I'm thrilled to announce that Book Readers Central is in the process of transforming into Novel Books (for novel readers).
Reasons for this change include limitations in Blogger which caused a great deal of maintenance on my part. In addition, the Novel Books site optimizes Web site traffic, which is important to myself as blog owner and to the authors I interview.
I think you'll like the gorgeous new theme. I've imported all the Book Readers Central posts, plus included several book lists and added a book shop to the site for easy browsing of recommended favorites. In the future, I plan to include pages for book videos.
I hope you will check out Novel Books and let me know your suggestions for improvement.
Unfortunately, I've been unable to import my Google Friends, although I may be more successful with Networked Blogs. I'll sort those things out in the near future. Meanwhile please consider signing up for email delivery of posts. You'll find a secure form on the site.
Posted by Janalyn Voigt, author of novel books
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Monday, May 9, 2011
Meet and Greet: Angela Breidenbach
Read the details later in this post.
Angela Breidenbach is Mrs. Montana International 2009, a multi-award winning inspirational speaker and the author of the Gems of Wisdom: For a Treasure-filled Life from Journey Press, the Creative Cooking Series including the new release of Creative Cooking for Simple Elegance and the new Kindle release, Creative Cooking for Colitis.
Other works by Angela include compilation books and devotionals from Guidepost, Group, and articles in magazines, ezines, and newspapers. She connects missions to her work with Hope’s Promise Orphan Ministries and the Jadyn Fred Foundation.
Angela also teaches online classes and coaches one-on-one in courageous confidence, personal growth, and powerful living. She’s certified in mentor/peer counseling as a Stephen Minister and life coach. Angela serves as an assisting minister for her congregation in Missoula, MT. She volunteered as the American Christian Fiction Writer's publicity officer for two years. Not only did she walk the hard line of deciding to donate her mom's brain for the study of schizophrenia, but she’s also on the brain donation list at the Brain Bank-Harvard McLean Hospital. Angela is married with a combined family of six grown children and two grand children.
Gems of Wisdom: For a Treasure-filled Life releases May 2011 from Journey Press, a Sheaf House imprint.
BRC: Welcome, Angie! What brings you to Book Readers Central?
Angie: I'm hoping to really reach out to women who want to overcome negative attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors so they can lead an intentional, missional life style. As I spoke more and more on the topics from Gems of Wisdom: For a Treasure-filled Life, I found two surprising results.
First, women love doing this book in small groups. That just blew me away. I had no idea I'd written a small group or personal study. I thought readers would want to work through this privately only. The stunning dynamics have happened in the group settings. The interaction has opened up break-through moments for healing in relationships.
The second unexpected result is the amount of women who harbored misunderstandings and/or anger toward their own moms. I really want to offer freedom from the burdens of buried issues and empower people to live the calling God has placed on their lives.
Angie: I'm an eclectic writer. I write Christian fiction, devotionals, cookbooks, and this one (Gems of Wisdom: For a Treasure-filled Life) is considered Christian Living/Women's Issues. I also write articles and have a monthly feature in the Christian Fiction Online Magazine.
Angie: My mind is full of questions and stories. I really want to help people heal from the past and grow into their life purpose. I think God just made me to write and speak. I describe it as having a busy bee buzzing around in my head. She has to get out and pollinate the keys on my laptop to tell her stories. ;-) My husband says it's just because I'm full of awe attacks and can't keep quiet about it, lol.
Angie: Gems of Wisdom: For a Treasure-filled Life is very transparent. I use real historical pirates to embody negative attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. Then the gemstones are gems of wisdom God uses to help us live fulfilled and valuable lives in His will.
About the book: In Gems of Wisdom: For A Treasure-Filled Life you'll embark on a treasure hunt for God's unique gems of wisdom. Be empowered, learn to influence through your own life lessons, and preserve important relationships. Gems of Wisdom invites the reader on a treasure hunt to find important life concepts represented by the beautiful stones God created. Excellent for small groups as well as individual study. Tracie Peterson, best-selling inspirational author of over 80 books says, “Angela’s book is thoughtful, insightful, and heart touching.”
Angie: If I could tell you one thing? It's that all of our experiences, negative and positive, help us to really change the world and leave a legacy. It's those experiences that God uses to shine His strength in our weaknesses. We naturally want to hide, forget, or avoid those moments we wish never happened. But when we go on the treasure hunt, God shows us His wisdom and fills our treasure chest with gems of wisdom that overflow to touch other people's lives.
I really love Cookie Smythe. He's a funny old pirate that embodies the sense of God bringing good out of our shameful moments.
Angie: During interviews with volunteers, one of the most poignant stories belongs to my friend Rachel. She had the "perfect" mom while I didn't. But as we told one another our stories and bonding at a writers retreat in front of a roaring, crackling fire, a sense of grace and mercy changed both of our lives. Because of that profound experience, I share that specific story in Chapter 1. It was that powerful to me.
Angie: I tend to have a fiction and non-fiction happening at the same time because the different styles feed my creativity. I do a lot of marketing though and break up the day with important details to promote my work. Both have to be in each day for my career goals. If it's not in your daily schedule, it's not attainable.
Angie: I'm currently working on a 365 day devotional and an inspirational historical trilogy. But every now and then I pull out a contemporary romantic comedy to tickle my funny bone. I am getting some questions about the next Gems of Wisdom book, but I have some requests I need to fulfill first.
Angie: Tracie Peterson used Gems of Wisdom: For a Treasure-filled Life to research her upcoming trilogy from Bethany House. The House of Secrets first book in the series will be coming out this fall. Tracie and I plan to do some speaking events together and co-promote because our books are not competitive, but rather build and deepen the experience for the reader. I'm just so excited because I've had the honor of pre-reading quite a bit of the first book as Tracie went through her writing process. I've also had the honor of having Tracie read mine. I can't wait for her series to release!
Readers can interact with or learn more about me at the following links:
TheFaithGirls.com (Weekly Wednesdays)
Youtube for Angela Breidenbach
BRC: How can readers contact you?
BRC: How can readers contact you?
Readers may email me at: angela (at) mygemofwisdom (dot) com
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Book Giveaway Drawing:
As an Amazon Associate, Janalyn Voigt benefits when products are purchased on Amazon through links from Book Readers Central.
Book Giveaway Drawing:
Angela Breidenbach will give away a free e-book copy of Gems of Wisdom: For a Treasure-filled Life to a reader of this blog. To enter, leave a comment to this post. If you are a follower of Book Readers Central and tell me so in a separate comment, I'll give you an extra chance to win.
Please include a valid email address in an anti-spam format (example: youremailhandle[at]gmail[dot]com]) or your entry will become invalid. Entries will be accepted until this coming Sunday at midnight (Pacific Time/US).
I'll announce the winner on Book Readers Central next Monday. The winner must respond within two weeks of notification. Detailed rules of giveaways on Book Reader's Central are located in the footer of this blog.
Please include a valid email address in an anti-spam format (example: youremailhandle[at]gmail[dot]com]) or your entry will become invalid. Entries will be accepted until this coming Sunday at midnight (Pacific Time/US).
I'll announce the winner on Book Readers Central next Monday. The winner must respond within two weeks of notification. Detailed rules of giveaways on Book Reader's Central are located in the footer of this blog.
As an Amazon Associate, Janalyn Voigt benefits when products are purchased on Amazon through links from Book Readers Central.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Whistlestop Book Review: "Elizabeth I" by Margaret George
Be awed by the presence of Elizabeth Tudor, the woman behind the sovereign, as you explore the humanity of the indomitable Virgin Queen of England through the pages of Elizabeth I. Margaret George’s meticulously researched first person account of the last thirty years of the queen’s life is an enthralling breath of fresh air.
Written with a consistently regal tone, the book gives us a mirror image of Elizabeth, the woman. Glimpses into the brilliance and machinations of Shakespeare, Francis Bacon and Sir Walter Raleigh abound. Skillfully woven into the book are both the human and regal facets of the queen who “ruled as much from the heart as from the head.”
We see Elizabeth’s success and love for her people. Her ability to stand for long periods of time seems a metaphor for her triumph as regent. She manages uprisings in Ireland and continued assaults from Spain. She masterfully chooses advisors for her privy council perfectly suited to their jobs. In a nation beset with famine, the queen imbues calm. In an attempt to keep the plague under control, Elizabeth closes theaters and concerts and sends provisions to survivors. We view her humbly conduct an intimate ceremony of kissing and washing the feet of her subjects on Maundy Thursday (as Jesus did with his disciples) while giving each gifts of food.
No sovereign rules without frustrations. Queen Elizabeth’s include controlling the sulking, deceitful Earl of Essex, stepson of her beloved Leicester. She juggles insufficient resources to provide food for the needy after three years of failed harvests. To provide her kingdom with funds, she must decide which jewels to pawn. She persists in dodging the matter of her successor as she nears the age of seventy, not out of a lack of responsibility but because she wants to settle it in her own way. She watches her most trusted advisors in the Privy Council die off one by one.
The novel brilliantly sheds light on the queen’s humanity without losing any reverence for her scepter. She spends hours in prayer. Called a stingy penny-pincher, Elizabeth I wore elaborate gowns and owned the finest collection of jewels in Europe. Her brave show encouraged the nation she pulled out of poverty. Particularly touching scenes depict her feeding broth and reading the Bible to beloved advisors Walsingham and Burghley on their deathbeds. She gallops on horseback across the fields to be alone and endures hot flashes. Her favorite pastime—translating philosophy from the Latin.
George, a premier historical novelist, is known for her intense and impeccable research. Most interesting is her humble thanks to the queen in her Acknowledgements. “…the spirit of Elizabeth…hovered over the book as it was taking shape and whispered her guidance.”
Penguin Group provided the advance review copy.
Reviewed by Holly Weiss, author of Crestmont
Monday, May 2, 2011
Meet and Greet: Deanna Klingel
Deanna K. Klingel lives in Sapphire, NC, with her husband and golden retriever. She enjoys family reunions with their seven children and eleven grandchildren. Originally from Michigan, Deanna attended Michigan State University. Though she wrote as a hobby for many years, she turned to writing passionately when all the children had grown and she and her husband retired to the mountains of North Carolina. She enjoys reading, writing, golfing, gardening, and is active in her church. Much of her time is given to therapy dog visitations.
Other works, Rebecca & Heart, and Beth's Backyard Friends can be read as e-books on Storyrealm.com. Just for the Moment: The Remarkable Gift of the Therapy Dog was released last September. Prize-winning short stories can be found on Deanna's website, www.BooksByDeanna.com. Avery's Battlefield, released March 18 from Journey Forth Publishing, the first of a civil war series is for young and young-at-heart readers. Deanna is a member of SCBWI, NCWN, ACFW, CWG.
Dear Reader:
Thanks so much for inviting me. I'm pouring Earl Gray. I'll wait while you get your cup.
I'm Deanna Klingel, writing you from the mountains of Western North Carolina, where spring is creeping up the hillsides, and we'll soon be playing golf. I live here with my husband and our two golden retrievers, Lily and Jessie. Our seven kids are grown and busy raising our eleven grand kids.
I have two books I want to tell you about today. The first is Just for the Moment: The Remarkable Gift of the Therapy Dog. It came out Sept 24 and has been going gang busters. I've had a lot of fun marketing this book because it has such a wide audience. The book appeals to care givers, hospice volunteers, therapists, as well as dog lovers and lovers of dog stories. So Lily & Jessie and I give seminars at independent living facilities, visit yappie hours, attend dog shows, and address Red Hat Societies, book stores, and hospital luncheons. We've had a ball! We've met some really lovely folks across this country that we would never have met if it weren't for this little book.
The book is nonfiction, but is not a memoir nor is it a training book. It is a collection of moments that have made a difference in someone's life, even if it was only for that moment. If there is a theme, I would have to say it is every moment, in every life, matters. The book is available at bookstores or at my website BooksByDeanna. Dogwise and Amazon also carry it. It's $11.95.
Warm up your tea, now, I'm going to tell you about another book. This is Avery's Battlefield, out this month (May) from Journey Forth Publishing, the young reader imprint of BJU Press. This is the first of a middle grade Civil War series. The second book is planned for September. Avery and Gunner, his hound dog, have been the love of my life for about four years, and now they are ready to march out on their exciting journey through the perilous times in Virginia, and what became West Virginia. It's targeted for middle grade, but it won't be the first time adults enjoyed middle grade literature.
I write because I love to write. I wrote Just for the Moment to answer the questions I'm always asked when I'm working with my dogs. 1)What is a therapy dog, 2) How'd they get to be therapy dogs, 3) Can my dog be a therapy dog, too? I wanted to bring therapy dogs to the attention of people and hopefully, as a result, open more doors to therapy dog teams. I wrote Avery and Gunner because Avery told me his story and wanted it written. I like the research involved in historical fiction.
My books will never be the "edgy" books, books with strong language and inuendo, popular in today's market. Mine will be about strong, "square" people struggling to make good decisions and doing the right thing. My kids, my grands, and my mom, and my friends will always be comfortable reading my books. That probably means they'll be difficult to get published. Books that are being "looked at" right now are Cracks in the Ice, Y/A; Bread Upon the Water, MG historical nonfiction; Rebecca & Heart, MG, which can be read on Storyrealm.com; Walker Hound of Park Avenue, chapter book. Beth's Backyard Friends can be read on Storyrealm.com. I'm currently writing Waiting With Elmer for a teen audience. Two short stories can be read on my website.
Speaking of websites, come visit me at www.BooksByDeanna.com. All posts on my comment page during the month of May will go into a drawing for the brand new Avery and Gunner book. You can also reach me at deannaklingel@yahoo.com. I'd enjoy hearing from you.
Thanks for coming by and sharing a cup of tea. I've enjoyed it, and look forward to hearing from you.
Deanna
Deanna
Posted by Janalyn Voigt, author of novel books
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