Author Spotlight + GIVEAWAY: Lynn Austin

I always begin my interviews by saying that I'm honored to welcome a particular author, which is always true, but Lynn Austin is very special to me - and, to be honest, I'd have to say that I'm a little in awe! An eight-time winner of the Christy Award for excellence in Christian fiction, Lynn's novels are not only popular, but she is well respected - and rightly so. Please join me in extending a warm welcome to Lynn today.

In the Restoration Chronicles series, Lynn's prose, biblical authenticity, and storytelling ability combine into what I consider to be the best in this genre today. Return to Me and Keepers of the Covenant (click on titles to see my reviews) are moving stories that not only entertain, but give new meaning to the term "relevant" when the importance of their message for today is considered.

Lynn is graciously sharing a copy of book #2, Keepers of the Covenant, with one of our readers; details are at the end of this post. Now enjoy Lynn's thoughts as she tells what this story means to her personally . . .

Lynn:  To me, the question at the heart of Keepers of the Covenant is, will we trust God in faith even when life doesn’t seem to make sense? Will we continue to walk with Him no matter what? I’ve always been fascinated with the biblical books of Ezra and Nehemiah and wanted to bring them to life for readers because I believe their theme is very a contemporary one. How do we live according to the Bible, without compromising, in the midst of a godless culture?

Keepers of the Covenant is the second book in the Restoration Chronicles series and tells how Ezra led a group of exiles back home to the Promised Land and back to God. It begins with the events of the book of Esther—but told from the viewpoint of the Jewish people, scattered throughout the Persian Empire, who suddenly find themselves facing Haman’s death sentence. Will they trust God or give in to evil? My goal is to show the relevance of scripture for our lives, to write stories that give readers hope; stories that say, yes, life is hard but God is good. And no matter what, to believe that He’s always in control.


Carole:  Quality Christian fiction not only entertains, but challenges and causes us to reflect, and that's what this series does so well, Lynn. I said in one of my reviews that you could make a blueprint of these stories, lay it over today's world, and they would meld into one. It is indeed an honor to have you visit, and I hope you'll come back when your next book releases.

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GIVEAWAY

To enter the drawing for Keepers of the Covenant, please leave a relevant comment . . . for instance, a favorite novel of Lynn's, enjoyment of biblical fiction in general, living in today's "politically correct" society, etc.

BE SURE TO LEAVE YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS in a safe format - [at] and [dot] - for the drawing, and please indicate if yours is an international address.

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E-mail required for entry in the drawing. Contest ends at midnight PST on Saturday, April 25. Winner will be chosen by Random.org and contacted by e-mail. Respond within 48 hours of notification or another winner will be chosen.

Eligibility: Open internationally