THE INDEBTED EARL - Erica Vetsch - One Free Book on this Blog plus more

Erica Vetsch brings her much beloved Serendipity and Secrets series to a close with the highly anticipated release of The Indebted Earl. This latest installment tells the story of Lady Sophia Haverly, the free-spirited and energetic younger sister of Marcus Haverly readers will remember from The Gentleman Spy, and Captain Charles Wyvern, a longtime naval officer trying to find his footing on dry land.

Q: Both Lady Sophia Haverly and Captain Charles Wyvern feel a responsibility to care for someone who is left behind. From where does that sense of duty come? Lady Sophia’s care of her fiancé’s mother is born out of her love for him. She was also instilled from birth with the social customs of noblesse oblige. As a woman of noble birth, she has an obligation to live up to that nobility by behaving nobly. While her fiancé is at war, he has entrusted her with the care and companionship of his mother, Lady Richardson. Sophie is delighted with the responsibility, because it allows her to demonstrate her love, and it gives her a bit of freedom that living in her older brother’s household would not afford.

Captain Wyvern naturally shoulders responsibility for his ship and his crew. As the leader, everyone under his command is also under his care. This responsibility extends to the dependents of his crew, including the fiancée of his late best friend. Charles feels he bears the blame for his friend’s death, and he must attempt to make some sort of amends. His natural leadership abilities cause him to throw his mantle of responsibility over Lady Sophia, Lady Richardson, the three waifs who wash up on his shore, and the estate and community he’s inherited.

Q: What is Sophie struggling with spiritually in The Indebted Earl? Is Charles facing something similar? Sophie struggles with the idea that God is both good and sovereign. It’s easy to accept one or the other, but both? How can God be good when He’s taken her beloved fiancé away? How can He be sovereign when bad things happen? How can she trust in His plan when it seems everything is spinning out of control?

Charles’s struggle is similar in that he is all about control, about ordering his life according to his plan, but with the cessation of war, he is on the beach without a command. And he’s carrying a tremendous weight of guilt over the death of Major Richardson. Did God make a mistake, having Rich die in his place? What Charles wants—to continue his naval career—is both noble and reasonable. Why won’t God make it happen?

Both Sophie and Charles are learning to trust in the sovereignty and goodness of God’s plans, and realizing that His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are higher than ours.

Q: Marcus tries to get Sophie to come back to Haverly Manor with him after her fiancé dies. Would a single woman in her situation during the Regency period have the choice to live on her own?

It would be difficult for an unmarried woman in the Regency era to live on her own. Though Sophie had the financial means to live independently, it would have been considered improper for her to live alone. However, for her to continue to live with Lady Richardson, as her companion and friend, was entirely proper.

Though Marcus is acting out of an abundance of compassion and brotherly concern, Sophie is reluctant to return to his home. She’s reluctant to give up the freedom she’s gained, as well as reluctant to live in a house where everyone will be watching her grieve. She wants to remain at Primrose Cottage with Lady Richardson.

Q: All of your leading men in the series end up with titles and responsibilities they weren’t expecting. Within moments of arriving at his new home, Charles’s new responsibilities multiply. Can you tell us about the surprise he receives?

Charles finds himself as the guardian to three young girls, sisters who were born on the estate. His uncle, the previous earl, had, for reasons of his own, taken on the orphaned girls as his wards and paid for them to go to boarding school. But at his death, the girls were returned to the estate.

The eldest is nearing womanhood and is a romantic, eager to fall in love and bewildering to Charles. The second is a daredevil, tomboy, and adventuress in whom Charles sees glimpses of his younger self. And the third is a girl barely six summers old, who is fascinated by Charles and imitates him at every turn. He’s not certain which of the girls scares him most, and as a collective, they have that crusty old sea captain shaking in his boots.

Q: Something doesn’t seem quite right with the staff at Gateshead and the surrounding village. What does Charles pick up on? What trouble does he find himself in?

Charles encounters inconsistencies in the behavior of those on the estate and in the nearby town. The town is more prosperous than he anticipated, people have possessions he didn’t expect, and there are signs that something is amiss.

    https://www.ericavetsch.com/giveaway.html

Q: Will you be sad to let this trilogy—your first Regency series—go? What can readers look forward to next?

There’s such a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction in seeing this series completed, but to answer your question . . . YES! I am so reluctant to let these stories and characters go that I’m bringing some of them back in my new series, the Thorndike and Swann Regency Mysteries!

The first book, The Debutante’s Code, should arrive in the fall of 2021 and features Lady Juliette Thorndike and Bow Street Runner Daniel Swann in a fast-paced tale of intrigue, espionage, and art thievery!

Q: Where can Regency fans go to interact and talk about books on Facebook? I am thrilled that we have a place on Facebook to discuss all things inspirational Regency romance. There is a lively and growing community of readers that can be found at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2568745689914759 . We have contests, giveaways, polls, notices of sales, reviews, and much more, and we’re always welcoming new members. Learn more about Erica Vetsch and her books at www.ericavetsch.com . She can also be found on Facebook (@EricaVetschAuthor) and Instagram (@EricaVetsch).

Thank you, Erica, for sharing this book with my blog readers and me. I so enjoyed the first two books so much, and this one is at the top of my to-be-read pile.

Readers, here are links to the book.

https://amzn.to/3cwe8gP

https://amzn.to/3rFj080

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book on this blog. 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.

Some people don't read the instructions of how to enter. Unfortunately, they don't have a chance to win. so next time you come and leave a comment, be sure to read all the instructions if you want a chance to win.

Elly (IN) is the winner of a choice of a list of 3 of my books since the winner on Linda Ford's book is in the US. 

Melanie (TX) is the winner of Christmas on Ocracoke by Christina Sinisi.

 

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.     

WINNER!

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.

Some people don't read the instructions of how to enter. Unfortunately, they don't have a chance to win. so next time you come and leave a comment, be sure to read all the instructions if you want a chance to win.

Anne (NM) is the winner of California Trail Discovered by Marie Sontag. 

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.      

BORROWED LIVES - Carol McClain - One Free Book

Welcome back, Carol. Tell us about your salvation experience. Odd as this may sound, my three-year-old daughter was the reason I accepted Jesus. During her early years, my life was “unpleasant.” I existed dismally in a chaotic marriage. Despite our marital problems, my child was always happy.

Even not knowing God, I knew He was raising her. Essentially, I dedicated her life to Him.

During this time, my brother had become a Christian. He opened my eyes to faith, and I decided to go to church because of my child. If I wanted to go to hell, that was my decision, but I couldn’t condemn my daughter to it. I needed to find out if Christianity was true.

Church attendance made life more difficult. My ex-husband liked every faith but Christianity. I quit going, but every time we passed our former church, my daughter would point and say, “There’s our church, Mommy.”

I’d slink down in the driver’s seat (of course, keeping my eyes on the road), and say nothing.

Eventually, my marriage ended (again because I couldn’t justify rearing a daughter in an environment that would wound her). I found a new place of worship. The people there befriended me and taught me, and the rest is history.

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

Lisa Wingate—I buy almost any book of hers I find without reading the first pages. I love her work. I use her style and development as teaching tools for my own writing. I, in no way, resemble her voice or style, but they influence me. Have I said I love her work?

Ane Mulligan—I believe, and BIG disclaimer, Ane more than likely doesn’t agree—we have a similar style, and our voice contains humor. I’d love to learn from her.

Barbara Delinski—not on the level of Wingate, but I love her style. I do read her cover blurbs and first pages because I don’t like all her books. I do enjoy her style and, like Wingate, read her novels to figure out how to make mine work.

Annie Dillard—I made my AP English Language class read Dillard (and when you read my most embarrassing moment answer a few questions down, you won’t believe I taught AP English). During that time period I devoured her work. Loved the spirituality it evoked. And seeing as it’s not an authoritative theology, I mostly loved the poetry of her prose. Evocative and beautiful. Every time I reread Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, I found new ideas and images.

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

I have a teaching ministry, not necessarily speaking. I have taught a couple of online courses for ACFW. In addition to this, I will be speaking for the San Gabriel’s Writers on April 1. I will also be teaching a course on dialog at the Mt. Zion Ridge Conference in May. Once a month, I teach local writers at the Postmark LaFollette Writers’ Group.

What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you and how did you handle it? How can we talk about the most embarrassing without humiliating ourselves again?

Lena asked—so here goes: I taught high school journalism. The students didn’t work overly hard for the course, and one girl wrote a horrific article about school lunches. She filled the article with misinformation and clichéd jabs. So, I made her correct the article. Meanwhile, everyone else created rewrites.

To say my eyes glazed over and my mind anesthetized itself is not a hyperbole.

The semester neared the end. We had to get our final project out. Layout (I forget the program name) was complicated. Hours and hours I spent on it and then I needed to proof final result.

I thought (Note the word thought) I proofed every article, so I sent the paper to the printer.

Done. Now, I could fly to the Bahamas, drink a virgin mojito and watch the surf. (Or sit in my gazebo in Malone, New York and read—what I really planned to do).

When the paper returned, we bundled the copies for each homeroom for distribution.

My negligent reporter blanched. “Mrs. D’Avanzo (my erstwhile name), you printed the wrong article.”

I read. And indeed, every one of her uncorrected grammatical mistake—not to mention the unfounded, sophomoric rants about cafeteria food—was printed in the paper. (Writers, attention here, ALWAYS have someone else do a final read-through).

What to do? I had twenty diligent students whose work I had uploaded correctly. This was the last day of the semester. School was closing for the year.

Fortunately, or not, the article perfectly backed a filler photograph, so we cut it out.

Yikes. If only I had time, and money, to redo the mess.

Yep. We sent out the paper with a hole in it.

I’d hoped the world would forget, but here I am, sharing the embarrassing moment on one of the most popular blogs on the internet.

Thank you for the compliment. People are always telling me that they’d like to write a book someday. I’m sure they do to you, too. What would you tell someone who came up to you and said that?

I tell them I’m available to help. I’m willing to teach them, but first they have to write something—even if what they write is awful. Nora Roberts said, “I can fix a bad page. I can't fix a blank page.”

To this date, no one has taken me up on my offer to help. (Maybe they heard about my newspaper escapade?)

I had a similar event when I was the managing editor for a regional Christian newspaper over 10 years ago, and mine went to print, on the front page. I didn’t catch the fact that the l was left out of Six Flags Over Texas. I still have copies of that paper in my filing cabinet. One of the salesmen brought it to my attention in a dramatic way. Tell us about your featured book. Distraught from recent tragedy, Meredith Jaynes takes pity on a young girl who steals from her. Meredith discovers “Bean” lives in a hovel mothering her two younger sisters. The three appear to have been abandoned. With no other homes available, Social Services will separate the siblings. To keep them together, Meredith agrees to foster them on a temporary basis.

Balancing life as a soap maker raising goats in rural Tennessee proved difficult enough before the siblings came into her care. Without Bean’s help, she’d never be able to nurture these children warped by drugs and neglect—let alone manage her goats that possess the talents of Houdini. Harder still is keeping her eccentric family at bay.

Social worker Parker Snow struggles to overcome the breakup with his fiancée. Burdened by his inability to find stable homes for so many children who need love, he believes placing the abandoned girls with Meredith Jaynes is the right decision. Though his world doesn’t promise tomorrow, he hopes Meredith’s does.

But she knows she’s too broken.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Something crashed downstairs.

Meredith Jaynes bolted up in bed. John? Rosemary?

She shook sleep from her head and listened for another sound.

Nothing.

Just a dream.

Then porcelain shattered.

Not a dream.

She tossed off her covers. Out of habit, not onto John’s side. While her heart hammered, she slid open the bedside table to grab her Walther .22. Meredith strained to hear. She prayed for silence. She slipped in the cartridge then ratcheted a shell into the chamber and released the safety.

Once more, something clattered like a tipping chair or a marionette tap dancing on the hardwood floor.

She tiptoed into the hallway.

Below her, the distinct bleating of goats wafted up the stairwell.

Goats? Inside?

She reengaged the safety on her .22 as she scurried down the stairwell.

In the kitchen, Oreo, her black and white Nubian who looked like her cookie namesake, eyeballed her with cocked head and slit pupils. With a bleat from her perch on the table, she dug into the loaf of bread Meredith had brought home from the farmers’ market.

Meredith leaned against the doorjamb and breathed again. The metal of the gun she held chilled her through John’s shirt—one she hadn’t washed …

You can purchase this book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Borrowed-Lives-Carol-McClain-ebook/dp/B08Z3HL2FZ/ref

How can readers find you on the Internet?

You can connect with me at: http://www.carolmcclain.com

On Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/author.Carol.McClain

On twitter and Instagram: @carol_mcclain

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14030286.Carol_McClain

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/carol-mcclain

Thank you, Carol, for sharing this book with my blog readers and me. I’m eager to read it (hopefully soon).

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 

MISHAPS OFF THE MAINLAND - Tabitha Bouldin - One Free Book

Welcome, Tabitha. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters. There’s a bit of me in every character. An attitude or a personality trait shows up in each one, but I do have one character who is more like me than most. She’s coming up in my November 2021 release, Footprints on her Heart. Most of the time, I try and make my characters more exciting than I am, but my sarcasm does tend to make a strong appearance.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done? I tried alligator once. That’s about as quirky as I get except for my personality. My personal life is nice and boring, just the way I like it. Oh, wait. I used to help my dad roof houses when I was about ten years old…does that count as quirky? Probably not.

Maybe not quirky, but interesting. And I love fried alligator. When did you first discover that you were a writer? When I gave in to God’s nudges and published my first book in 2018. I’d been writing since 2015, but until then, I didn’t consider myself a writer as much as I did a hobbyist who played with words. I still struggle to claim that I’m a writer. It feels surreal, in an amazing way, that this is what I get to do with my life.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading. Are you ready for this? Everything except erotica and autobiographies.

Contemporary Christian romance is my top favorite, followed by Christian fantasy. After that, if it’s Christian or clean fiction, I’ll read it. I don’t mind an occasional non-fiction, but I’ve never found a true autobiography that I loved. Of course, it’s been twenty years, give or take, since I opened one, so who knows what I’m missing out on.

How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world? Reading. Truly. Reading and writing are my escapes, my slow down and savor the moments that keep me going when the world’s gone bananas.

How do you choose your characters’ names? Oh, this one is fun! I have a few ways I choose names. Mostly, I read through baby name books from the year my character was “born” until I find one I like. Sometimes, I ask my readers to help me choose or narrow down a list of names. My main characters typically have unique or less popular names: Darcy, Nigel, Phoenix, etc. I love giving them a name that makes them stand out on the page even before the reader gets to know their personalities.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of? Graduating summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing. I worked hard for that distinction and put it to work every day.

If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why? I love this question. I’d be a horse. Since I was little, I thought it would be fun to be a horse. They’re one of God’s most majestic creatures. And they can run fast, unlike me. They have this ability to look into you and see your heart. Equine therapy is a real thing.

What is your favorite food? Does ice cream count? If I had to choose one food to eat forever, it’d be ice cream. As long as I didn’t have to choose just one flavor forever. Too many delicious options for me to be stuck with one. I even make my own (thank you, ice cream machine!).

I’m with you on that. I love homemade ice cream. Chick-fil-A’s ice cream is a lot like the homemade ice cream I grew up with. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it? Was, is, and probably always will be: fear. Fear I’m not good enough. That I never should have published any book, ever. That I’m a fraud and no one likes my work. Imposter syndrome. Somebody, stop me. I could go on forever. At the root of it all, fear. I pray a lot, asking for guidance and reminders that I’m doing what God wants and that is the greatest reason of all to put fear back in its place and keep writing.

That’s a lie from the enemy of our souls. We are good enough. God chose us to be writers. Tell us about the featured book. Mishaps Off the Mainland is a story of learning to trust God with your dreams and letting them happen in His time instead of our own. Melody Carmichael owns a pet grooming business, and when she loses a pet during the first week, it takes her down a road of doubt that she moved ahead of God’s timing. In opposition, Zeke has left his corporate responsibilities and run away from the mantle his dad wishes to place on his shoulders. He fears conflict and deflects with sarcasm, which puts him and Mel at odds while they work together to search for the missing dog.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Melody Carmichael picked up the twenty-five-pound Afghan Hound and swiveled to place the dog’s paws on the peeling laminate floor. Ripples of satiny auburn hair fanned over her arms, a testament to Mel’s hard work over the last two hours. “Good girl, Daphne.” Mel gave Daphne a pat before standing and reaching for the brown, leather leash dangling from a nearby wall. As Mel’s hand wrapped around the leash, her other hand released Daphne’s collar.

Sunlight burst through the artificial light of Mel’s mobile pet grooming truck when Darcy, her best friend and assistant, jerked open the small door. Snippets of Daphne’s hair whirled into the air, glittering against the light. “Hey, Mel, do we have time to add on a poodle today?”

Daphne yelped and jumped toward freedom.

“Daphne!” Mel lunged, her hands grasping empty air. She landed on her knees, both hands extended in front of her and her heart in her throat.

In her excitement, Daphne toppled Darcy, landing in a graceful fan fair of fur. Lean as a greyhound – only with a thousand times more hair – Daphne ran, barking every time her paws landed on the pavement.

Darcy stood and swiped debris from her backside. “Sorry, Mel.” She held out a hand, but with Mel still inside the truck, Darcy was in no position to help.

Mel waved Darcy’s hand away. “We need to get her. Afghans are notoriously independent. Catching her will be a pain, and I doubt she’ll come when we call. Follow her, Darcy. Don’t chase her but try and keep her in sight. I’ll talk to Miss Evelyn. Call me if you lose sight of her or if you catch her. You have a leash?”

Darcy nodded and patted her pocket. “I’m really sorry, Mel. I thought she was still on the table.”

“My fault, Darcy. Just follow her, please. We can’t waste time.”

Darcy bolted with one final apology tossed over her shoulder.

Mel stepped from chipped faux hardwood-imitating laminate to sun-baked asphalt. She propped clenched hands on her hips and counted to ten. This could not be happening. She closed her eyes and pinched her arm. At the flash of pain, her eyelids popped open. Nope. Not a dream. Her impeccable mobile pet grooming record had been tarnished. Maybe even irreparably destroyed. Okay, so her reputation was still in its baby stages. It still mattered. One mishap could sink her fledgling business. Panic rose in a tidal wave of acid, threatening to choke her.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

https://www.facebook.com/tabithabouldinauthor

https://www.twitter.com/tabithabouldin

https://www.instagram.com/tabithabouldin

https://tabithabouldinauthorhome.wordpress.com

https://mailch.mp/336c3621e5e7/tabithabouldinauthor

Thank you, Tabitha, for sharing this book with my blog readers and me. I’m eager to read my copy.

Readers, here are links to the book.

https://amzn.to/3d53aOJ

https://amzn.to/3slOotm

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

WHEN VALLEYS BLOOM AGAIN - Pat Jeanne Davis - One Free Book (see the bottom of the post for information on the giveaway)

Bio: PAT JEANNE DAVIS has a keen interest in 20^th Century United States and British history, particularly the period of World War II. Her longtime interest in that era goes back to the real-life stories she heard about family members who served during the war. When Valleys Bloom Again is a debut inspirational romance set in WWII. She enjoys flower gardening, genealogy research and traveling with her British-born husband.  She writes from her home n Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Pat has published essays, short stories, and articles online and in print. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. Subscribe to her newsletter here: www.patjeannedavis.com

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

When Valleys Bloom Again released in 2019. I enjoyed meeting readers at many events and answering question on the research for my novel and talking with them about their family members who served in the war. I missed greatly this interaction with readers last year. I have scheduled a few in person events for 2021 as I finish writing my next story and looking to publication. With God’s help, I expect to continue to step up my presence on social media, look for opportunities to do podcast interviews, set up online book promo tours, do guest blogging, and participate in multi-author book giveaways.

Tell us a little about your family. My husband, John, and I have lived in Philadelphia since we married 37 years ago. We are blessed with two grown sons and one daughter-in-law who live nearby. Oh, and three cats and two granddogs.

Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how? I especially enjoyed reading historical inspirational fiction, particularly stories set in England. I have less time for this now. Instead, I’ve been reading more biographies of those who played a key role in the shaping of history. Also, letters and diaries written in bygone days loaned to me by friends and family members. And thanks to the Web, I have access to documents in university archives and to newspaper articles written many decades ago.

What are you working on right now? I’ve been working on another story set in London and Philadelphia this time during the Progressive Era. The heroine in this story is a suffragist who is in charge of a settlement house.

Brief Synopsis of To Pursue A Passion: Until that unforgettable day when Marcella Whitney stumbled into the slums of Philadelphia and witnessed the conditions of newly arrived immigrants, her pursuits and outlook on life resembled those of her mother and sister, both society matrons. After that experience, her priorities changed forever. But would her domineering father give his approval to her entering settlement house work and to her taking up the cause of the women’s right to vote movement? She depends on his financial support and would need his consent. Her intended in a prearranged marriage issues an ultimatum if she pursue this course. Will Cella’s commitment to improving the lives of others forever separate her from her parents and ruin any chance of marriage.

How do you choose your settings for each book? I select a setting that I’m either familiar with or a place I’ll be able to travel to and get a feel for the location and the history behind my story. My first novel, When Valleys Bloom Again, is set in England where I’ve spent time over the years with my British born husband and in Philadelphia and Chester County Pennsylvania, where I spent my childhood. My second book is also set in Philadelphia where I’ve lived most of my adult life.

If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why? I’d love to chat with Catherine Parr, the last wife of Henry VIII. After a planned trip to Sudeley Castle, the last residence of Catherine when she remarried Thomas Seymour, I became acquainted with the time in which this heroic woman lived, the many obstacles she overcame and her tragic death. Among Catherine’s many accomplishments, she wrote Prayers and Meditation, the first book published in England by a woman under her own name and in the English language.

What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels? I would like to have known beforehand how much time, effort and money it would require to promote and market a first novel. Writing the story down and having it accepted for publication was only part of a larger process. As a new novelist with a small publishing house, I needed to learn business skills quickly in order to market and promote my own book and still work on another story. I’ve many times used the approach of successful authors when marketing their books.

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now? Even though I might do my very best to let readers know about my stories, ultimately the results are in His hands. As a new novelist what has touched my heart since the release of my debut novel is the willingness of so many to assist me in getting the word out about the story. I have been truly overwhelmed with the generosity of well established authors and other readers of Christian fiction. I believe the Lord wants me to be more generous with my time and money, to grow in the fruits of the spirit above every other pursuit and to seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness.

Tell us about the featured book. As war approaches in 1939, Abby Stapleton’s safety is under threat. Her father, a British diplomat, insists she go back to America until the danger passes. Abby vows to return to her home in London—but where is home? With her family facing mortal danger so far away and feeling herself isolated, she finds it hard to pray or read the Bible. Did she leave God behind in war-torn London, too? Then Abby becomes friendly with Jim, a gardener on her uncle’s estate.

Jim can’t get Abby out of his mind. Did she have a sweetheart in England? Was it foolish to think she’d consider him? He curses his poverty and the disgrace of his father’s desertion and drunkenness haunts him. Can he learn to believe in love for a lifetime and to hope for a happy marriage?

Abby couldn’t know the war would last a long time, nor that she would fall in love with Jim—soon to be drafted by the U.S. Army—or that she’d have to confront Henri, a rejected suitor, determined by his lies to ruin her reputation and destroy her faith in God’s providence. Will she discover the true meaning of home?

Please give us the first page of the book.

London, August 1939

Abby Stapleton slumped back in her seat, any glimmer of hope she’d harbored would soon be extinguished. A crystal chandelier jingled in the draft of an open window. She loved this room with its embossed wallpaper and rich tapestries, vibrant with memories of family. How could she leave all this?

Her father folded the newspaper with its glaring headlines, plopped it on the table and parted his lips to speak. Abby forestalled him. “I’m nineteen,” she said, her nerves rubbed raw by the endless squabbles with her parents. Speak low and slow, Abby. “I don’t w-w-want to go.” Her voice, thin and strained, echoed back from the high frescoed ceiling.

“A father can’t ignore his responsibilities,” he said, clasping her hand. “You know Hitler’s taken Austria and Czechoslovakia. Probably he’ll take Poland next.” He furrowed his brow. “And when that happens war with Germany will be unavoidable.” His hand shook, and he sounded as though he’d aged ten years in the space of a few minutes.

Sunlight dispersed through a bay window, washing the brocaded settee on which she and her mother sat with patches of red and gold. Her mother sidled closer and stroked Abby’s arm, her face taut and pale. “Do as your father says, dear. There are sandbags and barrage balloons everywhere, and gas masks are being handed out.”

Still determined to speak her mind before it was too late, Abby shut her eyes in a silent prayer. Lord, help me to keep my temper. She released her hand from her father’s. “I sh-sh-should be able to decide for myself w-w-whether I want to leave.” Now of all times when she needed eloquence, this accursed stammer bound her up tight.

Her father leaned forward and ran his fingers through his hair as though engaged in a last-minute tussle with this dilemma. As a senior diplomat in the British Foreign Office, he was privy to the realities behind the rumors of war. If anyone foresaw the hazards facing England, he did. With a pang of regret, Abby noted how weary he looked.

Then with a quick nod of finality—“Right, it’s settled,” he said, tapping his finger on the side table. “It will be safer for you in the States.”

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Website: https://www.patjeannedavis.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pat.j.davis.7

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

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43600391-when-valleys-bloom-again?from_search=true 

Amazon Author Page: https://amazon.com/author/patjeannedavis

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pat-jeanne-davis-34290422/         

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/patjeannedavis/ 

BookBub:  https://www.bookbub.com/authors/pat-jeanne-davis

When Valleys Bloom Again can be purchased here: https://www.amazon.com/Valleys-Bloom-Again-Jeanne-Davis/dp/1948888920/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=154

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/when-valleys-bloom-again-pat-jeanne-davis/1130351044?ean=9781948888929

ChristianBooks.com: https://familyfiction.christianbook.com/when-valleys-bloom-again/9781948888929/pd/888932?event=ESRCG

Thank you, Pat, 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— either an audiobook for a UK or US resident or a signed print copy for A US resident. 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.

Some people don't read the instructions of how to enter. Unfortunately, they don't have a chance to win. so next time you come and leave a comment, be sure to read all the instructions if you want a chance to win.

Elly (IN) is the winner of a choice of a list of 3 of my books since the winner on Linda Ford's book is in the US. 

Melanie (TX) is the winner of Christmas on Ocracoke by Christina Sinisi.

 

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.    

CALIFORNIA TRAIL DISCOVERED - Marie Sontag - One Free Book

Welcome, Marie. What has drawn you to writing for children? I taught middle school for thirteen years, and I love this age group. For one thing, they laugh at my jokes! I love making history come alive for them.

I know what you mean. I love making history come alive for adults through my historical novels. What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done? Trying to open the door and jump into my car as it rolled out of my driveway because I didn’t set the parking brake. (I failed).

When did you first discover that you were a writer? I first discovered (considered myself)  I was a writer at about age 11 when my mom gave me an old typewriter to help me write down stories I’d been scribbling on paper. I’ve been typing stories ever since.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading. I mostly prefer historical fiction, which is also what I love to write. I occasionally enjoy a good mystery, and I also enjoy nonfiction books about improving my spiritual and mental health, but I usually don’t stray much from historical fiction.

What other books have you written, whether published or not? I’ve written a book about recovery from childhood abuse titled When Love Is Not Perfect, published by Aglow Publications. I have a middle grade historical fiction trilogy about Ancient Mesopotamia. That series is called Ancient Elements. I also have a young adult historical fiction novel about the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides in Poland fighting alongside the Underground during WWII.

How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world? I start my day focusing on who God is in my life and submitting my plans and desires to Him. That usually involves prayer and reading Scripture. I also enjoy making puns which helps me laugh and not take life or myself too seriously!

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of, besides family? Before I started first grade, I asked my mom what came after grade 8. She told me about high school. I asked what came after grade 12. She told me about college. I asked what came after college. She told me about degrees such as a masters or doctorate. I told her, “That’s what I want to do. I want to go as far as I can.” I recalled that conversation when, in 2007 I was conferred with the degree of a Ph.D. in education.

That is really cool. If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why? An eagle so I could fly and have a larger perspective of the world.

What is your favorite food? My favorite sweets are donuts, but I don’t know if you can really classify those as food! My favorite food would have to be steak.

Sweets are food, too. Is it hard to break into the children’s market? Not if you love kids, are willing to work hard, and constantly improve your craft. A good place to break into the children’s market is to write for kids’ magazines.

What advice would you give to an author wanting to do that? Work with kids – teach school, volunteer at schools, volunteer to work with a church youth group, or teach Sunday School. Read a lot of children’s books and magazines. Watch movies made for the age group for which you’d like to write. Learn all you can about the writing process, take classes, join writing groups, and find a good critique group.

All very good advice. What would you like to tell us about the featured book? In California Trail Discovered, readers join orphaned thirteen-year-old Daniel and his younger stepsister (fictional characters) as they travel to Oregon and California with their guardian, Jim Savage (a historical figure). All Daniel wants to do is get back to Illinois to find out who murdered his parents. He doesn’t want to travel the Oregon Trail with his guardian, Jim. He doesn't want twelve-year-old Virginia Reed, a member of the Donner Party, as a friend. And he certainly doesn't want anything bad to happen to his little sister. But, when confronted by both good and bad Indians, good and bad whites, he fears he won’t be able to protect Hannah on the long trek, much less return to Illinois and solve the mystery behind his parents’ mysterious deaths. Both the reader and Daniel wonder if he’ll ever find a real family again. Written for middle-grade students, the book also includes S.T.E.A.M. lesson plans and activities teachers or home-schoolers can use to help readers make science, technology, engineering, arts, and math connections with the historical fiction content.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Readers can find me on my:

Webpage: http://www.mariesontag.com

Author Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMarieSontag/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mesontagauthor/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marie-sontag-27195b9/

 

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

Readers, here are links to the book.

https://amzn.to/3bPkKa3 - Paperback

https://amzn.to/3s3c5Gk - Kindle

Hardback also available

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.

Some people don't read the instructions of how to enter. Unfortunately, they don't have a chance to win. so next time you come and leave a comment, be sure to read all the instructions if you want a chance to win.

Pearl (NM) is the winner of The Spirit Woman of Lockleer Mountain by Elaine Faber. 

Caryl K (TX) is the winner of Roots of Wood and Stone by Amanda Wen.

 

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.   

RESCUED LOVE - Linda Ford - One Free Book (See details below)

Welcome back, Linda. Why do you write the kind of books you do? There are a number of reasons. I think many of us believe life was different in a kinder way back then and I like to explore that idea. Also, my dad was keenly interested in history, taking us to visit museums and telling us stories that made history come alive.

Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life? Goodness, that’s a hard one. I could say when I got married. Or when my first child was born. Or when we were successful in adopting a child. Or even when I sold my first book. The truth is, I enjoy life, and most days are marked by some happy thing. Like today, seeing the snow melt, seeing two geese returning from their winter grounds, enjoying a sweet orange…okay, I’m sounding like I enjoy simple things and I do.

How has being published changed your life? It’s made me more of an observer of life and how people reveal their reactions. It’s also given me an interest in researching historical places and events. Plus I’ve gotten to meet and enjoy talking to so many other authors.

What are you reading right now? An older book Whispers on the Prairie by Vickie McDonough. I’m enjoying it again. J

I love Vickie’s books, too, and that one is a favorite. What is your current work in progress? I am working on a six-book series based on six cowboys on the Circle A Ranch. The stories are in various stages of editing. I’ve really enjoyed this series. All of these men need wives but they live in the west where the only woman is the owner of the ranch where they live and work. She’s decided to find them wives but it turns out, her plans were for naught. Those books will be released later this year. Besides that series, I am doing a joint-project with Lacy Williams. Two novellas that go hand in hand. Mine is called Rodeo and Juliet. Hers is titled Much Ado About Josie. I like that we both made a play on a Shakespeare title. (It was deliberate.) Both those books are available for preorder.

I want to feature that one on my blog I love Lacy’s writing, too. What would be your dream vacation? Hawaii. I’ve been a few times and can’t get enough of the sun and sand. I love being on a lounge chair by the ocean with a book or notebook nearby. I love going to different coffee shops early in the morning. I love touring, seeing museums…what’s not to like?

James and I would like to go there. How do you choose your settings for each book? I’d have to say that often, the setting chooses me. For instance, in my Romancing the West series, I wrote it because on visits to the Porcupine Hills in SW Alberta my heart was drawn to the rolling hills with the Rockies as a back drop. I envisioned cowboys on horseback, herds of cows filling the draws.

Other times, I am doing random research and some little things pops out to me—a long-ago gold mine, the history of a ranching family who traveled to SW Alberta by covered wagon. The latter is an idea I am currently considering.

If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why? It might be silly of me to say this but I’d like to visit with my daughter. She lives in Colorado and because of COVID I haven’t been able to see her in over a year during which she has undergone some serious challenges including breast cancer and double mastectomy. It’s been very difficult not being able to go.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading? In the summer, I garden. I grow enough vegetables to keep our family fed throughout the winter. (I am currently feeding four adults.) I also like to travel especially for research but that has been limited this year.

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it? If I’m starting a book, I would say the hardest part is starting. If I’m midway through, I would say it’s the middle. If I’m editing, I would say editing but the truly hardest part is simply getting started every morning. It’s hard. Sometimes I set a timer for 15 or 20 minutes and force myself to write until the bell rings. Usually—hopefully—by then I am over the hurdle.

What advice would you give to a beginning author? Perseverance is your very best tool. Keep learning. Keep trying. Never ever give up.

Tell us about the featured book. Rescued Love is the story of Colleen, a disillusioned young woman heading west on a wagon train. She has been left behind by her wagon train because of a secret in her past. But how is she to survive and take care of her wee daughter on her own in such a perilous environment? Eli rescues her but neither of them are the least interested in love and marriage. Will the trials and joys of the journey make them change their minds?

Please give us the first page of the book.

“I’m going to get to California if I have to walk.” Colleen Doyle Pringle shifted the little girl higher on her back and tightened the shawl holding her in place. “Sheela, you hang on there. I know you don’t like being tied like this, but I can’t have you getting underfoot whilst I deal with these lumbering big beasts.”

She had spent far too much of the morning finding the oxen and bringing them back to the wagon.

Four days on her own, she’d been. And so little progress she’d made.

“Seems the good Lord could have seen fit to give me an extra pair of hands if He allowed my…” She wouldn’t call them friends. Nor hardly relatives though they were her dead husband’s brother and sister-in-law. “Allowed them to drive me from the wagon train.”

She urged the pair of oxen toward the wagon. Letting them graze, seeing they got water, rounding them up in the predawn morning, getting the yoke on them…well, she hadn’t expected it to be easy.

“Nor did I expect to be doing it alone with a bairn on me back either.”

Sheela grew restless and squirmed. She kicked the placid ox and startled him. He jerked, almost knocking Colleen off her feet.

 “Whoa there, Bully. Calm we is today. Calm.” She righted herself and stepped away until she was sure the big animals weren’t about to bolt.

Always aware that danger lurked in every direction, especially for a woman traveling alone except for two brawny beasts and an almost two-year-old girl, Colleen scanned the horizon. Nothing to see except for the wonderful mingling of colors in the grassy plains—shades of yellow and green dotted with colorful wildflowers. Oh, that she had time to bury her nose in some of them, perhaps pick a bouquet.

Her roving gaze jerked to a halt. Did she detect a movement? Might it be a deer or an antelope? If so, she meant to have some fresh meat. She reached under the wagon seat and retrieved her rifle.

The movement had halted, and across the shimmering prairie she made out the shape better. A man. “Well, that’s a concern,” she murmured. Could she hope he hadn’t spied the wagon? Eh, and with its great, white, flapping canvas it was hard to miss on the rolling prairie with nary a tree or stump to hide behind.

Sure enough. The rider galloped her direction.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

My website: www.lindaford.org

My author facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/LindaFordauthor

BookBub followers: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/linda-ford

My newsletter: sign up on my website (top left-hand side) and receive a free book.

Thank you for sharing this book with my blog readers and me. I’m eager to read it.

Readers, here are links to the book.

https://amzn.to/3euuSXt - Kindle

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of a book. If the winner is from Canada, you’ll receive a copy of Linda’s book. If the winner is from anywhere in the US, you’ll receive a copy of one of my books. 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 to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link: Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com 

CHRISTMAS ON OCRACOKE - Christina Sinisi - One Free print book in US or one free Ebook outside US

Welcome, Christina. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters. First, thank you so much for hosting me on your blog!

Then, I don’t know that there’s a great deal of myself in my characters, but there is a little bit of this person I know and a little bit of that one and then some mixing and finally a whole lot of imagination.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done? Wow—this demanded I consult a dictionary. Not that I didn’t know what the word meant, but I needed to narrow it down. Once you reach a certain, ahem, age, the number of quirky events and actions accumulate. Here’s one—I don’t need an alarm clock. I tell myself to take a thirty-minute nap and I wake up exactly thirty minutes later. I even turn the clock in the other direction to make sure I’m not cheating.

That’s a wonderful thing to have. When did you first discover that you were a writer? I grew up on a farm and attended a rural school system. There was no kindergarten and no testing to determine if you were ready, your parents just put you on the bus. I learned my alphabet and how to read in first grade. By third grade, I started writing poems and wrote a play in fifth grade. So, I discovered I was a writer as early as I possibly could.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading. I have read everything from science fiction to fantasy to classical literature to a couple of horror to theology to romance. As I’ve grown older, I’ve narrowed down to mostly romance with some occasional fantasy. I’m also finding that I truly only want to read literature with faith embedded—I recently read a secular book and all I could feel was frustrated. Don’t the characters know that God wants to love them and help them?

I’m with you. I rarely read a secular novel. I so miss the spiritual thread in stories. How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world? I have two porches and a cat, Chessie Mae. Chessie and I love to take turns rocking on the porches. I am also blessed with a husband of 34 years, two wonderful, grown children, and friends and a church community. Oh, and a loving Savior with whom I talk quite often, sometimes out loud when I’m driving.

I often talk to Him out loud. What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of? Raising two believing children. My degrees, being a tenured professor, and a published author all are temporary, amazing blessings, but temporary.

If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why? Hmmm, when I was a child, I was horse crazy so I might have said that at one point in my life. I’ve always wanted to fly so I feel an affinity with the beautiful red-tailed hawk perched on top of my mailbox. But, in the end, I’ll have to say a cat. Stretching out in the sun and napping are among my favorite past times.

What is your favorite food? I love to cook new dishes and try new recipes—so the next new thing might be the true answer. If you prefer a more specific response, I’d have to say shrimp and grits. Charleston restaurants offer them so many ways and I love them, each and every one.

What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it? Getting published. Before I got that affirmation, I’d write maybe one manuscript a year or every other year. I found it so difficult to persevere and had almost given up. Now, I’m writing two a year and articles and short stories and blog posts.

Tell us about the featured book. Christmas on Ocracoke: Reeling from the upheaval of a failed marriage, Annie Hanahan is desperate for a new start—and when she inherits a cottage on Ocracoke Island, she may finally get it. Without a second thought, she packs up and leaves everything behind: her first name, her job, and her ex-husband. But when she arrives in the Outer Banks, she finds the island—and her promised refuge—ravaged by Hurricane Dorian. As a contractor who has given so much of his time to helping Ocracoke recover, it surprises no one when Trey Kingsley offers to help the beautiful newcomer, but something is holding her back. Life keeps throwing them together though, or perhaps God’s hand is giving them a nudge. Will a little bit of divine intervention be enough for a Merry Christmas on Ocracoke?

Please give us the first page of the book.

What a way to make a fresh start.

Annie Hanahan glanced back via the rearview mirror and said a quick prayer of gratitude that her baby boy was too young to know what was going on right now. She’d die in shame, or eternal pre-teenaged mockery if he was, say, a decade older. Instead, her two and half year old son waved his hands in the air and grabbed a toy Brontosaurus from the diaper bag that was propped open next to his car seat.

The police officer drew even, and she lowered the driver’s side window. Up till now, she’d gone her whole life without a ticket.

 “Good morning, ma’am. I’d ask if you knew how fast you were driving, but I’m guessing you figured that out by now.”

Annie concentrated on her breathing and not crying. “Yes, sir. I was going 80 in a 65.” So was every good ole’ boy along this stretch of the road, but if she’d been the low hanging fruit, so be it. “I’m sorry.”

The state trooper started to smile but must have remembered who he was and squashed any close-to-human expression from his face. “Well, ma’am, sorry is a good thing. Can I see your license and registration?

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Website/Blog: https://www.christinasinisi.com/ 

Twitter: @ChristinaSinisi

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Christina-Sinisi-Author-105861987440664/?modal=admin_todo_tour

Instagram: @csinisi123

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/csinisi/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/101218889-christina-sinisi

Bookbub:  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/christina-sinisi

Thank you, Christina, for sharing this novella with my blog readers and me.

Readers, here are links to the book.

https://amzn.to/3rtiquL

https://amzn.to/3bqYkeJ

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