LOVE, LIES, AND HOMEMADE PIES - Sally Bayless - One Free Book

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

I accepted Jesus as my personal savior and was baptized when I was twelve. I had been raised in the church, but I think one of the strongest influences leading to my decision was the example of a Christian friend my age, who was facing health issues. Her calm faith really struck home and helped me see that I personally needed Jesus.

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

What a fun thing to consider! I would invite Susan Anne Mason, Tammy Doherty, and Emily C. Reynolds, all of whom write Christian romance and have been my critique partners. I know they would have great ideas if I got stuck on a plot problem and that we would have a blast! I would also invite my friend Mary, who I met in an online writing group focused on goal-setting. During the past year, after finding her faith more and more important, she has decided to switch from another genre to writing Christian fiction. I would enjoy getting to know her better, and I think she would get a lot out of time with fellow Christian fiction writers.

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

I’m sorry to say that I’m not a public speaker. Two years ago, after years of working with children’s Sunday school, I felt called to lead a women’s Sunday school class. That was a big leap for me as far as talking in front of people. It’s been very rewarding, though, and I’ve found that God has equipped me, so who knows where I’ll be one day!

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

Oh, I’ve done many embarrassing things in my life. The most interesting, I think, happened about 25 years ago when I was at my friend Tammy’s house one evening. (I will pause here to assure you there was absolutely no alcohol involved.) We were sitting outside on her back porch when we saw these three lights spinning around in a circle in the sky. We thought and thought and thought and could not come up with a single idea of what they might be. I got the brilliant idea to call the small local airport. I mean, we didn’t really think it was aliens, but all the same, we sort of felt like we ought to ask.

So I called.

The guy on the other end of the line tried hard not to laugh at me. Eventually he pulled himself together and explained that those lights were coming from a car dealer who pointed big spotlights up into the sky and that the light was bouncing off the bottom of the clouds, not coming from an alien spaceship up above.

O—kay then! Not. Aliens.

I sounded like the biggest fool ever. How did I handle it? Tammy and I laughed about it for years.

I love it! 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?

If someone tells me that they’d like to write a book, I always say “Go for it!” If you want to write fiction, I recommend Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell as a great introductory book on the craft of writing. If you want to write non-fiction, I recommend starting with blog posts by Joanna Penn. And no matter what you want to write, I recommend that you try to write every day. At first, aim for 100 words a day—no matter what—and see what happens!

Tell us about the featured book.

Love, Lies, and Homemade Pie is a brand-new release! It’s a contemporary Christian romance and is the prequel to my Abundance Series. It’s set in a small Missouri town in 1980. The back cover copy is:

When a woman who’s keeping secrets falls for a journalist who’s digging for the truth, does the attraction between them stand a chance?

Cara Smith has a whole new life planned—a new name, a new look, and a new hometown in Abundance, Missouri. If she can just avoid questions from that intriguing guy at the newspaper, no one will ever find out about her past.

Will Hamlin, editor of the local paper, can’t help but wonder about the mayor’s new secretary. She’s clearly hiding something—something that could be the big story the newspaper desperately needs to stay afloat. But after Will’s initial inquiries fail to turn up anything, he grows less interested in Cara’s past and more interested in winning her heart with slices of pie and stolen kisses.

When a crime is uncovered at city hall just as Will unearths Cara’s dark secret, the repercussions shatter their romance. Has Cara really left her past behind? Can Will finally find a way to save the paper? And can they each place their trust in God and together find freedom in the truth and overcome the obstacles to their love?

I’ve loved your other books. I’m eager to read this one. Please give us the first page of the book.

Monday, Aug. 4, 1980

Fear can really do a person in.

Oh, a little caution—the kind that makes a driver keep both eyes on the road—is a good thing.

But too much fear can ruin a person’s life.

And starting today, at age twenty-seven, Cara Smith was building a new life, trying to put fear behind her and become the person she wanted to be.

Driving along the rural Missouri highway, she passed a sign for Abundance—the town where she’d chosen to begin that new life—and she attempted to push the pesky tickle of fear away. Then she took another look, noticing a green Lincoln Continental sprawled on the edge of the road.

A woman in a red business suit stood by the raised hood of the vehicle, waving her arms.

The smart thing to do, the cautious thing to do, since Cara was traveling alone, was to stop at the next gas station and ask the attendant to call the highway patrol.

But something about the woman radiated small-town propriety. Slightly frazzled small-town propriety, but propriety nonetheless. And she had two little kids in her backseat.

Cara eased her foot onto the brake. Being smart and cautious was one thing. Being downright unhelpful was another. Besides, wasn’t her new life all about being brave? She pulled her white Volare onto the shoulder and turned off the engine.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I have a website and I’m on Facebook, Twitter, and (more and more) Pinterest!

http://www.sallybayless.com/

https://www.facebook.com/authorsallybayless/

https://twitter.com/sally_bayless

https://www.pinterest.com/sally_bayless/boards/

Thank you, Sally, for sharing this new book with my blog readers and me. I know they’ll be as eager to read it as I am.

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

Love, Lies, and Homemade Pie: An Abundance Series Prequel (The Abundance Series)  - Paperback
Love, Lies, and Homemade Pie: An Abundance Series Prequel (The Abundance Series Book 0) - 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