Lyn Cote's Blog, page 114
October 25, 2010
Book Monday Review-Author Charlene Baumbich & Divine Appointments
Divine Appointments: A Novel by Charlene BaumbichMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
If you're looking for something different to read, Divine Appointments fits the bill! The heroine is not a young "thing" but a more mature woman who has spent her life in solitary achievement. However, God has more in mind for her.
I endorsed this book and here's my endorsement. "This book intrigued me from the first page. A delightful, unique heroine and a story well told with twists and turns and layers peeled back. Insightful. Don't miss it!"
View all my reviews
October 21, 2010
Jeff Gerke, A Man Who Loves His Wife
My guest today is Jeff Gerke, author, editor, publisher, and man who loves his wife. Here's Jeff:
"My wife has been my biggest support through all the crazy things I've done during our marriage. She worked full-time as a teacher so I could go to seminary full-time and graduate more quickly. Then when I announced I thought God was leading me not into ministry but to write fiction, she was my first fan.
When I moved her hither and yon across the country--we've now lived in all four time zones in the Continental U.S.--she was there beside me. She was there when I lost the occasional job and when my novels failed to achieve sales success.
And when I launched my own small Christian publishing company, she was not only cheering me on but helping me do it. She took more of the load of raising our children when I was writing my fiction craft book for Writers Digest.
At every step of our journey, she has been my strongest supporter. And all of this is without mentioning the 26 hours of labor she went through to deliver our first child. Or the grief we went through when we suffered a miscarriage. Or the shock we endured upon learning that our son was autistic.
She has suffered physically, as well. She endured a painful injection in her knee so she could walk the Great Wall of China--and the steps of Zhengzhou--to adopt our little girl in 2009. She's got near-herniated discs in her neck and cysts on her thyroid. She's lost both her parents to cancer and has had to move away from all her family and old friends.
And yet she still gets up every morning and fights the good fight. She cares for our toddler and does homework with our son and attends our oldest daughter's marching band competitions in the cold and rain. She cooks, cleans, shops--loves, cares, and perseveres.
She's a strong woman, a heroine in her own right, and I don't know where I'd be without her."--Jeff Gerke
[image error]
Jeff has also just had his first book by Writers Digest published
October 20, 2010
First Page-Mistletoe Prayers by Author Marta Perry
MISTLETOE PRAYERS
A BODINE FAMILY CHRISTMAS
Chapter One
Lt. Travis McCall had never had what most people would call a merry Christmas, and it was the last thing he wanted this year. The glossy door of the Southern colonial house bore a huge Christmas wreath, and the sight was nearly enough to make turn tail.
Almost, but not quite. He'd promised his buddy, and he never went back on his word.
The moment's hesitation proved just enough. A discordant bray pierced the air of the quiet Charleston suburb. He glanced toward the driveway which swept around the house and blinked. A horse trailer had been pulled there, its ramp down. On the ramp, all four feet planted firmly, stood a small gray donkey.
A lead rope disappeared into the back of the trailer. Someone, out of Travis's sight in the trailer, was apparently trying to pull the donkey in. Just as plainly the donkey didn't intend to go anywhere. Travis had loaded horses and cattle enough times as a kid to know the signs.
Even as he thought it, the animal jerked back. In a minute it would be free, running into traffic as likely as not. He'd have to go give that idiot a hand.
A few quick strides took him across the lawn. Just as he reached the ramp the donkey reared, yanking the lead rope. A slight figure hurtled out of the back of the trailer, stumbled on the ramp, and barreled into Travis.
He grasped it, mind registering several things at once. This was not a teenage boy, as his first startled glimpse had made him think. And the donkey, managing to free himself, bolted.
For more info, visit
www.martaperry.com
www.booksbymartaperry.blogspot.com
Visit me on Facebook at Marta Perry Books
And there are more to come:
MISTLETOE PRAYERS: A BODINE FAMILY CHRISTMAS, novella, Love Inspired, Nov., 2010
MURDER IN PLAIN SIGHT, Amish suspense, HQN Books, Dec., 2010
SARAH'S GIFT, Pleasant Valley Amish Book 4, Berkley Books, March, 2011
VANISH IN PLAIN SIGHT, Amish suspense book 2, HQN Books, June, 2011
October 19, 2010
Author Leann Harris & Faith of the Heart
My guest today is Author Leann Harris who writes Love Inspired Suspense romances. Her next one is coming out in January 2011--which may sound a long way off. But it isn't! Here's Leann:
"It's amazing the people God puts into our lives. I was blessed with a daughter who has been a strength and joy. She was such a determined child that all I could do was channel that energy into the correct path. She was one of those children on the first day of 1st grade that didn't cling to mom's side, but she walked into the classroom, found the teacher, and asked if she needed any help.
I also tried very hard to discourage her from becoming a teacher, which I was, but she told me it was her life and butt out. But it was that strong determination that I believe saved my life.
I suffered a brain aneurism at the age of 45. A vessel in my brain burst, and I bled into my brain. That happened late in September. I had picked up our speaker for the local RWA chapter meeting at the airport, we had breakfast, and then went to the meeting. A suddenly and terrible headache hit me, and I ended up in the bathroom, throwing up. I was taken to the hospital and in there for months. If it could go wrong, it did.
One dark night, the doctors called my family into the waiting room and told them I had less than a fifty/fifty chance of making it through the night. It was more like 30/70 chances, not in my favor. My parents lost it and my husband was devastated. My daughter (19 at the time) refused to accept the verdict. She prayed and asked God not to take me. She needed her mother. Her faith was not shaken and she believed. That is a faith of the heart. I think she also carried the rest of the family through that dark time.
Thanks, Leann. Tell us a little about your January 2011 book, Second Chance Ranch.
Zachary McClure lost his leg while serving in Iraq. When he came home his dreams were shattered and faith shaken. Ex-army medic, Sophie Powell, knows how a horse can heal the wounded part of a soldier's body and spirit. As Zach and Sophie work together, they find the faith in God they lost and the love they denied years ago. But is love enough to heal their wounded hearts?
I have a tender place in my heart for disabled veterans. My own dad lost an arm and a lung in France in WWII. But it didn't stop him in any way. And evidently God had plans for you to write for Him!"--Lyn
Drop by Leann's website for more info:
www.leannharris.com,
October 18, 2010
Book Monday Review-Author Patricia Hickman & The Pirate Queen
The Pirate Queen by Patricia HickmanThe Pirate Queen surprised me. The first few pages made me think I had stumbled into a Southern-style Danielle Steel novel. But then Patricia Hickman waved her author wand and swept me away into a story with layer upon layer of meaning, emotion and tension, a one-of-a-kind family drama. Tender, compelling, outstanding. A keeper."
View all my reviews
October 17, 2010
October 14, 2010
Author Randy Ingermanson & The 1st Woman on Mars!
A writer who has taught me quite a bit about writing and about websites and Internet Marketing is Author Randy Ingermanson. Today he's going to share the strength of his heroine, Valkerie, the first woman on Mars in his (and co-author John Robinson) ebook reissue of their Christy Award winning sci-fi, OXYGEN. Here's Randy:
"OXYGEN features a very strong woman as the lead character, Valkerie Jansen, who has the opportunity to be the "first man on Mars" -- if she can survive the trip.
Valkerie is cool under pressure and is able to think clearly when everybody else is going nuts. In OXYGEN, she shows this strength on a voyage to Mars when an explosion causes most of the air in her ship to leak out into space while two of her comrades are doing a spacewalk. She does an unscheduled spacewalk, hauls in one of her friends who's unconscious, and puts an emergency patch in place to save what little air remains in the ship.
Where does Valkerie get her strength? From two places. First, her faith in God helps her to not fear death, because death is not the end. Second, Valkerie has a strong relationship with her father, and she wants to act in a way that'll make him proud of her.
In OXYGEN, both of those sources of strength receive a severe trial. It's easy to act heroically in moments of high danger, but it's not so easy to continue to act heroically when those moments stretch out for days, weeks, or months -- and you have time to reflect on the fact that you are probably going to die very soon. When that happens, Valkerie is forced to ask whether her faith is real . . . or just an act."--Randy
BTW, Randy has a PhD from Berkley in physics (I think!) so the science is all factual not made up.
Drop by
http://www.ingermanson.com
And also co-Author John Robinson's website:
http://www.litany.com
Randy's web site about writing fiction is at:
http://www.AdvancedFictionWriting.com
Randy has written a great book called Writing Fiction for Dummies and is known for his "Snowflake" characterization plan which he gives away free on his Advanced Fiction Writing website. He also has a free ezine for fiction writers which is AMAZING!--Lyn
October 13, 2010
First Page-Reinventing Rachel by Author Alison Strobel
Reinventing Rachel
By Alison Strobel
Chapter 1
Rachel Westing pulled into the parking lot of Beach Cities Church and finished the last sip of Ethiopian Harrar she'd been nursing. The exotic coffee had required a half hour detour up the coast, but she'd needed a break from the seminary application she had been working on that morning before frustration made her head explode. The traffic on Beach Boulevard had given her plenty of time to think, but she was no clearer on the essay she still needed to write. Rare coffee usually sparked her creativity, but as she left the cool cocoon of her car for the SoCal May heat, she resigned herself to the fact that she was no closer to starting her paper than she'd been over an hour ago.
The worship team was polishing their set in the sanctuary when Rachel arrived. Despite feeling like a raincloud of consternation followed her, she sang along with the leader as he came to the chorus. The love of God is greater far, Than tongue or pen can ever tell… Upon hearing the words, warmth spread through her, and the cloud began to dissipate. The concept of God's love would never cease to amaze her.
Rachel exchanged waves with fellow volunteers as they caught each other's eyes, basking in the familiarity and security she always felt when she entered the building. After setting her Bible in her usual spot, she headed back out to the foyer where the associate pastor's wife was preparing the refreshments table with coffee and cookies."
What readers are saying about Reinventing Rachel:For every reader who has doubted God through troubled times, this book is for you.
~ Rene Gutteridge, author of Listen and Never the Bride
I lent this book to a friend—and she called it a life-altering story. Way to go, Alison!
~ Melody Carlson, author of The Four Lindas and 86 Bloomberg Place
What the book is about:
God let Rachel Westing down. For twenty-six years she's done everything by the book; she figures He should have her back. But then she learns her fiancé is cheating on her. Her parents are getting a divorce. And her Christian mentor has a pill addiction. Where is God in all this? Nowhere, as far as Rachel can see. Wounded, bitter, and with a shattered faith, she quits her job and goes across the country to live with Daphne—her childhood best friend whose soul Rachel once thought she was meant to save.
Confident, successful, fun-loving Daphne sets about helping Rachel reinvent herself, and for a while it's exciting. But when another tragedy shakes Rachel to the core, what little bit of self-possession she has left begins to unravel. A true-to-life story that will draw you in and keep you biting your nails until the end.
Drop by http://www.alisonstrobel.com/ for more about Alison and her books!--Lyn
October 12, 2010
Author Patricia Hickman & Her Most Desperate Hour
The Power of Solitude
By Patricia Hickman
After the loss of our daughter, everything inside of me shifted never to return to the same shape again. I had loved noise and activity and being around crowds of people. Suddenly, my tolerance for clamor evaporated. I had to find time alone. The first time I went away on a retreat to practice spiritual solitude my goal was not to be needed by anyone. But what awaited me was a surprise.
The first day I knelt in a quiet room overlooking a rose garden. I was acquainted with practicing God's presence, seeking God in a waiting posture, not asking for anything. So I did that until the silence became nearly deafening. Restlessness set in. I paced. After two days of solitude, I moved out to the rose gardens where I journaled. By the third day, though, I was finally beginning to relax and become accustomed to the silence. That is when I first noticed God speaking to me. Had he been doing that all along?
Next God showed me the condition of my own soul. Realize women are already innately racked with guilt. But when God examined me, I sensed a benevolent soul hovering over me, guiding me to understand why I stumble or why I keep taking the same hills. It was a necessary examination. Next came the realization of those whom I had wounded. The latter part of that confessional practice—recognizing those I've wounded--had eluded me most of the time because I lived in a continual clamor. So as I began to repent, a deep sense of sorrow followed.
From that time on, I began to find creative ways to practice solitude in God's presence. When I left behind the noise of everyday life, I realized God has been talking to me when I thought he had fallen cruelly silent. But the noisy place where I lived prevented me from hearing him. I realized that when I'm home and allowing my life to spin out of the busyness of activities, I can easily adopt pseudo-spirituality. I justify my actions, anger, judgmental attitudes if I measure my life by the life of other flawed humans. But when I seek him in solitude, then I no longer have others around me as my measuring stick, just the measure of my own sin-sick life against the radiance of Christ.
In the past, I would breathe a quick prayer in the morning, rattle off a generic "forgive me of all my sins," and then hit the day, guns-a-blazing. But what I learned through this new practice of solitude was my own need to offer up everything to God for his examination. The more I practiced it, the more I found myself inviting his examination of me throughout the day. And that is when I discovered an amazing lightness of being I had not known in all of my striving—a condition the Bible calls God's "perfect peace." In my most desperate hour, I finally understood what scripture means by God's "gentle whisper."
"The Lord said, 'Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.' Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper … " (1 Kings 19: 11-13) --PatriciaThanks for sharing so candidly, Patricia. Perfect peace is attractive to us all in this hasty, bizzy world. Your "guns-ablazing" definitely matches my style. I don't often seek God in silence. You've given me something to consider. Thanks.
And here's the cover of Patricia's latest book. I gave it 5 stars when I reviewed it on GoodReads, not something I do very often.--Lyn
Now a couple of important links with the chance of winning a prize!
http://www.patriciahickman.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Patricia-Hickman/34010447810?ref=ts
And by visiting either of these web addresses, bloggers may register for my Pirate Queen Treasure Trove with the grand prize of a 3G Kindle, an e-book version of The Pirate Queen, and 9 other great prizes.
October 11, 2010
Book Monday-Author Sandra Byrd & Don't Kiss Him Goodbye! & More
Book Monday has two books today! Book 3 and 4 of Author Sandra Byrd's
London Confidential Series--
Byrd's ability to provide a fun story that incorporates biblical truth will help teens relate to this new series. Readers will identify with the struggle to fit in while staying true to one's convictions.
Romantic Times, 4 star review
Book Three, Don't Kiss Him Goodbye, finds Savvy, now established in her quirky British village, working hard to get an article with her own byline published. When an attractive and mysterious boy asks her for help with his school work, Savvy is slowly pulled into his circle and soon finds out that the wrong set of friends—boys and girls—can influence her own behavior. Following her own advice to cut ties with a charming bad boy would mean abandoning her dearest wishes, and it just doesn't seem as wrong as it feels. Is it? Read on for surprise twists throughout the book!
In a shocking turn of events, all writers for the Wexburg Academy Times will cast their votes for next year's editor—and it looks like Savvy's vote will be the tie breaker! In Book Four, Flirting With Disaster, Savvy must choose between a nasty-girl-turned-nice, with a sudden interest in letting Savvy get what she wants, and the prickly Hazelle, who promises nothing at all. Savvy then finds herself wrapped up in a new, seemingly innocent but potentially dangerous activity. It's all at risk in this book: her position on the paper, the boy she likes, the ministry she wants to go well. At a critical moment, Savvy must figure out how to rely on God rather than luck and to overcome temptation before it is too late.
London Confidential is a new series for tweens and teens where British fashion, friendships, and guys collide as an all-American teen girl learns to love life and live out her faith.
Please visit Sandra online at http://www.sandrabyrd.com/ The books can be purchased at amazon.com through her website or at other fine online or local bookstores near you. If they're not stocked, just ask!
London Confidential Books 1 and 2 were featured in Focus on the Family's Thriving Family Magazine ... click here:
After earning her first rejection at the age of thirteen, bestselling author Sandra Byrd went on to publish three dozen books including her widely-acclaimed adult fiction debut, Let Them Eat Cake, and her recent 4-book young adult fiction series, London Confidential.
A former textbook acquisitions editor, Sandra is also an accomplished non-fiction writer and author. Her articles have appeared in numerous publications such as Radiant, Focus on the Family's Clubhouse Magazine, Christian Parenting Today, Pockets, Decision, and Guideposts. During the past seven years, Sandra has mentored hundreds of students through the Christian Writer's Guild.
Sandra resides in Seattle, Washington with her husband Michael, a chaplain, their two teenagers, and a circus dog named Brie.
