UNRIVALED - Siri Mitchell - One Free Book Plus Much More

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

I would love to be able to give you an exciting conversion story, but the truth is that I grew up in a Christian home and came to a gradual knowledge of Christ and of his saving grace. When I was living in Paris from 1996 – 2000, I transitioned from my childhood faith to a faith I had processed and had come to possess in my own right.

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

I’d have all the writing friends I haven’t seen in forever: Lissa Halls Johnson who gave me such wonderful encouragement when I was starting out; the fabulous Ginger Garrett; my critique partner Maureen Lang; and Pepper Basham so that we could continue our conversation from the ACFW retreat back in 2010.

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

I do speak to women’s groups and writers groups, but I don’t actively pursue those opportunities. God seems to bring along just as many as I can comfortably handle. That said, I enjoy speaking and when I have the chance to address women’s groups, I like to talk about the concept of worth and God’s idea of women (exemplified by the concept of the word ‘ezer’).

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

You had to ask, didn’t you? I was haggling over the phone in French about buying an antique couch when we lived in Paris (two things I hate to do: haggle and talk on the phone to people I don’t know well). I’d written down a script for myself with key French words underlined. On the positive side, I used them all. On the negative side, I mispronounced one very important word. I meant to say, “Can you lower the price a little, Monsieur.” What actually came out was, “Can we sleep together a little for a better price, Monsieur.” There was a very shocked gasp on the other end of the phone line and then he said, “I think you’ve said something you didn’t mean to say, Madame.” How did I handle it? By hoping he’d just write me off as a stupid American…or forget about it altogether! Unfortunately, I had to take him the money we’d agreed to (…and I honestly can’t remember whether I actually got that price lowered or not…). When I showed up with my husband, he and his wife had a great laugh at my expense. What can you do? It makes a good response to a question like this one. (Most embarrassing moment? Well…there was that time when I offered myself as a prostitute…)

I had a similar event in college. This guy I had a crush on knew I was taking first-year French. We were both in Drama, and while all the cast was out sitting on the back porch of the theater, he said, “Voulez vous …” And you know what the rest of the question was. I had no idea, and I just popped off and said, “I don’t know what that means, but it sounds like fun.” Everyone in the cast burst out laughing. Now to get serious: 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? “You should do it!”

I’ll give them a list of writers’ conferences if they want one. I’ll encourage them to get involved in writers’ organizations. I’ll recommend my favorite writing books. If they ask about editors and agents, I’ll tell them we can talk about that after they finish with the actual writing. So far, no one has ever come back with a completed novel.

Tell us about the featured book.

Lucy Kendall, hoping to earn her father’s respect, is trying her best to save his candy business from being destroyed by candy giant Standard Manufacturing. After being abandoned by his own father as a child, St. Louis newcomer Charlie Clarke is determined to help his father’s Standard Manufacturing dominate the nation’s candy industry. Compromise is not an option when the prize is a father’s approval. And falling in love with a business rival is a recipe for disaster when only one company can win. Will these two star-crossed lovers ever learn that love is sweeter than candy or will they let a competition that turns less-than-friendly sour their dreams?

Please give us the first page of the book.

“Soon, soon, soon.” My thoughts kept cadence to the horses’ hooves. It was all I could do not to stare as the carriage passed the sites of my beloved St. Louis, all in their places, just as they should be. The brown brick Cave Ballroom; the tall Morgens Brothers Building with its deep bay windows; Ford Motor Company. And all the shoe and boot stores lining the district. If I looked out the other side of the carriage, I knew I would see The St. Louis Club.

An advertisement for Royal Taffy candy caught my attention. Give the Queen of Your Heart a Royal Gift. The brazen red of its oblong wrapper was echoed in the border of the poster. It was the third of its kind that I had seen on our journey down Olive Street. I wondered how many more of them had been put up around the city. And I wondered too why I hadn’t seen any for my father’s candy, Fancy Crunch.

The carriage lurched to a stop again. My, but there were so many more automobiles on the streets than there had been when I’d left for Europe. And it had only been a little over a year! Such a bother they were.

And it was so hot! I’d forgotten about Missouri’s humidity. Though it had been made in the new open style, my white silk collar was sticking to my neck and I suspected my Denmark blue blouse-waist was already damp at the back. I shifted forward on the seat as the streetcars and automobiles sailed past us, reminding me of all the ships I had seen on the Mediterranean.

Awnings shaded shop windows while men and women hurried up and down the street. How tall all the buildings were! Pride bloomed in my breast: even Europe with all her splendors had nothing to rival my native city.

I had worried that I would find my home too dull and provincial, that it would be diminished by the grandeur of all the things I had seen and the places I had visited on the Continent. To the contrary! Dear, sweet home. I wanted to embrace it all. Every piece of it. There were dozens of things I couldn’t wait to do. And there were a hundred things I wanted to tell of: eating linzer torte in Austria; hiking the glaciers in Switzerland; drinking coffee at the cafes in Italy.

Soon, soon, soon.

I’d voyaged half way around the world, but this last journey from Union Station to the house was interminable.

Sounds intriguing. How can readers find you on the Internet?

I’m on Facebook as Siri Mitchell. I’m on Pinterest as SiriMitchell and on Twitter @SiriMitchell and I would love it if readers would visit my website at http://sirimitchell.com I’ve put up some special links there to share the story behind the story.

Celebrate Unrivaled with Siri Mitchell by entering to win a Kindle Fire and joining her on April 18th for a Facebook Author Chat Party!

 
One "swooning" winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• Vintage Candy Kit
• Unrivaled by Siri Mitchell (one for you and one for a friend!)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on April 17th. Winner will be announced at the "Unrivaled" Author Chat Facebook Party on 4/18. Connect with Siri, get a sneak peek of her next book, try your hand at a trivia contest, and chat with readers just like yourself. There will also be gift certificates, books, vintage candy kits, and more!

So grab your copy of Unrivaled and join Siri on the evening of the April 18th for a chance to connect with Siri and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book - don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun, RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 18th!

Thank you, Siri, for sharing your life, your new book, and your extra giveaway with us.

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

Unrivaled: a novel - paperback
Unrivaled: a novel - Kindle


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