Wednesday, July 31, 2013

ANSWERING ANNAVETTA - Lorna Faith - Two Free Books

Readers, here's another debut novelist. Welcome, Lorna. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.
This first book seemed to be a purging of sorts and a surprise God-type of healing for me from an abusive father when I was younger. I remember being stunned one day sitting at the computer asking God “Why am I writing about all this horrible abuse?” I heard these words so strong in my spirit: This is My way of healing you and in turn I will use this book to heal others. So in Answering Annaveta, when I write about Annaveta’s insecurities, fears, and rejection from people, it’s all been rooted out from a murky corner inside of me.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?
 I’ve had lots of laughable, quirky moments in my life. A few that stand out are, riding the calves on our farm with my best friend Skippy when I was 9 years old and then going to her house to sing and dance together in the kitchen to old records of the Beatles. Other weird moments include traveling with a singing group in Bible College and singing (in the back of the van) with my friend Holly at the top of our lungs, songs like “The Conehead song” and “Ain’t it great to be Crazy?” Most of the group laughed at our craziness and to my surprise a few even joined in! Fun times.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?
Since I was very young, I’ve always had an active imagination. I used to play outside in the dirt, surrounded by my animals imagining different characters and far away places. Then I started playing dress up at home and when my friends came over we would act out impromptu skits. I started reading Anne of Green Gables stories and loved them. Later in high school I sang and acted in musical theatre for awhile. However it was listening to stories my dad told of coming over to Canada from Russia and my own adventures of growing up as the youngest of eleven children in a pioneering family that really drew my interest to writing. That spark was ignited about ten years ago and at long last has resulted in Book #1 of my Russia to Canada Trilogy.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.
I enjoy reading a variety of books. I love reading biographies, thrillers, suspense, Science Fiction, mystery, and of course romance. When I was younger I devoured The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew series. I love all of Jane Austen’s books and many other Historical Romance books.

How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?
Honestly some days I feel like I have more sanity than others! I teach Piano and Voice lessons, blog, write books and songs as well as take care of our four teenagers and my dear husband. So that’s one area I’ve been working on. I recently read a book that has helped me tons called, Manage Your Day-To-Day: Build Your Routine, Find Your Focus, and Sharpen Your Creative Mind. I’ve been more productive with song/writing and writing lately because of creating in the mornings and leaving the emails until later. However, I would say the single biggest thing I do that helps me focus is my God-time every morning. It helps to lay everything at Jesus’s feet, worship Him, and ask Him what He wants me to do for the day.

How do you choose your characters’ names?
Some of the main character’s names, just came to me as I was writing. Like the name Annaveta just popped into my head. However when I researched the name Anna, I discovered that the name means gracious or gift of God’s favor. That really fit well for all the trauma she survives in her young life. However, many of the supporting characters names came from History books or a search for Russian baby names.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?
Other than marrying my best friend 25 years ago and being blessed with four teenagers, I would say I’m most proud of creating and producing my 1st music CD a few years ago and this year, publishing my first book. It’s an incredible feeling to hold something in your hands that you’ve spent years dreaming and working towards.

If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?
I think I would be a Cockatiel Parrot. They are birds that love to whistle and make up their own songs to sing to other birds. When I hear birds singing, I always imagine them creating their own stories that they are telling others to inspire and give hope to others.

What is your favorite food?
I’m a vegan, so some of my food groups are limited. However, when I do indulge, I love cheesecake and of course chocolate is always a big hit!

What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?
It took me at least five years before I started this book and when I had finally finished the first three chapters, three years later, it was like I was paralyzed. Fear of failure and believing I wasn’t a real writer, had me constantly editing, researching, and doing almost anything else to procrastinate. It wasn’t until I read Jeff Goin’s book You Are A Writer, that I had an aha moment. He said: You are a writer because you say you are. You don’t need to wait for someone else to pick you. Pick yourself. He wrote that the world needs to hear what you have to say so don’t deprive the world of what you were put on earth to do. That really spoke to me, and that’s when I started seriously writing. Even if it was only 300 words, I wrote everyday. I still do.

Tell us about the featured book.
Annaveta Travotsky, a young girl in 1913 Russia, is poised at the dawn of womanhood.
In the span of a few short weeks, Annaveta finds her world turned upside down. Prevailing over trauma, tragedy, and loss, she moves on, but the guilt and rejection she carries from past abusive relationships cause her to struggle with feelings of unworthiness.

Following instructions she receives from an angel in her dream one night, she goes to the German Lutheran colony her papa considered the enemy. As she lives and works with the Wagner family, she learns of God’s love and grace.

But, because of fear, her heart holds her back from receiving the love of the man who longs to protect her. As her past catches up to her, Annaveta flees to St. Petersburg, a place where she seeks safety. However, unrest in Russia makes the country ripe for an uprising, where terrorist groups like the Black Hand are flourishing. In the middle of this city filled with turmoil and rebellion, Annaveta and Alex discover a murderous plot devised by members of the Black Hand.

When terrorists threaten their lives, she faces a choice: Hold onto the lies of her past or believe in the power of love.

Please give us the first page of the book.
Shremetev Estate, near the village of Noltava, Russia. April 1913.
ANNAVETA TOOK A DEEP BREATH of the brisk early morning air as her eyes searched heavenward. “Is someone up there?”

Her dirt-covered hand quivered as she gripped the wooden hoe tighter, looking at the gray sky for some sign from above. None was given. She let out the breath she had been holding and winced as the motion sent a rush of pain to her bruised ribs. Her eyes squeezed shut, forcing a single tear to trail down her cheek. The flash of lightning with its echoing thunder caused her emotions to erupt. She slammed the hoe as hard as she could against the weeds, attacking them with a vengeance. Maybe I have been doomed to a life of cruelty and misery. I must not be good enough. Papa has told me often enough that I’m stupid, worthless, and ugly, so why would I think that help could come from anywhere else? Maybe Mama’s God isn’t really up there listening like she believes he is.

She bent down and pulled on the deep-rooted weed that seemed stuck. She tugged with all her strength, but nothing worked. Tears pricked her eyes at the pain of the blisters that had formed on her hands, from the stubborn weeds she’d been tackling this morning.

“Here, let me help.” Pavla, her tall and much stronger friend, moved to the row Annaveta tended in the large garden. “This kind only comes out when two or more people pull on it at the same time.”

They gripped the tall, thick plant and pulled with all their might. The weed shifted. Digging their feet in the soft earth, they tugged again using their combined body weight as an anchor. Annaveta’s knees buckled, and she stumbled against Pavla, causing them to fall to the freshly dug earth, removing the cruel enemy from the soil so that their newly planted seeds could grow without hindrance. They looked at each other and laughed at being tangled up together, the sound breaking the stillness of the gloomy morning air.

Without warning, something hard struck Annaveta’s leg. She scrambled to move out of harm’s way. Tripping over her long skirt, she managed to stand to her feet. Her eyes followed the length of a sculpted wooden cane that tapped a steady rhythm on the rich garden soil. Her gaze stopped, and she stared at the pale pudgy hand that bunched white as it gripped the handle tighter. The tapping stopped.

“Look at me, you clumsy wench.” The threatening words behind her caused her to look up. She stared into the cold gray eyes of the estate overseer.

How can readers find you on the Internet?
Twitter: @lornafaith https://twitter.com/lornafaith
Thanks so much for having me on your blog today, Lena. I had so much fun!
Here’s where you can find Answering Annaveta on Amazon: http://amzn.to/13WQEdU

Thank you, Lorna, for sharing your life and your new book with us.

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 Google +, Feedblitz, Facebook, Linkedin, 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

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

THE DOCTOR'S FAMILY REUNION - Mindy Obenhaus - One Free Book

I'm thrilled to be featuring this author with her debut novel. Mindy has been a part of the critique that meets in my home for several years, and she's a good friend of mine. You'll love her and her story, too. The cover makes me want to get away from the heat of Texas by visiting Ouray, Colorado, myself. The Doctor's Family Reunion will release in September, but it is available for preorder now.
The Doctor's Family Reunion (Love Inspired) - Amazon
The Doctor's Family Reunion (Love Inspired) - Kindle

Welcome, Mindy. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.
There’s probably a little of me somewhere in all of my characters. Though I do have to stop and ask myself on occasion, “What would they do, not you?” I tend to beat around the bush, not wanting to hurt anyone’s feelings or ask things that might make them uncomfortable. So when I have a character that’s a little more in-your-face, it’s a challenge.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?
Probably walking into a Whataburger in my nightshirt (author Beth Wiseman was with me, also in her pajamas) and asking for ketchup packets for a scavenger hunt. Yes, we got some strange looks—middle-aged women running around in their pajamas?!—but they gave us the ketchup. J

When did you first discover that you were a writer?
I got the urge to write nine years ago, when my youngest child was about to start kindergarten. However, it wasn’t until I typed THE END on my first book that I truly felt like a writer. I knew I had done something that many people only talk about.

That is so true. Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.
It has to be romance. I read a lot of contemporaries, but do enjoy an historical romance every now and then. I just like watching people fall in love.

How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?
Lena, I have five children. I’m not sure I know what sanity is. But when I get bogged down in the hustle and bustle of life, feeling like I might crash and burn at any moment, I know it’s time for me to refocus. To put my eyes back on Jesus (more like thrust myself into His arms) and allow Him to guide me through the chaos.

How do you choose your characters’ names?
They just come to me. Sometimes the characters step onto the stage of my mind and actually introduce themselves.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?
My family. I’m an only child. When I was growing up, it was just Mom, Dad, and me. I hoped for at least three children. God gave me five. And now we’re up to five amazing grandkids. I am truly blessed.

Yes, you are. If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?
A Golden Retriever, that way I’d still be blond. Plus I’m eager to please, fiercely loyal, and I enjoy the occasional massage. J

What is your favorite food?
You mean I have to pick just one?  I mean, I love Tex-Mex, pizza, sushi, good old fashioned comfort food…. And lest we forget sweets.

What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?
Conflict. I hate conflict in real life, so why would I want to cause conflict for my characters? Can’t they just have a happy life? Of course, the answer to that is no. A story without conflict is BORING. So I learned to ask myself, “What’s the worst thing that could possibly happen to my character right now?” Then I do my best to make it happen.

Tell us about the featured book.
Can a man earn the trust of the woman he betrayed to have the family he’s always wanted?

The Doctor’s Family Reunion is my debut novel from Love Inspired Books and releases on September 1st. It’s currently available for pre-order on Amazon.

Family means everything to Dr. Trent Lockridge. Growing up without a father, he always yearned for a family of his own. One long-ago  summer in Ouray, Colorado, he thought  he might build a future with beautiful  Blakely Daniels. But when he abruptly fled town, he broke her heart and left behind more than memories. Years later, Trent is shocked—and overjoyed—to learn he’s a father. He’d like to earn back Blakely’s love and trust— but it won’t be easy. And the clock is ticking. He’s got only a few weeks to prove that, this time, he’s here to stay…forever.

Of course, I’ve read the book and loved it, but please give us the first page for my readers.
            Blakely Daniels’ world had turned upside down.

            Literally.

            Her gaze darted throughout the cab of her tour vehicle, her breath ragged. Three tons of metal groaned around her, protesting against the copse of aspens that had stopped their free fall. The splintered windshield resembled a complex spider web and the indented driver’s door pressed against her leg.

            Head throbbing, Blakely squeezed her eyes shut, trying to get her bearings. She’d been driving these mountain roads since she was a teenager. Yet here she sat—rather, hung—who knows how far below the cliff’s edge, her pickup in ruins.

            How could she have made such a dangerous miscalculation? Praise God she was alone. She didn’t even want to think about the outcome if she’d had a truckload of guests.

            A pungent odor touched her nostrils. Her eyes flew open.

            Gasoline.

            She had to get out of here.

            Now. 

How can readers find you on the Internet?
They can connect with me via my website:
I also contribute to a couple of group blogs, The Yankee-Belle Café, http://yankeebellecafe.blogspot.com/, where I hang out with several other authors to talk about food and share recipes. Or you can find me examining life through the lens of faith with The F.A.I.T.H. Girls, http://www.thefaithgirls.com/.

Thank you, Mindy, for allowing me to give my readers a peek into your life and your new novel.

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 Google +, Feedblitz, Facebook, Linkedin, 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

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Winners!!!!!

I have added a different buy widget on the blog, some in posts, and some in the right sidebar with my books. It's for Deeper Shopping, a Christian online store. Usually, their prices are lower than Amazon. Just giving you another option when you buy.

And some of you who left comments weren't included in the drawing, because you didn't follow the instructions correctly by telling us where you live, at least the state or area.

Alicia (NYC) is the winner of Anomaly by Krista McGee.
Shannah (NC) is the winner of Bride for All Seasons by Margaret Brownley, Debra Clopton, Mary Connealy, and Robin Lee Hatcher.
Elaine (IA) and Shaddowwolf (IN) are the winners of Kindle copies of The Healer's Touch by Amber Schamel, and Treva (AZ) is the winner of the Holy Land Gift Set.
Sharon R Bryant (SC) is the winner of Ragged Hope by Cynthia Ruchti.

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.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

ROSEMARY COTTAGE - Colleen Coble - One Free Book on This Blog, Plus Much More

Bio: Best-selling author Colleen Coble's novels have won or finaled in awards ranging from the Best Books of Indiana, ACFW Carol Award, RWA's RITA, the Holt Medallion, the Daphne du Maurier, National Readers' Choice, and the Booksellers Best. She has nearly 2 million books in print and writes romantic mysteries because she loves to see justice prevail. Colleen is CEO of American Christian Fiction Writers and is a member of Romance Writers of America. She lives with her husband Dave in Indiana.


Welcome back, Colleen. Why did you become an author?
I’ve wanted to write since I was in first grade. J I don’t really know why. I’m driven to write. I won’t ever quit writing. It’s how I make sense out of the world.

If you weren’t an author, what would be your dream job?
I’d be a naturopath. I love natural medicine, and I drive everyone crazy by giving them health advice like don’t eat gluten. And yes, that means you too. LOL

If you could have lived at another time in history, what would it be and why?
I love the early 1900s. All those gorgeous dresses make me salivate. Plus it was a very exciting time full of new inventions and new ways of looking at the world. My next book out, The Butterfly Palace, is set in 1904 so I’m steeped in my favorite time period right now.

What place in the United States have you not visited that you would like to?
Make that zero. J We just visited the last of the 50 states when we went on an Alaskan cruise in early June.

How about a foreign country you hope to visit?
I will visit Australia and New Zealand one day! I’ve loved reading about Australia since I was a little girl.

I share that love of Australia and have read hundreds of books, both fiction and nonfiction, about the continent down under. What lesson has the Lord taught you recently?
To take one day at a time. I’ve had such an incredibly busy year that I’ve felt overwhelmed quite often. So I’m trying to look only at what I have to do today.

Tell us about the featured book.
I adored writing Rosemary Cottage! There’s quite a bit of me in the book. I love my brother Randy and know first hand how that kind of grief feels. Amy thinks her brother died in a surfing accident, but she receives an email indicating his death might not have been an accident. She goes to Hope Beach to retrace Ben’s final weeks and see if she can discover what really happened. She’s a midwife too, so I get to sprinkle in my favorite health advice. J Her search uncovers many secrets about her brother and puts her in harm’s way as well. Of course there is a hunky Coast Guard officer who steps in to help her. He has a few secrets of his own.

Please give us the first page of the book.
Prologue
The warm Atlantic water rushed past her limbs in a silken caress. Gina Ireland loved summer, loved the water, the busy fisherman boating to and fro, and the blue bowl of sky overhead. In the winter she missed splashing in waves and was the first to hit the water every spring in her new bikini.

She waved to her brother on the beach where he sat on the blanket with her tiny daughter. He was as crazy about their Outer Banks island as she was, and when he wasn’t working on the water, he was plopped on the sand. Seven-month-old Raine squawked, objecting to being corralled off the sand. She already had her Uncle Curtis wrapped around her finger. Gina too, for that matter. The baby had changed everything.

Curtis waved his hand, then squatted on the blanket with the baby. Other beach goers splashed in the waves, and the distant roar of jet skis disrupted the serenity of her beloved Hope Island.

Gina flipped to her back and closed her eyes as the waves carried her on the whitecaps. She was different now, new and clean. The future looked bright. The water held no fear for her. Once she’d entertained dreams of winning an Olympic gold medal until life intervened, but contentment curled along her spine. No need for a medal when she had everything right here.

The island had receded in the distance when she opened her eyes and turned to her stomach again. She started back toward the beach with long, sure strokes. When the shore was no nearer five minutes later, she paused and trod water in the riptide that had seized her. She experienced only a momentary stab of disquiet. The boating lane was near, and she could hail a passing fishing boat if the current didn’t release her. She swam parallel to the shore, then tried again, only to be thrust back by the strong tide.

How can readers find you on the Internet?
I love hearing from readers! My website is www.colleencoble.com, and we can connect on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/colleencoblebooks?ref=hl

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

Rosemary-Cottage-Blogger-button
Water can be calming and healing, but it can also be dangerous, as Amy Lange and Curtis Ireland both found out. Both lost their siblings to the sea, and they hope to find healing on Hope Island. But will they find it, or will their quest to find answers set them at odds with each other and with those who have secrets that need to stay hidden?

Find out in Colleen Coble’s latest book, Rosemary Cottage, which released July 9. To celebrate, Colleen is hosting a 12-day Nautical Summer Giveaway. From July 16-27, Colleen will be giving away a new nautical prize every day. She’ll announce the winners on July 29 on her website, so mark your calendars for that date to see if you were picked as a lucky winner!

Not on Facebook? Enter here.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Colleen Coble - Christianbook.com
Rosemary Cottage (The Hope Beach Series) - Amazon
Rosemary Cottage (The Hope Beach Series) - 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 Google +, Feedblitz, Facebook, Linkedin, 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

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

SAUCE FOR THE GOOSE - D A Featherling - One Free Book

Welcome back, Dorothy. Why do you write the kind of books you do?
I have many different interests and like variety in my life, so it’s not illogical that I
write in multiple genres. I love humor in writing, so it crops up to some degree in most of my books—or at least in the title/series title. Mysteries are probably my favorite kind of reading personally, so I had to try my hand at that.

Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?
When my precious grandson toddled over to me as a two-year old and said, “I love you, Grandma.” I melted, and am still melting now that he’s an 8 year old. We have a very special relationship.

How has being published changed your life?
It’s changed my focus and my schedule! I spend a good deal of time now marketing my books (and myself) including setting up book signings and speaking engagements. Trying to juggle all of that, plus carve time for writing and editing keeps me busier than ever.

What are you reading right now?
Believe it or not, I just finished re-reading a couple of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Tarzan books. I know. I know. Sounds juvenile. But they aren’t just for kids. He was quite an adventure writer and I love those kinds of books. I’m getting ready to read Ronie Kendig’s Military Dogs series. Such a fantastic writer.

I love the Tarzan books, too. And Ronie is one of my favorite authors. What is your current work in progress?
I’m working on a new mystery series Staged for Murder about a home stager who keeps getting involved in murders. I hope to have it out by fall. First title will be Murder Outside the Box. I’m now also editing a romantic comedy, Kissing Frogs which I hope to publish this month, and beginning to edit a futuristic suspense, Time Out which should publish in late summer.

What would be your dream vacation?
No doubt about it—it would definitely be a trip around the world. I’ve always wanted to do that. If I could only go one place? I’ve always wanted to backpack through Greece.

How do you choose your settings for each book?
Sometimes the settings are obvious—e.g., if I’m writing for my It’s Murder at the Office series, then an office or business setting will be used. For specific kinds of offices/businesses, I let my imagination roam to come up with something that’s different, yet readers can still relate to it. I really dislike doing the same old, same old so I try to be as original as possible.

If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?
I love to know the inside story of things/events, so my curiosity bump could only be satisfied to talk to someone who is in the know. I’d pick George W. Bush. He’s an interesting person in his own right, but would know all the classified secrets. If he’d share, of course. (But then, they’d probably have to kill me if he did!).

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?
I love the outdoors, so a day in the country or the woods recharges me as nothing else. The beach, too. I also like to cook and entertain family and friends, but I have to admit, I’m a reading addict. I normally read at least one book a day (which is probably why I don’t go to bed very early!).

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?
It’s a physical one. I have fibromyalgia (chronic nerve ending musculo/skeletal pain) so sitting at the computer for long periods of time is a major challenge. I try to pace myself, but I get caught up in what I’m doing and forget to stop and take a break. I’m trying to watch that, but fail more than I succeed.

I have to pace myself at the computer, too, and I get caught up. So I bought a kitchen timer for my office. I set the amount of time when I need to get up and walk. When the bell goes off, I’m up walking. What advice would you give to a beginning author?
Read, read, read. Especially in the genre in which you intend to write. See what others whose writing you admire are doing and how they do it. Take online or other classes about writing to get the basics, attend workshops and conferences when you can and never, never limit your imagination. It’s a precious gift.

Tell us about the featured book.
Sauce for the Goose is a romantic comedy. I said I love writing humor and this is one I really enjoyed doing. Let me quote the back cover for you:

The girl has got to go!

To save her son from a romantic mistake, Laurel Edmonds renews some former relationships of her own. Complications abound when new beau Mike Hudson is added to the mix.

Her romantic dilemmas, her plot to save her son, and worries about her mother, aka The Bus Queen, force Laurel to cope with a fake engagement gone real, a surprise wedding, and a confession she never imagined she’d have to make.

So far it’s getting 5-star reviews on Amazon.com

It sounds like a fun read. Please give us the first page of the book.
“So what did you wish for when you blew out your candles?” His mischievous grin told me my son had a zinger ready for my response. Sometimes I wondered if Ross were really twenty-two years old, or only a ten-year-old in an adult suit.

“Ah, that would be telling!” I tried to assume a mysterious expression. Ross loved to tease, and after years of allowing him to do so, I knew the expected repartee. In reality, I hadn’t had anything in mind as I blew out the candles.
To keep from starting a fire, as well as to cope with the demoralizing effect forty-four lit candles would have on me, I’d chosen those green and white numbers with a wick. Still, the double fours caused a momentary panic on my part. Fifty wasn’t that far away.

“C’mon. You can tell your number one man.”

He wouldn’t stop unless I said something. I open my mouth and blurted. “I wished for a husband.”

The minute the words popped out of my mouth, I cringed.

Ross’s mouth dropped open. He tried to speak, gulped once, swallowed, tried again. “A husband! Are you serious?” A series of emotions, not really identifiable, flitted across his face.

Bad mistake.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

My website is www.dafeatherling.com. It contains information about me and my books and will give details on upcoming events where I’ll be speaking and/or signing books. I can also be found on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/D.A.Featherling?ref=hl

Thank you, Dorothy, for sharing this book with us.

Readers, here’s a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.
Sauce for the Goose

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 Google +, Feedblitz, Facebook, Linkedin, 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

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

FOR SUCH A MOMENT - Marie Wells Coutu - One Free Ebook

Welcome, Marie. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.
I suppose every writer puts herself into her characters, but I don’t think the characters in this book are like me in any significant way. I did incorporate one idiosyncrasy into my main character, Ellen, though I don’t know if readers will even notice this quirk. I have a fondness for textures—soft and plush like stuffed animals or smooth and cool like marble. Since Ellen is an artist and grew up poor, I used this tendency to show her fondness for luxury with such gestures as stroking fur and touching a marble sink.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?
In college, when my friends and I gathered at a local restaurant, I would crouch on the seat of the booth and move my head like a vulture. I became known for making like a vulture.

But my husband says the quirkiest think I’ve done is getting off the bus in the middle of Denali National Park right between the wolf breeding area and the grizzly breeding area, which were only about a mile apart. We walked around for about 20 minutes but didn’t see any wolves or bears, then we caught the next bus. (That bus had stopped to watch a mother bear and her cubs less than a mile up the road from where we were.)

When did you first discover that you were a writer?
I like to say that I’ve been telling stories almost since I learned to talk. I don’t remember when I decided I wanted to be a writer—I just did it. When I was seven, I wrote a play and convinced the neighborhood kids to perform it for our parents. In eighth grade, I wrote a romance novel called I Came from Venus.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.
Contemporary and historical, women’s fiction, romance, suspense, and occasionally fantasy or science fiction. In short, just about anything fiction! I also like to read helpful books on Christian living and biographies when I can tear myself away from the stories.

How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?
I’m not sure I do! But scripture and prayer, humor, and my husband help me.

How do you choose your characters’ names?
I usually choose my main characters’ names based on a gut feeling for what fits the character. I’ll also look for common names, especially surnames, for the area where the novel is set. For example, my first book is set in Minnesota and Guatemala, so I needed appropriate names from those areas. If I’m stuck for ideas, I might use www.behindthename.com to find names with a specific meaning. And for the historical novels I’ve worked on (as yet unpublished), I use various websites to find suitable names for the time period and region. But it always comes down to names I like and what suits the character.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?
Being able to celebrate 41 years (and counting) of marriage, surviving through financial struggles, two challenging careers, bringing two troubled teenagers into our home when our own children were in grade school, remodeling numerous houses, and typical day-to-day life. It’s through God’s grace and our united commitment to His will that we can say today our marriage is better than ever.

If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?
Beaver. I like to be busy, I’m told I’m a good mother, I like fur, and I enjoy being at home. But I also like to travel and I don’t like to swim, so those would be drawbacks for me.

What is your favorite food?
Anything chocolate!

What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?
For my entire professional career, I’ve been focused on writing nonfiction-first as a journalist, then in government and nonprofit public relations. I could put words together logically to present facts, but I never thought (after eighth grade or so) that I could write fiction. So in learning the craft of fiction, my biggest struggle has been to show, using all the senses, instead of telling. I’m still learning but sessions at ACFW Conference, My Book Therapy, and other resources have helped me. I have to take each scene and make specific notes about all five senses, as well as the Point-Of-View character’s goals, motivations, and conflict.

Tell us about the featured book.
For Such a Moment, tells the story of Ellen, an American CEO’s wife who has forsaken her mixed heritage. She hopes that a baby will save her troubled marriage, but learns that a childhood infection left her infertile. When she learns her husband’s company is poisoning the water in her home country of Guatemala by using illegal pesticides, she isn’t sure who’s to blame. Revealing secrets from her childhood could save lives—or destroy her false sense of security.

This is the first of the Mended Vessels series of three novels loosely based on Biblical women. The lives of Queen Esther, the Samaritan woman at the well, and Bathsheba—each one re-imagined in contemporary settings—reveal how God takes broken lives and restores them to usefulness. Each is a stand-alone story but the three books are connected by their themes of restoration, forgiveness, and hope through stories of women who find significance in spite of their pasts.

The sound wonderful. Please give us the first page of the book.
Ellen Nielson scanned the large office, seeking a secret corner where she could escape. But the ten-foot-tall antique paneled walls and Architectural Digest furnishings offered no hiding place. No corner where she could curl up and pretend the doctor had made a mistake. Pretend to be three years old, not thirty.

She must have done something terribly wrong to have earned the blow her doctor had just delivered. No children. Ever.
Dr. Rostenberg continued the barrage of words—words as cold and biting as the sleet and snow hitting the tall, narrow windows.

Ellen squeezed her eyes shut. She had imagined rocking her babies, building snowmen with her children, pushing them on the swings at the park.

The doctor’s voice broke through her clouded mind. “Mrs. Neilson, do you understand what I’m telling you?”

Ellen sat militarily tall, the way her dad had taught her, and held onto the arms of the overstuffed chair as if it were a life raft. She fought to keep her voice level. “I can never have children.”

Dr. Rostenberg pressed her lips together. “I know this is difficult for you. I’m sorry that I can’t give you more answers or at least provide some hope.”

Ellen leaned toward the elegant desk. Slowly and softly she spoke, just above a whisper. “You said the infection I had as a child caused it.”

I can’t wait to read it. I’ve been on a short-term mission trip to Guatemala. How can readers find you on the Internet?
Twitter: @mwcoutu
Facebook: Marie Wells Coutu
The book is available at Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com.

Thank you, Marie, 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.
For Such a Moment (Mended Vessels Series) (Volume 1) - Amazon
For Such a Moment (Mended Vessels Series) - 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 Google +, Feedblitz, Facebook, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link.

Monday, July 22, 2013

UNRAVELED - Sharon K Souza - One Free Book

Welcome back, Sharon. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?
I see myself writing novels that address the struggles we face but are afraid or unable to reveal to anyone—often even God if we’re honest with ourselves. Of course, He knows anyway, but it takes our willingness to address them before we can move beyond them. I’d like people who have experienced deep hurts to know that God is willing to hear us out, regardless of how raw our words may be, and of His willingness to help us get to a better place. Notice I didn’t say get over it because there are some things we don’t get over, but with God’s help we can get to a place that no longer feels like quicksand.

Tell us a little about your family.
My husband Rick and I got married a year after graduating from high school, and will soon celebrate our 42nd anniversary—a fact I can still hardly comprehend. We have a son and two daughters (our son now resides in Heaven), and 7 grandchildren. We’re a very close family. Rick travels the world physically and strategically building the kingdom of God, and is the owner of a General Contracting business. I’m in the fortunate position of being able to pick and choose which trips I accompany him on. I’ve been with him to Mexico, Jamaica, Japan, and South Africa—which, as you can imagine, was an amazing trip. Our daughter Mindy went with us. We spent three days in a wild game preserve hundreds of square miles in size. We stopped in Amsterdam on the way and visited the Anne Frank museum, as well as the home/museum of Corey Ten Boom and actually stood in the Hiding Place. That trip was one of the highlights of my life.
           
I’m sure it was. I’d have loved to have accompanied you as well. Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?
Not necessarily my writing, but my connection to other writers has certainly broadened my reading habits. I have an ongoing list of titles other authors recommend and have read numerous books I might not have found on my own. Like all readers I know, I lament the fact that I won’t have nearly enough time in my life to read all the books I’d like to. Even so, I allow myself the privilege of re-reading the few that I find extraordinary. How can you not?

What are you working on right now?
Since I began writing in the mid-eighties, I’ve always had a new novel to begin working on the minute I finished one. Usually about two-thirds of the way through writing a novel, the ideas for the next one begin flooding my mind. I jot everything down, which gives me lots of material to work with when I begin the new work in progress. But after finishing my latest novel, which will be released this summer, I had two ideas that vied for my attention. It took several months of dabbling in each one to decide which way to go. It helped that late one night, when I wasn’t sleeping, a young girl, whose photo I had found and planned to use as the main character in one of the story ideas, introduced herself to me (she has a very unique name, which adds to the texture of the novel) and began telling me her story. I immediately went into my office and wrote what is now the prologue to the book, after which there was no turning back. My protagonist is an eleven-year-old girl who lives with her aunt. She has selective mutism, which I’d never heard of till that night, when I began my research from the things the girl was telling me. I know—they lock people up for less. But, honestly, that’s exactly how it happened.

What outside interests do you have?
Besides spending time with my family, I love arts and crafts. Before I began writing I used to spend hours drawing and painting, but I haven’t done either since I started writing. I love to crochet, I also make these adorable rag dolls, which I sell at church boutiques in the fall before Christmas. I love working puzzles, the harder the better. I’d rather fish than shop. And I love baseball. My husband and I—our whole family, in fact—are Los Angeles Dodgers fans. That’s really tough since we live in northern California—San Francisco Giants territory, the team that is the Dodgers biggest rivals. But it’s also created lots of fun rivalries with our friends, who are mostly Giants fans.

James and I are huge Texas Rangers fans, but our interest in baseball only developed about four years ago. How do you choose your settings for each book?
I like to use fairly local settings. Usually the story will dictate what type of community it should be, which helps me narrow it down. For Unraveled, when I decided the Shunk-Winters clan were nut farmers, Linden, California, was the natural choice. It has some of the loveliest walnut orchards I’ve ever seen. I love the agricultural area in which I live. Lodi is surrounded by vineyards, and further out in the valleys of northern California are thousands of acres of orchards of all types of fruits and nuts, as well as field upon field of vegetables of every variety. During the spring and summer we buy most of our produce at farmers’ markets. It’s fresh and luscious. And the strawberries around here are amazing!

I love really fresh produce. If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?
I would probably give a different answer every time I was asked this, based on the current circumstances of my life. Today my answer is Harper Lee. If I could spend an afternoon with her, and what a privilege that would be, I’d ask her what it was like for a young, white Alabama girl to write a book like To Kill a Mockingbird in the 1960s. I’d ask what was the best part and the worst part of that novel’s success. And I’d ask why she never published another book—because there’s no way I believe she never wrote another one. She truly fascinates me.

What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?
I suppose to have known how difficult it would be to have a novel published. But I’m glad I didn’t know how long and arduous my journey would be or I might not have continued writing. My life is so much richer merely from the experience of being a writer. It’s allowed me to meet some wonderful people I’d have never met otherwise, and to learn things about myself I might never have discovered. I wouldn’t have wanted to miss any part of that.

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?
My husband and I are in a very difficult place right now. The Lord is teaching us trust and dependency. And let me just say I’d like very much to pass the test TODAY. Fortunately, there are lots and lots of scriptures for us to hold onto in the meantime. But, really, I’d like to pass. Today.

I so understand that sentiment. What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?
1) Write for writing’s sake and not merely to be published. You might be sadly disappointed otherwise. 
2) Draw from the deepest part of your experiences as you write. It will make your writing more authentic, and will give readers a reason to choose your work over the vast amount of product out there.
3) Don’t settle for good, but work hard for better. And for the sake of your readers, make every word count and take time to find the right words and not just okay words. There are plenty of okay words, but they won’t help your writing stand out. Okay writing is lazy writing, and it shows.

Tell us about the featured book.
Unraveled is the story of Aria Winters, who is bored with her very privileged life. So she goes to Moldova to spend a year with a seasoned missionary couple and teach English to a select group of kids. Aria is ill-equipped for the world she finds herself in, but is trying  to make the most of it. The couple she’s staying with is in the process of building what they call Hope House, which will be a place where young women who are rescued out of human trafficking can find healing and restoration. Aria is really drawn to that, and wants to help. But through no fault of her own, something happens to one of her students and she takes responsibility for it. It nearly undoes her in lots of ways, including her faith. Unraveled is the story of Aria trying to find her way back.

Please give us the first page of the book.
One
I lost my faith at twenty-four. Well, that isn’t true. I didn’t lose it, I left it. In a small village in Moldova, right there amongst the sunflowers. Just took it off like a vesture discarded. Not outgrown. Discarded. It left me feeling exposed, I’ll admit, but I figure if God isn’t capable of protecting the weakest among us, well I’d just rather work for someone else. Oh sure, he makes it plain that pure and undefiled religion is caring for the widows and orphans, as if it’s my job and not his. And that was the thing; he let us down in the worst way. So, I tipped my hat and shook the dust off my feet.

Which left me instantly unemployed a half a world away from home. No one ever said I was farsighted. They did, on occasion, say I was rash.

After high school, I earned my AA at Modesto JC because the commute from where I lived in Linden, California, was easier than driving to Sacramento during rush hour. And if you ask me, one JC’s as good as another. Sure, Delta College in Stockton was even closer than Modesto, but that was too close to home. I wanted to feel, at least to some degree, that I was going off to college, even if I came back home every afternoon.

I chose a community college instead of a four-year institution because, quite frankly, I had no earthly idea what I wanted to be when I grew up. I knew one thing for sure. I did not want to spend the whole of my adult working life in the family business, on the family compound, though that’s exactly where I ended up after tucking my Associate in Arts certificate in between the pages of the family Bible. That’s where we keep all our important papers. Most everything pertaining to me can be found in the pages of the Gospel of John. Which is exactly where you’d expect to find my sister Johnnie, but no, I’m the firstborn, so I got first choice, and I chose John.

How can readers find you on the Internet?
My website is www.sharonksouza.com. I also co-write a blog with 5 amazing women authors, www.novelmatters.com  My novels are available at Amazon.

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

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 Google +, Feedblitz, Facebook, Linkedin, 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

Sunday, July 21, 2013

WINNERS!!!!!

Dear Readers, if you'll notice, I have started using a different kind of buy widget on the blog, some in posts, and some in the right sidebar with my books. It's for Deeper Shopping, a Christian online store. Usually, their prices are lower than Amazon. Just giving you another option when you buy.

And some of you who left comments weren't included in the drawing, because you didn't follow the instructions correctly by telling us where you live, at least the state or area.
Heidi (CA) is the winner of A Wedding for Julia by Vannetta Chapman.
Patty (SC) is the winner of Threads of Love by Andrea Boeshaar.
Judy C (LA) is the winner of Beyond the Past by Jo Huddleston.

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.

Friday, July 19, 2013

RAGGED HOPE - Cynthia Ruchti - One Free Book, Plus Much More

Readers, I've hosted Cynthia when each of her two novels, They Almost Always Come Home, and When Morning Glory Blooms, released, and I read them. They are the kind of stories that you can't put down, so I was pleased to help share this nonfiction title with you.

Welcome, Cynthia. What would you like for our readers to know about you personally? 
I’m an observer. Of everything. That explains my fascination with details like a tendril on a morning glory and the small twitch when a child is asked, “Honey, does he hurt you?” I notice subtle changes in temperature. (I can always tell when the furnace is just about to kick in.) Heightened powers of observation are useful for an author. The path a raindrop takes as it wriggles down the surface of a bubbled window might become an evocative detail in a scene in a novel. The forward curve of the shoulders of a woman with a shattered heart deepens my empathy, which in turn deepens my ability to communicate through story in nonfiction. I pray those details also make me a better listener and, in my faith, a better worshiper, catching the glorious subtleties of how God reveals Himself through nature and through the human heart.

Tell us about your family.
My husband and I have been married for 41 years (we met in elementary school). We have three children, a daughter and two sons. Five grandchildren—so far—complete the family. Our home is a 100-year-old house on ten acres in the heart of Wisconsin, near cranberry bogs and cornfields, dairy farms and…and that’s about it.

Have you written other nonfiction books?
Although Ragged Hope: Surviving the Fallout of Other People’s Choices is my first full-length non-fiction solo project, I was one of four authors who wrote devotions for the book His Grace is Sufficient…Decaf if Not (Summerside/Guideposts). I’m one of the authors who wrote forty devotions each for the 2014 edition of Guideposts’ annual devotional, Mornings With Jesus. During the years I wrote and produced “The Heartbeat of the Home” radio program, the ministry created books that were compilations of past broadcasts that fit certain themes. Before the broadcast retired in 2012, we had more than 95 books in print.

Do you have any other books in the works right now?
In addition to Mornings With Jesus 2014, I’m also anticipating the release of another full-length novel in 2014, All My Belongings (Abingdon Press). Both nonfiction and fiction projects are calling to me. They’re keep-me-awake-at-night stories waiting to be told.

What kinds of hobbies and leisure activities do you enjoy?
Give me a good book, a cozy beach chair on a sandy shore by an ocean or one of the Great Lakes, and an endless supply of sun tea or hot tea, and I’m happier than I ought to be. I love to travel. Most of my bucket-list items involve travel. I’m waiting for that dance-and-shout moment when my hitherto unused passport gets its first international stamp. As far as hobbies, knitting was once a high priority, but it has had to slink into the background while I keep up with deadlines and serve as American Christian Fiction Writer’s Professional Relations Liaison. Music is an ever-present accompaniment to my life.

Why did you write the featured book?
Ragged Hope was written to tell the untold stories—to give voice to those who don’t make the headlines but pay a dear price because of the choices of those who do. We see them all around us—the husband with an emotionally distant wife, the grandparents sacrificing their retirement years to raise their grandchildren because the kids’ parents are in jail or rehab, the elderly woman devastated by an ethics-challenged financial planner, the spouse of an alcoholic…

Not only are they bearing consequences not of their own making, they’re often handed lifelong challenges that wear hope thin. When hope’s edges grow frayed, what then?

What do you want the reader to take away from the book?
A fresh appreciation for hope’s tenacity. A renewed assurance that God not only sees but cares. And a deeper understanding of how we can reach out in a meaningful way to lessen the fallout for those suffocating under the ash cloud of someone else’s bad, misguided, thoughtless, or even criminal choices. The hope God offers may seem to hide temporarily. But it’s there, waiting to be uncovered. The stories reveal how survivors found a holding-on place. The reflection questions get us thinking about how well we’re surviving or about what we can do more effectively to express how much we care about those around us caught in the fallout.

Where on the Internet can the readers find you?
Readers can find me at www.cynthiaruchti.com, www.facebook.com/CynthiaRuchtiReaderPage, or www.twitter.com/cynthiaruchti. I love interacting with readers and look forward to carrying on the discussion about the kinds of subjects addressed in Ragged Hope: Surviving the Fallout of Other People’s Choices.

Thank you, Cynthia, for sharing this book with us. I can think of a number of people I know who need to read this.

Cynthia Ruchti  is celebrating the release of Ragged Hope: Surviving the Fallout of Other People’s Choices (Abingdon Press) with a $200 Visa Cash Card "Hope" Giveaway and Facebook Party!

RHBlogButton

One winner will receive:
  • A $200 Visa Cash Card
  • Ragged Hope by Cynthia Ruchti
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on July 31st. Winner will be announced at the "Ragged Hope Author Chat Part on August 1st. Connect with Cynthia for an evening of encouragement, laughter, and more! Cynthia will also share an exclusive look at her next project and give away books and other fun prizes throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of Ragged Hope and join Cynthia on the evening of August 1st for a chance to connect 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 todayHope to see you on the 1st!

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Ragged Hope - Christianbook.com
Ragged Hope: Surviving the Fallout of Other People's Choices - Amazon.com



Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book on this blog. 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 Google +, Feedblitz, Facebook, Linkedin, 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