CFBA: Love Me Tender by Janice Hanna

Song Stuck on the Brain: Love Me Tender by Elvis Presley.

You can't read this book and NOT have it run in your head for days. :) Good thing it's a song I enjoy.

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing:




Love Me TenderSummerside Press (September 1, 2010)



by


Janice Hanna


MY TAKE:

What a fun step back in time. It's almost astounding how innocent Hollywood seemed in the 50's compared to now. Wouldn't it be nice to have more Bobby Conrad and Johnny Hartman's around now - famous or not.

Debbie's determination to save her father and Sweet Sal's, and find true love with a movie star is both quaintly naive and admirable at the same time. Something that probably wouldn't have even been believable in any other setting or time period, but in Love Me Tender, it works and it works really well. The romance is sweet. The characters' faith and trust in Jesus to lead them to the right one to love is a great example of what we should still expect today. There's nothing wrong with naivety, innocence, and sweet romance. I wish we found more of it in the 21st century.

Janice made me long for a time period I wasn't even alive to experience and she did it by pulling in great classic songs and movies (Like Elvis and Roman Holiday, an all time favorite), fashion, and history. (Imagine! Someday gas could cost 50 cents a gallon! Oh, if Debbie's father could see us today!)

Love Me Tender is a fun, lighthearted romp through a decade precariously balanced on that edge of no return. It has a strong message of faith and purpose soundly wrapped in classic rock and chocolate malts. Enjoy!



ABOUT THE BOOK:

As "Love Me Tender" plays in the background, Debbie Carmichael determines to salvage her family's restaurant, Sweet Sal's Soda Shoppe, when her father's health fails. Teen heartthrob Bobby Conrad agrees to perform at a fundraiser concert. But just two weeks before the highly publicized event, Bobby backs out of the benefit. Enter Johnny Hartman, a young, unknown singer to take Conrad's place. Debbie soon realizes the twists and turns leading up to the concert are divinely orchestrated. And it isn't dreamy Bobby Conrad who has stolen her heart - but the tender love of Johnny Hartman.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Love Me Tender, go HERE.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Award-winning author Janice Thompson also writes under the pseudonym Janice Hanna, She got her start in the industry writing screenplays and musical comedies for the stage. Janice has published over fifty books for the Christian market, crossing genre lines to write cozy mysteries, historicals, romances, nonfiction books, devotionals, childrens books and more. In addition, she enjoys editing, ghost-writing, public speaking, and mentoring young writers. Janice currently serves as Vice-President of CAN (Christian Authors Network) and was named the 2008 Mentor of the year for ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers).

She was thrilled to be named the 2010 Barbour/Heartsong Author of the Year with three books on the top ten list for that house. Janice is active in her local writing group, where she regularly teaches on the craft of writing. Her online course, "Becoming a Successful Freelance Writer" has been helpful to many who want to earn a living with their writing. Janice is passionate about her faith and does all she can to share the joy of the Lord with others, which is why she particularly enjoys writing. She lives in Spring, Texas, where she leads a rich life with her family, a host of writing friends and two mischievous dachshunds. She does her best to keep the Lord at the center of it all.

HAPPY LABOR DAY!!!