SCARY SUMMER NIGHTS SWEEPSTAKES!!

Eight of your favorite TNZ Fiction authors created eight stories—and if you match the authors to their stories, you might win a Coleman camping kit! http://bit.ly/1n4ZpZb #TNZSummerNights

Mark of Distinction by Jessica Dotta - REVIEWED

About the Book:
London is said to be the glittering jewel of society, a world unto itself—but to Julia Elliston it is a city of shadows. Her life is swiftly dissolving into scandal. And in Victorian society, even a whisper of scandal—substantiated or not—can be the death of a young woman’s reputation.

Now under the watchful eye of Lord Roy Pierson, one of most influential men in England, Julia begrudgingly accepts his protection. But Chance Macy’s power is far-reaching as well, and he is eager to assert his claim over her.

Thrust into society as the Emerald Heiress, Julia is the toast of London, a celebrated curiosity. But in reality she’s trapped between the clutches of two powerful men. Aided only by a gentleman whose intentions she prays she can trust, Julia must finally take control of her own fate—but outwitting one’s foe rarely goes according to plan


My Thoughts:

“It dawned on me once, as I stopped dancing and stood still amidst a swirling ballroom, that maybe they hadn’t forgotten – maybe they’d never known.”  (p. 259)

Julia realized a profound truth in this moment. 

“He knew I wouldn’t be able to resist this Bible.” (p. 234)

Just  prior to this, Julia realized an even greater truth.

The combined effect of these two truths in Julia’s life changes everything – for all time!

I say all of this to tell you that Mark of Distinction takes the reader deep within the world of intrigue, deception, and the tyrannical patriarchal structure of Victorian England.  If you thought the first installment of this superb trilogy was special….this second installment will steal your breath away time and time again!

Honestly,  my heart remained broken most of this novel.  Julia’s plight was so incredibly painful to watch.  Along the way, I fell in love with Isaac.  I understand why Julia couldn’t but still…the man is a saint!  The rest of this crowd needs to be disciplined severely!!  Lady Beatrice is positively evil no matter that her life circumstances have made her a bitter person.  I imagine that when Julia beheld this woman, she was able to see evidence of her worst fears.  I shuddered every time she appeared upon the page.

In short, every character is powerful in a unique way.  The entire cast of characters is brilliantly interwoven, and the secrets they keep are deadly in the worst sort of way.  You will NEVER see the end of the coming!! You will be amazed beyond amazement!!  Enter upon the journey today.  The Price of Privilege Trilogy is exquisite!!

About the Author:

Jessica Dotta has always been fascinated by England during the Regency and Victorian era. Her passion for British Literature fueled her desire to write in a style that blends the humor of Jane Austen and the dark drama of a Bronte sister. She lives in the Nashville area with her family and works as a freelance media consultant and publicist.

Kim Dexter Reaching - RELEASING JUNE 10th!!

Singer-songwriter Kim Dexter (formerly of Mayfair Laundry) is back with a brand new studio album, “Reaching,” in stores everywhere on June 10^thvia Nashville-based Elevate Entertainment. The worship-infused project is the follow-up to Dexter’s debut solo album, “So This Is It,” which spawned international radio airplay, extensive touring and television appearances.

Produced by Jerad Atherton, “Reaching” was recorded at Hollywood’s legendary EastWest Studios (Elvis Presley, Paul McCartney, Frank Sinatra) with an all-star cast of players that includes bassist Jonathan Ahrens (Jason Mraz, Jewel), drummer Aaron Sterling (Kelly Clarkson, John Mayer), and Dexter on keys.

“’Reaching’ is more of a worship project than anything I have done in the past, yet is still revealing of what God has been doing in my life,” says Dexter. “I perform a lot of concerts, lead worship at a lot of churches and also sing and speak at women’s conferences and retreats, so this album really has songs for all of those communities. I sing of God's unbelievable grace and mercy, which He continually pours out on us, and His daily salvation, knowing everything that touches my life has to first pass through the hands of God. Whatever I’m experiencing He's allowed and He will use it for my best. When we let go of everything, we can live in true freedom.”

Dexter’s first major foray into artistry came in the late ‘90s when she fronted Christian rock band Mayfair Laundry, who toured nationally opening for the likes of Switchfoot, Steven Curtis Chapman and Third Day. Dexter subsequently found success as a songwriter, penning tracks for Bryan Duncan, Nicole C. Mullen, Avalon’s Jody McBrayer, and multiple missions organizations. She also wrote the theme song for the immensely popular children’s series, “Bibleman.”

These days, Dexter resides in Orange County, California with her husband Paul (a Grammy-nominated producer, musician and fellow member of Mayfair Laundry) and their children Maggie and Hudson. The whole family frequently loads up the tour bus to experience adventures on the road together, while Kim shares her deeply personal songs and stories of survival, perseverance, courage and healing at various concert venues, churches, women’s conferences and retreats.

“My life is a story of miraculous grace, personally, within my marriage, and also with new creative opportunities,” says Dexter. “God has been there the whole time and I am a testimony that He can truly do anything.”

The root for Dexter’s inspirational well runs deep in various directions, first and foremost, with her love for Jesus and her family. Musically, her vast pool of muses includes faith-based powerhouses like Keith Green and Gungor, alongside mainstream favorites like Sarah McLachlan, The Fray and Ingrid Michaelson. Add in some of life’s simplest pleasures, like laughing with her children, green juice drinks and a long work out, coupled with wanting to stir the souls of audiences or address the enormity of suffering in the world, and Dexter emotes authenticity and inspiration at every turn.

“God is always pursuing us, reaching through darkness, loss, and human frailty to the depths of our hearts,” she says. “In response to this kind of love, I am reaching for more of Jesus and for the highest call He has placed on my life. I always lean on what it says in Philippians 3:13: ‘But one thing I do: Forgetting the past and reaching forward to what lies ahead’...”

For more information, visit www.kimdexter.com.

A Place in His Heart by Rebecca DeMarino - REVIEWED

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing A Place in His Heart Revell (June 3, 2014) by Rebecca DeMarino

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Rebecca DeMarino was born in Pensacola, Florida, the daughter of a Navy pilot. Her mother made a home for the family of six all over the map, including Virginia, Nevada, California, Washington, and Guam, before her parents put down anchor on a ranch in Oregon.

As the wife of a young Air Force officer, married life brought more travel. She relied on her mother’s example of how to make a home anywhere. Her three beautiful daughters were born in Florida, Alaska and Nebraska.

Retired after sixteen years with a major airline, she manages to fulfill her love of wanderlust with frequent family or research trips.

Rebecca grew up listening to her mother’s family lore of a great-grandfather from generations ago. Barnabas Horton sailed from England in the 1600’s, to Long Island, N.Y., on a ship called The Swallow. In 1999, after she found Horton Point, L.I., on a map, Rebecca and her mother made the journey to see the lighthouse named after their ancestor.

The legend goes that Barnabas brought a slab of blue slate with him from England, and had the epitaph he wrote himself engraved on it. The blue slate still exists in the Old Cemetery in Southold, L.I., with the Bible verse, “He being dead, still speaketh.” Much information was found about Barnabas, but none of his wife, save a mention in his will.

Her mother passed away in 2005, but Rebecca returned to Southold many times, drawn by her Puritan roots and English heritage. Each time she wondered about her ninth great-grandmother, a young woman who married a widower with two young boys and then followed them for the wilds of Long Island, leaving behind her home and family. What were her dreams? Her motivations? Her fears?

Rebecca’s historical romance novel, A PLACE IN HIS HEART, debuts with Revell, a division of Baker Publishing House, in June of 2014.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Anglican Mary Langton longs to marry for love. Puritan Barnabas Horton is still in love with his deceased wife and needs only a mother for his two young sons. And yet these two very different people with very different expectations will take a leap of faith, wed, and then embark on a life-changing journey across the ocean to the Colonies. Along the way, each must learn to live in harmony, to wait on God, and to recognize true love where they least expect to find it.

This heartfelt tale of love and devotion is based on debut author Rebecca DeMarino's own ancestors, who came to Long Island in the mid-1600s to establish a life--and a legacy--in the New World.

My Thoughts:

“An pain built in her chest, and ache for a hope, wherever it would be.”  (p. 165)

Mary Langston, and Anglican lady, who dreads the marriage to the son of one of her father’s business partners, could have never imagined the journey she was about to embark upon when she falls in love with the widowed, Puritan, baker of their hometown of London, England in 1630!  Yes, he needed a mother for his two boys, and yes, it was quite the challenge to pursue parental consent from Mary’s staunch Anglican father when he decides to explore courtship, but Barnabas Horton never imagined what he would face when he asked Mary to accompany him to the New World as his wife.

A Place in His Heart is a fascinating look into the day to day struggles faced by those brave men and women who left England to come to America in pursuit of religious freedom!  Rebecca DeMarino does a masterful job of drawing readers back into the 1600’s.  She strikes a great balance between the details of daily life and the relationships between her cast of characters.  This story has an emotional intimacy that causes you to pause and take a look at your own relationship with God, all the while becoming totally immersed in the lives of Mary, Barney,  and their two boys, Joseph and Benjamin!

A Place in His Heart is the first of The Southold Chronicles, and I am delighted to introduce you to this series!  Rebecca DeMarino debuts in the market with a stellar historical romance that is sure to capture the hearts of many readers!

If you'd like to read the first chapter of A Place in His Heart, go HERE.

Rebecca is hosting a Giveaway worth over $300.00 in prizes. There will be 8 winners! Scroll to the bottom of the post HERE to enter!!!!!

Paying for Sex by David Holland

(NASHVILLE, Tennessee) -- What does it take for a Christian man or woman to be sexually holy in today's erotically charged culture? Author David Holland answers the question in his new book, "Paying for Sex: The Spiritual Implications of Your Sex Life and Mine” (Dutch House Publishing LTD).

Having been miraculously set free from an eighteen year addiction to pornography, as well as unhealthy relational attachments, Holland issues a transparently clear message: sex is not just a purely physical act; it is an act which radically affects the soul and the spirit of a person too. 

"If we are to be completely free from ungodly lifestyle choices, we need to accept the spiritual implications of sexual sin and seek the freedom that Christ alone brings,” says Holland. "Then we must build a life of healthy intimacy with God rather than unhealthy attachments to sexual partners or behaviors. If we choose not to do this, then we will find ourselves continually paying for sex. If we do choose to do this, we will enjoy the glorious freedom of the children of God. So why not pick up this book and take up this challenge?”

Readers will find Holland’s vulnerability and honesty encouraging and his commitment to Scripture inspiring.

Holland is the Director of Explicit Freedom, a ministry set up to help those struggling with sexual addiction find lasting breakthrough. He is also a freelance writer, broadcaster and blogger, and serves on the core leadership team of his local church in the center of London. 

“David Holland’s book ‘Paying for Sex’ reveals sex to be a truly a spiritual experience,” says Douglas Weiss, Ph.D., author of ‘Clean: A Proven Plan for Men Committed to Sexual Integrity.’ “It is a powerful read for those wanting purity in their sexuality. The book takes you into the bedroom with God and invites him to express his pure desires to you whether you are single or married.”

Adds Rod Anderson, Host of GOD TV’s “Above it All:” “David Holland has written about a topic that took much courage and faith to produce; men’s struggle with their sexual urges. I doubt if there’s any man on planet earth who hasn’t had some of his same struggles, IF they’re honest. However our God always leads us into triumph, if we will listen to Him. David has made this an easily readable book which will eliminate much guilt from the men who read it, and help them to find their own personal victory in these and other areas.” 

“Paying for Sex” is available on all eBook platforms, and in paperback at Amazon.com. For more information, visit www.pfsbook.com and www.facebook.com/pfsbook.

Finding Spiritual Whitespace by Bonnie Gray - REVIEWED

About the Book:  
Move beyond Surviving to a Rejuvenating Place of Soul Rest
How many of us find ourselves running on empty with no time for rest, no time for ourselves, no time for God?  

Bonnie Gray knows what that's like. On the brink of fulfilling a lifelong dream, she saw her plans shatter into a journey through painful memories and anxiety. In her search for answers, she made an important discovery: we all need spiritual whitespace.

Whitespace. It's the space on a page left unmarked. Untouched. Whitespace makes art beautiful. It gives the eye a place to rest. Just like beautiful art, our souls need balance and beauty.      

With heartbreaking honesty, Bonnie guides you to discover a better story for yourself, one that feeds your soul and makes room for rest. Infused with biblical encouragement and thought-provoking prompts, this book shows us how to create space in the everyday for God, refreshment, and faith--right in the midst of our stress-frayed lives.

My Thoughts:

“But there comes a time when it takes more faith to fall apart with Jesus that to stay strong enough to stop it from happening.”  (p. 32)

Bonnie Gray was unable to stop the crippling effects  of PTSD.  It has been her journey through this disorder that has allowed her to discover how to truly rest in Christ.  Bonnie has written an almost painfully transparent view into her life’s journey as she heals from the trauma that triggered her debilitating panic attacks.  Through her journey she shares truths that God has led her to all along the way.  She shares Scripture, insights on events and counseling that has prompted her to look more deeply into God’s Word and her faith.  She draws readers close to God’s heart and encourages them to trust the Truth that is found in Christ alone.

Each chapter is broken up into sections that encourages the reader to pause and consider what you have read.   The chapters end with prompts for sharing, writing, discussion and prayer.  This gives this book endless possibilities!  You can use this as an individual study, a small group study, or, if applicable, use it with the guidance of a counselor.  This is a book that will create opportunities for growth and a more vibrant and intimate relationship with Christ.

I’ve highlighted this book to death!  I can highly recommend this for everyone.  I close with this thought from page 80: “Spiritual whitespace is a journey to discover the authentic you.”  AMEN!

About the Author:

Bonnie Gray is the soulful writer behind faithbarista.com, serving up shots of faith for the daily grind. Her work is featured on DaySpring (in)courage and nationally syndicated on Crosswalk.com. After graduating from UCLA, Bonnie served as a missionary, ministry entrepreneur, and Silicon Valley high-tech professional. She lives in Northern California with her husband, Eric, and their two sons.

All My Belongings by Cynthia Ruchti - REVIEWED

About the book: 

A new life and a new identity can't protect Becca from a past that refuses to go away.

After spending years running from the shame her father put on her family, Jayne is determined not to let him steal her future in the same way he stole her childhood. Changing her name to Becca Morrow, she moves to California and settles into a new life and new job caring for ailing mother of handsome young businessman, Isaac Hughes.

But just as she's wondering if she and Isaac are headed for a relationship, Becca's patient passes away under unusual circumstances. Suddenly, her past catches up with her and the unnerving details of her heritage threaten to destroy all sense of home and all hope for love.

Even if she could clear her name, a phone call wraps a suffocating shroud around her heart. Her estranged father needs her help. But can Becca open her new life to the man who ruined her past?

My Thoughts:

“That’s the definition of faith, Becca.  Trusting no matter what.”  (p.210)

When Isaac Hughes spoke these words to Becca they were both clinging to faith.  Faith that their world would soon right itself.  Actually, the entirety of this story is filled with a deep longing for understanding in a lot of deep areas of the heart.  These characters are treading through some really deep water throughout the novel.  Unanswered questions, some questions answered but not in the way you hoped.  

This is a complex story that will take you on a very unexpected journey toward truth.

That journey is filled with many twists and turns.  It covers a wide scope of relationships in both Becca and Isaac’s life.  You get to know them both as they care for Isaac’s mother.  The tenderness of the care that Aurelia received will make you cry.  It is amazing how sweetly that is captured in the story.  And later in the book, as they care for another family member…wow!!  And in the midst of all of these precious relationships a dark mystery develops that tries the very fabric of their souls!

Cynthia Ruchti is a gifted writer, and her story is filled with strong, memorable characters.  The complexity of the plot is totally believable, and that’s what makes it so completely satisfying! Wow! This was not what I was expecting.  My heart is sad, happy and a bit wistful!  GREAT story! One I am happy to recommend!

You can purchase a copy HERE.

About the Author:

Cynthia Ruchti has more than three decades of radio broadcast experience with "Heartbeat of the Home" radio and currently serves as Professional Relations Liaison for American Christian Fiction Writers.