A HORSE FOR KATE - Miralee Ferrell - One Free Book

Welcome back, Miralee. How did this book come about?

A few years ago I attended a writers’ conference and met Alice Crider, an editor at a major publishing house. She asked what I wrote, and I told her my newest book, Love Finds You in Last Chance, California, had released earlier that year. She said she’d spotted it in the conference bookstore and planned to buy a copy, as the cover intrigued her. As we chatted, I discovered we shared a love of horses and riding, and I felt as though I’d found a new friend.

Sometime after the conference, I received an email from Alice saying she’d read my book and loved it. She suggested I consider writing a series of horse novels for girls, as so many young girls have always dreamed of owning a horse. I thanked her and said I’d think about it but tucked it back on a mental shelf. I had already made a change from writing women’s contemporary fiction to historical romance and wasn’t sure my career would be improved by adding another genre.

Several months later, during a Wednesday-night service at church, our pastor challenged us to pray about the direction our lives were headed and to ask God if there was anything He wanted us to change. I did, and I was surprised at the answer. I felt strongly that He was directing me to write the girls’ horse novels Alice had suggested.

Tell us about the book’s cover and what makes it unique.

I had a clear picture of the covers for all four of the books in this series, and I knew the first one had to include Kate and her best friend Tori, along with a horse. Since horses and friendship are a part of each story, it was important to me that both be depicted on every cover. I’ve been extremely pleased with how the graphic designer has brought each of my concepts to life with the gorgeous covers he’s created. Book two and three are even better, and I can’t wait to share them as well.

I want to feature all of them on my blog. Please explain and differentiate between what’s fact and fiction in the book.

Most of the book is fiction, other than the setting and the horse details. I’ve ridden for over 40 years and raised a horse-crazy daughter who took lessons growing up, so I’m very familiar with the equine world. I wove as much horse adventure into the book as I could, and placed the story in Odell, Oregon, a farming and orchard community across the Columbia River from my home, and nestled at the base of Mt. Hood.

How much research did you have to do for this book?

Not much. Because I live near Odell, and my daughter took lessons at a large barn in that area, I had a clear picture in my mind of what I wanted to depict. I’m also very familiar with both Western and English riding, so there was little research required. The only area I researched was the subject of autism. I’ve been around a number of autistic adults and children at church, as well as children of friends, but I went a little deeper by asking questions of a woman I know who is helping to raise her autistic grandson—a boy the same age as Pete—the autistic child in my story.

What inspired and surprised you while you were writing the book?

Two things: I hadn’t planned much for Pete, Kate’s autistic little brother—he was going to be more of a background figure when I started, but he evolved into much more than that. I’ve had two advance readers already state he’s their favorite character, although I never intended to have him in the spotlight. The other factor was the friendship that developed between the three main kids, Kate, Tori, and Colt, who are very different in their own way. I’ve gotten to know and love these kids, and I didn’t expect to make such an emotional connection with them.

I love it when that happens with my characters. What do you hope the reader takes away from the story?

My readers for this book are children ages 8-13, a bit different from the norm for my work. I’d have to say I hope they attain a better understanding of friendship and forgiveness, as well as gaining the ability to see handicaps and disappointments in a new light.

What is the next project you’re working on?

It’s actually book three and four in this series, Mystery Rider and Blue Ribbon Trail Ride. I just finished proofreading book two, Silver Spurs, which releases in three short months on June 1, and today I’m starting copy edits for book three, Mystery Rider, and in a few days, I’ll be working on the full edit for book four, Blue Ribbon Trail Ride. Then I plan to return to historical romance with a novella currently under contract with Barbour … beyond that, another three-book trade series set in the Old West.

What do you do when you have to get away from the story for a while?

Something that ties in quite well with the story line in this series—I go horseback riding with my daughter. I lost my Arabian mare a little over a year ago to old age, but I ride my son-in-law’s mare now, and my daughter and I enjoy many wonderful hours on the trails, spring through fall.

Please give us the first page of the book.

This was the absolute worst day of Kate Ferris’s life. Ever. She hunkered deeper into the back seat of her family’s Subaru Outback and glared out the window at the passing scenery. Why did God allow her dad to lose his job in Spokane? And, even more important, why hadn’t He answered her prayer about staying in the only home she’d known all her life? She dreaded trying to make new friends in this strange place. Staying at home with her dog and her family was so much easier.

Her seven-year-old brother sat up and thumped on the window. “Horses, Kate. Look.” The words were flat and expressionless, but Peter emphasized each one with another tap on the window.

Kate removed her ear buds and peered where he pointed. “Cool.” A pasture extended from the two-lane road and off toward the looming snow-capped Mt. Hood. “How many do you see?”

“Eleven.” He pressed his nose tight against the glass. “Four more. Look.”

Kate grinned, amazed once again at his ability with numbers. His autism kept him from communicating in other ways, but ask how many of something he saw and he got it right every time. “What colors are they?”

Peter hunched down deeper, and the humming started again.

Kate’s mother draped her arm across the edge of the front seat and glanced back. “How

many brown ones, Pete?”

“Six.” He kept his face toward the road and gently rocked in time to the tune.

Dad smiled at Kate’s mom. “Don’t worry, Nan. He’s going to be happier once he’s out in the country. It’ll be so much better than being cooped up in that apartment.”

Kate reached over the back seat and stroked the coat of their German shepherd. The dog licked her hand as though sensing her distress. “Rufus will be happy too.” Everyone will be happy but me. “It feels like we’ve been in this car for days.”

Her dad laughed. “It’s only been six hours since we left, Kate. We’ll be home in another five minutes.”

I’m loving this story, Miralee. I want to feature all four in the series. How can readers find you on the Internet?

I’m always expanding my website, and I’d love to have new subscribers. They can sign up for my newsletter as well.  www.miraleeferrell.com

I can also be found on my Fan Group at Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/82316202888/

And follow me on Twitter at  www.twitter.com/miraleeferrell

Thank you, Miralee, for sharing this new book with us. I'm eager to start reading it when my copy arrives.

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

A Horse for Kate - Christianbook.com
A Horse for Kate (Horses and Friends) - Amazon
A Horse for Kate (Horses and Friends Book 1) - 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 Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, 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

ONLY ONE WAY HOME - Deborah Heal - One Free Book

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

The Palm Sunday I was eleven, I sat as usual in the pew next to my mom and four siblings at Calvary Baptist Church. In Sunday School earlier, I had recited my memory verse correctly and put a portion of my allowance in the offering basket, as usual. Pastor Moore finished his sermon and invited the lost to come forward, as usual. I was eager for the service to end so we could go home and have fried chicken, as usual. It was an all around usual Sunday.

Until my big brother rose from the pew next to me and went forward to stand next to Pastor Moore at the front. My eyes nearly popped out of my head, and my heart raced while my brain made the startling paradigm shift. I do not think I had been paying all that much attention to the sermon that morning, but all the Sunday School lessons and Bible verses I had heard finally sank in, and I suddenly realized that if my big brother needed to get saved, then I did, too. After all, he had been right there beside me doing all those same good things as usual his whole life, and if they were not good enough to assure him a place in Heaven, then they were not good enough for me either. Now I had a new and fresh understanding that it was not what I did, but what Christ did that mattered.

I do not remember walking the aisle, but there I was at the front, and Pastor Moore was asking us if we desired to accept Jesus as our Savior. I was puzzled about the word “desired” but I got the gist of what he was saying and shook my head a definite yes.

Thinking back, I wonder if Pastor Moore thought my actions were a monkey-see, monkey-do sort of a thing. But that was not the case at all. Because although I was not old enough to understand all the words he was saying, I was old enough to understand the simple Gospel message that I was a sinner and Jesus wanted to save me. I thank God for the people in my life who planted the seed, modeled Christ, and did all the usual good things.

 I had a somewhat similar experience. We had a revival when I was seven years old. My brother, who was eight years old, went forward early in the revival. I told my mother and daddy that I wanted to, and they thought it was just because my brother did. By the end of the week, we had talked enough that they knew I was doing this for myself, so I went forward the last night. Do you have a speaking ministry? If so, tell us about that.

I have had the honor of speaking at book clubs, historical societies, and women’s church luncheons. The focus varies according to the venue, but I enjoy each type of presentation. Who wouldn’t love the opportunity of talking about one’s novel to book club members who have read it and are eager to give their opinions? It still amazes me to hear people discuss—and “get”—the characters and themes that I worked so hard to create.

And talking about the history behind my books to other history buffs is always fun. On one occasion after I had waxed eloquent about Lincoln at an Alton, Illinois, history museum gathering, I was embarrassed to find that a woman in the audience was a published expert on the subject. She graciously assured me not to be embarrassed at all, that she and the other society members enjoyed hearing anyone talking enthusiastically about history. Then she told me that the spot where I stood was just about where Abraham Lincoln would have stood to deliver a speech he gave about local political issues back in 1840. I got shivers.

And I really count it a privilege to be asked to speak encouragement to other Christian women. I’ve discussed topics such as seeing God’s sovereign working in each stage of my life, and how I continue to learn little by little how to wait patiently on Him, and that our finite limitations mean we cannot understand His thoughts and ways, but we can trust Him to bless us.

This is the thread that runs through my books, and when I write about it I’m speaking encouragement to myself, too.

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

Oh, where to begin? There have been so many and I cannot decide which was worst. When I was a teen a curse word slipped out of my mouth at church just as the pastor walked past. Once I was yammering on to my friend about the highlights I just got in my hair, ending with a disparaging comment about fake looking monotone color jobs, just as I realized that was exactly what her hair looked like. Recently on Facebook, I ranted about some political topic, only realizing later that it had not been, as I supposed, in a private chat after all, but quite public. And it has been my solemn pledge never to get political on Facebook.

Do you see a trend here? I open my mouth, and stupid, sinful stuff comes out. In my Time and Again trilogy and Rewinding Time Series, Merrideth sits at her computer watching the lives of people unfolding on her screen. If she wants to, she can observe everything they ever did and listen in on everything they ever said. Furthermore, she is in their heads, knowing at least some of their thoughts. Writing about this is a constant reminder that one day I will stand before God, and my whole life will be revealed for all to see—and not just those public gaffes but also the deeper secret sins that only God knows. What a relief to know that Jesus died for all that! When God looks at me, He sees His Son’s holiness instead of my imperfection.

I’m familiar with the feeling of wishing I had waited and considered the words before I spoke them. 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?

I get that from time to time. Once at a book signing when a woman picked up my latest novel, I got excited, thinking that a sale was imminent. Then she set it aside and explained to everyone there that anyone can write a book nowadays, and that she was going to when she got around to it. I had to work to keep my smile in place, but I did, and then I told her that I hoped she did write that book one day. I have to admit my attitude wasn’t exactly Christian, because I was hoping that the superior smirk she wore would get wiped clean off her face when she got into the project and began to realize the complexity of the whole “writing a book someday” endeavor.

Others, too, have sounded quite confident in expressing that intention. But some people say it with a wistfulness that touches my heart. I wonder if they feel the same way I do when I see a beautiful scene in nature and have the urge to paint it, knowing sadly that I don’t have the skill to do so. Or maybe they have plenty of skill but just lack the courage to try. Several have told me story concepts that sounded really good, but then expressed their concern about a weakness in grammar.

So whether they say it confidently or wistfully, in all cases, I tell people that they should write their story. Get it down on paper or the computer screen while they still can. Let the ideas flow unrestricted without a single care about the mechanics. The story is the main thing, the important thing. The grammar and punctuation can be fixed. That’s what friends are for.

Who knows what my encouraging words might do for one of these strangers passing through my life? My own courage to write was born in eighth grade when my English teacher wrote these simple words at the top of my short story: “Be sure to give me a copy of your first book.”

Tell us about the featured book.

Only One Way Home is book 2 in my Rewinding Time Series. Here’s what the back cover says about it.

From Professor Randall’s Notebook…

FIELD RESEARCH SITE: Golconda, Illinois. 

GOAL: Trace client’s Frailey ancestors—back to Scotland if possible—and get home in time for dinner.

NOTE to SELF: Do NOT fall in love with Matthias Frailey—even though he is was quite wonderful. Remember, idiot, he’s been dead for over 175 years.

Professor Merrideth Randall’s latest after-hours genealogy consulting gig takes her and friends Abby and John to the small southern Illinois town of Golconda on the Ohio River. She expects to have to research the old-fashioned way at the courthouse. But thankfully, her client’s ancestor Matthias Frailey once hung out in Golconda’s ancient Ferry House Inn, and that means Beautiful Houses, Merrideth’s time-rewinding software, will work after all. 

It doesn’t take Merrideth and her friends long to time-surf back to find out what they need to know about Matthias Frailey and his family. But when they become eyewitnesses to the arrival of the Cherokee on the Golconda Ferry on December 3, 1838, they cannot tear their eyes away from the tragedy that unfolds—nor from Matthias Frailey’s heroic response to it. The people are herded down Main Street on their Trail of Tears, bound for the Oklahoma Country, while the townsfolk only watch, or even cheer. But not Matthias Frailey. He does what he can to help them, especially a very spirited—and very pregnant—woman named White Dove who insists on walking so others may ride in the wagons.

Spending so much time inside Matthias’ head, Merrideth has no doubt that he is the kind, selfless man he appears to be. It’s impossible not to fall a little in love with him—despite the fact that he is from another century. Meanwhile, in the here and now, handsome Golconda historian Aaron Landis is doggedly pursuing her. And back home her McKendree College colleague Brett Garrison keeps calling while he waits for her return. But are they—or any man—worthy of her trust? Too bad there isn’t a way to time-surf in their heads. Now that would be a dating tool she could really put to good use.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Merrideth Randall ran a strand of blond hair through her flatiron. She took the time to do it every morning, because she figured if she had to have flat hair it might as well be shiny flat hair. But it was a tiresome process, made worse by her inadequate bathroom. For one thing, the mirrored medicine cabinet had been installed at a height suitable for her apartment’s ten-foot ceilings—if the person trying to use it was also of gigantic proportions—but since she was only five foot two inches, she had to stand on tippy-toes if she wanted to see what she was doing. She reminded herself that at least her calves got a good workout.

Besides, it was impossible to be annoyed on such a glorious day. The window behind her claw-foot tub was filled with golden sunlight, and if the weatherman hadn’t lied, temperatures would be more typical of April than January. More importantly, it was the Friday morning of a four-day weekend, her grading was caught up, and she would not have to be back at McKendree College until her Tuesday afternoon freshman history class. Furthermore, she would be spending the day antique-hunting, one of her favorite pastimes, with her best friends Abby and John Roberts.

Rising on tiptoes once again, she examined her hair. It actually looked pretty good, and so she added “good hair day” to the weatherman’s propitious forecast. Setting the flatiron on the ledge of the pedestal sink, she bent to get her little zippered cosmetic case from the cardboard box on the floor. She took out her bottle of honey-beige foundation and wedged the case behind the faucet. Although she’d lived there for over five months, her grooming paraphernalia and towels were still in boxes. Although the bathroom was large, it had little actual storage space. But today, if all went well, she would bring home a small antique dresser in which to put all her stuff.

Since her apartment was part of a historic old house—one of the many that graced Lebanon, Illinois—something antique was the only rational choice. She figured the price for a solid wood dresser would probably be only a little more than the plastic (horrors!) shelving units at Walmart. Something in cherry or mahogany would be nice, although pine would be acceptable—and probably less expensive. She felt confident she would find something that would work. Antique dealers from several states would be at the Marion Cultural Center for the annual two-day event called the Egyptian Caravan of Antiques.

She smoothed on a bit more foundation and then put the bottle back in the case and took out her mascara. In the process, her elbow bumped the flatiron. It skittered over the porcelain surface, but she caught it right before it would have landed in the basin under the dripping faucet. She was grateful to have good reflexes, because getting electrocuted would have really put a damper on the nice day. Grinning at her thought, she unplugged the flatiron and set it back down. The cord snagged on the cosmetic case, sending it to the floor. The bottle of foundation shattered on the black and white checkerboard tile, splattering honey-beige makeup to the four corners of the room.

Drat! It was almost seven o’clock, and like her, John was habitually prompt. She would have to hurry in order to get downstairs before he and Abby arrived. She got paper towels from the kitchen and wiped up the broken glass and the worst of the gloppy mess. The doorbell rang. The floor was still smeary, but there was no time to mop it. John hated to be late. The doorbell rang again.

“All right. All right. Hang on, would you?” She washed the makeup from her hands and hurried to the living room where she got her keys from the faux mantel of her faux fireplace and her coat and oversized leather shoulder bag from her lumpy couch.

She opened the door, expecting to see John. Instead, Brett Garrison stood there, hand raised in mid-air. Grinning, he pretended to knock on her forehead. As usual, his smile made her stomach do flips. As usual, she forced it to stop its gymnastics.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I hope readers will visit my website to get more about the real people and events that inspired my books.

WEBSITE: www.deborahheal.com

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Thank you, Deborah, for sharing this new book with us. I can hardly wait for my copy to arrive, so I can dive into it. I know my readers will love it, too.

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

Only One Way Home: An inspirational novel of history, mystery & romance (The Rewinding Time Series) (Volume 2) - paperback
Only One Way Home: an inspirational novel of history, mystery & romance (The Rewinding Time Series Book 2) - 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 Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, 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

GABRIEL'S ATONEMENT - Vickie McDonough - One Free Book

Dear Readers, I was privileged to read Gabriel’s Atonement for endorsement. Here’s what I said:

“I’ve long known about Vickie McDonough’s interest in Oklahoma history, especially the Oklahoma land runs. She took the details of history and skillfully worked them into the lives of her characters, who leapt off the page and grabbed my heart. Using several plot lines that could have been ripped from the pages of Oklahoma history, she wove them carefully together to give an interesting and thoroughly satisfying tale. You won’t want to miss this wonderful read.”

Welcome back, Vickie. You have a lot of books out now. What is your favorite setting to use in your books?

I’ve enjoyed writing about my home state of Oklahoma in my Land Rush Dreams series, but I keep going back to Texas for book settings. Texas has a much longer history than Oklahoma, and it’s a great setting for a story and popular with readers.

What do you look for when you’re shopping for a book to buy for yourself?

I usually gravitate to the historical fiction section and look for something with a western setting or cowboy on the cover. I fell in love with cowboys and westerns when I watched TV with my dad when I was a kid. I prefer stories set in the late 1800s.

Give us a little tour of the setting for this book.

Gabriel’s Atonement, Book 1 in my Land Rush Dreams series, starts out in southern Kansas, but moves into the Oklahoma Territory when my hero and my heroine’s family prepare to ride in the first Oklahoma land run. Readers also get a glimpse of the settling of the city of Guthrie, which was the first Oklahoma capital. The town was a prairie water station for trains on the morning of April 22, 1889, but by evening, it was a massive tent city with a population around 10,000 people. It was a fascinating time in America’s history.

What other books do you have coming out soon?

In June, I have a novella releasing called The County Fair Bride, which is part of The 12 Brides of Summer Collection. In September, the print version of The 12 Brides of Christmas will be available. It includes my novella, The Fruitcake Bride. The ebook version was released last fall. Then in November, Joline’s Redemption, Book 2 in my Land Rush Dreams series releases.

Please give us a glimpse inside your home.

I’m currently sitting in my living room in my recliner, using my laptop, which sits on a lap desk. My couch and pair of recliners are gray. I have teal pillows on the couch and dark teal valances on the windows and a dark teal glider rocker sitting next to our TV. The Berber carpeting is a dark green and white. There’s a fireplace on one wall. You pass through the living room to get to our kitchen and dining room, which are at the back of the house. Our house is two-story with a vaulted ceiling that goes all the way up to the second-story ceiling in the living room. The staircase has a curved wall, giving the room added character. One bedroom is downstairs and two more and an office are upstairs. The people who lived here before us built a third-story loft in the attic, which now serves as my husband’s office.

Is this novel part of a series or a stand-alone book?

Actually, it is both. Gabriel’s Atonement is part of the Land Rush Dreams series, but it is a complete story on its own. Book 2 features Jo, who in Book 1, is the bratty younger of Lara, the heroine. I’ve just started Book 3, which features characters you’ll meet in the Joline’s Redemption.

I love it when a series has stand alone stories in them. Tell my readers about the story.

Gabe Coulter has a successful night gambling, but a drunken cowboy who wants his money back confronts him in a dark alley. Gabe refuses to returns the man’s money, and a gunfight ensues. The dying man tells Gabe the money was for his wife and son. Though the shooting was self-defense, Gabe wrestles with guilt. The only way he knows to get rid of it is to return the money he fairly won to the man’s wife.

Lara Talbot sees Gabe as a derelict like her husband and wants nothing to do with him. But as she struggles to feed her family, she wonders if God might have sent the gambler to help.

Please give us the first page of the book.

The cool metal of the Morgan silver dollar warmed as it rolled over Gabe’s knuckles and between his fingers. One thing he’d learned in the last nine years was how to read people, and the cocky cowpoke at the bar looked ripe for the picking.

Like an early morning fog, hazy smoke floated in the saloon’s tepid air. The cowpoke swigged back his drink and slammed his shot glass onto the counter, patted his pocket, and looked in the direction of the gaming tables. Gabe caught his gaze and nodded.

With a leering grin, the cowboy brushed past Trudy, one of the buxom saloon girls, and strode across the room toward Gabe. “I’m of a mind to double my money.”

“Are you now?” He leaned back in his seat, one arm over the back of the chair, and waved a hand. “Have a seat,” he hollered to be heard over the din of the crowd. He recognized the man from a month ago when he lost his paycheck at Tricky Dan’s table. If he remembered right, the cowboy worked for Walt Whiteman, owner of the largest cattle ranch in the area—and the best paying one.

“The name’s Tom Talbot.” He nodded and pulled a pouch of coins from his pants pocket.

“Gabe Coulter. What’s your game?”

“Five Card Stud.”

Slim Trenton and Will McDaniels, two other regulars, pulled out chairs and joined them. The tinny music of the piano mixed with masculine laughter and chatter as men at each table talked loud enough to be heard over the racket. With his thumb and forefinger,

Gabe slowly pulled his pistol out of his jacket holster as usual and laid it on the table—a sign that he brokered no funny business. Two hours later, the cockiness had gone out of Talbot’s blue eyes, replaced by disbelief at the first hand he lost, and then simmering anger as he tossed the last of his coins into the pot. Gabe had seen that look many times in his years as a gambler, even felt it himself often in the beginning of his career. But he couldn’t tell who Talbot was angry at—himself or Gabe.

Talbot ran a shaky hand through his disheveled, curly blond hair and shoved away from the table. “That’s it. I’m broke.” Slim pushed up from the table. “Guess that pretty wife of yours ain’t gettin’ no money again this month.”

Talbot grabbed the man by the collar. Gabe rested his hand on his pistol and watched. With a loud growl, Talbot heaved Slim backward into the wall. Then he turned and sidestepped, bumping into a barmaid, and wove his way to the exit. The double saloon doors banged and remained swinging as Talbot lurched outside.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Website: www.vickiemcdonough.com (There’s a sign-up link for my newsletter on the Home page)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VickieMcDonough

Twitter: https://twitter.com/vickiemcdonough

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/VickieMcDonough/

Heroes, Heroines, and History blog: http://HHHistory.com

Thank you, Vickie, for sharing this new book with us. I know my readers will love it as much as I do.

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

Gabriel's Atonement - Christianbook.com
Gabriel's Atonement: (Land Rush Dreams) - Amazon
Gabriel's Atonement (Land Rush Dreams Book 1) - Kindle

Christian Book Store

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 Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, 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

BURIED and UNTRACEABLE - Elizabeth Goddard - Two Free Books

Dear Readers, I’ve been friends with Beth since before she was published. At one time, she attended the critique group that meets in our home. I love her writing. My copies of the two featured books haven’t arrived yet, so I can’t give a review of these stories, but her suspense novels always capture my attention. I’m sure these two will as well.  When they arrive, they’ll be the next two books I’ll read.

How did the book Buried come about?

I saw an article about a search for a killer on a mountain. A helicopter pilot wanted to warn some campers about the danger so he wrote on his Styrofoam coffee cup and threw it down to them. I thought that sounded intriguing so as the way of stories goes, it morphed into search and rescue story set in Alaska and starting with an avalanche. Of course, there is a dangerous man on the mountain.

Tell us about the book’s cover and what makes it unique.

I’ve received a lot of compliments on the cover for BURIED. It depicts a mountain and an avalanche, which I think is both beautiful and scary.

Please explain and differentiate between what’s fact and fiction in the book.

Mountain Cove is a fictional town I set in southeast Alaska just north of Juneau. I thought it would be easier to create my own town, but base much of what happens there off other towns in the region. The weather and the way people live, eat, heat their homes, all of it realistic for the area. The only way in and out of town is by floatplane or boat. Fact for the region. There’s an off-grid cabin in the story, and I based everything about the cabin off a real cabin in that region. There’s no electricity unless you want to use the generator, and solar power isn’t viable because half the year is dark, though I did have the owner of the cabin make an attempt. The avalanche experience was also taken from someone’s experience.

How much research did you have to do for this book?

A ton of research. I was fortunate to make contact with three people living in the region—someone from the forest service, search and rescue, and an avalanche specialist—who were extremely helpful with every aspect of the story. In addition to my experts and the internet, I leaned heavily on books I purchased about my topic.

What are some of the most interesting things you found about this subject that you weren’t able to use in the story?

There is always more research than one can fit into a story without making it turn into an informative journal. Honestly, I wish I could have put more into the story about search and rescue. How hard they work and how much they sacrifice to help others, and since most of them are volunteers, all the training and assistance they do at their own expense.

What inspired and surprised you while you were writing the book?

I’m always inspired by the beauty and the force of nature, especially mountains. I enjoyed reading about the Juneau Icefield and looking images of Michael’s Sword and Devil’s Paw which are nunatak spires (exposed peaks free from snow or ice) coming out of the field. I loved researching everything about glaciers. It’s all very fascinating to me and if it were up to me, I’d write stories set here forever.

What do you hope the reader takes away from the story?

That it’s all about God. In Him, we live and move and have our being. Through life’s struggles, we have to hang onto God.

What is the next project you’re working on?

I’m working on book five in Mountain Cove, which I hope to hear from my editor soon that she wants to buy it. It’s the story of the bush pilot introduced to readers through the first four books—the bush pilot and the missing Warren sibling. I’m having a lot of fun writing this one.  I’m also getting ready for the 2nd book in the series to release. UNTRACEABLE releases in March.

What do you do when you have to get away from the story for a while?

I work out, go running. Shopping or cleaning the house. It’s amazing how much housework I can get done because I’m procrastinating writing a story. I love to bake bread too. And I’m hoping to learn to knit or crochet as another creative outlet that has nothing at all to do with writing.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Mountain Cove, Alaska, North of Juneau

Gasping for breath, Leah Marks ran for her life, working her way through the deep snow from last night's winter storm, the semiautomatic in her pocket pressing into her side. What she wouldn't give for a pair of snowshoes.

How had Detective Snyder found her here?

At least she'd seen him from a distance, giving her a few more precious seconds to make a run for it. She had to escape. She wouldn't use her weapon against him unless she had no other choice. Shooting a police detective, even if he was a dirty cop and a killer, wouldn't win her any points no matter which way you looked at it.

Approaching Dead Falls Canyon, she left the tree line and took the biggest steps she could, her hips aching with the effort. She couldn't outrun him this way, but she reassured herself with the fact that he struggled with the same obstacles.

The deep snow would hide the hazards, and Leah counted on that. As she made her way, a snowcapped Mount McCann loomed in her peripheral vision. She'd spent enough time on the ski patrol in the Cascades during her college days to recognize the avalanche risk was high.

As she entered the danger zone, a glance over her shoulder told her Snyder was gaining on her. As strong as she was, she couldn't keep up this pace, and as if to confirm the thought, she stumbled headlong into the powder. Leah grappled and fought her way out, gulping panic with each breath.

With her fall, she'd have to turn and face him much sooner than she'd hoped. Leaving town and hiding in an off-grid cabin in Alaska hadn't bought her enough time. Hadn't bought her safety.

"Leah!" he called, his voice much too close.

Heart hammering, she turned to stand her ground. Stared into his stone-cold eyes. Breathing hard, he flashed a knife as he approached; smirking because he'd finally cornered her.

Dressed to kill, he was in black from head to toe—a dead giveaway against the white-carpeted mountains.

So that's what death looked like.

Funny that she'd worn white camouflage hoping to remain hidden, for all the good that had done.

Cold dread twisted up her spine. She thrust her hand into her pocket to reach for her weapon.

It was gone.

No! She must have lost it when she'd fallen. Snyder now stood between her and the snow she'd crushed with her tumble. Between her and her gun.

"Give me what I want, Leah." His dark eyes flashed from the opening in his ski mask.

"Why? So you can kill me like you killed Tim?" She had no idea what Snyder wanted from her, what he thought she had, but she'd witnessed him commit murder. No way would he let her live.

A thunderous snap resounded above them. A crack appeared in the white stuff beneath Leah Marks's boots.

The ground shifted.

Before she could react, before she could think, the avalanche swept her away—swept Snyder away, too—along with everything she'd been taught about how to survive. Carried away by a daunting, crushing force, heavy and swift to kill, she was helpless to stop the power that gripped her with icy fingers.

Roared in her ears.

Terror seized her as the megaton of white powder ushered her along to a frozen grave, an untimely death, as though she was nothing more than a twig. One brutal way to die had been exchanged for another.

And then…

Her body slowed before easing to a stop. The snow settled and held her inside.

Frozen silence encased her, shrouded her in muted gray light.

Think. What did she do now? Something. There was something she must do and she must be quick. To act before the snow compressed around her.

Fear temporarily gave way to determination as survival tactics filled her thoughts. She took in a breath to expand her chest, give her breathing room. With her left hand near her face, she scooped snow away from her mouth and nose before it hardened completely. These things she did while thrusting her arm toward the surface in what she thought was the right direction. If only she could breach the packed snow and force her hand through. Before she could complete that one last task, increasing her chance of survival, it was all over. There was no more give to the snow—it had locked into place.

Buried alive. She couldn't move.

Wow, Beth. I can hardly wait to read this one. Now let’s talk about the other featured book. How did this book come about?

UNTRACEABLE is the second book in the Mountain Cove series, so it was just a matter of brainstorming to come up with exciting and adventurous stories, and I watched several mountain climbing movies that inspired me.

Tell us about the book’s cover and what makes it unique.

The cover is a crevasse—which is a crack in ice or a glacier, not to be confused with a crevice, which is a crack or fissure in the earth. My characters had to cross a glacier. From the air or in pictures you think ice, right? Glaciers look beautiful and smooth, but they’re layered with crevasses, deep and small and some hidden out of sight. Very dangerous traveling and not for the faint of heart.

Please explain and differentiate between what’s fact and fiction in the book.

To create the man-against-nature part of the conflict, I drew from a true story of a man who kept getting snowed under by blizzard after blizzard during the spring in and around the Juneau Icefield. I always like to find a story that’s true, so I can base my fictional story on something that really happened. A large part of the geography of my story is purely fictional, though based on the southeast Alaska Coast Range, and of course the Juneau Ice Field.

How much research did you have to do for this book?

I spent as much time on research as I did on writing.

What are some of the most interesting things you found about this subject that you weren’t able to use in the story?

Staying alive in arctic temperatures during a blizzard and traversing a glacier are complicated aspects of the story that I felt would bog the pacing down if I got too technical, so for the most part I gave the reader what they needed to know and skipped the technical. There are many issues with crossing a glacier that I wanted to put in for details, and I found fascinating, but not only would it slow the story down, but would push my word count over the publisher’s limit.

What inspired and surprised you while you were writing the book?

I was surprised by the spiritual theme that arose in the story. It stems from where I was in my own spiritual journey, and then as I wrote, my characters had to dig down deep to find the strength to survive. I found the spiritual payload surprising, and there was a takeaway for me—the kind of thing I hope readers will get.

What do you hope the reader takes away from the story?

Ah, now we come to the question I almost answered above. Here’s a snippet from my Dear Reader letter at the end of the story, which says it all:

“As Christians we can struggle with the need to know and feel that God is here with us, and we might feel untraceable—that even God has lost us. But in the end, we find out that He was here all along.

Psalm 139 says it so much better, but no matter how far away from Him we might travel—either physically, emotionally, or spiritually—He is always here. I pray that you sense His presence in your life today!”

What is the next project you’re working on?

I’m continuing with more Mountain Cove stories, two more to be exact making a total of six (here’s to hoping my editor will buy them) and then I’m onto a new series with Love Inspired Suspense. In addition, I’m putting up a series called Redwood Coast, starting with Hearts in the Mist—one of my Heartsong Presents stories that I was able to obtain the rights back from Barbour Publishing.

Please give us the first page of the book.

"Off rappel!"

Heidi adjusted her night vision goggles at her brother Cade's call up the rocky cliff face from below. The snow-covered, mountainous landscape looked green and black, but at least she could see instead of stumbling around in the dark and falling to her death. Even though the moon was out in full force, this side of the mountain remained in the shadows.

The helicopter had dropped them off as close as possible to the summit, but they'd still had to hike another two hours to get to the place where they would rappel down to the trapped climbers, at least one of them injured, or so the three rescuers—Heidi and Cade Warren and Isaiah Callahan—had been informed.

As a member of North Face Mountain Search and Rescue—like the other Warren siblings—this was only the second time Heidi had climbed at night, and she shoved aside the unpleasant memory of the first. There was enough tension between her and her brother Cade, and unfortunately their friend and coworker Isaiah—who usually flew the helicopter—that she didn't need to tack on anything more to an already heavy load. And it wasn't just the emotional and mental burden. The pack on her back weighed her down, too.

Drawing in a cold breath, she hoisted the hefty pack—loaded down with climbing, medical and camping gear for spending the night—and rappelled the cliff. Cade, ever the protective brother, had insisted on going first, though Heidi was the trained technical climber of the three.

She'd made it halfway to the next rap station and paused for a rest, when gunfire ricocheted off the mountain. Heidi jerked and lost her balance. Her overfilled pack pulled her over, flip-flopping her. Now hanging upside down, her heart pounded.

She was the technical climber here.

She was the expert they counted on to assist in getting these people out.

She hadn't wanted to come. Not after what had happened last summer. But there'd been no choice. Two other daunting rescue operations were ongoing and they needed the manpower. If only she weren't out of practice.

All her fault. This was on her, and she knew it.

Heidi was a wreck, but she couldn't afford to give in to her emotions right now. Those climbers stranded in the saddle between the summits couldn't afford her messing up.

No way would she call for help, though. The last thing Cade and Isaiah needed was a rescuer who required rescuing. Besides, she'd assured Cade she could do this, but even if she hadn't, he'd pretty much insisted that she try. Isaiah had been the one to protest. He hadn't wanted her here. Whether because he personally didn't want to work with her after distancing himself for some unknown reason or because he didn't trust her abilities, she wasn't sure. Either way, his attitude stabbed her like an ice ax.

"What's going on up there, Heidi?" Cade asked over the radio.

"Nothing."

"You need help?" Now Isaiah. Great.

And the incident command center would hear their conversation, too. Over the years, they'd developed their own radio-speak, and didn't use the more technical terms. Cade always wanted them to talk plainly. Worked for her.

"Heidi, I asked if you're good?" Isaiah again.

At the very least, she would prove to Isaiah she was back. She could do this. "I'm rapping down. You're distracting me."

With all the strength she could muster, she grabbed the rope and inched her way up, righting herself. Then she breathed a sigh of relief.

But what about the gunfire she'd heard? Heidi used her night vision goggles to scan the mountain and the saddle below, but saw nothing of concern. Was it someone chasing off a bear somewhere? Cade and Isaiah hadn't mentioned it. Had she imagined it? Or was it simply echoing from miles away? She wouldn't bring it up. All she needed was for them to think she was hearing things. As always, Isaiah and Cade were packing weapons in case they came across a bear, so she wouldn't worry.

Following Cade down, she rappelled, careful that the unusually heavy pack wouldn't throw her off balance again. She met him at the second rappel. A glance down revealed a beaming flashlight and a small fire burning nearly four hundred feet below.

Voices resounded from the camp. The climbers must have spotted their rescuers. Cade rappelled again. Heidi watched and waited before she followed. She glanced up but couldn't see Isaiah from here. He was likely growing impatient to hear her call.

Heidi looked down at Cade and saw him swinging over, creating a new path.

"Be careful. There's a vertical ice wall and a sheer drop," Cade told them over the radio.

Negotiating the terrain would be difficult enough under the circumstances, but with the expected inclement weather, even in April, things could only get worse.

As with Buried, I can hardly wait to read Untraceable. How can readers find you on the Internet?

I love to connect with my readers. You can sign up for my newsletter at my website: http://elizabethgoddard.com

Or join me on Facebook at http://facebook.com/elizabethgoddardauthor

Or twitter. http://twitter.com/bethgoddard

Thank you, Beth, for sharing these two new books with us. 

Readers, here are links to the books. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Buried:
Buried Buried (Love Inspired Suspense\Mountain Cove)

Christian Book Store

Untraceable:
Untraceable (Mountain Cove)

Christian Book Store

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 Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, 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

DIANNA'S WINGS - Cindy Loven - One Free Book

Dear Readers, I'm posting Monday's interview a little early. We're in for an ice storm tonight and tomorrow. I didn't want to miss this interview if we lose power.

Welcome back, Cindy. What has drawn you to writing for children?

I have worked with kid since I was a kid literally. I started teaching children's church when I was 13 years old. I love how kids think and interact and I seem to relate well with kids.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

Hmm, well in regard to children, I guess it would be dressing up and doing crazy skits for kids at special events, my husband and I do a skit called Bobby Joe, where he is a hillbilly and I basically quiz him about what he is doing? Kids love Bobby Joe.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I have always written things down, since I was a kid, I used to take a book to church and write down my notes on the sermons my daddy preached, I journaled a lot as a kid, and I have been reviewing books for about 7 years now. It just kind of happened. But now it is more of a driving force, with stories I need to tell that rattle around in my head.

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

I love mystery and suspense, and I enjoy Amish books too, and if you combine them, I really enjoy them.

What other books have you written, whether published or not?

Oh dear, I have story after story that I have written for children, with one of my favorites being The Adventure of Dayzee, I hope to see it come to life this year.  I have more stories ready to go in The Parables of Trevor Turtle Series, the next one will be about a squirrel named Foxxy Squirrel. I also have a series called Timmy and Tessa stories, these are stories that are based on some of the funny events that happen to my cousin's children. I haven't decided if they will be published or not, they may just be a private thing I do for my family.

Those are the children's stories. I have plans to publish a devotional in late January for tweens, I have been working on it for about a year and I think it is time to go forward with it. I also was looking through some memory sticks and I found another non fiction work, that I had been doing about infertility, I tagged it to pray and study some more about finishing it up. So I have tons of books and stories that I have written, I just need to work on getting them published.

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

Wow, we do live in a busy, busy world, and since I work from home, besides writing, I often find myself snowballed with commitments. I just have to step back and take a deep breath and prioritize. I find that some of those pressing things aren't near as important as I thought.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of, besides family?

I have to say it is the publication of Dianna's Wings and my co-authored book Swept Away, Quilts of Love. There is nothing to compare holding a book you wrote in your hands and seeing that work in a finalized presentation. Awesome, awesome feeling!

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

Oh, this one is easy, a cat. And if you have ever owned a cat (well been owned by a cat) you understand, they rule. 

What is your favorite food?

Chicken, I could eat it every day, I love it. I haven't ever had it prepared in any way that I did not like it.

Is it hard to break into the children’s market?

I think it is hard to break into any writing market, and publishing has changed in many ways over the years, I am sure you too know this. I chose to self-publish this story. The artist I worked with teaches creative writing on the college level, and he edited my story as well as drew the pictures, which are awesome by the way. I didn't choose to self-publish on a whim. We, my illustrator and I, both prayed about this story, how it was best suited to be marketed. And we worked hard to present a professional book.

That’s the best kind of self-publishing. What advice would you give to an author wanting to do that?

Edit, edit, edit. Work with a critique team, ones who will be honest with you. Also I have to say be patient, Dianna's Wings was 2 and half years in the making. It didn't happen overnight, it was revised, rewritten, nearly scrapped, and finally we started with the original. Also be sure when you work with a critique team to take advice seriously but don't let it change your story line, have your mind made up what your story is saying.

What would you like to tell us about the featured book?

I think Dianna's Wings is a book that all children need to read or hear. It teaches us that God creates us perfectly and wonderfully. We don't need to look like everyone else. We are unique to God.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I am on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authorcindyloven

I also blog at www.cindylovenwrites.blogspot.com

I also have an Amazon page, where you can also find Dianna's Wings.

amazon.com/author/cindyloven

Thank you Lena for having me and Dianna's Wings on your blog, I truly appreciate it so much!

My pleasure and great blessing, Cindy.

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 Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, 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

WINNERS!!!!!!!!!!

Lucy (WV) is the winner of Deadly Echoes by Nancy Mehl.
Martha (WI) is the winner of Where Rivers Part by Kellie Coates Gilbert.
Sm (CA) is the winner of Creation of Calm by Mark Fraley.

Every reader of this blog can obtain a free ebook of Embers of Courage by Dianne and David Munson. (The instructions are at the top of this interview post.)

Dawn (TX) is the winner of Return to Exile by Lynne Gentry.

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 an 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.

THE VIGIL - Marian P Merritt - One Free Ebook

Bio: Marian Pellegrin Merritt writes stories that blend her love of the mountains with her deep Southern roots which leads to her tagline, Where the Bayous Meet the Mountains. She is an author and freelance writer with over ten years experience. Her work has appeared in newspapers, magazines, and online websites and garnered a first place award in ACFW's Genesis contest.

Marian’s published books include: Deep Freeze Christmas, A Cajun Christmas Miracle, and Southern Fried Christmas.

She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in physical therapy and an accounting certificate from the University of South Alabama. This Louisiana native writes from the Northwest Colorado home she shares with her husband and a very spoiled Labradoodle.

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

There is a minimal amount of myself in my characters, usually subtle shades of my personality and my faith materialize in each one.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I really had to think about this one. It's probably one of those things you intentionally try to forget!

While in gross anatomy during Physical Therapy school, I had two children and lived forty minutes from school. One night, while the kids were with hubby, I stayed late at school in the cadaver lab which was in the basement. It was a Friday night so my younger classmates were out. I was alone with ten cadavers on tables and several in the storage locker in the corner of the room.

I got settled with my books and started reviewing muscle groups when I heard this tap, tap, tap coming from the locker where the pending bodies for the next class were stored. Determined to ignore the sound, I focused on my studies and tried to memorize muscle insertions. Tap, tap, tap.

I couldn't ignore the sound and the fact that I was alone in the basement. By this time, trying to learn or memorize anything was out of the question. I quickly gathered my books and rushed out. As I exited the building, a Mobile thunderstorm raged. It was then I realized the sound I'd heard was water dripping along the side of the building. No matter, that was the last late-night lab excursion for me.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I've always loved to read and imagined as a small child what it would feel like to create a story that other people read. But I realized my writing desire in high school when our assignment was to create a story similar to the great works in English literature. My story was a Cajun version of Beowulf  - mine was titled Pyowolf about a Cajun who crosses the great swamps of Louisiana. I got an A and a resounding round of applause from my classmates.

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

My favorite is Women's Fiction, but I do enjoy some Romance, Suspense, and select Thrillers.

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

I live in a very small mountain town where no one gets in a hurry. We live fifty miles from the nearest Walmart or other large stores with nothing between but open area, deer, elk, antelope, and other wildlife. Sometimes it's frustrating to be so far from resources, but most of the time, I revel in the quiet, slower pace. But whether living in this small slow-paced town or in a fast-paced big city, my quiet time with the Lord keeps me from being sucked into the world's chaos.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

Usually, my characters come to me first before any plot. I do an extensive character interview and learn their entire history before I know their name. As I start to write the story, a name will come to me. Sometimes it's from the other character. Sometimes I'll scour websites looking for unique names once I know my character's history and personality. In some instances, I've recruited my reader team, Lagniappe Literary Partners or my Facebook Group – Marian P. Merritt's Readers Group to help me find just the right name.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Graduating with a degree in physical therapy at thirty-six with two children is one accomplishment I'm proud of. It was not an easy task. Getting published after turning fifty is another thing I'm happy to have accomplished. But I believe having strong relationships with my children, my husband, and my Lord are the things that are much more important and give me the greatest joy.

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

An eagle. I love how they soar and glide through the air, and I'm always fascinated with their majesty while sitting on a tree limb or fence post. We have many in the wilderness near our town so it's always a treat to spot one or two when out on trails or even on the drive to Walmart!

What is your favorite food?

Shrimp. I'm like Bubba in Forrest Gump. I like boil shrimp, fried shrimp, Shrimp scampi, Shrimp Gumbo...well, you get the idea.

A woman after my own heart. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

When I first learned to write, I fell into the perpetual loop of constant rewrite. Subsequently, it took three years to complete my first novel. Now, I've learned to plow through and get the first draft complete before starting edits. I think it's as simple as that I've learned to trust God with my writing.

Tell us about The Vigil.

This Women's Fiction deals with forgiveness, acceptance, and faith that God's plans are perfect. Here's the blurb:

Cheryl Broussard made two vows: She'd never fall for an abusive man, and she'd never return to her Louisiana hometown. But she's learned all too well the lesson of never-say-never. Now, back in Bijou Bayou after fleeing from an abusive boyfriend, Cheryl finds work as a Hospice nurse. While reading a dying patient's Korean War love letters, family secrets shatter Cheryl's beliefs about her family and herself and shed light on the reason she fled her hometown. When the Broussard family secrets are revealed, can Cheryl deal with the truth and accept the blessing of a second chance for relationships with her family, old friends, and with the God she never really knew?

This book is set in south Louisiana so there's a lot of food and southern settings. The Pinterest board I set up has the recipes of the food mentioned in the book and pictures similar to the settings.

Pinterest Board for this book: https://www.pinterest.com/mpmerritt/the-vigil/

Please give us the first page of the book.

Houston, Texas

"Jarrod, stop! You're hurting me."

My boyfriend tightened his grip and twisted the skin on my wrist.  "Cheryl, I've told you before about flirting with Barry."

"I wasn't flirting."

Another twist and then a slap to my jaw. My head shook from the force. He'd never hit me before. Bile rose and scorched my throat. Repulsion hit like a tidal wave while the ticking clock on the wall blurred, doubled, then returned to normal. Like the ticking clock, the repulsion remained. He’d hit me. He had actually hit me.

"Don't lie to me." His eyes bored into me like darting lasers. "No girlfriend of mine is going to embarrass me like that and get away with it." Before I could respond, the second strike followed in the same location along my jaw. My pulse raced. A scream I struggled to contain escaped, fueling his anger.

Something deep within awakened. I’d become the thing I’d detested.

No. He wouldn't do this to me. I wouldn’t be that woman. Couldn’t be that woman.

I can’t wait to get my copy. How can readers find you on the Internet?

Website: http://www.marianmerritt.com

Blog: http://marianmerritt.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marian.p.merritt

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Marian-P-Merritt-Author/395714820494287?ref=hl

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarianPMerritt

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4429639.Marian_P_Merritt

Thank you, Marian, for sharing this new book with us. I know my readers will want to read it as much as I do.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
The Vigil - Christianbook.com
The Vigil - Kindle
(The Vigil is also available in paperback on Amazon.)

Christian Book Store

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 Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, 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