I invite you to join me at my new blog http://stephseclecticinterests.wordpress.com

I created Steph Nickel’s Eclectic Interests as a home for most of my blogging. Check out Book Reviews…and any of the others that catch your interest.

You are also invited to http://casualtheology.wordpress.com (Who is God and who are we according to the Scriptures?) and Monday Motivation at http://www.christianeditingservices.com (tips and prompts for writers and those who want to be).

Hope to see you there soon…and often.

A book set in Vietnam during the war wouldn’t normally have been my first choice, but the more I read, the more it drew me in. Of course, I want a story with a compelling plot, but I’m primarily drawn to characters that I grow to care about. And YT definitely fits the bill.

I love books. I always feel a sense of accomplishment when I turn the last page. However, I don’t always look forward to that time of day when I can open a specific book and plunge into the story, but that’s exactly how I felt about reading YT.

It’s not an easy book to read, but anyone who is old enough to remember the Vietnam War knows it wasn’t an easy time. Emotions ran high. The author doesn’t pull her punches. Because of it, it is a compelling story. The characters are real. Their stories are real. Their joys are real. And so are their heartaches.

The author doesn’t create a sanitized version of reality, nor does she overwhelm readers with too much disturbing detail. To me, she strikes the delicate balance.  And it’s just plain believable – another element of fiction that truly matters to me.

The pages of YT overflow with action, suspense, drama, character interplay, and an overarching romance (minus the fluff). If this appeals to you, I highly recommend Yesterday’s Tomorrow.

My daughter is illustrating her first children’s book and would like to make a career of writing and illustrating. I knew this would be a good resource to have in our library.

It is my goal to get my picture books and chapbooks into the marketplace as well, and ordering a copy of the 2012…Market seemed like a good place to start.

Purchase of the book includes a one-year online children’s subscription to WritersMarket.com That plus the almost 400 pages of articles and markets make it a wonderful investment, especially if it leads to work.

How I wish I could order all the 2012…Markets. If I could, they’d include the 2012 Writer’s Market, and those for artists and graphic designers, photographers, poets, novel and short story writers, as well as the …Guide to Literary Agents. (Have I mentioned I’m eclectically-interested?)

If you’re new to freelancing, market guides are an invaluable tool. They list possible homes for your work, some you may never have heard of. They teach you which markets accept unsolicited work, which publish the kind of work you do, what the submission process is…

So, whether you’re a novice or have years of experience, I recommend ordering your market guides today…http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=2012+writer%27s+digest+market&x=0&y=0

Why would I read the Bible?

Isn’t it simply an out-of-date book with no relevance for today?

Isn’t it a book written by sexist men who want to subjugate women?

Isn’t it simply a book of rules?

Isn’t it filled with contradictions?

Don’t only superstitious, old-fashioned people believe the Bible?

I’m going to answer those questions from last to first.

There are many highly educated people who believe the Scriptures are divinely inspired, people with more letters after their name than in their name.

I won’t deny there are many hard-to-understand, seemingly contradictory passages in the Bible, but I believe that should make for more diligent study, not disregard.

The Word of God overflows with promise after promise. And yes, there are rules, but they are written for our good. Understanding and insight come from a study of all 66 books, not just picking out bits and pieces here and there.

If people took the time to understand the culture of Jesus’ day and came to realize just how radical his dealings with women were, their minds would be put to rest. Those who observed his actions would be amazed.

The Bible deals with topics that are every bit as relevant as they were thousands of years ago. Funny, the human condition boils down to the same things generation after generation.

While I can never convince you the Bible is the divinely-inspired Word of God, it boils down to faith. If you are willing to prayerfully open its pages and read it diligently, you will be amazed. (Even if you’re an atheist or an agnostic, there’s no harm in praying, “God, if you’re real and if this is your Word, please make yourself known to me.”)

Happy Thanksgiving from Canada

When I go to the bookstore, I gravitate first to the sale items. When I go to the library, the new release shelves call my name.

It was no different last week when I took a friend to pick up a book. There they were; the pristine new editions were beckoning. So, despite the facts that I have several books on the go and many more I haven’t gotten to, I signed out five books. While I’m pretty sure I won’t read them all, I do intend to complete The Reading Promise by Alice Ozma.

“She is passionate about literature, education, and working with children.” Sounds like an author I want to read.

I’ll admit I don’t usually bother with the Acknowledgments. However, I’m glad I did in this case. Ozma has a charming, conversational style. I love it.

Ozma refers to The Streak. It began as either a 100-night or a 1000-night commitment – depending on who you believe has the better memory, Ozma or her father. At any rate, it lasted over 3200 nights, until the author headed off to college.

The commitment? Dad read aloud to his daughter for at least 10 minutes before midnight every single day.

So, what good does this do after a child can read for him- or herself? The Commission on Reading declared, “The single most important activity for building the knowledge required for eventual success in reading is reading aloud to children.”

As a homeschooling mom, I read, “Teach your children to read. They can, then, teach themselves everything else.”

I remember standing outside my children’s rooms at night reading to them. We read through The Chronicles of Narnia – well, except for The Last Battle. I thought that was a little scary for bedtime. I also read several of John White’s books. (OK, I’m sure they were even more frightening.) And I’m certain there were many others.

My mom instilled a love of books – and reading – in me from a young age. I still remember her reading aloud to me. (And that was at least four decades ago.)

The Reading Promise is about so much more than the books Ozma and her father read together. It’s about the bond that grew stronger with each passing year, with each passing book. So, if reading is important to you…if the special bond it can create between parent and child interests you…if spending time with an engaging, young author appeals to you…then pick up a copy of The Reading Promise.

I’d love to hear about what you’re reading these days.

I also liked the fact that it was written in the first person. I found it drew me into the story. It was more like sitting across from the protagonist, having him tell me the story, than being a distant observer. (Occasionally, the character referred to things he wouldn’t likely notice – even though he was a PI. I found it a little distracting. That’s one of the challenges of writing in first person: staying in the protagonist’s head yet giving readers enough information.)

The characters were distinct and easy to remember. There were enough of them to make the story interesting, but not so many that I got lost. (Although the only Christian character in the book played an important role, for some reason – maybe because she was the only believer – she seemed more like an extra rather than a regular cast member.)

I appreciated the fact that Mynheir didn’t sanitize the story. It was, after all, about a murder investigation and undercover police work. (I didn’t feel he pushed the bounds into the “unacceptable,” but some Christians might view The Corruptible as too edgy.)

All in all, if you enjoy police dramas such as Law and Order, Criminal Minds, and CSI, you will almost assuredly, enjoy reading The Corruptible.

I received a free electronic version of the book from Blogging for Books in exchange for this review.

Now, before you shake your head and say, “That’s not for me,” let me tell you why this book is now one of my favourites.

Friend Number One loaned OWATW to Friend Number Two. She began to read it and immediately thought of me. (Why reading a book with a chapter titled “The Interoggation of a Suffix” makes you think of your friend the writer and editor, I can’t imagine.)

I had several books on the go, not to mention a To Do list that went on and on and on. However, when Deb dropped the book off that afternoon, I decided to take a peek. What a great decision!

From the first page, the author is all the things I admire most – not just in an author, but in a human being. Honest. Transparent. Real.

A fellow writer and I were talking yesterday. We agree that good writing is good writing no matter what the subject. On one hand, I’m willing to excuse mediocre writing if I really care about the characters. On the other, I’m willing to read a book in practically any genre if the writing carries me away. And then there are the rare and delightful finds, books with characters that draw me in and stories that transport me to another place. This is one of those books.

I’m a visual learner, and the Janks paint a vivid picture. It’s as if I’m sitting in my living room with them, watching a home movie of their adventures and hearing them tell me all about their lives among the Wilo people. Relationships are what life is all about, and I feel as if I’ve made two new friends.

With candor and humour, Davey and Marie Jank demystify what it means to reach out with love and truth. Maybe, just maybe, if they can do it, I can too.

Mystery. Suspense. Intrigue. That’s what you’ll find in Rob Delion’s first novel, Justified.

If something stands out and makes you ask, “Why did the author include that tidbit of information?” and he or she never answers the question, it rubs like a burr under a saddle. Persistent. Distracting. Annoying.

Because I had to edit on my first read-through, I’d often ask, “Does this need to be here?” A few such things got dropped from the first draft, but many were indispensable. I loved those Ah Ha moments, coming across their importance as I continued to read.  To me, that’s craftsmanship. It requires an author to see the big picture while only letting readers see as much as they need to at any given time.

I’m a visual learner. I want enough details to paint a picture. On the other hand, I’m not all that patient. I don’t want to read a description of every rock and blade of grass. Rob has achieved that balance. Months after reading it, I can still see a slide show of scenes playing in my mind.

When I watch a movie that keeps me on the edge of my seat, I need the occasional breather. From time to time, I want to laugh – or at least exhale. Justified propels the reader forward with the right amount of downtime.

As I said to Rob, “Make me care about your characters, and I’m hooked.” I care about the characters in Justified and am looking forward to the sequel. Get busy writing, Mr. Delion.

Order your copy of Justified at either address below or pop by Rob Delion’s Facebook page and arrange for him to send you a signed copy. (You may also want to visit Rob’s blog at http://quillzone.com)

http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Justified-R-H-Delion/9781770692985-item.html?ikwid=justified&ikwsec=Home

http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=r.h.+delion&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3Ar.h.+delion&ajr=0

Enjoy!

Susan Barclay…

http://reviewsfrominnisfree.blogspot.com/

Laura Davis…

http://interviewsandreviews.blogspot.com/

Donna Fawcett…

http://www.authordonnadawson.com/bookreviews.htm

Kimberley Payne…

http://kimpayne.wordpress.com/

Janet Sketchley…

http://janetsketchley.wordpress.com/reviews/