Thursday, June 11, 2020

DOWN TO SLEEP - Clare Revell - One Free Book

Welcome back, Clare. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?
The honest answer to that is I don’t know. I intend to keep writing as long as possible, but none of us know what God has planned for our future. So it’ll be one book at a time…she says having got a plan for a couple more series and around 10 other partly-written books on the computer somewhere. But whether they will see the light of day isn’t up to me.

Tell us a little about your family.
I’m married, have three grown children, who all still live at home. My parents live about two miles away, my brother lives in Australia, and one sister is in Wales, and the other sister is forty miles away.

Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?
It’s hard reading things sometimes. I’m a lot pickier over what I read. If there are too many typos I stop reading. I know my books aren’t perfect and the odd typo does slip through despite the number of edits and copy edits, and you’d expect one or two, but several on each page isn’t really called for.

I’m with you on that. What are you working on right now?
I’ve just finished a Christmas story called Virtually Yours At Christmas. A very contemporary one about Christmas during lockdown.

What outside interests do you have?
I crochet a lot. Dolls, blankets, shawls. And I read. Then there’s laundry. Mountains of laundry.

How do you choose your settings for each book?
Most of my books are based in the fictional town of Headley Cross. Which is based on the town I live in, so describing it is easy—I have moved several things around. The church for example has been moved approximately five miles. A few are based in other places that I have stayed in.

If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?
Eric Liddell. And honestly? All the reasons I’ve come up with I’ve deleted because they sounded wrong. Just to find out more about him, whether the history books got it right. What it actually felt like to give up everything and go to China to be a missionary.

I also love the stories of missionary lives both before they became missionaries and after. My very best friend is a missionary. What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?
It’s not as easy as it sounds. Some days I don’t want to write. Or I can’t write because life is too bleugh, or there is too much background noise or the house isn’t empty or the words just won’t come. Or the hero is sulking because he doesn’t like the way the plot line is going. Or the heroine decides she wants a new name and won’t play nice until I change it. Or it’s just plain writers block…which always decides to break on the one day a week that I won’t write…Sunday.

I try not to do anything writing related on Sunday, too. What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?
That being locked down as we have been the past few weeks has actually made no real difference. The only one is I can’t see my parents as much as normal, although we’ve adapted to video calls now. That without Him, I’m nothing.

Isn’t it wonderful how He has been with us through it all? What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?
Keep Sunday for the Lord.
Write. Even when you don’t want to or can’t. Even five words are better than no words. You can always delete them.
Keep deleted scenes. You never know when you might be able to use them in something else.

All are very good advice. Tell us about the featured book.
Down To Sleep. Book 1 in the Say A Prayer series. A departure for me from romance, this one is crime fiction.

DC Zander Ellery isn't sure which he dislikes the most: New partners, rookie female officers, or cases he can't solve. Right now he has all three.

DC Isabel York is fresh out of uniform and out of the proverbial frying pan into the fire as her personal and professional lives clash with her first case—ten stolen works of art.

When a postcard arrives addressed to Isabel with a cryptic message on it, it's just the beginning. The mystery deepens as the first of the stolen paintings is found alongside a dead body—bound and gagged and left posed in prayer at the place depicted in the postcard.

Are nine more murders coming? Can Zander and Isabel find the missing paintings and solve the murder before another victim falls?

Please give us the first page of the book.
When you lie down, you will not be afraid, when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. ~ Proverbs 3:24

Detective Constable Zander Ellery tapped his fingers on the desk whilst he waited what seemed like a lifetime for the computer to deliver the test results. Had he passed or failed yet another mock sergeant exam? The real test was coming up way too fast, so his boss, Detective Inspector Nate Holmes, had suggested practice papers to hone his skills.

Now here he was, seven forty-five in the morning, doing exactly that, having been at his desk since six.

Finally, the annoying little rotating circle on the monitor vanished and the speakers chimed. Not sure if he actually wanted to know any more, Zander peeked at the screen. Then fist pumped the air. “Yes!”

Ninety-seven percent. What had he got wrong? He scrolled through the answers and raised an eyebrow. Hostage negotiation? Really? Why?

How can readers find you on the Internet?
newsletter sign up - http://eepurl.com/chtmdH

Thank you, Clare. I’m eager to read this series.

Readers, here are links to the book.

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.)

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7 comments:

Linda Kish said...

This sounds like it will be interesting to read. Linda in SoCal

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

JBair said...

Sounds very good and British which I love. Janeen from Illinois.
janeen dot bair at gmail dot com

Connie Lewis Leonard said...

This sounds intriguing. I would love to win a free copy.
Connie Lewis Leonard

Clare Revell said...

thank you for having me here. I tried to comment earlier but the phone refused to co-operate.

Lucy Reynolds said...

Sounds interesting. Thank you for sharing. Blessings from WV.

Nancy P said...

Sounds fascinating. Thanks for the chance. FL

Sharon Bryant said...

Enter me in your awesome giveaway!!
Conway SC.