SHADES OF CHOCOLATE - Cecelia Dowdy - One Free Ebook

Dear Readers, I knew Cecelia from the ACFW email loop. When we had our Minneapolis national conference, we had a giant book signing that stretched down the Mall of America main corridor quite a ways. Cecelia was next to me at the table where I was signing books. The event covered several hours, and we got to know each other there. I’m really pleased to share her new book with you.

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

I’d like to write as many books as I can while searching for people to read my stories. I’ve started promoting my novels to secular readers. I’ve actually found some people who’ve read my books and said they’ve been enlightened by my stories. These readers usually read hot, steamy romances, and they felt it was touching to read a story about characters who turn to God for answers to their troubles.

I’d also love to make a living with my writing someday, Lord willing.

That’s what we all want. Way to go. Tell us a little about your family.

I’ve been married to a wonderful man for twelve years. We have a ten-year-old son. Our son has a black belt in karate, and he’s an honor roll student. He also loves to play video games. Both my husband and my son love sports. While they watch basketball and football games, I’m usually reading a book!

I read a lot of books while James and I are watching the Texas Rangers baseball team on TV. We hardly miss a game, and I get a lot of books read that way. I occasionally write during that time, too. Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?

I noticed since I’ve started writing Christian fiction that that is what I mostly read. Yes, I still read secular fiction, but, I read it sparingly.

Me, too. What are you working on right now?

Right now I’m working on Sweet Dreams, Book 3 in The Bakery Romance Series.

What outside interests do you have?

I love to bake! I love baking cookies and cakes. I also enjoy some gardening.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

I tend to choose places that are familiar to me. If I’m using a fictional town, I usually set it in Maryland since I’ve lived in Maryland my entire life.

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

I’d like to talk to the Apostle Paul. I’ve been amazed and curious about the lives of the early Christians. I’d like to sit and talk to the Apostle Paul, discuss what’s going on in the world today. I’d like to hear what he thinks about the way the church has evolved over the last two thousand years.

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

I wish I’d known that I wanted to write novels! I didn’t realize I wanted to be a writer until I was almost thirty years old! If I’d known this earlier, I may have gotten my writing career started earlier.

I wrote my first novel in my forties. What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

Patience. I’m still learning patience. So difficult not to be anxious about certain things, but, I’m working on that with the Lord’s help.

What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?

Go to a writers’ conference and network with other authors. Read all of the books that you possibly can that are within the genre that you are targeting. Write the book – I’ve met so many “writers” that talk about writing, but, they don’t actually write anything.

Tell us about the featured book.

Shades of Chocolate: Toni enjoys making chocolate treats in her bakery. Haunted by her abusive past, she struggles with her faith in God. Her world changes when a handsome stranger arrives, reminiscing about his childhood. Jason Matthews misses his days of working in his family's pastry shop. Estranged from his father, he longs to rediscover the joy and comfort from baking. When Toni's life is threatened, Jason realizes how deeply he cares for her. Can Toni and Jason overcome their pasts and learn to trust one another?

Please give us the first page of the book.

The security guard grinned at Toni, wiping the crumbs away from his mouth. He placed the partially-eaten pink, heart-shaped cupcake on a napkin. “Happy Valentine’s Day.”

She returned his smile, snuggling beneath the winter cape her fiancé Brian had gotten for her last birthday. “Happy Valentine’s Day to you, too.” She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. “I’m here to see Brian Carter.”

The guard nodded. “Go on up. His admin told me you’d be stopping by for lunch.”

“Thanks.” Toni’s high-heeled shoes tapped against the waxed floor as she strolled toward the elevator. Clutching the handle of her picnic basket, she entered, pressing the button for the third floor. “I’ve got to make it through this lunch.” She closed her eyes, the cool interior of the carpeted elevator bringing her a little comfort. Hopefully, her surprise Valentine’s Day lunch with Brian would give them a chance to talk about the problems they’d been having.

She exited the elevator, strolled to the double oak doors that led to Brian’s office. She slowly opened the door, blinked several times, her heart pounding. What in the world? This had to be a bad dream. Brian clutched his secretary, Gia, in his arms, kissing her! He moaned, opened his eyes, spotted Toni in the doorway. He dropped his arms, his light brown skin reddening.

“Toni—” He started toward her.

She froze, unable to move. She finally backed up, slamming into the wall behind her, her eyes locked with Brian’s. She opened her mouth, but she couldn’t speak. She glanced at Gia, who grinned, her eyes sparkling. Gia’s unbuttoned blouse granted Toni a peek at the lacy pattern of her bra. Finally finding her voice, Toni groaned, closing her eyes, her heart continuing to pound.

She swallowed when Brian approached, the tangy scent of his cologne surrounding her. She’d usually found joy in Brian’s scent, but now, the nauseous odor of his aftershave just made her sick. He reached for her.

“Don’t touch me!”

“Baby, just give me a minute to explain.” His deep voice filled the room, as Toni made her way toward the door. Gia buttoned her blouse, grabbed her pantyhose from the floor and rushed from the office.

The chocolate muffin Toni had eaten an hour ago swirled in her stomach. A sour taste filled her mouth. The picnic basket slipped from her sweaty, shaky hands and fried chicken and chocolate pie exploded from the container onto Brian’s immaculate beige carpet. Her Valentine’s Day card landed on top of the pie. The intermingled scents of chicken and chocolate filled her nose, the food making her stomach cramp. She pressed her fingers to her quivering mouth. A sour taste filled her tongue. Brian approached her, grabbed her arm.

Vomit gushed from her lips, right onto Brian’s fancy leather shoes. He dropped her arm.

Blackness swirled around her, and she blinked. She couldn’t faint, not right now. She needed to give Brian a piece of her mind. She glanced at him. He studied his shoes, refusing to give her any attention. Did he really care more about his shoes than their relationship?

She rushed from the room.

“Toni!”

His voice echoed behind her but she couldn’t stop. Somehow, she finally made it outside to her car, got in, dropping her keys while trying to put them into the ignition. She couldn’t drive, not like this. Her phone buzzed, but she ignored it. Salty tears slid down her cheeks as she gripped her steering wheel.

You really caught our attention. How can readers find you on the Internet?

My website, Twitter, and Facebook links:

http://ceceliadowdy.com/

http://ceceliadowdy.com/blog/

https://twitter.com/cdnovelist

https://www.facebook.com/Cecelia-Dowdy-Christian-Fiction-Author-313045159788

Thank you, Cecelia, for sharing this new book with us. I know my blog readers are eager to read it.

Readers, here’s a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.

Shades Of Chocolate (The Bakery Romance Series Book 2)

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the ebook. 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

CHESAPEAKE WEDDINGS - Cecelia Dowdy - Free Book

Wecome back to the blog, Cecelia. Why do you write the kind of books you do?

I love romance novels. I always have! I think I enjoy Christian love stories because there is a faith element that’s a part of the story.

Yes, I've almost stopped reading fiction that doesn't have the faith element, too. Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?

Well, there are two happy days: The day I married my husband, Chris and the day that I gave birth to our son!

How has being published changed your life?

Being published has allowed me to see the fruits of my labor being read by others! I love hearing from readers and I love seeing my books on the shelves. My daily life has not changed much – I still work full time and unless I’m on deadline, my life has remained the same, more or less…

What are you reading right now?

Dreams That Won’t Let Go by Stacy Hawkins Adams. I’ve read other books by this author, and I enjoy them.

What is your current work in progress?

Currently, I’m working on a proposal to send to Barbour Publishing. I want it to be a 3-book series focused on a set of identical twins and their mutual friend. I hope and pray Barbour buys my stories!

What would be your dream vacation?

I’ve traveled so much in the past, so I have a slew of places I’ve enjoyed visiting. I’d like to go to a hot, tropical place with a nice beach with clear water where you can see the fish swimming. Someplace like Tahiti, Hawaii, or the Cayman Islands would be nice.

I've been to Grand Cayman. It's lovely there. How do you choose your settings for each book?

I usually choose places that I’ve visited. For my last series with Barbour, I chose Maryland because I’ve lived in that state for my entire life and I knew which places I wanted to set my novels.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

Baking desserts and watching movies. Both of those activities allow me to relax, unwind, and have a good time.

Homemade desserts sound good. What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?

Repetition! I tend to use the same words over and over…I sound like a broken record at times. I’ve learned to count the number of times I use some words (using Microsoft Word Program options.) I also use a book called the synonym finder to help me find new words to break my repetitive habit.

I think all authors fall into that habit at some time. What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Persevere, read, write and congregate with other writers! Attend a writers’ conference and glean as much information as you can!

Tell us about the featured book?

Chesapeake Weddings is a 3-in-1 collection of my last three Heartsong Presents novels. Here is a brief description of the stories:

Relax along Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay as you read about three strong African American women who suddenly face upheaval in life. Monica is caring for her abandoned nephew and trying to pick the proper tutor for him. Emily is struggling to save the family farm when a CPA turns up to do an audit. Karen has been deceived by her fiancé, and now she’s expected to trust a neighbor who knows too much of her business. Can God rebuild their tattered lives with new loves?

Please give us the first page of the book.

Here is the prologue:

Prologue

The loud banging at Monica Crawford’s front door awakened her. Forcing herself out of bed, she glanced at the clock and saw it was two in the morning.

“I’m coming!”

She ran to the door. Looking through the peephole, Monica saw her little sister Gina smiling at her.

Her heart pounded as she opened the door, gripping the knob. “What are you doing here?” Playing an internal game of tug-of-war, she wondered if she should hug her sister or slam the door in her face. Humid heat rushed into the air-conditioned living room. She stared at Gina, still awaiting her response.

“It’s nice to see you too, sister.” Gina pursed her full, red-painted lips and motioned at the child standing beside her. “Go on in, Scotty.”

Gina had brought her seven-year-old son with her. Dark shades hid his sightless eyes. “Aunt Monica!” he called.

Monica released a small cry as she dropped to her knees and embraced him. “I’m here, Scotty.” Tears slid down her cheeks as she hugged the child. Since Gina had cut herself off from immediate family for the last two years, Monica had wondered when she would see Scotty again. “You remember me?” Her heart continued to pound as she stared at her nephew. His light, coffee-colored skin glowed.

“Yeah, I remember you. When mom said I was going to live here, I wanted to come so we could go to the beach in Ocean City.”

Shocked, Monica stared at Gina who was rummaging through her purse. Gina pulled out a cigarette and lighter. Seconds later she was puffing away, gazing into the living room. “You got an ashtray?”

Monica silently prayed, hoping she wouldn’t lose her temper. “Gina, you know I don’t allow smoking in this house.”

Gina shrugged. After a bit of coaxing, she dropped the cigarette on the top step and ground it beneath the heel of her shoe. “I need to talk to you about something.”

Scotty entered the house and wandered through the room, ignoring the adults as he touched objects with his fingers. After Monica fed Scotty a snack and let him fall asleep in the guest bedroom, she confronted Gina.

“Where have you been for the last two years?”

Gina strutted around the living room in her tight jeans, her high heels making small imprints in the plush carpet. “I’ve been around. I was mad because Mom and Dad tried to get custody of Scotty, tried to take me to court and say I was an unfit mother.”

Groaning, Monica plopped onto the couch, holding her head in her hands. “That’s why you haven’t been speaking to me or Mom and Dad for two years?” When Gina sat beside her, Monica took her sister’s chin into her hand and looked into her eyes. “You know you were wrong. Mom and Dad tried to find you. They were worried about Scotty.”

Jerking away, Gina placed a few inches between herself and Monica. “They might have cared about Scotty, but they didn’t care about me.” Gina swore under her breath and rummaged in her purse. Removing a mint, she popped it into her mouth.

“They were worried about you and Scotty,” Monica explained. “You were living with that terrible man. He didn’t work, and he was high on drugs. We didn’t want anything to happen to the two of you.”

Gina’s lips curled into a bitter smirk. “Humph. Me and Scotty are just fine.” She glanced up the stairs. “You saw him. Does he look neglected to you?”

She continued to stare at Gina, still not believing she was here to visit in the middle of the night. “What do you want? What did Scotty mean when he said he was coming here to live?”

Gina frowned as she toyed with the strap of her purse. “I want you to keep Scotty for me. Will you?”

Monica jerked back. “What? Why can’t you take care of your own son? Did that crackhead you were living with finally go off the deep end?”

Gina shook her head. “No, we’re not even together anymore. It’s just that. . .” She paused, staring at the crystal vase of red roses adorning the coffee table. “I’m getting married.”

Monica’s heart skipped a beat. “Married?”

Gina nodded, her long minibraids moving with the motion of her head. “Yeah, his name is Randy, and he’s outside now, waiting for me in the car.”

Monica raised her eyebrows, suddenly suspicious. “Why didn’t you bring him inside? Are you ashamed of him?”

Gina shook her head. “No. But we’re in a hurry tonight, and I didn’t want to waste time with formalities.”

“You still haven’t told me why you can’t keep Scotty. Does your fiancé have a problem with having a blind child in his house?”

Gina scowled as she clutched her purse, her dark eyes darting around the room. “No, that’s not it at all.”

“Uh-huh, whatever you say.” She could always sense when Gina was lying. Her body language said it all.

“Really, it’s not Scotty’s blindness that bothers Randy. It’s just that—he’s a trapeze artist in the National African-American Circus and they’re traveling around constantly.” Her dark eyes lit up as she talked about her fiancé. “This year they’ll be going international. Can you imagine me traveling around the globe with Randy? We’ll be going to Paris, London, Rome—all those fancy European places!” She grabbed Monica’s arm. “We’d love to take Scotty, but we can’t afford to hire a tutor for him to travel with us.”

“You’re going to marry some man and travel with a circus?!” Monica shook her head, wondering when her sister would grow up. At twenty-seven, she acted as if she were still a teenager. Since Monica was ten years older, she’d always been the responsible sibling, making sure Gina behaved herself.

Gina grabbed Monica’s shoulder. “But I’m in love with him!” Her eyes slid over Monica as if assessing her. “You’ve never been in love? I think it’s odd that you’re thirty-seven and you never got married.”

Monica closed her eyes for a brief second as thoughts of her single life filled her mind. Since her breakup with her serious boyfriend two years ago, she’d accepted that God wanted her to remain single, and she spent her free time at church in various ministries. She filled her time praising God and serving Him, and she had no regrets for the life she led. But whenever one of the church sisters announced an engagement, she couldn’t stop the pang of envy that sliced through her.

Forcing the thoughts from her mind, she focused on Gina again. “This discussion is not about me. It’s about you. You can’t abandon Scotty. He loves you.”

Gina turned away, as if ashamed of her actions. “I know he does, and I love him, too. But I really want things to work out with Randy, and it won’t work with Scotty on the road with us. He needs special education since he’s blind.”

Her heart immediately went out to Scotty. She touched Gina’s shoulder. “Scotty knows you’re getting married?”

Gina nodded. “I didn’t tell him how long I would be gone, but I told him I’d call and visit. Please do this for me.” Her sister touched her arm, and her dark eyes pleaded with her. She opened her purse and gave Monica some papers. “I’ve already had the power of attorney papers signed and notarized so that you can take care of him.” She pressed the papers into Monica’s hand.

“How long will you be gone?” asked Monica.

“The power of attorney lasts for six months. Hopefully by then me and Randy will be more settled. I’m hoping after the world tour he’ll leave the circus and find a regular job.”

Monica frowned, still clutching the legal documents.

“Please do this for me, Monica,” she pleaded again.

She reluctantly nodded. If she didn’t take care of Scotty, she didn’t know who would.

Very interesting. Makes me want to read more. How can readers find you on the Internet?

I have a website and a blog where I review books and I also answer questions from writers. My website is: http://www.ceceliadowdy.com/  My blog is: http://www.ceceliadowdy.blogspot.com/

Thank you, Cecelia, for the interesting peek into your story.
 
Readers, here's a link to the book. By using this link when you order, you'll help support this blog.

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book.


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. Here’s a link.

http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/

Author Cecelia Dowdy - JOHN'S QUEST - Free Book

I'm happy to welcome Cecelia to this blog.

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

I’m not really sure how much of myself I write into my characters. It’s not something I particularly notice. However, people I know will tell me that they notice certain things my characters will do or say that will remind them of something I would do or say.

I love to bake, so for my first novel, I gave my heroine a profession I’d love to do someday: a baker. Also, I love food in general, and my sister told me she noticed how I love to describe food in my novels.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I don’t really consider myself to be quirky. However, my friends have told me it was unusual that I used to travel around the world….alone! I’ve been to many countries and most of those travels were done solo. Reason being, I used to work for a travel agency and I got free airline tickets, and sometimes I was able to get free or reduced room and board. I was only allowed to bring spouse and children with me at this free/reduced rate. At the time, I was unmarried and had no children. Most of my friends weren’t interested in traveling to the places I was going and they had no money to go, so I went solo! I went on three cruises plus I went to Europe, several places in the Caribbean, New Zealand and Tahiti! I do recall while traveling in the Caribbean alone, I got a lot of male attention! When those men see a woman traveling alone, they want to take you out and show you their island! Some of them can be pretty fresh too! I’d advise women traveling alone to be cautious!

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

One day, when I was twenty-eight years old, I discovered I didn’t have a book to read during my lunch break. So I started to write. I’ve been writing ever since.

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

Any kind of fiction. However, over the last five or six years, my reading has been about eighty percent Christian fiction and twenty percent secular and non-fiction titles. I suppose since I write Christian fiction, I like to keep myself well-read about what’s out there, plus, I’ve found that I enjoy Christian fiction so much!

What other books have you written, whether published or not?

Too many to name. I had a lot of duds in the beginning that will NEVER see the light of day. There is one title I wrote that was based upon a secondary character in my published novel, FIRST MATES, however, I couldn’t find a house for it. I currently have a women’s fiction with strong romantic elements that I’m shopping around. I also have two other titles that will be released through Barbour’s Heartsong Presents line.

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

Since I’ve gotten married and had a child, I’ve found that my mind is very cluttered, plus with working full time, it’s hard to stay focused and get my writing done. However, I’ve discovered that I have to focus on one task at a time, and only take certain moments to reflect upon the big picture. If I keep one thing in the front of my mind during my hectic days, it’ll usually get done quickly, but, there’s always a lengthy list of other things to do! After I finish one task, I bring another to mind and focus on that! I’ve found that I’ve had to let some things go, and place some things on the back burner for now while I focus on certain projects, both business and personal projects.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

I have a baby-name book. When I’m creating a new character, I’ll scan through the book and choose a name I like.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Both my husband and I are proud of our two-year-old son! Birthing him, raising him, it’s a lot of work but it’s fulfilling! He’s our biggest accomplishment, and I’m glad to enjoy motherhood!

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

A dolphin. I love watching them perform in shows! They are some of the smartest aquatic animals around!

What is your favorite food?

Don’t ask me that! I love so many things! I love sweets! I have a lot of favorite sweet treats: lemon pound cake, sweet potato pie, apple pie, chocolate cake, chocolate chip cookies and peanut butter cookies to name a few! I also love seafood. I love catfish, shrimp, and crabs, and I also like pasta dishes like spaghetti and lasagna.

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

Learning the craft. At first, I didn’t want a critique partner because I was scared to get my writing critiqued. I wish I’d had a partner or entered a contest sooner. Getting others to read my work offered me great feedback, and I learned about a few resources out there to help me with my writing. Due to time constraints, I no longer have a partner, but I still brainstorm sometimes with writing friends.

What advice would you give to an author just starting out?

Join a writers group and do all you can to hone your craft! Join ACFW and go to their annual conference. Read some books about fiction writing. One of my favorites is Self Editing For Fiction Writers.




What would you like to tell us about the featured book?

John’s Quest is about an agnostic scientist who finds romantic love while searching for Jesus. I wanted to write a story to show how someone who’s not sure of Jesus’ existence may search for the truth about our Savior.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

http://www.ceceliadowdy.com/ and http://www.ceceliadowdy.blogspot.com/

Thank you, Cecelia, for spending this time with us.

Readers, look at that cover. Isn't it beautiful?

Now leave a comment here for a chance to win a free copy of John's Quest, then check out Cecelia's web site and blog.

On another subject, I'm really excited about this week. I'll fly out tomorrow to go to the American Christian Fiction Writers national conference in Minneapolis.

I will be posting blogs on the regular days, but I won't choose winners on Saturday as I usually do. Saturday is my busy day. There's a public booksigning at the Mall of America from 1-3 pm. I teach a workshop from 5:15-6:15. Then I have just over an hour to get dresses and ready for the awards banquet. Pray for me, please.

And if you live close enough, come to the Mall of America and introduce yourself to me.