When The Day Of Evil Comes by Melanie Wells

Hey Everyone! 

A "little bird" told me the third book of her series was the best, but I think she sold her self a bit short because this book was great!!! I read it without stopping to do anything else major! That includes the stew I ate while carefully not dripping on my book! ;) A gripping very real life story of what happens when we encounter real life demons and angels. I enjoyed every second of reading this book, and I am going to be reading and reviewing the 2nd book in this series soon! Then, when I finish it, I will be hunting about to see if I can find any other work by this wonderful Author! 

On a more personal note, this book was so much like some of my own writing that I was encouraged, and the flame that causes me to write was reignited. I am dusting off my far behind novel that I started last year. I simply must finish it, I think people might need it! So, not only did I get to read a wonderful book that left me feeling encouraged and strengthened, but I also feel a renewed urge to work on my own writing!  

Find this book and read it! 

Carol :) 

Bizarre Encounter Initiates Extreme Spiritual Battle 

Dylan Foster’s carefully constructed, orderly world begins to fray, thread by thread, the day the eyes of hell turn upon her. After a chance encounter with a creepy, sickly looking stranger, her days become punctuated with disturbing, inexplicable events. Desperate for answers, Dylan seeks not only to extricate herself from the nightmare, but to separate the spiritual from the earthly, friend from foe, angel from devil, good from evil. She’s smack in the eye of the battle with only God-issued spiritual armor and her own wits to protect her. 

I saw the first fly alight on the edge of my plate during supper. This was no ordinary fly. It was huge. The size of a small Volkswagen. I could have painted daisies on it and sold rides to small children. 

Hotter than the eyes of hell... 

School is back in session, but for psychology professor Dylan Foster, the promise of a new semester is dying in the heat of the late Texas summer. First, there is the bizarre encounter with a ghastly pale stranger. Then her mother’s engagement ring turns up—the same ring that was buried with her mother two years before. 

Soon, Dylan’s carefully ordered world is unraveling, one thread at a time. A former patient accuses her of impropriety, putting her career in jeopardy. A suicide plunges her deeper into shadow. Relationships with colleagues start to crumble. And then there are those flies in her house... 

Dylan Foster is about to get a crash course in spiritual warfare—and a glimpse of her own small but significant role in a vast eternal conflict. But when the dust settles, will anything be left of her life as she knows it? 

Story Behind the Book

The reality of spiritual warfare has long fascinated Melanie Wells. A practicing private counselor, she is energized by pondering the significance of seemingly mundane events, the importance of individual faithfulness, and the connection between the spiritual realm and the empirical world. She emphasizes these themes in her book, where the first scene came to her in a dream. 

Melanie Wells

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A native of the Texas panhandle and the child of musicians, Melanie Wells attended Southern Methodist University on a music scholarship (she's a fiddle player), and later completed graduate degrees in counseling psychology and Biblical studies at Our Lady of the Lake University and Dallas Theological Seminary. She has taught at the graduate level at both OLLU and DTS, and has been in private practice as a counselor since 1992. She is the founder and director of LifeWorks counseling associates in Dallas, Texas, a collaborative community of creative therapists. When the Day of Evil Comes is her first published work of fiction, and the first of a three-book series. The second work, The Soul Hunter was released in May, 2006. Melanie lives and writes in Dallas.

The Book link is: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1590524268

Rain Song by Alice J. Wisler

Hi All!

Beautiful book! The election has me all messed up, but this is a nice one!

Carol :) 

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Rain Song
Bethany House (October 1, 2008)
by
Alice J. Wisler


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Alice sold her first story to David C. Cook for a take-home Sunday School paper called Sprint. The year was 1988, this was her first submission to a paying market, and the check sent to her was for $125.00.

She was on her way!

Since then, Alice has sold articles and devotions to the Upper Room, Alive Now, Standard Publishing, ByLine magazine and others.

In 2006 she sent her novel Rain Songto Bethany House...and the rest is history! She signed a two -book deal and the second, How Sweet It Is will be out in 2009.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Nicole Michelin avoids airplanes, motorcycles, and most of all, Japan, where her parents once were missionaries. Something happened in Japan...something that sent Nicole and her father back to America alone...something of which Nicole knows only bits and pieces. But she is content with life in little Mount Olive, North Carolina, with her quirky relatives, tank of lively fish, and plenty of homemade pineapple chutney. Through her online column for the Pretty Fishy Web site, she meets Harrison Michaels, who, much to her dismay, lives in Japan. She attempts to avoid him, but his emails tug at her heart. Then Harrison reveals that he knew her as a child in Japan. In fact, he knows more about her childhood than she does.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Rain Song, go HERE

The book link is: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0764204777

An Irishwoman's Tale By Patti Lacy

Top 'o the morning to ya!

This book was very in-depth. It was easy to read, yet hit on so many many deep topics it was astonishing! This the story of almost an entire life, the life of a woman named Mary Freeman. 

Better yet, this book has a great deal of a very real person's life that is the basis of this book. I was moved to tears more than once. I felt like I had been to Mary's home, and her country. I happen to have, among some other things, Irish, Scottish and English blood in my veins. That said I have not been yet to Ireland, Scotland or England. With this book I felt like I had gone there and watch a great part of many people's lives, and gave me another look at the pasts we all have to deal with. This was quite a moving book.

Carol :) 

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
An Irishwomans' Tale
Kregel Publications (July 8, 2008)
by
Patti Lacy


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:




Patti Lacy graduated from Baylor University in 1977 with a B.S. in education. She taught at Heartland Community College in Normal, Illinois, until she retired in 2006 to pursue writing full time. She has two grown children with her husband, Alan, and lives in Illinois.



ABOUT THE BOOK

Far away from her Irish home, Mary Freeman begins to adapt to life in Midwest America, but family turmoil and her own haunting memories threaten to ruin her future.

A shattered cup. Cheap tea. Bitter voices asking what's to be done with the "little eejit." Mary, an impetuous Irishwoman, won't face the haunting memories--until her daughter's crisis propels her back to County Clare. There, in a rocky cliffside home, Mary learns from former neighbors why God tore her from Ireland forty-five years earlier. As she begins to glimpse His sovereign plan, Mary is finally able to bury a dysfunctional past and begin to heal. Irish folk songs and sayings add color to the narrative.

Watch the Book Trailer:



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

The book link is: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0825429870

Less Than Dead by Tim Downs

Hi Readers! 

This is a captivating book! I am running a bit behind this week, but for a super good reason, so I do have a few more chapters I can go savor as I finish up! From the first page this book had me being a happy camper. Strange murders and odd graves, bug bodies, a witch and a missing child and that is just the opening! I do loved all the  dogs in this book, they are fabulous!  The action, and the intrigue are wonderful! While I am not 100% sure which # this book is in the Bug Man series, I would like to read another one! 

Carol :) 

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Less Than Dead
Thomas Nelson (September 9, 2008)
by
Tim Downs


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tim Downs is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Indiana University. After graduation in 1976 he created a comic strip, Downstown, which was syndicated by Universal Press Syndicate until 1986. His cartooning has appeared in more than a hundred major newspapers worldwide.

His first book, a work of non-fiction, was awarded the Gold Medallion Award in 2000. His first novel, Shoofly Pie, was awarded the Angel Award in 2004, and his third novel, PlagueMaker, was awarded the Christy Award for best suspense novel of 2007. First The Dead, the third book in this Bug Man series came out earlier this year.

Tim lives in Cary, North Carolina, with his wife Joy.


ABOUT THE BOOK


Some secrets just won't stay buried.
When strange bones surface on a U.S. senator's property, the FBI enlists forensic entomologist Nick Polchak to investigate the forgotten graveyard. Polchak's orders are simple: figure out the mess.

But Polchak, known as the "Bug Man" because of his knowledge of insects and their interaction with the dead, senses darker secrets buried beneath the soil.

Secrets that could derail the senator's presidential bid.

Secrets buried in the history of a quaint Virginia town.

Secrets someone is willing to kill to protect.

With the help of a mysterious local woman named Alena and her uncanny cadaver dogs, Polchak sets out to dig up the truth.

But with a desperate killer hot on his trail, he'll be lucky to wind up anything less than dead.


If you would like to read the first chapter of Less Than Dead, go HERE

The book link is: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1595543074

Beyond The Reflection's Edge: By Bryan Davis

Hi All! 

This group did it again! Another page turning wonderful book! I was instantly gripped by the plight Nathan was in. His character was so real I could almost reach out and touch him! The other characters were just as in depth, but it was either the skills of Mr. Davis or my background that made me instantly "bonded" to this boy. No many books are able to draw the reader, much less me, in like this one! Faith and Hope keep us alive, and while it isn't any different for Nathan, his journey on getting there is! After a magnificent duet performance on the violins with his Mother, Nathan finds his parents dead! He is now facing life with out his family and only his mentor/tutor to care for him, and a new "sister" and his Dad's "best friend" he had never met to befriend him through his darkest hours. Mirrors are showing him things that haven't happened, and before he died, Dad said it could help keep him from harm. But how do you sort out harm and danger when you feel like you are loosing your mind? Working with Kelly his new "sister" Nathan will go to whatever lengths he must to find his parent's killers. The "Mirror Mirror on the wall" wasn't always honest, is this mirror any different? If you want to know what you find Beyond The Reflection's Edge you must read this book! 

It was a page turner! 

Carol :) 

Product Description
After sixteen-year-old Nathan Shepherd’s parents are murdered during a corporate investigation, he teams up with a friend to solve the case, discovering mirrors that reflect events from the past and future, a camera that photographs people who aren’t there, and a violin that echoes unseen voices. This is the first book of a contemporary adventure fantasy series for young adults. 

From the Back Cover
Sixteen-year-old Nathan Shepherd has a great life traveling where the careers of his father, an investigator, and mother, a renowned violinist, take him … until his parents are found murdered. Left with only a mirror and notes from his father’s last case, Nathan goes into hiding at the remote country home of Tony, his father’s college buddy, and Tony’s teenage daughter, Kelly. The mysterious mirror must be a clue to what happened to his parents, and when images appear in it—people and things that don’t exist—Nathan and Kelly painstakingly gather evidence. But the killers want the mirror too, and danger threatens the teens at every turn. As it becomes evident that Nathan’s father had stumbled upon dark forces at work in the world, several questions arise. Could it be that the mirror is a portal to a parallel world? Could this technology be used for evil purposes? And could his parents still be alive, trapped in another dimension? Nathan and Kelly struggle to solve the mystery before they too become victims. This chilling, hair-raising adventure is jam-packed with action in a fantastical world where nothing is as it seems, and even mirrors tell lies. 

Beyond the Reflection’s Edge (BOOK LINK!!!) – http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0310715547 
Bryan Davis’s Web site – http://www.dragonsinourmidst.com/
Bryan Davis’s blog – http://dragonsinourmidst.blogspot.com/

*Participants’ Links:
Brandon Barr
Jennifer Bogart
Justin Boyer
Keanan Brand
Kathy Brasby
Jackie Castle
Valerie Comer
Courtney
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
Shane Deal
Janey DeMeo
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Karina Fabian
Marcus Goodyear
Andrea Graham
Todd Michael Greene
Katie Hart
Timothy Hicks
Joleen Howell
Jason Joyner
Kait
Mike Lynch
Magma
Terri Main
Margaret
Rachel Marks
Melissa Meeks
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Eve Nielsen
Nissa
John W. Otte
Steve Rice
Ashley Rutherford
Mirtika or Mir's Here
Chawna Schroeder
Greg Slade
James Somers
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Jason Waguespac
Laura Williams
Timothy Wise

A Beautiful Fall by Chris Coppernoll

Wow folks! 

I have to say to Mr. Chris Coopernoll, this is the best insight I have seen a male write for a "female" romance. Your background is showing up so very nicely! I really enjoyed this book greatly! I felt like I took a wonderful trip, and read a great story, while seeing a fantastic movie....all those feelings rolled into one! 

I look forward to more books by Mr. Coopernoll and anyone who wants a good read this fall, grab a copy of A Beautiful Fall!!!

Carol :) 

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
A Beautiful Fall
David C. Cook (October 2008)
by
Chris Coppernoll


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Chris Coppernoll is the founder of Soul2Soul Ministries, with his interviews with Christian artists airing weekly on 650 radio outlets in thirty countries. He has conducted hundreds of interviews on faith issues with personalities such as Amy Grant, Max Lucado, Michael W. Smith, and Kathie Lee Gifford. He also serves as a Deacon at The People’s Church in Franklin, Tennessee, and is currently working toward a Masters in Ministry Leadership degree through Rockbridge Seminary.

His "Inspirations" column is published monthly in the mid Michigan newspaper, The Jackson Citizen Patriot.

Chris Coppernoll is the author of four other books including Soul2Soul, Secrets of a Faith Well Lived, and God's Calling. Providence, his first novel, is his fourth book.


ABOUT THE BOOK

High-powered Boston attorney Emma Madison is celebrating her latest courtroom victory when she gets a call from a number she doesn't recognize. Area code 803 home. Juneberry, South Carolina eight hundred miles, twelve years, and a lifetime away from Boston. Emma's father has had a serious heart attack. Emma rushes to his bedside, and a weekend trip threatens to become an extended stay. She has to work fast to arrange the affairs of his small-town law practice so she can return to her life and career in Boston.

And then Michael Evans shows up. They'd shared hopes, dreams, and a passionate love as young college students during a long-ago summer. But Emma walked away from Michael and from Juneberry to finish college and start a new life. Michael has never forgotten her.

Enveloped in the warmth of family and small-town life and discovering that she still cares for Michael Emma knows she'll have to make a choice between the career she's worked so hard to build and the love she left behind.

If you would like to read the first chapter of A Beautiful Fall, go HERE

The book link is: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/143476852X

A Constant Heart By Siri Mitchell

Hey Everyone! 

This is one wonderful book! I could read a dozen like it if they were as good as this book! 

The research that makes this book real and fascinating is peppered all through the story, interwound into it. I feel as though I know Joan and Margret myself! A wonderful read! Please don't stop writing Siri Mitchell! I *loved* your work! 

Carol :) 

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
A Constant Heart
(Bethany House October 1, 2008)
by
Siri Mitchell


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Siri Mitchell graduated from the University of Washington with a business degree and worked in various levels of government. As a military spouse, she has lived all over the world, including in Paris and Tokyo. Siri enjoys observing and learning from different cultures. She is fluent in French and loves sushi.

But she is also a member of a strange breed of people called novelists. When they’re listening to a sermon and taking notes, chances are, they’ve just had a great idea for a plot or a dialogue. If they nod in response to a really profound statement, they’re probably thinking, “Yes. Right. That’s exactly what my character needs to hear.” When they edit their manuscripts, they laugh at the funny parts. And cry at the sad parts. Sometimes they even talk to their characters.

Siri wrote 4 books and accumulated 153 rejections before signing with a publisher. In the process, she saw the bottoms of more pints of Ben & Jerry’s than she cares to admit. At various times she has vowed never to write another word again. Ever. She has gone on writing strikes and even stooped to threatening her manuscripts with the shredder.

A Constant Heart is her sixth novel. Two of her novels, Chateau of Echoes and The Cubicle Next Door were Christy Award finalists. She has been called one of the clearest, most original voices in the CBA.



ABOUT THE BOOK

In a world of wealth, power, and privilege...love is the only forbidden luxury.

“Trust was a valuable commodity at court. Traded by everyone, but possessed by no one. Its rarity was surpassed only by love. Love implied commitment and how could any of us commit ourselves to any but the Queen? Love implied singularity and how could any of us benefit another if our affections were bound to one in exclusivity? Love was never looked for and rarely found. When it was, it always ended badly.”

In Queen Elizabeth’s court where men and women willingly trade virtue for power, is it possible for Marget to obtain her heart’s desire or is the promise of love only an illusion?

A riveting glimpse into Queen Elizabeth's Court...

Born with the face of an angel, Marget Barnardsen is blessed. Her father is a knight, and now she is to be married to the Earl of Lytham. Her destiny is guaranteed ... at least, it would seem so. But when her introduction to court goes awry and Queen Elizabeth despises her, Marget fears she's lost her husband forever. Desperate to win him back, she'll do whatever it takes to discover how she failed and capture again the love of a man bound to the queen.

If you would like to read the first chapter of A Constant Heart, go HERE

The book link is: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0764204319