Pirate Hunter by Tom Morrisey

by | Jul 15, 2009 | Adventure, Books

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This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Pirate Hunter

Bethany House (July 1, 2009)

by

Tom Morrisey

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tom Morrisey is a mountaineer, aviator, shipwreck diver, and explorer, who holds a Full Cave certification from the National Speleological Society – Cave Diving Section.

He has launched, edited or contributed to numerous national publications and is an award-winning adventure-travel writer. A popular speaker, he is also active in both evangelism and the arts. Morrisey earned an MFA in creative writing from Bowling Green State University, and his fiction has been featured in numerous anthologies and magazines.

His first novel, Yucatan Deep (Zondervan, 2002) was a finalist for the Christy award, and he is the author of six novels, including Wind River and In High Places. In addition Tom has also written two nonfiction books: 20 American Peaks & Crags (Contemporary Books, 1978) and Wild by Nature (Baker Books, 2001). He and his family live in Orlando, Florida.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

High Seas Adventure Meets a High-Tech Quest for Pirate Gold

West Indies, 18th Century

Young Ted Bascombe is rescued by notorious pirate Captain Henry Thatch, finding himself caught up in a world of crime, adventure, and a daily fight for freedom….

Key West, 21st century

Marine archaeologist Greg Rhode embarks on a treasure-hunting expedition in the turquoise waters of the Florida Keys, but he’s as beguiled by a beautiful diver with different-colored eyes as by the lure of pirate gold…

The Hunt Is On!

Interweaving these two stories, pro deep-sea diver Tom Morrisey spins a multilayered tale of two young men’s quests to escape their past by losing themselves to adventure on the high seas. Romantic and thrilling, this unique novel explores the timeless truth that “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

If you would like to read the first chapter of  Pirate Hunter, go HERE

MY REVIEW:

Pirate Hunter is a fast moving, engrossing dual story that contrasts the life of eighteenth century pirates with modern treasure hunters. The narrative  transitions so smoothly between the two eras that the similarity of certain events are uncanny. Although the reader will suspect that there is a connection between the two tales, it finally  becomes clearly evident as the account draws to an end. Filled with adventure, romance, and subtle but illuminating spiritual truth, Pirate Hunter is a must read.

A Gathering of Finches by Jane Kirkpatrick

by | Jul 14, 2009 | Books, Historical

MY REVIEW:

Perhaps it is just me but I found A Gathering of Finches to be an excruciatingly slow read. The primary characters were so self-absorbed and totally interested in very little other than having a good time or feeling sorry for themselves with almost no regard for others in their lives.Although Cassie did seem to change near the end, it was never totally clear whether she had a true conversion experience.

Although I just could not begin to care about the people in the book, Kirkpatrick’s beautiful description of the countryside tempts me to want to see it myself. One positive thing about A Gathering of Finches was its strong message about how wealth and power does not equate with peace of mind and true happiness.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

finchesBased on historical characters and events, A Gathering of Finches tells the story of a turn-of-the-century Oregon coastal couple and the consequences of their choices, as seen through the eyes of the wife, her sister, and her Indian maid. Along the way, the reader will discover reasons to trust that money and possessions can’t buy happiness or forgiveness, nor permit us to escape the consequences of our choices. The story emphasizes the message that real meaning is found in the relationships we nurture and in living our lives in obedience to God.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jane KirkpatrickJane Kirkpatrick is an Oregon author whose work includes the three novels Love to Water My Soul, A Sweetness to the Soul, and Homestead. A Sweetness to the Soul earned the author and publisher the Wrangler Award from the Western Heritage Center as the “Outstanding Western Novel of 1995.” Her award-winning essays have appeared in over fifty magazines and newspapers across the country. She is a clinical social worker, speaker, and teacher. Jane and her husband, Jerry, live on a remote ranch in Eastern Oregon. A Gathering of Finches is the third book in her compelling historical novel series.

Holy Roller by Julie Lyons

by | Jul 14, 2009 | Books, Nonfiction

MY REVIEW:

When Julie Lyons ventured into the slums of South Dallas in 1990 in search of a news story, little did she imagine that she would spend the next eighteen years there as a member of a black Pentecostal church body. Holy Roller chronicles the events in Julie’s life and the lives of other key people that led them to The Body of Christ Assembly as well as the years Julie and her husband spent there.

Julie pulls no punches in Holy Roller but paints a vivid picture of the power of God at work in the people submitted to Him. At the same time she reveals sometimes shocking details of the good, the bad, and the ugly of the U. S. church in general, its leaders, and its people – and she does not spare herself.

In Holy Roller I found a tremendous amount of wisdom and truth about what it really means to live a Christian life. Julie’s words challenged me to be more than I am – to let the refining fire burn out my own impurities. I only hope that what I have gained by reading this book will remain with me.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

holyrollerJulie Lyons was working as a crime reporter when she followed a hunch into the South Dallas ghetto. She wasn’t hunting drug dealers, but drug addicts who had been supernaturally healed of their addictions. Was there a church in the most violent part of the city that prayed for addicts and got results?

At The Body of Christ Assembly, a rundown church on an out-of-the-way street, Lyons found the story she was looking for. The minister welcomed criminals, prostitutes, and street people–anyone who needed God. He prayed for the sick, the addicted, and the demon-possessed, and people were supernaturally healed.

Lyons’s story landed on the front page of the Dallas Times Herald. But she got much more than just a great story, she found an unlikely spiritual home. Though the parishioners at The Body of Christ Assembly are black and Pentecostal, and Lyons is white and from a traditional church background, she embraced their spirituality–that of “the Holy Ghost and fire.”

It’s all here in Holy Roller–the stories of people desperate for God’s help. And the actions of a God who doesn’t forget the people who need His power.

To learn more about Holy Roller or to purchase a copy for yourself click here.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

JulieLyonsJulie Lyons is an award-winning writer, editor and investigative reporter who for more than 11 years served as editor-in-chief of the Dallas Observer, an alternative weekly newspaper owned by Village Voice Media. She holds a master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University and a B.A. in English from Seattle Pacific University. She and her husband, Larry Lyons Jr., live in Dallas with their son.