Wednesday, June 30, 2010

DECEIT - Brandilyn Collins - Free Book

Today, we're talking with one of my favorite suspense authors. So take a deep breath before we begin. Welcome, Brandilyn. What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about?

I don’t have favorite spiritual themes, as the theme for each of my suspense novels grows naturally out of the protagonist’s characterization and her predicament. Often when I start writing the story I don’t know what the spiritual element will be. I concentrate on the suspense plot, and the theme shapes itself in the writing.

With Deceit, it was a little different. Because of the plot and characters, I knew it would be about deceit and how we all can let it creep into our lives. The protagonist, the antagonist and the victim are all Christians. But what is going on beneath the surface in their lives? And what spiritual lessons can the reader draw from their weaknesses? The fast-paced plot works naturally to drive home the message of the story.

What other books of yours are coming out soon?

Final Touch, third and final in the young adult Rayne Tour series, released in May. (This series is co-written with my daughter, Amberly.) I just turned in a novel titled Over the Edge that’s a suspense centered around Lyme Disease. It’s the story I was born to write, given my own experience with the illness. Over the Edge will release in May 2011.

Yes, we fetured Final Touch on this blog. And I want to feature Over the Edge. As you know, my very good friend, Lisa Buffalo, also had Lyme disease, so it's close to my heart. If you could spend an evening with one contemporary person (not a family member of yours), who would it be and why?

Dean Koontz. I love his characterization and metaphorical writing. And I’d enjoy talking to him about the underlying themes of good and evil in his novels.

What historical person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why?

Gandhi. He was a fascinating blend of religions and ideas, many of them Christian. My father did meet Gandhi while my parents were in India. I’ve heard my mom talk about the day Gandhi died. All that day Indian people came in and out of their house to listen to the news on the radio. They’d quietly slip in, listen, then leave. No one talked. It was like a wake as they listened to that radio, which was the only one for miles around.

How can you encourage authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers?

I was talking to someone just this morning. She told me how she was once again writing on her manuscript and was almost done. This manuscript has seen numerous forms, and she’s been working on it for years. She’s had rejection after rejection from agents and publishers. The last round of rejections did her in. She quit. All of the usual cynical questions plagued her. “What am I doing this for? No one cares! There’s no point. I quit, quit, quit.”
Now she’s back at it.

I said to her, “That is the mark of a real writer. We get rejected, we quit, but at some point we get up and get back to writing. We can’t not write.” And that is what I say to all those who are rejected. (And all us writers are at some point or another.) If you’re born to write, you’ll write. You may quit, but you’ll go back to it. And eventually you’ll see some reward.

Tell us about the featured book.

Here’s the back cover copy for Deceit:

Sometimes the truth hides where no one expects to find it.

Joanne Weeks knows Baxter Jackson killed Linda—his second wife and Joanne’s
best friend—six years ago. But Baxter, a church elder and beloved member of
the town, walks the streets a free man. The police tell Joanne to leave well
enough alone, but she is determined to bring him down. Using her skills as a
professional skip tracer, she sets out to locate the only person who may be able
to put Baxter behind bars. Melissa Harkoff was a traumatized sixteen-year-old
foster child in the Jackson household when Linda disappeared. At the time
Melissa claimed to know nothing of Linda's whereabouts—but was she lying?

In relentless style, Deceit careens between Joanne's pursuit of the truth—which puts her own life in danger—and the events of six years' past, when Melissa came to live with the Jacksons. What really happened in that
household? Beneath the veneer of perfection lies a story of shakeable faith, choices, and the lure of deceit.

A very interesting premise. Please give us the first page of the book.

Some evil shouts from rooftops, some scuttles in the dark. The greatest evil tips its face toward light with shining innocence.

Baxter Jackson shone with the worst of them.

In my sister’s kitchen I focused out the sliding glass door to her backyard. Relentless rain pummeled the night. The weather matched my mood. The Vonita Times, our town’s weekly paper, lay on the square wooden table across from me. Its front page headline glared. Skip Tracer Accuses Police Chief of Shirking Duty.

My sister followed my gaze to the article. “Maybe it really was an accident, Joanne.”

I shot her a look of accusation and hurt. “You, too?” As if the rest of the town weren’t enough. “I thought you agreed with me.”

She drew a long breath. “I don’t know what to think. Two wives gone does look suspicious, but there’s no proof Baxter did anything. Once Cherisse’s death was ruled an accident—”

“How many people fall down stairs and die, Dineen, even if they are hardwood? That only happens in old movies.”

“But that’s what the coroner said.”

“The Sheriff-Coroner’s up for reelection next year, and who do you suppose gave the most to his last campaign?”

“I know, but I just can’t believe any coroner would find signs of a murder and look the other way, especially this man. I mean, I know Bud Gidst. So do you.”

I pushed back my chair, picked up my plate and stacked hers on top. Marched them over to the sink and set them down none too gently. I loved my sister like crazy, always had. She was twelve years younger, and I’d always looked after her. I steered her clear of bratty, bully girls in grade school, the wrong guys in high school. I urged her to fight her self-serving ex in court until he paid the two years’ worth of child support he owed for Jimmy. But the fact was, Dineen had always been too trusting. She just couldn’t believe bad about anybody until it hit her in the face.

“Sometimes people don’t want to see the truth, Dineen.” I rinsed the plates, the water hissing. “Autopsy findings are open to interpretation. To say all those bruises and contusions on Cherisse’s head didn’t match a fall down the stairs would be calling Baxter Jackson a liar. Maybe Bud didn’t want to believe that.”

Or maybe his ruling was far more sinister. Baxter Jackson was the richest man in Vonita and practically ran the town. He sponsored a Little League baseball team every year and personally paid for Vonita’s Fourth of July fireworks. He was everybody’s best friend. Nobody in the county ever spoke against Baxter.

Except me.
I love that hook. I can hardly wait to get my copy of the book. How can readers find you on the Internet?

Oh, it not’s hard. Try these places:
Web site: http://www.brandilyncollins.com/
Blog: http://www.forensicsandfaith.blogspot.com/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/brandilyncollins
Twitter: www.twitter.com/brandilyn

Thank you, Brandilyn, for the intersting interview.

Readers, here's a link. By using it when you order the book, you help support this blog.














Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)


Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 6 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Feedblitz, Facebook, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment. Here’s a link.

http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/

52 comments:

Annette W. said...

I just read Brandilyn's Dark Pursuit this weekend...so good! I'd love to win a copy, but also wanted to say that I enjoyed the interview!

Katrina said...

I would love to read this one!

Marjorie/cenya2 said...

I love any Christian, clean read mystery books and I would love to
win this book.
It sounds exciting.

Anonymous said...

This book looks suspenseful and great. Thanks for the giveaway chance. Marissa

Merry said...

Once I pick up one of Brandilyn's books, I can't put them down! Please include me in the drawing for Deceit.

Mark said...

I'd like to win it, thanks for the chance

Jan Cline said...

I heard Brandilyn speak at a conference and attended one of her workshops. She has a wonderful publishing story and writes extremely well. One of the best story tellers Ive heard in a long time.
jancline@ymail.com

kathy taylor said...

This book sounds refreshing, a reminder of how our hearts can be deceived even though we love Jesus.

grannyvon said...

I would love to win this book. I love the supense themes books. Thanks ybutler@oppcatv.com

Trinity Rose said...

I love boks by Brandilyn.
Please enter me.
Blessings,
Trinity Rose

runner10 said...

Sounds like a great read.

fredamans said...

Sounds fantastic! Thanks for the chance!

Anonymous said...

\I would love to read this. thanks
trishbazin@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

please count me in ... thanks :)

karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com

Anonymous said...

I want to win too! Brandilyn is one of my favorite authors.

Cindy W. said...

Great interview and I love the cover art for Deceit. I would love to win a copy. Thank you for the opportunity.

Smiles & Blessings,
Cindy W.

countrybear52[at]yahoo[dot]com

Lou Ann said...

I would love the opportunity to win this book. Sounds so interesting.

louann@carolina.rr.com

misskallie2000 said...

Wow, I have got to read this book. I love mystery, suspense and a little romance.
Great interview Brandilyn. Thanks for stopping by to chat.

Thanks for the opportunity to enter this awesome giveaway. Pls count me in.

misskallie2000 at yahoo dot com

Linda Kish said...

This sounds really good.

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Theresa N. said...

Sounds like a great mystery.
Theresa N
weceno(at)yahoo(dot)com

Elyssa said...

Please enter me- this book looks great!

rbooth43 said...

Sounds like a great read.

Janet Sketchley said...

I've been waiting for Deceit to come out--please enter me in the draw!

holdenj said...

It looks very exciting and good, please count me in! Thanks!
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

Julia M. Reffner said...

I've never read Brandilyn, but the premise sounds interesting!

julesreffner(at)gmail(dot)c0m

Anita Yancey said...

I would love to read this book. It sounds great. Please enter me. Thanks!

ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net

Desiree said...

I have recently discovered Brandilyn's books and would love to read this one!

davidndes at comcast dot net

Wendy said...

Her books always creep me out - please enter me!

Lady Araujo said...

I would love to win this book.

Jan Marie said...

Brandilyn Collins is one of my favorite authors. She always has a surprise waiting on the next page that won't let me put her books down.

I would love to be the lucky winner of Deceit!

janmarien[at]embarqmail[dot]com

A J Hawke said...

Based on Bradilyn Collins' other books, I have no doubt this will be a good one.

Thanks for the opportunity to win a copy of Deceit.

A J Hawke
ajhawkeauthor{at}aol{dot}com

Sara - artst4christ said...

Just popping a comment to support Brandilyn Collins books !! Don't sign me up for the giveaway. I was lucky enough to receive one of the ARC's for Deceit and it arrived earlier this week. I am so excited to read it during this holiday weekend. Would have finished it by now if I wasn't having to pack everything to move this Saturday. Anyway, I love your novels Brandilyn keep up the great work and God bless !!!!!!!

dancealertreads.blogspot.com said...

Please enter me!

dancealert at aol dot com

Coolestmommy said...

Love mysteries! Please enter me to win.


coolestmommy2000 at gmail dot com

Martha A. said...

Brandilynn's books are always a good read...enter me please! martha(at)lclink(dot)com

Judylynn said...

Please enter me in this giveaway - Thanks!

seizethebookblog(at)gmail(dot)com

Sarah said...

I would love to win this! I've wanted to read some of Brandilyn's work for a while now.

srupp1 (AT) embarqmail (DOT) com

Anonymous said...

I have not read any of her books, but have been very anxious to! Please enter me. Thanks!!!
jackie.smithATdishmailDOTnet

Casey said...

Please enter me, this book looks good! Thanks!

Sue said...

I would like to be entered to read this book. Thank you!

Marla said...

Brandilyn is one my very favorite authors. Please enter me in this drawing. Thank you.

Marla

Pain SUX said...

I love Brandilyn's books. Please enter me.

~Steph
soklad@hotmail.com

Megan (Inspired by Fiction) said...

I just got Final Touch for review. I am always impressed with Brandilyn's writing style!!

Bakersdozen said...

I would love to read this. vidomich(at)yahoo(dot)com

Pastor Valni Borges said...

Hi, congratulations for interview. I love christian suspense books and I'd like win this book. Thanks.

letrassantas[at]hotmail[dot]com

Jennifer said...

Please enter me- this book looks great!

Anonymous said...

I would love to win this. Thanks for the chance.

Unknown said...

I love suspense books--this one sounds great. Please enter me in the drawing.

Barbara M. said...

Please enter me. I can't wait to read this book.

quiltyreader(at)gmail(dot)com

wmmahaney said...

I would love to read this book.
wmmahaney(at)att(dot)net

Sarah said...

I love her books! Please enter me in the drawing!

thecoolmom said...

I would love to read this one!