Trailer for On A Someday by Roxanne Henke

Trailer for the Trophy Chase trilogy by George Bryan Polivka

Review of The Legend of the Firefish here.
Review of The Hand that Bears the Sword here.
Review of The Battle for Vast Dominion here.

Blaggard's Moon by George Bryan Polivka

Coming in March 2009 from Harvest House is Legend of the Firefish author George Bryan Polivka's next novel. He continues his tradition of swashbuckling action in this next tale.

Summary:

From the author of highly praised Trophy Chase Trilogy comes this exciting swashbuckling tale of a pirate sentenced to die for the crime of mutiny.

As he awaits his fate, this pirate (none other than the delightful Smith Delaney from the Trophy Chase Trilogy) ponders his life and the events that have brought him to this fate.

In the process of remembering, and in grappling with mercy and justice as they have been played out in his life, a tale is spun, a tale of true hearts wronged, noble love gone awry, dark deeds done for the sake of gold, and sacrifices made for love. In the end, our pirate will come face–to–face with himself, with his own death, and with a God who promises grace where none is deserved.

Readers of Christian fantasy will once again be swept away by Bryan Polivka’s compelling storytelling abilities. As Publisher’s Weekly said of the author’s first book, “readers will be flipping pages eagerly.”

Read our review of The Legend of the Firefish here.
Read our review of The Hand that Bears the Sword here.
Read our review of The Battle for Vast Dominion here.

Daniel's Den by Brandt Dodson

Coming in February 2009 from Brandt Dodson is Daniel's Den (Harvest House).

Summary:

In this fast–paced thriller by popular author Brandt Dodson, a young government accountant learns to trust God when his life begins to fall apart and unseen enemies pursue him with relentless zeal.

Daniel Borden is a thirty–year–old government accountant who lives a quiet life and plays by the rules. But when events transpire that shatter his orderly world and a team of assassins mark him for death, Daniel must flee for his life.

While on the run, Daniel encounters Laura Sky. Carefree and easygoing, Laura is everything that Daniel isn’t. But when the killers assigned to eliminate Daniel find him at Laura’s bed–and–breakfast, gunfire erupts and the two set out on the run once again.

As they try to unravel the mystery that confronts them, they discover how tenuous life can be and how their very existence depends on the God who will never abandon them.

Read our interview with Brandt here.

Harvest House to Launch ConversantLife.com Books

EUGENE, OREGON—October 15, 2007—In a move that will reach out to a technology–driven culture as well as non–traditional believers and those searching for faith, Harvest House Publishers is launching ConversantLife.com Books, a new line that will bring four new titles in January, including I’m Fine With God...It’s Christians I Can’t Stand by popular authors Bruce Bickel and Stan Jantz.

In conjunction with the new line, Harvest House has partnered with the Conversant Media Group, a company dedicated to delivering quality content to a wide–ranging audience, utilizing the “new media” phenomena found on the Internet, in digital technology and in the rapidly evolving communications world. The group’s website, ConversantLife.com, will launch in January.

I’m Fine With God...It’s Christians I Can’t Stand relates how many non–Christians find the behavior of some Christians offensive rather than inviting. Many Christians do too! Bruce Bickel and Stan Jantz, authors of Knowing the Bible 101, take an unflinchingly honest and often humorous look at some believers’ outlandish behavior. This candid assessment of the church will bridge the communication gap, empowering Christians to share their faith more freely and helping those who don’t yet believe discover the truth about God without being distracted by...

• judgmental attitudes, hypocrisy, and condemnation
• confusing mixtures of politics and the gospel
• defensive positions in the “God vs. science” debate
• extreme teachings about prosperity

This refreshing call to authentic Christianity will help Christians and non–Christians get past the peripheral issues and communicate openly and honestly about God.

Other ConversantLife titles releasing in January include: Wrestling with Angels by Carolyn Arends; Why Guys Need God by Michael Erre; and Five Sacred Crossings by Craig J. Hazen (all four titles currently available for review in galley format).

“Our main goal in this partnership with Conversant Media Group is to encourage people in their faith by presenting biblical truths in compelling, creative and culturally effective ways,” says Bob Hawkins, Jr., president of Harvest House. “ConversantLife.com and its authors will present content and encourage communication in such a way that will motivate people to relate and engage in conversations, interact with trustworthy content, and more. It’s a venture that we hope will generate dialogue throughout society, crossing barriers and breaking down walls.”

According to author Stan Jantz, the intellectual questions about God and the Bible are still important to this new generation of people, but they are more likely to be drawn to Christianity first through the back door of conversation and community.

“Without this relational aspect, people seeking faith may never ask the questions whose answers will lead them through the front door of God’s truth,” says Jantz.

Talk Like A Pirate Contest

Most pirates routinely plunder and pillage and all that nasty stuff, and have earned the reputation of being an overall mean and grumpy lot with bad teeth. However, pirates are people, too!

Harvest House is pleased to announce the Talk Like A Pirate Contest—Reach Out to a Pirate and Win! Winners will receive copies of The Trophy Chase Trilogy by George Bryan Polivka, and other pirate-related books! Arrgghh! *The rules are simple me hearties! Write a short essay/message (200 words or less) on how you would positively impact a pirate’s life through one or more of the following actions:

a) Friendship/Fellowship (invite a pirate to an activity, outing, concert, church)
b) Prayer
c) Persuasion (as in persuading them to consider another line of work altogether!)

Arrgghh! All you have to do is write up yer message, and submit it between August 20 and Sept. 17 to: talklikeapiratecontest@harvesthousepublishers.com. Make sure to include yer email address and a good phone number (for verification and contact purposes only). Savvy?! We’ll make ye walk the plank if ye submit more than one entry, so if ye wants to avoid an untimely visit to Davey Jones’ Locker, pay attention ye land lubbers and follow the orders o’ yer fearless captain!

To effectively reach a pirate, you need to speak their language. So, your essay must be written in Pirate-speak! (hint: humor is good!) You can even choose a character from George Bryan Polivka’s Trophy Chase Trilogy to write about, or make someone up! Characters include: Fishbait McGee, Skewer Uttley, Conch Imbry, and/or Belisar the Whale—all notorious pirate captains of Nearing Vast (for ideas on pirate-speak, look up National Talk Like A Pirate Day, which is September 19).

Three winners will be selected, with the three winning essays to be posted on author George Bryan Polivka’s blogsite www.nearingvast.com/capspub on September 19. The winners (chosen by a scurvy band of judges whose honor and character are questionable) will receive a veritable pirate’s treasure chest of plunder, including: The Trophy Chase Trilogy (The Legend of the Firefish and The Hand That Bears the Sword, as well as the third book in the series, **The Battle for Vast Dominion). Other titles include When It's Fourth and Long by Josh Bidwell (punter for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Arrgghh!), and Captives and Kings by Craig and Janet Parshall.

*Official Rules (NOT just guidelines):
One entry per contestant. Three winning essays will be chosen by a panel of judges based on humor, level of persuasion, and overall creative writing skills. The three winning essays will be posted on author George Bryan Polivka’s blogsite on Sept. 19, 2007. No purchase, entry fee, donation or any other type of payment necessary. Must be a resident of the lower 48 Continental United States to enter (residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Alaska, Canada or elsewhere not eligible). Employees and/or family members of Harvest House Publishers not eligible. Must be 14 years or older to enter contest and be able to provide proof of age. Retail value of winning entry: $67.95. **(The Battle for Vast Dominion by George Bryan Polivka releases in January, 2008, and will be shipped to the winning contestants at that time).