June 2009

God is TOTALLY love, TOTALLY just, and TOTALLY mercy. What does that mean in your life?

Announcements

I’ve feeling particularly generous today. I’ve chosen three book winners for May. They are Lori Smith of La Grange, Georgia, and Joy Trigg of Independence, Oregon, and Suzie Tommey of Van Buren, Arkansas. Click on the View Complete Profile link in the right hand column to find a link to my email. Send me your mailing address.

Readers, if you want a chance to win one of my free books, please sign my Guest Book on my website - http://www.lenanelsondooley.com/ . The winners are chosen from those who do. But remember to check back in the next month’s newsletter to see if you won. You can sign up at the top of the right hand column of this blog for Feedblitz. Then the newsletter will feed into your Inbox. I will only post a newsletter once a month.

Want more free books. We also give away a minimum of 12 free books a month on my blog: http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/. Most months we give away more than that. This month I’ll be interviewing these authors:

Trish Perry – Sunset Beach
Virginia Smith – Scent of Murder
Deborah Vogts – Snow Melts in Spring
Terri Reed – Her Last Chance
Kathleen Y’Barbo – The Confidential Life of Eugenia Cooper
Debra Ullrick - Déja vu Bride
Susan May Warren – Nothing But Trouble
Mary Connealy – Nosey in Nebraska
Bonnie Grove – Talking to the Dead
Laurie Alice Eakes & me – Wild Prairie Roses (2 free books)
Debby Mayne – Love Finds You in Treasure Island, Florida
Lisa Harris – Love Finds You in Revenge, Ohio
Sharlene MacLaren – Maggie Rose
Patti Lacy – What the Bayou Saw
Sharon Souza – Lying on Sunday
Lisa Harris – Cranberry Hearts


You can find all kinds of information about my books on my Fan page on Facebook:
http://www.new.facebook.com/pages/Lena-Nelson-Dooley/42960748768?ref=ts
I’d love for you to come over and become a fan.

Calendar of Events

June 13, 2009 – Speaker for DFW Ready Writers – La Hacienda Ranch Restaurant, Colleyville, Texas – Writing the Salvation Scene in Your Novel

July 2009 – Release of Cranberry Hearts

July 15, 2009 - Author interview on www.TheHomesteadHeart.com

July 18, 2009 – Speaker for CenTex Chapter of ACFW, Austin, Texas

July 31, 2009 – Meet the Christian Author Authors Night, WoodsEdge Community Church, Spring, Texas – 6:30 – 9:00 pm

August 2009 - Release of Spinster Brides of Cactus Corner in Thorndike large print edition

September 2009 – Release of Wild West Christmas
September 2009 – Release of Christmas Love at Lake Tahoe
September 2009 - Release of Can I Help You? and Caught Red-Handed in Thorndike large print edition

September 2, 2009 - Interview on www.TheHomesteadHeart.com

September 11-12, 2009 – Speaker at North Texas Christian Writers Conference, Roanoke, Texas – Painting Historicals with Authenticity, and I will take one-on-one appointments.

September 17-20 - American Christian Fiction Writers National Conference - Denver, Colorado, I am doing paid critiques


April 3, 2010 – ACFW Tulsa – Taking Settings to the Next Level – a hands-on workshop

Summer 2010 – Release of Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico


Book Reviews


With everything going on in my life, I didn’t get as many books read in May. Here are the reviews.

Latter-Day Cipher
By Latayne C. Scott
ISBN 978-0-8024-5679-3
Moody Publishers

Contemporary Suspense

Back Cover Copy:

Should a Loss of Faith Mean the End of Love?

Kirsten Young, a well-known and rebellious Utah heiress, is found murdered in Provo Canyon. The strange markings carved into her flesh and the note written in 19th century code seems to cast a shadow on ancient Mormon laws. Already wary of outsiders, the last thing the Latter-Day Saints church needs is bad publicity.

Journalist Selonnah Zee is assigned to cover the story--and it quickly grows out of control. Within days, more victims appear in disturbing succession surrounded by symbols and clues.

Selonnah's cousin Roger has recently converted to Mormonism, but his wife, Eliza, is begining to doubt the faith of her childhood. If something is realy from God, she wonders why does it neet to be constantly revised? Might the murderer be asking the same questions? And who might be the next victim?

My Review:

I was anxious to read this book by Latayne, and I wasn't disappointed. A thought provoking premise written with finesse. Many of the descriptions are genius, making me reread them to savor the unusual placement of words.

The characters are believable, with great depth. I found the book to be intellectual and stimulating. However, I felt it should have been called a mystery instead of a suspense. Only a few passages had the suspense quality to them, but the mystery was well-developed and kept me turning pages to the end.

You won't want to miss reading this book. For those of you who are in the "Big Honking Chicken" club, you won't be scared out of you wits by this wonderful mystery.


Ruby’s Slippers
By Leanna Ellis
ISBN 978-0-8054-4698-2
B&H Fiction
Contemporary General Fiction

Back Cover Copy:

Imagine. . .
THE WIZARD OF OZ meets CINDERELLA!

Dottie Meyers--thirty-five and still unmarried--ia a real-life Dorothy Gale, living with her little dog on a small Kansas farm. When a tornado destroys her "somewhere over the raibow," she's knocked cold and awakens at a recovery facility on the West Coast, where her father (who abandoned her when she was four) has left a mysterious gift.

A pair of ruby slippers.

Soon Dorothy discovers others are out to get the ruby slippers, including her own sister. Dottie and three friends journey to Seattle in search of answers--but find instead the fallout of a broken childhood. No long-lost father can solve Dottie's problems. Only One true Wonder-worker behind the so-called curtain can heal her wounds and prepare her for what's been there all along--her heart's perfect fit.

My Review:

Leanna Ellis writes entertaining stories peopled with fascinating characters. I love to follow the twists and turns her stories take. This one is no exception.

Filled with many ties to fairy-tale types of stories, Dottie's life unfolds, revealing and then breaking down the wall around her heart. Forgiveness and restoration are a large part of RUBY'S SLIPPERS. And the tale is told with humor and pathos. Readers will laugh and cry along with the quirky characters, who mirror the travelers in THE WIZARD OF OZ.

This book has a very satisfying ending that is really only a beginning. I highly recommend this wonderful read.


Love Finds You in Last Chance, California
By Miralee Ferrell
ISBN 978-1-934770-39-9
Summerside Press
Historical Romance

Back Cover Copy:

Love Finds You

It's 1877 and Alexia Travers is alone in the world. Her father has died unexpectedly, leaving her burdened with a heavily mortgaged horse ranch. Marrying one of the town's all-too-willing bachelors would offer an easy solution, but Alex has no interest in marriage. Instead, she dons men's trousers and rides the range, determined to make the ranch a success on her own. But despite Alex's best efforts, everything seems to go wrong: ranch hands quit, horses are stolen, and her father's gold goes missing. Alex is at her wit's end when wrangler Justin Phillips arrives in Last Chance with his young son, looking for a job. But there seems to be more to Justin's story than he's willing to share. Will Alex ever be able to trust him? More importantly, will the independent woman finally learn to depend on God?

My Review:

I've thoroughly enjoyed the new Summerside Books. And this one is no exception. No wonder it was awarded 4 1/2 stars by Romantic Times Magazine. It deserves the designation.

Last Chance, California, is an interesting setting for a book, and Miralee gives a strong flavor of the place in 1877. Both the hero and the heroine have enough baggage to keep the story exciting, and the secondary characters increase the tension. I had a hard time putting the book down. I think you will, too.


Beloved Counterfeit
By Kathleen Y'Barbo
ISBN 978-1-60260-342-4
Barbour
Historical Romance
Fairweather Key Series - Book 3

Back Cover Copy:

Love Can Cover a Multitude of Sins

Washed ashore on fairweather Key, Ruby O'Shea and her three neices--the offspring of the pirate Thomas Hawkins and Ruby's late sister--have a chance for a new beginning as Ruby takes a job in a boardinghouse and the girls are passed off as her daughters. But will Ruby be able to confess all when she falls for Micah Tate, a widower, wrecker, and soon-to-be preacher?

Micah is determined to marry the young woman who has captured his heart despite knowing she has something to hide. But will he be able to remain true to his vows when his lady love's shady past comes to light?

Captain Thomas Hawkins will go to any length to discover the whereabouts of his daughters. What will his determination cost the folks of Fairweather Key?

When Ruby finds herself bereft of her newfound love and protector, will she run away in an attempt to escape her present as she did her past? Will Micah's love cover the multitude of Ruby's sins, or will Ruby's duplicity cost her everything?

My Review:

I've read each book in the Fairweather Key series as soon as it came out. They have all been wonderful books with deep messages of love from God.

I believe BELOVED COUNTERFEIT is the most powerful of all. The story depicts just how strong the love of God is as it covers every sin and renews the lives of those who come to Him.

Through the strong characters facing myriad dilemmas, readers will be brought to the realization that nothing in their lives can keep them from the God who loves and seeks them.

I highly recommend this wonderful read!


Always Watching
By Brandilyn Collins & Amberly Collins
ISBN 978-0-310-71539-3
Zondervan
Teen Fiction
Contemporary Suspense

Back Cover Copy:

This daughter of a rock star has it all--until murder crashes her world.

The exciting and suspenseful Rayne Tour series features sixteen-year-old Shaley O'Connor, on tour with her mother's popular band. Shaley lives in a whirlwind of backstage secrets, hotels, and limos. With beauty and fame of her own, Shaley wants for nothing--except the one thing she can't have.

During a concert, sixteen-year-old Shaley O'Connor stumbles upon the body of a friend backstage. Is Tom Hutchens' death connected to her?

Frightening messages arrive. Paparazzi stalk Shaley. Her private nightmare is displayed for all to see. Where is God at a time like this?

As the clock runs out, Shaley must find Tom's killer--before he strikes again.

My Review:

I featured this mother/daughter writing team on my author-interview blog. In the interview, they announced a "Live Like a Rock Star" contest for teens. I had my 17-year-old granddaughter enter the contest. As a result, she was one of the first 200 entries, and she received a free copy of the book.

Within a couple days of receiving the book, my granddaughter called me to let me know that she couldn't put the book down. She loved it. This is my non-reader granddaughter. I don't always read the teen novels, but I had to check out this one to see what compelled my granddaughter to read it so quickly.

I agree with her. It's hard to put down this suspense novel. Written in the same masterful way as the adult Brandilyn Collins suspense books, the story is a page-turner of the first degree.

Brandilyn and Amberly take the reader deep into the hurting heart of this teenager, and we feel her pain and confusion. The larger-than-life characters lead us into a world most of us only read about in the tabloids. (You do know that most, if not all, of what they publish in those rags isn't true, don't you?) It shows us the humanity of the people on the inside. Their desires and the things they give up for their fame. Their lives, although glamorous, are often grueling. The two Collinses show all this in emotional scenes that constantly draw the reader deeper and deeper into the story.

I highly recommend this excellent read. And not just for the teen readers out there. I thoroughtly enjoyed it myself. Wish we didn't have to wait so long for the next installment.


Love Finds You in Treasure Island, Florida
By Debby Mayne
ISBN 978-1-934770-80-1
Summerside Press
Contemporary Romance

Back Cover Copy:

Amanda Burns owns a bicycle shop in Treasure Island, Florida, but she almost never has time to enjoy the charming town or its beautiful beaches. When she's not caring for her emotionally demanding sister, she's busy waiting on customers. But there's one customer she never minds seeing. Each year, the handsome Jerry Simpson returns to the shop to rent a bicycle for two. When Amanda discovers the story behind the tandem bicycle--that Jerry takes his aging parents to the island for vacation each year--she finds herself drawn to the man who selflessly gives of his time for the people he loves. Jerry's sense of responsibility to his parents has prevented him from even thinking about love. Will he and Amanda find the treasure they both deserve--even if neither of them is looking for it?

My Review:

I was happy to learn that LOVE FINDS YOU IN TREASURE ISLAND, FLORIDA, received 4 1/2 stars from Romantic Times magazine, and it was one of the Top Picks for July. Now that I've read the book, I know it deserves both designations.

I've loved Debby's writing, but this is her best book yet. When you read the story, you feel as if you are on Treasure Island yourself, enjoying the ocean breezes, the palm trees, the sandy beach, and the beautiful sunsets.

And the book is peopled with loveable but quirky characters you want to welcome into your home. I can imagine setting down with any of them and enjoying an afternoon chat or going out to eat with them.

I highly recommend this excellent read. You'll quickly become a part of the story.


June Book Releases


Happy June!
“It’s Summertime, summertime, sum...sum...summertime…” Wahoo!
Beach books are here and this month you've got a LOT to choose from. Congratulations to everyone on your new releases.

1. A Case of the Heart by Beth Shriver from The Wild Rose Press. An overzealous social worker develops a relationship with a cop while they keep her client safe from involvement in a drug ring.

2. A Dream to Call My Own, Brides of Gallatin County Book 3 from Bethany House Publishers by Tracie Peterson. Love and adventure still hearts in the rugged Montana frontier, while a killer threatens the peace and happiness of an entire community.

3. A Soldier's Reunion by Cheryl Wyatt from Steeple Hill Love Inspired. reunion romance between a U.S. Air Force Pararescue Jumper (PJ) and a pediatrician and first love from his past who fears their careers will push them apart again.

4. A Family for Tory/A Mother for Cindy by Margaret Daley from Steeple Hill Love Inspired Classics. Two stories that illustrate what happens when children decide to matchmake and bring two people together.

5. Above All Things by Deborah Raney from Steeple Hill. Evette must decide if she can be a mother to her husband's 6-year-old mixed race child. A baby neither of them knew existed until a fateful phone call.

6. Child Finder by Mike Angley from TotalRecall Publications, Inc. An Air Force Special Agent discovers he has a psychic gift that enables him to find missing children, but the government's exploitation of his skills leads to murder!

7. Critical Care, Mercy Hospital Series #1 by Candace Calvert from Tyndale House. When a nurse initiates disaster counseling, the process re-opens her own emotional wounds--as God prepares her heart for a love that was nowhere in her plans.

8. His Forever Love by Missy Tippins from Steeple Hill Love Inspired. Can former high school buddies find love while fighting over "custody" of his grandmother?

10. Love Finds you in Revenge, Ohio, by Lisa Harris from Summerside Press. Morgan finds herself torn between saving her sister's heart and losing hers to the man who jilted her seven years ago.

11. Love Finds you in Treasure Island, Florida, by Debby Mayne from Summerside Press. The attraction between Amanda and Jerry is overshadowed by their sense of responsibility.

12. Love's Pursuit by Siri Mitchell from Bethany House Publishers. Susannah Phillips obeys the rules. But when love interferes, she faces a choice: Follow the rules or follow her heart.

13. Nosey in Nebraska by Mary Connealy from Barbour Publishing. Murder, Romance, Comedy and a really big mouse.

14. Snow Melts in Spring, Seasons of the Tallgrass Series by Deborah Vogts from Zondervan. Mattie Evans, a young veterinarian in rural Kansas saves a horse inured in a terrible accident but finds herself tending the wounded relationship between a prodigal son and his ailing father.

15. Sunset Beach, The Beach House Series #4, by Trish Perry from Harvest House Publishers. Sonny Miller invites her mother and estranged aunt to a week at the beach, not telling one about the other; but they bring a few surprises of their own.

16. The Night Watchman, the Ray Quinn Series Book #1, by Mark Mynheir from Multnomah/Waterbrook Publishers. When the case of a lifetime is thrust upon him, retried homicide detective Ray Quinn must decide rather he’ll succumb to his depression and pain or use the God-given gifts he still has left to catch a killer. Crawling from the wreckage of his former life, Ray struggles to find healing and purpose as he tracks a madman.

17. Witness to Murder by Jill Elizabeth Nelson from Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense. When a TV reporter witnesses a murder--she thinks--only unearthing the sinister secrets of her painful past can save her from becoming the next victim.

Happy Reading!


Musings


May continued our saga of totally depending on God. During James’s recovery period at home, people brought in food. This relieved me of one task and freed me up to minister to him in a deeper way.

We praise the Lord for other ways He’s provided finances and all kinds of help from family and friends. Being a part of a dynamic church and having a strong, close family kept us going when things were tough.

If you’ve not found a church where you feel a part of the family, I urge you to start looking today for the body of Christ where you should be connected. Then when the unexpected happens, and you need help, you’ll have it.