WHEN THE DEVIL WHISTLES - Rick Acker - Free Book

Why do you write the kind of books you do?

Writing legal thrillers is a natural fit with my “real job” as a Deputy Attorney General. Every day I come across fascinating cases and outrageous stories—though the best ones are too unrealistic to make good fiction.

Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?

 June 3, 1988—the day I married the love of my life, Anette.

How has being published changed your life?

In lots of ways, but mostly when my two worlds collide. Last week, for example, I was interviewing a very distinguished potential expert witness—a white-haired law professor with a thirty-page resume and six degrees. Then about an hour after I got off the phone with him, he sent me a fan e-mail telling me how much he and his wife like my books. Very flattering, but a little disorienting.

I can see how that could be. What are you reading right now?

High Crusade by Poul Anderson. It’s a fun old science fiction story that I read as a kid. It’s been out of print for years, but a 50th anniversary edition was just released.

What is your current work in progress?

The working title is Secret Murders and it’s a legal thriller. Here’s a sneak peak at the plot: In 1995, a death squad stole fourteen-year-old Christina Castillo from her family. Now attorney Marie Dupree must defend the man accused of masterminding this horrible crime. A victory could salvage her career and let her begin rebuilding a life shattered by her ex-husband’s betrayal. But before she can win, she must fight her way to the heart of a maze of dark and dangerous secrets—and does she really want to know the truth she’ll find there?

What would be your dream vacation?

If I could take a month and had unlimited funds (we’re dreaming here, right?), I’d love to visit Israel and walk the paths that Jesus walked and see the city that David built.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

I usually pick a place that I know well and will add to the story. For example, When the Devil Whistles is mostly set in and around San Francisco, and it was great fun to toss in real-life details about a favorite sea-front walk or how the rolling vineyard hills near my home look at sunset.

If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?

Denzel Washington. He’s a great actor, a committed Christian, and by all accounts a great guy. It would be an honor to meet him.

He's actually one of my favorite actors, too. What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I really don’t have time for much beyond those, but I do go hiking or running with the kids when I can, and I’m a big college football fan (Go, Irish!).

My husband and I don't spend a lot of time watching sports, but now that the Texas Rangers are in the World Series, we're really supporting them. Josh Hamilton goes to our church, but we've never met him. (Big church.) What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?

Finding the time to write. I’ve got a demanding full-time job and a busy family, so getting in my daily word count is always a challenge. I actually do most of my writing on the train while traveling to and from the city. In fact, that’s where I’m sitting as I answer these questions.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

There are three rules that worked for me and that I pass on to every new writer I meet:

1. Make writing part of your routine. Find a regular time when you can write and stick to it, even if it’s only one hour per week. It’s virtually impossible to write anything longer than a few pages or to grow as a writer unless writing becomes part of the rhythm of your life.

2. Learn to treasure good criticism. Find someone whose judgment you trust to critique your writing, and make him or her promise to be honest. Criticism is never fun to hear, but you won’t become a better writer without it.

3. Don’t give up. Most writers aren’t very good when they start. I was awful, and I still have the poetry to prove it. So keep writing and focus on getting better. You will.

Very good advice. Tell us about the featured book. 

The title is When the Devil Whistles and it’s a legal thriller based on real cases that I handle at the Department of Justice. Here’s what award-winning author Colleen Coble had to say about it: “When the Devil Whistles has it all: high stakes, compelling characters and a fast plot that had me gasping at the twists and turns. A legal thriller you won't want to miss!” To learn more or read the first five chapters, go here: http://www.rickacker.com/books/when-the-devil-whistles/ .

Sounds very intriguing. Please give us the first page of the book.

Connor Norman loved a good fireworks show. He especially liked the ones that took place once or twice a year in the conference rooms at the California Department of Justice. Some executive or general counsel whose company was under investigation would come in for a witness interview, would lie, and would get caught. Then Deputy Attorney General Max Volusca would go off and the show would start. DAG Volusca did not suffer liars gladly. Fools he would tolerate, often longer than Connor. But if Max felt he was being misled, he soon lived up to his nickname, “Max Volume.”

Connor didn’t mind it when Max got loud. In fact, he liked the DAG’s outbursts because they usually rattled whoever was sitting across the table from him. And that usually meant more money for Connor and his qui tam clients. A qui tam plaintiff is a whistleblower who sues on behalf of the government and gets a cut (generally 15-20 percent) of whatever the government recovers. Better yet, if the Department of Justice likes a case, it takes on the lion’s share of the work. Envious defense counsel sometimes complained to Connor that he wasn’t really litigating these cases, just riding a gravy train driven by DOJ. Though Connor never told opposing lawyers, the real fun wasn’t the train ride so much as tying corporate criminals to the tracks in front of the engine.

Today, Connor’s client was Devil to Pay, Inc., a shell company he had created to bring qui tam lawsuits while protecting the identity of its owner. Most contractors assumed that Connor was the force behind Devil to Pay and that he recruited new whistleblowers for every lawsuit. In fact, all those suits were the work of a single woman: a professional whistleblower named Allie Whitman.

The corners of Connor’s mouth twitched. Allie was probably the most widely hated and feared woman in California’s government contracting industry, even though no one knew she existed.

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

I’m on Facebook, Twitter (@authorrickacker), and my website is http://www.rickacker.com/ .

Rick, thanks for the interesting interview.
 
Readers, here's a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. New information: Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. I’m trying to get a good idea of where the people live who leave comments on my blog. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

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

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

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

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Last October Winners!!!

Sorry I'm a little late getting the winners announced. I didn't get started as early this morning as usual, and I didn't get it uploaded late last night.

Please note the change in what I'm asking commenters. Along with your comment, please give me your location. Please don't give your address, and you don't even need to give the town, but do tell me where you live. I'm wanting to see if the locations of those wh comment change ove time.

Anne Payne is the winner of Too Rich for A Bride by Mona Hodgson.
Rubynreba is the winner of A Very Private Grave by Donna F Crow.
Angela Breidenbach is the winner of Tandem by Tracey Bateman.
Merry is the winner of The Gold Standard by Lisa Lickel.
Brenda is the winner of Legendary Space Pilgrims by Grace Bridges.
Barbjan1 is the winner of Drawing Closer to God by Dianne Neal Matthews.
 
Congratulations, everyone. Send me your mailing address:

Click the Contact Me link at the top of the blog, and send me an Email.
You have 6 weeks to claim your book.
If you didn't win and you plan to order the book, please use the link provided on the individual interview. By using that link when you order, you will help support this blog.

LOVE FINDS YOU UNDER THE MISTLETOE - Irene Brand, Anita Higman - 2 Free Books

Readers, I've read this book, and you'll love it.

Welcome back, Irene. How did your story for the collection come about?

Originally, I wrote the story as a full length book. The editors decided that my story about Mistletoe, Kentucky, and one by Anita Higman with a Noel, Missouri, setting would be suitable for a test-run to see if readers were open to a series of Christmas novellas.

What are you reading right now?

I’m reading an anthology, Ozark Weddings, written by Anita Higman and Janice Thompson. I’m also reading an “old” title, The Ivy Tree, by Mary Stewart.

What other books have you written, whether published or not?

I have 46 titles in print (this doesn’t include reprints). These include historical, contemporary, some suspense titles. As for unpublished books, I probably have as many partial or completed manuscripts unpublished as I have published books. I don’t have a listing of all those titles.

What is the hardest thing about writing a novella collection?

Making one word take the place of two or three words. To tell a full story in a limited amount of space. When the two stories were connected, I had to be sure, the few times I referred to Anita’s plot, that it was compatible with what she’d written.

How did collaborating with this team impact you?

It’s always a challenge to write as a team; however, Anita and I worked well together, keeping in touch by e-mail and telephone. We both considered the other’s viewpoints, and our individual stories were strengthened by input from the other. We respected the work ethic of the other and became long distance friends.

Anita is a friend of mine, too. How do you choose your characters’ names?

I keep a running list of names I’ve used in other books, so as not to repeat the main characters’ names. I never use the name of an acquaintance I don’t respect, unless it’s the villain’s name. When writing historical books, I check the internet for listing of names used in that particular time period.

What did you want the reader to take away from your story?

That God-given love is something to accept and cherish in spite of extenuating circumstances that seem to endanger that love.

Are you a member of American Christian Fiction Writers? If so, why?

Yes, I have been a member for several years. The conferences offer valuable learning and fellowship experiences. It’s a good organization to keep in touch with others who are like-minded.

What is the best piece of advice you received as an author?

Two slogans that I have prominently displayed in my office. “Footprints in the sands of time are not made sitting down,” and “Success isn’t given to the talented, it’s taken by those who struggle, sacrifice, and reach for it.”

Where can my readers find you on the Internet?

http://www.irenebrand.com/

Welcome back to my blog, Anita. How did your story for the collection come about?

My novels are more character driven, and so my characters tend to move the story along. The idea for Once Upon a Christmas Eve may have started with my interest in the fairy archetype. I loved the movies Cold Comfort Farm and Chocolat for that very reason. There was something enchanting about those two heroines as they whirled around, fixing people’s lives. I gave my main character, Holly Goodnight, some similar fanciful qualities.

What are you reading right now?

Right now I’m reading, A Circle of Quiet by Madeleine L’Engle. It’s been interesting to read about her writing journey, her struggles, and her triumphs.

What other books have you written, whether published or not?

I have written 26 books in a potpourri of genres. Some of my books have been one-act plays, books for kids, inspirational nonfiction, and gift books. But for the last seven years I’ve concentrated on inspirational novels for women, and this is where I want to stay as a writer. Well, that is, if readers keep buying my books.

What is the hardest thing about writing a part of a novella collection?

I didn’t find the process difficult at all. Irene and I had fun tying our two stories together.

 How did collaborating with this team impact you?

As I mentioned, it all worked out well. Irene Brand is not only a good writer, but she’s also easy to get along with. So, with all her positive attributes, collaboration was a delightful experience.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

Sometimes I spend a lot of time choosing my character’s names, especially the main character. In the case of this novella, Once Upon a Christmas Eve, I came up with the name Holly Goodnight, and I think it fits the heroine perfectly. I hope readers think so too.

What did you want the reader to take away from your story?

I want people to be uplifted by the story, of course, but my novella is also a romantic comedy, so I hope readers will be entertained too. I want them to walk away and think, “I really like that Holly Goodnight. Maybe I’ll invite her over for a Christmas brunch!”

Are you a member of American Christian Fiction Writers? If so, why?

I joined ACFW some years ago, and it has been worth every penny of the membership fee. I have grown as a writer because of the valuable input I’ve received on their online loop as well as from the annual conferences.

What is the best piece of advice you received as an author?

Write what you know about and keep at it. That advice came to me decades ago from the famous playwright, Horton Foote.

Where can my readers find you on the Internet?

I’m at http://www.anitahigman.com/. I would love for you to drop by. I have a book trailer on my site and a free ebook with Christmas thoughts, recipes, favorite family memories, and traditions. I hope you and your family have a joy-filled Christmas!

Thank you, Irene and Anita, for this holiday visit.
 
Readers, here's a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. New information: Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. I’m trying to get a good idea of where the people live who leave comments on my blog. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

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

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

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

http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/

I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS - Julie L Cannon - Free Book

Welcome to my blog, Julie. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

When I sit down at the keyboard, I’m very much aware of the fact that bits and pieces of who I am are going to come through in every single character I create. I realize that I have a particular set of experiences and a way of looking at this world that tries to weasel in every time, and I have to consciously work at making characters who are different from me. Like any writer, I often have characters with hobbies and traits I’ve never experienced first-hand. For instance, Maggie in I’ll Be Home for Christmas is a member of the Navy WAVES and a mechanic. I did a lot of research to make that part of her real. She’s mad at God, and believe me, I’ve been mad at God, too, but not for taking my mother away. When I wrote those scenes where she’s expressing her fury at God, I did have to use my own memories to bring it to life. What’s challenging is to make characters who are very different from me in beliefs, and not to judge them harshly. As I get older, I find this much easier to do. I guess that’s the wisdom we get from our life experiences. I’m much more compassionate with other people’s and hence, with other character’s weaknesses now, realizing you have to ‘walk a mile in someone else’s shoes’ to really understand them. When I do write about unsavory, immoral, or even amoral characters, I try to have the heart of the book compassionate toward, yet not condoning, their actions.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

That would be letting myself become a Tomato Queen during the marketing phase of my first three books - The Homegrown Series. Dressing in a silly red dress, wearing a gaudy crown covered with tomatoes, and holding a scepter. I “reigned” over various Tomato Day festivals down South, rode in parades, passing out tomato seeds and smiles in the name of gardening and story-telling. I’ve also been a member of a traveling road show of four women authors called the Dixie Divas (now re-named the Dixie Darlings). We’ve made many a road-trip, dressed up in our respective costumes, making appearances at bookstores, women’s groups, and writer’s conferences.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

My mother likes to remind me that as soon as I was able to string words together, I was telling stories. In grammar school I began writing them down into crude little books fashioned from construction paper. My English teachers put encouraging notes on my report cards, and for me, a particularly nerdy child (all knees, elbows, eyeglasses, and braces) it was a way to shine; to hold my head up a tiny bit even if I was picked last for teams during P.E.. My favorite pastime was to crawl off into a private nook with a library book and immerse myself in fabulous adventures. A natural offshoot of this voracious appetite for reading and story-telling, as I grew older I began to write more and lengthier works. In 1980 I enrolled in the University of Georgia to pursue a degree in Journalism. In my junior year I became fascinated by the power of spiritual things when I hit one of those proverbial ‘rock bottoms,’ and I knew there was no way in this natural world I would survive if not for being sustained by God’s mystical hand of mercy and huge amounts of Grace. Flannery O’Connor was right when she wrote, “Grace changes us and change is painful.” I’ve been writing about that Grace in some form or fashion ever since.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.

I’m a voracious reader; magazines, novels, newspapers, brochures, the backs of cereal boxes. This may sound staged, but it’s true; I adore reading the King James version of the Bible. As far as secular stuff, I love fiction the best, gravitating toward the literary, but I’m also drawn to memoirs and biographies. I just finished Brad Gooch’s biography about Flannery O’Connor. I love things with ‘bits’ of stories; like Guideposts and Readers’ Digest.

What other books have you written, whether published or not?

I’ve honestly lost count. But a lot of the earlier ones, I’d just as soon they never see the light of a bookshelf. Not because of their themes, but because I was teaching myself to write and my lack of experience really shows. My published works are: Truelove & Homegrown Tomatoes, ‘Mater Biscuit, Those Pearly Gates, The Romance Readers’ Book Club, and I’ll Be Home for Christmas. Currently I’m working on a book called Twang, for Abingdon Press, which is to come out in the fall of 2011. In the drawer beside me are finished, yet unpublished manuscripts for a couple of novels; one called Judas That I Was, and one called Roots in Red Clay. I’ve got a filing cabinet full of children’s books and tween-age novels and a memoir which is really, really hard to write as I hate going back through those times that only God’s grace brought me through.

How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

First thing I do when I wake up is brew the strongest cup (well, three cups if you’re counting ounces) of coffee and then I pour in a ton of cream and shuffle into the den where I keep my Bible and some devotional guides. After I’ve drunk enough to be coherent, I come to myself and pray for Wisdom first off. Then, as I get slowly more coherent, I read the day’s meditation and the verse/verses of Scripture, and then I pray until I pray. There’s a prayer I pray every day before I begin to write that goes like this: “Lord, give me a heart to tell stories about Your goodness and the language to speak it well.” I’m also a regular at various Bible studies.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

I made up Tyronious, the name of the gardener in I’ll Be Home for Christmas, but I’m sure it’s out there somewhere! I got Loutishie, one of the main characters in the Homegrown series from an obituary. I also look back at graveyard records and family trees for unusual names, since lots of my characters are old Southerners. On Mama’s side, there was first names like Frobell, and Juette, and Drewillie. I haven’t used those yet, but the day’s coming… I collect names during the daily routine of my life, jotting them down on a scrap of paper in my purse, and now I have a folder full of them. Sometimes I have to change a character’s name during the course of a novel because it just doesn’t fit them.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Hmmm. . . are children an accomplishment? I always heard that they’re a blessing. My three kids are beautiful people with good hearts and compassion for others and I feel like that ranks way up there with things I’m proud of. My marriage of 22 years – well, Tom probably ought to consider staying with me his greatest achievement, because I know he’s the one who’s put up with me and my crazy dream of writing through a lot of tight times. We’ve stayed together this long because when we fight, even if it’s my fault, he comes and works at patching things up. I’m a fairly stubborn person, which can be good in some instances and not so much in others. Here’s a writing accomplishment I recently heard about: I’ll Be Home for Christmas was named one of the top Publishers’ Picks in Fall 2010 fiction by CBA Retailers + Resources magazine.

Congrtulations. If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?

I guess I’d be a cat. Surly sometimes when I don’t want to be messed with, a bit finicky, like to nap in the sun. In fact, I was just editing an old manuscript and found this: “I’m envious of Mrs. Mittens because I want to curl up in a contented ball in the sun with my eyes at half-mast, in total bliss.” This character, a little girl, has just heard her parents fighting in the kitchen.

What is your favorite food?

Right now it’s a big hot cinnamon bun dripping with cream cheese frosting, and a side of buttery grits and bacon. But sometimes it’s fried shrimp and baked potatoes and slaw, and sometimes it’s a big juicy hamburger with golden fried onion rings. Often it’s something from childhood, like Mom’s pecan pies at Thanksgiving, or the shish-kebobs my Dad made for our summertime grill-outs.

What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

I guess that would be my battle with LALIAPHOBIA. Laliaphobia is the fear of public speaking and I had no idea an author had to go around speaking to groups of people. I thought writers stayed in their private caves, creating stories and well, creating more. Then my first publisher sent me an email about numerous public appearances I was to do when Truelove & Homegrown Tomatoes hit the book shelves. I was mortified. Paralyzed. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying that ‘Public speaking is the number one fear; folks would rather be in the coffin that delivering the eulogy.’ Well, I overcame this crippling affliction with two PRA words: Practice and Prayer . I prayed, constantly, and I also took a class on public speaking, and the advice there was to do it over and over and over and over until you felt confident. There were other tips, too, and after about a hundred appearances, I’m fairly confident up on a stage with hundreds of eyeballs zooming in on me. I get paid money to entertain now. Now, that’s a true miracle.

What advice would you give to an author just starting out?

Get how-to books and study them (I still do that constantly). Go take classes at various writers’ conferences. Join a writers’ group for support and critique (I’m a member of ACFW). Keep a journal, because that makes a person very conscious and you’ll really treasure it as you look for fodder to write about, and later as you look back at what you were going through in your life, it makes for interesting reading. Maybe most importantly – read, read, read, read.

Tell us about the featured book.

The concept for I’ll Be Home for Christmas came as I got on the internet and started researching the year Bing Crosby made the song “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” a hit. I knew WWII was permeating everything at this time – even and especially romantic relationships. So many couples were being split up as the man went off to serve in the war, but I wanted something with a different twist, and I discovered a good bit of information about the WAVES, a branch of the U.S. Navy for women (Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service). I thought it would be fun to have a heroine who joined the WAVES and a man she leaves behind. Maggie doesn’t go solely for patriotic reasons: she’s mad at God because of her mother’s untimely death and she’s running from the painful memories in her small Georgia town. Meanwhile, the boy-next-door, is crushed. William loves Maggie, and when she leaves town to serve in the WAVES, he’s hurt even more as has to stay behind because of physical deformities from his battle with polio. One character in this novel that I fell in love with is Mr. Tyronious Byrd. Mr. Byrd is a black man who’s not real sure about how old he is, and who’s a caretaker on a Christmas tree farm in Georgia in 1944. Mr. Byrd has a lot of wisdom, and a lot of humility because he’s been through some valleys none of us would ever want to go through. He’s probably the least self-centered of all my characters, and he has a sense of humor about life and a gratefulness about him I cherish. When I think about the message I’d like my readers to take from I’ll Be Home for Christmas, it’s that we’ll all go through hard times down here, but God can use the suffering in our lives for good.

I've read this book and loved it. Please give the readers the first page of the book.

December 1943

The world might be at war, but on Margaret Culpepper’s little piece of earth, Christmas spirit filled the air.

“Looking pretty festive for war time, huh, Maggie?” William asked, navigating his father’s 1940 Lincoln Continental through the streets of downtown Athens, Georgia. “I believe everybody in Watkinsville saved up their gas ration stamps to drive into the big city for Friday night.”

“Mmhmm,” Maggie muttered, pulling her chin even farther down into her coat’s luxurious fox fur collar until most of her ears disappeared. From this safe little cave, she peered out at red ribbons wound around street lamps so that they looked like giant peppermint sticks. This gave the place a magical look and made the war overseas seem far, far away.

William fiddled with the radio dial and tuned in to Frank Sinatra singing “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” He began singing along in a silly, melodramatic voice. Normally a happy, optimistic guy, tonight he seemed even more upbeat than usual.

“You okay?” he asked after several stoplights, turning his I’ll be Home for Christmas shining eyes on Maggie. “I don’t think I’ve ever known you to be this quiet for this long.”

 How can readers find you on the Internet?

My website is juliecannon.info and on my site is a place where people can send me an email. One of the things I truly treasure is hearing from readers who’ve been touched by my books – found hope or insight or peace or a just a good escape and a laugh. Recently I heard from a very old woman, apparently in the hospice stage of life, and she said she’s found so much joy in reading my books. That makes it all worthwhile!

Thank you, Julie, for spending this time with us.
 
Readers, Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. New information: Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. I’m trying to get a good idea of where the people live who leave comments on my blog. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

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

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

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

http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/

SARAH'S CHRISTMAS MIRACLE - Mary Ellis - Free Book

Welcome back, Mary. Why do you write the kind of books you do?

I write inspirational romances set in the Amish community. I’ve found them to be the most devout Christians I’ve ever met.


Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?

I’d love to say my wedding day, but it was so hot and humid, I looked and felt like a drowned rat. So I’ll pick the day my agent called to say I would be published. I made her repeat the words twice to be sure I wasn’t imagining things.

How has being published changed your life?

It has caused me to become focused and disciplined. Gone are the days of writing “when the spirit” moves me, then quitting when I become restless. I must now produce something new each day, besides keeping up with the ever-increasing demands of publicity. But I’m not complaining—I love writing for the Lord and hope to continue until I draw my last breath.

What are you reading right now?

I’m reading Cajun Hearts, by Kathleen Y’Barbo—absolutely lovely.

I love Kathleen's writing. She just became Kathleen Turner a couple of weeks ago. What is your current work in progress?

My current work, Abigail’s New Hope, features an Amish midwife who runs afoul of the law when a delivery goes horribly wrong. It deals with themes of grief, growth within a marriage, but also includes a light romance between two rather unlikely people, one of them handicapped.

What would be your dream vacation?

I’d love to take one of those European river cruises through France, Germany and then end up in Budapest, Hungary. We could visit the cities and small towns during the day, then sleep in our floating hotel each night. Or (if I might have two dreams) I’d love to spend a week at a seaside B and B in Tuscany. I can’t speak a word of Italian, but somehow I’d manage to survive.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

My books are set in the lovely rolling farmlands of central Ohio, about an hour from my home. I often drive around, looking for the perfect back road or quaint town to set my next story.

If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?

 I’d love to spend the evening with the Reverend Billy Graham at his North Carolina mountaintop retreat. I’d ask him his secret for a long, sustaining marriage, and how a Christian remains optimistic in an increasingly violent and evil world.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I love to swim and snorkel, including sitting in shallow water reading. I’ve been known to end up horribly sunburned when I can’t put down a page-turner. Two weeks ago, I stood around reading in a hotel pool, surrounded by children splashing around and playing. The book ended up a little damp, but a good time was had by one-and-all.

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?

Time management—to stop checking email, reading blogs, and web-browsing—and get back to writing my story. When someone figures out how to completely overcome this, please let me know.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Never give up. I know, I know they have heard this tired advice before, but it’s the truth. Just when a beginning author is ready to throw in the towel, they must push through the negative feedback and insecurity. They, too, will find the perfect home for their particular “voice.”

Tell us about the featured book.

In my featured, Sarah’s Christmas Miracle, Sarah has much to be happy about as autumn gives way to winter. She loves her job at an English bed-and-breakfast where she cooks and refreshes rooms in between guests. She has a serious beau, and everyone expects an engagement soon. Why, then, would she jeopardize everything by traveling to Cleveland to track down a brother, who left the Order years ago? Her family’s faith in God is put to the test as the holiest night of the year approaches and Sarah remains far away. Sarah’s mother, Elizabeth, has already lost a son during his Rumschpringe…will she lose her daughter to the English world as well? Or will the Beachy family receive an unexpected miracle? Sarah’s Christmas Miracle is a story of hope and redemption to welcome in the advent season.

Please give us the first page of the book.

One Day before Thanksgiving

Why couldn’t things remain the same forever?

As the sun rose over the eastern hills, the rolling, deep purple meadows glistened from a thousand sparkling prisms as sunlight refracted in the morning dew. Dawn was a magical time of day. Sarah shuffled her feet through the shredded cornstalks as though she had all the time in the world. Fiery red and gold leaves swirled along the lane that separated their land from the neighbor’s property. On her left stood the tidy, white house and outbuildings of home—farmland that had been in her family for seven generations. The fenced pastures and rolling croplands stretched for as far as the eye could see. On her right, white pickets enclosed the landscaped four acres of her employer, Country Pleasures—a charming bed-and-breakfast on the county road. Two different worlds, but both dear to her heart.

Englischers came from all over Ohio to sleep on goose down pillows, under handmade Amish quilts, in antique four-poster walnut beds. They ate hearty gourmet breakfasts in the luxurious dining room before setting out to visit Amish country. The community of Plain folk had drawn tourists for decades to the quilt shops, farmers’ markets and furniture galleries of Holmes, Wayne and Tuscarawas counties. Except for the danger from increased traffic, the Amish had adjusted to their newfound popularity while holding steadfast to their Christian faith and simple lifestyle.

Sarah Beachy enjoyed the best of both worlds. The farm where she lived with her parents and five siblings stood within walking distance of the inn where she prepared breakfast six days a week, washed linens, and tidied rooms in between guests. Englischers weren’t the only ones curious. Sarah loved hearing their strange accents, seeing their colorful combinations of clothes, and listening to breakfast chitchat about the “bargains” they’d found at the flea market. And since she usually finished work by eleven, the rest of her day stretched before her like a box of wrapped chocolate—each hour to be opened and savored at leisure.

“Sarah Beachy!” A voice broke through her trance. “Stop dawdling! I need you today!”

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I can be found at http://www.maryeellis.wordpress.com/. I love to hear from readers, without them I’d have no reason to “go to work.”

Thank you, Mary, for giving us a glimpse into this holiday book.
 
Readers, leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)


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

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

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A DAUGHTER FOR CHRISTMAS - Margaret Daley - Free Book

Welcome back, Margaret. How did you come up with the idea for this story? 

I love the concept of the secret baby. I decided to do one with a twist.

Oh, I love twists. If you were planning a party with Christian authors of contemporary fiction, what six people would you invite and why?

Just six—that would be hard because there are so many that are wonderful, gifted writers. Robin Caroll, Colleen Coble, Irene Hannon, Lynette Eason, Terri Blackstock and Dee Henderson—they are all romantic suspense writers and I love the genre.

Now let’s do that for a party for Christian authors of historical fiction, what six people would you invite and why?

Again that’s a tough one because I would leave people I love out—Vickie McDonough, Mary Connealy, Julie Lessman, Miralee Ferrell, Winnie Griggs and Jillian Hart. I’d love to get their take on the historical market.

I'd like to crash each of your parties. 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?

Finding enough time to do all I want to do writing wise. I’ve been in this business long enough to know an author never “has it made.” It can change so fast.

Tell us about the featured book.

Dr. Max Connors had no idea he'd fathered a child thirteen years ago. Or that his baby girl had been given up for adoption. He locates his daughter in a small Oklahoma town and moves there, hoping to become a part of her life. But when he meets her widowed mother, Max is unsure how to reveal his identity. As he helps Rachel Howard with her plans to homeschool the girl, he's welcomed into the family. But with the holidays approaching, Max must tell Rachel who he really is. Can he make his dreams of family come true by Christmas?

I like it already. Please give us the first page of the book.

On his second day in Tallgrass, Oklahoma, Dr. Max Connors opened his front door to discover the one woman he wasn't quite ready to meet. Rachel Howard. Mother of his child.

Although she didn't know that. Yet.

Prim, proper Rachel, with her reddish-brown hair pulled back in a twist, held up a plate full of fudge. "Welcome to the neighborhood."

The smile that graced her full lips transformed her plain features into radiance and needled his conscience. His reason for being in Tallgrass would totally shatter her world.

When he didn't say anything right away, she added in a cultured voice, "I'm part of the welcoming committee for Ranch Acres Estates."

I can hardly wait to see how this plays out. How can readers find you on the Internet?

My web site is http://www.margaretdaley.com/  and my blog is http://margaretdaley.blogspot.com/ .

Thank you, Margaret, for spending this time with us.
 
Readers, here's a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.

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

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

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

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

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EXPOSED - Ashley Weis

Welcome to my blog, Ashley. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

I would say all of myself, in a sense. I pour my heart into all of them, so there are pieces of me (or my life) in every person. For example, Ally’s Dad in Exposed is my idealistic side. Ally and Jessie are very loosely based off of my own situation with my husband, except I was more angry and mean and George was even more passive than Jessie.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

Quirky is my middle name, so I’m not sure if I can answer this without writing a novel. Let’s just put it this way … http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dg-gd3pT-zw

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I always wrote when I was a kid. Stories, plays, business plans. My grandmother always told me I’d grow up to be a “writer,” but in my mind I already was.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.

Mostly non-fiction. It’s rare that I love a novel. When Crickets Cry by Charles Martin is the recent one I adore. I love non-fiction by Thomas Kempis, St. John Chrysostom, Mother Teresa, and really anything that convicts me to be a better example of Christ.

How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

I don’t run. That’s about as simple as it gets. I am simple. We don’t have a TV or watch very many movies. We have three kids under three, so that keeps us running, but we take time to smell the roses. We don’t stress out when everything is going nuts. When I clean up spilled milk and turn around to a kitchen drizzled with chocolate syrup, I clean it up, discipline the monkey, then look at my husband and laugh. I think the best medicine to a hectic life is laughter.

I so agree. One of my novellas was titled The Best Medicine because of that. You can read it in Snowbound Colorado Christmas. How do you choose your characters’ names?

It’s very random. I just look through baby names until I find something that fits.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Giving birth naturally more than once and having three beautiful children who haven’t suffocated in their cribs, no matter how many times I panic that they aren’t breathing.

If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?

A horse. I think it fits my personality best. A wild horse, that is. :-) I like to run and dream. Stables make me feel like a wilting flower.

What is your favorite food?

Hm. Wow. I don’t know if I can answer that. My husband and I love food. Lately we’ve been enjoying homemade soups. One that I love is very simple. It’s a chicken pot pie, but it’s more like a stew. A dutch thing. We’re from Lancaster, PA so it’s big around here.

What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

Just finding time. I wrote Exposed while pregnant with my second child and my first was only 16 months old. I also work for our design company. I overcame it by becoming friends with sleep deprivation, which I don’t recommend. I’ve stopped writing for a little while. There’s no way I can do it with my current lifestyle. My family is more important right now.

Tell us about the featured book.

Exposed is a snapshot of my heart. It’s about a couple trying to re-tie the laces of their marriage after tripping over them when porn entered the scene, and a young girl looking for her worth as she stumbles into the porn industry. When I discovered my husband’s addiction I was writing another novel that never took off. This idea came and it flew from my heart to the page. I think my heart needed to write this story.

Please give us the first page of the book.

The sound of my cell phone buzzing across the dining room table, the scent of Pine-Sol from the kitchen sink, the strange feeling that my life might change forever—I remember that Friday as though it were yesterday. I picked up my cell phone before it slid off the edge of the dining room table.

“Ally, are you home yet?” Jessie’s voice forced its way through bad reception. “Yeah, I left work early.”

“Oh.” He paused. “So, you’re home? What time is it?”

“4:30 or so. About to start dinner.” I paused. “Is that okay?”

Silence.

“You’re not planning something romantic, are you?” I smiled. “Did I ruin it?”

“Maybe,” he said. “I’ll be home soon. Love you.”

We hung up. I sat down at the dining room table, tapping my foot, daydreaming about a growing belly. We’d been trying to get pregnant for two years. No luck. My hand moved to touch my stomach, but I accidentally jostled the mouse of Jessie’s shiny Macbook Pro. The screensaver displaying our wedding pictures disappeared, then an image of a naked woman starred at me from the screen.

My foot stopped tapping.

Very intriguing. How can readers find you on the Internet?

I’ve stopped personally blogging, but readers can find me at http://www.morethandesire.com/ .

Thank you, Ashley, for taking time from your busy day to be with us.

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

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. New information: Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. I’m trying to get a good idea of where the people live who leave comments on my blog. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

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

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

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

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THE MASTER'S WALL - Sandi Rog - Free Book

Welcome, Sandi. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

There's a piece of myself in all my characters. Even the bad guys. My bad guy in this story (the grandfather) is a bit insane and arrogant. E-hem. I'm ashamed to say I see a little of myself in him as well! Aaack! Better work on that. I also see myself in David. He's hot tempered, but has a passion to please God. Yep, that's me. Then there's Alethea. She's carefree and foolish, but at the same time shrewd, especially when it comes to protecting her own hide. Yes, that's me, too. :-)

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

One morning I climbed out of bed to take my two-year-old to preschool. This took place when we lived in Holland, by the way. So, I fed her, got her dressed and loaded her on the bike (we rode bikes, not cars out there). I dropped her off, and right across the street was the grocery store. There were some items I needed, so I decided to head on over there. Because it was so close, I decided to walk.

I crossed the street, pushing my bike, and then I went into the store. As I walked along, a man looked at me, looked away, then looked at me again. Surely, my hair and clothes weren't in that bad of shape. Yes, I'd just crawled out of bed, or felt like I had, but there was no call for anyone to take extra notice—or so I thought. Another couple walked by and gave me a strange look. Well, maybe I did look pretty bad. Finally, one woman's eyes darted downward and rested on me, or whatever it was she saw, so I also looked down. To my surprise, I was still pushing my bike! I'd walked my bike into the grocery store.

I chuckled and managed to get the words out in Dutch, "I'm not awake yet." I think it was my first official joke in Dutch. The woman laughed, so it must have worked. Well, I managed to get the bike turned around and parked it outside where it belonged. After that, I was wide awake.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

While in Holland, before I knew the language, I needed an "out." A way to express myself, since I couldn't in the everyday world. So, I started writing. I always wrote as a kid, but I never planned on becoming a writer.

We had a Dutch exchange student when my daughters were in high school. Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.

Historicals and historical romance. Not much of a range, I guess. It's also what I write.

What other books have you written, whether published or not?

I wrote a historical romance about a half-breed Cheyenne warrior and a Dutch pioneer woman. I became intrigued with the Sand Creek Massacre and the fact that I grew up in Colorado and never knew about this horrific "holocaust." The idea of a Native American Christian coming face-to-face with white men who claimed to be Christians as they killed innocent people from his tribe, including children (all true according to history, by the way), really challenged me, so I had to write about it.

Not many houses want Native American stories, so that one isn't published.

The business is always changing. It's time may come. There were several books with Native American main characters that came out this year. How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

Good question. Yes, life in America is ten times faster than it was in Holland. It leaves me breathless. So, we say "no" to a lot of things. We have a family dinner with the kids and simply hide out at home.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

I do baby name searches online. Usually it's a name that either needs to be Dutch, Cheyenne, Greek, Latin, or Germanic. So, I look them up online and see what's out there; I also like to choose names with a meaning that "fits" their character. Other times they just come to me.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Writing related: That I finished THE MASTER'S WALL. This story has been in me for years. Now on to the next in the series, YAHSHUA'S BRIDGE.

If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?

A cat. So I can curl up and sleep all day.

What is your favorite food?

Indian food (India Indian, not Native American Indian).

What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

Not knowing the craft. So, I learned it. My Native American story mentioned above was my "practice novel." It won first place in the 2005 West Virginia Novel Competition, so I don't think it turned out too bad.

What advice would you give to an author just starting out?

Learn the craft! Get your hands on Dave King and Renni Browne's book Self-Editing for Fiction Writers. Or stop by my blog where Dave and other fabulous editors hang out, and learn about the craft: http://thebookdoctorbd.blogspot.com/.

Tell us about the featured book.

Below is the book jacket description.

Title: THE MASTER'S WALL

He fights for his freedom. She fights for her life. Together, they fight for each other.

After watching Roman soldiers drag his parents away to their death, David, a young Hebrew, is sold and enslaved to serve at a villa outside of Rome. David trains to become a skilled fighter. He works hard to please his master and hopes to earn his freedom. However, an opportunity to escape tempts him with its whispering call. Freedom beckons, but invisible chains hold him captive to the master's granddaughter, an innocent girl with a fiery spirit. David vows to protect Alethea from his master, the murderous patriarch, and contrives a daring plan—sacrifice his own life to save hers.

Please give us the first page of the book.

THE MASTER'S WALL

Rome, 76 A.D.

David tried not to cry, tried not to breathe or make a sound as he crept along the dark street. Careful not to trip on the flat stones, he recalled how that morning he’d taken this same path, chasing friends between the alleys, pretending they were gladiators fighting at the Circus Maximus. Now again he followed the enemy. Only this enemy was real. There were three of them. And they had taken his parents.

Mamma. Abba. He wanted to shout out their names, to cry out to them.

He could still feel Mamma’s hand in his. Could feel her letting go as the soldiers pulled her away. Could feel her stola ripping as he clutched it. All he had left was the shredded fabric from her dress still in his hand. How empty his hand felt now that she was gone.

He made a fist. All he had in the world. Snatched away. And now their lives might depend on him. On what he would do at this moment.

A lot of emotion there. How can readers find you on the Internet?

At my website: http://www.sandirog.com/
My personal blog: http://sandirog.blogspot.com/
Facebook and Twitter.

Sandi, thank you for the interesting peek into your life and writing.
 
Readers, here's a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. New information: Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. I’m trying to get a good idea of where the people live who leave comments on my blog. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

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

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

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

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We Have Winners!!!

~ley is the winner of A Suitor for Jenny by Margaret Brownley.
AnnLeeMiller is the winner of The Preacher's Bride by Jody Hedland.

Casey is the winner of Facelift by Leanna Ellis.

Nancye is the winner of The Reluctant Prophet by Nancy Rue.

Apple Blossom is the winner of Brides of Arkansas by Janet Lee Barton.

Holdenj is the winner of Love Finds You in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, by Sandra D Bricker.
 
Congratulations, everyone. Send me your mailing address:

Click the Contact Me link at the top of the blog, and send me an Email.
You have 6 weeks to claim your book.
If you didn't win and you plan to order the book, please use the link provided on the individual interview. By using that link when you order, you will help support this blog.

DRAWING CLOSER TO GOD - Dianne Neal Matthews - Free Book

Bio: Dianne Neal Matthews has written numerous devotionals, magazine articles, and newspaper features. Her work has appeared in Focus on the Family, The Quiet Hour, LIVE, The Christian Communicator, and on websites including CBN.com. She is the author of three one-year devotionals and has also contributed stories to several compilation books. Dianne is a 2006 CLASS graduate and a member of Advanced Writers & Speakers, Christian Authors Network, and Toastmasters International. She and her husband, Richard, have three grown children and two adorable grandchildren.

When did you decide to be a writer?

As a little girl, I loved to make up stories and share them. Writing assignments were always my favorite part of school. But as an adult, I didn’t have the confidence or courage to pursue creative writing. It was just something I fantasized about until my mid-forties when I began writing occasional articles for my church’s newsletter. Urged by a friend, I attended a writers’ conference asking God to show me if writing was His will for me or my own self-centered dream. He answered clearly that week, and I’ve never doubted my calling since then.

What was your first published piece?

When I attended that first conference in 1999, I’d never thought of writing devotionals. But I set up an appointment with the editor from Warner Press after she spoke on a panel. I showed her a one-page piece I’d written about a lesson from my cat and she said I might be a natural devotional writer. I applied and was accepted as a Master Writer for the company and got to submit ten devotionals each year for use on the back of church bulletins.

Since then, you’ve published three daily devotional books. What do you find most rewarding about writing devotions?

Writing devotionals keeps me excited about how fresh and relevant God's Word is. I love finding ways to illustrate Scriptures and draw out practical applications. And feedback from readers motivates me to keep writing. It's such a blessing when someone tells me that a devotional has spoken to their specific situation, or says that one of my books is a part of their regular quiet time. A woman in Australia emailed to say how amazed she is that the pages of The One Year Women of the Bible often mirrored what was going on in her own life. An older couple sent me several notes as they read The One Year On This Day together. One young mom wrote that she was feeling spiritually dry and unable to serve God, but now she’s going through one of my devotionals and keeping a journal which she plans to pass on to her two daughters some day. Comments like that remind me what a privilege this is.

Tell us a little about your latest devotional book.

This month Baker Books released my new one-year devotional book, Drawing Closer to God: 365 Daily Meditations on Questions from Scripture. Each devotional is based on a question asked by someone in the Bible—God, Jesus, Satan, an Old Testament character, or a New Testament writer. The meditation explores the setting, ties it into a spiritual principle or practical application, and includes a verse that relates back to the question or its answer. The day’s entry closes with either a question for readers to ask God (prayer focus) or a question to ask themselves (reflection).

How did you get the idea for Drawing Closer to God?

I began noticing how much of Scripture is in the form of questions and how relevant these still are today. Old Testament characters voiced honest questions that we’ve all probably felt at some point. But we may have been reluctant to pray as David did, “Why are you so distant, Lord? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” (Psalm 10:1) New Testament writers used questions to explain spiritual principles, especially Paul. Jesus asked questions as a powerful teaching tool, sometimes gently: “Can any of you add an hour to your life by worrying?” (Luke 12:25), and sometimes with a stronger tone: "Why do you see the piece of sawdust in another believer’s eye and not notice the wooden beam in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:3)

Many questions in the Bible can be matched with a verse that answers it. Before Pilate asked the universal question, “What is truth?” (John 18:38), Jesus had already answered it as he prayed: “Your words are truth.” (John 17:17) As we go through trials and hardships, we may wonder as Gideon did, “If the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us?” (Judges 6:13) Then we read in John 16:33: “In this world you will have trouble.”

The more I studied these questions, the more I was struck by how much God communicates to us through them. It intrigued me to think that sometimes we can find answers by looking at the questions.

Did writing Drawing Closer to God impact your own spiritual life?

Yes, the fact that biblical characters expressed their questions and doubts so honestly reminded me of how God wants me to approach my relationship with him. Now when I see a question in the Bible, I think of it as a springboard to look for what God wants me to discuss with Him or what He wants to teach me. I’m in the process of pulling out a core list of questions from the book to use in my quiet time. I want to periodically go through them as a sort of spiritual check-up to assess my spiritual walk and keep my focus where it should be.

Are there certain Scriptural questions that proved especially meaningful for you?

Yes, I often need to remind myself of Genesis 18:14: “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” Even though I know the answer, sometimes I forget it in the face of daunting circumstances. And Jesus’ question about worrying (Luke 12:25) is something I should meditate on every day. Maybe I won’t waste so much time doing it if I remember His point about how futile worrying is.

What is the main thing you hope readers take away from this book?

My prayer is that the book will renew readers’ appreciation for the relevance of Scripture to everyday life. If we approach the Bible with a teachable spirit, then God’s Spirit will use the questions written so long ago to comfort us, convict us, and transform us. I also hope that the devotionals will encourage readers to feel comfortable examining their own questions through meditation and prayer.

Are you working on a new project?

I’m currently writing another daily devotional for Baker. This one is still untitled but it has a theme of a one-year “journey” through the Bible. I’m going through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation combining basic information on each book, the major stories and events, and the core teachings with practical application. The book will release in October 2012.

Thank you, Dianne, for sharing this new devotional with us.
 
Readers, here's a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.

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

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

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

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

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LEGENDARY SPACE PILGRIMS - Grace Bridges - Free Book

Welcome back, Grace. It's been a while since you were here. Why do you write the kind of books you do?

Because science fiction contains the potential to expand the mind more than any other genre – to me, at least. That's the same kind of mind-expanding that comes when we recognise a little bit more of what God is like. And the two can definitely come together: science fiction can lead into worship. Just think of the grandness of the universe…

Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?

The day I moved into my new house. I'd been on the road and globetrotting for many years, but now I have a home of my own again and a "tower" room with a view of the sea a few miles away. It's good to be settled at last.

Sounds like a wonderful room to write in. How has being published changed your life?

It hasn't, really. As Jeff Gerke says, being published is like having a candy bar. It's nice, but not that much of a big deal.

What are you reading right now?

The Skin Map by Stephen Lawhead, How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy by Orson Scott Card, and SHINE, an anthology of optimistic science fiction.

What is your current work in progress?

I've got two: CyberDublin and Godspeed. In CyberDublin, the Oodles global hypernet falls to sabotage and we watch as a houseful of Dublin girls are faced with reality that's suddenly a whole lot less virtual than they're used to. But the saboteurs are closer to home than they know…

Godspeed is the sequel to my first book Faith Awakened: If you could solve world hunger, you'd do it, right? What if government experiments turned your miracle fertiliser into a weapon of mass destruction? Meet Naomi, the Belfast biologist forced to flee from her own creation.

Oh yes, and I'm writing a chapter a month on the superhero serial Comet Born for Digital Dragon Magazine. You can find an index of the story so far at http://gracebridges.blogspot.com/p/comet-born.html.

What would be your dream vacation?

An unplanned roadtrip around New Zealand. It's my own country, but there are many parts of it I have yet to see. It would be great to hop in the car with no time limit and head off into the wild yonder. All I need is someone to go with me, because alone's no fun. Someday!

How do you choose your settings for each book?

It has to be a place I know well, as in the Irish settings I use often, or developed from real places as in the seven planets of Legendary Space Pilgrims. I have to be able to describe it fully.

If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?

Chris Walley. One of my very favourite authors, he wrote the epic Lamb Among the Stars space trilogy which I just love to bits. Also, as a publisher myself, there are some of my own authors I've never met and would like very much to do so: Fred Warren and P.A. Baines, both brilliant writers.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

Beach walking, photography, a little painting, and now home improvement!

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?

My sales are still low so it's easy to wonder if it matters to anyone what I'm doing. Yet it matters to God, that much is sure, and I've proven over and over that there's nothing like writing to clarify my own soul.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Read widely – Eat dem books! The more you read, the more vocabulary and styles you will have at your fingertips. Then read Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by King and Browne, the single best writing manual I have ever found, and live by its principles.

Tell us about the featured book.

LEGENDARY SPACE PILGRIMS

If Pilgrim's Progress happened in space, this is what it might look like... On a planet that has never seen the sun, a harvester hears a Voice from beyond. It's time to leave the oatfield. Mario and Caitlin escape the mind control of Planet Monday, following the Voice to unknown worlds where wonders and challenges await. Have you got what it takes...to be a legend?

Please give us the first page of the book.

PART ONE

MONDAY-MORNING-ITIS

MONDAY 1

The clang of the work-bells forced its way into Mario’s consciousness. A sliver of light pushed through his eyelids, and he pried them all the way open.

Morning again. Monday morning. But on Planet Monday, every day was the same. No joke. He threw back the thick rough-woven blanket and heaved himself upright.

His limbs were slow to respond as he lurched into the plastic wet-cell that towered beside his bed. What had he been up to last night? It sure didn’t feel like he’d slept the full nineteen hours.

He slid the pane across the opening and flinched at the shock of the cold water. After thirty seconds the water switched off and he stood still as the airdryers around the cell’s base kicked in. The air wasn’t much warmer than the water, but it invigorated him.

Stepping out of the cell into the two-by-four-foot floor space of his living quarters, he opened the long drawer built under the bed and pulled out a sky-grey sweatsuit, standard issue. Some things never changed. He chased the thought across his consciousness and peered out the tiny window above the bed. Square grey buildings met his gaze. Above hung the eternal grey clouds. Nothing ever changed on Monday. Unless…

Unless he’d been mindwiped.

He groaned and let himself sink onto the tangled brown bedcover. Looking up at the emergency transport tube access in the ceiling just above head height, he examined its round rim. No dust. Talk in the fields said this was the sign of recent use. Of mindwipe.

He blinked and shivered as he stared unseeing at the vid-wall’s moving feed of Ocean region, intended to soothe but failing at present.

Last night, they’d sucked him up that tube. Wiped his emotional memory. Extreme feelings were erased from the workers—a technique no one ever remembered going through. But everyone knew it happened, since afterwards only the simplest facts remained. Had he really been emoting so badly?

Mario scratched his head, put on his boots, then the second bell sounded. He rose, seized his blade-gloves by the cuffs, and moved to the door as it swished open simultaneously with all the other doors up and down the hallway.

The two hundred inhabitants of the third floor exited their quarters as one. To be precise, the third floor of Wing B, Building 17, Sector X9, Foodstuffs Region, Planet Monday. The doors swished closed again and the workers turned to march towards 17’s central hub.

Mario strode over the hallway’s threshold to the third-floor lobby and accepted a breakfast pack from the dispenser in the doorway. He bit off the cap and squeezed the warm coffee-flavoured sludge into his gullet on his way to the mass transport tube. He joined the shuffling line in front of Wing B’s accessway and guzzled the rest of his breakfast while he waited. Smiles greeted him, but he’d lost all memory of their owners.

Monday-morning-itis. The clown who named this planet deserved to be recrewed to Sewage Region. Just because they discovered it on a Monday…since when do you have Mondays in space, anyhow?

He chucked the empty plastic foodsack in a waste unit to the left of the accessway, slipped on the bladed work-gloves, and stepped into the pod that opened before him.

The thin plastic shell closed. A jolt accompanied the sudden blackness as the pod began its journey. The familiar whoosh of the surrounding air calmed him, which was a bonus for the emo-reader implanted in his neck. If it didn’t detect strong emotions, he wouldn’t get sent to be mindwiped. But it was too late for that. Again.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

My books are available at all the usual online stores, and at a discount from http://www.splashdownbooks.com/. Please connect with me on Facebook (www.gracebridges.com/facebook) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/gracebridges). You can also find me on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/user/gracebridges1 and links to my published short stories are at http://gracebridges.blogspot.com/p/grace-author.html .

Thanks everyone for reading!

And thank you, Grace, for visiting us today.
 
Readers, here's a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.

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

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

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

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

http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/

THE GOLD STANDARD - Lisa Lickel - Free Book

Welcome to my blog, Lisa. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

Thank you for having me visit your site, Lena. I’ve been a distant admirer of yours since I came to ACFW and I’m deeply honored to be this close. How much of myself is in my characters? I know we’re supposed to “write what you know” so, maybe it’s safer to say I write what I’d like to be in my current works in progress. I come from a long line of teachers, and while I chose not to be a teacher like Judy, the main character in my book, maybe on a subconscious level Judy is my alter ego. I suppose I identify more with Ardyth, though: Judy’s older friend who came home, wears plaids and tells it pretty much like it is.

 What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

All right – the latest weird thing I did was convince my anesthesiologist and surgeon to let me have a hysterectomy with a spinal. Most of my later works have medical issues/themes and I thought I’d like to experience major surgery after having some earlier minor little things done under a block. I got to be aware during some of it, but they wouldn’t let me be awake during the time they were doing the real work. Later my surgeon told me honestly whatever I wanted to know. I’m not so sure I’ll have surgery again – just kidding, although it’s kind of like being really glad you don’t know what goes on in the kitchen of your favorite restaurant. But my surgeon has a Kindle and knows how to use it, so that makes up for a lot.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I’m not one of those lovely people who’ve been writing since they were three. I think I first realized it when one of my historical society buddies told me “You should be a writer” after reading one of my society articles in the local newspaper. I took the Christian Writers Guild course and started selling articles before I finished. Being a hobby writer and being a professional are different and respectable gifts.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.

I’m an eclectic reader, although I prefer fiction to non-fiction. Participating in several book clubs has been good for me, making me read things I wouldn’t normally pick up. If I get a chance to read for fun, I’ll pick up sci/fi fantasy – Anne McCaffrey is my favorite there, and Ray Bradbury, and my new fav, Jill Williamson. Although I’m an historian, it’s hard for me to read historicals because I always want to double check the research. I love a good thriller, next. I just read Robert Ludlum’s Bourne books. Too much of a similar genre in a row makes me cranky, so I like to mix it up.

I write historicals, but I'm a real stickler for authentic details. You might want to check out my latest Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico, or my next one Family Secrets, which will release in October next year. What other books have you written, whether published or not?

Since I started writing seriously in 2003, I’ve written nineteen books, so I won’t list them all. I spent two years researching and writing a series of six children’s historical books based on ethnic settlers to my community, and honestly, that was harder than the full-length novels and not a genre I’ll pursue. My first book, part of a series I’d like to finish some day, finished in the top ten of the first Operation First Novel contest of the Christian Writers Guild. It’s the story of several families in a congregation and how they influence each other during the course of a year. The Gold Standard was the first of my books to be published. I signed the contract in 2006 and it was published in 2009. There are four books in the series, the second of which is done and the third was interrupted by the aforementioned surgery. I have another mystery and a romance completed. Healing Grace, my second novel to be published, was written while I waited for the results of the Operation First Novel contest, and was published also in 2009. Since those releases, I’ve turned to edgier and more outside-the-box story-telling with Meander Scar (2010), and I have some gen-fiction stories in publisher panels.

How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

Oh, I don’t cuz the well would run dry. But when I have to try, I make a list. I take a long bath or just veg out to a Brewers baseball game.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

Newspaper articles, tombstones, obits, telephone books, family, road signs. One of my favorites is Esme Espe, the victim in the third of the mystery series – taken from road signs a few counties apart.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Sticking with the writing world, the accomplishment that tickles me the most is when someone buys a colleague’s book because of something I’ve said or written. It’s all part of marketing which makes my blood cold, but is essential to play the reading game.

If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?

I’d be Edna. This is what we have to learn from Edna, a garter snake who once took up residence in our front bushes. She was very pregnant, a good predator who discouraged mice from racing into our 150-year-old brick farmhouse when the front door was open. Edna disappeared eventually and we assumed she went to find a safe place to give birth. She did – our attic. Did I mention we live in a two-story house? Made of smooth, old brick? I cannot even begin to imagine the tenacity of an extremely pregnant Edna figuring out how to crawl up into our attic, but that’s the tenacity we have to show as writers trying to get our work into print and read.

What is your favorite food?

Mmm-Garden Jack cheese from Beechwood Cheese Factory.

What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

This still is a huge problem for me, but I’m learning some tricks. I can’t proofread my own stuff; I constantly miss words in my rush to type and my brain fills them in when I go back to edit. Same with some typos. But I learned to read out loud, slowly, and I just started doing some editing and proofing for Port Yonder Press, so that’s helping me be more principled.

What advice would you give to an author just starting out?

Take time to learn the ropes and tricks. Find a good mentor who’s already been published. Don’t give up – understand there are highs and lows no matter who are. Don’t be in a rush to publish: build your readership well, because our ultimate goal as writers is not to be in print, but to be read.

Tell us about the featured book.

The Gold Standard, by Lisa J Lickel
c. 2009 Lisa J Lickel
Barbour Publishing, Inc.
ISBN 978-1-59789-525-5
Retail: $6.99
available from Amazon and Barnes and Noble

Judy Winters is pretty sure her environmentally-conscious great aunt didn't die of natural causes, no matter what the tox screens say. When she discovers she can inherent the family farm if she'll live there for a year, can she give up her teaching job and move to the country? Next door to the obnoxious young, unfortunately handsome, farmer with ties to her aunt? And what about a possible killer on the loose. Join Judy, Hart, Ardyth and know-it-all cat Carranza, for an all-Wisconsin adventure.

Please give us the first page of the book.

One

Judy Winters made divots in the lawn with her church shoes, the ones with the high heels she saved to wear once a week. She stopped her frenetic crisscross pacing under the clothesline to look at her trail. She could dethatch the entire yard if she kept walking in aimless circles. She needed a few minutes away from the houseful of strangers, come to offer their condolences for her loss. Judy needed a few minutes alone to think. To think about poison.

Hand at her brow to shield the sun’s harsh light, Judy surveyed her late aunt’s farm. The half acre surrounding the house sure could use work. What had Aunt Louise done these past two years to allow her once-lovely yard to decline into crabgrass and thistles? Birds might enjoy the seeds, but she’d let the place go. Only a recent lawn-mowing kept the dandelions from taking over. Judy brushed a tear off her cheek, wondering inanely who had mowed since Louise’s death.

Aunt Louise had reported feeling not up to par a week ago, and Judy offered to come for a visit.

“Nothing to worry about,” Aunt Louise had assured. “Better that I rest, and I don’t want you catching whatever bug I’ve come down with, Judy dear.”

And then the shocking phone call came from her aunt’s solicitor, Gene Reynolds. “Sorry to inform you, Miss Winters, that your aunt Louise Jamison has died.”

 How can readers find you on the Internet?

My website is http://lisalickel.com/
I blog at http://reflectionsinhindsight.wordpress.com/, http://wisconsinauthorreview.blogspot.com/
and http://favoritepastimes.blogspot.com/

I’m on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lisalickel  and Shoutlife: http://www.shoutlife.com/lisalicke l, as well as a few other places like Author’s Den, SheWrites, Goodreads, Edgy Christian Fiction Lovers, and I have Amazon and BN author’s pages.

Thank you, Lisa, for the interesting interview and intriguing mystery book.

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

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

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

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

http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/