JOURNEY'S EDGE - Dora Hiers - One Free Book

Bio:

After a successful auditing career, Dora left the corporate world to be a stay-at-home mom to her two sons. When her youngest son didn’t want her hanging out at school with him anymore, Dora started writing heart racing, God-gracing books. Dora belongs to the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and the Carolina Christian Writers. Dora and her husband make their home in North Carolina. When she’s not writing, Dora enjoys reading and family gatherings. She despises traffic, technological meltdowns, and a sad ending to a book. Her books always end with happily-ever-afters.

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

Because I enjoy reading them. Stories sprinkled with grace and forgiveness, courage and faith, and always a happily-ever-after. What I like to call heart racing, God-gracing romance.

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

God has blessed me with many happy occasions, but most recently, the birth of our first grandson. What a joyous time and such a precious gift!

How has being published changed your life?

My rump logs more hours in front of my laptop and the dog gets fewer walks, but I still mop floors and mow the lawn.

God is helping me overcome my fear of public speaking. I’m not quite there yet, but my limbs don’t rattle with terror anymore and my tummy doesn’t threaten to give up my lunch. I’m growing more courageous and stepping out of my comfort zone.

What are you reading right now?

I’m in between books, debating on which to start next. Breathless by Kathryn Bain, a new author to me, or When the Smoke Clears by Lynette Eason, a favorite author of mine. Hmmm…

What is your current work in progress?

I just submitted When Truth Whispers, my first book in a new series. Next up on the agenda, research for my next book based on a recent WRP prompt: A fire. A new identity. An old girlfriend. When I saw that prompt, I knew I couldn’t let it slide.

What would be your dream vacation?

My dream destination? Wandering around the Holy Land for a few days.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

I create fictional areas based on places we enjoy vacationing.

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

My husband. He’s my best friend. Evenings are so much sweeter when he’s around to share them.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

In the summer, my hubby cranks up the smoker for family gatherings. When the temperature cools, you’ll catch me flicking the fireplace switch on and kicking back under a blanket to cheer for the Carolina Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning. Just about any time of the year, we’re game for a quick jaunt to the mountains. And nothing beats spending time with our grandkids! See those cuties!

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

Staring at a blank screen. Knowing I have to fill 200+ pages with words. And not just words, but an entertaining story. A heart racing, God-gracing book with a guaranteed happy-ever-after. How do I overcome it? Plant my tush in the chair and get busy.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

If you get a rejection, cry and rant, just don’t fling it in the fireplace or spill your hurt all over facebook. Stop writing for a few days, a few months even. Then, whip that rejection out and look at it again with a fresh perspective. Pick out the constructive criticism on how to make your writing stronger and dig back in. Attend writer’s conferences. Start building a platform. Blog, even if you don’t think you have anything to blog about. Leave comments on blogs that you follow. Get your name and mini-photo circulating. Build relationships, friendships, connections. Because the feeling is ever so sweet when you get that affirmative email or phone call.

Tell us about the featured book.

Why, Lena, I thought you’d never ask.

A Routine Audit? Hardly.

Red flags—including some goon who's following her—raise McKinley Frasier's suspicions that numbers don't add up at the insurance firm. When someone tries to snatch McKinley's daughter from school, she turns to police officer and ex-fiance, Renner Crossman—the cop who walked out on her a month before their wedding. But Renner's not the same guy who broke her heart ten years ago. He calls himself a "new man." She trusts the new Renner with her daughter's safety...but what about her heart?

Please give us the first page of the book.

Client Evasion 101. She could teach that course.

If she lived long enough.

Hiding her rental car between a truck and a shaggy evergreen tree, McKinley Frasier huddled against the steering wheel and fumbled to find the switch for the headlights,

determination to outsmart this creep outweighing the fear churning in her belly. For now.

Her gaze darted to the road in front of the hotel. No sign of him yet. She turned the knob one more time and the lights flickered off. Sliding a hand into her purse, she pulled out her cell phone, her palm slick against the cold plastic case.

A car slithered past, stealthy, stalking. Malcolm Brugman, this week’s client. At least she thought it was him. She’d only gotten a glimpse of his profile at the stoplight. McKinley held her breath, waiting, not moving, in case he changed directions and doubled back.

She’d bought some time. Was it enough to get checked in and out of sight? She couldn’t waste another second. She exhaled and escaped the tight confines of the car, her legs and hands shaking as she opened the trunk.

Keeping her eyes glued to the road, McKinley hoisted her suitcase and laptop case from the trunk, hand still clutching her cell phone. She pushed the

Way to leave us hanging, Dora. How can readers find you on the Internet?

Readers can connect with Dora:

Email: Dora@DoraHiers.com

Website: www.dorahiers.com

Blog:  http://www.dorahiers.blogspot.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/dorahiers
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/DoraHiers

Thank you, Dora, for another interesting interview.

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

Journey's Edge - paperback
Journey's Edge (Marshals of Journey Creek) - 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

JOURNEY'S END - Dora Hiers - Free Book

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

Only an occasional character trait. Why would I want to stare at myself for two hundred pages?

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

Does joining Facebook count? No? OK. How about allowing my husband to talk me into driving into Canada during one of our many vacations—without a passport or birth certificate! It took two hours, constant prayer, an interrogation, and a few phone calls to reenter the US.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

When my son started middle school and didn’t want me hanging out at school with him anymore. I know, I know. Sad, isn’t it? An avid inspirational romance reader, God planted a story idea that pinged around in my head for a few months until I finally confessed my desire to write to my husband. With his enthusiastic support, I devoured online writing courses, attended a writing conference, and pounded out the story. I was hooked!

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

Rarely do I stray from reading inspirational romance and romantic suspense.

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

Sweet fellowship with God every morning definitely helps! And my husband and I plan weekend getaways. We pack our espresso maker, load up our spoiled golden retriever, and drive a couple hours to tuck ourselves into a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

I spend a lot of time developing them—who they are, what they do, how they live, what they look like. Most times a name pops in my brain during that process. When that doesn’t happen, I fuse first and last names from my favorites list. Then, I Google the name to make sure it doesn’t belong to some negative history maker and, if not, the name is born.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Twenty-two years of marriage to a wonderful man who still makes my heart race.

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

Hmm. You’re not asking which animal I want to be, but which one I would be. So, I’d have to go with a beaver. Quit laughing. I don’t mean a rodent or pest, but a quiet and diligent beaver, hard at work caring and providing a loving, comfortable home for her family.

What is your favorite food?

Ice cream, just about any flavor except Butter Pecan (ick!). A thick, juicy hamburger. A tall, glass of iced tea. In that order.

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

Self-discipline. Forcing my rump to sit in the chair and create, to not be distracted by overflowing laundry baskets, the grass that’s about six inches too high, personal phone calls, you name it. When you work from home, it’s tough to overlook household tasks and particularly difficult to say “no” to personal requests. But, one thing I can’t refuse is watching a sick grandchild. To overcome my self-discipline issue, I’ve learned to set priorities and rearranged my schedule to maximize writing time.

Tell us about the featured book.

Devastated after the brutal murder of her husband, Chelsea Hammond vows never to love another lawman. Intent on rebuilding her shattered life, she turns her focus to helping troubled teens. But when an angry father bent on retaliation, threatens her, Chelsea must turn to the one man she never thought to trust: Deputy U.S. Marshal Trey Colten.

Trey wants only to protect Chelsea, but she blames him for her husband’s death. Trey can relate. He blames himself, also. As danger lurks, Trey begs Chelsea to heed his warnings. He let down one Hammond. He won’t let down another—especially one who now holds his heart.

When Chelsea is snatched from her home, can she put aside her fear, and trust Trey with her life? Can she forgive him for destroying her past and let him help to rebuild her future?

Where one journey ends, another begins…

Please give us the first page of the book.

The mystery man with haunted eyes was back.

Chelsea Hammond placed the lawn chairs next to the cooler in the trunk, but kept her eyes on the man. He stood alone, farther up the hill, tucked under some towering maple trees. Far enough away that she couldn’t make out all his features, but close enough for Chelsea to glimpse his pain. The slight slumping of his expansive shoulders; the hands clenched at his sides; the haunted eyes that stared out into the distance when he removed his sunglasses; the lips set in a straight, hard line. 

And the words “Deputy U.S. Marshal” that blazed from the front of his polo shirt. It had taken her three years, but this year she determined to talk to him, to rid her dreams of those haunted eyes. To hear his story. To offer closure if his version somehow connected to hers. 

Chelsea closed the trunk of the old Cadillac and turned to her in-laws. “There you go, Henry. You’re all set.”

“Thank you, dear. We appreciate you lugging those lawn chairs for us.” Henry opened the door for his wife while she wrestled to get into the car, sweat beading on her upper lip. Henry and Stella always made a day of it when they visited their two sons.

“You’re welcome. You take it easy going home.”

How can readers find you on the Internet?

My website ~ DoraHiers.com

My blog ~ Heart racing, God-gracing Romance

Facebook ~ Dora Hiers, Author

Thank you, Dora, for the interesting time with us.


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

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