CSFF: North! Or Be Eaten by Andrew Peterson

Sometimes the internet get hungry and eats the strangest things. For example, I posted the CSFF tour for North! Or Be Eaten on January 29th. However, it's been eaten, not even a crumb remains.

SO, my apolgies to everyone on the tour, here is the post again. For my readers, Enjoy! This is a great read. Without further ado...

The CSFF proudly presents:

North! Or Be Eaten
Wild escapes. A desperate journey. And the ghastly Fangs of Dang

by

Andrew Peterson

About the Book:

Janner, Tink, and Leeli Igiby thought they were normal children with normal lives and a normal past. But now they know they’re really the Lost Jewels of Anniera, heirs to a legendary kingdom across the sea, and suddenly everyone wants to kill them. In order to survive, the Igibys must flee to the safety of the Ice Prairies, where the lizardlike Fangs of Dang cannot follow. First, however, they have to escape the monsters of Glipwood Forest,1 the thieving Stranders of the East Bend,2 and the dreaded Fork Factory.3
But even more dangerous are the jealousies and bitterness that threaten to tear them apart, and Janner and his siblings must learn the hard way that the love of a family is more important than anything else.

1. All possessing very sharp teeth.


2. Murderous scoundrels, the lot.


3. Woe!


About the Author:

Frederick Buechner said, “The story of one of us is the story of us all.”

Perhaps this explains why we are drawn to great storytellers, why we yearn for connection with those whose own stories seep with imagination.

Singer/songwriter Andrew Peterson fits inside both of those categories. And the most recent chapter for this prolific storyteller includes a stunning new album, Resurrection Letters, Volume II.

When not pouring imagery into his songs, Peterson focuses on another kind of writing. Last March, Waterbrook Press published the author’s first fantasy novel, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness, to critical acclaim. Garrison Keillor’s News from Lake Wobegon and The Chronicles of Narnia, along with bedtime tales Peterson spun for his daughter Skye and two sons Aedan and Jesse, inspired the book. In fact, he has already begun penning the second installment of the Wingfeather Saga series. In 2007, a richly illustrated children’s book, The Ballad of Matthew’s Begats (Thomas Nelson), became a visual companion to Peterson’s song of the same name. In addition, he’s been lending his diverse talents to the VeggieTales establishment, co-writing three children’s songs with solo artist and friend, Randall Goodgame.

Many would consider the current setting of Peterson’s multi-faceted work somewhat idyllic. Last year, he relocated his family of five to a charming little house on the side of a hill just south of Nashville. The storybook dwelling offers a respite from the artist’s hectic schedule, while also quenching the boyish side of Peterson, always thirsty for a new adventure.

“To love, to hope, to dream is to exercise the imagination, and the more you use it the bigger and better it becomes,” says the writer. “I try to be constantly aware of the gift it is to be alive, to recognize that the world is full of surprises, that God isn't hiding behind the curtain like the Wizard of Oz, concealing Himself because He's smaller than what He projects. Instead, the veil that conceals God's fullness exists because of his mercy, because our minds couldn’t contain him and would probably fry to a crisp. He shows himself to us in small doses, urging our imaginations to expand that we might find ourselves lost in wonder, truly awake and able to see the world not just as it is but as it will one day be.”

Here's the rest of the tour:
Brandon Barr
Amy Browning
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
Jeff Draper
Todd Michael Greene
Ryan Heart
Timothy Hicks
Becky Jesse
Cris Jesse
Jason Joyner
Julie
Carol Keen
Krystine Kercher
Dawn King
Rebecca LuElla Miller
New Authors Fellowship
Nissa
Crista Richey
Chawna Schroeder
Andrea Schultz
James Somers
Steve and Andrew
Rachel Starr Thomson
Robert Treskillard
Fred Warren
Phyllis Wheeler
Elizabeth Williams
KM Wilsher

CFBA: Becca By the Book by Laura Jensen Walker

Song Stuck on the Brain: Temporary Home by Carrie Underwood

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing:

Becca By The Book
Zondervan (January 1, 2010)

by

Laura Jensen Walker



ABOUT THE BOOK:

Sales clerk, barista, telemarketer, sign waver...

At twenty-five, free-spirited Becca Daniels is still trying to figure out what she wants to be when she grows up. What Becca doesn’t want to be is bored. She craves the rush of a new experience, whether it’s an extreme sport, a shocking hair color, or a new guy. That’s why she quit her bookstore job, used her last bit of credit to go skydiving, and broke her leg.

And that’s why, grounded and grumpy, Becca bristles when teased by friends for being commitment-phobic. In response, Becca issues an outrageous wager—that she can sustain a three-month or twenty-five date relationship with the next guy who asks her out. When the guy turns out to be “churchy” Ben—definitely not Becca’s type—she gamely embarks on a hilarious series of dates that plunge her purple-haired, free-speaking, commitment-phobic self into the alien world of church potlucks and prayer meetings.

This irrepressible Getaway Girl will have you cheering her on as she “suffers” through her dates, gains perspective on her life’s purpose, and ultimately begins her greatest adventure of all.

If you'd like to read the first chapter of Becca By The Book, go HERE


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Laura Jensen Walker is an award-winning writer, popular speaker, and breast-cancer survivor who loves to touch readers and audiences with the healing power of laughter.

Born in Racine, Wisconsin (home of Western Printing and Johnson’s Wax—maker of your favorite floor care products) Laura moved to Phoenix, Arizona when she was in high school. But not being a fan of blazing heat and knowing that Uncle Sam was looking for a few good women, she enlisted in the United States Air Force shortly after graduation and spent the next five years flying a typewriter through Europe.

Her lifelong dream of writing fiction came true in Spring 2005 with the release of her first chick lit novel, Dreaming in Black & White which won the Contemporary Fiction Book of the Year from American Christian Fiction Writers. Her sophomore novel, Dreaming in Technicolor was published in Fall 2005.

Laura’s third novel, Reconstructing Natalie, chosen as the Women of Faith Novel of the Year for 2006, is the funny and poignant story of a young, single woman who gets breast cancer and how her life is reconstructed as a result. This book was born out of Laura’s cancer speaking engagements where she started meeting younger and younger women stricken with this disease—some whose husbands had left them, and others who wondered what breast cancer would do to their dating life. She wanted to write a novel that would give voice to those women. Something real. And honest. And funny.

Because although cancer isn’t funny, humor is healing.

To learn more about Laura’s latest novels, please check out her Books page.

A popular speaker and teacher at writing conferences, Laura has also been a guest on hundreds of radio and TV shows around the country including the ABC Weekend News, The 700 Club, and The Jay Thomas Morning Show.

She lives in Northern California with her Renaissance-man husband Michael, and Gracie, their piano playing dog.

CFBA: Kelly's Chance by Wanda E. Brunstetter

Song Stuck on the Brain: Viva La Vida by Coldplay

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing:

Kelly’s Chance Barbour Books; Reprint edition (January 1, 2010)

by

Wanda E. Brunstetter








ABOUT THE BOOK:

Life for Kelly McGregor is a daily drudge of driving her overbearing father’s mules along Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Canal. She dreams of one day owning an art gallery where her own drawings and paintings are on display. But these dreams don’t include marriage. . .not after seeing what her father has done to her mother. How then can Mike Cooper, a general store owner, make her realize he is different than her father and wants to support her artistic talent? Will Kelly learn that dreams can walk hand in hand with a love created by God?



If you would like to read the first chapter of Kelly’s Chance , go HERE.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A Note From Wanda:



Ever since I was a child, I wanted to be a writer. When I was in the second grade, I wrote my first poem about a moth. Luckily, I received encouragement from my teacher. During my teen years, I wrote skits that my church teen group performed during special holidays.



It wasn’t until 1980, that I took a course on writing for children and teenagers. I became serious about a career as an author. Soon after that, I began to write stories, articles, poems, and devotionals, which appeared in a variety of Christian publications. Later, I had 5 books of puppet/ventriloquist scripts published. *These books are currently available by contacting me. (wanda@wandabrunstetter.com)



My first novel was released by Barbour Publishing’s book club, Heartsong Presents, in Dec. 1997. I have now written nearly fifty books, with over 4 million books in print. Many of the novels I've written are Amish-themed.

CFBA: A Lady Like Sarah by Margaret Brownley

Song Stuck on the Brain: That silly Comet song from grade school. Someone mentioned using it to clean their counters this morning and out of nowhere the song starts running through my head. Do you remember it? "Comet, it makes your mouth turn green. Comet, it tastes like Listerene. Comet, it makes you vomit, so get some Comet and vomit today!" Sad isn't it?

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing:



A Lady Like Sarah by Margaret Brownley
Thomas Nelson; Original edition (December 22, 2009)


MY TAKE:

My sister and I both enjoyed this book. It was funny, fast paced and tugged at your heart strings. The characters were unique, and not your standard cookie-cutter variety. I only had 2 slight misgivings about the book.

One was Sarah's style of speaking. It was funny and totally unique (especially her colloquialisms. More often then a duck goes barefoot? Love it.) However, sometimes her unusual voice became distracting, disturbing the emotion of the scene for me.

Second was her physical desciption of her journey through Missouri to Texas. Probably because I'm a Missouri girl, I noticed flaws that most wouldn't. For example, you cannot see the Ozark mountains from anywhere near St. Louis. For that matter, the Ozark mountains aren't visible until you're entering them. Missouri is a bigger state than most give it credit for. St. Louis is at the top of the state and the Ozarks are much closer to our southern border. It's a beautiful area though. So, I highly recommend seeing them for yourself.

Over all though, these didn't detract from the overall strength and enjoyability of the book. I'd recommend it.

ABOUT THE BOOK :

Sarah Prescott has never known a respectable life; just a hardscrabble childhood and brothers who taught her to shoot straight.



Justin Wells left Boston in disgrace, heading out alone on the dusty trail to Texas. But when the once-respected clergyman encounters a feisty redhead in handcuffs with a dying US Marshall at her side, their journey takes a dramatic turn.



His high society expectations and Sarah's outlaw habits clash from the start. With a price on her head and a sweet orphan in tow, Justin and Sarah make the difficult journey toward Rocky Creek. There justice will be meted out hopefully with a portion of grace.

If you would like to read the first chapter of A Lady Like Sarah, go HERE

Watch the Book Trailer:





ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Thrills, mystery, suspense, romance: Margaret penned it all. Nothing wrong with this, except Margaret happened to be writing for the church newsletter. After making the church picnic read like a Grisham novel, her former pastor took her aside and said, "Maybe God's calling you to write fiction."

It turns out God was and Margaret did. She now has more than 20 novels to her credit. In addition, she's written many Christian articles and a non-fiction book. Still, it took a lot of prodding from God before Margaret tried her hand at writing inspirational fiction which led to her Rocky Creek series. "I love writing about characters at different stages of faith," she says of the new direction her writing career has taken, "and I'm here to stay."

Happily married to her real-life hero, Margaret and her husband live in Southern California.

CFBA: The Judas Ride by Peggy Sue Yarber

SONG STUCK ON THE BRAIN: Stargate SG-1 theme music. We're re-watching the series and we're almost through season 2. Love the show and the music? I don't mind that one being stuck on the brain.

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing:

The Judas Ride

by

Peggy Sue Yarber
Tate Publishing (December 8, 2009)

ABOUT THE BOOK:

An unwed (and unwanted) teen pregnancy with two possible fathers. Abusive relationships. Drug and alcohol addiction. Rape and molestation. The struggle to understand grace, forgiveness, and free will versus predestination. The Judas Ride hits the road running in the opening pages, where Sonia and Xavier argue explosively about whether Sonia should have their unborn child and about who the father is: Xavier, a struggling Christian, or Vader, an abusive and abused drug dealer. As the pages turn, readers continue to meet a hodgepodge of troubled teens and eclectic characters, including Pastor Manny, a quirky immigrant pastor infatuated with John Wayne. Pastor Manny desires to help the tortured souls in his community but finds that it takes more than unconditional love to reach them. Secrets literally kill in The Judas Ride, an edgy, in-your-your face Christian novel that boldly explores the struggles of modern-day young people.

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Judas Ride, go HERE


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Peggy Sue Yarber, PhD in psychology, lives in central California with her husband, two daughters, six turtles and two dogs. She works in the field of education.

The Judas Ride was inspired by her current and previous students. She has seen and experienced and seen similarities between the students and Jesus’ traitor, Judas Iscariot. She has always been fascinated with Judas. Yarber went to a catholic school when she was young and Judas was always portrayed like a mysterious rebel.

She ventures to say, “I guess he was my James Dean of the Bible. But in a good way! In the way that…he did something so wrong so that the entire world could be saved. He had to betray Jesus in order for the rest of the story. I have always wondered what it would be like to not do that one bad thing that would lead to that one great thing. So I had the Vader character sort of run through the paces of Judas.”

Redemption and reality are the two distinguishing features about Yarber’s writing. Not all teens find redemption in The Judas Ride. Yarber considered trying to show the negative outcomes as much as the positive. She wasn’t thinking in terms of positive and negative but she did try to balance the two sides. Yarber says she often sees people daily that , “…have even more screwed up lives than these characters.” Yarber admits sometimes there is not an ending to the madness unless someone dies and then even after the death the ripples still linger. She has written another novel TARE and a children’s book Rocketships to Heaven and the SOS Fuel Station. She loves to run, read, shoot guns and watch her daughters play soccer.