WORTH FORGIVING - Janet K Brown - One Free Book

Bio: Janet K. Brown lives in Wichita Falls, Texas with her husband, Charles. Worth Forgiving, an inspirational women’s fiction, is the second in her Wharton Rock series. Her only non-fiction is Divine Dining: 365 Devotions to Guide You to Healthier Weight and Abundant Wellness.

Worth Forgiving marks Brown’s fourth book. Who knew she had a penchant for teens and ghosts? She released her debut novel, an inspirational young adult, Victoria and the Ghost, in July, 2012.

    

Janet and her husband love to travel with their RV, work in their church, and visit their three daughters, two sons-in-law and three perfect grandchildren.

    

Janet teaches workshops on writing, weight loss, and the historical settings of her teen books. The author uses her platform of recovering compulsive overeater to weave stories of hope for addiction, compulsion, or impossible situations.

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

My writing motto is “Writing God’s Message of Hope.” All my books address impossible situations, times with no hope. But God . . .   He gave me hope. I must send the message to others, so I must write.

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

That’s a hard question. What a day when I married my high school sweetheart? God blessed me at the birth of each daughter and each grandchild.  Besides these special times, I guess I would say it was the day I got my first book contract. I was “over the moon.” Ha!

How has being published changed your life?

It made me a lot busier.  When I retired from my medical bookkeeping job, I went into writing as a second career. I studied I went to conferences and workshops, as well as took courses online. I submitted and was rejected over and over. All my work, besides studying, evolved around writing, editing, rewriting, and writing again. I received my first contract in 2011. The YA released in 2012. Immediately, I added book promotion to my resume and suddenly had a hard time finding time to write because of the “third” career.

What are you reading right now?

The Destruction of the Books by Mel Odom. I don’t usually read fantasy, but a dear writing friend recommended his books. She was right. He is an excellent writer.

What is your current work in progress?

I’m working on book 3 of the Wharton Rock series. All of this series deals with addictions and despair healed by the Lord. The first book was about food addiction and depression. The book that released on Sept. 1 focuses on drug addiction and prejudice of an ex-con. Book 3 will deal with pornography. It will release in 2017.

What would be your dream vacation?

I would love to visit Alaska. So many beautiful pictures and praise from friends makes me want to see it for myself.  I will say I’ve already enjoyed several “dream vacations.”

How do you choose your settings for each book?

Most of my finished novels, and all of my published ones, take place in North Texas near where I live. It’s what I know. The only few I’ve written that don’t happen here is set in places I’ve visited. The personal viewpoint gives it more reality.

With my YA ghost series, I use real settings that are known because of a ghost legend. The first one was Clara, 20 miles from my house. The second was Collin County about 150 miles away.

My Wharton Rock series happens in a fictional North Texas town called Wharton Rock, but it resembles a real town about twenty miles from me. I write what I know.

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

I’d love to sit and pick the mind of Margaret Daley. She’s been a fantastic mentor in the past. My second wish would be to actually visit in person with some precious writers I’ve “met” online. Friends and mentors are an extra blessing to a writing ministry. We talk the same language.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I do line dancing at our 50 plus zone in Wichita Falls twice a week. I love it, and it’s good exercise. My all time favorite pastime is to travel with my hubby and our RV and camp out in God’s majesty. Oh, and I collect dolls and salt and pepper shakers.

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

As I alluded to before, I struggle with balancing writing and promoting. My husband is semi-retired and I try to be semi-retired. I want to freely travel with our RV. That’s my most difficult writing obstacle.

How I overcome it is constantly setting priorities and goals. When I get too much on my plate, I back off and think about what’s most important. The biggest answer to overload is to never forget my daily quiet time with the Lord.

I also battle not putting in enough setting to situate my readers and failing to power-up the emotion, but I keep working at it. Edit, and edit again.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Study, Join groups. Go to conferences and workshops. Network. Write every day, and read every day. Never give up.

Tell us about the featured book.

Worth Forgiving

Prejudice and mistrust hinders an ex-con, drug addict’s new beginning.

The state of Texas releases from prison Katie Smith. Full of optimism, she sets out to get a job, rent her own place, and make a home for her eight-year-old daughter, but Katie gave away her daughter three years ago. She could use a friend, but her past choices threaten to doom her to continued failure.

Larry Pullman graduated from seminary with high marks, but the fact that he has no wife makes finding a preaching job almost impossible. It doesn’t help that running from God as a teenager gave him a past that he can’t undo. All he needs is an ex-con, drug addict messing up his life, but then why did God lead him to her? Or did He?

Isn’t it enough that Lacey Chandler gave her sister’s daughter a home? Does that mean she has to clean up Katie’s messes forever?

Could it be that Katie is not Worth Forgiving?

Please give us the first page of the book.

Twin doors swung open to the outside world, and Katie Smith stepped out. Thunk! The heavy doors slammed. Sweet honeysuckle along the outside wall smelled like freedom. The sounds of passing traffic were foreign to her ears.

She smiled and glanced up at the sign giving the bus schedule. Two hours. Dropping on the park bench to the right of the exit, she prepared to wait, twisting the coins for bus fare in her hands.

A dove sang a mournful melody. A cold wind howled. If only she had asked Mom to send her a jacket. Three years ago when she went into prison, it had been hot Texas summertime. Add that to lessons learned the hard way.

She reached into her pocket and retrieved a now wrinkled picture of a girl with two front teeth missing. Katie blinked back tears, jutted her chin, and sat taller. All she had to do was stay clean, get her own place, and move her daughter back in with her.

A red Hyundai Santa Fe pulled to the curb. A tall, shapely brunette climbed out of the driver’s seat. “Care for a ride?”

Katie blinked. She barely recognized her older sister, Lacey, since she’d lost so much weight.

“Mom said she couldn’t pick me up?”

“She couldn’t, but Toby agreed that I should.”

“Humph.” Katie should’ve known Mr. Police Chief would keep tabs on her. “Thanks, but I’ll wait for the bus.”

“Your choice.” Lacey shrugged but waited.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Find me at http:/ /www.janetkbrown.com

on Twitter at https://twitter.com/janetkbrowntx

on Facebook   http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Janet-K-Brown-Author/143915285641707

E-mail: Janet.hope@att.net

Thank you for sharing this book with us. My copy just came, and I'll start reading it later today.

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

Worth Forgiving - Paperback
Worth Forgiving - Kindle

Comment Starting Questions: Have you ever wondered if some was worth forgiving? Have you ever wondered if you were worth forgiving?

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, 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

WORTH HER WEIGHT - Janet K Brown - One Free Book

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

My most recent release, Worth Her Weight, has a lot of me in the main character. Lacey, like me, was addicted to food, a people-pleaser, and suffered from a low self esteem. I nearly always have someone I know in mind with every character, with certain changes, of course.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I once did a four hour zumbathon. I loved it. It was for a good cause. But, I couldn’t move the rest of the day.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

In junior high, my English teacher seemed to pick on me. At the end of the year, I asked her why. She told me that she saw promise in my writing, so she wanted to push me to improve. I knew then that was something I wanted to do with my life. However, life intervened, and it was 2006 before I began to seriously study the craft and submit my work.

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

Fiction - Women’s fiction, romance, mysteries, suspense, young adult, new adult

Non-fiction – Devotion, self-help, writing-related, motivational

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

I often don’t, but I know when I reach the point where I’m overwhelmed, I need to sit down, list everything I do, prioritize, and give up a few things. It happens about once a year. Also, my sweet hubby keeps me grounded with love.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

Sometimes, it’s just a name I like that fits, or a name that belongs to someone I admire. If I come up empty, I google the favorite girl or boy names for the year of the character’s birth. I try to limit names that start with the same letter to keep out confusion.

With my Young Adult novel Victoria and the Ghost, I used my granddaughter’s name, and in the sequel still to come out, I use my grandson, Colson’s, name.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Hands down, 53 years married to my soulmate, and second, the birth of our three daughters Other than that, I’m proud and grateful for God’s emotional healing in my life.

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

A bear – hibernating sounds wonderful and I’m cranky if you wake me up.

What is your favorite food?

Cheesecake or blackberry cobbler

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

Adding more emotion to certain scenes. I went to a 3-day, fiction mentoring class by DiAnn Mills. She had us write about the saddest time in our lives. I wrote and cried, but it taught me a lesson.

 I need to think of a time when I experienced a similar emotion whether sadness, fear, or joy and the effect it had on me. When we allow ourselves to remember something, we relive it. When I do, I write how I feel.

Tell us about the featured book.

How can a woman who gives to everyone but herself accept God’s love and healing when she believes she’s fat, unworthy, and unfixable? Can she be Worth Her Weight?

It can be purchased through the publisher: http://www.pen-l.com/WorthHerWeight.html

Or on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Worth-Her-Weight-Janet-Brown/dp/1940222958/

Please give us the first page of the book.

The acid from Mom’s hurtful words burned. Only a gooey, cream-filled donut could neutralize the pain. That, and maybe a couple of Snickers. I’m not going crazy. The phone heated her hand. She wanted to drop it to the desk, but Mom’s prattle continued.

“You’re going nuts like your dad.” Her words sliced through Lacey like a tornado in a Texas cornfield.

 Mom droned on about her visit with Katie, Lacey’s kid sister. Lacey opened a desk drawer, lifting out her bottle of Prozac. She turned it over to read the directions. If she downed these pills, her disappointing life would end. Old thoughts resurfaced, bringing a longing for peace but a warning of hell fire.

Mom took a breath between words. Lacey’s office was quiet except for the phone-voice of condemnation.

As a person who has struggled with weight most of my adult life, just this much of the book brought tears to my eyes. Praise the Lord, He is helping me lose weight this year. How can readers find you on the Internet?

Website/Blog: http://www.janetkbrown.com

E-mail: Janet.hope@att.net

Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/nqdw75q

Twitter: https://twitter.com/janetkbrowntx

I’m also on Google+ and Linked In

Thank you, Janet, for sharing this book with us. I'm sure there are many readers who will connect with your heroine, and maybe it will help others who don't have an addiction to food better understand those who do.

Readers, 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