Okay, okay, I know I've been slacking on the blogging lately, but cut me some slack--I got home from the ACFW conference and I swear A BOMB WENT OFF IN MY HOUSE. The mess is mind boggling. I don't know how it got to be such a war zone after only one week, and without me in the house! Anyway, my brain can't function if my house is messy, so I've been trying to clean up. My house, not my brain. Hopefully my brain will follow. Regardless, today's excerpt is by Mary Connealy, one of the funniest women I know. If she comes to do a booksigning near you, go and meet her! I just saw her last week at the conference. Today's Wild Card author is: Mary Connealy and the book: A Cowboy Christmas Barbour Books (September 1, 2009) Get ready for a fun and suspenseful Christmastime romance. Trouble follows singer Annette Talbot to Wyoming—and rancher Elijah Walker finds himself directly in its path. Though still wounded by the betrayal of his ex-fiancée, Elijah finds himself att...

Today's Wild Card author is: Wanda E. Brunstetter and the book: A Cousin’s Prayer Barbour Books; 1 edition (September 1, 2009) After her boyfriend is killed in a van in which she was also a passenger, Amish girl Katie Yoder finds herself suffering from depression and anxiety attacks. What—or who—will deliver Katie from the bondage of her fears? Freeman Bontrager has been attracted to Katie for years. Now that she's home, can he break through her emotional scars long enough to reach her heart? When a mysterious package brings Katie out of her despair, hope looms, until the "gift" must be returned to its rightful owners. Will Katie find the courage to really live—and love—again? ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Wanda E. Brunstetter is nationally recognized as an expert on the Amish community, and her book sales have topped the three million mark. Her books White Christmas Pie, A Sister’s Hope, and Allison’s Journey topped Publishers Weekly Paperback Religion Bestsellers lists in 20...

Today's Wild Card author is: Jennifer Valent and the book: Cottonwood Whispers Tyndale House Publishers (August 17, 2009) Jessilyn Lassiter and her best friend Gemma Teague have survived prejudice and heartache in their life-long friendship, but the summer of 1936 threatens to tear them apart yet again. Gemma's job with the wealthy Hadley family leads to a crush on their youngest son. But Jessilyn's insistence that he's no good and that no rich white man would ever truly fall for a poor black girl like Gemma puts them at odds. Tragedy strikes when Jessilyn's cherished neighbor girl is hit by a car and killed. Things get worse when an elderly friend is falsely accused of the crime, and the only way to clear his name is to put her family's livelihood in jeopardy. For Jessilyn, this is a choice too hard to bear and she wonders where to turn for answers, especially when an angry mob threatens vigilante justice. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jennifer Erin Valent is the winner ...

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Dawn's Prelude (Bethany House - October 2009) by Tracie Peterson ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Tracie Peterson is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than 70 novels. She teaches writing workshops at a variety of conferences on subjects such as inspirational romance and historical research. Ephesians 1:18 has become a cornerstone verse for a new non-fiction book she's been working on -- its also become a cornerstone in her life. The verse reads, "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints." Tracie and her family live in Belgrade, Montana. ABOUT THE BOOK Newly widowed Lydia Sellers discovers that through an unforeseen fluke, she is the sole recipient of her husband's fortune. But instead of granting her security, it only causes strife as her adult stepc...

Today's Wild Card author is: Ginger Garrett and the book: In the Arms of Immortals: A Novel of Darkness and Light (Chronicles Of The Scribe) David C. Cook (2009) In another heart-stopping historical fiction thriller from the author of In the Shadow of the Lions, critically acclaimed author Ginger Garrett paints a captivating portrait of a time when terror ruled and faith was hard to come by. In the Arms of Immortals travels a richly imagined journey into a key moment of history…the arrival of the Black Death in Europe. This story of unseen battle, loving presence, and eventual redemption begins when a strange ship docks in a medieval Sicilian harbor. That night an old man falls ill… then the baker's wife… then a street urchin. By morning half the townspeople are dead and more are dying—horribly. And no one has a clue what is happening or how to stop it. Not the local priest. Not the rich baron or his powerful knight. And not the three women at the heart of this book: the baron...

Captain's Log, Stardate 09.17.2009 The 15 Seekers from my Seekerville blog got together for wine and burgers (great combination, eh?) last night! Check out Seekerville for pics!

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Tidings of Great Boys FaithWords (September 8, 2009) by Shelley Adina ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Award-winning author Shelley Adina wrote her first teen novel when she was 13. It was rejected by the literary publisher to whom she sent it, but he did say she knew how to tell a story. That was enough to keep her going through the rest of her adolescence, a career, a move to another country, a B.A. in Literature, an M.A. in Writing Popular Fiction, and countless manuscript pages. Shelley is a world traveler and pop culture junkie with an incurable addiction to designer handbags. She writes books about fun and faith--with a side of glamour. Between books, Shelley loves traveling, playing the piano and Celtic harp, watching movies, and making period costumes. ABOUT THE BOOK Finals week is approaching and Mac is still undecided on where to spend the holidays. Normally she'd go home to Scotland, but spending two w...