RICOCHET - Christy Barritt - One Free Book

What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about?

I love to write about how hard times in life can draw us closer to God. I think that whatever we go through, we can let our circumstances give us reason to run toward God or away from him. When we run toward God, we’re on a rich path filled with growth and joy, but also pain and hardship. That’s definitely a recurring theme in my books.

What other books of yours are coming out soon?

In February, Key Witness, my next Love Inspired Suspense releases. In March, The Good Girl, a humorous romantic mystery, releases. I’m also contracted to write two more Love Inspired Suspense novels, but I don’t have release dates for them yet.

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

I would love to sit down with Mary Higgins Clark. I would love to talk face to face with her about her writing career and inspiration. I love reading her books, and I love talking writing, so it would be a perfect combination.

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

I think it would be pretty cool to meet Jane Austen. She penned some great novels that continue to inspire people today. I’d want to ask her about her favorite characters, any other books she wanted to write but hadn’t, if she got rejected, etc.

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

Rejections can feel devastating, but they happen to all of us. Even after being published, you still face rejections. To really make it in publishing, you have to be able to push past those setbacks. If you receive advice from an editor on your rejection, don’t ignore it. Listen to what editors want because they know the business of writing stories. Whenever possible, learn from rejections and allow them to make you stronger and more determined.

Tell us about the featured book.

When Molly Hamilton returns to her beloved summer camp, she finds nothing but trouble. First she hits a dead body in the road before arriving. Then she discovers the camp director is missing. If that isn't stressful enough, Molly's new boss is none other than Nick White, the man who once broke her heart. Nick and Molly know there's something dangerous going on at Camp Hope Springs. But as the former teenage sweethearts try to uncover the mystery, they discover even more hidden secrets—about the camp and themselves. Saving the camp may not be safe, especially for their hearts.Show More Show Less

Please give us the first page of the book.

Thump!

Molly Hamilton's sedan rose and then sank back to the ground as if she'd gone over a speed bump. A really large speed bump.

As she threw on the brakes, every muscle in her body tensed. She gripped the steering wheel, frozen with indecision. The lonely, wooded road slithered in front of her, cloaked by an ominous darkness. The forest had hollow spaces between the trees that just seemed to beckon something dangerous to hide there. Bears. Wildcats. Serial killers.

Molly shook her head. She was being ridiculous. She was an established, professional woman who should have long since outgrown her fear of the woods and nighttime. But some things never died. Memories from her childhood filled her, but she pushed them away. Not now.

Shakes overcame her anyway.

She looked in the rearview mirror and saw the red of her brake lights reflecting off the asphalt. Darkness swallowed everything else. Fear threatened to swallow her.

Whatever she'd hit still lay underneath her car. Her sedan had risen and fallen once, which meant that the front tires had gone over something, but not the back.

Probably just a deer, she rationalized. Perhaps someone else had hit the animal and left the poor creature in the road. The country lane was so narrow and winding, and outside was so dark. She'd rounded the corner and, just as she'd done so, seen a flash of something on the street. Before she could brake, she felt the thump against her wheels. The thump of a deer against her wheels.

Her throat went dry. She was going to have to get out of the car and check. Right?

Oh Lord, help me, please. I don't want to open this car door.

Why had she even agreed to come to the backwoods of Virginia's Northern Neck? What exactly had she been thinking when she begged for this temporary summer job in the middle of nowhere at Camp Hope Springs?

Closure, she remembered. She'd wanted closure, to go back to one of the happiest places of her youth. She had so many fond memories of her last summer of innocence, of being carefree and hopeful. Then she'd grown up and life had happened. Responsibilities had surrounded her and not let her go. She'd left her childhood behind right along with campfires and vesper services.

Her thoughts and reminiscing of the past only delayed the inevitable. She needed a plan, and she needed to get the yet-to-be-decided-on action over with. She rested her head against the steering wheel, flabbergasted by her own indecision. She couldn't simply sit here in the middle of the road all night.

The silver of her cell phone on the seat beside her caught her eye. She grabbed the device and flipped it open. What were the chances that she'd find reception out here? She blinked when she saw one bar left on her signal.

The cops. She could call the cops.

She lowered the phone to her lap. And tell the police what? That she may have just hit a deer? They'd think she was crazy and rightfully so. She rubbed her forehead in irritation, staring at her headlights as they illuminated the deserted road before her. Camp Hope Springs was only a mile or two away at the most.
That settled it. She had to get out of the car and find out what had just happened. Just sitting here and thinking about the possibilities over and over would drive her crazy.

She grabbed the door handle and pulled until the latch clicked open. After taking another deep breath, she pushed the door out wide.

The smell of damp earth, of thick, wet leaves and tree branches ripe with moss and fungi filled the car. Crickets sang their songs. Leaves tippity-tapped together in the light breeze. Heavy summer air floated inside, covering Molly with its sticky, invisible fingers.

She fumbled through the glove compartment for a minute before finding a small flashlight. She twisted the top of it and a small ray of light sliced the air. It was better than nothing, she supposed.

She dropped one foot onto the ground and then the other. The woods still seemed to be staring at her, unknown dangers just waiting to pounce when she was least expecting it. She shivered despite the summer heat.

She squatted and shined her light under the car. Something off-white lay center beneath her vehicle.
A deer?

She moved her flashlight along the length of the creature.

Was that something blue? Maybe just the asphalt reflecting onto the deer's fur, she wanted to believe. And that splotch of white? Deer had white splotches, right?

She moved her flashlight up farther. Near her front bumper, her heart seemed to stop.

Eyes stared back at her. Not deer eyes. Human eyes.

She'd hit someone. As a trained nurse she didn't have to touch the man to know that he was dead.

As always, you take us right into the action of the story. How can readers find you on the Internet?

I’d love for my readers to visit me at www.christybarritt.com. I’m also active on Facebook at www.facebook.com/christybarritt and I pop onto Twitter occasionally at www.twitter.com/cbarritt.

Thanks so much for the interview, Lena, and for the chance to visit your blog! It’s always a pleasure. 

I agree, Christy. I have the best readers. Thanks for dropping by.

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

Ricochet (Love Inspired Suspense) - paperback
Ricochet (Love Inspired Suspense) - 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

BAND OF SISTERS - Cathy Gohlke - One Free Book

What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about?

Slavery, oppression, setting boundaries—physical and emotional, standing up for what we believe, the all encompassing love of God, the redemption and forgiveness Christ offers, and the ultimate freedom we find in Christ.

William Henry is a Fine Name is about realizing we’re not victims, that we’re free to choose what we believe and how we act on those beliefs. It uses the Underground Railroad to tell that story.

I Have Seen Him in the Watchfires is about surrendering our agendas, our control, our very life and heart to the Lord, and inviting Him to lead us, then stepping up in obedience—and understanding that that process of surrender to God is not defeat, but true victory. It uses the Civil War to tell that story.

Promise Me This is a picture of Christ’s love story to the world, and our response to His amazing, unmerited gift of sacrificial love and grace. It uses the Titanic through WWI to tell that story.

Band of Sisters is about fighting human trafficking—the abolition of modern day slavery—and what we can do to help in a need so desperate. It uses Ellis Island (1910-1911), the plight of immigrants, and the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire to tell that story.

What other books of yours are coming out soon?

Band of Sisters will release from Tyndale House Publishers in September. I’m working with my agent on a proposal for a new book now.

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

I’d love to meet and get to know Christine Caine, of A-21 Campaign—which stands for Abolishing Injustice in the 21^st Century. Christine is a highly motivational speaker, on fire for the Lord and for using our God-given potential to be and do all He’s called us to. Specifically, she’s about fighting modern-day slavery and rescuing, restoring, and rebuilding the lives of young women—one person at a time. She travels the world raising awareness for the need for abolition, and bringing countless others into the fight to stop human trafficking. A-21 Campaign began its program in Greece because she sees that as the trafficking hub of Europe, and from Europe to the world. But as the word spreads, so does the rescuing of women.

There are so many questions I’d like to ask her.

Christine has been a speaker at my church’s Women’s conference for several years. We love her, and we connect with her on the A-21 Campaign. What historical person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why?

William Wilberforce—Despite ill health, despite the hostility of those who opposed him, and against the all-powerful powers that be, William Wilberforce fought Parliament for over twenty-six years to abolish slavery in the British Empire.

He wrote in his journal, “God Almighty has set before me two great objects, the suppression of the Slave Trade and the Reformation of Manners (moral values).”

His was the voice of a prophet crying in a wilderness society of greed and self-indulgence, and his words are as applicable to us as they were when he wrote them in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Wilberforce demonstrated what one voice can do—one life surrendered to God, and inflamed by the Holy Spirit—in the face of injustice.

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

My husband has a saying that begins our every road trip, “When we’re lost, enjoy the scenery.”

It used to drive my let’s-just-drive-from-Point-A-to-Point-B nature crazy (in road trips and writing), but in writing I’ve come to see that I can either embrace the journey that is (rejection and all), or make myself miserable by wishing it was a different journey with a different navigator in the driver’s seat.

Rather than think of the journey as long, I encourage writers to think of it as just what it is—a journey in which we’ve invited God to be the driver and navigator. By making the most of the up-and-down, twist-and-turn opportunities along the way—including flat tire rejections, we have much needed time to learn the craft, improve our skills, build relationships, build platform, and very importantly—to find our writing voice and niche.

This is so important—In every circumstance we can ask God what we can learn from this experience. He wastes nothing—look at Christ’s redemptive act of grace—one life for an entire human race! Knowing how He loves us, knowing how He rejoices in our praise of Him—in words from our mouths and pens—we can also know that He is training us, preparing us for the very best road ahead.

Every journey has a route and a destination. It might not be the one we’ve mapped out. But if we faithfully persevere in learning and practicing the craft, and embrace what we find along the way, we’re sure to have an adventure uniquely designed for the unique writers we are.

I’ve often said that the writing life is all about the journey, not publication. Tell us about the featured book.

New York City, 1910

Driven by a shameful past and perilous future, Maureen O'Reilly and her sister flee Ireland in search of safety, liberty and opportunity. But after surviving the rigors of Ellis Island, Maureen learns that their benefactor has died, and his family—refusing to own his Civil War debt—casts her out. Alone, impoverished, and in danger of deportation, Maureen connives to find employment in a prominent Manhattan department store, only to discover the elegant facade hides a dangerous secret.

Despite her family's disapproval, Olivia Wakefield determines to honor her father's debt but can't find Maureen. Unexpected help comes from a local businessman, who Olivia dares hope will become more than an ally, even as she fears the secrets he's hiding. 

As women begin disappearing from the store, Olivia rallies influential ladies in her circle to help Maureen stand against injustice and fight for the lives of their growing band of sisters. But will they be too late, and in the midst of a world gone mad can either woman open her heart to divine leading or the love it might bring?

Please give us the first page of the book.

October 1910

Widowed crones, their ragged skirts and shawls flapping in the rising gale like so many black crows, threw back grayed heads and keened a wild lament. Though slow of gait, they kept a dozen steps ahead of Maureen O’Reilly, the eldest daughter of their dead neighbor. Not one dared walk beside the “Scarlet Maureen,” no matter that they’d been handsomely paid for their services from the young woman’s purse.

Maureen didn’t care so much for herself. She expected nothing more or less from the village gossips. But she did care for the heart of her younger sister.

She pulled Katie Rose, the lily flower of her family, close. Together the sisters trudged up the rocky hill, part of a bleak and broken parade, toward the stone-walled churchyard. Twice they slipped, cutting their palms, the path muddy from the morning’s rain. Once past the churchyard gate, Maureen pushed to the front of the troop, lifted her chin, and set her lips tight as the prow of a ship, daring the women to snub her sister.

The Keeton brothers had dug the grave that morning, and Joshua Keeton, the second eldest, nodded respectfully toward Maureen—an act so out of village character that Maureen turned away without acknowledgment. The priest intoned his series of Latin prayers into the wind, finishing with the “Our Father.”

The Keeton brothers lowered the wooden coffin into its bed.

The priest sprinkled its top with holy water and resumed in his monotone, “Grant this mercy, O Lord, we beseech Thee, to Thy servant departed, that Margaret Rowhan O’Reilly may not receive in punishment

How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.cathygohlke.com

Facebook: CathyGohlkeBooks

Facebook: Transformational Fiction Fans

Amazon Author Central

Thank you, Cathy, for your insightful interview.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Band of Sisters - paperback
Band of Sisters - 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

THE HAVEN - Suzanne Woods Fisher - One Free Book

Tell us about your salvation experience.

This always feels like an awkward question to me because I didn’t have a Damascus Road type of conversion. There have definitely been points in my life when I deepened my relationship with God—there still are points like that—but I don’t remember a time of not believing. Even as a child, I believed. It’s been a blessing—because life isn’t easy! God is good but life is hard.  

You’re planning a writing retreat where you can only have four other authors. Who would they be and why?

Phillip Yancey, Barbara Kingsolver, Malcolm Gladwell and Walter Isaacson. Each talented writer is overly blessed with skills I’d like to improve on. Phillip Yancey—his biblical knowledge and story telling ability. Barbara Kingsolver or Jodi Picoult (either one!)—for characterization and plot development. Malcolm Gladwell—his brilliant insights into history and current events. Walter Isaacson—a top notch biographer. I will pepper them with questions during the entire writing retreat…until they get fed up with me and insist on leaving. 

Do you have a speaking ministry? If so, tell us about that.

Could I re-phrase that? I accept speaking events that are related to my book ministry. It’s been very positive to develop and sharpen speaking skills (used to terrify me!), but mostly, I enjoy interacting with people. Right now, most of my speaking events have focused on lessons from the Amish.

What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you and how did you handle it?

Well, that’s not hard! Most recently, I spoke at an event without realizing that a pink Velcro hair roller was stuck to the back of my jacket. Mortifying! Someone finally removed it and handed it to me with a sly grin on her face. Ah well…this author gig is constantly reminding me not to take myself too seriously. 

People are always telling me that they’d like to write a book someday. I’m sure they do to you, too. What would you tell someone who came up to you and said that?

Then write. Each day, every day. Treat your daily writing as piano scales—practice, practice, practice. Set goals, join a writers’ group, attend writers’ conference, get experience in all kinds of writing (church newsletter, blog). Develop a tough skin for constructive criticism. Study the publishing business. Most importantly, just write!

Tell us about the featured book.

If you don’t mind, I’m going to let a review from Publisher’s Weekly describe The Haven: Popular Amish romance novelist Fisher (The Choice) continues her Stoney Ridge Seasons series with a stand-alone tale focusing on Amos Lapp’s middle daughter, Sadie. Returning from Ohio where she has spent the winter with older sister Julia and her husband, Sadie picks up an unexpected traveling companion. Instead of the safety and support she expects from her Amish friends and family back home in Pennsylvania, Sadie bristles as hurtful perceptions are formed primarily based on gossip and innuendo rather than truth. She does, however, develop a confidence in Will Stotz, an intern for the county’s game warden who moves onto the Lapp farm to oversee two nesting falcons. Their relationship complicates Sadie’s relationship with Gideon Smucker, a local boy who has had his heart set on Sadie since they were children. Fisher’s style is light and engaging. Her setting may be a simple Pennsylvania Amish community, but the struggles of faith, trust, and forgiveness are common to a wide-ranging audience. Moral elements are so deftly woven into the plot that most readers will learn the lesson before realizing there is one.

Please give us the first page of the book:

1

It never failed to amaze Sadie Lapp how the most ordinary day could be catapulted into the extraordinary in the blink of an eye. She was still a little dazed. She couldn’t shake the feeling that it seemed her whole life had been leading to this particular moment. She had a strange sense that this day had come into her life to change her, to change everything.

But that didn’t mean she felt calm and relaxed. Just the opposite. She felt like a homemade sweater unraveling inch by inch. As she caught her first glimpse of Windmill Farm, she hoped that, maybe, things could get straightened out, once she reached home.

Sadie had spent the winter in Berlin, Ohio, helping Julia and Roman, her sister and brother-in-law, settle into Rome’s childhood home. A part of every day was spent shadowing Deborah Yoder, an elderly Old Order Amish woman who was known as a healer. Knowing of Sadie’s interest in healing herbs, Rome arranged a meeting with Deborah that resulted in a part-time job. A part of Sadie wished she could have spent years studying and watching the wise old woman.

But last week, Sadie woke and knew she needed to return home. When Sadie told Julia, her sister’s face fell with disappointment. She had expected Sadie to stay through the summer and tried to talk her out of leaving. But Old Deborah understood. “The wisest people I know,” she had told Sadie, “learn to listen to those hunches.”

The taxi swerved suddenly, jerking Sadie out of her muse. A few more curves in the road and she would be at Windmill Farm. She hoped the family was there for her homecoming. Wouldn’t it be sad to try to surprise everyone, only to arrive to an empty house?

Maybe she should have called first, to let her father know she was coming. But he would have asked her why she was changing her plans and she didn’t want to say. Maybe she should have at least tipped off Fern, their housekeeper. The one person she knew she couldn’t confide in was Mary Kate, her twelve-going-on-thirty-year-old sister. It was well known that M.K. liked to babble and tell. She was the self-appointed bearer of all news—truth or otherwise.

Sadie gazed out the window. Coming home felt harder than she thought it would be. The family was much smaller now. It would be quieter without Rome and Julia. Without her brother, Menno. Even Lulu, Menno’s dog, was living with Rome and Julia now. Sadie leaned her head on the back of the seat and closed her eyes for a moment, remembering. They used to be a family with a mom and a dad, three sisters and a brother, and crazy Uncle Hank. Pretty normal.

Until her mom passed and her dad, Amos, developed heart trouble. Then Uncle Hank found a housekeeper in The Budget. The sisters secretly called her Stern Fern. She took some time to warm up to, but she was just what the Lapp family needed. Sadie would have to add the Bee Man to the “just what we needed” list too. When Roman Troyer came to live at Windmill Farm last summer, life took a happy upturn. For Julia, especially.

But then Menno died in a terrible accident and his heart was given to his father. Everything changed again.

They weren’t a normal family anymore. Julia had married Rome and moved to Ohio. And wasn’t that also the way life went? Sadie thought, moving the basket beside her out of the direct sun. One minute you felt like laughing, and the next thing you knew, you were crying. She glanced at the basket. Would she ever feel normal again?

I loved book one in this serried. I know I’ll love book two as well. How can readers find you on the Internet?

Oh…I love to connect with readers! I can always be found at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com, plus on Facebook www.facebook.com/SuzanneWoodsFisherAuthor and Twitter suzannewfisher. Thanks for hosting me today!

My pleasure, Suzanne. I love having you.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Haven, The: A Novel (Stoney Ridge Seasons) - paperback
Haven, The: A Novel (Stoney Ridge Seasons) - 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

A DUKE'S PROMISE - Jamie Carie - One free book, print or ebook

Tell us about your salvation experience.

When I was about six my parents “got saved” and it completely changed our lives. We lived every moment for Jesus and were on fire like nothing I’ve seen since. I accepted Jesus into my heart at that young age, evangelized at my elementary school and grew in the Lord throughout my childhood. Of course, over the years, I have rededicated myself to God as I matured and understood better what I was committing to. I guess you could say I’ve been a Christian all my life with some occasional back sliding experiences along the way.

You’re planning a writing retreat where you can only have four other authors. Who would they be and why?

Laura Kinsale – Her writing is amazing and I would love to talk and work with her.

Julie Lessman – She’s so wonderful! I would love to hang out with her!

Laura Franz – Such a sweet spirit in that girl and a talented writer to boot.

MaryLu Tyndale – She really has a spiritual depth that I enjoy. I could have long conversations with her for sure.

Do you have a speaking ministry? If so, tell us about that.

I’ve always thought it odd that people think that just because you can write you should be able to speak. I’m terrified of public speaking! I do enjoy small group discussions though and love to visit book groups and library groups.

What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you and how did you handle it?

Ha! So many!! Let’s go back to the last question for this story. I was at an ICRS Conference in Denver and was asked to speak at the “Heart of an Author” luncheon. The emcee was none other than Karen Kingsbury! I had prepared my seven minute speech to within an inch of my life and thought I could get through it. Well, somehow Karen received an older copy of my bio and when introducing me she basically said everything I was going to say in my speech. My mind went blank with terror. What was I going to say now? I couldn’t take my eyes off the big countdown clock staring at me with 7:00 minutes on it. I stood, shaking from head to toe, and proceeded to spew out a bunch of information about how I got published (breaking into tears 2-3 times while talking). It was a total blackout moment. I have no idea what I said! Thankfully, my sister was in the back of the room motioning for me to leave as soon as I finished. We had to hurry because we had a flight to catch so I didn’t have to go back to my table and sit there, mortified, after my train wreak of a speech. (I’ll bet everyone remembered me though – I didn’t see anyone yawning – lol!) I hightailed it outta there and vowed my speech days were over!!!

People are always telling me that they’d like to write a book someday. I’m sure they do to you, too. What would you tell someone who came up to you and said that?

Go for it! Finish that book! Now is a great time to write a book with so many publishing options. There is no reason not to try if it is really in your heart to do so.

Tell us about the featured book.

A Duke’s Promise is the third book in the Forgotten Castles series. Because it is a continuous series (Yes, you should read them in order to get the most out of the story) I can’t give too much away so here is the back of the book blurb:

From the Land of Fire and Ice back to England’s shores, Alexandria Featherstone finds herself the new Duchess of St. Easton. Her husband has promised a wedding trip to take them to the place where her imperiled parents were last seen -- Italy and the marble caves of Carrara -- but a powerful Italian duke plots against Alex and her treasure-hunting parents. Hoping to save them, Alex and Gabriel travel to Italy by balloon. Fraught with danger on all sides and pressured by Gabriel’s affliction to the breaking point, they must learn to work and fight together. The mysterious key is within their grasp, but they have yet to recognize it. This journey will require steadfast faith in God and each other -- a risk that will win them everything they want or lose them everything they have.

Sounds wonderful. I’ve loved the first two books. Please give us the first page of the book.

Chapter One

London, England—June, 1819

The silken curtains around the bed fluttered from the summer breeze that blew through the open windows of the duke’s bedchamber on number 31 St. James Square. Candlelight flickered across the room, a place she had only passed by while living here with him, peeking inside, wondering at the depths of his private chambers. The light of the candles made wavy shadows against the creamy paneled walls and Alexandria, the new Duchess of St. Easton, tried to ignore Clarissa’s incessant chatter as the maid helped her out of layer after layer of her wedding costume.

Alex tried to look anywhere but at the bed, and yet she couldn’t tear her gaze from it—the royal blue counterpane trimmed in gold, the massive four posts of carved wood draped with dark curtains, the piles of pillows. She swallowed against the knot in her throat and turned, lifting her arms and following the nudges of the maid.

“Great heavens, Your Grace, sit down before you faint. You’re as white as a ghost, you are.”

Alex obeyed, relieved to sit and rest her wobbly knees. She stared in the mirror at her reflection and watched as Clarissa took out the spiderweb-thin, diamond tiara from her hair, which Gabriel’s mother had given her as a wedding gift, and brushed out Alex’s long, dark hair. A suspended feeling of dread and terror surrounded her.

He would come in at any moment.

He would come in and find out about everything.

I can hardly wait until I get my copy. How can readers find you on the Internet?

Website: www.jamiecarie.com

Blog: http://jamiecarie.com/blog

Facebook: http:www.facebook.com/jamie.carie?ref=profile

Facebook page for The Forgotten Castles series: facebook.com/ForgottenCastles

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/jamiecarie

Thank you, Jamie, for sharing this new book with us.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
A Duke's Promise: A Forgotten Castles Novel - paperback
A Duke's Promise: A Forgotten Castles Novel - 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

NO ROAD HOME - Brian Stockwell - One Free Book

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

I’m not sure that I have intentionally written myself, so much as I have written characters which reflect those that I love. I have been blessed with very strong women in my life.  My female characters reflect the drive, heart, and uncompromising spirit that makes me proud to be their husband, father, friend, or brother. I have also been blessed with three sons, and their passion is my inspiration to be a better man. In short, I write my family; as they are the best part of who I am, and what I am becoming.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I think that laughter is one of the greatest gifts that God gave us. I love to make people laugh, especially when my wife is in the room. It’s not unusual for me to ask a random stranger where the pitchers mound is located at a football game, or order a piece of pie ala mode; but then ask the waitress to “warm just the pie, not the ice cream.” Awkward smiles are some of my favorite expressions to elicit from strangers. I think of the story that they will tell when they get home, and isn’t that what it’s all about anyway?

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I have always been a storyteller, even since my days as a young child, but I think that I am still discovering myself as a writer. Stories come to me through my perception of everyday life. I hear stories in sermons and lectures, but mostly through nature and the observance of others. I believe that story telling is a gift. Writing however, is a talent that comes only with the honing of your gift. Just like all of life, it is a process, and I am committed to giving my utmost to the process and God’s glory.

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

Ok, I know the answer that I am supposed to give, but if I were to be honest, I would have to admit that I love suspense thrillers and novels of international intrigue. Not surprisingly, I also like to read historical fiction, as well as biographies and such. For me, novels are the way that I process truth, as my mind is disarmed and open to receiving what the author is offering. I will buy a book to get lost in a great story, but if you give me great characters, I am a fan of that author forever.

Then you might like my historical novels. The reviewers and readers are always talking about my characters. How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

My faith of course keeps me grounded, but I have to give credit to my wife Vicki for keeping me sane. I’m a former Marine, and I tend to look at life through a rather intense lens. Vicki, my children, and my grandchildren, bring me back to center, and whatever sanity I claim, it is they that deserve the credit, and God who deserves the glory.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

All of the characters in the No Road Home series are derived from names of friends and family in my life. My main character; Addanen, comes from a friend of the family named Briann. Since my first name is Brian, spelled with only one “n” at the end of my name, I would sometimes tease her and call her “add an ‘n’”, and the nickname, “Addanen” stuck to become the heroine of my story. It was wonderful to imagine my loved ones, and develop their alter-egos, and exotic lives.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

There are many things in my life that I am proud of; my marriage to Vicki, the birth of my children, my wonderful job, my amazing friends, and so on. But the one accomplishment that stands out above them all, is a moment in March of 1973, when I stood before a congregation and gave my life to Jesus Christ, and was baptized in His name. All my blessings flow from that one moment in life. Everything that I am, and all that I will ever be, is because He loved me first. Thank you Lord Jesus for being my greatest achievement in life.

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

A lynx, definitely a lynx. People would ask me, “hey, aren’t you a bobcat?” And I would say, “no, I’m a lynx. It’s a totally different animal, from a totally different region of North America.” Identifying the differences and educating others would be the best part of being a lynx.

What is your favorite food?

Well, if my wife is reading this article, my answer is brown rice and black beans, otherwise, the answer is pizza. Everything on it but anchovies, smothered in feta cheese and sliced sausage. Oo lala.

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

Of course, finding time to write in a “full time world” is an enormous challenge, but for me the greatest roadblock was the belief in myself, and having faith that I had been called to write this book. We do not live in a world of encouragement. Were it not for my faith in Christ, and my family’s faith in me, I could have never found the strength to write No Road Home. I am thankful everyday for goodness of the Lord, and the “signs along the road” that detoured my roadblocks of doubt and fear, and kept me on the road of purpose and renewed faith. We serve an awesome God.

Tell us about the featured book.

No Road Home is an epic story about the lives of those who lived in the shadows surrounding Jesus during His “passion week” here on Earth. Many of the characters will be familiar to most of the readers, but the “story behind the headlines” type of portrayal brings their lives into a sharper focus, as we begin to see the important role that they played. I humbly submit, that you will never view the final week of Christ’s life in the same light, after reading this book. It has opened my eyes to the importance of being a good example for Christ in my life, and given me a greater understanding of my purpose and stewardship to the community around me. I hope it will do the same for all of you!

 How can readers find you on the Internet?

Through my publishers website at www.Tatepublishing.com the book is available in print and as an ebook. It is also available on Amazon.com or directly through the author at Brianstockwell@comcast.net

Thank you, Brian, for giving us a peek into your life.


Readers, l

eave 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

SANDWICH, WITH A SIDE OF ROMANCE - Krista Phillips - One Free Book

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

I love to sprinkle little bits of me into my characters! In Sandwich, Maddie, my heroine, is probably the character who is least like me. She comes from a super hard past and is a brand new Christian still trying to figure out the whole God thing, whereas I've been a Christian since I was a little girl and was raised in a church-every-Sunday home. It was a stretch for me to get outside of my little comfort zone and get into a character so opposite. Still, she has a bit of spunk, and I like to think I possess a bit of that as well!

If anything, supporting character Allie is most like me. She's a mom and loves a good garage sale!

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I can only name one??? Oh my! Well, not sure if this is the quirkiEST thing, but it rates up there. Previously, I held a day job as Payroll Manager for a large national company in their Corporate office. A fairly professional job. Most other managers at Corporate had their offices all professional with neat picture frames and Pottery-Barn type decor.

Me? I decorated with some super cool Happy Meal toys I stole from my kids. Only the cool ones, mind you. There was the penguin that shot little arrow things when you pressed its head, or the Hippo that says, "I know I'm every hippos dream" (which was super funny to press as someone was leaving my office, making them be like, WHAT?), or the plastic Shrek doll that says, "I'm an ogre."

It brought a lot of laughter and giggles to those who visited my office. Who says you can't have a little fun at work, right?!?

I used to keep fun water/bubble things that you turn over and watch on my desk at one place I worked. It was in a very conservative Christian company. When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I started writing for fun right out of high school. But then I got married, started a family, and my dream got swept aside.

But in 2007, God brought this fun package to me in the mail. Well, actually, it was to the previous owner of the house we'd just purchased. He happened to be an author, and the package? His edits for his debut novel with Zondervan!

I returned the FedEx package, but God used that misguided mail to ignite a flame in my belly for writing. Three months later, I typed "The End" on my first novel.

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

Confession: I'm a Christian Fiction (specifically romance) snob. Historical or contemporary, doesn't matter. As a mother of four, life gets to be a bit crazy at times, so reading is what I do to unwind and "get away" from the madness. And Christian romance allows me to do that, and gives me that sigh-worthy ending I'm looking for!

That said, I'm working on spreading my wings and reading something outside my normal reading zone at least a few times a year.

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

Oh, that is easy. I don't. Sanity is totally overrated. If that was a requirement for life, I'd have gone to be with Jesus long ago!

I've always been a working mother, which is difficult enough. But in 2010, baby # 4 was born, Annabelle, and that's when my meager grip on sanity fizzled. Annabelle was born with a rare congenital heart defect, where she basically only had half of a functioning heart, as well as some deformed heart valves. She spent the first 10 months of life in the hospital, and ended up having a heart transplant at 8 months old.

During that time, not only did I live at the hospital, I also continued to work until the very end, as I was the "bread-winner" for our family at the time. And not only that, I also received my contract for Sandwich, with a Side of Romance just a few weeks after we brought Annabelle home.

I learned through the process that surviving took trusting Jesus on a daily basis. To choose each morning when I woke up, to give the day to Him and trust Him to bring me through. While my sanity might be questionable, my Jesus is NOT! He's rock solid and ALWAYS there for me.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

Every name is chosen in a different method. Maddie was chosen by my eleven-year-old daughter. Reuben was my hubby's idea. When I'm stuck, I search the web for baby name websites. They're great because you can search by gender, first letter, and ethnicity.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Giving birth to four of the most wonderful, beautiful daughters a Momma could ever ask for.

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

A rabbit... because they're FAST, which is totally me. My sweet Southern... slow.... husband would then be the turtle! He slows me down a bit, and I help speed him up some. It works for us!

What is your favorite food?

A good juicy steak. Cooked medium. YUM.

I think I’ll join you for that steak. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

Finding time to do it. I'm a busy Momma, especially with a special needs child in the house now who requires some extra attention, multiple therapies, and more doctor's appointments than you would believe.

I overcome it by catching little bits of time when I can. When my husband is home, I march myself to Starbucks and get a few hours in. I also take full advantage of nap time! My goal is to get on a good schedule, but I'll be honest. I'm not quite there yet!

Tell us about the featured book.

She moved to Sandwich, Illinois, in search of a new life, but ended up in a giant pickle.

Sandwich represents hope for twenty-year-old Maddie Buckner and Kyle, the eleven-year-old brother Maddie wants to spring out of foster care. Then she loses her new job after less than an hour on the clock. It’s all Reuben-the-Jerk’s fault, and she’s determined to make him right the wrong. 

He does so, reluctantly, by giving her a job at his restaurant, The Sandwich Emporium. Then crazy things start happening at the restaurant, and Kyle’s foster parents apply to adopt him. To stop it all, Maddie must learn the art of humbling herself and accepting the help God has arranged, risking her heart to Reuben in the process.

And she’d rather eat a million corned-beef on rye sandwiches than do that.

Please give us the first page of the book.

God, is it against the rules to want to strangle one’s boss?

            Even though she was still very new to the whole Christian thing, six months yesterday to be exact, Maddie Buckner was fairly sure that thoughts of murder, even in jest, wouldn’t be condoned by the Almighty.

            Maddie bit the side of her cheek to keep from saying something not-quite-Christian as she swept the broom across the salon floor for the fifteen-billionth time. She hadn’t driven an

hour from Chicago with nothing but her clothes and a few hundred bucks to end up as a janitor.

            But it seemed on her first day at the Sandwich Cut N’ Style, that was all her new boss would to let her do considering it was already afternoon and she’d yet to cut a single strand of hair.

            She was supposed to be given walk-ins, but her boss refused her the few they’d even had, saying they were too “important” to risk on a newbie.

            “You still missed some, Madison.” Karen, her Nazi-of-a-boss crossed thick arms over her ample chest and nodded toward two short brown specks in the corner. “And when you’re done,

the waiting area needs straightening up. I’m running to Art’s, and I expect it done by the time I get back. Got it?”

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I love connecting with readers!

Blog: www.kristaphillips.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorkristaphillips

Twitter: www.twitter.com/kristaphillips

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/kristaphillips

Thank you, Krista, for letting us into your life and sharing your new book with us.

Readers, here’s a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.
Sandwich, With a Side of Romance


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!!!

Ladette (GA) is the winner of Central Park Rendezvous by Dineen Miller and Kim Vogel Sawyer. 
Patricia (TX) is the winner of The River Rose by Gilbert Morris.  
Sapphire (WY) is the winner of Parables and Word Pictures by Cheri Cowell. 
Jo  (AZ) is the winner of Bunions, Katie G (NC) is the winner of Polly Dent and Janet (Can) is the winner of Goose by S Dionne Moore. 
Leaupheun (Can)  is the winner of Dawn Singer by Janalyn Voigt. 
Elyssa (NY) is the winner of A Path Toward Love by Cara Lynn James.

If you won a book and you 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. If you won a print book, send me your mailing address:
Click the Contact Me link at the top of the blog, and send me an Email.
If you won the ebook, just let me know what email address it should be sent to.
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.

SOMETHING BLUE - Dianne Christner - One Free Book

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

Have you been to the Grand Canyon? Arizona has some breathtaking horizons. But mostly, on the horizon, I see God’s grace working in my life.

I’m making some changes, dropping the routine information dump and getting real on my blog. All along, I’ve turned myself inside out trying to give readers a worthwhile (yet safe and impersonal) take away, such as the real scoop on Mennonite bonnets or my secret family recipe for Porcupine Meatballs. Embarrassing stuff, I know. That’s the point. They’d rather see a photo of me in a head covering or hear how I burned the meatballs because I was shopping for new clothes because I gained ten pounds on my book tour eating Whoopie pies because I was rewarding myself for doing my job even though I’d rather stay home where it’s safe because I’m an introvert. . . for example. That didn’t really happen. So I’m prying my fingers up one by one, releasing the grip I’ve kept on my privacy and letting go of my imaginary suave professional image. Getting real.  BLOG

Tell us a little about your family.

This October, hubby and I celebrate our 40^th wedding anniversary. I just purchased $59 flights to San Diego and am planning our little romantic getaway. I’m open to suggestions here.

Our son and his family live in the valley, which is great, but my daughter married her college sweetheart and moved to Houston. Many of those white stripes you see across the sky are me jetting back and forth to Houston because I dreadfully miss my best friend.

We’re the type of g-parents who roll around on the floor with the g-kids, anything from hide ‘n seek to Don’t Wake Daddy (a fun board game for 5-10 year olds). We’ve three g-kids in Phoenix (ages 2-8) and two in Houston (ages 2-5). This year we’ll all be together at our home for Christmas. Doing the garbanzo dance. (inside joke for readers of my series)

James and I will celebrate our 48^th anniversary in November. Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?

Yes. I don’t finish as many books and weep over great books, reading them again and again. All this in turn, makes me more critical of my own writing. Knowledge feeds knowledge, but it also reveals how little I know.

What are you working on right now?

I’m moving forward with a new series idea.  I placed a pink bike on my website banner as a hint, that’s all the bait I can jiggle.

                       

What outside interests do you have?

Besides making white streaks across the sky, I love home decorating—and in this economy, that’s like using a few loaves to feed the thousands. I’m a fan of HGTV.  We play couples Bunco with a group of old friends. I enjoy morning jogs and use this time to continue my morning conversation with God as well as jolt—and hopefully strengthen—my aging bones. I’m told that works.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

It’s a complicated but fun challenge to match the perfect locale with an idea. With atlas in one hand and mouse in the other, I search for a city that will layer a story. Plain City complimented my Mennonite series because it adds to the simplicity theme. It’s also where I met my husband and started our real-life romance, and a place where I had personal contacts. I believe a setting must have at least three things that compliment or layer the story idea.

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

Lately I’ve been thinking about Queen Esther. I’m sure she could teach me how to be more respectful to my spouse. She knew how to please the king. Maybe I’d get some beauty tips too.

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

Considering I knew zip, I could name several dozen, but I’d probably spend less personal money on advertising.

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

Every year the Lord gives me a theme. 2010 was healing. 2011, overcoming fear. 2012 seems to be endurance, settling in and pushing through no matter what, ignoring the pain and keeping eyes on the goal. That’s where I am today.

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

Keep improving your writing craft, get connected with other authors, find your individual niche.

Tell us about the featured book.

Megan’s attracted to her boss Chance, a charming missionary pilot. Then Micah Zimmerman moves into her parent's home as a pastoral candidate for their Conservative Mennonite church--and he doesn't look anything like the gawky young man who had a crush on her in college. It’s a love triangle, and she’s a lucky gal because both men are a catch. Her grandparent’s lost love letters play an important role in her decision.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Chapter one

Brother Eli Troyer groaned and clutched a hand over his heart. The fast, strange sensations escalated as he weeded his wife’s vegetable patch. But it wasn’t the first time this had happened. Always before, the frightening condition went away on its own. If he told his wife, Barbara, she’d shoo him off to the doctor. He was long overdue for any kind of medical checkup.

            He groped for the blue handkerchief in his pocket and mopped his damp brow. He glanced up at the June sun, then replaced his straw hat. There were more important things to do than go see a doctor. He couldn’t let up when he needed to visit folks who were actually sick. It took time to plan his sermons. Preaching and presiding over his little Conservative Mennonite flock was a full time responsibility, almost becoming too much for him as his energy waned. Why, he would be seventy on his next birthday.

            He slowly bent for his red handled hoe and continued to work his way down a garden row of bushy green beans, fighting against his increasing exhaustion. But he’d promised Barbara he’d finish the weeding before she returned from her outing, with two other sisters from the congregation, to the discount fabric store in Columbus. Those sisters made up the core of the quilting group, and Barbara was going with them to show her support for their latest project.

            Less than ten minutes passed, when he heard the sweet gurgling whistle of a bluebird. He paused to gaze up into the nearby evergreen. Barbara had suggested he put up one of those nesting houses on a pole this spring, the kind that attracted bluebirds. She already had several birdhouses strewn around the yard. She had been a good helpmeet to him over the years, and he now wished he would have made that bird house for her this spring.

            The chest pain returned, harder than before.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Website: www.diannechristner.net

http://www.facebook.com/diannechristnerbooks

Thank you, Dianne, for visiting with us today. 

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Something Blue (The Plain City Bridesmaids) - paperback
Something Blue (The Plain City Bridesmaids) - 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