CALLING ON THE MATCHMAKER - Jody Hedlund - One Free Book

Bio: Jody Hedlund is the bestselling author of more than thirty historical novels for both adults and teens and is the winner of numerous awards, including the Christy, Carol, and Christian Book Awards. Jody lives in Michigan with her husband, busy family, and five spoiled cats.

From the talented pen of bestselling author Jody Hedlund comes a brand-new series set amidst the bustling streets of St. Louis, Missouri, the gateway to the West. Beloved for her western historicals, readers are sure to fall for the Shanahan siblings as they discover their places in life and love—even in spite of themselves—with the help of a wily Irish matchmaker. Escape to 1849 St. Louis for a daring and romantic tale in Calling on the Matchmaker, book one in the A Shanahan Match series.

About the Story: Haunted by the death of her sister, Finola Shanahan has resolved that she’s not worthy of a family of her own and commits to spending her days caring for immigrants in the slums.

Unwilling to consider marriage, Finola has perfected the ability to sabotage the relationships her parents arrange for her. At wit’s end, her father calls upon the local Irish matchmaker, who pairs her with successful wagonmaker Riley Rafferty. After her usual tricks fail, Finola quickly realizes she can’t outsmart or outwit the dashing, determined, and daring man.

A candidate in the St. Louis mayoral election, Riley is confident a union with the wealthy Shanahan family will help solidify his chances of winning—and even more assured he and Finola can make a difference together. When a cholera outbreak begins to take St. Louis by storm, they must navigate a burgeoning attraction and growing danger, testing all they know about love and sacrifice.

Your latest novel, Calling on the Matchmaker, is book one in the new series, A Shanahan Match. Can you please tell us a little bit about the series?

Jody Hedlund: This new series is a saga involving the Shanahan family in the frontier city of St. Louis, Missouri, in the late 1840s. The Shanahans are a big and loving family with six children. The oldest are reaching marriageable age, so the local matchmaker is called upon to help form advantageous matches. Even though the Irish matchmaker is wily, he still faces challenges as he seeks to pair each of the Shanahan siblings with their true loves.

Since the series revolves around the Shanahan siblings, can you provide a short introduction to each sibling? Book 1 in the series involves Finola Shanahan, who is the oldest Shanahan sibling and the first in line for the matchmaker’s help. The trouble is that she has no intention of getting married and works to foil the matchmaker’s plans.

Book 2 tells Enya Shanahan’s story. She is a fiery redhead with an equally fiery personality and is rebellious against her strict parents. As a result, she gets herself into trouble and ends up needing a marriage of convenience.

Book 3 finally gives Kiernan Shanahan a chance to find his true love. As the first-born son, he’s driven in life, business, and love. He’s ready for the matchmaker to find him an advantageous match, but his heart may have already found someone else.

What do readers need to know about the Shanahan family, but especially about Finola? Finola’s parents both immigrated from Ireland as young adults. As a result of their Irish heritage, they have strong ties to the large Irish community in St. Louis and also have a heart for helping the newly arrived Irish immigrants, many of whom are escaping starvation and poverty in Ireland due to the potato famine. Finola, in particular, has become involved with a group of nuns who visit the poor tenements and help the immigrants. She desires to join the convent and spend her life in service to God. But her parents are opposed to her entering the convent and want her to get married.

Some major themes that Calling on the Matchmaker addresses are family relationships, mistakes, and forgiveness. How do we see these play out in the lives of your female protagonists? Finola is wrestling with a past family tragedy that she hasn’t been able to forget about or forgive herself for. As a result, she feels as though she has to do penance for the mistake. One way she feels she can make up for the tragedy is by becoming a nun and living a life of service to God. She has tried to talk to her parents about her desire to enter the convent, but they haven’t listened to her. As a result, she doesn’t communicate well about what she wants. Throughout the course of the story, she has to learn to gain a voice as well as learn to forgive herself and others for the past.

This novel is arguably a bit different from other books you’ve written recently. Can you share what inspired the idea for this story? It is a little different. But I hope readers appreciate getting to learn about new areas of the country and new parts of history through my stories. Since I love romance more than anything else, I thought the matchmaker idea would be a fun way to tie a series together. As I began researching matchmaker stories, I realized that there is a long tradition of Irish men being matchmakers. So, the Irish matchmaker takes the stage in all of the books.

Which character in this book was your favorite to write and why? Do you think this will be readers’ favorite as well? Obviously I love the hero and heroine! But aside from them, Bellamy McKenna, the matchmaker, is one of my favorite characters in this series. He is in the process of beginning to take over the matchmaker duties from his father and has some different, less conventional ways of bringing about matches. He’s not only intuitive, but he’s also very clever. Readers will hopefully fall in love with Bellamy (and maybe, just maybe, he’ll get his love story eventually too!).

Your previous series, Colorado Cowboys, highlighted cowboys in the American West. What prompted you to head in a different direction for this series? As much as I loved writing my Colorado Cowboys series, I didn’t want to pigeon-hole myself as a western or cowboy-romance writer. Since most of my series highlight different places and historical events, I wanted to take readers on a new adventure and introduce them to a new part of history that I haven’t yet explored.

Why set these books in St. Louis? Does it have special meaning to the story? Knowing I wanted to use the Irish, I researched places that had large Irish populations in the 1800s, and St. Louis was one of them. As the Gateway to the West, St. Louis was full of danger, disease, and disaster—all of the things that make for a great story and the perfect setting for the Shanahan family.

In particular, I chose the year 1849 as the starting point for this series because a number of tragedies occurred in St. Louis at that time, including a deadly cholera epidemic and a tragic fire along the riverfront.

What is one of your favorite things about writing historical fiction? I love finding and bringing little known eras of history to life for readers. It’s always fun to hear from readers how much they’ve learned from my books and how that aspect of history came to life for them.

What lessons do you hope readers gain by picking up Calling on the Matchmaker? I hope readers will learn, just like my characters, that sometimes we mistake our own inability to forgive ourselves as God’s inability, but instead God forgives us so deeply, that He puts our mistakes out of His mind as far as the east is from the west. If God forgives us so generously, shouldn’t we also be willing to forgive ourselves the same way?

Can you share which Shanahan sibling the next book in the series is about? The next book is Enya’s story and involves a marriage of convenience, a steamboat captain, and the Great Fire of 1849.

That sounds interesting, too. How can readers connect with you? To stay up to date, I invite readers to join my Facebook Reader Room where I post the most relevant book news and interact with readers. Or readers can visit my website at jodyhedlund.com

Thank you for sharing Calling on the Matchmaker with us today. I know my readers will want to read it.

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

https://www.amazon.com/Calling-Matchmaker-Arranged-Marriage-Historical/dp/0764241966/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.WJLfo39M-naWbtWqdsCmvN9NG1zHQfQ733-7okQz1OvhKyq34Kz0oPc59btk-cqnZEbNux5zCMAi3QUWqv1HmRViY7juCWYrP9UwqQi4lNRJP9jtEVzQzF-mfkhW_ma1QpEfN9HdJg1ubMEnqRRKV3uq2L1pIsnDDm9EpXDmlXQ1noEJiKse6T-5lv1UrAGPBxT3enIevv5FrsjBH0sjcfE4cdQCLMKVXG1HMRr2JkY.MC4DjU6lL2nxHYgGB4XbnhzkDMw1jm-X_9oBTx-RS18&qid=1712246074&sr=1-1

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

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FALLING FOR THE COWGIRL - Jody Hedlund - One Free Book

Bio: Jody Hedlund is the bestselling author of over 30 historical novels for both adults and teens and is the winner of numerous awards, including the Christy, Carol, and Christian Book Awards. Jody lives in Michigan with her husband, busy family, and five spoiled cats.

Welcome, Jody. Please provide a brief summary of your new novel, Falling for the Cowgirl. This book continues the McQuaid family saga as the family of five siblings struggles to survive in the high country of Colorado. Even though Ivy McQuaid is the youngest child in the McQuaid family (and the only girl), she gets her happily-ever-after in this fourth book of the series.

Readers who’ve read the previous books have already gotten a glimpse of the feisty and precocious Ivy during her younger years. But as Falling for the Cowgirl opens, Ivy is all grown up and searching for a place where she belongs and that she can finally call home.

Of course, her long lost love, Jericho Bliss, shows up on the scene and causes all kinds of mayhem for her as always. Though she’s tried to forget about the man who broke her heart, she realizes she can’t stop loving Jericho, even though he makes it clear that he has no intention of pursing anything between them.

What about the life of ranchers first captured your imagination? I lived in the high country of Colorado as a child and then for a few years while my husband was in graduate school, so Colorado has always held a special place in my heart. During a family vacation there in recent years, I visited the Fairplay area in South Park and realized it would be the perfect setting for a ranching story. Not only was it beautiful, but it was loaded with so many historical details that I’d never run out of interesting information to inspire me.

Can you tell us a little more about what and who were the inspirations behind this book? In doing research for this series, I came across a chapter in a book devoted to ranch women that had a few paragraphs about women being involved in the rodeo circuit. After reading about those women and the many challenges they faced, I knew right away that Ivy had to not only be a cowgirl but also a rodeo participant.

Since this series is set in the 1860s and early 1870s, rodeos were just developing. In those early days, they were known as cowhand competitions, and most of them didn’t allow women to participate. Ivy, being the strong woman that she is, doesn’t let anything hold her back and finds a way to join in the competitions anyway. You’ll have to read the book to find out how!

What did you enjoy most about creating a tough and independent protagonist like Ivy McQuaid? What did you find the most challenging, if anything? After growing up with four older brothers, Ivy is a typical tomboy. She’d much rather spend her days chasing cattle and wandering around the ranch than doing any of the women’s tasks at home. Not only does she buck against the constraints put on women in the cowhand competitions, but she also wants to own land and have a place of her own. Earning money for land is difficult for a woman, but convincing a man to sell her land is equally challenging.

Even though Ivy is struggling to be accepted as a woman in a man’s world, I had to make sure she didn’t come across as too masculine and abrasive. The challenge was finding ways to make her attractive as a woman, especially to the hero. She wants the hero to notice her, and so begins to take more care with her appearance. For example, I have her struggling to adjust to wearing fancy garments that are hand-me-downs from a sister-in-law.

Like many of us, your character Jericho Bliss fears putting those he loves in danger. Do you believe it is more important for us to respect such fears or overcome them? Because his mother was tortured and died at the hands of criminals, Jericho is forever scarred. Not only did his mother die, but his father turned to heavy drinking in his grief, and so Jericho lost both parents. His fear of putting Ivy into danger as a result of his job is legitimate. The criminals he’s hunting are the worst of the worst.

Even so, Jericho has to learn that when we give fear control, it keeps us from living life to the fullest. In a sense, we’re letting it kill a part of us—especially the joy and the beauty that awaits us in relationships.

Without giving away any spoilers, what makes Ivy McQuaid and Jericho Bliss such a compelling duo? They’re both strong and stubborn characters, and when they come together the sparks fly!

What sets Falling for the Cowgirl apart from your previous novels? The other books in the series are from the perspective of the McQuaid brothers. This book is about the lone sister in the family.

What do you hope readers will take away from reading this book? When Ivy experiences one loss after another, she grows increasingly despondent. In a very poignant scene near the end of the novel, Judd (the grandfatherly man who shepherds the McQuaid family) challenges her to stop building her life on a crumbling foundation and instead to find her acceptance in God’s unfailing love, in the One who will never leave or forsake her. She has to learn to take her aches to the Lord instead of trying to bear them all herself.

Jericho has a similar spiritual journey. He, too, has to come to grips with walking life empty-handed and trying to hold himself up instead of turning to the One who is beside him and waiting to lift him up every time he stumbles or falls.

This book sounds so interesting. How can readers connect with you? To stay up to date, I invite readers to join my Facebook Reader Room, where I post the most relevant book news and interact with readers. Or readers can visit my website at jodyhedlund.com.

Thank you, Jody, for sharing this book with my blog readers and me. I love western historical novels.

Readers, here’s a link to the book. 

https://www.amazon.com/Falling-Cowgirl-Colorado-Cowboys-Hedlund/dp/0764236423/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1668534668&sr=1-1

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

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

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

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

NEVER LEAVE ME - Jody Hedlund - One Free Book

Bio: Jody Hedlund the bestselling author of more than thirty historical novels for both adults and teens, including Come Back to Me, and is the winner of numerous awards, including the Christy, Carol, and Christian Book Awards. Jody lives in Michigan with her husband, busy family, and five spoiled cats. She loves to imagine that she really can visit the past, although she’s yet to accomplish the feat, except via the many books she reads.

Welcome, Jody. Can you please provide a brief description of your latest novel, Never Leave Me? In Never Leave Me, Harrison Burlington, a brilliant scientist, is left to pick up the pieces after his friends Marian and Arthur Creighton die while in comas after supposedly traveling into the past to the Middle Ages. With his power and wealth, Harrison continues the search for more holy water, with the hope of saving the woman he secretly loves, Ellen Creighton, who is dying of a genetic disease.

Ellen’s health deteriorates rapidly. As the one-year anniversary of the deaths of her dad and sister draw near, Ellen’s prognosis is grim, and the doctors agree she doesn’t have long to live. She resigns herself to her fate. But Harrison only grows more desperate to save her.

When Harrison finds two flasks of holy water, he sets into motion events that change both his and Ellen’s lives forever and sends them on an adventure of a lifetime.

Never Leave Me is the second installment in your Waters of Time series. What ties the books in this series together? The main tie with Never Leave Me is that the holy water related to the Tree of Life is still the primary vehicle for time traveling. The characters must still drink the water to go into the past. And they still need two doses if they hope to survive and return to the present.

Another tie is that the main characters continue to stay connected to the Middle Ages during the same time period from the previous installment (but a year later in 1382). Readers will get another trip to the past with Ellen and Harrison with some new characters making their debuts. But readers will also be excited to learn that they’ll get to spend more time with Marian and Will too and find out what’s going on with this amazing couple.

Set in Canterbury in the Middle Ages, your book incorporates time travel as a central theme. What was it like to write about this mystical topic while balancing the portrayal of different periods in time? Time travel involves a merging of fantasy and historical elements—blending wildly creative and imaginative ideas with very realistic and accurate details from the past. Such a dichotomy requires pulling out all the stops for the fantasy elements but then staying grounded for all the historical details.

In order to handle that balance, I set out to make my time travel elements sound as believable as possible. By the end of the books, I want readers (even if just to a small degree) asking whether there really is such a thing as holy water and whether holy water can heal or cause realistic (time-travel-like) visions. If I’m able to do that, then I consider myself to have accomplished the balance between fantasy and history successfully!

Female protagonist Ellen Creighton suffers from the same genetic disease that robbed her of her mother at a young age. Can you tell us a little more about Ellen and her family’s history? In Never Leave Me, Ellen is struggling with a resurgence of cancer as a result of VHL, Von HippelLindau Syndrome. After numerous treatments and attempts to stave off the disease, it’s finally caught up with her, and her doctors give her a grim prognosis.

While Harrison still holds out hope that holy water is the ultimate cure, Ellen is totally against it since she believes it killed her sister and her dad.

Being the eternal optimist and having learned to live with her short expiration date, Ellen is happy spending her final days at Chesterfield Park enjoying the beauty of the gardens, making the most of her time with Harrison, and pouring into the children who are a part of her new charity organization, Serenity House.

But when Harrison discovers more holy water, Ellen soon realizes it may offer more hope than she once thought.

What type of research was required to accurately portray fourteenth-century Canterbury? In the first book, I focused a great deal of my research on the Peasant’s Revolt of 1381. However, in the second book, the story doesn’t center around one specific event in the same way. Instead, there are a number of different historical things happening including the resurgence of the Black Plague and an earthquake that hits the British Isles in 1382.

In addition, the reader once again gets to experience a more intimate look at what life was like during the Middle Ages, including childbirth, marriage, customs, traditions, clothing, and much more. I appreciated using The Time Traveler’s Guide to Medieval England by Ian Mortimer as a resource.

What do you hope readers take away from reading Never Leave Me? The characters in this story truly struggle with the issue of how to live life to the fullest. With a terminal illness, Ellen uses the Serenity Prayer to keep her focused on what she can and cannot change. She wants to embrace each day by enjoying one moment at a time.

While never knowing when her end may come, Ellen has also never allowed herself to truly put down roots or to truly love. She learns that instead of living in fear, she has to hold on to the love she’s given while it lasts, because a person never knows when it will slip away. Ultimately in the end, I hope readers, like Ellen, will learn to grasp on to life, making the most of the time God gives them.

You are a bestselling author of over 30 novels and have written books set in many different time periods and even different countries. What does your process look like when you prepare to dive into a new time period? For my research, before starting my first draft, I usually spend weeks reading biographies and any other time-period books. I sift through plot ideas, wanting to stick as closely to the facts as possible, but also knowing I need to dramatize the story to bring it to life.

A large part of my planning involves the process of getting to know my characters. I use an extensive character worksheet for that process. Many times, I find real people from history or real situations and use those as inspiration for my characters, but then fill in the rest and make them larger than life. Then after my characters are living and breathing in my mind, and after I have a basic plot outline, I start the actual writing. While I’m in first draft mode, I try not to stop the flow of my writing momentum by researching. I usually highlight something that needs more research and will wait until the editing phase before digging deeper. However, if it’s a larger issue that involves a new setting or something integral to the plot, then I do take some time off to pursue that particular research need. But I try to keep the interruptions brief whenever I’m in my first draft.

What do you love the most about writing in the historical romance genre? First and foremost I consider myself a romance writer. One of the primary reasons I’m drawn to the historical genre is because of the variety of ways to develop romance and love in bygone eras that don’t exist in modern times, especially marriages of convenience (a trope that happens to be one of my favorites). I also really love the morals, the chivalry, and the high standards of past times because they can also add to the romantic tension.

Another really fun part about writing historical romance is that I get to bring difficult and enlightening eras to life. I learn so much with each book that I write. It’s helped me appreciate the past and have more gratefulness for the present.

What are you working on next? I have ideas for two more time travel books utilizing holy water. I would love to write them! In the meantime, I’m working on a Colorado cowboy series, a historical romance family saga set in the 1800s in the high country of the Rocky Mountains.

How can readers connect with you? I hang out on Facebook here: Author Jody Hedlund

I also love to chat on Twitter: @JodyHedlund

My home base is at my website: jodyhedlund.com  

I get personal on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jodyhedlund/

Find more about my stories on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jodyhedlund/boards/  Get the deals at BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jody-hedlund

Thank you, Jody, for sharing this new book with my blog readers and me. For years I thought no one could write a Christian time-travel novel that I’d like. But  I learned that I could love them.

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

https://www.amazon.com/Never-Leave-Waters-Time-Book-ebook/dp/B09B2NM3T3/ref=sr_1_2?crid=65CVDC0RAQZ0&keywords=never+leave+me+jody+hedlund&qid=1643305377&s=books&sprefix=Never+Leave+Me+Jody+Hedlund%2Cstripbooks%2C852&sr=1-2

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

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

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

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

HEARTS MADE WHOLE - Jody Hedlund - One Free Book, Plus More

Bio: Jody Hedlund is a best-selling and award-winning author who loves history and happily-ever-afters. She makes her home in Midland, MI with her husband and five children. When she's not writing another of her page-turning stories, you can usually find her sipping coffee, eating chocolate, and reading.

Welcome, Jody. How do you manage to balance your life as a full time author and mom to five busy children?

It’s definitely not easy to manage my busy household of five children and squeeze in time for writing. But fortunately my husband is very helpful and pitches in to help wherever possible. We really work together as a team to support each other in our pursuits and work.

For example, when he's home he often takes over the household responsibilities, runs kids to activities, and pitches in with homeschooling so that I can have concentrated blocks of time to write.

We've also simplified our home life and outside commitments as much as possible. We expect our children to shoulder responsibilities around the home. And last but certainly not least, I rely upon my mom for lots of help too. She helps homeschool, cook meals, and even runs my kids to activities.

Do you ever get writer's block? How do you work your way past it?

No, fortunately, I rarely get writer’s block. I give myself a daily word count of how much I need to write, and I stick to it as best as I can. Whatever amount I miss one day, I try to make up on another day of that week. Having the daily/weekly goals helps keep me going even when I’m not in the mood.

However, if I ever get into a slump, I put in my earbuds and listen to music. The steady rhythm helps me block out distractions, inspires me, and often evokes strong emotions deep inside me.

Do you do a lot of research for your novels? Do you do it before, in the middle, or after you write your novel.

Since I write historicals, research is an integral part of my writing process. I usually spend anywhere between 4-6 weeks on initial research, reading biographies, getting a feel for the time period, and digging into the meat that will comprise the plot of my book.

Once I start writing the first draft, I have to stop from time to time to do a little more research, particularly if I switch settings within the story. But usually, if I don’t know something, I’ll highlight it and then do more research during my editing phase.

How do you name each character?

The process of coming up with names is quite complicated, and I generally take a lot of elements into consideration. I keep a running list of all the heroes and heroines of my books and try not to duplicate anything too closely to a name I've already used.

I also take into consideration names used doing the time period and the ethnicity of my characters. For example, in my first lighthouse book Love Unexpected, I chose Irish names that were commonly used during the 1800's because both of the main characters had an Irish heritage.

Sometimes I consider symbolism for names. Other times, particularly in my inspired-by stories, I try to pick a name that is similar to the character from history that I'm portraying.

What essential ingredients do you strive for in your novels to ensure an authentic love story emerges?

I always try to incorporate the elements that I like to see in the romances I read. That includes deep emotions that are birthed out of a character's past. I also like to have a relationship that evolves organically throughout the book. I try not to have my characters being antagonistic to one another the whole book and then finally falling in love in the last chapter at the last minute. I want the couple to move from friendship to falling in love gradually and to have a growing attraction (with the sparks flying!) throughout the book.

At the same time, however, I don't like to have the love relationship resolve too early in the book. Readers don't want the "happily-ever-after" moment to come until the end. So while the relationship is developing, it's important to find ways to keep the couple from being fully together until the end.

What stands out in your mind about what has made you grow the most as a writer?
If I had to narrow down one specific thing that has helped the most in my quest for publication, I’d have to say this: My careful, ongoing, and thorough study and practice of writing techniques has been the single most beneficial aspect of my writing career.

In other words, I read writing craft books, studied fiction-writing basics, and then put what I learned into practice. All the studying has been the number one thing to help me in my writing career.

What Scripture verse has inspired you in your writing?

Among many, here’s one I aspire to live by: Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might. (Ecc. 9:10) I believe in working responsibly and hard with the gifts we’ve been given.

What do you do to get away from it all?

READ!! I absolutely love reading! When I find a really good book, I have a hard time tearing myself away from it to get to sleep.

What is your family up to these days?

My husband and I are celebrating 24 years of marriage this summer! Yay! My oldest son is graduating from high school and will be attending a private Christian college in the fall, Cedarville University in Ohio. My twins will be turning 16 during the summer and getting their driver's licenses. Since they are involved in SO many activities, I'm looking forward to them driving themselves places! My youngest two children have completed 4th and 6th grade and in an Adventures In Odyssey phase. I think they've listened to just about every episode that's ever been made!

Tell us about the featured book.

Can she forgive the hurting man who costs her the role she loves?

After her father’s death, Caroline Taylor has grown confident running the Windmill Point Lighthouse. But in 1865 Michigan, women aren’t supposed to have such roles, so it’s only a matter of time before the lighthouse inspector appoints a new keeper–even though Caroline has nowhere else to go and no other job available to her.

Ryan Chambers is a Civil War veteran still haunted by the horrors of battle. He’s secured the position of lighthouse keeper mostly for the isolation–the chance to hide from his past is appealing. He’s not expecting the current keeper to be a feisty and beautiful woman who’s angry with him for taking her job and for his inability to properly run the light. When his failings endanger others, he and Caroline realize he’s in no shape to run the lighthouse, but he’s unwilling to let anyone close enough to help. Caroline feels drawn to this wounded soul, but with both of them relying on that single position, can they look past their loss to a future filled with hope…and possibly love?

Please give us the first page of the book.

Windmill Point Lighthouse

Michigan, May 1865

A distant flash of lightning crisscrossed the darkening skies of the west, followed by the call of a nearby loon. “I don’t think you should set out.” Caroline Taylor clutched her shawl tighter against a cool gust that wrestled with it. “The storm’s coming fast.”

Her father shoved the rowboat across the gravelly shore of Lake St. Clair. “We’ll be fine,” he said over his broad shoulder. “We’ll beat the storm. Besides, I’ve crossed this lake in more storms that I can count.”

The old doctor already waited on a bench inside the cutter, clasping his top hat and fighting with the wind to keep it on his head. “I can’t stay any longer, Caroline,” the doctor said. “I’ve done all I can for your sister.”

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I hang out on Facebook here: Author Jody Hedlund

I also love to chat on Twitter: @JodyHedlund

My home base is at my website: jodyhedlund.com

For lots of fun pictures, follow me on Pinterest: pinterest.com/jodyhedlund

I get personal on Instagram: instagram.com/JodyHedlund/

Or you're welcome to email me at: jodyhedlund@jodyhedlund.com

Jody Hedlund's Afternoon at the Beach Giveaway

Thank you, Jody, for sharing this new book with us, and I know my readers will want to sign up for the giveaway.
Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog. Hearts Made Whole - Christianbook.com
Hearts Made Whole (Beacons of Hope) - Amazon
Hearts Made Whole (Beacons of Hope Book #2) - Kindle

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book on this blog. 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

REBELLIOUS HEART - Jody Hedlund - One Free Book

Welcome back, Jody. Why do you write historical romances?

I love reading historicals, so naturally that’s what I’m drawn to write. I’m fascinated with all of the things that happen in other times and places that seem so foreign to us now. I really appreciate when historical facts are woven into books seamlessly so that I’m learning but don’t really realize I am. And I hope that I can do that in my books too.

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

I've had plenty of writing-related happy moments! But a personal happy moment was when I was newly married and had just moved near my parents, my dad came over for dinner one night. It was just him with me and my husband. I made a pot of really spicy chili (too spicy, actually!). We had a wonderful evening together. Two nights later he died of a massive heart attack. That dinner was the last time I saw him, and now when I look back at it, I see the time we had together as a gift.

I so understand that. James and I miss our parents a lot. They’ve been gone for a long time. How has being published changed your life?

My biggest challenge at this stage in my life is dividing my time between writing and being a mom. Since I'm a work-from-home mom, there are many special issues that arise around setting boundaries, time management, as well as teaching my children to respect my work time.

What are you reading right now?

I'm reading books by two debut authors: Made to Match by Melissa Tagg and Burning Sky by Lori Benton.

What is your current work in progress?

Currently I'm working on the first book of my Michigan Lighthouse series that will be releasing late next year (2014).

What would be your dream vacation?

I’d love to take a research trip to England or Germany and visit castles. I know my husband would enjoy going too and would put up with my obsessive need to read about and study all the historical details of everything I come across.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

With my inspired-by stories (like my current release Rebellious Heart), I choose the characters from history I'd like to write about first and the setting is simply the by-product.

All of my other books so far are set in Michigan which is where I currently live. I love being able to bring Michigan history to life which hasn't been done in too many historical romances.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

My other hobbies when I’m not writing or reading? Drinking coffee and eating chocolate—of course!

No seriously. At this stage in my life because I’m busy teaching my children and being a mom, I spend most of my free time doing family-related things. Amidst all of the busyness, we do try to carve out fun family time each week. We love taking family bike rides together, playing games, and having family movie nights.

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

I struggle the most during the editing phase of each of my books. The love affair that started during the first draft comes to an end. I fall out of love with my books. By the last edit—called the Galley Review—I finally reach a point where I loathe the book, think it’s the worst thing I’ve ever written, and wish I could just throw it away.

I overcome my loathing of one book by starting a love affair with the first draft of another story. Such a system continually keeps me writing!

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Write a couple of books first and unleash your creativity. Then start reading books that explain how to write. Study techniques, practice them, and keep writing. When you begin reaching a level in your writing where you think you’re ready to start querying, get a critique partner to read your work, vamp up your online presence, and immerse yourself in the writing industry

Tell us about the featured book.

Rebellious Heart is another story inspired by a famous couple from history similar to my books, The Preacher's Bride and The Doctor's Lady. This book is set in Colonial America and inspired by the beautiful courtship of John and Abigail Adams.

John and Abigail Adams are known for their wonderful marriage full of love and friendship. They penned numerous letters to one another during their lifetime. And although much has been recorded of their marriage, very little has been written about their early days and courtship. I thought it would be fascinating to bring that early period to life for our modern generation.

As in previous books, I've changed the names of the main characters and fictionalized aspects of the story. In Rebellious Heart, Susanna Smith plays the role of Abigail Adams and Ben Ross stages for John Adams.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Braintree, Massachusetts

September 1763

Chapter 1

“He’s guilty of murder.” The judge’s voice echoed through the meetinghouse. “I hereby sentence him to be hanged.”

Murmurs of approval broke the tense silence.

But Susanna Smith’s chest constricted with something close to pity. From her spot in the gallery, she had a clear view of Hermit Crab Joe, of the flicker of surprise that rounded his eyes and cracked the weathered skin of his forehead.

He might be a murderer, but that didn’t stop her from feeling sorry for the lonely old recluse.

“Thank the Lord,” Mary whispered. “Now we can finally sleep peacefully at night.”

Her sister’s words gave breath to her own thoughts, to the worries that had plagued her since several local farmers had discovered the battered, lifeless body of the young maiden along the rocky coast of the bay. The surrounding parishes had been able to speak of nothing but the murder for the past week.

 Now perhaps they could resume normal life again.

 Susanna folded her hands in her lap. "We need to pray for his poor lost soul.” But even as the words left her mouth, her gaze strayed to the slumped shoulders of Mr. Benjamin Ross sitting on the bench next to Hermit Crab Joe.

Mr. Ross had spoken eloquently and passionately on behalf of his client. His defense had been flawless, and he'd almost made her believe the aged seaman was innocent. Almost.

Yet no one else in their law-abiding community besides Hermit Crab Joe even came close to being a suspect. And it was too frightening to acknowledge the possibility that a murderer still roamed free, that perhaps one of the God-fearing men sitting in the box pews below was to blame instead.

“I hope we'll have the hanging today and be done with this awful affair.” Mary tucked a loose golden curl back under the wide brim of her hat. Her usually pale cheeks were rosy from the stuffiness that had settled upon the square room. The clapboard building which also served as a place of worship was filled beyond capacity. Even with all three doors open, the crispness of the September afternoon had been unable to penetrate the interior of Braintree’s Middle Parish Meeting House, especially to the gallery where the women sat.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I love hearing from readers! Make sure you stop by one of these places and say hello!

I hang out on Facebook here: Author Jody Hedlund

I also love to chat on Twitter: @JodyHedlund

My home base is at my website: jodyhedlund.com

Or you're welcome to email me at: jodyhedlund@jodyhedlund.com

Thank you, Jody, for sharing this new book with us.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Jody Hedlund - Christianbook.com
Rebellious Heart - Amazon.com
Rebellious Heart - 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.

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

THE PREACHER'S BRIDE - Jody Hedlund - Free Book

Bio: Jody Hedlund is a debut historical romance novelist who was a double finalist in the 2009 ACFW Genesis Contest. She received a bachelor’s degree from Taylor University and a master’s from the University of Wisconsin, both in Social Work. Currently she makes her home in Midland, Michigan, with her husband and five busy children.
She’s represented by agent Rachelle Gardner and her debut book, The Preacher’s Bride, is currently available for order on Amazon.com, Christianbook.com, and other internet sites. It’s also for sale in most bookstores.

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

Actually, The Preacher’s Bride is inspired by real people in history. So first I learned all I could about the true lives of my characters—their looks, personalities, likes/dislikes, etc. Then whatever I didn’t know, I filled in with my imagination.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

When I was a little girl, I once got a haircut that I hated. So, I decided to wear a towel over my head to hide the new style. Not sure why I didn’t wear a hat. But if I was going for unobtrusive, it didn’t work. I drew even more attention to myself!

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I was born holding a pen in one hand and a piece of paper in the other. And when I was toddling, I chewed on erasers and books. :-) Seriously, it’s been a life-long aspiration.

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

I have to admit, I’m pretty much a historical romance junkie. I read exactly what I love to write.

What other books have you written, whether published or not?

Earlier in the year I finished writing the second book of my Bethany House contract. Currently, I’m researching, planning, and in the beginning stages of writing the third book.

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

Spending quality time with my family—snuggling on the couch with my youngest daughter reading books, scrapbooking with my twins, playing games with my sons.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

Since I write historicals, I look for names that were popular during the time period of my book. Then I narrow down my choices by picking names I think match the personalities of my characters.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Giving birth to five beautiful children.

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

We have slew of pets at our house—a Golden Retriever, 2 cats, 2 hamsters, and a backyard full of birds, squirrels, and bunnies that we feed. Of all the pets, I envy my cats the most—because they get to nap whenever they want!

We had a Golden Retriever when I was in high school. They're beautiful dogs. What is your favorite food?

Isn’t the required favorite food of writers chocolate? Besides that, I indulge myself in nachos and cheese almost every night. Yep. I’m a nacho pig!

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

One of my greatest challenges is finding uninterrupted time to write. As a mom of 5 busy children, I’ve learned to work through questions, chaos, and lots of noise. But I’ve also made a point of disciplining myself to write at the library every Saturday. The extended, concentrated writing time is important too.

 What advice would you give to an author just starting out?

Writing is like any other profession: we can’t succeed unless we achieve mastery of the subject. And how does one achieve writing mastery? We need to learn everything we can about the craft of writing and then put it into practice. In other words, learn, learn, learn. Write, write, write. Repeat ad infinitum.

Tell us about the featured book.

The Preacher’s Bride is a tale about finding true love amidst hardship, discrimination, and persecution.

This book is inspired by Elizabeth Bunyan, the second wife of John Bunyan who was author of Pilgrim’s Progress. As I was reading a biography about John Bunyan, I ran across a small excerpt about Elizabeth. I loved the brave way she defended John during one of his trials when he was under arrest for his “unlicensed” preaching. Her strength to face a court of persecutors and her determination to faithfully support her husband touched me so deeply, that I decided her little-known story needed to be told to the world.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Bedford, England

May 1659

The babe’s crying would rip her heart to shreds if she had to listen to it one more minute.

Elizabeth Whitbread shoved open the parlor door and barged inside.

“We need a wet nurse or the babe will die,” she said, meeting the startled gazes of the women surrounding the deathbed of Mary Costin.

“Exactly what do you think you are doing?” Mrs. Grew dropped the long winding sheet and started toward her. “Get out this instant. You are not permitted in here.”

“The babe’s been crying all morning. He needs help.” Elizabeth moved toward the low rocking cradle shoved into a corner of the small room. “I’ll hold him and attempt to comfort him.”

Mrs. Grew stepped in front of her, intersecting her path. She held her shoulders straight and her chin high. “No one is welcome in the parlor for the laying out. Only those of our congregation specified by Sister Costin herself before she died.”

“I won’t disturb your preparations, to besure.” Elizabeth nodded at Sister Norton and the others who had stopped washing the body to stare at her. She’d participated in laying-out rituals before—on her own mother. But the work of preparing the dead body didn’t interest her now.

“I only want to help with the babe.”

“We do not need any assistance.”

“The crying must be a distraction. I’ll take him into the other room of the cottage—”

“Sister Whitbread,” Mrs. Grew said louder, “we can do nothing more for the child. He will tire himself eventually.”

Elizabeth spotted a wooden flask on the floor next to the cradle. “I’ll try feeding him.”

“Each of these women, including myself, has already attempted to suckle him from the bottle. What makes you think you can succeed where no other has?”

“He won’t take it, the poor dear,” Sister Norton said. She clucked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. “The poor, poor dear needs his mother’s milk, and it’s long gone.”

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Website: JodyHedlund.com
Blog: jodyhedlund.blogspot.com
Email: jodyhedlund@jodyhedlund.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorJodyHedlund
Twitter: http://twitter.com/JodyHedlund

Question For Readers:

What’s your favorite kind of candy bar? If you’d like to sign up to win a free copy of The Preacher’s Bride, please tell us your favorite kind of candy bar (because writers must get a daily dose of chocolate!).

Thank you, Jody, for the interesting interview.

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. Remember to answer Jody's question.(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/