Some Thoughts On The Election

I kept pretty quiet during this political season, but I think it’s time for me to speak up. So now, in no particular order, are my thoughts on the 2008 Presidential Election:

I’m Glad It’s Over! Two years, people. Two years spent planning and pontificating, speaking and snarking, groveling and goading. Some of the speeches we heard (on both sides) were eloquent, even inspiring. But most were the same old thing said in different ways. And the longer it went on, the uglier it got. I’m soooo glad it’s done!

What Happened to Hilary? I read that The Washington Post reporter Anne Kornblut has been contracted by the Crown imprint of Random House to write a book called Rejection: Why America Isn't Ready for A Woman President. Well, that’s just silly. In general, I think Americans have gotten to the place where we just want to elect the right person for the job. So it’s not that America’s not ready for a woman president. The point is that the majority of Americans didn’t believe that particular woman was the right one for the job. And that’s all I have to say about that.

Where was the Mirror? I like Michelle Obama. Throughout the campaign, she carried herself with grace and dignity. She proved to be a woman who could put together a classy outfit on a budget. Remember the black and white dress from Black & White? What about that cute J. Crew lemon ensemble she wore on The Tonight Show? So I’ve got to ask, whose idea was it to put Michelle in that red and black Narciso Rodriguez number? I don’t think she chose it herself… she’s got better sense than that. And if she did choose it, I don’t think there was a mirror around. Not only was it confusing (I spent a good minute or two trying to figure out why she was wearing an apron on stage) but it was much better suited for a different body type. Michelle is a lovely woman, but this dress did nothing for her. The picture above shows the dress on the skinny-as-a-stick runway model and on Michelle. See my point? It barely works on the model. Put it on a woman who ate lunch that day, and it’s a disaster in the making. Frankly, I think the dress is a hot mess no matter who wears it. It’s something of a cross between a lava lamp and a black widow spider. Obviously, I have strong feelings on this matter. On a positive note, the rest of the family looked great, and they were all color coordinated. The black and red theme worked for the big picture. So props for thinking that through.

I’m Excited. No matter what anyone thinks, or who we voted for, one fact still remains: God’s in control. I’m excited that we’ve finally made our choice for the next president. I’m excited to see what’s going to happen in our country. And I can’t wait to see what kind of dog those two girls have when they move into the White House. God bless them all!

CFBA presents OUT OF HER HANDS by Megan DiMaria

This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducing Out Of Her Hands(Tyndale House Publishers - September 22, 2008)byMegan DiMaria


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I was born and raised in New York State and have since lived in Maine, Florida, Pennsylvania, Texas, New Jersey, and now I live in Colorado. My husband and I have three delightful, adult children and an old Jack Russell Terrier named Belle who seems to find her way into my novels. My resume will tell you I graduated from SUNY Plattsburgh with a degree in Communications, and after graduation I worked as a radio and television reporter, freelance writer, editor and marketing professional.

I'm a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and am assistant director of Words For The Journey, Rocky Mountain Region.

But what's most important to know about me is that I am a follower of Jesus, wife, mother, friend, reader and writer.

Life’s a journey, enjoy the adventures!

ABOUT THE BOOK

In this second novel by Megan DiMaria, Linda Revere is back and continuing to struggle with the turmoil of contemporary life. Linda has been praying for her children's future spouses since they were very small. Confident that her prayers will be answered, Linda is not prepared for the young woman her son brings home. But Linda soon learns that while everything she once controlled is out of her hands, God is still in control. Megan uses her trademark humor while dealing with issues to which her readers will relate.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Out Of Her Hands, go HERE

"No sophomore slump for DiMaria! This novel (Out of Her Hands) is as engaging and meaningful as her first, Searching for Spice. Her realistic portrayal of the characters' lives should endear them to readers and help Christians to feel less alone in their daily trials."
~Romantic Times Magazine, 4 ½ stars TOP PICK!

“Life in Linda's world is messy...but filled with love, laughter, struggle and faith. Megan has created a most real heroine for us to love...and I adore her!”
~Deena Peterson, reviewer: A Peek at my Bookshelf

“Megan DiMaria crafts a novel so compelling, so real, you forget you're reading fiction.”
~Darcie Gudger, reviewer: TitleTrakk

"This is a great read for a quiet afternoon or in those times when you feel your own life spinning out of control and need the reality check of knowing you're not in it alone."
~Amazon reviewer

JEN'S REVIEW

Out of Her Hands reunites us with Linda Revere, the frazzled heroine from DiMaria's debut novel, Searching for Spice. Linda's got her marriage issues worked out - she's got spice enough now - it's the rest of her family that's coming undone. Her son is making questionable romantic choices, her daughter is dealing with issues of her own, her best friend is moving out of town, and her widowed father-in-law is ready to find love again... whether the rest of the family likes it or not.

Linda Revere is the kind of character you can instantly relate to. Despite her earnest attempts to keep her family going in the right direction - you know, the direction she thinks they should go in - nothing works out quite the way she hopes it will. I thoroughly enjoyed following Linda on her journey to discovering that sometimes, the greatest thing we can do with those we love is to let them go and trust that God's got them in His always capable hands. Full of heart and humor, Out of Her Hands is wonderful slice-of-life novel.

Farewell Michael Crichton

Today was my first day back to my Christmas job at See's Candies. Right before it was time to leave, I checked my email one last time and nearly fell over in shock. One of the subject lines read: Michael Crichton Just Died!

That old line, "I didn't even know he was sick" came to mind, and is completely appropriate. Deciding to keep it a family matter, Mr. Crichton had been fighting a battle with cancer. Sadly, as the nation elected a historic new president, one of the most entertaining, talented authors of a generation lost his battle at the age of 66.

This quote, from an Associated Press article, says it best.

"Michael's talent out-scaled even his own dinosaurs of 'Jurassic Park,'" said "Jurassic Park" director Steven Spielberg, a friend of Crichton's for 40 years. "He was the greatest at blending science with big theatrical concepts, which is what gave credibility to dinosaurs again walking the Earth. ... Michael was a gentle soul who reserved his flamboyant side for his novels. There is no one in the wings that will ever take his place."

CFBA presents AN IRISH WOMAN'S TALE by Patti Lacy

This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducing An Irishwoman's Tale (Kregel Publications - July 8, 2008)byPatti Lacy


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Patti Lacy graduated from Baylor University in 1977 with a B.S. in education. She taught at Heartland Community College in Normal, Illinois, until she retired in 2006 to pursue writing full time. She has two grown children with her husband, Alan, and lives in Illinois.





ABOUT THE BOOK

Far away from her Irish home, Mary Freeman begins to adapt to life in Midwest America, but family turmoil and her own haunting memories threaten to ruin her future.

A shattered cup. Cheap tea. Bitter voices asking what's to be done with the "little eejit." Mary, an impetuous Irishwoman, won't face the haunting memories--until her daughter's crisis propels her back to County Clare. There, in a rocky cliffside home, Mary learns from former neighbors why God tore her from Ireland forty-five years earlier. As she begins to glimpse His sovereign plan, Mary is finally able to bury a dysfunctional past and begin to heal. Irish folk songs and sayings add color to the narrative.


Watch the Book Trailer:



If you would like to read the first chapter of An Irishwoman's Tale go HERE


JEN'S REVIEW

In this stunning debut novel, we meet Mary Freeman, a nurturing woman who wants to take care of her family and have a bit of peace in her life. But caring for her ailing mother is wearing on her, as is her concern for her youngest daughter. When Mary prays for a friend, she never expects God to answer so quickly… or with such a unique woman.

An Irishwoman’s Tale is two stories in one: the tragic heartbreak of a young girl who endures one rejection after the other, and a beautiful, healing friendship between two very different women. Like the threads that make up fine Irish linen, Lacy weaves Mary’s story, combining the past with the present, until both converge and take Mary back to where it all started.

Lacy’s lyrical writing style is perfect for this tale which takes us from Ireland to America and back again. Get ready to settle in with this one, because once you start, you’re not going to want to put it down.

READ THE INTERVIEW

To read my interview with Patti, visit my earlier blog post.

CFBA presents DANGEROUS HEART by Tracey Bateman

This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducing Dangerous Heart(Avon Inspire - October 14, 2008)byTracey Bateman


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tracey Bateman published her first novel in 2000 and has been busy ever since. There are two other books in the Westward Hearts Series, Defiant Heart (#1) and Distant Heart (#2)

She learned to write by writing, and improved by listening to critique partners and editors. She has sold over 30 books in six years.
She became a member of American Christian Fiction Writers in the early months of its inception in 2000 and served as president for a year.
Tracey loves Sci-fi, Lifetime movies, and Days of Our Lives (this is out of a 21 year habit of watching, rather than enjoyment of current storylines).

She has been married to her husband Rusty for 18 years, has four kids, and lives in Lebanon, Missouri.

ABOUT THE BOOK

For the past seven years, Ginger Freeman has had one goal: find Grant Kelley and make him pay for allowing her brother to die. Growing up motherless with a father who leads an outlaw gang, Ginger isn’t exactly peaches and cream. So when she finally tracks down Grant on a wagon train headed west, she figured providence had stepped in and given her the chance she’s been waiting for.

On the wagon train, finally surrounded by a sense of family and under the nurturing eye of Toni Rodde, Ginger begins to lose her rough edges. She’s made friends for the first time and has become part of something bigger than revenge. Not only has her heart softened toward people in general, but God has become a reality she never understood before. And watching Grant doctor the pioneers, she’s realized she can’t just kill him and leave the train without medical care. Putting her anger aside, before long, Ginger’s a functioning part of the group.

But when the outlaw gang, headed by her pa, shows up and infiltrates the wagon train, she is forced to question her decision. Only self-sacrifice and her new relationship with God can make things right. But it might also means she loses everything she’s begun to hold dear.

If you would like to read from the first chapter of Dangerous Heart, go HERE

CFBA presents A BEAUTIFUL FALL by Chris Coppernoll

This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducing A Beautiful Fall(David C. Cook - October 2008)byChris Coppernoll

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Chris Coppernoll is the founder of Soul2Soul Ministries, with his interviews with Christian artists airing weekly on 650 radio outlets in thirty countries. He has conducted hundreds of interviews on faith issues with personalities such as Amy Grant, Max Lucado, Michael W. Smith, and Kathie Lee Gifford. He also serves as a Deacon at The People’s Church in Franklin, Tennessee, and is currently working toward a Masters in Ministry Leadership degree through Rockbridge Seminary.

His "Inspirations" column is published monthly in the mid Michigan newspaper, The Jackson Citizen Patriot.

Chris Coppernoll is the author of four other books including Soul2Soul, Secrets of a Faith Well Lived, and God's Calling. Providence, his first novel, is his fourth book.


ABOUT THE BOOK

High-powered Boston attorney Emma Madison is celebrating her latest courtroom victory when she gets a call from a number she doesn't recognize. Area code 803 home. Juneberry, South Carolina eight hundred miles, twelve years, and a lifetime away from Boston. Emma's father has had a serious heart attack. Emma rushes to his bedside, and a weekend trip threatens to become an extended stay. She has to work fast to arrange the affairs of his small-town law practice so she can return to her life and career in Boston.

And then Michael Evans shows up. They'd shared hopes, dreams, and a passionate love as young college students during a long-ago summer. But Emma walked away from Michael and from Juneberry to finish college and start a new life. Michael has never forgotten her.

Enveloped in the warmth of family and small-town life and discovering that she still cares for Michael Emma knows she'll have to make a choice between the career she's worked so hard to build and the love she left behind.

If you would like to read the first chapter of A Beautiful Fall, go HERE

Welcome Guest Blogger Camy Tang!

Hi there! Jennifer asked me to blog about the reader reaction I’ve seen from my books.

To be honest, people are very accepting of the fact it’s a different American sub-culture, Asian American.

I think that part of the reason is that people want to know more about the Asian American culture. It’s different and a little mysterious to people who don’t know many Asians in their everyday lives.

Another reason is that people who have read the book recognize their own family culture in the foibles of the Sakai family. Even though the characters are Asian, they have the same type of exasperating family dynamics as, say, an Italian American family, or a German American family, or a Russian American family.

I get so many reader letters of people who say, “My Swiss/Norwegian/Spanish/French grandmother/mother/aunt/cousin is JUST like Grandma Sakai!”

(That’s actually kind of scary, and I say a prayer for them.)

I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: No matter what your ethnicity, families are all alike.

Including the ones that make you want to run away to a third world country and never be found again.

I also have to say that I didn’t base Grandma Sakai off of any real family members. In fact, I really try hard not to base my characters off of family members, because I think that’s just rude.

The other day, my mom said she’d read Single Sashimi and she could see a little of herself in Venus’s mother.

And I was like, “There is NO WAY you are ANYTHING like Venus’s mother. Venus’s mother is a nag and slightly psychotic. You are not a nag and not psychotic at all. How can you be thinking that?”

I hope I was emphatic enough that she can get rid of the notion she is anything even remotely like Venus’s crazy mother.

But doesn’t that make you want to read the book now? ;)

Thanks for letting me guest blog, Jennifer!
Camy

And thank you, Camy, for spending some time with us. It’s always fun to hear from you! May God continue to bless you in your writing journey!


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Camy Tang writes romance with a kick of wasabi. She used to be a biologist, but now she is a staff worker for her church youth group and leads a worship team for Sunday service. She also runs the Story Sensei fiction critique service. On her blog, she gives away Christian novels every Monday and Thursday, and she ponders frivolous things like dumb dogs (namely, hers), coffee-geek husbands (no resemblance to her own...), the writing journey, Asiana, and anything else that comes to mind.

JEN’S REVIEW

I’ve read all three of Camy’s book and have thoroughly enjoyed each one. Single Sashimi was particularly fun, though. From the first page, Camy grabbed me and pulled me into this story of compulsively clean Venus, who’s neat life creating virtual worlds starts to unravel. As always, Camy seamlessly weaves in a strong spiritual thread that never comes off as preachy, but leaves you completely satisfied. Do yourself a favor and pick up Single Sashimi. And if you haven’t already, pick up the first two books in the Sushi Series. Your funny bone will thank you!

WIN FREE STUFF FROM CAMY!

Visit Camy’s website at http://www.camytang.com/ for a huge website contest going on right now. She’s giving away ten boxes of books and 30 copies of her latest release, SINGLE SASHIMI. She’s also giving away books in her monthly newsletter contest. Good luck!