Library News from Author Athol Dickson

The Cure
By Athol Dickson

Imagine a medicine that cures you of your worst vice.

One dose and you’re free. How much would a person pay for such a cure? How far would they go? Would they lie for it? Steal for it? Kill for it?

Riley Keep, former man of God, former missionary, has been a beggar on the streets for years, desperate to forget the past. His wife, daughter, work, and faith were all lost in the aftermath of one far-flung act of wickedness. Believing some things cannot be forgiven in this life, lately Riley has begun to think of giving up the ghost. Then he hears the rumors.

Miracles are happening in Maine.

An old woman fleeing a horrific monster, a lonely wife and mother tempted by forbidden desire, an impoverished lobsterman lured by tainted wealth, a young girl weighing life and death decisions, a small town cop with a murder on his hands . . . these are just a few of the citizens of Dublin, Maine, a picture postcard village slowly suffocating underneath an avalanche of hungry people searching for a miracle. But only Riley Keep will find what he desires. And only then will Riley learn if it will save him, or if it’s true what people say . . . .

Sometimes The Cure is worse than the disease.

Advance praise for The Cure:

“…well-written, intelligent follow-up to Dickson's Christy Award-winning River Rising. An involving, suspenseful take on God's transforming grace, it tackles a serious issue while providing an absorbing story.” (Library Journal)

“…unpredictable and surprising, even though clues are sprinkled throughout the book. The final twist was chilling…the author does a wonderful job weaving in the deceit and the actions of those unrestrained by ethics and driven by the bottom line…a powerful book, one that will remain on my bookshelf for a long time to come.” (Crosswalk)

“Rich with local dialect and scenery…. Dickson's approach is thought-provoking, and his prose beautifully evokes the taciturn spirit of the Mainers who people this novel….full of interesting ideas and well-developed characters.” (Publisher’s Weekly)

About the author:

Athol Dickson’s writing has been favorably compared to the work of Octavia Butler (Publisher’s Weekly) and Flannery O’Connor (The New York Times). His They Shall See God was a Christy Award finalist and his River Rising was a Christy Award winner, selected as one of the Booklist Top Ten Christian Novels of 2006, and a finalist for the Christianity Today Best Novel of 2006.

Learn more about Athol Dickson and his work at www.atholdickson.com or visit his blog at http://whatatholwrote.blogspot.com/

Buy The Cure at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0764201638 or directly from Bethany House Publishers.

Library News

Hey all,

As you know, there are a lot of really wonderful books coming out these days with a Christian slant. I've decided every now and then to feature some of these titles. Some of the books I'll feature, I have not read, simply because they're brand new, and I'm behind on my reading list...but I have read and enjoyed previous books by many of the authors who will be featured here.

We're going to start this journey with The Oak Leaves by Maureen Lang. Maureen thought she’d write about her experience with Fragile X Syndrome (a genetic form of mental
retardation) “someday.” After all, having a child who requires round-the-clock care doesn’t make for the upbeat, escapist reading most romance novelists prefer to write about. Still, Lang wanted to include Fragile X in a story because so few people have heard of the
disorder that affects her 12-year-old son. So she put the tale in the middle of a love story.

From the back cover:

Talie Ingram has an ideal life: a successful, devoted husband; a beautiful one-year-old son; and another on the way. But her world is shattered when she discovers
a shocking family secret in the nineteenth-century journal belonging to her ancestor Cosima Escott. Only in reading Cosima’s words can Talie make peace with the legacy she’s inherited and the one she’s passed on to her son.

Reviews:

…A lush and moving tapestry of love, fear and faith…spellbinding… Flawlessly plotted, filled with flesh-and-blood characters and a radiant faith…Very highly recommended.
Christian Book Previews

Have Dream, Will Travel

Have you ever felt a calling to go to a certain part of the country or world that you've never been to before? In my freelance writing work, I've been fortunate to travel to many of our nation's finest cities. Years ago, I was even able to make a trip to Europe. However, one area I've never been fortunate enough to get to is the Pacific Northwest. There is something about the cities of Portland and Seattle and that whole area out there that just totally intrigues me. I'm hoping one of my clients will find some work out there and I'll get to go soon. I even got an Airtran special in the mail showing a roundtrip ticket to Portland for $200...not bad.

For those of you who've been to the Pacific Northwest, tell us more about it! And for others of you who have a dream or calling or feel a serious "pull" to go somewhere other than where you live, tell us about that. Until next time, blessings. Creston

CAVS!

Ever since I grew up in northeast Ohio, in the Bath/Akron/Cleveland area, I have been a Cleveland sports fans. I would go to bed on hot summer nights with a transistor radio under my pillow, listening to Indians games. We would weather sub-zero temperatures to cheer on the Browns at the old Cleveland stadium on Lake Erie. Yes, I was at the Ice Bowl in 1980, I believe, when Brian Sipe's pass was knocked away or intercepted in the end-zone to dash our hopes one more time. And, yes, I attended many a Cavs' game at the old Richfield Coliseum (the same venue where I graduated from high school).

And finally our day has come! The Cavs make it to the NBA finals vs. the San Antonio Spurs! The whole city is ecstatic and it's times like these that I wish I was "back home" to cheer on the LeBron, Boobie, and the hometown boys. Oh well, TV will have to do. The tip-off for game one is June 7 at 9 p.m. (EST)....don't miss it! CM