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.

Sharon (SC) is the winner of Fanatic Surviving by Erin Lorence.

Melissa (TN) is the winner of When Valleys Bloom Again by Pat Jeanne Davis.

Lucy (WV) is the winner of John David's Calling by Carol McAdoo.

Lourdes (NY) is the winner of Bitter Pill by Richard L Mabry, MD.

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.

FINDING JOY - Hope N Griffin - one Free Book

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

Well, I love to write and I love to connect with others. If anyone wants to reach out via email or social media I’d love to connect. They can find me across social media @HopeNGriffin or email hope@hopengriffin.com For those in Florida, I’m available to speak at events and at small groups. For those who are in need of articles for newsletters or blogs, I’d be happy to discuss writing for them. I currently work full time as a freelance writer.

Tell us about your family.

My family. I have three children who I adore and my soldier who is now learning to live the retired life. We live in Florida near my family, parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and cousins. After spending so much time away from them during John’s military career, it is so nice to simply meet up for dinner or to go to the beach together.

Have you written other nonfiction books?

Yes. I’ve written a two-week devotional for every couple who has ever struggled to maintain a long-distance relationship, whether from a week-long business trip or a year+ deployment. To receive a free copy, readers can go to www.HopeNGriffin.com and sign up for my email list. Or go directly to https://mailchi.mp/5eefad8665c9/milesapart

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

I do. I’m always working on something new.

What kinds of hobbies and leisure activities do you enjoy?

I love to paint. The girls and I have claimed the dining room table this summer. We’re working on worldbuilding for a fantasy world we’ve created. They’ve started writing short stories to go with it. I also have discovered my favorite date night is to go to Painting With a Twist or to go floating down the Rainbow River with my neighbors.

Why did you write the featured book?

I started writing Finding Joy as a personal journey through John’s first deployment. I ended up continuing through the second deployment and discovered I had something others needed. Finding Joy is about learning how to not lose your own purpose and self through the struggles of long-distance marriage. Distance adds a few challenges to marriage but that doesn’t mean it can’t work.

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

I want them to not feel alone in their struggles, to know it is normal to be tired and frustrated. One young lady came to me and told me that she began her soldier’s deployment with big plans to lose weight, to keep the house perfect, and to be the support system he needed. Towards the end of the deployment, when she found my book, she was frustrated and felt like a failure. Finding Joy helped her realize things don’t have to be perfect. Deployment isn’t just about the one who is gone. Memories still need to be made. The house can be dirty, the weight doesn’t have to fall off. Instead she discovered that what she was missing was making her own memories and enjoying the journey. Honestly, if she is the only person that it impacts in that way, then I feel as though I’ve done my job. She got it! She found joy in the journey. That is what my book is about.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell my readers about you or your book?

Just because I’ve written a book on marriage does not mean my marriage is perfect. There is no such thing as perfect. Everyone struggles. Currently we are readjusting to a new normal of disability, VA appointments, and retired life. Every season of life brings new challenges. My book is not a guide to “do this like me and you’ll be the perfect wife.” Instead my book is simply my journey toward joy through some very difficult times following my daughter’s cancer diagnoses and my husband’s deployments. I’m on the journey with you. Reach out. I’d love to chat.

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

CHAPTER 1 

Dear John
FOR THE FIRST FEW YEARS, I anticipated orders to move. I waited anxiously. The day we arrived at Fort Bliss, I was ready to leave. When my husband joined the military, the one thing I was excited about were the moves every two to three years. I love uprooting. I’ve never before planted roots. Discovering new places, people, and opportunities thrilled me. Now we have been here over six years. I have lived here longer than I have lived anywhere else in my life. 

Today, I find myself in new territory.

I am content. I am deeply planted. I have no desire to go anywhere. I have found my place. I have a job I love with abundant opportunities attached. My youngest was born here. She is my desert baby and knows only the dry, dusty air of El Paso. My older two have finally adapted and no longer call the jack rabbits kangaroos. I no longer notice the constant layer of dust on the windowsills or the whistle of the wind as it arranges our patio furniture. They have transformed from minor annoyances to familiar friends. 

When we first moved here, I found myself empathizing with the Israelites as they wandered the desert in discontent. My needs were met, yet I desired something richer than manna. I complained. I learned to distrust FRG (Family Readiness Groups) and fear deployments. Housing was a source of contention, and neighbors were only neighborly when they had needs. I withdrew. 

Now I sit here, fully engaged with the culture of El Paso. I know which restaurants to avoid and the best ones to frequent. I can even tell you what was located in a building three businesses before the current one. It used to be when I ventured out, I could complete every errand without seeing one familiar face. Now it is impossible to go on one without running into a friend. I am engaged in the lives around me. 

So it should come as no surprise when I overhear my soldier telling his father that we are moving.

He has been trying to tell me for two weeks now, and every time he has brought it up, I simply respond, “Not until orders are in hand.” Or “The Army will change its mind.” I have an until-boots-are-on-the-ground mentality. We’ve been told Germany and Japan in the past, and I’ve jumped in heart first only to be shot down. But there is something different in the way he is speaking. He is making plans. Setting dates. Mapping it out in his head. And I want to stomp my feet deeper into the ground, hold on tight to the roots I’ve let burrow in, and fight to stay. I am content. So naturally, it is time to go. 

* * * 

I first took John home to my family under the pretense that my father would find something wrong with him and give me an excuse not to date him. John and I had met not long after I had ended a very tumultuous four-year relationship in which my parents disapproved, and rightly so. I was broken. Yet there was something about this man that I could not walk away from. 

When we met, I had thrown myself into my studies, no time for friends and definitely not distractions. I had tried and failed to discourage him. He pursued. Out of excuses, I handed him my scheduling book and told him to pencil himself in. He did. 

John first met my parents at a Chinese restaurant on the edge of Hot Springs, AR. The evening became more of an intervention from family insistent that I lighten up and give the world at large a chance. I was cynical, broken, and determined to regain control of my life. The universe that communicates through fortune cookies had other plans. It encouraged John, “Rome was not built in a day. Be patient.” He still carries the crumpled reminder in his wallet. 

* * * 

I am not an easy person to love. I know this because of the difficulty I have in loving myself. There is the need for perfectionism in myself that I am unable to obtain. Accepting God’s grace while struggling with guilt has often plagued me. In my head, I know the verses. I know the free gift of grace. In my heart, I wrestle with the fact that I am undeserving. I want to earn what I take. 

Where on the Internet can the readers find you?

http://HopeNGriffin.com     

Thank you, Hope, for sharing this book with us. I know there are many women who need to read it.

Readers, here are links to the book.

Finding Joy: The Year Apart That Made Me a Better Wife - Paperback
Finding Joy: The Year Apart That Made Me A Better Wife - 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, 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

SENT RISING - Erin Lorence - One Free Book

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

I have the same question...what next? Right now, I’m at a crossroads in life—I’m about to pursue a Masters in Teaching, I’m a busy wife and mom, and I still love writing young adult fiction. Timewise, how am I going to make all these important pieces fit, especially when I start teaching?

I’m staring “change” in the face. I’m relying on God to show me how to use my time in a way that pleases Him.

Tell us a little about your family.

I grew up in a supportive Christian family to whom I’ve stayed super close. I met Brian, my best friend/husband, 20 years ago at Washington State University (WSU). We currently live in Bonney Lake, Washington, with our two daughters, Savannah, age 11, and Brooke, age 8. We value family time, and until recently we were blessed by getting to live minutes from both sides of our family.

Tragedy struck not long ago when my mom died after a three-and-a-half-year battle with a super rare and aggressive lymphoma. We miss her every day but are comforted by the fact that she’s in Heaven as well as our new addition to our family—our beagle, Charlie. He’s such a funny, cheerful guy.

Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?

I read less! Once I pick up a book, I have a problem putting it down, so I have to be careful not to start a novel when I have a deadline or a personal writing goal I want to meet.

What are you working on right now?

My next young adult Christian fiction takes places off the Oregon coast. A rebellious teen must overcome her ocean phobia, as well as her anger at her deadbeat dad.

What outside interests do you have?

Teaching. Years ago, my husband and I joined a small, start-up church, and I got thrust into kids’ ministry...as in I be in charge of children’s ministry, otherwise our church wouldn’t have any program for the kids. As a nurse, I’d always enjoyed mentoring nursing students, but I discovered my passion for teaching kids, and later when my husband and I began our church’s youth group, working with teens.

My love for teaching young people Biblical truths definitely influenced my writing the Dove Strong Trilogy. I want all kids to understand how awesome it is to have a relationship with Him!

In 1973, I started the children’s choir program at a church, as a volunteer. How do you choose your settings for each book?

Dove Strong takes place in the Oregonian, pine-forest landscape I visit each summer. I decided on this setting before I chose my characters’ names or had hammered out the plot. My second book, Fanatic Surviving, detours to an opposite setting—the treeless Chihuahuan Desert, in order to test Dove’s survival skills. Sent Rising ties up all loose ends, while letting Dove experience ocean for the first time.

Throughout the trilogy, Dove repeatedly strikes out with a certain journey in mind...but God has other plans, and she ends up in unexpected places...like a rooftop in Portland or a Californian cave. Yet don’t we experience similar surprises in real life? We have tunnel vision about our own plans for the week, and sometimes God has other plans for us. When that happens, do we stay calm and accept his direction, or do we try to grab the steering wheel back from Him?

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

I choose Jesus! I can’t imagine what I’d say to Him...but I’m guessing if I came at Him with a list of questions and an agenda, He’d turn the conversation to whatever it is that I really need to hear.

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

Honestly...nothing. Having foreknowledge of the bumps in the road and long hours would have discouraged me, and then I might have thrown in the towel before I began. Who knows?

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

Have patience in uncertainty. Don’t stop praying, even if you feel He’s not listening. He is. His answer could be “not quite yet.”

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

#1:  Discover the rules to writing your genre if you want to be published.

#2:  Write the story for yourself and not for what you think others want...but be okay with future changes to your “masterpiece” once editors become involved.

#3:  Finish it!

Tell us about the featured book.

Here is the blurb for Sent Rising: No more hiding. This has become Dove Strong’s motto since she accepted her role as a Sent Christian to live among nonbelievers for a year. But then her worst nightmare comes true. Her family disappears from their secluded tree home, and they’re not the only Christians in the nation who’ve been snatched. All clues about the numerous disappearances point to nonbelievers... and the remaining believers are not happy. While Dove and her cousin, Trinity, hunt for the missing Christians, Dove stumbles upon a secret plan to force the Reclaim. Already, vengeful Christians gather in local camps to train for battle, and Dove’s brother is one of the bloodthirsty. Will Dove have the strength to rise up, put a stop to this war, and save her family before a red stain covers the nation? 

Please give us the first page of the book.

My fistful of carrots flopped onto the pasture’s dead grass. I paused with the spear’s red-stained tip two paces from my heart.

A couple dozen pointed poles and pronged branches stuck out horizontally from the giant juniper bush at the edge of the forest, positioned to impale the unlucky trespasser who stumbled too close. While I’d harvested the summer’s early vegetables from Wolfe’s backyard, my brother had been busy beefing up Micah Brae’s home security.

I scratched the red wooden point with my fingernail. Not blood. Beet juice...from our garden patch.

“Gilead, this paranoia of yours is stupid. We’re here to live peaceably with these people. Not skewer them.”

His humming dropped off, though he continued to secure another spear. “Don’t stand there hollering in the open, Dove. You’ll attract the enemy. On second thought, keep hollering. I wouldn’t mind trying out his new defensive boundary while it’s still light.”

Trinity paused in the act of hanging what appeared be a glass wind chime above Micah’s prickly doorway. She jingled it at my lifted brow. “Burglar alarm. To wake Micah if anyone tries to sneak in while he’s sleeping. Plus, it’s the color of smoke.”

“And the color of your eyes. Subtle.” I snorted. Trinity had strewn reminders of herself everywhere in our neighbor’s cramped, juniper-bush dwelling—from a corn silk pillow the exact hue of her hair to duplicates of her tattoos scratched in the forest floor. She’d planted these subliminal messages in hopes that he would stop being blind to the fact that he liked her in the same way that she liked him.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

My website is www.erinlorence.com . They can also find me on Facebook and Twitter.

Thank you, Erin, for sharing this book with us.

Readers, here are links to the book.

Sent Rising (Dove Strong) - Paperback
Sent Rising (Dove Strong) - 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, 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

WHISPERING TOWER - Katie Clark - One Free Book

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

I used to think I didn’t write much of myself into the characters. I held firm to the thought that each character was its own person. I still strive for this and work to make my characters well rounded and three-dimensional. But! I have come to realize I definitely write a piece of myself into each of them.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

This question?! Geez…I’m pretty boring. I do have quirky things about me, though, so let’s see. I don’t actually like music. I prefer silence much of the time. Also, I am a tiny bit obsessed with Disney—theme parks, movies, history. I find it all so inspiring and enchanting! Also, characters like Mary Poppins, Winnie the Pooh, and Alice In Wonderland are really good at reminding me of the meanings of life (sadly, I’m not joking).

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

Being a writer is something I’ve always known about myself. The first story I remember writing was penned sometime around age 7. I was nearing the end of high school when I first began considering writing seriously.

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

I read anything and everything. Any genre, any subject. My parents used to joke that they thought I would read the dictionary if it was all that was available. I want a good story, and I want to learn something I didn’t know before. Give me those two things and I don’t necessarily care about the genre of the book!

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

I have a few routines that keep me sane, certainly. I read my Bible every morning, which is something I have done for roughly 20 years. Have I missed a day here or there? Sure, but I have been very dedicated to my quiet time. I know that I absolutely need it, so I fit it in above all else.

Besides that, I also love gardening. It’s hard work, and it’s peaceful. I like that combination!

How do you choose your characters’ names?

My character names get chosen by a variety of ways. Sometimes, out in the “real world” I hear a name and I KNOW that will be my next character’s name! Other times, I have to search for it, depending on the needs of the story.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

I’m going to be mushy and a bit cliché, but my answer is having my children. I have three, and I cannot describe how I love them, or how thankful I am to be their mother.

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

A cat, because then people would mostly leave me alone. Ha!

What is your favorite food?

Ice cream!

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

Impatience has always been a problem for me, and that has definitely leaked into my writing career! I get impatient in my manuscript when maybe I should slow down and let things come to me. How do I overcome it? Well, I definitely do NOT pray for patience!

Tell us about the featured book.

Whispering Tower is a YA time travel novel with a hint of romance and a lot of action. It’s book 2 in my Beguiled Series, and if you’d like to hear a secret…this book cover is my most favorite out of all my books! I fell in love with it at first sight!

Here’s the description from the back of the book!

Stuck in London for one of her mom's work trips, Skye Humphries can't help holding a grudge when she ends up roped into a summer tour group with Philip-who-crushed-her-heart. But when Skye and Philip find themselves barreling through time after unsuspectingly opening the veil between the past and present, they're thrust into a world where Skye's very life is in danger.

If Skye had known her choices were between summering with Philip or being sacrificed to the god of the skies, she might have changed her attitude. Now she must figure out what's most important to her—getting even for the past or having a future.

Here is the cover of book one in the series, Shadowed Eden.

Please give us the first page of Whispering Tower.

Present Day

Skye

Skye stared at Big Ben in the distance, watched it tick away the time, taking her life with it. A few blocks from her hotel window, the London Eye Ferris wheel rose toward the sky. Tourists and locals mingled in the streets around it, preparing to start their day. Too bad she wouldn’t be starting hers down at the London Eye, instead of with breakfast in the hotel restaurant.

“You’re not ready yet?” Mom’s impatient voice came from the door between their plush hotel rooms. Skye kept her mouth shut. She hated these trips, but she tried not to take it out on Mom. Most kids at school would kill for a parent who travelled the world and took their teen along, but long hours away from home, while Mom worked eighteen-hour days? Not fun. At least at home, she had the soup kitchen where she volunteered and the people who volunteered with her. The people who had become her friends. Here? She was on her own. Dad had offered to let Skye stay with him, and she’d almost said yes. Almost.

“I’ll be ready.” She turned back to the window, her gaze going back to Big Ben.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

My website is www.katieclarkwrites.com, but to interact with me online I can be found on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter @KatieClarkBooks.

Thank you, Katie, for sharing these books with my blog readers and me.

Readers, here is a link to the book.

https://www.amazon.com/Whispering-Tower-Beguiled-Katie-Clark-ebook/dp/B07R1N5Z2G/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2LAIH29PM8GZE&keywords=whispering+tower&qid=1561333073&s=gateway&sprefix=Whispering+Tower%2Caps%2C180&sr=8-1 

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, 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.

Lucy (WV) is the winner of Oklahoma Bound by Carolyn Torbett-Johnson.

Tamara (TX) is the winner of Dose of Danger by Kim McMahill.

Beth (IA) is the winner of My Antisocial Billionaire by Katie Evergreen.

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.

MY ANTISOCIAL BILLIONAIRE - Katie Evergreen - One Free Ebook

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

All of my books have an element of me in them, I always believe in write what you know. But other than little snippets of overheard conversations, or descriptions of places I’ve visited, they’re mostly just built on feelings that I’ve felt at some point or another in my life. There are no characters based on people I know!

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I’ve danced on stage with Jason Donovan! In Ibiza when I was 21. I’m not sure I was supposed to be on the stage, mind you!

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

From a very early age. I’ve been writing since I could hold a pen. My parents still have books that I fashioned out of folded paper and sticky tape. Mostly picture books from that age, but as soon as I could reel off a story, I would.

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

I am currently reading The Corset by Laura Purcell as my downstairs book, and Normal People by Sally Rooney as my upstairs book. I am also enjoying The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield on my Kindle. I like to have a lot of books on the go at once!

I love anything with a gothic twist, or a good literary novel. I also absolutely love anything romantic, but I tend to steer clear of reading those while I’m writing so I don’t get too absorbed in a different romance when I need to be focusing on my own (writing—not real).

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

By reading! I love settling down with a good book as it feels as though I’m taken to a different world where I can forget about deadlines and editing, and the internet. I also love to walk, I’m lucky where I live in that the beach is only a 30-minute drive. So, I love to walk along the sand and listen to the waves.

Oh, yeah. The sound of the waves is so soothing. How do you choose your characters’ names?

They chose them themselves! It sounds weird, but once I character outline and know the person inside out, if I chose a name the character doesn’t agree with, I find they hamper my fingers on the keys. The names tend to come to me mid-way through the character outlining.

In one book, I gave a character a first name, and about every third time I wrote about him, it came out a different name. I finally gave up and changed all the other names to the one he wanted. What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

My Billionaire A-Z Series. I have had such lovely feedback from my readers that it makes me proud every time I look at the books for sale. I think the readers really do make writing such a wonderful job and as long as they are loving my books, I will carry on writing them, and feeling proud with each one I write.

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

I was going to say cat as they’re my favourite animals, but I think actually I would like to be a spider. I love people watching, and as a spider I could sit in the corner of the room and people watch without being as annoying as a fly on the wall. I’m a bit of a spider phobic, so it’s a strange choice for me really. But the more I think about it, the more fun I think it would be.

What is your favorite food?

I absolutely love berries. I could eat a tray of raspberries in one sitting, and pomegranate seeds, and blueberries. They’re my absolute favourite.

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

I am the world’s greatest procrastinator. If I’m sitting down to write I will check Facebook, Twitter, have a gander at the news, and then make at least three cups of tea before I even open my writing software. I overcame this by learning how to write in “sprints.” This is a bit like the Pomodoro Technique, in that I’m productive for 15 minutes at a time and within that 15 minutes all I do is write, write, write.

Tell us about the featured book.

My Antisocial Billionaire is the first in the My Billionaire A-Z series. I wanted to start the series off with an exciting, wonderfully romantic story with characters that my readers would hopefully fall in love with. Something to make people want to read through the rest of the series, all the way to Z.

It is the sweet story of Ellie May and Blake, who find love despite the most difficult of situations. They both know that by being together they risk everything. But sometimes you have to risk it all to find out what truly matters.  

Please give us the first page of the book.

Blake Fielding gently closed his laptop. The blood had drained from his face, turning his usually olive skin ashen. Five people stared at him from the other side of the wide boardroom table, their eyes cold, their mouths thin, hard lines.

“I don’t know how this happened,” he said, trying to keep his voice calm. His hands were shaking so much he had to rest them on the shiny walnut veneer. It was the truth, he didn’t know how this had happened. It was impossible. Every single Heartbook account was secure. But as the founder of the multi-billion-dollar social media network, his account had been triple-locked. Nobody on the planet should have been able to breach it, yet that very morning…

Way to leave my blog readers wanting more! How can readers find you on the Internet?

My website is https://katieevergreen.com

Or I’m on Facebook at https://facebook.com/katieevergreenauthor  

Thank you so much for having me.

Katie.

And thank you for sharing your book with me and my readers.

Readers, here is a link to the book.

My Antisocial Billionaire: A Clean Billionaire Romance (My Billionaire A-Z Book 1)

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.

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A DOSE OF DANGER - Kim McMahill - One Free Book

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

There probably isn’t much of myself in my characters, but I do pull from my experiences growing up in rural Wyoming. I couldn’t have written some of the horseback escapes in Big Horn Storm without that well of experience, and the second chapter of A Dose of Danger was based on an early Christmas morning drive through a snowstorm we made in order to reach our cabin in time to open gifts with family.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

Well, it wasn’t on purpose, but we drove to a town over 30 miles from home before I realized I had my slippers on. Rather than return home, I went about the day of shopping and eating lunch out in my slippers. I imagine everyone who noticed thought it was quirky, but it was just a simple case of rushing out the door too quickly.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I took a creative writing class my senior year in high school. We were given total freedom to write anything from a three-line poem to a short story. I wrote a longish short story and the teacher wrote that with a little more character development I was well on my way to a novel. I held on to that paper for a number of years, and eventually finished my first novel based on that story.

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

I love action, adventure, and suspense, which is what I primarily read and write. I cry easily, so avoid “feel good” books because that’s usually a huge clue that it will make me cry. Other than that, I like to try new authors and new genres, anything from sci-fi light to historical romance to non-fiction travel.

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

That has been especially difficult this past year, but thankfully I have a wonderfully supportive husband who is more than happy to pick up the slack when I have too much on my plate. When I have the time, though, nothing is more calming to me than working on a jigsaw puzzle.

When our daughters were still home, we often had a jigsaw on a card table near the fireplace in winter. How do you choose your characters’ names?

I keep a notebook by my chair and anytime I hear a name that grabs my attention I write it down. Once I use a name, I cross it off, because after ten novels, I don’t always remember every detail so want to avoid reusing names. There’s actually more to the story for choosing the name Deuce in Big Horn Storm, but I’ll save that for another interview.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

I put myself through college and graduated with honors.

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

Probably a cat. Though I’m more of a dog person, cats are shrewd, resilient, and independent, but they can also be wonderful companions.

What is your favorite food?

I love peanut butter – sandwiches, peanut butter cups, or just straight out of the jar.

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

Marketing is my biggest issue. I love to tell stories, but I’m not the best with spreading the word and convincing others to try my books. As far as overcoming this obstacle, I’m still working on it.

Tell us about the featured book.

Here’s the blurb for A Dose of Danger.

When researcher Grace Talbot and her team discover a possible solution for weight-loss, they are targeted by a group dedicated to controlling the diet product industry worth billions. Her unsanctioned testing methods bring tragedy to the family ranch and the attention of the local sheriff’s deputy. With her colleagues either dead, missing, or on the run, she soon realizes she must trust the deputy with her life, but can she trust him with her heart?   

Please give us the first page of the book.

The unmistakable haze of smoke filled the valley below. Snow covered the ground and weighed heavily on the pine boughs lining the highway, ruling out a forest fire as the source of the dark billows. The old rancher rolled down his window, despite the bitter cold, and inhaled deeply. The air smelled of fire, destruction, and death.

With the last switchback navigated, he shifted up and pressed the accelerator down as far as he dared while driving on icy roads. He tried not to let his imagination get the best of him, but couldn’t help but fear the worst. Someone, maybe even him, was suffering a loss.

As he approached the turnoff to his ranch, he realized immediately the nightmare was indeed his. Gunning the one-ton’s motor, he churned down the snow-covered dirt lane at such a rate of speed he didn’t even notice the fresh set of tire tracks cutting through the white powder—new tracks, since he’d left for town just hours before.

Interesting! How can readers find you on the Internet?

Blog: http://www.kimmcmahill.blogspot.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kimmcmahill   @kimmcmahill

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/KimMcMahillAuthor/

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

Goodreads author page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/849945.Kim_McMahill

Thank you, Kim, for sharing this book with us. I’m eager to read it.

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

https://www.amazon.com/Dose-Danger-Risky-Research-Book-ebook/dp/B07PYPQ9T5/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=A+Dose+of+Danger&qid=1560993667&s=books&sr=1-1

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, 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

OKLAHOMA BOUND - Carolyn Torbett-Johnson - One Free Book

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

Wherever God leads, I’ll follow. My first goal started with the story of the forgotten children on the streets of the eastern cities sent to find homes in the rural parts of the United States. The Orphan Train Riders. That story turned into a trilogy.

           

Now, my heart is gripped by hurting veterans and soldiers. I am involved with Quilts of Valor and the healing a quilt gives some of these men and women is astonishing. Stories pouring out of them have left us speechless.

           

I’ve started a new women’s fiction book concerning a woman struggling with loss. The quilt not only blesses the soldier but also brings the woman back to God.

They sound wonderful. Tell us a little about your family.

I grew up in a wonderful Christian family. We learned by example to serve God with our whole heart. My brothers have both been in ministry, one as a missionary for over forty years and the other has a business and has supported missions on and off the field for years. I also had two sisters. When my older sister passed away, the pastor said it would take a team of people to fulfill all she did for others. My younger sister, who was mentally handicapped, led two women to the Lord with her simple truth. She also is with the Lord now. I can’t imagine a better life than the one I had and I thank God for this blessing.

Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?

Unfortunately, it’s taken some of my reading time away. There’s just so many hours in a day. I also struggle somewhat with taking off my editing cap. I’m afraid if the book is too wordy or there are too many grammatical errors, I end up laying it aside. But I do love the classics so they are always a great read.

I believe that all authors lose a lot of reading time, which we miss so much. What are you working on right now?

As I mentioned earlier I have started a woman’s fiction involving a widow, Clare, who has just lost her son to the war in Afghanistan. Bitter, she feels God has let her down. Her kind friends draw her out of herself and introduce her to the need of other soldiers and veterans by making them quilts of love. This story filled with humor even through the trials has a little bit of mystery thrown in the mix.

We’ll need to feature it on my blog, too. What outside interests do you have?

I coordinate a Quilts of Valor group once a month plus another sewing group called Sew Little Time. They also meet monthly. I lead our youth group and help with kid’s church. I love flower gardening and take special care of my hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. Flowers do not need an insecticide, that’s the job of my wonderful ladybugs.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

I think of the story first and the setting is the most logical place to have it happen. 

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

I would love to sit down with Abraham Lincoln. He seemed to me to be a humble man who trusted God for his directions. I’d love to hear his thoughts and insights when the weight of the country pressed in on him.

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

Without a doubt, I wish I had learned more about websites. I get mental blocks working on them. I want to redo mine but it’s overwhelming.

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

Being saved since I was six, you’d think I’d know it all but lately God has had to bring me back to the basics and talk to me about letting Him be in control. We’ve been caring for our twelve-year-old, high functioning, autistic grandson. I have a habit of thinking I know the “right” way to deal with him and if everyone else would just do it, everything would work out fine. But God has a plan that is much higher than my plan, and He has had to set me down to listen.

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

Work, work, work. Seriously, you won’t be magically discovered. You have to work at marketing, you have to work at writing consistently, and you have to balance your life. I have heard people say, “If someone would just tell me the steps to successful writing, I’d be fine.” Honey, it’s a million of those tiny baby steps that teach you the way. Just keep on learning the craft any way possible.

Wise counsel. Tell us about the featured book.

This is the second book in the Orphan Train West trilogy. I have read it countless times and I still get choked up in parts as I picture what these children went through on their journey. Imagine facing the unknown as a six, eight or ten year old. Strange faces, strange land wondering if anyone would want you. Wondering if they would care.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Turning away from the window, Jack slowly sat down on the train seat. Did he hear correctly? Had Mr. Cummings said they were on their way to the Oklahoma territory? Overwhelmed by the possibility, Jack sat and stared straight ahead. In less than a week, he had gone from being homeless and starving to finding a job, good friends, and God. Then he was arrested for vagrancy and thrown in jail. Just a day later, he’s on an orphan train bound for the one place he’d dreamt about – Oklahoma. It had been a fantasy of his since the day his father had told stories of his own visit. How the horses raced over the hills and the night was so dark you could see millions of stars. He missed his father and mother but thought he might be closer to them in Oklahoma. Dad had loved his time there. Somehow, he knew if Mom and Dad had been able to take them to the Oklahoma territory, they would be alive today. Jack gave a deep sigh.

           

“Jack, Jack!” Leah’s voice pulled Jack out of his trance. He felt the gentle swaying of the hard horsehair filled leather seat and heard the repetitive clickety-clack of the train wheels. The acrid smoke from the coal engine burned in his nose. Voices all around him seemed to be talking at once. A toddler started fussing several rows ahead. Jack shook his head in an effort to return to reality.

Very evocative scene. How can readers find you on the Internet?

My books are on www.amazon.com  and www.barnesandnoble.com . I am also at www.carolyntorbettjohnson.com

Thank you, Carolyn. I’ve been interested in the Orphan Trains for decades. I’m sure my readers are as eager as I am to read your book.

Readers, here are links to the book.

Oklahoma Bound

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, 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.

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Also, tell your friends about the book you won ... and this blog. Thank you.

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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.

BITTER PILL - Richard L Mabry, MD - One Free Book

Dear Readers, Richard L Mabry, MD, my favorite author of medical suspense novels, has a new one. I’m sure you’ll want to let him know how happy you are to see him on the blog again.

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

This is a story that has evolved over many years. It began when Rachelle Gardner ran a contest on her blog. I had given up writing, but I said, “Why not?” and submitted this line, which won. “Things were going along just fine until the miracle fouled them up.” Soon thereafter, Rachelle became my agent, and I eventually got my first fiction contract. Now that I’m publishing independently, I decided it was time for this novella to see the light of day. I hope readers will enjoy it.

James and I are both glad you didn’t completely give up writing. We love your books. If you were planning a party with Christian authors of contemporary fiction, what six people would you invite and why?

That’s a tough one. I’d invite Candace Calvert and Jordyn Redwood, so I’d have someone to talk with about medical fiction. Then, to add romantic suspense to the mix, I might choose DiAnn Mills and Susan Sleeman. Finally, to keep the conversation going (and add some interesting back-and-forth), I might include James Scott Bell and Randy Ingermanson. Of course, there are so many more, but these would do for starters.

Sounds like a wonderful group. I’d have to be a fly on the wall with that one. Now let’s do that for a party for Christian authors of historical fiction, what six people would you invite and why?

Since my reading in his area is very limited, let me confess that I haven’t read everything these people wrote, but I know they’re all excellent. I’d start with Robin Hatcher and Kim Sawyer. Then I’d add Kristy Cambron and Lauraine Snelling. And to give the gathering a southwest flavor, how about Mary Connealy and my current host, Lena Dooley? That should give us quite a conversational mix.

I would love to be a part of that group. Many times, people (even 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?

The populace, especially those not in the field, assume that once an author is published by a given house, they stick with that one for life. Unfortunately, that’s not true. Although I’m sure that some of my colleagues have what amounts to lifetime contracts (and good for them), many of us have to come up with ideas and synopses to sell publishers so they’ll publish our next book or two or three. That remains a problem for most of us. I’ve been fortunate enough to be under contract with two excellent publishers, and then—because of financing problems by a new house—I found myself out in the cold, so to speak. I had done some independent publishing of several novellas, so I tried it with my next two novels. And I haven’t looked back.

I so understand what you’re talking about. I’ve been with 4 different excellent houses, and now I’m also publishing some independent novels. Tell us about the featured book.

Let me give you the back-page information to provide an idea about this book.

“Brother” Bob Bannister is content with his life and his itinerant healing ministry, until one night he finds that the woman who walks off the stage under her own power isn’t one of his shills. At that point, doubts begin to intrude on his previously untroubled existence.

Dr. Abby Davis is tired of her family practice and at odds with God. Dealing with critically ill and dying patients has crushed her spirit to the point she’s ready to quit. But she soon realizes that there’s more to healing than ministering to the physical body.

Scott Anderson was the oldest graduate of his seminary class. Then again, most of them hadn’t turned away from a medical practice, hoping to atone for past mistakes (including his wife’s death) by ministering to men’s souls. Now he hopes he hasn’t made a colossal mistake in switching careers.

Each of these individuals becomes linked to the other, and each find that God has a purpose for them—but, as it often does, the lesson comes with discomfort.

I am so eager to read this book. Please give us the first page.

Bob Bannister, still wearing his suit pants and an unbuttoned, sweat-soaked dress shirt, sat in the small room he was using as an office. His jet-black hair was tousled. Through the closed door, he could hear the sounds of the last stragglers filing out of the old Albertson’s that was now the Gospel Tabernacle of Goldman, Texas. Bannister had a glass of amber liquid at his elbow, but he ignored it to focus his attention on the sheet of figures in front of him.

 A noise from the back of the room made him look up.

“Got a second, Brother Bob?” Randy Futterman was standing in the partially open doorway. Where the man had spent most of his adult life, there was neither privacy nor manners, so talking about knocking or the meaning of a closed door was an exercise in futility.

“Sure. Come in and close the door.” Good old Randy, sometimes a bit slow on the uptake, but devoted as an old hound dog. Of course, some of that loyalty came from Randy’s status as a wanted man. One phone call from Bannister could probably put him back in prison. However, so long as he did what he was told, the man performed adequately as an assistant.

Randy removed his baseball cap and held it in front of him like a shield. He took three hesitant steps into the room, halting several feet from where Bannister sat.

“Uh, about tonight’s service,” Randy said.

Bannister picked up his glass and took a sip. “Yeah, it went well. Give that woman something extra before you put her on the bus.”

“Uh, uh…that’s just it. We can’t do that.”

Bannister put down the glass—actually, he slammed it onto the table he used as a desk, some of its contents spilling onto the sheets before him. His voice rose. “What do you mean? After every service, it’s the same routine—old one out, new one in. You know how it works.”

“I know,” Randy said. “But there’s a problem.”

“Why? We’ve always put that person on a bus out of town as quickly as possible. We don’t want to risk people recognizing them and asking questions.”

Randy twisted his cap with both hands. “Yeah, I know. But…you see…the thing is, somehow this lady slipped by the ushers to get into that front row seat.”

“I don’t understand.”

“She wasn’t the person we planted.” Randy’s Adam’s apple did a dance as he swallowed twice. “I think you really healed her.”

Now I’m even more eager to read this story. How can readers find you on the Internet?

I have a web page, as well as blogging on my personal page twice weekly—Tuesdays about “stuff” and Friday about “writing.” I post information that’s of interest to writers and readers daily on my Facebook professional page. I also have a presence on Twitter.

Thank you, Richard, for including my blog in your promotion. I know my readers love your books. That is an interesting cover, too.

Readers, here are links to the book.

Bitter Pill - Paperback
Bitter Pill - 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, 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