Wednesday, March 28, 2012

The Hope of Shridula by Kay Marshall Strom




This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
The Hope of Shridula
Abingdon Press (March 2012)
by
Kay Strom


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A word from Kay:

Kay Marshall Strom… who am I? Well, I’m a traveler… a railer against social injustice… a passionate citizen of the world. I’m a follower of Jesus Christ. I’m a 21st century abolitionist who speaks out against slavery of all kinds. I am a beach walker and a gardener and the off-key singer of songs. I’m a wife… a mother… a sister… a daughter… a friend.

Most people, though, know me as a writer and a speaker. So here is a bit more about that part of my life:

Of my 39 published books, seven have been book club selections, twelve have been translated into foreign languages, and one has been optioned for a movie. My writing credits include numerous magazine articles, books for children, short stories, television scripts and two prize-winning screenplays. Along with my husband Dan, I also have produced a series of booklets for writers. My writing has appeared in a number of volumes including three versions of the NIV Devotional Bible and the devotional book My Heart—Christ’s Home, Through the Year.

I love to write, and I love to share about topics close to my heart. I speak at seminars, retreats, writer’s conferences, and special events throughout the country. And because I do enjoy travel, I even speak on cruise ships!

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Blessing in India series is a saga set in India’s heartbreaking history and breathtaking present that points toward a future of hope. Along the way, name-only Christianity collides with Hinduism, and then is confronted by an entirely new understanding of the call to follow Christ.

India: 1946. For forty-eight years, Ashish and his family toiled as slaves in the fields of the high-caste Lal family, and all because of one small debt. At fifty-four, Ashish was old and worn out. Every day was a struggle to survive for his family including his only daughter.

His wife had named the girl Shridula—Blessings. “Perhaps the name will bring you more fortune than it brought me,” Ashish told his daughter. His words proved to be prophetic in ways he could never have imagined. And when the flames of revolt brought independence to India, they seared change into the family of Ashish.

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Hope of Shridula, go HERE.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

The Chase by DiAnn Mills


This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
The Chase
Zondervan (March 27, 2012)
by
DiAnn Mills


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

DiAnn Mills believes her readers should “Expect an Adventure.” She is a fiction writer who combines an adventuresome spirit with unforgettable characters to create action-packed novels. Her books have won many awards through American Christian Fiction Writers, and she is the recipient of the Inspirational Reader’s Choice award for 2005, 2007, and 2010. She was a Christy Award finalist in 2008 and a Christy winner in 2010.

DiAnn is a founding board member for American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Inspirational Writers Alive, Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, and is the Craftsman Mentor for the Christian Writer’s Guild. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops.

DiAnn and her husband live in Houston, Texas. Visit her website or find her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/diannmills

ABOUT THE BOOK

To the FBI it's a cold case. To Kariss Walker it's a hot idea that could either reshape or ruin her writing career. And it's a burning mission to revisit an event she can never forget. Five years ago, an unidentified little girl was found starved to death in the woods behind a Houston apartment complex. A TV news anchor at the time, Kariss reported on the terrifying case. Today, as a New York Times bestselling author, Kariss intends to turn the unsolved mystery into a suspense novel. Enlisting the help of FBI Special Agent Tigo Harris, Kariss succeeds in getting the case reopened. But the search for the dead girl's missing mother yields a discovery that plunges the partners into a witch's brew of danger. The old crime lives on in more ways than either of them could ever imagine. Will Kariss's pursuit of her dream as a writer carry a deadly price tag? Drawing from a real-life cold case, bestselling novelist DiAnn Mills presents a taut collage of suspense, faith, and romance in The Chase.

Watch the book video!



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


Monday, March 26, 2012

A Perfect Pet for Peyton by Rick Osborne and Gary Chapman


In this colorful book young readers learn the importance of love.  The reader finds himself enjoying this wonderful adventure story as they travel with the characters Peyton and Penny, twins, and their friends through the Mr. Chapman's unique pet emporium.  This book is not only a reading book but an eye-spy type book where things are cleverly hidden in each picture.    In the back of the book you'll find a love language quiz that can be used as a good conversation starter to helping kids learn how individuals each give and receive love differently. Be sure to visit the web site where you'll find more information and resources available.  

FREE interactive APP with in-book experience COMING SOON to the App Store.

Sorry I don't know why this widget is showing double. I have only pasted the code once so I'm not sure why you see double. I'm not computer savvy.



Thanks to propeller for the chance to giveaway a copy of this children's book.  Be sure to fill out the rafflecopter form to be entered in the drawing.  Also make sure to do the mandatory requirements before receiving bonuses. Be sure to leave a way of contact.  USA residents only please.

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Rounding up Quick & Easy Dinners!

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Yesterday, we asked some of your what the topic of
today's Recipe Round-Up should be and
Quick & Easy Dinners
was the favorite!
That works out perfectly for two reasons:
1. We can ALWAYS use a new quick & easy dinner, right?
2. This week, the eBook version of our full-size cookbook,
Speedy Suppers
is on sale for just 99 CENTS!
It's a great deal and so easy...just visit our landing page, select your reader and you'll have this entire 224-page cookbook in no time! As always, even if you don't have an eBook reader, you can still enjoy this special deal! Download one of the free reading apps from Amazon or Barnes & Noble and it's like having an eBook reader right in your computer!

So tell us...
What are YOUR favorite QUICK & EASY DINNER recipes?
Share 'em all in today's Recipe Round-Up!


 Here's one of our favorites from the cookbook
we mentioned above, Speedy Suppers!
Crunchy Ranch Chicken
Click to learn more!Marla Caldwell of Forest, Indiana shared this quick & easy dinner recipe with us. She sums it up when she writes, "Simply mix, dip, cook…what a kid pleaser!" Grown-ups love it too!  
8-1/2 oz. pkg. cornbread
    muffin mix

1-oz. pkg. ranch salad
    dressing mix

1 c. milk
6 boneless, skinless
    chicken breasts

2 T. oil
Combine cornbread mix and salad dressing mix in a large plastic zipping bag; set aside. Pour milk into a shallow bowl. Dip chicken into milk; place in cornbread mixture and shake to coat. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken; cook until golden on both sides, about 6 to 7 minutes per side, or until juices run clear. Serves 6.

Even if you don't have a blog to link below, tell us about
YOUR recipe in the comments or, if you have a moment,
share it with us on our website!


Link up your favorite QUICK & EASY DINNER recipes below
and, if you're joining this hop, link back
here by using the handy button below.








Friday, March 23, 2012

Missing by Shelley Shepard Gray


This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Missing
Avon Inspire; Original edition (March 20, 2012)
by
Shelley Shepard Gray


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Since 2000, Shelley Sabga has sold over thirty novels to numerous publishers, including HarperCollins, Harlequin, Abingdon Press, and Avon Inspire. She has been interviewed by NPR, and her books have been highlighted in numerous publications, including USA Today and The Wall Street Journal.

Under the name Shelley Shepard Gray, Shelley writes Amish romances for HarperCollins’ inspirational line, Avon Inspire. Her recent novel, The Protector, the final book in her “Families of Honor” series, hit the New York Times List, and her previous novel in the same series, The Survivor, appeared on the USA Today bestseller list. Shelley has won the prestigious Holt Medallion for her books, Forgiven and Grace, and her novels have been chosen as Alternate Selections for the Doubleday/Literary Guild Book Club. Her first novel with Avon Inspire, Hidden, was an Inspirational Reader’s Choice finalist.

Before writing romances, Shelley lived in Texas and Colorado, where she taught school and earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education. She now lives in southern Ohio and writes full time. Shelley is married, the mother of two children in college, and is an active member of her church. She serves on committees, volunteers in the church office, and currently leads a Bible study group, and she looks forward to the opportunity to continue to write novels that showcase her Christian ideals.

When she’s not writing, Shelley often attends conferences and reader retreats in order to give workshops and publicize her work. She’s attended RWA’s national conference six times, the ACFW conference and Romantic Times Magazine’s annual conference as well as traveled to New Jersey, Birmingham, and Tennessee to attend local conferences.

Check out Shelley's Facebook Fan page

ABOUT THE BOOK

In the first book in her new Secrets of Crittenden County series, Shelley Shepard Gray delivers another page-turning romance set in Amish country

Perry Borntrager had been missing from the quiet Amish community of Crittenden, Kentucky, for months when his body was discovered at the bottom of an abandoned well. Everyone had assumed Perry left Crittenden on his own, seduced by the wider world he discovered during his rumspringa, but now the truth has thrown this once-peaceful town into chaos. The first death from mysterious circumstances in Crittenden in more than two decades has invited the scrutiny of the outside world: a police detective arrives to help their local sheriff with the investigation. His questioning begins with Lydia Plank, Perry’s former girlfriend, and Perry’s best friend, the Englisher Walker Anderson.

Lydia and Walker know they didn’t have anything to do with Perry’s death, but they both hold secrets about his final days. Do they dare to open up about the kind of man Perry had become? In the oppressive shadow of these dark times, they discover strength in a most unlikely companionship that offers solace, understanding, and the promise of something more.

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


Thursday, March 22, 2012

Stuart Branon's Final Shot by Stephen Bly




This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Stuart Brannon's Final Shot
Center Point Pub; Lrg edition (March 2012)
by
Stephen Bly


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Stephen Bly (August 17, 1944 – June 9, 2011) authored 106 books and hundreds of articles and short stories. His book, The Long Trail Home (Broadman & Holman), won the prestigious 2002 Christy Award for excellence in Christian fiction in the category western novel. Three other books, Picture Rock (Crossway Books), The Outlaw’s Twin Sister (Crossway Books), and Last of the Texas Camp (Broadman & Holman), were Christy Award finalists. He spoke at colleges, churches, camps and conferences across the U.S. and Canada. He was the pastor of Winchester Community Church, and served as mayor of Winchester, Idaho (2000-2007). He spoke on numerous television and radio programs, including Dr. James Dobson’s Focus on the Family. He was an Active Member of the Western Writers of America. Steve graduated summa cum laude in Philosophy from Fresno State University and received a M.Div from Fuller Theological Seminary. The Blys have three sons: Russell (married to Lois) and father of Zachary and Miranda (married to Chris Ross) and mother of Alayah; Michael (married to Michelle); and Aaron (married to Rina Joye) and father of Keaton and Deckard. A third generation westerner, Steve spent his early years working on California farms owned by his father and an uncle.

Janet Chester Bly received a B.S. degree in Literature & Languages and Fine & Performing Arts from Lewis-Clark State College, Lewiston, Idaho. She speaks at women’s luncheons and retreats and does writers’ workshops. She is a member of Winchester Community Church where she serves as music director. She has authored eleven nonfiction and fiction books and co-authored twenty others, as well as contributed to five books. Janet’s hobbies include decorating her home in “country clutter,” reading almost all genres of fiction and mall walking. She lives in Winchester, Idaho–elevation 4,000 feet, population 300– situated on the Nez Perce Indian Reservation.

ABOUT THE BOOK

In 1905, at 58 years old, legendary lawman Stuart Brannon - now a rancher and widower - had no intention of leaving his beloved Arizona Territory to attend the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition in Portland, Oregon, nor to participate in the celebrity golf tournament for the Willamette Orphan Farm. Even an emotional appeal for his longtime friend didn’t persuade him. His life no longer consisted of bloodthirsty men to track down . . . people trying to kill him . . . lawless gangs preying on the innocent.

Then the telegram came: Stuart, I need you in Portland. Tim Wiseman is missing. I think there’s a cover-up going on. Tell folks you’re going to the Exposition. Nose around. Find out how a U.S. Marshal can disappear and no one knows why. I’ll contact you there. T.R.

How could he refuse a request from the President of the United States?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Stuart Brannon's Final Shot, go HERE.


Wednesday, March 21, 2012

WWW ~ Mar. 21, 2012


To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…
* What are you currently reading?
* What did you recently finish reading?
* What do you think you’ll read next?



Currently Reading:



Recently Finished:



You may view my review here.








Read Next: 







Tuesday, March 20, 2012

The Dog that Talked to God by Jim Kraus




This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
The Dog That Talked To God
Abingdon Press (March 2012)
by
Jim Kraus


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jim Kraus grew up in Western Pennsylvania and is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh. He attended the Paris-American Academy in 1971 and has spent the last twenty years as a vice-president of a major Christian publishing house. He has written more than 20 books and novels (many with his wife, Terri). His book, The Silence, was named as one of the top five releases in 2004 by the Christian Book Review website. He is also an award-winning photographer. He and his wife and 14-year-old son live outside of Chicago with a sweet miniature schnauzer and an ill-tempered Siberian cat.

ABOUT THE BOOK

A wonderfully quirky, heart-breaking, heart-warming and thought-provoking story of a woman's dog who not only talks to her, he talks to God.

Recently widowed Mary Fassler buys a miniature schnauzer, Rufus, and her world is turned sideways in the midst of her grief. It seems that Rufus speaks. And not just to her. He also talks to God.

Mary has no choice except to believe Rufus, the miniature schnauzer, who claims to speak to the Divine.

The question is: Will Mary follow the dog's advice, and leave everything she knows and loves? Is this at the urging of God? Or is it something else?

Will Mary risk it all or ignore the urgings of her own heart?

If you would like to read a chapter excerpt from The Dog That Talked To God, go HERE.



Monday, March 19, 2012

DayBook ~ Mar. 19, 2012


Outside my window...the sun is shining brightly, the birds are singing in chorus

I am thinking…I need to put my snowmen away for the season

I am thankful for...SPRING

From the kitchen…all is quite, but we are thinking about some lunch

I am wearing…split skirt with peach shirt

I am creating…a to-do-list

I am going…to take my reading outside today

I am reading…Do You Dare to Be Yourself? by Andreas Dudas

I am hoping…to get Spring decorations up today

I am hearing...The Birds singing and city workers busy.

Around the house…school work is being accomplished

One of my favorite things...Signs of  Spring


A few plans for the rest of the week…getting Spring Cleaning started

Photo for thought...








They're BACK!!!!

WOOHOO!!!!  They're Back!!!


on my walk today a saw a few Robins.  They are BACK  and it feels like Spring. 


The geese have been through town over a week now.

We are heading in the right direction.



Saturday, March 17, 2012

Little by Little Big things get done....

Handmade by Heidi


Last night was March's Sew-In.  Hubby was off work; however, I did manage to get about two hours total of cross-stitching in.  I sewed about 30 min. before supper while he was redoing my computer to see if we could get it running better.  Then took supper break and after supper and got daughter off to work I got another 45min. to an hour.  Hubby wanted to watch a movie so took another break and after the movie got an other hour in.  It doesn't look like I got alot done from the picture because I worked on doing the white stitches and of course you can see the blue has been added too.....

Before FNSI

After FNSI

Friday, March 16, 2012

Before The Scarlet Dawn by Rita Gerlach

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Before The Scarlet Dawn
Abingdon Press (February 2012)
by
Rita Gerlach


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Rita Gerlach lives with her husband and two sons in a historical town nestled along the Catoctin Mountains, amid Civil War battlefields and Revolutionary War outposts in central Maryland.

"Romantic historical fiction that has an inspirational bent, is one way people can escape the cares of life and be transported back to a time of raw courage and ideal love," she says. "The goal of my writing is to give readers a respite, and inspire them to live fully and gratefully."

In many of her stories, she writes about the struggles endured by early colonists, with a sprinkling of both American and English history. Currently she is writing a new historical series for Abingdon Press entitled 'Daughters of the Potomac'. See her 'Novels In Progress' page on her website to learn more.

There are other novels on her list to be published, and a proposal for another book series.

She was born in Washington D.C. and grew up in a large family in the Maryland suburbs. Her family claims that storytelling is their blood, handed down from centuries of Irish storytellers. Rita believes there just may be something to that theory.

ABOUT THE BOOK

In 1775, Hayward Morgan, a young gentleman destined to inherit his father’s estate in Derbyshire, England, captures the heart of the local vicar’s daughter,
Eliza Bloome. Her dark beauty and spirited ways are not enough to win him, due to her station in life.

Circumstances throw Eliza in Hayward’s path, and they flee to America to escape the family conflicts. But as war looms, it's a temporary reprieve. Hayward joins the revolutionary forces and what follows is a struggle for survival, a test of faith, and the quest to find lasting love in an unforgiving wilderness.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Before The Scarlet Dawn, go HERE.

Watch the book video:




Thursday, March 15, 2012

Rounding up GREEN

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With St. Patrick's Day coming up, we know SOME of you are planning to serve up something special on Saturday. We've found so much inspiration on Pinterest and have even started our own Luck O' the Irish board there...what are you planning?

(If you need a Pinterest invite, drop us a note and we'll send you one!)
Even if you're not fixing anything Irish-inspired on Saturday, we know you have a green recipe on your blog, be it salad, beans, spinach or maybe even your own Shamrock Shake! So tell us...
What are YOUR favorite ST. PATRICK'S DAY recipes?
Share 'em all in today's Recipe Round-Up!


M231 
Here's one of our favorites from
101 Cupcake, Cookie & Brownie Recipes
!


Emerald Isle Cupcakes
Shared by Jackie Smulski of Lyons, Illinois, these lucky little cakes are perfect for celebrating with your little leprechauns. Jackie writes, "These cupcakes are not only good for St. Patrick's Day but are also a refreshing treat to welcome the first day of spring!"
EmeraldIsleCupcakes1-3/4 c. all-purpose flour
2/3 c. sugar
3.4-oz. pkg. instant pistachio
    pudding mix

1-1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
2 eggs, beaten
1-1/4 c. milk
1/2 c. oil
1/2 t. vanilla extract
few drops green food coloring
16-oz. container cream
    cheese frosting

Garnish: candy sprinkles
In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, dry pudding mix, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; add to flour mixture and mix until well blended. Fill paper-lined muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick tests clean. Cool in tin on a wire rack. Add a few drops of food coloring to the frosting and frost the cupcakes. Garnish with sprinkles. Makes 1-1/2 dozen.

Even if you don't HAVE a blog to link, tell us about your recipe
in the comments or, if you have a moment,
share it with us on our website!


Link up your favorite ST. PATRICK'S DAY recipes below
and, if you're joining this hop, link back
here by using the handy button below.