Category Archives: Book Talk

My Book Is Out…Officially!!

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My book officially went on sale today, May 1, 2008! It’s listed on the Heartsong Presents website: heartsongpresents.com

The price is only $2.97 + shipping! Also, if I understand correctly, you can order several books for the same shipping cost! You can always order mulitiple copies for your friends or church members, or, you can order some other Heartsong Presents titles in addition to mine! 🙂

You can order one of two ways:

Simply place a call to the following phone number:
(740) 922 7280

Tell them you want to order Heartsong Presents title #794 entitled John’s Quest.

Or, if you prefer, simply print this order form and order my novel:

http://www.heartsongpresents.com/download/pdf/order-form.pdf

Enjoy! Also, I love hearing from readers! Feel free to let me know if you enjoyed the book!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Christy Award Nominees!

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I’d like to congratulate the following 2008 Christy Award Nominees:

CONTEMPORARY (STAND ALONE)

♦

Chasing Fireflies by Charles Martin (Thomas Nelson)

♦

In High Places by Tom Morrisey (Bethany House, a division of Baker
Publishing

Group)

♦

Quaker Summer by Lisa Samson (Thomas Nelson)

CONTEMPORARY (SERIES, SEQUELS, AND NOVELLAS)

♦

Home to Holly Springs by Jan Karon (Viking Penguin)

♦

A Time to Mend by Sally John and Gary Smalley (Thomas Nelson)

♦

What Lies Within by Karen Ball (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group)

HISTORICAL

♦

Lady of Milkweed Manor by Julie Klassen (Bethany House, a division of
Baker

Publishing Group)

♦

A Proper Pursuit by Lynn Austin (Bethany House, a division of Baker
Publishing

Group)

♦

Tendering in the Storm by Jane Kirkpatrick (WaterBrook Multnomah
Publishing

Group)

LITS (four nominees due to a tie)

♦

Doesn’t She Look Natural by Angela Elwell Hunt (Tyndale House
Publishers)

♦

Hallie’s Heart by Shelly Beach (Kregel Publications)

♦

Let Them Eat Cake by Sandra Byrd (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing
Group)

♦

Trophy Wives Club by Kristin Billerbeck (Avon Inspire, a division of
HarperCollins

Publishers)

ROMANCE

♦

Lightning and Lace by DiAnn Mills (Barbour Publishing)

♦

Remember to Forget by Deborah Raney (Howard Books, a division of Simon
and

Schuster)

♦

Remembered by Tamera Alexander (Bethany House, a division of Baker
Publishing

Group)

SUSPENSE

♦

The Cure by Athol Dickson (Bethany House, a division of Baker
Publishing Group)

♦

My Hands Came Away Red by Lisa McKay (Moody Publishers)

♦

The Pawn by Steven James (Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group)

VISIONARY

♦

Auralia’s Colors by Jeffrey Overstreet (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing
Group)

♦

The Restorer by Sharon Hinck (NavPress Publishing Group)

♦

Scarlet by Stephen R. Lawhead (Thomas Nelson)

FIRST NOVEL

♦

Auralia’s Colors by Jeffrey Overstreet (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing
Group)

♦

Demon: A Memoir by Tosca Lee (NavPress Publishing Group)

♦

The Stones Cry Out by Sibella Giorello (Revell, a division of Baker
Publishing Group)

YOUNG ADULT

♦

Hollywood Nobody by Lisa Samson (NavPress Publishing Group)

♦

In Between by Jenny B.Jones (NavPress Publishing Group)

♦

Maggie Come Lately by Michelle Buckman (NavPress Publishing Group)

Treasures Of The North by Tracie Peterson

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Treasures Of The North by Tracie Peterson (Yukon Quest #1)
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (January 1, 2001)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 076422378X
ISBN-13: 978-0764223785
From Barnes And Noble.com:
In the rugged, untamed Alaskan frontier, Grace, Bill(change mine), and Karen hope to start anew. Torn between her desire to obey her parents and her terror of the man they’ve arranged for her to marry, young Grace decides to escape to Alaska and thus forever alter her future. Bill(change mine), a widower, must choose between parenting his son and young daughter and following his dream. Karen chooses to strike out on her own in search of a missing family member.

With “gold fever” and the call of the wild drawing a host of characters to the frozen north, they believe they can build a future in the growing opportunities Alaska offers. But despite the hope of a new life, their pasts continue to threaten each of them….
=========================
I made a couple of changes to the review I copied and pasted from Barnes And Noble. They had Peter listed as the widower and it was actually a character named Bill Barringer who was a widower who struggled with the decision to stay and raise his children or strike out to make his fortune! I didn’t want to confuse anybody who felt inclined to read this novel!

I purchased this book a long time ago from Crossings Book Club. Tracie Peterson is one of my favorite authors and this book will not disappoint! Grace Hawkins must escape from her father’s arranged marriage. Her father’s bad habits have placed Grace’s future in jeopardy, so an arrangement is made for her to escape to Alaska. En route on the ship, she meets Peter Colton. They are smitten with one another, but Peter is an non-believer. His family “worships” him and he feels that he should be the one to make all big decisions for his immediate family. Grace tries to kindly tell him that he can’t be a god to his family because Peter is human, and he must accept that he is not perfect. Grace tries to get Peter to accept God as the head of his family instead of himself. Their different views about God and religion places a damper on their relationship as Peter arranges for Grace and her companions to work in a store catering to those arriving for the Alaskan Gold Rush.

I loved the setting! Peterson did a great job of making me feel as if I were in Alaska during historical times as the Gold Rush occurred.
~Cecelia Dowdy~

Better Than Gold

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Better Than Gold by Laurie Alice Eakes

Publisher: Heartsong Presents

ISBN: 9781602600485

Binding: Mass Market

Lily is tired of her one-horse town. Lily Reese can’t wait to escape Browning City, Iowa. She’s sure she’ll be happier in the big city, if only she can save enough money to get there. But then Ben Purcell rides into town, threatening not only Lily’s place of residence and growing sense of family, but her safety and peace of mind, as well. And Ben has every intention of sticking around and becoming a small-town guy. How can Lily even consider the feelings he evokes in her? Rumors of a long-lost cache of gold bring danger swirling around them, but Lily and Ben find themselves on a quest for something more. Will releasing their plans and desires bring heartache or a reward they had never imagined?

===========
This was a charming book. I think the reason I liked it so much is because I could kind of relate to Lily’s dilemma. The story reminded me of when I was eighteen, about to graduate from high school, and I was eager to see the world! The reason I felt this way was because I had never traveled much, and I felt that my small town was boring and if only I could move away to someplace exciting I would find a world of happiness and adventure! As I finished this novel, the words from the movie, The Wizard of Oz came to mind: There’s no place like home!

The attraction between Lily and Ben is strong, and Ben is determined to court Lily, in spite of her vow to move away from their small town. However, since Ben has arrived to Browning, a strange series of events occur, placing his life, as well as Lily’s, in danger. When Lily gets a job offer that’ll take her away from the small town, she hesitates, wondering if she should accept the position. Lily’s faith in God is strengthened as she struggles to make her final decision about Ben, and about her future plans.

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Zora And Nicky: A Novel In Black And White

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Zora and Nicky: A Novel in Black and White
by Claudia Burney
Publisher: Cook, David C.
Pub. Date: April 2008
ISBN-13: 9780781445504
416pp

From Publishers Weekly

The voice of beautiful Zora Nella Hampton Johnson-her name echoing the author of her favorite novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God-will take you up and carry you along until she utters her very last syllable. Anger, laughter and delight come from Zora’s sharp, sassy tongue as if she is talking out loud. Burney’s gift for voice is not limited to her heroine, though it takes her longer to get the other main character, Nicky Parker, the handsome but poor son of a racist pastor, to shine as distinctly as Zora. At this novel’s heart are love and race-what happens when a self-described BAP (black American princess), the daughter of a famous megachurch leader, falls in love with a young white man. Zora and Nicky’s dialogue about race is unflinching, with attitude, honesty and occasional humor. Burney pushes her prose to the edge of the edgiest in the “Christian fiction” genre, and then barrels right over. She doesn’t sugar-coat, especially when it comes to sex, yet she manages to create a love story that’s both erotic and chaste. Faith in Jesus comes to life on the page through Zora and Nicky’s intense, if imperfect, soul searching. Though parts are a bit melodramatic, Burney gives readers a page-turner for all audiences, Christian and beyond.

===================================
This book was a page-turner, as I felt as if I were being taken back in time. Although the novel is contemporary, I felt a lot of the racial stereotypes portrayed went back into historical times. A lot of the talk about race, made me think about things I’ve been hearing about Blacks and Whites since I was a child. For example, the Black jockey statue that was seen in Nicky’s yard, I’d wondered if the younger generation, like people in their twenties, would have ever seen a black jockey before? I’ve seen them, of course, knew about them, but I can honestly say that I haven’t seen one in a long time.

If you want a read that touches upon just about every racial stereotype from slavery times to current times, then this book is for you. The romance is sensual and chaste at the same time, and Burney did an excellent job of showing how these two young people are so deeply attracted to each other.

The novel was moving and gripping and I read it in one day.

~Cecelia Dowdy~

One More Sunrise by Michael Landon Jr. and Tracie Peterson

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One More Sunrise
By Michael Landon Jr. and Tracie Peterson
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Pub. Date: January 2008
ISBN-13: 9780764203626
384pp

From the Publisher
After his dreams of being a WWII flying ace are dashed, Joe settles for a dead-end job, crop-dusting his neighbors’ farms and finishing out the evening slouched at the bar in the local tavern. One morning Joe’s usual crop-dusting routine turns into something else entirely when his beat-up Stearman begins a long spiral toward earth…. Joe doesn’t die that morning, but he begins an odyssey whose twists and turns head him back toward life, love, and true devotion.

=====================
This book was really different because it focused on an aspect that I don’t see in a lot of Christian fiction these days, angels. The story involves an angel, but I don’t want to say too much to give the story away.

I was drawn into the story right away and I wanted Joe to mend his rift with God instead of visiting the local tavern every Saturday night. Joe also has a rift to mend with his family. His marriage and his relationship with his teen-aged son is suffering, and as you watch the Joe interact with his family, you realize how bitter he feels about not being able to serve his country in the military. He has a dream of being a military man, but his hopes are dashed from the moment he gets his enlistment physical. Joe’s relationship with his parents is also stilted, and he’s struggling with trying to make things right with his parents again. Joe’s life takes another nosedive when Luke, his high school nemesis, and former admirer of Meg (Joe’s wife), comes back to town. Luke (a business man) claims he wants to make things right with his hometown since his father has done some terrible things to the inhabitants in the past. Joe is threatened by Luke’s sudden presence in the town as he unjustly accuses Meg of having feelings for the suave good-looking business man.

When he’s flying one night, something hits his plane, and he wonders if he’s going to live to see another day. What happens afterwards makes you stop and wonder about God’s grace.

This book was a nice, heartwarming read that I think you will enjoy. I was also curious as I read this novel since it was written by Michael Landon Jr. and Tracie Peterson(one of my favorite authors).

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Inspirational RITA Award Nominees!

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I’m proud to feature the RITA Award nominees for the inspirational category!

2008 RITA for Inspirational Romance Finalists

A Touch of Grace by Linda Goodnight
Harlequin Enterprises, Steeple Hill Love Inspired – (978-0-373-87426-2)
Allison Lyons, editor
Autumn Blue by Karen Harter
Center Street, – (1-931722-61-7)
Christina Boys, editor
Pursuit of Justice by Pamela Tracy
Harlequin Enterprises, Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense – (978 0 373 44236)
Krista Stroever, editor
Rainbow’s End by Irene Hannon
Harlequin Enterprises, Steeple Hill Love Inspired – (0-373-87415-4)
Melissa Endlich, editor
Ransomed Dreams by Amy Wallace
Random House Publishing, WaterBrook Multnomah – (9781590527474)
Julee Schwarzburg, editor
Splitting Harriet by Tamara Leigh
Random House Publishing, WaterBrook Multnomah – (1590529286)
Julee Schwarzburg, editor
Taming Rafe by Susan May Warren
Tyndale House Publishers, – (1414310188)
Karen Watson, editor
When the Morning Comes by Cindy Woodsmall
Random House Publishing, WaterBrook Multnomah – (9781400072934)
Shannon Hill, editor

The winner will be unveiled at the RWA San Francisco conference in July 2008!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Flabbergasted By Ray Blackston

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Lad Lit– from Wikipedia: Lad-lit is genre of literature that focuses on young men in their 20s and 30s. The male equivalent to chick lit, prominent exponents are Nick Hornby and Tony Parsons.

Flabbergasted
by Ray Blackston
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Revell (May 1, 2004)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0800759095
ISBN-13: 978-0800759094
From Barnesandnoble.com
Synopsis
Ray Blackston’s novel will tickle your literary taste buds with a relational gumbo of quirky characters, stirred by the irreverent but sincere Jay Jarvis.

Jay is new in town, young and successful, and not afraid to plop down in a pew to scope out the females. What he finds is a lovely-yet-unusual missionary with a warped sense of humor and a wicked throwing arm. She and a wacky assortment of friends turn Jay’s perceptions of life upside down, launching events that leave him and those around him thoroughly Flabbergasted. By the way, when relational gumbo is on the menu, a South Carolina beach makes for great mood lighting.

About the Author
Ray Blackston of Greenville, South Carolina, worked as a buyer and a broker for eleven years before cashing in his modest 401k and leaving his corporate cubicle to write full time. He serves on the missions committee of Grace Church, has traveled to rural Ecuador on a summer missions program, and coaches his six-year-old nephew Action Jackson in T-ball.
===============
I purchased this book months ago from the discount bin at Barnes and Noble in North Carolina. I can honestly say that I believe this is the first book I’ve read that could be considered lad lit. I thought it was refreshing to read a book, written in first person, by a twenty-something male dating perspective. The book had some humorous moments, and as I read it, it got me to wondering: are we women really that bad when it comes to dating? I also wondered if singles rotate churches, like they do in this novel, in order to meet other singles? I’ve never heard about this practice, but I could just imagine people doing this to meet more single people. Reading this got me to reminiscing about my own single days, and the things I would do to meet guys. I did join singles ministry, placed an online Christian ad, but I never thought to rotate churches! The singles ministry in the novel had a number of male and female participants. However, the singles ministry I was involved with at my old home church, during my single days, only had about fourteen people…usually only one man showed up, sometimes there were two males, never more than that, though!

The only thing that bothered me about this novel is that Allie, Jay’s missionary love interest, has a disturbing habit of jokingly throwing food at people. This habit made me cringe because it’s so juvenile! It reminded me of something a young kid would do, or maybe a teenager, not a grown woman! She’ll throw shrimp, Fig Newtons, fruits, vegetables, whatever’s on hand! Every time I read about her throwing something, I would frown. Maybe it’s something that I just don’t get, but I have never met an adult who habitually throws food at people!

===POSSIBLE SPOILER BELOW===

Other than that, I thought the novel was an enjoyable, funny read. Jay goes to church to meet singles, but he ends up almost losing his life at one point, and questions his salvation!

~Cecelia Dowdy~