She did it again! I know I say this every time I post a new Ginny Smith book, but this is my favorite. Stuck in the Middle is a beautiful story about relationships and about how God answers prayer.  Allow yourself plenty of time, as you won’t be putting this one down!

About the Author ~

Virginia Smith left her job as a corporate director to become a full time writer and speaker with the release of her first novel Just As I Am.

Since then she has contracted eight novels and published numerous articles and short stories. She writes contemporary humorous novels for the Christian market, including Murder by Mushroom (Steeple Hill, August 2007) and her newest release, Stuck in the Middle(Revell, February 2008), book 1 in the Sister-to-Sister Series.

Her short fiction has been anthologized, and her articles have been published in a variety of Christian magazines. An energetic speaker, she loves to exemplify God’s truth by comparing real-life situations to well-known works of fiction, such as her popular talk, “Biblical Truths in Star Trek.”

Virginia is a speaker, and an avid Scuba diver. She and her husband Ted, divide their times between Kentucky and Utah, and escape as often as they can for diving trips to the Caribbean!

About the Book ~
Joan Sanderson’s life is stuck. Her older sister, Allie, is starting a family and her younger sister, Tori, has a budding career. Meanwhile, Joan is living at home with Mom and looking after her aging grandmother. Not exactly a recipe for excitement-or romance.

That is, until a hunky young doctor moves in next door. Suddenly Joan has a goal–to catch his eye and get a date. But it won’t be easy. Pretty Tori flirts relentlessly with him and Joan is sure that she can’t compete. But with a little help from God, Allie, and an enormous mutt with bad manners, maybe Joan can find her way out of this rut and into the life she’s been hiding from.

Book 1 of the Sister-to-Sister series, Stuck in the Middle combines budding romance, spiritual searching, and a healthy dose of sibling rivalry that is sure to make you smile.

“A gentle story of one young woman’s season of growth, deftly blending the tangle of family relationships with gifts of whimsey and revelation. A joy to read.”
~SHARON HINCK, author of Renovating Becky Miller and Symphony of Secrets~

 Happy Valentine’s Day! I’ve been planning this day for the last month and, sure enough, not one thing happened the way I’d planned. Several months ago I was invited to speak for a Valentine’s brunch at a church in the Cities. I’ve spoken for this fun group of women before and I was looking forward to sharing with them today. Weather, however, seemed as though it was going to make travel hazardous. In fact, one weatherman said, “This is going to be the biggest weather event we’ve had since Christmas!” Well, last night such forecasting led the event coordinator and me to the decision that I would not be making the 2 hour trip north. When I peeked out the window this morning, guess what I saw? Yep. Nothing. Nada. Not even an inch of new snow on the ground. GRRRR. I hate it when that happens. What happened to the “event” we were waiting for?

I spent most of the morning grumbling and feeling terrible about this situation. Then God started teaching me my daily grace lesson. Here’s what happened…

~The kids and I had extra special school time this morning.

~I had the time to finish reading Healing Stones, which was a huge blessings.

~I read several emails and blog posts of friends who are suffering. I’m not talking about facing life disappointments, but truly suffering and giving God the glory all the while.

~Homeschool friends (who have 7 children and one small car) were in a car accident this afternoon. Praise God, all five in the car were unhurt. There only car was totaled. God is good all the time.

Here are the grace lesson I learned…

Sometimes I need to put things in perspective. I am not indispensible…I believe God is completely capable of blessing those women at St. Johns without Vicki Tiede. The fact that He chooses to use me as His vessel at all, never ceases to amaze me.

There are much more important things than the obstacles that trip me up. I have my health, my family, and most importantly…a Savior who loves me.

From reading Healing Stones I was reminded that you’re not done until you’re dead. My plans may not always work out like I think they will or should, but God usually has a better plan. My job is to keep doing the next thing that He asks of me and then do it for His glory.

I am really excited about Healing Stones! I will confess that life has been on turbo speed at the Tiede house and I am not quite done with the book. I will be posting a second time about it when I’m done, so the authors get a bonus posting from me! What I have read is amazing. I was grabbed immediately and experienced an extensive list of emotions. My sweet husband was sleeping with the lights on as I kept promising, “Just one more chapter!”  Yep, it’s that kind of book!

About the Authors~

Stephen Arterburn is the founder and chairman of New Life Ministries—the nation’s largest faith-based broadcast, counseling and treatment ministry—and is the host of the nationally syndicated “New Life Live!” daily radio…

By 1996 Nancy was a full-time writer. The Christian Heritage Series made that possible. She was writing those books from the early 1990′s until 2000.

And then a new opportunity came along–the Lily series. If she ever doubted that she was going to make it as a writer, man, that little red-head put those fears to rest! And, of course, Sophie followed Lily, with some teen and grown-up books in between — plus the non-fiction books designed just for you.

Nancy and her husband live in Tennessee now, overlooking a beautiful lake, lots of sycamore trees, and the rocky Tennessee hills. They have a bright yellow power boat named BANANA SPLIT which you can find us on no matter what the weather. Marijean and her husband live nearby with my three grand-dogs and three grand-cats (and two grand-snakes . . .)

About the Book~

With one flash of a camera, Demi’s private life becomes public news. She doesn’t know it yet, but her healing has just begun.

Christian college professor Demitria Costanas had vowed to end her affair with a colleague. But she gives into temptation one last time…and a lurking photographer captures her weakness for all to see. Quite literally, she’s the woman caught in adultery. And almost everyone–herself included–has a stone to throw.

Enter Sullivan Crisp, a decidedly unorthodox psychologist with his own baggage. He’s well-known for his quirky sense of humor and incorporation of “game show” theology into his counseling sessions. And yet there’s something more he offers…hope for a fresh start.

Reluctantly the two of them begin an uplifting, uneven journey filled with healing and grace. By turns funny and touching, this story explores the ways humans hurt each other and deceive themselves. And it shows the endlessly creative means God uses to turn stones of accusation and shame into works of beauty that lead us onto the path of healing.

An auspicious debut for a candid yet tender series about pain, healing, and God’s invitation for second chances.

About the Author~

Julie Lessman is a debut author who has already garnered writing acclaim, including ten Romance Writers of America awards. She is a commercial writer for Maritz Travel, a published poet and a Golden Heart Finalist. Julie has a heart to write “Mainstream Inspirational,” reaching the 21st-century woman with compelling love stories laced with God’s precepts. She resides in Missouri with her husband and their golden retriever, and has two grown children and a daughter-in-law. A Passion Most Pure is her first novel.

About the Book~

She’s found the love of her life. Unfortunately, he loves her sister …

As World War I rages across the Atlantic in 1916, a smaller war is brewing in Boston. Faith O’Connor finds herself drawn to an Irish rogue who is anything but right for her. Collin McGuire is brash, cocky, and from the wrong side of the tracks, not to mention forbidden by her father. And then there’s the small matter that he is secretly courting her younger sister. But when Collin’s affections suddenly shift her way, it threatens to tear Faith’s proper Boston family apart.

Refusing to settle for anything less than a romantic relationship that pleases God, Faith O’Connor steels her heart against her desire for the roguish Collin McGuire. Collin is trying to win her sister Charity’s hand, and Faith isn’t sure she can handle the jealousy she feels. Full of passion, romance, rivalry, and betrayal, A Passion Most Pure is Book 1 of the Daughters of Boston series.