Thicker Than Blood

TitleTrakk.com Blog Tours Presents:

Thicker than Blood
by C.J. Darlington
Published by Tyndale House

Winner of the
2008 Christian Writers Guild Operation First Novel Contest!

Christy Williams finally has her life on track. She’s putting her past behind her and working hard to build a career as an antiquarian book buyer. But things begin to unravel when a stolen Hemingway first edition is found in her possession, framing her for a crime she didn’t commit. With no one to turn to, she yearns for her estranged younger sister, May, whom she abandoned after their parents’ untimely deaths. Soon, Christy’s fleeing from her shattered dreams, her ex-boyfriend, and God. Could May’s Triple Cross Ranch be the safe haven she’s searching for? Will the sisters realize that each possesses what the other desperately needs before it’s too late?


MY THOUGHTS
This is a well-written debut novel. The author deftly alternates between the two sisters' lives and experiences, sometimes leaving one in a bit of a suspenseful moment when the story moves to the other sister. Rather than feeling choppy, however, this simply makes the book more compelling and I kept thinking I would just read one more chapter . . .and then another and another! I look forward to more novels from C.J. Darlington.


With careful attention to detail, emotion, and scene-setting, C.J. Darlington scores with her debut effort. Here is a special writer you won’t want to miss.
--Jerry B. Jenkins, New York Times best selling author

If you love a good read filled with adventure and ultimately redemption, I encourage you to brew the tea, settle into your favorite chair and pick up the page turner that is C.J. Darlington’s imaginative new novel of a modern day sisterhood that triumphs over separation and the raw challenges of life to find the real endurance of both family ties and God’s amazing grace.
--Rebecca St. James, Grammy award winning Christian singer and bestselling author

With Thicker than Blood, C.J. Darlington proves she's a novelist for the long-haul, a strong new voice in Christian fiction. This book speaks to the heart, from the heart, about the heart. Readers will not soon forget it.
--Sibella Giorello, Christy award-winning author of The Rivers Run Dry & The Clouds Roll Away

Watch the book trailer:

About the Author:
C. J. began writing the story that would become Thicker than Blood (her first novel) when she was a fifteen-year-old homeschool student. She has been in the antiquarian bookselling business for over a decade, scouting for stores similar to the one described in the novel before cofounding her own online bookstore. Thicker than Blood was the winner of the 2008 Christian Writers Guild Operation First Novel.

C. J. co-founded the Christian entertainment Web site TitleTrakk.com with her sister, Tracy, and has been actively promoting Christian fiction through book reviews and author interviews. She makes her home in Pennsylvania with her family and their menagerie of dogs and cats. Visit her website www.cjdarlington.com for more info.

QUICK LINKS:

• The 1st chapter of Thicker than Blood
• The "Story Behind the Story" of Thicker than Blood
• An interview with C.J. at TitleTrakk.com
  
• Buy Thicker than Blood at Christianbook.com
• Buy Thicker than Blood at Amazon.com
• List of the other 85+ Thicker than Blood blog tour participants!

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Random Dozen

We interrupt this regularly scheduled blogpost of the Random Dozen to bring you this rant special bulletin:

If you see my hair floating around the blogosphere, please return it to me. I just pulled it out in frustration in my attempts to update my sidebar.

Do any of you have issues? Seems like I used to be able to move things up and down the entire length of the blog. Now there's a point that I get to and nothing will go past that unless I leapfrog it repeatedly as I move them around. Argghh!!

We now return you to your regularly scheduled post.



It's Wednesday, which means the coolest place to be is at 2nd Cup of Coffee for the best meme in Blogtown!

1. So I was thinking about how Jon Bon Jovi never seems to age much. His hair is smaller nowadays, but he still manages to look like a boy somehow. And then that made me think of the story of Dorian Gray. Question: If you physically lock in one age for yourself, which would you choose and why?

If I have to go with pure physical reasons, it would be 25, when I was energetic and still slim with minimal effort. But for emotional reasons, it would probably be 40, since I was married and had both my kids then (neither of which had occurred when I was 25).

2. What is the best dish that you cook or bake (your piece de resistance?)

Hmm. I have some great recipes that get lots of compliments. During the holidays I make peanut brittle and pralines, and those two are always a hit. I make a really good roast and gravy and I also have a wonderful recipe for chicken enchilada casserole.

Oh, you want me to share it?! Well okay, since it's been a couple of years since I posted it!

CHICKEN ENCHILADA CASSEROLE
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 - 1 c. chopped onion
1 1/3 c. fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 can Rotel Original diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 c. fat-free sour cream (I used light)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 (10 1/2 oz) condensed fat-free cream of chicken soup
Cooking Spray/small amount of cooking oil
24 (6-inch) corn tortillas
4 c. shredded cooked chicken breast (I used 4 breasts)
2 c. finely shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Saute onion and garlic in large saucepan in oil (or cooking spray) until soft. Add next 7 ingredients (thru soup), stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Spread 1 c. soup mixture in a 13 x 9 baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 6 tortillas over soup mixture, top with 1 c. chicken and then 1/2 c. cheese. Repeat layers 3 times, ending with cheese. Spread remaining soup mixture over cheese. (NOTE: Soup mixture will seem scant and you will think this will be a dry dish, but it will spread and get nice and creamy when it cooks.)

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Makes 12 servings.

3. When you feel blue, what is one strategy you use to help yourself back to normal?

Music, read, or make myself get out of the house and go somewhere.

4. When was the last time you danced in public?

Probably the same as the first time! LOL No, I guess it would be at one of the dorm formals when I was in college.

5. Do you consider yourself a realist or dreamer?

Realist. Those dreamers need to get their heads out of the clouds!! LOL

6. As a parent, what is one thing that you have done well?

Teaching my kids to have a heart for others. Both in the big things like wanting to reach out and help when something happens to little things like thanking people, paying attention to a grandparent and helping out..

7. Which is your favorite character on the Andy Griffith show?

It's been so long since I've seen this show, it's hard to decide. Probably Barney Fife or, before it spun off, Gomer Pyle. They were hilarious!

8. On a scale of 1-10, how much do you know about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Probably about a 4 or 5.

9. Have you never been mellow? Have you never tried … to find a comfort from in side you? (Sorry, Jorge was singing that song just now, and it just seemed to be perfect timing as I was creating this week’s questions.) REAL question: What is your #1 driving pet peeve?

Clueless drivers. Fpr example: Piling up in the right lane at a traffic light when they aren't turning. Going below the speed limit in the left lane. People that decide to do what they want regardless of what lane they're in or how much of a traffic snarl there is. It's all about them!

10. Which color best represents your mood today? Care to elaborate?

Probably blue - I'm calm, relaxed, and content.

11. If your spouse were an animal, which would he/she be?

What a question! I had to get help on this one. According to them, he is a mole, primarily because:

Moles have extremely sharp minds and are excellent problem solvers. As reflected in their determined burrowing through difficult terrain, moles prefer solutions with straight lines rather than having to go around problems. When confronted with difficult issues they never give up; hacking away with dogged determination until the answer is found. This attribute makes them perfect for jobs in engineering, accounting or diagnostic work. Careers are taken seriously. So seriously, in fact, that with their little heads down and their backs fully into the job moles may not notice the world going by. But even moles have dreams, and long for a time when they can put down the shovel and take a well-deserved hammock break on a quiet shady beach.

12. What activity takes up the bulk of your time on an average day?

Bon-bons and magazines. NOT!! Meals - planning, shopping, preparing, and cleaning up.



Head on over to 2nd Cup of Coffee to read more random answers - better yet, link up with your own post!

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The Choice - Author Chat & Giveaway!

UPDATE: Fri, 1/22/10 at 2:00 p.m. CST

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:
17
Timestamp: 2010-01-22 19:54:46 UTC
Congrats to Mary Lou! Please send me your address by 6:00 pm Sunday and the book will be sent to you.

* * * * * * *
One of the things I love about blogging is the opportunity to meet (sometimes face to face, sometimes just virtually) and interact with authors. Suzanne Woods Fisher is an author I stumbled across last year. Although she's a relatively new author, she has been cranking out the books, each of which I've enjoyed. I've been eagerly awaiting her latest novel, The Choice, and I was not disappointed.

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Lancaster County has always been her home--but where does her heart belong?

One moment Carrie Weaver was looking forward to running away with Lancaster Barnstormers pitcher Solomon Riehl--plans that included leaving the Amish community where they grew up. The next moment she was staring into a future as broken as her heart. Now, Carrie is faced with a choice. But will this opportunity be all she hoped? Or will this decision, this moment in time, change her life forever?

A tender story of love, forgiveness, and looking below the surface, The Choice uncovers the sweet simplicity of the Amish world--and shows that it's never too late to find your way back to God.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Suzanne Woods Fisher's interest in the Anabaptist cultures can be directly traced to her grandfather, W. D. Benedict, who was raised in the Dunkard Brethren Church in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Benedict eventually became publisher of Christianity Today magazine. Because of Fisher’s ties to the Amish, she has made every effort to keep her storytelling authentic, showcasing the Amish’s strong communities, their simple life-style and their willingness to put each other first. Suzanne's work has appeared in many magazines, including Today's Christian Woman, Worldwide Challenge, ParentLife, Christian Parenting Today, and Marriage Partnership. She has contributed to several nonfiction books and is the author of Amish Peace and several novels. Fisher resides in Alamo, California.

MY THOUGHTS:
If you think you "know" Amish culture, you will have a fresh new perspective after reading this book. I could not put it down. Like any community, a variety of personalities can be found among the characters of this novel. I wanted to hug and encourage Carrie, smack Solomon, and keep my distance from Esther (Carrie's step-mother), among others! Wounds go deep and scars are tender in this compelling story, and healing will only come with soul-cleansing confession, forgiveness and love. The choice is easy: grab a copy of The Choice today!

Suzanne graciously allowed me to ask her some questions, and she's given a fresh new perspective to my Englischer view of the Amish. Grab a cup of your favorite brew and enjoy the chat. And don't miss the giveaway at the bottom of this post!

MY MOCHA CHAT WITH SUZANNE WOODS FISHER

It seems that novels about the Amish are popping up everywhere. What insight do you have from your upbringing that you want to convey in your writing?

My grandfather was raised Plain. Not Amish, but a close cousin. He was one of thirteen children born in an Old Order German Baptist Brethren home (also known as Dunkards). He began his career as a teacher in a one-room schoolhouse and ended it as publisher of Christianity Today magazine. He chose to leave the farm because they were running out of farm land. And I think he had an intellectual bent, too. But he left amicably and kept in close contact with his family. We are all still in close contact. I’ve always had an interest in my Dunkard relatives and the reasons behind their lifestyle. Had I been born into a home that practiced Plain living, I think I would have stayed in it.

There’s a direct correlation between how complicated our lives are—with all kinds of time-saving technology that oddly consumes time—and peoples’ longing for a simpler life. It seems as if people are hungry for margin in their lives—for leisure time, for fewer demands, for quiet, for peace. I’m not sure life ever has been simple, but there’s a perception that a rural, less materialistic life is more manageable. And who better personifies the simple life than the Amish?


Many readers are attracted to the simple, uncluttered lifestyle, yet there are aspects of the Amish faith that seem contradictory to what the Bible teaches about grace and forgiveness. Shunning is probably one of the greatest aspects of the Amish faith that we as non-Amish believers have a hard time understanding. What is your perspective on this?

I think a lot of assumptions about the Amish faith (including shunning) come from Amish fiction. A lot of stereotypes, too. I say that as a writer of Amish fiction!

It’s important to realize that the Amish do not have a centralized church hierarchy. Each district is self-governing, so there is a great deal of variation among the districts. Among states, too. As much as I have read about and researched the Amish, I kept coming back to trying to represent in my novel the people. Those Amish have a deep and abiding faith in Jesus Christ. Their faith affects all parts of their lives.

I think we emphasize different aspects of our faith. For example, the Amish do not evangelize. They believe that their lives should speak as a silent example to others. Many get stuck on that point of non-evangelizing. And yet…look at how the world was touched by the Amish example of forgiveness over the Nickel Mines School Shooting. Now consider this…most Protestant churches do not emphasize confession of sins. The Amish hold communion twice a year and one of their practices—prior to communion--is to admonish everyone to make amends with others so that they accept communion with a unified spirit. In other words, church members are encouraged to keep short accounts and resolve grudges. I’m sure there are Amish who accept communion while still holding a grudge, for example, but the high bar is a wonderful model. Feelings follow intention.


In this book you portrayed Carrie's step-mother Esther as a harsh, rigid woman who makes life miserable for everyone around her and who has no tolerance for anything that goes against her deeply ingrained beliefs. Yet others in the community, such as Yonnie and even the bishop, seem more tolerant of blurring the lines and allowing such things as studying the Bible and spontaneous verbal prayers (as opposed to the customary silent rote prayers). Where on the spectrum do most Amish individuals or communities stand?

The non-Amish definitely have some assumptions about the Amish, and legalism is one of them. But I have to say that the Amish people I met and have kept in touch with aren’t legalistic. Yes, they do pay careful attention to tradition, and they highly value it, but I feel it has to do with honoring God.

Esther loves rules. Abraham loves “heart.” But both of them aren’t necessarily Amish-types. There are plenty of people in my own church who are just like Esther! And many (thankfully!) who are just like Abraham.


How did researching and writing this novel impact your own spiritual journey?

I was significantly affected while doing the research for the first (non-fiction) book, Amish Peace: Simple Wisdom for a Complicated World (Revell). I visited Pennsylvania and Ohio Amish communities a number of times, stayed in Old Order Amish homes, and interviewed many families, as well as experts about the Amish. That book has become a foundation for my fiction series about the Amish. I wrote from what I observed and learned; many story lines come from the families I met. Not a day goes by when I don’t think about how the Amish respond to what life throws at them…with a sense of yielding to the sovereignty of God. It’s not just an Amish way of thinking…it should be how Christians think! That “yielding” has trickled into my every day thinking. Moments like when I’m stuck in a traffic jam, or taking care of my dad (he has Alzheimer’s), or when life just doesn’t go very smoothly. I’ve definitely felt God’s peace in my life in a much more tangible way.


What message do you hope the reader takes away from this novel?

I really believe the Amish, at their best, are close to the heart of Christ. They love The Lord’s Prayer and the Sermon on the Mount. They desire to live as Christ would have them live—to put aside pride, to practice forgiveness on a daily basis, to avoid materialism and look to putting treasures in Heaven. There are so many principles, like those, that the Amish live out and ones we could (we should be!) incorporating into our lives.


Can you give us a hint of the second book in this series, The Waiting, which will be published in October? Does it pick up the story of one of the characters in The Choice, or is it about someone different?

The second in this series takes place in the same town of Stoney Ridge, Pennsylvania, but in a different time period—during the 1960s. Jorie King is in love with Ben Zook—a fellow who has a tendency toward “fence jumping” and is currently serving in Vietnam as a Conscientious Objector. Everyone assumes Jorie will marry Ben when he returns, but life in Stoney Ridge takes a few unexpected twists and turns.


Is there anything else you'd like to share with the readers?

In every book I write, I hope the reader ends the story feeling closer to God than she began. I never want to whack someone on the head with faith. I just want to encourage a reader to trust God a little more, rely on Him a little deeper, to get to know Him in a fresh way.

I have to end with a heartfelt thank you to each and every reader. Your time is valuable and I’m grateful you choose to read one of my books.


Where can readers find your books?

Amazon, CBD and your favorite bookstore.


And where can they find YOU?!

You can find me on-line at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com, my blog or on Facebook or Twitter (suzannewfisher). I love to hear from readers and try to respond to each one.


Thank you so much, Suzanne!

Grab this button
Readers will have a chance to talk directly with Suzanne on February 15! Hear the story behind The Choice win some great prizes (Amish cook books, Auntie Anne's Pretzel gift certificates, Amazon gift certificates), get a sneak peak at her upcoming releases, and join in the chatter! Suzanne will be answering all your burning questions and asking a few of her own. (oh, and hint, hint. Be sure check out Suzanne's website before the party - the answers to the trivia contests can ALL be found on there!)

To participate, simply head to the event page on the 15th, 8 pm EST (7 pm CST, 6 pm MST, 5 pm PST) and join in the conversation. We'll use the Event Wall to chat (just hit refresh to keep up with the current conversation) and we'll post all the info and trivia questions in the Description section.

Also - Suzanne will be making a fun announcement about something she's launching this spring. You won't want to miss it!

* * * GIVEAWAY!* * *
Suzanne has offered to give an autographed copy of to one of my readers! Just leave a comment on this post by 12:00 noon CST this Friday, 1/22/10. Be sure to include an email address if you don't have a blog. US Residents only, please.


Many thanks to Revell for providing a copy of this book for my review.

Available January 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group

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Whose Fault is the Fault?

I love how God works to bring verses to our attention at just the right time!

Yesterday in our Sunday School Bible Fellowship class, we prayed for Haiti, as I'm sure your church did. The question was raised about how to respond in conversations with non-believers (or believers too, for that matter) when questions come up about God's role in such disasters, especially in light of some public comments made last week which attribute the earthquake to God's judgment on a pagan nation. Of course, this has caused a maelstrom of reaction from both ends of the spectrum.

Later yesterday evening, I was reading an unrelated book, and stumbled across these verses:

Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.

Jesus answered, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way?

I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.

Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem?

I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."
Luke 13:1-5

I almost fell out of the chair! I don't remember reading those verses before, although I'm sure I have. What a great reminder that, instead of trying to read God's mind, we need to be focus on the importance of turning to Him in repentance and trust, regardless of where we live.

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Screen Play

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 author is:

Chris Coppernoll

and the book:

Screen Play

David C. Cook; New edition (January 1, 2010)

***Special thanks to Audra Jennings of The B&B Media Group for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Chris Coppernoll has authored six books including A Beautiful Fall and Providence. A national speaker to singles, Chris is also the founder of Soul2Soul, a syndicated radio program airing on 800 outlets in 20 countries. Chris holds a Masters degree from Rockbridge Seminary and resides outside Nashville, Tennessee.

Visit the author's website.

Screen Play, by Chris Coppernoll from David C. Cook on Vimeo.

Product Details:

List Price: $14.99
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: David C. Cook; New edition (January 1, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1434764826
ISBN-13: 978-1434764829

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

I absolutely had to be in New York by 1:30 p.m. Did my life depend upon it? Yes, as a matter of fact, it did. Just the thought of calling Ben or Avril with bad news from O’Hare churned my stomach and made my face prickle with a dizzying fear. I joined a sea of travelers bundled in parkas, hoods, hats, and gloves; they stretched out in front of me, pressing in and wresting me through a queue of red velvet theater ropes.


All of Chicago wanted to flee the blizzard they’d awakened to. Sometime after midnight the sky exploded with snowflakes. Icy white parachutists fell from their celestial perch as innocently as doves. The year’s last snowstorm tucked the city in with a white blanket knitted through the long winter’s night.


When I reached the American Airlines check-in, I hoisted one of my two black canvas bags onto the scale for the ticket agent.


“Harper Gray?” she asked, confirming my reservation.


“Yes.”


She returned my driver’s license, dropping her gaze to the workstation and tapping my information into the system. At the kiosk next to me, a large Texan with a silver rodeo buckle typed on his iPhone with his thumbs, mumbling something about checking the weather in Dallas.


Computers, I thought. What don’t we use them for?


It was obvious how many of my fellow travelers were heading somewhere for the New Year’s Eve festivities. I couldn’t help but eavesdrop on a cluster of merry college students reveling in their Christmas

break. They joked and chattered, mentioning Times Square, unbothered by long lines or the imminent threat of weather delays. At thirty, almost thirty-one, I could no longer relate to their carefree lifestyle. Too much water under the bridge, most of it dark and all of it numbing.


“Here you are,” the ticket agent said, handing me a boarding pass still warm from the printer. I fumbled with my things, stuffing my photo ID into my wallet as a mother and her young son squeezed in next to me. The crowd current swept me away from the ticket counter, denying me a chance to ask the agent the one question I most wanted answered.


Is anyone flying out of here this morning?


I rolled my carry-on through the main concourse. I’d used the small black Samsonite for so many trips, I thought the airlines should paste labels on it like an old vaudevillian’s steamer trunk. A row of display monitors hung from a galvanized pipe, cobalt blue icicles glowing all the brighter in the dark and windowless hallway. I joined a beleaguered crowd of gawkers studying the departure screens. Their collective moans of frustration confirmed what I already knew. My flight—indeed, all flights out of O’Hare—was:


DELAYED


I pinched my eyes shut. This was not what I needed. Not today, not today of all days. I absolutely had to be in New York by 1:30 p.m. Did my life depend upon it? Yes, as a matter of fact, it did.


©2010 Cook Communications Ministries. Screen Play by Chris Coppernoll. Used with permission. May not be further reproduced. All rights reserved.

MY THOUGHTS
One thing nice about reading is that I can somewhat vicariously experience something I would never do in real life! Screen Play is a good example of this. While it's a toss-up whether acting on Broadway or internet dating would be the most out-of-my-comfort-zone, I enjoyed following Harper Gray as she moved to New York to be an understudy for a woman who is the epitome of "diva" and as she tentatively enrolls in an online dating site. Her struggles are realistically portrayed: dealing with the snarky personalities of some of the actors and dodging the party atmosphere, longing for true love, and striving to follow God while at the same time she questions if He's still listening to her. Wondering if she would attain her dreams or if her dreams would change kept me turning pages until the satisfying conclusion.

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Fool's Gold

I have seen Melody Carlson's True Colors series for teens on the shelves of my Christian bookstore but had not read one until I received Fool's Gold: Color Me Consumed (NavPress). It is excellent, and I can't wait for my girl to read it.




BOOK SUMMARY:
Hannah Johnson is pretty happy as a missionary kid in Papua New Guinea. But when she visits her cousin Vanessa for a summer in America, everything changes.

Vanessa and her friends try to catch Hannah up on all the latest fashions, but in the end, Hannah feels hopeless. She doesn't think she'll ever be able to keep up with the rich girls--but that doesn't stop her from trying.

In the process, Hannah is forced to come to grips with what she values most: beauty on the inside or beauty on the outside.


MY THOUGHTS:
This book does a great job of portraying the temptations and situations common to many teenage girls. The lure of popularity. The enticement of credit cards, checking accounts, and sales. The attitude of the "haves" toward the "have nots" and the insecurity and lack of self-worth that often results - on both sides. And the spiritual numbness that results when one "takes a vacation" from Bible-reading and prayer. The reader is privy to Hannah's struggles and thoughts each step along the way, and her eventual disillusionment, while predictable, was still painful. This should be required reading of every teen girl who lives within driving distance of a mall!


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Over the years, Melody Carlson has worn many hats, from preschool teacher to youth counselor to political activist to senior editor. But most of all, she loves to write! Currently she freelances from her home. In the past eleven years, she has published more than 150 books for children, teens, and adults--with sales close to three million and many titles appearing on bestsellers lists.

Several of her books have been finalists and winners of various writing awards including The Gold Medallion, The Christy, and The Rita Award. And most recently she is in the process of optioning some of her books for film rights.

Carlson’s passion for writing has been greatly focused on teens. Informed and aware of the challenges and struggles facing teens today, she writes young adult novels that she hopes will change lives. Her popular series, Diary of a Teenage Girl (Multnomah), has sold more than 300,000 copies. Her TrueColors series (Nav Press) focuses on hard-hitting issues like suicide, addiction, and cutting. And her latest series, The Secret Life of Samantha McGregor, explores the paranormal from a Godly perspective.

She has two grown sons and lives in Central Oregon with her husband and chocolate lab retriever. They enjoy skiing, hiking, gardening, camping and biking in the beautiful Cascade Mountains. You can learn more about her and her many books at her website.


You can purchase Fool's Gold at Amazon, Christianbook.com, or your local Christian bookstore.


Thanks to NavPress for providing a copy of this book for my review!

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TSMSS - God Be With You Till We Meet Again

When I was growing up, the Christian radio station in Houston had a program on at 10::00 every Sunday night called Songs in the Night, produced by Moody Church. Each week they closed the half hour of music and meditations with the hymn, God Be With You Till We Meet Again. I often drifted to sleep while that song was playing.

I was so excited to discover it on Selah's new CD You Deliver Me. As always, Selah sings an incredible arrangement.

GOD BE WITH YOU TILL WE MEET AGAIN

God be with you till we meet again;
By His counsels guide, uphold you,
With His sheep in love enfold you;
God be with you till we meet again.

Chorus
Till we meet, till we meet,
Till we meet at Jesus' feet;
Till we meet, till we meet,
God be with you till we meet again.

God be with you till we meet again!
'Neath His wings securely hide you,
Daily manna still provide you;
God be with you till we meet again!

God be with you till we meet again!
When life's perils thick confound you,
Put His arms unfailing 'round you;
God be with you till we meet again!

God be with you till we meet again!
Keep love's banner floating o'er you,
Smite death's threatening wave before you;
God be with you till we meet again!

WORDS: Jeremiah E. Rankin, 1880
MUSIC: William G. Tomer, 1882

Join us at Amy's for more songs for your Saturday!

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Too Young To Be This Old!

You've probably seen or gotten emails containing lists that declare "You Know You're Getting Old When. . . ."

Suddenly they aren't so funny. Especially the ones that say

. . .the names in your little black book all end with M.D.
In the past 3 months, I have been to:

• the endocrinologist (osteoporosis)
  
• the gynecologist (annual exam)
  
• the gastroenterologist (scopes)
  
• the internist (annual physical so he would renew my Rx)
  
• the neurologist (migraines) and
  
• the dentologist - oh wait, that should just be the dentist!

I thought I was going to be adding nephrologist (kidney specialist) to follow up on something, but it ended up being inconsequential.

Fortunately, the reports have been coming back okay. I'm still not done with the GI doctor, but since the biopsies of my scopes came back okay, I'm thinking she's going to say I just have an irritable digestive system.

Which is an apropos diagnosis, considering I also probably have an irritable insurance company, not to mention my irritable checking account!

And that's the ologist of the situation!

Here's a few more of the things on the list that are way too easy to relate to!

You know you're getting older when. . .

• People call at 9 PM and ask, "Did I wake you?"
  
• You can live without s*x but not without glasses.
  
• The clothes you've put away until they come back in style... have come back in style.
  
• The pharmacist has become your new best friend.
  
• You come to the conclusion that your worst enemy is gravity.
  
• You quit trying to hold your stomach in, no matter who walks into the room.
  
• It takes longer to rest than it did to get tired.
  
• You finally find something you've been looking for for ages but can't remember why you wanted it.
  
• You're on vacation and your energy runs out before your money does.
  
• You say something to your kids that your mother said to you and you always hated it.
  
• You have Mallzheimer's disease - you go to the mall and can't remember where you parked!
  
• The bands you listened to in college are now considered classic rock.
  
• The kids you used to babysit have their own kids and you’re pretty sure it’s only been a few years since they were wearing diapers.
  
• You remember being horrified when your ‘ancient’ parents turned 40, and never thought it would happen to you.
  
• You always knew you would be an adult some day, but it still doesn’t feel like you are . . . even with 5 kids.

I would like to add this to the list: "When the setting of American Girl's newest HISTORICAL series is the year you were in 7th grade, and your daughter thinks that's hilarious!"

So what would you add?! Put it in the comments!

Gray hair is a crown of splendor;
it is attained by a righteous life.
Proverbs 16:31

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Though the earth give way. . . .

The pictures coming out of Haiti are staggering in their portrayal of the devastation in Port au Prince. But as heartbreaking as they are, I know pictures don't begin to describe the destruction and misery.

I am struck by the utter desolation and hopelessness in the eyes of the Haitians. Their physical suffering is eclipsed by their spiritual pain for the many individuals who do not know Christ. I pray that they would turn to Him and find refuge and peace in the midst of their despair.

1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
Selah

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.

5 God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.

6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

7 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah

8 Come and see the works of the LORD,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.

9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear,
he burns the shields [b] with fire.

10 "Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."

11 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah
Psalm 46

3 When the earth and all its people quake,
it is I who hold its pillars firm.
Selah
Psalm 75:3

Heaven and earth will pass away,
but My words will never pass away.
Matthew 24:35

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FIRST PresentsBecoming Lucy

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 author is:

Martha Rogers

and the book:

Becoming Lucy

Realms (January 5, 2010)

***Special thanks to LeAnn Hamby | Publicity Coordinator | Strang Book Group for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Martha Rogers is a former schoolteacher and English instructor. She served as a newsletter editor for the writer’s organization, Inspirational Writers Alive! for six years and is the state president. She is also the director for the annual Texas Christian Writer’s Conference and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. Her novel, Not on the Menu (May 2007), is a part of Sugar and Grits, a novella collection with DiAnn Mills, Janice Thompson, and Kathleen Y’Barbo. Rogers has a Master’s Degree in Education, worked for twenty-eight years as a secondary teacher, and has worked as a supervisory teacher at University of Houston Clear Lake and as an instructor of English Composition at Houston Community College. Martha and her husband live in Houston, Texas and have worked with teenagers at First Baptist Church for twenty-four years.

Visit the author's website.



Product Details:

List Price: $10.99
Paperback: 297 pages
Publisher: Realms (January 5, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 159979912X
ISBN-13: 978-1599799124

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Oklahoma Territory 1896

Jake Starnes hunkered down in his jacket. He smelled
frost in the air, but the cold in his bones came from fear, not
the temperature. A gust of wind threatened to take his hat. He shoved it down tighter to secure it.

He peered ahead at the barren landscape and the outline of the town of Barton Creek. Naked trees stretched forth to the skies against a backdrop of prairie grass that spread as far as the eye could see toward distant mountains. It bore no resemblance to the beautiful hills of Texas where he grew up. He missed them, but he'd probably never get the chance to see them again. He sighed in resignation to the life that lay ahead. A life he hadn't chosen. It had chosen him the day he chose to wear a gun.

Mrs. Haynes sat beside him and nudged his arm. "How much longer will we be? Dear little Lucinda. I pray she doesn't have to wait too long for us. I thought Ben would be done with the stock, but since he wasn't, I'm thankful you were available."

"Happy to oblige, ma'am. Won't be long now." Mrs. Haynes had talked about her sister's "poor orphan child" for the past two months. He could sympathize with the child because he lost both his parents just after he turned fifteen. She must be grieving terribly.

The pressure of Mrs. Haynes's hand on his arm brought him to the present. "Jake Starnes, you're not paying one bit of attention to me. If your mind is on the work you left at the ranch, don't worry about it. Ben and the others can take care of your chores."

"I know they will." Gray clouds covered the late October sky. "It's getting darker. Hope we get back home 'fore night sets in. That wind's coming straight down across the prairie with nothing to stop it."

"Dear me, I do pray Lucinda is dressed warmly." Mrs. Haynes pulled her shawl more tightly about her shoulders.

"You said she's coming from Boston, so she knows about cold weather." He peered at the horizon. The few buildings of Barton Creek drew closer. Another ten minutes and they'd be in town.

Jake's stomach began churning like those blue-black clouds rolling across the sky. Were it not for the little girl waiting for them, he'd have turned back home now. If the sheriff in Barton Creek recognized him or had questions about him being a stranger in these parts, he'd be in a heap of trouble.

He'd avoided going into the settlement ever since he came to Oklahoma six months ago. His wanderings ended at the Haynes's spread, where he'd stopped to ask for work. His first intention to stay only a month or so then move on changed when the Haynes showed him a kindness and love he sorely missed. They had become the family he had lost years ago.

Now the thought of entering the town caused fear to rise like bile. What would happen if the lawman in town recognized him and Ben Haynes learned about Jake's past, a past he wanted to forget?

•

Lucinda stared down at the dusty ground beneath the worn wooden bench of the Wells Fargo depot and twisted her black-gloved hands in her lap. She searched the area for a familiar face. Where were Aunt Amelia and Uncle Ben? Her escort had fallen ill in the last town, but Lucinda had been determined to come on alone despite protests, and now she sat here with no one to meet her. Doubt clouded her mind over the decisions of the past month.

With no one else to call family, she'd had no choice but to come west. Aunt Mellie and Uncle Ben could never replace Mama and Papa, but being a part of the Haynes family would help take away the loneliness haunting her days.

She swiped at something as it brushed her cheek. An insect of some kind flew away, and she shuddered. What other strange things would she see this day? Her gaze swept across the scene before her. Several buildings across from the depot included a general store. She stood and made her way across the uneven ruts crisscrossing the street, if the hard-packed ground could be considered a street. A sign advertising Anderson's General Store squeaked on its chains. Welcome warmth greeted her when she pushed her way through the double doors.

A woman behind the counter peered at her. "May I help you, dear?"

The aroma of lamp oil and peppermint mingled in the air. "I stepped in to get out of the wind. I'm waiting for my Uncle Ben and Aunt Amelia to pick me up."

The gray-haired woman wiped her hands on her white apron. "Are you talking about Amelia Haynes?"

"Yes, ma'am. I've come to live with them."

The lady beamed. "Welcome to Barton Creek. I'm Bea Anderson, and that's my husband Carl over there." A slightly bald man helping a customer grinned and nodded in her direction.

Mrs. Anderson pulled up a stool beside the wood stove. "Sit a spell and get warm. Ben and Amelia should be here soon."

A young man by the shelf of canned goods turned and smiled. Lucinda offered a small one in return. Heat rose in her cheeks as he continued to stare.

She broke her gaze and pointed to glass jars filled with a rainbow of colors. "Thank you, but I must go back over to the depot. I'll take a few of those peppermints if you don't mind."

Mrs. Anderson filled a small bag with the candy. "It's a mite colder out now. Sure you don't want to stay here until they arrive?"

Lucinda handed the woman a few coins and grasped the bag. "Thank you for your concern, but I don't want them to have to hunt for me. Maybe I'll see you again."

"If you come to church on Sunday, you surely will." The bell over the door jingled, and another customer entered. Mrs. Anderson turned her attention to the new patron. The young man smiled and nodded as Lucinda turned from the counter. She didn't smile in return. Mrs. Anderson should have introduced him. Were proper manners of no importance here on the frontier?

Lucinda crossed back to the depot that was down from the town's answer for a hotel. The only fully brick building in sight, it had grand windows, and cut glass adorned the wooden doors, but it couldn't compare to the ones in Boston. Of course, nothing in these buildings resembled the beauty of the masonry of her hometown.

She returned to the bench and popped a peppermint into her mouth. The sharp sweetness teased her taste buds as she savored her favorite candy. It brought back memories of Papa bringing a bag of treats home to her every week.

She'd be eighteen in less than six months and old enough to take care of her own affairs. Until then, however, she had to comply with the lawyer's recommendations. At least her aunt and uncle were family, and she longed to be a part of a family once again. She missed having someone concerned about her welfare. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson had been kind, but they had their own affairs to tend to. Her only fear now lay in losing her own identity so far away from everything she knew and loved.

With no idea what lay ahead, one thing was sure: she would have to learn to do without the amenities enjoyed as the only child of a wealthy family. But if Aunt Amelia could come out here and live and be entirely happy, Lucinda had to at least give it a try.

A gust of wind whipped open her dark blue cloak and stirred a small whirlwind of dirt. She coughed from the dust and wrapped the thick wool tighter around her body to ward off the cold. If Aunt Amelia and Uncle Ben didn't arrive soon, she'd have to go back inside to escape the weather.

•

Mellie Haynes shivered in the frigid air. In a few minutes she'd be with her young niece. Dear Lucinda. How would she fare in this country? Amelia missed her sister and the wonderful letters they exchanged, but that couldn't begin to compare to the grief Lucinda must bear.

The Haynes ranch house may not be as elegant as Lucinda's home in Boston, but it was warm, comfortable, and large enough to accommodate her own son and daughter as well as Lucinda.

She pictured her young niece and Becky together. Surely Lucinda's upbringing would have a positive effect on her
daughter's hoydenish behavior. Of course, Becky was only twelve, but the time had come for her to learn more ladylike ways.

Mellie considered the young man beside her. Jake couldn't be much more than a few years older than Lucinda. Such a handsome face, but so full of sadness, it had drawn her to him like a moth to light when he arrived at the ranch all those months ago. He'd become more like a second son. She wanted to erase that haunted look in his eye and believed she'd succeeded until today.

When they reached the main street, her heart beat a little faster. Her precious niece huddled on the bench, staring at the ground. She would offer Lucinda plenty of comfort and love to help her adjust to all the changes in the days ahead.

•

Lucinda sat with head bowed against the wind as it blasted around the corner. She yanked on her bonnet to keep it from flying off into the street. She hadn't felt this lonely since the day after the funeral.

Wagon wheels creaked and broke the silence. Her name echoed across the street, and she glanced up. Aunt Amelia waved and called to her again. Relief flooded Lucinda's soul. She bolted from the bench and ran into her aunt's welcoming arms.

Aunt Amelia hugged her tightly. "Oh, my dear, I'm so sorry we're late. Your uncle Ben couldn't leave the ranch, so I had Jake bring me."

A young man in dusty boots and a brown hat stood waiting by the wagon. Hair the color of the wheat fields she'd passed in Kansas escaped from under his hat and brushed his shoulders. He tipped the brim back with a forefinger, and his eyebrows arched as though surprised to see her.

Aunt Amelia hugged her again before stepping back. "Oh, let me look at you. You've grown even more beautiful since we saw you at the funeral." She turned to the cowboy. "Jake, come and meet Lucinda."

The young man sauntered across the unpaved street and removed his hat. Steel blue eyes met Lucinda's gaze and sliced through her with razor sharpness. She gulped. No one had ever looked at her like that.

Aunt Amelia introduced him as Jake Starnes. A muscle twitched in his well-tanned jaw, and a gust of wind blew a few strands of hair across his face. Still, he stared. Curiosity swelled from within, but she averted her eyes. The handsome young man in dirty boots and a blue jacket was like no other young man Lucinda had ever met.

She lifted her chin into the air and turned her gaze toward the station. "My bags are over there."

He stepped behind Lucinda to survey two trunks and a mound of other pieces. He emitted a low whistle. "All that stuff yours?"

At Lucinda's nod, he shook his head, then hefted the smaller trunk onto his shoulder. With his free hand he grasped the handle of her largest bag. "I reckon it'll fit, but we'll all three have to ride on the bench." He strode across the way to a wagon hitched to a pair of horses.

Lucinda scurried to keep up. Dismay swelled in her chest as she surveyed the wooden contraption. No carriage? How far would she have to ride up on that narrow seat? "How far is it?" she asked.

"It's about an hour's drive out to the ranch. Mrs. Haynes, maybe we should have brought the bigger buckboard."

Aunt Amelia covered her mouth with her hand. "I'm sorry. I should have thought of that, but this will have to do for today."

Jake pushed his load into the back of the wagon. He turned to Aunt Amelia and offered his assistance to lift her onto the wooden plank bench. After she settled herself, he nodded toward a step on the side and reached for Lucinda's elbow.

Lucinda tensed at his touch but accepted his help. She perched next to her aunt. Not even a cushion on the boards to soften the impact, but the thickness of her petticoats and coat would ease the bumps a bit.

As soon as she was situated, Jake turned back to the station. "I'll get the rest of your things."

Jake's dark jacket strained across his broad shoulders as he lifted the final two boxes and almost staggered under their weight.

Aunt Amelia leaned against her arm. "Jake's a strong young man and a big help on the ranch."

Lucinda's cheeks again filled with heat. Ashamed to think her aunt caught her observing the cowboy, she let her gaze wander back to the street and the buildings. How different from what she expected, but then she had no way of knowing what awaited her in Barton Creek.

Before she could take time for further inspection, Jake returned to heave the last small trunk onto the wagon.

Jake frowned up at her. "'Tain't Boston, but it's growing."

His words echoed her thoughts and unnerved her even more. She clasped her hands to keep them from shaking.

He unhitched the horses and climbed up beside her aunt, then reached behind him for a heavy wool coat. Jake pushed his long arms into the sleeves and buttoned it around his chest. A flick of the reins and the team moved forward.

Wide-open range and grasslands spread across the scene with distant hills giving character to an otherwise dull landscape with its brown and pale greens. Leafless trees sent crooked fingers into the overcast sky. The land looked as though God had created it and then forgotten it. Lucinda shivered as the wind sent chilling gusts through her cloak.

Aunt Amelia grasped Lucinda's hand. "Our house isn't a big one by any means, but we have plenty of room for you, and Becky is excited to have another girl around the ranch. You'll share a room with her."

Share a room? Lucinda hadn't counted on that either. What other surprises lay waiting for her? The view of bleak land sowed more seeds of doubt in her mind. She should have insisted on staying in Boston. How would she ever fit into life on a ranch in such a lonely place?

If only Mama and Papa hadn't been so protective, she might not be as ill at ease as she was now. The sound of her name broke into her reverie. "What was that, Aunt Amelia?"

"I said Lucinda is rather a formal name for the west. How about Lucy? It's short and easy to say."

Change her name? What next? She rolled the name on her tongue but didn't care for the feel of it. If she changed her name, then she'd be giving up one more part of herself. Manners restrained her tongue from a sharp answer. "I'll have to think about the name for a while if you don't mind, Aunt Amelia."

Her aunt pursed her lips. "Of course, dear, but you can call me Aunt Mellie. Everyone at the ranch and in town does except for this young'un here." She nudged Jake in the arm. "Don't you think she looks like a Lucy?"

Jake shot her a quick look. "Sounds fine to me, ma'am," he said politely.

"Yes, Lucy is a good name." Mrs. Haynes grinned at Jake but spoke to Lucinda. "His name is Jacob, but we all call him Jake. Even your cousins have shortened names."

Love emanated from her aunt, but Lucinda would wait awhile before agreeing to change her name. She leaned forward a bit to observe Jake just as he cut his gaze to hers. A strange feeling of excitement engulfed her, but the unknown sent an icicle of fear through her heart.

•

Jake matched Lucinda's stare until she turned her head. Was that fear he saw in her eyes? What had he said or done to frighten her?

He observed Lucinda's ramrod straight back, her hands clutching a dark blue cloak around her. Raven black hair peeked from beneath a bonnet. He didn't know her age, but she had to still be in her teen years. What had led him to think Lucinda was a child? Of course Mrs. Haynes always referred to her as a little girl. Nothing prepared him for the young lady seated on the other end of the wagon bench.

Mrs. Haynes eyed Lucinda's traveling clothes. "We'll have to get you some more comfortable things for life on the ranch."

Jake swallowed a chuckle as Lucinda protested. "No need for that. Mr. Sutton thought I needed a proper traveling gown, but most of the things his wife helped me with are much more practical." More practical? Jake doubted it. A refined lady from Boston like her wouldn't know the first thing about what to wear at a ranch. A twinge of sympathy ran through him. She looked as out of place as a pig at a cattle auction.

"Here we are," said Mrs. Haynes. "Welcome to your new home, dear."

Before them the Rocking H ranch spread out across the horizon. The roof outlines of the house, bunkhouse, and barns drew near. Jake urged the horses forward, eager to deliver his unusual charge and return to his work. Lucinda's troubles were none of his business. Besides, he had enough troubles of his own to carry.

MY THOUGHTS:
This is an enjoyable historical fiction novel. (And I'm sure there were lots of "Lucys" as the West was being tamed. . .young women brought up in proper society who found themselves smack dab in the middle of the rough and rugged West!) This book conveys the importance of trusting God when your path makes an unexpected turn, as well as the idea that some of those "surprises" have God's fingerprint and purpose on them.

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Random is as Random Dozen

If it's Wednesday, then it's time to be random, thanks to Lidna at 2nd Cup of Coffee!

1. When was the last time you craved a food--what was it, and did you cave?

Um, that would be just yesterday, when I craved my coffee and some breakfast but had to fast for a scan. And I persevered.

2. M & M's or Skittles?

M & M's. Hands down, no contest.

3. Have you ever read the Bible completely through?

I've come really close, but I think I missed a couple of Minor Prophets and some of I & II Chronicles where it duplicates I & II Kings. I'm working on the Bible in 90 Days right now. Not because I'm an overchiever, but because I'm more likely to stick with it for a shorter time period. And I was convicted how much time I spend reading books and not nearly enough reading the Bible.

4. How long does it take you to really wake up in the morning?

Maybe 10 or 15 minutes. Once I wash my face I'm mostly there. Not chipper, but awake!

5. Have you ever been on a cruise? If not, would you like to?

No. Yes. But it's not at the top of my list, and my husband has no interest.

6. Who is your favorite actress?

Julie Andrews.

7. ______ is something that I will just never understand.

Quantum physics. Piercings anywhere but the earlobe. And the mind of God.

8. How much of a technology junkie are you?

I guess it averages out to moderate. It depends on who is setting the bar: a computer geek would roll his/her eyes at me, but compared to many of my real-life friends, I'm pretty high.

9. Do you enjoy selecting greeting cards for people, or is it more of a cultural "have to" for you?

Hallmark has always been my weakness. I've forced myself to stay farther away from them since I've been a SAHM, but I used to spend way too much time and money in there!

10. When was the last time you got a new style/haircut?

Funny you should ask. I have a haircut appointment tomorrow, so the last one was a little more than 5 weeks ago! We tweaked my style just a tad back in the fall, but I have had the same basic haircut for years. Yeah, I'm boring that way. But hair is where my introverted side kicks in - changing styles draws too much attention!

11. What do you enjoy shopping for most?

Lately, nothing because I need to lose some weight. Otherwise I guess it would be clothes. Oh, and I love getting little gifts for friends "just because." Unfortunately, the "love to" is bigger than the "can afford."

12. What's the last thing you think of before you leave the house?

Kinda simultaneously: have I used the bathroom, do I have my phone, and are the lights out?


Head over to Lid's blog and join us in this fun meme!

And be sure to click on the links at the top of my sidebar to enter my THREE giveaways going on now!

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Just Wondering. . . .

I got an iPhone for Christmas, and I'd like to put a Bible app on there. But mercy! There are a ton of them out there. If you have one to suggest that you like, or you know someone who does, let me know. Also, are there any other apps you really like?

(BTW, Googlers: I am looking for honest opinions from blog readers, not advertisement spam!)

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ADDITIONAL GIVEAWAY!

Check out this post for an update of a giveaway of THREE books!

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Understanding Men - Part 2; Review & Giveaway

UPDATE Thursday, 1/14 at 7:40 p.m.
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:
2
Timestamp: 2010-01-15 01:37:43 UTC
Congrats to Beverlydru! Email me your address and I'll send the book your way!

* * * * * * *
Yesterday I shared my interview with Shaunti Feldhahn, who discussed the unique approach she has taken in finding out how the way men and women are wired impacts their relationships, and the series of books that resulted. Her latest book, The Male Factor examines how this plays out in the corporate environment.



This is a must-read for women who are in the workforce. Like her previous books, the information which Shaunti shares was gleaned from hours of interviews and surveys of men who shared frankly about, as the subtitle says, The Unwritten Rules, Misperceptions, and Secret Beliefs of Men in the Workplace. The result is a book filled with invaluable information for women, whether they work alongside men in the secular or sacred world. Even though my role as Care Coordinator in our church is very part-time, I learned much from this book that I can apply in my interactions with the pastors of my congregation.

Additionally, two versions of this book are available, along with corresponding websites: a general business edition [ISBN 978-0-385-52811-5 (0-385-52811-6)] and an expanded Christian edition [ISBN: 978-1-60142-120-3 (1-60142-120-6)]. The core of the books are the same, but the Christian edition contains additional information; each chapter has input geared for the woman who brings a Christian perspective to her working environment. An additional final chapter provides insight from "Titus Women" - senior Christian women in the workforce who share the wisdom reaped from their years of experience. You can find information about purchasing either of these books on the Random House/Multnomah website.

Here's a brief word from Shaunti herself:



ABOUT THE BOOK:
Many talented women today risk undermining their careers without realizing it, simply because they don’t understand how they are perceived by their male colleagues and customers.

• Men’s unwritten ‘rules’ of the workplace
  
• How men perceive workplace emotion
  
• What common situations with female colleagues most frustrate men-- and why
  
• Why revealing clothing can sabotage a woman’s effectiveness
  
• Why some men think flextime is fine, but equal compensation for it is not

AUTHOR BIO:Shaunti Feldhahn is a nationally syndicated columnist and the bestselling author of For Women Only: What You Need to Know About the Inner Lives of Men and For Men Only, which together sold one million copies. She holds a Master in Public Policy from Harvard, worked on Wall Street and now lives in Atlanta, Georgia.




GIVEAWAY!
In addition to my review copy, the publisher has provided an additional copy of the expanded Christian edition to give to one of you. Leave a comment on this post by Thursday, 1/14/10, at 4:00 p.m. and I will draw a winner via Random.org. US Residents only please.


This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

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The Chic Shall Inherit The Earth - Updated with GIVEAWAY!

UPDATE Thursday, 1/14/10 at 7:25 p.m.

Well, this is easy! Three books to give away and three copies! Email me your addresses, Rachel, karenk, and A Stone Gatherer! and I will pass them along to the publicist, who will be mailing each of you your book!

* * * * * * *

UPDATE: I was apparently so distraught over this series ending (LOL) that I completely forgot that the publisher has authorized me to give away THREE copies of this book! If you know a teenage girl, she would love this book. And even though it's the last of the series, it can also be read as a stand-alone. Although I predict the girl will want to grab the earlier books to enjoy as well!

Just leave a comment on this post by 6:00 pm CST Thursday and I will draw three winners using Random.org. US Residents only, please.

* * * * *
Sigh. All good things must come to an end. Such is the case of Shelley Adina's All About Us series. I only found out about this series a few months ago, so I've only read the last three books. (Click the title to read my reviews of of book #4 - Who Made You A Princess? - and book #5 - Tidings of Great Boys.) The last book, The Chic Shall Inherit the Earth may be my favorite.

The girls of Spencer Academy are in the last semester of their senior year. With high school graduation looming, they juggle tests and projects, decisions about college, and preparation for the Cotillion, to be held the night of graduation. Written from the perspective of Lissa, the girls also deal with the ups and downs of friendship as well as relationships with the guys in their lives. In the midst of everything else, the resident "Mean Girl", Vanessa, adds drama to their lives. Only Lissa sees that behind Vanessa's facade, she is desperately hurtin, and Lissa makes the decision to put her faith into action by reaching out to Vanessa in friendship. Will she be successful or will she only incur more disdain from Vanessa? And what is up with her best friend from childhood, Kaz? Are they on the verge of taking the next step: dating? Or will Kaz turn his focus to her good friend Gillian? Oh, the angst of being a teenage girl!

I really like how "girl politics" is portrayed in this novel: the snarkiness of Vanessa and the struggle Lissa feels between reaching out and self-protection are so realistic and the role that faith plays in the story is authentic rather than syrupy. As the book comes to a close, I found myself wanting to follow the girls to college to see how they continue to grow and mature.

* * * * * * *
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 author is:

Shelley Adina

and the book:

The Chic Shall Inherit the Earth (All About Us #6)

FaithWords; 1 edition (January 7, 2010)

***Special thanks to Miriam Parker of the Hachette Book Group for sending me a review copy.***

CONTEST! For a chance to win one of two prizes: a Tiffany's Bracelet OR an All About Us T-shirt, go to Camy Tang's Blog and leave a comment on her FIRST Wild Card Tour for The Chic Shall Inherit the Earth, and you will be placed into a drawing for a bracelet or T-shirt that look similar to the pictures below.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Shelley Adina is a world traveler and pop culture junkie with an incurable addiction to designer handbags. She knows the value of a relationship with a gracious God and loving Christian friends, and she's inviting today's teenage girls to join her in these refreshingly honest books about real life as a Christian teen--with a little extra glitz thrown in for fun! In between books, Adina loves traveling, listening to and making music, and watching all kinds of movies.


Visit the author's website.

Product Details:

List Price: $9.99
Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: FaithWords; 1 edition (January 7, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446179647
ISBN-13: 978-0446179645

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

THE CHIC SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH

© 2010 by Shelley Adina


Chapter 1


LET ME PUT it right out there: I’m no sports fan—unless you count surfing, which is more of an attitude to life than a sport. I used to think that there were some things you just knew. But if God were a major league pitcher, He’d be the kind of guy who threw curveballs just to keep you on your toes. To catch you off guard. To prove you wrong about everything you thought.

Which is essentially what happened to us all during the last term of our senior year at Spencer Academy.

My name is Lissa Evelyn Mansfield—yes, I’m back again. Did you miss me? Because, seriously, this last term of high school before my friends and I graduated was so crazed, so unpredictable, that I had to write it all down to try and make sense of it.

But, hey, let’s take a moment here. The words last term of senior year need some respect, not to mention celebration. They need to be paused over and savored. Excuse me.

Okay, I’m back.

The term began in April, and by the time our first set of midterms (or thirdterms, as my roommate Gillian Chang calls them, since we get three sets of exams every term) rolled around at the beginning of May, it was just beginning to sink in that there were only seven weeks of high school left. Seven weeks until freedom. Adulthood. Summer vacation. Adulthood. Home.

Adulthood.

Eek.

“Sarah Lawrence is stalking me,” Gillian moaned from where she sat on her bed in our dorm room. “Here’s another letter.” She fished an envelope out of the pile of mail in her lap and waved it.

I looked up from my MacBook Air, where I was checking e-mail. “Don’t let Emily Overton hear you. She got turned down and her roommate has had to keep her away from open windows for the last month.”

“But I already told them no twice. What’s it going to take?”

“You could fail some exams.” I’m always willing to offer a helpful suggestion. “They can’t help it if they covet your fearsome brain.”

“So does Harvard. And Princeton. Not to mention Stanford and Columbia and Juilliard.” She threw her hands in the air so that the letter flew over her shoulder and bounced off the headboard. “How am I supposed to pick just one? Can I spend a year at each school? I could be a career transfer student.”

“I’m glad I don’t have your decisions to make,” I told her with absolute honesty. “If all those schools were after me, I’d run away and hide.”

“I’ve got to figure out what I’m doing with my life.” She glanced at me. “Or maybe I should say, what God wants me to do with my life.”

“There’s the kicker.” I nodded sagely. “I understand about waiting on the Lord, but . . . He knows about registration deadlines, doesn’t He?”

“Oh, yeah. He knows. I keep asking Him, and He keeps thinking about it. Maybe He wants me to figure out what I want, first. But that’s the impossible part.”

Poor Gillian. She has the kind of brain schools fight over for their research programs. But she’s also a music prodigy—hence the acceptance from Juilliard. Then, to complicate things even more, she also has quite the talent for drawing, and ever since she met my friend Kaz Griffin, her dream has been to create a graphic novel starring a kick-butt Asian girl with a secret identity. Kaz, in case you haven’t met him, is my best friend from my old high school in Santa Barbara. He’s been trying to get his graphic novel published for, like, years, with no success. But I have to hand it to him. He never gives up.

Anyway. Gillian.

“You could always do pre-med at Harvard and minor in art or music,” I suggested. “You know you’re going to need a release valve from all that scientific pressure. It would be good to have the right-brain kind of classes to turn to.”

Gillian pushed the stack of mail off her lap and leaned back against the mound of colorful silk pillows. The letter from Sarah Lawrence crumpled somewhere underneath. “But then how will I know if I’m any good?”

“Um, your grades? Not to mention, if you got an acceptance from Juilliard, you’re good. Full stop, as Mac would say.”

Lady Lindsay MacPhail, aka Mac, was a student here at Spencer for two terms, and she’s one of our little group of friends. She’s gone back to live in London until the end of term, when she’ll return to her family’s castle in Scotland, and she has none of these questions about her life. She knows exactly what degree she’s going to get, when she’ll get it, and what she’ll be doing after that: making the Strathcairn Hotel and Corporate Retreat Center the go-to place for world-class events in the UK.

I envy people who have their future in a laser sight. I’m still trying to figure out what to wear tomorrow.

“What do teachers know?” Gillian asked. I don’t think she was looking for the answer to that one. “If I’m going to find out whether I’m really any good, I have to try to get into an art program and give it everything I’ve got. Try to get an exhibition. Or a publisher. Live in a garret and try to make it as an artist.”

“That sounds scary.”

“I know.” She sighed. “Medical school is the easy path, grasshopper.”

Only Gillian Chang would say something like that.

I turned back to my notebook and saw that while we’d been talking, a message from Kaz had popped up in my inbox.




*

To: lmansfield@spenceracad.edu

From: kazg@hotmail.com

Date: May 4, 2010

Re: Ow



I am so regretting pushing off physics until senior year. My brain hurts. What was I thinking? Instead of grabbing my board and heading for the beach, I’m stuck down here in my room writing equations I don’t know the answers to.

Does the Jumping Loon tutor over the phone? Can you ask her? I’ll give her anything she wants, including full use of my studly body, if she’ll just say the magic words that will unveil the meaning of x and y, not to mention z.

Life, I’ve got a handle on. X is a mystery.

Kaz




I looked over my shoulder. “Kaz wants to know if you do physics tutoring over the phone. He says you can do what you want with his body if you help him.” I paused when she didn’t look up from a Neiman Marcus catalog. “I didn’t know you were interested in his body. Does Jeremy know about this?”

“That sounds like a jealous remark.” She flipped a page. “Ooh, nice dress. Chloé does summer so well. Which reminds me, if we’re going on a Senior Cotillion dress safari, we’d better start soon.”

I was not to be sidetracked, no matter how tempting the bait. “Is something going on with you and Kaz?”

She put the catalog down and rolled her eyes to the ceiling. “Yes. Yes, there is.”

I sat there as stunned as if someone had upended a bucket of seawater over me.

Kaz and Gillian? What? How is that possible? When did—

What is the matter with you? Kaz is your friend. You aren’t . . . like that. If he’s interested in Gillian, it’s none of your business.

Poor Jeremy.

“Lissa. Lissa, come back to me.” I blinked at her. My face felt frozen. “For crying out loud, get a grip.” She was trying not to laugh and not succeeding very well. “He’s teasing you. He’s helping me with a plaster mold of his hand for my art project, okay? That’s all.”

“A mold. Of his hand. And you don’t have guys’ hands any closer than Santa Barbara?”

“He has interesting hands, which you’d know if you ever paid any attention.”

Of course he did. And of course I did. Pay attention to him, I mean. He was my best friend. We e-mailed each other, like, twenty times a week.

“And Jeremy’s hands aren’t interesting?”

She picked up the catalog and flipped another page. “Write him back and tell him of course I’ll tutor him. We can start tonight if he’s desperate.”

Hm. Poor Jeremy, indeed. What was going on here? “He wants to know the meaning of x.”

“Don’t we all. Some of us wait for the universe to reveal it to us. And some of us wouldn’t know it if the universe dropped it on our heads.”

“What’s your point?”

But my friend, who usually has all the answers, didn’t reply.

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