Doug & Jackie Christie Join Me LIVE on Nov. 11!

Lasting marriages aren't the norm in today's society, and while there are a wealth of "how-to" books available, it is inspiring to read about couples who are working right now to keep their marriage healthy and thriving.

Doug Christie,14-year NBA star, and his wife, Jackie, a former fashion model, will be joining me on The Rapturous Reader on BlogTalkRadio to discuss "No Ordinary Love: A True Story of Marriage and Basketball"; the first of many books to come out of their publishing company, Infinite Love Publishing. Join us to learn how they have sustained a strong marriage in the highly publicized and criticized world of the NBA.

Join us on Sunday, November 11, 2007 for our LIVE! discussion with Doug and Jackie Christie, and learn more about their recent book.

Click below to see what time the discussion will be LIVE! in your area!

Infinite Love Publishing

An Interview With Linda F. Beed, Author of "Business Unusual"

TRR: Tell us about you.

LFB:I am a sold out woman of God, a wife, a mother and grandmother with a fierce passion for life. That passion has found avenues to travel through my writing, as an educator and Children’s minister.

TRR: When and why did you decide to become an author?

LFB: For years I picked up this manuscript then put it away. Two years ago I knew I had to either follow through with publishing or walk totally away from it.

TRR: Tell us about Business Unusual.

LFB: Business Unusual invites readers into the private world of Bernadette Lewis. She is learned, accomplished and walks without apology for the life many only dream of having. Her senses tell her that she is ready to go to the next level in terms of her business. What she will discover is that there is something required of her in order for this to happen.

During this time of seeking, Bernadette is faced with the forced re-acquaintance with a grandmother she has ritually despised. She must deal with the possibility of a key employee acting up. Add to that, her meeting the one man her father warned each woman would meet at least once in their lives. He also advised that when she did, she should walk away. Decisions to be made are intricate to not only her future, but that of generations to come.

TRR: What inspired you to write it?

LFB: On a whim I entered a short story contest. As I wrote, I thought it could become a novel, but dismissed the thought because my formal education was not in the literary field. After my sister read it she encouraged me to make it into a novel, in order for her to read the end of the story. Her words were the encouragement I needed.

TRR: Bernadette begins having dreams where she is standing before a house with 3 doors, which is depicted on the cover of the book. Tell us about this, without explaining the meaning. The listeners will have to read that for themselves!

LFB: In the midst of our madness God will speak to us. Via a repetitive dream Bernadette is being told what she refuses to hear from others.

TRR: Towards the end of the book, there is a powerful statement that says, "...When I marry, it will be to a man rooted in and walking with God because it takes more than human love to sustain a marriage." What message do you hope other women (and men) get from reading Business Unusual?

LFB: My prayer is that my readers will hear God speaking to them from the pages. He is telling us how valuable we are to Him and that we do not have to settle for second, third or fourth, because He has provided the best for us. We just need to connect to Him, listen and obey.

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Join us on October 28, 2007 for our LIVE discussion with Linda F. Beed, and learn more about her recent novel, Business Unusual.

Click below to see what time the discussion will be LIVE in your area!

What's Next For Kendra Norman-Bellamy?

During Sunday's blogtalkradio interview with Kendra Norman-Bellamy, I asked her, "What's next?", and she shared information about a number of projects. One that she is especially excited about is Cruisin' for Christ II, which she says gives her chills just thinking about it. Those "chills" are contagious, because now, I too am excited. So let's all grab our credit cards, and book our reservations now! The deadline for locking in the prices with a $25.00 per person deposit ($250.00 pp/Suit) is due October 17, 2007.

She also has two book projects that will release in April 2008. One is a short story in an anthology called Rugged Roses, that will release through Harlequin (New Spirit imprint), and the other is Battle of Jericho, which releases through Urban books (Urban Christian imprint). Rugged Roses is a collection of three dramatic stories that surround the ups and downs of mother/daughter relationships. Her story in that anthology is entitled The Cracked Mirror. Battle of Jericho is the second book in The Shelton Heights Series, and is a follow up novel to In Greene Pastures.

Ohh, one more thing..Guess what is on her reading table?

• Monica McKayhan's "The Evening After"
  
• T.D. Jake's "Reposition Yourself."
  
  

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Recent Reader Roundtable Discussion

I just love book discussions! Don't you? I had an absolutely wonderful time on Sunday, discussing Anjuelle Floyd's book, Keeper of Secrets..Translations of an Incident.

Joining me for the roundtable discussion were Dr. Linda Beed, author of the new novel, Business Unusual, and Lisa G. Riley, author of 4 novels and 3 novellas, including, Bound To Ecstasy. My special guest was the author, Anjuelle Floyd, who listened in and joined us as we weaved our way through four of the eight stories; sharing our perspectives on the character's relationships, decisions, and secrets. You can listen to our discussion by clicking onto the media player, or by visiting my archive shows at The Rapturous Reader on blogtalkradio.

If you've read the book, leave me a comment and let me know your thoughts. For example:

• What was your impression of Raven, and what did you think about her decisions? Did you think there was something else keeping her awake at night, rather than the cries of her baby? Why did you think Raven got involved in the incident?

• What did you think about Lahni's doubts and choices? Why do you think she kept her secret from her husband? Why was Sahel ambivalent? What did you think about the relationship between her husband and her childhood friend?

Meet Essence Magazine Bestselling Author Kendra Norman-Bellamy!

Join Us LIVE! Oct. 14.

TRR: When did you first begin writing?

KNB: I still recall the first time I ever tried to write in an artistic manner. I was ten years old and my fifth grade teacher challenged the class to do something creative for our mothers for Mother’s Day. At that moment I decided I’d write my mom a poem. Admittedly, the four-line verse that I wrote that day was quite awful, but ironically, it became the seed that in due course, flourished into an amazing career.

TRR: I’ve seen your works classified as Christian Fiction and Romance. How would you categorize your works?

KNB: I write Christian fiction. Romance is my favorite genre and readers can most likely determine that when they read my novels. However, while romantic scenes can always been found in my stories, there are certain of my novels where drama or mystery might be the larger flavor.

TRR: Would you consider your writing as a ministry?

KNB: Ohh, absolutely! Every time I embark on crafting a new story, I pray for God’s guidance. I don’t just want to write a book that’s entertaining. I want readers to find my work uplifting, inspirational and even life-changing. My prayer is that there is always a message in my stories that will touch the hearts of those who read it. God gave me a prison ministry through my novels and I’ve known people to come to know the Lord on a deeper, more personal level after reading some of my titles. So, yes; I definitely see it as a ministry and I feel quite blessed to be used of God in this manner.

TRR: One reviewer on Amazon.com said of your book, “you have your suspense, romance, humor and reality along with the Presence of God.” Most of your titles have a romantic flair, yet this one has a mystery undertone. Tell us about In Greene Pastures.

KNB: In Greene Pastures is my first published novel that I categorize as a romantic suspense. I suppose all of my books are a bit enthralling, but the dose of mystery in In Greene Pastures is the more prominent ingredient whereas it is secondary in my other books. In Greene Pastures is really a bona fide whodunit. A prominent, well-respected preacher is found dead and his family, congregation and the city as a whole are left wondering whether his death was an accident or murder. This book is the first in what has been hailed “The Shelton Heights Series.” Each book in this three-book collection will surround the lives of families that live in a notorious neighborhood called Shelton Heights, and each of the installments will comprise of a healthy dose of suspense with a dash of romance.

TRR: You are the founder and organizer of the recent Cruisin’ for Christ 2007, and I read you regard it as “mission accomplished”. Why?

KNB: I just get overwhelmed with joy every time I think of this massive undertaking. Cruisin’ For Christ 2007 (www.CruisinForChrist.org) was a challenge that God placed in my lap unannounced; and making it a reality was no easy task. Yet, as I planned this mission, everything I needed was provided in miraculous fashion. I dub it “mission accomplished” because every hope and dream that I had throughout the planning process of the cruise was realized at sea. In fact, the cruise exceeded my expectations by leaps and bounds. I wanted the cruise to be both a source of entertainment and a means of ministry and that’s exactly what it was. We’ve already started planning for Cruisin’ For Christ II, and it promises to be even more marvelous.

Join us on October 14, 2007 for our LIVE discussion with Kendra Norman-Bellamy, and learn more about her recent novel, In Greene Pastures.

Click below to see what time the discussion will be LIVE in your area!