NEVER CEESE, by Sue Dent

This week it is my joy and pleasure to tour NEVER CEESE, by Sue Dent. If you really want to learn more about this follow the links at the bottom of this page or go to the Christian Fiction Review Blog where her book is currently being toured.

Now before people start in on me let me just say that I'm not generally a horror fanatic, and trust me, Sue Dent taps into the horror genre with her vampires and werewolves. I do, however, find that horror can help put a realistic slant on my own work. When I balance that out with my own personal sense of humor things go quite well.

This story is about the cursed. Ceese, a werewolf hoping against hope that there is some way to free herself of this curse, an Richard, a vampire who has long ago lost hope, are our two major characters. To be frank, I've never had vampires or werewolves as protagonists before. Sue wants us to see something, that the cursed are victims as much as they are predators.

The sinful nature of man is our curse. Interestingly women, who are considered, generally, conniving and deceitful, are here represented by Ceese, a werewolf. As such she is a shape-shifter as well as a predator. Whether Sue is trying to make a gender point here or not, it's made. Men, who are basically more blunt, and sometimes rather stupid, are portrayed by Richard, the vampire who must live off the blood of others (which he does through medical supply...which I found interesting). Instead of taking the dominant role in the home man is often out doing his own thing. The result is a fractured household. The curse is real. That's what I'm saying. Okay you can forget your silver bullets and garlic, but the curse is very real. Who loses hope first, generally speaking? the man or the woman? The man, almost always. Why is that? Because he is generally buffeted by the knowledge of his sin. The woman, while facing the same weight generally can turn to the Lord before the man for comfort and reassurance. So it is that Richard is one who lives without hope.

I could go on and on, and you can read more of my posts on the Christian Fiction Review Blog, but I wanted to make sure my personal blog had something up. If you've never considered Christian horror, especially with vampires and werewolves in it, now is a great time to get a real passion for it. And just to be more of a blessing, Sue's 2nd book, FOREVER RICHARD will be coming out in the Fall. Great works by a great Christian writer and a great person.

You can also visit the following links of participating CFRB sites:

Back to the Mountains

Queen of Convolusion

A Frank Review

Between Sundays

Bibliophile's Retreat

Cathi's Chatter

CFRB hosts THE VOID, by Mark Mynheir

This week the Christian Fiction Review Blog features THE VOID, by Mark Mynheir. This is an excellent story if you like mysteries, speculative fiction, science fiction, or just a plain good story, believable characters, realistic situations (for the most part) and a brilliant imagination.

Special Agent Roberta "Robbie" Sanchez, with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement has been spending her time trying to put bad guys behind bars. She has a personal reason for doing so, but between this and taking care of her mother, who has Alzheimer's, she's beginning to burn out. The last thing she needs is another big case, which is exactly just what she gets. She can't turn this one down either, because it involves the homicide of a fellow police officer, Brad Worthington of the Palm Bay Police Department.

All this sounds like the makings of a good mystery novel, something that I might write or read. Yet the book goes further than just a clever murderer. We find ourselves taking a closer look at a company called LifeTex. Something's going on there that is definitely off kilter. When doctors break every imaginable law, both federal and international, to clone a human being, a genetically perfect human, the do more than "create" life, which is in reality an illusion. All they've created is a functioning human body with a void, an emptiness waiting to be filled. And filled it is with something they never, ever dreamed of, not in their worst nightmares. The trouble now becomes how do you fight something unless you are ready to accept its ability to exist?

Be sure to visit the Christian Fiction Review Blog

On sale now at Random House

And of course at Amazon.com

Be sure to check out Mark's personal site at Cop Writer

Other CFRB members who will be posting sometime this week:

A Frank Review
Back to the Mountains
Between Sundays
Bibliophile's Retreat
Cathi's Chatter
Queen of Convolution
Virtual Book Tour de 'Net

CFRB tours NOR IRON BARS A CAGE, by Caprice Hokstad

Day 1 Sunday

Treasure of Spiritual Lessons

Caprice Hokstad is one of the most unique and interesting writers that I've had the pleasure to read. This is in no way putting down other writers, but is my assessment of her work, her dedication, and her insight, both as a writer and as a person. Interestingly enough NOR IRON BARS A CAGE, her second book, and the second one toured here, follows TIME MASTERS, BOOK ONE: THE CALL, by Geralyn Beauchamp. I find this extremely interesting, because these are both, basically, romance in a fantasy setting. It seems, as far as the books are concerned, however, that's where the similarities end. Beauchammp was content to stick to planet earth and travel back and forth through time. Her fantasy input had to do with the introduction of the Muiraran race. Hokstad goes beyond that in her fantasy setting.

As in her first book, THE DUKE'S HANDMAID, she includes a map so we can visualize the places she's talking about. This is a bit Tolkienesque, and I like it. Above the map are the words “The Continent of Raeru on the World of Byntar”. The main focus is on Duke Vahn Rebono of Latoph and his secret wife kee. The world she creates is full, rich and vibrant. Although much like ours it is very much different, as mentioned last Summer when THE DUKE'S HANDMAID was toured here. I would liken it to one of the worlds that Digory never made it to when he and Polly used his Uncle Andrews magic rings to travel to different worlds. Readers of C.S. Lewis' CHRONICLES OF NARNIA, in particular THE MAGICIAN'S NEPHEW, will recall this account. The rings didn't bring them immediately to another world, but a “world between the worlds”. In that in between world there were pools. When entering one pool you entered a different world. Lewis had these children entering Charn and Narnia (at its birth), but the idea that there are all kinds of other worlds that were never explored gives basis to all fantasy worlds, including Byntar.

After reading the book once, and then going back over it again, I am amazed at the amount of spiritual knowledge that is hidden within the pages of this wonderful book. You really never can say the Duke is Jesus and kee is the Church. Perhaps one way of looking at it s that they are both different aspects of the church working together to give a fuller picture of Jesus. Both are flawed, yet both exhibit qualities that we should as Christians. Take for instance the case of Captain Zinto, right at the beginning of the book. Here is a poor ship's captain who has been commandeered by King Arx, the Duke's brother. Little thought has gone into acquiring the vessel other than to supply transportation for the king. Zinto is furious, but he dare not show it. He has a shipload full of silk and if he takes the king, which he really has little say over, he will be stranded in the north just as the storm season sets in. His silk will be lost, and with it his income. Duke Vahn arrives and is apprised of the situation. He says if he can't persuade the king to another course he will personally by the silk from him. How like Christ this is, to extend mercy and grace even when none is looked for. He even offers the use of his own ship. As writers I wonder how much we realize we are speaking to ourselves as well as to our readers. For surely Caprice Hokstad has extended mercy and grace to all who will but open the pages of this book and bask in its many wonders.

Caprice Hokstad # Here's the best place to buy my book Lulu Marketplace

Also on sale at Amazon Books

You can also find it for sale at Barnes and Noble

And at Books a Million

Be sure to check our her own site for more great stuff at
Welcome to Latoph

And don't forget to check out the main Christian Fiction Review Blog

Reluctant Smuggler, by Jill Elizabeth Nelson

When Desiree Jacobs “steals” a priceless Mayan mask from Museo de Arte Mejicana, little did she realize the problems it would cause. First, the “theft” was to test the museum's security system. Second, well, I'll let you read about that. Third, the arch-rivals, the Greybechs, a competing security agency that stoops to all lows in order to gain clients, or rather make sure the HJ Securities loses clients.

Desiree has a surprise for them, but isn't ready for the surprise that Presidente Montoya, Chairman Vidal, Vice Presidente Corona and others have in store for her. Nor does she feel equipped to deal with the near fatal accident of her FBI fiancee Tony Lucano.

I was hesitant to pick this one up, mostly because of other commitments, but the title fascinated me. I decided to go for it, and for the most part I'm glad. Jill Elizabeth Nelson writes a non-stop, full-throttle action/mystery. She manages to have things going wrong on two fronts, which makes it even more overwhelming, but engaging. If you're looking for a mystery, not a cozy, but something with thrills and action to it, RELUCTANT SMUGGLER is just the thing for you.

Sold with the big boys at Amazon Books

As well as Waterbrook Press

And last, but by no means least
Barnes and Noble

CFRB Tours NOR IRON BARS A CAGE, by Caprice Hokstad

In place of a regular post for NOR IRON BARS A CAGE, by Caprice Hokstad, I decided to put up her trailer. This will give me more time to work on the posts for her book on the Christian Fiction Review Blog, which you'll be able to read the first full week of February.



Read more, even sample chapters at Welcome to Latoph

You can find out more and purchase the book at Amazon

CFRB Blog Tour - TIME MASTERS by Geralyn Beauchamp

Day 3 Tuesday

TIME MASTERS, BOOK ONE: THE CALL, by Geralyn Beauchamp is one of the finest pieces of writing I've ever had a chance to read. She wrote this masterpiece for herself, if you can believe that. She did it just to prove that she could write. If you've read some of the other posts you'll realize that it was originally 750 pages. She managed to trim it down to 566. The thing that really irks me is she set it in her desk where no one could read it. It sat there for ten years. Can you believe it? Can you believe someone with talent like this writing a masterpiece and putting it in a desk? That's what she did though. Thank God some of her friends practically forced her to try to get it published.

Now I'm not asking you to get down on Geralyn because of this, but to show you how much she actually identifies with both of her heroes. In one sense she's Dallan MacDonald, a Scottish Highlander who must learn to accept the truth of many things that seem impossible to become the next Time Master. Wretched from his homeland in Glencoe, Scotland in 1692 he finds himself training. Now he doesn't know it, but when we get back to him it's the year 3698 and he's been there for 10 years training to be the next Time Master, something he utterly refuses to believe...until he sees her.

"Her" is Shona, the Muiraran Maiden who was stolen as a child, and hidden in another time. Dallan and the rest of us catch up with her in 1995. The problem is she doesn't know she's Muiraran. She notices some strange things about herself, especially of late, but she thinks she's a regular human. Now Dallan must join with her, but she must do so willingly, as must he, and she must accept who she really is.

If you've been paying attention you'll notice that both Dallan and Shona had some truths that they didn't believe, but had to come to grips with and accept. Geralyn is much like that. She wanted to see if she could write, not because she believed she was a writer, but to see if she could do it. So when she was finished she stuck the book in a drawer. But like Shona she needed to feed. The writer she always was had been released. Now she had to embrace who she really was. She couldn't deny who she was anymore than Dallan could deny he was a MacDonald. So you see, even the road she traveled to authorship tells us about the book she lovingly wrote. I hope you will all read it and enjoy the marvelous work it is.

Featured at her own site Welcome to Time Masters

You can find it at Barnes and Noble

As well as at Amazon

And of course at Cold Tree Press

Dear Loved One,

As you well know, we are getting closer to my birthday. Every year there is a
celebration in my honor and I think that this year the celebration will be
repeated. During this time there are many people shopping for gifts, there are
many radio announcements, TV commercials, and in every part of the world
everyone is saying that my birthday is getting closer and closer.

It is really very nice to know, that at least once a year, some people think
of me. As you know, the celebration of my birthday began many years ago. At
first people seemed to understand and be thankful of all that I did for them,
but in these times, no one seems to know the reason for the celebration. Family
and friends get together and have a lot of fun, but they don't know the
meaning of the celebration.

I remember that last year there was a great feast in my honor. The dinner
table was full of delicious foods, pastries, fruits, assorted nuts and
chocolates. The decorations were exquisite and there were many, many beautifully wrapped
gifts. But, do you want to know something? I wasn't invited. I was the guest
of honor and they didn't remember to send me an invitation. The party was for
me, but when that great day came, I was left outside, they closed the door in
my face .... and I wanted to be with them and share their table.

In truth, that didn't surprise me because in the last few years all close
their doors to me. Since I wasn't invited, I decided to enter the party without
making any noise. I went in and stood in a corner. They were all drinking;
there were some who were drunk and telling jokes and laughing at everything. They
were having a grand time. To top it all, this big fat man all dressed in red
wearing a long white beard entered the room yelling Ho-Ho-Ho! He seemed drunk.
He sat on the sofa and all the children ran to him, saying: 'Santa Claus,
Santa Claus' ... as if the party were in his honor!

At 12 Midnight all the people began to hug each other; I extended my arms
waiting for someone to hug me and ... do you know ... no one hugged me. Suddenly
they all began to share gifts. They opened them one by one with great
expectation. When all had been opened, I looked to see if, maybe, there was one for
me.

What would you feel if on your birthday everybody shared gifts and you did
not get one? I then understood that I was unwanted at that party and quietly
left.

Every year it gets worse. People only remember to eat and drink, the gifts,
the parties and nobody remembers me. I would like this Christmas that you allow
me to enter into your life. I would like that you recognize the fact that
almost two thousand years ago I came to this world to give my life for you, on
the cross, to save you. Today, I only want that you believe this with all your
heart.

I want to share something with you. As many didn't invite me to their party,
I will have my own celebration, a grandiose party that no one has ever
imagined, a spectacular party.

I'm still making the final arrangements. Today I am sending out many
invitations and there is an invitation for you. I want to know if you wish to attend
and I will make a reservation for you and write your name with golden letters
in my great guest book. Only those on the guest list will be invited to the
party. Those who don't answer the invite, will be left outside.

Be prepared because when all is ready you will be part of my great party.
See you soon.
I Love you!


JESUS

CFRB Blog Tour

Don't forget to check out WIND FOLLOWER at the CFRB Blog. This book by Carole McDonnell, is an unforgettable work of sci-fi/fantasy. Since I also write the posts at CFRB you may just want to go over there and see what else I've said. Then you can click on the CFRB Members Blog Roll and check out what others are saying about this novel as well.

On sale at Amazon Books

As well as Juno Books

You won't want to miss her blog either at
Carole McDonnell's Blog

Plus if you'll Google her name or WIND FOLLOWER, you'll come up with a ton of other links as well.

For Parents Only

Summary:

Shaunti Feldhahn is known for unlocking the mysteries of relationships for men and women. Now she turns to a parent’s relationship with a child, particularly a child of the opposite sex. Drawing on the results of a nationwide survey of kids and teenagers, she explores questions such as:

* What do moms need to understand about the “tough and tender” boy who values respect over love?

* What do dads need to understand about their daughter’s need for affirmation?

* What are the six biggest pet peeves teens have about their parents?

Understanding the answers to these and other important questions can help parents make the holidays a time of celebration and unity, not strife and friction.

For Parents Only offers a unique look into a child’s mind and frees readers to communicate in healthier ways as they discover that understanding their kids may not be as complicated as they think.

Author Bio:

Shaunti Feldhahn is the author of For Women Only and numerous other books, with sales totaling nearly one million copies. A nationally syndicated newspaper columnist and public speaker, Feldhahn earned her master’s degree at Harvard University . She and her husband, Jeff, have two young children. Lisa A. Rice is the associate editor of Christian Living magazine, the mother of two teenage girls, and a screenwriter and producer.

Check it out at Random House
As well as Amazon

FAITH AWAKENED, by Grace Bridges

Day 3 Tuesday

The main character in FAITH AWAKENED is Mariah, a 22 year old young Irish woman in Belfast. Although she works with computers she feels that her job is part of an enforced slavery by the Masters over all people. Chapter 2 starts out in the most amazing and foreboding of ways. Mariah tells us, the readers, that she is going to tell her story, a story of how great the world once was, and how nearly all of mankind was destroyed. Talk about giving you a hook. Yet, even in the prologue and chapter 1 you get hooked. Grace Bridges is a very unique and gifted story teller. You'll find this out the more you read.

Before I introduce you to the other main character I need to go back to the prologue and jump around a bit. Mariah, in the prologue, is hooking up survivors to a “virtual reality cryogenic system”. That's right. Those left behind, by some horrific event she has not yet shared with us. The gist of things are that only a handful of people seem to be left living on an otherwise crowded planet. For the human race to survive those living must enter into this state of cryogenic suspension. She is fairly graphic in her depiction of all of this. She gives us hints, in that this time of entering a suspended state, are faced with a certain amount of fear and anxioty, as well as welcomed with joy.

Okay, now I can tell you a little about Faith. We start out with her as a young child and “grow up with her” so to speak. The one thing that becomes noticeable about her is her lapses of memory. There seem to be bits of her past that fade away into the mists of nothingness. In fact, there is a feeling of skipping over things when you read this chapter. Believe it or not, this is important. She grows up like any young girl, at least one with Christian parents and influence, but Grace shows all the pain and frustration at trying to figure God out. The teen years are particularly interesting, just as they are in real life. These years are the ones that most of us face some of the greatest challenges of our lives. We either stand or fall, by how we react to these challenges. She does a great job of depicting Faith.

These are the 2 main characters in FAITH AWAKENED. Grace, if I have misrepresented them in any way, I apologize ahead of time. To the rest of you, I apologize that I cannot give you more information without allowing you to experience the story for yourself. It's always a challenge to find 7 posts for a novel without giving away the major plot aspects and the ending. So I ask that you give me a little slack here. I could easily tell you the story, but then what would be the point of reading it? You must read this book, because the story held within is best told by its author, and because there are several messages that you need to come to grips with. As Mariah says, “You won't find any censorship, even though you will mourn for worlds long vanished. I intend to tell it like it really is.” She follows this up with the ominous words, “Really I can't be sure that anyone will ever read this. Yet if the human race survives, then read on and weep for what once was, and what used to be. For it is no more...”

On sale at Lulu Books

Check out her main website at Grace Bridges – The Future is What You Make It

You won't want to miss her blog either at
Grace Bridges' Blog

The best site for information, pics, audios, etc, however, can be found at
Faith Awakened

NEVER LOOK BACK, by Kathy Herman

Ivy Griffith, beautiful, single mom of an adorable 7 year old, is being released from prison. Her life seems to be on the upswing since she settled matters between her and the Lord (back in EVER PRESENT DANGER). Only Ivy can't seem to break free from her past. She tries to settle in, and with the help of her family, gets a job at the reception desk for the Christian Camp. The bond between Ivy and her son, Montana, grows...but there is something missing, something she's afraid will never be able to supple. Ivy wants very much for Montana to have a father in his life, yet she has made so many terrible choices in that area of her life she is timid to do so again. When she finally decides on Rue, a worker at the camp, she believes she's moving forward. Then come the brutal beatings of some of the towns people, and Rue doesn't have an alibi. He says he was looking at the stars. That, and a shared secret, start to wedge their way into one of the wounds in Ivy's heart, until she must trust totally on the Lord to NEVER LOOK BACK.

I'm not a romance reader, but Kathy Herman delivers some of the greatest suspense in her class. I'll not say it's the best, but only because I know writers to be people in change, always striving to be better than they were in their last book. Kathy is no different. You will love her tender touches as much as her brutal realism and the way life tears at the human heart. We can only take the pieces of our lives up, and offer them to our Lord, and in tears say, "Lord, fix it? Please." It is then we experience the love of God personally. She captures this so beautifully that it always amazes me.


Check out her book and read other reviews at Amazon.com

And visit her at her website http://www.kathyherman.com/

FLASHPOINT - Day 2

Yeah, yeah, I know I have the other blog going, but I needed to make mention of the links at the end. It was made known to me that the original links to Yellow30 Sci-Fi were wrong. I've corrected them. You'll find them at the end of this post and corrected in yesterday's as well.

So, what would you do if you had an ID chip in you, telling the government that you were a terrorist, capable of locating you no matter where you went? The Bible says that in those days there will be no place to hide. With today's chip implant technology we're already there.

Many years ago I asked my dad about a brand new satellite system that would aid our armed forces in navigation, getting advanced weather details, etc. The technology was so "sci-fi" like that it had the ability to take a picture of a person's license plate and reproduce it so others could read the numbers and letters on the plate. Being a teen at the time, who was interested in end time theology, I said, "Wow! Just imagine if those things were equipped with thermal scopes. There really wouldn't be any place left to hide." His reply to me was, "They already are equipped, it's just not been turned on."

People, the year 2036 is almost here. We have the chip implant technology, GPS satellites, and all these interesting groups that you'd expect; the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). Want to have some fun? Do a Google search on "World Organizations". We're closer to a "One State" government and its churchy counter part, "One Church" than you may wish to believe. People are manipulating DNA in search of the perfect human (Dr. Mengela would be so proud). Technology has taken us into the realm of nanotechnology, meaning the ability to build simple machines at or below the atomic level. In other words, you can't see them. Where will it all end? You have a Bible? The ending is written in there. It's amazing how the Apostle John could be so accurate, especially most of the things he talked about were hundreds of years from existing on any level.

Frank Creed isn't trying to tell us something we don't already know. He's trying to prepare us for a battle too many of us are willing to admit is already here. Way to go Frank.

Sold with the big boys at Amazon Books

Don't miss out on checking this site at Make Room for FLASHPOINT

Yellow 30 Sci-Fi's July Feature book and 2008 Pluto nominee
Feature Author, Frank Creed

You also may be interested in the Yellow30 Sci-Fi review
Their review of FLASPOINT

FLASHPOINT, by Frank Creed

Day 2 Monday

This month's tour at the Christian Fiction Review Blog is FLASHPOINT, by Frank Creed, a Biblical cyber-punk view of end times. Lots of action with unrealistic sequences that he makes you feel as though they are realistic. This is a keeper folks. If you don't go out and get a copy I'm gonna let Calamity Kid handle you. He's a “Sandman” in a “muscle cell” of the “Body of Christ” in Chicago. The year is 2036, and guess what? You were right. The politics have made things worse for believers. The muscle cells fight a battle against the One State Government. If you don't read this you have no one to blame but yourself. On a scale of 1 to 5 I give FLASHPOINT about a 7. - David Brollier

Sold with the big boys at Amazon Books

Don't miss out on checking this site at Make Room for FLASHPOINT

Yellow 30 Sci-Fi's July Feature book and 2008 Pluto nominee
Feature Author, Frank Creed

You also may be interested in the Yellow30 Sci-Fi review
Their review of FLASPOINT

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

The Ex Files

(Touchstone June 19, 2007)

by

Victoria Christopher Murray

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Victoria Christopher Murray always knew she would become an author, even as she was taking quite an unlikely path to that destination. A native of Queens, New York, Victoria first left New York to attend Hampton Institute in Virginia where she majored in Communication Disorders. After graduating from Hampton, Victoria attended New York University where she received her MBA.

Victoria spent ten years in Corporate America before she decided to test her entrepreneurial spirit. She opened a Financial Services Agency for Aegon, USA where she managed the number one division for nine consecutive years. However, Victoria never lost the dream to write and when the “bug” hit her again in 1997, she answered the call.

Victoria originally self published Temptation. “I wanted to write a book as entertaining and compelling as any of the books on the market, put God in the middle, and have the book still be a page-turner. I wasn’t writing to any particular genre – I didn’t even know Christian fiction existed. I just wanted to write about people I knew and characters I could relate to.”

In 2000, Time Warner published Temptation. Temptation made numerous best sellers list across the nation and remained on the Essence bestsellers list for nine consecutive months. In 2001, Temptation was nominated for an NAACP Image Award in Outstanding Literature.

Since Temptation, Victoria has written four other novels: JOY, Truth Be Told, Grown Folks Business, and A Sin and a Shame. All of her novels have continued to be Essence bestsellers; her last three each reaching #1. In addition, Victoria has received numerous awards including the Golden Pen Award for Best Inspirational Fiction and in 2006, she was awarded the Phyllis Wheatley Trailblazer Award for being the pioneer in African American Christian Fiction.


ABOUT THE BOOK:

The Ex Files:

A Novel About Four Women and Faith...

There are four ways a woman can handle heartbreak. She can fall apart, seek revenge, turn cold, or move on. The Ex Files is the story of these four women:

When Kendall Stewart finds her husband and her sister in bed together, she vows to never let anyone get that close again. But when she is faced with saving the life of the woman who destroyed hers, will she be able to forgive?

When an NBA superstar tells his mistress, Asia Ingrum, that he's decided to honor his marriage vows, her shock quickly gives way to revenge...but her decision may come back to haunt their five-year-old daughter.

Every night Vanessa Martin wonders why her husband committed suicide. Even worse, she contemplates joining him in eternity. Will Vanessa be able to gather the strength to live again?

Sheridan Hart is finally finding her way after a lie destroyed her seventeen-year marriage. Her new love is ready to get married, but will she commit to this younger man or is her ex-husband taking up too much space in her heart?

When their pastor asks Kendall, Asia, Vanessa, and Sheridan to meet weekly for prayer, they can't imagine they will have anything in common. But then a devastating tragedy strikes and these strangers are forced to reexamine their choices.

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

LIFE, LIBBY, AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS

(Harvest House Publishers March 1, 2007)

by

Hope Lyda

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Hope Lyda has always wanted to write. Ever since she was a young tyke with a spiral notebook in hand, she had the urge to fill it. Sadly, Peggy Meets the Midgets did not cause Hope to be deemed a child prodigy, so she continued her path of education. She was grade-obsessed but also truly enjoyed sharing laughs with her circle of creative friends.

Hope attended the University of Oregon and graduated with a double major in Journalism: Advertising and Telecommunications and Film. With aspirations to write screenplays or teleplays, she of course ended up doing public relations for non-profits until she entered the publishing field in which she has worked for 10 years.

Her passions are quiet ones—she loves a good read, an afternoon of free thinking time, writing, journaling, road trips, travel, and pondering life from her back yard pergola. She loiters in bookstores frequently, though has never been arrested for such. Her big hope is to encourage others to embrace their dreams and understand their faith journeys through the practice of journaling and the art of creative living. She hopes to also inspire such things through the themes in her fiction including Hip to Be Square and Altar Call. (There are also visions of a nice Casita with a hammock in Mexico—but one thing at a time.)

When not living in her head, she resides with her husband, Marc, in the Pacific Northwest.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Libby Hawthorne makes exotic trip itineraries but never leaves Seattle. She’d like to attend church but winds up at a bookstore. She longs for love—but who has the time? Delayed happiness has been worth it, because she’s about to get her dream promotion...

Or not.

So now what?

When a corporate merger leaves her demoted and disillusioned, Libby realizes she needs to start living authentically...and soon. But just as she tries to uncover her purposed life, her cruel and unusual boss, Cecilia, demands that Libby hide Seattle’s most famous homegrown rock star in order to keep her new, bad job. For the first time in years, Libby doesn’t have a step by step plan to guide her. She must trust her faith and her heart. But what is she supposed to do with her growing admiration for Blaine Slater, a new VP from Chicago, or the surprising kindness of the rock star living incognito in her Seattle apartment? Through the humorous twist and turns, Libby uncovers a big life truth—the detours we are afraid of might just be the perfect path to happiness.

p>

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Sushi for One?

(Zondervan, September 1, 2007)

by

CAMY TANG

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Camy Tang is a member of CFBA and is a loud Asian chick who writes loud Asian chick-lit. She grew up in Hawaii, but now lives in San Jose, California, with her engineer husband and rambunctious poi-dog. In a previous life she was a biologist researcher, but these days she is surgically attached to her computer, writing full-time. In her spare time, she is a staff worker for her church youth group, and she leads one of the worship teams for Sunday service.

Sushi for One? (Sushi Series, Book One is her first novel. Her second, Only Uni (Sushi Series, Book Two) comes out in February 2008!

To celebrate the launch of her debut novel, she's got a huge contest going on. Camy is giving away baskets of Christian novels and an iPod Nano! Only her newsletter YahooGroup subscribers are eligible to enter, so join today.

For more information about the contest, visit her website.

Contest ends October 31, 2007!

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Lex Sakai’s family, big, nosy, and marriage-minded, is ruled by a crafty grandmother. When her cousin Mariko gets married, Lex will become the OLDEST SINGLE COUSIN in the clan, a loathed position by all single female family members.

Lex has not dated for years.

Grandma homes in on this fact and demands, bribes, and threatens Lex to bring a boyfriend (not just a date) to her cousin’s wedding.

Lex does not want to date ... not since that terrible incident a few years back ... but, Grandma doesn't give her that choice.

Lex's options are slim because she has used her Bible study class on Ephesians to compile a huge list of traits for the PERFECT man (and the more she dates, the more she adds to the list).

The one man she keeps running into (and is completely attracted to) doesn’t seem to have a single quality on her list. It’s only when the always-in-control Lex loses control and lets God take over that all the pieces of this hilarious romance finally fall into place.

HIGH STREET, by Jack Stinson

This week over at the Christian Fiction Review Blog, they’re spotlighting Jack Stinson’s book HIGH STREET. (Hint: You can get to CFRB by clicking on the book title above this post) This highly emotional, introspective and realistically dark tale of a young man whose life was altered after leaving home for college and entertaining himself on High Street., is powerful. There are some great posts by the other CFRB members, so be sure to visit the CFRB main site and follow the links in the CFRB blogroll to these other posts. Be prepared for a story that reaches around your comfort zone and hits you smack in that soft core of your heart, as Stinson almost forces you to feel what Jamie Boyer feels.

Featured at Infinity Publishing

as well asBarnes and Noble

And of course
href=“"http://www.amazon.com/High-Street-Jack-Stinson/dp/0741426064”";>Amazon

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

THE DEAD WHISPER ON

(Bethany House July 1, 2007)

by

T. L. Hines

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tony is the author of the acclaimed Waking Lazarus. He has been an advertising agency owner/principal, a trade amgazine editor, and now a novelist.

He has been a professional writer for more than 15 years with articles appearing in publications as varied as Log Homes, Conservative Theological Journal, and Travel & Leisure. He is also Creative Director at Montana's largest advertising agency.

His long list of past odd jobs includes trimming Christmas trees, sorting seed potatoes, working the graveyard shift at a convenience store, and cleaning cadaver storage rooms.

As a teen he was undefeated in air guitar competitions in which he performed songs by ZZ Top.

He lives in Montana with his wife and daughter,



ABOUT THE BOOK:

Would You Run Into A Burning Building?

Candace "Canada Mac" MacHugh lives a ghost of her former life.

Once a proud Butte, Montana, miner who daily risked her life setting explosives, she's now a garbage collector in her dying hometown.

Her beloves father is dead and she doesn't speak to her mom. More than anything, Candace Mac misses her father. He promised to contact her from the "other side" if he could...but it's been eleven long years. And now even her beloved city of Butte, Montana, seems to be dying off.

Candace Mac is alone. Longing for the past. Dreaming of making a difference.

Until one night when her father's voice speaks to her from the shadows. Bud MacHugh's trademark growl. The dead, it seems, have messages they hunger to share with the world...warnings of impending disasters and grave danger. Of cities doomed to burn.

But they need Canada's help.

T.L. Hines' first novel, Waking Lazarus was named one of the Library Journal's Top 25 Genre novels of 2006. Now he's back with a gripping suspense that brings to light our fears and asks us if we still have the courage to fight for those around us. if we have the guts to be one of those who run into burning buildings.

"Chilling!" Publishers Weekly

"...a well-paced suspense populated by dynamic characters." Kirkus Discoveries

Get ready for HIGH STREET

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

THE VOID

(Multnomah Fiction August 21, 2007)

by

Mark Mynheir

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Mark Mynheir is a cop writer. He has authored Rolling Thunder (The Truth Chasers Book One) and From the Belly of the Dragon (The Truth Chasers Book Two).

During his career as a police officer, Mark has worked as a narcotics agent, a S.W.A.T. team member, and a homicide detective. Mark and his wife, Lori, live with their three children in central Florida.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

The Truth Chasers Book Three

Someone’s trying to play God…and he’s turning Palm Bay into hell.

Florida Department of Law Enforcement Agent Robbie Sanchez devotes her life to crime prevention, and it shows: She has no personal life and doesn’t know the meaning of a day off. After all, someone has to be around to clean up the mess crime leaves behind.

So when Officer Brad Worthington is brutally murdered, Agent Sanchez is called to the scene along with Brad’s best friend, Detective Eric Casey. The two turn to Lifetex, the genetics lab near the scene, hoping their elaborate security system might have captured the crime outside.

But what’s going on inside the lab is far worse: a renegade scientist is cloning humans! As Robbie and Eric pursue clues–and a growing attraction–they are caught in a deadly battle as the clones begin to act on their own volition…but this battle threatens to claim more than human life; the clones are vying for human souls.

The Void is nothing short of a page-turner. Mynheir is truly hitting his stride as one of our industry's most notable Christian novelists. This latest book has it all: suspense, humor, intrigue, realistic police action, and one thought-provoking story line.

Creston Mapes
Author of Nobody

Mark can be reached through the Contact link on his Website