Summer Reading Challenge: Worth a Thousand Words

We're now well into July and I need to update you on the summer reading challenge. Today I'm going to juice things up a bit and give you a review for one of my picks for the month, Stacy Hawkins Adams Worth a Thousand Words.

Genre: Christian Fiction, Romance, Muliticultural
Title: Worth a Thousand Words
Author: Stacy Hawkins Adams
Release Date: June 2009
Publisher: Revell


Synopsis:
College graduate and photographer, Indigo Burns is staring down a bright road to her future. With graduate school in her plans, photography summer internship in her hometown[Jubilant, Texas,] and her longtime boyfriend going away to Officer Candidate School (NAVY,) she would have the time and attention to focus on what she thought was God's purpose for her life. That changes when Brian proposes. Is she ready for marriage? Can she fulfill her dreams and be an officer's wife, too?

Naval aviator candidate Brian Harper knows his destiny and believes that Indigo is a big part of it. But when he attends OCS in Rhode Island he is reminded of a nasty skeleton in his closet that would surely ruin his chances in the Nacy and with Indigo. With his past clouding his view can he now face the truth about his want for marriage?

My review:

Ok. Stacy. Girl, you did that. LOL. Ooh, Honey. This was a sweet and fast read, perfect for the summer. Stacy's writing has grown. I'm so proud. I didn't know how this story would end, yet it still held the qualities of a great summer romance. Kudos!

I recommend this book for a study with single ministries, wedding guilds, and young adult ministries. I also think it is a great bookclub discussion with topics that extend far past the puplit. ($12.99)

Dee Stewart,
Reviewer

Summer Reading Challenge: Friday Story & Soak

On Fridays I usually read a book while soaking in a bubble bath. I've read and reviewed countless books this way and of course pruned my skin. Thank you mom bloggers for the many sugar scrubs and body potions. Anyhoo...this weekend's summer reading challenge is my good friend, Deanne Gist's A Bride in the Bargain.

Here's a snippet here

Summer Reading Challenge: Sisterchicks in Wooden Shoes

I met and chatted with Robin two years ago at the Christy Awards. She is a sweetheart, and her books are just as sweet , so I recommend her latest, Sisterchicks In Wooden Shoes as this week's Summer Reading Challenge entry.

Summary: When a mammogram result comes back abnormal, midlife mama Summer Finley makes a snap decision to relegate fear to the back burner and fulfill a lifelong dream. Summer heads for Holland where she meets up with tulips, wooden shoes, and her best friend, Noelle.

Pen pals since fourth grade, Summer and Noelle have never met face-to-face. Through decades of heart-level correspondence, they have sustained a deep friendship. A week of adventure helps both women trade anxiety for a renewed and deeper trust in God. When Summer confides in Noelle about the abnormal medical report, Noelle finds the freedom to share a long-held heartache, and both women discover they needed each other more than they realized.

Author Bio:

Robin Jones Gunn is the best-selling and award-winning author of over seventy books, including the Glenbrooke, Christy Miller, Sierra Jensen, Katie Weldon, and Christy and Todd: The College Years teen series. The Sisterchicks® series has sold more than 300,000 units, bringing her total sales to more than 3.5 million books worldwide. A Christy Award winner, Robin is a popular speaker, both at home and abroad, and is frequently interviewed on radio and on television. Learn more about her at www.robingunn.com www.sisterchicks.com

Summer Reading Challenge: 2 Random Reads

Today I'm spotlighting a collective for our summer reading challenge.You can pop both books in a cute summer tote and take to the beach for the weekend. Enjoy.

Book: Saints in Limbo

Author: River Jordan

Summary:

Ever since her husband Joe died, Velma True’s world has been limited to what she can see while clinging to one of the multicolored threads tied to the porch railing of her home outside Echo, Florida.

When a mysterious stranger appears at her door on her birthday and presents Velma with a special gift, she is rattled by the object’s ability to take her into her memories–a place where Joe still lives, her son Rudy is still young, unaffected by the world’s hardness, and the beginning is closer than the end. As secrets old and new come to light, Velma wonders if it’s possible to be unmoored from the past’s deep roots and find a reason to hope again.

Author Bio:

River Jordan is a critically acclaimed novelist and playwright whose unique mixture of southern and mystic writing has drawn comparisons to Sarah Addison Allen, Leif Enger, and Flannery O’Connor. Her previous works include The Messenger of Magnolia Street, lauded by Kirkus Reviews as “a beautifully written, atmospheric tale.” She speaks around the country and makes her home in Nashville.

Book: Stealing Home

Author: Allison Pittman

Dates: June 1^st – 5^th

Summary:

It’s 1905 and the Chicago Cubs are banking on superstar Donald “Duke” Dennison’s golden arm to help them win the pennant. Only one thing stands between Duke and an unprecedented ten thousand dollar contract: alcohol.

That’s when sportswriter David Voyant whisks Duke to the one-horse town of Picksville, Missouri, so he can sober up in anonymity. He bides his time flirting with Ellie Jane Voyant, his unofficial chaperone, who would rather hide herself in the railway station ticket booth than face the echoes of childhood taunts.

Ned Clovis, the feed store clerk, has secretly loved Ellie Jane since childhood, but he loves baseball and the Duke almost as much–until he notices Ellie Jane may be succumbing to the star’s charm.

Then there’s Morris, a twelve-year-old Negro boy, whose only dream is to break away from Picksville. When Duke discovers his innate talent for throwing a baseball, Morris might just have found his way out.

Four individuals, each living in haunted isolation, each harboring a secret passion. Providence brings them together. Tragedy threatens to tear them apart. Will love be enough to bring them home?

Author Bio:

Allison Pittman spent seventeen years as a high school English teacher, and then shunned the advice of “experts,” quit her day job and set out to write novels that bring glory to God. She relishes inspiring other writers and leading the theater arts group at her church. She and her husband and three sons live in Universal City, Texas.

June Top Ten:The Summer Reading Challenge 09

Today begins our annual Summer Reading Challenge. This year we are doing something different. I will present a top ten monthly list of my choices, a daily spotlight of a great book for the summer, and weekly three book cluster that fits either a series or theme. You can choose from either stacks of choices.

The catch is I want us to get together and talk about these books online. In fact, I want to talk about these books online with the author. So, in order to do this I need to know which author you most want to talk to for the month of June and when, and I will try my best to hook that up. We will host our online bookclub via Christian Fiction's Twitter Bookgroup. We will chat in both Tweet chat and BlogTalkRadio or Ustream TV. This would depend on the author's digital capabilities. Sounds like fun?

Wait a minute. It don't stop there. I'm giving away books. I'm giving away three to five of the same book to a bookclub that needs a makeover. I'm also giving away copies to my best readers at Christian Fiction Blog. Because this month we have our 5 year Birthday. We're starting Kindergarten folks. We're learning how to ride bikes. And we're going up a notch, more focused Christian book contest, less pr and book marketing(you can find that on my other site) But CFB is going back to its roots and growing at the same time. So I'm looking for bloggers, book reviewers, and vloggers. Hit me up.

Let's make this summer reading challenge the Best.

Below is the link to Christian Fiction's online docks:
Twitter Group: Christian Fiction
Good Reads: Twitter BookClub
Forum: Christian Fiction Network
Christian Fiction on Twitter: @deegospel (me) and @cfblog

The June Top Ten Summer List is:

1. Angela Hunt, The Note II
2. Victoria Christopher Murray, Lady Jasmine
   
3. Robin Jones Gunn, Sisterchicks in Wooden Shoes
   
4. Deanne Gist, A Bride in the Bargain
   
5. Kimberla Roby, One in a Million
6. Greg Garrett, Shame
7. Bonnie Hopkins, Now and Then Again
8. Nicole Seitz, A Hundred Years of Happiness
9. Shelly Adina Who Made You a Princess?
10. Vanessa Davis Griggs, Practicing What you Preach
    

Christian Fiction Weekly Wrap

For the week May 26-May 31, 2008

I have been so busy this week I couldn't post as regularly as I do. I discovered many things I want to share, so I am going to do this digest version from now on on Friday along with the Weekend Chatterbox, at least through the summer.

The 2008 Summer Beach Read Nominees Are...

Below are my top book pics for the summer. I had to choose from 100 titles. I may have missed a genre(crime and horror.) I added an extra young adult, because I love reading YA during the summer. You can continue to add to this list in comments.

On another note, in my sidebar I have Faith Point(Books A Million) button that has many of these titles on sale for the summer. Since Amazon doesn't count for book reporting, then Faith Point would help the authors and purchasing through us, supports Christian Fiction Blog. Thanks for all who have helped keep this blog going.

So here's the list:

1. So You're One of Them? (Literary)
   
2. Too Little, Too Late (Urban Contemporary)
   
3. Dance Into Destiny (Women's Fiction Young Adult Urban)
   
4. Skizzer (Transcontinental Women's Fiction)
   
5. Rick Acker's Blood Brothers (Legal Thriller)
   
6. You Had me at Good Bye (Romantic Comedy)
   
7. Danny Gospel (Romance)
   
8. The Summer of Cotton Candy (Young Adult)
   
9. Lisa Samon's Bella: The Movie Novelized (Mainstream)
   
10. Claudia Mair Burney, Death, Deceit & some Smooth Jazz (Romantic Suspense Comedy)
    
11. Melody Carlson's Mixed Bag (Young Adult)
    

Still Time to Sign up for the VIP Online Writer's Conference.

A Mini Concert I Recommend to my Atlanta Friends...

WEDNESDAY WINDOWN at CENTENNIAL OLYMPIC PARK

PRESENTS

Chandra Currelley

JUNE 4^TH AT 5:00PM

THE WAIT IS OVER! COME SEE AND HEAR THIS INCREDIBLE INSPIRATIONAL JAZZ & SOUL ARTIST YOU’VE SEEN IN TYLER PERRY’S “WHAT’S DONE IN THE DARK” AND “DIARY OF A MAD BLACK WOMAN”!

JAZZ AND URBAN SOUL FROM

Summer Good Read: Sweetgrass

I spoke about Nicole Seitz wonderful book cover last month. I'm delighted to give you another dose of her. And I plan to have here this month for some FAQ. So let me reintroduce you to her debut novel,

The Spirit of Sweetgrass

Integrity/Thomas Nelson (March 6, 2007)

by

Nicole Seitz

ABOUT Nicole:

NICOLE SEITZ is a South Carolina Lowcountry native and freelance writer/illustrator published in South Carolina Magazine, Charleston Magazine, House Calls, The Island Packet and The Bluffton Packet. Her artwork inspired this book. Thomas Nelson publishers used her painting to design this beautiful book cover. Wow!

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Essie Mae Laveau Jenkins,a 78-year-old sweetgrass basket weaver, who has spent her life creating "love baskets," and praying over her customers. Yet her
her daughter Henrietta wants her to retire from her roadside stand and move into a senior living center instead. When Essie realizes she owe $10,000 in back taxes to, she loses her faith in life's worth. Her dead husband Jim is calling her home to live with him in Heaven. Will she go? Can she save her family from the other side?

Nicole can be reached through the Contact link on her Website

the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Counting Down Good Beach Reads-

Finally, I have my list of Good Beach Reads for Christian Fiction's Summer Reading Fest. The first book on this list is:
The Elevator
THREE WOMEN . . . ONE MAN . . . A GATHERING STORM
In the path of a devastating hurricane, three very different women find themselves trapped in the elevator of a high-rise office building. All three conceal shattering secrets unaware that their secrets center on the same man.

The betrayed wife, eager to confront her faithless husband, with rage in her heart and a gun in her pocket . . .

The determined mistress, finally ready to tell her lover she wants marriage and a family . . .

The fugitive cleaning woman, tormented by the darkest secret of all . . .

As the storm rages ever closer, these three must unite to fight for their lives in the greatest test of courage and faith any woman could ever face.

Now does that sound like a good read or what?

It is JUNE 1st, time for
the FIRST Day Blog Tour! (Join our alliance! Click the button!) The FIRST day
of every month we will feature an author and his/her latest book's FIRST
chapter!

This month's feature is:

Rebeca
Seitz

and her book:

PRINTS
CHARMING

(Thomas Nelson Publishers, March 15, 2007)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Rebeca Seitz is Founder and
President of Glass Road Public Relations. An author for several years, Rebeca cut her publicity teeth as the first dedicated publicist for the fiction division of Thomas Nelson Publishers. In 2005, Rebeca resigned from WestBow and opened the doors of GRPR, the only publicity firm of its kind in the country dedicated solely to representing novelists writing from a Christian worldview. Rebeca has worked with such esteemed authors as:Robin Jones Gunn, Ted Dekker, Frank Peretti, Walter Wangerin, Jr., DiAnn Mills, Brandilyn Collins, Colleen Coble, Melody Carlson, and numerous others. She has secured coverage for novelists in a variety of media outlets, including The Today Show,USA Today,Chicago Sun-Times, AtlantaJournal-Constitution, Publishers Weekly, Christian
Retailing, Aspiring Retail, Southern Living,Daystar Television, HarvestTV, WAY-FM, K-LOVE, and others. Rebeca makes her home in Kentucky with herhusband, Charles, and their son, Anderson.

AND NOW...THE FIRST
CHAPTER:

Chapter One

"Girl, where are you?" Lydia tightened her grip on the cell phone as she
wondered anew how any woman could be late to every single thing in her life.
She had thought Jane might’ve changed in the two years they’d been apart, but
Jane was evidently still living up to her old high school nickname of Late
Jane. The woman would get to her own funeral about an hour after they started
the music.

"I’m coming, I’m coming." Jane kept one hand on the steering wheel while
frantically sifting through the things in the passenger seat of her Blazer.
There was a brush somewhere, she just knew it, but finding anything at seven in
the morning was difficult at best. Why in the world she’d allowed herself to be
talked into attending a sale that started at seven a.m. was beyond her ability
to fathom. Finding her shoes had been a reason for cheering. A brush might just
be asking too much.

"Do I need to grab anything for you? This stuff is going fast." Lydia watched a
woman stretch for the last package of Times-style foam alphabet letters and
readjusted her own heavy shopping basket. In the five minutes she’d been in the
store, it had already begun biting into the skin on her arm.

"Nope, I don’t think so. I’ll be there in about two minutes," Jane said, still
searching for the brush while trying not to drop the cell phone from her
shoulder.

"Okay, but hurry. I’ll be over in the baby girl section. I need to find
something for Olivia’s first bath pages and get ribbon for Mac."

"Got it. Baby girl. Be there in a flash."

***

Jane snapped the phone together and slammed to a stop at the red light. Turning
her attention to her still searching hand, she finally grasped the elusive
hairbrush and quickly raked it through her long black hair. She had been
looking forward to this sale all week but, of course, Mr. Wonderful had chosen
to make his appearance a mere thirty minutes before she walked out the door.
They had fought over Wilson. Again. When would the man get it through his head
that Wilson was in her life forever?

She pushed thoughts of her soon-to-be ex-husband out of her mind as the green
arrow finally appeared. Squealing her tires, she tore into the parking lot of
The Savvy Scrapper. Tossing the hairbrush back into the passenger seat, she
threw the car into Park, grabbed her purse, and flung open the door.

"Ouch!"

Jane looked up just as her door collided with the midsection of one very tall
man.

"Ohmigosh. I am so, so sorry. I’m just in a rush. The sale is happening and I’m
late and—"

"It’s okay."
Mr. Tall held his hands up as if to ward off any other car doors she might be
hiding somewhere and she noticed the coffee cup in one hand and bagel bag in
the other. Bagels would be so heavenly right now.

"I’m fine, really." He set the bag down on the ground and brushed the dust off
of his olive-green sweater, then looked at her. "I know how women can be when
there’s a sale involved." He grinned as he knelt to pick the bag back up.

She tried hard to ignore his sexist statement and not remind him of how many
guys camp out at golf stores before a sale or sleep in the parking lot to get
tickets to a concert.

"Are you sure you’re okay? I mean, I have insurance and we can call somebody."
Jane forcefully tucked her hair behind her ears, willing herself to focus on
the problem at hand rather than the sale happening about ten yards away or the
way her stomach was now grumbling for coffee and a bagel.

"Really, go ahead. I’m fine."

"Okay, thanks." She turned and made her way around the back of the car.
"Really, I appreciate this. It’s just that this only happens once a year and my
friend is waiting . . ." She stopped on the far side of the car and looked at
him. He could sue if he was really hurt and her luck with men right now meant
he would definitely sue and she would surely lose. "You’re absolutely fine?"

"Go." He made a shooing motion with the bag. "Happy shopping."

Her mother always said to never look a gift horse in the mouth and this was one
time Jane would be obeying Elizabeth rather than giving in to her own desire to
argue. She practically sprinted to the front door of The Savvy Scrapper, yanked
it open, and burst inside.

***

"Jane!" Lydia was in the front corner of the store, surrounded by pink, yellow,
blue, lilac, and pale green. She waved a die-cut of a bathtub and bubbles above
her head. "I found the perfect stuff for Olivia and Oliver’s First Bath page."

"Great." Jane joined her, looking a bit frazzled but otherwise okay.

"Okay, here’s the deal." Lydia turned toward the back of the store and pointed.
"All the Times letters are gone, the vellum is quickly going, and the dog
section is getting riffled through as we speak. Where do you want to start?"

"Dog section, definitely." Jane stuffed her keys into her purse. "I took great
pictures of the ex this morning picking up Wilson’s poop while stepping in
another pile."

"You are so gross. What was he doing there?"

"Trying to get me to give him Wilson again." Jane scanned the rest of the
store, making a quick plan to get the most stuff. "He’ll get the picture one
day, just not today. He’s insane if he thinks I’m letting my puppy come live
with him while he’s spending all hours online with his e-mistress."

"Okay, that still sounds so weird." Lydia’s eyebrows rose as she gave Jane a
disbelieving look. "E-mistress? Really? That’s what we’re calling her?"

"E-mistress is the only thing I could think of that’s fit for public
consumption." Jane grimaced. "Anyway, forget her and him. I’m here to shop,
honey."

"Right. Go on over to the dog section. I’ll come over there when I’m finished
here. Can you grab me that new paper with the red stripes and dark-brown bones?
I’ve got some pictures of Otis with Olivia and Oliver from last week."

"Dale let that pug get near his precious twins? I thought you said the only
thing he cared more about than SportsCenter was those babies."

"Dale hasn’t seen the pictures yet. He never comes in my scrapbook studio. Says
it’s my workspace and that I spend too much money on all this junk as it is."
Lydia waved her hand to encompass the store. "He’s probably right."

"Oh, please. Men are never right," Jane said and turned toward the dog section.
"Dogs, on the other hand, are absolutely wonderful companions who never cheat
and can’t even turn a computer on."

Lydia laughed and turned back to the wall of baby-themed paper in front of her,
leaving Jane to take care of the dog paper. Stripes or flowers? She didn’t want
to make the scrapbook too babyish, but she also didn’t want it to look too
grownup. The papers were all on sale, so maybe she would just get both. Dale
would never know since he didn’t come into her studio anyway, and she could
give some of it to Mac for Kesa’s baby book. She took two sheets of the
pink-and-lime-green-striped paper, then two of the blue rosebud ones.

"Men are never right," she muttered under her breath. Maybe Jane had a good
point.

Prints CharmingRebeca SeitzCopyright © 2006 by Rebeca
Seitz.