More from Bethany House ~ October, 2010 releases

More of Bethany's October, 2010 releases.

Can't wait for Christa Parrish's The Air We Breathe ~ she is an amazing author you need to read :)

Your thoughts?

While We're Far Apart by Lynn Austin

In an unassuming apartment building in Brooklyn, New York, three lives intersect as the reality of war invades each aspect of their lives. Young Esther is heartbroken when her father decides to enlist in the army shortly after the death of her mother. Penny Goodrich has been in love with Eddie Shaffer for as long as she can remember; now that Eddie's wife is dead, Penny feels she has been given a second chance and offers to care for his children in the hope that he will finally notice her and marry her after the war. And elderly Mr. Mendel, the landlord, waits for the war to end to hear what has happened to his son trapped in war-torn Hungary. But during the long, endless wait for victory overseas, life on the home front will go from bad to worse. Yet these characters will find themselves growing and changing in ways they never expected--and ultimately discovering truths about God's love... even when He is silent.

The Preacher's Bride by Jody Hedlund

In 1650s England, a young Puritan maiden is on a mission to save the baby of her newly widowed preacher--whether her assistance is wanted or not. Always ready to help those in need, Elizabeth ignores John's protests of her aid. She's even willing to risk her lone marriage prospect to help the little family.

Yet Elizabeth's new role as nanny takes a dangerous turn when John's boldness from the pulpit makes him a target of political and religious leaders. As the preacher's enemies become desperate to silence him, they draw Elizabeth into a deadly web of deception. Finding herself in more danger than she ever bargained for, she's more determined than ever to save the child--and man--she's come to love.

Head in the Clouds by Karen Witemeyer

Adelaide Proctor is a young woman with her head in the clouds, longing for a real-life storybook hero to claim as her own. But when a husband-hunting debacle leaves her humiliated, she interviews for a staid governess position on a central Texas sheep ranch and vows to leave her romantic yearnings behind.

When Gideon Westcott left his privileged life in England to make a name for himself in America's wool industry, he never expected to become a father overnight. And five-year-old Isabella hasn't uttered a word since she lost her mother. The unconventionality of the new governess concerns Gideon--and intrigues him at the same time. But he can't afford distractions. He has a ranch to run, a shearing to oversee, and a suspicious fence-cutting to investigate.

When Isabella's uncle comes to claim the child--and her inheritance--Gideon and Adelaide must work together to protect Isabella from the man's evil schemes. And soon neither can deny their growing attraction. But after so many heartbreaks, will Adelaide be willing to get her head out of the clouds and put her heart on the line?




Embers of Love by Tracie Peterson

The logging industry in eastern Texas is booming, and Deborah Vandermark plans to assist her family's business now that she's completed college. Unexpectedly, her best friend, Lizzie Decker, accompanies her back home--fleeing a wedding and groom she has no interest in. Deborah, the determined matchmaker, puts her sights on uniting her brother and dear friend in a true love match.

Deborah soon meets Dr. Christopher Clayton, a much-needed addition to the town. As their lives intersect, Deborah realizes that she has a much greater interest in medicine and science than the bookkeeping she was trained in. But when typhoid begins to spread and Lizzie's jilted fiancé returns, Deborah wonders if true love can overcome such obstacles•for those dearest to her, and for herself.

The Air We Breathe by Christa Parrish

Seventeen-year-old Molly Fisk does not go outside. She's ruled by anxiety and only feels safe in the tiny tourist-town museum she and her mother run and call home. Yearning to live free but unable to overcome deep wounds from her past, she stays hidden away. Then the chance arrival of a woman Molly knew six years ago changes everything.

Six years ago, newly single Claire Rodriguez was an empty shell. Only in the unique friendship she strikes up with a young girl--a silent girl who'll only talk to Claire--does she see the possibility of healing. But one day the girl and her mother vanish, their house abandoned. What happened that drove them away? And how can Claire now offer Molly the same chance at finding a life anew?

Watch Over Me by Christa Parrish

Synopsis:~

Deputy Benjamin Patil is the one to find the infant girl--hours old, abandoned in a field. When the mother can't be located, Ben and his wife, Abbi, seem like the perfect couple to serve as foster parents. But the baby's arrival opens old wounds for Abbi and shines a harsh light on how much Ben has changed since a devastating tour in Iraq. Their marriage teeters on the brink and now they must choose to either reclaim what they once had or lose each other forever.

My take:~

Christa Parrish's writing is a breath of fresh air in Christian publishing. Watch Over Me is just as impressive as her debut story, Home Another Way, written with heart to touch your soul.

Perceptive and authentic, Christa peels back the layers of the disintegrating marriage of Benjamin and Abbi Patel, revealing two hurting souls fearful healing their relationship is beyond them. Highlighting the isolation of battle trauma that has altered Ben's personality and the corrosive affect infertility has on Abbi's self worth, this is a painful yet ultimately uplifting read yet not in the way you expect. Other complex relationships are explored in the home of Matthew Savoie as the young teen struggles to overcome his disability and find acceptance from his dismissive Aunt and troubled cousins. Christa's literary gifts are many but her unerring ability to write authentically about the human heart and genuine spiritual struggle sets her apart from most of her contemporaries. Watch Over Me is a journey that will linger in your heart and mind long after the final chapter ends.

With thanks to Bethany House for my review copy

Relz Reviewz Extras

Review of Home Another Way

Character spotlight on Sarah Graham from Home Another Way

Interview with Christa

Visit Christa's website and blog

Buy Christa's book at Amazon or Koorong

Sneak Peek at Christa Parrish's Watch Over Me

Christa Parrish's debut novel Home Another Way was a breath of fresh air in the Christian Fiction market. I'm really looking forward to being equally engaged in her next novel, Watch Over Me, releasing later in the year.

I love this cover ~ what do you think?




Watch Over Me by Christa Parrish

Deputy Benjamin Patil is the one to find the infant girl- hours old, abandoned in a field. When the mother can't be located, Ben and his wife, Abbi, seem like the perfect couple to serve as foster parents. But the baby's arrival opens old wounds for Abbi and shines a harsh light on how much Ben has changed since a devastating tour in Afghanistan.

Their marriage teeters on the brink and now they must choose to either reclaim what they once had or lose each other forever.

Character Spotlight ~ Christa Parrish's Sarah Graham

Today the spotlight shines on.................................................................Sarah Graham
Christa Parish's debut novel is fabulous and would make a great Christmas gift for a reader who enjoys something a little different, with characters whose lives are messy and difficult. Enjoy Christa's insight into Sarah Graham.....


Brief physical description

Sarah Graham is on the thin side, but not skinny. She has dark eyes and pale skin, freckles, and red hair - the color of dried apricots.

Actor/famous person who might resemble her

I don't know! Ahh. I know many authors have a "picture" of their characters in their head, but I usually don't. I have one or two traits that are strong to me, and the rest I leave to the reader's imagination. I think it's because, in real life, I can't remember faces very well at all.

Rel: My picks are Erin Mackey or Amy Adams - what do you think?

Strengths and weaknesses

Well, Sarah is a survivor. She's been though quite a bit of hardship in her life, but she's still fighting. Unfortunately, she's fighting through ways that can only lead to unhappiness - drinking, spending, men. She also doesn't let people get close to her. Still, she appreciates beauty, especially music. She's a Juilliard-trained violinist and as much as she tries to dismiss her talent, the violin always calls her back to it. It's in her blood, so to speak - more than she knows!


Quirk (if any)

She likes peanut butter and potato chip sandwiches, drinks Diet Coke for breakfast, and is always late.

Your inspiration for the character

No one in particular. She just came alive in my head.

Background to the story

Sarah Graham was raised by her emotionally-distant grandmother after her mother's death and her father's incarceration. She grew up desperately wanting to please her grandmother, but nothing she did was ever good enough. Finally, she stopped trying to be good. As a teenager, she turned to promiscuity, more to embarrass her grandmother than anything else. But, she also played the violin, and music became her true escape. She was accepted to Juilliard, but tragedy struck once again, and Sarah gave up music. She gave up caring about anything, and did anything to numb her pain. At the peek of her self-destructive behavior, she gets news her estranged father is dead. When she travels to the tiny mountain hamlet of Jonah, NY, she finds that her past - and her future - is not exactly what she expected.

Thanks so much, Christa :) It's always a pleasure hearing from you!

Please comment and let Christa and I know what you thought about Sarah Graham.

On Monday I will be spotlighting Amy Wallace's Clint and Sarah Rollins from Healing Promises ~ it's a beauty so don't miss it!

Relz Reviewz Extras

Review of Home Another Way

Interview with Christa

Visit Christa's website and blog

Buy Christa's book at Amazon or Koorong

Getting to know Christa Parrish and open giveaway

Christa Parrish's debut novel is garnering great reviews and rightly so! Initially intending to pursue a career in medicine, Christa changed tack working in theatre and journalism before staying home after the birth of her son.

Now balancing teaching, writing and home schooling, Christa still found the time to share with us about her life and her novel, Home Another Way, available now from Bethany House.

Here's Christa:~

If you could have chosen your own name, what would it be?

I've always liked Kate. Plain, simple, no fuss. That's I.

Your first pet's name?

Acorn - he was a toy Pomeranian.

Your best friend's name in primary (elementary) school?

I didn't have one. I was a complete tomboy and got dirty with all the boys, and the boys didn't really do the “best friend” thing as the girls did.

Rel: You and me both!

Did you have a special toy that went everywhere with you when you were young? Please describe.

Nope. I wasn't a toy kid. I liked boxes, tape, rope, paper - anything to create with.

What's your favourite ice cream flavour?

Mint Chocolate Chip.
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

Africa. I know, it's a huge continent, but I'd be happy to go anywhere in it.

What's your favourite book?

Can I say that I'm terrible with “favorites?” My son is always asking me about my favorite song, or movie, or food, and I can't answer. I do have some authors who inspire me - Sheri Reynolds, Lorrie Moore, Michael Ondaatje, Cormac McCarthy, and Lisa Samson.

What part of your daily routine do you enjoy most?

Homeschooling my son. He's such a neat kid, and I love that I get to know him more every day.

What's your favourite movie?

Again, I couldn't say. I do like movies, and tend to lean towards quirky, independent films, intelligent thrillers, and original dramas. Two of the best movies I've seen in the past few years are “Lars and the Real Girl” and “Pan's Labyrinth.”



Where's the most interesting place you have been?

The Badlands in South Dakota. Amazing.

What's your most fervent prayer?

For God to use me for His glory.

What is your favourite Bible verse (or "one" of your favourites) and what does it mean to you?

One of my favorites is Matthew 25:21- His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.' When I read it, just think of how I'd love to please God this way, and hear Him tell me, “Well done,” when I meet Him someday.

What was your most embarrassing moment in High School?

I can't think of any, so I guess it couldn't have been that bad.

Ask your son one thing he thinks is special about you and share it with us, please!

He said, “You're writing a book,” and looked at me like, what else did you think I'd say?

Home Another Way

Sarah is in many ways the antithesis of the usual female lead in a Christian novel (yay!)~ tell us a bit about how she came to be.

Honestly, one night she was just there. I was in bed, and the idea for the novel came to me.

How much of you do we see in Sarah, if at all?

Not much. I'm actually more like Jack - specifically his propensity to get bogged down in guilt. But I do have Sarah's independent streak, and have difficulty asking people for help.

What came first for you ~ the story or the characters?

For the most part, my characters and my main plot line developed together - they both just sort of appeared at the starting point, and then grew, the smaller details branching off as I wrote. Except Memory Jones; she was a late addition to the book. I heard the name - yes, at least one person out there really has that name - and I knew she was what was missing from the novel.

In five words or less, describe the process of writing your first novel!

Much easier than my second!

What do you hope readers take away from this story?

One of my passions is to see the church acting like the Church, and I wanted to show this in Home Another Way. As Christians, we can't let excuses--even good, valid excuses--keep us from doing what we're called to do for both one another and “the least of these.” Many of the characters in this book could plead, “Well, I can't do this, Lord, because I'm a sinner,” or, “Sorry, Lord, I have my own problems.” But they understand God uses His flawed, faithful people to bring His purposes to pass.

Also, I think as Christians we sometimes have little patience for those, like Sarah, who carry the burdens of past sorrows. Underneath all those things, however, is someone God loves. We need to remember that.

What's next in your writing pipeline?

My work-in-progress is about a small-town sheriff who finds a newborn infant (still alive!) wrapped in a plastic grocery bag and abandoned in the field of a local cattle farm. The novel follows the intertwining lives of this sheriff, his wife, and a teenaged boy - who knows who the baby's mother is - as the crime is investigated, and as all three struggle with their own problems.

It should be released Fall 2009 from Bethany House.


Christa ~ thanks so much for sharing with us! I loved your debut novel and can't wait to see what you do next :)

Relz Reviewz Extras

Read my review of Home Another Way

Visit Christa's website and blog

Buy Christa's book at Amazon or Koorong

Giveaway

Christa is generously offering to signed copy of her book to one of my readers! To enter:~

1. Post a comment before midnight Sunday 12th October, 2008

2. Tell me your favourite ending to a novel from the following:

a. Happily ever after
b. All the loose ends tied up
c. Up in the air so you can imagine the outcome yourself
d. A few bows but some loose strings also
e. Real life - sometimes a bit messy!

Have fun!

Book trailer of Christa Parrish's Home Another Way

Home Another Way is one of my favourite books for 2009. Christa Parrish has created a beautiful and unexpected story.

Check out the trailer and then buy the book! Available now from Bethany.

Relz Reviewz Extras

Read my review

Visit Christa's website and blog

Buy Home Another Way from Amazon and Koorong

Check back soon for my interview with Christa and signed giveaway

Home Another Way by Christa Parrish

The loss of her mother at the hand of her father shattered Sarah Graham's childhood. Raised by her embittered Grandmother and starved for love, Sarah only expresses her deepest emotions through her beloved violin. When tragedy once again visits her, any seed of hope is destroyed and Sarah pursues a life littered with poor choices and destructive relationships.

Penniless when her estranged father dies leaving her a small inheritance, Sarah has no choice but to meet the stipulation in her father's will that she stay for six months in Jonah, New York, an isolated mountain community.

With their simple ways and tragedies of their own to overcome, Sarah is both repelled and intrigued as the townsfolk reach out to her hardened heart.

Christa Parrish has written a stellar debut novel in Home Another Way, reminiscent of Nicole Baart and as her publisher states, Lisa Samson. With beautiful prose, authentic dialogue and exceptional storytelling Home Another Way is emotive, challenging and eminently readable.

Sarah's bitterness and hatred toward her father is reflected in her rude and unkind manner, self serving behaviour and inability to love, all ably shown by Christa's honest hand. That Christa still invokes great sympathy for the wounded Sarah is a true indication of her talent. Wonderful characterisation marks each of the Jonah townsfolk from Reverend Jack, his disfigured sister Beth to the devoted mother, Memory Jones. The revelation of their struggles is confronting and often painful to read yet touched my heart in many ways.

Subtly woven into each chapter is Sarah's unwilling and tentative investigation of faith, portrayed with an authenticity that was a joy to read. With a courageous and satisfying conclusion you can be sure I will be reading any of Christa's future tales.

Relz Reviewz Extras

Visit Christa's website and blog

Buy Home Another Way from Amazon and Koorong

Check back soon for my interview with Christa

Coming soon from debut author, Christa Parrish

Home Another Way by Christa Parrish

After her mother's death and her father's abandonment, tiny infant Sarah Graham was left to be raised by her emotionally distant grandmother. As a child she turned to music for solace and even gained entrance to Juilliard. But her potentially brilliant music career ended with an unplanned pregnancy and the stillborn birth of her child.

In an attempt to escape the past, Sarah, now twenty-seven, is living life hard and fast and she is flat broke. When her estranged father dies, she travels to the tiny mountain hamlet of Jonah, New York, to claim her inheritance. Once there, she learns her father's will stipulates a six-month stay before she can receive the money. Fueled by hate and desperation, Sarah settles in for the bitter mountain winter, and as the weeks pass, she finds her life intertwining with the lives of the simple, gracious townsfolk. Can these strangers teach Sarah how to forgive and find peace?

A story of grace, of God's never-ceasing love, and the sometimes flawed, faithful people He uses to bring His purposes to pass.

Releasing October, 2008 from Bethany

Relz Reviewz Extras:~

Visit Christa's website and blog

Pre order from Amazon and Koorong (Aust)