CFRB May Blog Tour--RABBIT: Chasing Beth Rider

Rabbit: Chasing Beth Rider
by Ellen C. Maze
 

This month, CFRB 
presents Rabbit: Chasing Beth Rider by Ellen 
C. Maze.

About the Book:
Bestselling author Beth Rider enjoys her fame as the South’s newest literary star.

That is until Jack Dawn, a real-life vampire, vows to kill her because of the vile redemptive message her book is bringing his people. The ancient race of bloodthirsty immortals to which Jack belongs, known as the Rakum, have spread evil among mankind since the Beginning. But Jack alone recognizes the novel’s destructive potential and she must die.

Jack’s proselyte Michael Stone was brought up from his youth to be strong, sensible and brutal. But at one hundred and thirty, Michael is old enough to appreciate his quiet and ordered life. When he stumbles upon the beautiful and apparently innocent Beth Rider, he is puzzled by his Elder’s unreasonable actions against her. Instantly smitten, Michael takes it upon himself to protect her from the limitless lust of his brethren.

Facing the most terrifying trial of her life against creatures known only in fables, one simple woman will threaten the existence of a powerful and accursed people. In the climactic final battle, it is a race to the death, or if Beth has her way, a race to the life—of every Rakum who makes the choice.







About the Author:
A recovering vampire fanatic, Ellen uses her experience in that subculture to bring the Light into this burgeoning genre. Addicting and delicious, Ellen’s brand of story-telling is rife with deep character study and honest emotion. Ellen lives in Historic Montgomery, Alabama with her husband, daughter, four cats and one spoiled dog. This is her first novel and Ellen has no holes in her neck.



Visit the book website.

Preview the first 171 pages (that's almost HALF of the book!)
free at FREADO.com.

Watch the book trailer.

Purchase Rabbit: Chasing Beth Rider from
Amazon, Barnes and Noble,
or the PDF eBook from Outskirts Press.

Check out these other member blogs this week for more info.

End of Sue Dent/ Vampires and Verevulf Veek: So How is it Okay For Christians to Read?

Now I'm no theologian and no expert on the genre, but I will attempt to answer one of the questions often asked about a book about vampires and werewolves that appeals to Christians: Is it Christian? Remember, this is just my opinion, but I hope it will be helpful to any who read it.

Firs of all I want to let you in on my on preferences. I don't care for horror at all--not in literature nor in movies. It just doesn't interest me, although I could go further at another time, another place. My preferences run to historical fiction, fantasy, and mystery, and I have many friends who have no interest in any of those genres. I have never read any other book about vampires or werewolves. The only vampire movies I have seen were a couple of the old black and white ones and George Hamilton's Love at First Bite, which I thought was pretty funny. Oh, and a couple of Abbott and Costello movies, also pretty funny. Werewolves? I saw Michael Landon's I Was a Teenage Werewolf, those black and white movies with Lon Chaney Jr., and Michael J. Fox's movie. That's it, and that's all I cared to know. So my knowledge of the lore and how others have portrayed the beings is extremely limited. I can't tell you how Sue's characters stack up next to any others, although I do know that she has added her own touches to the legends. And why not? From what I hear, so did Anne Rice (and I have no intention of reading her older work to find out more about it--I'm pretty sure her pre-conversion books are too erotic for Christian mores).

Initially I was drawn to buy a copy of Never Ceese after reading a couple of reviews written by Christian reviewers. And originally I bought it for a teenager I know who was deeply interested in dark things like vampires and all the Goth stuff. My hope was that this would help turn her back to more Godly things. It wasn't dark enough for her at the time (which really worried me), but she liked it and also read some other titles that I found. I'm happy to say that this girl has done quite a turn-around spiritually in the couple of years in between; I don't know if Never Ceese was a part of it or not. It may have been. Since then, I have seen messages left for Sue on Shoutlife, messages written by fans of the Twilight series who love her stories. Never Ceese came out before those books, so this wasn't any jumping on the band wagon for Sue Dent. Coincidence? I doubt it. I can't help but believe that God had a hand in the timing so that an alternative would be there for those who are drawn to such a genre, to such stories, an alternative with a Christian worldview.

How is this a Christian worldview? First of all, there are some Christian elements even in the old superstitions of the older vampire/werewolf stuff. Why is there such an aversion to crosses and all things holy? Yes, I know, there's garlic and wolf's bane, too, but the cursed ones cannot abide any mention of God or scripture and are kept at bay by crosses. This reminds me of a passage from C. S. Lewis' That Hideous Strength, where the workaholic Mark is asked to desecrate an image of Christ on the cross (I don't have the exact details; someone borrowed my book), at which point he started wondering why this was so important to them. Mark never even thought much about Jesus Christ before, just rejecting him out-of-hand, but the insistence on rejection and hateful treatment of the image seemed overkill. Why such rage at the pitiful image? It's the same thing with the atheists in America who are so enraged by any referenced to God or Christ, no matter how innocent it might be (I had many Hindu and Buddhist students who thought the teaching of the Bible were valuable, and they didn't understand this venomous attack against all things Christian, either). So it is with the aversion to all things Godly in the vampire/werewolf mythos. The very fact that crosses and even the name of God or anything to do with the Bible cause them pain leads us to the cause: these are curses from the Devil and the demons--at the very least a deep oppression from them--that can not stand anything holy. Neither do they like the daylight: creatures of darkness under the curse of the Prince of Darkness. The light will bring to light the deeds of evil.

One of the new elements Sue Dent add to her story is the possibility of redemption. I like this because it is true of the character of God: none of us are beyond His redemptive power. Her beings are still able to be saved from eternal damnation as long as they don't curse another human being, that hope that saves Penelope early on and leads her to encourage Richard and Ceese in the first book. Throughout the second book, Richard and Ceese are both able to speak of God and the Bible, even touch and read the Bible, and although there isn't any preaching scene, the truth of redemption through Jesus Christ is still there. Merideth and Penny both ask Ceese and Richard if they have made the decisions and accepted Jesus as Savior. I won't tell you the answers received, but suffice it to say that the importance of salvation through a relationship with Jesus Christ is there.

Is this a book for everyone? I doubt it. But if you know someone who is into such things as vampire lore or the Twilight phenomena, even Harry Potter, I suggest considering the books for them. They will thank you for it. Just don't try getting in their faces afterward--follow the leading of the Holy Spirit as to how much to speak of spiritual things with them. I believe it's a good gift for non-Christian fans of such genres also. While Christianity is there, it doesn't clobber anyone over the head in a way that might turn off non-Christians. It is basically a good story that comes from a Christian world viewpoint. I remember once reading a comment Sue left for a young fan at shoutlife where she told her not to worry too much about writing something with a Christian viewpoint because for a Christian that just comes naturally. I'm not sure if that's totally true, but I think it holds for those who are walking closely with the Lord. Is it for everyone? Again, I doubt it, but I have also seen some reviews from people who didn't expect to like it, others who don't care for horror, but who were won over by Richard and Ceese. Then again, I don't think these books are really horror, even if Never Ceese made the short list for a Bram Stoker Award (for those who are ignorant like me, Bram Stoker wrote the original Dracula). It's one of those in-betweeners that can appeal to a cross-over of several audiences. Think about it. If not for yourself, for someone you know.

DON'T FORGET--I'M GIVING AWAY A COPY of Forever Richard and Never Ceese. If the winner already has Never Ceese, I will choose a second name for that book. I think you can read Forever Richard and figure it out without having read the first book, but it helps to know the previous story. All comments on all of the week's blogs will count in the drawing on Tuesday, Sept. 22. So you might end up with more than one entry.

• Paperback: 350 pages
• Publisher: The Writers Cafe Press (January 5, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1934284033
• ISBN-13: 978-1934284032
  

You can purchase Forever Richard from the publisher, The Writers' Cafe Press (free shipping in the U.S.), Barnes and Noble , Amazon.com, or get an autographed copy from Sue here. If you want a copy of Never Ceese, you can order directly from Sue Dent herself at the Forever Richard site, but it's on the NEVER CEESE page. It's available in stores everywhere: I just don't know which ones. You might try asking for it at a local bookstore; even if they don't have it, they should be able to order it since it is distributed through Spring Arbor (main distributor for Christian book stores) and through Ingram for regular book stores.


Sue Dent's blog and website can be found at http://www.foreverrichard.com.

Forever Richard--the Saga Continues

(WARNING: If you haven't read Never Ceese yet, there will be some spoilers, but I'll try to keep them to a minimum.)

Forever Richard picks up the saga of those suffering siblings Ceese (Cecelia) and Richard Porter. Both were cursed way back over 200 years ago; Ceese was cursed by a werewolf and Richard by two vampires. The story began in the novel Never Ceese, which I reviewed in former blogs here and here. So the saga continues right where Never Ceese ceased. It's hard to write anything at all here without giving away the ending of the first book, but you all an probably guess that Ceese and Richard found some sort of redemption or else there couldn't be a sequel. Yes, they are both pretty much normal people now and can talk about God without wincing. Even read the Bible. So shouldn't they just go on about their business and live happily ever after? Well, it's not that simple. In the first book there was this very evil scientist who used Richard's DNA to become a vampire himself. Immediately, he cursed poor drug-addict Josh who was just trying to be helpful for once. So there's a new wrinkle. The result is that the whole crew travels to England on Richard's dime in hopes of taking care of Josh's problem. And for some reason, soon to be reveled, Ceese has incessantly talked about "going home" since they left the hospital.

There are a lot of humorous bits scattered throughout the tale: often at the expense of Rodney, Josh, and their buddy Kyle. This motley crew are unlikely heroes, but they come in handy for both comic relief and some surprising contributions along the way.

Back in England, there are surprises galore for Richard and Ceese, and the rest of the gang are on a steep learning curve. Several new characters are introduced, each enriching the story in his or her way. There are more vampires and werewolves running and flying all over the place, and some of the evil ones have wicked desires concerning Ceese and Richard. A couple of returning characters who we met in England before are further developed, weaving a great character-driven tale that will keep readers losing sleep until they reach the last page.

And when the readers reach the last page...they are going to yell at Sue like I did! No! You can not end it this way!! AARRGGHH! I HATE cliffhangers! How am I going to last until Book Three comes out?? NOT FAIR!

But, if you are at all like me, you'll read it and enjoy anyway. I've gone through it twice now, and I'll probably go through both books a time or two more before Cyn No More is released. (*grumble, grumble*)

The Thirsting for Blood series is kind of considered young adult, especially since many of the Twilight fans love it. (By the way, this series started BEFORE Twilight was released; Sue Dent wasn't playing off the success of any other books; it just happened this was. Or is it by the design of a Higher Power?) However, the books are just as enjoyable for adults. And, as hard as it may be to imagine, Sue Dent writes from a Christian worldview. While the stories are very entertaining, humorous, and creative, the spiritual side is definitely present. So try it; you'll like it!

• Paperback: 350 pages
• Publisher: The Writers Cafe Press (January 5, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1934284033
• ISBN-13: 978-1934284032
  

You can purchase Forever Richard from the publisher, The Writers' Cafe Press (free shipping in the U.S.), Barnes and Noble , Amazon.com, or get an autographed copy from Sue here. If you want a copy of Never Ceese, you can order directly from Sue Dent herself at the Forever Richard site, but it's on the NEVER CEESE page.

Sue Dent's blog and website can be found at www.foreverrichard.com .

Oh! And don't forget! I'll be giving away copies of both Never Ceese and Forever Richard on Tuesday, Sept. 22. All those who comment on this week's posts will be included, so if you comment more than once, your name is entered more than once!

HIGHER HONOR from S. M. Kirkland

Military academies were bastions of male testosterone up until the late 1970’s, and since that time, the number of women cadets has continued to grow. In spite of the thirty years intervening, not every male in the military looks at the women as equals. This is a part of the underlying foundation of Higher Honor, a military drama written by S. M. Kirkland.

Before this goes any farther, I want to make it clear that I am not advocating any particular feminist notions here. I am also not going to do any man-bashing, nor am I going to insinuate that women have no place in the military. Okay? So you all can read on and not conjecture about my opinions on those topics based on the review of Susan’s book.

In her biographical material, S. M. Kirkland writes, “What I learned in four years of ROTC changed me mentally and spiritually. I wanted to capture and share that interesting world where college students strike a balance between the fun and restlessness of those early adult years and the harsh reality that many are training to face the inherent risks of defending a nation.” From this background, the seeds were planted for Higher Honor.

Susan Kirkland has created a military novel based on much of what she herself observed and experienced, a romance that doesn’t fit the usual formula, a story with dark and realistic events as well as the hope and light that only Christ can bring. The code of the academy is tested—honor, honesty, valor—as are the Christian values of two cadets, Michael and Mandy, who seem to be the only light in their circle of friends. The old ways of thinking clash with newer ideas in the academy. Will there be a peaceful resolution? Can the old guard accept orders from superiors when they are delivered through a woman cadet? And are the women tough enough to stand their ground? What about forgiveness and recovery after Chris assaults Cassidy? Then the biggest question is, what about redemption for all of Michael’s friends and close brothers in arms?

I don’t want to give away a lot of the action, but it is a gripping story. No holds barred, yet it isn’t graphic in portraying violence. The lives of five cadets are explored in detail, as they all struggle with decisions, actions, and emotions. It’s a story for men to read as well as women, full of issues to cause one to pause and think. Hopefully, it will also cause the readers to do some praying and dig into scripture a lot more. Relationships with Jesus are a big part of the story, but answers aren’t always those neat ones that don’t have any frayed edges.

Maybe you can’t tell yet, but I like Higher Honor. I know that Susan has been working on it forever; it’s from the heart, and her careful rendering is evident. I expect more great things from her in the future, but for now I hope you’ll consider this novel for yourself and others as well. I think it will be available around the beginning of December if everything goes right with printing. Age limit? It’s an adult book, but there is no reason to keep it out of the hands of teens. Those who are interested in military schools would be particularly interested.

For more information, you can visit Susan Kirkland at her website, or check out the publisher’s site at thewriterscafepress.com

The book is available for presale through the publisher (autographed), from Barnes and Noble, and through Amazon.com.

OH, I almost forgot again—GIVEAWAY!!! Susan Kirkland has THREE books to give away to readers who leave comments and email info. That means on any of the blogs written by CFRB people (about Higher Honor, that is) this week. You can find original information by clicking the buttons below, but check into the other CFRB members as well.

Check out these other member blogs this week for more info.