Faith, Fiction & Friends

Showcasing GOODBYE NOEL by Nike Chillemi (article by Tammy Doherty)

2012-02-06T07:00:00.000-08:00

I'm honored to have Nike Chillemi as my critique partner. I get to read her novels before they are published!! GOODBYE NOEL is my favorite so far. For those of you who haven't read it yet, here's a blurb:

The first body isfound under a trimmed Christmas tree, the second as they ring in the New Year(1947), the third goes head long out a window. Will a young pediatric nurse determined to make it onher own be able to care for an infant whose mother was murdered and escape thekiller who has struck again? Can she trust the stalwart village detective withher life and her heart as he works to catch this killer before somebody elsedies?

Pediatric nurse, Katrina Lenart, grewup strong willed and independent minded, while sharing her mother's flair forhigh fashion. When the police chief gives her an orphaned baby to care for, hermaternal instincts take over and she's willing to fight anyone who might nothave the infant's best interests at heart, even the man she's growing to love.After an attempt is made to kidnap the baby, she and the resolute villagedetective team up and do some sleuthing, undercover at a cult as well as at afancy ball.

Detective Ian Daltry is a widowerwith a child and is not interested in a new love. Hunting a killer who stops atnothing has placed him in the position where he must protect a beautiful youngwoman he's drawn to. Is there's something he's overlooked in analyzing thecase? Will he find out what that is before this ruthless murderer kills someonehe loves?

Admit it, you want to read more, don't you?! Well, today you are in luck because Nike has agreed to post an excerpt here on our blog! After you read this, you'll definitely want to read more. Below, Nike talked a bit with about this novel and future works. Now, here is the excerpt from Chapter 5 of GOODBYE NOEL.

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Long Island, New York

Late December, 1946

Katrina wanted to throw DetectiveDaltry into a snow bank. The nerve of him, barging into their house twice intwo days, demanding she bundle the baby up and take him into the cold. Howcould that man not recall their harrowing, nighttime drive through the storm ofthe decade? She tossed her hair back over her shoulder, and with greatdifficulty held her tongue.

Momma apparently had no suchreservations. "Detective, what you are doing is very wrong."

Katrina came up beside her mother,to show a united front. "This is outrageous." Her eyes narrowed andshe crossed her arms over her chest. She hated the tone of her voice, but thisbaby wasn't a ping-pong ball to be batted back and forth as the detective movedforward with his murder case.

He ignored her and continuedaddressing her mother.

"I'm sorry, ma'am." Heremoved his fedora. "Chief Ferguson has already made the necessary phonecalls and arrangements have been made. I must take Leslie Janos Bauer with meto the home of his aunt in Bay Shore. The chief would prefer your daughter comealong in an official capacity as a nurse. It's up to her, but I have to take thebaby."

Momma's face flushed beet-red, asure sign she'd become enraged. "This is not good for him… this hustlefrom place to place."

"With all due respect, ma'am, achild belongs with his family, if at all possible." The detective took astep toward Katrina. "Now, will you please fetch the baby." It wasn'ta request.

Katrina made sure she stood tall."Yes, I'll get Leslie." She clenched her fists at her side and juttedher chin. "This is disgraceful. You are using this infant to solve yourmurder case. Perhaps your own tragic life experience clouds yourjudgment?"

His mouth fell open and he took astep back.

"If you have it within yourheart, give me one minute. I'll get him ready and get my coat and bootson." Without giving him a chance to reply, Katrina turned and stormed upthe stairs.

Leslie lay sleeping in the baby-dollcradle Poppa had made for her when she was a little girl. Poppa had that kindof talent. He could make anything. In her heart she knew, he'd figured it wouldbe her baby's bassinet. At least now, it had a real purpose. She ran a fingerover the hand carved leaves in the headboard.

"Milachku, time to wake up." She took the infant into her armsinhaling the smell of baby, sweeter than the most expensive imported perfume.

Leslie yawned and she snuggled hernose in the soft folds of skin between his head and shoulder, kissing his neck.He cooed, so safe in her arms.

She brought him to her heart,holding him, rocking him and spoke softly to her reflection in the mirror aboveher bureau. "Fat chance I'll ever walk down the aisle or have a family ofmy own with the man shortage since the war." Something deep in the core ofher female-self rebelled, a throbbing turbulence, from which deep hungererupted.

She stroked Leslie's cheek and madea funny face. The softness of his skin melted her heart.

He smiled at her and kicked.

"I'm so sorry. I promised I'dprotect you and I can't." She forced a smile and made clucking noises.

He grabbed her hair and yanked.

"Ouch." She laughed,removing strands of her hair from his little fist.

A tear escaped and ran down the sideof her cheek. "I can do this." She lifted her chin, sucked in a longbreath, wrapped Leslie in a heavy quilt, and picked up his tote bag.

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FFF: What's the motivation behindthis story?

Nike: I want to show how ordinary people can rise togreat heights in standing for what is right and against evil. I hope my readerscan see the "natural nobility" unpretentious people can display whenagainst all odds they do the right thing. I hope my main characters KatrinaLenart and Detective Ian Daltry come off in this way. I want to show that LOVEis the greatest power on the earth, that the depth of human love is somethingthat will always persevere. Of course, Christians understand this powerful loveis God's love in us.

FFF:Is anything in this book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?

Nike: Most of it is pure imagination.Though certain traditions in the story seem to come from my life. My paternalgrandmother was Czech and all the cooking and baking comes from her kitchen. Mymemories of the wonderful aromas coming from my grandmother's kitchen certainlyinfluenced me. Katrina is sort of like me in terms of her Christmas decoratingphilosophy: more is definitely more. Katrina loves to put her hand to thingsand add a beautifying touch whether it's a floral arrangement, or whatever. Ialso have a leaning toward sprucing up the house, changing things and making thelook fresher and better.

FFF: Why did you write GOODBYE NOEL?

Nike: I wrote it to give hope. The story isset at the close of WWII, a time when the nation was recovering from thedevestating losses of that war. And yet, it is a time of great courage and optimismin America. I love this period in American history. The people of that timewere a get up and go generation. They strove to make something of themselvesand of this nation. I hope my characters reflect the spirit of that era. Rightnow this country is facing a very difficult time. I pray this story transmits alittle bit of the can do spirit of an earlier era. I think in many ways we arestanding on the shoulders of giants. If we will look back and take a page ofout their book we might do better than what we're doing now.

About Nike Chillemi:

Nike Chillemi has been called acrime fictionista due to her passion for crime fiction. She was an Inspy Awards2010 judge in the Suspense/Thriller/Mystery category and a judge in the 2011Carol Awards in the suspense, mystery, and romantic suspense categories. She isthe founding board member of the Grace Awards and its Chairman, a reader'schoice awards for excellence in Christian fiction. She writes book reviewsfor The Christian Pulse onlinemagazine. BURNING HEARTS is the first book in the crime wave that is sweepingthe south shore of Long Island in The Sanctuary Point series, published byDesert Breeze. GOODBYE NOEL, the second book in the series was released inDecember, 2011. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW)and the Edgy Christian Fiction Lovers (Ning).

Download GOODBYE NOEL today! And if you haven't read Nike's first novel, BURNING HEARTS is also available for download. Visit Amazon.com now!

~ Tammy Doherty is still in awe that her friend had two great novels released in one year and more are on the way. You can find both Nike and Tammy on Facebook: Nike Chillemi ~ Crime Fictionista , Tammy Doherty Author

Irresistibly Sweet - That's Us!

2012-02-03T19:12:00.000-08:00

A big THANK YOU to our friends at the Inspirational Ebooks blog for nominating us for The Irresistibly Sweet Blog Award. The FFF members are a mixed bunch but we really are sweet, though I may be biased! Be sure to pop over to Inspirational Ebooks - they're your "one stop shopping" locale to find out about great Christian fiction available in eBook format.

The rules for The Irresistibly Sweet Blog Award are: put the award badge up on your blog (that would be the picture of a scrumptious strawberry desert...almost a tease, having to look at that!), thank the person/blog who nominated you (naturally, we are sweet afterall!), nominate at least ten other blogs and contact them to let them know, and share seven random things about yourself/your blog. Here goes...

The Nominees are...

1) Everyone's Story http://elainestock.blogspot.com/ "Uplifting Stories for Readers, Writers, And All Those In-between."

2) Operation Encourage an Author http://encourageanauthor.blogspot.com/ - bringing authors and readers together to foster a community of support and encouragement.

3) Redwood's Medical Edge http://www.jordynredwood.com/ A great place for writers to get answers for medical questions (strictly in regards to fictional work).

4) Writing to Distraction http://writingtodistraction.blogspot.com/ with author Carla Gade - taming and training the writer within.

5) Reflections In Hindsight http://reflectionsinhindsight.wordpress.com/ A group of wonderful writers helping other writers.

6) Cathy West at This Is A Blog About Books http://thisisablogaboutbooks.wordpress.com/ which is, well, I think you can figure out what this blog is about!

7) Fiction Addiction Fix http://fictionaddictionfix.blogspot.com/ where readers can find out about blog giveaways and authors can find new readers.

8) Debbie Lynne Costello's The Sword and Spirit http://www.theswordandspirit.blogspot.com/ Read reviews and find great new novels.

9) Julie Lessman's Journal Jots http://www.julielessman.com/journal-jots1/ Despite being multi-published, Julie is as real as they get. Stop by, she loves to visit!

10) Ken Winter's LOST CROWN OF COLONNADE blog http://www.lostcrownofcolonnade.com/?page_id=116/ It's young, but Ken is supportive of and encouraging to his fellow Christian authors. Can't get much sweeter than that!

And now, seven random things about this blog and its members:

1) FFF was the brainchild of Nike Chillemi, who wanted a place for Christian writers to post articles about writing and the life of writers. You can also visit Nike at her Crime Fictionista blog.

2) Tammy Doherty also has a personal blog, The Mystique of Naultag, but she's horrible about posting regularly (note to self: post more often!) Tammy has three historical novels in print: CELTIC CROSS, CLADDAUGH and CELTIC KNOT.

3) Dave Arp works on an oil rig. I think that makes him a Roughneck? Dave writes "Adult Humanoid Fiction" (you'll have to ask him for a definition).

4) Nike has 2 published novels, BURNING HEARTS and GOODBYE NOEL, set on Long Island just after WWII. She's also working on a contemporary series about a female NYPD detective.

5) Jean Kinsey's debut novel, THE LIGHTKEEPER'S DAUGHTER, is due out in March 2012. Jean also has a blog, Jean Kinsey's Creative Writing Desk, but it didn't seem right to nominate ourselves!

6) Barbara Robinson's blog, Southern Christian Inspirational Fiction, has already received the prestigious 'Irresistibly Sweet Blog' award! Barbara is also a Desert Breeze author; find her books on Amazon.com.

7) Elaine Cooper grew up in Massachusetts, the state in which her Revolutionary War era novels are set. THE ROAD TO DEER RUN is based on the true story of her great-great(more greats) grandparents!

BURNING HEARTS and CLADDAUGH Hit Amazon's Top 20

2012-01-31T04:58:00.000-08:00

BURNING HEARTS by Nike Chillemi and CLADDAUGH by Tammy Doherty are both on the Amazon top 20 list in Christian Historical Romance.

Arson/murder, action, and romance

#13

http://www.amazon.com/Sanctuary-Point-Book-One-ebook/dp/B0050PJSTY/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1

Chosing money over love didn't go as she planned.

#18

http://www.amazon.com/Claddaugh-Tammy-Doherty/dp/1594675910/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1328017724&sr=1-1

Amazon's Christian Historical Romance List: http://www.amazon.com/tag/christian%20historical%20romance?ref_=tag_dpp_cust_itdp_t&store=1

What the Blindman Saw by Jean Kinsey ~ Human Trafficking Awareness

2012-01-10T06:56:00.000-08:00

January 11^th is Human Trafficking Awareness Day. In fact the entire month of January is set aside for human trafficking awareness. To honor that, FFF presents a short story on this subject by member Jean Kinsey.

WHAT THE BLINDMAN SAW

Wilhemus tapped his white cane on the sidewalk. Twenty—twenty-one—twenty-two… Nine more steps and was at the corner. From thereon, he simply followed the chit chat and flurry of the shoppers bargaining with the vendors on the floating market.

“Good morning, Jeroen. Beautiful day Jorge Pessek.” One –two –three… He counted twelve more steps to his own stand where the fragrance of fresh citrus fruits mingled with the other produce. A new shipment from Venezuela had landed at dawn, and Yusmair had already fetched the crates from the cargo vessel and spread the wares on his tables.

A low, gutteral voice came from the other side of the stand. “ Sir, are the pineapples fresh today? You wouldn’t be attempting to pass off last’s week’s fruit on an old lady, would you?”

“Even a blind man can tell when the pineapple is ripe.” Wilhemus smiled from behind his dark glasses. “And a blind man can tell when his friend is disguising her voice, Jantje. You didn’t fool me.”

“Ah, Wilhemus, I can never fool you. You know me too well.” The words rolled off the lady’s tongue in a voice smooth as silk, as she walked around the tables to stand beside him.

Running his index finger across her high cheekbones, he stroked her velvet skin. “Yes, Jantje, that is true. It's taken me all these months to truly know you, but, finally, I do. I know the beautiful woman who dines with me at Cas Aboa and squeezes sour orange rind into her drink.” He moved a basket of fresh oranges to the front of his stand. “I hear the swish of heads turning as men stare at the lovely lady accompanied by the blind fool.”

“Hey, Wilhemus,” Jeroen exclaimed from the end of the first table, “How come all the pretty ladies are drawn to your table?”

Jorge Pessek, scraping the cartons together as he rearranged the strawberries and macadamia nuts, called from the table between them, “Yes, just because you look like that Venetian lover. What's his name? Ah yes, Casanova, with the dark eyes and shiny hair, you should not play the part of a libertine.”

“Gentlemen, do not jest with Wilhemus. Simply because he’s the best looking man in all of the Caribbean, doesn’t mean he takes liberties with the ladies. He's a fine gentleman."

Wilhemus, much aware of what lay below the surface of the pretty face, saw Jantje with more than his eyes. The touch of her skin, the confidence in her voice, the orange flower scent of her hair told him she was a beautiful woman. He could even see what no one else could see. He saw inside her heart. But no, she was not the one for him.

He had whispered to her the first time they walked the board walk several months ago. “Oh how badly I wish it were different.” Wilhemus clenched his fist. “Someday you will know what you mean to me, Jantje, but we can never be. She leaned in close to him. Her hair released wafts of orange flower into his face. He pushed her away.

“Do not shove me away. I don’t care that you’re blind. You say I am beautiful and I know you want to be with me." She put her arms around his neck. “You see more through blind eyes than most see with sighted ones. Curaçao is a beautiful island. The newest of all independent governments in the world. We can start a new life here together."

Wilhemus removed Jantje’s arms from his neck. “We are too different. There's no room for me in your world. You control your own industry. I could never be part of that life. Nor could you fit into mine. Let us just remain friends, but I hope you know it's very important to me that we continue our friendship.”

“For now, Wilhemus, I’ll be patient. But one day soon I’ll make you know we belong together. I vow I’ll find a way to prove your blindness won’t stand between us.” Jantje walked quietly beside him. He would have thought she’d left him except for the faint scent of orange flower and muted clacks of her heels on the planks.

That evening Wilhemus took the leather cord from around his neck and held the attached pendant between his fingers. “Yosibell, my beautiful Yosibell.” He ran his forefinger over the engraved photo etched into the silver medallion. Untamed hair framed the profile of her slender face. He rubbed the imprint of her full lips. Wilhemus wept. “I’ll never forget you, Yosibell.” Before he placed the pendant back around his neck and stuffed it inside his shirt, he planted his lips on the cold metal and kissed his beloved Yosibell goodnight.

*****

The early morning sea mist sprinkled the fresh fruits and vegetables. The gentle breeze cooled the eighty degree weather as sea gulls laughed, dove and picked their breakfast from the placid water. Only on a tropical island could weather be so perfect. The sun would be rising from beyond the blue water, highlighting the soft ripples like liquid diamonds. It was good to remember and see from inside his head even if he couldn't see through his eyes.

The chatter of the early customers interrupted his reverie. Wilhemus listened for Jantje’s footsteps as he worked his fruit stand. She should arrive soon to catch the shuttle to her place of business. But it was almost noon before he heard the distinct click of her heels. Although he was glad she no longer showed him open affection, he didn’t refuse when she stopped by the market with an American hamburger and French fries she’d purchased at the kiosk on the boardwalk.

“Wilhemus, I wish you would reconsider and let me into your heart. We could make it work. I know we could…”

He interrupted her. “No, there is too much of a void between us—a void I cannot cross. Please let's eat our lunch.” They shared a bench down by the bridge that opened to let the big ships pass, and close again to let the rich tourists walk across to the cruise ships. He couldn't stop seeing her. He had no other choice.

“Someday, Wilhemus, I'm going to be rich enough I can stop working and travel around the world on one of those luxury liners.”

Wilhemus wiped a droplet of mist from his face. “But you already have so much. Why is it important that you strive for so much more?”

She squeezed his arm. “You wouldn'tt ask that if you lived like I did growing up, not knowing from where your next meal would come or when. It's bad to be hungry. Some things you don’t forget.

“I, too, was poor, but I choose to live a simple life. I fear you shall always be hungry, Jantje.” Wilhemus answered as they walked back to his fruit stand.

Squeezing Wilhemus’s dark skinned hand, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek before leaving the market. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning. Adiós a mis amigo.” She spoke perfect Spanish.

“Nò chikitu un abo lo no.” In his native Papiamentu tongue, he called her little one and said she would not, and smiled.

“No?” Jantje gazed up into his dark glasses. “Oh, yes, you are right. I forgot. Then you know I must accompany some merchandise to the United States tomorrow. I’ll leave at dawn. I declare, Wilhemus, you have the memory of an elephant. See, I told you I could use you on my payroll.”

“I think not. I'm happy here. I like selling the Venezuelan produce from the floating market. The mist from the sea is good for the fruit. Are you going to the United States yourself? Do you not usually send the shipment by your workers?”

“Yes, but I have a new line of Columbian lingerie, and the buyer in Miami wants to meet with me personally to discuss further distribution. I wish I could get out of it, but I can’t. I’ll see you when I return.” She started to leave but stopped and added, “I promised you I’d soon prove to you that we could be together forever. I think after this trip, it'll be true.”

Wilhjemus counted Jantje’s steps. One—two—three… as her shoes clicked down the walkway and vanished across the street.

He bumped his fist on his chin. Jantje had not told him about accompanying a delivery the next morning. He would have remembered that. Wilhemus remembered everything about Jantje. He had only said he would not see her tomorrow morning because he was to travel the thirty miles of sea to Venezuela and place his order for fresh fruit. He wouldn’t be at the market until afternoon. But the information was most welcome. Most welcome, indeed.

“Jorge Pessek, would you watch my bin for a minute while I go to the men’s room?”

He chuckled. “Zeker, Casanova." In his Dutch words, he assured his friend he would do it.

“Ah, there is one more thing. Can you describe Jantje to me? I would like to know what she looks like.”

“Sure, my friend. You have missed very much by not having seen such a beautiful lady. She is very pretty with her dark hair hanging down to here.” He touched Wilhemus on the shoulder. “Her green eyes glisten with flakes of gold. She has very fine, very pretty eyebrows, a tiny mouth, a very straight nose and her complexion is like silk bronze.”

He planted the words in his memory so he would not forget. "Thank you, friend. It is much appreciated."

Wilhemus pecked with his white cane. One—two— three…until he counted exactly one hundred steps to the street. He had once lived in Aruba where they had lights at the crossings. He just tapped along and followed the other pedestrians. But here in Curaçao, there were no traffic lights. Sometimes a policeman stopped the cars to let him cross and other times he stood and listened for many minutes before chancing it to the other side where the men’s rooms were. He didn’t even have time to count his steps while he crossed the street.

Once inside, Wilhemus took a cell phone from his pocket. The American answered.

“Tomorrow,” Wilhemus said. “The cargo ship leaves in the morning. I don’t know the time or under what disguise. He gave the American Jantje's description. ”

“We’ll take care of it on this end.” The American on the other end clicked off the phone.

Wilhemus didn't go to the market the next day. He had practiced this route many times, memorizing how many steps from the shuttle bus to the dock. One—two—three… he counted in the early morning before the day light as he walked to the pier where the noises told him several Venezuelan cargo ships docked. Hiding behind a life boat, he waited for the familiar sound of Jantje’s laughter and followed it. He trailed the sobbing of young girls and the bold commands of vulgar men, but they didn’t see or hear him stow away behind them. He counted each step he took and remembered which direction they went. Soon there was no more laughter or crying. No more vulgar expressions. But Wilhemus smelled the sweet scent of orange flower, and he trailed it.

The group went down into the belly of the ship. The mingling tang of oranges with the distinct smells of lemons, cacao beans, grapefruit, and macadamia kernels told him the ship was disguised as a delivery of fruit and vegetables. Wilhemus stayed on the upper deck and hoped he was hidden well enough not to be seen. And if he was, who would question what a blind man saw?

The authorities couldn’t do anything as long as the ship was in port in the South Caribbean, but when it reached international waters, Wilhemus sent up his flare and the authorities boarded the vessel. Wilhemus led them to Jantje. He should not feel the guilt that knotted in his throat. He should be reaping restitution for the pain that had burned his heart for so many years. Yet, he had deceived someone whom he believed really cared for him.

“Wilhemus,” Jantje whispered, her voice low and cold. He sensed the agony of his treachery raging inside her. “Why did you do this to me? Why did you betray me?” Cuffs clicked as the officer put them on her wrist. “How did you know? How long have you been waiting? I thought you cared.” Her cold words bore into Wilhjemus. “You pretended to be a friend. You deceived me!” She spat at him. “How dare you judge me. You are no better. Liar!” She rattled the cuffs that bound her. “How did you know? I was so careful not to tell you.”

“How did I know, Jantje? It was you who told me. I remembered every little thing you said since the first time you came to buy fresh fruit from my vendor’s vat. Most patrons think because I can’t see that it is safe to speak in front of me. They must think blind people don’t hear either. Once you let it slip you owned a business near the airport. Another time you said you were expecting a cargo from Venezuela enroute to Miami. Later you mentioned you had come from the medical supply to purchase pharmaceuticals, I reasoned the supply and demand." He fingered the medallion around his neck. "It didn't take much to put a little one and another little one together and get a big one. Prostitution’s legal in the airport district, and medicine is freely available to control sexually transmitted diseases. Even though the Curaçao government won’t admit it, the amount of sex slavery trafficking through here grows daily. From that point on, I listened. Sometimes I asked questions, but mostly, I listened.”

FIT FOR FAITH ~ Post Holiday Sensible Eating and Activity

2012-01-05T07:50:00.000-08:00

Epiphany is tomorrow, which ends the Christmas season and hopefully the holiday eating. However, many of us are still finishing up the sugar cookies we can't bear to throw out, since a family member so lovingly baked them for us.

So, this is the perfect time to take a look at Kimberly Payne's new release, FIT FOR FAITH. The book is filled with practical suggestions for getting into a fitness routine that is not only practical but also spiritual.

This workbook unites physical health and spiritual health through a 7-week program to lose weight and develop a deeper relationship with God. It is a reference on cardiovascular exercise, strength training, prayer, healthy eating, Bible study, flexibility exercise, and journal writing.

Purchase Links:

Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/Fit-Faith-improved-spiritual-ebook/dp/B0044KM3HA/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1325777694&sr=1-1-fkmr0

Barnes & Noble. http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fit-for-faith-7-weeks-to-improved-spiritual-and-physical-health-kimberley-payne/1030786741?ean=2940011248900&itm=2&usri=fit+for+faith%2c+kimberly+payne

Heroines From GOODBYE NOEL & THE LIGHTKEEPER'S DAUGHTER Dialog

2011-12-25T23:02:00.000-08:00

It might've been when Rudolph was training a few baby reindeer in the fine art of flying...but whatever the case, something caused some type of time warp and Katrina Lenart [heroine of GOODBYE NOEL by Nike Chillemi] found herself face-to-face with Belle Montague [heroine of THE LIGHT KEEPER'S DAUGHTER by Jean Kinsey]. They were both ice-skating right after Christmas. Belle in South Carolina in 1918, after a cold snap, and Katrina on Long Island, NY in 1946, both trying out the ice skates they'd each found under their trees. There seemed to be something shimmering through the air that day, almost as if the sunbeams were bouncing off the ice...and there they were standing in front of each other.

Katrina: Jeepers, are you in costume? [pointing at Belle's outfit.] Oh, I'm sorry, how rude of me. I'm Katrina Lenart, from Sanctuary Point. Your skating dress is beautiful. Did you make it yourself? And those button-up shoes Are you in some type of Christmas pageant? Epiphany, actually, since it's after Christmas? Sorry, for all the questions it's just that I've never seen anyone dressed like that on the ice. With that bobbed haircut, it's a good thing you have a fur scarf to keep your neck warm out here. I love those bangs.

Belle: Hi, I'm Belle Montague from New Hope Point. This is the way I look every day. I own a dress shop, so I make all my clothes. Your dress is different too, very, um, short. I love that bright red lip color, but I wouldn't dare use it. I'm the heroine in a novel that will be coming out soon, THE LIGHTKEEPER'S DAUGHTER. I live in a lighthouse and work in the village. What do you do?

Katrina: Oh boy, this is great. How wonderful to have met you. I'm a heroine in a novel too. GOODBYE NOEL, a historical romantic thriller set at Christmas and New Year in the post WWII era. I'm a pediatric nurse.

Christmas is my favorite time of year too. It seems our family always got so energized from Advent to Epiphany. Momma never stopped baking and cooking and setting out the good china. Anticipation and good cheer was in the air at our house. In your era, how did your family celebrate the birth of Jesus?

Belle: We lived in a lighthouse on an island. We didn't have visitors; just Mum, Papa and me. Mum and I made handmade ornaments from popcorn and paper cutouts. We strung wild berries and made rope for the small tree Papa brought home from inland on the dinghy. We ate seafood chowder on Christmas Eve. Papa read from the book of Luke about the birth of Jesus.

What did you do in Ms. Chillemi's novel? Tell me all about it. I never knew anybody mixed up in a murder before.

Katrina: Well unfortunately, I was the one who found my neighbor, Noel Bauer, dead under her Christmas tree with her head bashed in. To make matters worse, her baby was asleep in the next room at the time of the murder. I stood right next to the lovely tree Mrs. Bower decorated and swore I'd protect that baby. Unfortunately, there were more deaths related to the first one. We also had two mafia thugs running around our village. And yet, in spite of it all, it was a wonderful time. We were so excited about Christmas.

What a surprise it was when Det. Ian Daltry, who was investigating the murder, asked me to his church's New Year's Eve service followed by a punch social. That night I got my very first kiss ever at the stroke of midnight.

Jeepers, how I do go on. Well, anyway, the New Year was important in GOODBYE NOEL because Ian, I mean, Det. Daltry suspected someone at the church social might be the killer. What a wild New Year's Eve that one was. So, tell me, Belle, how was the New Year celebrated in your time? Did you make resolutions? I don't really believe in that sort of thing, myself. I'm the type who believes God has a purpose for me.

Belle: I always make resolutions, but am soon to break them. Papa says I am quick to act but slow to think. He keeps reminding me to wait on God. For many years, down here in the South, it has been the custom on the last evening of the year for the "Sons of the Confederate" to give a banquet for the descendants of the veterans of the Civil War. They also invite the families of those who wore the blue uniforms, but few accept the invitation.

Katrina, I am so happy to have met you. If I ever get into the twenty-first century, I'll be sure to read GOODBYE NOEL. I love Christian murder mysteries. That stalwart Det. Daltry sounds just perfect for you.

Katrina: I gave him a really hard time in the beginning. Wanted to shove him into a snow bank once. He wasn't put off by my independent nature like so many of the younger fellas I knew. One minute my only desire was to gaze into his eyes, the next I wanted to slap him. Would you believe he took it all as a challenge and pursued me even harder? [Pointing toward the sky] Oh, look it's snowing, and a strong wind is blowing the flakes in huge swirls. [Turning this way and that.] Belle, are you there? I can't see you. Belle, goodbye, I think we're returning to our own time. It was wonderful meeting you. Hope to see you again sometime.

Author Bio:

Nike Chillemi has been called a crime fictionista due to her passion for crime fiction. She was an Inspy Awards 2010 judge in the Suspense/Thriller/Mystery category and a judge in the 2011 Carol Awards in the suspense, mystery, and romantic suspense categories. She is the founding board member of the Grace Awards and its Chairman, a reader's choice awards for excellence in Christian fiction. She writes book reviews for The Christian Pulse online magazine. BURNING HEARTS is the first book in the crime wave that is sweeping the south shore of Long Island in The Sanctuary Point series, published by Desert Breeze. GOODBYE NOEL, the second book in the series will be released in December, 2011. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and the Edgy Christian Fiction Lovers (Ning).

Purchase Links GOODBYE NOEL:

Amazon (including Kindle).

Barnes & Noble (including Nook). http://tinyurl.com/cgp7e6o

Sony Reader. http://tinyurl.com/d88n7b2

Jean, originally from Franklin, KY, now lives in Brooks, KY. Although she has known all her life she wanted to write, it wasn't until she was widowed in 2005 tht she started writing seriously. Her creative non-fiction has been published in multiple editions of Chicken Soup for the Soul and Cup of Comfort books. Her fiction has appeared in magazines and periodicals such as "Live," "Living," "Harpstrings," "Nostalgia" and "Disciples World." THE LIGHTKEEPER'S DAUGHTER is her first novel-length work.

Link to Jean's Page at Desert Breeze Publishing. http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-template/JeanKinsey/Page.bok

*****

Epiphany Around the world"

Epiphany, modern Jerusalem.

Moscow, Russia

Epiphany, Poor Clares, France

Ethiopia, on the Jordan River

All photos except cover and author photos are courtesy of Photobucket.

A Cozy Fireside Christmas by BJ Robinson

2011-12-19T10:52:00.000-08:00

In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 NKJV

I remember a cozy Christmas spent in a cabin in the woods with a roaring fire crackling in the fireplace, hot chocolate, and a rocking chair by the fireside. I watched the flames leap and crackle. A cedar tree adorned the picture window. The lights on the tree winked and glowed with the flickering firelight. Christmas music filled the air, and I listened in peaceful solitude as I rocked.

My son Rodney was about twelve and those were the days. The days of enjoying him and shopping for his Christmas gifts. He wanted a tent for Christmas, and he got it among other gifts. Reflecting, I can still see him camped out on the hillside behind the cabin in the woods, the one I used to call my Walden. I always said, if a man could have his own cabin in the woods, his own Walden, then why couldn't a woman? As Henry David Thoreau once had his Walden, I, too, had mine.

Christmas was kept simple, which was good enough for us. Enjoying the simple things in life can bring the greatest pleasures. Now my son is grown with children of his own. Christmas decorations are no longer so traditional. We no longer go out into the woods and chop down a tree. One year I had the newest style going, a fiber-optic Christmas tree. A simple star no longer adorned the top. A fiber-optic angel took the place of it.

I appreciate the simple things in life because they are the best gifts from God, the things that money can't buy, things you can't get back once they are gone. In life's hustle and bustle, in haste, it's so easy to forget to take the time to appreciate and enjoy life's blessed simple gifts from God and the reason for the season, Jesus's birthday.

I'll never be able to go back and watch my twelve year old son camped out in a tent on a hillside. He couldn't stay a boy forever. I have enjoyed seeing my grandsons camping, faces lighted with joy . Perhaps it's meant for grandparents to get to relive the days of rearing their children through their grandchildren, a chance to do a better job and appreciate it more the second time around.

Decorations and presents don't make Christmas special. People do. Christmas had become a yard full of blow-ups. Santa, Snowman, Grinch, Reindeer, Santa and Reindeer. We traded the fancy fiber-optic, blow-up Christmas for a simple, traditional family-filled Christmas. Instead of filling the yard with blow-ups, my husband kept it simple this year with only lights, a red bird, and a nativity scene.

Those of you who have your children and grandchildren with you, just know how blessed you are and that you have the best Christmas of all. You don't need fancy decorations. You need the gifts that money can't buy, the best ones in the world!

I won't be rocking by the fireside in a cozy cabin this Christmas with a twelve year old son to watch, as he rips open a tent with shining eyes and a glowing face. Instead, I have Florida sunshine in the Sunshine State , and it doesn't seem much like Christmas. It's too hot.

I'm thankful and appreciate all those simple, traditional family memories that time and fancy decorations can't replace. I am thankful I can still enjoy Christmas and the holiday season by sending my loved ones, who live in another state, Christmas cards, presents, and prayers. I thank God for bringing me sunshine in the Sunshine State, because I trust in God that I am exactly where He wants me to fullfill His purpose.

Lights still shine, eyes still glow and sparkle, and God still blesses. Children are true gifts from God, and they can and do make all the difference! Enjoy your times together while you have them, and enjoy the simple pleasures life has to offer; for, they are the most precious and valuable gifts on this earth, and they are true gifts from God, gifts money can't buy!

No one knows this better than the character of June in Southern Superstitions.

Prayer versus Southern superstitions when a woman's husband mysteriously disappears in the swamp on a deer-hunting trip. As steamy as the hot, thick, sticky heat of Louisiana, this page-turner will keep readers in suspense, as the author spins a tale of love, loss, superstition, pain, heartache, and faith in God. God and the power of prayer versus Southern superstitions. Through belief, faith, hard work, the power of prayer, and God's help, this powerful, moving story is a thought-provoking Christian romantic suspense about a young couple who fall in love, but have to change her mother's mind in more ways than one, if their relationship is to survive. Can Andy convince June there's more to their relationship than friends? Will he win the approval of Myrtle, her mother, and can love survive strawberry season and an April flood? Will June be able to give Andy a child?

When Andy disappears during the Christmas holidays, decorations and lights dim for June, as her world turns dark without Andy, and she wonders how she can possibly go on without him. The perfect after-Christmas read, especially if you live where your man leaves you for the woods and deer hunting.

Souther Superstitions Trailer. Enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNoo962DbF0&feature=share

The full-length novel releases January 15 from Desert Breeze Publishing, Inc. and will be available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.com and wherever fine books are sold.

BJ Robinson's Author Page at Desert Breeze Publishing. http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-template/BJRobinson/Page.bok

All phots/graphics except covers are courtesy of Photobucket.

Elaine Marie Cooper Interviews Nike Chillemi Re: GOODBYE NOEL

2011-12-10T18:40:00.000-08:00

Nike Chillemi is the fearless leader at Faith, Fiction, and Friends and I am SO honored to ask her a few questions about her upcoming Christmas book release, GOODBYE NOEL. First let me say that I asked to do this interview as I love great Christmas stories and Nike is an expert at crime stories set in the forties. I love it—I can practically envision her words as a black and white movie on TCM. It is an intriguing mystery involving a murder, a motherless baby, a nurse that loves the infant, and a widowed detective who can’t help but be smitten by the nurse who says, “Jeepers” and does the boogie woogie!

So without further ado, let me welcome Nike! Thanks for submitting to my interrogation…I mean, questions…

Elaine: So the usual way we start an interview is with that age-old question: What inspired you to write this story?

Nike: Well, practically speaking, I needed a sequel to the first one. Now that I'm a published author and all that entails, there are simply some nuts and bolts of the publishing business...and that's one of them. A series needs more than one book. However, I fell in love with Katrina Lenart and Det. Ian Daltry in my debut novel BURNING HEARTS and thought they'd make a great couple. One of my little secrets is that I keep a file with characters who could potentially become "lovers." I put these two at the top. Katrina is not only alluring in appearance (many think she looks like Veronica Lake), but she's also got intelligence and deep moral convictions. Det. Ian Daltry, the stalwart village detective who is a widower with a charming little girl, is the type to fall hook, line, and sinker for a woman who isn't afraid to go toe-to-toe with him when standing up for her convictions.

Elaine: I love the characters in this crime tale. Were there real people from your own life that inspired your characterizations?

Nike: No, not at all. Or, rather, not that I'm aware of, yet. I believe the characters in GOODBYE NOEL to be totally a product of my imagination. I've been told that I write with lots of description. I wanted characters that were visual. Katrina, all long blond tresses, with a peek-a-boo finger wave at her temple. Ian with a riot of salt and pepper hair he has difficulty taming. I also wanted strong characters in this one. I wanted them to start off almost combative, and then of course fall in love.

Elaine: You write so vividly about stories set in the 1940’s. Have you always been intrigued by this era?

Nike: The 1940s were a difficult time for America, being that the country had suffered great losses in WWII. But it was also a can-do time with great optimism. Americans in that era believed that with hard work they could accomplish near anything...and they did. I love the styles, both women's and men's fashion and hairstyles. Oh, and the automobiles of that era do me in. Of course, Christmas was such a joyful time in that era with nearly every house decked out...that the Christmas/New Year's holiday was the perfect setting for the novel. Another little secret is that Katrina gets her first kiss on New Year's Eve.

Elaine: Do you have a favorite Christmas story?

Nike: Yes, Charles Dicken's A CHRISTMAS CAROL. I love the moral and emotional transformation of stingy Ebenezer Scrooge. I love the eeriness of the dream sequences. I guess if it weren't a classic, today we'd categorize the novel as speculative fiction.

Elaine: If GOODBYE NOEL were made into a movie, who could you envision playing the lead characters?

Nike: Taylor Swift could play Katrina. They've both got beauty, brains, and class. Ian could be played by Ben Affleck, but he'd have to let his gray show and grow his hair on top so it was hard to handle. I feel Affleck can portray the moral fiber that would be needed to play Ian.

Elaine: Where can we purchase GOODBYE NOEL?

Nike: GOODBYE NOEL can be purchased wherever ebooks are fine ebooks are sold. Ebooks make a wonderful long distance gift for someone who has a Kindle, Nook, Sony Reader, iPhone, or other reading devise. Ebooks are the perfect gift to send to a soldier who is overseas for the holidays. And what better than to send a Christmas/New Year's themed suspense story like GOODBYE NOEL.

Nike, thanks for putting up with my inquiring mind! And Merry Christmas, Everyone!

GOODBYE NOEL will be released December 15th and will be available wherever fine ebooks are sold.

Purchase Links:

Desert Breeze. http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-template/NikeChillemi/Page.bok

Nike Chillemi ~ Crime Fictionista. http://nikechillemi.wordpress.com/

The Promise of Deer Run by Elaine Marie Cooper

2011-12-04T22:03:00.000-08:00

The year is 1790. The American Revolution has long been over, but the wounds of battle still linger in the hearts and minds of many. A veteran Continental soldier still awaits the return of his missing father, years after the last battle. Haunted by the painful memories of war and scarred from betrayals in love, the young man turns away from faith. The only hope he clings to is that perhaps his father still lives. Then he discovers his hope is shared by a young woman, who understands loss and the longing for a father. As they encounter this unexpected connection, their hearts become drawn together. But jealousy, slander, and misunderstanding ignite a fire of doubt and mistrust...destroying their relationship. Can two souls longing for hearling and trust, love again? Can faith and a family be restored?

Excerpt:

For the first time in years, Nathaniel’s nightmares were replaced by pleasant dreams.

As he pushed the warm covers away, the chilled morning air penetrated his thin linen shirt. He quickly put on his leather breeches and a deerskin jacket while stoking the fire in the hearth back to life. Crouching by the growing embers, the warmth that slowly found its way to his skin reminded him of the comfort he had found in Sarah’s embrace the previous night. Staring at the golden flames brought a smile to the man’s face.

“An unexpected joy …” he whispered to himself.

Yet even as he basked in the pleasant reminiscences of the harvest dance, he wondered if it were too good to be true. He had been alone for so many years that he had long since given up hope of finding real love. His childhood affections had been dashed on the rocks of betrayal, while his only other attempts at “love” had been birthed by anger and lack of forgiveness. Ultimately, his hopes for someone to share his life had died along the way. Until now.

“Sarah.” The sound of her name rolled off of his tongue with a hushed reverence. He closed his eyes and envisioned her lips upon his, lips that seemed as eager as his to join together. He squeezed his eyes shut, hoping the memory would remain. But soon his eyes flew open.

What if it is all a dream? What if her heart is not true toward me?

And then a darker thought crept into his conscious. It was the realization that there was something that he needed to share with this woman who was wending her way into his soul. He could not risk her discovering his secret on her own. That would be unthinkable … unforgivable.

He pushed his stiffened limbs up away from the soothing fire.

I must settle this. I must find her and tell her the truth.

Author Bio:

Elaine Marie Cooper began writing at the age of eleven and it quickly became a passion for the future novelist. She has been a successful freelance writer for newspapers and magazines for many years. Her work has appeared in such publications as Better Homes & Gardens and Life: Beautiful. She is the author of the award-winning debut novel THE ROAD TO DEER RUN, the first book in the Deer Run saga. Elaine grew up in Massachusetts, the setting for this series. A registered nurse, she lives in the Midwest with her husband, her two grown sons and their wives, her triplet grandchildren, and her dogs.

Reviews:

THE PROMISE OF DEER RUN is cozy, endearing, and overflowing with color -- exactly what I'd hoped to find from the sequel to THE ROAD TO DEER RUN. I'm so glad I wasn't disappointed!...Elaine Marie Cooper is a gifted writer specializing in vivid settings and culturally flavorful dialg. Her work is always a delight to read. Ms. Cooper please tell us there's another book coming in this series!

April Gardner, author of the Grace Awards winner WOUNDED SPIRITS.

Purchase Links:

Amazon (including Kindle) http://tinyurl.com/7t3z47c

Barnes & Noble (including Nook) http://tinyurl.com/6vukzjk

Novel Suggestions for Those Who Were Naughty or Nice

2011-12-01T15:49:00.000-08:00

What's more fun than making a list of books, which we'll send to Santa for him to give as gifts for Christmas?

Making a zany list, a cutsie list, nutzo list, a humorous list of perhaps fictitious recipients (that's made up folks) to receive these very real inspirational novels that we love and would like to recommend as Christmas gifts this year. We hope you enjoy the fun we're having with this. And we wish you merry gift giving. May your presents all be wrapped with love and tied up with ribbons of joy.

Dear Santa, Could you please send these excellent books to the wonderful, albeit fanciful characters on my list.

To the gal with perfect wardrobe, hair, and make-up who sends all the fellas at the gym into apoplectic fits ~ THE KEVLAR HEART by Janice Cantore

To my former car mechanic ~ A SHRED OF TRUTH by Eric Wilson

To the ice princess who jilted the terribly sweet guy who lives next door ~ GOODBYE NOEL by Nike Chillemi

To my second cousin Ida, once removed, who can't help but mention when I've gained a pound, and mention it again and again ~ PATTERN OF WOUNDS by J. Mark Bertrand

To my neighbor whose jalopy continually breaks down ~ COMES A HORSEMAN by Robert Liparulo

Thank you so much, dear Santa, Nike Chillemi

P.S., and please don't double park the sleigh this year. We don't want the NYPD to tow it like they did last year. Just a thought.

Dear Santa,

Please bring my sweet friend ALL SHE EVER WANTED by Lynn Austin for Christmas.

Please bring NO OTHER by Shawn K. Williams to my ex in LAST RESORT by B. J. Robinson, since he really deserves no other.

Please bring BURNING HEARTS by Nike Chillemi to my friend who loves to ride motorbikes since a handsome hero rides right in on one.

Please bring DOGWOOD by Chris Fabry to my friend who loves dogwood trees and would absolutely love the hero in this novel who builds his love a house amongst them.

Please bring THE GREEN VEIL by Naomi Musch to my nature-loving friend who loves to read. She'll be so inspired by the green, and be sure to give her ex The RED FURY by Naomi Musch and BURNING HEARTS by Nike Chillemi because he had a love whose heart burned for him with a passion like the red fury until he burned the love with his cheating heart and even a green veil could inspire and encourage it no more.

Please fill my friends' Christmas stockings with these wonderful reads to bring them a joyful Christmas and Happy New Year. THE GREEN VEIL will make BURNING HEARTS heat with THE RED FURY amongst THE GREEN VEIL of DOGWOOD and though NO OTHER will ever do, she'll find all she ever wanted in the reason for the season.

Can't wait for the tingle of sleigh bells, B. J. Robinson

P.S. Homemade oatmeal and raisin cookies and milk will be waiting with free delivery of these wonderful books and some of them are so easy to deliver with whisper net delivery in five minutes or less.

Dear Santa,

Pickings are really slim around my house this year, and I can't afford to give gifts to all my friends, so I hope you will take on the responsibility of giving these books to some really special people who need them.

First, I wish you would give PROTECTION FOR HIRE, Camy Tang's newest novel, to Nike Chillemi because she is going to need protection once her Sanctuary Point series make her rich and famous.

Next, Lori Copeland and Virginia Smith's LOST MELODY would make a nice gift for Crystal Murray, leader of the Louisville Christian Writers. With the voice that lady has, it would be a crying shame if she were to lose her melody.

And Santa, I would love for my writing buddy, Becky Kelley, to receive BOARD TO DEATH by Amy Barkman, Debbie Roome and Tracy Peterson. It might scare her into finishing her mystery novel.

CHRISTMAS BELLES OF GEORGIA by Rose McCauley, Jeanie Cash, and Debra Ulrick might cheer up my sister. She could use a good dose of southern hospitality and Christmas love.

Now dear Santa, last but not least, I hope you can find it in your heart to send an I Owe You to all my critique partners in Scribes 207, FCW and NightWriters, who have marked all over my manuscript and painted my submissions red. Tell them they can collect in March 2012 when my LIGHTKEEPER'S DAUGHTER is released.

Merry Christmas, Santa, Jean Kinsey

Dear Santa Baby,

Oh…I’m sorry…was that too personal? It’s in a song, you see…never mind…let me start over. (Ahem)

Dear Santa,

I have some wonderful ideas for gifts you could deliver to my friends and relatives. Books would be the perfect choice! And I think I have a few ideas for you. Not that I’m trying to sway you or anything…

For my Uncle Hal who always takes long, snore-filled naps after holiday meals: AWAKENING by JoAnn Durgin

For Grandma who complains about the cold of winter: A SUMMER IN OAKVILLE by Lisa Lickel and Shellie Neumeier

For my sister Hortense who loves to argue about everything, including religion and politics: WARRING SPIRITS by April Gardner

For my bachelor brother Tony who has dated every girl in Florida but can’t seem to make a commitment: THE PROMISE OF DEER RUN by Elaine Marie Cooper

For Papa George who always gets lost, despite owning a road atlas and a GPS: THE ROAD TO DEER RUN by Elaine Marie Cooper

And for all of my unsaved friends and family: THE BIBLE by God

So Santa, I would be beholden to you if you would grant me these wishes. I even promise to leave you cookies that are NOT low-fat!

Merry Christmas! Elaine Marie Cooper

Dear Santa,

This Christmas I want to give ALL my friends and family books tailor-made just for them. I’d sure love it if you could help with these few:

For my friend and critique partner, Nike Chillemi, please bring BEACH RENTAL by Grace Greene. Nike could use a few weeks on the beach after all her hard work meeting deadlines this year (and pushing me to meet a few, too!).

Seems like Mom is always making that 6-hour trip between our house and hers, so please bring her JOURNEY’S END by Dora Hiers. As for Dad, he’s always putting things “someplace safe” and then forgetting where that is, maybe THE LOST CROWN OF COLONNADE by Kenneth G. Winters will help him find the most important things.

For my naughty-but-nice friend from the farmers market, please bring CELTIC KNOT by Tammy Doherty. He’ll enjoy the counterfeiting mystery plot but remind him that it is not a book about basketball.

My always nice, considerate, and helpful friend PK divides his time between the made-up world of his novel and this world of reality. In the meantime, please bring him SEASONS IN THE MIST by Deborah Kinnard so he doesn’t feel alone traveling through time.

Last, but definitely not least, I have a special request for my lovely daughter, Tiffany. Could you give her HERO, SECOND CLASS by Mitchell Bonds? Because “once Upon a Time, in a faraway kingdom, there lived an old man and his wife. They had no children…” then they had a daughter. HERO, SECOND CLASS isn’t about the old man, his wife, or the son they prayed for but it just might be about my daughter who is filled with magic she doesn’t realize exists.

Thanks, Santa! As always, we’ll have a plate full of cookies and a glass of milk for you along with some carrots for the reindeer.

Merry Christmas, Tammy Doherty

Dear Santa,

Man-to-man, if you could help me out a bit. See, I'm surrounded by women here at FFF. And you know how they are, romance, romance, romance. Anyway, I'm making a list for a few of my guy friends (who might very well be fictitious, as we're supposed to have some fun with this - probably are).

For that certain roughneck on the oil rig because how he thinks is a total mystery to me -- Eli the main character of THE GOOD SERVANT by Doug Lucas is a man of God who's gone to war and several chapters of his life are written in invisible ink.

For the tall enigmatic guy I sometimes go hunting with who loves to wax philosophical by the camp fire -- BOOK OF DAYS by James Rubart because it may carry secrets deeper than anyone knows.

For the newsboy who always seems to throw the paper into the dog's water dish -- NEWSPAPER CAPER (Tweener Press Adventure Series #1) by Max Elliot Anderson

For my doctor...let's be real careful so we (meaning you) don't make a -- MEDICAL ERROR by Richard Mabry

For my golf buddy last summer who seemed, from any location on the green, to be able to land in a sand trap or the water -- LOST MISSION by Athol Dickson

Merry Christmas, Dave E. Arp

Writer Saves Thanksgiving!

2011-11-23T12:22:00.000-08:00

http://www.history.rochester.edu/godeys/

If not for a writer, we wouldn't have Thanksgiving as a national holiday.

That's right, the Pilgrims may get the credit now but this quintessential American holiday might have fallen by the wayside if not for the persistence of Sarah Hale, editor for Godey's Ladies Book as well as the author of "Mary Had a Lamb" and other works. Her tireless, 36 year campaign to establish Thanksgiving as a national holiday finally succeeded in 1863.

In September 1620, the Pilgrims left England and eventually settled in Plymouth, MA. The first winter was brutal for the Puritans. In the spring, two Native Americans befriended the surviving settlers. One of these was the now famous Squanto, who taught the colonists how to cultivate corn, catch fish in the rivers and which plants to avoid. In the fall of 1621, Governor William Bradford declared there would be a harvest festival, including a day of prayer to give thanks.

Jan van de Velde, August from The Twelve Months (series of engravings), 1616. Collection of Plimoth Plantation.

In a letter to friends in England, Edward Winslow, one of the Plymouth settlers, wrote: "...our governor sent four men on fowling that so we might after a special manner rejoice together after we had gathered the fruit of our labors." They enjoyed the feasting and recreation with the local Native Americans: "...many of the Indians coming amongst us, and among the rest their greatest king Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted..." ( Edward Winslow, Mourt’s Relation: D.B. Heath, ed. Applewood Books. Cambridge, 1986)

http://www.plimoth.org/learn/MRL/read/thanksgiving-history

http://www.osv.org/

This wasn't the first such celebration, though it is the one most recognized in American history. Similar festivals have occurred over all time and cultures, including the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. Even Native Americans had traditions of celebrating fall harvests.

In the 1700's, Thanksgiving held more significance as a gathering of the family around the table. During the War of Independence, the Continental Congress designated at least one day per year for "thanksgiving." In 1789, George Washington proclaimed the first national Thanksgiving day, to celebrate the happy conclusion of the war. John Adams and James Madison made similar designations.

photo courtesy of http://www.osv.org/

In 1817, New York became the first of several states to officially adopt an annual Thanksgiving holiday. Each state celebrated on a different day, though. Then, in 1827, Sarah Josepha Hale began her campaign of petitioning for a national holiday. Finally in 1863, Abraham Lincoln heeded her request. At the height of the Civil War, Lincoln appealed to all Americans to ask God to "commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife" and to "heal the wounds of the nation."

The last Thursday in November was designated as Thanksgiving every year until 1939. That year, in an effort to stimulate the retail economy, Franklin D. Roosevelt moved up the holiday by one week. His plan, known as Franksgiving, was met with opposition and in 1941 the president signed a bill making Thanksgiving the fourth Thursday of November.

good article about this: http://thepublici.blogspot.com/2010/11/turkey-day.html

Nowadays, Americans have many traditions associated with Thanksgiving. The holiday has lost much of its original religious significance. Now it's mostly about FOOD, and football. And FOOD. And the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Of course, there are other parades but Macy's has been iconic since 1924. The best part, naturally, is the arrival of Santa Claus at the end!

My family celebrates with our own traditions. We don't gather as a large clan, it's just a small, intimate family day. This year, we'll be thankful for electricity. We'll ask God to spare us from harsh winter storms while thanking Him for taking us safely through the wild weather we've had over the past year. And then we'll eat. And eat some more. On Friday, we'll still be eating turkey as we begin the month-long Christmas season.

What traditions does your family have for Thanksgiving?

Tammy Doherty lives with her family on a small perennial farm in central New England. She is the author of three Inspirational Western romances. 'Celtic Cross', 'Claddaugh', and 'Celtic Knot' are available on-line at Barnes & Noble, Amazon and other booksellers. Visit Tammy at her website or at her on Facebook.

Wounded Spirits by April Gardner Appropriate for Thanksgiving.

2011-11-20T16:47:00.000-08:00

April Gardner's novel WOUNDED SPIRITS is a novel of bravery, grace, and thanksgiving to God.

WOUNDED SPIRITS was a Grace Awards 2010 winner in the Action-Adventure/Western/Historic Epic category.

On the frontier, Adela McGirth's life is simple, rugged, and exactly to her liking. Her greatest concern is whether to marry the settlement's most eligible young officer. When a distant war among the Natives spills over into a nearby skirmish, life takes a perilous turn. Deep in enemy territory Adela must choose between the man she loves and a baby that has yet to be born; will she be strong enough to wait on God's provision?

A peace-loving yet loyal Creek warrior, Totka is forced to align with the extremist Red Stick faction whose purpose is to eradicate the Whites from Creek soil. In the midst of battle, Totka is assigned to protect those he is expected to hate--and kill. Life was simpler before his enemy became a beautiful face with a quiet strength and dignity he cannot resist.

Having lived a life plagued with death and loss, Zachariah McGirth is a man on a mission - he'll have his revenge or die trying. Blinded by grief, he can't see his way clear of yet another tragedy. Why has God taken everything from him...or has He?

Their lives molded by the course of history, can these Wounded Spirits learn to rely on God's grace during one of the bloodiest conflicts in the South.

April Gardner is the author of the best selling romance novel with western themes, WOUNDED SPIRITS which was a Grace Awards 2010 winner in Action-Adventure/Western/Historic Epic Fiction. Librarian, reviewer, April adores anything books. She writes a weekly column for the joint blog Reflections in Hindsight, and is founder and senior editor of Clash of the Titles. She was a military brat, missionary kid, and military spouse. After 21 years in various countries overseas, April happily resides in Georgia with her USAF husband. A homeschool mom, she fills her mornings talking fractions and phonics with her two sweet kiddos. In her free time, April enjoys reading, gardening, and DIY...in no particular order. She dreams of owning a horse, visiting all the national parks, ans speaking Italian. www.aprilgardner.com

Purchase Links:

Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/Wounded-Spirits-April-W-Gardner/dp/0981989616/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1321835812&sr=1-1

Barnes & Noble. http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wounded-spirits-april-gardner/1028027465?ean=9780981989617&itm=1&usri=wounded+spirits%2c+april+gardner

A SUMMER IN OAKVILLE's Author Lisa Lickel and Heroine Tessa Hasmer Murphy

2011-11-17T15:20:00.000-08:00

Award winner author, Lisa Lickel author of multiple published novels has stopped by Faith-Fiction & Friends, and she has brought a surprise guest with her...her A SUMMER IN OAKVILLE co-author. They talk about life, the book and Thanksgiving.

Jean: Lisa, thank you for coming. It's a pleasure to chat with you. I understand you and your friend, Shellie Neumeier have teamed together to write a wonderful family saga about a family who pulls together to save the family farm. I believe it was released in September, 2011. Is this correct?

Lisa: Hi, Jean and friends. Thanks for having me here. Yes, my fourth full-length novel was released September 1 from Black Lyon.

Jean: Was it fun to co-author? I can imagine it would be nice to have a partner to bounce ideas from head to head.

Lisa: It was an amazing experience. Both Shellie and I write fast, so sometimes it felt like a race. We got together to plan the initial characters and theme and problem. Since we were writing for a specific company with a guideline at the time, we wrote four novellas but ours are somewhat unique in that the stories intertwine. It took quite a bit of maneuvering to make sure everything matched up between the four timelines.

Jean—Lisa's surprise visitor is one of the characters from A Summer in Oakville, Tessa Hasmer Murphy, and Tessa has agreed to let me interview her today. Hi Tessa, Thank you for coming by. Lisa tells me you have a secret. Can you tell me to what length you will go to keep that secret? Will it affect the outcome of whether or not your family may lose the farm?

Tessa: Hello. Wow, not much is safe in a little community, is it? Uh, yes…we all have secrets, don’t we? At first I thought keeping quiet would make everything all right—I really did. No one needed to know and in the long run, I didn’t mean to hurt anyone. And when Phil—my husband, that is—changed his mind about the plans we’d made together, well, then nothing seemed to matter. Then the little bombshell about the farm. I mean, I grew up there! It’s my home. My folks would just die if they had to leave. I couldn’t understand how he could turn around and kick them out—just for an investment. I need him on my side, but if he found out the truth about his business partners, that would be the end of everything.

Jean: Tessa, can you describe the farm? Is it large or small, working? Non-working?

Tessa: It’s just your average farm, I’d say. When my dad started having his strokes, he had to step back. I know that hurt. We had some hogs and beef cattle. We kids were in 4H. Raised crops to feed them and some to sell. Later on he rented the land. At least he could see the fields being worked. But…that sort of dried up. Had to sell the back forty, but he kept the pond and the woods.

Jean: What about your daughter, Lindsey. Will she find love in Oakfield?

Tessa: Linds has her own mind, for sure. She had a boyfriend in college, grad school, but they broke up. He wasn’t my favorite person and I liked him even less for what he’d done by breaking up with her. She’s tough, though, she’ll get through. I’m worried about her trying to get back into the dating scene too early. You know, thinking she’s in love again when it’s only rebound. If only her dad were here. He’d make it clear to her.

Jean: I understand you and husband are estranged. Are you willing to risk heartbreak for the sake of saving the family farm?

Tessa: It’s not me. Phil’s the one who left. He’s always known that family comes first and that I will never leave Oakville as long as my parents need me. He was doing just fine at work—no need to get all crazy when we are already blessed with so much. And honestly, it’s not my fault Josh shows up. How in the world can anyone predict that my old boyfriend would come here? Widowed, still got that suaveness about him. Of course, soon as I knew what he was about…what, trying to take my heritage? For a housing development? He can build houses anywhere. He’s not getting the farm.

Jean: Tessa, would you like to tell me something about some of the other people who live or visit Oakville?

Tessa: Absolutely. My brother Art, for one. We lost our other brother when they were eighteen. Otto. He was my brother, but Art’s twin. Art was with him when it happened, and it kind of affected him so that he’d sort of hyperventilate or something when he tried to go home. I don’t blame him, especially since the poor guy’s had enough hurt in his life what with losing poor Amy a coupla years ago, but he could get over it. Mom and Dad, of course. Mom’s pretty spunky. Dad’s kinda of mellowed. He’s the wisest, most faithful man I know. Um, Linds, and Art’s boy, Andy, is coming for a few weeks. Trouble-maker, that one, but we’ll see what we can do with him. My best friend Jeannie, a lawyer. Good one, too. Um…people on the town board—bunch of no-account losers. Oh—except for Dana, the clerk. I think she and Art would be great together, by the way. And then there’s those Calloways—Josh and his son Brandon. Yeah. ’Nuf said.

Jean: What about holidays? With Thanksgiving just around the corner, our readers are curious about how you celebrate Thanksgiving in Oakville.

Tessa: We certainly love our family holidays in Oakville. I have to have the family over to my place in town for the meal, though, because of Art’s little problem. Amy usually had to work…oh dear, we all miss her. Excuse me a minute. Okay, then. The turkey. If one of the boys hadn’t gone hunting for one, we’d order it from Mike’s Meats, the local butcher, you know. Cranberries, naturally. This is Wisconsin. Mom usually grows her own pumpkins. Loved to take the girls there when they were little to pick their own. She has pie pumpkins too, that we cook and make our own. I don’t think I’ve ever had the canned stuff, have you? Anyway, we roast the seeds too. Real good with some Worcestershire and salt. What else? The gelatin mold. Mom has great-grandma’s copper mold, sort of like…well, I don’t know. It’s round and we put whipping cream in it to make it sort of…soft. Green beans of course, mashed potatoes and rolls. Grandma used to make homemade noodles, too, but I haven’t the patience for it, and Mom’s only tried it once. We have to go for a walk around the yard and along the road afterward, then watch football. Not too much different than anyone else, are we? I found a new pie recipe I want to try this year, though, if it doesn’t shake them up too much. Fudge pecan. Now doesn’t that sound delicious?

Jean : Tessa thank you so much for answering my questions. I only have one more. If A Summer in Oakfield is made into a movie, what actress would you cast as yourself?

Tessa: Goodness, there’s a question for you. Ms. Neumeier dolled me up for the book trailer, so I’d better keep up my jazzercise. Let’s see—well, if Meryl’s busy, I’d go with Sandra Bullock, as long as she’d go a little blonder. And thank you for hosting us, Jean.

Jean : Now I would like to ask Lisa where and when we can purchase this book?

Lisa: A Summer in Oakville is available in both epub and print at online retailers, the Black Lyon bookstore, my web site store and you can order it at your local book store. In fact, we’d appreciate it if you would ask your book store and library to carry a copy.

Amazon Print & Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Summer-Oakville-Lisa-J-Lickel/dp/1934912395/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1321570969&sr=1-1#_

Barnes and Noble Print & Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-summer-in-oakville-lisa-jlickel/1105585183?ean=9781934912393&itm=2&usri=lisa%2blickel

Black Lyon Book Store: http://www.blacklyonpublishing.com/A%20Summer%20in%20Oakville.html

Lisa's web site store: http://www.lisalickel.com/p/books.html

Lisa J. Lickle

Jean: Thank you Lisa and Tessa. I hope the book is a huge success, and you come back to visit again. Maybe another of the characters might accompany you next time.

We Salute Those Who Served America on Veterans Day

2011-11-10T22:05:00.000-08:00

This Veterans Day Faith, Fiction & Friends wants to honor those who wore the uniform of the United States of America and served in her militay: Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, as well as those in the US Merchant Marine who fought, and nurses who served on the battlefield. We also want to recognize the US Border Patrol. Thank you all, and any others we have missed, any who worked undercover and who are unkown. Thank You.

FFF would like to speak through the fictional heros of the novels our members have written to express our gratitute and thoughts on the subject of America's military and the wars our brave men and women have fought in.

Lorne Kincade fought under General Patton in France. By all appearances, he was a motorcycle courier riding a military model Harley Davidson. In reality Lt. Lorne Kincade carried out covert missions that dove tailed with Operation Marseilles. Many times while on assignment, Lorne and his best buddy Grady Carter hid in the catacombs beneath Marseilles wondering if their cover had been blown. Grady died in an explosion set by Nazi troops and their French Underground contact was found dead, tortured. Lorne returned to the states disillusioned by the horrors he witnessed, but when he met Erica Brogna, a gal with hair the color of mink, things started looking up for him. Of course, they first had to catch an arsonist and murderer.

My name is Nathaniel Stearns and I am a veteran of the United States Army during the War of the American Revolution. Although that bloody fight at Yorktown ended over seven years ago, I can still feel the terror of battle in the night. Ungodly dreams haunt my sleep. I wake up wondering if my screams pierce the stillness in the dark, but my empty bed holds no one to answer my questions.

The villagers avoid me, frightened by my silence and isolation. I cannot explain my fears to them—they would never understand. They never saw the brave lads that fell in battle, dying in pain so we could be free from England. My best friend died at Yorktown. I will never forget him or his sacrifice. Had I stepped forth first in that assault, it would have been me lying in that pool of blood. I wish I could thank him yet, for he saved my life more than once.

I saw a young woman at the meetinghouse today. She had eyes filled with compassion when she glanced my way. Perhaps someday I can share the tales of my pain with her. Perhaps...

Kyle Lachapelle grew up wanting to join the cavalry to be just like his father, a Union officer who was killed in 1864 when Kyle was barely four years old. After 10 years and reaching the rank of First Sergeant, Kyle makes a career change and joins the Secret Service in 1886. At that time, the Secret Service spent a great deal of its time and manpower fighting counterfeiting. When Kyle meets Abby Finnegan he’s working undercover – investigating her family.

“This is an excellent map, Abby. You would have been a good reconnaissance scout.”

“Who are you?” she asked again. “You aren’t just a drifting cowpuncher. You’re much more educated than any wrangler I’ve ever known. No Big L-O hand would ever use a word like reconnaissance.”

Kyle pulled his eyes away from the paper, meeting Abby’s gaze. If he wasn’t careful she’d about figure out the truth without his having to tell her at all. Not that he wanted to keep on lying. Abby was still too much a wild card. When the end was in reach, the conclusion more certain, then he would reveal all to her.

“I was in the army for a bit, learned some words you don’t hear much on the range.”

Matt Allen honored Veterans Day as he thanked God for all the brave men and women who risked their lives for their country. He thought of a childhood friend who'd lost her older brother in the Vietnam War. The memory of her receiving the shocking news of her brother's death was forever etched in his memory. She'd been a young teen when it happened and was waiting for Christmas with eager anticipation. Her brother would be visiting his family, but the joyful reunion never took place. Right after Thanksgiving, she'd received the heartbreaking news when he walked her home from school. He stood shell shocked as her mother told her, and he watched her fall to pieces. He realized the reunion they'd have one day would be a heavenly one and thanked the good Lord for eternal life in Jesus Christ.

Camp by Dave Arp

2011-11-06T06:28:00.000-08:00

You know, I guess it’s a “man thang,” but when days grow shorter, the leaves change color, and the weather turns cold, I get the itch to go to the high country. I’ve been getting that itch every fall for over thirty years. And, yes, I carry a gun, and, yes, I’ve been known to pull the trigger on an elk, or a deer, but guess what? I don’t have to shoot. I go for two reasons—the going and the camp.

You may ask, “What is camp? What makes camp?”

In the south—Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, or Texas—camp may be a small house mounted on cypress poles in the bayou, or a cheap, permanent structure or camper trailer at a hunting lease.

For me, as a young man living in the Rocky Mountains, camp consisted of . . . well, not very much. My sleeping bag and anything else I could wrap in two, eight foot square pieces of canvas and strap on a packhorse. I rode until I found a suitable spot to spend the night, picketed my horses, and gathered firewood. I slept on the canvas, (sometimes under it, depending upon the weather,) on the ground, under an open sky, and cooked on an open fire.

Today, my camp consists of a large wall-tent, a gas stove for cooking, a wood stove for heat, two well-made grub boxes, and all the utensils I need. My sleeping bag is so thick it looks like a bear lying on the ground, and there’s a Thinsulate mattress under it to keep the cold from soaking through to my aging bones. Any more luxuries and I’d have to quit calling it camp.

Then, one day, not too long ago, I realized camp, for me at least, had changed.

It’s not the tent, or the sleeping bag. It’s not the stoves, or the mattress, or the food. It’s not the camp boxes, or the weather, favorable or otherwise, and it’s not the killing of game, though killing game is what we gather to do.

Camp is my son wielding an axe like the youngster he is, cutting every dead tree he can find for firewood even though there’s already enough. It’s watching him sleep, dead to the world, after a long day’s walk. It’s watching him mess with things he shouldn’t because he’s young—reminding me of me, when I was young.

It’s my daughter, the Marine, and her husband, the Marine, in camp safe.

It’s my cousin whom I’ve been begging to come with me hunting for seventeen years sitting across the fire from me.

It’s his son talking to my son about the day’s hunt.

It’s the fire, heat and light, keeping the night away a little longer, drawing us together, roasting one side while the other freezes.

It’s a laugh with, or about, someone or something.

It’s a cup of hot coffee, a cup of hot chocolate, or a cup of snow to pour whisky and coke on.

It’s rising a little earlier than the rest of the camp to get the coffee ready and stoke the fire in the stove so the tent is warm.

It’s listening to stories and telling stories—hunting stories, fishing stories, life’s stories.

It’s the brother, the cousin, the friend, the son, and the son-in-law coming together from different States to be with one another for fun and not to bury a loved one.

It’s remembering those who used to play the role you now assume.

It’s helping form memories for young men and young women, so they can look back, smile, and tell another story.

It’s wishing you lived closer together, but knowing camp is better because you don’t.

Finally, it’s opportunity to gaze at the stars God placed above us without the lights of man interfering with the view. It’s thanking Him for the moment and for putting Adam and Eve in a garden and not in a condo.

It’s telling another man—a son, a son-in-law, a cousin, a brother, a friend—goodbye, I love you.

Camp is not a place or things because they’re cold. It’s feeling, heart, memory, regard, and anticipation.

It’s next year, and I can’t wait!

Dave Arp writes men's fiction, action adventure stories. Dave jokingly coined a new genre for what her writes: Adult Humanoid Unit Fiction (AHUF) based on the theory that most of his characters are men of a certain age, in other words "adult humanoid units."

LONELY HEARTS by Amanda Stephan, a Story of Gratitude and Thanksgiving

2011-11-01T08:10:00.000-07:00

I'm thrilled to have Becky Callis, heroine of Amanda Stephan's LONELY HEARTS, here. She had the courage to move her kids in a batter picky truck to a new town. This intrigued me and I wanted to know more about her.

Nike: As we approach the holidays, naturally our thoughts go toward the ideals of grace, peace, love and thanksgiving. Was it difficult as a young widow, trying to instill these principals in your children while starting over?

Becky: Hi Nike, thank you for having me here today! You ask some pretty tough questions ~ whew! Well, to put it bluntly, yes. I think Thanksgiving and Christmas were the two worst holidays for me after my husband died. The last thing on my mind was being thankful or thanking God for peace and love. For a long time, I was on auto-pilot, doing only those things that were necessary. Feeding the kids, making sure the laundry was finished, and cleaning the house~ those kinds of things.

Then, as the kids grew, I found that peace and grace were intertwined with the love in my children’s hugs and kisses and I couldn’t get enough. I think it helped that they had both been so very young when Frank died. They didn’t dwell too much on daddy not being home anymore, and gradually, I learned to live again through my children at first, and then for myself. It was a long, drawn-out process that I hope I never have to go through again! So I think it would be better to say that my children taught me grace, peace, love, and thanksgiving!

Nike: Becky, the apple pie did it for me. I thought I'd like to be invited to your house for Thanksgiving. What would be on your table? Do you like to pack people around your table, or do you keep it to immediate family.

Becky: Well sure, Nike! You’re more than welcome to come over for a visit! When I was younger, I wanted only family around me, but I’m finding that as things continue to change for me and my family, I’m actually looking forward to having a packed household! What would I have on my table? Oooh, that’s a fun question! I love to experiment with new recipes, so whatever caught my eye just might end up on my table. Apple cranberry sausage stuffing, grilled turkey (of course!), rosemary sweet potatoes, rosemary yeast rolls, and for dessert, pumpkin pie, lemon meringue pie, and pumpkin dump cake. Just to name a few items…

Nike: What was it like to have three terrific guys falling for you?

Becky: Oh please, really? I’m blushing! Actually, it was a little disconcerting. I never liked hurting people’s feelings, and I absolutely hated dating. I guess you could say it literally threw me into terrors!

Nike: You probably know Amanda better than most people. However, let's have a little fun at her expense and turn the table on her a bit. Is there anything you can tell us about her that might be surprising to her readers?

Becky: Oh the stories I can tell, hehe! Amanda, you better be nice to me or I’ll tell all your secrets! I think something people might find surprising about her is that she makes her own laundry soap, dishwasher soap, and liquid scrubbing cleanser. When she goes into the kitchen to make some of her new concoctions, her family teases her about being a mad scientist!

Nike: What is the single most aspect of this novel you hope inspires readers?

Becky: I hope families are inspired to fall in love with being a family again. You know, kind of like how it felt when you brought your newborn baby home, or your newly adopted child home for the first time. I wish people wouldn’t forget that and take so many things for granted. No one is guaranteed tomorrow. Unfortunately, people forget and somehow end up not saying I love you, or giving a hug when they had the chance. Then it’s too late.

Purchase Links:

Amazon (including Kindle). http://tinyurl.com/3cgwgyf

Amanda's Website. http://www.booksbyamanda.com/

What Scares You? by Tammy Doherty

2011-10-28T18:28:00.000-07:00

http://www.casualvillain.com/gallery/o

It's Halloween, the time of year when it'sfun to be scared. Zombies are cool. Vampires get invited into the house. In myfamily, we'll be searching for Waldo (a.k.a. my daughter) and a pint-sizedCyberman will be threatening to "Delete" all of us. I've been workingon the Cyberman costume all week. It's coming out pretty good considering I'mworking with paper mache and various household items. I hope itlooks something close to this:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/dw/characters/Cybermen/galleries/Early_Cybermen_Gallery

A couple years ago, Harlequin Love Inspiredheld The Great Moody Pumpkin contest on their blog. My good friend Judy and I entered - and we bothwon! Both demonstrate the fun we all have getting scared at Halloween. Afterreading them, let me know which one you liked best.

Great Moody Pumpkin ~ By Tammy A. Doherty

"Kerrreeeee."The eery wail floated on a breeze. Goosebumps prickled Kerri's arms as shehurried toward home.

Goodthing Rob wasn't here! He'd tease her unmercifully for such vivid imagining.But he'd also wrap his arms around her, making Kerri feel safe and loved.

"Iwill not give in to my imagination." Kerri repeated as she forced her paceto slow. Instead of wishing for Rob to take care of everything, Kerri needed tostand on her own. Lord, please give me strength. Help me remember that you aremy shield and my fortress. I don't need anyone but you.

Shestopped, gaze slowly taking in the dusky landscape. Pumpkins glowed orange inthe fading light, happy icons of autumn. Wind stirred the patchwork quilt,maple leaves dancing. This was just an innocent pumpkin patch, not SleepyHollow. Kerri smiled, ambling homeward.

"Heythere."

Kerriscreamed. Rob materialized from the shadows. "Are you trying to scare meto death?"

Hislips lifted in a lazy smile. "Boo!"

It was hard to stay angry inRob's warm embrace.

"I'll keep you safe from the boogey man."

"Youare the boogey man." Kerri's breath caught as Rob's lips met hers.

Thekiss was tender, passion restrained. It still made her knees weak. Everythingabout Rob made Kerri's knees weak. As he drew away she smiled. "Let's goinside. I'd like some cocoa."

Thewind caught the door, flinging it open. Kerri impatiently grabbed the knob,pulling. And the wail sounded again, "Kerrreeee."

The Pumpkin Patch ~ By JT Combs

Hetold her he'd meet her in the pumpkin patch out behind the barn. So where washe already? The wind was blowing pretty good and the overcast sky made it a lotdarker than it should have been this time of day. There wasn't a soul in sight.Just her and the pumpkins in the semi-darkness.

Carefullyshe stepped over pumpkins and shivered as the wind rustled the nearbycornstalks. A sudden noise had her backing up nervously until she hit the solidwall of his chest. Relieved, she spun and threw herself at the figure, kissinghim for all she was worth. Her unexpected move knocked him off balance and theyfell to the ground.

Thewind blew dirt or hay particles into her eyes so she couldn't see a thing. Whydidn't he say anything or at least help her up? Finally, her eyes stoppedtearing. She looked toward him and screamed at the strange face grinning up ather. Scrambling to her feet she stared at the figure still on the ground andbegan to giggle. Her giggles turned to chuckles before she started laughinghysterically. She had tackled and kissed the scarecrow.

Tammy Doherty is the author of three published novels. She is currently polishing her fourth novel while brainstorming on the fifth. CELTIC CROSS, CLADDAUGH and CELTIC KNOT are available on-line at Amazon.com , Barnes & Noble, and other booksellers. Visit Tammy at her website, http://www.tammydoherty.com/, or at her FaceBook fanpage.

House Not For Sale by Jean Kinsey

2011-10-24T16:57:00.000-07:00

I stare out the kitchen window. Leaves cover everything—the bird feeder, the picnic table, the ground. The woods bordering my back yard gets harder to deal with each fall. Autumn tinted leaves are beautiful while they remain on the trees, or twirl like a kaleidoscope of color in the wind, but not so on my lawn. When a lady reaches a certain age, raking leaves is not one of her favorite pastimes.

"I'm selling this place and getting an apartment," I tell myself. "Just as soon as I clear off the driveway so I can get out of here and buy a for sale sign." Then I sigh. "Don't know why I'd put up a sign. Maybe an ad in the paper. Nobody'd ever see a sign back here. Living alone in the country is for the birds."

I look again at my back yard. Really look. I see brown leaves, orange leaves. Red and yellow too. Reminds me of a patchwork quilt set together with the deep tinge of evergreen trees. A bright blue jay dressed in his coming-winter- plumage and a black bird perch in a tree near the feeder. Brilliant blue and shiny black contrast with fall hues.

A pair of antlers cautiously poke from behind a cluster of trees. A large buck prances out into the open, followed by his doe. More birds, cardinals, finches and wrens, join the jay, taking turns at the feeder after scratching away the leaves. A dog barks in the distance. The buck cocks his head, perks his ears, then trots back into his wooded sanctuary. Mama follows the cue of her mate and sprints into the tree covered refuge.

The commotion startles two chipmunks from the underbrush. They scamper into the yard, stop by the birdfeeder, and rummage through the leaves to sample the discarded feed husks the birds drop from above.

I chuckle when a gray squirrel, attempting to steal food, scrambles up the bird feeder post, but slides back down again when his feet can't hold onto the grease-covered pole.

My grandfather clock strikes twelve times. Have I been sitting here at the kitchen table for two hours?

Jean Kinsey recently signed with Desert Breeze Publishing. Her debut historical novel THE LIGHTKEEPER'S DAUTHGER will be released in March 2012.

Jean has written for numerous periodicals and other publications including the Chicken Soup series. Her short story, "Slow Dancing" will appear in the launching edition of the online magazine Splicety.

What's Scary About Teric Darken's WICKFLICKER?

2011-10-18T18:22:00.000-07:00

Nike: As this is the season of All Hallows Eve/Halloween, let me ask you, what is the scariest thing about your new release WICKFLICKER?

Teric: The essence of the story is real. Theywere two college freshmen, simply searching for that higher high along life’sjourney. They found it in the devil’s den. Money. Sex. Power. Each awaits in exchange for somethingnever even seen. Would you gain the whole world in exchange for your soul?

They’ve come of age. And now they’re coming out from among them.

Is your palm freely passed twixt the wick and the flame?

Do you smoke the briar’s fire fueled by faces and names?

On the bridge of your lust, will you pay the small toll?

Would you gain the whole world in exchange for your soul?

-Olde Order: Wickflicker

Best friends since childhood, college freshmen Gat O’Malley and Caleb Jackson stumble into a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: Finding themselves the life of the party at semester’s end, it’s up to them to keep the crowd pumped, the ladies intrigued, and the liquor freely flowing.

To keep spirits flying high, Gat and Cay venture into their friend’s cellar to retrieve a fresh keg. They soon hit rock bottom when failing to locate any source of light, becoming lost in the endless labyrinth below. Lurking about the shadows, they encounter their friend’s eccentric Uncle and begin to realize they’re getting more than they bargained for.

By showing them the mystic ways of an ancient, arcane society- the Olde Order- Nicklaus Scratch entices the freshmen with all the power, prestige, and prominence they would dare to dream up at the onslaught of the new age. The world is theirs for the taking. All can be possessed through the Olde Order- the way of the Wickflicker.

Author, Teric Darkne

Purchase Links:

Amazon (including Kindle) http://www.amazon.com/Wickflicker-Teric-Darken/dp/1617520667/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1318985992&sr=1-1

Barnes & Noble (including Nook) http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Wickflicker?keyword=Wickflicker&store=ebooks

Interview with Author Krisi Keley. Is There Deeper "Truth" to Vampier Mythology?

2011-10-03T10:15:00.000-07:00

As we approach All Hallows Eve, it's exciting to interview Krisi Keley, author of ON THE SOUL OF A VAMPIRE and PRO LUCE HABRE ~ TO HAVE BEFORE THE LIGHT: Volume I. Krisi has always had a penchant for supernatural, paranormal and horror fiction and how these myths try to answer humankind's questions about the spiritual, good vs. evil and the nature of man.

Nike: Your second novel in this series, PRO LUCE HABRE ~ TO HAVE BEFORE THE LIGHT, has just been released. At the end of the first novel, your heroine Angelina lay dead in the hero's arms. Can you tell us what will happen to vampire Valery Castellane in this new novel?

Krisi: Pro Luce Habere is actually being released in two volumes, so the newest release is Volume I of II. This second book(s) of the series is/are more like a prequel of sorts to On the Soul of a Vampire, so this story doesn’t definitively answer the question of what happened to Angelina or what will happen to Valéry - yet. At the end of On the Soul, Valéry is faced with a very difficult decision after all Angelina has told him about what a vampire truly is and does, and it might seem that he simply gives in and acts on his nature as this creature when, in fact, there are a number of clues to suggest this might not be so or that it might not be that simple, anyway. In any case, Pro Luce Habere is what happens to Valéry between Book I (On the Soul of a Vampire) and Book III (Genesis), and this is based on the idea of those who say one re-lives or re-experiences his or her life, in a manner, while dying. So Pro Luce Habere is Valéry’s re-living of his 800 years of existence, from the time he set out on the Children’s Crusade at age fourteen, where he is able to remember things he may have forgotten or even blocked from his memory. Volume I covers some of his mortal life, starting in 1212, and allows readers to see why and how Valéry became a vampire, the terrible pain and struggle he faces in this new dark existence and how watching man’s treatment of man affects him, up until the late 14^th century. Volume II will continue from that point and is an account of his time in the New World, his experience of the American and French Revolutions, the World Wars and how he deals with man’s very different perception of God and faith in the 20^th century, up until the time he meets Angelina in 1997. It’s very much a depiction of human history, as well as Valéry’s history, and it not only gives readers more insight into why Valéry reacted the way he did to Angelina in On the Soul, but will also hint at some of what’s to come in Genesis, the third story in the series. There are some big surprises coming in Genesis, so knowing more of Valéry’s past lets readers go deeper into the mystery of the vampire’s intimate connection to the human soul, while also introducing characters and events that will play a bigger role in the third book.

Krisi: Well, I don’t know that I’m that into the ghoulish aspect of the supernatural and the paranormal, so much as the theological aspect, as theology is what I got my degree in. For some, I guess supernatural and paranormal are sub-genres of horror or fantasy, but for me, the interest is simply in the incorporeal or non-material aspect of human beings and the human relationship to the divine, which may be super, beyond or outside the physically natural or normal, but it’s definitely not fantasy to me. The On the Soul series is not a standard vampire horror in the sense of fantastical evil being against the power of good. I think the fascination in the vampire myth for many, even if not always consciously-recognized, is that it addresses very human issues – about good vs. evil, about the desire for immortality that is coupled with the fear of letting go of the bodily existence we know, about the choices we make and why we make them… This series is probably not for those looking for a blood and guts, evil monster, horror-type tale. The vampires in these stories not only struggle with all the same fears and temptations, the search for meaning and purpose, the desire for connection that all human beings face, they’re not really monsters at all, even when they do monstrous things – any more than human beings can be considered “pure” evil when they commit evil acts. This particular legend was, for me, just an amazingly perfect way to examine theological ideas related to the bodily incarnation of beings who also have a spiritual essence (human beings, that is), what it means to be created male and female in the image of God and other ideas about faith, mercy, forgiveness, judgment and free will. These vampires are not soulless, bloodsucking beasts; their desire is a human one, altered because it was something just not meant to be known in the corporeal form and they are, in a way, in the same quandary all human beings are in, to some degree – that is, can we justify killing if another human being’s death is the only thing that can keep us alive? So the stories do present some pretty tough questions about human choices and what we do for self-preservation or the preservation of a way of life.

Nike: Tell us a little about your first novel, ON THE SOUL OF A VAMPIRE.

Krisi: On the Soul of a Vampire starts the series with Valéry discovering a mortal girl who knows everything about his 800 years of existence. Although he’s been trying to keep a promise he made centuries ago to only take the lives of other killers or criminals, his world is turned upside down by his desire for the purity and innocence he senses in this young woman’s essence. When he realizes he’s unable to take her life, however, he becomes obsessed with her and with finding out how she knows what she knows. To learn that she has actually experienced, through dreams, everything that has happened to him, everything he’s done and felt, for 800 years, he goes to her to demand an answer. This girl, Angelina, seems to be rather unwilling to give him definitive answers and, instead, tries to persuade him that he’s not the evil creature lore has made of the vampire. Valéry, convinced she’s simply deluded by all the modern vampire “romance” stories that obscure the dark nature of the creature, goes to some pretty nasty lengths to convince her she’s wrong. He has other reasons for this terrible behavior too, but as he’s considered himself a monster for so long, he’s not willing to admit fully to those reasons. Despite every way he tries to prove himself a demonic creature, however, Angelina continues to insist he struggles with the same desires and temptations as any man. Through some flashbacks to his past and through his relationship with Angelina, Valéry comes to a more full understanding of what a vampire really is and does, and as he learns these things, the reader also learns that the simple folklore tales of bloodlust and life-draining monsters are obscuring a much more spiritual truth about vampires and how they are connected to the human soul. It’s an ongoing story and delves into an ancient mystery, so not every question is answered in this first tale and readers will, undoubtedly, be left with some of the same frustration Valéry experiences as he discovers that God doesn’t just lay out His whole plan for personal salvation, but reveals it in a way that very much respects individual free will. He can’t give all the answers if He’s allowing for choice, and Valéry’s reason to be, his purpose, is something he only begins to discover in Book I.

Nike: What is it like to publish with Treasureline? Can you let us in on where you are going with this series?

Krisi: I feel so blessed to be working with TreasureLine. Publisher and author, Linda Boulanger, and authors Ellen Maze and Teric Darken, have been so incredibly supportive and encouraging – they really gave me the confidence to keep working on these stories when I wasn’t always completely sure this mix of theology and paranormal could work. I consider myself extremely fortunate to be working with them and to be able to call them friends. TreasureLine is filled with amazingly talented authors who go out of their way to help and support other writers, and there’s really this great freedom to tell the story you need to tell, to write what you believe God is inspiring in you.

Ah, where I’m going with the series. Well, it is written in the style of a mystery in a way, so I don’t want to spoil that for readers! I can say that Genesis, the third book in the series, will not only answer the question of what happened to Angelina, but will also solve quite a number of other mysteries, including how vampires came to be in the first place and how Valéry and Angelina’s story is intimately connected to the origin of all vampires. I can also say this is very much related to a few rather difficult to interpret Biblical stories and that the theory suggested will be from a Catholic theological interpretation of those stories. Yet, while I think this will make the vampire myth much more understandable to Christian readers, I believe it will also still be realistic to a modern audience because of a more real-world biological explanation as well, rather than some of those vampires stories that can leave readers with the feeling they’re reading a fantasy about an impossible creature who somehow obtains immortality simply to feed on blood instead of animal flesh! And from the fiction novel point of view, I think it will be very satisfying to both those who are hoping for a happy ending for Valéry and Angelina, as well as those who are waiting to see the evidence that God’s great love and mercy can bring good out of even the darkest circumstances. That even when His plan can’t be seen in one human lifetime or even over many, He is always working toward the ultimate victory – the salvation of all human beings, on both an individual and corporate level.

Graphic from The Scrupulous Scribe website.
http://tinyurl.com/3kgdene

Nike: You've embarked on a new venture which you've called The Scrupulous Scribe. What's that all about?

Krisi: Well, from my own experience and also from many comments I’ve seen around the writing cooler, so to speak, I became aware that there might be a greater need for more economical editing and proofreading services these days. With so many small and self-published authors working on bringing stories to readers, there is the difficulty of not having the financial means to have one’s work receive this kind of attention. Because so much personal time and money is required on the promotional end of getting a book out to the public for those who aren’t with one of the “big” publishers, little, if any, is left for hiring someone to help with the really important aspect of polishing a novel. Friends, family, fellow authors and beta-readers can be invaluable for feedback on a story’s plot and uniqueness, but having someone who is very familiar with proper grammar, punctuation and spelling, as well as someone who can look at aspects like character development, voice and plot consistency, factual or historical discrepancies and the like is a very important part of telling the best story one can tell. But that is often an extremely expensive endeavor. It’s so very necessary though, because if a large number of small or self-published works are released without this kind of proofreading and editing, it has a negative impact on all small and self-published authors. Readers are less willing to take a chance on other new writers who don’t have the backing of a big publisher, if they have too many experiences with authors who didn’t ensure their work was as high a quality as it could be. So I wanted to offer this kind of service for those who don’t have a huge budget to work with, as I’m very sympathetic to that dilemma. I studied foreign languages and linguistics in school, as well as theology, and I absolutely love words and the beauty of language itself, so I wanted to use this to help other authors trying to get the best version of their story out there to readers.

Nike: And now for one fanciful question about the liturgical feast of All Hallows Eve, which in our time has evolved Halloween. Now we don't expect to hear hymns that sing of black cats, but still the night was not always solely about trick or treating. That aside, if you were to dress up this Halloween, what type of costume would you choose and why?

Krisi: It’s funny you say that because I did once write three different sets of lyrics to the music of some well-known songs to celebrate some of the comical traits in my three oldest dogs! But, Halloween… yes, that does have a complicated history! Both are probably mostly forgotten by kids just looking to have some fun and some candy, but it is pretty fascinating how its relationship to a pagan feast for celebrating, amongst other things, the lowering of the veil between the spiritual and material world is not really that far removed from the Christian designation of the day as the eve of the two feasts to honor the saints and other souls who have already gone on to union with the divine. So, if I were to dress up for the holiday at this elevated age, I guess I would have to be a celestial being – not just to keep with one of the themes of my book, but also because it keeps that connection to the spiritual world.

Thank you so much for the great questions, Nike, and for the opportunity to share more about the On the Soul series on your beautiful Faith, Fiction and Friends site!

Author Bio:

Krisi Keley has a degree in theology from DeSales University and has also studied foreign and classical languages. She was born in Philadelphia and currently lives in Chester County, PA with her family and seven dogs. On the Soul of a Vampire is her first novel and a second edition of the book with TreasureLine Publishing is now available on Amazon. Pro Luce Habere Volume I, Book II in the On the Soul Series, was just released this summer and Volume II is expected to be released around Christmas 2011. Krisi is presently finishing work on Pro Luce Habere Volume II and is working on Genesis, Book III of the series. To contact Krisi or for more information about the series and sample chapters, please visit: http://www.onthesoulofavampire.com/

Purchase Links:

Amazon (including Kindle).

Pro Luce Habere ~ To Have Before The Light: Book II in the On the Soul Series (Volume 1) ~
http://tinyurl.com/3lasb3r

On The Soul of a Vampire ~ http://tinyurl.com/3zxaebf

Barnes & Noble (including Nook).

Books by Krisi Keley. http://tinyurl.com/434mp67

Treasureline Books. http://tinyurl.com/3j86xel

THE LOST CROWN OF COLONNADE

2011-10-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

I’m pleased to have this opportunity to interview my friendand fellow author, Ken Winters. Be sure to leave a comment for a chance to win a FREE copy of THE LOST CROWN OF COLONNADE.

When I was a teen, Ken Winters and his wife Connie played a big partin the foundation of my faith. Back then, Ken was the Youth Minister at mychurch; he led a musical group (made up of many of my friends) called TrueDirection. I did Ken the favor of not singing. Later, Ken joined theNavy Chaplain service and we fell out of touch for a number of years. When heretired and came back to my church as Associate Pastor it was a great joy tolearn that Ken had become an aspiring novelist.

Pastor Ken in Jerusalem

In the last few years, Ken and I have both grown in ourwriting abilities, each helping the other. Now, Ken’s dream has reachedfruition with the publication of his young adult novel THE LOST CROWN OF COLONNADE. I LOVE this book! It’s got action, adventure, a touch of romance,humor, and (most important?!) talking bears. Here’s a blurb about the book:

A Strange New World…FaithfulFriends…Impossible Quest!

Davey Johnsen is a physically challenged fourteen-year-old from a wealthycommunity in Connecticut. In a moment he exchanges the comfort of his beautifulhome for the rugged terrain of an unknown land.

There he meets six faithful companions who join him in the perilous journey toreclaim “The Lost Crown of Colonnade.” One of them is the most beautiful younglady he has ever met, the teenage Princess Alisande.

Is it all a dream, or are his new friends and the enemies he faces very real?Will this band of seven accomplish their quest, or will they fall victim to theoverwhelming forces of the Evil King of Necrus and his Master, Dagron?

Andnow for the interview!

Tammy:Seems like youth ministry is near and dear to your heart. Can you touch onthat?

Ken:Yes, Tammy. As you know, from 1976-83 Iserved as Youth Pastor in North Brookfield. Then God led me into the Navy andfor twenty years I primarily ministered to and counseled young adults and youngfamilies. So, the societal changes that affect them have been obvious andimportant to me.

Tammy:Is that what led you to write a young adult novel?

Ken:It was a part of it. Of course, thisbook “developed” over many years. I don’t think it would have ever beencompleted if it weren’t for the encouragement of the Writers’ Group at ourChurch, and friends like you and Kay Combs. My hope was that this book mightget some teens or young adults to re-think their values and beliefs.

Tammy:In THE LOST CROWN OF COLONNADE, Davey comes from a dysfunctional home where hehas all the worldly goods a boy could want but is missing the most importantthing – love. Do you see this as a common problem with today’s kids?

Ken:The American family today is in big trouble. At least Davey’s parents are stilltogether. Unlike him, many of the teensand young adults I have met come from broken homes. Sometimes there have beenmultiple relationships that parents have had with multiple other spouses and/or“significant others” over the years. That doesn’t create a very stable place togrow in and learn about what a family should be.

Ido find that, even among less affluent families, “THINGS” have become way too important.The biggest HDTV, the newest cell phone or I-Pad bring a temporary thrill, butno deep meaning. When obtaining and playing with things supplants buildingloving relationships with others, or the God who created us, the results areemptiness or hurt or both.

Tammy:Some of the characters and scenery in your novel are reminiscent of JRR Tolkienand CS Lewis. I like the conversational voice of the writing, almost as if I’m sittingby the fire in Bundiggle’s trading post, listening to you tell the story. Yourhumorous author interjections are much like Tolkien in THE HOBBIT. Were theseauthors an influence in your writing style and/or the choice of setting?

Middle Earth http://tinyurl.com/5wch9xs

Ken:I love C.S. Lewis and Tolkien. Their books are very different, yet pack amessage that is deeper than just the story. I know that the “rules of writing”discourage directly addressing your audience in the first person. However, after I submitted my book to XULONPress, I happened to read Stephen Kings The Eyes of the Dragon. Actually,I’ve never read any of his horror stories. They are not my thing. But I had heard that this book was a verydifferent book for King. I was surprised to find that he adopted that writingstyle. So at least I’m not alone.

Tammy:Davey comes from Connecticut, where you were last stationed with the Navy.Colonnade, however, is a fictitious land. Are there any real-world influenceson the setting? For example, Davey arrives in a cave and crawls through atunnel to exit, finding himself on the side of a dead (or sleeping) volcano. Isthat a bit of Hawaii?

Ken:No, it’s a bit of Colonnade’s Northern Reaches. Obviously, there are things I have used from my own personal travels tothe Rocky Mountains, Europe, the Dominican Republic and even Caverns here inthe Continental US. But I did notconsciously model Colonnade after any one of those places.

Tammy:THE LOST CROWN ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. I don’t want to spoil it foranyone, but can you share a little about book 2?

Ken: Hmmm.Book 2 is a work in progress. Many of the key characters return to take theirrespective places in the next adventure. I won’t tell you which characters. Ibelieve there will be some surprises in store for those who have enjoyed TheLost Crown. The working title rightnow is “The Enchanted Bride” Book II of the Journeys to Colonnade.

Tammy:Wrapping up on a lighter note, my daughter wants me to ask this question –quoting from the novel: Most of the talking bears I know prefer smallquiet farm villages, or just living in the woods like Snuffles.

Howmany talking bears DO you know?

courtesy of http://tinyurl.com/5sevl9r

Ken:Well, since I first read, The Chronicles of Narnia when I was about fourteen,in the land of my imagination I’ve met many talking animals. Haven’t you? Butremember, make sure you’ve heard that bear talk before you try to make him orher your friend!

Tammy: Thankyou, Ken, for sharing your time with us. Is there anything you’d like to add?

Ken: Likeyour own writing, your questions have been fun and insightful. I’ve really enjoyed this interview, which isno great surprise. Thanks for a greattime and God bless!

THELOST CROWN OF COLONNADE can be purchased on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com,and at the Xulon Press bookstore. Visit Ken’s author Facebook page at http://tinyurl.com/3pr4yqhand watch for book signing announcements. You can also find Ken on his website,http://www.lostcrownofcolonnade.com/.

Leavea comment, with your email address (formatted like mine here:mail(underscore)tammydoherty(at)charter(dot)net) for a chance to win a FREEcopy of THE LOST CROWN OF COLONNADE. We’ll announce the winner on October 15, 2011.

FFF Announces A New Member Jean Kinsey

2011-09-28T10:03:00.000-07:00

Faith, Fiction & Friends is thrilled to announce its new member, Jean Kinsey. Jean recently received a contract from Desert Breeze Publishing for her wonderful historical romance, LIGHT KEEPERS DAUGHTER. She will soon join the ranks of published novelists.

However, Jean has been a writer for quite some time. She's written mainly for anthologies such as Chicken Soup and Cup of Comfort. She has also done freelance articles for both Christian and secular magazines.

For Kids Who Hate To Read: Cartoon Bibles, Ted Dekker in Manga??? ~ Nike Chillemi

2011-09-22T10:19:00.000-07:00

My fourteen year old hates to read. Getting her to sit down with a book is like pulling teeth. Yet, she liked to write and writes well. Strange.

She came home from school with two books she got from the school library for independent reading. They were both the type of action cartoon books where the characters have big spikey hair. She went through the first one like wild fire and told me she enjoyed reading it so much she started the second one and couldn't wait to go back to the library with her reading teacher to get some more. To be honest, I was thrilled she was on fire about reading, but I was also a bit concerned about content.

About that time, an American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) member posted a question to the organization's Loop asking for recommendations for her son who hates to read. I suggested Robert Liparulo's Dream House Kings series. She replied since he isn't such a good reader, she was going to start with Ted Dekker's novels in manga, The Circle Trilogy Graphic Novels. She also told me her twenty-one year old daughter has the Manga Bible and loves it. I thought how kewl is this -- about the Bible and also the way info is shared in the various ACFW groups. Awesome.

At that point, I only had a cursory idea of what manga was. So I did what any good researcher does, I looked it up online. I discovered this is exactly the type of book my daughter brought home from the school library, the ones she's so excited about. And Ted Dekker has three books out in his series out in manga. Dynamite!!!

Just when I thought I'm ready to place my order for DD (darling daughter), Amazon does what Amazon does best, it suggested the Action Bible. Natch, I clicked on the little arrow thingie and looked inside. I liked the Scripture better in this one. But I'm not the one who has to read it. So, I put both the Amazon pages for the Manga Bible and the Action Bible up on separate screens and asked DD to pick. She chose the Action Bible for it's illustrations. Yes! She's a terrific artist and liked the use of color in that one's cartoons. Who knows, maybe she'll get a job drawing illustrations for Christian cartoonish books. That would be an amazing career for her. They wouldn't have to be manga style. I'm not for making a carbon copy of what's out in the world. Perhaps she and other Christian illustrators will lead the way in creating a new Gospel inspired trend using graphics that will catch on among youthful readers. After all, we are to be the head and not the tail.

Hey, let's not forget books specifically for girls. The Christian mangaish Serenity series features a blue haired young lady, named, you got it -- Serenity. But there's nothing serene about her. This series is put out by Realbuzz Studios via Thomas Nelson and has skate boarding characters, popular girls who look down on Serenity, as well as school geeks. Realbuzz has another series, Goofyfoot Gurl, where in one book, the main character is embarrassed by her Christian parents. This series, set in Orange County, CA features surfers, beachcombers, and technology savvy kids.

In addition to all this, I've learned through a few other fellow ACFW members who's believing sons are into deeply into manga, that if Christians are going to try to do manga, it has to be done right. One of these fellows doesn't think the Manga Bible is well done, in that it doesn't stick to true manga style and tradition. I think if we're going to reach teens and young adults who are manga fans, we can't just slap a Christian message onto a certain cartoon illustration style. It won't matter to some, but others will see through that a mile away. These kids are pretty sophisticated and like all young people they're have their own teen culture. I ran into a few college kids doing urban missionary internships and wanted to tell them to wash their hair. I mentioned this to my husband's cousin. She laughed and told me she was watching Christian TV and a well known, buttoned down preacher introduced his college age son and he also had real bad case of bed head.

Literacy is a huge issue today. Many young people have reading issues and that will be a stumbling block to them. Let's make sure the Christian publishing world doesn't forget them. Let's be innovative and get in front of this thing, not trail behind.

Hope Lives, Even As A Last Resort ~ Barbara Robinson

2011-09-14T14:33:00.000-07:00

"Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. . . . For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words." 1 Thessalonians verses 4:13, 16-18

She and I stood in the front yard of the old apartment house. Lisa wore a light pink suit jacket, and her sad brown eyes looked directly into mine as she said, "I hope it's not cancer. I don't want to die." That visual image is sealed in my mind as vivid today as it was seven years ago when I lost my youngest sister. Bird-like hands clutched a shining gold star with a pearl-head pin. She handed it to me, "I want you to wear this." When she died, the heavens raged. Storm clouds covered the land and hurricanes blew in from the sea. That year, twelve blustery ones battered America's shores. The last, a storm named Lisa, tiny and non-threatening like her, eventually faded out over land. On September 13, a summons came for Lisa. Sent on a mission, angels ferried another angel home. As I fell to my knees bedside my bed and cried, I said a silent prayer. Then, I opened my Bible, and the Comforter sent me encouragement. I knew then, that even in death, hope lived, for I'd see my youngest sister again in heaven.

Dear Lord, thank you for Your encouraging Word and the gift of eternal life through Your son, Jesus. Thank you for opening my eyes so I no longer grieve without hope, Amen.

Lives disrupted:

You’re a young adolescent girl and life is too competitive--the competition is being the thinnest.

It's so sad when people diet themselves to death. Many lives are disrupted with the loss of a loved one. In my novel, Last Resort, the main character Faith has lost her sister to an eating disorder. This was an important topic for me to brooch because I lost my youngest sister in 2004 right after Hurricanes Charley and Frances. She wanted to share her story in hopes of helping others. Though my novel is romance, mystery, suspense, and intrigue entwined, this subject is one of several important messages I hope and pray benefit people. In school, author's purpose is taught. If you read Last Resort, you'll find I had several and this is one of the most important, but God's love is the most important of all. Without it, we'd all be lost. Even in death, there's hope, and I used this scripture in my debut Christian romance novel Last Resort to encourage those who have lost loved ones through death.

Set in fictional Bridal Wreath and Key West, Florida, the backdrop of a strawberry farm turns dangerous for Faith, when she's stalked. Last Resort is a 79,000 word woman-in-jeopardy novel that tells the story of Faith Grace Roussell, who escapes an abusive fiancé and endeavors to start a new life filled with peace and contentment. She returns to her family home to farm strawberries only to discover it's not a safe haven . Where will Faith be when the smoke clears and will Faith and Matt's love survive? Five-star reviews on Amazon and B&N. Both men and women readers. Free sample. She's pursued by an ex-fiancé, shattered dreams, an awesome God, and a cowboy farmer. There's only one place she can turn . . . There's only one last resort.

Book Trailer for LAST RESORT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juwF0dLLX6M&feature=youtu.be

Read a free excerpt at the Desert Breeze Publishing bookstore. May also be purchased here as a PDF file to read on your computer. http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-184/B-J-Robinson-Last/Detail.bok

Barnes & Noble/Nook. http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/last-resort-b-j-robinson/1030124288?ean=2940012838063&itm=1&usri=last%2Bresort%2Bb%2Bj%2Brobinson

Amazon/Kindle. http://www.amazon.com/Last-Resort-ebook/dp/B005CQ7JQK/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1310918473&sr=1-1

B. J. Robinson lives in Florida with her husband, two dogs, and a shelter cat named Frankie. Her golden cocker spaniel, Sunflower, is featured as a character in her novel. Her children are all grown and have all made her a grandmother multiple times. She lost her mother and sister six years apart. Last Resort is her debut Christian romantic suspense. Southern Superstitions releases January 11, 2012, and Whispering Cypress releases August 11, 2012, all through Desert Breeze Publishing, Inc. Visit B. J. at http://barbarajrobinson.blogspot.com.

Announcing the Release of THE PROMISE OF DEER RUN by Elaine Marie Cooper

2011-09-06T20:37:00.000-07:00

Imagine a soldier returning from war suffering from nightmares and other stress-related combat trauma. We hear it all the time in 201l. But were the veterans of past times any different? In the Civil War this phenomena was called "soldier's heart." It progressed through the years and the wars to be called "shell shock," then "battle fatigue." Today it is labeled "post traumatic stress disorder."

The unseen wounds were always there and the veterans often suffered in silence. This story is about one young veteran of the Revolutionary War. He was only 16 when he joined his father in the fight to free the United States from England. His dreams of gallant warfare were shattered on the blood-spattered battlefields that forever left its mark in his impressionable mind.

But this is also the story of healing, of faith, and of romance. And of a God that can bring new hope when it seems that all is lost.

Book Summary:

America's war for freedom from England has been over for seven years, but the wounds of that conflict still plague the minds and hearts of the residents of Deer Run.

Young American veteran Nathaniel Stearns, suffering from the memories of war that haunt him in the night, has withdrawn to a life of isolation. He still awaits his father who never returned from the war -- a mystery that haunts him as well.

He is brought out of his self-imposed exile by a near-tragedy in the woods that brings him face-to-face with nineteen-year-old Sarah Thomsen, someone he had long admired her but assumed had eyes for another. This chance encounter opens a crack into the door of his heart as mutual affection quickly blooms.

But slander and lies soon mar the budding romance, rendering both Sarah and Nathaniel wounded and untrusting as their faith in both their God and each other is shattered. Set in 1790 and filled with rich detail of the era, this book continues the story of the Thomsen and Lowe families as they struggle to survive in the aftermath of the war that birthed the United States.

THE PROMISE OF DEER RUN is Book Two in the Deer Run saga. Book One is entitled, THE ROAD TO DEER RUN.

Author Bio:

Elaine Marie grew up in Massachusetts but now lives in the Midwest with her husband, three dogs, and on huge cat. She has two married sons and triplet grandchildren who are now one-year-old. Elaine's only daughter, Bethany, passed away in 2003 from a brain tumor.

Elaine's debut novel, THE ROAD TO DEER RUN, was a finalist in the 2011 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, received an Honorable Mention in the 2011 Los Angeles Book Festival, was a Grace Awards finalist in the Romance/Historical Romance category, and was a Clash of the Titles Champion for "Most Romantic Moment."

A registered nurse, Elaine has been a magazine freelance writer for many years, and is a regular contributor to three blogs for writers: The Barn Door (www.thebarndoor.net ), Reflections In Hindsight (ReflectionsInHindsight.wordpress.com), and Faith, Fiction & Friends (http://faith-fiction-friends.blogspot.com/).

Elaine can be reached on Facebook. http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id+10000099722317 or visit her website at: DeerRunBooks.com

Purchase Links:

Amazon.

THE PROMISE OF DEER RUN. http://www.amazon.com/Promise-Deer-Elaine-Marie-Cooper/dp/1462037968/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1315366491&sr=1-1

THE ROAD TO DEER RUN. http://www.amazon.com/Road-Deer-Elaine-Marie-Cooper/dp/1450219195/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1315366453&sr=1-1

Barnes & Noble.

THE PROMISE OF DEER RUN. http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/the-promise-of-deer-run?store=book

THE ROAD TO DEER RUN. http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/the-ROAD-TO--deer-run?store=book&keyword=the+ROAD+TO++deer+run