<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss' xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5301326869023606202</id><updated>2011-07-08T04:54:54.775-05:00</updated><category term='brenda rickman vantrease'/><category term='anne rice'/><category term='book clubs'/><category term='higgs'/><category term='charles martin'/><category term='diamant'/><category term='gulley'/><category term='historical fiction'/><category term='paul maier'/><category term='kingsbury'/><category term='linda lee chaikin'/><category term='Christian fiction'/><category term='sheri reynolds'/><category term='fiction'/><category term='Christian'/><category term='Christy Awards'/><title type='text'>Faith &amp; Fiction Virtual Book Club</title><subtitle type='html'>An online virtual book club devoted to discussing Christian fiction or fiction with a faith-connection.  Join us in person or chime in by posting your comments!</subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default?max-results=100'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><author><name>Stephanie</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/16652183637757989537</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>27</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>100</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5301326869023606202.post-7475062720513459813</id><published>2009-08-20T17:55:00.003-05:00</published><updated>2009-08-20T17:56:30.324-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Faith &amp; Fiction 2009-2010</title><content type='html'>I have picked up some extra leadership responsibilities at work, so I am no longer going to facilitate the Faith &amp; Fiction Book Club or blog.  It's been a wonderful experience these past few years!  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Blessings to you, and happy reading!&lt;br /&gt;Stephanie&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5301326869023606202-7475062720513459813?l=faithandfiction.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/feeds/7475062720513459813/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5301326869023606202&amp;postID=7475062720513459813&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/7475062720513459813'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/7475062720513459813'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/2009/08/faith-fiction-2009-2010.html' title='Faith &amp; Fiction 2009-2010'/><author><name>Stephanie</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/16652183637757989537</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5301326869023606202.post-6712014430846172672</id><published>2009-03-28T20:39:00.003-05:00</published><updated>2009-03-28T20:51:13.373-05:00</updated><title type='text'>April Meeting</title><content type='html'>Our next Faith &amp;amp; Fiction meeting is April 22nd at 7 PM.  We'll meet again at the Barnes &amp;amp; Noble Cafe to discuss &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;&lt;a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Year-of-Wonders/Geraldine-Brooks/e/9780142001431/?itm=1"&gt;Year of Wonders&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/span&gt;by Geraldine Brooks.  This novel about the plague in 1666 England is an excellent study in human relationships during times of crisis, as well as how our faith frays or strengthens.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Brooks's &lt;a href="http://www.geraldinebrooks.com/"&gt;website&lt;/a&gt; describes &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;Year of Wonders &lt;/span&gt;as "Set in 1666, &lt;em&gt;Year of Wonders&lt;/em&gt; follows a young woman's battle to save her family and her soul when the plague suddenly strikes the small Derbyshire village of Eyam."  This novel is based in part on this true story of how Eyam quarantined itself so many years ago.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Brooks is a wonderful author; her novel &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;March&lt;/span&gt; won the Pulitzer Prize in literature in 2006.  &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;Year of Wonders&lt;/span&gt; was published in 2001.  I enjoy reading it every year or two.  It is simply fantastic!  We hope you can join us!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;As an interesting side note, Catherine Zeta Jones has acquired the film rights to Brooks's most recent novel, &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;People of the Book&lt;/span&gt;.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5301326869023606202-6712014430846172672?l=faithandfiction.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/feeds/6712014430846172672/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5301326869023606202&amp;postID=6712014430846172672&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/6712014430846172672'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/6712014430846172672'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/2009/03/april-meeting.html' title='April Meeting'/><author><name>Stephanie</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/16652183637757989537</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5301326869023606202.post-6574149202782737630</id><published>2009-03-01T18:37:00.004-06:00</published><updated>2009-03-01T18:43:31.789-06:00</updated><title type='text'>NEW LOCATION! for March 25th Meeting</title><content type='html'>Faith &amp;amp; Fiction Book Club has to move it's meeting locations!  We love the Tazza di Cafe location, however, they are now closing at 7 PM (instead of 8 PM) during the winter.  So, after an emergency switcheroo in February, we discovered the Cafe in Barnes &amp;amp; Noble worked quite well for us . . . much quieter than Panera and they also serve some light cafe food for those without time to eat dinner beforehand.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Come join us MARCH 25th at 7 PM at the Mall of the Bluffs Barnes &amp;amp; Noble!  We will discuss &lt;a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Shack/William-P-Young/e/9780964729230/?itm=1"&gt;&lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;The Shack&lt;/span&gt; &lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you can't join us, feel free to comment and post opinions about &lt;a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Shack/William-P-Young/e/9780964729230/?itm=1"&gt;&lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;The Shack&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by William P. Young to this posting.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5301326869023606202-6574149202782737630?l=faithandfiction.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/feeds/6574149202782737630/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5301326869023606202&amp;postID=6574149202782737630&amp;isPopup=true' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/6574149202782737630'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/6574149202782737630'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/2009/03/new-location-for-march-25th-meeting.html' title='NEW LOCATION! for March 25th Meeting'/><author><name>Stephanie</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/16652183637757989537</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5301326869023606202.post-2221438720446744433</id><published>2009-01-05T18:20:00.002-06:00</published><updated>2009-01-05T18:26:25.242-06:00</updated><title type='text'>JAN 21: In Search of Eden</title><content type='html'>Join us on January 21st (7-8 PM) @ Tazza di Cafe in Valley View Village (Council Bluffs, IA) to discuss the heartwarming, unforgettable novel, &lt;a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/In-Search-of-Eden/Linda-Nichols/e/9780764201677/?itm=1"&gt;&lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;In Search of Eden&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Linda Nichols.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5301326869023606202-2221438720446744433?l=faithandfiction.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/feeds/2221438720446744433/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5301326869023606202&amp;postID=2221438720446744433&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/2221438720446744433'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/2221438720446744433'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/2009/01/jan-21-in-search-of-eden.html' title='JAN 21: In Search of Eden'/><author><name>Stephanie</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/16652183637757989537</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5301326869023606202.post-4997268417563801769</id><published>2008-11-19T22:47:00.002-06:00</published><updated>2008-11-19T22:58:53.758-06:00</updated><title type='text'>Spring 2009 Meeting Dates</title><content type='html'>&lt;pre style="font-family: georgia;"&gt;Stock up on the Spring 2009 Faith &amp;amp; Fiction books now . . . cozy up by the fire this winter and&lt;br /&gt;let's get reading!  Join us on the following dates:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;January 21 - &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;In Search of Eden&lt;/span&gt; by Linda Nichols - A contemporary Christian mystery,&lt;br /&gt;with some romance thrown in. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;February 25 - &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;A Bride Most Begrudging&lt;/span&gt; by Deeanne Gist - Historical Christian fiction, with a twist&lt;br /&gt;of romance (in honor of Valentine's month).  Set in Colonial America.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;March 25 - &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;The Shack&lt;/span&gt; by William P. Young - A recent best seller.  This one is . . . different.  It&lt;br /&gt;will make you think.  Love it?  Hate it?  Let us know!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;April 22- &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;Year of Wonders: A Novel of the Plague&lt;/span&gt; by Geraldine Brooks - Pulitzer Prize winning&lt;br /&gt;novelist, Brooks has written fantastic historical fiction set in an English village in 1666.  What&lt;br /&gt;happens as the villagers' faith frays (or strengthens) during an epidemic of the plague?  Inspired&lt;br /&gt;by a true story.  One of my favorite novels . . . ever.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;May 27 - &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;The Stones Cry Out&lt;/span&gt; by Sibella Giorello.  Contemporary Christian mystery.  FBI&lt;br /&gt;agent Raleigh Harmon must race to unravel the secrets behind a murder tied to a civil rights&lt;br /&gt;case.  Lots of twists and turns!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/pre&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5301326869023606202-4997268417563801769?l=faithandfiction.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/feeds/4997268417563801769/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5301326869023606202&amp;postID=4997268417563801769&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/4997268417563801769'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/4997268417563801769'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/2008/11/spring-2009-meeting-dates.html' title='Spring 2009 Meeting Dates'/><author><name>Stephanie</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/16652183637757989537</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5301326869023606202.post-3524634268651205641</id><published>2008-11-19T22:39:00.002-06:00</published><updated>2008-11-19T22:47:16.407-06:00</updated><title type='text'>December Meeting: "Skipping Christmas"</title><content type='html'>We had a fantastic meeting at Tazza di Caffe tonight (be sure to check out their Macadamia White Chocolate Latte . . . mmmmm)!  I think there was concensus on our opinion of Anne Rice's ability as an author.  While we probably would have not picked up &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt&lt;/span&gt; because we aren't fans of her vampire novels, we are so glad we read this book!  Her historical research really puts us in the place and time of Christ.  The narrative voice is fantastic! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Our next book is &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;Skipping Christmas&lt;/span&gt; by John Grisham.  We will be meeting December 17th.  This is a delightful, quick read about what happens when a couple decides to skip the commercialism of Christmas . . . and how the world reacts.  I'll update with more information later, but we're thinking of meeting to watch the movie &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;Christmas With the Kranks&lt;/span&gt;, based on the book.  Check back later!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Hope to see you then!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5301326869023606202-3524634268651205641?l=faithandfiction.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/feeds/3524634268651205641/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5301326869023606202&amp;postID=3524634268651205641&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/3524634268651205641'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/3524634268651205641'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/2008/11/december-meeting-skipping-christmas.html' title='December Meeting: &quot;Skipping Christmas&quot;'/><author><name>Stephanie</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/16652183637757989537</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5301326869023606202.post-6862221841310305242</id><published>2008-10-23T18:59:00.002-05:00</published><updated>2008-10-23T19:05:52.623-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Change of Meeting Date for November!</title><content type='html'>We had a nice meeting for Dee Henderson's murder-mystery &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;Before I Wake&lt;/span&gt; last night at Tazza di Caffe.  We would all agree that while it kept twisting and turning, there are some holes in the plot that we wanted to see wrapped up.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Our next meeting will NOT be November 26th; instead it will be &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;November 19th&lt;/span&gt; to avoid any conflict with Thanksgiving Day.  We will again meet at Tazza di Caffe on Valley View Drive to discuss &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt&lt;/span&gt; by Anne Rice.  This novel follows the birth of Jesus of Nazareth to age 12, when he makes the pilgrimmage with his family to the temple. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Rice does a lot of research to construct what those "missing years" were possibly like.  (Remember, this is a novel, which means it is &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;fiction&lt;/span&gt;!)  I think it is a plausible plot line (really, who knows what happened during that time), and voice is so stark and bare.  I enjoyed the book more than I expected to, mainly because I never had an interest in her vampire novels.  Rice also talks about her recent return to Christianity at the end of the novel. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Please join us on Wednesday, November 19th from 7-8 PM at Tazza di Caffe.  Stop in for a nice warm latte or mocha around the fireplace.  See you then!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5301326869023606202-6862221841310305242?l=faithandfiction.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/feeds/6862221841310305242/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5301326869023606202&amp;postID=6862221841310305242&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/6862221841310305242'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/6862221841310305242'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/2008/10/change-of-meeting-date-for-november.html' title='Change of Meeting Date for November!'/><author><name>Stephanie</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/16652183637757989537</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5301326869023606202.post-4692535123934956308</id><published>2008-08-03T22:12:00.002-05:00</published><updated>2008-08-03T22:18:56.462-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Fall 2008 Meeting Dates</title><content type='html'>&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;font-size:180%;" &gt;Ready?  Set . . . Read!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;September 24th &lt;/span&gt;@ 7 PM - &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;Redeeming Love&lt;/span&gt; by Francine Rivers at Tazza di Cafe on Valley View Drive (Council Bluffs, IA)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;October 22nd&lt;/span&gt; @ 7 PM- &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;Before I Wake&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;by Dee Henderson&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;November 26th &lt;/span&gt;@ 7 PM - &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt&lt;/span&gt; by Anne Rice&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;December 17th &lt;/span&gt;@ 7 PM -&lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;Skipping Christmas&lt;/span&gt; by John Grisham&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We usually meet for about an hour.  Locations to be determined soon the month of the meeting.  Most will be at Tazza di Cafe, Salem UMC, or Panera Bread.  We're open to other options, as well.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;For information about each specific book, please click on the book's link in the left column.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5301326869023606202-4692535123934956308?l=faithandfiction.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/feeds/4692535123934956308/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5301326869023606202&amp;postID=4692535123934956308&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/4692535123934956308'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/4692535123934956308'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/2008/08/fall-2008-meeting-dates.html' title='Fall 2008 Meeting Dates'/><author><name>Stephanie</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/16652183637757989537</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5301326869023606202.post-1869385123351859549</id><published>2008-07-17T11:27:00.002-05:00</published><updated>2008-07-17T11:40:16.235-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Finally!  The List Is Done!</title><content type='html'>&lt;span style="font-size:100%;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: arial;"&gt;Finally!  I've finished the list!  I know many of you have been waiting and asking . . . well, here it is!  You'll notice there are a few which weren't even on the "tentative" list posted in June.  Use the list on the left, and you can click on the titles to get more details from Barnes and Noble's website.  I'll be posting exact meeting dates and book order dates in the next week or so.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We'll be starting the year with Francine River's beloved classic &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;Redeeming Love&lt;/span&gt;.  Based on the Biblical book of Hosea, this novel is re-set and re-cast: in 1850 in California's gold country, Michael Hosea follows God's call to marry Angel, a prostitute.  This is a story of God's unconditional, unwavering, and redemptive love. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;Redeeming Love&lt;/span&gt; will be followed by the crime novel &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;Before I Wake&lt;/span&gt; by Dee Henderson, the deeply researched and passionately written &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt&lt;/span&gt; by Anne Rice (yes!  *THAT* Anne Rice), and the humorous look at the commercialization of the holidays &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;Skipping Christmas&lt;/span&gt; by John Grisham. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I think we have a pretty good line up here, with books that men and women of all ages will love.  If have any suggestions on meeting dates (move from Wednesday night to Saturday mornings, perhaps?) or meeting locations, please respond to this posting. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Happy Reading!&lt;br /&gt;Stephanie&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5301326869023606202-1869385123351859549?l=faithandfiction.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/feeds/1869385123351859549/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5301326869023606202&amp;postID=1869385123351859549&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/1869385123351859549'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/1869385123351859549'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/2008/07/finally-list-is-done.html' title='Finally!  The List Is Done!'/><author><name>Stephanie</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/16652183637757989537</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5301326869023606202.post-3882285998648031603</id><published>2008-06-17T11:53:00.002-05:00</published><updated>2008-06-17T12:01:29.082-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Happy Summer!</title><content type='html'>&lt;span style="font-size:100%;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"&gt;Hello, readers!  I hope you're having a wonderful summer, minus all those storms.  My husband, Dennis, and I experienced an evacuation while camping near Denison, IA, a week ago Saturday.  The cops came knocking on our door, we evacuated, and within 30 minutes, the river and camping area flooded!  Bless the Lord for the city police officer who came down to warn us! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I'm currently working on the reading list for the fall, and hope to have that finalized soon.  If there is a particular novel -- secular or Christian -- that you think would be an excellent read, please let me know by posting a reply here.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In the past, we've typically met on the last Wednesday evening of the month.  We're thinking about changing this meeting time to perhaps a Saturday morning.  Any thoughts or opinions??  Please post a reply here.  I'd appreciate feed back as to what we can do to increase our attendance a bit. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Some people have asked how many times they need to attend.  This is a "club" (a term I use loosely), but remember, you don't have to attend all the meetings.  We've had as few as 2 and as many as 10 attendees.  Some people just come once or twice a year, and that's OK! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Again, please post any thought, ideas, suggestions, or comments below! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5301326869023606202-3882285998648031603?l=faithandfiction.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/feeds/3882285998648031603/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5301326869023606202&amp;postID=3882285998648031603&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/3882285998648031603'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/3882285998648031603'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/2008/06/happy-summer.html' title='Happy Summer!'/><author><name>Stephanie</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/16652183637757989537</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5301326869023606202.post-5911100627845018109</id><published>2008-04-09T21:03:00.003-05:00</published><updated>2008-04-09T21:08:19.942-05:00</updated><title type='text'>April Meeting</title><content type='html'>One last book before summer: &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;The Dead Don't Dance&lt;/span&gt; by Charles Martin.  This is a novel that men and women both will love.  The main character, Dylan Styles, is a young self-reliant farmer who loses faith in himself, God, and the world around him when his wife's pregnancy and delivery go horribly wrong.  Filled with quirky Southern characters I love so well, you'll have a hard time forgetting this book. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We will meet again at Tazza de Caffe in Valley View Village from &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;7-8 PM on April 30th&lt;/span&gt;.  Grab a coffee and a Dutch Letter pastry ... YUM.  Very cozy place, indeed!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you can't make it to the meeting, feel free to post replies in regards to the novel.  We'd love to hear your ideas!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Also, if you have any ideas for changes or suggestions for next year's Faith &amp;amp; Fiction Book Club, please see the entry below from last month.  I'm open to new ideas and suggestions!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Happy Spring (but watch out for the snow that's coming!)&lt;br /&gt;Stephanie&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5301326869023606202-5911100627845018109?l=faithandfiction.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/feeds/5911100627845018109/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5301326869023606202&amp;postID=5911100627845018109&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/5911100627845018109'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/5911100627845018109'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/2008/04/april-meeting.html' title='April Meeting'/><author><name>Stephanie</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/16652183637757989537</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5301326869023606202.post-566574441889939658</id><published>2008-03-14T22:18:00.002-05:00</published><updated>2008-03-14T22:22:57.989-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Suggestions?</title><content type='html'>OK, so we are small group.  Very small.  But that's nice too.  However, we're wondering what you think we should do to grow.  I hear often from Salem members that they can't make it to the meetings, but they love reading the books.  What changes should we make for the Fall 2008/Spring 2009 season?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Is meeting off site something we should continue?  Or should we meet at Salem?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Should we change our meeting nights from Wednesday to a different night, perhaps even Sunday afternoons or Saturday mornings?&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;What do you think of the books?  Do we need more mainstream authors, like Kingsbury?  Or do you enjoy reading books that you may have never heard of?&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Do you have any suggestions for books for next go-round?  If so, please email me and let me know!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Thanks for your input!  If you don't know my email address, Amy Krueger at Salem can provide it for you.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Stephanie&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5301326869023606202-566574441889939658?l=faithandfiction.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/feeds/566574441889939658/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5301326869023606202&amp;postID=566574441889939658&amp;isPopup=true' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/566574441889939658'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/566574441889939658'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/2008/03/suggestions.html' title='Suggestions?'/><author><name>Stephanie</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/16652183637757989537</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5301326869023606202.post-1865472841154238687</id><published>2008-03-14T22:04:00.002-05:00</published><updated>2008-03-14T22:17:45.600-05:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='paul maier'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Christian'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='brenda rickman vantrease'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='linda lee chaikin'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Christian fiction'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='charles martin'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='historical fiction'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='book clubs'/><title type='text'>Yikes!</title><content type='html'>Wow!  I've gone an entire school quarter without posting.  Sorry, sorry, sorry!  Well, here's the latest with Faith &amp;amp; Fiction Book Club . . . we still meet every month. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Since Christmas, we've tackled some "heavier" historical fiction novels.  In January, we read &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;Daughter of Silk&lt;/span&gt; by Linda Lee Chaikin.  Those of us not familiar with the French language used the glossary often!  ha ha  We read &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;The Illuminator&lt;/span&gt; by Brenda Rickman Vantrease for February. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The consensus seemed to be that -- while these were not texts all members would pick up on their own -- they really enjoyed them and learned a lot about these historical periods.  We also have a new-found appreciation for the struggles the earlier Christians had to guarantee all Christians, especially Protestants, their religious freedoms.  Just being able to read the Bible in English would have been heretical several hundred years ago.  Praises to God for those before us who have blazed the path for modern Christianity.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Speaking of modern Christianity, our March 26th meeting will discuss &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;A Skeleton in God's Closet&lt;/span&gt; by Paul L. Maier.  This is a fantastic, fast-paced archeological thriller.  We'll be meeting at Tazza di Caffe on Valley View Drive in Council Bluffs from 7-8 PM.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Our final meeting of the spring will be April 30th, when we discuss &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;The Dead Don't Dance&lt;/span&gt; by Charles Martin.  I do love Southern Fiction, and this young Southern Christian fiction novelist has crafted one of my favorite books of all time.  This one will draw you in! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Stay tuned for the location of our last meeting.  Being a small group in a busy and growing church, we sort of get bounced around as rooms are moved and re-tooled or as other groups take precedence.  We're flexible, though, and have enjoyed taking our meetings "off campus."  Tazza di Caffe does have some fantastic Dutch Letters and the Dulce de Leche capuccino I had there in front of their fireplace was divine!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5301326869023606202-1865472841154238687?l=faithandfiction.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/feeds/1865472841154238687/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5301326869023606202&amp;postID=1865472841154238687&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/1865472841154238687'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/1865472841154238687'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/2008/03/yikes.html' title='Yikes!'/><author><name>Stephanie</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/16652183637757989537</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5301326869023606202.post-357306517354245573</id><published>2007-12-26T12:51:00.000-06:00</published><updated>2007-12-26T12:56:48.693-06:00</updated><title type='text'>The Christmas Wish</title><content type='html'>Whew!  What a busy season, when really what we should be doing is slowing down and remembering why we celebrate: the birth of Jesus Christ.  Obviously, I've been busy, since I'm posting this after the Christmas holiday.  Although, in many countries, it's not over yet!  Not until Epiphany (January 6th) with the arrival of the Three Kings.  In fact, that's when most Spanish and Latin American Christians exchange gifts.  But, I digress . . .&lt;br /&gt;    We met to discuss &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;The Christmas Wish&lt;/span&gt; at the Mall of the Bluffs Panera Bread several weeks ago and had a splendid time discussing not only this delightful little novella, but also our own Christmas traditions and what is going on in our lives right now. &lt;br /&gt;    Last Sunday, the Lifetime Channel broadcast a made-for-TV movie version of &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;The Christmas Wish&lt;/span&gt; starring Neil Patrick Harris and Debbie Reynolds.  It was pretty cute, and really followed the novella.  If you happen to think of it, try to read the book and then catch the movie next season.  That is, of course, if you're not too busy rushing through the holidays!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5301326869023606202-357306517354245573?l=faithandfiction.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/feeds/357306517354245573/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5301326869023606202&amp;postID=357306517354245573&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/357306517354245573'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/357306517354245573'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/2007/12/christmas-wish.html' title='The Christmas Wish'/><author><name>Stephanie</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/16652183637757989537</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5301326869023606202.post-8634073899874014966</id><published>2007-11-18T08:37:00.000-06:00</published><updated>2007-11-18T09:06:24.549-06:00</updated><title type='text'>December - April Info</title><content type='html'>&lt;div style="text-align: left;"&gt;December's novel, &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;The Christmas Wish&lt;/span&gt; by Richard Siddoway, is no longer in print.  Therefore, I can't take orders for new novels for you. :-(  You may, however, purchase used copies VERY inexpensively from &lt;a href="http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Wish-Richard-Siddoway/dp/0609604147/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&amp;amp;s=books&amp;amp;qid=1195396804&amp;amp;sr=8-11"&gt;Amazon&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href="http://www.ebay.com"&gt;eBay&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.ebay.com"&gt;.&lt;/a&gt;  The Council Bluffs Public Library also owns one copy.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I will be taking orders starting December 30th for the four spring novels.  Remember that when you order through Salem, you are receiving a special discount at Barnes &amp;amp; Noble even better than your own personal discount, if you have a B&amp;amp;N discount card.  If they have the books in stock, you'll get them as soon as I get them.  If they need to be ordered, it usually takes 5-7 business days, so there isn't much turn around time.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Here are the spring novels and our meeting dates:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;Daughter of Silk&lt;/span&gt; by Linda Lee Chaikin - Jan 30th ($11.12)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;The Illuminator&lt;/span&gt; by Brenda Rickman Vantrease - Feb 27th ($11.94)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;A Skeleton in God's Closet&lt;/span&gt; by Paul L. Maier - Mar 26th ($6.84 or $12.84)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;The Dead Don't Dance&lt;/span&gt; by Charles Martin - Apr 30th ($6.84 or $12.84)&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;The last two novels have two prices listed since they are available in paperback as well as in the smaller and less expensive reprint paperback sizes.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5301326869023606202-8634073899874014966?l=faithandfiction.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/feeds/8634073899874014966/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5301326869023606202&amp;postID=8634073899874014966&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/8634073899874014966'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/8634073899874014966'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/2007/11/december-april-info.html' title='December - April Info'/><author><name>Stephanie</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/16652183637757989537</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5301326869023606202.post-8337952352784440019</id><published>2007-11-18T08:23:00.000-06:00</published><updated>2008-12-08T16:55:15.773-06:00</updated><title type='text'>Keeping Faith - November 28th</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3TsxMQwpO2s/R0BOFqGLfuI/AAAAAAAAAAw/tgJt5BxDMoU/s1600-h/bookclubNOV.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3TsxMQwpO2s/R0BOFqGLfuI/AAAAAAAAAAw/tgJt5BxDMoU/s200/bookclubNOV.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5134189434308886242" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Join us as we discuss novelist Jodi Picoult's novel &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;Keeping Faith&lt;/span&gt;.  If you've never read any of her novels before, Picoult is a secular novelist who challenges what you think and what you believe about many contemporary issues.  I know that her novels always leave me in shock at the end ... I just never see the end happening that way, or I'm left with more questions!  They're just great because they are so compelling and controversial.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;As a side note, Ms. Picoult will be a featured author of the Council Bluff's Public Library's &lt;a href="http://www.cbpl.lib.ia.us/bas/"&gt;Bluffs Author Series&lt;/a&gt; in January.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Here are some &lt;a href="http://www.readinggroupguides.com/guides3/keeping_faith1.asp"&gt;discussion questions&lt;/a&gt; to think about as you read.  Feel free to bring discussion questions of your own with you!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We will most likely be meeting in the senior high room, since there is no longer a table for discussion in the library/sacristy.  Please read the sign upon entering Salem to find out exactly where the meeting will be held.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5301326869023606202-8337952352784440019?l=faithandfiction.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/feeds/8337952352784440019/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5301326869023606202&amp;postID=8337952352784440019&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/8337952352784440019'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/8337952352784440019'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/2007/11/keeping-faith-november-28th.html' title='Keeping Faith - November 28th'/><author><name>Stephanie</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/16652183637757989537</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3TsxMQwpO2s/R0BOFqGLfuI/AAAAAAAAAAw/tgJt5BxDMoU/s72-c/bookclubNOV.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5301326869023606202.post-7000968509106478931</id><published>2007-10-09T00:21:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2008-12-08T16:55:15.880-06:00</updated><title type='text'>October Meeting</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3TsxMQwpO2s/RwsQmp_SD6I/AAAAAAAAAAg/WQP8-hV7zhw/s1600-h/bookclubOCT07.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3TsxMQwpO2s/RwsQmp_SD6I/AAAAAAAAAAg/WQP8-hV7zhw/s200/bookclubOCT07.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5119203657729052578" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;Our next Faith &amp;amp; Fiction Book Club meeting will be &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Wednesday, October 24th&lt;/span&gt; from 7-8 PM at Salem UMC in the Sacristry/Library.  Enter the Sanctuary and go through the door to the LEFT of the altar.  The Library is the first door on your left.  Join us for our discussion of the chilling novel &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;THR3E&lt;/span&gt; by Ted Dekker.   There are no discussion questions that I can find for this novel, so please use the ones below for last month's book.  Bring some of your own, too!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I will be taking orders at this time for the November book, &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;Keeping Faith&lt;/span&gt; by Jodi Picoult.  We get a nice discount from Barnes &amp;amp; Noble, or you can pick this up on your own or check it out at the library.  I'll also be taking orders &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Sundays, October 21st &amp;amp; 28th&lt;/span&gt; between the services in the Fellowship Hall.  Please make checks in the amount of $12.84 payable to Salem.  You may also place orders for any future books at this time as well!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5301326869023606202-7000968509106478931?l=faithandfiction.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/feeds/7000968509106478931/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5301326869023606202&amp;postID=7000968509106478931&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/7000968509106478931'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/7000968509106478931'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/2007/10/october-meeting.html' title='October Meeting'/><author><name>Stephanie</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/16652183637757989537</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3TsxMQwpO2s/RwsQmp_SD6I/AAAAAAAAAAg/WQP8-hV7zhw/s72-c/bookclubOCT07.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5301326869023606202.post-3309690956018219912</id><published>2007-09-23T13:53:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2007-09-23T13:55:21.442-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Discussion Questions</title><content type='html'>Since there is no reader's guide or discussion questions created specifically for &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;The Blue Bottle Club&lt;/span&gt;, please use the following questions as a guide for Wednesday night's discussion.  Also, please bring an open-ended question of your own (you guys are so good at this already!). &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;What was unique about the setting(s) of the book? How did it enhance or take away from the story?&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;What specific themes did the author emphasize throughout the novel? What do you think he or she is trying to get across to the reader?&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Do the characters seem real and believable? Can you relate to their predicaments? To what extent do they remind you of yourself or someone you know?&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;How do characters change or evolve throughout the course of the story? What events trigger such changes?&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;In what ways do the events in the books reveal evidence of the author's world view?&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Did certain parts of the book make you uncomfortable? If so, why did you feel that way? Did this lead to a new understanding or awareness of some aspect of your life you might not have thought about before?&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5301326869023606202-3309690956018219912?l=faithandfiction.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/feeds/3309690956018219912/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5301326869023606202&amp;postID=3309690956018219912&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/3309690956018219912'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/3309690956018219912'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/2007/09/discussion-questions.html' title='Discussion Questions'/><author><name>Stephanie</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/16652183637757989537</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5301326869023606202.post-2380245148152803201</id><published>2007-09-09T15:59:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2008-12-08T16:55:16.016-06:00</updated><title type='text'>September Book Club</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3TsxMQwpO2s/RuRfEXO5EVI/AAAAAAAAAAY/Lo-V_ffghI8/s1600-h/bookclubSEPT07.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 256px; height: 191px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3TsxMQwpO2s/RuRfEXO5EVI/AAAAAAAAAAY/Lo-V_ffghI8/s320/bookclubSEPT07.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5108312405905576274" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div style="font-family: georgia;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:100%;"&gt;  Join us Wednesday, Sept. 26th from 7-8 PM at Salem for our first book  discussion of the new season.  We will be discussing Penelope J. Stoke's &lt;u&gt;The  Blue Bottle Club&lt;/u&gt;.  Set in 1929, four friends pledge their dreams for life.   This story will really make you think about the dreams you have planned and  about what God has planned for your life.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:100%;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt; &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:100%;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:georgia;"&gt;    If you'd like to order the October book,  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;u style="font-family: georgia;"&gt;THR3E&lt;/u&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:georgia;"&gt; by Ted Dekker, see Stephanie Miller in Fellowship Hall between  services on September 23rd &amp; 30th.  Barnes &amp;amp; Noble gives the church a  special discount, so the cost will only be $12.84.  Discussion of  this psychological Christian thriller will be November 24th from 7-8 PM at  Salem.  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5301326869023606202-2380245148152803201?l=faithandfiction.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/feeds/2380245148152803201/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5301326869023606202&amp;postID=2380245148152803201&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/2380245148152803201'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/2380245148152803201'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/2007/09/september-book-club.html' title='September Book Club'/><author><name>Stephanie</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/16652183637757989537</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3TsxMQwpO2s/RuRfEXO5EVI/AAAAAAAAAAY/Lo-V_ffghI8/s72-c/bookclubSEPT07.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5301326869023606202.post-3731414216278258328</id><published>2007-08-22T16:57:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2007-08-22T17:05:36.229-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Book List for Upcoming Year!</title><content type='html'>I've had several people ask when Faith &amp; Fiction will be starting up again, and what will we be reading. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;First of all, I'm not sure of the exact dates, because WOW hasn't been scheduled yet.  Best news, though, is that I do know what we'll be reading.  :-) &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;September = &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;The Blue Bottle Club&lt;/span&gt; by Penelope J Stokes&lt;br /&gt;October = &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;THR3E&lt;/span&gt; by Ted Dekker&lt;br /&gt;November = &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;Keeping Faith&lt;/span&gt; by Jodi Picoult&lt;br /&gt;December = &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;The Christmas Wish&lt;/span&gt; by Richard Siddoway&lt;br /&gt;January = &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;Daughter of Silk&lt;/span&gt; by Linda Lee Chaikin&lt;br /&gt;February = &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;The Illuminator&lt;/span&gt; by Brenda Rickman Vantrease&lt;br /&gt;March = &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;A Skeleton in God's Closet&lt;/span&gt; by Paul L. Maier&lt;br /&gt;April = &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;The Dead Don't Dance&lt;/span&gt; by Charles Martin&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I'll be posting more soon, so keep your eyes open!  Also, I'll be taking books orders, but dates have not yet been determined.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Happy Reading!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5301326869023606202-3731414216278258328?l=faithandfiction.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/feeds/3731414216278258328/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5301326869023606202&amp;postID=3731414216278258328&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/3731414216278258328'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/3731414216278258328'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/2007/08/book-list-for-upcoming-year.html' title='Book List for Upcoming Year!'/><author><name>Stephanie</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/16652183637757989537</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5301326869023606202.post-5601260112992280652</id><published>2007-08-05T11:49:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2007-08-05T12:01:41.549-05:00</updated><title type='text'>*** Sigh ***</title><content type='html'>Well, this is sad.  Summer is at an end, and I'm not quite sure where it went to or what happened to my postings.  I have been reading, I can guarantee that!  I've been using my membership to PaperBackSwap (see link @ bottom right) to get books that aren't available in the CB Public Library.  I have also posted *most* of my middle school classroom library on there, so for teachers out there, this is a very cheap way to get books for your classroom (from me, even!)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Anyway, I've been reading and of course meant to discuss each books as I finished it, but of course, that did not happen.  Go figure.  (Aren't summers supposed to be &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;relaxing&lt;/span&gt;?).  I would like to recommend &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.penelopejstokes.com/"&gt;The Blue Bottle Club&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/span&gt;by Penelope Stokes.   What a wonderful book, and really made me think about my own goals and dreams, and where I am along that route.  It also made me think of my grandmothers, who grew up in the same time period.  What were their goals and dreams?  What curves, hills, and valleys did they experience in their life. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I also read a wonderful trilogy by &lt;a href="http://nalauthors.com/author121"&gt;Ann Moore&lt;/a&gt;: &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;Gracelin O'Malley, Leaving Ireland, &lt;/span&gt;&amp;&lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt; 'Til Morning Light.  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;As I remember more of the novels I've read, I'll mention them.  I will be working on the fall/winter Faith and Fiction Book Club list and hope to have that posted in the next few weeks as well.  For those of you at Salem, Faith &amp; Fiction will start when WOW begins, most likely in September. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I hope you have had a blessed and relaxing summer, spending time with family and friends.  if you have any book suggestions, please let me know!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5301326869023606202-5601260112992280652?l=faithandfiction.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/feeds/5601260112992280652/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5301326869023606202&amp;postID=5601260112992280652&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/5601260112992280652'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/5601260112992280652'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/2007/08/sigh.html' title='*** Sigh ***'/><author><name>Stephanie</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/16652183637757989537</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5301326869023606202.post-8718972149034659774</id><published>2007-05-20T11:40:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2007-05-20T11:56:45.035-05:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Christy Awards'/><title type='text'>Christy Awards</title><content type='html'>I read.  A lot.  When I can.  I was a voracious reader as a child, even into high school.  I remember in the 6th grade being allowed to go into the junior high/high school library because I had pretty much read everything in the elementary side of the library.  Somewhere along the way, I stopped.  I guess life got in the way, and I didn't make time for reading.  Even though I was an English literature major in college, reading for pleasure was an unavailable luxury.  I'm still a very busy person, but instead of watching TV with my husband, I'll grab a book and head off to a different time and place.  It's much better than watching the 40,000th rerun of MASH or yet another battle on the History channel. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I'm a fiction reader.  I've never much cared for biographies or self help books.  I pick up what looks interesting.  If I like it, I like it.  If not, I give it 100 pages before I allow myself to put it down.  By then, I feel obligated to finish the book, so I have been known to finish some that probably weren't worth reading. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Selecting books for the Faith &amp; Fiction Book Club has been daunting.  While I enjoyed the books, who's to say that my preference in reading material is worthy?  I could have some strange, warped sense of literary style?  Luckily, others who have read the novels have enjoyed them too (or so they claimed. . .). &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;While surfing the 'net, I decided to Google the &lt;a href="http://www.christyawards.com/"&gt;Christy Awards&lt;/a&gt;, since I didn't really know much about them.  The Christy is an award given to Christian novelists . . . sort of like the Emmys or Oscars of Christian fiction. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Whew!  It appears my worries about my literary proclivities were for nothing . . . I was so surprised to see &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;Levi's Will&lt;/span&gt; on there, since we read it, as a 2006 Christy Award Winner.  Also, &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;Whence Came a Prince&lt;/span&gt; was a 2006 Christy winner and &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;Fair is the Rose&lt;/span&gt; is a 2007 nominee (both are part of the &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;Thorn in My Heart&lt;/span&gt; cycle by Liz Curtis Higgs, which we read this spring). &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you are looking for some good books to read this summer, you need look no further than the Christy website! I'll keep reading, and hopefully, those of you in my group won't think me too "weird" . . .&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5301326869023606202-8718972149034659774?l=faithandfiction.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/feeds/8718972149034659774/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5301326869023606202&amp;postID=8718972149034659774&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/8718972149034659774'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/8718972149034659774'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/2007/05/christy-awards.html' title='Christy Awards'/><author><name>Stephanie</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/16652183637757989537</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5301326869023606202.post-8956636334563145525</id><published>2007-05-09T22:39:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2007-05-09T22:53:09.598-05:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='anne rice'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Christian fiction'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='sheri reynolds'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='fiction'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='book clubs'/><title type='text'>Ready for Summer?</title><content type='html'>I am certainly ready for the summer break.  Only five school days left with students.  My garden is growing, growing, growing -- along with the grass.  Tulips are done blooming and irises are budding.  Hopefully in between curriculum development, research for my master's degree, helping my husband, digging my desk out from under the paper mountain I need to file (no time to do that while teaching!), landscaping our patio, etc., etc., I'll have some time to Oh, perhaps read a book this summer? &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I continue to add books to the recommended reading list as I read them or as I remember them.  There are so many good ones, and I know I've forgotten many.  I am also working on selecting books for the next round of Faith and Fiction, starting in the Fall of 2007.  I'm 95% certain that &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;Rapture of Canaan&lt;/span&gt; by Sheri Reynolds and &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;CHRIST THE LORD: Out of Egypt&lt;/span&gt; by Anne Rice (yes, &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;that&lt;/span&gt; Anne Rice!) will be on the list for the fall, if you'd like to read ahead. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I owned the Reynolds book before it was an Oprah Book Club book (I usually don't read those, don't know why?).  I just love Southern Fiction with its quirky characters and twisting plots, so this continues to be a favorite I'd like to share with others.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I've never been to into Anne Rice and her vampire stories, and thought it a strange leap for her to make.  However, she returned to her Christian (Catholic) heritage some years ago.  CHRIST THE LORD is a  fantastically researched, extremely well written account of Christ's early years, based on New Testament and scholarly research.  Not dry at all, Rice presents a complex young Yeshua, trying to figure out who he is in the grand scheme of life.  A sequel is in the works for release in the near future as well. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;If you have any suggestions, please reply to this posting!&lt;/span&gt;  I know I'm always looking for a good read, as are others!  Happy Summer &amp;amp; God Bless!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5301326869023606202-8956636334563145525?l=faithandfiction.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/feeds/8956636334563145525/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5301326869023606202&amp;postID=8956636334563145525&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/8956636334563145525'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/8956636334563145525'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/2007/05/ready-for-summer.html' title='Ready for Summer?'/><author><name>Stephanie</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/16652183637757989537</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5301326869023606202.post-6805955775096141857</id><published>2007-04-20T23:51:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2007-04-21T00:03:03.189-05:00</updated><title type='text'>May 2007</title><content type='html'>We have another man as our main character: the fierce German gladiator Atretes facing his fears and his faith in the Roman empire in the novel &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;As Sure as the Dawn&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;.   ASAD is actually the third in the Mark of the Lion series by the incomparable &lt;a href="http://www.francinerivers.com/"&gt;Francine Rivers&lt;/a&gt;.  However, you do not need to read the first two in order to follow along in the third. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;   As we head into the last meeting of this W.O.W season, I must share my thanks and appreciation for all the fellow book lovers at Salem who join me every month!  It has been a delight to discuss these novels and delve into other times, places, and lives, all the while sharing a bit of ourselves.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;   Though we have mostly women in attendance, men are always welcome.  A big thanks to Cal B. who joined our February meeting to discuss &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;The Red Tent&lt;/span&gt;.  Cal, you are a phenomenal man!  Guys, if you haven't had a chance to read April's book &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;Levi's Will&lt;/span&gt;, you really should do so!  What a fantastic story about the ties that bind fathers to sons.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;  If you have any suggestions for next year (Sept 07-May 08), feel free to post your ideas and let me know.  I'm currently working on that list.  Otherwise I look forward to seeing you on May 9th or reading your thoughts here on this blog!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5301326869023606202-6805955775096141857?l=faithandfiction.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/feeds/6805955775096141857/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5301326869023606202&amp;postID=6805955775096141857&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/6805955775096141857'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/6805955775096141857'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/2007/04/may-2007.html' title='May 2007'/><author><name>Stephanie</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/16652183637757989537</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5301326869023606202.post-1419311425834513125</id><published>2007-04-06T22:43:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2007-04-06T22:53:38.336-05:00</updated><title type='text'>April 2007</title><content type='html'>Join us April 18th for a discussion of W. Dale Cramer's &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;Levi's Will&lt;/span&gt;, an award winning novel recognized by Christian and secular reviewers for its depth and quality.  This is certainly a novel that will "stay with you" for some time to come.  Men are always welcome, and this book is one women will love and men will be drawn to.  Learn more about W. Dale Cramer and his novels at his&lt;a href="http://www.dalecramer.com"&gt; website&lt;/a&gt;.  There's no study guide at the back of this book -- bring a question or two for others to discuss!  Or, post questions here for people to ponder in advance!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5301326869023606202-1419311425834513125?l=faithandfiction.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/feeds/1419311425834513125/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5301326869023606202&amp;postID=1419311425834513125&amp;isPopup=true' title='2 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/1419311425834513125'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/1419311425834513125'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/2007/04/april-2007.html' title='April 2007'/><author><name>Stephanie</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/16652183637757989537</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>2</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5301326869023606202.post-210297173090042955</id><published>2007-03-25T16:45:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2007-03-25T16:55:28.087-05:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='higgs'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Christian'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='fiction'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='book clubs'/><title type='text'>March 2007</title><content type='html'>Our next Faith &amp; Fiction Book Club meeting is Wednesday, March 28th, 7 PM @ Salem UMC.  We'll be discussing &lt;a href="http://www.lizcurtishiggs.com/Fiction/Thorn/thorn.htm"&gt;&lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;Thorn in My Heart&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, the first book of a series by Liz Curtis Higgs.  Higgs provides an excellent &lt;a href="http://www.lizcurtishiggs.com/Fiction/thornguides/bible%20study.htm"&gt;Bible Study Guide&lt;/a&gt; online . . . which aligns Bible verses to different sections of the text (in addition to the book discussion guide questions at the end of the novel). &lt;br /&gt;    I love reading the quotes at the start of each chapter (and then re-reading them when each chapter is over).  Liz Curtis Higgs states on her website that her favorite is &lt;span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;"  &gt;“A winter’s night, a woman’s     mind, and a laird’s purpose aften change.”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:100%;"&gt;  (Scottish proverb)&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;  &lt;span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"&gt;  Which one is your favorite?   &lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5301326869023606202-210297173090042955?l=faithandfiction.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/feeds/210297173090042955/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5301326869023606202&amp;postID=210297173090042955&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/210297173090042955'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/210297173090042955'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/2007/03/march-2007.html' title='March 2007'/><author><name>Stephanie</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/16652183637757989537</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5301326869023606202.post-1574419485174407039</id><published>2007-03-25T16:37:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2007-03-25T16:45:24.813-05:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='diamant'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Christian'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='kingsbury'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='gulley'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='fiction'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='book clubs'/><title type='text'>November 2006 - Current Book Club</title><content type='html'>Here's what we've read so far in Faith &amp; Fiction:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;ol&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.philipgulleybooks.com/christmasinharmony.html"&gt;Christmas in Harmony&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&amp;  &lt;a href="http://www.philipgulleybooks.com/christmasscrapbook.html"&gt;&lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;The Christmas Scrapbook&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Philip Gulley (Nov &amp; Dec)&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.karenkingsbury.com/books/standAloneTitles/oceansApart/"&gt;&lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;Ocean's Apart&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt; by Karen Kingsbury (January)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.anitadiamant.com/theredtent.asp?page=books&amp;book=theredtent"&gt;&lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;The Red Tent&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.anitadiamant.com/theredtent.asp?page=books&amp;book=theredtent"&gt; &lt;/a&gt;by Anita Diamant (February)&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ol&gt;Any comments about these texts since our discussion?  Any comments from readers outside of Salem?  I'd love to hear from you!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5301326869023606202-1574419485174407039?l=faithandfiction.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/feeds/1574419485174407039/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5301326869023606202&amp;postID=1574419485174407039&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/1574419485174407039'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5301326869023606202/posts/default/1574419485174407039'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://faithandfiction.blogspot.com/2007/03/november-2006-current-book-club.html' title='November 2006 - Current Book Club'/><author><name>Stephanie</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/16652183637757989537</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry></feed>
