Coming in October from Tyndale House

Here are some books that I can't wait to read and review which release from Tyndale House in October this year. All the covers appeal to me but especially Chris' Almost Heaven ~ just gorgeous.

How about you?


Almost Heaven by Chris Fabry

Billy Allman is a hillbilly genius. People in Dogwood, West Virginia, say he was born with a second helping of brains and a gift for playing the mandolin but was cut short on social skills. Though he’d gladly give you the shirt off his back, they were right. Billy longs to use his life as an ode to God, a lyrical, beautiful bluegrass song played with a finely tuned heart. So with spare parts from a lifetime of collecting, he builds a radio station in his own home. People in town laugh. But Billy carries a brutal secret that keeps him from significance and purpose. Things always seem to go wrong for him.

However small his life seems, from a different perspective Billy’s song reaches far beyond the hills and hollers he calls home. Malachi is an angel sent to observe Billy. Though it is not his dream assignment, Malachi follows the man and begins to see the bigger picture of how each painful step Billy takes is a note added to a beautiful symphony that will forever change the lives of those who hear it.



Catching Moondrops by Jennifer Erin Valent

Jessilyn Lassiter no longer has to convince people she’s not a child. Having just turned 19 in the summer of 1938, her love for Luke Talley has never been more real. And Luke is finally beginning to care for her in the way she’s always dreamed of. But their budding romance is interrupted when Tal Pritchett—a young, black doctor—comes to Calloway, stealing the heart of Jessilyn’s best friend, Gemma, and stirring up the racial prejudice that has been simmering just beneath the town’s surface.

The tension starts to bubble over when Jessie’s elderly neighbor Miss Cleta becomes the first white townsperson to accept Tal’s treatment. And when a young black man is lynched, Calloway is brought to its knees once again as Jessilyn realizes that her anger can make her heart as full of hate as the klan members who have terrorized her town and her family.



Pursuit of Justice by DiAnn Mills

Special Agent Bella Jordan is assigned to investigate a series of murders in West Texas that are linked to the Spider Rock Treasure. Since she spent the first fifteen years of her life in this area, FBI authorities believe she can get the job done. What they don’t know is that one of their prime suspects—a man who’s been on their wanted list for years—is deeply connected to Bella’s past.
The other prime suspect is Carr Sullivan, the man who owns the ranch where the murders occured. Carr was once one of the wealthiest businessmen in Dallas and has a shady past a mile long. But it appears he’s turned his life around. Can Bella trust him, or is he just trying to cover his tracks?

As Bella probes deeper into the case, threats on her own life convince her the killer is someone she knows. But it soon becomes clear he’s not working alone, and she’ll need to face the past she’s tried so desperately to forget in order to solve the case and prevent more murders.

Friendship Friday ~ What do you value in your close friendships with women?

Jennifer Erin Valent

Thanks for including me in your mailing for this. I actually wrote about this subject for Proverbs 31 ministries' blog last year. It's a subject very dear to my heart.

Everyone knows life has a way of overwhelming, and when it starts to creep in and grab me by the throat, my personality starts to slip away. That's when I know I need a girls' night out! Most of my girlfriends are people I grew up with, and when you spend years maturing with the same group of people around you, part of them becomes part of you. Because of that, they have an uncanny way of reminding me who I am. Being so close with them is a joy, but sharing my faith with them takes that joy to another level. I'm so blessed to have friends in my life who not only help identify me but who are encouragers in my walk with the Lord.

Fireflies In December ~ Cottonwood Whispers



MaryLu Tyndall

Honesty, complete openness, and an accepting, non-judgemental attitude. Hard qualities to find but worth looking for because they create a safe environment in which to share deep, personal issues and receive genuine understanding instead of criticism. I love that my close women friends "get me". You know? I can be myself with them and not worry about competition or saying or doing something that will turn them away. They understand the things I'm dealing with and that makes me feel like I'm not alone.

The Redemption ~ The Reliance ~ The Restitution ~ The Red Siren ~
The Blue Enchantress

September Releases from Tyndale

Look to the East by Maureen Lang

A village under siege. A love under fire.

France, 1914 ~ At the dawn of the First World War, the small village of Briecourt is isolated from the early battles while a century-old feud between the Toussaints and the de Colvilles still rages in the streets. But when the German army sweeps in to occupy the town, families on both sides of the feud are forced to work together to hide stragglers caught behind enemy lines.

Juliette Toussaint may have been adopted from a faraway island, but she feels the scorn of the de Colvilles as much as anyone born a Toussaint. So when she falls in love with one of the men in hiding—a wealthy and handsome Belgian entrepreneur—she knows she’s flirting with danger.

Charles Lassone has been waiting in the church cellar, safe from the Germans for the moment. But if he’s discovered, it will threaten the entire village—including Julitte—and could cost Charles his life.



Cottonwood Whispers by Jennifer Erin Valent

“I’ve heard the dead whisper.

“Every time I tell my best friend Gemma that, she tells me I’m crazy. But I’m not crazy. The dead really can whisper, only it isn’t their ghosts that do it. It’s the memory of them.”

The summer of 1936 is one that seventeen-year-old Jessilyn Lassiter will never forget. She had hoped to spend it getting a job and—more importantly—finally catching the attention of Luke Talley, the young man she has loved from afar since she was 13.

But tragedy strikes when a cherished neighbor girl is hit by a car. Jessilyn is torn to pieces, especially when her gentle, elderly friend is accused of the crime. She’s sure he’s innocent but discovers that the only way to prove it could jeopardize her family’s survival.

Swept into a grown-up world she couldn’t wait to be a part of, Jessilyn searches for answers until the actions of one man show her the beauty of sacrifice and the power of faith.

Character Spotlight ~ Jennifer Erin Valent's Jessilyn Lassiter

Today the spotlight shines on...........................................Jessilyn Lassiter

Jennifer Erin Valent's debut novel won the Christian Writers' Guild Operation First Novel Contest in 2007 and has just been released by Tyndale. I am looking forward to reading it and posting a review.

Find out more about Jennifer's main character in this Southern tale below:~

Physical Description

Jessilyn is tall for her age and has sandy hair, freckles and dramatic green eyes that prompt the boys to call her Jessie The Cat. She doesn't think she's particularly pretty or interesting to look at, but she hopes she's fetching enough to attract the attention of her first love, Luke Talley. The minute I saw Becca Gardner in An Unfinished Life I thought, "That's Jessie!" Her appearance as well as her personality in the film completely brought Jessilyn to life for me.

Strengths and weaknesses

Jessilyn's strengths are definitely her loyalty and boldness. Sometimes they get her into trouble, but I love her fiery spirit and willingness to stand up to any battle. Her weaknesses are stubbornness and a quick temper, but I have a feeling she'll grow out of that... almost.

Quirk

She doesn't make friends easily, hates wearing dresses and loves to watch thunderstorms.


Inspiration

I think I unwittingly drew from Anne Shirley of Anne Of Green Gables as an inspiration for Jessilyn. I've seen the Anne Of Green Gables films so many times, those characters are embedded in my imagination. Anne and Jessilyn are both scrappy, imaginative girls who love books and are fiercely loyal to a very dear friend.


Background

It's the summer of 1932 and Jessilyn Lassiter is just turning thirteen and developing her first crush. But tragedy strikes when her best friend, Gemma Teague, loses her parents in a house fire. Jessilyn's family takes her in even though Gemma is black and Jessilyn's family is white, which doesn't go over too well in their small Southern Virginia town. Suddenly, Jessilyn's life is turned upside down by the far-reaching violence of the Ku Klux Klan and by the crushing fear that she may have killed a man in self-defense.

Jennifer - thanks so much for sharing about Jessilyn and I trust Fireflies in December is just the start of your writing career :)

Do comment and encourage Jennifer in her writing journey.


Check back again for another extra spotlight this week, shining on Tamara Tilley's Tyler Mason and Michal "Mike" Madigan.

Relz Reviewz Extras

Visit Jennifer's website and blog

Check out Jennifer's collaborative blog on writing, Novel Matters

Buy Jennifer's book at Amazon or Koorong

Jennifer Erin Valent's Fireflies in December coming in January, 2009

Debut author Jennifer Erin Valent's novel, Fireflies in December, looks great! Pre order now from Tyndale and look for my interview and Character Spotlight with Jennifer in the new year.

Be sure to check out her fabulous website ~ another winner from PulsePoint Design.

"The summer I turned thirteen, I thought I killed a man."

So begins the story of Jessilyn Lassiter, a young girl whose world is torn apart the summer of 1932.

When Jessilyn's best friend, Gemma, loses her parents in a tragic fire, Jessilyn's father vows to care for her as his own, despite the fact that Gemma is black and prejudice is prevalent in their southern Virginia town. It doesn't take long for the Lassiters to attract the attention of a local band of Ku Klux Klan members, who make increasingly violent threats on Jessilyn and her family. As she struggles to navigate a complex world of first crushes, loyalties, and betrayals, Jessilyn ultimately discovers what it takes to be a bright light in a dark world.