CFBA tour Surrender the Heart by M. L. Tyndall with giveaway

This week, the


Christian Fiction Blog Alliance


is introducing




Surrender the Heart Barbour Publishing (August 1, 2010)


by M. L. Tyndall





ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

M. L. (MaryLu) Tyndall grew up on the beaches of South Florida loving the sea and the warm tropics. But despite the beauty around her, she always felt an ache in her soul--a longing for something more.



After college, she married and moved to California where she had two children and settled into a job at a local computer company. Although she had done everything the world expected, she was still miserable. She hated her job and her marriage was falling apart.



Still searching for purpose, adventure and true love, she spent her late twenties and early thirties doing all the things the world told her would make her happy, and after years, her children suffered, her second marriage suffered, and she was still miserable.



One day, she picked up her old Bible, dusted it off, and began to read. Somewhere in the middle, God opened her hardened heart to see that He was real, that He still loved her, and that He had a purpose for her life, if she'd only give her heart to Him completely.



She had written stories her whole life, but never had the confidence to try and get any of them published. But as God began to change her heart, He also showed her that writing had been His wonderful plan for her all along!





ABOUT THE BOOK

For the sake of her ailing mother, Marianne Denton becomes engaged to Noah Brennin---a merchantman she despises. But as the War of 1812 escalates, Jonah's ship is captured by the British, and the ill-matched couple learns vital information that could aid America's cause.



Relive the rich history of the War of 1812 through the eyes of Marianne Denton and Noah Brenin, who both long to please their families but neither one wishes to marry the other. Noah is determined to get his cargo to England before war breaks out, and Marianne is equally determined to have a wedding so that her inheritance can be unlocked and her destitute family saved. When their stubborn games get them captured by a British warship, can they escape and bring liberty to their country—and growing love?



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

My Review:
I enjoyed this book. I didn't know anything about the 1812 war so was interested in what I learnt. Also how the british navy works was an education. I loved the interaction between Marianne and Noah and the other characters. When they find themselves on the British warship we are introduced to other interesting characters who become very important to this story. I love how Mary Lu weaved this story in the style we have come to expect from her and introduced us to this time of history. Its is a great start to another great series cant wait to  the next book is out.

Give away. Thanks to MaryLu I was sent a second copy of this book which I am giving away to an Australian address. If you would like to enter for a copy of this great book leave a comment by 6pm Monday Sept 6 and a way to contact you.

Getting to know you Thursdays with Melanie Dobson

Today I have Melanie Dobson on my blog. I read Love finds you in Homestead Ohio and just loved the story and wanted to have Melanie on my blog. I have just spent time at her website and reading her adoption story is was really moving. Thanks for visiting Melanie.

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I’m blessed to be the mom of two busy girls. We live in the Pacific Northwest and enjoy spending our summers visiting playgrounds and hiking in the mountains. When the girls are in school, I love creating new characters and enjoy putting their stories on paper.

2. When you were a child did you have a favourite book or books?

One of my favorite first books was “Emily of New Moon.” Emily loved to write, and I wanted to be just like her.

3. Do you have a favourite Genre to both read and right write?

I love to read about everything except science fiction, but my favorite genres to write are historical romance and suspense. My latest novel, Refuge on Crescent Hill, is more of a mystery, and I enjoyed writing that as well.

4. When did you know you wanted to be an author?

I’ve been compelled to write ever since I began jotting down my thoughts into a bright red diary while I was in second grade. During middle school, my fascination with Nancy Drew pushed me to start a number of “mysteries,” but I discovered early in life that endings are hard to write so I never finished these stories.

After college, I pursued a career in public relations and journalism instead of fiction writing. I always thought I would start writing stories again when I was “older,” but it wasn’t until a few months before my thirtieth birthday that I realized I was indeed older. God renewed my passion for fiction, and a decade after the big 3-0, I’m still writing novels.

5. If you were not a writer what would you like to be?

I always wanted to be an archeologist when I was a child, but I liked the mysteries of the past more than the science of it. If I weren’t a writer today, I would probably be a librarian or work in the travel industry.

6. Outside reading and writing what do you like to do?

I enjoy hiking, kayaking, and exploring deserted houses, ghost towns, and old cemeteries.

7. Do you have a place you love to visit or would love to visit?

In 2003 my husband and I spent four weeks backpacking across Europe, and we loved every place we visited. I would love to go back and spend more time in Austria and Switzerland.

Finally can you tell us about your current books and/or any that will

be coming out soon. Also where we can find you on the web.

My last novel, Refuge on Crescent Hill, released in May. This is a contemporary romantic suspense set in a dilapidated Ohio mansion—a mansion hiding a number of both past and present secrets. The Silent Order, my next romantic suspense novel, releases in the fall. This story is about a Cleveland detective hiding out in Ohio’s Amish country during the late 1920s and an Amish woman who can’t let him find out about her past. More information about these novels is at www.melaniedobson.com.

CFBA tour Masquerade by Nancy Moser

This week, the


Christian Fiction Blog Alliance


is introducing


Masquerade Bethany House (August 1, 2010) by


Nancy Moser





ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Nancy Moser is the award-winning author of over twenty inspirational novels. Her genres include contemporary stories including John 3:16 and Time Lottery, and historical novels of real women-of-history including Just Jane(Jane Austen) and Washington's Lady (Martha Washington). Her newest historical novel is Masquerade. Nancy and her husband Mark live in the Midwest. She’s earned a degree in architecture, traveled extensively in Europe, and has performed in numerous theaters, symphonies, and choirs. She gives Sister Circle Seminars around the country, helping women identify their gifts as they celebrate their sisterhood. She is a fan of anything antique—humans included. Find out more at

www.nancymoser.com and www.sistercircles.com.





ABOUT THE BOOK

They risk it all for adventure and romance, but find that love only flourishes in truth...

1886, New York City: Charlotte Gleason, a rich heiress from England, escapes a family crisis by traveling to America in order to marry the even wealthier Conrad Tremaine.



She soon decides that an arranged marriage is not for her and persuades her maid, Dora, to take her place. She wants a chance at "real life," even if it means giving up financial security. For Charlotte, it's a risk she's willing to take. What begins as the whim of a spoiled rich girl wanting adventure becomes a test of survival amid poverty beyond Charlotte's blackest nightmares.



As for Dora, it's the chance of a lifetime. She lives a fairy tale complete with gowns, jewels, and lavish mansions--yet is tormented by guilt from the possibility of discovery and the presence of another love that will not die. Is this what her heart truly longs for?



Will their masquerade be discovered? Will one of them have second thoughts? There is no guarantee the switch will work. It's a risk. It's the chance of a lifetime.



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



View the book trailer:

Monsters Inside Me special content.

Monsters Inside Me Episode #210 Wednesday, August 25 10:00-11:00 PM eastern

Monster Inside My Daughter “I feel a pulse,” one of the medics said.   The paramedics worked feverishly on Manisha to make sure she was still alive. My beautiful seven-year-old daughter from Nepal lay on the floor unconscious at the O’Connell Center of the University of Florida.        “Has she ever had a seizure?” another one asked.   “No, no,” I said in bewilderment. Manisha rolled over and vomited.   One emotion consumed me: Fear. The enormity of single parenting hit me like lightening. I cried out, “Where are you, God? I feel so alone.”   After hooking up stabilizing IV’s, Manisha was whisked off in an ambulance to Shands Teaching Hospital. I found a pay phone and called my mother. Her first comment was, “Do you know what day this is?”   I remembered—September 19. Four years to the day and almost to the hour, my father had died of a brain tumor. It was about 5:00 p.m. My shattered world continued to close in on me. A short time later my worst fears were confirmed.   “There is something on the CAT scan. We have a called a neurologist,” I heard the nurse say.   “No, no, no,” every cell in my body cried out. “God, you can’t let this happen. Not again!”   But God was silent. The next nine days of hospitalization were filled with tests—MRI, gallium scan, spinal tap, TB test, HIV test, numerous blood draws, and too many questions and not enough answers by doctors doing their daily rounds with medical students in tow. Manisha had what in medical parlance is called a “zebra.”    As the days passed in the hospital, I asked God for two things that humanly speaking seemed impossible. I prayed first that the doctors would not have to do surgery. I couldn’t bear the thought of seeing Manisha’s beautiful thick, curly black hair shaved off. The ugly scars of surgery still lingered in my mind from my dad’s brain surgery. And I prayed that whatever was in Manisha’s head would not be cancerous. I had asked God to heal my father of a brain tumor and he died. Could I trust God for Manisha’s healing?   It was critical that the doctors make the correct diagnosis. The wrong treatment could kill her. Did she have a malignant brain tumor or a worm insider her head? Manisha had been adopted by me from Nepal at the age of three—old enough to be exposed to the extreme poverty of Nepal and lack of clean drinking water. Over fifty-seven percent of the water in Nepal is considered unsatisfactory for human consumption, contaminated with feces.   It was Neurocysticercosis—the most common parasitic infection of the nervous system. The larvae can travel anywhere in the body—the muscles, brain, eye, and other structures. The condition is still relatively rare in this country, but increasingly is appearing on the radar as part of the differential diagnosis for seizures.   Thankfully, twelve years later, Manisha is a well-adjusted 19-year-old just finishing high school and taking college classes.           Why did God allow this nightmare to happen? I don’t know why God allows the hard things in our lives, but I do know God never wastes anything. I hope writing about neurocysticercosis today will bring awareness to this very preventable disease. International adoptive parents and travelers to the developing world should seek appropriate medical care upon returning to the U.S. if they have been exposed to poor sanitary conditions or contaminated water.      In spite of the trials of single parenting, the years following that dreadful day of September 19, 1994, have been filled with life and joy. Manisha soon will be leaving home to make her own way in the world and I reflect on her middle name Hope—with God, there is always hope, and for that I am thankful.           For more on Manisha’s story, be sure to watch Animal Planet’s “Monsters Inside Me” on August 25, 10-11pm EST. Her story is also published in Children of Dreams, available at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and your local bookstores.

Lorilyn Roberts author & adoptive mom Lorilyn Roberts graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Alabama and is currently working on her Master of Arts in Creative Writing from Perelandra College. As a Certified Court Reporter, Lorilyn has made contributions to the National Court Reporters Association Journal. She provides real-time broadcast captioning for television. Lorilyn’s first book, The Donkey and the King, is a beautifully illustrated children's book. She also co-leads Word Weavers in Gainesville, FL. When not writing, taking graduate classes, or closed captioning for television/web, Lorilyn homeschools her younger daughter, Joy.

Lorilyn is offering a drawing for a free copy of Children of Dreams on her website and blog. The drawing will be on September 1, 2010. Go to the website for details. Website address: http://www.lorilynroberts.com/blog.html Blog address: http://lorilynroberts.blogspot.com/

Winner of The Fence my father Built

Congrats to Deborah M on winning this book Please contact me within a week to claim your prize.

CFBA Tour The Crimson Cipher by Susan Page Davis

This week, the


Christian Fiction Blog Alliance


is introducing


The Crimson CipherSummerside Press (July 1, 2010)


bySusan Page Davis



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:





From Susan: I've always loved reading, history, and horses. These things come together in several of my historical books. My young adult novel, Sarah's Long Ride, also spotlights horses and the rugged sport of endurance riding, as does the contemporary romance Trail to Justice. I took a vocational course in horseshoeing after earning a bachelor's degree in history. I don't shoe horses anymore, but the experience has come in handy in writing my books.



Another longtime hobby of mine is genealogy, which has led me down many fascinating paths. I'm proud to be a DAR member! Some of Jim's and my quirkier ancestors have inspired fictional characters.



For many years I worked for the Central Maine Morning Sentinel as a freelancer, covering local government, school board meetings, business news, fires, auto accidents, and other local events, including a murder trial. I've also written many profiles and features for the newspaper and its special sections. This experience was a great help in developing fictional characters and writing realistic scenes. I also published nonfiction articles in several magazines and had several short stories appear in Woman's World, Grit, and Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine.



My husband, Jim, and I moved to his birth state, Oregon, for a while after we were married, but decided to move back to Maine and be near my family. We're so glad we did. It allowed our six children to grow up feeling close to their cousins and grandparents, and some of Jim's family have even moved to Maine!



Our children are all home-schooled. The two youngest are still learning at home. Jim recently retired from his vocation as an editor at a daily newspaper, and we’ve moved from Maine to Kentucky.





ABOUT THE BOOK

IT'S 1915, AND EMMA SHUSTER HAS FAR TOO MUCH ON HER MIND TO ENTERTAIN NOTIONS OF ROMANCE...

A female Navy cryptographer seeks to save lives...and uncover her father’s killers.



In 1915, German sympathizers escalated acts of sabotage in the United States to keep the nation from joining in the war. With enemies lurking at every turn, whom can Emma trust? Is romance the true motive behind her tow suitors advances? Or could one-or both of them-have traitorous intentions in mind?



Following the mysterious murder of Emma Shuster’s father, Lt. John Patterson invites Emma to become a Navy cryptographer because of the expertise she gained in helping her father develop a cipher system.



Emma races to discover the nefarious plans of her country's foes and unmask their leader before others are killed. She finds new strength in her faith as she strives to outwit her adversary, known only as Kobold - German for goblin.



And yet, her greatest challenge may be deciphering the cryptic messages her heart sends whenever she encounters a certain navy lieutenant... Can Emma and John find love in the midst of turmoil as America plunges toward war?



If you would like to read the first chapter of The Crimson Cipher, go HERE.

I am still waiting for this book not sure when it will arrive but when it does I will put up a review as I really want to read this book.

Getting to Know you Thursdays with Bruce Judisch

Today we welcome Bruce Judisch to my blog. I meet him on one of the book forums for historical fiction readers and am happy to have him on my blog and get to know him more.

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

            I was born and raised in Canton, Ohio. I enlisted in the US Air Force in 1971 and retired in 1993. I now live in San Antonio, Texas as a transplanted Yankee. I married my high-school sweetheart, Jeannie, 38 years ago, and refuse to end the honeymoon. We have 3 children and 13 grandchildren. The names of all my grandchildren appear in my latest novel.

2. When you were a child did you have a favourite book or books?

            My favorite books as a child were “The Hardy Boys” series by FW Dixon—those and, of course, the usual assortment of comic books and Mad magazines no balanced child is without.

3. Do you have a favourite Genre to both read and right write?

            I love historical fiction, but I read and review other genres of Christian fiction as well on my blog, “It Is To Write.” Novels should teach as well as entertain. Historical novels provide a wonderful opportunity to do that.

4. Did you have favourite authors growing up who have influenced you?

            My interest in writing came late in life, at age 48, so the authors who have influenced me are not from my childhood. Current authors who have been an inspiration include Liz Curtis Higgs, Sibella Giorello, and Rene Gutteridge—mostly for their writing voices, styles and ability to develop and tell a great story.

5. When did you know you wanted to be an author?

            I didn’t know I wanted to be an author until I started writing. In fact, I still have a hard time thinking of myself as an author, because, in my mind, authors know what they’re doing. I think of myself more as a writer. It’s like the difference between being a student and being a scholar.

6. How did you go about becoming an author?

            I developed and teach a course through the Minor Prophets of the Old Testament. When I was researching Jonah ben Amittai, it struck me how unique he was, yet how little we knew about him, his motivation and his story as related in Scripture. I made the comment to my class, “If I were ever to write a novel, it would be about Jonah.” I had no intention of writing a novel; however, my wife, who was sitting in the class, elbowed me later that day and said, “Well...?” So I started punching keys on my laptop on an airplane returning from a business trip in the summer of 2002 on what became the prologue to Ben Amittai: First Call. Over the ensuing eight years, Ben Amittai became the prequel to a two-part series on Jonah, “A Prophet’s Tale.” Part 1, The Journey Begun, was released in 2009 by OakTara Publishing, and Part 2, The Word Fulfilled, came out this year.

7. If you were not a writer what would you like to be?

            I’m not a fulltime writer, so I’m already other things that I’d like to be. Life is good; I have no overriding ambition to be anything other than what I am: Christian, husband, father, grandfather and general nuisance to my co-workers. (Jenny here I have the general nuisance down pat!)

8. Outside reading and writing what do you like to do?

            I love to teach, camp in the rough, and play the guitar—mostly 12-string. Answering interview questions is also a hoot.

9. Do you have a place you love to visit or would love to visit?

            I lived in England, Germany and Greece during my military career. There is much more of Europe I would still like to see. Australia is also on the list, so I may drop in on you, Jenny. (Jenny here not a problem I see you like to camp rough! there isn't a spare room as such here but we would always find room for friends)

10. If you could have a meal with 3 living people who would you choose and why?

            Jesus Christ. It would be neat to say “thank you” across the table instead of saying grace before the meal. There would be no end to the conversation. And yes, I consider Him a living person. If He were not, I would have no desire for this meal.

            You. That would mean I’ve made it to Australia (see previous question). (that would be cool)

            Ramona Tucker, my editor. I owe her a Starbucks and I hate being in debt.

Finally can you tell us about your current books and/or any that will be coming out soon. Also where we can find you on the web.

            I’ve described “A Prophet’s Tale” above. My next novel, due out this fall, is entitled Katia and it’s based upon a scene I witnessed on 10 November 1989 in Berlin, Germany, at the fall of the Berlin Wall. If I may, I’ll insert a brief synopsis:

Spunky Madeline “Maddy” McAllister is a twenty-one year-old journalism major completing her year as an exchange student at the Freie Universtität, in Berlin, Germany. She has a career to launch.

Stalwart Katia Mahler is a sixty year-old German invalid who grew up in post-World War II East Berlin. She has a story to tell.

Enigmatic Oskar Schultmann brings together the journalist and the storyteller. Maddy’s task: to chronicle Katia Mahler’s life.

All three of them discover more to Katia’s story than they bargained for.

Cultures and generations clash, as the young American and the German matron strive to understand each other’s present and past. Maddy learns more than a personal history; Katia receives more than a memoir. And always in the background is Oskar, who gets drawn into the story in ways he never intended.

Peek behind the Iron Curtain and over the Berlin Wall as Katia’s story—the story of a lost generation from a failed state—comes to life through the scribbled notes of a girl struggling to grasp the significance of what she has written for her own life as well as for future generations.

            Information on “A Prophet’s Tale” and Katia is on my Web site at www.brucejudisch.com. I also review Christian fiction as well as provide updates on my writing via my blog at www.brucejudisch.blogspot.com.

CFBA Malacca Conspiracy by Don Brown

This week, the


Christian Fiction Blog Alliance


is introducing


Malacca ConspiracyZondervan (June 4, 2010)


byDon Brown





ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

DON BROWN, a former U.S. Navy JAG Officer, is the author of Zondervan’s riveting NAVY JUSTICE SERIES. a dynamic storyline chronicling the life and adventures of JAG officer ZACK BREWER. In 2003, Don began writing Treason, his first novel in the NAVY JUSTICE SERIES.



Paying no homage to political correctness, DON BROWN’S writing style is described as “gripping,” casting an entertaining and educational spin on a wide-range of current issues, from radical Islamic infiltration of the military, to the explosive issue of gays in the military, to the modern day issues of presidential politics in the early 21st Century.



In November of 2009, four years after it was released, and in the wake of Fort Hood, TREASON rocketed to the top-selling in the nation on the Amazon.com bestseller list for fiction, and remained there for over a week. On Thanksgiving Day of 2009, all four of Don’s novels were ranked in the top 5 on the Amazon bestseller list for fiction!



DON BROWN graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1982, and after finishing law school, continued his post-graduate studies through the Naval War College, earning the Navy’s nonresident certificate in International Law.



During his five years on active duty in the Navy, Don served in the Pentagon, was published in the Naval Law Review, and was also a recipient of the Navy Achievement Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal.



ABOUT THE BOOK

A rogue Indonesian general and his army of terrorists attack oil tankers in the Strait of Malacca in order to profit from oil futures and buy nuclear weapons to establish an Islamic superpower.



Navy JAG officers Zack Brewer and Diane Colcernian race against the odds and a 24-hour deadline before nuclear attacks hit the United States. Departing from the sea of books barely better than soap opera romance and using the frantic pacing of suspense fiction, Brown glides flawlessly among global hotspots of terrorism--including the United States--and the book's principal settings in Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia.



The President of the United States orders ships of the U.S. Seventh Fleet towards the Malacca Straits to reassert control over the sea lanes, but with time quickly ticking away, will they arrive in time for Zack and Diane to survive this dangerous and final high-stakes drama of life and death?

Sign up for the contest above! And if you would like to read the first chapter of Malacca Conspiracy, go HERE.

Getting to know you Thursday with Linda S Clare with giveaway

Today I welcome Linda S Clare to my blog today. Its been good getting to know Linda. I read her first book last year when it came out and found it a very good read. Thanks Linda for being on my blog today.

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I grew up in the Arizona desert, mainly in the Phoenix area. I thought of myself as a tomboy, and my dear grandmother would complete that look every year with an ultra-short “pixie” haircut, which I hated. I was adopted by a stepfather when I was around five, but from a very young age I longed to reconnect with my biological father.

2. When you were a child did you have a favourite book or books?

My granddad was the superintendent of a Phoenix-area school district, and I frequently got to hang around the district office and library. I brought home a book from the discard box called The Ant Men by Jay North. It’s set in Australia and is science fiction about some scientists who get lost in the Outback, and their encounters with a race of giant ants and their enemies, the Praying Mantises, as tall as skyscrapers. I loved the story but couldn’t understand why the book was discarded until I reached the final chapter—it was missing! I read and reread that book, making up new endings every time. My family teased me about it, but it was great writer training. I still have that book! (Jenny here, I don’t know the Ant Men but it sounds really cool and I love how you made up endings.)

3. Do you have a favourite Genre to both read and right write?

I love mainstream and literary fiction and women’s fiction. It follows that so far, I write women’s fiction. I never thought I’d be an inspirational fiction writer, but God wouldn’t take no for an answer.

4. Did you have favourite authors growing up who have influenced you?

Besides that Australian author, I grew up wondering what England was like, loving Lewis Carroll, C.S. Lewis. I also loved the Oz books by L. Frank Baum. I read every sci-fi book I could, especially Robert Heinlein. Others who’ve influenced me: Madeleine L’Engle, Barbara Kingsolver, Jodi Picoult and Elizabeth Berg. (Jenny I have to say I love sci-fi but haven’t read a lot of it yet)

5. When did you know you wanted to be an author?

When I was about 10 years old, I wanted to become a mystery author, like Carolyn Keene, Nancy Drew’s creator. Maybe so I could solve the mystery of my other dad, who disappeared out of my life after my adoption. In between ten and adulthood, I majored in Art, taught Art in public schools and raised four kids, including a set of twins. I had to wait a long time to pursue my writing dreams.

6. How did you go about becoming an author?

I began by reading a lot. I wrote during my kids’ naptimes, took pen & pad to the pool and the playground, attended a couple of writing conferences in Oregon, where my husband and I settled. I wrote a lot of poetry, had a few published. Then got a boatload of rejections. I learned so much from those rejections—what not to do, how not to write. After a good long while the rejections began to have handwritten notes on them. “Keep trying!” “Nice, but not for us, send more.” I joined a wonderful critique group. And I wrote and wrote and wrote.

7. If you were not a writer what would you like to be?

A famous movie star would be nice. Or perhaps a painter, a dancer or a singer. But I’m really a writer at heart.

8. Outside reading and writing what do you like to do?

I do a lot of teaching of writing, which I enjoy. Also, I love gardening. Oregon is an awesome green place that is rainy but wonderful. In the rainy cold winter, I stay in and write, when the sun comes out (this year it was July!) everyone rushes to get their flowers and veggies in. I love to walk the beach too, and play with my little grand-doggy, a teacup Chihuahua named Bella. And my five cats threaten to spread vicious lies about me if I don’t mention them too: Oliver, Xena Warrior Kitty, Paladine, Melchior and Mamma Mia! (Jenny again love the cats names and I have heard this about cats)

9. Do you have a place you love to visit or would love to visit?

Well Australia would be great! I’d love to go to the Great Barrier Reef and all the wonderful places in Australia—maybe find out about those giant Mantises.  Also, I’ve always wanted to visit the UK, especially Ireland—my birthday’s on St. Patty’s and I’m in fact a good bit Irish (with Cherokee thrown in). (Jenny again, You would love Australia it’s a vast country and you may find the giant Mantises)

10. If you could have a meal with 3 living people who would you choose and why? I seem to remember someone asking me this before. I don’t remember what I said, so for now I’ll choose: Tom Petty, cuz I love his music, Michelle Obama, because I admire her poise and fashion sense and my editor at Abingdon Press, Barbara Scott, because we have yet to meet and she’s brilliant.

Finally can you tell us about your current books and/or any that will
be coming out soon. Also where we can find you on the web.

My debut novel, The Fence My Father Built, was published by Abingdon Press in 2009. It’s been an amazing experience, a little different than my three previous nonfiction books. My latest project is an historical novel set in the 1880s territory of Idaho called (for now) From Where the Sun Now Stands. Dinah Clark is sent by her parents, as a way to break up her relationship with an unsuitable suitor, to the far-flung Presbyterian Mission to the Nez Perce Indians in Lapwai, Idaho, where she works beside real life missionary sisters Kate and Sue McBeth. Dinah must decide if falling in love with Desmond Pond, a Christian Nez Perce man, can ever be acceptable to her culture. Will she risk everything or bend to the social mores of the day?

My blog! I blog about writing tips several times per week at Linda Clare’s Writer’s Tips (http://godsonggrace.blogspot.com/) or @Lindasclare on Twitter. You can also join my Group, Linda Clare’s Teachings and Books on Facebook, or drop me an email @ Lindas352@comcast.net. I’d love to hear from you.

Giveaway
Linda is giving one of my readers a copy of her book The Fence my Father Built. For a chance to win this book please leave a comment and a way to contact you by Saturday 21st 6pm Aussie time.

CFBA Tour The Gather Storm by Bodie and Brock Thoene

This week, the


Christian Fiction Blog Alliance


is introducing


The Gathering StormSummerside Press (August 1, 2010)


byBodie and Brock Thoene





ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Bodie and Brock Thoene (pronounced Tay-nee) have written over 50 works of historical fiction. Over twenty million of these best-selling novels are in print. Eight ECPA Gold Medallion Awards affirms what millions of readers have already discovered—the Thoenes are not only master stylists but experts at capturing readers’ minds and hearts.



Bodie began her writing career as a teen journalist for her local newspaper. Eventually her byline appeared in prestigious periodicals such as U.S. News and World Report, The American West, and The Saturday Evening Post. She also worked for John Wayne’s Batjac Productions (she’s best known as author of The Fall Guy) and ABC Circle Films as a writer and researcher. John Wayne described her as “a writer with talent that captures the people and the times!” She has degrees in journalism and communications.



Brock has often been described by Bodie as “an essential half of this writing team.” With degrees in both history and education, Brock has, in his role as researcher and story-line consultant, added the vital dimension of historical accuracy. Due to such careful research, The Zion Covenant and The Zion Chronicles series are recognized by the American Library Association, as well as Zionist libraries around the world, as classic historical novels and are used to teach history in college classrooms.



Bodie and Brock have four grown children—Rachel, Jake, Luke, and Ellie—and seven grandchildren. Their sons, Jake and Luke, are carrying on the Thoene family talent as the next generation of writers, and Luke produces the Thoene audiobooks.



Bodie and Brock divide their time between London and Nevada.





ABOUT THE BOOK

As Nazi forces tighten the noose, Loralei Kepler, daughter of a German resistance leader, must flee her beloved Germany. But is any place safe from Adolf Hitler's evil grasp? Loralei's harrowing flight leads her into the arms of needy child refugees, who have sacrificed everything in exchange for their lives, and toward a mysterious figure, who closely guards an age-old secret.



Explore the romance, the passion, and the danger of the most anticipated series of the last twenty years.



Born from the highly acclaimed and best-loved novels of three generations of readers -- The Zion Covenant series and The Zion Chronicles series -- Zion Diaries ventures into the lives of the inspiring and intriguing characters who loved intensely, stood up for what was right, and fought boldly during Hitler's rise to power and the dark days of World War II.



If you would like to read the first chapter of The Gathering Storm, go HERE

CFBA Tour Fatal Loyalty by Sue Duffy

This week, the


Christian Fiction Blog Alliance


is introducing


Fatal Loyalty Kregel Publications (April 23, 2010)


by


Sue Duffy





ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sue Duffy is an award-winning writer whose work has appeared in Moody magazine, The Presbyterian Journal, Sunday Digest, and The Christian Reader. Her first novel Mortal Wounds was published in 2001 and she has also contributed to Stories for a Woman’s Heart (Multnomah). She and her husband, Mike, have three grown children. Find out more at www.sueduffybooks.com



ABOUT THE BOOK

Where do you run when you know you cannot hide?



Andie Ryborg has nowhere else to go. Her father's campaign for governor and his aggressive war on drugs has chased her from their family home. Drawn to Miami's exotic Coconut Grove, Andie hopes to find a quiet refuge where she can discover herself apart from the public eye. But even in that seclusion, even with an officer assigned to protect her, Andie's privacy has been violated. Someone is watching



Evan Markham's entire life has been a tug-of-war between what is and what could be. He is drawn to a life that is beyond his reach and emotions have clouded his judgment. Evan knows that earning someone's trust isn't easy, especially when he plans to break it. But in the secret corridors of the criminal underworld, he knows what must be done, and he is determined to see it through. Whatever the cost



When enemies close in, a sudden turn of events leaves them both questioning. Where is God in all of this? Who is this enigmatic stranger who offers to help? They both know their lives are in danger. But what about their hearts?



If you would like to read the Prologue of Fatal Loyalty, go HERE.

Getting to know you Thursday with Deborah Vogts

Please welcome to my blog today Deborah Vogts. I have enjoyed getting to know Debbie since I met her on shoutlife last year. Have loved both her books. They have a real country feel and are good reads. Thanks for stopping by today.

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself? - My husband and I have three daughters and make our home in Southeast Kansas. As a student at Emporia State University studying English and journalism, I developed a love for the Flint Hills that has never faded. In writing the Seasons of the Tallgrass series, I hope to share my passion for one of the last tallgrass prairie regions in the world, showing that God’s great beauty rests on the prairie and in the hearts of those who live there.


2. When you were a child did you have a favourite book or books? – I enjoyed reading the Little House on the Prairie series, as well as Pippy Longstocking and Margaret Henry books. There were many more but those are the ones that stand out to me. (Jenny here I loved the Little house books and loved Pippi Longstocking.)

3. Do you have a favourite Genre to both read and right write? - I love historical fiction and always try to include in my book research various historical aspects about my setting. I especially enjoy reading journals or nonfiction books about ranching and the Flint Hills. Writing a historical novel may well be something I try to tackle one day.


4. Did you have favourite authors growing up who have influenced you? – Though I didn’t know about either of these authors until later in life, Janette Oke is an all-time favorite, as is Jan Karon. I’m hoping to meet Mrs. Oke at the ACFW conference this next September in Indianapolis.  (Jenny again it was Janette Oke's Canadian West series that got me back into reading)


5. When did you know you wanted to be an author? - Ever since I was in high school. I began writing my Great American Novel as a junior—Splendor of the Sun. That earned me an A++ in Senior English. I studied English and journalism in college, but it wasn’t until 2002 that I began taking serious steps to be published.

6. How did you go about becoming an author? - There came a time in my life when I felt God prodding me to do more with my writing or risk having the talent taken from me. At that point, I joined a local writer’s group and ACFW, (an online writing organization). I also joined a critique group, started reading writing how-to’s and attended writing conferences. I met my first agent at the ACFW Nashville Conference in 2005. We hit it off at our meeting, and she gave me some tips on making my book series “bigger.” I did that and submitted my idea to her and she took me on. We shopped my Seasons of the Tallgrass series for a year and had a few bites (one of them Zondervan) but no sale. In the end, she released me, which was a real heart breaker. However, we don’t always see the big picture like God does, and six months later I signed with agent, Rachelle Gardner with WordServe Literary, and we had an offer from Zondervan three months after that in May 2008.

7. If you were not a writer what would you like to be? - I’d do more work at home. More gardening and canning. More baking and sewing. More music involvement at our church. And I’d do more quilting and scrapbooking. (I enjoy scrapbooking also)

8. Outside reading and writing what do you like to do? - I like to take walks with our two golden retrievers or dig in the dirt in my flower beds or garden. I also enjoy playing the piano, baking something, sewing or scrapbooking!


9. Do you have a place you love to visit or would love to visit? - Like most people, I think it would be fun to go to Europe and travel the countryside for a month, but I don’t suppose that will ever happen, as I have an aversion to flying. That said, I think it would be awesome to travel across the United States in an RV with my husband. I love the mountains, so I’m sure that would be in our travel itinerary.


10. If you could have a meal with 3 living people who would you choose and why? - I’d like to visit with movie producers, maybe Larry Levinson or Michael Landon Jr, and try to convince them to make a movie out of my book! For a third person, let’s throw in Kevin Costner. Though I’m not a fan of all of his movies, his work on Dances with Wolves and Open Range won me over, and I think it’d be quite interesting to visit with him. (I think your books would be great as movies so I think thats a good choice)

11. Finally can you tell us about your current books and/or any that will

be coming out soon. Also where we can find you on the web. -

Book Blurb: for Seeds of Summer: Book #2 in the Seasons of the Tallgrass series. A heart-warming contemporary romance set in the Flint Hills of Kansas where a former rodeo queen abandons her dreams in order to care for her deceased father’s ranch and her two half-siblings, only to realize with the help of a young new pastor that God can turn even the most dire circumstances into seeds of hope.


Author Web site: http://www.deborahvogts.com


Country at Heart blog: http://www.deborahvogts.blogspot.com

Life with Lord Byron by Peggy Nelson part 3

Teeing Off with Byron

By Peggy Nelson

Other than my new penchant for prevaricating, the breakfast was delightful, and soon we were on our way to the first tee at NCR Country Club, where the pro, Jeff Steinberg, was waiting for us. I had at least had the good sense to alert him that Byron was coming and to let him know not to noise it about, because I certainly did not want a crowd around for my first drive in front of Byron Nelson and possibly the entire membership, their spouses, and a gaggle of children.

           

As luck (and the Lord) would have it, I hit a whopper of a drive, for me at least. It sailed high off the elevated tee and far down the hill, tailing off just a touch to the right and a few feet into the rough. Byron looked a little surprised, though my subsequent play lived up to my earlier bad expectations. I remember very little of that round, other than just enjoying being with him and wishing I could play better. But he did not seem to care about my score at all, though he did show me a great little chipping technique I could do with my six-iron when I was close to the green but a ways from the pin. It has come in handy many times since.

           

About the rest of his stay, I don’t recall a lot. The Bogey Busters event that year was played at a different course, and naturally I went out to follow my hero. As it happened Byron was paired with none other than Johnny Mathis, the singing legend and a great part of my high school fantasy life from twenty years before. Wow! Here I was with two celebrities, pretty tongue-tied, and just living in a state of suspended animation, wondering to myself, Will I ever recover from this out-of-body experience?

           

By the time Byron flew back to Texas, we both knew we had the start of a wonderful friendship . . . that was rapidly becoming far more serious. The phone calls and letters came and went more often now, and soon we were talking about marriage, even though this was just July and August, only a couple of months after we had reconnected five years after our first meeting.

Excerpt taken with permission from Life with Lord Byron: Laughter, Romance and Lessons Learned From Golf’s Greatest Gentleman by Peggy Nelson (2010) available at: www.byronnelson-golfpro.com

Life with Lord Byron by Peggy Nelson Part 2

Mr. Romance

By Peggy Nelson

There were moments in our nearly twenty years together when I would fall far short of Byron’s or even my own standards of patience, perseverance, and several other virtues. When I would wonder aloud to him about how he managed to put up with me, or what he saw in me in the first place, he would sometimes say, “I saw what you could be.” Isn’t that amazing? He had such a gift for not only seeing the best in people but helping them, often in some unspoken way, to bring it out, and to become better people just because they had been around him, even for a little while. You’re beginning to see, I think, why I have always felt that I’m an extraordinarily blessed woman.

           

One of the most wonderful signs of Byron’s love was something he did for our second anniversary. Unbeknownst to me he had gone out to Preston Trail where there was a display of some of his medals and other small mementos and asked if he could replace the 1937 Masters Gold Medal with another one he had. They cooperated, fortunately, and he then took that precious piece of history to our jeweler and had it made into a beautiful pendant and gave it to me. It truly brought tears to my eyes, because I knew that was the most important tournament in his career to him, so I understood how much it signified of not only his love for me but also his trust that I could prove worthy of such a gift.

           

You may wonder what our days and weeks and months and years together were like. We quickly developed a comfortable pattern of normalcy. When we were at home, we had breakfast together, and then Byron would do the dishes and go out to his shop for some woodworking. He would come in later for lunch, then go back to the shop or maybe to play golf with friends in Dallas or Fort Worth. We typically had a fairly early dinner and relaxed in the evenings together. At first I remember Byron had been so used to going to bed early while Louise was ill that he thought 9:30 was about the right time to go to sleep. But he had also been used to getting up at 5:30 or 6 to take care of Louise. Fortunately, we were soon able to change that schedule by a couple of hours.

           

Soon after we celebrated our first one-month anniversary, Byron announced his next goal was to make it to one hundred months, which we gleefully celebrated with an elegant dinner at the Four Seasons. The monthly anniversaries continued until we got to ten years, then he wanted to get to two hundred months, which we did. Each month was sweeter than the one before, until finally, just eleven days before he went to heaven, we celebrated number 238 at the Olive Garden, another of our favorite restaurants. How we delighted in each other!

           

When we were driving to Dallas, Fort Worth, Kerrville or wherever, we held hands. Byron’s were always so warm, and of course, if you ever got to shake hands with him, you knew his hands were really big. In fact, when we were first married, his grip on mine as we drove along would slowly, gradually, get tighter and tighter until I would need to shake mine a little bit to restore the circulation. One time when I did that, he apologized and said, “I guess I’m trying to make sure you’re not going to go back to Ohio.” Fat chance.

           

As everyone who knew Byron well would agree, he was a born encourager. He found ways to express his appreciation and enjoyment of others and did so at every opportunity. Above the other compliments from him, my very favorite was when he would say, “When you look at me, your eyes sparkle and dance!” It said so much about the feeling that flowed between the two of us. He really did light up my life so beautifully that it was the most natural thing in the world to reflect that light right back to him. I always had the same reaction when we had been separated even for as little as an hour at church, if I was helping with a children’s class while he was in the adult Bible study. When I would catch sight of him again, my heart would beat faster, and I’d say to myself,There he is!

           

We had so many pet names for each other that some folks might find it a bit silly, but we enjoyed and used every single one: Honeypot, Queen of All Queens, Sleeping Tiger, Adorable Darling, Angeldoll, Cuddlebear, and the like. And of course, on a more formal note, we occasionally addressed each other as Mr. Nelson and Mrs. Nelson just for the sheer joyful fun of it.

           

I felt so secure, so completely cherished and appreciated in every way with Byron. His praise of my every little accomplishment, or sometimes just the way I walked, was unceasing. It occurred to me that, if we could only hear what God is saying to us, it would be like that, too—constant praise and gentle guidance when we needed it. Or occasionally it might be a stronger no when a temptation gets a little too strong for us to handle by ourselves.

Excerpt taken with permission from Life with Lord Byron: Laughter, Romance and Lessons Learned From Golf’s Greatest Gentleman by Peggy Nelson (2010) available at: www.byronnelson-golfpro.com