"The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my
God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my
salvation, my stronghold and my refuge; my savior, You save me from
violence. I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies." (2 Samuel 22:2–4)
This is how it reads in the paraphrase The Message:
GOD is bedrock under my feet, the castle in which I live, my rescuing knight. My
God—the high crag where I run for dear life, hiding behind the
boulders, safe in the granite hideout; my mountaintop refuge, he saves
me from ruthless men. I sing to GOD the Praise-Lofty, and find myself safe and saved. (2 Samuel 22:2–4)
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Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Verse of the Day
Monday, November 25, 2013
A MARRIAGE IN MIDDLEBURY | ENTER Anita Higman’s Double Kindle Fire Giveaway & RSVP for “Tea for Two” 12/12 Facebook Party!
Anita Higman is celebrating the release of
her latest book, A Marriage in
Middlebury, with a double Kindle Fire giveaway (one
for you & one to give away!) and a "Tea for Two" Facebook Author
Chat Party on December 12th.
One winner will receive:
- A Kindle Fire for you AND a friend
- A Marriage in Middlebury by Anita Higman (one to keep and one to give away!)
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on December 12th. Winner will be announced at the "Tea for Two" Facebook Author Chat Party on December 12th. Invite your friends and connect with Anita for an evening of book chat, prizes, and an exclusive look at Anita's next book!
So grab your copy of
A Marriage in
Middlebury and join
Anita on the evening of December 12th for a chance to connect and make
some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you
from coming!)
Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today by clicking JOIN at the
event page. Spread the word — tell your friends about
the giveaway and party
via FACEBOOK or TWITTER.
Hope to see you on 12/12!
A Marriage in Middlebury by Anita Higman
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Verse of the Day
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits. (Psalm 103:1–2)
Friday, November 22, 2013
Critical Reaction by Todd M. Johnson
This week, the
is introducing
Bethany House Publishers (November 19, 2013)
by
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Todd M. Johnson has practiced as an attorney for over 30 years, specializing as a trial lawyer. Todd's career experience blends with his passion for writing in his novels published through Bethany House.
A graduate of Princeton University and the University of Minnesota Law School, he also taught for two years as an adjunct professor of International Law, and served as a US diplomat in Hong Kong.
The Deposit Slip, Mr. Johnson's first novel, debuted in 2012. Todd's second novel, Critical Reaction, will be released in November 2013.
Todd lives outside Minneapolis, Minnesota, with his wife Cathy and children Ian and Libby.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
After decades of turning out plutonium for the arms race, the Hanford Nuclear Facility has long been shuttered, though its deadly legacy cannot be fully contained. The men who guard the facility from sabotage or monitor its buildings for radiation leaks are told the risks are under control. They believe it, until the worst happens: a thunderous explosion in the dead of night.
Two workers, lifer Poppy Martin and new hire Kieran Mullaney, believe themselves lucky to survive the blast. But as the debris is cleared, they discover their safety is not assured. Dead ends and closed doors halt their efforts to discover what really happened--and what radiation may have poisoned them. When stalling and threats force them into the hands of experienced trial lawyer Ryan Hart, they learn that theirs is no ordinary lawsuit. There is something still hidden in the desert of eastern Washington, and someone is willing to go to extreme lengths to make sure it never sees the light of day.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Critical Reaction, go HERE.
Margie's Comments: Review to come later. Loving it so far!
Verse of the Day
Even though the fig trees
have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vine, even though the olive
crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in
the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I
will be joyful in the God of my salvation. The Sovereign Lord is my strength!
He will make me as sure-footed as a deer and will bring me safely over the
mountain. Habakkuk 3:17–19 NLT
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Verse of the Day
I will lead the blind in a way they do not know, in paths that they have
not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light,
the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not
forsake them. Isaiah 42:16 ESV
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Verse of the Day
"Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When
you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When
you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk
through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames
will not consume you. For
I am the LORD, your God, . . . your Savior." (Isaiah 43:1–3 NLT)
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Strait of Hormuz Sweepstakes and Author Interview
Help Davis Bunn celebrate the publication of “Strait of Hormuz.” Enter to win His & Hers Luxury Swiss Watches or a $150 Amazon Gift Card! http://woobox.com/ipi8wk. You can enter once per email address per day. Rack up bonus entries by sharing the contest with your Facebook and Twitter friends!
Q & A
with Davis Bunn
Q: The first two
books in the Marc Royce series have been bestsellers and also won praise from
the critics. Lion of Babylon won the
Library Journal’s Best Book of 2011 award, and Rare Earth won the 2013 Christy Award for Suspense Fiction. What do
you see is behind this success?
Davis Bunn: The
stories have certainly resonated with readers. I have tried to develop a strong
sense of unfolding drama, combined with a unique spiritual theme. This moral
structure plays out both in the story and the characters. My aim is to create
an inspirational challenge that remains with the reader long after the book has
been set down.
Q: This story includes two special
components from your early life. Tell us about them.
DB: My mother worked as an antiques dealer. In truth, ‘work’ was not really
the correct term, because this was a passion she inherited from her mother. They
bonded while my mom was still a child, going to small eastern Carolina towns
and hunting around junk stores for the sort of bargains that don’t exist anymore.
Their first love
was early Americana, a type of colonial furniture known as Jacobean that predated
America’s nationhood. I never really shared this passion, but in two previous
books I came to respect and admire those who do.
And so I knew a
great delight in re-entering this world in Strait
of Hormuz, only this time at the very highest end. Strait takes place in the rarified world of multi-million dollar
art, where the richest of collectors vie with museums and galleries for items
that are no longer classed as antiques, but rather as treasures
The second special
component was the location. I lived in Switzerland for almost five years, and
many of the venues were places where I worked, and walked, and came to discover
myself as an author.
Q: In what way is the
setting important to this book?
DB: The Strait of
Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical waterways. Stretching between Iran and
the Gulf States, the strait us home to two US fleets. More than a third of all
the oil consumed worldwide pass through these waters. But the story actually
begins in Switzerland, before traveling to the Sinai and then into the
hotly-contested Strait of Hormuz.
Q: What spiritual
theme is the focus of this story?
DB: One growing
area of the missionary church movement is with displaced persons. More than
five million Iranians have been expelled from their homeland, or been forced to
flee the current regime. This includes virtually the entire Christian
population. The missionary church movement has made enormous strides in
bringing peace to these families and introducing Christ into the world of
Muslims fleeing a Muslim government.
Q: What drew you to
the missionary church movement as a theme?
DB: I came to
faith in a missionary church. I was working as a consultant based in Germany.
The year I accepted Christ, the Southern Baptist Mission Board founded a
missionary church in Dusseldorf. I attended the church, I grew in the church, I
studied under two amazing pastors, and one of them returned to Europe to marry
us.
It was also where I learned to write. Two weeks after coming
to faith, I felt called to writing. I wrote for nine years and completed seven
books before my first was accepted for publication. The church, its members,
and the elders all played a critical role in bringing me to where I am now. I
am living testimony to the vital role played by the missionary church.
Q: All three of the
books in this series have given significant insight into the Muslim world,
something critics have picked up on. What experience do you have with this
region?
DB: For the four
years prior to moving to Germany, I lived and worked in the Middle East. I was
the only non-Muslim in the management structure of a family-owned company. They
had three major arms: construction equipment, shipping, and pharmaceuticals. I
rose to become Marketing Manager of the pharmaceutical division.
One of the requirements of this job was to take instruction
in the Koran and Islamic history from an imam who taught at the local
university. I think this experience played a major role in my coming to Christ.
Q: How can readers find you on the
Internet?
Subscribe
to my blog’s feed (to get my latest posts via e-mail or through your feed
reader) at http://feeds.feedburner.com/DavisBunn
Sign up
for my e-newsletter (for subscriber-only giveaways and advance notice of my
upcoming novels): http://www.davisbunn.com/news.htm
Facebook
Author Page: facebook.com/davisbunnauthor
Pinterest:
http://pinterest.com/davisbunn/ -- check out my “Strait of Hormuz” board at http://www.pinterest.com/davisbunn/strait-of-hormuz/
Strait of Hormuz by Davis Bunn
An under-the-radar phone call from the U.S. State Department
puts Marc Royce once again on assignment—ferreting out rumors of a clandestine
operation stretching from Asia to the Mideast. At stake is Iran’s threat to
blockade the narrow Strait of Hormuz, cutting off vital shipping routes and
escalating global tensions beyond the breaking point.
Under the guise of investigating money laundering via high-end art purchases in Europe, Royce finds himself in Switzerland with only sketchy information, no backup, and without a single weapon other than his wits.
His appointment with a gallery owner in Geneva is a dead end--the man is on the floor with a bullet through his chest. But it turns out Royce does have backup. The Mossad has sent someone to keep an eye on this undercover op, which is of more than casual interest to the Israelis. And it's someone Royce knows...
Under the guise of investigating money laundering via high-end art purchases in Europe, Royce finds himself in Switzerland with only sketchy information, no backup, and without a single weapon other than his wits.
His appointment with a gallery owner in Geneva is a dead end--the man is on the floor with a bullet through his chest. But it turns out Royce does have backup. The Mossad has sent someone to keep an eye on this undercover op, which is of more than casual interest to the Israelis. And it's someone Royce knows...
Read Chapters 1-3 of Strait of Hormuz for free: http://statictab.com/j4s7yd8
About Davis Bunn:
Davis Bunn is a
four-time Christy Award-winning, best-selling author now serving as
writer-in-residence at Regent's Park College, Oxford University in the United
Kingdom. Defined by readers and reviewers as a "wise teacher,"
"gentleman adventurer," "consummate writer," and
"Renaissance man," his work in business took him to over 40 countries
around the world, and his books have sold more than seven
million copies in
sixteen languages.
Strait of Hormuz is the series finale of the popular Marc Royce Adventures.
Library Journal named Lion of Babylon (Book
1) a “Best Book of 2011.” Rare
Earth (Book 2) won the 2013 Christy Award for best suspense novel and was a
CBA top 20 best-seller.
Margie's Comments: Wow! What a fantastic finale to the Marc Royce Adventure series! Strait of Hormuz is nonstop heart-pounding action from start to finish. Sometimes in series' fiction, the main characters tend to stagnate after the initial book, but Davis Bunn doesn't allow his characters sit back on what they learned in the previous adventures. They continue to grow and in spite of heartbreak or looking death in the face over and over, they grow in self-knowledge and toward the Lord, the acknowledged source of life and purpose. The author continues to show his understanding of the unity believers have in Christ, a unity that surpasses ethnic differences and long-ingrained hostility. For Kitra and Marc, this means not hiding their faith, even when it means putting their lives on the line. The plot line of Strait of Hormuz comes straight from today's headlines in every newscast and newspaper. Learning to distinguish between friends and foes is essential to Marc's staying alive to protect the ones he loves most. The Marc Royce Adventure series is one I can highly recommend, including Strait of Hormuz.
I received a complimentary
copy of Strait of Hormuz from Bethany
House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.
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