Intervention by Terri Blackstock

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As a fan of the tv show Intervention, I was immediately drawn to this title by the talented Terri Blackstock. I plan to have a full review up at TitleTrakk.com soon, but suffice it to say this was a suspenseful read! It kept me turning the pages for sure. Bravo, Terri!

ABOUT THE BOOK


Barbara Covington has one more chance to save her daughter from a devastating addiction, by staging an intervention. But when eighteen-year-old Emily disappears on the way to drug treatment—and her interventionist is found dead at the airport—Barbara enters her darkest nightmare of all.

Barbara and her son set out to find Emily before Detective Kent Harlan arrests her for a crime he is sure she committed. Fearing for Emily’s life, Barbara maintains her daughter’s innocence. But does she really know her anymore? Meanwhile, Kent has questions of his own. His gut tells him that this is a case of an addict killing for drugs, but as he gets to know Barbara, he begins to hope he’s wrong about Emily.

The panic level rises as the mysteries intensify: Did Emily’s obsession with drugs lead her to commit murder—or is she another victim of a cold-blooded killer?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Intervention, go HERE

Watch the book Trailer:

Offworld winner

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And the winner is...

Janet!

(Please e-mail me at cj at cjdarlington dot com with your mailing address)

For those who didn't win, be sure to pick up your own copy of Offworld at the following great online sites:

Amazon.com
Christianbook.com
Barnes & Noble.com

Offworld by Robin Parrish

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I knew this one would be intriguing right from the get-go. I mean, who wouldn't have interest in a book with the premise of the whole earth's population disappearing without a trace? With no explanation.

Not exactly what four astronauts from Mars want to come home to. But it's exactly what happens, and we spend the whole book discovering along with them what really took place.

I'm not a sci-fi die hard or anything, but I just can't resist a good speculative title like this. Robin managed to hold my interest, like he did with his first novel Relentless. Towards the end I had to stretch my imagination a little, but really. This whole premise is about blowing our disbelief out of the water. A great summer novel!

And guess what? I'm giving away a copy. Just leave me a comment with your favorite Christian speculative fiction title, and I'll enter your name in the drawing. Winner will be picked next Monday.

Read the first chapter here.

Watch the trailer:

Taking Tuscany by Renee Riva

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This week the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is featuring a sequel to a book I loved. Saving Sailor by Renee Riva is a novel that flew under the radar---but shouldn't have. It was a delightful story with a main character who reminded me a little of Scout in To Kill A Mockingbird, but even more charming.

I am so thrilled to re-visit A.J. Degulio in Taking Tuscany! Since I only received the book a couple days ago I haven't finished it yet. But here's the sign of a great book...even without reading the whole thing, I highly recommend it!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Renee Riva writes humorous stories with a message, for both children and adults. Having been raised in a large Italian family with a great sense of humor, she has much to draw from for developing quirky characters.

She loves sharing her secrets for story starters at Young Author events, helping to spark the imagination of young minds. Renee and her husband live in Richland, Washington, with their three daughters, a dog, a cat, and until recently, her beloved hamster—may she rest in peace.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

A. J. Degulio loved the idea of a visit to the Old Country... until her family decided to stay. It's 1972 and she's turning fourteen in a crumbling castle on a hill in Tuscany, wishing she were back in Idaho with her beloved dog, Sailor. In Italy, her blonde hair makes her stick out like a vanilla wafer in a box of chocolate biscotti, and she's so lonely her best friend is a nun from the local convent.

The challenges of roots and relatives are nothing new to A. J., but she's going to need more than the famous Degulio sense of humor to survive. Can't anyone see that Italy isn't really home? It will take a catastrophe - and a few wise words from a friend - for A. J. to understand that sometimes the only thing you can change is your perspective.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Taking Tuscany, go HERE

The Real Enemy by Kathy Herman

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Upon reading the description of The Real Enemy by Kathy Herman, I was immediately intrigued. A female police chief isn't seen too often in Christian fiction, and I was curious how Herman would handle her character, Brill Jessup. She did a good job of creating a complex, strong female character.

Here's a short summary of the story:

Brill Jessup is the first female police chief in Sophie Trace, Tennessee. She's a pro at solving cases---but personally insecure. Work has become her favorite distraction from trying to forgive her husband Kurt's infidelity. But when seven people go missing, her tireless investigation threatens her family and she's forced to confront the real enemy.

Read the first chapter here.

Guess what? I'm giving away a copy of The Real Enemy! Leave me a comment with your response to this question: "What do you most want to see in an author website?" and I'll draw a winner next week from everyone who responds.

Dark Pursuit by Brandilyn Collins

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Alright, suspense fans. This one's for you. Brandilyn Collins has just released another great "Seatbelt Suspense" title.

I recently interviewed Brandilyn, and one of the questions I asked her was: "What originally sparked the idea for Dark Pursuit and how did it develop?"

Her response:

"For over 30 years I’ve remembered a phrase from John Milton’s Paradise Lost—“hatching vain empires.” After being thrown out of heaven, Satan and his demons are bragging about how they’re going to storm heaven and regain their territory. Beelzebub says they’re just “hatching vain empires.” He has a better idea—go to earth and tempt man away from God. Since that resulting fall in the garden, mankind has been on the dark pursuit of building his own vain empires. I got to thinking—what might that underlying theme look like in a modern-day suspense novel? Who might various characters represent? How might the colors of life and death (green and black) fit into the story?"

Got your interest? :) Read the full interview here.

My friend and fellow writer Darcie Gudger had this to say in her review at TitleTrakk.com:

"Dark Pursuit’s plot moves from fast to fierce. The last few chapters will leave you white-knuckled and breathing hard. It did me, and I live for this genre. Cool relief washed over me when the resolution phase commenced." Read the full review here.

Less Than Dead by Tim Downs

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I'd like to let you know about a terrific new novel on the market. Less Than Dead by Tim Downs is his 4th "Bugman novel", and it is a wonderful read. I've written a full review that's now appearing on TitleTrakk.com, but here are a few snippets:

"Nick Polchak isn’t your typical fictional hero. He isn’t strong, handsome or social. More like Monk than Jack Bauer. But there’s something endearing about this crazy, insect loving man with the enormous coke bottle glasses, wickedly dry sense of humor, and disdain for authority. He says the things we wish we could say, and we never know what hornet’s nest he’ll step on."

"Since Shoofly Pie the Bugman novels have progressively developed to become some of the best suspense reading on the market. Less Than Dead is the best of the bunch."

Check out the full review here.

Isolation by Travis Thrasher

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Having read Travis' previous novel Gun Lake, I was looking forward to picking up Isolation and seeing how he handled the storyline:

Trapped

Exhausted

Terrified

. . . Alone

When a missionary family moves into a secluded mansion in the mountains of North Carolina, they think they are escaping their nightmares. But when a snowstorm hits and they are trapped inside their new home, their worst fears become reality. As they fight to stay alive, they will be tested in ways they never imagined. Can their love for one another and their faith in God save them from the dangers lurking here?

Yes, this scenario has been done before, but Travis brings a terrific Christian angle to this potentially scary book. I'm a reader who loves my suspense but doesn't like to be dragged through the gutter. Lately it seems many in the Christian fiction arena are pushing the envelope just because they can. Often I wonder if a scene is there simply for shock value.

I didn't feel that way about the scenes in Isolation. Yes, it's a horror novel, but Travis never crosses the line too far. Right when some authors would have described a violent scene or act, Travis turns the camera away. Thank you for that, Mr. Thrasher! It made this novel one I can highly recommend. Stephen King, Ted Dekker & Frank Peretti fans will especially enjoy.

But perhaps the most important aspect is the spiritual take-away. This novel isn't afraid to ask the tough, spiritual questions, like where is God when bad things happen?

For more info, visit Travis online at his website.

House of Wolves by Matt Bronleewe

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Matt Bronleewe has just released his second novel, Book #2 in the August Adams Adventures series. House of Wolves is even better than his first book Illuminated.

To learn more about Matt, check out this in depth interview I conducted with him when Illuminated released.

Here's how my review starts:

We first met rare book scout August Adams in Matt Bronleewe’s novel Illuminated. A purloined Gutenberg Bible sent Adams and his family on the adventure of a lifetime. Now he’s back in House of Wolves, and the rare book du jour is The Gospels of Henry the Lion. Like in Illuminated, this book is real, too. Published in 1188, the title actually sold for 12 million in 1983. No one knows for sure who bought it at the Sotheby auction (a camouflaged military plane was sent from Berlin to collect it), but Matt Bronleewe has penned a novel that gives us his best guess.

Read the full review here.

Merciless by Robin Parrish

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All good things must come to an end, and with Merciless it's The Dominion Trilogy by Robin Parrish.

Starting with Relentless, continuing with Fearless, and now finishing with Merciless, the Dominion Trilogy has been quite a ride.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Robin Parrish had two great ambitions in his life: to have a family, and to be a published novelist. In March of 2005, he proposed to his future wife the same week he signed his first book contract.

More than ten years he spent writing for various websites, including About.com, CMCentral.com, and Infuze Magazine, which is a unique intersection between art and faith which he also conceived of and created.

One of his more "high concept" ideas for Infuze was to return to his love for storytelling and create a serialized tale that would play out every two weeks, telling a complete, compelling story over the course of nine months. That serialized story eventually came to the attention of several publishers, who saw it as a potential debut novel for Robin Parrish.

In 2005, Bethany House Publishers brought Robin full circle by contracting him for the rights to not only that first book, Relentless -- but two sequels including Fearless and Merciless. A trilogy that unfolded in the consecutive summers of 2006, 2007, and this year, 2008. One massive tale -- of which that first, original story would form only the foundational first volume of the three -- spread across three books.

Robin Parrish is a journalist who's written about pop culture for more than a decade. He and his wife, Karen and son live in North Carolina.

Read my review of Relentless here.

Watch the trailer for Merciless below:

Try Darkness by James Scott Bell

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I've been a James Scott Bell fan for years. His novels always interest me, and I enjoy his fast-paced style. Recently he began his new Ty Buchanan mystery/suspense series. The first novel, Try Dying was released last year. (Read my review here.)

The latest in the series, Try Darkness, has just hit shelves, and it's even better than the first. I've also written a review for this book. Here's how my review begins:

Ever since his first novel came out in 1995, James Scott Bell’s been an author to watch. The Darwin Conspiracy, a sometimes tongue-in-cheek look at the evolution debate, put him on our radar. Two years later his legal thriller Circumstantial Evidence debuted, and since then Jim hasn’t strayed too far from his suspense groove. In fact, when you pick up a Bell novel you can count on his trademark tag-line “The Suspense Never Rests” to be true.

That’s certainly the case for his new Ty Buchanan crime/mystery series. In Try Dying (Book 1), Ty’s character was established. He’s a fighter, an attorney you don’t want to push too hard. Yet we always suspected he had a softer side. Now in Try Darkness (Book 2), a little girl’s mother is murdered and Ty becomes her impromptu guardian. Fatherly instincts Ty didn’t even know he had bubble to the surface. He’ll do anything to defend the young life under his care. Why was her mother murdered? What connection does the crime have with charges the mother was about to bring to the motel ready to evict them? As usual, there’s much more going on than first meets the eye, and it’s up to Ty to unravel the mystery and keep himself and his friends alive in the process.

Read the rest of the review here.

I've also done an interview with Jim for TitleTrakk.com, and he talks a lot about the series.

The Hunted by Mike Dellosso

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It's a pleasure to feature The Hunted by Mike Dellosso on this blog. It's this week's featured CFBA blog tour book. I had the chance to read this book in manuscript format for Mike and offer my endorsement:

From page one The Hunted grabbed me by the collar and wouldn’t let go. It’s full of intrigue, supernatural undertones, and true-to-life characters. I highly recommend this superb debut novel. Mike Dellosso could very well be the next Frank Peretti—if you liked The Oath and Monster, you are going to love The Hunted.

I have a more detailed review of the book up at TitleTrakk.com here that begins with this summary:

While playing in the woods with his friends, eleven-year-old Caleb Saunders is viciously attacked by a large, snarling, mysterious animal. His uncle Joe, a man struggling with his newfound faith, sets out on a mission to find the creature. Along the way he rekindles a friendship, and maybe something more, with the local Chief of Police who’s on a mission of her own. The two uncover things about themselves and the monster terrorizing their community they wish they hadn’t.

Mike did an interview with me, also for TitleTrakk.com, and I asked him about how he got the idea for The Hunted. Here's an excerpt:

C.J.: Share with us about the urban legend that originally inspired you to write The Hunted and how the story developed from there.

Mike: I was surfing the net looking for news clips that might stir my imagination when I stumbled upon this article from the 1920’s. Apparently in some hick town in Indiana the townies were claiming to see an African lion. There were sightings in the fields surrounding the town and a farmer claimed one of his cows was killed by a lion. The town was really in a panic over it. This went on for a few months then just stopped. No one ever figured out where the lion went or where it had come from. Soooo . . . this got me thinking. What if . . . ? You know? And from there the story started to develop in my semi-demented imagination. I put a supernatural, spiritual spin on it, threw in some quirky characters, and . . . there you go.

Check out more here.

The Big Picture by Jenny B. Jones

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Let me introduce you to The Big Picture by Jenny B. Jones. It's the featured novel this week at the CFBA. There aren't too many books I want to shout about from the rooftops, but the Katie Parker Production series (of which The Big Picture is Book #3) is one of them.

The cool thing I've found about these books is that folks of all ages are enjoying them, even though it's officially a YA series. That's the sign of a good book.

I had the honor of endorsing The Big Picture. It can be found on the first page of the book and reads thus:

"Fresh, relevant, and snappy, The Big Picture deals with tough real-life issues. Jones beautifully balances the serious with witty humor and some of the most memorable characters in fiction today. By the book's end, you'll be clamoring for more Jenny B. Jones. I certainly am!"
--C.J. Darlington, cofounder and book editor; TitleTrakk.com

For those new to the series, here's a rundown of the books:

Book 1: In Between

Katie Parker finds herself in a minivan bound for In Between, Texas, home of her new foster family, Pastor James and Millie Scott. Soon she falls into the wrong crowd and finds herself in serious trouble. Along the way she’s introduced to faith, encounters Mad Maxine (her crazy foster grandma who rides bikes in spike heels), a play gone awry, and a secret that won’t stay under wraps. Will her foster family and the church youth group accept her as she is or steer clear of Katie’s chaos?

Book 2: On The Loose

It’s going to take more than a glass slipper and some fairy dust to fix Katie’s problems. Just as she finally settles into her new life a devastating tornado rips into town. When the winds settle, nothing is ever the same again. Millie is diagnosed with breast cancer, and Katie begins to doubt if God really does care. If something happens to Millie, will she be sent back to the group home? Things spiral even further out of control when Katie juggles a science fair project, a malfunctioning best friend, spring break plans, and holding the attention of her own Prince Charming.

Book 3: The Big Picture

Just as school winds down for the summer, Katie comes home to find the shock of her life on the Scotts’ front porch - her mother. Bobbie Ann Parker, newly released from prison, has come back for her daughter. But how can Katie leave In Between when so much is falling apart? There’s Maxine’s crumbling love life to take care of, a boyfriend to win back, and the town drive-in to save.

EXTRA! EXTRA! I've had the chance to interview Jenny twice for TitleTrakk.com.

Read the first interview.

Read the second interview (done with my sister Tracy).

My Soul to Keep by Melanie Wells

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Today I want to bring to your attention a terrific new book by author Melanie Wells. It's the featured book this week at the CFBA. My Soul to Keep is the third book in Melanie's Dylan Foster series featuring her character . . . uh, Dylan Foster. :)

I was hooked on Melanie's writing ever since I read her first novel When The Day of Evil Comes. Actually, I listened to it on CD during a looooonng car ride, and it made the miles fly by, let me tell you!) And then her second novel Soul Hunter was another terrific read.

This is character driven suspense at its finest with just enough quirkiness in Dylan's character to allow for some lighter moments as well.

But there's nothing light about this premise. A young boy is abducted right out of the park, with his mother, Dylan, and others all nearby. Is it the work of Peter Terry, Dylan's personal demon (literally and figuratively)?

Read a great review of the book here by my friend Dale Lewis.

I recently interviewed Melanie about My Soul to Keep at TitleTrakk.com. Here's the first question:

C.J.: Let’s start right off talking about My Soul to Keep. This is Book #3 in the Dylan Foster series, and a child kidnapping plays a huge part in the novel. What made you decide to write a book dealing with a parent’s worst nightmare?

Melanie: The previous book, The Soul Hunter, makes it clear that Peter Terry is after little Nicholas, so once again, the characters decided the plot and I just followed along. I became very sensitive to crimes against children while I was writing this book. That anyone could intentionally harm a child – it’s so awful, I can barely think about it. It was an emotional book to write, for that reason. Even though the characters are obviously fictional, they’ve become very real to me and to so many readers. And of course, this sort of thing happens every day.

Read the full interview here.

Amber Morn by Brandilyn Collins

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This week the CFBA (Christian Fiction Blog Alliance) is featuring Brandilyn Collins' latest novel Amber Morn. The fourth and final book in her Kanner Lake series, this one is a little different from the others. Featuring an ensemble cast, a hostage situation, the Scenes and Beans bloggers, and Brandilyn's tradmark Seatbelt Suspense, fans are sure to be satisfied.

Read a fun interview I did with Brandilyn awhile back here.

Read my review of Book #1 in the Kanner Lake series, Violet Dawn here.

Read reviews of Coral Moon here, and Crimson Eve here by my friend and fellow writer Darcie Gudger.

Betrayed by J.M. Windle

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I want to bring to your attention a great new book that's being featured this week on the CFBA blog tour.

Betrayed by J.M. Windle intrigued me first with its cover, but I've been meaning to read her works every since her first novel Crossfire, published by Kregel (which has another cool cover, by the way). This latest novel is being published by Tyndale.

Jeanette's BIO:

As the child of missionary parents, award-winning author and journalist Jeanette Windle grew up in the rural villages, jungles, and mountains of Colombia, now guerrilla hot zones. Her detailed research and writing is so realistic that it has prompted government agencies to question her to determine if she has received classified information. Currently based in Lancaster, PA, Jeanette has lived in six countries and traveled in more than twenty. She has more than a dozen books in print, including political/suspense best-seller CrossFire and the Parker Twins series.

I'm in the middle of Betrayed as I write this, and so far it's lived up to its promise of providing a noteworthy reading experience. I'm looking forwarding to completing it.

Adam by Ted Dekker (CFBA)

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It's a pleasure to feature blockbuster author Ted Dekker's latest offering here with you. I've got a lot of respect for Dekker. He's accomplishing things with his writing many of us can only dream about. And yet he's humble.

I've had the chance to interview him twice now for TitleTrakk.com. The first time we talked a lot about the movie Thr3e, as well as his writing habits.

"I see God everywhere. We’re created in His image. When I see a really cool concert, I see that person on stage, and I don’t care who they are—I’m seeing God. Why am I so attracted to that music? I’ll tell you why. ‘Cause that is the fingerprint of God, regardless of whether they recognize it, I’m watching one of His finest toys."

The second time we focused on his graphic novels, among many other things.

"It's the ah ha! moments each day that make the [writing] experience worth while. Each ah ha! moment translates into a reader's wow, moment. Worth every drop of cold sweat."

In this same interview Ted talked about Adam. He said:

Adam is one of the most important books I’ve ever written from where I’m sitting. Ultimately it deals with a question that we might have all considered at one time or another: What would happen if you, an agnostic but well reasoned person who resents religion, invited an evil sprit to sure, why not, come on in?

As the priest I’ve written says: Give me one hour in the dead of night with a man who is possessed and I will turn the staunchest atheist into a believer. Adam is the story of a serial killer and the FBI behavioral scientist obsessed with bringing him to justice, but more than that it’s the story of our own society’s loss of faith in the raw power of Jesus.

I’m told it will be a divisive book, more than any book I’ve written, but I think it’s a critical read for any and all who think faith is for old women who like Sunday potlucks. This is a book you might dare those lost in apathy to read.

Read a great review of the novel here and see what you think!

Christian Writers' Market Guide 2008

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"The Essential Reference Tool for the Christian Writer"

The book's tagline says it all. I've been buying this guide for several years now, and it's one of those books that's worth buying every year. If only to see how vast the Christian publishing world has become.

This year we have over 1200 markets (43 new book publishers and 53 new periodicals). There are also 280 new entries to the Resources for Writers section.

For the second year in a row readers are also given the listings in a CD at the back of the book (in Word and Adobe Acrobat formats). This can be invaluable when researching publishers or magazines for your work as you can cut and past particular listings into a different document and then print at will.

Not much has changed this year in the Christian Writer's Market Guide, but that's a good thing. All writers who wish to write for this market should go out and buy themselves a copy. Just make sure you verify an editor's name with a publisher or periodical before sending a submission---many of these entries are already outdated due to the fast changeovers found in the publishing industry.

Also be sure to check out Sally's blog, where she gives up-to-date information on the markets. Click here.

3 Writing Tips

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I've been tagged by my good friend WordVixen to do a writing meme. The rules are simple (luckily!). You post three writing tips that you've learned along the way, and then nominate 5 more bloggers to take up the meme (which, by the way, is pronounced "meem"). Here goes:

1. Writers are made, not born.
I think a very common misconception among beginning writers is that they can sit down at their computer, bang out a manuscript, and then expect a publisher to pick them right up. This does happen, but rarely. Why would we think a writer's path is different from say a doctor's? If you want to be a doctor you can expect to spend at least 10 years learning and perfecting your craft. I think writers should expect the same. If it happens sooner, great. But go in expecting a ten year apprenticeship. You'll be less disappointed when the years pass and you're still banging away at your computer!

2. Read, read, read.
This tip makes it to many lists like this for a reason. I believe we can learn more by reading other novels (talking to fiction writers) than reading how-to books. We'll pick up more than we might imagine. We'll recognize the structure of a story, and what makes it compelling. It'll happen naturally if you read widely. You might not be able to name exactly why something works, but you'll have a gut feeling what does. That skill will be one to ride the river with.

3. Don't worry about your voice and branding too early.
This is something I've noticed a lot in beginning writers (and of course I'm still learning a ton myself). They focus less on their craft and more about their "voice" and how to brand themselves, than I personally think they should. Your voice will develop naturally the more you write, and why worry about branding when you have nothing to brand? Yes, I understand both of these things are important at some point in our writing careers, but if we focus on writing the best books we possibly can, we'll eventually get to the place where these things naturally fall into place.

I could go on and on with various tips I've learned, but I'll stop here and leave the rest for another day. :) Now ... who to tag? I'm going with Mike Dellosso, Katie Cushman, John Perrodin, Donna Fleisher, Darcie Gudger, and Creston Mapes.

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The CFBA blog tour this week is for Marilynn Griffith's new novel Happily Ever After. Marriage. Motherhood. And a Monster-in-law. Interesting ... :)

Karen Ball - A Woman of Many Hats!

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I've always been a little bit in awe of Karen Ball. After all, the woman developed the fiction lines at Tyndale, Multnomah, Zondervan, and now is hard at work on B&H's. She's edited some of my favorite authors. She's a novelist in her own right. And she's a huge dog lover like I am. :)

Her latest novel What Lies Within has just released. Book #3 in the Family Honor series, this is the final installment of the trilogy, the first of which was Shattered Justice, the second Kaleidescope Eyes.

Karen's writing reminds me of a cross between Brandilyn Collins and Donna Fleisher, which is interesting because she has edited one and acquired the other (thanks for setting me straight, Donna! :). The suspense is definitely a strong point to the series, but the family drama between three siblings makes sure character development isn't thrown aside.

Read a terrific interview with Karen here by my friend Rel Mollet.
Read an interview I conducted with Karen several months ago here.

Visit Karen's newly designed website here.
And her blog here.