Here Comes Award Number Three!

Fantasy fiction, while having a very long and established track record, is frequently dismissed as not fitting the Christian fiction mould, and it is often difficult to find the audience.  Partly because many Christian readers of fantasy do not look for them or expect to find them in Christian bookshops. 

So here is a reason to take note of this series, and an opportunity to talk about it.  Starflower, book 4 in The Tales of Goldstone Wood series, has just won the Clive Staples Award for Christian Speculative Fiction.  Earlier books in the series won two Christy Awards, including the 2012 Award for Visionary Fiction.  So the series now has a hat-trick of awards.  Not bad going, especially when you consider that Heartless, the first in the series, was the author's debut novel.

* * * * * * *

 

The Black Dogs Are on the Hunt, But Who Is Their Prey?

 

When a cursed dragon-witch kidnaps fairest Lady Gleamdren, the Bard Eanrin sets boldly forth on a rescue mission... and a race against his rival for Gleamdren's favor. Intent upon his quest, the last thing the immortal Faerie needs is to become mixed up with the troubles of an insignificant mortal.

But when he stumbles upon a maiden trapped in an enchanted sleep, he cannot leave her alone in the dangerous Wood Between. One waking kiss later, Eanrin suddenly finds his story entangled with that of young Starflower. A strange link exists between this mortal girl and the dragon-witch. Will Starflower prove the key to Lady Gleamdren's rescue? Or will the dark power from which she flees destroy both her and her rescuer?


"Fans of Tolkien...will be drawn into Stengl's effusive prose and wonderfully scary worlds...a series to stretch your imagination..."
USA Today

"...readers will enjoy this romantic adventure story, which is subtly laced with legends and Christian allegory akin to C. S. Lewis' Narnia series."
Elizabeth Ponder, Booklist (on Veiled Rose, Bk 2 in the series)


Starflower is available now.
Price: £8.99
ISBN: 9780764210266
You can order the book via your local Christian bookshop, or any other bricks and mortar or online bookshop.
For digital readers, this is also available in ebook format.

Alive and Active

Today's post is taken from the entry for 2 July from Darlene Zschech's devotional Revealing Jesus.

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12, NIV

God is not distant and aloof.  He doesn't give us the cold shoulder but speaks to us - through His Word and Spirit.  We don't have to guess what is on God's mind or beg Him to tell us what His will is for us.  His thoughts are recorded in the Bible, which is alive and active today.  The Bible was written in antiquity, but it is no dusty tome that is irrelevant to what is happening today.

As much as I pray that God's Word will be a huge part of your life, I must also warn you.  Beware when you open your Bible.  Like a mighty warrior's sword, it is razor sharp and cuts from both sides.  Any of us who have read God's Word know firsthand what a source of joy and comfort it is.  But we likewise know it cuts to the core.  It cuts through excuses and attitudes of pride.  God's Word always goes to the heart of the matter.  God loves us enough to correct us and bring us back on course when we have gotten off His path for our lives

Yes, it's true, God's Word can hurt.  Never wield it carelessly.  Read it in awe, knowing that God is penetrating your spirit and soul with wisdom, comfort, healing, correction - and all the truth you need in life.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _

Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.  Thank you, heavenly Father, that you speak words of life into my soul and spirit through the pages of my Bible.


Revealing Jesus.
9780764211546
£9.99
You can order the book via your local Christian bookshop, or any other bricks and mortar or online bookshop.
For digital readers, this is also available in ebook format.

Spring Snippets From Page 99!

Last year, Quench posted a couple of blog posts promoting new and forthcoming titles by using extracts from page 99 of each book.  I've seen this kind of idea in shops before.  Chicken House have done it/are doing it very effectively on at least some of their books by saying 'read page....' on the back.  I have bought at least one of their books as a result.  So I thought I'd take a look at some of our May and June titles, and give you some tasters from page 99 of each.  (Thank you, Quench Bookshop, Reading, for the idea!)

(Details of each book including extracts can be found at the foot of the post.)


Just before the doors started to close, they made it onto the elevator we'd just exited.  I made eye contact with the man in the front of the elevator, and there was a sense of recognition.  We both looked away before the doors slid shut.
    Time had stopped for us, but the clock had just started for these men who were on a lifesaving mission.  I looked at the aide who was with us, and I could see the horror on his face.  I knew immediately who they were, and it was a sight we were never supposed to see.
    The transplant team had come to collect Taylor's organs.


A long stretch upward brought us to a mountaintop several hours later.  From there we could see our destination thirty miles away, a city lying in a long valley ringed with mountains.  I-15 runs through Cedar City, and in the distance I could see the bridge I would cross over the interstate.
    Little yellow sunflowers along the roadside brightened the journey.  These little buttons of golden joy were also useful in determining wind direction, bending before the winds sweeping through the mountains.  Along the last five miles to Cedar City, the pretty flowers bowed low in my direction as a strong headwind tried to blow me back to Nevada.


"I guess you'd probably like the wood chopped a little bit bigger than that."  He forced a grin and nudged with his food one of the chips he'd managed to take off.
  She nodded.  "Yes.  A bit bigger would be helpful."
  Only then did he chance a glance at her.  She seemed to be fighting back a smile.
  "Go ahead.  Laugh." His grin widened.  "I deserve it.  I can admit - I'm a complete imbecile."
  Her smile broke free.  And even though she didn't laugh, he could see the hint of laughter dancing in her eyes.
  He had the feeling she wasn't used to smiling, much less laughing.
  "I suppose after my performance today, you'd like to hand me back over to the duke?"
"Maybe I will." As soon as her return jest was out, she ducked her head, almost as if she feared his response.
  Couldn't she see how much he enjoyed bantering with her?  "If you must return me to the duke," he persisted, "then at least persuade him not to put me back in the dungeon."
  Her gaze jerked up, and her smile faded.  "You were in a dungeon?"
  "Yes.  And only hours away from losing my head."


"I can't tell you everything," Mom answered, "You have to feel your way along on this a little bit at a time.  But I can tell you this.  The Fallen One is the ancient adversary, the serpent who seduced Adam and Eve in the Garden.  The morning star cast out of heaven.  He goes by many names - some call him Satan, others call him the devil, still others call him Beelzebub or Lucifer or the Prince of Darkness. But whatever you call him, he is the tempter and the accuser of humanity.  Like a shooting star he was flung from heaven, and since that day the angels refuse to even whisper his name.  Any evil comes from him.  He's behind it all, even the accident.
   "Look at me," she continued, putting my face in her hands and turning my head towards hers.  "That's on him, not you, do you hear me?  Somewhere you got the idea that it was  your fault.  It wasn't.  Sometimes bad things happen.  You need to believe that, Sky."
  It was a moment between a mother and a son that needed to take place.  Lord knows, I wanted to believe her, I needed to believe her, but somehow I just couldn't.  Things you've held onto for so long are hard to let go of, even if they're wrong.


As with most things, worry can have both a positive and a negative side to it.  When, for example, our concerns focus on circumstances within our control and prompt us to take action to prevent something bad happening, worry can lead to productivity.  Most of the time, though, we waste our energy worrying about things that are entirely out of our control or even our influence.
    Just as with anger, anxiety can trigger our fight-or-flight response.  Chronic worry damages our body.  Studies have linked it with suppression of the immune system, digestive disorders, muscle tension, short-term memory loss, premature coronary artery disease, and heart attacks.
    And consider this: 85 percent of the things we worry about never happen.  In addition, worrying about what might be supplants our trust in God.  In essence, it moves us further from, instead of closer to, Jesus.


Taylor's Gift, PB, £8.99

Biking Across America, PB, £8.99

A Noble Groom, PB, £8.99

The Gate, PB, £8.99

Tempted, Tested, True, PB, £8.99

All titles also available in digital editions.

"The Thing is, Everybody DOES Hurt..."

I've always hated the song “Everybody Hurts” by R.E.M. As a band, they always struck me as overly whiny and weaselly. R.E.M. was the guy in the perfect thrift-store ironic T-shirt, trying to find himself. Or the girl at the bookstore who was trying too hard to look casual. I’m from the middle of a cornfield (Hartford City, Indiana), and singing about how “everybody hurts” just seems soft, self-indulgent, and pointless.

But the thing is, everybody does hurt. Life (thirty-six years and counting) has shown me this. I’ve felt pain caused by others and, what’s worse, my own sin has caused mental, physical, and emotional pain in others. Everybody hurts, and sometimes because of me. And in the church we sometimes expect people to just shrug and say, “Well, it’s all part of God’s plan,” which isn’t necessarily untrue, but it’s a response that strikes me as a little inhuman and, if Scripture is to be believed, unspiritual. Job rent his garments and screamed, and the Bible said he was without sin in that particular situation. Jesus sweat blood in the garden. He didn’t just skip to the cross saying, “Hey, I know how this is going to work out, so it’s all good.” Pain is real, and it’s not necessarily unspiritual to acknowledge it. This book, in part, is an acknowledgment of pain and a reflection on what to do with it. My chapters are narrative in nature. By the ripe old(ish) age of thirty-six, one of the things I’ve learned about myself is that this, for better or worse, is how I write. This is a book about finding God in the dark. My chapters, in particular, will tell the stories of my “dark”—losing an adoption; experiencing professional failure; and then ultimately, by a movement of the Holy Spirit, confronting my own dark, sinful heart. Now, looking back, I am filled with thankfulness for these events because they are the events that God ordained for me to bring me into closer, deeper communion with Him. But in the midst of them, there was great pain.

Still, a temptation in reading a book like this, and narratives like these, would be to say, “Yeah, but Kluck hasn’t gone through ________. He hasn’t gone through what I’m going through.” I know this will be a temptation because I’ve said similar things myself about stories that belonged to other people. “Yeah, but . . .” I fully and openly acknowledge that there are many people who have gone through things that are much harder than the things I describe on these pages. But what’s worth acknowledging, I think, is that these are the circumstances that God put me through in a particular time, and a particular place, for a particular purpose (my good and His glory). I’ve tried to re-create them as accurately as possible, even though the process was, at times, more than a little painful. If you’re in Christ, you can trust that God is doing, and will do, the same for you in your circumstances. I’ve also tried to include Scripture that’s practical and relatable—the kinds of Scriptures you can pray through when you can’t seem to find the words or energy to pray on your own.

One of the things I’ve always struggled with in life is listening to spiritual input from anyone whom I hadn’t perceived as having gone through “deep waters.” My hope and prayer for this book is that by reading about my deep waters, you can love and trust God more through yours.

Humbly, in Christ,
Ted Kluck

The above is Ted's introduction to Finding God in the Dark.
Full book information and a sample chapter is available via the above link.
You can pre-order the book via your local Christian bookshop, or any other bricks and mortar or online bookshop.
For digital readers, this is also available in ebook format.

Sneak Peek for Anne Elisabeth Stengl Fans!

Here it is - the cover for the fourth book in the Tales of Goldstone Wood series: Starflower.

You can find out a little more about the story on Anne's blog.

Quite a few authors write blogs, and I love reading them.  (Especially those by our Baker Publishing Group authors of course!) They're a fantastic way to find out all sorts of things about the author themselves, and what motivates or influences them and their writing.  On blogs like Anne's, you also get to discover a whole lot more about the characters you meet in her books!  Plus she's good at tantalising sneaky peek posts to keep you coming back...

So, dear reader, do you read author blogs, and if so, do you have a particular favourite you can recommend?  If so, PLEASE leave a comment.  (OK, that sounded a bit like a desperate plea, but if it works...!)

Just a reminder to those who've already discovered Goldstone Wood, Moonblood is out in the UK in May, which gives a nice amount of time for those still to venture into the tales to read Heartless and Veiled Rose! 

In fact, let's try a little prize draw:

If you'd like your name entered to win free copies of Heartless AND Veiled Rose just leave a link to one of your favourite author or book related blogs in the comments section below.  As this is a UK-based draw, please also confirm that you live in the UK.  The winner will be announced on the 29 February - purely because it's fun to have something to look out for on such a rare day!

Harvest Thankfulness

“Having received the gift of daily bread from your gentle hand, O Lord and heavenly Father, and been satisfied with it – this gift which you give to us in such abundance, just as you do all your other gifts – we ask you through Christ, your Son, to make the power of the Holy Spirit complete in us. We desire to love you with our whole hearts and bless you with our mouths so that we who receive your gifts do not become proud and arrogant, nor forget your love and sacred commandments. We desire to love you with our whole hearts, not just with our mouths and lips but with our works and deeds and all that is in us. We thank you; we honour, praise, and bless you as our Creator and Sustainer, not just in this life but also in the life everlasting. Amen.”

Last weekend I visited my Dad’s church, where they were celebrating Harvest Festival. Successful harvests have been celebrated for hundreds of years by decorating churches with gifts of food which are then given to people in need. I once attended a wedding which took place during the Harvest Festival weekend. The church windowsills were decorated with onions and potatoes and there were stooks of wheat at the doorway. Unusual decorations for a wedding, but striking and memorable!

On Sunday the church held a lunch after the Festival service, to raise money for the charities Compassion and Operation Agri. Perhaps the way we bring our food offerings to church for Harvest Festival has changed over the years: we see more packets and cans and less bread and home made goods, but it is right that we are still reminded to provide for those in need, and that this is still a fundamental part of our harvest thanksgivings. The Amish have been praying for many years: “We desire to love you … with our works and deeds and all that is in us.” A reminder of the importance of living an active faith.

August Bank Holiday = Greenbelt!

Over 20,000 people attend the Greenbelt festival at Cheltenham every year. A huge programme offers music, talks, debate, performing arts, and worship. Are you you going this year? If so, are you going feeling exhausted with all the negative news you hear? Negatives which are often even worse within the church than outside it. If this is you, then Upside may be just the book for you. Full of surprising good news about the state of our world, it's a refreshing antidote to some of the negatives we so often hear.

If the whole 'religion thing' is just making you tired, and part of the reason you're going to Greenbelt is to refresh your spiritual energies, then God Without Religion might be the one to read.

You will be able to find both books in the festival bookshop, together with The Great Emergence by Phillis Tickle who will be speaking during the festival.

Lion of Babylon by Davis Bunn

Set in modern day Baghdad, Lion of Babylon is a complex and compelling thriller.

When a CIA operative goes missing in Iraq, together with a humanitarian aid worker and a high ranking Iraqi civilian, Marc Royce is sent on an undercover mission to find them.

Marc is not the obvious first choice. Sacked from the intelligence service by the same man who now needs him to head to Iraq, he is not inclined to do any favours. But then the bombshell is dropped - the missing operative is Marc's close friend Alex.

I get to see a LOT of books, but when I come across a book which is not only in a genre I regularly read for pleasure, but which has some stunning early reviews I can't help but sit up and take notice.

Here are a couple of those comments:

"Bunn's work emphasizes the genuine relevance of real faith in the contemporary world. Read carefully and reflect on its message of hope and reconciliation."
Revd Nicholas Wood, Director of the Centre for Christianity and Culture, Regent's Park College, Oxford

"A phenomenal read - far more than simply a great thriller."
Keith Hazard, Deputy Director (ret), CIA

"I couldn't put this one down. A fast-paced, gripping thriller, Lion of Babylon is rich not only with adventure but also with visual details and dramatic, snapshot insights into the Middle East, its traditions, history, and people."
Phyllis Tickle, Senior Consulting Editor, Publishers Weekly

Now you may be sceptical of reviews, no matter who they're written by. If you like thrillers though, I can personally thoroughly recommend that you give this one a try so that you can make up your own mind!

Thoughts on Winning a Christy Award...

...and growing up in England.

"You can't cry while wearing a pink dress, or you'll never be taken seriously again as long as you live."

So writes Anne Elisabeth Stengl on her reaction to winning the 2011 Christy Award for Best First Novel. Her thoughts on her Christy Award experience can be read in full in her very entertaining blog post.

It takes a long time for a book to come to publication, and there are often many influencing factors along the way. It turns out that the Goldstone Woods of Anne Elisabeth's books were strongly influenced by the English common on which she used to play as a child when her father was stationed at Lakenheath in Suffolk with the USAF. Her family went exploring on this local common almost every day and it seems her parents and brothers encouraged her sense of imagination:

There was a dragon on the Common. We saw it a few times, though it was disguised as a mean tabby cat at the time. "Just because a dragon is disguised doesn't mean it's any less a dragon," Papa said.
So dragons clearly had an early influence on Anne Elisabeth!

As well as dragons, there were elves, which the 8-year-old Anne Elisabeth was certain were living in the ancient hollow oak trees. The trees themselves became sailing ships and castles as the Stengl children played in them.

So it was that a small-ish, wild-ish, open English space became to a young child an enchanted forest, and perhaps it was from one of the acorns from an ancient English oak tree in that 'real' yet magical place that Goldstone Wood grew...

For more on Anne Elisabeth's English childhood, and much more on Goldstone Wood, see her blog post W is for Wood.

Read a sample chapter of Heartless here.

Anne Elisabeth's next book Veiled Rose is out in the UK in August.

Four Christy Awards for Baker Publishing Group

Winner: Suspense. The Bishop by Steven James.

"In the fourth Patrick Bowers thriller—after The Pawn (2007), The Rook (2008), and The Knight (2009)—the FBI criminologist is called to the scene of a gruesome murder. At a primate research facility, a woman was attacked by two chimpanzees, but this was no accident: someone had tied the victim, a congressman’s daughter, to a tree and set the animals on her. Patrick, who’s faced his share of twisted killers, might be encountering his most clever foe. This is a fine thriller, featuring a strong, compassionate protagonist and a couple of pretty scary villains (imagine if Bonnie and Clyde were serial killers, and if they were completely mad). James, an accomplished writer who seems equally at home writing hard-edged thrillers and books about spirituality for adults and younger readers, clearly knows how to spin a yarn; and—despite its thematic similarities to the television series Criminal Minds—this novel is fresh and exciting."David Pitt, Booklist Reviewer.

For more information and a sample chapter click here.

Winner: Historical Romance. The Girl in the Gatehouse by Julie Klassen.

Mariah Aubrey lives in hiding in the gatehouse of a distant relative's estate. Supporting herself and her servant by writing novels in secret, her life becomes even more complicated when Captain Matthew Bryant leases the estate...

"Christy and RITA nominee Klassen creates a wonderful cast of engaging characters while neatly stirring in a generous dash of mystery and danger into the plot of her latest, charmingly romantic inspirational romance." John Charles, Booklist

For more information and a sample chapter click here.

Winner: First Novel. Heartless by Anne Elisabeth Stengl.

"Heartless is a great Christian fantasy tale, which is suitable for children and adults. It is very easy to read but hard to put down, I read it myself and now my younger nephews are fighting over it so I have had to purchase another! A great gift that will have you waiting for the next instalment! I am very impressed by Anne Elisabeth Stengl." Alex Pickering Eden.co.uk

For more information and a sample chapter click here.

Winner: Historical. While We're Far Apart

"For anyone who can remember the Second World War, this stirs up memories of how it used to be. Although set in America, the heartache felt by the children in this story was repeated in many countries, not least in the UK. Esther and her young brother had lost their mother and now it seemed they were going to lose their father too. Eddie has announced one Sunday afternoon that he has enlisted in the army. No argument, he has already signed up. Will their grandmother look after the children? No! What then? Penny, a young woman who has long loved Eddie from afar – next door actually, but it could have been a million miles – offers to help. Penny moves into the children’s home – which they resent - and over time the three of them get to know their elderly Jewish widower neighbour who is blaming God for taking his wife and always seeking news of his son and family in Hungary amidst all the news of what the Nazis are doing to the Jews in Europe. There are many other threads to this novel, and some surprising twists and turns that make for an excellent read that I can highly recommend." Mary Bartholomew, The Good Book Stall.

For more information and a sample chapter click here.

Sneak Previews from Bethany House!

Moonblood and Dallas and the Spitfire are just two of the great new titles coming from Bethany House next spring.

For all you fantasy lovers, do you love the sound of a book whose characters include 'a lyrical yet lethal tiger, a fallen unicorn, and a goblin horde'? I know I do! Well, at least I like the sound of the tiger and the unicorn - not so sure about the goblin horde...

You can find them all in the third novel from Anne Elisabeth Stengl Moonblood which is the latest in her 'Tales of Goldstone Wood' series. This is one of those great 'epic quest' books, with danger, courage, and sacrifice. Oh, and a healthy dash of romance too. I'm really looking forward to reading it!

Moonblood
9780764207815
UK Release: May 2012
pb, £8.99 (tbc)

And for something totally different, the next of my sneak peeks is Dallas and the Spitfire. Ted is an educated thirty-something father of two who has gone to church his whole life. Dallas is only twenty-one, but has already been in prison twice, attempted suicide three times, and fought his way out of drug addiction. A very new Christian, he is trying to turn his life around.

Ted and Dallas agree to meet regularly, but neither of them fancy sitting around drinking coffee. Instead, they decide to restore an aging Triumph Spitfire...

Dallas and the Spitfire: An Old Car, an Ex-Con, and an Unlikely Friendship
9780764209611
UK Release: May 2012
pb, £9.99 (tbc)

I guess it says something about my extremely varied range of reading that I am really looking forward to reading both of these books. It is also a great example of the wide variety of titles which Bethany House produce. More will undoubtedly come on these two books, and please watch this space for snippets & sneaky peeks on other books too.

O! That Dragon!

"I love a truly frightening dragon. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with tame dragons, or friendly dragons, or wise and helpful dragons. I’ve read books I’ve enjoyed featuring each of these. But tell me, dear reader, what dragon compares to Tolkien’s Smaug? Or to classic Disney’s Maleficent? And, especially, to Ms. Hyman’s terrifying portrayal of Spenser’s Dragon of Error?"

I came across this wonderful little paragraph while browsing Anne Elisabeth Stengl's blog. Anne is the author of Heartless which includes some pretty impressive dragons! (By the way, Veiled Rose is the next in the series, and it is out in the UK in August.)

I have to agree that truly terrifying dragons are wonderful! But I also like 'Green Smoke', a dragon from my childhood and I'm rather fond of Eustace-the-dragon from The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (both the book dragon and the film dragon!).

But I think my very favourite dragon of all is Saphira from Christopher Paolini's wonderful Inheritance Cycle. (Hurrah, book four is now confirmed!) I love her multi-faceted character, and the way we the reader were able to grow with her. She is a simply superb dragon!

(You can read Anne's whole post on dragons here: D is For Dragon)

One Size Doesn't Fit All: Parenting Adult Children

Contrary to what we may think, parenting doesn’t stop once our children grow up, says Nancy Williams, author of Secrets of Parenting Your Adult Child. She continues: "Our role changes but our love and sense of responsibility continue. We want our children to be independent, fulfilled adults and we want a loving, mature relationship with them. I wanted to share some secrets to help parents understand the changes and challenges taking place for themselves and their children." Read on for some questions and answers with Nancy on this very important topic.

QUESTION: Why do you think it is difficult for some parents to shift their roles and responsibilities as their children become adults?
NANCY: It’s a challenging and often confusing time for both parents and young adults, and we aren’t always clear about how to manage all the changes taking place. Some parents may not fully understand what is really going on in the minds and hearts of their children, so they operate from assumptions. Then there are parents who have preconceived ideas about their role and their children’s at this life stage—ideas that might not be reasonable for them or for their children. Some are tired and want to let go of the responsibility all at once, whether or not their children are ready. Others want to hold on out of fear that their children might struggle or even fail. Then there are some who are sad that a chapter in their lives has come to a close. Their activities and even their identity have been so wrapped around their children’s that they don’t know what to do once they are gone.

QUESTION: What do you think our adult children are looking for from us as parents?
NANCY: They want to define their own measure of success and they want us to respect and acknowledge that they are ultimately in charge of their lives—we’re not. They want our love and our support when they ask for it. Sometimes they want our opinions and at times they want our help. They also want us to step aside and not try to control their lives and dictate their choices. They want us to be on the sidelines to love and encourage them and then to step in if they ask.

QUESTION: In your book, you use the phrase “one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to parenting adult children.” Talk about that.
NANCY: As parents, we need to remember that our children are different—not only in terms of their appearance, personalities, and preferences, but also when it comes to maturing and taking on the responsibilities that come with adulthood. I’ve found in my own parenting journey and as I counsel clients that while some children step quickly, eagerly, and successfully into the role of adult, others need more time and assistance to transition.

QUESTION: It’s easy for parents to support their children when they are making choices the parents agree with, but what about when children make decisions that concern or disappoint their parents? What can parents do then?
NANCY: One of the things we must realize is that we’ve encouraged our children to think for themselves and take charge of their lives so it is inevitable they will make some choices that are different from what we’d like. For example: choices about career, a spouse, finances, or their lifestyle. There are times when we need to keep our opinions to ourselves and accept their right to live life as they choose. There are other times, however, when we may need to talk with them about our concerns. And we need to do so openly, honestly, and respectfully. In the book, I discuss how to carefully guide that discussion in a way that reflects our roles and responsibilities.

QUESTION: Your book is titled Secrets to Parenting Your Adult Child. If you could share one secret with parents, what would that be?
NANCY: Effective communication is key because it impacts so many aspects of our relationships with our children. Our conversations with them must be honest, respectful, intended to lift up and not tear down, heal and not harm, connect and not divide. And they must be grounded in love. The book shares tips on how to listen to what your children express and don’t express with a goal of understanding, how to acknowledge and consider what they share, and how to respond with a goal of being understood.

To read more of Nancy's advice on being a parent to an adult child, see a sample chapter.
Media contact: Anne Rogers (anner@lionhudson.com)

Gary Chapman Marriage Seminar - Reigate

"To last for the long haul, love has to be more than something we feel," says Gary Chapman, author of The Five Love Languages. His book Love is a Verb (Bethany) tells forty real-life stories of people who've put these principles into action, and now you can hear him yourself, as he will be leading a marriage seminar at Reigate Baptist Church on 4 September from 9.30-4.30.

For more information visit:

http://www.reigatebaptistchurch.com

Author Interview: Anne Elisabth Stengl on Heartless

I don't know about you, but I always enjoy hearing authors talk about their books. So our first blog post is an author interview with the author of the young adult fantasy novel Heartless.

1.Where did the idea for Heartless come from?
I started out writing Heartless as a short story which I posted in small parts on my blog. I was surprised at the reader-response to the plot... a lot of enthusiasm and curiosity about where I was taking it. Intrigued by the general reaction to the storyline, I decided to not finish the short version but started to work on a full-length novel.

2. Did you encounter any interesting challenges while writing/researching for Heartless?
There is a surprising amount of research that goes into writing a fairy tale, even though it is set in my own invented world. I already had a strong working knowledge of fairy tales, but while writing this novel I kept my volumes of Shakespeare and Edmund Spenser close for reference. Many of the classic symbols and themes found in Heartless are derived from these sources rather than Grimm’s Fairy Tales.

I also had fun researching fencing for certain scenes involving the character of Felix, my heroine’s brother. At first I simply read manuals on fencing and a few classic swashbuckler novels such as Scaramouch. Later on I started taking fencing classes myself, which has turned into an exciting hobby! I met my soon-to-be husband at fencing class. He is an excellent fencer, truly skilled... though I have beaten him in our only “official” bout thus far!

3. Is there an underlying message to the novel?
Heartless is, on the surface, a simple fairy tale: it’s about a silly young princess who simply wants to marry a handsome prince. But when her dream is stolen — along with her heart — the story takes a much darker turn. This is a book about succumbing to despair through disappointment. It is about the death of dreams which kills the spirit. It is also a story about letting go of the dream and the bitterness, both of which are chains on the spirit.

4. Almost every author puts a little of themselves into their stories — what did you put of yourself into this one?
I think a little of myself went into each one of the characters, but particularly my heroine. Una is a silly, day-dreaming, cat-loving girl who stutters when she’s nervous, spats with her brother, and writes very bad poetry... which is basically me. But she is simultaneously an “everyman” type of character that many girls will find very relatable. Several of the characters are lightly based on people I know...or they are based on my perspective of people I know, which ultimately makes them more a part me than anybody else.

5. What stands out about your characters? Do any of them embody unusual personality or physical traits?
My characters are very real people, despite living in an other-worldly setting. Some of them are intriguing in appearance — Monster the cat has no eyes; Sir Oeric is as ugly as a goblin though he is a noble knight — while others are quite plain looking. Prince Aethelbald, my hero, is described as the most unnoticeable man my heroine remembers ever meeting . . . though she may have met others without noticing. Prince Gervais, one of Una’s suitors, is distinctly “not handsome,” but is so charming that no one realizes the fact.

For the most part, however, I don’t spend time describing the physical appearances of my characters, but let their personalities create distinct images of them in my readers’ minds. Felix is a snarky tease who loves his family and is embarrassed to show it. Leonard the jester is all laughs, jokes, and self-deprecation but these are masks to cover a deep-rooted pride. It is these kinds of characteristics that make the people of my novel distinct.

Heartless (Tales of Goldstone Wood)
Anne Elisabeth Stengl
ISBN: 9780764207808
Price: £7.99
Publishing August 2010
Available via all good bookshops or online at: http://tiny.cc/bk-heartless