Please post your comments between Monday and Friday (October 13th- 17th). This is The Shape of Mercy blog tour! Earlier, you may have seen my review, if not, go back and read it, click here. Also, please notice that I have two copies of this book to giveaway, coming straight from my mail box to yours.



Lauren Durough is a college student longing to break free of family expectations when she stumbles into a project for eighty year old Abigail Boyles—transcribing the journals of Mercy Hayworth, a seventeenth-century victim of the Massachusetts witch trials. Almost immediately, Lauren finds herself drawn to this girl who lived and died four centuries ago. The strength of her affinity with Mercy forces Lauren to take a startling new look at her own life, including her relationships with the mysterious Abigail, her college roommate, and a young man named Raul. But on the way to discovering the candid truth, Lauren must earnestly ask if she is playing the role of helpless defendant or the misguided judge? Can she break free from her own perceptions and recognize who she really is?
In our high-pressure, success-oriented culture, readers will identify with Lauren’s struggle to forge her own identity separate from the plan her family designed for her. Offering intrigue, romance, and heartbreaking drama, this contemporary novel with a historical twist conveys the intense beauty that emerges when we see how our stories affect the lives of others.


About the Author:
From early school-day projects to becoming editor of a local newspaper in Minnesota, Susan Meissner’s love for writing has been apparent her entire life. The Shape of Mercy is her latest novel in a string of books that delve into the deeper issues of life. She is the author of nine novels and lives with her family in San Diego, California. Find out more about her at www.susanmeissner.com.

I will be giving away two copies of The Shape of Mercy by Susan Meissner. (These will be coming from my directly and not the publisher, but thank Waterbrook for providing them!) The winners for this giveaway will be picked on October 14th, 2008. To enter: Please leave a comment on THIS POST about what you have heard about this book and why you would like to enter.


Or you can purchase your own copy now! (Click here to do so) Or go to your local independent Christian bookstore, or CBD.com. Or click the cover of the book.

It is time to play a Wild Card! Every now and then, a book that I have chosen to read is going to pop up as a FIRST Wild Card Tour. Get dealt into the game! (Just click the button!) Wild Card Tours feature an author and his/her book's FIRST chapter!

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

and the book:

He Loves Me! Learning to Live in the Father's Affection

Windblown Media; 2nd edition (August 31, 2007)

Wayne Jacobsen: age 55, Publisher of Windblown Media. Wayne is also the director of Lifestream Ministries, and he wanders around the planet helping people sort out what Jesus really taught. He is the author of So You Don’t Want to Go To Church Anymore, He Loves Me: Learning to Live in the Father’s Affection, Authentic Relationships: Discovering the Lost Art of One Anothering, In My Father’s Vineyard, Tales of the Vine, and The Naked Church and co-hosts a weekly podcast called The God Journey. For 20 years he was a pastor and also a Contributing Editor to Christianity Today’s Leadership Journal.

Wayne was a collaborator on The Shack. In his spare time, he acts as a mediator of religious conflicts in public education as the President of BRIDGEBUILDERS, and is recognized nationally for his expertise in resolving church and state issues. He lives in Moorpark, California with his wife of thirty-three years and enjoys his children and grandchildren.

Visit the author's website.

Product Details:

List Price: $11.99
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Windblown Media; 2nd edition (August 31, 2007)
Language: English



AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:




ISBN-13: 978-0964729254 ISBN-10: 0964729253

Product Description
To save a sick, orphaned boy, Anna Freeman must risk her own life. Little Paulo desperately needs a new heart. It's his only Christmas wish—well, that and building his first snowman. For the surgery, Anna must take him to a hospital in the city she once called home. A place she fled in fear years ago. Which means telling Dr. Lucas Bennett that the woman he's known all this time as a caring orphanage worker is really someone else. Someone with a very frightening past. And that the danger stalking all of them won't take Christmas Day off.

About the Author
Lynette Eason grew up in Greenville, SC and now lives in Spartanburg, SC. She is married and has two precious children, Lauryn and Will. Lynette is a stay-at-home homeschooling mom and full time writer. Lynette loves to ice skate, visit the mountains of NC and surf the web. She gives God the glory for her giving her the talent and desire to spin stories that bring readers to the edge of their seat and to the throne of Christ.

We are all looking for relationships and environments that are safe, that give us life. Sadly, however, many people suffer as a result of the failure to create a safe place within the church environment. Drawing upon the authors experience in counseling those who have suffered spiritual abuse, Church as a Safe Place offers help to those who are victims of abuse or anyone committed to ensuring that church is a safe place.



The questions about God that used to center around his existence are now aimed at his morality the God who permits diseases and natural disasters that kill innocent people; the God that allows brutal dictators to rule with an iron fist. At best this God is aloof and uncaring; at worst he is primitive and cruel. Many of the contemporary generation have concluded, through what is called common sense theology, that we are actually morally superior to God and he is less than inadequate. Even some in the church have begun to suspect this same thing that God just isnt that great. But as people of faith, we have an understanding that helps us bridge the reality of what we see with those realities we do not see. So how are we to communicate that to a skeptical generation? In Searching for a Better God, Wade Bradshaw shows us that the caricatures many have drawn of God are not accurate and God, as described in the Bible, is misunderstood. Ideas about God that at first consideration seem unethical are precisely how we need God to be. He gives us ways to talk to those who doubt Gods character. By thoroughly explaining and examining this contemporary, common sense theology, Bradshaw brings us back to confident hope in God, the perfect and moral God of the Bible.


Buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich. Revelation 318 NIV Prospectors throughout the ages have sacrificed everything to search for the gold that would make them rich. For many, this was a fruitless journey. As Christians, we, too, are searching for goldGods priceless gift of grace. Learning to accept Gods grace is the most important thing you can do to become, grow, and mature as a Christian. But first, you must understand every facet of grace. Davis has done a marvelous job of correlating intangible grace with tangible goldthe greatest historical and universally valued commodity. Christians can now grasp the biblical concept of grace in a practical, real, and meaningful way. Pure Gold picks and shovels through the mountain of Scripture, leading the seeking Christian, a spiritual prospector, to sift the soil of their soul and discover within the brilliant R ock, Gods pure gold, grace in Christ Jesus. Possessing the treasure of Gods grace enables us to live rich lives that give us joy, peace, energy, passion, and the ability to rise above our daily burdens.


In a missionminded family, theres a Godinfused energy. Theres a focus on Gods worldwide purpose and theres a passion for the lost. Theres a spiritual depth and hunger that reaches beyond the maintenance mode of cultural Christianity. A missionminded family emphasizes leadership, calling and destiny. Theres a prevailing attitude of selfsacrifice and an emphasis on total submission to Gods will. Theres an unmistakable and contagious joy. Dunagan, who wrote The MissionMinded Child, brings the same perspective to what it means to be a missionminded family. This book includes suggested activities for families to participate in together as well as resources to help families develop the desire to be more missionsfocused. She discusses the need for families to balance and prioritize their everyday lives and delves into what a familys finances would look like if they were focused on missions. This practical book is the perfect companion to The MissionMinded Child. Families who read and practice principles from this book will receive a rekindled closeness as they participate in ministry together.

In this uplifting new book, author Stephen G. Post explores the mysteries and the wonder of Godly lovethe all important love that is at once personal, unconditional, unlimited, generative and omnipresent. The title alludes to Isaiah 35, to the way in which Godly love is said to plant a rose in our hearts precisely when we feel most like a dry desert with no more love of our own to give. Post draws on his own life experiences as well as his work at the Institute for Research on Unlimited Love, as he intersperses personal anecdotes with spiritual truths and research on human happiness. In the process, he defines the concept of Godly love and illustrates how important it can be in our livesnot only emotionally and spiritually but physically as well. Godly love, he writes, is the only foundation in the universe that we can really lean on. We all have deserts in life, so we all need Godly love. Without it, the downward slide to cynicism, hostility and cool indifference can be all too easy. These meditations on the subject will nurture our confidence in the power of a love that is greater than our own, when we need it most.

It is October 11th, and FIRST is doing a special tour to 'Say Goodbye to Hollywood Nobody'.

and her book:

Goodbye Hollywood Nobody

NavPress Publishing Group (September 15, 2008)

Lisa Samson is the author of twenty books, including the Christy Award-winning Songbird. Apples of Gold was her first novel for teens

These days, she's working on Quaker Summer, volunteering at Kentucky Refugee Ministries, raising children and trying to be supportive of a husband in seminary. (Trying . . . some days she's downright awful. It's a good thing he's such a fabulous cook!) She can tell you one thing, it's never dull around there.

Other Novels by Lisa:

Hollywood Nobody, Finding Hollywood Nobody, Romancing Hollywood Nobody, Straight Up, Club Sandwich, Songbird, Tiger Lillie, The Church Ladies, Women's Intuition: A Novel, Songbird, The Living End

Visit her at her website.

Product Details

List Price: $12.99
Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: NavPress Publishing Group (September 15, 2008)
Language: English



AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:


The Hollywood Nobody (HN) is something that I am so glad that I had the opportunity to read. For once it was a Tween-to-teen series that was about a girl who was different and not all about the lipstick and peer pressure as much. Not to say that there was no normal teenage stuff in it, because there definitely was, it is just that Scotty the main character was different.

I read it (all the individual books) non stop from when it entered my hands. It's just that fun!!! Information good to know, Hollywood Nobody (book #1) won the 2008 Christy Award for Young Adult! Absolutely fabulous, no doubt about it. I just loved HN and Finding Hollywood Nobody and Romancing Hollywood Nobody. Read my review of HN, then FHN, and then RHN. I could not wait for Goodbye Hollywood Nobody, click here to read that one too!




ISBN-13: 978-1600062223 ISBN-10: 1600062229

Growing up motherless with an outlaw father made Ginger Freeman hard and unforgiving—and for the past seven years she's been driven by a single goal: to make Grant Kelley pay for letting her brother die. Now that she's tracked the hated doctor to a westward-bound wagon train, her mission of vengeance is nearly completed. But the sense of family and community that suddenly surrounds her is unlike anything Ginger has ever experienced. And under the nurturing eye of Miss Sadie, the outlaw's daughter begins to lose her rough edges. Here, in the company of loving, newfound friends, Ginger feels herself becoming part of something much bigger than revenge.

But catastrophe is in the wind when her pa and his gang arrive to infiltrate the wagon train. Will Ginger's new relationship with God tear her away from her family forever . . . and cost her everything she's now begun to hold dear?

In honor of the new release of Havah, my pal Tosca (the author) is giving away a couple different things over on her blog, click here to find out more.

...a drawing for one of several things: a copy of Havah; a copy of Legend, in which archaeologist David Rohl explores the possible location of Eden's garden (fascinating to me in my research); or one of two previewed documentary DVDs (A&E and History Channel, I believe)--one on Adam and Eve, and another on Cain and Abel.



Lee’s superior storytelling will have readers weeping for all that Havah forfeited by a single damning choice.
--Publishers Weekly starred review

“Havah is brilliant and breathtaking, inspired and inspiring.”
--author Sharon K, Souza, author of Lying on Sunday

“The most creative, mind-twisting novel of the summer.”
--Infuzemag.com, on Demon: A Memoir

A while back, you might remember my ranting and raving about Rachel Hauck's new series that includes book #1 Sweet Caroline and book #2 Love Starts With Elle. Well, I'm not in on this current blog tour, but I think that you should be informed about it! Go read reviews, watch the trailer, and enter to win a copy on various blogs.

The book is so worth it! And in case you missed it before, here are my review.

Love Starts with Elle by Rachel Hauck

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
I do not know if I shall scream or cry or both. Love Starts with Elle is officially one of my favorite books of all time. It is by far my favorite book of contemporary Christian fiction. I enjoyed Sweet Caroline immensely, but it does not fully compare with the power and wonder of Elle. This is a sequel, but does stand alone on a firm foundation of Christ no less.

Elle is an artist, well in her heart. She mets Mr. Wonderful, who I did not like from page one, but he's so right. Until he's not, but really who is perfect? Well I did not see how in the world the plot could get her out of one situation or get her into another, but after reading the book in entirety I'm impressed. I cannot believe all that has happened. My goodness, our God is a mighty God.

Usually, I really do not like contemporary, because it's so real and harsh and there is just not enough "light". Rachel Hauck gives contemporary a good name. It is real, there is some harshness and full tears. But there is love and light beyond the darkness. The characters are so real, and I want to move to their town and lives near their lives. After Sweet Caroline I just could not see how the story could continue on in Elle's life, but it did and in such a neat way. I had my tears and my giggles. I got angry at people and frustrated when they did not head my suggestions. I cherish their joys and I cannot wait for more works to come from the wonder that I have found in Rachel's words on a page.

View all my reviews.

So, here's the dibs on the tour. Main page on Rachel's blog, click here. And then you can see all the links and dates for the various tour stops!

Have fun!!!

Due to the fact that I like you (my readers) and that I trust you to tell people about Creative Madness I have talked to a few people, begged a little, raised my hand when needed, and have for you a very large set of giveaways!

First, do not forget about the two coming straight from me: I have two copies of The Shape of Mercy by Susan Meissner and one copy of Bon Appetit by Sandra Byrd. Click here to go back, find out, and enter for Bon Appetit. Contest ends on October 21st. Please click here to go read a review of The Shape of Mercy, this is a story that I loved and it will go on my keeper shelf permanently Click here to enter for a chance to win one of two copies. The two winners for this one will be picked on October 14th, 2008.

Then also a former giveaway, still going on, One Perfect Day by Lauraine Snelling, click here to enter into that giveaway that ends on October 17th. A review of this book is still to come.

Now, for the new giveaways... The way this will work is that to get an entry on the former giveaways you can go back to the original posts and follow the directions. It is usually to tell me why you want the book, and to leave at least three relevant comments on other posts. The more I can tell between now and the final date, the more likely you are to win a book on my blog. I have to admit that I do not choose by random counters or anything like that. I pick who I think really needs/wants the book, so it does pay to be active in my comment boxes or at least by emailing me (cherryblossommj (at) gmail [dot] com). Also, you may get an entry by commenting on this post (still for the above giveaways). Again, relevant comments count. Now, something new... Tell someone about the post and cc: that you told them. Blog about this giveaway and link back, or comment the link to your post. Twitter about the giveaway, and comment and [@]cherryblossommj the twit.

Each time you do something to promote this giveaway and tell me about it. The higher your chances are of winning for the former giveaways and the new. Now for the new: On this post tell me why you want it. Leave at least three comments elsewhere that are relevant to the subject matter. And get as many additional entries as you wish by what I just mentioned above.

This huge giveaway contest will end on October 31st, so you have several days to enter, and tell others about it to enter. Winners will be chosen and notified by November 3rd.

Also, you can grab the html on the top right for a button to my blog as well. *grin* (Any problems, let me know.)




Now you what to hear about the books to giveaway???

*Please Note* Some, but not all of these are Christian, some are general market. Please realize this while making your choices. I know that is important to some, and I do not want to mislead you. This is a Christian blog, with mostly Christian giveaways. I have not read all of these books, nor do I necessarily recommend them all. If you are curious on my thoughts of a book, please ask me directly, and I will let you know. Again, email me if need be: cherryblossommj (at) gmail [dot] com.


“We understand what we want to understand.”

Leaving a life of privilege to strike out on her own, Lauren Durough breaks with convention and her family’s expectations by choosing a state college over Stanford and earning her own income over accepting her ample monthly allowance. She takes a part-time job from 83-year-old librarian Abigail Boyles, who asks Lauren to transcribe the journal entries of her ancestor Mercy Hayworth, a victim of the Salem witch trials.

Almost immediately, Lauren finds herself drawn to this girl who lived and died four centuries ago. As the fervor around the witch accusations increases, Mercy becomes trapped in the worldview of the day, unable to fight the overwhelming influence of snap judgments and superstition, and Lauren realizes that the secrets of Mercy’s story extend beyond the pages of her diary, living on in the mysterious, embittered Abigail.

The strength of her affinity with Mercy forces Lauren to take a startling new look at her own life, including her relationships with Abigail, her college roommate, and a young man named Raul. But on the way to the truth, will Lauren find herself playing the helpless defendant or the misguided judge? Can she break free from her own perceptions and see who she really is?



Pastries, Paris and romance–Lexi’s adventure has just begun!

Lexi Stuart is risking it all. Saying au revoir to the security of home, her job, and could-be boyfriend Dan, Lexi embarks on a culinary adventure in France to fulfill her life dream of becoming a pastry chef.

As she settles into her new home in the village of Presque le Chateau to study and work in a local bakery, her twenty-something optimism meets resistance in the seemingly crusty nature of the people and culture around her. Determined to gain her footing, she finds a church, meets a new friend, and makes the acquaintance of a child named Celine–as well as Celine’s attractive, widowed father, Philippe. Even Patricia, the gruff pastry cook, shows a softer side as she mentors Lexi in the art of baking.

As Lexi lives her dream, the only thing she has to do is choose from the array in life’s patisserie display window: her familiar home, friends, and family in Seattle or her new life in France. Lexi discovers that as she leans more on God the choices become a little clearer– and making them, well, c’est la vie!


This is the story of two mothers, strangers to one another.

The first has two children--twins, a boy and girl, who are seniors in high school. She wants their last Christmas as a family living in the same home to be perfect, but her husband is delayed returning from a business trip abroad. And then there's an accident--a fatal one involving a drunk driver.

Meanwhile, the other mother has a daughter who needs a new heart, and so the loss of one woman becomes the miracle the other has desperately prayed for. While one mother grieves, and pulls away from her family, the other finds that even miracles aren't always easy to receive.




Bestselling author Robin Jones Gunn brings readers a poignant Christmas novella about a woman, desperate for a place to belong, who finds herself in London a few days before Christmas, looking for the father she never knew.In FINDING FATHER CHRISTMAS, Miranda Carson's search for her father takes a turn she never expected when she finds herself in London with only a few feeble clues to who he might be. Unexpectedly welcomed into a family that doesn't recognize her, and whom she's quickly coming to love, she faces a terrible decision. Should she reveal her true identity and destroy their idyllic image of her father? Or should she carry the truth home with her to San Francisco and remain alone in this world? Whatever choice she makes during this London Christmas will forever change the future for both herself and the family she can't bear to leave. Robin Jones Gunn brilliantly combines lyrical writing and unforgettable characters to craft a story of longing and belonging that will stay with readers long after they close the pages of this book.


Miranda Carson can't wait to return to England for Christmas and to be with her boyfriend, Ian. She has spent a lifetime yearning for a place to call home, and she's sure Carlton Heath will be it, especially when a hinted-at engagement ring slips into the conversation.
But Miranda's high hopes for a jolly Christmas with the small circle of people she has come to love are toppled when Ian's father is hospitalized and the matriarch of the Whitcombe family withholds her blessing from Miranda. Questions run rampant in Miranda's mind about whether she really belongs in this cheery corner of the world. Then, when her true identity threatens all her relationships in unanticipated ways, Miranda is certain all is lost.
And yet . . . maybe Father Christmas has special gifts in store for her after all.


Many want a simple life, but find it difficult to actually live that way. They fight a constant battle to balance work, family, friends, and other demands on schedules stretched too thin. Joyce Meyer breaks it down to the simple principle of exercising faith rather than doubt and confidence rather than people-pleasing. She reminds readers that the Bible is full of examples of God's provision and His instruction to focus on one day at a time. She encourages readers to set themselves free by realizing they don't have to do, fix, or manage everything. By embracing the fact that God is on their side they will be encouraged that He will help find a way to live a simple life.


International motivational speaker and sought-after business consultant Reverend Myles Munroe proves that true leaders empower others to discover their own leadership gifts.


Father Williams explains how the conscience is formed through our training and experiences and informed by the Holy Spirit, making it an essential tool for daily living. He uses familiar and surprising characters to illustrate the positive choices conscience can direct--and the disaster that results when a conscience is undeveloped or ignored. Questions he tackles include "Is it more important to be smart or good?""Is there a morally right thing to do in every situation?" and "Is the Christian moral life an exciting adventure, or a necessary burden?" Rich, provocative, and practical for everyday decision making, KNOWING RIGHT FROM WRONG is a must-read for all who hunger for personal holiness.



Do you find yourself picking through circumstances like children plucking daisy petals attempting to figure out whether or not God loves you? If you find yourself least certain of his love in those critical moments when you most need to trust him, there is hope for you. Where? At the one event in human history that forever secured your place in the Father s hear--the cross where Jesus allowed sin and shame to be consumed in his own body so that you could freely embrace a relationship with his Father. There you will discover that what he always wanted was not the fearful subservience of slaves, but the loving affection of sons and daughters. If your spiritual life feels more like performance than freedom, like an empty ritual rather than a joyful journey, let Wayne help you discover a Father who loves you more than anyone on this planet ever has or ever will and how you can rest in the confidence of his affection for you through whatever circumstances you face.


THE ROSARY is a beautifully illustrated practical and reverential primer to a centuries old prayer that has touched millions of lives. In the introduction, author Gary Jansen appeals to the universality of one of the original Christian prayers, "Though traditionally considered a Catholic act of devotion, the rosary with its primary focus on the life, death, and resurrection of Christ Jesus, is ultimately a . . . universal prayer--one that can appeal to Christians of all denominations."

Written for both Catholic and Protestant Christians, candid explanations on why and how to pray the rosary along with useful instructions on how to get the most out of the meditative and spiritual exercise of repeating prayers are in the first of two sections. Prayers including a visual and spiritual journey that illuminates the teachings of the New Testament follow in the second section.


A woman who has experienced both tragedy and triumph, Paula White shares hope with those facing life's trials. Paula opens her heart to offer personal testimonies and key passages of Scripture that will equip readers to discover purpose in their pain and to overcome any challenge that crosses their path. It's not about what happens to us, it's about what happens in us. Failure is not final. We have the power to:
- Renew our minds
- Transition from trial to testimony
- Discover God's pattern for our lives
Most important, Paula teaches readers to never quit. Tough times don't last-tough people do! What are you waiting for? Grab hold of the victory God promises. It's time to MOVE ON, MOVE UP.

Click here, to listen to an excerpt.


Josh Hamilton was the first player chosen in the first round of the 1999 baseball draft.- He was known not only for his gargantuan homeruns, his speed on the bases and his fielding talent but also for his caring and humble character.-He was destined to be one of those rare "high-character " superstars.- But in 2001, working his way from the minors to the majors,-all of the plans for Josh went off the rails in a moment of weakness.- What followed was a 4-year nightmare of drugs and alcohol, estrangement from friends and family, and his eventual suspension from baseball.BEYOND BELIEF details the events that led up to the derailment. Josh explains how a young man destined for fame and wealth could allow his life to be taken over by drugs and alcohol. He will chronicle the details of the depths of his addiction.But Josh's story is one of redemption and triumph. It is inspirational, life-affirming and, since Josh credits his finding faith in Christ for saving his life, it is also the memoir of a spiritual journey that breaks through pain and heartbreak and leads to the rebirth of his major-league career. Josh Hamilton makes no excuses and places no blame on anyone other than himself. He takes responsibility for his poor decisions and believes his story can help millions who battle the same demons. "I have been given a platform to tell my story" he says. "I pray every night I am a good messenger."

Click here, to read an excerpt. Click here to see his stats.


In the hustle and bustle of today's busy world, sometimes it's hard enough to hear yourself think, much less take a minute to stop and listen for the voice of God. But learning to recognize God's voice and the many ways in which He speaks is vital for following His plan. In How to Hear from God, Joyce Meyer shows readers that God reaches out to people every day, seeking a partnership with them to offer guidance and love. She reveals the ways in which God delivers His word and the benefits of asking God for the sensitivity to hear His voice. Joyce asks the question, "Are you listening?" and shares how to do just that.

Click here, to read an excerpt.




Seduction, black-market booze, burglary, and murder-not your ordinary fare for a division of peacekeeping officers, but Hollywood isn't your ordinary town. When a couple of LAPD cops find themselves caught up with a certain femme fatale, they're in for trouble. Meet Margot Aziz, the beautiful, soon-to-be-ex wife of Ali Aziz, proprietor of a Sunset Boulevard strip club. Ali has his diamond-studded fingers in multiple shady business deals-and he wants his lovely wife dead. Enter Hollywood Nate Weiss, a cop hungry for stardom and looking for love. Nate works alongside a squad of L.A.'s finest, including a duo of suntanned surfer cops, two tenacious women officers, and a wily veteran. As they all discover, Hollywood always deceives you, and love always comes packing heat.

Click here, to read an excerpt.


These hard-hitting, deeply felt stories follow straight arrows and outlaws, have-it-alls and outcasts, as they take stock of their lives and missteps and struggle to rise above their turbulent pasts. A salesman re-examines his tenuous relationship with his sister after she is brutally attacked. A house painter plans a new life for his family as he plots his last bank robbery. A drifter gets a chance at love when he delivers news of a barfly's death to the man's estranged daughter. A dissatisfied yuppie is oddly envious of his ex-con brother as they celebrate their first Christmas together. Set in a Los Angeles depicted with aching clarity, Lange's stories are gritty, and his characters often less than perfect. Beneath their macho bravado, however, they are full of heart and heartbreak.



An unparalleled look inside the brilliant mind of one of America's most revered rock legends, Cobain Unseen collects previously unseen artifacts and photographs from the estate's archives to form a fascinating portrait of the creativity, madness, and genius of Kurt Cobain.
Personal items and photographs take readers deeper inside Cobain's life than they've ever been before, and interactive features, such as Kurt's handwritten sticker-sheet of Nirvana name tags, facsimiles of unseen journal pages, and gatefolds of his graffiti-embellished guitars make this an essential keepsake. An audio CD showcasing spoken-word material by Cobain, some of it never before released, will be included. Accompanying the previously unpublished images and memorabilia is a compelling biographical narrative by New York Times-bestselling author Charles R. Cross.


Sooner or later, we are all called to lead in some capacity. Leadership skills are vital in corporate settings, small businesses, church or community organizations, and even within the home. Chris Brady and Orrin Woodward have recognized this need and have jointly created an in-depth, step-by-step guide for developing leadership skills.

Utilizing an abundance of historical examples, the authors have developed a unique 5-step plan that charts a course for creating and maintaining strong leadership in any organization. The plan guides the reader through the "Five Levels of Influence":

- Learning: a leader must be able to learn from anyone
- Performing: perservere through failure to find success
- Leading: extend your ability by expanding your team
- Developing Leaders: learn to trust your people
- Develop Leaders who Develop Leaders: create a legacy

This book is full of prescriptive advice, quotes and anecdotes that illustrate their principles.

Click here, to read an excerpt.


Things are finally looking up for defense attorney Mickey Haller. After two years of wrong turns, Haller is back in the courtroom. When Hollywood lawyer Jerry Vincent is murdered, Haller inherits his biggest case yet: the defense of Walter Elliott, a prominent studio executive accused of murdering his wife and her lover. But as Haller prepares for the case that could launch him into the big time, he learns that Vincent's killer may be coming for him next.

Enter Harry Bosch. Determined to find Vincent's killer, he is not opposed to using Haller as bait. But as danger mounts and the stakes rise, these two loners realize their only choice is to work together.

Bringing together Michael Connelly's two most popular characters, The Brass Verdictis sure to be his biggest book yet.





Theodore Mead Fegley has always been the smartest person he knows. By age 12, he was in high school, and by 15 he was attending a top-ranking university. And now, at the tender age of 18, he's on the verge of proving the Riemann Hypothesis, a mathematical equation that has mystified academics for almost 150 years. But only days before graduation, Mead suddenly packs his bags and flees home to rural Illinois. What has caused him to flee remains a mystery to all but Mead and a classmate whose quest for success has turned into a dangerous obession.

At home, Mead finds little solace. His past ghosts haunt him; his parents don't understand the agony his genius has caused him, nor his desire to be a normal kid, and his dreams seem crushed forever. He embarks on a new life's journey -- learning the family business of selling furniture and embalming the dead--that disappoints and surprises all who knew him as "the young Fegley genius."

Equal parts academic thriller and poignant coming-of-age story, LIFE AFTER GENIUS follows the remarkable journey of a young man who must discover that the heart may know what the head hasn't yet learned.


Dr. Christopher Ringle is the last person you'd expect to find moonlighting as Santa Claus at the mall on the day after Thanksgiving. But it is there that he meets a young man named Molar Alan, who desperately needs a new perspective on the underlying value of Christmas. Dr. Ringle recruits Mo and his older brother as volunteers at a nearby children's hospital for the holiday season. At the hospital, Mo is tasked to help bring holiday cheer to the young cancer patients on the fifth floor. His biggest challenge is befriending a decidedly angry girl who is so embarrassed by her scarred appearance that she hides her face behind the safety of a paper bag. Almost in spite of himself, Mo finds that Christmas joy emanates from a source far greater than the North Pole, while the young girl learns that she is more beautiful than she had ever imagined.


Click here, to read an excerpt.


Lizzie Buckley has a life many women dream of - a gorgeous husband, a beautiful home and darling (when they're not fighting) three-year-old twins. But ever since the birth of her children, she's had a fantasy about locking herself in her bedroom for twenty-four hours with a good book and a box of chocolates.

Unfortunately, her husband James doesn't understand her feelings. And when Lizzie unburdens herself in a flaming email to her sister Janie, then hits send at the wrong moment and accidentally shoots it off to James instead, her fairytale life gets a big dose of reality. With the word "divorce" ringing in her ears, Lizzie finds herself moving out and embarking on a totally different life - working hard to reinvent herself as a runner, a gardener, and a writer of children's books.

But despite transforming her body, her neglected career, and her libido (courtesy of the local landscape gardener), Lizzie can't get over her soon-to-be ex. As Lizzie discovers, sometimes the fairytale ending is just the beginning of the real story.


Having lost their mother in early childhood, the Gabaldón sisters consider Fermina, their elderly Pueblo housekeeper, their surrogate Grandmother. The mysterious Fermina love the girls as if they are her own, and promises to endow each with a "special gift" to be received upon her death.

Mindful of the old woman's mystical ways, the sisters believe Fermina's gifts, bestowed based on their natural talents, magically enhance their lives. The oldest sister, Bette Davis Gabaldón, always teased for telling tales, believes her gift is the power to persuade anyone, no matter how outlandish her story. Loretta Young, who often prefers pets to people, assumes her gift is the ability to heal animals. Tough-talking tomboy, Rita Hayworth believes her gift is the ability to curse her enemies. And finally, Sophia Loren, the baby of the family, is sure her ability to make people laugh is her legacy.

As the four girls grow into women they discover that Fermina's gifts come with complicated strings, and what once seemed simple can confuse over time. Together they learn the truth about their mysterious caretaker, her legacy, and the family secret that was nearly lost forever in the New Mexican desert.

Click here, to read an excerpt.
Best of luck to you all!! Remember entries can be made until October 31st. Oh, and if you so desire, you can come back more than once. But realize only relevant comments will count. :)