THE WISE GUY AND THE STAR - Shannon McNear - One Free Book

Welcome back, Shannon. What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about? Loss, grief, dealing with past abuse … but also the majesty and faithfulness of the Lord to carry us through anything, even to bring good from the awful things in our life.

What other books of yours are coming out soon? My surprise #4 of Daughters of the Lost Colony, Virginia, releases in September. It is, of course—if you’re familiar with Lost Colony history—the story of Virginia Dare herself, the first English child born in the New World. This series is properly termed alternate history because it deals more with what might have happened rather than what we know for sure.

If you could spend an evening with one contemporary person (not a family member of yours), who would it be and why? I’d love to have a long, leisurely chat with fellow author Lori Benton. I so adore her work!

What historical person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why? Right this minute it’s a toss-up between Corrie Ten Boom, C.S. Lewis, and Susanna Wesley … all of them for their faith and wisdom. 😊

How can you encourage authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers? Well … as someone who waited for 30 years on my first publishing contract, I learned that waiting on the Lord is the best path—and His timing is always perfect. The process had deeper purpose than I knew, partly to grow me as a writer and to make my stories “better,” but also to teach me it really is more about the journey than the “destination” of being published. Don’t rush whatever it is the Lord has for you!

Tell us about the featured book. This story was originally part of Love’s Pure Light, a Barbour Christmas collection from 2020, with Susanne Dietze, Janine Roche, and Deborah Raney. The collection features an heirloom Nativity passed down through several generations, and while the other three are back in print, I was not able to get mine released again until now. So without further ado … 😊

Can a chance encounter be the connection they have always needed?

After the end of the Great War, pastor’s daughter Stella Shepherd accompanies her aunt on a business trip by train and meets convalescing war veteran Nat Wise and his two older brothers. The three men are whimsically named after the gifts of the biblical wise men and dubbed “the Wise guys” by their cousins. They claim to be down-and-out soldiers recently returned from the front, but they’re surrounded by mystery.

Stella secretly carries the family Nativity to comfort her while away from family during Christmas. Nat quietly spends his spare time carving a set of wooden wise men to honor his own deceased mother. To him, Stella is the perfect church girl—darling, but unattainable because he’s done too much for God to forgive him.

Stella longs to help Nat find renewed faith in God, but could he be the answer to the wanderings of her own heart?

Please give us the first page of the book.

Charleston, South Carolina—December 1919

Stella Shepherd stepped inside the huge building of Union Station, stared about her at the hustling crowd, then lifted her eyes to the arching beams high over their heads. Why had she ever thought she’d be comfortable traveling so close to Christmas? Away from home. Away from family.

Well, family who extended some modicum of warmth, at least.

“Stella girl, you best get a move on, now!” came the voice of Old Joe, her aunt’s manservant, behind her.

Stella swallowed hard, took a better grip on her satchel and suitcase, and fastened her gaze on the retreating form of her aunt, sailing through the crowd ahead of her like the battleship she was oft compared to. But still she couldn’t move.

This trip was an adventure, Mama said. And surely, if she and Papa had thought it a bad idea, they’d not have allowed her to go with Aunt Lila.

Or, as the case may be, let Aunt Lila talk them into allowing her to go.

“Stella!” came old Joe’s booming admonishment, closer now.

Aunt Lila glanced over her shoulder, her arched brows rising even higher.

No more hesitation. Stella scurried after her, weaving between the other travelers.

The rumble of the steam engine echoed through the busy station and vibrated in the stone floor, growing stronger as she neared the train stretching the length of the station platform in front of her.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

http://shannonmcnear.com/

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http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6880909.Shannon_McNear

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http://twitter.com/shenandoah_dawn

https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B00BK9VRZ2

Thank you, Shannon, 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. 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 2 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

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Dennis Jernigan Young Reader series book 2 - THE LIGHT EATER

ABOUT THE LIGHT EATER:
The Kingdom of Bren faces a deadly foe. Can the Jennings children defeat a light-eating dragon in time to save the realm?

The Jennings kids are once more swept into the magical land of Bren to fight a monster only they can conquer. The kingdom is falling into darkness under the attacks of Luminaud, a giant red dragon, who draws his strength from the light of life, beginning with the light of children! 

Only the great, mystical sword known as Lumen’s Hammer, can slay the dreadful beast, and it can only be wielded by a child. But where is the sword hidden and who can use it against the slithering leviathan? 

Will the children unite in time to overcome the dreaded Light Eater or will Bren be dimmed forever?

Full of fiery trials, surprising reunions, and frightening foes, The Light Eater is the second book in the Bairns of Bren series, which chronicles the adventures of the Jennings in the land of Bren, their grandfather’s kingdom. Fans of The Chronicles of Narnia and The Spiderwick Chronicles will enjoy this fantasy series for young readers.

1. What is the significance of the name ‘Light Eater’? 

One of my grandsons actually inspired this story. He received a plush toy dragon one Christmas and told me it ate light. That idea struck me like a bolt of lightning as to how it seems that the life God intends for us all is slowly being eaten away by darkness. Our children live in a day and an age and a culture in which the light of the life of God's Word seems to be being consumed by the lies of the enemy. In this story, the light eater, Luminaud, absorbs the life out of living creatures of all kinds, but especially seeks the light of the children of the king. 

2. How is the story used to teach children to rely on God?

Once again, the children find themselves face-to-face with pure evil and are sent on a royal quest by their grandparents, the high king and high queen of the land of Bren. The children find themselves alone at times and are encouraged to listen for the voice of the Founder; encouraged to cry out to Him in prayer; encouraged to trust the Founder even when up against the most terrible of circumstances. 

3. How do the children manage to face their fear?

One of the ways the children learn to face your fears is to recognize the need for sacrifice. Each child must come to grips with the knowledge that their own life might be required to insure the safety and peace of the citizens of the kingdom. Their grandparents teach them that perfect love casts out fear. They're encouraged to constantly remind themselves that they are loved no matter what. What they discover is that changing the way they think actually has a lot to do with changing the way they feel. They also come to understand the power in unity of purpose. That unity of purpose? The safety and security of the people of the kingdom of Bren. 

4. How does the story hope to teach children to have a Christ-centered worldview?

One of my main goals with this series of books is to teach children how to see life - the good, the bad, the ugly - from the perspective of the Founder. In other words, when we see a mountain, God sees a mere mole hill. When we see death and destruction, God sees an opportunity to pour out his grace and comfort and restoring power and love upon mankind. My goal is that children would come to understand that God wastes nothing; that he can take even what the enemy means for evil and use it for something good. 

5. What is the ultimate take-away you hope for each reader?

The ultimate take-away for the reader is really very simple: that they would learn to walk in the light of God's Word and love; that they would learn to become spiritual warriors, unafraid to pierce the darkness with the light of God; that they would learn to see life as a grand adventure meant to be lived with joy regardless of the circumstances. I get encouraged just by talking about this story! 

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

This book is available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook format at https://www.amazon.com/s?k=THE+LIGHT+EATER+dennis+jernigan&crid=363FVQJ09YAIV&sprefix=the+light+eater+dennis+jernigan%2Caps%2C247&ref=nb_sb_noss 

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 2 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

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