EMBRACED BY GOD - Babbie Mason - Facebook Party Announcement, plus Free Book on this Blog

I'm thrilled to feature Babbie Mason with her new book Embraced by God.

Win a Nook Tablet - Come to "Embraced" FB Party!
Enter Today and Save the Date-3/6!

Embraced by God is a 21-day encounter that shares the unconditional love of God. "If you watch what the media says as to where we should find our identity--" says Babbie, "--money, beauty, power and technology--you'll just be confused about who you are and what your purpose is. As a culture we are trying to buy or sell what can only be administered to the soul by Jesus."

Celebrate with Babbie by entering her Nook Tablet Giveaway and coming to her "Embraced Facebook Party {3/6}!

One beloved winner will receive:

• A Brand new Nook Tablet with Wi-Fi
• Embraced by God by Babbie Mason
• Babbie's Embraced by God Music CD
• Babbie's Embraced by God Note cards

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends 3/5/12. Winner will be announced at Babbie's "Embraced" Facebook Party on 3/6. Babbie will be hosting an evening of chat, music, laughter, and encouragement - bring your friends! She'll also be giving away some GREAT prizes: gift certificates, books, Embraced by God music CDs and Note cards, and a book club prize pack! (Ten copies of the book for your small group or book club.)

So grab your copy of Embraced by God and join Babbie and friends on the evening of March 6th for an evening of fun.

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on March 6th!


Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Embraced By God: Celebrating Who & Whose You Are - paperback
Embraced by God: Celebrating Who & Whose You Are - Kindle


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

SEATTLE CINDERELLA - Gail Sattler - Free Book

Welcome back, Gail. I haven't had you on the blog for quite awhile. I love your new picture. What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about?

I like to write about forgiveness and living a good Christian life and being an example to those around us.

What other books of yours are coming out soon?

My current release is Seattle Cinderella, just out March 1^st 2012, and I’ll say more about that later.

In November 2012, my first book in the Bloomfield series will be released, which is a series I’m in with a number of other authors.

And I want to feature the Bloomfield series on my blog. 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 answered this question ten times and deleted everything before I made up my mind. Strangely, my first thoughts weren’t other authors – I know how most authors live, haha. My next thoughts were people I would interview about their jobs and life experiences, but doing research on careers wouldn’t be a way to spend an entire evening. So my choice would be Rebecca St James, a Christian entertainer and musician, I could see chatting for a while with the usual questions, then spending the rest of the evening playing music together and having fun.

I’d like to be a fly on the wall on that evening. What historical person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why?

My husband’s grandmother, on his mother’s side. I never met her, she died a couple of years before we met. From the things she said, and the legacy in her family she left behind, she was a warm and wonderful person, and I have always wished I could have met her.

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

Rejections happen, and they happen to published authors just the same as they do to unpublished. Don’t take it personally, because while some people think it’s their blood on paper, it’s not. It’s just words, and it’s just business. But it’s your passion, and if you keep at it, and never stop that learning curve, it will happen. I barely passed grade 12 English, I don’t have any post-secondary education except for music, and I’ve had over 30 royalty/advance published novels. Don’t quit! Ever!

Tell us about the featured book?

Seattle Cinderella is a novella anthology in which I wrote all four novellas. The first one is the obvious tale of a contemporary Cinderella named Cindy. I needed to pick a job or career in which Cindy got good and dirty, just like the Cinderella of old, so this Cindy, being independent, owns and operates a brake and muffler shop. Instead of being bossed around by her two evil step-sisters, this Cindy is the boss, except due to conditions and codicils, she is trapped and at their mercy, as well as at the mercy of her horrid step-mother. Then along comes Prince Charming, but this Cindy isn’t anxious to ride off into the sunset – she has a business and responsibilities. I won’t tell any more.

The next two novellas are about her two step-sisters who have reformed and know they have done wrong. They try to make things better, and move forward in their lives, but they, too, have their own struggles and battles to win.

The last novella is about the Fairy Godmother. Of course, in a Christian book, I couldn’t have a fairy, so instead of being the Fairy Godmother, she is Farrah the godmother. She’s happy that Cindy has found her happily ever after, and she also must move forward in her own life, even if she feels that the good ol’ happily-ever-after ending isn’t for her. But of course, we all know it is, she just has to accept God’s gift, and it’s hers.

Please give us the first page of the book.

The first page is the copyright page, and I doubt that is what you want, so… here you are.

Chapter 1

Luke Princeton pushed open the door to the muffler shop and walked inside.

Ignoring the sign above the door to the shop saying customers weren’t allowed in the work area, he forced a smile at the young woman seated at the desk in the corner of the small service office. “Mind if I go in? I need to talk to the boss.”

She jerked her head toward the shop window, where three people, all wearing their standard blue coveralls, stood together under a car raised on a hydraulic hoist. One of them pointed upward, the others nodded. “You know the drill,” she mumbled, not missing a keystroke.

Indeed he did. He also knew which one of the three he wanted—the one who was six inches shorter than the other two.

He stepped into the shop, stopping with his toes on the yellow line. “Hey! Cindy!” he called out quickly, before they fired up the welding torches and no one could hear him.

All three of them raised their welding masks and turned toward him.

Cindy laid her torch down, pulled off her safety gloves, stuffed them in her pockets, and walked toward him. “What can I do for you, Luke?”

“You can join me for lunch.” He gave her his best and, he hoped, most charming smile.

She didn’t smile back. Instead she lowered her head and wiped her hands down the legs of her coveralls. “No, seriously.”

He was completely serious—as serious as he’d been the last dozen times he’d asked.

I’m going to like this book. How can readers find you on the Internet?

My website – www.gailsattler.com

Or I also set up a small site just for this book, and it will always have additions as time goes on – www.seattlecinderella.com

Thank you, Gail, for the interesting peek into your life and book.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Seattle Cinderella (Romancing America) - paperback
Seattle Cinderella - Kindle


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

DAWN COMES EARLY - Margaret Brownley - Free Book

Welcome, Margaret. What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about?

First, thank you for letting me hang out here today. Being on your blog is always a treat.

To answer your question: My favorite theme is forgiveness because that’s what I personally struggle with the most. The heroine in Dawn Comes Early struggles with forgiving her mother. But unless she makes peace with the past, she can never find happiness.

What other books of yours are coming out soon?

Dawn Comes Early is the first book in my Brides of Last Chance Ranch series. The second book Waiting for Morning will be out December of this year and the third book tentatively titled Afternoon Tea will be out 2013.

In July my nonfiction book Grieving God’s Way: The Path to Hope and Healing will be published. Readers have been asking for my backlist and I’m happy to say that we’re working on bringing out some of my early titles.

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

I’d rather have dinner with family and friends, but if I had to choose a stranger I would have to say Queen Elizabeth. She has known something like eleven or twelve prime ministers and twelve U.S. presidents. That makes her pretty special.

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

A handsome Pinkerton detective is the hero in my next book so having dinner with one would certainly be inspirational—or at the very least allow me to ask questions.

That sounds like fun. How can you encourage authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers?

I’ve learned through the years that rejections can often turn out to be blessings in disguise. One of my books was rejected 17 times before it was picked up by a major publisher as a launch title for a new line. I’ve had other similar experiences. A rejection can be God’s way of giving you another chance to find a more suitable publisher or to improve the work. A rejection isn’t the end of a story; sometimes it’s only the beginning.

That is so true. Both of my present 3-book series had been rejected, but God had a specific place in mind for them. Tell us about the featured book?

The idea for Brides of Last Chance Ranch series came to me after reading an old newspaper article in the New York Times dated 1891. A group of fifty ladies of the First Church of Milford formed a society of old maids in 1861. Each member vowed she would not marry. Each woman paid five dollars on admission with the principal going to the one who remained unmarried the longest. Thirty years later all but fifteen of the original had married. I was never able to find out who won the prize—and sincerely hope no one had—but the concept intrigued me and I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

Dawn Comes Early is the first book in the series. So what does a disgraced dime novelist know about cattle? According to the hero, “Not a dern thing—and that ain’t all she don’t know.”

This sounds like it’s just my cup of tea. Please give us the first page of the book.

Heir Wanted

Looking for hard-working, professional woman

of good character and pleasant disposition

willing to learn the ranching business in Arizona Territory.

Must be single and prepared to remain so now and forever more.

CHAPTER 1

Arizona Territory 1895

“Cactus Paaaaaaaaaatch!”

            Whistle piercing the air, the wheels of the Southern Pacific ground against the metal rails, jerking passengers back and forth before coming to a screeching stop.

            Kate Tenney was the only traveler to rise from her seat. Ignoring the curious gazes of the mostly male passengers, she walked along the narrow aisle and down the steps to the deserted open-air station. Steam puffed across the wooden platform like a hissing dragon.

            She clutched at her skirt with one damp hand and shaded her brow against the bright noon sun with the other.

            The steamer trunk filled with her precious belongings landed with a thud by her side. It had been delivered by the dark-skinned uniformed porter who then grabbed hold of the handrail and swung his bulky frame back onto the train. He leaned out just far enough to signal the engineer with a wave of his hand and to afford Kate one last pitying look before vanishing inside. He wasn’t the first to take pity on her but if things worked out as she hoped, he would most certainly be the last.

            The train slithered away, picking up speed until all that remained of the Tucson-bound express was the sound of a distant whistle and a line of black curling smoke.

           

            Hands on her waist, Kate glanced around with a growing sense of dismay. This couldn’t be Cactus Patch. Please don’t let it be so. Never in all her twenty-nine years had she imagined such a desolate place.

I love it. Can’t wait to get my copy. How can readers find you on the Internet?

If I’m not hanging out at Facebook or Twitter readers can find me at www.margaretbrownley.com

Thank you, Margaret, for the interesting interview.


Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Dawn Comes Early (The Brides Of Last Chance Ranch Series) - paperback
DAWN COMES EARLY (The Brides Of Last Chance Ranch Series) - Kindle


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

ANESSIA'S QUEST - Karen Arnpriester - Free Book

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

I didn’t realize how much of me went into my characters until I was done with the book. Actually, others pointed out that they saw me clearly in several of the characters. I also saw parallels to my own life in subtle ways regarding the plot. The book is much more dramatic, but the threads are emotions I have struggled with.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I don’t know about quirky, but certainly one of the craziest things I’ve done was while vacationing in Cancun with several friends. We went out on a pirate ship replica for the day, and the captain invited us to jump overboard and hang on an inflated tube secured by a rope. It was hot and the water looked incredible. Well, at least thirty people jumped off and hung on to the rope and tube. I didn’t grab my snorkel and found that the weight of so many people pulled the rope and tube underwater. We bobbed up periodically and grabbed air. It was terrifying, but you couldn’t let go since the ship was moving at a fast clip. You didn’t want to be left behind. I realized that while we were being drug through the warm water, we were live bait for sharks or barracudas. Finally a woman went crazy and let go. The ship went quite a distance before the captain realized we were struggling not to drown, and we had lost a passenger. Makes for a great story now, but it was very scary at the time.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

When my first book was a rough draft. Writing was for me, something done out of curiosity. I allowed some family and friends to read it, and due to their reactions, I realized that I might be a writer.

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

I am a sucker for thrillers and the bizarre. I read a lot of King and Koontz when I was young. I just finished the Hunger Games series and loved them. I really enjoyed The Shack, and the trilogy, Black, Red and White.

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

I just check out at times. Friday at 5:00 is my favorite time. I don’t have to be anywhere, talk to anyone, do anything I don’t choose to do. I have kids, so I still have the parental responsibility, but I bring them into fun activities. One of our favorite things is movie night. We get in pjs, make snacks and curl up on the couch. I can shut off the brain and be entertained for a while.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

Sometimes it is to honor friends or family. Other names just seem to suit the personality of who I want the character to be. Anessia, from my book, was a young girl I came to know in a women’s shelter where I volunteered. She touched my heart. Chantal was another young lady I fell in love with that lived with us for a while and struggled with life, but she was strong and survived. Ophelia, Bree, and Pam are cherished people in my life.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Bringing love and stability to our two foster daughters. To play a role in the progress they have made over the last two years is the most profound experience I could have had. We are in the process of adopting them, and we are so excited to be a true family, emotionally and legally.

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

My girls and I talk about this all the time. I would be an eagle. The idea of being powerful, strong and able to fly would fulfill my fantasy. I’m not thrilled about eating raw meat, but figure I can snag ribs off of bbq’s if I chose. :o)

What is your favorite food?

Sadly, nothing healthy. I love carbs, sauces, sweets and chocolate.

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

Time, life puts a lot of demands on my time. I am a mother now of a fourteen year old and a mommy to a six year old. I have my own graphic art business, a home to keep running, and a husband who doesn’t like to be ignored for too long. I wouldn’t say I have overcome it. Still working on the balance. Many times it is about who screams the loudest. Writing has had to take the back seat most of the time. Sadly, when I do have time to write, I am exhausted and the creative juices trickle rather than flow. I have realized that my writing is going to come in waves, and I write as much as I can during that phase.

Tell us about the featured book.

My book is about the life of a young child through adulthood. The story takes you on her journey and shares her choices that change a heartbreaking situation into a glorious life of love, truth, compassion and joy.

Pagne, my main character, finds the love of God and the support of her heavenly angel to get her through life’s emotional roller coaster. This angel protects, leads, and assures Pagne that she is not alone by using an unusual method of communication.

Pagne shares healing, tear,s and laughter with a group of broken people who become her family. She discovers the purpose of her life and the revelation of God’s destiny for her. Pagne will eventually understand the powerful ripple she created as she lived her life. She was not an accident. She was placed on Earth with divine intent.

Please give us the first page of the book.

In the Heavens

Psalms 91:11

“For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;”

Draken walked swiftly through the marble passageway, which was only lit by a warm, golden glow that’s source was indefinable. The excitement was building, as he weaved his way through the network of stone halls, intricate stained glass panels, and vines with incredible cobalt and purple blossoms. Each flower’s center had a spray of tendrils that shimmered and flickered with light. They pushed their way in through small openings and cracks, covering the ancient stone walls with their winding tendrils. He had the ability to instantly think himself to her, but instead he savored the journey through the tabernacle. As Draken entered the great hall, he sent groups of colorful butterflies scattering. Some of the butterflies were tiny and flashed bright yellow and orange light, while others were massive and moved almost as in slow motion. Their deep-purple and metallic gold wings didn’t shine brightly like the others, but had a velvety luster that picked up the room’s light with each flutter. The spaces in between were filled with every size and color of these delicate creatures. This room never failed to take Draken’s breath away. There were sculptures in exquisite detail, cast or carved from every precious metal and stone, encrusted with jewels and pearls. Above him were strings of glowing orbs that didn’t appear to be connected in any way, glistening shades of pink, lavender, blue and green. Beautiful birds of every description dove and soared in the upper dome. Draken would spend hours in this room, simply appreciating its beauty.

As he came upon an area of comfortable chairs, he saw Anessia sitting on the hard floor in her usual position, both legs folded under her with feet twisted out to the sides. She would sit this way for hours.

“When will you ever discover the comfort of these lush chairs?” he teased her.

     

She just grinned and said, “Probably never.” Draken just shook his head. She liked the coolness of the stone floor on her skin.

Draken sat down in his favorite chair, an opulent purple satin with three times the stuffing most chairs would contain. He waited for her to speak, but silence. After a few anxious minutes, he could wait no longer.

“Well, Anessia. You summoned me here. You said you were ready.”

She hesitated, she seemed unsure for a moment and then handed him the delicate gold scroll. Draken, a regal man with long white hair and a full beard, took the scroll and fingered it gently, knowing the importance of its content. He took a deep breath and looked into Anessia’s eyes. He loved her eyes, so large, so engulfing.

“I am ready,” is all she said. Draken felt the contradiction of relief and dread. This would be a difficult quest, filled with many hardships and pain.

“You will have a lot of sadness to deal with, but you were selected with the knowledge that you are capable. You have a strong sense of justice and love.”

“Oh, Draken, I want to make a difference, to be part of these miracles!”

How can readers find you on the Internet.

I have a website, anessiasquest.com. There are reviews, book trailer and the first three chapters as a free download. An autographed copy can be purchased through PayPal at a reduced price. I also have a fan page on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Karen-Arnpriester-Anessias-Quest/207801102605310. Anessia’s Quest is also available on Amazon.com as paperback and Kindle format.

Thank you so much for providing this opportunity to have Anessia’s Quest presented on your site.


Thank you, Karen, for the interesting interview.


Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Anessia's Quest - paperback
Anessia's Quest - Kindle

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

JudyC (LA) is the winner of Give My Love to the Chestnut Trees by Beverly Varnardo.
Kaila's Grandma (OH) is the winner of Beyond Molasses Creek by Nicole Seitz.
Amanda Sue (WI)  is the winner of Blue Moon Bay by Lisa Wingate. 
Tweezle (PA) is the winner of Promise Me This by Cathy Gohlke. (I'm reading this right now. It's wonderful. If you didn't win, you'll want to get a copy.)
Janet Kerr (Canada)  is the winner of Accused by Janice Cantore.
Kalea Kane (AZ)  is the winner of Enemies of the Cross by Greg Mitchell. 

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.
When you contact me, please give the title of the book you won, so I won't have to look it up.

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.

A MAN TO TRUST - Carrie Turansky - Free Book

Welcome, Carrie. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?

I am excited about what God is doing in my life and in my writing career. I’ve had 9 novels and novellas published since 2005, and I have one more contracted. Last September my novella, A Trusting Heart in Christmas Mail-Order Brides, won the ACFW Carol Award. I enjoy writing both contemporary and historical novels, and I am working on a new proposal for a historical romance series.

Tell us a little about your family.

My family is a huge blessing in my life. Scott and I have been married for 33 years. We have 5 young adult children ages 24 – 30. Three are married. We have three grandchildren, and they are all a delight! Our youngest two daughters are twin and still at home with us, but they are getting ready to launch sometime in the next year or so. I homeschooled our kids for a number of years which helped me gain a great education. Our family loves to travel and we spent a year in Kenya as missionaries when the kids will ages 8 - 15. Those are happy memories we will always remember.

Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?

I have always loved to read. I’d say becoming a writer has made me a more discerning reader. I sometimes find myself switching into editing mode while I am reading, and if there are too many issues with a book, I will set it aside. But I can still get lost in a well-written story. I recently read and loved, Promise Me This by Christ award winning author Cathy Gohlke, and I highly recommend it. Next up is A Wedding Invitation by Alice Wisler.

What are you working on right now?

I am working on a contracted novel for Love Inspired. The working title is A Fairhaven Christmas. It tells the story of a young single mom who returns to her hometown and starts a business as a personal chef, but she ends up caring for an elderly friend who owns a bakery that needs to be renovated. That friend has a grandson who is insisting the bakery needs to be sold, and that creates all kinds of trouble for the heroine, the hero and his grandmother. It’s a sweet and touching Christmas story that comes out November 2012.

What outside interests do you have?

I love to work in my flower gardens and spend time outdoors in the warmer seasons. We have a small lake near our home and I enjoy walking around it most mornings, watching the birds and fish. I enjoy traveling with my husband, and we have been blessed to go all over the US, a few European countries, Israel, and Kenya. We are very involved in ministry with our church. I lead the women’s ministry and sometimes teach Bible studies and mentoring groups. I also love to cook and bake, and I’m always looking for new healthy recipes.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

Several of my books are set in New Jersey where I have lived for 24 years. I have two set in Vermont, and loved visiting there to vacation and research. But I’ve also set some of my books in Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming. I’m originally for Oregon, and I love that part of the country too. With the internet, a writer can research and learn about any location.

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

I’d loved to talk to Teddy Roosevelt and hear about when he went west to start a cattle ranch. That was quite an undertaking for a wealthy Harvard educated man. It sounds like a great set up for a story. I’d also like to meet Nellie Bly who lived in the late 1800’s. She was one of the first female investigative reporters who went under cover to research her articles. I’m sure she would have some fascinating stories to share. I’d love to write a book with a heroine like Nellie Bly.

What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?

I wish I would’ve known how long it takes to learn the craft of fiction writing, and then how long it would take to get published. You need a lot of perseverance and patience to be a novelist!

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

One lesson the Lord has been teaching me is to trust that He is strong and He is loving. Both of these character qualities are true about Him, and they fit perfectly together. Because of that, I know I can trust Him. I have seen some wonderful answers to prayer lately for things I have been praying about for many years. It’s very encouraging, and it motivates me to keep praying and trusting God.

What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?

Join ACFW or other writers’ organization and take advantage of all the great connections and resources that are available through that group. Attend a writers’ conference where you can meet authors, agents, and editors and sit in on some good teaching. Set either a daily or weekly word count goal and stick to it.

Tell us about the featured book?

A MAN TO TRUST

After years spent helping run her grandmother’s Chrsitian bookstore, it’s time for Adrie Chandler to give her own dream of becoming a professional musician a chance. But can she really trust the beloved shop to new manager Ross Peterson? The man is too charming and too much a reminder of another dream Adrie had to let go—marriage. Yet Ross surprises her by knowing a thing or two about making sacrifices. Suddenly, Adrie is questioning what she really wants. And whether the dreams she once thought unlikely are within reach after all.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Chapter One

Today, of all days, Adrienne Chandler should’ve been swathed in white chiffon and Belgium lace. Instead, she wore khaki pants and a navy-blue knit shirt with the words Bayside Books stitched in red over the pocket. Rather than floating down the church aisle on the arm of her father, she hid in the back office of her grandmother’s bookstore, hovering over a slightly lopsided birthday cake.

Adrie struck a match and lit the two large purple candles shaped like the numbers seven and zero on top of Nana’s cake. With a quick huff, she blew out the match and touched up a spot where the chocolate cake peeked through the pale pink butter-cream frosting.

If her life had gone as she’d planned, she’d be enjoying wedding cake rather than birthday cake, but it was time to stop dwelling on what should’ve been and make today special for her grandma.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I hope readers will stop by my website:  www.carrieturansky.com. I’m also on Facebook and Twitter. At my website readers will find the first chapter of all my books, recipes featured in my books, reviews, photos, contact info and links to order my books.

Blessings to all and happy reading!

Carrie


It's been a pleasure to once again feature you on my blog.


Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
A Man to Trust (Love Inspired) - paperback
A Man to Trust (Love Inspired) - Kindle


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

LOVE FINDS YOU IN NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - Christa Allan - Free Book

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

Because when you’re the once-divorced, twice-married, recovering alcoholic Christian wife of a Jewish husband, and mother of five with a daughter with Down’s Syndrome and another in an inter-racial marriage, and the sister of a gay brother…well, there it is.

I never intended to write about issues. They found me first. And when I first discovered Christian fiction, I wanted, needed, characters with whom I could identify. Sure, I found some novels with characters that were alcoholics, or gay, or parents of special-needs children. But, generally, they weren’t the protagonists or their situations didn’t mirror life as I saw it.

What I hope readers will take away from my novels is that we never know, just by looking at people, what’s going on in their lives. So many people look bright-faced, happy, and pretty on the outside that we’re duped into believing they lead charmed lives. Like those families in the picture frames sold in stores (who ARE those people, by the way?!). But turn those pictures over, and what’s there…nothing. That’s not the life God planned for us. He wants our lives to be framed by His love. We called to compassion, and to consider that all those “pretty people” might just be waiting for someone to take them out of their frames.

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

I’m hoping I haven’t lived it yet! Truly, the Lord has blessed me with more than I could ever have imagined, and I’ve been grateful to experience an abundance of happy days.

How has being published changed your life?

Yipes…that’s a loaded question! In many ways, it hasn’t in terms of my day-to-day life. I’m still teaching high school full time, still coming home to cooking and cleaning and grading…The difference is that now I have another full-time career, which is writing. So, publication is now one more ingredient added to the gumbo of my life. In some ways, it’s increased the pressure and stress because of deadlines, editing, marketing and all the assorted collateral issues related to being a writer. But it’s also opened me to a new world of writers and books and readers I wouldn’t have known otherwise.

What are you reading right now?

Since I’m in the final writing/editing stages of a manuscript, that’s the extent of my reading right now. Oh, with the exception of the stack of student papers waiting to be graded (any one reading can feel free to help with these!).

What is your current work in progress?

My manuscript, which will be submitted March 1, is one of the novels in Abingdon’s Quilts of Love Series. It’s entitled Threads of Hope: A career-driven magazine writer brazenly pursues meetings with HIV-affected families in search of the career-boosting article she's been needing, only to find something she wasn't looking for - a complete change of heart after meeting a selfless man and the HIV-positive daughter he adopted from Ethiopia.

What would be your dream vacation?

A month in Hawaii, followed by another month in Greece, and to be able to share it with all my children and grandchildren.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

I’m such a Southern girl that I just stay with what I know. So, New Orleans and Houston have been the primary settings for my novels.

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

Just one…honestly, I’d have to say my husband because between his job and mine, plus the time I spend writing, our conversations are sometimes limited to a dozen words or less…and when I’m on deadline, the poor man makes himself invisible. I’d love to spend an evening together knowing there’s nothing or no one else demanding our attention.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I’m not sure this qualifies as a hobby, but I find pulling weeds in my garden quite therapeutic! Drinking Coke Zero and eating Blue Bell, I’m certain, do not qualify. Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, I enter a cheesecake-baking frenzy and buy cream cheese by the case. So, I suppose that’s a hobby, of sorts.

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

I’m my most difficult obstacle. My little ADD self can hop down all manners of bunny trails, and at the end, I’m exhausted from going nowhere fast. Lately, I’ve been using something I’d heard about years ago, and Mary DeMuth recently tweeted (or maybe Facebooked) about it. It’s called the Pomodoro Technique, and it’s made a tremendous difference in my ability to stay focused. Here’s the stripped down version from their website:

The basic unit of work in the Pomodoro Technique® can be split in five simple steps:

1. Choose a task to be accomplished

2. Set the Pomodoro to 25 minutes (the Pomodoro is the timer)

3. Work on the task until the Pomodoro rings, then put a check on your sheet of paper

4. Take a short break (5 minutes is OK)

5. Every 4 Pomodoros take a longer break

               

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Read books that make you wish you’d have written them. Be teachable. Read books about the craft. Joining American Christian Fiction Writers and attending their conferences opened doors to writing and publishing that I didn’t even know existed.

Don’t be afraid to write awful stuff. The awful is far easier to rewrite or edit than a blank page.

And as for that adage about writing what you know…Well, I don’t think Stephen King personally knew a high school girl with tele-kenetic power who wreaked a bloody revenge. But he did know high school girls who were bullied and teased, who had weird mothers, and he wondered, “what if…” Stephenie Meyer had no personal experience with vampire love. Write what you know doesn’t mean you’re limited to the 21^st century and characters who look like your siblings and live in Tallahassee or Tickfaw. You know about betrayal and envy and joy and hope and fear. You know how your mother bites her lower lip when she’s thinking or your daughter twirls her hair when she’s nervous. These are the “knows” you bring to the page.

Know that only you can write the story God placed in your heart.

Tell us about the featured book.

Raised by her grandparents in 19th-century New Orleans, Charlotte knows little about her long-lost parents. Now facing an arranged marriage to a suitor she dreads, she finds herself attracted to somebody else: a young Creole man named Gabriel Girod. Meanwhile, her grandparents harbor a family secret. Will the truth set everybody free---especially Charlotte?

Please give us the first page of the book.

Chapter One

Grand-mere and Abram were due home from the French Market at any moment, and Charlotte could not convince Henri to leave her bedroom.

“You know Abram will throw you out the door, and after grandmother is finished with me, I may never leave this bedroom. Forever a prisoner of this house.” Well, forever until the day of her coming out party. Lottie knew there would be no missing that event, even if she wanted to. And most days she felt exactly that way.

Henri yawned and stared back at her.

“If your belly wasn’t so full, you wouldn’t be so content.”

He stretched and blinked a few times as if to say, “Whose fault is that?”

Of course, he was right. Lottie reached for her mattress and pulled herself up from crouching on the floor to have her one-way conversation with the calico cat that eluded capture under her four-poster bed. She started feeding Henri the day she spotted him wobbling after the milk lady’s cart. Miss Margaret delivered milk to Grand-mere, but the cat with the pleading grey eyes stayed behind. Her grandmother begrudgingly relented when Lottie promised he would never, ever cross the threshold into their house.

Still wearing her nightgown, all she could do was peek through the muslin curtains. “Only two houses away,” she whispered, as if the words might alarm Henri. She turned around just as the cinnamon-striped cat started to make his escape and, in a movement so swift she almost toppled into her armoir, she snatched him.

Even before Grand-mere made her entrance through the wrought iron gate at the rear of the house, her basket sprouting colorful vegetables, Lottie had deposited the cat on the front steps. She hurried through the library and the parlor up to her bedroom, just in time to see Agnes pick up the china saucer left under the bed.

Agnes looked over Lottie’s shoulder and then behind to the gallery where Marie LeClerc could be heard already discussing dinner with the cook. “Now, Miss Genevieve Charlotte,” Agnes lowered her voice from its usual trumpet blast and set her chestnut eyes right on Lottie’s guilty face. “You forget your cup this morning when you fount the coffee?”

Without waiting for an answer, which they both knew would be one step away from the truth, Agnes slipped the saucer into the wide front pocket of her white apron. “I’m taking care this,” she patted her pocket, “while you taking care of getting dressed for the day.”

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Website: http://www.christaallan.com (I have a contact page there, so please feel free to use it!)

Twitter

Facebook (My author page)

Linkedin

Thank you, Christa, for the very interesting interview.

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

Love Finds You in New Orleans, Louisiana


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

GIVE US THIS DAY - June Foster - Free Ebook

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

I have to admit I often write myself into the characters – male or female. In Give Us This Day, Jess has a food addiction. He eats to console himself when he's under stress, a regrettable habit I battle at times. In As We Forgive which comes out in September of 2012, Roxanne wears makeup as a mask to hide her imperfections. Yup, me again. But my characters didn't just inherit my faults. Tim, in As We Forgive, loves to see Christians restored through God's Word when he's able to put his counseling skills into practice. That's me. And Holly in Give Us This Day experiences the peace and joy of the Lord at the lowest point in her life and realizes it's not circumstances, but God who's accomplished it. That's happened to me.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I would have to say living in my RV. At least my daughters think it's quirky. There are mornings when I wake up and ask myself – where am I? Like what town and what state. The question is momentary, and the answer generally comes after a few minutes reflection. We travel so extensively this has actually happened several times. We donned sweaters at the end of summer in Seattle and ten days later, dressed in shorts and t-shirts in Palmetto Florida. There is no such thing as "seasons of the year" in our lives.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I had written academically in college and during my teaching career but never fiction. I can't say, like many writers, that I'd always known I wanted to be an author or had invented characters as a youth. But about seven years ago, I realized a tale lurked in my mind. I played with it in my memory assigning a few details to the plot and the characters. All of this in my brain. In November of 2009, I happened to mention the story to my daughter, and she asked me to tell it to her. As I did, more details emerged that weren't there before. Then she made a statement. I'll never forget it. "Why don't you write it, Mom?" Her words were like a spark. It was at that moment I knew I was to write. Not any kind of writing, but fiction. Stories about Christians with problems. I began my writing journey that next January, 2010, when I began to read the "how to" books, joined ACFW, and filled up pages on my Microsoft Word 2007 program.

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

Since I became a Christian, wow has it been 36 years, I bought my books at the Christian book store. At first I read mainly non-fiction – books about growing in the Christian walk. I loved fiction, too, but mainly read end-time prophecy novels. Of course I devoured Jerry Jenkins and Tim LaHay's Left Behind series. I didn't read romance until after I started writing it. Why I don't know. A few of my favorite authors are Latayne Scott, Allison Pittman, Mildred Colvin, Gayle Gaymer Martin, Tim Downs, and Athol Dickson and my wonderful critique partners.

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

I'm blessed as I have fewer responsibilities than a lot of writers. My children are grown, it only takes 45 minutes to clean my RV from top to bottom (really). I write full time, and I have a husband who loves to cook and do laundry. But mostly I have a God that tells me to cast all my burdens on Him. PTL.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

For the hero and heroine, I choose names I like. In Give Us This Day, I chose Holly's name because I wished I'd named my daughter Holly because she was born near Christmas. I generally give the villain a name I don't like. Two names of characters came from names of restaurants in places where we visited. In Ryan's Father, Ryan's was the name of a buffet. In Give Us This Day, Jess's last name was the name of a steak restaurant in Campbellsville, Kentucky, Colton's.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

That's a hard question to answer. I've been so blessed by the Lord through the years. I was proud when I received my BA and MA degrees. I'm proud I stuck it out teaching kids for 34 years. Most of all, I'm proud that the Lord allowed me to write His stories and see them accepted for publication.

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

I think I'd choose to be a dog. Dogs are so loyal and know how to love unconditionally. They don't care what you look like but love you for you. If I've ever seen a humble animal, it's a dog. These are traits I believe God would want us humans to have.

What is your favorite food?

I have to say Mexican food. After all, I grew up in El Paso, Texas, on enchiladas, tacos, and burritos. Que rica.

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

I find plot development and layering difficult. I wouldn't say I've overcome it, either. James Scott Bell's Plot and Structure and the LOCK system has been a god-send. In addition, I have a wonderful friend and freelance editor who is so helpful, Fay Lamb. Not to mention my wonderful critique partners who don't let me get by with anything.

Tell us about the featured book.

Give Us This Day is the first in my Bellewood Series set in the Pacific Northwest. The names of all three books come from the Lord's Prayer.

Jess Colton can earn a PHD in computer science but can’t manage his own life.

Reared by a doting mother and controlling father, Jess battles his addictive nature. When Jess becomes a Christian, he trades one addiction for another—alcohol for food. His doctor warns of the consequences of his poor health as his weight soars past 300 pounds. Jess is baffled when the beautiful Holly Harrison comes into his life and declares her affection for him. What could she possibly see in him?

Holly Harrison has a past. But it catches up with her when she loses her leg and her unborn baby in one night as a result of a motorcycle accident. At this low point in her life, she finds strength through God and a relationship with Jesus Christ while she works as a dental hygienist.  But now, no Christian man would want her so she avoids serious relationships. She doesn’t plan on falling in love with Jess Colton. She sees past his rolls of fat to the godly, tender man inside. When Jess drives a wedge between them, she loses all hope of a future together.

           

Can Holly overcome her handicap? Does Jess find control over his eating and his life? Only God can provide the answers they need.

    

Please give us the first page of the book.

                                   

The heavyset man leaning against the mirror in the corner of the elevator caught Holly Harrison's attention, not because of his girth, but the kindness on his chubby face. Embarrassed she'd stared too long, Holly turned and faced the closing doors. She pushed five, and the quiet hum of the motor whirred. The floor beneath her lifted for a second or two then ground to a halt. She punched her apartment floor number again but nothing happened.

A chill crawled up Holly's spine. She'd never liked confined places. Now she was trapped.

The man moved to the panel and poked a few more numbers then craned his neck to glance at the ceiling. "Hmm. I've never had this happen before."

Holly tried to breathe but could only take shallow gulps of air. Things like this happened on television. They didn't occur in the real world. A knot formed in her stomach. She jerked her head toward the man. "Are we stuck?" She fought to control the rising tone of her voice.

The man pressed his lips together as his gaze fixed on her then he looked about the small space. "Could be. Don't worry. We’ll get out."

His assurances brought no relief. Holly's heart pounded harder.

He fingered the panel, pushing the Door Open and the Door Closed buttons a couple of times. Still nothing. "I think we better ring the alarm."

An alarm sounded in her head.

The three mirrors around the perimeter of her prison scoffed at her. She hadn't suffered from claustrophobia for a long time, not since that horrible afternoon she lay bound to a gurney in the back of an ambulance.

"Oh dear God, I need to get out of here." Holly sank to the floor and drew her knees as close to her chest as she could. Her rocking motion did little to soothe her jangled nerves.

"Look." The huge man opened a metal compartment. "Here's the emergency call button. Relax. I'll get help."

Holly wrenched away from his kind eyes and hugged her knees tighter. The walls threatened to squeeze the life out of her. She gulped for air.

"Hello, hello. Can anyone hear us?" The sound of buttons clicking drifted down to her.

She glanced up as he placed his mouth close to the panel. "Help! We're stuck in the elevator."

He settled back against the mirror appearing calm as his lips moved, but he didn't make a sound.

Holly pressed into the corner. Her reflection in the mirror blurred.

"Hey, are you okay? Let me try something else." He punched another button and

       the shrill sound grated on her ears. The emergency alarm. Still nothing. The elevator was

       a dead thing suspended in space. Holly slumped against the wall as everything spun. With

       a groan, the broad man bent down beside her and patted her arm. "I'm going to keep

       trying. But before I do, let me pray for you. I find it helps in all situations." His warm

      hand caressed her shoulder. "Dear Lord, I trust You for our safety today. Please provide

      us with the way out of here. But until help arrives, I ask You to bring this lady Your peace.

      In Jesus name."

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I have a blog: Life in an RV, the Roving Writer http://junefoster.blogspot.com   and another blog I share with 4 other writers. http://infinitecharacters.com

I'm on Twitter, Face Book, Edgy Christian Fiction Lovers, ShoutLife, and my email – junefoster11@gmail.com


Thank you, June, for spending this time with us.

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