By The Book

When life gets complicated, Grace Graham runs. She’s left romantic relationships, friendships, and even her family after the death of her mother. But now her sister, Jana, is giving her once last chance: Come home and help care for their father–whom Grace still blames for her mother’s death–or never show her face in Shoal Creek, Tennessee, again. 

With her son, Dylan, in tow, Grace returns home from California. But is she returning for the right reasons? And when costly decisions from the past suddenly put her son’s life and the lives of other children in town at risk, will she have the strength to stand strong and await Another Dawn?

Chapter 1

Kathryn Cushman is a graduate of Samford University with a degree in pharmacy. After practicing as a pharmacist, she left her career to marry and begin a family and has since pursued her dream of writing. Leaving Yesterday is her third novel. Kathryn and her family currently live in Santa Barbara, California. Visit Kathryn’s Web site at www.kathryncushman.com

My Impressions:

Have you ever made a decision you felt was the right one, but everything turned out wrong?  Does God allow do-overs?  These are just two questions explored in Kathryn Cushman’s contemporary fiction novel, Another Dawn. Grace Graham has been running from hard situations since her mother died 8 years earlier.  Now at 25 with a child of 4, single mother Grace chooses to return to her hometown when things in California seem tougher than what she left behind.  Unfortunately, Grace will face another challenge she can’t run away from.

Another Dawn explores a mother’s choice not to vaccinate and the consequences that arise.  Knowing people on the non-vaccine side of the argument, I know that the choice is difficult.  Cushman’s book looks at personal choice vs. community welfare.  The novel also looks at forgiveness and the need to give others second chances.  Cushman does a good job in illustrating hurt feelings, anger, bitterness, child-like faith and God’s grace.

This would be an excellent choice for a women’s book club — it should spur great discussion.   It presents both sides of the vaccination argument, personal responsibility, and second chances.

Recommended.

To purchase, click on the title — Another Dawn 

Another Dawn Vaccine Quiz

(I received Another Dawn from Bethany House Publishers in return for a review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.)

From the folks at Wikipedia— 

Goyas "Here Comes The Bogey-Man"

A bogeyman (also spelled bogieman, boogeyman or boogieman) is an amorphous imaginary being used by adults to frighten children into behaving. The monster has no specific appearance, and conceptions about it can vary drastically from household to household within the same community; in many cases, he has no set appearance in the mind of a child, but is simply a non-specific embodiment of terror. Parents may tell their children that if they misbehave the bogeyman will get them. Bogeymen may target a specific mischief – for instance, a bogeyman that punishes children who suck their thumbs – or general misbehaviour, whichever need serves the adult’s purpose best.

The name originates from Indonesia where you had a tribe called the Boogy, they were known to attack early western exploration ships with such ferocity they were called the Boogyman (later turned into the Boogeyman) and were avoided at all costs, even during the western colonization of Indonesia they continued to attack well armed trading vessels without hesitation making them even more feared among sailors.

Bogeyman tales vary by region. In some places, the bogeyman is male; in others, female, and in others, both.

In some Midwestern states of the United States, the bogeyman scratches at the window. In the Pacific Northwest, he may manifest in “green fog” (emphasis added).  In other places, he hides or appears from under the bed or in the closet and tickles children when they go to sleep at night. It is said that a wart can be transmitted to someone by the bogeyman.

Really?  Do parents actually need to invent terrifying creatures to get their kids to behave?  Isn’t real life scary enough without making a child afraid to go to bed?  I thought it was a parent’s job to help their children feel safe and secure.   And what about a parent’s role in teaching children about God?

As I read Greg Mitchell’s The Strange Man, there were a number of Bible verses that swirled around in my head.   In particular, Deuteronomy 6:6-9 —

These words I am commanding you today must be kept in mind, and you must teach them to your children and speak of them as you sit in your house, as you walk along the road, as you lie down, and as you get up. You should tie them as a reminder on your forearm and fasten them as symbols on your forehead. Inscribe them on the doorframes of your houses and gates.   

What are these words we are supposed to teach our children? —

Listen, Israel: The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! You must love the LORD your God with your whole mind, your whole being, and all your strength.  ^{(Deut. 6:4-5)}

The town of Greensboro, as presented by the novel, is in a state of decay.  The highway has moved and businesses and factories have closed.  The youth of the city spend their nights escaping reality by drinking and dancing at the Rave Scene. For many, their days are spent doing — nothing.  Adult children are being supported by their parents — allowed to continue their adolescence on their parents’ payroll.  And while I don’t blame the parent’s of the town for all the excesses of their grown children, you have to wonder how good a job was done instilling in them the love for God.

The main character, Dras Weldon, is the epitome of wasted talents and opportunity.  He is a classic prodigal.  His parents were consistent in sharing their faith with their sons, as evidenced by their oldest, Pastor Jeff.  But what about the other young women and men in town?  Their parents seem to have abdicated any spiritual training to the church, with less than glowing success.  And is that because their parents did the same?

The Strange Man is pure horror — not reality — or is it?  How many of those in the 18-30 age group are part of a Lost Generation?  As noted by others on the tour, Satan is a roaring lion, seeking who he would destroy (1 Peter 5:8). Christians are called to resist and stand strong in their faith.  But if we neglect these words of Deuteronomy 6, what faith can we cling to?

What are others saying about The Strange Man?  Check out the links below.

Noah Arsenault
Red Bissell
Kathy Brasby
Grace Bridges
CSFF Blog Tour
Amber French
Tori Greene
Katie Hart
Bruce Hennigan
Timothy Hicks
Jason Joyner
Carol Keen
Inae Kyo
Emily LaVigne
Shannon McDermott
Matt Mikalatos
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Gavin Patchett
Andrea Schultz
Kathleen Smith
Donna Swanson
Jessica Thomas
Steve Trower
Fred Warren
Dona Watson
Phyllis Wheeler

(I received a free copy of The Strange Man in return for a review and my participation in the CSFF Blog Tour.  All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

Dras (pronounced “drAHz”) Weldon lives in a world of horror movies and comic books. Twenty-two and unemployed, he is content to hide in the shadow of adolescence with a faith that he professes but rarely puts into action.

But when a demonic stranger arrives and begins threatening his friends, Dras is drawn into a battle that forces him to choose which side he is on. In a race against the clock, he must not only fight these evil forces but also somehow convince his best friend, Rosalyn, to join him—before she is lost forever.

 In stores now, The Strange Man: The Coming Evil: Book One is the first act of a trilogy that depicts a world where monsters are real and simple men and women must overcome their doubts and fears in order to stand against the unspeakable creatures of the night.

Greg Mitchell is a freelance writer who screenprints by day and writes about monsters by night.

My Impressions:

I have a few words to describe Greg Mitchell’s novel — scary, horrifying, creep-inducing and thought-provoking. Thought-provoking, you say.  Yes!   I always know a book is getting to me — challenging me to look more closely — when I have to put it down and head to the computer, either for info from Wikipedia or scripture references that keep echoing in my brain.  I had to look up bogeyman and the origins of the legends, and I had Deuteronomy 6:6-9 reverberating in my head:

These words I am commanding you today must be kept in mind, and you must teach them to your children and speak of them as you sit in your house, as you walk along the road, as you lie down, and as you get up. You should tie them as a reminder on your forearm and fasten them as symbols on your forehead. Inscribe them on the doorframes of your houses and gates. 

Dras Weldon is one of the most irritating and unlikeable characters I have run across.  And he is the hero of the story!  A self-absorbed, lazy, stuck-in-adolescence 22 year old, Dras is a disappointment to his family, church and small town. His faith is as shallow as everything else in his life.  He is content to go from one drunk and horror video to another with no end in sight.  Enter the Strange Man, and everything in Dras’ world turns upside down.

There was some discussion on the tour last month on how to characterize Mike Duran’s novel.  I don’t think there will be any confusion with The Strange Man — it is definitely in the horror genre.  Demons and the bogeyman have free reign in Greensboro, a town on its way out due to the relocation of the highway and subsequent closing of businesses and factories.  Even before the demons arrive on the heels of a storm, the town has an air of desperation and malaise.  And strange and secret things have been going on in the North Woods on the edge of town for at least a century.

Probably not a pick for those who steer away from anything scary, The Strange Man does present a number of themes worth exploring — what is our responsibility in the faith life of others, what sacrifice does God expect, and just how real is the bogeyman.

I would recommend The Strange Man to someone who is not afraid of bumps in the night, storms or rooms without night-lights.  But if you can put those things in the proper light, pick up a copy of Greg Mitchell’s novel.

Recommended.

To purchase The Strange Man, click HERE.

Tomorrow, just who is the bogeyman?

(I received a free copy of The Strange Man in return for a review and my participation in the CSFF Blog Tour.  All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

For more opinions on The Strange Man, follow the links below.

Noah Arsenault
Red Bissell
Kathy Brasby
Grace Bridges
CSFF Blog Tour
Amber French
Tori Greene
Katie Hart
Bruce Hennigan
Timothy Hicks
Jason Joyner
Carol Keen
Inae Kyo
Emily LaVigne
Shannon McDermott
Matt Mikalatos
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Gavin Patchett
Andrea Schultz
Kathleen Smith
Donna Swanson
Jessica Thomas
Steve Trower
Fred Warren
Dona Watson
Phyllis Wheeler

Dras (pronounced “drAHz”) Weldon lives in a world of horror movies and comic books. Twenty-two and unemployed, he is content to hide in the shadow of adolescence with a faith that he professes but rarely puts into action.

But when a demonic stranger arrives and begins threatening his friends, Dras is drawn into a battle that forces him to choose which side he is on. In a race against the clock, he must not only fight these evil forces but also somehow convince his best friend, Rosalyn, to join him—before she is lost forever.

 In stores now, The Strange Man: The Coming Evil: Book One is the first act of a trilogy that depicts a world where monsters are real and simple men and women must overcome their doubts and fears in order to stand against the unspeakable creatures of the night.

EXCERPT

To purchase The Strange Man, click HERE.

Greg Mitchell is a freelance writer who screenprints by day and writes about monsters by night.

Greg, in his own words:

Tomorrow my review.

(I received a free copy of The Strange Man in return for a review and my participation in the CSFF Blog Tour.  All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

To find out what others on the tour are saying about The Strange Man, click on the links below:

Noah Arsenault
Red Bissell
Kathy Brasby
Grace Bridges
CSFF Blog Tour
Amber French
Tori Greene
Katie Hart
Bruce Hennigan
Timothy Hicks
Jason Joyner
Carol Keen
Inae Kyo
Emily LaVigne
Shannon McDermott
Matt Mikalatos
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Gavin Patchett
Andrea Schultz
Kathleen Smith
Donna Swanson
Jessica Thomas
Steve Trower
Fred Warren
Dona Watson
Phyllis Wheeler

THE TERRORIST has learned of supernatural stones used by the Old Testament High Priests to hear the audible voice of God. As the mastermind of a deadly plot that will soon kill millions, he has had a series of dreams instructing him to find the stones. Everything else is in place. The wrath of God is poised and ready to be unleashed. All that is stopping him is . . .

THE PASTOR. His wife has been murdered and his faith is crumbling before his very eyes. With his estranged son, he also searches for the stones in hopes they will rekindle his dying faith and love.

With the lives of millions hanging in the balance, these two men of opposing faiths collide in an unforgettable showdown. “The Face of God” is another thrilling and thought-provoking novel by a master of the heart and suspense, C.S. Lewis Honor Award winner, Bill Myers.

Writer/director Bill Myers’s first major success was as co-creator/writer/co-producer of Focus on the Family’s children’s video series, McGee and Me (40 awards, broadcast in 80 countries, 4.5 million books and videos sold). On its heels he wrote the My Life as… series (over 2.1 million books sold).

Other successes include his teen series, Forbidden Doors (winner of the C.S. Lewis Honor Award), and his best selling adult novels, Blood of Heaven, Fire of Heaven, Eli, Soul Tracker, The Face of God, and The Wager (also a motion picture staring Randy Travis). As a writer/director, his work has won over 60 national and international awards, and as an actor he was the voice of Jesus in the NIV Audio Bible and has made several guest appearances on Adventures in Odyssey.  His books and videos have sold over 8 million copies.

He holds an honorary doctorate from The Nimes Theological Institute in France where he has taught. He enjoys traveling and lecturing as well as serving as lay college pastor for his church.

He lives with his wife and two daughters in Southern California

My Impressions:

The Face of God by Bill Myers is a country-hopping, page-turning, adventure/suspense novel that beats anything Indiana Jones can dish up.  Daniel Lawson is a mega church senior pastor who is weary of his life of service and especially those he serves.  His wife tells him he has lost his love of God and people.  Following the death of his wife and the appearance of a strange stone, Daniel finds himself caught in an increasingly dangerous quest to find the stones representing the 12 tribes of Israel originally mounted on the high priest’s breastplate and the Urim and Thummim, the stones that allow one to hear the voice of God.  Along for the roller coaster ride is Daniels’s estranged son, Tyler, a Jewish American archeologist and a Muslim student.  The four travel to Europe, the Middle East, and Africa in search of the stones. Also, on the hunt is a fanatical Muslim terrorist who believes the stones not only reveal the will of Allah, but allow the possessor to know the outcome of any battle.

Myers has produced a great suspense story with a wonderful theological debate about relationship vs. legalism. Both Pastor Lawson and Ibrahim (the terrorist) are devoted followers of their religions.  They seek obedience and holiness.  But is obedience to be sought despite the cost?  As Daniel discovers more and more of the stones, his notions of holiness are stripped away.  He discovers his own biases and prejudices in light of God’s love. And both Daniel and Ibrahim must finally decide what it will cost to follow God.

I believe one of the strengths of The Face of God is the characterization.   Myers brings us a pastor with wavering faith, a young man who has given up on religion, a Jewish woman without any real belief system and a devout Muslim woman unwavering in her assurance of the truth of Islam.  The characters are sympathetic, exasperating, quirky, opinionated, flawed — just like real people.   The book is not preachy — the reader is left to decide which character has it right.  But Myers does present the Truth without excuse.

I would recommend The Face of God to anyone wanting a page-turning suspense novel or one who is searching for what faith really looks like.

Recommended.

(I received a free copy of The Face of God from Pump Up Your Book in return for an honest review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.)

Monday, April 4
Book spotlighted at The Writer’s Life

Tuesday, April 5
Book reviewed at My Reading Room

Wednesday, April 6
Interviewed at Blogcritics

Thursday, April 7
Book reviewed at Life in Review

Friday, April 8
Book reviewed at Quiverfull Family

Monday, April 11
Book reviewed at Sharon’s Garden of Book Reviews

Tuesday, April 12
Interviewed at Examiner

Wednesday, April 13
Book reviewed at A Room Without Books is Empty

Thursday, April 14
Guest blogging & book giveaway at The Book Faery Reviews

Friday, April 15
Book reviewed at By the Book

Monday, April 18
Interviewed at Literarily Speaking

Tuesday, April 19
Book reviewed at Healing Hearts

Wednesday, April 20
Book spotlighted at The Book Connection

Thursday, April 21
Book reviewed at Reviews From the Heart
Interviewed at Review From Here
Guesting at Literarily Speaking’s April 2011 Book Panel

Friday, April 22
Book reviewed at Broken Teepee

Monday, April 25
Reviewed at Taming the Bookshelf

Tuesday, April 26
Guest blogging at Beyond the Books

Wednesday, April 27
Interviewed at The Hot Author Report

Thursday, April 28
Book reviewed by Book Reviews by Molly

Friday, April 29
Book reviewed at One Day at a Time

Kyle McAvoy grew up in his father’s small-town law office in York, Pennsylvania. He excelled in college, was elected editor-in-chief ofThe Yale Law Journal, and his future has limitless potential.

But Kyle has a secret, a dark one, an episode from college that he has tried to forget. The secret, though, falls into the hands of the wrong people, and Kyle is forced to take a job he doesn’t want—even though it’s a job most law students can only dream about.

Three months after leaving Yale, Kyle becomes an associate at the largest law firm in the world, where, in addition to practicing law, he is expected to lie, steal, and take part in a scheme that could send him to prison, if not get him killed.

With an unforgettable cast of characters and villains—from Baxter Tate, a drug-addled trust fund kid and possible rapist, to Dale, a pretty but seemingly quiet former math teacher who shares Kyle’s “cubicle” at the law firm, to two of the most powerful and fiercely competitive defense contractors in the country—and featuring all the twists and turns that have made John Grisham the most popular storyteller in the world, THE ASSOCIATE is vintage Grisham.

My Impressions:

Faced with a 4 hour drive to see my daughter in college, I went to the local Cracker Barrel to rent one of their audio books.  Two Grisham novels beckoned, and I chose The Associate.  My husband read this novel a few years ago and his reaction was eh.  About the same as mine.  After a 7 1/2 hour two day car trip, I was about 3/4 of the way through the audio book.  Upon return, I got my paperback copy off the shelf to read the remaining chapters to find out just what would happen.

Kyle McAvoy is a successful law student when approached by shady men looking for an insider at the law firm where he had clerked the summer before.   Faced with the choice of going along with their plans or having his life destroyed, he chose the former, becoming a first year associate at the world’s largest and very prestigious Wall Street law firm.   He fights the betrayal of his new firm and the violations of ethics and the law code at every turn in true Grisham style.

The Associate is a lot like all of Grisham’s books — filled with suspense, legal maneuvering, and the lone man pitted against large organizations/law firms/government agencies.  It keeps you interested, but it is not the best of Grisham’s that I have read.  The outcome is fairly predictable.

One aspect I found interesting was the depiction of one character’s road to sobriety and salvation. Grisham is a professing Christian, and I think his book The Testament is a look into what he believes.  In The Associate, the womanizing, drug and alcohol abusing Baxter Tate is confronted with his need for a savior, and his new life of service and sobriety are a testament to the life-changing power of Jesus.  Unfortunately, the book is not about Baxter, so his conversion is used as a plot twist.  Even so, I feel that Grisham’s portrayal of Baxter’s conversion is a wonderful inclusion in a book that can reach so many non-Christians.  For that alone I would recommend The Associate to my unbelieving friends.

Mariah Aubrey lives in seclusion in an abandoned gatehouse on a distant relative’s estate. There, she supports herself and her loyal servant by writing novels in secret, at a time when novel writing was considered improper and unladylike. When wealthy and ambitious Captain Bryant leases the estate, he is intrigued by the beautiful girl in the gatehouse. Will he risk his plans—and his heart—for a woman shadowed by scandal?

Julie Klassen:  In Her Own Words:

I am a fiction editor and novelist who loves all things Jane—Jane Eyre and Jane Austen. I have been writing since childhood, but Lady of Milkweed Manor was my first novel. It was a finalist for a Christy Award and won second place in the Inspirational Reader’s Choice Awards. My second novel, The Apothecary’s Daughter, was a finalist in the ACFW Book of the Year awards. My third, The Silent Governess, won a 2010 Christy Award and was also a finalist in the Minnesota Book Awards, ForeWord Reviews Book of the Year Awards, and the RITA Awards.

I graduated from the University of Illinois and enjoy travel, research, BBC period dramas, long hikes, short naps, and coffee with friends. My husband and I have two sons and live near St. Paul, Minnesota.

My Impressions:

Filled with Regency manners and gothic elements, The Girl in The Gatehouse is part romance, part mystery, part story of God’s forgiveness.  Mariah Aubrey has been exiled from her family. Forced to make her own way, Mariah turns to the shameful employment of novel writing to keep herself and companion, Miss Dixon, from suffering the fate of their neighbors in the poor house. Shunned by polite society and weighted under shame and grief, Mariah does her best to befriend and help those around her.   Included in her unlikely acquaintance are poor house residents, a one armed manservant, and a Royal Navy Captain looking to insert himself into the society from which Mariah has been banished.  Add to this secret treasure, a mysterious man on the poor house roof, and Mariah’s own shady past, and you have a book that will appeal to  lovers of Jane Austen and Jane Eyre.

The Girl in The Gatehouse is this month’s discussion pick of the Christian Fiction Book Club hosted by Edgy Inspirational Romance.   Bloggers will be reviewing and answering discussion questions about Klassen’s book.  To join in the fun, just click HERE.

** Spoiler Alert **

Answers to the discussion questions may contain plot spoilers.

Virtue and Vice — 1800s v. today

Mariah was caught in a very compromising situation.  Although deceived by her suitor, Mariah chose to participate. Today, this behavior would be considered normal.  The world would say — Whoever heard of people waiting for their wedding night? But premarital sex is definitely a no-no in God’s eyes.  Yet there is no sin too big to be forgiven.  In Mariah’s situation, her punishment is extreme by today’s standards.  Would we really cast off a child for having sex before marriage?

In the 1800s there was a line of propriety that one was expected not to cross.  To do so, would have dire results — at least if you were a woman.  A man had little repercussions.  Today virtue is often sneered at.  You are called a prude, if not worse.  And the consequences of violating God’s commands (in worldly terms) seemingly do not exist.   But of course, there are always consequences.  Girls today face the same gossip and criticism Mariah endured.  And grief and shame can linger for years and years.

Forgiveness is what seems in short supply these days, as it was in Mariah’s time.  But thankfully, we have a gracious, loving and merciful God that will forgive any sin and better yet forget it!  Miss Dixon repeatedly tries to tell Mariah this.  But just like us, Mariah’s feelings of being unworthy get in the way.

I think Julie Klassen handled Mariah’s character very well.  Here is a young woman who made a mistake, large though it was.  She is sorry and is sure she will never make that mistake again.  Yet those around her won’t let her forget it.  (I think we all know how that feels!)  Mariah has good days and bad, but doesn’t have real peace until she experiences the healing forgiveness of God.  (I was glad to see others forgive Mariah as well.)

My Favorite Character

My favorite minor character had to be Martin.  He is described as odd in our first glimpse of him. His physical limitations are duly noted.  Yet Martin had an inner beauty — especially in his treatment of Maggie, the young orphan in the poor house — that became apparent to those around him.  Martin could easily have been a caricature rather than character.  And he definitely became integral to the  plot.

Don’t forget to check out what others are saying about The Girl in The Gatehouse.

Book Discussion Schedule

May 21- Words by Ginny Yttrup
Host: TBD

July 2- Pompeii by TL Higley
Host: TBD

August 13- Digitalis by Ronie Kendig
Host: TBD

December 17- She Walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell
Host: TBD

Want to participate?

1. Secure a copy of the book club pick and read it before the discussion date.

2. Find the reading group guide in the back of the book or on the publisher’s website. Choose one or more of the discussion questions to address in a blog post. You might also want to include a short review of the book.

3. Schedule your blog post to run on the discussion date. You may copy and use the book club logo above if you’d like.

4. On the discussion date, the host will run his/her review and answer a few discussion questions. The host will also include a MckLinky at the bottom so bloggers can link their posts.

5. On the discussion date, we all hop around reading and commenting on the reviews and opinions of participating bloggers.

6. If you do not have a blog of your own, you can share your opinions about the book club pick in the comment sections of other blogs.

7. Have you already read our book club picks? Great, participate anyway! You’ll have a head start answering some of the questions!

Before Disney and far from the palm-lined Florida beaches, ten-year-old Danny Ryan is transplanted to a tiny community on the hyacinth-choked Hillsborough River outside Tampa, a place his older sister calls Nowhere. But for Danny and his best friend, the irrepressible Alfred Bagley, whose fondest desire is to grow up to be a junk dealer, Nowhere is where adventures lurk and lure them into more trouble than they can handle. More trouble is not what Danny needs as he copes with a family that includes a father sinking into schizophrenia; two sisters, one very ill and the other ready to run away with a shady boyfriend; and a mother trying her best to hold it all together. Adventures in Nowhere paints a compelling, imaginative, and often humorous vision of a time, a place, and a way of growing up, allowing a reader to live for a while in the mind of a remarkably thoughtful and intense boy caught at the final edge of childhood.

Excerpt

John Ames was raised in Tampa Florida.  He graduated from King High School.

John entered the University of Florida intending to major in drama.  After a season of summer stock, he decided he wasn’t the dramatic type and changed his major to English, eventually graduating with a master’s degree. He was a Ford Fellow. After graduation, he built a rustic house and lived for several years on the edge of a spiritual community located near Gainesville, Florida. John’s search for enlightenment ended when he decided that he was too far from a movie theater. He moved inside theGainesville city limits and taught English and film for thirty years at Santa Fe College.

He has produced and acted in numerous short films and videos, including the cable TV series the “Tub Interviews,” wherein all the interviewees were required to be in a bathtub. For ten years he reviewed movies for PBS radio station WUFT.  He has appeared as a standup comedian and has designed and marketed Florida-themed lamps.  He coauthored Second Serve: The Renée Richards Story (Stein and Day, 1983) and its sequel No Way Renée: The Second Half of My Notorious Life (Simon & Schuster, 2007), and Speaking of Florida (University Presses of Florida, 1993)

Interactive Map of Sulphur Springs, circa. 1915

Sulphur Springs images

My Impressions:

I grew up in Florida before the advent of Disney World.  Although Adventures In Nowhere takes place 10 years before my time, memories of my childhood came flooding back while reading this magical book by John Ames. Ten year old Danny Ryan, the main character, and I shared a lot of the same experiences:  swimming in a spring pool, riding bikes all over town without any boundaries, popping water hyacinth bulbs, exploring the wonders of a simpler Florida.  However, Danny’s childhood was much more complex than mine.

John Ames has produced a coming-of-age novel featuring the confusing and often scary life of Danny Ryan. Danny is a thinker, and as such, he is always contemplating the ways of the world — adult idiocy, sin, and keeping the family stable.  Danny’s family is definitely dysfunctional.  Vaguely aware that there was a time when the family was normal and happy, Danny  faces a sister, Ruth, with Hodgkin’s disease and a father that is unpredictable, teetering on the edge of madness. Danny’s mother chooses to act like nothing has changed, while his sister Loretta fights her way out of the home.  Danny has taken on the impossible role of keeping things calm and under control.  He is constantly on the alert for any change in the family dynamic that might trigger the wrong response from his father. But the harder Danny tries, the more things unravel.

John Ames keeps Adventures in Nowhere from descending into darkness with quirky characters and subtle humor.  More than Danny are struggling with problems:  Alfred’s father is overly strict, bordering on abusive, Buddy takes care of his alcoholic father.   But with the help of some caring adults, the kids survive, choosing to do the right thing.

Adventures in Nowhere is a beautifully written novel — a wonderful story of hope in hopeless situations with characters you will love, living in a special time in Florida history.

Highly Recommended.

(I received Adventures in Nowhere from Pump Up Your Book in return for an honest review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.)

Adventures in Nowhere Virtual Book Tour Schedule

Tuesday, March 1
Interviewed at Virginia Beach Publishing Examiner

Wednesday, March 2
Interviewed at Literarily Speaking

Thursday, March 3
Guest blogging at The Book Faery Reviews

Monday, March 7
Interviewed at Blogcritics

Tuesday, March 8
Book reviewed at Write for a Reader

“The story pulls you in, takes hold, and doesn’t let go, even after you’ve turned the last page. Ames has written a winner. Open the cover and take a trip back in time with Danny; you’ll be glad you did!”

Wednesday, March 9
Interviewed at Pump Up Your Book

Thursday, March 10
Book reviewed at Southern Fiber Reads

“Written for adults, this book is a well-written account of a young boy in the final days of his childhood.  Highly recommended!”

Friday, March 11
Interviewed at Review From Here

Monday, March 14
Interviewed at The Hot Author Report

Tuesday, March 15
Book spotlighted at I Am a Reader, Not a Writer

Wednesday, March 16
Interviewed & book giveaway at I Am a Reader, Not a Writer

Friday, March 18
Interviewed at Beyond the Books

Tuesday, March 22
Book reviewed at Life in Review

“I VERY highly recommend this book! I read all sorts of books, but suspense and thrillers are usually my preference. For a drama to keep me hooked the way this book did, is amaazing! When I say that I hated to put it down, I mean that if I absolute had to put it down, I would still be thinking about it until I could get back to it. I was wondering how everything was going to turn out for Danny and his family, and his friends. The writing is so exquisite that I hung on every word. I could feel every emotion and very often it was laugh-out-loud funny. Other times I found myself just distraught over what might happen next. It’s what some might call a coming-of-age type story, but it’s a book about growing up that really can only truly be appreciated by adults. I was just sad that it had to end! I thought this was an amazing story and I hope you do too!”

Wednesday, March 23
Interviewed LIVE at Blog Talk Radio’s A Book and a Chat

Thursday, March 24
Interviewed at As the Pages Turn

Friday, March 25
Guest blogging at Sharon’s Garden of Book Reviews
Chat & Book Giveaway at PUMP UP YOUR BOOK’S MARCH 2011 AUTHORS ON TOUR FACEBOOK PARTY

Monday, April 4
Guest blogging and book giveaway at Bookworm Lisa

Tuesday, April 5
Guest blogging and book giveaway at Night Owl Reviews

Wednesday, April 6
Guest blogging at As the Pages Turn

Thursday, April 7
Book reviewed at By the Book

Friday, April 8
Guest blogging at Beyond the Books

Monday, April 11
Interviewed at The Book Connection

Tuesday, April 12
Interviewed at Book Marketing Buzz

Wednesday, April 13
Interviewed at American Chronicle

Thursday, April 14
Interviewed at Blogger News Net

Friday, April 15
Interviewed at Paperback Writer

Monday, April 18
Interviewed at Divine Caroline

Tuesday, April 19
Interviewed at The Writer’s Life

Wednesday, April 20
Guest blogging at Literal Exposure

Thursday, April 21
Literarily Speaking April 2011 Book Forum

Friday, April 22
Guest blogging at Literarily Speaking

Monday, April 25
Book reviewed at Books and Thoughts and Adventures

Tuesday, April 26
Book reviewed at Books, Fitness & Other Stuff

Wednesday, April 27
Guest blogging at The Book Bin

Thursday, April 28
Book reviewed at WV Stitcher

Friday, April 29
Chat & Book Giveaway at PUMP UP YOUR BOOK APRIL 2011 AUTHOR ON TOUR FACEBOOK PARTY

Marianna Sommer believes she knows where her life is headed. Nineteen years old and Amish, her plan is to get baptized into the church, marry Aaron Zook, and live in the only community she’s ever known.

When Marianna’s family moves from Indiana to Montana she discovers life and faith will never be the same. As she builds an easy friendship with local guy, Ben Stone, Ben not only draws her heart, he also gets her thinking about what loving God and living in community is all about.

As Marianna struggles to find “home”, she also encounters God in intimate ways.

Tricia Goyer is the author of twenty-four books including Songbird Under a German Moon, The Swiss Courier, and the mommy memoir, Blue Like Play Dough. She won Historical Novel of the Year in 2005 and 2006 from ACFW, and was honored with the Writer of the Year award from Mt. Hermon Writer’s Conference in 2003. Tricia’s book Life Interrupted was a finalist for the Gold Medallion in 2005. In addition to her novels, Tricia writes non-fiction books and magazine articles for publications like MomSense and Thriving Family. Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences, and has been a workshop presenter at the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International Conventions. She and her family make their home in Little Rock, Arkansas where they are part of the ministry of FamilyLife.

My Impressions:

Wow!  What a great book!  I had to say that up front because some of you might think “not another Amish book”.  I know, there are a lot on the market, but Beside Still Waters by Tricia Goyer is not to be missed because it isn’t just another Amish book, it is sooo much more.

Marianna Sommer started out life at the scene of a tragic accident that killed her two older sisters, Marilynn and Joanna.  Named after both sisters, Marianna has grown up in the shadow of their brief lives.  Now 19 years old and determined to live a perfect Amish life, Marianna is thrown into a whole new world not of her choosing.

In so many books of this genre, the Englisch (or non-Amish) are portrayed as tempters seeking to lure the good Amish boy or girl from the true way.  Or they are merely props for  a story line.  But in Beside Still Waters, both Englisch and Amish are portrayed as real people, not stereotypes.  And Marianna’s preconceived notions of Amish versus English are thrown out the window when she moves to Montana.  Many of the Englisch she encounters have a relationship with God that she didn’t realize was even an option.  Told through Marianna’s letters and journals and a 3rd person perspective, the reader gets both perspectives — the real and the perceived.  And that is a great strength for the story.

The characters are wonderfully drawn with all their flaws and virtues right out in the open.  They really show what a life lived in close communion with God looks like versus a life living by rules alone.  And the Montana setting will make the reader call up their travel agent!

I encourage you to pick up Beside Still Waters.  It is a fantastic book that will have you turning the pages into the night.  One of the best books I have read this year!

Highly Recommended.

(I received Beside Still Waters from LitFuse in return for a review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.)

Be sure to stop by Tricia’s Blog  It’s Real Life – she’s giving away 10 copies of the book and some (super cool) antique Amish salt & pepper shakers. Also – everyone who enters the contest will receive an Montana Amish calendar (while supplies last)!

Check out what other readers are saying about Beside Still Waters, click HERE.

Young Julia has everything money can buy—except for acceptance by either Gentiles or Judeans in Tiberias. When she discovers the secret her beloved Greek father has kept all these years, she is devastated. Julia and her Hebrew mother are indeed less than second-class citizens. Her future is dark with clouds of uncertainty.

Jacob, Abigail’s brother, is now a young man attempting to find his own place among the community of believers. Does it mean trading away the exhilaration and adventure of his current profession as a caravan guard?

Hired by Julia’s father to protect a wealthy merchant’s caravans on the secretive “Frankincense Trail,” Jacob also reluctantly takes on the perilous responsibility of passing letters and messages between communities of believers now dispersed across the land. He is alarmed to discover that Julia, hardly more than a girl, is also a courier. Can their initial mistrust be put aside to accomplish their mission?

The finale to the best-selling Acts of Faith trilogy co-authored by Davis Bunn and Janette Oke.
Book 1 is The Centurion’s Wife
Book 2 is The Hidden Flame

About The Authors:

Davis Bunn is an internationally-acclaimed author who has sold more than six million books in sixteen languages, Davis is equal parts writer, scholar, teacher, and sportsman.

Born and raised in North Carolina, Davis left for Europe at age twenty. There he first completed graduate studies in economics and finance, then began a business career that took him to over forty countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

Davis came to faith at age 28, while living in Germany and running an international business advisory group. He started writing two weeks later. Since that moment, writing has remained both a passion and a calling.

Davis wrote for nine years and completed seven books before his first was accepted for publication. During that time, he continued to work full-time in his business career, travelling to two and sometimes three countries every week. His first published book, The Presence, was released in 1990 and became a national bestseller.

Honored with three Christy Awards for excellence in historical and suspense fiction, his bestsellers include The Great Divide, Winner Take All, The Meeting Place, The Warning, The Book of Hours, and The Quilt.

A sought-after speaker in the art of writing, Davis serves as Writer In Residence at Regent’s Park College, Oxford University.

Writing For Christ has a great interview with Davis Bunn.  Click HERE to read.

Janette Oke writes with a profound simplicity of what she knows best—real life, honest love, and lasting values. With over 23 million in sales, her historical novels portray the lives of early North American settlers from many walks of life and geographical settings. She also writes engaging children’s stories and inspiring gift books that warm the heart.

Janette was born during the depression years to a Canadian prairie farmer and his wife, and she remembers her childhood as full of love and laughter and family love. After graduating from Mountain View Bible College in Canada where she met her husband, Edward, they pastored churches in Canada and the U.S., and they raised their family of four children, including twin boys, in both countries. Edward eventually became president of Mountain View Bible College and recently established a coalition of colleges that became Rocky Mountain Bible College.

During her earliest years, Janette sensed the desire to write. Though she yearned to be a published novelist, she devoted herself to being a wife and mother because, she says, “there is no higher honor—that is my number-one priority.” She began serious writing when her children were entering their teens.

Her first novel, a prairie love story titled Love Comes Softly, was published by Bethany House in 1979. This book was followed by more than 75 others. She reaches both religious and general markets, telling stories that transcend time and place. Her readers of all ages and walks of life can identify with the everyday events and emotions of her characters. Janette believes everyone goes through tough times—the key is to be prepared with a strong faith as the foundation from which decisions are made and difficult experiences are faced. That perspective is subtly woven throughout her novels.

After Love Comes Softly was published, Oke found her readers asking for more. That book led to a series of eight others in her Love Comes Softly series. She has written multiple fiction series, including The Canadian West, Seasons of the Heart and Women of the West. Her most recent releases include a beautiful children’s picture book, I Wonder…Did Jesus Have a Pet Lamb and The Song of Acadia series, co-written with T. Davis Bunn.

Janette Oke’s warm writing style has won the hearts of millions of readers. She has received numerous awards, including the Gold Medallion Award, The Christy Award of Excellence, the 1992 President’s Award for her significant contribution to the category of Christian fiction from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association, and in 1999 the Life Impact Award from the Christian Booksellers Association International. Beloved worldwide, her books have been translated into fourteen languages.

My Impressions:

For most western Christians, the trials of believers in the years following Jesus’ crucifixion are only stories.  From the comfort of our pews it is hard to relate to the fear and secrecy surrounding those known as The Way.  But in Davis Bunn and Janette Oke’s newest book in the Acts of Faith series, The Damascus Way, the era covered by the Book of Acts comes alive.

The Damascus Way is a fictional account of the early church as it faced the persecution of Jewish religious leaders, including Saul of Tarsus.  Bunn and Oke blend scripture and fiction in their portrayal of the day to day lives of followers of Christ.  The story revolves around Abigail and Jacob, characters from the first two books in the series and new character Julia.  We also have appearances from Phillip, Peter, John, Martha, and the infamous Saul of Tarsus.  I think this unique portrayal of the fictional and historical helps the reader to experience what it must have been like living in this time.

After five years as a widow, Abigail is still grieving.  She wants to remain in Jerusalem to stay close to the memories of her husband.  But with the responsibility of her daughter Dorcas, she realizes she must escape to a safer place. Julia is the daughter of a wealthy merchant, yet her life feels constrained.  She has no friends; no one visits from the town.  The secret her mother has kept from Julia, finally is revealed.  Jacob wants adventure, not a boring and safe life.  He struggles with what those around him want, what he desires, and the plans God has for him.  All three characters set out on a journey — real and spiritual — to discover what life and God has for them.

The novel is fast-paced.  Lawlessness and hardship rule much of the area of Judea, and the characters face sand storms and bandits, along with persecution for their beliefs.  But it is also a time of sweet fellowship between believers.  The characters come together often for meals, teaching and prayer.  They are also portrayed as real people with doubts, fears, and grief, but also hopes and dreams.

One thing that kept resonating with me as I read The Damascus Way was that this really must be what true Christian fellowship is.  People depended on each other.  They encouraged each other — especially important in such a time.  They prayed for each other and for the lost.  Yes they struggled with doubts and fears, but their time spent together strengthened their faith.  I think this is what today’s American church needs.  No they didn’t have stewardship campaigns, music festivals, or children’s programs.  But what these early Christians did have was a family.  And the persecution they faced only helped spread the Gospel not diminish it.

I highly recommend  The Damascus Way for several reasons.  It is a well-written historical novel complete with adventure and suspense. It has great characterization — you will care what happens to those you encounter in its pages.  And it is gives a wonderful portrayal of what life with a family of believers can be.

Highly Recommended

(I received The Damascus Way from Davis Bunn in return for an honest review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.)