Cheryl Wyatt - A SOLDIER'S REUNION - Free book

So happy to welcome you Cheryl back to my blog. What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about?

Strangely, I never set out to write certain themes but themes always show up. Common themes that have shown up in my books are God's kindness and the power of prayer. God drawing and keeping us. The importance of community that can be found in family and in a healthy church. And keeping Jesus the core of our existence all have a place in my books it seems.

What other books of yours are coming out soon?

A Soldier's Promise and A Soldier's Family are still available online.
Ready-Made Family is still available online and possibly in some stores that keep them longer than a month. It released in April.
A Soldier's Reunion is in stores June 1--now! YEE!
Soldier Daddy releases October, 2009
A Soldier's Devotion releases January 2010
Chance's story (tentatively titled Home Sweet Hero) releases Spring 2010
All from Wings of Refuge Series from Steeple Hill Love Inspired.

If you could spend an evening with one contemporary person (not a family member of yours), who would it be and why?

It's a toss-up between two women. Former first lady Laura Bush. Because she is an avid promoter of books and I love that about her. Especially with regards to children and literacy.

Secondly, I'd love to spend an evening with Sarah Palin because I think she's a modern day Esther. There's just something amazing and wonderful about her.

I agree with you on both of these women. I don't think we've seen just how much God will use each of them in our country's history. How long have you known that you wanted to be novelist?

Decades. Seriously. Since I could hold a crayon.

What can you tell authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers?

The 1 W and the 4 Ps. Don't give up. Seek God for guidance on what to do and who to target. Sometimes He'll want you to wait/stick it out with one story and sometimes we have to martyr stories & their characters for the future one that will eventually sell. Write as worship and the journey won't seem so hard because you know that not one word is written in vain.

Remember that everything, with the exception of deadlines (LOL!) moves slow in publishing. Be patient and persistant. Pray and persevere. Write as worship. That's the 1 W and the 4 Ps.

Tell us about the featured book?

The opening scene was inspired by a true-life experience of a bridge collapse that occurred shortly after my family's caravan drove across it. We watched news footage of the collapse and realized that our entire family (headed back from an out of state funeral) could have been taken out had we been on the bridge less than one hour later.

Here's the back cover blurb:

Despite a decade apart, this isn't the reunion Mandy Manchester expected! She thought she'd put high school sweetheart Nolan Briggs behind her. Now he's back…and the pararescue jumper literally sweeps her off her feet. He's ready and willing to rekindle what they once shared. Mandy, though, isn't prepared to put her heart at risk. He left her before—she won't trust him again. Can Nolan teach this grounded girl to take a leap of faith?

Please give us the first page of the book.

Here is an excerpt. http://www.eharlequin.com/store.html?itemid=19563&cid=416

Here is an approximate first page:
--
"Briggs, phone! Chief Petrowski's on the line. Says it's beyond urgent."U.S. Air Force Pararescue Jumper Nolan Briggs rushed past teammates Brock Drake and Vince Reardon, who stopped rigging parachutes and looked up. The airmen grew sniper-still and spotter-alert as did the other PJs in Refuge, Illinois's skydiving Drop Zone facility.

Nolan grabbed the DZ phone from teammate Chance Garrison.

"Briggs speaking."

"Nolan, I'm tasking your team to a major bridge collapse."

Nolan pressed the phone tighter against his ear and processed Petrowski's words wafting across the line. "Major bridge collapse? Where?" Adrenaline pumping, Nolan eyed his teammates.They stood at his words and marched close in listen-mode.

"Reunion Bridge over Refuge River—hold on," Petrowski said.

"Refuge." Nolan hiked his chin to his team while on hold.

The room erupted in activity as airmen grabbed gear.
---

I'm hooked. How can readers find you on the Internet?

By visiting my Web site and signing up for my newsletter http://www.cherylwyatt.com/
Or my blog http://www.scrollsquirrel.blogspot.com/ or the author blogs I participate in:
http://www.seekerville.blogspot.com/ or http://www.loveinspiredauthors.com/ http://www.loveinspiredauthors.blogspot.com/ or http://www.craftieladiesofromance.blogspot.com/

I'm also active on Twitter and Facebook and other sites as time allows, such as Shoutlife, MySpace and Edgy Christian Fiction Lovers. Shoot me a friends invite!

Thanks SO much Lena! It is ALWAYS a pleasure spending time with you on your blog. But nothing beats hugs in person!

And we'll get those hugs at the ACFW conference in Denver in September. Thanks for stopping by the blog, Cheryl.

Readers, here's a link where you can order A Soldier's Reunion:

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