Healing Stones by Nancy Rue and Steve Arterburn

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Healing Stones

(Thomas Nelson January 1, 2008)

by

Stephen Arterburn & Nancy Rue

ABOUT THE BOOK

With one flash of a camera, Demi's private life becomes public news. She doesn't know it yet, but her healing has just begun.

Christian college professor Demitria Costanas had vowed to end her affair with a colleague. But she gives into temptation one last time...and a lurking photographer captures her weakness for all to see. Quite literally, she's the woman caught in adultery. And almost everyone--herself included--has a stone to throw.

Enter Sullivan Crisp, a decidedly unorthodox psychologist with his own baggage. He's well-known for his quirky sense of humor and incorporation of "game show" theology into his counseling sessions. And yet there's something more he offers...hope for a fresh start.

Reluctantly the two of them begin an uplifting, uneven journey filled with healing and grace. By turns funny and touching, this story explores the ways humans hurt each other and deceive themselves. And it shows the endlessly creative means God uses to turn stones of accusation and shame into works of beauty that lead us onto the path of healing.

An auspicious debut for a candid yet tender series about pain, healing, and God's invitation for second chances.

My Review

There are some books that, after you have read them, you know without a doubt you will never, ever be the same again. Healing Stones is one such book. This book speaks to the very heart of what grace and mercy are all about. There is nothing hidden. The ugliness of sin is depicted in such raw wretchedness you want to turn away from it. The pain of remorse is so poignant and real that your own nerves are left feeling raw. The price of sin embraced and unrepented is shown in gory detail.

And yet…the gentle touch of God’s forgiveness and the loveliness of His still, small voice will whisper His promises to you as the characters discover what it means to forgive and be forgiven. When you read the final pages of this book, you will weep with joy over all that Christ has done for His children, for you will feel His touch in your very marrow. And you will never read the parable of the woman caught in adultery the same way…ever again.

A dramatic description of a book? Perhaps. But for me…for where this message finds me in my own walk of faith and in the midst of my own trials…this book will never be forgotten. For it is written in Christ’s precious blood upon the pages of my heart.

Meet the Authors

Stephen Arterburn is the founder and chairman of New Life Ministries—the nation’s largest faith-based broadcast, counseling and treatment ministry—and is the host of the nationally syndicated “New Life Live!” daily radio...





By 1996 Nancy was a full-time writer. The Christian Heritage Series made that possible. She was writing those books from the early 1990's until 2000.

And then a new opportunity came along--the Lily series. If she ever doubted that she was going to make it as a writer, man, that little red-head put those fears to rest! And, of course, Sophie followed Lily, with some teen and grown-up books in between -- plus the non-fiction books designed just for you.

Nancy and her husband live in Tennessee now, overlooking a beautiful lake, lots of sycamore trees, and the rocky Tennessee hills. They have a bright yellow power boat named BANANA SPLIT which you can find us on no matter what the weather. Marijean and her husband live nearby with my three grand-dogs and three grand-cats (and two grand-snakes . . .)



Steve Arterburn dropped by to chat about Healing Stones: Welcome Steve!

1. This is a new joint venture for you as a writing “team”. How did this get started? Will you write all of the novels together?

I have terminal ADD so I may be confused on this, but I wanted to write fiction. I wrote some and the plot and ideas were good but the art of fiction writing was not there. Nancy Rue and I had worked juvenile fiction when I was in charge of Women of Faith. I created a character named Lily that she developed. Not only did she develop the character, she developed the series into a multi-million best selling series. So naturally I thought she would be great as a partner in this series. And great partner is an understatement. It has been just amazing to write with her.

2. Was the concept behind the story intended as a modern-day telling of the parable of the woman caught in adultery from the beginning or was there another driving force behind the plot?

As we began to develop the story of this flawed woman who sought help from Sully, Nancy came up with Sully leading her to look at the parable and compare herself to the woman who experienced the grace of Christ in the midst of the harsh judgment of the stone holders.

3. Adultery has never been “easier” with the internet and easy access to pornography. Do you think this makes forgiveness easier or more difficult for married couples? In short do you think couples view the internet sites as adulterous and how do you feel the church is combating this in today’s marriages?

First of all, having been married to an unfaithful wife who actually had a site on Match.com while we were married, I can tell you an emotional affair on the internet or a physically adulterous affair in a bed is no easier to forgive today than at any other time. It is always close to impossible outside of the power of the Holy Spirit. Fortunately, the church is combating this head on. Every Man’s Battle and Every Woman’s Battle have sold millions in response to the problem.

4. Was all of that emotion as draining to write as it was to read? I think my heart hurt most of the way through this book! This was some strong stuff to deal with!

I would get a lump in my throat in almost every paragraph and even this weekend started crying when I reread the ending of sacrificial love. I was moved at the plot points and then when Nancy fleshed them out,and it brought back so many horrific memories of betrayal, it really tapped into my pain.

5. Sullivan Crisp is obviously going to be the driving force in this series. Will his mentor, Porphyria continue to appear as well? Can you tell us a little about the next book and when we can expect to see it?

She is there because she is such an important part of his life. The next book, Healing Waters, is about a woman who struggled with what I struggled with so much of my life. She has a weight problem. And anyone with a serious weight problem has a life problem, needing much more from food than just nutrition.

6. How has this story impacted your life? I know it has certainly made me examine my own concept of forgiveness toward others – especially in light of how much I have been forgiven?

The actions of Rich did indeed make me examine my own journey of forgiveness. At first I literally wanted to kill her. As I healed I just wanted her to die of a chronic illness. Then just keep the chronic illness and live. Then just a boil would do. And then finally I began to pray for good things for her. Then I knew I had healed and forgiven.

7. Can you share a word of encouragement with your readers? What exciting things is God doing in your life right now?

There is no excuse to live under the condemnation of others. Satan wants you to live in shame while Christ wants you to claim his death as paying the full price of it. At our Healing Is A Choice and Lose It For Life workshops we see people in despair, suicidal and helpless, leave with a new desire for living and a new hope for the future. I conduct these and it is what I love to do best. I hope some of our fiction readers will find their way to those workshops.And one of the most exciting things in my life is having an amazing wife, and a 17 month old baby and a 17 year old daughter and two step sons 10 and 8. These are the best days of my life after spending some very tough times walking in the valley of the shadow of death.

We've arrived at the weekend again!

Do you have a stack of books by your bedside? On your coffee table? Spilling from your bookshelves? I do!! And I'm going to try and get some quality time with my books this weekend! There will be some AWESOME books in my Window next week, and I've got a couple of authors dropping by as well, so please come back for another view!


And don't forget the give away for the Black or White Chronicles. You will find a link in the sidebar to the original post. All you have to do is leave a comment to be entered to win. There will be more give aways coming up later in the month too.

And please stop by these other great blogs for terrific book reviews, give aways, and other fun contests! Check them out...A Peek at My Bookshelf , Tree Swing Reading
, and Edgy Inspirational Author will be glad to have you stop by for a visit!

Come join me for a chat with Reveca Seitz author of Sister's Inc.

Rebeca Seitz is Founder and President of Glass Road Public Relations. An author for several years, PRINTS CHARMING was her first novel.

Rebeca cut her publicity teeth as the first dedicated publicist for the fiction division of Thomas Nelson Publishers. In 2005, Rebeca resigned from WestBow and opened the doors of GRPR, the only publicity firm of its kind in the country dedicated solely to representing novelists writing from a Christian worldview.

Rebeca makes her home in Kentucky with her husband, Charles, and their son, Anderson.


Rebeca graciously took time out of her busy schedule to share a few moments with me here. Enjoy the view from Rebecca's "window"!!

1. You are a writer who wears a few unique "hats" in life! PR specialist and business owner, published author with multiple book deals, wife and mother. With the publication of Sisters, Inc and its contracted sequels now beginning, how do you juggle all of your responsibilities? Are you a planner or a seat-of-your-pants kind of gal?

I’m a bit of both. J I’ve always been someone who loves to have a gagillion things happening at once. Downtime isn’t a gift for me, it’s an opportunity to do something! I know I have a very limited amount of time on this earth and there are many, many things I want to do and be while I’m here. So, that means doubling or tripling up on things. Thankfully, I have an amazing husband who is at home full-time with me and our 2-year-old, Anderson. He’s the calm, quiet one in our marriage. When we first met, I was working a 60-hour-a-week job, going to law school at night, working on a novel, and had just purchased my first home that was in need of renovation. He said God brought us together so that he could teach me to relax. And I have to admit, his ability to just stop for a little while and enjoy that spot on the journey for a few moments has been a miraculous gift in my life.

As for how I do it all – you know, I have no idea. I just get up each morning, eat a quick breakfast while watching the news, and get to work on what needs done that day. Whether it’s the grocery shopping (which Charlie is doing as I type!) or directing the women’s ministry at church or writing a novel or working for the GRPR clients or teaching at a writers conference or being Mommy (translation: doing silly stuff with my kiddo) – whatever it is, I get on it. I don’t stop until it’s time for bed. I trust that God’s ordering my day, that He’s bringing into my life exactly what I need to do that day. Of course, I plan the things that have deadlines. But the other stuff I do as He gives me time and attention.

2. Scrapbooking is very important to you for a number of reasons. Can you share a few of those that are most important to you at this particular stage of your life? How do you find the time?

Scrapbooking is extremely important because it helps me capture the story of my life that God is weaving. I can look back and see His faithfulness and provision when I look at my scrapbooks. It’s also important because it gives me time with my sister and girlfriends. I’ve never been one to just sit around and talk. I get fidgety and start making To Do lists on the coaster or nearest source of paper! But if I’m scrapping while I’m talking, then I’m multi-tasking. And that’s great!

As for how to find the time – the time finds me. I’ll find myself with a free Sunday afternoon or a couple of hours in the evening when there’s not enough time to start a big project but enough time to whip out a layout. Or I’ll schedule to do an all night crop for a store and get my cropping done while making a public appearance.

3. Do you love to take pictures? What kind of camera do you use? Has this been a life-long passion or a newly acquired hobby?

I’ve been a scrapper for over a decade. Last year for Mother’s Day, my hubby got me the digital Canon Rebel XT I’d been wanting for a year. It ROCKS! I really like working with a digital camera and its ease of use and almost non-existent delay between pictures makes it perfect for me. I find I take more pictures now because I can easily delete the ones that didn’t turn out quite right. My sister, though, is the professional photographer in the family. You can check her out at www.christiericketts.com.

4. In one interview about your first novel, Prints Charming, you stated that your publicist seemed more excited about your becoming a published author than you were. Has that changed with a multi-book contract? How do you feel about this new project?

You’re close! J It was my mentor that was more excited – she’d shepherded me through the process, so it made sense that she was stoked! But I couldn’t catch her excitement at the time. Not at the level she had. I get it now. I’m very excited about being a novelist and I know that God had a little more living for me to do before I’d have something of value to write. Being able to use my life experiences to create stories I’m thrilled to author is VERY exciting!

5. Do you own a Basset Hound? Where did that "character" come from?

I own three. J They’re all basset mixes that we rescued. I adopted Wilson Wellington when I lived in Orlando. He weighed about 5 ounces (a tiny thing!) when I got him at 5 weeks old. He was all ears and paws, half basset and half corgi. The rescue worker said that he wouldn’t get much bigger than that. Um, Wilson now weighs 50 lbs. I’d say he’s a bit bigger! When I met Charlie, Wilson immediately took to him. That was a big indicator to me of Charlie’s character because Wilson never took (still doesn’t take) kindly to men. Charlie and I started talking about finding Wilson a brother or sister, so I went on www.petfinder.com and started looking for more basset hound mixes. I found a baby girl with the same coloring as Wilson about an hour and a half from our home. We went to adopt her and the rescue worker was smart enough to bring out her brother, too. Charlie just couldn’t bear to part them, so we went home with TWO puppies instead of one! That’s how we got Cole Porter and Sophia Loren, who are half basset and half chow.

6. Are the sisters representative of your own sibling relationships? What was the basis for this unique blend of folks becoming family?

One of the sisters is based on my real life sister, Christie. The others are based on close friends I’ve had or have, other family members, and a lot of people-watching. When I lived in Orlando, I attended Bible study at the home of one of our assistant pastors. They had a beautiful family comprised of two birth children and multiple adopted children of various ethnic backgrounds. I remember stopping in their hallway once to stare at a family portrait. There they sat – all smiling from such a place of honesty that it took my breath. I thought, “That’s how it’s supposed to be. Forget what color we are or where we come from. We’re all made in His image.”

7. You talk about your love of chocolate and even share a recipe at the end of Sisters, Inc. What is your favorite chocolate treat?

I don’t think I can pick just one! Ha ha! If it’s fast chocolate I need, then Fudge Rounds from Little Debbie are great. For chocolate I have to work at, I like homemade double chocolate chip cookies and chocolate caramel brownies (which I make at Christmas). I also love a plain old chocolate cake from a box with chocolate icing!

8. Can you tell us what exciting things God is doing in your heart as you begin this journey with Sisters Inc? Any parting words of encouragement you have gleaned from the journey so far?

Oh, wow! I could write another novel here. God’s been so awesomely gracious to me throughout my life. I’m a headstrong person who’s spent many years learning that, while it’s easier to ask forgiveness than permission, the hurt that causes those around you doesn’t make the ease worth it all the time. I can be so selfish – demanding that Charlie be a certain way or that my family act in a certain manner toward me or that co-workers and industry professionals conform to my idea of perfection. He’s spent the past few years teaching me to pause before I adopt a thought as truth. To wonder if maybe the other person’s way of being or acting is better or even worse, but acceptable. I’ve especially learned this by becoming a novelist and having a kiddo. Anderson looks just like his daddy on the outside, but he’s completely me on the inside. He’s opinionated and willful and hilarious and loves life and is constantly squeezing more into every second he can find. That means practical things like getting out of the shower when we’re all clean don’t work for him. Why get out? The water’s warm. There are toys. And he doesn’t have anything else to rush off and do! So, I’m learning to see the world through his eyes and to enjoy it as he does. Besides, when else can I go jumping in mud puddles and not get strange stares from the adults? J As a novelist, I’m learning to let go of a lot of control. Any novelist will probably tell you that, once that book is published, you’ll need to let the promotions department do their thing. It’s been doubly hard for me to do that since I make a living promoting novels and have strong ideas and experience in that area. But I’m slowly (as I’m sure my B&H publicist will attest!) learning to listen to my publishing house’s ideas as well, to not take it personally if they don’t do something I think is necessary to the success of the book, to acknowledge that they have reasons for their thoughts and opinions just like I do. It’s definitely not something I’ve mastered yet, but I’m working on it!

Sister's Ink by Rebeca Seitz

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Sister's Ink
Broadman & Holman Books (February 1, 2008)
by

Rebeca Seitz

ABOUT THE BOOK

Sisters, Ink marks the first in a series of novels written by, for, and about scrapbookers. At the center of the creativity and humor are four unlikely young adult sisters, each separately adopted during early childhood into the loving home of Marilyn and Jack Sinclair.

Ten years after their mother Marilyn has died, the multi-racial Sinclair sisters (Meg, Kendra, Tandy, and Joy) still return to her converted attic scrapping studio in the small town of Stars Hill, Tennessee, to encourage each other through life’s highs and lows.

Book one spotlights headstrong Tandy, a successful yet haunted attorney now living back in Orlando where she spent the first eight years of her life on the streets as a junkie’s kid. When a suddenly enforced leave of absence at work leads her to an extended visit with her sisters in Stars Hill, a business oppor­tunity, rekindled romance, and fresh understanding of God’s will soon follow.

My Review:

Have you ever seen someone leave a room with their “back as straight as the line form Daddy to heaven and steps as firm as his faith?” Has your heart ever felt, “…new and stretched, like a muscle learning to move again?” Or have you ever been in a room that was, “as stuffy as an undersized casket on a four-hundred-pound-man?”

I could go on and on with examples of the fresh, vivid imagery found in Rebeca Seitz’ new novel, Sisters Inc. I have little yellow sticky notes shooting out of the book like so many quills on a porcupine – marking thoughts and phrases that I thought were really great! This is Rebeca’s second novel, but the first in a series of four novels that tells the story of a very unique family. Set in Tennessee, there is a wonderful Southern tone to the book, and the quirkiness of small-town living is captured in living color!

I really liked this book! It’s not so heavy that you are emotionally drained at the end, but it’s not so light a read that you will easily forget the characters. This story is a terrific blend of the real pain of life-circumstance and the consequence of our choices and the warm, light-hearted banter of sisters who share close relationship and posses the confidence to be real with each other. This story draws you in from the beginning, and you will laugh and cry along the way. The romance took me back to my own memories of “first love”, and the emotional struggle will pull you along until your own heart will finally cry “uncle” at the end!

I think the one passage that really spoke to me personally was on page 229. The main character is talking with her dad, and he gives some great insight, “You can believe and not be like every other believer. What you believe doesn’t change, but how you live out that belief is very different from how I do or your momma did.” I don’t know if it’s my southern heritage or just my own faith journey, but I could totally relate to the way this character struggled to separate her own faith from the perceived expectation of her parents. To hear her dad say these words caused me to give a hearty “A-men!”

Well, I’ve rambled enough about this book. It is terrific!! You don’t want to miss this first installment of what promises to be an adventure of a series!! There is something for everyone whether you are a romance or a chick-lit fan. Buy a copy today!!

John Aubrey Anderson - an exclusive interview!

It is my honor and privilege to share a recent visit I had with John Aubrey Anderson, author of the terrific trilogy Black or White Chronicles. I read the first novel in the series over a year ago, and during the Fall was able to finish his story. I was left stunned...and changed. You will find that John Aubrey Anderson is passionate about one thing in particular and that is growing in his daily walk with Christ. His gift of writing is just icing on the cake.

Please join me for a few moments as we chat with this great author. If you like what you learn, go back and check out the give away for this awesome trilogy!

Welcome, John Aubrey Anderson!!

1. You state on your site that you enjoy reading suspense/thriller type books. A lot of the suspense/thriller books coming out of the CBA market are labeled as "edgy" and don't contain an overt gospel message. Your books, by contrast, naturally include the gospel within the story while delivering a thrilling, action-packed read. How important do you feel it is to include the gospel and what do you think about the increase in books with no overt message present?

Thank you for describing my work as thrilling. I’d really like to take the credit for how the books have turned out, but what has happened with this writing thing is nothing less than a series of linked miracles. God did this. (More on that later.)

Now . . . you have, with this first question, uncovered an idiosyncrasy of mine. You and I both are continually told that writers should be voracious readers of the genre they intend to write. Well, I can’t do that. I no longer allow myself to read CBA fiction because I don’t want to see what anyone else is writing; I read precious little secular fiction for the same reason—I don’t want other peoples’ ideas in my head. I do reread secular suspense novels that I like, I read a little non-fiction, and I watch the same movies over and over. I watch a lot of John Wayne films, and I’ve probably seen Driving Miss Daisy no less than thirty times.

How important is it to include the gospel in my books?

For me, it’s crucial. The day may come when I’ll write something without delineating the gospel, but, for now, I don’t see that happening. I started writing for three reasons:

One: Well-written suspense fiction is an excellent vehicle for putting the truth in front of people who would normally pass on reading it. My aim is to “sprinkle” the claims of Christ throughout action/suspense stories that are so heart-scalding the readers will not risk skipping a single word. If readers don’t skip words, they can’t miss hearing (reading) the gospel. You, because you’ve read the books, know that God gave me “exceeding abundantly” what it took to make the writing suspenseful.

Two: God says to always be “ready to make a defense,” and riveting fiction offers a great podium from which to set forth seemingly elementary apologetic points or tenets of the faith.

And three: I think we Christians have a right to read the kind of suspense that steals our sleep without having our minds stained with the gratuitous sex and profanity that pervades today’s fiction.

What I didn’t see coming was the overwhelming encouragement and insight the books have offered believing Christians . . . the precepts they pick up from my characters and incorporate into their own lives.

What do I think about the increase in books with no overt message present?

Why would anyone be surprised? In too high a percentage of today’s churches the cause of Christ is being pushed farther from the spotlight while the things of the world are allowed to center themselves on the stage. We have lost our first love. However, I’m in the enviable position of being the kind of person who is content to live one life at a time—my own. If I’m doing the job I believe God has given me to do, I do not have the time, inclination, or responsibility needed to critique what CBA publishers are choosing to put into the market place. The only facet of their product I can control is what flows from my own word processor. For me, the various job descriptions are fairly straight forward: I’m in charge of writing what I think will honor God; God’s in charge of taking it where He wants it to go; publishers get to answer to Him for their choices.

2. Former pilot turned author....will your readers ever see your "pilot" self in your work?

Regarding my “pilot self” . . . I’ll keep me out of the books because no one could dream up a character less interesting than John Anderson. However . . .

The world of aviation is rich with the elements that make for exciting/beautiful/tense/dangerous scenes and stories—and I’m at home there. So . . . if God chooses, my stories will often spend some of their time in and around cockpits and airplanes. That said, you won’t be surprised to hear that my fourth book is an action novel steeped in the things of wartime aviation.

3. Your stories are based in the area where you grew up. Were there any racial events in your own life that made a significant impact? Could you share that with us?

Black people comprise at least fifty percent of the Mississippi Delta’s population, and I would say I was shaped more by my environment than by events.

God chose to give me H. A. Carpenter for my grandfather. I was raised in my grandparents’ home—at H.A.’s knee . . . and he was the most honorable man I’ve ever met. Captured in a single sentence: If H.A. ever made a judgment about a man based on the color of his skin, I didn’t see it. He was as gentle a man as I’ve ever met, but he was also the kind of man who could single-handedly stop a lynch mob in its tracks . . . and he did.

The Proverb that says, “Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.” is applicable in my life. Getting to have H.A. as my God-given example is a gift I waited too long to appropriate . . . and I’ll be playing catch-up until I die.

4. What role do you see racism playing in today's society? There is a lot of discussion going on about segregation existing within the CBA market just as it still exists in churches across our country. How do you feel about that and where do you think we are headed as a country?

Forgive me if I dodge the bulk of this question. I’m not a “thinking” person, and I’m not the kind of writer who keeps up with what’s happening inside the CBA. It would be too easy for me to err and downplay a crucial issue . . . or overstate a minor one.

However, in that vein: Racism is a prevalent poison that we too often drink by the quart. In the world and in the church, if there is a greater barrier to the effectiveness of the cause of Christ in our nation, I don’t know what it is.

5. Your journey to publication was idyllic. With three novels now published, do you think that has made it harder or easier to continue writing? In what way?

Good question . . . and one I hadn’t considered. The answer? Writing is easier . . . and harder.

It’s easier because . . . I have my “foot in the door” . . . I’m continually encouraged by people who contact me to tell me how much they like the books . . . I don’t feel guilty about spending hours and hours, daylight and dark, pursuing an illusive “dream” . . . I have people in the business who tell me I’m doing it right.

It’s harder because . . . I want every book to be better than the one before. Before I was published, I did not have the sense of responsibility I feel now. The realization that people are going to read what I write is sobering.

6. What comes next? Will you stay within the suspense/spiritual warfare genre or will you be trying something new? Please share!

This is the perfect time to tell you that my latest work is finished and in my agent’s hands. My wife and five couples who are our long time friends “pre-read” my manuscripts, and they tell me this book is the best yet.

I would classify the book as an action novel. Spiritual warfare is not visited as much as in the first three books, but the influence of spiritual beings in the lives of some of the characters is shown. A handful of characters from THE BLACK OR WHITE CHRONICLES play roles in the new book, but with the exception of one man, most of the major characters are new to my readers. The story involves itself in the lives of a young fighter pilot and his wife—he and other warriors go to Viet Nam while their wives stay behind to fight battles of their own.

I see two more books using the groundwork prepared by THE BLACK OR WHITE CHRONICLES.

After that? I’m not sure. I’m doing piecemeal work on a devotional book for men, and my wife wants me to write something for younger readers. If I do more fiction, I’d probably want to set the book in Mississippi—the South always seems to lend something special to a story.

7. Do you ever get asked to teach/speak about the writing process or do you ever plan to do this?

Let me interrupt here and tell you a story about my first and only writer’s conference.

On the van ride from the airport to the conference center, I sat quietly on the front seat while six “real” writers sat in the back and talked about their work. One of the authors said something about her “protagonist,” and my thought was . . . “Oh my gosh, they’re gonna ask me about my protagonist, and I don’t even know what one is.”

As it stands, I think my qualifications to write—or the spectacular lack thereof—end up being a testimony to the power of God. The events at that conference culminated in two things: a three-book deal for me . . . and God’s demonstration that He doesn’t need highly qualified people to do His work. Very simply, He chose an unknown, untried, unqualified man to tell people about Him . . . and He assumes the responsibility for the details.

So, in answer to your question, I’ve been asked, but few people are less qualified than I to speak on the fiction writing process. I learn something new every day, but I really don’t know enough about the craft to help others.

I read one or two books on writing and found out that my methods are unorthodox in the extreme. For me, I “see” the story—like a movie playing in my mind—and I write down what I’m seeing. I continue to rewind and play back the “film” until what I’ve written does a good job of describing the film version.

To cap it off . . . I’m a slow writer. For me to get one book finished in a year would take a minimum of 8 to 20 hours a day, seven days a week for twelve months.

In short, I can (and do) speak on what is taking place regarding my own books, but I’d be laughed off the stage if I tried to teach people how to make it happen for them..

8. Parting words of encouragement for your readers or something you want to share about something exciting God is doing in you life?

I am blessed—more than most—with an appreciation for how insignificant I am . . . and with an increasing understanding of how vitally important this work can be.

As I said in the answer to your first question, we are all called to be on our toes . . . well-armed, fully-equipped, “ready to make a defense to everyone who asks us to give an account for the hope that is in us.” That’s where I want my heart to reside. For your readers who are interested, I talk in more detail about being prepared in a devotion I wrote for NovelJourney.

Let me close, Kim, by saying how honored I am that you would have me here. Getting acquainted with you has been great . . . getting to share with your reader group is a privilege. Thanks.

To learn more about this author and his work, visit his website here.

To enter the drawing for his books, leave a comment here.

Black or White Chronicles Give Away!!

I have something extremely exciting for you!! If you want to read three of the most exciting books and receive a HUGE blessing, I am offering you a chance to win the entire hard cover edition of the Black or White Chronicles!! This wonderful set of books comes to you direct from the author himself in hopes that you will understand the importance of Knowing God and Making Him Known.

John Aubrey Anderson takes spiritual warfare to an entirely new level! These books are set in Mississippi, and they span three generations of people. You watch first hand as Satan attacks and God intervenes. This battle for the souls of men is fought by prayer warriors and folks who take every opportunity to introduce those around them to the Saviour. There is enough tension and thrilling conflict to keep you up all night in an effort to find out what happens next!

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It is February FIRST, time for the FIRST Day Blog Tour! (Join our alliance! Click the button!) The FIRST day of every month we will feature an author and his/her latest book's FIRST chapter!

This month's feature is:

Rebeca Seitz

and her book:

SISTERS, INK

B&H Books (February 1, 2008)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Rebeca Seitz is Founder and President of Glass Road Public Relations. An author for several years, PRINTS CHARMING being her first novel.

Rebeca cut her publicity teeth as the first dedicated publicist for the fiction division of Thomas Nelson Publishers. In 2005, Rebeca resigned from WestBow and opened the doors of GRPR, the only publicity firm of its kind in the country dedicated solely to representing novelists writing from a Christian worldview.

Rebeca makes her home in Kentucky with her husband, Charles, and their son, Anderson.


AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Tandy’s purple stiletto heel tapped in perfect rhythm to the pulse that threatened to leap out of her neck. She stared at the phone, willing it to ring and someone on the other end to declare this a joke. Her boss did not just call her into his office. Now.

The smooth tones from her CD player of Ole Blue Eyes crooning I Did it My Way mocked rather than soothed. She had to calm down, but Meg’s idea of music soothing the savage soul was not working. Fingers shaking, Tandy snatched up the receiver and dialed her sister. Calm, stoic Meg always knew what to do in a crisis. From falling off the swing set to supplying Oreos and caffeine the night before Tandy’s bar exam, Meg was a pro at handling crises and keeping her three sisters’ lives humming.

A busy signal sounded, and Tandy slammed the phone back down. Of course Meg would be on the phone right now. Why on earth couldn’t that woman understand the helpfulness of call-waiting? Tandy could hear Meg’s soft, persuasive response now: Why would I stop talking to one person before our conversation ended, T? It’s rude and I just won’t have it in my house.

Grabbing the receiver again, Tandy punched in Kendra’s numbers, jumping when yet another hawk flew into her window. Why did Orlando have to have a courthouse with the perfect nooks and crannies to build a nest? Ever since the completion of this new structure, hawks circled attorneys in the Bellsouth building across the on a daily basis.

Kendra’s melodic voice floated over the line, its harmonious tones the same as in childhood: "You have reached the voicemail of Kendra Sinclair…"

Tandy slammed the receiver down again and glared at the circling hawks. Of course Mr. Beasley was angry. He had every right to be, really. That fat deposit in her checking account every other week meant the continuation of her dedication to keeping their clients out of jail. Certainly it meant she wouldn’t hand the prosecution the very evidence they needed to obtain a conviction. She fiddled with the purple and black silk scarf tied around her neck.

Would Joy be any help at all in this situation? Joy might be the baby sister, but her quiet strength could come in handy right now. Except that Joy loved to talk and Christopher Beasley was waiting. The thought of him in his office high above the hawks, tapping his long fingers on the glass top of a heavy mahogany desk, didn’t allow for long phone conversations.

Tandy’s office phone rang and she jumped. "Tandy Sinclair."

"Tandy, it’s Anna." Tandy smiled, thinking of the gentle lady seated a few floors above her. "Mr. Beasley’s on his third cup of coffee."

Her smile vanished. "Oh, no, Anna. Couldn’t you have dawdled a bit? You know how he gets with caffeine overload."

"And you know how he gets when I dawdle. You’ve got maybe three minutes before he asks me to get cup number four."

"I’m on my way." Tandy pushed back from her desk and stood up. "Thanks, Anna."

"No problem, sweetie."

Tandy dropped the phone in its cradle, her gaze darting around the room for something, anything that would prevent the next ten minutes.

If that idiot Harry Simons had been one iota less smarmy, this predicament could have been avoided. His outright ogling of her figure had been bad enough, but certainly not the first time Tandy had been forced to ignore a man’s unwanted attentions. They all seemed to believe her red, wavy hair was a sign she’d fulfill their wildest dreams. Heck, Mr. Beasley had probably even made that assumption at some point, as evidenced by his swift promotions landing her in a cushy corner office of Meyers, Briggs, and Stratton.

Tandy swigged caffeine and paced the office. It wasn’t even Harry’s condescension. His superiority, rooted in maleness, made no effort to hide the belief that a brain resting between the pierced ears of a thirty-year-old female graduate of Yale School of Law somehow negated its existence. That idiocy didn’t even raise her blood pressure. She fingered her pearl earrings and grimaced as a hawk glided to rest on the ledge outside.

No, she would have been fine, and Christopher Beasley would not at this very moment be preparing to fire her, except for one innocent little lunch with small-minded Harry. Why, oh why, had she agreed to go to lunch with the lizard? (Honestly, his head rivaled the shape of geckos that ran in and out of every flower bed in Central Florida.) Come to think of it, his eyes were shifty like a gecko, too. Was the single life getting to her so much that she’d date a lizard? She stopped and tapped the window ledge. Meg and Kendra were on her case to date more. But who had time to meet people after spending sixty-five hours a week at the office? She sighed. The sisters just didn’t understand life in the city.

"You guys have got it easy," she said to the hawks. "Circle, eat, rest, repeat. With the occasional head bang into a window to keep us lawyers on our toes." She shook her head.

Well, it didn’t matter now. Mr. Beasley awaited her presence and it would only get worse the longer she stood here. Her heels sank into the plush pearl-colored carpet as she crossed the office, ignoring the latest sacrifice to her black thumb—a nearly dead African violet. She opened her office door and cast one last glance at what, in about ten minutes, probably would not be her office. Oh well. Maybe she could take the plant to Anna.

She picked up the violet. At least the charade of defending a slimeball, who made fun of an old homeless man to make himself seem big, would come to an end. And the day was still young; she could hit the beach before the lunch rush hit I-4.

Shoulders thrown back, chin up, Tandy made her way down the hallway and entered an elevator lined in the obligatory mahogany, brass, and mirrors, testimony to Christopher’s desire to never rock a boat even in the decoration of his law firm’s offices. She eyed her reflection and saw steel in the brown eyes staring back. Cutting Harry off at the knees in public wasn’t the best financial move to make. How would she buy food for Cooper? Pay his vet bills? Keeping an old basset hound with arthritic knees and hips in comfort was a pricey endeavor. Still, it had been worth it to see the shock on Harry’s face when she announced in her loud voice the impending completion of his career. From a 9x9 prison cell, that cardboard box would look like heaven.

She checked her chignon, tucking in a stray curl and smoothing the rest down. Picturing Harry’s smug, pudgy face behind bars did way more to calm her pulse rate than Sinatra’s croon. The elevator dinged, announcing her arrival to Christopher Beasley’s penthouse lair.

Tandy took a deep breath, tightened her grip on the sagging violet, sent up a prayer of thanks that she’d picked the Ann Taylor suit today—must look sharp when being fired--and stepped across the threshold.

"He’s waiting for you." Sympathy shimmered in Anna’s blue eyes. The Orlando sun shining through the window made Anna’s hair glow like a fresh pearl.

Tandy set the violet down on Anna’s desk. "Thanks, Anna. It’s been good knowing you. I wonder if you might coax this little guy back to life?"

Anna raised her eyebrows. "Tandy, how many times do I have to tell you? You’re a danger to plants." She smiled and wagged her finger. "You taking them in isn’t an act of kindness. You leave the greenery to us old chicks."

Tandy laughed. "Yes ma’am." She took another breath. "I guess I should go in now."

Anna sobered. "Guess so."

"Still on cup number three?"

"I just took in cup four. I doubt he’s taken a sip yet, though. He’s slowing down."

"Thanks for everything, Anna."

"You’re welcome, honey. Take care of yourself. And you call me if you need anything, hear?"

Tandy nodded, only now realizing that losing her job also meant losing Anna’s kind wisdom. She blinked hard. Crying at work would not do. She stepped to Christopher’s door and knocked.

"Come." His deep voice bellowed through the door and Tandy’s pulse kicked up again. This was it. For the first time ever, Tandy Sinclair was about to be fired from a job. When she’d moved to Orlando to take this job and declare war on the city that took her childhood, Tandy never would have guessed she’d become an actual beach bum.

"Tandy, sit down, sit down." Christopher stood, gesturing to a chair and patting the telltale stripes of his Ben Silver tie. "Seems we have a little situation on our hands." The hawks circled one story below his window, the tops of their feathered backs lit by the sun.

Tandy sat down and nodded.

Christopher’s padded leather chair creaked with his weight. He settled back, propped his elbows on the arms, and templed his fingers. "Harry tells me he’s headed for a prison cell."

She nodded again.

"He also tells me that would be your fault."

Another nod. This must be what bobbleheads felt like.

"And he says he’s ready to sue this firm for inadequate representation unless I do something about it."

She quirked an eyebrow. Score one for Harry.

"I’ve assured Harry that there must be some misunderstanding since you’re one of the most capable attorneys this firm has seen in quite some time. So, please, Tandy, explain to me how one of our biggest clients, someone for whom you serve as lead counsel, suddenly finds himself facing jail."

Tandy tilted her head. He was giving her an out, bless him. Leave it to Christopher Beasley, King of Calm and Proper Appearances, to smooth the choppy waters and restore her professional boat to proper order. An image of Harry’s sneer popped into her mind, though, and the thought of backtracking fled like money from her wallet during a trunk sale.

She smiled and adopted her lawyer voice. "Well, Mr. Beasley, I appreciate your belief in my professional abilities, but it seems Mr. Simons has some rather extreme positions regarding personal values that led me to determine he is, in fact, guilty of the crime for which he has been accused. When I asked him directly, he admitted as much to me."

It was Christopher’s turn to raise a brow. "He told you he embezzled funds from Hope House?"

Tandy nodded. "Yes, sir. I advised him I could not put him on the stand, since I would be suborning perjury, but he refused to listen. It was either let him lie to the court or remove myself from his case. I chose the latter."

Christopher swiveled his chair and stared out at the courthouse. What she wouldn’t give for a hawk to barrel into the glass. Anything to break the tension. Losing this job wouldn’t be the end of the world…just of her bank account, for the time being. She really didn’t want to lose the paycheck, but Harry gave her no choice.

The man wouldn’t listen to reason if someone etched it in a brick and threw it at his head.

She thought about their lunch again, seeing the hump-backed old man picking through a dumpster across the street. His coat had been threadbare, but Tandy knew too well the value of a coat, threadbare or not, on the streets. The priceless nature of every layer between skin and street. How the three bites of cheeseburger he found wrapped in its foil was enough to fill his belly for an entire day.

Harry’s voice had faded into the background of restaurant chatter as Tandy’s mind flew back to the seven years she spent living in a box with her mother. Before she met Marian and Jack Sinclair. Hearing the trains rumble past where they camped. Begging people for money, searching for a dry place when it rained, for a piece of food that hadn’t already been discovered by bugs. Watching her mom bob and weave as she walked, that scary light in her eyes that was both mesmerizing and terrifying because it meant mom wouldn’t make sense.

Tandy knew now her childhood had been stolen the first day her mother lit a match beneath the bowl of a pipe.

"Stupid junkie. Probably lost his job because of some drug habit." Harry’s voice joined a thousand other voices that still kept her awake on too many nights. "Bet he chooses to live like that. Easier than getting a job and working for his money like the rest of us."

Tandy looked at Harry sitting there in his three-thousand-dollar pin-striped suit, black crocodile shoes, and platinum cuff links with the Brooks Brothers insignia. Thought about reminding him his money came from his father’s hard work and planning, but decided against it. Harry was, after all, a huge client.

"Oh, probably not, Harry. You’d be amazed what some of the people living on the streets have been through." She sipped her water and willed her blood not to boil at the stupidity of the man before her.

He sneered and pointed a stubby finger at her. "Don’t be naïve, Tandy. That man could get a job flipping burgers at McDonald’s just as easy as sit out there with a cup in his hand, begging me to part with my cold hard cash that I worked very hard to get."

Silence was about as possible as finding a pair of Ferragamo’s in a size ten. On sale. Never gonna happen.

"Harry, how would he get a job? I doubt he owns any clothing other than what’s on his back. What would he wear to a job interview? Where would he get enough sleep in one sitting to be awake for an entire shift? What address would he even put on his job application?"

"Why, Tandy, I didn’t know you cared so much about our fair city’s homeless degenerates." His voice, so patronizing and smooth, grated. It fought with the pockmarks on his face to portray a polished image. "I’d think, with such convictions, you would have a hard time taking my case."

"Why is that, Harry? You didn’t embezzle from Hope House. Which means you didn’t take money from the mouths of homeless people. Which means my awareness of the plight of the homeless works in your favor." She took a sip of her water and tried to relax.

He wagged his finger at her. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, Tandy. There goes your naiveté again."

It took her a second to catch on. "Excuse me?"

He grinned and, for the first time, Tandy knew what jowls meant. "I think we both know what I’m saying."

"I certainly hope not. Because if you’re confessing to taking money from a homeless shelter, I can’t put you on the stand. I’d be suborning perjury."

Christopher cleared his throat, snapping Tandy back into the present. He swiveled around to face her. "I’m in a predicament, Tandy. Harry Simons brings a lot of money to this firm, been with us for years. That must count for something. Yet I find myself struggling with the thought of firing you since I understand the ethical dilemma you faced."

A tiny smidgen of hope blossomed in her heart.

Christopher placed his palms down on his glass-topped desk, an act of finality. "And yet, I see no course of action but to terminate your employment with Meyers, Briggs, and Stratton. Anything less would cause serious repercussions in our relationship with Harry Simons."

She fought to breathe normally. Blinked to hold back tears. Her savings account was basically nonexistent, which meant she and Cooper better start looking for a big refrigerator box to call home. Or maybe finding Cooper another family to live with would be a better idea. One of the sisters could take him. Meg, or maybe Joy. Kendra would be a last resort. She was as good with pets as Tandy was with plants. Well, except for Kitty, but cats were self-sufficient.

A hawk slammed into the window, making Christopher jump and spill the coffee sitting on his desk. "Dadgum it! Anna!"

Anna came rushing in, saw the mess, and snagged a roll of paper towels from the cabinet by the door without a word.

"You’ve got to call somebody about these hawks, Anna. They’re ruining my concentration!"

"Yes, Mr. Beasley. I’ll make the call today." Anna shot Tandy a sideways glance. Tandy grinned. Seeing the unflappable Christopher Beasley in a snit was worth getting fired--almost. Anna sopped up the mess and left the room.

"Now, where were we?" He pushed paper around the desk, checking to ensure all the coffee was gone.

Tandy cleared her throat. "I think you were firing me."

Christopher stopped arranging paper and looked up at her. "Right, right. Well, I don’t think we have to be that drastic. How about a leave of absence?"

Thank heaven for hawks.

"A leave of absence, sir?" Not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but, hey, it had to be asked.

"Yes. I think that will mollify our good friend Harry." Christopher nodded and patted the desktop, warming to his idea. "I’ll let him know you’ve taken some time to think through your behavior and will come back to the firm when you’ve gotten some perspective. Say, two months?"

Two months? She calculated the amount in her checking account and began deducting bills. With no extracurricular spending at all, it might work. Two months to find something else or learn how to eat crow. Okay, maybe this was a good thing. There was no immediate need to take another boring job in a legal firm. Two months was a ton of time. Figuring out her professional passion should be a snap. She could almost see Meg’s eyes roll at that thought.

"Thank you for that, sir."

Christopher smiled. "It’s the least we can do. You’ve been a good employee. I just wish this mess hadn’t occurred."

Poor Christopher. Conflict between an employee and a major client. He must have been up all night figuring out ways to smooth ruffled feathers.

She shrugged. "These things happen for a reason, I think." She stood up and held out her hand. Christopher took it with his own limp one and made a motion that might optimistically be called a handshake.

"Good luck, Tandy. We’ll see you back here in two months."

"Thank you." She turned on one Ferragamo heel and walked out of Christopher Beasley’s office. Eight weeks of nothingness spread out before her like a gift. There had to be a way to make money off of this.

She tapped her chin and watched the lights over the elevator. Maybe some tourist would want her apartment for a couple of weeks. Tourists would pay just about anything for somewhere to stay during season. A couple thousand bucks, easy.

But if someone were to stay in her apartment, where could she go? The whisper of her heart tickled Tandy’s brain. Stars Hill, Tennessee’s rolling countryside, Daddy’s smile, Momma’s painted roses, the sisters’ scrapbooks…

The ding of the elevator dispelled her mind’s image, but not the idea. Stars Hill. Well, it had been a while since she’d been back. Three years, if memory served. And, with Daddy and the sisters around, there wouldn’t be any need to spend money on restaurants. Though what she’d save might be spent on scrapbook stuff. It was one thing to scrap alone and quite another to sit around Momma’s old scrapping table with the girls.

Tandy exited the elevator and smiled. If she left right now, she’d be home in Stars Hill by morning.

She walked into her office, snagged her briefcase, and whipped out a tiny cell phone on the way back to the elevator.

"Hello?"

"Meg?"

"Hey, T, what’s up in the big city?"

Tandy laughed. "Well, not me. I’ve got eight weeks of a sudden vacation."

"What? What happened?"

"I’ll tell you all about it when I get there."

Meg’s squeal pierced Tandy’s ears and she jerked the phone away from her head. "You’re coming home? To Stars Hill? Yes!! When will you be here? Wait, what happened? Did you get fired? Did something happen at work?" Tandy could hear Meg’s three kids squealing now in the background. They must have caught on to their mom’s excitement.

"Seriously, I’ll tell you when I get there. Call Kendra and Joy. Breakfast at Joy’s, 9 a.m."

"You’ve got it, sister. James, get down off that table!" Tandy could just picture Meg’s eldest. He must have grown a foot by now. "I’m telling you that child will climb on anything," Meg said.

"Go keep your kids from tearing down the house. I’ve got to get home, get all my scrapping stuff packed, call the rental company to let some crazy tourist in my place for a couple of weeks, and get on the highway."

"On the road again…" Meg’s voice blared through the phone.

"Sheesh, Sis, are you ever going to stop with the songs?"

"Not as long as there’s a breath in me." Tandy heard scuffling. "James, put your sister down! I am not kidding with you, mister!"

Tandy chuckled. "See you in the morning."

"Okay. Be careful and buckle up."

"You’ve got it."

Tandy snapped the phone closed and walked through the parking deck toward her new little silver BMW 323. Man was this car going to stand out in sleepy little Stars Hill.

Please stop by next week for a give away, review and interview for this terrific book!!!