MADE FOR EACH OTHER - Karen Cogan - One Free book

Welcome, Karen. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters. I write bits of myself into many of my main characters. They may have opinions I share and habits that I have. I write my favorite meals into my books as well as habits I had as a child. 

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done? The quirkiest thing I’ve done is having our house painted vivid blue when my husband was out of town. He was surprised by how “blue” it turned out. I love blue!  

When did you first discover that you were a writer? I became a writer before I could write. I made up stories and told them to my older sister so that she could write them down. Then, I wrote my own stories in elementary school. 

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading. I enjoy a variety of literature. I like clean contemporary and historical romance, Christian romance, and psychological suspense. 

How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?  I don’t. There are some days I hardly have time to get a drink. I still make time to write or to record audio books each day. That is one of the things that keep me sane. The other things are my faith in God and the company of my family. 

How do you choose your characters’ names? My characters’ names must fit the role and personality they will have in the story. I try different names and imagine them with the name. If it doesn’t fit, I try again. I know when it matches how I imagine them.  

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of? I am most proud of raising four God-loving children. If all of my other dreams had come true and yet my children were not people I respected, I would not feel proud of anything. 

If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why? I believe I would be a cat. Cats lie around and do exactly what they please. Our cat hops up to get petted when she feels like it. She gets service as soon as she lets me know she is hungry, and she tells me when she wishes to play with her favorite toy. What a life! 

What is your favorite food? My favorite food is baked potatoes. I have loved them ever since I was a young child. My mother made them with crusty skins, and she put butter, salt, and pepper inside. They always tasted amazing.  

I love baked potatoes, too. I put grated cheese in mine for the protein. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it? My greatest roadblock has always been finding time to write. I’ve found that if I can snatch a moment here and there, and sometimes, a larger block of time, I can make progress on finishing my novels. 

Tell us about the featured book. This novel is a contemporary Christian romance. In the story, a young woman is transferred to a small city to further her career. Her grandmother lives in the city and Lissa stays with her. She never expects anything to stand in the way of her driving desire to be successful in her career and make a salary that will make her feel secure. She does not expect to meet a man who can make her question her consuming devotion to her work. 

Please give us the first page of the book. Here it is:

Lissa Davis descended the puddle-jumper’s narrow stairs to arrive on the tarmac, then stopped and took in a deep breath, before exhaling. It had been a bumpy ride from Albuquerque to Farmington, New Mexico. She took a moment to regain her composure before heading for the glass doors into the airport arrival section. She walked past the narrow gate area and straight into the lobby, scanning faces for the young man Grandma Mandy described when she called to say she was too ill to meet the plane herself. 

“Lissa?” 

She turned her head, startled by both his warm voice and strong, good looks. “Yes.” 

“I’m Jason Carlisle.” 

His friendly smile disarmed her while his crystal blue eyes captured her gaze. She and Jason stepped out of the way and she extended her hand. “You must be Grandma Mandy’s friend. I hope it isn’t a bother to give me a ride.” 

“None at all. Let me help you with your bag”. 

She shook her head. “This one isn’t bad. I could use a hand with the luggage. She indicated the baggage claim station. How’s Grandma Mandy feeling?” 

The masculine scent of his sandalwood aftershave drifted to her as Jason followed to collect her bags. 

As they waited for the carousel to deliver the bags, he said, “She’s over the worst of the stomach bug. She’s disappointed she’s still too weak to pick you up today.” 

Lissa glanced over her shoulder. “I appreciate you helping us out.” 

“It’s my pleasure.” He gave her a killer smile that piqued her curiosity as to whether his inner core was as attractive as his outer. 

Grandma Mandy had mentioned he was single when she told Lissa that Jason would be giving her a ride to the house. Perhaps she had plans to set them up. If so, she’d be disappointed. Since Lissa would be returning to Houston after a short work term, it would be foolish to form a relationship. If she’d learned anything from her mother’s experience, it was that it was important to succeed in her profession and stand on her own feet. 

Jason brushed a hand through his short, blond hair. She wondered what he was thinking when his gaze locked with hers. Though some men were deterred by her breezy manner, it didn’t seem to give him a moment’s pause. Since she knew no one in this small city except Grandma Mandy, having him for a friend might be nice. 

She pointed out two canvas, navy suitcases for Jason to snag. He got each on the first try and swung them beside him. He pointed to the plate-glass doors. “I’m parked out front. “It’s this way.” 

Glare from the fall sunlight and the crisp, dry air greeted her. Squinting, she rustled through her purse and found her sunglasses. Farmington was bright, with a clear blue sky. In contrast, she found the brown, rocky, landscape unappealing. Where she was from, thick, green vegetation filled every nook. 

The view atop the airport mesa revealed more scant foliage, low brush, and scrubby trees she didn’t recognize. In contrast, the San Juan Mountains to the south sparkled under glittering mantles of snow. “Is it always this dry and…well, brown?” she asked. 

“A lot of people can’t see the beauty of the desert right under their noses. The color of the rocks and the varying hues of sage are only part of the scenery you don’t see in the rest of the country.” 

They had an awkward moment of quiet. Then Jason changed the direction of their conversation. “Mandy told me you’re a petroleum geologist. What does a petroleum geologist do?” 

“I find the location and size of crude oil deposits by taking samples of surface rocks. Then, I go back to the lab to evaluate them for hydrocarbons and other minerals that indicate they’re oil rich. I also, use computer technology to analyse the region and read well logs. Then I can advise the company where to drill.” 

From what she understood, they had several potential wells to consider. She would be expected to make a recommendation about which to pursue and advise the boss. 

“Your work sounds interesting. I think it’s great you transferred to be close to your grandmother. She’s happy to have family here.” 

Lissa bit her lip. “I love Grandma Mandy with all my heart, but I took this job because my boss told me it would help in getting a raise and a promotion in the Houston office. I’m only here long enough to finish this project.”  

Again, there was an uneasy silence. 

“This is a nice car. What do you do for a living?” she asked.  

“I’m an artist.” 

“Oh.” Lissa raised a brow. “That sounds interesting. What kind of artist?” 

“Landscape, mostly. The southwest is my favorite subject matter. As far as I’ve seen, it has the most beautiful scenery on earth. I’m blessed to spend time outdoors admiring God’s creation and capturing it on canvas.” 

He grinned, showing even white teeth. “I get paid to do it, too.” 

“I can’t imagine how you compose a painting. It sounds fulfilling to pick up a brush and make scenery come to life.  It must be a natural gift. What else do you do?” 

He tilted his head. “What do you mean?” 

“For a job?” 

“That is my job. I’m a full-time artist.” 

She blinked. “That’s impressive. You’re young and you’re making a living in a difficult market. What if it doesn’t last? It doesn’t have the security of working for a company.” 

“I believe God called me to it. I trust Him to take care of me as long as I’m in His will. I’ve never missed a meal.” 

Lissa contemplated his apparent faith in a job that could dry up any time the public stopped buying his work. “I admire your confidence. I prefer a career with a steady paycheck.” 

It took more courage than she would ever have to take a route like that. She didn’t have that much trust in a Divine Deity or her understanding of what God wanted for her. She’d dreamed of a singing career when she was in high school. Her teachers had encouraged her to take voice lessons and perhaps go to a fine arts college.  

She gave herself a mental shake. She couldn’t let her thoughts go there. There was one fact she’d learned from her mom. Adults stayed focused and put their time into work and saving for the future. 

“Do you like art?” he asked. 

“I do. I’ve never met anyone who does it full-time.” 

He’d seemed like an average sane guy until he mentioned his job. As he took a road past the city terminal and downhill to an area of handsome older homes, she wondered how he could stand the insecurity of such a risky profession. 

They drove along a street where trees clustered in low areas beside the road. “We must be close to water,” Lissa observed. 

Jason nodded. “We’re passing an area called The Glade. Rainwater washes through here from Choke Cherry Canyon. It’s natural irrigation.” 

“That’s what we have in Houston. We don’t have to worry about water except for an occasional drought.” 

She liked frequent rain showers. Her stint here would be a trial. Jason seemed to believe there was something of beauty in every part of creation. Perhaps he was right, and the area would grow on her. 

“I didn’t bring rainwear,” she continued. “However, I was told to bring a warm coat. I can already tell it will get plenty of use.” 

They turned onto a wide street and passed shopping strips with small stores, and a large grocery store. To break the silence, Lissa said, “I’ve never seen where Grandma Mandy lives. She and Granddad came to see us after they moved. We never came here to visit. Dad’s great-grandfather raised his family in the house where Grandma now lives. Before that, aunts and uncles lived in it until it fell back to Granddad.” 

Jason waved a driver over who needed to change lanes. There was more to him than striking blue eyes and a strong jaw. He had manners. “The old family home has a rich history, then?” 

“Yes. It means a lot to my dad because it’s been in the family for several generations. Grandma Mandy lived there as a little girl.” 

They passed a large brick church and turned into a neighborhood with mostly gravel landscaping. The houses were stucco, and many had flat roofs. He pulled into the driveway of a beige house with a large plate-glass window. Moments later, her grandmother opened the door and stepped onto the flat concrete porch. Lissa hurried from the truck to greet her. 

She looked thinner than Lissa remembered. They clutched each other in a hug. “You’re as pretty as ever,” Grandma Mandy said. 

“Thanks. I’ve missed you. Are you feeling better? I was worried when you told me you’d been sick.” 

How can readers find you on the Internet? My books are carried on all the major online sites. Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Karen-Cogan/e/B001JSB9XE%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share 

Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/author/karen-cogan/id393752956  

Audio available on Apple site. 

Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Karen%20Cogan 

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

Readers, here are links to the book.

https://amzn.to/3yFr8Ke - Paperback

https://amzn.to/3fPif8h - Kindle (free right now)

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