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Monday, December 31, 2012

Stand Out Books of 2012

Hi friends. It's that time of year again for me to mention some of my favorite books I've read. Of course, this year the situation has been complicated by the fact that I've been editing for WhiteFire and critiquing for a number of published authors. So in addition to including older books that I've read in 2012, I'll also be offering some sneak peeks at books coming out in 2013. My list has little rhyme or reason, except that I've read the books this year and enjoyed them.

Top Picks of 2012
Science Fiction

The Hunger Games Series - Yes, I've jumped on that bandwagon. I haven't read anything this compelling in a long time. I'm sure I probably got myself into trouble by blowing things off to read this series, which after all, is the mark of true genius. And like all great fiction, even though I didn't agree with all the philosophical viewpoints, it challenged me and caused me to think. For me, the main message I came away with was the need to be courageous and stand up to tyranny and oppression at any cost. I was idealistic like that as a young person, but I had lost it somewhere along the way.


Historical

A Heart Most Worthy by Siri Mitchell - Loved this novel full of colorful characters. Siri brings Italy to life in the streets of America. I knew almost nothing about this part of history and enjoyed learning about it through this incredible story. And as usual, Siri's novel is rife with rich themes and thought provoking material.

Veil of Pearls by MaryLu Tyndall - Truly a heart-rending story. I applaud MaryLu for tackling the subject of a mixed-race slave passing as white. Full of adventure and romance as all MaryLu's books are, but I think this one added an extra dose of emotional depth.


Walks Alone by Sandi Rog - I fell in love with her hunky half-breed Indian hero long ago. I read this first as an acquisitions editor, so I might be a little biased, but I recall that it was one of those rare books that made me think, "I wish I had written this." If you haven't checked out Sandi Rog, you need to.


Heiress by Susan May Warren - If you like Christian books with a good dose of reality and edgy subject matter, this is a great one. More women's fiction than romance, this novel reveals the debauchery of the "Gilded Age" and shows how hard it was to be a woman in history.








Captured by Moonlight by Christine Lindsay (Coming Soon!) - Look for this book for sure. Christine's award-winning Shadowed in Silk received rave reviews, but as one of the few people who've had the honor of reading this second book in advanced, I will dare to say it's even better. Be sure to catch up with her first novel so you'll be ready for the sequel next year.




 

Contemporary Fiction

The Opposite of Art by Athol Dickson - This book was just masterful. Beautiful and literary but with plenty of suspense and romance to keep you reading. The artists quest for the face of God created a powerful premise that impacted my life. The spiritual thread is more about searching than finding. The author handles the actual finding of God with a light hand, which some Christians might question. Personally, I found it to be incredibly artistic and transcendent, much more so than a preachy ending could have been.

Paint Chips by Susie Finkbeiner (Coming Soon!) - You might want to get this book pre-ordered now. Although a story about a woman in a mental institution and an ex-prostitute might sound depressing, it's actually a novel full of hope and healing of the caliber of a Lisa Samson masterpiece. The story opens with these two women in a time of restoration, and although it goes back and retells their stories, it will leave you changed and uplifted

Fantasy
Prophet by R.J. Larson
I picked up this book for free for kindle thinking it was Biblical fiction, but I was pleasantly surprised to realize it was fantasy. I enjoy a good Christian fantasy novel, and there don't seem to be many out there for adults lately. The study of the prophet's life fascinated me, and it had plenty of adventure and romance to keep the book moving. Loved it. Will be reading book 2 soon.



 
Novella
Dr. Noah and the Sugar Plum Fairy by Carla Rossi - I purchased this adorable little Christmas novella for $.99 on a whim after it was featured on my group blog. I thought it would be fun to read for the holidays. I had no idea I would fall completely in love with it. I've never really been a fan of novellas, but this one changed my mind. It was perfectly paced. I felt like I had plenty of time to know and fall in love with the characters. It featured dance and even poetry, two things I adore, and even managed to weave in a great spiritual thread. Bravo!

Now that I'm looking back, I'm feeling a little bit guilty that I didn't find time this year to read the latest releases by many of my favorite authors like Julie Klassen, James Rubart, and Tosca Lee. No doubt they've written books that deserve to be on this list as well. But this year I've really focused on checking out new authors and expanding my reading list. Other noteworthy authors I've checked out for the first time this year include Nicholas Sparks, Charles Martin, and Elizabeth Camden. All of their books will live on in my memories for a long time as well.

And on that note, I wish all of my reader and writer friends a Happy New Year full of wonderful books :)



Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Merry Christmas!!!


Merry Christmas from all of us to all of you. May you enjoy a blessed day full of family and love!

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 NIV

Monday, December 17, 2012

Spacious Living in an Expansive God - Part I

(as first seen on iflourishonline.com)


Dear, dear Corinthians, I can’t tell you how much I long for you to enter this wide-open, spacious life. We didn’t fence you in. The smallness you feel comes from within you. Your lives aren’t small, but you’re living them in a small way. I’m speaking as plainly as I can and with great affection. Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively!  ~ 2 Corinthians 6:11-13 (The Message Version).
 For the last three years, I’ve been grappling with the same few Bible verses from Matthew 11:28-30. I’ve been determined to learn how to live freely and lightly in the flow of the Holy Spirit. I’ve been discovering the unforced rhythms of grace. I’ve made this the theme of my writing and my life.
Then a few weeks ago while I was attending the American Christian Fiction Writers Conference in Dallas, Texas, I took a class called Live Free. Write Free. Honestly, I figured it would just be a relaxing class that would reinforce my own thoughts and beliefs on freedom. A friend of mine was one of the instructors, and I always enjoy hearing him speak. But the class pushed me to a new level of freedom, even after years of meditating on the subject.
At the end of the class the instructors offered a challenge. If we were willing, they would hand each of us a journal that they had prayed over and written anywhere from a few words to a paragraph in, as God directed them. Our assignment was to fervently seek the Lord in prayer about these words, and spend at least a few hours journaling about them. Again, I figured no big deal. I’m well acquainted with journaling. God often speaks to me in that way.
But as I struggled through the words written in my journal and focused on the images they created, they began to take me to new places. To confirm things God had been speaking to me, yet pushing me beyond them at the same time. And by the end of my journaling time, I had a new mission statement for the next three years.
SPACIOUS LIVING IN AN EXPANSIVE GOD.
I immediately started a study on the words spacious and expansive. The scripture passage above uses them both, and it touched me on a deep level. I’ve actually written an entire spiritual memoir about how I’ve felt trapped in my life, in my marriage and in my church—about  how I’ve begun taking steps toward freedom by discovering intimacy with Christ.
But look at this: a wide-open, spacious life! This is a whole new level of freedom. God didn’t fence me in. The smallness I felt came from within me. I’ve been living my life in a small way. It’s time to open up. Open up and live expansively. What exactly does that mean? I’m not sure yet. Will you join me as I explore spacious living in an expansive God? Let’s take time to ponder that. Close your eyes and try to picture what it might look like. Next time we’re together, we’ll take a closer look at the word spacious.
God, please help us to let go of our own graven image versions of you. Help us to see your bigness, to truly understand your vastness. Don’t let us keep you in a safe little box. Show us what it looks like to live wide-open and spacious lives in the midst of an expansive God.

Monday, December 10, 2012

An Interview with...Me!


Hi Friends, I thought you might enjoy this interview that first appeared on Inkwell Inspirations. Roseanna White has been my critique partner for years, and she knows me just about as well as anyone. She asks lots of great questions. You might want to check out her awesome novels as well.

Roseanna White: How did you get the idea for Love in Three-Quarter Time?

Dina Sleiman: Well, my agent had basically given me two choices. 1) Write a contemporary romantic suspense. 2) Write a historical romance. I took a class on romantic suspense at ACFW in 2011, and decided forget that option. Totally wasn’t me. So I started really praying about an idea for a historical romance. What I felt God gave me was the title, Love in Three-Quarter Time. Then I was like, “Okay, and…?” I felt like His answer was that I know how to write now, and the title should be enough to get me started. Ha ha! He was right. Before long my brain went to work and a storyline started to unfold. Six weeks later the first draft was written.

RW: I remember when you came up with the idea, and it struck me then as a definite God-thing. Even more so now! So while we’re talking inspiration and writing, what was the most fun bit of history you discovered while researching for the book?

DS: Hmm…I learned so much fun and interesting stuff about Jefferson and Monticello, but I wasn’t able to use most of it in this book. Much of what I learned would actually be considered controversial in conservative Christian circles. Someday I’d love to write about a fictional plantation similar to Monticello. But I did set a few scenes at Monticello. I especially loved the cool little garden pavilion where a pivotal encounter takes place between hero and heroine. I was also fascinated by the history of the “Black Indians.” These were runaway slaves who integrated into Native American culture. And of course, the dance history and the fact that the waltz was considered a “scandalous” dance during its day was tons of fun.

RW: That would be a fun story! I love that lesser-known side of history. And while it’s a shame you couldn’t use much in here, at least you got to integrate a hint. Now—who’s your favorite character in LiTQT and why?

DS: Oh, I think that would have to be Lorimer. Lorimer is an enigmatic circuit preacher. Earthy yet mystical. He’s given his life to serve the “least of these” and dedicates himself to ministering to slaves and Indians, as well as secretly working with the abolitionist cause. In addition to being the spiritual mentor in the book, he’s also part of my love triangle :) He’s known for his buckskin attire, his reddish gold hair, his muscular physique, and his boyish grin. A number of my readers so far have mentioned that he’s their favorite character.
RW: He’s definitely a good one! The hunky moral center—*blissful sigh* ;- ) I happen to know from reading this that the waltz, when it first arrived in America, was a bit different from the waltz we know. Can you explain it to us?

DS: Yes, it looked more like the cotillion of that day. Lots of pas de bourrĂ©es and spins. It was closer to the Viennese waltz than the American waltz. The most interesting part, though, was that it included a variety of close holds, several with hands linked overhead, that seemed quite scandalous at the time. I’ve written an entire article on the subject, "Waltz - The Forbidden Dance."

RW: When you first describe it in the book, I was pretty surprised by those overhead holds! Not what I thought I knew about the dance, LOL. Okay, time to shift gears. =) You’re being kidnapped, but your kidnappers, wanting to keep you quiet, let you bring your Bible and one other book with you. Which one would you grab?

DS: Ugh! Just one. Maybe Sailing Between the Stars by Steven James. That’s the first book that comes to mind. It’s not a novel, but it’s a book I can read again and again and learn something different each time. Plus, it includes poetry, which always brightens my day.

RW: From all I’ve heard (mostly from you, LOL) that’s a great choice. Now, the really important question: are you going to be arriving at the next writers conference wearing a Regency gown befitting Gingersnap? ;-)

DS: I’ve thought about it. Don’t tempt me.

RW: Oh, come on! I’ll wear my big hat again . . . ;-) Okay, next question. If you had to pick one historical era to live in, when would it be and why?

DS: Oh my. Truthfully, living in any historical era seems pretty rough, unless you’re part of the teeny, tiny upper class. Even then you have wars, diseases, oppression of women, and dangerous fashions. I will say, part of my reason for choosing 1817 for this novel is that the fashions were much more natural and free flowing. I hate uncomfortable clothes, and they seem to be the bane of the upper class throughout most of history. But if I choose a time in history based on what was going on in the world, I would probably choose the late 1800s to early 1900s because it would be so fascinating to see the world changing with new technologies every few years, and the changing role of women as well. So if you combine that with my fashion issues, I guess early 1900s would be the best time for me.

RW: As they moved into the Edwardian era, the clothing did get much more natural again, so I could definitely see you in that. And I’ve thought all the technological and mechanical and social advances would make that a fun era to witness!


Thanks so much for chatting with us, Dina! Love in Three-Quarter Time is a wonderful book, and I’m so excited that Zondervan loved it so much they’re launching this new line with it. Readers, be sure to check it out on Amazon LOVE IN THREE QUARTER TIME 

Monday, December 3, 2012

Overcoming Through Dance

Recently I was the guest on a blog that was all about overcoming. Ultimately, we overcome through God. But along the way, there are many methods for overcoming adversity in life. One way that has meant so much to me has been dance. Dance is often seen as a metaphor for life: for the willingness to step beyond yourself, to embrace the wonder about you, to move in harmony with the universe. As joy and celebration build within, they require an outlet. And so, our hands and feet begin to move, our bodies begin to sing and flow, releasing emotions from our hearts and culminating in dance. Even releasing the heavenlies deep within through our fingertips and toes.


But what if you don’t feel that joy? What if life has beaten you down? Dance is at its core, a form of communication. You can dance your pain, your prayer, and as the music begins to overtake you, you begin to find that joy. Or you can employee the regular old, boogie-on-down kind of dancing to help you dance your blues away.

Exercise itself is a great way to chase away depression. When I’m feeling down, if I turn on a dance workout video and shake and shimmy along with the instructor, before long it’s hard to keep a smile my your face. Oxygen and endorphins alone will do that to a person, but add in some happy music and joyous expression, and you’ll have a hard time holding onto your doldrums.

Now what if we top that off with some praise and worship? Wow! Anytime we offer our praise and worship as an offering, the joy is sure to come. David danced before the Lord with all his might, and God was well pleased. Even Jesus spoke of his frustration with the generation around him by saying in Matthew 11, "We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge and you did not mourn.” Yet how often do we stifle this wondrous outlet?

Most churches today that incorporate contemporary choruses sing songs about dance. “Dance with me, oh lover of my soul.” "Dancers who dance upon injustice.” “We will dance on the streets that are golden.” “Dancing with my Father God in fields of grace.” The list goes on and on, but do we take it seriously, or do we stand still and sing the words, hampering our bodies from becoming living, breathing expressions of praise. Romans 12:1 instructs, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship." Of course this scripture has many applications, but I like to take it quite literally.

In my new historical romance, Love in Three-Quarter Time, my heroine is a dancer. Dance is one of her few sources of joy in life. Yet because of wounds from her past, she represses her true passionate nature and restricts herself to formulaic ballet and polite ballroom dances. It isn’t until she lets herself dance wild and free before a bonfire that she finally feels the full love and acceptance of her creator. In a way, her story is mine as well. In dance, I’ve found both my true self and a way to truly connect to God.

So I urge you to offer up your bodies as living sacrifices of praise. Embrace and enjoy the wonder of dance. Take time to relate with God through this amazing form of expression today. Discover the joy and overcoming power available through dance.