ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Laura Jensen Walker is an award-winning writer, popular speaker, and breast-cancer survivor who loves to touch readers and audiences with the healing power of laughter.

Born in Racine, Wisconsin (home of Western Printing and Johnson’s Wax—maker of your favorite floor care products) Laura moved to Phoenix, Arizona when she was in high school. But not being a fan of blazing heat and knowing that Uncle Sam was looking for a few good women, she enlisted in the United States Air Force shortly after graduation and spent the next five years flying a typewriter through Europe.

Her lifelong dream of writing fiction came true in Spring 2005 with the release of her first chick lit novel, Dreaming in Black & White which won the Contemporary Fiction Book of the Year from American Christian Fiction Writers. Her sophomore novel, Dreaming in Technicolor was published in Fall 2005.

Laura’s third novel, Reconstructing Natalie, chosen as the Women of Faith Novel of the Year for 2006, is the funny and poignant story of a young, single woman who gets breast cancer and how her life is reconstructed as a result. This book was born out of Laura’s cancer speaking engagements where she started meeting younger and younger women stricken with this disease—some whose husbands had left them, and others who wondered what breast cancer would do to their dating life. She wanted to write a novel that would give voice to those women. Something real. And honest. And funny.

Because although cancer isn’t funny, humor is healing.

To learn more about Laura’s latest novels, please check out her Books page.

A popular speaker and teacher at writing conferences, Laura has also been a guest on hundreds of radio and TV shows around the country including the ABC Weekend News, The 700 Club, and The Jay Thomas Morning Show.

She lives in Northern California with her Renaissance-man husband Michael, and Gracie, their piano playing dog.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Sales clerk, barista, telemarketer, sign waver…

At twenty-five, free-spirited Becca Daniels is still trying to figure out what she wants to be when she grows up. What Becca doesn’t want to be is bored. She craves the rush of a new experience, whether it’s an extreme sport, a shocking hair color, or a new guy. That’s why she quit her bookstore job, used her last bit of credit to go skydiving, and broke her leg.

And that’s why, grounded and grumpy, Becca bristles when teased by friends for being commitment-phobic. In response, Becca issues an outrageous wager—that she can sustain a three-month or twenty-five date relationship with the next guy who asks her out. When the guy turns out to be “churchy” Ben—definitely not Becca’s type—she gamely embarks on a hilarious series of dates that plunge her purple-haired, free-speaking, commitment-phobic self into the alien world of church potlucks and prayer meetings.

This irrepressible Getaway Girl will have you cheering her on as she “suffers” through her dates, gains perspective on her life’s purpose, and ultimately begins her greatest adventure of all.

If you’d like to read the first chapter of Becca By The Book, go HERE

For those who don’t know; there have been more than half a dozen churches burned down in the last week in the East Texas area. Please pray for the churches; That the members will know God’s peace (shalom) through this trial. This IS persecution.

Do not fear – God IS in control. He loves you. He loves your soul more than your material possessions. Put your trust in Him.

Please pray for these churches

Tyland Baptist Church Tyler, TX
First Church of Christ, Scientist Tyler, TX (I guess they are Christian Scientists, which I do believe are false teachers; pray as you feel led)
Lake Athens Baptist Church Athens, TX
Little Hope Baptist Church Canton, TX
Fellowship of Prairie Creek Church Lindale, TX

Enough said.

Right now I want some global warming…. please Al Gore, wontcha give me global warming? I promise to drive a Prius. Please? Please? Please?

Oh wait, wrong person….

Dear God,

You’ve made the wise foolish. Will you turn the thermostat back up?

Thank you.

(I really can’t take credit for that joke. Saw it somewhere and embellished it a bit).

And I’m not the only one noticing that we aren’t having very warm weather…..

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

For more than a decade, Author Sandra D. Bricker lived in Los Angeles. While writing in every spare moment, she worked as a personal assistant
and publicist to some of daytime television’s hottest stars. When her mother became ill in Florida, she walked away from that segment of her life and moved across the country to take on a new role: Caregiver.

One of Sandie’s passions revolves around the rights of animals. She’s been involved in fundraising for Lost Angels Animal Rescue for several years now; in fact, a portion of the proceeds of Love Finds You in Holiday, Florida will go to help the non-profit group with their expenses. And Lost Angels paid her back in a big way: They brought a free-spirited Collie named Sophie into her life after the loss of her 15-year companion Caleb.

It was her 8th novel that opened the door to finding her way as a writer.

In Sandie’s words: “I guess most people would see my career as a publicist as a sort of dream job. But giving it up turned out to be the best thing that could have happened to me!” she declares. “Not only was I given the gift of getting to know my mother as an adult woman before she passed away, but I was also afforded the blessing of being able to focus completely on my dream of a writing career. I’m a Christian woman, first and foremost, so it was a bit of a dream-come-true when Summerside Press chose me as one of two authors to launch their new Love Finds You line.”

ABOUT THE BOOK

Lawyer Cassie Constantine has no plans to stay in Florida. She’s here just long enough to sell her late husbands vacation house, a tacky bungalow she’s always despised then she’ll hightail it back to her gracious Boston brownstone.

But the place needs more work than Cassie bargained for. What’s more, her widow status is like a target on her back and the elderly matchmakers around town manage to sidetrack her mission at every turn.

Holiday is a landmine of golf tournaments, ballroom dancing competitions, shuffleboard and day trips. But the biggest obstacle of all? Richard Dillon, the stuffed shirt she’s paired with on the dance floor.

Cassie had always considered herself uptight but Richard won’t take a walk on the beach without his socks and shoes! There’s one little problem he makes her heart beat faster than the rhythm of the quickstep. Can Cassie and Richard let loose long enough to have a little fun?

If you would like to read the prologue and first chapter of Love Finds You in Holiday, Florida, go HERE.

Watch the trailer:

I hadn’t really noticed the “Bonnet Books” that lined Christian bookshelves until I joined ACFW and from there I learned just how popular Amish fiction is.

Very popular.

Which I didn’t really understand. What is the fascination for Christian women to read about a specific group that is steeped in man-made ordinances and has little true understanding of the Bible? What I didn’t know is that apparently most of these books are modern-era, not historicals, making the question even more pronounced. What is so fascinating?

This weekend I found out that Amazon has a free Kindle for PC app that anyone can download (not just those with Kindles) and then on top of that Amazon has dozens of free books that folks can download. One of these books was The Shunning by Beverly Lewis. Aha! Here was my chance to maybe understand.

From Amazon.com

In the quiet Amish community of Hickory Hollow, Pennsylvania, time has stood still while cherished traditions and heartfelt beliefs have flourished. But a secret lies buried that could shatter the tranquility its inhabitants have grown to love. When Katie Lapp stumbles upon a satin infant gown in the dusty leather trunk of her parents’ attic, she knows it holds a story she must discover. Why else would her Amish mother, a plain and simple woman who embraces the Old Order laws, hide the beautiful baby dress in the attic? On the eve of Katie’s wedding to widower Bishop John, startling news staggers out of her anguished parents, and nothing prepares Katie for the devastation their confession brings. Feeling betrayed, Katie watches as the only life she has ever known begins to unravel, leaving in its wake a furrow of pain…and a future of hope.

Likely written in the mid 90’s the book is evidence of the criticism that Christian fiction received in its infancy – and deservedly so. The book felt like it had either been written very hurridly (where they didn’t have time to go back and make sure that everything lined up) or had been written over such a long period of time that Lewis began forgetting some of her details from earlier in the story. There were lots of moments were I was left scratching my head due to the timeline. There were also lots of exposition aka “telling” moments that could have easily been re-written into showing moments and times where as a reader I felt like Lewis was bashing me over the head trying to drive in a piece of Amish culture that she had just explained several pages before.

But… this was written in the infancy of Christian fiction (its come a long way in 15 years!) and it was Lewis’ debut adult fiction novel…..so….lets set aside the critique of the craft and talk about the story.

Because something kept me riveted to my computer screen from start to finish (minus the time for dinner). I adored Katie, and Rebecca, and the Wise Woman. I loved how Katie had the same problems as all the rest of us, despite growing up in such a completely different culture. I desperately want to get Books 2 and 3 in the series so I know how Katie’s story ends.

As I was falling asleep that night after finishing the novel, I reflected, again, on why these books are so popular and part of the reason hit me. Its because we “modern” women live such horribly busy lives that the thought of knowing how each day turns out (minus illness or emergancy) is quite attractive. I remember reading on my friend, Ardell’s, blog that many people are turning back to the Orthodox and “liturgical” churches because they crave the order presented there and not the chaos in our modern churches.

As I fell asleep I was determined to pray for the Amish people; in many ways they exhibit the way Christians are supposed to act; community, charity, forgiveness; but I fear too often they don’t know why they act in those ways. This book helped me not only to understand them, but the appeal we have for their lifestyle.

Who should buy the book: Well right now its free at Amazon.com – you have to download the Kindle for PC program first – so you should get it while its free. If its not free anymore and you are like I was – curious- concerning Amish Fiction, you should get it, its a pleasant enough read (though the ending IS a cliff-hanger).