I’m so excited that Deeanne Gist has just released a new novel.  It’s been almost two years since her last one.  Torture, I tell you!  This is a great time to give Deeanne’s writing a chance if you’ve never picked up one of her books.   It Happened at the Fair is now available!

Her books are rich with historical details from unique periods of time (like the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair), well-crafted characters that you love hanging out with, and loaded with humor.  I’ve been known to be reading one of her books in public, laugh out loud, and then have to apologize to the people around me.  True story.

Did you catch our Fiction Friday episode from last week?  Deeanne popped in to share about her new novel so be sure to check it out.  You can also give the first chapter a read.

Let me know what you think of it once you read it!

I enjoy all types of genres in fiction but I really gravitate to historical novels.  I’ve found myself gobbling up a lot of biblical fiction over the last few years.  That term sounds kind of funny, doesn’t it?  Biblical fiction.   It’s a growing genre in the Christian market which I’m pleased to see.

There are three main approaches that authors can take when writing in this genre:

• They can set their story with actual people, places, or events from the Bible
• They can set their novel in a different time period but base the characters or events from scripture
• They can choose an era of history from the Bible to set their story in although the characters might not have been actual Bible people.

I personally love all three.  Here are some titles that fall under these three areas.

Novels set with people, places or events in the Bible

Love in a Broken Vessel by Mesu Andrews – Explores the story of Hosea and Gomer.  This is one of my favorite books of 2013 to date.  Check out my review of it from a few weeks ago.    Mesu has also written Love Amid the Ashes which is the story of Job and Love’s Sacred Song that focuses on a young King Solomon.  I can highly recommend all of them to you.

 

 

 

Iscariot by Tosca Lee – A unique look into the life of Judas Iscariot.  Tosca imagines what Judas’ life might have been like leading up to his time with Jesus.  What were his thoughts as he considered betraying his Savior?  Judas is one of the most complex and confusing characters in the Bible for me.  I love that Tosca has taken his life and fleshed it out with some of the “what if’s” that many of us have thought about.

 

 

 

When Jesus Wept by Brock and Bodie Thoene – This brand new novel dives into the friendship between Jesus and Lazarus.  It’s a relationship that I’ve often wondered about.  I can only imagine the special bond these friends must have had after Lazarus was raised from the dead.  The Thoenes will be exploring other relationships and events that were part of Jesus’ last weeks on earth in their new series, The Jerusalem Chronicles.

 

 

 

The Wives of King David Series by Jill Eileen Smith – This series comprises of three novels, Michal, Abigail, and Bathsheba.  Jill takes a look at three of the more noted wives of King David.  It’s a strong series that will give you a more complete look and understanding to the customs and practices of Old Testament times.

 

 

 

Novels inspired by Biblical people or events

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers – This is probably the most popular book in this category.  Francine tells the story of Hosea and Gomer through an 1800′s prairie romance.   This is the book that got me into reading Christian fiction many years ago.  It’s still the one I recommend to anyone who says there’s not much value in Christian fiction.  I’ve also managed to get some guys to read it.  And wouldn’t you know, they loved it!

 

 

 

Here Burns My Candle and Mine is the Night by Liz Curtis Higgs – This is one of my favorite series.  The story of Ruth and Esther is set in 18th century Scotland.  Love.  Love this series!  I’m desperately waiting for Liz’s next fiction series.  Put me out of my misery soon, Liz!

 

 

 

 

Novels set in biblical times but not necessarily with people from Scripture

The Mark of the Lion Series by Francine Rivers – This trilogy consists of A Voice in the Wind, An Echo in the Darkness, and As Sure as the Dawn.   It gives a very accurate look at what life was like for the early Christians.  Persecution, imprisonment, and death were very real.   In my humble opinion, these are the best novels ever written in the Christian market.   Check out my thoughts on it from a recent post.

Do you enjoy biblical fiction?  If so, what books have you read?  I’d love to hear from you!

 

I’m happy to welcome one of our industry’s up and coming new novelists today.  Regina Jennings has just released her second novel, Love in the Balance, and it’s a must-read for anyone who is a fan of Mary Connealy, Deeanne Gist,  or Rosslyn Elliot.  Somewhere between raising and homeschooling four kids she manages to write, blog, and read a lot of great books.  Whew!  You can learn more about Regina through her website as well as on her blog.

Before Regina joins us, let me introduce you to Love in the Balance.

Molly Lovelace dreams of a life without cars in Lockhart, Texas.  She also has dreams of handsome wrangler Bailey Garner, her ardent but inconsistent beau.  The problem is, with Bailey’s poor prospects, she just can’t fit the two dreams together.

Then mysterious stranger Edward Pierrepont sweeps into town – and her life – and for the first time Molly wonders if she’s met the man who can give her everything.  But he won’t be in Lockhart long, and while it certainly seems like he talks about their glorious future together, she can’t quite get Bailey out of her mind.

What’s a girl to do with all these decisions when love is in the balance?

 

Welcome, Regina!

If you ask me about my latest novel Love in the Balance, I’ll most likely tell you about Molly Lovelace, a stylish court clerk who wants to marry handsome cowboy Bailey Garner even though his lack of employment and Molly’s sense of duty make such a dream unlikely.

That’s the short hook, the back cover copy, but if we had more time I’d tell you the question that inspired me to write this story—

What does it mean to live an authentic life?

We talk about being transparent, being real, but how does that look? Does it mean that we refuse to fake cheerfulness and say exactly how we’re doing today, thank you? When introducing ourselves do we summarize our past failings so no one gives us more credit than we deserve? Should we routinely update our Facebook status with our latest sins and temptations?

OK, so I’m exaggerating, but where is the line? How do we survive the wasteland between who we are meant to be and who we are currently?

The opening of Love in the Balance finds Bailey and Molly in such a situation. Bailey is an earnest young man with a reputation for godliness, but he knows he’s got everyone fooled. In a search for accountability, Bailey pops up before the church and confesses that a temptation continues to beset him. Of course it doesn’t take much imagination for the congregation to surmise that the block he’s stumbling over closely resembles beautiful, sassy Molly Lovelace. And when Molly, in an effort to save her family’s business, makes a terrible mistake, she earns notoriety that she doesn’t deserve.

The more Bailey tries to convince people he’s a sinner, the more they applaud him for his humility. He’s stuck trying to live up to a reputation he hasn’t earned, afraid to ruin the “godly example” for which he’s so lauded.

And Molly must find the courage to rise above her community’s expectations. She, like Bailey, desperately wants to live authentically before God, but her intentions are often misunderstood.

So what’s Love in the Balance about? It’s about a handsome cowboy with an awe-shucks attitude and an ambitious court clerk who isn’t sure what she wants out of life.

It’s also about two people striving to get it right and live genuinely before their God.