PRAIRIE GRACE - Marilyn Bay Wentz - One Free Book

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

I learned at a young age the amazing impact storytelling can have on readers/listeners. I wanted to be able to have that positive impact on people, and so I started writing short stories in elementary school. When I was sorting through files a decade ago, I found the original hand-written short story that was the inspiration for Prairie Grace. When I was a kid and we drove across the prairie, I would see an abandoned farmstead and wonder what life must have been like for those early residents. This led me to create stories. For both Prairie Grace and sequel Prairie Truth, I had the privilege of researching less known areas and events of history and writing the history into my storylines. In All We Like Sheep: Lessons from the Sheepfold, my mom and I tell stories from our collective six decades of raising sheep.

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

I don’t have to think about this response. It was definitely the two days, nine years apart, that my two daughters came into my life. I say came into my life, because both are adopted. Kelly was born in Taiwan and became my daughter at eight months of age. We took Shannon home from the hospital at two days.

How has being published changed your life?

Publication confirms my ability to tell stories and enables me to affect more people’s lives, even if only in small ways. From a purely practical point-of-view, writing books makes no sense. Royalties don’t come even close to paying for the time to research, write, edit and promote a book. It may sound cliché, but I write because I believe God has gifted me to tell stories that affect people for His Kingdom.

I feel that way, too. What are you reading right now?

I just finished Her Daughter’s Dream by Francine Rivers. Other favorite writers are Lynn Austin, CJ Box and Sandra Dallas. And, I will be digging into some of Lena Nelson Dooley’s historical fiction soon. I also just ordered Susan Jenkins Scandalon. I am usually not a big memoir reader, but I am interested in her experience in China, since I lived in Taiwan, Republic of China, for five years.

What is your current work in progress?

I just starting some research for the third book in the Prairie series. It will be set in northern Colorado, where I grew up and presently live. Among other things, I want to tie in the story of the Russian Germans, who were lured from Germany to Russia by Catherine the Great with the promise they could maintain their language, culture, and faith and that they would never have to serve in the Russian army. When this promise wasn’t kept, many of them emigrated to the United States and worked on farms, harvesting sugar beets and other crops. My Swedish ancestors on my maternal grandfather’s side also did back-breaking field work and lived in structures made for livestock when they were new immigrants.

I’m one fourth Swedish. He was half Norwegian and half Swedish. They settled in Minnesota. What would be your dream vacation?

I am looking forward to visiting England and Ireland in 2020 with my family. While in Ireland we will visit a young man who lived with us for a short time as an international 4-H exchangee. We really liked him and have gotten to know (remotely) his family. I also hope to return to Costa Rica for a fourth time to visit people there who have become like family. There are many beautiful sites in this country and abroad, but for me, it is the people you meet and the relationships you build that are most memorable.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

Since I write heavily-research historical fiction, my research dictates the setting. I often find interesting places, events, and people and figure out how to naturally tie them into the story. For example, in Prairie Grace, I wanted to talk about the abolishment of slavery and had read about Frederick Douglass. With Prairie Grace set in territorial Colorado, it was difficult, so I ended up allowing the characters to discuss him, because Douglass is just too interesting not to have been included.

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

I wish I had some profound ideas here, but I am a simple girl. I would love to go on a trail ride (with my horse) with Julie Goodnight, a well-known Colorado horse trainer and instructor. She is pictured on the cover of Prairie Truth.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I like gardening and preserving (canning, freezing, drying) the food I raise. I love horses and enjoy training them and trail riding with friends. I also sew for myself and others.

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

Time. I work nearly full time to pay the bills and raise sheep on the side, so it is difficult to carve out time to research and write. I find it is especially difficult to simultaneous write and promote. With the recent release of Prairie Grace sequel Prairie Truth, I find I am spending any spare time I carve out doing presentations, signings and writing newsletters and blogs.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Make sure you are writing for the right reason. The vast majority of authors do not support themselves on their royalties. Editing can be a brutal process. Quality books typically take years from idea to finished product. Writing isn’t glamorous; it’s lots of hard work. If you feel you have a story that must be told, make sure you can spend the time it will take to research, write and have your manuscript edited and that you are willing to promote your book. It is very satisfying to complete a quality book that people want to buy and read.

Tell us about the featured book.

In Prairie Grace, historic irony plays out as the eastern half of the United States is embroiled in the Civil War to end slavery, while military and political leaders in 1864 Colorado Territory strive to enslave the Native American population they see as impeding settlement and stalling gold exploration. Caught in the clash of cultures are real people, white and Native. Georgia MacBaye, a throw-caution-to-the-wind, adventure-seeking, young frontierswoman is the daughter of former plantation owners turned homesteaders. Gray Wolf, a Cheyenne Indian brave who is gravely injured as the story opens, is thrown into the white world when his uncle, Chief Lean Bear, seeks help for him from Georgia’s mother, Loraine, a well-known healer. The MacBayes not only nurse Gray Wolf back to health, they also teach him their tongue, their ways, and their faith. Gray Wolf’s time in their home teaches the MacBayes to stop viewing Indians as sub-human menaces to be disposed of–an attitude common among settlers and politicians during this era–and to value them as fellow human beings.

Nearly a year later, Lean Bear has not returned to retrieve Gray Wolf, now a member of the MacBaye family. Gray Wolf and the MacBayes’ tranquil prairie lifestyle changes abruptly during a trip to Denver to sell cattle and grain and buy supplies for the coming year. Both Georgia and Gray Wolf are caught off guard by the Denverites’ venomous reaction to Gray Wolf. On the return trip, Georgia and Gray Wolf independently ponder their futures together.

An unexpected event sends Georgia into a tailspin, until she decides to deal with her disappointment by pursuing her dream of attending medical school. Georgia, the only female medical student at her school, finds success under the tutelage of her physician teacher, who encourages her to combine “modern” medical know-how with traditional herbal remedies. She and her male colleagues treat patients injured or diseased by the ravages of Denver’s devastating, historic flood, which took place in May 1864.

When Gray Wolf returns to his Native ways, including observing Cheyenne religious practices, he ponders conversations with Georgia’s father Thomas. Gray Wolf believes the white man’s religion is flawed. He cannot accept a god whose son was not brave enough to fight but gave himself willing to be killed by and for people who hated him.

Known as the Indian Wars, hostilities during this time between warring Indians and soldiers bring terrible consequences to settlers, especially ranchers and farmers who have little protection from Indian attacks. Prairie Grace incorporates dozens of historic events, places, and people into its storyline. Extensive research enables the author to accurately depict daily life and attitudes of people during this time, without being simplistic or stereotypical. The author’s expertise in agriculture, use of herbal and nutritional remedies, and horse training provide believable descriptions of settler life.

The book culminates with news of the Sand Creek Massacre, which occurred November 29, 1864, in present day southeastern Colorado. Though less known than other massacres, the Sand Creek Massacre ended with the killing and mutilation of over 130 Indians, more than 100 of them women and children. Through divine grace, neither Gray Wolf nor Georgia is at the massacre site, but the cruelty, initially celebrated as a military victory, eventually provides them the resolve to stand together against the ungodly social mores of the time.

Prairie Grace dramatizes the worst and the best of humanity, as it accurately depicts both the Indian depredations and the ruthless U.S. government/military campaigns to eliminate the Native Americans and their threat or perceived threat to the whites. Broad research has enabled the author to write realistic dialog between fictional and actual historical figures. Historic events, including the Colorado gold rush, the Denver flood of 1864, the Hungate murders, the slaughter of innocent Indians in small villages, settlement on the Purgatory River in southeastern Colorado, Lean Bear’s visit with President Lincoln, and the treaties of Fort Laramie and Fort Wise are woven into the storyline. Historical figures Lean Bear, Bull Bear, Roman Nose, One-Eye, Beaver aka George Bent, Black Kettle, Tall Bull, Cheyenne captive Laura Roper, Issac Van Wormer, Indian Agent Samuel Colley, Edward Wynkoop, Silas Soule, Governor Evans, and Col. John Chivington all make appearances in Prairie Grace. The extent to which history is portrayed and daily routines-both Native and settler-described make Prairie Grace not just a good read but a history primer.

Please give us the first page of the book.

MacBaye Ranch, Bijou Basin,

Colorado Territory, Spring 1862

Georgia MacBaye didn’t dislike gathering eggs or milking the family’s Jersey cow, Blue Bell. It’s just … well … there were so many more exciting things to do. She opened the milking stanchion and released the gentle cow. A basket of eggs in one hand and the bucket of milk in the other, Georgia left the barn for the house, its reddish-brown adobe blending in with the prairie. The second story appeared an extension of the imposing bluffs. Her father chose the site in the Bijou Basin because the big oak trees reminded him of South Carolina. He told Georgia he hoped it would make her mother feel less homesick. He also had practical reasons for building where he did. The bluffs to the west blocked the fierce winter blizzards, and the Bijou Creek, just out their backdoor, provided the MacBayes and their stock with water.

This morning, the rugged beauty was not what caught her eye. Snaking single file down the bluffs was a procession of Indian ponies. The pace of the horses and the absence of war paint told her the Indians meant no harm, but she couldn’t be certain.

Georgia ran toward the house like a startled hare, milk splashing over the sides of the pail, eggs cracking. “Indians … on the bluffs … come look!”

“Ring the dinner bell, Georgia,” her mother, Loraine, screamed, panic rising in her voice.

With the alarm sounded, Georgia’s father and brothers, James and Henry, were in the house within minutes.

Georgia’s father pulled down the new Henry repeating rifle from the rack above the parlor fireplace, his work-worn hands slamming the lever down to load a bullet into the chamber. The comfortable parlor with its embroidered doilies and fine furniture was at their backs, as Pa, James, and Henry stood facing the front door. Georgia read anxiety, not panic, in her father’s weathered face.

“Close the curtains, Loraine,” Pa barked. Then he softened his tone. “I don’t expect any trouble, but I prefer to be able to see them without them seeing us.”

A few tense minutes later, the Indians pulled their ponies to a stop in front of the MacBaye house. Georgia, who had ignored her mother’s edict to hide in the root cellar, parted the lace-trimmed gingham curtains that framed the kitchen window. She tossed back wavy auburn hair that had escaped her ponytail. For all she knew, the hair had never made it into the ponytail. She was unconcerned with such details. She wondered if the Indians, who had now made their way into the unfenced pathway at the south end of the main pasture, could see her freckled nose and hazel eyes pressed against the glass. Nevertheless, she just had to get a glimpse of them astride their powerful mounts. Most were adorned with feathers, beads, porcupine quills and snake rattles. Naked chests, a shade or two darker than the buckskin they wore, glistened with sweat. Was it nerves, exertion, the warm spring day, or a combination of all three that caused them to sweat? Their presence, their power, their passion—all of it was frightening, yet exhilarating. They were so close that Georgia could not only hear them talking in their strange tongue, but she could also smell the familiar melding of human and horse sweat combined with sagebrush … and What is that smell? Bear fat? The settlers used crushed sagebrush to keep mosquitoes at bay, a trick they’d learned from the Indians. An application of rendered bear fat, she knew, was another Indian way to keep away insects.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.marilynbay.com

https://www.facebook.com/MarilynBayAuthor/

https://twitter.com/Marilyn_Bay

Thank you, Marilyn, for sharing your book with us. I’m like you. I do a lot of research to make my historical novels as historically authentic as possible.

Readers, here is a link to the book.

Prairie Grace

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.

Alison (MI) is the winner of the book The Heiress comes to Town by Janet Syas Nitsick.

Caryl (TX) is the winner of Memories of Glass by Melanie Dobson.

Barbara (LA) is the winner of The Arizona Territory Brides Collection by Carol Cox.

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 12 GIFTS OF CHRISTMAS - A Clean Billionaire Romance - Lena Nelson Dooley - A chance to win one of two free copies

My novel The 12 Gifts of Christmas is being featured on this blog today:
https://www.journeystojoy.net/2019/09/our-story-before-story-malcolm.html 

You'll find some of the back story of the hero and the heroine.

Click on the link to read about it, and enter to win.

In honor of  that post, I'm also offering one free copy on this blog.

As usual, 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, 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 WITNESS TREE - Denise Weimer - One Free Book

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

I’ve heard it said it’s almost impossible to write a character that doesn’t reflect at least a little bit of the author’s personality, so I guess all my characters have bits and pieces of me. And maybe some of them reflect qualities that I might have had … had I been raised differently, or lived in a different time, or … been a man. Haha.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I need to get better at quirky. Unique? Now that I can answer. For a number of years, I led a mid-1800s vintage dance group. It was beautiful and fun, and showing up in a hoop skirt always took people by surprise. However, I was always puzzled by the people who asked if I was Amish.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

At age eleven. My parents took me all over the Southeast to historic sites when I was growing up. My active imagination wondered what kind of people lived in those beautiful old homes and quaint towns. I started bringing spiral-bound notebooks with me and scribbling stories in the back seat. I would read them to my mom, who encouraged me to continue writing.

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

I enjoy classics, contemporary romantic suspense, historical romance, and Christian non-fiction titles that help me grow closer to God.

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

I start each morning with a cup of coffee, my Bible, and prayer time. Beyond that, I try to keep things organized and as balanced as possible. With all the big life changes happening in the next year for me, I’m holding tight to my calendar with one hand and God’s hand with the other. I get the feeling that calendar might fly out the window at certain points! LOL

How do you choose your characters’ names?

Choosing a character’s name is always easier for my contemporary stories. I just go by whatever I feel reflects the character. For a historical, I research names popular to the time period, the location, and the ethnicity, as well as considering whether the moniker reflects the individual’s personality.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Definitely raising my two daughters, Emily and Abigail. Emily is twenty, a student at the University of Georgia soon to apply to the PharmD program, and engaged to be married in December to a fine young man serving our country in the Army. Abigail is a high school senior who plans to attend Lee University to study child psychology. Most importantly, both girls are seeking God’s will for their lives.

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

Probably a dog, since they seem to get the most love in the world. I sure love my cockapoo, Lucy.

What is your favorite food?

Cheesecake, coffee, or chocolate, or something that combines all three.

That sounds yummy right now. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

When I was just starting out, a brand-new publisher committed to put out my Georgia Gold Series (which ended up being four books). Book one had barely come out when the publisher folded. The situation put everyone in a financial, social, and emotional disaster. I had to work directly with the printer for a while. I learned a lot during that time, but mostly, I had to come to a point where I surrendered my writing to God. To let Him know I was willing to do something else if He wanted. Eventually, I found another publisher, and I knew that was the path forward. So I’d say, even when everything crumbles, surrender, but don’t despair.

Very good advice. Tell us about the featured book.

The Witness Tree is about a Moravian marriage of convenience that leads to an adventure in 1805 Cherokee Territory.

Past betrayal has turned John Kliest’s passion to his work as a builder and surveyor in the Moravian town of Salem, North Carolina. Now, to satisfy the elders’ edict and fulfill his mission in Cherokee Territory, he needs a bride. But the one woman qualified to record the Cherokee language longs for a future with his younger brother.

Clarissa Vogler’s dream of a life with Daniel Kliest is shattered when she is chosen by lot to marry his older brother and venture into the uncharted frontier. Can she learn to love this stoic man who is now her husband? Her survival hinges on being able to trust him—but they both harbor secrets.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Salem, North Carolina

Late August, 1805

“You have received a marriage proposal.”

At Susanna Stotz’s whispered words, Clarissa Vogler almost dropped her paintbrush into the carpet of lush grass. Her heart thundered with so much excitement it was easy to act surprised. “I have?”

Susanna nodded.

She couldn’t see the middle-aged woman’s face because of the way she stood, blocking Clarissa’s light as she painted the women at work in the garden of the Single Sisters’ House. But Susanna could read Clarissa’s expressions with ease, so she widened her eyes. “Who asked for my hand?”

She wasn’t supposed to already know the answer to her question. In their faith, a man ready to wed told his choir helper—his spiritual advisor—followed by the elders. They counseled and prayed, then, based on biblical principles, consulted the lot—slips of paper in a jar that read yes, no, or were left blank, indicating the encouragement to wait. Only if the lot offered a yes from God did the intended bride receive a proposal.

“Brother Kliest.”

Clarissa pressed her fist to her chest, barely noticing the dampness of the paint smudges on her apron. She closed her eyes. Yes. The name of the man who promised her freedom.

**I’ll say this … Clarissa is in for a BIG surprise.

I’m sure she is. How can readers find you on the Internet?

Link to book: The Witness Tree on Amazon

Monthly Newsletter Sign-up

Website

Facebook

Twitter

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

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, 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.

Jodi (FL) is the winner of the book Sister of the Brotherhood by Ginny Patrick.

Robin (CO) is the winner of Prairie Truth by Marilyn Bay.

Vera (NC) is the winner of The Scarlet Coat by Angela K Couch.

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 ARIZONA TERRITORY BRIDES COLLECTION - Carol Cox - One Free Ebook

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

I seldom begin writing a book with a specific theme in mind. It tends to take shape as I watch the story unfold and discover new things about the characters along the way. Looking back, I can see that themes of trust and women discovering their inner strength seem to come up over and over again in my books.

What other books of yours are coming out soon?

My current project is bringing some of my older titles back into print, and I’m thrilled at the opportunity to make these books available to a whole new group of readers. This fall, I’m especially excited to bring back a favorite series: A Fair to Remember. The three books in the series—Ticket to Tomorrow, Fair Game, and A Bride So Fair—offer a blend of history, mystery, and romance set against the backdrop of the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. It was a fascinating moment in time, and I hope readers will enjoy experiencing it as much as I did!

I love reading about the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. I’ll want to feature that series as well. If you could spend an evening with one contemporary person (not a family member of yours), who would it be and why?

Over the past few years, I’ve become increasingly involved with Operation Christmas Child and have been blessed to meet some of the people serving on national leadership teams in different countries. These people are my heroes—especially those working in areas where sharing the Gospel truly means putting their lives and safety on the line. It would be an honor to spend time with one of those team members and see that kind of bold faith in action.

James and I have participated in OCC for decades, too. We love that organization and have also volunteered on the local level. What historical person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why?

Working to get the A Fair to Remember series ready for release this fall, I’ve had my attention focused on 1893 Chicago. Fair Game includes a connection to Dwight L. Moody’s World’s Fair campaign, so Mr. Moody has been on my mind a lot lately. I’m inspired by the way he realized that the thousands of visitors coming to the fair from distant lands offered an unparalleled opportunity to spread the Gospel to countries all over the globe…without ever leaving Chicago. Being able to spend time with this man of God and get a glimpse of his heart for evangelism would be an amazing experience!

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

There is nothing joyful about getting a rejection, especially when so much of our heart and effort have been poured into a project. It’s easy to focus on the pain and not much else. Not long ago, I was going through some story files that included early rejection letters for those titles. I remembered how much it hurt to be turned down and how easy it was to feel that my work just wasn’t good enough. If I had let those feelings take over, I might have given up and stopped pursuing publication. To be honest, that temptation was certainly there—discouragement has a way of blinding us to anything but the negative. Following the suggestions of more seasoned authors, I tried setting those rejections aside for a while before looking at them again. I was astonished to find a number of positive comments, when all I had seen at first was a resounding “No.” That helped me get back on track, learning from the criticisms, but encouraged by the favorable comments.

Tell us about the featured book.

Growing up in Phoenix—back in the days before dairy farms and cotton fields gave way to asphalt and new construction—I had the joy of listening to stories from some of the “old timers” who’d lived in Arizona since its territorial days. Those stories sparked a lifelong interest in the history of the West in general and Arizona in particular. The four books in this collection are a tribute to the women and men who worked together to tame this corner of the Western frontier.

MEET THE ARIZONA TERRITORY BRIDES--
Four strong, independent women—each determined to stand on her own two feet,
and not one of them looking for romance. But sometimes love shows up when you least expect it...

Elizabeth Simmons longs to realize her dreams of independence in the newly formed Arizona Territory. Will losing her heart to Michael O’Roarke undermine the independence she has worked so hard to achieve? Or could this land of danger also prove to be her Land of Promise?

Orphaned, then traded to a saloonkeeper by her unscrupulous guardian, Jenny Davis has learned some hard lessons in life. For one thing, she knows beyond a doubt that God doesn’t love her. Andrew Garrett is scouting land for mining investors when he meets Jenny. Digging ore out of hard rock may be easier than breaking down the walls of distrust Jenny has erected around herself in Refining Fire.

Before asking for Hallie Evans’s hand, Jacob Garrett wants to prove his worth to local ranchers—and himself. He’s determined to expose a ring of cattle thieves, then fight in a war for Cuba’s freedom. When his plans are sabotaged by Hallie’s impatient but well-meaning father, Hallie must help her father face his own demons…and sort out her feelings for Jacob. Can faith in God mend all wounds—and allow for romance—in Road to Forgiveness?

Catherine O’Roarke leaves the ranch she’s always called home and moves to Phoenix to take a job at a land investment company. Mitchell Brewer, a journalist for the Phoenix Clarion, comes across some land sales that appear to be a cover for fraud. Mitch knows he has to write the truth, even if it costs him dearly—so dearly that any future with Catherine could be gone. Will Mitch and Catherine be able to see the Lord’s hand at work under a Copper Sunrise?

Please give us the first page of the book.

February 1867

Prescott, Arizona Territory

Richard Bartlett leaned into the biting wind as he walked along, hating the wind, hating the cold, and finding no beauty in the brilliant streaks of rose and gold that tinged the late afternoon sky.

The letter tucked into his waistcoat pocket crackled with every step, reminding him of his dilemma. Should he tell his wife that fool of a girl had written again, proposing a visit? And if he did, how should he break it to her? Letitia was hard enough to please in the best of times, but with her laid up now, and after their recent trouble, she was more sharp-tongued than ever. Head down, chin tucked into the woolen scarf around his neck, he paid little heed to the rugged beauty around him.

He barely noticed when a stocky figure stepped out of the shadows, planting its solid bulk directly in his path, and not flinching when the inevitable collision came.

“Why don’t you watch where you’re…” Richard broke off, realizing who he had run into. His cheeks flooded with heat, then chilled abruptly. “Timothy! I’m sorry, I didn’t see you.” He tried a weak laugh that didn’t quite come off.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I love to connect with readers online!

Visit my website at: www.AuthorCarolCox.com

You can also reach me on my Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/carol.cox

I’m spending more and more time on Pinterest these days, and it’s been a fun way to share ideas: www.pinterest.com/authorcarolcox.

Thanks so much for the chance to spend time with you and your readers, Lena. It’s always a

pleasure!

I love introducing long-time friends and their books to my blog readers.

Readers, here is a link to the book.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07W1BH5VS?ie=UTF8&tag=lenneldoochaw-20&camp=1789&linkCode=xm2&creativeASIN=B07W1BH5VS

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

MEMORIES OF GLASS - Melanie Dobson - One Free Book

Welcome back, Melanie. As an author, I know it takes a lot of people to birth each book. Who were the people involved in the birthing of this book, and what were their contributions?

An entire labor unit worked alongside me to birth this book! It began with my friend Ann Menke urging me to check out the story behind a series of mines in The Netherlands. Then the courageous Johan van Hulst who was 107 when I wrote this book and many other Dutch friends who contributed by sharing the history of their family or helping me straighten out my facts. My critique partners gave me honest feedback as I rewrote this novel and then the editorial team at Tyndale House who was phenomenal at helping me sort through my many threads.

If you teach or speak. What’s coming up on your calendar?

I love to teach! I’m speaking in two weeks at a chapter of the Pacific Northwest Association of Church Librarians and then on October 1 at the ACFW group in Vancouver, Washington. In November, I’ll be speaking at the Olympic Peninsula Christian Writers Conference (https://www.opcwc.com/).

If you had to completely start over in another place, where would you move, and why?

My husband and I did this exact thing almost twenty years ago as newlyweds. Before we had children, we decided to move from Virginia to a mountain town in southwestern Colorado. Just for fun. In hindsight, it was a bit crazy, but we had a wonderful year. I was just building my PR and writing business, and Jon wanted to launch an animation company. We hiked to multiple ghost towns during our year and dreamed about the future and worked like crazy. God used this season in the Rocky Mountains to grow our marriage and launch our dreams.

Sounds wonderful. If you could only tell aspiring novelists one thing, what would it be?

Years ago, I watched an interview with a bestselling novelist, and I was shocked when the woman said she was a “horrible” writer. She quickly followed up this up by saying that while she was a horrible writer, she was a fabulous re-writer. 

At the time, I was talking frequently about writing and thinking about it even more. The problem was that I was not actually doing much writing because I was terrified I would fail. And if I failed, it would be the death of my dream. Once I realized my first draft didn’t have to be perfect, I let go of my fears and began scribbling down my thoughts and eventually scenes onto paper. Then I reworked and polished for several years until I had a clean manuscript to send off to a publisher.

So my advice to aspiring novelists is to write! Study the craft and then sit down with a computer or laptop or device and begin pouring out the first draft. Later you can think about the editing and ultimately publishing of your manuscript.

You’ve been asked to be in charge of a celebrity cruise. Who would you ask to take part, and why? (AS in what program, singers, etc. [it doesn’t have to be writing related])

Almost everything in my life is writing related. J I would probably organize a cruise to ports across Europe and invite writers and locals to share the history and stories of each city that we visited. My idea of a perfect cruise would be endless pots of tea and a quiet space with an ocean view to write so I wouldn’t be much of a help in coordinating any shows!

Tell us about the featured book.

Memories of Glass is a time-slip novel inspired by the Dutch men and women during World War II who rescued more than six hundred Jewish children from a deportation center in Amsterdam. Almost eighty years later, Ava Drake, the director of the prestigious Kingston Foundation, begins to uncover the devastating story about her family’s role in financing Hitler. As she and a child advocate named Landon West dig into the past, Ava discovers that her story is intertwined with the West family and an elderly Dutch woman who has spent a lifetime remembering a boy who was lost during the war. A boy she never expected to find.

I have a time-slip novel percolating in my brain right now. Please give us the first page of Memories of Glass.

Brilliant color flickered across her canvas of wall. Sunflower yellow and luster of orange. Violet folded into crimson. A shimmer like the North Sea with its greens and blues.

Most of the walls in her bungalow were filled with treasures of artwork and photographs and books, but this pale-cream plaster was reserved solely for the light, a grand display cast through the prisms of antique bottles that once held perfume or bitters or medicine from long ago.

The colors reminded her of the tulip fields back home, their magnificent hues blossoming in sunlight, filling the depths of her soul with the brilliance of the artist’s brush. Spring sunshine was rare in Oregon, but when it came, she slipped quietly into this room to watch the dance of light.

Sixty-eight bottles glowed light from shelves around her den, their glass stained emerald or amber or Holland’s Delft blue. Or transparent with tiny cuts detailing the crystal.

These wounds of an engraver—the master of all craftsmen with his diamond tools—made the prettiest colors of all.

Only one of the bottles was crimson. She lifted it carefully off the shelf and traced the initials etched on the silver lid, the ridges molded down each side, as she lowered herself back into her upholstered chair.

All of them she treasured, but this one . . .

This bottle held a special place in her heart.

I’m eager to read your book. It will go at the top of my to-be-read pile when it arrives. Where can we find you on the Internet?

I really enjoy connecting with readers. The best places to find me are on Facebook and Twitter (@MelBDobson) as well as on my website— http://www.melaniedobson.com.

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

Readers, here are links to the book.

Memories of Glass - Christianbook.com
Memories of Glass - Amazon paperback
Memories of Glass - Kindle
Memories of Glass - Audiobook

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

THE HEIRESS COMES TO TOWN - Janet Syas Nitsick - One Winner's Choice of an Ebook or Print Book

Dear Readers, I read The Heiress Comes to Town last week. It was the first book of Janet’s I’ve read. I love historical romances, and this is a good one. I loved her characters and the totally unexpected twist ending.

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

I believe each novel I write includes a little of myself, such as Annie Lee, a main character in my humorous, suspenseful, historical romance, The Bride List. She is fun loving, a teacher, and is a strawberry-blonde redhead. I, too, like to make funny comments, was a language arts teacher, and I am a strawberry-blonde redhead from birth. Jim Ward, one of the minor characters, was a reporter. I also am a former journalist

I also like to dress up. I feel my best in a dress and wearing a hat. Thus I love writing historical romances during the late 1800s since this was a time period where women wore beautiful gowns, donned fancy hats, and at times carried parasols. I love describing these beautiful clothes and wish I could wear some of them. Of course, I am happy I do not have to use an outhouse.

I live in Nebraska, so I feel best writing about towns and cities I know. Thus, all my stories take place in Nebraska. I can paint a picture of that primitive and simple period, and how people depended on each other. Yet people are people no matter what era you are talking about.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I do not know if you would call this quirky. However, I sing solos at church. I am not content in just singing a solo. I try to do something different to add something special to the performance.

For example, I sang the hymn, “In the Garden.” The words begin: “I come to the garden alone while the dew is still on the roses …” As I made my way to the microphone, I sang this first verse and presented congregants with flowers. The parishioners loved it!

That sounds wonderful. When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I wrote a neighborhood play when I was 10 years old. We performed it front of the neighborhood parents. I’m sure it was awful, but that was my first foray into writing.

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

Since I was a former journalist, I enjoy reading non-fiction as well as fiction. However, I do not like horror or fantasy. Horror often involves blood and guts so I do not like that. Fantasy for me does not connect with reality. I do not like stories that take place in non-existent worlds.

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

Coffee, humor, and friends.

I love coffee. I can drink it at night without problems. It soothes my tensions. I do not drink a lot of lattes since I am not out and about every day to purchase them. But sipping on a cup quiets my spirit, and it also keeps me awake so I can write at night.

Humor always helps, especially in this topsy-turvy world. I crack jokes and my family also does some of that. You ought to hear us sometimes at our family celebrations. It keeps everyone happy.

Humor also is included in some of my novels even though the overall story is not humorous. Your characters determine this. In my first novel, Her Husband’s Secret, the main character, Owen Sias, nicknamed Red for his red hair, likes to tease those around him. For instance:

“The crisp air drifted in behind him as Red opened the door. He came over to her. His red hair swept down around his brow. He laid the dead animal on the kitchen table. ‘Here’s a goose for you to cook.’

“Edith glared at the furry, long-eared animal. She raised her face to her husband. ‘That’s a rabbit.’ She shook her head at him.

“He wrapped his arms around her waist. His cold lips pressed against hers. He took a step backward and gave a sly grin. ‘No, it’s a goose because his goose is cooked.’”

I have a group I formed after my mother’s death in 2009. It is called Circle of Friends. We share our troubles, talk politics at times, go out to eat each month, and once a year do an outing. This all helps to keep your sanity and be able to face whatever you are going through at that time.  

How do you choose your characters’ names?

I have a list of names taken from gravestones. I know kind of morbid. However, I also use names found in Western movies, and believe it or not, I still have my baby name book and often use that as well. That book gives the origin of the name, and what the name means, such as the name Irene is from Greek and means serene, peaceful.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

In 2010, my story, “The Silver Lining,” placed tenth in the Writer’s Digest short story contest in the mainstream/literary category. It is available on Smashwords as a free read: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/42833

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

I always have loved watching the squirrels scramble up the trees and around the yard. I think they are cute. That is until I found out they are rodents and are close cousins of the rat and mice families.

Squirrels hunt for nuts and save them for winter. They are industrious animals, and I admire that.

What is your favorite food?

For Christmas, my mother and my aunt made fudge from scratch using cocoa. That fudge is delicious but quite a feat to do. Several years ago, I learned how to prepare it, and now make it for my family and send it to out-of-state family members and friends at Christmastime. Of course, we always have enough for ourselves as well. You cannot beat it, especially if you include walnuts.

I love, love, love fudge, but I like mine with pecans. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

As a former journalist, I had to learn how to write novels. A reporter deals with facts. You do not include emotions and you limit descriptions. Journalism and novel writing are like night and day.

I remember my first novel, Her Husband’s Secret, and how warm my cheeks became in writing tender and clean love interactions. I had to put my shyness behind me and write them. This took about a year’s time to move from reporter to novelist.  

However, a reporter’s background prepares you in being concise and accurate. As a journalist, you need to limit your words and not exaggerate. Short and sweet are the best news reports (as long as the story is complete) and allows for the paper to include as many advertisements as they can. Making sure my time period, dialogue, word terminology, and phrases were correct, helped me create historical romances, which were in line with that era.

Tell us about the featured book.

Slipping out of her father’s New York mansion on her wedding day, Nina Robert stands outside her home in the snow to hail a cab. Her father, a wealthy tycoon, has arranged for her to marry the son of a well-known, wealthy businessman.

Nina escapes and ends up in a small Midwest town where she meets a doctor. Love develops, but Nina’s father is determined to fulfill that marriage contract and has hired the famous Pinkerton Detective Agency to find her.

This clean, Christian, historical romance includes mystery, suspense, and is a page-turner. Those who have read it say they had no clue on how the plot played out.

The Heiress Comes to Town takes readers on a journey to small town life of 1896 before cars traveled the roadways and electricity illuminated buildings. Travel back in time and visit Nina’s yearn for freedom and her desire to marry the man she loves.

The book I’m writing right now is set in large towns in 1896. Large towns at that time in Texas had electricity, especially most businesses and wealthy homes. Please give us the first page of the book for my blog readers.

New York City, New York

1896

Pa’s gone to get the parson! With chance on her side, Nina Robert rushed upstairs to her bedroom. Throwing off her grandmother’s ivory wedding gown and veil, she stuffed the heirlooms along with a selection of dresses, underwear, sleep attire, a small notebook and a pencil into her portmanteau then fastened the straps.

           

She slipped on her tan blouse and skirt with lace and satin trim. Then she put on her cloak and furry hat. Realizing she needed funds, she took her petty allowance and shoved that into her purse before she put on her gloves.

           

Her heart thundered in her chest as she played out the daring scene she had planned for more than a month. Taking the servants’ stairway, she climbed down the narrow steps, dragging her medium-sized wooden trunk, clad in leather behind her. It clunked as she angled it down the stairs. Did anyone hear her descent? She took a deep breath then waited a few seconds before she proceeded downward again.

           

Nina stood in front of the back stairs’ door, which led into the kitchen. Pans clanged and voices reverberated. Her hand shook as she grabbed the doorknob. She bit her lip, hoping against hope she would make it out of the house without anyone seeing her. She stood there a minute to gather strength. Oh Lord, help me get out of here.

           

The servant bells rang. Footsteps raced across the floorboards. Nina released a long breath, knowing the domestic help were being summoned into the parlor to ready things for the marriage ceremony. Nina waited until the scurried footsteps stopped.

           

Creaking the servants’ door open, she surveyed the room and hurried across the kitchen, scooting the chest behind her. In normal circumstances, she would have been …

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Web site: www.JanetSyasNitsick.com

Blog: http://janetsyasnitsick.wordpress.com

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

Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/janetnitsick

Twitter: JanNitsick

LinkedIn: Janet Nitsick

E-Mail: janet@janetsyasnitsick.com

Thank you, Janet, for sharing your book with my blog readers and me.

Readers, here are links to the book.

The Heiress Comes to Town (Bonnets and Beaus) - Paperback
The Heiress Comes to Town (Bonnets and Beaus Book 1) - Kindle

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

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

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

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, 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