March 2010

Take Time With The Lord Every Day
He wants to commune with you on a deeper level than ever before.


Announcements

I came back from a writers’ retreat to find that Misty Taggart of Trailers to the Stars had completed the book trailer for my next release. I love it. See if you do, too:


Also, I was privileged to be one of the contributing authors of Fiction and Truth.

Stories that Speak to the Soul.

When Jesus walked this earth, He taught most often by telling stories. We call them parables. Afterward, He explained to His listeners (or, in some cases, exclusively to His disciples) the parallels and meanings that could be derived from the story. Fiction and Truth follows this effective format. Christian authors tell engaging short stories with memorable characters in fascinating situations.

Following each story is a brief Author’s Application in which the writer suggests how the lessons of the stories can be applied to the reader s daily life.

Here’s a link where you can order it:


I only had four people sign my Guest Book on my web site in January. I chose two winners for the books. Liza Quisisem from Newark, California, and Erin Valentine from Bentonville, 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. Or you can go to my website and click on Contact Me.

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.

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws. You will have 6 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

Want more free books. We also give away a minimum of 16 free books a month on my blog: http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/. Most months we give away more than that. This month I am interviewing these authors:

DiAnn Mills – Sworn to Protect
Robin Caroll – Dead Air
Allie Pleiter – Easter Promises
Elizabeth Baker – How to Hang Loose in an Uptight World
Robin Shope – The Easter Edition
Louise Gouge – The Captain’s Lady
Rosey Dow – Homecoming
Athol Dickson – Lost Mission
Amber Miller – Liberty’s Promise
Lisa Wingate – Never Say Never
Kathy Howard – God’s Truth Revealed
Bonnie Leon – Touching the Clouds
Sarah Sundin – A Distant Melody
Gail Sattler – The Narrow Path
Sandra Bricker – The Big 5-OH
Amanda Cabot – Scattered Petals
Liz Babbs – Celtic Treasure
Jim Rubart – Rooms
Richard Mabry – Code Blue
Lisa Harris – Blood Ransom
Lesa Henderson – Someone to Trust
Sharlene MacLaren – Abbie Ann

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.

Another place you can find out what’s going on in Christian publishing today:
http://canblog.typepad.com/

I’ love for you to follow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/lenandooley


Calendar of Events

March 2010 – Release of A Daughter’s Quest, Thorndike Press hard-back, large-print edition

April 10, 2010 – DFW Ready Writers, Colleyville, Texas, Utilizing the Internet

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

May 1, 2010 – Book Release Party, Mardel Christian Store, Hurst, Texas, 1-3 pm. Please join us for lots of fun.

May 15, 2010 – ACFW The Woodlands (Writers on the Storm), WoodsEdge Community Church– Two workshops Painting Historicals With Authenticity & Taking Settings to the Next Level

June 26, 2010 – ACFW local chapter – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

August 28, 2010 – ACFW Shreveport – Taking Settings to the Next Level

September 17 – 20, 2010 – ACFW National Conference, Indianapolis, Indiana

October 2, 2010 – ACFW Tulsa (WIN) – Taking Settings to the Next Level – a hands-on workshop


Book Reviews

Notice: In accordance with FTC regulations, I inform you that most of the books I review have been provided by either the author, a publicist, or the publisher. I review only books I have read and all reviews are the honest representation of my opinion of the book.

Becoming Lucy
By Martha Rogers
ISBN 978-1-59979-912-4
Realms
Historical Christian Romance

Back Cover Copy:

Will Heiress LUCINDA BISHOP Learn the Meaning of TRUE LOVE and FORGIVENESS on the Oklahoma Plains?

In 1896, after her parents' deaths, seventeen-year-old heiress Lucinda Bishop is sent to Oklahoma to live with her aunt and uncle. But Oklahoma ranch life brings her more than she bargained for when she meets ranch hand Jake Starnes, a drifter who is running from his past. As her friendship with Jake grows, Lucinda faces emotions she's never before experienced.

As Jake learns more about God's love for him, he realizes he must face his past and the consequences of his actions, even if it means he will lose the one girl he loves. Will he be able to get his life together before someone else claims her hand. . .or even her life?

My Review:

I was privileged to read this book before it released and give an endorsement of it. Here's my endorsement:

"This book is a wonderful debut novel. A real winner. It has a variety of multidimensional characters, a realistic and well-defined setting, and a story that pulls the reader into the nineteenth century and doesn't let go until the last page. I can hardly wait for the next book in the series."

And to borrow the words of my friend Janice Hanna Thompson, "Highly recommended to all readers who are on a journey to 'becoming' all they are meant to be in Christ."

I second that recommendation.


Code Blue
By Richard L. Mabry, MD
ISBN 978-1-426-70236-5
Abingdon Press
Contemporary Romantic Suspense

Back Cover Copy:

Who wants Dr. Cathy Sewell dead?

For Dr. Cathy Sewell, CODE BLUE means more than just the cardiac emergencies she faces--it's the state of her life when the return to her hometown doesn't bring the peace she so desperately needs.

The town doctors resent the fact that she's not only a newcomer but also a woman, and the devastating results from one of her prescriptions may mean the end of her practice.

As two men compete for her affection, an enemy wants her out of town--or possibly even dead.

My Review:

I love this debut novel. Dr. Mabry created medical scenes that were technical enough to be authentic, but still understandable by laymen readers. And the suspense in the story took a lot of twists and turns, with plenty of red herrings to throw the reader off the right track. I love suspense stories like that, with twist endings.

I fell in love with the characters, even many of the secondary ones. Altogether a satisfying read.


The Sheriff’s Surrender
By Susan Page Davis
ISBN 978-1-60260-562-6
Barbour
Historical Christian Romance
Ladies' Shooting Club, Book 1

Back Cover Copy:

A Murder in Fergus, Idaho, had the Townswomen Scared

Gert Dooley can shoot the tail feathers off a jay at a hundred yards from years of test-firing the guns her brother repairs. But long after giving up on marriage, she yearns for rancher Ethan Chapman to see she's more than a crack shot with a firearm. When murder strikes in the sleepy town, Gert forms the Ladies' Shooting Club to teach the women how to protect themselves, their families, and their businesses.

Ethan Chapman didn't ask to be named sheriff, but he acceptes the position and takes on the investigation into the mysterious death of his predecessor. Now he's between a rock and a hard place--being pressured by the townswomen to restore order and safety to Fergus, and by the men who insist Ethan disband the upstart Ladies' Shooting Club.

When another person is murdered, Ethan must turn to Gert and her ladies to help in the investigation. But will Ethan, Gert, and the Ladies' Shooting Club find the murderer before he strikes again.

My Review:

Susan Page Davis is an author like me. One who writes in several genres. And she does each one very well. She grounded the readers in the setting right away and pulled them into the lives of the well-defined characters. With a believable plot that has a mystery attached to it, she weaves a tale that keeps readers turning pages.

I love historical novels. I love mysteries. And I love this book that combines the two. You won't want to miss this wonderful read.


Sons of Thunder
By Susan May Warren
ISBN 978-1-935416-67-8
Summerside Press
Nostalgic Romantic Suspense
The Brothers of Arms Collection

Back Cover Copy:

Two Brothers Love Her--But Only One Can Have Her Heart.

Sofia Frangos is torn between the love of hot-headed, passionate Markos and his younger brother, quiet, intelligent Dino. Markos longs to honor his family, Dino wants to forget the tragedy that drove them from their Greek home to the shores of America. One brother offers the past she loves. the other, a future. Which "Son of Thunder" will she choose? From Chicago's sultry jazz-era clubs. . .to Europe's World War II battlefields. . .to a final showdown on a Greek Island, the SONS OF THUNDER discover betrayal, sacrifice--and finally. . .redemption.

My Review:

I've loved every Susan May Warren book I've ever read. SONS OF THUNDER is probably her best so far. Her word choices evoke deep emotions and even physical sensations in the reader. In some ways stark, but in others lyrical. And the pictures of the places are vivid. This book touches on the human condition in adverse situations, revealing just how far our choices can take us from God. But it also reveals the great love of a merciful God, who is always ready to forgive and redeem.

This is one of the first two books in the new Summerside Press Nostalgic Romantic Suspense line. If all the books live up to this one, they will be must-reads for lovers of romance or suspense.


Songbird Under a German Moon
By Tricia Goyer
ISBN 978-1-935416-68-5
Summerside Press
Nostalgic (Historical) Romantic Suspense

Back Cover Copy:

DATELINE: 1945. THE WAR IS OVER.

And USO singer Betty Lake travels to post-Hitler Germany to entertain occupying U.S. troops. Her first performance is a hit, and she's enthralled by the applause...by her quarters in a former Nazi-held mansion...and by the attention of Frank Witt, a dashing U.S. Army Air Corps combat photographer. Yet this songbird gets her feathers ruffled when her roommate, Kat, goes missing under syspicion of foul play. Is Betty a target, too?

Betty and Frank team up against post-war grudges, and together, the lovebirds seek answers. But will they have a chance for their romance to sing? The truth is revealed under a German Moon.

My Review:

I'm loving these new Summerside Press romantic suspense novels. I reveiwed Susan May Warren's first. Now with Tricia Goyer's, the story is a somewhat softer suspense, but equally as interesting. And the spiritual thread is a little stronger.

My aunt was a U.S. Army nurse in Germany at this time, and she's shared a lot of things with me. This book dovetails with what I already know about the period.

Peopled with interesting characters and with a plot that has enough red herrings to keep the reader guessing for most of the book, this is a wonderful read. Tricia includes many things from the society of our country in those perilous times.

My romantic heart really loved the last scene!!

I highly recommend this book.


March ACFW Book Releases

Wow! Look at all the releases this month from ACFW members.

1. A Distant Melody, Wings of Glory, Book One by Sarah Sundin An historical from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. Allie is promised to a man she doesn't love, but a B-17 pilot captures her heart--will she honor her family's wishes or take a chance on love?

2. A Woman Called Sage by Diann Mills An historical from Zondervan. A woman bounty hunter fights bitterness and revenge to find the killers of her husband.

3. Beaded Hope by Cathy Liggett Women's fiction from Tyndale. A moving story about women helping women and lives changed across continents, inspired by a non-profit organization of the same name.

4. Beguiled by Deanne Gist and J. Mark Bertrand; A suspense/mystery/thriller from Bethany House. A dog-walker and a journalist pursue a thief (and each other) in atmospheric Charleston.

5. Cowboy Protector by Margaret Daley A Suspense/Mystery/Thriller from Love Inspired Suspense. When Hannah Williams comes to help Austin Taylor with his injured daughter, she draws him into an intrigue that threatens their relationship--and their lives.

6. Dead Reckoning by Ronie Kendig Suspense/Mystery/Thriller from Abingdon. Trapped by a terrorist plot in Mumbai!.

7. Disarming Andi by Elizabeth Goddard A Contemporary Romance from Heartsong Presents. Contractor Andi Nielsen has another chance to discover what ís hidden inside the missile base she was hired to remodel. Is she prepared to detonate her feelings for the new owner?

8. Fatal Burn; Big Sky Secrets, Book 2 by Roxanne Rustand A Suspense/Mystery/Thriller from Love Inspired Suspense. In Montana's wide open spaces, danger and love are waiting....

9. Forget Me Not, Crossroads Crisis Center series, Book 1 by Vicki Hinze A Contemporary Romance from Waterbrook-Multnomah. Someone's robbed her of her identity and goes to great lengths to convince her she's someone else; someone who wants her dead.

10. Gold in the Fire/Light in the Storm by Margaret Daley A Romance from Love Inspired. Stories of love and loyalty

11. Groom in Training by Gail Gaymer Martin A Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired. Friends, Four-legged Friends and Love.

12. Kansas Courtship, After The Storm, No. 3 by Victoria Bylin An Historical Romance from Love Inspired. Dr. Nora Mitchell came to heal the town of High Plains. She stayed to heal Zeb Garrison's heart.

13. Katie's Redemption, The Brides of Amish Country by Patricia Davids A Romance from Love Inspired. A young woman returns to her Amish roots but can she find her way back to her faith.

14. Katy's New World, Katy Lambright Series by Kim Vogel Sawyer General Fiction from Zondervan. An Old Order Mennonite girl holds to her convictions while attending public high school.

15. Liberty's Promise by Amber Stockton An Historical Romance from Heartsong Presents. Feel the heartbeat of a chaotic new country through the lives of three Pennsylvania women who seek to know to whom they can entrust their hearts.

16. Love Finds You in Bridal Veil, Oregon by Miralee Ferrell A Romance from Summerside Press. A schoolteacher must choose between a man from her past and one who could be her future, while risking her reputation to rescue two runaway orphaned children.

17. Love Finds You in Homestead, Iowa by Melanie Dobson A Romance from Summerside Press. A widowed father and his young daughter find healing and hope in the communal Amana Colonies.

18. Morning's Refrain, Book 2 in Song of Alaska series by Tracie Peterson An Historical from Bethany House. Adventure and Romance in 1800's Sitka, Alaska.

19. Once in a Blue Moon by Leanna Ellis Women's Fiction from B&H Publishing. Faith is the first step to soaring.

20. Romance by the Book by Myra Johnson A Contemporary Romance from Heartsong Presents. A shy young woman's crush on her favorite romance author leads her to the man who will finally claim her heart.

21. Scattered Petals by Amanda Cabot An Historical from Revell. Tragedy broke her spirit -- will love mend her heart?

22. The Captain's Lady by Louise M. Gouge An Historical from Steeple Hill. Torn between love and duty, American Patriot James Templeton must deny his heart to help win his country's freedom.

23. The Easter Edition by Robin Shope A romance from White Rose. Bridal shop owner Carol Horn feels she will never find a love of her own until a new pastor comes to town, turning up by accident at her mother's funeral.

24. The Family Way by Michelle Levigne A romance from Desert Breeze Publishing. Pregnancy brings their shaky marriage to the breaking point, and Lisa and Todd must rediscover their love, their faith, and what true marriage means.

25. The Mockingbird's Call by Diane Ashby and Aaron McCarver A Romance from Barbour. Amelia Montgomery, torn between her family's traditions and her own convictions against slavery, must also choose between her duty and her heart as she works for the Underground Railroad.

26. The Promise of Morning, Book 2, At Home in Beldon Grove series by Ann Shorey An Historical from Revell. When loss drives them apart, can their faith bring them back together?

Happy Reading!