Monday, August 23, 2010

Masquerade by Nancy Moser

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Masquerade
Bethany House (August 1, 2010)
by

Nancy Moser



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Nancy Moser is the award-winning author of over twenty inspirational novels. Her genres include contemporary stories including John 3:16 and Time Lottery, and historical novels of real women-of-history including Just Jane(Jane Austen) and Washington's Lady (Martha Washington). Her newest historical novel is Masquerade. Nancy and her husband Mark live in the Midwest. She’s earned a degree in architecture, traveled extensively in Europe, and has performed in numerous theaters, symphonies, and choirs. She gives Sister Circle Seminars around the country, helping women identify their gifts as they celebrate their sisterhood. She is a fan of anything antique—humans included. Find out more at
www.nancymoser.com and www.sistercircles.com.


ABOUT THE BOOK

They risk it all for adventure and romance, but find that love only flourishes in truth...

1886, New York City: Charlotte Gleason, a rich heiress from England, escapes a family crisis by traveling to America in order to marry the even wealthier Conrad Tremaine.

She soon decides that an arranged marriage is not for her and persuades her maid, Dora, to take her place. She wants a chance at "real life," even if it means giving up financial security. For Charlotte, it's a risk she's willing to take. What begins as the whim of a spoiled rich girl wanting adventure becomes a test of survival amid poverty beyond Charlotte's blackest nightmares.

As for Dora, it's the chance of a lifetime. She lives a fairy tale complete with gowns, jewels, and lavish mansions--yet is tormented by guilt from the possibility of discovery and the presence of another love that will not die. Is this what her heart truly longs for?

Will their masquerade be discovered? Will one of them have second thoughts? There is no guarantee the switch will work. It's a risk. It's the chance of a lifetime.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Masquerade, go HERE.

View the book trailer:


Friday, August 20, 2010

The Crimson Cipher by Susan Page Davis

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

The Crimson Cipher
Summerside Press (July 1, 2010)

by
Susan Page Davis


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


From Susan: I've always loved reading, history, and horses. These things come together in several of my historical books. My young adult novel, Sarah's Long Ride, also spotlights horses and the rugged sport of endurance riding, as does the contemporary romance Trail to Justice. I took a vocational course in horseshoeing after earning a bachelor's degree in history. I don't shoe horses anymore, but the experience has come in handy in writing my books.

Another longtime hobby of mine is genealogy, which has led me down many fascinating paths. I'm proud to be a DAR member! Some of Jim's and my quirkier ancestors have inspired fictional characters.

For many years I worked for the Central Maine Morning Sentinel as a freelancer, covering local government, school board meetings, business news, fires, auto accidents, and other local events, including a murder trial. I've also written many profiles and features for the newspaper and its special sections. This experience was a great help in developing fictional characters and writing realistic scenes. I also published nonfiction articles in several magazines and had several short stories appear in Woman's World, Grit, and Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine.

My husband, Jim, and I moved to his birth state, Oregon, for a while after we were married, but decided to move back to Maine and be near my family. We're so glad we did. It allowed our six children to grow up feeling close to their cousins and grandparents, and some of Jim's family have even moved to Maine!

Our children are all home-schooled. The two youngest are still learning at home. Jim recently retired from his vocation as an editor at a daily newspaper, and we’ve moved from Maine to Kentucky.


ABOUT THE BOOK

IT'S 1915, AND EMMA SHUSTER HAS FAR TOO MUCH ON HER MIND TO ENTERTAIN NOTIONS OF ROMANCE...

A female Navy cryptographer seeks to save lives...and uncover her father’s killers.

In 1915, German sympathizers escalated acts of sabotage in the United States to keep the nation from joining in the war. With enemies lurking at every turn, whom can Emma trust? Is romance the true motive behind her tow suitors advances? Or could one-or both of them-have traitorous intentions in mind?

Following the mysterious murder of Emma Shuster’s father, Lt. John Patterson invites Emma to become a Navy cryptographer because of the expertise she gained in helping her father develop a cipher system.

Emma races to discover the nefarious plans of her country's foes and unmask their leader before others are killed. She finds new strength in her faith as she strives to outwit her adversary, known only as Kobold - German for goblin.

And yet, her greatest challenge may be deciphering the cryptic messages her heart sends whenever she encounters a certain navy lieutenant... Can Emma and John find love in the midst of turmoil as America plunges toward war?

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Crimson Cipher, go HERE.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

No Rules. Just Write.

This poor blog has been sadly neglected of late. As have my other blogs, my website, and even my WIPs. The amount of books I read annually has shrunk considerably as well.

Why?

One part is busyness. Working full time for most of the past two and a half years cut deeply into my writing time.

One part is laziness. Or I could be kinder to myself and say a myriad of distractions. From games on Facebook to TV shows on Hulu, I've wanted to spend my downtime relaxing.

And the third, and I believe most significant, part is ruliness. (Yes, I know that's not a word.) I have received so much ongoing instruction on how to write I think I've given my creative side a stroke.

I wrote my first two novels on instinct alone. I'd read so many books I just knew how a story should go. No, they weren't great, but they were pretty good, and most importantly, I finished them.

My third novel has been stalled for years. Every once in a while I'll manage to eek out a scene or two, but it mostly lays there, paralyzed.

I've always been an "edit as I go" writer. I had to go back and correct the mistakes as they appeared on the page, because if I didn't, my words would harden like cement and I'd have a painful time chiseling later on.

Now, as I write, I have a huge chorus of rules clamoring for attention with every sentence. Am I telling when I should be showing? Is this MRU correct? And some of the rules conflict, so I have to consciously choose which rule to follow and then correct my writing. Others focus more on paragraphs or scenes, so I'm constantly going back and reevaluating.

Since I've read so much about writing, I know the effort to turn off the internal editor is shared by many writers. And I know I can easily find an artificial cure to get used to switching said editor off - like changing my screen so I can only see the last few sentences or writing with pen on notebook paper.

It's my internal editor's evil cousin that I'm having the hardest time with: the internal prewriter. I'm a SOTP writer, except for quick one-page outlines to give me a rough guideline of where I'm going. But now, no matter how much preparation I do, it's never enough. And it's rarely correct in my internal prewriter's eyes. Where does this scene fall in the LOCK system? In the three-act structure? Is this the right inciting incident? Should the characters really meet here? It's been done before. Would my character really do this if she's an ISFJ? Is my hero an enneagram 2 or 7? Is this the right story goal for her? Do I have too many events in his past to make the hero afraid to love? Or not enough? How can I lead up to the black moment when I don't even know what it is yet?

So I close my WIP and start doing more research. Or read another book or article on how to write, thinking maybe this one will cure things. Or I wander over to Facebook because I'm sick of the whole mess. And sometimes, I remember how it used to be, when I loved writing.

There still comes those rare moments when the joy of creating beats back both the internal editor and the internal prewriter. It gives me hope. But mostly, I let my WIPs sit. Because after working all day, who needs more frustration?

The same frustrations have spilled to my blogging. Am I building my brand right with this post? Which blog should this post go on? How can I write about writing fiction when I'm not?

And my reading sometimes just kicks the internal cousins into high gear. They did this right, why can't I? Other times it just brings a sense of wistfulness.

The one writing area I still have to call my own is poetry - likely because I haven't read much about it. I just set pen to paper and let my emotions flow.

The title of this post (which is also the title of a writer friend's abandoned blog, which seemed fitting) expresses my wish for the future. Maybe someday I can chuck all these rules from my mind and just write.

Monday, August 09, 2010

The Gathering Storm by Bodie and Brock Thoene

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

The Gathering Storm
Summerside Press (August 1, 2010)

by
Bodie and Brock Thoene



ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Bodie and Brock Thoene (pronounced Tay-nee) have written over 50 works of historical fiction. Over twenty million of these best-selling novels are in print. Eight ECPA Gold Medallion Awards affirms what millions of readers have already discovered—the Thoenes are not only master stylists but experts at capturing readers’ minds and hearts.

Bodie began her writing career as a teen journalist for her local newspaper. Eventually her byline appeared in prestigious periodicals such as U.S. News and World Report, The American West, and The Saturday Evening Post. She also worked for John Wayne’s Batjac Productions (she’s best known as author of The Fall Guy) and ABC Circle Films as a writer and researcher. John Wayne described her as “a writer with talent that captures the people and the times!” She has degrees in journalism and communications.

Brock has often been described by Bodie as “an essential half of this writing team.” With degrees in both history and education, Brock has, in his role as researcher and story-line consultant, added the vital dimension of historical accuracy. Due to such careful research, The Zion Covenant and The Zion Chronicles series are recognized by the American Library Association, as well as Zionist libraries around the world, as classic historical novels and are used to teach history in college classrooms.

Bodie and Brock have four grown children—Rachel, Jake, Luke, and Ellie—and seven grandchildren. Their sons, Jake and Luke, are carrying on the Thoene family talent as the next generation of writers, and Luke produces the Thoene audiobooks.

Bodie and Brock divide their time between London and Nevada.


ABOUT THE BOOK

As Nazi forces tighten the noose, Loralei Kepler, daughter of a German resistance leader, must flee her beloved Germany. But is any place safe from Adolf Hitler's evil grasp? Loralei's harrowing flight leads her into the arms of needy child refugees, who have sacrificed everything in exchange for their lives, and toward a mysterious figure, who closely guards an age-old secret.

Explore the romance, the passion, and the danger of the most anticipated series of the last twenty years.

Born from the highly acclaimed and best-loved novels of three generations of readers -- The Zion Covenant series and The Zion Chronicles series -- Zion Diaries ventures into the lives of the inspiring and intriguing characters who loved intensely, stood up for what was right, and fought boldly during Hitler's rise to power and the dark days of World War II.

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Gathering Storm, go HERE