Live to Give by Austin Gutwein

Live to Give by Austin Gutwein is a book targeted to a young adult audience. It's a book filled with inspiration and motivation to help young adults see how they were created to partner with God. From a launching point of the boy with the five loaves and two fish, it explores how God chose to work with each of us and challenges readers to search for ways God can use them. At the end of each chapter, there are five questions that walk readers through applying the principles to their lives. 
In a time when our focus is often inward, I loved the way the author encourages readers to look at how they can work with God to solve problems. It's a great companion to Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris. And it exemplifies a generation that wants to be used by God. Made me think of my niece who for her 16th birthday had her friends help her serve a meal in a homeless shelter. And instead of gifts, she asked people to bring times they could put in blessing bags that could be given to the homeless. 
This is a great book that will challenge others to think outside the box and in big ways.

What are you reading right now?

I'm often sharing books I've read or am reading with you. Last week I read Randy Singer's Directed Verdict (Amazing legal thriller!), Angel Eyes by Shannon Dittemore (A YA This Present Darkness), The Girl in the Glass by the amazing Susan Meissner (FANTASTIC!!!!! and preorder it now for its September release), and First Date by Krista McGee (very fun YA with a chic lit voice.

I'm almost done reading Tracey Bateman's Widow of Saunder's Creek (an intriguing romance/ghost story with strong spiritual overtones). But now I'm looking for my next book. It's summer time and the pages are flying fast and furious. So today I want to know what are you reading? Do you like it? If so why? Is this an author you like to read?

Like Supernatural Fiction? Meet author Shannon Dittemore

Today, I'm delighted to introduce you to a new-to-me author who could become a fun friend. Shannon Dittemore's debut novel releases May 29...just in time for summer reading. And the publisher has agreed to giveaway a copy of this book, so be sure to leave a comment here or on the teen blog with a way to contact you.  My daughter received this book when we were on vacation and loved it! That was enough for me to know I needed to get to know Shannon. So let's learn more...
    
1) Angel Eyes has a supernatural setting — it always fascinates me when authors can think that way. How did you get the idea for Angel Eyes?

I've always been fascinated with spiritual beings. When I was a teen, our church had a performing arts team and I always seemed to land the role of Satan. Whether Satan was biting the dust or getting knocked out in the Champion (thank you, Carman!) I apparently had the whole demonic thing down. I'm the daughter of a preacher and the wife of another one, so the supernatural is something I've grown up knowing about, learning about, believing   in from a young age. To turn my imagination loose on those ideas was very natural.

2) Is there any part of Brielle that might be borrowed from you?
The fear, certainly. I dealt with fear for a time. It's been a journey and I'm so grateful for God's help through it, but I understand what it is to be frozen by anxiety and terror. I've learned that being fearless isn't the absence of fear, but the refusal to let it govern your actions. I don't have it all down, but God's gracious and He's teaching me.

Brielle also references Neverland from time to time. I'm rather fascinated with Peter Pan myself.

3) What was the hardest thing about writing Angel Eyes?
Time. I'm certainly not alone in this, but finding the time with two young children at home is difficult. It's another thing God's helping me with.



4) Can you give people a teaser?
Sure! Angel Eyes is about a girl who returns to her small hometown after tragedy has struck. She has all the potential in the world, but grief and fear have taken over and she feels frozen, unable to move forward. Enter the boy next door. Jake's got a few secrets of his own, and there's something about his hands--his blazing hands--that has Brielle paying attention. Jake gives Brielle a gift that opens her eyes in more than one way and that's when all hell breaks loose. Literally.   



5) Will we get to see Brielle and her friends in another book?
I'm happy to report that Angel Eyes is the first in a trilogy of books. The second book is called Broken Wings and will be out next February. The third book is still untitled and I'm not entirely sure when it'll be released.



6) Why write for this audience? What draws you to teenagers?
This one's hard to answer. I'm not entirely sure why I write for teenagers. Maybe because I am still a teen at heart. Everything's still very raw, very real, and very important at that age. I like that. I think I live like that. Sometimes, like in the lives of teenagers, that makes things much more complicated than they need to be, but it's the way I'm wired. God helps me here too. Feeling is very important for teens and as a first class emoter, I understand entirely.



7) What do you hope readers will take away from Angel Eyes?
That they are not alone. That even when life throws craziness at you and when you stumble into dark places, you haven't been abandoned. If readers come away with something close to that, I've done my job.
Okay, where can readers connect with you? 

I'm everywhere, I think! I even have an Angel Eyes board on Pinterest.

My website and blog: http://shannondittemore.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ShannonDittemore
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/#!/ShanDittyPinterest: http://pinterest.com/shanditty/

Halflings: an alternative to mythic stories

Halflings is the debut release by author Heather Burch. It is targeted to teens and has strong supernatural characters. I've been waiting for this book since meeting Heather at ACFW in September. My daughter stole the book the moment it arrived at our house. She literally couldn't put it down, reading it in the car, at the gym and everywhere in between.

Here's what she has to say:

Halflings was a really interesting book. It has a Percy Jackson feel minus the Greek mythology. It has a Christian spin with angels, hell hounds, demons, and other supernatural characters called halflings. All are battling over a teenage girl. The halflings are tasked with protecting her from the dark forces chasing her for unknown reasons. Nikki changes from a normal teenager to a girl fighting for her life. When the halflings first save her, she has no idea what they are other than they are gorgeous. Then she learns they are half angels/half human and determined to save her. She's just as adamant about protecting them. The battle is happening in a realm no one else can see. The Halflings look like normal teenagers to her friends.

The Jerk Magnet Review

When this book arrived at our house, my daughter scooped it up immediately. A day later she returned with it and plea for the next book. Melody Carlson is quickly becoming one of her favorite authors. 


Here's more from my daughter:


What if beauty is more than just skin deep?

Chelsea Martin is a teenager who blends in and is tired of it. She wants to be noticed, but isn't sure how to make that happen. In steps her future stepmother with the expertise and her dad opens his wallet. The next thing she knows, she's going shopping, her old clothes are in the trash, and her eyebrows are waxed. She's gone from plain to jaw-dropping, a transformation that changes her life in more ways than she anticipated. The girls start ignoring her while the guys start gawking. She's not sure she likes the transformation.

After she's moved to California and made a friend, she and her friend hide their identity at youth camp. Chelsea transforms back into her original self with her wallflower ways. She learns that beauty is so much more than skin deep...it goes to who you are. 

I enjoyed reading this book because it was filled with humor. At the same time Chelsea made lots of mistakes as she worked through her transformation. She learned to moderate her changes as she learned who she truly was. There are lots of lessons in that as we learn how to become who we really are. 

Looking for an alternative to Twilight?

Today, I'm delighted to introduce you to my friend Heather Burch. Isn't that cover incredible? It's for her debut YA novel, Halflings. I got to know her through first time orientation for the ACFW conference last year. Then I got to spend time with her at the conference. I was delighted to win a basket she donated for the silent auction. And part of that is the copy of her book which is winging its way to my house as I type. I could wait to post this interview until I've read the book, but her book is available now, so wanted to introduce you to her as soon as I could!

Thanks Cara for asking me to stop by and answer a few questions.

Heather, Halflings is your debut novel. How did you come up with the idea for this book?


It had been in the back of my mind for a long time. I wanted to someday write a story about teenagers saving the world. I'm also an X-Men fan so the idea of teens with supernatural abilities was too much to resist. One day I was working on a completely different project and the entire multi-book story arc started forming. I fell in love with the characters right away. They took over my thoughts and very quickly I forgot about the other project and gave Halflings my full attention.

There You'll Find Me Review

This book was so good we're going to give your two perspectives. Today, my daughter is writing the review. Come back later for my review and a giveaway.

Here's my daughter's review:

AMAZING. It's very well-written. Jenny takes you to Ireland with the main character Finley Sinclair. Finley heads to Ireland for a foreign exchange program, but she's really there to find peace. Her dead brother spent his senior year in Ireland and she wants to recreate his experience and find his peace.

On the way, she ends up seated next to Beckett Rush, THE heart throb of vampire movies. She walks away, thinking she'll never see him again, only to find he's staying at the B&B her host family owns.

Finely is desperately trying to lose weight -- about the only thing in her world she thinks she can control. Between a foster grandma who is dying, a cross she can't find, and an audition that is bearing down on her, she needs something she can control. After reading this multi-layered book, I can't wait to read more of Jenny's YA titles. It's AMAZING.



If you've read Jenny's Save the Date, Finley is Alex Sinclair's little sister. There You'll Find Me is filled with such raw emotion and longing that I couldn't put it down. Don't let the YA categorization keep you from reading this book. Jenny takes these characters through issues that all of us can relate to: from the deep need to control our worlds to the search for a place it's safe to be the true me, she shines a light on our deepest needs. Then she masterfully demonstrates how Christ is the answer to all of our needs and longings. This story does not wrap up neatly, because life is that way. However, at the end you are left with a sense that Finley will be okay, that she will come out the other side a much stronger person...one that God can use.

And the best part? CBD has the book on sale for $6.99. Christmas shopping, folks!

I'm going to give a copy of this away over on my teen blog. Click here if you'd like to enter.

Don't Check Your Brains at the Door Review

Most of us have heard of Josh McDowell and Bob Hostetler. Josh McDowell is known for books like More than a Carpenter and Evidence that Demands a Verdict. He is known for taking apologetics and making it understandable. Bob Hostetler is a writer, pastor and teacher.

Don't Check Your Brains at the Door is a book they first wrote and released in 1992. The cover alone was in desperate need of freshening :-). Guess which one is the new one.

This book is broken into short chapters of 3-5 pages that are easy to read in a few minutes, but address big questions. The ones our kids have got to be able to answer if they are going to own and defend their

Praying for Your Future Husband...Giveaway

I am sooooo excited to tell you about this brand new book from two of my friends, Tricia Goyer and Robin Jones Gunn. Last summer while I attended ICRS, a Christian Retail Show, I got to listen to these two talk about writing the chapters to this book and how very jazzed they were to get to read it.

Then in early May Tricia sent a copy to my daughter. I was THRILLED. I'm even more excited to have a copy to giveaway to one commenter/follower on this blog and one on my teen review blog!

Let's face it young adults are concerned about finding that perfect spouse. But in the pursuit of the right person, we often forget we need to become that right person. What I love about this book is that Gunn and Goyer focus not only on how to pray for your future spouse -- before you even know who that is -- but also on how you need to prepare yourself to be the right person, too. Can you imagine what would happen if we poured half the energy we devote to dreaming and fretting into praying? That could be amazing!

Goyer and Gunn also have very different experiences that lead to marriage. These experiences bring a richness to the book because it's not all rosy nor all warning. Instead, it casts vision for what is possible. They guide the reader through 12 areas they can pray for their future spouse. Areas like his heart, that he would be a God lover, for patience, understanding, intimacy and commitment. This book would be a great gift for a girl who is starting to focus on young men -- especially if it's coupled with a commitment to read it and discuss the principles with her.

Here's more:
From when we were small girls, most of us dream of “The One,” our   future husband. We think about what it would be like to be a bride. We   wonder who that special guy is and when we'll find him. The great news   is that what you do now can make a difference in your life and the life   of your future husband!

Authors and good friends Robin Jones Gunn (Christy Miller series) and   Tricia Goyer (author and former teen mom) believe God answers women's   prayers for husbands—even husbands they may not meet for years. They   invite young women to pray boldly for their future mate … while also   asking God to prepare their own hearts.

In Praying for Your Future Husband, Robin and Tricia share their two vastly different experiences, including the things they did right and   the mistakes they made on the path to meeting and marrying their   husbands. Each chapter includes helpful Bible verses, prayers, and   practical application, along with true stories of women who prayed for a   husband and how God answered in remarkable ways.

God has a beautiful romance prepared for you. Prayer is the key to unlocking the love story … with your future husband and with God, the   lover of your soul.

Review: Grandma's Attic and More Stories from Grandma's Attic

Any of you remember reading these books as tweens? I loved the In Grandma's Attic books, but my one complaint is that the print was so small I haven't been able to interest my ten year old in them.

These new editions take care of that issue, by making these wonderful short stories easy-to-read.  And engaging illustrations have been added to several of the stories in each book.  Each short story tells of an event in Arleta's grandmother's life. Everything from a hoop skirt to a quilt or a button serve as the launching point for a story that illustrates an important life truth.

These short chapters are easy for young readers to enjoy. But the content is great for any age. If you like Little House on the Prairie, you will equally enjoy these books.

 Synopsis: Remember when you were a child--when all the world was new, and the  smallest object a thing of wonder? Arleta Richardson remembers: the  funny wearable wire contraption hidden in the dusty attic, the  century-old schoolchild's slate that belonged to Grandma, an ancient  trunk filled with quilt pieces--each with its own special story--and the  button basket, a miracle of mysteries. And best of all was the  remarkable grandmother who made magic of all she touched, bringing the  past alive as only a born storyteller could.

Here are those  marvelous tales--faithfully recalled for the delight of young and old  alike, a touchstone to another day when life was simpler, perhaps  richer; when the treasures of family life and love were passed from  generation to generation by a child's questions, and the legends that  followed enlarged our faith. Recommended for ages 8 and up.

Part of the  bestselling Grandma’s Attic series, these charming tales—updated with  delightful new illustrations—will whisk you away to another time and  place. And you’ll find something worth far more than any treasure or  keepsake…timeless lessons of life and faith!

Looking for YA Titles?

Are you looking for YA titles, either because you like to read that genre or because you have a teen or tween reading them? If so, please pop over to a new blog I've started with my sister (another homeschooling, book-reviewing momma). The blog is oh so creatively titled Teen and Tween Book Reviews.

We'll be planning giveaways for June to coincide with summer reading.

We'll also be loading lots of reviews. Some will be written from our perspective. Some will invite our reader kids to write with a little help from mom. Some will be non fiction. Most will be fiction titles.

So pop over there and then let me know what you think. What kind of books would you like to see highlighted? Are author interviews helpful? etc.

I'm looking forward to this new journey!

YA Author Nicole O'Dell Stops by

I'm delighted to have my friend Nicole O'Dell drop by today. My oldest adores her Scenarios books. These great books set up a situation in which a teen has to make a choice. Then the book sets out the options: what happens with each choice. These books cover great topics from drugs to drinking to cheating to sex.

Please share about your newest releases.
Dare to Be Different and Risky Business are 2-in-1 repacks of the first four books in the Scenarios series. Swept Away is the anticipated 2-in-1 brand new release of books five and six in the series. In Swept Away, seniors and best friends, Amber and Brittany, are neck and neck in a good‐natured competition for a car being given away by a local business. When Amber cheats on her final exams to win the car and Brittany gets blamed for it, Amber is torn. Will she let her friend take the fall? Or will she admit she cheated and face the consequences? The second story finds sophomore Lilly Armstrong facing the question, “How far is too far?” with her boyfriend. When Jason convinces Lilly to lie to her parents about a church overnighter so she can stay at his house while his parents are out of town, how far will she let things go?

Each issue-driven Scenarios book has alternate endings that allow the reader to make an important moral decision for the main character and follow the consequences of her choice. They’re designed to help girls make their choices before they find themselves unprepared and face-to-face with peer pressure and end with a contract and prayer to help solidify her commitment to Godly choices.



Dare to be Different contains Scenarios for Girls books one and two: Truth or Dare and All that Glitters. (lying, peer pressure, boys, alcohol)

Risky Business contains Scenarios for Girls books three and four: Magna and Making Waves. (Stealing, loyalty, performance-enhancement drugs)

Swept Away contains the never-before released Scenarios for Girls five and six: High Stakes and Essence of Lilly. (cheating, loyalty, purity, honesty)

These are great books, but I know it's not all you're writing. What else are you working on right now?
I’m continuing on in the Diamond Estates series and the Drama Ensues series. I’m also wondering why I named them both with DE titles? Isn’t that a strange coincidence? They’re very, very different series—I hope you check them both out. Diamond Estates deals with troubled girls in a group home, to state it very simply. The Wishing Pearl, book one in Diamond Estates, is releasing on October 1, 2011. You can check it out on my website. Drama Ensues starts its appearance in 2012. It has a different style—quirky, drama club, artsy—yet it’s compelling in its coverage of the issues.

What interests do you have outside of writing?
Diapers? No, seriously, I love what I’m doing. I’m living my dream. I’ve given up a lot of outside things to give more time to my passion. How many people can say that about their work? Someone brilliant once said that if you’re able to do what you love, you’ll never work another day in your life. I’m grateful to God for what he’s given me, and I happily give my spare moments to my writing and all that goes along with it. I do exercise. Sometimes.

Oh, and I speak at events, lead a local writing group, and teach a publishing course at the community college. I also host Teen Talk Radio—a weekly radio show where I bring guests on to talk about anything and everything today’s teens might be interested in. You can find it at www.choicesradio.com.

You are one crazy busy lady, Nicole. How do you choose your settings for each book?
I wish I could say that I got inspiration for my stories from my exotic travels. But it’s more based on the characters. They speak to me. I tried to have Carmen from The Embittered Ruby (book two of Diamond Estates--coming soon) hail from Virginia. But try as I did, that girl was from New York, no matter how hard I tried to make it otherwise. I love it when that happens!


You've been writing for awhile now. What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?
Honestly, what comes to mind is the one thing I’m glad I didn’t know. I had no idea how difficult the process was supposed to be. I didn’t know about people enduring years of rejection letters. I didn’t know that many writers had unpublished manuscripts gathering dust in the corners of their offices. I hadn’t heard the stories of pitches and near misses. I just had some stuff to write. So I did.

I often wonder if the results—or even my efforts—would have been different if I’d known how rough it was supposed to be. I’m thankful I was protected from both the knowledge and the experience.

Now one last question, one I've wondered the answer to for awhile: Why Teenagers?
Well, I didn’t choose this age group for my focus—God did. Honestly, it’s difficult. It’s heartbreaking sometimes, and exhausting a lot of the time. I often ask myself if I’m too old or too out of touch to minister to teens. But then I get a letter or an email from someone who was touched by something I did or said. I’m reminded in those moments that God has called me to reach out to teens, probably because those were the years of my deepest personal spiritual battle.

In my teens, I was pulled hard to both extremes. God wanted big things for me, and satan wanted the opposite. My struggles, my failures, my pain—those things drive me to want more for today’s teens. I want to spare them from some of the heartache I endure and help them tackle the temptations and peer pressures head on, confidently, secure in their Savior’s love.

They’re the future.

She writes. She talks. She reads. She changes diapers. Nicole O'Dell is a mom of six--including a set of toddler triplets who may or may not be potty trained sometime in 2011. Jury's still out on that one. She is the author of a bunch of YA books, including the popular Scenarios for Girls interactive fiction series and the upcoming Diamond Estates Series. She's also the host of Teen Talk Radio. You can find her books and links to all the fun social stuff at www.nicoleodell.com.

Looking for YA titles? Books my 10 y.o. has enjoyed...

A Summer Secret is an Amish title is intended for the Y.A. audience; however, my 10 y.o. daughter inhaled this book and book two. I wasn't sure if my daughter would join those who love Amish books, but she really enjoyed this story.

Here's what she says: A Summer Secret is about Mary Beth Mullet, a 13 y.o. with a twin brother and two younger brothers. Mary Beth had a special place in an old barn she was forbidden to go to by her parents. This barn has holes and rotting wood and is just a mess, but it's the only place Mary Beth can have time by herself. One day when she goes into her special place, she sees that one of the corners of her journal is dog-eared. She gets suspicious that one of her brothers has been reading it. A Summer Secret is very detailed. It goes back and forth between Mary Beth's perspective and the mystery person's perspective. There's a little mystery that Mary Beth has to solve. The person looks horrible but won't tell Mary Beth anything. I enjoyed this book very much and will read more by this author.

The second book in the series, The Secrets Beneath, let's Rebekah Yoder take center stage. She is a very curious girl. Since her favorite books are Nancy Drew, she's always ready for a new mystery. Then a mystery comes to Midfield and she decides to figure it out along with the reluctant assistance of her cousin Amanda. My ten year old really enjoyed the first book. And she dove right in to this title. She enjoys these books because at every break it jumps to a different character's perspective. According to my daughter, the mystery could have used a little more intensity (this made me smile), but she still enjoyed the book very much. She's a Nancy Drew fan and in her words used to a little more suspense. My daughter loved the characters and that's what kept her coming back. Still she read it in a few days and can't wait for the next one to release.

These are a few of my favorite things: YA novel Heist Society

My writing friend extraordinaire Jenny B. Jones is very good friend. Last year when she was in town for the ACFW conference, she drove around with me while I delivered the kids to their grandparents for four days of spoiling while I worked and taught at the conference. What does this have to do with Heist Society? Excellent question!

I pulled out my ACFW conference MP3s a week ago and started listening to them and the kids asked to listen to the Jenny lectures. Really, it's the only way I would have listened to her YA lecture, much as I adore her and her writing. But in the lecture -- which was as hilarious as she is -- she highly recommended a book by an author I'd not heard of. Now keep in mind, I'm more than a few years past YA myself :-) but I'm constantly on the lookout for books for my 10 year old to read. And this one sounded like way too much fun. I bought it. And then I inhaled it. So now I share it with you.

Heist Society is an incredibly smart book that stars a fifteen-year-old and her band of merry thieves -- literally. Kat Bishop tried to escape her families art theft ways, but is now sucked back in when someone threatens her father. The writing is crisp, funny, and action packed. These globe-trotting teens have less than two weeks to steal back paintings that have been stashed in one of the world's premier museums. The pacing and sense of humor reminded me of the Ocean's Eleven movies. Loved, loved, loved it!

Now this book is published by Hyperion and is not a Christian book. However, I found nothing in it that would prevent me from handing it to my daughter and her friends. In fact, I wish I'd bought more copies so I could do exactly that. I haven't read Ally Carter's other books, but I will be looking into the Gallagher Girls series. The only one I can speak about is this one...and I LOVED IT. You can read the synopsis here. And while the main character is Kat, she's surrounded by teenage boys -- so I think boys might enjoy it as well.

If I could write something this fun, I'd move to YA immediately.