Hey, thanks to Kelly Fennemore, my nephew’s new bride, I learned today (1/22/08) that . . . well, I’ll let you read it in her words:

“This morning, on the way into work, I was listening to 104.7. They apparently have a kids’ book club that they promote, and every now and then they pick a book and read a couple pages. This morning they were reading Gavin Goodfellow . . . I couldn’t believe it! I was so excited! You are a hit! :)”

The really neat thing about this is that I have no personal connection with anyone at the station. Not only that, but 104.7 plays really good music and we have programmed one of our car buttons to it. Imagine that, a Christian book getting unsolicited promotion on a secular station. Go, God!

PRESS RELEASE
May 29, 2008

GOODFELLOW BOOSTS MORALE IN IRAQ

Photo Caption (left to right): Aaron Block, Heath Folmsbee, Dave Raines, and Daniel Suh show their support of Gavin Goodfellow: The Lure of Burnt Swamp while stationed in Iraq. 

GEORGETOWN, Del. – Ellendale native Sgt. Heath Folmsbee and his buddies at C Company 3-116th Infantry found Gavin Goodfellow: The Lure of Burnt Swamp a good read during their tour in Iraq.

     “(Gavin’s) story teaches important life lessons about common adolescent struggles of faith, trust, humility, identity, and integrity,” he says. “Its characters are vivid and lively and the setting description follows suit. This story is an excellent read and a ‘must-have’ for any children’s library.”Folmsbee, a former member of the Virginia National Guard, emailed Gavin’s author, Candy Abbott, that a number of the men in his unit read the book. “I thoroughly enjoyed your book, and so did many others,” he writes. “Thanks again for your thoughts and prayers! Abbott says the Christian fantasy’s popularity in the unit was gratifying.      “When Heath’s mom told me that Gavin was being enthusiastically passed around the unit, I was elated. While the book targets young adults, we wanted its compelling story to appeal to older readers, as well. Heath and his friends’ response affirm that.” 

     Gavin Goodfellow: The Lure of Burnt Swamp, which was released May 1, 2007, is a spiritual fantasy centered on a 12-year-old boy who is on the edge of discovering his spirituality. The Burnt Swamp episode is the first of three books which chronicles Gavin’s adolescent journey, a time when the choices he makes will not only affect his destiny but also the future of his hometown and beyond. The book is in its second printing. Visit www.GavinGoodfellow.com for more information. 

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Much to my surpise, with thanks to Melanie Theofiles, Language Arts teacher at Epworth Christian School, for taking the initiative to submit this, the following appeared in yesterday’s Delaware State News. What a GREAT group of students, the first to study Gavin from cover to cover.

My mentor and dear friend Nancy Rue is co-authoring “the Sullivan Crisp Series” with Stephen Arterburn, founder of New Life Ministries, and I just finished reading book one, “Healing Stones.” Although Nancy has written tons of books for tweens (The Lily Series, The Sophie Series, The Christian Heritage Series, etc.), this is her latest adult book; set on a the campus of a Christian college, the plot is based on John 8. Nancy is a gifted novelist who senses the heartbeat of God and has a knack for holding up a mirror for readers to see things about themselves they may not have known were there. I highly recommend “Healing Stones” to anyone who believes in forgiveness, and if kids are not familiar with her tween writing, click on one of the above links and look around.

The warm welcome that I experienced yesterday morning, Sat., Dec. 22, 2007, at the Whatcoat Social Services Agency in Dover, DE, is a memory I will always cherish These precious people, many of whom are experiencing difficult times, had the light of Jesus shining from their faces and embraced Gavin with eagerness and joy. Here you go . . . see for yourself . . .