Distant Heart by Tracey Bateman

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Distant Heart

(Avon Inspire January 2, 2008)

by

Tracey Bateman

To find out more about this book immediately, go to the CFBA blog and see what they had to say... Distant Heart is the sequel to Defiant Heart and therefore, I feel that I should tell you about Defiant Heart first.

The book ends very abruptly to me it seems, but... I have the sequel on my bookshelf, so I'm OK. Fannie's life has seen rough days, she has lost both of her parents, left to take care of her younger twin siblings and sold by her supposed loving step-father immediately after her mother's death in childbirth to a stillborn. The man the three children were indentured to let the year of the contract end date come and go and the future looked bleak for nothing would change for Fannie and her dear brother and sister. Living in their small sin-filled town Fannie decides to join the next wagon trail headed west out of their Kansas town. It proves to be more difficult than expected. First denied, then accepted, and while taking the journey west is difficult enough Fannie, her new friend and ex-Fancy woman Toni shares the fate of being chased by a man that believes his ownership of her work and body. From a plausible new love when Fannie vows that all men are alike and want one thing, to a near drowning, then a tornado, will they all get through this alive? And when Fannie and her siblings ever be free? What of Toni and her future, will she get a second chance on life or always be ruined? All these questions and more are answered and leaving you thirsting for more from Tracey Bateman's new series. And of course, God works his ways in many ways, but this is not an overbearing preachy book. It's just wonderful. And now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to finish the second in this series...

I have a bout two chapters left to be finished with the book, but I can tell you that I will definitely look for the third in this series Damaged Heart. Tracey Bateman has gotten together a good series that parallels to other great authors such as Tamera Alexander and even touches on the artistic ability of Francine Rivers's book Reedeming Love.

Here, we take on the continued adventure from Defiant Heart but from the perspective of the ex-prostitute Toni and her journey to the Oregon territory. If the trip is not difficult enough without other events thrown in here and there... Try Indian Attacks and kidnappings, adultery and murder, and a new strange girl Ginger into their midst. Will the Cheyenne get there way and get Toni for their keeping? Who is Ginger and what does she want? Will the children and sister from the other wagon train be rescued? Will Amanda Kane ever heal? God is incredible and though he sometimes works slowly, if you look back and see what he is capable of you will be shocked an amazed...

These books are fast reads, at least for me, but they are strongly recommended good reads.

MJ

Wayfarer's Journal: Science Fiction & Fantasy Questions answered by Terri

Dear Terri,

If you could tell prospective readers only three things about the new
Wayfarer's Journal, what would they be?

Thanks,

MJ
Christian Science Fiction & Fantasy Blog Tour Member and Participant
http://cherryblossommj.blogspot.com
cherryblossommj(at)gmail[dot]com

------

Interesting question. Here are my answers:

1. For Christian Readers: The stories at Wayfarers Journal challenge the reader to look at questions of spirituality, ethics and morality through a different set of filters than you find in church or in mainstream Christian literature. The stories are intended to challenge the reader to look at ancient truths in futuristic ways.

2. For the Seeker/Unbeliever: Modern technology is never morally neutral. From the atomic bomb to stem cell research the moral and ethical questions which live at the intersection of science and philosophy have been ignored at one's own peril. These character-driven stories show ordinary men and women struggling with these questions both now and in the distant future.

3. For Everyone: Wayfarer's Journal seeks to entertain and challenge readers and, we hope, fill a gap often neglected by main stream science fiction publications by publishing high quality stories which explore the spiritual, ethical and moral ramifications of future technological and social change.

I might add that our focus is on hard science fiction alone and not fantasy or horror. Also, I will be taking a break from December 15 until January 31 so if anyone is interested in writing for WJ, I won't be reviewing any MS's until February.

Terri Main



Science Fiction with a Difference: WayfarersJournal.com

Christian Science Fiction & Fantasy December Blog Tour

Featured site: Wayfarer’s Journal
Participants:
Brandon Barr
Jim Black
Justin Boyer
Grace Bridges
Amy Browning
Jackie Castle
Carol Bruce Collett
Valerie Comer
CSFF Blog Tour
D. G. D. Davidson
Chris Deanne
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Marcus Goodyear
Andrea Graham
Jill Hart
Katie Hart
Michael Heald
Jason Joyner
Kait
Carol Keen
Mike Lynch
Margaret
Rachel Marks
Melissa Meeks
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Mirtika or Mir's Here
John W. Otte
John Ottinger
Rachelle
Steve Rice
Cheryl Russel
Ashley Rutherford
Hanna Sandvig
James Somers
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Jason Waguespac
Laura Williams
Timothy Wise

Wayfarer's Journal: Science Fiction & Fantasy

Starting with something that you might have already seen, I have to go ahead and repeat this in case you haven't read this because you should... So see below the Media Release for Wayfarer's Journal.

MJ

Media Release

Wayfarer’s Journal (http://www.wayfarersjournal.com), a new science fiction e-zine, was launched in February 2007. The publication focuses on publishing science fiction stories with a “spiritual dimension.”

“By spiritual we don’t mean preachy,” comments Wayfarers editor Terri Main. “We mean stories which not only project the reader into the future technologically, but see how those changes impact the morality, ethics and spirituality of believable characters.”

Main notes that spiritual issues are often not addressed by secular science fiction publications, and that many religious publications are reticent about publishing science fiction or fantasy.

“This shying away from the spiritual aspect of humanity in science fiction is foolish. A look at any newscast will show how technological and sociological developments have spiritual implications,” says Main. “What happens if human cloning takes place? Will clones have souls? What about contact with extraterrestrial intelligence? Could there be a place where original sin was never committed? What about the spirituality of incorporeal beings? These are questions just waiting to be explored in fiction.”

The publication will not only include science fiction stories, but also poetry, reviews and literary essays.

“We will have a regular feature by a Bible scholar called ‘The Masters’ which will explore how many classic science fiction writers explored spiritual themes in their work,” says Main. “We also want to publish science fiction poetry if we can find any.”

The publication will be published semi-annually in February and June. However, Main intends to add new features in between official publications. The site will also include a blog in which Main will publish news bites and mini-reviews.

“Even though we publish a new issue only twice a year, the site will always have new things on it to keep people coming back,” says Main.

Those interested in writing for the publication can contact main at webservant2003@yahoo.com or visit the web site and click on “Author’s Guidelines.”

What Lies Within by Karen Ball

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
What Lies Within
Multnomah Fiction (November 20, 2007)
by
Karen Ball

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Karen Ball , bestselling novelist, is also the editor behind several of today's bestselling Christian novels. Her love for words was passed down through her father and grandfather - both pastors who shared God's truth through sermons and storytelling. Blending humor, poignancy, and honesty, Karen's writing style is a powerful force for revealing God's truth. She lives in Oregon with her husband, Don, and their "kids," Bodhan, a mischief-making Siberian husky, and Dakota, an Aussie-terrier mix who should have been named "Destructo."

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Nothing’s going to stop Kyla…

until the ground crumbles beneath her feet.

Kyla Justice has arrived. Her company, Justice Construction, is one of the most critically acclaimed, commercially successful companies in the Pacific Northwest. And yet, something is missing. Not until she’s called on to build a center for inner-city kids does she realize what it is: her sense of purpose. Now nothing can stop her, not the low budget, not supply problems, not gang opposition, not her boyfriend’s suggestion that she sell her business and marry him–and most especially not that disagreeable Rafael Murphy.

Rafe Murphy understands battle. Wounded in action, this Force Recon Marine carries the scars–and the nightmares–to prove it. Though he can’t fight overseas any longer, he’s found his place as a warrior in the civilian world. So he soldiers on, trusting that one of these days, God will reveal to him why Rafe survived the ambush in Iraq. That day has arrived.

Kyla and Rafe both discover that determination alone won’t carry them through danger and challenges. When gang violence threatens their very foundations, there’s only one way to survive: rely on each other, be real–and surrender to God. In other words, risk everything…

I've always loved that name Rafe. ;-) Coming into this, I have to confess that I have not yet read the first two (this What Lies Within is book 3). I have, however, added Shattered Justice (book 1) and Kaleidoscope Eyes (book 2) to my reading list.

So far, I have to admit that I'm not very taken with this book. Although, every chapter starts with two quotes that are absolutely fabulous! But it is one of those books that just jumps right in and I don't know if the prequels would have helped out with that or not. The other thing is that the storyline jumps from one characters life to another and in ways that you have no idea who is connected to who or how and why and really as to what is going on.

Ok, as of 2:22pm EST Thursday, I love this book! I have. But, I'm not finished yet... After getting over the humps in the beginning, which I kinda feel were necessary now to get to know the characters and their individual lives without pairing them in one lump sum, things are getting clearer and more fascinating and enticing with each turn of the page and start of a new chapter. Kyla and the kitten.. enough said.. but TOO CUTE! Rafa and his conversations with Livita... so real and amusing! The the elders of the church, old, in-love with the Lord, and full of personality. Even the members of the 22's... real, not always the tough guys like people imagine, they have hurts, and mama's too.

Finding out what this book is about, I probably wouldn't have read it if I knew that it was about... a girl lost trying to find her way, a retired due to injury tough-guy Marine, an inner-city gang and their comings and goings, a couple of elders of a Church trying to make a dream that seems hopeless happen, and a greedy man trying to destroy everyone's life and dreams. But... I cannot tell you how blessed I am to have the opportunity to read this book! It is outside of my comfort zone, but it is so rewarding and true to life. I could almost say it is like watching one of those current day TV shows, with the gang activity and drama of peoples lives, but it so much better because it has the realistic aspects of the Christian life that you almost never see on TV. If this were made into a TV drama, I'd watch it in a heart beat.

With that said, I'm not completely finished with the book myself, but my mind has been made up. This boy is a treasure to my reading experience and I strongly suggest it for anyone, especially those, who do not think it would fit for their common genre.

MJ

The Complete Jane Austen

And I quote...

Pride and Prejudice is a production of BBC Television and BBC Worldwide Americas, Inc. in association with A&E Networks.
The Masterpiece Theatre broadcast of Pride and Prejudice is the first in the U.S. other than on A&E Television Networks.

MASTERPIECE™
“The Complete Jane Austen”


Sundays, beginning January 13, 2008
9:00 p.m. ET


– New Adaptations of “Mansfield Park,” “Northanger Abbey,” “Persuasion” and “Sense and Sensibility”; “Emma” with Kate Beckinsale and Emmy-Winning “Pride and Prejudice”; and Biopic “Miss Austen Regrets” –


How many ways can a young woman find true love amid the dinner parties, balls, carriage rides, picnics and other picturesque opportunities to meet the opposite sex in turn-of-the-19th-century England? There are six transcendently satisfying scenarios, as told in a half-dozen enchanting novels by Jane Austen — one of the most beloved writers in all of literature.

For the first time on television, Austen fans can now sit down to a weekly feast of all of her immortal plots, presented by MASTERPIECE THEATRE® over the course of four months in beautifully acted, lavishly set and gorgeously costumed adaptations. As a bonus, viewers will be treated to a new drama based on Austen’s own bittersweet love life.

“The Complete Jane Austen,” beginning Sunday, January 13, 2008, 9:00 p.m. ET on PBS, features all-new productions of “Persuasion,” “Northanger Abbey,” “Mansfield Park” and “Sense and Sensibility.” The lineup also includes the acclaimed “Emma” starring Kate Beckinsale, the Emmy Award-winning “Pride and Prejudice” that made Colin Firth a leading man and the new biopic, “Miss Austen Regrets.”

Four of the titles — “Emma,” “Northanger Abbey,” “Pride and Prejudice” and “Sense and Sensibility” — were adapted by celebrated screenwriter Andrew Davies, whose “Bleak House” on MASTERPIECE was one of the most highly praised television dramas of 2006.

The Austen extravaganza includes:

• “Persuasion” (1/13, 9-10:30) Sally Hawkins (Little Britain) appears as Anne Elliot, destined for spinsterhood at age 27 after being persuaded eight years earlier to refuse the proposal of dashing Captain Wentworth (Rupert Penry-Jones, “Casanova”). Then chance brings them together again. While her better days are past, his are definitely ahead, as he’s now rich and free to play the field among eligible young beauties. Anthony Head (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”) co-stars as Anne’s spendthrift father. Adapted by Simon Burke. Directed by Adrian Shergold. Executive producer, Murray Ferguson. Executive producer for WGBH, Rebecca Eaton. Produced by David Snodin. A Clerkenwell Films production for ITV in association with WGBH/Boston.

• “Northanger Abbey” (1/20, 9-10:30) In Austen’s gentle parody of gothic fiction, Felicity Jones (Meadowlands) plays romance-addict Catherine Morland. Invited to a medieval country house that appeals to her most lurid fantasies, she forms a close friendship with the younger son on the estate, Henry Tilney (JJ Feild, “The Secret Life of Mrs. Beeton”), but their budding romance is mysteriously cut short. Adapted by Andrew Davies. Directed by Jon Jones. Executive producers, Andy Harries, Charles Elton. Executive producer for WGBH, Rebecca Eaton. Produced by Keith Thompson. A co-production of Granada and WGBH/Boston.

• “Mansfield Park” (1/27, 9-10:30) Austen’s most complex plot stars Billie Piper (“Doctor Who,” “The Ruby in the Smoke”) as Fanny Price, who goes to live with prosperous relatives at Mansfield Park. Fanny navigates a labyrinth of intrigues and affairs among the occupants of the house, while her cousin Edmund Bertram (Blake Ritson, “Inspector Lynley Mysteries”) remains her stalwart confidant. Also starring Jemma Redgrave (“Bramwell”) as Fanny’s observant aunt. Adapted by Maggie Wadey. Directed by Iain B. MacDonald. Executive producers, George Faber, Charles Pattinson. Executive producer for WGBH, Rebecca Eaton. Produced by Suzan Harrison. A co-production of Company Productions and WGBH/Boston.

• “Miss Austen Regrets” (2/3, 9-10:30) If nothing else, Jane Austen wrote from personal experience. Courtship she knew well; only the last act eluded her. This film biography dramatizes Austen’s lost loves: Harris Bigg, whose proposal she accepted and then rejected; Edward Brydges, whom she also refused; the tongue-tied vicar she teased mercilessly; and the young surgeon who arrived on the scene too late to steal her heart. Starring Olivia Williams (The Sixth Sense), Greta Scacchi (The Player) and Hugh Bonneville (Notting Hill). Written by Gwyneth Hughes. Directed by Jeremy Lovering. Executive producer, Laura Mackie. Executive producer for WGBH, Rebecca Eaton. Produced by Anne Pivcevic. A BBC and WGBH/Boston co-production.

• “Pride and Prejudice” (2/10-2/24, 9-11) Colin Firth (Bridget Jones’ Diary) is Mr. Darcy and Jennifer Ehle (The Coast of Utopia) is Elizabeth Bennet in the definitive adaptation of the most-loved of all Austen novels. With five daughters, no sons and an entailed estate, the elder Bennets are in dire straits as they try to arrange advantageous marriages. Wedding bells ring three times, but the path to true love is tortuous indeed. Adapted by Andrew Davies. Directed by Simon Langton. Executive producer, Michael Wearing. Produced by Sue Birtwistle. A production of BBC Television and BBC Worldwide Americas, Inc. in association with A&E Television Networks. The MASTERPIECE THEATRE broadcast of “Pride and Prejudice” is the first in the U.S. other than on A&E Television Networks.

• “Emma” (3/23, 9-11) The New York Times praised this production as “smart and spirited … understated and sly.” Kate Beckinsale (The Aviator) stars in the title role as the tireless matchmaker who professes no interest in matrimony for herself, only for her orphaned protégée, Harriet Smith (Samantha Morton, Longford). Still, Emma does feel a certain twinge for Frank Churchill (Raymond Coulthard, “He Knew He Was Right”) and a brotherly regard for Mr. Knightley (Mark Strong, “Prime Suspect 6”). Adapted by Andrew Davies. Directed by Diarmuid Lawrence. Executive producers, Delia Fine, Simon Lewis. Produced by Sue Birtwistle. Produced by United Film and Television Productions in association with Chestermead Ltd and A&E Networks. Originally broadcast in February 1997.

• “Sense and Sensibility” (3/30 and 4/6, 9-10:30) Hattie Morahan (The Golden Compass) plays levelheaded Elinor Dashwood and Charity Wakefield (“Jane Eyre”) her impulsive sister Marianne. Though poor, they attract a trio of very promising gentlemen: soon-to-be wealthy Edward Ferrars (Dan Stevens, The Line of Beauty), heroic Colonel Brandon (David Morrissey, State of Play) and Byronic John Willoughby (Dominic Cooper, The History Boys). Adapted by Andrew Davies. Directed by John Alexander. Produced by Anne Pivcevic. Executive producer for WGBH, Rebecca Eaton. A BBC and WGBH/Boston co-production.

Underwriters: Public Television Viewers and PBS. Presenter: WGBH Boston. Series executive producer: Rebecca Eaton. Format: CC Stereo DVI. Online: pbs.org

– PBS –

CONTACT: Ellen Dockser, WGBH, Tel.: 617/300-5338; ellen_dockser@wgbh.org

Olivia Wong, WGBH, Tel.: 617/300-5349; olivia_wong@wgbh.org

Christina Pan (photography), WGBH, Tel.: 617/300-5340; christina_pan@wgbh.org

Bluegrass Peril by Virginia Smith

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing

Bluegrass Peril
(Steeple Hill December 4, 2007)
by
Virginia Smith

To read more about this book immediately click here... but stay tuned I'm over halfway through the book so far (cannot turn the pages fast enough) and will have a review posted as soon as I finish it.

**** Update****

I finished the book just moments ago. For once in my life, I have now read a mystery suspense that I couldn't guess what was going to happen next. This was really surprising and a welcome change of events. It has been quite a while since I have read any suspense novels because of that very reason, but this just might have influenced me to try again in that section. Virginia Smith did a very good job of keeping the reader on their toes and guessing. The words really could not become absorbed by my eyes and brain fast enough to keep going; I wanted to know just what would happen next.

This story brings in a mother of twins that from the very first a reader can sympathize with and feel her emotions clearly as their own with a relative part of her life. She has both good and bad in her life and tries to focus on the good and what's right, but just like all us, can become overwhelmed by the bad that she wants to fix. Another character from the very start is Scott Lewis, Scott has a past of a broken heart and does not want a repeat and therefore is very guarded with his life. Thrown in with the what-ifs of life and love and what shouldn't be... murder. Who committed the murder and why? When people start to get too close, others begin to get hurt and die. So many suspects... So many motives... where to turn and what to think?

This book was very realistic in some ways for a fiction novel. I can easily see the characters play out in real life in a similar fashion. The only part I do not buy is the un-authorized detective work performed by civilians. In this day and age with our law enforcement it is almost scary to think of investigating things. But perhaps, I've seen to many movies and heard too many stories and just find police officers suspicious and ready to jump on anyone that appears too interested... Too bad we cannot all be Nancy Drew. ;-)


<3>

It's Snowing Christmas!

Ta da! It's Snowing Christmas! My latest project top finished minutes ago...

The Minor Protection Act by Jodie Cowles

It is December 1st, time for the FIRST Day Blog Tour! (Join our alliance! Click the button!) The FIRST day of every month we will feature an author and his/her latest book's FIRST chapter!

This month's feature author is:

JODI COWLES

and her book:

The Minor Protection Act

Musterion (December 1, 2005)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jodi Cowles caught the travel bug when her parents took her on her first international flight at six months of age. Since then sheís been in over 30 countries. Along the way sheís gotten locked out of her cabin on an all night train to Kiev, helped deliver a baby in Indonesia, taught English in South Korea, gone spelunking in Guam, hiked the Golan Heights and laid bricks in Zimbabwe. Her interest in politics stems from hunting Easter eggs on the south lawn of the White House as a child. For her 30th birthday she ran the LA Marathon and promised to get serious about publishing. Jodi resides in Boise, Idaho and this is her first novel.



AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:



If the politically correct set was searching for a poster couple, they would need to look no further than Erik and Roselyn Jessup. In college they lit up doobies while attending passionate speeches about legalizing marijuana and freeing Tibet. Erik was even arrested once for helping break into an animal research center. Roselyn bailed him out. After five years of dating they decided to tie the knot. Seven years later, after Roselyn had enough time to get established in her career, she gave birth to their pride and joy, Jayla Lynn Jessup.



Both had satisfying full-time jobs that left them only enough time to pour themselves into Jayla. They attended every event at school, even if it meant working overtime and paying the after school program for a few extra hours. When Jayla made the principal's list or won a spelling bee, they were cheering, and filming, from the front row.



Jayla began junior high at a brand new school with a brand new curriculum. It was being called "progressive" in the papers; the first program of its kind implemented in California with plans for a nationwide rollout over the next 10 years. Praise poured in from around the country, applauding the straight talk about sexuality and focus on tolerance.



Erik and Roselyn were thrilled to have their daughter in this groundbreaking program. Granted, it took several phone calls to district authorities to accomplish the transfer and Roselyn had to drive an extra 30 minutes each morning to drop off Jayla, but it was quite a coup to brag about in their circle of friends.



Jayla turned 13 two years into junior high. For her birthday she told her parents she wanted to order pizza and hang around the house ñ there was something she needed to tell them. Over pepperoni and Coke, Jayla calmly informed them that she'd been discussing it with her friends and teachers and had decided she was gay.



Though she had never had a girlfriend, or a boyfriend for that matter, Erik and Roselyn were quick to affirm her decision and let her know she had their full support. Roselyn applauded her daughter's honest, courageous move and told Jayla how proud she was. Erik was also supportive and went so far as to tease Jayla about her best friend Sara.



There weren't too many lesbians in her junior high and Jayla had a pretty average experience, but she attracted attention when she entered high school wearing the rainbow buttons specially purchased by her mother. Soon she was 15 and seriously involved with Carla, the 17-year-old senior who was President of the Gay Pride Club. When Erik and Roselyn saw the relationship deepening they sat Jayla down and had a heart to heart "sex talk," encouraging her to be responsible and safe, and only to have sex if she was truly in love.



She was. However, when the year ended Carla left for college on the east coast and broke off the relationship in a letter.



Jayla was heartbroken. Erik and Roselyn were quick to comfort, as any loving parents of a shattered teenager, but their answers seemed hollow to Jayla, their comfort cold. At 16 she began dabbling in drugs - a first for her.



By the time her senior year began the family bond that was once so strong had disintegrated to the degree that she seldom spoke to her parents unless it was to strike out in anger. She had not entered into another dating relationship, as much as they encouraged her in that direction. Rather, she seemed withdrawn from the world and spent endless hours either locked in her room or suspiciously absent. Finally, Roselyn had enough and took her to a doctor who prescribed an anti-depressant for teenagers that had just been released on the market.



By Christmas the medication seemed to be working. Jayla was coming around, spending more time at home. She seemed calmer and more at peace. They were even beginning to talk about college. But New Year's morning they found her dead, her anti-depressant bottle and a quart of vodka laying empty in the trash and a mass of journals and letters scattered around her in the bed.



Erik and Roselyn were devastated. Jayla had been their whole life. They dove into the letters and journals, trying to make sense of it all. What they found only served to inflame their anger. Some boy named Nick had been telling their daughter that she was a sinner, quoting Bible verses that said her sexual preference was an abomination before God. Jayla's journal was full of self-loathing, page after page about her relationship with Carla, page after page of rambling, agonizing pain. Why was she made like this if homosexuality was a sin? Why would her parents have supported her if it were an abomination? Why had she listened to the seventh grade teacher who told her experimentation was the best way to determine her sexuality? What was wrong with her?



They could hardly stand to finish it but they read every word. In the end their grief found relief, as it so often does, in bitterness and hatred. The day after Jayla's funeral, attended by hundreds of students from Jaylaís school, Erik and Roselyn met with the District Attorney. A year later, bitterness not yet assuaged, they went to see a lawyer. In the culture of America, where there is rarely tragedy unaccompanied by litigation, they found a willing law firm. Someone would pay.

See what Others think of Scarlet

Go see what others say about Scarlet by Stephen Lawhead on their blogs with reviews and such...

<3>< Trish Anderson
Brandon Barr
Wayne Thomas Batson
Jim Black
Justin Boyer
Grace Bridges
Amy Browning
Jackie Castle
Valerie Comer
CSFF Blog Tour
D. G. D. Davidson
Chris Deanne
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Linda Gilmore
Beth Goddard
Marcus Goodyear
Andrea Graham
Jill Hart
Katie Hart
Sherrie Hibbs
Timothy Hicks
Christopher Hopper
Becca Johnson
Jason Joyner
Kait
Karen
Dawn King
Tina Kulesa
Mike Lynch
Margaret
Karen McSpadden
Melissa Meeks
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Mirtika or Mir's Here
Eve Nielsen
John W. Otte
John Ottinger
Lyn Perry
Deena Peterson
Rachelle
Cheryl Russel
Ashley Rutherford
Hanna Sandvig
Chawna Schroeder
James Somers
Rachelle Sperling
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Robert Treskillard
Jason Waguespac
Daniel I. Weaver
Laura Williams
Timothy Wise

Auralia's Colors by Jeffrey Overstreet

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
AURALIA'S COLORS
(WaterBrook Press September 4, 2007)
by
Jeffrey Overstreet
I'll go ahead and admit that I did not receive the book and therefore have not yet read it, but I do plan on it as soon as I can find a copy. Also, I strongly suggest that you visit his blog to see what he had to say about "The Golden Compass."

<3><

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jeffrey Overstreet lives in two worlds. By day, he writes about movies at LookingCloser.org and in notable publications like Christianity Today, Paste, and Image.

His adventures in cinema are chronicled in his book Through a Screen Darkly. By night, he composes new stories found in fictional worlds of his own. Living in Shoreline, Washington, with his wife, Anne, a poet, he is a senior staff writer for Response Magazine at Seattle Pacific University.

Auralia’s Colors is his first novel. He is now hard at work on many new stories, including three more strands of The Auralia Thread.





ABOUT THE BOOK:
As a baby, she was found in a footprint.

As a girl, she was raised by thieves in a wilderness where savages lurk.

As a young woman, she will risk her life to save the world with the only secret she knows.


When thieves find an abandoned child lying in a monster’s footprint, they have no idea that their wilderness discovery will change the course of history.

Cloaked in mystery, Auralia grows up among criminals outside the walls of House Abascar, where vicious beastmen lurk in shadow. There, she discovers an unsettling–and forbidden–talent for crafting colors that enchant all who behold them, including Abascar’s hard-hearted king, an exiled wizard, and a prince who keeps dangerous secrets.

Auralia’s gift opens doors from the palace to the dungeons, setting the stage for violent and miraculous change in the great houses of the Expanse.

Auralia’s Colors weaves literary fantasy together with poetic prose, a suspenseful plot, adrenaline-rush action, and unpredictable characters sure to enthrall ambitious imaginations.

Visit the Website especially created for the book, Auralia's Colors. On the site, you can read the first chapter and listen to jeffrey's introduction of the book, plus a lit more!

PRAISE

"Film critic and author Overstreet (Through a Screen Darkly) offers a powerful myth for his first foray into fiction. Overstreet’s writing is precise and beautiful, and the story is masterfully told. Readers will be hungry for the next installment."
--Publishers Weekly

“Through word, image, and color Jeffrey Overstreet has crafted a work of art. From first to final page this original fantasy is sure to draw readers in. Auralia's Colors sparkles.”
-–Janet Lee Carey, award-winning author of The Beast of
Noor and Dragon's Keep

“Jeffrey Overstreet’s first fantasy, Auralia’s Colors, and its heroine’s cloak of wonders take their power from a vision of art that is auroral, looking to the return of beauty, and that intends to restore spirit and and mystery to the world. The book achieves its ends by the creation of a rich, complex universe and a series of dramatic, explosive events.”
-–Marly Youmans, author of Ingledove and The
Curse of the Raven Mocker

More on Scarlet by Stephen Lawhead

If your interest has been slightly peaked I strongly suggest that you go and read the first chapter of Scarlet. Or a preview in to Hood.

<3><

Jeffrey Overstreet's discussion on The Golden Compass

Today, I discovered a blog written by Jeffrey Overstreet on the upcoming "The Golden Compass". This does not all change my views on the film or the books, but I strongly suggest that anyone go and read his thorough discussion.

"The Golden Compass" - Questions asked and answered...

Scarlet by Stephen Lawhead

First off, let me tell you about Hood by Stephen Lawhead, then I'll tell you about the sequel Scarlet. This book, Hood, was really enjoyable. It was my first Lawhead book and I think I will always look for the sequels and possible other series of his as well. Every once in a while there was a monologue of a character's thoughts on their past and I hated it and love it at the same time. Part of me would just want to get past it so I could get back to the action and events in the story, while at the same time it was interesting and fairly important to understanding the character, the events, and to find empathy. This is a more realistic version of the fantasy Robin Hood than most others you find and I love it. I really enjoyed how it was not dumbed down to perfection and happily ever after. There is strife, and religion, and ignorance, and love, and family, and happiness goals. I was taken aback at the setting at first because it does not have many of the places and names that I'm familiar with, but in the end of the book, after the novel, it has his explanation of why, and it is fabulous. I'm a history buff and to get this short history lesson on the true tales of Robin Hood was fascinating to me. I really enjoyed this book.

Will Scarlet has always been my favorite Robin Hood character for as long as I can remember knowing different versions of the historical tales. This book does not change that at all. This is Will Scarlet in more depth than any book or film has ever shown him. Everything you ever once thought of him or wanted to know is given in a wonderfully melodious tone by Stephen Lawhead and your imagination can soar. I was thoroughly impressed by Hoodef="/search/search?q= Hood&t=title"> Hood, but so much more by Scarlet yet in different ways. I recommend this book to anyone who loves celtic, Britons, old english, Robin Hood, medieval, knights, and chivalry... as well as just good old adventure. There is nothing "tasteless" in this novel as you find in many books these days... meaning there is moral delimma with characters that are just out right evil. But you do not find the protagonists as lust filled murders. It is just plain good stories twisted together to keep you up hours into the night reading until there is no more. So sad that I have to wait until 2009 for the Trilogy end Tuck... but I am fairly certain it will be worth it.

Oh, and there are other Lawhead books that I've read that didn't "hook" me, but these King Raven Trilogy books are really to die for. And in addition to Lawhead's King Raven Trilogy if you want a similar story but from the eyes of Maid Marian/Merian check out my past blog on Elsa Watson's Maid Marian.

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Shepard's Fold Quilt in progress

Remember the one sheep a while back? Well now there are others. Here, look see at my progress...

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Tamera Alexander's Rekindled, Revealed & Remembered

I just finished reading Tamera Alexander's current Trilogy. It was thoroughly enjoyable, it was better with every new twist and turn.

Rekindled/Revealed/Remembered (Fountain Creek Chronicles 1-3)

by Tamera Alexander

published 2007 by Bethany House Publishers binding Paperback isbn 0764283464 (isbn13: 9780764283468) pages 1024 description This popular three-book series features a different romance in each novel. In the late 1860s, Colorado Territory is a wild and untamed land. Nestled ...more [close] This popular three-book series features a different romance in each novel. In the late 1860s, Colorado Territory is a wild and untamed land. Nestled within its mountains and sustained by one of its major creeks, three couples find adventure and love on the frontier. Each person will be called upon to stand on nothing more than faith, risk what is most dear, and turn away from the past in order to follow God's plan for the future. Titles include Rekindled, Revealed and Remembered.

bookshelves:	read, christianfiction
About Book One Rekindled. I read this all in one day in two sittings. Well to be honest, it's now 5:22am... so just over one day. :) If you liked Francine Rivers' Redeeming Love or Tracie Peterson's Yukon Quest then you are sure to love this little novel. Heartbreaking struggle from both ends of a marriage to make things work in the best of times and worst of times with a second chance is just fabulous. A great read! About Book Two Revealed. This book is completely about forgiveness. It is a sequel, but is about a completely different character and could stand on it's own. Everyone has a past, but more importantly everyone has a future. Here the author has made two very different people come to an understanding of each and it is beautiful to see God working in people's hearts and souls. I strongly recommend this book to anyone in particular, but especially to someone who is holding a grudge that they just cannot let go of, either to someone else, or more importantly to themselves. I know I can find a way to relate. I'm sure you can too. About Book Three Remembered. This book was the best of the trilogy. Really in this series, each book was better and better. A companion whose only thing she has ever lacked was a father goes in a forced search to find him when it seems all else is lost to her. She finds everything that she was meant to find, even when she did not realize that is what she was looking for. This story tells of patience, learning God's will and His timing, love, loss, friendship, fears, and the gift of giving. It is all around a great read.

The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Decked Out by Neta Jackon

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducing
THE YADA YADA PRAYER GROUP GETS DECKED OUT

Thomas Nelson (October 2, 2007)
by
Neta Jackson

Go here to find out more...

Book Organizers

Ever since I can remember I have enjoyed reading. For years I have been a book-junkie, book-a-hol-ic you name it. But it is only recently that I have discovered the online tools for book organization. The ones that I have discovered so far are as follows:

Goodreads.com
Shelfari
LibraryThing

Goodreads.com is by far my favorite. It is the easiest to work with and has great groups for discussion, etc. Finding books is not difficult and changing them from one shelf to another is as easy as a click. I strongly recommend this one. I was invited to Goodreads by my brother's God-sister and am completely hooked. Plus their widgets are better.

my 'currently-reading' shelf:

Shelfari is great too... my second favorite I would say. Upon learning and being enthralled with Goodreads.com I invited my oldest sister to join. She said she did not have time, something about four kids under the age of five to look after, but that she has seen something like it before called Shelfari. So the good little book-junkie that I am, I looked it up. Shelfari is colorful and has many more types of groups and specifics to choose from, but changing thing around on your shelves, or adding books is a little like pulling teeth. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I stay on that site purely for the community that it provides and in hopes that it will improve.

[More info added on Shelfari a few hours later... Oooooo... Shelfari has been bad. Read the following two blogs: thingology and Otis. Also, just google it or look for Shelfari data in the news... Ouch. BOOK NETWORKING USERS BEWARE!!!!]

Shelfari: Book reviews on your book blog

LibraryThing... I found this one googling around and the impression that I have been given is that it was the first in the category of online networking book organizers. But the kick to the gut was once you reach 200 books you have to buy a membership to add any more. HELLO? All my money goes to buying books, so why would I pay for an organizer when I have access to two others for free that are fabulous? Definitely not. But the cool thing they did have was the scanner. Scan any book ISBN barcode and it's found and added to your library. Now that is just cool.

Just wanted to share... Oh and feel free to come and join me on any of the sites. :)

<3 MJ

Fall Into Reading 2007

So I'm a little late in joining, but right there with the desire and passion. Fall Into Reading 2007 Here's my list:

Admission by Travis Thrasher*
Quilter's Complete Guide by Marianne Fons & Porter*
Sweet and Simple Baby Quilts by Mary Hickey*
Consciously Female by Tracy Gaudet
The Great Physician's Rx for Health and Wellness by Jordan Rubin*
The Great Physician's Rx for Weight Loss by Jordan Rubin*
The Great Physician's Rx for Women's Health by Jordan & Nicki Rubin*
South Beach Diet by Arthur Agatston, MD*
Baptized in Blood by Charles Reagan Wilson*
The Democratization of American Christianity by Nathan O. Hatch*
Generous Orthodoxy by Brian D. McLaren*
Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning by Douglas Wilson*
Bad Girls of the Bible and What We Can Learn from Them by Liz Curtis Higgs
The Pumpkin Patch Parable by Liz Curtis Higgs*
Thorn in My Heart by Liz Curtis Higgs*
Fair is the Rose by Liz Curtis Higgs*
Whence Came a Prince by Liz Curtis Higgs*
Grace in Thine Eyes by Liz Curtis Higgs*
Sanctuary by Beverly Lewis*
Designing Your Own Classic Curriculum by Laura M. Berquist*
Skin Deep by Cathy Hapka*
Time for Bed by Mem Fox*
Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown*
Bonsoir Lune by Margaret Wise Brown*
Miss Potter by Richard Maltby Jr*
Prayer for a Child by Rachel Field*
The Maiden of Mayfair by Lawana Blackwell*
Hood by Stephen Lawhead*
Scarlet by Stephen Lawhead*
Maid Marian by Elsa Watson*
Two of A Kind? by Greg Cox*
The Long Road Home by Lori Wick*
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery*
Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery*
Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery*
Anne of Windy Populars by L.M. Montgomery*
Quilts! Quilts! Quilts! by Diana McClun*
A Gathering of Memories by Lori Wick*
A Bride Most Begrudging by Deeanne Gist*
A Garden in Paris by Stephanie Grace Whitson*
Rekindled by Tamera Alexander*
Troublesome Creek by Jan Watson*
When the Heart Cries by Cindy Woodsmall*
Revealed by Tamera Alexander*
Amish Crib Quilts by Rachel and Kenneth Pellman
Remembered by Tamera Alexander
A Passion Most Pure by Julie Lessman
Wedding Bell Blues by Linda Windsor
Auralia's Colors by Jeffrey Overstreet
Try Dying by James Scott Bell
The Return by Austin Boyd
Crimson Eve by Brandilyn Collins
Informed Consent by Sandra Glahn
My Life Unscripted by Tricia Goyer
For Parents Only by Shaunti Feldhahn
The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Decked Out by Neta Jackson
Splitting Harriet by Tamara Leigh
After The Leaves Fall by Nicole Baart
To Love Anew by Bonnie Leon
Torrent Falls by Jan Watson
Ransomed Dreams by Amy Wallace
Glastonbury Tor by LeAnne Hardy
A Hilltop in Tuscany by Stephanie Grace Whitson
Shadows in the Mirror by Linda Hall
Pajo by Karl L. Kruger
Searching for Eternity by Elizabeth Musser
Nefertiti by Michelle Moran
Surrender Bay by Denise Hunter
An Old Fashioned Christmas by Colleen L. Reece
Song of the Highlands by Sharon Gillenwater
A Lady of High Regard by Tracie Peterson
Beloved Leah by Cynthia Davis
Courting Trouble by Deeanna Gist
An Untamed Land by Lauraine Snelling
Love Comes Softly by Janette Oke
Novel Crimes by Susan May Warren
Bad Ground by Dale W. Cramer
When the Morning Comes by Cindy Woodsmall
Sutters Cross by Dale W. Cramer
Illuminated by Matt Bronleewe
Breaking Free by Lauraine Snelling
Bygones by Kim Sawyer
Then Came Faith by Louise Gouge
Quilting Makes the Quilt by Lee Cleland*
The Veritas Conflict by Shaunti Feldhahn
The Restorer by Sharon Hinck
Simeon's Gift by Julie Andrews Edwards*
Deirdre by Linda Windsor
Brides O' the Emerald Isle by Pamela Griffin
The Mark of Salvation by Carol Umberger
The Measure of A Lady by DEeanne Gist
The Belgarid by David Eddings
DragonSpell by Donita K. Paul
Ashes of Remembrance by Brock & Bodie Theone
Brink of Death by Brandilyn Collins
Steal Away by Linda Hall
When Breaks the Daw by Janette Oke
The Paradise War by Stephen Lawhead
Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
Catching Katie by Robin Lee Hatcher
Devil's Island by John Hagee
New Mexico Sunrise by Tracie Peterson
A Clearing in the Wild by Jane Kirkpatrick
A Tendering in the Storm by Jane Kirkpatrick
Angels to Watch Over Me by various authors
Willow Springs by Jan Watson
Boston Jane: Wilderness by Jennifer Holm
Boston Jane: The Claim by Jennifer Holm
Mark's Story by Tim Lahaye & Jerry B. Jenkins
Chosen by Ginger Garrett
Bluegrass Peril by Virginia Smith
What Lies Within by Karen Ball
the Begotten by Lisa Bergern
Hope by Lori Copeland
Yellow Rose Bride by Lori Copeland
The Sunroom by Beverly Lewis
Come Spring by Tim Lahaye
Minor Protection Act by Jodi Cowles
Hollywood Nobody by Lisa Samson
The Bible by Karen Armstrong
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
Queen Margot by Alexandre Dumas
Time to Dance by Karen Kingsbury

* means I've already read it...

:-) MJ <><

My sanctuary space

This is my space. My little apartment bedroom library/office/sewing room. <3><