THE BILLIONAIRE'S CHRISTMAS WISH - Laura Haley-McNeil - One Free Book

Welcome, Laura. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters. I’m sure there’s something about myself in my characters. After all, I know myself best of all, but I try to write my characters bold and fearless, which doesn’t always apply to me. Though they are compassionate, which I hope that I always am. We’re always faced with challenges in life, which are the challenges I want my characters to face, and even though the consequences won’t always be favorable, we want to do what is right. Knowing what we want and knowing what we should do can always make for an interesting conflict. 

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done? I’m thinking about this question. Quirky may be normal for me. 

When did you first discover that you were a writer? For as long as I can remember, I have written. I took creative writing in high school and college. It was a rewarding experience to step into different worlds and create different characters, create different situations and work with the characters as they faced difficulty and decisions that would change their lives. The imagination is a wonderful place to be and when I can take others with me, that’s the most rewarding. 

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading. If the book is well written, most subject matter appeals to me. I wouldn’t consider myself a fan of science fiction or fantasy, but who doesn’t love books by Isaac Asimov and J. R. R. Tolkien? I’m also a huge fan of biographies and love it when an author can portray the individual as someone who was a living human being who faced adversity and was a better person for it. 

How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world? It’s very kind of you to assume I’ve kept my sanity. Others may disagree. Thankfully, my faith in God helps so that throughout my day I turn to Him to freely receive His love, peace, and mercy. I can control what happens in my books, but life is different. There is much out of my control, and perhaps accepting that helps. I focus on what I want to do and how I want to do it, but if my plans get sidetracked, I find another way to accomplish what I want. The mind is an amazing thing in that it consumes information then works with that to create solutions. Thankfully we are blessed with this amazing part of our bodies that doesn’t seem to understand defeat only how to make things work. 

How do you choose your characters’ names? When I come across an interesting name, I make a note of it, but I have to careful that I use names that won’t pull readers out of a story. I don’t want them stumbling over pronunciations. I say the first and last names aloud to make sure they sound good together, and I make sure they fit well with the names of other characters in the book. I also look for the names on the internet and make sure it doesn’t belong to someone well-known for any reason. 

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of? I don’t know if that I’m proud of something or that I’m amazed I accomplished something. When I finished my first book, I was amazed. It took me years to write it and every day I prayed God would give me the strength to persevere. Mercifully, He did. Now I’m much more confident that when I start a book, I’ll finish it. 

If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why? I’m grateful God thought it better that I be human rather than an animal, but if I were an animal, I’d want to be something unique, unique to me anyway, like maybe a land-based, herbivorous dinosaur, because I don’t want to be an animal that would need to take another animal’s life to survive, but I’d be big and happy like in a Disney animated feature film. I hope anyway. 

What is your favorite food? Tough choice here, because food is such wonderful thing and I’m blessed to live in a country that has plenty of everything. My food at any moment depends on my mood, so it can change at a moment’s notice. I do prefer foods that are salty and fried, the bane of my existence, so right now I’d be happy with a bag of sour cream and chive chips, but I have moments when a slice of chocolate cake layered with rich creamy frosting would be absolutely divine. Anybody else feel the need to start scrounging through the kitchen cupboards? 

What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it? I guess I touched on this earlier, but I needed the confidence that I had the strength to finish a book. I’m amazed when someone tells me reading a book is the same as writing a book. I wish! There’s so much planning that goes into a book. I make notes and outlines, but my characters don’t always pay attention to what I’ve planned for them and take detours that lead to an ending I’d never thought of. That solution oriented mind that I mentioned earlier at work again. Sometimes I’ll think of something that needs to be in the book and write toward that ending, but if I’ve already written the beginning, I have to go back and put in the clues so the reader understands character motivations. I once heard someone say it’s like juggling which is exactly how I feel when I’m writing. The book needs the appropriate beginning. The characters have to grow and learn. And the reader needs to turn that last page and feel that her time was well spent. Sometimes I get a little anxious when I finally publish a book, but a reader’s quick note to let me know how much she enjoyed the book makes it all worthwhile.  

Tell us about the featured book. The Billionaire’s Christmas Wish is Book 2 of the Christmas Billionaire Series. This book took me by surprise because River Jackson is a professional quarterback, and I don’t even watch football. That’s where an online critique group comes in handy because authors who are avid football fans gave me very good advice. Soledad was a character I’d wanted to write about because she isn’t American and came to this country because she’d lost everything in her own country. Dealing with secrets from their pasts, love was the last thing River and Soledad had on their minds, but love is full of surprises. 

Please give us the first page of the book. River Jackson stood on the sidewalk and stared at the old Denver schoolhouse. The three story building with its darkened windows looked like a multi-eyed creature staring back at him. A string of Christmas lights framed the entrance doors. Someone had attempted to bring this relic some holiday spirit.

He dragged fingers through his hair and glanced around The Grid neighborhood—tiny brick houses, some trimmed with Christmas lights, some with Christmas trees in the front windows. Most of the homes looked older than the schoolhouse, which had to be ancient.

Quiet fell over the area. Probably most of the neighbors were at work, but if anyone were home, would they wonder why the Denver Flyers’ starting quarterback was standing in front of the old schoolhouse? More likely they wouldn’t notice, because he wouldn’t stay long.

Looking back at the building, he wondered about the woman he’d meet—Mrs. Soledad Marcos. Coach Vato Diaz, the Flyers’ head coach, had told him she ran a learning center for the neighborhood children. Though the program focused on academics, Mrs. Marcos wanted a well-rounded curriculum that included physical activities and had emailed Denver teams asking if they could donate used sports equipment.

River heard the prep school he’d attended would donate their old uniforms, so River volunteered to deliver the equipment to Mrs. Marcos’ school. Since injuring his shoulder, he had a lot of free time, and he had an hour to kill before he met with Morris, his agent.

He released a rough exhale. Climbing the steps, he stood in front of the double oak doors and stared at the bronze handles. Should he knock? Coach had told him Mrs. Marcos lived at the school. How did anyone live in a schoolhouse? 

How can readers find you on the Internet? I love it when readers contact me and I answer every email and post. You can find me at the following sites: 

Website https://laurahaleymcneil.com/?doing_wp_cron=1604510764.2128190994262695312500 

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Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Laura-Haley-McNeil/e/B008S3WD10 

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Thank you for the lovely visit. I’m so glad to spend time with you and get to know your followers. 

Have a wonderful and blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year! 

Thank you, Laura, for sharing your book with my blog readers and me. I’ve received my copy, and it is on top of my to-be-read pile. 

Readers, here are links to the book.

https://amzn.to/37l9yPT 

https://amzn.to/388EhPn

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