DEADLY PROOF - Rachel Dylan - One Free Book

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

Since I write legal suspense and I’m a lawyer, I think I bring a lot of myself and my life experiences into my books.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I’ve accidentally worn two different pairs of shoes to work LOL.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

At a very young age I was writing stories and poems. Then after I had been a lawyer for a couple of years, I decided to write my first novel.

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

I love reading suspense and romantic suspense. I also really enjoy nonfiction on a wide range of topics.

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

I take it one day at a time. That’s the only way I can handle everything that I have going on in my life.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

Sometimes I have a specific name in mind. Other times I search and look at name lists and think about different combinations and how that name works with other characters I have planned.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

In the writing context, I’m super excited about my current series with Bethany House. It’s a dream to be writing for such a wonderful publisher.

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

I love animals so much! I’m an introvert by nature and independent, so I’d probably be a catJ

What is your favorite food?

Pizza or anything with cheese and carbs.

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

My biggest problem is having enough time. It’s a constant struggle, but I take one deadline and task at a time.

Tell us about the featured book.

Deadly Proof is book 1 in the Atlanta Justice series. The series features women attorneys who take on high stakes and dangerous cases.

Please give us the first page of the book.

You can’t call that a settlement offer.” Kate Sullivan looked directly into the dark eyes of her opposing counsel, who represented a medical device company. Jerry had just made partner and thought he could play hardball, but she wasn’t going to let him get the upper hand. “You and I both know that amount will never cut it. Come back to me when you have a number I can work with.” She closed her laptop and shoved it in her bag.

“C’mon, Kate. Fifty grand is a good starting point,” Jerry said.

“We’re done here. Call me when you’re actually ready to negotiate.” She stood up and walked out of the conference room before Jerry could say anything else.

He wasn’t taking her client’s claims seriously, so she wasn’t going to waste any more time playing games. He’d come to his senses soon enough. This case shouldn’t go to trial, and he knew it.

Making the quick drive from downtown to Midtown Atlanta, weaving through the usual traffic, she parked in her reserved spot in the garage under a tall office building. The large office tower was home of the world-class plaintiff’s firm Warren McGee.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I love connecting with readers. Here is where you can find me.

Website: www.racheldylan.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/racheldylanauthor

Twitter: @dylan_rachel

Thank you, Rachel, for sharing this book with us. I love legal suspense novels.

Readers, here are links to the book.

Deadly Proof - Christianbook.com
Deadly Proof (Atlanta Justice) - Amazon paperback
Deadly Proof (Atlanta Justice Book 1) - Kindle
Deadly Proof - Audiobook

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

SAVING PARKER - Dan Walsh - One Free Book

Bio: Dan Walsh is the bestselling author of 19 novels including The Unfinished Gift, The Reunion and When Night Comes. He has won 3 Carol Awards (a finalist 6 times), 3 Selah Awards, and 4 of his books have been finalists for Romantic Times Review’s Inspirational Book of the Year. A member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and Word Weavers International, Dan writes fulltime in the Daytona Beach area. He and his wife Cindi have been married 41 years, have 2 children, both married, and 3 grandchildren (more coming).

James and I have three great-grands, with another on the way. It’s exciting to see your family’s later generations. I know you speak at various conferences and meetings. What do you have coming up in 2018?

A few things are being discussed, but the only thing confirmed at this point is the Florida Christian Writer’s Conference in late Feb (the one headed up by Eva Marie Everson). I’ll be there the whole day on Saturday teaching a 2-part Continuing Ed series on Indie Publishing, as well doing several coaching/mentoring appointments.

Do you read print books or ebooks? Or a combination of the two?

Before 2 years ago, I only read print books. I still love them best, but I’ve found that I mainly read ebooks now (mostly Kindle). My wife got me to switch. The prices are often way better, but the real reason is being able to make the print as large as I need (so I don’t have to use glasses). And I like not having to read with a lamp on in bed.

Saving Parker an interesting title. How did you come up with it?

Since Saving Parker is Book 3 in my Forever Home series, I was looking for a way to make all the titles similar in style. And since each of the books features a shelter dog as a main character, I decided to use the dog’s name in each book’s title. Although the books are fiction stories, I borrowed material from my wife, who worked for 5 years as the Animal Behavior Manager at our local Humane Society (she’s also a certified dog trainer). Each of the dog names are actual dogs she’s worked with at some point (though the stories aren’t exactly the same).

Rescuing Finley, Finding Riley, and Saving Parker. Even with that, you wouldn’t believe the number of emails I’ve received by people asking, “Before I buy this, does the dog die at the end? I hate it when the dog dies.”

Another aim of mine was to let readers know—right there in the title—that the dogs in the books don’t die at the end. So, it’s

I know how readers are about killing pets in stories, so I expected some negative feedback when a pet was killed by accident in one of my books. The event was so pivotal to the story, I never got a negative comment or review. So what is Saving Parker about?

Maybe the easiest thing would be to include the back cover blurb:

After years of abuse and neglect, Parker is found chained in a junk-filled backyard after a drug bust. The little guy’s terrified of people. Officer Ned Barringer brings him to a nearby shelter for medical care. When Ned learns how hard it is for dogs like Parker to get adopted, he must do more. He’s also instantly taken with Kim Harper, one of the shelter managers. She offers to train Parker for free. Ned instantly accepts. That same day, he meets his next-door neighbor, a ten-year-old boy named Russell. Russell is hiding a black eye, compliments of two bullies at school. This angers Ned. He suffered the same fate as a child. It’s the main reason he became a cop. But what can he do? When a near-death tragedy occurs, what role might Parker play in bringing these three lives together?

Some of the hashtags I’m using for the book are #DogLovers #BlueLivesMatter #Bullying #TheDogLives and #CleanRomance

Please give us the first page of the book.

Here it is:

What was going on? All this yelling and banging. Strangers running across the yard. Cars making loud noises and lights flashing. Parker ran and hid as far back in the shed as he could. It was a dark crawlspace under a roof made of rusty sheet metal perched above a wall of old tires. He wanted no part of whatever was happening out there. He curled up in a tight ball and lay there, trembling.

Not all his tension came from the strange goings-on. Some came from restraining himself from doing the one thing he wanted to do most. To bark at the top of his lungs at these invaders who’d come onto their property. Four men all dressed alike. What were they doing here? They had no right. As soon as they’d arrived, he could tell they weren’t here on friendly terms.

But Parker didn't bark. He didn’t dare make a sound.

His mouth still stung from a kick he’d gotten that morning. The Man hated it whenever Parker barked. Felt like The Man hated everything Parker did. There was no pleasing him, no matter how hard Parker tried. Barking was clearly the worst thing. But how could Parker stop doing something so essential to his main purpose? He existed to serve and protect…this property…this owner. Even if the effort was unappreciated. The need to bark came from deep within, beyond his reach.

Another loud bang. More yelling.

“Come out, Alfredo. Do it, now. Hands over your head where we can see them."

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Probably the easiest way for readers to connect with me is to go to my homepage at www.danwalshbooks.com. There you’ll find buttons for Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads. They can also sign up to get my Newsletter. I don’t send many out, but I always let my Newsletter friends get the latest updates on new books or great book deals. Readers can also email me at dwalsh@danwalshbooks.com. It may take me a little while, but I read and respond to each one myself.

Thank you, Dan, for sharing this new book with me and my blog readers. They really like to know about new books.

Readers, here are links to the book.

Saving Parker (A Forever Home Novel) (Volume 3) - Paperback
Saving Parker (A Forever Home Novel Book 3) - Kindle

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

VANISHING POINT - Lisa Harris - One Free Book

Bio: Lisa Harris is a bestselling author, a Christy Award winner, and the winner of the Best Inspirational Suspense Novel for 2011 and 2015 from Romantic Times for her novels Blood Covenant and Vendetta. The author of more than thirty books, including Vendetta, Missing, Pursued, and the Southern Crimes series, Harris and her family have spent fourteen years living as missionaries in southern Africa. Learn more at www.lisaharriswrites.com.

Ada, Mich.—Bestselling and award-winning author Lisa Harris unveils an unforgettable story of a case that has haunted the public and law enforcement for more than a decade.

During Garrett Addison’s first week on the job as a criminal investigator for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, his team is called out to a murder scene of a young girl. She’s just one in a string of disappearances with a single thing in common—a Polaroid photo of each victim left behind at the crime scene.

The FBI is pulled into the case to help, and Garrett finds himself working with Special Agent Jordan Lambert, the woman he once loved. When yet another girl dies, Garrett blames himself and believes he doesn’t have what it takes to be an agent. What he’ll discover is that, while he may be done with the killer, the killer is not done with him—or Jordan.

Fans of the Nikki Boyd Files will thrill to finally discover what actually happened to Nikki’s sister, Sarah. New readers will become instant fans after devouring this chilling tale.

Welcome back, Lisa. Can you please tell us about your new book?

 Garrett Addison’s first case as a criminal investigator for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is the murder of a young girl, which is quickly tied to a string of disappearances and a possible serial killer. Special Agent Jordan Lambert, a woman Garrett once loved, joins the case, but another girl is killed and they are unable to find the elusive killer. With a string of murders now spanning over a decade, the case will push those involved to their limits as they search for the truth. Readers who enjoyed the Nikki Boyd Files will be happy to see several appearances of Nikki in the book, from before she became involved in law enforcement to the final showdown and revelation of what happened to her sister, as well as her and Tyler Grant’s relationship. 

How did you come up with the plot for Vanishing Point?

After writing the Nikki Boyd series, my publisher asked that I write a fourth book that would tie up the series—in particular the story line of what happened to Nikki Boyd’s sister, Sarah, who disappeared over a decade ago. I loved the chance to spend the pages of an entire book telling her story along with the other girls who were victims of the Angel Abductor.

How did you choose the setting for your novel?

Since this book is tied closely to the Nikki Boyd Files, I kept this fourth novel set in Tennessee as well since that is where Sarah and the other girls vanished.

What was the most interesting thing you learned while doing research for your book?

In many ways it was a heartbreaking story to write. Because of this I worked hard to ensure readers are given a satisfying story that completely wraps up the series. While I normally do not like stories about serial killers—and, honestly, avoid them—this is more than just a book about the Angel Abductor. It’s about relationships, loss, and how God is still right there in the midst of tragedy.

Research on serial killers was actually very interesting. And especially the fact that most are not like Hollywood’s stereotypes.

What lesson(s) do you hope readers will take away from reading Vanishing Point?

One of the main questions asked in the novel is, where is God when tragedy strikes? It’s a question both Garrett and Jordan struggle with throughout the book. In the end, they come to the same conclusion that I pray my readers will come to. Just because God doesn’t intervene in a situation doesn’t mean he isn’t there. In fact, he is there, but he has decided not to just sweep down and fix our problems every time something goes wrong. Instead he chose to redeem us eternally by sending his Son.

What are you working on next?

I’m currently working on a brand-new stand-alone for Revell that will come out in 2018. It’s another fast-paced suspense novel that deals with hackers and a secret worth dying for.

I’m eager to feature that book, too, when it comes out. How can readers connect with you?

I really do love hearing from my readers! You can check out my books at my website, www.lisaharriswrites.com, or stop by my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLisaHarris.

Thank you, Lisa, for sharing your new book with me and my blog readers. You know how much I love your writing, and my blog readers do, too.

Readers, here are links to the book.

Vanishing Point - Christianbook.com
Vanishing Point: A Nikki Boyd Novel - Amazon paperback
Vanishing Point: A Nikki Boyd Novel - Kindle
Vanishing Point - Audiobook

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

LADY JANE DISAPPEARS - Joanna Davidson Politano - One Free Book

Dear Readers, I love introducing you to books that catch my fancy. Lady Jane Disappears is just such a book. I personally am not fond of novels written in first person, but this one grabbed me from the first page. The storyline is unique, and the characters three-dimensional. The plot twists often surprised me, and the storyline kept me turning pages. I know you’ll like this story.

Bio: Joanna Davidson Politano freelances for a small nonfiction publisher but spends much of her time spinning tales that capture the colorful, exquisite details in ordinary lives. Her manuscript for Lady Jayne Disappears was a finalist for several contests, including the 2016 Genesis Award from ACFW, and won the OCW Cascade Award and the Maggie Award for Excellence. She is always on the hunt for random acts of kindness, people willing to share their deepest secrets with a stranger, and hidden stashes of sweets. She lives with her husband and their two babies in a house in the woods near Lake Michigan and shares stories that move her at www.jdpstories.com.

Welcome, Joanna. Tell us a little about Lady Jayne Disappears.

This book is the result of asking, “What if an overlooked girl happened to secretly write her family into novels and publish them under a pen name?” Aurelie Harcourt has always created stories, and it’s the way she handles life in a home where she does not belong. She is writing the story of her mother, Lady Jayne, and the family that knew her before she disappeared. Aurelie begins digging into secrets and long-ago love stories to understand the people around her, but more than that, to discover what happened to the mother she’s never met.

Here’s more about the story.

Author Joanna Davidson Politano’s engaging novel, Lady Jayne Disappears, will delight readers with its highly original plot, lush setting, vibrant characters, and reluctant romance.

When Aurelie Harcourt’s father dies in debtor’s prison, he leaves her with just two things: his famous pen name, Nathaniel Droll, and his wealthy family, who want very little to do with her.

As Aurelie struggles to adjust to her father’s family and learn the rules of society, she relishes in his parting gift—the beginning of his last story. The story she always wanted to hear about her mother’s mysterious disappearance from the home where she now lives. To complete the novel, she must keep her identity as Nathaniel Droll hidden while searching for clues from her relatives and one enigmatic houseguest.  Lynhurst Manor is a house built on secrets. Can the arrival of Aurelie Harcourt reveal them all?

Why did you decide to write about serial fiction? Why do you think it had such a great appeal?

Serial fiction resembles those addictive television shows we all anxiously await each week and then discuss passionately with friends. We become attached to characters and eagerly follow their struggles and victories to a grand conclusion, and working-class Victorians felt the same way about their serialized novels. Writing about serial fiction allowed me to delve into a charmingly vintage world while also presenting attitudes and circumstances that resemble our modern world, making the story relatable and relevant to our modern faith walks.

How did you develop the setting of the story? Did you visit a mansion that inspired you?

Big old houses are like characters to me. Each has a distinct personality and backstory just waiting for someone to unravel and understand. I’ve toured, stayed in, and climbed among the ruins of old houses throughout Great Britain, and many of my story ideas come from some unique aspect of a house I saw. I’m deeply fascinated with the people who have resided in these places, and their stories are so full of shadows and interesting corners with dark hallways just beyond. Lynhurst is based on a few different country houses I saw, but most of the layout and character are taken from Tyntesfield in Somerset. It’s a lovely old house with a wealth of stories.

What was the most interesting thing you learned while doing research for this book?

Debtor’s prison fascinates me. Charles Dickens spent time there when his father was a debtor, and his experiences made it into several of his books. It’s such an odd system, jailing people and keeping them from working until they can pay a debt, and my heart just ached for some of the individual stories I read of debtors. The place was run as a business, designed to scrape up anything of value the prisoners had or acquired from visiting relatives, and that still baffles me.

I’m also enchanted by the idea of pen names, which is an element of my heroine’s story. The Brontë sisters were famous for using them, and I loved the image of them revealing themselves to their publisher in person, as my heroine does in the opening of this novel. There’s also something so captivating to me about a seemingly nondescript person having a sort of secret super power.

Do you relate to Aurelie in any way? Did you have real people that inspired your characters?

Oh yes! Aurelie’s writer heart mirrors my own in so many ways. It was easy to create her struggles through writing and everything that hinders it, because they are problems I’ve walked through countless times. Stories have been a part of my heart and a lens for viewing the world as long as I can remember, just like Aurelie. Her inability to overlook hurting people, her desire to help, and her love of beautiful words are all pages torn out of my own life story. The most similar aspect of her nature, however, is the daughter-heart that looks up to her father as larger than life, painting over all his flaws and embracing him and everything he values. My father is a storyteller and book lover like Aurelie’s, and although he does not struggle with the vices that gripped Aurelie’s father, he has cultivated a strong father-daughter bond with me. It was easy to wring her heart when it came to her father, because mine is just as dear to me as hers is to her.

What lesson(s) do you hope readers will take away from reading your book?

There is one lesson my own heart has had a hard time learning over the years, and it’s the one Aurelie struggles with—if the world fits, you’re the wrong size. Just as Aurelie tries in vain to become a part of her wealthy socialite family, most of us have experienced the desire to belong somewhere, even if it was as unhealthy and broken as Aurelie’s family.

There’s a book I found in college that impacted me on this topic, and years later the truths from it remain with me. It convinced me that if we sometimes didn’t fit in to our earthly surroundings, that was all right. In fact, it was a sign we were doing things well. We all know this world is broken and sinful and messy, so why should we strive to fit into it? The more we resemble Christ, the more we feel at odds in this world. God designed us for a completely different environment that was ruined by sin, and now nothing will ever quite feel right until we’re reunited with God and saturated in his presence for eternity.

In what way would you say your faith is worked into the book?

As I wrote the book, I wrestled with how comfortable I should be in this world. Was it okay to be bothered by certain things, to be rejected by certain people? Should I seek to be content with what was in reach, or was a certain amount of discontent healthy? As my writer mind walked through this story with Aurelie, my Jesus-seeking spirit was working on realigning my motives and efforts with a larger focus than the here-and-now.

I began to appreciate and even embrace some of the countercultural parts of my personality and thinking as I reminded myself that Jesus was the most countercultural thinker ever! Jesus’s answers on success, wealth, priorities, and the value of certain people turned his listeners’ expectations upside down. The biggest one for me is that last one—the value of people. Why does the world automatically write off certain people? The elderly. The introverted. The homeless. Those who messed up in some way.

I’m infinitely content to be countercultural in this respect, and it’s been a passion of mine to reveal hidden value in the people the world so easily sidelines. I bring that into the book through Aurelie—not only does she see value in the debtors but she herself is written off by her own family and comes to understand how Christ values her.

What are you working on next?

My next story takes place in an English vineyard that holds a delightful secret. It features an artist whose only canvas is her room, from furniture to ceiling. Painting is her escape from a competitive search for her family’s fortune, which her father hid before his sudden death. The love story includes little nuggets of my own story, which was a joy to write.

How can readers connect with you?

Readers will find a glimpse of my writer heart and my passions on my website, http://www.jdpstories.com .

I’m also on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/joannadavidsonpolitano/ and Twitter at https://www.facebook.com/joannadavidsonpolitano/.

For visual portrayals of my book concepts, find me on Pinterest at https://www.pinterest.com/sunshine39n/ .

Thank you so much, Julianna, for allowing me to share this unique story with my blog readers. I know they’ll be as eager to read the book as I was.

Readers, here are links to the book.

Lady Jayne Disappears - Christianbook.com
Lady Jayne Disappears - Amazon paperback
Lady Jayne Disappears - Kindle
Lady Jayne Disappears - Audiobook

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!!!!

Vera (NC) is the winner of The Christmas Blessing  by Melody Carlson.

Jane (TX) is the winner of Christy by Catherine Marshall.

Sara (TX) is the winner of Dangerous Illusions by Irene Hannon.


Becky (MO) is the winner of Callum's Compass by Sara L Foust.

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.

A CHRISTMAS DECEPTION (A CHRISTMAS MASQUERADE) - Cynthia Hickey and 6 other authors - One Free Ebook

Dear Readers, this looks like a real fun collection, don’t you think?

Bio: Multi-published and Amazon and ECPA Best-Selling author Cynthia Hickey has sold over a million copies of her works since 2013. She has taught a Continuing Education class at the 2015 American Christian Fiction Writers conference, several small ACFW chapters, and RWA chapters. She and her husband run the small press, Winged Publications, which includes some of the CBA’s most well-known authors. She lives in Arizona with her husband, one of their seven children, two dogs, one cat, and three box turtles. She has eight grandchildren who keep her busy and tell everyone they know that “Nana is a writer.”

Welcome back, Cynthia. How did your story for the collection come about?

To me, masquerades mean you can be anything you want to be. I’m also a huge fan of The Phantom of the Opera. There is a scene in the play where he pretends to be someone else. I thought what if a rich socialite had her maid take her place.

Are these stories connected in some way? If so, how?

All the stories have a Christmas masquerade that either starts the romance or fulfills it.

The more I read about it, it’s sounding like more fun. Cynthia, what are you reading right now?

Atonement by Winter Austin

How many other books have you had published?

Counting novels, novellas, and boxed sets, I’ve written 129.

What is the hardest thing about writing a part of a collection?

Making sure the stories relate to each other in the way the collection was planned

How did collaborating with this team impact you?

This was a great group of women to work with. Everyone loved the idea of a Christmas masquerade.

What did you want the reader to take away from your story?

That deception can risk everything you hold dear

Please give us a peek into your story.

Ladies maid Lydia is coerced into attending social functions in place of her mistress. When she meets her mistress’s long-time and handsome friend, she no longer wants to pretend. There are more deceptions at stake though than her filling in for her mistress.

What is the best piece of advice you received as an author?

Write the books you like to read

Where can my readers find you on the Internet?

Connect with me on FaceBook

Twitter

Sign up for my newsletter and receive a free short story

www.cynthiahickey.com

Follow me on Amazon

Website at www.cynthiahickey.com

Thank you, Cynthia, for sharing this new collection with me and my blog readers. It will be a good addition to our Christmas ebooks collection.

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

A Christmas Masquerade: 7 historical romances at a Christmas ball

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

A CHRISTMAS MEASURE OF LOVE - Linda Brooks Davis - One Free book

Dear Readers, Linda Brooks Davis came on the writing scene a couple of years ago with an award-winning novel I was privileged to read for an endorsement. The characters were well-rounded and people with depth. Authentic scenes pulled the reader into the story. She’s had two Christmas novellas published with some of the characters of her first novel. A Christmas Measure of Love is this years addition. I loved all three of these books.

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

When I was growing up and my parents’ families gathered, old tales would be told and retold. Invariably, the stories involved hardship, grief, and occasional shame, but they were always set alongside joy, faith, and grit. Often a family member would say, “Someone ought to write a book about that.” As a school child of the 1950s, I knew no hardship, grief, or shame. Life was good. But my family’s stories about life in Indian Territory prior to Oklahoma statehood and in the southern tip of Texas in the 1920s and 1930s intrigued me. I wondered even as a child if I might be that someone and how I’d go about it.

I’m glad you did. Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?

By far, the happiest day of my life was in the fall of 2004 when I learned my first grandchild was coming—in triplet form. When my daughter called with the news, I was in my assigned spot on the second floor of an office building, but every speck of inhibition flew out the window at the news. I jumped and, as we say in Texas, whooped and hollered. I danced and shouted between others’ assigned spots, announcing the unbelievable news to each astounded individual: My daughter’s expecting triplets! When the occupants of the first floor of that particular office building showed up wondering what in the world was going on upstairs, I realized for the first time I might have overdone it a bit. Thankfully, my co-workers understood and shared my joy.

How has being published changed your life?

When I won the Jerry Jenkins Operation First Novel Award in January, 2015, I was almost as astounded as that “day at the office” in 2004. But when the excitement settled, I realized I felt vulnerable. And responsible for handling myself in a way that would honor the Lord—and Jerry Jenkins.

When I received the ACFW Carol Award in August, 2016, the Lord separated me from my vulnerability—and inhibitions—as far as the east is from the west. That night was the time of my life. I’m 71 years old, and no single event, other than the news I was to be a grandmother three times over in one fell swoop, has affected me with such joy as that one.

That said … Being a published author has enlarged my circle of acquaintances and friends. I love this aspect of being published more than anything.

What are you reading right now?

Dare I admit I read something other than Christian fiction? I love legal, John Grisham-type suspense, but other than a handful of Christian authors like Randy Singer and Robert Whitlow, whose books I’ve been known to read twice, there aren’t many to choose from in the Christian market. I recently finished Loving Luther by Allison Pittman and was completely mesmerized by Allison’s depiction of the life of Katarina von Bora—Martin Luther’s wife.

What is your current work in progress?

I’m nearing completion of my second full-length novel. It’s set in 1914 and follows the life of one of the secondary characters in The Calling of Ella McFarland, which is set in 1905. A sequel to Ella’s story in novella form—A Christmas to Remember, which is set in 1908—released in 2016. A prequel to my current work in progress, also in novella form—A Christmas Measure of Love, which is set in 1910—released in October of this year.

What would be your dream vacation?

If I possessed unlimited resources, I would travel around the world to find where my ancestors lived and loved, died, and are buried. Those sites would include Eastern Europe, Switzerland, Germany, Scandinavia, Scotland, Ireland, England, and France. 

How do you choose your settings for each book?

The settings for my books thus far have sprung from my family’s old stories, but my imagination plays a huge role. For example, from The Calling of Ella McFarland and both novellas that follow, as well as my current novel in progress, Glover County, Rock Creek, Needham, and surrounding communities, Broadview, the cottage in the woods, and the McFarland farm are all imaginary. These environs develop as I imagine the lives of the characters.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I love genealogy and my grandchildren. My love for both knows no limits. I also enjoy painting pottery—nothing serious, mind you. I’m not an artist. I just enjoy the peace that surrounds me when I’m painting a piece of pottery. Invariably, it’s something for a family member, which could be why I love it so. 

I also love Bible study. I love theology and biblical history and apologetic reasoning.

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

Keeping my world in balance is my greatest challenge. I know it’s not good for me to concentrate on research, writing, and social media so much that I neglect other, more important aspects of life, but when I’m “on a roll,” it’s very difficult to shut it down.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Know why you’re writing. If you’re pursuing writing for accolades or remuneration, you might want to consider another field.

Tell us about the featured book.

A Christmas Measure of Love springs from words spoken by the character Lily in The Calling of Ella McFarland: Ma says love can’t be earned. Love’s immeasurability is the heart of this Christmas novella.

Lily, a girl on the cusp of womanhood has learned to stand as erect as her starched collar. Ma, a woman at the nadir of her life, is as bent as a shepherd’s crook. Joined by blood and separated by circumstance nine years prior, mother and daughter reunite.

What will Lily and Ma find in the old shack where their sweat and tears once mingled? It’s Christmas 1910, and Lily’s in for a Yuletide surprise she hasn’t reckoned for.

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

August 1910

Other girls measure their heights, waistlines, and bosoms. I measure my scars. And wonder why my pa never loved me.

           

Eighteen years old today, I’m perched alone on a parlor settee reserved for the birthday girl. Adelaide Fitzgerald, my benefactor, has invited Glover County, Oklahoma’s socially elite to celebrate at Broadview, her grand estate on the banks of Rock Creek.

           

Trouble is, when these precisely coiffed young women were girls romping at garden parties, I was toiling in a cotton field across the way. 

           

These party guests boast fathers who are bankers and lawyers and doctors. But I can claim naught but Walter Sloat for my pa—a scoundrel, a criminal, a former sharecropper who never lifted a hand in the fields. He expected Ma and me to do his share of the crop tending and accept his abuse when we returned home.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Website: http://lindabrooksdavis.com

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LBrooksDavis

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ljbd1946/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindadavis1321/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B018J4J8EW

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14537350.Linda_Brooks_Davis

To purchase The Calling of Ella McFarland: http://amzn.to/2ixn4pe

To purchase A Christmas to Remember: http://amzn.to/2yxAk8h

To purchase A Christmas Measure of Love: http://amzn.to/2j3vwjK

Thank you, Linda, for sharing this heart-warming novella with me and my blog readers.

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

THE GIFT OF CHRISTMAS PAST - Cindy and Erin Woodsmall - One Free Book

Dear Readers, The Gift of Christmas Past, is my favorite among all the Christmas books I’ve read this year. It’s poignant, and it stayed with me for days after I read the last page. I’ve loved Cindy’s writing for a long, and with the addition of her daughter, this book continues the tradition of stories that really grip your heart, characters who pull you into their world, and both a strong romantic thread as well as a strong spiritual thread. A very satisfying read.

Welcome Erin, and welcome back, Cindy. I know that this is a collaboration. How did this story come about?

Cindy: This story began in November 2016. Erin and I had written another Christmas novella together, but it wouldn’t be released until 2018, so there was a chance to create something new and different. We brainstormed during the holidays, working around the birth of Erin’s third child, Silas. Then we put our feet on the ground in Asheville for the research and got to work!

Erin: I’ve been doing various things for Cindy’s writing career for around a decade, working on the website and blogs, brainstorming, outlining, and more. After I lost a baby in January 2016, I needed a creative outlet. Cindy saw that, because she’s very intuitive, and we started collaborating on an Amish Christmas novella about a pharmacy, with the tentative title of A Spoonful of Christmas. It went so well we wanted to do it again!

Did you find it easy to work together on it?

Erin: Actually, yes. Our personalities mesh well together. I consider Cindy one of my closest friends and it’s been a joy to work with her.

Cindy: Definitely easy. Moreover, the brainstorming and writing together brought new and unexpected excitement to my workday.

How did collaborating with this team impact you?

Cindy: It’s hard to explain—we went from understanding each other on one level to understanding each other on a much deeper level. Collaborating means I have someone close to me who gets what I do, who is excited about the process of writing, and who knows what it takes to get the story from the “drawing board” to the written page. Going places to research has been so much fun, and we’ve made memories that will last a lifetime. We have our brainstorming sessions at our favorite coffee shop. I’ve never experienced anything like this, and I never expected to, so it’s changed me. (As of November 2017, we’ve written three books together, two for Random House.)

Erin: It’s impacted me much more than I can succinctly put into words. I learned a new skill—going from the “behind the scenes” work to creating stories and getting into the heads and hearts of characters, and in that I found a new side of myself. Cindy and I were already close, but like she mentioned earlier, after working together on novels, we have a new level of understanding with each other.  

What is the hardest thing about writing as a team?

Erin: The hardest part, surprisingly, has been figuring out a file system that works for both of us! There are a lot of files with specific information that has to be updated almost daily as we move forward—the chapter-by-chapter outline, the research notes, the character chart, our personal thoughts, and the actual chapters. It’s vital that we don’t save over each other’s work or make changes to a document without the latest information. I thought using Dropbox would be a good solution, because if either of us makes a change, it updates the document for both of us. But that system didn’t work for Cindy because of how changes show up on her computer.

Cindy: Computers. Don’t get me started on my propensity for technology glitches! Sharing information and making sure each person has the most updated files is so important. For all documents that aren’t actual chapters or the master copy, we figured out that Google Docs is a good solution.

What are you reading right now?

Both: Edits for next year’s novel!

Erin: I just downloaded Laura V. Hilton’s new Christmas novella collaboration, Love’s Thankful Heart. Novellas are so fun to enjoy during Christmastime!

Cindy: I love Katie Ganshert’s work. I’ve just cracked the first pages of Life After.

How did you choose your characters’ names?

Erin: I have three children, and with each one my husband and I found ourselves in … uh, spirited debates over names. Hadley, Monroe, and Chloe were all on my list of names that were rejected.

Cindy: Typically, I go through an Amish address book, so it was a lot of fun that we were able to hash out contemporary names. I just love the name Elliott for a girl.

Would you want to work on another book together?

Both: We already have! We feel like we’re just now getting really good at it. Next year we have two coming out through Random House’s WaterBrook Press imprint, one in August and one in October. The tentative titles are Ocean Roads and A Spoonful of Christmas. And we have at least three more ideas for future books!

I’ll want to feature both of them on my blog. What do you want to tell us about The Gift of Christmas Past?

Erin: This is Cindy’s first indie and her first non-Amish book. We’re able to offer it at a great price, in stores as a paperback, as well as free for readers on Kindle Unlimited. It’s a well-researched story with heart. We hope it feels like you’re stepping into the characters’ worlds.

Cindy:

Promises made. 
Lies spoken.

Dreams shattered.
She was arrested.
He returned to the safety of his wealthy parents.

Almost ten years later, Hadley and Monroe are both specialists in the field of speech therapy. They meet again . . . thrown together to help a four-year-old-girl rendered mute after being rescued from a fire.

Years of secrets and anger beg to be set free as Hadley and Monroe try to push aside past hurts and find common ground in order to help the traumatized child and her family.

Can the love of Christmas past drift into the present, bringing healing and hope for all?

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

Hadley’s mind reeled with disbelief as her foster mom shoved her clothes into an old suitcase. “But…but I’m innocent.”

“Maybe.” Dianna gave a half-hearted nod. “I hope so. It’d be an awful thing to squander the opportunities we’ve offered you.”

“I…I am. The investigation will prove it. I promise. You’ve got to believe me. Please.”

“Like I said, maybe you are innocent…of this incident. You had seemed to be making great strides since you went to anger-management classes. I’ll give you that, Hads.”

“Then don’t send me back. Please. My friends are here. Monroe is—”

“Decision’s made. You made it when you broke curfew for the third time.”

“But I was only a little late and for good reasons. You said so—”

“I’m aware.” Dianna didn’t pause her movements as she packed Hadley’s toothbrush.

Hadley bit back tears, hating any sign of being vulnerable. “Then why?”

“They’ve found two witnesses who place you in the Reeds’ yard.”

“What?” Hadley’s knee-jerk gasp was the totally wrong response. Stay cool. Remain calm.

“Yeah, apparently you were there.” Dianna released a slow sigh. “Imagine that.”

Regret twisted through Hadley. She never should’ve set foot on the Reeds’ property. “Okay, I was at their place, but I never—”

“Interesting.” Dianna stood up straight, the top of her head now even with Hadley’s nose. She yanked a beautiful red sweater off a hanger, a Christmas gift from Scott and her to Hadley a mere three weeks ago. “You’ve denied being anywhere near there until right now. They said they saw you start a fire using leaves, sticks, and what appeared to be some kind of accelerant.” She shoved the sweater into the suitcase with the other clothes as if it and Hadley no longer mattered.

Should she explain her actions? The moment the question came to her she knew the answer. No matter the subject or the situation, adults couldn’t be trusted. Anything Hadley said would be passed along to the authorities, distorted, and used against her.

Dianna jammed two pairs of wool socks into the suitcase. “Anyway, Scott and I think it’s in everyone’s best interest if you don’t live here anymore.”

(To read the rest of Chapter One, go here: http://www.cindywoodsmall.com/excerpt-the-gift-of-christmas-past/ 

Where can our readers find you on the Internet?

We can be found on Cindy’s Facebook, where we both answer readers.  https://www.facebook.com/authorcindywoodsmall

Also on Cindy’s website and blog: www.cindywoodsmall.com

Thank you, Cindy and Erin, for sharing this book with me and my blog readers. I know they will love it as much as I have.

Readers, here are links to the book.

The Gift of Christmas Past - Christianbook.com
The Gift Of Christmas Past: A Southern Romance - Amazon paperback
The Gift of Christmas Past - Kindle

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