Dale Cramer up on CFBA with The Captive Heart

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing The Captive Heart Bethany House (January 1, 2012) by Dale Cramer

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Dale Cramer spent his formative years traveling the world as an Army brat, then settled in Georgia at the age of fifteen when his father retired.

After high school he became an electrician, a job that took him to places as diverse as power plants, stadia, airports, high-rise office buildings and a hard-rock mining operation.

Twenty-five years of experiences in the trades provided him with the wealth of characters, stories and insights that populate his novels.

When he married his childhood friend, Pam, in 1975 he had no way of knowing they would not have children until fifteen years later.

In his early forties, when Dale left his job to become a stay-at-home dad, he suddenly found himself with time on his hands, so he pursued a lifelong dream and taught himself to write.

Using an online writer’s forum as a training ground, he wrote his first short stories in 1996. As his writing skills improved he turned to novels, publishing his first book, Sutter’s Cross, in 2003.

Since then, Dale has published four more novels and garnered a measure of critical acclaim with two Christy Awards, a listing among Publisher’s Weekly’s Best Books of 2004 and numerous other Best lists. Dale and his wife Pam live in Georgia with their two sons.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Bandit troubles intensify as Caleb Bender's family tries to settle into their new life in 1920s Paradise Valley. When El Pantera kidnaps Rachel and leaves her brother, Aaron, for dead, Jake Weaver and the Mexican native Domingo pursue the bandit leader to his mountain stronghold in a hopeless rescue attempt. Jake and Domingo manage to escape with Rachel, with the bandits hot on their trail. In a desperate attempt to avoid recapture, Domingo puts himself squarely in harm's way, giving Jake and Rachel time to get away. This is not the quiet life Caleb Bender envisioned when he led his family out of Ohio. What is a father to make of his daughter's obvious affection for a man outside the fold? And how will a pacifist Amishman like Caleb respond to the events that threaten his family and their way of life?

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

BONUS: My friend Camille Eide did a four part, in-depth interview with Dale Cramer. To learn more about his Amish background, the writing of this series, and get a glimpse of his wonderful sense of humor, please visit the Word Serve Water Cooler.
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
You can also read Camille's review of The Captive Heart here.

REINVENTING LEONA by Lynne Gentry

Today I'd like for you to meet a friend of mine, Lynne Gentry. The first time I saw her was several years ago at an ACFW conference when Sarah Palin was the Vice-Presidential candidate. Lynne sat a couple of rows ahead of me in the workshop we were both attending and had her dark hair pulled up and was wearing cute glasses. The resemblance to Sarah Palin was uncanny, and when someone mentioned it, Lynne laughed and said something clever. At the time I thought she was someone I would like to know.

As fate would have it, we ended up with the same agent, and a year later, we did get acquainted. Since then I've learned that she is gracious and more witty than I even imagined, and I'm honored to have her for a friend. I was thrilled to learn that her debut book was coming out with Tyndale's Digital First line of novels and am hoping that you'll all discover for yourselves what I've learned - Lynne Gentry is also a fabulous writer!


Here's a bit about her:

Lynne Gentry knew marrying a preacher might change her plans. She didn’t know how ministry would change her life. This author of numerous short stories and dramatic works travels the country as a professional acting coach and inspirational speaker. Lynne lives in Dallas with her husband Lonnie and counts spending time with her two grown children and their families her greatest joy. 

And her debut novel, Reinventing Leona, is about . . . are you ready for this? A pastor's wife.

Leona Harper loves being a pastor's wife. Her impressive resume touts thirty years of coaxing hot water from rusty parsonage plumbing, planning church potlucks, and standing beside her husband while members take potshots at his sermons. Except for the little tiff with her grown children, Leona feels her life is right on track with the wishes of the Almighty . . . until her husband drops dead in the pulpit.

When the church board decides to fill the Reverend's vacated position, Leona is forced to find a paying job, mend her fractured family, and tackle her fears. With life spiraling out of control, Leona might find the church members' antics comical if she weren't so completely panicked. Can the faith of an overwhelmed widow withstand the added heartache of two resentful children and several underhanded church members? If Leona can't trust God, how will she learn to trust herself?

To learn more about Lynne and learn how to get a copy of her debut novel, please visit her website. I loved this book and am thrilled to give it the following endorsement:

Reinventing Leona is a delightful read that will have you laughing one minute, pondering the next, and then reaching for the tissues as the words dance from the pages. Lynne Gentry's voice sparkles with originality as she draws you into Leona's world. Highly recommended. Bravo! 

 

SHE MAKES IT LOOK EASY By Marybeth Whalen - CFBA

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing She Makes It Look Easy David C. Cook (June 1, 2011) by Marybeth Whalen

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Marybeth Whalen is the wife of Curt and mom of six children. The family lives outside Charlotte, NC. Marybeth is a member of the Proverbs 31 Ministries writing team and a regular contributor to their daily devotions. Her first novel,The Mailbox was released in June 2010. Her next novel, She Makes It Look Easy, will be released in June 2011. Additionally, she serves as director of She Reads, Proverbs 31 Ministries' fiction division.





ABOUT THE BOOK

Ariel Baxter has just moved into the neighborhood of her dreams. The chaos of domestic life and the loneliness of motherhood, however, moved with her. Then she meets her neighbor, Justine Miller. Justine ushers Ariel into a world of clutter-free houses, fresh-baked bread, homemade crafts, neighborhood play dates, and organization techniques designed to make marriage better and parenting manageable.

Soon Ariel realizes there is hope for peace, friendship, and clean kitchen counters. But when rumors start to circulate about Justine’s real home life, Ariel must choose whether to believe the best about the friend she admires or consider the possibility that “perfection” isn’t always what it seems to be.


If you would like to read an excerpt of She Makes It Look Easy, go HERE.

My Review: 

Marybeth Whalen’s second book intrigued me from the moment I learned of the premise: Women who compare their lives to other women. It’s human nature at its most basic level, at least for suburban housewives today and perhaps it’s always been so. Ariel has three sons, a husband who travels, and has just moved into the home of her dreams in an upscale neighborhood. Between the antics of her sons and running a home, she can’t even seem to get the unpacking done.

When her neighbor Justine—practically perfect in every way—enters her life, Ariel latches onto her in hopes that she can learn to be like Justine—efficient, organized, and flawless. What becomes apparent rather soon, though, is that Justine is not who and what she seems.

She Makes It Look Easy is a light, quick read—perfect for summertime reading—but don’t let the easy going writing style fool you. This book will make you think about your own life and friendships. It’s uncannily “real” and may make you uncomfortable, especially with the unresolved ending. That bit of irresolution, though, may prompt you to take a closer look at your relationships and decide if you’re doing the right thing by ignoring obvious breaches of conduct and morality if they exist.

I applaud Marybeth for tackling this uncomfortable subject and keeping it real. Well done.