May NaBloPoMo

The Book Connection will be participating in National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo) again in May. NaBloPoMo is where you commit to writing at your blog every day of the month, something I find much easier than trying to write a 50,000 word novel each November while trying to prepare for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The coordinators of NaBloPoMo help bloggers out each month, by providing a theme for bloggers to write about. You don't have to use it--and I rarely do--but it is there in case you need some ideas on what to blog about.

With Mother's Day coming on May 10th, I thought this month would be a great way to honor mothers everywhere. All our special features this month will be books about mothers, motherhood, or parenting.

Here is a list of other May events at The Book Connection:

* Authors Dr. David Gruder, Abe March, Rie McGaha, Tim Kellis, Herbert Howard Jones, Dawson Church, Therese Fowler, Kandy Siahaya, Elizabeth Walker, and Kathye Quick will be our guest bloggers.

* We'll interview Barbara Weaver Smith about her latest book, Whale Hunting Women: How Women Do Big Deals and Hopeful But Frustrated Teacher (HBF Teacher) will give us a glimpse into America's public schools when we interview her about her realistic fiction book, No Teachers Left Behind.

* The Last Queen by C. W. Gortner and The Crypto-Capers: The Case of the Missing Sock and The Case of Red Rock Canyon by Renee Hand will be reviewed in May.

And don't forget that our Spring Book Giveaway is running until May 15th. You'll find details here.

Make sure you check back every day to see what is going on at the blog where readers and writers connect.

State of Quarries by Elysabeth Eldering--Book Review

The Junior Geography Detective Squad returns in State of Quarries, the second book in this continuing series of the fifty states by Elysabeth Eldering.

Matt is busy in his room studying when his younger sister Mary Beth strolls in begging to play the game Matt received as a gift from his mother. Like the typical older brother he says, "no"; but Mary Beth soon convinces him that a round would be fun. And like the last time when they played with Matt's friend Guy, they place a bet. This time, the loser has to perform the other person's most hated chore.

Clue by clue pops up on the screen, each clue getting easier as they advance. Who will uncover the identity of the state in this round first? And who will be left doing double chores?

I eagerly awaited the release of the second book in the Junior Geography Detective Squad series. Book 1, State of Wilderness--which we reviewed here--introduced us to Matt Peterson, his mother, his best friend Guy and his younger sister Mary Beth, and led the kids along on an adventure that made learning fun.

With Guy only being mentioned in the second book, but not present to participate in the game, State of Quarries depends upon the healthy competitive side of sibling rivalry to move the story along, as each sibling hopes to uncover the answer first and not be stuck with the other person's most hated chore.

As I mentioned when I reviewed State of Wilderness, Eldering really taps into what it is like to be a young person, so Matt and Mary Beth are realistic characters. They bicker, they tease, and they each want to win.

Aidana WillowRaven returns to illustrate the second book, providing cover art and interior illustrations that help depict the clues and the handheld game. The rustic look of many of these illustrations subtly symbolizes the many years of history that the reader is uncovering as she picks up clue after clue and learns United States geography.

Once the game is over and the state's identity has been revealed, there is a section that provides more facts about the state and a series of discussion questions. This book is perfect not only for your child, but is also an excellent classroom resource. Teacher's Guides are also available.

Learning doesn't get any more fun than this!


Title: State of Quarries
Author: Elysabeth Eldering
ISBN-10: 0-9797513-9-X
ISBN-13: 978-0-9797513-9-4
SRP: $10.99 (U.S.)

Two-Minute Book-Signing Pitch for The Flow of Time and Money by Lloyd Watts

Joining us today is businessman and author, Lloyd Watts. LLoyd's personal/business finance book, The Flow of Time and Money: How to create a full and prosperous life, is a groundbreaking new book that will help you master the relationship between your time and money. Using simple, proven techniques and easy-to-understand diagrams, Dr. Lloyd Watts shows you how to take control of your income, expenses and time commitments in order to achieve wealth and personal fulfillment.

You can find out more about Lloyd and The Flow of Time and Money by visiting www.flowoftimeandmoney.com.

I posed this question to Lloyd: I meet you at a book-signing and I give you maximum 2 minutes to sell me his book. What do you say?

Lloyd's Turn:

If you look at the problems in most people’s lives, you will see that they center around money, or more specifically, a lack of money. People work at jobs they don’t enjoy, making less money than they feel they are worth, without feeling fulfilled or creating a great future for themselves. And these financial problems often have direct effects in other parts of their lives – lack of confidence, staying in bad relationships because they can’t afford to split up, etc. For many people, these financial problems have been magnified with the current downturn in the economy.

The Flow of Time and Money shows you how to solve these problems, and create a life of wealth and fulfillment. It shows you how Time and Money really work – how we use them, spend them, waste them, and invest them. It shows you how to stop wasting your time and money, and how to invest your time and your money into things that grow and create real value. It gives you a roadmap to financial independence, with four stages (Youth/Education, Accumulating Capital, Small Deals, and Big Deals) so you know where you are on the path and what you can be doing now to advance safely to the next stage. And it shows you how to avoid the most common traps (Save and Spend, and Borrow and Spend) that can lead anyone into trouble.

The Flow of Time and Money is a quick read, with helpful diagrams to make it easy to understand how time and money really work, and how to build the life of your dreams. Buy this book, and put it into practice – and create the life of wealth and fulfillment you always wanted.


* * *

Lloyd Watts is the Chairman and Chief Technology Officer of Audience, Inc., an award-winning technology business that he founded in 2000. Lloyd’s book, The Flow of Time and Money: How to create a full and prosperous life, is available at Amazon.com and at www.flowoftimeandmoney.com .

Teaching Children about the Bible without being Preachy by Patti B. Ogden

Our special guest blogger is Christian children's author Patti B. Ogden. Patti wrote Keoni's Big Question--which we reviewed here.

In this book, Keoni is searching for the answer to his question about God, and no one seems to be able to answer it. Then one day while on a fishing trip, Keoni works up the courage to ask his friend the Old Fisherman, and Keoni finds his question answered in more ways than he ever dreamed of.

One of the best things about Keoni's Big Question, is that it breaks down a difficult concept for youngsters and makes it easy to understand. An experienced Sunday school teacher, Patti shares with us how to teach children about the Bible without being too preacy or heavy-handed.

Patti's Turn:

The Challenge to Teach Children about the Bible without Being Preachy or Heavy-Handed
by Patti B. Ogden


Three bullets were carefully placed in the middle of the table. A red construction paper heart beside them, with three jagged edged holes ripped through it.
The teenagers that entered my Sunday school class that day came in cautiously - obviously wondering what such a display would have to do with a lesson that they were supposed to learn about the Bible or the Lord Jesus. Each sat down in quiet dismay, giving me looks as if to say…”what in the world is going on?”

My extreme display was approved by the deacon (he said as long as they don’t accompany a gun I would be fine). And it brought the sober reaction I needed to catch the kids off guard. I definitely had their undivided attention.

What they didn’t know is what had happened to me the week before. Having suffered the cruelest verbal attack of my life - from a dear person that I love deeply but who couldn’t understand my belief in God- I experienced a battle within that had my emotions reeling and reaching for comfort and understanding. I sensed that what I went through that week may just be a thimble full of what today’s Christian teens experience in today’s toxic anything-goes society. I wanted to teach them how to deal with such attacks and how to come to terms with the raging hurt within.

We began with scripture that showed the humiliation that Christ suffered. Then we covered stories of persecution that believers had to endure because they “took up the cross and followed Him”. The kids took turns reading through the comfort passages of how the Lord loves His children and is a shield, a fortress and an ever present comfort in our despair. We ended with scripture that taught us never to seek revenge, for that is up to God. After all, Jesus still had mercy and kindness for the soldier that arrested him and led him to trial. Peter cut off his ear in a fit of rage and Jesus reached out and healed it. The meek will truly inherit the earth.

By the time the class was complete, I knew the lesson had made its impact. It hit right where they live. They opened up about their own experiences and found comfort that God completely understands what they go through. By finding common ground with others that have “been there” and then offering Biblical solutions, children can be comfortable with Christian teaching. Teaching that inspires and encourages spiritual growth is not preachy or heavy-handed. It leaves kids with a desire to come back to hear more.

You can find out more about Patti and her books online at www.capstone-productions.com

No Teachers Left Behind by HBF Teacher--Book Review

If you want to take a scary and sometimes funny--if it weren't so real--trip through the day-to-day life of middle school teachers, then pick up a copy of No Teachers Left Behind by Hopeful But Frustrated Teacher (HBF Teacher).

Join Sixth Grade teachers Sandra Wyatt and Marcus Watts, Seventh Grade teachers Sonya Harte and Gail Jenkins, Eighth Grade teacher Angela Williams, and the other teachers, administrators and support staff at fictional Vilyon Middle School for a glimpse into the daily life of teachers in America's public school system.

Frustrated, by overpaid administrators whose decisions lack common sense and place the "needs" of students ahead of everything else--including necessary discipline and safety issues, the teaching staff at Vilyon Middle School can't even seem to get support from the support staff. The head custodian expects them to make sure unruly and unmanageable students don't destroy the bathrooms; while unsupportive parents point to teachers as the problem behind their children's lack of academic success.

Told through a series of scene excerpts, poems, and email exchanges, No Teachers Left Behind portrays some of the challenges facing American public schools today; and it leaves the reader wondering if these types of things occur in every school district in America.

My opinions on this book are mixed because I approach it both as a parent and as someone who volunteers in local public schools. I've watched while budget cuts have left teachers counting the number of photocopies they make each day, while perfectly useable equipment is replaced with newer models. I've heard the cries of large class sizes, but have heard stories of teachers not wanting parents in their classrooms.

The administrators are out of touch with reality in this book, and the majority of students and all the parents are portrayed in an unflattering light. Most of the students are more interested in making drug deals, getting their teachers suspended, and getting it on, than performing well academically; and the parents fault the teachers, not themselves, for any problems that arise.

The author's passion for this subject is evident. While I didn't think I would care for the format at first, I found it very easy to follow the various email communications and scenes to their shocking and tragic conclusion. The language is a bit crude in places, but mostly appropriate when used. The one thing I didn't quite understand was the cover art; but I thought the rolling prairie might be symbolic of the less complicated days of educating children in one-room classrooms, before government legislation and mandatory testing dictated how educators taught their students.

No Teachers Left Behind is one of those books that will leave you thinking about the state of things long after you've turned the last page.


Title: No Teachers Left Behind
Author: HBF Teacher
Publisher: 2nd Avenue Publishing
ISBN-10: 0-9747570-5-5
ISBN-13: 978-0-9747570-5-6
SRP: $13.95 (U.S.)

Life is Tough - I Doubt I'll Make It Out Alive by Stacy Gooch-Anderson--Book Review

Life lessons learned through one mother's journey is what readers will discover when they open the pages of Life is Tough - I Doubt I'll Make It Out Alive by Stacy Gooch- Anderson.

Already a fan of Stacy Gooch-Anderson and her book The Santa Letters--which we reviewed here--I was thrilled to be asked to review Life is Tough. Gooch-Anderson has a way of touching the heart like few authors can; and here, her skills shine through in a funny and often tender way, as she shares with readers twenty-eight lessons she has learned from her own parents and her journey through motherhood.

From embarrassing home movies, to the challenges of learning to ski; from Daddy's little girl, to married woman; from a first-time mother, to the ruler over four unique and challenging boys, and from her role as daughter to her role as family matriarch, Stacy Gooch-Anderson's lessons will leave you laughing so hard that you cry, and crying along with her as she deals with the loss of a child and the loss of both parents to cancer.

Perhaps, having lost my mother to cancer when I was just a girl helped me relate to the emotions the author shares as she watches her father struggle with the disease, but still maintain his positive outlook on life. And perhaps I cried a few extra tears as Gooch-Anderson tells of her mother asking her to become the "mother bird" who would watch over her siblings "like a hawk".

Overall, though there sad moments like these in every mother's life, the majority of the book shares the joys of motherhood: watching your children grow, looking back to laugh upon the challenges they have brought to your life, the pride you feel in them, and the days you threatened to sell them to the Indians (at least that's what my parents always said they would do).

Life is Tough - I Doubt I'll Make It Out Alive is the perfect gift for mothers, grandmothers, step-mothers, sisters, and aunts who have traveled and who are traveling along the wonderful, and sometimes difficult, journey of motherhood.

It is my hope, that Stacy Gooch-Anderson comes out with another title soon. I'll be the first in line to buy a copy.


Title: Life is Tough - I Doubt I'll Make It Out Alive
Author: Stacy Gooch-Anderson
Publisher: CFI, an imprint of Cedar Fort, Inc.
ISBN: 978-1-59955-176-0
SRP: $14.99 (U.S.)

Check out a Life Saver from Stacy Gooch-Anderson here.

Where to Find Pump Up's Authors Today

Follow along as these talented authors travel the blogosphere with Pump Up Your Book Promotion to talk about their books, their lives and their future projects.

David S. Brody, author of The Cabal of the Westford Knight (Martin and Lawrence Press), will be stopping off at Beyond the Books! While trying to help an elderly couple save their home, attorney Cameron Thorne is thrust into a bloody tug-of-war involving secret societies, treasure hunters and keepers of the secrets of the Jesus bloodline. Joined by Amanda, a beautiful British researcher with secrets of her own, Cam races around New England with only two choices, unravel the 600-year-old mysteries encoded in the ancient Templar artifacts or die trying. You can visit his website at www.davidbrodybooks.com.

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Sheri Kaye Hoff, author of the inspirational nonfiction book, Keys to Living Joyfully (Createspace), will be stopping off at Paperback Writer! Keys to Living Joyfully is an inspirational book on experiencing joy, peace, passion, and energy in daily life. It is designed to demonstrate the powerful roles of thoughts, action, and faith. You can visit her website at www.lifeisjoyful.org.

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J.A. Hunsinger, author of the historical fiction novel, Axe of Iron: The Settlers, will be stopping off at The Plot and Fiction Scribe! The first novel of a continuing character-driven tale of a medieval people whose wanderlust and yearning for adventure cause them to leave the two established settlements on Greenland and sail west, to the unexplored land later referred to as Vinland. You can visit his website at www.vinlandpublishing.com.

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Alan Kennedy-Shaffer, author of the political nonfiction book, The Obama Revolution (Phoenix Books) will be stopping off at Minds Alive on the Shelves! The first book to be written by a campaign staffer and offering rare insider glimpses, The Obama Revolution explores how a generation of believers and the politics of hope won the presidency for Barack Obama and changed the world. You can visit Alan online at www.alankennedy-shaffer.com.

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J.W. Nicklaus, author of the book of short stories, The Light, The Dark & Ember Between (Bedside Books) will be stopping off at Write for a Reader and Blogging Authors! Fifteen stories: From the wispy fog of a love lost at sea, to an orphaned child who delivers a present of her own during a war-torn Christmas. These stories are gentle reminders to each of us of what it is to be human, and certainly of our affinity for the slightest glint of Hope. You can visit J.W. online at www.avomnia.com.

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Balthazar Rodrigue Nzomono-Balenda, author of The Depth of My Soul (I-Proclaim), will be stopping off at Scribe Vibe! The Depth of My Soul is a book or poetry that focuses on injustices such as wars, corruption, war crimes, religious fundamentalism, child abuse, and other types of abuse. The goal of this book is to share his approach with his readers about the problems we face in this world. You can visit Balthazar’s website at www.ganymedeweb.com.

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Patti B. Ogden, author of the Christian children’s picture book, Keoni’s Big Question (Capstone Productions) will be stopping off at Promo 101! A boy who seeks answers about God’s presence in everyday life, finds his friend held the key to his revelation all along. This gripping tale follows a pair of dear friends on a fishing trip that turns dangerous, then miraculous, and leaves Keoni with more answers then he ever dreamed possible! Every child wonders why we can’t see God. Keoni’s Big Question makes the answer easy to understand. You can visit Patti online at www.capstone-productions.com.

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Richard E. Roach, author of the suspense mystery novel, Scattered Leaves (Multi-Media), will be stopping off at A Bookish Mom! When Ben McCord comes home from a business trip to find his young wife raped and murdered, he starts out on a journey of death and destruction. Clues lead him to a dark world of drugs and violence in action that spans Texas, Colorado, and the Mexican border. McCord hooks up with a beautiful doctor, who was also victimized by members of the same drug cartel, and together they track down the killers, surviving bloody confrontations, and ending with a suspenseful climax in the Big Thicket of Texas. You can visit Richard online at www.richarderoach.com.

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T.E. Scott and Stephen Edds, co-authors of the business/personal finance book, The Losing Game: Why You Can’t Beat Wall Street (Hidden Truth Publishing, will be visiting The Writer's Life! T.E. Scott exposes the stock market and commodity markets for what they really are — brilliantly marketed rip-offs. The Losing Game simplifies a very complex system that Wall Street has designed to separate the masses from their money without accountability or prosecution. As a result of this design, they have tricked us into believing that the stock market and commodity markets are something they are not. You can visit them online at www.thelosinggame.com.

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Donna Lee Schillinger, author of the nonfiction Christian Living book, On My Own Now: Straight Talk from the Proverbs for Young Christian Women Who Want to Remain Pure, Debt-free and Regret-free (Quilldriver), will be stopping off at Book Talk with J & J! On My Own Now is about strengthening young women’s faith and preventing the screw-ups that can brand us for life. Donna Lee Schillinger draws on her eclectic past as a rebellious youth, Peace Corps volunteer, social worker, single mother, court mediator and executive director of a home for single young mothers. You can visit Donna online at www.onmyownnow.com.

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Lloyd Watts, author of the self-help/personal finance book, The Flow of Time and Money: How to Create a Full and Prosperous Life (Megawatt Media Corporation), will be stopping off at The Book Stacks! The Flow of Time and Money is a groundbreaking new book that will help you master the relationship between your time and money. Using simple, proven techniques and easy-to-understand diagrams, Dr. Lloyd Watts shows you how to take control of your income, expenses and time commitments in order to achieve wealth and personal fulfillment. You can visit Lloyd online at www.flowoftimeandmoney.com.

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Karen White, author of the contemporary fiction novel, The Lost Hours (NAL Accent), will be stopping off at Bookfoolery and Babble and Popin's Lair! Now a near fatal riding accident has shattered Piper’s dreams of Olympic glory. After her grandfather’s death, she inherits the house and all its secrets, including a key to a room that doesn’t exist—or does it? And after her grandmother is sent away to a nursing home, she remembers the box buried in the backyard. In it are torn pages from a scrapbook, a charm necklace—and a newspaper article from 1929 about the body of an infant found floating in the Savannah River. The necklace’s charms tell the story of three friends during the 1920s— each charm added during the three months each friend had the necklace and recorded her life in the scrapbook. Piper always dismissed her grandmother as not having had a story to tell. And now, too late, Piper finds she might have been wrong. You can visit Karen online at www.karen-white.com.

Where to Find Pump Up's Authors Today

Follow along as these talented authors travel the blogosphere with Pump Up Your Book Promotion to talk about their books, their lives and their future projects.


David S. Brody, author of The Cabal of the Westford Knight (Martin and Lawrence Press), will be stopping off at Passages of the Past and Review Your Book! While trying to help an elderly couple save their home, attorney Cameron Thorne is thrust into a bloody tug-of-war involving secret societies, treasure hunters and keepers of the secrets of the Jesus bloodline. Joined by Amanda, a beautiful British researcher with secrets of her own, Cam races around New England with only two choices, unravel the 600-year-old mysteries encoded in the ancient Templar artifacts or die trying. You can visit his website at www.davidbrodybooks.com.

__________________________________

Sheri Kaye Hoff, author of the inspirational nonfiction book, Keys to Living Joyfully (Createspace), will be stopping off at Fictionary! Keys to Living Joyfully is an inspirational book on experiencing joy, peace, passion, and energy in daily life. It is designed to demonstrate the powerful roles of thoughts, action, and faith. You can visit her website at www.lifeisjoyful.org.

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J.A. Hunsinger, author of the historical fiction novel, Axe of Iron: The Settlers, will be stopping off at The Plot and Denyse Bridger's Fantasy Pages! The first novel of a continuing character-driven tale of a medieval people whose wanderlust and yearning for adventure cause them to leave the two established settlements on Greenland and sail west, to the unexplored land later referred to as Vinland. You can visit his website at www.vinlandpublishing.com.

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J.W. Nicklaus, author of the book of short stories, The Light, The Dark & Ember Between (Bedside Books) will be stopping off at Write for a Reader! Fifteen stories: From the wispy fog of a love lost at sea, to an orphaned child who delivers a present of her own during a war-torn Christmas. These stories are gentle reminders to each of us of what it is to be human, and certainly of our affinity for the slightest glint of Hope. You can visit J.W. online at www.avomnia.com.

_________________________

Balthazar Rodrigue Nzomono-Balenda, author of The Depth of My Soul (I-Proclaim), will be stopping off at The 1st Page! The Depth of My Soul is a book or poetry that focuses on injustices such as wars, corruption, war crimes, religious fundamentalism, child abuse, and other types of abuse. The goal of this book is to share his approach with his readers about the problems we face in this world. You can visit Balthazar’s website at www.ganymedeweb.com.

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Patti B. Ogden, author of the Christian children’s picture book, Keoni’s Big Question (Capstone Productions) will be stopping off at Paperback Writer! A boy who seeks answers about God’s presence in everyday life, finds his friend held the key to his revelation all along. This gripping tale follows a pair of dear friends on a fishing trip that turns dangerous, then miraculous, and leaves Keoni with more answers then he ever dreamed possible! Every child wonders why we can’t see God. Keoni’s Big Question makes the answer easy to understand. You can visit Patti online at www.capstone-productions.com.

__________________________


T.E. Scott and Stephen Edds, co-authors of the business/personal finance book, The Losing Game: Why You Can’t Beat Wall Street (Hidden Truth Publishing, will be visiting Truth Brigade Radio! T.E. Scott exposes the stock market and commodity markets for what they really are — brilliantly marketed rip-offs. The Losing Game simplifies a very complex system that Wall Street has designed to separate the masses from their money without accountability or prosecution. As a result of this design, they have tricked us into believing that the stock market and commodity markets are something they are not. You can visit them online at www.thelosinggame.com.

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Robin Maderich, author of the historical romance novel, Faith and Honor (Blue Shutter Books) will be stopping off at Ticket to Anywhere and The Book Rack! Rescued from the harrassment of British officers in Colonial Boston by handsome, secretive Fletcher Irons, Faith Ashley’s slumbering passions are ignited, until the discovery that Fletcher himself is an officer of the army she has come to despise, a man who is the enemy. Yet with persistence, Fletcher wins the fiery Faith’s love. When the colonies erupt in Revolution, Faith refuses to choose between her loyalty to the cause and her love for the man who is far more than the color of his uniform. Will her honor be her undoing? You can visit Robin online at www.robinmaderich.com.

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Lloyd Watts, author of the self-help/personal finance book, The Flow of Time and Money: How to Create a Full and Prosperous Life (Megawatt Media Corporation), will be stopping off at Tristi's Takes! The Flow of Time and Money is a groundbreaking new book that will help you master the relationship between your time and money. Using simple, proven techniques and easy-to-understand diagrams, Dr. Lloyd Watts shows you how to take control of your income, expenses and time commitments in order to achieve wealth and personal fulfillment. You can visit Lloyd online at www.flowoftimeandmoney.com.

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Karen White, author of the contemporary fiction novel, The Lost Hours (NAL Accent), will be stopping off at The Review From Here! Now a near fatal riding accident has shattered Piper’s dreams of Olympic glory. After her grandfather’s death, she inherits the house and all its secrets, including a key to a room that doesn’t exist—or does it? And after her grandmother is sent away to a nursing home, she remembers the box buried in the backyard. In it are torn pages from a scrapbook, a charm necklace—and a newspaper article from 1929 about the body of an infant found floating in the Savannah River. The necklace’s charms tell the story of three friends during the 1920s— each charm added during the three months each friend had the necklace and recorded her life in the scrapbook. Piper always dismissed her grandmother as not having had a story to tell. And now, too late, Piper finds she might have been wrong. You can visit Karen online at www.karen-white.com.

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Tim Kellis, author of the relationship book, Equality: The Quest for the Happy Marriage (Gilgamesh Publishing), will be stopping off at The Writer's Life! The journey through “Equality: The Quest for the Happy Marriage” includes a trip through history, where the most significant lessons civilization has learned over the last few thousand years are used to demonstrate not only the way to set up a positive relationship, but the causes of that relationship turning negative. You can visit Tim online at www.happyrelationships.com.

You Can Lead an Atheist to Evidence, but You Can't Make Him Think by Ray Comfort--Book Review

After reading You Can Lead an Atheist to Evidence, but You Can't Make Him Think, I now understand why modern-day atheists go after Ray Comfort and his Way of the Master ministry so fervently. With humility, and all the while acknowledging he is also a sinner, Comfort reaches out to atheists and explains the lack of common sense he sees behind their views. And admittedly, Comfort is trying to get under their skin in order to force them to think.

You Can Lead an Atheist to Evidence, but You Can't Make Him Think is a compilation of questions and answers from Comfort's Atheist Central blog, along with additional comments from the author. The book also includes quotes from Professor Stephen Hawking, author C. S. Lewis, Sir Issac Newton, and several Biblical quotations.

Tackling such issues as: Creation Must Have a Creator, The Promise of Heaven and Eternal Life and What Sets Christianity and Christians Apart, the author uses Biblical evidence and the lack of reliable evidence proving the theory of evolution, to engage the reader in a thought-provoking journey that leads to only one conclusion--God exists and He wants to have a relationship with you.

Some of Comfort's arguments are redundant; but I believe that has more to do with the similiar questions posed to him by the readers of his blog, than because the author uses a script to engage atheists in conversation.

What this book truly hits home for the objective reader is that atheists often miss the mark on what Comfort is trying to say to them. He is concerned for their souls. Knowing God and what it is like to be in a relationship with Him, and also knowing about the gift of Eternal Life and the existence of hell, the author is trying to get atheists to understand that being a Christian isn't about holding a different set of beliefs. It's about knowing God and being in a relationship with Him. While Comfort chooses to do this in a humorous and at times mildly sarcastic way, that does not negate his evidence.

If you are a Christian looking for ways to discuss the message of Salvation with non-believers or if you are skeptical about the existence of God and that Jesus Christ died for your sins, you need to read Ray Comfort's You Can Lead an Atheist to Evidence, but You Can't Make Him Think.


Title: You Can Lead an Atheist to Evidence, but You Can't Make Him Think
Author: Ray Comfort
Publisher: WND Books
ISBN: 978-1-935071-06-8
SRP: $22.95 (U.S.)

POE SQUARED: Boston Mayor to Honor Edgar's Hub Roots

Mystery fans and fans of Edgar Allan Poe may be interested to hear that on Monday, April 27th, Boston, Massachusetts Mayor Thomas M. Menino will declare the intersection of Boylston Street and Charles Street South “Edgar Allan Poe Square.” The dedication is the result of the efforts of BC English Professor Paul Lewis to get Boston to re-claim the author during the bicentennial anniversary of his birth in Boston.

Professor Paul Lewis's work on The Raven Returns Edgar Allan Poe Bicentennial Year Celebration is detailed at the Boston College University Libraries website.

Edgar Allan Poe was born Jan. 19, 1809 at 62 Carver Street, near the intersection of Broadway, a since-demolished crossroads not far from the site of the new Poe Square. Poe served in the United States Army at Boston’s Fort Independence and signed his first published work, “By a Bostonian.” But his tumultuous relationship with his native city and its literary icons sent him to Baltimore and Philadelphia, cities that also lay claim to Poe’s legacy.

"The Masque of the Red Death", "The Tell-Tale Heart", "The Fall of the House of Usher" and "The Raven" are some of Poe's most famous works.

The dedication of Edgar Allan Poe Square in honor of the Bicentennial Anniversary of Poe’s 1809 birth in Boston will take place on Monday, April 27th, 2009 at 11:00 AM at the intersection of Boylston Street and Charles Street South (off Boston Common).

You can contact Ed Hayward at the Office of Public Affairs at Boston College for more information. Mr. Hayward can be reached by phone at (617) 552-4826 or by email at ed.hayward(at)bc(dot)edu.

Where to Find Pump Up's Authors Today

Follow along as these talented authors travel the blogosphere with Pump Up Your Book Promotion to talk about their books, their lives and their future projects.


Cherie Burbach, author of the Internet dating book, Internet Dating is Not Like Ordering a Pizza (Bonjour Publishing), will be stopping off at A Book Blogger's Diary! If you’ve tried online dating and given up, or even if you thought the Internet wasn’t right for you, this book will give you the courage to try again, this time armed with specific illustrations on what really works - from the profile through the dating stage. Don’t waste another minute wondering why some people seem to have Internet dating success while you’re still waiting for a response to your online ad. Through dozens of concrete examples, dating expert Cherie Burbach will show you how to write an eye-catching profile, search for, and meet the right person online. You can visit her website at www.thedifferencenow.com.

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Sheri Kaye Hoff, author of the inspirational nonfiction book, Keys to Living Joyfully (Createspace), will be stopping off at Scribe Vibe! Keys to Living Joyfully is an inspirational book on experiencing joy, peace, passion, and energy in daily life. It is designed to demonstrate the powerful roles of thoughts, action, and faith. You can visit her website at www.lifeisjoyful.org.

____________________________


Alan Kennedy-Shaffer, author of the political nonfiction book, The Obama Revolution (Phoenix Books) will be stopping off at Marta's Meanderings and In Bed With Books! The first book to be written by a campaign staffer and offering rare insider glimpses, The Obama Revolution explores how a generation of believers and the politics of hope won the presidency for Barack Obama and changed the world. You can visit Alan online at www.alankennedy-shaffer.com.

_________________________

Balthazar Rodrigue Nzomono-Balenda, author of The Depth of My Soul (I-Proclaim), will be stopping off at Between the Covers! The Depth of My Soul is a book or poetry that focuses on injustices such as wars, corruption, war crimes, religious fundamentalism, child abuse, and other types of abuse. The goal of this book is to share his approach with his readers about the problems we face in this world. You can visit Balthazar’s website at www.ganymedeweb.com.

__________________________

Patti B. Ogden, author of the Christian children’s picture book, Keoni’s Big Question (Capstone Productions) will be stopping off at Pop Syndicate! A boy who seeks answers about God’s presence in everyday life, finds his friend held the key to his revelation all along. This gripping tale follows a pair of dear friends on a fishing trip that turns dangerous, then miraculous, and leaves Keoni with more answers then he ever dreamed possible! Every child wonders why we can’t see God. Keoni’s Big Question makes the answer easy to understand. You can visit Patti online at www.capstone-productions.com.

__________________________

Richard E. Roach, author of the suspense mystery novel, Scattered Leaves (Multi-Media), will be stopping off at Peeking Between the Pages! When Ben McCord comes home from a business trip to find his young wife raped and murdered, he starts out on a journey of death and destruction. Clues lead him to a dark world of drugs and violence in action that spans Texas, Colorado, and the Mexican border. McCord hooks up with a beautiful doctor, who was also victimized by members of the same drug cartel, and together they track down the killers, surviving bloody confrontations, and ending with a suspenseful climax in the Big Thicket of Texas. You can visit Richard online at www.richarderoach.com.

__________________________

T.E. Scott and Stephen Edds, co-authors of the business/personal finance book, The Losing Game: Why You Can’t Beat Wall Street (Hidden Truth Publishing), will be visiting Books and Authors! T.E. Scott exposes the stock market and commodity markets for what they really are — brilliantly marketed rip-offs. The Losing Game simplifies a very complex system that Wall Street has designed to separate the masses from their money without accountability or prosecution. As a result of this design, they have tricked us into believing that the stock market and commodity markets are something they are not. You can visit them online at www.thelosinggame.com.

_________________________


Robin Maderich, author of the historical romance novel, Faith and Honor (Blue Shutter Books) will be stopping off at Girls Just Reading! Rescued from the harrassment of British officers in Colonial Boston by handsome, secretive Fletcher Irons, Faith Ashley’s slumbering passions are ignited, until the discovery that Fletcher himself is an officer of the army she has come to despise, a man who is the enemy. Yet with persistence, Fletcher wins the fiery Faith’s love. When the colonies erupt in Revolution, Faith refuses to choose between her loyalty to the cause and her love for the man who is far more than the color of his uniform. Will her honor be her undoing? You can visit Robin online at www.robinmaderich.com.

__________________________________________

Donna Lee Schillinger, author of the nonfiction Christian Living book, On My Own Now: Straight Talk from the Proverbs for Young Christian Women Who Want to Remain Pure, Debt-free and Regret-free (Quilldriver), will be stopping off at Paperback Writer! On My Own Now is about strengthening young women’s faith and preventing the screw-ups that can brand us for life. Donna Lee Schillinger draws on her eclectic past as a rebellious youth, Peace Corps volunteer, social worker, single mother, court mediator and executive director of a home for single young mothers. You can visit Donna online at www.onmyownnow.com.

__________________________


Lloyd Watts, author of the self-help/personal finance book, The Flow of Time and Money: How to Create a Full and Prosperous Life (Megawatt Media Corporation), will be stopping off at Noobpreneur is a groundbreaking new book that will help you master the relationship between your time and money. Using simple, proven techniques and easy-to-understand diagrams, Dr. Lloyd Watts shows you how to take control of your income, expenses and time commitments in order to achieve wealth and personal fulfillment. You can visit Lloyd online at www.flowoftimeandmoney.com.

____________________________


Karen White, author of the contemporary fiction novel, The Lost Hours (NAL Accent), will be stopping off at Diary of an Eccentric, Jenn's Bookshelf, Books and Needlepoint and Cheryl's Book Nook! Now a near fatal riding accident has shattered Piper’s dreams of Olympic glory. After her grandfather’s death, she inherits the house and all its secrets, including a key to a room that doesn’t exist—or does it? And after her grandmother is sent away to a nursing home, she remembers the box buried in the backyard. In it are torn pages from a scrapbook, a charm necklace—and a newspaper article from 1929 about the body of an infant found floating in the Savannah River. The necklace’s charms tell the story of three friends during the 1920s— each charm added during the three months each friend had the necklace and recorded her life in the scrapbook. Piper always dismissed her grandmother as not having had a story to tell. And now, too late, Piper finds she might have been wrong. You can visit Karen online at www.karen-white.com.

____________________________

J.A. Hunsinger, author of the historical fiction novel, Axe of Iron: The Settlers, will be stopping off at The Book Stacks! The first novel of a continuing character-driven tale of a medieval people whose wanderlust and yearning for adventure cause them to leave the two established settlements on Greenland and sail west, to the unexplored land later referred to as Vinland. You can visit his website at www.vinlandpublishing.com.

Where to Find Pump Up's Authors Today

Follow along as these talented authors travel the blogosphere with Pump Up Your Book Promotion to talk about their books, their lives and their future projects.


Cherie Burbach, author of the Internet dating book, Internet Dating is Not Like Ordering a Pizza (Bonjour Publishing), will be stopping off at Beyond the Books! If you’ve tried online dating and given up, or even if you thought the Internet wasn’t right for you, this book will give you the courage to try again, this time armed with specific illustrations on what really works - from the profile through the dating stage. Don’t waste another minute wondering why some people seem to have Internet dating success while you’re still waiting for a response to your online ad. Through dozens of concrete examples, dating expert Cherie Burbach will show you how to write an eye-catching profile, search for, and meet the right person online. You can visit her website at www.thedifferencenow.com.

____________________________

David S. Brody, author of The Cabal of the Westford Knight (Martin and Lawrence Press), will be stopping off at Scribe Vibe! While trying to help an elderly couple save their home, attorney Cameron Thorne is thrust into a bloody tug-of-war involving secret societies, treasure hunters and keepers of the secrets of the Jesus bloodline. Joined by Amanda, a beautiful British researcher with secrets of her own, Cam races around New England with only two choices, unravel the 600-year-old mysteries encoded in the ancient Templar artifacts or die trying. You can visit his website at www.davidbrodybooks.com.

__________________________________

Sheri Kaye Hoff, author of the inspirational nonfiction book, Keys to Living Joyfully (Createspace), will be stopping off at Bloggin 'Bout Books! Keys to Living Joyfully is an inspirational book on experiencing joy, peace, passion, and energy in daily life. It is designed to demonstrate the powerful roles of thoughts, action, and faith. You can visit her website at www.lifeisjoyful.org.

____________________________


Alan Kennedy-Shaffer, author of the political nonfiction book, The Obama Revolution (Phoenix Books) will be stopping off at In Bed With Books! The first book to be written by a campaign staffer and offering rare insider glimpses, The Obama Revolution explores how a generation of believers and the politics of hope won the presidency for Barack Obama and changed the world. You can visit Alan online at www.alankennedy-shaffer.com.

__________________________


J.W. Nicklaus, author of the book of short stories, The Light, The Dark & Ember Between (Bedside Books) will be stopping off at The Plot! Fifteen stories: From the wispy fog of a love lost at sea, to an orphaned child who delivers a present of her own during a war-torn Christmas. These stories are gentle reminders to each of us of what it is to be human, and certainly of our affinity for the slightest glint of Hope. You can visit J.W. online at www.avomnia.com.

_________________________

Balthazar Rodrigue Nzomono-Balenda, author of The Depth of My Soul (I-Proclaim), will be stopping off at Paperback Writer! The Depth of My Soul is a book or poetry that focuses on injustices such as wars, corruption, war crimes, religious fundamentalism, child abuse, and other types of abuse. The goal of this book is to share his approach with his readers about the problems we face in this world. You can visit Balthazar’s website at www.ganymedeweb.com.

__________________________

Patti B. Ogden, author of the Christian children’s picture book, Keoni’s Big Question (Capstone Productions) will be stopping off at Tristi's Takes! A boy who seeks answers about God’s presence in everyday life, finds his friend held the key to his revelation all along. This gripping tale follows a pair of dear friends on a fishing trip that turns dangerous, then miraculous, and leaves Keoni with more answers then he ever dreamed possible! Every child wonders why we can’t see God. Keoni’s Big Question makes the answer easy to understand. You can visit Patti online at www.capstone-productions.com.

__________________________

Richard E. Roach, author of the suspense mystery novel, Scattered Leaves (Multi-Media), will be stopping off at Peeking Between the Pages! When Ben McCord comes home from a business trip to find his young wife raped and murdered, he starts out on a journey of death and destruction. Clues lead him to a dark world of drugs and violence in action that spans Texas, Colorado, and the Mexican border. McCord hooks up with a beautiful doctor, who was also victimized by members of the same drug cartel, and together they track down the killers, surviving bloody confrontations, and ending with a suspenseful climax in the Big Thicket of Texas. You can visit Richard online at www.richarderoach.com.

__________________________

T.E. Scott and Stephen Edds, co-authors of the business/personal finance book, The Losing Game: Why You Can’t Beat Wall Street (Hidden Truth Publishing), will be visiting Windy City Writers! T.E. Scott exposes the stock market and commodity markets for what they really are — brilliantly marketed rip-offs. The Losing Game simplifies a very complex system that Wall Street has designed to separate the masses from their money without accountability or prosecution. As a result of this design, they have tricked us into believing that the stock market and commodity markets are something they are not. You can visit them online at www.thelosinggame.com.

_________________________


Robin Maderich, author of the historical romance novel, Faith and Honor (Blue Shutter Books) will be stopping off at Cafe of Dreams! Rescued from the harrassment of British officers in Colonial Boston by handsome, secretive Fletcher Irons, Faith Ashley’s slumbering passions are ignited, until the discovery that Fletcher himself is an officer of the army she has come to despise, a man who is the enemy. Yet with persistence, Fletcher wins the fiery Faith’s love. When the colonies erupt in Revolution, Faith refuses to choose between her loyalty to the cause and her love for the man who is far more than the color of his uniform. Will her honor be her undoing? You can visit Robin online at www.robinmaderich.com.

__________________________________________

Donna Lee Schillinger, author of the nonfiction Christian Living book, On My Own Now: Straight Talk from the Proverbs for Young Christian Women Who Want to Remain Pure, Debt-free and Regret-free (Quilldriver), will be stopping off at The Social Frog! On My Own Now is about strengthening young women’s faith and preventing the screw-ups that can brand us for life. Donna Lee Schillinger draws on her eclectic past as a rebellious youth, Peace Corps volunteer, social worker, single mother, court mediator and executive director of a home for single young mothers. You can visit Donna online at www.onmyownnow.com.

__________________________


Chet Galaska, author of the Christian nonfiction book, Finding Faith in a Skeptical World (Triad Press), will be stopping off at Book Tours and More! This book was written with the intent of providing brief shortcuts for curious unbelievers, those seeking faith, those new to it, and for Christians who may not be familiar with some of the ideas covered. The author realized that a book like this would have been valuable in helping him come to faith. Since none was available, he wrote Finding Faith in a Skeptical World to share the things he learned in a reader-friendly, direct and concise way. You can visit Chet online at www.triadpress.us.

____________________________


Lloyd Watts, author of the self-help/personal finance book, The Flow of Time and Money: How to Create a Full and Prosperous Life (Megawatt Media Corporation), will be stopping off at The 1st Page! The Flow of Time and Money is a groundbreaking new book that will help you master the relationship between your time and money. Using simple, proven techniques and easy-to-understand diagrams, Dr. Lloyd Watts shows you how to take control of your income, expenses and time commitments in order to achieve wealth and personal fulfillment. You can visit Lloyd online at www.flowoftimeandmoney.com.

____________________________

Tim Kellis, author of the relationship book, Equality: The Quest for the Happy Marriage (Gilgamesh Publishing), will be stopping off at Blogcritics! The journey through “Equality: The Quest for the Happy Marriage” includes a trip through history, where the most significant lessons civilization has learned over the last few thousand years are used to demonstrate not only the way to set up a positive relationship, but the causes of that relationship turning negative. You can visit Tim online at www.happyrelationships.com.
____________________________

Karen White, author of the contemporary fiction novel, The Lost Hours (NAL Accent), will be stopping off at Books and Needlepoint! Now a near fatal riding accident has shattered Piper’s dreams of Olympic glory. After her grandfather’s death, she inherits the house and all its secrets, including a key to a room that doesn’t exist—or does it? And after her grandmother is sent away to a nursing home, she remembers the box buried in the backyard. In it are torn pages from a scrapbook, a charm necklace—and a newspaper article from 1929 about the body of an infant found floating in the Savannah River. The necklace’s charms tell the story of three friends during the 1920s— each charm added during the three months each friend had the necklace and recorded her life in the scrapbook. Piper always dismissed her grandmother as not having had a story to tell. And now, too late, Piper finds she might have been wrong. You can visit Karen online at www.karen-white.com.

Life Savers from Stacy Gooch-Anderson

The first book I read by Stacy Gooch-Anderson was The Santa Letters--which I reviewed here. Since The Santa Letters touched me so deeply, when Stacy contacted me for a review of Life is Tough: I Doubt I'll Make It Out Alive, I eagerly accepted.

While I am getting closer to it in the TBR pile, I've glanced through a few of the entries and was floored to realize what a great sense of humor Stacy has. In Life is Tough, Stacy shares 28 life lessons that changed her perspective and helped her grow in character. This is truly a book of "A Mother's Life Lessons Learned Through Laughter".

And to that end, Stacy is providing us with one of her Life Savers. I had to choose this one, because anyone who knows me, knows that I am the most impatient person on the face of the planet.

How long a minute is depends on what side of the bathroom door you are on

If patience is a virtue, then I am most definitely NOT a virtuous woman!

Patience is a very hard thing for me. I tend to want things and answers now and not a minute later than instantly. But this is not always the way it works. Matter of fact, as I’m coming to find out, it rarely works this way. I guess God keeps giving me those lessons on patience hoping that one day I will learn its virtues.

Apparently I’m a slow learner because they keep coming at regular intervals and with increasing frequency. Like the other day, the sun had finally made an appearance after hiding for the better part of the fall and winter. The temperatures were up and so I thought a nice walk would be in order. I grabbed my walking shoes and a water bottle and headed off.

I forgot one small detail though; one shouldn’t take a blood pressure pill with a diuretic right before heading out where bathrooms are few and far between. I hadn’t been gone long when my fast pace and pumping heart kicked that medication into overdrive and sent me frantically looking for a public restroom along the route.

I whizzed (no pun intended) down the hill to a local gas station where I knew there were clean restrooms. Just as I reached for the door, a sweet older lady smiled at me and then slipped in and locked the door after sweetly telling me, “I’ll only be a minute”.

I stood there with my mouth gaping and my legs crossed. I didn’t dare move for fear that any mild movement would certainly turn me into a leaky faucet. I stood immobilized praying that she would finish up her business and get the heck outta Dodge so the new sheriff could claim her potty in peace and overwhelming relief.

I think she must’ve taken a bath in the bowl.

I must admit however, that old people have a way of really putting things into perspective. When she finally did emerge, she smiled again – a bit broader as she watched me inch into the restroom with crossed legs – and gave me a bit of old- timer’s wisdom. This nugget has become today’s “Life Saver”;

“How long a minute is depends on what side of the bathroom door you are on. Praise be to the Good Lord who allowed me enough agility to beat you to the bathroom door. The old plumbing ain’t what it used to be and they would’ve needed a mop and a ten gallon bucket if I’d been the one waiting out here."

Easy for her to say. Her minute was filled with the relief of dry Depends and a happy bladder. I looked back over my shoulder at her as she headed out to her car with a slightly more jovial step in her jaunt. I smiled.

It was nice to know that even when age does get the best of you, patience still isn’t a virtue but you can somehow manage to deal with the infirmity with a quick wit and a smile that makes others glad they had the ability to wait.

You can visit Stacy online at www.stacyganderson.com

Life Is Tough: I Doubt I'll Make It Out Alive is available at Amazon.com

Where to Find Pump Up's April Touring Authors Today

Follow along as these talented authors travel the blogosphere with Pump Up Your Book Promotion to talk about their books, their lives and their future projects.


Cherie Burbach, author of the Internet dating book, Internet Dating is Not Like Ordering a Pizza (Bonjour Publishing), will be stopping off at As The Pages Turn! If you’ve tried online dating and given up, or even if you thought the Internet wasn’t right for you, this book will give you the courage to try again, this time armed with specific illustrations on what really works - from the profile through the dating stage. Don’t waste another minute wondering why some people seem to have Internet dating success while you’re still waiting for a response to your online ad. Through dozens of concrete examples, dating expert Cherie Burbach will show you how to write an eye-catching profile, search for, and meet the right person online. You can visit her website at www.thedifferencenow.com.

____________________________

David S. Brody, author of The Cabal of the Westford Knight (Martin and Lawrence Press), will be stopping off at Book Tours and More! While trying to help an elderly couple save their home, attorney Cameron Thorne is thrust into a bloody tug-of-war involving secret societies, treasure hunters and keepers of the secrets of the Jesus bloodline. Joined by Amanda, a beautiful British researcher with secrets of her own, Cam races around New England with only two choices, unravel the 600-year-old mysteries encoded in the ancient Templar artifacts or die trying. You can visit his website at www.davidbrodybooks.com.

__________________________________

Sheri Kaye Hoff, author of the inspirational nonfiction book, Keys to Living Joyfully (Createspace), will be stopping off at Peek-a-Boo(k)! Keys to Living Joyfully is an inspirational book on experiencing joy, peace, passion, and energy in daily life. It is designed to demonstrate the powerful roles of thoughts, action, and faith. You can visit her website at www.lifeisjoyful.org.

____________________________

J.A. Hunsinger, author of the historical fiction novel, Axe of Iron: The Settlers, will be stopping off at A Cup of Coffee and a Good Book! The first novel of a continuing character-driven tale of a medieval people whose wanderlust and yearning for adventure cause them to leave the two established settlements on Greenland and sail west, to the unexplored land later referred to as Vinland. You can visit his website at www.vinlandpublishing.com.

___________________________


Alan Kennedy-Shaffer, author of the political nonfiction book, The Obama Revolution (Phoenix Books) will be stopping off at Reading Mama! The first book to be written by a campaign staffer and offering rare insider glimpses, The Obama Revolution explores how a generation of believers and the politics of hope won the presidency for Barack Obama and changed the world. You can visit Alan online at www.alankennedy-shaffer.com.

__________________________


J.W. Nicklaus, author of the book of short stories, The Light, The Dark & Ember Between (Bedside Books) will be stopping off at The Plot and Cafe of Dreams! Fifteen stories: From the wispy fog of a love lost at sea, to an orphaned child who delivers a present of her own during a war-torn Christmas. These stories are gentle reminders to each of us of what it is to be human, and certainly of our affinity for the slightest glint of Hope. You can visit J.W. online at www.avomnia.com.

_________________________

Balthazar Rodrigue Nzomono-Balenda, author of The Depth of My Soul (I-Proclaim), will be stopping off at The Book Connection! The Depth of My Soul is a book or poetry that focuses on injustices such as wars, corruption, war crimes, religious fundamentalism, child abuse, and other types of abuse. The goal of this book is to share his approach with his readers about the problems we face in this world. You can visit Balthazar’s website at www.ganymedeweb.com.

__________________________

Patti B. Ogden, author of the Christian children’s picture book, Keoni’s Big Question (Capstone Productions) will be stopping off at Scribe Vibe! A boy who seeks answers about God’s presence in everyday life, finds his friend held the key to his revelation all along. This gripping tale follows a pair of dear friends on a fishing trip that turns dangerous, then miraculous, and leaves Keoni with more answers then he ever dreamed possible! Every child wonders why we can’t see God. Keoni’s Big Question makes the answer easy to understand. You can visit Patti online at www.capstone-productions.com.

__________________________

Richard E. Roach, author of the suspense mystery novel, Scattered Leaves (Multi-Media), will be stopping off at Make Mine Mystery! When Ben McCord comes home from a business trip to find his young wife raped and murdered, he starts out on a journey of death and destruction. Clues lead him to a dark world of drugs and violence in action that spans Texas, Colorado, and the Mexican border. McCord hooks up with a beautiful doctor, who was also victimized by members of the same drug cartel, and together they track down the killers, surviving bloody confrontations, and ending with a suspenseful climax in the Big Thicket of Texas. You can visit Richard online at www.richarderoach.com.

__________________________

T.E. Scott and Stephen Edds, co-authors of the business/personal finance book, The Losing Game: Why You Can’t Beat Wall Street (Hidden Truth Publishing, will be visiting Book Chase! T.E. Scott exposes the stock market and commodity markets for what they really are — brilliantly marketed rip-offs. The Losing Game simplifies a very complex system that Wall Street has designed to separate the masses from their money without accountability or prosecution. As a result of this design, they have tricked us into believing that the stock market and commodity markets are something they are not. You can visit them online at www.thelosinggame.com.

_________________________


Robin Maderich, author of the historical romance novel, Faith and Honor (Blue Shutter Books) will be stopping off at What Kate’s Reading! Rescued from the harrassment of British officers in Colonial Boston by handsome, secretive Fletcher Irons, Faith Ashley’s slumbering passions are ignited, until the discovery that Fletcher himself is an officer of the army she has come to despise, a man who is the enemy. Yet with persistence, Fletcher wins the fiery Faith’s love. When the colonies erupt in Revolution, Faith refuses to choose between her loyalty to the cause and her love for the man who is far more than the color of his uniform. Will her honor be her undoing? You can visit Robin online at www.robinmaderich.com.

__________________________________________

Donna Lee Schillinger, author of the nonfiction Christian Living book, On My Own Now: Straight Talk from the Proverbs for Young Christian Women Who Want to Remain Pure, Debt-free and Regret-free (Quilldriver), will be stopping off at The Social Frog! On My Own Now is about strengthening young women’s faith and preventing the screw-ups that can brand us for life. Donna Lee Schillinger draws on her eclectic past as a rebellious youth, Peace Corps volunteer, social worker, single mother, court mediator and executive director of a home for single young mothers. You can visit Donna online at www.onmyownnow.com.

__________________________


Chet Galaska, author of the Christian nonfiction book, Finding Faith in a Skeptical World (Triad Press), will be stopping off at Blogcritics! This book was written with the intent of providing brief shortcuts for curious unbelievers, those seeking faith, those new to it, and for Christians who may not be familiar with some of the ideas covered. The author realized that a book like this would have been valuable in helping him come to faith. Since none was available, he wrote Finding Faith in a Skeptical World to share the things he learned in a reader-friendly, direct and concise way. You can visit Chet online at www.triadpress.us.

____________________________


Lloyd Watts, author of the self-help/personal finance book, The Flow of Time and Money: How to Create a Full and Prosperous Life (Megawatt Media Corporation), will be stopping off at Virtual Book Tour de Net! The Flow of Time and Money is a groundbreaking new book that will help you master the relationship between your time and money. Using simple, proven techniques and easy-to-understand diagrams, Dr. Lloyd Watts shows you how to take control of your income, expenses and time commitments in order to achieve wealth and personal fulfillment. You can visit Lloyd online at www.flowoftimeandmoney.com.

The Depth of My Soul by Balthazar Rodrigue Nzomono-Balenda

The Depth of My Soul is a book of poetry focusing on injustices such as wars, corruption, war crimes, religious fundamentalism, child abuse, other types of abuse, torture, dictatorship, relationship problems etc. When the author wrote this book, he was inspired by the news on CNN and other media. The goal of this book is to share his approach with readers about the problems the world faces.

Balthazar would love to hear from you. You can visit his website at www.ganymedeweb.com.

After reading this synopsis, it seemed interesting that a poet would use CNN and other media as a basis for his work. This is the topic I asked Balthazar to discuss in his guest article today.

Balthazar's Turn:

News as Inspiration
by Balthazar Rodrigue Nzomono-Balenda

News is relevant because it provides me with information to research about different themes, which are the desires of my heart. I watch news everyday on CNN, BBC, TV5 Monde every single day, 365 days a year. When I get news on my fingertips, I keep myself up to date about several events, which are taking place around the world. I use the news as the inspiration because I want to share my approach about these events.

Very often I get inspiration from CNN anchors, such as Christiane Amanpour for her programs about the 3 monotheist religions and the war crimes our politicians ignore because of certain interests. I watch coverage about wars, genocides, religious conflicts, political problems, immigration, dictatorship, xenophobia, financial crisis, natural disasters etc.

It’s not just about being inspired, but the idea of using this inspiration in an effective way to reach out to my readers when I write a book. I must admit that I am not interested in everything I hear on the news. I choose themes that are an inspiration to me. Besides watching the news, I go on the internet and research different themes that I want to use for my books. Sometimes, I am frustrated about the events that I watch on the news i.e. politicians in our part of the world talk about freedom and justice, but work with dictators for their interests. I find it very sick, and it makes so angry that I have trillions of questions in my mind about them. I usually grumble about their approach to dictators who torture their people, who ignore their citizens living in poverty dying of different kinds of diseases and illnesses. It got me nowhere, and I was the one who was suffering. That’s why I decided to approach these problems by expressing myself through the most powerful too, which sometimes makes no sense. That’s poetry. Writing books about the problems we face in our societies, is an opportunity for me to share my views with my readers and learn from them as well.

How Can I Run a Tight Ship When I'm Surrounded By Loose Cannons? by Kathi Macias--Book Review

Have you struggled to live up to the expectations of the good woman described in Proverbs 31? You're certainly not alone. That's why every Christian woman who desires to follow the example of the good woman must read How Can I Run a Tight Ship When I'm Surrounded By Loose Cannons? - Proverbs 31 Discoveries for Yielding to the Master of the Seas by Kathi Macias.

Follow Kathi's journey and struggle with Proverbs 31 as she discusses the natural progression of growing in grace. From our Christian infancy, through our toddling years, learning to run, and then finally knowing the comfort and peace of being back on our knees and totally dependent upon and surrendered to God, and knowing He will bring us safely home; Kathi shares her personal stories with humor and genuine compassion for her fellow Christians.

I willingly admit that I love Kathi's work. When I read Beyond Me: Living a You-First Life in a Me-First World--which I reviewed here--I knew I would be a fan of Kathi Macias for life. And when I heard that she had a new book coming out, I didn't waste any time in letting Kathi know that I wanted to review it.

While very different in tone and style than Beyond Me, Kathi has perfectly captured the many struggles Christian women deal with when they consider and try to follow the example of the good woman from Proverbs 31; how overwhelming it can be and how often we try to take control when God is truly steering the ship. By choosing to tell this story in a funny and lighthearted way, the reader is eager to journey along with Kathi to see what she learned next and how to apply it to her own life.

At the end of most of the chapters is a section called "Making it Personal", which asks the reader questions that relate to the point Kathi has just discussed. She had something similiar in Beyond Me; but while I found them to very helpful in Beyond Me, they were distracting to me in this book because I wanted to keep going with this funny and lighthearted story that was subtlety teaching me what I needed to know. I ended up skipping them until I completed the book and then went back to review them once I was done.

Also included at the end of most chapters were Bible verses that referred back to the lesson, including one of my favorites: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."--Philippians 4:13.

The cover art for this book is wonderful. The side of a ship with a woman--who could be any Christian woman--looking out through the porthole--is a brilliant idea. The humorous Foreward is provided by Martha Bolton, Emmy-nominated songwriter and author of Didn't My Skin Used to Fit and Cooking With Hot Flashes, and a touching Afterword is written by Rhonda Rhea, author of High Heels in High Places, Purse-suit of Holiness, and Whatever Blings Are Lovely.

One last thing that truly made this a special book is the chapter that Kathi dedicates to her father, Hans. The reader finds a tribute to a beloved father from the daughter who prayed for him to accept Christ as his Savior; and who in his final moments, as he sang a song from his childhood, taught her so much about "resting and trusting in God's goodness for His children." Even as I type this, I can feel the tightening in my throat and the tears swimming in my eyes.

How Can I Run A Tight Ship When I'm Surrounded By Loose Cannons? will make the perfect Mother's Day or birthday gift for the Christian woman in your life. For every Christian woman who has aspired to be the Proverbs 31 good woman, Kathi Macias has brought hope.


Title: How Can I Run a Tight Ship When I'm Surrounded By Loose Cannons? - Proverbs 31 Discoveries for Yielding to the Master of the Seas
Author: Kathi Macias
Publisher: New Hope Publishers
ISBN-10: 1-59669-204-9
ISBN-13: 978-1-59669-204-6
SRP: $13.99 (U.S.)

Are You Right or Left Brained?

As a writer, should I be concerned that only 35% of me is Right Brained?

You Are 65% Left Brained, 35% Right Brained

The left side of your brain controls verbal ability, attention to detail, and reasoning. Left brained people are good at communication and persuading others. If you're left brained, you are likely good at math and logic. Your left brain prefers dogs, reading, and quiet. The right side of your brain is all about creativity and flexibility. Daring and intuitive, right brained people see the world in their unique way. If you're right brained, you likely have a talent for creative writing and art. Your right brain prefers day dreaming, philosophy, and sports.

Are You Right or Left Brained?

Alan Kennedy-Shaffer and The Obama Revolution

The first book to be written by a campaign staffer and offering rare insider glimpses, The Obama Revolution explores how a generation of believers and the politics of hope won the presidency for Barack Obama and changed the world.

The Obama Revolution carefully examines what Obama plans to do as president, how Obama clinched the Democratic nomination and won the general election, and why Obama’s evocative rhetoric inspired millions of Americans to create a political revolution that toppled the status quo and changed the face of American politics forever.

Drawing on both first-hand campaign experience and scholarly analysis, the author delivers everything from personal stories of grass-roots organizing and grueling all-nighters to candid assessments of the Obama campaign’s strengths and weaknesses. Insightful and powerfully written The Obama Revolution offers an enlightening, annotated, documented overview of Obama’s path to the White House and what it means to every American.

Learn how Obama used policies of change, strategic vision, and the rhetoric of hope to transform the campaign into a political movement. Discover how field organizers (most under 30), using cell phones and the Internet, mobilized and energized a whole new generation of voters. Follow the author as he registers voters, spreads the word and is touched by the people he meets.

Anyone wondering whether America's flame still burns brightly needs to read this book and be inspired by the hope, the promise, and the ardor of Barack Obama and “Generation Change”—the future of America—as they work hand-in-hand to fulfill the legacy of change that is the Obama Revolution.

Today's guest blogger is Alan Kennedy-Shaffer, who served as a regional field director for Barack Obama and the Democratic Party in Virginia. Educated at Yale University and William & Mary Law School, Kennedy-Shaffer is the author of Denial and Deception: A Study of the Bush Administration’s Rhetorical Case for Invading Iraq. Kennedy-Shaffer’s writings have also appeared in The New York Times, the International Herald Tribune, the Washington Post, the Patriot-News, the Daily Press, and the Virginia Gazette. Alan lives in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.

You can visit his website at www.alankennedy-shaffer.com.

Alan's turn:

The Grassroots Revolution
By Alan Kennedy-Shaffer

With talk of tea parties and taxes dominating the Rush Limbaugh Republican agenda, the time has come to bring Barack Obama’s grassroots revolution back into the spotlight. From Minnesota to Missouri, longtime Republicans and apathetic Independents joined diehard Democrats in an extraordinary campaign that brought Americans together in a way not seen in decades. From Harrisburg to Hampton, organizers fanned out across long ignored neighborhoods, recruited thousands of volunteers, and mobilized millions of voters, sparking a movement for change.

The Obama Revolution, the first book published about Barack Obama’s historic presidential campaign by a former staffer, provides an in-the-trenches look at how the 44th President of the United States came from behind to win the presidency and sparked a movement that has changed the face of American politics forever. The energy of a citizenry invigorated by the opportunity to steer the ship of state cannot be adequately measured, but it must not be ignored. In the months leading up to Obama’s election last fall, something stirred in the American psyched. Consider this excerpt:

There may seem to be little in common between the young children who scampered after me in the housing projects on Allison Hill, eager for Obama stickers, and the Democrats in Westmoreland County who turned out in droves for rural action meetings. But below the surface, they all hope for a brighter future for their children and they share a belief that America can—and will—change. . . . Empowered to serve as the backbone of Obama’s well organized, well funded, quintessentially grassroots presidential campaign, young people left their jobs, their schools, and their homes, in order to recruit and mobilize an army of volunteers committed to positive change.

This brief passage in The Obama Revolution begins to tell the story of the grassroots revolution that turned a long shot candidacy into a transformative presidency. How Obama became president matters because it says more about the American people than it does about Obama. What made Obama’s campaign different was our ability to reach across the aisle, across neighborhoods, and across the street, to voters from all walks of life. To me, it was electrifying when I rang the doorbell and a young child saw my Obama sticker, ran back inside, and yelled to his mother, “Barack Obama’s at the door!”

Sometimes powerful, sometimes poignant, always hopeful, The Obama Revolution includes encounters with Barack Obama, insight into why thousands of organizers left their jobs, their schools, and their families to join the most organized presidential campaign in American history. It is the story of how thousands of organizers spurred millions of Americans to register to vote and recruited millions of volunteers. At once meticulously researched and motivational, The Obama Revolution tells the story of a generation of young people—most under 30—who dropped everything to get involved.

Although we will never agree on everything, we must continue to hope that the change we fought so hard for at every door, on every call, and in every neighborhood, will have a fighting chance of coming to America. Our grassroots revolution goes beyond tea parties promoted by Fox News and ranking Republicans, and beyond knee-jerk animosity toward the taxes that pay for our highways, our schools, our parks, and our national security. Our revolution is about the ability of Americans young and old, black and white, gay and straight, to unite behind the change that we still believe in.

Alan Kennedy-Shaffer is the author, most recently, of “The Obama Revolution.”

David S. Brody and Cabal of the Westford Knight

While trying to help an elderly couple save their home, attorney Cameron Thorne is thrust into a bloody tug-of-war involving secret societies, treasure hunters and keepers of the secrets of the Jesus bloodline. Joined by Amanda, a beautiful British researcher with secrets of her own, Cam races around New England with only two choices, unravel the 600-year-old mysteries encoded in the ancient Templar artifacts or die trying.

David S. Brody's Cabal of the Westford Knight: Templars at the Newport Tower has been called, "A wonderful mixture of The Da Vinci Code and National Treasure".

When I wandered out to David's website and began reading about his other books: Unlawful Deeds, Blood of the Tribe, and The Wrong Abraham, I noticed that all his books are set in New England and Massachusetts usually is at least part of the setting.

Not surprising since David lives in Massachusetts with his wife, novelist Kimberly Scott, and his two daughters; but since I also live in Massachusetts and appreciate the history of the area, I asked David to talk to us today about the settings for his novels and why he chose those locations for his stories. Here's what he had to say.

David's turn:


Unlawful Deeds was set mostly in Boston’s Financial District and Back Bay, with some scenes also on the North Shore. Then I moved down to Cape Cod for Blood of the Tribe. In The Wrong Abraham the action is set on Beacon Hill and the Waterfront area, plus at Fenway Park. With Cabal of the Westford Knight I explore artifacts and sites in Newport, Rhode Island, along the Maine coast, in southern New Hampshire, and of course in and around Westford, Massachusetts, where the story is centered. The great thing about writing books set in New England is that there is so much variety of settings within a small geographic area—lakes and mountains, craggy coastlines, beaches, farmland, urban areas, etc. Plus there is all this history and great architecture. I think readers like to read about places they’ve been to or visited, which is another advantage to writing stories set in the Boston area. It seems like half the people in the U.S. have spent time in Boston at one time or another—either walking the Freedom Trail or catching a Red Sox game at Fenway Park or visiting a friend in college. And they all seem to come away with sharp, vivid memories—it’s not one of those cities that looks like any other American city. I try to tap into that, which I think allows the readers to picture themselves along with the characters in the story. Hopefully that enhances the story and the reading experience.

About the author:

David S. Brody is a Boston Globe bestselling author named “Best Local Author” by the Boston Phoenix newspaper. He is a Director at Large of the New England Antiquities Research Association (NEARA). A real estate attorney, he resides in Westford, Massachusetts with his wife, novelist Kimberly Scott, and their two daughters. He coaches youth sports and Special Olympics and plays in adult hockey and softball leagues.

You can visit David online at www.davidbrodybooks.com and at http://westfordknight.blogspot.com/, where you'll find information about the artifacts found in Cabal of the Westford Knight.

J.W. Nicklaus on The Light, The Dark, and Ember Between

J.W. Nicklaus is the author of the short story collection, The Light, The Dark, & Ember Between. This book has a stunning cover, and you have to check out the superb video trailer produced to promote this book, which you'll find at the end of this post.

J.W. is our guest blogger today, and he is going to share all about the challenges of putting together a short story collection and getting it published, along with sharing which story out of the collection is his favorite.

About the book:

A collection of short stories, each a splinter's reflection of the human condition, firmly centered upon our oft tenuous, sometimes tensile bond with Hope, and careening flirtation with Love.

Fifteen stories: From the wispy fog of a love lost at sea, to an orphaned child who delivers a present of her own during a war-torn Christmas. These stories are gentle reminders to each of us of what it is to be human, and certainly of our affinity for the slightest glint of Hope.

About the author:

J.W. Nicklaus resides in a place not entirely fit for human habitation about five months of the year. No pets to speak of, only the apparitions from which all romantics suffer.

An Arizona native, he’s been from one coast to the other, and a few places in between. College brought an AA in Journalism with a minor in Photography, and a Bachelor of Science in Telecommunications. His work experience has run the gamut from Creative Director for a small advertising firm in Tucson to a litigation support bureau in Phoenix (and assuredly some awkward stuff in the mix).

Snow has been featured prominently in his stories, perhaps because of the seasonless cli-mate he lives in. Nature was meant to be enjoyed and experienced, not hidden from the senses. So to that end, he hopes someday to live amongst those who are able to live through four true seasons, and not just blast furnace and warm.

He enjoys the occasional Arizona Diamondbacks game with his son, as well as watching him grow up. The experience of being a single dad has taught him far more about himself than he ever thought possible.

Within the expanse of every waking moment, he hopes his guardian angel keeps its arms open wide and heart ever watchful, for there but for one true Hope goes She.

For more about J.W. visit www.avomnia.com.

J.W.'s turn:

Alice sat with her cube-mate Chris in the company cafeteria, morning coffee in hand. She stared over his shoulder at the steam rising from the breakfast entrees on the food line. For his part, Chris sat fixated, as he usually did, watching female patrons come and go, so he took no notice whatsoever of her unusual disengagement. She snapped out of her reverie when he turned slightly to gawk at a skirted Amazon who strode past.

“Doesn’t it ever get old?” she asked.

“What?” he replied without turning to face her.

“Every morning, you do the same thing . . .”

Chris causally turned towards her. “What, this?” he gestured at the cafeteria proper.

Alice rolled her eyes, “You know what I mean.” She nudged her glasses up a bit for a nuanced dramatic punch.

“Oh, please. We’re hard wired for it. I can’t help it. Man Law says I must look,” he grinned, “it’s out of my hands. Really.” For the first time he took notice of her removed demeanor. “What’s up with you this morning, I mean normally you couldn’t care less.”

Alice cocked her head slightly, as if trying to let some thought gently slide to fill the lighter part of her brain. She pointed to the food line where the kitchen staff were doling out eggs and cinnamon buns. “Why do you suppose they put the hot items first, then the breads and rolls, and the juice and stuff last?” she asked.

Chris craned his head around to look, as if he really needed to. He and Alice had sat at the same table, almost every morning, for the last two years. “You’d think they’d be reversed, right? The hot stuff sits and cools while they go through the rest of the line . . .”

“Exactly!” she declared, animatedly cutting him off. “There should be some logic to it, don’t you think?” Chris leaned back in his chair and nodded.

“And what about songs,” she continued, “what about the order of songs on an album or in a mix you put together?”
Chris sat up immediately. “Music is a very emotional thing for people. Not so much logic to the order as feeling—am I right?” Chris’ facial expression politely begged for confirmation of his theory.

Alice raised her cup and took a long sip, allowing the moment to sink in for both of them.

I was asked to say a bit about the challenges of putting a short story collection together, and as I mulled it over it occurred to me that one of the most difficult things to do is not simply getting the words ‘down’, but getting the right words in the right order—much like the order of foods in a cafeteria. Even within that construct there is a sliding scale of subjectivity, because what I might feel is proper may not feel right to someone else. But if done with care the wrinkles are largely ironed out and the reader avoids those potentially nasty mental stumbles. If the reader stumbles once then the author may be forgiven, but too many times and the reader is lost for good. That’s no small feat.

The next idea that came to me was choosing the order of the stories. A short story, by its very nature, has quick impact and needs to evoke some reaction from the reader in a very small amount of space. A really good short story has the same effect as finishing a good book—you’re mildly saddened to reach the end. A little like leaving an old friend. Now here’s the tricky part: Stringing the stories together in some appropriate order so the emotional cycle for the reader is gentle and not jarring. Some of us will read short stories with great ardor, and others will read one and savor it for a bit, perhaps returning minutes or hours later to taste the next one. It’s always a much more pleasant experience if the reader gets smoothly transitioned from one story to the next, and like songs on an album, the order of them can make a difference.

I’ve tried to accomplish that with my stories in The Light, The Dark, and Ember Between. I think Emissary is the right way to start the book, and the emotions shift a little one way or the other from story to story until the last fictional tale, Winter Rose. It ends on a warm, caring note. I have a hard time choosing a favorite story because they all mean something different to me; each of them is woven from a slightly different inspirational thread. Some are very much from and for the heart, while others were just fun to write.

If I absolutely had to pick a favorite then I suppose I’d lean towards Requiem For Linny. It’s the second of fifteen stories, but it was a challenge to inhabit the world of Buck, its main character. He’s a man profoundly wounded by the passing of his beloved wife, and as such it was very interesting to write from the perspective of someone who has loved, and lost, that much. Perhaps it’s the most personal of the stories, from any kind of autobiographical standpoint. For me Requiem highlights all that it means to be human . . .and that in itself is a challenge we all face.

On My Own Now by Donna Lee Schillinger--Book Review

Are you concerned over what decisions your daughter might make once she's out on her own?

Are you a young woman searching for guidance now that you no longer live with your parents?

Are you a pastor seeking to guide young single women in your church?

Do you know a young woman living on her own or soon to be living on her own who would benefit from some Godly guidance?

If you answered yes to any of these, then you'll want to pick up a copy of On My Own Now: Straight Talk from the Proverbs for Young Christian Women who Want to Remain Pure, Debt-free and Regret-free by Donna Lee Schillinger.

In this interesting and thought-provoking exploration of the book of Proverbs, Schillinger takes young women along a journey that will help them to make better, safer, and more sound decisions.

The author takes a unique approach to the book of Proverbs by reversing the gender in many of the proverbs from "he" to "she"--which she discusses in this guest post from April 13th; though she does include a modern day translation of Proverbs 31:10-29 about the traits of a good woman at the back of the book.

Exploring such topics as how Proverbs applies today, staying pure until marriage, dealing with anger and jealousy, developing good habits, tithing, using passion to make a positive impact, and the importance of not making rash decisions, Schillinger shows how the book of Proverbs can guide young women to be the women they want to be and stay that way.

On My Own Now can easily be used as a daily devotional, each section concluding with a thought for the reader to hold on to, such as "What I can't have honestly, I simply won't have."

Its hip cover and conversational style will attract young women, and Schillinger is careful to get her point across without being overly preachy. There are also word bubbles throughout the book that capture important portions of the text to focus the reader.

I have to admit that the overuse of the exclamation point made it lose its effectiveness for me; but in the hands of a younger woman, that may not be the case. I also found a couple portions of text where I stopped to ponder the impression a young woman would be left with when reading these passages.

The first was the "Hold this thought" found on page 162, "I will confess that I was a sinner but am no more." I could not grasp the author's full meaning after reading this portion of the chapter on confession, but this ending thought bothers me because we will always be sinners. That doesn't change when we accept Christ as our Savior; but we willingly seek to not sin because of wanting fellowship with God. I'm not sure the ending thought makes that clear.

The other is found on pages 179 through 181. The chapters in this section deal with friendship, and these particular pages cover depression and finding help when you need it. Schillinger talks about chemical imbalances possibly being a cause of depression and how modern medicine can help if we aren't too proud to ask. She first suggests creating good eating, sleeping, and exercising habits, and then if that doesn't make the reader feel better after 21 days she should start taking multivitamins, St. John's wort, and other supplements recommended by a pharmacist. She then goes on to say that if this works, "don't stop taking them...vitamins are something our body needs every day for the rest of our lives."

While the author does make a point to mention that St. John's wort may interact poorly with some medication and to talk to a healthcare provider if the reader is on any prescription medication, it seems it would be safer and prudent to suggest the reader talk to her healthcare provider or a registered dietician about adding supplements to her diet prior to taking anything.

Those areas aside, On My Own Now, is an excellent resource for young women on how to use proverbs to guide their lives. I am going to talk to our pastor about purchasing copies of this book for female high school graduates from our church.


Title: On My Own Now
Author: Donna Lee Schillinger
Publisher: The Quilldriver
ISBN: 978-0-979639-5-1
SRP: $14.95 (U.S.)

Spring Book Giveaway--French Letters by Jack Woodville London

We are long overdue for a book giveaway, so I figured I better get myself in gear and post this message.

Travel to the small town of Tierra, Texas in the World War II historical novel, French Letters - Virgnia's War: Tierra, Texas 1944.

In the little town of Tierra, Texas, the young boys play war while the men are already off fighting Hitler and the Nazis. But Virginia has a war all her own. Dealing with a spiteful brother, a manipulative father, and a dark secret that threatens to be revealed, she lives her life under the watchful eyes of the entire town. Sometimes the casualities of war are not wounded on the battlefield.

You can read my full review of French Letters here.

Here are the rules for this contest:

1) Comment here with your working email address so that we can contact you if you win.

2) Get an additional entry for blogging about this contest. Leave a comment here telling us where you are blogged about it.

Contest ends on May 15, 2009. The winner will be announced at this blog on May 16, 2009.

This contest is open to residents of the United States and Canada only.

Good luck!

Donna Lee Schillinger and On My Own Now: How Young Women Can Use Proverbs as a Guide

I am excited about today's guest blogger because I am over halfway through her book, On My Own Now: Straight Talk from the Proverbs for Young Christian Women who Want to Remain Pure, Debt-free and Regret-free, and realizing how helpful this book will be to young women.

Proverbs is one of my favorite books of the Bible; and it does not surprise me that an author has captured the wisdom of King Solomon in a book that relates to modern-day themes. But Donna's unique approach is what makes this book so special.

I asked Donna to provide three proverbs that young women could use to help guide them through life. Here is what she had to say:

Before I jump into a few proverbs that can be beneficial for guiding young women, I have to explain that my process in On My Own Now: Straight Talk from the Proverbs for Young Christian Women who Want to Remain Pure, Debt-free and Regret-free was to take verses from the proverbs and reverse the gender in them. I made “he” into “she,” “him” into “her,” and so on. Just this simple change opened up a lot of verses to modern applications to young women that I had never considered before. These verses help to illustrate this point:

Proverbs 26:27 “If a woman digs a pit, she will fall into it; if a woman rolls a stone, it will roll back on her.”

A lot of the mistakes we make as women have in their basis ignoring simple facts of physics – if I roll this stone up the hill and stand in its place, it will roll back on me. Duh, right? And yet, how readily would a young bride of 18 who has known her fiancé for three months agree that she is setting herself up to be rolled over by entering into a major decision too quickly, with someone she doesn’t know well enough, at an age to which our society is hostile against marriage? Just try to convince this woman in love that she’s making a mistake. We need to stay engaged with rational thinking and understand that we are not immune to probable outcomes and natural consequences, just because we have high hopes.

Proverbs 29:11 “A fool gives vent to her anger, but a wise woman keeps herself under control.”

Probably since the advent of soap operas, we’ve been wearing away at the distinction between what works in the movies and what works in real life. Now with reality TV and dramatic talk shows (of the Jerry Springer ilk), those lines are becoming even more blurred. We see high drama on television and in the movies all the time, but in real life, big acting does not win awards. One of the quickest ways to find this out is to throw a fit on the job. So I lost my temper, so what? People should get over it in one episode, like they do on TV, right? Nope. In real life, we can expect a counseling statement from our supervisor or maybe even a police escort off the property. Even when we have just cause to be angry, if we abandon rational behavior to prove our point, no one will defend us.

Proverbs 19:27 “Stop listening to instruction, my daughter, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.”

If I could get just one truth across in On My Own Now, this would be it. When we cease to have a regularly scheduled quiet time with our Heavenly Father, we will stray. It’s what happened to me. When I was a teenager, I used to read Proverbs religiously (no pun intended). Then I stopped. Life got in the way. College totally disrupted my former routine and instead of reading Proverbs before I fell asleep, I was studying biology, partying or late-night chatting with friends. There was a residual effect of all that wisdom I had soaked up in my teen years, but when it finally wore off, do you know what was left? A fool. Turns out the only thing keeping me out of trouble was that daily connection to the Wisdom of the ages. Though being a fool seemed like fun at the time, I don’t have much to brag about now. I would be embarrassed to admit to many of my antics and I wouldn’t want my daughter to know about them, for sure! I may have turned from those memories, but they have not disappeared. I left a trail of witnesses so thick I could never run for public office!

Be deliberate about your relationship with God. Make a commitment to stay in contact at least once a day. Begin to think about chatting with God as being as essential as changing your underwear each day!

Visit Donna online at www.onmyownnow.com. While you're there, don't forget to sign up for the free Single! Young Christian Woman e-zine.

You can order an autographed copy of the book right now for 25% off at Quilldriver Books.

Happy Easter!

Easter is a fun and meaningful holiday that might just be the best thing that reminds us of the beauty of spring. In our family, we are especially lucky because we get the chance to celebrate two Easters most years. My husband was brought up in the Greek Orthodox Church, and their Easter almost always falls on a different Sunday because of the different calendars used to calcuate the date. The Gregorian calendar--which is used to calculate Greek Easter--is said to be more accurate.

While the significance behind Easter is the same on each date, there are some interesting traditions I have been exposed to since I got married. In Greek families, they dye their eggs red. The egg is the symbol of new life and the red color symbolizes the precious blood of Jesus that was shed on the cross in order to grant Salvation for all men.

Even though our family does not do this, tsoureki--which is a traditional Easter bread--is baked on Holy Thursday. This is also when the eggs are dyed.



Koulourakia (Greek butter cookies) are also baked on Holy Thursday because Holy Friday is a day when very little cooking is done, as it is a day of mourning, not work.

On Easter Sunday, the main meal is always lamb because Christ became known as the Lamb of God in Christian theology. In addition, the Israelites during the time of Moses, painted their doors with lamb's blood so that the Lord would skip over their houses when He passed through Egypt and struck down every firstborn male (Exodus 12:21-30).



After dinner is over, our family plays a game called tsougrisma that involves the red eggs. One person taps his egg against the end of his opponent's egg. The goal is to try and crack the opponent's egg. Whoever's egg does not crack is the winner. The winner then moves on to the next opponent. The last person who has an uncracked egg is declared the winner and is supposed to have good luck during the year.

While our family does not partake in every Greek tradition, we enjoy those we do partake in. If you would like to read more about a typical Greek Easter menu, you can find it here.

Here are a few Easter symbols and their meaning:

The Easter Lily - The white symbolizes the purity of Jesus and their emergence in spring symbolizes new life.

Hot Cross Buns - These sticky buns have a cross of icing on the top to remind people about Christ.

Candles - Symbolic of Jesus being the "Light of the World".

And here is one I never knew about...

The Butterfly - The butterfly's whole life cycle symbolizes the life of Christ. "Its whole life cycle is meant to symbolize the life of Jesus Christ. The first stage, is the caterpillar, which stands for His life on Earth. Second phase begins from the cocoon stage, portraying the crucifixion and burial of Jesus. The third and final stage is the butterfly, representing His raising from the dead in a glorified body and peace." (This information taken from www.theholidayspot.com).

No matter which Easter you celebrate, I hope you enjoy it!

Happy Easter!

Christos Anesti! (Christ is Risen!)

The Lost Hours by Karen White--Book Review

Engrossing, powerful, and mysterious, The Lost Hours by Karen White is sure to win this talented author more awards.

When Piper Mills was only six years old, her parents died and she moved in with her grandparents in Savannah. Years later, her grandmother gave her a mysterious box that Piper and her grandfather buried in the backyard; an event that would soon be forgotten.

After the death of her grandparents, and now a grown woman, Piper seeks the answers to questions she never had the courage to ask while her grandmother was alive. Digging up the mysterious box from the garden, Piper sets forth on a journey that uncovers her family's secrets and tells a story of past hurts, regrets, and the need for forgiveness.

After reading Karen White's The House on Tradd Street--which we reviewed here--I was eager to read her next novel. White definitely did not disappoint.

The Lost Hours combines Southern living and style with friendship, tragedy, and a quest for the truth.

As with The House on Tradd Street, this novel's characters move the story forward. Told from multiple points of view, the reader is totally captivated by the story of three girlfriends who are separated by a monumental tragedy and the granddaughter seeking to learn more about the grandmother she never really knew.

The Lost Hours is a powerful story that involves Alzheimer's disease, race relations in the 1930's, a charm necklace, a scrapboook and a love of horses. Piper was an accomplished equestrian, until a horrific accident left her scarred and afraid to get back in the saddle again.

In addition to Piper, readers will find a host of interesting and multifaceted characters. Helen, a blind daughter living at Asphodel Meadows, who has a flair for fashion; Tucker, Helen's brother, who has left his medical practice after a family tragedy; and Mr. Morton, Piper's family's attorney who pretends he's deaf, but really hears every word you say.

Perhaps the best part of The Lost Hours is how White is able to combine all these people, their pasts and their presents, to create an emotional story that will leave you satisfied, but also feeling sorry that you've read the last page.

The Lost Hours will make you run out and buy every book written by Karen White.


Title: The Lost Hours
Author: Karen White
Publisher: NAL Accent
ISBN: 978-0-451-22649-5
SRP: $15.00 (U.S.)

Internet Dating Advice from Cherie Burbach, Author of Internet Dating is not Like Ordering a Pizza

While my single days are far behind me--and hopefully will stay that way--my single buddies would certainly appreciate Cherie Burbach's new book, Internet Dating is not Like Ordering a Pizza. Cherie joins us today as part of her month-long virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion.

The Internet changed the whole dating scene--and many other scenes too. And writing up your online profile can be an intimidating thing. This is a subject that Cherie tackles in Internet Dating is not Like Ordering a Pizza. Today Cherie's article will discuss the top three mistakes people make when creating their online profiles.

Cherie's turn:


The Top Three Mistakes People Make in Creating Their Online Profiles

© Cherie Burbach 2009

Not Posting a Current Picture

We all become attached to certain photos over the years, but if you're going to be successful with Internet dating you have to put up a photo that reflects who you are right now. Have a friend bring his or her digital camera and shoot some candid pictures of you before you put up a profile. Then, choose one great head and shoulders shot, a full body shot, and a couple that show some things you like to do in your free time. Let the pictures help tell your story.

Using Defensive Language in Your Profile

If you read through profiles online, you will find that a lot of folks have been burned by love. How do I know? They write about it in their profile with headlines like:

"Are there any decent guys left?"

"Nice guys finish last?"

"No games."

Rather than complaining about love in your headline or essay, use that space to show a potential match what you're really like. Internet daters are reading your profile because they want to get to know you, not hear you complain. (Besides that, we all have dating horror stories we could share if we really want to.)

Having Inappropriate Search Criteria

The thing about Internet dating is that it asks you for superficial things in order to match you up with someone. The result is that daters will list their "most ideal" match, based not on someone real but on "their dream person."

For example, when filling out age requirement, many men will put a range of 18- ?. The "?" being one year younger than them. When women look at this age range, they are immediately put off, even if they fall into the range. This gives a poor impression because if you are 35 do you really want to date an 18-year old? Men will sometimes think that they just want a girl "that's of legal age" and don't give much thought to the real-life scenario.

Women, also, typically fill out income range a little higher than is probably practical. They may state a high income range because they want a man who is "stable," and when they think of what that word means it translates to filling out income range when it comes to a profile.

The thing you need to consider is what types of qualities do you want in someone. If, for example, you want someone "stable," write a profile that will attract someone of a similar mindset. Then, do your homework. Meet them for coffee and see if they are indeed someone you want to get to know. Your search criteria, unfortunately, will not do that for you.


You can find Cherie online at www.cherieburbach.com

Sign Up for Promo Day 2009

THE PROMOTIONAL EVENT FOR THE WRITING INDUSTRY IS BACK!

PROMO DAY makes its return in 2009 and promises to be the best yet. Mark your calendars for Saturday 9th May 2009!

An all day, online, international event for people in the writing industry packed full of tips and advice along with a variety of opportunities for writers, publishers, editors etc to promote their work and services. Readers are also welcome to drop in and get to know the authors better in the online chatroom, view the video trailers or read the sample chapters on site.

Founder and Organiser of the event, Jo Linsdell, had this to say “PROMO DAY came about because I was looking for opportunities to promote my books using the internet at little or no cost. After attending the Muse Online Writers Conference back in 2006, I searched the internet for similar events aimed at what to do after you’ve written the book and found none. I decided to fill the void and so PROMO DAY was born. PROMO DAY is a great opportunity to network with other members of the industry, take part in online workshops and promote and best of all it’s FREE”.

New features for this year are the Official Blog for the event, http://promoday.blogspot.com, where everyone can keep up to date with new announcements and information regarding the event and the official PROMO DAY book, packed full of information and resources, which will be available to buy during and after the event.

Visit the website http://jolinsdell.tripod.com/promoday for more details of how you can be involved.

BE PART OF THE ACTION, BE PART OF PROMO DAY!

Contact info:
Jo Linsdell - Founder and Organiser
Email: promoday@ymail.com
URL: http://jolinsdell.tripod.com/promoday
Blog: http://promoday.blogspot.com

ABOUT JO LINSDELL:


Born in Gillingham, Kent (UK) in September 1980. Married name Joanne Denise Feliciani. She uses her maiden name, Linsdell, as her pen name. Having passed 10 GCSE’s, she went on to study Business Studies, History and Art A-Levels at Yateley 6th Form. She left England and moved to Rome, Italy in June 2001, where she now lives with her Italian husband. She gave birth to their first son in December 2007.

She has had various jobs including working in hostels, being a tour guide and teaching English as a foreign language. She now works full-time as a freelance writer. She writes regularly for various websites, newspapers and magazines.

Her books, Italian for Tourists and A Guide to Weddings in Italy, along with her various ebooks; Il dolce Natale: Christmastime in Italy, Some Risks are Worth Taking, INSIDE.OUT, La Befana, The Patron Saint of Lovers and Free Promotional Techniques: Ways to market your books are all available to buy at www.lulu.com/jolinsdell.

She is also the creator and manager of the multi award winning site http://writersandauthors.blogspot.com

Visit her at http://jolinsdell.tripod.com or http://www.myspace.com/jolinsdell

Transform Your Life - Sheri Kaye Hoff and Keys to Living Joyfully Show You How

Today's guest blogger is Sheri Kaye Hoff, author of the inspirational book, Keys to Living Joyfully.

Sheri is an inspirational author and life coach, residing in Parker, CO with her husband and three children. She teaches college classes as an adjunct faculty member and has earned her Master of Arts in Organizational Management. Her new inspirational book, Keys to Living Joyfully, offers a way of living a meaningful, successful and joy filled life. Ms. Hoff is a personal and executive life coach. She conducts individual life coaching, teleclasses, writes online curriculum, gives in person small and large group coaching, is a keynote speaker, and conducts corporate training.

Spirituality is a vital part of her life's work. Prayer and meditation are integral pieces of her daily ritual, which enables her to pursue her life's passions and live a truly joyful life.

Her words on faith are derived from her own Christian walk and spiritual self-discoveries. Her action steps mix faith and years of leadership training, mentoring, and management. Sheri Kaye Hoff suffered the tragic death of her younger brother when she was a teenager and struggled for years to rediscover the capacity to feel joy and to enjoy her successes. She has a heart-felt desire to pass on her knowledge and discoveries that have led to a truly transformational life. The inspirational book, Keys to Living Joyfully, offers the techniques and insights that move people towards peace, joy, energy, and passion in everyday life.

You can find out more online at www.lifeisjoyful.org

Sheri's Turn:


Three Ways to Begin Transforming Your Life Today
by Sheri Kaye Hoff

What if your days unfolded beautifully and joyfully? What if life could flow and you could live in the moment and savor those moments? I want this for you. I want you to be able to experience a life of joy. Here are three ways to begin transforming your life today: begin a daily journal, work on things that inspire you, and cultivate a generous spirit.

You may have heard of the benefits of journaling and you may even have tried writing in a journal. When I speak of journaling, I am referring to an active process for changing your thoughts and transforming your life. I am not talking about the diaries you may have kept in the past or even present. Use your journal for a check in on your attitude and your current state of mind, but then move beyond and strive to create the life of your dreams. I begin each day’s journal entry with, “Thank you for this beautiful, glorious day.” I end each entry with “Thy will be done.” My journal entries are filled with gratitude, sprinkled with some observations, and topped with my goals and dreams. Starting my morning with writing makes my day centered and full of purpose. When I read past journal entries, I am able to see progress and dreams fulfilled. When you look back on your journal entries, you will be able to see your transformation on paper and you will be amazed.

After you finish your journaling for the day, turn your attention to work that inspires you. Maybe you have a job that you are only doing to make ends meet. All is not lost. There is, perhaps, some way that you can alter your focus on your job to see something inspiring. Can you become involved in an extra project that interests you? For the self-employed individuals, I encourage you to take a look at your business and your projects. Does your business inspire you? If not, why not? How can you change it and mold it to be your true inspiration? When your work inspires you, your whole life takes on a new feeling of lightness. You will wake up and feel excited for each day. The amount of time you spend dreading will drastically decrease. Remember that you are not trapped, there is always an element of decision making.

You are now journaling each day and doing inspiring work; now turn your attention to opportunities to give generously each day. I am not referring to giving to the point of hurting your financial position or exhausting you. I am talking about giving out of joy and the desire to make a difference in someone’s life on a daily basis. Giving might involve small things or big things, you decide. The point is that you cultivate a generous spirit. You will notice a change in your life as you deliberately begin to give. If you are already giving, evaluate your choices and your feelings about them. Can you do more or different things? Enjoy that you make a difference in people’s lives.

Begin transforming your life today with a beautiful journal and daily appointment to write; develop work that inspires you; and give generously. You will feel more joy and be able to celebrate your life every day.

Finding Faith in a Skeptical World with Author Chet Galaska

Our special guest today is author Chet Galaska. Chet was an atheist who became a believer slowly over time as he approached faith with an open mind. As he wandered along the road to faith, he looked for an easy-to-read guide to help him understand Christianity. He didn't find what he was looking for; so he decided to write, Finding Faith in a Skeptical World for skeptics and seekers to help them grasp Christian issues.

One of the most challenging aspects of Christianity is accepting that bad things happen to everyone--even those who believe in God and follow His laws. I asked Chet to address this issue today.

Chet's turn:


If God exists, why does he let bad things happen?

This is really a question of who God is. If you think God’s purpose is to make sure nothing bad ever happens to anybody, you’ve got a point – that God doesn’t exist. But many think that if this cosmic Santa Claus they’ve dreamed up doesn’t exist, then no God exists at all or, if he does, he can’t be good or merciful.

This couldn’t be more untrue. God is an honest realist who told us through the Bible that natural disasters will occur and warned us of man’s destructive traits. He’s also explained that he has a longer view of things than mankind: his perspective is eternal. And he’s shown man the way to obtain the best gift ever conceived: eternal life.

This gift is available to those who love God. God desires heartfelt love and the only way man can freely give it is if he isn’t enticed or pushed into it. This is where our imperfect world comes into play. God won’t manipulate the world to extricate love because the love he desires is genuine, not fake.

Fake love is given all the time. Tyrants have a fetish for crowd adulation, and they get it by holding massive rallies where thousands of people shout their love and support. But many of these people attend only because the consequences of not going are beatings or jail time. This love is coerced.

There’s another way to get sham love: bribery. Anna Nicole Smith was an exotic dancer who married an 89-year-old billionaire who showered her with millions of dollars in cash and gifts. He died months after the marriage, and she contested his estate in court by claiming that her husband always said she could have half. It sure looked like she loved the money, not him.

Because God doesn’t seek fake love, he won’t coerce man to express it. He also won’t bribe him for it by fixing every problem and answering every prayer. He’s given us free will, which means we’re able to make up our own minds. We can ignore God and muddle through life or we can genuinely love him and embrace his peace.

The bad things that happen – hurricanes, diseases, corruption, murder and thousands of others – are part of an imperfect world that’s a stage on which man can choose to love God and receive eternal life, strength, forgiveness and a peace that transcends worldly problems. These gifts from God let man put his short, finite life on earth in perspective and understand that this world is just a prelude to eternal life. Those who’ve accepted God know the reality of this peace and, because of it, they know the reality of God himself.

God is real, he’s good and he’s merciful. But he operates in ways that man, engulfed by worldly concerns, often refuses to see.


To find out more about Chet Galaska and Finding Faith in a Skeptical World, visit http://findingfaith.us/.

You can read our review of Finding Faith here.

J.A. Hunsinger's Fascination with Vikings in Axe of Iron: The Settlers

My knowledge of Vikings is limited to the very few things I remember from a high school history class and the comic strip, Hagar the Horrible. So when I heard that J.A. Hunsinger was touring for a second month, I knew I wanted him to stop by and talk about his interest in Vikings and about the first book in his series, Axe of Iron.

The Settlers is a character-driven tale of a medieval people whose wanderlust and yearning for adventure cause them to leave the two established settlements on Greenland and sail west, to the unexplored land later referred to as Vinland.

Eirik the Red established Eiriksfjord in 986 and later Lysufjord, 400-miles to the north. Just 22-years later, new settlers from the homelands found all the best land already occupied, the fragile Arctic environment strained by too many people and animals on too little arable land.

Under the capable leadership of Halfdan Ingolfsson and his lieutenant, Gudbjartur Einarsson, 315 men, women, and children set sail from Greenland in the spring of 1008, bound for the unexplored continent across the western ocean.

Standing in their way are uncounted numbers of indigenous people, the pre-historical ancestors of the Cree (Naskapi), Ojibwa (Anishinabeg), and Iroquois (Haudenosaunee) Indians. From the outset, these native people strenuously resist the incursion of these tall, pale-skinned invaders.

Two calamitous events occur that pave the way for the hostile beginnings of an assimilation process to occur between these disparate peoples. The way is rocky and fraught with danger at every turn, but the acceptance and friendship that develops between the Northmen and the Naskapi over an affair of honor, the eventual acceptance of a young boy of the Northmen by his Haudenosaunee captors, and a scenario that seems ordained by the will of the gods, makes it all begin to fall into place, as it must for the Northmen to survive.

See the saga unfold, in this first book of the Axe of Iron series, through the eyes of the characters as each day brings a continuation of the toil, love, hardship, and danger that they come to expect in this unforgiving new land.

About J.A. Hunsinger:


J. A. Hunsinger lives in Colorado, USA, with his wife Phyllis. The first novel of his character-driven, historical fiction series, Axe of Iron: The Settlers, represents his first serious effort to craft the story of a lifelong interest in the Viking Age—especially as it pertains to Norse exploration west of Iceland—and extensive research and archaeological site visitations as an amateur historian. He has tied the discovery of many of the Norse artifacts found on this continent to places and events portrayed in his novels.

Much of his adult life has been associated with commercial aviation, both in and out of the cockpit. As an Engineering Technical Writer for Honeywell Commercial Flight Systems Group, Phoenix, AZ, he authored two comprehensive pilots’ manuals on aircraft computer guidance systems and several supplemental aircraft radar manuals. His manuals were published and distributed worldwide to airline operators by Honeywell Engineering, Phoenix, AZ. He also published an article, "Flight Into Danger", in Flying Magazine, (August 2002).

Historical Novel Society, American Institute of Archaeology, Canadian Archaeology Association, and IBPA-Independent Book Publishers Association, are among the fraternal and trade organizations in which he holds membership.

You can visit his website at www.vinlandpublishing.com.

Why the Interest in the Vikings?
by J. A. Hunsinger

I have had a lifelong infatuation with the Vikings of medieval Greenland. After reading everything available, one is left with a nagging question. What happened to them? It is difficult to study them because they wrote nothing down. Everything we know comes from archaeological research and the Norse sagas. The Saga of the Greenlanders and Eirik the Red's Saga both tell stories about them, although centuries after the fact, but we know nothing about the people themselves. I decided to tell their tale using fiction because I wanted to convey to my readers what a lifetime of research has led me to believe regarding the abandonment of the two known Norse settlements on Greenland and the disappearance from history of every single settler. Nobody ever saw them again and nobody knows to this day, what happened to them. In spinning my Axe of Iron series of tales, I give my characters personalities, to make them as we are. No other author has ever told their story as I do.

One of my book reviewers, Melissa Levine, IP Book Reviewers had this to say: "It’s the details that grab the reader’s attention in J. A. Hunsinger’s historical novel, Axe of Iron: The Settlers. The book is the first installment in a planned series of stories about the migration of the Greenland Norse to North America. From the introduction, which provides background information, to the brutal ending, Hunsinger uses his extensive knowledge of the history and culture of Norsemen to craft a story that exposes the lives of an ancient people with an admirable sense of adventure and value for community.

Hunsinger teaches with the details that he infuses into this story. The reader will learn what the Norsemen ate; how they set-up temporary camps and permanent residence; how they conducted themselves in battle; and the manner in which men and women fell into intimate relationships. The importance of respect and loyalty in the culture is represented by the relationship between Halfdan and Gudbj. Their bond that is stronger than that often seen between blood brothers. There is an intense trust between them that provides the level of security needed to lead their followers while exploring a new land, surviving severe storms at sea, and battling against natives. The love and admiration between the two men is so overwhelming it frequently makes Gudbj uncomfortable. But their feelings for each other do not diminish them as men. Halfdan and Gudbj are so secure in their masculinity that they are not intimidated by the strength of their women who work as hard and love as strongly as they do.

Axe of Iron: The Settlers is a hearty, adventure-packed history lesson. I highly recommend it."

I am pleased with her assessment of my tale. The saga continues with Axe of Iron: Confrontation. The second book of the continuing tale of the Greenland Norse people and their adventures in North America will be published in June 2009.

J. A. Hunsinger–Author, Vinland Publishing, LLC, http://www.vinlandpublishing.com/©2009 Jerry A. Hunsinger, All Rights Reserved

Robin Maderich brings Colonial Boston Alive with Faith and Honor

Today's guest blogger is historical fiction author Robin Maderich. I recently finished reading the first book in Robin's Honor Trilogy, Faith and Honor.

Whenever I read a piece of historical fiction, I wonder why the writer chose a particular period in history as the backdrop for her story. My interest was further piqued with Faith and Honor because I've lived in Massachusetts my entire life, and I currently live only ten minutes away from Longmeadow--which is where the female lead, Faith Ashley's grew up.

With all that in mind, I asked Robin to discuss her interest in the Colonial period and how she made the places and characters real for her readers.

Robin's turn:

I have been asked how my interest in the Colonial period emerged as such a favorite of mine, because even though I am a history buff in general, the period leading up to and including the war of the colonies to achieve independence from British rule has always imparted a special energy to who and what I am as a person. I feel an affinity for that period as if, perhaps, I once lived through those times. From my very first trip to Williamsburg (quite a few years ago, the roads not yet fully paved and crowds at a minimum) I felt a pull to the Colonial era. This trip was followed by many others to a variety of historical sites. By the time I read Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes, I was hooked in a fashion that bordered on the abnormal for a child of my age. I watched the short-lived television series, “Young Rebels”, with rabid intensity, pointing out the inaccuracies with annoying frequency to my parents. Throughout my childhood I expended a great deal of time reading all I could on the subject, whether fiction, biographical or historical treatise.

For the writing of Faith and Honor, I took my interest even further, researching everything from how shoes were made to the types of meals cooked to the particulars of hygiene, although not every single aspect of what I uncovered appears in the book. I was just generating the “feel” of the times to enhance my ability to write about them. I knew no one reading historical romance would be foaming at the mouth over a description of chamber pot usage and disposal of its contents. Not everyone possesses my fanatical fascination for all things Colonial.

However, what fascinated me above all else---and still does to this day---was the wickedly empowering division of sentiment that I discovered as I grew older had nothing to do with absolute rights and absolute wrongs. People of honor made their stands on both sides of the conflict. In Faith and Honor I brought that struggle for balance down to a very personal level, with Faith Ashley, the heroine, a fiery, stubborn patriot, and the man she loves against all odds a British officer in the military occupying Boston. When war erupts with the fateful shots fired on the green at Lexington and, later, at Concord, Fletcher Irons remains as true to his uniform as Faith does to the cause of independence. The decisions they make, the compromises or lack thereof, are difficult to overcome. As Thomas Paine described so eloquently, these were the times that tried men’s souls. Faith Ashley’s and Fletcher Irons’ are no exception.

I sometimes believe it may be hard for those who have no interest in the history of our Nation’s beginning to fully understand how these events shaped us, how they elevated ordinary men and women to excel in extraordinary situations. My hope is, and has always been, for Faith and Honor to not only touch a person’s heart because of its searing love story, but to further understanding of the honorable sacrifices by both sides.



To find out more about Robin and the Honor Trilogy, please visit www.robinmaderich.com

Darryl Hagar and The Man Overboard

The Man Overboard is the dramatic story of Darryl Hagar, a Merchant Marine Officer who within his life of discipline and order led a secret, clandestine existence of alcoholism, drug abuse, chaos, and crime. In The Man Overboard, Darryl retells his gripping personal account of his struggle to reclaim control of his life and begin the journey toward recovery from a lifestyle no one even knew existed.




Author's bio: Darryl Hagar grew up in mid coast Maine with his mother, father, three brothers, and sister.

He is a graduate of Maine Maritime Academy spending four years of rigorous training and education, earning a Bachelor of Nautical Science degree. Additionally, he holds a United States Coast Guard Chief Mate License, unlimited tonnage, any oceans.

After 20 years of sailing, carrying millions and millions of barrels of petroleum around the world, Darryl finally left the industry and got sober in May of 2005.

He currently resides in Portland, Maine raising his eight-year-old son and travels to colleges, jails, prisons, and other large groups throughout the country, speaking about the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse. He shares his dramatic stories, and inspired message about what he does to stay sober and clean and serves as a shining example of how people with severe drug addiction and alcoholism can overcome their demons and lead a happy and fulfilling life.

To learn more about Darryl Hagar or his story, visit www.themanoverboard.com.



Excerpt from The Man Overboard:

My son continues to play a major role in my ongoing recovery by giving my life greater purpose. Darryl has been the one constant in my sobriety, because no matter what, he deserves a sober dad. My father’s suicide taught me how vital good parenting is and how I need to be there for my son. When I’m around Darryl, I understand just how pure life can be and how easily I could have missed the opportunity to watch him grow up. Being around for him has been worth every second.

When Jen and I decided to have a child, I hoped being a father would save my life. Before then, we were both out of control. In motherhood, Jen immediately became more responsible. My problems were more deeply rooted, and my toxic body and mind required more years of desperate living before I finally surrendered.

One time I was at a twelve-step meeting where a man with twenty-five years of sobriety talked about how in the first thousand days, a person is still a newcomer. It takes about that long for a person’s mind and body to fully comprehend sobriety, and it’s normal for newcomers to be full of mixed up emotions. At eighteen months sober, I sometimes felt like a brand new baby and at others like a wily veteran.

It took me six years of being a drunken daddy and eighteen months as a sober one to realize that children are truly our most precious gifts from God. My son and I spend enormous amounts of time together. While I’m with him, I sometimes see myself as a loving, beautiful man; at other times, I’m a chaotic madman with a messed-up brain. The big difference is that I now recognize my shortcomings. I’m learning to be the man and father God wants me to be.

One day it was my turn to take Darryl to see his asthma doctor. I picked him up at school with his usual snack of cookies and juice.

“Hi, Daddy, what are you doing?” he asked.

“I’m here to take you to the doctor, remember?”

“What are they gonna do?”

“You’re worrying about taking a shot, aren’t you? It’s just a checkup. They’ll check your breathing. No shots, bud.”

“Okay, Daddy.”

We arrived a few minutes early, so we sat in the car while I helped him with his math homework. It was a beautiful October day, unseasonably warm with the leaves bursting with color. I was with my seven-year-old son being a responsible, sober dad. Life was good. I thanked God I had made it that far.

Inside, the office was packed with kids. A nurse called us into an examination room. The doctor came in and asked a few questions about Darryl’s breathing and medication and listened to his lungs. I noticed a sign that said something about “flu shots,” and suddenly realized why the place was so busy.

Before I could ask about it, the doctor said, “His lungs sound good. We’ll test his breathing. Also, I’d like him to take a flu shot while he’s here.”

Darryl heard the word “shot” and looked me squarely in the eyes.

“You said I wasn’t taking a shot today, Daddy!” The tears started to come.

“I know, honey. Daddy didn’t know they were giving flu shots today. You need one because of your asthma.”

He put his arms around me and cried. I was deeply touched; somebody in this world needed me to protect him, to tell him it was going to be all right. Somehow, he knew I would. I almost cried with him. It was another moment when I realized God was showing me something important.

To read more from Darryl's book, visit him online at www.themanoverboard.com

Faith and Honor by Robin Maderich--Book Review

Forbidden love during the battle for independence is what historical fiction fans will find in Faith and Honor, Book 1 of the Honor Trilogy by Robin Maderich.

On the ride home to Boston, beautiful, red-headed widow Faith Ashley is assisted by a strong and elegant man in a dusty tricorne hat. Little does this dedicated patriot know, Mr. Irons is an officer in the British Army.

By rights they should be enemies; but their hearts are drawn to each other. As the battle for independence looms on the horizon, Faith and Fletcher Irons struggle to make sense of their feelings while still holding fast to their beliefs. What does loving the enemy cost? And can their love survive the rebellion?

Author Robin Maderich brings Colonial Boston alive for readers in this moving, romantic story of forbidden love. Maderich's attention to detail, knowledge of the era, and her ability to develop complex and fascinating characters, are woven together to create a poignant tale of a man and woman who stand on opposite sides of a conflict.

This eloquently written story that captures the fashion, the language, and tense situation of Colonial Boston is sure to be a hit with historical fiction fans.

Faith is a strong, determined patriot, and Fletcher, believing that the British must squash the rebellion, continues to perform his duty despite his feelings for Faith. He is certainly an honorable hero. Other memorable characters are Ezra Briggs, a lawyer and loyalist who has known Faith for many years, and British Lieutenant Brian Upton, a fellow officer and good friend of Fletcher's. John Colton, Faith's father who lives in Longmeadow, will certainly leave an impression on readers, as will Elizabeth, Faith's servant and fellow patriot.

This reader was totally captivated by Faith and Honor. The mingling of fictional characters with historical figures and events is so well done that I wanted immediately to dive back into the book as soon as I finished.

Faith and Honor by Robin Maderich is one book you won't want to miss!


Title: Faith and Honor
Author: Robin Maderich
Publisher: Blue Shutter Books (reprint of original book released in 1989 by Time Warner Books)
SRP: $12.95

Dan Fogelberg: A Retrospective Interview- A Virtual CD Tour

I have been a fan of Dan Fogelberg's music for many years. No, I won't tell you how long because then you'll realize how darn old I really am and my kids already tell me that I'm old at least once a day.

While we usually stick just to books here, I figured since there are books of Fogelberg's songs I could squeak by with promoting this Dan Fogelberg Retrospective CD.

When asked to participate in this virtual CD tour, I was asked what my favorite Dan Fogelberg song is. I immediately responded Same Auld Lang Syne. My introduction to that song is a bit silly, but it reminds me of a time when as a child I was so in awe of my older sisters.

I am the youngest of three girls, and I grew up very shy and bashful. Hard to imagine for those who know me well, but it's true. My middle sister, Teresa, was always introduced as the beautiful one. All I had was brains and I wasn't too thrilled about that. Teresa was very popular in school, while I struggled along to make a friend or two.

I spent a lot of time in Teresa's presence, hoping maybe some of that popularity might rub off. One day, she and her best friend Barbara were upstairs singing for--if I remember right--some type of talent contest. The song they were singing was Same Auld Lang Syne. She'll probably kill me if she ever reads this, but I'm pretty sure they were using hairbrushes for microphones.

The song became an immediate favorite for me and I can't help but sing it every time I hear it. And each time it floats through the airwaves into my home or car, I think of my sister singing away in her blue-carpeted bedroom and how a little girl wished to be just like her.

When Dan Fogelberg passed away after losing his battle with cancer in December 2007, he left behind a musical legacy that will always remain part of my life. And I am sure it is that way for many people who have heard Same Auld Lang Syne, Leader of the Band, Run for the Roses, and the many other Fogelberg songs that we love.

Throughout the month Promo 101 Virtual Tours is presenting various information about the Dan Fogelberg Retrospective CD which was created from an interview that Fred Migliore of FM Odyssey did with Dan Fogelberg. For more information about this CD and to order your copy, visit http://fmodyssey.com/Store.html. This CD is a great gift for yourself and friends or loved ones who enjoy Dan Fogelberg's music.

To read reviews for the CD - visit http://danfogelbergcd.blogspot.com/2009/03/reviews-for-dan-fogelberg-retrospective.html

To visit various audio and video clips for Dan Fogelberg -- visit http://danfogelbergcd.blogspot.com

$3 from each sale goes to the Prostate Cancer Foundation in Dan's name.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!!

WIN a Special Bonus CD during the Dan Fogelberg Retrospective CD tour!

There are about 45 minutes of "lost segments" from the CD which have never been & WILL likely never be released to the public!

Each person that posts a comment during this tour will be entered in a drawing to win a free copy of this one-of-a-kind CD with the remainder of the interview!!!

The most unique, insightful, special comment will be chosen to win a copy, in addition to the random drawing winners!

Why T.E. Scott Believes Wall Street is The Losing Game

We start off the month of April with a thought-provoking book by T.E. Scott. In The Losing Game: Why You Can't Beat Wall Street, Scott exposes the stock market and commodity markets for what he believes they really are --- brilliantly marketed rip-offs. He says, "Wall Street is fleecing millions of Americans every day with brokerage houses, Congress and the media as willing accomplices. With their help, the American public is fooled into thinking that investing is safe and convinced that, if they’re smart and listen to the right people, they can accumulate wealth quickly. And when we fail, our tax money bails them out."

For today's guest article, I asked the author the follwing question: I am an investor who has seen both profits and losses while investing in Wall Street, but who still believes in the system. What will I find in your book that will change my mind?

Here is what Scott had to say:

What you will find in The Losing Game is that you are looking at Wall Street with what we refer to as an “Eagle’s Eye” view of the markets. You are focused on your specific outcome in the market, and that prevents you (and others) from looking at the system as a whole. This is part of the overall marketing plan of Wall Street, to distract you from the real functions of their business plan.

The Losing Game makes a strong correlation between investing in Wall Street and gambling. If you look at Wall Street as a casino, and your friend won money at a slot machine, would you logically pour all of your money in that same machine expecting the same results? Ultimately, when you are involved in the market, you are trying to predict an unpredictable. If you think you can predict a non-predictable, our advice is to go to Vegas, you’ll have more fun.

The Losing Game points out that the negative cash flow of investors’ money is far greater than the positive cash flow of investors’ money. Investors as a whole are losing billions of dollars a day, and this was before the financial crisis started. No matter how you look at it, the losers in the market support the winners on Wall Street. If you make any money, it comes from one or more investors, which makes it a zero-sum game. And when you add in expenses and fees, it becomes a minus-sum game.

Our question to readers of The Losing Game is this: How can you trust a system that has no real accountability or transparency? The book lays out the argument that the regulatory agencies like the Securities and Exchange Commission are not designed to protect the investor from Wall Street, they are designed to protect Wall Street from the investors. That’s why Bernie Madoff was investigated eight times in 16 years by the SEC with no action taken. As long as Madoff was paying his investors, there was no reason for the SEC to intervene, even if they had reports that Madoff was running a ponzi scheme.

You have to have blind-faith to believe in the system, because Congress or the SEC does not require financial reports tracking investor money. Seriously. If you were to ask your broker or financial advisor for a report detailing how many of his clients have made money, and how many have lost money, and how much, he would tell you that this information is not kept, and not required to report.

That’s why you have to be extremely skeptical about any statistics. Experts will tell you that the market has grown 10% a year over the past 50 years, but what they don't tell you is that those are "listed" companies on the NYSE. If you were to factor the companies that have gone out of business and have been delisted, that number would be lower, and possibly a negative number. It's all part of the marketing plan.

Remember this, Wall Street does not care whether you make money or lose money in the market, only that you keep your money in circulation in the market. That way, the brokers and exchanges make their cut with every transaction.

Visit http://thelosinggame.com/ for more information about The Losing Game and to read an excerpt.

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