HER DEADLY REUNION - Beth Ziarnik - One Free Book

Dear Readers, I’m thrilled to have Beth on my blog again. I loved reading Her Deadly Reunion. The cover reminds me of the Gothic novels I read for years. The dark mysterious setting. And as I read the story, it was a lot like one of those novels. I’ve always loved trying to figure out the mystery in them. With this storyline, Beth kept me guessing. I loved the heroine and hero. They quickly pulled me into their story. It is a real page-turner with a satisfying ending. Thank you, Beth.

Welcome back, Beth.Why do you write the kind of books you do?

I love reading romantic suspense, Lena, and have for years. Never tire of it. Probably because it’s a grown-up, contemporary version of the fairy tales I loved as a child. Think of it—hero and heroine fall in love as they fight against great odds to reach their happily ever after.  I think we all desire a happily ever after of some sort, don’t you?

Yes, and my HEA is with my husband James. Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?

You would think getting married to my handsome sweetheart, the births of our two sons, and finally getting that first novel published would top the list. But my happiest day was when Jim and I had made it to our happily ever after. Married 47 years and I suddenly realized we were not only dearly in love, but with all the wonder of those glorious days when we first fell in love. We had come through many conquered challenges to reach that joy and peace! That perfect love. Unfortunately, we only enjoyed that heavenly place for a short time. Two weeks later and without any warning, Jim went to be with Jesus. 

I’m sure that is hard. How has being published changed your life?

Being published has not only changed my life, it has become my life during these six years since Jim’s passing. My first novel, Her Deadly Inheritance, debuted three years later—the one Jim so believed in that he said he’d publish it if no one else did. Its sequel, Her Deadly Reunion, released last November while I was healing from two broken ankles.

Wow! Two broken ankles. Must have been hard. What are you reading right now?

Currently, The Power of the Blood by H.A Maxwell Whyte—a fabulous old classic that dates back to 1973. I lead a women’s Bible study at church, and we’re bowled over by what we are learning as we draw intimately closer to Jesus and put its teaching into practice. I’m also reading a lineup of romantic suspense novels by Christy Barritt, Terri Reed, Lisa Harris, and Laura Scott. After that, I have so many more TBR novels on my list.

What is your current work in progress?

Her Deadly Vows, the third book of my Jill Shepherd Suspense Series. Jill joins Clay in Haiti. While he works on restoring an historic hotel, she works on the final preparations for their wedding. Before long she realizes she may not live long enough marry Clay.

We must feature that book on my blog when it releases. What would be your dream vacation?

I’d love a 7-10 day Mississippi riverboat cruise with tours of the southern plantation mansions still in existence. Maybe because I’ve started a pre-Civil War romantic suspense series, where my heroine winds up on a riverboat in the first and second novels. Onsite research is so much fun! And I love fascinating architecture. Faster than anything else. it propels my mind into the “What if?” of story possibilities for my characters.

James and I have been on cruises of the Caribbean, but never a river cruise. How do you choose your settings for each book?

Strangely enough, they seem to come to me, more than my searching for them. For my first novel, I knew I wanted a paper mill town and an island. When I prayed about it, I ran across The Grand Island Story by Beatrice H. Castle and knew I’d found the perfect setting for Her Deadly Inheritance. For Her Deadly Reunion, a one-day senior bus tour to the Pabst Mansion in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, hooked me. Talk about breath-taking architecture inside and out, and all the features I’d need for that story. As for Her Deadly Vows, even before the story started forming in my heart, the Lord surrounded me with family and friends who are familiar with Haiti and its culture. And I’m enjoying all the research. Unfortunately, I don’t expect ever to visit that fascinating island. Though I hear such great things about its people.

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

When I was six years old, I would have said Roy Rogers. I wanted him to wait until I grew up and could marry him. He struck me as being kind and courageous—not to mention a terrific singer! What can I say? I’m a music lover.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I work jigsaw puzzles and play games with friends and family. Can you believe I love snow blowing my Wisconsin driveway with my little Toro. Though--LOL--I guess we can’t call that a hobby, can we? Does playing my Q-Chord and singing along count? How about camping in my A-frame, fold-down camper? And this summer, I plan to get back to gardening, making beautiful flowers and fresh vegetables grow.

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?

Truthfully, my most difficult writing obstacle is getting the seat of my pants in chair. But I’m working on that because the moment I start writing, I get lost in the story and time disappears until I emerge from the lives of my characters again. And I actually enjoy editing.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Write! You can’t be a writer unless you write. (I tell myself that all the time!) Try to write at least 15 minutes a day. Once you start, you’ll find it hard to stop. Find a local, or online, Christian writing group and join it. Writers need other writers who understand their passion, encourage them, and help them grow in their craft. Go to a Christian writers’ conference. Yes, every year. You’ll be amazed how fast you’ll advance in your writing dream.

Tell us about the featured book.

Jill Shepherd is desperate to meet the father she’s never known. She accepts his invitation to spend the holidays at his home in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Upon her arrival, she’s not only met with hostility from his family but finds him gravely ill. When his nurse secretly shares suspicions that someone is trying to kill him, Jill attempts to find out who at the house might have a motive.

Her father’s condition worsens. Jill and her boyfriend Clay Merrick are ordered from the house, and suddenly find themselves embroiled in a race to outwit a mysterious killer and unmask a bitter plot that has been years in the making. With the life of her father hanging in the balance, how can Jill and Clay prove her innocence and stop the killer before it’s too late?

Please give us the first page of the book for my readers.

Never look for your father! Promise me!

           

Minutes from her birth father’s home, her mother’s words of pleading echoed through Jill Ashley Shepherd’s heart, growing more insistent. Was she making a terrible mistake?

           

Seated beside Clay Merrick, she gazed at his dear face as he steered his old Ford F-150 truck through Milwaukee’s snow-filled streets. Was it only six months ago they had fallen in love? So strong was their bond, it seemed they had already loved for a lifetime. How she treasured his emotional support at a time like this.

           

A stray curl of his dark hair fell against his forehead as he glanced at her, his gray eyes soft with concern. “Are you sure you want to go ahead with this?”

           

She blinked and swallowed hard, then turned to stare beyond the windshield at the large, lazy snowflakes drifting from a white Wisconsin sky. Snowy mounds frosted the edges of business windows displaying Christmas delights and grew on streetlights festooned in evergreen wreaths and bright red bows. Cheery Christmas lights winked at passersby from every direction.

           

But reminders of Christmas failed to lift her spirits.

           

Was this the right day to meet her birth father? “Absolutely,” she squeaked out.

           

Clay’s raised brows said it all.

           

For years, she had dreamed of the father-daughter relationship she’d been denied. For years, she had wondered, did she resemble him? Would her father have a place in his heart for her? What had separated her parents so long ago?

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Since I’ll have a new website up around the end of this month, Lena, readers can best find me now at:

bethziarnik.wordpress.com

facebook.com/authorBethAnnZiarnik

Thank you for having me back on A Christian Writer’s World, Lena.

And thank you, Beth, for sharing this book with me and my blog readers.

Readers, here are links to the book.

Her Deadly Reunion - Paperback
Her Deadly Reunion (Jill Shepherd Suspense Book 2) - Kindle

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

HER DEADLY INHERITANCE - Beth Ziarnik - One Free Book

Dear Readers, I so enjoy introducing debut Christian authors to you. And when it’s a long-time writer friend, it’s even sweeter.

Thank you, Lena, for hosting me here at “A Christian Writers World—Characters Who Grip your Heart.” Who would have thought when we met at an early ACFW Conference that we would be here now talking about my debut romantic suspense, Her Deadly Inheritance?

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

What a hard question to answer. To my complete surprise, I’ve discovered I get to know my characters by observing them as I write their stories. Yet some of me or my life experiences come out through them. Like Jill’s determination to follow God even into danger, if necessary. Like Clay’s passion for historic architecture which led him to become a restoration contractor and his expertise at playing ball. I borrowed a fantastic catch he made from one of my husband’s ballgames. Much of what goes on with Jill and Clay during the Fourth of July comes right out of Jim’s and my experiences as we enjoyed the Fourth at Munising, Michigan. In my life, I have also had to deal with the shock and grief of losing loved ones unexpectedly. My life was touched by suicide and the haunting wondering if there was anything I could have done that might have prevented it. So much more is in there, however, I don’t want to spoil the story by saying too much. But I do know that, in order to strike a cord of authenticity, writing a character’s story necessitates delving deeply into my own memories and emotions. It’s akin to the excitement of digging through Grandma’s walk-in attic to discover long-forgotten treasures.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

Probably while I was in high school, taking a one-semester journalism course and discovering I could write great news stories that appeared both in our high school paper, the Kau-Hi News and the town newspaper, The Kaukauna Times. That’s when I knew I could write. But even before that, while still a middle schooler, my friend Gwynne Vils and sat on her porch for hours an entire summer, writing our fiction tales. Unknown to me, my mother saved my attempts and returned them to me when I was in college. Maybe back then, Mom already saw something in them and had a sense of where life might lead me.

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

My hands-down favorite genre continues to be Christian romantic suspense. But I also read other genres. Lately, I’ve enjoyed Andrea Boeshaar’s A Thousand Shall Fall (historical romance), Pesto and Potholes by Susan Baganz (contemporary romance), and The Dividing Stone by Anita Estes (Christian paranormal akin to Frank Peretti’s work). And I wouldn’t miss reading Karen Witemeyer’s historical romances set in Texas. I’ve also enjoyed Gloria Clover’s YA Christian fantasy novels and hope she will have another released in the near future.

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

Sanity? What sanity? Since the release of Her Deadly Inheritance on January 2, I’ve traveled such a fast track that it’s all I can do to barely keep up. At the same time, it is great fun connecting with readers, friends, and supporters who are so excited for me. What a beautiful blessing! And, yes, I do have help keeping my sanity. First of all, God’s faithful answers to the prayers of my prayer team and many other well-wishers. I could never do any of this without the Lord and these wonderful people. Also, my agent, Jim Hart, who offers direction and a calm voice of assurance every time I need it. I could say the same for my editors, Rowena Kuo and J. Christine Richards. The Lord has also kindly provided so many wonderful novelist friends who have traveled this road before me. God is always there for us when we need Him and reach out to Him.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

Oh, I knew someone would ask that question. I might as well admit it. My characters tend to choose their own names. I read baby-name books and all, but in the end, my characters are pretty adamant. Maybe it’s because I send out weekly requests to my prayer team, and God answers their prayers. I do like to look up the meanings of their names to get a better perspective on who they are, and I often know how they came by those names, which adds even more information to the picture. But name them? No. They do that themselves.

I know. I had a character force me to change his name in the middle of a novel. He just wouldn’t accept the name I gave him. What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Starting a local writers club almost 30 years ago. I asked God for one. The prayer was barely out of my mouth when he put me together with another writer to plan and begin Word and Pen Christian Writers. It has served hundreds of writers since its inception, most of whom were published as a result. We encourage each other, pray together, learn together twice a month. First, at the general club meeting, and later, during our critique meeting. I thank God, too, that from Word and Pen, other clubs have been born--Lighthouse Christian Writers in the Peshtigo, Wisconsin area, Pens of Praise in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, and a new one in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where members haven’t yet chosen a name. This is all the Lord’s doing, and we often say how grateful we are to him.

What is your favorite food?

Bread—every kind and variety except with caraway seeds. Fresh and fragrant from the oven. Warm from the breadbasket. Cheesy bread, whole grain bread, toasty garlic bread, marble rye … okay, that’s enough rhapsodizing. I suppose I should also admit that I bought a practically new bread machine at Goodwill one summer, and I love using it to make bread.

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

My original dream was to write romantic suspense, exploring how Christian characters with all their flaws might address the frightening challenges they would face during the story. Writing nonfiction came easily to me. But writing fiction took many years of learning a whole different set of skills to produce a publishable novel. Prayer and persistence made the difference. What others were telling me—“Don’t give up!”—was good advice. So, I kept working at the craft and networking with others in the industry, praying for them, encouraging them, and learning from them. Then one day the dream came true. God has a right timing for everything. Usually when we least expect it. He loves riding in on that white horse to surprise us!

And His timing is always perfect. By the way, I love your cover. Tell us about the featured book.

Her Deadly Inheritance is the first in a series of three novels that follow Jill and Clay through the challenges of a growing love and surviving horrendous life-threatening situations. Each book can easily stand on its own, and I’m loving the writing of the second even more than the first—if that’s possible!

In the first book, they overcome impossible odds to fall in love and nearly lose their lives, but of course, I don’t want to give away the story. I can say that, in this book, Jill deals with her need to put to rest her festering self-blame regarding her mother’s death. Though her mother died while Jill was hundreds of miles away, did she unknowingly contribute to the tragedy?

Here’s the back cover blurb: First a runaway. Now running for her life. Won't Jill Shepherd's family be surprised when she returns to Grand Island, Michigan, to end their lies and scheme to have her declared legally dead? But when Jill exposes the mastermind behind her intended death, her family's deception may kill any chance she has of remaining alive.

Clay Merrick may seem to be little more than a handy-man restoring homes, but when the former Special Forces operative tracks a brutal killer to Jill's historic house under renovation, he has most of the evidence he needs to bring the killer to justice ... until Jill gets in the way.

When the killer sets sights on Jill as the next victim, it's not just Clay s mission on the line, but his heart.

Please give us the first page of the book.

5:00 a.m. Twelve hours before a judge would declare her legally dead.

Clutching her cell phone to her ear, Jill Shepherd turned away from the red numbers glowing on her bedside clock and paced in the room’s pre-dawn shadows.

“Say you’ll come, Jill.”

“Don’t ask me, Uncle Drew. You know I can’t.” She squeezed her eyelids shut and struggled against the tightness in her throat. “The minute Lenore finds out I’m alive and you knew, she’ll think we planned this.”

His wife would turn on them both for snatching the house on Michigan’s Grand Island from her at the last minute. “She’ll leave you.”

“I’ll take my chances. More important things are at stake here.”

His quiet resignation clawed at her conscience. She clenched her teeth. She would remain strong. He deserved that much.

“I can’t.”

“Yes, you can.”

She swallowed hard at his pleading.

“I have to go,” he said, “but please come. The company plane is waiting at O’Hare. You have the pilot’s number. Call him.”

Jill pulled in a shaky breath. “She’ll never forgive you.”

“I’ll meet the plane when you get here. On the way to Windtop, we’ll decide how to break the news. Everything will be fine.”

He disconnected the call.

Everything would not be fine. Even he knew too well that someone would pay. The same woman who had driven Jill’s fragile mother into seclusion would see to it

I’m glad my book arrived this week. It’s the next one I’ll read. This has me really hooked. How can readers find you on the Internet?

Currently, on my website at www.bethziarnik.com,

on Facebook at www.facebook.com/beth.ziarnik and www.facebook.com/authorBethAnnZiarnik,

and my blog at www.bethziarnik.wordpress.com.

Thank you, Beth, for sharing your debut novel with us.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.

Christian Suspense: Her Deadly Inheritance - Paperback

Christian Suspense: Her Deadly Inheritance: First a runaway. Now running for her life. (Christian Mystery & Suspense) - Kindle

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. (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, Google+, 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