Tag Archives: Christian fiction

Review: Come Find Me, by Ruth Waring

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Come Find Me, by Ruth Waring (Word Alive Press, 2010)

In 1939, rejected because of their conversion to Christianity, thirteen-year-old Evlyna Cohen’s family left a thriving orthodox Jewish community in Toronto, Canada, to start over where no-one knew them. The Cohens became the Crawfords and hid their ethnic background so they’d be welcome among the Gentiles.

Come Find Me opens in 1964 with Evelyn Sherwood, now a widow with a teenage daughter. Evelyn’s Jewish heritage is only one of the secrets she keeps buried. She has never forgiven her parents for their choice, nor will she forgive their God.

Her late husband and their daughter, Lucy, shared a strong faith that helped them love and support Evelyn despite her difficult personality. Now Lucy and Evelyn grieve separately.

It’s tricky to write an engaging novel with an antagonistic lead character, but Ruth Waring pulls it off well. We meet Evelyn on the brink of becoming willing to step out from behind the wall she’s built—or at least to admit she needs to do so. We also meet Lucy, whose hopeful spirit and insights into her mother’s behaviour influence how we view her.

The novel is a heart-warming story of a repressed, embittered woman’s emergence into light and love and into the beginning of a relationship with the God who’s been whispering “Come find Me” for so many years.

It’s a tale of family, faith, community, with a thread of romance, set in small-town Alberta, and its short chapters invite you to read “just one more”.

Ruth Waring is a Canadian author and speaker living in Ontario. You can read an interview with Ruth at the Interviews and Reviews blog, and learn more about Come Find Me on Facebook. The novel is available online and through your local Christian bookstore.

[Review copy from my personal library]

Friday Friends: Catherine West

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Catherine West’s debut novel, Yesterday’s Tomorrow, an inspirational contemporary romance, releases in March 2011 from Oak Tara Publishing.

I had the privilege of meeting Cathy a few years ago in her beautiful home country of Bermuda, when she kindly took time to have tea with a fellow member of American Christian Fiction Writers (despite neither of us being American…)

Janet: Welcome, Cathy, and congratulations on your upcoming novel! Let’s start by getting to know you.

Cathy: Hi Janet, thanks for having me! Well, like Janet says, I live in Bermuda, which is a small island about 700 miles off the coast of North Carolina, so we’re pretty close to the States, but we’re actually a British colony. I was born and raised here.

Janet: What got you started writing?

Cathy: I’d have to say I’ve always loved to write. English was my best subject in school. I started to read at an early age, and read pretty much whatever I could get my hands on. I had a vivid imagination and spent a lot of time daydreaming, which got me into lots of trouble at school. I think getting into writing fiction was just a natural progression of who I am and the abilities I’d been given.

Janet: Tell us a bit about Yesterday’s Tomorrow.

Cathy: Yesterday’s Tomorrow is one of those ‘book-of-the-heart’ stories for me. The idea came completely out of the blue – a female journalist goes to Vietnam to cover the war. I was told several things. 1. It’s been done. Maybe not the exact same story, but similar ones about Vietnam can be found, and also a ton of movies. 2. I’d be getting in way over my head. Too much research. No way to keep it authentic. 3. It would never fly. Nobody wants to discuss the Vietnam War let alone read about it. Certainly not in CBA.

I didn’t really care. While the story does take place during a war, it is a love story. And it’s character driven, so I didn’t really think the war thing would be a major drawback. I knew this was the story I had to write, so I went for it. I also knew it was a story that needed to be told with a Christian worldview in mind, and I didn’t want to settle for taking out the spiritual message and trying to sell it in ABA. So I wrote it, but I wasn’t really sure what would happen with it.

Truthfully, it was a tough sell. The naysayers were right, and I began to wonder why I’d just spent a year and a half writing and re-writing something that would never get past the files in my Mac. We actually put it on the shelf for a year. During that time, I just couldn’t let it go. Somehow I just knew it wasn’t over. So this past year we tried again with some smaller publishers that were more open to different topics, and Oak Tara jumped on it.

Janet: Where did the story idea come from?

Cathy: Honestly, I don’t really know. Years ago, I wrote a very similar story, very badly I might add. I kept the idea on file in my head I suppose, and when the time was right, it came back to me.

Janet: How did you research conditions in the Vietnam War? And did you pick up any odd bits of trivia that you’d like to share?

Cathy: I knew that if I was going to write authentically, I’d have to know what I was talking about. I began by purchasing every book on The Vietnam War that I could find. One in particular was brilliantly helpful – War Torn – Stories of War by the Women Who Reported the Vietnam War – a compilation of stories from nine female journalists that covered the war. (Random House, 2002).

I spent months scouring the Internet, reading Veteran blogs and websites. One thing I found interesting was that there weren’t too many people who were willing to talk about it. I was extremely blessed to be connected with the husband of a fellow ACFW member who served in Vietnam. His initial help with my early draft, wise counsel and sharing of information was instrumental in getting me off in the right direction. At one point in my researching, I remember writing to him and saying something along the lines of, “I don’t really understand it, but I feel like I’m stepping on holy ground.” His response, “You are.”

I picked up a ton of slang from that era as well as Army talk, none of which I can repeat here! It’s not really trivia, but in one scene, Kristin has to learn how to drive an Army Jeep. That was fun. I didn’t actually drive one myself, but I did receive some very helpful instructions from guys who had. I kind of wonder if I’d be able to!

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?

Cathy: For this book, the question is easy. It’s multi-layered, but I believe that my characters learn about redemption, forgiveness and restoration. When you live through a war, that changes you. I’m not sure anyone can walk out of a war zone and be the same. You have to learn how to put things in perspective again. You may have done things you’re not proud of, but you’re redeemable. Things may have been done to you, and somehow you have to forgive your transgressors.

Ultimately, in time, restoration will happen. It won’t happen overnight, but if you believe that God works all things together for good, then on some level, you can begin to find your way back to wholeness. This is something I struggled with a great deal while writing this story – I’ve never been in a war zone. I haven’t experienced the horrific things my characters did. But I know what it is to suffer emotionally, and I know that you don’t get through that without faith, a knowledge that eventually God will step in and things will change. I didn’t want to come across as sounding trite or preachy, but ultimately, I have to believe this is true.

Janet: Is there another novel in the works?

Cathy: Yes. My agent is shopping a manuscript called Hidden in the Heart, which is a women’s fiction novel, loosely based on my own experience of searching for and finding my birth family. I’m also working on a family-saga type novel called Reprisal, and a contemporary romance called First Harvest.

Janet: You’re busy! But that’s good. Is there a particular song or Scripture verse that’s made a big difference for you?

Cathy: My family has gone through a few major things in the past few years. Some struggles we did not expect. Challenges and unexpected trials, and the loss of my two-month old great niece a couple of years ago. Several songs got me through some hard days, “Cry to Jesus” by Third Day, “Faithful One” by Brian Doerksen, and “Blessed Be Your Name” by Matt Redman. My life verse is probably cliché, but it’s Jeremiah 29:11 – “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”

Janet: “Blessed Be Your Name” has helped me through some rough places too. I think music takes us back to what you said earlier about suffering and waiting for God to bring wholeness.

What do you like best about the writing life?

Cathy: I love that I can stay home and do this! It’s a blast to just lose myself in another world for a few hours at a time – when I’m really into a story and things are going well, there’s nothing like it!

Janet: What do you like least?

Cathy: Getting through the first draft. I’m a seat-of-the-pantster, so I find it really difficult to plot beforehand. I may work from a rough outline, but I really have no idea where the story is going until I’m finished. I’m plagued by self-doubt the whole time, and I think I’ll get to the end and have to trash the whole thing because nothing makes sense! That’s not usually true, but I do a lot of revisions from that point on.

Janet: What do you do to get away from it all? Or on a lovely island like Bermuda, is that as simple as heading for the beach or the nearest garden?

Cathy: No. Familiarity breeds contempt. J I have to get on a plane to get away from it all! We have a summer home in Northern Ontario, on a beautiful quiet lake. That’s definitely a great retreat for me. Other fun trips are going to the US to spend time with my sister, which always involves shopping, or going to Toronto for a few days to catch up with my college-aged daughter, and that definitely involves shopping too!

Janet: What’s the most surprising/fun/zany/scary thing you’ve ever done?

Cathy: The scariest thing I’ve ever done is deciding to get serious about publication. That’s probably not the answer you were looking for, but really, putting myself out there, sending off query letters and sample chapters to agents and editors was WAY out of my comfort zone. And then there was attending my first writers conference, alone. THAT was scary. But after about ten minutes, I knew I’d come home. 🙂

Janet: That wasn’t what I was expecting, but I certainly relate. The sending out of our work is scary enough, but then there’s the opening of the reply when/if it comes… that’s terrifying. I’m glad you persevered to get a “yes” response for Yesterday’s Tomorrow, and I hope there are plenty more acceptances in your future. Thanks so much for taking time to let us get to know you a bit, Cathy. May the LORD continue to bless you and make you a blessing to others—in every area of your life.

===

About Yesterday’s Tomorrow:

It’s 1967 and Kristin Taylor wants to go to Vietnam to report on the war, and honor her father’s memory by becoming an award-winning journalist like he was. But no editor will send her. So she strikes out on her own and steps into a world more terrifying than she’d imagined.

As she encounters the horrors of war, Kristin struggles to report the truth while desperately trying to keep tabs on her only brother who enlisted some time ago, but both tasks seem impossible.

When she meets photographer Luke Maddox, Kristin knows she’s found a story. The mystery beneath his brooding eyes triggers her curiosity. She’s convinced he’s hiding something and determines to discover his secrets. The only trouble is, he won’t let her within three feet of him.

[Click here to read an excerpt from Yesterday’s Tomorrow, or here to visit Catherine West’s website.]

Review: Eternity Falls, by Kirk Outerbridge

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Eternity Falls, by Kirk Outerbridge (Marcher Lord Press, 2009)

Rick Macey is one of the best at tracking down—and shutting down—terrorists and other high-profile criminals. No longer working for the US government, he takes on projects that catch his personal interest. The novel opens with him in pursuit of a serial sniper, and the pace doesn’t slow as he jumps into a new case.

The year is 2081 and the future is a grim place where I wouldn’t want to live despite the technological advances. Cars have an auto-pilot feature. People have “neural nets” that sound like internet-enabled brains, only better. Science’s quest to extend human life has gone beyond cloning and cyborgs to the “Miracle Treatment” that lets people live forever.

The problem: one of the Treatment’s early takers has been found dead of natural causes. Macey’s assignment is to prove it’s the result of terrorist activity. He takes the job because the sole clue points to a memory from his own past.

Macey knows all the tricks, and he’s an excellent noir-type detective. He’s paired with the self-centred but attractive Sheila Dunn from the Miracle Treatment company’s head office, and as danger throws them closer together he tries to keep his distance. Macey has too many secrets for romance.

Eternity Falls has a satisfying number of twists, turns and revelations. The stakes start out high and get higher, masterfully woven by the author. This does not feel like a debut novel; it has complexity and depth and a detailed back-story that surfaces in bits and pieces as needed, to keep readers guessing.

I wasn’t sure if I liked the novel at first. The world is so dark. And the first characters to claim allegiance to God are either terrorists or seem like cult members. Knowing Marcher Lord Press, I reasoned there had to be more to the faith element than this. And I decided I trusted Macey even if he was surrounded by unlikely individuals.

Eternity Falls is billed as a cyber-thriller, dark PI fiction and cyberpunk. It’s high-tech, darker and more violent than I usually read, and Macey finds some interesting spiritual insights while he’s trying to keep himself and Sheila alive. He’s a fine story hero.

If you like thrillers and science fiction, and you’re not afraid of characters who mention God, check it out. I enjoyed it and I’ll be looking for more from Kirk Outerbridge. You can read a sample of Eternity Falls here.

You can read an interview with Bermudian author Kirk Outerbridge here. Eternity Falls is his first novel, and winner of the 2010 Carol Award for speculative fiction. A second Rick Macey novel is now out as well: The Tenth Crusader.

[Review copy from my personal library]

Review: Fatal Judgment, by Irene Hannon

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Fatal Judgment, by Irene Hannon (Revell, 2011)

US Marshal Jake Taylor thrives on high-risk assignments, but when he pulls protection detail for Judge Elizabeth Michaels his first instinct is to flee. Liz is the widow of his best friend, and the little Jake knows about her doesn’t impress him.

As Jake works to keep her safe from her sister’s killer, he discovers a woman far different from the cold-hearted workaholic he’d expected. Jake and Liz each carry the pain of regret and of losing a spouse, and an attraction grows between them that makes it hard for Jake to keep his professional distance.

Fatal Judgment delivers both the wait-and-see kind of suspense (as we watch a disturbingly realistic enemy plan his attack) and the catch-him-before-he-kills-again suspense with danger and a ticking clock.

There’s plenty of action (including a helicopter, which is always a plus for me). There are also genuinely likeable and believable characters, including Jake’s brother and sister, who I hope will have their own turns to star in later books in the “Guardians of Justice” series.

Irene Hannon’s careful research makes the details sound right and the action flow. As a bonus, in a time where copy-editing glitches are showing up in even the most-respected publishers’ work, it’s a treat to see that this author/editing team knows how to correctly use the phrase “homing in.”

I really enjoyed the novel. You can read an excerpt of Fatal Judgment, or if you’ve already read the novel, check out the discussion guide for Fatal Judgment.

Irene Hannon is a RITA® award winner (and four-time finalist) with over 35 books to her credit. After a successful career writing contemporary romance, she moved to romantic suspense titles with the “Heroes of Quantico” series: Against All Odds, An Eye for an Eye, and In Harm’s Way. I’ll be on the lookout for those in the near future.

C.J. Darlington has posted an interesting interview with Irene Hannon at Titletrakk.com. To learn more about the author and her other books, visit the official Irene Hannon website.

[Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.]

Review: Come to Me, by Laura J. Davis

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Come to Me, by Laura J. Davis (Word Alive Press, 2010)

Come to Me is the story of Jesus as told by His mother, Mary, near the end of her life. Author Laura J. Davis has compiled the events from the four Gospels and filled in some of the blanks with her imagination. As she writes in the introduction, “If you are familiar with the Bible at all, you will recognize my ‘what-if’ scenarios throughout the book.” She’s invested considerable time in this project, and it makes an interesting and well-thought-out story.

Come to Me is told from a Protestant understanding,  including mention of Jesus’ half-brothers and half-sisters. Roman Catholics and others whose teaching holds that Mary remained a virgin can still read and enjoy the book—just be prepared that you won’t agree with everything. The life of Christ as presented in Scripture has not been changed.

In reading between the lines of Bible text, the author attempts to make sense of how Judas Iscariot, and to a lesser extent Pontius Pilate, came to make the choices they did. The book makes no claim of historical accuracy in these extrapolations, but they’re plausible. Again, if you think differently, remember this is a novel and not a statement of fact.

The story is framed by Mary narrating to Luke and to others. The omniscient point of view keeps the tone somewhat emotionally distant, as we’re told what multiple characters in a scene are thinking. Technically, some of what’s told Mary couldn’t know (Jesus might have later shared His thoughts and feelings with her, but Judas and Pilate wouldn’t).

Aside from that, it’s a good novel to read, and telling “the old, old story” from a different angle lets readers gain new insight into the life of the One whose heart’s cry is “Come to Me”.

It’s especially poignant to read at Christmas or Easter, but it’s a good book for any time of the year. Readers familiar with the Scriptures will recognize many quotes from the Gospel accounts as the novel tells the life story of Jesus.

Come to Me is Canadian author Laura J. Davis’ first novel. You can learn more about Laura J. Davis at her website. Laura also writes two helpful blogs: The Writer’s Keep and Interviews and Reviews.

If you’re planning to buy a copy of Come to Me between now and February 14, 2011, visit Laura J. Davis’ online store. Laura will donate $1.00 from each book sold there to Compassion Canada.

[Review copy provided by the author for the purpose of a fair review.]

Review: Black Sea Affair, by Don Brown

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Black Sea Affair, by Don Brown (Zondervan, 2008)

Pete Miranda is one of the US Navy’s best submarine commanders. Along with a hand-picked crew of volunteers, his mission is to sneak a nuclear sub through the Bosporus Strait into the Black Sea.

Conventional wisdom says it can’t be done. If the navy’s radical plan succeeds, Pete’s crew must find and sink a terrorist freighter operating under a Russian flag—without creating an international incident.

The freighter is carrying enough stolen plutonium to make a powerful nuclear explosive. What the Americans don’t know is that it’s also carrying a group of orphan children.

Don Brown has plotted a complex thriller that escalates international tension to the brink of nuclear war. Fans of his Navy Justice series will be glad to see JAG Officer Zack Brewer join the story in the later stages. And the ending is definitely not one you can put down unfinished.

Geography is not my strong point, and I appreciated the little maps and diagrams that were included where necessary.

Oddly enough, I had no trouble believing the series of events in this high-stakes plot. It was the faith that made me hesitate. Pete is a Christian, and so is Masha Katovich, the children’s chaperone on the freighter. I related better to her experience of faith than to his, but maybe it’s because I’m female.

While it’s probably true that crisis gets most people praying, whether to God or to the universe at large, it seemed to me that most of the key players other than the Russians had a personal faith. Even in high political circles. Call me a cynic, but it felt weird.

Black Sea Affair is the best international thriller I’ve read in a long time. It contains a few spoilers for the author’s earlier Navy Justice novels (Treason, Hostage and Defiance), but leaves enough unsaid that I’m still interested in reading them. His newest novel, The Malacca Conspiracy, features Zack Brewer.

[Review copy from my personal library]

Review: Breach of Trust, by DiAnn Mills

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Breach of Trust, by DiAnn Mills (Tyndale House, 2009)

Paige Rogers is an ex-CIA operative forced undercover in the small town of Split Creek, Oklahoma. Her last mission nearly killed her. It did kill the rest of her team—except for the man who betrayed them, Daniel Keary.

Now Keary is poised to win state governorship, and his ambitions don’t stop there. Will Paige put her loved ones in danger for one last chance to expose him…for the good of her country?

Miles Laird is the high school football coach, and it takes all Paige’s self-control not to return the affection he can’t hide. But if he knew who she really was, what she’d done in the line of duty, she’d lose him.

After quitting the CIA Paige became a Christian. Even as she considers reactivating, she wrestles with the morality of her past actions in the line of duty. How can deceit and righteous living co-exist?

I took a while to get into the novel. It flows nicely in third-person past-tense, but Keary’s brief sections are first-person present-tense. It may underscore Keary’s sense of ruthless power, but I always find these shifts throw me out of the story. Once I got used to it, the novel was hard to put down.

Breach of Trust is book one in the Call of Duty series, and winner of both a 2010 Christy Award winner and a 2010 Inspirational Readers Choice Award. Book two, Breach of Security, released in the spring of 2010. On the Breach of Trust page on DiAnn Mills’ site you’ll find links to the video trailer and to an excerpt of the novel. Click here for discussion questions.

DiAnn Mills is an award-winning author of more than 15 novels. Visit her website to learn more about DiAnn and her books: historical fiction, contemporary fiction and non-fiction.

[review copy from my personal library]

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: Fit to Be Tied, by Robin Lee Hatcher

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Fit to Be Tied, by Robin Lee Hatcher (Zondervan, 2009)

It’s 1916, and Cleo Arlington is not your typical Idaho rancher’s daughter. She’s a better wrangler than the hired men, and it takes church on Sundays to get her into a skirt. Cleo’s hardly a conventional woman, but she hopes one day she’ll find a cowboy who’ll love her as she is.

Lord Sherwood Stratham is the fourth son of a British Duke, and a constant disappointment to his father. Wild living is his way of coping with the pain of his war injuries—and his memories. His punishment? A year working on an American ranch, isolated from his friends and diversions.

Cleo is not happy to have the job of turning him into a ranch hand. Sherwood feels the same about taking orders from this testy female who dresses like a man—and who insists on calling him “Woody”.

Cleo and Woody are surprised to discover the things they do have in common, and Woody makes the further discovery that faith can be more than church attendance. Working together might not be such a hardship after all.

But Woody—Lord Sherwood—must return to England when his year’s banishment ends. Will either of their hearts be unbroken?

Fit to Be Tied is a gentle love story of opposites who attract. The characters have depth, and I enjoyed the contrast between Cleo’s and Woody’s voices.

Cleo’s story is book two in the Sisters of Bethlehem Springs series, and while you don’t need to have read A Vote of Confidence first, this is very much a sequel. I doubt there’d be many surprises now if I went back to book one. Book three, A Matter of Character, released in 2010. It’s Cleo’s relative Daphne’s story, and I liked Daphne from this book.

Robin Lee Hatcher is an award-winning author of over 60 novels. Fit to Be Tied is the first one I’ve read, but it won’t be the last. Click here to read an excerpt from Fit to Be Tied. If you’ve already read the novel, you might be interested in the discussion guide.