CFBA Presents MASQUERADE by Nancy Moser

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducing

Masquerade(Bethany House - August 1, 2010)by

Nancy Moser



ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nancy Moser is the award-winning author of over twenty inspirational novels. Her genres include contemporary stories including John 3:16 and Time Lottery, and historical novels of real women-of-history including Just Jane(Jane Austen) and Washington's Lady (Martha Washington). Her newest historical novel is Masquerade. Nancy and her husband Mark live in the Midwest. She’s earned a degree in architecture, traveled extensively in Europe, and has performed in numerous theaters, symphonies, and choirs. She gives Sister Circle Seminars around the country, helping women identify their gifts as they celebrate their sisterhood. She is a fan of anything antique—humans included. Find out more at http://www.nancymoser.com/ and http://www.sistercircles.com/.



ABOUT THE BOOK

They risk it all for adventure and romance, but find that love only flourishes in truth...

1886, New York City: Charlotte Gleason, a rich heiress from England, escapes a family crisis by traveling to America in order to marry the even wealthier Conrad Tremaine.

She soon decides that an arranged marriage is not for her and persuades her maid, Dora, to take her place. She wants a chance at "real life," even if it means giving up financial security. For Charlotte, it's a risk she's willing to take. What begins as the whim of a spoiled rich girl wanting adventure becomes a test of survival amid poverty beyond Charlotte's blackest nightmares.

As for Dora, it's the chance of a lifetime. She lives a fairy tale complete with gowns, jewels, and lavish mansions--yet is tormented by guilt from the possibility of discovery and the presence of another love that will not die. Is this what her heart truly longs for?

Will their masquerade be discovered? Will one of them have second thoughts? There is no guarantee the switch will work. It's a risk. It's the chance of a lifetime.


If you would like to read the first chapter of Masquerade, go HERE.

View the book trailer:




THOUGHTS FROM JEN

Nancy Moser inspires me not just because she's a talented writer (which she is) but because she's been able to master the art of engrossing storytelling across multiple genres. Whether they're set in the past, the present, or the future, her novels never fail to deliver.

In Masquerade, Moser takes us from England to America in 1886. She spins a tale of two young women who decide to live life on their own unconventional terms. In a Prince-and-the-Pauper-style twist, Charlotte and Dora trade places, never expecting the challenges they'll face.

For the most part, the story moves along at a fast pace and held my interest throughout. My only disappointment was that aspects of the end seemed a little too neat and easy. But that's a very tiny disappointment. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Masquerade and highly recommend it.

REVIEW: How Do I Love Thee? by Nancy Moser

In How Do I Love Thee, author Nancy Moser gives us a glimpse into the life of Elizabeth Barrett. The title refers, of course, to her famous poem. Including lines like “I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach,” I’ve always thought of Barrett as a passionate woman who lived a big life. Seems I didn't get that quite right.

The book opens with a housebound Barrett. In her thirties, she is already published and known for her poetry. But she is bedridden by a mysterious chronic illness that saps the energy from her. An overbearing father, whom she loves dearly, only complicates the issue. And so she has resigned herself to live life from the inside of a house.

When she strikes up an acquaintance with Robert Browning, something comes alive in her spirit. She begins to wonder if God has more for her, and if she has the strength to defy her father and find out what that is.

Moser is a master at breathing life into historical figures. She is also meticulous in her research, including a “Fact or Fiction” section in the back of each book. What you end up with is a novel that is just about as factually accurate as any biography, but much more entertaining.

How Do I Love Thee moves at a slow, languid pace, like much of Elizabeth's life. The language and details will make you feel like you have taken a step back into time and are watching the characters live out their lives. This is one to read in long, uninterrupted chunks. It’s the kind of book to enjoy on a quiet summer evening, your feet kicked up on the porch rail and a glass of sweet tea at your side.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The common thread in Nancy Moser’s novels is that everyone has a unique purpose—the trick is to find out what it is. Her genres include contemporary stories (The Good Nearby, Time Lottery, Sister Circle, John 3: 16) and historical novels that allow real women-of-history to share their life stories: Just Jane (Jane Austen), Mozart’s Sister (Nannerl Mozart), Washington's Lady (Martha Washington) and, How Do I Love Thee?(Elizabeth Barrett Browning.) You can find out more about Nancy and her books at her website.

CFBA presents JOHN 3:16 by Nancy Moser

This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingJohn 3:16(Tyndale House Publishers - September 9, 2008)byNancy Moser


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nancy Moser is the author of three inspirational humor books and eighteen novels, including Solemnly Swear, Time Lottery, a Christy Award winner, and her latest historical, Washington's Lady.

Nancy and her husband Mark live in the Midwest. She’s earned a degree in architecture, traveled extensively in Europe, and has performed in numerous theaters,
symphonies, and choirs. She gives Said So Sister Seminars around the country, helping women identify their gifts as they celebrate their sisterhood. She is a fan of anything antique—humans included.

Find out more at Nancy Moser.com and Sister Circles.com


ABOUT THE BOOK

Five people looking for a reason to keep living are about to find it in the last place they expect... In my usual "big cast" style comes a story of what happens when one man puts his faith on the line and holds up a John 3:16 sign at a sporting event. Roman Paulson's life revolves around his son, Billy, a University of Nebraska football hero with a promising life ahead of him. But when Billy's coach encroaches on Roman's relationship with his son, Roman fears he'll lose Billy forever. Roman isn't the only one whose world turns upside down. He's one of five unsuspecting people whose lives intersect on a bright fall day.

If you would like to read the first chapter of John 3:16, go HERE


JEN'S REVIEW

I made the mistake of reading John 3:16 on an airplane. This was a mistake only because at one point, I started crying. Not just misting up a little, but actual tears-rolling-down-my-face-type crying. And I had no tissue. But it was well worth a little embarassment and a soggy shirt front.

We've all seen the signs held up in crowds at sporting events, but in her moving novel, Nancy Moser makes us feel the impact of one such sign. She masterfully intertwines the lives of seemingly unrelated people and shows us how the results of our actions spread out like ripples, touching others and changing lives. In John 3:16 we also experience God's love and grace. The book is a poignant reminder that God is always with us, even when life doesn't make sense.

CFBA Presents - WASHINGTON'S LADY by Nancy Moser

This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingWashington's Lady(Bethany House - June 1, 2008)byNancy Moser


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Nancy Moser is the author of three inspirational humor books and eighteen novels, including Solemnly Swear, Just Jane, and Time Lottery, a Christy Award winner. She is an inspirational speaker, giving seminars around the country. She has earned a degree in architecture; run a business with her husband; traveled extensively in Europe; and has performed in various theaters, symphonies, and choirs. She and her husband have three grown children and make their home in the Midwest.


ABOUT THE BOOK

It has been said that without George Washington there would be no United States. But without Martha, there would be no George Washington. He called her "my other self."

Who was this woman who captured the heart of our country's founder? She dreams of a quiet life with her beloved George, but war looms...

Though still a young woman, Martha Dandridge Custis was a wealthy, attractive widow and the mother of two small children with no desire to remarry. But when a striking war hero steps into her life, she realizes that she is ready to love again. She is courted by, then marries the French and Indian War hero. Yet she wonders whether this man, accustomed to courageous military exploits, can settle down to a simple life of farming and being a father to her children. Even as she longs for domestic bliss, Martha soon realizes she will have to risk everything dear to her and find the courage to get behind a dream much larger than her own.

Her new life as Martha Washington took her through blissful times at Mount Vernon, family tragedies, six years of her husband's absence during the Revolutionary War, and her position as a reluctant First Lady.

Known for moving first-person novels of Nannerl Mozart and Jane Austen, in Washington's Lady, Nancy Moser now brings to life the loves and trials of the First First Lady of the United States.

If you would like to read the first chapter, go HERE


JEN'S REVIEW

If you've ever suffered through a junior high American History class, you probably think you know all you’ll ever need to know about the forming of our country. If only history class had been as captivating and enthralling as this novel!

In Washington's Lady, Nancy Moser shines a light on the reluctant First Lady of America. Her life was plagued with heartbreak and the deaths of many that she loved. Yet she also experienced great joy with the love of her life and soul mate, George. She was a woman of contradictions, having great strength during adversity, but fearful of the specter of death that loomed over her life. She showed grace and affection to the soldiers under her husband's command, but she was loathe to become a public figure. Martha Washington was a unique woman, flaws and all.

History truly comes alive in Moser's capable hands. I learned so much reading this story, not just about Martha, but about George and the struggles to form our country. And I enjoyed it immensely. At the end of the book, Moser includes a section titled Fact or Fiction in Washington's Lady. It's another glimpse at the care and diligence taken in presenting the fascinating tale of an extraordinary woman and the family and country she loved.