Novel Anticipation - March 2012

March is here already and I've barely begun reading my February list. That said, this month brings a slew of new releases that are on my must-read list, including the first novel in years by Frank Peretti, and another novel by my good friend, Shannon Vannatter.

Do any of these books interest you?

Are there other March releases you're looking forward to reading?

ILLUSION

by Frank Peretti

Howard Books

576 pages

978-1439192672

Magicians Dane and Mandy Collins are about to retire when a car accident claims Mandy's life. A grieving Dane goes to see a new magic act---and is shocked to find a 19-year-old version of his Mandy. When the two reunite, can they uncover the conspiracy behind their meeting, Mandy's supernatural magic, and who's following them?

TEMPTATION

Solitary Tales Series #3

by Travis Thrasher

David C. Cook

336 pages

978-1434764171

The third book in the Solitary Tales series for young adults, Temptation follows the soul-wrenching twists of Chris Buckley’s journey as he heads deeper into a darkness that threatens all he loves best.

As a reluctant student at Harrington High’s summer school, Chris meets a fun-loving senior girl who offers a welcome diversion from Chris’s past. Soon Chris no longer searches for the truth about the town of Solitary. He no longer tries to pierce its shadows. He no longer questions his role in its mysteries. He makes a new choice: he runs. What he doesn’t realize is that he’s running the wrong way—and is very close to being beyond any choices at all.

GONE TO GROUND

by Brandilyn Collins

B&H Books

352 pages

978-1433671630

Amaryllis, Mississippi, resembles the flower for which it's named---bright with southern hospitality. But poison lurks in its center. A serial killer is responsible for five unsolved murders. And now the blood of a sixth stains the town. Three terrified women are sure they know who the perpetrator is---but they all suspect a different man. Who's right?

HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT

Place of Refuge Series #1

by Amy Wallace

Harvest House Publishers

304 pages

978-0736947312

In a quiet town with a thriving Mennonite community, police officer Ashley Walters finds her threadbare faith and way of life challenged by the Plain people whose simple dress and welcoming manner open her eyes to a God she left behind. Peace eludes Ashley until she realizes the answers she seeks aren't found in starting over but in returning to the simple truth that it's God who overcomes the world, not her.

THUNDER AND RAIN

by Charles Martin

Center Street

368 pages

978-1455503988

Tough Texas Ranger Tyler Steele never could understand why his marriage failed. And now the cowboy hero is a retired single dad who doesn't know how to rebuild his own life---but he does know how to help two on-the-run innocent strangers in danger! Will Ty confront his weaknesses and become the man he needs to be?

THE CHASE

Crime Scene: Houston Series #1

by DiAnn Mills

Zondervan

352 pages

978-0310333173

To the FBI it's a cold case. To Kariss Walker it's a hot idea that could either reshape or ruin her writing career. And it's a burning mission to revisit an event she can never forget. Five years ago, an unidentified little girl was found starved to death in the woods behind a Houston apartment complex. A TV news anchor at the time, Kariss reported on the terrifying case. Today, as a New York Times bestselling author, Kariss intends to turn the unsolved mystery into a suspense novel. Enlisting the help of FBI Special Agent Tigo Harris, Kariss succeeds in getting the case reopened. But the search for the dead girl's missing mother yields a discovery that plunges the the partners into a witch's brew of danger. The old crime lives on in more ways than either of them could ever imagine. Will Kariss's pursuit of her dream as a writer carry a deadly price tag?

RODEO HERO

by Shannon Taylor Vannatter

Barbour Books

978-1616266905

Kendra Maddox doesn’t need to be rescued.

She isn’t thrilled when Stetson Wright steps in to help fend off her overanxious date at a wedding. A new Christian, she’s struggling with a promiscuous past, and Stetson’s firm belief that true love waits only makes his gallant attempt to defend her honor even more unwanted. Then her friends continually push her and Stetson together. . .but can’t they see she’ll never be good enough for him?

Stetson doesn’t need any distractions. And Kendra Maddox is definitely a distraction. From his job as the new youth director at church to moonlighting as a rodeo clown, Stetson has other things to think about. Finding the perfect wife will have to wait.

When Stetson saves a prominent bull rider, he makes headline news, and Kendra’s ad agency is hired to promote the rodeo hero. Attraction simmers, but will they be able to accept each other for who God sees?

Author Spotlight ... Shannon Taylor Vannatter

TAKING IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

by Shannon Taylor Vannatter

In 1999, I decided to write a book, so I just did. Afterward, my local librarian steered me toward a market guide. From there, I learned how to write queries and proposals--well, I thought I’d learned. I’m certain it gave at least fifty-two editors a good laugh.

But, I got two rejection letters with handwritten notes saying I had a great plot, I just needed to attend conferences and learn to write. Learn to write? Why attend conferences when I can just write? So, I wrote two more books and actually got one Print on Demand published.

I thought I had made it. And in all honesty, I finally attended my first conference so I could be a big dog. A big published dog. And sure enough, I was a big dog. No one else at the conference was published, other than the speakers.

I was queen for a day and to top it off, the conference hosted several contests for essays and short stories. I won two first place awards. Oh, I’m telling you, I had arrived and was certain publishers would fight over my books.

After the book came out, reality sank in. Bookstores didn’t buy my 171 page, $21.95 paperback book. I had to pay $15.95 for each copy and since I’d just had a baby and quit my job to be a stay-at-home-mom, I couldn’t afford many copies. So, I sold a rousing 178 copies of my very badly written, unedited book. With those rousing numbers, the publisher rejected my sequel even though the book had a cliff-hanger ending.

About that time, my husband/preacher decided to do something shifty. He only does shifty things for me, mind you. He went to a bookstore, which of course did not carry my book, and ordered it. The shifty part: he had no intention of buying it. Knowing the book would eventually be put on the shelf, he hoped eventually somebody would shell out big bucks to buy it.

But my book wasn’t even in their system. However, the clerk told him they had another title by that author. Huh?

This is how we found out that another Print on Demand company had published the first very badly written book I ever wrote. We got a lawyer, who mentioned plagiarism and big money. But I didn’t want big money, I just wanted the publisher to stop publishing my book and pay me the piddly royalties he owed me from the piddly three books he sold.

The lawyer sent the publisher a cease and desist letter: requesting he stop publishing my book and pay me my cut. It got really ugly with the publisher, who sent me a really nasty, un-Christian-like e-mail, swore he didn’t publish the book, and finally admitted, “It accidentally got loose in his system.” Huh?

I never did get my royalties, but the book is out of print, unless Amazon digs it up for the Kindle.

Finally, I decided all of this was getting me nowhere fast. Maybe joining a writers’ group, attending more conferences, and learning to write might not be such a bad idea.

Through local groups and conferences, I learned the basics. Finally in 2005, I discovered American Christian Fiction Writers. The first time I attended the conference, I learned that I knew nothing about publishable writing. ACFW took me to the next level and I’ve attended every year since, but didn’t join until 2008.

Once I finally joined, I also joined a critique group, which took me to the next level.

It was somewhere along that point when I began entering Romance Writers of America National contests and ACFW’s Genesis. In all, I entered five contests and placed second in two RWA’s. One second place finalist even went to a big-time editor, who said I’d started the story in the wrong place.

The feedback I received from the judges in these contests was invaluable. And though I can’t say that a contest got me published, I can say the judge’s comments got me to the next level and publishers really started to take notice after my two second place wins.

In 2008, I attended the ACFW conference in Minneapolis where Heartsong Presents acquisitions editor JoAnne Simmons' eyes lit up over my story. 

A mere three years later, which seems like at least ten, my fourth book, Rodeo Dust just released through Heartsong Presents.

What's next? Rodeo Hero, the second book in my Texas rodeo series releases in March 2012. I'm currently working on book 3, Rodeo Ashes set to release in June 2012.

RODEO DUST

by Shannon Taylor Vannatter

Heartsong Presents,October 2011

Ad exec, Rayna Landers meets bull rider, Clay Warren at the State Fair of Texas. While Rayna thinks she’s content solo, Clay longs for marriage and family. Though poised to win his third world championship, his ranch is in a slump. Clay convinces his publicist to hire her advertising firm in a last-ditch effort to keep his employees and lasso her heart.

Soon the city girl is on the ride of her life, until the rodeo unearths buried memories from her past. Clay sees her through the trauma, but an injury and his stubborn determination to get back in the hypothetical saddle threatens their budding relationship. Can they rely on God to find their common ground or will they draw a line in the rodeo dust that neither will cross?

Central Arkansas author, Shannon Taylor Vannatter is a stay-at-home mom/pastor’s wife. Her debut novel, White Roses won the 2011 Inspirational Readers Choice Award in the short contemporary category. The 18^th Annual Heartsong Awards named Vannatter 3rd Favorite New Author. At the same awards White Roses was voted #1 and White Doves #8 in the contemporary category. The Arkansas Democrat Three Rivers Edition voted Vannatter one of 20 to Watch in 2011.

She has taught fiction workshops at The American Christian Fiction Writers Conference in St. Louis, MO, Life Press Christian Writers Conference in Memphis, TN, and Ozark Romance Authors Conference in Springfield, MO plus a ten session writing class as a continuing adult education course at Arkansas State University.

The first book in her Texas rodeo series, Rodeo Dust will be available through Heartsong Presents in October. Rodeo Hero and Rodeo Ashes release in 2012. Learn more about Shannon and her books at http://shannonvannatter.com and check out her real life romance blog at http://shannonvannatter.com/blog/.

Shameless Shout Out for New Releases

One of the great privileges of being a writer is making so many new friends who happen to be authors. There's little I enjoy more than encouraging these friends in their writing endeavors and giving a shameless shout-out for their successes.

Three friends have novels releasing this month. While I've read them all in pre-edited form (and they're all fabulous, of course), I can't wait to read the final product.

BILOXI SUNRISE
The Biloxi Series
Debut Novel by Jerri Lynn Ledford

Deep South Press 2011

He hadn’t protected them.

When Homicide Special Investigator Jack Roe’s daughter is killed in an auto accident and his wife dies from a drug overdose, he abandons a promising career as a Military Police Officer. If only he’d been there when they needed him, he could have saved them both.

He didn’t protect her.

Six years later, Jack is in Biloxi, Mississippi to be close to his sister and her daughter, Lisa. As long as he’s around, nothing can happen to them. But then he’s called to the hospital in the middle of the night and learns that Lisa has been abused by her mother’s boyfriend. Jack must confront old wounds that never healed, and a burning anger that’s been buried for far too long.

She can’t protect him.

The same night, a woman’s body turns up on the beach. A few days later, so does another one. Jack must deal with his past and his present while he and his partner, Kate Giveans, race to find a killer before another woman dies. But Kate harbors a secret that just might get Jack killed.

I met Jerri a few years back through ACFW when we were assigned into the same critique group. We currently blog on the same group blog, Inkspirational Messages.

Although this is Jerri's debut novel, she is no stranger to writing. She's got a zillion books out there on Google Analytics and SEO and all those technical aspects of working the internet, the kind that make my head spin.

I had the honor of working with Jerri these past months on Biloxi Sunrise. She's woven together a very engaging story melding plot and character with just the right blend. I highly recommend giving this novel a try.

Check out Jerri's website: http://www.jerriledford.com/
Also find her at: http://inkspirationalmessages.com/
Don't forget to *like* her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jerri-Lynn-Ledford/147815135313371

Note from Jerri:

I'm embarrassed to admit that there has been some kind of formatting glitch with Biloxi Sunrise. At this time, there are numerous typos and errors in the book. However, I'm working furiously to correct them and will re-upload the book as soon as all of the corrections are made. These errors are entirely my fault and were NOT introduced by the wonderful people that edited the manuscript.

Click here to purchase Biloxi Sunrise through Amazon
Click here to purchase Biloxi Sunrise through Barnes and Noble

BREATH OF LIFE
by Nicole Petrino-Salter

WinePress Publishing 2011

Breath of Life tells the story of embittered, wounded, and divorced Michael Jamison who, after a prolonged period as the casual observer of a lovely woman, discovers his attraction to her supersedes remaining a stranger. With a smarting ego and nothing to lose, he figures out a non-threatening way to introduce himself. He is overwhelmed with her pristine beauty and is challenged to change everything about the way he’s lived his life so far.

In Nicole Petrino-Salter, I've found a kindred reading spirit. We're both avid fans of Vince Flynn, Steven James, & Lisa Samson, to name a few. I LOVE talking books with Nicole. We typically have the same opinion regarding books and often share insights that will never make the printed page.

Breath of Life is Nicole's third release--she offered me the privilege of reading it several months ago. I love how she gets inside Michael Jamison's head and heart. She really makes him come alive. I enjoy thought-provoking, character-driven novels, and Nicole delivers that with Breath of Life.

Check out Nicole's excellent blog: http://hopeofglory.typepad.com/into_the_fire/
Click here to purchase Breath of Life

RODEO DUST
by Shannon Taylor-Vannatter

Heartsong Presents 2011

Ad exec, Rayna Landers meets bull rider, Clay Warren at the State Fair of Texas. While Rayna thinks she’s content solo, Clay longs for marriage and family. Though poised to win his third world championship, his ranch is in a slump. Clay convinces his publicist to hire her advertising firm in a last-ditch effort to keep his employees and lasso her heart.

Soon the city girl is on the ride of her life, until the rodeo unearths buried memories from her past. Clay sees her through the trauma, but an injury and his stubborn determination to get back in the hypothetical saddle threatens their budding relationship. Can they rely on God to find their common ground or will they draw a line in the rodeo dust that neither will cross?

I met Shannon a few years back when, just like with Jerri, we were assigned into the same critique group through ACFW. (Our other critique partner is Lorna Seilstad, author of the popular Lake Manawa Summers series. Yes, I'm in very good company). Anyway, Shannon introduced me to romance fiction. Being somewhat of a literary snob, it's a genre I used to avoid, but Shannon convinced me that there are quality romance authors out there, Shannon being one of them. Since meeting her I've even made my own attempt at writing romance in order to appeal to the market (read Shannon's very kind endorsement here).

Rodeo Dust is Shannon's fourth novel released through Heartsong Presents, and the first of a second series. I had the honor of critiquing this book as well. Her male lead Clay Warren, who has a unique and fascinating rodeo job, is definitely a hero to root for. If you love romance, you have to read Shannon's books.

Find Shannon on her website: http://shannonvannatter.com/
at her Inkslinger blog: http://shannonvannatter.com/blog/
at Inkspirational Messages: http://inkspirationalmessages.com/
and on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shannontaylorvannatter

A Reader's Christmas List

So far this year I've completed 127 books. At that rate, I should read about 10 more by the end of the year. I've read thrillers, literary, historicals, biographies, even romance. (Sorry, no bonnet). So, if you're looking to give a good book this year, I have a few suggestions.

Each day this week I'll be offering Wish List Ideas in a few different categories. I'd love you to stop on by and offer your own suggestions.

To kick off the week, I'm giving Shameless Plugs to writer friends who are all very gifted. Ironically, three of the books are historical and one is romance. I don't typically read either genre, but my friends have gotten me to stretch my tastes and I thank them for that.

Making Waves - debut novel by Lorna Seilstad. A witty historical romance set in Lake Manawa, Iowa (by Council Bluffs.) It's a story about a spunky debutante who falls for a sailing instructor rather than the wealthy but boring suitor her parents chose for her. The story takes place at what used to be a water resort/amusement park for the wealthy. Lorna gave me a tour of current-day Lake Manawa. Nothing remains of the resort. I love that Lorna has brought this historical site back to life in this fun story.

White Roses and White Doves - debut series from Shannon Taylor-Vannatter. Like many readers, I have a pre-conceived notion about romance novels so I tend to avoid them. Give me gritty, thought-provoking works please. But Shannon dispelled those notions. Her characters are broken human beings living authentic lives. Her first series takes place in the city of Romance, Arkansas. Another great setting.

The Famous One by Nicole Petrino-Salter. Chronicles the life of a troubled young man propelled into super stardom, a man who earned everything, but still felt empty ... until he found the only thing, The One who could fill that hole. I love Nicole's raw characters and her genuine portrayal of people's lives. Like to read something emotionally honest? Then check out The Famous One.

Courting Morrow Little by Laura Frantz. Morrow Little doesn't think she can ever forgive the Shawnee for tearing apart her family, but then she is drawn to one of their warriors. Is she betraying her family by falling for this man? Laura Frantz deftly avoided the sophomore slump in this novel. I loved her first book The Frontiersman's Daughter as it was more than a simple historical novel. It was a literary journey. In Courting Morrow Little, Laura takes the reader on another sweeping journey with her trademark symphonic prose. I can't wait to get her next book, The Colonel's Lady.

The Girl in the Gatehouse by Julie Klassen. After a scandal, a young woman is banished to a life of seclusion in a distant relative's gatehouse and puts a crimp in a military captain's perfectly formed plans. The story takes place following the Napoleonic wars. I'll admit I haven't read this yet as it doesn't come out until tomorrow, but like Laura Frantz, Julie has a musical way with words and she tells a unique story. Barring a blizzard, I'll be in line to get my autographed copy.

White Roses

debut novel by Shannon Taylor Vannatter
(White Rose Trilogy #1)

Heartsong Presents
174 pages

More Than Romance

Back cover:
Grayson can't seem to move on.

Pastor Grayson Sterling loves his wife. The problem is, Sara was killed by a hit-and-run driver two years ago. Grayson knows he needs to move on, that the continuing depth of his grief is not healthy for him or his young son. Desperate, he convinces his church to hire Mark Welch as associate pastor to relieve him of some of his load. When Adrea Welch arrives at his church with her brother, Grayson cannot deny his attraction to her.

For years, florist Adrea Welch has been artfully arranging white roses for Sara Sterling. Now those flowers are carried to the cemetery by a faithful, grieving husband. How can Adrea be so attracted to a man still devoted to his dead wife?

When secrets from Adrea's past collide with their budding relationship, both she and Grayson must learn to lean on God's abiding wisdom.

Review:

As a Literature major, I’ll be the first to admit that I tend to be snobbish in my literary tastes. While I love strong romantic elements in a story, I typically cringe at the thought of reading straight romance. Give me lyrical prose or action/adventure or messy contemporaries, but please no romance. I want more than that.

Well, God has a way of opening my eyes.

A few years back I was blessed to be placed in a critique group with two other excellent writers: Shannon Taylor Vannatter and Lorna Seilstad. (You can find my review of Lorna’s debut novel, Making Waves, in a previous posting.) Lorna writes historical romance, and Shannon, contemporary romance.  Both Shannon and Lorna proved to me that you can write a sweet romance AND include authentic, broken lives.

White Roses begins in Romance, Arkansas, on February 14. The heroine, Adrea Welch, is a floral designer who dreads this day every year as it's the anniversary of the day she and her ex-fiancé were to be married. A marriage called off when she caught him with another woman shortly before the wedding. Ouch.

As Adrea’s arranging flowers at a church for a wedding, she meets Pastor Grayson Sterling, a man who still grieves the death of his wife Sara. A few years back, Sara was killed by a hit-and-run driver. Grayson still remembers her every year with a bouquet of white roses. Unknowingly arranged by Adrea.

When reading a romance, you already know the basic storyline. Girl meets boy. They fall in love and live happily-ever-after. What you don’t know is how Girl gets to that fairy-tale ending, and it’s the journey that makes the story worthwhile. Shannon Vannatter is an engaging storyteller who isn’t afraid to take unexpected paths in her works; she isn’t afraid to include broken people. Her characters are real, their lives complex, their faith genuine.

Her stories are more than romance.

So, thank you Shannon, for educating this literary snob and teaching me the diversity of story.

Meet Shannon

Central Arkansas author, Shannon Taylor Vannatter is a stay-at-home mom/pastor’s wife/writer. Like Janette Oke, she views her work as a ministry and her books as paper missionaries. Vannatter hopes to entertain Christian women and plant seeds in the non-believer’s heart as her characters struggle with real-life issues. Their journeys, from ordinary lives to extraordinary romance through Christ-centered relationships, demonstrate that love doesn’t conquer all, Jesus does.

White Rose Trilogy
White Roses, now available in stores
White Doves, currently available through Heartsong Presents. In stores, April 2011.
White Pearls, available through Heartsong Presents, Jan 2011, in stores, July 2011

http://www.shannonvannatter.com
http://www.inkslingerblog.com
http://www.inkspirationalmessages.com

Making Waves

As a writer as well as a reader, I’m blessed to have two incredible critique partners. We’ve been working together for two and a half years and, in that time, we’ve all seen our fiction writing skills grow exponentially. But more importantly, I’ve gained two beautiful, encouraging friends. I am thrilled to highlight their debut novels here. So yes, I’m admitting my bias up front and am gladly giving them shameless plugs.

Shannon Taylor Vannatter’s book, White Roses, was released by Heartsong Presents in May to their book club readers and will be in stores come this November, just in time for Christmas. I’ll be reviewing her book in October so keep watching for it.

____________________________________________



Making Waves
(Lake Manawa Summers Series #1)

debut novel by Lorna Seilstad

Published by Revell

363 pages

Romance Sprinkled with Humor

Lorna Seilstad’s Making Waves released this September and is already receiving rave reviews. The story begins in 1895 with spunky Marguerite Westing being courted by boring Roger Gordon, a very wealthy man chosen by her mother. The first paragraphs start you laughing with Marguerite’s sarcastic wit, and your smile doesn’t fade as you follow Marguerite’s journey. She falls in love with sailing--not a womanly thing to do in 1895--but more so, she falls for the handsome sailing instructor, Trip Andrews. Does she follow her heart and chose Trip? Or, to save her family’s fortune, will she be forced to marry Roger?

I absolutely love the subtle wit Lorna infuses throughout this story. Oftentimes when people write with humor, it’s evident they’re trying too hard. The laugh lines appear tacked on or forced. Not so with Making Waves. Wit flows naturally from the characters, particularly Marguerite, so keep a tissue handy.

One of my favorite parts of this novel is the setting. It takes place in Lake Manawa, Iowa a water resort community near Council Bluffs. Back in the late 1800’s and early 1900s, it was a real place where the wealthy tented for the summer. The resort area offered water shows and activities. It had dance and gambling halls. It even offered a water carnival that was modeled after the World’s Fair. Sadly, today you see no signs of this resort, but with Lorna’s multi-sensory descriptions she brings the area back to life so history can live on.

Award-winning author Lorna Seilstad has called Iowa home her whole life. She received her B.S. in Education from Lubbock Christian University. After her first child was born, she quit teaching and became a professional wiper. “I wiped noses, tears, skinned knees, baby's bottoms, and counter tops every day. But at nap time, I wrote." Today, she writes historical fiction with a generous dash of humor. Making Waves is her debut novel and the first in the Lake Manawa Summers Series. She and her husband have three children.

http://lornaseilstad.com/
http://inkspirationalmessages.com/

Making Waves is the first novel in a three book series (Lake Manawa Summers series). A Great Catch comes out the summer of 2011, and Summer of Dreams (working title) releases the summer of 2012.