If It Weren't For Us Christians...

Huge congrats to my friend Bobby Weaver, whose debut book, If it Weren’t For Us Christians, There’d Be A Lot More Christians, was released earlier this month.

LEAVE A COMMENT FOR A CHANCE TO WIN THE BOOK!

Bobby uses wit, humor and plenty of real life experience to examine some misguided attempts at the “Great Commission.” Without trying to be overly preachy, he has taken a candid approach to suggest Christians rethink their "witness" while being a witness. If it Weren't for Us Christians, is now available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Crossover Publications websites.

So…what sort of examples does he use? Here’s just a taste:

* A pastor in North Carolina leads his congregation to vote nine members out of the church. According to him their sin was voting for the wrong man in the presidential election.

* Two competing churches in Florida put up opposing billboards. One declares, “There ain’t no hell!” The other counters with, “The hell there ain’t!”

* A young man following a car with a “Honk If You Love Jesus” bumper sticker, honks his horn and gets the middle finger from the driver.

Bobby: These are just a few actual examples that have led me to believe that some of us must interpret the Great Commission like this: “Go into the world and scare off as many people from the Christian faith as we possibly can.” Let’s face it, when it comes to spreading the Gospel, we can often be our own worst enemy.

Bobby’s Background: From opening nearly 1,000 retail stores to starting a national newspaper chain, Bobby Weaver seemed to have it all…with one possible exception…a relationship with God. You see, Bobby was on a wrong-way journey when God had another idea and used the most unlikely fellow to help. Would you believe Howard Stern? Yes, the radio shock jock. It was the middle of October in 1996 when Bobby told Howard off on a live radio show. But, believe it or not, it was Howard’s response that ended up totally revolutionizing Bobby’s life.

Q. So, Bobby…Why did you write this book?

A. Well, I knew this one person who loved to judge others. In fact, he did it all the time. And he was one of the worst hypocrites I had ever met. He could talk the talk with the best of them, but when it came to walking the walk, well, that was a different story. I hate to say this about him, but he was one of the most disgusting people I've ever met. Guess where I met him? In a bar? In a topless joint? No, I met him in a mirror. It was me. Once God finally got my attention, he was kind enough to let me live another day, but I'm thinking it was my turn to do something for him...hence, the book.

Q. Wow...that's some pretty honest self-reflection. A lot of people shy away from looking that closely at themselves. Why should people read your book?

A. Because my baby needs a new pair of shoes. No, seriously, I honestly believe that a lot of us Christians do things VERY UNINTENTIONALLY to scare off others from our faith. Some of us (not all, but some) use questionable language, we occasionally gossip, we drive like a NASCAR driver and advertise it with our Christian bumper sticker, and on and on. I have had several people say after reading the book that it points out subtle things we do without ever realizing it. But to keep this book from being a preachy, boring book, I relied on my days as a publisher of Beach Bull to offer this serious matter laced with humor. My favorite comment I have heard about the book is "I couldn't put it down." Of course, I paid them $25 them to say that. (Smiley face goes here!)

Thanks, Bobby! Your answers definitely make me want to read the book, which will be arriving in my mailbox any day now. Remember, all you need to do is leave a comment for a chance to win If It Weren’t For Us Christians….

Since Bobby hails from Florida, let’s go with a Florida recipe for today:

KEY WEST CHICKEN

• 3 Tbs. soy sauce
• 1 Tbs. honey
• 1 Tbs. vegetable oil
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 1 tsp. chopped garlic
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Directions

1. In a shallow container, blend soy sauce, honey, vegetable oil, lime juice, and garlic. Place chicken breast halves into the mixture, and turn to coat. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes.
2. Lightly oil outdoor grill grate and preheat grill for high heat.
3. Discard marinade, and grill chicken 6 to 8 minutes on each side, until juices run clear.

Island Dreams

Want to buy an island? Florida boasts 10,000, many of which are for sale. In fact, if you want to check out the prices of islands throughout the U.S., it’s kind of fun to go to this website: http://www.privateislandsonline.com/unitedstates.htm.

But if you’re like me and can only afford to visit them, here’s the scoop on three popular Florida islands. I’ve intentionally left out the famous Keys for two reasons. 1) I could do a whole week or two just on the Keys; and 2) I’m saving them in hopes my novel set in the Florida Keys grabs the interest of an editor. It was just completed a couple of months ago after a year and a half of blood, sweat and tears…and prayers, of course.

So off we go to three absolutely beautiful tropical venues on our lovely but oil-damaged Gulf of Mexico. And if you haven’t read my previous post yet, scroll down for an interview with author Max Elliot Anderson and a chance to win his latest book for boys, Lost Island Smugglers. Comments must be posted by midnight, Friday, Aug. 6.

Marco Island (pictured above), famous for its fabulous sport fishing, is located off Florida’s southwest coast. It’s the largest of the Ten Thousand Islands (has anyone actually counted them?) and offers nearly four miles of sweeping sands and aquamarine waters, including inland waterways that are home to thousands of exotic birds. If you go, check out Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center which offers tours of research labs, a huge auditorioum, visitor’s center, 2,300 gallon aquarium, nature reserve, gallery and picnic area.

Sanibel is considered North America’s shelling capital, with more than 400 species of shells that wash up on its beautiful beaches. Conch shells are the most common, but shellers like me delight in finding many rare varieties too, like the Lion’s Paw (pictured at right). When you’re tired of shells, dine in some of the excellent restaurants, go golfing, play tennis, fish, bike or canoe – there is no lack of things to do on this gorgeous island. And somewhere on Marco there’s a place that sells awesome gelato – it’s the first place I ever tasted what has become one of my favorite desserts. If you go, Fly into Fort Meyers International Airport. It’s just a short drive from there.

I’ve never been to Anna Maria Island, but you gotta love the name. It’s not famous for spectacular beaches or the most recreational opportunities, but Anna Maria will provide beautiful ocean sunsets and secluded beaches, peace and quiet. One of the cool things about this island is that it doesn’t have any fast food or convenience franchises, chain stores, high rises or a stoplight…and the community intends to keep it that way. Favorite activities include boat charters, ultralight air tours, kayaking and parasailing. You’ll find Anna Maria just south of Tampa Bay and west of Bradenton.

Enjoy this recipe from Andy’s Island Seafood (pictured at left), located in Matlacha (pronounced "MAT-la-shay"), an old fishing village on Pine Island (near Fort Meyers), chock full of art galleries and island charm.

SPICY ISLAND SHRIMP

1 ½ lbs. wild Florida shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup diced pineapple
½ cup diced water chestnuts
2 Tbs. fresh Florida lime juice
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. Florida honey
1 Tbs. minced garlic
2 tsp. soy sauce.

Combine all ingredients and toss well. Chill for 2 hours. Drain and place on broiler pan. Broil 3-4” from heat source for 3-4 minutes or until shrimp are opaque and pineapple begins to brown.

Win a Book Set in Florida

Florida’s Islands are this week’s subject, and I’m excited to begin by announcing a newly released book from Port Yonder Press, written by an author who specializes in books for boys. Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy.

Lost Island Smugglers is the first book in a series of Sam Cooper adventures geared toward boys ages 8-13, written by veteran author Max Elliot Anderson. It is set in a fictional Florida town where three boys go deep sea diving and face a ferocious tropical storm which leads them to uncover a drug smuggling ring. Max is the author of 35 books, including Terror at Wolf Lake, Mountain Cabin Mystery, Newspaper Caper, Legend of the White Wolf and Northwoods Poachers.

Q. Max, since Taste the World readers are interested in travel, tell us more about the setting of your story and if it is similar to someplace you have visited or lived.

A. Through more than forty years of film, video, and TV commercials production, I’ve had the privilege of traveling across the US, Canada, and throughout the world. I have to confess that a number of the locations where I’ve visited do tend to find their way into my stories. Big Rig Rustlers takes place on a 50,000 acre ranch, in Wyoming, where I shot a film. Northwoods Poachers is set in a remote area of northern Saskatchewan where I shot two films.

Lost Island Smugglers is probably a compilation of a number of trips that I took to Florida with my family as our children were growing up. My wife’s mother still lives there. But the island is fictional, and represents a kind of classic story of what it would be like to be stranded on a remote island.

Q. What are a couple of the adventures the boys experience?

A. They have to find the basics of food, water and shelter. Their shelter and fire building are detailed in the story. When they locate a damaged cabin cruiser, Sam’s the one who swims out to investigate. He can’t enter through the hole in the side, so he has to go under water and swim in through the cabin door. There he’s faced with an upside down, underwater world where the floor is the ceiling and the ceiling is the floor, along with a few more surprises.

When they hike through the jungle, to investigate the other side of the island, they encounter men in jet powered speedboats with sharks teeth and blood painted on the sides. That’s when the real fireworks begin.

Q. Why do you write primarily for boys?

A. My father published over 70 books during his lifetime. Yet, I never read any of them because I grew up hating to read. After considerable research into this, I decided to try to write the kinds of stories that I would have read as a boy. The reason I like to write books for boys is because, in reality, I’m still writing to myself as that child.

A second reason is that I noticed something while working on dramatic films for children. I learned that girls enjoyed action-adventure and mystery stories with a boy as the main character, but boys wouldn’t go near a girl’s story. That’s the template I used when I began writing about nine years ago, and I find that same principle to be true with books. There are plenty of books for girls, but I still see the need for more books for boys.

My books are middle grade, for readers 8 – 13. After that age, the interest in reading, on the part of boys, drops off significantly.

Q. What are some of the key ingredients for keeping a tween or teen interested in a book from beginning to end?

A. The main ingredients I use include believable characters, a fast pace, humor, lots of dialog, along with heart-pounding action and excitement. I don’t use toilet humor, which has become more prevalent recently. Kids tell me that reading one of my books is like “being in” an exciting or scary movie. And though my stories are frightening at times, it’s a good scary that isn’t dark. Most of my chapters end with a cliffhanger, often compelling the reader to continue.

Q. How can we purchase Lost Island Smugglers?

A. The book has distribution through Ingram, so it can be ordered from any bookstore. It is available from Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble online, and others. I also offer to sign copies, which can be good for birthdays or Christmas. Anyone interested in details should email me at mander8813@aol.com Additional information about the books coming next is available at Author Web Site http://www.maxbooks.9k.com and Books For Boys Blog http://booksandboys.blogspot.com.

There are two other books written in the Sam Cooper Adventure Series; Captain Jack’s Treasure, and River Rampage. A second publisher will release Barney and the Runaway this fall, followed by republishing my previous 7 titles. Additional, new titles will follow next year.

Thank you, Max. Lost Island Smugglers sounds like an exciting book and I can’t wait to receive the copies I’ve ordered!

WIN A COPY OF LOST ISLAND SMUGGLERS!
Comment on Max’s interview, the recipe that follows, or anything related to this blog to be entered into a drawing for a copy of Lost Island Smugglers. Your son, grandson, nephew or neighbor kid is sure to love this book. (And by the way…girls can read it too!)

Florida’s Famous Pie
Time for a recipe, and nothing says Florida like Key Lime Pie. This is the real deal, so please don’t add green food coloring or use regular lime juice. Authentic key lime pie is pale yellow and flavored with the juice of Florida’s famous key limes. It’s a bit tangy, so be sure to add a nice dollop of whipped cream. Here’s my favorite recipe from the back of the bottle of Nellie and Joe’s Key Lime Juice.

Nellie & Joe's Key Lime Pie

9" graham cracker pie crust
14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk
3 egg yolks (whites not used)
½ cup Nellie & Joe's Key West Lime Juice

Combine milk, egg yolks and lime juice. Blend until smooth. Pour filling into pie crust and bake at 350º for 15 minutes. Allow to stand 10 minutes before refrigerating. Just before serving, top with freshly whipped cream or meringue, and garnish with lime slices.