And Two More

Brandilyn, my name is Joyce Moccero and I am an uber lurker. I am coming out of hiding to add my name to the list of Barbara's newest novelists. (we need tee shirts) I read about Abingdon's new fiction line on your blog but alas, I let my novel sit on my hard drive until a friend shared the idea with Barbara. She requested the ms. and a week later I was presented with an offer. How cool is that! It was a long, hard, often frustrating journey but perhaps now because of the journey I count this success even sweeter. God is good, his timing, not ours. Thank you, Brandilyn, for keeping us informed. Thank you, Barbara, for believing in us. I can't wait to start working with you. My novel The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow, will release fall 2009. For those of you still waiting--keep writing, perseverance is key.

Joyce's info about The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow:

Welcome to quirky Bright’s Pond, Pennsylvania, home of Agnes Sparrow. No longer able or willing to leave her home, 600-pound Agnes has committed herself to a life of prayer. Prayer that has resulted in numerous miracles, both large and garden variety, including a prize-winning pumpkin. But when a stranger comes to call asking for his miracle, this tiny rural town is turned on its head, and Agnes’s smelly feet of clay are exposed, forcing the town to its knees.
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Hey Brandilyn,

We met this summer in Orlando at TWV [The Writers View] coffee. I’ve been lurking around your blog for some time. No chickens here. I love (and write) suspense. Just wanted to let you know that my novel Eye of the God has also been picked up by Abingdon. The deal was negotiated by my literary agent extraordinaire Jonathan Clements at The Nashville Agency.

Ariel Allison Lawhon

Ariel's background info about Eye of the God:

It has been said that all of history is in fact, His-Story, God’s story, and that we are just supporting actors. When viewed through that lens, the tale of the Hope Diamond takes on new meaning. The diamond, according to legend, was once the eye of a Hindu Idol named Rama Sita. Late in the 17th century, it was stolen, and Rama is said to have cursed all who would come in contact with the eye of the god. A quick glance at the lives of Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, and Evalyn Walsh McLean give the appearance that there is indeed something to the tale. Yet the curse has only increased the value of the gem, and at auction could fetch well over $200 million. Today, the Hope Diamond sits proudly in the Smithsonian Institute, and has become the most viewed museum object in the world, boasting more visitors each year than the Mona Lisa.

Eye of the God takes the fascinating history surrounding the Hope Diamond, and weaves it together with a modern day plot to steal the jewel from the Smithsonian. We follow Alex and Isaac Weld, the most lucrative thieves in the world, in their quest to steal the jewel for a mysterious art broker. The Weld brothers are the established choice for those dealing in stolen goods but are unprepared for the evil they bring upon themselves when they agree to steal the diamond. Ultimately it will claim the life of one brother, and change life irrevocably for the other.

Brilliant and ruthless, the Weld brothers are not prepared for Dr. Abigail Mitchell, the beautiful Smithsonian Director, who has her own connection to the Hope Diamond, and a deadly secret to keep. She has spent her entire career studying the jewel and learning the truth about the curse it carries. More so than anyone else alive she has reason to love and hate the diamond that has set her life on a collision course with betrayal. However, Abby committed long ago that she would not serve a god made with human hands, and the “eye of the god” is no exception. Her desire is not for wealth, but for wisdom. She seeks not power, but restoration. Abby holds the pieces to a complicated puzzle, and finds herself in the middle of a deadly game. It is in this context that her faith will be put to the ultimate test as she confronts the father that abandoned her, the betrayal of the only man she has ever loved, and the possibility that she may lose her life because of the legendary gem.

When all is said and done, and the dust has finally settled over the last great adventure of the Hope Diamond, we understand the “curse” that has haunted its legacy is nothing more than the greed of evil men who bring destruction upon themselves. No god chiseled from stone can direct the fates of men, nor can it change the course of His-story.
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Congratulations to Joyce and Ariel!