TO DIE ONCE - Miranda A Uyeh - One Free Ebook

Readers, here’s another debut novelist.

Bio: Miranda A. Uyeh is Christian, blogger, book/entertainment reviewer, a professional blurb constructor, an assistant lecturer at a local college where she teaches two geology courses by day, and presently a judge for the INSPY Award. To Die Once: Child of Grace, #1 is her debut book.

Welcome, Miranda. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

A lot, I guess. I simply can’t separate the life lessons I’ve learned over time from my writing. It’s a calling for me to incorporate them. And it’s not just the lessons: little habits, likes, dislikes, quirks etc. It is easier for me to dive into myself and pull out those little traits I need to build certain characters in a story.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

Honestly, I can’t remember. I never really keep records of my quirks or silliness.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

When I was thirteen. I read a book by Norma Jean Lutz (can’t remember the title), and my course in life was set.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.

Oh! Lovely question! I LOVE romance garnished with fantasy, history, mystery, thriller, and suspense. I simply can’t resist! Especially fantasy.

How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

Oh, I don’t know. I guess I take life one step at a time—is there any other way? Keeping a schedule and lists of to-dos go a long way in organizing my time, also. But sometimes, I have to break out of it all, and step away from my “world” to gain some inner peace and quiet. I come out refreshed afterwards.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

Believe me when I say, this is the single most (or one of the of the most) difficult task for me in writing fiction—don’t know why. At least at the beginning, it was. A solution comes when a name finally takes form in my mind and I have a really good feeling about it. I’ve never regretted choosing a name like that so far.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Publishing a book! Nothing so far has beaten that feeling.

If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?

Lion/Lioness. I like the majestic look and symbolism of a lion. This is what God was talking about when He said, “I’m the Lion of the tribe of Judah.”

What is your favorite food?

Curried fried rice and chicken. Yummy, isn’t it?

What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

There were some details that were more difficult to flesh out than others, because of the complexity of the scenes. In the end I had to gather resources like pictures, videos, and books to help. It was a slow and tedious process, but it worked.

Tell us about the featured book.

To Die Once is a story of God’s redemptive power of grace. Some of the characters in this book make certain decisions that change their lives forever, and they’re forced to live with the consequences. This story shows that with God, absolute healing and second chances are possible.

Two men, one woman, a rosebush …

… a terrible past, an uncertain future

Jennifer, a woman unexpectedly trapped in a path of love and passion against everything she believes.

Rodrigo, a man set to get what he wants at the cost of what matters most.

Stefano, a man with a past, a story to tell and passion to offer.

Chidi, a friend in need, a friend indeed. Or not?

From a culture where good girls follow the norm and live as they’ve been told, Jennifer is no different from any other girl until by happenstance, she meets and falls in love with Rodrigo, a man who’s handsome, rich, and foreign. Different. She has no idea who he is or what he does and is swept into a world of romance and passion. It is not long before she discovers a shocking truth that shakes both her world and his.

Then he is gone.

Stefano shows up at a time when Jennifer has made up her mind about the rules of life. He thinks she’s beautiful and is in love with her. In a bid to convince her to give him a chance in her life, old memories once buried are brought to life. And the events that follow don’t leave anyone unaffected by the truth of the past that was left unsettled.

Meanwhile, Jennifer with her friend Chidi, find themselves on a self-discovery journey that has one of them raising questions.

Some just have to ask, where is God in all this? … an inspirational romance, from Lagos to Italy.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Of course!

JENNIFER TINGHIR hated her work at the cashier unit of the bank. She liked her real job better at the Marketing Department. In two hours, she had attended to over fifty impatient customers, and the pressure of the work started to kick in and take its toll on her. Thankfully, she had one more customer to deal with before her break. God knew her aching fingers needed to rest from all that tapping on the computer keyboard, and her stiff back needed to lean on something cozy after sitting up for so long, before she returned to the paperwork that awaited her on her desk in her office.

Before midday, the bank was already crowded. More people trooped in like it was Black Friday at a shopping mall. It was the second quarter of the year, a time when business corporations in Nigeria repositioned their agendas to fit the profit margin, and individuals planned their budgets to maximize the best yields. Lagos City was no different. In the marketing department, she and her colleagues had to lend help to the customer care and cashier units because of the unusual influx of customers.

“Thank you for coming, sir.” She said to her second-to-last customer, then cleared the information sheet from the computer screen as she waited for the last man in line to approach.

She raised her hand to soothe the kink at the nape of her neck and within seconds started to feel the release as her stiffened muscles relaxed under the massage. What wouldn’t she give to dig out her tired feet from her stilettos, relax her back against a cozy chair and prop her legs up on her desk behind the closed door of her office? She bit back a groan and maintained her composure.

When she finally looked up, her breath caught at the sight of the man standing before her. Her pulse raced as he studied her. She had never seen him before. He had to be a new customer in the bank.

Jennifer swallowed. “Good morn—uhm, sorry. It’s afternoon—good afternoon. Sir.”

She was aware she was babbling. How could she not? Before her stood the most attractive man she had ever seen in her life. She was sure that if he leaned over the counter enough, his towering height would loom over her. His dark hair sat in waves that flowed to the back of his head but didn’t extend beyond his nape. His dark eyes were penetrating. His Roman nose wasn’t too pronounced so it fit perfectly on his face. His jaw exuded a smoothness and toughness all at the same time. And his lips—oh, Lord, those lips—she stopped herself. What is wrong with me? She had just spent the last few seconds ogling a customer. But her mind stubbornly continued—pondering his lips that were satisfactorily thin and puckered enough to attract any sane female. His stare was full of such interest that she visibly shuddered, even more so when his eyes strayed and stopped on her … lips?

Jennifer blinked.

She shook her head to clear it of any nonsense and forced her mind to concentrate on the man for who he was to her—a customer. Tearing her glance away from him, she attempted to gather her composure. Her heartbeat still thrummed, but when she finally turned his way again, she hoped her look spoke “professional.”

He smiled in a soft, cocky way that tingled her senses. She didn’t like that, she decided.

“Good morning,” he said.

Italian, she noticed. “How may I help you?”

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Easy!

 Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Google+ | Pinterest | Shelfari | Operation Smile.

Thank you for hosting me, Lena! It was wonderful visiting your blog today!

Thank you, Miranda, for sharing your book with us today.

Readers, here’s a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.
To Die Once (Child of Grace Series, #1) - Kindle

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