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WORK TITLE: Jerusalem Rising: Adah’s Journey
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.barbarambritton.com/
CITY:
STATE: WI
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born in CA.
EDUCATION:Received degree from Baylor University.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Author.
MEMBER:Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Wisconsin Romance Writers of America, Romance Writers of America, American Christian Fiction Writers.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Barbara M. Britton is the author of the “Tribes of Israel” series of romance novels, in which she retells the stories of lesser-known biblical figures from the Old Testament. Providence: Hannah’s Journey “was the fourth book I wrote, and it was the first one to sell,” Britton said in an interview on the Sarah Ruut website. “When I look back on my life, I probably should have been writing Biblical fiction right along. I had written a historical and two young adult novels previously. At the time I wrote Providence, I was teaching chapel to elementary school students and writing a curriculum centered on Bible characters. I taught on the brave, captured servant girl in the story of Naaman in II Kings 5. That servant girl became my Hannah. I continued writing novels based on little known Bible characters.”
In II Kings the servant girl is not named, but she is the one that suggests that Naaman, the chief general of the army of the king of Aram, a state that neighbored Israel, should seek out the prophet Elisha in order to find a cure for his leprosy. In Britton’s retelling of the story Hannah is the daughter of the chief priest of Israel. She has been humiliated publicly for her disease, which the prophet has refused to heal, bringing disgrace on her family. As a result she flees Jerusalem with the help of a young guard named Gilead, only to end up captives following a raid by Naaman’s forces. Hannah must use all her abilities to save Gilead and herself—by convincing Elisha to heal Naaman of his disease.
Building Benjamin
Like Providence, Building Benjamin: Naomi’s Journey is based on a biblical tale. “I was reading through the Bible when I came across a story in Judges (Judges 19-21) that I had never heard before,” Britton stated in a Sarah Ruut interview. “The story was about how the tribe of Benjamin was almost wiped out by the other tribes of Israel. The remaining men of Benjamin had to kidnap wives in order for the tribe to survive. I wondered what it would be like to be one of the … girls.”
The story in Judges is based on an incident in which members of the tribe of Benjamin had violated the hospitality of a man living in the town of Gibeah by threatening the travelers who are his guests. As a result of their actions, all the other tribes of Israel took arms against the Benjaminites and nearly destroyed them, even those who had had no part in the original crime. Since the other tribes had sworn an oath never to allow their daughters to marry into the tribe of Benjamin, the only recourse the surviving Benjaminites had was to kidnap women from other tribes. Naomi is one of those women, and Eliab, a shepherd, is her captor. “If Naomi follows her heart and stays with Eliab to rebuild his lineage,” said a contributor to the Kathleen Friesen website, “she must forfeit her family and become a traitor to her own tribe.” “I loved this story by Barbara Britton,” concluded a contributor to Book Reviews, Etc., “and cannot wait to read more of her books.”
Jerusalem Rising
Jerusalem Rising: Adah’s Journey is the third of Britton’s novels to feature a character drawn from the Old Testament. “I had taught the story of Nehemiah rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem several times in Vacation Bible School and Sunday School,” Britton said on the Sarah Ruut website, “but I skipped Nehemiah 3:12, where the daughters of Shallum are mentioned as builders of the wall. Women construction workers? This is unusual to see in the Bible. I thought the daughters needed their time in the spotlight. We don’t know how many daughters Shallum had, but I gave him two.”
Adah and Judith are the daughters of the co-ruler of Jerusalem. After meeting the governor of Judea, Nehemiah, Adah learns that he has been charged with rebuilding the walls of the city. She promptly volunteers her family for this duty, but in doing so she invites the ill will of her father’s co-ruler and rival Rephaiah. “Adah’s strength and courage,” wrote a Publishers Weekly reviewer, “make a friend and ally out of Nehemiah.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Publishers Weekly, October 30, 2017, review of Jerusalem Rising: Adah’s Journey, p. 66.
ONLINE
Barbara M. Britton Website, http://www.barbarambritton.com (March 21, 2018), author profile.
Book Reviews, Etc., http://sallyshupe.blogspot.com/ (February 23, 2017), review of Building Benjamin: Naomi’s Journey.
Kathleen Friesen, https://kathleenfriesen.weebly.com/ (May 12, 2017), review of Building Benjamin.
Sarah Ruut, http://sarahruut.com/ (October 7, 2016), “Providence: Meet Barbara Britton + a Giveaway”; (April 7, 2017), “‘Building Benjamin’: Meet Barbara Britton + a Giveaway”; (December 4, 2017), “Jerusalem Rising: Meet Barbara Britton + a Giveaway.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Barbara M. Britton was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, but currently lives in Southeast Wisconsin and loves the snow—when it accumulates under three inches. Barb writes romantic adventures for teens and adults in the Christian fiction and mainstream markets. She is published in Biblical fiction and enjoys bringing little known Bible characters to light in her stories. Barb is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Romance Writers of America and Wisconsin Romance Writers of America. Barb has a nutrition degree from Baylor University but loves to dip healthy strawberries in chocolate.You can follow her on Facebook and Twitter and watch her Book Trailer.
Barbara M. Britton was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, but currently lives in Wisconsin and loves the snow—when it accumulates under three inches. She writes romantic adventures for teens and adults. Barb has a nutrition degree from Baylor University but loves to dip healthy strawberries in chocolate. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Wisconsin Romance Writers of America, Romance Writers of America and American Christian Fiction Writers. You can visit Barb online at www. barbarambritton.com or follow her on Facebook and twitter.
JERUSALEM RISING: MEET BARBARA BRITTON + A GIVEAWAY
BIBLICAL FICTION· GIVEAWAYS· INTERVIEWS
4
DEC
This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. You can see my full disclosure policy here.
If you could travel back to Biblical times, which portion of the Bible would you want to visit? Barbara Britton’s new novel, Jerusalem Rising, takes us back to the time of Nehemiah. This is the third in the Tribes of Israel series. (Barbara also shared Providence and Building Benjamin with us as they released.) I’m happy to have Barbara visiting today to tell us not only about the story, but a little about herself as well. Before we begin, let’s take a quick look at the story.
If you could travel back to Bible times, which would you most want to visit? Barbara Britton's Jerusalem Rising takes us back to Nehemiah's time!SaveWhen Adah bat Shallum finds the governor of Judah weeping over the crumbling wall of Jerusalem, she learns the reason for Nehemiah’s unexpected visit—God has called him to rebuild the wall around the City of David.
Nehemiah challenges the men of Jerusalem to labor on the wall and in return, the names of their fathers will be written in the annals for future generations to cherish. But Adah has one sister and no brothers. Should her father who rules a half-district of Jerusalem be forgotten forever?
Adah bravely vows to rebuild her city’s wall, though she soon discovers that Jerusalem not only has enemies outside of the city, but also within. Can Adah, her sister, and the men they love, honor God’s call? Or will their mission be crushed by the same rocks they hope to raise?
Welcome back, Barbara! What inspired you to write Jerusalem Rising?
I had taught the story of Nehemiah rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem several times in Vacation Bible School and Sunday School, but I skipped Nehemiah 3:12, where the daughters of Shallum are mentioned as builders of the wall. Women construction workers? This is unusual to see in the Bible. I thought the daughters needed their time in the spotlight. We don’t know how many daughters Shallum had, but I gave him two—Adah and Judith.
That is unusual, but a fun little tidbit to speculate about. Who is your favorite secondary character in this story?
My favorite secondary character is Telem. I haven’t mentioned this anywhere else, but I made Telem the book of Ezra. I placed the triumphs and troubles of the book of Ezra into Telem’s life. Poor guy. Telem is tough and can handle the conflict.
He’d have to be tough! We’d love to know a little about you personally. What is your:
Favorite season? Fall. I love the colors of the trees in Wisconsin. Raking the leaves isn’t as enjoyable.
Favorite writing snack? Dark chocolate.
Favorite movie? Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory with Gene Wilder.
Favorite vacation destination? Oahu.
Favorite ice cream flavor? Mint chocolate chip.
All the chocolate. 😉 Can you give any hints about what you’re working on now?
I’m working on another Old Testament Bible story. I like to bring little-known Bible characters to light. If a reader learns one new thing about the Bible after reading my books, then I feel I have done my job. It’s amazing how the Bible is new every day.
Some people shy away from Biblical fiction, but if a story can inspire us to dig into the Bible to determine whether or not it’s accurate, we might be surprised at all we could learn! If you could offer a word of encouragement to an aspiring author, what would you say?
I call aspiring authors “pre-published” authors. Never give up on your dream. It took me nine years to get a publishing contract. I amassed over 200 rejections, but I loved writing and every time I sat down to write, I was excited about my story. Find a group of writers to commune with as you go about your writing journey. Professional organizations and writing conferences are wonderful places to meet fellow writers.
Indeed! I enjoyed meeting you this past fall at the ACFW conference. 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to visit with us today, Barbara!
Your turn! Which Bible story/time would you most like to visit, if such a thing were possible?
More about Barbara:
Barbara Britton, author of Jerusalem RisingSaveBarbara M. Britton lives in Wisconsin and writes Christian Fiction for teens and adults. She has a nutrition degree from Baylor University but loves to dip healthy strawberries in chocolate. Barb brings little known Bible characters to light in her Tribes of Israel series. You can find out about Barb’s books on her website, or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.
Jerusalem Rising: Adah's Journey
Publishers Weekly. 264.44 (Oct. 30, 2017): p66.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
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Full Text:
Jerusalem Rising: Adah's Journey
Barbara M. Britton. Pelican, $14.99 trade paper (320p) ISBN 978-1-6111-6940-9
Britton (Building Benjamin) continues her Tribes of Israel series in this fine retelling of a Bible story, this time that of the rebuilding of Jerusalem's wall. Adah is the daughter of Shallum, who rules half of Jerusalem. When she finds out that Nehemiah, the governor of Judea, plans to rebuild Jerusalem's wall, she volunteers her family to help. The prospect of an aging father, a blind mother, and two daughters working on the wall makes the family the butt of many jokes, emboldening Rephaiah, her father's co-ruler, to vocalize his contempt for Shallum's family in order to seize control of Jerusalem for himself. Nevertheless, Adah remains determined that her family be memorialized as one of those that helped to rebuild the wall. As Judea's neighboring territories try to stop the building of the wall, Adah's strength and courage make a friend and ally out of Nehemiah. Despite the opposition and the challenges Adah and Nehemiah face, they continue with the task that God has called them to do. Britton's story transcends a simple biblical retelling thanks to the feisty, unshakable Adah. (Dec.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Jerusalem Rising: Adah's Journey." Publishers Weekly, 30 Oct. 2017, p. 66. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A514357774/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=4b9c451a. Accessed 3 Mar. 2018.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2017
Building Benjamin: Naomi's Journey by Barbara Britton
Barbara Britton’s Biblical fiction story is a must read! I couldn’t stop reading about this tribe of Benjamin from the Old Testament. This story is brought to life as Naomi and Eliab struggle to reestablish the Benjamite tribe of Israel.
Eliab is part of what’s left of the tribe of Benjamin who takes Naomi from the tribe of Ephraim. How can God let this happen to her? Will her father and brother find her in time? When she is part of another kidnapping in the same night, she must come to terms with Eliab to ensure her safety and find her own path to follow God’s will for her life.
For such a time as this, she steps forth as a voice of forgiveness and mercy. But will anyone listen to a young shepherd and a young weaver?
I loved this story by Barbara Britton and cannot wait to read more of her books.
I received a free copy in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.
https://www.amazon.com/Building-Benjamin-Naomis-Journey-Tribes/dp/161116883X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487879488&sr=8-1&keywords=building+benjamin
Book Review: Building Benjamin
5/12/2017 0 Comments
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TITLE: Building Benjamin: Naomi’s Journey (Tribes of Israel)
AUTHOR: Barbara M. Britton
DATE: 2017
PUBLISHER: Pelican Book Group
STARS: ****1/2
Naomi desires to dance well enough to catch the eye of a wealthy landowner. Her father needs a substantial bride price due to the deaths of her brothers who died at the hands of the tribe of Benjamin. But when Benjamites raid the Ephraimite feast and capture young girls, Naomi is bound and carried from her home by Eliab, a troubled shepherd who needs a wife. As Naomi awaits rescue, she finds Eliab has a strong faith in God and a just reason for abducting her. His reason affects all the tribes of Israel. The future of the tribe of Benjamin hangs in the balance, but if Naomi follows her heart and stays with Eliab to rebuild his lineage, she must forfeit her family and become a traitor to her own tribe.
In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. Judges 21:25. This is the setting for Building Benjamin. Reading the final few chapters of the book of Judges helped me understand and picture the harsh realities of life for ancient Israelites. The actions described seemed terribly barbaric, but Naomi and Eliab managed to avoid capitulating to the brutality around them.
Honor, courage, and faith elevated Naomi and her captor, Eliab, as they learned to appreciate one another and fought for their families. Author Barbara M. Britton’s extensive research shines through this story, creating realistic characters that I cared about.
If you enjoy Biblical fiction, you’ll want to read Building Benjamin. It earns four and a half stars. Disclaimer: I was given this book as a gift. All opinions are my own.
October 7, 2016
‘Providence’: Meet Barbara Britton + a Giveaway
Biblical Fiction· Giveaways· Interviews
7 Oct
This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. You can see my full disclosure policy here.
Travel back in time… Way back to Biblical times! Today we have the privilege of meeting Barbara Britton and her new novel, Providence. Before we begin our visit, though, let’s take a quick look at the story.
Meet Barbara Britton, author of 'Providence', and enter to win a copy of this new Biblical fiction novel.
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As the sole daughter of the chief priest, Hannah is publicly shamed when the prophet of Israel refuses to heal her.
Determined to restore her family’s honor, Hannah escapes Jerusalem in hopes of finding the prophet and convincing him to heal her deformities. Gilead, a young Hebrew guard sympathetic to her plight, willingly accompanies her. On their way, they are captured by a band of raiders.
Hannah is forced to serve in the household of the commander of the Aramean army, an officer who is in need of healing himself. Meanwhile Gilead is being used as sword practice for the Aramean soldiers.
Hannah must act fast to save Gilead and herself. But survival means coaxing the prophet of Israel to heal and enemy commander.
Welcome, Barbara! Tell us a little about Providence. What inspired you to write this series, or this novel in particular?
Providence: Hannah’s Journey was the fourth book I wrote, and it was the first one to sell. When I look back on my life, I probably should have been writing Biblical fiction right along. I had written a Historical and two Young Adult novels previously. At the time I wrote Providence, I was teaching chapel to elementary school students and writing a curriculum centered on Bible characters. I taught on the brave, captured servant girl in the story of Naaman in II Kings 5. That servant girl became my Hannah. I continued writing novels based on little known Bible characters or stories. Alas, the Tribes of Israel series was born.
It sounds like you had a ready audience for your stories! Did you have a favorite story/book as a child? Why was it a favorite?
I enjoyed reading the Alfred Hitchcock and The Three Investigators series when I was younger. It is similar to the Hardy Boys as Jupiter Jones and his two pals solve mysteries. Their sleuthing office was an abandoned motor home buried in a dump owned by Jupiter’s father. How cool is that! When I mention this series, not many people have heard of it. Anyone else familiar with Jupiter, Pete, and Bob?
I have not heard of it… Although I’m finding there are a lot of childhood favorites that I never knew about! 😉 Do you have a favorite or “life” verse? Why is that one important to you?
My favorite verse is Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
I claimed this verse a lot last year as I was diagnosed with breast cancer and went through two surgeries. I was very nervous for my second surgery as I knew it would last at least six hours. I had never been under anesthesia for that long and I could feel myself chickening out, but I knew I had to have the surgery to survive. I prayed, and I had my family and church family praying too. God is faithful. I felt His peace before, during, and after my surgery, and through all the cancer treatments that came afterward. Jesus was, and is my rock.
The theme for my novel is God is in control even in the chaos of life. I lived that theme last year. Thankfully the theme for my next book is love grows where God grafts the tender shoot. Not that there isn’t chaos in Book 2, but the theme is much calmer.
What a sweet testimony you have. He is faithful! What is one thing you wish you had known before you began writing/publishing?
Publishing a novel can be a long road. It has taken me nine years to get a book published. I had to learn about the craft of writing and how the publishing industry works. I did not realize it would take that long, but rarely does anyone write one book and sell it immediately. Rejection is commonplace in the book business. I have collected over 200 rejections over five books. Providence: Hannah’s Journey was even rejected before it found a home with Pelican Book Group. Writing is not for the faint of heart. In today’s publishing world, authors have to do some publicity and promotion of their book. Writers tend to be introverts and putting yourself out into the social media world can be daunting. I have to balance my time between writing and promoting my work—with the same amount of hours. But I feel blessed to have a debut novel launching into the world.
It’s definitely work! Can you give any hints about what you’re working on now?
Certainly! Book 2 of the Tribes of Israel series will be out this spring, Building Benjamin: Naomi’s Journey. I tackled the last three chapters of the book of Judges with this story. I just finished another Biblical Romantic Adventure set in the time of Nehemiah. I have a few more tweaks to do to the story and then off to my editor it will go. For more tweaking.
We often start with fast favorites, but let’s change it up and close with that today. 🙂 What is your:
Favorite color? Purple
Favorite writing snack? Cheese and crackers
Favorite movie? Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (with Gene Wilder)
Favorite ice cream flavor? Mint chocolate chip
Mmm! Thanks for taking the time to visit with us today, Barbara!
Your turn! What is your favorite movie?
More about Barbara:
Barbara Britton, author of Providence
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Barbara M. Britton was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, but currently lives in Wisconsin and loves the snow—when it accumulates under three inches. She writes Christian Fiction for teens and adults. Barb has a nutrition degree from Baylor University but loves to dip healthy strawberries in chocolate. Barb kicks off her Tribes of Israel series in October with the release of “Providence: Hannah’s Journey.” Barb is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Romance Writers of America and Wisconsin Romance Writers of America.
You can connect with Barbara online:
My website: www.barbarambritton.com
Goodreads
Book Trailer
‘Providence’ Giveaway:
Barbara is generously offering to give away a paperback copy of Providence. Giveaways are subject to the Giveaway Policy.
(Clicking the book cover in this post will take you to the book on Amazon. This is an affiliate link, which means that while the price remains the same for you [and the authors!], a small portion of your purchase helps keep this blog going. Thanks for your support!)
April 7, 2017
‘Building Benjamin’: Meet Barbara Britton + a Giveaway
Biblical Fiction· Giveaways· Interviews
7 Apr
This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. You can see my full disclosure policy here.
Have you read the book of Judges recently? We tend to spend more time in the New Testament than the Old, but Barbara Britton’s new novel, Building Benjamin, may challenge us to dig into that Old Testament era. Before we visit with Barbara, let’s take a quick look at the story.
How long has it been since you read the Old Testament book of Judges? Barbara Britton's new novel, 'Building Benjamin,' may have you digging into it! Meet Barbara & enter to win a copy of 'Building Benjamin'!
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Love Grows Where God Grafts the Tender Shoot.
Naomi desires to dance well enough to catch the eye of a wealthy landowner. Her father needs a substantial bride price due to the deaths of her brothers at the hands of the tribe of Benjamin. But when Benjamites raid the Ephraimite feast and capture young girls, Naomi is bound and carried from her home by Eliab, a troubled shepherd who needs a wife.
As Naomi awaits rescue, she finds Eliab has a strong faith in God and a just reason for abducting her. A reason that affects all the tribes of Israel. The future of the tribe of Benjamin hangs in the balance, but if Naomi follows her heart and stays with Eliab to rebuild his lineage, she must forfeit her family and become a traitor to her tribe.
Welcome back, Barbara! Tell us a bit about Building Benjamin.
I was reading through the Bible when I came across a story in Judges (Judges 19-21) that I had never heard before. The story was about how the tribe of Benjamin was almost wiped out by the other tribes of Israel. The remaining men of Benjamin had to kidnap wives in order for the tribe to survive. I wondered what it would be like to be one of the Israeli girls abducted. Alas, Naomi’s journey began.
The apostle Paul was from the tribe of Benjamin, so I’m glad the tribe survived.
I actually just finished reading Judges. This is an interesting part of the Israelite history to consider. What do you want readers to take away from your novel?
My heroine, Naomi, is thrust into a scary situation. She draws on her relationship with God to give her strength through the chaos of her kidnapping. Her go-to verse is Deuteronomy 6:18a; “Do what is right and good in the Lord’s sight, so that it may go well with you.” I hope Naomi’s faith will encourage others who are going through tough times. She never forgets where she came from, and what she was taught about God by her parents.
Tough times certainly weren’t limited to the Old Testament! I love that Naomi has a verse she finds strength in. Do you have a favorite life verse?
One of my favorite set of verses is Philippians 4:4-7. Life can get crazy sometimes and I need to remember not to be anxious, but to pray and talk to God about my fears. It’s not easy to rejoice at all times. When I edited Building Benjamin, I was going through radiation therapy for breast cancer. I had been through two surgeries, and my future was uncertain. God gave me His peace and strength to carry on no matter the outcome. I am blessed to be cancer free at this point in time.
Praise the Lord! What a challenging time, and yet what a testimony you now have, to be able to share what you’ve learned going through it. What are you working on now?
I am waiting on the final edits for my third novel in my Tribes of Israel series—Jerusalem Rising: Adah’s Journey. Adah’s journey is set in the time of Nehemiah. I am also beginning another story set in the Old Testament Scriptures.
I am curious if your readers were familiar with this story in Judges. I had been a Christian a long time before stumbling upon this story.
Your turn, then! 😉 Were you familiar with this story already, or is this a new one for you?
Thanks for taking the time to share with us today, Barbara!
More about Barbara:
Barbara Britton, author of 'Providence' and 'Building Benjamin'
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Barbara M. Britton was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, but currently lives in Wisconsin and loves the snow—when it accumulates under three inches. She writes Christian Fiction for teens and adults. Barb has a nutrition degree from Baylor University but loves to dip healthy strawberries in chocolate. Barb kicked off her Tribes of Israel series in October with the release of “Providence: Hannah’s Journey.” Naomi’s journey, “Building Benjamin” is out now. Barb is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Romance Writers of America and Wisconsin Romance Writers of America.
You can find out more about Barb and her books on her website, Facebook, Twitter, and on Goodreads.
Book Trailer
You can find Building Benjamin on Amazon, B&N, Target.
‘Building Benjamin’ Giveaway:
Barbara has generously offered to give away a paperback or e-copy (winner’s choice) of Building Benjamin. Giveaways are subject to the Giveaway Policy.