Leigh DeVore

Randy Singer reveals the unique inspiration for his new book, False Witness. He also discusses how a trip to India changed his perspective.

Q:  Where did you first get your inspiration for False Witness?

At a funeral.

The deceased was David O’Malley, a good friend and former client. His wife had asked me to give the eulogy. I talked about David’s generosity, his big heart. He was always inviting someone to live at his house until they could get back on their feet. He ran a used car lot and hired people down on their luck. David believed in second chances. And he was a character. He had this larger-than-life personality that made people laugh. He sang in a gospel quartet. Everybody had a David O’Malley story. Heads nodded as I shared mine.

Wayne Cordeiro | Bethany House

A best-selling author and pastor at New Hope Christian Fellowship in Honolulu, one of the nation’s fastest-growing churches, Wayne Cordeiro lays out a strategic framework for pursuing change and improvement, in The Irresistible Church: 12 Traits of a Church Heaven Applauds.

Dale S. Recinella | Chosen

Dale S. Recinella was a high-powered attorney with endless money and big dreams, but his heart was empty and broken. On the heels of closing a huge deal for the Miami Dolphins, he gave his life to Jesus in a rock-bottom decision, a moment in which “I will lose every illusory thing I have thought important, and be given everything that really matters,” he writes in Now I Walk on Death Row: A Wall Street Finance Lawyer Stumbles Into the Arms of a Loving God.

Dan Walsh | Revell

Just married, Laura and John Foster are excited about their future together. On their way back East aboard the steamship SS Vandervere, where John will be reunited with his family to introduce his lovely bride, a hurricane brews in the Atlantic, destroying the ship they are on and leaving little hope.

Lis Wiehl with April Henry | Thomas Nelson

Lis Wiehl continues her “Triple Threat” series with the third, starring a trio of best friends crime reporter Cassidy Shaw, FBI agent Nicole Hedges and federal prosecutor Allison Pierce. One murder after another seem to be linked, but the three can’t figure out how until Cassidy breaks the case with a surprising discovery. But can they outmaneuver a killer who will stop at nothing to achieve her goals?

Frank Viola | David C. Cook

Each life is a story, an unfolding narrative heavily molded by one’s family of origin and environment. In reality, Viola asserts, an individual’s script often works on an unconscious level and may not be aligned with God’s best. Known for helping believers find a deeper Christian life, Viola urges readers to return to God’s script in Revise Us Again: Living From a Renewed Christian Script.

Anthony DeStefano | DoubleDay Religion

Author Anthony DeStefano offers insights into his new book, The Invisibile World: Understanding Angels, Demons, and the Spiritual Realities That Surround Us.

Q: The Invisible World is a book about understanding angels, demons and the spiritual realities that surround us. In a world that is so visual, why tackle such a murky subject?      

A: That’s really the whole point. What I tried to do in this book was attempt to render that spiritual world a bit less murky and a bit clearer for people. My hope is that, by doing this, these invisible realities won’t seem so unfamiliar in the future. And the more familiar they are, the easier it will be to understand them and to have absolute faith in their existence.

In his latest DVD release, Holy Spirit, part of the BASIC series, Francis Chan challenges the church to allow the Holy Spirit to lead. Here he discusses this oftentimes misunderstood and sometimes dividing topic.

Q: You wrote a book in 2009 on the Holy Spirit called The Forgotten God.  Now you have a film from the BASIC series on the Holy Spirit.  Why all of this emphasis on the Holy Spirit?  

A: I received a lot of questions about why I titled the book The Forgotten God.  Some thought it was is a bit extreme. I don’t think so. From my perspective, the Holy Spirit is tragically neglected and, for all practical purposes, forgotten. That’s why I have a book and a film on the subject.  While no evangelical would deny His existence, I’m willing to bet there are millions of churchgoers across America who cannot confidently say they have experienced His presence or action in their lives over the past year. And many of them do not believe they can.          

Kathy Herman | David C. Cook

Zoe Broussard is enjoying the life she and her husband, Pierce, have created in her loved Louisiana hometown. She especially cherishes owning Zoe B’s, their highly popular eatery. Seems like life can’t get any better—but it’s about to take an ugly turn.

Dennis and Nolene Prince | Charisma House

More than 150 years ago, 25-year-old Marietta Davis had a vision of heaven.  Davis fell into a trance, and when she awoke, she said that God took her to heaven for nine days, which become the talk of her community in upstate New York as well as continuing through generations. 

In Nine Days in Heaven, Davis’ account is retold in modern language and includes biblical teaching points and testimonials of those who have been impacted by this supernatural story.  Dennis and Nolene Prince discovered the chronicle of Davis’ vision after experiencing the traumatic loss of their two newborn children and being given a copy of the narrative. The Princes found comfort in the remarkable account of the afterlife and wanted others to hear the story as well.

Francis Frangipane | Charisma House

In his book Holiness, Truth, and the Presence of God, Francis Frangipane tackles the difficult questions of satisfaction in spiritual growth.  Using biblical principles and his spiritual experience, Frangipane offers keen insight into the truths of God as well as how to develop a deeper spiritual walk.

I’ll admit it. I can be somewhat of a reality TV show junkie. I don’t watch all of them, but there are a few I especially enjoy, Top Chef, The Next Food Network Star and yes, The Housewives of Orange County, Beverly Hills, New York, Miami (you get the picture). But the TV shows I can truly appreciate are those that do make positive changes in people’s lives, for example The Biggest Loser, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and now Secret Millionaire.