AWAKENING - Tracy Higley - One Free Book

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

I’ve been having a great time branching out a little bit, writing a contemporary suspense after so many historical novels. In the upcoming year, I’m hoping to do some of both. I’ve got a historical novel I’m working on right now, plus an idea for a time-travel series.

Tell us a little about your family.

I have one great husband and four great kids! My children range from 11 to 21 years old, so we’re parenting at all different levels—middle school, high school, college, and beyond (my 21 year old is already finished with college and out on her own!). Here at home these days, it’s just me, hubby, and two boys, now that the older two girls are out of the house. It’s a whole new world being the only female in the house!

My husband was always the only male in a house with three females. Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?

Hmmm, I think I’d say my writing has made me a bit more critical when I read. If I see what I know are glaring flaws that are distracting in a novel (not typos, but things like characterization and plot structure), I’m likely to set it aside. Life’s too short to read books that are less than wonderful. I also don’t read as much fiction as I used to, perhaps because I’m writing it.

What are you working on right now?

Currently in focus is a historical novel set around the magi who came to visit Jesus at his birth. These aren’t your grandmother’s magi, however. Lots of spiritual darkness set in an epic quest across the desert.

What outside interests do you have?

I never like this question, since I don’t have any good answers! Does chocolate count? Besides writing and the business-side of it, and reading, I love movies and good TV drama, and I love to travel.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

Settings just speak to me; they really do. The setting for my books is typically the first thing to draw me to an idea, before characters or plot. There are so many amazing and fascinating places and times to write about. I’ve written about ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, Pompeii, Jordan, Israel, and Ephesus. I just keep returning to these wonderful places that draw me!

If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?

I’m a huge history buff, so this is an impossible question—impossible to choose only one! But I’ll give you one of my choices—Caesar Augustus. Weird, I know. But he was an amazing emperor, ruling at an unbelievably critical time in Rome’s history. I’d love to hear about the ancient world from his perspective.

What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?

I wish I’d known that the best way to go about it doing it well is to write the books you want to read, the books you love, and love to write, and to ignore anyone telling you otherwise.

Very good advice. What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

I think God is expanding my worldview the past few years. I’ve been working on a Master’s Degree in Ancient History, which is giving me a broader scope of human history and God’s work in the world, and I’ve done more contemplating of ideas outside those that have been part of the “standard” world of my upbringing. I’m realizing that God and His plan are much bigger than I previously understood.

It’s wonderful when we finally realize that. What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?

Chase your adventure—there is a unique calling on your life that only you can fulfill. Figure it out and go for it.

Discipline and focus—in your writing and your personal life—will get you farther than raw talent.

Love your work—always and foremost love the writing you’re doing, or don’t do it.

Tell us about the featured book.

Awakening is a contemporary suspense, set in exotic locations around the globe, including Greece, Egypt, and Venice.

Kallie Andreas is a mystery, even to herself.

Seven years ago Kallie woke up in a New York City museum, injured and traumatized. Alone and unclaimed. When a mysterious billionaire invites her to scour the black market with him for a lost treasure, Kallie can't resist. Dimitri is wealthy, charming, and good-looking, but she's not interested—not in someone who's clearly hiding secrets of his own.

Please give us the first page of the book.

The world outside Kallie’s apartment was unreal—a hazy fairy tale sucking her into itself as she dashed from her building into the gray morning chill and descended rain-slicked concrete steps to the city street.

Not a happily-ever-after fairy tale.

Kallie hesitated on the sidewalk, turned, and eyed the massive door to her apartment building, then ran a hand through the dark waves of her hair, flattening quickly in the damp. Should she bolt back upstairs for an umbrella?

Overhung with scudding clouds and wrapped in an evil mist, the murky streets had all the feel of the Brothers Grimm about them—tales of stepsisters who cut off parts of their feet to fit the glass slipper and wicked queens forced to dance in fiery iron shoes until they dropped dead.

But she was late already for her Yearly Ritual. And the portal to the underground labyrinth of subway tunnels yawned only three blocks east. If she hustled, she could descend into their protection before the clouds fractured and soaked her through. Better to push forward and attempt repairs to her hair when she reached the museum.

She flipped the collar of her white trench coat upward and soldiered on. She clutched her soft-sided laptop case to her body, kept her head down, and wove through sluggish pedestrians, dodging wayward umbrellas and stepping over puddles. The wind was strangely warm for March, with a hint of salt impossible this far from the sea. The kind of peculiar wind that dampened the soul and whispered of longings unfulfilled, of desires just out of reach.

The three blocks stretched, and the metallic-rimmed eyes of a hundred windows seemed to watch her rush to the subway. The streets smelled of rotting leaves and garbage in corners and sausages cooked by street vendors braving the elements—a combination of ordinary odors trapped by weighted air and the city fermenting, composting around her.

Such black thoughts.

But it was always this way—on this day.

March twenty-first. Vernal equinox. Her birthday, as Judith called it. And if so, only her seventh birthday, with the rest lost in mist thicker than the New York air.

Wow. I can’t wait to read this one. How can readers find you on the Internet?

I’d love to have readers join me on my website, www.TracyHigley.com, or on Facebook/tracyhigley or on Twitter @TLHigley.

Thank you, Tracy, for sharing this new book with us.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Awakening - Amazon.com
Awakening - Kindle

Christian Book Store

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AWAKENING - JoAnn Durgin - Free Book

Welcome, JoAnn. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

In my debut novel, Awakening, my heroine, Lexa Clarke, is me in several ways - stubborn and feisty, but also resourceful, resilient and fiercely loyal. Like Lexa, I was left on the doorstep of my faith for a number of years. Her grandmother, Nana, is my grandmother – down to stringing pearls on the summer porch and her tales of the “Happy Hunting Grounds” (her term for Heaven). And my father was much like Lexa’s dad. The book’s events parallel my love story with my husband, Jim, who is the inspiration for Lexa’s hero, Sam Lewis. The strength of character, goodness and unwavering faith in Sam is based on Jim. When we first met, Jim was a ministry student at Dallas Theological Seminary and drove an old white station wagon, the inspiration for Sam’s “bomb.” Because I lived this story in several respects, it’s part of my heart. I’m passionate about it, and hopefully that makes Awakening all the more real to readers.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

Okay, I’ll confess – and this might surprise some of you. In the mid-1980s, I actually went out on a date with a tall, dark and handsome Italian. In Rome (yes, Italy). Named Marcello. Wait – it gets better. He was the lounge singer in the hotel. You can groan now. Even quirkier? I was on the trip with my mother, and she let me go! He took me on a whirlwind trip around the city at 90 mph in his little car and sang American love songs to me in his smooth tenor and halting English. I wasn’t sure how to react, but I gripped the door handle and held on tight. Thankfully the perfect gentleman, Marcello escorted me to a club located in the basement of a house with small tables low to the ground and covered in sheets, black lights, disco balls and velvet paintings featuring dead American icons. The Europeans are really strange in their obsession over Marilyn Monroe, Elvis, and James Dean. You must understand that I was a good moral person at the time, but I wasn’t living for the Lord. But then, as always, He protected me. You know what? All in all, I had a great time that night and it was one I’ll never forget. I still smile when I think of Marcello. When in Rome…

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

My mother says I was always a writer. In first grade, I was promoted into the Red Birds reading group (the highest level) on the very first day. We also wrote stories in that group, and I loved it. The writing was thrilling, but reading our work aloud to the group terrified me. Hard to believe I was shy once upon a time. A few years later, when I sold a joke to a local magazine, my mom told me I should frame the $10 check as my first royalty check. It’s like she knew. Later on, I routinely spent my $5 weekly allowance on three hardback Nancy Drew mysteries and would sneak under the covers with the flashlight to finish the teenager’s latest adventure (I pay homage to the titian-haired sleuth in Awakening). About that time, I started writing all sorts of things, mostly short stories. I knew I’d hit the height of sophistication when I got my first subscription to The New Yorker. I learned from the contemporary masters of storytelling. When I was a young mother in Philly, I started reading Christian fiction and penned my first novel for fun. In a week. I continued writing novels for fun while living in Boston before putting my writing aside for a decade to raise our children. But picked it back up again in late 2008 and began the journey to publication!

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.

Through the years, I’ve progressed from Nancy Drew to mysteries by Phyllis Whitney, Victoria Holt, Mary Stewart, and Agatha Christie. Someone gave me a large bag of Grace Livingston Hill books a number of years ago, and it was my first taste of inspirational romances. I read the gamut of classics, and love the dry wit and irony of Mark Twain. He can be caustic, but his observations of life are priceless. Twain’s Innocents Abroad is one of my all-time favorite books. I read very little pop fiction (I got enough of that from my years reading The New Yorker). I embraced Shakespeare (but prefer his comedies), and the Bard’s plays came to life when I visited the Globe Theatre in London (I lived there for 10 weeks on a college program abroad – when the nannies on the highspeed train from London to Scotland gossiped about Charles dating Lady Sarah Spencer, Diana’s older sister). For the most part, I read Christian fiction now. Whatever the genre, I adore a well-written book with humor, great characters, romantic elements (of course) and a moving plot.

How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

Believe it or not, writing keeps me sane. It’s my peace, my solace, my private time. My day job is demanding as an estate administration paralegal in a large law firm, and I need the creative release of writing something every night. Our home computer is in the midst of Grand Central Station – TV on, the kids and Jim coming in and out, the dog meandering in for food and/or affection. Listening to music also soothes my soul. I’ll often put on the headphones and zone out with Michael W. and Steven Curtis while I write. Our gracious Lord graced me with an amazing capacity for concentration in the midst of chaos. Perhaps this stems from reading The Iliad and The Odyssey in the snack bar at Ball State University with the jukebox playing and the pinball machine pinging in the background. Somehow, I managed to ace the test. I’m convinced being able to tune out distractions is a gift of the Spirit.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

There’s no rhyme or reason. What’s really interesting is that I wrote this entire first series (Awakening starts it all) without looking up the names to see what they meant. Not that I take a lot of stock in that. But when I did look them up, it was so uncanny how each one was incredibly perfect! I have one female character where my best friend said, “How could you give her a name like that?” I never liked it, I don’t know anyone with that particular name, but now it’s precious to me. It’s like naming your newborn baby. Don’t you agree children grow into their names? When I “birth” my characters, they also grow into their names. It’s part of the creative process I find absolutely fascinating.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Without a doubt, my three children: Sarah, Chelsea and Matthew. They’re growing up so fast, but every year brings new trials, blessings and joys. Matthew is high-functioning autistic, and he’s one of the most loving – and smartest – kids you’ll ever meet. He builds Lego architectural masterpieces from scratch! Sarah’s a college student and Chelsea’s finishing up her senior year in high school. They’re musical, they’re funny, and – most importantly – they love the Lord. If the Lord chose to take me home tomorrow, I’ve accomplished what I wanted on this earth – I’ve found love, I’ve had children, great friends, a wonderful life, and now I’ve published a book. The Lord has been so gracious.

If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?

I love this thought-provoking question! Probably a jaguar. They’re sleek, strong, agile and quick. Mysterious. Secretive. I’m none of those things now, although I used to be much more agile and could skip faster than any of the kids – girls or boys – in grade school.

What is your favorite food?

I have several (and good thing I’ve already had dinner before answering these questions). I create my own dish at Olive Garden with tortelloni (same as tortellini only bigger), alfredo sauce and grilled chicken. I love a good medium-rare steak every now and then with a loaded baked or sweet potato. But those are rare indulgences or else I’d be dead and gone, most likely. I also love fresh veggies and fruits – all of them. My well-meaning pastor husband once announced from the pulpit, “JoAnn loves donuts.” Well, he almost didn’t live past lunch. Jim learned a valuable lesson that Sunday morning – you don’t mention anything about your wife from the pulpit unless you first have her permission. For the record, I like donuts, but that’s about as far as it goes.

What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

It wasn’t until I joined the ACFW that I learned about problematic issues with such writing components as POV and backstory. Those happened to be the two I stumbled over the most. Still do at times, fueled by my desire to let the reader know everything about my characters – in the first chapter. You live and learn. Awakening was originally written over a decade ago, and it also needed the most editing. But the basic story never changed. Like everything else, practices makes better (not perfect, but much better).

Tell us about the featured book.

Awakening is a contemporary romantic adventure filled with great characters, plenty of humor, sparkling dialogue, emotion, and a moving plot with adventure and a little mystery thrown into the mix! The best way to tell you about it is to give you the short version back cover copy: Lexa Clarke signs up for a short-term summer assignment in San Antonio with TeamWork Missions, hoping to make a difference in the world. TeamWork director Sam Lewis has a job to do and can’t afford to be distracted by the petite, feisty blonde. But when she tumbles into his arms from the top of a house they’re rebuilding, Sam suspects his life will never be the same. A God-fearing man. A God-seeking woman. A combustible combination.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Lexa Clarke was on a roll, and it wasn’t even noon.

San Antonio – 40 miles. The highway marker filled her with anticipation. Soon, she’d be a survivor of the four-hour bus trip from Houston. So far, so good. The guy with the beady eyes seated beside her reeked of knock-off drugstore cologne and offered her things, none of them legal. With nearly every seat occupied, she was stuck. Burying her head in her dad’s old police union newsletter did the trick. Smart thinking, bringing that along.

The senior flirt across the aisle graced her with a gap-toothed smile and nudged her with his cane a couple of times. A young mother attempted conversation, but finally gave up when her two rambunctious boys demanded constant attention. When Beady Eyes snored – a loud, obnoxious wheeze – Lexa attempted to read her novel, but her thoughts always strayed to the upcoming eight weeks.

Maybe building houses in a summer predicted to be one of the hottest on record wasn’t the smartest idea. Lexa swallowed her doubts and lifted her chin. When you want to make a difference in the world, you’ve got to make some sacrifices. The TeamWork driver would pick her up in less than an hour, and then the real adventure could begin . . .

The bus pulled into the Greyhound bus station along with Lexa’s high hopes. Holding out one hand, the driver helped her to the curb and grinned with surprise when she handed him a generous tip. He hurried to retrieve her rolling suitcase. “Enjoy your stay in San Antonio, Miss.”

Lexa broke into a grin, equal parts relief and excitement. “Thanks. I’m sure I will.” It might be long hours of hard work with no pay, but it’s how she chose to spend her summer. High hopes should count for something.

Very interesting. How can readers find you on the Internet?

I’m on Facebook and you can send me a message through my website at http://www.joanndurgin.com/. I blog every other Wednesday on Reflections in Hindsight and I’m featured on the 30th of each month on Hoosier Ink.

Thanks so much for having me join you today, Lena! I loved answering your fun questions! I’ll be happy to answer any questions, and will check in frequently.

And thank you for coming by, JoAnn.
 
Readers, here's a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.



Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (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 6 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Feedblitz, Facebook, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be in the drawing. Here’s a link.

http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/