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Marlo's Book Blog
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Last Published: 11/19/2008 6:57:46 PM
September 2007
Wednesday September 26, 2007
Permalink Posted by: Marlo Schalesky at 12:17PM EST on September 26, 2007

Hello Friends!

 

What do you do when life doesn’t turn out the way you hope and plan?  Where is the wonder and mystery, the beauty and breathtaking vividness of God then?  I’ve been asking myself that lately as I come to grips with all the miscarriages I’ve had in this past year, and as I get used to the idea that Bryan and I won’t be having more children as we’d hoped.  So, today I’d like to share with you some of my thoughts.  This is a little different from the stories I normally share, and a little longer.  But I think you’ll find it worth it.

 

Last Friday night I spoke to a group of wonderful ladies at St. Timothy’s Lutheran Church about this very topic – Living the Life God’s Given You When It’s Not the Life You Dreamed.  One of the things I spoke about, something that I’ve been thinking about a lot lately, is the life of Mary, the mother of Jesus. 

 

I’ve been thinking about the wonder she witnessed, and how every bit of her life had to be opposite of her dreams.  Both wonder and disappointment.  Beauty and sorrow.  She touched it.  Lived it.  Embodied the journey of us all.

 

Think about it:  There she is, engaged, planning on a nice, quiet, happy life.  And boom,

up shows an angel.  Forget your plans, he says, God’s got different ones.  You’re having a baby, and it ain’t gonna be your husband’s.  You get to have God’s son.  Yea, people are going to believe that.  Unwed mother, pregnant.  And it’s all God’s fault.

 

But Mary reacts pretty good to that.  “I’m God’s servant,” she says.  And then we get that whole prayer praising God in Luke 1:46-55 that we like to read at Christmas time. 

 

So, then she’s 9 months pregnant.  And what should happen but a decree – you’ve got to go to Bethlehem.  A long trip on the back of a donkey.  I’ve been 9 months pregnant, so I can you tell you that there’s no way that a trip like that was a part of Mary’s plans.  Yikes! 

 

And worse yet, when they get there, they can’t even get a room.  (Side note:  We always translate the Greek word as “inn” in our English versions of the Bible, as if there’s some sort of Motel 6 there in Bethlehem.  But that word is usually used for a guest room in a relative’s house.  So, it could be that Joseph went to his relative’s house there in Bethlehem and found that other relatives were there first and had taken up all the space.  I wonder if it was because they had to travel slowly because of Mary’s condition that there was no place for them once they got there?)  I also wonder if they were thinking that surely God would provide a room for them, a nice place to have that baby that was supposed to be God’s son.  But no.  A stable.  And not one of those cute, clean little “stables” like we have in our nativities at Christmas.  Think poop, flies, and stink.  

 

Then, finally, the magi come.  Now, that’s more like it.  Gold.  Frankincense .  Myrrh.  Gifts fit for a king.  At last!  Except that no sooner do they leave than the soldiers come.  Soldiers killing baby boys.  Talk about a nightmare.  And Mary and Joseph have to run off to Egypt, a foreign country, where they’re all alone.

 

Eventually, of course, they come back to Israel.  And we get one story in the Bible about Jesus as a youth.  One, single story.  And what’s he doing?  Yep, giving his mom grief.  At twelve, he stays behind in Jerusalem, and gives his mom the scare of her life.  That sure wasn’t a dream come true for her. 

 

And if that’s not enough, he grows up.  Now, if I was the mom of God’s son, I’d be dreaming of some big stuff.  In fact, you can see some of Mary’s plans in her original prayer –

--bringing down rulers, maybe she’s thinking of Rome,

--helping the humble,

--bringing abundance, food, to the hungry,

--bringing glory to Israel like they once had. 

                       

But instead, her son is wandering about homeless riling everybody up.  So much so that she and some of Jesus’ brothers have to go to talk some sense into him.  And when she gets there, does Jesus say, “Mom, great to see you!  Come on in, sit by me.”  Noooo.  He says, “Who are mother and my brothers… These are my mother and my brothers,” as he points to other people around him – not to her.  Jesus’ public ministry certainly wasn’t Mary’s dream come true.

 

And then, of course, comes the worst of all.  Can you imagine it?  Watching your first born son arrested, beaten, spat upon, and then nailed to a cross to die.  Because where was Mary then?  She was at the foot of the cross.  Can you imagine standing there as the blood drips, and his anguished cries echo in your ears.  Your son.  The son you love.  I can imagine nothing worse.  Nothing more gut-wrenching and horrific.  That was never, ever, ever in Mary’s plans.  That was the greatest nightmare come true of all time. 

           

AND YET… and here’s the most marvelous point of all.  It is in that horrific moment,  in that moment that encapsulates the very epitome of what it means for plans and hopes to go awry, to die – in that moment we find the most incredible, wondrous, breathtaking act of God of all time.  It is the moment of redemption, of glory, of splendor, of the answer to all the prayers and hopes from the beginning of time until now.  It is at that moment that we find the salvation of mankind. 

 

There, at the precise moment when all Mary’s hopes died.  When all her plans came to nothing.  That was the moment of answer.  That was the moment when truly the poor were provided for, a ruler of evil was overthrown, and mercy was given, just as she prayed all those years before.  It was the moment of glory.

 

And I think it may always be that way.  That there, at the very place where our dreams don’t come true, where our expectations are shattered – that is where God is standing in the greatest power.  Those are the moments, the places that change the world, where we find a depth and wonder deeper than we ever dared to dream.

 

Because, this I know for certain:  the life God gives you is not the life you dreamed.  It is the Kingdom of Heaven lived through you.  It is wondrous.  It is incredible.  It is unexpected.  And it is found at the foot of the cross.

Tuesday September 25, 2007
Permalink Posted by: Marlo Schalesky at 11:37AM EST on September 25, 2007
Hi Friends,
Here's the second book I'd like to tell you about this week. It's by my good friend, Sandra Byrd (in fact, if you read the intro to my infertility book, this is the "Sandra" I'm talking about!). Sandra's Let Them Eat Cake is a fun read, with both depth and wit. I think you'll enjoy it. Sooooo, here's a little about the book and a little about Sandra too:

A bit about LET THEM EAT CAKE:

Lexi Stuart is at a critical crossroads. She’s done with college but still living at home, ready to launch a career but unable to find a job, and solidly stalled between boyfriends.

When a lighthearted conversation in French with the manager of her favorite bakery turns into a job offer, Lexi accepts. But the actual glamour is minimal: the pay is less than generous, her co-workers are skeptical, her bank account remains vertically-challenged, and her parents are perpetually disappointed. Her only comfort comes from the flirtatious baker she has her eye—but even may not be who he seems to be!

So when a handsome young executive dashes into the bakery to pick up his high profile company’s special order for an important meeting—an order Lexi has flubbed— she loses her compulsion to please. “What am I going to do?” he shouts. “Let them eat cake!” she fires back with equal passion and a nod to Marie Antoinette. And then, something inside Lexi clicks. Laissez la révolution commencer! Let the revolution begin! Instead of trying to fulfill everyone else’s expectations for her life, Lexi embarks on an adventure in trusting God with her future—très bon!

Lexi – and Let Them Eat Cake – will entertain readers with wit and great fun, but also explore the universal coming-of-age themes of separating from one’s family of origin, establishing self-esteem, and making healthy choices.

A Bit About Sandra:

Sandra Byrd is a prolific writer of fiction, including the popular Friends for a Season series for teens, and the bestselling Girls Like You and Secret Sisters series for young girls. She is a regular contributor to national Christian publications. Before she began writing full time, Sandra worked in marketing, sales, and acquisitions for an educational publisher. She and her husband have two children, and make their home in Seattle, Washington.

Amazon Link:
Sunday September 23, 2007
Permalink Posted by: Marlo Schalesky at 7:35PM EST on September 23, 2007
Hi Friends!

This week I have two new books to introduce to you (well, actually, one new boxed set and one new book), so I'm introducing one today and one on Tuesday. Then remember to watch on Wednesday for a new "tale of wonder" that will hopefully be helpful to you in your walk with our vivid and breathtaking God!

So, here's the book for today - a new boxed set: The Fountain Creek Chronicles by Tamera Alexander. Here's a bit about it:

This bestselling three-book series (Rekindled, Revealed, and Remembered) features a different historical romance in each novel. In the late 1860s, Colorado Territory is a wild and untamed land. Nestled within its mountains and sustained by one of its major creeks, three couples find adventure and love on the frontier. Each person will be called upon to stand on nothing more than faith, risk what is most dear, and turn away from the past in order to follow God's plan for the future.

ABOUT TAMERA:

TAMERA ALEXANDER is the bestselling author of Rekindled, Revealed, and Remembered, the three-part Fountain Creek Chronicles historical series with Bethany House Publishers. Alexander’s books have won multiple awards, including Romance Writers of America’s 2007 RITA®, the 2007 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, 2007 Bookseller’s Best, and Library Journal’s Top Christian Fiction of 2006.

Tamera and her husband, Joe Alexander, have two college age children, a seven-pound Silky named Jack, and make their home in Tennessee. Tamera is currently working on her fourth novel, part of another three-book historical series with Bethany House which is set in the Rocky Mountains of the Colorado Territory.

A QUICK CHAT WITH TAMERA:

What makes you feel alive?
A fall day when the air is clean and the leaves so crisp and splashed with color that you just have to stop and try to take it all in, which you can’t, of course. And you realize there’s no “reason” why those leaves had to change those colors in order for the plant or tree to go dormant. God did it to show his glory, his artistry. How magnificent.

How does something worm its way into your heart? Through tears, truth, humor or other?
Tears and humor. Used together, they’re a powerful tool!

Where would you most like to travel ----- moon, north pole, deep seas, deserted island, the holy land or back to a place from your childhood, somewhere else? – and why.
I would time travel, does that still fit? Back to the era in which I write and specifically to some points in European history. Especially those in France. And to Biblical times, of course. ;)

What is your favorite word?
Forgiven.

What word annoys you more than any other?
Can’t.

Super power you’d love to borrow for awhile?
Ability to read minds—as long as no one else could have that super power around me. ;)

Favorite chore
Vacuuming. It’s a sickness, I know. But I love things neat.

Grammatical pet peeve…sound off.
People who don’t like semi-colons. Semi-colons are wonderful; they serve a real purpose in our language and shouldn’t be ostracized from fiction. ;)

Which compliment related to your writing has meant the most and why?
This one:
Your book (Rekindled) helped me to begin loving my husband again. Maybe to start loving him to begin with. I’m trying to get rid of the high expectations I’ve held for the past fifteen years because they’ve only led me to disappointment. We’re seeking counseling and are trying to rebuild our marriage. Your writings gave me the courage to take that step, and helped me to know that God could make that happen. Thank you.

If I never write another word or get another reader note about my books, I’ll die a happy woman. ;)

And helpful links:

Links for Fountain Creek Chronicles:
http://www.amazon.com/Rekindled-Revealed-Remembered-Fountain-Chronicles/dp/0764283464

Rekindled:
http://www.amazon.com/Rekindled-Fountain-Chronicles-Tamera-Alexander/dp/0764201085

Revealed:
http://www.amazon.com/Revealed-Fountain-Creek-Chronicles-2/dp/0764201093

Remembered:
http://www.amazon.com/Remembered-Fountain-Creek-Chronicles-3/dp/0764201107

Tamera’s website:
http://www.tameraalexander.com/

Tamera’s blog:
http://www.tameraalexander.blogspot.com/
Wednesday September 19, 2007
Permalink Posted by: Marlo Schalesky at 1:06PM EST on September 19, 2007
Hi Friends,

One of my favorite songs is Surrender by BarlowGirl. In fact, it’s one of the songs that plays on that little music player on the front page of my website (http://www.marloschalesky.com/). I was listening to the song yesterday and thinking about the idea of surrendering our lives to God. I was reminded of a thought I’d had a few years ago. It happened like this:

I’d heard it a dozen times before. “Give your life to God! Surrender!” And that Sunday, the message our pastor proclaimed was no different. I leaned back and thought about how glad I was that I had given myself to God and how I wanted to make my life a gift to him every day. But then, something new struck me, something I hadn’t dwelt on before.

I thought about the songs we’d sung earlier – songs about the grandness of the God of the universe, about His majesty, His holiness, the wonder of His presence. And as I thought about the glory of God, the value of my one, puny, rather unimpressive life seemed like a poor gift indeed. After all, I was no Billy Graham, no President of the United States, no great mover-and-shaker of the world around me. I was just plain ol’ me, with no extraordinary accomplishments, no fancy resume, nothing to make my life seem a worthy gift to so great a God. Did God really care if I gave my life to him? Did it really matter after all?

My thoughts troubled me as the service ended and I slipped out to pick up my then-nearly-three-year-old daughter from Sunday School. A dozen small bodies wiggled from the classroom and darted down the hall toward me. Among them was Bethany. As soon as she saw me, she let out a squeal and waved a piece of yellow construction paper over her head.

“Mommy, mommy, look!” she cried as she hurled herself toward me.

The other kids rushed past like a river at flood-stage. Bethany crashed into my legs, then hugged me around the knees. A moment later, she giggled and shoved the construction paper into my hands. “For you, Mommy. My make picture for you.”

She smiled up at me with wide eyes framed by curly, wheat-colored hair, and my heart melted.
I knelt beside her. “For me?”

“It’s a present.”

I held her close and looked down at the construction paper. Red and blue crayon marks formed lopsided circles that listed off to the right bottom corner of the page. A black smear marred the upper corner, and in the middle a rough outline of Bethany’s handprint started off well, then dropped off to a long squiggle at the pinkie finger.

I pulled Bethany closer and kissed her on the forehead. “I love it!” I proclaimed. And I did. I really did. It was no Monet (Picasso maybe), but to me, it was every bit as precious.

Later that day, I put the picture in the center of the refrigerator door where I could see it every day. I stood back, smiled, then stepped forward to adjust it just right.

I knew, of course, that if someone else were to find the picture lying on the ground, they would think it was just trash. They wouldn’t see it like I did. They would see a piece of cheap paper with crayon scribbles and pen marks. But to me, it was a treasure. I loved the squiggled outline of her little hand. I adored the awkward circles. And one day, when a new picture came to replace the yellow construction paper on the frig, I knew I would put this one away in my “special things” box, with a tiny date written on the back. Then, in years to come, I’d pull it out, and look at it, and remember.

It was then, as I stood there and admired the picture on the frig that I understood at last what it means to God when I make my life a gift to him. He doesn’t care if I’m a bit off-center, with lopsided circles that droop to one side. He doesn’t care if I’ve never done anything that seems very important. What matters is that I give Him my life as an offering of love. What matters is that God loves me so much that my life, even mine, is precious beyond measure.

My life may never be a Monet, but God still loves to hang my picture on the frig.
Monday September 17, 2007
Permalink Posted by: Marlo Schalesky at 11:44AM EST on September 17, 2007
Hi Friends,


Today I'd like to tell you about a new book by my good friend, Tricia Goyer. A few months ago, I read this book and endorsed it (so you'll probably see my name and endorsement inside the book!). Here's what I had to say:


War. Hidden gold. Spies and intrigue. Shadow of Treason, a rich and compelling story of the Spanish civil war, has it all! Using rich historical detail, Goyer expertly weaves together the stories of a diverse cast into a gripping tale of war, hope, and the power of faith. Not to be missed!


Now, here's a little more info about the book, as well as an interview with Tricia and some links:


Book 2 in the Chronicles of the Spanish Civil War series
Sophie discovers that nothing is as she first imagined. When Walt, the reporter who helped her over the border, shows up again after Guernica is bombed, Sophie is given an impossible mission. She must leave behind the man she's fallen in love with and return to the person who betrayed her. Another layer of the war in Spain is revealed as Sophie is drawn into the international espionage schemes that could turn the tide of the war and help protect the soldiers from the International Brigade ... she must find a way to get a critical piece of information to Walt in time.

Q and A with Tricia!

Q: A Shadow of Treason follows A Valley of Betrayal. This is the first time you've written books as a series instead of stand alone. Which way do you like better?

A: I love writing in series. It was great to continue with the same characters. In my stand-alone books I fell in love with these people and then I had to say good-bye after one book. It was wonderful to be able to continue on.

Q: In A Shadow of Treason Sophie must return to the person who betrayed her in an effort to help the Spanish people. It makes the book hard to put down because the reader has to know how Sophie's heart will deal with it. Why did you decide to make this an element of the book?

A: There are very few of us who go through life without giving away a part of our hearts to someone who didn't deserve it. Even though Sophie had the best intentions, she gave away her heart and she was hurt-not only that she must revisit those emotions.

I wanted to include this element-to delve into the topic that emotions are sometimes as big of a trap as any physical cage. Emotions are real and they guide us -- even when we don't want to admit it. Poor Sophie, not only does she have to deal with a war around her -- she also has to deal with a war within herself. It's something I've battled, and mostly likely others have too.

Q: There is an interesting element that arises in this book and that is Spanish gold. I know you can't tell us what happens in this book, but can you give us a brief history of this gold?

A: Sure. When I was researching I came upon something interesting. The Spaniards, as we know, had taken much Aztec and Inca gold during the time of the conquistadors. Well, at the start of The Spanish Civil War much of this gold was still held in Madrid. In fact Spain had the fourth largest gold reserves in the world at that time. The Republican government was afraid Franco would take the city and the gold. They had to get it out of Madrid and this included transporting priceless artifacts. The element of gold does make its way into my story. It was great to include this little-known (and true!) element into my story.

Q: Another historical fact I learned about was the Nazi involvement during this time. Not only were the Germans active in Spain, but they had spy networks busy around the world. How did you find out about this?

A: I love reading tons of research books. Usually I find one little element that I dig out and turn into a plot line. This is what happened with my plot-line for the Nazi pilot, Ritter. I dug up this bit of research of Nazi involvement in Spain -- and the United States -- because a lot of people aren't aware of the Nazi involvement prior to WWII. The truth is they were busy at work getting the land, information, and resources they needed far before they threatened the nations around them. The Germans knew what they wanted and how to get it. And most of the time they succeeded!

Q: A Shadow of Treason is Book Two. When will Book Three be out? Can you give us a hint of how the story continues?

A: Book Three is A Whisper of Freedom. It will be out February 2008. The characters that we love are all still in the midst of danger at the end of Book Two. Book Three continues their stories as we follow their journeys in -- and (for a few) out -- of Spain. It's an exciting conclusion to the series!

Q: Wow, so we have a least one more fiction book to look forward to in the near future. Are you working on any non-fiction?

A: Yes, I have two non-fiction books that will be out the early part of 2008. Generation NeXt Marriage is a marriage book for today's couples. It talks about our marriage role models, our struggles, and what we're doing right as a generation. It also gives advice for holding it together.

I've also been privileged to work on the teen edition of Max Lucado's book 3:16. It was a great project to work on. What an honor!


Tricia's Bio:

Tricia Goyer has published over 300 articles for national publications such as Today's Christian Woman, Guideposts for Kids, and Focus on the Family, and is the co-author of Meal Time Moments (Focus on the Family). She has led numerous Bible Studies, and her study notes appear in the Women of Faith Study Bible (Zondervan).

She has written seven novels for Moody Publishing:
From Dust and Ashes (2003)
Night Song (2004)
Dawn of a Thousand Nights (2005);
Arms of Deliverance (2006)
A Valley of Betrayal (2007)
A Shadow of Treason (Fall 2007)
A Whisper of Freedom (February 2008)
Night Song was awarded American Christian Fiction Writer's 2005 Book of the Year for Best Long Historical. Dawn of a Thousand Nights won the same award in 2006.

Tricia has also written Life Interrupted: The Scoop on Being a Young Mom (Zondervan, 2004), 10 Minutes to Showtime (Thomas Nelson, 2004), and Generation NeXt Parenting (Multnomah, 2006). Life Interrupted was a 2005 Gold Medallion finalist in the Youth Category.

Also, coming out in the next year are: My Life, Unscripted (Thomas Nelson, 2007), Generation NeXt Marriage (Multnomah, Spring 2008), and 3:16-the teen version of the a book by Max Lucado (Thomas Nelson, Spring 2008).

Tricia and her husband John live with their three children in Kalispell, Montana. Tricia's grandmother also lives with them, and Tricia volunteers mentoring teen moms and leading children's church. Although Tricia doesn't live on a farm, she can hit one with a rock by standing on her back porch and giving it a good throw.

Important Links!

First Chapter:
http://triciagoyer.blogspot.com/2007/09/shadow-of-treason.html

Wednesday September 12, 2007
Permalink Posted by: Marlo Schalesky at 11:19AM EST on September 12, 2007
Hi Friends!

What’s a balloon got to do with Psalm 23?  Everything!  Recently, as I was reading the psalm again, and studying it in Hebrew, I remembered a story from my childhood.  It happened like this:

To my five-year-old eyes, it was a thing straight from heaven.  Beautiful, wondrous, and all mine.  I clutched the string in my hand and gazed at the shimmering pink balloon.  It was the biggest one I’d ever had – fat with helium and formed in the shape of Mickey Mouse’s head. 
And best of all, inside was a second, smaller balloon of purple, my favorite color. 

I tugged on the string and watched as the smaller balloon danced inside the big one.  A hand touched my shoulder.  I looked up into the face of my Grandma.
She smiled.  “Don’t let go of the string, Marlo.  You don’t want to lose it. We can’t get another one.”

I nodded and rubbed my thumb over my wrist where the string made a loose loop. 

For thirty whole minutes that wonderful balloon bobbed over my head.  It followed me to the merry-go-round, to the bathroom, to the lunch line.  It watched me eat my hot dog, carefully with one hand on the bun and the other on the string. 

Then, the unthinkable happened.  I was running to see a group of swans swimming across the pond.  My hand loosened.  The string slipped.  The loop around my wrist came undone. 
And the balloon was gone.

Breath snatched from my chest as I watched it rushed toward the sky.  Further, further.  And then it vanished from my sight.  My face twisted in a sob.  Tears blurred my eyes.  “Nooo . . . come back.”   

Grandma’s hand again touched my shoulder.

My lips quivered as I spoke.  “Bring it back, Grandma.  Please.”

She drew me close.  “I’m sorry, sweetheart.  We can’t get it back.”

There was something so final, so awful, so heartbreaking about those words that they have stayed in my memory all these years later.  Even now, I can’t forget that day, nor how it felt to know that my beautiful balloon was gone forever.

That image was renewed for me again not too long ago as I sat in my Hebrew class and listened to the professor talk about Psalm 23.  I fiddled with my pencil, half-listening.  After all, what could be new about Psalm 23?  I’d read it hundreds of times, not only in my Bible, but on plaques and cards and calendars and a dozen other trinkets meant to sooth and comfort. 

The professor came to verse 3.  I glanced at it in the Hebrew, and then in the English of my NIV translation.  He restores my soul.

“Look closely at the form of the verb there,” the professor said.

I looked.

“You see how it really means that he brings back my soul.”

So what?  I doodled on the edge of my notes and yawned.

The professor paused.  Then, he told a story.  He told about a day when his son lost a balloon. 
 
I stopped doodling.

He told about the look on the boy’s face.  About how the balloon floated up and up and up in the air and no one could bring it back. 

I stopped yawning. 

He said the verse again.  “He brings back my soul.”

I stopped fiddling with my pencil.

He wrote the verb on the board.

And in that moment, I grasped anew the wonder of Psalm 23.  We have lost our souls, to sin, to brokenness, to hurt and pain.  We have lost something more precious even than a fat Mickey Mouse balloon.  And there’s nothing we can do to get it back. 

But God does the impossible.  He brings back the balloon.  What this world robs, he restores in His love.  Who I really am inside, who he created me to be, he brings that back. 

I have been hurt.  I have chosen poorly.  I have sinned.  I have slipped away and flown into the sky.

But that is not the end of the story.  I am not lost forever in the clouds.  God restores my soul.  He restores my hope.  He brings me back to the place I really belong, to the hand of the One who loves me. 

And now, forever, I need no longer to fear.
Monday September 10, 2007
Permalink Posted by: Marlo Schalesky at 11:37AM EST on September 10, 2007
Hi Friends!
 
I have an interesting new Christian novel to tell you about today.  This one's by DiAnn Mills and is called When the Nile Runs Red.  This novel is being used to raise awareness of the atrocities that are taking place in Sudan, and you should know that book sale proceeds will be donated to restore the Sudanese community.  Below is information on the book as well as an interview with DiAnn.
 
Here's a little about the book:
Paul Farid, who once persecuted the southern Sudanese, now loves the weary people whose lives have been destroyed by war.
 
Colonel Ben Alier has led his battle-hardened soldiers for two decades against the North, yet he pursues a relationship with his son even as his own demons pursue him.
 
Dr. Larson Kerr Farid works long hours caring for the sick, but fatigue and worry about her husband, are taking their toll.  And she’s just learned something that will make everything more complicated.
 
These three friends face constant danger as tensions escalate between the north and south, and as Paul’s family schemes to kill him and Larson. Will Paul and Larson bridge the gap that seems to grow between them? And will Ben find peace as more than a soldier?
This link will take you to a Promo Video Clip for When the Nile Runs Red: http://www.diannmills.com/sudan/WTNRRPromoClip.html 

 
An Interview with DiAnn Mills:
 
1.       What inspired you to write this novel?
 
I had previously written a nonfiction book about the Lost Boys of Sudan – Lost Boy No More. From that research, I wrote the novel When the Lion Roars, but the story would not let me go.
 
Through numerous interviews and extensive reading, I grew to love and admire the courageous Sudanese people and was burdened by their incredible needs. I had to bring them back in When the Nile Runs Red.
 
2.       Why Sudan?
 
This country went through nearly two decades of civil war strife. In 1983, the northern government launched a holy war against the south. This grew out of the views of the Islamic north against the mostly Christian black African south. The war had three aspects: religion, politics, and oil. The atrocities committed against the southern people are too many to list, but the war was fought in the south through genocide.
 
3.       How did you conduct your research?
 
I grabbed my backpack and sun screen and traveled to Juba, Sudan, the southern capital. There I stayed at a Christian compound and met with southern Sudanese from all walks of life: refugees, political leaders, and church leaders. I talked to as many people as I could, snapped pictures, and listened to what was being said.
 
4.       Regarding your trip to Sudan, what touched you the most?
 
The incredible faith. I could look into a Sudanese’s eyes and see the pain of persecution and the hope of Jesus. Here, we say we love Jesus while we live in our huge homes, drive our fancy cars, are well-fed, are not hunted down for our faith, or are concerned about medical care. The Sudanese understand that all they have and need is Jesus.
 
5.       Can you give us a brief description of your characters?
 
Paul Farid was once a Muslim who actively persecuted the southern people, but now he’s a Christian who flies dangerous missions into war-torn areas to deliver food and medical supplies.
 
Dr. Larson Kerr Farid risks her life to bring healing to the Sudanese. Just like her husband Paul, her life is often in danger. But there is a problem between her and Paul with no easy solution.
 
Colonel Ben Alier has been fighting and leading the southern army of Sudan for nearly two decades. Often referred to as a warlord, Ben fights his own demons.
 
The three are friends, an unlikely friendship forged by their love for Sudan.
 
6.       How do you build your plots?
 
Always out of character with two simple words: what-if? John Gardner said to create the best possible characters and allow the worst possible things to happen to them. That says it all. It’s easy to coat our darlings with easy trials and struggles, but the hard stuff, the struggles that define the character are what have to happen. I’m a huge fan of Donald Maass and wouldn’t consider writing a paragraph without using techniques found in his books Writing the Breakout Novel and Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook.
 
7.       What are you goals for this novel?
 
To increase awareness about the situation in Sudan and to share my passion for the Sudanese people through a compelling story.
 
The proceeds for this novel go back to aid the Sudanese.
 
8.       What do you hope the readers will gain?
 
To lose themselves in the novel. That’s every writer’s goal. But I also want the reader to sense a call to action and support the Sudanese cause.
 
9.       What is your next project?
 
I’m currently writing a romantic suspense series with a working series title of “Behind the Sunglasses”.
 
10.     How can readers learn more about what you are doing?
 
Check out my website at www.diannmills.com.  I have sections about Sudan, and for readers, and writers. Those signing up for my newsletter get to download a chapter of an upcoming release.
 
11.     Aside from your passion for writing, what else are you doing?
 
Speaking to groups about the situation in Sudan.
 
Teaching at writer’s conferences.
 
Conducting Fiction Mentoring Clinics. These are small groups who work closely together for three work-filled days to develop their craft.
 
 
A Little About DiAnn:
 
Award-winning author, DiAnn Mills, launched her career in 1998 with the publication of her first book. Currently she has over forty books in print and has sold more than a million copies.
 
DiAnn believes her readers should “Expect an Adventure.” Her desire is to show characters solving real problems of today from a Christian perspective through a compelling story.
 
Six of her anthologies have appeared on the CBA Best Seller List. Three of her books have won the distinction of Best Historical of the Year by Heartsong Presents. Five of her books have won placements through American Christian Fiction Writer’s Book of the Year Awards 2003 – 2007. She is the recipient of the Inspirational Reader’s Choice award for 2005 and 2007.
 
DiAnn is a founding board member for American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Inspirational Writers Alive, Romance Writers of America’s Faith, Hope and Love, and Advanced Writers and Speakers Association. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country. DiAnn is also a mentor for Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writer’s Guild. 
 
She lives in sunny Houston, Texas, the home of heat, humidity, and Harleys. In fact she’d own a Harley, but her legs are too short. DiAnn and her husband have four adult sons and are active members of Metropolitan Baptist Church.
 
Website:  www.diannmills.com
 
To Order this book on Amazon: 
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0802499112
Wednesday September 5, 2007
Permalink Posted by: Marlo Schalesky at 11:54AM EST on September 5, 2007
Hi Friends,
 
How do you feel about being dust?  How do I feel?  As I was cleaning house this past weekend for company, I was thinking about an analogy that I used in my first ever novel, Cry Freedom.  It came out of an experience I had years ago.  It happened like this . . .
 
Twilight tossed its gray mantle across the sky and into my newly dusted living room.  Shadows crept over the floor, darted into corners, and settled in my mind.  Weariness whispered through me.  Why did I have to clean, and scrub, and do all this work anyway?  I wanted to read a good book, watch a movie, anything else but clean the living room for the Bible study group that would meet there that night.  Why did I always have to be the one who did the work?
 
I threw my cleaning rag onto the coffee table and melted into the recliner.  In a moment, the oven timer would buzz, and I would have to leap up and finish preparing the cake for the night’s study snack.  Why couldn’t I just be free, free to spend my evening however I wanted?  Free to do as I pleased? 

A butterfly flitted outside the window.  I watched it fly high, then low, before it paused on the rosebush just outside the pane.  Eggshell wings fluttered in slow motion.  Up and down.  Up and down.  Then, the creature dropped from the branch and flew into the sky.  I followed it with my eyes until it became only a black speck against the clouds.  Then, it disappeared. 

“Make me like the butterfly, Lord,” I whispered.  “I want to be free to fly into the sky, rest on the roses, and drink in the beauty of your creation.”  I leaned back my head and stared up at the window that shone from our second story.  “Lord, give me wings.” 

I waited.  And sighed.  And shifted in the chair.  But I felt just as tired, just as earthbound as ever. 

Then, something happened.  A shaft of light, as bright as a blade, sliced through the upstairs window and illuminated a path to the floor.  And in the light, I saw them – a hundred, a thousand tiny motes of dust.  They drifted in the light like bright bits of glimmering gold. 

I grabbed my dust rag, and started to stand.  But then, I sat back again.  I had worked for hours to eradicate the dark bits of dust that marred my furniture, countertops, and television screen.  But this dust was different.  These tiny motes weren’t dark, weren’t dirty, or ugly.  They were beautiful, shining like miniscule stars in the last rays of day. 

I dropped my rag, settled back into the chair, and wondered at the splendor of the dust.  How could something that was no more than dirt be so beautiful? 
 
I watched a few motes drift lower, out of the shaft of light.  They turned gray again, just ugly little specks that floated onto an end table.  Only in the light were they lovely.  Only there did they shimmer like jewels. 

As I sat and pondered the secret of the dust, I remembered a verse from the Psalms:  “As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.” (Psalm 103:13-14, NIV). 

I am dust, I thought.  Not some winged butterfly, not a creature that flies wherever it pleases, but dust.  Dirty, ugly dust.  But in God’s light, I too am transformed.  “I am the light of the world,” Jesus said in John 8:12 (NIV).  And like the dust, I am only beautiful when I am aloft by his power, illuminated by his love.

As pretty as the butterfly was, the dust that glimmered like sparkling gold was much more beautiful.  It stayed, it shone, and as long as it remained in the light, it was stunning.

I had prayed for the ability to order my day as I pleased.  But, God offers a freedom that’s more incredible, more real, and more wondrous. 

In his light is the freedom to rest in his grace and love.  That is the mystery, and the wonder, of true freedom.  So now, I no longer pray for wings like the butterfly.  Instead, I pray to stay within the light.
Monday September 3, 2007
Permalink Posted by: Marlo Schalesky at 12:26PM EST on September 3, 2007
Hi Friends!

It's Monday again, and time to introduce you to a new Christian novel. This one is DOESN'T SHE LOOK NATURAL? by Angela Hunt. I've read of number of Angela's recent novels and loved every one. I'm expecting this one to be just as entertaining, insightful, and thought-provoking. Here's a little about it as well as an interview with Angie and a purchase link:


How do you live when God asks you to bury a dream?
Jennifer Graham, the no-nonsense chief of staff for a Virginia senator, quits her job after her divorce—and finds herself an unemployed single mom. Forced to live with her mother until she can find work on Capitol Hill that does not involve her gregarious ex-husband, her efforts are stymied until she learns that she has inherited a funeral home in picturesque Mt. Dora. Jennifer journeys to the small Florida town with her two sons and her mother, never dreaming that within a mortuary she will uncover mysteries of love and life.

Reader Reviews:

"Doesn't She Look Natural? proves the point that Angela Hunt is one of the most versatile authors writing today. Hunt can bring her readers up close and personal to any emotion common to the human heart, and she does just that in her latest release. With her trademark lovable, multifaceted characters and flawless, unpredictable storytelling, she allows us to view life through a lens that ranges from humor to pathos, from dreams to grit, from anger and frustration to courage and hope. I loved these people. I loved this book."
---BJ Hoff, author of the Mountain Song Legacy series, the American Anthem series, and An Emerald Ballad.

When an unexpected twist in life turns Jen upside down and shakes her, she gathers the spilled change from her pockets and begins anew. Hurt by the unwelcome death of her marriage, she nevertheless allows God to begin to heal her and breathe new life into her circumstances. A heroine to cheer for and identify with and an endearing ensemble of well-meaning but meddling mothers, sweetly persistent new friends and a few men who remember how to be honorable round out a light-hearted read that is simply to die for.
--Sandra Byrd, author of Let Them Eat Cake and other novels.

Doesn't She Look Natural is a wonderful change of pace for Angela Hunt. While still dealing with timely and serious subject matter, Angie does it with a refreshing breath of humor. Realizing that God is still in control of every situation of life (and death), the reader is shown a lighter side of circumstances that lifts the soul from the pit of despair and gives it hope in what lies ahead. The little snippets of so-true-to-life Red Hatter escapades are a special added treat, especially for the other-side-of-fifty genre who will be enjoying this book. And I should know, being the real and original Queen Snippy! This is a truly delightful book that you will not be able to easily put down! Can't wait for the next two books in this heart-warming series!
--Tanzel Rousey, aka Queen Snippy, Red Hat Society of Heavenly Daze

An interview with Angela Hunt:

How did you come up with the concept for Doesn’t She Look Natural?
I read HEAVEN by Randy Alcorn and naturally began to think about the life to come. I’ve also lost several friends over the last couple of years, and I’ve come to realize that death, for the believer, is not to be feared. I thought a series about a funeral home might be a good way to address issues affecting the living and those who are facing death.

Is any part of Doesn’t She Look Natural factual?
Jennifer Graham and her family are completely fictitious, but Mt. Dora is a real place.

How closely is this Doesn’t She Look Natural based on your life and your practice?
There are bits of every author’s life in every story he or she produces, but I am happily married with two older children. I’ve never been a mortician, but I’ve always been interested in all things medical.

How long did Doesn’t She Look Natural take you to complete?
About the average length of time for me—four or five months.

What is the meaning behind the title: Doesn’t She Look Natural?
When my editor and I were talking about titles, we were trying to think of things people always say at funerals. We’ve come up with three: Doesn’t She Look Natural?, She Always Wore Red, and She’s in a Better Place.

Do you have a favorite character? Why?
I’m a little partial to Bugs, Jennifer’s five-year-old son. He says the cutest things . . .

How much research did Doesn’t She Look Natural take?
Quite a bit, and this is just the beginning of the series. In the second book, Jen goes to mortuary school, and by the third book she is actively operating the funeral home. So I’ve had to learn quite a bit about funeral homes, caskets, supplies, embalming, burial versus cremation, etc.

What are some of the challenges you face as an author?
I think all authors face the same challenges—the need to place ourselves in a chair and stay there until the work is done, the challenge of staying fresh in the face of many revisions, and the challenge of wearing entertaining stories and spiritual truths. People looking for the former aren’t always looking for the latter.

Are there any other new projects on the horizon?
Of course! I still have to write the third Fairlawn book, She’s in a Better Place, and I’m working on another thriller called The Face.

Who has influenced you the most with your writing?
It’s be impossible to name one single person—I had a sixth grade teacher who complimented my writing before I had any inkling that I might be any good at it, and Pastor Derric Johnson suggested that I switch from music to writing as a career. And at Tyndale House, it was Ken Peterson who suggested that I move from children’s books into adult fiction. You might say that God has frequently spoken to me through the voices of my friends.

What advice would you give to a person trying to become a novelist?
Read, read, read. And then get to a good writer’s conference where you can learn from people who are actually doing the work.

What message would you like your readers to take away from Doesn’t She Look Natural?
I would like readers to see that God is always leading us . . . even when we don’t like the direction in which we’re moving. And when God moves us, He supplies our needs . . . sometimes in the most unexpected ways.

What is your goal or mission as a writer?
My goal in life is simply to love and obey God. Right now I’m doing that by writing the stories He places on my heart.

Order Doesn’t She Look Natural link: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1414311699/booksbyangelae0d

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