by Jason Joyner | Apr 12, 2010 | Blog, CSFF, Lost Mission, speculative fiction
Are you ready to get Lost?
This month the CSFF Tour is featuring an intriguing book, Lost Mission. It is the latest book by Athol Dickson, who has written some memorable books in the CBA market over the last few years. I recall on the old blog faith*in*fiction that his book River Rising was highly touted. I read his last book, Winter Haven in ’09, and came away feeling that it was a good enough book, but it didn’t really live up to my expectations from prior publicity.
Does Lost Mission rise to the level of his reputation?
Before I answer that, I need to address some context…
What would a Mexican housekeeper, a minister running a shelter ministry, a grief-stricken billionaire, and an illegal immigrant working in construction have in common with an ugly Franscican friar from the 1700’s? As smoke from different little conflagurations can swirl together before it becomes a gigantic flame, so these disparate people are drawn together in a dramatic repeat of the doom of the Mission de Santa Dolores, the Spanish mission where Fray Alejandro met the flames so many years ago. Will they succumb to the same evil, or will faith rise above the fire?
Lost Mission is being marketed as “magical realism”, as smoke from a fire in the 1700’s helps guide one of the main characters, Lupe de la Garza even in the present time. There’s a lot to dig into with this book – enough that it deserves a couple more posts to delve into the mysteries.
But if you can’t wait, check out my compatriots below or visit Athol Dickson’s blog. Just be sure to follow the smoke back here tomorrow, winds permitting…
Brandon Barr
Keanan Brand
Amy Browning
Valerie Comer
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Timothy Hicks
Jason Isbell
Becky Jesse
Cris Jesse
Julie
Carol Keen
Krystine Kercher
Dawn King
Rebecca LuElla Miller
New Authors Fellowship
John W. Otte
Donita K. Paul
Crista Richey
Chawna Schroeder
James Somers
Steve Trower
Fred Warren
Phyllis Wheeler
KM Wilsher
In conjunction with the CSFF Blog Tour, I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
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by Jason Joyner | Apr 7, 2010 | Blog, CFBA, christian fiction
This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
She Walks in BeautyBethany House (April 2010)by
Siri Mitchell
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Siri Mitchell graduated from the University of Washington with a business degree and worked in various levels of government. As a military spouse, she has lived all over the world, including in Paris and Tokyo. Siri enjoys observing and learning from different cultures. She is fluent in French and loves sushi.
But she is also a member of a strange breed of people called novelists. When they’re listening to a sermon and taking notes, chances are, they’ve just had a great idea for a plot or a dialogue. If they nod in response to a really profound statement, they’re probably thinking, “Yes. Right. That’s exactly what my character needs to hear.” When they edit their manuscripts, they laugh at the funny parts. And cry at the sad parts. Sometimes they even talk to their characters.
Siri wrote 4 books and accumulated 153 rejections before signing with a publisher. In the process, she saw the bottoms of more pints of Ben & Jerry’s than she cares to admit. At various times she has vowed never to write another word again. Ever. She has gone on writing strikes and even stooped to threatening her manuscripts with the shredder.
ABOUT THE BOOK
For a young society woman seeking a favorable marriage, so much depends on her social season debut. Clara Carter has been given one goal: secure the affections of the city’s most eligible bachelor.
Debuting means plenty of work–there are corsets to be fitted, dances to master, manners to perfect. Her training soon pays off, however, as celebrity’s spotlight turns Clara into a society-page darling.
Yet Clara soon wonders if this is the life she really wants. Especially when she learns her best friend has also set her sights on Franklin De Vries.
When a man appears who seems to love her simply for who she is and gossip backlash turns ugly, Clara realizes it’s not just her marriage at stake–the future of her family depends on how she plays the game.
If you would like to read the first chapter of She Walks in Beauty, go HERE.
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by Jason Joyner | Apr 7, 2010 | Blog, CFBA, christian fiction
This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
She Walks in BeautyBethany House (April 2010)by
Siri Mitchell
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Siri Mitchell graduated from the University of Washington with a business degree and worked in various levels of government. As a military spouse, she has lived all over the world, including in Paris and Tokyo. Siri enjoys observing and learning from different cultures. She is fluent in French and loves sushi.
But she is also a member of a strange breed of people called novelists. When they’re listening to a sermon and taking notes, chances are, they’ve just had a great idea for a plot or a dialogue. If they nod in response to a really profound statement, they’re probably thinking, “Yes. Right. That’s exactly what my character needs to hear.” When they edit their manuscripts, they laugh at the funny parts. And cry at the sad parts. Sometimes they even talk to their characters.
Siri wrote 4 books and accumulated 153 rejections before signing with a publisher. In the process, she saw the bottoms of more pints of Ben & Jerry’s than she cares to admit. At various times she has vowed never to write another word again. Ever. She has gone on writing strikes and even stooped to threatening her manuscripts with the shredder.
ABOUT THE BOOK
For a young society woman seeking a favorable marriage, so much depends on her social season debut. Clara Carter has been given one goal: secure the affections of the city’s most eligible bachelor.
Debuting means plenty of work–there are corsets to be fitted, dances to master, manners to perfect. Her training soon pays off, however, as celebrity’s spotlight turns Clara into a society-page darling.
Yet Clara soon wonders if this is the life she really wants. Especially when she learns her best friend has also set her sights on Franklin De Vries.
When a man appears who seems to love her simply for who she is and gossip backlash turns ugly, Clara realizes it’s not just her marriage at stake–the future of her family depends on how she plays the game.
If you would like to read the first chapter of She Walks in Beauty, go HERE.
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by Jason Joyner | Mar 24, 2010 | Blog, CSFF, Faery Rebels, fantasy
I wanted to get a few more words in about this month’s CSFF Tour feature – Faery Rebels: Spell Hunter by R. J. Anderson.
The tours can be interesting. Sometimes we have a book that has a mixed reception. Some of the members like it, and others don’t. We have had occasions where the book had lukewarm reception across the board. We’ve had good debates about all of this.
And sometimes we have consensus that a book is pretty doggone good.
Faery Rebels: Spell Hunter seems to be the latter. I missed out on it somehow, but I’ve watched the other tour members because I was intrigued about this when it was brought up as a possibility for the tour. I especially watched for the reaction of some of our “manly men”.
Everyone has had positive reviews of it. The story and characters have been consistently praised. The themes are also noted, although a few folks have wondered where this book comes under a “Christian” label. The consensus appears to be that it is not overtly Christian, but that there are themes of self-sacrifice, especially for those with eyes to see.
I am interested in picking this one up and catching up with what I missed! If you want more about the book from people who actually read the thing, check out this post, as it lists all the participants in one spot.
I’ll catch up on the next tour!
—
by Jason Joyner | Mar 24, 2010 | Blog, CSFF, Faery Rebels, fantasy
I wanted to get a few more words in about this month’s CSFF Tour feature – Faery Rebels: Spell Hunter by R. J. Anderson.
The tours can be interesting. Sometimes we have a book that has a mixed reception. Some of the members like it, and others don’t. We have had occasions where the book had lukewarm reception across the board. We’ve had good debates about all of this.
And sometimes we have consensus that a book is pretty doggone good.
Faery Rebels: Spell Hunter seems to be the latter. I missed out on it somehow, but I’ve watched the other tour members because I was intrigued about this when it was brought up as a possibility for the tour. I especially watched for the reaction of some of our “manly men”.
Everyone has had positive reviews of it. The story and characters have been consistently praised. The themes are also noted, although a few folks have wondered where this book comes under a “Christian” label. The consensus appears to be that it is not overtly Christian, but that there are themes of self-sacrifice, especially for those with eyes to see.
I am interested in picking this one up and catching up with what I missed! If you want more about the book from people who actually read the thing, check out this post, as it lists all the participants in one spot.
I’ll catch up on the next tour!
—
