VALLEY OF THE SHADOW - J M Hochstetler - One Free Book

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

Growing up in a family with the history the Hochstetlers have, I was naturally drawn to historical accounts by the time I was in high school. It wasn’t dates, events, and places—the usual subjects of history textbooks—that especially drew me, but people. I wanted to know what the lives of the people of bygone ages were like, whether they were leaders or the common people of the day. What did they share in common with us today? And how were they different, and why?

I believe that we can’t understand ourselves and our own time without understanding what shaped us, both events and people. Only by learning from history can we avoid the mistakes of the past and also benefit from great advances that were made. Over time, as a way of making sense of all that, I began to write novels about people set during historical eras that especially interested me.

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

I have three daughters, and I have to say that the day each was born and the day each of my grandchildren was born were the happiest I’ve experienced.

How has being published changed your life?

It’s made me feel a greater connection to my audience and a deep responsibility to write stories that not only entertain—which certainly has to be the first priority or no one will read them—but also in an organic way to educate, and then encourage readers to a higher standard. I’m committed to representing the historical period along with the people, society, and culture I’m writing about as accurately and authentically as possible; to portraying human nature realistically, in a way that communicates universal truths and offers personal insights that are life-changing for readers.

What are you reading right now?

I’m researching my next book, so I’m reading a lot of resources on Native Americans, specifically the Lenape and Seneca tribes. I just found a particularly helpful, very well researched children’s textbook published in 1985, now out of print, titled The Magic Moccasins. I’m developing a high regard for children’s and young adult stories that are deeply researched, and this is one of the most detailed I’ve found on several Native American tribes, including the two that appear in my current project.

What is your current work in progress?

I’m working on The Return, book 2 of the Northkill Amish Series, which I’m writing with my fifth cousin, multi-published author Bob Hostetler. This is the story of our non-resistant Amish Hochstetler ancestors, who came to this country from Europe in 1738 and got caught up in the French and Indian War. Readers can find more information about them and the series at www.northkill.com.

What would be your dream vacation?

I’d love to travel the Alsace region in Europe and Switzerland, where my Anabaptist ancestors originated, and follow in their footsteps as they emigrated to America. I’d also incorporate side trips to Germany, Austria, Italy, and Greece. Those are countries I’ve always wanted to visit. New Zealand and Australia also have a great appeal to me. It would be wonderful to spend several months visiting all these countries and sampling local history, culture, and cuisine.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

The historical era I choose to write about essentially determines the settings of each of my novels. The Northkill series is set along the Pennsylvania frontier and in Ohio Territory in the 1750s and 1760s because that’s when and where my ancestors lived. My American Patriot Series takes place during the American Revolution, and each volume is set in the particular theater of war the book covers. Book 1, Daughter of Liberty, is set in the Boston area, and the sequels move to New York, Philadelphia, and Fort Pitt, and also into Ohio Territory as the war impacts the Native American communities. The remaining volumes will follow the characters to France and onto the high seas with the expansion of the naval war, and then return to the Southern states as the land war in America moves south to its conclusion at Yorktown, Virginia.

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

Right now it’s Dr. Ben Carson. I’ve read his life story and seen him on TV a number of times, and I’m incredibly impressed by how he overcame a difficult childhood due to the strength and love of his mother, an emphasis on education, and a deep relationship with God to become this brilliant, compassionate, wise, and truly civil man. There’s no one like him on the public stage today. He amazes me, and I would love to get to know him better.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I love to spend time playing in my garden. I could do that all day long. And I’m getting back into scrapbooking, which I had to set aside for a couple of years because of writing projects. But I’m discovering that participating in one art strengthens others as well. Antiquing is a particular love as is playing around with my home’s décor. In another life I would have been an interior designer. Or maybe a landscape designer. Or an archeologist. Or an artist…

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

Balancing research and writing is the hardest. I could easily bury myself in research for months on end, but then I would never get the story written. So there comes a point at which I have to force myself to put aside my research resources and just write!

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Read, read, read. Then write what you love to read. Write about subjects you’re deeply passionate about. Don’t worry so much about getting published. Worry about writing the very best story you can write, and you’ll find an audience.

Tell us about the featured book.

Valley of the Shadow is Book 5 of my American Patriot Series. Elizabeth Howard is a prisoner aboard a British prison ship in New York Harbor, surrounded by the might of the Royal Navy. British General William Howe has summoned Brigadier General Jonathan Carleton to surrender to him or she will be executed. Carleton knows, however, that Howe will never release her, but will surely execute them both as soon as Carleton surrenders. From heart-pounding battles on the high seas, to the rigors of Valley Forge and the Shawnee’s savagely fought wars to preserve their ancestral lands, Valley of the Shadow continues the thrilling saga of America’s founding in an inspiring story of despair, courage, and triumph.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Thursday, 30 October, 1777

11:05 p.m.

In the flickering candlelight the words swam and blurred before his eyes. Clenched in his hand, the paper shook.

Brigadier General Jonathan Carleton stared at the letter, his mind gone blank. A wave of terror and rage squeezed the air from his lungs and brought bile into his throat.

By degrees he became aware of the gusting wind that beat against the inn, the sudden bursts of freezing rain flailing the window panes, his own ragged breath. Despite the heat radiating from the hearth’s blaze, chill sweat trickled down his brow and beneath his worn buckskins, darkly rain-slicked from the downpour his Rangers had ridden through. He swallowed with difficulty and forced himself to focus on the letter’s signature.

William Howe.

Knight of the Bath. Commander in Chief of His Majesty’s forces on the North American Station.

“Jon, what is it?”

Behind him, Colonel Charles Andrews’s voice sounded hollow and far away. Ignoring his friend, Carleton studied the words scrawled boldly above Howe’s name as though, if he willed it, they would say something else.

That the American cause was entirely lost. That Washington had surrendered to the British. That Howe’s entire army waited outside the door to escort Carleton to the scaffold, there to hang for treason.

Anything.

Not this.

Sounds interesting. How can readers find you on the Internet?

They’ll find my personal website at www.jmhochstetler.com. For information about The American Patriot Series, go to www.theamericanpatriotseries.com, and for information about the Northkill Amish Series go to www.northkill.com. I’m also on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/joan.hochstetler .

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

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Valley of the Shadow - Christianbook.com
Valley of the Shadow (American Patriot Series) - Amazon
Valley of the Shadow (The American Patriot Series Book 5) - 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 Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link:
Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

ONE HOLY NIGHT - J M Hochstetler - One Free Ebook

Welcome back, Joan. Tell us about your salvation experience.

I made a public profession of faith when I was 13, during a revival meeting at Howard-Miami Mennonite Church near Kokomo, Indiana. But I don’t remember a time when I didn’t have the complete assurance that Jesus loved me, and I loved Him right back.

I was incredibly blessed to grow up under the guidance of parents, grandparents, extended family, and a church congregation who truly knew and loved the Lord and lived out that faith in such a way that I claimed it for my own at an early age. I know not everyone has that experience, and it doesn’t matter how or when you come to know Jesus as long as you come. And I don’t claim to have always been faithful. I’ve had trials and temptations and given in to sin just as all of us have. But I’ve always considered myself to be truly blessed in the family and church I grew up in. They gave me a solid foundation on which to withstand the assault of the Adversary and always find my way home.

You’re planning a writing retreat where you can only have four other authors. Who would they be and why?

First, Lori Benton and Laura Frantz, who over the past few years have become my dear, dear sisters in Christ and fellow workers for His kingdom, and whose stories and craft I truly admire. I learn so much every time I read one of their books. Then two writers I’ve never met: W. Dale Cramer and Athol Dickson, both of whose ability to tell a mesmerizing story and convey deep emotion through spare language holds me in complete awe.

Do you have a speaking ministry? If so, tell us about that.

I haven’t actively pursued a speaking ministry for several years, but I’ve spoken to a number of groups in the past on history, writing, editing, and publishing. I love the interaction and am open to scheduling engagements. A list of potential topics is posted on my personal website on the Speaking Engagements page, and I’d be happy to talk with event organizers about specific subjects their group might be interested in.

What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you and how did you handle it?

My first radio interview, done live, and I didn’t handle it well. I was a new author and uncertain about how to prepare for a live interview. I sent a fact sheet about my book, but the interviewer obviously hadn’t read the book or the fact sheet and didn’t know much, if anything, about the Revolution, so we started off on the wrong foot. I didn’t do a good job of responding to her first question, which was kind of out in left field, and she shuffled me off the show pretty quickly. I prayed nobody I knew had tuned in and swore I’d never do a radio interview again!

Since then I’ve learned that if the question is off topic or you can’t answer it, you need to say something like, “That’s a very interesting question,” and then change the subject and answer the question you wanted the interviewer to ask. When I was invited to do more radio interviews some years later, I got up enough courage to say yes. This time I knew how to prepare, and since the interviewers had read my novels and loved them, it was like talking to good friends. The shows were also pre-recorded, so glitches could be removed before they aired, which raised my comfort level a lot.

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?

I have had that experience too, and I’ll bet a lot of us authors get that kind of response. I always try to be sympathetic and encouraging, but if I really said what I thought, it would be the following.

If you really want to write a book, then sit down in front of your computer or grab a pad of paper and pen and get started today. If you keep waiting for someday, it’ll never happen. If you’re really called to write, then you won’t be able to keep from doing it. And if you don’t do it, it’s because you don’t have a true interest or calling, so don’t pretend you’re actually going to do it. Go do something else you’re really passionate about!

But I’m too polite to be that blunt!

Tell us about the featured book.

One Holy Night is set in 1967, when the Vietnam War was tearing the country apart, slicing through generations and shattering families. Because of Japanese atrocities he witnessed as a Marine in the South Pacific during WWII, Frank McRae despises Asians. Now his wife, Maggie, is fighting her own battle against cancer, and his son, Mike, is a grunt in Viet Nam. When Mike falls in love with Thi Nhuong, a young Buddhist woman, and marries her in spite of his father’s objections, Frank disowns him. Then, as Christmas approaches, Frank’s world is torn apart, and he turns bitter, closing his heart to God and to his family.

But on this bleak Christmas Eve, God has in mind a miracle. As on that holy night so long ago, a baby will be born and laid in a manger—a baby who brings forgiveness, peace, and healing to a family that has suffered heart-wrenching loss.

Please give us the first page of the book.

November 19, 1966

Mike McRae dropped his battered duffle bag on the concrete floor and glanced through the bank of windows to where the wide-bodied army transport sat waiting on the snow-dusted tarmac. Waiting to take him and his buddies halfway around the world to war.

Viet Nam.

The name hung between him and his family as they gathered in the spare, unadorned military terminal, trying to pretend that this trip was nothing out of the ordinary. But it seemed to Mike almost as if he were gone already, that he had moved beyond the point where he could reach out to touch them. Their faces, loved and familiar, blurred before his eyes as though he looked at them through a mist.

His father cleared his throat before shoving a dog-eared, plain, tan paperback book into Mike’s hands. “Thought you might be able to use this sometime,” he said, his voice hoarse. “You and Julie used to like to sing some of these old songs when you were kids. Remember?”

Mike looked down at the book he held. It was his father’s old service hymnbook that he’d gotten as a young Marine at Sunday worship aboard a ship headed out to the South Pacific during World War II. Frank McRae wasn’t much of one to attend church, and the gift surprised Mike. Maybe spiritual things meant more to his father than he had thought.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

My personal website is www.jmhochstetler.com, and the One Holy Night blog is at http://oneholynight.blogspot.com . I also have a website and a blog devoted to my American Patriot Series at www.theamericanpatriotseries.com and http://americanpatriotseries.blogspot.com .

I’m also on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/joan.hochstetler?ref=tn_tnmn and https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-American-Patriot-Series-by-J-M-Hochstetler/158849110800898?fref=ts

Thank you for inviting me to join you, Lena!

And thank you, Joan, for sharing this Christmas book with us. I love to read Christmas stories in October, November, and December.

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

One Holy Night - Christianbook.com
One Holy Night - Amazon.com
One Holy Night - Kindle

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the ebook. 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 Google +, Feedblitz, Facebook, 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 

CRUCIBLE OF WAR - J M Hochstetler

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

Family and home are recurring themes for me, especially the brokenness that happens so often between generations and how you get from there to true forgiveness and reconciliation. These themes undoubtedly arise out of my Mennonite upbringing as they form such a large part of the community’s consciousness.

What other books of yours are coming out soon?

We’re redoing Book 3 of the series, Wind of the Spirit, in the new Heritage Edition, and that will release next spring. The next new volume, Book 5, Valley of the Shadow, is projected to publish Fall 2014. I do intensive research for each volume, which is why it takes me so long to complete them. I want each installment of the story to be not only exciting, involving, and heart-tugging, but also historically correct so the series could be used as supplementary reading for students of history.

Valley of the Shadow will inaugurate the move into the naval war during the Revolution, and that will expand further in the last two volumes of the series. I also plan to take Jonathan and Elizabeth to France, where they’ll come into contact with the American commissioners who are negotiating an alliance with France against England, and where Jonathan will meet John Paul Jones. So the story is going to delve into more intrigue and danger. At the very beginning, however, Jonathan is going to have a much more urgent problem to solve . . . but I won’t give away any spoilers to those who haven’t yet read Crucible of War!

If you could spend an evening with one contemporary person (not a family member of yours), who would it be and why?

Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, the pilot who brought his crippled plane down safely in the Hudson. After reading his memoir, Highest Duty, a while back, I came away with such respect and admiration for him, far more than only as a hero—which he truly is despite his disclaimers—but as a truly kind, insightful, and admirable human being. What he shared of his story made me realize how much someone who is thoughtful and earnest can learn from the people and experiences God puts into their paths, enabling them to step up to the plate in a time of crisis and do what a person ordinarily can’t do. I’d love to talk to his copilot, Jeff Stiles, too, who, Sully reminds everyone, was so instrumental in saving all the souls aboard that plane on that day, as well as the rest of the crew. If you haven’t read the book, I highly recommend it.

What historical person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why?

I’ve always wanted to meet Abraham Lincoln. He was truly a man of integrity and wisdom, and he served as president at a pivotal point in the history of our nation. Had he not been at the helm and exercised the foresight he did, things could have gone in a very different direction, and that would have had considerable impact on the world stage as well. I’d love to hear a first-hand account of what Lincoln’s rationale was for the decisions he made and what he was thinking and feeling as events played out right up to that fatal night at Ford’s theater. I’m also intrigued about what he would think about where we are as a nation today.

Tell us about the featured book.

In Crucible of War, Elizabeth Howard’s love draws Brigadier General Jonathan Carleton, now the Shawnee war chief White Eagle, reluctantly back from Ohio Territory to rejoin General George Washington’s army at Newtown, Pennsylvania, on Christmas Eve. They find the patriot cause on the verge of extinction. Against all odds, however, in a daring gamble the tattered American force crosses the Delaware River during a raging nor’easter to attack the Hessian outpost at Trenton. While Elizabeth anxiously awaits news of the outcome, the Americans win a stunning victory, then fight the British to a draw at Princeton before vanishing into the mountain bastions around Morristown.

Returning to New York with her aunt, Tess Howard, Elizabeth is drawn ever deeper into the dangerous intrigues that swirl around General William Howe and his mistress. Somehow she must also sidestep the increasingly insistent attentions of Dr. Pieter Vander Groot, who, disillusioned by brutal British tactics, now gives his allegiance to the rebels. When Carleton is forced to take the doctor prisoner, Elizabeth and her aunt move to Philadelphia to gather much needed intelligence before Howe attacks the city.

With the Americans digging in at Brandywine Creek, Carleton is betrayed by a trusted aide and comes within a hair’s breadth of being captured. Washington orders him to the upper Hudson Valley, where a force commanded by British General John Burgoyne closes in on Saratoga. With decisive battles looming on all fronts, Elizabeth and Carleton are once again torn from each other’s arms, and this time they face a crucible of war and trial that will test their mettle and their love to the very limits—and beyond.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Chapter 1

An hour earlier the level of misery had finally surpassed the worst Brigadier General Jonathan Carleton had suffered as a slave of the Seneca.

Things hadn’t improved since then.

“I’ve spent merrier Christmases,” Colonel Charles Andrews shouted, his voice barely audible above the wind’s blast.

Carleton directed a wry glance at the two Shawnee warriors who hunched on either side of him, silent and grim-faced, blankets hooded over their heads beneath their heavy bearskins. Shifting from one foot to the other in the effort to restore a measure of circulation, he drawled, “Not to worry, Charles. Once we make the New Jersey shore we’ve but to march a mere nine miles to reach Trenton.”

“A cheery prospect, considering that, if anything, this infernal storm’s getting worse.”

Squinting through the Stygian gloom against a driving sleet that threatened to scour the skin from his face, Carleton assessed the faintly blacker line of the frozen New Jersey shore still some distance ahead. Their progress was agonizingly slow, and at every moment the water’s surge drove jagged ice floes against their clumsy vessel, threatening to either stave it in or capsize it. Or both.

I love historical novels that really depict the true history of the day. How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.theamericanpatriotseries.com

www.jmhochstetler.com

Thank you, Joan, for sharing this series with us.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Crucible of War (The American Patriot Series) - paperback
Crucible of War (The American Patriot Series) - 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

NATIVE SON - J M Hochstetler - One Free Book

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

The main thing for me is to finish the rest of my series on the American Revolution. That's my priority right now. There are still 3 volumes left to go, so it's going to consume probably the next 6 or 7 years.

I have a number of other projects I want to get to as soon as I can: an epic medieval tragedy, the fictionalized story of my Hochstetler ancestors, a spy-thriller, and a few other stories that are only plot summaries at the moment. So it looks like I'm going to be writing until my hands, eyes, and brain give out!

Tell us a little about your family.

I'm the daughter of Mennonite farmers, and my parents are both with the Lord now. I have one brother, who's a librarian, and I have 3 grown daughters. My husband, Jay, is a retired United Methodist pastor, and he also has 3 grown daughters. Between us we have 13 grandchildren and 2 step granchildren ranging from preschool to mid-twenties in age, so there's always something going on. We're pretty blessed and we're proud of every one of them!

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

It really has. Fiction is my main love, but because I'm writing a long historical series on the American Revolution, I read a lot of nonfiction on the period for my research. I also intentionally try steer away from fiction set during the Revolution because I want to keep my plots and characters fresh and not inadvertantly pick up ideas from another author.

I used to read a lot of contemporary fiction too. But the more I immerse myself in history, the more I find myself reaching for a historical novel rather than a contemporary.

What are you working on right now?

I'm finishing the edit on book 4 of my American Patriot Series, Crucible of War, which covers 1777. Then I'm going to dive right into book 5, Valley of the Shadow, which mostly takes place in 1778. As soon as possible, I also want to get back to a novel I've been working on for several years, a fictional treatment of the lives of my Hochstetler ancestors, who came to this country in 1738, settled in Pennsylvania, and were attacked by Indians in 1757 during the French and Indian War. There's a lot of documentation available, surprisingly enough, and I'm trying to do justice to their story.

What outside interests do you have?

I love to garden and do crafts, such as scrapbooking. I also love to decorate my home—add, subtract, move things around, repaint, and so on. What woman doesn't? I find playing around with design software and creating blogs, websites, and short video trailers  a blast too. I can tie up hours, if not days, doing those kinds of projects. Then I discovered Pinterest a couple of months ago, and it's kind of sucked me in. When my brain is tired, adding to my boards is a lovely way to relax!

How do you choose your settings for each book?

The settings kind of choose me. Certain eras seem to call my name, and I find myself drawn into the lives of people of the time. That's been true for my American Patriot Series. Since I want to have my caracters right in the midst of the action, the setting becomes wherever the action is the most exciting.

My novel on the Hochstetler family is set in Pennsylvania where they lived, of course. But I've also set some of my other works in progress where specific details of time and place fit the storyline the best. Most of the time, the story and characters tell you where they want to be.

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

I'd love to spend time with Patrick Henry. I admire him immensely. He was not only a great patriot, extremely intelligent, personable, and very well versed in the law and politics of the day, but also a staunch Christian. And he was personally involved in the very beginnings of the Revolution. Spending an evening picking his brain would be my kind of heaven!

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

How hard it would be to market and promote myself and my work. You think you know what you're getting yourself into when you step into this business, but until you're face to face with the reality, you really don't have a clue!

For me, writing is the easy, fun part. But what's the point of it if nobody reads your stories? So that means getting the word out, which is a whole lot of work.

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

I've been attending a church for a few months where the pastor's focus is Christian formation, being formed in the image of Christ, and I'm finding that I've been thirsty for this kind of teaching for a long time. He's been preaching through the Gospel of John for more than 2 years, and the cumulative effect of that intense focus is life changing.

The Lord is teaching me what it truly means to be a servant—not to serve others, which is self centered, but to truly BE a servant like Christ was, which is other centered. I fail at that so often, but that's the way I want to live my life.

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

Keep learning and growing as a writer. Write amazing stories. Keep your eyes on the Lord and make Him the focus and priority of your work.

Tell us about the featured book.

Brigadier General Jonathan Carleton has pledged his allegiance to the newly elected commander of the rebel force, General George Washington. But his heart belongs to fiery Elizabeth Howard, who charms British officers by day and by night delivers their secrets to the Sons of Liberty. Their plans to marry are put on hold, however, when Washington orders Carleton to undertake a perilous journey deep into Indian territory, while Elizabeth continues to spy on the British. Within weeks, she learns that far out in the wilderness Carleton has been captured by the Seneca. Despite all attempts to find him, his fate remains shrouded in mystery.

Forced to abandon Boston, British General William Howe prepares to unleash an overwhelming invasion force against Washington’s badly outmatched army at New York City. At the same time, reports begin to filter back from the western frontiers that a new Shawnee war chief named White Eagle is leading devastating raids against both British and American outposts in Ohio Territory.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Chapter 1

“No chance to get away to see Beth tonight either, I take it,” Major Charles Andrews ventured.

Brigadier General Jonathan Carleton threw his aide a brooding look as he urged his bay stallion forward, farther out of earshot of the riders trailing down the road behind them. It was nearing two o’clock, Sunday, July 2, 1775. Pulling off his wide-brimmed slouch hat, he wiped his brow with the back of his gloved hand before settling it back on his head with a jerk.

“We’ll undoubtedly be tied up with the generals until late.”

Andrews pulled his mount alongside Carleton’s. “I thought you’d break away yesterday when we stopped at Watertown to meet with the Provincial Congress.”

Carleton shook his head in frustration. “The General insisted I attend him. But I mean to see Beth tonight, even if it’s past midnight before we get there.”

“Washington has kept you on a short rein ever since we met him in New York.”

“All to your credit, Charles. If you hadn’t felt obliged to share every minute detail of my arrest and imminent hanging, we’d have been in Roxbury days ago.”

“It’s a good thing the General is being cautious,” Andrews countered. “If Isaiah hadn’t been on the alert on the road to New York, Gage’s agents would have us aboard ship to England by now, trussed up like a covey of Christmas geese.”

“And thank you for contributing a report on that little incident too,” Carleton returned sourly. “You managed to persuade Washington that the price Gage has put on my head—and on yours—will prove too tempting for someone whose need for cold coin is greater than his allegiance to the cause of liberty.”

Andrews returned a grin. “I’m a small fish. It’s you Gage wants. Considering the reward he’s offering, he obviously means to exact revenge for his humiliation at your hands. After all, you did pluck him clean of all the intelligence the Committee of Safety could have hoped for—while nestled sweetly in the general’s bosom.”

Carleton’s face clouded. “That’s what I despise about this. I should never have allowed myself to be persuaded to take on such a dishonorable role.”

“But spying in time of war is an ancient and necessary profession¾even a biblical one. Don’t forget the twelve Hebrews who spied out the land of Canaan for Moses.”

“Yes, and because they listened to the ten who had no faith instead of the two who trusted God, the children of Israel wandered in the desert for the next forty years,” Carleton responded with a short laugh. “May our country not be so unfortunate.”

With each step, the horses’ hooves plopped deep into the muddy road. The day was hot and humid following an early morning rain, and thunderclouds were again building overhead. At ground level, the rising wind stirred the trees that shouldered each other along the road’s edge and drove patches of shadow and sun across the low, wooded hills four miles from Boston Harbor.

“I hate to admit it, but in this beastly heat and humidity these buckskins are not as comfortable as our new uniforms would have been. And it occurs to me—too late, as usual—that we’d make a better impression on Ward and his staff in full regalia than in Indian dress.”

Andrews surveyed Carleton’s leather hunting shirt, leggings, and moccasins that matched his own. “I’m surprised to hear you say it,” he retorted with a smile. “I’ve not observed that you’re often overly concerned about making an impression, favorable or not.”

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I have both a personal and a series website: www.jmhochstetler.com and www.theamericanpatriotseries.com And I have a blog devoted to the series: http://americanpatriotseries.blogspot.com .

Thanks, Lena! It's been great visiting with you!


It's always a pleasure to have you drop by my blog, Joan.


Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Native Son (The American Patriot Series, Book 2) - paperback
Native Son (The American Patriot Series) - 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.

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Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

DAUGHTER OF LIBERTY - J M Hochstetler - One Free Book

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

The Amish and Mennonites have a deep respect for Anabaptist history and their own genealogy, and they pass that interest down to their children. Growing up in the Mennonite church with parents who were raised Amish, I developed an interest in the stories of my ancestors, and that expanded to a fascination with related historical periods. When I began to read, I enjoyed historical fiction the most, so when I felt the calling to write, I naturally began writing the kinds of stories I loved to read—which I’m sure that’s typical of most authors.

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

My wedding day and the birth of each of my daughters are all equal on my happiness meter. The birth of each of my grandchildren is a very close second.

How has being published changed your life?

It’s enriched my life through all the wonderful people I’ve met and the new friends I’ve made in the business and along the way. And it’s added a lot of stress because of the constant need to promote yourself and your books while writing that next story, all on top of the usual day to day. I love what I do, but it’s a lot more demanding than non-writers really understand, and that includes our families. I keep trying to clue them in, but they’re resistant to the message!

What are you reading right now?

I’m always reading historical resources on the period I’m writing about, which right now include Saratoga by Richard M. Ketchum and The Philadelphia Campaign by Stephen R. Taaffe. I’ve also been reading George Bush’s Decision Points, which I’m finding quite interesting and insightful. But I live for story so I always have to have a novel or two on hand to give me that fix. Right now on my Kindle I’m reading Lauraine Snelling’s A Measure of Mercy, and next I want to finally get to Dan Walsh’s The Deepest Waters, which has been luring me for a while.

What is your current work in progress?

That would be book 4 of my American Patriot Series, Crucible of War. With this volume, I’m officially at the midpoint of the series. Only 3 more to go!

What would be your dream vacation?

More than anything I’d love to travel to Germany and Switzerland to the places where my ancestors lived, and also tour the sites in Europe where the Anabaptists suffered persecution and were forced to hide their faith and their worship. And then I’d follow it up with a side trip to Italy and the Grecian Isles! Greek and Roman history is another fascination of mine.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

With this series, it’s easy. I just consult my resources on the American Revolution and set the story wherever the main action is during the year I’m covering. Of course, it’s not that cut and dried with other my books. Generally I try to find a setting that fits the premise and needs of my story. In One Holy Night, which is set during the Vietnam War, I needed a location where a blizzard could believably happen at Christmastime, and the Minneapolis area fit. I have a Mennonite romance I keep tinkering with that’s set in the Kokomo, Indiana, area where I grew up. Because it’s loosely based on my parents’ love story (very loosely!), it takes place in 1945 at the end of WWII. I’m also working on a fictional treatment of the story of my ancestors’ massacre by a band of Indians during the French and Indian War, which is set in 1757 in the area of Pennsylvania where the attack took place.

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

This may sound boring, but the truth is it would be my husband, Jay. He’s a transport driver for the RV industry, so he’s on the road a lot. Sometimes he’s out for a week or two, and I really look forward to when he gets home so we can hang out together.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I love to garden, do crafts, especially scrapbooking, go antiquing, and redecorate my home from time to time. What woman doesn’t? And, of course, read. And write.

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

The hardest thing for me is planning the story out in advance. I’m a confirmed seat-of-the-pants writer, but that can lead you down some rabbit trails, so I’m very slowly learning to develop an overall vision of the story before I get too far down the road. Doing a formal outline or chapter by chapter synopsis, however, is not in the range of possibility. The few times I’ve tried to get that organized, I gave up in frustration before I got a quarter of the way through it. I know from the outset that everything is going to change once the story gets in motion, so what’s the point?

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Never give up. Strive for excellence. Educate yourself on the craft and the business. Learn to promote yourself and your books. And did I mention, never give up?

Tell us about the featured book.

This volume focuses on 1777. There are battles, intrigue, and drama. Of course, there’s lots going on between my main characters, Elizabeth Howard and Jonathan Carleton, who are trying to make up for lost time now that they’re back together after being separated for a year and a half. Here’s a synopsis.

Brigadier General Jonathan Carleton rejoins General George Washington’s army to find the patriot cause on the verge of extinction. In a daring gamble, the small, ragged American force crosses the Delaware on Christmas night 1776, to defeat British outposts at Trenton and Princeton before vanishing into the mountain bastions around Morristown.

Back in New York City, Elizabeth Howard is drawn ever deeper into the intrigues that swirl around British General William Howe. With her Aunt Tess, she moves to Philadelphia in summer 1777 to gather intelligence while waiting for the British attack. Ambushed and almost captured as the Americans dig in at Brandywine Creek, Carleton is transferred to General Horatio Gates’s army in the upper Hudson Valley where British General John Burgoyne closes in on Saratoga. With decisive battles looming on every front, Elizabeth and Carleton face a crucible of war that tests their mettle, faith, and love for God and each other to the very limits.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Chapter 1

An hour earlier the level of misery had finally surpassed the worst Brigadier General Jonathan Carleton had suffered as a slave of the Seneca.

Things hadn’t improved since then.

“I’ve spent merrier Christmases,” Colonel Charles Andrews shouted, his voice barely audible above the wind’s blast.

Carleton directed a wry glance at the two Shawnee warriors who hunched on either side of him, silent and grim-faced beneath their heavy bearskins, with blankets hooded over their heads. Shifting from one foot to the other in the effort to restore a measure of circulation, he drawled, “Not to worry, Charles. Once we make the New Jersey shore we’ve but to march a mere nine miles to reach Trenton.”

“A cheery prospect, considering that, if anything, this infernal storm’s getting worse.”

Squinting through the Stygian gloom against a driving sleet that felt as though it would scour the skin from his face, Carleton assessed the faintly blacker line of the frozen New Jersey shore still some distance ahead. Their progress toward it was agonizingly slow, and at every moment the water’s surge drove jagged ice floes against their clumsy vessel, threatening to either stave it in or capsize it. Or both.

The rising nor’easter that had plagued the Continental Army all the way to McKonkey’s Ferry, increasing in intensity while they embarked on a fleet of heavy black Durham boats, ferries, and other sturdy craft, showed no signs of diminishing and every sign of worsening. Its shriek whipped away the creak of oars, the slap of water and thud of ice, the stamp of horses’ hooves against the ferry’s planks and the animals’ occasional agitated squeals when their footing lurched beneath them.

“At least we will not drown—as long as we manage to reach shore,” he returned in the Shawnee language.

“No,” Andrews grumbled in the same tongue. “We will freeze to death instead.”

How can readers find you on the Internet?

My websites are www.jmhochstetler.com  and www.theamericanpatriotseries.com .

My main blog is http://americanpatriotseries.blogspot.com  

You can also find me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1293566725 And my fan page is at https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-American-Patriot-Series-by-J-M-Hochstetler/158849110800898

Thank you, Joan, for sharing this life history and new book with us.


Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Daughter of Liberty (The American Patriot Series, Book 1) - paperback
Daughter of Liberty (The American Patriot Series) - 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

Author J. M. Hochstetler - WIND OF THE SPIRIT - Free Book

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

Ultimately, God led me to writing and has given me the stories to write. Since I come from an Amish/Mennonite background, I was steeped in history from day one. Faith, family, church, and community are very important to the Amish and Mennonites, and the Hochstetler family has an especially interesting history that’s well known in the community and is regularly recounted. So that had a powerful impact on my life and interests.

I love to research and learn about the lives of people in earlier times, and then bring the past to life for readers, especially for those who think they hate history. And over the years, I’ve grown very concerned that Americans today know so little about the founding of our nation. I’d hate to see us lose the legacy handed down to us by those who laid everything on the line to ensure our freedom, but I genuinely believe we’re in danger of that happening.

With the American Patriot Series, my goal is to write the only comprehensive fiction series on the American Revolution—portraying all aspects of it, including the experience of colonists, African Americans, Native Americans, and women. It’s been fascinating and fun—not to mention a real education!

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

I’d have to say the day I was baptized. That’s the most deeply meaningful experience I’ve ever had—to come before the church, the body of Christ, and make that confession of faith in my Savior.

I agree. Most of the really meaningful times in my life have been related to the Lord. How has being published changed your life?

Oh, goodness, it’s gotten a whole lot busier! On the plus side, I’ve met many so wonderful people and gone places I wouldn’t have otherwise. I’ve also become more confident out of sheer necessity. On the minus side, my writing time and family time are more limited than I wish they were.

What are you reading right now?

I’m just finishing up Michelle Griep’s Gallimore. Stand-In Groom by Kaye Dacus, who is a dear friend, is next on my list. I read the rough draft, and I loved the story, so I’m really looking forward to reading the published version.

I just finished reading Stand-In Groom. There'll be a review in my March newsletter. http://lenanelsondooleynewsletter.blogspot.com What is your current work in progress?

I actually have 2 that I’m working on: Northkill, a fictionalized version of the story of my Amish Mennonite ancestors, and Crucible of War, book 4 of my series.

What would be your dream vacation?

Hawaii. Or the English Isles. Or Germany. Or Italy and Greece…. Sigh.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

For the series, that’s easy. Each volume is set in the time and place the actual events I’m covering occurred. So is Northkill. One Holy Night was more of a challenge. First I had to decide when to set the story. I finally settled on 1967, during the Vietnam War, because I was in high school and college during most of those years, and like other young people of the time, the war had a big impact on my life. Then I needed a location where a blizzard could plausibly take place. Since I’d been to Minneapolis some years earlier, I finally decided to set the story in that area because it was somewhat familiar.

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

Oh, that’s a difficult one. Hmmm…I think probably Sarah Palin. Anybody who, in just a few years, can go from being a hockey mom to being the governor of a state, and then to running for vice president has my admiration. I totally agree with her pro-life position, and she also seems to be a hoot. I think we’d share a lot of laughs and have some pretty profound conversation too.

I'd love to be at that meeting. I share that strong pro-life position, too. What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I love to garden and do crafts. Last summer I started scrapbooking, and it’s driving me crazy that I haven’t had time to work on my projects this winter. I also have a great deal of interest in interior decoration. HGTV is one of my favorite channels. I’d redo my house every other year if I could afford it. And I love to travel.

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

I’ve never had writer’s block, and I love to do research, so those have never been obstacles for me. Dedicating time to writing is the greatest hurdle I’ve faced. I’m either too covered up with other business to write…or I fritter my time away with all kinds of unimportant little projects. I suspect most writers relate to that! I need to have a deadline hanging over my head to keep me motivated!

I'm a lot like that, too. What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Never give up! I know you’ve heard that before, and you may be wondering, what’s the point? Well, I’ve been on the verge of quitting more times than I want to admit, even after I had a couple of books published, so I totally relate to the pain of rejection. But if writing is your calling from the Lord, then remain faithful no matter what the cost. He has a plan and a purpose for the stories he gives you, and it will come to pass if you endure. If you quit, I guarantee that the blessing he meant for you will go to someone else who refuses to give up.

Tell us about the featured book.

Wind of the Spirit is the 3rd book of my American Patriot Series, which is set during the American Revolution. The story resumes with Elizabeth Howard scrambling for crucial intelligence General George Washington must have if the Americans are to stop the British from capturing New York City. Elizabeth’s assignment leads her into the very maw of war at the Battle of Brooklyn Heights, where disaster threatens to end the American rebellion.

Yet all the while her heart is fixed on Jonathan Carleton, whose whereabouts remain unknown more than a year after he disappeared into the wilderness while on assignment for Washington. She has no way of knowing that Carleton, now the Shawnee war chief White Eagle, is caught in a bitter war of his own. As unseen forces gather to finally destroy him, he leads the fight against white settlers encroaching on Shawnee lands—while he battles the longing for Elizabeth that will not give him peace.

With Washington poised to make a last-ditch gamble to save the American cause at Trenton, and the British closing in on Carleton’s whereabouts, Elizabeth rejoins Colonel Charles Andrews on a desperate journey to find Carleton before he is captured and executed for treason. They find him at last . . . and all three of their lives are changed forever.

Very interesting. How can readers find you on the Internet?

My Web site is www.jmhochstetler.com .

I have several blogs, which I update when I can find the time: http://americanpatriotseries.blogspot.com
http://oneholynight.blogspot.com
http://lampofhistory.blogspot.com
http://northkill.blogspot.com.

You can also learn more about my books on the Sheaf House Web site at www.sheafhouse.com .

Thank you for spending this time with us, Joan.

Readers, leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Don't forget to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won.