Thursday, June 05, 2008
Allison BottkeStarting 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, Setting Boundaries With Your Adult Children!

Travel with us as we find out something new about Allison at each stop:

Stop #1 - Monday, June 9, 2008 - Book Zone

Stop #2 - Tuesday, June 10, 2008 - Shoutlife & Read Zone Book Reviews & Announcements

Stop #3 - Wednesday, June 11, 2008 - Dee411: Cast Down, But Not Destroyed!

Stop #4 - Thursday, June 12, 2008 - Gather

Stop #5 - Friday, June 13, 2008 - Myspace & More Myspace

Stop #6 - Saturday, June 14, 2008 - Divine Perspective


Setting BoundariesSANITY 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/

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posted by Dee at 6/05/2008 08:47:00 AM | 0 comments
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Hi Folks,

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


Return to MeTitle: 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 Lee HatcherRobin 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

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posted by Dee at 8/01/2007 09:00:00 AM | 0 comments
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Hi Folks,

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


To Dance in the DesertTitle: 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:

Kathleen PopaRaised 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

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posted by Dee at 7/25/2007 08:54:00 AM | 0 comments
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Hi Folks,

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


One Step Over the BorderTitle: 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 BlyStephen 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

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posted by Dee at 7/18/2007 01:40:00 PM | 0 comments
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
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 ParrishRobin 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

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posted by Dee at 7/11/2007 01:16:00 PM | 0 comments
Monday, July 09, 2007
Hi Folks,

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


Wedding Bell BluesTitle: 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 WindsorLinda, 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

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posted by Dee at 7/09/2007 11:39:00 AM | 0 comments
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Hi Folks,

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


Island InfernoTitle: 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 HoltonChuck 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

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posted by Dee at 7/04/2007 06:35:00 AM | 1 comments
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Hi Folks,

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


The Divine AppointmentTitle: 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 TeelJerome 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.

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posted by Dee at 6/27/2007 01:40:00 PM | 2 comments
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Hi Folks,

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


Reluctant RunawayTitle: 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 NelsonJill 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

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posted by Dee at 6/20/2007 06:46:00 AM | 2 comments
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
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!

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posted by Dee at 6/06/2007 09:02:00 AM | 0 comments