August 2011

How did it get to be August? Suddenly I feel the rush to get all those things I wanted to accomplish this summer crossed off the list! With my heavy conference schedule behind me, these next few weeks are going to be spent doing a lot of gardening, swimming and visiting with friends, as well as enjoying time with the family at the beach before the boys head back to school.

I've been busy with not just meetings and conferences, but also the redesign of Bookreporter.com. This was the first site in TheBookReportNetwork family to be redesigned, but not the last! We will be redesigning all the sites in the network over the next 6-9 months.

Focusing on THIS month, we have two very special contests for you. THE ONE WHO WAITS FOR ME by Lori Copeland is a Civil War story featuring a large cast of characters, including freed slaves, soldiers, a Cherokee scout and struggling farmers, all of whom are trying to piece together their lives after the war's end. We have 75 copies to give away to readers who enter here by Wednesday, September 14th at noon ET.

We're also giving away OUT OF CONTROL, the first book in Mary Connealy's Kincaid Brides series. It's about a stern rancher who falls for the adventuresome woman he saves from a local cave. As their relationship blossoms, his bond with his brothers wilts. We have 15 copies to award to readers who enter here by Wednesday, September 14th at noon ET. You can read a special interview with Mary as she discusses her inspiration for the new series and some hints about its future.

Along with these giveaways, one lucky reader will win a copy of THE SURVIVOR: Families of Honor, Book Three by Shelley Shepard Gray in our Monthly Contest. The deadline for entries is Wednesday, September 14th at noon ET.

Melody Carlson, a popular author on FaithfulReader.com, is interviewed this month about RIVER'S SONG, the first book in her Inn at Shining Waters series. Melody has a personal connection to the story and the protagonist's heritage that readers will find quite interesting. Read the interview here and the study guide here.

Four additional guides are being featured: CHASING SUNSETS: A Cedar Key Novel by Eva Marie Everson, WINGS OF PROMISE: Alaskan Skies, Book Two by Bonnie Leon, THE COLONEL'S LADY by Laura Frantz and BLUE SKIES TOMORROW: Wings of Glory, Book Three by Sarah Sundin.

As always, we have a great roundup of titles in our Faithful Fiction and Christian Living review sections, including PERFECTLY INVISIBLE: A Universally Misunderstood Novel by Kristin Billerbeck and 10 THINGS JESUS NEVER SAID: And Why You Should Stop Believing Them by Will Davis Jr.

Please enjoy the rest of your summer with family, friends...and books. We look forward to sharing more books with you next month.

Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected])

 

We are celebrating the release of OUT OF CONTROL --- the story of a rancher torn between family allegiances and a free-spirited woman who catches his eye --- with a special contest. Fifteen readers will have the opportunity to each win a copy of the first book in Mary Connealy’s The Kincaid Brides series. To enter, fill out the form below by Wednesday, September 14th at noon ET.

OUT OF CONTROL: The Kincaid Brides, Book 1 by Mary Connealy (Romance)
Julia Gilliland has always been interested in the natural world around her. She particularly enjoys studying the fossils and formations in the magnificent cave near her father's house. The cave seems plenty safe --- until the day a mysterious intruder steals the rope she uses to climb out. Rafe Kincaid is a man used to being in control --- of himself, his brothers, and his family's ranch. The last thing he expects is to find a woman trapped in the cavern on his land --- or to be forced to kiss her! Rafe is more intrigued by Julia than any woman he's ever known. But when their developing relationship threatens a reconciliation with his brothers, will Rafe have to choose between his family and this new love that could heal his troubled heart and secure his happiness?

-Click here to read an excerpt from OUT OF CONTROL.
-Click here to read an interview with Mary Connealy.
-Click here to read Mary Connealy’s bio.
 

RIVER’S SONG: The Inn at Shining Waters, Book 1 by Melody Carlson (Fiction)
Following her mother’s funeral, and on the verge of her own midlife crisis, widow Anna Larson returns to the home of her youth to sort out her parents’ belongings, as well as her own turbulent life. For the first time since childhood, Anna embraces her native heritage, despite the disdain of her vicious mother-in-law. By transforming her old family home on the banks of the Siuslaw River into The Inn at Shining Waters, Anna hopes to create a place of healing --- a place where guests experience peace, grace and new beginnings. Starting with her own family…

-Click here to read more about RIVER’S SONG.
-Click here to read an excerpt from RIVER’S SONG.
-Click here to read Melody Carlson’s bio.
 

CHASING SUNSETS: A Cedar Key Novel by Eva Marie Everson (Romance)
After sending her two sons off with their father for the summer, Kimberly Tucker heads to her childhood vacation home in Cedar Key. There, she is reunited with the boy who broke her heart. Now the question is whether or not she’s ready to open it enough to trust again. Reviewed by Lynda Lee Schab.

-Click here to read the study guide for CHASING SUNSETS.

NICK OF TIME: A Bug Man Novel by Tim Downs (Mystery)
Nick Polchak is comfortable with bugs. But a fiancee and an upcoming wedding? A mere four days before the nuptials, Nick finds himself driving to the monthly meeting of the Vidocq society. While there, he discovers that a close friend has been murdered. In classic Nick style, he begins to follow the trail of evidence rather than returning to his fiancée. Reviewed by Susan Miura.
 

GOD’S SHELTER FOR YOUR STORM by Sheila Walsh (Christian Life/Inspirational)
Gifted Women of Faith speaker Sheila Walsh offers powerful, heart-filled teaching on 10 bedrock promises of God, providing the foundation for daily living with confidence, hope and joy. She unveils principles that provide unshakable security during even the most difficult times by weaving her hallmark storytelling, personal experiences, and applicable Scripture to help readers gain a trust in God that will sustain them for a lifetime. Reviewed by Michele Howe.
 

WINGS OF PROMISE: Alaskan Skies, Book Two by Bonnie Leon (Historical Romance)
Kate Evans may be a woman in a man's profession, but as Alaskan bush pilots go, she's one of the best. If only her personal life wasn't so complicated. Torn between her affection for fellow pilot Mike Conlin and doctor Paul Anderson, Kate longs for clarity in her heart. But when a terrible tragedy occurs, her mind may be made up for her.

-Click here to read more about WINGS OF PROMISE.
-Click here to read Bonnie Leon’s bio.
 

THE FIRST GARDENER by Denise Hildreth Jones (Romance)
Jeremiah Williams has been tending the gardens of the Tennessee governor’s mansion for over 25 years. And like most first families who have come and gone, this one has stolen his heart. Mackenzie and her husband, Governor Gray London, have struggled for 10 years to have a child and are now enjoying a sweet season of life --- anticipating the coming reelection and sending their precious daughter, Maddie, off to kindergarten --- when a tragedy tears their world apart. As the entire state mourns, Mackenzie falls into a grief that threatens to swallow her whole.

-Click here to read an excerpt from THE FIRST GARDENER.
-Click here to read Denise Hildreth Jones’s bio.
 

BLUE SKIES TOMORROW: Wings of Glory, Book Three by Sarah Sundin (Historical Romance)
When her husband becomes a casualty of the war in the Pacific, Helen Carlisle throws herself into volunteering for the war effort to conceal her feelings. But keeping up appearances as the grieving widow of a hometown hero is taking its toll. Soon something is going to give. Lt. Raymond Novak prefers the pulpit to the cockpit. His stateside job training B-17 pilots allows him the luxury of a personal life --- and a convenient excuse to ignore his deepest fear. When the beautiful Helen catches his eye and captures his heart, he is determined to win her hand.

-Click here to read more about BLUE SKIES TOMORROW.
-Click here to read Sarah Sundin’s bio.
 

THE COLONEL’S LADY by Laura Frantz (Historical Romance)
In 1779, when genteel Virginia spinster Roxanna Rowan arrives at the Kentucky fort commanded by Colonel Cassius McLinn, she finds that her officer father has died. Penniless and destitute, Roxanna is forced to take her father's place as scrivener. Before long, it's clear that the colonel himself is attracted to her. But she soon realizes the colonel has grave secrets of his own --- some of which have to do with her father's sudden death. Can she ever truly love him?

-Click here to read more about THE COLONEL’S LADY.
-Click here to read Laura Frantz’s bio.
 

A RIVER TO CROSS by Yvonne Harris (Historical Romance)
Elizabeth Madison's brother paid the ultimate price as editor of a newspaper exposing the dangers along the U.S.-Mexican border. Determined to take up his cause, she is targeted and kidnapped by a rogue general --- Manuel Diego. It's the job of Texas Ranger Jake Nelson to protect the border against rustlers and marauders. With Elizabeth's photograph in hand --- a dark-haired beauty with smiling eyes --- Jake and his men ride across the great river to rescue her, to apprehend Diego and bring him to justice. Amid the turmoil, Jake finds himself taken by Elizabeth. And she by him. Yet his life as a Ranger doesn't fit with marriage and settling down. Not at all.

-Click here to read an excerpt from A RIVER TO CROSS.
-Click here to read Yvonne Harris’s bio.