The Prequel to the O'Malley Saga

My review is at the end. Special thanks to Bethany House and CFBA for both a paper copy and a Netgalley ebook copy of this book for review.

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Jennifer: An O’Malley Love Story Bethany House Publishers (May 1, 2013) by Dee Henderson

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Dee Henderson is the bestselling, award-winning author of 15 previous novels, including the acclaimed O'MALLEY series and UNCOMMON HEROES series. These days, most authors are out there energetically promoting their books in print and broadcast and via social media—wherever they can get attention. But Dee Henderson keeps a low profile. She avoids telephone interviews because of hearing problems, declined to provide a current photo, and will say only that she lives in Illinois.

 ABOUT THE BOOK

It's a summer of change for Jennifer O'Malley. The busy physician has a pediatrics practice in Dallas, and meeting Tom Peterson, and falling in love, is adding a rich layer to her life. She's sorting out how to introduce him to her family--she's the youngest of seven--and thinking about marriage.

She's falling in love with Jesus too, and knows God is good. But that faith is about to be tested in a way she didn't expect, and the results will soon transform her entire family.


If you would like to read the first chapter of Jennifer: An O’Malley Love Story, go to HERE.

Review:

This is a novella that Dee Henderson has been wanting to publish for years. It tells how Jennifer, the first one of the O'Malleys to follow Jesus, came to faith. It also talks about all the things that happened both before and alongside the beginning of The Negotiator.

I have been a big fan of the O'Malley books by Dee Henderson for years. I wrote reviews of them all for Multnomah when they first came out, and I could hardly wait for each new story.


Until now, we have only gotten glimpses of Jennifer's story in each of the other novels about each of the O'Malley siblings. This novella takes us back to the beginning of Jennifer and Tom's story (with only a few possible anachronisms, although when Henderson changed publishers, perhaps those things were updated in more recent editions of the novels).

While short, it was also sweet, and now I want to reread the whole series. Perhaps I'll have time to do so this summer.

Five Minute Friday: Jump

Today's prompt: JUMP


Jumping tandem into a life that I didn't think I wanted, but didn't want to let him do alone.
It's the only way I want to jump: tandem.

Not alone.

Jumping alone is scary. Hard. Freak-out fearful.

I am afraid to step out on faith, much less jump.

I'm so glad I do not have to do this life alone. I have a husband, girls, and an extended family divided by distance and divorce, but still - family.

And friends. More than I think I might have.

I want to jump, even though I'm afraid.

I want to be like those whom Jesus healed, who were lame, and then jumped up to walk again.

Let me jump up in joy. Because I can. Because I am not alone.

Want to jump tandem with me?

Bread & Wine: A Review

Sometimes you read a book and it's a fun, fast story. Other times, a book might be difficult and much slower.

For me, this book was a little of both. Some parts were fun stories about food and friends, and other parts were difficult, prodding me to put its truths into practice, in the tender places in my heart.

This is Shauna Niequist's third published collection of essays. I find her writing delightful and difficult. Beautiful, always. She has a way of delving into the truth of the experience of being a woman, a wife and mother, a minister, a friend. She doesn't shy away from the hard things or the scary things, yet at the same time she's quick to point out the positive and happy things too. I am drawn to her writing over and over again.

Her second book, Bittersweet, spoke to me on a very deep level about the dichotomy of life: the bitter things that come along with the sweet things. We can learn to appreciate both. Easy? No. True? Absolutely.

I've written elsewhere about how difficult I've found this past winter. It's a little easier now that I am coming out of it day by day, almost literally moment by moment as each day's light lengthens by several minutes around the vernal equinox. The past few weeks have been truly introspective as I examine myself from many angles, learning what my strengths are (and learning to accept those strengths without denial or bragging, two sides of the same coin) and my weaknesses.

One of those weaknesses I confess to you here: Hospitality is rarely easy for me. It's not in my nature to open my home and invite people over on a whim, or even on a plan. I was raised by parents who didn't often entertain, so I didn't really have a model for hospitality. Over and over again throughout my ministry marriage, I've been stretched in this area.

For me, Bread & Wine has been an experience not only in cooking, another weakness I see in myself, but also in challenging me to open my home.

Over the course of the next few days, I will be sharing a few of my experiences putting some of this book into practice. A few recipes, and a few other things. Please stay tuned.


For another review of this book by my good friend Dana, please click here.
To purchase the book, click here.

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book from the author. No affiliate links are used in this post.

Dreamer

From Holley Gerth's blog today: Dreamer, not a fool.

Out of the Blue

I'm joining in with my virtual pal Kristen (whom I'm certain I will meet in person someday) at Out of the Blue Thursday. Details are here, and today's link-up is here.

Answered prayers.

Sometimes I forget that God answers the prayers of our hearts, and not always with blinking neon lights and a huge arrow that says "HEY LOOK--I answered your prayer HERE."

Every time we move, I have to leave friends behind. As a military family, we've moved three times, and each of those times was across great distances. I have to leave friends behind every single time, starting anew in each location.

The cry of my heart is to have friends close by. The kind I can hug in person. The kind I can call without calculating time zone differences.

Each move, each new location, God provides me friends. Multiple friends who care about . . . well, me.

Lord, I may not always say something, but today I say, thank You.

When Opportunity Knocks {the (in)Courage Military Wife Group}

A warm welcome to all women whose husbands are
serving in the military!

Pattie and Chris want you to know that we know the sacrifice you and your family are making by being married to someone in the military--because we've been there. Between us we have over 40 years' experience in being military wives.

Chris is the wife of a retired Naval Officer who served for 31 years. After he retired he (who are we kidding--WE) went to seminary and he is now an Episcopal Priest, which makes me the Priest's wife. Never say that God doesn't have a sense of humor!

Pattie (this is her blog) is the wife of an Air Force Chaplain currently stationed in Alaska. He joined the reserves in 2002 and went active duty in 2006, which means he's been serving for eleven years as of Valentine's Day! While she's proudest of her military wife hat, her other hats include: mom of two teen girls, teacher, writer, editor, book addict, mom-taxi driver--and she's usually seen carrying a travel mug of coffee!

Both of us are thrilled to be working on behalf of the team at (in)courage, to create a warm, welcoming, encouraging community of military spouses of all branches and levels of service.

This is your group...we want to help, mentor and pray you through whatever is going on in your lives.  Pour yourself a cup of coffee, get comfy and tell us about yourself....we are anxious to meet you!

To join this group, you will need to request to join via Facebook at the link below. If you have any trouble, email me at freshbrewedwriter (at) gmail (dot) com and I'll help set you up.

http://www.facebook.com/groups/incouragemilitarywives/

___
A note for Pattie's blog readers about the title of this post--When opportunity knocks, do you answer the door?

In this case, I did. I answered the email from (in)courage and here I am--working alongside a terrific gal whom I might never have met otherwise, to expand what I'm doing over at Wives of Faith to reach a larger and different audience, and to encourage as many military wives as I can get my virtual arms around!

CFBA presents Shattered

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Shattered Bethany House Publishers (February 1, 2013) by Dani Pettrey

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

In real life, Dani Pettrey is a wife, homeschooling mom and author. She feels blessed to write inspirational romantic suspense because it incorporates so many things she loves–the thrill of adventure, nail-biting suspense, the deepening of one’s faith and plenty of romance. She’s a huge fan of dark chocolate, is always in search of the best iced mocha and her dream is to one day own a little cottage on a remote stretch of beach. She and her husband reside in Maryland with their two teenage daughters.

Just in case you’re curious…The real Dani does love traveling. She’s been to some amazing places (Greece, Hawaii, the Keys) and there are many more she hopes to visit in the future.

And while she’s not quite up to sky-diving, cave diving or heli-skiing (too high, too enclosed, too cold!) she and her family love hiking, canoeing, wave jumping and a ton of other outdoor adventures a little further down on the risk scale.

Dani is the acclaimed author of the romantic suspense series Alaskan Courage, which includes her bestselling debut novel Submerged and latest release Shattered. She feels blessed to write inspirational romantic suspense because it incorporates so many things she loves–the thrill of adventure, nail biting suspense, the deepening of her characters’ faith, and plenty of romance. She and her husband reside in Maryland with their two teenage daughters.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Piper McKenna couldn't be more thrilled that her prodigal brother, Reef, has returned to Yancey, Alaska, after five years. But her happiness is short-lived when Reef appears at her house covered in blood. A fellow snowboarder has been killed--but despite the evidence, Reef swears he's innocent. And Piper believes him.

Deputy Landon Grainger loves the McKennas like family, but he's also sworn to find the truth. Piper is frustrated with his need for facts over faith, but he knows those closest to you have the power to deceive you the most. With his sheriff pushing for a quick conviction, some unexpected leads complicate the investigation, and pursuing the truth may mean risking Landon's career.

With Piper waging her own search, the two head deep into Canada's rugged backcountry--and unexpected complications. Not only does their long friendship seem to be turning into something more, but this dangerous case is becoming deadlier with each step.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Shattered, go HERE.

No review yet, as I have been swamped. I will try to get both books read and reviewed over the next couple of weeks.
Thanks to the publisher for copies of Shattered and Submerged.

CFBA: Ashton Park by Murray Pura

My review is after the CFBA post.

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Ashton Park Harvest House Publishers (January 1, 2013) by Murray Pura

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Murray Pura was born and raised in Manitoba, just north of Minnesota and the Dakotas. He has published several novels and short story collections in Canada, and has been short-listed for a number of awards. His first books to be published in the United States are the inspirational works Rooted and Streams (both by Zondervan in 2010). His first novel to debut in the USA is A Bride’s Flight from Virginia City, Montana (Barbour), which was released January 2012. The second, The Wings of Morning, will be published by Harvest House on February 1. Both of these novels center around the Amish of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.



ABOUT THE BOOK

For fans of the hugely popular Downton Abbey series, comes this equally enthralling story of the Danforth family of Ashton Park. Among the green hills and trees of Lancashire, only a few miles from the sea, lies the beautiful and ancient estate of Ashton Park. The year is 1916.  The First World War has engulfed Europe and Sir William's and Lady Elizabeth's three sons are all in uniform--and their four daughters are involved in various pursuits of the heart and soul.

As the head of a strong Church of England family for generations, Sir William insists the Danforth estate hold morning devotions that include both family and staff. However, he is also an MP and away at Westminster in London whenever Parliament is sitting. During his long absences, Lady Elizabeth discreetly spends time in the company of the head cook of the manor, Mrs. Longstaff, who is her best friend and confidante. This friendship includes visits to a small Baptist church in Liverpool that exposes Lady Elizabeth to a less formal approach to Christian worship and preaching than she is used to and which she comes to enjoy.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Ashton Park, go HERE.

Pattie's Review:

This book is being marketed with the line, "If you're a fan of Downton Abbey, you'll enjoy your visit to Ashton Park." I'm a devoted Downton fan, but I have to say, I didn't enjoy Ashton Park nearly as much as I enjoy Downton Abbey. It was a very slow read for me, and normally I can get through a Christian historical novel in just a couple of days. This novel, with its dense prose, smaller print, and longer passages of time interspersed with chapters simultaneously coinciding with each other, took me nearly two weeks to read.

Thankfully, there is a two-page "who's who" in the beginning of the book. You'll need it (and this would be something to bookmark if you're reading this book on an ereader). There's a huge, huge cast of characters to remember.

Pura's prose is dense. It is not easily or quickly read. The issue of the novel's pace is another one that I had difficulty with. Some passages dealt with a short amount of time in great detail, with multiple chapters occurring simultaneously; at other times, the book skips months at a time and suddenly the reader is playing catch-up. I wonder if the future books in the series are covering future decades.

While the Danforth family is interesting as a whole, the patriarch is inconsistent. He seems to waffle between doing the right thing, and then suddenly becoming stubborn and interfering where his wife is concerned. I also thought some of the storylines were suspiciously similar to Downton's.

I would have enjoyed more "below stairs" action, to be honest. And perhaps more time spent on a shorter time period--say, a year or two rather than one book covering seven years.

As far as the family's Christian faith and the evangelicalism of the book, it seems generally consistent and realistic, without being smack-over-the-head-with-the-gospel-message.

That is not to say that other readers who are fans of Downton won't enjoy this book. If you're fascinated with the history and the time period, you may be enthralled with Ashton Park. It's book one of a new series, after all, so perhaps judging it on its own merit is unkind.


Special thanks to Harvest House for a review copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review, as well as Bonnie Calhoun for generously allowing me to be a part of the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance review team.

5 Minute Friday

Five minute freewrite on a Friday...join in! Click on the link below the graphic and read others' writings. Five minutes, timer set, let's go!

The word for today is . . . AGAIN

I'm not sure what to write about the word "again." It implies repetition, having been here before, feeling or acting the same. Not necessarily stuck, but perhaps not breaking out either.

I would like to try to turn it around, and say: "When adversity strikes, as I know it will, I will act in faith again," rather than, "Oh wow, I messed up again."

Those of us who have lived a life of faith for years sometimes get stuck. Like any relationship involving the human condition, we get tired, we are selfish, we get in a rut. So it's not the Lord's fault if things feel stale. He has not changed; we have. The onus is on ME to change, to break out, to seek His face anew each morning and afternoon and evening and when I feel tired or sore or bored or overwhelmed again.

My prayer this morning: Lord, help me to remember all the times you were faithful to me, to my family, again and again. Help me remember to act again with faith, rather than allowing my emotional state to sway me into doubt or doldrums. Amen.

I hate to ask for help.

It's true. I hate it. In fact, I hate this post right now. And I hate my 2013 word for the year too.

{I'm sure it's a pride issue; I need to work on it.} 

But mostly, I hate asking for help. Or support. Because I'm the supporter, the encourager, the good friend. I'm the one people turn to in times of crisis. And while some of the people might tell me "you rock" or "you're awesome," the little voice in the back of my head translates all that to "damning with faint praise." Like they feel they have to say that, to pay me back for listening to them in crisis, or to appease their conscience for some reason. I do not, in any way, rock and I'm not awesome.

Mainly, I'm tired and afraid.

Today on her blog, Holley the Dream Team Guru asked everyone to find a dream-team buddy. To find a friend or a few to support and encourage.

I clicked on my friend Teri Lynne's blog post for the Dream Team, and was just floored by how many supporters she has pictured there. {Not surprising--she is totally awesome, a gifted writer and communicator. Plus she helped me pull a B in college debate so she has my eternal gratitude forever.}

And I feel kind of alone, stuck up here in Alaska, 3-4 hours behind most of my readers (Google tells me there are 21 followers). The moose haven't even been by to see me lately.

Plus, I can't even articulate what my dreams are. I mean, I have them...but they are so ridiculous and my follow-through over the years has been so abysmal, I feel like I can't even WRITE it down.

So . . . there it is. Bare on the page. I feel alone and left behind, stuck three weeks into the new year and afraid to say anything aloud because I'm afraid of failure, again.

Edited Monday Morning: Teri Lynne responded to my comment on her blog, and I feel marginally better this morning. She wrote:

Oh Pattie … I searched high and low for a photo of us! Because truly you are definitely a key part of the team that has influenced, encouraged, and loved on me! I am thankful for our friendship that began in August 1989 … and for the way the Lord has intertwined our paths time and again since that first meeting in Leslie Hall!!

So there you go . . . believe me, I considered throwing this post away, this little pity party. I may yet. But for now, it stays up. Hopefully it encourages those of you who are recipients of encouragement to encourage your encouragers--they sometimes feel depleted, empty, and alone.

W2W Wednesday

What will I do differently this year than last?

I am working on trying to be braver and less inhibited in some areas of my life. This is not always easy, because over the years I've allowed circumstances and people to put me into a box, to keep me in the mold they have for me. I'd like to think I can change, and grow, and continue learning and becoming more than I already am. Becoming more who God wants me to be.