The Best Reads of 2011

What a great year for books! Unfortunately, it wasn't a great year for time to read all the books I wanted. The year started off with my going to the Pulpwood Queens Girlfriend Weekend in Jefferson, TX. There I was introduced to many new (to me) authors which added to my already leaning pile of books-I-want-to-read-before-I-die.

Writing, editing, and marketing took a big chunk of my reading time in the middle part of the year, but I've finished strong and read some darned good books the last few month. Before I get to that, I have to tell you about a new and interesting twist to my author life - I was asked to read a number of books for endorsement - that pithy little blurb that appears sometimes on the cover or in the flyleaf at the front of a book. What an honor . . . and a responsibility. You can either gush and sound really silly or try out some sixty-four dollar words and sound stuffy or you can give a brief but lively blurb that pulls out the strengths of the book. Luckily, for me, this was easy as all the books I was asked to read only added to my literary enjoyment this year.

So to start things off, these are the authors and their books that I've endorsed this year:

When All My Dreams Come True by Janelle Mowery
Reinventing Leona by Lynne Gentry
Reclaiming Lily by Patti Lacy
Savanna's Gift by Camille Eide
Wish You Were Here by Beth K. Vogt (2012 release)
A Sweethaven Summer by Courtney Walsh (2012 release)
The Mother Road by Jennifer AlLee (2012 release)

Such a privilege to read these heart-warming stories. The one thing they all had in common was the unique voice that each author brought to the book.

Now, on to the Best of List. I sometimes do a top five in two or three categories, but this year my reading took me far and wide so I'm going to do like they do on the televised awards shows and invent categories to suit my needs.

Best Memoir:

In the Sanctuary of Outcasts by Neil White

Best Novel Set in England:

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson

Best Novel Set in the South:

Georgia Bottoms by Mark Childress - Absurd and Hilarious!

Best Literary Novel:

The Violets of March by Sarah Jio

Best Novel from CBA (Christian Booksellers Association):

The Sweetest Thing by Elizabeth Musser

Two-Way Tie for Second Place:
Blue Skies Tomorrow by Sarah Sundin
A Sound Among the Trees by Susan Meissner

Best Christan Debut:

Wings of a Dream by Anne Mateer

OVERALL BEST BOOK: Remember what I said about that huge pile of books. The best book I read this year is one that's been gathering dust for a couple of years, the one I'd heard great things about but never seemed to pull out and read. Although it has a 2007 pub date, 2011 was the year I discovered it, and everything I've ever heard about this book was true. Gritty. Mesmerizing. Heart-wrenching. The writing is unlike anything you've ever read. The characters and the story will wind around your heart and squeeze until you think you can't breathe. The impression will not go easily away. A teaser: I will never see or hear an accordion again without thinking of my choice for Best Book of 2011 - The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.

It will most likely be read again in 2012.

How about you? Are you familiar with these authors or these books? See anything interesting? It was an eclectic year for me, and that's just the way I like it!

Happy New Year! I'll be back next week to tell you about the books I'm looking forward to in 2012.

Opportunity Knocks

Just a quick post to tell you about some terrific opportunities for free books right now.

My friend Lynne Gentry's debut novel, Reinventing Leona, which I told you about here is available for a limited time for FREE on Kindle. Don't miss out.

And two blogs are currently featuring giveaways of my book Broken Wings. Check out my interview on Susan Meissner's blog, Edgewise, for details. And visit Dragonflies 'n Daydreams - the cyber home of Lesley Peck. This is a really cute blog that also has a short review. Both drawings end soon, so if you've not gotten a copy of Broken Wings yet, this might be the opportunity you've been waiting for.

And of course, it's always available for purchase - - -

What to do on a Saturday morn . . .

If by chance you're lolling around this morning, nursing another cup of coffee, and deliberating whether you really want to venture out into another hot day, I have an alternative. I've been on the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance this week. Wow! Some of the reviews have blown me away. I'm grateful and tickled pink with the kind words of affirmation and the honesty that some of these book reviewers have penned. One sweet soul, who writes in the suspense genre, passed Chasing Lilacs to his mom to read. Hey, I love that! Anyway, if you're still undecided with what to do for the next thirty minutes, you might check out the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance and the links to reviews of my book. Scroll through the information and the boxes of gobbledy-code to the reviewer's list. The links should take you to the blogs. Some interesting stuff there besides my book.

If that is too much work, one click will take you over the the uber-cool Susan Meissner's blog Edgewise where she has interviewed me. Some intriguing questions from one of my all-time favorite authors. Thanks, Sooz!

Or if you feel like you'd like to just get away, you might click over to The Koala Bear Writer's blog, which hails from Canada. She's a writer, a mom, and an all-around wonderful person who I know only through the cybersphere, but I think you'll enjoy what she has to say.

Or you could just have another cuppa and grab the funny papers. The choice is yours.

Something Worth Noting

A couple of brief things:

Thanks for all the comments on the Coffee Cup Bible Study series! I forgot to mention that Cheryl Barker's name was drawn last Friday. Her name has been sent to the tour coordinator, and she will be eligible for the grand prize tote bag with all the yummy books and coffee. Congratulations!

ANOTHER GIVEAWAY opportunity:

Yesterday I mentioned Susan Meissner's book, White Picket Fences. Lucky you! You could win a copy over at Romance Your Spouse. The contest ends this Friday, and there are no comments yet so you have a great chance of winning this incredible book. Go. Now.

Back to your normal day.

Don't Fence Me In

Okay. What did you first think when you read the title of this post? Roy Rogers? If that was a yes, you’re absolutely correct! Roy sang this song while Trigger danced in the 1944 movie, Hollywood Canteen. Many other singers also recorded it over the years – Gene Autry, Kate Smith, Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters (together), Ella Fitzgerald, and Harry Connick, Jr. (more recently). Did you know it’s a Cole Porter song adapted from a poem by Robert Fletcher? Me neither. But by now, I know the words are rolling around in your head, so if it’s driving you nuts, you can click over here to watch the clip.

And the purpose of this post is not to send you into some time warp. It’s the word fence I want to talk about. Some words just trigger (sorry . . . couldn’t resist with the dancing horse still in my head) immediate reactions. I don’t necessarily think of “fence” being a powerful word . . . at least I didn’t until a couple of weeks ago. I received two books in the mail on the same day: White Picket Fences by Susan Meissner and The Fence My Father Built by Linda S. Clare.

Distinct, but totally different images came to mind before I even had time to study the covers and wonder what stories might be inside. White Picket Fences, of course brought the image of a comfortable cottage with Cape Cod curtains at the window. I could see in my mind’s eye a cheerful yellow kitchen and people who laughed and lived satisfying lives. Perhaps even perfect lives. That’s exactly what the title and cover were meant to convey, but with this being a novel, I knew much more lurked beneath the surface. Wow. Did it ever. Lovely writing from one of my favorite authors.

The Fence My Father Built brought images of another sort – heritage, a solid foundation, perhaps a bit of mystery as to why this particular fence had significance. Again, an idea that hooked me and kept me turning the pages. It was indeed about heritage – Native American roots – but also one filled with action, regret over never knowing the father who built the fence, and ultimately about guarding the things we hold sacred.

Both of these books are terrific reads and well worth your time. The publishers did a fantastic job of conveying the hearts of the stories through the cover art and just the right titles. Well done.

So, books aside, and songs that are skipping through your head, what other thoughts does the word “fence” conjure up? And how might it be used in a story? A “fence” of course can take on a criminal element with regard to stolen property and the middleman. Sports-minded? How about the Green Monster – the enormous 37-foot, 2-inch wall fence at Fenway Park? To make a ball sail over it is a moment of victory, of personal accomplishment. Rivaling paramours “fence” in duels to win the love of a fair maiden. Stockades and razor wire fences are meant to contain people. Barbed wire fences keep cattle in and gated community fences keep people out.

And what about a chat over the backyard fence? Do people do that anymore? When our twins were babies, I’d sometimes hand one over the fence to our neighbor on the south and the other one over to the north-side neighbor so I could have thirty minutes to read a book to my toddler. Those were the days.

Are you convinced yet that fence is a strong, evocative word? I’m sure you can come up with even more creative examples, and may even have a few power words of your own you’d like to share. Just don’t straddle the fence about joining the conversation.

And don’t forget to check out these two new books. You’ll be glad you did!

WINNER OF THE SHAPE OF MERCY

CONGRATULATIONS !!!

CHERYL BARKER

YOU ARE THE WINNER
of
Susan Meissner's Book

THE SHAPE OF MERCY

I know you will enjoy this book a lot. Thanks to all of you who left comments. I'm sorry you couldn't all win this beautifully written masterpiece. I hope you'll stop by the Cafe again to see what's going on, enjoy the latest in new releases, and who knows? There might be another giveaway soon.

CAFE SPECIAL OF THE WEEK - Green Tea Smoothies

The characters in The Shape of Mercy live on where the book ended through the delightful blog Susan has created for Lauren, Abigail, Clarissa, Mercy, and Esperanza. Sometimes it’s hard to believe these people aren’t real. So for today’s café special, you’re in for a treat—Green Tea Smoothies from the kitchen of Esperanza, Abilgail’s trusty housekeeper. In keeping with the fun, you’ll hear the recipe from Esperanza herself. Thanks, Susan, for permission to share this.


Green Tea Smoothies

Okay, so Lauren tells me you want the recipe for green tea smoothies. First, these weren't my idea. Why you'd want to mess with berries and bananas and ice cream - the only decent ingredients for a smoothie - is beyond me. I only fiddled with this concoction because the girls wanted them. If you ask me, I think they look like a potion mixed in the laboratory of a mad scientist.

Anyway.

This is enough for two to three people depending on how big a glass you are using.

First brew some green tea. Don't get the cheap stuff. Get a nice package of green tea, by the bag, if you must and brew some and let it cool. Don't cool it by adding ice cubes. Let it cool on its own. You put ice cubes in hot brewed tea, and you will dilute it to uselessness.

Then add the following to your blender:

* 1 cup ice and crush it
* 1/2 banana - or just toss the whole thing in there.
* 1 peach, pitted and cut into chunks
* 1/4 tsp of ground ginger - I just shake it. Guessing here.
* 1 tblsp of honey or one good squirt
* 1/2 cup vanilla frozen yogurt

Blend all this together and then add:

* 1 cup of cooled green tea

Blend just until uniform. Pour into tall glasses. If you have fresh mint. Put a couple leaves on top. It improves the look.

These are actually good for you. I'll give you that.

Carla here: With summer breathing down our necks, this might be just the "cooler" you've been looking for. And don't forget . . . if you haven't left a comment to have a chance to win The Shape of Mercy, you can do that here.

Encore Review of THE SHAPE OF MERCY by Susan Meissner plus a chance to win the book!

Today I’m happy to share with you an encore review that I did of Susan Meissner’s lovely novel, The Shape of Mercy. An extra bonus this time—you have a chance to win a signed-by-the-author copy of a Limited Edition Advance Reader’s Copy (ARC) of the book. It’s gorgeous, folks!

To enter the contest please leave a comment on this post with your contact information before noon next Friday (June 5). If you’ve been itching to get your hands on this book, now’s your chance.

One last note before the review: The Shape of Mercy was named to Publishers Weekly's Best Books of 2008 and the ECPA's Fiction Book of the Year for 2009. Well done, Susan!

The Shape of Mercy is set on opposite shores of America—California for the main character, college student Lauren Durough, and a village near Salem, Massachusetts for Mercy Hayworth, a young woman convicted in the Salem witch trials.

Two plots intertwine more than 300 years apart. I couldn’t imagine how Susan would accomplish this feat without having a character travel back in time. She did it, though, and both Lauren’s world and Mercy’s pulsed with urgency. I slipped easily from one world to the next because of Susan’s meticulous writing.

What worked for me and kept me turning the pages:

• The contrast of Lauren’s privileged modern day existence and that of Mercy’s meager colonial days. Mercy’s story unfolds from the pages of her diary, which is described as “the color of toast in some places and in others, the color of wet ashes. The ink . . . was so faint it looked as if I could blow it away if I leaned over it and merely exhaled.” The pages are described as whispers, too delicate to bear the weight of my (Lauren’s) fingers. In one short paragraph, the reader knows that whatever is found in this diary is hallowed. You can’t help but long to know what those words are and what Mercy’s story is.

• Mercy’s words. Her plain, everyday language with specific details of life in the Village, her dying father, and the increasing hysteria about witches in their midst, pull you in by their simplicity. Mercy’s words are set off by italics to signal the reader that you are once again in Mercy’s world. Details are minimal, but the tension grows with each entry as you fear what is coming.

• Lauren transcribes the diary in the library of Abigail, her employer – a daunting woman who lives a life of solitude in a massive Tudor home on the west coast. Lauren’s first visit to the library gives a clear picture not only of the room, but also what her relationship with the older woman will be like. The shelves are lined with books, but others are stacked throughout the library. In Susan’s words, “The rest were loose, unfettered, as if poised to attack. . . towers of pages stacked like scaffolding . . . I minded my ankles as if the books closest to me might nip at my feet.” This visual planted me firmly in Lauren’s world as she did her work.
• Contrasting the two worlds physically is only part of what I liked about this book. As Mercy finds herself accused in the late 1600s, Lauren examines her own life, and finds her twenty-first century values shaken. Her own journey unfolds with that of Mercy, and she finds in Abigail, not only a job opportunity, but an avenue of change that will affect both their lives.

The Shape of Mercy satisfies in so many ways – the rich writing, the storytelling, a hint of romance, and giving pause for reflection. The very cool thing that Susan has done is set up a blog so that the characters live beyond the life of the book. Ever wondered what happened after the last page? You can find out here. You can also read more about Susan Meissner here.

Don’t forget to leave a comment to be entered in the drawing.

The Sense of Place, Part 3. THE SHAPE OF MERCY by Susan Meissner

Knowing that everyone is busy with Thanksgiving plans, I'm posting this a bit early in keeping with the discussion about sense of place. Here we go.

I’ve been a fan of Susan Meissner’s fiction for some time. I met her at the ACFW conference in 2007 when I had an author critique session with her. She’s wise and smart, very focused both in her teaching and her writing, and a joy to visit with. I’m nervous about commenting on her latest book because she is, in my opinion, one of the finest writers today. And I’m certainly not qualified to speak about the deeper truths her fiction imparts.

Therefore, I’m going to stick with the plan, and tell you what I love about the sense of place in Susan’s latest book, THE SHAPE OF MERCY.

As I hinted at in my last post of this series, the settings are on opposite shores of America—California for the main character, college student Lauren Durough, and a village near Salem, Massachusetts for Mercy Hayworth, a young woman convicted in the Salem witch trials.

Two plots intertwine more than 300 years apart. I couldn’t imagine how Susan would accomplish this feat without having a character travel back in time. She did it, though, and both Lauren’s world and Mercy’s pulsed with urgency. I slipped easily from one world to the next because of Susan’s meticulous writing.

What worked for me and kept me turning the pages:

• The contrast of Lauren’s privileged modern day existence and that of Mercy’s meager colonial days. Mercy’s story unfolds from the pages of her diary, which is described as “the color of toast in some places and in others, the color of wet ashes. The ink . . . was so faint it looked as if I could blow it away if I leaned over it and merely exhaled.” The pages are described as whispers, too delicate to bear the weight of my (Lauren’s) fingers. In one short paragraph, the reader knows that whatever is found in this diary is hallowed. You can’t help but long to know what those words are and what Mercy’s story is.
• Mercy’s words. Her plain, everyday language with specific details of life in the Village, her dying father, and the increasing hysteria about witches in their midst, pull you in by their simplicity. I felt as if I were there as a first-hand witness. Mercy’s words are set off by italics to signal the reader that you are once again in Mercy’s world. Details are minimal, but the tension grows with each entry as you fear what is coming.
• Lauren transcribes the diary in the library of Abigail, her employer – a daunting woman who lives a life of solitude in a massive Tudor home on the west coast. Lauren’s first visit to the library gives a clear picture not only of the room, but also what her relationship with the older woman will be like. The shelves are lined with books, but others are stacked throughout the library. In Susan’s words, “The rest were loose, unfettered, as if poised to attack. . . towers of pages stacked like scaffolding . . . I minded my ankles as if the books closest to me might nip at my feet.” This visual planted me firmly in Lauren’s world as she did her work.
• Contrasting the two worlds physically is only part of what I liked about this book. As Mercy finds herself accused in the late 1600s, Lauren examines her own life, and finds her twenty-first century values shaken. Her own journey unfolds with that of Mercy, and she finds in Abigail, not only a job opportunity, but an avenue of change that will affect both their lives.

The Shape of Mercy satisfies in so many ways – the rich writing, the storytelling, and giving pause for reflection. The very cool thing that Susan has done is set up a blog so that the characters live beyond the life of the book. Ever wondered what happened after the last page? You can find out here. You can read more about Susan Meissner here or order the book here.

For the next two weeks, we’ll be traveling across the Atlantic and looking at two books I think you’ll find fascinating. Hope you’ll join me in the journey.

Now, it’s your turn. What are you reading that has a setting holding you hostage? Please, do tell.

Days and Hours, A Review

DAYS AND HOURS
By Susan Meissner
Harvest House Publishers

Days and Hours is the third book in the Rachael Flynn mystery series. I became a fan of Susan’s work this summer. Her easy writing style and chair-gripping scenes woven with unique and quirky characters are only half the story. In each of the Rachael Flynn books, the plight of children comes to the front as Rachael uses her special gifts as a mother, an attorney, and a woman with touched-by-God insights to bring justice and compassion to the Minneapolis-St. Paul setting.

Back Cover: A baby is found abandoned . . . and the effect on attorney and mother Rachael Flyy is profound. Marcie, the infant’s young mother with a history of drug abuse, is the chief suspect. Marcie insists she’s innocent and demands that Leo, her baby son, be returned to her. But Marcie’s mother and sister say otherwise.
When baby Leo is found missing a second time, the evidence against Marcie seems overwhelming. But relying on her own motherly intuition—and a faith that God is using her to resolve this puzzling case—Rachael chooses to believe Marcie’s story and digs for the truth of what really happened . . . and who is responsible.

Susan Meissner is an award winning novelist, and this one is destined for honor as well. In Days and Hours, Rachael Flynn struggles with being a working mom while being immersed in the world of less fortunate single mothers who have fewer choices and need special attention in parenting skills. A thought-provoking book that shows that there are no easy answers. I especially love Rachael’s husband, Trace, an artist, and his circle of artist friends who bring humor and warmth to Rachael’s world. I want to meet these people! And I think you will, too, after reading this book.

Thank you, Susan, for another great read.