CFBA Blog Tour: The Sound of Red Returning by Sue Duffy

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing The Sound of Red Returning Kregel Publications (December 9, 2011) by Sue Duffy

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sue Duffy is an award-winning writer whose work has appeared in Moody magazine, The Presbyterian Journal, Sunday Digest, and The Christian Reader. She is the author of Mortal Wounds (Barbour, 2001), Fatal Loyalty (Kregel, 2010), and The Sound of Red Returning (Kregel, 2011). Sue has also contributed to Stories for a Woman’s Heart (Multnomah). She and her husband, Mike, have three grown children.


ABOUT THE BOOK

After losing everyone she loves, concert pianist Liesl Bower has nowhere to go but to escape into her music. Searching for the peace she usually finds in her concertos and sonatas, Liesl can't shake the feeling that she is being haunted by her past . . . and by someone following her. When she spots a familiar and eerie face in the audience of a concert she's giving for the president in Washington, DC, the scariest day of her life comes back to her with a flash.

It has been fifteen years since Liesl watched her beloved Harvard music mentor assaulted on a dark night in Moscow and just as long since the CIA disclosed to her that he'd been spying for Russia. She had seen that man-that eerie face-the night Professor Devoe was attacked. And now he's back-and coming for her.

ENDORSEMENTS:

“Sue Duffy has mixed the mayhem of political intrigue with the melody of romance.” —Dick Bohrer, author, editor, and former journalism professor

“Intrigue and suspense come together in an incredible story of love and betrayal, commitment and courage, power and danger . . . and a God who controls it all. Sue Duffy is a wonderfully gifted writer and this book is a must-read.” —Steve Brown, founder and president of Key Life and host of Steve Brown Etc.

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Sound of Red Returning, go HERE.

Book Review and Kregel Blog Tour: How Huge the Night by Heather Munn and Lydia Munn/4 Stars

About the book:

Fifteen-year-old Julien Losier just wants to fit in. But after his family moves to a small village in central France in hopes of outrunning the Nazis, he is suddenly faced with bigger challenges than the taunting of local teens.

Nina Krenkel left her country to obey her father's dying command: Take your brother and leave Austria. Burn your papers. Tell no one you are Jews. Alone and on the run, she arrives in Tanieux, France, dangerously ill and in despair.

Thrown together by the chaos of war, Julien begins to feel the terrible weight of the looming conflict and Nina fights to survive. As France falls to the Nazis, Julien struggles with doing what is right, even if it is not enough-and wonders whether or not he really can save Nina from almost certain death.

Based on the true story of the town of Le Chambon-the only French town honored by Israel for rescuing Jews from the Holocaust-How Huge the Night is a compelling, coming-of-age drama that will keep teens turning the pages as it teaches them about a fascinating period of history and inspires them to think more deeply about their everyday choices.

My thoughts:

I'm finding lately that I really enjoy young adult fiction.  I mean *really* enjoy it!  When I was in my teen years, there was not much to choose from unless I wanted to read general market.  Fifteen years later, there's tons of Christian YA fiction, and well...I gotta make up for lost time!

In addition to having not read a lot of YA books, I've also not read a whole lot from the WWII period.  Frankly, it's just really difficult to read.  I cannot imagine living in a world of persecution and hate, being separated from my family, or having to wonder where I will get my next meal.  So, it was with a little bit of nervousness that I decided to read How Huge the Night by debut authors Heather and Lydia Munn.

First of all, I loved how this story was told through a teenager's eyes.  Being an adult, I know the terror I would have felt if I were a wife and mother.  How would I prepare to go into a war?  How will I make sure my family doesn't starve?  But reading this story from a younger generation's point of view made it that much more realistic.  At first, Julian was the typical teenager--frustrated with a move to a new town and a new school, struggling to make new friends--but as he matured, his focus shifted to concerns for his family, their Jewish boarder, the new friends he had made, and eventually, how the war would change all of their lives forever.

Secondly, I loved that the story was told with a French setting.  While I have a very basic knowledge of WWII, I have almost no knowledge of France or French history.  There were snippets of history regarding the Huguenots and their struggles for religious freedom in the 1600's, as well as details about the armistice between France and Germany, and how Germany eventually violated their agreement.  I was also surprised to read at the very end that France as a whole had very little knowledge about what was actually happening around them during the war (shared in the author's note).  This made me curiously wonder whether they simply did not have access to tv's or newspapers, or if the news that was brought to them had been censored.  Either way, how frightening it must have been to not know what's happening in the world around you.

Also shared in the author's note was that there is another book coming soon from this talented mother/daughter team.  While I have no idea if it will just be a sequel or part of a series, I wish it was available to read right now!  This book did not leave me hanging per se, but I'm just itching to know what happens to Julian, Benjamin, Nina, and Gustav as the worst of the war is yet to come.  I happily give a rating of 4 Stars for this exceptional debut novel.

Southern?  No
Sass?  No

**Many thanks to Kregel Publishing for providing a copy for review.

**For more information about the book, the authors, and the history presented, please visit http://www.howhugethenight.com/

Book Review: Fighting for Bread and Roses by Lynn A. Coleman

About the book:

Romance, family, and politics converge explosively in a suspicious murder during the Bread and Roses Strike of 1912 and threaten to engulf a 21st-century woman researching the strike. When textile workers went on strike in 1912 for better wages and working conditions, they never imagined the violence that would overwhelm them. The first person to die was Anna Lopizzo . . . and then John Rami . . . and then many others. The strikers claimed the police had killed Anna, but the police said one of the strikers shot her. Who was right?

Fast forward to present-day Lawrence, Massachusetts, and Lindsey Marc, a historic mystery writer, is tracking down what really happened to Anna and the other workers. Along the way, someone gets wind of what Lindsey is researching and is threatened by what she may discover. It begins with phone calls and quickly moves to ransacking her hotel room. Can Lindsey find out the truth before something terrible happens to her?

My thoughts:

All I can say is WOW!!!  I never expected to love this book so much!  A friend recommended it to me ages ago, and I procrastinated for a very long time before I decided to pick it up and read it.  Let me tell ya...you better get to steppin', and do the same! You will not be sorry!

I love historical fiction, but I really love historical fiction with a mystery.  Even more, I love historical fiction that is told in conjunction with a present-day story.  All of that is wrapped up perfectly in this book.  The history in the book is based on true events that I had never even heard of until now.  I did a little internet searching to see if any of the characters ever existed, and so far, I've found info on two.  In retrospect, that just made this book so much more interesting.  I mean, we all know the Civil War happened, but I feel that I can relate to a story more when I know that the characters I'm reading about actually existed and aren't fictitious.

Then, there's the mystery, and it's a good 'un--not only in the historical account, but in the present-day drama that is Lindsey Marc's life.  I had the mystery pretty well solved on my own, but there were a few things that crept up that I didn't expect to happen.  Honestly, the whole book is a roller-coaster ride, but it kept me on the edge of my seat as a reader from page one clear to the end. 

Since this book was written 2005, my guess is that the author didn't have any thoughts on a sequel, or even a series featuring Lindsey Marc.  But honestly, that would be such a great idea!  The sky's the limit on stories like this combining the past with the present, and I'd be an instant fan for sure.

4.5 Stars

**I received a copy of this book through PaperBackSwap.com.

Book Review: The Other Daughter by Miralee Ferrell

About the book:

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?


My thoughts:

I had really high expectations before I started this book because I've recently read both of Miralee's historical novels in the Love Finds You series. In both of those books, her stories are clear and concise and her characters multi-faceted. However, I wasn't feeling that with The Other Daughter, her first novel. I thought the characters were a little dull, with the exception of Meagan and Brianna. I also thought the story was entirely too wordy with several chapters being somewhat repetitive. It wasn't until I got about 200 pages in (315 pages total) before I was really hooked on the story, and eager to find out what would happen to Brianna.

While this is not my favorite of her novels, it does still have a good storyline that would be tough for any family to deal with in real life. I have to confess, though, that I like her style with historical novels better.

CFBA Tour: Finding Jeena by Miralee Ferrell

This week, the


Christian Fiction Blog Alliance


is introducing


Finding Jeena

Kregel Publications (March 8, 2010)


by


Miralee Ferrell
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

In October 2007 Kregel Publications published The Other Daughter with excellent reviews. The Romantic Times Review magazine gave it Four out of Four and a half stars, with a very strong review. Two different major motion picture studios are currently considering the book as a possible family movie, and my second book in the series (Past Shadows) is on my publishers desk being reviewed for a possible contract offer now.

In February of 2009, Love Finds You in Last Chance, California was published by Summerside Press and Finding Jeena released in March 2010 from Kregel Publications.

Miralee Ferrell lives in Washington with Allen, her husband of more than 37 years, ans has two grown children. She serves on staff at her local church ans is actively involved in ministry to women.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Jeena Gregory thought she’d made it. She has everything a woman could ask for and a budding career promises more. But when rumors around town cast her boss in a shady light, Jeena starts to question her employer’s integrity. Was she wrong to trust this man and this job?

When the boss disappears, salaries go unpaid, and Jeena overhears several hush-hush phone calls, she realizes her carefully crafted world is crumbling. Shaken to the core at the threat of losing everything, Jeena is suddenly confronted with her prejudices─and with a God she had long forgotten.

If you would like to read an excerpt of Finding Jeena, go HERE.

Book Review: Refuge on Crescent Hill by Melanie Dobson

About the book:

Moving home after a recent job loss was supposed to reassure Camden Bristow and give her time to decide what to do next. But when she arrives in Etherton, Ohio, she discovers that her grandmother, who she hasn't talked to in years, has passed away and "home" is an empty mansion hundreds of years old. Not exactly the comfort Camden was looking for. What happened to the house she played in as a child, the bedtime stories that told of secret passageways and runaway slaves, and all those family memories?

When antiques start disappearing and footsteps are heard, some of those memories start to creep back and Camden wonders if her grandmother's bedtime stories might actually be true. What really happened here . . . at Crescent Hill? How was her grandmother involved? Who still has access to the house? And for what purpose? As she works to uncover the past and present mysteries harbored in her home, Camden also uncovers secrets about her family that could change the town-and her life-forever.

My thoughts:

Having read another novel by Melanie Dobson earlier this year and really liking it, I really had high expectations for this book. Honestly, this book fell way short. True, it's a totally different genre than the other book I've read by her (which was historical), but I really had a hard time getting through this book, in general.

I guess you could call this a suspense novel....maybe. In a way, I almost consider that a little bit of a stretch because in addition to reading Camden's side of the story, I was also getting the bad guy's side of the story. Sometimes that's good, but I don't know if I felt that it was, in this case. I like for a suspense novel to make me guess a little, even if really don't have it all figured out by the end of the story. There was a small twist at the end that I did not expect, but other than that, I felt the ending was a little anticlimactic.

I also felt no connection to the characters, except maybe a little bit with Camden. She's pretty much on her own, has no money, and has inherited a house that she can't pay to repair. All through her story, I was rooting for her to succeed, and hoping that she would not say yes to the first person to come along and make her an offer on the old house. Grant's character was just okay...nothing really spectacular to me. And the creepy guys were just....well....creepy.

In spite of this book being not so great, I know I'll be reading more from Melanie Dobson in the future. I typically like reading suspense novels, but this one was just a little flat. Overall, I'd give it 3 out of 5 stars.

**Many thanks to Kregel through FIRST Wild Card Tours for providing this book for review.

**Click here to read the first chapter, and here to purchase a copy of Refuge on Crescent Hill.

FIRST Wild Card Tour: Refuge on Crescent Hill by Melanie Dobson

**Click here for my review.

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author is:

Melanie Dobson

and the book:

Refuge on Crescent Hill

Kregel Publications (March 11, 2010)

***Special thanks to Cat Hoort, Trade Marketing Manager, Kregal Publications for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Melanie Dobson 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. Her first book is Together for Good. Melanie lives in Oregon with her husband, Jon, and their two adopted daughters, Karly and Kinzel.


Visit the author's website.

Product Details:

List Price: $13.99
Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Kregel Publications (March 11, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0825425905
ISBN-13: 978-0825425905

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

The glass door was locked, but that didn’t stop Camden Bristow from yanking on the handle. The imposing desk on the other side of the glass was vacant, and the receptionist who usually waved her inside had disappeared. Behind the desk, the Fount Magazine logo mocked her, whispering that the money she so desperately needed had disappeared as well.

She pounded on the glass one last time, but no one came to the door.

Turning, she moved to a row of windows on the far side of the elevator. Sixteen stories below, swarms of people bustled toward their next appointment. Someplace they needed to be. Not long ago, she’d been rushing too, up and down Park Avenue to attend meetings at ad agencies and various magazines . . . including the suite of offices behind her.

Human rights. Natural disasters. Labor disputes. Whenever the photo editor at Fount needed the most poignant pictures for news articles, he called her, and nothing had stopped her from capturing what he needed for the next edition. She’d dedicated the past five years to responding to Grant Haussen’s calls, but after she came back from Indonesia two months ago, he stopped calling her.

She’d e-mailed him the pictures of the earthquake’s aftermath along with her regular invoice of fees and expenses. He’d used the pictures in the next issue, but apparently discarded the invoice. She never received a check, and he didn’t return even one of her many calls.

A few years ago, she wouldn’t have worried as much about the money—those days her phone rang at all hours with freelance assignments to shoot pictures around the world—but her clients had slashed their budgets and were using stock photos or buying photographs from locals. The current results weren’t as compelling as sending a professional, but keeping the lights on—the rent paid—trumped paying for the best photography.

Her clients may be making rent, but she hadn’t been able to pay hers for two months. Her savings account was depleted. The income from her Indonesia shoot was supposed to appease her landlord and credit card company. Even though she hadn’t heard from Grant Haussen, she held out hope that she might at least recoup the expenses for her trip so she could pay off the whopping flight and hotel charges on her credit card.

All hope shattered when she read the morning’s headline.

Fount Magazine Declares Bankruptcy

Others may have skimmed past this article, but the news stunned her. Three hours ago, she left her studio apartment and started walking until she found herself in Midtown, in the lobby of the Reinhold Building. A few staff members might remain at the Fount office, packing things up. Or if there were some sort of bankruptcy proceedings . . . maybe she could collect a few thousand dollars. Just enough to pay a portion of her bills while she tried to find more work.

It appeared that no one had stuck around to say goodbye.

The elevator dinged behind her, and she turned away from the windows and watched a skinny man in overalls push a mop and bucket into the hallway. He was at least two inches shorter than her five foot six.

She forced herself to smile, but he didn’t smile back. She pointed at the offices. “I need to find someone at the magazine.”

He grunted as he dipped his mop into the gray water and wrung it out. Shoving her fists into the pockets of her long jacket, she stepped toward him. “They owe me money.”

“You and half this dadgum town.”

“Yes, but—”

“They ran outta here so fast last night that the rubber on their shoes was smokin’.” He flopped the mop onto the tile floor and water spread toward his boots. “I’d bet good money that they ain’t comin’ back.”

Camden slumped against the window. Even if she were able to track down Grant, it wasn’t like he would personally write her a check for money the magazine owed. He was probably out hunting for a job already, or maybe he was stretched out on his couch watching Oprah, enjoying the luxury of not having to report for duty. He could collect unemployment while he slowly perused for a new gig.

Unfortunately, there was no unemployment for freelancers.

The janitor swabbed the mop across the tile in straight brushstrokes like he was painting instead of cleaning it, taking pride in his work.

She understood. At one time she had been proud of her work too. There was nothing more exhilarating than flying off to a country rocked by tragedy and immersing herself into an event that most people only read about. She was onsite to see the trauma, feel the aftershocks, though she never allowed herself to get personally involved. It was her job to record the crisis so others could help with the recovery. All she needed to do her job was her camera equipment and laptop.

Because of all her travels, she hadn’t accumulated much stuff over the years. Her landlord had furnished her flat before she moved in, but for almost five years, the apartment and everything in it had felt like hers. It was the longest she’d lived in one place her entire life.

But tonight, her landlord was changing the locks. Her home had been rented by someone else.

The man pushed his mop by her, ignoring her. She couldn’t blame him for his indifference. This city was full of people who needed a job—he was probably trying as hard as he could to keep his.

She would mop floors if she had to. Or scrub toilets. It wouldn’t pay enough for her to make rent, but maybe it would keep her from having to call her mom and beg for cash. If she called, her mother would pass the phone to her latest boyfriend—a retired executive living outside Madrid. Camden would rather sleep in a shelter than grovel to him.

She hopped over the wet trail left by the mop and stepped into the elevator.

Her landlord said she had until five o’clock to pack her stuff and vacate the building. The little credit she had left on her card wouldn’t pay for a week in a Manhattan hotel. And the few friends she’d made when she wasn’t traveling were struggling as much as she was. One of them might let her sleep on a couch, but she’d be expected to help with rent.

The elevator doors shut, and she punched the button for the lobby.

Where was she supposed to go from here?

†

The basement of the town hall smelled like burnt coffee and tobacco. The navy carpet had faded to a dull gray, and the dais at the front of the room was scuffed with shoe marks. Five men and two women sat behind a table on the platform—the bimonthly summit of Etherton’s City Council.

As the town mayor, Louise Danner presided over the city council from the middle chair. Her hoop earrings jangled below the signature Bic pen she propped behind her left ear. Copper-colored bangs veiled her smudged eyebrows.

Three steps below Louise’s chair, Alex Yates drummed his fingers on a stack of proposals and tried to listen as Evan Harper begged the councilors to let him tear down the barn on his property and replace it with a guesthouse.

In the eight months since he’d moved to Etherton, he learned that Louise Danner was almost as permanent a fixture in Etherton as the town hall. Within days of him taking this job, she told him exactly how she became mayor over the eleven thousand people in their town.

She had been born in a small house off Main Street and reigned as valedictorian over Etherton High’s Class of ’67. Armed with a degree from Marietta, she returned home after graduation and worked in several businesses across town until she secured the job of hospital administrator. Louise served on almost every town committee for the next thirty years, from historical preservation to the garden club, but when she landed the mayorship almost eight years ago, she dropped anchor.

She’d spent a boatload of money to retain her position during the last election, and with the state of the town’s economy, she would be fighting to keep her job when voters went to the polls in five months.

Alex rechecked his watch. It was almost lunchtime, and Evan Harper was still pleading his case. Alex saw the dilapidated barn every morning on the short drive to his office. Guesthouse or no guesthouse, he agreed with Evan—someone needed to put the structure out of its misery. A hearty gust of wind would end its life if the council wouldn’t approve demolition.

Alex stifled a yawn as Evan named all the people who could stay in the guesthouse including his wife’s elderly parents and his daughter’s college friends. Apparently, no one had told the man he couldn’t filibuster city council. If the mayor didn’t curtail Evan’s speech, he’d probably pull out the local phone book and read until the councilors adjourned for lunch. And once they walked out of the room, they may not reconvene in time.

Alex couldn’t wait for approval. He needed an answer today.

For the past month, he’d been quietly courting the owner of the ten-acre property at the edge of town—part of the old Truman farm. If the council concurred, the owner was ready to sell the land and farmhouse for a pittance. The town could buy it and use the property to help with their plans to revitalize the local economy.

Alex caught the mayor’s eye and tapped his watch.

“Thank you.” Louise interrupted Evan before he finished listing off every construction supply he’d purchased for the guesthouse. “I think that is all the information we need to make a decision.”

Evan plucked another piece of paper from his stack. “But I haven’t read the neighborhood petition.”

“We appreciate all the time and thought you’ve put into this, Evan.” Louise propped her chin up with her knuckles. “We’ll let you know if we have any other questions.”

Evan sat down on the wooden folding chair at the end of the row, and Alex leaned back as the council began discussing the hot issue of preservation versus progress.

Most of the councilors were successful business leaders and attorneys, passionate in either their pro-growth or anti-development stance. Today he needed to convince them that voting “yes” on his proposal would commemorate the town’s history and lay the foundation for their legacy while generating new revenue and development for the town.

Alex glanced at his watch and sighed. If it took the councilors forty minutes to decide the fate of a rickety barn, how long would it take them to make a decision on his proposal?

When he parted ways with corporate mania last year, he thought he’d left behind the constricting strands of red tape that kept him from doing his job, but he’d learned that Etherton’s residents, along with the city council, rode the high of debate until they were forced to vote. Sometimes the debate lasted weeks, or even months.

Edward Paxton led the charge against development. He didn’t want his town to change nor did he want Alex involved with any of the town’s business. Rumor had it that he wanted his grandson, Jake, to take the economic development position that Louise had created last spring to solicit new business. The only problem was that no one else on the council wanted Jake Paxton to be involved. Edward seemed to hold a personal vendetta against Alex for stealing his grandson’s job.

At least the mayor was on his team. She’d gambled when she hired him, but he assured her and the council that he’d deliver. On their terms.

After almost an hour of discussion, Louise called for a vote, and Evan smacked his knees when they approved his guesthouse with a 4–3 vote. He saluted the row of councilors as he rushed out, probably on his way to rent an excavator. Alex guessed the barn would be in a heap when he drove home tonight.

He sighed. If only getting the council to approve a project was always this easy . . .

Etherton needed the tax revenue from new businesses to fix its brick streets, increase the police force, and build a high school. The city’s officials expected Alex to find a way to merge their small town charm with big city business.

Blending these two ideals was no small feat. Not long after he moved to Etherton, he worked a deal to build a Wal-Mart Supercenter on a piece of farm property at the edge of town. Some towns didn’t want a Wal-Mart, but since their local economy had tanked, he thought most of the locals would welcome the store. After all, most of them drove forty-five minutes each week to visit the Wal-Mart in Mansfield, and this would bring discount clothes, groceries, car care, and—most importantly—jobs to their back door.

He was wrong.

When the council voted last December, residents of Etherton packed City Hall, a chorus of dissension over why their town couldn’t bear the weight of a conglomerate. The icy room turned hot as tempers flared. Small business owners threatened to overthrow the seats of every council member who supported the proposal.

In the end, the council rejected his plan. The town desperately needed the revenue and the jobs, but apparently not enough to put out the welcome mat for a mega store. A local farmer bought the field to plant corn, and Etherton missed out on the much-needed sales tax that would flood into Fredericktown when Wal-Mart opened its doors there this fall.

The council told him they wanted new business, but they wanted something quaint that would fit the town’s celebration of all things old. It was a hard task—but he’d found the perfect solution. If the residents were willing to risk a little, he was ready to deliver both quaint and classy . . . wrapped up in a pretty package and tied together with a sound financial bow.

Louise slid the pen out from behind her ear and tapped it on the table. She dismissed the few people in the audience, explaining that the rest of the meeting was a closed session, and then she pointed at him. “You’re up, Alex.”

He straightened his tie and stood to face the councilors. It was about to get hot again.

Book Spotlight: Across the Wide River by Stephanie Reed

This week, the Christian Fiction Review Blog is featuring 2 books by Stephanie Reed--Across the Wide River and The Light Across the River. Today, I'll be giving you some info about the first book, Across the Wide River, as well as some info about the author.

About the book:

Freedom- Some take it for granted. Others consider it worth dying for. Lowry Rankin knows all too well the cost of freedom; after all, his family's red brick home is the first stop on the Underground Railroad north of the Ohio River. He's seen friends beaten for the color of their skin. He's watched simple farmers make a difference. He's even risked his own life transporting escaped slaves. But will Lowry be able to conquer his greatest fear when he's called to speak out?

'This novel captures the excitement of the period, its dangers and moral dilemmas. There is romance and adventure. And, essential to the traditions of the Rankin family, there is witness to the role of God in mankind's affairs, both great and small.' -James B. Powers a Rankin family descendant

'Across the Wide River plunges young readers into the life and death drama of the pre-Civil War Underground Railroad.' -Peter Marshall Author, The Light and the Glory and From Sea to Shining Sea

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 this story. After working for nearly a decade with the Dayton and Montgomery County Public Library, Stephanie is currently a volunteer spotter for the National Weather Service. She lives with her husband and two children in Dublin, Ohio.

Watch the book trailerVisit Stephanie's WebsitePurchase The Light Across the River at Barnes and Noble, Christianbook.com, and Amazon.Check out these other member blogs this week for more info.