A Primetime Christmas to be Published in 2009

The contract is in the mail and with that A Primetime Christmas will be published by Contemporary Drama Service for the 2009 Christmas season. I'm excited about this production, as I believe it is one my Christmas programs ever. Now other churches can use this production to entertain and edify their congregations. I'll post the links to the publication when they are up.

New Update and Free Book Giveaway

I haven't posted anything here in a while. I've been busy with baseball, writing, reading, and teaching. I'm currently creating a Bible study for my Sunday school class and thinking about going through Lulu to publish it. Has anyone had problems with Lulu that I should know about it. It seems to be just a cost effective as going through a local print shop.

I'm also working on my young adult fantasy, which goes quicky in spurts. I'm hoping to have more time now that baseball is over.

One last thing, I am giving away a free book over at http://seanslaglebookmarkcafe.blogspot.com/ so stop over and put in your name. The book is a young adult fantasy by Donita K. Paul called The Vanishing Sculptor.

Update

I've got some new book reviews posted over on Bookmarke Cafe. I really suggest reading today's post because I think it's a very important review.

A little update on me: I'm working on a young adult fantasy right now and am pretty excited about it. I'm going by the seat of my pants on this one, so I never know where the story is going. I just follow the main character and report on what happens. The story took a big turn today, so it's going to be interesting to see how it goes from here. I never know how much information to give out, so I'll keep it to a minimum right now.

Ghostwriter by Travis Thrasher

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Ghostwriter
FaithWords (May 28, 2009)
by
Travis Thrasher
I have really picked some winners to review this month. Ghostwriter is a thrill ride that reminded me of a Stephen King story. The story is fast-paced and is hard to put down, just like the other Travis Thrasher novel that I reviewed last year. I would suggest this book to anyone interested in the supernatural. And once again, this is a great read for the pool or backyard as you relax this summer.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


It was during third grade after a teacher encouraged him in his writing and as he read through The Narnia Chronicles by C.S. Lewis that Travis decided he wanted to be a writer. The dream never left him, and allowed him to fulfill that dream of writing fulltime in 2007.

Travis Thrasher is the author of numerous works of fiction, including his most personal and perhaps his deepest work, Sky Blue, that was published in summer of 2007. This year he has to novels published, Out of the Devil’s Mouth, and a supernatural thriller, Isolation.

Travis is married to Sharon and they are the proud parents of Kylie, born in November, 2006, and Hailey, a Shih-Tzu that looks like an Ewok. They live in suburban Chicago.

Stop by and visit Travis at his Blog where you can sign up to follow him on Facebook and Twitter!

Also check out the radio interview with Travis on Monday June 8th at BlogTalkRadio/FaithWords



ABOUT THE BOOK

For years Dennis Shore has thrilled readers with his spooky bestselling novels. Now a widower, Dennis is finally alone in his house, his daughter attending college out of state. When he's stricken by a paralyzing case of writer's block and a looming deadline, Dennis becomes desperate. Against better judgment, he claims someone else's writing as his own, accepting undeserved accolades for the stolen work. He thinks he's gotten away with it . . . until he's greeted by a young man named Cillian Reed--the true author of the stolen manuscript.

What begins as a minor case of harassment quickly spirals out of control. As Cillian's threats escalate, Dennis finds himself on the brink of losing his career, his sanity, and even his life. The horror he's spent years writing about has arrived on his doorstep, and Dennis has nowhere to run.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Ghostwriter, go HERE

Scream by Mike Dellosso

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Scream
Realms (March 3, 2009)
by
Mike Dellosso
Well, it has been a while since I've joined in the fun at CFBA. And what a great book to start with. I enjoyed his first book - The Hunted. But he has outdone himself with Scream. The action is fast-paced and the plot follows two story lines that converge. The main story line follows the main character, Mark, as he hears unearthly screams on the phone and the person he is talking to later days. The other story line follows a guy who calls himself Judge and his gathering of women as punishment for something in his past. This is one of those books that sticks with you, even after you've put it down. I found myself thinking about the characters and the plot as I was working or coaching or doing something else. I couldn't wait to get back to the book to find out more. This is what summer reading is all about. If you have the time, you could easily read this in a day or in a few days at the pool. I highly recommend this novel!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Mike now lives in Hanover, Pennsylvania, with his wife, Jen, and their three daughters. He writes a monthly column for Writer . . .Interrupted.

He was a newspaper correspondent/columnist for over three years and has published several articles for The Candle of Prayer inspirational booklets. Mike also has edited and contributed to numerous Christian-themed Web sites and e-newsletters.

Mike is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance, the Relief Writer's Network, and International Thriller Writers. He received his BA degree in sports exercise and medicine from Messiah College and his MBS degree in theology from Master's Graduate School of Divinity.


ABOUT THE BOOK


Otherworldly Screams...
A Madman on the Loose...
This Time the Stakes Are Higher Than Ever

While talking to his friend on the phone, Mark Stone is startled by a cacophony of otherworldly screams. Seconds later, a tragic accident claims his friend's life. When this happens several more times--screams followed by an untimely death--he is compelled to act.

Battling his failure as a husband and struggling with his own damaged faith, Mark embarks on a mission to find the meaning behind the screams and hopefully stop death from calling on its next victim. When his estranged wife is kidnapped and he again hears the screams as she calls from her cell phone, his search becomes much more personal and much more urgent.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Scream, go HERE

Saints in Limbo by River Jordan

Another book to look at for the summer is SAINTS IN LIMBO by River Jordan.  This novel is about Velma True.  Ever since her husband passed away, Velma’s world has been limited to what she can see while clinging to one of the multi-colored threads tied to the porch railing of her home outside Echo, Florida.  When a mysterious stranger appears at her door on her birthday and presents Velma with a special gift, she is rattled by the object’s ability to take her into her memories–a place where Joe still lives, her son Rudy is still young, unaffected by the world’s hardness, and the beginning is closer than the end. As secrets old and new come to light, Velma wonders if it’s possible to be unmoored from the past’s deep roots and find a reason to hope again.   

 

This is a suspenseful book that show the God works through those even not in His will.  The storyline is interesting and different, but in the end, you may be left wanting more and not feeling satisfied.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stealing Home by Allison Pittman

I was excited when I got the chance to review STEALING HOME by Allison Pittman, because it is about baseball.  Well, not exactly, but close enough.  I wanted to see the baseball world at the turn of the last century.  The novel is set in 1905, which is a year before my grandmother was born.  Here is the blurb on the novel:  the Chicago Cubs are banking on superstar Donald “Duke” Dennison’s golden arm to help them win the pennant. Only one thing stands between Duke and an unprecedented ten thousand dollar contract: alcohol.

That’s when sportswriter David Voyant whisks Duke to the one-horse town of Picksville, Missouri, so he can sober up in anonymity. He bides his time flirting with Ellie Jane Voyant, his unofficial chaperone, who would rather hide herself in the railway station ticket booth than face the echoes of childhood taunts.

Ned Clovis, the feed store clerk, has secretly loved Ellie Jane since childhood, but he loves baseball and the Duke almost as much–until he notices Ellie Jane may be succumbing to the star’s charm.

Then there’s Morris, a twelve-year-old Negro boy, whose only dream is to break away from Picksville. When Duke discovers his innate talent for throwing a baseball, Morris might just have found his way out.

Four individuals, each living in haunted isolation, each harboring a secret passion. Providence brings them together. Tragedy threatens to tear them apart. Will love be enough to bring them home?

 

Now to be honest, and this is just personal opinion (which all reviews are), I really enjoyed the parts where Duke or Morris had the POV.  I got bored with Ellie Jane and Ned, but really found myself engrossed with the other two.  Again, I think this is just personal preference.  Duke is someone I would want to read about in real life.  I think the greatest writing achievement of this novel is Morris.  Pittman is able to capture the voice of this character, and the dialect is right on.  I could easily see a young adult series based on Morris.  

 

Oh, yeah, there’s romance in the novel.  I guess I shouldn’t leave that out, but I feel like the romance is secondary to the great characterization of Duke and Morris.  This is a book worth reading and should be added to your summer reading list. 

 

About the author:

Allison Pittman spent seventeen years as a high school English teacher, and then shunned the advice of “experts,” quit her day job and set out to write novels that bring glory to God. She relishes inspiring other writers and leading the theater arts group at her church. She and her husband and three sons live in Universal City, Texas.