IN SEARCH OF CHRISTMAS PAST - Leeann Betts - One Free Book

Bio: Donna lives in Denver with husband Patrick, her first-line editor and biggest fan. She writes historical suspense under her own name, and contemporary suspense under her alter ego of Leeann Betts. She is a hybrid author who has published a number of books under her pen name and under her own name. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Sisters In Crime, facilitates a local critique group, and teaches writing classes and courses. Donna is also a ghostwriter and editor of fiction and non-fiction, and judges in a number of writing contests. She loves history and research and travels extensively for both. Donna is proud to be represented by Terrie Wolf of AKA Literary Management.

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

I came to Christ when I was about 12. I was attending a Pentecostal school and went forward in an altar call in assembly. And although I had great examples in my friends, I had no real instruction about how to act. I fell away within a few years and lived a backslidden life for about 25 years. When I finally came to the end of myself, I turned back to what I’d been raised in, and returned to church, recommitting my life to Christ shortly after, and receiving adult baptism a year later. I have truly seen how God preserved my life in those 25 years, and honestly, I should be dead or in prison. I think it’s through this that I’ve experienced our second . . . and third . . . and fourth chance God, which is why I write stories that reflect characters much like myself.

You’re planning a writing retreat where you can only have four other authors. Who would they be and why?

I would invite Agatha Christie because she’s my hero. I’d invite Brandilyn Collins because I love her sense of humor. Also on my guest list would be Lillian Jackson Braun because of her great Cat Who series, and Max Lucado because I love the way he peels open scripture so we can see it a different way.

Do you have a speaking ministry? If so, tell us about that.

My speaking ministry consists of speaking to writers and authors about various elements of the writing life, and to writer-wannabe’s because I believe everybody has at least one book in them.

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

I once carried a dog out of my seventh-grade classroom, down the hall and out the door. What I didn’t know what his hind leg hooked in my uniform skirt, lifting it up over my hip, which meant the entire class—who gathered at the door to watch me take this dog out—saw my pantyhose-clad backside. Thankfully I had on pantyhose.

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?

“What’s stopping you?” They’d list their excuses, and I’d say, “No, really, what’s stopping you?” Most people are afraid to start because they don’t want to do a single thing badly. We need to encourage them to get past that and just write the story to prove to themselves they can. The cemetery is full of unfulfilled dreams. Let’s not add to them.

Tell us about the featured book.

Grace Bellows, a senior in college, receives a Christmas card one month after her grandmother’s death, where her beloved Grammie challenges her to an old-fashioned scavenger hunt. Raised by her grandmother after her parents’ death in a car accident when she was eight, Grace has lived a jetsetter lifestyle with her wealthy grandmother. Now all she wants is to settle down and have a normal life.

Luke Fisher manages his family’s Christmas tree farm out of a sense of loyalty to his deceased mother because she gave up her dreams of being an attorney. He doesn’t want to live with any regrets, and longs to escape the confines of loyalty to live a life of adventure in the real world.

Can Grace and Luke solve the clues and uncover the truth about their real feelings, or will the tension and their differences in goals and faith drive them apart?

Please give us the first page of the book.

Grace Bellows jammed the single sheet of paper back into its envelope for the umpteenth time in the past hour. Did she really want to go any further with this project? No siree. She wanted a quiet life, a family, stability. Not some bizarre scavenger hunt directed by her quirky grandmother.

           

And for sure not a week in freezing cold Colorado over Christmas break.

           

Not for Grace Bellows.

           

She wanted a beach, sand and surf, cute guys. A chance to strut her stuff.

           

The linen notepaper called to her once more. Grace pictured her grandmother sitting at her antique roll top desk, scribbling out the poem. Sunlight filtered through the window, kissing her head of white hair, creating the impression of a halo.

           

But Grammie was no angel.

           

Grace sighed. At first read, the poem made little sense. Yet the older woman took the trouble to pen the note and ditty three days before she died. Three weeks ago yesterday, to be exact. Grace dropped the paper onto the sofa cushion. Had Grammie known her days were so few? She hadn’t said anything. She didn’t suggest Grace visit. She seemed satisfied with the weekly phone calls from college. No premonitions about the afterlife, whatever that was.

           

As much as she wanted to ignore the poem and focus on her studies, something gnawed at Grace until she unfolded the paper. The scrawling cursive brought to mind birthday cards and gift tags from years past.

Take this trip and you will see,

How much fun this hunt can be.

A garden full of Christmas trees

One special bough, think of the seas.

What at first may seem lost,

Can be found, but it will cost.

Collect your prize and you will find

A precious gift of a different kind.

           

What the—Grammie was serious about this being a scavenger hunt, just like when Grace was a kid. Didn’t matter where they were, Grammie hid notes and clues and presents for Grace to find.

           

“Gracie,” she’d say, “the best gifts are hidden until we’re ready to go looking for them. Just like Jesus.”

           

Yeah, whatever.

Interesting. How can readers find you on the Internet?

Website: www.LeeannBetts.com Receive a free ebook just for signing up for our quarterly newsletter.

Blog: www.AllBettsAreOff.wordpress.com

Facebook: http://bit.ly/1pQSOqV

Twitter: http://bit.ly/1qmqvB6

Books: Amazon http://amzn.to/2dHfgCE  and Smashwords: http://bit.ly/2z5ecP8

Thank You, Leeann, for sharing this new book with me and my blog readers. I’m eager to find out what the scavenger hunt is all about. Hope my copy arrives soon.

Readers, leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (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!!!!!!

Van G (NC) is the winner of Smoky Mountain Brides by Katt Anderson.

Cherie (FL) is the winner of A Rock Creek Christmas Collection by Linda Brooks Davis.

Edward (VA) is the winner of To the Moon and Back by Kathi Macias.

Jackie Castle is giving away 1 print copy and 1 e-copy of Candy Lane Christmas. The two winners are Kay (AR) and Robin (NC).

Natayla (CA) is the winner of To Gain a Bodyguard by Tanya Eavenson.

If you won a book and you like it, please 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 and author of the book you won, so I won't have to look it up.

Remember, you have 4 weeks to claim your book.

WHAT PRAYER CAN DO - Ada Brownell - One Free Book

Welcome back, Ada. What would you like for our readers to know about you personally?

I began writing in my teens as a ministry, and spent more than 30 years teaching youth classes. I’ve always been an idea person, and that helped me work with young people and gave me direction in my writing. It was my top talent when I became a newspaper reporter. I found important news stories everywhere, as well as interesting features.

 Now as I’m writing the third novel in my Peaches and Dreams series, I dig for ideas to complicate the lead character’s life, which is how I plot. I only hope I can get him or her out of the mess I create.

Knowing the Lord personally gives me joy beyond any idea I dream up, however.

Tell us about your family.

My husband of 64 years, L.C. is romantic, a great helper, and the father of our five talented children. They are Gary, well known for his talents in a technical aspects of a church, and he’s designed church stages featured in magazines. Gwen, involved in healthcare, is working on her doctorate in nursing. Jaron is a computer software designer and works part-time as a worship leader. Jeanette is the #2 person in human resources at a steel mill in Pueblo, Colorado, and the wife of a pastor who now is a hospice chaplain. Our oldest daughter, Carolyn, a great pianist with perfect pitch passed away at age 31 from cancer. She worked with youth in a California church.

We have a group of talented grandchildren, as well. I thank God for family.

Have you written other nonfiction books?

My first, published by the Assemblies of God, was Confessions of a Pentecostal. Later, Swallowed by Life: Mysteries of Death, Resurrection and the Eternal; Imagine the Future You; and Facts, Faith and Propaganda. I have three novels: Joe the Dreamer, The Castle and the Catapult, The Lady Fugitive, and Peach Blossom Rancher.

Do you have any other books in the works right now?

I’m working on the third book in the Peaches and Dreams series. It’s tentatively title Ritah, but that probably will be changed.

What kinds of hobbies and leisure activities do you enjoy?

I love singing in groups, playing the piano, playing board games, and I used to play tennis.

Why did you write the featured book.

My brand is “Stick-to-Your-Soul Encouragement” and that’s the reason I wrote all my books. What Prayer Can Do is a compilation of 55 articles of the more than 100 articles I’ve had published in The Pentecostal Evangel. The book is filled with testimonies of answers to prayer among people I’ve known and interviewed. Some I ghost wrote under the other person’s byline so the stories could be told in first person.

What do you want the reader to take away from What Prayer Can Do?

I want the reader to believe God exists and He rewards those who diligently seek Him (see Hebrews 11:6).

Is there anything else you’d like to tell my readers about you or your book?

People’s testimonies I wrote in this book still bless me. The healed child admitted to a children’s institution with hydrocephalus (water on the brain where the head grows faster than the body) communicates with us yet today, many years after her miracle when their pastor visited, prayed for the child and the workers call the parents (our close friends) to come and get their baby because she suddenly was normal. The doctor wrote “absolute miracle” across her records after comparing X-rays of the brain before and after.

Please give us the first page or two from the book.

A strong wind propelled a raging brush fire up the side of Grand Mesa near Cedaredge, Colorado, leaving only blackness and ashes where it passed.

Suddenly the billowing smoke and hungry flames came into view of a mother and three children who were alone in a white two-story house.

The roaring mass of flames raced directly toward the home. The father had gone to help fight the fire, which began near Cedaredge. He had no idea the wind would take the fire to his family—now stranded without a car or any other means of escape.

Inside the house the mother and children ran to the bedroom, took the Bible, and read the 91st Psalm. Then they knelt and prayed fervently, but only briefly. They went back to the living room and watched the fire, now almost upon them.

Suddenly they saw the flames turn away from them as the direction of the wind changed. Their prayer had reached God, and He had answered!

This true experience is one of several miraculous answers to prayer experienced by persons who attend the First Assembly in Lakewood, Colorado.

Recently I was asked to speak to the youth meeting at our church, so I decided to talk about “What Prayer Can Do.” While meditating and praying for the service, I felt I should let people in our church tell from their own experience what prayer can do.

So I began asking individuals to help me. My only problem was choosing which miraculous answer to prayer to use! I found so many examples of the power of prayer that I couldn’t use half of them.

One woman said she uttered a simple prayer as their family’s truck, loaded with apples, rolled over the side of a mountain. Her three children rode on top of the apple boxes under a tarp. After she scrambled out of the truck which was crushed by the huge boulders, she began calling her children’s names.

“Tim? Are you all right?”

“Yes,” a voice answered from beneath the boxes.

“Steve?”

“Here!” he answered.

“Connie?”

“Here, Mom!”

The entire family escaped uninjured.

“Sometime let me tell how the Lord made an empty fuel barrel keep the house warm for a week,” she added.

A deacon told how God stopped the rain so he could work on a road construction project. The deacon had five small children to feed and needed all the work he could get. If it rained, he couldn’t work.

One day he noticed big black clouds rolling toward the road construction area. He prayed the Lord would let him keep working.

It was the deacon’s job to send supplies to the men on a paving machine. For three days the rain followed close behind the paving machine, but it never rained where the men worked. Occasionally the showers came right up to where they were, but then would go back again.

Where on the Internet can the readers find you?

Amazon Ada Brownell author page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001KJ2C06

Amazon hadn’t added What Prayer Can Do to the page yet. You can get the book, paperback or for Kindle, at http://ow.ly/9CEI30h4IdL

Thank you, Ada, for sharing this book with us. I love to hear about the wonderful things God has done for other Christians.

Readers, leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (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

TIME AND TIDE - Kristen Terrette - One Free Eboook

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

I’m not sure I’ve been asked this question before! After some thought, I’d say maybe twenty percent of parts of my personality make it into my heroine’s character traits. Eva, from my first Moanna Island Book, Safe Harbor, is an English teacher who loves to read. Ryan, from Time and Tide, uses her morning jogs to pray and chat with God. Addie, from the third book in the series, is the oldest in her family and leans heavily on the bossy side, liking to be in control of everything going on in her world. I guess some of my good and some bad traits make their way into my stories.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I drink everything with a straw, including my coffee. Someone told me once that it helps keep stains away on your teeth, and I guess I really took that advice to heart!

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I wrote stories and made up characters in my head as a child, but it wasn’t until my children’s ministry job I discovered there were stories inside me that God could use to draw people to Him. I led (and still do once a month) the kids’ ministry on “stage,” teaching and helping the Bible stories come to life. During this time, I also had a friend say I needed to write down a particular story flowing in my head. It was then, being open enough to hear, that I felt Him tell me I was a good storyteller. I decided to spend time writing and learning, and eventually, I had a publisher for my romances.

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

I enjoy contemporary romances the most. I almost always limit myself to Christian or Inspirational ones. I also love a good women’s fiction or historical novel. I used to read a ton of thrillers or mysteries, and I still like them, but it’s hard for me to find ones where the concept intrigues, yet the language and circumstances don’t turn me off.

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

I definitely need my alone time, and during the school year, I get it during the week. I’m able to stay home and write while the kids are at school and the Hubs is working. I make effort to give them my time when they get home, but that’s when life gets crazy! I’m basically a taxi every evening to the kids’ practices, so keeping my day free seems to work in helping me stay sane.

When my daughters were in that period when their activities multiplied and they still couldn’t drive, this was a popular bumper sticker: “If woman’s place is in the home, why am I always in my car?” How do you choose your characters’ names?

I actually look up meanings for every single main character, and I put a ton of thought into this decision. In each book, the reason for their names is revealed in a special way.

The heroine in the story I’m writing now is named Addie, which means noble. Noble means having or showing fine personal qualities or high moral principles and ideals. Addie absolutely portrays these character traits. She’s a gem. J   

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

We aren’t perfect and drive each other crazy, but my husband and I have a strong marriage. I don’t necessarily think anyone who met us in college would have ever guessed that we’d still be going strong after eighteen plus years together. And when you add in the fact that both of us had divorced parents, it seems even more like an accomplishment that we’ve survived so long.

In many ways, we became adults together and instead of growing apart, grew closer. We also added God into our relationship many moons ago, and both have the same desire to grow stronger in our relationship with Him. Each day is different and challenging, but we’re always on the same page by the end of it, and that’s something I’m proud of.  

James and I married 3 months and 3 days after we met on a blind date. Many people said it wouldn’t last, but we celebrated our 53 anniversary in November. If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?

A lap dog, for sure. They’re basically treated like a human infant, so how bad could that be? Pampered, loved, fed, doted on—it’d be a sweet life.

What is your favorite food?

Oreos and French fries. (A sweet and a salty!)

After more than 3,000 interviews, that’s a first for that combination. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

I’m not sure I’ve overcome it, but my greatest challenge in each story has been with what I call the “filler scenes.” They’re the ones which are important because they move the story along, move the character to a different location, or fill the reader in on someone’s past, etc. I tend to have the major scenes/plot lines downloaded easily into my brain. And usually I pray and the scene will naturally move forward and smooth, but sometimes it doesn’t. I get stuck—knowing where the story is heading but having a hard time getting there.

When this happens, I stop, review the characters and what they’d “do” in the situation, or work on some editing in the previous pages to get back into the character’s head. I sometimes ask my brutally honest critique partner for ideas. And I pray … usually after a time out session, I have inspiration, and the flow seems to work again. J

Tell us about the featured book.

Time and Tide is about a former drug addict and an island local, dealing with her own family hardships, who find love in the strangest of circumstances. They have a few chance run ins- but are they really by chance? God has implemented His plan to bring them together, and in doing so, bring Chad to Himself. Chad doesn’t have any sort of belief system, except to be a better man than he was before his addiction almost caused the death of someone else and himself during a terrible car accident. He’s still recovering when he meets free-spirited Ryan (my heroine). She’s a Christian and helps Chad open his eyes to God at work around him. It’s a beautiful mess.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Tuesday 

Chad 

September wasn’t supposed to be as hot as the middle of July in North Georgia, but the sweat dripping down my face told me something different. I zipped the last window onto the frame of my fire-engine red Jeep Wrangler with my shoulders burning, both from the strain on my muscles and the sun on my skin. I left the top off every season except winter and parked it in my garage. Which meant I only took the top off once a year and put it on once a year. And now I remembered why. The sleek exterior of my BMW coupe crept into my mind. I shook it away as fast as it came. I never allowed my mind to go there, to such an unsafe place. 

I opened the backseat door and pushed my last two suitcases up against the ones I’d already placed on the other side before I got distracted with my soft top. My suitcases weren’t only full of clothes, but also a random mix of items from my life in Atlanta I still wanted to remember, which didn’t amount to much. 

The squeaking sound of the gate at the end of my drive sounded. Few people knew the gate’s code, so I knew it was Tony driving up behind the Jeep. I shoved the door closed and watched him put his truck in park. His engine was off and his feet were on the pavement so fast it seemed they happened in unison. “You better have not been about to leave for Savannah before I got here.” He walked to me. 

“I told you I was leaving at noon.” I glanced at my watch to disguise my smile. “So I would have given you four more minutes at least.” 

Tony laughed before saying, “All right then, I’ll keep it short.” He gripped my shoulder. “I’ll miss you.” 

How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.kristenterrette.com

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KTerrette

Instagram: @kterrette

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/kterrette2/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16252020.Kristen_Terrette

Thank you, Kristen, for sharing this book with us. I’m eager to read it, and I know most of my readers are, too.

Readers, here are links to the book.

Time and Tide: A Christian Inspirational Romance (Moanna Island Book 2) - Kindle
Moanna Island (2 Book Series) - Two book series

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (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

GRAFTED INTO DECEIT - Sherri Wilson Johnson - One Free Book

Welcome back, Sherri. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?

My sixth Inspirational Romance novel, Grafted into Deceit, came out just a few months ago. I’m super excited about how God moved in that process from the beginning of the story idea all the way through to the publication of it. I’m working on the sequel now, and I’ve also been asked to be a part of an upcoming novella collection. I feel so blessed!

That is exciting. Tell us a little about your family.

My husband, Dan, and I live northwest of Atlanta. We will celebrate our 30th anniversary next summer and hope to take a two-week road trip. We have two grown children, one of them is married. We are Mama and Daddy to a spoiled rotten Chihuahua named Posey. Life isn’t always easy, but we always feel blessed.

Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?

Yes, I usually read in the genre that I’m currently writing. It helps me to “get into” my story better.

What are you working on right now?

The sequel to Grafted into Deceit. I haven’t titled it yet, but it starts off with gunfire at a wedding. 

What outside interests do you have?

I love to swim. I also enjoy hanging out with friends and taking vacations to the beach.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

I don’t choose them. They choose me.

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

I’d love to spend time with some of my ancestors. I’m fascinated with genealogy and would just love to hear the stories of how my family came to America.

I’m a second generation American on my father’s side. A cousin did an extensive generational search. I used some of the stories in the novels in my Brides of Minnesota collection. What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?

How long the process to publication is. And I wish I’d been warned about rejection—that it is inevitable.

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

Endurance. Running the race and staying in it until the end (no matter how it ends) is vital.

Some people think it’s about the goal, but it’s really about the process. What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?

Commit your writing to the Lord.

Practice, practice, practice.

Hold your projects with open hands.

I really like that last one. Tell us about the featured book.

Grafted Into Deceit:

Answers are hard to find when there's no one to trust.

Disappearing business funds and a missing dead body have Marina Acres doubting everyone—including the detective who can't solve his case without her help.

When Marina Acres launches an investigation to find her company's missing money, she becomes a killer's target and uncovers a tangled vine of deception in the process. Detective Steven Pennington, who suspects drugs are at the root of the problem, must keep Marina safe from the killer while keeping himself from falling for yet another victim. Marina refuses to believe that her business partner could be part of a drug trafficking ring, but when evidence points its finger at her, she must join the fight with Steven to weed out the killer.

Here’s a link to Grafted Into Deceit: http://amzn.to/2AllFwt

Please give us the first page of the book.

Marina Acres opened her eyes to utter darkness, except for the sliver of mid-November moonlight that crept its way between the almost-bare branches of overhanging trees. Her ‘85 BMW lay on the driver’s side in an overgrown ditch smashed against a telephone pole. If her seatbelt hadn’t restrained her, she’d probably have gone through the shattered windshield when her car wrecked on her way back to the office.

Lifting a trembling hand to her aching forehead, she tried to recall what had happened. Then a warm droplet of something landed on Marina’s temple, trailed its way down her right cheek, and trickled into her mouth. The question of what had happened no longer seemed important. Blood poured from her head, and she needed help. She spat and wiped the metallic substance off her tongue with a shiver.

“Help! Can anybody hear me?”

The engine hissed echoing her cry for help.

Marina held her breath and resisted the pungent smoke billowing from beneath the hood and the gasoline fumes which leaked into the car. Another shiver coursed its way through her as blistering pain penetrated her right leg all the way to the bone. The coffee she’d brought with her from the restaurant in Lewistown must have spilled and scalded her when she crashed.

How had she crashed?

She closed her eyes and tried to remember how she’d gotten here in the ditch. She wasn’t far from her landscaping business’s property. Was she? She last remembered passing the entrance to the O’Reilly’s Southern Hope ranch, adjacent to her business.

Another droplet, thick and sticky, assaulted her face, barged its way into her personal space, and forced her eyes open again. She crinkled her brow but winced when more pain sliced across her forehead. Steam from the engine wafted in the wind, and her gaze landed on something jutting through the passenger’s side of her cracked windshield.

A man!

“Oh no!” She locked her hands over her mouth and fought not to lose consciousness and the contents of her stomach.

Who is he?

Her suspicions that someone was using her landscaping company’s money for personal gain had haunted her every waking moment for months. The feeling that something was on the verge of happening had brought her back tonight. Could this guy be part of whatever might be going on at the nursery? Why else would someone be on foot all the way out here away from the town at night?

“Hey, man, are you okay? Please, answer me.” She stretched out her quivering arms, but because of the seatbelt, which no longer represented security but confinement instead, she couldn’t reach him to see if he was alive. She jerked the strap and pressed the release button six, seven, eight times until finally her trembling fingers succeeded, and the seatbelt dropped her with a thud against the driver’s side door.

She reached out to the man—was he dead?—but her arms quaked, and she couldn’t get enough leverage to push her way to him. She needed to rest and get her strength, then she could help him.

Marina closed her eyes to make it all go away if only for a minute, but in the distance, a dog’s howl startled her and invaded her attempt at peace. Head pounding, her heart hammered against her ribs. She sucked in a deep breath. “Ouch!” Heat seared through her rib cage. “Mister, wake up and answer me. Are you okay?”

Nothing. Not even a groan.

Wow. This is a departure from the other books of yours that I’ve read. I love it. How can readers find you on the Internet?

Website

Amazon Author Page
Facebook

Twitter

SIGN UP FOR SHERRI'S MAILING LIST!

Pinterest

Goodreads

BookBub

Thank you, Sherri, for sharing this suspense novel with me and my blog readers. We’re all eager to read it.

Readers, leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (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

CHRISTMAS UNDER THE STARS - Donna Schlachter - One Free Book

Bio: Donna lives in Denver with husband Patrick, her first-line editor and biggest fan. She writes historical suspense under her own name, and contemporary suspense under her alter ego of Leeann Betts. She is a hybrid author who has published a number of books under her pen name and under her own name. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Sisters In Crime, facilitates a local critique group, and teaches writing classes and courses. Donna is also a ghostwriter and editor of fiction and non-fiction and judges in a number of writing contests. She loves history and research and travels extensively for both. Donna is proud to be represented by Terrie Wolf of AKA Literary Management.

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

I discovered a love for history a few years back when I started doing research for a Pony Express novella I was writing. And I am very justice-oriented, so historic suspense seemed right up my alley.

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

I’d have to say that was the day I married my hubby, and my dad was able to be there, which we didn’t know until about a week before.

How has being published changed your life?

I started writing to see if I had at least one book in me. I kept writing because I discovered more than one book. I think being published validates for me that the stories are worthwhile and that maybe somebody else out there needs to hear them, too.

What are you reading right now?

I am currently reading Opal by Lauraine Snelling. It’s the third in her Dakotah Treasures series.

I love that series. What is your current work in progress?

I am currently working on a devotional book, Transformation: a chronological walk through the Bible in a year.

What would be your dream vacation?

Somewhere warm, where I could turn off all alarms.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

It’s usually somewhere I’ve visited. For example, Christmas Under the Stars is set in Echo Canyon, Utah, where I did a bunch of research for my Pony Express story.

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

Jeremy Brett, so I could pick his brain about the character, Sherlock Holmes, who I find intriguing.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I also like to knit, to do crafty things, and to travel.

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

I think slowing down enough to edit because I love to write, to create new stories, and editing is painful for me.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Read. Read. Read. And join a critique group.

Tell us about the featured book.

Edie Meredith and Tom Aitken head for California to start their new separate lives while suspicious accidents plague their journey. Is someone trying to keep them from reaching their destination? Or will misunderstanding and circumstances keep them apart?

Please give us the first page of the book.

November 1858

Oregon Trail, Utah Territory

The snow swirled in clouds so low all visibility was obscured, and Edie Meredith didn’t think she could take one more step. Her right hand gripped the tailgate of the Conestoga wagon. She wasn’t sure whether fear kept her latched to the rough wood or if her fingers were frozen in place.

With her free hand, she pulled her head covering tighter around her neck and crossed the thin material over her face, leaving only her eyes peering out at the blanket of white surrounding the wagon train. Muffled noises met her ears, which ached from the unrelenting cold and bitter winds whistling off the mountains surrounding their trail. The crack of whips urged the oxen on, and judging by the creaking of wheels and the shouts of the men, the desire to be somewhere warm and dry wasn’t limited to her.

Humid breath froze almost instantly, creating an icy ridge on the cloth binding her mouth and nose, making breathing difficult. Edie used her free hand to crack the misshapen icicles stuck to her scarf, sending them tumbling to the crusted path.

Cold air snatched the end of her shawl from its place near her throat, and the handspun fabric unwound from around her face and ears. Numbness crept into her cheeks, and Edie recalled the pathetic creature she’d seen begging outside the fort store three days ago: his ears and the tip of his nose blackened from frostbite, huge sores threatening to eat away his face. And the strangest sight of all: he was clad in only his long underwear. When she asked, her brother told her folks sometimes went crazy when they froze to death. Thinking they were too warm, they tossed their clothes aside.

Another blast of cold air blinded her with blowing snow for a moment, and she paused to brush the particles from her eyes so she could see again.

In that instant, the shadow of the wagon passed, leaving her in a world without sight or sound.

Wow!! How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.HiStoryThruTheAges.wordpress.com

www.HiStoryThruTheAges.com Receive a free ebook simply for signing up for our free newsletter!

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/DonnaschlachterAuthor

Twitter: www.Twitter.com/DonnaSchlachter

Books: Amazon: http://amzn.to/2ci5Xqq and Smashwords: http://bit.ly/2gZATjm

Thank you, Donna, for sharing this book with me and my blog readers. I know they are as eager to read it as I am.

Readers, leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (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

MERRY CHRISTMAS plus 2 Christmas Gifts to you

I usually write a new Christmas short story every year. I didn't this year, because last year's story didn't get sent out to my mailing list. So for the story I went back through my story archives to chose one to give out to people. Because of all the massacres and shootings recently, I chose the one I wrote just after 9-11.

Another Silent Night

September Jones felt ragged. People and things were always taking bites out of her time. This left her feeling vulnerable, and vulnerable was not what she wanted to be. A woman didn’t get where she was when she was vulnerable. She couldn’t remain an executive if people saw her as weak. She had fought her way up the ladder against odds that would have brought many men to their knees. 

September had never liked flying, but in her job, flying was a necessity. She never boarded a plane without being fortified with Valium or vodka. But not both at the same time. She had to keep her wits about her to deal with all the pressure. At first, the pressure had been exciting. Now it was a heavy burden. It kept her wondering when some young person would try to take her place at the helm of the company.

During the climb to the top, she had fantasized about the power and prestige. However, power and prestige didn’t bring the security she had sought. Then September 11, 2001, shattered the frail illusion of security she had built around herself.

Since then, she had been able to arrange her schedule where she could drive to out-of-town meetings, unable to face the thought of getting on one of those monsters that she had watched plunge into the heart of the World Trade Center in New York. It was unusual for September to watch television at that time of the morning, but for some reason, she had switched on the set just before the second tower was hit. She had not watched television for a month after that, and she even stopped looking at the paper until those pictures were no longer on the front page. Every time she signed a document, her name reminded her of the horror she had witnessed. Fear held her in a stranglehold. That is just what these evildoers, as President Bush called them, wanted. To paralyze the people of the United States with fear and a feeling of vulnerability. And September had fallen into their trap. She couldn’t get out no matter how hard she tried.

By the third week, she had her assistant get a stamp made of her signature. He used it on all except the highest security documents. That way, she didn’t see her name, but it didn’t help. It was getting harder and harder to maintain the facade of being totally in control when she couldn’t control her fear.

Now it was Christmas Eve. She was the only person in the office. Everyone else was off all day or had left at noon. That’s when John, her assistant, left. But before he went out the door, he invited her to attend a Christmas Eve service at his church with his family. She had told him that she would come if she finished what she was doing. He probably knew it was just an excuse, and she was sure he didn’t expect to see her there. He was just being nice.

John had taken the call from her brother letting her know that all of the family would be together in Minnesota for Christmas. It probably would be the last Christmas they would be able to spend with her beloved grandmother. Ordinarily, September would have booked her flight that day, but not this year. She made some kind of lame excuse and convinced herself she was doing the right thing.

September hadn’t been to church since she had moved to California as Vice President of Marketing. For several years before that, she had attended only when she was visiting some member of her very religious family. She didn’t have anything against religious fanatics. She just wasn’t one of them, even though she had grown up in church. She had even accepted Jesus into her heart when she was nine years old. She had prayed and read her Bible until she started college. But with working her way through college and maintaining a four point average, she was too busy. Now all those experiences were dim memories that busyness suppressed.

As September watched the sunset over the ocean from her penthouse office suite, loneliness dropped over her like a heavy mantle. Her gaze was drawn to a large church nestled among the high rise buildings. Its stone masonry was awash with light, and a twinkling star sent its beacon from high atop the bell tower. She could see the bells moving, but the sound was unable to penetrate her insulated world.

A forgotten longing from deep within exerted a magnetic force pulling her toward the church. People were streaming in the wide-open doors. Suddenly, September decided she had done enough for one day. Picking up a Gucci handbag and slipping into a Chanel coat, she stepped into the private elevator that took her to the glass enclosed lobby. The security guard/doorman asked if she would like him to bring her car from the garage.

“No. I think I’ll walk.” September ignored his raised eyebrows. So what if she was doing something completely out of character. After all, it was Christmas Eve. At the door, she turned around. “When do you get off, Harold?”

“Oh, I’ll be home by midnight, Miss Jones.”

“Good. I wouldn’t want you to miss seeing your children open their presents.” With a smile, September left the baffled man behind.

Once inside the now-closed door of the church, September slipped into the back pew, which was empty. She was glad. She really didn’t want to talk to anyone. Of course, she didn’t know what she did want, but it was not making idle conversation with perfect strangers.

I’m not a stranger, September. That long ago voice whispered in her spirit. How could she have forgotten the peace it brought?

Oh, Lord, her heart cried out. Tears pooled in her eyes, and she blinked to make them go away. 

One lone drop slipped out of the corner of her eye, and September reached for a tissue in her bag. How long it had been since she had needed one for tears? She usually used them to help repair her nearly flawless makeup. After she dabbed the teardrop away, another soon followed. While a Christmas Eve service continued around her, September and her Lord became reacquainted. She felt no condemnation for her wandering, just a loving Father accepting His prodigal daughter home. And for the first time in a very long time, September repented, truly repented. 

How could she have been so stupid? To think that she could make it on her own. Hadn’t her heavenly Father given her all the talents that had taken her to the top of her profession? Shouldn’t she have been using those talents the way He wanted her to instead of building a fortress for herself? A fortress that so easily shattered.

September slipped out of the service during the closing prayer. She didn’t have any more answers about the world situation than when she had entered, but she knew Who she trusted to take care of her. Pulling a tiny cell phone from her purse, she called an airline. Was it too late to get a plane to Minneapolis? 

By the time she reached her car in the parking garage below her building, September had also called her brother telling him to meet her at the airport in four hours. She had just enough time to get to her penthouse apartment and throw some things into a bag. She was going home for Christmas secure in the fact that she knew where her security came from. Wouldn’t they all be excited? Especially her grandmother who had prayed for her all these years.

And excitement bubbled up inside her like an artesian spring in the mountains.

© 2001, Lena Nelson Dooley

I don't know how many of you are aware that I have a BlogTalk radio show on the Along Came a Writer BlogTalk Radio Network. 

My show is "The Lena Nelson Dooley Show." On December 19, Lynne Gentry and I presented an old-time type of Christmas radio drama. It is available as a Free podcast on  iTunes. Or you can to to the Along Came a Writer site and listen. Here is the link:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/alongcameawriter/2017/12/19/the-lena-nelson-dooley-show 

I hope you enjoy the show.

WINNERS!!!!

Jorie (FL) is the winner of Imperfect Justice by Cara Putman.

Danielle H (MI) is the winner of The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck  by Bethany Turner.

MH (NJ) is the winner of Holding the Fort by Regina Jennings.

Pam K (KS) is the winner of Death at Thorburn Hall by Julianna Deering.

If you won a book and you like it, please 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 and author of the book you won, so I won't have to look it up.

Remember, you have 4 weeks to claim your book.

TO GAIN A BODYGUARD - Tanya Eavenson - One Free Book

Bio: Tanya Eavenson is an international bestselling and award-winning inspirational romance author. She enjoys spending time with her husband and their three children. Her favorite pastime is grabbing a cup of coffee, eating chocolate, and reading a good book. You can find her at her website http://www.tanyaeavenson.com/ on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Google, or on Amazon.

Welcome, Tanya. What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about?

The spiritual themes I write about mostly have to do with forgiveness, trusting God, and believing in His promises. All of these revolve around faith.

What other books of yours are coming out soon?

I’m working on two right now. I’m not sure how soon they’ll be published since they’re both full-length novels, but I hope to release one, if not both, in 2018.

What historical person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why?

I’d have to say Walt Disney, for his creativity and his vision for the future.

How can you encourage authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers?

Oh, it’s easier said than done, but to never give up. As I mentioned above, Walt Disney had a vision for the future, and when he shared that vision, was rejected countless times. But look at his legacy today. He is an example of someone who never gave up.

Tell us about the featured book.

To Gain a Bodyguard is the third novella in the Gaining Love Series. I’d love to share the blurb with you and your readers!

Undercover ICE agent Madi Reynolds has spent years infiltrating a human-trafficking ring, but when her life is threatened, she is forced to walk away and advised to leave the country. Undeterred, she continues her plan to attend her brother’s Christmas wedding, with her partner assigned as her bodyguard. But after seeing Brice care for her niece, she finds it's more than her life that needs protecting. Is there really any defense for the heart?

War Veteran and ICE agent Brice Johnson has been defending his country and American lives for as long as he can remember. Now he faces the biggest assignment of his life—protect the woman he loves. He's never been one to run from a fight, but when an old flame butts in expecting a second chance with Madi, and crippling visions of war call out to him, he begins to wonder if surrender is an option after all.

Please give us the first page of the book.

The vanity lights from the hotel room accented the highlights in Madi Reynolds’ blond curls. Fingering them, she turned her head to the side and practiced an alluring bat of her lashes.

She was an ICE agent for Homeland Security, but first, she was a woman. Today, she would use both to uncover where a local pimp named Prince was hiding the girls he’d bought through a sex-trafficking ring.

Madi had her own girls, also undercover agents, in four major cities. They knew her as Constance. According to intelligence she was a player, but tonight’s meeting would be her first reach into Atlanta.

After taking a tissue from the box, she blotted her tawny lips, admiring the lace trim on her neckline where the digital mic would capture her conversations. She inhaled a long breath and tossed the tissue into the waste basket.

From the moment she’d woken, she couldn’t shake the feeling something was off. She rehearsed how the next few hours would go—where she’d sit, what she’d say. So much hinged on the outcome of this meeting.

A text came through her cell. Hey, Madilyn, I’m coming to town and hope to see you before the wedding.

Why was Asher texting her now?

She muted her phone and ignored the message. Bowing her head, she let a prayer form. Lord, give me the words, and the—

Two knocks sounded.

“Amen,” she whispered, then put command in her voice. “Who is it?”

“Covington.”

“Enter.”

The door gave its typical creak as it opened. Brice Johnson stepped into the room, stowing his key card inside his dark jacket.

Madi caught a glimpse of the Glock in his side holster and wished she were wearing hers, but there was little room after she poured herself into this dress.

She met his haunting blue eyes and her heart jarred at the intensity of his gaze. To most, he was a war veteran. Undercover, he was Constance’s bodyguard. But to Madi… She wasn’t sure what they were to each other.

A look in his expression made her pause.

Whatever was behind those eyes, his gaze had yet to waver, but hers fell away. She reached for the two-carat diamond earrings and slipped them on. “Is everything set?” She lifted the box that held the matching diamond necklace and opened it gently, hoping he couldn’t see her nervousness. She was never nervous. What was wrong with her? This meeting was too important. Lives of children were at stake, and she had to play her cards to perfection.

“Everything is set, but there’s been a change.”

“Oh.” She began fastening the necklace, her fingers fumbling with the clasp.

“You’ll be with Agent Scott.”

She flinched as Brice took a step closer and slid her long curls over her shoulder.

“I know you’ve been uncomfortable around him lately, but I need to make sure there aren’t any surprises.” He took over fastening the necklace.

“How would you know I was uncomfortable?”

“You bite the inside of your lip.” He lingered for a moment, then laid her hair along her back.

“Madi.”

Wow, I’m eager to see what happens next. How can readers find you on the Internet?

Readers can find me at my website http://www.tanyaeavenson.com/, on Amazon  https://www.amazon.com/Tanya-Eavenson/e/B00B2UO5TE/, or hanging out on Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6913760.Tanya_Eavenson

Thank you for having me, Lena! It’s been wonderful being here! Merry Christmas to you and your readers! ~Tanya

It’s totally my pleasure to have you here on my blog, and I know my blog readers will be as eager as I am to read this book.

Amazon Buy Link:

https://www.amazon.com/Gain-Bodyguard-Novella-Gaining-Love-ebook/dp/B077WFV94G/

Readers, leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (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