My CFBA blog tour is up this week! The book is It's Not About Him.

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
It's Not About Him
Sheaf House (September 1, 2009)
by
Michelle Sutton


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Michelle Sutton, otherwise known as the Edgy Inspirational Author, is Editor-in-chief of Christian Fiction Online Magazine, a member of ACFW, a social worker by trade, and a prolific reader/book reviewer/blogger the rest of the time.

She lives in Arizona with her husband of nineteen years and her two teenaged sons. Michelle is also the author of It's Not about Me (2008) and It's Not About Him (Sheaf House 2009). She has nine other titles releasing over the next three years.





ABOUT THE BOOK

Susie passed out while drinking at Jeff’s party and later discovered she’s pregnant. She has no idea who the father is and considers having an abortion, but instead decides to place her baby for adoption. Following through ends up being more wrenching than she imagined, but she’s determined to do the right thing for her baby.

Jeff feels guilty that Susie was taken advantage of at his party and offers to marry her so she won’t have to give up her baby, like his birth mother did with him. But Susie refuses, insisting he should he marry someone he loves. Can he convince her that his love is genuine before it’s too late? Can she make him understand that it’s not about him—it’s about what’s best for her child?

If you would like to read the prologue and first chapter of It's Not About Him, go HERE

My review of Honor in the Dust by Gilbert Morris

About the book:

In the moral confusion of the court of King Henry VIII, young Stuart Winslow has many choices to make — and lives depend on what he will choose.

Born in poverty when his father was forced to choose between the woman he loved and the wealth of his aristocratic family, the determined Stuart Winslow will go to any lengths to improve his social position. When his skills in weapons design and falconry secure a place for him in the court of King Henry VIII, he quickly learns that the court is really a wicked cauldron of vices, power plays, and temptations — some of them very much to his liking.

When William Tyndale, an acquaintance of Stuart's, makes it known that his ambition is to translate the Bible into the language of the common man, the king opposes Tyndale's efforts and sentences him to death. If Stuart opposes the king in this, he will share the same fate. Is he willing to risk death at the stake for the sake of Christ? And how will he choose between the innocent Heather, who has long loved him, and the courtwise Nell?

In Honor in the Dust, bestselling author Gilbert Morris beautifully captures the tone of the Tudor period, chronicling the period's excesses with skill and prudence. But like Morris's other novels, this book also contrasts those excesses with the godly behavior of characters such as William Tyndale. In this captivating historical drama, Stuart Winslow is caught between two worlds: one that promises material and worldly success and one that promises salvation. Is his faith strong enough to withstand such a challenge?

My review:

Honor in the Dust blew me away. I was totally enthralled by the book and didn't want to put it down. I don't think I've ever read a book by Gilbert Morris before, though my husband has and he seemed to enjoy the stories. Now I can see why.

This novel truly impressed me. For people who love reading about King Henry VIII and his many problems having a son, his issues with the church, and his numerous affairs, this will definitely fit that taste. However, the book is more about God using William Tyndale to translate the Bible into English so the common people could read God's word. It follows the infamous Winslow clan that Gilbert is known for creating for his many House of Winslow books.

I love stories that delve so much into the culture that you feel like you are there. Morris does this well with just enough detail to make the setting come alive, but without grossing you out at the same time. He also lets his characters mess things up and suffer the consequences. He doesn't gloss over their sin and the shame that comes with it.

Morris also does a fantastic job of putting his characters into seemingly impossible situations and having God and/or His people come through for them, but not every single time. Life isn't like that and Morris doesn't portray it that way. However, when good triumphs over evil and when God changes the hearts of several characters, as a reader I couldn't help cheering for them. I thoroughly enjoyed this story.

Honor in the Dust was published by Howard Booksand released in August 2009.

The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow by Joyce Magnin is up on CFBA!

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow
Abingdon Press (September 2009)
by
Joyce Magnin


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Joyce Magnin is the author of short fiction and personal experience articles. She co-authored the book, Linked to Someone in Pain. She has been published in such magazines as Relief Journal, Parents Express, Sunday Digest, and Highlights for Children.

Joyce attended Bryn Mawr College and is a member of the Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Fellowship. She is a frequent workshop leader at various writer’s conferences and women’s church groups.

She has three children, Rebekah, Emily, and Adam; one grandson, Lemuel Earnest; one son-in-law, Joshua, and a neurotic parakeet who can’t seem to keep a name. Joyce leads a small fiction group called StoryCrafters. She enjoys baseball, football, cream soda, and needle arts but not elevators. She currently lives in Havertown, Pennsylvania.

The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow is her first published novel.


ABOUT THE BOOK

The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow is the story of an unusual woman, Agnes Sparrow. No longer able or willing to leave her home, where she is cared for by her long-suffering sister Griselda, Agnes has committed her life to the one thing she can do-besides eat. Agnes Sparrow prays and when Agnes prays things happen, including major miracles of the cancer, ulcer-healing variety along with various minor miracles not the least of which is the recovery of lost objects and a prize-winning pumpkin.

The rural residents of Bright's Pond are so enamored with Agnes they plan to have a sign erected on the interstate that reads, "Welcome to Bright's Pond, Home of Agnes Sparrow." This is something Agnes doesn't want and sends Griselda to fight city hall.

Griselda's petitions are shot down and the sign plans press forward until a stranger comes to town looking for his miracle from Agnes. The truth of Agnes's odd motivation comes out when the town reels after a shocking event. How could Agnes allow such evil in their midst? Didn't she know?

Well, the prayers of Agnes Sparrow have more to do with Agnes than God. Agnes has been praying to atone for a sin committed when she was a child. After some tense days, the townsfolk, Griselda, and Agnes decide they all need to find their way back to the true source of the miracles-God.

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow, go HERE

My thoughts:

This book looks cool, but I never got a copy to review so that's about all I can say about it. Must've gotten lost in the mail or something...

Win a copy of Honor in the Dust by Gilbert Morris

To enter for a chance to win a copy of this book simply post a comment about the Tudor era (the rule of Henry VIII) and what, if anything, you find fascinating about that time period. Also, if you have a favorite book set in that era, do tell us the title. :)

I'll go first. I enjoyed In the Shadow of Lions by Ginger Garrett. What fascinates me about this era was the whole fixation on producing a son and how Henry killed several wives for failing to produce him an heir. Now we know it's the man that determined the sex of the child. SO sad for the women who were nixed.

About the book:

In the moral confusion of the court of King Henry VIII, young Stuart Winslow has many choices to make — and lives depend on what he will choose.

Born in poverty when his father was forced to choose between the woman he loved and the wealth of his aristocratic family, the determined Stuart Winslow will go to any lengths to improve his social position. When his skills in weapons design and falconry secure a place for him in the court of King Henry VIII, he quickly learns that the court is really a wicked cauldron of vices, power plays, and temptations — some of them very much to his liking.

When William Tyndale, an acquaintance of Stuart's, makes it known that his ambition is to translate the Bible into the language of the common man, the king opposes Tyndale's efforts and sentences him to death. If Stuart opposes the king in this, he will share the same fate. Is he willing to risk death at the stake for the sake of Christ? And how will he choose between the innocent Heather, who has long loved him, and the courtwise Nell?

In Honor in the Dust, bestselling author Gilbert Morris beautifully captures the tone of the Tudor period, chronicling the period's excesses with skill and prudence. But like Morris's other novels, this book also contrasts those excesses with the godly behavior of characters such as William Tyndale. In this captivating historical drama, Stuart Winslow is caught between two worlds: one that promises material and worldly success and one that promises salvation. Is his faith strong enough to withstand such a challenge?

My thoughts:

I started this book tonight and I'm enthralled. In fact, I am half way through it! It's really good and I don't want to stop reading, but I have to go to work! That's a great sign! I had no idea I'd enjoy the story this much. :)

My review of Dawn's Prelude by Tracie Peterson

About the book:

When widowed Lydia Sellers inherits her husband's entire estate, her adult stepchildren battle to regain the fortune for themselves. Putting memories behind, Lydia travels to Alaska to visit her aunt, where she meets sawmill owner Kjell Bjorklund--and discovers she's pregnant with her dead husband's child. What will happen when his family learns about the baby?

My review:

This story was truly fabulous in every way. I sensed the peril and the helplessness the characters experienced as much as I felt the tenderness and love. This is probably Tracie's best book yet. Her plotting is sheer perfection and the pace was satisfying. There was a suspenseful element to the story that made me not want to sleep until the situation was resolved and the people were safe. There was a secondary character that was compassionate, too. I worried for her and her lifeless marriage and started to sweat when temptation literally nipped at her corsette.

I love it when an author makes me care enough to worry about the characters. Of course, the romantic element was amazing and probably the best part of the book. When the sparks flew my heart felt ablaze along with the people in love. Trust is so hard for some people to experience after years of abuse and mistreatment. The hero in this story was the perfect person to reestablish that missing link and give the heroine hope. He was also smart enough to allow the heroine to come to him. Sigh, that was soooo romantic!

Ah, this was such a good read! In fact, it's making my favorite books of 2009 list. I would've read it straight through but life got in the way. It was very hard to put down and the story kept calling me to pick it up again and finish. I'm glad I did.

Dawn's Prelude was published by Bethany House and released in Sept 2009.

Sips 'n Cups Cafe: It’s Not About Him: Review & Giveaway

Sips 'n Cups Cafe: It’s Not About Him: Review & Giveaway

Michelle Sutton

Michelle Sutton

Posted using ShareThis

Picture of an It's Not About Him reader...

She wrote, and I quote..."all the tissues you see on the end table are all my tears, part that really got me choked up is when she had the dream and came to terms that the Lord was doing good out of something evil... so l was crying for her joy, her peace with the fact that it was His will..."

She wanted me to share this with you all. Isn't that sweet?!?

Blog tour stop: My review of An Eye for An Eye by Irene Hannon

Available September 2009 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

About the book:

After he accidentally shoots a teenager at a tense standoff, FBI Hostage Rescue Team member Mark Sanders is sent to St. Louis to work as a field agent and get his bearings while the bad press starts to settle. Just weeks away from returning to Quantico to resume his work on the HRT, Mark has a chance encounter with an old flame, Emily Lawson. But their reunion is cut short by a sniper. Now Mark must find the shooter before he tries to strike again. But what is his motive—and who was his intended target? Can Mark put the pieces together, keep Emily safe, and rekindle a long-dead relationship at the same time?

A fast-paced tale of romance, suspense, and intrigue, An Eye for an Eye is the exciting second installment in the Heroes of Quantico series.


My review:

This story was interesting enough to hold my attention and romantic enough to make me smile. Those kisses slipped in here and there were just often enough to make me savor the romantic element in the story. I think it's worth taking the time to read. There are good character arcs and the spiritual content seemed believeable enough. It was good seeing a strong and compassionate woman portrayed in the plot. The only thing that annoyed me was the constant referring to Wren Lake. It could have been stated differently to avoid that repetition such as the summer they met or back at the lake or whatever. Anyway, it was still worth my time and I'd recommend it for romance lovers who enjoy a good chase. I didn't find it particularly suspenseful, though. Maybe because I knew the characters were going to persist and I felt secure with them fighting for the safety of the targeted person. LOL! If that was the author's intention, it worked.

An Eye for An Eye was published by Revell and released in Sept. 2009.

About the author:

Irene Hannon is the author of more than thirty novels, including the bestselling Against All Odds. Her books have been honored with the coveted RITA Award from Romance Writers of America, the HOLT Medallion, and the Reviewer’s Choice Award from Romantic Times BOOKreviews magazine. Irene and her husband make their home in Missouri. www.irenehannon.com.

Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, offers practical books that bring the Christian faith to everyday life. They publish resources from a variety of well-known brands and authors, including their partnership with MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) and Hungry Planet.

For more information, visit www.RevellBooks.com.

Visit my friend Carman's blog. She's new at this!

She's also a high school student. Here is a post she did for my book. She reviews other books, too, so check her blog out.

http://continuousdelights.blogspot.com

Sips 'n Cups Cafe: It’s Not About Him: Review & Giveaway

Sips 'n Cups Cafe: It’s Not About Him: Review & Giveaway

Fields of Grace by Kim Vogel Sawyer is up on CFBA!

This week the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Fields Of Grace
Bethany House (October 2009)
by
Kim Vogel Sawyer


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Best-selling, award-winning author Kim Vogel Sawyer is a wife, mother, grandmother, author, speaker, singer of songs and lover of chocolate... but most importantly, she's a born-again child of the King!

A former elementary school teacher, Kim closed her classroom door in 2005 to follow God's call on her heart to write and speak. Now blessed with multiple writing contracts with Bethany House, Barbour, and Zondervan Publishing, Kim enjoys sharing her journey to publication as well as the miraculous story of her healing from a life-long burden of pain and shame.

Kim's gentle yet forthright testimony lends credence to the promise of Ps. 117:2--"Great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever."


ABOUT THE BOOK

Will their Mennonite faith be shaken or strengthened by the journey to a new land?

With their eldest son nearly to the age when he will be drafted into military service, Reinhardt and Lillian Vogt decide to immigrate to America, the land of liberty, with their three sons and Reinhardt's adopted brother, Eli. But when tragedy strikes during the voyage, Lillian and Eli are forced into an agreement neither desires.

Determined to fulfill his obligation to Reinhardt, Eli plans to see Lillian and her sons safely settled on their Kansas homestead--and he's equally determined that the boys will be reared in the Mennonite faith. What he doesn't expect is his growing affection for Lillian--and the deep desire to be part of a family.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Fields Of Grace, go HERE

My thoughts:

I haven't had a chance to read this book yet.

reBlog from VickiLN: Pray Without Ceasing: Author Michelle Sutton

I found this fascinating quote today:

Do you like Christian Fiction?Here are two books you might enjoy from author Michelle Sutton (Edgy Inspirational Author)VickiLN, Pray Without Ceasing: Author Michelle Sutton, Sep 2009

You should read the whole article.

Generation G: Advice for Savvy Grandmothers Who Will Never Go Gray

About the book:

Advice from the heart of a rather hip and savvy Baby Boomer grandmother offers insight forgrandmothering in the twenty-first century.

The rules for grandmothers have changed. The new silver generation is savvy and sophisticated-managing businesses, working out with a personal trainer, and traveling to exotic locations. But what about their care and nurturing of the next generation? How can they stay connected and leave a legacy, cheerleading and hand-holding those who come behind?

This handbook provides encouragement for grandmothers with the real issues they face today. Seven sections of essayschallenge grandmothers to become healers, peacemakers,repairers of the breach in families, and to celebrate life transitions and aging. Topics, both humorous and serious,range from the importance of choosing a name, waiting at the hospital, and getting wrinkles to blended families, step-grandparenting, in-laws, boundaries, and dying. Generation G will inspire grandmothers to realize their calling is great and their gift, of themselves, essential.

My review:

This was a pretty good book for non-fiction. It makes me look forward to being a grandmother some day. There were a lot of cute stories and snippets from the author's life experiences in this book. Also, it reads a lot like a devotional with each chapter being only a few pages long. The book is very reader-friendly.

Generation G was published by Thomas Nelson and released in March 2008.

Michelle Sutton

Michelle Sutton

Posted using ShareThis

Fun pics from ACFW all three days!

Lynn Rush and Michelle Sutton - CWOW sisters and friends!

Michelle Sutton with Kim Sawyer. Our hair matches!

She's cooler than he is...no he's cooler than she is...oh, whatever. :)

Gail Sattler and Michelle Sutton - committed chocoholics...

Author Laura Frantz - Michelle Sutton reviewed her book. Loved the story!

Michelle Sutton with Julie Lessman - Sheesh, I look like an admiring fan. :)

Loree Lough was one hungry gal at the Abingdon dinner on Friday night!

Michelle Sutton finally found Ashley Weis, but not until the last night!

Gail is showing off that chocolate dubloon - her latest royalties...

Brandilyn Collins and Michelle Sutton - she makes me smile.

Tina Forkner and Michelle Sutton- sisters in Christ - our smiles look alike!

Now I'm giving away TSI: The Gabon Virus!

To enter for a chance to win this book simply post a comment after reading the description and answer these questions... What intrigues you about this book? Do you think something like this could happen in real life in the next few years? Why?

Note: I will draw a winner's name next Sunday.

About the book:

TIME SCENE INVESTIGATORS

An ancient disease, a modern pandemic, and the one person who offers hope for a cure has been dead for 350 years

In 1666, a horrible disease took the lives of almost every person in Eyam (pronounced Eem), England. Helping the sick and the dying was the mysterious and ghostlike Blue Monk, whose strange appearance terrified even those who were comforted by him.

More than three centuries later the disease has returned, more virulent than before. Every day more people are infected; every hour more die.

The lives of millions rest in the hands of a bio-team — the Time Scene Investigators — that studies history to find cures for modern diseases. But the newest member of the team, Dr. Mark Carlson, has suffered a heartbreaking loss.

With every tick of the clock the world approaches a global pandemic. A race against time becomes a race across continents — to find a frightened boy who is carrying and spreading the disease wherever he goes, to thwart the machinations of corporate greed and fanatical sabotage, and to find the connection between a great tragedy of the past and a potential catastrophe of the present. Our present.


This book may become tomorrow's headline.

One Imperfect Christmas by Myra Johnson is up on CFBA!

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
One Imperfect Christmas
Abingdon Press (September 2009)
by
Myra Johnson

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Making up stories has been second nature to me for as long as I can remember. A select group of trusted friends back at dear old Mission High waited eagerly for the next installment of my "Great American Spy Novel" (think Man from Uncle) and my "All-American Teen Novel" (remember Gidget and Tammy?). I even had a private notebook of angst-ridden poetry a la Rod McKuen.

The dream of writing persisted into adulthood, although it often remained on the back burner while I attended to home and family and several "real" (read paying) jobs along the way. Then in 1983, while recovering from sinus surgery, I came upon one of those magazine ads for the Institute of Children’s Literature. I knew it was time to get serious, and the next thing I knew, I'd enrolled in the “Writing for Children and Teenagers” course.

Within a year or so I sold my first story, which appeared in the Christian publication Alive! for Young Teens. For many years I enjoyed success writing stories and articles for middle-graders and young adults. I even taught for ICL for 9 years.

Then my girls grew up, and there went my live-in inspiration. Time to switch gears. I began my first women's fiction manuscript and started attending Christian writers conferences. Eventually I learned about American Christian Romance Writers (which later became American Christian Fiction Writers) and couldn't wait to get involved. Friends in ACFW led me to RWA and the online inspirational chapter, Faith, Hope & Love.

So here I am today, still on this crazy roller-coaster ride. Still writing. Still hopeful. Writing, I'm learning, is not about the destination, it's about the journey. My current projects are primarily women's fiction and romance . . . novels of hope, love, and encouragement. Novels about real women living out their faith and finding love in the midst of everyday, and sometimes not so everyday, situations.


ABOUT THE BOOK


Graphic designer Natalie Pearce faces the most difficult Christmas of her life. For almost a year, her mother has lain in a nursing home, the victim of a massive stroke, and Natalie blames herself for not being there when it happened. Worse, she's allowed the monstrous load of guilt to drive a wedge between her and everyone she loves-most of all her husband Daniel. Her marriage is on the verge of dissolving, her prayer life is suffering, and she's one Christmas away from hitting rock bottom.

Junior-high basketball coach Daniel Pearce is at his wit's end. Nothing he's done has been able to break through the wall Natalie has erected between them. And their daughter Lissa's adolescent rebellion isn't helping matters. As Daniel's hope reaches its lowest ebb, he wonders if this Christmas will spell the end of his marriage and the loss of everything he holds dear.

If you would like to read the first chapter of One Imperfect Christmas, go HERE


Watch the trailer:



My thoughts:

Never got the book in the mail so I wasn't able to review it.

God's Writer Girl: Redemption through Christ Shines through Young Adult Novel

God's Writer Girl: Redemption through Christ Shines through Young Adult Novel

These links to hero interviews are awesome!!!

http://relzreviewz.blogspot.com/2009/09/character-sootlight-michelle-suttons.html

http://relzreviewz.blogspot.com/2009/09/character-spotlight-michelle-suttons.html

Dawn's Prelude by Tracie Peterson is up on CFBA!

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Dawn's Prelude
(Bethany House - October 2009)
by
Tracie Peterson


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tracie Peterson is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than 70 novels. She teaches writing workshops at a variety of conferences on subjects such as inspirational romance and historical research.

Ephesians 1:18 has become a cornerstone verse for a new non-fiction book she's been working on -- its also become a cornerstone in her life. The verse reads, "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints."

Tracie and her family live in Belgrade, Montana.


ABOUT THE BOOK

Newly widowed Lydia Sellers discovers that through an unforeseen fluke, she is the sole recipient of her husband's fortune. But instead of granting her security, it only causes strife as her adult stepchildren battle to regain the inheritance for themselves.

Lydia, longing to put the memories of her painful marriage behind her, determines to travel to Alaska to join her aunt. Lydia's arrival in Sitka, however, brings two things she didn't expect.

One is the acquaintance of Kjell Bjorklund, the handsome owner of the sawmill. Second is the discovery that she is pregnant with her dead husband's child. What will this mean for her budding relationship with Kjell? And what lengths will her stepchildren go to reclaim their father's fortune? Lydia soon finds her life--and that of her child's--on the line.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Dawn's Prelude, go HERE

My review:

I've read through chapter 5 and am loving it. :) I'll post the rest soon.

Blogoversary Giveaway #7

Blogoversary Giveaway #7

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The Attic Girl: Tuesday's Tribute

The Attic Girl: Tuesday's Tribute - FABULOUS SUPRISE post here!

My review of The Frontiersman's Daughter by Laura Frantz

About the book:

Lovely but tough as nails, Lael Click is the daughter of a celebrated frontiersman. Haunted by her father's former captivity with the Shawnee Indians, as well as the secret sins of her family's past, Lael comes of age in the fragile Kentucky settlement her father founded. Though she faces the loss of a childhood love, a dangerous family feud, and the affection of a Shawnee warrior, Lael draws strength from the rugged land she calls home, and from Ma Horn, a distant relative who shows her the healing ways of herbs and roots found in the hills. But the arrival of an outlander doctor threatens her view of the world, God, and herself—and the power of grace and redemption.

My review:

The Frontiersman's Daughter was very engaging and I read it for five straight hours until I finished the book. I could not set this novel aside once I hit the middle of the book. It carried me through to the end. There were some slow spots and I thought it was a bit too long, but the story itself was fantastic! I particularly enjoyed the romantic elements.

There were some poignant and sad moments in this story where I was on the verge of tears as I read. This author knows how to write with passion, too, and I felt as breathless as the heroine did during the kissing scenes. They were awesome, especially the scene under the waterfall. Wow! I'd buy more books by this author for the romantic elements alone! At times I felt just as confused as Lael had in regards to which relationship to pursue. That's a sign of good writing.

While reading this book I felt as if I'd been pulled into a movie and I lived in Click county with the characters. There were some interesting cultural elements in this story as well as fabulous tension between characters. My heart ached more than once for Lael. I also nearly went crazy from the stress of knowing something that the main characters didn't know, and therefore they made poor choices based on misinformation. That always makes for great conflict. I highly recommend this book.

The Frontiersman's Daughter was published by Baker/Revell and released in Aug. 2009

Tidings of Great Boys by Shelley Adina is up on CFBA!

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Tidings of Great Boys
FaithWords (September 8, 2009)
by
Shelley Adina


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Award-winning author Shelley Adina wrote her first teen novel when she was 13. It was rejected by the literary publisher to whom she sent it, but he did say she knew how to tell a story. That was enough to keep her going through the rest of her adolescence, a career, a move to another country, a B.A. in Literature, an M.A. in Writing Popular Fiction, and countless manuscript pages.

Shelley is a world traveler and pop culture junkie with an incurable addiction to designer handbags. She writes books about fun and faith--with a side of glamour. Between books, Shelley loves traveling, playing the piano and Celtic harp, watching movies, and making period costumes.



ABOUT THE BOOK

Finals week is approaching and Mac is still undecided on where to spend the holidays. Normally she'd go home to Scotland, but spending two weeks alone in the castle with her dad isn't as appealing as it used to be. So she invites Carly, Lissa, Gillian, and Shani to join her for the holidays!

Mac is determined to make this the best Christmas ever. She even decides to organize the traditional Hogmany dance for New Year's Eve. If she can get her mother involved in the dance, maybe her parents will finally get back together.

But when Mac and the girls arrive in Scotland, they are faced with bad news: the castle is falling apart and Mac's parents are struggling financially. Not only that, but Shani is in big trouble with Prince Rashid's royal family. Can the girls find a way to celebrate the holidays, get Mac's parents back together, save the castle, and rescue Shani from her relentless pursuers? There's only one way to find out...

If you would like to read the first chapter of Tidings of Great Boys, go HERE

My thoughts:

Never got the book so I can't say what I think. Sorry.

Now I'm giving away Cottonwood Whispers by Jennifer Erin Valent!

To enter for a chance to win this book simply post a comment. First you need to read the description of the book, then answer this question.

Have you known anyone who was falsely accused? What did you do about it? This can be something as minor as having watching a sibling get spanked when you knew they didn't do what they were being punished for, to something major like knowing someone who went to prison for a crime they didn't commit. We all know Jesus was killed even though He was innocent and committed no sin, so naming our Savior doesn't count. :)

About the book:

I've heard the dead whisper.

Every time I tell my best friend Gemma that, she tells me I'm crazy. But I'm not crazy. The dead really can whisper, only it isn't their ghosts that do it. It's the memory of them.

The summer of 1936 is one that seventeen-year-old Jessilyn Lassiter will never forget. She had hoped to spend it getting a job, and more importantly finally catching the attention of Luke Talley, the young man she has loved from afar since she was 13.

But tragedy strikes when a cherished neighbor girl is hit by a car. Jessilyn is torn to pieces, especially when her gentle, elderly friend is accused of the crime. She's sure he's innocent but discovers that the only way to prove it could jeopardize her family's survival.

Swept into a grown-up world she couldn't wait to be a part of, Jessilyn searches for answers until the actions of one man show her the beauty of sacrifice and the power of faith.

This book just released on Sept 1st so get it while it's hot!

Today only! My book Danger is being given away at this site!

Giveaway contest - WIN Danger at the Door

You have to go to the site (and click on the link) to enter this contest. Posting here doesn't count!

Michelle Moran is having a contest to celebrate the release of book #3!

As a celebration of Michelle Moran's third novel's debut in just THREE days, she would like to offer her newsletter readers some of her brand new Cleopatra's Daughter bookmarks, plus as many signed Cleopatra’s Daughter bookplates as you can shake a stick at! She has put up a quick and easy form page here, if you would like to receive some of these items. She will also be more than happy to personalize any bookplates you request!

And if you would like a chance to win a signed copy of the book, plus a host of other goodies, please feel free to check out the other contests that she is holding on MichelleMoran.com! There is even a contest for teens, since Cleopatra’s Daughter is her first Adult/YA crossover.

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance blog tour: Danger At The Door by Michelle Sutton

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Danger At The Door
(Desert Breeze September, 2009)
by
Michelle Sutton


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Michelle Sutton, otherwise known as the Edgy Inspirational Author, is Editor-in-chief of Christian Fiction Online Magazine, a member of ACFW, a social worker by trade, and a prolific reader/book reviewer/blogger the rest of the time.

She lives in Arizona with her husband of nineteen years and her two teenaged sons. Michelle is also the author of It's Not about Me (2008) and It's Not About Him (Sheaf House 2009). She has nine other titles releasing over the next three years.






ABOUT THE BOOK


Upon her fiancé's death, Laney became a recluse who only left her home for emergencies. She managed to survive - barely - on food delivery service and her work-at-home job. When she tries to move on from her grief, the commemorative meal she orders is ruined. However, it leads to an unlikely friendship with an attractive man, Bojan, who speaks little English.

As he befriends Laney he continually says the wrong things, but he doesn't give up trying to win her trust. Meanwhile, she has this strange feeling of being watched and wonders if she's losing her mind.

Complicating things further, every time she leaves her house something bad happens, confirming that she is safer at home. Can Bojan convince Laney she'll be safe with him, or will his presence put her in further danger? Will he be able to protect the woman he loves before it's too late?


If you would like to read the Prologue and first Chapter of Danger At The Door, go HERE

ACFW book signing event next week in Denver, Colorado

One week from today in Denver, Colorado from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m., American Christian Fiction Writers will host member authors in a huge book-signing event. Books will be available for purchase in the ACFW Conference bookstore throughout the conference.

If you buy this book at the ACFW bookstore it will also help support the ACFW Foundation, which in turn provides scholarships to next year's conference.

A large portion of the profits from each book sold at conference will go to the ACFW Scholarship Foundation to make more funds available for conference scholarships next year!

Here’s that list of authors scheduled to sign books at next Saturday’s event:

Carolyne Aarsen
Diane Ashley
Ruth Axtell Morren
Rick Barry
Christina Berry
Lauralee Bliss
Diana Brandmeyer
Sandra Bricker
Margaret Brownley
Candace Calvert
Robin Caroll
Jeanie Smith Cash
Colleen Coble
Brandilyn Collins
Mary Connealy
Shirley Connolly
Margaret Daley
Susan Page Davis
Mary Davis
Janet Dean
Megan DiMaria
Lena Nelson Dooley
Wanda Dyson
Leanna Ellis
Pamela Ewen
Miralee Ferrell
Linda Ford
Tina Ann Forkner
Judy Gann
Jeff Gerke
Rhonda Gibson
Debby Giusti
Sandra Glahn
Elizabeth Goddard
Winnie Griggs
Cathy Marie Hake
Lisa Harris
Mary Hawkins
Roxanne Henke
Cynthia Hickey
Patti Hill
Denise Hunter
Annette Irby
Myra Johnson
Liz Johnson
Jenny Jones
Eileen Key
LAURIE Kingery
Kathleen Kovach
Harry Kraus
Jeanne Marie Leach
Tosca Lee
Julie Lessman
Loree Lough
Elizabeth Ludwig
Richard Mabry
Debbie Macomber
Joyce Magnin
Gail Gaymer Martin
Judy/Jude Martin-Urban/Urbanski
Debby Mayne
Aaron McCarver
Vickie McDonough
Dana Mentink
Robin Miller writing as Robin Caroll
DiAnn Mills
Stephanie Morrill
Janelle Mowery
Jill Elizabeth Nelson
Kevin Parsons
Golden Keyes Parsons
Donita K. Paul
Tracie Peterson
Allie Pleiter
Cara Putman
Tara Randel
Deborah Raney
Sandra Robbins
Kim Sawyer
Marc Schooley
Michael Sheehan
Shelley Shepard Gray
Ann Shorey
Beth Shriver
Sandra Lee Smith
Virginia Smith
Betsy St. Amant
Therese Stenzel
Stuart Stockton
Alison Strobel
Michelle Sutton (here is am!!!)
Camy Tang
Donn Taylor
Janice (Hanna) Thompson
Missy Tippens
Pamela Tracy
Carrie Turansky
Deborah Vogts
Jenness Walker
Dan Walsh
Susan May Warren
Michael Webb
Kit Wilkinson
Lisa Wingate
Beth Wiseman
Kimberley Woodhouse
Lenora Worth
Cheryl Wyatt
Kathleen Y'Barbo

Win my books here and check out pics of actors for my books!

This covers both of my new releases with actors and the works. Check it out.

Michelle Sutton interview and giveaway here

Just Between You and Me by Jenny B. Jones is up on CFBA! Plus bonus review!

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Just Between You And Me
Thomas Nelson (September 1, 2009)
by
Jenny B. Jones


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I write Christian fiction with a few giggles, quite a bit of sass, and lots of crazy. My novels include the Katie Parker Production series and So Not Happening. I would also like to take credit for Twilight , but somewhere I think I read you’re not supposed to lie.

When I’m not typing my heart out (or checking email), I teach at a super-sized high school in Arkansas.

My students are constantly telling me how my teaching changes their lives and turned them away from drugs, gangs, and C-SPAN.

Okay, that’s not exactly true.

Since my current job leaves me with very little free time, I believe in spending my spare hours in meaningful, intellectual pursuits such as:

watching E!
updating my status on Facebook
catching Will Ferrell on YouTube and
writing my name in the dust on my furniture
I’d love to hear about you, so drop me a note. Or check me out on Facebook.




ABOUT THE BOOK

The only thing scarier than living on the edge is stepping off it.
Maggie Montgomery lives a life of adventure. Her job as a cinematographer takes her from one exotic locale to the next. When Maggie's not working, she loves to rappel off cliffs or go skydiving. Nothing frightens her.

Nothing, that is, except Ivy, Texas, where a family emergency pulls her back home to a town full of bad memories, painful secrets, and people Maggie left far behind . . . for a reason.

Forced to stay longer than she intended, Maggie finds her family a complete mess, including the niece her sister has abandoned. Ten-year-old Riley is struggling in school and out of control at home. The only person who can really handle the pint-sized troublemaker is Conner, the local vet and Ivy's most eligible bachelor. But Conner and Maggie keep butting heads--he's suspicious of her and, well, she doesn't rely on anyone but herself.

As Maggie humorously fumbles her way from one mishap to another, she realizes she's going to need to ask for help from the one person who scares her the most.

To save one little girl--and herself--can Maggie let go of her fears and just trust God?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Just Between You And Me, go HERE

My review:

I just loved how this entire story played out. The emotional landscape was rich and thoroughly plowed. The hero was incredibly dreamy and yet realistic and believable. The heroine's issues were compelling, interesting, and clearly well-researched. The minor charactor, Riley, was probably the best portrayal of a screwed up kid that I've ever read. She was totally real and perfectly developed. Everything about her issues rang true. Even the sister, Allison, was shown in a believable fashion. I've worked with numerous mentally ill and drug abusing people in my lifetime and Allison's issues were spot-on as well as her way of dealing with them.

This story really tugged at my heart strings because each character was well-done and could easily be people I've known and loved. On top of all of those high praises I have to add that the romantic tension was delicious and the emotional and spiritual arcs were perfectly done. I can't stand contrived tension or plastic faith inserted into a story to make it fit the Christian label. Worse, it really bugs me when a book is labeled Christian and there is no mention of Christ anywhere in the story.

Everything in this book rang true to me. Just Between You and Me was so good, in fact, that it's making my best of 2009 fiction list. I highly recommend this story.

Heartfelt blog award!

Do you reach for a cup of cocoa or tea when you're relaxing, seeking comfort, or sharing a plate of cookies with family and friends? You know the feeling you get when you drink a yummy cup of cocoa, tea, or a hot toddy? That is what the Heartfelt Award is all about...feeling warm inside.

The Rules for the Heartfelt Award are:

1) Put the logo on your blog/post.
2) Nominate up to 9 blogs which make you feel comfy or warm inside.
3) Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.
4) Let them know that they have been nominated by commenting on their blog.
5) Remember to link to the person from whom you received your award.

I am nominating~

Deb Ullrick
Angie Breidenbach
Lynn Rush
Nora St. Laurent

Patterings - another interview with different questions.

Patterings

The Blue Enchantress is up on CFBA! Plus bonus review!

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
The Blue Enchantress
Barbour Books (August 1, 2009)
by
M.L.Tyndall

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:



M. L. (MaryLu) Tyndall grew up on the beaches of South Florida loving the sea and the warm tropics. But despite the beauty around her, she always felt an ache in her soul--a longing for something more.

After college, she married and moved to California where she had two children and settled into a job at a local computer company. Although she had done everything the world expected, she was still miserable. She hated her job and her marriage was falling apart.

Still searching for purpose, adventure and true love, she spent her late twenties and early thirties doing all the things the world told her would make her happy, and after years, her children suffered, her second marriage suffered, and she was still miserable.

One day, she picked up her old Bible, dusted it off, and began to read. Somewhere in the middle, God opened her hardened heart to see that He was real, that He still loved her, and that He had a purpose for her life, if she'd only give her heart to Him completely.

She had written stories her whole life, but never had the confidence to try and get any of them published. But as God began to change her heart, He also showed her that writing had been His wonderful plan for her all along!

Her other current release in the Charles Towne Belles series includes The Red Siren.


ABOUT THE BOOK

Betrayed by the man she longed to marry, Hope Westcott is about to be auctioned off as a slave to the highest bidder on an island in the Caribbean . After enduring a difficult childhood in an unloving home, Hope?s search for love and self-worth have led her down a very dangerous path. All she ever wanted was to find true love and open an orphanage where she could raise children with all the love she never experienced as a child.? But how can a woman with a sordid past ever hope to run an orphanage, let alone attract the love of an honorable man?

Determined to overcome the shame of his mother?s past, Nathaniel Mason worked for many years to build his own fleet of merchant ships in an effort to finally acquire the respect of Charles Towne society. Ignoring the call of God on his life to become a preacher, he forges ahead with his plans for success at a distant port in the Caribbean , when he sees a young lady he knows from Charles Towne being sold as a slave. In an effort to save Hope, he is forced to sell one of his two ships, only to discover that her predicament was caused by her own bad behavior. Angry and determined to rid himself of her as soon as possible, Nathaniel embarks on a journey that will change the course of his life.

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

View The Book Trailer:



My review:

The Blue Enchantress is another excellent story from M. L. Tyndall. I have read all of this author's books to date. This story contains the typical Tyndall fire that all good romances must possess for me to thoroughly enjoy them. The kisses are just scorching enough (for a Christian romance novel) to make the reader breathless. The back and forth tug of war between the characters and the misunderstandings was also very well done. I particularly enjoyed the character arc with Hope and how much she grew through her suffering. I loved how she had to learn to forgive herself and allow God to unconditionally love her. Isn't it true that before we can love ourselves or unselfishly love someone else, we must fully understand God's unconditional love for us? That was SO well done. The tension was just right, too. Overall the pacing was good, but there was a small slow spot in the middle. I can't recall where that was, but it didn't last long and I plowed right through to the end. I am looking forward to the third installment in this series. I can't get enough of this author's books and the adventures her characters have as they travel across the seas. I highly recommend this story to people who love books with romantic tension and a strong spiritual element.