Newsletter Archives

Hello Fellow Book Club Member,

This month we decided to do something a little different: We want to introduce you to three new authors. Authors we love and we think your book clubs will love too.

But don't just take our word for it. Read on to meet the authors (and their books) for yourselves.

Sincerely,
An Open Book Staff

Tell Us What YOU Want!
This is a newsletter for book clubs, so tell us what you want to see in it! Email us at anopenbook@bethanyhouse.com with your suggestions.

In This Issue

Christa Parrish

Home Another Way

Debut author Christa Parrish—a homeschool mom, high school teacher, and now author—entered the Christian fiction scene this fall to much acclaim. Home Another Way, the reason for the acclaim, tells a gritty, poignant story of brokenness and healing.

While the book follows Sarah Graham, a woman who's living life hard and fast, it also tells the story of a backcountry mountain town and its colorful cast of less-than-perfect citizens.

"The book is really about people," says Parrish. "I truly believe God meets all of us where we are, and so we should be doing the same with others."

Says Publishers Weekly: "The people of Jonah are flawed and complicated, and Parrish allows readers to savor every moment of genuine, hard-earned human connection. With its vast array of richly imagined characters, its humor, and its substance, this debut is sure to resonate with a wide and appreciative audience."

For more information about Christa and Home Another Way, visit www.bethanyhouse.com or www.ChristaParrish.com, where you can also read her blog.

Alice J. Wisler

Rain Song

While writing can be a challenge--even for the most seasoned authors--debut author Alice J. Wisler had it especially tough when writing Rain Song.

"My house was robbed three times during the month of April, 2006 as I was writing," said Wisler. "Months after the robberies, my husband took off. The kids and I had just returned from the beach and he was gone, leaving a long good-bye letter."

Between comforting her children and putting her life back in order, Wisler finished Rain Song, pitched it to agents, and scored a publishing contract. The writing, she said, was what helped her get through it.

"In my classes, I teach that writing is therapeutic," Wisler says, talking about the "Writing the Heartache" classes she has taught since her son's death in 1997.

"Trust God," said Wisler, in response to the theme of her book. "Especially when the road looks uncertain, and don't be afraid to take some risks."

A message she has embodied well in her life.

For more information about Alice and Rain Song, visit www.bethanyhouse.com or www.AliceWisler.com, where you can read her blog and all about her bereavement ministry. And watch for Alice's next novel, How Sweet It Is, available in May 2009.

Siri Mitchell

A Constant Heart

Though not a debut author in the truest sense of the word, highly acclaimed author Siri Mitchell made the leap into historical fiction this past year.

"I have a special interest in addressing tough topics and cultural faith issues," said Mitchell. "I [also] wanted to write about women in past eras and how they subjected themselves to dangerous beauty practices."

An idea, she said, that is just as relevant today.

"Women today still go to great (and dangerous) lengths to mold themselves to our culture's idea of beauty. We still let people tell us what we should wear and how we should look."

Set in Queen Elizabeth the First's court, Mitchell introduces readers to a world where a husband's success often hinged on his wife's beauty--a beauty that in turn hinged on using lead-based cosmetics.

"The idea of a woman who destroys her body while trying to become beautiful was haunting," said Mitchell. "After reading A Constant Heart, I want [readers] to think. I want them to ask questions like: At what price, beauty? At what price, love? What is true beauty? Who owns beauty--who gets to decide what is beautiful?"

For more information about Siri or A Constant Heart, go to www.bethanyhouse.com or www.SiriMitchell.com. And watch for Siri's next novel, Love's Pursuit, available in June 2009

Quick Links

Resources in a Click of a Mouse

Free Discussion Questions:
Guides to many of our books

Coordinator Contact:
Special resources and offers for group coordinators

An Open Book's Website:
More resources from us

Book Club Corner

A Who's Who of Sorts

This month's Book Club is the Faithful Readers, associated with Bensenville Bible Church in Bensenville, IL.

"We meet on the first Saturday of each month, rotating in the homes of each woman. We begin with breakfast, then spend time discussing the book of the month. This year we invited Lynn Austin to join us to discuss Until We Reach Home at our February meeting. What a pleasure it was! After breakfast, we gathered together to discuss the book, and then we had many questions for Lynn. She graciously answered all of our questions about the book as well as how she got started writing and any challenges that she faces. She even stayed long enough to sign our books. We all had a really good time."

Have your book club featured here! Just send a photo and some information about your group to anopenbook@bethanyhouse.com.

Author Connection

Bringing Authors to Your Doorstep (or Telephone)

Reading a Bethany House book in your group? Interested in discussing the book with the author?

Let us help! Email us at anopenbook@bethanyhouse.com to get more information on how we can help you connect with an author.

Hello Fellow Book Club Member,

As you are settling into your post-holiday routines, we have a few books we thought you might enjoy fitting into your schedules. Covering the landscape of biblical fiction, these stories are fascinating reads full of details you never knew about life over two thousand years ago. Plus they are good stories--ones we think will spark some great discussions among your group.

Read on for more info--we hope you enjoy!

Sincerely,
An Open Book Staff

Tell Us What YOU Want!
This is a newsletter for book clubs, so tell us what you want to see in it! Email us at anopenbook@bethanyhouse.com with your suggestions.

In This Issue

New From Janette Oke and Davis Bunn!

The Centurion's Wife
Acts of Faith #1

From a dynamic bestselling team comes a sweeping saga of the dramatic events surrounding the birth of Christianity.

When Alban, a centurion soldier, is charged to find the truth behind a rabbi's death and missing body, can the unlikely love between him and his reluctant Jewish bride survive the truth they find?

Offering a fresh, unique perspective on the life of Christ, The Centurion's Wife is also an epic tale of romance, danger, betrayal, and the divine power of God.
More >

From Lynn Austin

Chronicles of the Kings

Book club favorite Lynn Austin brings the Bible to life in these gripping historical novels. Experience the drama, history, and promises of the Old Testament as you walk through the lives and legacies of King Hezekiah and his son Manasseh. Because sometimes, embracing God's law, following God's will, and growing in faith is easier said than done...

"If you don't think you'd like biblical fiction, try Gods and Kings. Lynn Austin might just change your mind." —Christian Book Previews

Chronicles of the Kings
Gods and Kings
Song of Redemption
The Strength of His Hand
Faith of My Fathers
Among the Gods

From Tommy Tenney and Mark Andrew Olsen

Hadassah by Tommy Tenny and Mark Andrew Olsen
Both a Jewish woman's memoir and a palace thriller full of political intrigue and suspense, Hadassah brings the age-old story of Esther to life. This historically accurate novel, layered with fresh insights, provides a fascinating twist on a pivotal time in religious history. Hadassah is also now a movie, One Night With the King, featuring Peter O'Toole and Omar Sharif.
More >

The Road Home by Tommy Tenney and Mark Andrew Olsen
In this exciting and moving modernization of the book of Ruth, Tenney and Olsen bring Ruth and her mother-in-law, Naomi, to life as they turn Naomi's creaky Impala eastward after hard living claims the men they love. As they journey across America, searching for peace and healing, they find wholeness in the last place they expected.
More >

Quick Links

Resources in a Click of a Mouse

Free Discussion Questions:
Guides to many of our books

Coordinator Contact:
Special resources and offers for group coordinators

An Open Book's Website:
More resources from us

Staff Picks

Favorites From Those in the Business of Books

Jim Hart
Internet Marketing Manager

An avid reader of great literature, Jim certainly has an opinion when it comes to the best in the world of books. Here's a few of his favorites for you to look into!

1. Bad Ground by Dale Cramer
   "Dale Cramer is simply one of the best writers working in Christian fiction. Read all his books."
   More Info >
2. Swan House by Elizabeth Musser
   "Having grown up in the south, I love the sense of place Musser evokes."
   More Info >
3. A Hearth in Candlewood by Delia Parr
   "It's such a sweet, heartwarming story, you can't help but be won over by it."
   More Info >

Author Connection

Bringing Authors to Your Doorstep (or Telephone)

Reading a Bethany House book in your group? Interested in discussing the book with the author?

Then let us help!

Email us at anopenbook@bethanyhouse.com to get more information on how we can help you connect with an author.

Question of the Month

What types of books make the best book club choices?

If you have an answer to this question, email us at anopenbook@bethanyhouse.com with your answer, your name, and, if you want, your group name.

If you have a question you want answered, email your question to anopenbook@bethanyhouse.com along with your name and your book club's name (optional). Feel free to attach a picture as well!

Hello Fellow Book Club Member,

This month we have a plentiful platter of good stuff waiting for you to delve into. From a feature author expressing her thanks to a delicious November snack to excellent book recommendations, this month is packed to the wattle with resources that work for you.

We hope you enjoyed your Turkey-day, and we'll catch you when the food is gone.

Sincerely,
An Open Book Staff

P.S. Don't forget to check out our website for discussion questions, coordinator resources, and much more: www.bethanyhouse.com/anopenbook.

Tell Us What YOU Want

In This Issue

Meet the Author

Kathryn Cushman
A Promise to Remember

Hailing  from beautiful Santa Barbara, California, Kathryn Cushman, Katie to her friends and readers, released her debut novel this October. Full of  heartrending drama, A Promise to Remember raises tough questions that don't have easy answers. We were able to  catch Katie, who's in the midst of writing her second novel, to chat about her first novel, Thanksgiving, and an interesting event that  involved a car and a pond.

An Open Book: Congratulations on your first novel! How does it feel to be a published author?
Katie Cushman: It's pretty surreal at this point. When my editor sent me a hot-off-the press copy of the book, I sobbed. When I first saw it on the shelf, I felt totally numb. For the most part, I keep wondering when I'm going to wake up.

AOB: Can you walk us through how you got your manuscript published?
KC: After several years of writing, rejections, and angst, I completed A Promise to Remember and attended my third Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference. At that conference, writers can make appointments with editors and agents and "pitch" their projects. You can also pre-submit your first chapter and a synopsis to two editors of your choice.

There was one editor that especially intimidated me, so I pre-submitted to him so I could avoid having to actually face him. A couple of days into the conference, the submission came back with a note saying this scary editor actually wanted to meet with me. At that meeting, he requested the complete manuscript. A couple of months later I got my first contract. For the record—Dave Long is the greatest and nicest editor around, I have no idea why I was so afraid of him.

AOB: A Promise to Remember is a very emotionally-charged story—what was the hardest part(s) to write?
KC: The scenes where either of the mothers was remembering her son. Especially difficult were the scenes with Melanie at the graveyard. I always gave my daughters an extra big hug after writing those parts.

AOB: How long had you been writing before A Promise to Remember got picked up?
KC: Almost four years. I have a couple of earlier manuscripts currently gathering dust in my closet.

AOB: As a writer, it's also a must to be an active reader. How much/often do you read?
KC: I read almost every day, but usually not for as long as I would like! I also listen to a lot of books on CD (it makes housework a lot less painful if I'm listening to a great book at the same time).

AOB: What are you currently reading?
KC: The Restorer by Sharon Hinck

AOB: What books or authors have influenced you the most?
KC: Jodi Picoult's My Sister's Keeper is the most amazing book I've ever read. I still think about those characters from time to time. I also pick up The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia every few years and read them again just because I enjoy them so much.

AOB: What is your fondest memory related to reading?
KC: Reading Dr. Seuss over and over and over to my daughters.

AOB: Do you have a "daytime" job? If so, what is it?
KC: I was a pharmacist for ten years. I had already "retired" to be a stay-home mom when I started writing.

AOB: Can you tell us one interesting thing about yourself that is not related to reading or writing?
KC: I crashed my first car when I was five years old. Okay, actually it was my mother's car, and my brother (seven at the time) carries equal guilt. We were visiting my grandmother, who lived on a steep hill. It was time to leave, and my brother and I went out to the car while my mother did—whatever it is that grown-ups do that takes FOREVER when you're trying to leave a place. The next thing we knew, the car was rolling down the hill. Did I mention that this road dead-ends into a creek? My brother flung open his door and jumped out. I crawled into the backseat and can still remember watching my mother running down the hill behind me, arms flailing. Thankfully (and miraculously), the car jumped a curb and hit a tree. In spite of the fact that my brother and I still contend that we "didn't touch a thing", my mom says that when she turned on the ignition, the heater, air-conditioner and windshield wipers were all going. Well, maybe a few things got touched, but I'm sure it was my brother who did it!

AOB: Since Thanksgiving is just a few days away, can you tell us what you are most thankful for in you life?
KC: Other than the obvious answers—Jesus, my family, health, and freedom—this year has seen me in more grateful tears than I've ever before experienced. I am awestruck that God would bless me with the lifelong desire of my heart—writing a novel and getting it published. And He didn't even stop there. He placed me at a publishing house I never dared to hope for, working with people that constantly amaze me. I get teary just typing this answer.

AOB: Does your family have any Thanksgiving traditions?
KC: Since my side of the family lives across the country, we always get together with my husband's family. This being California, my father-in-law cooks the turkeys on Weber grills (our group is fairly large, so every family brings a grill to whichever home is hosting). It's sort of a matter of pride between all the men to have the cleanest, shiniest grill. This seems a little twisted to me. Aren't grills SUPPOSED to be dirty?!

Read an excerpt of A Promise to Remember. For more on Katie, visit her website at kathryncushman.com

Katie  is part of our Author Connection.
Discuss her new novel—with her!
See below for details.

Question of the Month

How does one keep the group on topic, that is, discussing the book and not everything else?

Though there wasn't a name attached to this question, we thought it was a good one and want to thank whoever sent it in.

If you have an answer to this question, email us at anopenbook@bethanyhouse.com with your answer, your name, and if you like, your group's name.

If you have a question you want answered, email your question to anopenbook@bethanyhouse.com along with your name and your book club's name (optional).  Feel free to attach a picture as well.

Answers to Last Month's Question

How can my group make sure that everyone is participating in the discussions equally?

Thank you to all who answered our question from last month. Below are a few of the responses we received.

"When I see someone is not participating, I direct the next question to that person. Also, if someone is talking too much or answering all the time, I do the same, sometimes having to interrupt and say to another member, 'Judy, what do you think of that?' This requires strong leadership and a good relationship with the members."
—Barb C. from Inspirations in Christian Fiction

"If some of the group members want to 'take over' and go on and on, I've heard this works: get a church-like paper fan (one that is quite large)—or use that as a base to make it larger with poster board, decorated nicely—and that is then the 'talking fan.' When a member starts talking, you hand them the fan. If someone interrupts, they have to hand the fan to that person. Back and forth it goes. Some people learn visually, so to see the fan passed is a subconscious reminder and a visual to ALL of the group just who is doing the talking."
—Darlene H. from Franklin, TN

Quick Links

Resources in a Click of a Mouse

Free Discussion Questions:
Guides to many of our books

Coordinator Contact:
Special resources and offers for group coordinators

Authors on the Web:
Our authors and where you can find them online

An Open Book's Website:
More resources from us

Book Club Corner

A Who's Who of Sorts

This Could Be You!

If you would like your book club or group to be featured here, send us a picture (posed or in action) of the group as well as a 50—150 word write-up about your group.

Some things to include would be your group/club name (if you have one), where you meet, who you all are, how long you've been together, and an interesting fact or two about the group.

Email your submissions to anopenbook@bethanyhouse.com. And check in next month to see if you are here!

Excerpts From the Kitchen

A Recipe Exchange

From the Kitchen of Katie Cushman:

Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

2 c. sugar
1/4 c. cocoa
1/2 c. milk
1 stick margarine
5 tbsp. peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 c. quick cook oats

Put sugar, cocoa, milk, and margarine in sauce pan and bring to boil. Let boil for 1 and 1/2 minutes, stirring constantly, then remove from heat. Add peanut butter, vanilla, and oats; stir until mixture starts to get firm.  Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper. Let cool. Then enjoy!

Note from Katie:
"These were my favorite cookies as a child. As an adult, I especially like the fact that they are easy to make."

To submit your own favorite book club snack recipe,* email us at anopenbook@bethanyhouse.com.  Please send along a small note about the recipe and attach either a picture of yourself or of the finished product.

*Brownie points for linking the recipe to a Bethany House book!

Staff Picks

Favorites From Those in the Business of Books

Debra Larsen
Assistant Marketing Manager, Fiction

Come break time at work, Debra can always be found enjoying one of  Bethany House's new releases. In her seven years here, she's read quite  a few novels. Here are three of her top choices:

1. Secrets by Kristen Heitzmann
   "Heitzmann creates settings you wish you could visit and characters you wish you could meet."
   More Info >
2. Mozart's Sister by Nancy Moser
   "A fascinating tale of the talented sister the world never knew.... I discovered a beautiful lesson of grace, hope, and making the best out of one's lot in life."
   More Info >
3. The Heir by Paul Robertson
   "It's witty, suspenseful, and slightly unnerving if you stop to think about what you would do if a very large fortune and an immense power were handed to you on a silver platter."
   More Info >

Author Connection

Bringing Authors to Your Doorstep (or Telephone)

Reading a Bethany House book in your group? Interested in discussing the book with the author?

Then let us help!

Email us at anopenbook@bethanyhouse.com to get more information on how we can help you connect with an author.

Hello Fellow Book Club Member,

Welcome to our all-new book club/book club resources newsletter. We hope you and your group find this letter helpful as well as entertaining. Each month we will have an array of book club help, tips, and fun for you.

We have also started a website where the content below and more can be found. Check out www.bethanyhouse.com/anopenbook for discussion questions, coordinator resources, and much more.

And be sure to forward this email to a friend!

Sincerely,
An Open Book Staff

Tell Us What YOU Want

In This Issue

Meet the Author

Athol Dickson
River Rising, The Cure

Athol Dickson is the highly acclaimed author of River Rising (2006 Christy Award winner) and The Cure. With praise from both critics and readers alike, Athol has been making waves in the Christian market. We were able to catch up with him and chat about his craft, his love of reading, and the interesting source of his story ideas.

An Open Book: How long have you been writing?
Athol Dickson: I started my first novel in 1993, writing part time on nights and weekends while I practiced architecture.

AOB: Why did you become a writer?
AD: I was bored with architecture, and wanted a different way to express ideas. I chose writing because it allows more control over the work compared to architecture. In writing, if you're lucky you get to work with a few good editors, but in architecture there are usually dozens or even hundreds of minds and hands involved between the idea and the execution. Too much gets lost in the translation.

AOB: Do you have a "daytime job" and if so, what is it?
AD: Not anymore. I sold my architectural firm and began writing full time several years ago. It what I do when I get up in the morning and go to work just like everybody else, and I love it.

AOB: How much/often do you read?
AD: I read as often and as much as I can. I take breaks from writing several times a day to read non-fiction for ten or fifteen minutes at a time, and I read fiction for an hour or so every night.

AOB: What authors have influenced you the most?
AD: It's a very long list, and there's no "most" to any of them. I get a little something out of nearly everyone I read. But the more influential ones that come to mind at the moment are, let's see...James Lee Burke, Elmore Leonard, Flannery O'Connor, Walker Percy, Thornton Wilder, Toni Morrison, John Irving, D.L. Doctorow...and many others.

AOB: What are you currently reading?
AD: The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder. It's the third time I've read it. I also love his Theophilus North.

AOB: Who are your favorite authors?
AD; Well, that would be the same list! Plus I guess you could add Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, Victor Hugo, Patrick O'Brian, Ross Thomas and Ross MacDonald...honestly, it's a very long list. I just love to read almost anything as long as it's well-written, and has something intelligent to say.

AOB: What is your fondest memory related to reading?
AD: The moment I first realized I actually WAS reading was magical. I remember it like it was yesterday: I was a little kid lying on a bed in a hotel room somewhere, staring at a comic book, and all of a sudden I realized I was not just looking at the pictures; for the last few minutes I had been absorbed in the WORDS, and I didn't even know it! An entire universe opened up for me, which has been expanding ever since.

AOB: Of the works you've written, which is your favorite and why?
AD: I like each of my books for different reasons, but I think The Cure probably digs deeper into the human condition than anything I've written, and that's what matters to me most these days.

AOB: Can you tell us one interesting thing about yourself that isn't related to reading/writing?
AD: I once sold my car and house to buy a yacht to live aboard full-time and cruise the southern coast of the USA from Texas to Maryland. It was a lot of fun, and I got all kinds of ideas and background for future stories.

Read an excerpt of River Rising and The Cure. For more on Athol and to see his blog, visit his website at atholdickson.com

Athol is part of our Author Connection. See below for details.

Meet the Author

Sharon Hinck
The Secret Life of Becky Miller, Renovating Becky Miller

Whether it be writing, choreographing, or just living the adventure that is life, author Sharon Hinck likes to have fun—and her books prove it. Here she shares the passion behind her writing, a close call with the law, and much more.

An Open Book: How long have you been writing?
Sharon Hinck: All my life. Some of my earliest memories are of steering a chubby pencil over lined, newsprint paper in first grade, painstakingly creating a story. I began publishing magazine articles during grad school in the mid 1980s. I started writing novels about five years ago.

AOB: Why did you become a writer?
SH: I've always had a passion for the arts—theatre, dance, music, literature. During this season of life, God has opened doors for me to focus on the power of storytelling as a way to encourage and inspire. Books have had a tremendous impact on me all my life. In high school, when I was hungry to draw closer to God, C.S. Lewis, Francis Schaffer, Joni Earekson Tada, Corrie ten Boom, Brother Andrew and others were long-distance mentors through their writing. So I'm honored to have the opportunity to offer entertainment and support to others through my stories.

I recently heard from a woman who read my books while getting chemotherapy for cancer. Another woman shared that my books helped her feel she wasn't alone in struggles she's facing—just watching a character go through similar challenges gave her hope. I recently received a letter from a teen who had been drifting in her faith and now wants to get closer to God again after reading one of my books. Those letters remind me daily about why I write.

AOB: Do you have a "daytime job" and if so, what is it?
SH: I'm a wife and mom and have had a number of interesting jobs over the years including artistic director of an arts ministry, ballet teacher, choreographer, church organist, youth worker, and a clerk in a book store. Until recently, I also taught creative rubber-stamping workshops and managed a home business around that. But this past year I've been immersed in writing work full time.

AOB: How much/often do you read?
SH: I've been a voracious reader since I could first hold a book, and love a variety of genres. My bookshelves suffer from multiple-personality disorder. Classics are wedged beside Star Trek novels. Bonhoeffer nestles beside Mrs. Pollifax novels. Jan Karon's Mitford stories lean against Ted Dekker and Frank Perretti, who brace against Jeanette Oke.

AOB: What authors have influenced you the most?
SH: Different authors had an impact at different phases of my life. Dr. Seuss and Carl Sandburg's Rootabaga stories sparked my love of the musicality of words when I was tiny. Jack London and Robert Louis Stevenson made me long for adventure, while Mark Twain helped me see dry humor in life. I went through a phase of reading every horse book I could find, followed by Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden, and later John Le Carre and Agnes McInnis espionage stories.

C.S. Lewis, Madeleine L'engle, Tolkien, Stephen Lawhead, Stephen Donaldson all stretched my imagination, while biographies and non-fiction books by Christian authors continued to shape my desire to serve God through my life.

AOB: What are you currently reading?
SH: Richard Foster's book Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home (I've been listening to it on my iPod while traveling), and Tears of the Giraffe by Alexander McCall Smith.

AOB: Who are your favorite authors?
SH: Too many! C.S. Lewis' book, Perelandra, was one of my favorite stories. Over the years, I've enjoyed the wide variety of genres explored by T. Davis Bunn. Several years ago I read I Don't Know How She Does It by Alison Pearson.

She captured the struggle of balancing the modern roles of wife, mom, career woman, human, friend in a poignant and humorous way and made me want to explore those issues while adding in the dimension of faith questions and struggles—which led to my first novels with Bethany House.

AOB: What is your fondest memory related to reading?
SH: Reading Gone with the Wind until three in the morning under my covers with a flashlight.

AOB: Of the works you've written, which is your favorite and why?
SH: They're like children. I love them all in different ways in their unique qualities. Don't make me pick one above any other. :-)

AOB: Can you tell us one interesting thing about yourself that isn't related to reading/writing?
SH: During the rehearsal for an outdoor production of West Side Story that I was choreographing, the police barreled into the parking lot responding to a call from neighbors that gangs were fighting. I told the dancers to drop their chains and knives and start singing.

Years ago, I did a lot of acting. My favorite college and community theatre role was as Luisa in The Fantastiks where in an opening monologue the character prays, "Please, God, please. Don't let me be normal." I think God answered my prayer...

Read an excerpt of The Secret Life of Becky Miller and Renovating Becky Miller. For more fun extras on Sharon and her books, visit sharonhinck.com.

Sharon is part of our Author Connection. See below for details.

Question of the Month

How can my group make sure that everyone is participating in the discussions equally?

We'll start the ball rolling this month. If you have an answer to this question, please let us know! Email us at anopenbook@bethanyhouse.com with your answer, your name, and if you like, your group's name.

If you have a question you want answered, email us your question at anopenbook@bethanyhouse.com along with your name and your book club's name (optional). Feel free to attach a picture as well.

Quick Links

Resources in a Click of a Mouse

Free Discussion Questions:
Guides to many of our books

Coordinator Contact:
Special resources and offers for group coordinators

Authors on the Web:
Our authors and where you can find them online

An Open Book's Website:
More resources from us

Book Club Corner

A Who's Who of Sorts

This Could Be You!

If you would like your book club or group to be featured here, send us a picture (posed or in action—bonus points for everyone holding a Bethany House book) of the group as well as a 50 - 150 word write-up about your group.

Some things to include would be your group/club name (if you have one), where you meet, who you all are, how long you've been together, and an interesting fact or two about the group.

Email your submissions to anopenbook@bethanyhouse.com. And check in next month to see if you are here!

Staff Picks

Favorites From Those in the Business of Books

Carra Carr
Marketing Specialist

A voracious reader, it was hard for Carra to limit her choices to only three. And yet (with much pain and suffering), she whittled down her list. Here are her top three fiction choices:

1. River Rising by Athol Dickson
   "This is a superbly written book that really makes you think about your faith."
   More Info >
2. Hidden Places by Lynn Austin
   "Touching, heartfelt, and truly captivating—Lynn Austin has such a way with the pen. And now it's even a movie!"
   More Info >
3. Summer of Light by Dale Cramer
   "A construction worker turned stay at-home-dad offers plenty of laughs. But it also makes you think about what's truly important in life."
   More Info >

Excerpts From the Kitchen

A Recipe Exchange

From the Kitchen of Beverly Lewis:

Shoofly Cake

4 c. flour
2 c. boiling water
1 c. oil
1 c. molasses
1 lb. brown sugar
2 tsp. baking soda

Mix together flour, oil, and brown sugar; work into crumbs. Reserve 1/2 c. of crumbs for topping. Stir remaining crumbs together with water, molasses, and baking soda until mixture is very thin. Pour into greased and floured 8x12 pan. Top with reserved crumbs and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until nice and brown.

Note from Bev:
"My family loves this cake. It is reminiscent of shoofly pie but is a completely different taste experience!"

For more delicious recipes from Beverly, click here.

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