Brandilyn Collins

Sneak Pique Apr-May 2012

~ Breaking News ~


Gone to Ground

Happy spring, everyone. I'm so excited that Gone to Ground is fully released in ebook and paperback form. Responses from readers continue to be excellent. Everyone's favorite character in the book is Cherrie Mae. (I have to agree.)

Wisteria B&B

A few weeks ago I traveled to Jasper County, MS, where Gone to Ground takes place. I did four book signings in two days plus a TV talk show on Jackson's NBC channel. For the third time I stayed at the historical Wisteria B&B in Laurel, MS. The genteel Southern owners threw a party for me, and about 50 of their friends came to meet me and get a copy of the book. What a great time!

Me with Cherry Mae

In Bay Springs I got to be with the real Cherrie Mae again. Another wonderful experience. Funny/strange story: I used both a print-out from MapQuest and the rental car's GPS to get me to the Bay Springs City Hall, where the signing would take place. Both the print-out and the GPS took me not to City Hall, but a street some distance away. Whose house was it? Cherrie Mae's. She was just stepping out of her door to go to the signing.

How's that for a bit of God's humor?

By the way, surely by now you've seen the Gone to Ground book trailer, starring the real Cherrie Mae? If not, view it here.

Terri & I strangle each other

The Jackson signing was with my pal and fellow suspense author Terri Blackstock. We had a good time being together. And did our best to act extremely sophisticated throughout the event.

I just heard that Gone to Ground and Over the Edge have sold to Oasis Audio. The audio versions should be available next spring. Also, Gone to Ground will appear in its large print form this summer. (Over the Edge is already available in large print on Amazon.)

Folks—write me back! I'd love to hear any comments and what's going on in your lives. Email me here.



~ Facts on Fiction ~

Here are some books, in various genres, that have been released in the past two months. Information about each book was provided by the author.


Biblical Fiction

Sarai by Jill Eileen Smith (Revell)

Wives of the Patriarchs #1. When Abram requests Sarai's hand in marriage, she asks one thing–that he promise never to take another wife as long as she lives. Sarai makes a promise in return–to give Abram a son and heir. But as the years stretch on and Sarai's womb remains empty, she becomes desperate to fulfill her end of the bargain–lest Abram decide that he will not fulfill his. To what lengths will Sarai go in her quest to bear a son? And how long will Abram's patience last?


Contemporary

A Familiar Shore by Jennifer Fromke (Write Integrity Press)

Meg Marks is a young lawyer raised off the coast of the Carolinas. An anonymous client hires her to arrange his will, and sends her to meet his estranged family at their lake home in northern Michigan. After a shocking discovery, she finds herself caught between his suspicious family and a deathbed promise her conscience demands that she keep. Will she sacrifice her own dreams for revenge, or will she choose something more?

Mississippi Nights by D.M. Webb (Ambassador International)

Two brothers, one death. When Firefighter David Boyette's fiancée perishes in a car fire, he blames his brother, Sgt. Jeremy Boyette, for her death. Three years later, David returns home with a dark and devastating secret. With the help of family, a woman's love, and a small child's devotion, can David overcome insurmountable odds as he and Jeremy face the bitterness that enslaves him? Together the brothers must decide if the bond of brotherhood is stronger than resentment and hate.

Stand by Me by Neta Jackson (Thomas Nelson)

SouledOut Sisters #1. Sometimes the person you most need is the one least like you.
After making a leap of faith at a Christian music fest and dropping out of med school, Kat Davies' wealthy family all but disowns her. Kat discovers Souled.Out Community Church, but her tendency to say whatever she's thinking steps on the toes of nearly everyone—especially the dignified Avis Douglass, who hasn't heard from her youngest daughter in months. Where is God in this? Kat's flamboyant zeal for living a "radical" Christian life is a stark contrast to Avis's more reserved faith. But in God's timing, the two women discover they need each other in ways neither of them expected.


Historical

Hearts that Survive–A Novel of the Titanic by Yvonne Lehman (Abingdon Press)

Lydia Beaumont and her new friend Carolie Chadwick plan Lydia's wedding aboard the "grandest ship ever built." Yet their lives take a tragic turn when the "unsinkable" Titanic goes down. This epic tale of faith and perseverance follows their lives and the lives of their descendants as they struggle with all that was lost on that fateful night and what the future holds for those brave enough to face it.

Love Finds You in New Orleans by Christa Allan (Summerside)

Ever since her parents died of yellow fever when she was a child, Charlotte LeClerc has lived with her grandparents, who rarely speak of their son and his wife. On the verge of negotiating a marriage contract with a suitor, a man Charlotte loathes, her grandparents discover she enjoys the company of Gabriel Girod, a young Creole man. Charlotte's future hangs in the balance as her grandparents consider whether they should reveal the truth they've known since before her birth—a truth that will make the difference between a life of obligation and a life of choice for Charlotte.

Promise Me This by Cathy Gohlke (Tyndale House Publishers)

Determined to escape an abusive past, Michael Dunnagan stows away aboard Titanic. When the ship founders, Michael is saved through the sacrifice of his friend, Owen. Wholeheartedly, Michael promises to carry Owen's dreams—precious gardening seeds and roots—to his family in America, and bring his sister, Annie, from England. Michael never anticipated Annie's fury that he'd lived when her brother had died, the terrible onset of WWI, or that when she's finally forgiven him her letters would mysteriously stop. Bound by a promise, strengthened by something neither expected, Michael searches England and beyond for the woman he's grown to love.

Song of my Heart by Kim Vogel Sawyer (Bethany House Publishers)

When Sadie Wagner's stepfather is injured and can't work, she accepts a position as a clerk at the mercantile in Goldtree, Kansas, to help support her family. Goldtree also offers the opportunity to use her God-given singing talent. With her family needing every cent she can provide, Sadie will do anything to keep her job. Sheriff Thad McKane is immediately attracted to the beautiful singer who performs in Asa Baxter's opera house, but when he hears her practicing bawdy tunes, he begins to wonder if she's far less innocent than she seems. And when Sadie appears to be part of the bootlegging operation he's determined to overturn, is there any hope the love blossoming between them will survive?


Middle Grade

Terror at Wolf Lake by Max Elliot Anderson (Comfort Publishing)

Eddy Thompson's hero is John Dillinger, so it's no surprise that Eddy cheats on anything, anytime, anywhere. With school out for Christmas, Eddy's father invites Chet, Rusty, and their fathers to drive up to a cabin he owns on Wolf Lake, Michigan. Thinking no one will be there before summer, two real bank robbers toss their stolen cash over the Eddy's back fence in hopes to come back for it later, as police sirens race toward them. Eddy wants to keep it. But the terror doesn't end there and follows the boys all the way back home.


Mystery/Suspense

Cleansed by Fire by James R. Callan (Pennant Publishing)

The Father Frank series. Churches are burning and a man is murdered, plunging a small Texas town into a state of fear. Father Frank DeLuca, pastor at Prince of Peace Church, is thrust into an impossible dilemma when he hears that another church will be burned. But the disturbing information comes to him via the confessional, and church law forbids him from telling anyone—even the police. But he must do something. His investigation leads him dangerously close to the local drug scene. He soon discovers the danger has come to him. Can he save his own church? Can he save his own life?

Downfall by Terri Blackstock (Zondervan)

Intervention Series #3. Will the consequences of Emily's drug history lead to her downfall? A conversation she had with two men, an Alfred Hitchcock movie, and a plan for a double-murder all conspire for one explosive ride … and Emily is the only one who can identify the killer and save the life of the next potential victim.

Gone to Ground by Brandilyn Collins (B&H Publishing)

Six murders have occurred in small-town Mississippi. Now, to their horror, three women of three different generations realize they know who the killer is—someone dear to them. Independently, not talking to anyone else, each woman must make the terrifying decision to bring the man down. But each woman suspects a different man.

A Perfect Square by Vannetta Chapman (Zondervan)

A Shipshewana Amish Mystery #2. A dead girl is found floating in a local pond, and murder is once again afoot in the quaint town of Shipshewana. Callie, owner of Daisy's Quilt Shop, and Deborah set out to uncover the truth. The mystery deepens when an elderly man seeks Callie's help in finding his daughter, missing since 1965. An old man who has lost his past. A young man who may lose his future. Deborah and Callie find themselves piecing together a crazy quilt of lives and events—bringing unexpected touches of God's grace.


Romance—Contemporary

Gypsy's Game by Delia Latham (White Rose Publishing)

Solomon's Gate series #3. Gypsy Lovell stands to inherit an enormous amount of money from a father who never gave her anything but a ridiculous name. But a stipulation in the will demands that she be married in order to claim the money that could save her ailing mother's life. At a Christian dating agency—Solomon's Gate—Gypsy hopes to find a temporary husband. Someone easy to handle for the required six months, and easy to get rid of afterward. Jal Garridan is neither of those things, but his unyielding faith and gentle love might just save Gypsy's soul.

Twin Hearts by JoAnn Durgin (Torn Veil Books)

The Lewis Legacy Series #3. Josh Grant is a man seeking redemption. He's not looking for love, but finds it in a most unexpected and tender way. His twin sister, Rebekah, is torn between two very different men. When family tragedy strikes, the twins lean on Sam and Lexa Lewis and their fellow TeamWork Missions volunteers. Together they learn lessons in faith and family and what's most important in life. It's time to stake their claim on love, which means a road trip from Louisiana to . . . the peace found in seeking and finding the sweetest desires of the heart.


Romance—Historical

Heart of Gold by Robin Lee Hatcher (Thomas Nelson)

Back in her beloved Virginia, Shannon Adair loved nursing injured soldiers back to health. But in Grand Coeur, Idaho—the rough-and-tumble place where her father has been called to lead the church—she's not sure where she fits in. Then a critically ill woman arrives, and Shannon knows her place at last: to care for this dear woman and ease her pain. Matthew Dubois is the fastest and most reliable stagecoach driver on Wells Fargo's payroll. But his widowed sister is dying and he's about to inherit his young nephew. So he takes a job at the Wells Fargo express office in Grand Coeur until he can find the one thing he needs to get back to driving: a wife to care for the boy. What neither of them knows is that God is at work behind the scenes—and is lovingly bringing them together to discover the true desires of their hearts.

Heart's Safe Passage by Laurie Alice Eakes (Baker/Revell)

The Midwives series #2. When she is pressed by her pregnant sister-in-law to help save her husband from an English prison during the War of 1812, Phoebe cannot refuse. The two women end up aboard a British privateer crossing the Atlantic under the command of a man with a deadly mission and a deadlier enemy.

Words Spoken True by Ann H Gabhart (Revell Books)

Adriane Darcy was practically raised in her father's newspaper offices. She can't imagine life without the clatter of the press putting out the news. Their Tribune is the leading paper in 1855 Louisville. Then Blake Garrett, a brash young editor from the North with a controversial style of reporting, takes over a competing paper and the battle for readers gets fierce. When Adriane and Blake meet, their surprising mutual attraction is hard to ignore. Still, Blake is the enemy, and Adriane is engaged to the son of a powerful businessman who holds the keys to the Tribune's future.

In Too Deep by Mary Connealy (Bethany)

Kincaid Brides series #2. Ethan Kincaid, the shallow charmer, agrees to a marriage of convenience with the same casual disregard he gives every decision. Audra Gilliland, the fragile, young mother of two, accepts his proposal because she wants to stop being a burden to her newly married step-daughter. Ethan doesn't expect Audra to touch him deeply and when she begins to, he's terrified of the pain he's felt before when his weakness nearly killed his little brother. Audra has been cared for all her life by one man or another and they've done a poor job of it. Now she's going to stand up for herself and make her own decisions and her new husband had better agree to let her, or get out of her way.


Romantic Suspense

The Chase by DiAnn Mills (Zondervan)

Crime Scene: Houston series #1. To the FBI it's a cold case. To Kariss Walker, the hot idea could reshape or ruin her writing career. Five years ago, an unidentified little girl was found starved to death in the woods behind a Houston apartment complex. A TV news anchor at the time, Kariss reported on the terrifying case. Today, as a New York Times bestselling author, Kariss intends to turn the unsolved mystery into a suspense novel. Enlisting the help of FBI Special Agent Tigo Harris, Kariss succeeds in getting the case reopened. But a discovery plunges the partners into a witch's brew of danger.

Saving Hope by Margaret Daley (Abingdon Press)

Men of the Texas Rangers series #1. When a teenager goes missing from the Beacon of Hope School, Texas Ranger Wyatt Sheridan and school director Kate Winslow are forced into a dangerous struggle against a human trafficking organization. But the battle brings dire consequences as Wyatt's daughter is terrorized and Kate is kidnapped. Now it's personal, and Wyatt finds both his faith and investigative skills challenged as he fights to discover the mastermind behind the ring before evil destroys everyone he loves.



Chapter-A-Week: A weekly e-mail that includes a 1500-word excerpt from a recent release (all genres), published by major houses in the Christian market. Many of these authors are best-selling and/or award-winning. To join, send an e-mail to:
chapteraweek-subscribe@yahoogroups.com


SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL CHRISTIAN BOOKSTORE


To send all comments/suggestions, free-book contest entries, questions about Christian novelists please write my assistant.

You are welcome to forward this newsletter to your friends. Join my mailing list.

BRANDILYN
Seatbelt Suspense®
www.brandilyncollins.com
https://www.facebook.com/brandilyncollinsseatbeltsuspense


If this email does not display properly, please view online.