Thursday, November 15, 2012

SHADOWED DREAMS - Tina Pinson - One Free Book


Welcome back, Tina. Why do you write the kind of books you do?
I write what touches my heart. I feel that God lays the ideas on my imagination and when they persist, I have to write it down. Usually I dream about my stories. I tend to write about the late 1800s because the time frame intrigues me. I often wonder how my life might have been had I been alive then. I have also been writing some contemporary fiction. Then there was Grace, a 9/11 catastrophe type story releases next year. And Christmas in Shades of Gray, a offbeat Dickinson's Christmas tale releases as well.

Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?
Well after three tries, because my husband to be was in the military and kept getting extended, when I finally walked down the aisle to say "I do" -- nearly thirty-three years ago -- was pretty special. Of course there is having my children. Each one rates up there on the joy meter. And my grandchildren. Just welcomed a little boy, Gunner Liam and now we are looking forward to another little girl. My son is threatening to name her Pepper Pots Pinson since my grandson loves Ironman.

How has being published changed your life?
Not too much, except I probably spend more time on line trying to get some marketing done when I should be writing. I guess it has also helped me take a closer look at my stories and see if I can out do myself.

What are you reading right now?
I just finished The Merchant's Daughter by Melanie Dickerson and A Merry Little Christmas by Anita Higman. Both were good reads.

I thoroughly enjoyed both of those books, too. What is your current work in progress?
I have a few WIPS, but I have been focusing on trying to get one done at a time now and Finding Middle C a Civil War yarn is first up. Although I did get somewhat sidetracked by a There's A Monster Beneath My Bed. A children's picture book.

What would be your dream vacation?
I would love to go to Australia and do some sightseeing. Would also love to go on a cruise to Alaska. Might sound silly, but just getting back to Colorado for a respite is wonderful.

How do you choose your settings for each book?
A lot of times I can write about a place I've visited. But many times the setting comes with the dream and where the story takes place. Of course my latest series starts in the east then the characters travel west on the Oregon Trail and that is a specific trail.

If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?
I would like to sit down with George and Laura Bush. I would love to talk to them about what they went through as the first family, and what happened in their home on 9/11. Then there are a couple of actors and authors that might be interesting to dissect in conversation.


What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?
I like to sing, draw, garden, (although Arizona is much harder than Colorado I'm finding) and run power tools. Actually I like to build. Power tools and I can be questionable cause I'm a klutz, drilled my arm last year.

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?
I suppose my biggest obstacle beyond social networking or TV and family, is me. I find ways to procrastinate and ways to critique myself right out of writing a chapter. Sometimes I really need to shut my inner editor up and just write. When I do, I get more accomplished.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?
First and foremost, write your heart. Write your voice. It's all fine well and good to write what you know, but then you might never write anything. Think outside the box. Create new worlds with the imagination God has given you and use it to His glory. Research if necessary. But don't tuck yourself in someone else's mold and lose the wonder of who you are as a writer.

Tell us about the featured book.
Shadowed Dreams is the second in my Shadow Series. It is the continuing story of Matthew and Rebekah Cavanaugh. Book 1 When Shadows Fall, followed them through the battle and loss of the war, and on to Missouri where Rebekah planned to take the train west to Oregon. In book 2, Matthew has convinced Rebekah to marry him, under a contract of convenience, so he can help her west, with the understanding that they can call it quits once they reach Oregon. But Matthew doesn’t want to let Rebekah go ever, he hopes she'll become his wife in more than name. He hopes to win her heart. And he has six months on the trail to do so.

The Shadow Series is written much like Hunger Games, Harry Potter, The Dreamhouse Kings, and Divergent, not that its dystopian or fantasy but the story continues to follow the main characters and an ensemble cast throughout.

Please give us the first page of the book.
Life is a mixture of joy and sorrows,
Wwhere darkness and light mingle to cast shadows upon your soul.
These shadows, often fleeting, touch us far deeper than their hazy essence ever deemed  possible.        Rebekah St. James

Rebekah looked at the man she was marrying. He was so handsome just a look from him sent fingers of hope and desire skittering down her spine. She closed her eyes. It seemed like such a dream. Yesterday, after being told she couldn't join the train, she'd all but given up having any dreams come true and now... it looked like her dreams might just take flight.

She sighed. She wanted to share this day with her parents. She wanted to tell them she was all right. She was here because of war, but she was still standing.

She closed her eyes, and prayed they heard her heart.
Mother, Father,
I wish I could see you now. Wish you could be here. No, I wouldn't call you from Heaven to come to a land of chaos and war.

War. I hate war. With every fiber of my being. How could I not? War has taken so much from this nation. So much from me.

War and the sickness and need that rose from it, took my baby, Cassandra. Is she with you now? I often wonder how much you see of my life.

War and the horror of it stole my husband, Robert Montgomery as well. You never met him. All this happened after I saved him from a Yankee prison with help from my Godfather, Abraham Lincoln, and brought him home to West Virginia to heal after he lost both his legs.

Robert's war-ravaged body mended, but his mind was lost in a battle all its own. Lost in an unseen war I couldn't win for him. A war he wouldn't try to defeat. Not for himself, for me or our son, Andrew. I am afraid to ask if he is with you as well.

War and the necessity to live uprooted me from my home and brought me, along with Andrew, and my cousin, Caroline St. James, and my son's great uncle and my dear friend, Elijah Montgomery, to Independence, Missouri, with a dream to head west.

West... to Oregon. To the new Eden. Far from the war dividing the nation. West to peace.

I am not alone in my desire to find peace and rest. War has ravaged us all. That is the nature of war.

Nothing good can come from it.

Yet... look at me. Without this war and the losses in my life I wouldn't be standing here today marrying Matthew Cavanaugh, my friend, my childhood dream.

Such irony. War has dredged up enough sorrows to last my lifetime, but war has brought me to this moment. To Matthew.

I only hope that once he learns the truth about me, about the attack... oh I don't know what I hope...

Kiss Cassandra for me, and if Robert is there, tell him... tell him...

How can readers find you on the Internet?
Twitter:@Tina_Pinson

Purchase my books at:

Desert Breeze:

Amazon:

Barnes & Noble:

Christian Books Distributors:

Thank you for stopping by my blog to share your book, Tina.

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.

38 comments:

Amy C said...

This is my kind of story.
Amy C
VA

Katie said...

Sounds really good! Please enter me! I'm from NC.

Katie G.

Anonymous said...

Hello Amy,

I love hearing that.

;-)

Thank you for coming by

Tina

Unknown said...

i haven't read the first one, but this one sounds great. i'd love to win it. Thanks for the great interview and giveaway!

Marianne from northern Alberta

mitziUNDERSCOREwanhamATyahooDOTcom

www.reviewingnovelsonline.blogspot.ca

Anonymous said...

Katie,

Welcome. Appreciate your stopping in. Consider yourself entered.

Blessings

Tina

Lyndie Blevins said...

Thanks for the opportunity to get this book.
Lyndie Blevins

Duncanville, Tx

pol said...

Hi Tina, so nice to meet you and to learn of this book Shadowed dreams, the story sounds like one I would love reading. thanks for sharing today....

Paula O(kyflo130@yahoo.com)
a Ga reader

Tina Pinson said...

Hi Marianne,

you are most welcome, and thank you so much for stopping in.

How's the weather in northern Alberta?

Tina
from AZ (where it's still warm to this Colorado transplant)

Tina Pinson said...

Lyndie,

You are most welcome. I wish everyone had the opportunity to read it. The series of books Shadowed Dreams comes from is one of my favorites.

thanks for stopping in

blessings

Tina

Tina Pinson said...

Hello Paula from GA,

hope you are having a wonderful time in GA, my hubby hails from Gainesville.

I hope you are able to read my books too.

blessings

Tina

Hannah said...

Looks like a great book!
Hannah P CA

Jo said...

This sounds really good. Please enter me.

Blessings,
Jo from Southern Arizona
azladijo(at)aol(dot)com

ASC Book Reviews said...

YAY I've been really wanting to read and review this one PLEASE enter me! :)

Amada Chavez, NM

Breanna said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Tina Pinson said...

Hannah,

thank you for stopping by.

have a lovely day.

Tina

Tina Pinson said...

Jo from Southern AZ,

thank you for commenting and consider yourself entered.

blessings

Tina from AZ

Tina Pinson said...

Amada,

I so glad you want to read the book. Your name has been entered.

have a lovely day


Tina

Tina Pinson said...

Breanna,

Welcome from Indiana. I like marriage of convenience stories too. And I find the Civil War and Oregon Trail interesting as well. This book and book #1 When Shadows Fall rolled it all together for me.

Thanks for your comment

blessings

Tina

joye said...

Hello from a reader in Arizona. I am always looking for new authors to read. Your booksounds really good and I have added it to my TBR list.
JWIsley(at)aol(dot)com

Tina Pinson said...

Hello Joye, from Arizona,

how lovely that you stopped in,

I'm honored you've added my book to your list. And hope you enjoy reading the book as much as I did writing it.

blessings

Tina

Derinda Babcock said...

Please enter my name in the drawing. I'm from CO.

Thanks.
Derinda Babcock

Lourdes said...

Sounds great.

Lourdes from Long Island, NY

Jocelyn Green said...

Hello from Iowa! :) Sounds like a great book, Tina. I will have to start with the first in the series and follow the characters as they grow!

Shopgirl said...

I love books set in this time period. Sounds great! I'm in MN.

Anonymous said...

Colorado! Oh Dorinda, can I just say I envy you. I'll try not to do it too much, but that home. I grew up in Commerce City a bit then we lived on the western slope until we had to find work.

Your name has been added

Blessings,

Tina P.

Anonymous said...

Lourdes from Long Island. in light of the beating some families took with Sandy, I
pray all is well with you and yours

And thank for stopping in.

Blessings

Tina

Anonymous said...

Jocelyn,

I love this series, Matthew is one of my favorite heroes. And Rebekah was fashioned a touch after me. So she's okay

;-)

Starting from the beginning is a great idea.

Blessings
Tina

Anonymous said...

Veronica, I like the mid to late 1800's. And the Civil war. I guess that explains why I have a few book in that time frame.

In the Manor of the Ghost takes place in MN.

A couple others are set in the Civil War.

Thanks for the visit.


Blessings

Tina

Mary Preston said...

I'm looking forward to reading SHADOWED DREAMS. I did enjoy the first page thank you.

Mary P

QLD AUSTRALIA

Anonymous said...

Hello Mary from QLD Australia, I gather that's Queensland. I promise not make cracks about shrimp or barbies,
;-)

I just think how awesome is it that a world so vast can become so small through the internet.

Glad you enjoyed the page.

Thank you for visiting.

Blessings

Tina

Sharon Richmond said...

Enter me!!
Sharon Richmond
Blanch,NC.
sharonruth126@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

This book would be a wonderful additon to my library as well as the church library.
Thanks for entering me in the contest.
Janet Estridge
Florida
von1janet@gmail.com

Diana Montgomery said...

I would love to read this thanks for giving me a chance to win!
joeym11@frontier.com
Valparaiso, IN
46383

sharon m. said...

I would like to win SHADOWED DREAMS. I like historical fiction.
sharon m.
san diego

NatureFairy said...

This sounds like a good book!

Rachel K. from Michigan

Sarah Rebekah Richmond said...

Enter me!!
Sarah Richmond
Blanch,N.C.

Nancee said...

Thanks for another wonderful interview and review, Lena! Tina is an awesome author, and I'd love win a copy of Shadowed Dreams. Thank you for offering this giveaway!
Nancee in Michigan
quiltcat26[at]sbcglobal[dot]net

Jes said...

I enjoyed reading the excerpt! Thanks for sharing it!

Jes (CA)
jswaks at gmail dot com