Focus on Christmas with Kay Marshall Strom and a giveaway

Welcome to my Christmas Focus series. Today we are featuring Kay Marshall Strom.
I have also enclosed some of Kay's books which would make a great Christmas gift.
Welcome Kay thank you for visiting us today.

1. Firstly thanks for coming back to my blog this time we are focusing on christmas.
What do you most associate with Christmas where you live?
Christmas carols, festive decorations. I spent most of my life in Southern California where the weather is sunny and bright at Christmas, but just last year moved to the Pacific Northwest where I have a whole new respect for songs about chilly weather and snowmen.

2. Do you have any special family traditions you do at Christmas time?
One year when we were going through dire financial hardships I did all my Christmas shopping at second hand shops. Each of my two children got a “new” used outfit and one toy, then I filled the empty space under the tree with withdrawn library books wrapped in Sunday comics. The books were such a hit that we kept including them as an important part of our Christmas giving. It’s been over twenty years, yet last week when I talked to my daughter about Christmas plans, her first response was, “I can’t wait to get my books!” (Jenny here sounds like a great tradition)


3. Do you have a favourite christmas Carol and if so do you know why?
Silent Night. It just seems to encapsulate the reason for the season.


4. If you could spend Christmas anyway you could how would you celebrate?
A candlelight church service on Christmas Eve, and on Christmas day, with the family doing everything the way we always do ever year. I love same old, same old tradition!


5. Do you have any special memories of Christmas?
By plan or by circumstance, we have spent several Christmases in unexpected ways, and each has brought its own unique blessing: As food basket recipients when my husband had been out of work for an entire year… in a vacationing neighbor’s house after our house burned to the ground… in Hawaii with my children after my first husband died, because we couldn’t bear to have our traditional Christmas at home… in India awakened at 1 a.m. by caroling church elders…

6. What is a typical Christmas eve and or Christmas day for you.
On Christmas eve, we follow the Swedish traditions of my first husband: Swedish meatballs for Christmas Eve dinner before a last night church service, fruit soup and Christmas bread for Christmas breakfast, labels on the gifts with the recipient being a hint as to what is in the gift (i.e. A flannel shirt may be from Paul Bunyan, new socks from Muhammad Ali, or books from Benjamin Franklin).


7. Do you have any Christmas movies or Christmas books you like to see or read each year? The Christmas Story! Who can resist Ralphie and his overwhelming desire for a Daisy Repeating Rifle despite the danger of shooting his eye out? (Jenny again I must watch this movie. I have read about the rifle in a christmas book just this week I must see it!)

8. Do you have a Christmas message for my readers? Jesus is born! May we pray together, “Even so, Lord Jesus, come quickly!”

Forgotten Girls: Stories of Hope and Courage
This book tells the stories of the girls who lived in the hard places of the world, and what we can do to give them a hope and a future. The stories tell of pain, of inspiring courage, and of hard-won hope that demonstrate God working through compassionate people to rescue and restore the ones most often overlooked. Addressing physical suffering, education, sexual protection, prison, war and spiritual life, readers will find practical action steps and prayer points that will allow them to help free the forgotten.

Second-Half Adventure: Don't Retire-Use Your Time, Skills & Resources to Change the World A social worker from New England... a Texas airline pilot.. a homemaker from California... a lawyer who has lived everywhere... a quilter in Oregon. What do they have in common? All are on the adventure of their lives. Like many others among the 77 million baby boomers, these men and women don't want to retire from contributing when they retire from their careers. So they are using their time, skills, and resources to make a difference. Written in conjunction with Finishers Project, this book will help baby boomers discover a second-half adventure that fits them and counts for eternity.



In The Presence of the Poor: Changing the Face of India
"Why does God make so many poor people?" That is the question Dr. Vijayam, PhD, recipient of India's highest national science award, kept asking as he grew up. He could not get over the suffering, despair and seeming hopelessness all around him in India. In this deeply moving account of one man, whose life was profoundly changed by God, we see the power one life can make even in the most challenging of circumstances. Reaching across deep cultural chasms, Dr. Vijayam pioneered the idea of harnessing technology for the poor and using it in combination with cutting-edge microenterprise concepts. So what can one person do? Only change the world.

The Call of Zulina

In West Africa, 1787, Grace Winslow runs away to escape her betrothal---only to be swept up in a slave revolt that reveals the truth about her family's business! Threatened with death, Grace begins to understand the plight of the captives. Will African Cabeto---the man she admires most---sacrifice himself for his people's freedom? 352 pages, softcover from Abingdon.

Giveaway.

For one lucky Australian reader you have a chance to win a copy of The

Call of Zulina. Just leave a comment with a way to reach you (if I dont already have a way to contact you) by December 4th Midday.

Free Recipe from Kay Marshall Strom

Author Kay Marshall Strom has two great loves: writing and helping others achieve their own writing potential. Kay has written thirty-six published books, numerous magazine articles, and two screenplays. While mostly a nonfiction writer, the first book of her historical novel trilogy Grace in Africa has met with acclaim.

Kay speaks at seminars, retreats, writers’ conferences, and special events throughout the country and around the world. She is in wide demand as an instructor and keynote speaker at major writing conferences. She also enjoys speaking aboard cruise ships in exchange for exotic cruise destinations. Learn more about Kay at her website.

LEMON CHICKEN SOUP – SENEGAL, WEST AFRICA

This warm, mellow soup from Senegal, West Africa, can easily incorporate any extra turkey you have on hand. Just substitute it for the chicken.

You will need:

1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 teaspoons flour
2 cups chicken broth
½ cup diced chicken (or turkey)
1 cup yogurt
juice of 1/2 fresh lemon
fresh chives, washed and snipped

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the curry powder and flour and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Gradually blend in the chicken broth and bring to a boil, continuing to stir constantly. Add diced chicken (or turkey).
Remove the kettle from the heat and cool the soup slightly. Gradually stir in the yogurt, a small amount at a time. Squeeze the juice from the lemon half and add the juice to the soup.
Garnish each bowl of soup with a dash of fresh chives.


The Women at the Well
Kay Marshall Strom

In Senegal, West Africa, I sat beside the community well, because that’s where the village women gathered. Out of the dusty wasteland they came, from every direction, their babies tied to their backs and their water containers balanced on their heads. They were glad to rest beside the well, for they had to walk many miles to get there. The average woman in the world, we are told, walks seven miles a day in her quest for water. When you factor in those of us who only walk to the kitchen to turn on the faucet, you can see that some must trek much farther than seven miles!

At the well, the women have a chance to catch up with the goings-on in neighboring villages, to air their complaints with one another, and to share their own news. And so I sat by the well with Obei and Helene, two Christian women in a country 98 percent Muslim, and waited to meet the women as they came for water.

And come they did.

A young woman came, sobbing over her baby son who was burning with fever. We prayed together in Jesus’ name that her baby would be healed.

A girl came and whispered her wish to learn to read, but said she could not because the walk to the well and back took her all day. Obei offered to teach her a little every day when she came for water. She started with: “For God so loved the world….”

A woman came with terror in her eyes and confided that her daughter must surely be a witch. Helene prayed for the girl, but also for the mother. “Do not believe what others tell you,” she warned the distraught mother. “Believe in the power of God.”

And Songa came. Obei and Helene had prayed with her before in Jesus’ name, and Songa had seen a miracle as her seriously ill son was healed. Now she too, was a follower of Christ. “My husband ordered me to renounce Jesus,” Songa told us. “When I would not, he threw me out of the house, but he kept my children. Please, please… pray for my little ones. Pray that they too will know the God of mercy and love.”

This holiday season, I am thankful for the women at the well in Senegal—all three of them, for Songa has joined the other two. I’m thankful for the lives they are touching in the name of Jesus. Most of all, I am thankful for the Living Water that flows freely for every one of us.

Spotlight on Christmas Novels with Missy Tippens

Today we are spotlighting A Forever Christmas by Missy Tippens. Welcome Missy thanks for sharing about your latest release. I haven't read this book yet but I know its on the way and Im looking forward to reading it.

1. Firstly can you tell us something about yourself we may not know or you would like to share?
Well, since we're talking about my Christmas book, I'll share something I hate to admit! Once when I was in high school, there was a gift under the tree that was driving me crazy! It was expertly wrapped and was from this really cool boutique where a lot of my friends shopped--but my mom had never taken me because it was so expensive. So I was just DYING to know what was in that package. And (here's the shameful part!), I snuck and opened it enough to see what was inside!! It was a gorgeous sweater. But I felt so horribly guilty I could hardly enjoy it! LOL

There, my secret is out. Please don't tell anyone! :) (Jenny here your secrets safe with us. I admit to having done the same thing.)

2. As this month I’m focusing on Christmas books can you tell us how you came to write a Christmas book?
I was actually plotting this book last year in December! And I was writing a blog post for the new Craftie Ladies of Romance blog where we were had a theme of the twelve days of Christmas. The idea for the book hit me while thinking of that blog post! (Jenny again, I remember those blog posts)


3. How did you come up with the title “A forever Christmas” it sounds really cool.

My previous book, His Forever Love, is about a town where there is a tree everyone calls The Forever Tree. Legend says that a couple that holds hands around the tree will have forever love. So when I was writing a Christmas story about the town, I knew I had to have the word Forever in the title. Plus, I wanted to hint at the fact that my hero and heroine would be having Christmases together…forever! :)

4. Did you find it easier having a topic?
You know, in some ways it’s easier. You automatically have a setting to work with—all the sights and sounds and smells and decorations. But in some ways it made it more difficult because it put me on a tight deadline for getting the book finished in time! :)

5. How did you come up with the characters for your story?

The hero was the brother of my heroine in His Forever Love, so I already had him basically set up. But I had to find just the heroine for him. I went through a few different versions of the story before I finally hit on one that my editor thought would work.

6. Do you have a message you hope readers take out of your story?

There’s a theme of forgiveness in this book—forgiveness of others and of ourselves (which is sometimes harder!). The theme Bible verse I chose (or maybe I should say that God chose for me) is:

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. Psalms 103:11-12

7. Can you tell us a little about your book?

I’d love to! Here’s the back cover blurb:

Sarah Radcliffe’s quiet Christmas back in her hometown will be lost if she agrees to direct the church’s Christmas pageant. But when she meets two little boys determined to gain their father’s attention, Sarah agrees to help. Then she discovers that the dad in question is Gregory Jones, the man she loved and lost.
The single dad is working himself to the bone to give his boys the Christmas of their dreams, when all they want is some family time. Time that includes a new mommy. If Sarah can learn to open her heart, she may receive the most wonderful
present of all—a family of her own.


8. Do you have any upcoming projects you would like to share?

At this point, I’m waiting to hear on my next proposal. By the time you post this, I hope to have good news! :) (Jenny here on Missys blog today I read her proposal was accepted Congrats Missy)

9. Finally where can we find you one the net?

http://www.missytippens.com/, http://www.lifewithmissy.blogspot.com/, and you can find links for other group blogs. I hope you’ll visit me! And also, look for me on Facebook, Shoutlife, My Space, Goodreads, Shelfari.

Thanks for having me, Jenny!

My review of Love Finds You in Lonesome Prairie, Montana

Love Finds you in Lonesome Prairie Montana

by

Tricia Goyer & Ocieanna Fleiss
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Summerside Press (December 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1935416294
ISBN-13: 978-1935416296

Product Description
Julia Cavanaugh has never left New York City. But in 1890, the young woman must head west to ensure that the orphans under her care are settled into good families. After her final stop in Montana, she plans to head straight back east. But upon arriving in the remote town of Lonesome Prairie, Julia learns to her horror that she is also supposed to be deliveredinto the hands of an uncouth miner who carries a bill of purchase for his new bride. She turns to a respected circuit preacher to protect her from a forced marriage but with no return fare and few friends, Julias options are bleak. What is Gods plan for her in the middle of the vast Montana prairie?

My Review:

I enjoyed this book. I love historical and this was another good read. As Julia travels to Lonesome Prairie shes reads dime novels on the wild west. She finds out that the novels are nothing like the real west. She has a bond with the girls in her care as she to is an orphan. I enjoyed how Julia cared for the girls and felt for her when she had to say goodbye to them. When she finds out shes been sold to a miner this causes lots of problems. She turns to Issac the circuit preacher for help. Add a couple of well intentioned sisters, the accidental death of Issac's mentor which starts a chain of events you have a good story. I also found it good how simple folk can sometimes have very profound insights that more well educated people completely miss.

If you like Historical romance I think you will enjoy the book.

CFBA Tour Loss of Carrier by Russ White

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Loss Of Carrier

BookSurge Publishing (October 27, 2009)

by

Russ White



ABOUT THE AUTHOR



Russ White is an internationally recognized internetwork engineer. He has co-authored eight books in the field of network design and routing
protocols and is a regular speaker at international networking conferences.

In addition to working on several expert and senior-level network engineering certifications, he is a certified firearms instructor.

Russ, his wife, and their two children live in the Raleigh area of North Carolina, where they enjoy spending time on Jordan Lake and attending Colonial Baptist Church. Loss of Carrier is his first novel.


ABOUT THE BOOK



Bright yellow cables against a blue shirt? Carl never would have approved of that color combination. Why was his face so white? His eyes should be closed, not open. Why hadn’t one of the security guards seen this and reported it to the police? The lights were off, the cameras were useless in the dark.



Of course, the cables wrapped around Carl’s neck explained why the server wasn’t working. Loss of carrier.



Jess Wirth lives a dreary life. He spends most of his time crammed inside a cubicle, toiling as a network engineer and stewing over the details of his ugly divorce. But when he finds his co-worker dead in the basement of their office, Jess’s life takes a surprising—and unpleasant—turn.



The police quickly declare the death a suicide, but Jess isn’t so sure. Not long after he begins digging into the victim’s work, another co-worker turns up dead, convincing him once and for all that something sinister is brewing behind the cubicle walls.



His investigation leads him to a mysterious woman name Leah, who pushes him to entrust her with the information he’s collected about his dead colleagues. Wary of Leah’s motives yet inexorably drawn to her, Jess keeps her at arm’s length...until an attempt is made on both their lives. Realizing they are close on the trail of a dangerous criminal, the pair race to expose a data theft ring before they become the killer’s next victims.



If you would like to read the first chapter of Loss Of Carrier, go HERE

wildcard tour Love finds you in Lonesome Prairie, Montana by Tricia Goyer and Ocieanna Fleiss

Check the give away at the bottom or the link on the right.

it is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card authors are:

Tricia Goyer
and
Ocieanna Fleiss

and the book:

Love Finds You In Lonesome Prairie, Montana

Summerside Press (December 1, 2009)

***Special thanks to Amy Lathrop of LitFUSE Publicity Group for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tricia Goyer was named Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference "Writer of the Year" in 2003. Her book Night Song won Book of the Year from ACFW in the Long Historical Fiction category. Her book Life Interrupted: The Scoop On Being a Young Mom was a Gold Medallion Finalist. Tricia has written hundreds of articles, Bible Study notes, and both fiction and non-fiction books.

Visit the author's website.



Ocieanna Fleissis a published writer and has edited six of Tricia Goyer's historical novels. She lives with her husband and their four children in the Seattle area. Connect with Ocieanna on Facebook!



Product Details:

List Price: $12.99
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Summerside Press (December 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1935416294
ISBN-13: 978-1935416296

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

The sound of little girls’ voices and the sight of the sun streaming through the tall, second-story window of the Open Door Home for Destitute Girls, a privately owned orphanage on upper Manhattan, told nineteen-year-old Julia Cavanaugh that the day had started without her. Julia, an orphan herself, now running the place for the owner, brushed a strand of dark hair from her eyes. She submitted to a second yawn as a twelve-year-old girl hopped onto her bed.

“He’s gonna ask her to marry him, don’t you think, Miss Cavanaugh?”

“Oh, Shelby.” Julia wiped the sleep from her eyes and smiled into the freckled face staring eagerly at her. “Give me a moment to wake before you go asking such things.” Julia stroked the girl’s cheek, her heart seeming to double within her chest with love for the youngster.

The embroidery sampler she’d fallen asleep working on still lay at the end of her bed. She picked it up and eyed the image of a small house she’d copied from Godey’s Lady’s Book. Above the house, she’d stitched the words Home Sweet Home in fancy script. Gazing around the broad room lined with small metal cots and bustling with little-girl chatter, Julia noted the embroidered pillowslips, carefully pressed—albeit dingy—curtains, and dandelions smiling from scavenged jam-jar vases. She’d done her best to make the room pleasant for the girls—and herself. She glanced at their faces and smiled, gladly embracing her role as caretaker.

A less-than-subtle “ahem” from Shelby reminded Julia she’d been asked a question. She glanced at her young charge, still perched on the end of her bed. “What did you ask?”

“Finally.” Shelby eyed her with mock frustration. “I said, do you think they will get married—Mrs. Hamlin and Mr. Gaffin? Haven’t you noticed the way they look at each other?” Shelby’s cheeks hinted of red. Her golden hair was already fixed in a proper bun, her hands and face washed, and her simple dress clean and pressed despite its patches and stray threads.

“Shelby Bruce.” Julia shook her head, as Shelby’s two-year-old sister Beatrice wiggled onto Julia’s lap with a squeal. Julia planted a firm kiss on the top of Bea’s head.

“Married? I don’t think so,” Julia continued. “Mrs. Hamlin would’ve told us—told me—if she was being courted. Mr. Gaffin’s just an old family friend.” Julia wondered where on earth the girl got the notion that their headmistress wished to marry.

Although they have been spending a lot of time together. Julia pushed the thought out of her mind as little Bea shuffled to a stand, planting her pint-sized feet on Julia’s thighs. “Fammy fend!” She pointed a chubby finger at her older sister, Shelby.

“All right, Bea.” Julia plopped the toddler on the floor and swiveled her toward the small bed she shared with Shelby. “Time to straighten your bed.” Then Julia eyed the twins. “Charity, Grace, would you two virtuous girls fetch fresh water for the basin?”

Shelby pushed away from the bed, wrinkled her brow, and thrust her hand behind her as if to support her back—a perfect imitation of their middle-aged headmistress. “Now where did I put my spectacles?” Shelby clucked her tongue as she waddled forward.

Laughter spilled from the lips of the girls around the room. Encouraged, Shelby scratched her head. She plopped down on her bed then hopped up again as if surprised, pulling imaginary spectacles from under her rump. “Oh!” she squealed. “There they are.”

The laughter grew louder, and Julia pursed her lips together to smother the impulse to laugh along with them. She planted her fists on her hips. “That’s enough. All of you know what must be done before breakfast.” The girls’ laughter quieted to soft giggles hidden behind cupped palms as they scattered to do their chores.

Shelby lingered behind, her form now straight and her eyes pensive. “Maybe she forgot to tell you, Miss Cavanaugh.” The young girl gazed up at her. “The way they look at each other—it’s like my ma and pa used to, that’s all.”

Julia folded a stray sandy blond curl behind the girl’s ear. “Don’t worry, my sweet. If Mrs. Hamlin was getting married, we’d be the first to know.”

Julia hoped her own gaze didn’t reflect the sinking disquiet that draped her. Mr. Gaffin was a rich world traveler. If there was any truth to Shelby’s suspicion, Julia couldn’t imagine he’d let Mrs. Hamlin continue to work with orphans. Perhaps they’d get a new headmistress.

Or maybe the girls would be separated, moved to new homes…

If Mrs. Hamlin got married, all their lives would be radically changed. And if Julia had to leave the orphanage, she had no idea what she would do. Julia swept that painful thought away and steadied her gaze at Shelby. She couldn’t hide her true feelings from this girl. Julia took Shelby’s hand and answered as honestly as she could.

“I don’t think she’ll get married, but if she does, God will take care of us, like He always has.” Julia lifted her chin in a smile. “And really, Mrs. Hamlin may be forgetful, but no one could forget that. I sure wouldn’t.”

Ardy, a shy Swedish girl, removed her dirty sheets from a small bed and then approached, taking Julia’s hand. “Don’t ya think you’ll ever be gettin’ married?”

“Actually, there is something I’ve been wanting to tell you all….” Julia leaned forward, resting her hands on her knees.

The two girls eyed each other in surprise, and Shelby’s brow furrowed.

“Come closer.” Julia curled a finger, bidding them.

“What is it?” Shelby asked, her eyes glued to Julia.

The girls leaned in. “I’d like to tell you…that there’s a wonderful man who’s asked me to marry him!”

The squeals of two girls erupted, followed by the cheers of nearly three dozen others who’d been quietly listening from the stairwell.

“There is?” Shelby reached forward and squeezed Julia’s hand.

Julia let out a hefty sigh and giggled. “No, you sillies. Well, at least not yet. Someday. Maybe.”

Shelby pouted “But you said… ”

“I said I’d like to tell you I had a man. I’d sure like to, but of course since I don’t, I’m happy to stay here with all of you.”

The girls moaned.

The squeak of the front door down on the first floor of the Revolutionary War–era home-turned-orphanage drew their attention. They waited as Mrs. Hamlin’s familiar chortle filled the air, along with a bash and clang of items—hopefully food and supplies that she’d picked up.

“Julia!” Mrs. Hamlin yelped. “Julia, dear, where are you?”

“Coming.” Julia hurried down the stairs to help the older woman.

Julia neared the bottom of the steps and paused, trying to stifle a laugh at the sight of the twinkly-eyed woman sprawled flat on her back. Scattered boxes and bags covered the donated rug.

“Mrs. Hamlin! What on earth? Why didn’t you get a steward to help you?”

“Oh, I didn’t want to be a bother.” She cheerfully picked herself up. “I was in such a hurry to show you all what I’d bought. And to tell you my surprise. Such a wonderful surprise.” Julia eyed the boxes and noted they were from R.H. Macy & Co. More than a dozen boxes waited to be opened, and she couldn’t imagine the cost.

“I found just what the girls need, and on sale!” the headmistress exclaimed.

What they need is more food—vitamin drops, too—and maybe a few new schoolbooks. But Julia didn’t dare say it. And somehow God’s hand of providence always provided.

“New clothes, I gather. That is a surprise.”

“But only half of it, dear.” Mrs. Hamlin rubbed her palms expectantly. “I also must tell you my news. The best news an old widow could hope for.”

Julia followed Mrs. Hamlin’s gaze toward the idle youngsters who’d gathered on the staircase to watch. Her eyes locked with Shelby’s, then she quickly looked away. “News?” The muscles in Julia’s stomach tightened.

“Girls,” Julia shooed them away with a wave of her hand, “you know better than to eavesdrop. Off to chores with you. We’ll have breakfast soon.”

The girls started to scurry off, but Mrs. Hamlin halted them with her words.

“No, no,” her high-pitched voice hailed. “Come back. This news is for all of you.” They circled around her, and she tenderly patted their bobbing heads.

“What is it?” Julia wasn’t sure she’d ever seen Mrs. Hamlin’s cheeks so rosy or her eyes so bright.

“I’m getting married!”

The authors, Tricia and Ocieanna, have put together one humdinger of a contest for this blog tour! Enter the Fall in Love With Lonesome Prairie Contest and WIN a perty Montana Gift Basket!

To enter, simply fill out the entry form (http://www.triciagoyer.com/contest.html ), (then tell 5 or more friends about the contest)! The winner will be announced December 14th, just in time for an old-fashioned Montana Christmas. Giddy-up!

The Winner of our ‘Fall in Love with Lonesome Prairie’ giveaway will receive a fantastic Montana Gift Basket, including:
*Winter fleece throw
*Huckleberry chocolate bar
*Paula Dean candle
*Burt’s Bees gift set
*Wild Huckleberry taffy
*Montana stationary notebook
*Montana greeting card set
*Montana ball cap
*Montana apron
*Montana refrigerator magnet
*Charlie Russell 2010 Montana Calendar

I am half way through this book and will put up my review when I finish. I am loving the book so far.

WHISKERS, WIT, AND WISDOM by Niki Anderson

Whiskers, Wit, and Wisdom

True Cat Tales and the Lessons They Teach

by Niki Anderson

Howard Books (July 7, 2009)

ISBN: 978-1416590682

WHISKERS, WIT, AND WISDOM

True Cat Tales and the Lessons They Teach

A Book Even Dog Owners Will Love

(THE WOODLANDS, TX) Niki Anderson delights cat lovers with a new release of 45 kitty stories filled with wisdom, both feline and divine. Tales of mischief and narratives of compassion serve as a bridge to the heart of cat owners among the 90 million cats in America. Each true account points the reader to a loving God. Biblical concepts spring naturally from every story and focus on themes like service, trust, opportunity, and courage.

This charming collection of pussycat purr-spectives, enhanced with full page photos of cats and kittens, offers the refreshing surprise that lessons abound in good and not-so-good experiences with cats. Feline fur-iends like Maxwell, Lily, and Cinnamon, shed wit and wisdom on human challenges.

Worried about a teen? Through a kitten named Lucky, readers observe God's mercy on the young and reckless. Waiting for a break? Like Kitty, leap on opportunity. Put off by tough types? Try offering friendship, like Danger.

Numerous truths unfold from the antics, habits, and endearments of cats in their various predicaments and services:

• living in a tree
  
• facing death in a snow bank
  
• bringing cheer at a prison
  
• surviving 9-11
  
• comforting the cancer-stricken
  
• leaving a memorial after Hurricane Katrina

Each story begins with a Bible verse and a sentence Purr-rayer that launches the story (Dear God, deliver me from the arrogance of unfounded and arbitrary judgments).

Included is a humor quip of Kitty Wit (The house belongs to the cat; we just pay the mortgage), and a snippet of fact in The Tail End (A tabby cat is not a breed, but a color pattern of stripes or whorls or even spots), and a biographical note describing the cat’s owner, like Libby Riddles, the first woman to win the Iditerod.

“With a researcher’s verve, a journalist’s precision, and a contemplative’s heart, Anderson teaches as well as entertains,” says consulting editor and reviewer Laurie Klein. “Each story opens with a fetching photo-op…and closes with musings that never wag a finger.”

In stories that portray the nature of cats and reveal the character of God, readers gain practical help from the fur-coated tutorship in Whiskers, Wit, and Wisdom.

NIKI ANDERSON AND MYLES

Best known for her cat books, Niki Anderson is the author of bestseller, What My Cat Has Taught Me About Life, and has received three Angel Awards for literature that promotes ethical and moral excellence. She composes unusual and factual stories that enamor readers and offer insight for wise and godly living. Her books of meditations for cat fanciers have sold over 340,000 copies in the US and are translated in Japanese and Thai.

__________________________________

"Each story satisfies the soul. Beyond that, the unique format offers feline
trivia, humor, and prayer. I bought a copy for a friend and she reads one story
to her cat every night!"
Anne F. Kleehammer

___________________________________

"Great stories with Biblical applications make the purrrfect start for my day or
a quick afternoon pick up. Impeccable writing and wonderful layout--this book
makes a great gift."
Cindy
Scinto
_______________________________

"Truly uplifting stories about cats whose loyalty, wisdom and intriguing antics
have amazed us all for years. And the life-lessons Ms. Anderson draws in each
account are equally worth our sincere reflection."
James Vasquez,
PhD, MDiv

_______________________________

CFBA Tour Eternity falls by Kirk Outerbridge

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Eternity Falls
Marcher Lord Press (October 1, 2009)
by
Kirk Outerbridge


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kirk Outerbridge developed a passion for storytelling at an early age. Through years of reading Fantasy and Science Fiction novels, comics, table top gaming and watching endless hours Japanese anime, he developed a keen sense for what made stories enjoyable and more importantly—what didn’t.

While pursuing an engineering degree in college, Kirk endeavored to tell his own stories, choosing writing as the easiest and cheapest medium to master—or so he thought. Several years and several hundred thousand words later, he produced a Sci-fi trilogy that shall never (God willing) see the light of day, but that did teach him much needed lessons about the craft of writing fiction.

After college Kirk returned to his homeland of Bermuda where he reunited with his childhood friend and future wife, Ria. But before marrying his lovely wife, Kirk entered an even greater marriage and devoted his life to Christ in 2002.

With a new found direction in life, writing fell by the wayside but the urge to tell futuristic stories never left. After much prayer and contemplation, Kirk purposed his writing for God’s Will, seeking to draw to Christ those who shared his passions for all things futuristic and Sci-fi.

Kirk currently lives with his wife Ria and 18 month old son Miles in beautiful Bermuda. He is a faithful member of the Church of Christ and is a professional engineer employed by the government.



ABOUT THE BOOK

In the future, death is only a problem if you can’t afford the price. Such is the promise of Gentec Corporation’s “Miracle Treatment”, a genetic anti-aging elixir that grants eternal life—or does it?

When a Gentec client suddenly dies of natural causes, the powers that be will stop at nothing to ensure their version of eternity remains unchallenged; even if it means concocting a religious sabotage conspiracy to cover a lie.

With the media about to blow the story wide open, the credibility of Gentec and the lives of millions of clients rest on one man’s ability to uncover the truth.
Enter detective Rick Macey, religious counterterrorist expert and Gentec executive Sheila Dunn’s last hope for salvation.

Now with the clock ticking and the corporate brass seeking their own solution at any cost, Macey must track down a religious zealot out to destroy the Miracle Treatment for good.

But when Macey finds himself not only falling for his client, but confronted with the possibility that the culprit could hold a connection to his shaded past, the truth suddenly becomes a dangerous thing.

Only through a test of faith can he stop the crisis before it’s all too late and eternity falls.

If you would like to read an excerpt from Chapter 1 of Eternity Falls, go HERE

Spotlight on Christmas Novels with Lena Nelson Dooley

Welcome to spotlight on Chirstmas novels with Lena Nelson Dooley. Lena has 2 novella's out also and has told us about both books. I have read both books and really loved them.
Welcome Lena.

1. Firstly can you tell us a little about yourself?

I am a wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. I live in Texas where I'm a full-time novelist. I speak several times a year to women's groups, writers groups, or conferences.


2. How did you come to be an author is it something you always wanted to be?

Actually, God told me to become a professional writer back in 1984. The story is pretty amazing. You can read all about it at the bottom of the main page on my web site: http://www.lenanelsondooley.com/

3. As this month I’m focusing on Chritstmas books and Lena has 2 Novellas focus on both books first I am focusing on Wild West Christmas. How did you go about collaborating for this collection?

Wild West Christmas was a fun book to work on. I knew all three of the other writers, and we work very well together. Our ideas meshed really well, so the book shows the strengths of each of us in interesting stories of four sisters living in Texas.

4. How did you find the topic and was it easy to write for you?

Since this is my first completely Texas story, I loved writing it. I think Kathleen Y'Barbo may have been the one to come up with the idea. She and I both live in Texas. The other two authors live in adjoining states.

5. How did you come up with the charactors for your story?

Actually, I pray about the stories. God helps the imagination he created me with to come up with interesting people for the novels.

6. Do you have a message you hope readers take out of your story?

First impression can be deceiving, and don't be judgmental.

7. Can you tell us a little about your story?

A working cowgirl, who can also be a refined lady, meets an uptight accountant from Boston. Through the story they both change.

8. Do you have any upcoming projects you would like to share?

I'm finishing writing my first Summerside Press book Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico, which will release in May 2010.

9. Finally where can we find you on the net?

I'm a lot of places:

http://www.lenanelsondooley.com/
http://lenanelsondooleynewsletter.blogspot.com/ - Monthly free book
http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/ - Author interviews/Free books
http://www.bustlesandspurs.com/ - Regular Blogger
www.facebook.com/lena.nelson.dooley
Www.twitter.com/lenandooley
www.shoutlife.com/lenanelsondooley


Now focusing on Christmas Love at Lake Tahoe How did you go about collaborating for this collection?
Since the stories take place in the same time period, we really had to coordinate our stories.

How did you find the topic and was it easy to write for you?
Jeanie Smith Cash contacted us with the story idea.

How did you come up with the charactors for your story?
Actually, I borrowed a couple of my grandson's friends for two of the characters. The others just came to me.

Do you have a message you hope readers take out of your story?
You can't go through life being fearful. It shows you lack of trust in God.

Can you tell us a little about your story?
It's about college roommates working at a new ski lodge after they graduate. I thought it would be interesting if my heroine didn't like to ski or take any kind of risk and the hero was a daredevil, who really only did what he knew he could handle.

My review: Christmas love at Lake Tahoe

Format: Paperback

Number of Pages: 352

Vendor: Barbour PublishingPublication

ISBN: 1602605637

ISBN-13: 9781602605633

Product Description:

Reserve time for romance in this inspirational Christmas collection where four college grads major in love at a Lake Tahoe lodge. After meeting a handsome paramedic, registered nurse Bethany Stillman discovers there are some wounds only God can heal. A cautious Scarlett McKaye is reluctant to risk her heart to a handsome daredevil who won’t take no for an answer. Stephanie St. John is determined to spurn the advances of a manipulative businessman. Michaela Christiansen’s resolve for a male-free existence is threatened by a widowed forest ranger. Will love lodge in the hearts of these career-minded women?

My Review:

I just finished this Novella this morning and really enjoyed it also. Its a contempory setting with 4 girls who are out of College and all working at a ski lodge owned by one of the girls grand parents. Each story is about one of the girls and we see them deal with different issues. I love again how the stories interwind but are separate. Its good getting to know all 4 girls and seeing how different they are. I love how the stories are all centered around the Snowbird lodge and the 4 girls. It made me want to go to the lodge and experience the magic there.

Another great read. (I just love christmas stories.)

This book was purchased by me.