Roped by DiAne Gates

Thirteen-year-old Crissy Crosby chases a dream to live up to her parents’ rodeo legacy. But the rodeo championship is two months away and problems beyond her ability to solve stack and teeter like a game of Tumbling-Towers. Meanwhile rival Jodie Lea and her father, Ed Fairgate, contrive to swipe the silver buckles from Crissy’s grasp any way they can. Prejudice, anger, and dark secrets simmer in a pot of family feuds destined to boil over in a tragic nightmare at the rodeo. Will Crissy develop courage and faith to overcome the consequences of her temper? Will her dreams of buckles and titles become reality? Or will the character-building adversities of her life quash her dreams forever?

ENDORSEMENTS FOR ROPED

“Roped has much more tension and suspense per page than any book, adult or otherwise, I’ve read in years. Like the serial books I loved as a young person, Roped leaves you panting for the next installment. Entertaining, exciting, and colorful, the descriptions, particularly of the villainous Ed Fairgate after Buster’s demise, helps you remember why books were always better than movies. So much more show than tell. Crissy’s temper is a major theme. Her growth comes at a high price, but she does her folks proud and wins big. And teaches Christian values. Love certain phrases like, “Shame sifted over me like pollen in the springtime.” Judy Madsen Johnson, Author of Joy Cometh in the Morning, the Joy Postle Blackstone Story and Stories from the Front Lines, the Battle Against Abortion, judymadsenjohnson.com

“I read the novel Roped by DiAne Gates, because I was curious to see what kind of work she could produce, having been a writer alongside her for a few years. I was not excited about it because I do not generally like or read fiction. However, I want to say I found it truly a page-turner and I actually enjoyed it very much. I read it in one day, although I had many other things I should have been doing. I found myself, a Granny, quite anxious to know what happened to each character and felt a sense of satisfaction at the end of each episode, coupled with a sense of time passing while I wasn’t reading, something I’ve only before experienced while reading Frank Peretti . DiAne has written a great book for young adults, one that will engage them, I feel sure, and also will inspire teens to do the right thing, a lesson that is much needed in this day. I cannot emphasize my surprise at liking a piece of fiction. To me this says more than any other words I could say. I am glad I read it and look forward to the next in the series. Brava, DiAne!” Katharine Trauger, The Conquering Mom.com, katharinetrauger.wordpress.com

Get this Book on Amazon.com

“Had me “Roped” from the beginning!”

Five Star Review on Amazon By Ernesto E. Carrasco

As I read the first few pages of this wonderful story, I thought, “Great! A girl’s book!” But it wasn’t long before I was “Roped!” Real life is filled with many ups and downs just like a bucking Brahma bull, and sometimes the downs hit hard like when the ground comes up to meet you from a none-too-graceful dismount.

This story centers around a young teenage girl, Crissy Crosby, whose major dream focuses on winning a silver championship buckle. Her nemesis, Jody Lea Fairgate, shares the same desire but is driven by forces outside herself. Crissy is surrounded by a loving family and caring friends, while Jody Lea garners support from a gaggle of mindless followers who flock to her mostly because she’s the rich girl. The two girls could not be more different. They frequently find themselves at odds, and the friction often sparks fireworks.

DiAne Gates weaves a wonderful tapestry of real life with all of its good times and bad, and without being “preachy,” shows how God works in the lives of people who love Him and love each other. This is a story of how to deal with loss, anger, and how to forgive and love one’s enemies. And it is all taught with an undeniable Texas drawl, y’all. Ifen y’all don’t talk Texan before you start this book, you’ll cert’nly talk Texan when ya get ‘er dun!

I enthusiastically recommend this book.This is a never-a-dull-moment, heartwarming story with very meaningful life lessons.

About the Author

DiAne is an artist, writer, and GriefShare facilitator who also leads two North Texas Christian Writers edit groups. LifeSavers for adults and PageMasters for teens.

DiAne’s MG/YA novel “Roped” will be released in 2015 by Prism Book Group. Be sure to check DiAne’s blog, “Moving the Ancient Boundaries” at http://dianegates.wordpress.com

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