After getting totally dogged in my only PW review, I'd pretty much given up on them ever giving me any love. Well, today, they surprised me and gave me a little (there's some criticism too, but that's cool...)
Here's the review:
Rhythms of Grace Marilynn Griffith. Revell, $13.99 paper (432p) ISBN 978-0-8007-3278-3
It’s 1984, and four young lives intersect in Testimony, Ohio, with one of the four, Diana, becoming the victim of rape. After introducing her major characters and a central issue, Griffith (Shades of Style series) jumps ahead to 2005, when Diana, now going by her middle name Grace, returns to her hometown, and her troubled past, to teach at a charter school for challenging teens the system is about to give up on. The book is all about relationships: their changes, their remarkable endurance, their power to nurture. Grace and minister’s daughter Zeely are close friends; Grace and her teaching colleague Brian become quickly entangled in a halting but inevitable romance; lawyer Ron, who was like Brian’s brother when the two were young, is engaged to Mindy but has been carrying the torch for Zeely. Interracial romance allows Griffith to engage racism as a force affecting her characters; the town of Testimony also got its name from the $500 exacted before a black fleeing slavery would be allowed to settle in the area. The book is thickly plotted, perhaps too thickly—some connections between characters and events strain credibility. Nor is everything resolved, since there’s a sequel in the offing. Griffith’s dialogue is engaging and her major characters deeply memorable; she deserves a wide audience. (Sept.)
There's also a great in depth article about the growing African American Christian Market and my pubisher, Revell's part in it. I don't know what's going on, but I like it!
Hey Marilynn,
This is kind of off topic, but I just finished Heavenly Places by Kimberly Cash Tate - phenomenal! Are you familiar with her work? I'm anxious to know.
Kim
Posted by: Kim | September 02, 2008 at 05:19 PM
Congrats, girl! What a great review. The article was totally icing on the cake! Yeah, there's a rumbling going on!
Posted by: Angela | September 02, 2008 at 05:33 PM
Uh-Oh...they done done it now! (LOL) Just goes to show you If God "gets you" 'cause you're obeying him, eventually all the naysayers will have to come around and give you your kudos, even if it's slow in coming. In no time flat they will have a major "ah-ha" moment when they REALLY "get you" too!
So to you and the other trailblazers.....MUCH LOVE TO YA!
Posted by: Lorin | September 02, 2008 at 06:42 PM
That's a great review! It gets no better than for them to say you deserve a wide audience :)
Posted by: Tammee | September 02, 2008 at 07:43 PM
The book is every bit as wonderful as PW said it is. I loved the line: "Griffith’s dialogue is engaging and her major characters deeply memorable; she deserves a wide audience." Amen!
Posted by: Wendy Lawton | September 02, 2008 at 08:03 PM
Marilynn,
The review is fantastic! I can't wait to begin reading.
MaRita
Posted by: MaRita Teague | September 02, 2008 at 11:14 PM
I shared with you in an earlier comment that I purchased the last Rhythms of Grace from Amazon (YAY ME!) I received it and started reading...OH MY GOODNESS! I was immediately pulled in by your characters and the plot. I had to MAKE myself stop reading and get back to studying (I'm in school full-time) BUT this weekend I will finish. I have to tell you this, after I stopped myself from reading I went to the laptop to submit some homework to a professor and darn if I didn't find myself on Amazon again purchasing Turquoise, Tangerine and If the Shoe Fits, now I have EVERYTHING! Thank you for allowing God to USE the gifts he imparted in you. You are my inspiration.
Posted by: Neecha | September 03, 2008 at 01:23 PM
PW just realized what your fans have known since book one. YOUR THE BOMB :)
I just ordered my copy, I hope its here by the weekend, so I can start reading.
Excellent review.
Posted by: LaShaunda | September 03, 2008 at 05:54 PM
Finally! I'm so happy for you. The next one will be even better. :)
Posted by: Robin | September 17, 2008 at 08:05 AM
congrats!! the review was great!! and i would like to say i loved the book i couldn't put it down, right now i'm looking for the sequel.....i was so anious to get to the end and it wasn't their...lol..but amazing christian book!!!!
Posted by: Nicole Robinson | February 08, 2011 at 06:31 AM