A Cup of Tea With Me

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Fallen
(Kregel Publications February 29, 2008)
by
Matthew Raley

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. This is his first book.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Jim was at work when his eyes drifted to the coffee shop visible from his office window. An attractive woman driving a Mercedes pulled up to the curb . . . and Jim’s married pastor emerged from the car. When Jim delves deeper into his pastor’s world, will he be able to handle what he discovers? Is he right to suspect that Dave is having an affair? In the behind-the-scenes church battle that ensues, Jim is torn between duty to his church and a desire to show grace. A ripped-from-the-headlines drama of suspense that keeps you engaged to the last page.

Fallen is the story 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.

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Christian Writers’ Market Guide 2008
WaterBrook Press (January 15, 2008)
by
Sally Stuart 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sally Stuart has been writing for the last 40+ years, and has been putting out the annual “Christian Writers’ Market Guide” for the last 23 years. Her other writing includes several Christian education resources books, a children’s picture book, a basic writing text, writing resources, and a western novel–plus hundreds of articles and marketing columns. She writes marketing columns for the “Christian Communicator,” “Advanced Christian Writer,” and the Oregon Christian Writers’ Newsletter. She speaks and teaches at Christian Writers’ Conferences nationwide. Sally is the mother of 3 and grandmother of 8. She and her husband, Norm, spend their free time vacationing on the Oregon coast.
Check out her blog!

ABOUT THE BOOK:
The essential reference tool for the Christian writer, Sally Stuart’s Christian Writers’ Market Guide is now in its 23rd annual edition!

Check out the section on Blogging on page 69…the CFBA is listed!

Writers’ Conference listings, Book Publishers, Magazine Publishers, and a Bookstore filled with the resources you need to be successful in this business. Get a Book Contract or Manuscript Evaluation, and check out the Writer’s Resource links. This book has all you need to connect to all these valuable helps for the beginning, intermediate, or professional writer.

To keep you up to date with the latest marketing news, visit Sally Stuart’s new marketing blog, Christian Writers’ Marketplace, at http://www.stuartmarket.blogspot.com/.

A new, updated version of the Christian Writers’ Market Guide is available about January 15 each year.

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Happily Even After (#3 - Sassy Sistahood Series)
(Steeple Hill January 1, 2008)
by
Marilynn Griffith

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Marilynn Griffith is mom to a tribe, wife to a deacon and proof that God gives second chances. While best known for her colorful novels about friendship, family and faith, Marilynn is also a speaker and nonfiction writer.

Her nonfiction has been included in CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE CHRISTIAN WOMAN’S SOUL and several other devotionals and magazines. Currently, Marilynn is editor of the SISTAHFAITH:BELIEVING BEYOND SHAME anthology. She is also the founder of Faithchick.com, a blog for faith fiction readers.

Marilynn is the author of six novels dealing with issues such as teen pregnancy, AIDS, abstinence, stress relief, single parenting and marriage. Her recent fiction titles include TANGERINE and IF THE SHOE FITS.

Marilynn has served as Vice President and Publicity Officer of American Christian Fiction Writers. She speaks to youth, women and writers about believing beyond boundaries and daring to reach dreams.

Marilynn lives in Florida with her husband and seven children whom she taught at home for seven years. When not chasing toddlers, helping with homework or trying to find her husband a clean shirt, she can be found scribbling furiously on her next novel.

To book Marilynn for media interviews, speaking engagements, Serious Fun fiction parties or book club call-ins, please contact her thru her WEBSITE.

ABOUT THE BOOK
Superwoman doesn’t live here!

I marry a gorgeous executive, have a baby, lose all the weight (most of it), and move to a fine house in the suburbs with a welcoming new church. Wait…did I say welcoming?

One teeny waaah! and new mothers and their crying babies are exiled to a separate room. At least there’s some enlightening conversation. Like about my husband and issues I didn’t even know about!

And then there’s my aptly named mother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth, who can’t stand me.

I’m about to lose my mind! So it’s high time for a visit to the Sassy Sistahood for some much-needed advice about men, marriage and motherhood!

The Sassy Sistahood: They get by with a little help from their friends.

For years, even in childhood, my mother was convinced that we were all going to hell because we did not honor the Sabbath on Saturday. For over a year now, I have been trying to convince her that since Christ rose on Sunday, the apostles and early Christians met on Sunday to honor that. Much like unclean meat and circumcision, the Sabbath day was washed in Christ’s blood and we were free to do what we needed to do on Saturday, and worship God when we wanted, honoring Him always, not just setting aside one day to worship Him, but essentially keeping all days holy. Ok, so maybe my interpetation was not quite right, either, but that is the beauty of learning and studying God’s Word. He teaches you.

Yesterday, while talking to my mom she read to me a scripture that really popped in her mind.

Colossians 2:16-17 (NLT): ¹⁶ So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. ¹⁷ For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality.

Being led to do more research when I got home, I read it in the Living Bible. You remember that one, right? Well, I do not open mine very often, because in my mind it is more of a commentary, since it was translated by one man, but this is not about translations, it is about these verses. Anyway here is how the Living Bible reads:

Colossians 2:16-17 (TLB):
16  So don’t let anyone criticize you for what you eat or drink, of for not celebrating Jewish holidays and feasts or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths.
17  For these were only temporary rules that ended when Christ came. They were only shadows of the real thing — of Christ Himself.

Other versions say the same thing, but this spells it out, in such plain English. My mom was almost in tears. She was so happy to learn the Truth, and to be honest, I am too.  We are not sinning by going to church on Sunday. We sin when we let the “laws of religion” interfere with with Blood of the Lamb.

My last day at my current job is Thursday, January 10. When I went to work there, in March, it was supposed to be temporary. A woman was out with Chemo and I was covering for her. Then it got to October, and I promised I would stay through Christmas. Now the boss is on vacation and will be back on the 1oth. I actaully gave my notice in early December, but I honestly did not think this day would ever come.

I am in the process of trying to find a 40 hour, Monday - Friday job, where I can be home with my hubby and kids on nights and weekends. It is my prayer that God directs my job hunt and that I end up where He wants me.