JOAB'S FIRE - Lynn Squire - Free Book

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

Each character has a bit of me in them. I glean from my life’s experience, especially emotions, to create their perspectives and emotional reactions. That said, often my characters, like Sergeant Dixon, come from a completely different worldview than myself. Creating them challenges me to stretch beyond my own views and consider how someone else might see things. 

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

Quirky? Oh my. I eat my hamburgers upside down. At least, that’s what my husband tells me I do. Which I think is very hard to determine since I don’t eat regular hamburger buns, I eat my hamburgers in crescent rolls flattened out.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

In Bible College I wrote a short story that even a university professor loved. She encouraged me to submit it to magazines. Silly me, I submitted to one, got rejected and figured that was the end of it. That editor had encouraged me to make changes to the story and resubmit. I just saw it as a rejection. I continued to write but never took it seriously until more than a decade later.

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

I read almost any genre (except paranormal). Stories with characters on a tremendous spiritual journey captivate me. I want to be changed for the better after reading the book. I want a clearer understanding of who God is and what God wants from me and who I am in relation to Him when I finish. Depth can be found in almost any genre if you find the right author.

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

My family and my church keep me sane. My husband is chief in the taking it easy department. I’m chief in the run full speed ahead from the time you get up until the time you go to bed. My pastor is not afraid of dealing with the hard issues; teaching from the pulpit the whole counsel of God (i.e. all of Scripture), including those things people don’t want to hear. His solid teaching lived out by my church family help me to remember we’re here only for a short time, and then we will be home. I don’t mind running full speed ahead as long as I know I’m running in God’s will.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

A combination of methods. I want names that are consistent with the area and the era, so I’ll look in historical records. Then I want names that produce a picture of the character in my mind. In the case of Joab Black, I wanted to keep in mind Job from the Bible so I chose a name similar and also familiar to that area and era.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

My three children. Although I’d say they’re more a blessing than an accomplishment. Still, I’ve poured my heart into them. That must account for something, right?

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

A thoroughbred and definitely not a Quarter horse, though some might consider me an Appaloosa.  A thoroughbred because I like to be active. Not a Quarter horse because I’m not slow and steady, though I do tend to operate in sprints. And an Appaloosa because I do have an ornery streak in me.

What is your favorite food?

Hmm. Australian licorice is wonderful, but so is my own version of turkey pot pie. Then there is my homemade cream of celery soup. Oh, and homemade cream of broccoli soup. Okay, let’s just say anything I make. Not that I’m vain or anything, but since I have tons of food allergies what I make I can eat without the fear of becoming very sick.

I can understand that. I have a few food allergies, too, so I have to really watch what I eat. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

Descriptions. I don’t like reading it (usually skim over long descriptions), and I’m not a detailed person so I don’t really think in terms of what type of buttons might be on a person’s blouse. Generally, I write the story then go back and fill in these types of details. I also rely heavily on my critique partners telling me that they’d like a description here, there, and everywhere.

Tell us about the featured book?

Joab's Fire is both a novel and a Bible study based on the Biblical book of Job. The story is set in 1903 at a fictitious town, Surbank Alberta, Canada. While a NWMP officer investigates arson and the suspicious death of a farmer’s son, he finds himself up against a formidable foe with information about the officer’s past that could ruin his present life. Can he solve the mystery surrounding the farmer and save his own career as well?

Please give us the first page of the book.

Chapter One

Surbank, District of Alberta, North-West Territories, Canada 1903

Sergeant Clarence Dixon leaned against the rough wall of the Surbank Train Station and surveyed his territory. Along the western stretch of the rail line waved golden wheat, and the tracks faded into the horizon where ragged mountain peaks rose like jagged teeth. Few homesteads interrupted this view of the Rocky Mountains, though each year another brave family dared to challenge the temperamental land with its ceaseless wind. He rolled a straw between his fingers. It was his duty as one of the North West Mounted Police to be the guardian knight of the territory—do all he could to ensure their safety—whether the locals liked him or not.

In the southeast rolled the Buffalo Hills. Good land there, if anyone dared to tame it. ‘Course sod houses and barns already speckled the southern landscape. Most of them popped up when the Americans pushed north into Canadian territory.

Dixon took a deep breath of hot air and wiped away the beads of sweat forming under his Stetson.  A whistle blew, and the afternoon train rattled into view as it crossed the trestle that stretched over the coulee a mile away. He scanned the prairie for any wagons coming into town. Typically, the Kirklands or one of the local farmers met the train with goods to ship out or orders to pick up.

Sure enough, there was Mrs. Kirkland coming up from the east, and Joab Black rode by Dixon with his son on their Morgan horses. Only people in the country who owned such well-bred animals.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.lynnsquire.com

www.PresentingBiblicalTruths.com

faithfictionfunandfanciful.blogspot.com

Thank you, Lynn, for stopping by my blog.



Joab's Fire-A Distant Hope


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. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

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

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

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

SECOND CHANCE FAMILY - Winnie Griggs - Free Book

Why do you write the kind of books you do?
Interesting question, because I read very eclectically.  But my voice is a small town voice and small town, community-based stories are the ones that come most naturally to me.

Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?
The day my husband proposed to me.

How has being published changed your life?
Ironically, it has brought me out of my shell quite a bit.  Even though writing is a very solitary activity, I have become quite active in local and regional writing organizations and count writers as among my closest and dearest friends.  Also, though I’ve always suffered from an extreme case of stage fright (in college I took 10 hours of Spanish to get out of 3 hours of speech) I find myself actually looking forward to presenting workshops at writers conferences, which I do about 4-6 times a year now.

What are you reading right now?
A book by Laura Marie Altom titled A Wedding For Baby.

What is your current work in progress?
I am writing the third book in a continuity (set of connected books whose storyline is conceived by the editors) for Love Inspired Historicals.  These books follow the lives of three sisters who immigrate from Ireland to America in the 1850s.

I'm sure I'd love that series. What would be your dream vacation?
I’d love to visit Nova Scotia someday.  I grew up in South Louisiana’s Cajun country, and in tracing my family tree, I’ve discovered that some of my Acadian ancestors came over from there and I think it would be fun to experience the place first hand.

I can see why you'd want to go there, and I've heard it beautiful in Nova Scotia. How do you choose your settings for each book?
When I start a book, the setting is nearly as important to me as the characters.  I even spend as much time find just the right town name as I do figuring out the name for my characters.  But as I said before, small towns are my setting of choice.

If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?
I’d love to spend some time with screenwriter Joss Whedon.  I love his writing, especially his dialog - so sharp and unexpected. 

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?
I enjoy experimenting in the kitchen - taking an existing recipe and playing with it to create something new and entirely my own.

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?
I suppose that would be my awful tendency to procrastinate.  There are days when I have to exercise a great deal of discipline and self-control to dive into my story.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?
There’s nothing that takes the place of perseverance.  No matter how talented you are, you will get rejections and harsh critiques - that’s part of the business.  The trick is to not let it discourage you and to keep on keeping on.

Sabrina Jeffries said it this way:  “Sometimes hanging in there is all it takes to succeed in life as well as in writing. Failure is part of the process, but it doesn't have to be the final destination.”

Tell us about the featured book.
Second Chance Family is the third book I’ve set in Knotty Pine, Texas.  Mitch and Cora Beth, the hero and heroine, have both appeared in the first two - The Christmas Journey and The Proper Wife.  It’s been obvious (in a hopefully subtle kind of way) from the outset that these two were attracted to each other, but it wasn’t until I sat down to write this book that I took the time to explore why they never acted on their attraction.  It led to some interesting revelations about their backstory.  

Anyway, here is the official blurb:

Love was out of the question... until it became the only solution.

Mitch Hammond is a man of his word.  And for Cora Beth Collins that’s a problem.  The honorable sheriff has vowed never to love again, for fear of wounding someone else.  The most he can offer is marriage in name only.  But with no other way to adopt two beleaguered, runaway orphans, she accepts.

Despite his intentions, however, Mitch is starting to want more from Cora Beth...and from himself.  For in her trusting eyes he sees everything he hopes to be - as a lawman, a father and a husband.

I can hardly wait to read it. Please give us the first page of the book.

September 1893   Knotty Pine, Texas  

“Hey, let me go!  I ain’t done nothing wrong.”

Sheriff Mitchell Hammond wasn’t buying that for a minute.  The furtive way the boy had been sneaking out of the boardinghouse garden had guilt written all over it.  In fact, Mitch’s gut told him this kid was more than likely the culprit responsible for the rash of petty thefts that had plagued the town the past week or so.  “Stop your squirming, son.  I think maybe we need to talk about that bunch of carrots you have stuffed in your shirt.”

“Them’s my carrots.”

The kid’s voice had more than a touch of bluster to it. 

Mitch tightened his hold on the boy’s collar.  “You don’t say?  Well, here comes Mrs. Collins now.  Since she runs this boardinghouse and this here is her garden, why don’t we see what she has to say about that.”

Cora Beth Collins was bustling toward them.  Even in the watery early morning light he could make out the concerned look on her oh-so-readable face, could tell that her honey-brown hair was pulled back in its usual tidy bun, could appreciate the way her crisply starched apron was tied around her trim waist. 

Mitch frowned as he realized where his thoughts had strayed.  He’d always considered Cora Beth a fine lady and a good friend.  But lately he’d begun to feel something a little warmer than mere friendship when he caught sight of her. 

How can readers find you on the Internet?

My website is www.winniegriggs.com.  And you can find me on facebook as well.


Thank you, Winnie, for stopping by my blog again. You've given us a lot to think about.



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. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

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

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

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

HEARTS IN FLIGHT - Patty Hall - Free Book

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

I think every writer puts a part of themselves into their characters. With Maggie Daniels, my heroine in Hearts in Flight, she’s got my determination to do something she didn’t ever think she could achieve. But determination can also be termed as stubborn, not a very attractive quality if used the wrong way.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

Well, some people think the way I write is quirky. See, I write my first draft in longhand. I’m not sure why except that maybe writing it out gives me permission to mess up at times whereas if I’m on the computer, I want it to be almost perfect. So that tells you that once the story is on my flash drive, it’s almost ready.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

When I was in elementary school, I wrote a series of poems for a sixth grade English assignment. Well, two years passed before I get a letter from Random House—my teacher had put a collection of poems together for a book and five of mine were selected. So I signed my first publishing contract at the age of eleven. The pay was so bad, I didn’t even get a copy of the book. LOL

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

I’m a big history nut so I love autobiographies as well as historical fiction. I do read contemporaries but tend to stay away from horror or thriller types of books.

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

I look at every day as a blessing. My girls tell me sometimes that I’m just too perky and peppy but who couldn’t be—with a loving Father in heaven who loves me and sent His only Son to die for me; a great family; food on the table; clothes on my back. What is there to be down about?

How do you choose your characters’ names?

I’m big on family and friend’s names. Like Maggie Rose Daniels is after my mother, Margaret and my sister, Rose and Wesley is both my father’s and grandfather’s middle name. I can’t wait to use my best friend’s middle daughter’s name—Dania. Isn’t that pretty?

But I also pick names according to the story.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

My family! My oldest daughter has graduated from college and is about to return to school to get her degree in Nursing. My youngest daughter is a college junior and an extremely talented writer and musician. And my husband is the most wonderful man in the world. I’m very blessed!

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

I’d be a mutt simply because I’m very friendly, love most people, and love homecooking.

What is your favorite food?

Grits! When I’m sick or in the hospital for some odd reason, the only thing I will eat is a large bowl of grits with butter and salt. YUM!

I love grits with cheese and garlic or with fruit. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

The biggest problem I’ve ever had with my writing was my pantser ways. Now, there’s nothing wrong with being a pantser—I know quite a few talented writers who write by the seat of their pants. I’m just not one of them. I needed to learn how to plot. So two years ago, I took some time off and took courses in plotting. One class that turned things around for me was Laurie Schnebly Plot Via Motivation class offered through WritersU. That one class taught me how to plot.

Tell us about the featured book.

Here’s the back cover blurb: Serving her country as one of the Women's Army Special Pilots is Maggie Daniels's dearest wish. But there are obstacles to overcome above and beyond the enemies in the Pacific, including her overprotective family, skeptical fellow pilots—and handsome, distant squadron leader Wesley Hicks. Whatever it takes, Maggie will prove herself to Wesley, until she succeeds in winning his admiration…and love.

Wesley can see that Maggie's a first-class pilot. She's also too fearless by half. The war has cost Wesley so much already. Can he let go of his guilt for a chance at happiness—and can he learn to trust in God…and Maggie…enough to believe in love for a lifetime?

Please give us the first page of the book.

      Chapter One

Georgia

1943

     “You’ll never catch a husband if you keep messing with that plane.”

     Maggie Daniels bumped her head against the instrument panel, the memory of her mother’s words at the breakfast table faintly ringing in her ears. She leaned against the weathered pilot’s seat, her fingers lifting to the knot forming at her hairline. Well, someone had to get Old Blue up and running or Daniels’ Crop Dusting would be permanently grounded.

     “Miss Daniels?”

     The deep timbre of a man’s voice rumbled against the worn pine hangar like her two-seater right before take-off. Hidden from the intruder’s view, Maggie peeked over the cockpit. Less than a wingspan away, an unfamiliar man stood with his back to her. A field of khaki cotton stretched across his broad back, his olive suit coat flung over his shoulder like a kite’s tail. What’s a flyboy doing in my hanger?

     “There’s no telling where the woman is at.” The plane shifted slightly as he leaned against its nose. “I’ve got other things to do than standing around here.”

     Heat crept up Maggie’s neck and into her cheeks. Why was it that men, at least the ones she knew, didn’t seem to have a patient bone in their bodies? Always assuming that a girl was more interested in what she put on her head rather than what she put in it? She poked a stray curl into the wool binding of her snood. Well, this war had changed all that, and if she could put her two cents in, she would say it’s about time.

     She grabbed the leather handrail and pulled herself upright. “Lookin’ for me, mister?”

Oh, I can't wait to read it. How can readers find you on the Internet?

I love to hear from people through my website at www.pattysmithhall.com

Thank you, Patty, for dropping by.



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. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

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

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

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

KYLIE'S KISS - Delia Latham - Free Book

I'm happy to host Delia today. In addition to the regular book giveaway, Delia has a whole blog blitz today. She will choose a winner from everyone who leaves a comment today on any of the blogs to win an Oil Bottle Necklace/Pendant.


To find out where all the blogs are, go to this web site:

http://www.delialatham.net/blogblitzjune27th.htm

Delia's bio

Born and raised in a place called Weedpatch, Delia Latham moved from California to Oklahoma in 2008, making her a self-proclaimed California Okie. She loves to read and write in her simple country home, and gets a kick out of watching her husband play Farmer John. The author enjoys multiple roles as Christian wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend, but especially loves being a princess daughter to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. She loves to hear from her readers. You can contact her through her website or send an e-mail to delia AT delialatham DOT net.

Welcome, Delia. Tell us a little bit about who you are outside of the writing field.

I’m a born-and-bred California gal, transplanted to Oklahoma at age 50. Talk about your “change of life!” J My husband and I moved here in 2008, after he was medically retired (with COPD) and needed to get out of the San Joaquin Valley in California, with its sadly tarnished air. I am fortunate to be able to write full time—a new thing for me, and I’m loving it!

The Solomon’s Gate Series sounds intriguing, with the whole dating agency concept. Is your new release, Kylie’s Kiss, a part of that series? Share a bit about Solomon’s Gate.

Solomon’s Gate is a set of three books, based around a Christian dating agency of the same name. The introductory novel, Destiny’s Dream, focuses on Destiny May, who founds a Christian dating agency in a mid-sized, conservative California town. The two follow-up novels involve a couple of Destiny’s “Seekers,” which is her name for the people who come to her seeking a soulmate.

Kylie’s Kiss, book two in the series, released April 29. I’m excited about this book, and the true-to-life issues in the storyline. Here’s a blurb:

On a dare, Kylie Matthews lands smack in the middle of Solomon’s Gate—Castle Creek’s new Christian dating agency—and she finds herself revealing exactly what she’s waiting for in a relationship: “The kiss that steals my breath away.”

What she doesn’t reveal is her lack of self-esteem or her irrational reaction to facial disfigurement. Neither is applicable to her quest to find the perfect match. But that seemingly superficial malady becomes all-important when her first agency-arranged date is Rick Dale—a man who is everything Kylie is searching for. He’s handsome, smart, fun. Rick has it all…including an angelic six-year-old daughter with severe scarring on one side of her face.

Hard at work founding a therapy camp for young female victims of deformity or disfigurement, Rick wants Kylie to be a part of those plans. She’d love to say yes…but how can she, when every contact with the facility’s guests—and Rick’s own daughter—will make her violently ill?

 Kylie is ready to admit their relationship doesn’t stand a chance, but she’s forgotten that God makes a way where there seems no way.

How do you market your work, or does your publisher/s do the majority of the marketing?

 My publisher is wonderful about doing everything they can to get the word out and place our books. They are, however, a small press, and I am expected to help with the marketing. That said, even large presses are now asking authors to contribute something to the promotional process, so I don’t mind. I’m grateful to find a reputable home for my books. White Rose is recognized by both RWA and ACFW, so they must be doing something right. J

We’d love a little hint about what’s inside Kylie’s Kiss. Would you share a scene from the book?

I’d love to!

Rick settled into a seat across from Kylie and Clay and sat in silence for a moment, a slight frown drawing his dark brows together. Finally he looked up, first at Clay, then in her direction. “Kylie, I haven’t had a chance to share with you about Lea, though I believe Clay knows a little.”

Her heart sank and her gaze flew to her boss, who nodded. Yes, he knew about Lea, whoever she was. This didn’t sound good. “Who’s Lea?”

“She’s my little girl.” Kylie drew in a slow, deliberate breath, forcing herself to stay calm. So he had a daughter. As long as a wife wasn’t the next announcement, she could handle that.

“You have a child. How old is she?”

“She just turned six.” Rick’s expression softened as he spoke, and Kylie knew without a doubt that Lea was his life. His green eyes, startling against the olive of his skin, met hers without flinching. “She’s a special child, Kylie. Smart, beautiful, charming….” Kylie found herself fascinated by the adorable little self-derisive grin that played about his lips. “And sweet as cotton candy.”

Kylie couldn’t help smiling. “You don’t like her much, huh?”

“She is my heart and soul.” A little sheepish, but unrepentant.

“When do we get to meet this perfect child?” Clay’s grin lit up his craggy face. “Destiny’s already looking forward to it, but be warned—she’s going to try to keep her. My wife has a thing with kids, man. She loves ’em, and they always love her right back.”

Rick laughed a little, but his tone was serious. “I hope she still feels that way after she meets Lea.” He pulled a wallet from his pocket, then sat for a moment, saying nothing.

Puzzled, Kylie watched him run slender fingers through his thick black hair. Again and again he invaded the thick waves, managing to somehow leave them only slightly mussed. Finally he opened the billfold and pulled out a photo.

When he raised his head, revealing the torment in his eyes, her heart nearly stopped. What was wrong with Lea? Whatever it was, did Rick think it would make a difference in how she or Clay might feel about the child? If so, he certainly didn’t give them much credit.

“This is Lea.” He handed the photo to Clay, who smiled and passed it on to Kylie.

“She’s a cutie all right, my friend. You weren’t exaggerating. So what’s the problem?”

Kylie wondered the same thing. The photo showed a partial silhouette of an extraordinarily beautiful child. Unlike her olive-skinned father, Lea was a vision of light. Golden hair, porcelain skin, eyes the color of a robin’s egg. Kylie met Rick’s gaze, mystified by his obvious unease. “She’s lovely.”

“Thank you. I think so.” He pulled out another photo and handed it to Clay. “In spite of this.”

Kylie’s stomach clenched and threatened to revolt. Her boss’s flinch was slight, but unmistakable. Oh, dear God, please help me handle whatever this is with grace. How ironic that her first real prayer in years would be one of such a pitifully begging nature. Somehow she knew her reaction to this photo could mean life or death for her relationship with Rick. How strange that she’d be thinking in terms of a relationship now, when only moments before she’d been ready to concede defeat.

Clay nodded slowly, then met Kylie’s eyes. He held briefly to the picture even after her fingers closed on it. His words were directed to his friend, but his gaze held hers. “You’re right, my friend. Nothing could make this child anything less than perfect.”

He released the photo into Kylie’s grip. By now she did not want to look at it. Something in Rick’s eyes and Clay’s voice told her she could be in trouble. But what choice did she have?

Her eyes moved in slow, jerking movements from Clay’s face to the photo in her hands. She gasped, overwhelmed with sympathy—and total panic.

Another silhouette, shot from the opposite side of Lea’s face. Long, lumpy red welts stained her exquisite skin, puckering her cheek into an inhuman mask. Kylie had no idea she was crying until the tears tickled her face, even as her throat closed and her stomach lurched.

The photo fluttered to the floor as she leaped to her feet. Sending the two men a desperately apologetic look, she flew out of the room with a hand over her mouth.

What can we expect from you next?

I’m working on a book of women’s fiction. It incorporates characters from both Yesterday’s Promise and Goldeneyes—which is surprising, since Goldeneyes is set in 1936 and 1959, and Yesterday’s Promise is a contemporary romance. Readers who’ve read either or both of those books  will definitely be interested in this one. I’ve also working on a short novella for a Valentine collection. Now to find a home for it… J

What advice would you give to budding authors who have published a book and now ask, "What next?"

Start writing your next one! That said, it’s so important to learn everything you can about marketing a book, because you should be doing that even before yours is released. If you don’t already have a platform of followers/fans, start building one—yesterday! Use as many social networking tools as you can efficiently handle, and work them. If you don’t have a website, get one. This will be crucial to your publicity, and if you can’t afford to have one done professionally, there are numerous free web hosting companies online. Webs.com is a good one. Above all, place your career in the hands of God and follow His lead. He sees the bumps in the road ahead that are not within your line of sight yet, and He knows how to guide you through, around, under or over them…whichever is best for your situation. Trust Him!

As a successful author, are there any words of wisdom you'd like to share?

“Successful” is probably stretching it a bit. I’m still struggling to make a name for myself and get my books on the bookstore shelves, because I truly feel that each of them hold a message from God for someone—hopefully more than one someone. J My advice is always, first of all, to write from the heart. Also, I think it’s absolutely vital to a writer’s success to find a place they can call their own, whether that means a fully-dedicated office, the corner of a bedroom, the end of a dining table, or a closet dedicated to the cause. Wherever, whatever it is, go to that place every day, preferably at the same time every day, and write. Write badly if necessary on some days, but write. That’s what writer’s do.

Just for fun, what super power would you like to be blessed with?

Just one? J I think I’d like to be able to fly, then I could visit all the places I’d love to see without having to spend the money to get there.


Thank you, Delia 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. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)


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


The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.


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

FOREVER AFTER - Deborah Raney - Free Book

Welcome, Deb. As an author, I know it takes a lot of people to birth each book. Who were the people involved in the birthing of this book, and what were their contributions?

I always feel guilty when my name stands alone on the cover because, as you say, so many people are involved in bringing a book to life. Since the issues Forever After deals with are set around firefighting and a homeless shelter, people from those groups were key to my research. Among the firefighters and their wives who answered questions for me, were my niece and her firefighter husband. I’m not sure I could have written the book without their insight and info. I also depended heavily on my experience as a volunteer at our local homeless shelter, and all the workers and clients there. And as always, my critique partner, Tamera Alexander, early readers Terry Stucky and Courtney Walsh, and my editor at Howard, Holly Halverson. Others too numerous to mention help with research and “author support.”

If you teach or speak. What’s coming up on your calendar?

I’ve just come off a busy conference season, teaching at Mount Hermon in California, and in North Carolina at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference. My calendar isn’t nearly as busy the next couple of months since I have a new book to finish before July 1! But I am keynoting the all-school reunion in my hometown of Lyons, Kansas over the 4^th of July, and I have a book signing in Newton, Kansas on July 9. It’s always a joy to meet my readers there! The next event after those is the Gideon Media Arts Conference in North Carolina in August, and the ACFW Conference in September in St. Louis, where I’ll be teaching a two-hour workshop with Tammy Alexander.  

If you had to completely start over in another place, where would you move, and why?

That’s easy! It would be in the beautiful state of Missouri where our three little grandsons live! We have a fourth grandbaby due in July in Iowa, so I’ll soon be torn about the answer to that question!

If you could only tell aspiring novelists one thing, what would it be?

Don’t rush the process. It takes time to learn the craft of writing. It takes time to find the right agent and publishing house. Sometimes I’m afraid new writers rush ahead of God and miss the blessings he has for them even in rejection and in that waiting time.

You’ve been asked to be in charge of a celebrity cruise. Who would you ask to take part, and why? (AS in what program, singers, etc. [it doesn’t have to be writing related])

I’m not a huge fan of cruises, so I’m afraid I’d cancel the cruise and invite the celebrities to come to Europe instead. (Can I do that?) I’d ask retired Army chaplain Jeff Strueker (of Blackhawk Down fame) to speak; music would be provided by Shannon Labrie (talented daughter of my novelist friend Stephanie Grace Whitson), and the Steel Wheels (lead singer grew up next door to us), and the incomparable Liz Curtis Higgs would also speak and emcee the whole event (along with taking us all on a guided tour of Scotland!)

I would go to Europe with you. Tell us about the featured book.

Forever After is second in the Hanover Falls Novels series, picking up the story of Lucas Vermontez and Jenna Morgan. Lucas was a proud firefighter like his father. Now, not only has he lost his father and his best friend, Zach, in the fire at the Grove Street Homeless Shelter, but the devoted rookie can no longer do the work he loves after being crippled in the tragic event. When friendship with his buddy's beautiful widow turns into more, he wonders what he could possibly offer Jenna. Jenna is trying to grieve her husband's death like a proper widow, but the truth is, she never really loved Zach. His death feels more like a relief to her. But that relief is short-lived when she loses her home and the financial support of her in-laws. Now the secrets of her past threaten to destroy her future

Please give us the first page of the book.

Forever After

Chapter One

Thursday, November 1

Lucas Vermontez clutched the mask to his face and forced out a measured breath. His air-pack fed a steady line of filtered, compressed air, but the thick wall of smoke in front of him carried him to the brink of claustrophobic madness.

He sucked in oxygen and exhaled again. He could not panic! Standing statue-still in the smoky darkness, he strained to discern the human voices he was sure he'd heard mere seconds earlier. But his helmet and hood created their own "white noise" and no sound pierced them save the roar of the fire.

The concrete beneath his feet shuddered and an explosion rocked the building. He dropped down on all fours, scrambling for protection from the debris that rained down on him. Beside him, Molly Edmonds went down, eyes wild behind her mask. She quickly regained her feet, motioning wildly behind them toward the entrance they'd come in.

In the aftermath of the explosion, the pipes overhead trembled and several beams bowed beneath the weight of the building.

They didn't stand a chance if the structure collapsed. He and his comrades were in the belly of the beast––the basement of the former hospital that now housed a homeless shelter––with three stories rising above them.

Where can we find you on the Internet?

I’d love to see you over at my website: www.deborahraney.com. Or as a Facebook friend: https://www.facebook.com/deborah.raney, or follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/authordebraney  

Thank you for sharing your new book with us, Deb.

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. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

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

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

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

Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com 

Winners!!!!!!

Be sure to check out the next post. It's a new interview today, and you won't want to miss Loree's new book.

Linda Kish (CA) is the winner of Pious by Kenn Bivins.
Merry (TX) is the winner of Under a Desert Sky by DiAnn Mills.
Salena Stormo (TX) is the winner of The Lady of Bolton Hill by Elizabeth Camden.
Deborah (VA) is the winner of Beyond All Measure by Dorothy Love.
Kristie (OH) is the winner of Driven by Shellie Neumeier.
Krista (OR) is the winner of Night of the Cossack by Tom Blubaugh.

If you won a book, please give the author the courtesy of writing a review on Goodreads, Amazon.com, Christianbooks.com, or other Internet sites. Also, tell your friends about the book. Thank you.

Congratulations, everyone. Send me your mailing address:
Click the Contact Me link at the top of the blog, and send me an Email.
Remember, 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.

UNBRIDLED HOPE - Loree Lough - Free Book

How did you come up with the idea for this story?

Well, when I realized how Matt, the hero in Maverick Heart, was much more like a brother to Micah, the hero in Unbridled Hope, I needed to find a way to underscore their relationship. What better way than to have Micah make an ultimate sacrifice for the cousin who'd defended him from bullies? Then, one thing just led to another, and before I knew it, a steamboat had exploded, a boy went deaf, and an innocent baby was in need of a family!

Just like that? Huh? Sounds wonderful. If you were planning a party with Christian authors of contemporary fiction, what six people would you invite and why?

Hmm…that's a tough one, because I have dozens and dozens of writer pals are fun and talented! I guess I'd have to put all of their names in a hat to choose just six of them!

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

I'd have to do the very same thing for writers of historical Christian fiction!

You know you’d have to pick me for that one. 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?

The biggest challenge I face—and I think it's a problem for every writer—is TIME. I sometimes wonder if I'll ever find a way to convince friends and family that working at home and having unlimited free time isn't synonymous! The other difficulty is making tough choices, between "doing the right thing" when a friend or relative needs me…and meeting a crushing book deadline.

Tell us about the featured book.

Life is a dream come true for pretty Callie Roberts—until her worst nightmare comes true. A steamboat boiler explosion kills her parents, her oldest brother, and her fiancé. It also leaves her young brother deaf and carves a hideous scar across her face…a haunting reminder of the tragedy that she is convinced is all her fault. In an attempt to get on with her life, she and her brother settle in Eagle Pass, Texas, where, in no time, her shop becomes one of the most successful in town.

Life isn't quite as successful for the Neville family, whose Lazy N Ranch is struggling, following oppressive drought, an Anthrax epidemic, weevils, and prairie fires. Micah volunteers to go to San Antonio for fresh seed to replenish the silos, destroyed by a tornado, but his offer has an ulterior motive: His cousin Dan is in trouble, as evidenced by the letter Micah intercepted by mistake, and he intends to make things right!

It's a shock to everyone when Micah returns with a baby in tow. He's determined to do anything in his power to protect Dan's reputation, even if it means pretending to be the boy's father. He can handle gossip and judgmental glances just fine, and when Callie offers to help him take care of the child, gratitude quickly blossoms into love.

But will the misguided decisions these two have made keep them apart, or can they face the truth about themselves—and one another—and discover a love they could never have imagined?

Now it really sounds intriguing. Please give us the first page of the book.

           

Raw, unrelenting wind whistled across the deckboards, scattering newspapers and rattling the cleats as the steamboat chugged toward its next stop, Clear Fork. Callie cupped her elbows, wishing she'd thought to grab her shawl. She'd never liked weather like this, for it reminded her too much of the bitter Baltimore winter of '85 that nearly killed her mother…and prompted her father's decision to move the family west. Ever since, Callie had begun every day with a prayer for her mother's continued health, and ended by asking God to ease the ache of homesickness.

In time, the Lord answered the first prayer. The second, He'd granted in the form of a young seminary graduate who'd been hired to entertain guests with the soothing sonatas of Beethoven and Bach. And, just as the sunshine dispels nippy mists from the river, the music of Seth's love had turned her longing for Maryland into a dim yet melodious memory.

Tonight, her beloved beau would give his final performance for the tycoons, high rollers, and politicians who gathered nightly in the grand salon. His final, because, in twelve short hours, Callie's father—chaplain and owner of the Maybelline—would pronounce Seth and Callie man and wife.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Before I answer that one, I'd like to thank you, Lena, for extending this invitation. You're a true joy and blessing to all who know you, and I'm proud and honored to call you friend.

Readers can find me at Facebook, Twitter, and Shoutlife, my blog (http://www.theloughdown.blogspot.com) and web site (http://www.loreelough.com) and my regular monthly column, "Loree's Lough Down," at Christian Fiction Online Magazine.

Such fun to have you here, Loree.



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. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

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

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

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

IDAHO BRIDES - Erica Vetsch - Free Book

Why do you write the kind of books you do?

History and romance were a natural mix for me. I’m a sucker for a happy ending, and I’ve always been interested in history. I taught history when my kids were small, and I love museums and history books. I admire the pioneer spirit of 19^th Century Americans, and I love learning more about their lives.

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

This is a tough one. I’ve had a wonderful life so far. My wedding day was amazing, but then so were the days when my babies were born. The day I held my first published novel in my hands is a day I will never forget.

How has being published changed your life?

Deadlines! I’ve released nine books in the last 20 months, with six more in the pipeline. Barbour has really kept me hopping.

What are you reading right now?

An Irish Country Doctor by Patrick Taylor. My mom recommended it.

What is your current work in progress?

I’m currently working on a novella collection that will come out next spring entitled Sagebrush Knights. Four sisters become mail-order brides in Wyoming Territory.

We must feature it. Let me know when you have a pub date. I love mail-order bride stories. My Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico, is one. What would be your dream vacation?

I’d love to spend about a month touring New Zealand. Ever since high school when I first read romances by Essie Summers, I’ve longed to see New Zealand.

I read a lot of Lucy Walker romances set in Australia, and I love to go there. How do you choose your settings for each book?

I’m always on the lookout for an interesting historical site or event to set a story around. My debut novel was set in Duluth, MN and features a shipwreck that actually occurred in 1905. The Idaho Brides stories were a bit different because I was filling an open slot that Heartsong had for an historical series set in Idaho.

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

I think I’d like to have dinner with George W. Bush. I’d like to hear his testimony, and talk with him about his time in the White House.

I’d love to be there with you. What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

Visiting museums. Watching movies. Building jigsaw puzzles. I particularly enjoy building Charles Wysocki puzzles.

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

Focusing while at home. I have a hard time writing at my house, so I overcome this by writing at a coffee shop or at the library.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

I’d advise a new author to write a letter to themselves. Put in all the reasons why you love to write and want to be a writer. Tell yourself what you’re going to do when the going gets tough. Put it away, and when disappointments come, rejections, long waits, setbacks, etc. take the letter out and remind yourself of why writing is precious to you and why you’re going to keep going.

Tell us about the featured book.

Idaho Brides - Experience the Wild West through the eyes of the three McConnell brothers who long to overcome their troubled childhood as drunkard’s sons. Can Alec show that he’s worthy of the ranch boss’s daughter? Can Trace help a distraught woman trust again? Will Cal prove his innocence to a U. S. Marshal in disguise? Will they each find a woman with whom they can trust their tender hearts?

Justice is demanded from the McConnell brothers who are tainted by association with their abusive father. Can Alec show that he’s worthy of the boss’s daughter? Can Trace help a distraught woman trust again? Will Cal prove his innocence to a U. S. Marshal in disguise?

Please give us the first page of the book.

Clara and the Cowboy – Book One of Idaho Brides

Idaho Territory, 1883

A bullet shattered the window frame beside Clara Bainbridge’s cheek,

and in an instant drowsiness fled. Robbers! She gritted her teeth, heart

thumping.

Another shot ricocheted off the door. The driver cracked his whip, shouting

at the six-horse team. The coach lurched like a drunken cowboy.

Clara tumbled to the floor amid the packages and parcels that had shared her

seat. She hit her chin on a fellow traveling companion’s knee, rattling her teeth

and sending a jolt through the top of her head.

“Wha—?” The passenger—Sparks, ma’am, call me Sparks—rocketed upright,

blasted from his nap by the commotion. He blinked, floundering. “What’s

going on?”

Clara scrabbled and swayed, trying to find a good purchase to propel herself

upright again. Her pulse threatened to jump out of her throat. More gunshots

sounded, some thudding into the coach, others whining past overhead.

Sparks’s flailing elbow dislodged her hat and sent her carefully pinned hair

tumbling into her eyes. Sprawled as she was in the minimal floor space, she

could hardly tell up from down. Her hand found the edge of the bench, and

she dragged herself onto the seat once more.

“The floor might be a safer place for you, Miss Bainbridge.” Mr. Devers, the

other man in the coach, raised his voice to be heard above the clamor. Polished,

polite, and devilishly handsome, he seemed none too worried over their

present situation. The poor greenhorn had no idea the peril they were in. He

and Mr. Sparks had boarded the stage in Elko and appeared to be traveling

together. Though truthfully, Clara hadn’t paid too much attention to the pair.

She had focused all her attention on how close she was to home. And seeing

him again.

Of course, all that had changed when the first bullet hit the stage.

“How many are there?” Sparks tried to stick his head through the window

but yanked back when a bullet chipped the paint near his ear. He drew his pistol

and checked the chambers.

Mr. Devers stuck his head out then pulled back in, blinking hard.

All right. I’m hooked. How can readers find you on the Internet? 

I blog at: http://onthewritepath.blogspot.com/

You can find me on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/erica.vetsch

and Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/EricaVetsch

And on the web at: http://webpages.charter.net/ericavetsch/home.html

Thank you, Erica, 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. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (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 if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link.
Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com