She Reads Winter Selections 2009

“Literature is a luxury; fiction is a necessity.”

-G. K. Chesterton

The She Reads selection comittee has read dozens of novels over the last few months. And each of us has been struck with the same thought: “There are some spectacular story tellers in the Christian market.”

Narrowing all those books down to three was more difficult than we ever thought it would be. And yet, the books you’ll find below are the ones that moved us. They often made us laugh. Sometimes we cried uncontrollably. But more than anything else, we found Jesus on these pages. And we hope that you do too.

So without further ado, She Reads is delighted to present our 2009 Winter Selections:

Talking to the Dead by Bonnie Grove:

Bonnie Grove started writing when her parents bought a typewriter, and she hasn’t stopped since. Trained in Christian Counseling, theology and psychology, she developed and wrote strength-based social programs for families at risk while landing articles and stories in anthologies. She is the author of the non-fiction Your Best You: Discovering and Developing the Strengths God Gave You; and Talking to the Dead: a Novel.

Bonnie’s ministry has spanned decades and includes such varied activities as leading street drama, door to door evangelism, Divorce Care, Alpha and other compassionate care ministries. She is a small group leader of a women’s ministry group. Bonnie speaks to women’s groups about how to discover and use their strengths. Her husband, Steve, is the Senior Pastor of Louise Street Community Church of the Nazarene in Saskatchewan, Canada. They have two children, Benjamin and Heather.

You can read the first chapter of Talking to the Dead here.

Scared by Tom Davis

Stuart Davis has hit bottom.  Once a celebrated and award-winning photojournalist, he is now reeling from debt, a broken marriage, and a crippling depression.  The source of Stuart’s grief is his most famous photo: a snapshot of brutality in the dangerous Congo.  A haunting image that indicts him as a passive witness to gross injustice.

Stuart is given one last chance to redeem his career: a make-or-break assignment covering the AIDS crisis in a small African country.  It is here that Stuart meets Adanna, a young orphan fighting for survival in a community ravaged by tragedy and disease.  But in the face of overwhelming odds, Adanna finds hope in a special dream, where she is visited by an illuminated man and given a precious gift.

Now, a dark place that’s a world away from home, Stuart will once again confront the harsh reality of suffering people in forgotten land.  And as a chance encounter becomes divine providence, two very people will find their lives forever changed.

Tom Davis currently serves as CEO of Children’s HopeChest, a global orphan care ministry headquartered in Colorado Springs. A tireless advocate for fatherless children, Davis has spent most of his adult life calling U.S. believers to become the hands and feet of Jesus Christ to the 143 million orphans living around the world. Through those connections, thousands of orphans now have the bright and hopeful future–one that is filled with opportunities and the love of the one true Father. Davis speaks hundreds of times each year at churches and conferences, mobilizing the church to action on behalf of the poor. He is the author of four books. His most recent novel, SCARED is a fictionalized account of his first-hand experiencing living and working with orphans in Swaziland, Africa. Davis’ blog, www.cthomasdavis.com is the premier resource for the latest developments in Christian orphan ministry. Davis also currently teaches courses as adjunct professor at George Fox University in Newberg, OR.

When not traveling the globe, Davis resides in the mountains of Colorado in the small community of Palmer Lake. He and his wife Emily have seven children, including two adopted daughters from Russia.

You can read the first chapter of SCARED here.

Fireflies in December by Jennifer Erin Valent:

Jessilyn Lassiter never knew that hatred could lurk in the human heart until the summer of 1932 when she turned 13. When her best friend, Gemma, loses her parents in a tragic fire, Jessilyn’s father vows to care for her as one of his own, despite the fact that Gemma is black and prejudice is prevalent in their southern Virginia town. Violence springs up as a ragtag band of Ku Klux Klan members unite and decide to take matters into their own hands. As tensions mount in the small community, loyalties are tested and Jessilyn is forced to say good-bye to the carefree days of her youth.

Jennifer Erin Valent is the 2007 winner of the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild’s Operation First Novel contest for Fireflies in December, her first published novel. She is also the author of Cottonwood Whispers, the sequel to Fireflies in December, and is hard at work on Catching Moondrops, the third book in the series, due out in the Fall of 2010. Jennifer lives in Central Virginia where she has worked as a nanny for over fifteen years. A lifelong resident of the South, her surroundings help to color the scenes and characters she writes.

You can read the first chapter to Fireflies in December here.

Should you care to purchase any of these books, we humbly ask that you consider buying them from Proverbs 31 Ministries. All profits go to support this wondering women’s ministry. In addition, you will automatically be registered for a free conference call with the authors when you purchase the novel from Proverbs (details will be e-mailed to you after you check out).

We look forward to hearing what you think of these spectacular novels!