SOMEBODY LIKE YOU - Beth K Vogt - One Free Book

Dear Readers, when this book arrived at my house, I was eager to read it. I had written a series about identical triplets, and this one is about identical twins. I’m always interested in reading about multiples. I had really enjoyed Beth’s first two books, so I knew I would like it. This book takes the reader deep into emotional places that really grip their hearts. It’s one of the best books I’ve read this year. You won’t want to miss it.

Welcome back, Beth. Why do you write the kind of books you do?

I tell people I write “real life” romances. By this I mean that I don’t avoid the reality that relationships are messy. I believe there is more to happily ever after than the fairy tales tell us – and I like to write the stories that tell the truth: happily ever afters happen without the benefit of fairy godmothers.

Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?

The happiest day of my life … oh how to answer that? The happiest day of my life is today … because I am so fully aware of all the blessings I’ve experienced – and yes, some of those blessings were once overwhelming challenges I faced that made me question my faith. Not doubt God, no, but question in a way so that I grew closer to him.

How has being published changed your life?

I’m either on deadline or just off-deadline or waiting for edits to come back from my editor. That’s different. And I’ve also wrestled with self-confidence in a whole new way – reviews will do that to you. But I’ve learned to anchor my sense of worth more and more to who God says I am.

What are you reading right now?

Oh, so many things! Becky Wade’s Undeniably Yours. Home to Chicory Lane by Deborah Raney. Tornado Hunter (for research) and Loves Come Calling by Siri Mitchell, which I had to put aside while I was on deadline.

What is your current work in progress?

I’m working on a novella, Can’t Buy Me Love, which will launch my Destination Wedding series for Howard Books in 2015.

What would be your dream vacation?

My husband and I are planning that right now. We’re hoping to go to Venice and yes, I hope we can take a gondola ride.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

My first three novels and one novella were all set in Colorado, which is where I live. Colorado is a beautiful state with so many possibilities for story settings. For the Destination Wedding Series, I researched top destination wedding locations in the U.S.

If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?

Oh, I am never good at these “pick one” questions. I’m going to go with the outside the box answer that came to mind: Dick Van Dyke. I remember watching the Dick Van Dyke show as a little girl (yes, I’m dating myself) and all of my kiddos have watched the black and white TV series on DVD – and laughed out loud, just like I did. He’s a talented, versatile actor who has had struggles. He’s a comedian who has made decades of audiences laugh – and laughter is my favorite sound. It would be fun to sit down and talk with him about his life. There, nothing deep or philosophical about my answer. But I’m juggling a number of projects right now, so I probably can’t do “deep” at this moment.

My husband and I love the various parts Dick Van Dyke has played. What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I enjoy walking/hiking. Colorado is great for that. And I love to watch cooking shows, although I don’t spend all that much time in the kitchen! Another favorite pastime is spending time with my close girlfriends. Not all are writers, but they’re very patient with me when I talk story.

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?

Interruptions! Real life – and real people whom I love -- have a way of intruding on my fictional worlds and imaginary characters. And interruptions disrupt the creative flow. So I’m constantly battling with trying to find uninterrupted writing time and reestablishing my focus when I’ve lost it.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

As writers, we often talk about pursuing our dreams and we celebrate when those dreams come true. Once you sign on the contractual dotted line and embrace deadlines, living the dream becomes doing the work. The challenge is balancing the two: remembering the joy of the dream and persevering through the work.

Tell us about the featured book.

Somebody Like You asks the question: Can a young widow fall in love with her husband’s reflection? Haley Ames discovers four months after her husband’s death that he has a twin brother – a startlingly identical twin brother who shows up on her front doorstep one evening. The novel examines complicated relationships – both the possibility of a romance between Haley and Stephen, as well messy family relationships.

Please give us the first page of the book for my readers.

This conversation wasn’t going to be easy.

Haley pulled off the faded fatigue-patterned ball cap, twisting it in her hands as she approached the front counter of the gun club. Thick arms crossed over his barrel chest, her boss chatted with Frank, a club regular.

“Wes, I need to talk to you—”

The man wrapped up his conversation with a gravelly laugh before clapping the guy on his back and focusing on her. “There a problem, Hal?”

A glass display case separated them, filled with two shelves of handguns—ranging from .32 caliber to 9mm—that members could rent for use on the range or purchase. “I need to talk to you about taking maternity leave.”

“Now?” Wes stopped prepping to count up the day’s take. “I thought the baby wasn’t due for a few more months.”

“Not until April.” She scuffed the faded patch of carpet with the toe of her brown cowboy boot. “But I need to get off the range.”

“What’s bothering you?” Wes dumped his unlit cigar in a spotless ceramic ashtray.

Haley twisted one of the strands of hair that had slipped free from her ponytail. “One of the women in the gun safety class asked if it was safe for a pregnant woman to be on the range.”

“Is that all?” He dismissed her concern with a wave of his beefy hand. “Of course it’s safe. We have the best ventilation system in town.”

“But what about the noise? I hadn’t even thought about that.” Repositioning the hat on her head, she rubbed the palms of her hands along the front of her sweatpants. “I wear stuff to protect my eyes and ears—but it’s not like I can soundproof my belly. I haven’t read a lot of the information online, but I do know unborn babies hear sounds.”

“So what are you telling me? You want to quit because your baby might be bothered by the noise?”

“I didn’t say quit. But maybe ... a leave of absence? Just to be safe?”

“You know I’m short-staffed as it is, Hal. Who am I going to get to teach your classes?”

“How about I make a few phone calls? Maybe someone at the Olympic Training Center might know of a competitive shooter looking for part-time work. And maybe I can do some shifts behind the counter. Let’s both sleep on it and talk tomorrow or the next day, okay?”

A few moments later, Haley stuffed her gear bag into the backseat of her Subaru Forester, standing to stretch the ever present ache in her lower back. One more decision to make—and no one to talk it over with. She couldn’t even ask someone to help her remember to make the phone calls—except for the virtual assistant on her iPhone.

Why couldn’t that woman in her class mind her own business? Most people didn’t even notice she was pregnant, especially when she wore one of Sam’s baggy chamois shirts.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Twitter: @bethvogt

Author Facebook page – where I keep readers updated on contests and new releases

Website – and my blog about quotes, In Others’ Words

Pinterest

Thank you, Beth, for sharing this new book with me and my readers.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Somebody Like You - Christianbook.com
Somebody Like You: A Novel - Amazon
Somebody Like You: A Novel - Kindle

Christian Book Store

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