Vanessa Davis Griggs a Good Girl

Good Girl Magazine's September/October issue spotlights my sweet blog editor and prolific author, Vanessa Davis Griggs. Click on the title to direct you to the interview.

Marina, keep doing the thing. Call me later. :)

Dee's Books Reviewed: Dark Star

DeathStroke frontman and rockstar legend, Everett Lester almost waited to late to remove the demons out of his life. But his old ultraegotistical boozing ways lands him him a murder one arrest warrant when his psychic, Madam Endora Crystal is murdered. The only person who believes that he's not capable of killing is a fan of his soul, Karen Bayliss, a woman that brought him to Christ through a fan letter.

Kansas christian, Karen Bayliss's soul want let her give up on the ugliest soul she's ever encountered, alternative rockband, Deathstroke's lead singer, Everett Lester. Little does she kow that his psychic, Endora wants his soul, too. But it is up to Everett to decided who he wants to believe in.

Creston Mapes weaves this tale from past to present without making the reader gag from all the flashbacks. In fact, the flashback is more than just backstory, it is The Story, our story, a redemption story. How does a God hating unbeliever, find and adore God? How does someone full of excess find that he is just as destitute as his poorest fan? And how one person--Karen Bayliss--can save a man's life.

This novel is more than a mystery/court room novel. Mapes threw in a kidnapping, demonization, a suicide attempt, a romance and two Rolling Stone interviews to keep it interesting.

I've talked about this book before, in regards to how Mapes uses nonfiction techniques to connect with his readers. Everett's thoughts about how could God exist, and why many don't believe in God anymore--add more realism and incite to this series. Although I thought the dialogue at times didn't push the story along, I understood why it was necessary for readers to see Everett's transformation and his band members and the media's struggle with believeing that Everett's Jesus talk wasn't just "foxhole religion."

Moreover, this book is a testament to the power of intercessory prayer. Every Saturday my friend, Dr. Vanessa Battle holds a prayer meeting at our galpal, BJ's church. I have told myself that I was too busy to go until I read the book. Now I think there are some souls in and around my house that need extra praying over. Don't you? So I'll be there Saturday. If you have any prayer requests hit me up.


Dee

AN ALLURING NOVEL, SHORT, SWEET AND INSPIRING

Dear Christian Fiction Lover,

There comes a time when you discover an author whose writing is  so rich and inspiring that you simply cannot keep it to yourself. I hope you'll check out, The Allure by Jackie Scott - King. If you've read it, let me know what you think.

Happy Reading,
Marina Woods,
Good Girls Book Club Online

A Christian Book Lovers Community for Everyone!

 

The Allure 

Words: Sabrina Hall

Jackie King Scott’s short novel, The Allure is packed with much wisdom and spiritual insight that is helpful whether you happened to be married or single. This novel teaches us how quickly things can spiral out of control when two people lean on their own understanding and stop letting God direct their paths.  

Valerie Townsend is experiencing what is commonly referred to as the seven year itch. After going through the ups and downs of marriage and trying to conceive a child, Patricia feels as if God is leading her to end her marriage to John. To make matters worse, Patricia thinks that God is offering her a second chance at marriage by bring Curtis, an attractive divorced Christian man into her life. What Patricia fails to realize until she attends a women’s retreat and attends a session entitled “Wait on the Lord” is that waiting does not mean that you sit back, expecting God to provide an automatic solution to your problems. Waiting is preparing yourself by remaining in God’s will so you will be ready to act when He intervenes. Patricia also comes to realize that while she has been blaming much of the marital problems on John, she is too must shoulders some of the blame. Her way of thinking led her to believe that it was John who needed to make changes when in actuality she needed to make some changes in herself in order to improve her marriage.  

The Allure is full of messages that offer hope, fidelity, real love, commitment and restoration. By the conclusion of this short but powerful novel, Valerie learns what we all eventually learn. We cannot direct our own paths. We must pray and allow God’s will to be done.

 

Book Watch: David's Maine's Fallen

David Maine's sophomore biblical fiction novel, Fallen falls on bookstore shelves this month.

Canongate.com's Book description...

Beginning with the murder of Abel by Cain, Fallen rewinds to mankind's first taste of shame - through the fury and jealousy, the lust and despair - right back to that bite from the apple.

An interesting article about Fallen in the New York Times. Booklist and Publishers Weekly gave it nice reviews.

Dee