BLESSED GIFTS - Jackie Castle - One Free Book

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

Trusting God through the hard times. Following your calling, despite the obstacles, and understanding God’s unconditional love.

What other books of yours are coming out soon?

I’ve just started a new series about a family of Billionaires who must meet the terms of their father’s trust or lose their inheritance. The first book: My Beastly Billionaire is a nod at the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale. There will be five books in the Grimwood Legacy series. Book two, My Charming Billionaire (a Snow White retelling) will be releasing in March.

If you could spend an evening with one contemporary person (not a family member of yours), who would it be and why?

Debbie Macomber. I love her books, her life philosophy and I bet she’s a really neat person to sit and visit with.

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

John the Apostle. Why? Because he looked at life through the lens of love and you said I couldn’t choose Jesus. But John knew Jesus and that works for me. Ha!

John’s books are my favorite to read. I think it would be a very nice evening to sit and talk with him. I have so many questions and perhaps he’d do his best to answer with wisdom and kindness.

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

Get your manuscript edited and a cover made and publish it yourself. Today is open to opportunities and we no longer have to wait years for our stories to see the light of day. There is no longer anything stopping you from allowing your light to shine and using your talents to the best of your abilities.

Tell us about the featured book.

Blessed Gifts is the final story in the Lavender Vale Farm Series. The series is about three siblings who find love and life while visiting their sister’s Lavender farm.

Ben wasn't sure if he was father material. Then in a stopped heartbeat, he became a single parent.
Benjamin Brown wasn't proud of his mistakes, but he did intend to try to step up and do what was right, even if the baby's mother wanted nothing to do with him. When the delivery goes bad, Ben is left holding his son with no idea of how to take care of a baby's basic needs.

Lively Lilly has a plan.
Ben's mother, Lilly, takes him to his sister's farm in Thistle, Texas. There is nothing for miles around except fields of lavender, gardens of produce, and an ornery old goose.

However, his sisters Faye and Melanie promised to help Ben get back on his feet. Unfortunately, he fears that he's slowly sinking in the mud.

Olivia Canales wants out.
She has outgrown her family home and nagging/interfering mother. She wants her own place, but jobs in town are few and far between. Besides, she loves working on her best friend's Lavender Farm and Faye has promised her full-time work once they get everything going and open up to visitors.

When Faye's brother shows up with a baby he has no idea how to take care of, Olivia's heart goes out to his dilemma. The deceased mother's parents show up and give Ben an out his problem: They will raise the baby, but only if he gives up all his rights.

Ben doesn't want to lose his son but desperately needs help so he can finish his last semester of college.

Olivia agrees only to end up going in deeper than she ever anticipated.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Benjamin Brown buried his face in his hands and stared down at the polished pale blue linoleum beneath his feet. The hard vinyl sofa grew harder by the minute. How many minutes had passed so far, anyway? The nurses had promised to let him know how Kaci was doing.

Her face had gone sickly pale, brown eyes wide and frightened as she’d shouted at the doctors to save the baby.

Ben covered his ears, but the shouting still rang inside his head. He’d begged the doctors to save her. She was still young. She had plenty of time to have more babies.

The phone of the waiting room rang and the attendant answered, her voice too quiet for Ben to make out. The doctors wouldn’t call with news, would they? He sat back, his head hitting the wall as he rubbed his hands over his face. The callous on his index finger scratched at his nose. Not rough, hard-working hands, but designer hands. Creative hands. Drawing hands that sketched houses and buildings.

His gaze traveled upward, wondering what God was up to now, except he had no heart to ask. Nor was he sure how to pray. Both mother and baby needed to live, but Dr. Calloway offered no promises either way.

Would the doctor listen to Ben’s request?

It wasn’t like he had much say in any of this. Except his name was would be on the birth certificate. Kaci had made sure of that. She’d not wanted to marry him. He’d asked, but not because Mom insisted. He’d honestly wanted to take responsibility for his actions.

Kaci had laughed in his face and told him she didn’t need two children.

Ben genuinely hoped they could work out their differences and give the baby a solid family. Kaci had no faith in family. She’d always depended upon herself and said she didn’t need anyone else.

The swoosh of the door opening drew Ben’s attention to the waiting room entrance. Aside from one other family huddled in the opposite corner, he was the only other person waiting for news.
A slender woman with white hair that had been tinted a bright red on the ends entered tugging several balloons behind her. Red for Valentines coming in February? Lilly Brown loved standing out.

Her heels clomped over the linoleum floor as she headed in his direction. She wore navy pants and a gray silk shirt covered in shiny snowflakes.

Ben groaned at the sight and slumped lower in his seat. He wasn’t sure if he should act like he didn’t know her, or go ahead and get up and greet her with a hug. There would be less of a scene if he got up.

“Is my grand-doll here yet?” Lilly Brown asked, dumping several bags on the coffee table and tying the balloons to the arm of the nearest chair. “I brought some goodies for Mama, too. I remember she loved Dr Pepper, so there’s a couple of bottles in there along with a couple of those celebrity magazines girls her age like. Oh, and I found a lovely scarf at the market last month. Along with a bag of bath bombs that smell like bubble gum.” She gave a toothy grin, rubbing her hands together. “And don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten our new daddy, either. Architectural Digest for you and—”

“Mom.” Ben couldn’t stand this.

“I found the cutest matching Daddy and son shirts….” She started to dig into one of the bags.

“Mom. There’s a problem.”

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Here are some other places you can hang out with me:

FB- https://www.facebook.com/JackieCastleAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jackie_Castle

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jackie-castle

And of course, my Story World website: www.jackiecastle.com

Thank you for sharing this new book with my blog readers and me. I’m eager to read it. And I’m eager to feature all the Billionaire/modern fairy tale stories as well.

Readers, here is a link to the book.

Blessed Gifts (The Lavender Vale Farm Series Book 3)

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