The Crimson Cord

The Crimson Cord
by
Jill Eileen Smith


MY THOUGHTS:
I am amazed at the way Jill Smith can take just a few verses from the Bible and create an amazing story that makes you feel like you are there. This is the story of Rahab -- a woman that we don't really know much about. Smith gives her a backstory, a tragic situation, and hope for a future with the leader of the tribe of Judah!

All we truly know of Rahab is that she was an innkeeper (which in those days often meant prostitute) who willingly hid some Israelite spies in exchange for safety for her family. Some how later in life she ends up marrying a prominent Israelite and gives birth to Boaz! God can take anyone and use them for the good of his plan.

This is a story of survival, forgiveness, and new beginnings. It is set in an amazing time of history, and the characters have real depth. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction or who wants the Bible to come to life (in an admittedly fictional way).

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Wife to a gambler who took one too many risks, Rahab finds herself sold as a slave to cover her husband's debt. Forced into prostitution, she despairs of ever regaining her freedom and her self-respect. But when Israelite spies enter Jericho and come to lodge at her house, Rahab sees a glimmer of hope and the opportunity of a lifetime.

In one risky moment, she takes a leap of faith, puts her trust in a God she does not know, and vows to protect the spies from the authorities. When the armies of Israel arrive weeks later, Rahab hopes they will keep their promise, but she has no idea what kind of challenges await her outside Jericho's walls--or if she will ever know the meaning of love.

Under Jill Eileen Smith's talented hand, the familiar story of Rahab bursts forth in high definition. Immerse yourself in a world of dark and dusty streets, clandestine meetings, and daring escapes as a mysterious biblical figure claims her full humanity--and a permanent place in your heart.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jill Eileen Smith is the bestselling author of the Wives of King David series, the Wives of the Patriarchs series, and The Desert Princess, first in the Loves of King Solomon series. Her research into the lives of biblical women has taken her from the Bible to Israel, and she particularly enjoys learning how women lived in Old Testament times. Jill lives with her family in southeast Michigan. Learn more at www.jilleileensmith.com.

At Home in Last Chance

At Home in Last Chance
by
Cathleen Armstrong


MY THOUGHTS:
It was wonderful to meet with 'old friends' from previous Last Chance books! This book is the third in the Places To Call Home series, and I'm presuming it's the last, however the ending makes me think there may be more to come. You definitely need to read these books in series -- it would be confusing to pick up one without the background of the others.

I really enjoy the comfortable style of Cathleen Armstrong. The books are easy to read and the characters are fun and consistent from book to book. This book addresses some personality issues that very few do -- those people who have really messed up in their lives and seem to be expected to continue that path. Kaitlyn led a true prodigal's life, leaving her daughter behind in book 2 to be raised by her brother, Chris. She returns to Last Chance in an attempt to reconnect with her daughter (who is quite the character) and hopefully to finally settle down.

Stephen, the cousin of Chris's fiance Sarah (book 2) and brother of Ray (book 1), has always been a self-proclaimed ladies man and had abandoned his brother earlier in the series. Everyone expects him to continue to leave pain in his wake.

Kaitlyn and Stephen find kindred spirits in each other and they learn together how to change the perceptions and expectations of others.  But it is a slow and painful process, so true to real life.

I won't give a spoiler, but I have to say I was a bit disappointed in the ending. I'm hoping that there is yet another book to be written in this series, because it doesn't seem to really close. That said, I would recommend the entire series for it's writing style, emphasis on second chances, and small town charm.

ABOUT THE BOOK (from the back cover):
What happens when the life you're running from won't let go of your heart?
Kaitlyn Reed and Steven Braden have always had a similar philosophy of life: when the going gets tough, they get going--out of town and away from the problem. Now they are both back in Last Chance, New Mexico, and trying to start over.

Kaitlyn is working to reestablish a relationship with the seven-year-old daughter she left behind six months earlier. Steven is trying to prove to his family that he is not the irresponsible charmer they have always known him to be. As Kaitlyn and Steven find themselves drawn to one another, one big question keeps getting in the way: How will they learn to trust each other when they don't even trust themselves?

With emotional depth and characters who leap off the page and into your heart, Cathleen Armstrong invites you to return once more to the dusty and delightful town of Last Chance.


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.
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.

Indoor Water Park

I have been at an amazing retreat for a week. Seven Christian friends and I rented a seven bedroom home in Branson, MO, for the purpose of getting away from the world and writing all week. Of course, I had to bring my trusty sewing machine, since a lot of what I do is based on quilting! It has been an especially great time for those of us who are introverts. After an initial goal setting meeting the first night, we lock ourselves in our bedrooms all day working on our projects. We emerge for dinner, and spend about two hours connecting with each other, discussing projects, and holding each other accountable.

While my husband jokingly refers to this as my annual 'boondoggle' trip, I don't turn the tv on, minimize my facebook time, and I've only read about 5 pages of the novel I brought! I've researched and written a speech about women during the Revolutionary War, outlined a book proposal I'm toying around with, and designed/quilted samples for four classes I'm teaching in the near future.

Today is the last day of the retreat, and I have a list of small projects I've been putting off while the big priorities were completed. I woke up at 5:00 ready to hit the ground running. But the minute I put my feet on the floor my day got reprioritized. While still in the fog of sleep, I was wondering why in the world my feet were wet. Not just damp, squishy soak your socks wet!

Sometime after midnight a pipe broke under the sink in the basement outside my room. I didn't hear the water because I had both a ceiling fan and a portable fan providing white noise so I didn't hear those of us who stay up all night to write. The entire basement was pretty much covered with an inch of water!

Three of us set out to figure out what we could do. We ran around looking for a water shut off valve, tried in vain to reconnect the pipe with our bare hands, and trying to find something to catch the water so there wouldn't be any more on the floor.

We called the owner (with whom we'd been corresponding for a while and have developed a great relationship). They live in Iowa, and it was pretty early in the morning. They thought the shut off valve might be in the furnace room (we looked hard, but couldn't find it), or maybe outside. Two of us put our coats on over our pajamas (rolled up above our knees) and slipped into shoes -- mine were cute black flats with silver stud designs. We were quite fashionable and it's too bad the neighbors didn't see us racing around the house in the dark with our flashlights looking for a valve. It would have made quite the story!

After looking everywhere several times, we gave up and took turns sitting on the step by the sink so we could empty the large bowl we set underneath the pipe whenever it filled up. It was a pretty helpless feeling. The homeowner called the builder, who told us where to look for the shut off valve and we finally got it turned off.

We had hurriedly unplugged everything and grabbed all the stuff off the floor in our rooms and the basement (all my sewing stuff) and piled it on tables or even outside on the patio. We lifted up the pool table and put grocery sacks around the pretty wooden feet in an attempt to protect them. At that point all we could do was wait for the plumber, who was on the way.

He quickly diagnosed the problem and went to his truck for a replacement part. He was still working under the sink as I packed my room closeby when I heard him laugh outloud. Hmmm -- that's not necessarily a good sound! I went out to see what was so funny, and he showed me the part that broke. It still had the label attached that very clearly stated "Flood Free"! I don't think so!

Of course, since we were there to write, I took notes of the things about the morning that were blog-worthy, especially from a devotional perspective. Here are the take-aways I have from the adventure:

1. How often in life do we sleep while the water is rising (figuratively)? I was comfortable in my life and totally oblivious to the disaster impending just outside my door. Since I was doing so much research about the Revolutionary War all week, this was especially interesting to me.  Many colonists could not believe that the British would take the actions that they had, and the new Americans probably sat by and watched for a while before realizing action needed to be taken.

2. It is incredibly frustrating to know that something must exist, but not be able to find it. Every home has a water shut off valve, usually in the basement. We walked around all the walls, inside and out, desperately hoping to quell the flow of water. We found the electrical boxes, sprinkler system controls, sewer connections, but no way of shutting off the water. Just as an aside, the leak was before the water shut off valve under the sink, so shutting that off did not good. The builder insisted it was in the closet with the furnace, but there were no water pipes there at all. We finally found it in the closet with the water heater (which some of us didn't realize existed -- it was hidden around a corner), and even when we originally saw it, it looked more like a gas shut off valve.

There are several times in the Bible where people searched desperately for something. A lost coin, a treasure, or even health. The things we want, and even the things we need, are often not where we first look. But if we seek, we will find!

3. Helpless is a terrible feeling. We just sat on the steps watching the bowl fill with water, not knowing what to do. We weren't authorized to call a plumber, and at that point we weren't able to reach the homeowner. At least we had kept the damage from getting worse, but there was no shop vac to allow us to start cleaning up, and the amount of water was way beyond what we could sop up with towels. We needed intervention! Unfortunately this is a common feeling for we humans, especially when we are faced with medical situations. We rush to get a wide variety of tests, only to wait -- sometimes for weeks-- for a diagnosis. In the mean time there is nothing we can do. Any treatment at that point would probably be useless, or even dangerous, because it has to be focused in the right direction. Sometimes all we can do is pray and keep the damage from getting worse.

4. While we sat on the stairs, we racked our brains for what we might have done to bring on this disaster. Did we go under the sink and move things around, possibly loosening a connection? We hadn't stored anything there, nor had we pulled anything out.  So why did we still feel so guilty? Why didn't I hear the water earlier and prevent this much damage? So often we take on guilt or stress for something we didn't cause, and probably couldn't have prevented. It's good to do an assessment to ensure we aren't at fault, but once that's determined, we need to just let it go (oh, Disney fans, I feel a song coming on!).

5. Oh the irony of the broken part being called Flood Free! Kind of like the Titanic being unsinkable. Somehow life will always supersede any claims producers make.

6. And finally, no matter how crazy the situation, there is always a way to laugh if we look hard enough for it! I almost wish we'd thought to take a picture of our lovely selves -- hair still askew from sleep, pajamas rolled up above our knees, splashing around in the water like crazy people.

While it will take a while to get the home back to normal, all is well. The right people are on the job and the two of us who were residing in the basement have moved all our stuff out and we'll spend the night with some of our friends on the top floor. But we'll always remember this year's retreat as an adventure!

Hidden Agenda

Hidden Agenda
by
Lisa Harris


MY THOUGHTS:
Hold on to your seat! This book will take you on a crazy ride of suspense and intrigue! From a private island mansion to a backwoods cabin, the settings and activities are nonstop. There are a lot of secrets kept silent for years, and as the main characters try to find the truth they really aren't sure whom they can trust.

This is the third book in the  Southern Crimes series, but you don't really have to read them in order (however they are all great, so if you have the time and opportunity, I'd recommend it). Lisa Harris has a gift for keeping the story moving!

ABOUT THE BOOK:
His cover is blown. Now his enemies are on his heels and closing in.
Presumed dead by friends and family, Michael Hunt is alive--and on the run. Presumed dead by friends and family, the undercover assignment he's been working for the past eight months has just been blown. With a hit out on his life and corruption inside the Atlanta police department, Michael finds himself hunted by both the cartel and the law. His only hope is Olivia Hamilton--the daughter of the man who wants him dead.

This nonstop chase from Christy Award-winning Lisa Harris will leave you breathless.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lisa Harris is the award-winning author of more than twenty books, including the Christy Award winner Dangerous Passage and Fatal Exchange. Winner of the Best Inspirational Suspense Novel for 2011 from Romantic Times, Harris has spent over ten years living with her family as missionaries in Mozambique, where she leads a women's group and runs a nonprofit organization that works alongside their church-planting ministry. Visit www.lisaharriswrites.com for more.

Once Beyond a Time

Once Beyond a Time
by
Ann Tatlock


MY THOUGHTS:
 Ann Tatlock's books always have a fascinating twist, and Once Beyond a Time is no exception. Ann has created a wide variety of characters with depth and compassion. I don't want to go into too much detail because half the fun on this book is discovering the basic premise.

I didn't want to put this book down. The story races along, and the end of each chapter is so compelling that I just HAD to read the next one to find out what happened. This book links historical and contemporary fiction genres in a masterful way!

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in either genre. It is a wonderful story of love, forgiveness, and self discovery.

ABOUT THE BOOK:
After settling into an old house nearly hidden on the side of a mountain, a broken family discovers that their new home is no ordinary place. The family can see and speak with people who have lived there in the past, and with those who will live there in the future. Are these people apparitions or real? Could the house itself be the stuff of mountain lore, a place where all of time is happening at once?

It's 1968, and Sheldon and Meg Crane have just moved their family from suburban Philadelphia to the town of Black Mountain, NC. Sheldon has resigned in disgrace from the ministry after an affair. He will now sell used cars for his brother-in-law's auto dealership. Sheldon is burdened by his wife's unwillingness to forgive and his daughter's anger over the move. The oldest son is in Vietnam. The only happy member of the family is his eight-year-old son, Digger. But then, Digger suddenly disappears. Has he been kidnapped or has he wandered off into the mountains? How does the "house beyond time" show one family the healing power of forgiveness and the loving sovereignty of God?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ann Tatlock writes historical and contemporary Christian fiction. You can find more of her books and a great interview here: http://anntatlock.com/

GIVEAWAY - An Amish Second Christmas

An Amish Second Christmas
by
Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller, Ruth Reid, and Tricia Goyer

MY THOUGHTS:
With all the Amish novels I've read, I never remember reading about the tradition of Second Christmas. I've learned that this is a traditional day of friendship -- after the worshipful Christmas day, on December 26 the Amish get together with family and friends just for the purpose of having fun and rekindling friendships. What a wonderful concept!

This book is four novellas that related to Second Christmas in some way. The stories aren't connected, and therefore stand alone. Each has a very different plot, and all involve Christian growth and romance. I loved the various stories -- they were unlike any Amish novel I've read to date!

It would be hard for me to pick a favorite, but I especially enjoyed the twist on family history in When Christmas Comes Again, and I was most fond of the characters in The Christmas Aprons.

This is a great holiday read for anyone who loves Amish fiction and wants a great insight into Amish life around the holidays.

Oh, and I forgot to mention there are some fabulous recipes included in the back!

If you would like a chance to win a copy, just leave a comment (and your email address) and tell us about your favorite Christmas cookie or dessert!

You can get a copy of the book HERE.

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Celebrate Second Christmas, a treasured, lighthearted time of community, with four Amish romances. 
“When Christmas Comes Again” by Beth Wiseman
Katherine knows the first Christmas without Elias will be hard for her and the children. But when a mysterious Englischer appears with photographs of her late husband, Katherine  begins to wonder what other blessings Christmas could have in store.
“Her Christmas Pen Pal” by Ruth Reid
Joy was expecting a wedding proposal from Henry; what she got instead was news of another woman. But when her heartfelt letter to a cousin ends up in the hands of a young cabinetmaker, an unexpected correspondence between two strangers gets interesting fast.
“A Gift for Anne Marie” by Kathleen Fuller
Anne Marie and Nathaniel have been best friends since they were kids. Now things are evolving . . . in ways everyone else predicted long ago. But when her mother suddenly decides to remarry in another state, Anne Marie’s new chapter with Nathaniel looks doomed to end before it begins.
“The Christmas Aprons” by Tricia Goyer
Vanilla crumb pie has been Esther’s mem’s calling card for decades. But when Esther finally gets her hands on the secret recipe, she discovers that vanilla crumb pie is more than just dessert . . . it’s bachelor bait.

About the Authors

Award-winning, bestselling author Beth Wiseman is best known for her Amish novels, but she has also written several successful contemporary novels, set primarily in her beloved Texas, including Need You Now and The House that Love Built. Both have received glowing reviews. Beth's The Promise is inspired by a true story. Website: www.bethwiseman.com Twitter: @bethwiseman Facebook: Fans-of-Beth-Wiseman

Kathleen Fuller is the author of several bestselling novels, including A Man of His Word and Treasuring Emma, as well as a middle-grade Amish series, The Mysteries of Middlefield. Website: www.kathleenfuller.com Twitter: @TheKatJam Facebook: Author Kathleen Fuller

Ruth Reid is a CBA and ECPA best-selling author of the Heaven on Earth series. She's a full-time pharmacist who resides in Florida with her husband and three children. Facebook: Author-Ruth-Reid Twitter: @authorruthreid

USA Today best-selling author Tricia Goyer is the author of 35 books, including the three-book Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors series. She has written over 500 articles for national publications and blogs for high traffic sites like TheBetterMom.com and MomLifeToday.com. Tricia and her husband John live in Little Rock, Arkansas where John works for FamilyLife. They have six children. Twitter: @triciagoyer Facebook: authortriciagoyer

Where Treetops Glisten -- a GIVEAWAY!

Where Treetops Glisten
by
Tricia Goyer, Cara Putman, and Sarah Sundin


MY THOUGHTS:
I'm not sure why I like WWII books -- life wasn't really simpler then (although the focus may have been more clear), but for some reason I'm drawn to this time. And I love Christmas books. More than anything else, a great Christmas book will get me into the spirit! Where Treetops Glisten is the best of both worlds! It is a compilation of three stories about one family, the Turners, who are dealing with all that wartime brings.

It also helps that the book is written by three of my favorite WWII authors!

Throughout the three stories the true meaning of Christmas is shared through candy, children, and caring. The home front comes alive in White Christmas, by Cara Putman, as Abigail is mourning the death of her boyfriend who was killed in the war. In the busyness of her life as a college student and employee at a candy store she is still able to find a way to help others. Sarah Sundin wrote my favorite of all three, I'll Be Home For Christmas, about an extremely active little girl who finds a way to bring love to all she meets. And the final story, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, takes you to the front lines of a military hospital in Holland. It was written by my all time favorite author Tricia Goyer and is based on a true story.

The three authors did a marvelous job of weaving the stories together to create a portrait of a loving family who leans on each other in troubled times. Pick it up for a bit of holiday cheer! And a bonus -- there are cookie recipes in the back. The White Velvet Cutouts are AMAZING.

If you would like a chance to win a copy, just leave a comment sharing your favorite Christmas treat!

You can get a copy of the book HERE

ABOUT THE BOOK:
The crunch of newly fallen snow, the weight of wartime
 
Siblings forging new paths and finding love in three stories,
filled with the wonder of Christmas

Turn back the clock to a different time, listen to Bing Crosby sing of sleigh bells in the snow, as the realities of America’s involvement in the Second World War change the lives of the Turner family in Lafayette, Indiana.

In Cara Putman’s White Christmas, Abigail Turner is holding down the Home Front as a college student and a part-time employee at a one-of-a-kind candy shop. Loss of a beau to the war has Abigail skittish about romantic entanglements—until a hard-working young man with a serious problem needs her help.

Abigail’s brother Pete is a fighter pilot hero returned from the European Theater in Sarah Sundin’s I’ll Be Home for Christmas, trying to recapture the hope and peace his time at war has eroded. But when he encounters a precocious little girl in need of Pete’s friendship, can he convince her widowed mother that he’s no longer the bully she once knew?

In Tricia Goyer’s Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Meredith Turner, “Merry” to those who know her best, is using her skills as a combat nurse on the frontline in the Netherlands. Halfway around the world from home, Merry never expects to face her deepest betrayal head on, but that’s precisely what God has in mind to redeem her broken heart.

The Turner family believes in God’s providence during such a tumultuous time. Can they absorb the miracle of Christ’s birth and His plan for a future?

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

 

Cara Putman is the author of twenty books including Shadowed by Grace, She is the winner of the 2008 Carol Award for historical fiction. Sarah Sundin is the critically-acclaimed author of the Wings of the Nightingale series, the  Wings of Glory series, and the forthcoming Waves of Freedom novels. Tricia Goyer is a prolific author of nearly forty books, including Chasing Mona Lisa, and a speaker and blogger.

The Christmas Cat

The Christmas Cat
by
Melody Carlson


MY THOUGHTS:
Every year Melody Carlson writes a heartwarming short Christmas story. Each year the story is better than the year before! The Christmas cat is a great book about a man who  inherits his grandmother's estate -- and her six cats! His challenge is to find each cat the perfect home -- that is, perfect according to the detailed instructions in grandma's will.

Carlson has done an artful job of creating fascinating characters. I enjoyed getting to meet each one (including the cats). I look forward to her Christmas novellas each year as a way to calm my spirit and set my thoughts clearly on what is important during the holiday.

This book is full of humor, romance, and encouragement -- it's just plain fun! It's the perfect book to put into a stocking. Better yet, read it now to help get into the Christmas spirit.

ABOUT THE BOOK:
After years abroad, Garrison Brown finds himself at the home of his beloved grandmother who has just passed away. He must sort out her belongings, including six cats who need new homes. While he hopes to dispense with the task quickly--especially since he is severely allergic to cats--his grandmother's instructions don't allow for speed. She has left some challenging requirements for the future homes of her furry friends.

Can he match the cats with the perfect new owners? And is it possible that he might meet his own match along the way? 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
melody Carlson is the award-winning author of over two hundred books with sales of more than six million! She is the author of several Christmas books, including the best selling The Christmas Bus, The Christmas Dog, and Christmas at Harrington's, as well as The Christmas Pony and A Simple Christmas Wish. she received a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her many books, including the DIARY OF A TEENAGE GIRL series and Finding Alice. She and her husband live in central Oregon. Learn more at www.melodycalrson.com

Deceived

Deceived
by
Irene Hannon

MY THOUGHTS:
Irene Hannon is a master of suspense! Her books always lead me on a wild trail of evidence and supposition that leaves me anxious for her next book! Deceived is the third (and I presume last) book in the Guardians of Justice series. I've read the other books, but I you won't be lost if you pick up Deceived first. The premise of the book is creative, and all characters have a wonderful level of depth. At times I found myself feeling sorry for the bad guy!

One fun aspect of her books is the St. Louis setting. As a native, I enjoy 'knowing' that the characters go to some of the same places I've been.

I did find myself a bit distracted in this book because the primary characters seemed just a bit too beautiful and obsessed with each other right from the beginning, but it IS a romantic suspense novel.

I will read every book Irene Hannon writes. I hope you enjoy her books as much as I do.

This is
ABOUT THE BOOK:
For three years, Kate Marshall has been grieving the loss of her husband and their four-year-old son in a boating accident. But when she spots a familiar-looking child on an escalator in the mall, she is convinced it is the son she thought was dead. With police skeptical of her story, she turns to private investigator Connor Sullivan. The former Secret Service agent is dubious but agrees to investigate. Digging into the case he discovers that the incident may have been no accident at all. But if Kate's son is alive, someone is intent on keeping him hidden--and may be willing to go to lethal lengths to protect a sinister secret.

As Irene Hannon's many fans have come to expect, Deceived is filled with complex characters, unexpected twists, and a riveting plot line that accelerates to an explosive finish.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Irene Hannon is a bestselling, award-winning author who took the publishing world by storm at the tender age of 10 with a sparkling piece of fiction that received national attention.

Okay…maybe that’s a slight exaggeration. But she was one of the honorees in a complete-the-story contest conducted by a national children’s magazine. And she likes to think of that as her “official” fiction-writing debut!

Since then, she has written more than 45 romance and romantic suspense novels. Her books have been honored with two RITA awards—the “Oscar” of romantic fiction—and she is a six-time finalist. Her books have also won a Daphne du Maurier award, a Carol award, three HOLT Medallions, a National Readers’ Choice Award, a Retailers Choice Award, a Booksellers’ Best Award and two Reviewers’ Choice awards from RT Book Reviews magazine. One of her novels was also named by Booklist as a top 10 inspirational fiction books of 2011. In addition, she is a two-time Christy award finalist.

Irene, who holds a B.A. in psychology and an M.A. in journalism, juggled two careers for many years until she gave up her executive corporate communications position with a Fortune 500 company to write full-time. She is happy to say she has no regrets!

In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, gardening and singing.  A trained vocalist, she has sung the leading role in numerous musicals, including “South Pacific,” “Brigadoon,” “Oklahoma” “The King and I” and “Anything Goes.” She is also a soloist at her church.

When not otherwise occupied, Irene and her husband enjoy traveling, Saturday mornings at their favorite coffee shop and spending time with family. They make their home in Missouri.

Feeling 'Spongy'

I was blessed to spend the weekend with two very special women that I like to call my 'Safe Haven Friends.' We don't get to spend time together very often, but lately we've been able to spend extended periods together a couple times each year. These are women I can tell ANYTHING to and I know without a doubt that they will respect my feelings and my privacy -- as I will theirs. They challenge me and inspire me to be a better person.

This time all three of us desperately needed to get away. Our situations are all different, but we were stressed and felt totally wrung out. Sort of like dry sponges -- not very useful for accomplishing the purpose for which we were made and a bit scratchy to anyone we rubbed up against. We are all writers of a sort, and none of us felt we had anything to say that others would care to read.

The more we discussed this, the more I began to wonder how many others feel the same? How many women have spent 20+ years working outside the home and raising a family? Have volunteered so many places that they don't feel they have anything left to give? Have been working outside their 'expected' or desired career path for so long they feel they've wasted all their training? Are depressed, ill, or just exhausted?

I bet there are a lot!

I was reminded that even Apostle Paul felt totally wrung out:

²⁴ Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. ²⁵ Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, ²⁶ I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. ²⁷ I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. ²⁸ Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. (2 Cor 11:24 - 28 NIV)

But the story doesn't end there. After more discussion of his hardships, Paul tells us:

But (God) said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰ That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Cor 12:9-10 NIV)

While our troubles are miniscule compared to Paul's, God's grace is still sufficient -- more than sufficient. When we are exhausted, He will refresh us with springs of living water. Not always at the moment we want it most, but at the moment when we need it most. We just need to trust and keep on plodding forward.

God is good, and he provides opportunities like our crazy weekend to provide enough Godly companionship and laughter to get us through until then. That splash of life giving water is just enough to dampen that sponge and take off the rough edges until next time!

Nowhere To Turn

Nowhere To Turnby
Lynette Eason

MY THOUGHTS:
 Lynette Eason's tag line is "Welcome to the Edge of Your Seat," and it is an apt discussion of the time spent reading one of her books! Nowhere To Turn is the second book in the HIdden Identity series, and it's fabulous! I did not have a chance to read the first book, and I really didn't feel that I missed anything that was key to this story (however I definitely want to read it now!). From the first page I was hooked by a story that is both compelling and suspenseful. I loved the character of Danielle Harding and especially her son, Simon. There are twists and turns enough to imitate a roller coaster ride.

Because I live in a world full of 'normal' people, I had a bit of trouble with the extreme personalities of Kurt and Stuart Harding, I'm sure that, unfortunately, they were pretty realistic to folks who have the type of controlling personalities that they portray.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who likes suspense.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

The day Danielle Harding takes her 11-year-old son, Simon, and flees from her abusive husband, is the same day Kurt Harding dies. A relieved Dani believes she and her son are finally safe–but in reality, the danger has just begun. When Kurt was alive, he took something important to a mysterious person. That person wants the item back and believes Dani now has it. As she and her son run for their lives, they have nowhere to turn, until she hires Adam Buchanan of Operation Refuge and goes into hiding. Unfortunately, she won’t be able to hide for long . . .

 From the first breathless scene, this tension-laced story will hold readers in its iron grip. Bestselling author Lynette Eason propels readers along at a breakneck pace in a race to discover the truth and a better future.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lynette Eason grew up in Greenville, SC. Even as a young girl, she knew she wanted her life to reflect the love of Jesus Christ.After graduating from the University of South Carolina with a Business Degree she used for a very short time (sorry Mom and Dad), she moved to Spartanburg, SC to attend Converse College where she obtained her Masters degree in Education. During this time, she met the man she would marry—the boy next door! 
She is married to Jack Eason, who speaks, leads worship, and consults ministries around the country. They have two children.

Lynette’s books have appeared on the ECPA and CBA bestseller lists and have won several awards.

What Your Heart Needs for the Hard Days

What Your Heart Needs for the Hard Days
by
Holley Gerth

MY THOUGHTS:
Holley Gerth has taken her loving, down-to-earth style and created a devotional. It includes "52 Encouraging Truths to Hold On To".

This is a lovely little hard cover book that has just a few short pages in each devotion and a space to write what the reader is feeling and what she is hearing from God. There is no pretense in this book -- life gets hard. Some of the titles include:

God Wants to Know - How are You Really?
God Notices When You Cry
God Knows Your Calendar
God Isn't Done With Your Story Yet
God Has Words for Your heart to Hold On To

This book can be read in order or can be approached on an 'as needed' basis. The stories may make you laugh or cry, and they will all leave you feeling loved and cared for by your Heavenly Father, no matter what is going on in your life at the moment.

This is a wonderful way for me to take my new friend Holley with me wherever I go! I love sharing a cup of coffee with her every morning as she lifts my spirits and turns my heart evermore toward God.

If you would like to join her Facebook readers group, you can join her 'book club of the heart' as we discuss these devotions a few times per week! Check it out here. https://www.facebook.com/HolleyGerthPage

ABOUT THE BOOK (from the back cover):
We all have days that make us want to pull the covers back over our heads and eat a dozen cupcakes.

Thankfully, Jesus said we don't "live on bread alone" -- that includes cupcakes--"but on every word that comes form the mouth of God" (Matt. 4:4). What we really need is truth.

If you're tired, discouraged, or feel a little empty inside, my prayer is that by the end of our time together, you'll be refreshed and nourished in a way that will sustain you through whatever the future may hold.

Remember, you're not alone, my friend.

In this uplifting book, Holley Gerth invites you to be filled with the strength, peace, and joy that come from God's promises. Each of the 52 devotions based on the Psalms will help you remember that God is good and we're all in this together.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Holley Gerth is a bestselling writer, certified life coach, and speaker. She loves connecting with the hearts of women through her popular blog and boos like You're Already Amazing, You're Made for a God-Sized Dream, Opening the Door to Your God-Sized Dream, and You're Going to Be Okay. She's also cofounder of (in)courage and a partner with DaySpring. Holley lives with her husband, Mark, in the South,. Learn more at www.holleygerth.com.

Thief of Glory

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Thief of Glory WaterBrook Press (August 19, 2014) by Sigmund Brouwer

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sigmund Brouwer is the best-selling author of nearly thirty novels, with close to 4 million books in print. Based on his inspiration for Thief of Glory, which Sigmund wrote as a way to learn and honor the his parent’s stories, especially of his father’s boyhood in a Japanese concentration camp, Sigmund leads The Chapters of Our Lives memoir seminars across the United States and Canada. Sigmund is married to recording artist Cindy Morgan and has two daughters.



ABOUT THE BOOK

A boy coming of age in a time of war…
the love that inspires him to survive.

For ten year-old Jeremiah Prins, the life of privilege as the son of a school headmaster in the Dutch East Indies comes crashing to a halt in 1942 after the Japanese Imperialist invasion of the Southeast Pacific. Jeremiah takes on the responsibility of caring for his younger siblings when his father and older stepbrothers are separated from the rest of the family, and he is surprised by what life in the camp reveals about a woman he barely knows—his frail, troubled mother.

Amidst starvation, brutality, sacrifice and generosity, Jeremiah draws on all of his courage and cunning to fill in the gap for his mother. Life in the camps is made more tolerable as Jeremiah’s boyhood infatuation with his close friend Laura deepens into a friendship from which they both draw strength.

When the darkest sides of humanity threaten to overwhelm Jeremiah and Laura, they reach for God’s light and grace, shining through his people. Time and war will test their fortitude and the only thing that will bring them safely to the other side is the most enduring bond of all.

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

Driftwood Tides

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Driftwood Tides Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (September 1, 2014) by Gina Holmes

MY THOUGHTS:
Another winner from Gina Holmes! This contemporary fiction book is an intriguing story of pain, loss, and forgiveness that clearly demonstrates how raw unforgiveness can be. There are so many elements of relationship going on in this story, in a clear and cohesive way, and Holmes presents them all in a manner that feels pretty realistic. There are elements of each character that resonated with me.

Loved this book and I'm pretty sure it will impact me for quite a while!



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Gina Holmes is the founder of Novel Rocket, regularly named as one of Writers Digest’s best websites for writers. Her debut, Crossing Oceans, was a Christy and Gold Medallion finalist and winner of the Carol Award, INSPY, and RWA’s Inspirational Reader’s Choice, as well as being a CBA, ECPA, Amazon and PW bestseller. Her sophomore novel, Dry as Rain was a Christy Award finalist. Her latest novel, Wings of Glass has been named as one of the best books of the year by Library Journal and was a SIBA Okra pick and a finalist for Romantic Times’ Reviewers Choice Award. She holds degrees in science and nursing and currently resides with her family in southern Virginia. She works too hard, laughs too loud, and longs to see others heal from their past and discover their God-given purpose.

ABOUT THE BOOK

He made himself an island until something unexpected washed ashore. When Holton lost his wife, Adele, in a freak accident, he shut himself off from the world, living a life of seclusion, making drifwood sculptures and drowning his pain in gin. Until twenty-three-year-old Libby knocks on his door, asking for a job and claiming to be a friend of his late wife. When he discovers Libby is actually his late wife’s illegitimate daughter, given up for adoption without his knowledge, his life is turned upside down as he struggles to accept that the wife he’d given saint status to was not the woman he thought he knew.

Together Holton and Libby form an unlikely bond as the two struggle to learn the identity of Libby’s father and the truth about Adele, themselves, and each other.

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

A Light in the Wilderness

A Light in the Wilderness
by
Jane Kirkpatrick


My Thoughts:
Oh.MY.goodness! This is one of the most fabulous books I have ever read. I loved the story, the characters, the writing style, and the subject matter -- it doesn't get much better than that!

I didn't realize it as I was reading, but this book is based on the life of an amazing woman who really lived and traveled the Oregon Trail. Be sure to read the Authors Note AFTER you have finished the book. Jane Kirkpatrick has brought life to history. Letitia Carson was an amazing freed slave who accomplished incredible things in her life. I am in awe of her strength and courage, and hope that you will feel the same after you read this.

Of course the book is fiction, but it is so based on facts that it very well could have been truth. I love the way Kirkpatrick adds soul and meaning to the lives of the participants -- because they are much more than just characters.

I don't want to say much about the story because I don't want to give anything away, but I found this book very hard to put down. If you are at all interested in history, this will be a fascinating read.And if you aren't interested in history, this book might change your perspective. Brilliant!

Honestly I'd never heard of the author before, but I've added her name to my list of top ten favorites, and I've added all of her books to my Must Read list!

You can view a trailer for the book here


And you can buy a copy here.

About the Book (from the back cover):

Three very different women. One dangerous journey. And a future that seems just out of reach.

Letitia holds nothing more dear than the papers that prove she is no longer a slave. They may not cause most white folks to treat her like a human being, but at least they show she is free. She trusts in those words she cannot read -- as she is beginning to trust in Davey Carson, an Irish immigrant cattleman who wants her to come west with him.

Nancy Hawkins is loathe to leave her steeled life for the treacherous journey by wagon train, but she is so deeply in love with her husband and she knows she will follow him anywhere -- even when the trek exacts a terrible cost.

Betsy is a Kalapuya Indian, the last remnant of a once proud tribe in the Willamette Valley in Oregon territory She spends her tine trying to impart the wisdom and ways of her people to her grandson. But she will soon have another person to care for.

As season turns to season, suspicion turns to friendship, and fear turns to courage, three spirited women will discover what it means to be truly free in a land that makes promises it cannot fulfill. This multilayered story from bestselling author Jane Kirkpatrick will grip your heart and mind as you travel on the dusty and dangerous Oregon Trail into the boundless American West. Based on a true story.

About the Author:

Jane Kirkpatrick is the New York Times and CBA bestselling author of more than twenty-five books, including A Sweetness to the Soul, which won the coveted Wrangler Award from the Western Heritage Center. Her works have been finalist for the Christy Award, Spur Award, Oregon Book Award, and Reader's Choice award, and have won the WILLA Literary Award and Carol Award for Historical Fiction. Many of her titles have been Book of the Month and Literary Guild selections. Jane lies in Central Oregon with her husband, Jerry. Learn more at www.jkbooks.com.

A Grand Design

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing A Grand Design Abingdon Press (August 19, 2014) by Amber Stockton

MY THOUGHTS:
Another in the Quilts of Love series. Unfortunately I was disappointed in this one. The story didn't seem very realistic, and there were parts that just didn't hang together. I enjoyed the characters, though, and the description of the island and the hotel were amazing!
 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Words from the author:

Hi, I'm Amber, but my friends call me Tiff, short for Tiffany, my first name. I am in my mid-30's, married to the love of my life since July 2007, have a daughter and a son, and live in Colorado. Here, I am content to do what I love—write, speak, and offer virtual assistance.

Thanks to the gentle nudging of a fellow author -- Tracie Peterson -- in 2002, I joined the American Christian Fiction Writers and wouldn't be published today without them. For those of you who are also fiction writers looking for a wonderful support group, check them out! My very first book, Promises, Promises, sold in December 2006 and released in February 2008. I've been going steady ever since.

ABOUT THE BOOK

When Alyssa Denham, a single career woman, wins a fun getaway for two on Mackinac Island where her grandmother lives, she gives her carefree best friend a call. Together, they tour the old shops and hidden treasures of the quaint island while helping Alyssa’s grandmother piece together an heirloom quilt. Their quest gains them entrance into the homes of many longtime residents of the island, parts of the city that are otherwise off limits to tourists. As the quilt’s story takes shape, Alyssa gains amazing insight into her grandmother’s life . . . and attracts the attention of the handsome Scott Whitman, an island resident in charge of hotel transportation. Will memories of her past keep Alyssa from letting go? Or will the quest to piece together the heirloom quilt restore Alyssa’s fractured heart—and bring healing to her entire family?

If you would like to read the first chapter of A Grand Design, go HERE.

Sky Zone

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Sky Zone David C. Cook (June 1, 2014) by Creston Mapes

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Creston has fond memories of his boyhood in Bath, Ohio, where he became enchanted with his future wife, way back in the fourth grade. His father, Bernie, owned and operated The Weathervane Furniture Shop in town. The whole family lived right upstairs in the century-old house known as "The Shop."

Creston studied journalism at Bowling Green State University, then began his writing career. During the past 30 years, he has worked as a reporter, corporate copywriter, creative director, freelance writer, and author.


ABOUT THE BOOK

A rally for a controversial presidential candidate.
A terrorist threat.
A nightmare of cataclysmic proportions.

Jack and Pamela Crittendon have hit the breaking point. After months out of work as a reporter, Jack is playing Mr. Mom and working part-time at Festival Arena with his survivalist friend Brian Shakespeare. Meanwhile, Pamela has gone back to work full-time while eight months pregnant. Having her recently widowed mother on hand isn't making matters any easier. With financial pressures boiling, Jack reports for duty at a rally for controversial presidential candidate Martin Sterling where he expects a mindless night on the job. But when Homeland Security picks up intel about a potential terrorist threat, Jack and Shakespeare are thrust into a life-or-death battle to save their own lives--and the lives of thousands of innocent people.

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

In Perfect Time

In Perfect Time
by
Sarah Sundin


MY THOUGHTS:
This is a fascinating book! I realized as I was reading that it was probably part of a series (it is the third book in the Wings of the Nightingale series), and I can guess what might have gone on in previous books, but I was never confused or felt like I missed anything.

Sarah Sundin takes you right inside the cockpit of a WWII transport plane with the pilot and the flight nurses. Her descriptions are so clear that I felt I could see the racks on which the cots were hung and the injured soldiers who were lying there.

In addition, she cuts right through to the hearts of her two main characters, Kay and Roger. These aren't perfect people by any means -- they have deep issues and concerns that are handled graciously by Sundin.

This is a story about love, loss, courage, and strength. It is a book that will allow the reader to grow in his/her faith as the amazing love of Christ shines through.

ABOUT THE BOOK (from the back cover):
Bold, sophisticated, and coy, Army Air Force flight nurse Lt. Kay Jobson collects hearts wherever she flies, leaving men pining in airfields all across Europe. So how can ruggedly handsome C-47 pilot Lt. Roger Cooper be all but immune to her considerable charms? In fact, he seems to do everything he can to avoid her.

Still, as they cross the skies between Italy and southern France, evacuating the wounded and delivering paratroopers and supplies, every beat of their hearts draws them closer. Can they overcome the fears and misunderstandings of the past in order to take hold of the future?

Sarah Sundin seamlessly weaves together emotion, action, and sweet romance into a tale that transcends time and calls us to believe in the power of love.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Sarah Sundin is the author of With Every Letter, On Distant Shores, and the Wings of Glory series. In 2011, A Memory Between Us was the finalist in the Inspirational Readers' Choice Awards, and Sarah received the Writer of the Year Award at the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference. Sarah lives in California with her husband and three children., Visit www.sarahsundin.com for more information.








Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."  

In the Field of Grace

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing In The Field of Grace River North; New Edition edition (July 1, 2014) by Tessa Afshar

MY THOUGHTS: Loved, loved, loved this book! It's one of my new favorites. Tessa Afshar has taken a well-known favorite story from the Bible and given it life. Of course I knew how it ended, but I couldn't put this book down! I loved the way Tessa developed the characters and side stories to make one of the most beloved stories truly come to life. 

This is historical fiction at its best!


 ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

TESSA AFSHAR was voted "New Author of the Year" by the Family Fiction sponsored Reader's Choice Award 2011 for her novel Pearl in the Sand. She was born in Iran, and lived there for the first fourteen years of her life. She moved to England where she survived boarding school for girls and fell in love with Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte, before moving to the United States permanently. Her conversion to Christianity in her twenties changed the course of her life forever. Tessa holds an MDiv from Yale University where she served as co-chair of the Evangelical Fellowship at the Divinity School. She has spent the last thirteen years in full-time Christian work.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Destitute, grief-stricken, and unwanted by the people of God, Ruth arrives in Israel with nothing to recommend her but Naomi's, love. Her loftiest hope is to provide enough food to save Naomi and herself from starvation.

But God has other plans for her life. While everyone considers Ruth an outcast, she is astounded to find one of the most honored men of Judah showing her favor. Long since a widower and determined to stay that way, Boaz is irresistibly drawn to the foreign woman with the haunted eyes. He tells himself he is only being kind to his Cousin Naomi's chosen daughter when he goes out of his way to protect her from harm, but his heart knows better.

Based on the biblical account of Ruth, In the Field of Grace is the story of a love that ultimately changes the course of Israel's destiny and the future of the whole world.


If you would like to read the first chapter of In The Field of Grace, go HERE.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising." 

Firewall

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Firewall Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (July 1, 2014) by DiAnn Mills

MY THOUGHTS:
LOVED this book! DiAnn Mills is a fabulous suspense writer, and this is her best book yet. The depth of the plot, the speed of the action, and the commitment of the characters to resolve the multiple crises are unsurpassed.

This is a book that is almost impossible to put down -- don't plan to read it if you have other commitments!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

DiAnn Mills believes her readers should “Expect an Adventure.” She is a fiction writer who combines an adventuresome spirit with unforgettable characters to create action-packed novels. Her books have won many awards through American Christian Fiction Writers, and she is the recipient of the Inspirational Reader’s Choice award for 2005, 2007, and 2010. She was a Christy Award finalist in 2008 and a Christy winner in 2010.

DiAnn is a founding board member for American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Inspirational Writers Alive, Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, and is the Craftsman Mentor for the Christian Writer’s Guild. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops.

DiAnn and her husband live in Houston, Texas. Visit her website or find her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/diannmills


ABOUT THE BOOK

After a whirlwind romance, Taryn Young is preparing to board a plane at Houston International Airport, bound for a dream honeymoon, when a bomb decimates the terminal. Injured but still alive, she awakens to discover her husband is missing and they’re both considered prime suspects in the attack. Further, the FBI is convinced her husband isn’t who he appears to be.

Agent Grayson Hall’s number-one priority is to catch those responsible for the day’s act of terror. All evidence is pointing to Taryn and her new husband. But his instinct tells him her pleas of innocence are genuine. Is her naiveté just for show, or could she truly be another victim of a master scheme, possibly linked to the software she recently developed for her company?

With both their lives and reputations on the line, and the media outcry for justice increasing with each passing minute, Taryn and Grayson have no choice but to trust one another . . . and pray they can uncover the truth before they become two more casualties.

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