No Safe Haven by Kimberly and Kayla Woodhouse

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing No Safe Haven B&H Books (March 15, 2011) by Kimberly and Kayla Woodhouse
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

A devoted wife and mother, Kimberley Woodhouse is a third generation Liszt student, she has passed down her love of the arts to hundreds of students over the years.

About fifteen years ago, Kimberley began writing seriously. Songs, plays, short stories, novels, picture books, articles, newsletters - you name it - she's written it. It wasn't until a dear friend challenged her to "do something with it", that she pursued publication.

Kimberley and her family's story have been on the front page of newspapers, in magazines, articles, medical journals, and most recently her family was chosen for ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. They were also asked to share their story on The Montel Williams Show and Discovery Health Channel's Mystery ER. She has recorded three albums, and has appeared at over 700 venues. Kimberley lives, writes, and homeschools in Colorado with her husband and their two children in a truly "Extreme" home.

Thirteen-year-old Kayla Woodhouse’s zest for writing comes not only from her natural ability, but also from her love of the written word as witnessed by her voracious reading appetite. One of only a few dozen cases in the world, Kayla was born with HSAN, Hereditary Sensory Autonomic Neuropathy, an extremely rare nerve disorder. Unable to sweat, or feel pain, she’s also been through brain surgery. But even through a life of extreme hardships, her ever-present smile encourages others to pursue their dreams, no matter the obstacles. In addition to being homeschooled and writing with her mom, she’s an amazing swimmer, and spends up to thirty hours a week in training. No Safe Haven, her first release from B&H Publishers in 2011, written with mother, Kimberley, makes her the youngest author to have a full-length novel published by a royalty paying publisher.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Jenna and Andi Tikaani-Gray are hoping for a fresh start. Though twelve year-old Andi has long struggled with a rare medical disorder, she and her mother have finally received good news from out-of-town specialists. It's news they desperately needed, especially after the recent death of Jenna's husband (Andi's dad) in a car accident.

But as they are flying home to Alaska, ready to begin again, the unthinkable happens. The pilot sabotages their small plane and crashes into Sultana, one of the most remote and dangerous mountains in the Land of the Midnight Sun. Even worse, a winter storm is headed their way along with someone who doesn't want to save them, but to kill them.

Only one man can keep them alive: Cole Maddox, the mysterious last-minute passenger who joined them on their flight. But trust doesn't come easy to Jenna or AndiÑand they both sense Cole is hiding something.

A relentless tale of survival and suspense unfolds, involving military technology designed by Jenna's late husband that some would do anything to possess.

Watch the Book Video:



If you would like to read the first chapter of No Safe Haven, go HERE.

Whatcha Reading ~ Night Knight

This is how "Whatcha Reading Wednesdays" works this week...

Go to page 1 type in the first sentence. If it is a spoiler at all be sure to put **Spoiler Alert** at the top of your comment (like if the selection announces the death of an integral character or something).

Link up over at Busy Moms Who Love to Read

Deep withing the shadows of the huge oak tree, the ground itself seemed to be alive.

See my review of this book here.

There are lots of great titles releasing in the next few weeks - which one are you most looking forward to?

People of the Book 
by Kathi Macias

How about you? What are you waiting on?

Flavors by Emily Sue Harvey

FLAVORS

Emily Sue Harvey

The question most frequently asked of me is “how do you dream up those stories?” Most of the time, I reply “from life.” But that answer is too simple and may be considered glib so I go a step further and clarify. I begin with a premise, like in Song of Renewal, where a family is tossed into peril when, after the father has forbidden sixteen-year-old Angel Wakefield to go to a concert with her first boyfriend, because a terrible storm could make the venture dangerous, the mother relents and allows Angel to go. Later, when the teen is in a horrific auto accident that kills Troy and leaves her comatose and paralyzed, the results are devastating.

After setting the initial conflict, I begin to ask myself “what if?” What if…Garrison cannot forgive Liza for going against his judgment that fateful night? Imagine his anguish. What if…Liza’s guilt is so great that she cannot forgive herself? Imagine her remorse. What if…despite the fact that Garrison still loves Liza, he cannot bring himself to provide that succor she so desperately needs as their child lies at death’s door? How utterly alone and betrayed she must feel. Then, what if Liza eventually becomes so emotionally spent that she is forced to numb out her feelings for Garrison? What far-reaching effects will this have on their lives? On their marriage? But what if their love for their daughter is the one bond that keeps them tethered together? The what ifs are infinite and crucial in creating a story.

In Flavors, I asked “what if” Sadie Ann’s experiences—both good and bad-- at the Melton farm grow too complex for her sensitive adolescent mind to process and remain well-tuned? The result was that Sadie Ann began to define the sometimes exhilarating, sometimes bizarre happenings in terms of flavors. Childhood was lemony while teen life was strawberry flavored. Adulthood ranged from Strawberry to Vanilla-y- to Cinnamon Spicy, depending upon the situation and nuances. Violence had a vile smell, the flavor of road-kill. Her stoical, sometimes apathetic grandmother was described as “sage-y.” This process of categorizing each reaction neatly, in a civilized way, helped the sensitive twelve-year-old deal with and file away each epiphany of her summer’s journey.

The choice of flavors is concise in rounding out Sadie Ann’s odyssey from childhood to adulthood in that life-altering summer. The girl’s inner child harmonizes with those inside all of us. We may disparage them during those awkward days now called tween years. We may scream and vilify her/him when they pop up at inopportune times and embarrass the bejeezus out of us.

I describe my own inner child as a sometimes grotesque Betty Boop with smeared lipstick and clumped, spidery mascara, who regularly made me look and act like an utter fool between the ages of eleven and fifteen. Actually, even further into my teens. Not as often but she was still on “go” and would spring into being at the least provocation. But at other times she was the sweetest, most giving of beings, loving the unlovable and forgiving the grossest of betrayals.

And like the older, melancholy Sadie Ann, I kept pushing that inner child away until she appeared less and less. Today she is nearly non-existent. And strangely, that doesn’t please me like I thought it would. In fact, get these—I find myself missing her. Yeh. Especially her spontaneity. All this melancholy junk spawned by aging gets too, too heavy. And I miss her ability to see past others’ flaws and just—love’em, Y’know? Oh, and I miss her childlike abandonment to joy. And her lemon-zesty celebration of life itself.

I wonder—would she come back? At least when I need her? In recent days, I’ve beckoned to her, more and more. Talking and reminiscing. Stuff like that. Because I know that, like me, she’s a sentimental soul. And I know that, even though I put her down so brutally in younger days, she won’t turn me away.

More than anything, you see, she loves to make people happy.

See Flavors tour and my review here



A copy of this book was provided for review by...

Teaser Tuesday ~ Night Knight

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, f hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along, so I thought I would play for un! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers

Fumblekins had never been inside an elf's home...it was amazing!....the inside of the tree trunk was lit up with moonlight, collected in lanterns that hung from the wooden walls.  

~taken from p. 28 of Night Knight by Emma Piers
Read my Review here. 

Money & Marriage by Matt Bell

If you want a book that will tell you in a simple way how to manage your money then Matt has you covered in his book Money & Marriage.  Bell takes you to the marriage side of the coin because money is the common source of disagreements in a marriage with each person coming into marriage with different preconceived idea of how it has always been done.  Therefore there is bound to be conflict in a marriage.

Different Perspectives = Conflict

Bell helps the reader find timeless truths about money from a Biblical perspective.  This book has a wealth of information in it.  This book is good for even a single person that is interested in better managing his/her money.  There are questions to think about and discuss and there are even worksheets provided to fill out and help the reader as they endeavor to use their money wisely. 

• In part 1 of the book, Bell helps the reader to decode their financial DNA.
• Part 2, Bell gives a 10-Step action plan to financial success.
• And in the final section, part 3, the author covers financial oneness

This was such a wonderful book on Money.  Bell has provided the reader with lots of information.  To truly comprehend it all one must take their time in reading this book.  However, it is written to be understood, very easy.  I do think that any new couple planning on getting married should work through this book together. 

Money & Marriage: A Complete Guide for Engaged or Newly Married Couples

In this thorough and practical guide, financial expert Matt Bell helps engaged and newly married couples navigate the merger of habits, flaws, and attitudes about money so two can truly become one.

His writing is full of helpful advice, Scripture, and practical steps to gaining financial freedom together as a couple. Learn to use money in a way that minimizes disputes and maximizes marital happiness.

Matt began his career as a radio journalist, with his work featured on National Public Radio, the NBC Radio Network, and several other networks. His reporting earned national awards from the Society of Professional Journalists and United Press International.

Today, Matt is a full-time personal finance writer and speaker. He is the author of two books: "Money, Purpose, Joy" (September 2008) and "Money Strategies for Tough Times" (April 2009), both by NavPress. Matt has been quoted in USA TODAY, U.S. News and World Report, the Chicago Tribune, and Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine, has written for ChristianityToday.com, and has been a guest on WGN-TV and several nationally syndicated radio talk shows.

Matt holds a Master's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from DePaul University, where he wrote a thesis about the emergence of America's consumer culture and its influence on people's beliefs and behaviors.

Matt lives with his wife and their three young children in the Chicago area. Visit his website and blog at www.mattaboutmoney.com

Matt Bell's (a.k.a Matt About Money) Money & Marriage has just released (NAVPress) and is a great resource for engaged or newly married couples.

Matt says about the book, “I wrote “Money & Marriage” because I believe in marriage. I’m sure it isn’t news to you that money is a very common source of stress between spouses. It’s even a primary factor in many divorces. I wrote this book with no less of a goal than to save many marriages from disaster, and to help all couples use money in a way that strengthens their relationship and increases their joy.”

To celebrate Matt has put together a Nest Egg Giveaway with a prize package worth over $250! 

One winner will receive:

•    A Free 1 Hour Financial Session
•    A $100 Visa Cash Card
•    A signed copy of Matt’s Money, Purpose, Joy and Money Strategies for Tough Times

To enter just click one of the icons below. Then tell your friends. And hurry - the contest ends April 11th. The winner will be announced on Matt's blog on April 13th.

Be sure to pick up a copy of Money & Marriage – important principles whether you're newly engaged or just celebrated your 30th anniversary.

Blog tour schedule

Link to buy the book

A copy of this book was provided for this review by... Litfuse

Flavors by Emily Sue Harvey

Emily Sue Harvey’s first novel, Song of Renewal, was praised by New York Times bestselling author Jill Marie Landis as “an uplifting, heartwarming story,” by bestselling author Kay Allenbaugh as a work that will “linger in the memory long after readers put it aside,” and by Coffee Time Romance as “a must-read book for anyone doing a little soul searching.” New York Times bestselling author Steve Berry said, “It captures your attention, and whets your appetite for more,” while Peeking between the Pages called it “quite simply a beautiful book.”

Now, in Flavors, this master storyteller of the human heart sweeps us along with twelve-year-old Sadie Ann Melton as she enters a life-altering season. The summer of 1950 will change everything for her. For in that summer, she will embark on an odyssey at once heartbreakingly tender and crushingly brutal. At times, she will experience more darkness than she has ever witnessed before. At others, she will thrill to lightness and joy she never imagined. By summer’s end, the Melton women in Sadie’s journey – loving her, coaxing her, and commanding her – will help shape her into the woman she becomes. And they will expose Sadie to all of the flavors of life as she savors the world that she brings into being.

Filled with charm, wisdom, and the smorgasbord of emotions that comes with the first steps into adulthood, Flavors once again proves Emily Sue Harvey’s unique ability to touch our souls with her unforgettable stories.

 Read an excerpt of the book here
 Read guest post FLAVORS by author here.

I guess this book wasn't what I was expecting.  I was expecting more of an inspirational short story type chapters.  Flavors is a story.  As you walk through Sadie Ann leaves for a summer with her Grandparents on the farm.  It is more of a fictional memoir type book.  I was a little disappointed in that it wasn't the chicken soup type of book.  The story is good theme:  perseverance in what life brings our way.  If you like memoir type reading then you may like this book.  Also staying with my language policy I must say there are curse words in the book.  (see my words post here).  

Emily Sue Harvey, author and speaker, writes to make a difference. Dozens of her upbeat stories and articles appear in Chocolate for Women, Chicken Soup for the Soul, women’s magazines, websites, and other anthologies.

Her first hardback novel, Song of Renewal, was released by The Story Plant in July, 2009.

An expanded paperback version of Song of Renewal, plus three novellas and two more full-length novels (Homefires and Unto These Hills) will come from The Story Plant in 2011.

To find out more about Emily visit www.renewalstories.com or www.emilysueharvey.com

Read author interview here


A copy of this book was provided for review by...

Mailbox Monday ~ Mar. 21, 2011

Join Mailbox Monday meme

@ The Printed Page

A Dad of His Own by Gail Gaymer Martin

Forever Ashley by Lori Copeland

Surrendered Balance by Hermina Krista Pettiford

Blood of the Prodigal by P.L. Gaus

The Caregiver by Shelley Shepard Gray

Thank You, God, for Mommy by Amy Parker

False Pretenses by Kathy Herman

Fit for My King by Sheri Rose Shepherd

The Amusings of a  Missionary Ken Board

Jack & Mops' Magical Adventures by P.A. Paizs

Fifo "50 States" by Hayley Rose

What a cute way for a child to learn and not know they are learning than with verse and rhyming.  This Fifo "50 States" by Hayley Rose is just the book.  She takes the reader in ABC order through the 50 states in rhyming verse.  The reader will learn the # the state was admitted into the Union, state capital, flower, tree, bird and motto as they travel across American with Fifo.  I think 4-7 year olds would just adore Fifo.  You could also play an eye spy with the pictures from each state.  Help your child discover the beauties of America with Fifo.  See sample page below... 

Read Author interview here.

In this delightful rhyming story, Fifo, a warm and loveable brown bear, is bitten by the travel bug. Fifo dreams of digging up diamonds in Arkansas , looking for fossils in Kansas , enjoying a delicious bowl of gumbo in Louisiana , and even seeing a Broadway show in New York . Yes, America is an exiting place!

Fifo’s second book is full of adventure. A colorful reference-like book, Fifo discovers the wonders each state has to offer. He learns along the way each state’s capital, shape, flag, motto, and much, much more. The possibilities are endless! So, come along with Fifo and you’ll soon discover the beauty of America one state to another. A positive experience for both Fifo and the reader.

“Explore, the possibilities are endless!”

Autographed copies can be ordered from www.fifothebear.com and come with tattoos and bookmarks!

CALIFORNIA

Out in the west

Lies the 31st state,

It is called California

And I hear it’s just great.

Sacramento is the capital

And there are many things to see,

Like the Golden Poppy flower

And the California Redwood tree..

The bird, the California Quail,

Lives in California too.

It’s a wonderful place to visit

I’d like to go there wouldn’t you?

State Motto: I Have Found It

Hayley Rose grew up in the beach side town of Pacific Palisades , California, to a family of visual artists. In the early 1990’s she traveled the U.S. with her band Crush Violet. In 1994, after a family reunion, she was inspired to write a children’s book. Looking for a cute and catchy name for a main character, she kept hearing “first in, first out”. Hence, the name Fifo was born. Hayley’s mother would often ask her what she wanted to be when she grew up, so Hayley decided to start her series of “Fifo” books with that very question. Her first book, Fifo “When I Grow Up” was published in 2002. Her love of travel inspired her second book in the Fifo series, Fifo “50 States”, published in 2010.

Along with writing children’s books, Hayley has been working in entertainment business management for the past 15 years, specializing in concert touring. She has worked with many “A list” musicians including Michael Jackson, Rod Stewart and Candlebox just to name a few. Hayley hopes to one day soon release an album of children’s songs. She is a currently member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and resides in Los Angeles, CA.

You can visit her website at www.fifothebear.com.

Connect with her on Twitter and Facebook!

A copy of this book was provided for review by...

Finding your Passion by Dr. Laina Turner-Molaski

Today for our guest post I have a little article from author of The MS Project: Orange is the new pink, Dr. Laina Turner-Molaski.  Please be sure to return on Mar. 25 for my review of this book.  Thank you Laina for supplying this guest post.

Finding Your Passion

I was excited when I got the chance to guest post on this bog because the title of the blog, My heart belongs to books, just made me smile because we all need a passion. Something that makes us happy (besides of course family and friends). That’s how I feel about raising awareness for Multiple Sclerosis, which is why I put together the book to help promote awareness called The MS Project.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a disease of the central nervous system of which there is no known cause. When my mother was diagnosed back in the 1980’s there wasn’t much known about the disease and unfortunately the same is true today. However, you can make people aware one person at a time and with the book, The MS Project, and the corresponding iPhone app and website I am hoping I can bring awareness to MS one person at a time.

Laina

The book is a compilation of stories by people who have MS or by people who have loved ones with MS. The purpose is to provide motivation and inspiration through sharing these stories and hopefully interest more people in learning more about the cause.

Dr. Laina Turner-Molaski is a Faculty Chair with Capella University. She is also an author of both fiction and non-fiction and is a business consultant.

Laina’s mother was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in 1985. After her passing in 2000 Laina became committed to bringing more awareness to the disease.

You can reach Dr. Turner-Molaski through the website The MS Project at www.themsproject.com


A copy of this book was provided for review by Virtual Book tours