HARMONY ON THE HORIZON - Kathleen Denly - One Free Book

Welcome back, Kathleen. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon? I’ve recently signed a contract to publish three new novels for my Chaparral Hearts series. I’ve already begin work on the first of these novels—which will be book four in the series—and I’m very excited with where it’s going.

Tell us a little about your family. I’ll be celebrating my twentieth anniversary with my amazing husband at the end of this month. We have four beautiful children—three boys and one girl who range in age from five to sixteen—whom we homeschool. In addition, we have one dog, six indoor cats and four feral cats who live in a cattery on our twenty acre homestead. In the next year we hope to get chickens and eventually plan to add goats to the list of living beings we’re trying to keep alive.

Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how? Yes. I have discovered that while I am writing my first drafts, I cannot read novels set in England or which have characters with dialects or accents. I also cannot watch movies with accents. All my life I have been an accent sponge. If I spend more than five minutes around someone with an accent, I have to make a conscious effort not to start talking like them. Turns out, I do the same thing with writing. If I spend too much time reading a regency set in England and suddenly my American heroine sounds like she’s from London.

What are you working on right now? I am currently working on two projects. One is a novella which takes place between books one and two in my Chaparral Hearts series. It’s both fun and challenging because my heroine for this novella was the villain of Waltz in the Wilderness, my first book. The second project I’m working on is the fourth book in my Chaparral Hearts series. It’s going to be set primarily in what is now eastern San Diego County and will include adventures based on true historical events.

What outside interests do you have? Well, you can probably guess that I love cats, but as hobbies go, I enjoy crafting, hiking, and diy projects.

How do you choose your settings for each book? Well, so far all of my books have been set in California, with a special focus on Southern California. This is because that’s where I have spent the majority of my life. When I set out to begin the Chaparral Hearts series, one of the things I noticed was a lack of novels in my genre that featured the unique and fascinating history of the southern portion of our golden state. When planning each subsequent novel I searched for interesting historical events and unique physical locations. For example, in Harmony on the Horizon, I wanted to focus on the seedier side of San Francisco’s early days. So I chose San Francisco’s Barbary Coast as my secondary setting. For book four in the Chaparral Hearts series, the idea began with the story of our nation’s second bloodiest gun fight (second only to the infamous O.K. Corral shootout) and the bandit gang that instigated it.

If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why? Jane Austen. I want to know what she was like as a person and an author. I am curious about her reasons and methods. And I’d love to see her reaction to being so famous and so deeply studied all these years later. I wonder if she’d approve of the many movie adaptations and fan fiction novels her stories have inspired.

What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels? Which writing craft books would work for me, and that conferences are valuable even before you’ve finished your manuscript (or think you have). The one thing I would change if I could, would be to start attending them sooner. On the other hand, we were dirt poor at the time, and I couldn’t afford to attend them so…

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now? Oh, great question. I think I’m still learning to make wiser choices with my time and energy. I’m learning to say no more often and be okay with missing good or even great opportunities. Unless I’m called to do something, it’s optional. And just because someone else is doing something or an opportunity seems enticing, doesn’t mean I need to do it. He’s teaching me to trust in His timing and provision instead of working myself to the bone trying to do it all, be there for everyone, and be perfect at everything. I’m learning that if He wants me to accomplish something, I don’t have to pull an all-nighter to accomplish it. He’ll provide me with the time and energy to get it done in His timing. (He’s proven this to me time and again.) And I’m learning that rest isn’t just okay. It’s Biblical and necessary.

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

Don’t overcommit! Remember to schedule rest days.

Don’t follow a publishing path or implement a marketing technique, or do anything else just because it’s what others say is best (even if that person is an agent, best-selling author, editor, or publisher). Instead, listen to God and the loved ones He has placed in your life.

Learn, practice, and learn some more. No matter what stage you’re at, there’s always something you can learn.

Tell us about the featured book. Her calling to change the world may be his downfall.

On the heels of the Great Rebellion, Margaret Foster, an abolitionist northerner, takes a teaching position in 1865 San Diego—a town dominated by Southern sympathizers. At thirty-seven years of age, Margaret has accepted spinsterhood and embraced her role as teacher. So when Everett Thompson, the handsomest member of the School Board, reveals his interest in her, it’s a dream come true. Until her passionate ideals drive a wedge between them.

After two decades of hard work, Everett Thompson is on the verge of having everything he’s dreamed of. Even the beautiful new teacher has agreed to his courtship. Then two investments go south and a blackmailer threatens everything Everett has and dreams of.

As Everett scrambles to shore up the crumbling pieces of his life, Margaret unwittingly sets off a scandal that divides the small community and threatens her position as teacher. With the blackmailer still whispering threats, Everett must decide if he’s willing to risk everything for the woman still keeping him at arm’s length.

Please give us the first page of the book.

San Francisco, June 30, 1865

A girl's terrified scream jerked Margaret Foster's attention from the mathematics formula she’d been rehearsing in her mind. A chill shivered up her spine as she searched the wooden sidewalks and fog-shrouded buildings lining the cobblestone intersection. To her left, tidy store fronts bore crowded window displays and closed doors—not yet open for the day’s business. To her right, a rough-looking haberdashery was flanked by windowless buildings with faded lettering. She squinted at the sign just beyond the men’s clothing shop. Melodeon? She stepped away. Not another person in sight.

Who had screamed? The sound had been distant. Could she have mistaken a cat’s cry for a scream?

The woman who owned the boarding house Margaret had checked into yesterday had said to turn south at the milliner’s shop with a large, glass display window. No such building met her gaze. She kicked at a loose pebble and started back the way she’d come. Knowing your lessons won’t matter at all if you’re late and—

Another scream spun Margaret toward the windowless buildings. Through the haze, she spotted a small figure chased by a larger one. Her heart squeezed. That child was in danger. The pair disappeared into the mist beyond the melodeon.

Margaret dashed after them.

Human-like shadows flickered in and out of view as she ran through the gloom. Down alleys and up streets, she followed their echoing footsteps. A stitch formed in her side, but she pressed on. That child needed her help.

I’m hooked. How can readers find you on the Internet?

Website: https://kathleendenly.com/

Kathleen’s Readers’ Club: http://bit.ly/KRCMemberSignUp

Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/KathleenDenly.author

Facebook Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ArmchairAdventureKrew/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/KathleenDenly/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/KathleenDenly

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/KathleenDenly

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/KathleenDenly

BookBub Author Profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/Kathleen-Denly

Amazon Author Page: http://amazon.com/author/kathleendenly

Thank you, Kathleen, for sharing this new book with us. I’m eager to read it.

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Harmony+on+the+Horizon&i=stripbooks&ref=nb_sb_noss

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, 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

SING IN THE SUNLIGHT - Kathleen Denly - One Free Book

 

Welcome, Kathleen. Why do you write the kind of books you do? I feel called by God to share the way that He sees us. The characters in my stories all have something they think about themselves which isn’t in line with how God views them. The story’s journey brings them to a place where their perspective is in line with God’s. My aim in all my novels is to be entertaining, encouraging, and inspiring.

Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life? Well, the first thing that pops to mind is the day my husband proposed. He brought me to a location known locally as “the wedding bowl.” It got that name because it’s a place on the cliffs by the ocean where many people have their wedding ceremonies. For us, it was special because during our courtship we spent a lot of time walking that area and would pass the “bowl” often.

I didn’t know why he’d brought me to that location on this particular night, however. He seemed stressed (which I attributed to some car shopping we’d done earlier in the day) and I figured maybe he just wanted to chill for a little while before we met my parents for dinner. Then he started putting a little flashlight into the groundcover there, propping it up so the light pointed toward us. I was like, “What are you doing? You’re going to waste the battery.”

He ignored my protest and started talking about our relationship and how much he loved me.

Naturally, I was completely elated by his words. When he dropped down on one knee, held up a ring, and asked me to marry him, I said… “Is this real?” (I promise, I was asking about the moment and was not asking about the diamond!) He laughed and said that it was real. Then I said yes and threw myself into his arms so hard we almost went over the cliff. Fortunately, he righted our balance and we were okay.

Later, he took me to another section of the beach where he’d arranged for many of our family and friends to have a bonfire celebration. I was so excited that I ran and hugged my mom, almost knocking her into the fire pit. Apparently, hugging me was a dangerous activity that night.

It sound like a wonderful day. How has being published changed your life?

Deadlines! With four kids whom we homeschool, I’m used to being busy, but when there’s a publisher waiting on your manuscript and readers asking you when the next book is coming out, there’s a lot more pressure.

On the plus side, it’s been a complete blessing to read in reviews about how my story has touched someone’s heart and impacted their spiritual life. I’ve even received some emails and a couple handwritten letters from readers. Those things really make all the difference on days when I’d rather be anywhere but sitting at my desk.

I don’t think that readers realize just how important those letters are. What are you reading right now? I’m actually in the middle of a several books. I’m currently listening to the audiobook for Finding Lady Enderly by Joanna Politano and reading the second book in Kelly Eileen Hake’s Husbands for Hire series. On the nonfiction side, I’m rereading Liz Curtis Higg’s 31 Verses to Write on Your Heart and about to begin Hearing God by Dallas Willard. I’m also rereading my copy of Historic Stage Routes of San Diego County by Ellen L. Sweet and Lynne Newell as part of my research for a series idea I have.

What is your current work in progress? The initial manuscript for Harmony on the Horizon, my third novel in my Chaparral Hearts series is due to my publisher by the end of this week, so I’m busy putting the final touches on that. In a few weeks it’ll come back to me with editor’s notes, but in the meantime, I’m already starting the research phase for new series.

Such is an author’s life. What would be your dream vacation? That’s like asking a foodie to pick their favorite meal. I was bit by the travel bug in high school when I went on a group tour of France that had stopovers in Switzerland, Monaco, and Italy. Prior to meeting my husband, I had plans to become an airline stewardess. So the list of places I do not want to go is far easier to give. That said, anything involving either American history or foreign cultures has always fascinated me. I’ve been to several countries and nearly all the states by now. There are still a few I’d love to reach, including many in the Midwest. Out of the country, I think visiting Canada, Ireland, and Australia are currently at the top of my list.

Australia is at the top of mine, too. How do you choose your settings for each book? Since I was born and raised in Southern California, the history here has always been special to me. When I first started taking my writing seriously, our family was struggling to make ends meet, so traveling for research wasn’t an option. That lead me to focus in on the places within a day’s drive from where I lived in San Diego. Thankfully, my research budget has grown since those days, but I’m still fascinated with the history of our area. Not many novels in my genre are set here and there are so many interesting, lesser known things to share. Although my novels are entirely fiction, I love telling stories that allow me to incorporate true-life events, locations, and people.

In my debut novel, Waltz in the Wilderness, I was able to incorporate things like our local newspaper’s connection to the rest of the world and what it was like to take a steamship down our coast in 1854. In Sing in the Sunlight, I’ve tried to capture a bit of the ranching industry that dominated our area at the time. And my third Chaparral Hearts novel, Harmony on the Horizon, is inspired by true-life events and a true romance that took place in 1865 San Diego.

I love including actual events as part of my stories, too. If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why? Assuming my husband doesn’t count, I’d have to say, my friend, Julia Shiras. Circumstances caused her family to move away several years ago and although she comes down often to visit (prepandemic), it isn’t nearly enough. She is a dear, godly woman whose friendship has made me a better person.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading? I have always adored crafting, although my particular media has changed over the years. Currently, I am all about junk journaling. I have a diary/bible journal/daily schedule junk journal which I am currently working on and sometimes shares photographs of on my Instagram account. Crafting allows me a creative outlet without the pressure of public opinion or deadlines. I’m also a huge fan of hiking although I haven’t had as much opportunity to do that recently. I adore leaving civilization behind and being surrounded by God’s creation. 

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it? Time. There is never enough of it. Honestly, I haven’t overcome it. Every day I pray and seek God’s wisdom for what to do with my time that day. As a creative, I struggle with detailed schedules that tell me I should be doing X at exactly X:XX. I work much better with a to-do list that includes time estimates for how long each activity/task should take. The older I get, the more I learn to show myself grace. Yes, I am to be held accountable to commitments, but I’m also not required to feel guilty when things outside of my control interfere with my best intentions. I’m learning to set realistic goals, do my best, and let God handle the rest.

That’s a very good plan. What advice would you give to a beginning author? Don’t try to do it all. Focus on doing what God is calling you to and separate it from what the industry says you must do. This can be easier said than done, but I find myself happier and more at peace when I say yes only to what God is leading me toward instead of caving to the pressures of the “you should’s.”

Tell us about the featured book. Sing in the Sunlight is the second book in my Chaparral Hearts series.

Although each book in this series is fully able to be read on its own, the hero of Sing in the Sunlight, Richard Stevens, was first introduced to readers in Waltz in the Wilderness. Several reviewers of WITW mentioned wanting to see Richard’s story.

The heroine of Sing in the Sunlight, Clarinda, has scarring that was inspired by my daughter who also has scars from something that happened to her before we adopted her. My daughter’s situation prompted me to wonder what life would be like for a woman with scars in the mid-nineteenth century. Then I learned of the only hurricane to ever strike the California coast (in 1858) and I knew I needed to incorporate that into the story.

Here is the official description:

Richard Stevens isn’t who he thinks he is. Neither is the woman who now claims his last name.

Disfiguring scars stole Clarinda Humphrey’s singing career, her home, and her family, but she refuses to let her appearance steal her future. While attending The Young Ladies Seminary in 1858 Benicia, California, she finds a man who promises to love and cherish her. Instead he betrays her, leaving her with child, and Clarinda must take drastic measures to ensure her child doesn’t suffer for her foolishness.

Richard Stevens’s life hasn’t turned out as he expected, and when a shocking letter turns even his past into a mystery, he travels to San Francisco in search of guidance. On the way, he encounters a mysterious young woman hiding beneath a veil. That night he experiences a dream that sends him on a quest to find the bride God has chosen for him. He never imagines she’s already told everyone they’re married.

Unwilling to lie, nor accept a marriage of mere convenience, Richard wants the real thing. Yet Clarinda’s not interested in love, only a chance to save her child. Can he help her rise above the pain that runs deeper than her scars to accept a love worth every risk?

Please give us the first page of the book.

The Young Ladies' Seminary
Benicia, California
December 3, 1857

Clarinda Humphrey jammed the chair beneath her doorknob and tugged the beautiful garnet ring from its hiding place beneath her chemise. Undoing the knot, she slipped the heirloom free of the ribbon that had kept it close to her heart these last three days. She slid the ring onto the third fnger of her left hand.

Or tried to.

The metal caught on the thick, hideous scar that ran across her second knuckle. With determination, she shoved it past and narrowed her attention to the stone's promise.

She was loved.

The urge to hum swelled within her as she strolled to the window. She pulled back the heavy drapes and lifted her hand to the light filtering through the thin lace curtains. Barely a glint reflected in the deep red stone.

She parted the lace, careful to remain out of view, and tilted her hand in the late afternoon sunlight below the sill. A myriad of tiny red dots danced across the walls.

This was the night. She’d never be alone again. She clapped her fingertips in a quiet patter.

Laughter filtered through the windowpane.

She froze. Had they seen her? No. The slit in the curtains was too narrow. Wasn’t it? She dared a peek at the garden below.

Several of her classmates strolled the paths. The girls chattered in the late afternoon sunlight, seemingly oblivious to her observation.

Not girls. Women—despite what their parents may believe. Like her, they’d been sent to the first female college in the west to be trained—molded—into the ladies their parents wished them to become.

But they were nothing like her.

All bright, beautiful, and whole, none of her classmates had ever questioned their future. Why should they? They'd never been shunned at social gatherings, nor been asked to remain behind so as not to repel the other guests. They hadn’t been told they would never marry—that no man would ever want them. They'd never lain awake at night wondering why God had abandoned them.

Nor had they ever made any attempt to befriend her.

And that was fine with her. Normally.

Right now Clarinda’d give almost anything for a confidante to entrust with her secret. She was bursting to tell someone. Not even Katie, her one true friend at this school, knew of her plans. Clarinda couldn't risk the young maid losing her position here if it were discovered she'd kept a scandalous confidence. Though, she would know soon enough. The day had finally arrived.

I also have a YouTube video where I read the first scene aloud: https://youtu.be/t8ZqDYJIjDA

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I can be found in many places online. Here are some links:

Website | Newsletter | FB Author Page | FB Reader Group | Instagram | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest | BookBub | Amazon

Thank you, Kathleen, for sharing this book with my blog readers and me. I’m eager to read this book.

Readers, here is a link to the book.

https://amzn.to/2Mjg3eC

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, 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

WALTZ IN THE WILDERNESS - Kathleen Denly - One Free Book

Bio: Kathleen Denly lives in sunny Southern California with her loving husband, four young children, and two cats. As a member of the adoption and foster community, children in need are a cause dear to her heart and she finds they make frequent appearances in her stories. When she isn’t writing, researching, or caring for children, Kathleen spends her time reading, visiting historical sites, hiking, and crafting.

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

Have you ever seen an okapi? Looking at one always makes me chuckle. They look a bit like God got bored and decided to just mix together different parts of other animals he’d already created, knowing how much it would befuddle and amuse us humans. I think of my characters a bit like okapis. There are definitely parts of me in there, but then I might also add in a bit of my sister, two parts of that friend I knew in high school, and a dash of the Bible character we’ve been studying at our women’s Bible study.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

When I think of quirks, I think of habits as opposed to singular events. So the quirkiest thing I’ve been doing recently has to be answering my children’s prompting of “Guess what?” with a rapid list of words that rhyme with what. I begin with the classic chicken butt, then make my way through a list of nuts, and finish off with random words like cut, gut, and zealot. At first it made them giggle. Now they just smile and roll their eyes. So far none of my words have been the correct answer, but someday… ;)

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

This is a tougher question to answer than you might think. On my website, I’ve actually shared a series of blog posts about the various stages I went through to claim this identity. If I had to pick one particular moment, though, it would have to be the morning I was awoken in the wee hours of the morning during my freshman year of high school. Having never before considered the notion of writing a novel, I suddenly found my mind filled with the premise for a terrible one. Oh, I thought it was delightful at the time and even went so far as to keep writing with pencil on a legal pad when my parents dragged me away from my ancient desktop for a family road trip. But I was only fourteen and rather a baby Christian at the time, not to mention still honing my writing skills. It wasn’t until college that I recognized the work for the garbage it was and threw it out. Nevertheless, the experience of attempting to write a novel had planted a seed in me that continued to grow and pester me until God pointed me in the direction of my next premise several months later. 

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

I enjoy reading many genres, but my particular favorites are dystopian, space-set sci-fi, certain subgenres of fantasy, and, of course, clean and Christian romance. I read in these genres at the middle grade, YA, and adult levels. I also read copious amounts of nonfiction—primarily related to history or the writing craft, but also some autobiographies, memoirs, and how-to guides.

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

Who says I have? ;) I have four children that I homeschool. I’m pretty sure sanity left a while back. Seriously, though, I think keeping our sanity is all about keeping our focus on God. It’s when we allow the pressures of this life to distract us from Him and who He is, that we begin to crumble. So I make a point to always begin my day with a focus on Him—whether it’s listening to a Christian podcast on the way to our cooperative classes, or doodling in my Bible journal while singing praise. I didn’t always do this, but it’s become as regular as breakfast and getting out of bed in morning over the last couple years and I’ve noticed a huge change in my heart and life. No matter what else is screaming at me from my to-do list, I know I have to put Him first if I want to be successful and find peace.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

Sometimes I pick them from a random name website online (baby naming sites are fabulous for this). Other times I find one I like on a census record from the nineteenth century. Recently, I asked the members of my Kathleen’s Readers’ Club to help me come up with some names and they did a fabulous job! The KRC-Member-chosen names are the hero and heroines of my third Chaparral Hearts novel. However, there is one special name in Waltz in the Wilderness. It’s a minor character only mentioned briefly in the second half of the book. His name is Johnathon and I chose his name in honor of my maternal grandfather who passed away when I was in high school. We were very close and I still miss him.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Wow. That is a tough question. There are many things I’ve had to work hard for in my life, but I struggle with the idea of saying I’m proud of them because I never could have accomplished them on my own. I know it sounds trite, but I honestly believe that God deserves all the glory for every good thing I have ever done. I suppose if I had to pick something, it would be the moments where I listened to and obeyed God despite my fears. In different ways, each of my children are living examples of the results of those choices. So, I suppose you could say becoming a mother—four times over—is the accomplishment I’m most proud of.

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

I am an INFJ personality type according to the Myers-Briggs test, so I searched online for animals that fit that personality. Turns out, I’d be a humpback whale because they are empathetic, protective and introverted like me. They are known to be unusually protective of other animals—even those outside their species—and will interfere when another creature is being attacked.

What is your favorite food?

Chocolate. No question.

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

This is another topic I’ve written a whole blog post about. I’ll sum it up like this:  Three kids = a lot of noise in a tiny 750 square foot apartment. I couldn’t write in a noisy environment, so my husband stayed home with the kids one night each week while I went out to find someplace quieter to write. Turns out fast food restaurant owners aren’t willing to shush their other patrons for the writer who’s occupied their smallest table in the back corner for the past five hours. Still, it was quieter than being at home, so I kept at it. Eventually, I developed the skill of tuning out the chaotic public and was able to write. These days I’m blessed to call one corner of a shed on our property my writing office where I enjoy relative quiet…minus the times the kids walk right past dad and ignore the “Writer at work, enter on pain of death” sign to come ask me if they can watch television.

Tell us about the featured book.

Waltz in the Wilderness is my debut novel and officially the first in the Chaparral Hearts series (although Ribbons and Beaus is a Chaparral Hearts prequel novella currently available for free to those who preorder Waltz in the Wilderness). Here’s the description for Waltz in the Wilderness:

She's desperate to find her missing father. His conscience demands he risk all to help. 

Eliza Brooks is haunted by her role in her mother's death, so she'll do anything to find her missing pa—even if it means sneaking aboard a southbound ship. When those meant to protect her abandon and betray her instead, a family friend's unexpected assistance is a blessing she can't refuse.

Daniel Clarke came to California to make his fortune, and a stable job as a San Francisco carpenter has earned him more than most have scraped from the local goldfields. But it's been four years since he left Massachusetts and his fiancée is impatient for his return. Bound for home at last, Daniel Clarke finds his heart and plans challenged by a tenacious young woman with haunted eyes. Though every word he utters seems to offend her, he is determined to see her safely returned to her father. Even if that means risking his fragile engagement.

When disaster befalls them in the remote wilderness of the Southern California mountains, true feelings are revealed, and both must face heart-rending decisions. But how to decide when every choice before them leads to someone getting hurt?

Please give us the first page of the book.

October 1850

California gold fields

“No!”

The scream pierced Eli, ripping her from sleep. Cramming a fist in her mouth, she muffled her sobs. The voice that used to sing her nursery rhymes, pray for her, hum her to sleep. She couldn’t hear it. Now it only came to her in echoes of that ghastly scream, tearing through her mind, shredding her heart.

No more. She clamped her hands over her ears, squeezed her eyes against the blackness.

Dark images forced their way in. Shovels of dirt falling onto that dear, beautiful face, skin pale with death, smile gone forever. Loving eyes shuttered. Arms that once comforted her now crossed over a faded blue bodice as the grave was filled in. Pa, her rock, crumpled on the ground. Inconsolable.

Stop! Don’t think about it!

She sat up. Crawled from the tent. Cold night air slapped her cheeks. She hugged herself, rocking.

Her eyes sought the heavens, the weight of His gaze suffocating her. “Make it stop. Please. I’m sorry.”

The pockmarked moon stared at her through the trees. And the cow jumped over the moon. The familiar tune crushed her heart.

A frosty breeze cut through her shirt. She shivered and ducked back inside.

Pa’s snores continued. She curled onto her thin blanket, wrapping the end over herself.

Of course God wouldn’t answer. It didn’t matter.

Eli wouldn’t fail again.

She forced her eyes shut. One of them needed to be thinking clearly come dawn. And it wouldn’t be Pa.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Website: https://KathleenDenly.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KathleenDenly.author

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/KathleenDenly

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/KathleenDenly/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/KathleenDenly

Thank you, Kathleen, for sharing your debut novel with my blog readers and me. I’ve put my copy at the top of my to-be-read pile.

Readers, here are links to the book.

Waltz in the Wilderness (Chaparral Hearts) - Paperback
Waltz in the Wilderness (Chaparral Hearts Book 1) - Kindle

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, 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