Warrior's Duty by Jeanne Tomlin

When war comes to Wayfare Keep, Tamra has to fight, in every sense, to survive. Tamra is the Captain of the Guard of Wayfare Keep and nothing can distract her from her duty -- which is why she has joined her forces those of Sir Cedrian and the army of the city of Madrian to defend their land against invading enemies. When their army is routed and her lover, the scout, Jessup, is lost, she is shattered. Even worse lies ahead as the secrets of her past come to light. Each death in battle only makes their enemy stronger, allowing the enemy priests to summon invincible demons called ixich. Yet in their darkest hour, haunted by loss and with defeat imminent, Tamra and her allies call upon their deepest strengths to survive and triumph. When war comes to Wayfare Keep, Tamra has to fight, in every sense, to survive.



Why did you write this book?

I'm basically a story teller. These characters wanted their story told and gave
me the job.

What's your favorite part?

Tough question! Probably the part where Tamra and Jessup meet and, believe me,
it's not love at first sight. But unlike many writers, I enjoy writing battles
and fights. I love lots of adrenaline pumping, so those were fun too.

What was hardest to write?

The hardest for me is editing. Writing the first draft is fun. You're just
telling a story to yourself or that's how I do it anyway. Then you have to
figure out all the places where your story doesn't get across to a reader.
That's hard.

What do you hope readers get from it?

Since I'm a story teller, I hope the reader gets an enjoyable story. Is there
more to it? Yes, there are themes in there and thoughts about how the world and
people work, but they come out of the story, not the other way around.

What's next for you?

I have two new novels completed and I'm working on a third--so I suppose my next
job is the one I dislike most, like many writers. It's selling my work. *groans*

Unselfish Gene by Robert Burns

It's love and terrorism in the time of cholera. In the mid-21st century, a form of bird flu has killed billions and turned most of the rest into mindless, stumbling zombie-like invalids. The few humans who had immunity now face the threat of a comet on a collision course with Earth. Settlers from the Moon colony were spared the disease, but face their own threats to survival: radiation-induced mental illness, a limited gene pool and shrinking resources. The Moon settlers have launched a last-ditch mission to Earth to salvage human DNA and other crucial materials ... before the comet strikes. The salvage crew find the biggest threat to the mission is neither the zombies or the comet, but insanity within their own ranks.




Interview with Robert Burns:

Why did you write this book?

Well, first I believe writing to be an obsessive compulsive disorder, that is a disease of the mind. Why else would I keep writing these things for little to no money? But Unselfish Gene was an attempt to write "normal" science fiction. I really tried to write an ordinary space opera, as these things tend to be selling. My other books, reject by too, too many agents and publishing houses are farther out. Unselfish was targeted at a more conservative publishing industry. I think I'm just not wired to do conservation, normal sci-fi.

What was your favorite part to write?

The love scenes, actually, and some of the scenes that examine the effect technology and environment have on religion and other cultural aspects. I just put in the violence and zombies because that's what seems to be what the market is calling for.

What was hardest to write?

The middle is always the hardest part to write for me. That's where it's all too easy to get off track and loose complete control of the novel. Some loss of control is good. It is those "where's this going" places that creativity is forced out of its hiding place.

What are your hopes for this book?

I hope readers get a book they can't put down. I hope they get pleasure from reading the Unselfish Gene.

What's next?

I'm alternating between working on a sequel to Unselfish, tentatively titled "Clear Mind" but which I think of as "Buddhists in Space," and the third novel of my occult sci-fi trilogy, Awakening of an Alien God. When I'm in an editing mode, I review changes made to Shibboleth, a novel about mind viruses (memes) that I wrote more than 25 years ago.

Ghost for Rent by Penny Lockwood

This middle grade, paranormal, ghost story is aimed at youth in grades four to six. It is approximately 13,280 words, 10 chapters, and 65 pages long. The story begins when eleven year old Wendy Wiles learns her parents are planning to get divorced. Forced to leave her beloved city home for a cheaper country place, Wendy, her mother, and her twelve year old brother move to rural Warren, Oregon.

On move-in day, Wendy meets a neighbor girl who tells her their quaint country home is haunted. Events proceed quickly as Wendy, her new friend, Jennifer, and Wendy’s brother, Mike, see ghostly figures dancing in the woods. Despite Mom’s claims that “there’s no such thing as ghosts,” paranormal events continue to occur in the Wiles’ home. Meanwhile her brother Mike, arch-tease, continues to torment Wendy, claiming he’s causing the unusual happenings.

Wendy searches through library records to get to the bottom of the mystery. Finally with Jennifer’s help, Wendy begins to unravel the truth. At last even Mike can no longer disbelieve and decides to aid Wendy in her search. By the end of the story, the three young sleuths have uncovered an accidental death, a suicide and a murder.

KINDLE EDITION:


OR PAPERBACK FROM: http://www.hardshell.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=0759910057

Interview with Penny Lockwood:

1. Why did you write this book?

I actually wrote it as a challenge to myself. Previously, all my material was in the form of non-fiction articles and adult short stories for magazines. My daughter,who was still in middle school when I wrote it, had insisted I wasn't an author because I didn't have a book published. Of course, I had to write a book. I wrote this particular book because I have wanted to write children's stories for a long time. There are a lot of ghost sightings in our area and one of the scenes in the story had been described to me by a friend who experienced the incident. It seemed like a natural story to write. The odd thing is when I was a child, one of my first written stories was "Patty and the Country Ghost." :-)

2. What was hardest to write about this book?

Writing a book was hard for me in general. I am used to writing short stories which are quick, to the point, and don't have a lot of "extra" meat in them. Filling up
a whole novel with description, action, extra characters, etc. took a lot of effort.

3. What did you enjoy writing the most?

I loved coming up with the different ways the ghosts communicated with Wendy, my main character. I one of those people who believe in ghosts. I think that spirits can be "stuck" between planes of existence when something is left unsettled in
the "real" world. I also liked making Wendy a strong female character who won't give in even when the adults in her life are telling her ghosts aren't real.

4. What do you hope folks will get from this book?

Mostly, I hope that children will be entertained. That said, I also would like them to realize that families have problems, but they can be worked through.
Big brothers can be a pain, but they are also there for their siblings when they need to be. Finally, moving from someplace you love isn't always a bad thing. Sometimes you can make new friends and have great adventures.

5. What's next for you?

I am working on a sequel to Ghost for Rent. I hope to have it finished within the year. I've also got a picture book which is in a rewrite stage. Finally, I do a lot of article writing - primarily writing tips, parenting tips, and teen self-help. Lately, I've also done some short stories and articles for children.

Read Penny's blog at http://pennylockwoodehrenkranz.blogspot.com/

Transforming Realities by R. L. Copple

When Sisko refuses the demon Beltrid's request to use his miracle-producing ring for selfish purposes, Sisko's world is turned upside down. Trapping Sisko's wife, Gabrielle, inside the "Crystal of Virtues," Beltrid sends Sisko and his two teenage children, Nathan and Kaylee, on a journey to find seven virtues that will free her. Simple? Not when a demon is involved. The trip takes several twists and turns leading to a showdown at the steam house where it all started. They discover that the reality of the ring transcends healing sicknesses—they discover a transforming reality.

This book is the second book in the Reality Series, the first being Infinite Realities.



Order author-signed copies of either book at: http://store.rlcopple.com

You can also purchase the e-book of Transforming Realities in pdf, pdb, epub, or mobi.

Want a Free Book? The ebook version of Infinite Realities, the first book, a novella, is available for free from his site. Rick says, "It is an easy read that will not only ground one in Sisko's world and story, but give one a taste for my writing style so you'll know whether you want to spend the bucks on Transforming Realities. I'd encourage folks to take advantage of it if they like original fantasy."


Interview with R. L. Copple:

1. Why did you write this book?

Pretty much why I write most stories. To tell a great story that will
capture people's imaginations, and to help others see perspectives that
they may not have seen before through new eyes. I think fantasy lends
itself well to those goals, and what I hope this novel has accomplished.

2. What was hardest to write about this book?

The hardest was the climax chapter. To tell you why would mean I have to
initiate a memory wipe right afterwards on you. Wouldn't want to give
away any spoilers. But I'll just say it made me cry. Even the first few
times going back over it to edit the chapter. Those who have read it
will know what I'm talking about. I don't expect everyone to have the
same reaction; I guess I'm sentimental that way.

To point to another take on this question, however, one of the more
difficult pitfalls to avoid since this series has a "magical ring" as
part of the story, was to avoid events and characters that felt as if I
were copying Lord of the Rings. More than once I would reject an idea
for something to happen because it had already been done to death or
would sound like something out of LOTR. That said, I do have one
not-hard-to-spot nod to the LOTR story in the book. But I did my best to
avoid having it feel like a LOTRs copycat story. And by the reactions
I've received to date, I'd say I succeeded. But it wasn't always easy to
avoid.
3. What did you enjoy writing the most?

There are several scenes that I enjoyed writing. What I like about any
story is when a scene comes together, and all the right pieces fall into
place that make it work on several levels. Sometimes that happens when
I'm writing the first draft. Other times it happens when I'm editing it
or when a critique partner points out something that leads my thoughts
into a different area I hadn't thought of before.

But when it works, I love it. Not only do I find a good scene that I
think people will enjoy reading, but it is natural to the characters and
the book's theme/story movement.

One particular scene I enjoyed happened on an edit when it was pointed
out to me that it didn't work, and I realized it was because even though
a lot of threats were happening, the characters never had to struggle to
avoid them. It then dawned on me that this scene with fire could fit
into the whole Realities theme and story arch, and I ended up writing my
first song in that chapter. One of the more ho hum chapters in the books
ended up becoming one of my favorites, and one I think will stand out in
reader's minds.

4. What do you hope folks will get from this book?

As far as specific lessons or morals, I'd rather allow the reader to see
those in the story themselves than to tell them what I want them to get
out of it. I've seen a few interpretations on my first book that I
didn't have in mind when I wrote it, but the reader sees it. A good
story will be like that, and so I wouldn't want to freeze the "lesson"
in place for folks, but allow God to use it with the individual as He
sees fit.

But, like I said above, I do hope that it will make them think about
their own faith, whether Christian or non-Christian, and look at things
from a fresh perspective. I titled it Transforming Realities because in
the end, it is exposure to God's reality that can transform our lives
for the better. So I pray that I've been able to give folks a taste of
that even within a fictional story that they will enjoy reading.

5. What's next for you?

I'm currently editing the third and final book of the Reality series,
and I fully believe I've been able to write a book that will top
Transforming Realities. These books follow the ring's journey, and I
love the ending I've devised for how the series ends, and a lot of fun
stuff happens on their way to that glorious event. Unfortunately it will
be next year sometime before I can share that with all but a few crit
partners. Such is the writer's life.

I also have a space opera novel that I'm getting ready to shop for a
publisher/agent. And I have one space opera novel I want to rewrite in
the future, as well as outlines/beginnings for about four other novels.
And on the side I keep writing short stories and flashes when I'm able.
So, I've plenty to keep me busy.

Learn more about Copple at http://www.rlcopple.com

CSFF Presents: The Enclave by Karen Hancock

When Lacey McHenry accepts a prestigious research fellowship at the world-renowned Kendell-Jakes Longevity Institute, she sees it as a new start on life. But a disturbing late-night encounter with an intruder leads to an unexpected cover-up by Institute authorities, and she soon realizes there's more going on than she ever imagined.

She finds a supporter in genetics researcher Cameron Reinhardt. However, Reinhardt is a favorite of the Institute's director, and she can't help wondering if he, too, is in on the cover-up. The brilliant but absentminded researcher turns out to have his own secrets, some of them dark and deadly. The Enclave is characterized by adventure, intrigue, spiritual analogy, and romance, all set in an unusual but fully realized world--one that may have its foundations on earth but which, the more one learns of it, doesn't seem much like the earth we know at all.



For More Information:

Book link: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0764203282
Karen Hancock’s Web site - http://www.kmhancock.com/index.htm
Karen Hancock’s blog - http://karenhancock.wordpress.com/

*CSFF Participants’ Links:

Brandon Barr
Jennifer Bogart
Keanan Brand
Grace Bridges
Canadianladybug
Melissa Carswell
Valerie Comer
Amy Cruson
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
Janey DeMeo
Jeff Draper
Emmalyn Edwards
April Erwin
Karina Fabian
Beth Goddard
Todd Michael Greene
Heather R. Hunt
Becky Jesse
Cris Jesse
Julie
Carol Keen
Krystine Kercher
Dawn King
Mike Lynch
Melissa Meeks
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Mirtika
Eve Nielsen
Nissa
John W. Otte
Steve Rice
Crista Richey
James Somers
Speculative Faith
Stephanie
Rachel Starr Thomson
Steve Trower
Fred Warren
Elizabeth Williams

For Shrieking Out Loud by Joyce Faulkner

An Erma-Bombeck style of humorous articles covering everything from marriage to writing to buying a new car with cash, Joyce takes an unorthodox yet-so-true look at life. Most of the stories tickled my funny bone; others made my nose sting with tears because what she wrote was so touching.

Want examples? Let's start with the story about how she cut off an SUV in order to get to the gas station before they changed the prices. After a harrowing (and funny) description of her aggressive driving, she discovers she saved $3.50:

"So I nearly killed us for roughly one third of a Cold Stone Creamery ice cream? Cool."

OR her explanation of the "bird" finger fits in God's plan: "If there were fewer jerks in the world, we'd only have four fingers." (She says it made sense at the time; it still does.)

OR her assessment of self-defense tips: "Go for your attacker's gonads. Get real. I want to stay as far away from them as possible--and besides, I have trouble with zippers, too."

While all the chapters were funny, some were deeply profound: her evening of space geekdom where she met some of the original astronauts and realized that they were ordinary men, or the man who cornered her at a reading to tell her the story of someone he knew--a story he'd wanted to write for decades, but could never do; the story he wanted her to write. "Story tellers are the glue between people who lived before and those who live now--and those who live in the future," she said. And when her husband replied that it was a great responsibility, she countered, "No, it's a blessing."

You are truly blessed, Joyce, and I feel blessed to have read your book.

Gonzo the Curious Cat by Martha Ramirez

Gonzo is a curious cat that lives on Farmer Louie's farm. As he learns the many lessons of life by his misadventures, he is often reminded of Farmer Louie's motto, "Safety First." Farmer Louie always knew that Gonzo's curiosity and adventurous personality would one day get him into trouble. But when Gonzo finds himself lost in an unfamiliar place, he discovers the true meaning of why it is important to be extra careful and less curious. Will Gonzo find the special gift he is searching for while lost? Come join the fun and meet all the playful barnyard friends, Gonzo the Curious Cat, and Farmer Louie. Learn what friendship and safety can bring.

Visit MartzBookz.com for more info



An Interview with Martha Ramirez:

1. Why did you write this book?

Gonzo the Curious Cat was written in honor of my brother-n-law Gonzo and father-in-law. When my brother-in-law was struck by a car (the second time in his life) I decided that children need to be reminded about safety. My brother-in-law, Gonzo, is like a cat with nine lives! In the book I share stories on how Gonzo's curiosity gets him into trouble. Farmer Louie reminds Gonzo how to stay safe, but Gonzo is more mischievous than Farmer Louie would like.

2. What was hardest to write about this book?

My father-in-law passed away shortly before I started writing the story. Though he couldn't read English I still would had liked to have shown him what he would had looked like as a cartoon.

3. What did you enjoy writing the most?

Naming all the animals after my family.

4. What do you hope folks will get from this book?

The importance of safety.

5. What's next for you?

A romance suspense (YA) debut novel.

Gracious Living by Valerie Kent

Gracious Living is an easy-to-read decade-long journey that offers tips and suggestions on how senior citizens can stretch their dollar and get the most for their money. Eleven chapters cover every important aspect of living together, from the wedding preparations to where to live. Key considerations follow each chapter for quick reference: Considerations like where and when to buy clothing, choosing a place to live and juggling your finances. Artist Jeff Nitzberg adds his unique touch with original drawings introducing each chapter.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: http://www.treefarmbooks.com/




READ AN EXCERPT

We all aspire to the many extras which supposedly make our lives more enjoyable. For some, the list is headed up by second cars, designer clothing, even dining out regularly in expensive restaurants. Where cash is scarce, it demands real discipline to examine spending patterns and determine just what we truly need, then prioritize whatever we merely want. Because money is one of the central issues in any marriage, retiring on a fixed income is likely to increase rather than reduce unavoidable tension over it. Careful planning and thoughtful shopping can help. This can reduce costs (even if our economy worsens) and thereby free up funds for luxuries further down everybody’s wish list. The discipline to follow through with a mutually-agreed-on plan, once made, is tough, but rewarding.

All this requires an investment of time: time, our most available resource. It is hard to change old habits, and an exertion of will is sometimes required to pay attention to details you never bothered about before. Joint planning, joint responsibility and joint action are vital now that you will be spending much more time together. Having that “we” approach is more important than ever to insure graceful living.

Our working years could certainly have benefited from this prescription for a happy life together, but the pressures and urgencies of raising a family and establishing a career often leave couples living quite separate lives. Each partner has had his or her own areas of responsibility, and in practice true collaboration is often lacking. Being forced to strengthen the bond of “we” during a financial squeeze may significantly improve living together in retirement by forcing the reconsideration of older, sloppier patterns.

One of the most difficult tasks is settling on those more urgent, less avoidable priorities. Dealing with the money forces decisions as to whose preference will prevail and facilitates true compromise. Inevitably somebody’s preference gets bumped off the budget. Thos fulfilled golden years are impossible without new level of mutual respect and open communication.


ABOUT VALERIE KENT

At eighty-eight, Valerie Kent is the survivor of a long lifetime spent adjusting to dramatically evolving worlds. She moved from Britain to the United States in 1933. Valerie began at the age of forty-six the drawn-out process of education - seven universities - that would generate, initially, a career as a drug and alcohol counselor for troubled women, then a decade as a celebrated college teacher and - ultimately - a final, exultant marriage. This is her story.

Higher Honor by S.M. Kirkland

When Cadet Cassidy Sanders is brutally assaulted, she struggles to carry on as she turns further from the God of her youth. Her attacker is an acquaintance who has his own struggles to face. God uses their mutual friends to show both cadets the depth
of his grace and mercy.

Higher Honor is set within the sub-culture of America’s military colleges. The novel focuses on the elements of honor, brotherhood, duty, and the spirit of the characters to face and overcome challenges that grow them into the military’s
next generation of strong, capable leaders. The realism of Higher Honor’s setting and plot is a result of experience, observation, and much research.



Review:

Higher Honor is the story about a rape and how it affects not only the victim, but the perpetrator and their friends. Kirkland handles the situation--including the actual rape itself--with realism yet delicacy, so that you get the horror of the situation without the morbidity. Even more, she successfully portrays the emotional and psychological trauma Cassidy goes through--and does a convincing job of making Chris, the rapist, a believable and very human character instead of a cardboard human.

One of the themes is learning to depend on God, and finding strength in God's love. I think Cassidy explained it best when she told a support group that she had to remember that God defines who she is--not those few horrible minutes in the shower. For that line alone, this book will remain with me forever.
There is also an important theme of forgiveness, though I was not so pleased at her willingness to defend her rapist when he went to turn himself in. I was glad leveler heads prevailed.

I thought a few parts of it--like her recovery after she rediscovered Christ in her life--a little too easy, but not unbelievably so. Overall, a very good book, and I think many that Christians, especially any who have been in Cassidy's situation, will identify with her.





ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

S.M. Kirkland brings firsthand experience to her fiction.
While a student at North Georgia College and State
University (the senior military college of Georgia) she
enlisted in the Georgia Army National Guard. During a 10-
year military career, she served as a photo- and broadcast
journalist while serving in Italy and for the 1996 Summer
Olympic Games in Atlanta.

Kirkland currently works for the Calhoun Times as the
government reporter and her feature stories have appeared
in newspapers nationwide. Her first fiction publication was
a short story “Fair Balance” included in the anthology Light
at the Edge of Darkness (TWCP, 2007). This story received
several rave reviews.

Sacrifice of the Sage Hen by Susie Schade-Brewer

1859: Pre-Civil War Independence, Missouri. The people are restless - the effects of prejudice and hate. Blood has already been spilled by some from over the border, and there is talk of war.

To add to the unrest from the border skirmishes, a devastating drought has fallen over the entire Northern region of Missouri.

Full of spirit and restless rebellion, Charlotte Mary West, called Charlie by her friends, is concerned, but what captures her most frequent thought is finding relief from her own boring and uneventful life. Grant, her husband of an arranged marriage, owns a general store in the embarkation town of Independence, Missouri. His only ambition is to make fistfuls of money selling supplies to the pioneers of the wagon trains leaving down the Oregon and California Trails. But waiting on customers and stocking shelves in a general store has never been Charlie’s idea of adventure. She feels life is going on without her.

And now her father and her best friend are joining a wagon train to go west, leaving her behind with her husband. Already chafing at the expectations he places on her to act like a proper lady, Charlie longs to break away and fly to freedom. Somehow, someway, she must convince her husband to forfeit his dream and join the wagon train.

Then tragedy strikes when a fire comes off the dry prairie and ravages half the town. Many buildings including West’s Mercantile burn to the ground. Some are injured – and a few die, including Charlie’s husband. Now at only age 19, she is a widow, no means of support - and quite unexpectedly - a mother to an orphaned mixed-race child.

Dirks Braelen is on the run from his life as a hired gun in Texas. He's ready to hang up his holster and try to find some peace for his soul. He may be ready to leave his old life behind, but the people he knew then may not let him.

He's trying to escape his past. She's trying to escape her present. To find happiness, Charlie and Dirks have to reach back into a story from Charlie's father and find out the true sacrifice of the Sage Hen.


For More Information: www.TheSacrificeOfTheSageHen.com



Interview with Susie Schade-Brewer:

Why did you write this book?

At the time I started writing the book, I was around 50 years old, and although I had done a lot of writing over the years, it had been bits and pieces, mostly because I was busy working, raising my family, and taking care of elderly parents. By the time the kids were raised and gone, my marriage was falling apart. I found writing to be like therapy. One can be as sweet – as angry – as submissive -- or rebellious as they want, and (I hate to admit it) the empowerment was wonderful.
I remembered an idea that had stuck in my head since I was about seven years old. The storyline revolved around one central character, a feisty young woman who was not remiss to speak her mind, and for some odd reason, a sage hen was always there too. I don’t know why that in particular, but who understands the brain anyway, right? I thought, ‘now is the perfect time to indulge this flight of my imagination.’ The manuscript underwent about 20 revisions over a 6-year period, and the end result was exactly what I had always wanted. Plus, the therapeutic value probably saved me a lot of money!

What was your favorite part?

I think the easiest parts to write, because they just flowed out of me, were the more intimate thoughts and feelings of the main character, Charlie West. She is 19, and stuck in a loveless marriage. Because she is living a life that others had arranged for her, she is unable to pursue her own dreams -- all of which seemed apropos for me (except the 19 year old part – but I was once). And although she wishes to be good and dutiful and obedient, there is a certain defiance at having lost control of her life.

What was the hardest to write?

The parts about the fire and the dying and having to describe to the reader how bad it hurts and make them really feel it. Also the parts about the criminal acts of the villains, because he killed and mutilated animals.

What do you hope your readers will get from your book?

This story is about life – and love – and making choices, which all humans must do. And making our dreams as much a priority to us as others’. I guess it’s about understanding our self-worth, the importance of not allowing anyone to take that from you. It is my hope that the reader will take that key message away with them.

What’s next for you?

I am working on the sequel to The Sacrifice of the Sage Hen. In this first book, much of the story takes place in Independence, Missouri, which in the 19th century was what they called ‘the jumping off’ place for those who wanted to travel over the Oregon or Santa Fe Trails. Charlie’s life is as a storekeeper’s wife.
The next book, which most of my readers have said they really want to read about, will be when they actually get on the trail and deal with the day-to-day challenges and dangers of trail life. At that time, those who were brave enough to pack up their families and all their worldly goods into a 4’ x 10’ wagon knew that 1 in 5 of them would die before reaching their destination. The trail to Oregon was wild and 2,000 miles long, would take them 4 to 6 months to get there, and was fraught with many hidden dangers.

So, this is what I’m currently working on, plus working at my other business, a professional writing service called TPW Writing Services, doing copywriting and resumes. Both projects are very time-consuming. I’ve thought about petitioning my Congressman to pass some kind of bill to avail more hours in the day, but I didn’t think it would do much good.

If anyone wants to visit my book’s website, it is www.TheSacrificeOfTheSageHen.com. Please also visit my blog, www.OneWritersView.blogspot.com, and leave a comment on a subject written there, or start a new one. I like discussing anything having to do with western lore or the writing life. Thanks, Karina, for the interview. All the best to you.

Rajah and the Big Blue Ball by Mosetta Penick Phillips-Cermak

Rajah, the big black dog, likes to play in his big back yard. He chases the leaves. He sniffs the air every day. It is his favorite place. One day a strange thing happens. Something hits Rajah on the head. It scares him. A blue ball is up in the sky. Where did the ball come from? Did it do it on purpose? Did it want to make him afraid? Rajah has to find the courage to take back his own world. Written by the author of The Wishing Flower and The Magic of Laven-Rock, Rajah and the Big Blue Ball looks into the face of the unknown.

Available from: Barnes and Noble Online
Note: She is donating $1.00 of each sale to the Cleveland Animal Protective League.

Interview with Dr. Mosetta:

1. Why did you write this book?

It was originally written for one of my favorite group of children, in my favorite classroom. The classroom was in a model school for the District. Although the school first opened its doors eighty-four years ago (in 1924), it was the first year that this school had been K-8. As such, most of the 65 teachers were new to the school. I was new to the school.

Located in the middle of what is still considered a particularly dangerous inner-city neighborhood of a large metropolitan city, all of our students were considered disadvantaged. The families in our school were at or slightly above poverty level.

Most of the children came from single parent families, or were living with foster or adoptive families, but many have extensive support systems through a lattice of extended family within the same household, or within walking distance of the school.
There were no discipline problems even though two children were under psychiatric care. One student had seizures, and one student had severe asthma.

Of the 21 students, two were African-American, one was Asian Indian, five students were Hispanic, one was of mixed black/white ethnicity, and the remaining 13 students were white.

It was for these children that I wrote "Rajah and the Big Blue Ball". It was from their "Tell Me a Story" time that this book evolved.

Some students in the classroom were the subject of custody battles by their parents, and another student watched as one of his cousins was shot in the head by a drive-by shooter. The child was so traumatized by the sight of blood and neural material splattered all over him, that he did not speak for six months. But when he did, he asked me to tell him a story. And the story I told was "Rajah and the Big Blue Ball".

2. What was most fun about writing this book?

I think that the most fun part of writing this book came when the students asked me every Monday to read the new part of the story that I had written over the weekend.

We had an agreement. I set aside the last period of the day, every Monday, just to read the new parts of the story. They were so patient. They would ask me "what's going to happen next"? I would answer "Rajah hasn't told me, yet".

3. What was most difficult?

The most difficult part was the editing. It was often heart wrenching to let go of parts of the story that were great for oral story telling, but were not so great from a publishing standpoint.

4. Who should read this book?

This book was written for students in the second grade, but I believe that it is a wonderful story to read to children as young as kindergarten. In fact, one of neighbors reads Rajah and the Big Blue Ball to his four year old. She loves the story and asks for it by name. I have even had some students as old as middle school who have read it and seemed to enjoy it.

5. What's next for you?

I am under contract for six more "Rajah" books. I am also editing a middle grade chapter book, and a Young Adult title.

In addition, I have three new stories that I am trying to hone. These three stories are related to things we, as parents, want to teach or children. And, I hope to start an adult horror that I outlined. Finally, I have been working on a parenting book. I hope that after rearing successful children, who have also reared successful children, that I may have something to offer related to this concept.

CSFF Presents Vanish by Tom Pawlik

Three strangers each encounter the same mysterious storm and awake the next day to find that everyone else has vanished. There's Conner Hayden, a successful but unscrupulous trial lawyer who has forsaken his family for his career; Helen Krause, a middle-aged model struggling to come to grips with her fading beauty; and Mitch Kent, an enterprising young mechanic unable to escape a past that still haunts him. Afraid and desperate for answers, their paths eventually cross and they discover they are being watched. Elusive and obscured in shadows, the "observers" are apparently forcing them to relive vivid hallucinations of events from their past. They discover a mute homeless boy in tattered clothing and believe he may hold the key to the mystery, but the "observers" soon become aggressive and the four are forced to flee. When the boy disappears, the four decide to head from Chicago to Washington, D.C., in search of answers...and more survivors. Winner of the 2006 operation first novel contest, Vanish is a nonstop suspense thriller in the vein of Ted Dekker.




Tom Pawlik’s Web site - http://www.tompawlik.com/
Tom Pawlik’s blog - http://www.tompawlik.com/blog.htm

*Participants’ Links:

Brandon Barr
Justin Boyer
Keanan Brand
Grace Bridges
Karri Compton
Amy Cruson
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Karina Fabian
Alex Field
Beth Goddard
Todd Michael Greene
Ryan Heart
Christopher Hopper
Joleen Howell
Becky Jesse
Cris Jesse
Julie
Carol Keen
Krystine Kercher
Margaret
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Eve Nielsen
Nissa
John W. Otte
John Ottinger
Donita K. Paul
Epic Rat
Steve Rice
Crista Richey
Hanna Sandvig
Chawna Schroeder
James Somers
Speculative Faith
Rachel Starr Thomson
Robert Treskillard
Steve Trower
Fred Warren
Phyllis Wheeler

Jumble Pie by Melanie Lynne Hauser

JUMBLE PIE is the story of the elusive nature of friendship, sometimes clinging, other times liberating; a story for any woman who has ever lied to her best friend just to make her feel better - and who has been brave enough to tell the truth, even when it hurts. And of course, it's a story about the remarkable healing power of pie.

"IN THE BEGINNING, there was the pie. The pie was without form and texture (and any manner of identifiable filling), and darkness was upon the face of the Home Ec Teacher…"

So begins the story of two women, a friendship, and a pie. JUMBLE PIE, to be exact. A Home Ec project gone very wrong, except for the fact that it brings together two very different young girls and helps them form a friendship that lasts through bad haircuts, unrequited love, endless incarnations of Madonna, and their own evolving dreams... Until New Year's Eve, 1999, when another pie comes along, resulting in a pre-party blow-up that sets Juliet and Emily, women now, to remembering how it all got started.



More about Melanie Lynne Hauser

Review:

Get ready to laugh, cry and find yourself totally involved in the lives of Emily and Juliet as they share a friendship that begins, ends and begins anew with pie.

"Girlfriend lit" isn't usually my thing, but I get drawn into the quirky yet very real characters right off. Hauser has a knack for creating unique characters that are nonetheless very familiar. Emily reminded me a little of myself (brainy and thinking that guaranteed success) and my best friend, who can be clueless and impulsive. I thought her passion for big words was a little overdone in the chapters of their childhood, but not enough to make me put down the book--and believe me, I have low tolerance. Juliet really captured my heart. Not incredibly gifted, coming from a broken family, she blossoms in college and learns how to capitalize on her strengths.

I really enjoyed that aspect of the book--that you make the most of what God gives you. Emily, while brilliant, didn't understand that smarts are not enough--you need to work on your skills. Life does not guarantee you success. This is a theme I am constantly hammering home to my own children; I'll be giving Amber a copy of this book when she's older.

I definitely recommend this book!

Jesse’s Girl by Gary Morgenstein

How much should a parent sacrifice for a troubled child? In Gary Morgenstein’s taut new thriller, Jesse’s Girl, the answer is – anything. Anchored around a floundering father-son relationship, finding roots and re-uniting vanished bonds, the timely novel about teen addiction and adoption follows a desperate father’s search for his son, who has run away from a wilderness program to find his biological sister in Kentucky.

Jesse’s Girl opens as a jarring phone wakes lifelong Brooklynite Teddy Mentor well after midnight. It’s the Montana wilderness program saying that his 16-year-old adopted son has vanished – and they haven’t a clue where he’s gone. Only two weeks ago, Jesse had been taken to the program by escorts to deal with substance abuse problems.

Jeopardizing his flagging PR job in New York, Mentor rushes across the country to find Jesse, who is off on his own quest: to find Theresa, the sister he’s never known. When Teddy finally discovers Jesse at a bus stop in Illinois, he is torn between sending him back or joining his son on a journey to find this girl in Kentucky. He decides to go. They become embroiled in a grisly crime when Theresa’s abusive husband Beau attacks her – Jesse stabs the big beast of a man, leaving him for dead.

Given Jesse’s misdemeanor criminal record, Teddy can’t go to the authorities without risking his son’s arrest. However, Beau is not dead, merely wounded, and he hunts them down, thirsty for revenge. Teddy, Jesse and Theresa flee across the Bluegrass State with Beau in hot pursuit. Seeking safety but finding trouble, their story leads them to an ultimately shattering question: is Theresa really Jesse’s sister or has he been scammed?

Gary Morgenstein’s previous novels are Take Me Out to the Ballgame and The Man Who Wanted to Play Center Field for the New York Yankees. His latest novel Loving Rabbi Thalia Kleinman, a romantic triangle about a divorced middle-aged man who falls in love with a beautiful rabbi, was just published on Amazon.com. His play Ponzi Man played to sell-out crowds at a recent New York Fringe Festival.



Interview with Gary Morgenstein:

1. Why did you write this book?

Along with “Loving Rabbi Thalia Kleinman,” this comprises both sides of my Baby Boomer head and soul and heart: Love and parenthood. In "Jesse's Girl," I wrote from the perspective of a father of a teenager, which is fairly rare. Since we’ve lived in the caves, generation after generation it has been the duty of teenagers to torture their parents. As an adoptive Dad, I wanted to find a story that would weave in a father and son’s floundering relationship besieged by troubling issues on both sides -- a teen struggling with addiction and a father who feels he has failed as a parent. Then let all hell break loose over them and send them into a cauldron of a thriller, pursued both by the police and a deranged killer.

2. What was your favorite part of writing this?

My old and very dear friend who is my brother, John Balchunas, inspired the character of Klaus Weber. I had such fun writing Klaus and seeing what was sort of like him, but wasn’t entirely. Some things I wrote about Klaus, I said to John, that is how it really happened isn’t it, and he said no, and I said, well, I like my version better, more dramatic, feel free to use that for your life story. That is a very slippery mental slope to start on....Anyway, John, who lives in Madisonville, Kentucky (where several climactic scenes in the novel are based), was my unofficial “Bluegrass State” advisor. I’d worked in Kentucky for the now defunct Kentucky Post. Over the years I’d visit John, who’d lived in various parts of the state pretty much since we graduated college. But that’s not quite the same as living there. I’d be writing a passage and I’d email him, okay, if the characters are heading west from here, what road would they take…?

3. Where did you get the idea for this book?

I’ve never written about being a father. Maybe because it’s the hardest thing to write about since parenting is such a bewildering and painful confluence of emotions. In the novel (yes it is arrogant to quote yourself but bear with me), the protagonist, Teddy Mentor, talks about how when we marry we recite the vow “‘til death do us part.” Which is nonsense, as someone who is no longer married can attest. Or as the divorce rate can attest for that matter. But that vow really applies to being a parent. Take all the intense life-changing love and loyalty and feelings you have for your child, the way it changes when they become teens and aren’t your little doting boy anymore. Then blend in the anger and resentment and bristling rage that the parent of a teen battling the illness of addiction feels. Like could you please become an astronaut and blast off into space and leave me alone? Any parent who says they haven’t felt that -- or even said it -- are simply lying. This novel is my way of talking to all those parents and saying, you are not crazy. Hang in there. It will get better.

4. Are you a father? Were parts of it hard to write, emotionally, because of that?

Oh, there were times when I brought myself to tears. There’s nothing so nakedly raw as writing a difficult scene depicting the relationship with your child, because it is always layered with the emotional footprints of reality. Sometimes I’d have to break off because it was so agonizing. Then again, you can write scenes where your child actually listens to you and shows you respect, so how is that for the miracle of writing?

5. What's next for you?

My novel "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" will be published by Amazon in June. It's a political baseball novel, taking the economic turmoil and fear of contemporary America and combining it with the fanaticism of a baseball town. In my novel, Buffalo, New York goes mad over their Cinderella team, the National League Buffalo Matadors, driven by a ruthless owner, devious spinmeister, fading journalist – and one fan who really believes the rival team is the enemy.

Italian for Tourists by Jo Linsdell

Italian For Tourists: Pocket Edition a phrasebook published through the online content marketplace Lulu.com is a basic guide to the Italian language covering phrases and words most needed by tourists. It includes all the words and phrases a tourist is likely to need during their stay in Italy as well as a pronunciation guide and a map of Italy.

The phrasebook is divided into 17 chapters including; Emergency, The basics, Common expressions, Learning Italian, Greetings and introducing yourself, Transport, Hotel, Sightseeing, Asking and giving directions, Food and drink, Health, Shopping, Offices and bureaucracy and Signs and notices and more.

Jo Linsdell came to Italy from the UK in June 2001 and now lives in Rome working as a freelance writer. She wrote the book drawing on her own experience. She explains “A tourist doesn’t need to know everything about Italian grammar or the in’s and out’s of buying an apartment. They want to have an easy to use reference book of the language they will need to use and understand during their stay”.

Jo Linsdell is a freelance writer who lives in Rome with her Italian husband and their baby son. She is also the creator and manager of the award winning site http://writersandauthors.blogspot.com and founder and organiser of PROMO DAY (http://jolinsdell.tripod.com/promoday), an online event for people in the writing industry.



A Peek Into the Book (My apologies, but formatting was lost putting it into the blog; however, it gives you a good idea of the information it contains.)


Contents

About the author: 11
Preface: 13
Pronunciation guide: 15
Personal pronouns: 17
Emergency: 19
The basics : 21
Common expressions: 31
Questions: 33
Learning Italian: 35
Greetings and introducing yourself: 37
Transport (public, car, train, Airport) : 39
Hotel: 49
Sightseeing: 51
Asking and giving directions: 53
Food and drink: 55
Health: 61
Shopping : 69
Offices and bureaucracy: 73
Signs and notices: 77
Map of Italy: 79
Useful Websites: 81
Notes: 83


Preface

Of all the countries in the world, there is none more magical than Italy, a traveller's dream destination. Millions of tourists come here every year from all over the world; be it for the fashion shows in Milan, the art in Florence, the history in Rome or the beautiful beaches of Sicily.

This book contains all the important vocabulary and phrases a tourist is likely to need when visiting Italy. It is divided into 17 sections to help you find what you are looking for in the shortest possible time. This is a really handy guide to have and refer to whenever you need to.

Italian words have been migrating to English over the course of many centuries, so you’ll be happy to discover you already know quite a bit of Italian (mafia, paparazzi, graffiti, ghetto, pianoforte, lasagne…to name a few). Many English words have also been adopted in Italian (club, flirt, shopping…).
Happy travelling!

Emergency

Emergency: Emergenza
HELP!: AIUTO!
DANGER: PERICOLO
FIRE!: FUOCO!
LOOK OUT!: ATTENZIONE!
Quick: presto

Get help quickly: chiami aiuto, presto
Get a Doctor: chiami un medico
There’s been an accident: c’é stato un incidente
I’m ill: sto male/ mi sento male
Call the police: chiami la polizia!
Police headquarters: questura
Thief!: Ladro!
My….has been stolen: mi hanno rubato...
I’ve lost my...: Ho perso...
Handbag: la mia borsetta
Passport: il mio passaporto
Wallett: il mio portafoglio
Documents: i documenti
Money: soldi
I’m lost: mi sono perso/a
Go away: Se ne vada
Leave me alone: mi lasci in pace
Poison: veleno

Loving Rabbi Thalia Kleinman by Gary Morgenstein

What happens when a hopelessly romantic divorced man falls madly in love with a beautiful woman rabbi -- but he's not yet over his ex-wife? In other words, why are relationships always so difficult? Especially when you’re starting over again with all that baggage…

Welcome to Gary Morgenstein’s new novel, Loving Rabbi Thalia Kleinman, a look at love in the 21st Century from a man’s perspective: good, bad and everything in between.

As this poignant romantic triangle opens, women’s cable network publicist Joss Katz crashes a bat-mitzvah and becomes smitten with the enigmatic Rabbi Kleinman. Desperate to meet her, Joss contrives a wild excuse about needing spiritual guidance and they begin a roller-coaster relationship.

But Kleinman has a past shadowed by terrorism. She manipulates Joss into mentoring her younger brother Bobby. Brilliant and troubled, Bobby is embroiled with Meir Schlom, who has a dangerous and controversial scheme for confronting surging world-wide anti-Semitism.

Besides pursuing Thalia and his kooky former spouse Ellen, Joss deals with his curmudgeonly roommate and best friend, Mandelbaum. Embittered by his messy divorce, Mandy creates an organization dedicated to a life free of entanglements with women called Straight and Happy Without Them.

Gary Morgenstein’s previous novels are Take Me Out to the Ballgame and The Man Who Wanted to Play Center Field for the New York Yankees. His latest novel Jesse’s Girl, about a widowed Brooklyn father’s desperate search for his adopted teenage son who has run away from a wilderness treatment program, is also available on Amazon.com. His play Ponzi Man played to sell-out crowds at a recent New York Fringe Festival.



Interview with Gary Morgenstein:

1. Why did you write this book?

A few years ago I was dragged to a synagogue for a friend's daughter's bat mitzvah. Now while I’m very spiritual, I don't fare too well in organized religion. So I'm sitting there pretty bored and then onto the dais walks the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. My knees buckled -- and I was sitting down. I nudge this guy who is praying and whisper, "who is that woman?" and he mumbles, "the rabbi." Holy smokes. The rabbis I knew as a kid reeked of gefilte fish and were 130-year-old men. So I thought, what if a guy like me, completely secular, fell in love with a gorgeous woman rabbi? I brought in what it's like to be middle-aged and divorced, yet you're still a hopeless romantic and you want to believe in love but experience tells you, maybe not. Is love possible again after a certain age when you’re no longer looking to breed?

2. Do you read a lot of romances? How does a romance by a female author differ from one by a male author, do you think?

While my reading ranges from history to sci-fi and fantasy, with little romances in between (well there is Uhura and Spock now…), men and women view relationships fundamentally different. Big surprise, Venus, Mars…It grows more pronounced over the years as we add on baggage and suspicions. But we’re all lonely and all looking for someone who would care if we fell down an elevator shaft. We all want to hold hands and snuggle and whatever…In this novel, I want women to see what guys want, how we feel, and I do mean feel (and not just lust), our perspectives about love and romance and sex or the lack thereof. How we are emotional and sensitive and can cry and hurt, too. And guess what, we’re not perfect! My protagonist Joss Katz is about as imperfect as they come, cute, okay, but he is constantly messing up. Guys require a great deal of patience and understanding, we ain’t cactuses, but, for the most part, our hearts are in the right place.

3. What was the most difficult part of writing this book?

As an SFM (someone formerly married) I needed to separate that emotional baggage and turn it into fiction and not a rant. Taking what happened and using that as a foundation for entirely new, fictitious characters was at times very hard because it’s easy to use reality as a crutch, but I’m proud that some 95% of the novel never ever happened. I must confess those two online dates in the novel were pretty close to reality, though. OMG, people post pictures from the second Reagan Administration and then get angry when you don’t recognize them. And sure, guys do it, too.

4. What was the most fun?

Other than finishing, you mean, and not being obsessed 24/7 with the characters and story and whether I misused a semi-colon? Other than once again resembling a semi-normal human being, as much as a writer ever can? I think writing the wacky and passionately loyal friendship between Joss and his best friend Mandy, spanning more than 35 years of love; two guys who would do anything for each other. It was and is a very special relationship to me

5. What do you hope readers will take away from your book?

Never give up on love. That’s a difficult mantra since the preponderance of relationships/marriages fail and, if superficially alive, are as often as not merely convenient shells for financial needs or the kids. Yeah, because children never suspect their parents aren’t happy, I mean come on…But love can still happen. I wouldn’t say it’s all that likely and you might be disappointed and your heart might be broken again but you know, so what? Better to have loved and lost…

Daniel's Den by Brandt Dodson

In this fast–paced thriller by popular author Brandt Dodson, a young government accountant learns to trust God when his life begins to fall apart and unseen enemies pursue him with relentless zeal.

Daniel Borden is a thirty–year–old government accountant who lives a quiet life and plays by the rules. But when events transpire that shatter his orderly world and a team of assassins mark him for death, Daniel must flee for his life.

While on the run, Daniel encounters Laura Sky. Carefree and easygoing, Laura is everything that Daniel isn’t. But when the killers assigned to eliminate Daniel find him at Laura’s bed–and–breakfast, gunfire erupts and the two set out on the run once again.

As they try to unravel the mystery that confronts them, they discover how tenuous life can be and how their very existence depends on the God who will never abandon them.

A perfect suspense tale for readers who love Dee Henderson, James Scott Bell, Brandilyn Collins, and James Patterson.



Interview with Brandt Dodson:

1. What do you love most about this book?

I’m a big believer that books – whether they are fiction or non-fiction – should convey an element of truth. It’s my personal opinion that fiction can do this in a way that biographies, essays, or other works of non-fiction never could. Story is powerful. It puts us in the character’s place and lets us feel their emotions as they confront the challenges that are common to us all.

In Daniel’s Den, I wanted to take two very different people and put them against the same obstacle. On the one hand we have Daniel Borden, a wealthy and secure individual who has yielded to the temptation of relying on his material wealth while he surrenders his dream of having a family to the dustbin of hopelessness.
On the other hand, we have Laura Traynor who has surrendered her own dreams of being a writer as she tries to fulfill her late husband’s dream of running a bed-and-breakfast.

Daniel is relying on his wealth, Laura is relying on her own efforts, but neither is relying on the God who has been with them all along – if they had just been willing to surrender their dreams to Him. My favorite part of the books is when Laura realizes that God was in the valley (figuratively and literally) all along. Symbolism and setting play heavily in nearly everything I write, but more so with Daniel’s Den.

2. What was the most challenging part to write?

I knew from the beginning that this book was going to center on the financial industry. My greatest challenge was going to be how I could portray a world of numbers, profit, and greed in an entertaining yet realistic way. If I lose my readers early in the book, I lose them for good. So trying to illustrate just how corrupt and greedy some – and I want to stress some – of Wall street’s power brokers can be was going to take a great deal of effort. At the time Daniel’s Den was written, the goings-on of Wall Street and the CEO world were not making the news the way they are now.

3. What do you want folks to get from reading this book?

I write because I have something to say. That being said, however, it is important that the reader comes away from the book having been entertained. But beyond that, it is my hope that the reader comes away with the same realization as Laura Traynor. “God was there all along. But my bitterness clouded my view of Him.”
There is a scene (no spoiler alert needed) in a hotel when Laura is expressing her anger toward God. As she does, she is looking out the window across the lake that lies beyond the building. A storm is brewing and lightning is flashing and she says that God is, “not going to come walking across the water on this night.” But in fact, that is exactly what happens – even if only in a figurative sense.

4. Why an investment analyst?

There are very few things that we rely on more than money. If the bank account is full, we are happy. If it’s not, we become fearful. Not only does this apply to individuals, but nations as well.

I think we as a church have failed the un-churched and the un-saved in this regard. We tell them that money doesn’t buy happiness, but the fact is – it does, even if it’s only temporary.

Think not? If your child is in dire need of an antibiotic and has a very painful, raging ear infection you will become quite happy if the money to buy the antibiotic suddenly becomes available. And none of us will turn down a pay raise.
But money doesn’t buy lasting happiness. In fact, it can often cloud our view of the only true source of happiness.

I chose an investment analyst for the protagonist of this story because I wanted to illustrate that Daniel Borden is a man that has gone beyond the level to which most of us will go. He isn’t content working at a great paying job or living within his means. He wants it all. He is chasing the dollar because that is the perceived source of his happiness – lasting happiness, in his case.

But of course, he is dead wrong.

5. What’s next for you?

I’m returning to my roots. I’m happiest when writing fast-paced crime thrillers.

Sons of God by Rebecca Ellen Kurtz

Sons of God is a mythic thriller that tells the tale of a 3,000 year old nephelim, half-human, half-angelic female warrior, disguised as a treasure hunter for mythic items. Raechev-el roams the world hunting down her fallen brethren until now, in the present, some mysterious murders occur at the archaeological dig at Nineveh and forces her to face her worst mistake.

This is a work of fiction that explores some controversial areas that some believe reveals the truth about what is in the Bible. Kurtz’s research in this book also presents an alternate theory on vampires based on ancient religions and civilizations, making it a great read for anyone interested in religion or the supernatural.




Interview with Rebecca Ellen Kurtz:

1. Where did you get the idea for this book?

I was heavily immersed within the darkest spiritual struggle of my life and needed an outlet. Sons of God provided a healing balm as I was forced to understand the hows and whys of my suffering. It began with a very supernatural event that I could not deny yet opposed religious teachings I had been taught. Signs continued to support the supernatural event which led to continuing confusion and anger as I stumbled blindly in pain and isolation searching for an answer. But for the first time in my life, God was silent and my anger towards God grew. The writing of Sons of God gave me peace again and healed that breach. Now, I see the beauty and wisdom in God’s silence.

The breakthrough to my healing came after watching the film The Exorcism of Emily Rose which tells of a Catholic priest who was accused of negligence when a girl died from some failed exorcist attempts. It made me begin reflecting over my past experiences. I have been physically assaulted by demons like she had, but I was able to cast them away from me before anything bad could happen. When I began connecting those experiences to the supernatural events that occurred, my eyes were opened. What I had thought were signs from God were not; they were supernatural signs from demons to destroy my relationship with God. What had been foretold along with supporting signs did not come true, and distance grew between me and God, and I finally understood demonic deception.

This led to an enormous amount of research for me to be better prepared in the future from ever being fooled (demonically deceived) like I had been before. Within this research, I came across the N’filim and their terrestial spirits (entities separate from fallen angels) which gave me a greater understanding to both the Old and New Testaments. I pieced everything together and created a mythic thriller.

2. Can you explain the vampire theory you explore in your book?

Historically and literally, vampire means “blood drinker.” If you follow the genealogical descendants of the Nephelim in the Old Testament, you will see where we get our myths of vampires. The descendants of the Nephelim, post Flood, were described as having unnaturally long lives, were nine to twelve feet tall, and were much paler than mortals. If you know your history, you would also know that these giants were known to drink blood from skulls, flay people alive, and sacrifice babies to demons - these were common practices of the descendants of the Nephelim. So, here we have pale, unnaturally long-lived, paranormal creatures who drank blood recorded by both ancient civilizations and religious texts. The whole undead aspect became popular by Bram Stroker in the 1880s.

3. What was the hardest part of writing the book? The most fun?

The most difficult part of writing this book was re-living the violent, physical demonic assaults that I had suffered through. I went into as much detail as possible in the novel. The most enjoyable aspect was when I felt God healing me as I wrote and came to an understanding on why I had suffered through what I had and hoped that my suffering would be able to help someone else.

4. What do you hope readers get from your book?

I hope their intellect is intrigued, their hearts are touched, and their souls are healed. So many people like I, knowingly and unknowingly, have become bitter and angry at God while continuing to go to Church. Bad things in our life happen, and we blame God. Oftentimes, we think we are given signs from God that do not work out and we’re left confused and questioning. But I want to present an example of demonic deception so that those suffering may see if they have fallen victim to the same thing I had.

I also hope to give a greater understanding and knowledge of the occult since so many youth are being ensnared. As a teacher and coach, I cannot count how many teenagers came to me scared out of their wits because they had tried a seance or played with a ouiji board like they had seen on television or read in books. The world makes demons and evil spirits out to be imaginary, and now children are getting hurt.

5. What's next for you?

I’ve already finished the next two books in the Sons of God series which are being edited right now and am doing research for the fourth and fifth novels. One of my film scripts, 1636, is currently in script competitions and will hopefully find funding within the next year or two. Sons of God was originally a film script, so there are plans to begin development in March 2010.

The Third Floor Window by Colleen Spiro

The Third Floor Window is the story of Colleen’s journey of healing from child sexual abuse. After years of trying to forget her past, Colleen thought she had dealt with her past once and for all. Then the clergy sexual abuse crisis in her beloved Catholic Church hit the newsstands. Colleen was devastated by the memories and buried emotions bubbling up to the surface.

Feeling driven to help other survivors, Colleen decided to share her own story. So she set out to teach the world about the long term effects of child sexual abuse. What she found along the way was healing and hope.

Now the third floor window is more than a symbol of pain and fear. It is a symbol of Colleen’s journey from darkness to light.

A Message from the Author About the Book:



I was inspired to write this book during the clergy sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church. I was so tired of hearing the same old question - why did it take so long for the victims to tell? I knew I needed to write about the long term effects of sexual abuse. I felt the need to educate, to inform and to encourage other survivors. The hardest part was digging deep for those painful memories from my childhood, but I love the hope and encouragement that my book gives to other survivors.

I am working on putting together some of my published articles into another book. The articles are about how I have seen God in my everyday life.

Souls at Rest by Charlotte Ostermann

Souls at Rest is a profound exploration of the meaning and practice of Sabbath for contemporary Catholic readers. The restful, poetic tone of Souls at Rest provides a counterpoint to the speed and noise of today’s world – a cure for its primary woes. The ancient, worldwide understanding of cyclical rest is blended with the formal Jewish Sabbath law, then made intensely new and relevant in the light of the Eucharist. Readers are invited to cultivate interior freedom by designing a contemplative, personal, non-legalistic Sabbath practice. Avoiding a bullet-point, sound-bite style in favor of a layered, conversational approach, Ostermann draws forth a genuine, meditative response from her reading audience. Book discussion groups are sure to appreciate the truly thoughtful questions in the Study Guide. If you think Sabbath is a dry, old, narrow – even over-done – subject, think again. In Souls at Rest we find a Sabbath refreshed by sacramental understanding, shining new light into surprising corners – evangelism, education, poetry, and community, for instance. Even the experienced Sabbath-keeper will find some new insights in Souls at Rest.

Direct order link:
http://www.lulu.com/holyleisure



What inspired you to write the book?

Years before I wrote, I encountered Josef Pieper's "Leisure, the Basis of Culture", and began to yearn for the capacity for leisure he describes. Easier said than done, however! Not until 2005, when my family was blessed by an extended sabbatical in Europe, did I experience the deep restedness and wholehearted comprehension of the source of this capacity - the Eucharistic Sabbath. Yes, we were Catholic, and yes, I was prayerful - even involved in a comtemplative Carmelite studies group - yet God apparently needed for me to have nine months of 'be still and quiet and wait on the Lord' before I could fully grasp His message for me! My book is an attempt to give Sabbath back to the Catholic soul, and interest others in the kind of cultural change this makes possible.

What was hardest about writing it?

The process of completely rethinking all my notes and proto-books and homeschool workshop notes and how-to-change-the-world thoughts with Sabbath as the central, unifying core of it all was wonderfully difficult. I say 'wonderfully', because the Holy Spirit seemed to help and guide at every step, inviting me to let my whole being be 'reorganized' by this one theme. We have five kids still at home, and hit the ground running when we returned from Europe, so finding time seems impossible, but God made a 'way where there is no way' (as He says in Isaiah) for this book to happen.

What do you love most about it?

I love the fact that I've seen my own priest respond to it so enthusiastically. He tells people he's a 'convert' to real Sabbath rest, and I've heard it in his preaching and seen it in his much more relaxed demeanor. Also, I love the fact that I still am reading and responding to it - needing its message as much as anyone else, and real-izing it daily more and more.

What do you hope readers will get from it?

Karina, I long for people to get even a hint of what is possible in their interior life - the life of the soul, mind, creativity - if they will enter into the the Sabbath rest of God. The Eucharist is ALL, and Central - the sine qua non - but, as I point out in SAR, it is like a jewel that needs, or is beautified and realized more fully, in the setting of Sabbath.

What's next for you?

I have a 'plethora of projects'! Next on this front is the rest of the Sabbath story. In "Souls at Work" I want to write about the development of interior freedom and the capacity to bear tension - the struggle to work out our salvation that is another facet of the soul at leisure. In "Souls at Play" - the last in this series, I want to discuss the cultivation of desire and imagination, the risks of creativity, and the need for a foundation in truly human leisure to support the promulgation of beauty in arts, relationships, cultural change, and evangelization. There is a taste of each of these next books in SAR. I have two children's books written - beautiful stories that need a publisher/midwife! I'd like to self-publish a collection of my poetry (most already published individually) with essays reflecting and expanding upon them as we do within my "Living Poem Society". I am writing "Sabbath Simplified" for those without the wherewithal to
read/study/question on the level of SAR. I have a fun book going out as a free serial just for the delight of sharing it: Elizabeth of the Epiphany - about a year in the life of Epiphany...a liberative arts university.