RIVER OF PERIL - Sandra Merville Hart - One Free Book

BIO: Award-Winning and Amazon Bestselling Author Sandra Merville Hart is past Executive Editor for DevoKids.com where she also contributed historical articles. She serves on the Planning Committee for Faith and Fellowship Book Festival. As Treasurer of ACFW Ohio, she has helped plan writing retreats and other events. Sandra is also a speaker, blogger, and workshop teacher.

Sandra is a founding member of The Erasers, a group that encourages and uplifts writers and readers. ERASERS is an acronym for “Edit, Rewrite, And Save. Edit. Repeat. Save.”

Sandra is thrilled that her Spies of the Civil War series was released by Wild Heart Books in 2022. Book 1 of the series, Avenue of Betrayal, is set in Washington DC in 1861. Boulevard of Confusion and Byway to Danger (Books 2 & 3) are set in Richmond, Virginia, in 1862. Byway to Danger won the Gold Illumination Award 2023. Actual historical spies will influence the lives of fictional characters. Books 4-6 in this series are set in Vicksburg, a Southern city the Union considered a prize it needed to capture. Streams of Mercy, Book 4, was published on March 26, 2024.

Sandra has taught at writers’ conferences, writers’ groups, and women’s retreats, participated in Author Panels, and led sessions at women’s retreats. As Treasurer of ACFW Ohio, she has helped plan writing retreats and other events. 

How did you come up with the idea for this story? River of Peril is Book 5 in my Spies of the Civil War Series. We met Felicity and Luke, the heroine and hero in our story, in Book 4, when several friends are introduced to readers.

Felicity and Luke were already courting and very much in love in the previous story. I wanted to give them a mighty hurdle to overcome in their relationship. As the story opens, we see Nurse Felicity’s horror when her soldier beau is among her wounded patients. Unfortunately, the situation worsens—Luke has amnesia and cannot remember her. The doctor cautions her to allow him to recall those hidden memories on his own, but her secret rips her heart apart.  

If you were planning a party with Christian authors of contemporary fiction, what six people would you invite and why? What a fun question! For my contemporary friends, I’d ask them to bring their favorite appetizers for supper.

I have many writer friends because I’ve been writing for years. It’s not easy to narrow it down to six, so I will choose some authors I’d love to talk with again soon—Deborah Sprinkle, Lisa Carter, Ane Mulligan, Sharon Lavy, Sharyn Kopf, and Rebecca Waters.

I’d add one more… Yvonne Lehman, who has gone on to her reward. She was such a sweet, fun, feisty author—and she was such an encouragement to me and hundreds of others. I’m not the only one who misses her friendship and sense of humor.

Now let’s do that for a party for Christian authors of historical fiction, what six people would you invite and why? Yes! Let’s have another party for more author friends. For my historical friends, I’d plan a meal with recipes from my cookbook written about 150 years ago. These recipes are not always easy to decipher so I’d try them out on my husband first.

However, it’s not any easier to whittle back this list. I’d invite KD Holmberg, Starr Ayers, Linda Dindzans, Debra DuPree Williams, Misty Beller, and Susan Mathis. And Lena Nelson Dooley, can you come too? 😊

I’d be honored to attend. Many times, people (and other authors) think you have it made with so many books published. What is your most difficult problem with writing at this time in your career? My biggest problem is that there’s not enough time to accomplish all my tasks/projects. One might imagine that writer’s block might attack after the completion of a book or a series. That’s not the case with me. I’m always planning ahead. Ideas for my next book/project begin to swirl while I’m still writing the last novel. I can’t wait to begin researching, yet I do think it’s healthy to take a creative break. That’s not always been possible.

Writing brings with it many other opportunities and we, as authors, always seem to have lots of irons in the fire. I try to remember to pray for guidance as a new opportunity arises. If I can’t forget about it, I feel that God is prompting me to pursue it. If I never think of it again, then I believe He’s telling me to pass on it.

What I most need to do is to keep my focus on what God wants me do. Ideas for my next series are taking shape and I’m praying for His guidance.

Tell us about the featured book.

Amnesia stole his memory, and now he’s fighting for the wrong side.

Orphaned and alone at sixteen, Felicity has found solace in serving others as a volunteer nurse. When she discovers her Confederate soldier beau, Luke Shea, among the wounded in her ward, her worst nightmares come true. Luke's shrapnel wound has stolen his memory, leaving him with no recollection of their love or his past. As Felicity struggles with the loss of the man she once knew, she turns her attention to the service of her broken country. But the more she learns about the brutal war, the more she realizes she can no longer stay silent. She becomes a Union spy, plunging herself into danger.

When Luke Shea awakes in a hospital with no memory of the last five years, he’s shocked to learn he's been fighting against the Union he once so strongly supported. And when he learns of his past courtship with his nurse, Felicity, he struggles to understand the man he was and what happened in those missing years. Determined to atone for his Confederate past, Luke also joins the Union cause as a spy.

As danger lurks at every turn, only a Divine hand can not only protect their lives, but give them a second chance for love and the future they both crave.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Friday, December 19, 1862, Vicksburg, Mississippi

Felicity Danielson hurried through the city streets of Vicksburg in the early-morning fog toward her volunteer job at the City Hospital. Some shops she passed were unlocking their doors for the day’s business, while others had been closed since the Union navy’s two-month attack on the city. Ultimately, the Confederates had won the battle, more’s the pity—and not only because Felicity supported the Union. Northern military leaders were too interested in her city located on a bluff by the mighty Mississippi River to leave them alone. They’d be back.

Her pace slowed as she approached an intersection. Five Confederate soldiers headed down the steep sidewalk toward the center of town, another common occurrence in occupied Vicksburg. Some soldiers had left after running the Union ships from the river, and others had replaced them. She lowered her eyes as their booted steps passed her on the other side of the cobblestone street. If the Twenty-first Mississippi Infantry—her beau Luke Shea’s Confederate regiment—were

How can readers find you on the Internet? I love to connect with readers. Thank you so much for asking!

I’d love to connect with readers on my blog and Facebook. Follow me on Goodreads and BookBub to find my all my books. Here are my links:

https://sandramervillehart.wordpress.com

https://www.facebook.com/sandra.m.hart.7

https://www.pinterest.com/sandramhart7/_saved/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8445068.Sandra_Merville_Hart

https://www.amazon.com/Sandra-Merville-Hart/e/B00OBSJ3PU/

https://www.bookbub.com/profile/sandra-merville-hart

https://twitter.com/Sandra_M_Hart

Thank you, Sandra, for sharing River of Peril with my blog readers and me. I know a lot of us will love this book.

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

https://www.amazon.com/River-Peril-Spies-Civil-Book-ebook/dp/B0CW1KQBWC/ref=sr_1_1?crid=WK9PRGLRSZ27&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.CcmA3W9gPHRN8STFIsa5Fw.VQQLYZFL_5PJHLwvA9vWZl73oaiaJmngMu63NwciZHA&dib_tag=se&keywords=river+of+peril+sandra+merville&qid=1729551402&sprefix=River+of+Peril+%2Caps%2C92&sr=8-1

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 2 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, 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

WINNERS

 IMPORTANT: Instructions for winners  - When you send me the email, make sure your subject line says this: Winner - (book title) - (author's name) If you don't do this, your email could get lost in my hundreds of emails per day. I WILL SEARCH FOR POST TITLES STARTING THAT WAY.

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Anne (NM) is the winner of The Light Eater  by Dennis Jernigan.

Donna (OK) is the winner of The Wise Guy and the Star by Shannon McNear.

Maryann (NY) is the winner of Cold Threat by Nancy Mehl.

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ONE WRONG MOVE - Dani Pettrey - One Free Book

Bio: Dani Pettrey is the bestselling author of the Coastal Guardians, Chesapeake Valor, and Alaskan Courage series. A two-time Christy Award finalist, Dani has won the National Readers’ Choice Award, Daphne du Maurier Award, HOLT Medallion, and Christian Retailing’s Best Award for Suspense. She plots murder and mayhem from her home in the Washington, DC, metro area.

With nearly one million books sold and a Daphne Du Maurier and National Reader’s Choice Award under her belt, bestselling author Dani Pettrey has established herself among the very top names in romance and suspense. Recently closing out her blockbuster Coastal Guardians series, Pettrey trades the lush coast of North Carolina for the scenic desertscapes of the Southwest to launch a brand-new era of stories with One Wrong Move, book 1 in the Jeopardy Falls series. Featuring an intriguing locale, a new cast of characters to love, always-satisfying romance, and even higher stakes, readers will get to know Christian MacLeod—and the rest of his siblings—as they strive to outrun a family legacy of crime within the pages of Pettrey’s newest novel, One Wrong Move.

About the story: Taunting riddles. A deadly string of heists. Two broken hearts trapped in a killer’s game.

Christian MacLeod was pulled into a life of crime at a young age by his con artist parents. Now making amends for his corrupt past, he has become one of the country's foremost security experts. But when a string of Southwestern art heists targets one of the galleries Christian was in charge of securing, he is paired up with a gifted insurance investigator who has her own checkered past.

 

Andi Forester was a brilliant FBI forensic analyst until one of her colleagues destroyed her career, blaming her for mishandling evidence. She now puts those skills to work investigating insurance fraud, and this latest high-stakes case will test her abilities to the limit.

 

Drawn deep into a dangerous game with an opponent bent on revenge, Christian and Andi are in a race against the clock to catch the perpetrator, but the game is far from finished, and one wrong move could be the death of them both.

One Wrong Move is the first book in your new Jeopardy Falls series. Can you share with us what this book—and series—is about? One Wrong Move is about two people with pasts they are ashamed of. Both are trying to make it right, but the road they’re taking only leads down a dangerous path of lies, riddles, and murder. Only when they come face-to-face with their pasts are they finally able to move beyond the hurt and heartache and find healing in God and one another.  

The last time you had a new series starting was back in 2019. How do you feel about entering a new era of your storytelling with the Jeopardy Falls series? Wow! It’s crazy to think it’s been that long. I’m ecstatic to be launching my fifth series with Bethany House. It often seems like I was just meeting my editor and starting my debut series the Alaskan Courage saga. At other times, I think of all that has happened in the last decade—all the amazing booksellers, librarians, and readers I’ve met and been blessed by and the stories I’ve told. Now, launching Jeopardy Falls, I’m full of excitement and gratitude. I can’t wait for my amazingly supportive readers to get a new journey to set out on with the MacLeod family.

How many stories can readers expect in this series? There will four books in the series. One for each of the four MacLeod siblings, if the lost one decides to return home. Guess we’ll just have to wait and see J 

How does this series stand out from the other books you’ve written? I think the biggest difference is the setting. I’ve always written coastal series. I’m a beach girl and love the ocean, so I’ve always set my series by water, but this time I’ve gone a completely different direction into the desert. Jeopardy Falls is set in a fictional town in New Mexico. Why New Mexico? Because I lived there for seven wonderful years and fell in love with the Land of Enchantment, and I wanted the opportunity to share such a breathtaking place with my readers.

At the same time, what will longtime readers who enjoy your work love about these books as well? The stories are still full of romance, suspense, adventure, those twists and turns that I love weaving in, and, of course, faith. My characters, particularly Andi and Christian in One Wrong Move, are real and raw and hurting. It’s through their journey together and the unplanned paths God leads them down that they find what they’ve been looking for all along.

Each book in the series follows one of the MacLeod siblings as they strive to overcome a family legacy of crime. Without spoilers, can you give us a little background on the family and their history? The siblings were raised in Las Vegas by illusionist parents, but beneath the glitz and the charm, their parents were con men, and they forced their children to participate in many of the schemes. They just kept pushing until one day they conned the wrong guy and had to go on the lam. Being raised in cruddy motel rooms, always on the move, always committing whatever crimes they could find to keep them going, the siblings—now grown—have to live with the trauma they endured as kids. Their mother incarcerated and their dad killed in a car bombing, the four siblings struggle to find their footing. It takes time and some big mistakes of their own before they find level footing in Christ. Now, they’ve turned their lives around and have devoted themselves as private investigators to bring those pulling cons, schemes, and heists to justice. To work off some of their “red.” It’ll take some rough roads with Jesus to see and accept that they are already forgiven and can let go of that need to prove ourselves worthy.

This book takes place in the fictional town of Jeopardy Falls. What do you look forward to readers experiencing about this new locale? A brand-new experience for those who have never experienced the Southwest. There will be beautiful sunrises over the mountains, purple- and orange-hue sunsets, horses, open land and skies, and a close-knit ranching community of wonderful and often quirky neighbors.

Throughout your career, you’ve highlighted a variety of law enforcement and investigative professions in your books. What kind of research was required to write Christian and Andi’s characters accurately? I spent a lot of time researching what private investigators do, the resources available to them, and the boundaries they can’t cross. It was fascinating and a little crazy to see all they, and anyone who’s good at research, can pull up on an individual. I also read a lot on real-life heists and the insurance agents who investigated them.

What kind of reader do you envision will fall in love with Christian and Andi’s story—as well as the rest of the series? I think readers who enjoy sweet romance, fast-paced suspense, and the fun of trying to figure out whodunit and how on earth the hero and heroine are going to survive. J

Do you have a favorite character that you’re especially excited for your readers to meet? Greyson Chadwick. He’s surprisingly not one of the siblings, but he works with them. He’s a man of mysteries I still haven’t fully figured out, so I’m really excited to dive in to his story thread.

One of the main themes in One Wrong Move that both Andi and Christian must deal with is facing the past to find healing. How do you think confronting old and often painful memories or choices that we’ve made can help us move forward? I think there’s a place where we should confront past memories and past mistakes, but the key isn’t wallowing there. I come from a trauma background, so I’m not making light of the pain of anyone’s past, but rather speaking of a lesson I learned in my own life.

I had a lot to deal with and walk through, but at some point, I realized I needed to stop treading water and to swim for the shore. I feel like that’s Christian, and once he realizes he’s free to swim to shore, he will. Andi is in a different place with her past, one that keeps her in a killer’s crosshairs. How she deals with it is very different, which made the story really interesting for me to write. Seeing how God has different paths of healing for each of His children.

What do you hope readers experience when picking up One Wrong Move? I hope they feel like they’re part of Jeopardy Falls, riding in the car with Christian and Andi, seeing everything firsthand and experiencing the story as if they were there. I’ve called my stories “Armchair Adventures” since my debut novel, but it’s how I hope my readers enjoy my stories. Going along on the journey, the ups and downs, and Tilt-A-Whirl moments right from the comfort of their favorite chair with a yummy drink in hand.

How can readers connect with you? I love connecting with readers. They can email me anytime at Dani@DaniPettrey.com

Visit me on Facebook at DaniPettrey and on Instagram @AuthorDaniPettrey or drop by my website www.DaniPettrey.com and sign up for my newsletter to keep up with all the fun announcements and latest news.

Thank you, Dani, for sharing this book with my blog readers and me.

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

https://www.amazon.com/Wrong-Move-Jeopardy-Falls-Book-ebook/dp/B0C9S61BL3/ref=sr_1_1?crid=29VBWI1OWI141&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.kAaYVesaOwoRGHGikRI09AXOhHwKhvTSCp8DHI-Xv6XpCTyITrzMSFpwJ6rrc__5sAc4cdapFZchy03HqBH51li3JjEzFWl5sBxlat5Ye0ZxXvuvwHj_WZl2xUA7IViddVpwDZyA6kVqGDxWaGKPBSvZUThpsSNP6hCtwjHm-t0L2Q9BWQh042wxPJScTroCrwiqQf3zcZ2FTVbo6dC3917lTAnFwC2wBpyU9z5jYow.AoWe0NGcZzTVhs9HDBzmjn9g1kU-EHKvsNkaznmqWMg&dib_tag=se&keywords=one+wrong+move+dani+pettrey&qid=1729098770&sprefix=One+Wrong+Move+Dani%2Caps%2C95&sr=8-1

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 2 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, 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

CHRISTIAN HISTORICAL ROMANCE GIVEAWAY ALERT! - Only 2 more days to enter

The first edition of my book won a major reader's choice award, and the three other books are wonderful.

Enter to win a $50 Amazon gift card plus FOUR Christian historical romance ebooks by some of our Wild Heart Books authors!

Winner: One grand prize winner of a $50 Amazon gift card plus all 4 books will be chosen at random and contacted by September 10th at 12 noon Eastern.

Entry deadline: August 29th at 12 noon Eastern.

(No purchase necessary. US residents only. Must be over 18 to enter. This giveaway is organized by Wild Heart Books and is not sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Instagram or Facebook.)

Good luck and happy reading!

��Access entry form at this link to enter: 

https://kingsumo.com/g/1jz0qk3/win-4-wild-heart-ebooks-plus-a-50-amazon-gift-card  

WINNERS

 IMPORTANT: Instructions for winners  - When you send me the email, make sure your subject line says this: Winner - (book title) - (author's name) If you don't do this, your email could get lost in my hundreds of emails per day. I WILL SEARCH FOR POST TITLES STARTING THAT WAY.

Some people don't read the instructions of how to enter. Unfortunately, they don't have a chance to win. so next time you come and leave a comment, be sure to read all the instructions if you want a chance to win. 

Anne (NM) is the winner of Safe Haven Ranch by Louise M Gouge.

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. Reviews are such a blessing to an author.

Also, tell your friends about the book you won ... 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 or audio book, just let me know what email address it should be sent to. Remember, you have 2 weeks to claim your book. 

COLD THREAT - Nancy Mehl - One Free Book

Bio: Nancy Mehl is the author of over fifty books, a Parable bestseller, as well as the winner of an ACFW Book of the Year Award, a Carol Award, and the Daphne du Maurier Award. She has also been a finalist for two Carol Awards and the Christy Award.  Nancy writes from her home in Missouri, where she lives with her husband, Norman, and their puggle, Watson.

With nearly 1 million copies sold, Nancy Mehl has garnered a devoted readership with her electrifying romantic suspense novels filled with treacherous circumstances. Penning the second installment in her new series, Mehl crafts another spine-tingling thriller that follows two former FBI analysts—River Ryland and Tony St. Clair—as they investigate cold cases. Perfect for fans of Terri Blackstock, Colleen Coble, and Irene Hannon, Mehl’s latest will keep reader’s hearts racing until the daring conclusion of Cold Threat, book two in the Ryland and St. Clair series.

About the book: Twenty years ago, several people were murdered in Des Moines, and the only evidence left behind was a snowman ornament hanging ominously on a tree in the victims’ front lawns.

With a suspect behind bars, the killings have come to an end—or so everyone thought. But now crimes with a similar modus operandi are happening in a small Iowa town, and a local detective believes the killer is back and ready to strike again.

With little time left on the clock before they have another murder on their hands, private investigators River Ryland and Tony St. Clair must work alongside Tony’s detective father to find evidence that will uncover an evil that has survived far too long.

As the danger mounts and the suspect closes in, it will take all they have to catch a killer—before he catches one of them.

Welcome back to my blog, Nancy. Cold Threat is book 2 in the Ryland and St. Clair series. What exactly ties the books in this series together and can they be read as standalones? River Ryland was attacked by a man nicknamed the Salt River Strangler and left for dead. Her partner, Tony St. Clair, was shot four times while trying to save her. Thanks to a stranger who witnessed the attack and called the police, River survived. Dealing with PTSD and needing to care for her ailing mother in St. Louis, she leaves the FBI. Tony goes with her, talking her into opening a detective agency where they can continue to use their expertise and training. Although they profiled the Strangler as a loner, the FBI receives confirmation that he had a partner. The Strangler’s protégé sends River a message, telling her that he intends to finish what the Strangler started. This story continues throughout the series, as does River’s spiritual and emotional journey. Each novel in the series can easily stand alone. I hope, however, that people will read all three books so they can follow River and Tony’s story to its completion. In book three, they will not only face the feelings they have for each other, but they will also finally come face-to-face with the Strangler’s twisted disciple.

The series has cold cases at its center. What led you to focus the series on this type of case? : Based on River and Tony’s past experiences as behavioral analysts with the FBI, their interests would be based on their education and talents. I decided that chasing cheating spouses or working on cases that involve fraud wouldn’t be compatible with their training. Instead, cold cases involving major crimes would be their forte. Tony’s old friend from the FBI Academy is now the police chief of St. Louis. He sends them cold cases that the department isn’t currently pursuing. This gives them a way to use their training as profilers and build their detective agency.

The two continuing characters in this series, River Ryland and Tony St. Clair, each play an important role in this novel. If you could introduce readers to this dynamic duo in three to four sentences each, what do readers need to know? River Ryland was brought up in a dysfunctional home, raised by a father who pastored a church, teaching that God is judgmental and critical. When he left his family and ran away with the church’s secretary, River turned her back on God. She joined the FBI and became a behavioral analyst, determined to bring justice to a world she believes needs it.

Tony St. Clair was raised by two parents who loved him—and each other. Through them, he met God and gave his life to Him. He joined the FBI because he wanted to follow in the steps of his police detective father. From the first moment he meets River, he can’t imagine living without her.

In this installment of the series, Tony’s father—a local detective—plays a supporting role. What is the relationship between Tony and his father like? Tony’s father is his hero. He’s watched his father risk his life for others, and Tony wants to be just like him.

How do you keep readers on their toes when plotting out a deadly mystery? I see each story as a roller coaster ride. The first hill starts the ride and needs to be exciting enough to fuel the rest of the ride. There should also be smaller hills as well as twists and turns to keep readers engaged before the final big hill that propels them to the finish.

What is your favorite thing about writing crime mysteries? Creating a story of good versus evil. I see it as a war—and I love it when good wins! 

What do you hope readers take away from reading Cold Pursuit? In Cold Pursuit, River faces her fears and her anger at God. I hope that readers will not only enjoy the story but will also relate to River and realize how much God actually loves them. I think an important spiritual theme is that it’s never too late to find your way home.

Finally, how can readers connect with you? Readers can reach me through my website: NancyMehl.com or on my blog, the Suspense Sisters: SuspenseSisters.blogspot.com. I’m also active

on Facebook.

Thank you, Nancy, for sharing this book on my blog. It sounds wonderful, and I love reading your books.

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

https://www.amazon.com/Cold-Threat-Ryland-Clair-Book-ebook/dp/B0C9RM2477/ref=sr_1_1?crid=MTDF3YZDHOEO&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ipiiSV4j1RCDBwU7t9s9AA5VcPXHIkKrVtFIMxVENq6XTjcHqUR6Igj4hA9MfQ1mENG89BLx8iB7KFM42TW_u6KAfDPB604G-df_FN0U4DW9Kd9QL4NWP8OKLt27UD6GFnX0cqtsHsyY8OFOxIU1u_o3Gu8r2QfEWhif4ap8vIOXBEAAd84tyS5XOsZ-Y9R_ZNJdRLQgSHCtGoU6Ivk7DWyJGrQB1pYRG0uSZ5KhnJel5MysZ72mxzC39Y_zRjxaUxpJYLhNbo_964r6FZ82kRI5ojbyPbFIWBFSUiaS5lU.GM_I0-gU1AQuQ-7nTl3XdfLKDci5xjsFtKdWcf9FF_o&dib_tag=se&keywords=Cold+Threat&qid=1723947833&s=books&sprefix=cold+threat%2Cstripbooks%2C91&sr=1-1

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 2 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, 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 

THE WISE GUY AND THE STAR - Shannon McNear - One Free Book

Welcome back, Shannon. What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about? Loss, grief, dealing with past abuse … but also the majesty and faithfulness of the Lord to carry us through anything, even to bring good from the awful things in our life.

What other books of yours are coming out soon? My surprise #4 of Daughters of the Lost Colony, Virginia, releases in September. It is, of course—if you’re familiar with Lost Colony history—the story of Virginia Dare herself, the first English child born in the New World. This series is properly termed alternate history because it deals more with what might have happened rather than what we know for sure.

If you could spend an evening with one contemporary person (not a family member of yours), who would it be and why? I’d love to have a long, leisurely chat with fellow author Lori Benton. I so adore her work!

What historical person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why? Right this minute it’s a toss-up between Corrie Ten Boom, C.S. Lewis, and Susanna Wesley … all of them for their faith and wisdom. 😊

How can you encourage authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers? Well … as someone who waited for 30 years on my first publishing contract, I learned that waiting on the Lord is the best path—and His timing is always perfect. The process had deeper purpose than I knew, partly to grow me as a writer and to make my stories “better,” but also to teach me it really is more about the journey than the “destination” of being published. Don’t rush whatever it is the Lord has for you!

Tell us about the featured book. This story was originally part of Love’s Pure Light, a Barbour Christmas collection from 2020, with Susanne Dietze, Janine Roche, and Deborah Raney. The collection features an heirloom Nativity passed down through several generations, and while the other three are back in print, I was not able to get mine released again until now. So without further ado … 😊

Can a chance encounter be the connection they have always needed?

After the end of the Great War, pastor’s daughter Stella Shepherd accompanies her aunt on a business trip by train and meets convalescing war veteran Nat Wise and his two older brothers. The three men are whimsically named after the gifts of the biblical wise men and dubbed “the Wise guys” by their cousins. They claim to be down-and-out soldiers recently returned from the front, but they’re surrounded by mystery.

Stella secretly carries the family Nativity to comfort her while away from family during Christmas. Nat quietly spends his spare time carving a set of wooden wise men to honor his own deceased mother. To him, Stella is the perfect church girl—darling, but unattainable because he’s done too much for God to forgive him.

Stella longs to help Nat find renewed faith in God, but could he be the answer to the wanderings of her own heart?

Please give us the first page of the book.

Charleston, South Carolina—December 1919

Stella Shepherd stepped inside the huge building of Union Station, stared about her at the hustling crowd, then lifted her eyes to the arching beams high over their heads. Why had she ever thought she’d be comfortable traveling so close to Christmas? Away from home. Away from family.

Well, family who extended some modicum of warmth, at least.

“Stella girl, you best get a move on, now!” came the voice of Old Joe, her aunt’s manservant, behind her.

Stella swallowed hard, took a better grip on her satchel and suitcase, and fastened her gaze on the retreating form of her aunt, sailing through the crowd ahead of her like the battleship she was oft compared to. But still she couldn’t move.

This trip was an adventure, Mama said. And surely, if she and Papa had thought it a bad idea, they’d not have allowed her to go with Aunt Lila.

Or, as the case may be, let Aunt Lila talk them into allowing her to go.

“Stella!” came old Joe’s booming admonishment, closer now.

Aunt Lila glanced over her shoulder, her arched brows rising even higher.

No more hesitation. Stella scurried after her, weaving between the other travelers.

The rumble of the steam engine echoed through the busy station and vibrated in the stone floor, growing stronger as she neared the train stretching the length of the station platform in front of her.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

http://shannonmcnear.com/

http://www.facebook.com/ShannonMcNearAuthor

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http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6880909.Shannon_McNear

http://www.bookbub.com/profile/shannon-mcnear

http://twitter.com/shenandoah_dawn

https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B00BK9VRZ2

Thank you, Shannon, for sharing this book with my blog readers and me.

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 2 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

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Dennis Jernigan Young Reader series book 2 - THE LIGHT EATER

ABOUT THE LIGHT EATER:
The Kingdom of Bren faces a deadly foe. Can the Jennings children defeat a light-eating dragon in time to save the realm?

The Jennings kids are once more swept into the magical land of Bren to fight a monster only they can conquer. The kingdom is falling into darkness under the attacks of Luminaud, a giant red dragon, who draws his strength from the light of life, beginning with the light of children! 

Only the great, mystical sword known as Lumen’s Hammer, can slay the dreadful beast, and it can only be wielded by a child. But where is the sword hidden and who can use it against the slithering leviathan? 

Will the children unite in time to overcome the dreaded Light Eater or will Bren be dimmed forever?

Full of fiery trials, surprising reunions, and frightening foes, The Light Eater is the second book in the Bairns of Bren series, which chronicles the adventures of the Jennings in the land of Bren, their grandfather’s kingdom. Fans of The Chronicles of Narnia and The Spiderwick Chronicles will enjoy this fantasy series for young readers.

1. What is the significance of the name ‘Light Eater’? 

One of my grandsons actually inspired this story. He received a plush toy dragon one Christmas and told me it ate light. That idea struck me like a bolt of lightning as to how it seems that the life God intends for us all is slowly being eaten away by darkness. Our children live in a day and an age and a culture in which the light of the life of God's Word seems to be being consumed by the lies of the enemy. In this story, the light eater, Luminaud, absorbs the life out of living creatures of all kinds, but especially seeks the light of the children of the king. 

2. How is the story used to teach children to rely on God?

Once again, the children find themselves face-to-face with pure evil and are sent on a royal quest by their grandparents, the high king and high queen of the land of Bren. The children find themselves alone at times and are encouraged to listen for the voice of the Founder; encouraged to cry out to Him in prayer; encouraged to trust the Founder even when up against the most terrible of circumstances. 

3. How do the children manage to face their fear?

One of the ways the children learn to face your fears is to recognize the need for sacrifice. Each child must come to grips with the knowledge that their own life might be required to insure the safety and peace of the citizens of the kingdom. Their grandparents teach them that perfect love casts out fear. They're encouraged to constantly remind themselves that they are loved no matter what. What they discover is that changing the way they think actually has a lot to do with changing the way they feel. They also come to understand the power in unity of purpose. That unity of purpose? The safety and security of the people of the kingdom of Bren. 

4. How does the story hope to teach children to have a Christ-centered worldview?

One of my main goals with this series of books is to teach children how to see life - the good, the bad, the ugly - from the perspective of the Founder. In other words, when we see a mountain, God sees a mere mole hill. When we see death and destruction, God sees an opportunity to pour out his grace and comfort and restoring power and love upon mankind. My goal is that children would come to understand that God wastes nothing; that he can take even what the enemy means for evil and use it for something good. 

5. What is the ultimate take-away you hope for each reader?

The ultimate take-away for the reader is really very simple: that they would learn to walk in the light of God's Word and love; that they would learn to become spiritual warriors, unafraid to pierce the darkness with the light of God; that they would learn to see life as a grand adventure meant to be lived with joy regardless of the circumstances. I get encouraged just by talking about this story! 

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

This book is available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook format at https://www.amazon.com/s?k=THE+LIGHT+EATER+dennis+jernigan&crid=363FVQJ09YAIV&sprefix=the+light+eater+dennis+jernigan%2Caps%2C247&ref=nb_sb_noss 

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 2 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, 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