Tag Archives: Canadian authors

Friday Findings: A Second Cup of Hot Apple Cider

Hot Apple Cider – the book – is a best-selling inspirational anthology, in the tradition of Chicken Soup for the Soul. It makes a terrific gift for someone in need of a little encouragement, or someone who simply enjoys reading a variety of stories written by “real” people. Watch for A Second Cup of Hot Apple Cider – coming on May 1, 2011. Both anthologies are published by That’s Life Communications.

Co-editor and contributor N.J. Lindquist writes:

Over 30,000 copies of Hot Apple Cider have gone out through World Vision’s Girls Night Out and Couples Night Out programs and another 15,000 have gone out through other means. We’re hoping for similar results with Hot Apple Cider 2.

Congratulations to everyone whose work was chosen for the book. While some of the contributors are veterans, others are being published for the very first time.

A. A. Adourian, Scarborough, Ontario

Brian C. Austin, Durham, Ontario

Paul M. Beckingham, Vancouver, British Columbia

Bonnie Beldan-Thomson, Pickering, Ontario

Glynis Belec, Drayton, Ontario

Mary Ann Benjamins, Brantford, Ontario

Vilma Blenman, Pickering, Ontario

Bill Bonikowsky, Surrey, British Columbia

Ann Brent, Brights Grove, Ontario

Connie Brummel Crook, Peterborough, Ontario

Marguerite Cummings, Toronto, Ontario

Kevin J. Dautremont, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan

Donna Dawson/Fawcett, St. Marys, Ontario

Angelina Fast-Vlaar, St. Catharines, Ontario

Rosemary Flaaten, Calgary, Alberta

Ed Hird, Vancouver, British Columbia

Ron Hughes, Smithville, Ontario

Evangeline Inman, Fredericton, New Brunswick

David Kitz, Orleans, Ontario

Marcia Lee Laycock, Blackfalds, Alberta

N. J. Lindquist, Markham, Ontario

Les Lindquist, Markham, Ontario

Heather McGillivray, Chelmsford, Ontario

Heidi McLaughlin, Westbank, British Columbia

Ruth Smith Meyer, Ailsa Craig, Ontario

M. D. Meyer, Norway House, Manitoba

Wendy Elaine Nelles, Toronto, Ontario

Kimberley Payne, Millbrook, Ontario

Judi Peers, Peterborough, Ontario

Gloria V. Phillips, Collingwood, Ontario

Johanne E. Robertson, Toronto, Ontario

Denise Budd Rumble, St. Marys, Ontario

Jayne Self, Orangeville, Ontario

Adele Simmons, Whitby, Ontario

Janet Sketchley, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

Jeannie Lockerbie Stephenson, London, Ontario

T. L. Wiens, Beechy, Saskatchewan

The official release date for the book is May 1, 2011, just in time for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Canada Day. [Information from the Hot Apple Cider website and the press release]

Our Changing Language

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Most Sunday mornings find me in church. Sometimes as we sing hymns and choruses or as people pray or speak, I look around for newcomers. If I see any, I wonder: do they understand the words they’re hearing, or does it sound like a secret code… or insider jargon?

There’s the Shakespearean or King James English of the classic hymns. And old or new music can rely on references that the well-churched understand but that could mystify a stranger.

“Christian-ese” is based on the assumption that all hearers have the same knowledge base to supply meaning to the references given. With fewer and fewer people growing up in church, that’s not the case anymore.

And while we want the long-time members of our congregations to be comfortable and able to worship in ways meaningful to them, it can’t be at the cost of excluding the uninitiated visitor.

Sometimes after a particular song I feel like the leader should explain its obscure references: especially lines about the blood, the Lamb, or marching to Zion. Beautiful, poetic imagery. But it’s figurative, symbolic. And if you don’t know the symbols, you may not have time or inclination to figure it out. You sure won’t ask the stranger in the next seat, who’s nodding and smiling in agreement.

Dorene Meyer wrote an interesting post at the Canadian Writers Who Are Christian blog, called “A Clear Message”. (Follow the link to read the whole post) In part she says:

I was sitting in church today, singing songs that were written 200 or even 400+ years ago, mouthing words like, “hark, thine, oxen, ass, whither, leadeth” and wondering how much our choice of songs has hindered the spread of the Gospel in our century….Why do we as followers of Jesus, hold so tightly to words and phrases and songs that create misunderstanding, confusion and lack of comprehension of the simple Gospel truth that Jesus taught?

Dorene’s suggestion is to make better use of the contemporary-language worship music available. I agree.

But I look at the lyrics of classic hymns from John Newton, John Wesley, and others not named John, and I’d like to add this hope too: can’t we find skilled song-smiths to update the language without marring the meaning? Some of these hymns pack a serious theological punch. Getting the message into our heads and hearts through song is as valid now as in the 1600’s.

Before anyone starts throwing things, let me point out that we’ve embraced carefully, prayerfully-done translations of the Bible into the English language of our times, with greater frequency as language continues to change. The New International Version, not a particularly ancient text, has just released a fresh update under a 2010 copyright date. If you compare verses at Biblegateway.com with your home NIV, you’ll find subtle differences.

And the Book of Common Prayer has been replaced in many Anglican churches with the Book of Alternative Service… including an updated rendition of the Lord’s Prayer. (While there may be other issues with these changes, my point is that there’s a felt need to make the language understandable to the average pray-er in the church.)

Then there are updated versions of classic Christian books like Oswald Chambers’ My Utmost For His Highest and many of George MacDonald’s novels. Our language is evolving so rapidly that even the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis feel old-fashioned and a bit awkward. Ten years ago when I read them aloud to my kids, I translated as I went.

I don’t want to let these treasures slip from our contemporary experience, but neither do I enjoy falling back into archaic language. And I’m old enough to understand it! What will the younger generations—and those to come—miss because it’s encrusted in thees and thous and wherefores? (Did you know, “wherefore” means “why” or “therefore”, and not “where”?)

It’s fine for us to say listeners and readers should recognize the value of the message and embrace it anyway. It may be difficult to understand, but it’s not impossible. A little work never hurt anyone.

But it looks… sounds… feels… old-fashioned. Out of date. Irrelevant. And especially in an age where everything is instant, the value has to be clearly visible on the surface. Old English, even early/mid-20^th Century English, may not be a foreign language but it’s at least an obscure dialect.

Do we want people looking at the liberating message of Jesus, be it in song, in article or in fiction, as some out-dated tradition? Don’t we want to show it’s as fresh and relevant today as ever? Then we need to speak the language of the time.

Review: Christmas Stories to Warm Your Heart, by Karen M. Conrad

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Christmas Stories to Warm Your Heart, by Karen M. Conrad (2010, ISBN: 978-0-9865779-0-1)

Christmas Stories to Warm Your Heart is a collection of short stories that Karen M. Conrad has written each year for the ladies in her Sunday school class. They’re designed to be read aloud, and sure to bring good feelings and a few chuckles.

The book is available in paperback, but also can be purchased as a series of three audio cds. With the strong narrator feel, I think listening to the stories would be a lot of fun.

I really enjoyed this book. Any tears it prompted were the “touching” kind and not from sadness. The stories lifted my spirits and helped ease me into the Christmas season.

An extra delight for me is that most of the 14 stories are set in my own Canadian province, Nova Scotia. One is set in Newfoundland and one farther afield. They’re mostly rural or small-town, peopled with believable and mostly lovable characters.

The stories can be about the young, the in-between or the old, about family dynamics, loneliness, good deeds or good old-fashioned shenanigans. They’re teaching-oriented, but they’re real enough to support the lesson. I liked them all, but my favourite is the final story, “The Blessing”.

I’d be remiss not to point out that Christmas Stories to Warm Your Heart could have used more editing for punctuation. If you can’t stand seeing an apostrophe out of place, you’d get a lot more out of the audio version. The layout is nice, though, and easy to read.

All proceeds from sales of the book will go to Camp Peniel, a Christian camp and retreat centre in Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia. Camp Peniel began in the early 1960’s.

You can order books or cds directly from the camp. It’s also available through Miracles Christian Store and Noah’s Ark Christian Bookstore.

[review copy from my personal library]

Review: What Rough Beast, by Shawn J. Pollett

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What Rough Beast, by Shawn J. Pollett (Word Alive Press, 2010)

It’s 253 AD, two years after the events of Christianus Sum. The evil Valerianus is back, and now he’s Emperor of Rome. He establishes his son, Gallienus, as co-emperor, and plans to manipulate him into annihilating the Christians.

Valerianus schemes to eradicate the Christians. But will internal strife destroy them first?

Many of those who denied the Christos under Emperor Decius’ persecution are truly repentant and desperate for forgiveness.

Some church leaders offer certificates of peace, affirming their reinstatement in the body. Others refuse. And understandably, these lapsi have great trouble forgiving themselves.

Damarra’s and Valens’ past suffering at Valerianus’ hands gives them high status among other Christians, and many lapsi come to beg for certificates of peace. Damarra writes them, Valens will not. He, who passed the test in the first book, can’t understand how another could falter—until he reaches his own breaking point.

Before that happens, a stranger comes from one of the Germanic tribes, with a message from the Christos: Valens is to evade the emperor’s clutches and lead a “clan” of 13 to an unknown event at an unspecified time and place outside of the Roman Empire.

The novel follows the assembly and journey of the clan, along with the military and political struggles of each of the co-emperors. The empire is under attack from many sides, including King Kniva from Christianus Sum.

The characters are well-developed, and their relationships add richness to the story. When good characters make bad choices, the reader sees it coming and understands why. Reader tension increases as we keep hoping the individuals will see the truth and turn back in time.

The lapsi make an interesting subplot. This is a new aspect of church history to me, and I can relate to both sides of the issue. Canadian author Shawn J. Pollett has done his research, and he brings the early Christians’ surroundings and issues to life.

The novel’s title comes from William Butler Yeats’ poem, “The Second Coming,” which trembles at the horrors that precede Jesus’ return.

What Rough Beast is book 2 of the Cry of the Martyrs trilogy, and a worthy successor to Christianus Sum. Watch for it in next year’s Canadian Christian Writing Awards.

Both novels are available through local bookstores and online, in print and eBook versions. You can find an interesting introduction to the “Cry of the Martyrs” series at Shawn J. Pollett’s website.

[Review copy provided by the author in exchange for a fair review. A shorter version of this review appeared in Faith Today, Sept/Oct. 2010]

Review: InScribed, an anthology of Canadian Christian writing

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InScribed, an anthology from InScribe Christian Writers’ Fellowship (Forever Books, 2010)

To celebrate 30 years of encouraging and inspiring Canadian writers, InScribe Christian Writers’ Fellowship has released the anthology, InScribed. The 40+ contributors are current or former members, ranging from career journalists and published novelists to the newly-published, and geographically spanning the country from west to east coasts. The anthology comes recommended by well-known writers Phil Callaway, Linda Hall and Sigmumd Brouwer.

InScribed has a good mix of personal experience, teaching/inspirational, poetry and fiction. There’s happy, sad and thoughtful, with a touch of the whimsical for good measure. Most of the articles are very well-written. A few needed further editing, but the passion and promise is enough that they’re still worth reading.

I’ve been a member of InScribe since the days when it was known as Alberta Christian Writers’ Fellowship—Canada-Wide, and the online connection it provided with my writing friends was a great encouragement in my early writing days.

InScribed gave me the chance to read work from old friends (even some I’d lost touch with) and new friends. But its appeal isn’t limited to InScribe members, nor to writers in general. Anyone who appreciates short work from Canadian Christians will find plenty of good reading in this slender book.

Until an online store is set up, copies may be ordered by email. Within Canada the cost is $15.00 CAD plus $2.89 shipping per book. Orders outside of Canada will require more postage.

[Book source: my personal library. And no, I’m not one of the contributors although I’m a member of InScribe.]

Writing Contests

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The Word Guild sponsors contests for published and unpublished Canadian writers who are Christian.

Unpublished? Check out the God Uses Ink contest, which could win you free registration to the 2011 Write! Canada conference (well worth attending!). This year’s topic is “Changing the World with Words,” and the submission deadline is January 14, 2011. That gives you plenty of time to write, rewrite, and polish!

Published? In articles, short stories, book-length, blogs, etc? Check out The Word Guild Awards page for details on categories, submission process etc. Submission deadlines: first round: postmarked no later than November 15, 2010 (any work published between January 1 and September 30, 2010) and second round: postmarked no later than January 15, 2011 (for work published October through December, 2010).

Friday Friends: Elaine Ingalls Hogg

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Elaine Ingalls Hogg is the author of Meditations from Heaven and Earth, Historic Sussex, Historic Grand Manan, When Canada Joined Cape Breton, and editor of the first Christmas in the Maritimes anthology.

For the past seven years she wrote an inspirational column for the Kings County Record and has had stories included in nearly two dozen anthologies, as well as in various magazines and newspapers, and on CBC radio. Elaine’s most recent awards include recognition in the 2009 New Brunswick Literary Competition and the Barnabas Fellowship Award from InScribe Christian Writers in 2008. Elaine and her husband, Hugh, live in New Brunswick, Canada, and share their home with two adopted rag-doll cats, Angus and Alex.

Janet: Welcome, Elaine, and thanks for taking time to join us. That’s an impressive list of accomplishments! Tell us a bit about how you got started writing.

Elaine: During my early adult years I often thought about my childhood dream—to be an author. At night, alone with my thoughts, I’d think about the kind of story I’d write someday but when morning came, the duties of the day pushed aside those thoughts and nothing appeared on paper.

One morning I was visiting a friend who had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. As we talked, she shared that the hardest thing for her to face when she learned her diagnosis was the thought of dying without ever being able to tell her grandchildren that she loved them. That day, I wrote a love letter to my grandchildren, Grandma Loves You, which I later self-published.

When my friend heard it, she asked me to share it with her family. That was probably the first story I wrote after more than thirty years of a writer’s block.

Janet: And once you got started, it just kept coming! You write for all ages, both mainstream and Christian material, from newspaper columns to online devotionals to full-length books. I’m sure you enjoy aspects of each, but is there one in particular that’s most rewarding?

Elaine: It is difficult for me to pick which project is most rewarding. However, If I had to pick just one, I think Remembering Honey, the award winning children’s picture book, will always hold a special place in my heart.

When I wrote that story (Nimbus Publishing, 2000) I wasn’t planning on becoming an author, I was a homemaker, a music teacher and a volunteer at our local hospital. While speaking at a Palliative Care Workshop to train new volunteers, I shared the story of how I wrote Grandma Loves You for my grandchildren.

A woman I had never met before came up to me after the workshop and said, “You should write a story to help children understand death!” I thanked her but added that I didn’t think I was the right person for the task for I didn’t know how to undertake such a project.

“Oh, but I think you are just the one who should do it,” she said. “And I’m going to pray for you every night until you do.”

I wasn’t able to win the argument against a sweet little old lady and God, so I wrote Remembering Honey and I’ve been writing ever since. A valuable lesson came out of that encounter, no project is worth doing unless it has prayer behind it.

Janet: Amen! Except for Remembering Honey, most of your projects have been nonfiction. I know you’ve been working at fiction for a while now—and you won an award for one of your children’s novels in the 2009 New Brunswick Literary Competition. Now this year your manuscript, The Exile, was short-listed in the Word Alive Press 2010 publishing contest. Congratulations!

Elaine: Thank you! A couple of years ago, author Connie Brummel Crook, read a chapter or two of my children’s novel, Willa, the Diary of a Maritime Girl, 1914, and she encouraged me to continue.

That fall I finished the manuscript and sent it in to the New Brunswick Literary Competition. Last May I was pleased to learn that the judge, Glenn Murray, author of Walter the Farting Dog, felt my work merited second place.

Now this year I submitted portions of my first adult novel to a contest hosted by Word Alive Press and it was shortlisted. These two events have encouraged me to continue writing fiction. Perhaps one day I’ll have a fiction book to add to my nonfiction collection.

Janet: I certainly hope so! What are you working on now, or are you between projects?

Elaine: Lately, I’ve had little time to write on a regular basis due to vacations, speaking engagements and family commitments. However, this week I’m back at my desk and presently I’m working on adding colour to my adult novel, The Exile. Once that is finished, I’ll probably go back to writing another nonfiction book as I’ve had three or four people approach me with some interesting ideas for future projects.

Janet: Let’s talk a bit about some of your nonfiction books. Historic Grand Manan introduces readers to the island where you grew up. I think that’s a great privilege and tribute, to document your own home town’s history. Was it harder writing Historic Sussex without the personal connections and family memories?

Elaine: Yes, it was easy to find the passion and interest I needed to keep me writing while I worked on Historic Grand Manan. The island was the place of my birth and long before I was asked to write the book, I’d been collecting stories to share with my children and nephews. However, by the time I was approached to write Historic Sussex I was ready for a new project and seeing I enjoy research and history, I had little trouble getting interested in the story of my adopted town.

Janet: In researching your historical writing, what’s the weirdest bit of trivia you’ve picked up?

Elaine: When I wrote When Canada Joined Cape Breton, I learned a ship sailed right into the causeway just weeks before it was opened. Apparently the captain was using old navigational charts and was unaware that the causeway was nearing completion.

When I wrote Historic Grand Manan, I learned of one of the most unusual grubstakes in Canadian history. A Dr. Faxon moved to Grand Manan in the early 1800s and sold lots to interested Americans who came to the Island to settle. He used one of the most interesting bonuses to entice Jacob Lavenseller, a farmer born to German parents in 1773, to stay.

Lavenseller came to the Island in the fall of 1804 and shortly after his arrival he made an agreement with Dr. Faxon to settle Bradford’s Cove. The agreement stated that Faxon would give Jacob and his neighbour, John Hall, one barrel of pork, one barrel of rum and two barrels of flour and help build a house as his grubstake.

While writing Historic Sussex, I learned the annual slave auction at Sussex continued to take place until December 31, 1898. Eleven years prior to this date, in 1887 an American, George Francis Train was in New Brunswick on business. When he heard Sussex held public pauper auctions, he made an arrangement to join the staff of the local newspaper, The Weekly Record.

Train used his position to expose the injustices of this system that to him differed little from how slaves were treated in the southern United States. After only a few months, Train found public opinion had reached such a fever pitch that he was forced out of New Brunswick. Finally, in 1899, Kings County opened a municipal home for its poor in the nearby community of Norton and the auctions stopped.

Janet: Those could all be fodder for more writing! Along with book-length projects, you have regular deadlines for your column and devotionals. What do you do when the muse is uncooperative?

Elaine: I keep a ‘pigpen’ a little notebook where I jot down ideas, character descriptions, favourite sayings, quotes and scripture verses. So far, when I’m struggling with the writer’s muse, I’ve been able to find a suitable topic by poring over past notes and ideas.

Janet: You’re also a speaker, to women through Stonecroft Ministries, and to children through Writers in the Schools. How is it to see your listeners’ reaction to your talk, instead of sending your written words out to be read at a distance?

Elaine: True, having the listener right in front of me can be scary, but so far, I’ve had great audiences so I’ve really enjoyed seeing their reaction when I speak. Perhaps this comes from the fact I was a storyteller long before I decided to write things down. I can remember telling my brother stories as we walked back and forth to school. When I was twelve years old I had a Sunday School class of children from a less privileged section of town and for the most part they listened to my stories.

Later, when I was in high school, it was not unusual for several neighbourhood children to be waiting for me when I arrived home after school. On a number of occasions they insisted I tell them a story before they would let me go inside.

Janet: Sounds like you have a lifelong gift with words. Is there a particular song or Scripture verse that’s made a big difference for you?

Elaine: When you are working on your own as most writers are, it is easy to get discouraged or wonder if this is the best way to spend your time. A few years ago I wasn’t sure if I should continue writing and I made my decision a matter of prayer for several weeks.

One day I was flipping through my Bible when the words “The Lord’s Answer” caught my attention. I stopped to read what the Lord was answering and imagine my surprise when I read: Then the LORD replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it.” (Habakkuk 2:2 NIV)

Since reading this I’ve continued writing as I feel the verse was confirmation of what God would have me do. (Recently I re-read this verse and couldn’t help but smile over the word ‘tablet’. It started me wondering if I now had the perfect reason to buy a tablet computer. LOL)

Janet: Tablet… or an iPad…. Good luck with that! Faith is clearly a vital part of your life, whether you’re writing for the Christian or for the mainstream market. One of your editing projects was Christmas in the Maritimes, and you have a Christmas miracle story concerning the book that’s included in the new Chicken Soup for the Soul: Christmas Magic book that released this October. Can you give us the super-short version of what happened?

Elaine: “Just Tell Us You Love Us” p. 183 in Chicken Soup for the Soul Christmas Magic is a story of how God answered prayer and supplied funds at a precise deadline that enabled me to show 140 Canadian soldiers that they were remembered at Christmas four years ago.

Janet: Writers are told to read widely and voraciously. I think that’s one of the perks of the deal. What are you reading these days?

Elaine: I was at a book fair recently and brought home about twenty books for my winter reading.

My most recent reading for pleasure was two novels, one by Maeve Binchy and another by Michael Crummey. Presently I’m reading Clipper Ship Captain: Daniel McLaughlin and the Glory of the Seas (Pacific Maritime History Series) by Michael Jay Mielde and The Master Mariner, Running Proud by Nicholas Monsarrat to help me understand some of the nautical terms and experiences I want to use when adding colour to my novel, The Exile.

Janet: About Angus and Alex (good Scottish names!) the adopted rag-doll cats: is there a story here? And can you share a photo? I have this picture of a cat with Raggedy-Ann hair and I know it’s out of line.

Elaine: Oh how I wish they had Raggedy Ann hair! Instead, in the months they have lived with me they’ve shed enough fur to make me a winter coat! Angus and Alex , formerly Smith and Wesson, came to our house to stay for a few weeks while our daughter moved. Their stay has been extended and now, nearly two years later, they consider my office and more particularly my desk their permanent home.
(][[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[) I was called away from my computer so Angus [the brown one] took the opportunity to add his two cents worth!

Janet: I’m guessing Angus and Alex are more peaceful now that they’ve laid down their weapons☺. And they’re gorgeous! Well worth cleaning up the stray hair. Thanks so much for taking time to let us get to know you a bit, Elaine. May the LORD continue to bless you and make you a blessing to others—in every area of your life.

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You can visit the Elaine Ingalls Hogg website for more about her writing as well as upcoming speaking engagements (and to see a photo of Elaine with Clifford the Big Red Dog). Check out her “Did You Know” page to learn more about Elaine.

Review: Moving from Fear to Freedom, by Grace Fox

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Moving from Fear to Freedom, by Grace Fox (Harvest House Publishers, 2007)

I’m excited to learn that a DVD and teaching guide to accompany this book will release in early 2011. [Ordering information coming soon at the Grace Fox website] The book itself is valuable, and I’m sure adding a small group dynamic will help readers apply the truths Grace shares. The message is uncomplicated, but a journey is easier with companions.

Because of the upcoming new material and Grace’s current virtual book tour, I thought I’d re-post my review of Moving from Fear to Freedom from last October:

In this book, subtitled A Woman’s Guide to Peace in Every Situation, author/speaker Grace Fox gives women an honest look at common fears—her own and others’, and maintains that there is an upside to fear: it can let us experience more of God in our lives as we cling to Him. We can move beyond theoretical head knowledge to practical heart knowledge. It reminds me of Job saying, “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.” (Job 42:5, NIV)

Each chapter of Moving from Fear to Freedom deals with a fear that could be debilitating: our children’s safety, loss of possessions, hard times, the future, inadequacy, rejection, issues in our past, and aging. Grace introduces us to contemporary women and biblical characters who discovered how trusting and relying on God overcame fear’s effects.

Chapters also include “Points for Progress”: questions to help individuals or groups think through and apply what they’ve read, “Promises to Ponder”: Scriptures that give God’s perspective on our fears, and “Praying the Promises”: those same verses personalized in prayer.

It’s these practical steps that make the book so valuable. Personal testimony that other women not only face but can overcome fear is encouraging, but learning how to deal with our own personal fears is liberating. As Grace says (page 9) “Filling our minds with the truth of God’s Word equips us to face fearful situations as they come along.”

And they will come along. The stories in this book show that although there may be clear moments of choice—to trust God for the first time or with a particular fear—the “moving from fear to freedom” is a journey rather than a single step. Armed with a trust in God’s character and an arsenal of promises from His Word, encouraged by the knowledge that most women are facing a variation of the same struggle, we can take that journey.

Men struggle with fears too, and Grace’s reference notes include both male- and female-authored books on the subject. Not that a man would dissolve in a puff of smoke if he read Moving from Fear to Freedom, but be warned that the personal stories and examples all come from a female perspective.

I found this a helpful book, easy to read, and one that I’d recommend to others. Different chapters will speak personally to different readers, but the foundation is the same: take the scary step to trust God with our fears. He loves us and He is enough to bring us to freedom.

Sound like wishful thinking? I’ll let Grace answer that one:

Maintaining an attitude of trust and rest is easier said than done, but it is possible. How? By understanding the character of God and how it relates to the nitty-gritty of everyday life. (page 57)

To find out more about Grace Fox’s ministry, including her other books, or to sign up for her free monthly e-newsletter, you can visit her website. Grace’s blog is Daring. Deep. Devoted. You can read an interesting interview with Grace about fear and freedom at Heidi McLaughlin’s blog, Heart Connection.

Review: One Smooth Stone, by Marcia Lee Laycock

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One Smooth Stone, by Marcia Lee Laycock (Castle Quay Books, 2007)

I expected One Smooth Stone to be good read. After all, the manuscript won the 2006 Best New Canadian Christian Author Award, earning publication by Castle Quay Books.

The novel’s tagline challenges, “No matter how far you run, God will find you. No matter what you’ve done, God will forgive you.” One endorsement labels it a thriller, but I disagree—it’s not Clancy-esque or high action. It’s a compelling read about hurt people fumbling toward healing, and about a God who won’t let go.

Marcia Laycock’s writing style is vivid and rich with sensory detail. She draws on her time in the North to evoke a strong sense of place. It would be worth reading just to experience the Yukon setting from our warm living rooms, but she also gives us lifelike characters to root for, suspense, and a puzzle to unravel.

Protagonist Alex Donnelly is a man with secrets, and Marcia Laycock brings them to light slowly, compassionately, and with a defter touch than a debut novelist should have. Alex’s and the other characters’ pain is neither minimized nor exploited, and it’s brought to light in a way that didn’t traumatize this chicken reader.

Hard questions and spiritual issues are treated naturally, with none of the heavy-handed preaching or pat answers found in some Christian novels. The story feels real, and it offers hope.

One Smooth Stone is the best Christian fiction I read in 2007, and its characters have a place in my heart.

This is a story for adults, male or female, wounded or whole. You can read the opening chapter of One Smooth Stone here. A much-anticipated sequel is in the works. [Edited: The Sequel, A Tumbled Stone, released in 2012. You can read my review here.]

Marcia Lee Laycock is a Canadian writer, speaker and pastor’s wife who lives in Alberta. Besides One Smooth Stone, she’s the author of two devotional books and sends a weekly devotional via email to over 4,000 subscribers. You can learn more about Marcia and her books at her website.

[Review copy from my personal library. This review has been adapted from the original, which appeared in Faith Today, March/April 2008.]

Friday Friends: Cynthia d’Entremont

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Cynthia d’Entremont is the author of the young adult speculative novel, Unlocked, winner of the 2009 Word Alive Writing contest for fiction. The prize was a full publishing package from Word Alive, and Unlocked was released in April, 2010.

Janet: Welcome, Cynthia, and thanks for taking time to join us. You have a family, a job, you’re working on a Masters’ degree… and it sounds like there are multiple story plots jostling in your mind. How do you do it?

Cynthia: This past year has been unusually busy for me. Generally I can juggle two major commitments such as teaching and writing, but the addition of taking another university degree has been challenging. I have a good support system and continually remind myself that the university commitment is only for two years. At the moment I am halfway through! I try to find stolen moments to work on stories but I have to admit that it’s not as much as I would like.

Janet: What got you started writing?

Cynthia: I have always loved reading. However, a passion for writing has developed over the last ten to twelve years. I began taking courses and participating in writing groups…I was hooked! I believe that it’s never too late to try something new.

Janet: Tell us a bit about Unlocked.

Cynthia: The moment I finished the first draft for Unlocked I felt as if I had experienced the birth of another child. I printed off the manuscript, tucked in a binder and carried it around in my arms—and there might have been a few tears!

The reader first meets the protagonist, Jaron, scratching out an existence in the dystopian world of Leviathon. As I often say, “Jaron starts out living in a garbage dump and it goes downhill for him from there!”

Janet: Where did the story idea come from?

Cynthia: It literally hit in 2005 while staring at a figurine that I had bought in Old Warsaw, Poland fourteen years earlier. This father and child statue compelled me to write about characters that were homeless and desperate. I started out with the intent that the story would be a picture book. Boy, was I wrong!

Janet: How would you define the age range for readers? I suspect there may not be an upper limit, as long as the adult in question likes fantasy and speculative fiction.

Cynthia: I wrote the story with a young adult audience (15+) in mind. I kept the dialogue and action fast-paced and tried to keep the tension high throughout the story. Even so, there have been many adult reader they tell me that they can’t stop thinking about the characters once the book has been read.

Janet: And although the novel comes from a Christian publisher, the faith element is low-key and allegorical enough that readers from another faith—or from none at all—should enjoy it too, right?

Cynthia: Definitely! I think that because I am a person of faith, my storytelling reflects who I am. That said, individual readers may have their own interpretations of the story according to their world view.

Janet: Okay, I’m going to ask a question I personally hate answering. Feel free to pass. What’s the novel’s theme? Or what one key thing do you want readers to take away when they’re done?

Cynthia: I don’t know if there is one thing that I would like the reader to take away, per say. However, when I look at the totality of the novel I am struck with the power of making choices even in the midst of feeling that one has no choice. Living with hope might also be another theme.

Janet: These children starting out in a garbage heap certainly don’t seem to have many choices open to them, and readers may feel that way about their own circumstances, but even small choices can make a difference. Your characters prove that. I can see how realizing we have even a bit of power to choose can give hope.

Unlocked is essentially Jaron’s story, right? I’m hoping there’ll be a sequel and perhaps more after that. Would you stick with Jaron or switch to a different character?

Cynthia: The sequel is underway. In the first novel Jaron was the main character but there were also two other characters’ points of view (Devora and Freesia). The second book is mainly Devora’s story—she also started out in the Garbage Heaps with Jaron.

Multiple viewpoints are also included and the identities of these characters might surprise you. Okay, I’ll share one secret…we finally get to know Benjamin’s thoughts.

Janet: Remembering some of the surprises from Unlocked, I suspect knowing Benjamin’s thoughts will change my opinion of him from book one.

What has reader response been like for this book?

Cynthia: The most frequent thing I hear is that once people start reading it’s hard to put the book down. I consider that high praise. The next comment is usually, “When is the sequel coming out?”

Janet: Guilty of making both comments!

You’re a new novelist, so to help people who don’t know your style, fill in the blank: If someone likes__________________, they’ll like Unlocked.

Cynthia: Okay, this is a tough one! I like to think of it as a grittier, darker version of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe but that might be thinking too highly of myself and may not fully convey some of the more mature issues found in the book. There is good versus evil, kindness versus deceit, life verses death, and hope versus despair.

Janet: I know you have other plot irons in the fire. Anything else you’d like to tell us about?

Cynthia: First, I have to say that my favourite thing to read is a mystery. For that reason, I never thought I would write one. When I’m working on a genre like fantasy, I often avoid reading other fantasy novels—I want to keep the world in my own story intact.

Well, in 2009, to my surprise, I wrote a mystery that I titled Oak Island Revenge. This young adult novel was recently accepted for publication and will be released next year by Nimbus Publishing. Set in 1958, this story has no shortage of small town scandal, treasure hunting, and a certain kind of justice.

Janet: Sounds intriguing! How can people find out when it releases (and about a sequel to Unlocked)? Do you have a mailing list?

Cynthia: I regularly update my website with news and events. Oak Island Revenge will likely be released late 2011 or early 2012. As well, details for the release date of the sequel to Unlocked will be posted as soon as they become available.

Janet: What do you like best about the writing life?

Cynthia: I love the creative nature of bringing a character to life—someone that has never existed before, now has a voice.

Janet: What do you like least?

Cynthia: Waiting to hear from publishers. Rejection. Self-doubt. Sitting while typing.

Janet: What do your family think of your writing?

Cynthia: They are supportive. I’m sure at times they would like me to pry myself away from the computer and I try to keep that in mind and book regular family time with my children and husband. Sometimes I feel like a hermit, especially with a deadline looming.

Janet: Writers are told to read widely and voraciously. I think that’s one of the perks of the deal. What are you reading these days?

Cynthia: I wish I had something brilliant to say—like I just finished War and Peace. Instead, I’ve been reading a lot of manuscripts from writers in my writing group. Other than that, the last year has mostly been reading textbooks, editing my own work, and reading picture books—I teach grade primary (kindergarten).

Janet: What are you listening to?

Cynthia: I love the song from the Prince Caspian soundtrack “This is Home” by Switchfoot. I’m a little disappointed it was already used in a movie—it would be perfect for Unlocked, the motion picture (a girl can dream, right?)

Janet: Dream big! I can see Unlocked working as a movie. Dark, impossible odds, and a journey with lots of action. Definitely movie material. And in the mean time, I’ve heard of authors recommending selected songs as a soundtrack to their novel. “This is Home” could be Unlocked’s unofficial theme song.

Is there a particular Scripture verse that’s made a big difference for you?

Cynthia: “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed.” Isaiah 54:9 (NIV)

Being a wife, a mother, a writer, a teacher, and a student gives ample opportunity to feel “shaken”. I am blessed and thankful to have a full life but often need to remember God’s unfailing love and covenant of peace when I face challenging days.

Janet: That verse means a lot to me these days, because it’s part of one of my favourite songs on the newsboys’ Born Again CD: “Build Us Back.” There’s a whole lot of shakin’ going on these days!

Cynthia, thanks so much for taking time to let us get to know you a bit. May the LORD continue to strengthen and bless you and make you a blessing to others—in every area of your life.

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Visit Cynthia d’Entremont’s website to learn more about the author and her books. Or follow this link to read my review of Unlocked.