Happy Birthday, TBCN!

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I'm honored to be associated with The Book Club Network, an online Christian forum that brings together authors and members of book clubs not just in the US, but overseas as well.  TBCN has been a great resource to connect readers and authors through chat, discussion forums, and special events. So...

...as a departure from my normal posts of book reviews, I'm featuring an interview with Nora St. Laurent, a co-founder of TBCN.  She discusses its history, philosophy, and the specials being offered during the month of August--namely, ten free books given away every day for the entire month.  Hint:  You don't want to miss this!

Here's the story in Nora's own words:

What inspired you start TBCN, Nora?

The Book Club Network was born out of a desire to share Christian Fiction authors with other book clubs, share book club ideas with other leaders and to encourage the authors who are writing such amazing books. The economy has been really tough for a few years and people are not parting with money like they used to. Through TBCN they can take their time and find the right book or win it. We have give away opportunities each month. ALL of our contests are from the 19th – 21st of the month.

I run two face-to-face book clubs, one at the Christian Book Store I work at and the other at the church I attend. It’s a position I never imagined I’d be in since I didn’t read for pleasure much before I started working in a Christian book store 11 years ago.

But since I love talking with people and the main thing to talk about in a book store is books I started reading Christian Fiction (publishers sent ARC copies to our store and I started checking them out) The first book that rocked my world and got me hooked in Christian Fiction was a book by Linda Nichols called Not a Sparrow Falls her next book did me in and I couldn’t stop talking about it.  At the Scent of Water was her next book that prompted me to contact the author and let her know how much her book touched my spirit.

After reading these two books and telling customers about these reads I had a reason to read. The books spoke to me because I wasn’t expecting it. It reminded me of the stories in the Bible. Jesus is the greatest story teller and He knew a story could change a life or prick our spirit and move us in a direction we never thought we’d go.

I tell you all that to say I’m dyslexic, and I have not been a fan of reading. Movies were more my thing. I could watch a movie of a book and have a lot more fun. Reading Christian Fiction changed my life in more ways than one. I wanted to tell everyone about the greatest book I read, and I’d do that at the book store. It was possible to talk about the new book I read and loved for about a month or more but when At the Scent of Water and Not a Sparrow Falls were not on the shelf anymore, I had to find some other books to talk about at work. I’m not a very fast reader, so discovering the next new book was a challenge. Would I get the book read before it disappeared from the shelf? How long do books live on a book shelf? The shelf life of a book was a mystery to me and still is.

I was whining to my husband Fred about my problem. How can I get the word out about great books for a very long period of time??? Being a man who likes to face challenges head we began to talk about how we could do this and the fact that I can’t read books fast enough to keep up with it’s shelf life at the store.

I also told him, as a book-club leader, I wanted to promote great books and share them with other groups. Not everyone has the advantage of working at a book store and see what new books hit the shelves each week. Another struggle I had was, if I had an author speaking at my book club, I wanted to share them with other book clubs in the area. How could I do that? Where are book clubs meeting?

Our answer to many of these questions and more was the birth of The Book Club Network - TBCN. Connecting authors to book clubs and readers to their books; it’s also a network of book clubs, as they post what they’ve read and how the meeting turned out.

It’s a place to find where a book club is located. We have a member map where you can find a book club near you. Message them and see if they are accepting new members. I envision it to be similar to be similar to the Weight Watchers program (don’t laugh J) you can go to a meeting anywhere in the country right? All you have to do is look on line and get connected. This is my hope for the future of TBCN.

Have there been any surprises for you at TBCN, anything serendipities? What benefits have you seen by bringing readers and authors together?

I’ve been encouraged and fascinated by our growth. I can see there were other people out there like me, wanting to connect with other book club members.

I’ll tell you what has surprised me is the author/reader interaction each month. This is something I didn’t foresee as I’ve watch the authors having a blast interacting with the readers and visa-versa. The beauty of this discussion is it’s there forever for all to read no matter when you join TBCN.

The authors have done a great job coming up with questions for reader to answer that give them a peek into their book – create interest and then the discussion helps book club leaders connect with the author. I’ve been pleasantly surprised at the amount of authors that want to be featured at The Book Club Network. It’s been a great thing.

The interaction with the authors is almost like having a book club meeting on line. It’s a huge benefit for both the authors who’ve wanted to ask clubs questions and readers who want to get to know authors. The authors are catching on. Our sponsors have loved the interaction as well. Members have told me that they love the author interaction from the 19th-21st as much as having a chance to win all these books. It’s hard to know if a book will be a fit for your group so these interaction times are helpful for that and so much more. Another thing I love about TBCN members is the fact they are not afraid to share what they think in a good way. I’ve learned so much and laughed out loud in some discussion where the questions lead to sharing funny moments.

My hope is that book club leaders and/or members participate in the discussions and make that book connection with the author and their book. I want TBCN to be a tool for them in picking out their books. Maybe invite the author to speak to their book club on the phone. It’s my hope. The discussion will be there forever. No worries about a books shelf live here atTBCN. So, everyone has time to get to know each other!! It’s a beautiful thing!

How can readers join in the anniversary celebrations?

It’s easy to sign up to be a member of TBCN. We ask a few questions for you to answer and for other information that helps us keep spammers and other information seekers out of the network. It’s also FREE. You have opportunities to win lots of books. For our BIRTHDAY BASH we are giving away 10 books a day and announcing winners once a week. You’ll have all week to enter the daily featured contests.

Do you have any other comments for my readers?

If you are avid reader this is the place for you to learn about the latest in Christian Fiction and interact with the author each month.

Are you a book club leader? Well this is the place for you to find your next book club pick. We’d also love for you to set up your book-club page at our site for others to see. It’s a place to share your latest featured book. Post pictures of your club and the field trips you’ve taken, the authors you’ve met and the book fun you’ve had. Learn from other book clubs that have already set up their pages.

Want to start a book club but felt it was too overwhelming? You can learn from other experienced book-club leaders, and you can start right away making your book club list!

Do you like to win books? This is the place for you. You’ll have a chance to get to know the authors and their books and read genre’s you normally wouldn’t. We’ve been giving away about 100 books a month, and for our birthday bash it’s going to be 10 books every day, starting August first. Winners are picked and announced weekly.

Thanks, Nora. You've got a great thing going and I'm excited about the future of TBCN.

THANK YOU! You’ve been a grand host to have me here and let me talk about The Book Club Network and our Birthday Bash!! I hope to see you there at TBCN www.bookfun.org

You are a Blessing!!

Nora :o)
The Book Club Network CEO
Well, that pretty much says it all.  Please take a look at www.bookfun.org and check out the doings!
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Dragon Wall, by Millie Samuelson (Stone Light Books)

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If I had a heritage like Millie Samuelson's, I'd entrust its novelization to her.  What a legacy, and how equally great its preservation in Dragon Wall: A Great Wall Novel.

Those of you who had the pleasure of reading Ms. Samuelson's Hungry River will not want to miss its sequel.  A poignant, personal, and illuminating account of a slice of history so underrepresented in America, Dragon Wall takes us to early 20th-century China, through World War II and into the communist era under Chairman Mao.  All this through the eyes of Christian missionaries who labored tirelessly through persecution and personal loss to bring hope to the masses bombed by the Japanese and exploited by the communists.

What qualifies her to write such a tale?  She was there; indeed, she has written herself into the story as one of the fictional characters.  What a neat approach!  As in Hungry River, she punctuates her historical narrative with modern diary entries that provide a touching modern perspective in hindsight of the events she witnessed herself, the era she lived through, and the lives of those close to her who lived through it with her.  Juxtaposed with the thoughts and words of her alter-ego character, whose outlook is fresh and unvarnished by life experience, Millie's thoughtful retrospection through the journal enhances the reader's journey through a turbulent period of the last century in a country now just coming into its own.

For the historical enthusiast who enjoys the personal touch an author who lived and loved the story she writes brings, you have a winner in Dragon Wall.
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2 Seconds Late, by Eric Wilson (Kingstone Publishing)

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Rarely does a sequel surpass its prequel; however, as good as 1 Step Away was, 2 Seconds Late does just that.

Mr. Wilson has ratcheted up the stakes by more than one notch and on more than one level in this second installment in the "By The Numbers" series.  And, if you've had the pleasure of reading 1 Step Away, you'll agree that's saying something.

The Vreeland family from 1 Step Away takes one step aside to cede center stage to Natalie Flynn, young governess to the Vreeland youngsters and stoic survivor of her own painful childhood. Natalie has moved on to better herself intellectually through education, spiritually through the church, and emotionally through a surprising (in more ways than one, it turns out) relationship with state representative Reuben King. But there's more at stake than Natalie's future. Much more.

Representative King chairs a committee charged to determine the future of Bill 6336, which permits the implantation of tracking microchips in people for the ostensible purpose of protecting them from harm: children from kidnapping, the helpless from exploitation, and the like. Ethical, political and sinister pressures for and against 6336 beat against him like the driven tide of a perfect storm. But what turns the tables for him is Natalie's influence, based upon her own abduction a year earlier. At least it does at first...

Sound fairly simple? What's more to tell? Oh my goodness, a whole bunch, springing from the capable keyboard of an accomplished storyteller like Eric Wilson. Mix Natalie's father's well-meaning (albeit misguided) agenda, the personal vendetta of an enigmatic Russian special ops veteran, and the greed of the ambitious owner of a multi-million dollar corporation that stands to become a multi-billion dollar corporation with the passage of 6336, stir well, don't bother to let set, and you've got a recipe for an explosive tale of political intrigue and personal danger.

Enmeshed in the storyline, Mr. Wilson presents thought-provoking moral, ethical, and spiritual conumdrums through a multi-dimensional cast of characters who defy you to love them purely or hate them wholly. Well, okay, a couple of them you might have no problem hating wholly. And there's one or two who are pretty lovable. But you know what I mean... :-)

There's a reason Mr. Wilson is a NY Times best-selling author. And he's proven it again. You really oughta get this book. It's available in paperback and eBook.
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Blog Giveaway!

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Christina Rich is featuring my writing on her blog at http://christinarich.wordpress.com/ for the next month.  She's doing a great job.  Please stop by and take a look--even comment for a giveaway!  :-)
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Giveaway!

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For the next three days (19-21 May), I'm joining several other authors in a Q&A "Get To Know The Author" giveaway on The Book Club Network.  A total of 82 books are up for grabs, including 3 copies of Katia, 3 vouchers for For Maria (to be sent as soon as it's released), and a set of "A Prophet's Tale."  Here's the link: http://www.bookfun.org/group/tbcnfeaturedauthors/forum/topics/may-2012

Have fun!  :-)
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Yahshua's Bridge, by Sandi Rog (DeWard Publishing)

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Best-selling author Robert Liparulo's opening endorsement, "Sandi Rog has done it again..." is spot on.  She really has.

Book Two in the "Iron and the Stone" series, and sequel to the award-winning The Master's Wall, Yahshua's Bridge follows our beloved characters, David and Alethea, as they experience the trials and the victories of the early Church.  This time, however, a previously supporting cast steps to center stage and transports us from Rome to Alexandria to the depths of desert-bound Egypt, and beyond.

Young Alexander has come into his own.  Tutored in the physical arts of the warrior and the spiritual disciplines of a believer by his mentor and de facto father, David, 'Zander' discovers himself and his surprising past--but that's not all.  He also discovers his future in the person of David and Alethea's daughter, Elianna.  Elianna's take on this?  Well, she's not so sure.

On her own journey of self-discovery, Elianna sheds the shackles of societal convention.  When Zander disappears, her persistent hope in his return to the fulfillment of his promise dwindles.  Meantime, David whisks her away from Rome in the charge of protectors on a journey from her enemies and from what he has become.  But he doesn't count on the Lord's intervention, as so few of us do.  Hold on for the ride, folks.  Oh, yeah.  It's dizzying.

Ms. Rog's in-depth research pairs wonderfully with her exceptional storytelling ability to yield a gripping 1st-century tale of betrayal and love, failure and faith.  You don't read about early Rome, you feel the paving stones beneath your sandals as you race with Elianna through the streets.  The wind-blown sands of the Egyptian heartland prick your face, and you blink in the intense rays of its blinding sun with Zander as he seeks his heritage.

Ultimately, the bittersweet conclusion will have you cheering and brushing the tear from your cheek at the same time.  Few authors can achieve that so fluidly.  Ms. Rog does.

Highly recommended for the historical-Biblical fiction enthusiast. You won't be sorry you took the ride.  Great read.
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Distant Thunder, by Ann Gaylia O'Barr (OakTara)

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A poignant story; intelligently written and thought provoking.

In Distant Thunder, Ms. O'Barr has melded a personal journey of searching and restoration with a candid, point-blank look at American culture and faith.  Okay, that's been done before.  A lot.  But what makes this book unique is the author's perspective on America through the eyes of Americans who have spent a considerable portion of their adult lives outside of America.  Herself a retired foreign service officer, Ms. O'Barr is eminently qualified to relate this tale through the lens of her characters' broadened experiences and observations.

But the story is much more than an examination of a nation.  No, there's a very personal rendering of a woman's search for meaning in the culture that has victimized her.  The woman?  Brooke Rohmer, who is a middle-aged divorcee facing an empty nest as her son prepares to enlist in the US Army.  Stuck in a dead-end job and anticipating the prospect of a personal life as mundane as her work life, Brooke books passage on a train from Georgia to Seattle to visit her aunt.  Just to get away.  And to think.

Neal Hudson, a foreign service consular officer, has just lost his wife and his best friend in separate automobile accidents in Beirut.  Reeling from shock of the double loss, and guilt-ridden at the way he and his wife parted that fateful day, he, too, opts for a train ride to his island retreat on Puget Sound's San Juan Island.  His greatest shock, though, is when he finally brings himself to read her death certificate.

Needless to tell you, Brooke and Neal encounter one another. In the company of two other State Department employees, Ethan and Kaitlin Coverwood, who also happen to be on the train, Neal and Brooke develop a faltering relationship, each afraid of letting the other in too far, understand each other too much, empathize with each other too deeply.  The foursome's discussions and blossoming friendship mirror the train's journey through the heartland of America, across the northern climes, and finally into the Pacific Northwest.

You'll learn a great deal about their perspectives--even what the Foreign Service is like--through their conversations that range from the personal to the professional--but always the profound.

Kudos to Ms. O'Barr for artfully interweaving her theme with her story, never allowing the former to obscure the latter, but delivering the pathos of each in a subtle and honest way.  Precise prose, a piquing underlying wit, and a solid grasp of her topic, the author is a pleasure to read.

Highly recommended for the thoughtul reader.
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