I admit it; I'm a sucker for lists! And the subtitle to Only Nuns Change Habits Overnight - 52 Amazing Ways to Master the Art of Personal Change - had me hooked.

This book is more than just lists, however. It's a humorous, plainly-spoken approach to achieving the dreams and goals you have set (or need to set) for your life.

It both encompasses the New Year’s Resolution variety of change, and plunges headlong into tackling lifelong hindrances and goals that seem to perpetually reside just out of reach. With a few exceptions, it’s not exactly new information, just re-framed. But, if you’re anything like me, restating information is a necessity if you want it to stick.

The summary of the book states that “Linamen shows readers the link between dissatisfaction and transformation, how to remodel habits, the little-known truth about procrastination, how to generate the energy they need to pursue the life they desire, how to benefit from options and resources they never dreamed they had, and much, much more!”

Admittedly, I thought I knew all there was about procrastination since I am an expert in that field, but there was a true “A-ha” moment as I read the “little-known truth about procrastination” that the author shares in her book.

Although this book is marketed to women, the information and tips apply universally to both sexes, and as long as your significant other doesn’t mind the pink on the cover, I can guarantee he will learn something as well. In fact, this would be an excellent book to work through as a couple or in a group setting. The author has included discussion starters and questions at the close of each chapter to facilitate both group discussion and personal reflection. Additionally, all 52 of the action points listed in the book could be completed as a group or with a buddy. So, if you need that extra bit of motivation, grab a friend or two and use this book as a great kickoff for 2009.

~About the Author~

Believe it or not, even though Karen Scalf Linamen has ten other books marketed to women, this was my first encounter with her work. She is a popular motivational speaker and has been featured on more than one hundred radio programs, including FamilyLife Today. Publishers Weekly describes her as “funny, forthright and unforgettable.” Linamen lives with her family in Colorado Springs, Colorado. You can visit her website at http://www.karenlinamen.com/

~ Two Ways to Get the Book~

First, you can purchase it outright from online retailers such as Amazon.com or in most fine bookstores. Here’s a link:

Secondly, I happen to have a copy to give away thanks to the great folks over at WaterBrook Press. If you want to be eligible to win a copy, simply follow the instructions below:

1. Leave a comment on this blog regarding a change you’d like to make this year. It can be anything: learn to drive, lose 10 pounds, quit procrastinating and write that book already. Anything! This earns you one entry.

2. To get a second entry, simply post about this contest on your blog and then link it back here.

It’s that simple! Comments will remain open until midnight Eastern Time Monday, January 5 and the winner will be announced Tuesday, January 6.

# 7 Lindsey @ A Kindred Spirits Thoughts

Congrats! I'll be emailing you for your snail mail addy and I'll get the book over to you!

Be sure to join me later this month for another giveaway!
Next on deck ... Only Nuns Change Habits Overnight by Karen Scalf Linamen

I don't normally start reading with the last book of a trilogy or in the middle of a series because I like to enter the characters' world at the beginning. I made an exception for When the Soul Mends by Cindy Woodsmall. This delightful book is the third in the Sisters of the Quilt series.

As the story unfolded I felt like sufficient background was supplied so that I was brought up to speed with the storyline. Yet, I didn't think the redundancy was so heavy that faithful readers would believe the author was wasting time reiterating material. As a newcomer, it took me a chapter or two to get comfortable in the book but I didn't feel handicapped by not having read the other two novels. In fact, I now am yearning to locate the two predecessors to this novel!

In When the Soul Mends, the reader is ensconced in the world of the Amish Mennonite and Old Order Amish. The Plain life is faithfully portrayed by Cindy Woodsmall as she concludes the story of Hannah Lapp, a young woman ostracized from the community in which she was raised.

Hannah returns at the behest of her sister and is forced to face the lifestyle and loved ones that she left behind nearly two years earlier. It is a time of discovery, on many levels, and she finds herself torn between the Englischer world and the Plain life.

~ Author Information ~

Cindy Woodsmall is a best-selling author, who has garnered strong praise for the first two novels in the Sisters of the Quilt series. When the Heart Cries was a finalist for the ECPA Novel of the Year in 2007 and received the Reviewer’s Choice Award from the Road to Romance website. When the Morning Comes was named among the Best Books of 2007 for Crossings Book Club. Cindy lives in Georgia with her husband of thirty years.

If you like novels with an Amish flavor then you will definitely enjoy this book. This was my first fictional journey into their world and I was immediately intrigued by this old-fashioned, alternate lifestyle that coexists within modern-day America. I appreciated the way in which the author resolved the conflict within this novel. I'm not sure how to properly phrase this, but I was pleasantly surprised that honor remained intact while allowing for growth in the characters. This fact alone is proof positive that salacious content is not necessary for a novel to land on the New York Times Bestseller list.

I would definitely recommend this as a great book to while away the hours during these long winter nights. In fact, you can grab a copy of the book for yourself by participating in my blog contest!

~ Book Giveaway Information ~

I have one copy of When the Soul Mends to give away. To play, simply leave a comment on this blog recommending a good book you've recently read. Comments will close on December 11th and the winner will be announced on the 12^th.

~ Purchase When the Soul Mends ~

If you like to read fiction books - especially historical fiction - and you've been around this blog for any length of time, then you should have noticed my book review for The Shape of Mercy. If not, go read it here. If you don't have your own copy of this book purchase one or borrow it if you have to -- you won't be sorry!

Most of you know that I am pretty hard on Christian authors. I feel like most don't have the chops that their 'secular' counterparts do when it comes to building a plot and developing believable and engaging characters. Susan is in the handful of Christian authors that I think have the goods. I loved The Shape of Mercy so much! I actually had to stop myself from doing a Google search on Mercy Hayworth -- she's a fictional character, for crying out loud! But that just goes to show you how well written this novel is.

Anyway, I digress!

My point in this blog entry is to let you know that Susan is doing something that I've never seen before -- and I think I'm gonna like it. She's starting a blog so that the characters from The Shape of Mercy can continue to flesh out their storyline. Love it!!

Here's the link to the blog: http://theshapeofmercy.blogspot.com/

So, here's what you need to do next:

1. Read the book


2. Subscribe to the blog


3. Enjoy! :)

As a lover of historic fiction, it didn't take me long to become completely engrossed in Susan Meissner's most recent book, The Shape of Mercy. This novel is an elegantly crafted work of fiction whose superb storyline whisks the reader through time, transporting them to an era when hysteria reigned and darkness prevailed. The story so completely envelops the reader in a perfectly plausible, yet not too predictable, plot that I actually had to remind myself it was a work of fiction.

The main characters grapple with timeless conflicts as the author subtly draw parallels which compel the reader to reexamine long-held motivations and thought patterns, all the while keeping you immersed in the storyline.

The Shape of Mercy tells the tale of Lauren Durough who "is a college student longing to break free of family expectations when she stumbles into a project for eighty year old Abigail Boyles -transcribing the journals of Mercy Hayworth, a seventeenth-century victim of the Massachusetts witch trials."

During this transcription process, Mercy and her plight are reframed in both the lives of Abigail and Lauren. Each lady must walk out her own version of Mercy's conflicts and find resolutions to stigmata and rash judgments.

I would highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys historic fiction where the "moral of the story" that undergirds the plot does not detract from the narrative being so perfectly woven by the author. In my opinion, Meissner is one of few Christian authors who writes credible plots that are not heavy-handed. I found it to be a thoroughly enjoyable book that would appeal to a wide audience and I heartily recommend both the book and the author.



To order your own copy of the book visit Amazon.com
The Shape of Mercy: A Novel




Author's Bio:
From early school-day projects to becoming editor of a local newspaper in Minnesota, Susan Meissner's love for writing has been apparent her entire life. The Shape of Mercy is her latest novel in a string of books that delve into the deeper issues of life. She is the author of nine novels and lives with her family in San Diego, California. Find out more about her at http://www.susanmeissner.com/.