Don't forget to vote!

In just a few days we'll all get the opportunity to go vote.

The political mail has streamed into our house. To the extent that Jonathan sees a piece and tells me McCain wants me to vote for him - even when it's from Barack Obama.

In 2000 Eric went to Florida twice after the election to participate in the vote recount monitoring. In 2004 I spent the election in South Dakota monitoring the election for the Senate race. This year, we're both home, but we'll be voting.

I could tell you who I think you should vote for. But I won't. Dad's keeling over in shock LOL. But I think it's clearcut on the abortion-life issue.

Please vote. Or don't tell me that you don't like where America is headed.

The Irishwoman's Tale Review & Giveaway

An Irishwomans' Tale

by

Patti Lacy

I had the pleasure of reading this book earlier this year before it's release. Patti is a talented writer who has taken on a gritty book. The story is about one woman's search for who she is. She has kept people at arm's length her entire life, until Sally, a plucky Southern transplant, invades her life. Mary tries to resist, but finds herself sharing her story with Sally.

Mary grew up in Ireland in the 1950s before being sent to the United States against her will. Her story is pulled out of her piece by piece by Sally. And it's a story that twists and turns through the grit of life. A past that isn't perfect. A past filled with pain. A past Mary can't escape.

While classified as general fiction on the cover, I think it falls firmly in women's fiction. While that's not a genre I naturally gravitate towards Patti's characters and writings kept me reading. In the depths of the story I wondered how healing and forgiveness could come. And when it looked like it had arrived, the book took another turn. It was a page-turner in a women's fiction kind of way.

Most of all, it's a story of redeeming love -- and that's a feature that's often missing in books.

Leave a comment and I'll select a winner for a copy of this book. If we have more than 15 comments, I'll pick two winners.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:




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



ABOUT THE BOOK

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

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

Watch the Book Trailer:


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

Last Chance on Contests for Gift Certificates

Fall is the perfect time to curl up with a new book. And I just got my copies of my latest book, Captive Dreams. In honor of that and because I love comments and subscribers, in October I am running a contest. On November 1 I will pull one lucky name from the subscribers to the Law Books & Life. That person will win a $30 gift card to B&N, CBD or other online bookstore of their choice. I will also pull a winner for another gift card from those who leave a comment on my blog. So sign up and comment away.

Don't forget this contest ends October 31 -- so leave your comments and sign up on Feedblitz today! What's your favorite fall activity?

Sweet Tea -- Nectar of the gods

I have decided that Sweet Tea has overtaken Dr Pepper as the nectar of the gods. It is the fuel that keeps me writing long into the nights. And probably is why I need to get back on the treadmill LOL.

Call it my Georgia and Virginia roots coming out, but I was very happy when McDonald's started carrying sweet tea -- and it was good! Chick-Fil-A is another great source. As is Cracker Barrel. We literally plot our road trips around Cracker Barrel, so I can get my fix. LOL

Last Christmas my friend Rachel got me an iced tea maker. It was the perfect gift -- even if it plugs in. I use it all the time and love that I can control how sweet the tea is.

The key to good iced tea. You have to use Luzianne tea bags -- I like the family sized ones. And you have to put the sugar in first, so that it mixes in with the boiling water. Then it's not grainy.

Forget chocolate, give me sweet tea! So what's your special treat?

Two Books I read last week and LOVED

Last week I read two wonderful Bethany House releases by debut authors. Both books are written in a lovely lyrical style, and wouldn't necessarily be books I normally gravitate towards. Nobody is killed, and they aren't romances - though there are romantic elements in each. Instead, each is the tale of a young woman finding healing from past scars.

Home Another Way is the debut release of talented new writer Christa Parrish. The tale of a troubled young woman, Sarah Graham, who seems bent on destroying herself. Then she learns her father, who spent much of her lifetime in prison for killing her mother, died and left her an estate. She goes to Jonah for the sole purpose of collecting her inheritance and living. To receive the money she has to stay through the long winter. As she does, she is slowly changed by the love of those around her and the slow unveiling of the truth. This book rolled through the story with a pull that kept me reading. And I was so satisfied with the ending because it wasn't the expected wrap up. If you're hungry for something different, grab this book!


Rain Song is the debut release from Alice J. Wisler. I read this book second and wondered if it would read differently from Home Another Way, since both are general fiction. Oh my, did it. This book is sweetly lyrical, and definitely southern. The characters form a beautiful cast around our heroine, Nicole Michelin. Another young woman who essentially lost both parents at a young age through a tragedy, it could have seemed identical, but each book carried its author's unique stamp. Nicole must face so many of her fears in her quest for truth she is hungry to learn. Romance plays a slightly greater role in this book (maybe 20%), but this book's focus is on the question of what we are willing to sacrifice to learn the truth. Beautiful story!

CIG to Business Law

Just in case you've been waiting with bated breath, LOL, I am pleased to announce that you can preorder the Complete Idiots Guide to Business Law on Amazon. By checking randomly last week, I learned that it releases on May 9, 2009. Crazy!

I saw that the same day I got the Author Revision chapters -- I wasn't supposed to see those until December 1, when I have to turn in Deadly Judgment. ACK! My acquisitions editor went to bat for me. ...

Less Than Dead Review

I am a huge fan of Tim Downs. Eric and I were first introduced to him when he and his lovely bride joy emceed the Family Life Today Weekend to Remembers that we attended. Loved his slightly sarcastic midwestern style.
And that's why we picked up his first novel. From page one, we've been hooked. I have honestly loved each book that I've read -- though I haven't read Headgame yet. The rest I can vouch for.

Nick Polchak is back as the main character in Less Than Dead. I love Nick because he is such an over-the-top character with his incredibly thick glasses and bug-like tendencies. He also examines teh humans around him as if they are part of an alien species. It makes for some unusual interpretations of how we act.

The Less than Dead, Nick has to convince a woman who's called the Witch of Endor by local residents, to help him identify unmarked graves. This woman wants nothing to do with him or anyone else. Instead, she exists to find her father who disappeared one night when she was about 12.

The graves are found on land owned by a US Senator who seems positioned to be the next president of the United States. The plot twists through the investigation conducted in Nick's inimitable way. There are hints of suspense throughout the book that speed up toward the end, but this is not a classic suspense. Don't get me wrong -- I read it in less than a day. Stayed up really late to read it. But if you're looking for a book that races from page one, this isn't it. But if you love a book filled with quirky characters, twists and turns, and a plot that shines a lot on aspects of the human character that we don't necessarily want to see in ourselves, then this is a GREAT book that you will enjoy.

Besides if you haven't met Nick yet, then it is high time that you did! And sorry, not giving this book away. I know I'll read it again and again. Here's more on the book:

Some secrets just won't stay buried.
When strange bones surface on a U.S. senator's property, the FBI enlists forensic entomologist Nick Polchak to investigate the forgotten graveyard. Polchak's orders are simple: figure out the mess.

But Polchak, known as the "Bug Man" because of his knowledge of insects and their interaction with the dead, senses darker secrets buried beneath the soil.

Secrets that could derail the senator's presidential bid.

Secrets buried in the history of a quaint Virginia town.

Secrets someone is willing to kill to protect.

With the help of a mysterious local woman named Alena and her uncanny cadaver dogs, Polchak sets out to dig up the truth.

But with a desperate killer hot on his trail, he'll be lucky to wind up anything less than dead.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Less Than Dead, go HERE

Defining True Love

I wish I knew where these originated, but I don't. But here are some delightful definitions of love taken from the mouth of babes. Thanks to Tricia for forwarding these!

'When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore
So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love.'

Rebecca- age 8

---

'When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different.
You just know that your name is safe in their mouth'

Billy - age 4

---

'Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.'

Terri - age 4

---

'Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.'

Danny - age 7

---

'Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.'

Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)

---

'Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.'

Tommy - age 6

---

'Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.'

Mary Ann - age 4

---

'I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.'

Lauren - age 4

---

A four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.

Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there.
When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said,

'Nothing, I just helped him cry'

Google Maps -- An Amazing Tool

I've heard many writers rave about Google Maps, but until A Promise Kept, the book I just finished, I didn't really need it. I knew my settings well from site visits or having lived in the communities.

Cincinnati -- yeah, don't know it well at all.

So I turned to Google maps. I LOVE the satellite feature. It allowed me to explore neighborhoods and figure out exactly where my characters lived. It also allowed me to see the library branch. I strolled through Eden Park. It was amazing! I still would have preferred to actually visit the site, but this provided a second best approach.

So here's your challenge for the day -- go to google maps and see if you're house shows up. Ours doesn't (yet!), and I'm okay with that.

Stepping Into Sunlight Review, Challenge & Giveaway

I told y'all as I started reading this book, how much I enjoyed it. Sharon Hinck is one of my favorite authors. Her style is lyrical and she gets me effortlessly embedded in her character's world. I rarely find myself struggling to get back into the flow of the story and often fight to pull away from it.

Stepping into Sunlight was no different. In fact, this is my favorite contemporary of Sharon's.

Penny Sullivan is ready to face the challenge of a cross-country move and caring for her energetic seven-year-old son while her husband leaves on his first deployment as a Navy chaplain. But after she witnesses a shocking crime, her world tips sideways. Hiding in her closet isn't an option when her husband and son depend on her, so she fights to recover. But even simple tasks such as filling her car with gas, buying groceries, and returning phone calls are suddenly more than she can handle....A story for every woman who has wondered where God is when life hurts.

This book is the poignant tale of Penny's journey back to wholeness. It will be much harder for me to tell people to just move on after getting inside Penny's head and experiencing the pain of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and simple joys of life. Penny's climb out of the pit was so realistic I felt trapped with her. I cheered for each step forward she took and moaned when she couldn't move past her protective zone.

I was also challenged by Penny's project: do one kind deed to a stranger each day. It's one I'd like to make my own! This book is wonderful and has joined my keeper pile. So in honor of Penny's project, here's my challenge to you. Take sometime this week. Help someone (outside your immediate family and circle of friends). Then share what you did here. I'll select one person to win a copy of this book.

Apple Picking

I forgot to take my camera, but earlier this week the kids and I went apple picking. We drove almost an hour for twenty minutes of picking. We managed to fill two laundry baskets with apples while Rebecca slept. My hope is that we'll actually turn them into applesauce.

This is the third type of fruit we've picked this year. We start with strawberries in June and turn them into strawberry jam. Then we pick blueberries at least once -- usually twice -- in July. This from the kid who HATED blueberries, but now eats them like candy when they're fresh. And I love them in my oatmeal all year round. And then this year we picked the apples.

I think it's important for the kids to realize food doesn't magically appear in the grocery store. Instead, there's a lot of work that goes into it. I also think it helps in a teeny tiny way keep them connected to our farming roots.

Besides nothing is ever as good as when it's fresh or made at home. So what ways do you help your kids connect the dots?

Confused by our tax system?

Then check this out: http://nextstoplauderdale.com/2007/04/16/the-dinner-lesson/

It's a great easy to understand analogy. With all the presidential election hooplah, this is a perfect reminder of how the system really works.

Interview with Susan Meissner

I am delighted to have my friend Susan Meissner join us today. Her latest book is The Shape of Mercy. I gave away two copies last week. But if you'd still like a copy, leave a comment today and I'll give away my Advanced Reader Copy. I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Susan graciously agreed to participate in an interview. Without further ado, here we go!

The Shape of Mercy tells the story of three women from different times. What concept ties their stories together?

All three women are the only daughters of influential fathers. They also faced life choices that were rather defining moments for them. Mercy Hayworth writes a diary in 1692, during the height of the Salem Witch Trials. College student Lauren, the daughter of affluent parents transcribes it in contemporary time at the request of 83-year-old Abigail Boyles, who carries a boatload of regret. As Lauren transcribes the diary within the pages of the book, she discovers the degree to which people so easily make snap judgments and get swept away by the crowd mentality.

I hadn't thought about the fact they were all daughters of influential men. It was painful to read Lauren's struggles, in part because I think it is so easy to judge even subconsciously. At least it is for me. What did you learn while writing her story?

I learned that I am guilty of the same weakness, We have to train ourselves to see people like God sees people. Having that kind of vision takes incredible discipline because our nature is not to see things like He does. I saw myself often in Lauren as the story revealed how she truly didn’t want to judge people but she did. She just did. We all do. We see a homeless man begging on the streets and we make all kinds of assumptions about how he got there and what he would do if we reached out to help him. We see a pregnant teenager or an obese child or a woman wearing diamonds and Jimmy Choos and we assume the teenager has no morals, the child has no restraint and the woman is wealthy and therefore has no worries. We believe these things because the crowd tells us it’s so. Jumping to conclusions seems to permeate culture, regardless of the generation. Whatever the crowd says, we too easily believe. We need to fix our eyes on God, not the crowd.

Ouch! Great points, Susan. I think that's why the book pricked my heart. I often find that the books I write grow out of something I've experienced or that God is teaching me at that moment. Is either true for you with this book?

I’ve always been awed by people who would choose death over turning their backs on God. People who know about the Salem Witch Trials probably know that innocent people were executed but what they may not know is that every one of the accused could’ve saved themselves if they’d just confessed. They would have been driven from the village and lived the rest of their lives as outcasts, but they would’ve lived. The magistrates only executed the convicted ones who refused to confess. These men and women were incredibly brave.

What attracted you to the Salem Witch Trials, such a little known time period?

When I was in junior high, I was in play called To Burn a Witch. I played the role of an innocent woman accused of witchcraft who sits in a cell with other innocent young women from her village. When my character realizes she can save herself by pretending to be bewitched, she begins to scream that one of the other girls in her cell – a friend, actually – is tormenting her. My character is led away to freedom and the woman she accused falsely is led away to her execution. I had forgotten being in that play until I read a newspaper article a couple years ago about a woman who was petitioning a Massachusetts court to exonerate her great-times-eight grandmother. This ancestor of hers was accused and convicted of witchcraft during the Salem trials, was released when the hysteria ended, but whose name was never cleared. I was reminded of how it felt, even just as an actress, to be accused of being something I was not - and the far worse feeling of accusing someone I knew was innocent. These people who died in 1692 Salem were all innocent. They all died refusing to confess they were in league with Satan. They held onto truth to the point of death. That, to me, is incredibly inspiring

Wow! Sounds very impactful, and the pain that must have reminaed in that family to seek clearing a distant relative after all that time! What are you working on next?

I just finished a manuscript for WaterBrook called “White Picket Fences,” which is a story about a family that seems to have the perfect life. Perfect house, perfect jobs, perfect neighborhood, perfect everything. But the reality is, they live on the same fallen planet as the rest of us and suffer the same flaws. To pretend all is well when all is not is to doom yourself to a life of pretense and disappointment and maybe even despair. We all have our flaws but we also have our strengths – and these shine brightest when we are honest about who we are and Who we must run to for help, healing and hope. I take this family on a little 375-page journey to face their struggles!

If you could take your family anywhere where would you go?

We’ve all been struck with eyes for New Zealand, ever since Peter Jackson brought J R R Tolkein’s Lord of the Rings to life. It would be a great trip!

For Young Men Only

For Young Men Only : A Guide to the Alien Gender

Authors: Jeff Feldhahn & Eric Rice with Shaunti Feldhahn

The best-selling ONLY series returns with a one-of-a-kind guide for teen guys on how to figure out girls

Drawing on a fresh national survey of 600 teen girls, as well as hundreds of personal interviews, For Young Men Only reveals the real truth about what teenage girls think, what they want, and how average teen guys can build healthy friendships with high quality girls. Full of surprising revelations and practical advice, For Young Men Only delivers help straight from the girls themselves in a fun, easy-to-read, easy-to-talk about format.

Warm, witty, and honest, authors Jeff Feldhahn and Eric Rice tell plenty of personal stories and draw on solid biblical principles to guide young guys through the often daunting world of the opposite sex. Their goal is to help teen guys build self-confidence and understanding, and show them how to pursue a relationship with a girl while giving her the respect and protection she deserves.

I have loved the For Women Only and For Men Only editions in this series. For Young Men Only: a Guide to the Alien Gender is a great addition to a teenage or college-aged man's library. Let's face it: women are confusing. But this book can help give a young man insight into a young woman's mind. Based on survey research as are the other books, it provides insights that penetrate to the heart of how young women think differently than young men. And I love the way it addresses the need to respect and protect the young women in their lives.
You can learn more about the book at its website: www.foryoungmenonly.com.

A Beautiful Fall Blog Tour

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

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

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

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



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

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

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


I struggled to get into this book, but I think it's because of my background. I'd read a book with a similar plot last year, and I'm ready for a young woman attorney to actually enjoy what she does and not have to return home to find herself again. But that's my bias LOL. This is a sweet coming home story, and one you will likely enjoy if that's what you're looking for.

Struggle -- need input

I know some of you who stop by this blog do so because you like to read reviews and enter the book giveaways I host. Usually, I can rave about the books because I love them or at a minimum point out elements I liked about the books.

This week I've read two books for tours that frankly, I didn't care for. They simply weren't books for me.

Here's the dilemma: what do I write in the review? As readers, what do you want to see? My gut instinct is to write what I thought of the book and why. If I don't like something, explain why but couch it in a nice tone. I do believe that some people will like these books. I just don't. One I forced myself to finish. The other, I'm not even sure I will.

So please, leave a comment and let me know what's helpful for you. The reviews are intended as a service for readers. So I value your opinions and thoughts.

Congratulations to our winners!

Congratulations to Lisa who won a copy of It's Not About Me.

And to Carly and Jolene who won copies of the Shape of Mercy.

Books I'm getting ready to giveaway:

Stepping into Sunlight by Sharon Hinck

Courting Miss Adelaide by Janet Dean

Diamond Duo by Marcia Gruver (2 copies)

A Constant Heart by Siri Mitchell

So keep coming back for more opportunities to receive great books! And don't forget to leave comments and join my feedblitz feed to have the opportunity to be selected for the giftcards at the end of October.

Review: The Bone Box

The Bone Box is the latest release from author Bob Hostetler, an award-winning author and pastor in Ohio. I think this is the first book of his that I've read, and it reminded me of John Olson's Fossil Hunter. It follows in the niche genre (that I may be coining) of archaeological suspense. Usually these books focus on a what if that surrounds the Bible. What if a fossil was discovered that supported intelligent design. Or in the Bone Box: what if a scroll is found which supports the resurrection?

Randall Bullock is an archaeologist in need of redemption both in his career and with his daughter. He's ready to pack up and head home to the States when his mentor sends him to a burial chamber uncovered by excavation. He's under an extremely tight deadline to complete the excavation. Then his 19 year old daughter arrives.

Joseph ben Caiaphas has been made the high priest. He's caught in a whirlwind of intrigue as he tries to bring righteousness back to Israel and protect his people from the Romans.

This book was a slow start for me -- not sure why. I think initially it may have been the back and forth between Rand's story and stepping back 2000 years to Caiaphas' story. Early on that slowed the story down for me, but about a third of the way through, that element is what kept me turning the pages.

This book is like many of the archeology suspense stories I've read. Misunderstood archaeologist trying to redeem a career that's on the skids and finds something they weren't looking for. In this case it's the bone box for the high priest at the time Jesus was killed. For the first third at least, I wondered why that would be important until Rand finds the scroll.

What set this book apart -- at least for me -- was the way that the author brought Caiaphas to life. Caveat -- remember this is a work of fiction. But sometimes fiction helps me try to imagine what was going on in the background that the Bible doesn't supply. I actually turned to the end notes about the midway part because what the author hypothesized fit and I wanted to see if he'd done his homework. He has, but it is fiction.

That said, this book's strength is in transporting you to Israel -- both today and 2000 years ago. The intrigue that may have surrounded the Sanhedrin comes to life and I found myself wondering about the tightrope Caiaphas may have walked. Now, what really happened could be far from the scenario the author paints, but I found his portrayal believable and challenging.

The suspense element didn't really build for me -- I think the action and adventure tag is a better fit. There isn't a real sense of a ticking bomb, though the setting is definitely exotic. I enjoyed this book, and kept returning to it. If you enjoy questions about what happened in Jesus' times with the flavor of Indiana Jones, then you will enjoy this book.

Abigail's Competition: Beam

This is the last one -- we were too far away to capture vault. Have I mentioned I'm so excited for her? All that hard work saw fruit. She's definitely got areas to keep working on, but she had a great first competition. Did you notice all the pointed toes LOL She was the model of consistency -- averaging 8.0 on each event.

Abigail's Bar Routine

She placed third among the eight year olds competing at level three. :-) I'm so proud of her because she got her windmill and her dismount! Still some refining -- but YEAH!!!!