October 2013

While mornings are cool, by noon it feels like it's still summer in the New York area. It's been fun seeing the variety of outfits that people wear this time of year. There are down vests and boots on some and tank tops and flip flops on others. There was a saying when I was growing up, "Don't dress like the calendar," and this year that really made sense.

One constant: with October in full swing, pumpkin-flavored everything abounds!

Last year, October brought us Superstorm Sandy and the year before was the legendary snowstorm. Around our house, we are joking that all we want is to have the power working on October 29th since the last two years the lights were out on that date. We also hope to see some trick-or-treaters as Halloween was canceled the last two years in our town.

Fall is, as always, a busy time for everyone --- and things are especially crazy in the book world as so many books are published this time of year in anticipation of holiday gift giving. Luckily, that means there is a lot to read, and we have some great recommendations for you this month. Even though schedules may be packed with kids back in school, football games, and the holidays inching closer, find time to relax with a book. Read on to see what we think would be the perfect titles to do this with.

This month, we have FIVE contests we’d like to share with you, with the entry deadlines for each being Friday, November 15th at noon ET. The first celebrates the release of two new books from Lynn Austin. RETURN TO ME, the first installment in The Restoration Chronicles, is an Old Testament-inspired story of a Jewish priest and his family as they return to Jerusalem after years of exile in Babylon. In PILGRIMAGE: My Journey to a Deeper Faith in the Land Where Jesus Walked, Austin shares her experiences of travel in Israel and the rejuvenation it brought to her spiritual life. Five winners will be selected to win a copy of each book.

We also have five copies of THE GOVERNESS OF HIGHLAND HALL by Carrie Turansky to give away. This historical romance, book one in the Edwardian Brides series, tells the story of a young woman, Julia Foster, who takes a position as a governess in England after years of missionary work in India. She finds herself caring for two children and two teenage girls, while the master of the house scrambles to keep Highland Hall from financial ruin. As Julia’s strong faith and persuasive personality begin to transform life in the house, she and its owner start to find some common ground, leading to unexpected feelings.

Julie Cantrell's WHEN MOUNTAINS MOVE follows Millie during the spring of 1943, as she embarks on a cross-country move with her new husband, discovering the importance of second chances and the potential of her future. 25 readers will be chosen from those who enter to take the journey with her.

25 readers will also have a chance to kick off the new Mercy Medallion Trilogy by winning a copy of TRACES OF MERCY by Michael Landon Jr. and Cindy Kelley. In this first installment, taking place after the Civil War, a young woman wakes up with amnesia after an accident. She goes in search of the truth about her past, finding a handsome stranger who can help but may also have secrets that could threaten her life.

As always, we’re continuing to host our monthly contest. This time, we're giving 25 readers the opportunity to win a copy of THE GIFT OF A LEGACY, the third installment in Jim Stovall's series The Ultimate Gift. The timing is perfect, as the film adaptation of book two, THE ULTIMATE LIFE, is now in theaters.

In addition to these contests, we have an interview with Jen Turano, who has penned the historical romance A TALENT FOR TROUBLE, the story of an unlikely pair: Grayson Sumner, a New York gentleman, and the unlucky Felicia Murdock. In the interview, Turano explains what drew her to the Gilded Age in New York City as the book's setting, the novel's underlying message, and why she decided to create such a flawed main character.

There are also a few special feature titles we'd like to get on your radar. First up is ALL FOR A STORY by Allison Pittman, a romance set in the 1920s. When Max Moore arrives to take over his late great-uncle’s newspaper and turn it into a respectable publication, gossip writer Monica Brisbane wonders what will happen to her job of spending nights in speakeasies and spilling the dirt around town. That is, until Max gives her an assignment that makes her question everything.

Next is an inspiring memoir written by former Secret Service agent Jerry Parr with his wife, Carolyn Parr, titled IN THE SECRET SERVICE: The True Story of the Man Who Saved President Reagan's Life. Parr recounts his years protecting Ronald Reagan, including the harrowing day in 1981 when he and fellow Secret Service members saved the president from an assassination attempt.

Our final featured title is PRAYING THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD: A Daily Guide to Experiencing His Greatness by Ann Spangler, a devotional that explores the attributes of God celebrated in the Bible and how they can infuse special meaning with prayer. Readers will find prayers that guide them in feeling close to God in His perfection in spite of human flaws.

Our wonderful reviewers have been hard at work as always, and the result is 11 reviews for you to check out this month. Among these notable titles are THE REASON FOR MY HOPE: Salvation by Billy Graham, EMOTIONS: Confront the Lies. Conquer with Truth. by Charles F. Stanley; GOD IS NOT MAD AT YOU: You Can Experience Real Love, Acceptance & Guilt-free Living by Joyce Meyer, and ONE LIGHT STILL SHINES: My Life Beyond the Shadow of the Amish Schoolhouse Shooting by Marie Monville with Cindy Lambert.

Have yourself a fabulous rest of October! We will be sending our next newsletter just a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving. Is there ever a time when the year does NOT fly by?

Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected])

We are celebrating the releases of RETURN TO ME: The Restoration Chronicles, Book 1 and PILGRIMAGE: My Journey to a Deeper Faith in the Land Where Jesus Walked with a special contest that will give five readers the opportunity to win a copy of both of Lynn Austin's latest fiction and nonfiction works. To enter, please fill out this form by Friday, November 15th at noon ET.
 

RETURN TO ME: The Restoration Chronicles, Book 1 by Lynn Austin (Historical Fiction)
After years of watching his children and grandchildren wander from their faith, Iddo's prayers are answered: King Cyrus is allowing God's chosen people to return to Jerusalem. Jubilant, he joyfully prepares for their departure, only to learn that his family, grown comfortable in the pagan culture of Babylon, wants to remain. Zechariah, Iddo's oldest grandson, feels torn between his grandfather's ancient beliefs and the comfort and success his father enjoys in Babylon.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.

-Click here to read critical praise.

-Click here to read Lynn Austin’s bio.

-Click here to visit Lynn Austin’s official website.

-Click here to connect with Lynn Austin on Facebook.

-Click here to read more on the publisher’s website.
 

PILGRIMAGE: My Journey to a Deeper Faith in the Land Where Jesus Walked by Lynn Austin (Memoir)
With gripping honesty, Lynn Austin pens her struggles with spiritual dryness in a season of loss and unwanted change. Tracing her travels throughout Israel, Austin seamlessly weaves events and insights from the Word...and in doing so finds a renewed passion for prayer and encouragement for her spirit, now full of life and hope.

-Click here to read more about the book.
 

We are celebrating the release of THE GOVERNESS OF HIGHLAND HALL with a special contest that will give five readers the opportunity to win a copy of this first installment in Carrie Turansky's Edwardian Brides series. To enter, please fill out this form by Friday, November 15th at noon ET.

THE GOVERNESS OF HIGHLAND HALL: Edwardian Brides, Book One by Carrie Turansky (Historical Romance)
Worlds lie between the marketplaces of India and the halls of a magnificent country estate like Highland Hall. Will missionary Julia Foster be able to find her place when a governess is neither upstairs family nor downstairs help?

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here for the study guide.
-Click here to read critical praise.
-Click here to read Carrie Turansky’s bio.
-Click here to visit Carrie Turansky’s official website.
-Click here to connect with Carrie Turansky on Twitter.
-Click here to listen to a podcast interview.
-Click here to read more on the publisher’s website.

We are celebrating the release of WHEN MOUNTAINS MOVE with a special contest that will give 25 readers the opportunity to win a copy of this sequel to Julie Cantrell's INTO THE FREE. To enter, please fill out this form by Friday, November 15th at noon ET.

WHEN MOUNTAINS MOVE by Julie Cantrell (Historical Fiction)
Soon after the break of day, Bump will become Millie’s husband. And then, if all goes as planned, they will leave the rain-soaked fields of Mississippi and head for the wilds of the Colorado Rockies. As Millie tries to forget a dark secret, she hasn’t yet realized how drastically her past experiences will impact the coming days.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read critical praise.
-Click here to watch the book trailer.
-Click here to read Julie Cantrell’s bio.
-Click here to read more on the publisher’s website.

We are celebrating the release of TRACES OF MERCY with a special contest that will give 25 readers the opportunity to win a copy of this first installment in Michael Landon Jr. and Cindy Kelley's Mercy Medallion Trilogy. To enter, please fill out this form by Friday, November 15th at noon ET.

TRACES OF MERCY: Mercy Medallion Trilogy, Book 1 by Michael Landon Jr. and Cindy Kelley (Historical Romantic Suspense)
At the war’s end, a young woman suffers an accident that leaves her unconscious and alone. Waking with amnesia, she takes the name Mercy and wants more than anything to find out the truth of her past. But then a handsome stranger arrives, who may hold the key to everything she has forgotten. What he knows could devastate her future, and even end her life.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read critical praise.
-Read bios of Michael Landon Jr. and Cindy Kelley.
-Click here to read more on the publisher’s website.

Jen Turano’s Ladies of Distinction series includes A CHANGE OF FORTUNE, A MOST PECULIAR CIRCUMSTANCE, and the newly released A TALENT FOR TROUBLE. In this interview, Turano explains why she was drawn to the Gilded Age in New York City as the setting for her latest book and the reason she made the unlikely hero of Grayson Sumner so flawed. She also talks about how she came up with the initial story idea for A TALENT FOR TROUBLE, the novel’s underlying message, and how an incident at a department store Turano once managed provided the inspiration for the character of Felicia Murdock.
 

A TALENT FOR TROUBLE by Jen Turano (Historical Romance)
Grayson Sumner, Lord Sefton, hopes to settle into the life of a respectable New York gentleman. Prompted by some friends to lift the spirits of the disappointed-in-love Miss Felicia Murdock, he is surprised to encounter an adventurous young lady with an unfortunate knack for stumbling into troublesome situations. Just as Grayson decides he's had quite enough of her antics, his past comes back to haunt him and his presence in Felicia's life endangers her.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.

-Click here to read Jen Turano’s bio.
-Click here to visit Jen Turano's official website.

-Click here to connect with Jen Turano on Facebook.

-Click here to read more on the publisher’s website.
 

ALL FOR A STORY by Allison Pittman (Historical Romance)
Gossip columnist Monica Brisbane wonders what will happen to her job, and the lifestyle she loves, when Max Moore arrives to take over his great uncle's newspaper and infuse it with his values. Under Max’s direction, Monica embarks on her most challenging assignment yet, leading her to question the innocence of her flirtatious lifestyle. And when romance begins to blossom between Max and Monica, she must choose where her loyalties lie.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.

-Click here to read Allison Pittman’s bio.

-Click here to visit Allison Pittman’s official website.

-Connect with Allison Pittman on Facebook and Twitter.

-Click here to read more on the publisher’s website.
 

IN THE SECRET SERVICE: The True Story of the Man Who Saved President Reagan's Life by Jerry Parr with Carolyn Parr (Memoir)
Meet Jerry Parr. In 1981, he was the agent standing next to Ronald Reagan when John Hinckley, Jr., stepped out of the crowd, intent on killing the president. IN THE SECRET SERVICE is an adrenaline-filled ride through the life of the agent who saved Ronald Reagan’s life, a man who spent much of his life as a silent eyewitness to history, with a gun at his fingertips.

-Click here to read more about the book.

-Click here to read an excerpt.

-Click here to read Jerry Parr’s bio.

-Click here to visit the book’s official website and Facebook page.

-Click here to read more on the publisher’s website.
 

PRAYING THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD: A Daily Guide to Experiencing His Greatness by Ann Spangler (Devotional)
Many people feel both drawn to God and afraid of Him. How can they feel close to a perfect God whom their flawed self is incapable of pleasing? In this daily guide to studying and praying according to the attributes of God, Ann Spangler resurrects old-fashioned words like holiness, omnipotence, omniscience and omnipresence. Far from boring us, these words, when excavated for their biblical meaning, paint a thrilling vision of God that can help us experience spiritual growth in a deeper way.

-Click here to read more about the book.

-Click here to read an excerpt.

-Click here for the discussion guide.

-Click here to read Ann Spangler’s bio.

-Click here to visit Ann Spangler’s official website.

-Click here to connect with Ann Spangler on Facebook.

-Click here to read more on the publisher’s website.
 

THE REASON FOR MY HOPE: Salvation by Billy Graham (Christian Living/Religion & Spirituality)
The saving message of the Gospel is the heartbeat of preacher and evangelist Billy Graham. Millions around the world have heard Graham proclaim this unchanging truth. He has never forgotten the transformation of his own life, when he first said yes to God’s gift of salvation, and he has witnessed multitudes turn their hearts to the God of Hope. THE REASON FOR MY HOPE presents the essence of that transformative message. Reviewed by Michele Howe.

-Click here to read more about the book.

EMOTIONS: Confront the Lies. Conquer with Truth. by Charles F. Stanley (Christian Life/Spiritual Growth)
Bestselling author and trusted pastor Charles F. Stanley shares practical guidance and encouragement on a topic that touches every person on earth --- emotions. Our emotions are neither good nor bad, but they are powerful. By revealing God’s original purpose for our feelings and exposing the lies we believe, Dr. Stanley teaches readers how to find the joy and fulfillment the Father created us to have. Reviewed by Michele Howe.

-Click here to read more about the book.
 

ONE LIGHT STILL SHINES: My Life Beyond the Shadow of the Amish Schoolhouse Shooting by Marie Monville with Cindy Lambert (Memoir)
Marie Roberts Monville, the wife of the man who committed the shooting at Nickel Mines, an Amish schoolhouse, tells her story for the very first time. ONE LIGHT STILL SHINES reveals three love stories: the innocent love of a devoted wife for a husband in pain, the incomprehensible love of God in the aftermath of massacre and destruction, and the redemptive love of Christ, waiting to unfold in the life of every person who reads this book. Reviewed by Evelyn Bence.

-Click here to read more about the book.
 

GOD IS NOT MAD AT YOU: You Can Experience Real Love, Acceptance & Guilt-free Living by Joyce Meyer (Christian Living)
When bestselling author Joyce Meyer posted "God's not mad at you" on Facebook, she didn't anticipate that her words would trigger thousands of responses of gratitude and relief. Apparently many Christians struggle to reconcile their perception of God as both a loving parent and a stern judge. In GOD IS NOT MAD AT YOU, Joyce will help those who haven't truly received God's love because they are afraid of His anger and disapproval. Reviewed by Lynda Lee Schab.

-Click here to read more about the book.

FIGHT: Winning the Battles That Matter Most by Craig Groeschel (Christian Life/Spiritual Growth)
Author and pastor Craig Groeschel helps you uncover who you really are --- a man created in the image of God with a warrior's heart --- and how to fight the good fight for what's right. You will find the strength to fight the battles you know you need to fight --- the ones that determine the state of your heart, the quality of your marriage, and the spiritual health of your family. Reviewed by Maggie Harding.

THE PROMISE: The Restoration Series, Book 2 by Dan Walsh and Gary Smalley (Fiction)
For the last five months, Tom Anderson has been without a job, a fact he's been hiding from his wife, Jean. He leaves each morning, pretending nothing has changed, and spends his disheartening day searching for job listings online. The stress of keeping this secret is beginning to put serious strain on his marriage. But Tom is not the only one hiding something. Jean has a secret of her own --- one that will seriously complicate their situation. Reviewed by Lynda Lee Schab.

LIVING THE QUAKER WAY: Timeless Wisdom for a Better Life Today by Philip Gulley (Christian Living/Religion & Spirituality)
In LIVING THE QUAKER WAY, Philip Gulley shows how Quaker values provide real solutions to many of our most pressing contemporary challenges. We not only come to a deeper appreciation of simplicity, peace, integrity, community and equality, we see how embracing these virtues will radically transform us and our world. Reviewed by Michele Howe.

STRANDED: Alaskan Courage, Book Three by Dani Pettrey (Romantic Suspense)
On the trail of a missing friend, reporter Darcy St. James is shocked to find Gage McKenna --- handsome and unforgettable as ever --- on board the cruise ship she’s investigating. She’ll have to enlist Gage’s help when it becomes clear that one disappearance is just the tip of the iceberg. Reviewed by Lynda Lee Schab.

DEATH BY LIVING: Life Is Meant to Be Spent by N. D. Wilson (Christian Living)
In this astoundingly unique book, bestselling author N. D. Wilson reminds us that to truly live we must recognize that we are dying. Here, in poignant personal essays focusing on time (our pasts, presents and futures), we can see how we are writing our own life stories --- not in 140 characters, but with gusto, passion and poetry. Reviewed by Evelyn Bence.

REBELLIOUS HEART by Jody Hedlund (Historical Romance)
Massachusetts, 1763. When a determined Susanna Smith and poor country lawyer Benjamin Ross act to save the life of a runaway indentured servant, they’ll risk everything for love and justice in a nation on the brink of revolution. Reviewed by Susan Miura.

SMALL TOWN GIRL by Ann H. Gabhart (Historical Romance)
As Kate Merritt watches her sister marry the man Kate has loved since she was 15, her heart is silently breaking. And even the attentions of Jay Tanner, the handsome best man, can't draw her interest. Then suddenly, Pearl Harbor changes everything, and Kate finds herself drawn to Jay in surprising ways. Could she truly be in love with him? And if he enlists, will she ever see him again? Reviewed by Susan Miura.