Category Archives: Abingdon Press

The Edge Of Grace

Cooking The Books by Bonnie S. Calhoun

Sloane Templeton is grieving. Her mother recently died and she’s now the owner of her deceased mom’s bookstore. Sloane never considered herself “into” books, but all of that changes when she leaves her Cyber Crime job to work in the store. A strange cast of characters lurk in the store, including Barbara, a crazy woman who has terrible mood swings and Fifi, the elderly store manager who was also her mother’s friend. Barbara is currently homeless, and appears to find solace spending time in the store with her laptop.

Sloane’s life is full of drama – her ex-boyfriend, Trey, who’s also a gangster, is having a hard time accepting that she’s now involved with a White Greek man, Andreas. Trey’s threatening nature intensifies, making Sloane fear for her safety. Also, somebody wants Sloane dead. When scary, cryptic messages start showing up on the computers in the bookstore, she tries to find the source of the problem by relying on her computer skills as well as the skills from her old co-workers. Also, Sloane receives a special delivery of a smelly dead rat. The mystery intensifies when two men fight over purchasing an ancient, mystical book in Sloane’s possession. This mysterious book was acquired by her mother and having this book causes more turmoil in her complicated life.

When her fears worsen, she learns to shoot with a group of old people who often come to her store, but rarely read or buy books. The Granny Oakley Club escort Sloane to the shooting range, since she’s extremely dangerous handling a gun since she doesn’t know how to shoot.

In small snippets of comic relief, Sloane finds herself playing referee to her Aunt Verline. Aunt Verline can’t cook, and the few times she does, it turns into a disaster! The food is never edible and the fire department has made several trips to Verline’s house since she manages to burn down her kitchen when she tries to cook!

I really enjoyed this mystery. Sloane is a strong woman, but, I don’t think she initially realizes the depth of her strength. Like most Christians, she’s made some bad choices in her life, choices that come back to haunt her. The book leaves you wanting to read more mysteries starring Sloane Templeton.

~Cecelia Dowdy~

A Time To Love by Barbara Cameron

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A Time To Love by Barbara Cameron

This book is about Jenny, a news correspondent who covers stories in war-torn countries. She also focuses on how these wars affect children. She has a soft spot for kids and it’s safe to say that the children are her main cause in her news career. When she’s seriously injured from the fallout of a bomb, she returns to her grandmother’s Amish home to recuperate. She also “meets” Matthew, an Amish man with whom she shared a budding romance as a teen. Matthew’s wife has died from cancer and he’s raising his three children with the help of Hannah, his sister.

Matthew and Jenny grow closer as she heals from her accident. However, there is an elder/bishop in Amish territory who objects to the budding romance. Jenny has to convince the elders that she’s in the area to heal and not to cause any trouble. This is a sweet, enjoyable romance that doesn’t have a heavy plot. If you want something sweet and breezy to read, then I recommend this book.

Have you read this book? If so, what’d you think about it?

~Cecelia Dowdy~

SPOILER:

I was reading an ARC (Advanced Reading Copy) so, it’s possible these issues were cleared up in the final version of the story: A few things happened in the story which puzzled me, but I didn’t want to write these things in my review because I didn’t want to spoil the plot for anyone. These things in no way make this a bad book, and I’m recommending the book as a good read, but these are just a few things that I felt I should mention.

I felt that there were a couple of holes in the story. Matthew encourages Jenny to write her thoughts in a journal since she’s no longer able to help the children through her news correspondence. Jenny enjoys writing in the journal since it’s therapeutic for her and she also purchases a journal for one of Matthew’s children. When Phoebe, Jenny’s grandmother, overhears Matthew and Jenny talk about the journal writing, she clearly gets very upset, but, it’s never explained why she’s so upset.

When Jenny talks to her grandmother about the journals, she mentions Anne Frank (the famous Holocaust diary author). It appears her grandmother has never heard of Anne Frank, which I think is odd. Although the Amish live separately, they’re still in America and I know they do have an educational system up to the eighth grade. I’d think they’d learn about US history and such in school? It appeared that the Amish were more separated and far removed in this book than in other books I’ve read.

For example, Jenny appears to believe that her grandmother’s never been on an elevator – I’d think that most Amish may have been on an elevator in a public building (like a hospital or a visit to the doctor.) Her grandmother explains she’s been on one, but I thought it was unbelievable for Jenny to think of her grandmother and the rest of the Amish as living in a totally separate world – I believe the Amish mix with the English more than what this story portrays. Also, her grandmother is puzzled by the term “microwave”. Again, although she doesn’t own a microwave, I’d think that the Amish mix with the English enough to know about cell phones, microwaves, etc. although they don’t own these things.

Also, Jenny marries Matthew and becomes Amish. However, prior to this, she was a famous news correspondent and she lived in the world using her laptop computer, phone, modern conveniences and other electronic gadgets and she was on TV. There was NO discussion about her giving up her former way of life – NONE. I’d think to make the story more believable, there’d be some discussion about what Jenny would be giving up – her career, her electronic stuff, but this is not mentioned at all. I’d think there’d be some struggle for Jenny as she converts to Matthew’s world, but I did not see this struggle portrayed in this story.

In spite of these few things, this is still a sweet, gentle read that is very enjoyable!

The Big 5-0h

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The Big 5-0h by Sandra D. Bricker

This book was a light and funny story about Liv, a cancer survivor who’s dreading her 50th birthday. Liv is downtrodden, she’s survived cancer and now she needs a spark of…something to rejuvenate her depressive state of mind. Her friend Hallie suggests that Liv do a home swap – use Hallie’s mother’s Florida home since Hallie’s mother will be vacationing with Hallie and her family and her house will be empty. Liv agrees and once she sets foot into the beautiful tropical state of Florida, things take a turn for the better. She meets an eclectic assortment of people, the most important person being Jared, a hunky doctor who lives nearby. Jared is smitten with Liv and Liv is attracted to Jared too. But, both people are cautious, perhaps too cautious, to take a leap of love. Both of them need to learn to rely on God and to trust their instincts about their feelings for one another.

Liv also wonders if this Florida trip is just what she needs to break her birthday curse. Every year, a tumultuous event happens that marks Liv’s birthday. She doesn’t want to see what’ll happen on the day that she turns fifty.

I enjoyed this novel because of the light-hearted humor, and I also enjoyed the fact that the characters were older. Seldom do I see a romance novel with the main characters who are around fifty years old.

I got this book as a free Kindle download awhile ago, and I’m glad that I did. Nice, heartwarming story and I encourage you to purchase the book and give this story a try.

Why do you think that publishers fail to release more romance novels with older characters? Is romance a subject that is usually linked to a younger crowd?
~Cecelia Dowdy~

Product Description
Olivia Wallace has a birthday curse . . . or so she thinks. It was a broken heart on her 16th, a car accident on her 21st, pneumonia on her 30th, and a fall down a flight of stairs on her 35th. There were Ohio blizzards on her 38th, 39th, and 40th; and six days before her 45th, she lost the love of her life to a heart attack. Numbing grief stole that birthday and a couple more to follow and, on the morning of her 48th birthday, she received the call she’d dreaded ever since losing her mom so many years ago…she was diagnosed with stage-3 ovarian cancer. The doctors didn’t hold out a lot of hope, but Liv survived and maintained her faith. Months of surgeries and chemotherapy and radiation treatments followed.

But now, as her 50th birthday creeps up the icy Ohio path toward her, her hair has grown back, her energy level is up, and she is officially cancer free. It makes her nervous. After everything she’s gone through, Liv hates the idea of driving on icy roads and returning to work as an O.R. nurse in a local Cincinnati hospital.

Her best friend Hallie knows just the thing to break Liv out of the winter doldrums, while providing a safe haven of warmth, sunshine, and a time to regroup: a holiday in the Florida sunshine!

Long Time Coming By Vanessa Miller

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Long Time Coming by Vanessa Miller

Faithful Christian Deidre Clark-Morris is a professional career-minded woman with a loving husband and beautiful home, but no children. Kenisha Smalls has lived in poverty her entire life and has three children by three different men. After learning that Kenisha has inoperable cervical cancer, the relationship between these two women becomes a catalyst of hope, leading them both to a place of redemption and healing.

Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Abingdon Press (November 1, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1426707681
ISBN-13: 978-1426707681

Kenisha struggles to raise her three children alone, with little/no help from her children’s fathers or her biological family. She is sick of doing everything alone and is stunned when a friendship blossoms with a woman named Deidre, the principal at her son, Jamal’s, school.

Kenisha needs help even more now since she’s been diagnosed with inoperable cancer. She’s dying and before she passes away from this God-given earth, she must find suitable parents for her kids.

Kenisha goes through a lot of drama and turmoil as she goes through the process of having the deadbeat/incarcerated fathers of her children to sign away their parental rights, giving her the freedom to assign adoptive parents to her offspring.

This story also shows how Kenisha struggles to come to terms with her illness as she questions God and salvation. Does heaven really exist, or is it some fantastical place that people liken to fairy tale stories?

Deidre is also struggling with her own problems. Amidst her new friendship with Kenisha, she’s still holding on to the guilt of keeping a deep, dark secret from her husband. If he discovers why she hasn’t been able to conceive, then her marriage may be over. Deidre and her husband are Christians and they call upon the Lord to help them with their childless plight. Would adoption be the answer that they’re seeking?

This book was a really sad tearjerker. I do think the story is powerful and the message is extremely deep! However, if you should decide to read Vanessa’s book, be sure to have a box of tissues beside you…you’re going to need them.

I’d like to top off this blog post by stating that in spite of the sadness in the story, the ending is bittersweet and will make you smile!

I’d like to thank Abingdon Press for providing the review copy to me. This book will be released November first.

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Surrender The Wind By Rita Gerlach

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Surrender The Wind by Rita Gerlach

No, I haven’t had the pleasure of reading this book, but it does sound like a good, interesting historical novel. If you’ve read this book, leave a comment about your thoughts. If it’s on your to-be-read pile, then stop by once you’ve read it and let me know your thoughts. If you don’t have this book, I encourage you to give it a try!

When an American patriot of the Revolution inherits his grandfather’s estate in faraway England, he inherits more than an isolated manor house. He discovers Juleah’s love and a plot that leads to kidnapping, murder, and betrayal, in this stirring tale of fidelity and forgiveness. ~

Here are a few quotes about Surrender The Wind:

* * *

From author Marylu Tyndall ~ Ms. Gerlach’s historic research is evident throughout the story, and her attention to detail and literary descriptions of scenes placed me right in the middle of the action.

If a writer wishes to write a historical novel, research is a vital, essential part of developing a great story. When I began Surrender the Wind, I read numerous accountants of the Battle of Yorktown where the book opens in the prologue. I researched uniforms, dress, weaponry, food, and culture.

As the book moves forward into Chapter 1, the reader is taken to England, to a crumbling manor house in Devonshire. The historical research from this point on had to be in the details. I wanted my reader to see in their mind the scene, outdoors and indoors. Everything from a tallow candle in the socket of a brass candlestick, to the blue and white pitcher and bowl on the heroine’s washing table, adds strong visual imagery. My editor told me once that a place can become a character in a book. I feel that is true for Ten Width Manor. It’s walls hold secrets of lives past and present in the story. Because it is the ancestral home of the Braxtons, Ten Width has a stronghold on those living in it.

Then there are the historical cultural markings in a book that make up the characters. Dress. Etiquette. Traditional family life. I studied 18th century wills and marriage customs, the fashions of the period, and how the classes interacted with each other.

* * *

From author Linda Clare ~ The American Revolutionary period comes to life as Gerlach explores themes of patriotism with a faith element.

In America today there is a resurgence of patriotism. We are returning to our roots, our Constitution, and faith. In the 18th century faith played a major role in the lives of people in both the Colonies and United Kingdom. In Surrender the Wind, I bring faith into the story as a lifestyle. It is delicately woven into the characters’ personalities. One thing I did not want to do is write a ‘religious novel’. My goal was to write a novel where readers would become immersed into the characters by relating to the struggles they faced which bring about spiritual breakthroughs.

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From Annette Temple ~ A Well-Watered Garden Blog’ This book is one of the most romantic books I’ve ever read. The passion and love that is poetically described between Seth and Juleah was rousing.

I am so grateful to Annette for this comment. She helped me realize that I achieved my goal. Most of us ladies want a bit of romance in our stories, don’t we? We want a hero that is tough with the world, but tender with his lady. And a heroine that is strong in the face of tribulation, but swept away by the love of a man. Romance in a novel, in my opinion, is the most intriguing when what is written is just enough to leave the rest up to the reader’s imagination. In Christian fiction a writer brings out romance deftly, love that goes beyond the material, but deeper into the heart and spirit of the characters.

I’ll close here with a romantic excerpt from Surrender the Wind . It is Seth and Juleah’s wedding night. I hope you will consider reading my novel, and keep an eye out for the release of book 1 in a new series, Daughters of the Potomac, coming out in May, 2012, entitled ‘Before the Scarlet Dawn’.

* * * * * *

In his bedchamber, which they now shared, Juleah slipped on her silk nightdress. Thin white ribbons laced the front. She sat at the dressing table brushing her hair. Tinted with the golden splendor of the candles, she smoothed it over her shoulder and ran her fingers down its length. Excitement filled her, tripped over her skin along with desire. She glanced around the room. How masculine it appeared. A fresh coat of paint would improve its appearance, and white curtains over the windows would bring it warmth and light.

She set the candlestick on the table next to their bed. The brass clock on the mantelpiece chimed out the hour. She paused to listen to the musical sound it made, while she pulled down the coverlet. The door drifted open. Seth came inside, shut it, and proceeded to pull off his waistcoat.

“Ah, have you seen the moon?” She opened the drapes wide to let the moonlight pour in. It bathed the room soft blue. “Is it not lovely, Seth?”

He joined her at the window. Wrapping his arms around his wife’s waist, he stood close behind her. His breath brushed against her neck and she sighed.

He whispered in her ear. “Doubt thou the stars are fire. Doubt that the sun doth move. Doubt truth to be a liar. But never doubt I love.”

It pleased her that he, a Virginian rebel, had memorized the beauty of Shakespeare’s verses. Melting with longing, she turned to him. He took her into his arms. She reached up and pushed back a lock of hair that fell over his brow. “I will never doubt your love, not for anything in the world.”

He brought his lips to hers and she strained against him. Love rose within each heart. He lifted her, and her feet dangled above the floor. Holding her, he kissed her, turned with Juleah toward their bed, and took his bride away from the window.

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Read Chapter One: http://www.abingdonpress.com/forms/displayImage.aspx?pcid=1173111

Rita’s Website: http://www.ritagerlach.com/index.html

Surrender the Wind is available wherever books are sold. Kindle additions available from Amazon.com

Cokesbury Bookstore is having an amazing sale. http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=783958

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Gone To Green By Judy Christie

Gone To Green

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Gone To Green by Judy Christie
Publisher: Abingdon Press
Pub. Date: August 01, 2009
ISBN-13: 9781426700248
288pp

I have not had a chance to read this book yet since it has not yet been released. However, I plan on reading it in the near future, and I’ll post a review once I’ve read it. Doesn’t the cover look nice! From reading about the book on the web, it sounds like a good read! I encourage you to purchase this novel and give it a try! Below is the information about the book and the author if you want to pre-order the novel. Also, you can get some free gifts on the site listed below!

Today is a special day for a fellow Christian fiction author. Judy Christie is celebrating the pre-release of her very first novel, Gone to Green! Gone to Green is the story of 36-year-old Lois Barker, a big-city reporter who ends up in small-town north Louisiana to work at a newspaper. She isn’t thrilled to be there but decides to tough it out. Get ready for the things that unfold!

I hope you’ll join me in welcoming Judy to the scene. You can do so by pre-ordering Gone to Green at Amazon today. When you do, you get several really neat gifts — including Judy’s timely lesson on goal setting and a sample of my latest novel, Bittersweet Memories — just for placing your order today. Click on over to Judy’s site and get all the great details!

While this is Judy’s first novel, she writes spiritual and Biblically based nonfiction, all aimed at helping people find meaning and enjoyment in life. She has penned Gone to Green as another way to help people rest, relax and enjoy.

I know how much it means to find new readers who are looking for quality books with a good message. I love supporting other authors, especially new authors in the Christian Fiction market! Gone to Green officially hits shelves in August, but you can be one of the first to get your copy when you visit this site and place your order today!

Have a great day, and God bless.

~Cecelia Dowdy~