December CSFF Blog Tour ~ Starflower Day 1

Tales of Goldstone Wood

by Anne Elisabeth Stengl 

This delightful series just draws you in.  There is such a depth to it.  Starflower is the fourth book in the series, but it takes place before the first three books.  But before we take a look back, I am going to review what has already taken place in the previous three books. 

Heartless: Una is princess of Parumvir and she is anxious for the day when she will be sought by nobility who desire her hand in marriage. But all too soon Una gets her heart's desire in the form of three very different suitors.  But little does Una realize that her choice will determine not only her future but also the fate of her very soul.

When Prince Aethelbard of Farthestshore declares his love to Una and his desire to marry her she refuses him.  Then Prince Gervais of Beauclair seeks her hand, as does her father's old childhood acquaintance the Duke of Shippening.  But only to Leonard - Prince Lionheart of the Southlands does she give her heart.  But Leonard is a prince in hiding and only to Una does he reveal his true identity.

Having touched a dragon's scale Una and the kingdom of Parumvir are in danger, but Aethelbard's warnings fall on deaf ears.  When the very dragon they were warned of comes upon them, King Fidel and Prince Felix may lose their very lives trying to save Una from her fate.

But love is the only way to save Una, a sacrificial love.  But whom among Una's suitors would be willing to die for her and to give up their heart so that she might be saved?  Or will Una remain Heartless for the rest of her life?

Heartless is a lovely allegory of love and sacrifice. True love is only true if it is given for no personal gain.

Veiled Rose: This is Prince Lionheart of the Southlands  story and it is the story of Red Rose. 

Leo and Red Rose develop a friendship when Leo spends a summer with his cousin in a remote area. Rosie is a young girl whose true appearance is hidden from view by the layers of veils she forever wears.  Her only companions are her old father, Beana - nanny goat, her imaginary friend who is a songbird, and the one who haunts her dreams and taunts her. When Leo and Rosie meet their lives are forever altered.

But the town folk, who live below the mountain where Rosie lives, believe she is the monster of the legends and that she will bring doom upon them all.  When Leo's cousin Foxglove sees Leo with Rosie he declares that Leo has been bewitched by the mountain monster.  But Leo cannot see the monster that everyone declares Rosie to be. 

But as he grows older Leo's mother is determined to see Leo marry whom she desires and the lady of her choice is the Lady Daylily.  But Daylily is not as she is expected to be - she is not afraid of anything and she is determined to win Leo and the throne.  But Leo's friendship with Rosie is a threat to Daylily's plans. 

When a dragon invades the Southlands and takes the capital and royal family captive Daylily and Rosie save Price Lionheart and together the two young women return to the castle to care for his family while Leo goes search of something that will aid him in quest to defeat the dragon. 

But soon Daylily and the rest of the royal family succumb to the noxious fumes of the dragon while Leo continues his quest.  Forbidden to leave the castle upon threat of death, Rosie is soon tested in her resolve to protect Leo's family. 

As time slowly passes, Leo's quest takes him far from home.  When he is directed to find a ring to draw the dragon from his homeland, Leo finds himself playing Jester in the court of King Fidel of Parumvir.  But Leo is soon tricked into betraying Princess Una though he is at first unwilling to betray her and must be persuaded. 

But when the dragon leaves the Southlands can anyone truly be free of the dragon's power and at what cost was their freedom bought?

Moonblood:  The Southlands are free of the Dragon, but the effects of the five years he controlled the kingdom are still being felt.  The people of the Southlands are turning against Prince Lionheart because of his friendship with Red Rose.  When Una (in her dragon form) comes in search of Leonard, her presence brings the peoples' distrust of Red Rose to a fevered crisis and in-order to save both her life and his reign Lionheart (Leo) exiles her.  But Red Rose's exile is a death sentence because she is being sent into the realm of King Vahe - her father. 

Meanwhile Prince Felix of Parumvir is falling under the control of the poison still within his blood.  When Felix hears the summoning cry of a Unicorn he follows it into the Kingdom of Arpiar where great evil is about to be unleashed.

When Leo is given a choice to right the wrongs he has committed, what will he choose?  Will he marry Lady Daylily and reign over the Southlands or will he instead search for his childhood friend and give up his throne?

Who will be sacrificed to bring King Vahe's evil dreams to pass? 

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Be sure to join us tomorrow for an exclusive interview with author Anne Elisabeth Stengl as she answers a few questions about this world she has discovered in the Goldstone Wood.

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Be sure to enter for a chance to win a signed copy of Starflower (open to US residents only).

Enter daily for more chances to win!

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Be sure to visit all the stops on the CSFF December Blog Tour:
Gillian Adams   Beckie Burnham   Nikole Hahn   Bruce Hennigan    Janeen Ippolito 
Carol Keen   Emileigh Latham   Shannon McDermott   Meagan @ Blooming with Books
Rebecca LuElla Miller   Anna Mittower   Rachel Starr Thomson   Robert Treskillard 
Steve Trower   Dona Watson   Shane Werlinger   Phyllis Wheeler 

A Christmas Home ~ Review

A Christmas Home
by Greg Kincaid

Todd McCray has grown into his position at the shelter and Christmas is vital part of the McCray household.  But nothing ever stays the same and the town of Crossing Trails, Kansas is no different. With the economy pulling the area down the shelter is going to be closed after the first of the year.

With his job ending Todd must decide what he wants to do, but what can he do?  Working with animals is what he knows, is there a job out there to fit his special talents?

But even more urgent than finding a job is the daunting task of finding homes for close to 50 dogs and cats in just a few weeks.  Can Todd pull off another Christmas miracle?  With the help and support of his friends and family Todd is determined to place all the animals.

But Todd is ready for more independence and with the help of his friend Laura Jordan he is about to determine what he wants for his life after the shelter.  But where will Todd's independence lead him and can he convince his parents that he is ready to move out?

A Christmas Home is a great follow-up to A Dog Named Christmas.  Seeing the relationship Christmas has with both George and Todd is touching.  Todd's struggle to become his own person and his developing relationship with Laura are the heart of the story.  When disaster strikes the little time the shelter has left is lost, can those most involved with the shelter step in and save the dozen abandoned pets still waiting for a home?  Only Christmas can tell....

I was provided with a copy of this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

• Visit Greg Kincaid's Web Site
• More Info about A Christmas Home
• Greg Kincaid's Bio

An Unexpected Angel ~ Blog Tour

An Unexpected Angel
By Janet K. Halling

Ella Davies is about to get an unexpected gift in Janet Halling's An Unexpected Angel.  At 29 years of age Ella seems to be on the fast track at her law firm with her non-stop work ethic, but in truth her work hides a broken heart.

Twenty years before Ella lost her mother and sisters in a tragic accident and since that time Christmas is just a reminder of all she has lost.  She and her father have been wrapped up in their guilt since that night and it has driven them apart.

But this Christmas Eve she is about to be visited by an angel and taken on a journey.  But can Ella discover a truth that will set her fear from the guilt and pain of her past or will she refuse this gift?  Ella's journey will take her into the past, a past that took place before she was born.  Instead of three visitors as in the Christmas Carol Ella makes three visits before she revisits the past that forever altered her life.

Can Ella see past her anger and pain and learn to embrace the life that she has been given?  Pick-up a copy of An Unexpected Angel to find out for yourself.  What seems like seemingly unconnected events that Ella visits actually have an importance in her life that she never knew.  The lessons that she learns provide her with the motivation she needs to try to reconnect with the father that she lost the night that the rest of her family died.

I was provided a Digital Copy of this title for the purpose of this review.

Visit all the tour stops here.

Brief description of An Unexpected Angel:

Ella Davies focused, independent, and driven hates Christmas. Every year she spends the holidays working, trying to forget the pain of a childhood tragedy that left her all alone. But this season, Ella’s about to learn something only an angel could teach her. This modern twist on a Christmas classic will remind you that the best gifts of all are the loved ones you learn to treasure!   

Join Ella, as she learns about courage and compassion and that in the darkest hour, no one is ever alone.

Meet the Author:

Janet Halling discovered her love of writing at the age of six when her story of a lonely duck won a first grade writing contest. She has a BA in Marketing Communications and lives with her husband and four children in northern Utah. She is currently working on her next novel.  To learn more about An Unexpected Angel and author Janet Halling, visit: http://www.janetkhalling.com/.

An Unexpected Angel – Excerpt (All rights reserved - Publisher: Cedar Fort, Inc.)

Somewhere there was a rhythmic humming—a kind of a swooshing sound that increased and decreased in volume at regular intervals. She couldn’t remember where she was. Her whole body ached, and her head felt as if it would explode.
Ella groaned and opened her eyes. She was still in the gym, lying crumpled against the weight machine. The treadmill had stopped, and the rhythmic sound was coming from the man riding the spinning bike, which sat nearby.
Her fingers trembled as she felt the goose egg on the side of her head. Her face was on fire, probably scraped on the belt, and her knees were bloody, also from the belt.
Suddenly she stiffened. There was a man riding the bike! A man riding the bike. While she had been lying there unconscious. Had he just sauntered in and climbed on without seeing her at all or had he viewed her inert form without concern? That was cold, even for New York City. Gingerly, she turned her head to look at him.
It was the clerk from the deli, and he didn’t stop pedaling as he glanced her way. “Oh good, you’re awake.”
She stared up at him in mute astonishment.
He reached for his water bottle and took a long drink. “I’m glad you woke up on your own,” he said pleasantly. “I was about ready to pour this in your face, so you can thank me for sparing you an unexpected shower.”
Ella grasped the weight machine and pulled herself slowly to a sitting position. Her head was throbbing, and her stomach lurched. “I could sue you for failing to come to the aid of an injured person,” she snapped rather feebly.
The man studied her contemplatively. “Hmmm, yes, you would think of that, wouldn’t you? But I’m not too worried, Ella. You’re not going to sue me and we both know it.”
She opened her mouth to snarl a retort but stopped abruptly. “How do you know my name?” she demanded. “And what are you even doing here? You don’t live in this building.” She hesitated, realizing she wasn’t sure. “Do you?”
He jumped off the bike and held out his hand. “You should get up. Want help?”
She shrank away from him. “Don’t touch me! Who are you, and how do you know my name?”
“Well, it’s simple really. My name is Cohen, and I’m your guardian angel.” He broke into a brief but rapid tap dance routine and finished with flair. And with jazz hands.
Ella stared at him in perplexed silence, unsure if he was a hallucination or just crazy. “Uh-huh. Right,” she finally said, groaning as she pulled herself to her feet. A wave of nausea hit her, and she stopped, doubling over and willing herself not to vomit. She for sure had a concussion.
She tried to think. Should she go to the hospital? Or maybe just go home and try to sleep? She didn’t know. She made a move toward the door, but Cohen tap-danced over to block her path.
“Get out of my way,” she snapped at him with more bravado than she felt.
He grinned. “Can’t do that. You and me, we have business tonight.”
For the first time, she felt a small dart of fear. Cohen wasn’t exactly menacing, but he certainly was strange. If he attacked her, would she have the strength to fight him? If only her head would stop hurting!
“What do you want?” she asked.
“I already told you, I’m your guardian angel. Well, not technically an angel, but that word will serve as well as any other. Anyway, I’m here to help.”
“Sure. Like you helped me when I was unconscious a minute ago? If that’s your kind of help, no thanks.”
“No, not that kind of help, silly.”
“Look, whatever you’re on, whatever you’re offering, I’m not interested. Just leave me alone, please? I’m sore and tired, and my head is killing me. I need to go lie down.”
“Oh, right. That.” He made some sort of vague gesture and instantly her nausea subsided and the pain in her head vanished.
Chills raced up and down her spine, and she stared at him, “Wait . . . what’s . . . what’s going on?”
“Okay, no more joking around.” Cohen looked suddenly serious. “Here’s the deal. You need help and there’s a lot you need to learn. Only you’re far too stubborn to admit it. You might not even know how much help you need. But I know; so here I am.”
The pieces were starting to fall into place. “Wait . . . Christmas Eve . . . guardian angel. This is some kind of a joke, right?” she said before adding sarcastically, “What’s the matter, Jacob Marley was busy? Clarence already got his wings? Or wasn’t he on duty tonight?”
He grinned. “Both good men. But you got stuck with me. Although, all things considered, maybe it’s me who got stuck with you. You can be quite unpleasant, do you know that?”
Ella snorted derisively. “So when does the Ghost of Christmas Past show up? Or is he waiting for me upstairs?”
“Dickens took some liberties. It doesn’t exactly work like that. At least, this time it won’t.”
“You have exactly one second to get out of my way or I’m going to start screaming at the top of my lungs!”
Cohen cocked his head to one side and gave her a brief shrug of resignation. “Okay then, you win. Can’t say I didn’t try.” He stepped smoothly to one side and swept his arm in a wide arc toward the door. “Be my guest.”
Throwing him what she hoped was a withering glare, Ella marched past him, flung open the door—and stepped into a nightmare.

Rosemary Opens Her Heart ~ Review

Rosemary Opens Her Heart
Home at Cedar Creek Book 2
By Naomi King

Rosemary Yutzy is still grieving over her husband Joe.  But when she attends a wedding in Cedar Creek change that she never expected is about to come yet again into her life in the form of Matt Lambright.  For Matt, Rosemary is everything he has ever wanted in a wife but can he convince her.

Meanwhile Abby Lambright may be about to have her lifelong dream finally come true when James Graber starts paying attention to her.  James realizes that Abby and not her younger sister Zanna is the true match for his soul.

When Rosemary's father-in-law decides to merge his sheep breeding operation with Matt Lambright's, Rosemary is left with a choice.  Should she move with her father-in-law and young sister-in-law to Cedar Creek or should she stay in Queen City to be near her mother and sister.  Can Matt help her determine the course her heart should chart or will his attentions drive her away from the new life she could have?

As Rosemary, Matt, Abby, and James navigate the paths of the heart, the community of Cedar Creek must deal with a death that will change the entire dynamics of the community.

As Rosemary learns to open her heart to all God has for her, she rediscovers the peace and joy that life has to offer.

Rosemary Opens Her Heart is set in Missouri and explores the Amish community that lives there.

ABOUT NAOMI KING

I’ve called Missouri home for most of my life, and most folks don’t realize that several Old Older Amish and Mennonite communities make their home here, as well. The rolling pastureland, woods, and small towns along county highways make a wonderful setting for Plain populations—and for stories about them, too! While Jamesport, Missouri is the largest Old Order Amish settlement west of the Mississippi River, other communities have also found the affordable farm land ideal for raising crops, livestock, and running the small family-owned businesses that support their families.

Like my heroine, Miriam Lantz, of my new Seasons of the Heart series, I love to feed people—to share my hearth and home. I bake bread and goodies and I love to try new recipes. I put up jars and jars of green beans, tomatoes, beets and other veggies every summer. All my adult life, I’ve been a deacon, a dedicated church musician and choir member, and we hosted a potluck group in our home for more than twenty years.

Like Abby Lambright, heroine of my new Home at Cedar Creek series, I consider it a personal mission to be a listener and a peacemaker—to heal broken hearts and wounded souls. Faith and family, farming and frugality matter to me: like Abby, I sew and enjoy fabric arts—I made my wedding dress and the one Mom wore, too, when I married into an Iowa farm family more than thirty-five years ago! When I’m not writing, I crochet and sew, and I love to travel.

I recently moved to Minnesota when my husband got a wonderful new job, so now he and I and our border collie, Ramona, are exploring our new state and making new friends.

To find out more about Naomi, please visit her at http://www.naomikingauthor.com/.

Visit her on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/NaomiC.King

On Goodreads at:http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5163868.Naomi_King

ABOUT ROSEMARY OPENS HER HEART

Another spring reminds the Amish of Cedar Creek, Missouri, that for everything there is a season.

Zanna Lambright is finally marrying Jonny Ropp, and friends and family have come from far and wide to celebrate. Among them is young widow Rosemary Yutzy, mother of toddler Katie, whose husband was tragically killed last fall. With a willing heart Rosemary has taken over care of her in-law’s family and continued to run a baked goods business from home, but privately she still mourns her lost Joe…and is unprepared for the changes that are coming…

Rosemary’s father-in-law wants to merge his lamb-raising business with Matt Lambright’s—a move that will require the Yutzys to relocate from their nearby town to Cedar Creek. Moreoever, it will bring Rosemary into constant contact with Matt, who is making no secret of his romantic interest in her. The challenges of contemplating a future unlike any she expected are overwhelming for Rosemary. And although Matt is strong and kind, his courtship is so persistent, she often wants to run the other way. As Rosemary struggles to see beyond her immediate joys and sorrows, will she embrace the outpouring of welcome and support from the people of Cedar Creek…and accept this new chance to open her heart to a more abundant life?

Captain ~ Review

Captain
By Thomas Block

When you combine a runaway plane, a delusional co-pilot, an unscrupulous Board of Directors, a reporter after the story, and a retired airline pilot you get Captain!  Thomas Block has created an intense setting that will hold you riveted until the very end.

Trans-Atlantic Airlines has a secret that is about to be exposed and you are about to discover what that secret is....

The company is about to be sold off those only a few people know this and someone has leaked this to Jennifer Lane who is determined to get the story and what a story  she is about to get.

Flight 3 out of Rome was a typical flight, not filled to capacity but still full enough.  Retired pilot Ray Clarke is returning to New York after exploring Northern Italy.  The Consolidated 768 was a converted Boeing 767 and to his eye it was a 767.  Against company and TSA policy and the objections of co-pilot Peter Fenton, Captain Jack Schofield invited his old friend to the cockpit for takeoff..

But when a oddity that was not possible according to "the books" occurs, Jack asks Ray for his opinion on the matter and how he would handle it.  What follows next is a panicked radio message and gunshots!  As Consolidated Flight 3 struggles to survive actions are set into motion that could doom this flight before it can reach its final destination.

As everyone scrambles to determine the truth and figure out what went wrong lives hang in the balance and Consolidated President Brandon Kyle maneuvers to save his upcoming financial windfall regardless of the costs.

Lives are going to be lost, it is just a question of whose and how many.....   

I found this to be an extremely intense "what's going to happen next" type book.  And before you ask there are no women going into labor. (Ugh!!!!)  The only distraction I found was the touches of swearing that the characters used occasionally in moments stress (unfortunately one hears worse from kids walking down the street).  But overall I enjoyed Captain and would recommend it.

I was provided a copy of this title for the purpose of this review all opinions expressed are my own.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1d4d8a8/

ENTER TO WIN!

  

ABOUT THOMAS BLOCK

Thomas Block has written a number of aviation-oriented novels, many which have gone on to acquire best-seller status in numerous countries. His novel writing began with the publication of “Mayday” in 1979. That novel was rewritten with novelist Nelson DeMille in 1998 and remains on DeMille’s extensive backlist. “Mayday” became a CBS Movie of the Week in October, 2005.
Several of the other novels by Block include “Orbit” (a top bestseller in Germany, among other nations), “Airship Nine”, “Forced Landing” (also done as a radio serialization drama in Japan), “Skyfall”, “Open Skies” and his latest novel, “Captain”. Thomas Block is still writing both fiction and non-fiction, and has edited and updated his earlier novels into ebooks in all the major formats and also into handsome full-sized (6″ by 9″ Trade Paperback) printed versions.

Block’s magazine writing began in 1968 and over the next five decades his work has appeared in numerous publications. He worked 20 years at FLYING Magazine as Contributing Editor, and as Contributing Editor to Plane & Pilot Magazine for 11 years. Block became Editor-at-Large for Piper Flyer Magazine and Cessna Flyer Magazine in 2001. During his long career as an aviation writer he has written on a wide array of subjects that range from involvement with government officials to evaluation reports on most everything that flies.

An airline pilot for US Airways for over 36 years before his retirement in April, 2000, Captain Thomas Block has been a pilot since 1959. Since 2002, he has lived on a ranch in Florida with his wife Sharon where they board, compete and train horses.

His latest book is the suspense/thriller novel, Captain.

Visit his website at www.thomasblocknovels.com.

To purchase from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Captain-Thomas-Block/dp/1470158973/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347159324&sr=8-1&keywords=captain+by+thomas+block

To puchase a Kindle copy: http://www.amazon.com/Captain-ebook/dp/B007KQHK2I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332328330&sr=8-1

To purchase from Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/captain-thomas-block/1109625740?ean=2940014237529&itm=1&usri=thomas+block+captain

To purchase from Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/160858

ABOUT CAPTAIN

Thomas Block has created ‘Captain’ – his most ambitious, intricate and action-packed aviation tale yet . It is a chilling and all-too-real story about a routine Trans-Atlantic airline flight that suddenly turns absolutely insane. In the doomed airliner’s cockpit, inside the passenger cabin and on the ground, a complex array of characters have been propelled at jet speed into a sudden and frantic race for survival.

‘Captain’ is about the individual and collective struggles of each of these men and women as they attempt to deal with and ultimately fight against the odds and circumstances that are stacked against them. ‘Captain’is a novel that pits man against man while also pitting man against machine. It is a story about the need for human judgments, hard-learned experiences, gut feelings and unbridled perseverance in an effort to rise up against a world where the strict adherence to written rules, regulations and procedures have been accepted as the norm.
‘Captain’ is about the way real airline pilots think, feel and react, especially after those giant airliners that they’ve strapped themselves to have suddenly turned vicious and unpredictable.

Bold as Love ~ Review

BOLD as LOVE
by Bob Roberts, JR.

Are you willing to change the world starting in your neighborhood?  We can change the world not by standing on a corner telling others that they need to do it our way, but rather by stepping out boldly and serving them.  That's right only when we serve others can we show the love that Jesus lived.  He took on the role of a servant out of love and changed the lives of those He served.  He reached out to those that were considered beneath Him or unclean to His faith.

We are living in a world in the midst of change, where everyone and anyone can affect the entire world.  And the influx of immigrants into America is forcing us to deal with the rest of the world both economically and spiritually.  This is a God-given opportunity for us to be missionaries in our own neighborhood and at the same time have a global reach.

We must not view other people groups negatively!  When we do this stereotype and condescend when we communicate with others.  We must live out Colossians 4:3-6 and understand others by listening to their concerns and care about them as a person.

The Bible is a book about global migration and the mingling and mixing of different faiths.  Migration is how God spread His Word throughout the ancient world.  When we love God and follow Jesus' teachings we will love others even when our mind says it is impossible.  Through God the people we most fear can become the people we most love.  Jesus told us to "love our enemies" so in Jesus' eyes we have no enemies because if you love someone they are no longer your enemy.

Fear holds us prisoner, but bold love sets us free.  When we seek out friendships with those of other faiths we are opening ourselves to challenges to our beliefs, but these challenges strengthen our faith.  We need to know why we believe what we believe.  We need to show respect to others and to their beliefs.  America was founded on religious freedom.  We cannot deny this founding precept to some, isolating them because they believe differently.  We need to be like Paul and reach out with respect and build relationships.

We must be the Church in every aspect of our day-to-day life.  Are you a living Church, ministering to the needs of others of all faiths?  To be a force of change we need to first serve with our hands, then we must offer our hearts in friendship, and finally we offer thoughts that will spark deep, genuine conversation.  Service must come before everything.

Love is a choice, not an emotion.  When we serve in Jesus' name and for love of Him we will come to genuinely love those we serve.  This service is a true expression of the Gospel, Serve not to convert, but serve because you've been converted.  We need to remember we can't save, only God can do this.

Wherever we are Jesus is too because He is within us.  When we learn to see through His eyes, we will have Bold Love and break through our fears!

Will you Break on Through and turn the world upside down with Bold Love?

I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review.

Cloud Culture ~ Blog Tour

Cloud Culture
Walking the Walk and Typing the Talk:
Christian Living in the Social Media World
By Chuck Giacinto and Bryce Conlan

You are what you Tweet....
Your social presence is an extension of you.  What you communicate is you.  Do you present yourself differently socially than in face-to-face encounters?  We need to stop and take a look at who we are in all aspects of our lives.

Who are you?  Would your friends and followers know you if they met you in person or do you hide behind your screen-name?

Cloud Culture takes a look at this new frontier that we are exploring and the risks that are involved as we are increasingly drawn into this world.  This is a social world that allows us to instantly reach around the globe and speak our mind.  What do you consider worthy of announcing to the world?  Think about it.  What do you post, tweet, or pin?  Is it your latest shopping trip?  Or is it something that has profoundly touched your life and could do the same for someone else?

Our words can change the world for better or worse.  Are you prepared to follow in Jesus' steps and reach out to people in grace and love?  We need to live what we believe, when we fight amongst ourselves we tear  down our own witness.

We must relate to people in a personal way and not be an isolated island among the ever shifting social sea.  When God created us, He said we are not meant to be alone.  By connecting in this digital social world we have become more alone than in any other time in our history.  Our world has become smaller and we have instant access to anyone with the internet but we don't truly know the person living next door or sitting next to us at work.

We must turn this disconnect around and use this gift to help others as Jesus would.  He would not gather hundreds (or thousands) of people around Him and announce the great deal He had just gotten at the local Walmart on a candy bar or a pair of shoes.  Jesus told us to go out into the world and to share His good news of salvation and a Social platform enables us to go throughout the world and share the Gospel without leaving our home or country.

Cloud Culture is a unique look at the blessings and dangers associated with our new social world.  There are valuable insights that will help any user of social media.

I was provided a copy of this book for the purpose of this review, all opinions expressed are my own.

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Cloud Culture giveaway
Want to learn more?  Check-out the excerpt and interview below.
What are your thoughts?
Post a comment with your email in the following format
bloomingwithbooks (at) gmail (dot) com
to be entered.
Entry period runs November 30th - December 7th.
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Excerpts taken from Chapter 4 - Power of the Key

 

 

Taken from Cloud Culture, Copyright 2012, by Chuck Giacinto and Bryce Conlan. 

Published by Seven Leaf Press, Chicago, IL. Used by permission of the publisher. All rights reserved.

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Q and A session with 
Chuck Giacinto and Bryce Conlan

 

So, what is Cloud Culture about? 
Cloud Culture is about social media, but I don’t want that to scare anybody off because this isn’t a techie, computer-oriented book at all. We feel that social media, at its core, is about two things: communication and relationship. We believe God designed us with a need to know others and to be known by others and Cloud Culture, while it addresses current social sites, is really about how to develop deep personal relationships in this new and evolving landscape, and, ultimately, where our faith fits into that.

Why now?
Well, we feel this book could come out next year or five years from now, and still be relevant in terms of its concepts, regardless of how the landscape of social media changes. But because of the void there has been regarding a real conversation in the Church about social media, along with the approach we wanted to take, we felt a sense of urgency to be on the front end of this conversation.

Who did you have in mind when you wrote Cloud Culture?
We wrote this in a way that multiple sets of people will benefit. Our youth have grown up with social media and they know no other way. This will help them get a foundation of understanding what the Bible says about the power of their words. Also, parents need this because they often feel ill-equipped regarding social media. They’re just trying to stay afloat themselves with all of the changing technologies, not to mention parenting their kids through it. That’s where Cloud Culture comes in. And last, it’s for those in the ministry. We want pastors and youth pastors to feel well equipped to speak and function confidently in this new landscape that NEEDS to be pastured. They’re just trying to keep up as well with it all, and their congregants need guidance. This is where we want to help. And we feel the book will serve those in ministry well. But to date, we have gotten tons of positive feedback from people who don’t fit any of those profiles. So we've realized that if you’re a Christian and you’re involved in social media, no matter how directly or indirectly, then you will benefit from reading Cloud Culture.

Chuck, you are a worship pastor and producer. And Bryce, you own a media production company. What’s your experience with social media?

(Chuck) My experience initially is like that of many of your readers. I’m a parent. And I use social media personally, and I text. But yes, I’m also in ministry and handle much of the online media for our church. So, the majority of my use is not that different from your readers. This book came out of my/our everyday uses of social media and texting…from the most mundane parts of our life to the most important…and seeing this tremendous void in dialog in the Church regarding our place as Christians in social media…and what’s possible with it! Because Bryce and I are not computer geniuses or experts, we've come at this from a non-tech place, but hopefully in a way that every reader can really relate with and benefit from.

(Bryce) As a media professional, my company would often get hired to create commercials and viral videos for companies looking to keep up with consumers’ expectations from a website. So we’d make the video and deliver it to the client only to get an email back saying, “I love it, now what do I do with it?” So I started looking into ways that I could help them use social media to power their businesses and was shocked when I realized how much influence one person could have through social media. It really changed the way that I approached social media.

I’m sometimes truly surprised at what people post on Facebook—even fellow Christians. What should a Christian consider before posting a blog, a tweet, or a Facebook status update?

Always consider your audience. One of the marks of a Christian life is self-control and that means that sometimes we don’t say that thing we want to say for the benefit of others. This can be wildly difficult, and we discuss it at length in Cloud Culture. It’s so important. Another thing to consider is context. Many of the problems, disagreements and offenses via social media or texting come out of our abbreviated new sentence structure and the loss of context for the reader can be painful. So we really need to take a second and reread our postings. Taking a few extra seconds and using a few extra words for example could bring a lot of clarity to the recipients of your post.

You talk about Christians being ambassadors of Christ. How does that look on a practical level in the social media world?

(Chuck) It looks much the same as in our real lives because that’s what people are watching unfold on social media--our lives. I’ve been married for 21 years, and if there was no trace of my relationship with my wife in my social media, well, that would speak to some real issues. So, how can we conduct ourselves daily in social media and have our relationship with God nowhere to be found? And not forced or fake, or out of a sense of duty, but a natural reflection of the place the relationship holds in our lives.

What do you say to those who feel that social media—especially sites like Facebook and Twitter—are simply idle chatter, gossip sites, or at the most, entertainment?

It is all of those things. It is also what we choose to make it. Those shallower aspects will always be an overwhelming part of social media. The question for us is, “What is MY contribution to social media, and what does God want to accomplish through ME in the lives of those I’m connected to?”

Do you believe there is a higher purpose for social media than what most people use it for?

Sure. It can be an escape, entertainment, a habit or in some extreme cases even an addiction, but I believe that based on the number of times daily the average person checks their Facebook, texts, etc., it seems like the obvious opportunity to connect with people on a personal and intimate level. And it may seem strange to think of social media in this way. It’s something that we call “reading between the lines.” To go beyond the words and posts and see what people are really saying, and use it as a touch point where we can really connect. That’s what Jesus did.

Facebook just hit the 1 billion user mark, with about 75 percent coming from outside the United States. How does this impact a Christian?

It’s so exciting to think of the possibilities that exist for the Christian today. Just recently a church planter in India reached out to me (Bryce), and now regularly updates me with testimony of the amazing things God is doing in India. I’m also connected with a pastor in Pakistan - a place where Christianity is quite unwelcome - and keeps me updated with their needs and what people can be praying about on their behalf. To take it one step further, we literally, for the first time in history, can have an influence on the believer and unbeliever alike all over the world without ever leaving your home.   

What are some practical ways to reach people through social media without simply just posting daily Bible verses?

One thing we can do is work at fostering real relationships within our networks. Another thing is to reach out with a private message when we can see that someone is struggling. There are other ways too - less public ways. For example, what if everyone reading this today looked at their Facebook friends list or Twitter followers, then picked one person and prayed for them today, and did the same tomorrow. It’s a quiet act, and maybe no one would know, but that doesn’t negate the fact that it’s a remarkably powerful. Imagine if we could get thousands or perhaps millions to do this on a daily basis.

So, what is worth sharing online?

If it’s worth something to you then it’s worth sharing because it is about relationships and there is an entertainment factor to social media. And there’s nothing wrong with that. From the lightest moments to the most important, it’s all part of sharing our lives with those around us. At the heart of posting or texting as a Christian is this, “Will my words encourage and build up? Will this create community? Intimacy? Am I pointing people to Christ? Am I visibly demonstrating the face of Christianity that I should?” If so, post it! And there’s nothing wrong with posting the scores from last night’s game either.

Do you find that people are lonelier now than ever...even with all their Facebook “friends” or Twitter followers?

Yes - and we think science is beginning to support that notion. TIME magazine and Newsweek have both recently run fascinating articles on the subject. It’s a paradoxical situation that we find ourselves in. On the one hand we’re more connected and integrated into each other’s lives than ever before. On the other hand, people are feeling more isolated than ever - and confused as to why. In Cloud Culture we refer to this as the human element. When God created us His second observation of Adam is, “It’s not good that man should be alone”, and yet many of us live in a reality with limited face-to-face, eye-to-eye interaction. And that can lead to very serious depression.

People seem to announce everything on their social media accounts whether appropriate or not. When are of the times when social media shouldn't be used?

In my opinion, if it’s truly important…don’t text! We know texting and driving is dangerous, but texting out of emotion can be dangerous too. More on the social media side, I’ll give you an example I've seen multiple times. In a case of tragedy or a person’s passing, I've seen comments, postings, even heartfelt condolences on social media before extended family or close friends have even had time to be properly notified…and that’s how they receive the news. There needs to be SOME level of restraint and protocol, but nobody’s ever really addressed it. As Christians, we could be the ones to set some standards. Look, when two Christians disagree or argue back and forth about something or someone, or scripture or church on Facebook, they often carry on as though it is just them having the conversation. But the reality is that if one person has 400 friends and the other has 300 friends, then they have an audience of 700 watching this play out. And we may not have any idea how many lives are being affected, or how their view of the Church…and God… is being shaped by such posts.

In Cloud Culture, you write, “It’s a true sign of maturity and Christian character when you can restrain yourself from leaving remarks that will only fuel the online conversations which are neither edifying nor productive.” How does a Christian handle this type of temptation?

You know, it’s not easy. There are certainly things worth defending. But it does require some discernment. It’s easy enough to misinterpret each other speaking face to face. But when typed or texted, and we abbreviate and condense our thoughts, there is again a real loss of context, which makes it very difficult to communicate well this way. Sometimes the most constructive thing we can do is to choose a different path. Pick up the phone and talk, or speak face to face. There’s an amazing amount of healing that takes place when someone takes the time to call and resolve the issue personally rather than the quick text message of tweet. Sometimes skipping the new convenient route for the old fashioned one is the wisest choice.