Tom Davis is at it again!

I love Tom Davis's work. He has written Red Letters and Fields of the Fatherless, to name two off the top of my head. Now he has also written a novel. I am in the middle of birthing goats (literally, we are watching one in the process of labor - so much for my plans to settle down and write comfortably tonight) so I am going to be not very creative, but get the info out.

Author and activist Tom Davis has released Scared: A Novel on the Edge of the World. It tells a true-to-life story of West-meets-global south; a compelling and all-too-likely scenario of orphan children in Swaziland and across the African continent, with a tantalizingly-possible (and hope-filled) conclusion. It’s a page-turner, and the perfect summer read.

Scared’s copyright is secure, but Davis and his publisher, David C. Cook, are tapping into the viral spirit of In His Steps: from now until July 10, you may download an full-length copy of Scared, free of charge, if you share the free download news with three friends.

[Your three friends will get a one-time email inviting them to also download & share; their email addresses are not stored and they will not receive further communication if they do not download the book. ]

I am so excited to read this book, I have been waiting to get it until funds weren't tied up in the adoption, but now it is on my computer! I do plan on buying one or more as soon as I can - I own several copies of his other books and hand them out regularly (if you want to borrow one, I certainly have them!). I subscribe to Tom's blog and he is constantly doing things around the world that really challenge us all to see how we can step up to the plate and be a part of changing things.

In addition to being a terrific read, Davis’s nonprofit, Children’s HopeChest, is raising $1 million to support educational projects in Swaziland. They are also running a contest for Swazi orphans! The grand prize? A university scholarship. Your purchase will help this effort.

But first – give Scared a free read and tell your friends! You can do both right here. And if you’d like, you can also spread the word on Facebook via Scared’s just-minted Fan page.

So, check it out. Who can turn down a free book from a proven author, and you never know where it might take you! And we can all go out and support what Children's HopeChest does. I always end up wishing I could do more. I don't think that feeling ever ends.

Anyway, I promised to pull on my boots, change into true farm clothes, and get back out there. In all honesty, it could be HOURS! But the kids are insistent - this is one of our oldest goats, it was not a planned breeding (bucks broke down the wall between stalls in the winter), and of course none of us want anything to go wrong. At least I am not working tomorrow! It is always an adventure. Hopefully all goes well and I will have photos of the new baby/babies to put up tomorrow.