Archive for November, 2011

Posted on November 30, 2011 - by Brenda Anderson

All I Want for Christmas

All I want for Christmas is a book to read,

A book to read,

I need a book to read.

Gee, if I could only have a book to read,

Then I would have a Merry Christmas!

Well, that may be a slight exaggeration. I’ll have a merry Christmas regardless of whether I get a book to read or not, but for as long as I can remember, books have filled my Christmas list. And I love gifting books even more, especially ones autographed by my fellow Inkspers!

This year I have three books on my list, two of which I’ve read already (thanks to my local library), books I’m certain I will read over and over. I haven’t read my third choice yet as it doesn’t release until December 3, but it sounds like perfect Christmas reading.

So, if you happen to draw my name this year, here’s a little hint of what I’d like to receive:

 

DESERT GIFT, Side Roads Series #2, by Sally John (Tyndale House 2011). Jillian Galloway is nationally known marriage expert. As she’s about to fly off to market her first book, her husband blindsides her by telling her he wants a divorce. Is everything she’s built her life and career around a sham?

Sally John has long been one of my favorite authors. She’s never been afraid to delve into tough subjects or gloss over real life, rather she paints it with all its grittiness. Desert Gift is no exception.

 

THE FIRST GARDENER by Denise Hildreth Jones (Tyndale House 2011) – Mackenzie and her husband, Tennessee Governor Gray London, tried for years to have a child and are finally blessed with Maddie. Then tragedy strikes as Gray prepares for reelection. Depression threatens to swallow Mackenzie, but the man who’s been tending the governor’s mansion gardens for years does more than cultivate soil, he also tends broken hearts.

This is the first novel I’ve read by Hildreth Jones but it definitely won’t be the last. She not only writes a heart-wrenching/heart-warming story, but she tells it with poetic eloquence.

 

SAVANNA’S GIFT by Camille Eide (White Rose Publishing 2011) – I only recently discovered this e-book novella written by debut novelist Camille Eide. It sounds absolutely perfect for a Christmas read. Here’s the back cover blurb:

When Savanna gets a second chance at the love of her life, will her dream that divided them get in the way?

Forced to return to the ski lodge where she once worked, Savanna Holt is reminded of one special Christmas and how ambition led her to make the worst mistake of her life: Leaving Luke Nelson.

Stunned to discover Luke never left, but worked his way up from lift operator to manager, Savanna sees the opportunity as a gift from God. She’s determined to win Luke back. But Luke wants no reminders of his past hurt, or a relationship with the woman who put ambition before love. Can Savanna convince Luke she’s changed and her interest isn’t because of his position? And when her dream job beckons, will she sacrifice her dream for a second chance at love?

See, they sound good, don’t they? I can’t wait to add them all to my bookshelves

What books are on your Christmas wish list? Which books would make perfect gifts for others?

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If you leave a comment on our Hot Reads posts between November 21 & December 2, your name will go into a drawing for Remembering Christmas by Dan Walsh. For more details, click here.

 

Posted on November 29, 2011 - by JerriLynn

If I Ever Have Time Again…

I understand Shannon’s feeling left out when this topic comes up, because for the first time since we’ve started, I don’t have a book that I’ve actually read to share with you.  I haven’t had much time for reading lately, and I can tell you, I miss it terribly.

I did try to start a book a couple of weeks ago.  I won’t give you the author’s name, but I will say it was an award winning author, and the book was so difficult to get into I finally put it down and just quit trying.  I was disappointed.  I finally carved out a couple of hours to read, and I couldn’t get into the book that I’d selected. Bummer.

I should have started with something that I knew I wanted to read.  For example, there’s this collection of books by Shiela Lowe, the Forensics Handwriting Mysteries, that I’m dying to read.  They look like super interesting books, and I want desperately to read them.  I wasn’t going to start them, though, because I don’t have time to read three books and I know I’m going to want to devour them in a stretch of “ignore-the-world-around-you” time.

The holidays are also around the corner and I usually like to read one Christmas-themed book about this time of year, too.  Last year I think it was “The Shack.” I loved that book.  But I’m not a re-reader, so this year it will have to be something else.  Yesterday, I downloaded “Remembering Christmas” by DanWalsh.  That may be my Christmas title this year.

That’s assuming I can find some time to read.  You’d think as much time as I’m spending in waiting rooms right now, I’d have plenty of time, but honestly, I spend most of the time talking to my Mom. And by the time I drop into bed at night I just don’t have time to read.  It’s terrible how much I miss it.  And I hope I’ll find some time to read soon!

Posted on November 28, 2011 - by Kim

It’s Tradition!

This time of year, I’m more often than not drawn to the traditions of the season. Like watching Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer and A Charlie Brown Christmas. The same seems to hold true for my selection of reading material. For me, Christmas just isn’t Christmas until I’ve read these books at least once.

 

 

The Christmas Box by Richard Paul Evans. The story tells of a young family who come to live with and care for a lonely widow in her spacious Victorian mansion. Seeing the young father’s obsession with money and success above all else, the widow tries to make him see the need to change his priorities. (This is one of the few books I read in one sitting. Once I get started I just can’t put it down.)

 

 

 

Shepherds Abiding by Jan Karon. It’s Christmastime in Mitford and Father Tim is working on something special for his wife. But will Cynthia or Father Tim be touched more by the gift?

 

 

 

 

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Ebenezer Scrooge, the most miserly man in all of England, finds Christmas and all its traditions a humbug. Until he’s visited by the ghost of his former partner and three other spirits of the season.

 

 

 

 

What about you? What books in your library, along with a steaming hot cup of cocoa and a plate of cookies, are a traditional Christmas read?

 

Posted on November 25, 2011 - by Dawn Ford

Winter Fresh Teen Reads

When the snow goes flying by my window, I pull out a good book to help me escape the winter doldrums. Last year I bought at a second hand store the Twilight series and read the whole thing just to see what all the fuss was about. In spite of the controversy, I enjoyed all but the last in the series, Breaking Dawn, but am looking forward to seeing how it plays out on the screen.

This year I have three good YA reads to help you pass the time when the snow is high and the temps are low.

Judy Christie’s Wreath, a Novel, is a wonderful surprise I found at conference this year. Although Lorna grabbed the first book out of Judy’s box, I managed to get ahold of one before they disappeared from the book store. If you haven’t read it or gotten it for the young girl on your list, you will want to. It is a story of finding love and overcoming circumstance with a huge dose of God’s providence throughout:

From the back cover of Wreath: Wreath’s finishing high school by day…and living in a junkyard by night. Sixteen-year-old Wreath Willis’s mother has died, leaving her alone and determined to pursue the good life. To get started, Wreath makes one of her tried and true lists. “Find a place to live. Buy cheap food. Finish high school. Get a job. Go to college.” Then she adds: “Avoid notice”—because Wreath is pretty sure most people won’t understand a teenager living alone. In a junkyard. But it’s hard to go unnoticed when life puts unexpected people in her path, all misfits in their own ways. There’s Law, the cute boy at the state park: Julia, her disillusioned teacher: and Faye, the boss who relies on Wreath’s creativity to turn a dying business around. Complications increase when her past fears catch up with her, and the people around Wreath grow a little too suspicious about her secrets.

I found Wendy Delsol’s Stork during a book signing. I read it and just finished reading the second book in her series, Frost, this week on my Nook. They are both good YA reads which I enjoyed greatly. A fantasy made out of Icelandic legends, it was refreshingly different. The second book in the series was as good as the first and Wendy’s  take on Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen, a Norse mythology inspired story, is rich and magical. Best yet, the stories take place in Brenda’s backyard in Minnesota.

From the back cover of Stork: Moving from L.A. to Norse Falls, Minnesota, Katla Leblanc expected local fashion to be frozen in time. What she didn’t expect was an induction into the Icelandic Stork Society, an ancient order of women charged with a unique mystical duty. As if that weren’t enough, she’s also dealing with her parents’ divorce and the social aftermath of a bad date with the football start Wade. Katla, however, isn’t one to sit on her designer-jean-clad behind, and soon she’s assigned the fashion column for the school paper and making new friends. Things would be looking up if it weren’t for editor in chief Jack. Even though they argue every time they meet, Katla is inexplicably drawn to him. Will she be able to unravel the mystery surrounding Jack? Folktales collide with reality as one teenage girl finds herself tail-feathers deep in small-town life.

 

Posted on November 24, 2011 - by Shari Barr

Christmas Reads for the Young and Young at Heart

Happy Thanksgiving!

Soon the aroma of roasting turkey and pumpkin pie will be nothing more than a memory. For many this signals the beginning of the Christmas season. There’s no better time to snuggle beneath an afghan, sip a cup of hot cider, and read a good book. 

The following three children’s books are favorites of mine and aren’t just for kids. They’re a perfect quick read for the season of Advent, guaranteed to get you and yours in the Christmas spirit.

The Candle in the Window by Grace Johnson portrays the true meaning of Christmas in this superbly told tale. Gunther, a lonely German cobbler, finds no joy in the Christmas season—it’s simply a reminder of the wife and son he’s lost. When unexpected visitors show up in his shop on Christmas Eve with a candle for his window, they explain that according to legend, the candle is an invitation for the Christ Child to enter the hearts of men. As Gunther hurriedly makes preparations, he is soon disappointed when he must give the gifts he’s prepared for the Christ Child to others in need. Only after his visitors leave, does Gunther understand the true impact of his actions.

Annika’s Secret Wish by Beverly Lewis is a beautiful story based on Acts 20:35, “It is more blessed to give than receive.” According to Swedish tradition, the child who finds an almond hidden in his rice pudding on Christmas Eve has a chance to make a wish for anything he desires. Annika has yet to find the almond in her bowl, but when she does, she struggles with finally fulfilling her own dream or giving that chance to someone she loves dearly. 

Christmas in the Trenches by John McCutcheon is an inspiring story of peace and hope between enemies in a time of war. The World War I Christmas truce tells the true story of a miracle that took place between British and German troops on a cold December night in France in 1914. Huddled in trenches on either side of a barren ground called No Man’s Land, the British were stunned when the fighting ceased and they heard the German soldiers singing Silent Night in their native tongue. Climbing from their trenches, the British joined in, the two languages blending as one. For several hours, the enemies became friends, sharing small gifts and even playing a game of soccer. Though the fighting resumed the next day, the troops gave us a glimpse of how peace really begins.

What are some of your favorite Christmas books?

Posted on November 23, 2011 - by Brenda Anderson

Christmas Reading Wish List

Oh the weather outside is frightful,

But the fire is so delightful,

And I have chocolate to eat,

So I’ll read! So I’ll read! So I’ll read!

Can you think of anything better than snuggling beneath a fleece blanket in your favorite chair, a lit fireplace warming the air? You’ve got whipped-cream-topped hot cocoa in one hand and a novel in the other? Nope. Nothing’s better than that. Especially here in Minnesota where the temperatures sink below freezing for months at a time.

The hard part is choosing a book. There are so many good ones out there, I could spend the entire winter in that cozy chair. But, for you, I’ve narrowed down my Christmas reading wish list to two.

With Dickens you’ll sing a song

When Scrooge says he is wrong.

So I’ll hum and I’ll tap a beat

While I read! While I read! While I read!

A MARRIAGE CAROL by Chris Fabry & Gary Chapman (Moody Publishers 2011) — One of my favorite new authors is Chris Fabry (June Bug, Dogwood, and Almost Heaven). I can’t wait to read his and Gary Chapman’s version of the Dickens’ classic.

Jake and Marlee, a typical couple, are about to call it quits. Over time they have drifted apart; the sparks are dead. Marlee is convinced she married the wrong man and Jake feels tied down to the wrong woman. Jake is distant and tired of being controlled while Marlee is tired of being the only one trying to the save their marriage.

They go to bed Christmas Eve, in separate rooms, each rationalizing…life is too short to be miserable…love shouldn’t hurt like this…their marriage must end for happiness to return.

But their lives are about to take a turn. The ghosts of Marriage Past, Marriage Present, and Marriage Future reveal to Jake and Marlee how past choices, present realities, and their potential future might look if they do not change their “stories.” Jake and Marlee experience a Christmas gift that will radically change their thinking and cause them to look at marriage not for what they can get out of it but for what God can do in and through their marriage.

That O. Henry, he makes me cry

In The Gift of the Magi.

So keep the tissues handy

When you read! When you read! When you read!

PAPER ANGELS: A NOVEL by Jimmy Wayne & Travis Thrasher (Howard Books 2011) – Travis Thrasher is probably the king of writing across genres. And he does it well. So, it’s no surprise to see him tackle a Christmas book along with country singer/songwriter Jimmy Wayne. I look forward to reading this one too. (I may even keep a box of tissues close.)

Kevin Morrell is a forty-three-year-old husband and father who runs a successful design and marketing firm that’s crashed into the suffering economy. Attempting to navigate the busyness of the mall at Christmas, Kevin is humbled when he stumbles across the Salvation Army‘s Angel Tree Project. His wife insists that he take a paper ornament.

The name on the ornament is Thomas Brandt, a fifteen-year-old still reeling from the implosion of his family—from years of verbal abuse from an alcoholic father to a mother who finally left him behind, only to find herself and her children penniless and struggling. The only thing has allowed Lynn to survive is her faith. Thomas shares that faith, but he also wonders why God has seemingly abandoned them.

This is the story about a man and a boy one December. A man whose life is changed by a simple expression of kindness, and a boy who takes that expression of kindness and shows the true meaning of Christmas.

If that doesn’t convince you to keep tissues handy, check out this music video by Jimmy Wayne: Paper Angels.

What’s on your Christmas reading wish list? Do you have any favorites from past years?

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If you leave a comment on our Hot Reads posts between November 21 & December 2, your name will go into a drawing for Remembering Christmas by Dan Walsh. For more details, click here.

Posted on November 22, 2011 - by Shannon Vannatter

I Did It!

I actually read some books this fall. Partly because I got tired of not having anything to report when the other Inkspers share what they’re reading. And partly because I had a lull between deadlines.

And I discovered how much I’ve missed reading. From now on, I’m making time for reading. As soon as I finish this content edit and meet my deadline for the book I’m writing that is.

So what did I read? Only one Christmas book made my list.

One Imperfect Christmas by Myra Johnson

After her mother’s stroke, Natalie Pearce allows guilt to tear her family apart. As her favorite holiday approaches, they’ll need a special miracle. But it’s not quite the miracle Natalie expected. This was a wrenching story. I felt for each character in the story and cried through most of the book. I understood each character’s thoughts and reactions and had to see how it all ended for them. If you need a good cry, this book fits the bill.

Southern Fried Sushi by Jennifer Rogers Spinola

Jennifer’s heroine, Shiloh Jacobs is a hoot. I loved her thoughts. So self-centered, yet so real she makes you take a look at yourself. When her estranged mother dies, her world begins to topple. Her reactions are so true to life for her situation—uncaring one moment, grieving the next. Watching Shiloh change into a better person was a joy. My favorite part–her very southern friend’s accent made her name sound like shallow–which Shiloh was until she began to grow up. I laughed and cried.

They Almost Always Come Home by Cynthia Ruchti

Looking for tension and a page turning book—this is it. Cynthia tells a story I couldn’t put down. I had to keep reading and learn what happened next. When Libby’s husband doesn’t return from a canoeing trip, she’s torn between being sad, glad, and mad. Did he take the opportunity to leave her before she could leave him or did something happen to him? Again Libby’s thoughts and reactions are so true to her situation. I laughed and cried.

Crossing Oceans by Gina Holmes

This book was pure pleasure to read. I knew from the subject matter that I’d cry. A young mother returns home to decide who should raise her daughter after her death. The choices—her distant father or her daughter’s father, who doesn’t know he’s a father. Gina’s writing is lyrical in beauty. A lovely story painted vividly with lovely word pictures. I laughed and cried.

I bought some more books too. So stay posted–I finally have something to report on what I’ve been reading. What have you been reading?

Posted on November 20, 2011 - by Lorna Seilstad

Hot Reads for Cold Nights

Deck the shelves

With lots of books

Fa La La La La La La La La

Kindle ones and even Nook

Fa La La La La La La LaLa

Don we now our comfy bath robes

Fa La La La La La La Lala

To curl up with book and cocoa

Fa La La La La La La LaLa

As we all begin the bustle of the holiday season, it’s time to remember to give ourselves a gift. And what could be better than….you guessed it….a book! In the next couple of weeks, the Inkspirational Messagers will be featuring hot reads for cold winter nights, including some Christmas reads which are sure to warm you as much as Grandma’s eggnog.
O Christmas read, O Christmas read

How lovely art thou pages!

O Christmas read, O Christmas read,

How lovely art thou pages!

The season comes with bitter nights

But you fill us with warmth and light

O Christmas read, O Christmas read

How lovely art thou pages!

 

Okay, so you can all be glad I’ve chosen to give up writing poetry, but I wanted a fun way to introduce this great Christmas novel to you by fellow Revell author, Dan Walsh. Remembering Christmas is a 272 page Christmas read you won’t want to miss.

 

 

Here’s the back cover blurb:

“Can one Christmas change a life forever?

 

Rick Denton lives his life on his terms. He works hard, plays hard, and answers to no one. So when his mother calls begging him to come home after his stepfather has an aneurysm, Rick is more than a little reluctant. What was supposed to be just a couple days helping out at the family bookstore turns into weeks of cashing out old ladies and dealing with the homeless guy who keeps hanging around the store. The one bright spot is the lovely and intriguing young woman who works at his side each day.

As Christmas nears, Rick’s old life beckons, the hurts from his past loom large, and the decisions he makes will determine more than just where he spends Christmas Eve.

With skillful storytelling, Dan Walsh creates a Christmas story that will have you remembering every good and perfect gift of Christmas.”
If you aren’t already running to your nearest book store, you should also know that this book with warm your heart. It is not just a Christmas story. It’s a family love story. It’s a story of healing after years of hurt
and assumptions. It’s a tender story of hope. It’s a powerful story that will make you take a second look at the gifts you have already been blessed with.

 

If you grew up in the ‘80’s, you’ll find this book especially delightful. Dan reminds us of a time not so long ago “when IBM had not yet launched the personal computer, the Boombox was hot; Reality TV was unheard of; MTV was just launching; and Ronald Reagan was president.”
Remembering Christmas received 4 ½ stars and was a Top Pick by Romantic Times Book Reviews.

“Walsh crafts the perfect holiday page-turner. Few people ever get the opportunity to know how a seemingly minor act can affect another’s life. With his gift for words, Walsh brings that experience to life, all the while making the reader feel like a dear old friend.” –RT Book Reviews

To win a copy of gently used copy of Remembering Christmas, leave a comment in the next two weeks and we will add your name drawing. Today, let’s talk about the ’80’s. If you’re a child of the ‘80’s, what things do you remember? What things have changed the most in the world?  If that was long before your time, what have your parents shared about that time period?

After you leave a comment, give yourself a Christmas gift and hurry out to purchase Dan Walsh’s Remembering Christmas today.

Posted on November 18, 2011 - by Kav

Notes To My Teenage Self

Yes notes, not letters. I figure I have a better chance of “mini me” paying attention to a post-it as opposed to an epistle. And we all know how wordy I can get on these blogs. So here it is – short and sweet:

You should really tell mom about the cat guts in the fridge waaaaayyyy before you use the information to trump your annoying sister. The fall out isn’t pretty and your tattling backfires on you anyway.

And that whole emancipate the mice in the science lab escapade? Definitely kudos to you on that one…it’s the talk of the school for a whole week! However, don’t rest on your laurels too soon – at least not until you reconsider bringing Houdini home. Yep, that’s right; the mouse was named after the famous escape artist for a reason. How could you forget that you have four cats in your house? Poor Houdini, may he rest in peace. His untimely demise will haunt you the rest of your life.

Seriously – you’ve got flare, girl. Painting your wellies is a stroke of genius even if all the kids at school mock you. You’re just ahead of your time, that’s all. You should see the rain boots they sell these days. In fact, you should market the idea and become rich and famous. What don’t you do that, huh? I’d appreciate it.

Don’t listen to your sister. Tying your running shoes with polka-dotted ribbons is not lame. It shows individuality. Have more confidence in yourself and blissfully dance to your different (and very Celtic) drummer.

Don’t try to mail yourself to your favourite idol. Now that is lame! You’re going to get found out, dumped by your best friend and made a laughing stock of junior high. Some things are hard to live down. This one is just an all round bad idea.

Okay – you’re not going to like this but you better listen up anyway. Don’t drop all maths and sciences in grade nine. I know, I know, that stupid progressive school with the high-falutin’ idea of allowing a 14 year-old to chart their own course is at fault. Creative Writing, Dramatic Arts, Photography, Art…no exams, homework that’s like a hobby instead of real work. Believe me, I get the appeal, really I do. The thing is your dad is going to get transferred the summer before eleventh grade. New city, new high school – not quite so progressive. You’ll be put back to grade nine math and sciences classes and that is purely mortifying.

The I.I.Gtionary is brilliant. No doubt about it. What secret society wouldn’t want their own language? The Instant Insanity Group got you through the worst of high school and I’m still grateful to them for that. And creating a dictionary of your original language keeps you out of all kinds of trouble…except, no one can understand you in college. Seriously, it’s like you’re speaking a whole different language, which you are, but there are only five people in the whole world who understand it and none of them are at the same college as you are. Talk about awkward!

Stop reading historical romances in History class. Mr. Davies is going to catch you at it and make a scathing example of you. It isn’t pretty and one of your most humiliating high school moments.

 

Okay, there you have it – my teenage years in point form.  Thank goodness we don’t have to live through them twice!!!!

 

Posted on November 17, 2011 - by Regina

DEAR TEEN ME . . .

Dear Teen Me,

Bless your heart.

Since I’m where I am, and you’re where you are, I see so many things that you have completely wrong, but then figuring those things out are what has made YOU what I am, today!

A few words of advice (I know, you don’t listen much at this point, but hang on to this – you might want to refer back to it someday):

You are not fat. You may think you are, but in years to come, you’ll pull out one of those plaid wool skirts that you wore in high school and wonder how on earth you ever thought of yourself as even “pleasingly plump” as a teen. You’ll figure out that God made you the way you are because that’s the way HE wanted you!

Don’t compare yourself to others. I know, easier said than done . . . Just because other people in your class – a particular favorite cousin, no less –  are valedictorian and you are not, does not mean that you are not intelligent. Remember that one nine-week grading period when you made two percentage points HIGHER than said valedictorian. (And yes, I love you, Cheryl!)

Be open to new experiences – the good kind, that is. When you’re 16, your parents will be called into the mission field. They will inform you that you are moving out of state. You will cry, you will be depressed, you will think your life is over. Guess what? It will enable you to embrace change later in life – much later, but at least you will have that experience under your belt to bolster you. Don’t let it drag you down, now. Pick a Bible verse and hang on to it for dear life. Might I suggest Psalm 37:4? Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” As hard as that time will be, think of it this way – it will make you the pianist you are, today!

Soak in as much of your childhood as you can – it doesn’t last long enough. When your parents suggest an extra day at Walt Disney World in Florida, don’t throw a fit because you have a date planned for Saturday. Enjoy your parents and sister while you can. I know. Sad, huh?

Never forget where you came from. You will be thankful for Facebook one of these days. It will reconnect you with classmates and relatives that you would otherwise have no contact with. You will find out that people at school really did like you, and didn’t think you were invisible. You will find out that part of your heritage is your smile, and the fact that you were nice to people.

And on the tail of that – keep smiling. There will be days when you think you just can’t smile, but you can. Even a small quirk of one side of your mouth will not only make someone else feel better, but will make you feel better, as well. You weren’t put on earth to make yourself happy – you were put here to glorify God and help others to be happy!

Now get out there and be the best teen you can be!!