Mimi's Pixie Corner

Asenath by Anna Patricio

2012-02-23T04:55:00.001-05:00

What I Thought:

Currently, I am in the middle of reading this novel. I am impressed with the way Anna has placed herself into the head of Kiya (Asenath) and brought the character to life. This is written in first person, so you hear her thoughts as if she were telling them to you. The biblical historical description is wonderful as well. The only thing negative I can say is that there are a few grammatical problems. One of my pet peeves is getting the 'I' and 'me' words confused, and I have caught it more than once already. Other than that, which is very minor (I'm just freakishly aware of things like that), this is a very well written novel. Check out the first chapter and see if you'd like to read it too.

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:

Anna Patricio

and the book:

Asenath

Imajin Books (September 24, 2011)

***Special thanks to Anna Patricio for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Anna Patricio is a lover of ancient history, with a particular interest in Egypt, Israel, Greece, and Rome. She is also intrigued by the Ancient Near East, though she has not delved too much into it but hopes to one day.

She undertook formal studies in Ancient History at Macquarie University. She focused mostly on Egyptology and Jewish-Christian Studies, alongside a couple of Greco-Roman units, and one on Archaeology. Though she knew there were very limited job openings for ancient history graduates, she pursued her degree anyway as it was something she had always been passionate about.

Then, about a year after her graduation, the idea to tackle historical fiction appeared in her head, and she began happily pounding away on her laptop. ASENATH is her first novel.

Recently, she traveled to Lower Egypt (specifically Cairo and the Sinai), Israel, and Jordan. She plans to return to Egypt soon, and see more of it. In the past, she has also been to Athens and Rome.

Anna is currently working on a second novel, which still takes place in Ancient Egypt, but hundreds of years after ASENATH.

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Two Destinies...One Journey of Love

In a humble fishing village on the shores of the Nile lives Asenath, a fisherman's daughter who has everything she could want. Until her perfect world is shattered.

When a warring jungle tribe ransacks the village and kidnaps her, separating her from her parents, she is forced to live as a slave. And she begins a journey that will culminate in the meeting of a handsome and kind steward named Joseph.

Like her, Joseph was taken away from his home, and it is in him that Asenath comes to find solace...and love. But just as they are beginning to form a bond, Joseph is betrayed by his master's wife and thrown into prison.

Is Asenath doomed to a lifetime of losing everything and everyone she loves?

Product Details:
List Price: $13.99
Paperback: 222 pages
Publisher: Imajin Books (September 24, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1926997263
ISBN-13: 978-1926997261

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Egypt 1554 B.C.

The Nile had just flooded, leaving the ground moist, rich and black. The children of our riverside village, I among them, frolicked about in the cool, gooey earth. In the distance, the ancient river circled the land, glittering with a thousand tiny dancing lights from the sun-god's Boat of a Million Years. A breeze blew, rustling the branches of the palm trees that surrounded our home.
"Kiya!"
No sooner had I looked than a mud ball pelted me hard across the stomach.
"I'll get you for that, Menah." I bent down to gather mud in my hands when another ball landed on my back. He was a quick one, my best friend.
I had just formed a mud ball and was about to raise my arm when Menah suddenly charged forward and pounced on me.
"Now you'll get the tickle torture," he said in a mock evil voice.
"No, Menah. Please, no." But I was overcome by uncontrollable laughter.
"Menah! Kiya!" voices called out, interrupting our playful wrestling.
Our mothers approached.
"Come out now," my mother called. "It is time to prepare for the Feast of Hapi."
Covered in mud from head to toe, Menah and I scrambled toward them.
Mama shook her head, smiling. "You're such a mess."
She led me back to our hut.
"What is going to happen tonight, Mama?" I asked. "I mean, after we pray to Hapi? Will there be games?"
Mama's blue eyes twinkled against her brown skin. "I see no reason why there shouldn't be."
"And lots of food?"
"All the food you could ever want."
"May I wear my lotus necklace today?"
Years ago, when I was very young, Mama had given me a beautiful carved lapis lazuli lotus pendant strung on a simple piece of coarse rope. She told me it had been in her family for many generations and that her grandmother had received it from Hapi himself.
She ruffled my hair. "Of course. Today is, after all, a special day."
As we entered our mud hut, which had been my home since birth, I saw my father mending one of his fisherman's nets. When he saw me, he pretended to cower in fear.
"A mud monster has entered our house."
I laughed. "It's just me, Papa."
He leaned forward and squinted, as if trying to get a good look, though the gesture was comically exaggerated. "Is it? Let me see. Ah yes, it's my little Kiya."
He leapt to his feet, picked me up and swung me around, ignoring the mud that soiled his hands. I squealed with delight.
"Nakhti," Mama said. "I have to get her ready."
"Yes." Papa set me down. He gave me a gentle slap across the back, motioning for me to return to Mama.
"I get to wear the lotus today, Papa."
He smiled. "I am sure you will look very pretty."
Later that afternoon, four priests from a nearby town passed by our village. They shouldered on poles our patron god's idol, which nestled upon a bed of water lilies. A ray of sunlight bounced off the golden image and it flashed with brilliance. Behind the god was a small train of dancing priestesses. They rattled sistrums and twirled around, their white dresses billowing out like clouds.
My fellow villagers and I were assembled outside our village, awaiting the god's arrival. When he appeared, we fell to our knees and touched our foreheads to the sandy ground.
"Glorious Hapi," my father intoned. "We thank you for once again allowing your water to flow and give life. We thank you for nourishing our land and our people. We pray your sacred pitchers never cease to flow. We thank you, great god of the Nile."
My heart swelled with pride. Papa was the most renowned fisherman in our village. Though he was quite an old man - many years older than my mother - he possessed skills and strength that surpassed even those of the younger generations. Everyone thus hailed him as the favoured of the river god.
"Praise be to you, Hapi," I echoed along with the rest of my fellow villagers.
As the idol trailed away, we rose to our feet and gathered up the amulets and flowers, which we would be tossing into the Nile as offerings. It was sunset now and sheer red-orange skies cast a fiery glow upon the river's rippling surface. From a distance, we heard the warbling of river fowl and the screeching of monkeys.
We approached the riverbank. It was still soft and muddy from the inundation. We tossed our offerings in. All the while, Papa chanted hymns of praise. Afterward, we returned to the village for what we children had been anticipating the most - the games.
A kind, respectable widow named Mekten, whom everyone called "Village Mother", held a game called the "statue dance." She played a reed flute while we danced and would stop at random moments without warning. We had to freeze as soon as the music stopped. Those who were still dancing were out of the game.
My friends and I loved it so much that Mekten held several rounds of it. Unfortunately, I always lost, as I always got so caught up in the liveliness of the game. However, she awarded me a small spinning top as a prize for being the best dancer.
I danced so much that I could barely keep my eyes open as we later sat down to the feast. Papa picked me up and carried me back to our hut. I was too tired to protest. As soon as he lay me down, I fell into a deep sleep.
That night, I dreamt I was on a great winged barque sailing along the Nile. It was a bright day, with the white-golden Egyptian sun shining gloriously and flocks of ibises and herons gleaming against the clear blue sky. A group of friendly monkeys, like those who usually wandered near my family's hut, kept me company on the deck, entertaining me with their hilarious antics.
Suddenly, the skies darkened and the water began to thrash against the barque. The monkeys leapt up and down, screeching frantically. I grabbed onto the rail.
Thunder rumbled. Fierce white waves threatened to haul us overboard. The barque tipped to a dangerous level and I began to scream.
Waking, I placed my hand over my heart, which was pounding fiercely. I was about to heave a sigh of relief when I heard the rumbling from my dream. I sat up, my chest constricting in fear once more. The noise sounded like it was coming from outside our hut.
The rumbling stopped.
I heard a strange voice shouting in a language I could not understand.
My father appeared beside me. In the dim light, I could see the outline of his bony profile as he knelt by my side.
"What's that noise, Papa?"
He put his arms around me and before he could answer, a chilling scream sliced through the air. Other screams followed. Soon, the air was filled with a frightening cacophony - screams, cries and more shouts in that strange language.
Papa's grip on me tightened. "Come, Kiya. We must hide you."
The door of our hut flew open.
Two enormous, fearsome-looking warriors towered like the tallest trees. Their faces were thickly painted in bright, garish colours. They wore loincloths made of animal skin and peculiar pointed headdresses that emphasised their unusual height. In their hands were spears that glinted threateningly.
Mama screamed.
One of the warriors shouted something, while waving toward us. Another dashed forward and snatched me out of Papa's protective hold.
"Papa!"
The monster hauled me outside.
I kicked and flailed. "Papa!"
"Kiya!" Papa hurried after me.
Alas, though he was strong and agile, he was no match for these giants. They ran with such enormous strides that in no time he was out of sight.
"Papa?" I writhed about in the warrior's iron grip. "Papa!"
I felt a blow to the back of my head and the world turned black.
Cold water slapped my face. When I opened my eyes, I was staring into the massive painted face of my captor.
"Get up," he snarled. His breath was fouler than rotten fish.
I struggled to my feet. Though I was still in a daze, I dared not disobey.
The warrior grabbed my arm and led me through pitch-black darkness. I was certain he was going to kill me. My chest tightened with fear.
He led me out into a brightly lit clearing. It looked like we were in the midst of a dense jungle. A campfire crackled at the centre where the warrior's comrades sat feasting and talking.
Relief washed over me when I noticed my fellow villagers huddled together at the far end. Menah was with them.
I smiled. "Menah!"
The warrior slapped me hard across the face. "You are not to speak. If you do so again, we will kill you."
I shuddered, though I was less frightened than before now that I knew I was not alone.
The warrior dragged me over to the villagers and shoved me amongst them. "Stay with them. No talking and no trying to escape." He glared at us, then went to the fire to join the others.
Menah took my hand.
"Where are my parents?" I asked in a bare whisper.
He looked at me sadly and shook his head.
I knew what that meant. They were not there.
I suddenly threw up.
In a flash, the warrior was before us. "What's going on here?"
No one answered.
"She felt sick and vomited," our village mother Mekten said finally.
The warrior turned to his comrades and said something in their language. They laughed boisterously. He shook his head and returned to them.
Tears spilled from my eyes. Menah held me and rocked me, comforting me. I sobbed for a long time, eventually crying myself to sleep.
What followed was an arduous journey through the jungle. The scorching sun was merciless and mosquitoes bit my arms, legs and face. The entire time, our captors threatened to murder us and I might have actually died with despair had it not been for the familiar faces around me.
I do not know how far we travelled, but just as I thought we would perish, one of the warriors announced we had reached our destination.
It was early evening. We were led toward a tribal encampment illuminated by a towering bonfire. Drumbeats pounded in my ears as we drew nearer. When we entered the camp, I saw tents made of dyed animal hides, as well as poles topped with the decapitated heads of people and animals. I averted my eyes, trying to erase the horrific images from my head.
The drums were deafening as the tribespeople surrounded us. Like our captors, they were wrapped in animal skins. Their bodies were pierced in just about every part and painted in bright colours. I shuddered when a small child with painted teeth and a pierced nose came over and poked at my face.
My fellow villagers and I were lined up in front of the bonfire. I thought for sure they would murder us. I whimpered as one of the warriors strode up to us. I recognised him. He had entered my family's hut.
The warrior paced the length of our row. "Do you know why you are all here?"
No one answered.
He glared at us. "Many years ago, your Pharaoh murdered our chieftain. I am that chieftain's son and will now avenge my father's death. Until your king makes amends, we will continue to destroy your wretched country. If he does not, we will fight until Egypt is no more."
As he reached me, he stopped pacing and smiled, revealing crooked yellow teeth. "What is your name, little girl?" His voice was gentle.
"K-Kiya," I squeaked.
"What a beautiful girl you are. Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are?"
I did not answer.
"How old are you?"
"Nine."
"Ah. Perfect." His hideous grin widened. "You will be my slave, Kiya. And when your red moon comes, you will become my bride."
I stared at him, too horrified to speak.
He stepped forward. "That flower around your neck goes very well with your lovely face." He fingered the lotus pendant and I pulled back.
"Where are my parents?" I blurted.
"We left them behind, little one. We have no use for them." He laughed cruelly.
My fear was replaced by rage. "I want my parents. Bring me back to my parents."
One of the warriors rushed toward me, but the chieftain held up his hand. He stared into space for a moment. "Very well. If you work hard, I will send for your parents by the time you and I are ready to marry."
My anger began to abate. "You mean that?" I looked into his dark eyes, which were surrounded by a strange painted pattern of dots.
"Yes. So what do you say, little Kiya? Are you going to work hard?"
I hated that he called me "little Kiya." It sounded like he was trying to replace Papa. But I knew that if I wanted to see my parents again, I had to be obedient and silent.
I nodded.
"Good," he said, turning away.
"What is a red moon?" I asked.
Some of my fellow villagers stared at me, aghast, while the tribespeople roared with laughter.
The chieftain approached Mekten. "Be Kiya's advisor and explain to her what a red moon is. I am sure you know full well." He winked at her.
I felt sick at that gesture, even though I did not understand what it meant.
Mekten nodded in submission.
The chieftain waved his arm, inviting his people to pick slaves from among us.
A tall, thin woman with large bone earrings and a cold expression led Mekten and I to the chieftain's large tent. When we stepped inside, I nearly screamed. The place was festooned with more disembodied animal heads, as well as enormous wooden masks with frightening expressions. The dim light from torches cast shadows on the eerie things, making them look almost alive.
The tribeswoman pointed to a dirty mat at the far end of the tent. "You will sleep there. Go now." Mekten and I headed for the mat, but the tribeswoman grabbed Mekten's arm. "Not you. You will stay here."
I stared at them, confused, and the woman glared at me. "Go!"
I hurried over to the mat as the tribeswoman extinguished the torch, plunging the tent into complete darkness.
All was silent. Then the tent's flap rose, revealing the bulky profile of the chieftain. He shuffled inside and the flap swung closed.
Not long after, I heard Mekten crying out in fear and pain. Heavy breathing followed. The louder Mekten screamed, the heavier the breathing grew.
Though I had no idea what was happening, I knew I was hearing something bad. I covered my ears, but it was no use. Similar screams rose from the neighbouring tents. I slept amongst nightmares, waking at times to the sound of terrified cries and heartbreaking sobbing.
The following morning, Mekten acted scared of everything and everyone, which wasn't like her. I wanted to make her feel better, but I didn't know how. Even the most trivial things I did frightened her.
Throughout the day, I kept a distance from her. But at times, I tried to reach out to her. She was, after all, one of our dearest family friends.
"Mekten," I said in a timid voice. "What is a red moon?"
Mekten looked at me with sad eyes. Finally, she took a deep breath and explained everything in a shaky voice before breaking down.

The Qur'an Dilemma English (The Qur'an Dilemma English, Volume 1)

2012-02-20T23:52:00.001-05:00

When the book, The Qur'an Dilemma English (The Qur'an Dilemma English, Volume 1), came in the mail, I was immediately impressed by the cover and the workmanship involved in its making. Gorgeous, with full color! My husband and son grabbed it up and fought for dibs on who was to read it first. They are still going at it. I believe there are to be 3 volumes in this collection. We will have to buy the others. Very informative, this is written by former Muslims.

Here's what the PR Specialist told me when she sent out the query for a blog tour:

We know that the Muslim population is growing in the U.S. And we know that Jesus can save a Muslim as easily as He can save anyone who comes to Him. And we know that we have as much responsibility as Christians to reach Muslims with the saving Truth of the Gospel as we do anyone else walking this earth.
But what do Muslims believe? How can we know--really know--that what we are told about Islam is true? How can we even begin a conversation with someone whose way of life and religion we know nothing of...and may even be fearful of?
For the first time in history, we can know exactly what The Quran says. A group of former Muslims who became Christians several years ago decided to take on an enormous task: go through the Quran, sura by sura (sura is akin to chapter) and share it in Arabic and English. The result is Volume I of The Quran Dilemma.
Unlike Christianity, Islam doesn't encourage its believers to own a copy of the Quran and read it for themselves. They are dependent on the imam (something like the local preacher, in Christianity) to read from the Quran and interpret it.
But now it is accessible. You can read it for yourself, along with articles about what Islam says regarding certain topics, whether that verse's directive was later changed when Mohammed claimed to get a new revelation, and more.
And you can know that you are reading something created by people who love Jesus for who He says He was and is.
These books are hard cover, full color. We have a limited supply. If you'd like to join the tour and review a copy of The Quran Dilemma, please reply quickly and we'll get you on the list.

"This book has the potential of destroying the concept that the Quran is perfect. But it says it in a scholarly fashion that strangely is not offensive."

GEORGE HOUSSNEY, Founder and Director,

Horizons International, Boulder, CO

"I consider this book to be a clear reference that would help me as a minister in dialoguing with my Muslim brothers. Every Christian minister interested in communicating the gospel message to a Muslim brother needs a copy of this book."

SAMUEL FAWZI, Elder, Kasr El Dobarah Evangelical Church,

Healing Channel Television Host, Cairo, Egypt

Book Description:

The Qur'an is the very foundation of Islam. It is the source of all laws and practices, religious or otherwise, in Islamic countries and societies. The Qur'an itself is divided into 114 chapters, or suras, of different lengths. This first volume of the The Qur'an Dilemma investigates the first nine of these suras. Each sura contains the text of the Qur'an complemented with these well-annotated elements: * Introduction, outlining the major subjects * Critical analysis of key verses, focusing on their historical accounts, scientific information, logic, and literary structure. * Variant readings of certain verses, highlighting how the Arabic text has been read by others in ways that differ from the current common readings. Emphasis is given to the variation in the text itself, especially by those who do not agree with the codification made by 'Uthman's committee * Abrogated verses with analytical comments, explaining how the authority and understanding of such verses are impacted by other verses. (Abrogation is a phenomenon peculiar to the Qur'an, in which hundreds of verses have been annulled or replaced by other verses.....

Product Details:
Price: $39.95
Hardcover
Publisher: Water Life Publishing (2011)
ISBN-10: 1935577034
ISBN-13: 978-1935577034

Review of FAIRIES from Nora St. Laurent

2012-02-07T02:30:00.000-05:00

Nora Stlaurent's review

Jan 26, 12

Read in December, 2011

Review: Have you seen the movie Tooth Fairy or The S.A.N.T.A. Clause? Read the book Hinds Feet in High Places? F.A.I.R.I.E.S. reminded me of parts of these movies and book. I’m thankful to have received a review copy of such an imaginative book. This author combines fantasy with reality like the two movies I mentioned and is an allegory like the book Hinds Feet in High Places. Mellie is the only human in the story. She is surrounded with mystical characters like Lord of the Rings has with fairies, elves, gnomes, gremlins, dragons, dwarfs just to name a few and she’s trying to make sense of this new world she has just entered, like Lucy in C.S. Lewis’s book Narnia.

M.C. Pearsons is not only the author of this youth fantasy but she is the illustrator as well. Her pictures are scattered throughout the book. They illustrate for the reader her imaginative characters

Mellie is a disgruntled human who wishes to escape the home life she has with her dreadful sisters. “Just once she wanted to do something that would make her sisters see that she wasn’t stupid, awkward, ugly, and a little baby.” She wanted to live in a family where she was loved and accepted. Maybe she could runaway and find a better place to live.

Suddenly Mellis finds herself deep into the forest unsure of where to go next, then she runs into the strangest sight, a walking stick that talks.

Is this a dream she wonders? Then suddenly the walking stick ushers her into the labyrinth of the F.A.I.R.I.E.S. She doesn’t know what to think. Everything was quite magical. Just like in the Santa Clause and Tooth Fairy movies she sees everyone working together as a team for a common goal, she’ll learn later.

The walking stick finally introduces himself to her, his name is Regnans. He says, Welcome to the F.A.I.R.I.E.S. it stands for
F – Fantastical
A – Aerial
I – International
R- Reasonably
I- Inconspicious
E- Emancepation
S – Squads

They have accepted her into their organization. Regnans goes on to tell she has been “chosen” by the One. He tells her, “You made a choice to run away from a miserable life and asked to be set free?..... Right? You asked – we answered – you are accepted.”

Mellie is surprised and says, “But I don’t believe in fairies….”

“Follow-Me. I’ll enroll you for training. We are at war.” Move quickly.

She replies, “I’m not at war with anyone”

Regnan says, “You are at war. The darone wants to stamp out the light.”

This is where the story reminded me of the Tooth Fairy and how he goes into training. He learns all he can and then makes the mission his own.

Mellie embarks on a magical adventure as “chosen” by the One to be trained as a soldier of the light to fight the shadow whose set on fighting humans.

She also is in search of the One who truly loves and accepts her for who she is and was created to be.

I enjoyed this journey into the F.A.I.R.I.E.S. training and beyond!! It was fun, entertaining and yet there was a depth to this story I enjoyed. I also like the surprising twists and turns Mellie takes in her search to find the One and her mission in life.

Are you looking for a story that will whisk you into a magical land and help you not think about the worries of this world; at the same time bring comfort and joy to your soul? Then search no more F.A.I.R.I.E.S. is the book for you and the young people in your life. It will spark great conversation for you and any book clubs that would like to read it.

Nora St.Laurent
The Book Club Network
www.bookfun.org

#37 F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire Blog Tour!

2012-01-27T14:18:00.000-05:00

This is what Rachelle Sperling of Sojourner's Journey had to say about F.A.I.R.I.E.S.:

Geared primarily for children and pre-teens, F.A.I.R.E.S. (Fantastical, Aerial, International, Reasonably Inconspicuous, Emancipation Squads) is the story of Mellie (12 going on 13) and her adventure of being chosen and choosing to serve the One.

While I love fantasy and read a fair amount of children's and young adult fiction, I had a difficult time getting into this book. In order to show the growth of her character Mellie, the author starts with a self-centered, whiny young girl. Maybe Pearson did a bit too thorough a job in showing Mellie's unflattering side, because I just couldn't find anything about Mellie's character to connect with until well into the story. Mellie's character development reminded me a bit of both Edmund and Eustace from C.S. Lewis' Narnia, but when Mellie was introduced there were no other (more noble) characters to help me stay connected to the story.

Still, I'm glad that I kept reading. About a quarter of the way into the book Mellie's character started to take on a more rounded personality and I enjoyed the development of the relationships within her squad of fantastical being friends. Though I must admit that it seemed odd how Mellie went from being a self-centered twelve year old to acting like a mature sixteen or seventeen year old in the span of four months, the changes in Mellie moved the story along in a way that helped me connect to the lessons she was learning.

Despite the fact that it took some time for me to feel involved in the storyline, Mimi's imagination knows no bounds. As I read I became immersed in a world of strange and fascinating creatures exploring the riddles of dragons and the representation of the One.

Once I settled in to the story I enjoyed it and I look forward to seeing more from Mimi Pearson and her tales of the realm. Her grand imagination will no doubt continue to spark the interest of her target audience as she weaves tales of light, darkness and the One who is above it all.
Thanks to the author for sending me a digital copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Aloisius by Jonathon Charlap (Cover Design by FIRST Wild Card Press)

2012-01-25T00:24:00.001-05:00

FIRST Wild Card Press was asked to help redesign the cover for Aloisius by Jonathon Charlap.

Here's the original cover:

Here's the new and improved version of the cover by M. C. Pearson:

Love to hear your feedback! Soon, FIRST Wild Card Press will open services for cover art and book set up/design.

Firethorn by Ronie Kendig

2012-01-22T17:20:00.001-05:00

My Thoughts: Although I have not yet read this, I've heard a lot of great things about it. Read the first chapter below to see if you'd be interested!

Today's Wild Card author is:

Ronie Kendig

and the book:

Firethorn, Discarded Heroes #4

Barbour Books; Discarded Heroes edition (2012)

***Special thanks to Ronie Kendig for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

An Army brat, Ronie Kendig grew up in the classic military family, with her father often TDY and her mother holding down the proverbial fort. Their family moved often, which left Ronie attending six schools by the time she’d entered fourth grade. Her only respite and “friends” during this time were the characters she created.

It was no surprise when she married a military veteran—her real-life hero—in June 1990. Married more than twenty years, Ronie and her husband, Brian, homeschool their four children, the first of whom graduated in 2011. Despite the craziness of life, Ronie finds balance and peace with her faith, family and their three dogs in Dallas, TX.

Ronie has a deep love and passion for people, especially hurting people, which is why she pursued and obtained a B.S. in Psychology from Liberty University. Ronie is an active member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and has volunteered extensively, serving in a variety of capacities from coordinator of a national contest to appointment assistant at the national annual conference.

Since launching onto the publishing scene in 2010, Ronie and her books have been gained critical acclaim and national attention, including:

Finalist in Christian Retailing’s 2011 Readers’ Choice Awards (Nightshade)
RWA’s Faith, Hope, & Love’s 2011 Inspirational Readers’ Choice Awards in Romantic Suspense (Nightshade)
Named one of the Top 25 Christian Fiction Suspense, Mystery, and Thriller Writers by FamilyFiction (Sept 2011)
2011 FamilyFiction Readers’ Choice Awards – 3^rd place as New Favorite Author, 8^th place with Nightshade for Novel of the Year.
INSPY Award Shortlist final in Mystery/Thriller (Dead Reckoning)
The Christian Manifesto’s 2010 Lime Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction (Nightshade)

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Blown and dismantled, Nightshade is ready to repay the favor.

Former Marine and current Nightshade team member Griffin "Legend" Riddell is comfortable. So comfortable he never sees the set up that lands him in a maximum security prison, charged with murder. How can he prove his innocence behind bars?

Covert operative Kazi Faron is tasked with reassembling Nightshade—the black ops team someone dissected. Breaking Griffin out of a federal penitentiary amid explosive confusion may turn out to be her last assignment. What will it take to convince the fugitive that whoever set him up has also dissected the Nightshade team? As Kazi and Griffin race to rescue the others and discover the traitor,
love begins to awaken in their hearts.

Can a covert operative and the felon she's freed overcome their mutual distrust long enough to save Nightshade? Will anything prepare them for who—or what is coming?

Product Details:

List Price: $12.99

Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Barbour Books; Discarded Heroes edition (2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1602607850
ISBN-13: 978-1602607859

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

To all American military heroes

At home and abroad,

Those who have gone before

and those serving today—

THANK YOU!

Because of you, we are FREE!

RECON CREED

Realizing it is my choice and my choice alone to be a Reconnaissance Marine, I accept all challenges involved with this profession. Forever shall I strive to maintain the tremendous reputation of those who went before me.
Exceeding beyond the limitations set down by others shall be my goal. Sacrificing personal comforts and dedicating myself to the completion of the reconnaissance mission shall be my life. Physical fitness, mental attitude, and high ethics—The title of Recon Marine is my honor.
Conquering all obstacles, both large and small, I shall never quit. To quit, to surrender, to give up is to fail. To be a Recon Marine is to surpass failure; To overcome, to adapt and to do whatever it takes to complete the mission.
On the battlefield, as in all areas of life, I shall stand tall above the competition. Through professional pride, integrity, and teamwork, I shall be the example for all Marines to emulate.
Never shall I forget the principles I accepted to become a Recon Marine. Honor, Perseverance, Spirit, and Heart.
A Recon Marine can speak without saying a word and achieve what others can only imagine.

Swift, Silent, Deadly

Chapter 1

The Shack
      “It’s sad, really.” Marshall “The Kid” Vaughn trudged away from the thumping rotors of the helo that had deposited them back at the Shack, his pack almost dragging the ground. “Ya don’t realize how much a person adds until he’s gone.”
      “Legend’s not gone.” Max “Frogman” Jacobs hoisted his rucksack into a better group, his mind locked on Sydney and their two sons waiting for him at home. Poor woman had to be going out of her mind with two of his Mini-Me’s running around.
      “Yeah.” John “Squirt” Dighton hit the light breaker, then waited for the six-man team to clear the door. “He’s just temporarily detained.”
      Lights sizzled and popped to life. Groaning bounced off the grimy windows as he hauled the door closed, locked it, then started toward the showers.
      The Kid grunted. “Forty-years-to-life temporary.”
      In the locker room, a depressive gloom hung over the team. They’d been on countless missions, hit just about every terrain and environment imaginable, but none had taken the toll the last couple had. And there was one reason—they were down a man. Griffin “Legend” Riddell. If Max could write the playbook, they wouldn’t do another mission without the guy. But with the man in federal prison for murdering a congressman, it’d be a long wait.
      It was quiet. Too quiet. Max looked around the Spartan room. Walls of lockers, most unused. A few benches. A giant once-white bin for dirty duds. And the team. Six men, now. All very skilled. Good men. Even the one missing. Every man here knew Legend had been set up—he didn’t murder that congressman. But nobody could prove it. The evidence was damning. Justice—injustice was more like it—came swiftly. Lambert, ever the puppeteer, couldn’t pull the right strings to get Legend off.
      “I’m heading up to visit him tomorrow. Anyone game?” Colton “Cowboy” Neeley slumped on a bench and ran a hand over his short, dark hair. His blue eyes probed the group.
      “Nah, man. I’ve got a date,” the Kid said.
      Squirt beaned him with a towel. “What girl would go out with you, mate?”
      The Kid snapped the terry cloth back at the former Navy SEAL. “Your sister.”
      Squirt froze. His jaw went slack. Then his eyes darkened.
      Laughing, Canyon “Midas” Metcalfe rose to his feet from the corner. “You just proved his point by thinking your sister would actually go out with him.”
      Squirt swallowed, his face drained of color. “I introduced them at a New Year’s party.”
      Midas laughed harder. “Your mistake, mate.”
      Shuffling closer, Squirt pointed a finger at the Kid. “I swear, you touch her, I’ll shove a fist full of witchety grubs down your gullet.”
      “Give me credit, dude.” The Kid raised his hands. “I’m a gentleman.”
      Max grunted. “Right.” As he strode around the lockers to the shower well, he heard more threats and much more laughter from the Kid. Max shook his head. Would the Kid ever grow up, learn when to leave things alone?
      As he tossed his oily, grimy duds on the bench, Max paused, thinking maybe he should send his report to Lambert now so he wouldn’t have to mess with it tomorrow. The mission had been simple enough, a snatch-n-grab of an Iranian doctor. It’d been nice and clean, in and out. The report wouldn’t take long. Then he could shower, bug out, and know he had the whole weekend with Syd and the boys.
      Max jogged up the iron stairs, which creaked and groaned beneath his weight. Down the hall to the right. He punched in the code and entered the secure hub, the door hissing shut behind him. The most high-tech part of this dump-of-a-warehouse.
      Shouts drew his attention to the blinds. He jabbed two fingers between a couple and spread them to peeked down into the main area. Squirt and the Kid raced into the bay and back the way they came. Squirt looked ready to kill. The Kid’s face revealed his fear. Max shook his head again. Man, he wanted Griffin back. The guy seemed to bring balance to the team. Badly needed balance.
      Max powered up the computer. Hand propped on the warped wood, he waited for the system to boot.
      More shouts. Loud thuds.
      He pinched the bridge of his nose. Would they never—?
      Tat-a-tat! Tat-tat-a-tat!
      Instinct drove Max to his knee at the sound of gunfire. He scrambled to the window. Through the slanted blinds, he peered down into the slab of cement. His brain wouldn’t assemble what he saw. Gunmen. A dozen or more. Rushing into the Shack from the parking bay. Moving swiftly, as if. . .
      They know the layout.
      Max darted to the door and jerked it open. He sprinted down the hall toward the stairs. As his boot hit steel, he froze. A shadow emerged. Floated into the hall.
      Too late.
      Max jerked back. Pressed his spine against the wall.
      By the showers, the Kid looked up. Max signaled to him. Then made his best and loudest Nightshade whistle, hoping it would penetrate the building, give the men warning to take cover.
      The Kid threw himself back into the locker room.
      Men swarmed the corner. One looked to his left, one right. His weapon slowly rose as he traced the stairs with his M16.
      Max leapt backward into the darkness and into office. He closed the door. As the lock clicked, darkness dropped like an anchor over the entire building. Behind him, a glow screamed his location. The monitor!
      Max spun. Lunged across the desk. Stabbed the power button. And paused with his hand still near the monitor. If someone was coming after them. . .accessing this computer. . .
      On his knees, Max yanked the cords free. With the box, he moved to the window and reassessed the parking bay. Another van with a half-dozen men with AK-47s. They streamed into the warehouse.
      Max’s gut wound into a dozen knots. They were screwed.
      Think! Hand on the door, he considered going back downstairs. But that would get him captured. Killed. Yet he’d rather be with his guys than running like a chicken.
      No, not running. Considering options, gaining the advantage. Planning. The invasion force was armed to the teeth. They knew who they were coming after. They’d brought weapons. And those guys moved with precision. Swift, deadly precision.
      Though Nightshade had a stellar ops record, perhaps they had finally met their match. Still. . .two to one? Nightshade had faced worse.
      A large black Suburban screeched to a halt in the middle of the parking bay. Two men emerged, both wearing trench coats.
      Max cursed his luck to be up here, away from his gear, his weapons. Up here, without firepower. Thus, powerless.
      Okay, enough. He was going down there. He eased the door open and slid across the hall. Bathed in darkness, he crouched at edge of the landing, using the wall for cover. A dozen men so far, rushing here and there. Quick, quiet chatter between the men.
      A smirk slid into Max’s face. His team had taken cover and these goons couldn’t find them. If he could just get a weapon. . .
      “Can’t find them.”
      “They’re here. I saw them go in,” the man nearest the SUV shouted. “Find them! Lights!”
      Light rushed through the building as headlamps from the vehicles stabbed the dusty, damp building. Max yanked back, out of sight. He needed to get down there, defend his men. His boot hit the landing.
      Shouts erupted. A shot bounced off the steel rafters, taunting as it echoed through the Shack. Stilled, Max waited. More shouts. The sound of a scuffle. The half-dozen men waiting by the SUV lifted their weapons to the ready.
      The locker room door swung open. A man walked backward, his AK-47 aimed at a large form filling the doorway. Cowboy. Arms raised, dressed only in his jeans, he stalked forward. Someone shoved him from behind, which barely moved the big lug.
      Spine pressed against the wood, Max peered down into the bay.
      “You move one wrong muscle,” the one in front of Cowboy growled, “and so help me God, I’ll kill you.”
      “No you won’t.” Cowboy lowered his hands. “If you wanted me dead, I wouldn’t be out here.”
      Ride ’em, Cowboy.
      From the side entrance to the showers, three men dragged a shouting, cursing Kid into the bay. Max smirked that it took three tangos to wrangle the Kid.
      Hand clenched, Max’s mind went into overdrive. What could he do? God. . .I need. . .something. What could he pray for? Intercepting the team was impossible. Twelve, fifteen armed tangos against one unarmed man?
      He latched on to the hope that they’d only found Cowboy and the Kid. No Midas, Squirt, or Aladdin. Good. Maybe they could regroup and—
      A man flew through the bay door from the showers and landed with a thud a yard from the others. Midas flipped over, scissored his legs, and swept the thug off his feet. The Kid seized the confusion to attack the men guarding him. And impressively. With a hard right, he dropped the first and used that weapon to disable the second.
      Cowboy took a step back and rammed his elbow into the gut of the nearest guard. The gunman bent forward—straight into Cowboy’s meaty fist. The big guy pivoted, slapped the interior of the gunman’s wrist, effectively seizing the weapon and flipping the muzzle around. He fired at the guy.
      Crack!
      In the split second it took for Max to realize the sonic boom that rent the air wasn’t the report of Cowboy’s .45 MEU but of a rifle, Max saw the man in the black trench coat drop to the ground. A circle spread out like a dark halo.
      “Sniper!” someone shouted.
      The dead guy had fallen backward. Most likely shot from the front. Which meant. . . Max’s gaze rose to the rafters. With no light, it’d be the perfect hiding spot. But. . .who? Squirt? Aladdin?
      Crack!
      The man guarding Colton stumbled forward, then went to his knees before hitting the cement.
      The man in the black trench coat nearest the SUV dropped. A pool of blood spilled out.
      “There!” One guard swung and fired his fully automatic at the ceiling. Four others followed suit, firing at the bank of grimy windows on the southeast wall of the building.
      Max followed their direction and watched. Waited, his breath caught at the back of his throat. Cracks and shattering glass blended with the staccato punches of the guns to create a wild cacophony of noise. Max tuned it out, praying whoever—Aladdin or Squirt—wouldn’t be hit.
      But then he saw it. A shift of a shadow. Like someone rolling. . .
      The gunfire petered out as a body plummeted the eight feet to the ground.
      The thud seemed to have supernatural powers as it pounded Max’s chest and pushed him back. Away from the window but not far enough that he lost line of sight.
      Silence dropped on the Shack.
      “Where’s Max Jacobs?”
      As the question streaked through the warehouse, Max registered a red glow in the far corner. Even as he noticed it, he heard a beep. Another. His gaze darted to the source of the noise. Two men were walking the perimeter, their M16s dangling as they raised their arms and pressed something against the supports. Arms lowered and the men stepped back revealing gray bricks with wires.
      Explosives.
      Gotta stop this. Do something. His gaze collided with Cowboy’s. The big lug gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head.
      Max’s nostrils flared as he wrestled with what to do.
      “Where’s Dighton?”
      How do they know our names?
      “Dead,” someone answered.
      Pulled back into the shadows, Max clenched his eyes and bit down on his tongue. Dighton was dead. What about Aladdin—had he survived the fall?
      Sirens wailed in the distance.
      “Load ’em up.”
      “What about Jacobs?”
      “Outta time.” The leader left as the gunmen dragged the team out of the building.
      Stealthily, Max held on to the box and sprinted the length of the hall to the side of the Shack. In the conference room, he plunged toward the window. Craned his neck to peek out. Three vehicles—twin white vans and a black town car.
      The guys were loaded into the van and one into the car.
      The leader shifted, held something out, then it wavered.
      Detonator.
      Max spun around, searching for an out. Doors. Only one way down—the stairs. But they led to the bay, which would be engulfed.
      Windows. Overlooked the dock. The canal. It was January. The water would be brutal cold. His split-second assessment told him no matter what route he took, it’d be deadly. Despite his training, if he didn’t find shelter out of the water once he broke surface, he’d die an ice cube. If he stayed, he’d die a fireball.
      Good thing SEALs are insulated against cold water.
      Max vaulted toward the window, hurtling the computer through the window. The glass shattered as a violent force blasted through the air. It lifted him. Up. . .up. . . Flipped him. Searing pain sliced through his arm. Heat stroked his back and legs. Fire chased him out of the building. Into the night.
      Boom!
      Another wave slammed into him. Threw him backward. Toward the water.
      Something punched his gut. Knocked the breath from his lungs.
      Bright white lit the night. Blinded him. Then—almost instantaneously—black. Pure black. And he was falling. . .down. . .down. . .

Ro n i e K e n d i g

Firethorn

Discarded Heroes # 4

OTHER BOOKS BY RONIE KENDIG

Nightshade (Discarded Heroes #1)

Digitalis (Discarded Heroes #2)

Wolfsbane (Discarded Heroes #3)

© 2011 by Ronie Kendig

ISBN 978-1-60260-0785-9
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission of the publisher.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, and/or events is purely coincidental.

For more information about Ronie Kendig, please access the author’s Web site at the following Internet address: www.roniekendig.com

Published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., P.O. Box 719, Uhrichsville, OH 44683,

www.barbourbooks.com

Our mission is to publish and distribute inspirational products offering exceptional value and biblical encouragement to the masses.

Printed in the United States of America.

Coming Soon! Kindle Book Giveaway Party!

2012-01-20T02:52:00.001-05:00

During my birthday week, Feb. 21-25, I am giving you a gift! Download F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire on your Kindle for free!

F.A.I.R.I.E.S. Giveaway Contest!

2012-01-18T00:58:00.001-05:00

My friend, Melanie, is having a F.A.I.R.I.E.S. Giveaway Contest! Go HERE to see my interview and enter the contest. There are several ways to enter, so remember to press 'I did it' after the things you do. Also, you may enter each day in different ways. I am not in charge of this contest, but I will let you know who wins!

Open for 20 more days!

Here is how this giveaway works. If you win and live in the US or Canada, you will receive a print copy; but if you live anywhere else, you will receive a Kindle copy. In your comment, please mention what country you live in. Open Internationally!

#36 F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire Blog Tour!

2012-01-18T00:51:00.000-05:00

This is what MJ Chind had to say on her blog, Creative Madness:

It was a few years ago when I first started to read Mimi’s book and I was captivated. I was reading unedited versions and sending in opinions. I absolutely love starting with the foretelling of Gnome Dig Deep (see below) and the whit and whimsy of all the characters was soon to follow. At that time I have to admit that I did not finish reading, because it was before I had an ereader and then having a baby I was not able to sit at the computer to read much. Now that the real book is finally here, I’m so excited again!!

*Thanks to Mimi for providing a copy for review

#35 F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire Blog Tour!

2012-01-12T00:48:00.001-05:00

Here's what Lesley has to say about F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire on her blog, Dragonflies 'n Daydreams.

My thoughts:

What an interesting book! This story is full of imagination and tells a wonderful story. You'll find yourself smiling and feeling intrigued by the characters and fictitious land. Full of fantasy you will enjoy every moment of the fight against good and evil. With illustrations that capture your eye you will want to share this book with your young friends.

2012-01-07T03:58:00.002-05:00

My friend, Melanie is having a wonderful giveaway for her 1 year blogoversary! Click the button to learn more!

2012-01-05T16:20:00.000-05:00

Just received a 5 star review on Readers Favorite Book Reviews! I plan on entering their 2012 Book Award Contest.

Reviewed by Linda W. for Readers Favorite

This is a fantasy tale of good versus evil through the eyes of a young teenage girl, Mellie. Running from her sisters’ taunts, she finds herself caught up in the world of the F.A.I.R.I.E.S, where she will learn the world of spiritual warfare against the I.M.P.S. as she attends the F.A.I.R.I.E.S. academy and learns of the One–the light who always overcomes the darkness.

The unbelievable characters become a part of your life, as you learn of their ways. The military academy is tough, yet most of the classes are enjoyable and instructive. Plenty of humor is there, though some is lost in interpretation! I enjoyed the characters of Mellie, Spike, Lizzy, GroBe, and many others. They are rich, descriptive and eccentric. They are truly fantastical beings! What a super delightful book with deep spiritual meaning. The spiritual aspect is what makes the book so great, as it pertains to each of the characters and to us as well. I loved it. Your kids will, too!

This would make one extra-special birthday, Christmas, or any special occasion gift for some young girl or boy! Your child(ren) will learn truths that are pertinent to their lives. Pick one up today! Superb, intricate writing. Christian fantasy at its best! I am rating this a 5 out of 5!

I’m so excited as I never used to like books like this, let alone loving this one! This should become a classic for years to come!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-20T14:07:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas from our hearts to yours!

Protection for Hire by Camy Tang

2011-12-19T16:09:00.000-05:00

The latest book from Camy Tang, Protection for Hire, made my heart beat faster, my body giggle, and my stomach growl. Her writing is so much fun. I love her inner dialogue and the way she can make even the most serious scenes amusing. This new series promises to be exciting! It reminded me of a Bones episode, but Christian. The main character is 1/2 Japanese and 1/2 Irish, so you know she has a temper. Born into a Japanese mafia family, she becomes a Christian while in prison. When she gets out, she wants to stay away from her old life (and habits), but you know what they say about habits, don't you? She gets into lots of awkward spots, but with the help of a very cute lawyer, she is able to wiggle free. As always, Camy has lots of tantalizing food in her books. I inevitably end up eating some Asian food while reading. I give this book 5 stars...go out and buy it today! You'll have a lot of fun reading.

A Heart Renewed (Prescott Pioneers 2) by Karen Baney

2011-12-19T02:53:00.001-05:00

My 2 Cents: Although I am not a fan of historical fiction especially, prairie stuff, I have heard a lot of good things about this series. You may want to check out the first book in this series first. I have the first chapter for it on the FIRST blog here: A Dream Unfolding. The second book's chapter is below. Hope you enjoy!

Today's Wild Card author is:

Karen Baney

and the book:

A Heart Renewed (Prescott Pioneers 2)

Karen Baney (April 17, 2011)

***Special thanks to Karen Baney for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Karen Baney, in addition to writing Christian historical fiction and contemporary novels, works as a Software Engineer. Her faith plays an important role both in her life and in her writing. Karen and her husband make their home in Gilbert, Arizona, with their two dogs. She also holds a Masters of Business Administration from Arizona State University.

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Headstrong. Unconventional. Until life turns upside down…

Julia Colter struggles to accept life under her controlling brother’s greed. The suitors he selects would benefit him, but are far from the ideal husband for her. When her rebellion against her brother puts her life at risk, she turns to her friend for help.

Adam Larson longs to train horses and plans to head west to the Arizona Territory to see his dreams fulfilled. When his sister’s best friend shows up in the middle of the night, he agrees to help her flee. The decision changes his life, in more ways than he expected.

Can Julia forget the pain from her past and open her heart to love?

Product Details:

List Price: $14.99

Paperback: 338 pages
Publisher: Karen Baney (April 17, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0983548625
ISBN-13: 978-0983548621

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Star C Ranch, Texas

July 4, 1864

   “You cannot be serious, Reuben!” Julia Colter shouted, not caring that she might wake her niece and nephew from their afternoon nap. Pacing back and forth across the length of the kitchen, she stopped in front of her older brother, her temper flaring almost as hot as the stove. “He is balding and fat and twice my age!”
   “You will marry who I say!” Reuben thundered. “I expect you to treat Mr. Hiram Norton with the upmost respect this evening. He has shown great interest in you and the least you can do is be civil with the man.”
   “But, I could never love him!”
   As Reuben shoved her violently up against the wall, Julia’s breath left her lungs in a rush. Digging his fingers into her arms, she could feel the bruises starting to form. His brown eyes darkened with unrestrained anger as he glared down at her. She swallowed in fear, stunned by his abrupt action.
   “Stop, you’re hurting me,” she said, trying to break free from his vice like grip.
   He raised his hand as if he meant to strike her—something he had never done before. The action startled her to silence. Instead of hitting her across the face, as she thought he might, Reuben returned his hands to her upper arms squeezing even harder.
   Leaning so close the heat of his breath warmed her cheeks, he said, “You have no idea what hurt is, Julia. You are an insolent little whelp. You will paste a smile on that tart little face of yours. And you will do your best to win his affections or,” his voice menacing, “you will suffer my wrath, the likes of which you have yet to see.”
   Releasing his hold, he pushed her so that she tumbled to the floor in a heap. As he turned to walk away, he added in a sinister tone, “It would be best if you get used to the idea of Hiram Norton and give up fanciful notions of love, dear sister. You will not have that luxury. The sooner you come to accept that, the better it will go for you.”
   She sat in stunned silence as Reuben stalked to his office down the hall. Tears streaming down her face, Julia bolted to her feet, running out the front door of the ranch house to the nearby stables, still frightened by her brother’s brutal behavior.
   The smell of hay and horse assaulted her delicate senses as she selected a gentle mare. Throwing her saddle on the horse’s back, she led her from the barn. Once under the open blue skies, she shoved one foot into the stirrup, swinging her other leg over the mare, riding astride. Nudging the mare into a full gallop, Julia fled to the one place she would always feel free—the back of a horse in the wide open pastures.
   Reuben may be her guardian now, but she had only to endure a few more years of this before she would be of age and in control of her life. If only she could stop him from marrying her off before then.
   At seventeen, she considered herself too young to get married, though many women her age and younger married. She wasn’t ready. She didn’t pine for the responsibilities marriage entailed. She liked her freedom. But, when she was ready to marry, she would marry for love and not because Reuben wished it.
   Certainly, she would never marry Hiram Norton. The thirty-seven year old rancher was the exact opposite of what Julia wanted for a husband. His short stature and fading hairline made him look even older. He had a reputation for loving excess. When it came to food, his waistline showed the results of that love. There were other unsavory aspects to his reputation as well which included rumors that he frequented the saloon and brothel.
   No, the man for Julia would be young and handsome. His character would be impeccable, his honor undeniable. Land, money, and wealth held no importance to her. She only cared that her dream man would be able to provide for her and their family.
   As the wind tangled her long, sandy brown curls, she continued to press the horse for more speed—needing it to soothe her fear and anger. In the distance she saw the herd of longhorns kicking up dust. The sight sparked a memory of Will, the kinder, more honorable of the Colter brothers, sending her mind racing in another direction. So many times he’d taken Julia out to the pasture, teaching her how to rope, ride, and work with the cattle. Some thought such behavior unacceptable for a lady. She was glad to learn these skills. Should her handsome young dream man end up being a rancher, he might appreciate her ability to work the ranch by his side.
   Why hasn’t Will written? The thought of Will brought fresh tears as memories of his hasty departure flooded her mind. Not only had she buried her father, but she also lost the brother she was close to—all within a few short weeks. Almost a year ago, following her father’s death, Reuben forced Will to leave the ranch when he had been deeded the house and ranch. While Will and Reuben both received half of the herd and the financial holdings, Will was left with no home or land. Unable to find anything close, Will moved to the Arizona Territory, leaving Julia behind. Alone.
   The only time she heard from him was in November 1863. Will wrote that he, his men, and his cattle arrived safely and set up their new home near the Granite Creek settlement in the Arizona Territory—wherever that was. No other letters came.
   Despite the thirteen year age difference between Will and Julia, they adored each other. She followed him everywhere, never far from his side even when he worked with the herd. When she needed protecting, it was Will who came to her defense.
   Oh, how she could use his protection now. If he were here, he would stop Reuben from forcing her to marry that awful Hiram Norton.
   But, he wasn’t here. He was in a distant territory, far from Texas, far from her aid. Her father left her in Reuben’s care—not Will’s—even though Will would have been the better choice as far as Julia was concerned.
   Their father never saw the evil that clouded Reuben’s heart and he knew nothing of his manipulative ways. In her father’s eyes, Reuben was as good of a son as Will. If her father knew of Reuben’s late nights in town or of his forceful tactics for bankrupting other ranchers and taking over their lands, he turned a blind eye. She found it hard to fathom that father could have missed such thinly concealed behavior.
   As the mare started to struggle for breath, sides heaving with great effort, Julia eased up the pace. She was so torn. She had thought more than once to runaway to Arizona, but was afraid Reuben would find her and drag her back. Now he wanted her to flirt with Hiram Norton and get him to marry her. She had no desire to do what Reuben was asking. Mr. Norton may be wealthy, but he was twenty years older than her. There was something indecent in that alone. Nothing about him or his character appealed to her.
   Realizing she was nearing the outer pasture, Julia turned the mare around to head back to the ranch house. She did not want to risk angering Reuben further by being unprepared for their dinner guests.  Lord, please don’t make me have to marry that repulsive man. Will always said you could work things together for good. I am not seeing much good right now. Please give me the strength to make it through this evening meal.
   As she pulled the mare to a stop in front of the stables, she slid off the horse. One of the young cowboys, Bates, took the reins from her hand.
   “Miss Colter, you best hurry,” he said, nodding toward the lane leading to the ranch house.
   A cloud of dust at the far end of the lane indicated their guests were already arriving. Julia shot a quick word of thanks to the friendly cowboy before picking up her skirts and running to the house. As she threw the door open, panting for breath, she caught Reuben’s seething look.
   Rushing down the hall she slammed her bedroom door shut. She splashed some water on her face, wiping away the dust from her ride.
   “Where have you been?” Mary’s panicked voice preceded her entrance into Julia’s room. Reuben’s normally calm, quiet wife seemed rather anxious as she picked up the corset she laid out.
   “Riding.”
   “Whatever for?” came the squeaky, agitated response.
   Julia tore off her day dress, tossing it over a chair. As Mary came to assist her with the corset, Julia took her last deep breath of the evening. She hated the confining contraption. Once the stays were tightened, she lifted her arms as Mary helped settle the lovely yellow silk down over her shoulders.
   “You should have been in here an hour ago,” Mary lamented. “Now there is no possible way we can fashion your hair into ringlets. The other women will think you don’t care about your appearance.”
   They would be correct, Julia thought. “You fret, too much,” she replied, brushing out her tangled curls. She would be content with twisting her unruly hair into a chignon, despite how much it fought against the pins.
   “Go on. I’ll finish,” she instructed Mary, hoping to have a quiet moment to compose herself before entering the fray.
   Mary hesitated for a brief moment before softly exiting the room. Taking as deep a breath as she could, Julia let it out in a heavy sigh. Undoubtedly, Hiram Norton was already here, waiting for her in the other room. Pasting a smile on her face, she squared her shoulders and left the solitude of her room.
    “Hiram,” Reuben said as Julia approached, “I do not believe you have met my sister, Julia.”
   It took every ounce of courage to hold her smile steady and extend her hand towards Mr. Norton’s rotund frame. Taking her hand, he placed a sloppy kiss on top, before asking, “Reuben, where have you been hiding this lovely filly?”
   Filly?  The distasteful comment sickened her.
   “Mr. Norton, a pleasure to meet you,” Julia said with more decorum than she thought she possessed. As soon as his hold lifted, she discretely wiped the back of her hand on her dress.
   “Miss Colter, you are absolutely stunning,” he replied, allowing his lustful gaze to rove over her neckline, down her curvy figure, making overtly inappropriate stops along the way.
   She fought to tamp down her mounting abhorrence. As the guests were seated around the table, she eagerly helped Mary set out the food.
   Still irritated by Mr. Norton’s uncouth comment, she decided to fight back as she took her seat. “Mr. Norton, my brother tells me you have been very successful with your ranch, despite the Union’s blockade. Tell me, how do you do it?”
   Reuben’s eyes narrowed slightly, letting her know he caught her barely hidden sarcasm.
   “My lovely Miss Colter, such matters are too complicated for your simple mind to understand.”
   Another mark against Mr. Norton—condescension towards women, she thought, keeping the sweet smile firmly in place. Lobbing a spoonful of potatoes on her plate she waited for him to continue.
   “However, I shall endeavor to enlighten you,” he said with an air of superiority, snatching the potatoes from her hand. “While the Union may have blockaded our route to drive cattle to the New Orleans market, they have made no such effort to stop us from driving to points north or west. It seems that as long as we aren’t supplying the Confederate Army, they care little where we sell our cattle. We have simply changed our route north to the railways in Missouri. While I don’t care for the Union and their imposing ways, a profit is a profit. And I have made significant gains by being one of the first Texans to sell to eastern markets by way of Missouri.”
   “Mr. Norton.” As her irritation rose, Julia retorted, “If a large profit is to your liking, why not drive the cattle west towards the California market where prices are more than triple that of the eastern markets?”
   Reuben shifted in his chair uncomfortably. His darkening eyes warned her to hold her tongue. Julia knew she should have heeded the warning, but she preferred being forthright. Let Mr. Norton find that out now.
   Mr. Norton laughed off her question, causing her to dislike the man even more. “You are a spirited little woman, I will give you that. But your comment shows your youth and your naivety.”
   Taking not one, but two large pork chops from the platter she handed him, he said, “While the prices west are much higher, so is the cost to drive the cattle such a great distance. The length of time it takes to drive the cattle to California is almost three times as long as the northern route. It is also much more dangerous. There are many more Indians and cattle thieves westward. It would simply not be profitable to drive the herd west.”
   His snooty tone grated on her nerves. When she opened her mouth to speak, Reuben interrupted. “Perhaps, dear sister, you should leave the business matters to men. I’m sure you would be much more interested in knowing how Mrs. Withers’ new baby is faring.”
   Mrs. Withers quickly picked up the conversation, monopolizing both Julia and Mary’s time. While Julia was surprised Reuben even knew the woman had a child, she was thankful for the opportunity to ignore Mr. Norton.
   As the conversation continued, she felt something brush against her knee then move away. She kept her focus on Mrs. Withers’ overlong description of her young son and on eating the meal, until she felt the unmistakable presence of a man’s hand move above her knee. She stole a glance and confirmed Mr. Norton’s hand rested most inappropriately on her thigh. Angling her legs further away from him as discreetly as possible, Julia’s stomach churned. When Mr. Norton pressed closer, she thought she might lose her dinner. The man appeared to have no limits.
   Standing abruptly, she said, “If you’ll excuse me. I’m not feeling quite myself.” Without waiting for a reply she hurried to her room.

   Reuben scowled after his sister. Her behavior had been completely unacceptable, despite his attempt earlier in the day to reason with her. This silly idea of marrying for love must have worked its way into her thinking from the stories their father told of their mother. No one married for love.
   He certainly hadn’t. While Mary was pleasant looking enough and easy to control, he did not love his wife. He had married her to increase his social standing among the area ranchers—something his father never seemed to care about. Her father had been one of the wealthier men in the area and he was easy to win over. In fact, Reuben thought, most everyone he met was easy to manipulate—except Will and Julia.
   It didn’t matter. Will was gone and out of the picture. He was no longer a nuisance, even though it was Will’s fault that he was in such a financial mess. The timing of Will leaving with half the herd and half the financial holdings was disastrous, leaving him unable to pay debts to some very powerful men—a situation he was desperately trying to resolve.
   The last bite of his pork chop churned in his stomach as fear gained a foothold. He needed Hiram’s money from the marriage arrangement to Julia. It was his only hope of turning things around.
   As his guests finished the meal, Reuben stood. “Gentlemen, shall we retire to the front porch for some refreshments and cigars?”
   The men eagerly nodded, obviously wanting to be away from the women as quickly as he did. As Hiram stood, Reuben pulled him aside. Speaking loud enough for the others to hear, he said, “We’ll join you in a moment. Hiram and I have a few business matters to discuss.”
   Leading Hiram back towards his office, Reuben hoped Hiram would still be amiable to the agreement they discussed several days ago at the saloon, despite Julia’s less than enthusiastic attitude this evening.
   Before he offered a seat, Hiram took one, starting the conversation on his terms. “Julia is quite lovely, Reuben. You’ve been holding out on me. When you asked for such a large sum, I assumed she must be dreadful to look at.”
   “So you are pleased?”
   “To a point,” Hiram admitted. “While she’ll keep me entertained well, she needs to learn to control her tongue, especially in front of guests. I’m surprised you haven’t dealt with this already.”
   Reuben frowned. If only Hiram knew what he was up against. With any luck, he wouldn’t find out until after his wedding day. “Well, father has only been gone a short time. He doted on her, so it will take some time to get her to properly respect a man.”
   “Ah, there’s the catch. I’ll have to train her myself then.” Hiram laughed. “It will be a fun challenge—breaking her. Too bad you didn’t have more time to do the job yourself. You could get a much higher price for her, as beautiful as she is.”
   The price he was asking was enough. Normally prone to greediness, when it came to selling his sister’s hand in marriage, he felt it prudent not to get too greedy. He was running out of time and needed to pay his debts soon. Once that pressure slackened, he could focus his energy on rebuilding his wealth.
   A brief hint of remorse came over Reuben. Had he stooped so low that he was selling his sister for money? But, it was not as if he were selling her to a brothel. No, he was just selling her to a wealthy rancher. She would live in luxury. What could be bad about that?
   He knew living with Hiram Norton would not be pleasant. The man had a reputation for being ruthless to his business associates, to his women, and even to his mother. He had no limits. He made Reuben look like a saint. Julia would undoubtedly be miserable married to him until she learned her place.
   Chiding himself, he refocused his attention back to what Hiram was saying. He needed this man’s money, not a sudden case of conscience.
   “After we have our cigars,” Hiram was saying, “then, I will take Julia for a walk. See if I still fancy her. When I return, we will announce our engagement. It will be short. No longer than a month.”
   Reuben held back a gasp. He hadn’t expected Norton to want a short engagement. “You know what the townsfolk will say with such a hurried wedding. They will think my sister has been compromised.”
   Pulling a large stack of bills from his coat pocket, Hiram slammed it down on the desk. “I don’t think you will care too much what is said about your sister’s reputation. Who knows, what they say may end up being true anyway.”
   The dark look on Hiram’s face sent shivers down Reuben’s spine. Ruthless seemed rather inadequate of a word to describe the man before him. He had to make sure Julia did not ruin this deal, for he did not want the added pressure of Norton’s anger.

   Mary knocked on Julia’s door not more than ten minutes after she left the meal. Her voice was timid when she spoke, “The men have retired to the front porch for cigars. Reuben requested that you return to the parlor with the women.”
   Sighing, Julia did as instructed. She listened to the gossip of the rancher’s wives and wished her friend Caroline Larson was in attendance, so she might actually be able to enjoy the evening. The Larsons owned a ranch to the east of the Star C and they had been long-time family friends. Up until last year, before father passed away, the Larsons were always invited for every social gathering—sometimes they were the only guests. Since then, Reuben saw little use for Mr. Larson’s moral ways and only included them on rare occasions to pacify her or his wife.
   Not paying attention to the boring conversation, Julia missed seeing the men return from the outdoors. Mr. Norton’s hand on her forearm jolted her from her thoughts. “Miss Colter, I was hoping you might take a walk with me.”
   “And who will be acting as chaperone?” she replied curtly, not wanting to be alone in his presence.
   Mr. Norton laughed, a sound she was beginning to detest. “Silly girl, I am much too old for a chaperone. I assure you, your reputation will be safe with me. I simply want to stroll for a few moments with a beautiful woman on my arm.”
   Julia thought a stroll might be too much for the man. He was sweating profusely and seemed to have difficulty walking the distance to the door, as his breath came in short, heavy bursts. She looked to Mary for support. She smiled and nodded her approval, oblivious to Mr. Norton’s reprehensible behavior. As Reuben stood next to Mary, his eyes narrowed with a silent warning. Heeding the unspoken message, she stood and accepted Mr. Norton’s arm.
   Outside, the air barely cooled in the waning sunlight, causing Julia to grow warm in a matter of seconds. She wished she thought to grab her fan when a sour odor wafted from the man at her side. Averting her face, she tried to catch an untainted breath of air. Unsuccessful, she decided parting her lips to breathe through her mouth might be preferable.
   Nearing the stables, Mr. Norton stopped abruptly, turning towards Julia. The quick motion—seemingly impossible coming from the man who seemed to struggle walking much of a distance—frightened her. Sucking in air quickly through her mouth, a slight tickle lingered in the back of her throat, almost bringing on a cough.
   When he spoke, his voice took on a sinister edge. Even in the dimming light she could see the contempt in his eyes. “Miss Colter, while I admire your feisty spirit,” he said as he grabbed her wrists, “It would serve you not to embarrass me again, especially by questioning my business practices in a room full of my peers. I can make your life most unbearable if you cross me.” Without warning he pulled her close and crushed his mouth down on hers as his hands took great liberty in exploring her body.
   The shock of his action took a moment to register. Once it did, Julia brought her booted heel down hard on the top center of his foot, just as Will showed her. He dropped his hold instantly, crying out in pain. As he limped toward her, she ran for the front of the house to put some distance between them. Tripping over something, she stumbled, giving Mr. Norton time to catch up. He grabbed her bruised upper arms with surprising strength.
   “Do not ever do that again,” he said in a hostile tone. “Do you not know that Reuben has promised you to me? Make no mistake, Miss Colter, I am a powerful man. If you want to live a decent, peaceful life under my roof, you best lose some of your haughtiness… Or, I will take whatever measures necessary to force it out of you.”
   Julia blinked, trying to absorb all that he said. Was he saying that Reuben already agreed to her marrying this loathsome man? An ominous chill swept over her as he continued his intense stare. Her heart beat rapidly within her chest as her panic rose. She could not—would not—marry this dreadful man.
   Dropping his hold on her, Mr. Norton extended his arm and placed her hand in the crook. “Smile,” he commanded as he limped to open the front door.
   While her smile came insincerely, his seemed quite pleased. He crossed the room slowly, still favoring his injured foot, before stopping in front of Reuben and Mary. “Reuben, it gives me great pleasure to announce that Julia has eagerly agreed to accept my offer of marriage,” he said smugly. “She was so delighted that she agreed to a short engagement. We will be married in a month.” His fingernails dug into her arm daring her to speak otherwise.
   The smirk on Reuben’s face told her this had been their plan all along. Such a public announcement, even though it was completely false, would be difficult to break.  Lord, help me. I cannot marry that man.

Anessia's Quest by Karen Arnpriester

2011-12-19T00:00:00.000-05:00

My Thoughts: Although I haven't been able to read this book yet, it totally appeals to me. Having been a foster parent in a children's home, I have seen so many with similar stories as Pagne's story. So many people have no idea what foster kids have to go through. This looks like an excellent book about one of these kids, but it also looks to have a wonderful healing story about God and his destiny for Pagne.

Today's Wild Card author is:

Karen Arnpriester

and the book:

Anessia's Quest

CreateSpace (January 18, 2011)

***Special thanks to Karen Arnpriester for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Karen Slimick Arnpriester is a creative, passionate and adventuresome woman. She raised her two children, adores her seven grandchildren and is now a foster mom of two young ladies. She has been a self-taught graphic designer for twenty five years and started her own business twenty years ago. Her faith in God is strong and she believes that we are Christ's hands, feet, arms and wallet. This translates into her involvement in youth ministries, local women's shelter, street ministry, the elderly, as well as many other outreaches over the years. Her home has been available to single moms and their children, allowing them to get a fresh start.

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Anessia’s Quest follows the life of a woman born into dysfunction and neglect. The story takes you on her journey. A journey that begins with abandonment, abuse, and physical injury. Pagne (Pain) believes she is all alone, thrown away, but soon discovers that she is protected and guided by her guardian angel. A powerful relationship develops between this lost child and her loving protector that manifests as a unique method of communication.

Pagne encounters other broken people that become her family, friends and community. Her grace and compassion alter their destructive paths. She moves through her life unaware of the impact she creates, her purpose on Earth.

Her life is filled with tears, laughter, joy and heartbreak. She faces challenges that include ultimate betrayal, loss and shame. Challenges that are only bearable due to her trust and faith in heaven’s love and value for her. Love that is reinforced by her angel. She discovers the events that led to her mother’s indifference and neglect, and must decide how much grace she can extend to a woman she has hated for most of her life. The ultimate test of forgiveness.

When she faces her death, Pagne discovers the true value and power of forgiveness and love. She is shown how her life created ripples that spread into waves of glorious influence. She was not an accident, she was placed on Earth with divine intent.

Product Details:

List Price: $11.95
Paperback: 302 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace (January 18, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1456504363
ISBN-13: 978-1456504366

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

IN THE HEAVENS
Psalms 91:11
“For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;”

      Draken walked swiftly through the marble passageway, which was only lit by a warm, golden glow that’s source was undefinable. The excitement was building, as he weaved his way through the network of stone halls, intricate stained glass panels, and vines with incredible cobalt and purple blossoms. Each flower’s center had a spray of tendrils that shimmered and flickered with light. They pushed their way in through small openings and cracks, covering the ancient stone walls with their winding tendrils. He had the ability to instantly think himself to her, but instead he savored the journey through the tabernacle. As Draken entered the great hall, he sent groups of colorful butterflies
scattering. Some of the butterflies were tiny and flashed bright yellow and orange light, while others were massive and moved almost as in slow motion. Their deep-purple and metallic gold wings didn’t shine brightly like the others, but had a velvety luster that picked up the room’s light with each flutter. The spaces in between were filled with every size and color of these delicate creatures. This room never failed to take Draken’s breath away. There were sculptures in exquisite detail, cast or carved from every precious metal and stone, encrusted with jewels and pearls. Above him were strings of glowing orbs that didn’t appear to be connected in any way, glistening shades of pink, lavender, blue and green. Beautiful birds of every description dove and soared in the upper dome. Draken would spend hours in this room, simply appreciating its beauty.
      As he came upon an area of comfortable chairs, he saw Anessia sitting on the hard floor in her usual position, both legs folded under her with feet twisted out to the sides. She would sit this way for hours.
      “When will you ever discover the comfort of these lush chairs?” he teased her.
      She just grinned and said, “Probably never.” Draken just shook his head. She liked the coolness of the stone floor on her skin.
      Draken sat down in his favorite chair, a opulent purple satin with three times the stuffing most chairs would contain. He waited for her to speak, but silence. After a few anxious minutes, he could wait no longer.
      “Well, Anessia. You summoned me here. You said you were ready.”
      She hesitated, she seemed unsure for a moment and then handed him the delicate gold scroll. Draken, a regal man with long white hair and a full beard, took the scroll and fingered it gently, knowing the importance of its content. He took a deep breath and looked into Anessia’s eyes. He loved her eyes, so large, so engulfing.
      “I am ready,” is all she said. Draken felt the contradiction of relief and dread. This would be a difficult quest, filled with many hardships and pain.
      “You will have a lot of sadness to deal with, but you were selected with the
knowledge that you are capable. You have a strong sense of justice and love.”
      “Oh, Draken, I want to make a difference, to be part of these miracles!”
      “Once you leave, you realize you will not be able to change your mind. The quest will not be recalled,” he reminded her.
      “I totally understand. I know that I can do this. I know I can make you and our Father proud. I believe I am the one to help fulfill the destiny described in the scroll.”
      Draken truly adored Anessia and her tender heart, but she was fierce, one of the most committed wards he had responsibility for. He also knew that the quest was a journey filled with love, joy and an incredible outcome.
      “I will make the arrangements. Prepare yourself, your time here is short.” They both came to a stand, and with a hug and a kiss on her head, Draken disappeared to carry out the necessary details.
      Anessia stood alone and waited until she was sure Draken had left the chamber. She could contain herself no longer. She spun around, her hair flowing and gleaming in the light that was radiating down from above. It was wonderful to have a destiny. She giggled and hugged herself. Anessia then mentally willed her beautiful wings to engage, and she flew out of the windows near the top of the upper dome.
      She didn’t have to fly very far; there, by the glimmering pools, was Ennett. She slowly dropped down behind him, so quietly that he didn’t know she was there. Anessia crept slowly behind him and jumped back as Ennett whirled around. But not quick enough, his folded wings smacked her in the face. “Oh Ennett, I thought I got you this time,” she said, as she rubbed her cheek.
      “Do you forget that I can read your thoughts? You need to work on shutting down that brain of yours when you plan to attack,” he pouted at her, while touching her tender cheek. They both laughed and sat down on the cool grass next to the pools of crystal clear water. They slipped their feet in and giggled loudly, as the fish nibbled their toes. Anessia loved the landscape outside the main tabernacle. It had sumptuous gardens, streams, and trees that bore delicious fruits. Flowers of every size, color and scent. Some were deep shades that were fuzzy and glimmered, while others were tucked under the shade of the trees with transparent petals that glowed with pulsing light. The aromas were so delicious.
      She couldn’t count the different species of animals that roamed through the gardens. Every visit was a new discovery. These unique and exotic creatures would wander the gardens and come when beckoned, allowing her to pet and love on them.
      “Well, I am assuming that it is time?”
      “Yes, it is,” she acknowledged.
      “Anessia, it is a different realm there,” he warned. “There is darkness,
despair and pain.”
      “I know, I can do this. Draken and our Father do not send me to fail.”
      “I have faith in you, but please be careful!”
      They both sat quietly for a short time. “I need to go prepare,” whispered Anessia.
        “I love you Anessia, I will be here for you always.” They held each other for what felt like an eternity but it was only moments in another time.

CHAPTER 1
      Leah thought she could bear it no longer … why didn’t this baby come out? She had been pushing and writhing here for hours, hurting so bad that she wanted to die. Finally, the nurse came in and said she was ready to have the baby. Leah knew that she would have feelings for this kid eventually, but right now, she almost hated it. They wheeled her into delivery, and after thirty more minutes, the miracle of birth happened. A little, white skinned, red-haired girl with blue eyes. She looked at her and felt numb. She may have connected better if the baby had looked like her. If she had gotten her golden skin, dark, curly hair and chestnut brown eyes. This baby looked like a stray, not her kid.
      Leah had endured a difficult life and tried to bury it with alcohol, drugs and sex. During her drunken months of pregnancy, she thought it would be funny to name her baby girl Champagne, after her favorite beverage. Champagne Marie Crenshaw. Champagne would carry her mother’s last name since Leah didn’t know which John was the proud papa. Leah had considered having another abortion, but this time was different. This baby would change her life, she just knew it. Leah wanted to be loved and wanted someone to love. She convinced herself that she could be a mom. When Leah was in her seventh month, she had stopped hooking and left Los Angeles. She moved north for
a fresh start. Champagne was to find out quickly that her mom would fail miserably at being a mother. She also would find out that there was someone watching over her, protecting her.
      When the hospital determined that Leah was ready to be released, she was indignant and annoyed. Three days was not nearly long enough if you asked Leah. She figured she deserved and could use at least another week of leisure and strong pain meds while the nurses cared for Champagne. Upon leaving the hospital, she brought the baby back to the disgusting motel room that Leah managed to rent with her assistance checks. Leah figured they would do okay since the amount written on those checks would increase with the birth of Champagne. She might have been able to afford a nicer place, but the majority of her money went for her alcohol and drugs. How was she going to take care of a baby all by herself?, she thought. Looking around the room, Leah realized that she should have prepared a little more for the baby. She pulled out a drawer, dumped it, and laid Champagne in it. The strong pain meds were wearing off, and they had only prescribed glorified aspirin as far as Leah was concerned. Luckily she had stopped on the way home to pick up a big bottle of cheap wine.
      “Well brat, guess the closest I’ll come to champagne for awhile is changing your crappy diapers.” She laughed to herself, “That was a good one Leah … you haven’t lost your dazzling wit yet.”
~
      Several years crawled by, and somehow, Champagne had survived her mother’s indifference. On one summer evening, Leah finally could not take it any longer, the pounding on the door was killing her head. What a hang-over she had. When she jerked the door open, she looked into the chest of a police officer. Behind him stood her neighbor, Miss Nose Up My Butt. She could tell this wasn’t good by the smirk on Miss Butt’s face.
      “We got a call that you have a toddler playing unattended on the landing,” said the officer.
      “Well, I don’t see no kid out here, do you?” shot back Leah.
      “Not at the moment, but your neighbor called quite concerned. She said that it is not unusual to see your front door wide open and your small daughter playing out here by the stairs. Do you understand how dangerous that is?”
      “Well yes, Officer, I do. I’m not an idiot. I am always just inside the door, watching her every move. The kid has gotta have some fresh air and sunshine right?”
      “Ma’am, unless you use better judgment and find a safer place for your daughter to play, we will be back out with Child Services,” threatened the Officer.
      “Okay. I will figure out something.”
The officer filled out his paperwork and handed Leah her copy. “This call will be documented.” He held the paper for a delayed moment, while making eye contact with Leah.
      “Thank you Officer,” Leah said sarcastically as she snatched it from his hand.
      As the officer moved down the stairs, Leah looked over at Miss Butt as she was turning to head back to her door. Leah smiled a big smile at her and then flipped her off with both hands, followed by slamming the door as loud as possible.
      “Thanks Pagne, just what I needed.” She glared at her sweet face and grumbled, “Worthless brat.” Leah had decided that when Champagne was a year old, she did not deserve the name Champagne. She hadn’t improved Leah’s life, but complicated it. Leah called her Pagne, which was pronounced as “Pain.” The fact that she was showing signs of freckles to go with the red hair from her nameless father didn’t help either. Leah hated freckles with a passion. Leah plopped down on the ratty couch that folded out to their bed, and turned on the TV as she filled a tumbler with wine.
      Leah’s lust for drinking would not allow her to survive on the meager assistance she received, so she began hooking again shortly after Pagne was born. Pagne’s childhood was a whirlwind of her mother’s customers, late nights, and the consequences of being the child of an alcoholic. One thing was consistent, an anchor that Pagne could rely on, her mother’s total disregard for her. Pagne was forced to be self-sufficient. She kept herself clean, got herself ready for school, and made sure the trash in the room didn’t pile up too high.
      When Pagne was eight years old, Adam Williams was her mother’s new flavor of the month … good looking, funny and he actually had a job. Nice change for Leah. Adam always brought a bottle of quality champagne for her and Jack Daniels for him. A few drinks, some laughs and then …. “Good lovin’,” as her mother would say. Leah considered him a boyfriend, so she didn’t charge him for her company. Pagne learned to keep out of the way when Adam or other men were there. The close quarters of the motel room made it difficult, but Pagne would lock the bathroom door and climb into the tub, pretending she was in a boat heading to a strange new land.
      Pagne would also read with a passion. She loved stories about fairies, far away places, or brave characters who saved the day. She read whatever she could bring home from school. Her mom certainly wouldn’t take the time to take her to the library or buy a book. When the tub was too disgusting to get into, Pagne would pile up any dirty laundry on the floor and make a nest. The width of the floor space fit her and the nest perfectly. She wished the walls were more sound proof though. The loud laughing and the noises they made when her mother had sex with the men made it hard for her to read, pretend or sleep. Pagne wasn’t sure what they were doing, but she felt uncomfortable hearing them. Sometimes, the men that Leah brought home would hit her. Pagne knew to stay very quiet. She didn’t want them to know she was there. Some mornings, Leah’s face would be swollen and bruised. When Pagne would look at her with concern, Leah would shrug and say, “Comes with the territory.”
      Adam never hit her mom. He would always bring Pagne a toy or candy when he came over. He was nice enough but something made her uneasy about him. He didn’t do anything bad, but he always wanted Pagne to sit on his lap. She didn’t like it, and she wasn’t sure why. Even her mom didn’t like it. Leah would jerk Pagne up off of him and plop herself down on his lap, while giving Pagne the evil eye. Leah didn’t realize how grateful Pagne was for removing her from the awkward situation.
      Even at the age of eight, Pagne was independent. She could get her own breakfast and lunch, toaster pastries or cold cereal. It wasn’t so bad when the milk hadn’t soured, but usually she ate the cereal dry. She did get free hot lunches at school when she started first grade. Leah wasn’t hungry until late evening, since she drank her meals during the day. She would throw something together for dinner, but in her drunken stupor, usually burnt it. Pagne didn’t eat much. She didn’t talk much either, and doctors thought it was because of Leah’s frequent drinking during her pregnancy. But, according to Pagne, she just didn’t have anything much to say.
      One hot summer evening, Leah had drank herself into a stupor and passed out on the bathroom floor, leaving Pagne alone with Adam. He grinned at her and turned on cartoons. Their TV only had three channels. Luckily, one was cartoons ... most of the time. Pagne loved cartoons. She could watch them all day and just pretend she lived in the TV with them where she could fly like a super hero. Adam sat down in the old recliner and motioned for Pagne to come over to him. When she came close, he reached out and grabbed her by the waist and pulled her up on his lap.
      “Your mommy is outta service, so maybe Adam and Pagne will have some fun? You wanna play with me, sweetheart?” Her instincts told her that this was not good. Adam’s breath stunk so bad from the liquor. She felt his arms tighten around her. Pagne began to whimper and tried to pull away. Adam was whispering and sputtering spit into her ear.
      “Be quiet. I’m not going to hurt you. Trust me, you’ll like it ... well, I will.” She felt one hand slipping between her thighs and the other sliding up her belly, lifting up her t-shirt. Pagne brought her leg up and slammed down hard, kicking him in the shin with her heel. He grabbed onto her even tighter, squeezing her painfully. She kicked his shin again, and this time he let go. As he grabbed at his leg, Pagne was able to slip off his lap and headed to the front door. Adam came up out of the chair and lunged at her, screaming out with anger and pain. He was behind her and grabbed onto her arms. It hurt terribly. She was kicking and screaming. Pagne’s screams woke up Leah, and she came stumbling into the room, yelling for Adam to shut the brat up. She was confused when she saw Adam and Pagne struggling by the door.
      “What the hell is going on?” She bellowed.
      Adam released Pagne and spun around to Leah. “Nuthin, kid just went nuts on me, she tried to run away.” It took a few minutes for Leah’s drunken brain to absorb the situation. “So my little Pagne didn’t wanna play with you huh?” Leah showed no reaction while she tried to remain standing. She managed to focus on Pagne’s face and gave her the most hateful glare Pagne had seen her manage. Pagne pulled open the front door and ran out, tears filling her eyes and clouding her vision. Through her tears, Pagne thought she saw white wings fluttering around her. Then black.
      When Pagne woke up, she hurt all over. Every part of her was bruised and sore. Her head was pounding with pain. She could hear voices but she didn’t want to open her eyes. She would hear a sweet lady’s voice speaking to her at times. She was curious about the woman, but decided it was better to pretend that she was somewhere else. Sleep, she just wanted to sleep. It didn’t hurt so bad when she slept. In her dreams she could fly with wonderful white wings, as others flew around her. Laughing, dipping, gliding ...
      Pagne woke up to her mother’s voice close to her ear. “You gotta wake up. What am I going to do with a brain-dead kid? I can’t deal with this Pagne. Wake up now!” Pagne opened her eyes and looked at her mother. Her face was not haggard and worn from worry, but the familiar face of someone hung over. Leah’s breath reeked of wine. “Well it’s about time. What took you so long ... sweetheart?” Sweetheart was thrown in for the benefit of the nurse who just walked in. “Me and Adam have been worried sick. You scared your mama something awful.” As the nurse finished her duties and left the room, Leah moved in really close, so only Pagne could hear. “Pagne, they think Adam hurt you. We both know that’s a big fat lie, right? The police are going to talk to you. Mommy can’t lose Adam, baby. You gotta fix this.”
      Later that day, several officers and a very nervous skinny woman named Miss Lament, came into Pagne’s room. The officers tried to be friendly and had a teddy bear with them. It was very cute, and Pagne found it oddly comforting to hug. Miss Lament, who didn’t smile and had very tiny, beady eyes was trying to ask Pagne what happened with Adam. Pagne decided she didn’t have anything to say. She knew that Adam was a bad man, but even at her tender age, Pagne intuitively understood that it was her mother’s truth. Leah needed him.
      The officers and Miss Lament left very frustrated. Her mother had been waiting in the hall and slipped in. “Good girl. Now we just have to convince the judge. We’re going to move in with Adam once this whole mess is cleared up. He’s going to take care of both of us. Won’t that be nice. We’ll be a family real soon!” Pagne didn’t respond. “We hit the jackpot, baby,” cooed Leah.
      That evening, the sweet-talking nurse was on duty. She was taking Pagne’s temperature and adjusted her tubing. While she worked, she talked softly to Pagne, assuring her that she would be fine. As she turned to leave, Pagne grabbed her hand, squeezing it tight. The nurse, who’s nametag said “Mrs. Greenly,” looked into Pagne’s eyes. She saw fear and worry in them. She asked, “What’s wrong, hon? You in pain?” Pagne took a deep breath and spoke in a whisper for the first time since waking up.
      “What happened?” she asked.
      “Oh honey, no one has told you what’s going on? Well, I’m not sure why, but you ran out your front door, and then you fell down three flights of cement stairs. You broke your leg, your arm, cracked your head, and have lots of bumps and bruises. You are very lucky that you didn’t hurt yourself even worse. I believe you have a guardian angel, dear. Yep, an angel that cushioned your fall. We all have an angel, you know. Talk to mine sometimes, when I’m sad or scared. You should thank your angel for protecting you. They have a thankless job!”
      Pagne managed to ask when she would be going home. “You should be able to go home in a few days,” the nurse answered. With that news, Pagne began to weep softly. “Oh sweetheart, that’s not that far away.” She looked into Pagne’s face and realized this was something different. “Don’t you want to go home?” Pagne just closed her eyes and let go of the sweet nurses hand.
      After she left, Pagne whispered quietly, “Thank you.” She did see wings, she was sure of it.
      Pagne laid in her bed, a cast on right arm, a cast on her left leg, bandages here and there, and a dull headache. Her mom was filling out all the paperwork for her release. Leah looked at the prescriptions for Pagne and was grumbling that nothing was strong enough to do her much good. “The least they could do is give us Valium.” Several nurses entered the room and helped Pagne into a wheelchair, Pagne’s doctor and a police officer walked into the room. “Now Miss Crenshaw, there are some requirements you must meet to have your daughter home with you,” said the officer. “This Adam Williams is not to be within 300 yards of your daughter or your residence.”
      “But he didn’t do anything,” Leah insisted.
      “That might be, but until the judge makes his determination, the restraining order is in effect,” the officer responded.
      “Yes, of course,” Leah said with attitude.
      Pagne’s doctor stepped toward Leah and began speaking. “Here is the treatment plan for Champagne’s after care. Her therapy is crucial if she is to have a full recovery. I also want to stress that she will need a balanced, healthy diet and a safe, clean environment. Obviously the stairs will present a safety issue, have you made arrangements for assistance?”
      “Yes, I have taken care of everything necessary,” lied Leah.
      “Mrs. Crenshaw, a child services worker will be checking in,” reminded the officer.
      “Yes, I know, another person up my butt. Can we leave now?”
      “Yes, you may. But remember, your court appearance is at three o’clock today. We will remove Champagne from your care if you fail to appear.”
      “Yes, I know, I know,” replied Leah with total disrespect to the officer.
      The nurses put Pagne into a cab for the ride home while Leah had a cigarette. Once her nicotine fix was complete, she climbed into the cab next to Pagne. She shot the nurses a hard glare when their faces revealed their disapproval of her indifference. Pagne quietly sat while her mom went on and on about their new life with Adam. Leah talked about how Adam really cared about them, how happy they would all be together, and how Adam would bring money into the house. She could quit hooking, she thought to herself. Leah finally shut up and drifted into her fantasy of a wonderful future with Adam.
      Pagne considered telling her mother what Adam had done, but she was a smart girl. She knew there was no point, her mother already knew. When they got to the hotel, Leah struggled to get Pagne upstairs, cursing with each step. Once inside the room, Pagne looked around and wasn’t surprised to see that everything the doctor had listed was not done. Pagne hopped over to the couch and sat in silence.
      “Wanna toaster pastry doll? Know how much you love them.” Pagne shook her head and turned on the TV.
      A few minutes later, there was a tap on the door. Leah opened it and Adam’s head popped in.
      “Hey, my two favorite girls. Just wanted to stop by and bring Pagne a get well gift.” It was a tin of mints from the liquor store down the street and a car air freshener in the shape of a rose.
      “What did you bring mama?” asked Leah with a little girl voice and giggle. Adam slipped a big bottle of champagne around the door.
      “Can I come in for awhile?” he asked.
      “No baby, not till the court says it’s okay. My neighbor next door has big ears and eyes. This should all be resolved this afternoon, you gotta be patient.” Leah laughed as Adam tried to grope her through the opening. “We’ll all be together soon,” assured Leah. Adam looked over at Pagne and winked with a disgusting lick of his lips.
      “Okay, but I miss you guys. Good to have you back with us, Pagne.” Pagne turned the TV volume up and turned away to look at the screen.
      “She’ll warm up to ya, baby, just give her some time. I’ll call when I get out of court.” Leah closed the door giggling. She looked over at Pagne, wanting to share the joy. Pagne could feel her eyes on her, but she didn’t respond.
~
      Pagne was very nervous sitting in the courtroom, waiting to find out what was expected of her. Everyone was so serious, except her mother. She was whispering insulting comments about everyone. Sticks up their you know what’s … and other such childish remarks. When it was their turn to appear before the judge, Leah bounced up, flicking her hair. Once she was at the front, she realized that Pagne was still struggling to get out of her seat. She smiled and loudly proclaimed … “It’s okay baby, Mommy is here.” She went back, and very graciously, helped Pagne into the aisle. Pagne was impressed by her performance. Once she made it to the front, Pagne sat at the table facing the judge.
      Leah began by explaining that this whole thing was a misunderstanding. She said that Pagne had been throwing a temper-tantrum, and Adam was trying to keep her from running out of the room. When the judge asked if she had been in the room at the time, she admitted that she had not because she was suffering from one of her migraines and was laying on the bathroom floor for relief. “The cool tile is soothing,” she explained.
      Pagne’s doctor was called forward, and he described the extensive bruising on Pagne’s thighs, chest and arms. Obviously, a large man’s handprints could clearly be seen in the photos they were showing. Leah did not have any explanation for the bruises. The judge looked at Pagne and asked if she had anything she wanted to say. Pagne just looked out the windows at the beautiful blue sky, wishing she could fly away.
      The lawyer, representing Pagne’s interests, made a good case that the events before her fall were clearly assault and possibly molestation. The judge agreed, and the restraining order was to stand pending further investigation. Adam had been picked up and interviewed after Pagne was admitted into the hospital. He wasn’t arrested, but did have a court date.
      Leah went into a rage. “This is ridiculous, you are punishing a good man, my man, for something that was very innocent. This isn’t fair,” she yelled.
      “Well, Miss Crenshaw, if you want to have your daughter in your home, you must honor the restraining order. If you disregard the order, Champagne will be placed in the care of the state until this case is resolved,” responded the judge with obvious distain.
      “Well, I don’t think me and Adam should suffer because of this brat. We have a life to start. You guys can deal with her,” Leah said as she looked at Pagne in disgust. Leah then turned and walked out of the courtroom.
      Everyone stood there in shock, not knowing what to say or do. Pagne
hobbled over to the window and allowed one tear to roll down her face, just one. Then she looked to the skies and flew far away.

Everyday Spiritual Warfare by Amy Barkman

2011-12-16T00:01:00.000-05:00

My Thoughts: I'm always looking for great books on spiritual warfare. I believe we are in a constant battle. And as a soldier in God's army, I need instruction. What a wonderful guide, this book is. Amy is Virginia Smith's (author of the Sister-to-Sister novels and several more) mother. This is what she has to say:

"Several years before the Lord enabled me to quit my day job and write full time, I had an extremely demanding job that required me to move a thousand miles away from my family and home church. The only solid spiritual input I had was from my mother, Amy Barkman, who I've always called a Walking Concordance. When I felt depressed, I would call her and say, "I need to know the scriptures for fighting depression." When I was fearful, I'd ask, "Can you tell me about the `fear not' scriptures again?" When I had a conflict with an employee at work, I picked up the phone and asked Mom to point me toward Biblical help. Finally I told her, "I wish you'd write all this stuff down, so when I need a quick reference for a specific topic I could just pick up a book!" She started doing that, and Everyday Spiritual Warfare was the result. I think the book gives us practical spiritual help for the kind of problems we encounter all the time."

Today's Wild Card author is:

Amy Barkman

and the book:

Everyday Spiritual Warfare

Next Step Books (September 8, 2011)

***Special thanks to Christy Delliskave of Next Step Books for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Amy Barkman is the Director of Voice of Joy Ministries, a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors, and the pastor of Mortonsville United Methodist church. She and her husband Gary live in Danville, KY and together have seven children, thirteen grandchildren, and one great grandson. Amy loves to read and to travel.

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Everyday Spiritual Warfare gives practical knowledge for victorious living in a fallen world. Rev. Barkman has shared this wisdom in workshops, retreats, and sermons in several states over the past few decades. Both new and mature Christians have found the material very helpful in their walk with the Lord Jesus Christ.

“This is a helpful manual that reminds the Body of Christ of the tremendous responsibility and awesome power we have through the Holy Spirit. Enjoy this book from Amy Barkman and be empowered to step out and up in Faith.” - Dr. Stephen and Kellie Swisher, Kenneth Copeland Ministries

Product Details:

List Price: $12.99
Paperback: 246 pages
Publisher: Next Step Books (September 8, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1937671003
ISBN-13: 978-1937671006

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Spiritual Warfare Principles I

Praise the Lord for His mercy endureth forever.

II Chronicles 20:21

I came up out of the baptismal waters with eager anticipation. Rising to newness of life - what a relief. But as soon as I got to the changing room it was obvious that my extra twenty pounds rose with me. And the straight auburn hair I’d longed for all my life had not replaced my curly brown tresses. Within an hour there was no question about the desire to smoke a cigarette passing away; it didn’t. By the end of the month the blood test proved that my triglyceride level was still as high as ever. “Hey God, what happened? I thought you said all things would be made new.”

There’s a story in the Bible that reminds me of the way I felt after my baptism.

The Nation of Judah settled in the land that God promised them. And most of their enemies were destroyed in battle. But one day three armies showed up to surround them.

King Jehoshaphat called a fast and they all went to God in prayer. They said, in essence, “Hey, God, what happened? Here are three armies come to destroy us. They are from the three tribes you wouldn’t let us destroy when we came into this land. We don’t have any power against them so we’re looking to you. You do something!”

One day, many years after my disappointing baptismal experience, I was reading this story and the Holy Spirit whispered to me, “Look up the meaning of the names of those three armies.” So I did. The three armies are Moab, Ammon, and Mt. Seir.

Moab means “of the father,” Ammon means “tribal,” and Mt. Seir means “goat or devil.” Light dawned into my mind concerning the plight of the reborn, new creature in Christ that is the true Church.

We who accept Jesus Christ as our savior are born again. We begin a brand new life – the promised land. And just by that act of receiving Jesus as Savior, we defeat more enemies than we can imagine. But there are three enemies that are left in our promised land. Three armies that come against us to destroy.

Moab, “of the father," is symbolic of the genetic conditions we inherit in our bodies and personalities. When we are born again we do not get a new body but are stuck with the DNA given to us.

Ammon, “tribal,” is symbolic of the cultural situation into which we are born.

When we are born again, we are not transported into a perfect society but are bombarded all our lives with the evils in the world around us.

Mt. Seir, “goat or devil,” is symbolic of the forces of the devil who comes to kill, steal, and destroy. When we are born again, we are not automatically placed out of reach of the enemy.

We are born again children of God with the new life He promised but these three armies want to destroy us. And here they are – right in the promised land – genetic inheritance, cultural surroundings, and the devil with his destructive forces.

You may ask, “Why doesn’t God get rid of these enemies for us?” The answer is simple. He will. God did not leave these three enemy armies here so they could destroy us. He says to us, just as He said to His chosen people centuries ago, “… Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s” (II Chronicles 20:15).

His plan is to overcome them.

Paul wrote “… we are more than conquerors through him that loved us” (Romans 8:37).

What does it mean to be more than a conqueror? The Greek word means preeminently victorious, or a winner before you even enter the battle. Wow! That’s good news indeed. And that is what God wants us to understand and practice.

But the way of winning battles through God is not the way of the world. “The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds” (II Cor. 10:4). There are some basic principles of spiritual warfare and we have to learn them if we are going to be winners in life. The first, and most important, principle is:

ONLY GOD CAN SUCCESSFULLY DEFEAT EVIL

This doesn’t mean there is nothing you can do. God’s Instruction Book, the Bible, is full of exhortations such as, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7) and “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11). You are to resist the devil and stand against his schemes.

But did you notice? When your battle against the devil is mentioned, your relationship with God is also mentioned. You can’t win against evil in your own strength. But God won’t win in this physical realm without your cooperation.

When the nation of Judah sought the Lord for help against the armies that came to destroy them, they were told to present themselves but not to fight. Their response was to put a group of singers in the forefront of the army. Order of presentation was a way of protection in ancient times. The strong men, who were trained and able to fight, were at the forefront when meeting an opposing force, with the women, children, elderly and weak at the rear in the place of protection.

This time, however, the strong fighting men were among those being protected and the singers and praisers, which may have included women and children, went out first. We are told that when they began to sing and to praise God for His mercy, the Lord Himself caused the three armies to be defeated.

This story illustrates several principles of spiritual warfare. The first is evident and stated above … only God can successfully defeat evil.

“Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies” (Psalm 108:13).

The second basic principle of spiritual warfare is:

PRAISING GOD BRINGS HIM ON THE SCENE

This principle is illustrated in the story we just examined. When the tribe of Judah praised God for His mercy to them, He showed no mercy to their enemies but caused them to be destroyed. “And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten” (II Chronicles 20:22).

King David, from an earlier time in the history of God’s people, mentioned this principle in several of his songs. He sang, “I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High. When mine enemies are turned back, they shall fall and perish at thy presence” (Psalm 9: 2, 3). When David sang praises to the name of God, He showed up in person.

What does it mean to sing praises to the Name of God? In today’s society, we have largely lost the understanding of names. When ancient men talked about the name of something or someone, they were talking about its or their essential nature or character.

God revealed Himself to Israel throughout the centuries by His Names through His actions. He revealed Himself, His essential nature, His character, as

Jehovah Jireh – the Lord your Provider

Jehovah Rapha – the Lord your Healer

Jehovah Tsidkenu- the Lord your

Righteousness

Jehovah Rohi – the Lord your Shepherd

Jehovah Shalom – the Lord your Peace

He revealed other aspects of Himself through names and eventually revealed Himself as Jesus – the Lord your Salvation.

When we praise His name, we are to be praising that aspect of Himself that we need to see active in our situation. Jesus quoted Psalm 8: 2, “Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings has thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.” He quoted it on the occasion that we know as Palm Sunday when the chief priests and scribes were upset because the children were crying out, “Hosanna to the son of David” (Matthew 21: 15,16).

Hosanna is a word which means “Save.” By shouting out that word to Him, the children were recognizing Jesus as the Messiah, the Savior - and the religious people didn’t like it. Jesus then quoted Psalm 8, but instead of saying, “out of the mouths of children you have ordained strength”, He said, “out of the mouths of children you have ordained praise.” Jesus equated strength and praise, validating this principle that your battles are won by God as you praise Him for His mercy toward you in that area.

Some people say “Praise the Lord!” a lot. And there is certainly nothing wrong with saying that, but think about it. If you are going to praise a family member or friend, you don’t just say “Praise Richard!” or “Praise Tracy!” You say “Richard has a wonderful sense of humor.” Or “Tracy is very generous and kind.” So it should be with God. To truly praise Him is to announce gratitude for His specific acts and attributes. And most often it will be as the army of Judah proclaimed, “Praise the Lord for His mercy endures forever.”

One problem in our society that keeps us from understanding this principle is our picture of God as separate from us, doling out punishment or reward from outside our world. Many see God as an old man sitting on a throne pointing a finger downward toward earth and shooting lightning bolts to affect the physical realm. We can’t praise Him if we don’t really understand what He is like.

The apostle John opens his gospel by giving us the true nature of God. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). God is Spirit, Jesus tells us in John 4:24. He is Person who defines Himself by concepts and ideas. The very meaning of the word Word is “thought expressed.” WORD becomes flesh and has ever since God defined and spoke the physical universe into existence with the concept “Light!” Light energy is the basic component for all physical existence. God and His Word are the source of all Life. When we understand that, we can praise Him for being the ongoing Creator.

This concept of God as Spirit and Word is too big for our finite minds to understand completely all at once. But when we plant the seed of understanding and let it grow, we will one day know why Jesus told us that the parable of the sower sowing the Word was necessary for understanding all He teaches (Mark 4:13, 24). God is Spirit and He defines Himself in words. Those spoken words change our circumstances. To praise Him for specific actions and attributes is to bring those actions and attributes into the physical realm. “It is the spirit that quickens; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I speak to you, they are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63).

We need to recognize that the devil and his followers are also spirit – evil spirits. They convey evil concepts - ideas and concepts that are contrary to the thoughts that God expresses to you through His Word. Just as we know God is not an old man sitting on a throne, the devil is not a man in a red suit holding a pitchfork, and evil spirits are not gargoyles. The Spirit realm, both good and evil, wants to affect the physical realm.

The more we understand God’s nature, the more we will praise Him, and the more we praise Him, the more we will see Him active in our lives.

The story of Jehoshaphat and the battle against the three armies illustrates a third principle.

EVIL ATTACKS ON THREE FRONTS

We’ve already looked at those three fronts in the account described in II Chronicles 20. Remember that in the Bible, names are very important because a name designates the nature of something. We often miss a lot of information that God wants to convey to us in His Word by not discovering what a person or group or place symbolizes.

The first thing I noticed the day the Lord was teaching me from this passage was that the third army is not mentioned at the beginning. “It came to pass after this also that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them other beside the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle” (II Chronicles 20:1).

Moab, representing our genetic inheritance, and Ammon, representing our cultural situation are identified right away. The third army is only mentioned as “and with them, other besides.” The group that came along with the first two armies isn’t named until verse 10.

“And now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom thou would not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt …” Mount Seir comes along with those things that attack us through our birth and cultural situations in life. As we saw earlier, the name Mount Seir means “goat or devil” and represents evil spirits, devils, demons, messengers of the enemy.

Spiritual enemies, evil spirits or devils, cannot just attack you physically – they have no bodies; they come in with the inherited and cultural enemies of your perfect happiness and your perfect good. When something has been established in you through your family heritage or cultural situation, then spiritual evil comes along with it to create and insure a stronghold.

My father’s family has a history of blood lipid disorder so out of balance that it was reported in medical journals. My brother and sister and I were the subjects of experimental research to develop drugs to reduce blood lipids. I inherited this disorder as extremely high triglycerides. With medication and moderate obedience to dietary good sense, my triglycerides stay at a healthy level, for me. Without medication and eating right, I get very sick.

The proclivity to high triglycerides is a genetic thing (Moab); the wrong diet is a cultural thing (Ammon); and the enemy (Mount Seir) comes along with those things to kill, steal, and destroy my life and the ministry that the Lord Jesus wants to accomplish through me. But when I praise Him for His mercy and thank Him that He is my life and my health, I receive His health and restoration, even when I have been unwise.

When the people of Judah went to God with their plea for help, they reminded Him that He would not let them invade and destroy these three armies at the time they entered the promised land. He left these possible enemies in the land.

In the same way, when you became a Christian you did not get a new body with a new genetic makeup. You were not translated into a perfect society with perfect cultural habits.

You were left with your genetic and cultural situation in a place where evil spirits operate through these things to kill, steal, and destroy all that God has promised you. In other words, you are in a war against the flesh, the world, and the devil. And you can’t win.

But God can.

THINGS TO REMEMBER

Principles of Spiritual Warfare

Only God can successfully defeat evil.

Praising God brings Him on the scene.

Evil attacks on three fronts.

Scripture Truths
“Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.” II Chronicles 20:15
“In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” John 1:1

“And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord sat ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.” II Chronicles 20:22

“Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings has thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.” Psalm 8:2

“I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High. When mine enemies are turned back, they shall fall and perish at thy presence.” Psalm 9:2,3
HE SENT HIS WORD AND HEALED THEM AND DELIVERED THEM FROM THEIR DESTRUCTIONS.

Everyday Spiritual Warfare

© 2011 by Amy Barkman

Published by Next Step Books, P.O. Box 70271, West Valley City, Utah 84170
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise – without written permission of the author, except for brief quotations in printed reviews.

All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version.

Barkman, Amy

Everyday Spiritual Warfare

ISBN-13: 978-1937671006

ISBN-10: 1937671003

How I Made my Cover for F.A.I.R.I.E.S.

2011-12-14T02:32:00.001-05:00

I thought you might be interested in how I did the cover for my book, F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire. I'll show you the before and after pics that I used.

A long time ago, my mother gave me a bunch of her ball gowns. I've taken several pictures of friends and family in these gowns. Here's are two pictures of my mother in the gown in the 1950's:

This is the main picture of the heroine, Mellie Good Wind...posing is Lily Kidd:

I played with it...extended the sword and part of the dress. Eventually, I removed her feet. It just looked better that way. Although, I really debated about keeping them on the cover, since Mellie was barefoot in the beginning of the story. However, when she wore the red dress, she wasn't barefoot. So, I lopped them off. Sorry, Lily! You do have cute feet!

Next is a picture of me painted up as Lilith:

Then, I played with it in Photoshop:

And inverted the exposure and played with it some more:

To create the wing-like effect behind Mellie, I again played with it in Photoshop:

If you are very diligent, you might see the eyes of I.M.P.S. (redcaps) in the fire on the back cover. There are nine pairs of them! They are all of my son, Keegan's eyes. Here are some of the pictures from the photo shoot:

I then tweaked them in Photoshop:

Here's a zoom-in of the eye section on the book cover:

I also created the fire on top of the font for F.A.I.R.I.E.S. and the cloudy fire background for Baptism by Fire all in Photoshop.

The result is this cover:

#34 F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire Blog Tour!

2011-12-12T02:36:00.005-05:00

Here's what Angela has to say on her blog, All Grown Up?:

I turned this one over to the boys,

Youngest *13* said: "Hey, it’s pretty good, and you know this lady? WOW!” He was impressed that I know the author!

Son4′s *15* reaction was “I like it, think she’ll write more?”

And Son3′s *17* reply “A little young for me, but it was still pretty good! I’d read more by her if you have it!”

So there we go, 3 out of 3 stars!

*Ages* added from Angela's family page

F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire on KINDLE for $3.99

2011-12-10T01:24:00.003-05:00

The Kindle version is now fixed! The price is lower: $3.99. Click on image to order.

The Ebook is only available on Kindle for now. In 90 days, I'll look into other places to sell it, but Kindle is having a special deal with it's Prime Members:

For Kindle Device Owners

Borrow this book for free, with no due dates, if you are a Kindle owner and Prime member. If you don't own a Kindle, get yours today. If you're not a Prime member, start your one month free trial today. You can borrow this book from your Kindle device.

With Prime, Kindle owners can choose from thousands of books to borrow for free — including over 100 current and former New York Times Bestsellers — as frequently as a book a month, with no due dates. Learn more about Kindle Owners' Lending Library.

Formats for FAIRIES:

Kindle Edition $3.99
Paperback $17.99

It is also for sale in Paperback at Barnes&Noble.com. It is currently at $11.53, but it will soon change back to $17.99. Right now they are saying that they will deliver it by Christmas.

#33 F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire Blog Tour!

2011-12-08T12:17:00.003-05:00

Here's what Lindsey has to say on her blog, Kindred Spirit Mommy:

F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism By Fire is a new faith-based novel for kids and young teens that is sure to be loved by many. I was especially excited when I first heard about it because it’s one of the few fantasy adventures in the Christian fiction genre. We need more like this!
Here’s a short description:

Unwittingly chosen to join an army of fairies, who fight for the Light of the One, a teenaged girl learns about spiritual warfare as she attends a military academy with fantastical beings.
If you enjoy meaningful books with deep characters, fantastical creatures, imaginative made-up worlds, and exciting adventures, you’ll enjoy F.A.I.R.I.E.S. It reminds me in a way of books like The Chronicles of Narnia or A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle. It’s a really enjoyable read, and you get caught up in the characters’ lives quickly.

I did struggle a bit in the beginning to get into the book but once I was a few chapters in I just had to know what happened to Mellie. I found her inner conflicts to be very true-to-life for a girl in her early teens, and I think that young girls who read her story will relate well.

Another thing that makes this book unique and special is the author’s own illustrations throughout the book. There are so many! It really adds interest, and was fun to see how the author saw certain scenes and characters. I loved it!
If you have a young daughter or family member, definitely consider this for them. The story has a lot of depth and heart to it that you won’t find in most young adult fantasy fiction. I recommend it!

You can find it on Amazon in both paperback and Kindle edition, and at Barnes&Noble.com.

#32 F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire Blog Tour!

2011-12-08T11:48:00.002-05:00

Here's what Anne Payne has to say on her blog, Stuff & Nonsense II:

My Thoughts

Several times I have tried to read a book in the Fantasy/Speculative Fiction genre and cannot do it. My brain just doesn’t conjure up what the characters and creatures look like. For that reason alone I was glad that the illustrations in the book were there and they are “fantastical” in and of themselves! You get two treasures in one: The boundless imagination of the author and her incredible illustrations. It’s amazing! And to weave the spiritual thread in the way she did. AWE.SOME.

This is definitely a book that young and old speculative fiction fans will enjoy.

#31 F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire Blog Tour!

2011-12-08T00:59:00.002-05:00

Here's what Laura O had to say on her blog, Day by Day in Our World:

My Thoughts ~

I have really enjoyed reading this title and plan to pass it along to my older boys to read. Our family adores fantasy books like this one and I suspect the boys will agree with my assessment of it being a good read. There is a wide variety of fantastical creatures with several characters I enjoyed.

I have to add that I really enjoyed the artistic touch that Ms. Pearson supplied with her own illustrations of scenes in the novel. My only regret was trying to view them on my Nook and not a bigger screen.

#30 F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire Blog Tour!

2011-12-07T23:45:00.004-05:00

Here's what Molly had to say on her blog, Reviews by Molly:

My Review:

With tons of sickness going around my house lately, I didn't get a lot of the books read that I wanted to read. But I did take the time to read this amazing book by Ms. Pearson. She is absolutely AWESOME in her work!

To be honest in my review, I will tell you that this sort of book is not my first choice of reading material. It's young readers that tend to read this kind. Me, not so much. But, I want to give every author a chance and sometimes, like with this one, I will find one that blows me away to the point of making me a fan.

In F.A.I.R.I.E.S., Ms. Pearson does a wonderful job at illustrating as well as the creation of the story. Ms. Pearson takes a classic bad battles good plot line, throws in a mix of fantastical characters, and turns out a story that will capture hearts young and old alike. Mellie Goodwin is one of those such characters and she truly pulled me to the heart of the book. I could feel the adventure and twists that Ms. Pearson through Mellie as if I was the character.

Ms. Pearson definitely created a 4 Book worthy story in my opinion. Her characters are gripping, her story line is one that is both entertaining to read and lesson learning, with good vs. evil, right vs. wrong. An inspiring story for young readers, this would make a wonderful, fantastical gift for your young book lover! As I said before, while this is one that I wouldn't normally read, Ms. Pearson did make a fan of me with her amazing talent for being an author AND an illustrator, and I am looking forward to her next book!

Interview Link

2011-12-07T03:44:00.002-05:00

Here's a link to an interview that I did for Writer Interrupted with Gina Conroy:

Author and Homeschool Mom MC Pearson Shares Her Story

#29 F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire Blog Tour!

2011-12-07T02:47:00.003-05:00

Here is what one of my favorite authors, MaryLu Tyndall, has to say on her blog, Cross and Cutlass:

MaryLu Here: I recently had the pleasure of reading this book. I'm not quite finished yet, but I wanted to write a short review: F.A.I.R.I.E.S. is unlike any book I've ever read. Immediately I was swept away into a fantastical world through the eyes of a young girl. I'm amazed at Ms. Pearson's extravagant imagination! The creatures and world she describes are beyond anything my mind could conceive. This book has everything anyone could want: battles between good and evil, adventure, humor, romance, an interesting plot and characters you will love. What also impressed me are the wonderful hand-drawn illustrations by the author herself scattered throughout the story! She can not only write, but draw as well! I highly recommend this books for young and old lovers of fantasy.

CONTEST! Win a FREE copy of F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire by M. C. Pearson

2011-12-07T00:35:00.001-05:00

For those of you who would like a chance to get your hands on my book for FREE , there is a contest for a hard copy on Megan's blog, Hardcover Feedback. Here's the link to the contest:

http://hardcoverfeedback.blogspot.com/2011/12/interview-with-mc-pearson-and-fairies.html

* It is open to everyone, but those outside the US will have to have an ebook copy. Those inside the US will have the choice of an ebook or a signed hard copy.

Only one winner...lots of ways to get your name in the raffle.

Blessings,

Mimi

#28 F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire Blog Tour!

2011-12-06T15:40:00.001-05:00

Here's what Megan DiMaria had to say on her blog, A Prisoner of Hope:

I don't often read fantasy, and this book was a welcome surprise. An imaginative and adventurous page turner, I loved the illustrations sprinkled throughout. Thumbs up!

#27 F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire Blog Tour!

2011-12-06T15:31:00.002-05:00

Here's what Danica had to say in her blog, The Journey of Writer Danica Favorite:

MY REVIEW:

Very much an enjoyable read. I keep thinking that this is a great story my 11yo and her friends would love, but that means I have to give up my death grip on my e-reader. :) I had a hard time getting into the story at first, but as I continued reading, I realized that this book reminds me a lot of Madeleine L'Engle's work, and I loved that level of fantasy as a child. I'm excited to pass on this book to my children, and I might even have to let them use my precious e-reader. This is definitely an appealing storyline for any parent who is looking for something wholesome to read in an age when there are a lot of questionable fantasy novels out there.

#26 F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire Blog Tour!

2011-12-06T15:14:00.002-05:00

Here's what Maureen had to say on her blog, Maureen's Musings:

My Review: What an imaginative book....you will Love what comes to mind. The beverages of kokokola...lemon lime??

Meet the Faries and the vast underground network....wow! Learning to fight the Evil One. You will enjoy the dialogue and sometime bickering that goes on.

The book opens with Mellie having quite a time feeling sorry for herself and proceeding to leave her family. She goes down the beach so far she doesn't recognize the place, she sees some branches moving, and her adventure is about to begin. She meets a "Walking Stick" named Regans, a member of The Fantastical, Aerial, International, Reasonably Inconspicuous, Emancipation Squads....F.A.I.R.I.E.S!
He tells Mellie that she is the "Chosen One" and had been accepted into their Organization.

She is about to go to School....one she never dreamed of attending!

You wonder if Mellie will ever see her family again, but all is answered.

M. C. has down a wonderful job with this book, it is so very entertaining! Really makes you think. Enjoy!!

#25 F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire Blog Tour!

2011-12-06T14:57:00.003-05:00

Here's what Linda had to say on her blog, One Desert Rose:

This is a fantasy tale of good versus evil through the eyes of a young teenage girl, Mellie. Running from her sisters’ taunts, she finds herself caught up in the world of the F.A.I.R.I.E.S, where she will learn the world of spiritual warfare against the I.M.P.S. as she attends the F.A.I.R.I.E.S. academy and learns of the One–the light who always overcomes the darkness.

The unbelievable characters become a part of your life, as you learn of their ways. The military academy is tough, yet most of the classes are enjoyable and instructive. Plenty of humor abounds, though some is lost in interpretation! I enjoyed the characters of Mellie, Spike, Lizzy, GroBe, and many, many others. They are rich, descriptive and eccentric. They are truly fantastical beings! What a super delightful book with deep spiritual meaning. I loved it. Your kids will, too!

This would make one extra-special Christmas gift for some young girl or boy! Pick one up today! Superb, intricate writing. Christian fantasy at it’s best! I’m rating this a 5 out of 5!

I’m so excited, as I never used to like books like this, let alone loving this one! This should become a classic for years to come!

#24 F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire Blog Tour!

2011-12-06T14:46:00.003-05:00

Here's what Chin chin has to say on her blog, Inspirational Life Quotes:

I like fantasy stories. But more than reading, I love to watch movies with this genre. I have watched The Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland, The Never Ending Story, Narnia, Bridge to Terabitha... How I wish that someday this book "F.A.I.R.I.E.S." by M.C. Pearson would find its way to the movie screen, too. The book is very long (482 pages) and, honestly, I haven't had the time yet to finish reading the whole book. But just reading some of the chapters gives the feeling of excitement on every turn of the page. This is something really perfect for those young and young-at-heart who like fantasy and adventure stories. Check out the free look inside chapter 1 of the book at the end of this post.

#23 F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire Blog Tour!

2011-12-06T14:17:00.001-05:00

Here's what Andi has to say on her blog, Radiant Light:

My Thoughts:

I received an electronic version of Mimi's book, and I was blown away by the cover on the book. It was super clear on my Kindle and I couldn't wait to read it. The book was a great adventure, and I fell in love with Mellie. Mimi is quite a talented writer and artist. Fantasy fiction is not one of my huge favorite genre's yet I found myself taken away to another world and I really didn't want to leave. This would be a great gift for your fantasy fan!

#22 F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire Blog Tour!

2011-12-06T03:43:00.001-05:00

Here's what Loren has to say on her blog, FROM THE ♥ OF A BOOKWORM:

You know those times when you were younger and you would be sooo upset with someone in your family? Maybe you might even wish to be in a different family altogether? Well, that is just what happened to Mellie. She was feeling sorry for herself as she walked down to the beach to get away from her older sisters. She is wishing for a new life, an important life, and one that really mattered! As Mellie continued on her walk, she realized she no longer recognized the area where she was walking and then she meets "walking stick" or you might say he looked like a tree twig. He not only looked odd but he spoke too! With a British accent!
He shares with Mellie that she is the Chosen one and must follow him. She wasn't quite sure what to do but once they arrived, Mellie had never seen a place like this before! She is going to go to school...and what a school it is! Here she will learn what it means to be a Fairie -aka- a Fantascital, Aerial, International, Reasonably Inconspicuous, Emancipation Squad!

Mellie meets some amazing friends and I just fell in love with all of them. Just to name a few, you will meet an elf, a yeti, and even a limionade.

This book is sooo very good and would be EXCELLENT for younger kids from 11 and up! This is a Fantastic book for those who might want to read something like Narnia!!! M.C. Pearson brings us a wonderful fantasy world and allows the reader to see an example of a deep faith and wonderful friendships!!

A Definite 5 ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

#21 F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire Blog Tour!

2011-12-06T03:36:00.001-05:00

Here's what Tammy had to say at her blog, Three Different Directions:

So what more is there to say about this book? Well quite a lot actually, but I'll try to keep it short since the professional authors' quotes above summed it up pretty well.

I reall liked this book, it would be fun for a family with pre-teens/teens to read it together. Mellie's adventures kept me swiping (I received an e-book) the pages and I very much enjoyed the fantastical vein this story took. I would recommened it for any one about ages 11 and up that enjoys Christian fantasy reading, and it would make a good Christmas gift.

#20 F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire Blog Tour!

2011-12-06T03:20:00.003-05:00

Here's what Joy has to say on her blog, Splashes of Joy:

My Thoughts

Though this is not a genre I read, I did enjoy Mellie’s journey thoughout this book. The author Ms. Pearson has an awesome and unique imagination creating a cast of characters that will feel your heart with love for them as you read this book. And while reading, you will see the wonderful artist the author is as well, with lots and lots of unique graphics and images she has created herself and included within the pages of this book.

Saying this is not a genre I read, doesn’t mean this is not a good book, because it is, especially for the younger generation. They love fantasy books, and one such as this one is great for your teen because they will see the Christ of the Bible written in this story. So add this to your child’s Christmas and give them something fantastic, unique, and just an all around good book for them to read.

I want to thank the author for giving me a copy of this book to read and review. The opinions in this review are mine only. I was not expected to write a positive review.

#19 F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire Blog Tour!

2011-12-06T02:19:00.002-05:00

Here's what Camy Tang had to say on her blog, Camy's Loft:

Camy here: I'm just terribly excited to post this excerpt of this book because M.C. Pearson has been an internet friend of mine for a long time. This is perfect for a tween girl in your life who loves fantasy--I would have loved this when I was 11 or 12. Actually, the illustrations reminded me of the Harry Potter books a bit, making it even more enjoyable. I hope you enjoy this excerpt!

#18 F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire Blog Tour!

2011-12-06T02:00:00.002-05:00

Here's what Quilly (A.K.A. Charlene L. Amsden) had to say on her blog, Quintessentially Quilly;

It only seems logical that M.C. Pearson would create a vivid and compelling novel. As an experienced book reviewer she certainly knows what it takes to make a great story. And in, F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire, Pearson has covered all of the bases: drama, peril, intrigue, humor, hope — and wonderfully fantastical beings that captured my heart and my imagination and pulled me into the story like the magical force-field that pulled Mellie into their realm.

I know this book is labeled YA, but don’t let that stop you from reading it. Compelling stories don’t have age limits. If you love adventure, worship The One, and wish to bring his kingdom to light on earth, this story will pull you in and bless you. You don’t have to take my word for it. The first chapter is below. Check it out, you’ll be charmed and intrigued.

#17 F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire Blog Tour!

2011-12-06T01:35:00.003-05:00

Here's what Janna had to say on her blog, Cornhusker Academy:

MY REVIEW:

I am a big fan of speculative fiction (fantasy) and I have anticipated this book for quite awhile. I was thrilled that it was finally coming out! I sat down to enjoy a new fresh take on fantasy and was so happy that F.A.I.R.I.E.S. does not disappoint. I can't even imagine what it takes to develop an entire world with real things, actual fantastical creatures and maybe even some new, original creatures. Putting it all together with a captivating storyline and you have a winner.

I had only 2 minor things with the book that struck me as a little odd. 1) Mellie, the human character, is 12 (turning 13) when the book starts yet I'm not sure why she is so young and she is developing a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship with a fantastical being. It really seemed to me that if there was going to be a relationship like that she could have been 16 or 17. I just felt a little awkward reading about Mellie and Spike kissing... she is 12... 2) There are a lot of original illustrations in the book which is really cool. But the illustrations were drawn over years and years so the look of the characters changes quite a bit. Not a bad thing, but not real consistent. I think if they had been drawn over a few months (instead of years) it might have made them a little more in keeping with each other. Very original though. Overall this book hits a home run in the fantasy world!

#16 F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire Blog Tour!

2011-12-06T01:26:00.003-05:00

Here's what Katie had to say on her blog, Legacy of a Writer:

F.A.I.R.I.E.S., Baptism by Fire is a very sweet, well suited for young readers of many different ages. If you enjoy fantasy and a tale with countless fantastical beings involved, this book will appeal to you in many ways. I think that is why I wasn’t as taken with the novel—while I do enjoy some fantasy, this kind of fantasy isn’t one of them. So, while I give the book 3 stars, it’s through no fault of the author, just my own personal likes/dislikes.

The lively, imaginative, and fun cast of characters within F.A.I.R.I.E.S. will no doubt engage and thrill many readers. I personally had a hard time trying to remember all the different kinds of beings, but that’s probably due to the fact that I don’t normally read books with oceanides, fairies, dwarves, dragons, and whatnot. I did love the friendship between Millie and her S.E. clan—Lizzy, Spike, Zandra, GroBe.

M.C. Pearson has an amazing imagination, creating a world where fairies, dwarves, and dryads exist, unseen to humans. I loved how the fantastical used bible verses repeatedly, and believed in the One and the light He gives. Lovely illustration for young readers! All the different acronyms—F.A.I.R.I.E.S., I.M.P.S., and S.E., to name a few—got a bit confusing for me, I will admit. But it was kinda neat, at the same time.

F.A.I.R.I.E.S: Baptism by Fire took a little while to really ‘get going’, but was filled with many interesting incidents and adventures with Millie and her friends in the meantime. The drawings that Pearson included frequently within the book—which she herself drew!—was really neat, helping to engage the readers with the visuals.

While I did not find it an amazing read, I would recommend viewing other reviews—preferably from those who enjoy the fantasy genre—before coming to a conclusion about this book.

#15 F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire Blog Tour!

2011-12-06T01:02:00.004-05:00

Here's what Christy had to say on her blog, Christy's Book Blog:

F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire by M.C. Pearson is the first book in a series about Mellie Goodwin and her life as a Fantastical, Aerial, International, Reasonably Inconspicuous, Emancipation Squads, aka a F.A.I.R.I.E.! Mellie is running away down the beach from a fight with her older sisters, and in her hurt and sadness she wishes for a life of importance, with riches and status, a life that matters. Her wish is granted in an unusual way when she soon encounters a strange man who looks like a tree twig and speaks with a British accent who informs her that she is the Chosen and must follow him. While she's at first hesitant and startled to find a world populated with beings completely unfamiliar, Mellie quickly throws herself into life learning to be a F.A.I.R.I.E. devoted to serving the One. She makes friends with a motley group including an elf, a limionade, a yeti, and an oceanide, but several people jealous of her status as the Chosen spread rumors about her and try to sabotage her success. Mellie's growth as a person and lessons about this new life are put to the test when attacks by I.M.P.S threaten the forces of Light, and she is the only one who can put an end to a thousand-year-old schism.

I was a bit unsure at first at the idea of fairies in our modern world, especially keeping it in line with Christianity, but Pearson has a light touch at writing that kept me sucked in to this impossible yet thrilling world. The characters are fascinating; each one could carry their own book, and the story has an epic overarching theme that Pearson seems to have plans for many more books in the series. Her sketches give readers an idea of how to imagine these fantastical creatures that can, at time, be difficult to visualize otherwise. For readers who love Narnia or Harry Potter, this is a terrifically compelling story with a deeper message of faith and friendship. My hat is off to Pearson for making this concept not just work, but fly. I can't wait to read the next book in the series!

#14 F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire Blog Tour!

2011-12-06T00:46:00.004-05:00

Here's what Farrah had to say on her blog, The Book Faery Reviews:

FROM THE BOOK FAERY REVIEWS…F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire was a fun read that placed me into a magical world of fairies, gremlins, Yeti’s, gnomes, talking trees, nymphs, and others. The pages are filled with excitement as Mellie, a chosen F.A.I.R.I.E. squadmember from the human world, prepares for the big fight in their version of schooling. Pearson draws delightful illustrations throughout the novel to reinforce her magical world. My favorites included the the talking redwood tree that let Regnans & Mellie through to the other world, the Yeti’s foot about to stomp a Gremlin, and Mellie under water getting accustomed to talking and breathing. This is a book I know my 12 year old would enjoy reading and escape into a magical place. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a fun youthful fantasy world.

#13 F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire Blog Tour!

2011-12-06T00:39:00.002-05:00

Here's what Nancy had to say on her blog, Sunny Island Breezes:

I don’t normally care to read fantasy type books, but I couldn’t resist something about fairies (or even F.A.I.R.I.E.S.). I’m certainly glad I didn’t pass this one by. I loved it, and I know my grand kids will when I’m ready to let go of it and pass it on.

It’s a thick book (almost 500 pages). I looked at it and figured it would take forever to read. NOT It’s in an easy-to-read format. It’s also so interesting that I didn’t want to put it down. I really didn’t want it to end.
I’m really looking forward to Oh, Pixie Dust! You will, too.

#12 F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire Blog Tour!

2011-12-06T00:27:00.003-05:00

Here's what Michele had to say on her blog, My Blessings from Above:

My Thoughts:

F.A.I.R.I.E.S is a delightful book! A young girl Mellie asks for a different life and gets more than she ever asked for or thought possible! Mellie is recruited to join a group of fairies that live in a vast underground world unknown to humans. Mellie has been chosen to join the fairies and join the fight against the Evil One.
This is a very imaginative story that is sure to spark your imagination! I love the original illustrations too! This would make a wonderful family read aloud!

#11 F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire Blog Tour!

2011-12-06T00:20:00.001-05:00

Here's what Kim had to say on her blog, Window to my World:

You know, if you've read my blog very long, that fantasy isn't my strongpoint. However, Mimi is my friend and sister-in-Christ, and I really wanted to read her first novel! And WOW! This is a story that draws you in with every page. Even the non-human characters are wonderfully developed and you just can't help but love them! And if you're honest, you can identify with Mellie - at least in some point of her struggle. I know I did! And as she learns what she is meant to know, she grows and changes and becomes someone...else - someone who learns she has much to offer.

The allegory - as I see it anyway - is phenomenally incorporated, and F.A.I.R.I.E.S is something more real than fantasy. I really enjoyed this story a great deal, and am happy to recommend it to others!

#10 F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire Blog Tour!

2011-12-05T23:50:00.002-05:00

Here's what Georgiana Daniels had to say on her blog, GEORGIANA DANIELS
~GOOD TIMES...GOOD TIMES...~

Because I'm not the target audience for this book, I wasn't sure what to expect when I cracked open F.A.I.R.I.E.S. I'm happy to report that I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed reading about a young girl who stumbles into a fantastical world and trains to join an army of fairies! The book presents the gospel so clearly in a way that will engage pre-teen and young teen readers--consider this book for Christmas!

#9 F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire Blog Tour!

2011-12-05T23:35:00.003-05:00

Here's what Amanda had to say on her blog, Short and Sweet:

I really enjoyed this book. It was such an easy read, and it was so much fun. When you read the title, and see that it says faeries, you don't really expect what you get in M.C. Pearson's book. The characters were so unique and fun, and I loved that it takes place in a our own world.

Also, I am very much a sucker for the classic good verses evil theme, which F.A.I.R.I.E.S. definitely delivers. I think that Pearson does a great job of making the book believable. I always say that, in order for a fantasy story to be enjoyable, there has to be a willing suspension of disbelief, and I really had no problem with that while reading this book. I definitely recommend this if you're looking for a fun, adventure-packed, easy read.

One complaint I do have is the cover art. I had a really hard time with the cover. It's just so—frightening-looking, I guess. I just felt like, I'm the type of person who wants to know what my kids are reading, and if I was in a book store, I would have passed right over this book without even looking at the back, let alone reading it myself first.

#8 F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire Blog Tour!

2011-12-05T23:03:00.004-05:00

Here's what Wyn had to say on her blog, Wyn's Book Reviews:

My review

Delightful story that includes a 12 year old girl learning that fairies and fantastical creatures do exist and at the same time learning about The One, creator of light. It was interesting to see how biblical verses and mores were taught without actually mentioning God. Mellie runs away from her family at the beach and enters into the world of the fairies. There she joins the academy that will protect the light and fight the dark shadows which want to take over the world. In the process she rooms with a flower fairy, chums with an oceanide, a yeti, and a she-elf while being taught Basic training by a gnome, an Amazon, an elf, and a nymph. Mellie experiences the regular pre-teen problems of self-doubt and emotional swings but learns to work through them and become a promising warrior who can solve problems, work as part of a team and stand her ground for what is right. The story is well written with great descriptions that would inspire imagination in any young reader. It's a book that can be enjoyed by the young and their parents alike.

Thanks to MC Pearson for a review copy of the book. My review is my opinion and is not influenced in anyway by the author or publisher.

#7 F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire Blog Tour!

2011-12-05T22:53:00.002-05:00

Here's what Tina has to say on her blog, Homesschool and Family:

This book is about a twelve year old girl named Mellie. (She turns 13 during Basic). It begins with her running away from her sisters at the beach because she thinks they are going to kill her due to the fact she got sand all over one of them and a sandwich. She runs for a long time and all of a sudden sees a grove of trees where she thinks she sees something move. Then she sees a dark shadow in a group of rocks which scares her so she goes towards the trees. In the trees, a leaf-man appears. He is made of twigs and leaves. He tells her that she is a "Chosen" one and he leads her through the forest to a big tree. This big tree opens up to lead them into the realm of the F.A.I.R.I.E.S. (Fantastical Aerial International Reasonably Inconspicuous Emancipation Squads) *EDITED DUE TO SPOILERS* It's full of adventure and was an interesting read. Some of the illustrations are odd and could have been left out. I would recommend this book for preteen to early teen girls.

I received this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion. No other compensation was received or expected.

#6 F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire Blog Tour!

2011-12-05T22:13:00.003-05:00

Here's what Victor Gentile has to say on his blog, Vic's Media Room:

My Review: This book is exceptional. Honestly, I did not know what to expect and was pleasantly surprised when I started reading. Now I know what FAIRIES stand for: Fantastical, Aerial, International, Reasonably Inconspicuous, Emancipation Squads….F.A.I.R.I.E.S! The best part of this book is its relationship to the Bible. Verses from the Bible come alive in these pages as they take a turn to tell this story. Get ready this is an exciting story, not only for your children but for adults as well!

#5 F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire Blog Tour!

2011-12-05T17:07:00.000-05:00

Here's what Tweezle (Theresa) has to say on her blog, Just One More Paragraph:

My Thoughts:

Fantasies are one of my absolute favorite genres. The worlds are only as different as each author can imagine, so when I crack a book, I never know where I will end up. In F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire Mrs. Pearson created a world where her characters are charming, witty, fantastical, sweet, magical and sometimes even a bit in the mood to bicker. This young adult fantasy is such a fun and engrossing read. I had started to read it on my Nook, but because of all the illustrations, I borrowed a Netbook and read from there. The illustrations are such a lovely addition to the story. Mrs. Pearson personally illustrated her book and she was very liberal at the amount of hand-drawn illustrations! I enjoyed them on the screen, but I think this would be even lovelier in print! This story should appeal to all ages, but I think it will particularly appeal to the female tween audience. The main character, Mellie Goodwin, is a girl that most will be able to identify with and has a great lesson to give to the reader.

#4 F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire Blog Tour!

2011-12-05T16:16:00.004-05:00

Here's what Sarah has to say on her blog, Growing For Christ
Follower of Christ. Wife. Mom. Homeschooler. Homemaker. Reviewer. Enough said!

My Opinion:

While I’m not done reading my e-copy of Baptism by Fire I am so glad that I went ahead and requested this book. Usually I’m not into the YA fantasy, sci-fi genre but this book has me actually wanting to keep reading and I know if my daughters would read this they’d be the same way. I can’t wait to finish reading this book because I just know that it’s going to continue to keep me enthralled the entire way through it as I meet the other F.A.I.R.I.E.S. For those who are hesitant to let their children read this because of the genre, don’t be, this book written and illustrated by a Christian woman is Christian through out and I just may find myself wanting to try more of this genre as long as it keeps Christ as the One.

#3 F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire Blog Tour!

2011-12-05T03:56:00.001-05:00

Here's what Nina has to say on her blog, Fontasauras:

Reading F.A.I.R.I.E.S. is such a wonderful escape, a kind of imagination therapy if you will. The author beckons you with every word, "Come, try out your wings, let's fly." Loved it!

#2 F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire Blog Tour!

2011-12-05T03:23:00.003-05:00

Here's another wonderful review from one of my oldest blogger friends, David Meigs. (His endorsement is inside the actual book as well!)...This is from a post on his blog, Novel Spotlight:

Today it is my delight to share a book with you that holds a special place in my heart. It is called, F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire, and it is written and illustrated by my old friend, M. C. Pearson. However, as with most of her friends, I prefer to call her Mimi. Several years ago, we exchanged drafts of our novels for critique purposes. Knowing Mimi, I expected something highly imaginative and exciting, but her novel set me back on my heals. It was a blast! As you can imagine, I was excited to learn that her wonderful novel was finally being released.

As a youth minister, I am often asked for recommendations on quality books that parents can trust and their children will love. F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire, has earned my highest endorsement. It will have your kids rolling with laughter and reading late into the night under their covers with a flashlight. Best of all, all that fun is infused with a life-changing message they will not soon forget.

I urge you to go out and pick up a copy for all the tweens & teens on your Christmas list.

F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire written and illustrated by M. C. Pearson

2011-12-05T00:01:00.001-05:00

Today's Wild Card author & illustrator is:

M. C. Pearson

and the book:

F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire

FIRST Wild Card Press (December 5, 2011)

***Special thanks to M. C. Pearson of FIRST Wild Card Press for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

M. C. Pearson graduated from San Jose State University with a B. A. in art, served as a multi-media illustrator in the United States Army, earning the rank of sergeant, and spent four years as a house parent for at-risk youth. Now married over 20 years, she homeschools her two children, volunteers with her church youth group, and runs a book review blog alliance (FIRST Wild Card Tours) while writing and drawing. F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire is her first novel.

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Unwittingly chosen to join an army of fairies, who fight for the Light of the One, a teenaged girl learns about spiritual warfare as she attends a military academy with fantastical beings.

FROM THE BACK COVER:

Here lies a most precious treasure,

Awaiting one Chosen to deliver.

Seek out the red cousins in the East,

For on this your greed mustn't feast.

The wealth of a species now in your hands,

Do with it as the light demands.

Give them your gift to unite,

For it is the darkness we all must fight.

EDITORIAL REVIEWS:

"Imagination runs wild in F.A.I.R.I.E.S. Pearson brings young readers through a looking glass and into a world bursting with adventure, heroism, and fascinating creatures. Readers will be inspired to be true to the One and left with anticipation of more to come."
--Jill Williamson, award-winning author of
By Darkness Hid, and other books

"Sprinkled with delightful illustrations, and brimming with a full bestiary of magical creatures, F.A.I.R.I.E.S. is a fun, clever romp through the alternate landscape of the most magical world of all, our own. Read, and take up the call: 'Defend and Emancipate!'"
-- D. Barkley Briggs, author of
The Book of Names, and other books

"F.A.I.R.I.E.S. will appeal to readers who love the interplay of fantasy and reality. A rich cast of eccentric characters and exotic settings make this a fun addition to the folklore of the battle between good and evil."
--Mike Hamel, author of
YA fantasy series: MATTERHORN THE BRAVE

"F.A.I.R.I.E.S. is one of those rare gems I want to tell everyone about. It's highly imaginative, packed with adventure, and full of hope. A must read for kids and for kids at heart. Even better than Narnia! I was thinking about Pearson's wonderfully memorable characters for days."
--C.J. Darlington, author of
Thicker than Blood

"Ms. Pearson's extravagant and imaginative F.A.I.R.I.E. kingdom will surely delight the young and the young-at-heart in this tale of good and evil, light vs. darkness. The fantasy-loving reader will not be disappointed!"
--Linore Rose Burkard, award winning author of
Before the Season Ends, and other books

Product Details:

List Price: $17.99
Paperback: 482 pages
Publisher: FIRST Wild Card Press (December 5, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0615530222
ISBN-13: 978-0615530222

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Four thousand seasons shall pass while our swords grow rusty.

Where once one chose to divide, another shall be chosen to unite.

One changed the past, the other shall change the future.

One must emancipate the other to allow the light its dominion.

The realm, now torn, allows the shadow to abide, as humanity lies blind to its peril.

The bond of friendship must endure, for the army of shadows awaits another tear.

Dust off your swords.

Unite the realm.

Destroy the strongholds.

Foretelling of Didasko Gnome Digdeep

†

PART ONE

MANY ARE CALLED

BUT

FEW ARE CHOSEN

†

CHAPTER ONE

Off and Running

t was an accident!” Mellie yelled, not caring who heard or stared. Tears streaked her face as she fled down the Santa Cruz coastline, away from her family.

You don’t need them, a voice hissed in her ear, Escape. Run away.

Scorching sand burned at her feet and bitterness ate at her heart. Mellie pumped her legs as fast as they would go. Her feet pounded with the rhythm of her emotions, beating a tempo with the crashing waves. Run-a-way. Run-a-way. Run-a-way. Adrenaline pulsed through her veins, quickening her step.

Why did I have to be the youngest? Only 12 years old. Never smart enough. Never athletic enough. I just wish they loved me.

Once, just once, she wanted to do something that would make her sisters see that she wasn’t the stupid, awkward, ugly, little baby sister.

As she ran, she wiped away some tears with the palm of her hand. Her fingers settled on her large nose, a gift from her dad’s Hungarian ancestry.

Chelsea got the ski-slope shaped nose. I had to get Half-Dome. It just isn’t fair.

Her hand dropped to her side and she pinched at her stomach. It still had some of its baby fat.

Ugh, why are my sisters so perfect? What happened to me?

Pushing her short bangs from her forehead in disgust, she mumbled, “Maybe I’ll find treasure. I’ll be the rich one, and then they’ll have to accept me.” But she knew better. California didn’t hold any more undiscovered treasures.

The sand, hot and coarse, cut at her feet. I wish I had remembered my shoes. She wore only a black, one-piece swimsuit and a San Jose Sharks sweatshirt tied tightly around her waist.

Breathing rapidly, she began to tire. She slowed her pace to a walk and looked back across the beach. The sand was so hot that waves of heat rose from it and blurred her view. A lone seagull screeched overhead.

Her sisters were nowhere in sight.

Man, I thought for sure that Chelsea was going to chase me down and kill me.

She had to admit that it was a little gratifying to see the sand fly from her foot, covering Chelsea’s sub-sandwich and freshly oiled stomach. Grinning slightly, the tears stopped flowing. She rubbed her eyes.

Mellie looked in the direction of her sisters. “You guys can never take a joke.” Flipping her golden hair, she turned her head back toward her chosen path. She no longer smiled as she stomped her feet in the cold surf, remembering the hateful words that had been said.

“Oh, waa waa, you stupid cry baby! Go tell mommy! Maybe she’ll feel sorry for her ugly, fat baby. Why don’t you grow up? We don’t want you near us. Can’t you understand English? You are so dumb. Look at her mouth open. Oh wait, here she goes…come on, baby…cry!”

Mellie knew she couldn’t go back. They would only ridicule and torment her further. Her mom would never believe it was Chelsea’s fault. No, the evidence was on Chelsea’s side. Who was the one with the sand all over her oily, coconut-smelling body? Who was the one who had a sandwich full of sand? Mellie walked on.

After her temper finally cooled, it occurred to her that she had never walked so far alone.

How far have I gone?

A shadow passed over her, and she looked up. Nothing was there. A cool breeze from the ocean created a stark contrast to the scalding sand. She shivered but kept walking, lost in her loneliness.

Not until she stubbed her toe on a large broken clamshell did she look at the beach. A chill snaked up her back. Nothing appeared familiar. The sounds of the surf were still there, yet something was decidedly different. She felt dizzy. Looking around, she could not quite pinpoint the change. Then it struck her.

No people.

Where did everybody go?

Even though she could see no one, Mellie could swear that she felt eyes staring at her.

She looked inland across the sand, saw movement near some eucalyptus trees, but decided that the wind must have caused it.

Trees? So close to the beach?

Something shook the trees again, causing goosebumps to stand out on Mellie’s arms. Alarmed, she checked the skyline. The sun was close to setting. She hoped that the police weren’t out looking for her.

Suddenly cold, she pulled at the arms of the sweatshirt still tied around her waist. It fell to the sand. Bending to pick it up, she once again saw a blur of movement, except this time it came from a rocky outcrop by the waves. She shook the sand out of the sweatshirt and hurriedly tugged it over her head.

“Okay, I’m seeing things.” Mellie yanked at her hair, pulling it out of the sweatshirt. She stared at the sinister rocks. “Hel-lo?” Her voice cracked as she spoke louder. “Is someone the-ere? Hello?” No answer. The shadowy rocks seemed to quiver with excitement, beckoning her closer.

Hmm…probably just a seagull.

Even if it was a bird, she did not want to see it.

There’s no way I’m going over there.

The wind picked up and blew her hair into her eyes. The sand spun with the wind.

Yes, definitely time to move. I need to find a road.

She turned back toward the sweet smelling, oddly placed trees.

Mellie arrived at the base of the first, colossal eucalyptus tree. Without warning, one of the branches fell in front of her, then seemed to get up from the ground and pose its bottom stems in a military-like stance.

Mellie screamed and jumped back. “Branches don’t stand.”

“They do if they are walking sticks.” The eucalyptus branch chuckled, stretching to its full height, considerably taller than Mellie’s meager five feet.
She gasped, grabbed the branch, and threw it like a javelin, as hard as she could.

As she took off running, she heard a bark and halted. Turning, she saw a golden retriever bounding toward her with the stick in his mouth. The dog dropped it at her feet. She watched the dog run into the grove of trees and disappear before she fearfully turned back to the possessed stick.

It had already gained its footing again and stood over her. Mellie was too frightened to move this time.

A face emerged from the skinny twig and took on the characteristics of a male human, but none like Mellie had ever seen. He had hair made up in rolls as if it were a powdered, green-silver wig, the same color as the leaves that grew all around his skinny body. His face was long and his forehead high. The twiggy man smiled and said in a distinctly British, albeit breezy, accent, “Do not worry, you are safe.”

Mellie couldn’t answer.

“Ahh…I love new recruits. They are so easily addled.”

Feeling more confused than threatened, Mellie found her voice. “What? What do you mean, new recruits?” She rubbed her eyes, shaking her head. “Okay, I’m talking to a stick now. Yes, I have lost it. I have gone totally mental.”

“Oh, I say, am I to understand that I am the first to be revealed to you?” With round, leathery leaves, the branch resembled a toddler toy with rings stacked on one another.

She dropped open her mouth and nodded.

“Well, let me do this properly, then. Ahem. Mortal, made of clay, you have been Chosen to join the Fantastical, Aerial, International, Reasonably Inconspicuous, Emancipation Squads.”

“What? What are you? You look like a stick…but you can talk.”

“Yes, child,” the stick replied with a sigh. “But, I think we are quite past that by now. Have you not heard me? You have been Chosen.”

Mellie opened her mouth wider, closed it, frowned, and opened it once more. “Chosen? For what?”

“You did wish to be different? To change who you were? ’Twas an especially strong desire, yes?” The branch crossed its arms and tapped its twiggy foot.

“Umm…”

“Dear me, this is highly unusual. You made a choice to run away from a miserable life and asked to be set free? Correct?”

“Well, I, ah…yeah. I guess so. What did you say about recruit for some squad?”

“Humph. I see that I was not understood. Yes? Let me elucidate. The Fantastical, Aerial, International, Reasonably Inconspicuous, Emancipation Squads , or shall I say F.A.I.R.I.E.S.? have accepted you into their organization. You asked. You were answered.” The branch attempted a smile, but looked impatient instead.

“Fairies? I don’t believe in fairies.” Mellie winced, half expecting him to fall down and writhe in pain until she clapped her hands.

“Quite right. You are not supposed to. If humans truly believed we existed, we would never get anything accomplished.”

Mellie laughed and looked around for a hidden camera, thinking this must be a joke. “Right. Ah…heh…okay, bud, brilliant costume,” she said, imitating the branch’s accent. “Where’s the zipper?” She reached toward him and touched a soft leaf.

The branch slapped her hand away and stamped its foot with a loud cracking noise. “I beg your pardon. I have not been a bud for over 800 springs!” He paced, his leaves crumpling, mumbling to himself about humans and why, in the One’s name, did he listen to that confounded gnome who told him that he needed to stand gate duty. With his rank!

“I’m sorry I upset you. Please, I’m very confused. I’m lost, and I just want to go home.” Mellie bit her lip.

The branch stopped mid-pace. “Home? Earlier, did you not wish for a new life? And riches? I know you wished for treasure, hmm?”

“How do you know that?” Mellie furrowed her brow. “Have you been reading my mind?”

The twig man didn’t answer her questions, asking his own instead. “Ahh, so, you admit this, yes?”

She narrowed her eyes. “Yes, but…well, this really isn’t what I had in mind.”

The branch threw up its twiggy fingers. “Oh, well, of course you did not have this in mind. After all, we are reasonably inconspicuous, especially to humans. How could you have this in mind? However, is it not superior of the One to think that this is what you would have chosen had you known about us? Anyway, ’tis irrevocable now. So, if you would just follow me, we shall get you signed in and enrolled for training.”

The branch marched off between the trunks of two large eucalyptus trees.

Mellie slid uncontrollably after the walking stick. She planted her feet firmly, refusing to budge, but she slid after him anyway. Grasping at branches of nearby trees, she panted heavily as she struggled to resist following the branch. Some kind of invisible tie connected her to him. He seemed to pull her along with his every step.

Mellie thought about her sisters and how mad they were at her. I’m dead meat if they find me. Mellie quickly gave up her battle and ran after the eucalyptus branch, barely keeping up with his stride.

†

The sand changed to coarse dirt, with pebbles and sticks. More and more trees filled Mellie’s vision. Bushes scraped against her bare legs and slapped her face as she moved deeper inside a forest of eucalyptus and redwood trees. She winced in pain as a razor-sharp rock sliced her foot. Stopping to nurse it, she wished once again for her forgotten shoes.

“Excuse me, sir?” Mellie looked around. She could not see the branch anywhere.

“Do not call me ‘sir’, I work for a living.” The branch peeked out from around one of the gigantic trees. “And please, try to keep up. We need to reach the gateway.”

Mellie limped up to him. “Sorry, sir…I mean…umm, what should I call you then?”

“Oh, well, we did skip that. Did we not? Yes, all right, an introduction then.” The branch man seemed to enjoy formal etiquette for he gave an elaborate wave and bowed. “My name is Regnans, family of Myrtaceae, born member of the F.A.I.R.I.E.S., Britannia Wing, rank of Master Nymph Dryad.”

“Nice to meet you, Reg…Reg?” Mellie chewed on the inside of her mouth. Never good at remembering names, she knew she would offend him with her lack of manners.

Sure enough, the dryad raised an eyebrow and pursed his lips. “Regnans.” He gave a hurt sniff, then drolly sneered. “If you find that a difficult name, you should meet the rest of my family, all seven-hundred thirty-four of them.”

“Sorry, I just…well, it is a lot to remember. It’s a nice name, though. My name is Maryellen Goodwin of Bret Harte Middle School, San Jose, California. But everyone calls me Mellie.” She stuck out her hand, intending to shake. Regnans stared at her.

“That is a strange curtsy. However, I guess ’twill do. We must get moving now. The shadows abound, you know.” Regnans made an about face and marched off faster than before.

Another hour passed, and still they strode along the forest floor. Mellie’s feet were now cut, blistered, and bleeding. She kept up as best she could with Regnans’s long stride. Whenever she tried to stop, he would pull her on with that invisible force of his.

Stupid, pompous, magical Star Wars freak.

She whimpered as she limped. Darkness and mist now covered the woods. As she was about to plead for a break, Regnans stopped. Except for her heavy gulps of air, all seemed quiet.

Regnans stiffened even more than usual. Nothing on him moved, apart from his eyes, which darted around quickly.

“All is safe, we may proceed.” He held up a twiggy finger to his woody mouth. “Please do not speak, and try not to breathe so abominably loud.”

Mellie nodded with a disgusted frown. Sweat dripped from her bangs. She tried to calm her breathing, even though her vision blurred, and her legs wobbled. Her blisters had popped by now and oozed wetness.

Regnans moved again, yet this time he took slow, deliberate steps, all the while scanning his surroundings. He walked up to a massive redwood tree and stroked its bark.

A breeze stirred up, rattling the leaves, sounding almost like spoken words. Mellie thought herself crazy again. However, the longer she stood there, the more she sensed that it really was the tree’s language, as if she had never listened to trees properly before. It said, “If you love, you will say the one true love that leads the way.”

Regnans whispered in a leaf rustling voice, “Ah-gaw-pay.”

A loud grumbling sound, as if someone awakened after a long sleep, shook the grove. The redwood tree opened two eyes, each the size of Mellie’s head, and blinked. A great fissure erupted below the eyes in the shape of a crescent, and redish-brown wooden teeth emerged. A long, knobby branch pushed its way out above the mouth and inhaled deeply.

The tree chuckled. Instead of the whispering leaves, a low, rumbling utterance of human speech came from the redwood tree. “Regnans? What brings you to my neck of the woods?” He blinked again. “And who is this? A new recruit? A human? A Chosen?”

Mellie knew she looked silly, standing there with her mouth in an ‘O’ shape, but she couldn’t move. This was simply impossible. There is no such thing as fairies!

“Yes, yes. Please open the gate, we must not dawdle here…they may be watching.” Regnans looked agitated.

A deep laugh resounded from the redwood. “Oh, Regnans. There are none who watch here.”

Regnans mumbled something about hamadryads and their pride, then proclaimed in a slightly louder voice to the tree, “We must be sober, be vigilant, because the shadow walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom it may devour.”

The hamadryad looked chagrined. “You speak true, dryad. Forgive me for acting like an arrogant seedling.” He glanced at Mellie, and with a lowered voice asked, “And what is your name, little human?”

Mellie managed to squeak out, “Mellie Goodwin.”

“Ah, ’tis always nice to have a Good Wind.” The hamadryad laughed heartily.

“Sorry to interrupt this lovely tete-a-tete,” Regnans said, “but would you please open the gate? I left Westside completely unguarded.”

An annoyed creak came from the base of the redwood, followed by a sigh. “Yes, Regnans. Agape you said, and agape it is. Go with the light, my friends.” The large, joyous eyes closed, and the hamadryad whispered in his leaf rustling voice, “Until we meet again, Good Wind.” His face disappeared, and his roots lifted and pulled apart, exposing a tunnel within his trunk.

Regnans grabbed Mellie’s hand with his rough, wooden one, and pulled her inside the opening. The tree closed itself abruptly and left them in total darkness.

Regnans cleared his throat and said, “Let there be light.”

A burst of dazzling brightness sparkled from the tunnel’s wall. Mellie glanced around and noticed a long, winding stairwell leading down into the ground.

“Shall we, then?” Not waiting for a reply, Regnans started down the steps.

Available at Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com.

Another sighting of FAIRIES on an AD on IMDB!

2011-12-04T23:57:00.003-05:00

I'm just tickled. Dave was looking around on IMDB and another ad from Barnes & Noble showed up with F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire as the first book!

Hardcover Feedback: Interview with M.C. Pearson and 'F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: B...

2011-12-04T23:54:00.000-05:00

Hardcover Feedback: Interview with M.C. Pearson and 'F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: B...: Today I am interviewing M. C. Pearson, author of F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire . M.C., welcome to Hardcover Feedback! Would you tell us a ...

#1 F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire Blog Tour!

2011-12-04T23:22:00.005-05:00

I can't be more excited by the prospect of reading what my FIRST members thought about my book, F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire. The tour starts on 12-05-11 and lasts all day. I have a huge list of bloggers that requested the tour, and I plan to visit them all. I'm going to copy the reviews for you and give you a link to where they posted the tour on their blogs so that you may visit them all. One of the bloggers already has her post up, so I'll start there.

Carly at Carlybird's Home wrote:

Before I get into all the things that I loved about this story, I would like to share all the things I loved about the actual book. I received a hard copy of this book and when I opened the envelop I was instantly impressed by the superior quality of the publishing. This book has instant visual appeal with the cover art and as soon as I opened the book, I was again impressed with the paper quality, the typesetting and the illustrations (done by the author herself). This book was very professionally done and I can’t rave enough about the quality of the book itself. That is why I prefer actual books over ebooks. You just don’t get the same level of enjoyment that I got from actually holding this fine book in my hands.

Now to the story. When this book first started, it sounded like a “normal” story, which is just fine, but since I was expecting a fantasy, I was a little surprised that this story started out so normal. Well, that didn’t last! Once the story really got going (only took a few pages) and I got to see the author’s imagination coming alive, I was hooked. We all at some point in our lives want to escape into another world and I loved coming along with Mellie on this adventure. Mimi Pearson is a very talented writer with a vivid imagination, not to mention a very good artist. I thoroughly enjoyed coming along for the ride. I’m very happy that I have become such a fan of fantasy books because if I hadn’t, I would not have read F.A.I.R.I.E.S. Baptism by Fire. This is an excellent book and such a fun read. I highly recommend it, and not just to fans of this genre.

Barnes & Noble Ad on YouTube!

2011-12-01T23:10:00.002-05:00

Oh my goodness! My son, Keegan, was looking up some Call of Duty YouTube stuff, and saw an ad for my book! CRAZY!!! Look at the far right corner. Below the first picture is a zoomed in shot of the ad from Barnes & Noble. I did not pay for this! God is so cool! He knew that I needed encouragement.

Book Trailer for F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire by M. C. Pearson

2011-11-28T16:00:00.002-05:00

Live Reflectively AND Live Abundantly by Lenya Heitzig and Penny Rose

2011-11-22T20:40:00.000-05:00

Today's Wild Card authors are:

Lenya Heitzig
and
Penny Rose

and the books:

Live Reflectively: Lessons from the Watershed Moments of Moses

David C. Cook (November 1, 2011)

and

Live Abundantly: A Study in the Book of Ephesians

David C. Cook; 2 edition (November 1, 2011)

***Special thanks to Audra Jennings, Senior Media Specialist, The B&B Media Group for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lenya Heitzig is an award-winning author and popular Bible teacher. She and her husband founded Calvary Church of Albuquerque—one of the fastest-growing churches worldwide. She is the author of Holy Moments: Recognizing God’s Fingerprints on Your Life and also contributed to the best-selling New Women’s Devotional Bible. Heitzig serves as Executive Director of She Ministries of Albuquerque, overseeing weekly Bible studies and yearly retreats. She and her husband Skip live in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Penny Rose is the award-winning author of numerous books. Penny thrives on teaching at conferences and retreats nationwide. She lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with her husband, Kerry, a pastor at Calvary of Albuquerque.

Visit the authors' website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

The Fresh Life series was created for women who crave a profound experience of God’s Word without an overwhelming time commitment. Bible teachers Lenya Heitzig and Penny Rose challenge readers to dig deep into Scripture by using a directed study method that only requires twenty minutes a day. With a fresh approach to studying Scripture that gives newcomers as well as seasoned students deep insight into God’s Word, the latest two additions in the series explore the life of Moses and the riches in the book of Ephesians.

Live Reflectively: Lessons from the Watershed Moments of Moses (Heitzig) is an engaging Bible study on the life of Moses. He was saved from death on the Nile and raised as an Egyptian prince. He met his wife at a Midianite well, witnessed the birth of a nation as the Red Sea parted and watched water gush from a rock with one touch of his rod. He died overlooking the Jordan River. Through viewing the water moments of Moses’ life, readers will be encouraged to consider the moments in their own lives that shape who they are and who they are becoming.

Live Abundantly: A Study in the Book of Ephesians (Heitzig and Rose) challenges readers to dig deep into the book of Ephesians to find the spiritual treasure God has for them. The book of Ephesians is God’s “last will and testament” that bequeaths his spiritual treasures to His beloved children. Covering topics such as living in God’s will and receiving peace no matter the circumstances, it reveals the magnitude of every Christian’s inheritance—a gift “exceedingly abundantly above” what you could ever ask for.

The Fresh Life series teaches readers to:
· Lift up...a prayer
· Look at…God’s Word (answering questions concerning what the passage says)
· Learn about…what the passage means (sidebars define words and profice background information)
· Live out…what they have learned (personalizing the text and learning how it can impact their daily life)
· Listen to…quotes from well-known figures to build on the truths uncovered in Scripture

Readers will develop a deeper intimacy with the Lord and walk away feeling inspired to move forward in their walks of faith. Live Abundantly and Live Reflectively continue the rich biblical tradition of the Fresh Life series. They offer wisdom that will leave readers encouraged in their present situations and hopeful for the spiritual journey ahead.

Product Details:

Live Reflectively: Lessons from the Watershed Moments of Moses

List Price: $17.99
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: David C. Cook (November 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0781405939
ISBN-13: 978-0781405935

Product Details:

Live Abundantly: A Study in the Book of Ephesians

List Price: $17.99
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: David C. Cook; 2 edition (November 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1434703304
ISBN-13: 978-1434703309

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER (Click on images to expand):

Live Reflectively: Lessons from the Watershed Moments of Moses

Live Abundantly: A Study in the Book of Ephesians (Click on images to expand)

TruthTats: The Christmas Story by Jeff Sheets, product creator for Broadman and Holman Publishers

2011-11-18T00:01:00.000-05:00

What I Think: TruthTats The Christmas Story is an awesome way to memorize scripture and prepare your family's heart for Christmas. It has tat pages enough for a family of four. You wear one tattoo a week, starting on December 1 and ending on Christmas Day (there is also one bonus tattoo on each page). Each week has a new tattoo with a different scripture to memorize. The tats come with a guide for each of the Advent weeks. You just read it with your family and put the tattoos on the back of your hand. It also has a small section for notes. What a fun way to learn about the Advent and memorize scripture

!

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 is developed by:

Jeff Sheets, product creator
for Broadman and Holman Publishers

and the Advent idea:

TruthTats: The Christmas Story

B&H Publishing Group

***Special thanks to Susan Otis of Creative Resources, Inc. for sending me a review copy.***

SHORT PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:

Truth Tats: The Christmas Story
Celebrating the Season of Advent with Truth Tats

Designed just for the season, Christmas Truth Tats present a new way of telling the story of Christ’s birth. Truth Tats are temporarily on your skin, permanently on your heart.

This is a five week program leading up to Christmas day, each packet of Truth Tats includes a family devotional booklet that kicks off each memory scripture of the week. The twenty accompanying Scripture tattoos are a visual way to continually applying and memorize God’s word. Each week opens with a set of four identical Scripture tattoo designs so that each family member can have his or her own tattoo! Week two, there is a new Scripture for memorization and four new tattoo designs, again identical designs so each person is memorizing the same Scripture.

For over 1,000 years Christians worldwide have been celebrating Advent, a time of spiritual preparation for the birth of Jesus Christ. The word “advent” comes from the Latin adventus meaning “coming toward”. So it is entirely appropriate that the four weeks prior to Christmas we will be preparing our hearts for His Advent.

Truth Tats are a unique way to celebrate the season as well as to “show and tell” God’s word to others. This is ideal for the classroom, family devotion time, and in personal Scripture memorization

Product Details:

List Price: $3.99
Unbound
Publisher: B&H Publishing Group
Language: English
ASIN: B005LDDJ1S

AND NOW...WEEK ONE OF ADVENT (Click on pictures to enlarge):

The Song of Unmaking (Legends of Karac Tor) by D. Barkley Briggs

2011-11-16T23:51:00.007-05:00

My Thoughts:

I have enjoyed Dean's creative fantasy series about Karac Tor. This is the third installment in this five part series. If you love epic fantasy, be sure to check out this series. You must read them in order though...so start with The Book of Names. It will not disappoint. Dean's characters are so real that you feel like you know them as you read...and miss them when you finish. Can't wait for the next one!

This is what I said about book one, The Book of Names:

D. Barkley Briggs has penned a rousing fantasy packed full of Norse and Celtic mythology with a hearty dose of Arthurian legend. With a wide range of emotions, he moved me from the sadness of loss to the giddiness of comic relief, all the way to the excitement of heart-pounding tension. Strap on your armor, pull out your sword, and get ready for an adventure.

And here's my opinion of book two, Corus the Champion:

Once again, D. Barkley Briggs has managed to capture the mystery of Arthurian legend, the enchantment of fairy tale folklore, and the valor of Celtic and Norse mythology. This rousing second installment of the Legends of Karac Tor delves deeply into the heart of heroism, its joys and sorrows. Train with the Barlow brothers as they separately learn how to use the incredible gifts they have received from Aion, the God-King. Let yourself burn with adventure while you follow them into battle against the growing evil inside the realm of Karac Tor.

BRIGGS LAUNCHES MASSIVE GIVEAWAY CONTEST (NASHVILLE, TN)

D. Barkley Briggs loves fantasy novels. He is, after all, a fantasy novelist himself. He is about to make one fan's fantasy come true. Briggs is giving away, not just one of his books, but a complete young adult fantasy library from 15 top authors.

“The Fantasy Prize Pack Giveaway" contains forty-‐eight (48) of the best YA Christian fantasy novels on the planet, plus a brand new Kindle Fire™...FREE! But that's not all. Second Place gets a FREE iPod™ Shuffle. Briggs has also collected several mini-‐prizes, including dragon jewelry and children's books. To enter, participants must upload at least one photo of themselves reading a book from Briggs’ Legends of Karac Tor series (The Book of Names, Corus the Champion, or The Song of Unmaking) to his Facebook page. The contest launches Nov. 1 and concludes Nov. 30. For official rules, visit deanbriggs.com.

D. Barkley Briggs

and

The Song of Unmaking (Legends of Karac Tor)

Living Ink Books (October 14, 2011)

***Special thanks to LeAnn Hamby, Publicity Coordinator, Glass Road Public Relations, LLC for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Dean "D. Barkley" Briggs is an author, father of eight, and waaay too prone to twisting his ankle whenever he attempts a pick-up basketball game in his old age. He grew up reading J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lews, Patricia McKillip, Guy Gavriel Kay, Stephen R. Donaldson, Ursila K. Leguin, Susan Cooper, Madeline L'Engle, Terry Brooks, Andre Norton and Lloyd Alexander (just to name a few).

In the aftermath of losing his wife of 16 years, Dean decided to create a heroic journey that his four sons could relate to. Thus was born a new and paradoxical genre: semi-autobiographical fantasy, as Dean actively weaves elements of his life and family into the plots of his stories.

"The Legends of Karac Tor" tells the edgy, sweeping tale of four brothers who get stranded on another world. Together, they must find their courage, battle overwhelming odds, face their pain, and never quit searching for home. Five books total are planned.

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

He was once the greatest champion in the land. Then he disappeared. With Nemesia's defeat, the Barlows have helped turn the tide in the Hidden Lands. But the victory is short-lived. An even greater evil stirs in the north with a fierce new army bent on destruction. As the twins, Gabe and Garret, discover their own special powers, a thin thread of hope emerges: long ago, a fabled king was rescued from death on our world and hidden on Karac Tor. Who is he? Each brother has their part to play. Hadyn must travel north to warn the land rulers, which leaves Ewan with a bitter choice. Will he sacrifice what is most precious to discover whether Corus lives? Even more important, if Corus is alive, can he wake the Sleeping King of legend...before it's too late?

Product Details:

List Price: $12.99
Reading level: Ages 13 and up
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Living Ink Books (October 14, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0899578659
ISBN-13: 978-0899578651

F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire by M. C. Pearson

2011-11-14T11:24:00.001-05:00

Preorder F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire by M. C. Pearson now on Amazon.com, just click on the cover.