A BRIDE'S PORTRAIT OF DODGE CITY, KANSAS - Erica Vetch - Free Book

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

I suppose a little of me creeps into each of the heroines I write, but I try to vary the personalities/character types so nobody sounds or acts just like me. I’ve fallen in love with a book on writing characters called The Complete Writer’s Guide to Heroes and Heroines. I love the way this book shows the interaction of character types and gives examples from TV and movies. By mixing up these character-traits, I can hopefully keep my characters from being too much like me—or each other.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I have so many quirks, it’s hard to pick out just one, so I’ll give you three of the many.

--One time when I was in kindergarten while walking home from school, I tried to see how slowly I could walk without falling over. (Yes, really, stop laughing!) I was really, really late getting home from school and my mom came looking for me. I was in soooo much trouble.

--I also scalp my pizza. I eat all the toppings off the crust and eat the crust separately. No clue why, it just tastes good that way.

--My family and I have been to 16 historical sites/museums run by the MN Historical Society. My goal is to eventually visit them all. I think I have four or five left to see.

--Oh, and bonus quirk: I don’t like seafood. At all. Nothing From The Sea is my motto.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I think the seeds were there for a long time. I have a post over on Seekerville where I followed the trail of becoming a writer from my kindergarten days onward. I’ve always loved reading, story-weaving, and daydreaming. Couple those things with my love of words, history, and happy endings, and it was a natural progression to historical romance writer.

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

I read a lot of different things. Mysteries, history books, thrillers, historical romances, biographies, memoirs. I love Dick Francis, Tom Clancy, Elizabeth Peters, Sarah Graves, Mary Connealy, James Herriot, Essie Summers, Zane Grey, and so many more.

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

I’m busier now than I’ve ever been, but I keep my sanity the same way I always have. Retreating into my fictional worlds. I have to have this downtime…when it looks like I’m not doing anything at all…in order to recharge the creative batteries and to prepare to write. On a side note, I do have to pull back on other things I’m involved with, say no to some good things in order to pursue writing fiction. I’ve learned I can’t do it all, so I have to be careful what I say yes to. 

How do you choose your characters’ names?

 There are several things I take into consideration when choosing character names. Ethnic background, historical setting, economic background, connotations, and what exceptions can I make to these rules. The era in history that I’m writing has a lot to do with the names I choose, as well as the economic status of the characters. My first series was set in the Gilded Age amongst the upper elite. The names were more elaborate. My second series was set in Idaho territory and the names were more rugged or plain. I consider the ethnic background of the characters as well. Are they Scots, Norwegian, German, Irish? Here in Minnesota we have a lot of Scandinavian and German names. A name like Jukka Thoreson wouldn’t be out of place in a MN historical. I also try to choose names that fit the type of character I’m creating. I want the name to evoke a certain idea in the character’s mind even before they get to know the character. My current Work in Progress has a hero named Gareth, (like Sir Gareth of the Round Table) and I hope this evokes ideas of a knight in shining armor, someone steeped in chivalry, and willing to risk his life for a damsel in distress.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

The writing accomplishment I’m most proud of to date is receiving so many honors in the 18^th Annual Heartsong Awards this past spring. The readers were so kind to me, and it was wonderful to see my books were enjoyed by so many people.

The non-writing accomplishment I’m the most proud of is my family. My husband and I have been happily married for 21 years now and we have two great kids.

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

I wouldn’t mind being a panda. They are adorable and rare and cherished. Oh, and they’re supposed to be round all over, which I kinda am. J

What is your favorite food?

My current go-to food is taco salad at Carlos O’Kelly’s restaurant. I order it every time I go there.

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

Showing vs. telling was a hard one for me to get my head around. I thought I knew what it meant, but even now I’m discovering new ways to show instead of tell. As to overcoming it, critique partners helped a lot, as did reading books by masters of showing vs. telling. Some writers are very, very good at this technique and I always learn new things by reading their work.

Tell us about the featured book.

The Queen of the Cow Towns is the setting for a rollicking romantic mystery.

Dodge City deputy Miles Carr is on a mission to overcome his past and prove himself worthy of the badge he wears. When one of the town’s most popular merchants is murdered, Miles’s investigation leads him to the portrait studio of pretty but aloof Adeline Reed.

When Addie Reid isn’t focused on the world she sees through the lens of her camera, she’s looking over her shoulder. But it isn’t her past that’s caught up with her. Unwittingly in possession of a clue that will expose a killer, Addie must join forces with Miles to solve the crime. As their relationship develops, a portrait of the killer emerges. 

I’m totally intrigued. Please give us the first page of the book.

Uncle Carl had taught her that the customer should be accommodated no matter what, but surely there were limitations. Addie Reid pressed her fingertips against her temple. “You want to do what?”

“I want my picture made with my horse.”

“Sir, this isn’t a livery stable. I do serious portraiture.”

The cowboy—so prototypical of the breed as to be comical with his wide hat, sunburned face, and bat-wing chaps—waved a scrap of newsprint in her face. “Read this here ad. It says ‘Come to Reid’s Photography to get your portrait taken with your trail pards and best friends.’ This is your ad, ain’t it? You are Reid’s Photography?”

A small pang twisted Addie’s heart. She was now. What if I can’t do this alone?

“Well?”

“Yes, that’s my advertisement, and this is Reid’s Photography.”

“Good. Then I want my picture made with my trail pard and best friend. I’ve got good, cash money. Trail boss paid us off an hour ago. I got spiffed up down at the barbershop and headed right here.”

“But sir, a horse? The advertisement is intended for humans.”

“That horse”—he pointed through the open door to a dusty animal dozing in the sun on Front Street—“is the best friend and trail pard I’ve ever had. He’s smart and gentle and has forgotten more about cow work than I’ll ever know.”

Which was either an accolade for the horse or an insult to the cowboy. She blew out a breath. “I can’t haul the camera out into the street.” Though she wouldn’t risk moving the Chevalier for a simple portrait, perhaps she could use her smaller Scovill. Though the print would be smaller, too.

“I don’t want no outside picture. I want it taken in the studio with one of those fancy backdrops. And I want the picture to be about this big”—he held up his hands about a foot apart—“so it will look good in a frame on the wall.”

That ruled out the Scovill. A print that size would need the bigger camera. Her mind trotted back to what he’d said, and her jaw dropped. “You intend to bring a horse inside?” Jamming her hands on her hips, she shook her head. “No. Impossible. I’ll take your picture, and it will be a good one, but the animal stays outside.”

He tugged the corner of his enormous moustache. “I reckoned as much. No gumption. Should’ve known better than to come to a woman photographer. A man would understand. Guess I’ll go over to Donaldson’s. He offered to do it for me, but I wanted to give you a try at it first, since you’re new in town and all. He said you’d be too timid.”

Stung, Addie straightened. “Wait. Don’t go.” Donaldson’s Photography three blocks down would be her biggest competitor, and Heber Donaldson had been the most vocal about the new photography shop on Front Street stealing his customers. “We can work something out.” But it would have to be worth her while. She hesitated then quoted him a price.

The cowboy grinned. “That sounds fine to me.”

This book just jumped to the top of my to-be-read pile. 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 the fun interview.


Readers, here's a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.
A Bride's Portrait of Dodge City, Kansas


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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.

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WHEN TWO HEARTS MEET - Janelle Mowery - Free Book

Welcome, Janelle. How wonderful to have two books release the same month. What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about? 

I like to write about the spiritual issues I’ve dealt with, like trust, judging others, hope, grace, doubts, fear, and forgiveness.

What other books of yours are coming out soon?

I only have one other book yet to be released. It is titled Inn Plain Sight, book three in the Massachusetts Mayhem Mystery Series. All three of this mystery series will be released as e-books in November and December as part of the Spyglass Lane Mysteries line. Readers can learn more about this mystery line at http://www.spyglasslanemysteries.com .

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

I think I would enjoy an evening with Barbara Bush (and George). They’ve had so many unique experiences, some time with them would be interesting and informative.

What historical person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why? 

This is such a difficult question because there are so many I’d like to meet. I chose Corrie ten Boom the last time. As an author, I enjoy spending time with other authors, so I guess this time I’d like some time with either Jane Austen or Louisa May Alcott. They made a great impact on the writing world.

How can you encourage authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers?

Don’t look at rejections as a negative thing but as a chance to keep honing your writing skills. The agents or editors aren’t saying ‘no’ but ‘not yet’. Take the time to read the how-to books as well as attend writer’s conferences or workshops. Join critique groups. The give and take you get in a critique group are incredibly beneficial. Don’t give up. Everything worthwhile takes effort.

Tell us about the featured book. 

When Two Hearts Meet is about a heroine who has studied to be a nurse, mainly because of how her brother died and she wanted to learn how to help others, but Rachel also has a heart for those who are hurting. The hero is a man who lost his sheriff father in a gunfight. Several years later, Luke becomes a lawman to try to stop the outlaws before they can hurt anyone. But Luke is angry at God for allowing his father to die and has built a wall around his heart. When an unknown assailant makes several attempts on Rachel’s life, she finds herself in need of Luke’s protection. As he hunts for her attacker, he finds he has fallen in love and is faced with the fear that he might lose another loved one. He must decide whether he can learn to rely on God to save her, or run from the love both God and Rachel offer.

Please give us the first page of the book.

 

Warned by the clatter of breaking glass, Luke Mason flung himself from his saddle. Seconds later the sound of gunshots reached his ears. The bullet splintered a branch behind his head. He pulled his pistol and rolled toward the protection of a large pine tree.

 Crazy Sally wasn’t so crazy after all. Her ravings during the past week about strange smells and noises didn’t come from an over active imagination but from the cabin in front of him.

The strong odor of cooking mash proved the presence of a working still inside. Luke stood and peeked from behind the tree. A shadow passed in front of a window followed by more shattering glass and clanging. A string of curses drifted toward him as two men argued. Time to establish some kind of communication with those inside.

“Hello in the cabin!” Silence. “This is Deputy Mason. I’d like to come in and talk.”

Two quick, successive shots were his answer. Luke fired back and moved to another tree to get closer. A bullet landed a foot over his head. Chips of bark pelted his hat. Luke took a deep breath and plunged toward a boulder as he fired several rounds. A thin stream of smoke drifted skyward from the cabin.

Luke hunkered down and reloaded as he prepared to dash toward the structure. He couldn’t believe they’d burn their still on purpose. The fire must have started by accident or else they were planning their escape.

With a tug on his hat, Luke spun around ready to make his move. The thunder of horses’ hooves and wagon wheels coming down the trail made him freeze. He squatted lower and waited.

Way to leave us hanging. How can readers find you on the Internet? 

Readers can find me at www.janellemowery.com or on Facebook.

Thank you, Janelle, for the fun interview.

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

When Two Hearts Meet (Colorado Runaway Series)


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.

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LAST OCTOBER WINNERS!!!

Jo (AZ) is the winner of Freezing Point by Elizabeth Goddard.
Merry (TX) is the winner of Lady in the Mist by Laurie Alice Eakes.
Gwendolyn Gage (TX) is the winner of Love on the Line by Deeanne Gist.
Angela (KY) is the winner of Charlotte's Angel by Carol Preston.
Miss Mona (OH) is the winner of The Measure of Katie Calloway by Serena Miller.
Connie R (ME) is the winner of The Lady's Maid by Susan Page Davis.

If you won a book and you really like it, consider giving the author the courtesy of writing a review on Goodreads, Amazon.com, Christianbooks.com, Barnes and Noble, or other Internet sites. 

Also, tell your friends about the book and this blog. 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 4 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.

REMEMBERING CHRISTMAS - Dan Walsh - Free Book

I love Christmas novels, Dan. What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about?

I like to write about the themes that matter most in life (by God’s definition, not so much ours). Then I like to craft stories that reveal God’s perspective on these themes, played out in the lives of credible, captivating characters going through big dramatic things (and occasionally a few interesting small things). Situations get pretty tough in the beginning and middle of my books, and maybe even more so near the end but, because I’m writing from a Christian perspective, I love endings that reveal the power and lovingkindness of God, so that the reader is stirred to put their hope in God for whatever they’re going through in real life.

What other books of yours are coming out soon?

In November, I have another book coming out, this time with Guideposts called Autumn Light, for their Miracles of Marble Cove series. But readers can only get this through their book club, not in retail stores. Here’s a link if you’d like to check it out: http://www.shopguideposts.org/miracles-of-marble-cove-series.html.

Next April, my 5^th book with Revell releases, called The Discovery. It’s already available for pre-order on Amazon (look it up if you’d like to find out a little bit about the story, or just check out the amazing cover the art department came up with). I’ve recently finished my 6^th book for Revell, called The Reunion, now in the editing phase.

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

It would have to be Dr. Gary Smalley (http://smalley.cc/ ). I’ve recently signed to do a 4-book fiction series with him for Revell (actually working on the first novel right now). I’ve gotten to spend some one-on-one time with him already, but not near as much time as I’d like. He’s a fascinating man who, at age 71, has accomplished amazing things for God in the areas of family life and personal relationships over the last 35 years. Yet, he’s so humble and easy to be with, and he has great stories to tell.

What historical person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why?

Either the apostles Paul or John. I love their epistles so much (and John’s gospel), but I’d love to be able to spend time with them, particularly to find out what their personal walk with Christ was like. You know, the day-to-day behind-the-scenes stuff, not so much the epic Bible events they experienced.

How can you encourage authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers?

The first thing would be to keep your eyes on Jesus, and make your relationship with Him the most important thing. Pursuing any earthly goal can easily become a preoccupying idol that will rob you of the peace and joy God wants you to experience along the way.

On the practical side…put most of your energy on the writing itself, crafting the best book you can possibly write. That’s what matters most (not things like social networking, building a platform, etc. although they do matter some). My editor, Andrea Doering (who just won ACFW’s Editor-of-the-year) said whenever she’s given an author proposal, the first thing she does is skip to the writing. She reads the first 3-5 pages, because to her the main thing is how well the author writes. She can spot the telltale signs that show whether an author’s work is really up to par, and if his/her writing style really captures her interest. If the writing isn’t there, she passes on the proposal.

Publishers are still, and will always be interested in a great story, well told.

That is so true. Tell us about the featured book.

I love the one-line sentence the marketing folks came up with: Can one Christmas change a life forever? That really sums up Remembering Christmas well. Here’s a little more about the storyline:

Rick Denton is a young successful CPA who lives his life on his terms. He works hard, plays hard, and answers to no one. So when his mother calls on Thanksgiving weekend begging him to come home after his stepfather has a stroke, Rick is more than a little reluctant. He's never liked Art and resents the man's presence in his life, despite the fact that his own father abandoned the family when Rick was just twelve. What was supposed to be just a couple days helping out at the family bookstore turns into weeks of cashing out old ladies and running off the homeless man who keeps hanging about.

Slowly but surely, the little bookstore and its quirky patrons―as well as the lovely young woman who works at his side each day―work their magic on him, revealing to Rick some startling truths about his family, his own life, and the true meaning of Christmas.

Please give us the first page of the book.

I can do a little better than that. Click on this link, and you can read the first chapter of Remembering Christmas (it’s short, maybe 3 pages):

http://www.danwalshbooks.com/RememberingChristmas.html

How can readers find you on the Internet?

From the homepage on my website, there are buttons to read my blog or follow me on Facebook or Twitter. It’s www.danwalshbooks.com (you can also preview my other novels and find links to order them from the major online stores).



Readers, 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

THE WONDER OF YOUR LOVE - Beth Wiseman - Free Book + Party With More Prizes

Welcome back, Beth. It was so good to see you at the ACFW national conference. How did you come up with the idea for this story? 

At the end of book #1 in the Land of Canaan series—Seek Me With All Your Heart—Katie Ann’s husband had left her pregnant and alone in their Old Order Amish community.  As it is with all my books, God plants the story in my mind, then I do my best to nurture it along.     

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

Kelly Long, Amy Clipston, Vannetta Chapman, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Kathy Fuller, and Cindy Woodsmall.  Then I’d sneak in the rest of the Amish fiction authors so we could all learn from each other. 

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

Until recently, I didn’t think I was a fan of historical fiction, so I haven’t read a lot in the genre.  But I read two historicals that changed my mind—Spring for Suzanna by Catherine Richmond and A Texan’s Promise by Shelley Gray.  Both great books, so I’d invite Catherine and Shelley to my party and ask them to recommend a few others.  J  I’d also invite Kelly Long to this party because she is writing an Amish historical that I think will be fabulous.   

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? 

It’s the same problem I’ve had since I started.  Balance.  I love my family and friends, but I have to know when it’s important to say ‘no’ and when it’s equally as important to say ‘yes’.   

Tell us about the featured book. 

Katie Ann Stoltzfus lives in the small Amish community of Canaan, Colorado.  At forty, she is widowed and raising her first child.  Eli Detweiler has come to Canaan for a wedding and a long vacation.  Having raised six children following the death of his young wife, Eli is finally an empty-nester.  He’s enjoying the slower pace of having no one to care for but himself.  When Katie Ann and Eli meet there is an instant connection.  Yet as strong as the attraction is, they both acknowledge that a romance would never work.  He is done parenting, while she has just begun.  But as their friendship blossoms into feelings that are as frightening as they are intoxicating, Katie Ann and Eli question if the plans they made for themselves are in line with God’s plans.     

Please give us the first page of the book.

Chapter One

Katie Ann reached into the drawer of the end table next to the couch and pulled out the letter she’d received two weeks ago. She knew it would upset her stomach to read it—as it had a dozen times already—but she unfolded it anyway. She couldn’t imagine why her husband’s mistress, Lucy Turner, was planning to travel all the way to Colorado to see her. She took a deep breath and read the letter again.

Dear Katie Ann,

I hope this letter finds you well. I heard from some of our mutual acquaintances here in Lancaster County that you had a healthy baby boy and named him Jonas. Congratulations to you. A baby is such a miracle from God.

Katie Ann rolled her eyes, the way she always did at Lucy’s mention of God. A good, godly woman wouldn’t get involved with another woman’s husband. Although she knew good and well that it took two for such deception. She let out a heavy sigh and continued reading.

I’m sure that I am the last person you want to hear from, and I’m sorry to bother you, but I need to meet with you. I know it is awkward, but I have something important to discuss, and it’s too much to say in a letter, or even over the phone. As soon as I can arrange to be off work, I will be traveling to Colorado. I hope that you can find time to meet with me to discuss this urgent matter. I thought it might be easiest for you if you knew in advance that I’m coming.

All the best to you and your new little one,

Lucy Turner

Intriguing. How can readers find you on the Internet? 

www.bethwiseman.com,

www.amishhearts.com,

www.amishliving.com,

Fans of Beth Wiseman on Facebook, and Twitter.  


Beth Wiseman’s new book in the Land of Canaan series, The Wonder of Your Love, has just released! To CELEBRATE Beth’s hosting a fabulous Author Chat Facebook Party and giving away one of her own beautiful paintings! Click for details and don’t miss the fun. Prizes, sneak peek of Book 3 and a Qand A with Beth! http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/text/13433387

CLICK the button (below) to RSVP for the party - then join us on November 1st for a book chat, Amish themed trivia contest, and more!

The Wonder of Your Love Facebook Party on 11/1!

Blog tour schedule:  http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/text/13433387)  


Thank you, Beth, for the interesting interview.


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

The Wonder of Your Love (A Land of Canaan Series)


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

TORRENT - Lisa Tawn Bergren - Free Book

I have been looking forward to this interview. I had Waterfall, book one of your series, on my Kindle. The minute I finished reading it, I immediately bought and downloaded book two, Cascade. After reading it, I got the print copy of Torrent and devoured it. Lisa, why do you write the kind of books you do?

Hmmm…Writing comes out of my imagination, my experience, my dreams, my hopes, my fears, my beliefs…So that’s a tough question. It just is. I don’t write books as an agenda, or to accomplish a specific goal—other than to lead people a little bit closer to the Source of all Love. That allows for all KINDS of different books, which I think you’d see, if you looked at all 40+ books I’ve written, all laid out across the floor.

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

Marrying my husband, Tim. Next year, I’ll celebrate twenty years with my best friend.

How has being published changed your life?

Eventually it became our main source of income—that’s pretty monumental. J But it’s also opened my eyes to dreaming big, and seeing dreams realized. It’s fun, every time.

What are you reading right now?

THE WORLD IN 2050, by Laurence Smith. It’s nonfiction, and projects what will be happening if we currently continue on demographic, geological, globalization and cultural trends. Since I’m considering writing a futuristic YA series next, it’s important for me to know what might happen, if Jesus doesn’t return! Other than that—the last book was SARAH’S KEY, an amazing novel, and a ton of general market YA novels.

What is your current work in progress?

I’m working on the final rounds with my editor of GLAMOROUS ILLUSIONS, the first book in the Grand Tour Series, which will come out June 2012. I’ll move right into #2 and #3 in that series, and perhaps will dabble in some e-publishing, continuing the River of Time Series.

If you do ebooks continuing this series, I want you back on my blog with them. What would be your dream vacation?

Anyone who knows me knows I constantly dream of Italy. I’d love to spend an entire month there…traveling from top to bottom, and an entire Summer, settled into a cozy little villa in the hills, where I could hear the bells tolling, smell the lavender and rosemary on the breeze…*sigh*

How do you choose your settings for each book?

They have to be places I love, since locations are always so integral to my stories. They really are the catalyst, in many ways. For the Homeward Trilogy (Breathe, Sing, Claim) it was Colorado, because the main character suffered from consumption, and Colorado Springs was a leader in the sanitorium biz. For the River of Time (Waterfall, Cascade, Torrent) it was Tuscany, because the heroine’s parents are Etruscan archeologists and the hero is a medieval prince of sorts…For my upcoming Grand Tour series (Glamorous Illusions et al), the books will be set in unique, iconic cities—Paris, Venice, Rome—because those are perfect locations for characters to really come of age, to discover monumental, formative things about themselves and their world.

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

Whew. Glad I’m not hanging out with a zombie. J And I assume you mean someone I haven’t met, so…Ridley Scott. And in this fantasy, he’d read my River of Time Series and decided he wanted to make them into the most amazing teen movies EVER…

I hope so!! What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

We adore travel. We have a family travel web site, www.theworldiscalling.com. So we move around and report on what we discover, hoping to encourage other families to do the same. Research trips help on this front, too…We like to hike, to entertain, and just to hang out at home and relax, cooking, eating, conversing, laughing.

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

Staying off the Internet. Twitter, Facebook, email…I overcome it by going to the library to write. I have to cut myself off from Internet access if I hope to get anything done. And I’ve never allowed myself to find out how to get on the Net at the library. So I slip my headphones on, settle in, and write like a banshee there.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Read Writer’s Digest. Go to the nearest writer’s conference. Read like crazy in the genre you want to write yourself. Then get words down on paper. Every day.

Tell us about the featured book.

The River of Time Series (beginning with Waterfall and Cascade) is about two American teens who time-travel back to medieval Italy and fight for their lives, their loves, and their future. Torrent is the third book in the series, so this is going to contain some spoilers…in this installment, the Betarrini family is reunited and now the biggest question of all is on the table: Can they all agree to remain in medieval Tuscany forever? And at what cost? Giving up modern life changes life for them all. But to leave means giving up the most important thing in Gabi’s life…love, and possibly, her father again. High romance, big action—if it’s your kind of read, dive into the River of Time, even if you’re not in the YA age group—half my readers are much older!

Please give us the first page of the book. *SPOILER ALERT* (this is P1 of Book 3!)

Torrent: P1

We’d shaken the dust from the gowns the guys had left the three of us and slipped on our “medieval disguises,” as I called them, but there wasn’t a whole lot we could do for Dad.

“Yeah, that’s not gonna work out so great,” Lia said, staring up at Dad’s T-shirt.

I looked him over, still not quite believing he was with us, alive. We’d buried him, laid flowers on his grave, and mourned him for seven—no, eight months now—and yet here he was, hands on his hips, ready to take the lead in our family again. Like we’d never been gone. Which, for him, we hadn’t been.

From his perspective, we’d grown up by a couple of years while he was at an afternoon’s dig.

Such was the nature of time travel.

His brown eyes flicked from me to Lia and back again, like he couldn’t quite believe his eyes either. In our luxurious gowns we looked more like women than teens, which had to be freaking him out all the more. He turned toward the walls of the Etruscan tomb.

“Adri, this is amazing,” he said, reaching for a flashlight in his back pocket and taking in the frescoes, inch by inch.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.LisaBergren.com

Facebook: Lisa Tawn Bergren and River of Time Series

Twitter: @LisaTBergren @TheWorldCalls


Thank you, Lisa, for the interesting visit.


Readers, you will want to read this series whether you're a young adult or an adult. I'm encouraging my teenage granddaughters to read it, but I loved every word.


Here are links to all three book. By using them when you order, you help support this blog. Waterfall: A Novel (River of Time Series)
Cascade: A Novel (River of Time Series)
Torrent: A Novel (River of Time Series)


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

BABY, IT'S COLD OUTSIDE - Susan May Warren - Free Book + Much More

I always look forward to our little chats, Susie. Do you have a favorite genre to write? If so, what is it?

Oh, that’s asking me who my favorite child is!  I love them all!  Historical is definitely more difficult to write because of the research involved, but I love writing historical because they bring me into a different world and I learn so much. But I’m a contemporary romance girl, too, and probably the most fun for me to write.  By far, my “mom” novel (The Great Christmas Bowl) was my favorite to write.  I admit that I laughed at my own humor the entire way through the story.  My children rolled their eyes.  However, maybe the best answer is…the story I’m currently writing! 

That’s the answer I most often give to that question. If you didn’t live in the part of the country where you do, where would you live?

I love the lush beauty of Tennessee where I lived for three years, but also the rugged charm of Colorado.  I also love the ocean, but not the heat, so probably North Carolina would be a lovely place to live, also.

What foreign country would you like to visit and why?

I’ve been to quite a few, but I’ve never been in Italy, France or Austria.  I recently wrote about the Left Bank in Paris, so that’s sparked my interest, but I love the food in Italy, and I’d love to go on one of those cooking tours of Italy (my husband would cook, I’d drink wine and give him advice).

Describe what you think would be the most romantic vacation you could take.

I love the beach, and the most romantic vacations are the ones I’ve taken in Mexico, on Isla Mujeres, just off the coast of Cancun. It’s a tiny island with a slower pace than Cancun, and it’s absolutely lovely.  We try and get away every year.

Where would you like to set a story that you haven’t done yet?

World War 2 London.

What is the main theme of this novel?

Baby, It’s Cold Outside is a Christmas novel about the power of unfailing love during the darkest storms of our lives. Ultimately, it’s about the fact that in the end, Jesus is our safe place.

That is so true. Tell us about the story.

When five near-strangers are trapped together in a house during the Christmas holiday of 1949, they discover that they have more in common than they realize, and in the revealing of their secrets they experience a Christmas miracle.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Thursday Dec 22, 1949

If she could, Dottie would simply erase the next four days off her calendar.

More than any other holiday, Christmas had the power to rip her asunder. A thousand tiny shards of excruciating memory bombarded her as she ventured through Berman’s Grocery store on the annual requisite journey to pad her pantry for the holiday.

Christmas was for those with something to celebrate, with family, and the hope of a better tomorrow. Even Berman’s Grocery store believed that. As if emboldened by the optimism of the new decade, and casting away the specter of rationing over the past five years, they advertised a holiday special on Rock Cornish game hens at thirty-nine cents a pound.

             Dottie Morgan picked up the packaged hen. It fit well into her gloved hand, weighing two pounds, maybe a bit more. She’d never had a Rock Cornish game hen.

            Behind her, a mother in the bakery section corralled two giggling schoolchildren. Dottie peeked at them—Minnie Dorr, with her little tykes, Guy and Hazel. She recognized the grade schoolers, dressed in their blue-checkered wool jackets, belts hitched around their bulky waists and sweltering in their knitted caps, from the library’s young readers program that Violet now ran. Six-year-old Guy could wheedle right under Dottie’s skin like a burr.

Or, a curl of warmth, if she let him.

            Dottie turned away from them, dropping the hen back into the cooler. She didn’t need a cart, but hung her wire basket on her arm, passing by the turkeys. She hadn’t purchased a bird in…well, she knew she shouldn’t have stopped by the store on the way home. Today, the place bustled with women stocking up for the holiday, celebration in the air, and it only stirred up the old aches.

Near the canned cranberry sauce hung an advertisement of a jolly Saint Nicholas slaking his thirst with a Coca-Cola, smiling upon two pajama-clad children surrounded by gifts.

At the end of the bakery section a giant velvet stocking bulged with candy canes, Pfeffernusse cookies, and popcorn balls.

A display of ice-skates and holiday lights reminded patrons to visit Berman’s Hardware, next door.

On the radio, Bing Crosby crooned out “Silent Night.”

Memories simply couldn’t be dodged at Christmastime.

Dottie stilled, her hand on a bag of flour, as she watched widow Cora Sundeen march past, her blonde hair pulled back from her pretty face and tucked into a black boiled wool hat. Her son hung onto the hem of her matching coat. His ruddy cheeks and blue eyes could devour Dottie whole.

Cora caught sight of Dottie and slowed, her face betraying a second of hesitation before she produced a smile. “Mrs. Morgan! I was just telling Cliffy how, when I was young, we’d celebrate Christmas Eve at the library, with cookies and a story.”

Dottie calculated the dates, when she last saw Cora seated at her knee at Christmas Eve, and put the woman at twenty-seven, or older, which meant little Cliffy must be nearly six. Probably, Cora had only a handful of memories of her fallen soldier husband.

“Oh, Cora…” Dottie looked away, perspiring under her wool coat, wishing, yes, she’d driven straight home. Who needed Cornish hens and eggnog, and plum pudding and fruitcake? After all, who exactly would Dottie cook for? “You know I haven’t had the Christmas story hour…well, it’s been a few years.”

“I know.” Cora’s voice lowered. “But perhaps it’s time to start the old traditions again.” Her arm curled over the shoulder of her son. “For the next generation.”

Dottie had no next generation, but she refused to show that on her face. “Have a lovely holiday, Cora,” she said. She added a smile to soften her librarian tone, and turned away from Cora’s fading smile.

            The radio announced, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” and Dottie headed for the door.

Tomorrow. She could return tomorrow when the place might be nearly abandoned, every woman in Frost, Minnesota, at home preparing for the holiday weekend.

She just about plowed over Lew Parsons ringing the Salvation Army bell just outside the door. His red velvet Santa-arm hung folded and pinned to his shoulder and he greeted her with a smile.

            “Merry Christmas, Mrs. Morgan.” He used his schoolboy tone, despite the fact he had last year married Henrietta Fitzpatrick and now had a child on the way.

            Dottie tacked on the appropriate smile. “And to you, Lew.”

            She probably should dig into her handbag and find a dime, but she couldn’t slow. She just might be suffocating, choking on the sweet aroma of too many families who had somehow survived this wretched decade.

            As if to add gloom to her mood, the pewter Minnesotan sky had begun to drizzle icy droplets of despair, eating away the meager dusting of snow.

            Dottie wrenched open the rusty door to her father’s faded yellow International Harvester truck and climbed onto the bouncy bench seat, the springs whining with the December cold. She’d long ago thrown a blanket over the seat, opting to cover the worn holes rather than replace the car. She wrestled the gearshift into place and eased the truck out of the dirt lot. The rain pinged on the windshield like bullets, as if it had already begun to turn to sleet. She turned on the wiper blades, but they cleaned only a pitiful swath in the middle. She leaned down over the wheel to navigate as she turned onto St. Olaf Avenue and headed out of town.

            Frost never suffered for holiday decorations. The entire town turned out in early November to embellish the lamps along the road with white pine boughs, hang lights from Miller’s Café and Soda Fountain, and add sparkling lights to Benson’s Creamery and the gilded window of the Frost Weekly News and the First Bank. The Snowflake Theater listed tomorrow night’s opening of Holiday Affair, featuring Janet Leigh and Robert Mitchum. Across the street, J.C. Penny’s boasted a window-sized red-berried wreath over their second floor window and at the end of the street, in the circular garden in front of the Frost Community Center—once the Germanic Center—the towering blue spruce glowed with twinkly lights against the rain.

            Only the star remained absent from the top of the tree. Perhaps it’s time to find the old traditions again…

            No. Not yet. Besides, it wasn’t as if the town really missed her. Frankly, they probably thought she’d gotten what she deserved.

Finally.

Intriguing! How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.susanmaywarren.com

Warm up to Chrismtas early this year with Susan May Warren's Baby, It's Cold Outside! To celebrate the release of her new Christmas book with Summerside Press, she and the publisher are giving away a Kindle Fire and hosting an early Christmas Party on Facebook!

Read what the reviewers are saying here.

One festive winner will receive:

• A brand new Kindle Fire
• Baby, It's Cold Outside by Susan May Warren

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. Giveaway ends on 10/26!

But, wait there’s more! Join Susan May Warren on 10/27 for merriment and a few early Christmas presents at her Baby, It's Cold Outside Christmas party! Grab your Christmas sweaters, socks and pj’s and join Susan and a few friends for a fireside chat about her recent books (Heiress and Baby, It’s Cold Outside), holiday traditions, favorite Christmas recipes, a trivia contest and more! Invite your friends and don’t miss the fun!

RSVP here and we'll see you on October 27th at 5 PM PST / 8 PM EST!

Sounds like a blast, Susie. Thanks for letting us be a part of your blog tour.

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 

LOST IN DREAMS - Roger Bruner - Free Book + Music CD

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

I write Christian fiction because that’s what I most enjoy reading. Now, if you’re asking about my specific genre, I should explain that my first two books are considered Young Adult because they have an eighteen-year-old protagonist. Nonetheless, men and women seem to enjoy them as much as teens. I don’t think of myself as a YA author. Not primarily, anyhow. I have several unpublished manuscripts that fall into the category of contemporary women’s literature and one that’s “speculative fiction.” About spiritual warfare. And because I have a weird sense of humor, I’m apt to use humor a lot in my writing.

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

The day I married Kathleen. This is a second marriage for both of us. We’ll celebrate our eighth anniversary on November 4, and we still feel like newlyweds.

Actually, after almost 47 years, James and I sometimes feel like newlyweds, too. How has being published changed your life?

When I go to Christian writers conferences, unpublished writers look at me with admiration. Receiving respect from one’s peers is important, but even more so my being in a position to advise and encourage them. Being published has also given me a special relationship with local bookstore staff. I can’t say that people recognize me walking down the street or that I see my seatmate on a plane reading one of my books, but those things would give me a charge. I get the biggest charge, however, from knowing that my books are in the hands of thousands of people whose lives I’ll never have the opportunity to touch spiritually in person.

What are you reading right now?

Bill Myers was a speaker at the writers retreat I just came back from. I’m reading his book, Eli, which is a fictitious “What if Jesus had come during the 20^th century instead of in New Testament times?” I’m only forty pages or so into it, but I’m hooked. He’s as good a writer as he was a speaker and teacher.

I loved that book What is your current work in progress?

I’m writing a novel for teen boys now. Misfits is about a pair of misfit preacher’s kids who start such a rocking nonconformist movement that even the in crowd is begging to join. I’m 70,000 words into the rough draft and anticipate 20-30,000 more. Thank goodness, Harry Potter helped get teens into reading longer novels. After writing so many books from a girl’s/woman’s point of view, it’s kind of weird writing as a guy again.

What would be your dream vacation?

I’ve been to Australia on a number of mission trips and a couple of personal ones, but always with limited time and an even more limited amount of money. I’ve never made it any further west than the Blue Mountains. So I’d love to take Kathleen back to Oz with enough time and money to visit other parts of the country.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

Because Found in Translation was loosely based on my daughter’s mission trip to Mexico, that setting took care of itself. I needed to return Kim to California in Lost in Dreams because that made it easier to include one of the other characters from Found in Translation. My place settings aren’t always that important. Many of my manuscripts can take place anywhere. But they’re all contemporary. I don’t think I’d be good at trying to recreate something from an earlier period in history.

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

With the elections coming up next year and the Republicans determined to remove Mr. Obama from the White House, I’d really like to meet Herman Cain. He seems to have a number of good ideas, but I’d like to chat with him about his plans rather than simply listen to speeches and debates.

I find the debates much too artificial, so I'd love that, too. I'd like to visit individually with a couple of the candidates. What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

Music. I play guitar and sing, and I write my own Christian songs. I have a small digital recording setup in my music room, and you can listen to some of my songs at the Read/Listen tab on my website. My other favorite hobby is photography. Our living room walls are lined with pictures I took on various trips to Australia.

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

I’m a perfectionist, and my biggest obstacle is making myself accept that I’ve done all I know how to do to make a manuscript excellent—and in calling it “Done!” I have to remind myself that it’s probably good enough for the right publisher not to reject—and that further positive changes will be up to the editor.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Don’t try to get published too soon. It takes years to learn the craft of writing sufficiently well to get your first book published and a lifetime to keep improving and continuing to be published. My first published book, Found in Translation, won a novel competition in 2006, but it took another three years for it to become publishable. Thanks to James Scott Bell, I ended up cutting those precious, original first fifty pages and writing a new beginning. But that, in the words of Robert Frost, has made all the difference.

Tell us about the featured book.

Lost in Dreams is a continuation of Found in Translation. On the way home from her mission trip to Mexico, Kim arrives in Atlanta to find that a horrible disaster has taken place. She feels responsible, and periodic nightmares highlight a prolonged period of guilt and depression. The prospect of a mission trip to California helps to restore her, but she still has a number of issues to deal with, especially regarding her relationship with her father.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Act One

Chapter 1

“Kim! Look out!”

Aleesha’s scream almost gave me a heart attack as it split the early afternoon lull and reverberated throughout the Skyfly Departures Terminal at San Diego International Airport.

Before I could figure out what I was supposed to look out for, my feet started sliding gracelessly across the floor. Was this one of those California earthquakes I’d heard so much about?

But how could it be when I seemed to be the only object shaking or moving?

As I teetered and tottered to maintain my balance, I felt like a pedestrian who’s stepped on an unexpected patch of icy sidewalk. . .and never stopped sliding.

I didn’t have a chance to think about protecting the arm I’d broken in Mexico a couple of weeks earlier. I was too concerned with not breaking my neck this time.

Just as I stopped skating out of control and started regaining my stability, I made the mistake of shifting my weight the tiniest bit. That motion offset my center of gravity just enough to make both feet shoot out from under me. Although Aleesha had gotten close enough to grasp my unbroken arm, she couldn’t hold on to it.

I wish I could say her valiant effort served as a parachute slowing my fall, but truth be known, I probably more closely resembled a jumper whose chute has failed to open.

From a speeding, out-of-control vertical position to splattered-flat-on-the-floor in 3.353 seconds. That would be a new record for any accident-prone eighteen-year-old. It was for me.

 “Ow.” Good girl, Kim. No cursing. God cured you of that in Santa María.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

 They can find me at www.RogerBruner.com . I just put a contact form on the Contact Me tab, so they won’t even have to send email if they want to get in touch with me. I’m also on Facebook and Twitter.

Thank you, Roger, for the interesting interview.

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

Lost in Dreams (Altered Hearts)


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