THE NURSE'S SECRET SUITOR - Cheryl Wyatt - One Free Book

BIO: Born Valentine’s Day on a Navy base, Cheryl Wyatt writes military romance. Her books earned RT Top Picks, a Reviewers Choice Award, Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence final, plus #1 and #4 on Harlequin's Top 10 Most-Blogged-About-Books, lists including NYT Bestsellers. She loves connecting with readers.

Readers, I'm thrilled to have my good friend back on my blog. Welcome, Cheryl.

Since you’re being published regularly, what new avenues will your future books take?

I wish I knew! LOL. Publishing is changing so much, but for now, my plan is to keep writing for Love Inspired and hopefully to have books release more frequently. I’m also working on a bigger book that is Contemporary Romance, but with a little more action/adventure thrown in. I love writing romance featuring rescuers…and that will probably never change. God knows what’s next for me and I try to follow his lead. J         

What conferences will you be attending this year? Will you be a speaker at any of them?

I always attend ACFW and serve as staff, which I consider a tremendous privilege. ACFW was a couple weeks ago. Current family commitments and being a caregiver make it tough for me to travel right now, so for the time being, I need to stick close to home. When I’m able to go, I find RWA and RT beneficial since I write romance. I actively enjoy encouraging and mentoring people one-on-one and online.    

If you were in charge of planning the panel discussion at a writing conference, what topic would the panel cover, and who would you ask to be on the panel, and why?

1. I would love to host a panel on writing category romance for the Christian market. I would invite my fellow Love Inspired authors to do the panel with me.

2. I’d love to host a panel with developmental editor Lisa Rector-Maass in order to help novelists who are hovering on the verge of publication, yet still waiting for that contract. She is an AMAZING teacher.        

How important is it to you to be active in writing organizations?

Very. I highly recommend ACFW to every writer aspiring for the Christian market. Learning isn’t something easily done alone. It takes a tribe of brilliance to get a book shelf-worthy.            

Where in the community or your church do you volunteer?

I am involved in several overseas organizations that reach out to orphans, outcasts, lepers, and widows. Because of security reasons, I can’t list the names because of recent persecution, but orphans are always on my heart. Right now in this season of life, my extended family is where God has my main focus. Also, I’m planning more active involvement in my small town community. This season is one in which God is “turning my heart toward home.” I am actively involved in multiple prayer ministries. I also have a heart for church planting and devote resources there.

Who are the five people who have made the most impact on your life, and how?

1. My mom. She’s the kindest, sweetest most sensitive person you’d meet.

2. My dad. He has integrity and strength and I’ve never once doubted his love or protection. My parents have always encouraged my dreams and never once, in my entire life, have I heard them say one bad thing about me.

3. My sister. She is an amazing mom and her way of going about dealing with people and problems is awe-inspiring to witness. She has a good head on her shoulders and I admire her in so many ways.

4. My grandmothers. They were/are both selfless, strong, resourceful women who taught me how to be hospitable, how to give and how to love selflessly and without ambition. And, they could/can fix ANYTHING with a sliver of duct tape and a streak of stubborn will.

5. Jesus, obviously. He is everything to me.  

If you could write the inscription on your tombstone, what would it be?

“Please believe in Jesus. I don’t want to be without you.” It’s actually an older Margaret Becker song and I hope everyone reading this will look it up right now…and believe. My sole reason for being on this Earth is for people to know Jesus. I write as worship and pray my guts out that God will continue to give me words that will make the difference.      

Tell us about the featured book.

The Nurse’s Secret Suitor is book three in the Eagle Point Emergency series. My publisher asked me to write a medical miniseries and since part of my brand was to write specialized military characters and medical rescuers, I found it only natural to put former combat medics in the series. It sold immediately and here we are! This story was super fun to write, especially with my editor’s story suggestions. This story has a Superman/Clark Kent, Zorro/Masked Bandit/Masquerade theme. Writing it was a welcome challenge due to the bandit aspect and the fact that my editor asked me to draw the reveal out until the end of the book. In my original version, the bandit unmasked one scene after the first chapter. In the revised version, he unmasks at the end of the book. I loved maneuvering the plot in this manner and I hope readers enjoy it. 

Please share the first page with us. 

Decorated military veteran turned civilian trauma nurse Kate Dalton was known for keeping a cool head under fire. But she'd never faced anything like this.

Here she was, back in the United States.

Here she was, back in the United States, biting back bile and terror as strong as any she'd experienced overseas. When she was in a combat situation, she was braced and prepared for things to go wrong. Here at home, her guard was down. Ten minutes earlier, she'd been enjoying the reception at her friends' masquerade-themed marriage ball. But then the text message arrived.

Phone clutched like a pinless grenade, Kate strode from the wedding reception room to the nearest exit. There. Patio. Best way out. If she could get there before hurling blissfully consumed cake.

Regal-hued LED lights danced over her sapphire costume and skin tanned by a three-year deployment under Middle Eastern sun. She probably looked striking—if you didn't notice the tension in her shoulders or the frown on her face.

"Breathe, Dalton, that's an order. You can't fall apart. Especially not where everyone you know can see you. You don't break down. You don't give in to fear. That's not who you are."
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Where can my readers find you on the Internet?

I interact regularly with readers on my Facebook author page here: https://www.facebook.com/CherylWyattAuthor We have a TON of fun there, creating mayhem for my characters. My readers are an integral part of my plotting. I love my readers so much!

I also have a newsletter folks can sign up for on my website: www.CherylWyatt.com. I provide story “extras” as well as giveaways and recipes characters enjoy in the books.

My blog link is accessible through my website. I’m in the process of switching over from Blogger to Wordpress. I post book recommendations, funny stuff, writing prompts and other good stuff there. I also participate on the ACFW.com blog as well as the loveinspiredauthors.com blog.

I do regular prayers (hashtag #Twispers or #iPray), encouragement and prompts (hashtag #PicPrompt) for writers on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/cherylwyatt

I am also ACFW’s Topic of the Week coordinator and it’s an organization I highly recommend to aspiring Christian fiction authors.

You are a busy women. Thank you for taking the time to visit with us.

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

The Nurse's Secret Suitor - Christianbook.com
The Nurse's Secret Suitor (Love Inspired) - Amazon.com
The Nurse's Secret Suitor (Eagle Point Emergency) - 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