Late October 2010

Here's to a Festive Fall!

Fall is definitely in full swing here! The wind has kicked up today, and the leaves are floating back and forth across the lawn. The red/orange colors are my favorites, and as I drive around, I love seeing the houses where this palette is more vivid than the others. The season also brings Halloween, and I always get a kick out of the parade of trick-or-treaters who stop by our house. There are always some creative costumes! This is the first year that no one in our house is trick-or-treating, which is making me rather sad. But time marches on!

Our latest update is especially robust, as we have four special contests for you. Five readers can win a copy of Chris Fabry's ALMOST HEAVEN, the story of an oddball musician and the guardian angel charged with watching over him. Many of you may recognize Chris from his "Chris Fabry Live!" and "Love Worth Finding" radio programs, as well as his Christy Award-winning novel DOGWOOD. Enter here by Monday, November 29th at noon ET for your chance to win. We have the study guide available here.

Five readers will win a copy of PURSUIT OF JUSTICE, the third book in DiAnn Mills's Call of Duty series. Enter here by Monday, November 29th at noon ET for your chance to win. Also, you can catch up with the first two books in the series, BREACH OF TRUST and SWORN TO PROTECT. We have the study guide available here.

Our third contest book is SARAH'S CHRISTMAS MIRACLE. Seventy-five readers will win a copy of Mary Ellis's latest novel about an Amish girl who tries to find her estranged brother in time to reunite the family for Christmas. Enter here by Monday, November 29th at noon ET.

Last but not least, five readers will win a copy of Candace Calvert's CODE TRIAGE, the third book in her Mercy Hospital series. Enter here by Monday, November 29th at noon ET for an opportunity to receive the book. You can read the study guide here.

We've also posted the study guide for EMILY'S CHANCE, the second installment in Sharon Gillenwater's The Callahans of Texas series. We featured the study guide for the first book, JENNA'S COWBOY, in our last update.

Other titles we're spotlighting include WRANGLERS IN PETTICOATS: Sophie's Daughters, Book 2 by Mary Connealy, LOVE IS GRAND: A Walk in the Park, Book 3 by Annalisa Daughety and CITY OF TRANQUIL LIGHT by Bo Caldwell.

Among the reviews in our Faithful Fiction and Christian Living sections are THE TWELFTH IMAM by Joel C. Rosenberg, THE HOUSE ON MALCOLM STREET by Leisha Kelly, THE ONE YEAR BOOK OF DISCOVERING JESUS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT by Nancy Guthrie and THE EDGE OF THE DIVINE: Where Possibility Meets God's Faithfulness by Sandi Patty.

There won't be another FaithfulReader.com newsletter mailing until after Thanksgiving, so I'll take this opportunity to wish you and your family a happy and healthy holiday. I know those of us who are hosting and cooking are already thinking about recipes, ingredients and table settings! We give thanks that we can count all of you as readers.

Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected])

 

We are celebrating the release of ALMOST HEAVEN --- an enchanting story of an oddball musician in rural West Virginia and the guardian angel charged to watch over him --- with a special contest. Five readers will have the opportunity to each win a copy of Chris Fabry’s latest novel. The deadline for entries is Monday, November 29th at noon ET.

ALMOST HEAVEN by Chris Fabry (Fiction)
Billy Allman is a hillbilly genius. People in Dogwood, West Virginia, say he was born with a second helping of brains and a gift for playing the mandolin but was cut short on social skills. Billy longs to use his life as an ode to God, a lyrical, beautiful bluegrass song played with a finely tuned heart. So with spare parts from a lifetime of collecting, he builds a radio station in his own home. People in town laugh. But Billy carries a brutal secret that keeps him from significance and purpose. Things always seem to go wrong for him.

-Click here to read the study guide for ALMOST HEAVEN.
-Click here to read more about ALMOST HEAVEN.
-Click here to read an excerpt from ALMOST HEAVEN.
-Click here to read Chris Fabry’s bio.
 

Special Contest and Feature: PURSUIT OF JUSTICE by DiAnn Mills

We are celebrating the release of PURSUIT OF JUSTICE by DiAnn Mills --- the story of a special agent charged with investigating a series of murders that may be connected to her past --- with a special contest. Five readers will have the opportunity to each win a copy of this third installment in the Call of Duty series. The deadline for entries is Monday, November 29th at noon ET.

PURSUIT OF JUSTICE: Call of Duty Series, Book 3 by DiAnn Mills (Romantic Suspense)
Special Agent Bella Jordan is assigned to investigate a series of murders in West Texas that are linked to the Spider Rock Treasure. Since she spent the first 15 years of her life in this area, FBI authorities believe she can get the job done. What they don’t know is that one of their prime suspects --- a man who’s been on their wanted list for years --- is deeply connected to Bella’s past.

-Click here to read the study guide for PURSUIT OF JUSTICE.
-Click here to read more about PURSUIT OF JUSTICE.
-Click here to read an excerpt from PURSUIT OF JUSTICE.
-Click here to read DiAnn Mills’s bio.
 

We are celebrating the release of SARAH’S CHRISTMAS MIRACLE --- a heartwarming holiday story of one sister’s quest to find her estranged brother in time for Christmas --- with a special contest. Seventy-five readers will have the opportunity to each win a copy of Mary Ellis’s latest novel. The deadline for entries is Monday, November 29th at noon ET.

SARAH’S CHRISTMAS MIRACLE by Mary Ellis (Fiction)
Sarah Beachy has plenty to be joyous about as autumn leaves start to fall. She loves her job at the English bed-and-breakfast where she cooks and refreshes rooms between guests. She has a serious beau, and everyone expects an engagement soon. Why, then, would she jeopardize everything by suddenly deciding to take a trip to Cleveland to track down a brother who left the Order years ago?

-Click here to read more about SARAH’S CHRISTMAS MIRACLE.
-Click here to read an excerpt from SARAH’S CHRISTMAS MIRACLE.
-Click here to read Mary Ellis’s bio.
 

We are celebrating the release of CODE TRIAGE by Candace Calvert --- a fast-paced hospital drama about a couple trying to save their marriage while tragedy strikes --- with a special contest. Five readers will have the opportunity to each win a copy of this third installment in the Mercy Hospital series. The deadline for entries is Monday, November 29th at noon ET.

CODE TRIAGE: Mercy Hospital Series, Book 3 by Candace Calvert (Romantic Suspense)
Dr. Leigh Stathos likes her ER shifts fast, furious and adrenaline-infused --- “Treat ’em and street ’em” --- with no emotional complications. Life has taught her a soul-rending lesson: nothing lasts forever, including marriage. And the clock is ticking toward the end of hers. Then an unwelcome confrontation with “the other woman” begins a whole new set of lessons.

-Click here to read the study guide for CODE TRIAGE.
-Click here to read more about CODE TRIAGE.
-Click here to read an excerpt from CODE TRIAGE.
-Click here to read Candace Calvert’s bio.
 

EMILY’S CHANCE: The Callahans of Texas, Book 2 by Sharon Gillenwater (Romance)
Emily Rose may be in the tiny West Texas town of Callahan Crossing for the moment, but it’s just a rung on her ladder to success. Her work at the Callahan Crossing historical society will look good on her ever-growing resume. Little does she know that Chance Callahan has decided that he can convince her to stay --- both with the town and with him. As he helps Emily restore the town’s history after a devastating fire, can he help her uncover the value of love?

-Click here to read more about EMILY’S CHANCE.
-Click here to read Sharon Gillenwater’s bio.
 

THE TWELFTH IMAM by Joel C. Rosenberg (Thriller)
The leaders of Iran are calling for the annihilation of Israel and the U.S., so CIA operative David Shirazi is sent to Tehran with one objective: disrupt Iran’s nuclear weapons program by any means necessary. But when people start proclaiming a religious cleric the next Islamic messiah, war seems imminent --- and so does the End of Days. With the prophecy of the Twelfth Imam seemingly fulfilled, can Shirazi save his country and the world? Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
 

CATCHING MOONDROPS by Jennifer Erin Valent (Historical Fiction)
It’s 1938, and Jessilyn Lassiter is no longer a child. She’s 19 years old, and her love for Luke has never been more real. But when a black doctor steals her best friend’s heart, Jessilyn’s budding romance is interrupted. Only after the lynching of a young, black man does Jessilyn realize that anger can make her as hateful as the Klan members who’ve terrorized her town and family. Reviewed by Susan Miura.
 

WRANGLER IN PETTICOATS: Sophie’s Daughters, Book 2 by Mary Connealy (Historical Romance)
Ride into the Rockies where love peaks between a tough Texas tomboy and a passionate artist. On her way to Montana, Sally McClellan’s party is attacked and robbed. But then artist Logan McKenzie saves the badly wounded cowgirl who has been left for dead. Can this landscape painter tame the tomboy without breaking her spirit? Sally doesn’t know much about ribbons and lace, but Logan’s presence makes her want to connect with her feminine side. Will this fractured female discover a way to capture the artist’s love --- or find herself captured and killed by outlaws?

-Click here to read an excerpt from WRANGLER IN PETTICOATS.
-Click here to read Mary Connealy’s bio.
 

CITY OF TRANQUIL LIGHT by Bo Caldwell (Historical Romance)
The acclaimed bestselling author of THE DISTANT LAND OF MY FATHER returns with a searing love story of a man and a woman, their God, and the country they jointly loved and a deeply researched and page-turning portrait of a country in utter turmoil. At the center of the novel are Will and Katherine, two Mennonite missionaries from the heartland who have come to China because they feel called by God to serve the poor and spread the Good News. But this is more than a missionary story; it is really the portrait of a marriage set against the backdrop of a radically shifting nation that is plunging into revolution.

-Click here to read Bo Caldwell’s bio.
 

LOVE IS GRAND: A Walk in the Park, Book 3 by Annalisa Daughety (Romance)
Emily Rose may be in the tiny West Texas town of Callahan Crossing for the moment, but it’s just a rung on her ladder to success. Her work at the Callahan Crossing historical society will look good on her ever-growing resume. Little does she know that Chance Callahan has decided that he can convince her to stay --- both with the town and with him. As he helps Emily restore the town’s history after a devastating fire, can he help her uncover the value of love?

-Click here to read an excerpt from LOVE IS GRAND.
-Click here to read Annalisa Daughety’s bio.
 

THE HOUSE ON MALCOLM STREET by Leisha Kelly (Historical Fiction)
It’s the fall of 1920, and Leah Breckenridge is desperate to provide for her daughter. She’s lost her husband and her infant son, and now she’s angry at God and fearful about the future. But when she finds refuge in a boardinghouse, Leah’s heart slowly starts to mend. Is it the people who surround her --- or perhaps the house itself --- that fill her heart with healing? Reviewed by Susan Miura.

TANDEM by Tracey Bateman (Fiction)
Ritual killings in the town of Abbey Hills, Missouri, spark a frantic police investigation, leading to a prime suspect who isn't human. Readers will be delighted by this opportunity to meet new characters and revisit many of the same ones they loved and hated in THIRSTY --- most notably the recklessly murderous and disturbed vampire Eden. Reviewed by Melanie Smith.

REINVENTING RACHEL by Alison Strobel (Fiction)
For 26 years Rachel Westing has done everything by the book. But then she learns her fiancé is cheating on her. Her parents are getting a divorce. And her Christian mentor has a pill addiction. Where is God in all this? Nowhere, as far as Rachel can see. Wounded, bitter and with a shattered faith, she quits her job and goes across the country to live with her childhood best friend Daphne, who sets about helping Rachel reinvent herself. Reviewed by Lynda Schab.
 

THE ONE YEAR BOOK OF DISCOVERING JESUS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT by Nancy Guthrie (Devotional)
We tend to look to the New Testament to tell us about Jesus, but when Christ said, “The Scriptures point to me!” he was talking about the Old Testament. In this journey from Genesis through Malachi, Nancy Guthrie shines the light of Christ on readers. Now everyone can see Christ’s beauty in new ways and form a deeper understanding of Jesus --- and what his Cross and Resurrection have accomplished. Reviewed by Michele Howe.

SOAR: Are You Ready to Accept God’s Power? by Kenny Luck (Christian Living)
When Jesus’s disciples realized their Master would be gone, they wondered how they would live faithfully without him. Men today face the same dilemma --- and have access to the same answer --- but the gift of the Holy Spirit remains misunderstood. In SOAR, men’s pastor and church leader Kenny Luck reveals the Holy Spirit afresh for the modern Christian man. Reviewed by Michele Howe.

THE EDGE OF THE DIVINE: Where Possibility Meets God's Faithfulness by Sandi Patty (Christian Living)
Every woman reaches an unavoidable crossroads where she either spirals into a life of shame and regret or walks proudly in the freedom of God's grace and goodness. In THE EDGE OF THE DIVINE, award-winning vocalist, speaker and author Sandi Patty takes readers to the heart of the crucial choice to cling to the hope God gives. Reviewed by Lynda Schab.

HORSE TALES FROM HEAVEN: Reflections Along the Trail with God by Rebecca E. Ondov (Devotional)
Drawing on her career of living “in the saddle” while guiding pack trips, Rebecca Ondov invites you to experience life in a wilderness camp, discovering wisdom to live by --- from the animals she tends and the team she works with. In HORSE TALES FROM HEAVEN, she captures authentic western life and what it means to depend on God for love, provision and grace. Reviewed by Evelyn Bence.
 

In our latest monthly contest, one reader will receive a copy of THE PERFECT BLEND, the first installment in Trish Perry’s The Tea Shop Series. The deadline for entries is Monday, November 29th at noon ET.

THE PERFECT BLEND: The Tea Shop Series, Book 1 by Trish Perry (Romance)
Steph Vandergrift is in need of a job. She left everything behind to elope with Middleburg attorney Rick Manfred, never imagining he would stand her up at the altar. Now, hoping just to get by until she can decide what to do next, Steph thinks she has found the perfect position at the local tea shop.

Kendall James, one of the kindest and most eligible bachelors in the area, meets Steph and proceeds to pursue her. But by the time Steph feels able to consider dating again, her runaway fiancé returns and tries to win her back. Steph is wary, but she and Rick always seemed to blend so well. Are they truly meant to be together, or does God have something else in mind?