Blog Tour: Hide it In Your Heart by Annie Doulass Lima

When Annie approached me about being part of her blog tour to promote her new release, a coloring book for adults based on the Word of God, I was enthusiastic. These colouring books hold special interest and importance for me. My wife suffered a spontaneous, massive brain injury (haemorrhage) in 2004 and she nearly did not make it. The surgery was a life saver. By the grace of God, she sustained very little damage, just some hearing and memory loss. Since then, she has to engage in active and stimulating exercises to keep the brain active. Computer games, puzzles and these colouring books have had a huge impact on her ongoing rehab. I have seen her creativity in the completion of her colouring books and some of them are a joy to behold.

Seeing what these colouring books can do from a therapeutic point of view, I can see how these would be a lot of fun for the child that is still in us as adults. I applaud authors like Annie Douglass Lima, who have created these coloring books for us. In this new creation, she has taken these books to the next level. Not only can they be fun, promote our creativity, assist in brain injury rehab, but can also help stimulate a love affair with the Word of God. Just like children, we learn better when the delivery is fun and entertaining. So check out Annie's post below. You never know, it might just open another door for you!

Over to you, Annie: 

More than just a coloring book, this inspirational activity book will help you relax, unwind, and enjoy some creative fun while hiding God’s Word in your heart.

The 35 separate verses and passages are printed in colorable word art with decorative borders, blank on the back to make them easier to remove and frame or display, if desired. Each one is accompanied by two different activities or puzzles featuring the verse or key words from it.

Hide it in Your Heart is an ideal Scripture memorization aid for Christian schools, homeschool programs, Sunday schools, or your own personal use. Children and adults will enjoy learning, practicing, and meditating on these artistically presented verses from the New International Version Bible.

Proceeds from the sale of Hide it In Your Heart will be donated to www.Christar.org to help provide a translation of God’s Word for a particular people group in East Asia who do not yet have the Bible in their own language.

Here are a few sample coloring and activity pages from Hide it In Your Heart. If you'd like to color them or complete the word puzzles, click here to access a PDF that you can download and print.

   

Hide it In Your Heart is available in paperback on Amazon. Click here to order your copy for $8.99. 

HOWEVER, you can get it for 15% off if you order it here on CreateSpace with coupon code JZBVVBH8! The code can be used an unlimited number of times and will not expire, so feel free to order as many copies as you like for family and friends. Hide it In Your Heart makes a great gift for anyone who enjoys word puzzles, coloring, or God's word! 

You're welcome to share the code with others, too.

Happy coloring!

About Annie:

Annie Douglass Lima spent most of her childhood in Kenya and later graduated from Biola University in Southern California. She and her husband Floyd currently live in Taiwan, where she teaches fifth grade at Morrison Academy. She has been writing poetry, short stories, and novels since her childhood, and to date has published thirteen books (two YA action and adventure novels, four fantasies, a puppet script, five anthologies of her students’ poetry, and a Scripture coloring and activity book). Besides writing, her hobbies include reading (especially fantasy and science fiction), scrapbooking, and international travel.

Connect with Annie Douglass Lima online:

Email: AnnieDouglassLima@gmail.com

Blog: http://anniedouglasslima.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnnieDouglassLimaAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/princeofalasia

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/ADLimaOnGoodreads

Google+: http://bit.ly/ADLimaOnGooglePlus

Amazon Author Page: http://bit.ly/AnnieDouglassLimaOnAmazon

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/AnnieDouglassLima

LinkedIn: http://bit.ly/ADLimaOnLinkedIn

Sign up for author updates and receive a free ebook of "interviews" with characters from her fantasy series: http://bit.ly/LimaUpdates

Distant Boundary: Prequel to The COIL Legacy by D. I. Telbat

Distant Boundary: Prequel to The COIL Legacy

In this novella, Distant Boundary, Prequel for The COIL Legacy Series, D.I. Telbat takes us to a distant land where danger knows no boundaries.

Now working for COIL, Agent Titus Caspertein has left the criminal underworld to carry the cross of Christ, but survival has never seemed more unlikely for this new Christian.

Assumed dead after a bungled humanitarian airdrop, Titus fights for his life against hyenas, wild dogs, and isolation in the African savanna.

With two broken limbs, and predators prowling for his blood, Titus relies on a young boy to keep him alive. Unless his wife, Annette, finds him before a heavily armed rhino poacher does, Titus will become a casualty of the Zimbabwe wilderness!

With a Bonus Chapter from Distant Contact, Book One in The COIL Legacy, map downloads, and cover design by Streetlight Graphics, we pray you enjoy this exciting Prequel to The COIL Legacy. And discover there is truly no redemption without sacrifice.

The Guru's Review:  

Having now read this, I can say that this prequel provides a worthy introduction to this new series, COIL Legacy.

It follows on well from Dark Zeal, the last volume of the COIL series. It also follows on from the conversion of Titus in this same last volume. Strategic from Telbat as not showing what happened to him from Dark Zeal would make us wait for a future volume to find out. This break in continuity would take the reader longer to build a rapport with this new character. Telbat has mentioned in the past that we would hearing more from Titus so it seems that he is important to this new series. If this is so, it pays to establish his placement and importance from the start.

For a short story of this length, 82 pages, Telbat succeeds in setting the scene, pace, atmosphere and tension. As a result, I was transported to this hot, dusty, drought stricken Zimbabwean environment.

The plot for this short lends well to the first mission of Titus and his new wife, Annette. I loved the way Telbat showed how the dire circumstances that Titus found himself in tested his faith. The same with Annette. I dislike an author's portrayal of a character's newly found faith in Christ as unchangeable and rock solid. Not so with Telbat. He has depiected faith in his novels as they are in real life. I related to the fact that both Annette and Titus had to learn to trust God to deliver them both from this situation. Their faith waned but both realised they only had God to rely on and it was not in their hands anymore, but His. Showing a character's faith as realistic is what readers will relate to. Reader's who are Christian will relate to this from their own experience. Those who don't will see the Christian living out their faith under these circumstances as non-conventional and even strange. This may encourage them to question why this is (and lead to them closer to God's truth). It may even provoke them to question the validity of their own reaction to the same circumstances.

This is one thing that I have loved about Telbat's COIL novels. His Christian characters are three dimensional and relational, so is their faith. Telbat's depicts Corben, head of the COIL organisation, as one who has a strong faith. This faith is grounded well in Christ, but it is his past that gives his faith a relatable edge and humbles him. It would be tempting to have depicted him as a super spiritual, bible quoting CEO but then he would just be a character in a novel and not a relatable one. I would find it hard to relate to him like this.

I say the same for Titus and Annette. It is their pasts that are making them relatable and their relationship with Christ a humble one. Not only is it due to who Christ is and what He has done for them via the Cross, but it is this past that has made them appreciate this. They know what they are willing to sacrifice for Him. They both make mention of this in the novel.

In novels like these that depict the suffering and persecution of Christians, I suggest that Telbat would have had to make these faith based. Herein lies why his Christian characters show that their faith is worth living out and dying for. It reminds me of the catch phrase and theme of all his novels, "..there is no redemption without sacrifice".

I really enjoyed this short prequel to the COIL Legacy series. My interest is piqued for the rest of the series. I am glad that the next instament Distant Contact is ready for me to enjoy.

Highly Recommended.

To read a sample or buy this novel, click on  Buy or Preview below.

Dark Zeal (COIL, Book 5) by D. I. Telbat

Dark Zeal (COIL, Book 5)

In Dark Zeal, Book Five in the COIL Series, D.I. Telbat takes us into the heart and heat of Gaza, Israel. Agent Corban Dowler infiltrates Gaza City for a routine medical op, but soon discovers an international plot by Hamas terrorists to destroy Israel, forcing him to respond as a soldier of Christ.

Wounded and captured, Corban gathers his wits to attempt winning over greedy arms dealer Titus Caspertein in order to save Israel from destruction. Corban's mission is further complicated when UN humanitarian American Annette Sheffield is kidnapped and within reach, and he defies government orders to stage a rescue.

Meanwhile, Luigi Putelli, ex-assassin and family guardian, searches for his friend in war-torn Gaza City to offer his services once again. With Hamas militants closing in, and the Israeli Air Force targeting extremists, Corban calls in other operatives to help complete his mission, and prays they aren't all mistaken for terrorists.

Bullets and missiles are flying in this fifth book of the COIL Series, with cover art by Streetlight Graphics. Experience tunnels, drones, and the horrors of the Gaza war zone. But where darkness seems to thrive, God has placed His eternal light in the heart of faithful servant and bold spokesman, Corban Dowler. Join us for this continued Christian Suspense saga, and be reminded: there is no redemption without sacrifice. 

The Guru's Review: 

This is the last book in this COIL series. While it is rather sad that this current series must come to an end, all is not lost. Telbat has just published a follow on series, COIL Legacy. Everything continues from this series.

Every author strives to develop further their craft with each novel. Based on this, I would expect this last one to be the best. This is definitely the case with this volume. If Telbat was to stop writing with this novel, at least he would go out with a bang. He would leave his readers with one memorable and unforgettable series. They would have been entertained, their faith strengthened, God honoured, and a seed of faith planted or watered for others. Dare I say that this standard of writing and effects is now what I am expecting in this next series? I do not have any doubt about this. What seems to feed Telbat's development of his craft is his passion for the Gospel of Christ, the Great Commission and its associated mission field.

I must confess, that I did not have much of a passion for overseas missions before reading novles of this genre. Yet, it is the writings of this author and one other, Martin Roth, who has sparked in me an increasing awareness and passion for the mission field. It is these authors and their stories that keeps me coming back for more. I am finding that I thirst to see what God does in such dire circumstances that God places these characters in. It is here, that Roth and Telbat shine in showing this through their character's expressing their faith and submission to God. Is there a spiritual lesson here for all whether we are in a persecuted Christian environment or not? Definitely, and to this point, this is where Telbat and Roth are successful in Christian fiction. They both not only entertain but show the light of Christ, the power of prayer and how to be His obedient vessels to break the oppressive nature of those governments and military regimes that are hell bent on destroying the Gospel of Christ. What better place for this spiritual war to start than with those who have placed their faith in this God?

I found this volume to be one enthralling and compelling read. In one sense it felt like Telbat had brought many character plots and relationships from previous novels into a head in this one. It was great seeing the continuing relationship beteen Dowler and Luigi Putelli continue. The latter's quest for God has had me almost praying for his salvation, despite knowing he is just a fictional character! I cried at his demise, feeling both the sadness and grief of Dowler over this and that Putelli had to suffer as he did. Yet, Telbat tempers this with the knowledge that his suffering and quest to know God was not in vain. That was a comfort for Dowler and this reader!

I am glad also to see further development in the relationship between Nathan and Chen Li and that Nathan's secret is not a secret any more.This lends itself for future plot developments that I hope I will see in this next series. I cannot help but wonder if the demise of Dowler is also deliberate to expand/develop further plot lines in this new series and help take it to the next level.

With the introduction of a new major character, any review cannot leave out a mention of who this character is. Reading about Titus Caspertein,arms dealer, gives me the impression that Telbat is very fond of this character. There is an implication that Titus will feature maybe prominently in the next series. I loved reading about his spiritual struggle with the morality of his past and present and the effects of the Spirit working through Dowler's witness, convicting him of this. It egged me on and I found myself again, yearning and praying for his salvation. I even wondered if the angels rejoice when a fictional character accepts Christ as the Word says they do with the human race! Such is the power of story and its delivery on a reader's active imagination! I am sure God has a sense of humour!

Speaking of introducing a new character into a series, this is not the first time Telbat has done this. I can count three now. Two in this volume (Casperstein and UN humanitarian Annette Sheffield) and one in a previous one. All three have varying and diverse backgrounds, but Telbat shows they all have the same similarities. Their backgrounds have all reinforced the rebellious sinful nature that is at enmity towards God. We are all guilty of one or all what the apostle John says in his Gospel:

For everything that belongs to the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s lifestyle—is not from the Father, but is from the world. 1 John 2:16 (HCSB)

Yet, Telbat shows God doing what He does best. He shows these three characters the destructive nature of these three pitfalls and what they need to do about it. They realise their sin and act on the encouragement and conviction of the Spirit that they need Jesus in their lives to be free of their sin. It is very encouraging to see Telbat show what these three then do, become fellow missionaries and soldiers in this spiritual warfare. They go from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of Light.

In this volume, Telbat has upped the hatred of God and Christians through the Hamas tactician, Carac Hassad. I found myself becoming tense and disturbed at the level of deception, hatred, bitterness that exuded from this character. Telbat has also upped the degree of political intrigue, military tactics and warfare in the Hamas' attempt to destroy Israel. These are descriptive enough to transport you there where you can almost feel the heat, the grime, the fear, the oppression, the loss of hope, and the pervasive evil from the Hamas regime. It does give the reader a definite sense of how real it must be and even more so than what real life depicts as reflected by watching the news on a daily basis on these issues.

Telbat has tied up this last volume in such a manner that has your interest remains piqued and you want more so this leads in nicely to the COIL Legacy series. Looking forward to this immensely.

Strongly Recommended

World Building 5/5

Characterisation 5/5

Story 5/5

Spiritual Level 4/5

Enemy Spiritual Level 4/5

Average Rating 4.6/5
 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reader Award Bestowment: 

Spiritually, based on this review, the previous novels in the COIL series, the following reference booklet,

A Spiritual System for Rating Books by David Bergsland,

and that this series contains elements of the criteria of what constitutes Christian Redemptive Fiction outlined in this booklet, I award D. I Telbat with

The Reality Calling Redemptive Speculative Fiction Award

Congratulations, D. I. Telbat!

To read an excerpt or buy Lazarus, click on the icon below: