The Death and Life of Gabriel Phillips by Stephen Baldwin and Mark Tabb

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
The Death and Life of Gabriel Phillips
FaithWords (November 5, 2008)
by
Stephen Baldwin
&
Mark Tabb

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

STEPHEN BALDWIN - actor, family man, born-again Christian - makes his home in upstate New York with his wife and two young daughters.

Equally adept at drama and comedy, Baldwin has appeared in over 60 films and been featured on such top-rated television shows as Fear Factor and Celebrity Mole. He has his own production company that is developing projects for television and the big screen. These days, however, his role as director, co-producer and host of Livin' It - a cutting-edge skate video is bringing out his white hot passion for evangelism.

Writer and communicator Mark Tabb calls himself an “internationally unknown author.” Although his books have been published around the world, he is best known for his collaborative works. His 2008 release, “Mistaken Identity”, written with the Van Ryn and Cerak families, hit number one on the New York Times bestseller list for two weeks, and remained on the list for over two months. He and actor Stephen Baldwin teamed up on their 2005 New York Times bestseller, “The Unusual Suspect,” and with their first work of fiction, “The Death and Life of Gabriel Phillips,”


ABOUT THE BOOK

Even years of experience haven't prepared Officer Andy Myers for this case---

When Officer Andy Myers met Loraine Phillips, he had no interest in her son. And he certainly never dreamed he'd respond to a call, finding that same boy in a pool of blood. Even more alarming was the father standing watch over his son's body. Myers had never seen a man respond to death-particularly the death of a child-in such a way. When the father is charged with murder and sentenced to death, he chooses not to fight but embrace it as God's will. Myers becomes consumed with curiosity for these strange beliefs. What follows is the story of the bond these two men share as they come to terms with the tragedy and the difficult choices each one must make.


If you would like to read the first chapter of The Death and Life of Gabriel Phillips, go HERE

*STRONG LANGUAGE*

White Christmas Pie by Wanda Brunstetter

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
White Christmas Pie
Barbour Publishing, Inc (September 1, 2008)
by
Wanda E. Brunstetter

MY THOUGHTS:
I have loved Wanda's books for years and this Christmas one was definitely not any different. If you are looking for a good book for a gift or for your own Christmas reading stack, this one is it! Don't miss reading Wanda's newest!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Fascinated by the Amish people during the years of visiting her husband's family in Pennsylvania, WANDA E. BRUNSTETTER combined her interest with her writing and now has eleven novels about the Amish in print, along with numerous other stories and ministry booklets. She lives in Washington State, where her husband is a pastor, but takes every opportunity to visit Amish settlements throughout the states.

This year Wanda also publishedA Sister's Hope


ABOUT THE BOOK

Step into Amish country for this bittersweet holiday romance. Here you'll meet Will Henderson, a young man tortured by his past, and Karen Yoder, a young woman looking for answers. Add a desperate father searching for his son, and you have all the ingredients for a first-class romance that will inspire and enthrall.

Abandoned by his father, Will Henderson was raised by an Amish couple. Now he's about to marry Karen Yoder but is having second thoughts. Can Will overcome the bitterness of his past in order to secure his future? Karen cannot break through the barrier her fiance has suddenly constructed around his heart. When she seeks the advice of an old boyfriend, Will begins to see green. Has he already lost his chance for happiness?

When an accident threatens Will's life, the strength of blood ties is tested. Will a recipe for White Christmas pie contain the ingredients for a happily-ever-after?

If you would like to read the first chapter of White Christmas Pie, go HERE

Watch the book trailer:

Where Was God Born? by Phillip W. Rodgers

MY THOUGHTS:

This author lives in the next city from me and happens to have the same name of my husband, minus the middle initial, so I have heard about him and his stories quite a bit. Buddy Bear is a big hit in my house. My four year old loves the illustrations and the stories, so we were very excited to get this book. It did not disappoint. If you are looking for a book for your favorite little one, consider this one or another by Phillip W. Rodgers. You will not be disappointed.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

And that's when it hit him,

a thought that seemed odd--

All bears were once babies--

so what about God?

ABOUT PHILLIP:

Phillip W. Rodgers has a long career in illustration and design, and is the author of several books, including the Discovering God Series. Phillip is also a professional speaker, traveling across the country and teaching children how they too can discover God. He resides in Ringgold, Georgia, with his wife, Stephanie, and their two daughters, Kaylee and Abby.

To purchase this book for yourself or as a gift, click here.

Smiles and Loves!

My Mother's Wish by Jerry Camery-Hoggatt

MY THOUGHTS:

This was a quick read that extols the value of home, even when we don't see it. Ellee, the daughter, doesn't think that she is loved and appreciated for who she is, but comes to find out that she is. Great Christmas read!

ABOUT THE BOOK:

A little chestnut of a Christmas story, My Mother's Wish is full of nostalgia. The story begins in the 1960s in the Midwest, where Ellee and her mother don't view things the same way, starting with who Ellee is and her very name, which her mother insists is Eleanor. Ellee must eventually leave the conflict with mom and constraints of home, and runs smack into the arms of grace at the Comeback Cafe. Only upon a midnight return home with a trucker named Jedidiah, will Ellee find the comfort, joy, and unreserved love that she's yearned for all her life.

To purchase this book for your own Christmas reading, click here.

One Holy Night by J.M. Hochstetler

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
One Holy Night
Sheaf House (April 1, 2008)
by
J. M. Hochstetler


MY THOUGHTS:
This touching book is sure to bring tears to your eyes while you are reading. I enjoyed the look into a family's life during the Vietnam War and the resulting repercussions of war on the entire family. It was a wonderful story that had me crying and rooting for the characters.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


J. M. Hochstetler writes stories that always involve some element of the past and of finding home. Born in central Indiana, the daughter of Mennonite farmers, she graduated from Indiana University with a degree in Germanic languages. She was an editor with Abingdon Press for twelve years and has published three novels.

One Holy Night, a contemporary miracle story for all seasons, released in April 2008. Daughter of Liberty (2004) and Native Son (2005), books 1 and 2 of the American Patriot Series are set during the American Revolution. Book 3, Wind of the Spirit, is scheduled for release in March 2009. Hochstetler is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Christian Authors Network, Middle Tennessee Christian Writers, and Historical Novels Society.



ABOUT THE BOOK

In 1967 the military build-up in Viet Nam is undergoing a dramatic surge. The resulting explosion of anti-war sentiment tears the country apart, slicing through generations and shattering families. In the quiet bedroom community of Shepherdsville, Minnesota, the war comes home to Frank and Maggie McRae, whose only son, Mike, is serving as a grunt in Viet Nam.

Frank despises all Asians because of what he witnessed as a young soldier fighting the Japanese in the south Pacific during WWII. The news that his son has fallen in love with and married Thi Nhuong, a young Vietnamese woman, shocks him. To Frank all Asians are enemies of his country, his family, and himself. A Buddhist, Thi Nhuong represents everything he despises. So he cuts Mike out of his life despite the pleas of his wife, Maggie; daughter, Julie; and Julie s husband, Dan, the pastor of a growing congregation.

Maggie is fighting her own battle--against cancer. Convinced that God is going to heal her, Frank plays the part of a model Christian. Her death on Thanksgiving Day devastates him. Worse, as they arrive home from the gravesite, the family receives news of Mike s death in battle. Embittered, Frank stops attending church and cuts off family and friends.

By the time a very pregnant Thi Nhuong arrives on his doorstep on a stormy Christmas Eve, Frank is so filled with hate that he slams the door in her face, shutting her out in the bitter cold. Finally, overcome by guilt, he tries to go after her, but driving wind and snow force him back inside. With the storm rising to blizzard strength, he confronts the wrenching truth that what hate has driven him to do is as evil as what the Japanese did all those years earlier, and that he needs forgiveness as desperately as they did ...

Frank doesn't know that what God has in mind this night is a miracle. As on that holy night so many years ago, a baby will be born and laid in a manger--a baby who will bring forgiveness, reconciliation, and healing to a family that has suffered heart-wrenching loss.

If you would like to read the first chapter of One Holy Night, go HERE.

Escaping the Devil's Bedroom by Dawn Herzog Jewell

MY THOUGHTS:

I wasn't too sure about this book when I received it, but it really opened my eyes up to how women live in other parts of the world. Millions of women are enslaved in the sex industry business all over the world and this book weaves together stories of women who have left this life and turned their lives over to God. Gaining insight on this issue and others like it is essential to making changes and supporting changes.

ABOUT THIS BOOK:

In "Escaping the Devil's Bedroom," Dawn Jewell weaves together stories of individual victims of the sex industry with a broad analysis of the grim realities that propel women into prostitution in North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Throughout, Jewell highlights ministries that reclaim one life at a time through prayerful visits to strip clubs, bars, and seedy side streets. Readers will glimpse the Gospel's transforming power in individuals who have left prostitution to find new life in Christ and are working with ministries and churches to help those still trapped in the vicious cycle of the sex trade.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Dawn Herzog Jewell is currently media and publications manager at Media Associates International, and a freelance journalist. She has worked for World Relief and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. She is based in Carol Stream, Illinois.

To purchase this book for your own library, click here.

Smiles and Loves!

Until We Reach Home by Lynn Austin

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Until We Reach Home
Bethany House (October 1, 2008)
by
Lynn Austin

MY THOUGHTS:

I have long loved Lynn Austin's writing and this book was definitely not a disappointment. The bond of sisters is clearly shown in this book and it was a great read from the first page to the last. Whether you are looking for a book for yourself or for your favorite friend or family member, this one should definitely be on the list.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

For many years, Lynn Austin nurtured a desire to write but frequent travels and the demands of her growing family postponed her career. When her husband's work took Lynn to Bogota, Colombia, for two years, she used the B.A. she'd earned at Southern Connecticut State University to become a teacher. After returning to the U.S., the Austins moved to Anderson, Indiana, Thunder Bay, Ontario, and later to Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Lynn resigned from teaching to write full-time in 1992. She has published twelve novels. Three of her historical novels, Hidden Places, Candle in the Darkness, and Fire by Night have won Christy Awards in 2002, 2003, and 2004 for excellence in Christian Fiction. Fire by Night was also one of only five inspirational fiction books chosen by Library Journal for their top picks of 2003, and All She Ever Wanted was chosen as one of the five inspirational top picks of 2005.

Lynn's novel Hidden Places has been made into a movie for the Hallmark Channel, starring actress Shirley Jones. Ms Jones received a 2006 Emmy Award nomination for her portrayal of Aunt Batty in the film.

Among her lastest books are A Proper Pursuit and A Woman's Place


ABOUT THE BOOK

Life in Sweden seems like an endless winter for three sisters after their mother's and father's suicide. Ellin feels the weight of responsibility for her sisters' welfare and when it circumstances become unbearable, she writes to her relatives in Chicago, pleading for help.

Joining sixteen million other immigrants who left their homelands for America between 1890 and 1920, Ellin, Kirsten, and Sophia begin the long, difficult journey. Enduring the ocean voyage in steerage and detention on Ellis Island, their story is America's story. And in a journey fraught with hardships, each woman will come to understand her secret longings and the meaning of home.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Until We Reach Home, go HERE