. Marijean and her husband live nearby with my three grand-dogs and three grand-cats (and two grand-snakes . . .)






ABOUT THE BOOK

With one flash of a camera, Demi's private life becomes public news. She doesn't know it yet, but her healing has just begun.

Christian college professor Demitria Costanas had vowed to end her affair with a colleague. But she gives into temptation one last time...and a lurking photographer captures her weakness for all to see. Quite literally, she's the woman caught in adultery. And almost everyone--herself included--has a stone to throw.

Enter Sullivan Crisp, a decidedly unorthodox psychologist with his own baggage. He's well-known for his quirky sense of humor and incorporation of "game show" theology into his counseling sessions. And yet there's something more he offers...hope for a fresh start.

Reluctantly the two of them begin an uplifting, uneven journey filled with healing and grace. By turns funny and touching, this story explores the ways humans hurt each other and deceive themselves. And it shows the endlessly creative means God uses to turn stones of accusation and shame into works of beauty that lead us onto the path of healing.

An auspicious debut for a candid yet tender series about pain, healing, and God's invitation for second chances.

My thoughts:

This book is fabulous and going to make my top fiction for 2008 list! I have always loved Nancy Rue's novels but this one tops them all! I will post a review in a few days. I am SO close to the end. I only have a few chapters to go, but I didn't want to miss the tour by waiting to post!

I'm giving away a copy of Reluctant Smuggler by Jill Elizabeth Nelson.

To enter for a chance to win merely post a comment, but don't forget to leave me a way to contact you if you win!

About the book:

They say keep your friends close and your enemies closer…but what if you can’t tell the difference?

For security consultant Desiree Jacobs, the assignment was simple: make off with an ancient Mayan artifact and hand it over to the good guys in time to plan her wedding to ultra-fine FBI agent Tony Lucano.

Yet, in a world where no one is as they seem, Desi must decipher who the good guys are–before she ends up in the hands of a ruthless enemy.

Suddenly, artifact recovery turns into archaeological espionage, and the woman who finds all the answers must now ask questions: Who’s looting priceless antiquities underneath the nose of the baffled Mexican government? And what does a violent gang of drug and human traffickers have to do with missing artifacts?

Even with Tony on her side, Desi will need way more than luck to survive against the odds. She’ll need the truth–not just to set her free, but to liberate many innocents caught in the snare of calculating evil.

My thoughts:

I've read the first few chapters and so far it's non-stop action. Makes me think of the movie with Katherine Zeta-Jones. Heist, was it? At any rate, I have a feeling this one will be the best in the series. So check it out even if you don't win.

My review of Awaken My Heart by Diann Mills.

About the book:

1803, the colony of Texas, Marianne Phillips, the daughter of a wealthy rancher, has never agreed with her father's harsh treatment of the poor mestizos who first inhabited the colony of Texas. When rebels kidnap Marianne, in hopes her father will trade back their land for her freedom, she realizes her loyalty lies with her abductors, not her father, who plans to marry her off to the don of a nearby estate.

Armando Garcia is the locals' reluctant leader, but his people revere and depend on him. Knowing that without his leadership they'd be forced from their land, Armando accepts his role, but does not approve of the latest attempt to manipulate their enemy. When he learns that Marianne actually speaks his language, of her loyalty to his people, and of the faith that keeps her strong, Armando is faced with a difficult decision. Will his newfound love keep him from letting her go? Or will he set her free and risk losing their land forever?

My review:

I've read many books written by Diann Mills, and this story is my favorite. It's definitely the most romantic book, in my opinion, that she has ever penned. Life in 1800s Texas was portrayed in such a way that I got a strong sense of the culture during those hard times. Marianne had some difficult choices to make and she had to choose wisely. Several gritty and edgy topics arose in this adventurous tale and I applaud the author for her excellent portrayal of the destructiveness of domestic violence, alcoholism, and greed. Her clear portrayal of true faith is also to be commended. The author contrasted traditional religion with a relationship the believer has with the Living God, and the hope and true peace such faith produces.

Armando was the ultimate hero. He was strong, yet compassionate, dedicated, yet torn because of his past. The author's description of him made me think of Antonio Banderas. Zorro here I come! Ah, what a tale of love! It was so passionate and felt so real it swept me off my feet. I loved every yummy kiss and the emotion I experienced as the hero and heroine dealt with all of the things separating them, along with all of the things drawing them together. Fabulous romance. Great historical fiction. This story gets my highest rating. It's a real page turner! The Avon Inspire line has some of the best, most inspirational and romantic historical fiction I've read to date!

Awaken My Heart was published by Avon Inspire (Harper Collins) and released in February 2008!

Sisters, Ink by Rebeca Seitz is up on CFBA!

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Sister's Ink
Broadman & Holman Books (February 1, 2008)
by
Rebeca Seitz

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Rebeca Seitz is Founder and President of Glass Road Public Relations. An author for several years, PRINTS CHARMING was her first novel.

Rebeca cut her publicity teeth as the first dedicated publicist for the fiction division of Thomas Nelson Publishers. In 2005, Rebeca resigned from WestBow and opened the doors of GRPR, the only publicity firm of its kind in the country dedicated solely to representing novelists writing from a Christian worldview.

Rebeca makes her home in Kentucky with her husband, Charles, and their son, Anderson.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Sisters, Ink marks the first in a series of novels written by, for, and about scrapbookers. At the center of the creativity and humor are four unlikely young adult sisters, each separately adopted during early childhood into the loving home of Marilyn and Jack Sinclair.

Ten years after their mother Marilyn has died, the multi-racial Sinclair sisters (Meg, Kendra, Tandy, and Joy) still return to her converted attic scrapping studio in the small town of Stars Hill, Tennessee, to encourage each other through life’s highs and lows.

Book one spotlights headstrong Tandy, a successful yet haunted attorney now living back in Orlando where she spent the first eight years of her life on the streets as a junkie’s kid. When a suddenly enforced leave of absence at work leads her to an extended visit with her sisters in Stars Hill, a business oppor­tunity, rekindled romance, and fresh understanding of God’s will soon follow.


Endorsements:

"What more can any woman want? Sisters, Ink weaves the love of sisters, the fun of scrapbooking, and a romance as sugary and tingling as Sweet Home Alabama. A must read for those who love southern fiction."--DiAnn Mills, author of Leather and Lace and When the Nile Runs Red

"Fun . . . funny . . . fantastic! Rebeca Seitz has brought together scrapbooking and sisterhood in a lively romp, with a love for going home again."--Eva Marie Everson, coauthor of The Potluck Club series.

My thoughts:

I've read up to page 58. Nice story so far. Not super compelling just yet, but I can see something with the former boyfriend is about to stir up and if that part is great you know I'll post a good review. If it's so-so I may not finish the book. I'll let you know...

I'm giving away Someday by Karen Kingsbury. Just released yesterday!

Get it while it's hot off the press! To enter the drawing to win a copy of this book simply post a comment and don't forget to include a way for me to contact you if you win. Best wishes!



About the book:

A DESPERATE SITUATION Pressures of the celebrity lifestyle weigh heavily on Dayne and Katy Matthews as they take on separate movie projects. Tabloid rumors talk of trouble and unfaithfulness between the two. And then a dramatic cover photo threatens to destroy everything they've worked to build together. Only Dayne knows the truth about the photo, truth that would help Katy believe him. But the truth will also cause devastating damage to the people he loves so dearly - the Baxter family. Dayne must weigh his decision carefully, but at what price?

A HEARTBREAKING LOSS The Flanigan family recognizes the deep loss of the Christian Kids Theater, and they begin to pray for a miracle - that even without the theater, somehow CKT will go on. Bailey and Connor see their CKT friends fitting in with the wrong crowd and making decisions that will harm them.

A SEASON OF HOPE John Baxter takes the next step in his relationship with Elaine, giving him a season to contemplate selling the Baxter house - and losing a lifetime of memories. As the rest of the family considers the future, they must pull together like never before. Only their undying love for each other can help them overcome today's trials for a life they know is possible . . . someday.

Attention young people and people who live or work with young people! I need your final opinion!

Here is the deal. This cover got the most votes on all sites by people in the targeted age group. So we took your suggestions and tweaked it out. Sooo.... better? Yes or no. And why or why not? Thanks a ton!

I'm giving away an entire book series! Win the Trophy Chase Trilogy by George Bryan Polivka!

To enter all you have to do is post a comment, but PLEASE leave me a way to contact you if you win! Best wishes!



About the book:

Packer Throme,a failed seminarian turned master swordsman,sets out on a great quest, but not in search of fame. He hopes to honor God by stowing away on (former) pirate Scatter Wilkins's ship Trophy Chase, convincing its captain and crew to seek the legendary firefish—a feat that could raise Packers fishing village from poverty and win the heart of his longtime love, the beautiful Panna Seline.



About the Book:

Newlyweds Packer and Panna Throme are once again thrust into high adventure. Pirate Scat Wilkins returns with evil intentions for Packer as the Trophy Chase sets sail for the deep waters once again. A new and surprising Hezzan in the Kingdom of Drammun has diabolical designs on not just Packer but on the entire Kingdom of Nearing Vast. And, at home, Panna must await Packer's hopeful return while imprisoned by the lecherous Prince Mather.Will Packer and Panna escape their separate dangers and find happiness in the Kingdom of Nearing Vast; or will the invading Drammune army steal away their future and that of all the people of Packer and Panna's homeland?



About the book:

Packer Throme, determined to demonstrate that power comes only from above, leads his people in a war against the dreaded Drammune. The evil Hezzan of Drammun will kill without remorse for the secret of the Firefish...and so will dark forces lurking within Nearing Vast.As army faces army, and navy faces navy, all are drawn inexorably to the source of the epic struggle... the feeding waters of the Firefish within the Achawuk Territory. One final surprise awaits Packer Throme there in the foreboding place where the struggle for the dominion of the world will be settled at last.

My thoughts:

My husband devoured these books. He absolutely loved them. I haven't had a chance to read them yet (other than a few chapters) but what I read was great! If you love fantasy, you'll want to win this series! (Oh, and I hear they'll be autographed, too!)

February new book releases of ACFW members!

What an amazing month of new releases!

1. A Passion Most Pure, Book 1 of the Daughter of Boston Series by Julie Lessman from Baker Publishing Group, Revell. Rival sisters with strong faith--one in God, the other in herself--turn the head of a heart breaker who proposes to one and falls in love with the other.

2. A Whisper of Freedom, Book 3 in the Chronicles of the Spanish Civil War series by Tricia Goyer from Moody Publishers. In the exciting third book in the Chronicles of The Spanish Civil War series, the characters we've come to love are in greater danger and yet filled with greater hope than ever before.

3. Awaken My Heart by DiAnn Mills from Avon Inspire. When mestizos kidnap Marianne Phillips, they hope that her wealthy Texas rancher father will trade land for her freedom.

4. Bayou Corruption, Book #2 in the Bayou Series by Robin Miller writing as Robin Caroll from Steeple Hill, Love Inspired Suspense. Alyssa LeBlanc returns to Louisiana, almost running over a body. She works to expose corruption while racing to "scoop" rival, Jackson Devereaux. When their stories collide, they join forces to expose the truth.

5. Blessings, #3 in the Sommerfeld Trilogy by Kim Vogel Sawyer from Barbour. Trina Muller has a gift for treating God's lowly creatures, but to pursue her dream of veterinary college means leaving her Old Order Mennonite faith.

6. Day Omega by Craig Harms from Lighthouse Books. A thriller about the end-times and one man's redemption.

7. Four LIttle Blessings by Merrillee Whren from Steeple Hill. Four little children bring happiness and love to a most unlikely pair.

8. Homicide at Blue Heron Lake, Book 1 in Mainely Murder series by Susan Page Davis and Megan Elaine Davis (mother and daughter) from Heartsong Presents: Mysteries. A reporter returns to her home town and rediscovers love—and finds an old neighbor lying dead in his island cottage.

9. Joanna's Adventure (#3 will later be included in a Barbour 3-in-1 titled Kansas Brides) by Mildred Colvin writing as M.J. Conner from Barbour Books. When Joanna prays for an adventure, Clay returns bringing more excitement, danger, and love than she expected.

10. Murder on the Ol' Bunions, A LaTisha Barnhart Mystery by S. Dionne Moore from Barbour Publishing, Inc. When LaTisha Barnhart discovers the body of her former employer, her bunions tell her somethings afoot.

11. On Sparrow Hill, Book 2 of 2 by Maureen Lang from Tyndale House. On Sparrow Hill explores how love and servanthood can change and develop the relationships in our lives.

12. Only Uni, Book 2 in the Sushi Series by Cami Tang from Zondervan. A flirty biologist vows to turn her life around with three rules from First and Second Corinthians.

13. Picket Fence Promises, sequel to Front Porch Princess by Kathryn Springer from Steeple Hill Cafe. A second chance with her first love?

14. Promises, Promises, Book 1 in Delaware Brides by Tiffany Amber Stockton writing as Amber Miller from Barbour/Heartsong Presents. Raelene Strattford believes God has forsaken her, but her neighbor proves just the opposite while giving her a voice in a world where women have none.

15. Return to Baragula, Book 3 in Baragula series by Mary Hawkins from Ark House Press (Sydney, Australia). For Emily, coming home to the small rural town means she has to overcome present danger as well as face the past to find real forgiveness and a lasting love.

16. Stuck in the Middle, Book 1 of the Sister-to-sister series by Virginia Smith from Revell. Joan Sanderson's life is stuck -- what she needs is a little help from God, her big sister, and an enormous mutt with bad manners.

17. Sweet Caroline, 1st in South Caroline lowcountry books by Rachel Hauck from Thomas Nelson. Caroline Sweeney discovers love and destiny at a small, broken down lowcountry Cafe.

18. Sweet Forever, First in the Indiana Brides series by Ramona K. Cecil from Barbour/Heartsong Presents. A young woman who believes God hates her is befriended by a young minister who doubts his calling.

19. Symphony of Secrets by Sharon Hinck from Bethany House Publishing. A professional flutist sets out to solve the mystery of her symphony's sabotage, while also keeping the relationship with her teen daughter in tune.

20. The Rogue's Redemption, #4 in Regency Series by Ruth Axtell Morren from Steeple Hill. A Waterloo hero and London rake meets a Yankee woman of faith who decides to put her faith in him.

21. Truffles by the Sea by Julie Carobini from Bethany House. Gaby Flores is determined to be "gullible no more!" But can a young woman prone to disaster in both work and love finally find happily ever after?

22. Uncertain Alliance, book 1 of 3 of Heartsong historical Washington State series by Mary Davis from Heartsong/Barbour. Though circumstances force Alice under Ian's employ, her wounded heart is afraid to trust this gentle man who is wooing her to love him.

23. Vendetta, Book #2, Snow Canyon Ranch series by Roxanne Rustand from Steeple Hill. The Snow Canyon Ranch series--where sinister family secrets lurk in the majestic Rockies.

Sisters Ink by Rebeca Seitz is up on FIRST!

It is February FIRST, time for the FIRST Day Blog Tour! (Join our alliance! Click the button!) The FIRST day of every month we will feature an author and his/her latest book's FIRST chapter!

This month's feature is:

Rebeca Seitz

and her book:

SISTERS, INK

B&H Books (February 1, 2008)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Rebeca Seitz is Founder and President of Glass Road Public Relations. An author for several years, PRINTS CHARMING being her first novel.

Rebeca cut her publicity teeth as the first dedicated publicist for the fiction division of Thomas Nelson Publishers. In 2005, Rebeca resigned from WestBow and opened the doors of GRPR, the only publicity firm of its kind in the country dedicated solely to representing novelists writing from a Christian worldview.

Rebeca makes her home in Kentucky with her husband, Charles, and their son, Anderson.


AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Tandy’s purple stiletto heel tapped in perfect rhythm to the pulse that threatened to leap out of her neck. She stared at the phone, willing it to ring and someone on the other end to declare this a joke. Her boss did not just call her into his office. Now.

The smooth tones from her CD player of Ole Blue Eyes crooning I Did it My Way mocked rather than soothed. She had to calm down, but Meg’s idea of music soothing the savage soul was not working. Fingers shaking, Tandy snatched up the receiver and dialed her sister. Calm, stoic Meg always knew what to do in a crisis. From falling off the swing set to supplying Oreos and caffeine the night before Tandy’s bar exam, Meg was a pro at handling crises and keeping her three sisters’ lives humming.

A busy signal sounded, and Tandy slammed the phone back down. Of course Meg would be on the phone right now. Why on earth couldn’t that woman understand the helpfulness of call-waiting? Tandy could hear Meg’s soft, persuasive response now: Why would I stop talking to one person before our conversation ended, T? It’s rude and I just won’t have it in my house.

Grabbing the receiver again, Tandy punched in Kendra’s numbers, jumping when yet another hawk flew into her window. Why did Orlando have to have a courthouse with the perfect nooks and crannies to build a nest? Ever since the completion of this new structure, hawks circled attorneys in the Bellsouth building across the on a daily basis.

Kendra’s melodic voice floated over the line, its harmonious tones the same as in childhood: "You have reached the voicemail of Kendra Sinclair…"

Tandy slammed the receiver down again and glared at the circling hawks. Of course Mr. Beasley was angry. He had every right to be, really. That fat deposit in her checking account every other week meant the continuation of her dedication to keeping their clients out of jail. Certainly it meant she wouldn’t hand the prosecution the very evidence they needed to obtain a conviction. She fiddled with the purple and black silk scarf tied around her neck.

Would Joy be any help at all in this situation? Joy might be the baby sister, but her quiet strength could come in handy right now. Except that Joy loved to talk and Christopher Beasley was waiting. The thought of him in his office high above the hawks, tapping his long fingers on the glass top of a heavy mahogany desk, didn’t allow for long phone conversations.

Tandy’s office phone rang and she jumped. "Tandy Sinclair."

"Tandy, it’s Anna." Tandy smiled, thinking of the gentle lady seated a few floors above her. "Mr. Beasley’s on his third cup of coffee."

Her smile vanished. "Oh, no, Anna. Couldn’t you have dawdled a bit? You know how he gets with caffeine overload."

"And you know how he gets when I dawdle. You’ve got maybe three minutes before he asks me to get cup number four."

"I’m on my way." Tandy pushed back from her desk and stood up. "Thanks, Anna."

"No problem, sweetie."

Tandy dropped the phone in its cradle, her gaze darting around the room for something, anything that would prevent the next ten minutes.

If that idiot Harry Simons had been one iota less smarmy, this predicament could have been avoided. His outright ogling of her figure had been bad enough, but certainly not the first time Tandy had been forced to ignore a man’s unwanted attentions. They all seemed to believe her red, wavy hair was a sign she’d fulfill their wildest dreams. Heck, Mr. Beasley had probably even made that assumption at some point, as evidenced by his swift promotions landing her in a cushy corner office of Meyers, Briggs, and Stratton.

Tandy swigged caffeine and paced the office. It wasn’t even Harry’s condescension. His superiority, rooted in maleness, made no effort to hide the belief that a brain resting between the pierced ears of a thirty-year-old female graduate of Yale School of Law somehow negated its existence. That idiocy didn’t even raise her blood pressure. She fingered her pearl earrings and grimaced as a hawk glided to rest on the ledge outside.

No, she would have been fine, and Christopher Beasley would not at this very moment be preparing to fire her, except for one innocent little lunch with small-minded Harry. Why, oh why, had she agreed to go to lunch with the lizard? (Honestly, his head rivaled the shape of geckos that ran in and out of every flower bed in Central Florida.) Come to think of it, his eyes were shifty like a gecko, too. Was the single life getting to her so much that she’d date a lizard? She stopped and tapped the window ledge. Meg and Kendra were on her case to date more. But who had time to meet people after spending sixty-five hours a week at the office? She sighed. The sisters just didn’t understand life in the city.

"You guys have got it easy," she said to the hawks. "Circle, eat, rest, repeat. With the occasional head bang into a window to keep us lawyers on our toes." She shook her head.

Well, it didn’t matter now. Mr. Beasley awaited her presence and it would only get worse the longer she stood here. Her heels sank into the plush pearl-colored carpet as she crossed the office, ignoring the latest sacrifice to her black thumb—a nearly dead African violet. She opened her office door and cast one last glance at what, in about ten minutes, probably would not be her office. Oh well. Maybe she could take the plant to Anna.

She picked up the violet. At least the charade of defending a slimeball, who made fun of an old homeless man to make himself seem big, would come to an end. And the day was still young; she could hit the beach before the lunch rush hit I-4.

Shoulders thrown back, chin up, Tandy made her way down the hallway and entered an elevator lined in the obligatory mahogany, brass, and mirrors, testimony to Christopher’s desire to never rock a boat even in the decoration of his law firm’s offices. She eyed her reflection and saw steel in the brown eyes staring back. Cutting Harry off at the knees in public wasn’t the best financial move to make. How would she buy food for Cooper? Pay his vet bills? Keeping an old basset hound with arthritic knees and hips in comfort was a pricey endeavor. Still, it had been worth it to see the shock on Harry’s face when she announced in her loud voice the impending completion of his career. From a 9x9 prison cell, that cardboard box would look like heaven.

She checked her chignon, tucking in a stray curl and smoothing the rest down. Picturing Harry’s smug, pudgy face behind bars did way more to calm her pulse rate than Sinatra’s croon. The elevator dinged, announcing her arrival to Christopher Beasley’s penthouse lair.

Tandy took a deep breath, tightened her grip on the sagging violet, sent up a prayer of thanks that she’d picked the Ann Taylor suit today—must look sharp when being fired--and stepped across the threshold.

"He’s waiting for you." Sympathy shimmered in Anna’s blue eyes. The Orlando sun shining through the window made Anna’s hair glow like a fresh pearl.

Tandy set the violet down on Anna’s desk. "Thanks, Anna. It’s been good knowing you. I wonder if you might coax this little guy back to life?"

Anna raised her eyebrows. "Tandy, how many times do I have to tell you? You’re a danger to plants." She smiled and wagged her finger. "You taking them in isn’t an act of kindness. You leave the greenery to us old chicks."

Tandy laughed. "Yes ma’am." She took another breath. "I guess I should go in now."

Anna sobered. "Guess so."

"Still on cup number three?"

"I just took in cup four. I doubt he’s taken a sip yet, though. He’s slowing down."

"Thanks for everything, Anna."

"You’re welcome, honey. Take care of yourself. And you call me if you need anything, hear?"

Tandy nodded, only now realizing that losing her job also meant losing Anna’s kind wisdom. She blinked hard. Crying at work would not do. She stepped to Christopher’s door and knocked.

"Come." His deep voice bellowed through the door and Tandy’s pulse kicked up again. This was it. For the first time ever, Tandy Sinclair was about to be fired from a job. When she’d moved to Orlando to take this job and declare war on the city that took her childhood, Tandy never would have guessed she’d become an actual beach bum.

"Tandy, sit down, sit down." Christopher stood, gesturing to a chair and patting the telltale stripes of his Ben Silver tie. "Seems we have a little situation on our hands." The hawks circled one story below his window, the tops of their feathered backs lit by the sun.

Tandy sat down and nodded.

Christopher’s padded leather chair creaked with his weight. He settled back, propped his elbows on the arms, and templed his fingers. "Harry tells me he’s headed for a prison cell."

She nodded again.

"He also tells me that would be your fault."

Another nod. This must be what bobbleheads felt like.

"And he says he’s ready to sue this firm for inadequate representation unless I do something about it."

She quirked an eyebrow. Score one for Harry.

"I’ve assured Harry that there must be some misunderstanding since you’re one of the most capable attorneys this firm has seen in quite some time. So, please, Tandy, explain to me how one of our biggest clients, someone for whom you serve as lead counsel, suddenly finds himself facing jail."

Tandy tilted her head. He was giving her an out, bless him. Leave it to Christopher Beasley, King of Calm and Proper Appearances, to smooth the choppy waters and restore her professional boat to proper order. An image of Harry’s sneer popped into her mind, though, and the thought of backtracking fled like money from her wallet during a trunk sale.

She smiled and adopted her lawyer voice. "Well, Mr. Beasley, I appreciate your belief in my professional abilities, but it seems Mr. Simons has some rather extreme positions regarding personal values that led me to determine he is, in fact, guilty of the crime for which he has been accused. When I asked him directly, he admitted as much to me."

It was Christopher’s turn to raise a brow. "He told you he embezzled funds from Hope House?"

Tandy nodded. "Yes, sir. I advised him I could not put him on the stand, since I would be suborning perjury, but he refused to listen. It was either let him lie to the court or remove myself from his case. I chose the latter."

Christopher swiveled his chair and stared out at the courthouse. What she wouldn’t give for a hawk to barrel into the glass. Anything to break the tension. Losing this job wouldn’t be the end of the world…just of her bank account, for the time being. She really didn’t want to lose the paycheck, but Harry gave her no choice.

The man wouldn’t listen to reason if someone etched it in a brick and threw it at his head.

She thought about their lunch again, seeing the hump-backed old man picking through a dumpster across the street. His coat had been threadbare, but Tandy knew too well the value of a coat, threadbare or not, on the streets. The priceless nature of every layer between skin and street. How the three bites of cheeseburger he found wrapped in its foil was enough to fill his belly for an entire day.

Harry’s voice had faded into the background of restaurant chatter as Tandy’s mind flew back to the seven years she spent living in a box with her mother. Before she met Marian and Jack Sinclair. Hearing the trains rumble past where they camped. Begging people for money, searching for a dry place when it rained, for a piece of food that hadn’t already been discovered by bugs. Watching her mom bob and weave as she walked, that scary light in her eyes that was both mesmerizing and terrifying because it meant mom wouldn’t make sense.

Tandy knew now her childhood had been stolen the first day her mother lit a match beneath the bowl of a pipe.

"Stupid junkie. Probably lost his job because of some drug habit." Harry’s voice joined a thousand other voices that still kept her awake on too many nights. "Bet he chooses to live like that. Easier than getting a job and working for his money like the rest of us."

Tandy looked at Harry sitting there in his three-thousand-dollar pin-striped suit, black crocodile shoes, and platinum cuff links with the Brooks Brothers insignia. Thought about reminding him his money came from his father’s hard work and planning, but decided against it. Harry was, after all, a huge client.

"Oh, probably not, Harry. You’d be amazed what some of the people living on the streets have been through." She sipped her water and willed her blood not to boil at the stupidity of the man before her.

He sneered and pointed a stubby finger at her. "Don’t be naïve, Tandy. That man could get a job flipping burgers at McDonald’s just as easy as sit out there with a cup in his hand, begging me to part with my cold hard cash that I worked very hard to get."

Silence was about as possible as finding a pair of Ferragamo’s in a size ten. On sale. Never gonna happen.

"Harry, how would he get a job? I doubt he owns any clothing other than what’s on his back. What would he wear to a job interview? Where would he get enough sleep in one sitting to be awake for an entire shift? What address would he even put on his job application?"

"Why, Tandy, I didn’t know you cared so much about our fair city’s homeless degenerates." His voice, so patronizing and smooth, grated. It fought with the pockmarks on his face to portray a polished image. "I’d think, with such convictions, you would have a hard time taking my case."

"Why is that, Harry? You didn’t embezzle from Hope House. Which means you didn’t take money from the mouths of homeless people. Which means my awareness of the plight of the homeless works in your favor." She took a sip of her water and tried to relax.

He wagged his finger at her. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, Tandy. There goes your naiveté again."

It took her a second to catch on. "Excuse me?"

He grinned and, for the first time, Tandy knew what jowls meant. "I think we both know what I’m saying."

"I certainly hope not. Because if you’re confessing to taking money from a homeless shelter, I can’t put you on the stand. I’d be suborning perjury."

Christopher cleared his throat, snapping Tandy back into the present. He swiveled around to face her. "I’m in a predicament, Tandy. Harry Simons brings a lot of money to this firm, been with us for years. That must count for something. Yet I find myself struggling with the thought of firing you since I understand the ethical dilemma you faced."

A tiny smidgen of hope blossomed in her heart.

Christopher placed his palms down on his glass-topped desk, an act of finality. "And yet, I see no course of action but to terminate your employment with Meyers, Briggs, and Stratton. Anything less would cause serious repercussions in our relationship with Harry Simons."

She fought to breathe normally. Blinked to hold back tears. Her savings account was basically nonexistent, which meant she and Cooper better start looking for a big refrigerator box to call home. Or maybe finding Cooper another family to live with would be a better idea. One of the sisters could take him. Meg, or maybe Joy. Kendra would be a last resort. She was as good with pets as Tandy was with plants. Well, except for Kitty, but cats were self-sufficient.

A hawk slammed into the window, making Christopher jump and spill the coffee sitting on his desk. "Dadgum it! Anna!"

Anna came rushing in, saw the mess, and snagged a roll of paper towels from the cabinet by the door without a word.

"You’ve got to call somebody about these hawks, Anna. They’re ruining my concentration!"

"Yes, Mr. Beasley. I’ll make the call today." Anna shot Tandy a sideways glance. Tandy grinned. Seeing the unflappable Christopher Beasley in a snit was worth getting fired--almost. Anna sopped up the mess and left the room.

"Now, where were we?" He pushed paper around the desk, checking to ensure all the coffee was gone.

Tandy cleared her throat. "I think you were firing me."

Christopher stopped arranging paper and looked up at her. "Right, right. Well, I don’t think we have to be that drastic. How about a leave of absence?"

Thank heaven for hawks.

"A leave of absence, sir?" Not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but, hey, it had to be asked.

"Yes. I think that will mollify our good friend Harry." Christopher nodded and patted the desktop, warming to his idea. "I’ll let him know you’ve taken some time to think through your behavior and will come back to the firm when you’ve gotten some perspective. Say, two months?"

Two months? She calculated the amount in her checking account and began deducting bills. With no extracurricular spending at all, it might work. Two months to find something else or learn how to eat crow. Okay, maybe this was a good thing. There was no immediate need to take another boring job in a legal firm. Two months was a ton of time. Figuring out her professional passion should be a snap. She could almost see Meg’s eyes roll at that thought.

"Thank you for that, sir."

Christopher smiled. "It’s the least we can do. You’ve been a good employee. I just wish this mess hadn’t occurred."

Poor Christopher. Conflict between an employee and a major client. He must have been up all night figuring out ways to smooth ruffled feathers.

She shrugged. "These things happen for a reason, I think." She stood up and held out her hand. Christopher took it with his own limp one and made a motion that might optimistically be called a handshake.

"Good luck, Tandy. We’ll see you back here in two months."

"Thank you." She turned on one Ferragamo heel and walked out of Christopher Beasley’s office. Eight weeks of nothingness spread out before her like a gift. There had to be a way to make money off of this.

She tapped her chin and watched the lights over the elevator. Maybe some tourist would want her apartment for a couple of weeks. Tourists would pay just about anything for somewhere to stay during season. A couple thousand bucks, easy.

But if someone were to stay in her apartment, where could she go? The whisper of her heart tickled Tandy’s brain. Stars Hill, Tennessee’s rolling countryside, Daddy’s smile, Momma’s painted roses, the sisters’ scrapbooks…

The ding of the elevator dispelled her mind’s image, but not the idea. Stars Hill. Well, it had been a while since she’d been back. Three years, if memory served. And, with Daddy and the sisters around, there wouldn’t be any need to spend money on restaurants. Though what she’d save might be spent on scrapbook stuff. It was one thing to scrap alone and quite another to sit around Momma’s old scrapping table with the girls.

Tandy exited the elevator and smiled. If she left right now, she’d be home in Stars Hill by morning.

She walked into her office, snagged her briefcase, and whipped out a tiny cell phone on the way back to the elevator.

"Hello?"

"Meg?"

"Hey, T, what’s up in the big city?"

Tandy laughed. "Well, not me. I’ve got eight weeks of a sudden vacation."

"What? What happened?"

"I’ll tell you all about it when I get there."

Meg’s squeal pierced Tandy’s ears and she jerked the phone away from her head. "You’re coming home? To Stars Hill? Yes!! When will you be here? Wait, what happened? Did you get fired? Did something happen at work?" Tandy could hear Meg’s three kids squealing now in the background. They must have caught on to their mom’s excitement.

"Seriously, I’ll tell you when I get there. Call Kendra and Joy. Breakfast at Joy’s, 9 a.m."

"You’ve got it, sister. James, get down off that table!" Tandy could just picture Meg’s eldest. He must have grown a foot by now. "I’m telling you that child will climb on anything," Meg said.

"Go keep your kids from tearing down the house. I’ve got to get home, get all my scrapping stuff packed, call the rental company to let some crazy tourist in my place for a couple of weeks, and get on the highway."

"On the road again…" Meg’s voice blared through the phone.

"Sheesh, Sis, are you ever going to stop with the songs?"

"Not as long as there’s a breath in me." Tandy heard scuffling. "James, put your sister down! I am not kidding with you, mister!"

Tandy chuckled. "See you in the morning."

"Okay. Be careful and buckle up."

"You’ve got it."

Tandy snapped the phone closed and walked through the parking deck toward her new little silver BMW 323. Man was this car going to stand out in sleepy little Stars Hill.

My thoughts:

I like it. Not boring (as you can see from reading it) and lots of action. :)