WHAT PRAYER CAN DO - Ada Brownell - One Free Book

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

Writers are ordinary people. Every once in a while I meet people awed by writers. Many of those saw my byline frequently in The Pueblo Chieftain where I worked many years as a journalist. Once I gave my library card to a young man when I checked out books. He recognized my name and was so excited to meet me.

 I’d give my credit card to a cashier and my name would be noticed, or I’d be in a check at the supermarket and the person behind me would say, “Ooh, I know you!”

 Made me think I should quit wearing dirty tennis shoes and a sweatshirt on my day off and make sure my hair wasn’t windblown.

 I write articles and books about faith, miracles, and victorious Christian living, and even though God uses me, it’s all Him. Without Jesus I am nothing.

Tell us about your family.

My husband and I have been married 65 years in October. We had five beautiful talented children (one of them in heaven), married to amazing Christian achievers. All have done some sort of Christian ministry, have great marriages, and gave us wonderful grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.

Our oldest son, Gary, is a media/ lighting/ electronics expert/sound engineer/ stage designer for churches. The youngest son, Jaron, is a computer software designer and church worship leader.

 The next daughter, Gwen, is near earning her doctorate in nursing, has taught nursing and works at a hospital.  She went on a summer mission to Kenya, taught Sunday school and does health screenings at church.

 Our youngest daughter, Jeanette, the wife of a hospice chaplain, works in Human Resources in a steel mill, taught Missionettes for years, and is a wonderful soloist.

We lost our oldest daughter to lymphoma at age 31 when she and her husband worked with youth and she was a church musician and office worker.

Have you written other nonfiction books?

Confessions of a Pentecostal, out of print but sells now as an e-book. Originally published by the Assemblies of God in 1978, the book was listed in 2011 and many other years among 10 top recommendations on Pentecostalism by The Library Thing.

Swallowed by Life: Mysteries of Death, Resurrection and the Eternal, a book for people with chronic or terminal illness, individuals who fear death or are curious about it, the grieving, and those who give them counsel. Great for support groups. I did the research and used what I’d learned in the Bible and by spending seven years on the medical beat to write that book after we lost our daughter to cancer. I wanted to be sure I believed what I thought I did about the eternal.

Imagine the Future You, a motivational Bible Study for youth. Ready or not, you are headed into your future. Would you like to achieve your dreams of being all you can be inside and out? Would you like to deposit good information in your brain you can spend and invest in your future? This book will help in every area of your life.

Facts, Faith and Propaganda. Everything about who we are, how we came to be, and why we are here, is settled by faith. Evolution is taught as fact only because it is so widely accepted. Although scientists claim evolution can be proved, changes in any species is still the same species. See how to separate propaganda, false science and skepticism from truth. From a writer who has interviewed educators, Bible experts, scientists, and written numerous articles about evolution, studied propaganda in college and taught the Bible and Science in churches.

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

The first draft of the third book in my historical Peaches and Dreams fiction series, Love’s Delicate Blossom, is nearly complete.

What kinds of hobbies and leisure activities do you enjoy?

I love, table games, walking, singing in groups, and used to love swimming and tennis. I still enjoy playing active games on the Wii.

 

Why did you write the featured book?

You don’t hear much about how God intervenes in people’s lives today in answer to prayer. I didn’t want these amazing testimonies, published over the years in The Pentecostal Evangel, to be forgotten.

What do you want the reader to take away from the book?

Awe, greater faith, and encouragement.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell my readers about you or your book? Every testimony in What Prayer Can Do is true. I know these people.

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

Chapter One Excerpt: WHAT PRAYER CAN DO (The article that inspired the book).

By Ada Nicholson Brownell

“Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6 NIV).

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

--Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/AdaBrownellWritingMinistries

--Twitter: @adabrownell

--Blog: http://inkfromanearthenvessel.blogspot.com Stick to Your Soul Encouragement

--Book Fun Network

Thank you, Ada, for sharing this book with us. I love testimonies of how God answered prayers in people’s lives. Every Christian should have many of those stories. I know I do.

Readers, here are links to the book.

What Prayer Can Do: A Collection of articles written by Ada Nicholson Brownell published by THE PENTECOSTAL EVANGEL - Paperback
What Prayer Can Do: A Collection of Articles Written by Ada Nicholson Brownell Published by The Pentecostal Evangel - 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

SAFE REFUGE - Pam S Meyers - One Free Print or Kindle Book

Welcome back, Pam. I love your head shot. Tell us about your salvation experience.

I was raised in a nominal Christian home and drifted away from church involvement when I left home. In my early thirties, while living in Los Angeles, I got involved in a small claims court case with a roommate and a coworker started talking to me about the Lord. I took her words to heart, but didn’t react on them until I returned to the Midwest to live several months later. My mom became very ill, and I promised God I’d return to church if she got well. She did get somewhat well and I started attending a church that wasn’t right for me. Regardless, during a Good Friday service as I heard the biblical account of the crucifixion read from the Bible the Holy Spirit opened the eyes of my heart and I realized that Jesus did that totally for me and I was humbled. I didn’t know about praying for the Lord to come into my life, but Christian friends came alongside me and discipled me. I eventually moved to the church I still attend today which is a Gospel-preaching evangelical church and I’ve been growing in Him ever since.

I love life stories like yours. You’re planning a writing retreat where you can only have four other authors. Who would they be and why?

Ane Mulligan because she’s a dear friend and one of the best brainstormers around. Deb Raney because she is a wonderful writer and an awesome encourager to writers. Cynthia Ruchti because she brings biblical insight of the Lord to those who write and I want to write like her when I grow up. Elizabeth Camden, who writes awesome historicals in a way that I want to write them.

Do you have a speaking ministry?

If so, tell us about that. I have spoken at my book launches and readings about my books and when my Love Finds You in Lake Geneva book (now published as Surprised by Love in Lake Geneva) I spoke on the historical research I did for the book at the public library in Lake Geneva. I would love to develop more of a speaking ministry, but so far I haven’t pursued it enough.

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

When going to a presentation related to Love Finds You in Lake Geneva, I arrived at the retirement home where the event was to take place and realized that I forgot my computer which was on Keynote (the Mac version of PowerPoint). Fortunately, I did have the presentation on a flash drive and a worker at the home had a Mac. With the help of a techie we were able to work around things and I was able to make my presentation.

People are always telling me that they’d like to write a book someday. I’m sure they do to you, too. What would you tell someone who came up to you and said that?

I do get asked this once in a while. I always encourage them that if they are really serious about writing to start writing. Read writing craft books, attend a local writers conference and take the beginners workshops in writing, and if they aspire to write fiction to join American Fiction Christian Writers (ACFW) and their local chapter if they live near one. They need to soak up all they can and start writing.

Tell us about the featured book.

Safe Refuge is the first story in a three-book series called The Newport of the West. My home area of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, has a very rich history that all but began in the fall of 1871 when the Great Chicago Fire occurred. The fire destroyed the businesses and homes of Chicago’s most wealthy movers and shakers. Many of those men grabbed up land on the shores of Geneva Lake, which was a two-hour train ride away. There they built beautiful mansions and their families stayed there while the city was being rebuilt. Thus the area was nicknamed Newport of the West as it reminded people of Newport, Rhode Island, where similar families from New York City and Boston built grand homes on the shoreline. For decades excursion boats have taken passengers around the lake to point out the estates of people like the Wrigleys, Schwinns, and others with not so recognizable names. Over the years many of the homes have burned down or fallen to the wrecking ball. It’s my desire to preserve some of the lake’s legacy through these three novels that focus on a fictional family who moves there after the fire.

Please give us the first page of the book.

October 7, 1871

Chicago, Illinois

“GLAD I CAUGHT ya before you be leavin’.”

At Rory Quinn’s comment, heat filled Anna Hartwell’s cheeks, and it wasn’t because of the unusual fall heat wave Chicago was experiencing. She turned from the family carriage and shielded her eyes with her hand. The Illinois Street Mission janitor and general handyman, leaned against the mission school’s doorframe, shirtsleeves rolled up, his muscular arms folded across his chest. A dimpled grin filled his face.

She pressed her hand against her flip-flopping stomach. Why did seeing him always produce that reaction? Maybe because despite the only thing he ever wore was a well-worn shirt and denim pants held up by black suspenders, Rory was more handsome than any man who frequented her usual social circles.

She should look away, but she needed to make sure the memory of his face was forever etched in her mind. “I was about to search for you. I only came out to give Patrick my bag.” She swallowed against the lump in her throat that felt the size of a small boulder and forced out her next words. “I need to return to the classroom before I leave.” Guilt replaced regret. To tell him the truth would only result in questions with answers she’d rather not share.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I’m most frequently on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pamela.meyers. My new website address is www.pamelasmeyers.com

Thank you, Pam, for sharing this new book with us. I always love your books, and I’m eager to read this one.

Readers, here are links to the book.

Safe Refuge (Newport of the West) (Volume 1) - Paperback
Safe Refuge (Newport of the West Book 1) - 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

THE TIDE OF TIMES - C Kevin Thompson - One Free Book

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

Completing the Blake Meyer series, working on my young adult series, working on the screenplays for The Serpent’s Grasp and The Letters, and anything else God allows me to complete. I also have a sequel series foreshadowed in the Blake Meyer series that will cameo Blake and focus on a fellow FBI agent, Julee Scarfano.

Tell us a little about your family.

I’m married to Cindy, my wife of almost 37 years. We have three daughters. Two of them are married, and we have five grandchildren. We have a rescue dog named Tiny. We live in the house I grew up in, but we’re looking to move in the next couple of years. We’ve lived in Florida twice, Western New York, Jackson, Missippi, Haltom City, Texas, and Des Moines, Iowa. We’ve never been west of I-35, but want to see the western half of the U.S. soon.

You were almost a neighbor when you were in Texas. I live in Hurst. Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?

Some. I read a great deal more research material than I used to. But that’s about it.

What are you working on right now?

I’m completing Book 4 of the Blake Meyer series, titled When the Clock Strikes Fourteen. Should be done any day now. Plans are for it to be available this fall. In my spare time, I’m writing a young adult series with the characters starting off in 6th grade. My writers critique group has told me that it’s the best stuff I’ve written so far. That’s a good sign.

Yes, it is. What outside interests do you have?

I play the drums and percussion, love college football, and like to spend time with family. When I want to relax, my Laz-y-boy and the remote are my friends.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

The settings are based on the storyline. So, I guess you could say the plot drives the setting. When I come up with a story, I spend some time examining where the best place for it to take place would be. Then, I take to Google Earth and scour the streets (if I can’t get there myself) to get to know the town/city. I also look at websites of local places within that town to get a feel for it.

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

William Shakespeare. He was light years ahead of his time. We still use so many of his writings, his themes, and writing methods today.

What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?

That all publishers are not created equal. And even though some publishers have grand ideas, plans, and rhetoric, following through on those things are more important.

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

How to live on less. That all the bells and whistles of American Dream living is a wasteful way of living. For example, we dropped cable and use Roku and an HD antenna now. We get almost everything we had before, and it costs us about $150 a month less. The life of John Wesley has challenged me. He lived on three percent of his income and gave away the rest.

What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?

First, write. Then, write more. Then, write even more. Most authors never publish their first work. Usually, their first published work is manuscript three or more. But you cannot get anything published if you never finish it. So, write. Second, become a student of the business because that is what you are becoming, a businessman or businesswoman. Writing is a business, more so than ever for the writer these days of being as much a marketer as you are a writer. Third, when you build your brand, be true to who you are. Make sure you can live with yourself when it becomes that business we talked about earlier.

My first novel was published, but my second never made it. Tell us about the featured book.

Here’s the Back Cover Copy:

A Perverse Tale. A Precarious Truth. A Personal Tribulation.

Supervisory Special Agent Blake Meyer is at an impasse. Bound and beaten in a dilapidated warehouse halfway around the world, Blake finds himself listening to an unbelievable story. Right and wrong warp into a despicable clash of ideologies. Life quickly becomes neither black nor white. Nor is it red, white, and blue any longer.

Every second brings the contagion's release closer, promising to drag the United States into the Dark Ages. Tens of millions could be dead within months.

Every moment adds miles and hours to the expanding gulf between him and his family. What is he to believe? Who is he to trust?

For in this tide of times, his most trusted allies must be condemned. His most feared enemies must be trusted. And those he loves must be found before the world’s generals cry “Havoc!” and let slip the dogs of war.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Highway 116

Wonderwood Drive

Greater Arlington Area

Jacksonville, Florida

Supervisory Special Agent-in-Charge Julee Scarfano and SSA Williams raced toward Chicopit Bay from the west. Smoke spiraled into the sky like a barber’s pole. Scarfano listened in as an emergency helicopter circled the scene and relayed to first responders on the ground informa­tion from a bird’s eye view. Three local news station choppers hovered at a safe distance, forming a makeshift triangle of aerial observation and no doubt streamed the scene live to the world.

Julee’s eyes widened in horror. Oh, my. “It looks like a war zone.”

“Reminds me of my first combat mission when I was over in Iraq,” Williams said. “That didn’t turn out so well.”

Julee turned and gave Williams a look of concern.

With their emergency lights embedded within the grill of the vehicle, flashing blue and red, Agent Williams slowed their black Ford Expedition as they approached the now severed bridge. A state trooper’s cruiser, parked at a forty-five degree angle, blocked the entrance to the crash site. The officer stood outside his car, holding out his left hand, motioning for them to stop.

Agent Williams rolled down his window and flipped the SUV into Park. He retrieved his credentials from his pocket. Julee did the same and held hers up.

“I’ll need to see some—” The trooper interrupted himself. “Oh, good. You’ve already got them out.”

Wow. You really left us hanging there. How can readers find you on the Internet?

They can find me in these locations:

My website:                www.ckevinthompson.com

Blog:                           www.ckevinthompson.blogspot.com/

Facebook:                   C. Kevin Thompson – Author Fan Page

Twitter:                       @CKevinThompson

Goodreads:                 C. Kevin Thompson

Amazon Author Page:            https://www.amazon.com/C.-Kevin-Thompson/e/B007ANOEDE/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1

Also, check in soon to my website for the links to my new Pinterest page and Instagram page!

Thank you, C Kevin, for sharing this new book with us. I am eager to read it. So are my readers by now.

Readers, here are links to the book.

The Tide of Times (the Blake Meyer Thriller series) (Volume 3) - Paperback
The Tide of Times (the Blake Meyer Thriller series 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

WINNERS!!!

New instructions for winners in 2018 - When you send me the email, make sure your subject line says this: Winner - (book title) - (author's name) 

Terrill (WA)  is the winner of Redeeming Light by Annette O'Hare.

Rose (FL) is the winner of the Ebook Finding Love on Bainbridge Island, Washington by Annette Irby.

Connie (TX)  is the winner of Political Dirty Trick by James R Callan.

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 or audio book, 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.

before I knew you - Beth Steury - One Free Print Book or Ebook, Winner's Choice

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

Many of Maggie’s, the female main character’s, likes/dislikes/quirks are mine. She’s a died-hard Diet Coke fan, loves chocolate, is not outgoing or in the “in” crowd. Her faith is important to her. However, none of her experiences are based on my life. The two moms in the story are not based on me or my style of mothering.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I have a feeling my kids would jump at the chance to answer this question. If we go with the “peculiar” definition of quirky, then my penchant for fountain Diet Coke probably qualifies. I will drive across town for a fountain Diet Coke, snubbing my nose at other varieties of cola as well as bottled or canned variations. Prior to our vacation in Hawaii, I contacted the hotel—via email and telephone—to inquire if they were a Coke or Pepsi establishment. I then contacted the convenience store I thought was next door, but was actually in the hotel’s lobby, to inquire about their soft drink selection. Upon arrival, and much to my delight, I discovered very palatable Diet Coke flowed from a fountain beverage center in this convenient location. My husband has dubbed me a “pop snob.” I prefer the term “pop connoisseur.”

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I’m not really sure how to answer that. I’ve been writing for over thirty years sporadically, wishing I would/could write more regularly. For the past eight years, writing has been given a greater importance in my daily life. For the past three-and-a-half years, I’ve written something nearly every day.

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

The great majority of books I read fall into one of two categories or are a meshing of both. In fiction, I prefer books that combine a contemporary, true-to-life story with realistic characters. If the story is based on true events, that’s even better. In non-fiction, I like to read about people’s lives, the paths and journeys that make or break them. The lessons they learn along the way and how those experiences change and mold the persons’ lives. I’m a people person, so I have to force myself to read about ideas, facts, and/or concepts unless many people anecdotes are sprinkled into the book.

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

Sometimes I don’t! Run, run, run does quite often describe my world. Although I enjoy being busy, too much of a good thing, as they say, is overwhelming. I attempt to look ahead and allot time for all the to-dos on my list, but I find that too often, the tasks take longer than I want/hope they will, creating an overwhelming time crunch. When the list is long and the line items involved, I try to zero in on the most pressing/immediate task and adopt a tunnel-vision approach. Deep breaths and a mental, sometimes oral, chanting of, “Everything will be fine,” does help. Massive amounts of Diet Coke, and the fact I’ve gotten used to short nights helps as well.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

The two main characters’ names just came to me as the story brewed in my mind. The names fit them as their personalities formulated in my mind. I try not to use names of family members or people I know well. Aside from that and since I write YA, I try to use names that are at least somewhat common among today’s youth.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Although several publishers showed interest in this novel/series, the timing did not pan out, so I decided to take the indie route. Deciding to “go indie” was one thing, but actually, bringing the project to fruition involved countless hours of research and a continual push to move forward. I had to put aside the fear that I couldn’t do it and make myself advance toward the goal. Holding the actual book in my hand and downloading the formatted ebook to my Kindle completed the dream and stirred a deep sense of satisfaction.  

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

I’m not an animal person, so this is a hard one. Something cute, cuddly, loyal, loves everyone—oh, and low-maintenance which means not whiny, no shedding, probably sleeps a lot. Is there such an animal? Sounds like a dog, maybe? If there’s a breed that fits these qualifications, I might even consider getting a dog myself.

What is your favorite food?

CHOCOLATE!

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

Making the completion of the book a priority. I worked on this book and series for years. I’m sure people grew weary of me talking about the never-ending-project. I considered dropping it altogether or at least putting it aside for a time, but I didn’t feel right about doing that. The story would not leave my mind. So, I sloughed along with more dedication at times, less so at other times. I took a no-turning-back step when I worked with a photographer and a cover designer to complete the covers for all three books in the series. That commitment solidified that I would complete the series.

Tell us about the featured book.

before I knew you presents a realistic, candid, and relevant cast of high school-aged characters as they navigate choices and consequences in the choppy waters of friendship, dating relationships, saving sex for marriage, and “renewed waiting.” 

The novel’s main players are: Preston, the 17-year-old hot, popular high school junior who’s determined to chart a new course as far from his ladies’ man ways as possible. And Maggie, the new girl in town, also a 17-year-old junior, who’s quiet and shy but oh so ready to be in a relationship with an amazing guy. A guy who will respect her “white-wedding-dress future.”

Please give us the first page of the book.

Memorial Day weekend

Preston

I

won’t do anything illegal or immoral. Just hanging out. No big deal.” Muttering to an empty room, I grabbed an Indianapolis Colts sweatshirt and opened my bedroom door to scope out the hall. Right toward Mom’s and Dad’s room, left toward my brother Patrick’s.

The hall was empty. Good.

I found Mom in the kitchen rinsing the supper dishes. “Hangin’ with the guys tonight, Mom. Won’t be too late.” Not that an almost seventeen-year-old should have to report his every move to his mom, but considering what I’d put my parents through last year, it wouldn’t kill me.

“Okay, Preston.” She tapped my arm with wet fingers. “Have fun.”

I zipped toward the front door, hoping to avoid Patrick’s older brother advice.

“No big deal.” More muttering, to convince myself there was nothing wrong with a night of hanging out with the guys. As I jabbed the key into the ignition, I scanned the front of the Jacoby family, ranch-style house.

Patrick filled the doorway, his arms crossed, a menacing glare shooting from his narrowed eyes.

I jerked away from his obvious disapproval and backed onto the street in my hand-me-down Honda Accord that would scream middle class in Jake Nelson’s east side neighborhood.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Amazon Author Page:  amazon.com/author/bethsteury

Website:   Beth Steury – Saving sex for marriage cheerleader, YA Author, Christ follower

Facebook:     Beth Steury, Author

Twitter:         @Beth_Steury

Pinterest:      Beth Steury, Author

Goodreads:   Beth Steury, Author

Thank you, Beth, for sharing this new book with us.

Readers, leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book or ebook. 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

NO SAFE PLACE - H.L. Wegley - One Free Book

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

As I grew up, I lived for sports and the competition that athletics provided. And I participated in several sports until physical limitations set in. Now, I participate vicariously through characters in my stories. But since I’m in control, I can take them to athletic achievements far beyond mine. The heroine of my current release is a world-class middle-distance runner. The hero of my previous release was an Olympic decathlete and another hero was the first major league pitcher to throw a baseball 110 miles-per-hour. Of course, the characters’ athletic abilities play a key role in each story.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

After our senior class picnic, a week before graduation, I held open the door to the high school so my buddy could ride his motorcycle through the entire first floor, past the office and back out. We didn’t stop to think about the possible consequences. But 1964 was a kinder, gentler time. We would probably have gotten only a lecture. But the school janitor got the punishment. From the stories we heard, he never did get the black mark off the floor where my friend popped the clutch.

Oh, the things we did back then. When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I was blessed to have some great writing instructors, especially in high school. Confirmation of being a writer came when I started getting A’s for doing something I thoroughly enjoyed. Though I didn’t write fiction until retiring, for most of my working years I made a living by writing—research reports, scientific books and articles and, later, specifications for computing systems. But science is set, while fiction is flexible. And fiction is certainly more fun.

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

I started reading novels as a nine-year-old. I cruised through the entire Edgar Rice Burroughs collection, then the entire Zane Grey collection. My love of action and adventure those books gave stuck with me. I can’t resist a good action-adventure story written, especially if it’s within the genre rules of romantic suspense. Ditto for a good thriller with a little romance woven in. My non-fiction reading tends toward philosophy and science, mostly in the context of Christian apologetics.

I read a lot of Zane Grey when I was a teen. How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

Don’t you mean, how do I catch it after I’ve lost it? When I run, run, run too much, I catch it from my wife. Writing can consume too much of us, if we let it. My wife helps keep me accountable and sane even when I don’t want to be.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

I usually choose names I like for my protagonists and names that I don’t like for my villains. Sometimes the villain’s name is derived from words that have some malevolent meaning. For example, in my current WIP, the villain is a corrupt, high-ranking government official whose first and last names were derived from words that mean, big swamp. Oops! I had wanted to see if any of my readers caught on to that.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Is choosing a spouse considered an accomplishment? If so, I did myself proud in being chosen by a stereotypical Irish girl with a sprinkling of freckles, hair that shines red in the sun, heart on her sleeve and who will live what she believes, even if it kills her. Oh, I chose her too … 52 years ago.

I love long marriages. James and I will celebrate our 54^th anniversary later this year. If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?

It would have to be a dog. But not a little yapper—a big dog. Maybe a dog like the black lab we raised for guide dog school at San Rafael. He didn’t yap, but he did chew through the 220-volt wires to our air conditioner on a holiday weekend with the temperature in triple digits. He wasn’t electrocuted and I forgave him, eventually, because he was only six months old at the time.

What is your favorite food?

If I had to choose one type of food to eat every day for the rest of my life, it would be Mexican food—nachos, burritos, taco salads. So, I guess that’s my favorite. But, does coffee qualify as a food?

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

I had two major problems when I began writing fiction. First, according to one editor, my female protagonists sounded psychotic Second, I didn’t understand good story structure. The solution to both—ask for help from someone who can help. Christina Tarabochia helped me untangle the emotional mess of the heroine in No Safe Place. Susan May Warren gave me some great advice for weaving the plot elements together to create my award-winning story, Voice in the Wilderness.

Tell us about the featured book.

No Safe Place tells the story of a young man returning from the far country, trying to regain his honor, and a young woman with a heart broken by her parents' rejection because of her newfound faith. Each has what the other needs, but will the assassin who put them on his hit list give them enough time to discover that? It’s a new take on the prodigal story that races from the beaches of the Olympic National Park to the beauty of Lake Chelan in Central Washington State, a story of courage, honor, faith, forgiveness, and love. No Safe Place is also book #1 in my Witness Protection Series.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Olympic National Park, near La Push, Washington

They hadn’t gunned him down two months ago, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. The odds were Matt Mathison should have ended up planted in the ground or as a pile of bones picked clean by scavengers in the forest.

Was he lucky to have escaped? It felt more like punishment for his transgressions. Regardless, his present unity of body and soul was not a blessing. Of that, he was certain.

Matt refocused on the winding dirt trail wrinkled with tree roots along each side—roots waiting to grab the foot of a tired or careless runner. He kicked his pace up a notch as he loped along the trail traversing the ridge above the beach at La Push.

He maintained this fast but comfortable pace as he ran through towering Sitka spruce trees. Matt inhaled deep breaths of fresh, ocean-scented air.

Countless shafts of sunlight probed the shadows through openings in the forest canopy. As he ran, the myriad sunbeams created a mesmerizing, strobe-light effect on his arms.

Running in this tranquil setting helped. It helped Matt ignore that he was bone tired, emotionally drained, and spiritually in limbo. But didn’t he deserve all the misery life had dealt him? All of it and a lot more.

A half mile from the parking area, the pounding of a runner's powerful feet sounded on the ridge behind him. Someone had rapidly closed on him, someone running at an incredible rate.

There were never other runners on this trail. Only one conclusion made sense. After two months of searching, Arellano's assassins had found him.

Oh, my. I need to know what happens next. How can readers find you on the Internet?

Website; http://www.hlwegley.com

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/H.-L.-Wegley/e/B00B1XMR56

Facebook author’s page: https://www.facebook.com/HLWegley  

Twitter https://twitter.com/hlwegley   

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/harryw51 

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/harryw51/  

Thank you, H.L., for sharing this new book with us. I’m eager to read it, and I know my readers are too.

Readers, here are links to the book.

No Safe Place (Witness Protection) (Volume 1) - Paperback
No Safe Place (Witness Protection Book 1) - 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

CHASE - Glenn Haggerty - One Free Print Book in the US or One Free Ebook for a Worldwide Winner

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

Developing empathy for others helps me to create and sustain characters that are hopefully rich, varied, likable, and entertaining. Since I question whether I could be described with any of those characteristics, I believe my characters are more imagined than reflective.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I’ve never thought of myself as a quirky person—all the more reason to construe such an attribute. But I do, and always have to my memory, twiddled my hair when concentrating on something. Harder to do with my current short haircut, I have to dig hard to get enough hair to rub between my fingers.

When did you first discover you were a writer?

When my short story “Way the River Runs” was accepted by a magazine in 2007, I began to think that maybe I was a writer after all.

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

C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and other epic fantasy writers with a Christian worldview on the one hand and John Grisham, Andrew Klavan, Eddie Jones, and other mystery/action adventure writers are among my favorites. I think I have also read nearly every Western written by Louis L’Amour. I enjoy historical fiction, beginning with Bode Thoene to Francine Rivers and even the sometimes profane work of Bernard Cornwall. And I read non-fiction historicals, such as Forth to the Wilderness by Dale Van Every, nearly everything written by Stephen Ambrose and David McCullough and many more. But the most rewarding read and study for me is the Bible – by far.

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

Sanity? I used to have a heavy bag, but now I have to settle for peddling really fast on my stationary bike.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

Sometimes I look up lists of common names, either current or of another period of history. But more often I overhear a name that sounds cool to me. When I occasionally delve into fantasy, I like to use Greek, Latin, or Hebrew names that mean something either representative of or ironic to the character in question.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Proverbs  6:16, 11:2, 16:18

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

As a kid, I sometimes fantasized that I was a talking mountain lion that went around doing good—sort of an animal superhero. Maybe influenced by Jack London’s dog characters “Buck” and “White Fang” both of whom were loyal and saved or tried to save their masters from the bad guys.

What is your favorite food?

Great coffee, strong, freshly ground and dark roast but with cream and sugar. Our Keurig makes a fast fix, but if I’m desperate, a shot of espresso and hot chocolate in a cup of skim milk will also power me through writer’s fatigue

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

My greatest roadblock was thinking that creative writing was just too massive and that I wasn’t smart enough to pull it off. I overcame it by focusing first on trying to write a compelling short story. When others subsequently pointed out how pathetic my first attempts were, my self-doubts were reinforced. The only way to overcome was to keep studying, keep listening to criticism with discernment, and keep trying.

Tell us about the featured book.

In Chase, Tyler, a middle school newbie, watches helplessly as his friend, Jake, descends into drugs. With the help of a couple of classmates and encouraged by the local police, Tyler begins shadowing drug runners to rat out the methamphetamine dealer before his friend turns into a brain dead druggie. But Tyler has underestimated the power and raw evil that is about to be unleashed against him. There are lots of twists and turns and character surprises as Tyler and his friends come face to face with organized evil. Faith and courage are tested to the max, and many lessons are learned regarding life and friendships.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Prologue

Erick Donaldson crept from tree to tree scanning the hushed forest for his prey. Three-foot ferns screened the ground on either side of the path, but on the dirt trail ahead, cloven-hoofed prints pressed deep into the soft black soil.

He stooped. Fresh. His quarry was close.

A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. He’d ditched algebra that morning, but Mom’s grounding would be worth it—especially if he had a new antler rack mounted to his wall.

Through a break in the tall trees, wisps of vapor rose from the valley below, and the domed roof of an old barn poked above the early fall greenery. Erick narrowed his eyes. He’d never seen buildings out here in the state park, but he’d never roamed this far north either. The dim trail twisted downhill and disappeared toward the barn. He touched the hunting license in the cargo pocket of his fatigues and stole after his game.

At the valley floor, he pushed through the brush line and stepped into the clearing.

Mist swirled against the barn and decay ate away the corners. Broken and missing boards lined the structure like unraveling bandages on a gigantic mummy. Elm saplings crowded the ruin. Just an abandoned barn. And yet . . .

The hair on the back of his neck prickled.

Interesting. How can readers find you on the Internet?

Website http://www.glennhaggerty.com/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/grhaggertyjr

Thank you, Glenn, for sharing this new book with us. The teaser is intriguing.

Readers, here are links to the book.

Chase: Intense, Book 3 (Volume 3) - Paperback
Chase: Intense, 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