All Things New by Lynn Austin

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

All Things New

Bethany House Publishers (October 1, 2012)

by

Lynn Austin

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


For many years, Lynn Austin nurtured a desire to write but frequent travels and the demands of her growing family postponed her career. When her husband's work took Lynn to Bogota, Colombia, for two years, she used the B.A. she'd earned at Southern Connecticut State University to become a teacher. After returning to the U.S., the Austins moved to Anderson, Indiana, Thunder Bay, Ontario, and later to Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Lynn resigned from teaching to write full-time in 1992. Since then she has published twelve novels. Five of her historical novels, Hidden Places, Candle in the Darkness, Fire by Night, A Proper Pursuit, and Until We Reach Home have won Christy Awards in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008, and 2009 for excellence in Christian Fiction. Fire by Night was also one of only five inspirational fiction books chosen by Library Journal for their top picks of 2003, and All She Ever Wanted was chosen as one of the five inspirational top picks of 2005. Lynn's novel Hidden Places has been made into a movie for the Hallmark Channel, starring actress Shirley Jones. Ms Jones received a 2006 Emmy Award nomination for her portrayal of Aunt Batty in the film.

ABOUT THE BOOK


In the aftermath of the Civil War, Josephine Weatherly and her mother, Eugenia, struggle to pick up the pieces of their lives when they return to their Virginia plantation. But the bitter realities of life after the war cannot be denied: their home and land are but shells of their previous grandeur; death has claimed her father and brother; and her remaining brother, Daniel, has returned home bitter and broken. The privileged childhood Josephine enjoyed now seems like a long-ago dream. And the God who failed to answer any of her prayers during the war is lost to her as well.

Josephine soon realizes that life is now a matter of daily survival--and recognizes that Lizzie, as one of the few remaining servants, is the one she must rely on to teach her all she needs to know. Josephine's mother, too, vows to rebuild White Oak...but a bitter hatred fuels her.

With skill and emotion, Lynn Austin brings to life the difficult years of the Reconstruction era by interweaving the stories of three women--daughter, mother, and freed slave--in a riveting tale.

If you would like to read the first chapter of All Things New, go HERE.

Review: The Strength of His Hand by Lynn Austin

The Strength of His Hand (Chronicles of the Kings #3)
By: Lynn Austin
Publisher: Bethany House
ISBN: 0-7642-2991-5

About the book:

He has achieved enormous wealth and power -- yet there is no heir.

The legacy Hezekiah has established as one of Judah's great leaders is threatened: his beloved wife, Hephzibah, remains barren. Desperate to provide a successor to her husband's throne, Hephzibah makes a forbidden pact with the fertility goddess Asherah.

Feeling repulsed and betrayed by her act of idolatry, Hezekiah destroys the pagan shrine. But in his rage, he himself is critically injured. As Hezekiah struggles to redeem his wife and save his nation, the aged prophet Isaiah arrives with divine instructions for the king to put his house in order and choose a successor.

With his life -- and the future of his kingdom -- hanging in the balance, Hezekiah once more cries out to the Lord...

Review:

After surviving the threat of Assyrian invasion, Hezekiah has seen the kingdom of Judah blessed with extraordinary peace and prosperity. Life seems almost perfect, except Hezekiah lacks an heir. Desperate to retain her husband's affections and secure his succession, Hephzibah vows to sacrifice her firstborn to the pagan goddess Asherah. When Hezekiah discovers her idolatry, he flies into a rage and is critically injured in the resulting fire. Deeply and bitterly wounded by his beloved wife's betrayal, Hezekiah wavers between life and death with nothing less than the future of the kingdom and his people at stake. When God grants Hezekiah a reprieve, the broken king sets about attempting to solidify his legacy, risking everything for a chance at personal glory by signing alliances with neighboring -- pagan -- nations, alliances that bring Assyria once again to Jerusalem's gates. Will Hezekiah find the strength to return to the faith of his youth and once again trust in the never-changing God of Israel to redeem the results of his sinful pride and save his people from annihilation?

The Strength of His Hand is the third volume in Austin's Chronicles of the Kings series to cover a portion of Hezekiah's reign. Taking 2 Kings 18-20, 2 Chronicles 32, and Isaiah 36-39 as her basis, Austin explores Hezekiah's reign at its critical midpoint -- facing death and the systematic dismantling of all the religious and political reforms he'd overseen since his coronation, the Hezekiah we meet at this point is a more vulnerable, almost desperate, man than the assured, faith-filled ruler we were introduced to in the first two volumes of this series. One of the main reasons I love biblical fiction is how it can flesh-out and humanize the individuals forever immortalized in the pages of scripture, reclaiming them from character status and reminding us that they were once living and breathing human beings, ever bit as fallible as we are today. The first two novels in this series sketched a fascinating, compelling portrait of Hezekiah -- but Hezekiah at this point in history, at least as brought to life by Austin -- is frankly unlikable. There is so much time spent on Hezekiah's illness, his regrets, his penchant for making decisions that go against every belief he's professed to hold dear up to this point. But the portion of Hezekiah's life covered in this novel is presented in too repetitive and redundant a manner to make for a truly compelling read. Hezekiah faces some truly appalling prophecies as a result of his decisions -- i.e., when Isaiah prophesies the Babylonian exile (2 Kings 20: 16-19), and the best reaction Hezekiah can muster is relief that this won't happen in his lifetime. One never really gets a clear sense of Hezekiah's remorse until the novel is nearly over, and given the far-flung repercussions of his actions, it is to my view a missed dramatic opportunity.

The strongest characters in this novel are members of the supporting cast -- Eliakim, the man responsible for overseeing the construction of Hezekiah's tunnel in Song of Redemption (and now the Secretary of State), his wife Jerusha, the former Assyrian captive, and Hephzibah, the disgraced queen. In many respects Eliakim as a hero figure foreshadows the leading men of Austin's later works -- atypical, sincere, intelligent, bookish types. I loved Austin's exploration of how the pressure of Eliakim's new government position forced a new set of societal expectations on him -- expectations that clash with the grace-filled tenets of his faith. It is his wife Jerusha, the once-broken and bitter Assyrian slave who reminds Eliakim of the need for grace and forgiveness when she is compelled to reach out to the shunned queen. I love how Austin has developed Jerusha's story, particularly in how she doesn't shy away from the ever-present traumatic impact of Jerusha's years in captivity. I found Hephzibah's battle with guilt and unforgiveness extremely well-drawn and realistically presented, and Jerusha's unexpected friendship with Hephzibah is a lovely portrait of grace and redemption at work in the lives of believers.

Lacking some of the spark that made the first two volumes in this series so fascinating, The Strength of His Hand is nevertheless a competently presented final chapter in Austin's exploration of Hezekiah's life and reign. I look forward to the fourth book in the series, covering the reign of Hezekiah's son -- I think perhaps a new generation's challenges will interject a much-needed infusion of life into the series.

Review: Wonderland Creek by Lynn Austin

Wonderland Creek

By: Lynn Austin

Publisher: Bethany House

ISBN: 978-0-7642-0498-2

About the book:

I was perfectly content with my life -- that is, until the pages of my story were ripped out before I had a chance to live happily ever after.

Alice Grace Ripley lives in a dream world, her nose stuck in a book. But the happily-ever-after she's planned on suddenly falls apart when her boyfriend breaks up with her, accusing her of living in a world of fiction instead of the real one. To top it off, Alice loses her beloved library job because of cutbacks due to the Great Depression.

Longing to run from small-town gossip, Alice flees to the mountains of eastern Kentucky to deliver five boxes of donated books to the tiny coal-mining town of Acorn, a place with no running water, no electricity, and where the librarians ride ornery horses up steep mountain passes to deliver books. When Alice is forced to stay in Acorn far longer than she planned, she discovers that real-life adventure, mystery -- and especially romance -- may be far better than her humble dreams could have imagined.

Review:

Alice Grace Ripley was perfectly happy with her life, consisting of a steady boyfriend and a job she adored at the local library. Never happier then when she's lost in the pages of a good book, Alice is content to live vicariously through the lives of ink-and-paper characters she meets on the page, certain that nothing in real life can surpass the joy and adventure she finds between the covers of a new novel. But Alice's happily-ever-after is not the foregone conclusion she's long-assumed, nor will it be so easily achieved. First her boyfriend dumps her, accusing her of living in a fictional dreamworld, and then her library job falls victim to budget cutbacks thanks to the Great Depression. With nothing left for her in her hometown, Alice impulsively decides to personally deliver donated books to rural Acorn, Kentucky. Alice little suspects that the mountain community will change her life forever, challenging her beliefs and dearly-held assumptions about her bookish-centered life. Thrust into a real-life adventure bigger and more fantastic than any novel, Alice must decide if she has it within her to become the heroine of her own life's story.

Alice is an instantly recognizable soul to any bibliophile, as what bookish sort willing to be honest can probably own to the temptation to prefer books to people and fictional adventures enjoyed from the comfort of a favorite reading nook. Bright, well-intentioned, but immature and hopelessly naive, Alice has little inkling of what real life is like outside the sheltered four walls of her parents' home, Tom Sawyer's shenanigans the closest she's ever come to adventuring. Her sojourn in Acorn pulls Alice out of her comfort zone, forcing her to decide who she is, as she is, stripped of familial and atmospheric identifiers -- the golden opportunity to script her life's story. It's a challenge that ever individual as they transition from childhood to adulthood is given the opportunity to make, choosing what parts of our upbringing to carry forward, how the past is allowed to define us, and perhaps most criticially, why we believe what we believe, and how that faith translates to the art of a life well-lived.

As is the norm in an Austin novel, the author seems to possess an almost uncanny ability to transport her readers into whatever time period she's chosen to bring to life. Wonderland Creek is no exception; indeed, the isolated mountain community is painted on the page with a filmic flair, the action unfolding like one of Alice's favorite novels brought to life on-screen. Everything about Acorn, as seem through Alice's eyes, is almost otherworldly, which is fitting considering how removed she is from the comforts of home. Austin plays with a book lover's penchant for losing themselves in the world of a novel. In fact, I would posit that Alice's name is no accident as it surely must seem to her that in her quest to deliver books to Acorn she's fallen through the looking glass into another world, one filled with hidden treasure, feuds, and intrigue.

Austin peppers her novel with a host of memorable, well-drawn characters. There's Lillie, the fiesty 100-year-old former slave, now a revered midwife and healer, wo serves as the reluctant Alice's guide and mentor in the "alien" land of Acorn. And then there's Mack, the librarian/activist who clashes with Alice from their first meeting. He is a vintage Austin hero, upstanding, moral, the type who really SEES the heroine's best self. Austin's romances are among my faovrites, and Mack and Alice are no exception -- an attraction born out of their shared passion for books, a bond forged in life-threatening trials -- theirs is a relationship where what isn't said is as compelling as their carefully painted encounters on the page.

Replete with unforgettable characters, Wonderland Creek is Austin's love letter to bibliophiles, and a moving tribute to the real-life packhorse librarians who brought the magic of the written word into remote mountain areas like Acorn. Alice's story is a beautifully-rendered example of the power of story and a reminider that the greatest story is the one co-authored with the God whose dreams for our future outshines the most fantastically plotted novel.

Review: Song of Redemption by Lynn Austin

Song of Redemption (Chronicles of the Kings #2)
By: Lynn Austin
Publisher: Bethany House
ISBN: 0-7642-2990-7

About the book:

He has been challenged on every side -- can his newly discovered faith help him preserve a nation?

As King Hezekiah embraces God's Law, he leads his country into renewed prosperity. But following the will of Yahweh is a perplexing process, requiring unpopular choices -- for both his personal life and political career. Now his archenemy's demands for tribute are forcing Hezekiah into a precarious situation.

Jerusha, a young Jewish woman far from home, has seen firsthand what the dreaded invaders are capable of doing. As the powerful Assyrian army sweeps through the northern provinces, leaving little but devastation in its wake, Jerusha longs to escape. Her desperate will to live could become a link to Jerusalem's survival.

With Assyria on the march, moving closer to the heart of Judah, Hezekiah's decision to follow the everlasting One is about to face the ultimate test.

Review:

After surviving a tumultuous childhood, when Hezekiah is at last crowned king of Judah he determines to purge his country of idolatry and return to the worship of Yahweh. But years of idol worship are not set aside so easily by all of his subjects, and his sweeping religious reforms meet with stiff opposition. When the Temple is rededicated and the celebratory feasts are re-established, Hezekiah sees the beginning of God's answer to his heart's cry -- his people are turning back to God, and prosperity is returning to his ravaged land. Longing to shake free of the last vestiges of Ahaz's rule, Hezekiah decides to forego the annual tribute payment to Assyria, a risky move as the dreaded Assyrians outmatch the Judeans in strength and funds. Faced with the most terrifying army in the world, Hezekiah confronts his greatest challenge yet -- to bow to what the eye can see, to fear, or gamble everything on faith in an unseen and unshakeable God's promises.

Song of Redemption is a novel saturated in biblical history and the faith of the ancients that still has the power to speak to us today. Taking the accounts in 2 Kings 17-18 and 2 Chronicles 29-32 as her basis, Austin brings ancient Judah to life at the crossroads of idolatry and religious revival. Hezekiah and his contemporaries leap living and breathing from the page, very relatable human beings faced with one of mankind's oldest conflicts -- the choice between faith and fear. I absolutely loved seeing worship come alive through Austin's prose. Her well-researched, biblically grounded storyline breathes fresh life into the Old Testament texts, giving the reader a relatable example in Hezekiah as to what the Temple, what the revival of this time meant to the Jewish people. Austin's representation of Hezekiah's character is a sterling example of what I love about biblical fiction -- it can be a powerful reminder that the people immortalized within the pages of the Bible were not superhuman giants of the faith, but very much fallible human beings, assailed by the same struggles we face today -- the pitfalls of pride, fear, and doubt.

The first third of Song is a bit slow-going, but by the second third, when Judah is faced with annihilation by the Assyrians, the novel becomes unput-downable. This history absolutely fascinates me. Faced with the promise of an Assyrian siege, Hezekiah took steps to reinforce Jerusalem's walls and to secure the city's water supply from the Gihon Spring. The engineering of Hezekiah's tunnel is nothing short of miraculous, a fascinating slice of history Austin deftly brings to life. While I love Hezekiah's character, I think I most relate to the storyline Austin introduces involving Jerusha, an escaped Assyrian captive, and Eliakim, the chief engineer charged with improving Judah's defenses. Jerusha's faith and self-worth have been shattered by the atrocities she endured, while Eliakim places his faith in himself and what he can see, the work of his hands. They are powerful reminders of mankind's never-ending tendency to make any given problem bigger than the God we claim to serve and believe in. His capacity for redemption and His power to save know no bounds, and Eliakim and Jerusha's story is a challenge to live lives with faith unleashed.

While I was a bit struck by the dialogue, which at times seemed entirely too modern, that is a minor qualm. Song of Redemption is biblical fiction at its best, a story that brings the forefathers of the faith to vibrant life and will inspire you to look at the source material with fresh eyes, to live your faith out loud.

Wonderland Creek by Lynn Austin

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Wonderland Creek Bethany House (October 1, 2011) by Lynn Austin
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

For many years, Lynn Austin nurtured a desire to write but frequent travels and the demands of her growing family postponed her career. When her husband's work took Lynn to Bogota, Colombia, for two years, she used the B.A. she'd earned at Southern Connecticut State University to become a teacher. After returning to the U.S., the Austins moved to Anderson, Indiana, Thunder Bay, Ontario, and later to Winnipeg, Manitoba.

It was during the long Canadian winters at home with her children that Lynn made progress on her dream to write, carving out a few hours of writing time each day while her children napped. Lynn credits her early experience of learning to write amid the chaos of family life for her ability to be a productive writer while making sure her family remains her top priority.

Extended family is also very important to Austin, and it was a lively discussion between Lynn, her mother, grandmother (age 98), and daughter concerning the change in women's roles through the generations that sparked the inspiration for her novel Eve's Daughters.

Along with reading, two of Lynn's lifelong passions are history and archaeology. While researching her Biblical fiction series, Chronicles of the Kings, these two interests led her to pursue graduate studies in Biblical Backgrounds and Archaeology through Southwestern Theological Seminary. She and her son traveled to Israel during the summer of 1989 to take part in an archaeological dig at the ancient city of Timnah. This experience contributed to the inspiration for her novel Wings of Refuge.

Lynn resigned from teaching to write full-time in 1992. Since then she has published twelve novels. Five of her historical novels have won Christy Awards in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008, and 2009 for excellence in Christian Fiction. And two of her inspirational fiction books were chosen by Library Journal for their top picks in 2003, and 2005. One of Lynn's novels has been made into a movie for the Hallmark Channel, starring actress Shirley Jones. Ms Jones received a 2006 Emmy Award nomination for her portrayal of Aunt Batty in the film.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Alice Grace Ripley lives in a dream world, her nose stuck in a book. But happily-ever-after life she's planned on suddenly falls apart when her boyfriend, Gordon, breaks up with her, accusing her of living in a world of fiction instead of the real world. Then to top it off, Alice loses her beloved job at the library because of cutbacks due to the Great Depression.

Fleeing small-town gossip, Alice heads to the mountains of eastern Kentucky to deliver five boxes of donated books to the library in the tiny coal-mining village of Acorn. Dropped off by her relatives, Alice volunteers to stay for two weeks to help the librarian, Leslie McDougal.

But the librarian turns out to be far different than she anticipated--not to mention the four lady librarians who travel to the remote homes to deliver the much-desired books. While Alice is trapped in Acorn against her will, she soon finds that real-life adventure and myster--and especially romance--are far better than her humble dreams could have imagined.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Wonderland Creek, go HERE.

Review: Gods & Kings by Lynn Austin

Gods & Kings (Chronicles of the Kings #1)
By: Lynn Austin
Publisher: Bethany House
ISBN: 0764229893

About the book:

He was born to rule the people of God…but Yahweh is only a vague, powerless memory in the minds of His people.

Though born the second son of King Ahaz, Hezekiah is not protected from his father’s perverted attempts to gain the favor of the idol Molech. Terrified and powerless at the foot of Molech’s altar, Hezekiah encounters for the first time the one true God of his royal ancestry, Yahweh.

But his journey to the Holy One is riddled by influence from an assortment of men: Zechariah, a grandfather of noble standing who has fallen into drunkenness; Uriah, the High Priest whose lust for power forces him to gamble the faith he proclaims; and Shebna, the Egyptian intellectual who guides Hezekiah’s instruction.

For the two women who love Hezekiah, the meaning of love – and it’s sacrificial essence – will direct the course of their lives and help shape the young prince’s future.

Review:

Hezekiah, prince of Judah, lives in a kingdom under siege from hostile forces within and without. His father, King Ahaz, has abandoned the worship of Yahweh and led his nation into idolatry. Gods & Kings chronicles Hezekiah's coming of age, detailing his turbulent childhood when he saw his father sacrifice his older brother Eliab to the pagan god Molech. Overwhelmed by fear, Hezekiah first encounters the life-changing touch of God through the love and teaching of his grandfather, Zechariah, a Levitical priest. These seeds of faith are all that Hezekiah has to guide him in a kingdom threatened by invasion and corrupted by idolatry. But surrounded by threats to his very existance, can he hope to survive and be given the chance to change the future of his country?

This is one of the best biblical fiction series out there, easily on par with Angela Hunt's Legacies of the Ancient River series. I don't feel that Austin's writing is as strong or her characters quite as well-developed as is evident in her later books (such as the Christy award-winning novels Candle in the Darkness and Fire By Night), but that's a very minor issue. Austin does an excellent job bringing the world of ancient Judah to life in all of its color, pageantry, danger, and intrigue. She breathes fresh life into the character of Hezekiah, creating a flesh-and-blood man whose struggles and weaknesses make his triumphs as one of Judah's greatest kings all the more inspiring. And the book lives up to perhaps the best measure of whether or not biblical fiction succeeds or fails - it inspires study of the actual biblical text.

When reading this book (incidentally this was my second time), I was struck by how timely the story felt. Hezekiah was one small drop in an overwhelming sea of danger and false gods, but God used his life to literally change the course of an entire nation and people. So read, study, and be inspired as Austin helps to bring to life the truth of 2 Chronicles 7:14 -- "if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

Scripture references: 2 Kings 16; 2 Kings 18:1-3; 2 Chronicles 28: 1-8, 16-27; 2 Chronicles 29: 1-14; also 2 Chronicles 26: 3-5, 16-23; Jeremiah 26: 18-19; and the prophecies of Isaiah and Micah

***

I am doing a ton of reading this week, which is taking temporary precendence over blogging...so that means it's time to pull another review from the ol' archives! :) I wrote this review of Gods & Kings back in 2006, and since then it's proven to be one of my most "helpful" reviews on Amazon, interestingly enough.

In re-reading this review, I'm struck by the fact that I've gotten a heck of a lot wordier in the last six years. So tell me, people, is that necessarily a bad thing? LOL...maybe I don't want to know! *wink*

Review: While We're Far Apart by Lynn Austin

While We're Far Apart
By: Lynn Austin
Publisher: Bethany House
ISBN: 978-0-7642-0497-5

About the book:

In an unassuming apartment building in Brooklyn, New York, three lives intersect as the reality of war invades each aspect of their lives. Young Esther is heartbroken when her father decides to enlist in the army shortly after the death of her mother. Penny Goodrich has been in love with Eddie Shaffer for as long as she can remember; now that Eddie's wife is dead, Penny feels she has been given a second chance and offers to care for his children in the hope that he will finally notice her and marry her after the war. And elderly Mr. Mendel, the landlord, waits for the war to end to hear what has happened to his son trapped in war-torn Hungary.

But during the long, endless wait for victory overseas, life on the home front will go from bad to worse. Yet these characters will find themselves growing and changing in ways they never expected--and ultimately discovering truths about God's love... even when He is silent.

Review:

All Penny Goodrich has ever wanted is to be loved by handsome Eddie Schaffer, the boy next door. But the grieving widower has never paid her anything but neighborly attention, so when he enlists in the army in 1943, Penny impulsively volunteers to care for his two children, with no idea of the difficulties she'll face. Eddie's children, especially the oldest, Esther, want nothing to do with their temporary guardian. All the almost-a-teenager Esther dreams of is having her father back and wishing her mother had never died in a tragic accident, forcing her to depend on Penny's awkward but well-meaning care. Jacob Mendel, the Schaffers' Jewish landlord, wants nothing to do with his tenants - ever since his wife perished in the same accident that claimed the Schaffer children's mother, he's consumed with bitterness towards his God and the search for information about his only son, lost in war-torn Europe. In a time of overwhelming uncertainty, when all seems overwhelming, these very different lives converge in a Brooklyn apartment building. Facing their fears, prejudices, and anger, Penny, Jacob, and Esther find their lives bound together in ways neither of them could have ever imagined - their new-found friendships forged in the fires of a war-torn world a gift of hope to them all.

Lynn Austin proves once again why she's one of my all-time favorite historical fiction authors with her latest offering (it's just an added bonus that it happens to be set in my favorite time period, World War II). While We're Far Apart is at once both epic and intimate, dancing the line between the scope of the war's far-reaching conflict while bringing to life the personal struggles of those left to wonder, hope, and survive on the homefront. This is a rich, meaty historical that brings 1940s Brooklyn to vivid life. Having briefly visited Brooklyn during my one trip to New York City, I felt even more like I could really appreciate Austin's world-crafting having walked in that neighborhood. From the street sights and smells to the clothing, living conditions, and mannerisms, Austin fully immerses the reader in Penny, Esther, and Jacob's world with her carefully crafted prose and eye for authenticity. Like a newsreel  unfurling, she spares no detail in bringing their world to life.

One of the things I loved best about this novel is the way Austin explores both the Christian and Jewish faiths. Like the Biblical story of Esther that comes to figure prominently in the story, God often seems silent to the main characters. How can a good God allow such evil and pain to exist in the world? But again, like the Biblical Esther experienced, God may be silent but He's ever present, always working on behalf of His children, sometimes in the most surprising of ways. Having lost his wife, Jacob struggles to cope in a world that seems to demand more and more from him, more than he feels capable of giving. Jacob abandoned his faith after his wife's death, and inundated with reports of atrocities being committed against the Jewish people in Europe, he despairs of ever being reunited with his only son and his family, living in Hungary. His growing friendship with the hurting Schaffer children bring him back to life, and while they strive to understand why their father must be in harm's way, he works with relief agencies, hoping against hope that these efforts to save Jewish lives will not be in vain. Austin intersperses letters from Jacob's son and daughter-in-law throughout the novel, and they bring to life a heart-rending eye witness account of surviving the Nazi horrors and, against all reason, clinging to faith. Whether it's in the lives of her Jewish or Christian characters, when everything is stripped away and all hope seems lost, God remains, and the way Austin reveals His presence in their lives is a beautiful thing to behold.

This novel is a bit of a slow-burn - while I enjoyed the entire experience, I don't feel like I really got into it until about a third of the way through. This is a "dense" book, packed with historical detail and carefully crafted characters. As I read the book, before I knew it I was in love with them and invested in their lives. While We're Far Apart is historical fiction at its finest, transporting the reader to the war-torn 1940s and peopled with real, authentic characters you can't help but care about. The way this story unfolds is a delight - never following an expected path, Austin layers this story with unexpected connections and surprising plot twists, including a dash of romance that is one of the most heart-warming and satisfying that I've ever read. This is a story that will stay with you long after the final pages. With characters that get under your skin, raw, honest emotion, and thought-provoking explorations of faith, While We're Far Apart is a novel to savor.

While We're Far Apart by Lynn Austin

 This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing While We're Far Apart Bethany House (October 1, 2010) by Lynn Austin

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

It was during the long Canadian winters at home with her children that Lynn made progress on her dream to write, carving out a few hours of writing time each day while her children napped. Lynn credits her early experience of learning to write amid the chaos of family life for her ability to be a productive writer while making sure her family remains her top priority.

Along with reading, two of Lynn's lifelong passions are history and archaeology. While researching her Biblical fiction series, Chronicles of the Kings, these two interests led her to pursue graduate studies in Biblical Backgrounds and Archaeology through Southwestern Theological Seminary. She and her son traveled to Israel during the summer of 1989 to take part in an archaeological dig at the ancient city of Timnah. This experience contributed to the inspiration for her novel Wings of Refuge.

Lynn resigned from teaching to write full-time in 1992. Since then she has published twelve novels. Five of her historical novels, Hidden Places, Candle in the Darkness, Fire by Night, A Proper Pursuit, and Until We Reach Home have won Christy Awards in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008, and 2009 for excellence in Christian Fiction. Fire by Night was also one of only five inspirational fiction books chosen by Library Journal for their top picks of 2003, and All She Ever Wanted was chosen as one of the five inspirational top picks of 2005. Lynn's novel Hidden Places has been made into a movie for the Hallmark Channel, starring actress Shirley Jones. Ms Jones received a 2006 Emmy Award nomination for her portrayal of Aunt Batty in the film.

ABOUT THE BOOK

In an unassuming apartment building in Brooklyn, New York, three lives intersect as the reality of war invades each aspect of their lives. Young Esther is heartbroken when her father decides to enlist in the army shortly after the death of her mother.

Penny Goodrich has been in love with Eddie Shaffer for as long as she can remember; now that Eddie's wife is dead, Penny feels she has been given a second chance and offers to care for his children in the hope that he will finally notice her and marry her after the war.

And elderly Mr. Mendel, the landlord, waits for the war to end to hear what has happened to his son trapped in war-torn Hungary. But during the long, endless wait for victory overseas, life on the home front will go from bad to worse.

Yet these characters will find themselves growing and changing in ways they never expected--and ultimately discovering truths about God's love...even when He is silent.

If you would like to read the first chapter of While We're Far Apart, go HERE.

2010 Christy Award Nominees

The 2010 Christy Award nominees were announced today, so I thought I'd share the news here. The award was established in 1999 to honor excellence in Christian fiction (you can read more about the history here).

CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

• Breach of Trust by DiAnn Mills • Tyndale House Publishers 
• How Sweet It Is by Alice J. Wisler • Bethany House Publishers: a Division of Baker Publishing Group
• Stand-In Groom by Kaye Dacus • Barbour Publishing 

CONTEMPORARY SERIES, SEQUELS, AND NOVELLAS

• Who Do I Talk To? by Neta Jackson • Thomas Nelson 
• The Hope of Refuge by Cindy Woodsmall • WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group 
• Daisy Chain by Mary DeMuth • Zondervan 

CONTEMPORARY STANDALONE

• June Bug by Chris Fabry • Tyndale House Publishers 
• The Passion of Mary-Margaret by Lisa Samson • Thomas Nelson 
• Veiled Freedom by Jeanette Windle • Tyndale House Publishers 

FIRST NOVEL

• The Familiar Stranger by Christina Berry • Moody Publishers 
• Fireflies in December by Jennifer Erin Valent • Tyndale House Publishers 
• Scared by Tom Davis • David C. Cook 

HISTORICAL

• A Flickering Light by Jane Kirkpatrick • WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group 
• Though Waters Roar by Lynn Austin • Bethany House Publishers: a Division of Baker Publishing Group 
• The Swiss Courier by Tricia Goyer & Mike Yorkey • Revell Books: a Division of Baker Publishing Group

HISTORICAL ROMANCE

• Beyond This Moment by Tamera Alexander • Bethany House Publishers: a Division of Baker Publishing Group 
• A Bride in the Bargain by Deeanne Gist • Bethany House Publishers: a Division of Baker Publishing Group 
• The Inheritance by Tamera Alexander • Thomas Nelson 
• The Silent Governess by Julie Klassen • Bethany House Publishers: a Division of Baker Publishing Group 

SUSPENSE

• Intervention by Terri Blackstock • Zondervan 
• Lost Mission by Athol Dickson • Howard Books: a Division of Simon & Schuster 
• The Night Watchman by Mark Mynheir • WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group 

VISIONARY

• By Darkness Hid by Jill Williamson • Marcher Lord Press 
• The Enclave by Karen Hancock • Bethany House Publishers: a Division of Baker Publishing Group 
• Valley of the Shadow by Tom Pawlik • Tyndale House Publishers 

YOUNG ADULT

• Beautiful by Cindy Martinusen-Coloma • Thomas Nelson 
• The Blue Umbrella by Mike Mason • David C. Cook 
• North! or Be Eaten by Andrew Peterson • WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group

The winners will be announced in a ceremony on June 26, 2010 in St. Louis. Congrats to all the nominees, but a special big congrats to my dear friend Kaye, nominated in the Contemporary Romance category! :)

Though Waters Roar by Lynn Austin

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Though Waters Roar
• Bethany House (October 1, 2009)
by
Lynn Austin


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Along with reading, two of Lynn's lifelong passions are history and archaeology. While researching her Biblical fiction series, Chronicles of the Kings, these two interests led her to pursue graduate studies in Biblical Backgrounds and Archaeology through Southwestern Theological Seminary. She and her son traveled to Israel during the summer of 1989 to take part in an archaeological dig at the ancient city of Timnah. This experience contributed to the inspiration for her novel Wings of Refuge.

Lynn resigned from teaching to write full-time in 1992. Since then she has published twelve novels. Five of her historical novels, Hidden Places, Candle in the Darkness, Fire by Night, A Proper Pursuit, and Until We Reach Home have won Christy Awards in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008, and 2009 for excellence in Christian Fiction.

Fire by Night was also one of only five inspirational fiction books chosen by Library Journal for their top picks of 2003, and All She Ever Wanted was chosen as one of the five inspirational top picks of 2005. Lynn's novel Hidden Places has been made into a movie for the Hallmark Channel.


ABOUT THE BOOK

"Thank goodness you're such a plain child. You'll have to rely on your wits."

So went the words of Grandma Bebe. And for all of my growing-up years, I scoffed at the beauty of my sister and what I saw as her meaningless existence. But my wits hadn't served me well in this instance, for here I was, in jail. And while I could have seen it as carrying on the family tradition (for Grandma Bebe landed in jail for her support of Prohibition), the truth is, my reasons for being here would probably break her heart.

So how did I end up becoming a criminal? I've been pondering that question all night. Perhaps the best way to search for an answer is to start at the very beginning.

Harriet Sherwood has always adored her grandmother. But when Harriet decides to follow in her footsteps to fight for social justice, she certainly never expected her efforts to land her in jail. Nor did she expect her childhood enemy and notorious school bully, Tommy O'Reilly, to be the arresting officer.

Languishing in a jail cell, Harriet has plenty of time to sift through the memories of the three generations of women who have preceded her. As each story emerges, the strength of her family--and their deep faith in the God of justice and righteousness--brings Harriet to the discovery of her own goals and motives for pursuing them.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Though Waters Roar, go HERE