A Matter of Character by Robin Lee Hatcher

Robin Lee Hatcher gets delightfully creative with the third book of the Sisters of Bethlehem Springs series. The heroine, Daphne McKinley, is an heiress with a secret. She writes dime novels. But, has she gotten her facts straight?

Joshua Crawford, a newspaperman from St.Louis, is betting his career and reputation, that the author of these novels is dead wrong about the "fictitious" villain known as Rawhide Rick, who happens to have the same name as his beloved grandfather. The plot thickens when Joshua becomes Daphne's boss at the newspaper where she writes a column.

Robin Lee's characters feel like old friends and just like old friends, it's hard to say goodbye. Thankfully Ms.Hatcher is busy putting pen to paper and we can expect more great writing, and "characters with character" to come.

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
A Matter Of Character
Zondervan (May 25, 2010)
by
Robin Lee Hatcher


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Robin Lee Hatcher discovered her vocation as a novelist after many years of reading everything she could put her hands on, including the backs of cereal boxes and ketchup bottles. The winner of the Christy Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction (Whispers from Yesterday), the RITA Award for Best Inspirational Romance (Patterns of Love and The Shepherd's Voice), two RT Career Achievement Awards (Americana Romance and Inspirational Fiction), and the RWA Lifetime Achievement Award, Robin is the author of over 50 novels, including Catching Katie, named one of the Best Books of 2004 by the Library Journal.

Robin enjoys being with her family, spending time in the beautiful Idaho outdoors, reading books that make her cry, and watching romantic movies. She is passionate about the theater, and several nights every summer, she can be found at the outdoor amphitheater of the Idaho Shakespeare Festival, enjoying Shakespeare under the stars. She makes her home outside of Boise, sharing it with Poppet the high-maintenance Papillon


ABOUT THE BOOK

It's 1918, and Daphne McKinley, heiress to a small fortune, has found contentment in the town of Bethlehem Springs, Idaho. But Daphne has a secret.

A series of dime novels loosely based on local lore and featuring a nefarious villain known as Rawhide Rick has enjoyed modest popularity among readers. Nobody in Bethlehem Springs knows the man behind the stories ... except Daphne.

When newspaperman Joshua Crawford comes to town searching for the man who sullied the good name of his grandfather, Daphne finds herself at a crossroads, reassessing the power of her words, re-thinking how best to honor her gifts, and reconsidering what she wants out of life.

Robin is conducting a contest for the new book. Join in the fun HERE.

If you would like to read the Prologue and first Chapter of A Matter Of Character, go HERE.

Broken by Travis Thrasher

Is it me or has Christian suspense risen to new heights?
In my opinion, there's really no need to look elsewhere for great suspense thrillers than your local Christian bookstore. It used to be that there were a few authors (ground breakers) who gave the genre a decent go, but they were few and far between, and supplemental thriller fixes were necessary. Not any more.

Travis Thrasher has you on the edge of your seat from the get go. Laila's story, is a cautionary tale of choices and consequences. Of the battle for the mind and soul of the sinner. Of the love and compassion of a Heavenly Father who will allow pain and suffering, stopping at nothing to draw us to Him so that He can redeem the Broken (book pun)...

Rachael, Christian fiction's toughest critic (one of them anyway) gave this one two thumbs up.
Way to go Travis Thrasher. We look forward to more!

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Broken

FaithWords (May 25, 2010)

by

Travis Thrasher





ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

It was during third grade after a teacher encouraged him in his writing and as he read through The Narnia Chronicles by C.S. Lewis that Travis decided he wanted to be a writer. The dream never left him, and allowed him to fulfill that dream of writing fulltime in 2007.



Travis Thrasher is the author of numerous works of fiction, including his most personal and perhaps his deepest work, Sky Blue, that was published in summer of 2007. This year he has to novels published, Out of the Devil’s Mouth, and a supernatural thriller, Isolation.



Travis is married to Sharon and they are the proud parents of Kylie, born in November, 2006, and Hailey, a Shih-Tzu that looks like an Ewok. They live in suburban Chicago.



Stop by and visit Travis at his Blog where you can sign up to follow him on Facebook and Twitter!



ABOUT THE BOOK

Laila had it all--love, family, wealth, and faith. But when her faith crumbles, her world falls apart and Laila finds herself living an empty, dangerous life as a call girl in Chicago.



When she is threatened, Laila shoots and kills a client in self-defense, sending herself into a spiral of guilt and emptiness. Six months later, she is trying to move on, but she's haunted by the past. She hasn't told anyone about the man she killed, and she's still estranged from her family.



When she is approached by a stranger who says he knows what she did, Laila has no choice but to run. But the stranger stays close behind, and Laila begins having visions of the man she killed. Little does she know she's being hounded by something not of this world, something that knows her deepest, darkest secret.

Scared and wandering, will Laila regain her trust in God to protect her from these demons? Or will her plea for salvation come too late?





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

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Frenzy

Thomas Nelson (May 18, 2010)

by

Robert Liparulo





ABOUT THE AUTHOR:



Robert Liparulo is a former journalist, with over a thousand articles and multiple writing awards to his name. His first novel, Comes a Horseman, released to critical acclaim. Each of his subsequent thrillers—Germ, Deadfall, and Deadlock—secured his place as one of today’s most popular and daring thriller writers.



He is known for investing deep research and chillingly accurate predictions of near-future scenarios into his stories. In fact, his thorough, journalistic approach to research has resulted in his becoming an expert on the various topics he explores in his fiction, and he has appeared on such media outlets as CNN and ABC Radio.



Liparulo’s visual style of writing has caught the eye of Hollywood producers. Currently, three of his novels for adults are in various stages of development for the big screen: the film rights to Comes A Horseman. were purchased by the producer of Tom Clancy’s movies; and Liparulo is penning the screenplays for GERM and Deadfall for two top producers. He is also working with the director Andrew Davis (The Fugitive, Holes) on a political thriller. Novelist Michael Palmer calls Deadfall “a brilliantly crafted thriller.” March 31st marked the publication of Deadfall’s follow-up, Deadlock, which novelist Gayle Lynds calls, “best of high-octane suspense.”



Liparulo’s bestselling young adult series, Dreamhouse Kings, debuted in 2008 with House of Dark Shadows and Watcher in the Woods. Book three, Gatekeepers, released in January 2009, and number four, Timescape, in July 2009, and number five, Whirlwind in December 2009. The series has garnered praise from readers, both young and old, as well as attracting famous fans who themselves know the genre inside and out. Of the series, Goosebumps creator R.L. Stine says, “I loved wandering around in these books. With a house of so many great, haunting stories, why would you ever want to go outside?”



With the next two Dreamhouse books “in the can,” he is currently working on his next thriller, which for the first time injects supernatural elements into his brand of gun-blazing storytelling. The story is so compelling, two Hollywood studios are already in talks to acquire it—despite its publication date being more than a year away. After that comes a trilogy of novels, based on his acclaimed short story, which appeared in James Patterson’s Thriller anthology. New York Times bestselling author Steve Berry calls Liparulo’s writing “Inventive, suspenseful, and highly entertaining . . . Robert Liparulo is a storyteller, pure and simple.” He lives with his family in Colorado.



Visit Robert Liparulo's Facebook Fan page: http://www.facebook.com/LiparuloFans







ABOUT THE BOOK

Their destiny is to fix history. Their dream is to get home.



When you live in a house that's really a gateway between past and present, you have to be ready for anything. It's a painful fact the Kings have faced since moving to Pinedale eight days ago. Desperately trying to rescue their mother from an unknown time and place, brothers Xander and David have lunged headlong into the chaos of history's greatest--and most volatile--events. But their goal has continually escaped their grasp.



And worse: Finding Mom is only a small part of what they must do, thanks to the barbaric Taksidian. His ruthless quest to sieze their house and its power from them has put not only the family, but all of mankind, in grave danger.



Somehow, the key to it all hinges on Uncle Jesse's words to the boys: "Fixing time is what our family was made to do." But how can they fix a world that has been turned updisde down--much less ever find their way home?



At long last, the secrets of the house and the King family are revealed in the stunning conclusion to this epic series.



If you would like to read the Prologue and first Chapter of Frenzy, go HERE.



Sign up for the Frenzy Newsletter HERE.

Predator by Terri Blackstock

If you like suspense thrillers, Terri Blackstock's Predator will have you hooked before you finish the first paragraph. The subject is Internet stalking and the potential crimes that can result from sharing too much information over social networking sights. It weighs the good against the bad of our information age.

Krista Carmichael has just lost her fourteen year old sister to an online predator and she is determined to track him down and stop him from hurting anyone else. Krista is a Christian, working in an inner-city ministry for hurting young women. Women who have had their share of misery and abuse. But now, Krista finds herself dealing with the pain of the loss of her own sister to an evil predator. The question begs to be asked. Where is God in this kind of a situation? Where is our Good Shepherd when the helpless, innocent lambs are begging for mercy? For their very lives even. And shouldn't we as believers in the Holy and All powerful God of the Universe have some kind of special exemption pass from the horrors inflicted by the demons that invade the souls of those who allow themselves to become perverted by the vilest that the pit of Hell has to offer?

Ms. Blackstock manages to ask the hard questions through her storytelling, without spoon feeding any hard and fast answers. Rather, by letting the characters speak for themselves, through their own journey and conclusions. So, is there any hope in a novel about a serial killer? Read this one and find out for yourself!!!

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

PredatorZondervan (May 25, 2010)

by

Terri Blackstock





ABOUT THE AUTHOR:



Terri Blackstock’s books have sold six million copies worldwide. Her suspense novels often debut at number one on the Christian fiction best-seller lists, and True Light, published last year, was number one of all Christian books—fiction and non-fiction. Blackstock has had twenty-five years of success as a novelist.



In 1994 Blackstock was writing for publishers such as HarperCollins, Harlequin and Silhouette, when a spiritual awakening drew her into the Christian market. Since that time, she’s written over thirty Christian titles, in addition to the thirty-two she had in the secular market. Her most recent books are the four in her acclaimed Restoration Series, which includes Last Light, Night Light, True Light and Dawn’s Light. She is also known for her popular Newpointe 911 and Cape Refuge Series.



In addition to her suspense novels, she has written a number of novels in the women’s fiction genre, including Covenant Child, which was chosen as one of the first Women of Faith novels, and her Seasons Series written with Beverly LaHaye, wife of Tim LaHaye.



Blackstock has won the Retailer’s Choice Award and has appeared on national television programs such as The 700 Club, Home Life, and At Home Live with Chuck and Jenny. She has been a guest on numerous radio programs across the country and the subject of countless articles. The story of her personal journey appears in books such as Touched By the Savior by Mike Yorkey, True Stories of Answered Prayer by Mike Nappa, Faces of Faith by John Hanna, and I Saw Him In Your Eyes by Ace Collins.







ABOUT THE BOOK

The murder of Krista Carmichael's fourteen-year-old sister by an online predator has shaken her faith and made her question God's justice and protection. Desperate to find the killer, she creates an online persona to bait the predator. But when the stalker turns his sights on her, will Krista be able to control the outcome?



Ryan Adkins started the social network GrapeVyne in his college dorm and has grown it into a billion-dollar corporation. But he never expected it to become a stalking ground for online Predators. One of them lives in his town and has killed two girls and attacked a third. When Ryan meets Krista, the murders become more than a news story to him, and everything is on the line.



Joining forces, he and Krista set out to stop the killer. But when hunters pursue a hunter, the tables can easily turn. Only God can protect them now.



Enter the Terri Blackstock iPad CONTEST: http://www.terriblackstock.com/contests/.



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



Watch the book trailer video!

Where Am I?

"Sometimes I wonder if I'm ever gonna make it home again. It's so far and out of sight." Carole King

Right now. That's how I feel. Kind of small. Kind of on my own path. Rambling. Doing some reading. I'm taking a journalling class for personal revival with a lovely author named Lynn Morrissey. She's really great. So solid. And what a beautiful writer! Makes me wonder why I bother putting words down anywhere. I've always been of the opinion that it's best to let the people who are good, really good at things (like math, for instance) do it. Have a blast. Godspeed! Yet here I am, throwing down some random words on a blog, the thing that jokes are made of. A little voice says that this is stupid. It feels good to know that it doesn't have any power over me.

Love Will Keep Us Together by Anne Dayton and May Vanderbilt

Anne and May have done it again. They have proven that they are the Queens of Cool, Hip, and whatever the current lingo is. Book four of the Miracle Girls series is, I think, their best yet. This is Riley's story. Remember Riley? The girl everyone (me anyway) wishes she could be. She's vivacious and popular and drop dead brilliant and the story begins with a tour of the hallowed halls of Harvard University, but somehow it feels like she's touring a stage set and in spite of parental enthusiasm, our girl is having some major doubts about where she really belongs. Her parents are Sold (her Mom being a realtor and all) on Riley going to the Ivy League and occupied with her autistic brother Michael who has some needs of his own, so who can she confide in?

I loved struggling along with Riley as she tries to be true to herself. I saw myself in her- it took me back to those days of yore... and helped me to empathize with my four kiddos who are currently enrolled in academia. I appreciated the honest portrayal of the Church, which could be Everychurch and how we often drop the ball when we should be reaching out to the hurting instead of judging. Story threads include teen pregnancy, friendship, autism and life choices.

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Love Will Keep Us Together

FaithWords (April 30, 2010)

by

Anne Dayton and May Vanderbilt





ABOUT THE AUTHOR:











ANNE DAYTON graduated from Princeton University and is earning her master's degree in English literature at New York University. She works for a New York publishing company and lives in Brooklyn.



MAY VANDERBILT graduated from Baylor University and went on to earn a master's degree in fiction from Johns Hopkins University. She lives in San Francisco, where she writes about food, fashion, and nightlife in the Bay Area.



Together, the two women are the authors of Miracle Girls series





ABOUT THE BOOK

Riley McGee has the whole world open before her. She could get into any college, major in any subject, become whoever she wants to be...But the truth is, Riley has no earthly idea what to do. She's paralyzed by indecision, afraid of the changes she faces, and as graduation day inches closer, it feels more and more like a threat.



Meanwhile, her autistic brother, Michael, is struggling to fit in at Marina Vista and stay on top of his classes. Riley tries to keep an eye out for him, but when Ms. Moore suggests pulling Michael out of school, Riley has to fight for her brother--and against her favorite teacher. And things take another turn when her ex-boyfriend, Tom, arrives, hoping to give their relationship one more try. On top of that, an ambitious new pastor makes her question everything she thought she knew about faith.



If you would like to read the first chapter of Love Will Keep Us Together, go HERE.