Welcome to those of you stopping in after reading Susan Meissner’s devotion today! We are delighted that you’re here and hope that you will visit again.
And your timing couldn’t be better. The wonderful folks at Waterbrook Press are giving one lucky reader the journal and pen pictured below in honor of Susan Meissner. That winner will also receive a copy of Susan’s novel, The Shape of Mercy, and her new release, White Picket Fences (which releases tomorrow, October 6th).
But don’t despair. Even though we can only have one grand-prize winner, four more lucky readers will receive copies of each novel.
To be eligible for the giveaway, simply leave a comment below or sign up for our monthly newsletter. The winners will be randomly selected on Wednesday, October 7th.
***(As an aside, if you signed up for our newsletter during the month of September, technical difficulties prevented us from saving your contact information. If you have not already done so, would you consider signing up again? Trust us, you don’t want to miss our winter newsletter!)
To read the first chapter of The Shape of Mercy, click here.
Susan has also graciously provided She Reads a variety of book club resources, including recipes, discussion questions, and activities. You can access those here for free.
Book Summary – The Shape of Mercy
Leaving a life of privilege to strike out on her own, Lauren Durough breaks with her family’s expectations and takes a part-time job from eighty-three-year-old librarian Abigail Boyles. The mysterious employer asks Lauren to transcribe the journal entries of her ancestor Mercy Hayworth, a victim of the Salem witch trials.
Immediately, Lauren finds herself drawn to this girl who lived and died four centuries ago. As the fervor around the witch accusations increases, Mercy becomes trapped, unable to fight the overwhelming influence of snap judgments and superstitions. Lauren realizes that the secrets of Mercy’s story extend beyond the pages of her diary, living on in the mysterious, embittered Abigail.
The secret of her affinity with Mercy forces Lauren to take a startling new look at her own life, including her relationships with Abigail, her college roommate, and a young man named Raul. But on the way to the truth, will Lauren find herself playing the helpless defendant of the misguided judge? Can she break free from her own perceptions and see who she really is?
Susan Meissner believes that books take us to places we have perhaps only imagined and introduce us to intriguing people – both real and invented – whose lives inspire, teach and sometimes transform us. She knows that books entertain but they can also enlighten and educate; they can motivate us to attempt great things. That is her goal as a writer, that the stories she pens will always leave readers with a message of hope after they have read the last page.
Susan has penned eleven novels in addition to The Shape of Mercy (2009 ECPA Book of the Year winner). Some of her other works include: Blue Heart Blessed (2009 Inspirational Readers Choice Awards, winner for Long Contemporary Novel), White Picket Fences, and Why The Sky Is Blue.
Susan Meissner has been feeding her love of writing all her life. Her first novel, Why the Sky is Blue, was released in 2004, after she resigned her post as editor for a local newspaper in a rural Minnesota town. Since that time she has had several books published and moved to San Diego, where she lives with her family.
If you are interested in The Shape of Mercy, would you consider purchasing it from Proverbs 31 Ministries? All proceeds from book sales go to support this powerful women’s ministry.
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I am so excited about this site! Every time I check my e-mail I am looking for She Reads in the from column. The best thing about this site is I know the books you suggest will be appropriate and encourage my relationship with Christ. Thank You!
I am so excited about this blog after finding it through the P31 devotional today. I’m always looking for great books to read – thanks so much for putting it together!
thank you! I love Susan Meissner books. thanks for writing about ‘real’ topics.
I love the P31 website and daily devotional delivered to my email every day. I love to read what these wonderful writers share. I am an avid reader and would love at chance a winning today’s giveaway.
Thanks for creating a special place on the internet.
Lisa
How exciting to find this blog and to be encouraged daily with these devotionals!! Thank you!!!
I am a new P31 reader and am glad to find all the resources. Thanks!
Sooo glad I found this site via P31 devotional today! Count me in!
I have been awed and inspired by your comments! Thanks for your affirming words, everyone. And thanks for taking part in this giveaway and the She Reads Book Club. It’s a fabulous place to connect with other readers!
I am so thankful for your P31 devotion today…what an encouragement!
Blessings,
Denise
I am about halfway through the book, and I’m loving it! It’s hard to put it down–gotta work on that “self-control,” lol!
I love all the devotions and blogs of each of the ladies at P31!!!
I am so encouraged every morning after reading the devotionals from all these different women authors and mothers and wives…It is such a blessing to be able to watch God move in the lives of others and especially women which is what I am trying to figure out how to be. What a way to learn.
I’m very excited about She Reads!!
I am an avid reader and am excited to be a part of She Reads. Also, I enjoy the daily devotionals provided by Prov. 31.
Her books sound wonderful. I would enjoy winning one!
Great devotion on P31 today! Thanks for the insight! Can’t wait to read your book!
What a wonderful devotion today. Very timely for me.
Today’s devotional was definitely a God moment for me. As I read a chapter of Psalms today, my eye was caught by verse 5 in Psalm 53,
“There they were,
overwhelmed with dread,
where there was nothing to dread…”
Immediately I knew that God was speaking to me and my fears. Thank you, Susan for sharing your story of fear and realization that we spend too much time convinced that something is true when it is not. I am listening!
I would love the opportunity to be in a drawing for these books.I really enjoy the daily devotions from proverbs31 so Life w/Jesus inspiring…when life can be just plain hard.
To all the ladies at P31, thank you for your hard work. I am so excited about She Reads.
I love reading the devotions that I get from P31 through Crosswalk.com.
I like to read and hopefully will be able to read the two books by Susan Messiner.
Great giveaway!
I am a new Proverbs31 reader and wow am I glad to find all new the resources. Thanks!
Thanks for the opportunity and love the site!!!
I so enjoy reading your newsletter…know it’s always a blessing! And please count me in for the fictional book drawing…thank you for offering such.
I just discovered this wonderful blog…Please add my name to this fabulous giveaway…I so enjoy Susan Meissner’s books…always a wonderful/inspirational story.
I was fortunate enough to be introduced to Susan by our librarian so I got to read Why the sky is blue as my introduction – couldn’t put it down!! The Shape of Mercy is not yet in New Zealand shops so I would love to win a copy. The journal is enough to start anyone on a fresh writing journey! Bless you for encouraging readers and authors
Always looking for a good book. Also, the P31 devotions are a must read for me every day! Thank you for making God’s Word come alive with meaning for my life. It is amazing how God speaks to me through these emails.
Thanks again, everyone, for your enthusiasm for this book, She Reads and this beautiful journal. You have blessed me today more than I can say. . .
Please enter me in the drawing. I love fiction but have been disappointed by Christian novels over the years. The mission of She Reads, to promote a new era of Christian fiction, gives me hope for more subtly complex characters and challenging story lines. Yay for Susan! I’ll be looking for your books next time I go to the library!
I would love to win. And I love Susan’s books-I have read them all. clairjuly at yahoo dot com
I enjoy reading my p31 daily devotions and I love reading good christian fiction novels. Thank you all for offering inspiration through real life devotions!
Fran
I am so excited to find this website and ministry. I love reading but get overwhelmed with what to read … this will lead me in the right direction!!
I am so interested in the Book Club! Now, to form a group and get it going… can’t wait to read the new book!
Thank you for being here. Just found you yesterday. God must have led me here. Can’t remember how I got here. Praise God He is in control. After 40+ years I have rediscovered the joy of reading. Thanks for the inspiration you share.
The eyes of the Lord are upon the Righteous and His ears are opened to their prayers. Thank God for your life sister and the good work the Lord is using you to do. Your labor of love will not be in vain. Remain blessed.
I was very excited to have this site recommended to read. I look forward to enjoying it on a regular basis!
I would love to win the grand prize – I journal daily and am always looking for beautiful, unique journals. And of course, I would be delighted to win Susans’ books!
edwina.cowgill@yahoo.com
Wow! I love it when I discover a hidden treasure. This section of P31 is a true uncovered jewel for me. Thanks!
Ha ha I can just see you bracing for the bat to begin
flapping about ur head. We do need to look at things thru
His eyes! Iam new to P31 devotionand am lovin’ them. Thank
you and God bless!
I really enjoyed the devotional today. It is so easy to let fear color what we see, hear or think. Thank you.
The devotional on fear was a powerful thing, I always fear because I have OCD and it overshadows everything. But like the “bat”, maybe it is just a shadow, I just need to face the fears and turn on the light – believe in myself and my ability to handle things.
I’m always running scared instead of running towards the light.
I can relate to “things that aren’t as though they were.” Good article, great website; glad to know it’s here. I look forward to the daily devotionals each morning.
This book sounds wonderful! God bless!
I love the books. I am currently reading A Slow Burn, and it is wonderful. I read to relax and I want to thank you for these books. Will the third book be coming out soon, or am I missing something?
I agree that novels can be so much more than entertainment. Looking forward to finding great reads here.
Thank you so much, I love to read.
I am so glad I signed up for the newsletter I find it so inspiring. The last few years seem to have been an uphill battle but I think I am getting closer to the summit & the awwessome view God provides & this newsletter seems to always have the right words for me at the right time (thank you Holy Trinity for divine words & people who listen to & for Your voice). I would love to win the book & the beautiful journal I haven’t won anything in a drawing in a very long tome, lol. Anyway thank you for such a great site and newsletter. May God continue to bless this ministry & have it grow & spread around the world.
Ok, I might be too late for the giveaway, but I wanted to post anyway. I’ve already gotten The Shape of Mercy and it is my favorite book of the year. I have recommended it to all my friends and family. I know I should donate my copy to the church library, but I don’t think I can let it go. Guess I’ll be buying another copy!
This is a great giveaway! I would love to be entered. I’m always looking for new books by authors that are new to me.
Julie
sweetpea.hull@gmail.com
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