A CALCULATED BETROTHAL - Denise Weimer - One Free Book

Bio: Denise Weimer writes historical and contemporary romance from her home in North Georgia and also serves as a freelance editor and the Acquisitions & Editorial Liaison for Wild Heart Books. A mother of two wonderful young adult daughters, she always pauses for coffee, chocolate, and old houses.

Welcome back, Denise. Why did you become an author? I sensed the call to write ever since I was in middle school and the trips I made with my parents to historic sites inspired stories in spiral-bound notebooks. I knew this was how God had gifted me—absorbing details, nuances of character, and blending them using right-brain creativity with left-brain research and organization. Being an author allows me to bring the past alive and His love and healing to readers through story form. Being an editor also allows me to help others hone the same skills.

If you weren’t an author, what would be your dream job? I very nearly went into historic preservation and restoration. Old homes and buildings tell such fascinating tales, just like books.

If you could have lived at another time in history, what would it be and why? I find American history fascinating during the years the nation was gaining independence and expanding, especially along the Eastern frontier. That time through the Civil War resonates most with me, although I also enjoy later periods of history as well. There would be something to be said for living in the Edwardian era through WWII when the old ways and manners were still practiced but some modern conveniences were to be had.

What place in the United States have you not visited that you would like to? The Grand Canyon and a snowy resort and Christmas town in Colorado.

How about a foreign country you hope to visit? I don’t see any international travel coming in my near future, but my top picks would be Scotland, Switzerland, or a return to Italy or Spain.

What lesson has the Lord taught you recently? My life has changed so much and there have been so many lessons in the last year, I couldn’t begin to name them all. But through it all, the biggest lesson is that He’s faithful.

That is so, so true in my life, too. Please tell us about the featured book? The death of her titled husband means that not only is Tabitha Gage no longer a lady—but she’s also abandoned on an isolated Southern Georgia plantation on the eve of revolution. With the fine house and fields sold to a neighbor, she’s left with a log cabin on unsettled timber land. Rather than marry the neighbor’s son, Tabitha determines to make her own way—and never again be shackled to a man she doesn’t love.

Sergeant Edmond Lassiter is one assignment away from promotion when he comes to the aid of a red-haired beauty fending off cattle rustlers. Thrown together during an attack at a nearby fort, the Patriot scout and Loyalist widow are surprised by the values they share—including honesty, loyalty, and equality. When Edmond learns the same man who ruined his family is after what little Tabitha has left, he convinces her they should work together to make her land profitable—all while fighting off the British from East Florida and her greedy neighbor, who sabotages their every effort to succeed. Their work together will be a business arrangement…nothing more. But as a British invasion threatens, the truth soon becomes clear—continuing the connection between them will risk far more than their hearts.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Early February, 1777

The morning she awoke at home after the funeral of her husband, Lady Tabitha Gage opened her eyes to bright winter sunlight and shuddered—with relief. She was free.

But a lady no longer.

Terror quickly replaced the relief. Free, yes, but also alone on a thousand-acre South Georgia rice plantation. Across the Altamaha River, Creek and Seminole Indians roamed the no-man’s land of tangled swamps and bogs, allied to the British who held East Florida. Lord Riley’s allegiance to the Crown had not excluded his cattle from being raided. Should an invasion come, it would not protect this plantation, either—especially now he was gone. After Henry’s name appeared on the St. Andrews Parochial Committee’s list of twenty-nine suspected Tories last autumn, River’s Bend was equally susceptible to Patriot retribution. 

And yet it was to River’s Bend Tabitha had returned—fled, more like—the day after she’d seen Henry laid to rest in the Christ Church burying ground. Keeping up appearances in Savannah had required more fortitude—and fortune—than she possessed now. Not to mention, her twin, Temperance, was too apt to see past Tabitha’s façade. And their father, too apt to pull her back under his control.

Tabitha sat up but clutched the covers beneath her chin, not yet ready to relinquish their warmth for the chill of the January morning. Maybe she could stay here all day.

When she’d first set eyes on her new husband’s country house, she’d cried. The white frame home with its two tiers of piazzas and saltbox-style extension in the rear set among the live oaks and palms appeared so parochial in comparison to his elegant brick Savannah residence. What a little fool she’d been. Her upstairs room with its twelve-foot ceilings, walnut furniture, and tapestry curtains and counterpane had since become her refuge. Lord Riley had sought her out here less and less frequently as his hope for an heir dwindled over the eleven years of their marriage.

And now the burden of that expectation was gone, along with the silent judgment of the man who’d imposed it. She knew not whether to stretch her shoulders with the relinquishment or continue to cringe under the accusation she’d come to expect. Her own head supplied it in the absence of Henry’s voice. What kind of wife was she to not mourn her husband?

Buy link:

https://www.amazon.com/Calculated-Betrothal-Scouts-Georgia-Frontier-ebook/dp/B0D577ZJ1B/

How can readers find you on the Internet? Connect with Denise here:

Monthly Newsletter Sign-up

Website

Facebook

Twitter

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Readers, leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 2 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

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

WHEN HOPE SANK - Denise Weimer - One Free Book

Welcome back, Denise. How did you come up with the idea for this story? The plot for When Hope Sank came about when my agent, Linda S. Glaz, learned Barbour Publishing was planning a new series, A Day to Remember, based on tragedies in U.S. history. She shared Barbour’s list of suggestions with her authors. One of the tragedies was the sinking of the Sultana, which occurred in the Mississippi River in April of 1865, the week after President Lincoln was assassinated. The date leapt out at me because I’ve done extensive living history and research in that time period.

I learned that the steamboat was carrying paroled Union POWs on their way home. The boat was severely overcrowded due to bribes and kickbacks. The boiler had been shoddily repaired. The river was at flood stage. When three of the boilers exploded just north of Memphis, Tennessee, around two thousand souls were expelled into the freezing water. Around half lost their lives, making the incident the worst maritime disaster in the nation’s history. To make matters worse, rumors of sabotage abounded. The towns on the Arkansas side of the river—including Mound City where my heroine’s uncle runs an inn—were known hotbeds of spies, bushwhackers, and saboteurs. I chose to explore that connection after Lily Livingston rescues Lieutenant Cade Palmer, a former Union surgeon, from the swollen waters of the Mississippi.

If you were planning a party with Christian authors of contemporary fiction, what six people would you invite and why? I’m hard pressed to answer that question since I rarely read contemporary fiction. I think Ted Dekker would be very interesting to converse with. And maybe some of the big-name authors who have written multiple series and whose books have been made into movies. I’m sure we could learn a lot from them!

Now let’s do that for a party for Christian authors of historical fiction, what six people would you invite and why? Now you’re talking my language. LOL. Can I issue more invites since I’m not doing a modern party? Francine Rivers, of course. Laura Frantz is one of my favorite authors. We share a love of writing Eastern frontier romances. Lori Benton for the same reason. Shannon McNear and Pegg Thomas are particular author friends of mine, co-authors on a previous Barbour collection. I’d like to ask Deanne Gist how she’s so good at humor in her historicals. And I’d love to learn more from Lynn Austin, Heidi Chiavaroli, and Tamera Alexander. But I’m just getting going. As an editor at Wild Heart Books, I want to invite every single amazing author I work with!

Many times, people (and other authors) think you have it made with so many books published. What is your most difficult problem with writing at this time in your career? Probably balancing all the attention book releases require with my editing work and personal life. I always feel I’m coming up short on the marketing end. Some people are so savvy in that area. But we all have different angles and gifts…and only so much time and money to go around. I’m thankful, so thankful, that I get to do what I love and feel called by God to do as a career.

Tell us about When Hope Sank.

April 1865

The Civil War has taken everything from Lily Livingston—her parents, her twin brother, her home. Now she works at her uncle’s inn and keeps her head down. Speaking up for her beliefs proved too costly in a part of Arkansas split by conflicting loyalties and overrun by spies and bushwhackers. One of those partisans, her brother’s childhood friend, will soon return to claim her hand—whether she wants to grant it or not.

Emaciated in body but resilient in spirit, Lieutenant Cade Palmer is crowded onto the Sultana with other paroled Andersonville and Cahaba POWs for the journey north. But a fiery explosion rends the steamer and empties two thousand men into the frigid Mississippi River. 

Recovering from wounds that might end his career as a surgeon but clinging to his faith, Cade threatens both Lily’s defenses and her heart. How can she tell him she might’ve prevented the tragedy if only she’d reported a suspected saboteur’s claims? And when the man returns to town and encoded messages pass through the hotel, Lily must follow her convictions to prevent another tragedy.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Mid-April 1865

“Free Arkansas.”

The unexpected phrase, whispered a stone’s throw away at the inn’s back alley door, froze Lily Livingston’s arms in mid-swing. The dirty dishwater she’d been about to fling from the entrance to the kitchen swirled and settled in the pan, all but a defiant trickle. The speaker’s head swiveled in her direction. He’d removed his gambler-style hat, providing a glimpse of long, center-parted black hair despite the drizzly night. Something in the slash of his frown, the alertness of his posture, caused Lily to withdraw into the doorway.

Who was entering River Rest’s private room the back way, and why were they offering such a strange greeting to whomever answered the door? Experience had taught her to use caution where patrons of her uncle’s establishment were concerned. Some of the worst sorts of shirkers and criminals slaked their thirst and sought their slumber at inns along the Mississippi these days. These days. She sniffed. Even before the Civil War made Arkansas a haven for guerillas and bushwhackers, river ruffians had abounded—gamblers, thieves, swindlers. And worse. Much worse.

“Miss Lily, what you doing?”

The question shot through Lily with the urgency of an alert on a telegraph wire, straightening her spine.

How can readers find you on the Internet? Denise Weimer writes historical and contemporary romance from her home in North Georgia and also serves as a freelance editor and the Acquisitions and Editorial Liaison for Wild Heart Books. A wife and mother of two daughters, she always pauses for coffee, chocolate, and old houses.

Connect with Denise here:

Monthly Newsletter Sign-up

Website

Facebook

Twitter

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I was born in Arkansas and grew up there. I’m eager to read this book. Thank you for sharing it with my readers and me.

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=When+Hope+Sank&i=stripbooks&crid=2FIOHDC1EG40W&sprefix=when+hope+sank+%2Cstripbooks%2C130&ref=nb_sb_noss_2

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 2 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link: Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com 

CHERISHED BETROTHAL - Denise Weimer - One Free Book

Welcome back, Denise. Tell us about your salvation experience. My father was a minister. One Sunday when I was five or six, God impressed on my heart during the service that I was in need of a Savior, and I prayed to give my life to Him. On the way home, I worked up the nerve to tell my parents. Never once did I doubt that was the moment He saved me, though I grew in my understanding and rededicated my life and was baptized as an older teen.

I was 7 years old when I first asked Jesus into my heart. You’re planning a writing retreat where you can only have four other authors. Who would they be and why? Oh, goodness, that’s a tough one! There are so many authors who have inspired me. Authors who have served as co-writers on projects. Amazing authors I’ve served as an editor for. So it would be too hard to try to rank them in priority, and I’d never want to hurt any feelings by selecting so few. Suffice it to say, I’d choose authors who write in similar genres who have found unique ways to connect with readers and whose hearts for the Lord are obvious.

Good answer. Do you have a speaking ministry? If so, tell us about that. I don’t have a speaking platform, per se, but as both an author and editor (Acquisitions and Editorial Liaison for Wild Heart Books), I do speak to a variety of groups about a variety of topics. This ranges from talking with historical or community organizations about the history in my books and how I turn research into fiction to addressing budding writers on topics of the craft. Probably my favorite setting in which to speak would be at a book club.

I love connecting with book clubs, too. What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you and how did you handle it? Hm, nothing super embarrassing comes to mind. Except there was this one time…LOL. I have enjoyed living history and vintage dance for a number of years. One time when I was quite a bit younger and more foolish, while attending a ball, I had pinned fake ringlets to the side of my hair so the curls wouldn’t wilt in the Georgia humidity. While I was whisking around doing the Virginia reel, one of the curls came loose and rolled around on the dance floor like a fleeing mouse. Thankfully, I believe I was able to snatch it up before anyone noticed. Or maybe I just blocked out the memory of what happened after that.

People are always telling me that they’d like to write a book someday. I’m sure they do to you, too. What would you tell someone who came up to you and said that? Yes, lots of people do tell me this, most often when I am at my book table at festivals. I generally ask them what they have in mind and encourage them to pursue their dream. Often, I will mention joining a writers’ group or attending a conference so they can gain some knowledge before they get started. What’s more challenging is when people tell me they have a story idea that I simply must pursue…or pen for them as a ghost writer! Not all of these ideas line up with the style or genre I write.

I understand that. Tell us about the featured book. Though it is one of the more serious reads of the Scouts of the Georgia Frontiers Series, A Cherished Betrothal is actually my favorite—for a variety of reasons.

• Fascinating history of the struggle for the backcountry of Georgia and South Carolina as the American Revolution began.
• A backstory that provides a lot of angst, romantic tension, and opportunity to show God’s redemptive power.
• Swoon-worthy Scottish hero bent on revenge and a sweet heroine who serves as his foil.
• Tropes: childhood sweethearts, amnesia, love triangle, war.

Alexander Morris bears the childhood scars of the Long Canes massacre that killed his brother and father. His dark past forces him into the lonely life of Georgia Ranger, and eventually, to join the bordering South Carolina Rangers that revolt against the Crown. When he’s posted to the fort erected to defend the community once decimated by the massacre, duty demands he court the loyalty of his sworn enemies, the fierce Cherokee warriors.

Elspeth Lawrence never forgot the boy who sacrificed himself for her at Long Canes—any more than she forgot the younger sister taken captive. She’s learned to not only forgive but help minister to the Cherokees at her father’s mission. Alex Morris’s arrival at nearby Fort Charlotte stirs Elsie’s memories and her emotions. He doesn’t even remember her…or the long-ago attack. But the bitterness that simmers just beneath his stoic exterior—as well as her courtship by a local landowner—challenge their undeniable bond.

When Alex uncovers a long-held secret and a plot to sabotage patriot talks with the Cherokees, he must choose between his desire for revenge and his love for the girl he saved long ago.

Please give us the first page of the book.

July 12, 1775

Fort Charlotte, South Carolina

“Dinna touch me, sir!”

The sharp command from the captain’s residence stopped Lieutenant Alexander Morris in the process of striking the British colors in the fort’s yard. The act itself had already given him pause, for there could be no going back from this. The taking of a crown fort—even one in the backcountry—was no less an act of aggression for the lack of bloodshed.

But what was a Scottish woman—unmistakable, from her lilting brogue—doing here?

Alex’s men had been instructed to supervise Captain George Whitefield’s family as they packed and prepared to be escorted from Fort Charlotte. A wagon awaited them with horses already hitched in the yard. They would travel northeast to the town of Ninety Six, along with whatever munitions Major James Mayson chose to transfer to the fortified town. Where the Whitefields went from there mattered not, so long as—having refused to join the Patriot cause—they left the area.

The undeniable rumble of an argument proceeded through the open door of the captain’s quarters. Alex folded the flag over his arm, smoothing the King’s Colours with his scarred hand. He’d fought with the Georgia Rangers under this banner, but never again. The line had been crossed now. Swallowing past the unexpected tightness in his throat, he pivoted and went to see what might be out of kilter with the Whitefields.

He was about to enter the captain’s cabin when a petite form in a blue bodice and linen petticoat swept through the door, nearly colliding with him. The young woman stopped, one hand flying up to secure her tilting straw hat.

How can readers find you on the Internet? Denise Weimer writes historical and contemporary romance from her home in North Georgia and also serves as a freelance editor and the Acquisitions and Editorial Liaison for Wild Heart Books. A wife and mother of two daughters, she always pauses for coffee, chocolate, and old houses.

Connect with Denise here:

Monthly Newsletter Sign-up

Website

Facebook

Twitter

BookBub

Thank you, Denise, for sharing A Cherished Betrothal with my blog readers and me.

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

https://www.amazon.com/Cherished-Betrothal-Scouts-Georgia-Frontier-ebook/dp/B0CHMZKBCL/

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 2 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link: Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

A COURAGEOUS BETROTHAL - Denise Weimer - One Free Book

Bio: Denise Weimer writes historical and contemporary romance from her home in North Georgia and also serves as a freelance editor and the Acquisitions and Editorial Liaison for Wild Heart Books. A wife and mother of two daughters, she always pauses for coffee, chocolate, and old houses

Welcome back, Denise. What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about?

That’s a great question! I often find themes of emotional healing and redemption weaving into my stories. In A Courageous Betrothal, the theme has to do with accepting ourselves as God made us. The heroine is inspired by a real-life Revolutionary War Patriot heroine, Nancy Hart, who was six feet tall, red-haired, big-boned, pock-marked, and cross-eyed. She was also a crack shot the local Indians called “War Woman” and successfully spied on and captured Loyalists and British Regulars in the Georgia backcountry…all while defending her family. My heroine, Jenny White, is a bit softer, but she feels gawky and unattractive next to her pretty, petite little sister. The hero, Scottish militia scout Caylan McIntosh, has a hard time convincing her that he finds what she thinks are her weaknesses to be strengths, especially on the frontier.

What other books of yours are coming out soon? The Scouts of the Georgia Frontier books continue to release into 2024. Book three, A Cherished Betrothal, just came out in January and follows the beginning of Revolution on the Georgia/South Carolina border. There will be two more coming later in the year, as well as my novel about the 1865 sinking of the Sultana, When Hope Sank, part of Barbour’s A Day to Remember Series. Plus, my first-ever novella, Redeeming Grace, will re-release this July in Wild Heart Books’ Romance at the Gilded Age Resorts Series with a new cover and title, A Summer at the Niagara of the South.

If you could spend an evening with one contemporary person (not a family member of yours), who would it be and why? You know, it would be interesting to learn from Francine Rivers about her publishing journey.

I met Francine over a decade ago, and she gave her testimony. I bought the CD of that session. It was very interesting. What historical person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why?

I never know how to answer that one since there are so many fascinating historical people. I’d have a hard time choosing between religious leaders, military leaders, brave pioneers, and the American founding fathers.

How can you encourage authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers? First, I’d encourage them to make sure they have a solid grasp on the writing craft and the industry expectations for submitting proposals. Read up on those things and ask experienced, traditionally published authors or editors. Once that is in place, it’s important to make sure they are submitting to publishers seeking the same genre, length, and style of material…and then, following submission guidelines. One hurdle I find with submissions I review as Acquisitions and Editorial Liaison at Wild Heart Books is that some authors are still writing in narrative style rather than deep POV (point of view). Or submitting historical fiction rather than historical romance…or are truly unfamiliar with industry expectations or formula for historical romance.

Finally, it’s more than possible that they just haven’t found the right fit yet. Publishers will often favor certain tropes, time periods, or settings. They may be seeking lighter material or more serious material. They may have just accepted something very similar. At other times, they may have just received a glut of submissions, and their production schedules may be filled for the foreseeable future. Editors who wear more than one hat sometimes struggle to have time to read through lengthy proposals and sample chapters. If they are deep into projects with current authors, they may put off manuscript review for a specified time in the future.

There are so many factors at play, but ultimately, none of these things take God by surprise. He knows just which editor needs to open your email on the right day. He knows just what you need to learn and where you need to be in life before you are ready for publication…or before the world is ready for your book!

That’s very valuable information. Please tell us about the featured book. A Courageous Betrothal is a short but action-and-romance-packed 20K-word novella originally entitled Across Three Autumns and included in Barbour’s Backcountry Brides Collection. Because of the short word count and long time span covered, I chose to use only the heroine’s point of view.

Red-haired, freckle-faced, and almost six feet tall, Jenny White has resigned herself to fame over love. Possessing the courage and wits to guard her younger siblings against nature, natives, and loyalists in Georgia’s “Hornet’s Nest” gives life meaning until she meets scout Caylan McIntosh.

From the time Jenny nurses the young lieutenant back to health after the Battle of Kettle Creek, she can’t deny her attraction to the vexing Highlander, who seems determined to dismantle her emotional armor. But when Georgia falls to the British and Caylan returns to guide Jenny’s family on a harrowing exodus into the North Carolina mountains, will his secrets prove stronger than his devotion? Or will their love be courageous enough to carry them through the battles ahead?

Please give us the first page of the book.

Prologue

Late June, 1778

Wilkes County, Georgia

She first sensed someone watching as a prickle of awareness on the back of her neck as she and Hester floated, shift-clad, in the creek. Even in the cool waters, the fine ginger hairs from Jenny White’s nape to her arms stirred, and she froze.

Casting a glance over her shoulder, she saw him—a brown bare-chested native, his face smeared with black-and-red war paint. He did not even attempt to conceal himself. After all, the White family may have brought their livestock out from Augusta and built a cabin four years prior. They might have planted their small patches of corn, wheat, and flax alongside the vegetable garden Jenny and her sister had been weeding in the fork of Long and Dry Fork Creeks before yielding to the urge to cool down from the sun’s blistering rays. But this had been his land. Whether Hitchiti Creek of the first people in these parts, or Muskogee who came from the west many years ago, he belonged and she did not.

But the brave’s alliance with the British made him Jenny’s enemy. She was old enough to remember from North Carolina what the British could do. She had given up too much—her little brother’s life and her best years to make a good match, for starters—to just hand over this land.

Thank God Gabriel had not taken the Brown Bess hunting today. She’d left it propped against the giant oak that marked the ford. With the steady diagonal trajectory of a water bug, she waded toward Hester and the tree.

Hester’s head—curly strawberry-blonde hair darkened and dripping—broke the surface. She started to let out an exclamation of delight but gave only a gasp when Jenny’s firm hand encircled her wrist. Green eyes wide, she allowed herself to be towed toward the shore.

“Hester, run for the house. Make sure Ma and the baby stay inside.”

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Connect with Denise here:

Monthly Newsletter Sign-up

Website

Facebook

Twitter

BookBub

Thank you for sharing A Courageous Betrothal with us.

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

https://www.amazon.com/Courageous-Betrothal-Scouts-Georgia-Frontier-ebook/dp/B0CHMXGLJG/

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 2 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link: Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com 

A COUNTERFEIT BETROTHAL - Denise Weimer - One Free Book

Bio: Denise Weimer writes historical and contemporary romance from her home in North Georgia and also serves as a freelance editor and the Acquisitions & Editorial Liaison for Wild Heart Books. A wife and mother of two daughters, she always pauses for coffee, chocolate, and old houses.

God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon? Yes, I am so blessed to work with Misty Beller and her staff at Wild Heart Books with the release of my Scouts of the Georgia Frontier, a five-book series. I also am releasing two novellas in their Romance at the Gilded Age Resorts Series. Releases from both series populated 2023 and continue throughout 2024. Plus, my novel of Barbour’s A Day to Remember Series, When Hope Sank, about the 1865 sinking of the Sultana steamboat, comes out in May.

This year, I’ll be promoting all those novels as well as continuing as the Acquisitions & Editorial Liaison at Wild Heart Books. It’s a double blessing that I get to acquire and edit Christian historical romances from so many other talented authors! The company is growing, and God is blessing.

My agent, Linda S. Glaz, also continues to shop some of my proposals to other publishers.

I’m blessed to be one of those Wild Hearts Books authors you’re helping. Tell us a little about your family. I’m married to Wayne, an investment advisor, and we have two daughters who are currently in grad school. I’m also thankful to have my parents close by. They attend many book events with me.

Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how? My editing has changed my reading habits. Except for the occasional endorsement read, I don’t get to read a bunch for pleasure just because of the eye and brain strain that comes from lots of editing. Not to mention, it’s hard not to read a book without my mental red pen switched to “on.” But when I get the chance, I love escaping into other Christian historical romances…and occasionally, a contemporary romantic suspense novel.

What are you working on right now? Book Three of the Scouts of the Georgia Frontier, A Cherished Betrothal, just released, so I’m gearing up for spring in-person events as well as the activities mentioned above.

What outside interests do you have? I enjoy attending living history events, vintage dance, and outings to cute towns and coffee shops with my friends and the ladies in my family. I’m also part of a hiking club for Christian women. Trekking around the North Georgia mountains always brings me fresh inspiration.

How do you choose your settings for each book? Most of my books are set in Georgia, though some now are in other Southern states. I love to find little-known but fascinating historical happenings or locations and base a story around those.

I’ve been doing that with my novels, too. I love learning about events. If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why? I never know how to answer that one since there are so many fascinating historical people. I’d have a hard time choosing between religious leaders, military leaders, brave pioneers, and the American founding fathers.

What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels? Haha! Well, when I first started writing, the publishing preference was just switching from narrative style to deep point of view. I learned as a work in process, so I could have saved some time if I had been aware of that transition earlier.

Apart from that, I think I’d go back and tell my younger author self that the best open doors would come through working with other authors. And that it will take a long time to gain traction outside my local area.

My first novel, which released in 1992, was in the narrative style, and I didn’t know any other authors. What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now? I guess my current lessons have to do with trusting God to work when we’ve done all we can in certain areas of life and may not see a change. And I’m learning how our human interpretations of Him and circumstances are so limited. He is truly so much more gracious than we know.

What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful? Study the craft, whether that comes by reading books, attending workshops, joining a writers’ group, or working with an editor or mentor. Study the agent or publishing house so that when you submit, you are certain there is a potential match and you are putting your best foot forward by offering the materials in the style and format requested. And then, trust the results and the timing to God.

Very good advice. Please tell us about the featured book. Yes! A Counterfeit Betrothal is a heart-warming homefront romance set during the War of 1812 on the Southern frontier.

At the farthest Georgia outpost this side of hostile Creek Territory, Jared Lockridge serves his country as a scout to redeem his father’s botched heritage. If he can help secure the peace against Indians allied to the British, he can bring his betrothed to the home he’s building and open his cabinetry shop. Then he comes across a burning cabin and a traumatized woman just widowed by a fatal shot.

Freed from a cruel marriage, Esther Andrews agrees to winter at the Lockridge homestead to help Jared’s pregnant sister-in-law. Lame in one foot, Esther has always known she is secondhand goods, but the gentle carpenter-turned-scout draws her heart with as much skill as he creates furniture from wood. His family’s love offers hope even as violence erupts along the frontier—and Jared’s investigation into local incidents brings danger to their doorstep. Yet how could Esther ever hope a loyal man like Jared would choose her over a fine lady?

https://www.amazon.com/Counterfeit-Betrothal-Scouts-Georgia-Frontier-ebook/dp/B0C8ZP46QD/

Please give us the first page of the book.

LATE NOVEMBER 1813

JACKSON COUNTY, GEORGIA

The unmistakable tang of smoke in the air stiffened Jared Lockridge’s spine as he urged his big red roan down the ridge that cradled the Apalachee River. Not just a little, either, as one would expect from a chimney or even a campfire. Drawing back on the reins, he scanned the treetops. There, to the north—a sooty fingerprint against the purpling twilight sky gave evidence of trouble.

He’d already steeled himself against overnighting at his brother’s nearby cabin, stuffing his growling stomach on his brother Noble’s new wife’s cornbread. The report he bore should be carried straightaway to his commander at Fort Daniel. In counties to the south, there’d been two attacks in early November by Creek Indians allied to the British. Those incidents verified Major Terrell’s intelligence from Indian Agent Benjamin Hawkins—the Red Stick Creeks had indeed been recruiting in the Upper Creek towns and could soon be pressing all the way up the Jackson Line. The line Jared was paid to scout.

Could the fire be more evidence of Creek war parties? This far north? He couldn’t ignore the possibility—or that of a settler in need of assistance.

Jared kneed his stallion toward the smoke. Within minutes, he caught sight of flames dancing between the trees. In the center of a clearing, a cabin was burning. Instinct begged him to charge up to the homestead in case anyone needed rescuing, but wisdom whispered caution.

This book just moved to the top of my to-be-read list. How can readers find you on the Internet?

Connect with Denise here:

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Thank you, Denise for sharing A Counterfeit Betrothal with my blog readers and me. I know they’ll be as eager to read it as I am.

Readers, leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 2 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

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   

WINTER AT THE WHITE QUEEN - Denise Weimer - One Free Book

Welcome, Denise. Why do you write the kind of books you do? Stories that honor the Lord, whether contemporary or historical—some with deeper spiritual themes and some lighter and relaxing—are my goal. I’ve felt the calling to be a writer since middle school. To frame my stories, I enjoy finding unique settings and little-known aspects of history, mostly in my home state of Georgia.

Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life? The clearest answer to that would be my wedding day and the births of my two beautiful daughters, both in college and grad school now.

We also only had two daughters. They’re both grandmothers now. How has being published changed your life? My first novella was released when I was in my late twenties, then after some time passed, my first series came out. That started my publishing journey with author events on weekends, speaking and teaching engagements, and learning how to market online … and led to me becoming an editor as well. So it’s definitely become a career path—one that has paired well with being a mom.

What are you reading right now? At the moment? Nothing except my Bible. J We just completed a move, and I’ve been working on editing projects as well. Editing takes so much reading, I usually don’t read for pleasure except when I’m not deep into a project.

What is your current work in progress? See answer above. LOL. However, I am in the brainstorming and early research phase for a new trilogy of Southern frontier romances with my publisher. Book one is complete. By the time this article is posted, I’ll probably be writing book two.

What would be your dream vacation? We’ve gotten to take some of our dream vacations through my husband’s job in the past, including Ireland, Alaska, and a Mediterranean cruise. We hope to go out West to Glacier National Park soon. I also wouldn’t mind seeing Scotland, Austria, or Switzerland or returning to Italy.

How do you choose your settings for each book? As mentioned above, most of my books are set in Georgia or neighboring states. We have so much variety here, from the mountains to the coast, from the big city to small towns. And fascinating history from Colonial times to contemporary. I’ve yet to run out of inspiration.

If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why? I guess I’m not much of a super-fan. No one is coming to mind. Being surrounded by friends and family and a supportive church and writing community is what warms my heart most.

I’m with you on that. What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading? Little towns with cute gift shops, antique stores, coffee shops or tea rooms, and historical sites are always calling my name. I love hiking (especially to waterfalls) and, in general, being in the mountains.

Something I often pair with book events is living history. I’ve worked part-time as a historical interpreter and maintain connections with local historical sites and museums, and I also have a group of friends with whom I’ve done 1800s dance performances. Nothing like wearing a corset and smelling wood smoke to get my creative juices flowing.

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it? If we’re being completely transparent? I find the biggest obstacle to writing the small amount authors make overall, especially on e-books. So much time goes into the research and writing process, but even when publishers are generous in royalty percentages as mine is, authors only receive a tiny portion of the overall pie due to editing, design, printing, distribution, and marketing costs. This is true even for veteran authors, unless you’re a huge bestseller. I became an editor to supplement our income, but happily, I’ve found it’s just as much my “thing” as writing.

What advice would you give to a beginning author? Your path to publication might look quite different from someone else’s, and that’s completely fine. Just make sure you are informed of current writing style and marketing expectations, whether you are self-publishing or pursuing traditional publication. This could mean taking classes, working with a mentor or experienced critique group, or paying for an editor you can learn from. You also must curate an online presence—website, a couple of social media outlets, and eventually, an author newsletter. Guest blog, do author swaps in newsletters, and participate in online giveaways and parties to build your connections.

Tell us about the featured book. A Winter at the White Queen is the first novella in the Romance at the Gilded Age Resorts series with Wild Heart Books. It’s a foray into the “Age of Wonder,” as I like to call the time when the old ways met the new and exciting inventions changed daily life forever. While I hope readers will enjoy a chuckle or two at Ellie’s story, some deeper themes are also explored.

Ellie Hastings is tired of playing social gatekeeper—and poor-relation companion—to her Gibson Girl of a cousin. But her aunt insists Ellie lift her nose out of her detective novel long enough to help gauge the eligibility of bachelors during the winter social season at Florida’s Hotel Belleview. She finds plenty that’s mysterious about the suave, aloof Philadelphia inventor, Lewis Thornton. Why does he keep sneaking around the hotel? Does he have a secret sweetheart? And what is his connection to the evasive Mr. Gaspachi, slated to perform at Washington’s Birthday Ball?

Ellie’s comical sleuthing ought to put Lewis out, but the diffident way her family treats her smashes a hole in his normal reserve. But when Florence Hastings’ diamond necklace goes missing, Ellie’s keen mind threatens to uncover not only Lewis’s secrets, but give him back hope for love.

Please give us the first page of the book.

January 1910

Ellie Hastings didn’t need to be as sly as the heroine in her favorite detective novel. Dora Myrl combined skill with beauty to achieve her objectives, but Ellie could rely on the invisible cloak of plainness.

She’d been sitting at a table in the train’s dining car next to Lewis Thornton’s for a full ten minutes, and he hadn’t once looked up—not even when the waiter brought her tea. But perhaps that wasn’t personal. Alternating his attention between his steak and a small book open at his right hand, the bachelor her aunt deemed a prime candidate for her daughter Ada also failed to acknowledge the curious glances of businessmen or tittering mamas with female offspring in tow.

Ellie stirred sugar into her teacup and drew a blank square of paper closer. She plucked her pencil out of the spine of the leather notebook where she kept observations of potential suitors for her cousin—loose-leaf, so she could organize them in order of preference. Lewis Thornton, she wrote.

Nibbling her lower lip, she studied the mechanical engineer from under her pale lashes. Tall and blonde, square-jawed, firm-lipped, Thornton bore himself like a man of the new century. Suave. Aristocratic. Confident. Aunt Florence had heard he’d made a fortune off some invention for the railroad. Florence had no idea what kind. She’d been snagged the moment a friend uttered the word fortune. And he didn’t reside so far from Pittsburgh as to prevent the continuation of a courtship Lewis and Ada might begin during Hotel Belleview’s upcoming winter season.

Ellie scratched on her paper. Pros: Handsome. Wealthy? Philadelphia.

Surely, Ada couldn’t dismiss this one on looks. Or style. His stiff collar and four-in-hand tie countenanced society’s dictates enough to please Walter Hastings, while the gray-striped pants he’d paired with his black frock coat—popularly termed “mixed cheviots”—should satisfy Ada’s panache.

Traditional. Stylish.

Cons? None visible upon brief observation. She might be forced to talk to him. She could wait until he got up and make her departure at the same time, but the idea of employing her usual dropped-item tactic made a knot form in her stomach. She wasn’t a brainless female. Why did she submit herself to such indignities? She firmed her lips. She knew well why.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

My novels and novellas span the Colonial era through the contemporary, ranging from lighthearted to serious and spiritual, and are mostly set in Georgia. If you would like to learn more, please visit: https://www.deniseweimerbooks.com.

I would love to connect with you on social media or through my author newsletter.

https://www.facebook.com/denise.weimer1/

https://www.bookbub.com/profile/denise-weimer

https://twitter.com/denise_weimer

https://webs.us19.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=16c561f75e5036405879c9836&id=b58acc62a5

Thank you, Denise, for sharing this novella with us. I’m eager to read it.

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

https://www.amazon.com/Winter-White-Romance-Gilded-Resorts/dp/1942265727/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1669226389&sr=1-1

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 2 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link: Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com 

THE WITNESS TREE - Denise Weimer - One Free Book

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

I’ve heard it said it’s almost impossible to write a character that doesn’t reflect at least a little bit of the author’s personality, so I guess all my characters have bits and pieces of me. And maybe some of them reflect qualities that I might have had … had I been raised differently, or lived in a different time, or … been a man. Haha.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I need to get better at quirky. Unique? Now that I can answer. For a number of years, I led a mid-1800s vintage dance group. It was beautiful and fun, and showing up in a hoop skirt always took people by surprise. However, I was always puzzled by the people who asked if I was Amish.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

At age eleven. My parents took me all over the Southeast to historic sites when I was growing up. My active imagination wondered what kind of people lived in those beautiful old homes and quaint towns. I started bringing spiral-bound notebooks with me and scribbling stories in the back seat. I would read them to my mom, who encouraged me to continue writing.

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

I enjoy classics, contemporary romantic suspense, historical romance, and Christian non-fiction titles that help me grow closer to God.

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

I start each morning with a cup of coffee, my Bible, and prayer time. Beyond that, I try to keep things organized and as balanced as possible. With all the big life changes happening in the next year for me, I’m holding tight to my calendar with one hand and God’s hand with the other. I get the feeling that calendar might fly out the window at certain points! LOL

How do you choose your characters’ names?

Choosing a character’s name is always easier for my contemporary stories. I just go by whatever I feel reflects the character. For a historical, I research names popular to the time period, the location, and the ethnicity, as well as considering whether the moniker reflects the individual’s personality.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Definitely raising my two daughters, Emily and Abigail. Emily is twenty, a student at the University of Georgia soon to apply to the PharmD program, and engaged to be married in December to a fine young man serving our country in the Army. Abigail is a high school senior who plans to attend Lee University to study child psychology. Most importantly, both girls are seeking God’s will for their lives.

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

Probably a dog, since they seem to get the most love in the world. I sure love my cockapoo, Lucy.

What is your favorite food?

Cheesecake, coffee, or chocolate, or something that combines all three.

That sounds yummy right now. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

When I was just starting out, a brand-new publisher committed to put out my Georgia Gold Series (which ended up being four books). Book one had barely come out when the publisher folded. The situation put everyone in a financial, social, and emotional disaster. I had to work directly with the printer for a while. I learned a lot during that time, but mostly, I had to come to a point where I surrendered my writing to God. To let Him know I was willing to do something else if He wanted. Eventually, I found another publisher, and I knew that was the path forward. So I’d say, even when everything crumbles, surrender, but don’t despair.

Very good advice. Tell us about the featured book.

The Witness Tree is about a Moravian marriage of convenience that leads to an adventure in 1805 Cherokee Territory.

Past betrayal has turned John Kliest’s passion to his work as a builder and surveyor in the Moravian town of Salem, North Carolina. Now, to satisfy the elders’ edict and fulfill his mission in Cherokee Territory, he needs a bride. But the one woman qualified to record the Cherokee language longs for a future with his younger brother.

Clarissa Vogler’s dream of a life with Daniel Kliest is shattered when she is chosen by lot to marry his older brother and venture into the uncharted frontier. Can she learn to love this stoic man who is now her husband? Her survival hinges on being able to trust him—but they both harbor secrets.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Salem, North Carolina

Late August, 1805

“You have received a marriage proposal.”

At Susanna Stotz’s whispered words, Clarissa Vogler almost dropped her paintbrush into the carpet of lush grass. Her heart thundered with so much excitement it was easy to act surprised. “I have?”

Susanna nodded.

She couldn’t see the middle-aged woman’s face because of the way she stood, blocking Clarissa’s light as she painted the women at work in the garden of the Single Sisters’ House. But Susanna could read Clarissa’s expressions with ease, so she widened her eyes. “Who asked for my hand?”

She wasn’t supposed to already know the answer to her question. In their faith, a man ready to wed told his choir helper—his spiritual advisor—followed by the elders. They counseled and prayed, then, based on biblical principles, consulted the lot—slips of paper in a jar that read yes, no, or were left blank, indicating the encouragement to wait. Only if the lot offered a yes from God did the intended bride receive a proposal.

“Brother Kliest.”

Clarissa pressed her fist to her chest, barely noticing the dampness of the paint smudges on her apron. She closed her eyes. Yes. The name of the man who promised her freedom.

**I’ll say this … Clarissa is in for a BIG surprise.

I’m sure she is. How can readers find you on the Internet?

Link to book: The Witness Tree on Amazon

Monthly Newsletter Sign-up

Website

Facebook

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Thank you, Denice, for sharing this book with my blog readers and me.

Readers, leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 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