Christian Fiction

Monday, June 09, 2008

Christian Fiction News: BET, The Shack, Exorsistah & the List

Christian Fiction News for the Week of June 7, 2008

BET Lift Every Voice's Gerard Henry Gone

Mona Austin of Eurweb reports. "After nine years, Gerard Henry, the face of BET's "Lift Every Voice" has left the network. "He has just launched a one-hour inspirational talk show entitled, "G-Talk! Religion, Sex, and Politics" which airs Sundays 12:00-:00 p.m. in Washington D.C. on WPGC Heaven 1580 AM. Question: What's going on at BET?

The Shack on Audio

On June 20 Oasis Audio will release surprise best-selling novel, The Shack(at Amazon for 21.17 instead of the $27.99 retail price.) Source Christian Retailing

The Young Adult Christian Edge
Exorsistah

Last week Publisher's Weekly spotlighted Zondervan, FaithWords, Multnomah, NavPress, Thomas Nelson and my Write-or-die-chick, Claudia Mair Burney's The Exorsistah in an article about the rise in edgy contemporary young adult Christian novels.

Clearly, it's tough to balance depicting the rough stuff of adolescence in a realistic way without offending conservative sensibilities. Novelist Claudia Mair Burney understands this tension well. “Christian fiction seems to play it safe so often, but adolescence is inherently unsafe,” she explains. “If we can't show Christ as redeemer in the midst of people cutting themselves, starving themselves or having sex before they're ready, why would we write at all?” Burney's latest YA novel, The Exorsistah, comes out from Pocket on July 22 and will push some buttons: it's about a homeless teenage girl with a spiritual gift for discerning demons. “Exorcism is not child's play,” warns Burney.

Way to go, Claudia!

FoxFaith's The List on DVD Shelves Today

The List based on Robert Whitlow's novel hits DVD shelves today, coinciding with the release of his latest novel, Deeper Water (the first book in Whitlow's Tides of Truth series from Thomas Nelson Publishers).

Twitter Book Chat in 30 Minutes

I will be chatting with Kathleen Popa and Brandon Satrom about Gayle Roper's summer novel, "Fatal Deduction" in thirty minutes. If you missed it, goto Summize and read our chat under deegospel.

Saturday, June 07, 2008

Weekend Chatterbox: God's Secret Providence

Based on the Novel, Fatal Deduction, is this Weekend's Chatterbox question.

Have you had the experience of having God care for you and provided for you even though you didn't realize it at the time? Have you been changed by God's Secret Providence (Hebrews 13:5)

It happened to me last year when I felt my sanity slipping away after losing my second child, losing seven years of writing, leaving my home and leaving my ex-husband again. As I lost and had to start over this year I was broken. How could I parent Selah through all of this? Could I find peace in my soul again? Would I stop mourning the child I lost and the love of my life? Was I still worthy?

Almost a year later I can look back and see God moving me to a better me whether I knew it or not. The thought of that snuggles me as I still continue to answer my tough questions.

As a writer I still don't know, but I am writing to see what the end will be. And I'm waiting to hear from you.

Blessings and don't forget to chat with me, Kathleen Popa and Brandon Satrom on Monday at 2pm EST, as we discuss Roper's Book and your Chatterbox comments.

Dee

Friday, June 06, 2008

The Twitter Book Promotion Experiment: Fatal Deduction

In January Christian Fiction began an online book promotion experiment using Twitter. Jill Elizabeth Nelson was kind enough to participate in the first experiment.

On Monday Christian Fiction will experiment again. This time two other author members of the Twitterati, Brandon Satrom and Kathleen Popa will participate in an Twitter Book Chat, and we are inviting you to participate.

The book we will discuss is Fatal Deduction

Summary: Libby Burton longs to be close to her twin sister, Tori, but their lives have taken them in different directions. Forced to share Aunt Stella’s old Philadelphia home in order to receive their inheritance, Libby hopes for a change, but it isn’t looking good so far. First, Tori tries to steal the affection and allegiance of Libby’s thirteen-year-old daughter, Chloe. Then when a crossword puzzle with a hidden warning shows up on their doorstep, Tori refuses to take it seriously-inspite of the dead man who delivers it. Libby finds comfort in neighbor Drew Canfield, but he hesitates to trust her after his disastrous marriage. As Libby struggles to act faithfully in the midst of these confusing relationships, she must also deal with a stolen diamond and a botched kidnapping. The answer to her problems lies in the riddles of the crosswords, if only she can solve the puzzle before it’s too late.

Author Bio: Gayle Roper has been writig mystery and romantic suspense novels for more than thirty years and is the author of over forty-five books. She is a three-time Christy Award finalist, the winner of three Holt Medallions, and the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from Romantic Times magazine. Her novel Autumn Dreams won Romance Writers of America’s RITA Award for Best Inspirational Romance. She and her husband, Chuck, divide their time between Pennsylvania and Ontario, Canada.

Now here are the details on how you can participate in our live Twitter chat on Monday.

Read the book. If you don't have it, goto your public library or buy it a your local store. Check the sidebar for Books-A-Million(BAM) discounts. If you still can't snag a copy between now and Monday, don't worry. Download this excerpt, to warm you up. You can still chat. After we chirp this book, you will go and get it.
Get a Twitter Account, if you don't have one. Twitter is a miniblog platform that you can link to your blog and read via your cell phone. So you can participate via SMS technology, if you don't have internet access.
Follow me, Kathleen and Brandon. Here are our usernames:

Participate in Christian Fiction Blog's Weekend Chatterbox Question here and at Twitter. Come to the site for the chatterbox question, if you are an email subscriber or read the most current post.
Join us Monday, EST to read, chime in and participate in the book chat.
If you decide to join us, leave me a comment, so I can follow you and add yo to the discussion.

Can't wait to see you.

Wednesday, June 04, 2008

Wednesdays: Divas, Heaven & Jasmine

Wednesday wrap up for the week of June 1, 2008

If you are a subscriber to Christian Fiction Blog, please stop by the blog to see the June Book picks. They can be found in a slideshow under the header. Today's Wednesday wrap-up will feature some of those titles and some news that will affect Christian fiction lovers this week.

10 Seats left for Michelle McKinney Hammond's Divas at the Drake event.
Call 1-866-391-0955

GLIMPSES of HEAVEN

Former hospice nurse, Trudy Harris, shares the glimpses of heaven experienced by hospice patients near the end of their life's journey. Watch the video here.

A CHANGE IS GONNA COME

FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2008
8:00 PM
AT THE HISTORIC LINCOLN THEATRE!
1215 U Street NW
Washington, DC 20009
www.lovethelincoln.org

Tickets: $38.50 orchestra, $31.50 balcony (Group Rates for 10 or more persons)

Jasmine's Scorching Summer Tour announced

June 3rd, Jasmine Cox Larson Bush was unleashed to the world...again. But this time she's going on a Too Little, Too Late summer tour with author, Victoria Christopher Murray. You can also stop by my write-or-die galpal, Rhonda McKnight this month as she spotlight's Victoria at her blog.

TOUR SCHEDULE:

Date Location Address Time
June 5 Barnes & Noble 2774 N. Germantown Pkwy, Memphis, TN 7:30 PM
June 6 - June 8 Memphis Cook Con. Center 255 N Main Street,
Memphis, TN TBA
June 13 B. Dalton/Union 50 Massachusetts Ave. NW Washington D.C. 12:00 PM
June 19 Books-A-Million 2150 Northwoods Blvd N. Charleston, SC 7:00 PM
June 20 Books-A-Million 164 Forum Drive, Columbia, SC 7:00 PM
June 21 Wal-Mart 8709 J W Clay Blvd., Charlotte, NC 2:00 PM
June 22 Borders Books & Music 252 Stratford Rd, Winston-Salem, NC 2:00 PM
June 25 Books-A-Million 140 Wildwood Pkwy., Birmingham, AL 7:00 PM

June 26 Wal-Mart 950 Highway 80 East, Clinton, MS 6:00 PM
June 27 Jokaes Books 3223 W. Camp Wisdom Road, Dallas, TX 6:00 PM
June 29 - July 2 Zeta Phi Beta Sorority NTL Conv

3150 Paradise Rd Las Vegas, NV PageTurner Books booth TBA
July 4 - July 6 Essence Music Festival 900 Convention Center Blvd.,

New Orleans, LA TBA
July 11 Cgifts @ Panera Bread 6550 Miller Lane, Dayton, OH 6:00 PM
July 12 - July 13 NAACP Author Pavillion 525 Elm St., Cincinnati, OH TBA
July 17 WaldenBooks/Citicorp Cntr 500 W. Madison, Chicago, IL 12:00 PM
July 17 KMART 17550 Halstead Street 6:00 PM
July 18 - July 20 Indianapolis Black Expo 200 S. Capitol Avenue

Indianpolis, IN TBA
July 22 Books-A-Million 9400 Atlantic Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 7:00 PM
July 23 Pyramid Books 544-2 Gateway Blvd., Boynton Beach, FL 7:00 PM
July 25 - July 28 Delta Convention Orlando Convention Center TBA
July 31 WaldenBooks/CNN Center One CNN Center, Atlanta, GA 1:00 PM
July 31 Medu Books 2841 Greenbriar Pkwy., Atlanta, GA 6:30 PM
August 1 - August 3 National Book Club Conf Atlanta Marriott Marquis
265 Peachtree Center Avenue, Atlanta, GA TBA
WIN A SPA TREAT

You have only a few days left to tell us why your mom is the best and share her picture with us — you could win a spa vacation for both of you. Then rate photos of the world's best moms.

ENTER NOW!

Tuesday, June 03, 2008

Obama Wins the Democratic Presidential Nomination

CNN Reports

Senator Obama makes history as the first African-American to lead a major US party ticket to possibly becoming the next President of the United States.

This is the email tat was sent off to his supporters.

Friend,

I'm about to take the stage in St. Paul and announce that we have won the Democratic nomination for President of the United States.

It's been a long journey, and we should all pause to thank Hillary Clinton, who made history in this campaign. Our party and our country are better off because of her.

I want to make sure you understand what's ahead of us. Earlier tonight, John McCain outlined a vision of America that's very different from ours -- a vision that continues the disastrous policies of George W. Bush.

But this is our moment. This is our time. Our time to turn the page on the policies of the past and bring new energy and new ideas to the challenges we face. Our time to offer a new direction for the country we love.

It's going to take hard work, but thanks to you and millions of other donors and volunteers, no one has ever been more prepared for such a challenge.

Thank you for everything you've done to get us here. Let's keep making history.

Barack

Mike Dellosso's The Hunted

Mike Dellosso, is a writing friend and brother in spirit to me. Becoming published within this industry is harder than others. I know this personally, as I struggle to become a published novelist myself. So I was pleased to learn of Mike's book deal and, of course, concerned and quite prayerful when he was diagnosed with cancer two months before the release of his debut novel.

I live with two chronic illnesses and remember very well how hard it is to be more than just a medical survivor. I can imagine how taxing it is to try to promote a book through all of this.

But we know we have a God, a wonderful, magnanimous God who will make it all right. We, the Christian Fiction Writing Brotherhood unite this week to host an online book tour, of Mike's book. With great pleasure today Christian Fiction Blog is honored to spotlight his novel, The Hunted. as our Trailer Park Tuesday pick.

A Summary of The Hunted:

A town’s deadly secret will drive one man to the edge of his faith…

After learning of the disappearance of his nephew, Joe Saunders returns to his childhood home of Dark Hills. With rumors spreading of a rogue lion roaming the woods, he embarks on a mission to learn the truth. As he peels away the layers of Dark Hills, he discovers a secret that has been shrouded for three generations in a deadly code of silence. Will his young faith be strong enough to battle the demonic forces behind it?

Participating Blogs: (Check them out!)