Reblogged from MIKE DELLOSSO:

Sound too good to be true? It's not.

Yes, you can get my newest thriller FEARLESS for free.

My publisher, Charisma House, recently created a website called Booketeria where you can request books for free and all you have to do in return is promise to write an honest review.

FREE book (and a new release at that). A $14.99 value.

Read more… 76 more words

Five years ago, Keelyn Samuels’s armed, mentally ill stepfather took her family hostage in their house in rural Colorado. She and her half-sister Raven made it out alive, but others did not. Authorities blamed the father’s frequent hallucinations about a being named Lucent, but in the end, even the best of the FBI’s hostage negotiators failed to overcome the man’s delusions and end the standoff peacefully.

SWAT team member Lee Watson was there that day. He watched it all unfold and was able to pull Keelyn and Raven from the grip of their demon-possessed father. Though partially successful, his team had still failed, and the outcome of that day–and that tortured family–has continued to plague Lee ever since. Though unusual for SWAT to reconnect with survivors, Lee bumped into Keelyn two years after the crisis, and they both found some peace in their budding relationship. But peace is hard to maintain when the memory returns . . . in the flesh.

Lucent is back, and he’s no hallucination. In fact, he is a very real person with dangerous motives. He has kidnapped Raven’s daughter, and–Keelyn worries–maybe has hurt Raven as well. Though she is estranged from her sister, Keelyn feels the immediate need to find Raven and save what family she has left. But when others who were involved in that fateful day start dying, some by mysterious circumstances, Keelyn wonders if she and Lee can emerge unscathed a second time.

The highly anticipated second installment of the Bloodline Trilogy explores the boundaries of faith and family and what happens when both are put to the test.

Watch the Trailer

About the author:

Jordyn Redwood is a nurse by day, novelist by night.

As a self-professed medical nerd, she reads medical textbooks for fun. This led to the creation of Redwood’s Medical Edge– a blog devoted to helping authors write medically accurate fiction.

Jordyn loves to weave medical mystery into her story lines and see how her characters navigate through the chaos she creates. Jordyn Redwood has specialized in critical care and emergency nursing for seventeen years.

A member of both the American Association of Critical Care Nurses and the American Christian Fiction Writers association, Jordyn lives in Colorado.

See my review here.

GIVEAWAY RULES (Mandatory):

1.  Leave your email address (will not be entered without an email address and a Share!).  Use a format similar to this:  iwanttowin at yahoo dot com, in order to prevent spam.

2.  Share a time when your faith was tested, and what the results were.

3.  Must have a U.S. Mainland address that does not include a P.O. Box #.

4.  Contest ends Wednesday, May 15, 2013, at midnight.

I will email the winner after May 16, at which time you will need to reply within 48 hours with your mailing address, or a different winner will be chosen.

One Desert Rose

When nine-year-old Louisa mysteriously appears in the middle of a house fire with no memory of how she got there or where she came from, Jim and Amy Spencer agree to take her in.

Wrestling with the recent loss of their own child, they soon discover Louisa has a special gift. But when the same gift unknowingly puts her in contact with a serial killer, the grieving couple must unite to face all odds and save themselves and Louisa before it’s too late.  Available May 7, 2013.

Mike Dellosso is the author of numerous novels of suspense, including Darkness Follows, Darlington Woods, and Scream. He is an adjunct professor of writing at Lancaster Bible College and frequent contributor to Christian websites and newsletters. Mike is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers association, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance, the Relief Writer’s Network, and FaithWriters, and he plans to join International Thriller Writers. He earned his BA degree from Messiah College and his MBS from Master’s International School of Divinity. He lives in Hanover, PA, with his wife and daughters.

Find more about Mike here.

My Review:

From mystery/thriller author, Mike Dellosso, comes his newest book, Fearless!  It’s the story of one little girl, Louisa, who is fearless in the midst of evil.  When she prays, people are healed–at least most.  She first appears in the midst of Jake Tucker’s fire, which was almost done in by a pot of eggs.

With no knowledge of who she is and where she is from, Doug Miller, the local Chief of Police, ask Jim and Amy Spencer to take Louisa in until they find out who she is and where she belongs.  Though they have been foster parents for years, Amy and Jim are reeling over the miscarriage of their baby.  Amy is mostly spooked by the little girl’s actions, but Jim has taken a fatherly liking to her, which endears him to me.  She seems to be the daughter they lost.

After Louisa prays for and heals different children, the town’s people all want healing.  That opens the door to wreak havoc with the Spencer’s in more ways than one.  You will find that people aren’t always who they appear to be.

To up the ante in his book, the town of Virginia Mills has a serial killer on their hands.  The police have no clues, no evidence and no idea who the perpetrator is.  There are few common denominators amongst the victims. The murders happen once a day for seven days in a row.  The police are stymied.

Mike’s unique style of supernatural thrillers comes alive one more time in Fearless.  His use of metaphors opens your eyes to comprehend situations in a broader, more vivid view.  He touches on several issues that intertwine throughout the story–domestic abuse, revenge, murder, miscarriage, childhood abuse, miracle healings, faith, and respect.  Mike’s superb writing interweaves all these issues and more throughout the chapters and keeps you on the edge of your seat, trying to help the individuals that are being targeted.  But you are helpless, as are most of the victims!

If you love thrillers, you will enjoy this book!  It will intrigue you and set you on edge from page one to the very end.  But do be aware, there are gruesome scenes that may be disturbing.

This e-book was provided by the author through The Darlington Society in exchange for my honest review.  No monetary compensation was received for my review.

GIVEAWAYS:

Mike’s newest thriller, FEARLESS, releases next Tuesday, May 7. You won’t want to miss this one! It’s a thrill ride from page one.

Join him next week Right Here, on Facebook, and Twitter, for giveaways galore. He’ll be giving away copies of FEARLESS, but also giving away some of his other books, including A THOUSAND SLEEPLESS NIGHTS, which he wrote under the pseudonym, Michael King, and copies of his e-stories, THE LAST HUNT, MIRROR IMAGE,  and REARVIEW.  Any of his books will knock your shoes off!

It’s going to be a giveaway bonanza!

Check Back Here Monday for the first round of giveaways.

Five years ago, Keelyn Samuels’s armed, mentally ill stepfather took her family hostage in their house in rural Colorado. She and her half-sister Raven made it out alive, but others did not. Authorities blamed the father’s frequent hallucinations about a being named Lucent, but in the end, even the best of the FBI’s hostage negotiators failed to overcome the man’s delusions and end the standoff peacefully.

SWAT team member Lee Watson was there that day. He watched it all unfold and was able to pull Keelyn and Raven from the grip of their demon-possessed father. Though partially successful, his team had still failed, and the outcome of that day–and that tortured family–has continued to plague Lee ever since. Though unusual for SWAT to reconnect with survivors, Lee bumped into Keelyn two years after the crisis, and they both found some peace in their budding relationship. But peace is hard to maintain when the memory returns . . . in the flesh.

Lucent is back, and he’s no hallucination. In fact, he is a very real person with dangerous motives. He has kidnapped Raven’s daughter, and–Keelyn worries–maybe has hurt Raven as well. Though she is estranged from her sister, Keelyn feels the immediate need to find Raven and save what family she has left. But when others who were involved in that fateful day start dying, some by mysterious circumstances, Keelyn wonders if she and Lee can emerge unscathed a second time.

The highly anticipated second installment of the Bloodline Trilogy explores the boundaries of faith and family and what happens when both are put to the test.

Watch the Trailer

About the author:

Jordyn Redwood is a nurse by day, novelist by night.

As a self-professed medical nerd, she reads medical textbooks for fun. This led to the creation of Redwood’s Medical Edge– a blog devoted to helping authors write medically accurate fiction.

Jordyn loves to weave medical mystery into her story lines and see how her characters navigate through the chaos she creates. Jordyn Redwood has specialized in critical care and emergency nursing for seventeen years.

A member of both the American Association of Critical Care Nurses and the American Christian Fiction Writers association, Jordyn lives in Colorado.

Source.

You can find Jordyn at:  Redwood’s Medical Edge and Jordyn’s Website.

My Review:

My first introduction to Jordyn Redwood came through Readers’ Favorites.  Her first book, Proof, was the book I reviewed.  What an introduction!

Jordyn brings us up to speed five years later in her second book, Poison.  I found Poison to be just as suspenseful, medically interesting, abounding with superior multiple twists intertwined into the plots, and fast-paced action, building angst within me, keeping me reading well into the night.  If you’ve read Proof, you will once again meet some of same characters, with new ones that are just as real and flawed.  If you haven’t, I would strongly advise you to check that one out first.

Secrets abound that stymie relationships and cause issues with the current investigations.  Trust and honesty, along with dysfunctional family backgrounds, brings more trauma to the scenes that pique your interest.  For you see, John Samuel’s hallucination, Lucent, has appeared as a real person.  How can that be?  That’s just part of the gist of the story!  Intriguing!  Add murder, kidnapping, and poisonous spiders, and you will be captivated by all the evil that man can imagine to ‘gain solace.’  About the time you think you have the murderer figured out and why, another twist changes your whole thought processing and analysis.

Jordyn has become one of my favorite medical mystery writers.  Pick up her books and get ready for a ride you’ve never been on before!

This book was provided by the author through Kregel Publications in exchange for my honest review.  No monetary compensation was received for my review.

Friday, April 12, 2013

Third grade classrooms having pretend same-sex weddings… textbooks featuring pictures of cross-dressing carpenters… children being taught that there are “six genders.”

“If same-sex marriage is passed in your state, your children—your grandchildren—will be exposed to the same kind of instruction.”

That’s what educator and marriage supporter Phil Lees says in our latest Marriage ADA interview.

He worked for years in the public education system in Ontario, Canada, and saw first-hand—only one year after same-sex marriage was legalized in 2005—18 school boards in Ontario instituting school curricula that affirmed and promoted LGBT “values,” including same-sex marriage.

Click here to watch Phil’s incredible first-hand report of what he witnessed as a public school educator in Canada.

Phil’s story needs to be spread far and wide. In every place where NOM has fought the legalization of same-sex marriage here in the United States, our opponents have falsely promised that it will not affect the innocence of children.

But in every place marriage has been redefined, we have seen a powerful movement begin to use the schools to teach children about same-sex unions, intentionally confusing them about the unique and complimentary role of mothers and fathers.

Vernon, as this educator points out, one of the problems is that people of faith sometimes withdraw from the system and cede control to activists bent on promoting values that we know to be harmful to children and to society.

We cannot let this happen to our kids in America!

Together, we can create a better future for our kids.

You and I know that when people of faith stand up and fight to protect marriage, becoming more actively involved in the education of our children, we can fight back against the threats posed by those who would promote same-sex marriage and other harmful “values” in our schools.

Please watch this new video right away and then forward this email to family and friends to help us reach as many people as possible with this urgent and critically important message.

Faithfully,

Brian S. Brown President National Organization for Marriage

PS: Help us expose the falsehoods and real agenda of same-sex marriage advocates. Help us spread the word about the consequences of repealing laws meant to protect marriage and children. Please watch NOM’s newest Marriage Anti-Defamation Alliance video today and then forward it to as many family and friends as you can, even if that is only a handful at first. Thank you!

PPS: If you haven’t done so yet, please take a moment to join the thousands of Americans who have signed the Marriage Petition to the Justices of the Supreme Court: www.MarriagePledge.com. And share it with your friends!

P.S. to my readers: I am not necessarily promoting this group, but I wanted you to be aware of what is/may be taught in sex education in your child’s school now or soon!

One Desert Rose

PARENTS BE ALERT!!!

“Morning after” pill to be available to girls as young as 11.

There are major health issues as well as killing the baby. Read the following:

As someone who cares deeply about the preborn, I thought you might like to know about a couple of recent events that reveal the depth of the struggle we face to protect innocent lives.

Last week, a federal judge ruled that the so-called “morning-after” pill must be made available over the counter to girls as young as 11—without parental supervision. This is a drug which can cause an early abortion, and which the Obama administration rightly decreed in 2011 should not be made available over the counter to anyone under the age of 17.

It’s not often that we agree with the Obama administration on the life issue—but in this case, we do. Not only can a drug this powerful have long-term health impacts, but in cases of molestation or statutory rape, it could be used to help cover up crimes.

My colleague Carrie Gordon Earll discussed this and some recent testimony from a Planned Parenthood® official with Stuart Shepard on the most recent CitizenLink Report.

Meanwhile, a Planned Parenthood® official committed a Freudian slip when testifying against a Florida bill that would protect babies who survive abortions. When legislators asked whether a baby born alive in an abortion facility should receive appropriate medical care, she said repeatedly that at that point, the decision should be left up to the woman and the abortionist. In other words: Newborns don’t have an inherent right to life, and infanticide should be allowed inside abortion facilities.

This is unconscionable, particularly for an organization that receives more than $1 million from taxpayers every day. Several states currently are seeking to defund Planned Parenthood®. We pray they will succeed, and that a federal effort will follow.

For faith and family,
Signed: Tom Minnery
Tom Minnery
Senior Vice President, Government & Public Policy

If you have any  questions for Mesu Andrews, or just want to say ‘hi,’ Revell is hosting an Author Café, an hour chat with Mesu, on Wednesday March 20 at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT .

We’d love for you to join the party on our Facebook page, (www.facebook.com/revellbooks)! Plus we’re giving away a signed book to one lucky participant!

Love in a Broken Vessel!

Hosea has been charged by God with a difficult task—marry a prostitute in order to show God’s people the nature and depth of his love for Israel…

When Hosea goes to Israel to proclaim God’s message, the prostitute God tells him to marry turns out to be his childhood friend Gomer. He finds her broken and abused, unwilling to trust Hosea or his God. But when marrying Hosea becomes her only choice, Gomer does what she’s good at—she survives. Can Hosea’s love for God and God’s love for Israel heal Gomer’s broken spirit?

With her potent combination of in-depth research and masterful storytelling, Mesu Andrews brings to life a complex and fascinating biblical story of the power of love and forgiveness in the face of utter betrayal.

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

Robin Caroll has authored twelve previous books including the Holt Medallion Award of Merit winner, Deliver Us From Evil. She gives back to the writing community by serving as Conference Director for American Christian Fiction Writers. When she isn’t writing, Robin spends time with her husband of twenty-plus years, her three beautiful daughters and two handsome grandsons, and their character-filled pets at home—in the South, where else?
Visit the author’s website.

When Gina Ford, the daughter of a prominent Tennessee politician, goes missing from the University of Memphis a week after another girl was murdered on the same campus, police call in the FBI. Nick Hagar, married to his job as Special Agent in Charge, is assigned to the case, and when Gina’s body is found, her father demands justice.

Maddie Baxter is the forensic expert running DNA tests from the crime scene. When they come back without a match, Nick asks her to do a familial DNA run that yields a shocking result: the prime suspect is Adam Alexander, the very same guy who broke Maddie’s heart when she was in college.

But do scientific advancements tell the whole story? Strand of Deception offers romance, suspense, and a lively debate about the impact of DNA testing, for better or worse, on the United States justice system.

Product Details:

List Price: $14.99/Paperback: 352 pages/Publisher: B&H Books (March 1, 2013)/Language: English/ISBN-10: 1433672146/ISBN-13: 978-1433672149

AND NOW…THE FIRST CHAPTER:

My Review:

Though this book wasn’t received, I can honestly say you won’t be disappointed with Robin’s book.  I base this on reading her past books.  She has twists and danger hanging around every corner.  Her characters are real to life and you will be able to resonate with them.

I have this group called The Darlington Society. It’s an inner group of readers that I have a kind of special relationship with. I don’t want to take up a lot of space here but you can read all about the Society on its own page, the benefits, the responsibilities, the theory behind it.

I used to accept only a limited number of readers per book release but am now opening the doors for anyone to join.

Here’s a little blurb straight from the page . . .

If you wish to join The Darlington Society I ask you to do only two things. 1) Pray about it. I take the Society seriously and hope you will too. This is a reflection of how seriously I take my writing and my desire is to be partnered with others who also take it seriously. 2) Email me at michael_dellosso(at)yahoo.com and tell me you want to be part of the Darlington Society. It’s really that easy. I’ll add you to the mailing list, invite you to the Facebook group, and email you the “badge” to put on your own blog or website.

Are you in? Just drop me an email saying you’d like to join. FEARLESS releases in May and I’d love for you to be a part of the event.

Oh, and I’ll ask one more thing . . . please share this with your friends and fellow readers and writers and basically anyone with a heartbeat. Thank you!