CFBA Blog Tour: Who is My Shelter

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Who is My Shelter Thomas Nelson (March 1, 2011) by Neta Jackson



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Neta Jackson is the author of the popular novel series, *The Yada Yada Prayer Group*, and a spin-off series called *The Yada Yada House of Hope.* These novels were inspired by a real women's Bible study and prayer group that, as Neta says, "God has used to turn my life upside down and rightside up." Neta and her husband, Dave, are also an award-winning writing team, best known for the Trailblazer books--a forty-book series of historical fiction for young people about great Christian heroes (see www.trailblazerbooks.com). The Jacksons are members of a multi-cultural church in the Chicago area, and the parents of three grown children, including a Cambodian foster daughter, all with families of their own.



ABOUT THE BOOK

In Jackson's fourth Yada Yada House of Hope Christian evangelical novel, Gabby Fairbanks is now settled in her new apartment at the House of Hope. But she is being pulled in several directions at once and has some hard decisions to make.



Philip, her estranged husband, is in a lot of trouble with a rogue cop from whom he borrowed money and also with his partner at the commercial development firm after he takes company money to cover his gambling losses. Lee Boyer, the Legal Aid lawyer who has become a friend to Gabby, now wants to be more. Gabby must decide whether to give Philip another chance, as their sons, Paul and PJ, hope, and she turns to the folks at Manna House, where she works, and the Yada Yada Prayer Group to help her discern God's plan for her.



If you would like to read the first chapter of Who is My Shelter, go HERE

Letting Go

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

This past Friday I crafted and watched Tangled with my Coffee Girls. Tangled is the latest Disney movie based on the fairy tale Repunzel.

If you haven’t seen Tangled yet, I recommend it for 100 minutes of clean fun, laughs, and great “a-ha” moments. I was drawn in by the opening line, terrific dialogue, and of course, the happily ever after ending.

There’s a scene in the movie where Repunzel leaves her tower, using her own hair as a means of escape. Just as she’s about a foot from the ground, she draws up her feet and hesitates.

After all, she’s about to embark on a new adventure. And it’s scary. There could be ruffians or thugs lying in wait.
Also, in the movie, Repunzel sings “I see the light.” One of my Coffee Girls felt as though the song was meant for her.

In many ways, it was.

My friend is going through some new life changes that have a positive impact on her life and mental wellbeing. These changes, while great, are a little scary. She’s like Repunzel—a foot from the ground and nervous about letting go.

Isn’t that how it is with each new adventure in our lives, whether it’s a new home, a new job, a new baby, or even starting a new novel?

My current WIP, the sequel to Lakeside Reunion, is almost done. In fact, I’m hoping to have it to my agent by the end of this week. Of course, that’s going to take a lot of prayer and BIC (bottom in chair) to make it happen. I’m confident in the first half of the story, but the second half still needs some work to strengthen the prose and plot to ensure I’m leaving the reader with that heart-sighing happily ever after moment.

No matter what challenges we are facing in our lives, God is waiting for us to let go and let Him carry us through.

If we seek Him in prayer, He will give us the wisdom and discernment to make a Godly decision that will keep us in the center of His will for our lives. Now let go and let your feet touch the ground—God is waiting to catch you. Isn’t that what living by faith is all about?

Your turn: Are you struggling with a letting go moment right now?

CFBA Blog Tour: He Said, She Said

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing He Said, She Said Lighthouse Publishing (February 14, 2011)

by Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles



ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles are the cofounders of Christian Devotions Ministries. Their He Said, She Said devotions are syndicated in a number of newspapers across the eastern seaboard and they host the weekly He Said, She Said Radio, Friday nights at 6:00 p.m. est. on Blog Talk Radio. Eddie and Cindy are popular speakers and teachers at Writers Conferences across the country.



Eddie is the author of five non-fiction books and his newest fiction release, The Curse of Captain LaFoote, a middle grade book. While Cindy is the author of one non-fiction and two compilations.



Together they teach writing with WritersCoach.us. Eddie and Cindy have been writing the He Said, She Said devotions since 2008, taking one scripture weekly and looking at it from two perspectives--His and Hers, with the idea that learning more about scripture from two perspectives helps one to delve deeper in God's word and know Him better.



ABOUT THE BOOK

He Said, She Said: A Devotional Guide to Cultivating a Life of Passion, or How Newlyweds, Couples and Singles Can Draw Closer to God and Their Mate Through Daily Devotions



Do you sense something vital missing from you relationship with your spouse, children and God? Are you easily distracted by the busyness of life and left feeling drained, bored, and discouraged? Do you sense you were meant to enjoy the richness of life, but spend your days feasting on crumbs? This heart-warming collection of stories (54 in all) will inspire you to reach for the true source of joy: a life lived for and through God.



These deeply personal (and sometimes humorous) devotions offer biblical insights and spiritual truths from the unique perspective of one man and one woman. Learn to cultivate a life of passion. Perfect for your quiet time, these moments of meditative reflection illustrate the importance of allowing God to work within you and speak through you. No matter if you are newlyweds or newly retired, this book of devotions will help you put the spark back into your love life and explore the precious relationships God desires for you. He Said, She Said touches the heart, tickles the funny bone and brings you to your knees in worship.



If you would like to read an excerpt from He Said, She Said, go HERE.



Watch the book video:

Cindy and Eddie are not only good friends of mine, but a regular source of my spiritual renewal. It's a great idea, the he-said/she-said concept and I always enjoy their devotionals. Both are not only grounded spiritually, and super nice people but they both keep me laughing. It's that humor and heart that makes the spiritual more relatable in the most practical sense.

~Gina Holmes, author of Crossing Oceans~

I've know Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles for a few years. Each has a way of tickling my funny bone, so I wondered what a devotional book by them would be. I can heartily recommend it. The humor is there, but it's coupled with deep truths that go straight to the heart of the problem. You'll find a path that winds closer to God through He Said, She Said.

~Ane Mulligan, Editor of Novel Journey~

LitFuse Blog Tour: Lazarus Awakening

Lazarus Awakening

Getting God’s Love from Our Heads to Our Hearts

You believe that God loves the world…but sometimes you wonder if He truly loves you.

For many of us, moving the truth of God’s love from our heads to our hearts is a lifelong process. As we consider our inadequacies or grieve our shattered dreams, we find it difficult to believe that God cares for us personally.

In this life-giving book, Joanna Weaver shows you how to embrace the truth that Jesus loves you apart from anything you accomplish, apart from anything you bring. Just as He called Lazarus forth to new life, Jesus wants to free you to live fully in the light of His love, unbound from the graveclothes of fear, regret, and self-condemnation.

Love is calling your name.

Combining unforgettable real-life illustrations with unexpected biblical insights, Joanna Weaver invites you to experience a spiritual resurrection that will forever change your understanding of what it means to be the one Jesus loves. Bible study and Leader’s Guide available here.

Joanna Weaver is known the world over for her transparent and life-changing books, Having A Mary Heart in a Martha World and Having a Mary Spirit. These two books have sold over a million copies and have been translated into several languages including Spanish, French, Dutch, Chinese, German, Korean and more. Joanna has appeared on a wide variety of nationally syndicated radio and television broadcasts. Past appearances include: The Harvest Show, At Home Live With Chuck & Jenni, Midday Connection, HomeWord, and Janet Parschall’s America . She is also a highly sought after speaker and shares her message at intimate gatherings and several high profile events each year. But Joanna's greatest joy is found in being a wife and mother and her role as a pastor’s wife. For more information about Joanna, please visit her website. 


I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for my participation in this blog tour. The soothing colors on the cover and the written words are so poignant for this Lenten season. As I read through Lazarus Awakening, I nodded along as if she were writing about me. The spiritual insights touched my heart and drew me closer to God. Buy your copy of Lazarus Awakening today.  Here is the link to the blog tour schedule. Visit the other blogs on this tour and read what others have to say about Lazarus Awakening. 

Joanna is celebrating the release of Lazarus Awakening with the Heart of God KINDLE Giveaway!

In Lazarus Awakening Joanna writes about getting God’s love from our heads to our hearts. We all know Jesus loved Mary – look how she worshiped. And we can understand why He loved Martha – after all, look how she served. But what about those of us who don’t know where we fit in the heart of God? Lazarus Awakening explores the tale of the third follower – Mary and Martha’s brother, Lazarus. We never hear him speak, we never see him serve. The only thing of any significance that Lazarus did was to die. And yet, the Bible is clear. Jesus loved Lazarus. And He loves you and me as well. Lazarus Awakening looks at different aspects of the story we find in John 11. We learn what it means to be a friend of God and begin recognizing the tombs we spend far too much time in. Find out more here.

 One grand prize winner will receive:

    * A Brand New KINDLE with Wi-Fi

    * Having A Mary Heart in a Martha World

    * Having A Mary Spirit

    * Lazarus Awakening

Joanna will also select two additional contest entrants to receive copies of her trilogy. Enter soon by clicking the icons below and then tell your friends. Hurry the contest ends April 16th. The winner will be announced on Joanna's blog on April 18th.

 

CFBA Blog Tour: Tea For Two

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Tea For Two Harvest House Publishers (April 1, 2011) by Trish Perry



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A word from our Author: I started writing short stories—pretty bad ones. And I started taking creative writing courses to round out my degree. So I was in classes full of people just like me—lousy writers. But we were learning!



Then the Lord led me to a local writers' group, Capital Christian Writers, and the contacts and friends I made through CCW enriched my personal life and my writing life more than I can measure. Through CCW and through reading just about every book and magazine ever published by Writer's Digest, I started catching on. Now I'm writing full time and man oh man do I love it.



Before the writing began, I worked for attorneys in Washington, D. C. I worked for the Securities and Exchange Commission. And I was a stockbroker. A horrible stockbroker. How do people do that? Take responsibility for other people's financial futures? Yikes. I'm perfectly happy to take responsibility for the amount of time any one person wants to spend reading my books. If you enjoy the experience, then know that we both enjoyed it together. I love that about books.



In the midst of all that fretting over other people's money and writing about other people's lives, I racked up a few personal experiences myself. Some good, some bad, but all part of God's plan. Now I'm an empty nester living in Northern Virginia. My brilliantly funny son is in college. I have a savvy, gorgeous grown daughter, a charming son-in-law, and an amazing grandson.



ABOUT THE BOOK

Zack Cooper tries his best to raise his children, but he's losing his grip on them in their teen years. They've both had scrapes with the local law.



Tea Shop owner Milly Jewel has the perfect woman in mind to help Zack. Counselor Tina Milano meets weekly at the tea shop with her women's group. Milly encourages Zack and Tina to work together to draw the teens back before they get in even hotter water. Milly never thought things might heat up between Zack and Tina. Or did she?



Tina's connections with the Middleburg police department prove a mixed blessing for Zack and his kids. Both her best friend and old boyfriend are officers on the force.



And when Tina's women's group gets wind of her personal pursuits and clashes, they want to help. The group's meetings at the tea shop take on a slightly different flavor. Tina wonders who, exactly, is counseling whom.



Although heroine Tina Milano and her women's group are mentioned in The Perfect Blend (the first book in this series), Tea for Two is where we meet her and hero Zack Cooper. I knew I would write this book while I wrote the first, so it was fun to plant a passing mention of Zack and Tina while I wrote Steph's story in The Perfect Blend. By the time I was able to write Tina and Zack's story, I was eager to unfold their lives, conflicts, and love. I hope readers will be eager to experience what happens to them!



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



Watch the Book Video:

Now what?

© Patrick Jordan

With a pounding heart and shaky finger, you pressed submit. Your contest entry or manuscript whizzed through cyber space to enter the inbox of the contest coordinator, agent, or editor of your choice. Or maybe you received "the call" and sold your first book!

Hooray!! You did it!! Congratulations!!

Now what?


1. Pray. Pray? Yes, pray and ask for His favor on your writing. Pray and ask for His will to be done--even if you don't final or if you receive a rejection letter from that agent or editor.

You see, God has a plan and a purpose for your life--a plan to give you a future and a hope. Long before the desire to write stirred your heart, God put His plans in place for when the time came for you to travel down that chosen path.

I believe every writer needs to feel the sting of rejection. I cried when I received my first rejection letter--ironically from Love Inspired, who is my new publisher! At that time, though, my writing wasn't ready. The feedback from the contests I entered and words from those who mentored me helped me to improve my writing.

2. Celebrate! You need to celebrate the milestones you reach as you strive for publication. Celebrate finishing that first draft. Celebrate submitting to that contest. Celebrate that contest final. Celebrate that agent acceptance. Celebrate that first sale.

When I received the call from my wonderful agent, Rachelle Gardner, that Love Inspired wanted to buy my book, I cried. Yes, I'm a sap. :-) The years of working harder to write better were paying off. 

3. Study the craft. Writers who don't invest in their craft become stagnant. Consider how you can improve a new technique in your next novel. Maybe it's dialogue. Or word painting. Or symbolism. 
But you know what?

4. Keep writing. Whether you submitted a contest entry, a manuscript for consideration, or sold your first novel, keep writing. Polish that manuscript or begin your next story. Writers write. Plain and simple.

5. Be prepared to wait. Writers wait. Agents wait. Editors wait. At each stage in your writing career, you'll be asking "now what?" and waiting.

With my first sale, I haven't arrived. I've simply taken a bend in the road for a new direction in my career. I still wonder "now what?" Now I have line edits, marketing, and the next books to consider.

Writing isn't easy. But if it's your heart's desire, you'll stay the course. While you're waiting, ponder "now what" and be prepared for God to take your breath away. 


John Waller - While I'm Waiting (Official Music Video) from Provident Label Group on Vimeo.



Your Turn: Are you thinking "now what?" At what stage are you in your writing career? How do you handle the waiting?

~*~

Congratulations to Katie Ganshert! She won the I.O.U. for an autographed copy of my novel, Lakeside Reunion, when it's available in the fall from last Friday's MBT Ponderer's blog interview with me.

MBT Ponderers Interviewed Me!

My sweet friend, Beth Vogt, interviewed me at MBT Ponderers.

Breakfast is a key component in Lakeside Reunion, my debut novel. Share your favorite breakfast food in the comments section of the MBT Ponderers blog, and your name will be added to a drawing for a free autographed copy of Lakeside Reunion when it's available in the fall. Everyone is invited to participate, due to postage costs, the drawing is limited to U.S. residents only.