STRESS TEST - Richard Mabry - One Free Book

Welcome back, Richard. Tell us about your salvation experience.

No fireworks, no bells and whistles. I accepted Christ in my home at age 12, during a conversation with my grandmother.

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

Really tough question, and one that’s going to bother me when I think later, “I should have chosen—.” Assuming we’re talking about living authors, names that come to mind are James Scott Bell (to teach me about plot and structure), Jim Rubart (to help me with marketing), Alton Gansky (to encourage me to think outside the box), and BJ Hoff (to give me level-headed advice).

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

Actually, after the publication of my non-fiction book, The Tender Scar: Life After The Death Of A Spouse, I spoke frequently to various grief groups and church groups. After the publication of my first novel, I was asked to speak and teach in a number of venues. I don’t actively seek these opportunities, since I have more on my plate than I can handle, but will always consider invitations to teach and speak when I can work it into my schedule. Matter of fact, I’ll be speaking to our mutual ACFW group, the DFW Ready Writers, soon.

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

One of the nice things about getting to this age is that most of the bad things in my life happened so long ago I have pushed them completely out of my mind. I do recall my shock when I saw the grade from my first gross anatomy lab exam in med school. I’d been an easy “A” student in high school and college, but I anchored the freshman class on this one. How did I handle it? Pretty much as you’d expect. I wanted to protest the grade, then I wanted to quit, and finally I buckled down and determined to do better. Come to think of it, that’s pretty much the way I handle a bad review even now.

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?

First of all, I’d try not to laugh. Most people have no idea how hard it is to write a book, much less write a good one. I’d urge them to buy—and study— about a half dozen of the best basic books on plot and structure, character development, story arc, and other aspects of the craft. Then I’d encourage them to attend a writer’s conference. By the time they’ve done all that, they should have a pretty good idea of whether they really want to try writing. If so, more power to them.

Tell us about the featured book, Stress Test.

Kidnapping leads to a near-deadly escape. What would you do if you woke to find you’ve been charged with murder? And there’s no evidence to prove otherwise? They may not have enough evidence to convict him, but they have enough to ruin his life.

Sounds totally intriguing. Please give us the first page of the book.

Would you accept page 2? I think it gives a better flavor of the novel.

Sure. No problem.

It wasn’t hard for Dr. Matt Newman to spot his silver Chevy Impala in the darkest corner of the deserted hospital garage. There weren’t many cars still there at two a.m., and soon there would be one fewer. He fished his keys from the pocket of his white lab coat and thumbed the unlock button on his remote. His hand was on the door handle when something yanked him backward and cut off his air in mid-breath. Matt dropped the keys and reached up with both hands to pry at the arm that encircled his neck.

     

In an instant Matt was slammed facedown to the cement floor. He heard a crack and felt the knife-like agony of breaking ribs. The searing pain in his chest made each labored breath more difficult. A weight pinned him to the ground like a butterfly on a specimen board.

Matt struggled, but his assailant held him fast. Fire shot through his shoulders as his arms were yanked together. There was a quick rip of tape and in seconds, his wrists were bound tightly behind him. Rough hands encircled his ankles with more tape, leaving him helpless and immobile. At the same time, someone else grabbed his hair and lifted his head. Matt gave a shrill cry before three quick turns of tape muffled his voice and turned the world black.

He tried to lift his head, but stopped abruptly when something hard and cold pressed against the back of his neck. Matt lowered his face onto the garage floor and went limp. He felt hope escape like air from a punctured tire.

Wow! I know James and I will love this book. How can readers find you on the Internet?

My website is http://rmabry.com. I blog twice a week at http://rmabry.blogspot.com. My Facebook fan page is http://facebook.com/rmabrybooks. And my Twitter handle is @RichardMabry. Of course, readers can always send me an email at Dr R L Mabry at yahoo dot com.

Thanks for having me here, Lena. I hope your readers will like Stress Test.

Thank you for sharing it with us.

Richard Mabry is celebrating the release of Stress Test with a Nook HD Giveaway! Enter today.

One winner will receive:

• A brand new Nook HD
• A $15 gift certificate to BarnesandNoble.com

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on April 27th. Winner will be announced on 4/29/13 at Richard's blog.

Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.

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

Stress Test - paperback
Stress Test - Kindle


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