CFBA presents "To Dance In the Desert" by Kathleen Popa

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

TO DANCE IN THE DESERT
(RiverOak, May 1, 2007)
by

Kathleen Popa

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Raised in the American Southwest, Kathleen began her love affair with the desert as a child. Before becoming a writer she, among other jobs, worked in both the juvenile facility fro incarcerated girls and a home for emotionally disturved children. Mother of two, sh lives in Northern California with her husband and youngest son. Visit her blog, Reading, Writing, and What Else is There? She is a member of the CFBA, too! Give her a holler!

ABOUT THE BOOK:

“Not a safe world.” How many times had she heard it over and over again? Well, it is not a safe world and Dara Murphy Brogan knew it better than most, which is exactly why she had tucked herself away on a desert mountaintop. Now it was just her, the voice inside her head and the boxes of hastily packed odds and ends—all that was left of her pathetic excuse of a life. Hadn’t she chosen the desert because it was barren and brown and dead looking and far, far away from anyone who may have seen the news?

So what was this, this trespasser, this interloper, this wacked out earth mother doing dancing outside her window? Celebrating life and the Spirit in a way Dara never could have dreamed. Until she opened her door and met Jane Cameron.

A book that makes me laugh is a joy, a book that makes me cry is a rarity. But a book that moves me to dance is sublime. To Dance in the Desert is a spectacular experience. Beautifully written, deeply moving, and warmly engaging—that this is Kathleen Popa’s first novel astounds me. That she will quickly be counted among the top caliber of Christian novelists delights me. I simply loved this book.

~Kathryn Mackel, Author of The Hidden

Kathleen Popa creates a compelling vision of a small community’s power to coax waning spirits back toward life. This gem of a novel worked on me like a dream. Popa’s evocative prose captured the nuance and complexity of transformation with equal parts mystery and truth. She conjures the deserts of Dara Brogan’s life with intimate clarity, reminding us along the way of the profound strength of what we take far too much for granted—the deep friendship of kindred spirits. This is a journey worth taking.

~Jeff Berryman, Author of Leaving Ruin

Review: "A Shred of Truth" by Eric Wilson

A Shred of Truth

By Eric Wilson

Aramis Black is in the middle of a party—actually it’s his brother Johnny Ray’s shindig. It’s to celebrate Johnny’s hit single, right before he leaves on a national tour. But during the festivities at Owen Bradley Park, Johnny goes AWOL—not exactly a great publicity move.

He sets off to find his hooky playing brother. He’s carrying Johnny’s cowboy hat, handed to him by Chigger, Johnny’s lead guitar player. Cuts in the brim catch his attention and he stops to hold the mangled material up to light. Five slits in the cloth from two letters: AX. Aramis’ attention shifts from the fabric clutched in his hands to a statue in his line of sight. It is Musica, a controversial Nashville landmark with a new addition strapped to its base—his brother, Johnny.

Aramis surges toward him only to be blocked by a slow-moving Hyundai. The hooded, faceless driver stares at Aramis, reminding him of some “ill-advised narcotic episodes” from his Portland life. He gets past the car with its eerie driver and over to the statue. Johnny is still alive, but not much help. Pickled, he can only manage to give Aramis few details on what happened and most of them revolve around a now vanished redhead.

Aramis checks his brother for injuries and finds a macabre clue—the same letters sliced into Johnny’s Stetson are carved into his shoulder. He also learns of a bizarre phone call Johnny received the previous day. The anonymous caller revealed information known only to the two Black brothers and then demanded the return of some stolen property. Before Johnny was able to hang up, the caller threatened him—promising punishment for his “sins.”

Johnny refuses any medical attention and won’t let Aramis call the police until morning. But Aramis has a violent past. He also sports a “Live by the Sword” tattoo on one forearm and it’s twin, “Die by the Sword” on the other. A man with a sharp weapon tattooed on each arm has a history of taking matters into his own hands. He refuses to let the professionals handle this alone. When the caller makes contact with Aramis, a deadly game of cat and mouse begins. But this attacker knows how to control his prey. As the game reaches its climax, Aramis must make a choice that puts not just his life in jeopardy, but another’s as well.

A Shred of Truth is the second book in the Aramis Black mystery series. Author Eric Wilson kept this reader guessing throughout the book, throwing in enough red herrings to hide the stalker’s identity until the big reveal. The first person narrative pulled me into Aramis’ world and into his soul. Will he be able to resist paying evil for evil? Or will he revert to living by the motto permanently etched into his arms, destroying any future life in Nashville? This is a novel I will definitely recommend to my friends.