Bits'n'Pieces: Jason Gray, FTC, CFBA

One reason brick and mortar stores are in trouble is because I went to the store to buy Downhere's Christmas CD (a conscious choice instead of ordering it online) and they didn't have it. Instead I picked up Jason Gray's Everything Sad is Coming Untrue (do you not LOVE that title) I haven't listened to it yet, but I saw on Rabbit Room about a special contest. To win the uber deluxe edition of this CD and a bunch of other kinda crazy loot, here's what you have to do in Jason's words:
" My new record explores the idea of how there isn’t anything beyond God’s redemptive reach, that nothing is wasted, and that God is in the business of taking the worst that happens to us and stripping it of its power to define us. In this way, He makes sad things come untrue, and can even make them beautiful. So we just want to hear your story of how God entered a sad situation and redeemed it, making it “untrue”."

So anyway go over to Jesus Freak Hideout if you'd like to enter. By the way, I don't get any extra entries or anything for posting about this, I just thought it was a neat contest, love the title of the CD and wanted to share.

FTC Guides
I actually don't have much to say about this. I already disclose the source of my books, but it is certainly interesting to see how the FTC has absolutely NO CLUE about blogging, in particular book blogging. It's definitely going to be interesting to see how it all works out. In any case, there's a group over at Book Blogs, if you are a book blogger where links can be shared, you can read up on it, and strategies can be discussed. Other than that group, I also recommend this post written by Marie's lawyer husband.

And finally, here's this week's CFBA book, Though Waters Roar by Lynn Austin:

About the Book: Thank goodness you're such a plain child. You'll have to rely on your wits."

So went the words of Grandma Bebe. And for all of my growing-up years, I scoffed at the beauty of my sister and what I saw as her meaningless existence. But my wits hadn't served me well in this instance, for here I was, in jail. And while I could have seen it as carrying on the family tradition (for Grandma Bebe landed in jail for her support of Prohibition), the truth is, my reasons for being here would probably break her heart.

So how did I end up becoming a criminal? I've been pondering that question all night. Perhaps the best way to search for an answer is to start at the very beginning.

Harriet Sherwood has always adored her grandmother. But when Harriet decides to follow in her footsteps to fight for social justice, she certainly never expected her efforts to land her in jail. Nor did she expect her childhood enemy and notorious school bully, Tommy O'Reilly, to be the arresting officer.

Languishing in a jail cell, Harriet has plenty of time to sift through the memories of the three generations of women who have preceded her. As each story emerges, the strength of her family--and their deep faith in the God of justice and righteousness--brings Harriet to the discovery of her own goals and motives for pursuing them.

(Disclosure: In theory I was supposed to have received this book to review. I did not, but am posting anyway!)