ONE REALM BEYOND - Donita K Paul - One Free Copy, Plus 3 Free Copies of an Ebook

Readers, Donita is generously giving away one free copy of the featured book, plus 3 free copies of her prairie romance ebook Taming the Wild Wind. Here's the blurb for that book: 

Ida has always gone her own way like a gentle breeze, drifting through social barriers as if they weren't even there. Like the breeze, her comings and goings are hard to keep track of, and her family assumes Ida's activities are the same as the other society debutantes of Pittsburgh. When she responds to the wilder wind of the Oklahoma prairie, she recognizes the untamed quality in her personality. She also comes to realize that even the wild wind has a Master.

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

I’m excited about several projects. Soon I will be self-publishing an early reader with illustrator Aaron Siddell. Take a look at his work. http://on.fb.me/1csan9o The title is House on Troll Hill. It’s about a real estate agent in the enchanted forest. I will finish the third book in the Realm Walker series. And a couple of novellas are on the work schedule.

Tell us a little about your family.

I live in the basement of my daughter’s house. I call it the hobbit hole, but my son-in-law refuses to let me have a round door at the top of the stairs. So unreasonable. It would only cost several thousand dollars. I have two grandsons who sing, “Open the door, and down the stairs, to Grandmother’s house we go.” They are at fun ages, 9 and 12. I think all the ages are fun. We have two turtles, a dog, and a bunny. The bunny is mine, but I can’t catch him. The boys are my official bunny hunters. My son just got his doctorate in English. My daughter just sold a book, a steampunk YA that will come out in January of 2016. We are a literary bunch. The 12-year-old makes graphic novels. The 9-year-old has been making up stories since he could make sentences.

Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?

Yes and no. Yes, in that I have to make myself turn off the editor in my brain so I can fully enjoy the stories I read. No, in that I still read voraciously and in many different genres. Last year about this time, I had a stroke which took 80% of my sight in the left eye. Part of my physical therapy was reading to retrain my brain to accept and make adjustments for my vision. Now isn’t that a horrible PT to have to endure? Loved it! Thank goodness for e-books. I could enlarge the font. I am doing very well, both with my sight and my balance which was also thrown under the stroke bus.

What are you working on right now?

The last 20,000 words of the second book of Realm Walkers. The title is Two Renegade Realms and comes out in January of 2015.

What outside interests do you have?

I rediscovered Facebook after having been out of it for over a year. It is a great place to chat with readers. Also I’ve been working on Pinterest. I call it working because there are some boards that relate to my writing. My new character Bixby has her own board because her fashion sense is so fun. http://www.pinterest.com/donitakpaul/bixby-styling/ My books have their own boards, and there are writing related boards as well. And of course there are boards just for fun.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

LOL That takes us back to Pinterest. I have boards of fantastic scenery, buildings, and furniture. Those help me visualize my fantasy worlds.

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

I’d chose Ronald Reagan. I know that’s weird. It struck me as weird just now when I thought of it, but he had such a varied life. Humble beginning, glamorous movie star, rancher, and government service. And I think he thought of it as being a servant, not a king. I liked his sense of humor, taste, and he was president when I was in my late 20s. I was just beginning to get a sense of being part of a gigantic, complicated world.

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

That I could have done this earlier in my life. I fell into writing when all the other doors were slamming shut. God brought me to a place where I had to seriously jump into writing. I thank God and His use of my mother to bring me to this career. I had a serious illness that disabled me. I couldn’t teach anymore. My mom said, “Why don’t you write. You’ve always wanted to.” You should always listen to your mom.

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

I’m hoping it’s perseverance, because I think I’ve almost got that one nailed. Maybe we can move on to something like being a good steward of worldly goods.

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

Write what you love to read.

Write like you eat, every day, enjoying different flavors.

Write for the only One who matters.

Tell us about the featured book.

In the world of the Realm Walkers, the walkers are like the knights of the round table. They are supposed to be champions of the people, examples of nobility and chivalry, integrity and valor. Unfortunately, the guild, responsible for training the walkers, has become corrupt. Our young realm walkers Cantor and Bixby desire to be the legendary heroes of ancient lore. They must identify who to trust and who to follow.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Chapter One - Raising a Ruckus

Cantor straddled the thick tree limb suspended less than three feet over his favorite fishing hole. He’d fished from this spot for more than eighteen years, from the time he could barely straddle the fat limb ’til now, when the tips of his sandals almost brushed the surface of the clear, cold water. He watched the small fish circling below him, waiting for the big one just as he had been taught. His fishing mentor, Odem, probably took him fishing here before he was out of diapers. Cantor wouldn’t want to share the limb now. Though the tree had grown with him over the years, he didn’t think the branch would hold the weight of two grown men. He wasn’t eager for a bath in the frigid water from the mountain’s runoff.

Still and patient, Cantor waited for the large carp he called Bully to rise and push the other fish out of the way. A sprinkle of thumb-sized chunks of bread floated on the water. One of the smaller guppies darted off to the side, and a huge, open mouth appeared under the surface. The fish snapped up a sodden crust.

Cantor hurled the stone in his hand. The rock thunked against the skull of his target. All the smaller fish deserted Bully, who floated on his side. With a grin, Cantor threw his leg over the limb and slipped into the knee-high water. He shivered in the icy snowmelt, grabbed his catch, and slogged to the shore.

Exposed roots riddled the steep bank, making irregular hand and foot holds. Cantor threw the fish onto the grass above his head and climbed out. Sitting cross-legged in the tall grass, he removed his sandals and put them on a rock to dry in the sun. He opened the pouch Ahma had sewn into his tunic and removed an undersized scabbard.

He’d owned this small, sharp knife since childhood. Odem had visited on his sixth birthday and, against Ahma’s protests, given the tool to him. Cantor’d thought himself very clever when he named the knife Slice, especially when Odem laughed in his loud bray that filled the tiny cabin. Ahma shook her head and fetched another piece of greenberry pie for him and Odem.

She’d caught Cantor that night picking his teeth with the blade. Boxing his ears, she told him if she caught him doing another stupid thing with “that weapon,” she’d take it away.

Cantor grinned as he applied Slice to the job of gutting the big carp. A couple of carrion birds landed in a tree nearby. Cantor nodded in their direction. “I’ll leave you the tasty insides. I don’t suppose you would agree to peaceably share between yourselves.”

How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.donitakpaul.com

http://www.pinterest.com/donitakpaul/

https://www.facebook.com/don.k.p

Thank you, Donita, for sharing this new book with us ... and for giving my readers a chance to win free copies of your prairie romance ebook.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
One Realm Beyond - Christianbook.com
One Realm Beyond (Realm Walkers) - Amazon
One Realm Beyond (Realm Walkers) - Kindle

Christian Book Store

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.

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TWO TICKETS TO THE CHRISTMAS BALL - Donita K Paul - Free Book

Welcome back, Donita. I was really wanting to feature this book on my blog. I'd heard so many good things about it. My copy came today. It's the next book I'll read. Why do you write the kind of books you do?

I write stories because I love to see characters come to life and deal with problems, discover joy, and overcome obstacles. I like to see the way they think and feel and strive. I like identifying what they are striving for and why. I had an impractical desire as a kid to have hundreds of children. Now I have hundreds of characters and they touch the lives of thousands of children.

Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?

I think the days when my children got married. The family was together and the ceremonies were just right. We’d planned to have a joyous celebration and both fulfilled the promise. I gained a lovely daughter-in-law and a wonderful son-in-law.

How has being published changed your life?

I am busier than I have ever been. Even when teaching younger kids in elementary school, I was never this engaged. I’ve had demanding jobs, but this is more like a lifestyle than a nine to five job.

What are you reading right now?

Imagination Station, book one, Voyage with the Vikings, by Marianne Hering and Paul McCuster. And I am reading From Cover to Cover, a book about reviewing children’s books, and Reading Magic by Mem Fox.

What is your current work in progress?

I am finishing Dragons of the Watch. And then I am going to write another Christmas Novella with the same wizards on Sage Street.

What would be your dream vacation?

A cabin in the mountains or a beach house, with lots of time to just look at God’s world and soak in His Majesty.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

I know there are a lot of people who don’t understand this and a few who think it’s natural, but scenes and characters pop into my head unbidden.

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

I’d probably pick one of my kids. They’re grown and have busy lives. To go out to eat and sit and listen to them relate what is important to them now, on this day, would be wonderful. I do communicate with them often, but I’d like to give them my undivided attention and get in touch with who they are now. I’m sure I’d have plenty of praise to give God and some focused prayer to lift up as well.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

Right now I am designing jewelry and will have two lines to sell on my website. One is Cranberry Fall and the other is Winter Warmth. Just in time for Christmas.

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

Lack of focus. I am very easily distracted. I write alone, without music, and try to avoid the telephone and life.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Read, read, read. Write, write, write. You need to read to ingrain story into your very being. You need to write just like an Olympic swimmer must swim for hours each day. The act of writing becomes a part of your makeup just like typing becomes automatic.

Tell us about the featured book?

This book was a joy to write. I loved the characters from the start and writing it was like a mini-vacation from the job of writing long fantasy novels. Those are fun in their own way, but this book did not require as much depth and layers. The story still has spiritual truth learned by the main characters. But it has a gentle, Hallmark made for TV feeling to it. I imagined the snow, the Christmas lights, and the delightful people on Sage Street. Before I finished the book, I had all my Christmas shopping done.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Christmas. Cora had been trying to catch it for four years. She scurried down the sidewalk, thankful that streetlights and brightly-lit storefronts counteracted the gloom of early nightfall. Somewhere, sometime, she’d get a hold of how to celebrate Christmas. Maybe tonight.

With snowflakes sticking to her black coat, Christmas lights blinking around shop windows, and incessant bells jingling, Cora should have felt some holiday cheer.

And she did.

Really.

Just not much.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

http://www.donitakpaul.com/  and http://www.dragonandturtle.com/

Thank you for coming back to see us again, Donita.
 
Readers, here's a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. New information: Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. I’m trying to get a good idea of where the people live who leave comments on my blog. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

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

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 6 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

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

http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/

THE DRAGON AND THE TURTLE - Donita K Paul & Evangeline Denmark - Free Book

When Donita told me about this book and her daughter had written, I knew I wanted to feature it on my blog. Then my copy of the book came. I read it, and it's wonderful. I can hardly wait until I see my great grandson again. He'll love it, too.

The Dragon and the Turtle is written by mother-daughter team Donita K. Paul and Evangeline Denmark. How did you collaborate to write this book? Can you tell us a little about the process?


The basic story concept came from a bedtime story I, Evangeline, told my then three-year-old son. I shared it with Mom, Donita, and she wrote the first draft, adding the character of Padraig the dragon. It then bounced back and forth between our laptops. We’d each read it, make changes and suggestions then send it back. Later on in the process, we’d sit in the same room with our laptops and read it aloud to each other, making changes as we went. When I look at the story now, I honestly can’t say which words are mine and which are Mom’s. It has melded into our story.

Donita, you’ve written the bestselling fantasy series The Dragonkeeper Chronicles and the follow-up series Chiril Dragon Chronicles. Tell us what made you decide to branch out into children’s books.

I’ve always loved picture books. You should see my collection: two seven foot bookcases! And I’ve always dreamed of writing picture books. I took every “kiddy lit” course I could find in college. I took the Institute of Children’s Literature course through the mail. I’ve read thousands of books to thousands of children. (Really. No exaggeration.) And I’ve finally done it, thanks to my daughter and editor.

Evangeline, your bio states that you grew up living and breathing good stories. What does that statement mean?

I can’t remember a time when books weren’t part of my life. Like many families we made weekly trips to the library, returning home with a tower of books. And like many parents, Mom read to us every night. But in addition to the picture books my brother and I devoured, Mom also read longer chapter books to us in the evening. I remember listening to classics like The Wizard of Oz, Little Britches, The Chronicles of Narnia, and even The Lord of the Rings when I was around six or seven. That nightly routine of listening to high quality fiction really stretched my attention span and my imagination.

Mom also made up stories for us and incorporated the fictional characters into our day. She had a series of stories about three naughty monkeys who were always making trouble for Evangeline and Case, my brother. More than once those monkeys were blamed for something Case or I had done.

Donita adds, “They spent a lot of time in time-out.”

Aside from the well-known educational benefits of reading to your children, what are some advantages of having story time before bed?

It’s definitely family bonding time. I, Evangeline, like reading to my kids before bed because, no matter what kind of day we’ve had together, we can end it on a positive note. That’s good for a child’s emotional development and good for a mommy’s heart as well.

I so agree. I bought books for each of my grandchildren and took them to the hospital the day they were born. We started reading to them that day. The Dragon and the Turtle focuses on friendship. What are some ways that Roger and Padraig demonstrate good friendship skills?

Padraig puts aside his search for a snack to help Roger who is lost. Roger invites Padraig into his pirate game. Both boys share their interests and hobbies with each other, and both boys are open to the differences between them.

How can parents help their children put these skills into practice?

We’ve included a parent page in the back of the book with suggestions for applying the lessons learned in The Dragon and the Turtle. Talking about concrete ways to be a good friend and then putting those plans into action can be fun and rewarding for little ones.

Will Roger and Padraig have any more adventures?

Yes! The Dragon and the Turtle Go on Safari comes out January of 2011 from Waterbrook Press.

Terrific. Can you give us a sneak peek into that adventure?

You might be able to guess from the title, but there are lots of animals involved, and Roger and Padraig will have to rely on their friendship as they learn a lesson about courage.

Where can readers find you online?


We’re very excited about our new Dragon and Turtle website. http://www.dragonandturtle.com/

It’s full of fun games, puzzles, crafts, and recipes and is meant to be interactive. Visitors can send their own contributions to our webmaster, and, just like all proud parents, we’ll display their artwork on our online “fridge.”

For more on Donita’s books and doings, check her website. http://www.donitakpaul.com/

Evangeline writes a humorous blog for women who don’t have time to breathe in and breathe out. You can find it at http://www.breathenbreatheout.blogspot.com/

Thank you, Donita and Evangeline, for this wonderful look into the world of Roger and Padraig.

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














Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)


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

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 6 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

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

http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/