Friday, December 30, 2016

THE MADONNA OF PISANO - MaryAnn Diorio - One Book Giveaway

Welcome back, MaryAnn. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?
I praise God for moving in my life, in His own way and in His own timing. My job is simply to be sensitive to His leading and to follow Him wherever He wants to take me. That said, what I see on the horizon is greater intimacy in my relationship with God as I focus above all on worshipping Him and being in His Presence. From this place of vision, I see a deluge of ideas for more stories that will glorify Jesus and point people to Him. Many of these stories are already formulating in my mind, and three of them I’ve already begun to write.

Tell us a little about your family.
My husband Dom and I have been married for 47 years. Dom is a retired ER physician who now helps me with my writing ministry. He does a lot of the research for my historical novels and takes care of much of the business side of my writing. Dom and I are blessed with two amazing adult daughters. Our firstborn daughter, Lia, is a church musician and educator. She and her husband, Peter, have five beautiful children ranging in age from 10 to 4. Our second-born daughter, Gina, is a historian and a public policy specialist. She is also a worship leader at her church, a runner, and an outstanding writer in her own right.

Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?
I have always been an avid reader and have especially enjoyed reading the classics. The fact that I now write fiction has led me to read a lot more contemporary fiction. Fiction written today is much different in terms of technique than fiction written 100 years ago—even 25 years ago. Attention spans are shorter today. Life is more hectic today. So, readers don’t have time for long, descriptive narratives. They want to get into the story, and they want to get into it fast. :) As a result, fiction writers have had to adapt stylistically to these cultural changes in order to hook and retain reader interest. At the same time, a good story defies time and place and has constant elements that never change. So, I see my role as a writer of fiction as that of combining the best of the past with the best of the present.

What are you working on right now?
I will soon be starting the writing of Book 3, RETURN TO BELLA TERRA, in THE ITALIAN CHRONICLES Trilogy. I am also working on a stand-alone novel tentatively titled AN ITALIAN ROMANCE and a book of poetry for children called POEMS FOR WEE ONES that I hope to release in 2018, Lord willing.

What outside interests do you have?
I love to read, to draw, and to paint in oils, acrylics, and pastels, as well as pen and  ink and colored pencil. I love to play the piano and cello, and I am currently learning how to play the mandolin, an instrument my maternal grandfather played. I recently began crocheting hats and scarves for a church ministry that ministers to the homeless. Of course, I enjoy spending lots of time with my precious grandchildren.

How do you choose your settings for each book?
I choose settings with which I am familiar, usually from having lived there or, at least from having visited the location. Knowing the setting well enables me to create a strong sense of realism that adds credibility to my stories by virtue of my familiarity with the details of the location.

If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?
I would spend an evening with Jesus Christ because He is not only the central and  pivotal point of all history, but also because He is outside of all history and all history is defined by Him. Since He is the Master Story-Teller, I would ask Him especially about the principles of story and how He used those principles in pointing people to the Father.

What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?
Instead of viewing novel-writing as a glamorous activity, I wish I had had a more realistic view. I wish I had known that there are clear, well-defined principles of story-telling that transcend time and place and that can be learned, and that knowing those principles and applying them would result in stories that keep readers reading.

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?
The Lord is teaching me how to rest in Him more and more. He is showing me that DOING flows out of BEING, and that as I spend time in His Presence, worshipping Him, I will bear much fruit. He is showing me what it truly means to be attached to the Vine and to BE in Him before I DO for Him.

What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?
1 – Put God first in all things, including your writing. (Matthew 6: 33)
2 – Listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit regarding your writing. (Romans 8: 14)
3—Obey the voice of the Holy Spirit regarding your writing. (Jeremiah 7: 23)

Tell us about the featured book.
THE MADONNA OF PISANO is Book One in my trilogy titled THE ITALIAN CHRONICLES. The idea for this story was sparked by an incident that occurred in the life of my paternal great-grandmother. When I learned of the incident during a genealogical search, I knew I had to write about it in a story. While the seed of the story came from a true incident, the incident has been fictionalized to accommodate the literary parameters of a novel.

Please give us the first page of the book.
Here is the first scene of Chapter One:
Pisano, Sicily, September 1891
            She had no other choice.
            Maria Landro led her little son by the hand as they hurried down the winding road from Bella Terra toward the village. Distant, dark clouds gathered in the morning sky. Looked like a storm coming. The anxiety that had been churning for days in the pit of her stomach now spread to chill every part of her body. It was all she could do to keep herself from turning back.
            Nico tugged on her wrist. “Are we almost there, Mama?”
            She squeezed his hand in return, the hem of her skirt rustling against the pebbles as it
swished along the cobblestone road. “Almost, darling. Are you all right?”
            He looked up at her. He had her father’s eyes. Kind, deep, and probing. They always
made him so easy to love.
            “I’m well, Mama.” But his fingers fidgeted in her hand.
            His nervousness only fueled her own. She squeezed his hand more tightly. Please let
the village be kind to him. Regardless of what they believed about her.
            A sudden gust of wind caught the edge of her headscarf, pulling it back past her
temples. “My, the wind is getting stronger. Let’s hurry before the storm breaks. We don’t
want you to arrive at school soaking wet on your very first day, do we?”
            “No, we don’t, Mama. I would look silly.” He laughed, and an arrow pierced her
heart.
            If anyone hurt him …
            A hay-filled wagon rumbled past them, its wooden wheels creaking against the
pebble-strewn road. The driver turned his face away as he passed.
            She winced, pulling her son closer to herself to hide him.
            “Will the storm carry us away, Mama?” Nico laughed again. “Maybe the wind will
pick me up, and I’ll fly like a bird and land on the school windowsill, and my teacher will
laugh.”
            She tensed. Nico’s teacher. No, Don Franco would never laugh. If only she could
have chosen someone—anyone—else to be his teacher.
            But not in Pisano.
            The tiny village had only one schoolhouse and one teacher.
            As they turned a bend in the road, she caught a glimpse of her family’s large tan
stucco house. It sat majestically atop the hill, like a queen on her throne, surrounded by
sloping fields of fragrant orange and lemon groves, purple-red vineyards, and golden
wheat fields. Nestled among a cluster of tall poplar trees, would the queen soon be forced
to give up her throne?
            Was the farm’s failure Maria's fault as well?
            She looked down at her little boy, all dressed up for his first day of school. She’d
made him the pair of navy-blue cotton britches the school uniform required, topped by a
white, short-sleeved shirt and navy-blue ascot. His new black leather shoes, though a bit
too big, would soon fit his rapidly growing feet.
            As they approached the village, she recoiled at the sight of the medieval church
steeple reaching toward the gray morning sky. The church stood in the middle of the
village as a sign of God’s central position in the lives of the villagers.
            She hadn’t stepped foot in it for nearly seven years.
            Pinwheeling out from the church, little pastel-colored stucco houses lined dirt roads
framed by borders of yellow pansies and russet daylilies. Next to the church stood the
rectory, its burnt orange tile roof in much need of repair.
            She averted her eyes.
            A few drops of rain splashed against her kerchief and sprinkled her face. She looked
up just as a streak of lightning slashed the eastern sky. Then, with a loud clap, the clouds
broke loose, dumping their reservoir of rain. Why hadn’t she brought an umbrella?
            Gripping Nico’s hand, she started running. The rain pummeled her head and her back
as she tried to guide her little boy around the puddles.
            “Oh, Mama. My new shoes. They’re covered with mud.”
            So much for showing off her son. After six years of hiding him, she would see her
bold, triumphant moment ruined by mud. “Don’t worry. As soon as we get to the school,
I’ll wipe them off for you.”
            Just as quickly as it had started, the rain stopped. She took out the handkerchief she’d
shoved into her large canvas bag, next to the fresh fruit and nuts she’d brought for Nico’s
snack, and wiped her son’s wet face. Wet from the rain, she hoped, and not from tears.
            She couldn’t take tears. Not from him. Not from herself.
            As they entered the village square, shouts of haggling customers caught her ear.
            Young mothers with babies on their hips bargained with shopkeepers over the price of
peppers, eggplant, and squash. At the far end of the square, old women dressed in black
shuffled out of the Church of the Holy Virgin, fresh from hearing daily Mass.
            Nico pulled at her hand. “Mama, so many people. I never saw so many people.”
He seemed like a new puppy let loose from his cage. “Yes, my son. The village is
full of many people.”
            Her eyes scanned the bustling square where she’d once spent many happy moments
at Luigi’s outdoor café, eating pasta and sipping espresso in the company of family and
friends.
            Deftly skirting farmers pulling wobbly carts laden with lemons and oranges, she
guided her child through the market crowd. Small groups of old men, their heads covered
with flat-topped coppola hats, huddled at little round tables, chewing on long pieces of
fennel while playing chess. A young mother, dressed in the black attire of year-long
mourning for a deceased loved one, held onto a toddler with one hand while, with the
other, she sorted through artichokes, cucumbers, and leeks. The smell of freshly caught
tuna, squid, and mussels, fruit of the nearby sea, turned Maria’s empty stomach.
            She led Nico through the square. Her face grew hot as neighbors and one-time
friends raised their eyes to her. Old women shook their heads, while younger ones
scanned her from head to toe, then turned away with uplifted chins. Men of all ages
scraped their eyes over Nico then leered at her.
            The skin prickled on the nape of her neck. “Come, Nico. We must hurry so we won’t
be late.”
            “Yes, Mama.”
            Wide-eyed, he drank in the new sights. Poor child. He’d been sequestered on the
family farm his whole life. He knew nothing of this world beyond Bella Terra.
            Whispers grew into mumbles and then into shouts, roaring in her ears as she hurried
through the gathering crowd.
            “Can it be? Maria Landro? And that must be her bastard child.”
            She stiffened.
            “What are they saying, Mama? What does ‘bastard’ mean?”
            Keeping her eyes straight ahead, she guided her child toward the school just beyond
the square.
            “Bastard! Bastard! Bastard!” The word echoed after them.
            “Mama, what does ‘bastard’ mean?”
            Her stomach tied itself into a tight knot. Lowering her head, she quickened her pace.
“I’ll explain at another time. Right now we must get to your school, or you will be late.”


Thank you, MaryAnn, for sharing this book with us. I'm eager to read it.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
The Madonna of Pisano (The Italian Chronicles) (Volume 1) - paperback
The Madonna of Pisano (The Italian Chronicles Book 1) - Kindle

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (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 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link:
Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

Wednesday, December 28, 2016

A PONY EXPRESS ROMANCE - Misty M Beller - One Free Book

Dear Readers, I love Misty’s 19th Century Westerns. As a reader, you actually experience every nuance of the setting. The characters leap from the pages right into your heart, and the story stays with you for a long time after you’ve finished reading the book.

Bio: Misty M. Beller writes Christian historical romance and is the author of the Mountain Dreams Series and the Texas Rancher Trilogy.

She was raised on a farm in South Carolina, so her Southern roots run deep. Growing up, her family was close, and they continue to keep that priority today. Her husband and daughters now add another dimension to her life, keeping her both grounded and crazy.

God has placed a desire in Misty’s heart to combine her love for Christian fiction and the simpler ranch life, writing historical novels that display God's abundant love through the twists and turns in the lives of her characters.

Writing is a dream come true for Misty. Her family—both immediate and extended—is the foundation that holds her secure in that dream.

Welcome back, Misty. What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about?
Great question! It seems like so many of my books are tied in some way to the theme of following God’s leading. He has a plan for each of us that rarely seems to follow a logical path, but when we seek His way and submit to His guidance (and submission is an important piece!), His plan turns out to be so much more wonderful than we ever imagined!

That is so true. What other books of yours are coming out soon?
I’m finishing up the sequel to A Pony Express Romance. This new story will be called A Rocky Mountain Romance (book 2 in the Wyoming Mountain Tales) and is already available for pre-order! The official release date is March 21st. This book follows the story of Zeche, Mara’s older brother, as he sets off to explore the Rocky Mountains. But when he takes shelter from a snowstorm in a little mountain cabin, the intriguing Gretta Michelly and her father are the last people he expects to meet. I think readers will love these characters!

If you could spend an evening with one contemporary person (not a family member of yours), who would it be and why?
Hmm…this is a tough one. My first thought was for some of my favorite authors, but I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to meet so many of those wonderful people. I guess I would love to reconnect with old friends from my growing up years. Some have moved away and we’ve lost touch, but they’re still dear!

What historical person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why?
My oldest daughter and I are reading the story of Joseph, and I’m lost again in the beauty of his reunion with his brothers so many years after they sold him into slavery. What an emotional story! God had such an amazing plan for Joseph; I bet he would have been amazing to talk with!

How can you encourage authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers?
Don’t stop! Keep pursuing the dreams God placed in your heart, and seek His direction. He may have a path planned for you that is the last thing you expected. Even though the journey can be painful at times, the outcome will be wonderful!

Tell us about the featured book.
I’d love to!

After growing up as an orphan, Josiah English wants nothing more than to have his own ranch and raise Arabian horses. Riding for the Pony Express seems like the ticket to his dream. And when he meets the stationmaster’s beautiful sister, it seems he may be within reach of the happy life he craves.

Mara Reid is thrilled to finally meet the man of her dreams, and the fact that they both want to raise horses in the Sweetwater River valley seems like confirmation straight from God.

But when the Express shuts down and Mara's family home is in peril, the danger looming over Mara's life may not be half as destructive as that threatening her heart.

Please give us the first page of the book.
November 30, 1860
Ellwood, Kansas
“Don’t move, or I’ll shoot ya right through the ticker.”

Josiah English froze as the hard metal of a rifle barrel pressed into his back. His horse danced beneath him, complaining against his stranglehold on the reins. He didn’t dare release the pressure, though. Not until he had a better grasp on the situation. He tilted his chin ever so slowly, scanning the perimeter to get a look at his captor.

The click of a rifle’s set trigger rang loud in his ears, and the air stilled around him.

“I said freeze.”

The sharp bark drew him up. His blood galloped, pounding in his ears as anger started to build. He wasn’t a coward to be so easily taken by this highway bandit. But was there more than one? He forced air in through his nose and out through his mouth as he strained to decipher the noises behind him.

A whizzing sound flew by his ears, and within the same heartbeat, a rope settled around his shoulders. He jerked to pull it off, but the line yanked tight, strapping his arms to his sides. With a violent lurch, he was snatched sideways from his horse. For a second, his right foot caught in the stirrup, stretching him between opposite forces like a deer hide ready for tanning. Pain shot through his midsection. Would they rip his leg off?

His foot finally slipped from the stirrup, and for a moment he was airborne. Then he landed hard on the ground, the thud ricocheting through his back as the rope clenched tight around his midsection. The air exploded from his lungs. His chest seized, fighting a weight that threatened to smother him as he struggled to breathe.

At last, a precious breath seeped in, and awareness filtered into Josiah’s oxygen-starved brain. He lay on the grass, staring into the blue November sky. A shadow moved across his vision—the dark outline of a man.

I can hardly wait to see what happens next. How can readers find you on the Internet?
I love to connect at my website, FacebookGoodreadsTwitter, Bookbub, and Pinterest

Thank you, Misty, for sharing this book with us. I know my readers are as eager to read it as I am.

Here are buy links to the book:



Readers, leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (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 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link:

Monday, December 26, 2016

EHVAH AFTER - Rose Dee - One Free Book

Dear Readers, as I’ve said before, I love books set in Australia. Here’s another one from one of the Australian authors I featured last week in a Christmas collection. I read Ehvah After as soon as I received it and loved it. I’m sure you will, too. Rose’s writing takes the reader straight into the setting. I felt as if I was there in Australia.

Bio: Rose was born in North Queensland, Australia. Her childhood experiences growing up in a small beach community would later provide inspiration for her Resolution series.

Two of the three Resolution novels have won Australian CALEB awards. She has also released The Greenfield Legacy, a collaborative novel highlighting the pain of Australia’s past policy of forced adoption, as well as standalone novel, Ehvah After. Her most recent release is A Christmas Resolution, which is part of the novella box set, An Aussie Summer Christmas.

Her novels are inspired by the love of her coastal home and her desire to produce stories that point readers to Jesus. Rose holds a Bachelor of Arts degree, and resides in Mackay, North Queensland, with her husband and son.

Welcome back, Rose. Why do you write the kind of books you do?
Because that’s what the Lord inspires me to write. It’s also what I know – beaches, ocean, island, Australia, redemption, and grace.

Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?
To date, it would be my wedding day. That was sweet. But it’s hard to narrow the happiest down. I’ve been blessed in abundance.

How has being published changed your life?
It hasn’t changed it that much. Whatever you do, do it for the Lord. Whether I’m published or not, it’s all about being in His plan, and what if His plan was just for me to write? Or write for just one person to read? We don’t know His purpose, but we do know it’s wonderful – whatever that journey entails.

What are you reading right now?
A non-fiction book by an Aussie author friend of mine, Jo-Anne Berthelsen called, Becoming Me. I’m only one third of the way through it, but I can certainly relate to the story. It’s about struggling with self-doubt, insecurity, and perfectionism and Jo-Anne’s journey through these bondages and into freedom. It’s a brave story, and I’m discovering things about myself through it. When the Lord uses a book to give you your own revelations, it’s a great book.

I’ve featured Jo-Anne on this blog, but it was a long time ago. What is your current work in progress?
I’m currently working on a new Resolution book. It’s been a while since I visited my little resort off the Australian coast, so it’s time to get back to the island.

What would be your dream vacation?
I would love to take one of those European river cruises. My husband and I were talking about it recently; it would be a real trip of a lifetime. We’ve never been to Europe.

I haven’t been their either. I’d like to travel to Norway and Sweden, the countries of my paternal ancestors. How do you choose your settings for each book?
My stories are known for their descriptive settings. With this in mind, I always write what I know. Places where I’ve been, mostly because I love to re-visit these places myself.

If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?
Deborra-Lee Furness. She’s Hugh Jackman’s wife. Deborra-Lee has been active in lobbying for change in Australia’s adoption laws. I’m a supporter of her work. Australia has had big problems with balance in this area. We have swung from the destructive laws of forced adoption and the stolen generation, (in the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s) to the process today that sees children languish in foster care their entire childhoods. Change needs to happen, and I think people like Deborra-Lee are leading the charge.

My mother was a forced adoptee, and the Lord gave me so much understanding of that era in our history when I wrote my conjunction novel, The Greenfield Legacy. It deals with Australia’s past policy of forced adoption.

I’d love to feature this book on my blog. What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?
Gold mining. We own a couple of gold mining claims in the Australian bush. We have a permanent camp and go mining every weekend. We haven’t found that enormous gold nugget … yet, but we have been blessed with small finds, and it’s a wonderful place of peace and rest.

That’s one of my favorite things about. What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?
Getting started. I’m a horrible starter, but once I’m into a story it flows quickly and I love it.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?
Keep your eyes on Jesus. Only He can navigate you through the writing journey He has you on for His purpose. Do NOTHING without consulting Him and knowing His direction, because there are a lot of options out there, and only He knows which one is the best for you.

Very good advice. Tell us about the featured book.
I could re-write the blurb, but instead I’ll give you my favorite quote from the book, and one that really spoke to me as I wrote it. It’s from Ehvah:

“I realized nothing can ever separate us if we have faith, and trust in Him. It’s not easy, but it’s a promise He has made to us. And I know now that God’s love for my parents went on, even after they died. His love for me went on, too. He’s just been waiting for me to get that it’s not about them and Him; it’s about me and Him.”

I loved that line, too. Please give us the first page of the book.
“I can’t believe how horrible it was tonight. I don’t know why I bother going to these things.” Ehvah Rowe flipped the car visor down and groaned at the sight of her knotted hair in the tiny mirror.

“I know. The paparazzi were nasty.” Ritchie pulled the sports car around a series of Beverly Hills corners. Palm trees flashed in the headlights as he braked.

Ehvah fingered the hair extensions in an effort to improve her appearance, then flipped the visor back up.

“You could have grabbed me before I fell. Now the whole world will think I’m back on the clubbing scene.”

“Aren’t you? This is the third club we’ve been to this week.”

Ehvah let a long sigh escape. “Only because you insisted we go. The tabloids must be sick of printing photos of me leaving clubs. Besides, I hadn’t stepped foot in one for over a month before you dragged me back in. I’m sick of my bad press.”

 “You can’t blame me for your fallen princess rep. You got that title all on your own, dahling.” Ritchie changed gears as they climbed a hill.

“Don’t remind me. Sometimes I wish I could re-do the last two years.”

Ehvah closed her eyes in the hope that the pitch black would block out her mistakes.
“I can’t go back to clubbing every night, Ritchie. No matter how much you love the scene. There’s nothing in it for me anymore.”

“So what are you going to do? Your singing career didn’t take off. Are you going to try to get back into acting?”

Ehvah contemplated his question. Her successful years on a TV sitcom may have scored her a teen queen title and a few hit singles, but the fame was long gone. The time she had spent out of the entertainment industry had produced nothing but a fallen star persona.

“I want to sing, but I just can’t break though. The last time I met with a recording company, they told me I had a great voice, heaps of talent, and a fine heritage, but I didn’t fit into any of their current successful molds. Nothing much has changed in the last two years, so what’s the use?”

She had been devastated to be pegged as a has-been at the age of twenty-two. At the time she had settled for being a professional party girl. Now it was obvious that career move had been useless.
“I have no idea what to do, but anything is better than being tabloid fodder.”

Ritchie pulled into the long driveway of the two-story Beverly Hills house she shared with Aunt Mara and her fourth husband, James.

“Turn off the lights and try to sneak around the back entrance,” Ehvah said as they approached the building. “I don’t want James to know I’m home.”

The last thing she needed was an encounter with her uncle. Besides, the two cars parked in the front driveway meant he was busy with clients.

“Does he hate you for coming in late all the time?”

And now every reader wants to know the answer of that question. How can readers find you on the Internet?

Thank you, Rose, for sharing this book with us.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Ehvah After - Paperback
Ehvah After - Kindle

Conversation Starter Questions: Do you like romantic suspense? If so, you'll love this story.
Do you like novels set in foreign countries?

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (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 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link:
Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

Sunday, December 25, 2016

WINNERS!!!!!

Beth (IA) is the winner of Of Stillness and Storm by Michele Phoenix,

Sue C (GA) is the winner of Silent Night Shadows by Sarah Varland.

Connie (KY) is the winner of Additional Christmas Memories compiled by Yvonne Lehman.

Janice (SC) is the winner of War of the Heart by Jenna Victoria.

Sharon B (SC) is the winner of Michel: The Fourth Wise Man by Katheryn Maddox Hadad.

If you won a book and you like it, please consider giving the author the courtesy of writing a review on Goodreads, Amazon.com, Christianbooks.com, Barnes and Noble, or other Internet sites. 

Also, tell your friends about the book ... and this blog. Thank you.

Congratulations
, everyone. If you won a print book, send me your mailing address:
Click the Contact Me link at the top of the blog, and send me an Email.


If you won an ebook, just let me know what email address it should be sent to.

When you contact me, please give the title and author of the book you won, so I won't have to look it up.


Remember, you have 4 weeks to claim your book.

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2016 - Lena Nelson Dooley

Those of you readers, who have followed this blog for more than a year, will remember that I write a Christmas story every Christmas. Here is the 2016 story.


Jolene’s Divine Romance
By Lena Nelson Dooley
December1886
Jolene Whitworth stared out the window hazed by smoke as the steam engine slowly chugged through a pass in the Rocky Mountains. The higher they climbed, the harder it was for her to breathe the cold air. Weary and worn, she glanced down at her wilted traveling suit, covered with sooty dust. No matter how hard she swiped at her skirt, nothing removed the look or smell attached to her clothing. Even the hanky tucked into the sleeve of her jacket might never be white again. She hated to think what her blonde curls looked like pinned up into the best chignon she could accomplish by herself. If only she hadn=t needed to leave her personal companion and maid back in New York City, but Charlotte never would have agreed to come this far from home.
What am I doing out here in the wilderness of western Colorado? The words repeated through her mind, over and over like some ancient chant. Memories of what she had left behind, her beautiful home overlooking the Hudson River, the place she=d lived all her life in the lap of luxury.
Was this journey worth it? It was if her stepfather and the man he promised her to in marriage couldn=t find her. There was no way she=d ever let that man touch her in any way, especially not an intimate one. Shivers, not brought on by the cold, skittered up and down her body, making hairs stand on end. Just the thought made her feel dirty ... much more filthy than this uncomfortable trip had been. This could wash off. The other would have tainted her life until her dying day. Why hadn=t Mr. Curtis seen Mr. Rivers for the fiend he really was? Was money and power that important to him?
She knew her stepfather hated to look at her because she looked just like her mother. But that was no reason to sell her to the highest bidder as if she were a slave. Her grandfather had given their family=s slaves their manumission papers years before the War Between the States.
With a long, mournful wail from its whistle, the engine started to brake, accompanied by the harsh grinding of metal as it came to a stop by the platform in front of the tiny train depot.
What have I gotten myself into? As she stepped from the open doorway, it was like a leap into a different world. Maybe a world that would wipe out the horrible one she’d experienced.
A woman, heavy with child, rushed toward her. “Jolene, I’m so glad you’re here.”
Her roommate from the finishing school back East hugged her tight. She hadn’t had a hug since her mother died, so she clung to her dearest, and only, friend.
“Come with me.” Barbara released her. “Dean has the buggy waiting with hot bricks to warm our feet.”
They hurried toward the buggy and the handsome, blond giant holding the reins. Jolene’s trunk was already behind the seat.
“My husband is the pastor of the church on Ten Mile Creek below Buffalo Mountain. Many of our parishioners are miners, but there are a few families in the neighborhood, too.” By the time they reached the buggy, Barbara was huffing and puffing.
Jolene hoped her friend was O. K.
Before long, they arrived at a log cabin with smoke drifting from the chimney. “Welcome to our humble home.” By the time Barbara finished that sentence, her husband lifted her by her almost nonexistent waist and set her on the ground.
When he reached for Jolene, she shook her head. “I’m fine.” She carefully placed her foot on the tiny step, turned around, and backed to the ground. She’d had too many men wanting to touch her body. Her friend’s husband didn’t need to join them, even though his intentions were pure. She brushed off her gloves and reached for the carpetbag she’d kept with her on the train. Dean hoisted her trunk onto his broad shoulders as if it didn’t contain so many heavy books. She followed Barbara into the snug home, glad for the heat surrounding her. She wondered how long it would take for her to feel truly warm all over. Her body had been cold for most of the journey, and her soul for so much longer.
After they finished the hot elk stew and biscuits Barbara served, the two women sat before the fire and caught up on what had happened in their lives since they parted. A sense of peace that Jolene didn’t understand settled over her. Maybe she would be safe here.
For the next four days, she acclimated to the deep snow and cold winds that assailed her every time she even peeked out the door. She never tired of gazing at the majestic mountains surrounding the cabin. They looked as if they reached the sky.
On Saturday night, while Dean worked on his sermon for the next day, Barbara asked Jolene whether she went to church back home.
Jolene shook her head. “Not since my mother died.” Which felt like an eternity ago.
Being accepted for who she was and loved by her good friend, Jolene poured out her heart to Barbara. About feeling abandoned when her mother died … about being hated by her stepfather … about being exploited by him trying to build his wealth and power through the men he brought into her life … even about despising the men and the way they looked at her and made her feel unloved and dirty.
With every word she spoke, a bit of her burden broke off and disappeared, as if by magic. At least here, in these beautiful mountains, she was accepted for who she really was, not for what someone else could gain from her.
When she finished talking, Barbara stretched her hand across the lamp table separating them and clasped one of Jolene’s in her own. “I’m so sorry you’ve had such hardship in your life. I know your sweet mother would be heartbroken.”
Tears streamed down Jolene’s cheeks. She swiped at them with her other hand.
“I’m sure your mother wanted you to know about Jesus, but she died too soon to really tell you much about Him. We were so young when they sent us to that finishing school. She and my mother became friends when we were roommates. Didn’t you know?”
Jolene shook her head. There were many things she hadn’t known.
Barbara began telling her about Jesus. How He was the Son of God. How He came to earth to die on the cross so He could provide people with a way to get to Heaven. How He loved each person so deeply that He would have done it even if only one person needed Him.
New concepts danced through Jolene’s head. The real kind of love she craved. Was it within her reach?
“The Bible even says that we are engraved on the palm of God’s hand.” Barbara laid her hand across her heart. “I asked Jesus to come into my heart and be the Lord and Savior of my life. It changed me in a way I’d never known before.”
Jolene leaned toward her friend. “I want that. What do I have to do?”
Barbara smiled. “Jesus did it all. It’s His gift to each of us. All you have to do is accept.”
Jolene shifted to sit on the very edge of her chair. “How do I do that?”
“You just pray and ask Him into your heart.” Barbara’s smile widened.
“You mean like, ‘Now I lay me down to sleep’?”
“That was a good prayer for while we were children.” She lumbered to her feet to stand beside Jolene. “Just talk to Jesus the same way you’re talking to me. Tell Him what you feel about how your life is going. That you know He is the Son of God and that you want to repent of your sins and ask Him into your life.”
As Jolene prayed out loud, Barbara walked beside her as she paced across the cabin. Soft whispers Jolene couldn’t understand came from between her lips, and Jolene knew she was praying for her.
When Jolene finally stopped, joy had invaded her soul. She felt clean and warm. All her fears had disappeared.
As they left for the Christmas morning church service, Jolene felt like a new person, with a life filled with hope ahead of her. Jesus is already making a difference in my life.
©2016, Lena Nelson Dooley

(An excerpt from a novel to be written)

If you are on our mailing list for our Christmas letter and story, you will receive those in January. Until then, enjoy the story here.

Do you like Christmas stories? Have you ever written one?

Friday, December 23, 2016

THE FIRST NOELLE - Delia Latham - One Free book

The First Noelle blurb:
Noelle Joy stopped celebrating Christmas ten years ago, when Trevor Holden skipped out on their long-planned Christmas Eve wedding. He destroyed her trust in men, crushed her belief in God, and left her cynical about love. Gone is the bright, cheery spirit of the girl she thinks of now as “the first Noelle.” Stronger and savvier, the new Noelle would never be found waiting at the altar for a groom who didn’t show.

When a famous-but-mysterious architect commissions her to decorate his mansion for a holiday event, Noelle finally returns to her hometown. Even as she finds an unexpected peace in facing ghosts from the past, her fiercely private client disturbs her. Michael Holliday is kind and considerate, but far too handsome…and hauntingly familiar.

Holliday didn’t choose Noelle to make his home a Christmas wonderland by accident. She’s the only one who can do the job he has in mind—and once she’s in his mansion, he never wants to let her go. But he’s hiding a secret that could destroy any chance of a relationship with the beautiful decorator.

A false persona. A shattering secret. Can love break down these insurmountable walls?

Here’s the Amazon purchase link for The First Noelle:

Author bio:

Writing Heaven’s touch into earthly tales, Delia Latham puts her characters through the fire of earthly trials to bring them out victorious by the hand of God, His heavenly messengers, and good, old-fashioned love. You’ll always find a touch of the divine in this author’s sweet tales of romance.

Delia lives in East Texas with her husband Johnny. She’s a Christian wife, mother, grandmother, sister, friend, and author of inspirational romance…with a finger or two immersed in the design pool, where she creates beautiful marketing material for other authors. Delia treasures her role as child of the King and heir to the throne of God. She’s got a “thing” for Dr Pepper and loves hearing from readers.

Contact this author at any of the following locations:
Twitter

Thank you, Delia, for sharing this new book with us. I'm eager to read it.

Comment conversation starter questions: How many Christmas books (novels or novellas) have you read this year? What is your favorite so far? This one might overtake that top place.

Readers, leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (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 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link:
Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

Thursday, December 22, 2016

STAR SONG - Katheryn Maddox Haddad - One Free Book

Welcome back, Katheryn. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?
Television. I am in touch with a couple of different people about turning this book (actually all eight in the series) into a TV series. It can start at Christmas time and end at Easter time.

That’s wonderful. Tell us a little about your family.
My twin brother is easy to tell apart from me because he is the one with the beard. I also have two older sisters. We are all unique.

Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?
I read the end of the book first. When I went to college back in the 1950s, there was no such thing as a degree in journalism, so I had to learn by reading the famous writers. Another thing I began doing was read the first chapter of a book to get myself oriented, then read the last chapter so I knew how it ended, then reading the rest of the chapter to see how the author got me from point A to point C. I love it!

What are you working on right now?
Martyrdom. I began a series called Intrepid Men of God a year ago and it has become so popular, I am spurred on to write a seventh book. It will be Stephen: The Martyr.

What outside interests do you have?
Converting Muslims. I spend half a day each day teaching English over the internet using the Bible as a text book. I have taught some 6,000 so far, mostly in the Middle East, and have written a book entitled Christianity or Islam: The Contrast which could be given to a Muslim without offending them. The first half quotes from the Quran and the Bible on the same subjects without comment. The middle clarifies misinformation Muslims are taught that Christians believe, and the last part is quotes from 100 of my Muslim students who have decided Jesus really was the Son of God and not just a prophet. It ends with “A Letter to our Muslim Friends.”

How do you choose your settings for each book?
Since I write history, much of it is chosen for me. But I do also research other things going on in their world at the time and insert my characters in some of those events. They certainly did not live in a vacuum.

If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?
I think Joseph, the father who raised Jesus during such violent times, kept him protected so long, and guided him as he developed his inner understanding of who he was. (Joseph was still alive at Jesus’s Nazareth rejection where they called out, “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son?”)

What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?
Not to write such long chapters. My first eight novels had chapters averaging twenty pages. I now limit my chapters to ten pages.

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?
I am 76 years old. Star Song and the other lyrical novels in this 8-book series, They Met Jesus, took me 53 years to write and get published. Most of the time it was in a closet gathering dust. Then one day it became published. And right now, I am in contact with someone in Hollywood about turning the series into a TV series. It is never too late.

What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?
a.         Go back and read your favorite book by the most famous author and analyze it.
b.         Be good at grammar and take a short course on Marketing (Terri Main is excellent and does not charge a lot).
c.         Write, write, write. You learn by doing.

Tell us about the featured book.
Come meet the people who met Jesus. You are one of them. Probably you are several of them. Go ahead and struggle with Him as they did. Laugh. Cry. Do mental battle with Him. Emotional battle too. Fight for your faith as they fought. Pause to listen for what you’ve never heard before. Then touch Jesus.

This is the story of faith in the impossible. Hope in the inconceivable. Love for the invincible. It is the dreams of youth, the desperations of infirmity, the hopes of age, and the song of eternity.

Follow the suspense as each person in Jesus’s life comes to terms with who they are, and who Jesus is. Jesus accepts them as they are. But can they accept themselves as they are? More than that, can they accept Jesus as He is?

It is the story of doubts explained away, animosities melted away, misunderstandings cleared away. It is your story and mine. For deep within each of us is everyone who ever met and struggled with Jesus.

BOOK 1, STAR SONG: Mary was too young, Elizabeth too old, Joseph too gullible, the shepherds too smelly, Anna too senile, Simeon too idealistic, Salome too flippant. The wise men should have minded their own business, Zechariah should have accepted he’d never have children, King Herod dared control God, the oriental scholars dared interpret God.

This lyrical novel is available in normal print, large print, and child’s version. At the end of each chapter are life-application questions and primary historical sources.

This unique lyrical novel is in present tense and gives readers a chance to insert themselves into the story and urge the character on. So, when you read those parts, just remember it is you. The book is dedicated “To Everyone Who Has Ever Doubted.”

Please give us the first page of the book.

BC 23
Nazareth, Province of Galilee, Palestine
It is night. It has been night for a long time. Forty years night. Self-rule taken from the country. This time for good. Bitter, bitter night.

Mary has just been born. There is not much gladness. They name her Bitterness. That’s what Mary means.

Since Mary’s mother was a toddler, the country has been ruled by a madman. He killed half of the citizens of Jerusalem in order to take over—many of them right there in the holy temple itself.

 And just two years earlier when Mary’s parents were married, things got worse. One of King Herod’s spies uncovered a plot to assassinate him. He had the would-be perpetrators tortured and executed. The people in turn tortured and executed the spy. Herod in turn tortured some women until they confessed who had killed the spy. Will it never end?

How will such innocence, as that which baby Mary has, ever survive in a world like this?

Baby Mary begins to fuss and cry in her little bed. Her little heart-shaped face contorts, wrinkles form around her eyes, and her little mouth puckers in readiness for an out-and-out wail.

Her mother, hair falling down around her eyes, leans over and picks up her baby. She sits on the well-worn cushions nearby and rocks, hums and dreams of better days for her little one.

Silent night? Holy night?

Sarah only wishes it were. Her eyes grow misty and she looks up as though searching through a blackness.

“God, why aren’t you saving us from all this?” she whispers. God knows and understands. But does he care?

How can readers find you on the Internet?
Newsletter: http://bit.ly/1xKBK4B
Linkedin: http://bit.ly/28WsEgZ  
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/28JKX8a  


Thank you, Katheryn, for sharing this book with us. I am eagerly awaiting my copy of all three of these books, so I can read them. I know my readers will be eager, too.

Readers, leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (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 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link:

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

A FAMILY UNDER THE CHRISTMAS TREE - Terri Reed - One Free Book

Welcome back, Terri. Why do you write the kind of books you do?
I write Christian romance and romantic suspense novels because I enjoy the genres. I love a happy ending and including my faith in the story is so rewarding. And I relish the action and mystery in the suspense books. I enjoy exploring relationships and the dynamics involved.

Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life? 
The happiest day of my life happened twice. The days my kids were born.  Becoming a parent has blessed me with so much joy and contentment. That’s not to say there haven’t been rocky times but I wouldn’t change anything in my life if it meant not having my son and daughter.

How has being published changed your life?
After becoming published, I was able to give up my part-time jobs and write full-time from home, which gave me the ability to set my own schedule, allowing me to be available to my family and to serve at my kids’ schools.

What are you reading right now? 
I’m reading The Christmas Family by Linda Goodnight

What is your current work in progress? 
I’m writing a novella as part of the 2017 Classified K-9 Unit series for Love Inspired Suspense. There’s an arsonist plaguing the city of Billings, Montana. Baker Vickie Petrov sees the arsonist. It’s up to FBI K-9 agent Tim Ramsey and his arson detection dog, Frodo, to protect her and sniff out the arsonist.

Sounds interesting. I’d love to feature it on my blog. What would be your dream vacation?  
Holed up in a mountain cabin with my family and a ton of books to read.

That sounds wonderful to me, too. How do you choose your settings for each book?
I try to find places that interest me and that I want to learn more about. I wrote a book set in Niagara Falls because I am fascinated by the falls and it was so exciting to learn about them.

If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?
I’d want to sit with Helen Mirren. She’s a terrific actress and I’m sure she has an interesting life story.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?
I’ve been training my dog in agility which has been fun. I also like to dance and exercise. Currently, I’m doing Barre 3 online classes.

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?
Writing the middle of the book is the difficult spot for me but the only way to get to the other side is to push through, little by little until I reach the point where the words come faster as I near the end of the book.

What advice would you give to a beginning author? 
Learn your craft, be persistent, believe in your work and stay teachable.

Tell us about the featured book. 
A Family Under the Christmas Tree is the story of two very career oriented people who find themselves in circumstances where they must put aside their own needs and wants for the sake of a child.

Please give us the first page of the book.
Sophie Griffith brought her rented car to a stop in the driveway of her grandmother’s house. The midday gloom of a rainy December tinted the world in shades of gray. She turned off the engine and looked toward the front door, and smiled as she spied Grandma sitting on the porch, wearing a red and white Santa hat. Little tufts of silver hair peeked out from under the hat, and a green fleece blanket was tucked around her. She waved as Sophie climbed out of the car.

A surge of affection hit her, and Sophie waved back. It had been too long since she’d made the time to visit Grandma. She missed this place. She missed Grandma. She was frustrated that it had taken this for her to make the trip.

Then, she blinked with surprise as she realized Grandma had company. There was a man on her porch. Well, there was a man on a ladder in front of her porch. A man with dark hair and long lean legs, wearing jeans and a black weatherproof jacket, clung to a ten-foot-tall ladder, stringing a stand of icicle lights along the eaves. Shouldn’t he be tied off with a safety harness or something?

She held her breath, sure any second he’d topple over as he reached for the little hooks attached to the house. Sophie returned her narrowed gaze to Grams. Hmmm. Two days ago Grandma had called saying she’d fallen and needed Sophie’s help. But she seemed okay now. What was up?

Movement on the lawn drew Sophie’s attention. A small boy of about five wearing a blinding yellow beanie streaked across the fenced-in front yard. A muddy dog chased him, close on his heels. Wait, were those reindeer antlers on the dog’s head? The child’s sweater could compete in any ugly Christmas sweater contest. His jeans and rain boots were caked in mud.

Who was this kid?

Yes, who is that kid? My readers and I want to know. How can readers find you on the Internet? 

Thank you, Terri, for sharing this Christmas title with us. I just love reading Christmas novels and novellas. I start reading the new ones in September.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
A Family Under the Christmas Tree - Christianbook.com
A Family Under the Christmas Tree: A Novel - Amazon
A Family Under the Christmas Tree: A Novel - Kindle

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (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 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link:
Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com