Review of The Raven Saint

The Raven Saint is the third entry in MaryLu Tyndall's Charles Town Belles series, and the second that I've read. As in any good historical romance, opposites attract in this series. In The Blue Enchantress, the godly and good-hearted captain rescued Hope Westcott, whose poor judgment and dubious virtue had landed her in a pickle. Poor Captain Mason then struggled with his unsuitable attraction for Hope.

The situation is reversed in The Raven Saint. This time it's the pious Westcott sister, Grace, who is in a bad situation and struggling with her unwise attraction for the nefarious ship's captain. To further complicate matters, the captain is the one who's gotten her into trouble. Captain Dubois is definitely not a godly man, but he believes he's doing the right thing when he kidnaps Grace, planning to deliver her for a handsome sum of money to one of her father's enemies. After all, her father is his enemy, too. And the money he will be paid for the act will build a hospital for the poor. Remember the saying about the road to hell and good intentions?

But Captain Dubois soon finds himself drawn not only to Grace but to her God, as well, which complicates his life romantically and spiritually. It could also cost him his life if he decides to back out of his deal.

As with Tyndall's other books, there are twists and turns, romantic misunderstandings, and heart-pumping battles at sea. And of course, good spiritual lessons as the rogues are reformed. If you enjoyed Tyndall's other books, you'll enjoy this one. And if you haven't read any of her books yet, it's all right to start with this one. Although it's part of a series, it can easily stand alone.

As for me, my favorite parts of MaryLu Tyndall's books are turning out to be the secondary characters and subplots. There's the mysterious Mr. Thorn, who may be trying to help Grace, or may be manipulating her for his own purposes. And he has an attraction for a Caribbean servant named Annette, who dabbles in voodoo and causes all sorts of creepy happenings.

And then of course, there's the one-eyed ship's cat, Spyglass. My favorite line of the book comes as Spyglass trounces out of his cabin with Grace after she has quarreled with Captain Dubois: "The woman had not only stolen his heart but his cat as well."

The Raven Saint is great fun if you're looking for seafaring thrills and historical romance.

We have a winner!

And the winner of Stephanie Morrill's new YA book, Out With the In Crowd, is...

Lizzie Boyd!

Congratulations, Lizzie. Please email me at robing8300 at gmail.com with your mailing address, and I'll forward it to Stephanie so she can send you the book.

And if you missed the fun interview and all the information about Stephanie's book, you can catch it right here.

YA Author Stephanie Morrill: Interview PLUS a chance to win her new book!

Today we not only have a fun interview with YA author Stephanie Morrill, but also a chance to win a copy of her new book, Out With the In Crowd. Leave a comment on this post if you would like to be entered in the drawing. (See details and boring legalese at the end.)



Stephanie Morrill is a twentysomething living in Kansas with her high school sweetheart-turned-husband and their daughter. She’s the author of The Reinvention of Skylar Hoyt series and loves writing for teens because her high school years greatly impacted her adult life. That, and it's an excuse to keep playing her music really, really loud.

Of course, the first question has to be--tell us about your new book!

Out with the In Crowd is the second book in The Reinvention of Skylar Hoyt series. In the first book, Me, Just Different, 17-year-old Skylar got herself into a bad scrape at a summer party and decided she wanted to change her lifestyle. Where Out with the In Crowd picks up, Skylar discovers while she may have vowed to change her partying ways, it's not so easy to change her friends. Even though the old Skylar is gone, she's still not sure who this new Skylar really is. Add to that two parents battling for her loyalty, a younger sister struggling with a crisis pregnancy, and a new boyfriend wishing for more of her time, and Skylar feels like she can't win.

What about your other writing? Have you published other YA novels? Adult novels?

The Reinvention of Skylar Hoyt series is the only one I have released at the moment. There’s a third book, So Over It, releasing in July.

Recently I’ve played around with the idea of writing a novel for adults, but it’s very different from writing for teens and doesn’t feel quite so natural to me.

Why do you write YA?

Because those are the only story ideas I consistently have. Seriously, that’s how I knew it’s what I should write. I’m so thankful that I do. I’ve never written for adults so I don’t know what the reader e-mails look like, but I love the energy in the ones I receive from the girls. And I think receiving those letters makes me a better writer. I’m able to see what in the story connected most with them.

What YA books do you like to read, or would you recommend?

My favorite in the Christian market is Jenny B. Jones, both her Katie Parker and Charmed Life series are fun, fabulous reads.

In the general market, I really enjoy Sarah Dessen. She writes quiet, soulful types of books that really stick with you.

What about us older folks? Are there YA books you think we should be reading, regardless of our age?

I read This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen the summer I got married, and I probably enjoyed it even more than I would have as a teenager. The main character has some serious control issues, same as me, so she was a character I really connected with. I also enjoyed a lot of the subtle messages about the value of relationships, particularly ones that might not last forever. Good stuff for anyone, I felt.

The other obvious one that I should mention is Twilight. I hardly meet a woman these days who hasn’t read those books or seen the movies, and most of them love them just as much as the teens I talk to. (Not as many Jacob fans in the older set, though.)

And what about writing for young adults? For those of us who would like to do just that, do we need to be young, ourselves? (If so, I'm in trouble!) Hang out with young folks? What's the biggest requirement in becoming a good YA writer?

Wow, big question. First I’ll tackle the age issue. I’m young, I’m 26. I graduated in 2001. But even with how short of a time I’ve been out of high school, SO much has changed. Like nobody texted. If you were really cool, you had a camera on your phone. If you were normal, the screen on your phone wasn’t even color. Nobody was on Facebook or MySpace. If YouTube existed, I hadn’t heard of it. So even for someone as young as I am, I can’t fully rely on my high school experiences. The emotions are the same, of course. But we didn’t worry that someone who didn’t get invited to our birthday party would see the pictures on another guest’s Facebook page, you know?

Hanging out with teens is a good idea. My husband and I work twice a month in the toddler class at church, and we always have middle and high school volunteers. I try to get as invested in their lives as I can. If you have time, volunteering for youth ministry is a great way to go. It doesn’t work for me right now, so I settle for the volunteers in the toddler room, and eavesdropping on conversations at the mall or movie theater.

The other big suggestion I have is staying in touch with teen media. Watch movies geared toward them, watch TV shows they like, read the books in the teen section. Study the dialogue in those things, and that can go a long way toward strengthening your own writing.

What do you think teens are looking for most in their reading material? What turns them off?

Same thing adults are—something real, something that connects with who they are. And they’re turned off by the flip of that. Situations and dialogue that reads fake or preachy, and characters they don’t like.

I always have to ask writers these questions. How long have you been writing fiction, and how did you first get published?

I wrote my first (and suckiest) novel at age 17, so I’ve been writing novels for almost ten years now. I got published through trial and error, and learning from my mistakes. Like when I wrote my first novel, I just printed off all 90 single-spaced pages and started sending them to publishing houses. I slowly learned about concepts like unsolicited manuscripts, query letters, literary agents, and book proposals. I met my first agent at a writer’s conference, which is something I totally recommend. Once I signed with her, everything happened within a couple months. It doesn’t always work that fast, in fact I’d say it rarely does. I received my first contract about 8 years after I wrote that first book.

Anything else you'd like to tell our readers?

The first chapters of both Me, Just Different and Out with the In Crowd are available for download on my web site, http://www.stephaniemorrillbooks.com/. Definitely take advantage and read those before you buy the books!\

And now for the best part! Stephanie is providing an autographed copy of Out With the In Crowd for one lucky reader. Just leave a comment on this post (and be sure I know how to contact you if you win) by the end of this week, January 24, if you'd like to be entered in the drawing. I promised you boring legalese and here it is: No purchase necessary to enter or win. You must be a legal resident of the U.S. to enter. Odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Thank you!

Stirring up controversy: Harry vs. Bella

I can feel a backlash coming even as I write, but decided to pose this idea anyway. I know there are a lot of Twilight lovers out there, and I'd especially like to hear your opinion on this. I have only one request if you respond: please don't kill me.

Most of you know I started reading the Harry Potter books a couple of years ago and fell in love with them. Since a lot of Harry Potter lovers also seem to be Twilight fans, I decided to try those books as well and read Twilight and New Moon, but so far I'm not hooked. At first I thought it was mainly because the Twilight books are first and foremost about romance. I enjoy a good love story, but I frankly don't want descriptions of the hero's godlike perfection to be the main focus of my reading material. (Like I said, please don't kill me.)

But then I realized that something else bothers me--and this is where the main comparison between Harry Potter and Twilight comes in for me. And this isn't about something fluffy like romance. It's about the very big issues of death and immortality that are the focus of both books, but in different ways.

In the final Harry Potter book, Harry finds his parents' graves, and there's a Bible verse carved on the headstone: "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." Considering the rogues that raised Harry, he hasn't exactly had a church upbringing so he doesn't recognize this as a Bible verse and is disturbed. He tells his friend Hermione that the idea sounds like something the evil Lord Voldemort's followers (aptly named Death-Eaters) would say. These bad guys are all about defeating death and achieving immortality through any means--dark magic, murder, power, whatever. But Hermione explains to Harry that the verse doesn't mean overcoming death their way, but is about living on after death.

In the Harry Potter books, it's clear that physical, earthly death is not the worst thing. And living forever on Earth is not the best thing. The best thing is love and overcoming darkness. In the very first Harry Potter book, an alchemist has developed The Sorcerer's Stone, which has allowed him to live for hundreds of years so far and will keep him alive indefinitely. But when the alchemist learns that Voldemort is trying to acquire the stone and use it himself, the alchemist destroys the object and calmly prepares for death.

There's another symbolic object in the last book--one of the Deathly Hallows, as a matter of fact--that could possibly be used to bring people back from the dead. When Harry first hears of this, he has an intense longing to find that stone, so he could bring back his parents and other loved ones he's lost. By the end of the book, Harry has the stone, but he has learned that using it this way would be a terrible mistake. Instead, Harry uses the stone in an amazing way, that affirms love and sacrifice and "living beyond death."

Which brings me to Bella and Twilight.

From the time Bella learns of the Cullens and Edward's true nature, she longs to become a vampire. She's obsessed with living forever on Earth with Edward. She comments that she's not interested in heaven if Edward's not there. I found this disturbing when I read Twilight, but I figured this was just the set-up. Eventually Bella would come to her senses. Maybe they would find a way to help Edward and the Cullens be "cured" of their vampire state and returned to normal, mortal life.

Because let's face it. Even though the Cullens have a kind of immortality, at least in my humble opinion, they're not exactly living an earthly Paradise. Though they've chosen not to kill humans, it's a constant temptation--to the point of their having to be careful not to lose control and kill their beloved Bella. Would any of us really voluntarily take on a condition that would make us struggle not to hurt or kill our loved ones at any moment?

Frankly, I don't even relish the Cullens' way of having to rip apart animals and drink their blood for nourishment. Or never being able to sleep. (Yikes, definitely not my idea of paradise!)

I admit I've stopped reading after New Moon. But from what I heard, Bella's becoming one of the undead and achieving this kind of immortality remains the goal. So maybe she gets to live with Edward forever, but at what cost?

Accepting that sort of earthly life for eternity is just not a goal that I can identify with, and hence my trouble with Twilight. I frankly don't see Harry going for anything like that either.

So now, Twilight (and Potter?) fans out there--tell me what I'm missing.

But please don't hurt me.

The Word Reclaimed: An Interview with Author Steve Rzasa

Today we're featuring an interview with Steve Rzasa, author of "The Word Reclaimed," which was released by Marcher Lord Press in October 2009. The book is available from www.marcherlordpress.com, Amazon, and Barnes&Noble.com. And now, let's hear from Steve:

Welcome, Steve. Tell us about yourself.

I was born and raised in South Jersey, and fell in love with books—especially science fiction novels and historical volumes—at an early age. I earned my bachelor’s degree in journalism from Boston University’s College of Communications in 2000, and then spent seven years as a reporter and assistant editor at weekly newspapers in Maine.

My wife Carrie and I moved to her home state of Wyoming in 2007 with our two boys so I could take a job as editor of a weekly newspaper there. Now I work at the Johnson County Library in Buffalo, Wyoming.

I read in your Marcher Lord Press interview that you're proud that "not only does my oldest son read the Bible, but he also knows the difference between an X-wing and a TIE fighter." Let me just say that I do, too! What fun for me to interview a fellow Star Wars fan! Reading the synopsis of your book, I seem to catch a bit of the Star Wars influence. I'm picturing a boy finding the remnants of Christianity (when he stumbles upon a Bible) rather than the remnants of the old Jedi religion. Am I on track at all?

Pretty much, though I did not intentionally pattern the book after “Star Wars.” That said, I am a child of the 1980s – “Star Wars” informs much of what I like to read and create. The idea came when I asked myself, “What would a guy do if he found a Bible floating in space?” The idea expanded into a universe where all print materials are illegal, and a secret police force oppresses any and all religions that claim to have the sole route to salvation or paradise or what have you. This puts Christianity at the top of their hit list. But “The Word Reclaimed” is also an adventure tale that touches on politics, combat and family.

In your interview at Marcher Lord Press, you mention how hard it is to find science fiction with redeeming spiritual themes. Why do you think that is?

I think some of that comes with the territory. Science-fiction generally appeals to an audience that has given up on God, and looks to the stars for answers. I should know – I was one of those people. Science-fiction allows you to dive into a world where science and technology can solve mankind’s ills, both literal and spiritual. But it is a genre that also makes a wonderful setting for great adventures. It is ripe for spiritual redemption.

Are there other current SF books or movies or even TV shows that you're excited about?

Well, the one show I’m most excited about is long-cancelled – “Firefly” by Joss Whedon. Cowboys and pirates in space – need I say more? I am also very much looking forward to James Cameron’s “Avatar” this winter and am still reeling from the eye-popping “Star Trek” from this summer.

Wow, you're definitely at home on this blog! My co-blogger and niece, Kristi, has a Facebook group called something like "Joss Whedon Should Hire Kristi Israel." (Kristi, correct me if I got that wrong.) And I did a post last summer about the new Star Trek movie.

Do you think a writer may accomplish some things better through speculative fiction than other types of fiction?

Speculative fiction offers a better setting for adventures than other genres, in part because the authors can feel free to create a new world. I also think speculative fiction is more entertaining because it is far removed from everyday life, and that makes it easier to tackle themes on a grander scale.

What do you hope to accomplish through The Word Reclaimed? Sheer entertainment? Warn us of a possible, grim future? Or something entirely different?

I hope to do a little of both – entertain with a tale of adventure, danger and space battles, but also warn of a future in which all information is controlled through electronic monopolies. There is no substitute for the printed word.I also want the reader to see the power the Word of God has in people’s lives. It draws people to its pages but also leads them to raging extremes to destroy it. Or perhaps I should say, try to destroy it.

Have you always wanted to be a writer? And is The Word Reclaimed the first book you've written?

I have always wanted to be a writer. It wasn’t until high school and college that I really settled on that as the thing that I wanted to do, however. “The Word Reclaimed” is the first published novel I’ve written, and is actually the first half of the manuscript reviewed by Marcher Lord Press. The second half is the sequel, tentatively titled “The Word Unleashed,” is due out this spring from MLP.

I did also self-publish a short Christian sci-fi novel called “This Stirring Strife” shortly after college. It was kind of an experiment – I had a story I wanted told, and wanted to see it in print. So now there are a few used copies out floating around on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble somewhere.

How did you go about creating the world of your novel? Do you have a science or technology background that helped out?

I have next to zero background in those subjects – beyond public school education – but I usually read any space/future tech-related article in news magazines I come across. I spent a lot of time over the years putting together the future tech for “The Word Reclaimed,” figuring how it would impact their society, and knowing how it works. I also wanted to give the universe a feel of realism, so I made the effort to research foreign languages and put them into the book.

Tell us a little about your journey to publication.

I had little time to write fiction when I was a reporter. When you spend all day writing for a living, the last thing you want to do when you get home is park yourself in front of a keyboard. So my book proceeded slowly. In 2008 however, I changed jobs and my writing took off. Within a year, I’d completed the book and send out submissions. Jeff Gerke from MLP picked it up in the summer of 2009, and the rest, as they say, is history. It was quite a whirlwind ride.

Do you have any words of advice for other writers--especially those struggling to find that first publishing contract?

Yes – keep trying. I know that’s terribly cliché advice, but it’s true. I had several rejections along the way, but thankfully MLP was right there as the perfect fit for “The Word Reclaimed.” Do not give up on your writing, if it is a story for which you have an undeniable passion. And don’t be afraid to take the advice of others and change your work. It’s very hard for the writer’s ego, but the end result will be worth it.

Anything else you'd like to tell us?

By far, the coolest sci-fi characters in existence are Han Solo (Star Wars), Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Star Trek: The Next Generation), and Sandor Kreja (Merchanter’s Luck by C.J. Cherryh). Coolest ship ever? The USS Defiant from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine!

Thanks again for being our guest today. And best wishes with the book!

A Strange and Wonderful Book: The Little Stranger

A friend recommended The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters a couple of weeks ago. Even though it's in our current fiction collection at the library, she said it was an old-fashioned gothic. She also said it scared her silly, even though it wasn't violent or gory. Well, that was enough for me. I dove right in, and oh my--what a book!

This is one of the few books I've read that left me thinking, this is the book that I want to write. This is the WAY I want to write.

On the surface, The Little Stranger might not sound all that different. It's a typical gothic-type story set in an old, creepy house in the English countryside. The time period is just after World War II, and though electricity and indoor plumbing are advancing throughout the country, Hundreds Hall is isolated enough to be missing out. It's still lit by candles, warmed by fires when the family can afford it. Because even though the Ayres family has been living at Hundreds for generations, like many aristocratic British families, they've fallen on hard times and in some ways live no better than the poorest people in the village. The Ayreses are not seen often anymore, keeping to themselves in their crumbling mansion, so Dr. Farraday is surprised when he is called out to Hundreds to see to the sick maid.

Farraday finds that the young maid is not so much sick as terrified. She swears that there's a frightening presence in the house. Farraday doesn't put much stock in her story, but this is the beginning of his relationship with the Ayres family, including the family matriarch and her son and daughter, who are both in their twenties. Farraday holds onto his scientific skepticism even when stranger and stranger tales come to him from first one, then the other of the family. Their gentle old dog suddenly turns savage and attacks a visitor. Strange noises are heard. Objects move themselves around. One by one, the family members begin to believe they're being persecuted by a strange presence, while Farraday believes there's a kind of hysteria in the house, partly brought on by the stress and isolation of their circumstances.

Of course, even though Farraday is supposedly the uninvolved narrator of the Ayres family's story, it soons become apparent that he, too, is connected in their bizarre situation. First because of his feelings for Caroline Ayres and Hundreds, and also because his mother was once a nursemaid at the Hall.

I don't want to say much more, because this is another of those books that has so many wonderful twists and turns. This is not one of those ghost stories that starts out with things going bump in the night and ends with an explanation of exactly what's been happening--and perhaps with a ghost or a demon popping out of a closet. Neither does it leave you frustrated because there are no answers. When you reach the end of the book, you'll know enough to draw your own conclusions, but you'll also have plenty to think about and discuss with other readers.

MaryLu Tyndall Gives Us Some Inside Info

Today we have Part 2 of our visit with MaryLu Tyndall. If you missed last Tuesday's review of her new book, The Blue Enchantress, I'm sure you'll want to go back and check it out after reading this interview.

I think I first became acquainted with MaryLu Tyndall on someone else’s blog. She and I ended up involved in a lively discussion of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End and Will’s tragic fate. I’ve been intending to read her fiction ever since then, knowing she was fascinated with pirates, too, but just now got around to it. I just finished reading The Blue Enchantress and loved it!

MaryLu, I have to say, as I was reading along I was enjoying the book but was also thinking, darn! I must have started with one of her books that doesn’t include pirates. Then Captain Poole and The Enchantress showed up and the book really picked up for me, LOL! I have to say, I loved Captain Poole and the way you made him dangerous and a REAL pirate—yet I felt there was something redeemable and noble about him. Will we be seeing more of him in future books?

First of all, Thank you Robin for having me on your blog! Now about Captain Poole. I would LOVE to write a story about him someday. In fact, that’s why I left his story open-ended to include that possibility. The problem I’m having right now is selling pirate stories to the Christian market. My current publisher has asked me to steer away from the pirate theme for now. It’s a business after all and if pirate books aren’t selling, then that’s the way of it. But, personally, I can’t imagine readers not enjoying a great pirate tale from a Christian perspective!

And what about Abigail? Loved her, too—and the hint of a romance between the missionary and the pirate. Will we be seeing more of Abigail?

What I’d love to write is an entire novel about the growing romance between Abigail and Captain Poole. I mean, a missionary and a pirate? Sounds like an awesome premise, eh?

I think I read that you grew up in Florida and were fascinated by tales of sea-faring and pirates when you were young. What books and movies did you love as a child? What stories influenced your writing?

My favorite all time pirate book is Captain Blood by Raphael Sabatini. Don’t be turned off by the title. It’s an exciting, clean adventure with a bit of romance thrown in. I’ve read it several times. Other books I loved growing up were The Three Musketeers, The Count of Monte Cristo, All of Jane Austen’s books (of course), and The Last of the Mohicans.

Did you start writing stories when you were young? If so, did any of those stories or characters carry over into the novels you’re writing now?

I wrote several stories when I was growing up but just for fun. I never thought I’d ever get published. But no, none of those characters have resurfaced into my current novels. I think because I was not a Christian at the time and I had a very naïve knowledge of human nature. We learn so much as we mature and face struggles in life.

In reading your bio, it sounds as though you found God and rediscovered your writing a few years ago. How do you think these two events relate—if at all?

They are directly related! I believe God’s plan all along for me was to become an author, and He was only waiting for me to FINALLY turn my life over to Him. I spent many years wandering around in the desert like the Israelites, trying to find my own happiness on my terms and making quite a mess of things. I’m surprised God didn’t just open up the ground and swallow me whole and be done with it! But I’m glad He didn’t. I’m so thankful for His love and patience. As soon as I submitted myself completely to Him and His will, I felt the strongest urge to write a novel! Weird, huh? I hadn’t written in years. But it was that very novel that got me my first contract and ended up getting a Christy nomination as well. God is good!

I always like perseverance stories. Do you have any tips for those of us pursuing a dream (whether that’s writing or some other goal) when we fall into doubt, or wonder if we’re ever going to have any success?

Remember Joseph from the Bible. God told him that he would be a leader, that his entire family would bow before him. Then what happened? He was sold into slavery, lied about and thrown into prison with no hope of ever getting out. Not just for 1 year, but for 15! If God has called you to do something and you are truly submitted to Him, whatever the outcome, He will bring it to pass. Hang in there and believe. I once heard a famous preacher say when asked how you know God’s will for your life: “Love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and then do whatever you want.” In other words, if you’re truly following Him, He’ll put His desires for you on your heart.

Thanks! Can’t wait for the next installment of the Charles Towne Belles series!

Thanks so much for having me, Robin! The Raven Saint releases in January so you won’t have too long to wait.

The Blue Enchantress: Reviewed

Today I'm reviewing MaryLu Tyndall's new book, The Blue Enchantress. On Thursday, I'll be interviewing MaryLu, so be sure to come back!

Betrayed by the man she longed to marry, Hope Westcott finds herself on an island in the Caribbean being auctioned off as a slave to the highest bidder.


Raised in an unloving home and after enduring a difficult childhood, Hope's search for love and self-worth have led her down a very dangerous path. All she ever wanted was to find true love and to some day open an orphanage where she could raise children with all the love she never experienced as a child. But how can a woman with a sordid past ever hope to run an orphanage, let alone attract the love of an honorable man?

Determined to overcome the shame of his mother's past, Nathaniel Mason worked for many years to build his own fleet of merchant ships in an effort to finally acquire the respect of Charles Towne society. Ignoring the call of God on his life to become a preacher, he forges ahead with his plans for success at a distant port in the Caribbean, when he sees a young lady he knows from Charles Towne being sold as a slave.



In an effort to save Hope, he is forced to sell one of his two ships, only to discover that her predicament was caused by her own bad behavior. Angry and determined to rid himself of her as soon as possible, Nathaniel embarks on a journey that will change the course of his life.


If you've known me for awhile, you'll know I love a good pirate story. And since M.L. Tyndall is known for writing a great pirate story--complete with romance, swashbuckling adventures, and feisty heroines--you would think I would have gobbled up everything she's written. I'm embarrassed to say The Blue Enchantress was my first Tyndall read, but it definitely won't be my last.

The story opens up with Hope being auctioned at the slave market in St. Kitts. Of course things are looking dire. It seems pretty obvious why the lecherous old men are bidding for Hope. Apparently their plans are also obvious to Nathaniel Mason, who sees what's going on and recognizes Hope from Charles Towne. Even though he barely knew Hope back home, except for her occasional haughty snubs, he realizes he has to save her. It's his Christian duty. So Nathaniel sells his ship to raise the money to buy her, intending to escort her home to Charles Towne. That part of his plan, at least, succeeds, but it doesn't make him particularly happy.

I appreciated the fact that Nathaniel, as a sincere Christian man, consistently tried to do the right thing--and frequently hated every minute of it. I've been there myself. I want to please God and help people and make noble sacrifices. But then I find myself feeling grumpy and used and having to overcome a bad attitude in spite of my grand gestures. So Nathaniel's moods seemed quite human to me.

By no means wealthy, Nathaniel has struggled to raise himself from poverty, become a captain, and build two ships of his own. Now Hope has single-handedly wiped out half his fleet. It would be different if he could bask in her gratitude, congratulate himself that he had saved an innocent maiden from a terrible fate. But he can't help but feel that Hope has brought most of her troubles on herself by throwing herself at men--even married ones.

Even after being rescued by Nathaniel, Hope faces her own struggles. The man she thought she loved has betrayed her. In fact, he's the one who left her to be sold into slavery. The whole business has shocked her into wanting to reform her life, but that seems easier said than done. Her reputation prejudices most women against her and causes men to expect the wrong things from her. More and more, she finds that the only man she wants anything from is Nathaniel. She would like to have his good opinion, but after their bad beginning things just get worse. One misunderstanding follows another, and poor Nathaniel seems to suffer nothing but bad luck when she's around. By the time she's finished with him, well...let's just say he should have been grateful he had even one ship left.

To earn their passage to Kingstown, where his one remaining ship is waiting for him, Nathaniel hires himself out as a navigator on another vessel. But soon a freak storm causes them to be shipwrecked and stranded for a time on an island. Rescue comes in a strange form--pirates! (I had been wondering when the pirates would show up.)

My two favorite characters played a large part in the story during this period. Captain Poole, the pirate captain, was strong and menacing, but could be persuaded to do the right thing. Poole apparently had a brush with God sometime in his past that caused him to be intrigued with Abigail, a young missionary who was marooned along with Hope and Nathaniel. There was no easy, convenient conversion for Captain Poole--at least not yet. But I have hopes for his future, especially if he shows up in another Tyndall book. And let's hope he does!

The Blue Enchantress is the middle book of a three-part series. I didn't find myself at all confused by not having read book one (The Red Siren), but I was intrigued enough that I'll probably go back and read it now. Loose ends are tied up pretty well for Hope and Nathaniel by book's end, but another adventure is beginning, so if you want more, you won't be disappointed.

Christina Berry's Familiar Stranger: Reviewed

"Craig Littleton has decided to end his marriage with his wife, Denise, but an accident lands him in the ICU with fuzzy memories. As Denise helps him remember who he is, she uncovers dark secrets. Will this trauma create a fresh start? Or has his deceit destroyed the life they built together?"

First, I must apologize to Christina Berry.

Yes, I looked forward to reading her book. After all, she's a friend--at least a virtual, online friend--so I'm excited that her first published book is now a reality. Plus I knew from reading her blog and newsletter that she's a good writer. However, I really thought I could predict the whole story from reading blurbs like the one at the start of this review.

Boy, was I wrong.

I almost read the entire book Sunday and finally made myself put it down and go to bed, because I really, really wanted to know what the heck was going on in The Familiar Stranger.

The story starts with a long-married couple, Craig and Denise. They're arguing because Craig is planning to skip not only church, but a deacon's meeting as well, and go hiking instead. The tension is simply crackling in this house, and you just know things aren't going well in this marriage. Because the story is told in alternating viewpoints, you soon learn that things are even worse than bickering and tension. Although we don't know exactly what Craig is up to, it's apparent that he isn't just going hiking.

Denise takes their sons and goes on to church, as usual. But at the end of the service, she gets a horrifying phone call. Craig has been in a car accident that's left him badly injured and another man dead. She soon finds out that Craig remembers nothing about his life, or about her.

Okay, at this point and from the blurbs, I thought we had a nice, straightforward contemporary fiction book about a man who was probably cheating on his wife. Through the accident, Denise would discover Craig's infidelity, but the accident would cause him to depend on her, to see her in a new way, perhaps even to repent of his past actions. It would be compelling but not terribly suspenseful.

Instead, Ms. Berry thickened the plot on me at every turn of the page. Who was the man who was killed in the crash? Why was he seen arguing with Craig before the accident? What about the mysterious teenage girl who is also in the hospital?

I don't want to say much more, because I don't want to give away the delicious twists and turns. I must say, though, that I'm amazed at the intricacy of Christina's plotting, and her ability to create suspense. She knows exactly how much to reveal and when, and how to phrase things to throw us poor readers off. At one point I actually figured out what was going on, but her misdirection was so skillful that I doubted myself and she led me off in another direction entirely.

The Familiar Stranger is the kind of suspense that I love. Not the campy kind with a villain chasing some poor heroine with a gun. It's the kind of suspense that comes from believable characters and skillful writing. From the psychological "evil that lurks in the minds of men." I absolutely urge you to pick up a copy of this book.


Oh, and by the way, Christina is giving away several copies of The Familiar Stranger. Just leave a comment on this post and she will enter you in the drawing to be held at the end of this month. How easy can you get! (Now that I've gotten you all curious about what Craig is up to, however, you might not want to wait.)


Single mother and foster parent, Christina Berry carves time to write from her busy schedule because she must tell the stories that haunt her every waking moment. (Such is the overly dramatic description of an author's life!) She holds a BA in Literature, yet loves a good Calculus problem, as well. Her debut novel, The Familiar Stranger, releases from Moody in September and deals with lies, secrets, and themes of forgiveness in a troubled marriage. A moving speaker and dynamic teacher, Christina strives to Live Transparently--Forgive Extravagantly!

More places to find Christina:

Thursday (9/17) at Novel Journey, the next stop on her blog tour (where you can also enter again for her book drawing)

Her blog: http://www.authorchristinaberry.blogspot.com/


Her "infrequent, humorous newsletter":
www.ashberrylane.net/update.aspx
(Just by signing up, each person will be entered to win a 4GB iPod Shuffle or free books for the life of her writing career!)

Entry deadline extended for Nancy Grace signed book drawing

That was a very convoluted headline, but the point is we're extending the deadline for the drawing for the autographed copy of Nancy Grace's new novel, The Eleventh Victim. You must leave a comment saying you want to enter--along with a way to get in touch with you if you win--no later than September 17. I'll announce a winner on September 18.

For more details about the book and the drawing, click here.

Gods with a small "g"?

I have a question for all you Christian readers and writers out there. What do you think of literature that incorporates gods into the story as characters? You know, gods like Zeuss or Jupiter or others from ancient mythology.

I'm asking this now because I recently finished reading The Lightning Thief, the first book of a kids' series called Percy Jackson and The Olympians. The premise is that twelve-year-old Percy, a misfit who has been expelled from numerous schools but still is a pretty good kid, discovers that he is one of many "half-bloods" in the world. In other words, his mother is a regular mortal woman, but his absentee father is actually the god Poseidon. Percy discovers this when some not-so-mythological-after-all monsters try to kill him, and he is sent for his protection to Camp Halfblood, where a lot of other children like himself learn how to fight and live with their unique situation.

The Lightning Thief was, for the most part, an imaginative and enjoyable read, and Percy is a pretty admirable little hero. But I have to admit, I'm always a bit uncomfortable with stories with gods and goddesses. The Percy Jackson stories are secular books, of course, but I had the same problem when I read The Chronicles of Narnia last year. I loved Aslan and all the Christian imagery, but then started to squirm when Baccus came prancing through, or when the characters were saved by a river god.

I trust C.S. Lewis and his writing, though, and I know that Shakespeare sometimes threw in an appearance by a goddess or two. (I'm thinking of The Tempest in particular.) So what am I missing?

Is this just another of those things that you have to examine the motives of the writer and the rest of the story? Or could it be that in Shakespeare's and even Lewis's day, no one believed in gods and goddesses anymore so they didn't have to fear anyone taking the story seriously? I'm not sure I could say that in these Da Vinci Code times.

So what do y'all think?

My Latest Creation: Historical Romance Pendant Watch

I decided to make something to donate to ACFW's (American Christian Fiction Writers') silent auction to be held at their conference next month. Since there will be so many romance readers and writers there, I settled on making this Historical Romance Pendant Watch.

It's got everything--cameos of Jane Austen-like ladies, reading and books, and of course, hearts and flowers.

Funny. I'm not able to go to the conference this year, but my jewelry will be there...

Anyway, if you're planning to be there, look out for the pendant watch and maybe another goodie or two at the silent auction.

If, like me, you aren't going, I'll probably be doing a jewelry give-away for the rest of us during the conference in late September, so stay tuned.

In the meantime, you can always check out my shop on Etsy. I'll be adding items soon, including a pendant watch for sale.

And don't forget to enter the drawing for a signed copy of Nancy Grace's new, best-selling novel, The Eleventh Victim!

Win a Signed Copy of The Eleventh Victim by Nancy Grace!

The Eleventh Victim: by Nancy Grace

As a young psychology student, Hailey Dean's world explodes when Will, her fiancé, is murdered just weeks before their wedding. Reeling, she fights back the only way she knows how: In court, prosecuting violent crime...putting away the bad guys one rapist, doper, and killer at a time. But dedicating her life to justice takes a toll after years of courtroom battles and the endless tide of victims calling out from crime scene photos and autopsy tables. Just as she grows truly weary, a serial killer unlike any other she's encountered begins to stalk the city of Atlanta, targeting young prostitutes, each horrific murder bearing his own unique mark. This courtroom battle will be her last.

Hailey heads for Manhattan to pick up the pieces of the life she had before Will's murder, training as a therapist. In a vibrant new world, she finally leaves her ghosts behind. But then her own clients are brutally murdered one by one by a copycat using the same M.O. as the Atlanta killer she hunted down years before. As the body count rises across Manhattan, Hailey is forced to match wits not only against a killer, but the famed NYPD.

Unless she returns to her former life and solves the case, still more innocent people will die at the hands of a killer who plans to get her, before she can get him!

Last Saturday, Nancy Grace was back in our home town to do a signing for her new novel, The Eleventh Victim. Nancy and I have known each other since the first grade. I would tell you how long ago that was, but Nancy would probably kill me. Suffice it to say, we've known each other a long time!

My friend Robin P., sister Frankie, me, and Nancy

Anyway, I'm looking forward to reading her novel--which is a first for her. She's done almost everything else in the world--prosecuting attorney, has her own show on CNN, mother of twins, writer of a non-fiction book. But this is her first novel.

I still remember a story that Nancy wrote (and read aloud) for a creative writing assignment in high school. I remember waiting for my turn to read my story to the class and thinking, I wish I had written that! Even then, I couldn't seem to come up with an idea that could be contained in a short story--or that had anything to do with real life. Mine had all these fantastical or historical elements and twisted Dickensian plots. Nancy's story was something simple about two best friends who were growing up and growing apart. Simple and powerful.

She has said she's been distracted by all the other life events from creative writing and that she's glad to get back to it--and that it took her a long time to write this book. That's encouraging. Maybe I'll get somewhere with one of mine eventually, too.

Anyway, I got an extra copy of it signed for one lucky reader out there. The Eleventh Victim is hot off the presses and on the New York Times bestseller list, so I think this would be a great prize!

Just leave a comment here before September 15 (NOTE: DEADLINE EXTENDED TO SEPT. 17) telling me you'd like to be entered in the drawing. Two rules: I have to know how to contact you if you win, and you have to respond within a week when I contact you or the prize goes to someone else.

Simple enough! Good luck!

Reading Lives

Until recently, I wondered why anyone would read nonfiction books when there are all those thrilling novels out there. I adore history and at one point could tell you a good bit about the kings and queens of England and the times they lived in. But that was because I read so much historical fiction, especially a prolific writer named Norah Lofts, whose career spanned a large portion of the 20th century.

I think I've collected almost all her books (at least 50 or so), and they cover every time period of English history--from the Saxon invasion and the occupation by Caesar's troops, through Civil War and Restoration and right on up until current times. Although her stories sprawl across time periods, most of them take place in one small area of England, with characters and families that are interconnected. Once you've read enough of her books, the fragments of English history start falling into a memorable pattern. Now, that's my way to learn facts. Read a suspenseful, thrilling story and have the educational bits slipped in like medicine in a spoonful of sugar!

As a part of research for my fiction writing, I have to dip into nonfiction, of course. I usually consider this a chore. But lately, I've started reading biographies to help me get an insight into people. Maybe I need details on a certain career, or insight into a unique personality, and a biography seems like a good resource. In the past two weeks, I've dipped into several different bios, and I'm surprised to find myself actually zipping through them.

One was called If I Am Missing or Dead, by Jeanine Latus. I picked this one up because I may soon be writing a character who is obsessed with a particular man and will do almost anything to hang onto him. She blinds herself to his abuse and manipulations and rationalizes everything he does. I have trouble understanding the motivations of someone like that, but I need to be sympathetic to her. In real life, both Jeanine Latus and her sister put themselves in that situation not once, but over and over--until sister Amy ended up dead. Latus's book covers their lives and "loves" from childhood until the time of the tragedy in an attempt to understand, and help us understand, what went wrong. It's a sad and disturbing story, but it broadened my knowledge of people who are different from me.

On the other hand, the celebrity bio I'm reading makes me realize that people in different walks of life can be pretty similar under the skin. There And Back Again is an autiobiography by actor Sean Astin, maybe best known for playing Sam in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Astin is the son of Patty Duke and John Astin (remember Gomez Addams?) and has been acting since childhood, including a major role in The Goonies when he was a kid. What fascinates me about his story is that, even though he was born into a successful show biz family and has been acting professionally and successfully since childhood, the angst and self-doubt he experiences sound incredibly similar to what Kristi and I write on this blog!

Astin is open about his experiences and his feelings, and even though I've only read about a third of the book, it's fascinating to know this "star" agonizes over feeling untalented, or insignificant, or what direction he should take. Just as Kristi and I do, he wonders whether he should do things that are commercial that don't interest him, or follow his art. He'll have a major success, followed by...nothing. Then he'll worry that it's over and he'll never work again. He knows there are games and strategies to be played to get ahead in Hollywood, but doesn't really know how to go about them. He knows that ultimately he wants to be a filmmaker and director, but has trouble staying on goal, or figuring out whether taking certain jobs will help or hinder him in his direction.

And just like me, he gets distracted from his goals. I had to laugh when he confessed that, in the middle of his most successful acting phase, he tried to fit in going to college because he felt inadequate without a college degree. I, on the other hand, always take college for granted but feel inadequate because I have no real artistic accomplishments!

People are indeed complex creatures. I'm glad I'm finally catching on so I can enjoy some of these real-life stories.

Shameful Reading Habits?

Sometimes I wonder if my reading habits are degrading to the point of being shameful. No, I'm not referring to reading Harry Potter. I already confessed that. I wasn't so much thinking of what I'm reading as the way I'm reading.

A member of my family who lives far, far away (and who reads this blog, so she'll know who she is) was in town a couple of weeks ago. She asked me my secret for reading so fast, because I seem to be getting through more books lately than I used to. I told her the truth: audio books. She laughed and said she was disappointed in me; she thought I was "actually reading."

She was teasing, of course, but I'd been wondering the same thing. If you listen to a book, is it the same as reading it? It really is a different experience, but at the same time, you're actually digesting all the words. It's not like watching a movie, where the original book has been totally reinterpreted into a new form. Also, I figure that hearing books read out loud was the norm in the days before television. Read any Jane Austen novel (or even listen to one; you can find the audio versions in any library) and you'll see the family sitting together of an evening with one of the group reading out loud while some of the others sew or knit.

Which brings me to the real crux of my audio book addiction. I've gotten so used to multi-tasking that I feel guilty if I'm not doing at least two things at one time. Sitting down and reading a print book is one thing. Only one thing! With an audio book I can drive, listen to the story, eat my lunch, and run errands. Four things! I download a book to my iPod, attach it to my belt, and buzz around the house cooking and doing laundry all at the same time. When I'm feeling decadent and lazy, I fire up a book and knit or do beading while I listen, just like those ladies in a Jane Austen novel.

Of course, not all the books I want to read are available in audio form. I guess that's a good thing, or I might stop reading altogether. What's happening now, though, is that the print books are stacking up on a shelf waiting for me to have a reading vacation.

On the plus side, I have managed to get through a lot of books in audio form that I'd been meaning to read for years. I did the entire Narnia series in about six weeks, and FINALLY read The Fellowship of the Ring. Listened to it, I mean. Singing and elvish poetry and all.

On the other hand...I mentioned more than one shameful reading habit, so I have to admit I've also been listening to a lot of books that I had already read. I love re-reading good books. I originally read the Mitford books by Jan Karon in print but discovered that the audio versions have a wonderful narrator with just the right voice. He can sound homey and sophisticated for Father Tim or earthy for Uncle Billy. So I've been going through that whole series again. The print books I have read lately have mostly been re-reads. Doesn't this defeat my whole purpose of not wasting time? I don't appear to be accomplishing anything new, although I do find myself being able to pay more attention to the writing style the second or third time around. That's useful, right?

So am I all alone in this, or does anyone else out there have non-edifying reading habits?

If You Like "Weird and Christian"

I was really excited when a new Christian Publishing Company, Marcher Lord Press, started up last fall. I heard the founder, Jeff Gerke, say he was interested in stories that were "weird and Christian," and I thought, hey! That's me! My stories, I mean. Or just me. Whatever.

Anyway, today is Launch Day for their second round of Christian speculative novels, so I thought I would share with you a message I received from Jeff at Marcher Lord a few days ago. Oh, and leave a comment to be entered into a drawing for YOUR CHOICE of any one Marcher Lord Press book.

Marcher Lord Press is poised to release its second list of Christian speculative novels.

The excitement has been growing as the time left on the countdown clock has been dwindling. And now we're just hours away from launch. MLP's second season has received unprecedented pre-release coverage.

Library Journal, one of the publishing industry's top 2 magazines--and the most influential magazine for library book orders--has mentioned Marcher Lord Press in its April 1 issue. And not just one mention, either. Nor two. But three mentions in one issue.

This is almost incomprehensible for any Christian publishing company, but it's all but impossible for a small press in its second season.

One of these mentions is a review for By Darkness Hid by Jill Williamson, one of the three titles in the season 2 list. Library Journal calls By Darkness Hid a "thoroughly entertaining and smart tale" and gives it the coveted "highly recommended" stamp of approval.

Incredible.

Advance praise continues to come in for the other books in the second list as well. Christian fantasy novelist Donita K. Paul says of Starfire by Stuart Vaughn Stockton: "I was thoroughly enmeshed in this out-of-this-world world!" And an early reader of Dark Man by Marc Schooley calls it simply "Amazing!"

Are you ready for these books?

They're every inch as exciting as the launch list--and the covers are every bit as beautiful. As a fan of Christian speculative fiction, you'll want all three of these titles on your shelf. They're coming on April 1. No foolin'!

Keep your eye on the Marcher Lord Press store!