LOVE IN PICTURES - Alexis A Goring - One Free Book

Bio: Alexis A. Goring is a passionate writer with a degree in Print Journalism and an MFA in Creative Writing. She loves the art of storytelling and hopes that her stories will connect readers with the enduring, forever love of Jesus Christ.

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

I write Contemporary Romance books (fiction) and devotionals (nonfiction) because I want to infuse hope into situations that seem hopeless in real-life.

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

Wow that’s quite a question that I’m not sure how to answer because I’ve had many happiest days of my life! But when it comes to my writing, I’d have to say that the happiest day of my life was when I received my complimentary copy of my first published book Hope in My Heart: A Collection of Heartwarming Stories. Everything really came together for that book and the Hand of God was over everything, especially with the creation of my dream book cover design by Brenda McClearen and her creative team in Nashville, Tennessee!

  

How has being published changed your life?

Being a published author has changed my life in the way of more people knowing my name and reading my work. It’s been an adventure filled with book signing events, author interviews on blogs, podcast interviews like the ones with Mantle Rock Publishing, radio interviews like the one with WGTS 91.9 FM and LIVE television interviews to promote my books!

What are you reading right now?

Right now, I am reading Building Friendships that Fit by Holly Furtick. She’s the wife of Pastor Steven Furtick who is the lead pastor of Elevation Church in North Carolina. The ministry that God’s given Pastor Furtick and his wife is beautiful and making such a positive impact on people around the world!

Praise the Lord for that. What is your current work in progress?

My current work in progress is a food and romance story about a formerly fat baker who is now every woman’s dream catch. But he’s not dating every woman who throws herself at him because his heart is set on the one girl he loved at first sight in high school. However, he was too shy to ask her on a date. What he does not know is that the same girl grew up to become a food writer and she works at the magazine office down the block from his family-owned bakery!

Sounds interesting. I’ll want to feature it on my blog when is releases. What would be your dream vacation?

Another great question that I don’t know how to answer because I have several dream      vacation spots! But if I had to choose just one place to visit for now then I’d say Paris, France, because it may or may not be an international setting in my next book! *Hint, hint!

How do you choose your settings for each book?

Pure imagination helped by my favorite settings in movies, TV shows, and real-life experience.

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

Ben Patton (the brother of former Bachelorette JoJo Fletcher, who was a contestant on Ready for Love) because he seems like a fascinating person!

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

Photography and food! I love to practice natural-light photography. I have an eye for color and design that compliments my clients’ complexion and brings out their natural beauty. I also love good food. I love cooking it, baking it, buying it, and sharing it with loved ones!

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

My most difficult writing obstacle is writing fiction stories when my heart is troubled by the woes of the world or a situation in my real life. I still have not completely overcome it.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

The advice I would give to a beginning author would be to never quit if this is a dream that God placed on your heart. Pray about it and work at it. Keep writing! But don’t just write, read! Read books by notable authors who write books in the genre that you want to write. Study books on the craft of writing. Maybe even take a few creative writing classes at your local community college or university. Be encouraged in your journey because if God wants you to become a writer and you work for it, it will happen!

Tell us about the featured book.

My newest novella, Love in Pictures, was published in June 2018. It’s a Contemporary Romance about a wedding photographer (Michelle) who’s never been in love until she meets the one man (Logan) who she cannot forget. Logan is recovering from a bad breakup with his fiancée. She ended their engagement to pursue her dream career in another country, leaving him heartbroken in Maryland. Since then, he’s focused on his work as he climbs the Journalism career ladder while steering clear of the dating scene. But something about Michelle awakens Logan’s desire to love again.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Michelle Hadley stared at the Lightroom editing screen on her computer and studied the newlywed couple she’d captured in the photo.

The bride held a beautiful bouquet of soft blue and pastel pink hydrangeas near her waist, while the handsome groom with skin the color of coffee stood close behind her, holding her in a loving embrace, kissing her forehead.

Michelle sipped her favorite green tea as she sat and worked at Marie's Mocha Café and sighed. The forehead kiss. So romantic. Meant he loved her brains, not just her beauty.

The bride’s olive skin glowed, and her dark brown tresses cascaded down her shoulders and rested at her waist. She peered at the flowers she held in her manicured hands, her golden-brown eyes sparkling, a sweet smile tugging at the corner of her lips. Everything about this picture showed that this couple was in love and happy to say I do, not only on their wedding day, but every day they spent together thereafter.

Ah, love. Something she might never experience.

She bit her bottom lip. Would she ever meet a great guy and be blessed with a real-life happily ever after?

She reached for her cup and took a sip to the calming accompaniment of the smoothie machine.

She tapped her fingers on her computer keyboard and opened Facebook Messenger. Writing messages to her best friend, Juliana Fernandes, who worked as a writer for Bridal Mode Magazine, also soothed her nerves.

Michelle: Hey, girl. What’s up?

Juliana: Michelle, mi amiga, it’s been such a long day! Want to meet me for lunch? I could      

use a little girl talk.

Michelle: Sorry. I’m editing photos, and I’m on deadline.

Juliana: Oh yes, my lovely friend the wedding photographer who’s all work and no play.

Michelle: What do you mean?

Juliana: You never make time for fun.

Michelle: Yeah, I do. I meet up with you, and we go shopping and for coffee.

Juliana: Yes, and I love our time together, but girl, you need to meet a man and go out on a   

date, several dates, with several eligible bachelors. I could find one for you. I meet plenty in

my line of work.

Michelle: Aren’t most of those men you interview getting married?

Juliana: Oh yeah, that’s right. L But they have brothers, cousins and friends! Amiga, I could

totally hook you up!

Michelle: Lol. Thanks, but no thanks. God is my matchmaker.

Juliana: Yeah? Well, sometimes God uses good friends like me to pull the strings.

Michelle: Sorry to cut this short, but I need to get back to work.

Juliana: And then you do that.

Michelle: Do what?

Juliana: When I get too close to the truth, you end the conversation.

Michelle: Jules, you’re taking this way too personal.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

They can find everything about me as a creative professional on my official website, https://alexisagoring.jimdo.com.

Thanks for the interview, Lena!

And thank you, Alexis, for sharing this book with my blog readers and me. I’m eager to read it, and I’m sure they are, too.

Readers, here is a link to the book.

Love in Pictures

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

EMERGENCY CASE - Richard L Mabry, MD - One Free Book

Dear Readers, if you love medical romantic suspense, you’ll like this new book from Richard L Mabry, MD. His stories are always so authentic to current medical practices.

Welcome back, Richard. How did you come up with the idea for this story?

I wanted to publish a “Christmas” type of story but couldn’t come up with a Christmas-themed book that fit into the genre in which I’m comfortable—medical thrillers. Then, while backing out of our driveway one morning, I idly wondered what a woman would do if, fresh from an argument with her husband, her car hit a bump which turned out to be the body of his most recent client. Add a bit of snow on the ground (partially covering the body), set the story in the Christmas season, and I had the beginnings of Emergency Case.

If you were planning a party with Christian authors of contemporary fiction, what six people would you invite and why?

I suppose I’d invite Candace Calvert and Jordyn Redwood, so that there’d be someone to talk medicine with. I can’t forget DiAnn Mills and Susan Sleeman who bring romantic suspense to the table. And, since I want the conversation to be spirited, I’d round out the party with James Scott Bell and Randy Ingermanson. How’s that for a mix? (And I could add more, but we’ll stop at six).

I would love to be at a party with all six of those authors. Now let’s do that for a party for Christian authors of historical fiction, what six people would you invite and why?

Confession time—I don’t read much Christian historical fiction, so I haven’t read books by all these authors, but I know they’re good writers. Let’s start with Francine Rivers, the admitted queen of Christian historical fiction. Then I’d add Kristy Cambron, Kim Sawyer, and Robin Hatcher. And to round out the six, how about Mary Connealy and Lauraine Snelling? That should give us some lively conversation. (If I’ve left you out, please forgive me—there are too many who are at the top of their game when it comes to writing in this genre).

That would be a fun party, too. I love books by all of those authors. Many times, people (and other authors) think you have it made with so many books published. What is your most difficult problem with writing at this time in your career?

It’s not running out of ideas (which many people think would be a problem). It’s being content with my situation. I’ve moved from being contracted by a traditional publisher to indie-publishing. I won’t go into the causes of that move, but let me say that—as I try to juggle all the parts about writing, editing, cover, marketing, etc. — I look across the fence and think that the grass might be greener on the other side. But I’ve been on both sides of that fence, and they each have their good and bad points. As one very wise individual puts it, the reason we often struggle with insecurity is that we compare our behind-the-scenes with everyone else’s highlight reel.

So true. Tell us about the featured book.

I suppose the best thing I can do is give you the back cover copy for Emergency Case.

The relationship between Dr. Kelly Irving and her husband, attorney Jack Harbaugh, has cooled recently, but she figures they’ll muddle through and repair it. Then when she backs down her driveway, her car hits a bump that turns out to be the partially snow-covered body of a man her husband recently represented. Not only that, the gun that killed him belongs to Jack, who seems to be the primary suspect.

As events escalate, Kelly can’t decide if her husband is a murderer or the next victim. Eventually, they must put their marital differences aside to find the person masterminding the syndicate behind all this, while trying to keep Jack alive.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Jack Harbaugh sat at his mahogany desk scribbling notes on a yellow pad, several law books open beside him. This was a particularly ticklish tax case, and he’d promised his CPA friend to have an interpretation soon. He was at a critical point when his secretary’s voice over the intercom interrupted him.

“Mr. Alba is here.”

Mr. Alba? Then Jack remembered. This was the case he didn’t want to take. But he’d allowed himself to be pressured.

Jack redid the top button of his dress shirt and cinched his tie. “Send him in,” Jack said.

The man who entered his office was, at first glance, the type of individual that Jack and his partners cultivated as clients. His dark hair appeared freshly cut and styled, his clean-shaven jaw bore not a trace of five o’clock shadow, his suit draped perfectly to conceal a stocky frame, and his white shirt fairly gleamed. But then Jack reached Alba’s eyes, and that gave him all the judgment he needed. He had seen eyes like that only once before—in a criminal who was amoral to the point of having no concern for others, including their life.

Jack stood but didn’t extend his hand. Instead, he gestured toward one of the two client chairs across from his desk. Alba didn’t seem upset by Jack’s failure to shake hands. He nodded, seated himself, crossed his legs, and looked directly at the attorney. “What do you want to know about the case?”

 “First, let’s get some things settled.” Jack resumed his chair and opened the center drawer of his desk. He pulled out a contract of representation and shoved it toward Alba. “Read this. Then, if you want me to represent you, sign it.”

 

Alba scribbled his signature without reading the document. Then he pulled a fat envelope from his shirt pocket and put it atop the contract. “Here’s the fee…in cash, just as you were promised.” He held up his hand. “And I won’t need a receipt.”

“Whether you want one or not, I’m going to note that I’ve been paid, and report this as income.” Jack put the envelope, still unopened, into his drawer along with the signed contract. “Now tell me about the traffic stop and the ticket that came afterward.”

The story was pretty much what Jack had already heard.  Alba was pulled over because he fit the description of a man the police were looking for. There was no other reason for the stop, although that point was arguable. What was clear to Jack, however, was there was no legal justification for the search of Alba’s car, a search that turned up a small amount of marijuana in the glove compartment.

When Jack had enough details, he nodded. “We should be able to get you off. Maybe a fine, but I doubt even that.” His mind went back to what he’d been told previously. Supposedly, this was a “slam-dunk.” He wondered if that was because the fix was already in with the judge. Whether it was or not, he’d do his best. That was what he was being paid handsomely for.

“You really need to get this case dismissed,” Alba said.

“I’m pretty sure we can do that,” Jack responded. “Trust me.”

“I mean, I need to be free, so I can complete the gun buy scheduled for a few days after my court date.”

Interesting. How can readers find you on the Internet?

I post on my blog twice a week. I also have a web page and can be found on Facebook and Twitter  as well as on Goodreads.

Thanks for having me, Lena. And I hope your readers enjoy Emergency Case.

Thank you, Richard, for sharing this book with my blog readers and me.

As always, readers leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link:

Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

WINNERS!!!

IMPORTANT: Instructions for winners  - When you send me the email, make sure your subject line says this: Winner - (book title) - (author's name) If you don't do this, your email could get lost in my hundreds of emails per day. I WILL SEARCH FOR POST TITLES STARTING THAT WAY.

Teri (OH) is the winner of The Great Lakes Lighthouse Brides Collection by Carrie Fancett Pagels. 

Connie (KY) is the winner of Christmas Charity by Susan G Mathis. 

Elly (IN) is the winner of The Great Lakes Lighthouse Brides Collection by Kathleen Rouser.

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. Reviews are such a blessing to an author.

Also, tell your friends about the book you won ... 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.Remember, you have 4 weeks to claim your book.

THE DISAPPEARING SHIP (The Great Lakes Lighthouse Brides collection) - Lena Nelson Dooley - One Free Book

This is the last of the novellas in this collection. I really loved writing it.

Why do you write the kind of books you do?

I first started writing Christian Romance, so my daughters would have books to read. I loved reading romance stories, but they were having more and more things in the that I didn’t like reading and didn’t want junior high aged daughters to read them.

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

I hoped I haven’t lived it yet. But there have been many super happy days. Like when my husband and I were married, when each daughter was born, and when each of my grandchildren and great-grandchildren was born. There have been many super happy days in my writing life. When I signed my first contract. When I first won major award. When I first hit a major bestseller list.

How has being published changed your life?

It helped me discover my God-given destiny. I could never read a book the same after that. I’ve gone places I’d never have gone before. I’ve met hundreds of wonderful authors, editors, and publishers. It totally broadened my horizons.

What are you reading right now?

North by Starlight by Diane and David Munson.

What is your current work in progress?

I’m researching a book set in the panhandle of Texas in 1913. I don’t have a title yet. And after that, I’ll be researching a book about a Widow Gold Digger.

What would be your dream vacation?

James and I would really love to go to Hawaii. And I’ve dreamed for years about going to Australia.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

Often the story idea comes with the setting attached. Sometimes, a publisher requests a particular setting.

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

Mine is two people—George and Laura Bush. I believe God chose them specifically to be our first family when 9-11 happened. I’d love to visit the ranch near Crawford, Texas, while discuss his work with wounded warriors.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

Over the years, I’ve had a lot of hobbies, but not so much now. I spend time with family and with friends a lot.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Write. Connect with other authors. Write. Read a lot. Write.

Tell us about the featured book.

The Disappearing Ship a novella in The Great Lakes Lighthouse Brides collection is a mystery that draws two people together in an unusual way.

Please give us the first page of the book.

1902, Upper Michigan

Early Summer

Defeated.

The word drummed through Norma Kimbell’s head as she gazed out at the pine forest rushing by the window in a blur. Riding the train always felt as if life were passing her by without noticing her. Despondency clung to her weighing her down like the heavy woolen robe, packed in her trunk in the baggage car, did in the long winter months. Sometimes they went for days without seeing even a peek of the sun.

That’s what she needed right now, to know the sun was shining on her. But how could she believe it? She had failed at the only thing she ever wanted to do with her life. Papa had encouraged her to follow her heart.

After Papa died, she’d spent several years living at the Whitefish Point lighthouse with her uncle and aunt. Because of her inheritance, she’d been able to pursue her dreams. Dreams of being a doctor. She knew it would be hard, but some medical schools accepted a woman or two, and she’d enrolled.

When she graduated at the top of her class, Uncle Charles contacted a friend, who was a doctor in a needy area of Chicago. He’d agreed she could be a part of his practice. After all, he’d needed all the help he could get. But now she was returning to Whitefish Point a complete failure.

Tears filled her eyes, blurring the landscape even more, like one of those impressionist paintings she’d seen in the museum she often visited on her one day off per week. Before she could control them, they leaked down her cheeks. She grabbed a hanky from her lady’s carpetbag and dabbed at her eyes, trying to stem the flow.

“Are you all right, Miss?” The conductor’s gentle bass voice interrupted her thoughts.

She glanced up and gave him a quick nod. “I’m fine.” At least her words hadn’t trembled or revealed just how much she wasn’t “all right.”

After lingering a moment, the man headed farther down the railroad car, checking on other passengers. Norma was so glad the train wasn’t crowded. She wanted to sit as far away from other people as possible. She wouldn’t have been able to carry on a conversation without sobbing. Being by herself was better.

As the train began to slow when they reached the outskirts of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, Norma grabbed another hanky and mopped up the rest of the mess from her face. She took a deep breath. Soon they would pull into the railway station. She faced many more miles before she’d reach the Whitefish Point lighthouse and feel her aunt’s arms around her. She needed that hug so much.

But she dreaded seeing Uncle Charles and the disappointment in his eyes. She’d done her best. Her failure wasn’t her fault. But none of the patients wanted a woman doctor treating them. She could understand men feeling that way. But the women? Why didn’t they want her? Much medical treatment dealt with intimate exploration of the patient’s body. She would much rather have a woman examine her, but not a single one of the women who came to the clinic wanted to be seen by her. She was just a glorified nurse for the physician. It wasn’t his fault or hers. Women doctors all over the country were facing the same situation. She’d heard of a few physicians out in the far west, where male doctors were scarce, who experienced success. If someone needed a medical help, and the only one close enough to reach was a woman, they used her. Maybe she should have gone west, instead of staying in Chicago.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Website: www.lenanelsondooley.com

Blog: Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/lenandooley/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/lena.nelson.dooley

Twitter: www.twitter.com/lenandooley  

Official Fan Page: www.facebook.com/pages/Lena-Nelson-Dooley/42960748768?ref=ts

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/333031.Lena_Nelson_Dooley

Christianbook.com:  http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/cms_content?page=1728796&sp=67484&event=67484|1728796|67484

Blogtalk Radio, The Lena Nelson Dooley Show: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/along-came-a-writer/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lenanelsondooley/  

Instagram: www.instagram.com/lenanelsondooley

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001JPAIDE

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/lena-nelson-dooley?follow=true  

Readers, I hope you’ll enjoy reading my story, and the others in the collection, as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Here are links to the book.

The Great Lakes Lighthouse Brides Collection - Christianbooks.com
The Great Lakes Lighthouse Brides Collection: 7 Historical Romances Are a Beacon of Hope to Weary Hearts - Amazon.com
The Great Lakes Lighthouse Brides Collection: 7 Historical Romances Are a Beacon of Hope to Weary Hearts - 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 WRONG SURVIVOR (The Great Lakes Lighthouse Collection) - Marilyn Turk - One Free Book

Bio: Multi-published author Marilyn Turk calls herself a “literary archaeologist,” because she loves to discover stories hidden in history. Her World War II novel, The Gilded Curse, won a Silver Scroll award. When readers asked what happened to the characters after the book, Marilyn wrote the sequel, Shadowed by a Spy. Her four-book Coastal Lights Legacy series—Rebel Light, Revealing Light, Redeeming Light, and Rekindled Light—feature Florida lighthouse settings. In addition, Marilyn’s novella, The Wrong Survivor, is in the Great Lakes Lighthouse Brides collection. Marilyn has also written a book of devotions called Lighthouse Devotions. Marilyn writes for the Daily Guideposts Devotions book.

She is a regular contributor to the Heroes, Heroines and History blog, (https://www.hhhistory.com) as well as the Christians Read blog,

(https://christiansread.wordpress.com).

Marilyn is also the director of the Blue Lake Christian Writers Retreat. http://bluelakecwr.com.

She lives in the panhandle of Florida where she and her husband enjoy boating, fishing, and playing tennis when time permits (and it’s below 100 degrees).

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

I write historical fiction because I love to research history and discover things I didn’t know before. I wonder what it was like to be in that place during that time, and my characters appear and show me.

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

That’s a hard one to answer. The births of my children rank at the top, but also the day I married my husband.

How has being published changed your life?

I’m a lot busier. There are so many expectations of a writer these days – marketing, being present in all forms of social media. Also, one published book is only the beginning. When readers like my books, they want to read more, so I have to keep writing more books for them. At the present time, I have three contracts to fulfill. But I’m thankful to be this kind of busy.

What are you reading right now?

Actually, I’m reading two books – one isn’t published yet and I’m reading to endorse it. The other is Liar’s Winter by Cindy Sproles for our book club.

What is your current work in progress?

I’m currently working on the fourth and I think final book in my Coastal Lights Legacy series set in the 1800s in Florida. Each book has a different lighthouse setting. This book is called Rekindled Light and is set in Pensacola Florida.

What would be your dream vacation?

I’d love to take one of those river cruises in Europe where I’d get to see castles.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

Normally, a book idea comes to my mind when I read about an interesting event in history. So far, they’ve only been set near water like the Gulf of Mexico or the Atlantic where I can have a lighthouse somewhere, kind of like a Where’s Waldo. However, I’m going to write a cowboy novella that isn’t near water. How am I going to work a lighthouse into that? Hmmm.

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

Liz Curtis Higgs. She is a woman of God and is so wise and loving. She’s a great encourager and you just want to hug her. In fact, the first time I saw her in person, that’s just what I did!

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I enjoy playing tennis when it’s not too hot, like August here. I also enjoy boating and fishing with my husband and traveling to see lighthouses. In addition, I garden and enjoy playing Scrabble or working puzzles with my family.

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

Consistency and focus. I have to turn off distractions and set word goals or I wouldn’t make my deadlines.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Every author says it – keep learning the craft. Go to conferences, read about writing, listen to editors who offer your advice. In the Christian writing world, other people truly want to help you do well.

Tell us about the featured book.

 My story, The Wrong Survivor, is about the lightkeepers’ daughter and the two brothers of the assistant keeper. They’ve grown up together until one of the sons goes away to work on a merchant ship, and while he’s gone, the other brother and the girl grow closer and plan to marry. But when the other brother comes back, he talks his brother into going away with him to work before he gets married. Unfortunately, while they’re gone, their ship wrecks and the brother who is engaged drowns while the other survives. When he returns, the girl is angry with him for talking her fiancé into leaving and blames him for the death. The story is about forgiveness and grief, and how those emotions interfere with the joy of living and loving others.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Au Sable Lighthouse, September 1911

Pausing from her daily lens polishing, Lydia Palmer peered through the windows of the lantern room high above the sapphire-blue water of Lake Superior at the boat heading toward the dock below.

She squinted, shielding her eyes against the glare of the bright afternoon sun. It was the boat bringing their monthly supplies. Maybe it was bringing some mail, too. Anticipation fluttered in her chest. Was there a letter from Nathan? He’d sent one every month since last spring when he left with his brother to work on a freighter.

She’d eagerly waited for each supply boat, hoping there’d be another letter from him, but none had arrived in the last two months. His parents, Assistant Keeper Drake and Mrs. Drake, hadn’t received one either. Lydia sighed. How could she bear the next two months without hearing from him before the shipping season ended and he returned home?

The boat disappeared beyond her line of vision as it neared the boathouse.

Eager to find out if it brought word from Nathan, she hurriedly climbed down the ladder to the room below, then lifted her long skirt to keep from tripping over it as she rushed down the wrought iron spiral steps of the lighthouse. When she reached the bottom, she ran into her father coming in the lighthouse door.

His hands stretched out to catch her. “Whoa! What’s the hurry, Lydia?”

How can readers find you on the Internet?

http://pathwayheart.com plus I’m on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Thank you, Marilyn, for sharing your novella with my blog readers. I know they’ll love it as much as I do.

Readers, here are links to the book.

The Great Lakes Lighthouse Brides Collection - Christianbooks.com

The Great Lakes Lighthouse Brides Collection: 7 Historical Romances Are a Beacon of Hope to Weary Hearts - Amazon.com

The Great Lakes Lighthouse Brides Collection: 7 Historical Romances Are a Beacon of Hope to Weary Hearts - 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

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

WINNERS!!!

IMPORTANT: Instructions for winners  - When you send me the email, make sure your subject line says this: Winner - (book title) - (author's name) If you don't do this, your email could get lost in my hundreds of emails per day. I WILL SEARCH FOR POST TITLES STARTING THAT WAY.

Cjajsmommy (PA) is the winner of North by Starlight by Diane and David Munson. 

Robin (NC) is the winner of The Great Lakes Lighthouse Brides Collection by Candice Sue Patterson. 

Karen (NY) is the winner of The Great Lakes Lighthouse Brides Collection by Rebecca Jepson.

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. Reviews are such a blessing to an author.

Also, tell your friends about the book you won ... 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.Remember, you have 4 weeks to claim your book.

THE LAST MEMORY (The Great Lakes Lighthouse Brides Collection) - Kathleen Rouser

Dear Readers, here's another book in the collection. Only two more to go.

Bio:

Kathleen Rouser is the multi-published author of the 2017 Bookvana Award winner, Rumors and Promises, her first novel about the people of fictional Stone Creek, Michigan, and its sequel, Secrets and Wishes. She is a longtime member in good standing of American Christian Fiction Writers. Kathleen has loved making up stories since she was a little girl and wanted to be a writer before she could even read. She longs to create characters who resonate with readers and realize the need for a transforming Savior in their everyday lives. A former homeschool instructor, mild-mannered dental assistant, and current Community Bible Study kids’ teacher, she lives in Michigan with her hero and husband of thirty-some years, and the sassy tail-less cat who found a home in their empty nest.

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

It was a long journey to get to where I am. I started out wanting to write children’s stories. As a young believer I enjoyed reading Gilbert Morris’s series on the Winslow family. They were some of my first exposures to Christian fiction. Then there were Janette Oke’s books. I loved the romance and that it was clean and inspiring. I could go on and on about different authors who have inspired me, including Jane Austen.

My desire is to write clean, uplifting fiction carrying a message of God’s grace and new beginnings in Christ. Since I enjoy reading stories in historical settings, I decided I’d like to write in them as well.

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

It’s kind of a tie between the day I married my husband, Jack, and the birth of each of my children, but especially my first, since it was such a wonder when I first became a mother. Marriage and motherhood are each so special in their own way.

How has being published changed your life?

It’s definitely become more of a balancing act. Some days I juggle well and other days I’m afraid I drop the ball! Marketing and the ever-present platform are often in the back of my mind—two things I didn’t used to have to worry about as much as I do now.

However, on the up side, it has given me a sense of accomplishment and been an exciting time for me as it is something I had dreamed of since I was a child. I’ve also been awed by God’s hand through it all.

What are you reading right now?

Right now I’m reading Katelyn’s Choice, by Susan G. Mathis, which hasn’t yet been released and The Miracle Morning for Writers by Steve Scott and Hal Elrod.

What is your current work in progress?

I’m working on the third novel in my Stone Creek series. The main characters are

completely new. Rose Sinclair is a heartbroken nurse, a veteran of the Spanish-American War, who is working at Hope’s Place for unwed mothers in Stone Creek. The hero is Wade McCormick, a Deputy U.S. Marshall on the run, framed for murder and looking for help. The working title is Scandals and Mercies. 

What would be your dream vacation?

I would love to travel around Italy. There is so much to see! And eventually end up in Sicily where my grandparents came from. Then I’d like to return to England and see the historic sites of London and Oxford, as well as farther north and some of the coastline. As long as I’m over that way, I’d like to see Ireland too.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

So far, I’ve only had stories published that have taken place in Michigan. I seem to be stuck! LOL As a lifelong resident of this beautiful state, it was easy to start with a fictional town loosely based on the area where I live.

When Pegg Thomas asked if I would be interested in writing a novella for The Great Lakes Lighthouse Brides Collection it was easy for me to want to write about the Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse. I’d visited there many times and always thought it would be fun to include it in a story.

However, I’ve also used settings of ancient Egypt as I wrote about Moses’ two mothers. And I also started a YA series set in Victorian England, a time and a place that’s always interested me, but these stories aren’t yet published.

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

Jan Karon. When I was going through a very difficult time in my life, I started reading her Mitford series each evening for about an hour before bed. I was attending a church that didn’t encourage the reading or writing of fiction. Reading her stories about Father Tim, where real life issues were addressed but with an eye toward faith and hope in God, was not only healing, but encouraged me to once again pursue fiction writing. I wrote her a thank you letter for the inspiration her writing gave me, but it would be lovely to meet her, thank her personally, and get to have an evening of conversation with her.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

Baking, making jewelry, knitting, and walking or bike riding. I especially enjoy spending time with my husband.

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

I’d say scheduling enough time for writing. When I do that successfully, though, it’s because I’ve told myself I will write at a certain time (an appointment with myself) and then I make a goal for word count. It’s fun sometimes to set out to write 1,000 words in an hour. Other times I don’t want that kind of pressure and I will write 500. I guess the operative words here are appointment and goal.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Though it probably sounds trite, keep writing. Learn the craft of writing and grow a thick skin. Being part of a critique group helps.

Tell us about the featured book.

Here’s the blurb for my novella in The Great Lakes Lighthouse Brides Collection:

The Last Memory by Kathleen Rouser
1899—Mackinac Point Lighthouse

Natalie Brooks loses her past to amnesia, and Cal Waterson, the lighthouse keeper who rescues her, didn’t bargain on risking his heart—when her past might change everything.

Take a lone survivor of a shipwreck on the Straits of Mackinac, the widowed lighthouse keeper who rescues her, and his feisty six-year-old daughter and you have a recipe for hope, humor, and romance prodded by an innocent little cupid.

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

Straits of Mackinac April 1899

She struggled to maintain her grip on the splintered wood plank, the only thing keeping her from drowning beneath the roiling waters of Lake Huron. A blur of gray and green swallowed her for a moment. She bobbed, carried along by the water’s current. She couldn’t get her bearings as she swirled away from the sinking ship. Lightning sparked enough for her to see the last of the Mallory sink beneath the stormy waves.

She wanted to cry out, but her mouth filled with the foamy water. She choked and sputtered instead. This wasn’t supposed to be happening. Not now. She was too young to die.

Her shoe grazed something. Was it sand? She grunted as the waves thrust her against the stony shoreline. With one more nudge from the water she lost her grip on the board. Unable to stand, she slipped. Sharp pain surged through the side of her head. The world melted from gray to black.

~~~ 

Cal Waterson held his lantern high from his place in the rowboat. The rain pelted him, flowing off his oilskins in rivulets. His faithful volunteer rescue crew of a half-dozen men from Mackinaw City shivered in the cold. His heart lurched at the sights around him. Nothing left of the ship but some floating boards, a man’s hat, an empty barrel. No survivors.

What good was it being a lighthouse keeper if he couldn’t do more for those guided by the glowing Fresnel lens? Henry MacPherson pointed as they rowed along the shore toward the beacon.

“What’s that? I think there’s someone on shore.”

Something out of the ordinary indeed reflected in the light. A long shot, but a lone survivor may have washed up onto the beach.

Cal glanced back toward the wreckage one more time. He cupped his hands around his mouth and leaned low to be heard over the thunder and wind. “We’re done here. Head for whatever that is on the shore.” Having registered his command above the din of the thunder and wind, his faithful crew rowed harder to shore.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Website: kathleenrouser.com

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

Facebook Author Page:https://www.facebook.com/kathleenerouser/

Twitter: @KathleenRouser

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

Thank you, Kathleen, for sharing this new book with my readers. I loved your novella when I read through the whole collection.

Readers, here are links to the book.

The Great Lakes Lighthouse Brides Collection - Christianbooks.com
The Great Lakes Lighthouse Brides Collection: 7 Historical Romances Are a Beacon of Hope to Weary Hearts - Amazon.com
The Great Lakes Lighthouse Brides Collection: 7 Historical Romances Are a Beacon of Hope to Weary Hearts - 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