CFBA: The Crimson Cipher by Susan Page Davis

Song Stuck on the Brain: My Love by Sia

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing:



The Crimson CipherSummerside Press (July 1, 2010)



by


Susan Page Davis

MY TAKE:

How can you go wrong combining secret ciphers, romance, war and patriotism? I loved this book. I've always been intrigued by number puzzles. I'm not very good at them, but that hasn't stopped me from reading about them. I'm amazed at the minds that create such complex systems, and even more amazed at those that can crack them. The Crimson Cipher really has the best of all elements. Emma and John's romance is sweet and builds slowly, but believably for the situation they're in. Their characters are both strong and reserved, but this only lends a needed gravity for the chaos surrounding them. Without it, the story would have fallen apart. The rest of the cast balance that out with several colorful and strong personalities. Choosing to set the story during WWI was an interesting choice as well, since so many of the historical's focus around WWII.

I'm anxious to share this one with my friends and family. I highly recommend this book, for it's unique subject matter, and for the clarity and engaging way it's presented; as well as the overall hook of intrigue and romance.




ABOUT THE BOOK:

IT'S 1915, AND EMMA SHUSTER HAS FAR TOO MUCH ON HER MIND TO ENTERTAIN NOTIONS OF ROMANCE...

A female Navy cryptographer seeks to save lives...and uncover her father’s killers.

In 1915, German sympathizers escalated acts of sabotage in the United States to keep the nation from joining in the war. With enemies lurking at every turn, whom can Emma trust? Is romance the true motive behind her tow suitors advances? Or could one-or both of them-have traitorous intentions in mind?

Following the mysterious murder of Emma Shuster’s father, Lt. John Patterson invites Emma to become a Navy cryptographer because of the expertise she gained in helping her father develop a cipher system.

Emma races to discover the nefarious plans of her country's foes and unmask their leader before others are killed. She finds new strength in her faith as she strives to outwit her adversary, known only as Kobold - German for goblin.

And yet, her greatest challenge may be deciphering the cryptic messages her heart sends whenever she encounters a certain navy lieutenant... Can Emma and John find love in the midst of turmoil as America plunges toward war?

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Crimson Cipher, go HERE.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

From Susan: I've always loved reading, history, and horses. These things come together in several of my historical books. My young adult novel, Sarah's Long Ride, also spotlights horses and the rugged sport of endurance riding, as does the contemporary romance Trail to Justice. I took a vocational course in horseshoeing after earning a bachelor's degree in history. I don't shoe horses anymore, but the experience has come in handy in writing my books.

Another longtime hobby of mine is genealogy, which has led me down many fascinating paths. I'm proud to be a DAR member! Some of Jim's and my quirkier ancestors have inspired fictional characters.

For many years I worked for the Central Maine Morning Sentinel as a freelancer, covering local government, school board meetings, business news, fires, auto accidents, and other local events, including a murder trial. I've also written many profiles and features for the newspaper and its special sections. This experience was a great help in developing fictional characters and writing realistic scenes. I also published nonfiction articles in several magazines and had several short stories appear in Woman's World, Grit, and Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine.

My husband, Jim, and I moved to his birth state, Oregon, for a while after we were married, but decided to move back to Maine and be near my family. We're so glad we did. It allowed our six children to grow up feeling close to their cousins and grandparents, and some of Jim's family have even moved to Maine!

Our children are all home-schooled. The two youngest are still learning at home. Jim recently retired from his vocation as an editor at a daily newspaper, and we’ve moved from Maine to Kentucky.

CFBA: Malacca Conspiracy by Don Brown

Song Stuck on the Brain: My Love by Sia - Twilight Eclipse Soundtrack

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing:

Malacca ConspiracyZondervan (June 4, 2010)

by
Don Brown

MY TAKE:

The Malacca Conspiracy is high energy political suspense. No doubt about it. Don Brown is a talented writer.

I did find that it took a little while to get into the real action. Setting up the politics and the main issues that begin the intrigue took a good piece of the beginning, and although it was interesting I found it hard to follow at first. Probably because I'm not that into politics and this area of the world was completely unknown to me. Once established however, the main cast come in with a bang to save the day and it never really slows down from there.

I am a fan of political suspense, usually though it focuses around more common areas of the world. It was interesting to find a new part of the world to see into. At least new to me. Great writing. Check it out and see if you find Don's style as intriguing as the political hotbeds he writes about.




ABOUT THE BOOK:

A rogue Indonesian general and his army of terrorists attack oil tankers in the Strait of Malacca in order to profit from oil futures and buy nuclear weapons to establish an Islamic superpower.

Navy JAG officers Zack Brewer and Diane Colcernian race against the odds and a 24-hour deadline before nuclear attacks hit the United States. Departing from the sea of books barely better than soap opera romance and using the frantic pacing of suspense fiction, Brown glides flawlessly among global hotspots of terrorism--including the United States--and the book's principal settings in Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

The President of the United States orders ships of the U.S. Seventh Fleet towards the Malacca Straits to reassert control over the sea lanes, but with time quickly ticking away, will they arrive in time for Zack and Diane to survive this dangerous and final high-stakes drama of life and death?

Sign up for the contest above! And if you would like to read the first chapter of Malacca Conspiracy, go HERE.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

DON BROWN, a former U.S. Navy JAG Officer, is the author of Zondervan’s riveting NAVY JUSTICE SERIES. a dynamic storyline chronicling the life and adventures of JAG officer ZACK BREWER. In 2003, Don began writing Treason, his first novel in the NAVY JUSTICE SERIES.

Paying no homage to political correctness, DON BROWN’S writing style is described as “gripping,” casting an entertaining and educational spin on a wide-range of current issues, from radical Islamic infiltration of the military, to the explosive issue of gays in the military, to the modern day issues of presidential politics in the early 21st Century.

In November of 2009, four years after it was released, and in the wake of Fort Hood, TREASON rocketed to the top-selling in the nation on the Amazon.com bestseller list for fiction, and remained there for over a week. On Thanksgiving Day of 2009, all four of Don’s novels were ranked in the top 5 on the Amazon bestseller list for fiction!

DON BROWN graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1982, and after finishing law school, continued his post-graduate studies through the Naval War College, earning the Navy’s nonresident certificate in International Law.

During his five years on active duty in the Navy, Don served in the Pentagon, was published in the Naval Law Review, and was also a recipient of the Navy Achievement Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal.