Celebrate Great Fiction with Kregel Publications!

Congratulations to Melanie Dobson, author of The Black Cloister!

noreply@blogger.com (Kregel Publications) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 20:46:00 +0000

ForeWord magazine has just announced the winners of their annual Book of the Year Awards for 2009, and among the Gold winners is The Black Cloister: A Novel by Melanie Dobson (Kregel Publications, 978-0-8254-2443-4, $13.99). The purpose of the awards program is to discover distinctive books across a variety of genres.

About The Black Cloister:

The Black Cloister: A Novel (Fiction-Religious)
by Melanie Dobson (978-0-8254-2443-4)

On Elise Friedman's eighth birthday, she lost her mother and any connection to her mysterious past. Raised by her loving stepfather, Elise has spent years trying to learn the truth about her mother, Catrina, and her birth family in Germany, but still knows very little. Now a young woman in college, Elise is traveling to her homeland of Germany to uncover her family's past, but what she finds is much more harrowing than she ever suspected.

Q & A with Christy Barritt—Author of the Sqeaky Clean Mystery Series

noreply@blogger.com (Kregel Publications) — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 17:44:00 +0000

Q: Tell us about your newest novel Suspicious Minds.

A: In Suspicious Minds, crime-scene cleaner Gabby St. Claire takes a mold remediation job to make ends meet. While in the crawlspace of a dilapidated old house, she finds Elvis—dead and still wearing his blue suede shoes! Gabby can’t resist sticking her nose into another investigation. Along the way, she tries to figure out her love life, her spiritual life and the wacky world of Elvis impersonators!

Q: Where did you get the idea for Suspicious Minds?

A: I’ve been writing for my local newspaper for five years now. One interview I did was with an Elvis impersonator (or, an Elvis Tribute Artist, as I was quickly informed) performing at a senior citizens’ center. I had no idea what to expect before I went. After I finished the interview (and I’ve had easier times getting interviews with senators than I did with this guy after his show), the president of his fan club came running after me as I walked to my car. She presented me with an autographed picture of him. I thought, this man has a fan club? The ideas spun from there.

Q: Your book touches on the issues of loneliness and abandonment. Is this something that you’ve dealt with?

A: In some ways, the more I write, the lonelier I become. Writing is such a solitary job and best writing times are often my worst times of isolation. I struggle with being alone and feeling unconnected. For my mental well-being, I make sure I get out of the house several times during the week. Sometimes I’ll take my computer to Starbucks and work there. Other times, I’ll participate in different “mommy groups.” It takes effort, though. I’m a more effective writer if I’m out and among people. But, as the book points out, you can be surrounded by people and still be lonely.

Q: I heard you’re doing some local Mystery Dinner Theaters featuring characters from your book. Can you tell us more about that?

A: I’m so excited! The way everything has come together for the Suspicious Minds Mystery Dinner Theater is truly because of a Higher Power. I had the crazy idea to write a mystery dinner theater for the release of my book. But doors began opening up and it’s evolved into something much bigger. I actually have a troupe of actors who are willing to perform the play several times in the summer and once a month after that. Churches, libraries, schools and clubs are hosting the event—they’re in charge of the food and advertising. Any donations for the event will go directly toward whatever project they’d like. The actors will come in and act, giving them an outlet for their talents. And I’ll sell my book afterward, a portion of the proceeds going toward whatever cause is featured. It’s going to be a blast! We still have some dates open. If anyone is interested, they can email me at cebarritt@yahoo.com for more information.

Q: Do you ever find it hard to balance being a mom and writing?

A: Definitely! But I’m learning to trust my gut to know when I’m off-balance. Then I need to take time to evaluate how I’m spending my hours. Life is constantly a process of learning, changing and adjusting!

Q: What’s next for you?

A: I’m writing the third book in the Squeaky Clean Mystery series. Gabby, of course, has to get into some more trouble! But she also explores her relationships… from friendships, to romance, to God. She has some unresolved issues from her past that she needs to lay to rest. And, of course, she has crime scenes to clean!

Visit Christy’s website www.christybarritt.com for more information!

An Irishwoman's Tale: A Novel . . . Brand New Book Trailer!

noreply@blogger.com (Kregel Publications) — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:55:00 +0000

AN IRISHWOMAN'S TALE: A Novel
by Patti Lacy
978-0-8254-2987-3
$13.99p · 320 pages · FICTION/Christian/General
Release date: July 2008

Available Now!

Mary Freeman's life has taken her a long way from a family that didn't want her, and a long way from her Irish home, to the Midwest United States. Now married with two teenage daughters, Mary's loneliness and torment are as acute as ever. It takes a crisis in her daughter's life—and the encouragement of a plucky Southern friend—to propel Mary back to the rocky cliffs of her home in County Clare, Ireland.

Patti Lacy graduated from Baylor University in 1977 with a B.S. in education. She taught at Heartland Community College in Normal, Illinois, until she retired in 2006 to pursue writing full time. She has two grown children with her husband, Alan, and lives in Illinois.

Kregel Fiction Author Signs Books in Her Hometown

noreply@blogger.com (Kregel Publications) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:57:00 +0000

Fiction author Melanie Dobson recently took some time to stop into a local coffee shop in her Oregon hometown, to greet fans and sign copies of her most recent book The Black Cloister: A Novel.

Melanie is an author as well as the owner of the publicity firm Dobson Media. A former corporate publicity manager at Focus on the Family, Melanie has worked in the fields of journalism and publicity for more than twelve years. Melanie lives in Oregon with her husband, Jon, and their two adopted daughters, Karly and Kinzel. She is also the author of Together for Good: A Novel.

In The Black Cloister, Elise travels to Germany to unearth the secrets of her late mother’s past, only to find something more horrible than she ever could have suspected.

For more information, be sure to visit www.melaniedobson.com.

Shelly Beach's First Novel, Hallie's Heart, Chosen for Prestigious 2008 Christy Award

noreply@blogger.com (Kregel Publications) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 20:29:00 +0000

Hallie's Heart wins the Christy Award in the Lits category.

The winners of the 2008 Christy Awards were announced Saturday evening, July 12, and Kregel author Shelly Beach, author of Hallie's Heart: A Novel, was among the recipients, winning in the Lits category. The ninth annual Christy Awards banquet was held at the Rosen Centre in Orlando, Florida, prior to the opening of the annual International Christian Retail Show. Beach was in attendance to accept her award.

The well-respected Christy Awards—named in honor of Catherine Marshall's novel Christy—have recognized novelists in several genres of Christian fiction since 1999. Previous winners include Jerry Jenkins, Ted Dekker, Beverly Lewis, Karen Hancock, and Kregel's own Debbie Wilson.

The setting of Hallie's Heart is based on a number of local features from the community in which Beach grew up-Muskegon, MI. Beach's main character, Mona VanderMolen, an antique dealer in a small West Michigan town, is trying to keep her business alive. As Mona faces the uncertainties of her own future, Hallie, her fifteen-year-old niece, suddenly arrives on her doorstep. Guilt-ridden over her sister's drowning several years earlier, Hallie has run off to her aunt's cottage. As the two women work through their problems and learn to forgive, an unfortunate accident threatens to tear them apart once again.

Beach hopes Hallie's Heart will help readers better understand "the message that a loving God stands with open arms, ready to forgive us and accept us, wherever we may be-whether we're a fifteen-year-old teenager struggling with guilt or a middle-aged woman struggling with anger toward her father; and the message that we're responsible for taking steps to restore relationships and forgive those who have wounded us."

Shelly Beach is a Christian communicator who speaks at women's conferences, retreats, seminars, and writers' conferences. She is a college instructor and writing consultant in Michigan, and is also the author of Precious Lord, Take My Hand (Discovery House Publishers, 2007), which was a finalist for the 2008 ECPA Christian Book Awards in the Inspirational & Gift category.

Kregel publisher Dennis Hillman, who also attended the banquet in honor of the Kregel nominee, commented, "We applaud Shelly for producing such exceptional and creative fiction. We are elated that Hallie's Heart is being recognized as the superior work of fiction that it is."

For more information about Shelly Beach, visit her website: www.shellybeachonline.com.

The complete list of 2008 Christy Award nominees can be viewed at www.christyawards.com.

Blood Brothers Blog Tour Today!

noreply@blogger.com (Kregel Publications) — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 18:49:00 +0000

The Blood Brothers blog tour starts today!

Author Rick Acker begins his tour of the blog world, today.

Sibling rivalry, black market deals, and a dangerous new wonder drug interrupt Ben Corbin’s plans for early retirement in Blood Brothers—the riveting sequel to Dead Man’s Rule.

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Karl and Gunnar Bjornsen have built a pharmaceutical empire from the ground up. Now they are developing a revolutionary new drug, a neural stimulant that increases strength and intelligence, but its potential for success is rapidly destroying them. Warring for control of the company and the drug, Karl sues Gunnar, and Gunnar hires Ben to defend him. But the case involves more than bitter sibling rivalry. Signs of embezzlement, black market deals, and the grisly consequences of the Bjornsens’ new drug begin to emerge. Soon, Ben and his wife, Noelle, find themselves in Norway where the case takes a personal and violent turn.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Rick Acker does his best work while traveling, and he pecks out pages every day on the commuter train to his “real job” as a San Francisco attorney. He met his wife, Anette, in their college biology lab when he impressed her with his fish expertise . . . and made the best catch of his life. Rick’s other books include Dead Man’s Rule and the Davis Detectives series for tweens.

Follow the tour by visiting the various links below:

Also, visit the Novel Journey blog to read a recent review with author Rick Acker.

Download the Book Club Reading Guide.

For more information about Rick Acker and his books, visit www.rickacker.com.

The Black Cloister Book Trailer

noreply@blogger.com (Kregel Publications) — Wed, 21 May 2008 12:56:00 +0000

The Black Cloister is a suspense novel about two young women—one who is traveling across Germany in search of answers about her past and another who is trapped in an abusive religious cult and doesn't know how to break free.

Find out more by visiting author Melanie Dobson's Web site.

Click here if you cannot see the video below.

Upcoming Blog Tour with Virginia Smith

noreply@blogger.com (Kregel Publications) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 18:34:00 +0000

Popular fiction author Virginia Smith will be doing a blog tour May 12–16, 2008, to help promote her new book Sincerely, Mayla: A Novel.

Virginia Smith is a writer of humorous novels, a speaker, a snow skier, a motorcycle enthusiast, and an avid scuba diver. Since leaving her twenty-year profession as a corporate director, she has written numerous books, including her debut, Just As I Am (Kregel Publications, March 2006) and Stuck in the Middle (Revell, February 2008). An energetic speaker, she loves to exemplify God's truth by comparing real-life situations to well-known works of fiction, such as her popular talk, “Biblical Truth in Star Trek.”

In Sincerely, Mayla—the heartwarming sequel to Just As I Am—Mayla Strong’s life is starting to seem normal. She has been working at the same job for four years, living with a good friend, and enjoying a deep relationship with God. But when Mayla is suddenly laid off, she learns the hard way that things aren’t always what they seem. One disappointment after another drops into her lap: her budding relationship with her pastor, Paul, turns out to be less than she has hoped; her friend Stuart refuses to talk to her; and Lindsey—the younger sister of her late friend Alex—calls her in a panic looking for a place to stay.

Mayla decides to take advantage of her newfound “vacation time” and sets out for Florida. She hopes to spend a few quiet days visiting her aunt and grandmother, but one by one her problems catch up with her. Mayla comes face-to-face with the responsibilities and joys of friends and family. As Mayla tries to help her friends, she realizes that God has all the answers—the trick is letting go long enough to let Him prove it.

Current stops on the Sincerely, Mayla blog tour include:

If you would like to participate in the blog tour by posting a review of Sincerely, Mayla, or hosting an interview with Virginia Smith, please contact fiction@kregel.com.

What others are already saying about Sincerely, Mayla:

“Sincerely, Mayla is an honest book touching many issues young adults face today. Smith writes vibrant characters and tackles taboo subjects with grace and intelligence. She helps readers understand the beauty and complexity of every human being.”

—Mary E. DeMuth
Author, Watching the Tree Limbs

“If Mayla stole your heart in Just As I Am, she’ll own it in Sincerely, Mayla. Juggling unemployment, unrequited love, and shepherding a runaway teen takes hilarious and poignant turns in Mayla’s quirky hands. Throw in a visit to the grandmother she hasn’t seen in thirteen years, and readers will savor a rich dish of laughter, tears, and life-lessons sure to leave a permanent mark."

—Jill Elizabeth Nelson
Author of the To Catch a Thief series

“Virginia Smith has crafted another winning story with Sincerely, Mayla. Once again, Mayla Strong leads a cast of characters who will live in your heart long after the last page has been turned. Anyone who doubts that the Lord can use even the most unique among us will have a change of heart after reading this endearing novel.”

—Kathleen Y'Barbo
Author of Beloved Castaway and Louisiana Brides

“In Sincerely, Mayla, Virginia Smith gives a graphic depiction of hating the sin but loving the sinner, just the way Jesus would. In the process, Mayla develops a greater spiritual awareness of her own shortcomings. This is a book that all Christians should read.”

—Lena Nelson Dooley
Award-winning, best-selling author of Minnesota Brothers,
Carolina Carpenter Brides, and Montana Mistletoe.

“Becoming part of Mayla’s challenges, frustration, and resolutions totally grabbed my heart
. . . Mayla’s character is developed very realistically, as we experience her mind being transformed into a new creation.”

—Jacqui Markowski
Client Services, Pregnancy Resource Center of Salt Lake

Shelly Beach’s First Novel, Hallie’s Heart, Announced as a Nominee for the 2008 Christy Awards

noreply@blogger.com (Kregel Publications) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:49:00 +0000

The 2008 Christy Award nomination list has been formed, and Kregel Publications author Shelly Beach is on it. Her novel, Hallie’s Heart, was named among the nominees in the Lits category.

The novel’s setting is based on a number of local features from the community in which Beach resides—Muskegon, MI. Beach’s main character, Mona VanderMolen, an antique dealer in a small Michigan town, is trying to keep her business alive. As Mona faces the uncertainties of her own future, Hallie, her fifteen-year-old niece, suddenly arrives on her doorstep. Guilt-ridden over her sister's drowning several years earlier, Hallie has run off to her aunt’s cottage. As the two women work through their problems and learn to forgive, will an unfortunate accident tear them apart once again?

Beach says that she hopes readers of Hallie’s Heart will better understand “the message that a loving God stands with open arms, ready to forgive us and accept us, wherever we may be—whether we’re a fifteen-year-old teenager struggling with guilt or a middle-aged woman struggling with anger toward her father; and the message that we’re responsible for taking steps to restore relationships and forgive those who have wounded us.”

Shelly Beach is a Christian communicator who speaks at women’s conferences, retreats, seminars, and writers' conferences. She is a college instructor and writing consultant in Michigan, and the author of Precious Lord, Take My Hand (Discovery House Publishers, 2007).

For more information, visit Shelly Beach's website.

The well-respected Christy Awards—named in honor of Catherine Marshall’s novel Christy—have recognized novelists in several genres of Christian fiction since 1999. Previous winners include Jerry Jenkins, Ted Dekker, Beverly Lewis, Karen Hancock, and Kregel’s own Debbie Wilson. The Christy Award winners will be announced at a dinner on July 12, 2008, at The Rosen Centre, Orlando, Florida, from 6:30 to 9:00 PM (Eastern). The awards are traditionally announced before the opening of the annual International Christian Retail Show (ICRS).

The complete list of 2008 Christy Award nominees can be viewed at www.christyawards.com.

“To have published Hallie's Heart is a privilege,” said Kregel managing editor Steve Barclift. “Working with authors like Shelly Beach reminds us why we do what we do. We witnessed the cross-generational appeal of the book when Shelly signed books at the recent Festival of Faith and Writing at Calvin College, and saw the interest of teenagers and more seasoned readers alike. Shelly’s tenacity and heart come through in her writing, and make Hallie’s Heart the compelling story that it is. This is a terrific book, and Shelly Beach is certainly deserving of this recognition.”

The Light Across the River by Stephanie Reed

noreply@blogger.com (Kregel Publications) — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 18:42:00 +0000

In this powerful sequel to Across the Wide River, the Rankin home is still a beacon of freedom on the Underground Railroad. Johnny, the seventh of thirteen children in the Rankin family, is growing up quickly and in 1837 is eager to take on the same responsibilities as the rest of his family. But Johnny's father and his brother Lowry think Johnny is too young and too hotheaded to help with something as important and secretive as the Underground Railroad. Johnny understands the need for secrecy, but sometimes the secret is just too good to keep to himself! This engaging novel for young adults offers a further glimpse into a dark period of America's past, and profiles the courageous and godly people who helped bring about its end.

Click here if you are not able to see the video player.

To purchase your own copy of Light Across the River, click here.

Upcoming Blog Tour for Virginia Smith

noreply@blogger.com (Kregel Publications) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 19:01:00 +0000

If you would like to participate in the blog tour by posting a review of Sincerely, Mayla, or hosting an interview with Virginia Smith, please contact fiction@kregel.com.

—Mary E. DeMuth
Author, Watching the Tree Limbs

—Jill Elizabeth Nelson
Author of the To Catch a Thief series

—Kathleen Y'Barbo
Author of Beloved Castaway and Louisiana Brides

—Lena Nelson Dooley
Award-winning, best-selling author of Minnesota Brothers,
Carolina Carpenter Brides, and Montana Mistletoe.

—Jacqui Markowski
Client Services, Pregnancy Resource Center of Salt Lake

Interview with author Melanie Dobson

noreply@blogger.com (Kregel Publications) — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 20:21:00 +0000

Melanie Dobson's new novel, The Black Cloister, takes readers on a suspenseful journey as college student Elsie Friedman strikes out for Europe to find the truth about her mother's past and uncovers something more frightening than she ever suspected.

Your novel is called The Black Cloister. What is it about?
After her mother commits suicide, Elise Friedman travels to Germany to find out what happened to her family. She discovers that her mother grew up in an abusive cult. The man who destroyed Elise’s mother threatens to destroy her as well, and she fights to find a way out of the darkness before she is consumed.

Where did you get the inspiration for this book?
My family and I lived for a season in the former East Berlin. Our flat was a block from the old wall, and my life was changed as I stumbled my way through conversations with local merchants, roamed the back streets of the city, visited Martin Luther’s Wittenberg, and learned about both the triumph of the Reformation and the terrifying days of Communist rule.

Before we came back to the United States, a story began to form in my mind about the escape of Katharina von Bora—Martin Luther’s wife—from a German abbey and the freedom she found in Christ, but a thread was still missing. I waited for inspiration until I met a woman who had been raised overseas in an abusive cult. As I listened to her heart-wrenching stories and began researching cults, the idea of freedom grew into a novel that exposes the corruption and control of cults as well as discusses the balance of God’s grace with obedience and the importance of doing good works.

Do you think readers will be surprised by the story of The Black Cloister?
I was shocked by the stories I heard from people who had been raised in cults. Unless the reader grew up in a cult, she will probably be surprised as well by what still goes on in cults around the world. My intent is not to be gratuitous. It is to demonstrate the dark hold that many cult leaders have on their followers and to show how the truth, light, and power of God can break through this darkness.

What do you hope readers will take away after reading The Black Cloister?
True freedom is only found in Christ. As Christians we must listen to the voice and wisdom of God and judge any spiritual instruction with God’s word and the direction of the Holy Spirit. After reading The Black Cloister, I would like readers to be sympathetic toward those who have been born into a cult as well as intolerant of spiritual leaders who exclude and abuse their followers. My hope is that this novel will educate readers about cults and offer healing to those who have been ensnared by a toxic religious group.

For more information about Melanie Dobson and The Black Cloister, check out the Kregel Web site at www.kregelpublications.com.

Interview with author Jeannette Windle

noreply@blogger.com (Kregel Publications) — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 16:20:00 +0000

This month's Christian Women Online "Book Buzz" features an interview with fiction author Jeannette Windle.

Click HERE to read the interview at CWO's Web site.

As the child of missionary parents, Jeanette Windle grew up in the rural towns of Colombia, which are now guerrilla hot zones. Her detailed research and writing is so realistic that it has prompted government agencies to question her to determine if she has received classified information. Now living in Miami, Florida, Jeanette spent 15 years as a missionary in Bolivia and has more than 10 books in print, including the best-seller CrossFire and the Parker Twins series.

Books by Jeannette Windle, from Kregel Publications:

A sneak peek at The Light Across the River, sequel to Across the Wide River

noreply@blogger.com (Kregel Publications) — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 18:05:00 +0000

Coming in April!
Stephanie Reed's exciting sequel to her moving historical novel for young adults, Across the Wide River. Reed answers a few questions about these interesting books:

What was the inspiration for Across the Wide River?
When I was growing up, we used to drive from Dayton to my grandparents' farm in Kentucky. On the way we drove through Ripley, Ohio, where I read the historical marker about the Reverend John Rankin and his station of the Underground Railroad. The Rankins fought against slavery for forty years. Across the Wide River focuses on the eldest son Lowry Rankin and his battle against slavery, as well as his personal battle against God's calling to be an abolition minister.

Where does The Light Across the River pick up the story?

Johnny Rankin was one of a handful of people present the night that Eliza crossed the icy Ohio River with her baby, and he was the one who told her story to Harriet Beecher Stowe. When Eliza returns to Ripley, Ohio, three years later Johnny learns that she left family behind in Kentucky and she wants to free them, too. As their friendship deepens, Johnny realizes he must never divulge the details of Eliza's second quest. Mrs. Stowe eventually told the story of Eliza’s first trip across the river in Uncle Tom’s Cabin. The danger Johnny and Eliza faced as they tried to free Eliza's family on their second trip remained a secret—until now.

***

A sample from The Light Across the River:

No one saw Johnny slip out the door.

He climbed the hedge apple tree and hunched alone in the chilly darkness. When would things ever change? Brothers and sisters crammed in edgewise, all of them taller, stronger, faster, or smarter than he was. Father and Mother frantically busy with the church, family, and a million other things. They never took any more notice of him than to say, “Johnny, do this,” or “Johnny, do that.”

The only person who’d ever paid him any mind was Mandy, and now she belonged to Lowry. That hurt, but what surprised him more was how much Lowry’s words hurt. He’d as good as called Johnny a traitor by implying that he would spill the family secret.

He could not deny that it was tempting to tell about the Underground. The older boys and Ibby told exciting stories about how the family helped fugitive slaves. What frustrated the life out of him was that he must never breathe a word to anyone else. Why couldn’t Father see how wrong it was to keep quiet? It seemed so simple to Johnny. If only people could know how horrible slavery was! If only they knew the great risks men took to be free!

A flicker caught his eye; somebody had placed the signal light in the upstairs window. The soft glow steadied. Further back than Johnny remembered, lights had burned in the two side windows and in the front. When a slave across the river in Kentucky wanted to know where John Rankin lived, he looked for the light.

The yard brightened and dimmed. Somebody had come out the front door. Sure enough, two dark shapes swished through the wet grass toward the hill; Cal and Sam were headed to town. They would pass the evening at Thomas McCague’s house on Front Street to watch for fugitive slaves. Father still refused to go to Kentucky to help the slaves, but whenever possible, he offered aid the minute they set foot on Ohio soil. As long as slave escapes continued thicker than raisins in a pie, that would remain the rule.

Johnny knew Father’s other rules, too: keep the fugitive ahead of the pursuer, use a different station each time, and never talk to anyone, not even his best friends, about the runaways. But had Father ever let him help a fugitive? No, and he was older than Lowry had been when he first helped a slave.

Lowry’s remark still burned. Perhaps if Johnny assured Father that he would never reveal the family business, he would make him a conductor.

He vaulted from the tree, bound and determined to set matters straight. Tomorrow night he would keep watch from Thomas McCague’s house or know the reason why.

***

About the Author:

During her childhood, Stephanie Reed’s family would often pass through Ripley on their way to her grandparents’ home. The signs she read there about the Rankin house were what prompted her to write Across the Wide River and The Light Across the River. Stephanie is a Latchkey teacher and a volunteer spotter for the National Weather Service. She lives with her husband and two children in Dublin, Ohio.

For more information about Stephanie Reed and The Light Across the River, check out the Kregel Web site at www.kregelpublications.com.

Matthew Raley Interview, Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Kregel Publications) — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 20:42:00 +0000

The steady current of stories about local and national pastors who fall into sexual sin has made author/pastor Matthew Raley wonder how men are able to lead double lives. And how can believers who untangle the lies survive the experience? Here's the second part of Matthew's interview:

Q: When a pastor lies, can he be restored? Can a bad guy be redeemed?

A: I know of many situations in which fallen pastors never repent. The troubling reality is, church boards sometimes allow pastors caught in sin to quit and move on to another church without making anything public. That is not repentance. Repentance is turning from specific sins—from the love of sin and the practice of it. The Bible doesn’t promise redemption without repentance. So I believe that a pastor who never untangles the lies in his heart and habits will not make progress in becoming like Christ.

Q: What about when a pastor genuinely repents of his sin?

A: Then, because the Lord Jesus is so good to us, redemption becomes possible. Many churches and denominations are becoming wiser about holding fallen pastors accountable. I serve with a district superintendent, Dr. Gil Stieglitz, who has done tremendous work on this issue. A pastor who has harmed his church can give a valuable gift to his people as he leaves ministry—by softening his heart, humbling himself, confessing his sin without excuses, and changing his behavior. When he does this, the people can learn to forgive, can confess their own sins, and can see the Lord work. By the grace of God, a bad guy can be redeemed. But this is hard, grievous work for the body of Christ.

Q: Why is the work grievous? Shouldn’t forgiveness make the body joyful?

A: When one man’s sin is discovered, I believe God’s people have to search their hearts and discover their own sin. To do this right, they have to ask each other for forgiveness, which is hard to do, and they also have to grant forgiveness—which is sometimes even harder. This is a process that Jim goes through in Fallen. The discovery of Dave’s sin is bad enough, but Jim is shaken to the core when he realizes his own. The Christian life would be a lot easier if we could become righteous by pointing out other people’s sins. But Jim learns that’s not enough.

Q: Do you think a pastor who’s committed some public sin can ever return to ministry?

A: In the vast majority of cases, I believe a return to pastoral ministry is unwise. I don’t find explicit biblical teaching on this point, but the reality of ministry is that the power of God works through his servant’s integrity, not just through his words. In the New Testament, Paul repeatedly tells his churches to look at his life. A public sin almost always involves deception, and if I’m guilty of that betrayal, I can hardly say, “Look at my life.” I would take year after year of humble submission and fidelity to regain the credibility to say that. Frankly, without people’s implicit trust, I don’t know how to survive in ministry.

Do you have any questions to ask Matthew? Simply send your e-mail to fiction@kregel.com.

About the Author:

Matthew Raley is senior pastor of the Orland Evangelical Free Church in northern California, where he lives with his wife and two young children. For fun, he enjoys playing chamber music with friends, giving occasional solo recitals, and playing first violin in the North State Symphony. Matthew's first book, Fallen, will release in January 2008.

For more information about Matthew Raley and Fallen, check out the Kregel Web site at www.kregelpublications.com.

Matthew Raley Talks About Church Scandals in His Upcoming Novel

noreply@blogger.com (Kregel Publications) — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 19:45:00 +0000

The steady current of stories about local and national pastors who fall into sexual sin has made author/pastor Matthew Raley wonder how men are able to lead double lives. And how can believers who untangle the lies survive the experience? We recently talked with Matthew about his upcoming book Fallen, which deals with all these issues in a fast-paced, fiction format. Here's what Matthew has to say:

Q: Your novel is called Fallen. What’s it about?

A: Fallen is the story of a church chairman named Jim who sees his pastor, Dave, riding in a car with a woman who is not Dave’s wife. The story is about Jim’s relationship with Dave—how Jim tries to do the right thing to keep Dave accountable, but finds the situation getting worse and worse. It’s also about Jim’s other relationships. Just as he discovers hypocrisy in Dave, Jim discovers his own sins against his wife and daughter.

Q: Now, you’re a pastor. You’ve been in ministry over ten years. Why didn’t you write a story that makes pastors look good? Why does Fallen seem to make the pastor the bad guy?

A: I’ve found that many evangelicals are in ugly situations with pastors who are literal bad guys. Everyone has seen the parade of scandals in the news—pastors in adultery, drug abuse, fraud, pedophilia, you name it. Believers in these situations usually have to penetrate layers of lies before they find out what their pastors have done. These discoveries are devastating, not just to individuals and congregations, but often to whole communities. In Fallen, I try to be honest about church life in America right now. I also try to show how believers who’ve had these experiences with their pastors can see their pain redeemed.

Q: Did you have a personal experience that made you want to write about this issue?

A: I meet with other pastors constantly, and we often hear that yet another colleague has been discovered sin. It’s one thing to hear this news about people I don’t know, but quite another to hear it affecting people I know well. And each time I hear of a pastor in sin, I go through the same emotions. Anger, grief, and doubt. I also have to think through how vulnerable I am to the same sins and reevaluate my routines for secret compartments. I thank God that I’ve never been directly involved in a situation like I describe in Fallen.

Q: You say believers who’ve had bad experiences with pastors can see their pain redeemed. What do you mean? Does God make the pain go away?

A: No, the pain won’t disappear. But I believe our God takes pain and turns it to blessing. Sometimes he uses the pain to convict us. Sometimes he gives us comfort that we can pass on to others. God’s agenda for pain, even the pain of being betrayed, is that we become more like Christ. That’s why I say a believer’s pain can be redeemed. The Lord Jesus takes the ugly situations a man creates and uses them to mold believers in his image.

Stay tuned for the second half of this interview with Matthew Raley in the coming days.

About the Author:

Matthew Raley is senior pastor of the Orland Evangelical Free Church in northern California, where he lives with his wife and two young children. For fun, he enjoys playing chamber music with friends, giving occasional solo recitals, and playing first violin in the North State Symphony. Matthew's first book, Fallen, will release in January 2008.

For more information about Matthew Raley and Fallen, check out the Kregel Web site at www.kregelpublications.com.

Feast on These Thanksgiving Savings from Nancy Twigg

noreply@blogger.com (Kregel Publications) — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 16:29:00 +0000

With the Thanksgiving holiday just a few days away, Kregel wants to help you have a wonderful meal without breaking your budget! Here are some cost-saving tips from Nancy Twigg, taken from Celebrate Simply: Your Guide to Simpler, More Meaningful Holidays and Special Occasions. We'll have more fiction news for you next week. Happy Thanksgiving!

Besides adding meaning to your Thanksgiving, you’re probably also interested in ways to trim down the cost. If you’ve ever planned a Thanksgiving feast, you know that the cost of buying all the food and decorations can add up faster than you can say, “Gobble, gobble.”

Because it’s a special occasion, we tend to think, “Oh, why not splurge a little?” Add this splurge component to the fact that most holiday meals include extra mouths to feed, and before you know it, you’ve got a major expense on your hands. Here are some practical ideas for saving money on your holiday celebration.

• Serve ham or turkey, but not both. Choose one meat or main dish and plan the rest of your meal around it. This saves not only the cost of the additional meat, but also the cost of special side dishes that go with it. The cost of electricity for cooking both meats is reduced, too.

• Go potluck. If it isn’t already a tradition in your family, make Thanksgiving dinner a potluck meal. Why should one person do all the work and bear all the expense? Besides, everyone will have fun tasting favorite recipes of several different cooks.

• Balance expensive and cheap dishes. Mashed potatoes are less expensive to make than a creamy vegetable casserole; a pumpkin pie is generally cheaper to make than a homemade cheesecake. Limit the number of dishes requiring expensive ingredients. Choose your family’s favorites and serve inexpensive dishes to complement them.

• Trim down extras. Do you really need four different vegetables and three different desserts? Usually there’s too much food at Thanksgiving dinners anyway. Who’ll miss that extra casserole or choice of bread? From each food category, try to cut out at least one extra that no one will miss.

• Serve inexpensive beverages. Sodas and fruit juices can be expensive add-ons to your Thanksgiving shopping list. Water, coffee (approximately 3 cents per 8 oz. serving), tea (4 cents per serving) and Kool-Aid (6 cents per serving) are very economical beverage choices. Soda and juice generally cost between 11–37 cents or more per serving.

• Dispose of disposables. Disposable plates, cups, napkins, and utensils are an added expense to your holiday meal, especially if you buy the decorative variety. Carefully consider if the convenience is worth the extra cost. If everyone pitches in, doing the dishes might not be so bad after all.

• Maximize oven use. Try to do as much of your baking at one time as possible to cut down on electricity use. Conserve electricity also by using the microwave oven whenever possible.

• Decorate naturally. Use natural decorations such as dried autumn leaves and pinecones. Fall fruits and vegetables, acorns, and tiny pumpkins also make for a festive look. Look in magazines for ideas, then adapt those decorating ideas using things you have on hand. With some advanced planning, you can even grow your own pumpkins and winter squash for the occasion.

• Watch those giveaways. Grocery stores often run promotions in which they give away turkeys with the purchase of other items such as hams. Don’t let the idea of getting something free cause you to cook a bigger meal than you actually need. That free turkey isn’t really free when you factor in the extra items you bought to go with the ham you didn’t originally plan to purchase.

• Plan in advance. Decide on your menu and make your shopping list several weeks in advance. Then watch for sales on those items you need. Remember the old saying, “Haste makes waste”? You’ll probably spend more when you buy at the last minute.

• Take advantage of loss leaders. A loss leader is an item offered below cost as a sales promotion to get you in the door. In the weeks before Thanksgiving, grocery stores typically run loss-leader specials on traditional holiday foods. They hope that, while visiting their stores to get the specials, you’ll also buy a shopping cart full of other things. Be a savvy shopper. Take advantage of each store’s specials without falling into the extra-spending trap.

• Look for substitutions. Many holiday recipes call for ingredients you don’t normally keep on hand. Before buying special ingredients you’ll only use once, check the substitution guides in your cookbooks to see if there’s anything else you can use. For example, 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour can be substituted for 1 cup of cake flour; 1 cup of sugar plus 1/4 cup of liquid can be substituted for 1 cup of honey or corn syrup.

• Fresh is not necessarily best. Experts say there’s no real difference in taste between a fresh and frozen turkey. It’s all a matter of preference and convenience. Therefore, watch for sales and go with whatever is cheapest.

• Don’t waste. Stored in the refrigerator, cooked turkey should be eaten within three to four days. Kept in the freezer, it’s good for up to six months. Be realistic about how many leftovers your family can eat in the days after Thanksgiving. Freeze the extras right away so you won’t end up chucking them.

• Choose the right size bird. The turkey experts at Honeysuckle White recommend an 8–12 pound turkey for 2 to 4 people; a 12–16 pound turkey for 4 to 6 people; a 14–18 pound turkey for 6 to 8 people; an 18–20 pound turkey for 8 to 10 people; and a 20–24 pound turkey for 11 to 13 guests. These estimates allow for some leftovers. If your family doesn’t like leftovers, nip the problem of wasted leftovers in the bud by choosing a turkey on the low end of the suggested weight range.

• Love those leftovers. Some of the greatest Thanksgiving savings occur after the holiday if you know how to put your leftovers to good use. A family can be expected, however, to eat only so many turkey sandwiches. Look for interesting new recipes to give that leftover turkey a lift.

• Enjoy turkey all year round. Here’s another idea for saving money on groceries in the months after Thanksgiving. If your family loves turkey and you have plenty of freezer space, stock up when turkey prices hit rock bottom. A frozen turkey is good for up to a year in the freezer.

For tips on other holiday savings or information about Celebrate Simply, click here.

Interviewing the Authors of Marta's Promise

noreply@blogger.com (Kregel Publications) — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 14:19:00 +0000

An interview with Jeanne Dennis and Sheila Seifert, authors of Marta’s Promise.

Marta Ebel has nothing left to lose, now that the last member of her family has died. If she gets caught, it could mean death—or the dungeon. It is worth the risk. She fingers the document tucked in the waistband of her skirt. Her guarantee of freedom and a place to call her own—far away in Russia—if only she can escape. If only they would hurry and load the boat before the soldiers come!

So begins Marta Ebel’s pilgrimage to the steppes of the Volga River in 1766, a journey of peril, intrigue, tenderness, courage, and faith.

What made you choose the German States and Russia in the 18th Century as the setting for your novel?

Sheila: I learned about my German Russian heritage when my mother and I researched one line of our family tree in the early 1990s. My great-grandfather, Adam Franzovitch Ebel, emigrated from Russia to the U.S. around 1914, just before World War I. Because records were closed in Russia for most of the last century, it took a lot of work to piece this information together.

Jeanne: Adam Ebel’s ancestors migrated to Russia in the mid-1700s at the invitation of Catherine the Great, who was Russia’s German-born Tsarina. From 1765 to 1768, about thirty thousand German people made the arduous journey across the Baltic Sea and through the Russian wilderness to settle in the southern region of the Volga River.

Sheila: This part of Russian history isn’t well known, and we thought it was time for the story of these German pioneers to be told. We used the surname Ebel to honor my grandfather’s line, but all the characters are fictional.

What made you decide to write this novel together?

Sheila: We had already written six children’s novels together, so it was a natural fit.

Jeanne: Sheila had already done six years’ worth of research, so I felt honored that she was willing to let me help her write the story.

How do two people go about writing a novel together?

Jeanne: People ask me that question all the time. I don’t know how others do it, but Sheila and I set up some rules right from the beginning. First of all, we revised all the writing as if it were our own.

Sheila: And we didn’t go back to old drafts. If one of us changed a passage, we couldn’t go back and copy that part back in. If the co-author wanted to rewrite the passage, that was okay.

Jeanne: And often it would still get deleted. At times it wasn’t easy, especially when Sheila deleted writing I was especially proud of or I deleted something she liked. But when we did the rewrites or changed the scenes, they were always better.

Sheila: I agree. We had to decide not to get too attached to what we wrote. We also took turns writing drafts of chapters. If I wrote the first draft, Jeanne would do the second, and vice versa. We each wrote about half of the first drafts for the twenty-four chapters.

Jeanne: We found that it took about seven drafts before we reached our united voice, which was necessary, because we also write alone.

Sheila: We had to make sure our distinct voices didn’t come through.

Jeanne: After that, it took about two or three more drafts to polish it.

What was the most intriguing piece of history that you came across as you researched Marta’s Promise?

Jeanne: For me it was the way these pioneers survived, both on the journey and once they arrived on the steppes of the Volga River. They must have been a courageous, determined people. I also enjoyed learning about izbas, the Russian peasant homes.

Sheila: I find the entire German Russian story fascinating. As a whole, once the German people settled in the southern Volga area, they lived in Russia, but they were able to remain small German communities, closed to the rest of the world.

Jeanne: The Russian government at that time exempted the Germans from military service and allowed them to retain their language, faith, and culture. Later, though, it was a different story.

Sheila: One we hope to tell someday. We look forward to writing about the changes that took place in the German Russian culture at the end of the 1800s and then in the early 1900s under Stalin.

Jeanne: But those are stories for another day.

Sheila: We hope you enjoy Marta’s Promise. We had fun writing it.

For more information about the authors and Marta's Promise, click here.

Interview with Judy Alexander, Author of Desert Medicine

noreply@blogger.com (Kregel Publications) — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 19:50:00 +0000

After nearly twenty years of writing, my first published novel, Desert Medicine will be released in November by Kregel Publications. In Desert Medicine, a newly divorce young mother of twins who runs a plant nursery discovers the true meaning of family and grows spiritually while helping an eccentric older woman from her church. This colorful woman relates her own feisty search for family, beginning as an abused girl in 1930s Panhandle Texas, sent to live in border town Calexico, California, with a maiden aunt who runs a home hospital.

I’ve been blessed with a very full life in Southern California with my husband Gene: two sons (ages 21 and 14), a church family, interesting work opportunities as a corporate writer and photographer, and hobbies (horseback riding and gardening).You can learn more about the writing life at www.judyalexander.com.

Why do I write novels?

I think writing is my calling. I agree with author Joyce Carol Oates who once said that her job is to give a voice to people who don’t usually have a voice. So, I write about the middle-class church folks, construction workers, and farming relatives in my life. These are the stories that have been given me.

How do fiction writing and faith intersect in my life?

I see many parallels between fiction writing and faith. When you start to write a novel, there is no guarantee that your initial idea will lead to a novel, of that that novel will find a publisher, or that that published novel will find an audience. You just have to show up to do your daily writing because it’s the right thing to do. And then, in the midst of this blue-collar commitment to hard work, come startling moments of serendipity (while doing research, you cross paths unexpectedly with the perfect interviewee, while writing a middle chapter you suddenly recognize the significance of a seemingly random interaction of your main character with a minor character), and your writing begins to feel so much bigger than yourself.

The same thing happens in a long-term commitment to serving Jesus. At times, you show up for the weekly church service because it’s the right thing to do, not because you feel any sense of spiritual thirst. And something happens (a hymn seems to speak directly to your soul, after church another member tells you how much you mean to her, the pastor reads a Bible verse that applies to your family situation) and you realize that there is indeed a Higher Power who takes a personal interest in our lives.

How did I get published?

A fourth grade teacher, Miss Jacobsen, helped me discover my talent for creative writing. But that was a talent that I didn’t take seriously again until years later, after a college degree in business and a failed marriage and a young son. That’s when the call to write fiction became so strong that I could not longer ignore it. A writing conference in Santa Barbara convinced me that I should try writing a novel.

Because I’d been told that I had a God-given gift for writing, I planned to apply hard work, take writing courses, join a writing critique group, and upon completion of the first draft of my novel, receive a publishing contract.

Reality was quite different from my expectations. Instead, I spent five years researching and writing my first novel. For another couple of years, I sent the novel to editors and agents, who all rejected it. Finally, a writing mentor, Jo-Ann Mapson, told me to put my first novel into a drawer and start my next one

Jo-Ann did me a favor by telling me to give up, at least temporarily, on my first effort. She told me that I had other novels inside of me and that I should let them come out. So, I spent another six years writing Desert Medicine (during this time I was also working part-time as a marketing communications writer and raising two boys.) By the time I finished in October 200, I was once again sure that I’d soon be published. When agents and editors didn’t snap up my book, I drug my husband to New York, and we physically showed up at the offices of several publishers and agents. While the trip was interesting, it resulted in no sales.

The next six years I spent in alternating spurts: first revising and sending out Desert Medicine, giving up for a time (there was a limit to the amount of rejection I could handle), then trying again. I started yet another novel, this time no longer believing that I’d be published, but simply because after all these years of early morning writing sessions, I’d become addicted to my quiet time alone with my laptop computer, or maybe it was the early-morning chocolate-spiked coffee that called to me.

Finally, I decided that I either had to throw myself into another edit of Desert Medicine or give up on it completely. I read about a writer’s conference in Nebraska (where I have relatives) at which an advanced workshop leader would read an entire novel manuscript. Fortunately, my instructor, Brent Spencer, was a kind, insightful writer and editor who told me to not give up on Desert Medicine, and then gave me concrete editing ideas. This was in June 2005. Almost a year later, I attended the Festival of Faith & Writing in Grand Rapids, Michigan, a semi-annual event that I’ve attended many times because it’s a gathering place of my favorite writers who also happen to believe in God. That year, the organizers offered an online posting of book proposals, so I posted a marketing plan and first chapter of Desert Medicine. When I got back from the convention, I found an email from Steve Barclift of Kregel Publications, expressing an interest in the manuscript.

So, about 15 years later than I’d expected, I had a book contract. Whewww!!!

Stay tuned for more interview questions with Judy Alexander later this week. For more information about Judy and her new book, Desert Medicine, click here.

Desert Medicine: Coming in November!

noreply@blogger.com (Kregel Publications) — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 17:28:00 +0000

A Sneek Peek at Desert Medicine, Available Next Month

Rhoda reached back to pat Tony’s hand. She spoke to Laurelle and Mark. “But you see, without out all them bad times, I wouldn’t be here with Tony.”

“Tony’s a lucky man.” Mark stood up and squeezed Rhoda’s hand.

Laurelle had noticed before that he was rather a restless man, unable to sit for very long. He leaned over the bird cage and cooed “Pretty bird, pretty bird,” and while the bird cocked its head as if listening, it didn’t respond. Mark sat down again. “Have you seen your granddaughter recently? What’s her name—” Mark looked to Laurelle for the answer.

Laurelle shook her head. She didn’t want Pastor Mark to talk about the granddaughter that Rhoda would never see again. She didn’t want him to hurt Rhoda, the way that she herself had done intentionally.

But Mark continued. He seemed to completely miss Laurelle’s body language. “Nicole?”

“Nicole Marie.” Rhoda pointed to the finger painting on the refrigerator. She didn’t act offended that Mark had brought up the subject. She seemed to be comforted by his concern. Rhoda turned to Laurelle, as if to convince her that all was well. “That’s my granddaughter, Nicole Marie.”

Laurelle looked back at Pastor Mark, trying to figure out how he was able to travel emotionally rocky territory without stirring up trouble. His eyes, which were focused on Rhoda’s, showed open empathy. He leaned forward. In contrast, Laurelle had forced herself to relax into the back of her chair, overcompensating for the fact that she felt like running away.

Tony took over the story. “We tried to call her mother, Shelby. She’s remarried, you know. She changed her phone number.”

Rhoda interrupted. “Tony knows where Shelby’s mother lives. He did some tile work for her, that’s how Dwain met Shelby in the first place. So Tony calls Shelby’s mother and explains how I’m doing poorly. She says she can’t give out Shelby’s phone number, says her daughter’s scared of our son, can you imagine that? And Tony says to tell her daughter we called, he’d call back in a couple of days. But when he called back, the mother said her Shelby can’t let Nicole come see us. She says she hopes we understand.”

Tony spoke up. “I told her we’re family, but she doesn’t want to hear it.”

“Do you want to pray about it?” Mark asked. He reached for Rhoda’s hand. He took Laurelle’s hand in his other one. But he didn’t hold her hand palm to palm. He interlaced his fingers with hers.

Laurelle barely heard the prayer, something about asking for God’s comfort in the face of a situation that couldn’t be understood. Was it Laurelle who’d interlaced fingers? It had seemed the natural thing to do, but this wasn’t just any man.

At the “Amen,” Laurelle released Mark’s hand, but Rhoda wouldn’t let go of him. “You two are my family,” she said to Mark and Laurelle. “And all them good folks at His Love Community Church.”

“We love you both,” Mark said.

For the first time, Laurelle said, “I love you, Rhoda.” And she meant it. She hugged Rhoda, then Tony. “Goodbye.”

Mark held the trailer door open for Laurelle. He stopped by her car. After hugging Rhoda and Tony, Laurelle had the urge to hug Mark, too, but would she be breeching a parishioner-pastor taboo if she reached for him? Was that a pastor’s worst dread, that a lonely parishioner would misinterpret his spiritual concerns for her and throw herself at him? But he was the one who looked right at her during his sermons. She studied his face, trying to read what was permissible, but he looked as confused as she was.

She wanted to get closer to him; she did not want to get closer to him. She couldn’t ever remembering feeling this ambivalent about a man. She wanted to hug him; she wanted to run from him. Finally, she stuck out her hand. He shook it as if they were entering into a contract. She didn’t know for sure what Mark’s side of the agreement was, but she knew what she was pledging. Given the opportunity, she was going to try love once more.

For more information about Desert Medicine and Judy Alexander, visit the Kregel Web site at www.kregelpublications.com or Judy Alexander's Web site at www.judyalexander.com.

About the Author:

Judy Alexander holds an M.B.A. from the Graduate School of Management at the University of California at Irvine, and she graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in social ecology. She currently works part-time as a Web-content and newsletter writer at a mortgage services company and also teaches a public relations course as an adjunct professor at Concordia University in Irvine, California. Her essays and fiction have been published in The Community Inc., Scribbling Towards Forgiveness, Creative Roadblocks, Pacific Review, Pleiades Magazine, and Concho River Review.

Sandra Glahn: Most of What I Know about Writing Fiction, I Learned from the Bible

noreply@blogger.com (Kregel Publications) — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 13:52:00 +0000

Part 2 of 2
By Sandra Glahn

Most of what I’ve learned about fiction I’ve learned from the Bible (continued).

Hesitate to name minor characters. The reader can hold only so many details in the memory. If we read about Kim and Judy having lunch together and the author tells us their waitress is Maria, we make a mental note: “I need to remember Kim, Judy, and Maria.” If Maria is unimportant to the plot, the author should leave her name out—unless she’s part of a red herring. Calling her a waitress allows her to fulfill her function in the scene and allows the reader to forget her. Generally in a narrative when an author names somebody, the reader thinks “I need to remember this.”

In the Book of Ruth we find name after name. The story emphasizes the mentality that one’s good name is a significant part of leaving a legacy. It even ends with a genealogy—not normally included in the “Top 10 Ways to Land.” Nevertheless, it works in Ruth. And in the midst of a book filled with names, one person stands out as remaining nameless. It’s the guy who refuses to be Ruth’s “kinsman-redeemer” because he worries too much about giving his own kids plenty of land. Boaz, who seeks him out, says, “Turn aside here ploni amoni,” which is a little Hebrew rhyme that means “Mr. So-and-so.” The fact that Ploni-Almoni is the one nameless character in the entire book tells us to forget him. Not worth remembering!

Use figures of speech. Ortega y Gassett said, “The metaphor is probably the most fertile power possessed by man.” Consider the numerous metaphors for God. A rock. The Good Shepherd. A strong tower. Our Father. The Door. The Bread of Life. The Alpha and the Omega. Provider. Healer. We find several hundred names for God alone, each of which communicates something different about Him.

We find negative metaphors in the Bible, too. Jude 1:1–12 includes a string of them: “These men are those who are hidden reefs in your love feasts … clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever.”

Figures of speech allow the reader to envision a concrete image, even when we’re communicating an abstract concept. “My mind wandered like a tourist with a Eurail pass.”

Kenneth S. Latourette, in History of Christianity, writes, “Jesus had the soul of a poet. While few of his recorded sayings are in poetic form, again and again his words breathe the spirit of poetry. His mind thought in terms of pictures and concrete scenes, not in abstract phrases.”

And as you know, there’s a specific name for Him that emphasizes this very ability as the Master Communicator: The Word.

About the Author:

Sandra Glahn, Th.M., is an adjunct professor at Dallas Seminary, where she edits the award-winning magazine Kindred Spirit. She is the author of the Coffee Cup Bible Studies series for women and the coauthor of seven books about marriage and reproductive issues. Sandra also serves on the board of the Evangelical Press Association and the women's executive committee for Bible.org. She and her husband, Gary, make their home in Dallas, Texas.

For more information about Sandra Glahn and her books, visit the Kregel Web site by clicking here, or visit Sandra's Web site by clicking here.

Sandra Glahn: Most of What I Know about Writing Fiction, I Learned from the Bible

noreply@blogger.com (Kregel Publications) — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 13:41:00 +0000

Part 1 of 2
By Sandra Glahn

Most of what I’ve learned about fiction I’ve learned from the Bible.

That’s not to say I think the story about a big fish swallowing Jonah is a myth. If a resurrection is possible, what’s so tough about sustaining a guy in a fish’s belly for a couple of days?

What I’m saying is this: Moses, Luke, whoever wrote Ruth—these are the best storytellers in the world. The way they craft their narratives has taught me most of what I know about fiction. Consider some examples.

Use point-of-view to heighten tension. The Book of Ruth demonstrates what happens when a writer uses point-of-view to heighten tension. Remember the part in Ruth’s story when she goes down to the threshing floor to propose to Boaz? The author, under inspiration of the Spirit, writes, “[Boaz] awoke and behold! A woman was lying at his feet!” The reader already knows the woman is Ruth. Yet it’s so much better to say “a woman” than “Ruth,” because it helps readers see events from Boaz’s point of view. We can feel with him the surprise.

The same is true of Jacob’s wrestling match. We know his opponent is the Lord, but Jacob doesn’t. And the text describes events from Jacob’s point of view: “Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak” (Gen 32:24). Only later does our man Jake realize he’s gotten down and dirty with the Lord Himself and somehow prevailed.

Use limited point-of-view to capitalize on reader identification. As you’ve read the story of David and Bathsheba, have you ever wondered if she seduced him? Did she flirt? Bat her eyelashes? I suspect there’s a reason the author leaves us wondering. We’re supposed to see the story completely from David’s point of view. And David is 100 percent responsible for his choices, no matter what she is doing. (That means this: so are we.)

From the storyteller’s perspective, it doesn’t matter whether Bathsheba is a righteous woman taking a ritual bath or a little seductress flaunting her assets. Regardless of her actions, the king could and should have done better.

Use setting to communicate something greater than the place itself. Choose a setting that communicates something important. I’m not saying a writer should make the setting exotic, though that’s sometimes a good idea. I mean use the setting to make a statement.

Where is Jezebel when she kills the owner of the vineyard she covets? In Jezreel. Where is Jezebel years later when dogs snarf her up? In Jezreel. More than a decade later, we come back to the place where she committed her grandest injustice to watch her get what’s coming to her. And the fact that events end up where they do says something about God’s ultimate sovereignty, about His ability in the end to make all things right.

Where is Peter when he denies the Lord three times? By a fire. Where is Peter when Jesus gives him three chances to declare his love? Right—by a fire.

Where is Elisha when he raises the Shunnemite woman’s only son? At Shunem. Where is Jesus when he raises the widow of Nain’s only son? At Nain—right around the mountain from Shunem. The similarities in the miracles and locations are not lost on those present. The place shows them that a prophet better than Elisha has come.

If you want to your characters to be compelling, give the “good guys” some weaknesses. Nobody’s perfect, so use “imperfection” to make characters believable and endearing. Consider Hebrews 11, often called “The Faith Chapter.” It lists the heroes of the faith. Yet with the exception of a few, we could just as easily title it “The Foul-Up Chapter.” We find murderers, adulterers, hookers. Despite their flaws, however, they have one thing in common: faith. Moses is humble, but he has an anger management problem. Peter is spirited but impulsive—just ask Malchus.

Even Jesus, though he has no flaws, is still different from what many of us expect of a perfect person. He’s unpredictable, saying stuff like, “On the outside you look good, but inside you stink like a coffin” or “You bunch of snakes.” Not exactly “How to Win Friends and Influence People.”

Stay tuned this week for the second part of this article.

About the Author:

Sandra Glahn, Th.M., is an adjunct professor at Dallas Seminary, where she edits the award-winning magazine Kindred Spirit. She is the author of the Coffee Cup Bible Studies series for women and the coauthor of seven books about marriage and reproductive issues. Sandra also serves on the board of the Evangelical Press Association and the women's executive committee for Bible.org. She and her husband, Gary, make their home in Dallas, Texas.

For more information about Sandra Glahn and her books, visit the Kregel Web site by clicking here, or visit Sandra's Web site by clicking here.

Hot Off the Presses, The Other Daughter Has Arrived!

noreply@blogger.com (Kregel Publications) — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 13:54:00 +0000

In the newest addition to the Kregel fiction line, Susanne Carson’s well-ordered family life is thrown into devastating chaos when Brianna, a young teen, appears on her doorstep, claiming to be the daughter of Susanne’s husband, David. The revelation of David’s apparent betrayal adds strain to an already fragile marriage. Will this shocking discovery drive the family apart, or will it draw them closer to God?

When asked about her inspiration for the book, here's what Miralee has to say:

"The story line for The Other Daughter was inspired by a similar event that happened to us. An 18-year-old girl wrote a letter to my husband, claiming to be his daughter. The news impacted us, but not in a negative way." After the shock wore off, they decided to accept the girl's claim without a blood test or proof, as through her life she'd been told her father didn't want her. She's since come to the Lord, has married, and given the couple their first grandchildren.

Miralee hopes that the reader will gain a strong sense of family, and recognize that Christians are simply forgiven, imperfect people. Many women have a driving need to be in control of their lives, families and marriages, and The Other Daughter speaks to this need, and helps bring it into perspective.

About the Author:

Miralee Ferrell and her husband, Allen, live in a rural community in Washington. She serves on staff at their local church as a licensed minister and is actively involved in ministry to women. Miralee developed an interest in writing in high school and took honors English courses in college, but put writing on the backburner for the next thirty years while raising a family and helping her husband with their growing business. A year and a half ago, she returned to the pen, writing a number of short stories and The Other Daughter.

For more information about Miralee and The Other Daughter, click here

A Sneak Peek at The Other Daughter, Coming This Month!

noreply@blogger.com (Kregel Publications) — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 16:30:00 +0000

A glass of wine and an hour to relax would help put her back in the mood for tonight, if David kept his word and made it in time for their later reservations. She’d get rid of whoever was at the door and try to pull herself together. This needed to be a special evening. They’d had so few of those lately.

Susanne swung open the door. “May I help you?”

A bedraggled young girl who appeared to be about twelve stood on the step, clutching a well-worn suitcase. Small boned and not very tall, she might have been pretty but for her greasy dark hair and dirt-streaked face. Staring up at Susanne was a set of strangely familiar eyes that gazed at her shyly before darting away in apparent fear.

A prickle of apprehension ran through her as she looked in those eyes, but she brushed it away. Her imagination must be working overtime today.

“Is Mr. David Carson here, ma’am?” The waif shifted her weight from one foot to the other, glancing over her hunched shoulder to the base of the driveway.

What was someone thinking, dumping a child off and driving away? If she was selling something or needed directions, the driver could have stayed nearby, not headed down the road.

“I’m afraid he’s at work right now. Is there something I can help you with?” Susanne pushed open the screen door, both curiosity and sympathy drawing her forward. “Are you selling something? Do you need help?”

The youngster’s gaze returned to Susanne’s face, a worried pucker showing around the corners of her mouth. “I’ve come to live with him.” Her barely audible voice hit Susanne like a clap of thunder. Confusion raced through her mind. Was this someone’s idea of a joke?

For more information about The Other Daughter, please visit Kregel's Web site at www.kregelpublications.com.

About the Author:

Miralee Ferrell and her husband, Allen, live in a rural community in Washington. She serves on staff at their local church as a licensed minister and is actively involved in ministry to women. Miralee developed an interest in writing in high school and took honors English courses in college, but put writing on the backburner for the next thirty years while raising a family and helping her husband with their growing business. A year and a half ago, she returned to the pen, writing a number of short stories and The Other Daughter.

An Interview with Maureen Lang

noreply@blogger.com (Kregel Publications) — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 14:26:00 +0000

Remember Me is the sequel to Pieces of Silver, both romantic historical novels set during the turbulent times of the First World War. While it’s not necessary to have read Pieces of Silver to enjoy Remember Me, Josef von Woerner is one of the key characters from Pieces of Silver. Readers who have read Josef’s history come to Remember Me with an immediate understanding of his past, and how his actions were based on passionate loyalty to the German fatherland.

Remember Me explores this character further, revealing the reasons behind Josef’s divided loyalties that are ultimately usurped by a new, fiercer loyalty to God—stronger than the fatherland could have inspired. Remember Me brings new love into Josef’s life, not only for God but for an American Red Cross nurse, Lissa Parker. The story reveals how a woman so loyal to her country can love a man who was once a saboteur against her own beloved country, the U.S..

Q & A

What made you want to write Remember Me?

That’s a question I’m frequently asked, and one I love to answer! Josef von Woerner is the whole reason I wrote Remember Me. As those who’ve read Pieces of Silver know, Josef is one of the key characters in that novel. He’s the “bad guy”—but with redeeming qualities. Actually in an early draft of Pieces of Silver, Josef was supposed to die at the end. That was the plan. But as I wrote the story, getting to know Josef’s character better all the time, seeing he wasn’t a true villain but really just a misguided nice guy, I found it impossible to do him in!

So I started to ask myself, what if I let him live? How would he continue his life? I suppose I could have had him sneak off to Germany and live the life of a true German soldier, ready to give his life for the fatherland. But would he still feel that way, having been nurtured on an ideal of Germany, once he saw Germany as little different than the rest of the world? Nothing deserves blind loyalty, and yet that’s what Josef had given Germany. I wanted to wake him up, show him his idealism was the problem, not his passion. In Remember Me I wanted Josef to retain his enthusiasm for life, but redirect his energy to something more worthwhile: faith in the God who created him.

You must have done a lot of research for this book. How long did that take?

Doing research is one of my favorite ways to spend time. In fact, I have reams of paper and dozens of books on my shelf full of facts I found fascinating but ultimately didn’t use in either Pieces of Silver or Remember Me. It’s my firm belief that an author has to know far more about the subject than what he/she actually puts on paper if that book is going to have any authenticity.

The First World War time period is one of my favorite times in history. It was a brutal war which makes it hard to read about, but social history began to change drastically during this time, particularly for America. To me, the era has one foot still firmly in history, but the toe on the other foot is dipped into modern times. There are telephones and motorcars and the beginning of air travel. Pretty primitive by today’s standards, but the ideas are all there, even of women being a valuable asset to the working world. My grandparents were alive during this time, and I can only imagine the changes they saw!

One of the inspirations behind my interest in this era actually came from my grandparents. My grandfather fought in World War One, and I have many of the letters he wrote to his mom while he was “Over There.” In fact, just to share an inside secret, I intentionally had Josef train at Fort Dix where my grandfather trained, then ship over to France on the U.S.S. Magnolia, the ship my grandfather was on. I have a picture of the ship which made it that much more real to me. My grandfather was in the Signal Corps, so I have a lot of pictures that he painstakingly labeled. They were a great resource for me to imagine a lot of what took place during that time.

How long have you been a writer?

I’ve loved writing ever since I was a kid. An old friend reminded me not long ago that I used to invite her over so we could write stories together. She was a good friend so she went along with it, even though she didn’t share my enthusiasm. She told me she used to write new episodes for Flash Gordon while I wrote my romantic tales (even then I liked romance!). Little did I know she was on the cutting edge, more so than my stories. If she’d stuck with writing new episodes of existing television shows, she might be on the forefront of what is today called Fan Fiction! Who knew? But somehow I don’t think she’s sorry to have missed that boat.

I kept writing, though, and in my early twenties I joined Romance Writer’s of America (RWA) and was an early winner of the Golden Heart Award. Even then it was the biggest contest of its kind, so I was thrilled. I also sold my first secular romance novel and signed with an agent that year, so things felt like they moved fast for someone so young. But I was married at the time, a new mother, and soon became a single parent. It was difficult to write and work and since writing didn’t pay much. I had to give it up to split my time between my daughter and my job.

I actually didn’t write again for about fifteen years. I’d rededicated my life to Jesus Christ, then remarried and had two more children, one of whom has a disability called Fragile X Syndrome (a genetic form of mental retardation). But when God led me back to writing, He was serious. With His help and the support of my husband, I suffered through those early efforts (one of which was the early draft of Pieces of Silver and the dying Josef) and then the inevitable rejections associated with writing fiction. But I kept at it, and Kregel picked up a stronger, revised version Pieces of Silver. I’ve been writing ever since! That’s why I tell writers every chance I get not to give up, and not to resist revision. Each day we become smarter, better, more experienced writers and it’s bound to show on the paper.

Do you have any advice for new writers?

Every once in a while there is a story in the newspaper about someone who sits down to write a book, cranks it out in a few weeks and suddenly has publishers, agents, and Hollywood producers after them. I always cringe when I see articles like that, knowing they’re newsworthy only because such stories are so few and far apart. Sometimes, if a story like that is in the paper and someone has just finished reading a book that might have been a little sub-par in quality, they think they could certainly write a book better than that one and get it published in no time flat. The truth is getting a book published just isn’t that easy. Competition is tough and getting tougher all the time. Computers have made the process of writing easier, conferences are more readily available to encourage people to write, and alternative publishing like e-publishing and self-publishing is getting easier and cheaper. But traditional publishing remains an elusive goal for many.

Then, once you’re published, having your book noticed among the thousands of other titles out there is another challenge. It’s a tough business that can be emotionally draining or rewarding, sometimes both in one day. Opening yourself up to reviews can be heady or devastating. It’s an up-and-down business, not meant for the faint-hearted—or the half-hearted. It’ll take the best of your time, energy and devotion, so having your family’s support is important, too.

I recommend joining in with other writers who’ve been at it longer than you have. They have a lot to teach and most don’t mind sharing their expertise. You can also join some great online organizations such as American Christian Fiction Writers. It’s a very supportive, interactive group that offers a wonderful conference every year. There, you’ll have an opportunity to meet other writers in person, and sit in on some great workshops to help hone your craft. You can also meet face-to-face with editors and agents to see about submitting your work. And in today’s day and age when most places will only look at something that’s represented by an agent, this is one of the best reasons to start saving your money to attend a writer’s conference.

The main thing is to write, though. Sometimes people like the idea of writing better than the actual job of it. Can you finish a book? Really?

About the Author

Maureen Lang is the winner of several writing awards including the Romance Writer’s of America’s Golden Heart Award and American Christian Fiction Writers’ Noble Theme award. She resides in the Midwest with her husband and three children.

To find out more about Maureen Lang and her books, visit her Web site at www.maureenlang.com or www.kregelpublications.com.