Meet and Greet Monday: Kerry Nietz

Kerry Nietz is a self-confessed refugee of the software industry. He spent more than a decade of his life flipping bits—first as one of the principal developers of the database product FoxPro for the now mythical Fox Software, and then as one of Bill Gates’ minions at Microsoft. He is a husband, a father, a technophile and a movie buff. He has one previously published book, a memoir entitled FoxTales: Behind the Scenes at Fox Software. A Star Curiously Singing is his first novel.

Q: What inspired you to become a writer?

Doubtless all the books I read as a kid. I used to love getting those Scholastic book order forms in elementary school. I would pour over them, circling the books I wanted. I must have driven my folks crazy (and nearly into poverty.) I think one month I connived them into ordering twenty books for me. I read them all, though, so the money wasn’t wasted. I think I still have many of them too. Will that save me money with my own kids? Probably not.

 Q: Tell us about your book.

 

A Star Curiously Singing is a speculative Christian novel with a decidedly  *cyberpunk feel. It takes place in a future hundreds of years from now, where much of the world lives under sharia law.

In this dualistic society, average people live on the streets in near-squalor and the powerful ride above them in cable car-like conveyances. This latter group shrouds itself in high tech, to the point of needing specialized debuggers to handle their machines.

That’s where my protagonist comes in. Sandfly is a debugger who’s summoned to solve the mystery of why a robot malfunctioned. The unusual circumstance? The robot has been to space. Deep space. Something about the trip made it malfunction.

A Star Curiously Singing is a sci-fi mystery, of sorts.

Q: Is there anything special you’d like people to know about this book?

Yes, it breaks a lot of rules, making me the author that my publisher now has to apologize for when he speaks at writers’ conferences. For example, it is written entirely in first person present tense.

Q: What did you enjoy most about writing this book?

Envisioning the future, especially the technology portion of it. As someone who has worked in the tech industry, I have a unique perspective on how things might be. I think it gives my book a very original feel. I’m confident I’ve shown things in this book that haven’t been seen anywhere else. For instance, when was the last time you read a detailed description of someone reconstructing a robot? My book has that.

Q: What message do you hope to convey in your writing?

The biggest theme is that freedom is important, and worth sharing. It is also fragile, and needs our constant diligence to protect and expand. That goes for both American freedom, and the freedom we have in Christ.

Q: What books do you enjoy reading?

Though science fiction is a preference, I read a broad range of books. In fact, I tend to alternate between non-fiction books and novels. In non-fiction, I read everything from biographies, to current events, to politics and works to encourage my faith. Some of my favorite fictional authors are:  Michael Crichton, Jack Mcdevitt, Frank Peretti, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Ray Bradbury and Isaac Asimov.

Q: What new projects are you working on?

A sequel to A Star Curiously Singing is in the works. After that, possibly another.

Q: Where can readers buy your book?

You can purchase it online directly from the store at www.marcherlordpress.com or from Amazon or Barnes and Noble. And if your local bookstore doesn’t carry it, they can order it for you.

Q: Where can readers find you online?

My Web site is www.kerrynietz.com.

Q: Is there anything readers can do to help your book do well?

If you like it, please tell others. And be sure to post a review online at those places that will let you—Amazon, for instance. Don’t feel like you have to write an exhaustive review. Just an honest summary of what you liked and disliked will suffice. 

* Wikipedia "Cyberpunk" Definition

Free for All Friday: Where Do These Characters Belong?

Name the book or series for each of the following characters. Answers follow.

  

Character

1. Natty Bumpo
2. Cap Garland
   
3. Theoden
   
4. Emma Wagner 
5. Mary Darling
   

Series or Book

1. Leather Stocking Tales by James Fenimore Cooper Learn More
    
2. Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder Learn More
    
3. The Lord of the Rings by J R R Tolkein Learn More
    
4. A Clearing in the Wild by Jane Kirkpatrick Learn More
    
5. Peter and Wendy by J M Barre Learn More

Whistlestop Wednesday: "Fields of Grace"

*

Fields of Grace by Kim Vogel Sawyer, tells the story of obedient Mennonite wife, Lillian Vogt, who submits to the wishes of her husband, Reinholdt, and travels from her home in the Russian steppes to a remote homestead in 1870's Kansas. Eli, Reinholdt's unmarried step-brother, accompanies them, playing the role of uncle to their three sons. The difficult ocean passage leads to mind-numbing tragedy. In its aftermath, Lillian works to leave the past behind and create a new life on the wide-open prairie. The struggles toward manhood of Henrick, Lillian's oldest son, threaten her tenuous peace of mind and bring a whiplash of pain. Confronted with her own shortcomings, Lillian must choose what she will bring her family - bitterness or grace.

Kim Vogel Sawyer gives her unique writing voice free rein, thus transcending the ordinary in this inspired tale. Rich sensory detail enlivens every scene and transports the reader. The vivid characters and conflicts resound with honesty. Drawn from its author's family history, Fields of Grace offers an intriguing glimpse of a past way of life.

*My thanks to the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book for purposes of review.

**Janalyn Voigt is an Amazon Associate and benefits when books are purchased through links from Book Readers Central.

Meet and Greet Monday: Marlene Anderson

Dear Reader,

I'd like to share a little about myself and my writing.

Eight years ago, my husband died from an aggressive brain tumor that took his life within three months of its diagnosis. To lose my husband, a man in the prime of his life with no health problems of any kind, totally devastated me. It plunged me into a world of grieving. Less than a year after his death my daughter developed breast cancer while still nursing her first born child. My grieving went on hold while I supported her through radiation treatment. (Today she is cancer free.) In the months prior to and following my husband's death I read, meditated and wrote. Journaling is a powerful therapeutic tool. Out of those journals as I walked each morning with my Lord, came my first book, A Love so Great, a Grief so Deep, which is available on Amazon.com. My second book, Healing the Wounded Heart, now under review for possible publication, is a compilation of vignettes from my grief journals. The entries span from my time of acute distress to the peace I found with integration of my loss. Healing the Wounded Heart offers the reader a glimpse into the grieving process.

I have a master’s degree in psychology and counseling. I'm a licensed counselor in the state of Washington and nationally certified. I taught psychology at a two year college in Oregon and a four-year college extension center in Washington. My professional career has included facilitating many groups, designing and implementing workshops within the private sector and medical health education centers, and consulting for a large Northwest HMO. In my position as a consultant, I designed and wrote course material for a ten-week chronic-illness class, assisted in editing ADHD class material and produced a relaxation/visualization tape. I have since, under my own auspices, produced a relaxation CD with original music composed by Ron Jones, an Emmy-awards nominee, that teaches the skill of reducing stress levels.

With all the clinical literature available to me as a counselor, therapist and psychology teacher, I was still unprepared for the depth and intensity of grief, the time span involved in healing and recovery, or all the layers connected to a loss. I found solace in God's word, especially the Psalms, which speak to the heart and soul. My God met me each morning as I grieved my loss, read His Word, and recorded my journey in my journals. He was with me throughout the day and through the long nights. Every day He gave me words of strength and love. He gave me faith to believe in an ending to a journey which started with tears and sorrow but ended with my finding a deeper personal walk with my Lord. Good can and does come from all things, I found, when I allowed God to help me discover it.

Since the death of my husband, I extended my professional training in the area of grief. Grieving is an emotional experience hard to express and define. Yet articulation of that experience is at the heart and soul of healing. It is difficult to share the conflicting emotions one experiences when grieving a major loss. As a result, people who grieve often become isolated, lonely and depressed. Friends and family do not understand why the mourner hasn’t “gotten over” the loss within a prescribed amount of time. Those expectations can cause grief to go underground and remain unaddressed. Healing involves making sense of what happened, integrating it into life and creating a new ongoing reality.

A loss is a wound to the heart, an injury we can’t see but which can be just as lethal and damaging as any acute physical wound. There are no bandages, surgical stitches, splints or casts. Yet, mourners often feel they have been dealt a mortal wound and struggle to recover. Research indicates losses put people at high risk for depression, loneliness, high stress, impaired health and even early death. Losses are not to be taken lightly.

I wrote these two books to share my experience and, in the process, help validate the journey for others. There are a lot of books on the market that speak to this subject. Yet, I believe my books help express the important visceral component of grieving.

Before the death of my husband, I started FOCUS Consulting and Training, a business I maintain today. I chose the company name FOCUS because it exemplifies my conviction that we are defined by where we put our focus in life, and focus energizes and drives our principles and behaviors. Since the death of my husband, I have served my church on its council, written and delivered class material and several sermons and coordinated the Nurture and Care Ministry. I am a member of the Northwest Christian Writers Association and Speakers Bureau and PEO, an international women’s education group.

You can visit my website, http://www.marleneanderson-focus.com/ for more information about what I do and there is a link to Amazon.com to purchase my book. Copies of my relaxation CD may be purchased by contacting me through my website.

**Janalyn Voigt is an Amazon Associate and benefits when books are purchased through links from Book Readers Central.

Free for All Friday: Female Writers with Male Pseudonyms

Once upon a time in the world of literature, women authors did not command the same respect as their male counterparts. Some got around this handicap by taking male pen names. Writers today still disguise their gender to fit into a certain niche market. See if you can guess the identities of the female authors who wrote under the names below. Answers follow.

                  Pen Name

1. Currer, Ellis and Acton Bell
2. James Tiptee, Jr.
3. J. D. Robb
4. George Eliot
5. Andy Stack
6. A. M. Barnard
7. Andre Norton
8. Andy Stack
9. George Sand 
10. John Sedge
    

                                   

                  Identity

1. Emily, Anne and Charlotte Bronte
2. Alice Bradley Sheldon
3. Nora Roberts
4. Mary Ann Evans
5. Louisa May Alcott
   
6. Ann Rule
   
7. Alice Mary Norton
8. Ann Rule
9. Amantine Aurore Lucile Dupin
10. Pearl S Buck
    

Free for All Friday: And We Have a Winner!

The winner of Plain Promise by Beth Wiseman is ... *drumroll please*  Waggie Woychik. Thanks to all who participated, and I hope you'll enter for a chance to win future free books.

Janalyn

Whistlestop Wednesday: Plain Promise (Thomas Nelson)

Kade Saunders has everything money can buy but nothing it can't. Separated from his wife and alienated from his son, overscheduled and overwhelmed, Kade ditches cable television, Gruyere cheese and cell phone messages in search of peace. He finds what he's looking for in the quiet ways of his Amish landlady, Sadie Fisher. Never mind that Sadie possesses a temper she lets fly on him whenever she senses an injustice. Kade finds her honesty refreshing. He seeks out her company although she avoids him.

Sadie keeps from Kade that, following the death of her husband, she struggles with her faith. Does God truly have her best interests at heart? Her attraction to Kade makes her worry and wonder if she will stray from her lifestyle.

Kade's wife shows up to demand a divorce and leaves without Tyler, their autistic son. When a snowstorm and tragedy strike together, Kade and Sadie overcome their differences to reach out to one another. The happiness they find is short-lived, however, as the need to deal with their lives separates them. Only in seeking and knowing God's will do either of them find happiness.

The romance found in Plain Promise evolves primarily on an emotional and spiritual level, with physical attraction present but relegated to its proper place. Matters of honor and integrity take dominance over individual wishes, which makes this book uplifting reading material.

Plain Promise, the third book in Beth Wiseman's Daughters of the Promise series, sets forth rich characters with real faults and believable issues. It gives an intriguing and realistic glimpse into the lifestyle of the Amish and, by contrast, the world of the Englisch (non-Amish).

Thomas Nelson Purchase Information


Do you want the chance to win this book? Just leave a comment to this post telling why you want to read Plain Promise. Comments accepted until Thursday at midnight. Winner announced Friday.

*My thanks to the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book given for purposes of review.

**Janalyn Voigt is an Amazon Associate and benefits when books are purchased through links from Book Readers Central.

Meet and Greet Monday: Bruce Judisch

How would you describe your book? 

As a labor of love. The Journey Begun is part one of A Prophet’s Tale, a two-part series set in 8^th-century BC that focuses on the minor prophet Jonah Ben Amittai. Its prequel, Ben Amittai: First Call, opens the story and centers on the restoration of the land to Israel under King Jeroboam II, as prophesied by Jonah (2 Kings 14:23-25). 

The Journey Begun takes Jonah through his refusal to obey God and preach to Nineveh, his flight to Joppa and ensuing disastrous sea voyage, and the beginning of his journey to Nineveh. Part one ends with his arrival back in his hometown of Gath-hepher.  

The Word Fulfilled, part two (scheduled for release in early 2010), picks up in Gath-hepher and follows Jonah to Nineveh. It carries parallel plots unfolding in Nineveh and Assur, the capital of Assyria, as God prepares the city to receive His Word.

What message do you hope to convey in your series? 

The Journey Begun sets forth the theme that, as God’s people, what we do - both good and bad - affects others around us, never just ourselves. Jonah’s rebellion sparks a series of misadventures in his ‘escape’ to Joppa in which people get hurt and things are broken — much like what happens when we rebel against God today. Added to his journey back to Gath-hepher after his harrowing escape from the storm are Jonah's efforts to right the wrongs he has effected during his flight from God. Such efforts are not made to win the favor of God, or to work our way back into His good graces, but because attending to the consequences of our sin is right and proper.

What did you enjoy most about writing this book?

I loved researching the life and times of Jonah, ancient Israel and Assyria. Jonah is such a fascinating character—arguably one of the most unique in the entire Old Testament—but Scripture tells us so little about him. Creating the characters and events that enabled the storyline without violating the Scriptural account was a challenge and a joy.

What did you dislike most about writing this book?

Typos. I hate typos. Editing and re-editing a manuscript is tedious work, and one or two of the silly things still manage to squeak through into the final product. Seriously, there were no downsides to the project, from a writing standpoint. I loved every tedious minute.

Tell us about your writing process.

Seat of the pants. Some writers meticulously outline and stick to a structure. I start pounding keys and see where the story goes. Eventually you have to get organized, but that’s down the road for me, not at the beginning. You may have heard the phrase, “The book wrote itself.” Sounds trite, but, in my experience, there’s actually a lot of truth to that. For example, in The Journey Begun, I introduced a very minor character who was supposed to be little more than a prop. Suddenly, he jumped up and did something totally unexpected. I sat back from the keyboard and thought, “Hmm. How about that? I wonder where this is going to go.” So, I started typing again and the most poignant and action-filled scene was born. The whole ending of the book changed. How cool is that?  J

What inspired you to become a writer?

I teach an in-depth course through the minor Prophets for Sunday School.  In researching the character and book of Jonah, I was struck by the uniqueness of the Biblical account. In class, during the introductory session, I made the statement, “If I were to write a novel, I’d write it about Jonah.” My wife, Jeannie, was in the class and, bless her heart, she held me to my word. I typed the first line of Ben Amittai: First Call in July 2002 and typed the last line of The Word Fulfilled in spring of 2009. The intervening years of discovery about writing were inspirational in themselves.

What books do you enjoy reading?

I enjoy a balance of fiction and non-fiction. I review Christian fiction on my Web site, so I'm spending a lot of time with fiction at the moment.

In the fiction realm, I love historical fiction. Francine Rivers’ The Mark of the Lion series started me on the genre. I also enjoy Bodie and Brock Thoenes’ work, as well as Tommy Tenney's. The book I’m just finishing is L.D. Alford’s Centurion, which is excellent.

In non-fiction, the Bible tops the list. I also read theological studies, most recently those by N.T. Wright, C.S. Lewis (why do all these guys use initials?) and Scott Hahn.

Where can readers buy your book?

My publisher deals primarily with online outlets such as Amazon.com, Christianbook.com, and the like.

What are you working on now?

I am finalizing the most enjoyable thing I’ve written so far. I absolutely love it! I was privileged to be stationed in Berlin, Germany, in 1989 when the Berlin Wall fell. Perhaps you saw photos of people standing shoulder-to-shoulder on the Wall celebrating. I was among them. I witnessed a scene (of which I snapped a picture) near the Wall of a man holding up a piece of paper with the name “Katia” scrawled on it. That image became the seed for my newest novel of the same name. If I may, I've provided a quick synopsis, below. I hope it sounds as intriguing to you as it was for me to write.

Katia Synopsis

“Seek the truth, embrace the pain, cherish the freedom.”

Spunky Madeline “Maddy” McCann is a twenty-one year-old Irish-American journalism major completing her year as an exchange student at the Freie Universtität, in Berlin, Germany. She has a career to launch.

Stalwart Katia Mahler is a sixty-six year-old German invalid who grew up in post-World War II East Berlin. She has a story to tell.

Enigmatic Oskar Schultmann brings together the journalist and the storyteller. Maddy’s task: to chronicle Katia Mahler’s life.

All three of them discover more to Katia’s story than they bargained for.

Cultures and generations clash, as the young American and the German matron strive to understand each other’s present and past. Maddy learns more than a personal history; Katia receives more than a memoir. And always in the background is Oskar, who is drawn into the story in ways he never intended.

Peek over the Berlin Wall and behind the Iron Curtain as Katia’s story—the story of a lost generation from a failed state—comes to life through the scribbled notes of a girl struggling to grasp the significance of what she has written for her own life, as well as for future generations.


**Janalyn Voigt is an Amazon Associate and benefits when books are purchased on Amazon through links from this blog.

Free for All Friday: Identify that Author!

Identify the author in each photo. Answers follow.

Photo1

Photo 2

Photo 3

Photo 4

Photo 5

Answers 

1. Louisa May Alcott (Photo courtesy of Free Stock Photos) 

2. Sir Walter Scott (Library of Congress Photo)

3. Helen Keller (Library of Congress Photo)

4. Thomas Hardy (Library of Congress Photo)

5. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Library of Congress Photo)

Whistlestop Wednesday:Dawn's Prelude (Bethany House)

Tracie Peterson's new release, Dawn's Prelude, takes us from the Kansas City of 1870 to a remote settlement in Alaska as we follow beautiful and jaded Lydia Gray's efforts to create a new life for herself.

Lydia's father sold her into marriage at a young age. Her wealthy and abusive husband and the children of his first marriage create a living hell for Lydia until a carriage accident leaves her widowed and fatherless. Clutching her prized violin, Lydia goes to live with her Aunt Zerelda in Sitka, thinking she can leave her unhappy past behind, but the terms of her husband's will coupled with her step-sons' cruelty make that impossible.

Kjell Lindquist has no plans to marry. Days before a seasick Lydia faints in his arms, Kjell declares that if the Good Lord has a wife for him He'll have to drop her in his arms. But Lydia wants nothing to do with remarriage or Kjell's God, desiring only to live her life out in peace on her own terms. As the days go by Lydia opens up to Kjell, and to his God, and Kjell gains insight into the depth of pain the woman he's come to love has suffered.

Lydia teeters on the brink of love and salvation as her past threatens to annihilate her. With surprising plot twists, unforgettable characters and excruciating suspense, Dawn's Prelude teaches us to release the past and cherish now.

This might come from my own preferences, but I found the impending peril of the heroine so intense as to make me at times want to reject the book. Excellent characterizations and beautiful writing helped counter this. I also would have preferred more detail in descriptions of Alaska's landscape, especially when Lydia goes into nature to play her violin. Nonetheless, Dawn's Prelude is a well-plotted work that engages the reader and stands on its own merits. 


*My thanks to the publisher for providing a complimentary copy of this book for purposes of review.

**Janalyn Voigt is an Amazon Associate and benefits when books are purchased on Amazon through links from Book Readers Central.

Meet and Greet Monday:Author K M Weiland

Dear Reader,

For me, writing has always been a creative itch I must either scratch — or go crazy ignoring! Stories have rattled around in my overactive imagination for as long as I can remember. In fact, my first memory is of my three-year-old self sitting in a tree house at a family reunion in Colorado, making up stories in which I was the superhero who saved the day. I like to think my stories have gained a little in sophistication since then!

I grew up chasing Billy the Kid and Jesse James on horseback through the sand hills of western Nebraska, at least in my mind. Aside from a few dreams of training horses and barrel racing, writing has always been my all-consuming passion. God gives each of us a gift (or gifts), and it’s our responsibility to give it back to Him. I write because I love it and because it’s part of who I am. I write because I believe this is what I'm meant to do with my life - and so I write to the best of my ability for His glory.

Epic tales of history have always thrilled me. It was a natural step for me to dive into historical fiction. My first book, A Man Called Outlaw, set in the 19^th century during the land wars that rocked Wyoming Territory, allowed me to write the inevitable western saga brewing in my imagination since childhood. Three years after Outlaw’s publication, I’m ecstatic to announce the October 1^st release of my medieval novel Behold the Dawn, set during the 3^rd Crusade.

Behold the Dawn is a tale of vengeance and romance, guilt and redemption, sacrifice and deliverance. Knights, fair ladies, indentured servants, *Templars, monks, and **Saracens all race across the pages, some of them fleeing a tragic past, others attempting to carve out a future. Marcus Annan, a knight famed for his prowess on the battlefield, thinks he can keep the secrets of his past buried forever. But when Gethin the Baptsti, a mysterious crippled monk, demands Annan help him find justice for the transgressions of sixteen years ago, Annan is forced to leave the tourneys — the infamous mock battles long condemned by the Church — and join the Third Crusade.

Wounded in battle and hunted by enemies on every side, Anan rescues Lady Mairead of Keaton, an English noblewoman, from an infidel prison camp. He flees to Constantinople but, try as he might, Anon cannot elude the past. Amidst the pain and grief of a war he doesn’t even believe in, he faces long-hidden secrets and sins. Anon bares his soul to the mercy of a God he abandoned years ago.

Although my representation of such an immense topic as redemption and grace must necessarily be flawed, I hope readers can see past the dross and take away a few flakes of gold from the story’s heart. And perhaps Marcus Annan and company will leave their impact on your life, as they most definitely have on mine.

—K.M. Weiland

*Templar: A member of an order of knights founded about 1118 to protect pilgrims in the Holy Land.
**Sacracen: A member of a pre-Islamic nomadic people of the Syrian-Arabian deserts.

Note: Janalyn Voigt is an Amazon Associate and benefits when books are purchased on Amazon through links from Book Readers Central.

Free for All Friday: Name the Author!

Welcome, and Happy Friday! We've made it through another week. Now for a moment of fun (and perhaps inspiration for a weekend of reading).

Each of the following 5 books is a lesser-known work by a famous author. See if you can guess the author for each book. Answers follow.

1. The Beautiful and Damned
2.  Hard Times
3. Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc
4. Shirley
5. The Pastures of Heaven
   

1. A masterful character study, The Beautiful and Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald first saw publication in 1922. It tells the story of Anthony Patch, the heir to a fortune, and explores the degeneration of the American upper class, a theme common to Fitzgerald's work.
   Learn more.
2. Charles Dickens wrote Hard Times (1854) as an allegorical indictment of the effects of industrialization on society. A brother and sister, Tom and Louisa Gradgrind, raised by a cold, pragmatic father, lead unimaginative, self-focused and cultureless lives. The message found in Hard Times remains relevant today.
   Learn more.
3. Mark Twain refused to attach his name to Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc, which ran in installments in Harper's Magazine (April 1895 - April 1896). Twain felt his novel would not be taken seriously if published under his name. He considered it his greatest work.
   Learn more.
4. Charlotte Bronte, author of Jane Eyre,  fulfilled her vow to write "something real and unromantic as Monday morning" by penning Shirley (1849). Against the background of the industrialization of Britain (1811-12), Bronte unfolds the story of two women, one single and trapped in a narrowed life, one so wealthy she can defy convention.
   Learn more.
   
5. A Spanish Corporal comes upon a beautiful valley in California while chasing Indians in John Steinbeck's The Pastures of Heaven (1932), which tells the story of those who settle this valley.
   Learn more.
   

Whistlestop Wednesday: "I Know Why the Angels Dance" by Bryan Davis

Bryan Davis gives us a rare glimpse of heaven through a child's eyes in this moving story of death and life.

Young Tabitha experiences a series of visions and prophetic dreams that confuse the adults around her. Tabitha’s dreams predict deaths, and they contain details she would not know on her own. When they begin to come true Tabitha and her pastor father, John, bear a grave responsibility, for they must work to bring lost souls to the saving knowledge of Christ before time runs out. Tabitha’s childlike faith cuts through disbelief and unbelief. John struggles to overcome his glib sermonizing and truly engage the heart of his hearers.

John and Tabitha labor under the conviction that to grieve the death of a Christian who has gone to heaven can only be a selfish act. And yet, the Bible tells Christians to weep with those who weep. As the book unfolds, this basic conflict resolves in a moving and sensitive finale.

I highly recommend I Know Why the Angels Dance for its passionate and beautiful prose and timeless story. Such a book can change the lives of those who embrace its message. It can make the angels dance.


*My thanks to the author for providing a complimentary copy of this book for purposes of review.
**Janalyn Voigt is an Amazon Associate and benefits when books are purchased on Amazon through links from Book Readers Central.

Meet and Greet Mondays:Lynnette Bonner, Author of "Rocky Mountain Oasis" (The Shepherd's Heart, Book One)

Dear Reader,

 

Let me introduce myself and tell you a little about my new book, Rocky Mountain Oasis.

 

I’m a missionary kid. I was born in Malawi, Africa and spent most of the first 17 years of my life in one African country or another. I attended an American boarding school in Kenya called Rift Valley Academy from the time I was in 4^th grade through graduation (with a few of those years in-between spent in the U.S.) After graduation I came home to the states and attended college in Kirkland, WA where I met my wonderful husband.

 

For several years our family lived in a small town in Idaho called Pierce. Pierce has a very interesting history that begged to be put into story. So I did! :)

 

Rocky Mountain Oasis, is about a young woman who has never known the love of any man. Abused by father, uncle and lover - she eventually is sold out west as a mail-order-bride. Jaded and cynical, she expects more of the same abuse from her new husband. Sky, however, is not like any of the men she’s ever known. He shows her kindness, compassion and care, and he points her toward the only One who can give her True Love.  Brooke feels like she’s been living in a desert all her life, and now she’s come upon a mirage. She's not quite sure what to do with it.

 

I know there are many women today who, like Brooke, feel they’ve been living in a dry and barren wasteland. But there is good news for them. There is a loving Shepherd who longs to lead them into green pastures.

 

My desire is that the message in Rocky Mountain Oasis will find its way to women who need to hear of the hope that exists in Jesus. Through Brooke’s story, may they realize the same hope is offered to them as well.

 

I'd like it very much if you could find time to read my book and then share it with a friend who might live in the desert now, but whom God longs to lead beside still waters.

 

God bless you on your reading journey. :)

*Janalyn Voigt is an Amazon Associate and benefits when books are purchased on Amazon through links from Book Readers Central.

 

"The Noticer" by Andy Andrews (Thomas Nelson Publishers)

A homeless young man weeps in despair as he hides in a crude shelter beneath a pier. A couple, disappointed in marriage, faces the prospect of divorce. A landscaper too busy to take his wife's phone calls still makes time to fleece his customers. A businessman on the brink of bankruptcy makes the decision to end his life.

What do these people, the residents of Orange Beach, Alabama, have in common with one another? Each of their lives changes for the better after an encounter with Jones, an elderly fellow wearing jeans and sandals and carrying an aged suitcase. Jones, a self-described "Noticer," does just that. He points out the obvious to those unable to see it for themselves.

Andy, the homeless young man, attains success. He no longer has to sleep under a pier. In gratitude, he looks for Jones. No one seems to know where the old man lives. Andy learns that Jones goes by other names. He wants answers but doesn't begin to find them until one day a battered suitcase turns up without its owner.

"The Noticer" engaged me from start to finish with its charming storyline and memorable characters. A true sign of great writing is when a character "lives" off the page. Jones lives for me.

I have a few quibbles, but not enough to prevent me from recommending this book. Jones seemed given to violating people's personal space, barging in on Andy in the opening scene, getting into a truck uninvited, showing up on a boat without the owner's permission. His intrusions always ended up as more than welcome, but I found his methods a little unsettling. That was probably the author's intent, but no reader likes to feel manipulated.

Also, some of Jones' advice came across as cliched since it draws from popular Christian wisdom. And yet, cliches often exist because of their truth. The beauty of "The Noticer" could arguably lie in its ability to repackage and deliver conventional wisdom afresh.

*Janalyn Voigt is an Amazon Associate and benefits when books are purchased on Amazon through links from Book Readers Central.

Privacy Policy

We take your privacy seriously. This policy describes what personal information we collect and how we use it. (This privacy policy is applicable to websites falling under the primary holder http://bookreaderscentral.blogspot.com.)

Routine Information Collection

All web servers track basic information about their visitors. This information includes, but is not limited to, IP addresses, browser details, timestamps and referring pages. None of this information can personally identify specific visitors to this site. The information is tracked for routine administration and maintenance purposes, and lets me know what pages and information are useful and helpful to visitors.

Cookies and Web Beacons

Where necessary, this site uses cookies to store information about a visitor's preferences and history in order to better serve the visitor and/or present the visitor with customized content.

Advertising partners and other third parties may also use cookies, scripts and/or web beacons to track visitors to our site in order to display advertisements and other useful information. Such tracking is done directly by the third parties through their own servers and is subject to their own privacy policies.

Controlling Your Privacy

Note that you can change your browser settings to disable cookies if you have privacy concerns. Disabling cookies for all sites is not recommended as it may interfere with your use of some sites. The best option is to disable or enable cookies on a per-site basis. Consult your browser documentation for instructions on how to block cookies and other tracking mechanisms.

Special Note About Google Advertising

Any advertisements served by Google, Inc., and affiliated companies may be controlled using cookies. These cookies allow Google to display ads based on your visits to this site and other sites that use Google advertising services. Learn how to opt out of Google's cookie usage. As mentioned above, any tracking done by Google through cookies and other mechanisms is subject to Google's own privacy policies.

About Google advertising: What is the DoubleClick DART cookie? The DoubleClick DART cookie is used by Google in the ads served on publisher websites displaying AdSense for content ads. When users visit an AdSense publisher’s website and either view or click on an ad, a cookie may be dropped on that end user’s browser. The data gathered from these cookies will be used to help AdSense publishers better serve and manage the ads on their site(s) and across the web. Users may opt out of the use of the DART cookie by visiting the Google ad and content network privacy policy.

Contact Information

Concerns or questions about this privacy policy can be directed to Janalyn Voigt for further clarification.