Predator
May 23, 2010
This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
PredatorZondervan (May 25, 2010)
by
Terri Blackstock
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Terri Blackstock’s books have sold six million copies worldwide. Her suspense novels often debut at number one on the Christian fiction best-seller lists, and True Light, published last year, was number one of all Christian books—fiction and non-fiction. Blackstock has had twenty-five years of success as a novelist.
In 1994 Blackstock was writing for publishers such as HarperCollins, Harlequin and Silhouette, when a spiritual awakening drew her into the Christian market. Since that time, she’s written over thirty Christian titles, in addition to the thirty-two she had in the secular market. Her most recent books are the four in her acclaimed Restoration Series, which includes Last Light, Night Light, True Light and Dawn’s Light. She is also known for her popular Newpointe 911 and Cape Refuge Series.
In addition to her suspense novels, she has written a number of novels in the women’s fiction genre, including Covenant Child, which was chosen as one of the first Women of Faith novels, and her Seasons Series written with Beverly LaHaye, wife of Tim LaHaye.
Blackstock has won the Retailer’s Choice Award and has appeared on national television programs such as The 700 Club, Home Life, and At Home Live with Chuck and Jenny. She has been a guest on numerous radio programs across the country and the subject of countless articles. The story of her personal journey appears in books such as Touched By the Savior by Mike Yorkey, True Stories of Answered Prayer by Mike Nappa, Faces of Faith by John Hanna, and I Saw Him In Your Eyes by Ace Collins.
ABOUT THE BOOK
The murder of Krista Carmichael’s fourteen-year-old sister by an online predator has shaken her faith and made her question God’s justice and protection. Desperate to find the killer, she creates an online persona to bait the predator. But when the stalker turns his sights on her, will Krista be able to control the outcome?
Ryan Adkins started the social network GrapeVyne in his college dorm and has grown it into a billion-dollar corporation. But he never expected it to become a stalking ground for online Predators. One of them lives in his town and has killed two girls and attacked a third. When Ryan meets Krista, the murders become more than a news story to him, and everything is on the line.
Joining forces, he and Krista set out to stop the killer. But when hunters pursue a hunter, the tables can easily turn. Only God can protect them now.
Enter the Terri Blackstock iPad CONTEST: http://www.terriblackstock.com/contests/.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Predator, go HERE.
Watch the book trailer video!
Cut Here
Sally Says: I’ve been a Terri Blackstock fan for a long time, and Predator is, in my opinion, her best book to date.
When I first heard about Predator, I wondered how the subject matter would be handled. I’m not one for anything graphic, and since I’ve had children, I’ve had a hard time reading about kids being hurt in any way. But as always, Terri handled the horrible details well, giving us only what we needed for the story and nothing more. Nothing gratuitous.
But she didn’t shy away from anything the family dealt with. Krista and her dad each struggled in their own way, each steps away from making terrible decisions because of their grief and anger. She brought up aspects of their loss that I had never thought through before.
One of the great things that comes from the book is a reminder to be careful what we share with strangers in today’s cyber world. By no means was this a message driven book, but before the book was over, I was thinking through the information I was publicly sharing and deciding what my kids will be sharing online once they’re old enough.
All that aside, Predator is a super fast, super entertaining read. I read the entire book in just over twenty-four hours. If you’re looking for a great weekend read, Predator is it.
Gina Holmes’ Crossing Oceans
May 14, 2010
This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Crossing Oceans Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (May 1, 2010)
by Gina Holmes
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Gina Holmes began her career in 1998, penning articles and short stories. In 2005 she founded the influential literary blog, Novel Journey. She holds degrees in science and nursing and currently resides with her husband and children in southern Virginia. To learn more about her, visit May 2010’s issue of CFOM at Interview with Gina Holmes or Novel Journey.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Jenny Lucas swore she’d never go home again. But being told you’re dying has a way of changing things. Years after she left, she and her five-year-old daughter, Isabella, must return to her sleepy North Carolina town to face the ghosts she left behind. They welcome her in the form of her oxygen tank–toting grandmother, her stoic and distant father, and David, Isabella’s dad . . . who doesn’t yet know he has a daughter. As Jenny navigates the rough and unknown waters of her new reality, the unforgettable story that unfolds is a testament to the power of love and its ability to change everything—to heal old hurts, bring new beginnings . . . even overcome the impossible. A stunning debut about love and loss from a talented new voice.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Crossing Oceans, go HERE.
Sally Says: I’ve been looking forward to Gina Holmes’ debut novel Crossing Oceans, and it’s finally out. And it’s just as good as the hype.
This is well-written women’s fiction with authentic and flawed characters. Jenny and her family were real people who struggled and made some big mistakes. But every now and then, they did things right too. There were times when Jenny was faced with some very unappetizing choices, and while her human nature fought for what she wanted, she made some amazingly good choices that I wondered if I would be able to make in her shoes.
Yes, I know this is fiction, and Jenny isn’t real. But you read the book for yourself and tell me you haven’t met these people somewhere, haven’t crossed paths with them somewhere. Holmes did a wonderful job of capturing the best and worst of people in the most difficult of times and putting it on paper in a way that made it hard to stop reading.
A number of reviews I read said to keep Kleenex nearby. Don’t let that scare you off – I only needed a couple. 
Someone else said the book reminded them of Karen Kingsbury, and I think I would agree. Fans of women’s fiction and realistic, authentic situations will love Crossing Oceans.