A COUNTERFEIT BETROTHAL - Denise Weimer - One Free Book

Bio: Denise Weimer writes historical and contemporary romance from her home in North Georgia and also serves as a freelance editor and the Acquisitions & Editorial Liaison for Wild Heart Books. A wife and mother of two daughters, she always pauses for coffee, chocolate, and old houses.

God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon? Yes, I am so blessed to work with Misty Beller and her staff at Wild Heart Books with the release of my Scouts of the Georgia Frontier, a five-book series. I also am releasing two novellas in their Romance at the Gilded Age Resorts Series. Releases from both series populated 2023 and continue throughout 2024. Plus, my novel of Barbour’s A Day to Remember Series, When Hope Sank, about the 1865 sinking of the Sultana steamboat, comes out in May.

This year, I’ll be promoting all those novels as well as continuing as the Acquisitions & Editorial Liaison at Wild Heart Books. It’s a double blessing that I get to acquire and edit Christian historical romances from so many other talented authors! The company is growing, and God is blessing.

My agent, Linda S. Glaz, also continues to shop some of my proposals to other publishers.

I’m blessed to be one of those Wild Hearts Books authors you’re helping. Tell us a little about your family. I’m married to Wayne, an investment advisor, and we have two daughters who are currently in grad school. I’m also thankful to have my parents close by. They attend many book events with me.

Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how? My editing has changed my reading habits. Except for the occasional endorsement read, I don’t get to read a bunch for pleasure just because of the eye and brain strain that comes from lots of editing. Not to mention, it’s hard not to read a book without my mental red pen switched to “on.” But when I get the chance, I love escaping into other Christian historical romances…and occasionally, a contemporary romantic suspense novel.

What are you working on right now? Book Three of the Scouts of the Georgia Frontier, A Cherished Betrothal, just released, so I’m gearing up for spring in-person events as well as the activities mentioned above.

What outside interests do you have? I enjoy attending living history events, vintage dance, and outings to cute towns and coffee shops with my friends and the ladies in my family. I’m also part of a hiking club for Christian women. Trekking around the North Georgia mountains always brings me fresh inspiration.

How do you choose your settings for each book? Most of my books are set in Georgia, though some now are in other Southern states. I love to find little-known but fascinating historical happenings or locations and base a story around those.

I’ve been doing that with my novels, too. I love learning about events. If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why? I never know how to answer that one since there are so many fascinating historical people. I’d have a hard time choosing between religious leaders, military leaders, brave pioneers, and the American founding fathers.

What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels? Haha! Well, when I first started writing, the publishing preference was just switching from narrative style to deep point of view. I learned as a work in process, so I could have saved some time if I had been aware of that transition earlier.

Apart from that, I think I’d go back and tell my younger author self that the best open doors would come through working with other authors. And that it will take a long time to gain traction outside my local area.

My first novel, which released in 1992, was in the narrative style, and I didn’t know any other authors. What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now? I guess my current lessons have to do with trusting God to work when we’ve done all we can in certain areas of life and may not see a change. And I’m learning how our human interpretations of Him and circumstances are so limited. He is truly so much more gracious than we know.

What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful? Study the craft, whether that comes by reading books, attending workshops, joining a writers’ group, or working with an editor or mentor. Study the agent or publishing house so that when you submit, you are certain there is a potential match and you are putting your best foot forward by offering the materials in the style and format requested. And then, trust the results and the timing to God.

Very good advice. Please tell us about the featured book. Yes! A Counterfeit Betrothal is a heart-warming homefront romance set during the War of 1812 on the Southern frontier.

At the farthest Georgia outpost this side of hostile Creek Territory, Jared Lockridge serves his country as a scout to redeem his father’s botched heritage. If he can help secure the peace against Indians allied to the British, he can bring his betrothed to the home he’s building and open his cabinetry shop. Then he comes across a burning cabin and a traumatized woman just widowed by a fatal shot.

Freed from a cruel marriage, Esther Andrews agrees to winter at the Lockridge homestead to help Jared’s pregnant sister-in-law. Lame in one foot, Esther has always known she is secondhand goods, but the gentle carpenter-turned-scout draws her heart with as much skill as he creates furniture from wood. His family’s love offers hope even as violence erupts along the frontier—and Jared’s investigation into local incidents brings danger to their doorstep. Yet how could Esther ever hope a loyal man like Jared would choose her over a fine lady?

https://www.amazon.com/Counterfeit-Betrothal-Scouts-Georgia-Frontier-ebook/dp/B0C8ZP46QD/

Please give us the first page of the book.

LATE NOVEMBER 1813

JACKSON COUNTY, GEORGIA

The unmistakable tang of smoke in the air stiffened Jared Lockridge’s spine as he urged his big red roan down the ridge that cradled the Apalachee River. Not just a little, either, as one would expect from a chimney or even a campfire. Drawing back on the reins, he scanned the treetops. There, to the north—a sooty fingerprint against the purpling twilight sky gave evidence of trouble.

He’d already steeled himself against overnighting at his brother’s nearby cabin, stuffing his growling stomach on his brother Noble’s new wife’s cornbread. The report he bore should be carried straightaway to his commander at Fort Daniel. In counties to the south, there’d been two attacks in early November by Creek Indians allied to the British. Those incidents verified Major Terrell’s intelligence from Indian Agent Benjamin Hawkins—the Red Stick Creeks had indeed been recruiting in the Upper Creek towns and could soon be pressing all the way up the Jackson Line. The line Jared was paid to scout.

Could the fire be more evidence of Creek war parties? This far north? He couldn’t ignore the possibility—or that of a settler in need of assistance.

Jared kneed his stallion toward the smoke. Within minutes, he caught sight of flames dancing between the trees. In the center of a clearing, a cabin was burning. Instinct begged him to charge up to the homestead in case anyone needed rescuing, but wisdom whispered caution.

This book just moved to the top of my to-be-read list. How can readers find you on the Internet?

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Thank you, Denise for sharing A Counterfeit Betrothal with my blog readers and me. I know they’ll be as eager to read it as I am.

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