60 ACRES AND A BRIDE - Regina Jennings - Free Book Plus Much, Much More

About this debut author:

Regina Jennings is a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University with a degree in English and a history minor. She has worked at The Mustang News and First Baptist Church of Mustang, along with time at the Oklahoma National Stockyards and various livestock shows. She now lives outside Oklahoma City with her husband and four children. Meet Regina here.

Learn more about Regina by visiting her website, www.reginajennings.com.

About the book:

She's Finally Found a Place to Call Home... How Far Will She Go to Save It?

With nothing to their names, young widow Rosa Garner and her mother-in-law return to their Texas family ranch. Only now the county is demanding back taxes and the women have just three months to pay.

Though facing eviction, Rosa falls in love with the countryside and the wonderful extended family who want only her best. They welcome her vivacious spirit and try to help her navigate puzzling American customs. She can't help but stand out, though, and her beauty captures attention.

Where some offer help with dangerous strings attached, only one man seems honorable. But when Weston Garner, still grieving his own lost love, is unprepared to give his heart, Rosa must decide to what lengths she will go to save her future. Read an excerpt: http://ow.ly/9sK2C.

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

Hopefully none! I wouldn’t purposely share much of myself in a character. That’d be like letting someone read my diary. Unfortunately, more is probably revealed than I can prevent. Is it possible that a psychiatrist could analyze my characters and have me committed? If so, I’d better quit while I’m ahead.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

When I was a senior in high school my sister Trina was a freshman. Our parents had no interest in going to the high school open house, so I disguised myself as an older woman—glasses, thick make-up, conservative skirt—and went with Trina to meet her teachers and get an update on her progress. Half of the teachers knew me and we had a good laugh. The others played along and later asked her if I was her step-mom.

As we were leaving Trina waved down this older guy that she’d met at the beginning of the year. I tried to hang back, because he was cute and I was elderly incognito, but he saw me and wanted in on the story. So I married him.

Good one! When did you first discover that you were a writer?

Perhaps for some there’s this moment when the clouds part and a single ray of light beams down, illuminating the golden words on their tablet. That hasn’t happened to me. I guess as long as I have a contract I’ll go by that description, but I’m the same person whether I’m writing or not.   

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

The books that I tell my friends about have memorable characters, unique voice, and original plot twists. My favorite genre is historical, any era and often romances, but a well-written biography or non-fiction that reads like a novel is the best.

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

I don’t do it alone. Both sides of our family live here in town and we have a large, supportive network of friends. They are sympathetic to my hermit ways and intervene when I’ve been anti-social for too long.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

I have a nephew named Boaz, so for the Boaz character’s name I used Weston, another nephew. Other nephew names that made it into the book were Deacon, Jake, and Colton.

For minor characters I used the people around me while I was writing—the receptionist at the speech therapist’s office, the journalism teacher at the kids’ co-op class, etc. Sometimes I lifted names from the Caldwell County newspapers and history accounts in honor of the families who actually settled Prairie Lea and Lockhart.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Nothing I’ve accomplished will compare to my goal of having our four children serving the Lord when they reach adulthood. That’s the laurel for which I’m striving.

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

A bookworm. Oh, I have to come up with something else? OK, how about a Canadian goose? I travel a lot with my goslings tagging along behind and we always return to our home base. Kindly disregard the mess on the sidewalk.

What is your favorite food?

Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla ice cream on top of warm, gooey, half-cooked brownies.

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

I get impatient to jump into scenes and start the action or the dialogue. I have to be reminded to slow down, describe the setting and introduce the characters. I’m still learning how to start a new scene without losing the reader.

Tell us about the featured book.

Sixty Acres and a Bride is a historical romance set in Texas in 1878. It’s about a good man recovering from a personal tragedy and a beautiful Mexican widow who finds herself in a desperate situation. While Weston’s family welcomes Rosa, he isn’t prepared for his reaction to her. Rosa needs a hero. To what lengths will she go to catch one?

Please give us the first page of the book.

Caldwell County, Texas – August 14, 1878

At an hour when every other God-fearing woman of Caldwell County was either elbowing her snoring spouse or sleeping undisturbed in her spinster bed, Rosa was sneaking toward a barn that was not her own. She was a trespasser whose goal was to get caught - a terrified stalker whose prey held her future in his hands.

Holding her skirt up and away from the piles of manure, she crept closer with a pounding heart. Surely anyone inside could hear it.

What was she doing here? Returning to Mexico didn’t seem so bad compared to the shame of what she planned. True, if there was anyone who could help her, it was this man. And if there was anyone she’d like to visit with or work beside, it was he. But alas, he didn’t return her regard. He’d purposely avoided her for over a month now. Yet here she was in the middle of the night with instructions to go to his bed and ask for money.

Rosa’s hands shook as she pushed against the barn door. How had it come to this? How had a respectable widow found herself in such a humiliating situation?

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Please visit my website at www.reginajennings.com or look me up at www.facebook.com/ReginaLJennings and twitter.com/#!/ReginaJennings.

I’d love to hear from you.

Win a Kindle Fire from @ReginaJennings in the Sixty Acres and a Bride Giveaway! RSVP for #Facebook Party on 3/27.

Celebrate with Regina by entering to win a Kindle Fire and coming to her Author Chat Party on 3/27!

One fortunate winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• Sixty Acres and a Bride by Regina Jennings

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends 3/26/12. Winner will be announced at Regina's Author Chat Facebook Party on 3/27. Regina will be hosting an evening of chat, fun trivia and more! She'll also be giving away some GREAT prizes: gift certificates, books, and some beautiful silver jewerly!

So grab your copy of Sixty Acres and a Bride and join Regina and friends on the evening of March 27th 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 the 27th!

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


Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.

Sixty Acres and a Bride - paperback
Sixty Acres and a Bride - Kindle

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