Deadlock -- with Author Interview

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Deadlock Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (October 1, 2015) by Diann Mills

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She combines unforgettable characters with unpredictable plots to create action-packed, suspense-filled novels. Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests. Library Journal presented her with a Best Books 2014: Genre Fiction award in the Christian Fiction category for Firewall.

DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers; the 2015 president of the Romance Writers of America’s Faith, Hope, & Love chapter; a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, and International Thriller Writers. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country. She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas. DiAnn is very active online and would love to connect with readers on any of the social media platforms listed at her website.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Two murders have rocked the city of Houston. Are they the work of a serial killer, or is a copycat trying to get away with murder? That is the question facing Special Agent Bethany Sanchez, who is eager for her new assignment in violent crimes but anxious about meeting her new partner. Special Agent Thatcher Graves once arrested her brother, and he has a reputation for being a maverick. Plus, their investigative styles couldn’t be more opposite: he operates on instinct, while she goes by the book. When hot leads soon fizzle out, their differences threaten to leave them deadlocked. But an attempt on their lives turns up the heat and brings them closer together, and a third victim might yield the clue that will help them zero in on a killer. This could be the case of their careers . . . if they can survive long enough to solve it.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Deadlock, go HERE.


Here is some more information direct from DiAnn!

1. How did you become interested in writing?         

I can’t remember when I wasn’t in fiction mode. Before I could hold a pencil, I created stories. After I could hold a pencil, I wrote stories. The power of the written word intrigued me then as now—the sound of words, the look of them on the written page, the ways words are used to entertain, inspire, and encourage others.                                                                                                                                   

2. What can you tell us about the setting of this novel?

Deadlock, a romantic suspense, is set in Houston, Texas. My city. My home. Familiar landscapes add more authenticity.

3. Who are the main characters?

Special Agent Bethany Sanchez steps into the violent crime division of Houston’s FBI. She’s a bit of a perfectionist, and her own worst critic. However, she has reservations about her new partner, the same man who put her brother in jail. To make matters worse, he has a reputation of getting the job done, no nonsense, and a womanizer. Are the rumors true?

Special Agent Thatcher Graves is ready to work with his new partner, but she’s hard to get to know. He’s uncertain if he can trust her, and he has to know she has his back. Recently he made a decision to become a Christian, but his past party-image stops him from revealing the changes in his life.

4. Which of the characters surprised you the most in this story, and how so?

Bethany refused to give up on her relationship with her family, even though they chose her felon brother over her.

5. How did the writing of this story impact you as a person or as an author?

Definitely the family dynamics. We all have family members who don’t share our beliefs or values. This deepened my awareness of unconditional love woven with obedience to God’s principles.

6. Why is this story important to you?

Three reasons:

1.     The complexities of dealing with a depraved mind.

2.     Showing the cultural differences between Bethany and Thatcher and their friendship resulting in love.

3.     Creating an action-packed story about Houston’s FBI, their dedication and commitment to keeping people safe.

7. What would you like your readers to take away from this story?

God’s sovereignty in all situations of life—family, career, friendships, love, and obeying laws that correspond with God’s principles.

                                                                                                                                               

8. Are there some specific lessons you hope readers will learn and apply to their lives after reading your book?

God is bigger than our problems - whether that be career, spiritual, or personal. In Deadlock, not only did professional problems attack my hero and heroine, but family dynamics.

                                                                             

9.  When you are not writing, what do you like to do? Do you have any hobbies?           

I enjoy reading, cooking, gardening, and grandkids! I’m very much into good health and exercise to keep my body and mind in the best shape possible.

                                                                                                                                               

10. Where can readers find you on the Internet?

http://www.diannmills.com/

 www.facebook.com/diannmills

twitter.com/diannmills

The Bones Will Speak

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing The Bones Will Speak Thomas Nelson (August 11, 2015) by Carrie Stuart Parks

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Carrie Stuart Parks is an award-winning fine artist and internationally known forensic artist. Along with her husband, Rick, she travels across the US and Canada teaching courses in forensic art to law enforcement as well as civilian participants. She has won numerous awards for career excellence. Carrie is a popular platform speaker, presenting a variety of topics from crime to creativity.

Animals have always been a large part of her life. Her parents, Ned and Evelyn Stuart, started Skeel Kennel Great Pyrenees in 1960. Carrie inherited the kennel and continues with her beloved dogs as both an AKC judge and former president of the Great Pyrenees Club of America. She lives on the same ranch she grew up on in Northern Idaho.

ABOUT THE BOOK

A killer with a penchant for torture has taken notice of forensic expert Gwen Marcey . . . and her daughter.
When Gwen Marcey’s dog comes home with a human skull and then leads her to a cabin in the woods near her Montana home, she realizes there’s a serial killer in her community. And when she finds a tortured young girl clinging to life on the cabin floor, she knows this killer is a lunatic.

Yet what unsettles Gwen most is that the victim looks uncannily like her daughter. The search for the torturer leads back in time to a neo-Nazi bombing in Washington state—a bombing with only one connection to Montana: Gwen. The group has a race-not-grace model of salvation . . . and they’ve marked Gwen as a race traitor. When it becomes clear that the killer has a score to settle, Gwen finds herself in a battle against time. She will have to use all of her forensic skills to find the killer before he can carry out his threat to destroy her—and the only family she has left.

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Bones Will Speak, go HERE.

The Memory Weaver

The Memory Weaver
by 
Jane Kirkpatrick


MY THOUGHTS:
This is another fabulous book by Jane Kirkpatrick that brings a true story to life! Eliza Spalding was the first white child born who survived west of the Mississippi. She lived in the Oregon territory with her parents, missionaries to the Nez Perce Indians, and she survived a massacre by the Cayuse Indians. She was actually held hostage for 47 days and was required, at the age of 10, to translate between the Indians and the settlers.

This book visits her life as a teen and adult. How would such an experience impact ones' life? Kirkpatrick uses diaries, documentaries, and tons of historical records to suppose Eliza's perspective throughout her life. She even interviewed descendants.

Like her previous book, A Light in the Wilderness, The Memory Weaver is a chance to step back in time and live beside those who participated in history. This is a fascinating story, and Kirkpatrick's website adds more information to a robust tale (check it out HERE). I was thrilled to see the reference to Letitia Carson, too (from A Light in the Wilderness)!

Definitely a must read for American History buffs.
Check out the book trailer HERE!

ABOUT THE BOOK
Eliza Spalding Warren was just a child when she was taken hostage by the Cayuse Indians during a massacre in 1847. Now the young mother of two children, Eliza faces a different kind of dislocation; her impulsive husband wants them to make a new start in another territory, which will mean leaving her beloved home and her departed mother's grave--and returning to the land of her captivity. Eliza longs to know how her mother, an early missionary to the Nez Perce Indians, dealt with the challenges of life with a sometimes difficult husband and with her daughter's captivity.

When Eliza is finally given her mother's diary, she is stunned to find that her own memories are not necessarily the whole story of what happened. Can she lay the dark past to rest and move on? Or will her childhood memories always hold her hostage?

Based on true events, The Memory Weaver is New York Times bestselling author Jane Kirkpatrick's latest literary journey into the past, where threads of western landscapes, family, and faith weave a tapestry of hope inside every pioneering woman's heart. Readers will find themselves swept up in this emotional story of the memories that entangle us and the healing that awaits us when we bravely unravel the threads of the past.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jane is inter-nationally recognized for her lively presentations and well-researched stories that encourage and inspire.  Her works have appeared in more than 50 publications including  Decision, Private Pilot and Daily Guideposts.  Jane is the author of over 25 books including historical novels. Many of her titles are based on the lives of real people or incidents set authentically in the American West.  Her first novel, A Sweetness to the Soul, won the coveted Wrangler Award from the Western Heritage Center.  Her works have been finalists for the Christy, Spur, Oregon Book Award, WILLA Literary Award and Reader’s Choice awards.  Several of her titles have been Book of the Month and Literary Guild selections.Learn more about Jane at her website, HERE.

Last Chance Hero

Last Chance Hero
by
Cathleen Armstrong


MY THOUGHTS:

I was thrilled to find another book in this series about a quaint New Mexico town seemingly in the middle of nowhere! The last book, At Home in Last Chance, left me hanging, and this one resolved those questions.

In Last Chance Hero, Armstrong introduces two new characters and weaves their lives intricately with those of the previous books. While the book could stand alone, it's fun to know the back story of the 'regulars'. This book addresses the struggle to be who you are, not who you were, and the process of finding your place in a place that seems to have little room for new people or change.

Each book in the Last Chance series addresses real life issues and struggles. As in life, these things don't always get wrapped up neatly by the end of the book, and I find that I like that. I hope there are more books to come -- I'd love to learn more about some of the folks in the town that appear in each story but are minor characters.

Visit the authors' website for information about all her books and a free e-cookbook with great chili recipes!

ABOUT THE BOOK:
The inhabitants of Last Chance, New Mexico, could not be more pleased. Dr. Jessica McLeod has opened an office right on Main Street. Andy Ryan, the best athlete the little town ever produced, has ended his short career in the NFL and has come home to coach the mighty Pumas of Last Chance High. Unfortunately, Dr. Jess immediately gets off on the wrong foot when she admits that she's never seen a football game, isn't really interested in doing so, and, in fact, doesn't know a first down from a home run. Meanwhile, Coach Ryan is discovering that it's not easy to balance atop the pedestal the town has put him on. When this unlikely pair is drawn together over the future of a young player--whose gifts may lie in the laboratory rather than on the football field--they begin to wonder if they might have a future together as well.

With the flair that has made her Last Chance books a favorite among readers of contemporary fiction, Cathleen Armstrong draws on the passion Americans have for the traditions of small-town high school football.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Cathleen Armstrong lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, Ed, and their corgi. Though she has been in California for many years now, her roots remain deep in New Mexico where she grew up and where much of her family still lives. She is the author of Welcome to Last Chance, winner of the 2009 American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis Award for Women's Fiction, and One More Last Chance.
Cathleen Armstrong lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, Ed, and their corgi. Though she has been in California for many years now, her roots remain deep in New Mexico where she grew up and where much of her family still lives. She is the author of Welcome to Last Chance, winner of the 2009 American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis Award for Women's Fiction, and One More Last Chance. 

Taming the To Do List

Taming the To-Do List
by
Glynnis Whitwer

MY THOUGHTS:
I had the opportunity to meet Glynnis many years ago at a Proverbs 31 She Speaks conference, and I was very impressed. I can't remember many of the people who led workshops, but she and the workshop she led continue to be memorable to me. She was an amazingly down to earth, caring person who honestly wanted each person in the room to be successful!

Her new book, Taming the To-Do List, is written in that same vein. She shares her struggles with perfectionism and procrastination, and she gives really tangible, down-to-earth processes for getting the important things done. One of the things I really liked about the book is the linkage to the readers' personal issues. Each chapter ends with a Practical Application section where the reader applies the lessons learned in the chapter to a regular task that never seems to get done and a personal goal he/she wants to achieve. The questions required both introspection and planning for overcoming obstacles.

When we are overwhelmed by too many things to do and not enough time, we often feel like failures. Whitwer addresses this with a statement I've placed on my bathroom mirror:
"Only Satan draws a line from our work to our worth. Only our enemy wants us to find our identity in what we do, because he knows when the work is gone so is our sense of value. God, however, has another identity for us, ones that's unchanging and independent of our actions. It's as his chosen and beloved child."

I've read many time management books that offer intricate processes for getting things done that often become just another item on my to-do list. This book addresses the issues behind my long and often uncompleted list and offers solutions that ensure I have the right list and the right motives without an artificial structure for managing my life. By helping me determine the right list and understand the reasons why I struggle so much with my lists, Glynnis Whitwer has helped me get a handle on my life! Thank you!

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Ever just wish the world would stop for a day so you could catch up?
No matter how much we accomplish in a day, we nearly always feel a little guilt over what we didn't do. But do we really have more to do than the women who came before us? Maybe not.

In Taming the To-Do List, Glynnis Whitwer exposes a seismic shift in society: from one in which most of us were proactive to one in which we carry the burden of having to respond--to every email, text, tweet, and message we receive. This creates a cycle where everyone else sets the priorities for our days rather than us directing our own lives. The result? We procrastinate, putting off the important stuff for later while we tend to the "urgent" stuff right now.

It's time to take back your schedule! Ready to tame that to-do list? This book shows you how.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Glynnis Whitwer  I’ve been on staff with P31 since 1999 and am currently the executive director of communications.  I oversee the Encouragement for Today Devotions, co-direct COMPEL Writer’s Training, and am in charge of all the content at She Speaks – our annual conference for writers and speakers.
Here’s a few more random thoughts.
Glynnis Whitwer is passionate about knowing God’s Word, serving in His church and loving His people. She has a degree in Journalism and Public Relations from Arizona State University. She has been on staff with Proverbs 31 since 1999 and is currently the executive director of communications.  She oversees the Encouragement for Today Devotions, co-directs COMPEL Writer’s Training, and is in charge of all the content at She Speaks – the annual conference for writers and speakers.
Before joining the staff of Proverbs 31 Ministries, she worked in public relations and marketing for developers of retirement and assisted living communities.  She has authored or co-authored nine books that deal with relationships - with God, with family, and with ones self. 


You can learn more about Glynnis at her website HERE

Cold as Ice

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Cold as Ice Sydney Lane Press by M.K. Gilroy

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Mark won’t claim he has done it all in the world of publishing, but he has packed boxes, edited manuscripts, made sales calls, created marketing plans, directed design and illustration, started companies, consulted, agented the works of others, and written advertising and catalog copy. He’s authored, compiled, and ghost written books that have landed on an array of bestsellers lists and sold millions of copies. His first ghost writing project, The Wal-Mart Way, was done for Don Soderquist, Sam Walton’s longtime right-hand man.

In early 2012 he put on a new hat as a fiction author. His debut novel, Cuts Like a Knife, was released in April 2012 and was met with rave reviews from USA Today, Fresh Fiction, Publishers Weekly, and other leading national reviewers. His second novel, Every Breath You Take, second in the Kristen Conner Mystery Series, released in Fall 2012 to similar acclaim. Kristen Conner returns in Cold As Ice, which releases in Fall 2014.

Gilroy has extensive writing credits. He scripted and served as creative consultant for a two-hour training video that was honored with the Award of Excellence by the International Television Association. He has compiled and written close to fifty books and penned hundreds articles and curriculum pieces for a variety of periodicals and publishers.

Gilroy and his wife Amy reside in Brentwood, Tennessee. Their six children are Lindsey, Merrick, Ashley, Caroline, Bo, and Zachary—the youngest has now headed off for college, so he and Amy are officially empty nesters.



ABOUT THE BOOK

Detective Kristen Conner is back on a new murder case. She’s still fighting with her sister—and no surprise, someone new wants to kill her! He was a pillar in his Chicago neighborhood: popular school teacher, devoted father and husband, political activist on behalf of underprivileged children—and a master gardener who liked to plant flowers in his neighbor’s yards. What wasn’t to love about him? Who would want him dead?

When Detective Kristen Conner lands the case she knows from day one who the key suspect is. That’s simple. The person most likely to kill you is someone close that you know and love. But the wife? She was always at her husband’s side and just as passionate about his causes as he was. No way could this loving wife and mother of three be a killer. Right? Mix in her on-again, off-again relationship with FBI Agent Austin Reynolds, a quick trip to New York City where Kristen helps her media-star sister for a new apartment—only to discover the body of a man who appears to have been executed by a professional killer on a run through Central Park—and Kristen Conner is once again swept into a world of danger, intrigue, and a confusing love life.

What she doesn’t know just might kill her.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Cold as Ice, go HERE.

The Most Famous Illegal Goose Creek Parade

The Most Famous Illegal Goose Creek Parade
by
Virginia Smith

MY THOUGHTS:

When life gets crazy, I just need a fun book to help me create some space in the midst of chaos. This book has allowed me to sneak away from my life for a while so I could visit a quaint small town, Goose Creek. The characters in this town are quite diverse, from the young new veterinarian straight out of school, her creative receptionist who is using quite a bit of finesse to convince her practical husband they should buy a huge Victorian fixer-upper, and the mayor who is doing the best he can in a difficult situation to the annoying co-worker, the persistent father of an incompetent painter, and a dog who hates squirrels and smells to high heaven!


This series reminds me a bit of the Mitford books by Jan Karon -- small town, well-rounded yet quirky characters, an intriguing story line, animals that add humor and humanity, and just a touch of romance! These people could be my neighbors, and I want to get to know them better. I'm definitely looking forward to future books in the Tales From The Goose Creek B&B series!


Virginia has written a ton of books in several genres, and I have enjoyed them all. She has the ability to transport the reader into the environment of the story. I can picture each character and the places they visit, and I wish Goose Creek was a real place -- I'd be up for a road trip!


ABOUT THE BOOK (From the back cover):
Al Richardson is perfectly content in his Goose Creek, Kentucky, home. The village is charming, the neighbors are friendly, and retirement is only three years and sixty-three days away.

But changes are right around the corner for Goose Creek.Al's wife, Millie, is hatching a scheme to renovate an old Victorian eyesore and open a B&B. The new veterinarian is mystified when her only patient is Al and Millie's smelly dog. And folks are starting to take sides over who should give the water tower a new coat of paint...an issue that might just lead to an illegal parade.

Retirement or not, Al is about to get a lot busier than he bargained for.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Virginia Smith is the bestselling author of more than two dozen inspirational novels, an illustrated children's book, and 50 articles and short stories. An avid reader with eclectic tastes in fiction, Ginny writes in a variety of styles, from lighthearted relationship stories to breath-snatching suspense. Visit her at www.VirginiaSmith.org.

Trial Run

Trial Run
by
Thomas Locke


MY THOUGHTS:
I am not much of a science fiction buff, but I do like good psychological and medical mysteries. I may have missed the mark when reading this book - it really wasn't what I expected. It has components of both, but I had a lot of difficulty reading it.

Two different organizations have mastered the ability to travel through time and space using just mental capabilities. This is a pretty amazing concept, and makes for a great, action-packed adventure. Unfortunately there are so many characters with very similar experiences that I had a hard time keeping the players straight. The fact that I read it on my Kindle may have contributed to my confusion -- I realized I no longer have the ability to easily flip back and forth between chapters to refresh my memory.

If you have the time to sit and read this book in just a day or two, that may help, too. Honestly, I was unable to finish it because I just couldn't follow the story line any more, but I was only able to read it in short bursts.

That said, I've enjoyed the books I've read by Thomas Locke (aka Davis Bunn) in the past, so I'm blaming my dislike of this one on the circumstances surrounding my opportunity to read it. I want to give my honest perspective, yet I don't want anyone to avoid the book if you typically like these types of stories.

ABOUT THE BOOK (from the back cover):
Reese Clawson's work is mind-bending--literally. Her company specializes in global data analysis for an elite group of industry executives, and now a lucrative government contract is moving her into the realm of cutting-edge intelligence gathering. She is determined to crack the limits of consciousness--and in doing so, the boundaries of secrets and lies. But her experiment crashes as test subjects slide into a coma-like state. Reese is left scrambling to maintain control, drawing three disparate people into the search for answers--an adrenaline-amped thrill junkie with altered brain chemistry, an Italian scientist working on remote-viewing technology, and a math prodigy whose algorithms subvert
computer encryption.

Will this piecemeal team prevail when a government operative is sent to investigate? As the threads of perception and reality become tangled and even time itself twists in unexpected directions, one warning remains clear: what you don't know can kill you.

With a concept so daring and writing so gripping, readers will swiftly fall under the spell of Thomas Locke's endlessly creative mind. This thrilling psychological journey into the very nature of causation and consciousness will leave them turning the pages and grasping for solid ground.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Thomas Locke is an award-winning novelist with total world-wide sales of seven million copies.
His work has been published in twenty languages, and critical acclaim includes four Christy Awards for excellence in fiction and his 2014 induction into the Christy Hall of Fame.
Thomas divides his time between Florida and England, where he serves as Writer In Residence at Regent’s Park College, the University of Oxford. He holds a lifelong passion for epic fantasy, science fiction and techno-thriller stories.
Thomas’s screenplay adaption of Emissary is under development as a feature film with a British production company.
Contact Thomas at info@tlocke.com

Through Waters Deep

Through Waters Deep
by
Sarah Sundin

MY THOUGHTS:

I've only recently started reading Sarah Sundin's books (not sure why I haven't found her before), and I'm hooked! She has a great way of writing that puts the reader right into the action. There are so many great stories that can be told about the WWII time frame and the "Greatest Generation," and she is a master.

I really enjoyed watching the main character, Mary, grow in confidence and bravery through the book. Her determination in the tough environment of the docks, especially during such a controversial time during the war, inspired me to look at situations in my own life that required a bit more courage. I also appreciated the way Sundin wove faith through the story in a natural way.

Through Waters Deep is one of the few WWII era books that I've read which is set in the United States. This story has it all -- intrigue, suspense, action, history, and romance! It revolves around the early days of the war, pre-Pearl Harbor, with all the intense emotions Americans felt about the need to get involved in the war.

I HIGHLY recommend it!

ABOUT THE BOOK:
It is 1941 and America teeters on the brink of war. Outgoing naval officer Ensign Jim Avery escorts British convoys across the North Atlantic in a brand-new destroyer, the USS Atwood. Back on shore, Boston Navy Yard secretary Mary Stirling does her work quietly and efficiently, happy to be out of the limelight. Yet, despite her reserved nature, she never could back down from a challenge. When evidence of sabotage on the Atwood is found, Jim and Mary must work together to uncover the culprit. A bewildering maze of suspects emerges, and Mary is dismayed to find that even someone close to her is under suspicion. With the increasing pressure, Jim and Mary find that many new challenges--and dangers--await them.

Sarah Sundin takes readers to the tense months before the US entered WWII. Readers will encounter German U-boats and torpedoes, along with the explosive power of true love, in this hopeful and romantic story.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Sarah Sundin enjoys writing about the drama and romance of the World War II era. She is the author of the upcoming Waves of Freedom series (Through Waters Deep, August 2015), the Wings of the Nightingale series (With Every Letter, 2012, On Distant Shores, August 2013, and In Perfect Time, 2014), and the Wings of Glory series (A Distant Melody, A Memory Between Us, and Blue Skies Tomorrow).

A mother of three, Sundin lives in northern California. She works on-call as a hospital pharmacist and teaches Sunday school and women's Bible studies. She belongs to American Christian Fiction Writers, Christian Authors Network, and Advanced Writers and Speakers Association. Her novella in Where Treetops Glisten is a finalist in the 2015 Carol Awards, and her novel On Distant Shores was a double finalist for the 2014 Golden Scroll Awards. In 2011 she received the Writer of the Year Award from the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference. Please visit Sarah's website at http://www.sarahsundin.com

Grin with Grace Bible Study

Grin With Grace
by
Kathy Carlton Willis


MY THOUGHTS:
For some reason grace is a difficult concept for me to comprehend. Why would the God of the Universe care to give us, each of us personally, gifts that we don't deserve? Yet he does, every day in a multitude of ways. This study has opened my eyes to the amazing array of blessings God graciously provides and helped me understand how I can translate God's gifts into my interactions with others. The more I'm able to accept His grace, the more I'm willing to extend grace to others.

Willis has created a study that goes deep into God's word and steps beyond mere words to help the reader understand the context and meaning behind the text. Instead of just asking questions with obvious right or wrong answers, she asks really thought provoking questions to helped me  personalize the Biblical text and really understand how grace impacts my life. In addition, each chapter ends with a challenge to really think through a tough situation and determine how to actually apply grace in life.

For the first time ever, I actually sent a note to the author of a Bible study to let Kathy know how much this study was impacting my life. We had a difficult situation with one of our teens, and the Grin with Grace chapter I was on seemed written for that moment. This study is definitely the right one at the right time for me.

Every aspect of this study has been meaningful to me -- from the amazing quotes at the beginning of each chapter to the stories that make me smile. I'm not quite done with the study, but I have found myself stopping in the middle of a situation to remind myself of the need to accept and give grace. I can't remember a Bible study that had such an immediate impact on my life.

I would highly recommend this study for individuals and for groups. There are DVDs and leadership guides available to help!


ABOUT THE STUDY (from the back of the book):

Have you ever felt the need to bite your tongue or grit your teeth? Grin with Grace explores ways to genuinely smile in the face of adversity and challenging circumstances. Sometimes, we just need to grin with grace! God blesses us with His grace, and it impacts our relationship with Him and with others.
Each chapter features five sections:
• Grin with Grace contains real-life stories and observations. You’ll laugh at the humorous confessions and wacky insights, and relate to Kathy’s transparent honesty. Be inspired to see grace in your everyday life.
• Grow with Grace features a grace word study. Kathy examines Bible verses and personalizes the meaning to your situation. Workbook prompts allows you to write down your thoughts as you read along.
• Go with Grace offers life application. Pick one action step and make it work for you, or pick all of them—but do something to live out your grace-walk.
• Give with Grace advances life application further, equipping you to become an instrument of God’s grace to others. You’ll be inspired to take what you’ve learned and give it away to others. This is when faith becomes ministry—when your focus expands to see the needs of others.
• Your Grin with Grace Challenge describes a grace-challenging scenario to give you an opportunity to exercise your new found grace. It allows for speculation and judgment calls, to prepare you for the what-ifs that happen in life.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Kathy Carlton Willis writes and speaks with a balance of funny and faith -- whimsy and wisdom. Not many funny girls also have Bible degrees! Kathy's a pastor's wife, which gives her plenty of opportunities to grin with grace. She shines the light on issues that hold women back and inspires their own light bulb moments. Almost a thousand of Kathy's articles have been published in books, magazines, newspapers and online publications. She's affiliated

with several Christian writer and speaker organizations ad serves as a consultant in the industry.

Gone Without A Trace

Gone Without a Trace
by
Patricia Bradley


MY THOUGHTS:
This is a great detective story! A serial kidnapper is on the loose, and his activity is escalating. A young woman has been kidnapped and her time may be running out. Alex Reynolds is the PI on the case, and he has extra incentive to solve the case -- if he doesn't find her within three weeks his grandfather will force him to take steps toward a career that will stifle him.

He meets up with Livy Reynolds, a detective who is reeling from a questionable shooting and a subsequent 'freeze up' that could have resulted in her partner's death. Livy also has an ulterior motive in this situation -- her cousin Robyn disappeared two years earlier without a trace, and it is suspected that perhaps she was the victim of similar foul play.

This is a pretty straight-forward detective story with plenty of viable suspects and a lot of suspense toward the end. The characters are well-rounded and realistic, and I found myself cheering for their victories. I'm hoping that Patricia Bradley will write more books in this series -- I'd love to learn more about how their lives turn out!

ABOUT THE BOOK:
The past is repeating itself--and time is running out

It's been more than two years since homicide detective Livy Reynolds's cousin disappeared from Logan Point. Unlike most people in her hometown, Livy has never believed that Robyn left voluntarily. When Dallas private investigator Alex Jennings contacts her concerning a senator's missing granddaughter who was last seen in Logan Point, Livy notices eerie similarities between the two disappearances. With self-doubt plaguing her and an almost instant dislike of the self-assured PI, she's finding this investigation an uphill battle. But with the prospect of finding her cousin on the horizon, she'll have to find a way to work with Alex--before it's too late.

Award-winning author Patricia Bradley keeps you on the edge of your seat with a case--and a relationship--that is anything but certain.

"Patricia Bradley has hit a home run. The suspense is high, the romance is sweet, and the villain is one you want to see caught and brought to justice. Gone without a Trace, a novel of forgiveness and finding one's place in the world, brings home the point that while not everything in life may go the way you want, God is still in control. Can't wait for the next book!"--Lynette Eason, bestselling, award-winning author of the Hidden Identity series

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Patricia Bradley is the winner of a 2012 Daphne du Maurier Award and a 2012 Touched by Love Award and was also a finalist for the 2012 Genesis Award. The author of Shadows of the Past and A Promise to Protect, she is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America. Bradley makes her home in Mississippi. Learn more at www.ptbradley.com. SIGN UP

The Innocent

The Innocent
by
Ann H. Gabhart


MY THOUGHTS:
Ann H. Gabhart has written several books about the Shaker community in Harmony Hill, and I have really enjoyed them! The Shaker religion is fascinating to me -- a community who found joy (theoretically) in work and simplicity yet had an amazing number of confounding rules that must be followed. The Innocent is a story of a woman in love with her husband who went off to fight the Civil War and went missing two years prior. Destitute and attracting unwanted attention, she escapes to the brothers and sisters among the mysterious Shaker community. There she encounters a grim-faced mentor and struggles to fit in. When she stumbles upon proof that things aren't as simple and honest as they seem, she must find a way to make sense of it all.

Gabhart has done a wonderful job of researching the Shakers and the lifestyle they lived. She writes with an ease that makes you feel as if you are right beside the main character, seeing and feeling what she encounters. I really liked this book -- in addition to the great story line it caused me to stop and really clarify what I believe about God and why.


ABOUT THE BOOK: 

She longs for peace--for her land and her heart--but can it truly be found at Harmony Hill?

Carlyn Kearney has spent two lonely years not knowing whether to mourn or to hope after she receives word from the Union Army that her husband is missing. When the war ends without further word, Carlyn finds herself penniless, in debt, and forced from her home. With nowhere else to go, she seeks refuge at the Shaker village of Harmony Hill.

The Shakers profess peace through simple living, but to Carlyn, the Shaker life seems anything but simple. When mysterious deaths disturb the peace of the village, Carlyn falls under intense scrutiny. Can a kind sheriff help her expose the true culprit?

Bestselling author Ann H. Gabhart invites fans back to Harmony Hill for a story laced with intrigue, romance, and heart.

"The Innocent is another well-crafted tale from the pen of Ann H. Gabhart. With characters that will steal your heart, Gabhart introduces a desperate young heroine who seeks safety among the Shakers during the post-Civil War era and a sheriff determined to come to her aid. A rich and rewarding read you won't want to miss!"--Judith Miller, award-winning author of Refined by Love series

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Ann H. Gabhart is the bestselling author of several Shaker novels--The Outsider, The Believer, The Seeker, The Blessed, and The Gifted--as well as Angel Sister, Small Town Girl, Love Comes Home, Words Spoken True, and The Heart of Hollyhill series. She lives with her husband a mile from where she was born in rural Kentucky. Learn more at www.annhgabhart.com.

Made With Love

Made With Love 
by
Tricia Goyer and Sherry Gore


MY THOUGHTS:
What can be better than a book about an Amish pie shop that includes recipes from a renown Amish cookbook author and pie contest judge?

This book is a wonderful collaboration between Sherry Gore (the cook) and Tricia Goyer, an award winning author of best selling Amish books. It is the first in the new Pinecraft Pie Shop series about a family residing in the Florida town that is a favorite vacation spot for the Amish.

Made With Love introduces us to Lovina Miller, a young Amish woman whose lifelong dream is to open a pie shop in the town of Pinecraft, Florida. She's accepted that she will probably never marry, so she's set her sight on becoming a business owner despite the concerns of her parents. The oldest of five unmarried girls, Lovina believes she isn't pretty enough to get a suitor so she's moved on to other endeavors.

Noah Yoder, an Amish man with a tragic past, has moved to Pinecraft with three wayward Amish teens to start a new life and hopefully influence the lives of his charges through hard work as carpenters. He makes a deal with Lovina to remodel a warehouse for her shop in exchange for salvage rights to the items within.

Goyer and Gore do a fabulous job of bringing these characters to life. I really appreciated the depth and honest portrayal of emotions all involved in the story face. I won't give anything away, but this story actually brought me to tears during a particularly touching scene. I love it when a book drags my emotions through the gamut instead of just being a 'nice' read! This is one of those books where I almost found myself praying for the characters involved.

And, as a fabulous bonus, each chapter ends with wonderful traditional Amish recipes for many wonderful things -- pies, desserts, main dishes, snacks, and more! Not only was it a wonderful read, but my family will be enjoying this book for years to come through the recipes.

I highly recommend this book for those who love Amish stories AND for those who may think Amish books are formulaic -- this one is definitely unique in it's setting and story line.

This book is available for preorder on Amazon here

 
ABOUT THE BOOK:
A Dash of Love, a Pinch of Hope, and a Whole Lot of Good Cooking
 Lovina Miller should be thrilled. Pinecraft, Florida, has everything a young Amish woman could ask for: sun, sand, volleyball games, and evening singings in the park. But Pinecraft lacks the one thing Lovina desperately wants—a pie shop of her own. She longs for a place to gather with the community and serve the treat she loves.

A young carpenter named Noah Yoder strolls into her life and offers a way to make her dream come true. But before Noah and Lovina can build a shop—and a life—together, they must each face heartaches from the past. Is their new love stronger than their regrets?

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Tricia Goyer is a homeschooling mom of six, grandmother of two, and wife to John. A bestselling author, Tricia has published 50 books to date and has written more than 500 articles. She is a two time Carol Award winner, as well as a Christy and ECPA Award Nominee. Tricia is also on the blogging team at TheBetterMom.com, FortheFamily.com and other homeschooling and Christian sites.

Tricia volunteers around her community and mentors teen moms. She is the founder of Hope Pregnancy Ministries in Northwestern Montana, and she currently leads a Teen MOPS Group in Little Rock, AR. Tricia, along with a group of friends, also blog at www.NotQuiteAmishLiving.com, sharing ideas about simplifying life.

Sherry Gore is former editor-in-chief of Cooking & Such magazine, the author of "Simply Delicious Amish Cooking", "Me, Myself and Pie" and a weekly scribe for the national edition of the Amish newspaper, The Budget, established in 1890. The National Geographic Channel featured Sherry prominently their documentary series, Amish: Out of Order. Sherry's culinary adventures have been seen on NBC Daytime; the Today Show; Mr. Food Test Kitchen; and Fox, NBC, CBS and ABC News affiliates across the country. Sherry is a year-round resident of beautiful, sun-kissed Sarasota, Florida, the vacation paradise of the Plain People. She has three children and is a member of a Beachy Amish Mennonite church. When not spending time with her family, writing, or eating, Sherry is a cooking show host, and an official pie contest judge. 

Desperate Measures

Desperate Measures
by
Sandra Orchard


MY THOUGHTS:
If you are interested in a suspense novel with tons of twists and turns, this is a perfect book series for you! Desperate Measures is the third book in the Port Aster Secrets series.

When I first picked up this book I had not read the first two books in the series, Deadly Devotion and Blind Trust. Within a few pages I became confused about who the players were and felt that I was missing way too much of the back story. This is a more traditional series where each book is critical to the overall story, so I went and got the first two books. Desperate Measures definitely doesn't stand alone.

That said, the series is hard to put down! At times it seems like every character is the 'bad guy', then they are cleared individually...for a while. This is a complicated plot and it helps to read the books in close proximity to each other. Of course that isn't a problem because at the end of each book I was dying to find out what happened next!

Sandra Orchard is a master at keeping the reader guessing and causing him/her to keep the pages turning. This is not a series to start when you know you will have to put the book down frequently. I recommend this book for anyone who likes to try to figure out 'whodunit' in a complex story.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Researcher Kate Adams has finally pinpointed the medicinal plant responsible for tearing her family apart. She's certain that discovering its secrets is her only hope of solving the mystery surrounding the disappearance of her father. Kate will risk anything to find the truth--even her budding relationship with Detective Tom Parker. But more people than she can fathom are after the plants and going it alone just might prove to be a fatal mistake.

Award-winning author Sandra Orchard pulls out all the stops in this breakneck and breathtaking conclusion to the Port Aster series. Fans will not be disappointed by the surprises they find inside.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Sandra Orchard is a multi-award-winning author of mysteries and romantic suspense with Revell Publishing and Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense imprint. She is an active member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America and The Word Guild (Canada). A mother of three grown children, she lives in Niagara, Canada with her real-life-hero husband and writes full time…when not doting on her young grandchildren.  Learn more about Sandra’s books and bonus features at www.SandraOrchard.com or connect at www.Facebook.com/SandraOrchard
Sandra is represented by Steve Laube of the Steve Laube Agency.