Tuesday, May 26, 2009

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:
Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. The only notification will be the winners post on this blog. Be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won.
Or sign up for Feedblitz in the sidebar so the announcement will come to your Inbox.
If you're reading this post on Facebook or Amazon, please come to this blog to leave the comment:

19 comments:

Unknown said...

Great Interview! I'm looking forward to reading "A Soldier's Reunion." Please enter my name in the drawing. Thanks
debracollins(at)tds(dot)net

Linda said...

A tough choice--to trust again. And to think you could have been lost on that bridge!
Please enter me in your contest drawing.
desertrose5173 at gmail dot com

Edna said...

Please enter me into the drawing for "A Soldier's Reunion" it seems to be a great book.

mamat2730(at)charter(dot)net

Megan said...

Wow that's scaryabout being on the bridge an hour before the collapse!

And A Soldier's Reunion sounds great, please sign me up!

Merry said...

I would love a chance to win A Soldier's Reunion, it sounds terrific. Thanks!

worthy2bpraised[at]gmail[dot]com

Marla said...

Thank you for the interview. Going by the summary, this looks like another great Love Inspired book. thank you for the entry.

koinonia572001@yahoo.com

Sheila Deeth said...

Great summary. Great interview. Sounds like an exciting and inspiring tale.

Project Journal said...

How do you get Cheryl Wyatt on your blog?? That's so lucky! I wish she could talk on my blog! Hahaha! I would love to be entered into the contest. The book sounds great!
hccelie@gmail.com
Thanks,
Hannah

windycindy said...

What a scary event of the bridge collapsing! Cindi
jchoppes[at]hotmail[dot]com

Cheryl Wyatt said...

Thanks everyone for stopping by! Thanks also for your kind words and interest in my book.

Sorry I'm so late getting here. We had storms and I couldn't be online.

Lena, thanks so much for featuring me on your blog.

Hugs
Cheryl

Judy said...

wonderful interview!

I'd love to win a free book....

judy49[at]aol[dot]com

Rachel Rossano said...

God's grace is amazing. My family and I have had multiple close calls that we only missed by His grace. :) Please enter me in the drawing. Thanks.

Anita Mae Draper said...

Hey Cheryl, I love your books. You're the only author who's made me break my wait-for-the-complete- series-before-you-read-a-book rule. I just can't wait to read them.

I hear you on the 'sometimes He'll want you to wait/stick it out... sometimes we have to martyr stories...'. When I listen to His words, mine come naturally and yes, I've just shelved 4 mss because I felt He was asking me to do it.

The bridge story is something to remember, eh. We had a similar occurence once when our car wouldn't start due to an ignition problem and we were on our way out of town. Real frustrating. Took 2 hrs to fix. We found out later, if we hadn't had to fix the car, we would've been on the highway at the same time a semi overturned and caused a small pile-up. God is so good.

Ashley E said...

I didn't know that Book 4 was coming out so soon. I haven't gotten to read Ready-Made Family yet! Ahh! I must get on that.

kalea_kane said...

Incredible interview. :) Praise God that Cheryl and her family were not involved in the horrid bridge collapse! Thanks for the giveaway!

Anonymous said...

I have enjoyed Cheryl Wyatt's books!
I'd love to read this one!

sharon54220 said...

Another great review. Please enter me.

sharon54220@gmail.com

peachykath said...

This sounds like an amazing book. Please enter me in the drawing for this book.
Thanks,
Katherine

peachykath79[at]yahoo[dot]com

Cheryl Wyatt said...

Thanks everyone for your kind comments and interest in the book!

Lena, as always, it is a great honor to be featured on your blog. Thank you!

Hugs

Cheryl