Snow Melts in Spring

(Book #1 - Season of the Tallgrass Series)

Debut novel by Deborah Vogts

Zondervan 2009

304 pages

A Romance Even Men Would Read

Veterinarian Mattie Evans loves the wide open spaces of Flint Hills, Kansas and can't imagine calling any other place home. But her business is faltering, and in order to keep it, she must regain the trust of area ranchers. After suffering through several mishaps, she's not confident she can earn their support.

Then she gets called to save a severely injured horse and is thrust into the middle of a good friend's family conflict--between an estranged father and his pro-football playing son.

Will this be the end of her career or the beginning of an unexpected romance?

In Deborah Vogt's debut novel, she proves herself to be a marvelous storyteller. In painting this story of forgiveness, she colors the Kansas prairies and ranch with beautiful detail. In combining romance and football, she has created a story that both men and women will enjoy.

The Familiar Stranger

By Christina Berry
Published by Moody Publishers (2009)
320 pages


REVIEW

Love … Betrayal … Forgiveness … Restoration

When Craig Littleton leaves his home, he plans to never return, to abandon his wife and sons in pursuit of freedom. And his detailed plans are foolproof.

     But, as he literally drives on the road toward liberty, he’s involved in a severe accident. He lives, but all his memories are gone.

     His wife, Denise, unaware of his plans to desert the family, nurses him back to health, and he learns to love her again.

     But then, his memories come tumbling back …

     Will he be able to restore all the lives he broke before the accident?

***
In the tradition of Francine Rivers, debut author, Christina Berry, delivers an impactful story of love, betrayal, forgiveness, & new beginnings. Her unique method of telling the story from both Denise’s and Craig’s point-of-view adds dimension to the characters, & depth to the emotions. I look forward to reading more from her in the future.


AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Single mother and foster parent, Christina Berry carves time to write from her busy schedule because she must tell the stories that haunt her every waking moment. (Such is the overly dramatic description of an author's life!) She holds a BA in Literature, yet loves a good Calculus problem, as well. Her debut novel, The Familiar Stranger, releases from Moody in September and deals with lies, secrets, and themes of forgiveness in a troubled marriage. A moving speaker and dynamic teacher, Christina strives to Live Transparently--Forgive Extravagantly!
     Her work has also appeared in The Secret Place, The Oregonian, and Daily Devotions for Writers. Find her at http://www.christinaberry.net/ and http://www.authorchristinaberry.blogspot.com/


A CHAT WITH CHRISTINA …
Thanks, Christina, for taking time to chat with me. I look forward to getting to know you.

I'm wondering, as a writer for the CBA market, how important is the faith element in your books?
     My faith undergirds every scene that I write. My hope is that it comes across to the reader in a very organic way, never as preachy or self-righteous. However, my characters’ spiritual arcs are a huge part of the storyline.

Then, what role does God play when you write?
     I believe He guides the story, adding layers I’m not even capable of comprehending while I write it. I’m not great at starting my writing time with prayer, but I try to stay open to where He might lead me.
     I see writing as one of the tools He uses to form me into His image—a tool to teach me patience, self-control, determination, reliance on Him, and other life lessons. I also see writing as a gift that brings hope, fulfillment, and purpose when the rest of my life is falling apart.

Some Christian writers argue that fiction is first and foremost entertainment and decry any "agenda driven" stories. What is your opinion?
     I say we're all writing with an agenda, whether we recognize it or not. Maybe it's to show what a godly romance looks like, maybe to draw attention to child abuse, maybe to attempt to understand why people are capable of such evil, or ... With this book, I felt called to share what God has taught me about forgiveness. That is definitely my agenda, which correlates with my tagline: Live transparently—Forgive extravagantly.
     However, if the story is not presented in a highly entertaining way the agenda will never be accomplished because the reader will toss the book down if she gets bored. The real skill—and I am by no means saying I'm setting the watermark with my writing—is to so thoroughly wrap the story around the agenda that it becomes unrecognizable to the reader. I'd love to hear other’s opinions in the comments.

I absolutely agree. I definitely have an agenda when I write. The difficulty comes in keeping the story flowing without watering down the message.

And, like you, I’m a literature major. What effect did your college education have on your writing?
     Honestly, I went with the lit major instead of creative writing because I was chicken. I was scared that my writing would not be up to par and I would get less than an A in a class for the first time. Eek! Plus, I loved to read and I figured I might as well do something I liked since I was paying thousands of dollars anyway.
     However, I do believe it has added greatly to my writing. While we can't be super symbolic in a "preachy" sort of way--like shouting LOOK! LOOK AT THIS BEAUTIFUL SYMBOLISM I'M SHOWING RIGHT NOW!--I think many novels do subtly inject many of the same characteristics of the classics. For example, the setting can almost become a character, as the setting of Jane Eyre does.
     In the manuscript my mother and I wrote together, a lot of the structure came from Mrs. Dalloway. The novel even has similar themes, now that I think about it. I loved the idea of a story jumping from character to character as they pass without interacting, but as the novel progresses, the connections get stronger.
     All those stories I read and wrote papers on in college are still swimming around in my head, rubbing off a little bit here or there on the flow of ideas that pour onto my computer screen.

Who are your favorite literary artists?
     I believe that much of Jane Kirkpatrick's work could be classified as literary. Jamie Langston Turner is another favorite who definitely fits the bill. Leif Enger's Peace Like a River amazed me. (I have it on my night stand to re-read right now, as it's been years and years since I have!) All three authors put words together in a delicious way.

Are there others whose work you admire? How have they influenced you as a writer?
     Most of my favorite authors have voices I never dream to come close to: Nancy E. Turner, Jane Kirkpatrick, Leif Enger, Francine Rivers, or Randy Alcorn, to name a few. The writers that really influence my stories are ones that examine the real grittiness of life like Roxanne Henke, Bette Nordberg, and James Scott Bell.

Those are some of my favorites too! Since you like lyric prose, you should also try Charles Martin, W. Dale Cramer, Athol Dickson, Ann Tatlock, Linda Nichols … well I could go on, but it’s time to let you go.

Thanks so much, Christina, for visiting Spire Reviews today. I really appreciate you taking the time, allowing us to get to know you better. I look forward to reading more from you in the future.


NEXT STOP ON THE BLOG TOUR
Be sure to catch Christina on her next stop: http://reflectionsbykrista.blogspot.com/ on Saturday, September 26.

WIN A BOOK …
Don’t forget to leave a comment for your chance to win a copy of The Familiar Stranger. Everyone who comments on this tour will be entered into Christina’s 10 book giveaway. On her birthday, September 30, she will draw 10 names. She’ll repeat this process on October 31.

…AND OTHER FREE STUFF
Also, if you sign up for her infrequent, humorous newsletter at www.ashberrylane.net/update.aspx , you will be entered into a contest to win a 4GB iPod Shuffle or free books for the life of Christina’s writing career.

HOW TO GET IN TOUCH WITH CHRISTINA
www.christinaberry.net
www.authorchristinaberry.blogspot.com
www.ashberrylane.net

Scared: A Novel on the Edge of the World

By Tom Davis
Published by David C. Cook (2009)
304 pages

Finding Hope in Suffering

Hoping to salvage a few crumbs from his once award-winning career, photojournalist Stuart Daniels reluctantly takes an assignment in Swaziland, a small African country, to cover the AIDS crisis. What he discovers is suffering that, those of us living comfortably in the United States, can’t imagine.

Interspersed with Stuart’s perspective, is the viewpoint of Adanna, a recently orphaned young girl burdened with the care of her younger siblings, hoping just to survive from day to day. Tomorrow isn’t even a thought.

Adanna can teach all of us so much.

With the current state of the United States economy, we are barraged with negative stories about people losing jobs, overburdened food shelves, and homelessness. All of which are devastating to those affected. Still, in these times, the average American cannot imagine what it would be like to be truly hungry, to live from day to day wondering if you will have food to eat. We search our overfilled closets for the right outfit, while others are fortunate if they have something decent to wear at all.

In this fictional story, author Tom Davis breathes reality into the plight of people who live in places like Swaziland. The reader experiences, along with Adanna, what it feels like not to have eaten for days, to live in fear of man’s brutality. We see through Stuart’s eyes how much we have, and how just a small sacrifice on our part can help.

Like Stuart, we probably have the most to learn.

We also experience hope, and see that God has not forgotten his children. God has presented us with an awesome opportunity to reach out to those who are truly in need.

You can’t read this story and not be affected. This is a rare work of fiction that touches on all our emotions and motivates people into action. It’s a novel I will highly recommend to readers of fiction and non-fiction.

Safe At Home

By Richard Doster
Published by David C. Cook (2008)
348 pages

Painfully Honest Portrayal of Segregation in the 1950's

In the spring of 1953, Jack Hall is content being a sports columnist for a small town south of the Mason-Dixon line, thrilled to write about the town’s minor league baseball team. The town of Whitney is populated with people who would do anything for their neighbor; the idyllic place to live.
Jackie Robinson has only recently broken the color barrier in major league baseball, creating a fissure allowing more may squeeze through.

It is that fissure that rips the town of Whitney apart when a 17 year old “colored kid”, Percy Jackson, joins the minor league team.

Author Richard Doster is painfully honest in his portrayal of the people of Whitney. The helpful, kind neighbor turns into a bearer of fear and hate. Those hired to enforce the law become lawbreakers. Doster paints Jack Hall very realistically, portraying him as someone comfortable with segregation, who, over time, wrestles with his ingrained beliefs as the town fractures.
Doster makes the reader uncomfortable – and that’s a good thing – as he continuously holds a mirror to the reader’s face as if to ask: would you have responded any differently?

The Passion of Mary-Margaret

by Lisa Samson

Published by Thomas Nelson (2009)
320 pages

A Story of How God Pursues and Loves the Unlovely

All her life Mary-Margaret has desired only one thing: to serve the God she loves and dedicate her life to Him as a religious sister. But when Jesus tells her to do the unthinkable and marry the town’s promiscuous prodigal, can she serve God with her obedience and risk her own life in the process?

Lisa Samson has painted a story that shows how God pursues and loves the unlovely by coloring out-of-the-lines with dark and dirty hues, mingling the darkness with light and splendor, crafting a final picture of exquisite beauty. Her characters are fresh, quirky and multi-faceted, and her flowing, vivid prose enhances this masterpiece.

This is Lisa Samson’s best work yet.

Enduring Justice

(Defenders of Hope Series #3)

by Amy Wallace

Published by Multnomah Books (2009)
336 pages

Riveting Suspense - True-to-Life Characters

Hanna Kessler thought she’d buried her past years ago, but when it claws its way to the surface, she tries to run from its ugliness and the support of family and friends. That includes handsome FBI Crimes Against Children Agent, Michael Parker, who’s struggling to cope with his own wounded past.

With Enduring Justice, and the first two books in the Defenders of Hope series, author Amy Wallace has raised the bar for Christian fiction writers. Not only has she drawn a riveting and thoroughly-researched suspense story, but she melds it with complex, true-to-life characters you truly care about, and wraps it all in redemptive hope. Most writers shine in one facet of storytelling, but few excel at both plot and characterization. I look forward to reading Amy Wallace fiction for many years to come.

Daisy Chain

(Defiance Texas Trilogy)

by Mary E. DeMuth

Published by Zondervan (2009)
355 pages

A Hauntingly Honest Coming-of-Age Tale

When Jed Pepper’s best friend, Daisy Chance, ends up missing, Jed is convinced he’s to blame. An abusive father further beats in that message of guilt. In Jed’s search for Daisy, he finds much more than a lost friend.

Using poetic & visual prose, Mary DeMuth pens a heart-tugging novel of tragedy and redemption. The author proves once again that she has the courage to delve into taboo subjects, yet she embraces them with grace and wraps them in hope. Her characters are complex, some quirky, others evil. All are very authentic.

We truly feel Jed’s empathy and guilt as he searches for Daisy. We experience his fear and self-debasement when around his father. We root for him when he prays for courage to protect his mother and sister, Sissy. And we rejoice when he finds what he needs the most.