Divine Perspective

Upcoming Blog Tour!

2008-06-05T08:47:00.000-04:00

Starting on Monday, June 9, 2008 thru Saturday, June 14, 2008... Read Zone Book Reviews will be hosting a Blog Tour for Allison Bottke and her latest book!

Stay tuned for more information and the itinerary!

SANITY MAKES A COMEBACK!
“Setting Boundaries With Your Adult Children: Six Steps to Hope and Healing for Struggling Parents” and the SANITY Support Group Network are powerful resources to help parents and grandparents who have challenging adult children gain SANITY in a world spinning out of control. Tell a friend in need…help change a life. Visit http://www.SanitySupport.com.

The Fight of My Life

2008-01-11T07:21:00.001-05:00

Kirk Franklin's newest CD, entitled The Fight of My Life was released in December. Here's the video of the first cut, Declaration (This is It). Whether you view the video and listen to the song or just minimize the video and concentrate on the lyrics... you will be blessed.

Enjoy!

Define what love means to you and only you :-)

2008-01-09T18:15:00.000-05:00

Did you ever get the right question at the right time and just knew you had the answer? That's how I felt when I saw the above question in one of my online groups today.

People bandy about the word love so freely now that it loses its lustre or concrete meaning. We forget that God... is LOVE. But before I go off on a tangent and write a whole nother post... let me just paste my response to the above-mentioned request:

When I say, "I love you"

to my family it means that crazy and dysfunctional as we sometimes are, I've learned to deal and love in spite of all we've been through and that even though I don't necessarily relish the journey it took to arrive at the word "family" I wouldn't change it or them for anything.

When I say, "I love you"

to a friend, (male or female), it means that I'm in your corner... no matter what... and your life choices are important to me. So at some point in time... I will introduce you to this Jesus friend of mine.

when I say, "I love you"

to my teens at church, it means that I love you enough to lead by example and tell you when your doo doo stinks; even then, you can still call or text me whenever, and what we discuss will remain between us.

When I say, "I love you"

to my pastor and/or his wife, it means that I've seen your job, don't want it and give you big props for having the guts to accept it.

When I say, "I love you"

to the man in my life, it means that I love, desire, respect, and trust you above all others. I am open to you in a way that I am not open to others (except God) and I will protect that space, your space, from being infiltrated by any outside "noise"

Now Behold the Lamb by Kirk Franklin (Mime)

2007-10-05T21:08:00.000-04:00

Hi Folks,

I've just discovered the joys of You Tube! While browsing I found this Mime of Now Behold the Lamb. It is too cute and a fabulous idea for youth ministry. Most importantly, it ministers to the spirit/soul.

Enjoy,
Dee

Introducing: Return to Me

2007-08-01T09:00:00.000-04:00

Hi Folks,

This week, Divine Perspective, a member of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance introduces:

Title: RETURN TO ME
Author: Robin Lee Hatcher
Publisher: Zondervan Publishing Company
Release Date: June 15, 2007
ISBN-10: 0310258049
ISBN-13: 978-0310258049

Paperback: 271 pages
List Price: $12.99

About the Book:

Discouraged and destitute, her dreams shattered, Roxy Burke is going home. But what lies beyond the front door?Rejection...or a bright future?

A lot has changed since Roxy Burke escaped small town life to become a Nashville star. Her former boyfriend Wyatt has found Christ and plans to become a minister. Her sister Elena, who comforted Wyatt when Roxy ran away, is now his fiancee. Her father Jonathan, a successful businessman, is heartbroken over the estrangement of Roxy from the family.

Now Roxy...her inheritance from her grandmother squandered, her hopes of stardom dashed...finds her way home...not by choice but because it's her only option. Her father's love and forgiveness surprise her, but her very presence throws the contented Burke family into turmoil, filling Roxy with guilt and shame.

Elena is shocked to discover doubt and resentment in her heart after her father's easy acceptance of Roxy into the family circle. Wyatt wrestles with doubts about marrying Elena. And Roxy struggles to accept forgiveness. Isn't she more deserving of rejection? As the story of the prodigal plays out, each member of the Burke family must search for and accept God's grace.

About the Author:

Robin is the author of over fifty novels, including Catching Katie, named one of the Best Books of 2004 by Library Journal. Winner of the Christy Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction, two RITA Awards for Best Inspirational Romance, and the RWA Lifetime Achievement Award. Robin, who is also one of our CFBA members, lives in Boise, Idaho.

Purchase a copy of RETURN TO ME

Introducing: To Dance in the Desert

2007-07-25T08:54:00.000-04:00

Hi Folks,

This week, Divine Perspective, a member of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance introduces:

Title: TO DANCE IN THE DESERT
Author: Kathleen Popa
Publisher: Cook Communications Ministries
Release Date: April 20, 2007
ISBN-10: 1589190947
ISBN-13: 978-1589190948

Paperback: 320 pages
List Price: $9.99

About the Book:

“Not a safe world.”

How many times had she heard it over and over again? Well, it is not a safe world and Dara Murphy Brogan knew it better than most, which is exactly why she had tucked herself away on a desert mountaintop. Now it was just her, the voice inside her head and the boxes of hastily packed odds and ends—all that was left of her pathetic excuse of a life. Hadn’t she chosen the desert because it was barren and brown and dead looking and far, far away from anyone who may have seen the news?

So what was this, this trespasser, this interloper, this wacked out earth mother doing dancing outside her window? Celebrating life and the Spirit in a way Dara never could have dreamed. Until she opened her door and met Jane Cameron.

A book that makes me laugh is a joy, a book that makes me cry is a rarity. But a book that moves me to dance is sublime. To Dance in the Desert is a spectacular experience. Beautifully written, deeply moving, and warmly engaging—that this is Kathleen Popa’s first novel astounds me. That she will quickly be counted among the top caliber of Christian novelists delights me. I simply loved this book.

~Kathryn Mackel, Author of The Hidden
Kathleen Popa creates a compelling vision of a small community’s power to coax waning spirits back toward life. This gem of a novel worked on me like a dream. Popa’s evocative prose captured the nuance and complexity of transformation with equal parts mystery and truth. She conjures the deserts of Dara Brogan’s life with intimate clarity, reminding us along the way of the profound strength of what we take far too much for granted—the deep friendship of kindred spirits. This is a journey worth taking.

~Jeff Berryman, Author of Leaving Ruin

About the Author:

Raised in the American Southwest, Kathleen began her love affair with the desert as a child. Before becoming a writer she, among other jobs, worked in both the juvenile facility fro incarcerated girls and a home for emotionally disturved children. Mother of two, sh lives in Northern California with her husband and youngest son. Visit her blog, Reading, Writing, and What Else is There? She is a member of the CFBA, too! Give her a holler!

Purchase a copy of TO DANCE IN THE DESERT

Introducing: One Step Over the Border

2007-07-18T13:40:00.000-04:00

Hi Folks,

This week, Divine Perspective, a member of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance introduces:

Title: ONE STEP OVER THE BORDER
Author: Stephen Bly
Publisher: Center Street
Release Date: June 12, 2007
ISBN-10: 1599956896
ISBN-13: 978-1599956893

Paperback: 304 pages
List Price: $12.99

About the Book:

It’s a romp...

A road adventure...

It’s a buddy story with romantic comedy!!

Some call it CowboyLit. Rodeo cowboy Hap Bowman’s on a search for Juanita, the gal of his dreams, whom he hasn’t seen in 18 years. He seems stuck on 12-years-old and the enchanting girl he met then.

"An idiot obsession," his roping partner, Laramie Majors, chides.

But Laramie agrees to a final summer’s trek along the Rio Grande. If they don’t find Juanita during those months, Hap promises to drop the idea of the hunt for the mystery senorita. But if they find her, will she feel the same as Hap does about their years ago interlude?

In One Step Over The Border the time tested values of cowboys rub up against contemporary mores. It’s a crazy story that becomes more logical as the reader delves deeper into it. It will make you laugh and shed a tear or two.

Getting back to Hap’s pursuit . . . don’t we all have someone in the past, that we knew for only a short while, that we wish we could have known better, longer? Stephen Bly has!. So when Hap and Laramie ventured out on a quest for Hap’s Juanita, Stephen decided to invite others to go along too. Folks have been e-mailing Hap hapandlaramie@yahoo.com and asking for their own “Juanita Search Kits.”

They get a bumper sticker, magnet, bookmark, stickers, flyers, etc. It’s a whole packet of material that will equip anyone to join the fun of finding the Juanita with “the mark of God.” If they send Hap a picture of the places where they stuck their Juanita signs, they’ll receive a free copy of the book. It’s all there on the website at http://www.onestepovertheborder.com/

And there’s a very special feature on http://www.amazon.com/...some more adventures about Hap and Laramie that did NOT appear in the book, can be found on AmazonShorts in the story entitled, Aim Low, Shoot High.

About the Author:

Stephen Bly is a pastor, a mayor, an antique Winchester gun collector and a writer.

He's mayor of a town of 308 in the mountains of Idaho, on the Nez Perce Indian Reservation. In his spare time, he pursues the three R's of ridin', ropin' and rodeo...and construction of Broken Arrow Crossing, a false-front western village near his home.

That keeps him very western. And he collect old Winchester rifles, which reflects his love of historical accuracy. He's also a fan of Jimmy Buffet music.

Stephen says about his writing, "I write about the West (historic or modern) from the inside. Born and raised on western ranches, I have both the heart and mind to describe things as they really were...and are. There are those who think the frontier has long passed and with it the ‘code of the west.’ The truth is, both are still around ... and it’s fun to show that in a contemporary story. The West is so big, so diverse, so enchanting it’s a thrill to write about it in any era."Stephen is the author of ninety-five books and hundreds of articles.

Purchase a copy of ONE STEP OVER THE BORDER

Introducing: Fearless

2007-07-11T13:16:00.000-04:00

Hi Folks,

This week, Divine Perspective, a member of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance introduces:

Title: FEARLESS
Author: Robin Parrish
Publisher: Bethany House
Release Date: July 1, 2007
ISBN-10: 0764201786
ISBN-13: 978-0764201783

Hardcover: 398 pages
List Price: $19.99

About the Book:

Book Two of the Dominion Trilogy:

The world changed after that terrible day when the sky burned, and now every heart is gripped by fear...

Earthquakes, fire, disease, and floods pummel the earth, and its citizens watch in horror.

But in the darkness there is hope -- an anonymous but powerful hero whom the public dubs "Guardian." He is Grant Borrows, one of a chosen few who walk the earth with extraordinary powers. But while Grant enjoys this new life, signs of a dangerous ancient prophecy begin coming true, and those closest to Grant worry he may be hiding a terrible secret.

A search for answers brings Grant and his friends to London, where an extraordinary discovery awaits that will challenge everything they thought they knew. With a deadly new enemy dogging his steps, Grant realizes that the world's only hope may come from unraveling the truth about himself once and for all. But what he comes face-to-face with leaves even this most powerful of men shaken with fear.

Secrets will be revealed.

Friends will make the ultimate sacrifice.

And destiny will not be denied.

The story continues...

About the Author:

Robin Parrish had two great ambitions in his life: to have a family, and to be a published novelist.

In March of 2005, he proposed to his future wife the same week he signed his first book contract.Born Michael Robin Parrish on October 13, 1975, Robin's earliest writing efforts took place on a plastic, toy typewriter, and resulted in several "books" (most between 10 and 30 pages long) and even a few magazines.

By the age of thirteen, he had begun winning local writing awards and became a regular in his high school's literary magazine. In college, he garnered acclaim from his English professors and fellow students while maturing and honing his skills.

After college, he entered the writing profession through a "side door" -- the Internet. More than ten years he spent writing for various websites, including About.com, CMCentral.com, and his current project Infuze Magazine, which is a unique intersection between art and faith which he also conceived of and created.

One of his more "high concept" ideas for Infuze was to return to his love for storytelling and create a serialized tale that would play out every two weeks, telling a complete, compelling story over the course of nine months. That serialized story eventually came to the attention of several publishers, who saw it as a potential debut novel for Robin Parrish.

In 2005, Bethany House Publishers brought Robin full circle by contracting him for the rights to not only that first book, Relentless -- but two sequels. A trilogy, to unfold in the consecutive summers of 2006, 2007, and 2008. One massive tale -- of which that first, original story would form only the foundational first volume of the three -- spread across three books.

Robin is the Editor in Chief and creator of Infuze Magazine. He and his wife Karen reside in High Point, North Carolina. Karen works for High Point's First Wesleyan Church, where Robin and Karen are members and Small Group leaders.

Purchase a copy of FEARLESS

Introducing: Wedding Bell Blues

2007-07-09T11:39:00.000-04:00

Hi Folks,

This week, Divine Perspective, a member of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance introduces:

Title: Wedding Bell Blues
Author: Linda Windsor
Publisher: Avon Inspire
Release Date: June 26, 2007
ISBN-10: 0061171379
ISBN-13: 978-0061171376

Paperback: 292 pages
List Price: $12.95

About the Book:

Wedding Bell Blues is the first in a new series, The Piper Cove Chronicles, that follows four women who grew up as best friends in a small community on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. They have returned home from their successes and failures at college and life, determined to pursue their dreams in the town they'd once vowed to leave in the dust. True love has eluded the four friends until one by one they encounter their soul mate. Next in the series is FOR PETE'S SAKE, on sale from Avon Inspire in April 2008.

Alex Butler is a successful home decorator who hopes she has finally gotten her life together. But when Josh Turner, the man who ran away and broke her heart sixteen years ago, returns to Piper Cove to be the best man in her sister's wedding, Alex can't escape the butterflies in her stomach. But Alex has no time for distractions. Her family has enlisted her to make this the wedding of the century. To pull the event off, she pools the talents of her three best friends - Jan, who creates desserts to-die-for will help with the cake and catering, tomboy Ellen, who works at a landscaping business will handle the flowers and decorations, and Sue Ann, who can…well, Suzie Q can give Alex a much-needed reality check in the course of the wedding planning chaos.

But fate won't be stopped in this small town as Alex and Josh keep running into each other at every turn. When sparks fly, Alex soon finds herself caught in a paralyzing battle of the heart between her old-fashioned Southern father, who fiercely resents Josh for breaking his little girl's heart, and her feelings for the one man she ever truly loved.

As the wedding approaches, the Butler family faces a threat to their reputation that will shake this Chesapeake clan to their very core. In the midst of it all, can Alex and Josh resist the many forces that seem to be drawing them together?

Read an excerpt

About the Author:

Linda, a native of Maryland's Eastern Shore, is the author of eighteen historical novels and nine contemporary romances for both the secular and Christian market. A Christy Award finalist, Linda has received numerous awards in both the ABA and CBA, including the Romantic Writers of America's Beacon Award. She lives in Salisbury, Maryland. Learn more!

Purchase a copy of Wedding Bell Blues

Introducing: Island Inferno

2007-07-04T06:35:00.000-04:00

Hi Folks,

This week, Divine Perspective, a member of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance introduces:

Title: ISLAND INFERNO
Author: Chuck Holton
Publisher: Multnomah Fiction
Release Date: May 15, 2007
ISBN-10: 1590525035
ISBN-13: 978-1590525036

Paperback: 384 pages
List Price: $12.99

About the Book:

TASK FORCE VALOR

EXPLOSIVE ORDINANCE DISPOSAL--THE BOMB SQUAD

As the global war on terror heats up, the U.S. deploys a team of highly trained special operators overseas to locate and neutralize threats, bringing EOD expertise to dangerous missions that have no room for error.

A DEADLY EXPLOSION

A new specialty explosive is on the black market: ITEB looks like water, but when it's exposed to air, the effects are lethal! The United States government is frantic to keep it from our shores. Staff Sergeant Euripides "Rip" Rubio knows how destructive ITEB can be. He has already risked his life to thwart a horrific terrorist plot involving the chemical. Now Task Force Valor heads to Panama, on the trail of an arms dealer who plans to use ITEB to make a killing...literally.

AN ADVENTURE ABROAD

Fernanda Lerida is a University of Florida grad student who jumps at the chance to join a biological expedition to a mysterious former prison island. But the snakes, bugs, and crocodiles are soon the least of her worries as the group stumbles upon something they were not meant to see. To Make matters worse, Fernanda soon finds herself alone and being pursued by an unseen foe.

A RISKY RESCUE

When Rip's path collides with Fernanda's, they find themselves caught in the midst of a brutal turf war. Can they use the chaos to their advantage, or will one false step set the entire island ablaze?

"Island Inferno is a boy-meets-girl story. But in Chuck Holton's world, boy meets girl in the middle of a jungle at 25mph. hanging under a parachute with an assault rifle strapped across his chest. You'd better plan on reading this in one sitting. And once you're done, you'd better give yourself time for your pulse to calm down."
----TOM MORRISEY, Author of Deep Blue, and Dark Fathom

About the Author:

Chuck Holton served four years in the Elite 75th Ranger Regiment–the same unit profiled in the movie “Black Hawk Down.” Chuck saw combat in Panama in 1989. After leaving active duty, Chuck flew helicopters in the Wisconsin National Guard while attending the University of Wisconsin.

In 2004, after ten years as a stockbroker, Chuck left that profession to pursue full-time writing. At the same time, he began working as the "Adventure Correspondent" for CBN.

He is the author of five books, including A More Elite Soldier, Bulletproof, and Allah's Fire, the first of three books in the Task Force Valor series.

Today, Chuck, Connie, and their five children live on a farm in Appalachia, where Chuck now pursues his varied interests of farming, writing, adventure travel and public speaking, among other things.

Purchase a copy of ISLAND INFERNO

Introducing: The Divine Appointment

2007-06-27T13:40:00.000-04:00

Hi Folks,

This week, Divine Perspective, a member of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance introduces:

Title: THE DIVINE APPOINTMENT
Author: Jerome Teel
Publisher: Howard Books
Release Date: June 5, 2007
ISBN-10: 1416543384
ISBN-13: 978-1416543381

Paperback: 352 pages
List Price: $13.00

About the Book:

"They aren't hiding just one something, but a bunch of somethings..."

Small town southern lawyer, Elijah Faulkner is a dying breed...an attorney that actually takes pleasure in fighting injustice by working hard for the little guy. But when he takes on a case to defend a philandering doctor with a pregnant wife in a seemingly open-and-shut murder trial, Eli is not so sure he is on the 'right' side.

Back in Washington D.C., supreme Court Justice Martha Robinson has died, presenting an unprecedented opportunity for conservative President Richard Wallace to impact the direction of the highest court in the land. He believes God put him in the presidency for just such a time as this...to make a Divine Appointment. Not everyone is thrilled with the president's nominee, however. And some will stop at nothing, including murder, to prevent his confirmation by the Senate.

A lobbyist with a vendetta, a small-time Mafioso, an investigative reporter with a Watergate complex, and a powerful Washington political machine combine to create a fast-paced suspense novel that explores the anatomy of a murder, and the ripple effect that it creates across the country.

"Jerome Teel has crafted an intriguing political thriller ... nice twists and turns to keep you reading. he paints vivid mental pictures that bring characters and locales to life."

--Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee's 7th District

About the Author:

Jerome Teel is a graduate of Union University, where he received his JD, cum laude, from the Ole Miss School of Law. He is actively involved in his church, local charities, and youth sports.

He has always loved legal-suspense novels and is a political junkie. He is also the author of The Election, another political thriller that we reviewed November of '06.

Jerome and his wife, Jennifer, have three children...Brittney, Trey, and Matthew...and they reside in Tennessee where he practices law and is at work on a new novel.

Purchase a copy of THE DIVINE APPOINTMENT or drop on over to Deborah's blog where she's giving away a brand new copy of today's book! Leave a comment with your email address so she can contact you if you win. She'll pick a name and announce the winner on Wednesday, July 4th.

Introducing: Reluctant Runaway

2007-06-20T06:46:00.000-04:00

Hi Folks,

This week, Divine Perspective, a member of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance introduces:

Title: RELUCTANT RUNAWAY
Author: Jill Nelson
Publisher: Multnomah
Release Date: March 20, 2007
ISBN-10: 1590526872
ISBN-13: 978-1590526873
Paperback: 352 pages
List Price: $12.99

About the Book:

Stolen Indian artifacts...A murdered museum guard…

A missing woman…A baby in danger…

Only Desiree can unearth the horrifying secret that links them all.

Museum security expert Desiree Jacobs doesn’t mean to get in danger’s path. Really she doesn’t. But when a friend is in trouble you don’t just walk away. No matter what your overprotective FBI agent boyfriend says! So when Desi and Tony’s date at a presidential ball is interrupted by a frantic Maxine Webb, Desi doesn’t hesitate to jump in.

Soon Desi is neck-deep in a confusing array of villains. Did Max’s niece run away or was she taken? Is she still alive or the victim of a perverse ritual? And who wants her infant son–and why?

Then Tony’s organized crime case collides with Desi’s investigation, throwing them both into the path of something dark and sinister. Something that craves blood...

From the streets of Desi’s beloved Boston to the mountain desert of New Mexico, Desi and Tony must rely on God to thwart unseen forces–and save a young woman and her baby from a villain more evil than any of them can imagine.

"A fresh voice, strong heroine, and unique plot make Reluctant Runaway a can't-put-down read. Jill Elizabeth Nelson is an author to watch in the realm of romantic suspense!"

----SUSAN MAY WARREN award-winning author of In Sheep's Clothing

About the Author:

Jill Elizabeth Nelson is a member of the CFBA. Her blog, Artistic Blogger, addresses issues about art, art theft, antiquities preservation, and the art of fiction writing. She takes art seriously - when she's not having fun with it, that is. The To Catch a Thief Series combines her love of the written word with her love of other art forms.

The first in the series was Reluctant Burglar , second is Reluctant Runaway. In January 2008, she will reveal the third book, Reluctant Smuggler. Jill is thrilled if the adventures that spill from her imagination can raise awareness about art theft - deemed "a looming criminal enterprise" by the FBI. Jill and her husband, Doug, have four children and live in Minnesota.

Purchase a copy of RELUCTANT RUNAWAY

Introducing: As I Have Loved You: A Novel

2007-06-13T07:47:00.000-04:00

Hi Folks,

I've a special treat for you this week. Instead of one book, we've got two that we'll be touring this week. The second is:

Title: As I Have Loved You: A Novel
Author: Nikki Arana
Publisher: Revell
Release Date: June 1, 2007
ISBN-10: 0800731670
ISBN-13: 978-0800731670
Paperback: 368 pages
List Price: $12.99

About the Book:

Contemporary Struggles...

...A Single Mom and College-Aged Son.

Leigh Scott is a widowed, single mother who wants the best for her son Jeff. She would like him to graduate from college, land a secure job, and start a family. However, Jeff, who was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) at a young age, has a God-given compassion for people. And his non-judgemental acceptance of all has unintended consequences.

Jeff starts dating Jessica, a girl with a questionable past and seemingly non-existent future. Soon, Jeff's grades drop as quickly as his sober determination to achieve the goals he's worked toward all his life, and Leigh finds herself caught in a relational tornado

To complicate matters further, Leigh is an author with a looming book deadline, a father battling cancer, and her former boyfriend and first love, a strong Christian Native American, coming back in her life.

Arana weaves a multi-layered, emotional family saga that brings the peril of judgement, the need for forgiveness and the gift of love to light

"Nikki Arana wrings the heart and exalts the soul."

---Romantic Times

About the Author:

Nikki Arana is an award-winning author of highly-acclaimed inspirational women's fiction who weaves today's social, political, and spiritual issues into her novels. She has received numerous awards, including the Excellence in Media 2007 Silver Angel Award for The Winds of Sonoma.

The book was based on the true love story of how Nikki met her future husband Antonio as he was cleaning the stalls of her parents' Arabian horses. Nikki and Antonio have been married for over thirty years, have two grown sons, and live in Idaho.

Purchase a copy of As I Have Loved You: A Novel

Introducing: Diva Nash Vegas

2007-06-11T07:17:00.000-04:00

Hi Folks,

I've a special treat for you this week. Instead of one book, we've got two that we'll be touring this week. The first is:

Title: Diva Nash Vegas
Author: Rachel Hauck
Publisher: Tom Nelson
Release Date: May 8, 2007
ISBN-10: 1595541918
ISBN-13: 978-1595541918
Paperback: 320 pages
List Price: $14.99

About the Book:

Even if you are not a lover of country music, you can enjoy this fun look at the Nashville entertainment industry.

What do you do when the past you’ve been skirting shows up at your door with cameras rolling?
Aubrey James ruled the charts as the queen of country for over a decade. She’d rocketed to fame in the shadow of her parents’ death-both of them pioneers in Gospel music. But while her public life, high profile romances, and fights with Music Row execs made for juicy tabloid headlines, the real and private Aubrey has remained a media mystery.

When a former band member betrays Aubrey’s trust and sells an "exclusive" to a tabloid, the star knows she must go public with her story. But Aubrey’s private world is rocked when the Inside NashVegas interviewer is someone from her past-someone she’d hoped to forget.

All the moxie in the world won’t let this Diva run any longer.

"Hauck once again takes us into the country music world, this time through the experiences of mega-star Aubrey James. Aubrey's life journey is filled with flaws, as well as a great deal of joy, and real life locales makes this highly original story authentic. The extra tidbits - from Aubrey's liner notes to quotes from the "media" at the beginning of the chapters - add extra sparkle to the plot."

- 4 Stars, Melissa Parcel, Romantic Times Book Club

About the Author:

Rachel is the author of many books. Her current release, Diva Nash Vegas is the second in a series which began with Lost in NashVegas. She is also a Blogger and a CFBA member! She lives in Florida with her husband. Visit her great profile and learn more.

Purchase a copy of Diva Nash Vegas

Stay tuned for the review!

Introducing: These Boots Weren't Made For Walking

2007-06-06T08:39:00.000-04:00

Hi Folks,

I hope you've been enjoying the weekly devotions on Thursdays. There's another great one lined up for tomorrow. In addition, I'm about to introduce another book on tour by the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance:

Title: These Boots Weren't Made For Walking
Author: Melody Carlson
Publisher: WaterBrook Press
Release Date: June 19, 2007
ISBN-10: 1400073138
ISBN-13: 978-1400073139
Paperback: 320 pages
List Price: $13.99

About the Book:

Willing to make the necessary sacrifices–even skipping the occasional latte–to ensure career success, 31-year-old Cassidy Cantrell "invests" in a chic pair of boots, certain they’ll make a spectacular impression and help seal the deal on a long-anticipated promotion from her Seattle employer.

But reality tromps all over her expectations. Cassie’s job is abruptly eliminated–and her love life obliterated, when her longtime boyfriend dumps her for a "friend." Her self-esteem in tatters, Cassie limps home to the resort town she once so eagerly fled–only to find her recently divorced mother transformed into a gorgeous fifty-something babe with a thriving social life. Cassie wrestles with envy and apathy as she considers the dismal shape of her own physique and romantic prospects. What will it take for her to jump back into life and regain her stride?

This sassy and hilarious novel leads readers on a romp through the wilds of relationships, romance, career, and spirituality, revealing that, while God’s plans may look drastically different than our own, it’ll always be a perfect fit.

About the Author:

Melody Carlson has published over 100 books for adults, children, and teens, including On This Day, Finding Alice, the Notes from a Spinning Planet series, and Homeward, which won the Rita Award from Romance Writers of America. She and her husband, the parents of two grown sons, make their home near the Cascade Mountains in Central Oregon. Melody is a full-time writer as well as an avid gardener, biker, skier, and hiker.

Melody can be reached through Jeane Wynn, Wynn-Wynn Media, jeane@wynnwynnmedia.com

Purchase a copy of These Boots Weren't Made For Walking

P.S. Review coming soon -- all I will say is... buy this book!

Introducing: Heart to Heart

2007-06-03T09:20:00.000-04:00

Title: Heart to Heart: Meeting With God in the Lord's Prayer
Author: Rachel Starr Thompson
Publisher: Little Dozen Press
Release Date: September 11, 2006
ISBN-10: 0973959150
ISBN-13: 978-0973959154
Paperback: 96 pages
List Price: $13.95

Description:

"Father." With a single word, Jesus Christ ushered His disciples into a new relationship with their Creator. With a single prayer, He opened a door into the heart of God and called men and women to walk through it. In this highly engaging and personal work, Rachel Starr Thomson takes readers on a journey through the most powerful prayer of all time-straight to the heart of the Father.

About the Author:

Who am I? I am a writer. I have written novels, short stories, screenplays, humor, biographies, articles, ad copy, Web sites, and Letters to a Samuel Generation, a monthly devotional ezine which in the past went out to readers all over the world, and today can be purchased as a book from this site. My devotional musings on the Lord's Prayer have been compiled as Heart to Heart: Meeting With God in the Lord's Prayer, which is also available from this site.

I am an editor and writing coach. I wield a mad red pen, but I'm nice about it. I've worked with clients on fiction, humorous nonfiction, nonhumorous nonfiction, screenplays, articles, etc. I'm currently copyediting for Home School Enrichment Magazine and coaching high schoolers with Write At Home, a sort of private tutoring service which I absolutely love.

I am a Christian. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the hope of the world. Much of my Web site is centered around those beliefs.

I am the oldest of twelve children, a homeschool graduate, a wannabe herbalist, a lover of long walks, good books, and the fellowship of God's people, an incurable tea-drinker, and a counter-culture revolutionary who thinks life would be far, far better if we all chucked our television sets out the window.

I love what I do. Blessings to you as you read more of my site. I hope you enjoy it.

visit Rachel's site: www.littledozen.com

Purchase a copy of Heart to Heart: Meeting With God in the Lord's Prayer

Introducing: Spirit of Sweet Grass

2007-05-30T09:40:00.000-04:00

Hi Folks,

The warm weather looks like it's finally here to stay and summer rapidly approaches. To the booklover that means some downtime reading a good book. To that end here's the latest book tour by the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance:

Title: Spirit of Sweet Grass
Author: Nicole Seitz
Publisher: Integrity/Thomas Nelson
Release Date: March 6, 2007
ISBN-10: 1591455065
ISBN-13: 978-1591455066
Paperback: 304 pages
List Price: $13.99

About the Book:

Essie Mae Laveau Jenkins is a 78-year-old sweetgrass basket weaver who sits on the side of Hwy. 17 in the company of her dead husband, Daddy Jim.

Inspired by her Auntie Leona, Essie Mae finally discovers her calling in life and weaves powerful "love baskets," praying fervently over them to affect the lives of those who visit her roadside stand.

Relations are strained with her daughter Henrietta, who thinks Essie belongs in a retirement center. If Essie can't pay $10,000 in back taxes to save her home, she may have no choice. More tensions: her grandson EJ wants to marry a white girl, Essie discovers that a handsome man she's trying to find a girl for is gay, and her daughter carries a hidden secret.

When she's faced with losing her home and her stand and being put in a nursing home, Daddy Jim talks her into coming on up to Heaven to meet sweet Jesus-something she's always wanted to do.

The SPIRIT OF SWEETGRASS shifts less successfully to the afterlife, where her Gullah-Creole ancestors surround her; but soon, her heavenly peace is disrupted, for she still has work to do. Now Essie Mae, who once felt powerless and invisible, must find the strength within her to keep her South Carolina family from falling apart. Together, with Daddy Jim, they team up to return to Earth and battle two spirits conjured up by Henrietta's voodoo that threatens to ruin an attempt to save the sweetgrass basket weaving culture.
About the Author:

NICOLE SEITZ is a South Carolina Lowcountry native and freelance writer/illustrator published in South Carolina Magazine, Charleston Magazine, House Calls, The Island Packet and The Bluffton Packet.

A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's School of Journalism, she also has a bachelor's degree in illustration from Savannah College of Art & Design. Nicole is an exhibiting artist in the Charleston, South Carolina area where she owns a web design firm and lives with her husband and two small children.

Purchase a copy of Spirit of Sweet Grass

Introducing: Snitch: A Novel

2007-05-23T08:17:00.000-04:00

Hi Folks,

For those who grew up on mystery series like Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. This week Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing a great mystery series for adults:

Title: SNITCH (The Occupational Hazards)
Author: Rene Gutteridge
Publisher: WaterBrook Press
Release Date: May 15, 2007
ISBN-10: 1400071585
ISBN-13: 978-1400071586
Paperback: 352 pages
List Price: $12.99

About the Book:

Old School meets New School meets Homeschool

Just shy of retirement and a well-earned pension, Las Vegas Police Department Sergeant Ron Yeager's definition of "active duty" involves shifting his bad leg into a more comfortable position. But when he's requested from his mind-numbing desk job to head an undercover auto theft task force, the former narcotics officer determines to prove he's still got the right stuff.

That is ... until he meets his unlikely team of officers.

As Yeager soon finds out, not all the crazies are on the street. An undercover rookie, the audaciously honest Mackenzie "Mack" Hazard sends Yeager's blood pressure skyrocketing by wearing her faith like an ever-present badge.

Then there's Jesse Lunden, a maverick undercover officer who refuses to learn anything from an old guy with a cane. Can this tangle of egos and eccentrics be trained into a lean, mean, crime-fighting machine...even while they are being drawn into something much bigger and more dangerous than anyone imagined?In her trademark style, Rene Gutteridge blends zany, original characters, sincere faith, and surprising plot twists into one hilariously addictive read.

"Snitch is an engaging crime novel, balanced between sheer whimsy and genuine human drama."

....CHRIS WELL, author of Tribulation House

"A wonderful, fully developed ensemble cast makes Snitch an entertaining, engaging read. Rene's flair for a comedic, well-turned phrase shines here. Snitch is worth snatching."

...SUSAN MEISSNER, author of Widows and Orphans

About the Author:

Rene Gutteridge is the author of several novels, including Ghost Writer (Bethany House Publishers) The Boo Series (WaterBrook Press) and the Storm Series, (Tyndale House Publishers. She will release three novels in 2006: Storm Surge (Tyndale) My Life as a Doormat (WestBow Press, Women of Faith) Occupational Hazards Book #1: Scoop (WaterBrook Press).

She has also been published over thirty times as a playwright, best known for her Christian comedy sketches. She studied screenwriting under a Mass Communications degree, graduating Magna Cum Laude from Oklahoma City University, and earned the "Excellence in Mass Communication" award. She served as the full-time Director of Drama for First United Methodist Church for five years before leaving to stay home and write. She enjoys instructing at writer's conferences and in college classrooms. She lives with her husband, Sean, a musician, and their children in Oklahoma City.

Purchase a copy of The Occupational Hazards Book #2: Snitch

Introducing: Defiant Heart

2007-05-21T08:38:00.000-04:00

Hi Folks,

I've a special treat for you this week. Instead of one book, Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is touring two books this week. The first is:

Title: Defiant Heart
Author: Tracey Bateman
Publisher: Avon Inspire
Release Date: May 8, 2007
ISBN-10: 0061246336
ISBN-13: 978-0061246333
Paperback: 272 pages
List Price: $12.99

About the Book:

Will Fannie be able to keep her family...and her heart, safe and find a new life on the frontier?

Book One of the Westward Hearts series, orphans Fannie Caldwell and her two young siblings have spent the last three years as indentured servants under a cruel master. Desperately wanting a better life for her brother and sister, Fannie devises a plan to secretly join a wagon train heading west.

Her plan immediately runs into trouble when the handsome yet bullheaded wagon master Blake Tanner refuses to allow an unmarried woman on the train.

But Fannie's determined...she'll escape and go west with or without help!

As life on the trail tests everyone's endurance and faith, Fannie soon realizes the perils of being a single woman on the frontier. Witnessing Fannie fending off one scare after another, Blake slowly recognizes how much he cares for this alluring young woman.

Will Blake sacrifice his own dreams and guide Fannie to safety?

Or will Fannie's stubborn independence keep her from finding true love?

About the Author:

Tracey Bateman lives in Missouri with her husband and four children. Their rural home provides a wonderful atmosphere for a writer's imagination to grow and produce characters, plots, and settings.

In 1994, with three children to raise, she and her husband agreed that she should go to college and earn a degree. In a freshman English class, her love for writing was rekindled, and she wrote a short story that she later turned into a book.

Her college career was cut short with the news of their fourth baby's impending arrival, but the seeds of hope for a writing career had already taken root. Over the next several years she wrote, exchanged ideas with critique partners, studied the craft of writing, and eventually all the hard work paid off.

She currently has over twenty-five books published in a variety of genres. Tracey Bateman believes completely that God has big plans for his Kids and that all things are possible to anyone who will put their hope and trust in God!

Purchase a copy of Defiant Heart

Introducing: Orchard of Hope

2007-05-16T08:55:00.000-04:00

Hi Folks,

This week, Divine Perspective, a member of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance introduces:

Title: ORCHARD OF HOPE
Author: Ann Gabhart
Publisher: Revell
Release Date: March 1, 2007
ISBN-10: 0800731697
ISBN-13: 978-0800731694
Paperback: 416 pages
List Price: $12.99

About the Book:

Nothing will be the same after the summer of 1964.

Drought has gripped the quiet Kentucky town of Hollyhill, and the town seems as if it is holding its breath--waiting. Jocie Brooke is nervous about starting high school. Her sister Tabitha is experiencing the weariness of waiting for a new baby. Her father David is feeling the timidity of those first steps toward true love. All of these pivotal steps in life are awaiting the Brooke family.

Into this cloud of tense anticipation, a black family from Chicago, the Hearndons move here to plant an orchard outside of town. Fresh off the Freedom Train, Myra Hearndon is sensitive to what the color of her skin may mean in a Southern town. Her family will have to contend with more than the dry ground and blazing sun as they try to create their ORCHARD OF HOPE.Jocie finds herself befrending a boy that some townspeople shun. Due to unspoken racial lines in this southern town, the presence of these newcomers sparks a smoldering fire of unrest that will change Hollyhill ... and Jocie ... forever.

In this close-knit community, everything is about to change.

Let this riveting novel take you along to experience unexpected love, new life, and renewed faith amid life's trials.

About the Author:

Ann H. Gabhart has published a number of adult and young adult novels with several different publishers. The author of The Scent of Lilacs, Ann and her husband live a mile from where she was born in the Bluegrass region of Kentucky. She is active in her country church, and her husband sings bass in a southern gospel quartet.

Ann can be reached by email: dagabhart@gloint.com

Purchase a copy of ORCHARD OF HOPE

Stay tuned for the Review!

Introducing: Ransomed Dreams

2007-05-09T09:12:00.000-04:00

Hi Folks,

This week, Divine Perspective, a member of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance introduces:

Title: RANSOMED DREAMS
Author: Amy Wallace
Publisher: Multnomah
Release Date: April 16, 2007
ISBN-10: 159052747X
ISBN-13: 978-1590527474
Paperback: 320 pages
List Price: $12.99

About the Book:

Drama. Tragedy. Thriller. Romance. Can these four actually go together? Amy Wallace's meaty first book of the Defenders of Hope Series, RANSOMED DREAMS, has successfully united these genres.

It is one of those books that after you read a little and put it down, the desire to see what will happen next is so strong that it will occupy your thoughts, compelling you to make the time to finish. But watch out! It is best consumed where no one will hear you cry because, if you have children, it will hit you like a stab in the gut and wrench you with a twist of the knife.
Although the subject at first depresses, the characters are so real and likable that you need to see what will become of them.

This book will NOT bore you.

BACK COVER COPY:

Chained To Yesterday

When tragedy struck and Gracie Lang lost everything, her faith crumbled, and nothing but the drive for justice propelled her forward. But after two years of dead-end searching, the truth Gracie seeks is the very thing her stalker will stop at nothing to hide.

Forgiveness Unlocks the Future

An FBI agent in the Crimes Against Children Unit, Steven Kessler spends his days rescuing other people’s children and nights caring for his son. He’s through with God, embittered by his ex-wife who abandoned them both, and definitely doesn’t expect what’s coming next.

The Past Is the Key

A plot to kidnap a British ambassador’s daughter dangerously intersects Steven and Gracie’s worlds–a collision that demands a decision. But are they willing to pay the high ransom required to redeem dreams and reignite hope?

ENDORSEMENTS:

Steeped in police intrigue and rich characters, Ransomed Dreams entertains, educates, and captivates. Amy Wallace is a fresh, vibrant voice in the Christian market

~Mark Mynheir, Homicide Detective and Author of The Void

Ransomed Dreams had me hooked from the start and didn't let go until the deeply satisfying ending.

~Kristin Billerbeck, Author of What a Girl Wants

About the Author:

Amy Wallace is a member of the CFBA and an avid Blogger. A self-confessed chocoholic, this freelance writer is a graduate of the Gwinnett County Citizens Police Academy and serves as the liaison for the training division of the county police department. Amy is a contributing author of God Answers Moms' Prayers, God Allows U-Turns for Teens, Chicken Soup for the Soul Healthy Living Series: Diabetes, and A Cup of Comfort for Expectant Mothers. She lives in Georgia with her husband and three daughters.

Purchase a copy of RANSOMED DREAMS

Stay tuned for the Review!

Introducing: Tribulation House

2007-05-02T09:23:00.000-04:00

Hi Folks,

This week, Divine Perspective, a member of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance introduces:

Title: TRIBULATION HOUSE
Author: Chris Well
Publisher: Harvest House
Release Date: April 7, 2007
ISBN-10: 0736917411
ISBN-13: 978-0736917414
Paperback: 272 pages
List Price: $11.99

About the Book:

IT’S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD—WHICH COULD BE A PROBLEM...

Mark Hogan has it all. The job. The family. A position on the board at church. All he’s missing is a boat. Not just any boat—a 2008 Bayliner 192.

When Reverend Daniel Glory announces that the Rapture is taking place on October 17 at 5:51am, Hogan realizes his boat–buying days are numbered. So he does what any man in his situation would do—he borrows a load of money from the mob.

Not that there’s any risk involved: After all, when the Rapture comes, Hogan will be long gone. The mob will never find him.But when Jesus fails to come back on schedule, Mark Hogan finds the mob is in no mood to discuss the finer points of end–times theology...

Chris Well’s laugh–out–loud Christian thrillers appeal to the millions of readers who gobble up the rollicking crime fiction of Janet Evanovich and Elmore Leonard. TRIBULATION HOUSE does not disappoint!

About the Author:

Chris Well is a fellow member of the CFBA and founder of its sister organization, FIRST. He is an acclaimed novelist and award–winning magazine editor and has previously written the “laugh–out–loud Christian thrillers” Deliver Us from Evelyn and Forgiving Solomon Long (one of Booklist’s Top 10 Christian Novels of 2005). He has also contributed to 7ball, Infuze, and Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine. Chris and his wife live in Tennessee, where he is hard at work on his next novel.

Purchase a copy of TRIBULATION HOUSE

Stay tuned for the Review!

Introducing: The Heir

2007-04-25T23:11:00.000-04:00

Hi Folks,

This week, Divine Perspective, a member of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance introduces:

Title: THE HEIR
Author: Paul Robertson
Publisher: Bethany House
Release Date: March 1, 2007
ISBN-10: 076420324X
ISBN-13: 978-0764203244
Hardcover: 368 pages
List Price: $18.99

About the Book:

Jason Boyer Just Got an Inheritance to Die For

The fortune wasn't supposed to befall him. Jason Boyer had known all along his father's business empire would pass to different hands. Which suited him just fine. The money was crooked and the power corrupt. But when an accident claims the old man's life, everyone is stunned by the unveiling of the will. With the passing of the Boyer crown, power-hungry politicians and shady business partners all try to force Boyer's hand. Fighting the temptation of influence and riches, he simply wants to be a better man than his father--but attempting to stand for what’s right soon brings murderous consequences. As those closest to him are endangered--and news emerges that his father's accident may be something more sinister--Boyer finds himself fighting for his soul…and his life!

Is There Any Escape for The Heir?

All the money he could ever crave. In the splintering crash of a car plunging through a railing, Jason Boyer's life is changed. All the fame he could ever desire. But the last thing he wanted was the throne of his father's corrupt business empire. All the power he could ever wield.The estate should have gone elsewhere, but the will was changed. And now everything is Jason's. But gaining the whole world just might cost him his life.

THE HEIR is a Grisham-like tale of intrigue and murder with a lot of humor and well-drawn minor characters.

Endorsement:

"In THE HEIR, Paul Robertson serves up politics, privilege, and murder with a side of acerbic wit. What a fabulous book--a great mix of angst, humor, and ultimately, hope."

T.L.HINES--author of Waking Lazarus and The Dead Whisper On

About the Author:

Paul Robertson is a computer programming consultant, part-time high-school math and science teacher, and former independent bookstore owner in Blacksburg, Virginia. This is his first novel.

Purchase a copy of THE HEIR