Doorkeeper

UPDATE: This giveaway has ended. A winner has been emailed!

Once Dr. Elena Burroughs’ life might have seemed like a dream come true. She had a book on the best-sellers list, a position at a prestigious Oxford clinic, and an Italian financier eager to romance her. But one-by-one those dreams fell through. Even her house burned down. Now her life is one long, dreary disappointment.

When corporate biochemist Rachel Lamprey unexpectedly shows up in Elena’s college classroom to beg for help, Elena senses that something is not quite right. Perhaps Rachel’s personal assistant sweeping the room for electronic bugs clues her in. Or maybe it’s that Elena has been specifically warned about Rachel’s casual ruthlessness.

However, Elena ignores her misgivings. She reasons that things couldn’t possibly get any worse.

Boy, is she wrong.

Since Elena is an expert on dream interpretation, she’s not surprised that Rachel wants her to analyze a client’s frightening dream. But two things make the assignment unusually disturbing.

• One, it’s not a nightmare about monsters or ghosts that has the man so terrified. It’s an omen of an imminent financial crisis—the worst the world has seen.
• And two, people all over the globe are having the exact same dream.

Because of her involvement, Elena’s life changes overnight. She’s unwillingly thrust into a group of international power players, who want in on whatever happens next. Elena is way over her head.

Oh, there are some perks. Two different men become interested in dating her. She makes friends with a young girl who would dearly love a motherly influence in her life. And she has a great idea for a new bestseller. But she’s not sure all that makes up for the close-calls, death threats, and nightmares.

As Elena’s adventure progresses, she learns important lessons about listening for God’s voice when His message seems hidden—and that there is meaning even in His silences. 

“Your Teacher will no longer hide Himself, but your eyes will behold your Teacher. Your ears will hear a word behind you, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ whenever you turn to the right or to the left.” Isaiah 30:21 Continue Reading…

UPDATE: Giveaway entries closed. Winner to be emailed soon!

The novel Rare Earth played out in my head like an action-packed blockbuster. The volcano-scarred Kenyan earth, harsh Nairobi slums, kibbutz in Israel—each location came alive. And the people of those exotic locales—the crowds of desperate villagers, cold-eyed mercenaries, exhausted relief workers, corrupt officials—filled my imagination.

The story centers around quick-thinking, adventure-loving Marc Royce, a man who seems equally as comfortable with a clipboard or a pearl-handled pistol in his hands. In the words of author Davis Bunn, Mark “carries his faith into a world that likes to think Jesus no longer plays a role. He sees himself as the ultimate outsider, wounded by the loss of his wife, searching for a place he can call home, and an ideal worth living for—or giving his life for.”

Two characters greatly impact Mark’s world. First, Kitra, the beautiful Israeli nurse, lights a flame in his grieving heart and shows him that he can love again. Then the noble chief Philip hears from God in a dream that Mark is the shujaa [warrior] who will help his tribe find their true home. Together they set Mark on a path that will lead to great fulfillment—if he can survive it.

One aspect of this story I especially love is how Christians from various cultures join together to find a way to thrive, build the church, and impact events on the world stage. That establishing a cross-cultural venture involves danger, excitement, and romance makes it all the more fun!

This is from Blood Diamond, but it works, right?

Davis Bunn says, “All my books hold to one key aim—to create a story that carries a moral, and together result in an impact or challenge or inspiration or comforting assurance that remains long after the book is set down. That, to me, defines a worthy effort.”

Rare Earth reminded me that God is working internationally to help His church meet today’s challenges. And I found that greatly encouraging. So is this story a worthy effort? You bet! Score for Davis Bunn!

With my favorite novels, I tend to respond more with my heart than my head. You might prefer this more concise summary from the back cover copy: Dispatched to audit a relief organization, Marc Royce is thrust into the squalor and chaos of Kenyan refugee camps. But his true mission focuses on the area’s reserves of once-obscure minerals now indispensable to high-tech industries. These strategic elements—called rare earth—have inflamed tensions on the world’s stage and stoked tribal rivalries. As Royce prepares to report back to Washington, he seizes on a bold and risky venture for restoring justice to this troubled land. But this time, Royce may have gone too far.

Now are you eager to read this excellent story? Here are two ways you can get your hands on a copy. (1) Enter this drawing! The publisher is giving away a copy of Rare Earth to one lucky visitor. (US only.) All you need to do is leave a comment on this post for a chance to win. (Contest ends Monday, July 23rd.) (2) Or follow this link to purchase the book. (You may want to buy two, and share with a friend!)

Earn a few bonus entries:

• +1 Sign up for Davis Bunn’s newsletter at this link.
• +1 “Like” Davis Bunn’s Facebook author page.

About the author:  Davis Bunn is an award-winning novelist whose audience spans reading genres from high drama and action thrillers to heartwarming relationship stories, in both contemporary and historical settings. He and his wife, Isabella, make their home in Florida for some of each year, and spend the rest near Oxford, England, where they each teach and write. Visit Davis at www.davisbunn.com.

***Thanks to Bethany House for a complimentary review copy of this book. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.