A Season of Miracles

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing A Season of Miracles Kregel Publications; Reprint edition (August 3, 2010) by Rusty Whitener



MY THOUGHTS
Rusty Whitener takes us on a poignant journey through the life of a 12 year old boy in the early 1970's -- a time when the world outside his small town was in turmoil, but all he could see was the turmoil inside himself. Told by the local Little League's best hitter, Zach, A Season of Miracles takes the reader on a journey beyond the fear of those who are different and inside the head of a young man struggling to understand how God fits into his world.

While this book is very different from the types I typically read, I fell in love with the raw honesty of a tween-boys' life and his willingness to learn and grow in ways that changed him forever. I enjoyed the variety of characters in the story and even recognized a few from my childhood! Men and women alike would enjoy this book as a chance to sit back, relax, and remember the summers that changed their lives. You don't have to be a baseball fan to enjoy it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Rusty Whitener is a novelist, screenwriter, and actor. His first screenplay, Touched, won second place at the 2009 Kairos Prize at the Los Angeles Movieguide Awards and first place at the Gideon film festival. That screenplay soon became A Season of Miracles. The movie version of this book is now in production with Elevating Entertainment. Find out more at www.rustywhitener.com and www.aseasonofmiraclesmovie.com. Videos and book club discussion questions are also available at www.aseasonofmiraclesbook.com.

Endorsements:“A Season of Miracles is a must read for anyone who has ever played youth baseball. I read the book, and was reacquainted with my childhood. In the midst of an enjoyable read that took me down memory lane was a touching, challenging and beautiful story about how God can use the unlikeliest among us to draw us to Him.”—Matt Diaz, outfielder, Atlanta Braves

“Baseball, inspiration and childhood memories—a great combination. I couldn’t put it down!”—Richard Sterban, bass singer for The Oak Ridge Boys

“Rusty Whitener weaves a deft tale of young friendship and the curve balls of faith, the whole story seasoned with sunshine and the leathery scent of baseball gloves!”—Ray Blackston, author of Flabbergasted

“A Season of Miracles is a heartwarming all American story of small town boys and Little League baseball. You’ll be cheering this captivating bunch of characters all the way home both in their game of baseball and the bigger game of life.”—Ann Gabhart, award-winning author of The Outsider

ABOUT THE BOOK

Looking back on the 1971 Little League season, Zack Ross relives the summer that changed his life…

Gunning for the championship is all that matters until twelve-year-old Zack meets Rafer, a boy whose differences make him an outcast but whose abilities on the baseball field make him the key to victory.

Admired for his contribution to the team, Rafer turns everyone’s expectations upside down, bestowing a gift to Zack and his teammates that forces them to think—is there more to life than winning or losing? And what is this thing called grace?

If you would like to read the first chapter of A Season of Miracles, go HERE.

A Very Private Grave

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing A Very Private Grave Monarch Books (August 1, 2010) by Donna Fletcher Crow



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Donna Fletcher Crow is author of more than thirty-five novels. She has twice won first place in the Historical Fiction category from the National Association of Press Women, and has also been a finalist for "Best Inspirational Novel" from the Romance Writers of America. She is a member of The Arts Centre Group and Sisters in Crime. Find out more at www.donnafletchercrow.com.

Endorsements:"History and mystery and murders most foul keep the pages turning ... A fascinating read." –Liz Curtis Higgs, bestelling author of Thorn in My Heart

“A Knickerbocker Glory of a thriller, a sweeping, page-turning quest served up with dollops of Church history and lashings of romance. Donna Fletcher Crow has created her own niche within the genre of clerical mysteries.” – Kate Charles, author of Deep Waters

“As in Glastonbury, Donna Fletcher Crow’s descriptions of the English and Scottish settings in her new mystery are drawn with real artistry. Lovers of British history and church history will be impressed by her grasp of both.”—Sally Wright, Edgar Award finalist and author of the Ben Reese Mysteries

ABOUT THE BOOK

Felicity Howard, a young American studying for the Anglican priesthood at the College of the Transfiguration in Yorkshire, is devastated when she finds her beloved Fr. Dominic bludgeoned to death and Fr. Antony, her church history lecturer, soaked in his blood.

Following the cryptic clues contained in a poem the dead man had pressed upon her minutes before his death, she and Fr. Antony—who is wanted for questioning by the police—flee the monastery to seek more information about Fr. Dominic and end up in the holy island of Lindisfarne, former home of Saint Cuthbert.

Their quest leads them into a dark puzzle...and considerable danger.

If you would like to read the Prologue and first Chapter of A Very Private Grave, go HERE.

Watch the book video:

Similar Experience?

This is guest-posted at the Christian Women Resource Network Blogsite today.

.WARNING TO MEN: This post is about an occurrence that can only be experienced by women. I hope nothing here offends you, and I don't mean to leave you out.

There is nothing like bra shopping to make me feel like a freak of nature -- except maybe shopping for jeans or a swimming suit. Even though I know my correct size, I have to try on approximately thirty different bras to find the one that fits appropriately. Therefore I only undertake this exercise when absolutely necessary -- when all my old bras are tattered, stretched out, or the wires are irretrievably poking into my armpits.

It occurred to me that our recent effort to find a new church is almost as painful as bra shopping. That may seem like a strange analogy, but it is important to get a good fit in both instances, otherwise I will forever wiggle and tug to feel like I 'fit in', and that's not a comfortable place to be in either case!

There are churches, and bras, that are too big or too little. Yes, I could make do with either, but I could feel lost or might overflow in responsibilities of service and never really fulfill God's intent.

I spent a lot of time looking at and trying on the really pretty bras. The ones in pretty colors, with lots of lace or fancy patterns. I thought it would be fun to be secretly wearing something like that under my conservative clothing. Of course none of them were very practical. The patterns or neon colors would show through my t-shirts, the fabric was flimsy, and the cuts were all wrong for my body. I've attended many beautiful and flamboyant churches that felt the same way. They were proud of their non-traditional worship, the large crowds they drew each Sabbath, and their fancy buildings, but there didn't seem to be much substance behind the teaching.

I also had to spend a lot of time looking in the mirror. What was I really looking for? Was I being too picky? Was I looking for something that didn't exist? In a bra, I'd love to find one that made me look thinner, younger, bustier, and sexy. In a church I wanted worship that made me feel spiritual, teaching that always challenged me, people that always reached out to others, maybe even perfection. In either case, I had to face reality and remember what I brought to the table -- an imperfect body and a spirit that needed to engage, serve, and struggle in order to grow.

Eventually, when I sat back and really thought about my needs I was able to hone in on both a bra and a church that met my criteria. One that fit my requirements for support, substance, and a comfortable fit -- for both my body and my soul!

Hopefully I won't be shopping for either again in the near future.

While We're Far Apart

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing While We're Far Apart Bethany House (October 1, 2010) by Lynn Austin


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

It was during the long Canadian winters at home with her children that Lynn made progress on her dream to write, carving out a few hours of writing time each day while her children napped. Lynn credits her early experience of learning to write amid the chaos of family life for her ability to be a productive writer while making sure her family remains her top priority.

Along with reading, two of Lynn's lifelong passions are history and archaeology. While researching her Biblical fiction series, Chronicles of the Kings, these two interests led her to pursue graduate studies in Biblical Backgrounds and Archaeology through Southwestern Theological Seminary. She and her son traveled to Israel during the summer of 1989 to take part in an archaeological dig at the ancient city of Timnah. This experience contributed to the inspiration for her novel Wings of Refuge.

Lynn resigned from teaching to write full-time in 1992. Since then she has published twelve novels. Five of her historical novels, Hidden Places, Candle in the Darkness, Fire by Night, A Proper Pursuit, and Until We Reach Home have won Christy Awards in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008, and 2009 for excellence in Christian Fiction. Fire by Night was also one of only five inspirational fiction books chosen by Library Journal for their top picks of 2003, and All She Ever Wanted was chosen as one of the five inspirational top picks of 2005. Lynn's novel Hidden Places has been made into a movie for the Hallmark Channel, starring actress Shirley Jones. Ms Jones received a 2006 Emmy Award nomination for her portrayal of Aunt Batty in the film.

ABOUT THE BOOK

In an unassuming apartment building in Brooklyn, New York, three lives intersect as the reality of war invades each aspect of their lives. Young Esther is heartbroken when her father decides to enlist in the army shortly after the death of her mother.

Penny Goodrich has been in love with Eddie Shaffer for as long as she can remember; now that Eddie's wife is dead, Penny feels she has been given a second chance and offers to care for his children in the hope that he will finally notice her and marry her after the war.

And elderly Mr. Mendel, the landlord, waits for the war to end to hear what has happened to his son trapped in war-torn Hungary. But during the long, endless wait for victory overseas, life on the home front will go from bad to worse.

Yet these characters will find themselves growing and changing in ways they never expected--and ultimately discovering truths about God's love...even when He is silent.

If you would like to read the first chapter of While We're Far Apart, go HERE.

Snow Day

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Snow DayFaithWords (October 11, 2010)

by

Billy Coffey

MY THOUGHTS:
This is a fabulous little book, and a quick read (it took me less than two hours). Some might describe Snow Day as a 'feel good' book, but they'd be missing the point. Billy Coffey has allowed his hero, Peter Boyd, to see his world with a slightly different perspective and it changes his life. This book has opened my eyes to see my world differently, and I hope it lasts!

This is a wonderful book to give in a gift basket with a beautiful cup, a box of hot chocolate mix, and a package of marshmallows. I want to reread this book on a regular basis!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
When you’re raised in small-town Virginia by a redneck father and a Mennonite mother, certain things become ingrained. And when you marry a small-town girl and have two small-town kids, all you want to do is pass those ingrained things along.

Like believing the best life is one lived in the country enjoying the pleasures it provides—summer nights beneath the stars, rocking chairs on the front porch, deer grazing in the fields. And believing that no matter how iffy life can get sometimes, there are some things that are eternal and unchanging.

But above all else, believing that in everything there is story waiting to be told.

That’s where I come in.

Billy Coffey was raised on stories. The first ones came on the front porches of relatives, tales laced with local charm and deep meaning. Then came the stories from people like Max Lucado and Robert Fulghum, who write with a charm and deep meaning of their own.

Billy lives with his wife and two children in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. If you drive by his house, you’ll probably spot him on the front porch. If you do, give him a wave. He’ll wave back.

ABOUT THE BOOK

In this debut novel, Peter is a simple man who lives by a simple truth--a person gains strength by leaning on his constants. To him, those constants are the factory where he works, the family he loves, and the God who sustains him. But when news of job cuts comes against the backdrop of an unexpected snowstorm, his life becomes filled with far more doubts than certainties.

With humor and a gift for storytelling, Billy Coffey brings you along as he spends his snow day encountering family, friends, and strangers of his small Virginia town. All have had their own battles with life's storms. Some have found redemption. Others are still seeking it. But each one offers a piece to the puzzle of why we must sometimes suffer loss, and each one will help Peter find a greater truth--our lives are made beautiful not by our big moments, but our little ones. (2010)

To read an excerpt from Snow Day, go HERE.

Mayan Apocalypse

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

The Mayan Apocalypse Harvest House Publishers(September 1, 2010)

by Mark Hitchcock & Alton Gansky

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Mark Hitchcock is the author of more than 17 books related to end-time Bible prophecy, including the bestselling 2012, the Bible, and the End of the World. He earned a ThM and PhD from Dallas Theological Seminary and is the senior pastor of Faith Bible Church in Edmond, Oklahoma. He has worked as an adjunct professor at DTS and has served as a contributing editor for the Left Behind Prophecy Club for five years.







Alton Gansky is the author of 30 books—24 of them novels, including the Angel Award winner Terminal Justice and Christie Award finalist A Ship Possessed. A frequent speaker at writing conferences, he holds BA and MA degrees in biblical studies. Alton and his wife reside in Southern California.


ABOUT THE BOOK

On the heels of Mark Hitchcock’s prophecy bestseller 2012, the Bible, and the End of the World comes a suspenseful novel (coauthored with bestselling novelist Alton Gansky) about the supposed expiration date of planet earth—December 21, 2012.

Andrew Morgan is a wealthy oil executive in search of the meaning of life. In his quest for answers he encounters the ancient Mayan predictions that the world will end in 2012. That the claims seem supported by math and astronomy drives him to check on them. Then he meets Lisa Campbell, an attractive Christian journalist also researching the Mayan calendar. When he learns that she is a Christian, he quickly dismisses what she has to say.

As the time draws closer to December 21, 2012, a meteorite impact in Arizona, a volcanic eruption, and the threat of an asteroid on a collision-course with earth escalate fears. Are these indicators of a global apocalypse? Will anyone survive? Does Lisa’s Christian faith have the answers after all? Or has fate destined everyone to a holocaust from which there is no escape?

Watch the book trailer:






If you would like to read the first chapter of The Mayan Apocalypse, go HERE.