Introducing SECRETS AND LIES by Rhonda McKnight

About the Book:

Faith Morgan is struggling with her faith. Years of neglect leave her doubting that God will ever fix her marriage. When a coworker accuses her husband, Jonah, of the unthinkable, Faith begins to wonder if she really knows him at all, and if it’s truly in God’s will for them to stay married.

Pediatric cardiologist Jonah Morgan is obsessed with one thing: his work. A childhood incident cemented his desire to heal children at any cost, even his family, but now he finds himself at a crossroads in his life. Will he continue to allow the past to haunt him, or find healing and peace in a God he shut out long ago?

About the Author:

Rhonda McKnight owns Legacy Editing, a free-lance editing service for fiction writers and Urban Christian Fiction Today, a popular Internet site that highlights African-American Christian fiction. She’s also the vice president of the Faith Based Fiction Writers of Atlanta. Originally from a small coastal town in New Jersey, she’s called Atlanta, Georgia home for almost twelve years.

Rhonda, tell us how you came up with the idea for this story? I woke up one morning and these people were talking in my head, or rather arguing. (LOL). I thought this could be interesting, turned on the creativity, and came up with the “issues” in their marriage. I also did a lot of research about heart disease. Jonah is a pediatric cardiologist and that’s central to the story. I knew absolutely nothing about heart disease before I wrote this novel.

Who is your ideal reader? I think most people will think my ideal reader is women who are married. While I think the book will definitely appeal to married women, I’d love for single women who are thinking about marriage or waiting on Mr. Right to read the book. There is a valuable lesson for single women in the story. Faith chose to overlook a very important issue prior to her marriage to Jonah. This issue becomes a huge source of pain for her. Ten years later her ideal black man has her pulling her hair out.
Name something about the book that will appeal to readers? I think readers will find it appealing, because more than half of it is written from Jonah’s point of view. My informal research amongst readers has taught me that women readers love stories that are written from a man’s perspective. Like most men, Jonah is complex. He’s a love to hate kind of guy. People will love him because he’s dedicated his life to physically healing children, but he’s emotionally and spiritually sick himself. What a burden for Faith. Faith’s pain will have some folks shaking their heads at Jonah.
When’s your next book being released? My second novel, An Inconvenient Friend comes out August 1, 2010. I have a nasty little character in Secrets and Lies who gets her own story, and what a story it is. She’s up to no good. Can she be redeemed?How can readers find out more about you? Readers may contact me at my website at http://www.rhondamcknight.net/. I love for people to sign my guestbook and share their thoughts about the story. I’m also a complete Facebook addict. You’ll definitely find me there more than you should at www.facebook.com/rhondamcknight.

Click HERE to order Secrets And Lies now!

Thankful, In Spite Of...

The year 2009 has been a challenging one. Not for a modest few, but for many. Rare to find are those who have not been affected in some direct way by the recession that has plagued our country. The U.S.'s economic problems didn't just start this year, but they certainly worsened. Decrease in healthcare benefits, mounting job losses, shifting gas prices, record company closures, increased theft reports...all of it is largely due to the economy, and all of it has touched each of us in one way or the other.
In times like these, when we cannot necessarily cite a long list of materialistic things for which to be grateful, we sometimes find ourselves waddling in self-pity. Then instead of counting the blessings that we do have, we gripe about those things that we don't have. But as I now sit in my home office, taking a break from an editing assignment as this great holiday winds down, I am full of thanksgiving. This year has been trying for me, and the challenges have been great. But the same God that had been good in the time of plenty has remained good in the lean time. Yes, there were days when finances fell short and days when there was more month than money. But on this Thanksgiving Day, I have been determined to be thankful in spite of.

All that I want may not be visible before my eyes, but I have been provided with all that I need. No, my bank account does not qualify me to rank among the wealthiest authors in the industry, but as Proverbs 10:22 says, The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. Therefore I am richer than so many whose bank accounts are running over. I have an abundance of faith - For what does it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? (Mark 8:28); an understanding of God's Word - With all thy getting, get an understanding (Prov. 4:7), and a respected name in the literary industry where I've been placed to serve in ministry - A GOOD name is rather to be chosen than great riches (Prov. 22:1). Those things that money cannot buy are perhaps the things for which we should be most grateful. They are certainly the things that I am most thankful for this year.
I had a conversation with a long time friend and supporter on last week who had just suffered a stroke that left him paralyzed on one side and unable to walk on his own accord. When he revealed his current situation to me, my heart immediately saddened, and I prayed inwardly for something to say to him that would give him hope. But it only took a few seconds for me to realize that my hospitalized friend didn't need my sympathy, and he had enough hope to spare. Before I could form a word, he continued to tell me how grateful he was. "It could have been worse," he said, and then he went on to give God thanks and praise for what was versus what could have been. Instead of me building his faith, he built mine. When I ended the call with him, I began to thank God too. I thanked Him for sparing my friend's life and for giving him back the full use of his extremities (I claimed that one by faith).
When we learn to thank God in spite of, I believe that it is then that we are blessed to see the overflow that He has stored up for us. If we can't be grateful for what we have, how can God trust us with the abundance that He has on standby? So for the few hours that are left in this Thanksgiving Day, I will continue to give God the praise; not only for what I have today, but for those things that I know that He will bless me with on tomorrow...and the next day...and the next day....and the next day...

What things are you thankful for? In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you (I Thessalonians 5:18).