Interview with Canyon Metcalfe ~ Nightshade's Green Beret

Canyon's story is told in Wolfsbane, book 3 in Ronie Kendig's Nightshade series which will release in July, 2011. Canyon is a bit of an enigma amongst the team so Ronie and I wanted to give him the chance to share a bit about himself!

Canyon "Midas" Metcalfe
from Wolfsbane

Canyon is an invaluable member of the Nightshade team, former Green Beret and now Nightshade's medic he quietly gets the job done with little fuss. Being raised in a large, loving family hasn't prevented issues arising between Canyon and some of his siblings, but he is loyal to the core and hates to disappoint anyone.

Over to you, Canyon:~


Rel:~ What drew you to the Army Special Forces Group?

Canyon:~ My dad was a Green Beret in Nam. I've wanted nothing but to honor him and make him proud. Too bad I'll never know.

What unique abilities to you bring to Nightshade?

Ya know, I've wondered how I got on this team. They're an amazing group of men, solid, loyal, fierce. I'm solid--I'll be there, I'll do the job. My loyalty is to the team. I don't hesitate to act because that hesitation can kill.

You're not a big fan of your call sign, Midas - how did you get it?

Aw man, this is wrong. Do you have to ask? ::sigh:: It...well, I guess you could say I have this sixth sense in the field. I could detect inconsistencies, pick out an enemy combatant from among civilians dressed alike. Can't explain it. Just could. So, any time we'd go out, they said I turned the mission to gold because my instincts netted some pretty HVTs--high value targets. It's stupid really. Nobody has luck. I don't believe in it--or maybe it doesn't believe in me. But it gave them hope, ya know? And in combat, thousands of miles from family and loved ones, those guys needed any thread they could grab no matter how thin. So...it stuck.

You're known to be the quiet one on the team - what is one thing the boys don't know about you?

Dude, if they don't know and they cover my six, think I'm going to tell you?

Your family is really important to you, tell us a little about them?

There's six of us kids--my parents had this thing for nature when they were newlyweds. So being the lucky offspring we are, all my brothers and sisters are named after elements or nature. There's Stone, he's the oldest and looks it. I think he feels responsible for the family since dad died. Brooke is the oldest sister and acts like our mom--maybe that's why her husband left her. I'm not judging, just saying... Then there's me, then Range--only ten months separates us and it causes problems. Willow is next, then the runt, Leif. He'll kill me when he finds out I said that in public. Some of us are pretty messed up but we're tight. Metcalfes stick together.

It's a quiet night and the lads are arm wrestling - who wins?

Dude, have you seen Cowboy or Legend? Hands-down, it'd be one of them, just because of the sheer size of their biceps. I'm not stupid enough to get up against them. I know what can happen to the arm. In fact, I saw one guy in basic end up with a spiral fracture of his humerus. Sick man. Sick.

The BBQ is on ~ what are you grilling?

Steaks--but don't tell my mom. She's still stuck in the 70s with her ideals and vegetarian preferences. Don't get me wrong--she's an amazing woman. I doubt I could ever find a woman like her to marry but sometimes, she wears me thin with her beliefs about meat and poisoning the body.


Any tatts?

This is a taboo subject around our house--my mom thinks it's a sin to mark up the body. But when I made it into Special Forces, it was a way to show my commitment. I mean, not that we had to, but it was just...dunno, something my team did. So, I have the Green Beret logo on my arm, and I have three crosses over my heart.



Well, Canyon, there is definitely more to you than just a pretty face ~ LOL! Hey, the Kid made me say it! Wolfsbane can't come soon enough - I have it on good authority that you are in for a tough time but I'm sure you've got the guts to pull through.

Next week, it's Griffin's turn and he is really kicking and screaming about it. I might need Canyon's medical assistance when all is said and done!

Relz Reviewz Extras

Review of Nightshade

Interviews with Max and Colton

Visit the Discarded Heroes website

Visit Ronie's website and blog

Buy Ronie's books at Amazon or Koorong

Character Spotlight ~ Susan Page Davis' Emma Shuster from The Crimson Cipher

Emma

With a story of intrigue and danger during the Second World War, Susan Page Davis highlights another fascinating role that women took on during the 1940s. I hope you enjoy learning more about Emma!

Over to you, Susan:~


Brief physical description

Emma Shuster, 24, light brown hair, blue eyes. She's a studious young lady, daughter of a mathematics professor, who studied literature and mathematics herself. She is quiet and modest, and is 5 feet, 4 inches tall. The year is 1912, and her wardrobe is practical and classic in style---always correct, with a little flair, but never attention-drawing.

Think actress Marion Davies

Strengths and weaknesses

Emma is very quick mentally and able to understand complicated issues. She loves her father and academics. She feels uncomfortable around people who are unkind or insensitive. Her faith is strong, but she is still afraid when threatened. She dislikes being alone in the world and isolated from family and friends, yet she can enjoy solitude and find it productive. She is practical and cares deeply but privately about her values and people she loves.

Quirk (if any)

Emma has a genius for codes and ciphers.

Your inspiration for the character

Real young women recruited as cryptographers during World War I.

Background to the story

Emma Shuster finds her father, a mathematics professor, murdered in his office. She had helped him on a project, creating ciphers for a banking firm. After his funeral, a Lieutenant John Patterson approaches her. Navy brass had hoped Professor Shuster would work for them. Now he wants to recruit Emma to work for the military.

In her new duties with the Navy, Emma cracks encrypted messages sent by German sympathizers who try to sabotage American business and communications. She learns that German and Austrian agents are conducting terrorism and promoting unrest in the United States. Their aims are to keep America from entering World War I on the side of the Allies, and to stop America from manufacturing and transporting munitions and supplies to England and her allies. Emma's job is to stop them.

Thanks Susan - Emma's story sounds fascinating. I'm looking forward to reading it!



Special Spotlight ~ this Saturday I will be spotlighting Carrissa Lathrop from Robin Jones Gunn's new release, Under a Maui Moon.

Relz Reviewz Extras

Reviews of The Sheriff's Surrender, Frasier Island, Finding Marie and Inside Story

Visit Susan's website

Buy Susan's books at Amazon or Koorong

Coming soon from Zondervan

Check these new titles coming soon from Zondervan.

Love Alison's cover.


A Place of Peace by Amy Clipston

Miriam Lapp, who left the Amish community in Pennsylvania three years ago, is heartbroken when her sister calls to reveal that her mother has died suddenly. Traveling home to Pennsylvania, she is forced to face the heartache from her past, including her rift from her family and the break up of her engagement with Timothy Kauffman. Her past emotional wounds are reopened when her family rejects her once again and she finds out that Timothy is in a relationship with someone else. Miriam discovers that the rumors that broke them up three years ago were all lies. However, when Timothy proposes to his girlfriend and Miriam’s father disowns her, Miriam returns to Indiana with her heart in shambles.

When Miriam’s father has a stroke, Miriam returns to Pennsylvania, and her world begins to fall apart, leaving her to question her place in the Amish community and her faith in God.

December, 2010




The Heart of Memory by Alison Strobel

When beloved Christian writer and speaker Savannah Trover becomes gravely ill, she has to face the sham that her faith has become. Days before her heart transplant, she vows to change her ways and she renews her relationship with Christ. But when she awakens from the surgery, Savannah discovers that her faith has left her completely. Savannah’s husband, Shaun, is concerned about his wife's odd behavior—and even more concerned about the secret he’s keeping from her. If she doesn't bring down their ministry, then he might, losing his family in the process.

A stranger may hold the answer to Savannah's recovery, but is Savannah strong enough to return to her old way of life? Can Shaun right his wrongs before word gets out? And do either one of them remember how to be who they once were—or who they want to be?

In this latest relational drama from Alison Strobel, readers will explore the difference between emotional faith and life-giving truth as Savannah wonders if she can ever trust her heart again.

March, 2011

Touching the Clouds by Bonnie Leon

Synopsis:~

Kate Evans is an adventurous and independent young woman with a pioneering spirit. She pilots a mail-delivery plane in the forbidding Alaskan wilderness, the lone woman in a male profession. But even that seems easy compared to finding true love. She likes a fellow pilot and would even consider marrying him--if it weren't for Paul, a mysterious man on her mail route with a gentle spirit and a past to hide.

Can Kate break through the walls Paul has put up around his heart? And will her quest for adventure be her demise?

My take:~

Bonnie Leon immerses the reader in the intriguing and perilous world of Alaskan bush pilots in the first of her Alaskan Skies novels, Touching the Clouds. The Alaskan wilderness came alive with effortless descriptions of locations and people and the unique challenges faced by those living in such a remote location. I loved that Kate was so passionate about her career and had to fight hard in such a man's world for opportunities and recognition. The tender romance and light suspense of Touching the Clouds has peaked my interest in this series and I will be eagerly looking out for more.

“Available July 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

With thanks to Revell for my review copy

Relz Reviewz Extras'

Visit Bonnie's website

Enter Bonnie's fabulous Take Flight contest

Buy Bonnie's books at Amazon or Koorong

Character Spotlight ~ Elizabeth Ludwig's Abigail Watts & Nathan Hawk

Abigail & Nathan

Elizabeth Ludwig is no stranger to writing books but Love Finds You in Calico, California is her first full length novel and a bit of a departure from her previous cozy mysteries. The cover intrigues me, I want to meet the woman who is wearing the red boots - LOL!

Enjoy this insight into Abigail & Nathan:~

Brief physical description

With soft brown curls and matching brown eyes, Abigail is not your typical heroine. Her understated beauty and modest demeanor belie the strong woman she is inside—one fully capable of taking care of herself…

Now, if only she could prove that to Nathan.

Grief and hard work have chiseled the softness from Nathan’s body, but not from his tender heart. Every now and then, he lets his guard down and allows Abigail to glimpse the gentle man behind the hazel eyes and sandy brown hair.

Each of them finds the other attractive. The only problem is, neither of them is ready to fall in love...

Actor/famous person

I picture Abigail as a natural beauty—not a standout, but memorable, nonetheless. She’s someone you might see on your street, right next door.

Rel: I picked Jennifer Morrison from House for Abigail.

Nathan, on the other hand, will make any woman turn her head for a second look. He’s handsome but brooding…kinda like Gerard Butler.

Strengths and weaknesses

Abigail always thought her strength was her faith in God. It’s only after she loses her father that she realizes how frail her faith really is. Still, it’s her strength of character that keeps her going…and keeps her searching for the truth.

Nathan’s strength lies in his ability to love deeply. After losing his first wife, however, that strength becomes his Achilles heel and hinders his ability to love again.

Quirk (if any)

Spunky Abigail cannot tell a lie—at least…not without being eaten up with guilt.

And Nathan? Well, he’s a man’s man, thank-you. He doesn’t believe in being quirky.

Your inspiration for the character

The inspiration for Abigail sprang from my sweet daughter (who also bears that name). Abby, as we like to call her, is a natural beauty with a deep inner strength that makes her a born leader. She can be fierce when it comes to her convictions or defending her friends, but she also has a soft side and a very tender heart.

As for Nathan…well…I guess that’s just the mother coming out in me. What parent doesn’t want their daughter to find that one person who will love, cherish, and protect their little girl? And if he's rugged and good-looking…well…Merry Christmas, sweetheart.

Background to the story

Love Finds You in Calico, California is a historical romance about a young girl who finds herself alone in a silver mining town after her father is killed. Driven to discover the truth about the facts surrounding his death, she begins searching for clues and winds up nearly losing her life (what can I say—I just can’t help putting a little mystery into my stories).

This is my first full-length historical novel, and I’m so excited about its release. Calico is a ghost town now, but at the time my story is set, it was a booming place full of rich history. I really hope I captured that.

Elizabeth ~ thanks for sharing about your characters. I love that Abigail is based on your daughter :)


On Thursday, the spotlight shines on Emma Shuster & John Patterson from Susan Page Davis' The Crimson Cipher.

Relz Reviewz Extras

Visit Elizabeth's website

Buy Elizabeth's books at Amazon or Koorong

Thriller Tour Thrilling Giveaway

The B&H Fiction Thriller Tour 2011 is over but the excitement is not! For those of us who did not have the pleasure of attending and meeting authors Robin Caroll, Jim Rubart, Tosca Lee and Brandilyn Collins, you now have the chance to get to know them through their books!


With thanks to B&H Fiction and Wynn~Wynn Media, I am thrilled to announce the Thriller Tour Thrilling Giveaway giving you a chance to win a set of the tour authors' books.






One winner will receive a copy of:~

Deliver Us From Evil by Robin Caroll
Rooms by James L Rubart
Demon by Tosca Lee
Over the Edge by Brandilyn Collins (upon its release in 2011)

To be eligible to win, you must complete the form below with your details and answer 4 questions about these fabulous authors (don't stress, all the answers are in my Pop Quiz interviews so click here to be sure you get them right!)

Interview with Colton Neeley ~ Nightshade's Sniper

The Nightshade team are delighted with the fantastic reviews Ronie Kendig's Nightshade is receiving so be sure to pick up your own copy.
You don't want to get on their bad side!

Colton "Cowboy" Neeley
from Digitalis

Former Force Recon Sniper, Colton Neeley loves his family, his horse, his team and God with the same devotion he showed in defence of his country. While he would probably prefer to be mucking stables than answering probing questions about himself, he's a good sport, so here's our interview.

Over to you, Colton:~

Rel: Why the Marines for a cowboy such as yourself?

Colton: Um...it was the nearest recruiting office? Nah, seriously, my heroes from Nam were Force Recon, so I wanted that--wanted to be like those heroes.

What are three of the most important abilities for a sniper?

Not sure it can be nailed down in three, to be honest. I see five things that are vitally important to a successful mission. Stealth, observation, marksmanship, fieldcraft (stalking, cover and concealment, etc.), and loads of patience.

Ask the other boys of Nightshade to describe you and share, please.

Dawg, you sure know how to make a guy squirm. Isn't this my interview? All right, all right. I'll never live this down if i don't. Here's what they said:

Max: Colton is a fortress of strength. But his obsession with Hastings Department store has me worried.

Griffin: He's a solid man, one you can always count on, no matter the fight, home or abroad. A fire buddy in the truest sense of the word.

Canyon: I admire the man. War tried to sink him, but he fought the current, got solid footing. Wish we all could.

The Kid: just when you think you know a man, he dumps you in a river. At least the guy can laugh when it's needed. But I see him grounding the rest of us with his Bible and his wisdom. He's the type of guy you want to be when you "grow up."

Fix: the man has faith, and to me, known as Fix because of my crucifix, that's important. He knows where he's going when his number's up, so he's not afraid to face the fight. That's the type of man I want to fight with.

Fess up, what was it about Piper that first caught your eye?

Have you seen her? She's incredible. And it's not the looks that sealed the deal for me, but the one thing that I couldn't pin down right off yet pulled me the most, was the strength of character that you can see clear as day in her eyes. Even when I got her in face, she remained undaunted. I like a woman like that, who can stand up and not back down when she believes in something. It's admirable.

The Kid hides your Stetson ~ how do you deal with him?

Sic Max on him? ::chuckles:: Naw, that wouldn't be a fair fight. But it's a Resistol Cattle Baron, and even though the Kid could cough up the dough, I paid good money for that hat and I'd be right ticked if something happened to it. But then again, things aren't important. People are--it's a lesson I'm trying to learn.

Firefox is one of the other females in your life - tell us about her?

Now see there? You're talking my language. Firefox is an incredible animal. Swift, beautiful, gentle--well, in her own way. We have an understanding. My pop says I have a way with animals, and Firefox and I sort of grew up together.

What is your favourite thing to do with your daughter McKenna?

Anything. Mickey's a breath of fresh air in this messed up world. My mom says kids are God's way of saying the world should go on...and with Mickey in it, I reckon she's right.

Any tatts?

Nah, never saw the point. Although the Kid's been threatening to return the favor Legend and I paid him and have me inked some night. To that, I just reminded him I'm rarely caught off guard.

You're a sweet man, Colton ~ thanks for stepping up! Everyone is going to love your story when Digitalis releases in January. Next weekend, Canyon's under the pump so be sure to come back and find out more about "Midas", the good looking one of the team ;-)

Relz Reviewz Extras

Review of Nightshade

Interview with Max

Visit the Discarded Heroes website

Visit Ronie's website and blog

Buy Ronie's books at Amazon or Christianbook

Indivisible by Kristen Heitzmann

...he stopped several feet from the carcass. A raccoon. But then he realised there were two, only....they weren't.

Someone in Redford, Colorado is mutilating wildlife, in such a gruesome and macabre fashion that the Police Chief fears what might come next at the hands of such a disturbed mind.

He imagined the fluid in his throat, remembered the heat like it was yesterday.

Jonah Westfall battles many demons including a long lasting affair with the bottle. Tormented and driven by the spectre of his late father and his determination to stay on top of his addiction, Jonah is dedicated to his role as Police Chief of Redford.

When was she going to live her own life? How had she forfeited that right? Or maybe she had never possessed it.

Tia Manning is haunted by her own desires. Spending the past nine years atoning for a choice that destroyed her family has made little impression on the guilt and disgust that overwhelms her. Fear and self loathing permeate her soul yet the beauty of her handmade candles hint at what might have been.

Kristen Heitzmann ups the ante in her latest psychological thriller, Indivisible, delving deeper into the inner torment of the emotionally and physically damaged hearts of her multifaceted characters. Skilfully weaving multiple perspectives in this story, Kirsten reveals the long lasting impact of a shattered childhood, the debilitating nature of unrelenting guilt, the daily torment of mental illness and the crippling effect of isolation. The psychological imprint of these experiences is epitomised in one of her intriguing characters in an authentic manner. Jonah, Tia, Piper, Liz and Miles entranced me with their internal battles and the impact of their choices. I was invested in the outcome for each of them. While the perpetrator stands out earlier than I anticipated, it does not detract from the story and provides an opportunity to ponder motivation and compulsion. The latent attraction just simmers and shows Kirsten is adept at both psychological and romantic tension. The faith element is subtle yet meaningful and I can't wait to read more of her books in this genre.

As seen at TitleTrakk.com

With thanks to TitleTrakk & Waterbrook Multnomah for my review copy

Relz Reviewz Extras

Reviews of Freefall, Echoes & The Edge of Recall

Interview with Kristen

Visit Kristen's website

Buy Kristen's books from Amazon or Koorong

Coming in early 2011 from B&H Fiction

Here are three books I'm looking forward to next year. Love Robin's romantic suspense and even though it's Amish, I can't go past a Tricia Goyer book! And Ginny's just sounds really good.

I've already posted about Kim and Kayla Woodhouse's fiction debut also from B&H Fiction, No Safe Haven, here.

How about you?

Words by Ginny Yttrup

Kaylee's mother is gone. And it seems she took Kaylee's voice with her. Now, ten-year old Kaylee must fend for herself with her mother's abusive boyfriend. Her days are spent collecting words she may never speak.

Sierra Dawn is alone. She has allowed the shame of her past to silence her present hopes. But on the twelfth anniversary of her daughter's death, God begins wooing her back to Himself.Brought together by Divine design, the relationship between Kaylee and Sierra begins a healing process in each of them as they dare to let the Truth, Jesus Christ, set them free.

February, 2011

In The Shadow of Evil by Robin Caroll

Informed by the real-life fallout of the U.S. economy and devastation caused by multiple hurricanes along the southern coast, In the Shadow of Evil tells a modern day story involving the exposure of a building rebound scam. Amidst the layers of unethical practices, supply shortages, and excess murders, a top Louisiana homicide detective loses his heart to a charitable contractor while uncovering a secret about his tragic past.

March, 2011









Beside Still Waters by Tricia Goyer

Marianna Sommer believes she knows where her life is headed. Nineteen years old and Amish, her plan is to get baptized into the church, marry Aaron Zook, and live in the only community she's ever known.

When Marianna's family moves from Indiana to Montana she discovers life and faith will never be the same. As she builds an easy friendship with local guy, Ben Stone, Ben not only draws her heart, he also gets her thinking about what loving God and living in community is all about. As Marianna struggles to find "home", she also encounters God in intimate ways.

April, 2011

Ransomed Dreams by Sally John

Synopsis:~

Sheridan Montgomery leads a charmed life as the wife of Eliot, U.S. ambassador to Venezuela. But an attack on their lives cripples Eliot, and they retreat to a remote Mexican village. As Sheridan quietly cares for her husband, she sees her dreams slipping away. Luke Traynor shatters their reverie when he arrives to tell Sheridan of her father’s heart attack and the evidence implicating him in a conspiracy. Sheridan returns to Chicago to untangle the web of her father’s past and is forced to confront her feelings for Luke, a trail of deceit, and the truth about her marriage.

My take:~

Ransomed Dreams is a moving story of a life shattered by a sniper's bullet and the slow disintegration of a marriage between two people who no longer recognise each other. Consumed by chronic pain, Eliot no longer desires his wife nor is he able to comprehend her emotional needs while Sheridan is fearful, angry and reclusive. Sally John's writing is emotive and thought provoking as she lays bear the heartache of destroyed hopes and unmet needs. At times, the pacing slows but I did not mind the gentle unfolding of this couple's thoughts, the complications of Sheridan's dysfunctional family and the palpable tension as Sheridan wrestles with her commitment to her disengaged and physically altered husband and the magnetic pull of the man who saved her life on that fateful day in Caracas. For anyone who has had their life change in an instant or find themselves in a marriage they didn't sign up for, Ransomed Dreams is a powerful story of love, commitment and forgiveness.

With thanks to the author and Tyndale for my review copy

Relz Reviewz Extras

Visit Sally's website

Buy Sally's books at Amazon or Koorong

Coming soon in Summerside's Love Finds You Series

Summerside Press is having continued success with their contemporary and historical Love Finds You series with different novelists writing standalone stories which take place in often uniquely named places in the United States. Here's the latest in this popular series.

Enjoy!

Love Finds You in Deadwood, South Dakota by Tracey Cross

Jane Albright’s life is shattered.

The Nebraska homesteader is newly widowed, with one child to care for and another on the way. When she learns that she is at risk of losing the family home and freighting business to a greedy moneylender named Franklin Lloyd, she has no choice but to brandish a bullwhip and haul freight all the way to Deadwood, South Dakota. Franklin agrees to give Jane three months to pay the note, and she is determined to secure her children’s future. But Deadwood is a rough place for a woman, and Jane is soon over her head. Franklin longs to help her—but will she let him?

August, 2010





Love Finds You in Sugarcreek, Ohio by Serena Miller

A mysterious outsider casts a long shadow on Ohio’s Amish country.

Policewoman Rachel Troyer has always looked after her three elderly Amish aunts, proprietors of a farmhouse inn near Sugarcreek, Ohio. The idyllic town is popular with tourists, who come to sample its famous Amish goods. But one thing is clear to Rachel—Joe Matthews is no tourist. When the bearded stranger lands on her aunts’ doorstep, begging shelter for himself and his young son, Rachel is suspicious. Will she be able to uncover Joe’s secrets despite her aunts’—and her own—growing affection for him?

August, 2010





Love Finds You Under the Mistletoe by Irene Brand & Anita Higman

An Appalachian Christmas

A promise to her dying sister compels Julia Mayfield to take her young nephew to Mistletoe, Kentucky, a tiny town tucked away in the Appalachian Mountains. Sparks fly when she meets David Armstrong, a World War II veteran like herself. Even as shadows from the past weave a dangerous web around Julia and David, will their love flourish like the mistletoe that blankets the nearby hills?

Once Upon a Christmas Eve

Hollie Goodnight’s store has just been voted best Christmas shop in America. All the new publicity draws flamboyant novelist Van Keaton to the cozy town of Noel, Missouri, demanding to write Hollie’s story—a dramatic tale of misfortune and triumph. She is swept up in his world of beautiful words and fanciful interludes…until Owen Quigly, her lifelong best friend, launches a plan to win her back.

September, 2010

Love Finds You in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California by Sandra D Bricker

Annie Gray has an epiphany: she is not living the life she’s always dreamed of.

She decides to start fresh, drawing inspiration from her favorite classic Hollywood films. First, Annie moves into the picturesque Carmel bungalow belonging to her grandmother—a retired film star. Next up: landing an exciting job as a private investigator’s assistant. But Annie’s new boss is no Humphrey Bogart, and the work isn’t quite what she pictured. Just when everything in Annie’s screen-worthy plan teeters on the brink of disaster, she has another epiphany. Will this one land her in the arms of her own leading man?

October, 2010







Love Finds You in Silver City, Idaho by Janelle Mowery

It’s 1869, and chaos rules Silver City.

As Rebekah Weaver recovers from an accident that has left her badly burned, she worries that her father’s handsome new assistant won’t see past her scarred exterior. Deputy Marshal Nathaniel Kirkland is working undercover to investigate a series of explosions in the mines and businesses of Silver City. When ominous notes begin appearing on townspeople’s doors, Nate needs Rebekah’s help to uncover the identity of the perpetrator. As they work together, Nate begins to speculate that Rebekah’s “accident” was really a case of intentional sabotage—and that she might still be in danger.

October, 2010






Love Finds You in Hope, Kansas by Pamela Griffin

Fashionable Easterner Alison Stripling is shocked to receive a letter from her deceased sister’s husband in Hope, Kansas, pleading for help with his six children.

The letter gives Alison a chance to escape her troubles in Boston, and the name of the town seems like a sign from God. But when she arrives at a rustic cabin on the prairie, she’s in for a bigger shock: Rafe Munroe didn’t write the letter at all! Realizing the children are determined to pair them off, Rafe and Alison join forces to prove the idea would never work. Can Hope’s cupids—all six of them—strike love’s arrows into the hearts of their pa and Miss Alison?

December, 2010

The Cool Woman by John Aubrey Anderson with giveaways

Synopsis:~

In 1970, Bill Mann, a pilot who sought to make aerial combat his guiding star, is already lost whether he knows it or not. Although he's at the top of his Air Force class and marries a beautiful girl, his life is centered on drinking and partying-perhaps a way to escape the haunting memory of having to kill two white men who beat his black mother to death when he was ten years old. Upon leaving to spend a year in Vietnam flying combat missions aboard his aircraft, The Cool Woman, Bill remains confident and considers himself "the envied of the envied." But soon enough his wife is leaving him, and a downward spiral of Mann's heart, soul, and survival odds has begun.

My take:~

War is brutal, devastating and soul shattering yet it can also be a baptism of fire that refines an ordinary man into a courageous warrior willing to sacrifice his life for another. From personal experience, John Aubrey Anderson exposes the harsh realities of the Vietnam war through the heroic journey of Lieutenant Bill Mann, a young fighter pilot with all the swagger and confidence that comes with a man who believes he was born to fly.

John's writing is riveting and authentic, with brilliant pacing and intensive characterisation. The combat scenes are so visceral you will feel every bullet, explosion and heartbeat and will be left breathless. The deep, emotional scars of violent conflict and methods of escapism are honestly explored both amongst the pilots and their families back home. Heart wrenching, evocative and powerful, covering the barbaric to the sacrificial and the catastrophic to the miraculous, The Cool Woman is a unique and challenging story, with an unashamedly direct message of faith. With this epic military adventure, unlike anything else you will find in Christian Fiction, John Aubrey Anderson continues to impress me with his compelling and ingenious storytelling. If you are looking for an authentic, gritty and evocative read, The Cool Woman is a sure fire hit!

With thanks to Fidelis for my review copy

Relz Reviewz Extras

Reviews of Abiding Darkness, Wedgewood Grey & And If I Die

Watch the trailer

Interview with John

Visit John's website and blog

BBAW Registration Post

Book Blogger Appreciation Week is upon us again and I've decided to register Relz Reviewz in the following category:~

"Best Spiritual, Inspirational, or Religious Book Blog"

This blog features the best consistently excellent reviews, recommendations, analyses, and other content on books that address a life of faith. This blog is not necessarily associated with an organized religion and may discuss either fiction or nonfiction books.

Here are my posts for judging:~

Book Review ~ The Cool Woman by John Aubrey Anderson
Book Review ~ Nightshade by Ronie Kendig
Book Review ~ Chasing Lilacs by Carla Stewart
Character Spotlight ~ Linda Windsor's Brenna of Gowrys & Ronan O'Byrne
Author Interview ~ Chris Fabry