FOLLOWING RAIN - Darrel Nelson - One Free Book or Ebook

Dear Readers, Darrel and I share the same agent. I’ve wondered is somehow we are distant cousins, since I was a Nelson before I became a Dooley. When his first book came out, I loved it, and so did I love the second one. I have this third one, but I haven’t read it. I will very soon. I know you’ll love his stories as well as I do.

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

I have recently finished two writing projects, one nonfiction and the other fiction, and I feel that God is taking me in a new direction. My wife and I have recently volunteered to work three days a week at a local employment center, assisting those who have lost their jobs to find work. Also, we do volunteer work every Saturday and Sunday for our local church. So my immediate future is filled with service opportunities. I do have a new novel outlined and another one semi-outlined, however, but I’m giving the story ideas time to incubate. I’m sure they will hatch and grow when the time is right.

James and I volunteer, too. Both of us at church, and he volunteers more than I do. He’s retired, but I’m still writing half-time and doing physical therapy every day. Tell us a little about your family.

My wife, Marsha, and I have four children (two boys and two girls) and ten grandchildren. Our two daughters and their families live in Denver, Colorado, and our oldest son and his family live in Saratoga Springs, Utah. Our youngest son and his wife don’t have any children so all ten of our grandchildren live in the States, far away from us. Denver is fifteen hours by car from southern Alberta, and Saratoga Springs is eleven hours, so when Marsha and I drive we listen to book tapes to help make the road seem shorter. On occasions when we fly, we take books along to help pass the time in the airport and on the plane. Either way, we head south as often as we can because our precious grandchildren are growing up so fast. I suspect all grandparents feel that way about their grandchildren.

 

I’m blessed to have all my children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren within about 10 miles of us. Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?

If anything, my writing has focused my reading habits on the works of other male authors who write romantic fiction. I like to see how they handle the subject. Nicholas Sparks, of course, comes to mind and I have read most of his books. But I must confess that his writing has become a little too graphic in the romantic details for my taste. I prefer the work of Charles Martin, and I find that that the spirit of his writing is more closely aligned with my own.

You should read Dan Walsh. He’s been called the Christian Nicholas Sparks by some reviewers. What are you working on right now?

Since I recently retired from teaching school and substitute teaching, I have been working on two writing projects. One is a history of my local church in the area in which I live: southern Alberta, Canada. It has been interesting to delve into the past and research people, places, and events that form the backdrop and foundation to the present. And based on my research, I’m grateful I didn’t live back in the early settlement years. I think I would have made a terrible pioneer.

           

The other project is my third novel, Following Rain. It has been interesting to work on a nonfiction and a fiction project concurrently. I’ve decided that between the two, I prefer writing fiction. I feel more comfortable in being able to take “artistic license” and fill in gaps using imagination. True, there’s still the necessity of making the fiction believable, but not the pressure to document each and every fact.

What outside interests do you have?

I enjoy visiting our children and helping out with handyman chores around the house. My grandkids call me “Fix-it Felix.” One of my young grandsons refers to himself as “Wreck-it Ralph” and says we go well together. It’s rewarding to find something in need of repair and fix it. I love the feeling of leaving our children’s homes in better shape than when my wife and I arrived. Marsha is hoping my handyman interests will carry over to OUR house.

           

Also, I enjoy golfing with my sons and am pleased that I can still keep up with them, although they outdrive me by a mile. I used to be an avid golfer and would go out, rain or shine, wind or cold. Now I’m more of a fair-weather golfer.

           

I have always loved songwriting and have written many songs over the years. Three of them were professionally produced and received limited airplay on the radio. During my teaching years, I always wrote a special Christmas song for my class to learn—my Christmas present to them. We would go to each grade and sing the song and wish everyone Seasons Greetings. Special memories.

I’ve written the scripts for several Christmas productions. Someone else wrote the music. How do you choose your settings for each book?

I set my novels in places I’m familiar with so the setting rings true. My first novel, The Anniversary Waltz, is set on the great plains of Montana, which geographically, is identical to southern Alberta, where I live. My second novel, The Return of Cassandra Todd, is set in the Denver and Silverthorne areas because that’s where my two daughters and their families live and my wife and I have been there frequently. My third novel, Following Rain, is set in Seattle because I like to change locations to keep my settings realistic but also interesting.

I love the Silverthorne area. I’ve been there a couple of times. If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?

It would be intimidating, for certain, but I would love to meet William Shakespeare. What a privilege it would be to interview him and ask how he came up with the plotlines to his plays and how he used words so magnificently to create such profound and poetic dialogue. I taught high school drama for five years and used to write the plays for my drama club. Several plays won state-level success, but my plays, in the words of the Bard himself, “couldn’t hold a candle” to his.        

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

I wish I had known beforehand how hard it is to get one’s book “out there.” John Grisham, another of my favorite authors, is quoted as saying that promoting a book is much harder than writing it. I used to wonder about that statement. Now that I’ve had three novels published, I don’t wonder anymore!

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

What a marvelous question. I feel the Lord is teaching me to trust in Him and not base my faith on how well my books sell. Working in the unemployment centre has helped me realize how temporary things can be. Jobs come and go. The same can be said for book sales, one’s health, finances, and so on. I have gained a deeper understanding of staying focused on the most important things in life: my relationship with God, my wife, my family, and with others. I have gained a deeper appreciation of the Lord’s tender mercies, and I am learning to develop an attitude of gratitude.

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

For starters, I would like to define success. I’m sure for many people, success translates: money! Yes, receiving a return on one’s investment of time and effort is important. My original book contract was cancelled because my books did not sell well enough. So, yes, I have learned that money is important. But to me success is broader. First, to be successful be persistent and compete the book. They say that over 80% of people who start out writing a book never finish it. Second, accept constructive criticism and realize you don’t have all the answers. A skilled editor can provide necessary feedback and help reshape your book into something far better than you can do on your own. Third, realize that you need a large network of help along the way. They say it takes a village to raise a child. The same can be said regarding books. It takes the cooperative effort of authors, agents, editors, publishers, publicists, and so on to bring a book to life.  

Tell us about the featured book.

I write love stories, short and simple. I’ve tried writing adventure and science fiction, but love stories are what ultimately come out of me. Following Rain is the story of Paul Blakely, a successful investigative reporter, who visits a Seattle homeless shelter on assignment and meets Rain McKenzie, a mysterious young woman who is living with a painful past. It becomes a life-changing experience for both of them. As he uncovers her secret, he makes an important discovery about his own life. It turns into an unexpected journey that will challenge everything Paul and Rain think they know about life and love.

Please give us the first page of the book.

PROLOGUE

August 2003

The girl’s eyes widened in horror when she recognized the man standing in the glare of the porch light. “Dad!” she gasped.

Her father’s presence seemed to fill the entire doorway. A scowl furrowed his forehead, and his expression—backlit by the porch light—increased the sullenness of his appearance. “Time to go,” he said firmly, above the sounds of boisterous laughter and talking that issued from within.

“Wh—what are you doing here?”

“The real question is what are you doing here? You told us you were going to Breann’s to study. And apparently Breann told her mom she was coming to our place.” His eyes narrowed and he cocked his ear toward the noise coming through the open doorway. “This isn’t either place, and it sure doesn’t sound like studying is going on.” He sniffed the air and his scowl deepened. “Have you been drinking?”

The young man who had answered the door thrust his beer bottle behind his back. “We’re just having a little party,” he said quickly. “A few friends dropped by to—”

“I’m not interested,” the girl’s father said, holding up his hand like a stop sign. “I’m here for my daughter.” He looked at her determinedly and motioned toward the street. “Let’s go.”

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Please visit my website at www.darrelnelson.com and check out my books and blog articles. You can post comments there, as well, and I would appreciate hearing from you. 

Thank you, Darrel, for visiting us today and sharing your new book. I know my readers are as eager to read it as I am.

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

Following Rain - Paperback
Following Rain - 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.

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THE RETURN OF CASSANDRA TODD - Darrel Nelson - One Free Book

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

I’ve thought about that a lot actually. I like to write love stories, both historical and contemporary, but sometimes I wonder if penning a spy thriller or crafting a war saga might be more “manly.” When I was young, I wrote adventure stories based on the books I was reading back then. But in time my interests changed, and I attribute the change to meeting my wife-to-be and falling for her head over heels. Before we met, I was incomplete; afterward, I felt whole. And that is the theme I like to base my stories around: people who are incomplete finding wholeness in one another. Perhaps I’m just a hopeless romantic at heart because I enjoy watching romantic comedies with my wife, and I like reading Nicholas Sparks and Charles Martin’s novels. Love is the most amazing force on earth, and I enjoy writing stories where characters are changed by its power.

I like to see Christian men who understand the relationship between a man and a woman the way God intended it to be. Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?

There’s no question about it. The happiest day of my life was when I married my wife, Marsha. That was over forty years ago, and there have been many happy days since then. But our wedding day was a dream-come-true. I look back at our wedding pictures and shake my head in wonder that we were ever that young! But growing older together has been a wonderful experience too.

And with my husband and me, it grows sweeter every year. How has being published changed your life?

It has enriched it immensely and put me in touch with many wonderful people: my agent, Joyce Hart; the staff at Charisma House; my editor, Lori Vanden Bosch; the staff at Glass Road Media; fellow writers; and many others who have helped along the way. Letters and comments from readers have been particularly rewarding and uplifting. I feel blessed because of the encouragement and support I’ve received.

Since we write for the same publisher and have the same agent, my team is the same. They truly are wonderful. What are you reading right now?

I’m just finishing a nonfiction book entitled: Surviving the Taliban—the Incredible True Story of a Convert. It takes place in Pakistan, in a culture where Christianity is punishable by death. The protagonist, identified only as The Poet, converts to Christianity and has to endure repeated assassination attempts, the loss of his family and all his possessions, and a life of being on the run. It’s a powerful story of how much a person will go through in an effort to cling to his beliefs. It’s given me a chance to do a lot of self-reflection. As soon as I finish the book, I’m going to read Charles Martin’s novel When Crickets Cry. I like a balance of nonfiction and fiction.

What is your current work in progress?

I’m excited about this one. It’s entitled Following Rain and is a story about the saving power of truth and love. When Paul Blakely, a successful investigative reporter, visits a Seattle homeless shelter in preparation for a story he’s researching and meets Raina (Rain) MacFarlane, a mysterious young woman who is living with a painful past, he could never imagine the challenging and life-changing experience it will become for both of them. As he uncovers the secrets of her past, he makes an important discovery about his own life. And so begins an unexpected journey that will challenge what they think they know about life and love.

Sounds wonderful. What would be your dream vacation?

An all-expense trip to a tropical destination such as the Caribbean or Maui would be wonderful! I live in Alberta, Canada, and right now it’s the dead of winter. Days are short and the weather is c-c-cold. I may write fiction but I can hardly envision my wife and I walking along a sandy beach with the surf tickling our toes and the sun warming our backs. Currently our life is snow, snow everywhere and nary a green blade of grass.

I’ve had a couple of Caribbean vacations. They’re very nice. How do you choose your setting for each book?

I select an area that I’m familiar with so the novel rings true. The Anniversary Waltz was originally set in southern Alberta, Canada, where I live. When Charisma picked me up, I changed the setting to northern Montana (which is very similar to southern Alberta) so my American readers could better identify with it. For my second novel, The Return of Cassandra Todd, I chose Denver because that’s where my two daughters and their families live, and my wife and I have been there many times. Again, I wanted the novel to ring true to readers who know the area. For my third novel, Following Rain, I selected Seattle because I want to move my settings around in an effort to appeal to more readers. The only problem with picking Seattle is that I’ve never been there. So my wife and I went on a working vacation and spent time touring the city and talking to people and soaking up as much of the culture and geography as we could. My wife is hoping I pick Paris or Rome for my next book!

My first Realms book was set in Seattle, Washington Territory in 1885. It’s Maggie’s Journey, and right now ebook downloads are FREE until February 12 in formats for Kindle, Nook, Kobo, and Sony ereaders. If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?

I would love to meet Paul McCartney. I’m a Beatle fanatic. I saw the Beatles when they appeared on the Ed Sullivan show on February 9, 1964. I was hooked. Over the years I bought every one of their 45s and albums (yes, that’s what we called them back then), and I own probably fifty books on the Beatles and have read fifty more. I play their music regularly, especially when I ride my exercise bike. So I’d like to meet Paul McCartney and thank him for all the great music he brought into my life. I’d also like to talk to him about the creative process of pulling ideas out of the air, giving them shape, and fine-tuning them (no pun intended) into finished form. The only problem is, if I did meet him, I’d be so tongue-tied that I wouldn’t be able to string two coherent words together.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I have written hundreds of songs over the years, three of which have been professionally produced and played on the local radio. One song actually got some airplay in Europe too. I think I made a grand total of $13 in royalties from it! I don’t write songs as much as I used to, but during my years as an elementary school teacher, I would always write a special Christmas song for my fourth grade class to learn. Then we’d “go on tour” and share it with the other grades. I also used to golf a lot, but I gave up when my sons started beating me too badly!

Sounds like fun. What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?

For some reason the refrigerator and the pantry keep beckoning to me. Now that I’m retired and work at home, they are soooo accessible. When I’m writing and get stuck for an idea, or the story isn’t working out smoothly, I find myself heeding the call. I wander into the kitchen and browse around, grab a snack, and return. But soon the refrigerator and the pantry start beckoning again. I overcome this obstacle by sometimes going to the library of the local university and selecting a quiet cubicle away from enticements and distractions. Or I simply force myself to remain in my chair. But then my legs start to get tired, so I need to stretch them, right? And since I’m stretching them, I might as well walk around. And since I’m walking around anyway, I might as well go into the kitchen and . . . You get the idea.

What advice would you give a beginning author?

Don’t quit your day job. And here I’m speaking from experience. I taught school for five years and then resigned so I could write the “great Canadian novel.” I worked on the book for two years and then sent out many, many letters to publishers. This was in the days before word processors, so each letter had to be typed individually. One publisher expressed interest but nothing came of it. And that was the end of that. I managed to find another teaching job, and I stayed in teaching for the next thirty-two years. During that time I wrote ten more novels, several of which were intended for the youth market. When The Anniversary Waltz and The Return of Cassandra Todd were finally signed by a publisher—after thirty years of trying—I retired so that I could write full time and enjoy the process a little more. On that note, another piece of advice: Don’t give up. It took me thirty years to find a publisher. How badly do YOU want to find one?

Tell us about the featured book.

It’s entitled The Return of Cassandra Todd. In a nutshell, here’s the plot: Turner Caldwell could never have imagined that the outdoor training and survival skills he learned at Camp Kopawanee, a summer youth camp where he worked three years as a leader, would one day become so crucial. When Cassandra Todd, the girl associated with making his life miserable in high school, re-enters his life, little son in tow, and asks for help in eluding her abusive husband, Turner finds himself entangled in a life and death struggle that will require every skill he has in order to survive. The Return of Cassandra Todd is a contemporary action/adventure love story that will keep readers turning the page in a headlong rush to see how things turn out.

Give us the first page of the book.

PROLOGUE

She lay beside her husband, listening to his steady breathing. A sliver of moonlight peeked through a gap in the curtain and illuminated his features. He lay on his back with his mouth partway open, his hair disheveled, a two-day growth of stubble on his chin. He snored softly but otherwise remained asleep.

She rolled onto her side and glanced at the clock. 1:27 a.m. After waiting to make certain her movement hadn’t disturbed him, she eased back the covers, her bare feet soundlessly touching the floor. She grimaced as the bedsprings protested her departure. Remaining still for a moment, she studied her husband. He continued to snore, and his silhouetted shape did not stir.

After tiptoeing into the bathroom, she quickly changed in the darkness, slipping into the clothes she’d purposefully laid out before going to bed. She rehearsed what she’d say if her husband unexpectedly came in and discovered her . . . dressed.

Then, with her heart in her throat, she stepped into the hallway as cautiously as though walking through a minefield and went directly to the bedroom next door. Opening the door slowly so the hinges didn’t squeak, she listened to see if her husband had noticed her absence.

All remained silent, except for the blood pounding in her ears. Exhaling slowly, she crossed the room and gently touched the little figure huddled beneath the covers. “Sweetie,” she whispered. “It’s Mommy.”

The little boy, only four, rolled over in protest to the interruption.

“Time to wake up.”

He opened his eyes and stared questioningly at her.

“Come with Mommy.”

“Where?” he asked. This was followed by an extended yawn and catlike stretch.

“We’re going on an adventure.”

“An adventure!”

“Shhh! We don’t want to disturb Daddy. Hurry and get up, but be very quiet.”

How can readers find you on the Internet.

My webpage is located at www.darrelnelson.com. Please check it and my blog out as well. You can post comments there and I’d love to hear from you.

Thank you, Darrel, for sharing your life and this book with us. When I read it for endorsement, I loved the story.

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

The Return of Cassandra Todd - paperback
The Return of Cassandra Todd - Kindle


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 4 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 included in the drawing. Here’s a link.
Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

THE ANNIVERSARY WALTZ - Darrel Nelson - One Free Book

I’m thrilled to have Darrel Nelson on my blog today. I was privileged to read the manuscript for endorsement, and I loved it. I think you will, too. Welcome, Darrel. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

I suspect most authors put a bit of themselves into each of their characters, good or bad. Imagination allows us to magnify the good and bad traits in ourselves and project them into our characters. But, naturally, our good characters take after our personal good traits as the author, while the bad characters are solely based on our imagined bad traits . . . right?

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

The word “quirky” covers a wide range of possibilities. But I would have to say that eating peanuts, shell and all, might qualify. Someone introduced me to this practice years ago, and I tried it and liked it. So when I go to Texas Roadhouse or some other restaurant that serves bulk peanuts in the shell as an appetizer, I pop the whole peanut in my mouth, shell and all, and chew to my heart’s content. Talk about fiber! (Disclaimer: No one else I’ve talked into trying it likes it. Just sayin’.)

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I began writing stories when I was about ten years old. It seemed a natural thing to pick up a paper and pencil and write adventure stories. I read all the Tarzan books I could get my hands on, and so my early stories were jungle adventures. Later, I got into science fiction and so I left the steaming jungles of Africa for the outer realms of the galaxy. I created a character named Zip Carter, and, boy, did he have some exciting, far-out adventures. I have no idea where those early stories ever got to, but would it ever be a laugh to read them now.

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

I still haven’t figured out how I went from reading jungle adventures and outer space adventures to reading romantic fiction, but somewhere along the line I discovered that I liked reading stories about relationships, particularly love stories. I love the books of Nicholas Sparks and Charles Martin, both of whom write in the style I enjoy myself. Also, I love John Grisham’s courtroom drama novels. I’ve read them all, too.

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

I wish I could answer that, but l have already lost my sanity. I mean, I’m trying to break into the writing business, right? Okay, seriously, there are several things that have helped me. First of all, I have a wonderful and supportive wife and family (including ten adorable grandchildren) who mean the world to me. They help keep me grounded. Secondly, we are active in our church and believe that with the Lord’s help we can endure and rise above the trials of life. Third, I have been a schoolteacher for thirty-seven years, and being around the innocence and vitality of children all those years has helped maintain my faith in humanity.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

At first I pull the names out of a hat (not literally) and begin fleshing out their characters. As the story progresses, I might change my mind on a character’s name. For example, in The Anniversary Waltz, “Adam” was originally named “Shem.” But as the book progressed, the name Adam seemed to suit the character better. I know it sounds like I have a thing for Bible names—I mean, the main female character is named Elizabeth—but not really. I settled on names that seemed to “ring true” to the character. But here’s the funny thing. In real life, I have a nephew named Adam and a niece named Elizabeth.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Convincing my wife to marry me. And that is an accomplishment considering what a shy guy I was. Still am.

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

In both of my novels I include a scene where a bird (hawk and eagle respectively) is soaring gracefully through the air. So I suppose I would choose to be a hawk or an eagle. There is something about its freedom of flight, the majesty of its outstretched wings, the solitude of being (as described in my second novel) “a beauty mark on the face of heaven” that is appealing to me. Plus, as a boy I read every Superman comic book on the face of the earth and dreamed about being able to FLY.

What is your favorite food?

I love Canadian Chinese food. Wait . . . Canadian Chinese food, you say? Yep. Chinese food that’s served right here in good old Canada. It’s a little different than American Chinese food—I don’t know, they must use a different recipe or something. I only know that my family loves it, and my children who live in the States always request, when they back to Canada to visit, that we all go out for genuine, authentic Canadian Chinese food.

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

My main problem can be summarized in three little letters: POV. That’s Point of View. I’ve driven my editor crazy with how I get into the head of each of my characters and share their thoughts and feelings freely, often in the same scene. I write in a stream of consciousness mode, and this poses a problem for the reader. It tends to give a “shotgun blast” of information instead of a pinpoint that allows the information to be unfolded incrementally.

I have tried to overcome this roadblock by keeping a piece of paper beside of my computer that lists the chapter number and the POV from which it’s told. As I write, I remind myself to focus on who’s telling the story and to be aware of not climbing inside another character’s head. I read each completed chapter about a hundred times to check it over, and then move on. When I go back and reread the book later, I still find places where I have been inconsistent. So the bottom line is—I’m improving in this area, but I still have a long way to go. It’s a tricky technique to master, I’ll tell you that. But that’s just my POV.

Please give us the first page of the book.

PROLOGUE

October 2006

“Would you do me the honor, Miss?”

Adam Carlson stood beside his wife, Elizabeth, who was still seated at the dining room table. He presented her with a single white rose, which he brought out from behind his back. She held the flower close in order to savor its sweet fragrance. Adam extended a wrinkled hand and looked at her expectantly, the question lingering in his smile. 

Elizabeth laughed lightly and put the rose on the table beside her plate, pausing to smooth down her white hair and adjust the two-strand pearl necklace around her slender neck. She placed her hand in his, and together they walked slowly into the living room, followed by family members, who gathered around the perimeter of the area rug.

The living room was decorated especially for the occasion. A banner that read HAPPY ANNIVERSARY stretched above the doorway, and crepe streamers hung from the center of the ceiling, radiating to the corners of the room like the spokes of a wheel. Balloons were taped to the walls in clusters, and below each cluster was a hand-drawn picture that showed two stick figures holding hands, with the words GREAT-GRANDMA LOVES GREAT-GRANDPA printed across the bottom in irregular block letters. A brass floor lamp stood in the far corner, casting a warm glow throughout the room. A floral arrangement in a ceramic vase sat on the fireplace mantel, and a small pennant that was attached to a thin wooden stick protruded from the leaves and bore the message HAPPY 60th, written in glitter paint. A photograph in an old picture frame of Adam and Elizabeth on their wedding day sat on the coffee table, and an album containing photographs of past anniversaries lay open beside it.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

You can find me a www.darrelnelson.com. I invite you to check out my website and my blog.

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

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

The Anniversary Waltz: A novel


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 4 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 included in the drawing. Here’s a link.
Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com