Truman Wiley used to report news stories from around the world, but now the most troubling headlines are his own. He’s out of work, out of touch with his family, out of his home. But nothing dogs him more than his son’s failing heart.

With mounting hospital bills and Truman’s penchant for gambling his savings, the situation seems hopeless . . . until his estranged wife throws him a lifeline—the chance to write the story of a death row inmate, a man convicted of murder who wants to donate his heart to Truman’s son.

As the execution clock ticks down, Truman uncovers disturbing evidence that points to a different killer. For his son to live, must an innocent man die? Truman’s investigation draws him down a path that will change his life, his family, and the destinies of two men forever.

Not in the Heart will release on February 1, 2012. For a sneak preview, download the first chapter.

I was born in West Virginia in 1961 and grew up in a small town much like Dogwood. I was affected by my parents, my older brothers, the hills, and books. I was never a very fast reader, but the things I read really helped change me. Particularly novels. I vowed I would write if I ever got the chance.

I met Jerry Jenkins at Moody Bible Institute in the 1980s. He discovered I wanted to write and said, “I can help you do this if you want, but it will be painful.” Boy was it painful. Gloriously painful. In 1998, Jerry and Dr. Tim LaHaye hired me to write the Left Behind: The Kids series. I had published five books up to that point. I wrote 35 books in that series over the next six years, finishing in 2004. I later collaborated with Jerry on the Red Rock Mysteries series and The Wormling series, and in 2008 the NASCAR-based RPM series rounded out my work in the area of children’s fiction.

Dogwood was my first attempt at writing fiction for adults. It took more than six years to get to the page and to find a publisher. It received the 2009 Christy Award for Christian fiction in the Contemporary Standalone category, which surprised the Dogwood out of me! My next novel, June Bug, draws its themes from the classic Victor Hugo tale, Les Miserables. A nine-year-old girl walks into Walmart and sees herself on a missing children poster. Who is she? Who is her father who travels with her in the beat-up RV? Charles Martin wrote this about the story: “Anne Lamott said that ‘good writing is about telling the truth.’ Chris Fabry has done this. Beautifully. June Bug is masterful. An honest story that dove deep inside me and lingered long after I turned the last page.” June Bug was named a 2010 finalist for the Christy Award and the ECPA’s Christian Book Award.

My Review:

Truman Wiley is a man lost–out of work as a reporter; out of touch with his family; drowning in gambling, hospital and school debts; loss of his small house; car repossessed; neglectful father and husband; and most importantly, out of touch with God.  His son, Aiden, is slowly dying from a heart ailment, and is desperately in need of a heart transplant to survive.

Truman’s estranged wife, Ellen, gets him a job writing a book about Terrence Conley, a death row inmate accused of murder, who is willing to donate his heart for Aiden, an impossible feat in itself without intervention.  Terrence and his estranged wife, Oleta, are friends of Ellen from church, and they just want his side of the story told before his execution.  As most death row inmates, he claims his innocence.

After receiving the retainer money on the book, Truman immediately goes and gambles it away instead of visiting his son and paying off bills.  His daughter, Abigail (Abby) ends up finding him and working with him on the book, since he neglected to pay her college bills so she could graduate.

In his book, Not in the Heart, Chris Fabry methodically creates a real-to-life story that is heart-wrenching in terms of Truman’s estrangement from himself, God and his family.  One sees into the disturbing devastation of gambling, a peek into the realms of evil, Godless men, and the anguish of his love-starved family.  Truman’s circumstances, his attitude towards God, and his comments directly spoken to you, the reader, opens wide a space for him in your heart–what a great point of view insertion that gets your attention! You sense the futility of his life without God, stumbling around, trying to stay ahead of the loan sharks and bill collectors.  Your heart is truly caught up in Truman’s life and relationships, and he seems to stay on your mind as someone you know.  The book also touches on those on death row who maybe shouldn’t be there–a hot topic today.

The investigative, suspenseful part of the story is woven in amongst the continuing family issues.  You’ll find this to be a book of superb suspense with multiple plots, and a sensitive, heart-warming book of hope for family relationships.  Without the prayers of the those who knew the Lord, things wouldn’t have happened as they did.

This book was provided by Audra Jennings of The B&B Media Group, Inc, in exchange for my honest review.  No monetary compensation was exchanged.

Book Blurb:  Can a young seamstress with an independent streak escape an arsonist/murderer while deciding if she trusts the dashing US Army veteran and WWII hero some claim is the killer?

Erica Brogna tries to rescue her friend and mentor when her home and dress shop is set on fire, but the smoke and heat beat her back, making her run for help.

In comes hero, Lorne Kincaid, on his Harley. He rushes into the inferno and gets Erica’s friend out, injuring himself in the process. However, she dies at the hospital. Soon he finds himself framed for this crime.

Bio:

Like so many other writers, I started writing at a very young age. I still have the Crayola, fully illustrated book I penned (penciled might be more accurate) as a little girl about my then off-the-chart love of horses. In high school I wrote the requisite poems full of angst.Today, you might call me a crime fictionista. My passion is crime fiction.

I was a 2010 Inspy Awards judge, a 2011 Carol Awards judge, and write book reviews for The Christian Pulse on-line magazine. Mostly I review serious crime fiction novels or other types of edgy Christian titles. I’m the founding board member of the Grace Awards, a reader-driven inspirational fiction awards. I’m a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), where I serve as a small critique group leader. I’m also a member of Edgy Christian Fiction Lovers on Ning, where I’ve  coordinated a group summer blog tour and have taught a workshop on proposal writing.

I’m a wife, mother, animal lover, living in a coastal metro New York City, a short distance from the Atlantic Ocean. I’m crazy about the ocean.

My website is Nike Chillemi ~ Crime Fictionista… http://http://www.nike-chillemi.com/

I can be found on Twitter. http://twitter.com/#!/NikeChillemi

Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_124248046980&id=10150173847766981#!/profile.php?id=1408995495&sk=info

BURNING HEARTS can be purchased:

At the Desert Breeze Publishing site. http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/StoreFront.bok

Amazon.  http://www.amazon.com/Sanctuary-Point-Book-One-ebook/dp/B0050PJSTY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=books&qid=1305423605&sr=1-1

Barnes & Noble.  http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Sanctuary-Point-Book-One/Nike-Chillemi/e/2940012411747/?itm=1&USRI=nike+chillemi

Christianbooks.com.  http://www.christianbook.com/burning-hearts-ebook-nike-chillemi/9781612520421/pd/18913EB?product_redirect=1&Ntt=18913EB&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP

Sony Reader.  http://ebookstore.sony.com/search?keyword=Burning+Hearts%2C+Nike+Chillemi

(Source)

My Review:

Erica Brogna arrives at Ada’s Fabric Shoppe, only to find it on fire.  She attempts to save Ada, but finding herself unable to accomplish the goal, she runs outside to wave down help.

Lorne Kinkade was out cruising on his Harley when he smelled smoke and saw a young woman frantically waving for help.  Upon arriving, Erica informs Lorne that Ada is still in the house.  He goes in to rescue her and is successful, though she is badly burned on her face and arm.

Erica, Lorne and Ada end up at the Memorial Hospital, where Erica and Lorne are treated and released.  Ada was in surgery, but subsequently did not survive her injuries.

Nike Chillemi, in Burning Hearts, creates a genuine story line of a senseless arson/murder, with characters that are personal, personable, cruel, and real.
Nike Chillemi, in Burning Hearts, creates a genuine story line of a senseless, selfish arson/murder, with characters that are personal, personable, cruel, and real.  The conversations seemed so natural and true for the circumstances, the delightful romance was respectful for the time era (1946), the police action/non-action seemed appropriate in the days of family powers ruling, and the suspense and mystery, though slow compared to today’s action, was timely and kept my attention.  Nike kept me guessing who the killer/arsonist was throughout the whole book, down to the last few pages.  And even then the action was powerful, dangerous and alarming.  Emotions were palpable!  Definitely moved me.

For her first novel, Nike did an outstanding job of keeping the storyline moving with all the different characters, crimes, and social and daily activities.   Her descriptive language gave you a sense of the era, surrounding scenery, scenarios, area, and emotions.  This aspect made for a very intimate read.  Powerfully written with a sense of gentility mixed in.  Definitely a 1946-era book.  I loved it! Looking forward to her next book!

Nike’s inclusion of the dilemmas of Lorne and Erica’s faith, their anger at God, and their spiritual growth is applicable for people everywhere.  We all struggle, but we have a God who is there for us.

I received this e-book through Debra Gaynor of Readers Favorite in exchange for my honest review.  No monetary compensation was exchanged.

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

***Special thanks to Ronie Kendig for sending me a review copy.***

• Finalist in Christian Retailing’s 2011 Readers’ Choice Awards (Nightshade)
• RWA’s Faith, Hope, & Love’s 2011 Inspirational Readers’ Choice Awards in Romantic Suspense (Nightshade)
• Named one of the Top 25 Christian Fiction Suspense, Mystery, and Thriller Writers by FamilyFiction (Sept 2011)
• 2011 FamilyFiction Readers’ Choice Awards – 3^rd place as New Favorite Author, 8^th place with Nightshade for Novel of the Year.
• INSPY Award Shortlist final in Mystery/Thriller (Dead Reckoning)
• The Christian Manifesto’s 2010 Lime Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction (Nightshade)

Visit the author’s website.

Blown and dismantled, Nightshade is ready to repay the favor.

Former Marine and current Nightshade team member Griffin “Legend” Riddell is comfortable. So comfortable he never sees the set up that lands him in a maximum security prison, charged with murder. How can he prove his innocence behind bars?

Covert operative Kazi Faron is tasked with reassembling Nightshade—the black ops team someone dissected. Breaking Griffin out of a federal penitentiary amid explosive confusion may turn out to be her last assignment. What will it take to convince the fugitive that whoever set him up has also dissected the Nightshade team? As Kazi and Griffin race to rescue the others and discover the traitor,

love begins to awaken in their hearts.

Can a covert operative and the felon she’s freed overcome their mutual distrust long enough to save Nightshade? Will anything prepare them for who—or what is coming?

Product Details:

• List Price: $12.99

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Barbour Books; Discarded Heroes edition (2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1602607850
• ISBN-13: 978-1602607859

AND NOW…THE FIRST CHAPTER:

OTHER BOOKS BY RONIE KENDIG

Nightshade (Discarded Heroes #1)

Digitalis (Discarded Heroes #2)

Wolfsbane (Discarded Heroes #3)

© 2011 by Ronie Kendig

ISBN 978-1-60260-0785-9

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission of the publisher.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, and/or events is purely coincidental.

For more information about Ronie Kendig, please access the author’s Web site at the following Internet address: www.roniekendig.com

Published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., P.O. Box 719, Uhrichsville, OH 44683,

www.barbourbooks.com

Our mission is to publish and distribute inspirational products offering exceptional value and biblical encouragement to the masses.

Printed in the United States of America.

My Review:

BLOWN AND DISMANTLED! NIGHTSHADE IS READY TO REPAY THE FAVOR!

The Nightshade group are recouping in The Shack when they find themselves infiltrated and fired upon.  No matter where they hid, they were found out except for Max and Dighton.  Not only are they infiltrated, their complex is imploded.  The men are then scattered all over the world.  Who?  How? The Shack was secure!

Nightshade team member, Griffin Riddell (aka “Legend”), finds himself in a maximum security prison, charged with the murder of a Senator.  He never saw it coming.  And he didn’t do it.

Kazi Faron, a covert operative, is brought in to break Griffin out of the penitentiary–and she’s successful!  Though she tends to be a loner, she’s a fireball that gets the work done despite the odds and dangers.

From this point on, Ronie Kendig, in Firethorn, has us traveling all over the world with Legend and Kazi, tracking down the Nightshade team.  All have their own dilemmas to escape.  It’s a fast-paced, quick-changing twist of events.   Just like Ronie’s first three novels, this one does not let up on the action.  You can’t let yourself lull over a particular rescue, as she jumps to another.  The scenarios are interspersed, which demand that you stay just as alert as her characters.  Though interspersed, they all intertwine in a fashion only Ronie can pull off.

The touchy romance between Griffin and Kazi is threatened by their distrust, events and her past.  But you’ll find yourself loving every minute, wondering if they will make a couple or not.  Nothing is guaranteed.

Though faith is interwoven into Ronie’s books, and it’s relevant and important to each member, it’s not an ‘in your face’ message.  It’s the daily living out of their faith.

You can read these books out of order, but it’s more interesting reading from beginning to end.  Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.  I am disappointed the series has ended with Firethorn, however.  I could see another book at the end of this one!

Ronie considers herself an Army brat, but it’s those experiences that bring depth, accuracy and meaning to each of her books.

Book #1  Nightshade

Book #2  Digitalis

Book # 3  Wolfsbane

Book #4  Firethorn

****************************************************

A Medical Definition of Life

“Medical authorities determine a person to be ‘alive’ if there is either a detectable heartbeat or brain-wave activity.”

With that in mind, it is eye-opening to realize that unborn children have detectable heartbeats at 18 days after conception and detectable brain-wave activity 40 days after conception. What is so shocking is that essentially 100 percent of all abortions occur after the seventh week of pregnancy.

(From Sanctity of Life, by Charles Swindoll, Word, 1990, pp. 11-12)

***********************************************************

Public Opinion on Abortion
The Gallup polling organization has charted public opinion on abortion since 1996. At that time:

• 56 percent of respondents identified as pro-choice
• 33 percent of respondents identified as pro-life
In the 2011 survey:
• 47 percent identified as pro-choice.
• 47 percent identified as pro-life.
SOURCE: Gallup, http://www.gallup.com/poll/1576/abortion.aspx

No statistics track the number of infants surviving an abortion attempt. Many children who survived attempted abortions have grown up and become pro-life advocates, including:
Gianna Jessen—Testified before a congressional committee in 1996 at age 19, she remains a pro-life advocate. OCTOBERBABY was written after director Jon Erwin heard Gianna tell her life story.
Sarah Smith—In 1970, Sarah Smith’s mother was pregnant but did not know, nor did doctors know, she was carrying twins. Sarah’s brother was aborted. A few weeks after that, Sarah’s mother realized she was carrying another child. Sarah and her mother, Betty, speak nationwide advocating alternatives to
abortion.
Heidi Huffman Smith—In 1978, Heidi Huffman Smith’s mother, then age 17, had an abortion that Heidi survived. Learning weeks after the fact that she was still pregnant, Heidi’s mother carried her to term. Heidi—a wife and mother herself—speaks with her mother nationwide on the pro-life issue.

Abortion Alternatives
Crisis Pregnancy Centers
• About 3,000 Pregnancy Resource Centers in the United States offer a range of services to women facing unplanned pregnancies
• Advising alternatives to abortion, the centers offer pregnancy tests and a range of services including help in obtaining housing, clothes, baby needs, medical care, financial support and information about adoption
• As many abortion providers operate for-profit, non-profit pregnancy counseling centers stress that their advice is offered without financial motive.

Facts you may not know about abortion in the United States …
• 22 percent of pregnancies in the United States end in abortion
• 40 percent of unintended pregnancies end in abortion
• 18 percent of women having an abortion in the United States are teenagers
• More than half of U.S. abortions are performed on women in their 20s
• In the United States, 1.21 million abortions are performed annually
• Since 1973, the year that the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision legalized abortion, about 50 million abortions have been performed in the United States

• Of abortion providers in the U.S.:
o 95 percent offer abortions from eight weeks after the first missed menstrual period
o 64 percent offer second-trimester abortions (abortions after 13 weeks)
o 23 percent offer abortions at 20 weeks
o 11 percent offer abortions at 24 weeks
• The number of abortions has trended down over the past 20 years:
o In 1973, there were 16.3 abortions per 1,000 U.S. women age 15 to 44
o The number peaked in 1983 at 29.3 abortions per 1,000 women
o In 2008, the number is 19.6 per 1,000 women

• Total abortions are down as well:
o In 2000, there were 1.31 million U.S abortions.
o In 2008, there were 1.21 million U.S. abortions

SOURCE: The Alan Guttmacher Institute
http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/fb_induced_abortion.html

SOURCE: National Right To Life, NRL.org

To learn more, visit: OctoberBabyMovie.net

OctoberBaby Movie Clips

Some Informational Sites:

http://www.octoberbabymovie.net/sanctityoflife/

http://www.heartlink.org/beavoice/

http://www.lifegivingresources.com/brochures.aspx

http://www.lutheransforlife.org/store-life-sunday-2012/

Aaron L might be a newcomer to the creation of Christian fiction but is not one when it comes to the arts and all things creative. Growing up spending a lot of his time drawing, Aaron always knew that his future lay in this field. In 2010, he graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in graphic design. Although the usual application of this degree is in the creation of print art, Aaron chose instead to focus his creative skills on the task of storytelling. With his first novel, “Light Under the House”, Aaron seeks to display his creativity in this promising new arena.

What inspired you to write this story?
I feel very strongly about the breakdown of the family and fatherlessness and how there is much dysfunction and despair because of it. I wanted to tell a story to shed some light on the situations that many face and hopefully bring some type of reversal to the current dynamic in whatever small way I could. I wanted to challenge men, fathers especially, to be who they were created to be….its certainly a challenge I face myself daily. A challenge that I often fail at but keeping picking myself up to start again.

Did you model any of the characters after people you know?
I used many things to model the characters … people I know, other literary figures, actors, biblical characters, celebrities … the characters are a combination of all of these. I wanted them to be new and familiar at the same time, universal.

Why did you choose the Dallas/Ft Worth area as your primary setting?
First of all, the south has a certain reputation for is deep spiritual roots (bible belt and all). I patterned the book in part after GONE WITH THE WIND (another book set in the south) … not in the sense of a love story but in the sense of “here is civilization that is about to cease to exist, come see it before its gone”. In the case of my novel it is a spiritual civilization on the brink. Dallas just seemed to have everything I needed to make the story work from both a symbolic and technical standpoint.

Do you have plans to write more books?
I have an idea or two floating around … nothing concrete yet.

What sort of research did you do for the historical portions of your book? What did you like best about the research? The least?
My co-author and I researched deeply into ancient history for some aspects of the book … I learned a lot of things … some things I’d rather forget but most of it was enlightening. What I liked best was that it confirmed for me mostly what I already knew, there really is nothing new under the sun.

Where can we find out about more opportunities for a free copy of this book?
Follow @ChristianSpkrs on Twitter.

ANCIENT HISTORY ABOUT TO BE LOST!

One enigmatic smile. Two passionate protectors. And a relentlessly ticking clock.

August 1944. Paris is on the cusp of liberation. As the soldiers of the Third Reich flee the Allied advance, they ravage the country and steal countless pieces of irreplaceable art. In fact, Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring will stop at nothing to claim the most valuable one of all—the Mona Lisa—as a postwar bargaining chip. But the woman with the mysterious smile has some very determined protectors. Can Swiss OSS agents Gabi Mueller and Eric Hofstadler
rescue Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece before it falls into German hands?

With nonstop action and intrigue, Chasing Mona Lisa is sure to get your adrenaline pumping as you join the chase to save the most famous painting in the world. From war-ravaged Paris to a posh Swiss Chateau, the race is on–and the runners are playing for keeps.

Chasing Mona Lisa/$14.99/ISBN: 978-0-8007-2046-9/ISBN-10: 0-8007-2046-6/Pages: 336/Publication Date: Jan. 12/ Paperback

Watch the Trailer

Tricia Goyer is the coauthor of The Swiss
Courier as well as the author of many other
books, including Night Song and Dawn of a
Thousand Nights, both past winners of the
ACFW’s Book of the Year Award for Long
Historical Romance. Goyer lives with her
family in Arkansas.

Mike Yorkey is the author or coauthor of
dozens of books, including The Swiss Courier
and the bestselling Every Man’s Battle series.
Married to a Swiss native, Yorkey lived in
Switzerland for 18 months. He and his family
currently reside in California.

Endorsements:

“With Chasing Mona Lisa, you purchase a ticket to a world of mystery, heroism, and adventure. Join the battle to free France and save her priceless treasures from Nazi hands. In the process you’ll find yourself sinking into a story that leaves you longing for just one more page.”–Cara Putman, award-winning author of Stars in the Night and Ohio Brides

“Intriguing and well-written . . . Tricia Goyer and Mike Yorkey had me at hello!”–Lynn Vincent, New York Times bestselling writer of Heaven Is for Real and Same Kind of Different as Me

“A riveting, well-researched tale that kept me glued to the pages. Chasing Mona Lisa is absolutely my favorite kind of story: rich in period detail, fast-paced, and loaded with twists. A winner!”– Christopher Reich, New York Times bestselling author of Rules of Vengeance and Rules of Betrayal

“I love it when I get lost in a good book, and Chasing Mona Lisa kept me enthralled from start to finish.”–Debra McCoy, mother of Cleveland Browns quarterback, Colt McCoy

My Review:

It’s August, 1944.  France is on the verge of liberation. Allied forces are advancing, while the Third Reich flees.  Though Germany is retreating, Reichsmarchall Hermann Goring wants to steal the most precious painting of France–the Mono Lisa–a symbol of their freedom.  The race is on between the Swiss OSS agents Gabi Mueller and Eric Hofstadler against Colonel Heller’s henchman.

It was while Gabi and Eric were still fighting off stragglers from the Third Reich in France, alongside Bernard Rousseau of the Communist-run Resistance Group, that they were all informed by Allen Dulles of the OSS of the attempted heist of the Mona Lisa.  Working through Collette, a curator of the Louvre of France, they hatched out a plan to retrieve and protect the Mona Lisa.  Woven through these plans were the behind-the-scenes suspicions of Collette’s innocence or guilt in collaborating with the Germans.

Tricia Goyer and Mike Yorkey give us a hit-and-run twist of plots from the very first page to the end.  The evil of the Third Reich and their underhanded methods of torture are exposed.  Man’s inhumanity of unbelievable proportion. It’s real and it’s horrific.  Your heart breaks over threats to even young children. You feel the fear of the characters as they go through the fearsome episodes. You find yourself holding your breath during the scenes of severity and tough demands in the Swiss Chateau.

Throughout the story Gabi and Eric prayed and put their trust in the Lord to get them through the dangerous circumstances and to save the precious Mona Lisa for France.  Their heroism and loyalty went above and beyond their roles.

For a historical, fast-paced adventure, with a little romance thrown in, this is a book you will not want to miss.  There are so many individual stories that have been told and still need to be told.  But Chasing Mona Lisa triumphs the liberation of France and the hopeful claim of the Mona Lisa.  It’s another part of WWII history that I found very interesting.

This book was provided by Donna Hausler, Publicity Assistant, Baker Publishing Group, in exchange for my honest opinion.  No monetary compensation was exchanged.

Chasing Mona Lisa is available January, 2012, at your favorite bookseller, from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

In the middle of a soccer drill, in an awful, awkward moment, Celia Bennett’s eight-year-old son Caleb lands on his face and chest in the grass. The diagnosis blindsides her, bringing her face-to-face with every parent’s worst nightmare.

Desperate to save her son’s life, Celia pursues a cure through alternative medicine, but her quest ends in frustration and disappointment. Facing despair,hope walks in on the most unlikely set of legs, when her father returns after a 30-year absence. Can she release pain to embrace hope? Will it make a difference, or is it too late?

After the Snow Falls is a novel of hope, and the healing power of forgiveness. I pray you are inspired to greater courage and faith as you read.

Bio:

Carey Jane Clark writes to inspire courage, hope and conviction. The writing bug afflicted her early in life. The first two stories she recalls writing were about kidnapped insects and dancing pumpkins. (It has been a few years since those stories were penned.) After the Snow Falls is her first novel.

She shares the adventure of her life with her husband and three children, whom she homeschools. She and her family are expatriates living in China.

Read Chapter One.   View the Trailer here.

Endorsement:

“Carey Jane Clark is a new voice in inspirational fiction, and definitely one to watch. Her picturesque prose and compelling characters makes After the Snow Falls a riveting story, one that will remain with readers long after closing the final page.”— Kathi Macias, author Deliver Me From Evil

My Review:

After the Snow Falls by Carey Jane Clark opened my eyes to the day-to-day personal anguish of parents who have a child with cancer.  And the hope of a little boy, Caleb Bennett, who believed Jesus would heal him.

Carey made the harrowing scenes so real that your heart ached for the characters.  A parent wanting to take their child’s place.  Watching their child go through chemo and radiation.  Dealing with the sickness from the chemo.  Watching other children struggle or die. Dealing alone while a husband went back to work to make ends meet financially.  Loss of a close friendship. All of it so very personal.

If all this weren’t enough, Celia Bennett, the mother of Caleb, was tortured with the reappearance of a father who walked out of her life when she was eleven.  The hurt and pain of both sides are felt and understood.  Her bitterness keeps him away from his own grandson.   But would or could it continue on in the midst of Caleb’s brain tumor and illness?

Carey handled the writing of this book as if she had gone through the trauma of a terminally sick child.  The hospital protocol was so accurate.  The episodes that Caleb experienced were real and frightening.   The relationship issues outside the father/daughter bitterness were real and personal.  Yes, I know people can research something like this, but the author was so intricate in her details that it really drew me in.

The friendships of the other parents with sick children were encouraging, as it’s such a hard battle to walk alone.  Leigh and her daughter Michaela really touched my heart.  Their faith and the prayers of her church and friends lifted them up through their circumstances.  Though Celia is cynical about God, she was still drawn to the peace and strength they sustained.

I enjoyed the alternating points of view by chapter.  It gave me more insights into Celia thoughts and feelings, and then of her father, Alfie.  Both seemed to be in despair, though Alfie hung on to his faith to resolve the issues with his daughter.  Although there were obviously more characters involved, the story seemed to revolve around how these two responded to one another and how it affected all the others.

It’s a story of forgiveness and restoration in addition to the story of a young boy with an aggressive brain tumor that usually outgrows the treatment.

I understand parents think about and even try alternative treatments, but the method mentioned in this book is not one I consider of Christian value.  I was uncomfortable with the idea.  That aside, this is one terrific book describing the battle between bitterness and faith and forgiveness.

This book touched in a personal way, as I had a nephew goes through cancer.  He is now in remission.

This book was provided by the author, Carey Jane Clark, in exchange for my honest review.  No monetary compensation was exchanged.

A Movie that Celebrates Life!

If you believe that every life is beautiful and that a beautifully told story can touch hearts—and maybe even save lives—then get ready for OCTOBER BABY! Opening in theaters on March 23, OCTOBER BABY tells the story of Hannah, a young woman who learns that the story of her life is much different from what she’s known up until now.

Jon Erwin and Andrew Erwin directed the movie. The Erwin Brothers have won numerous awards as the directors of some of your favorite Christian music videos. Jon Erwin was the also the second unit director on COURAGEOUS, whose director Alex Kendrick says this about OCTOBER BABY: “A great film with a great message!”

» Watch the Trailer

October Baby Opens in Theaters March 23

As the curtain rises, Hannah hesitantly steps onto the stage for her theatrical debut in college. Yet before she can recite her first lines, she collapses. Countless medical tests all point to one underlying factor: Hannah’s difficult birth. This revelation is nothing compared to discovering that she was actually adopted … after a failed abortion attempt.

Bewildered, angered, and confused, Hannah embarks on a journey with Jason, her oldest friend. In the midst of her incredible journey to discover her hidden past and find hope for her unknown future, Hannah sees that life can be so much more than what you have planned.

» Visit OctoberBabyMovie.net

Sanctity of Life

On January 22, churches across the nation will celebrate Sanctity of Human Life Sunday. With the powerful theme of “Every Life Is Beautiful,” OCTOBER BABY naturally lends itself as a partner to churches in this important endeavor. Your church can access a number of FREE ministry tools at the OCTOBER BABY website, including videos, sermons, sermon illustrations, and more.

The producers of OCTOBER BABY have assigned 10% of the profits of the movie to the Every Life is Beautiful Fund, which will distribute funds to frontline organizations helping women facing crisis pregnancies, life-affirming adoption agencies, and those caring for orphans.

» Find Free Resources Now

What People Are Saying About October Baby

“October Baby is a profoundly beautiful story and a powerful testament to the importance of every human life.”  –Marjorie Dannenfelser, Founder and President, Susan B. Anthony List

“I am now an October Baby activist.”  –Mark Hall, Casting Crowns

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Jolene Philo has been a teacher for 25 years and has published numerous articles on parenting a special needs child and preparing children for a hospital stay. She is the author of Different Dream Parenting and Different Dream Parenting: A Practical Guide to Raising a Child with Special Needs and a regular contributor to a regional monthly women’s magazine, has spoken to MOPS groups, and is a commentator for Iowa Public Radio’s “Iowa Voices.” She and her husband have two children and live in Boone, Iowa.
Visit the author’s website.

Different Dream Parenting: Parents of a special needs child will benefit by Jolene Philo’s handbook of resources, inspiration and tested wisdom. Practical strategies and spiritual reflections are balanced with resources for aid and information. From becoming an effective advocate for your child, dealing with hospitalization, to family concerns and long-term care, Philo presents wisdom from voices of experience. Hope-giving help, resources and direction are clearly provided for parents of a child with a medical condition, behavioral or educational concerns.

• Product Details for Different Dream Parenting:
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• List Price: $12.99
• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Discovery House Publishers (November 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1572934670
• ISBN-13: 978-1572934672

A Different Dream for My Child: Hope and encouragement for the parents and caregivers of critically ill children comes in an inspirational devotional package. Jolene Philo shares personal accounts from her own experiences with a seriously ill newborn son. Interwoven are the stories of how other parents have found peace and hope, how they have dealt with hospitalization, private pain, grief, guilt and loneliness, and even the death of a child. Targeted scripture, simple prayers and questions for reflection provide a valuable spirit

Product Details for A Different Dream for My Child:

List Price: $10.99

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Discovery House Publishers (August 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1572933070
• ISBN-13: 978-1572933071

AND NOW…Excerpts from both books:

Different Dream Parenting Excerpt:

A Different Dream for My Child Excerpt:

My Review:

My review will only cover A Different Dream for My Child, as I did not receive both books.

The author, Jolene Philo, shares her story of her seriously ill newborn, along with the stories of additional couples who have worked through the issues of their critically or chronically ill children, some of whom have passed away.  Her book is a devotional/meditational style to help parents share their walk and encourage others who eventually walk this dark, and sometimes lonely world, where their dreams for their children are changed.

The ultimate place the author sends them to is the Lord; learning to pray, releasing their ill child to Him, and enjoying the time they do have with their children.  They ARE a gift from God, whether ill or healthy.  He is the One who will supply you as parents with the ‘strength, courage and motivation’ to care for each ill child and additional family members, by sending people into their lives for a season for encouragement and assistance.  God doesn’t expect anyone to through their ordeal alone.

The author breaks her book down into several sections:

• A Different Dream Begins–Diagnosis
• Stuck in a Bad Dream–Hospital Life
• Conflicting Dreams–Juggling Two Worlds
• The Unending Dream–Long-Term Health Issues
• The Death of Dreams–Losing a Child
• A Different Dream Begins–Raising a Survivor

Told in a compassionate, empathetic manner, the author also speaks the truth in love.  The different parents who shared their survival tips are very helpful.  Jolene encourages parents of ill children to seek out people that they can trust and lean on.  Allow yourself to grieve, as it’s a part of the process.

I found Jolene’s book encouraging for our lives, as the dreams we had for our child needed to be changed and processed through.  And through it all, we love our child despite the issues–a gift from God!  That’s what God commands of us–love.

The prayers at the end of each chapter help you to focus on the real issues.  The Take Time to Reflect sections helps you to personally identify the areas that needs adjusting or clarifying. If you are going through a difficult time, get a copy of this book up for encouragement and challenging your attitudes in love where applicable.

Book Blurb:  The partners at Finley & Figg—all two of them—often refer to themselves as “a boutique law firm.” Boutique, as in chic, selective, and prosperous. They are, of course, none of these things. What they are is a two-bit operation always in search of their big break, ambulance chasers who’ve been in the trenches much too long making way too little. Their specialties, so to speak, are quickie divorces and DUIs, with the occasional jackpot of an actual car wreck thrown in. After twenty plus years together, Oscar Finley and Wally Figg bicker like an old married couple but somehow continue to scratch out a half-decent living from their seedy bungalow offices in southwest Chicago.

And then change comes their way. More accurately, it stumbles in. David Zinc, a young but already burned-out attorney, walks away from his fast-track career at a fancy downtown firm, goes on a serious bender, and finds himself literally at the doorstep of our boutique firm. Once David sobers up and comes to grips with the fact that he’s suddenly unemployed, any job—even one with Finley & Figg—looks okay to him.

With their new associate on board, F&F is ready to tackle a really big case, a case that could make the partners rich without requiring them to actually practice much law. An extremely popular drug, Krayoxx, the number one cholesterol reducer for the dangerously overweight, produced by Varrick Labs, a giant pharmaceutical company with annual sales of $25 billion, has recently come under fire after several patients taking it have suffered heart attacks. Wally smells money.

A little online research confirms Wally’s suspicions—a huge plaintiffs’ firm in Florida is putting together a class action suit against Varrick. All Finley & Figg has to do is find a handful of people who have had heart attacks while taking Krayoxx, convince them to become clients, join the class action, and ride along to fame and fortune. With any luck, they won’t even have to enter a courtroom!

It almost seems too good to be true.

And it is.

The Litigators is a tremendously entertaining romp, filled with the kind of courtroom strategies, theatrics, and suspense that have made John Grisham America’s favorite storyteller.

Finley & Figg:  We’ll Fight For You

The Litigators excerpt

Bio:  Long before his name became synonymous with the modern legal thriller, John Grisham was working 60-70 hours a week at a small Southaven, Mississippi law practice, squeezing in time before going to the office and during courtroom recesses to work on his hobby–writing his first novel. Born on February 8, 1955 in Jonesboro, Arkansas, to a construction worker and a homemaker, John Grisham as a child dreamed of being a professional baseball player. Realizing he didn’t have the right stuff for a pro career, he shifted gears and majored in accounting at Mississippi State University. After graduating from law school at Ole Miss in 1981, he went on to practice law for nearly a decade in Southaven, specializing in criminal defense and personal injury litigation. One day at the DeSoto County courthouse, Grisham overheard the harrowing testimony of a twelve-year-old rape victim and was inspired to start a novel exploring what would have happened if the girl’s father had murdered her assailants. Getting up at 5 a.m. every day to get in several hours of writing time before heading off to work, Grisham spent three years on A Time to Kill and finished it in 1987. Initially rejected by many publishers, it was eventually bought by Wynwood Press, who gave it a modest 5,000 copy printing and published it in June 1988.That might have put an end to Grishams hobby. However, he had already begun his next book, and it would quickly turn that hobby into a new full-time career. When he sold the film rights to The Firm to Paramount Pictures for $600,000, Grisham suddenly became a hot property among publishers, and book rights were bought by Doubleday. Spending 47 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list, The Firm became the bestselling novel of 1991.The successes of The Pelican Brief, which hit number one on the New York Times bestseller list, and The Client, which debuted at number one, confirmed Grisham’s reputation as the master of the legal thriller. Grisham’s success even renewed interest in A Time to Kill, which was republished in hardcover by Doubleday and then in paperback by Dell. This time around, it was a bestseller. Since first publishing A Time to Kill in 1988, Grisham has written one novel a year (his other books are The Firm, The Pelican Brief, The Client, The Chamber, The Rainmaker, The Runaway Jury, The Partner, The Street Lawyer, The Testament, The Brethren, A Painted House, Skipping Christmas, The Summons, The King of Torts, Bleachers, The Last Juror, The Broker, Playing for Pizza, and The Appeal) and all of them have become international bestsellers. There are currently over 225 million John Grisham books in print worldwide, which have been translated into 29 languages. Nine of his novels have been turned into films (The Firm, The Pelican Brief, The Client, A Time to Kill, The Rainmaker, The Chamber, A Painted House, The Runaway Jury, and Skipping Christmas), as was an original screenplay, The Gingerbread Man.

My Review:

Finley and Figg is a two-man law firm that usually makes its money by ambulance chasing, car accidents, hospital visits, quickie divorces, and DUIs.  Trying to gain notoriety and millions of dollars, they chase after a large class action tort claim against a cholesterol drug, Krayoxx, that allegedly causes deadly side effects.  Allegedly, as in ‘innocent until proved guilty.’

To add to the humorous, bickering couple of Finley & Figg and their office assistant, Rochelle, a young 32-year-old lawyer, David Zinc, burns out in his high-paying law firm position and literally tumbles into their office drunk after drinking all day at a local bar. He bumblingly enters into their frays.

The Litigators by John Grisham is about the legal wranglings, manipulations, stipulations, and courtroom shenanigans of lawyers which sound so absurd that one can hardly believe they happen today, yet they actually do.  The little three-man office against the giant pharmaceutical company, Varrick Labs, and their hoards of attorneys–all from David Zinc’s former office.

This seemed to be one of the most trivial, slow moving books I think I’ve ever read before some real action began.  Kind of like the everyday grind in a law office at times.  I had to force myself to keep reading, but I’ve experienced John Grisham’s writings before, and I knew the action would materialize. And did it ever pay off!  The slower pace and what seemed like boring details were necessary to build up to the climax.  I’m just used to high-rev action from page one.  It was worth the time to read!

Grisham has you rooting for the little guy, though all the while everything seems hopeless.  The plot builds, while you hold your breath as to the outcome.  He reels you in page by page and you know you’re hooked, because you can’t put the book down!

I don’t appreciate the cursing, which Grisham has been adding to his novels as of late, but the additional side plots added some intrigue to the main story line.

I borrowed this book from my local library.  These are my honest opinions.