A New Twist on Pride and Prejudice

Denise O-Hara, author of a series of novellas depicting Life after the Wedding for Jane Austen fans, has done it again.  Disdain and Deception weaves a mysterious and delightful alternative story beginning with the engagement of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy.  What if Mr. Darcy were in an accident?

True to the style Jane Austen used, the characters remain true to themselves despite the plot twist.  I will give no spoilers, but will say I found the ending quite satisfactory!

I received a free review copy of the novel for my honest opinion and highly recommend it for both Austen fans and those who have yet to meet the delightful Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy.

Book Giveaway: The Bridge Builder

If you have ever heard of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, you have Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein to thank.  Zev Chaffets presents The Bridge Builder, an authorized biography of a man who joined Christians and Jews to support Israel--a nation uniquely blessed by God to be a blessing to all nations.

Photographs are included in this excellent account of a life lived to repair relations between two groups that have at times in history persecuted one another and to unite them as a witness to those who would persecute both groups.  People of any faith or no faith could learn from the example of a rabbi who simply followed where God was leading him.

Simply leave a comment on this blog post for a chance to win your own copy of The Bridge Builder.

 

"Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

 Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”

Use Social Media Productively

Yes, you could spend hours on Facebook looking at pictures of cute kittens.  Alternatively, you could harness the power of social media to build your brand and get your business in front of people who share a need for or interest in your product.  If you want to do the latter, I recommend Jason McDonald as a teacher.

I was recently sent a draft chapter from a book Dr. McDonald is writing (Social Media Marketing Workbook) and learned things I didn't know about Facebook.  I was an early adult adopter of Facebook, trying to stay in touch with college kids, but still have a lot to learn about searching and about the algorithms used to rank Facebook pages and posts.  McDonald is able to teach me.

Learn to create a profile and then a page for your business or organization.  Then learn to strategically post after first looking round to see how your market interacts on social media.  One key is to be social--not just "buy my stuff" but building relationships through sharing interesting quotes, pictures, and stories.  Relationships are key to long-lasting business success.

Contact Jason McDonald and get on his mailing list for more information about training in SEO and social media use.

Caleb: Mighty Man of Faith and Action

I have always appreciated the stories of Joshua and Caleb--the 2 spies who wanted to obey God and take the promised land after 10 other spies said it was too hard.  After the 40 years in the wilderness, only Joshua and Caleb were left of those original 12 spies.  And old man Caleb was ready to conquer!

Cliff Graham uses his experiences as a soldier, writer, and theologian to weave a fictional account that honors historical and Biblical accuracy.  If you enjoyed his Lion of War series, you will enjoy Shadow of the Mountain.

I received a free review copy from Bethany House for my honest opinion of the novel.

Powerful Tool for Better Writing

As a writer, do you ever agonize over a word choice? Does your proofreading turn up the same word over and over? Do you resist using an awkward thesaurus?

Jesse Gilbert understands your struggle and offers a high-speed alternative to an online thesaurus.  Brainstorm Pro allows you to search for up to ten words at once and often returns results in just a second.  Speed does not compromise quality, however, as Brainstorm Pro offers up to 20 times the word choices of a typical thesaurus.

If you sometimes work in languages other than English, this software is for you as well.  Spanish, Italian, and French have been tested and many more languages are supported, from Afrikaans to Zulu.  You can even "translate" among the various flavors of English--handy if you are a United States writer who sometimes writes for Canadian, Australian, or British clients.

Try out this software and see how your writing improves.  Teachers, copywriters, translators, and students can all benefit from an outstanding thesaurus with Brainstorm Pro.

DVD Giveaway: Did the Exodus Happen as The Bible Says?

Those who know me know my answer to that question is "Yes, of course."  I believe God's Word.  I am not an authority on ancient Egyptian history or archaeology, however. I'm just somebody who believes, as an engineer and as a Christian, that Truth always prevails, eventually, simply because it is true.

But what if there were more worldly and learned folk who uncovered evidence that any conflicts between the historical timeline and the Biblical timeline are problems on man's end and not on God's?  Patterns of Evidence chronicles one filmmaker's journey to ancient lands and his conversations with scholars of other faiths and of no faith.  Timothy Mahoney wanted to see the evidence and separate tradition from history.

This film includes appearances by Shimon Peres and Benjamin Netanjahu, as well as scholars from around the world.  Timeline animation helps the viewer see just what the scholars are talking about.

Not only do I recommend this DVD for your family viewing and for church libraries, I am offering a Free DVD Giveaway.  Comment on this blog post and you are entered for a drawing to be held August 11.  You may also purchase a copy at the official Patterns of Evidence website.