BOX O' BOOKS       CONTEST

In honor of our Editor-In-Chief's debut book, this months contest will be a box of ten (10) chick books!

What do you need to do to enter your name in the drawing?

Sign up by typing your name in the entry form located below. The winner will be drawn and their name posted in the October issue of Christian Fiction Online Magazine.

CFOM will contact the winner by e-mail to get a snail mail address so we can ship the books!

CFBA Blog Tours For September 2008

Visit our CFBA Blog each week to learn about the authors, read first chapters, and visit participating blogs.

Lindsay took to marriage like a starlet to stilettos, but her husband had a deeper love for his business. Left alone after his death, Lindsay must find out who she is when there isn't a party to plan or another person's life to be organized. Can she find her way Back to Life? Lindsay realized when she married Ron, a man seventeen years her senior, that the odds were he'd see heaven before her, but she never expected to be a widow at thirty-five. She knows there's too much of life remaining for her to just sit around in mourning, but she can't seem to kick-start the rest of her life. Then unexpected help arrives...when Ron's first wife, Jane, shows up at Lindsay's front door. The executor of their late husband's estate, Jane is everything Lindsay's not: strong, stubborn, independent...and a lot older. There are other surprises as well, including Ron Jr. (whom Jane insists is not "really" Ron's son). But against all odds, a most unlikely friendship begins to develop—as each woman discovers how to own up to her past mistakes and to reevaluate what is really important. Told in the alternating voices of Jane and Lindsay, and featuring the return of many of the unforgettable characters introduced in The Trophy Wives Club, Back to Life is a lighthearted, relatable read about where to turn when life goes in a direction you never planned.

Up Pops the Devil is the story of Wilford "Preacher" Winters and the four women—his fiancee' Tanya, his sister Loretta, his old girlfriend Serena, and his new friend Natalie—who complicate his re-entry into society as a law-abiding Christian man after being incarcerated for two years for drug trafficking. Two hard years in prison have changed Wilford "Preacher" Winters for the better. He did his time, now he's going to "do the right thing." But the women in his life have other ideas. Tanya, the sleek and sexy mother of his two kids, is much too comfortable with her pearls-and-Porsche lifestyle, and she'll do whatever it takes to maintain it... His sister, Loretta, kept "the business" running smoothly while Preacher was inside, and she can't believe he'd trade Easy Street bling for a nickel-and-dime dead-end job... His one-time girlfriend Serena, now married to his main man Barnard, is hiding a secret—and if past sins come to light, they'll ruin several lives and a very new, very precious friendship between Preacher and Barnard's beautiful-inside-and-out sister, Natalie. With his world about to explode all around him, Preacher's going to need every ounce of his new-found faith to remain strong. Because it takes a lot to become a new man, sometimes even a miracle.

If a miracle happened to you, wouldn't you tell everyone? What if they thought you were crazy? Poor in health but rich in faith, Gina Merritt a young, broke, African American single mother sits in a pew on Ash Wednesday and has a holy vision. When it fades, her palms are bleeding. Anthony Priest, the junkie sitting beside her, instinctively touches her when she cries out, but Gina flees in shock and pain. Anthony, a prize-winning journalist before drugs destroyed his career, is flooded with a sense of well-being and knows he is cured of his addiction. Without understanding why, Anthony follows Gina home to find some answers. Together they search for an understanding to this miraculous event, and along the way they cross paths with a skeptical evangelical pastor, a gentle Catholic priest, a certifiable religious zealot, and an oversized transvestite drug dealer, all of whom lend their opinion. It's a quest for truth, sanity, and grace . . . and an unexpected love story.

"I am the first writer, The Scribe. My books lie open before the Throne, and someday will be the only witness of your people and their time in this world." So begins the narration of one such angel in this sweeping historical tale set during the reign of England's Henry VIII. It is the story of two women, their guardian angels, and a mysterious, subversive book ... a book that outrages some, inspires others, and launches the Protestant Reformation. The devout Anne Boleyn catches the eye of a powerful king and uses her influence to champion an English translation of the Bible. Meanwhile, Rose, a broken, suicidal woman of the streets, is moved to seek God when she witnesses Thomas More's public displays of Christian charity, ignorant of his secret life spent eradicating the Bible, persecuting anyone who dares read it. Historic figures come alive in this thrilling story of heroes and villains, saints and sinners, angels and mortals ... and the sacred book that will inspire you anew. Fans of Francine Rivers and Karen Kingsbury will love Ginger's intriguing combination of rich character development, artful settings, and inspiring historical insights.

Travis Thrasher enthralls readers with this chilling story of a missionary family trapped in a mountain lodge with a relentless supernatural killer. In this dark chiller, Thrasher (Sky Blue; The Promise Remains) demonstrates a considerable talent for the horror genre. Like Stephen King, Thrasher pits flawed but likable characters against evil forces that at first seem escapable but gradually take on a terrifying ubiquity. The Miller family has recently returned to suburban Chicago after a harrowing experience on the mission field. Hoping to get away from the busyness of suburban living, they travel to the mountains of North Carolina for an extended stay in an enormous, remote lodge where husband and father Jim plans to write a book while trying to reconnect with his family. When a snowstorm isolates them further and spiritual attacks make them feel they are losing their minds, both Jim and his wife, Stephanie, begin to wonder if God can rescue them and their two young children. Aside from sharing too many plot points with The Shining, this novel hits very few false notes and should appeal to fans of Christian fiction, the horror genre and all who enjoy well-crafted and suspenseful stories.

This stunning debut novel by Kelly Eileen Hake is full of wit and warmth. Set down upon the wild American plains during the 1850. Clara is desperate for a home and a future for herself and her aunt. When Clara Fields and her aunt are kicked off their wagon train, a store owner in Buttonwood offers a chance at redemption. Desperate, she agrees to find a bride for the man's son--a stalwart bachelor. Will Clara's faith and wits help her wrangle a resolution to The Bride Bargain. Striking a bargain with a lonely trader to fool a head-strong doctor could lead Clara to an unexpected avenue of romance.

Maizy Grace Stewart dreams of a career as an investigative journalist, but her last job ended in disaster when her compassion cost her employer a juicy headline. A part-time gig at a Nashville newspaper might be her big break. A second job at Steeple Side Christian Resources could help pay the bills, but Steeple Side only hires committed Christians. Maizy is sure she can fake it with her Five-Step Program to Authentic Christian Faith–a plan of action that includes changing her first name to Grace, buying Jesus-themed accessories, and learning “Christian Speak.” If only Jack Prentiss, Steeple Side’s managing editor and two-day-stubbled, blue-jean-wearing British hottie wasn’t determined to prove her a fraud. When Maizy’s boss at the newspaper decides that she should investigate–and expose–any skeletons in Steeple Side’s closet, she must decide whether to deliver the dirt and secure her career or lean on her newfound faith, change the direction of her life, and pray that her Steeple Side colleagues–and Jack–will show her grace.

With her heart now in the hands of a new love as well as the two children left in their care, Hannah Lapp finds her Englischer life more than she'd ever hoped for and is actively pursuing a future with Martin and in medicine. When she receives a call from her sister Sarah, desperate for help, Hannah reluctantly returns to the Old Order Amish community that ostracized her. Once home, she must face her disapproving father and her former fianci, Paul Waddell, and it seems only Paul holds the key to her sister's mental health. When Hannah dares to speak her mind to him, she realizes that a lie separated them--one Paul knows nothing about. As they work together for Sarah's sake, her feelings for Paul become too strong to ignore and Hannah's faced with choosing between the two men she loves--one an Englischer and one a Plain man. Free to follow her heart's desire, Hannah must discover her true desires and choose between the two vastly different worlds.

Five people looking for a reason to keep living are about to find it in the last place they expected. After the loss of his wife, Roman Paulson's life revolves around his son Billy. As a football hero at the University of Nebraska, Billy has a promising life ahead of him. As Billy's coach begins encroaching on Roman's relationship with his son--especially when he brings God into Billy's life--Roman starts to fear he'll lose Billy forever. Nothing could prepare Roman for what is about to happen. Roman isn't the only one whose life has been turned upside down. He's one of five people whose lives are about to intersect on a bright, fall day, when one of them will hold up a sign at a football game with a short message: John 3:16. This simple act of faith will have the power to change lives forever.