NEVER BROKEN - Kathleen Fuller - One Free Ebook

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

Forgiveness and fear are two prominent themes in my books. Usually I’m grappling with one or the other and writing about them in my stories is cathartic.

What other books of yours are coming out soon?

A Reluctant Bride (September, 2015)

A Pioneer Christmas anthology (rerelease, October, 2015)

An Amish Market anthology (February, 2016)

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

Tim Hawkins, because he’s hilarious.

Yes, he is. We’ve had him at our church for Laugh Night more than once. What historical person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why?

Harry Truman. He overcame a lot of adversity to become one of our greatest presidents. He was also well-known for his perseverance and optimism.

How can you encourage authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers?

EVERY writer gets rejection, not only before publication, but after. The faster you learn to accept rejection the easier it will be to write.

Tell us about the featured book.

Never Broken is the first book in the Everlasting Faith series. It’s an Irish/Scottish historical family saga and features the Cahill sisters, Shannon and Ainslee, who are forced to emigrate from Ireland during the Great Famine. Never Broken was originally published in 2006. It’s been revised for this re-release.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Limerick, Ireland

December 1834

Margaret O’Leary sat down at the splintered wood table, tugging her threadbare shawl against her body. She glanced at the mound of ashes in the hearth, the peat fire having gone out long ago. Cold, damp air now filled the tiny, one-room hovel, piercing through her taut skin and penetrating deep into her bones.

Dim light flickered from a lone candle on the table, casting heavy shadows throughout the room. Two small, thin children lay on the floor under one tattered blanket in front of the dead hearth. She watched the soft rise and fall of her sons’ chests as they slept.

Another coughing spell consumed her, pain knifing through her chest. She didn’t have much time left. The spasms were more frequent, the pain more acute.

She focused on the small pile of coins in front of her. Already they were down to crusts of bread. She’d made so many mistakes in her life, all in the pursuit of pleasure, of adventure, of selfish gain. Now Rory and Colm, her two shining lights in a dark world, were suffering with her.

She couldn’t let them suffer anymore.

A stub of charcoal lay next to a single sheet of paper. She should have done this long ago. Earlier that evening, she’d gathered the courage to tell Rory about her plan. As she’d expected, he reacted stoically, agreeing to follow her wishes. Barely twelve years old, he’d been forced to leave childhood behind. After Finn O’Leary’s abandonment two years ago, Rory had become the family backbone she’d needed him to be.

Picking up the charcoal, she held it poised over the paper. How could she find the words to write her regrets, to voice her apologies? At one time, she’d thought Jane a stuffy prude who chose money and security over excitement and passion. Tomorrow morning she would give the letter, the money, and the last bits of food to Rory. There were enough coins for her sons to travel to County Cork, then to the Gormley estate. She had to trust that Jane would have compassion for her nephews and wouldn’t turn them away.

A frigid draft sliced through the room, causing Colm to stir and snuggle closer to his older brother. Margaret hadn’t told her youngest of her plans. An eight-year-old wouldn’t understand. Perhaps one day he would. Perhaps he could even forgive her.

God knew she couldn’t forgive herself.

Taking a ragged breath, she applied the stub to the paper. My dearest sister Jane, she began, tears blurring her eyes. I’m so sorry…

How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.kathleenfuller.com

Thank you, Kathleen, for sharing this book with us today. I can hardly wait for my copy to arrive, so I can finish reading it.

Readers, here’s a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.
Never Broken (Everlasting Faith Book 1)

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.)

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The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

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A MAN OF HIS WORD - Kathleen Fuller - Free Book

The last two books we featured by Kathleen were Amish collections. Now she's back with a single title. Welcome, Kathleen Why do you write the kind of books you do?

Romances are my favorite genre to read, so naturally I want to write them! I’ve always loved history, which is why most of my novels are historical. Now that I’m writing Amish fiction I can explore contemporary issues through characters that live a lifestyle reminiscent of years gone by.

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

Four way tie—my wedding day, and the birth days of my three children.

How has being published changed your life?

I have less time to read! Being published also puts me out of my comfort zone—I don’t like to put myself “out there”, yet I do through my books. However, I’ve had the opportunity to share my faith with others, so it’s definitely worth a little discomfort. :-)

What are you reading right now?

The Blue Enchantress by Mary Lu Tyndall

I love MaryLu's books. What is your current work in progress?

A Woman of Virtue, the third book in my Hearts of Middlefield series.

What would be your dream vacation?

A Mediterranean cruise. I’ve wanted to take one for years.

I've cruised the Carribbean more than once. Doing the Mediterranean sounds wonderful. How do you choose your settings for each book?

Choosing Middlefield was easy—I live near the settlement, and I knew there weren’t any Amish books set there. Middlefield is the fourth largest Amish settlement, and I thought it was important to highlight this wonderful area.

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

Anita Renfroe. She cracks me up!

James and I would like to join you. We own several of her DVDs, which we enjoy watching. What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I love to do crafts, but I have so little time for them. I enjoy stamping and cross stitch. I also like playing the Wii with my kids and swimming.

After I became a fulltime novelist, most of my crafts went by the wayside, too. But I still knit and crochet while James and I watch TV or DVDs. What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?

Procrastination! Having deadlines helps with that, but I’m still a work in progress. Some ways I do try to overcome procrastinating is to give myself an earlier deadline than what my publisher gives me and I put it on the calendar. That way I have some wiggle room in case of a disaster, like a lost document or a family crisis. Disasters seem to happen around deadline time, for some reason.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Persevere. If you truly want to be a writer, you have to persevere because this can be a frustrating business. Don’t let rejection keep you from pursuing your goal. If you get rejected, learn from it and move on. Just make sure you keep writing and keep submitting. The one sure fire way to never get published is to give up.

Tell us about the featured book?

A Man of His Word is about Moriah Byler, who marries her sweetheart at the beginning of the story. What she doesn’t know is that her husband’s identical twin, Gabriel, has always loved her. When her husband leaves her for the Yankee world, she doesn’t know who to trust. Then she discovers she’s pregnant. Another unexpected tragedy occurs, and although Gabriel is there for her, she’s afraid to unguard her heart.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Moriah Byler ran her fingers across the soft fabric of the dress hanging on her closet door. Its powder-blue hue, her favorite color, resembled a clear summer sky, bringing a smile to her face. Giddiness coursed through her. In three hours she would don this new dress, and before God and her church, she would become Mrs. Levi Miller.

Closing her eyes, she pictured her handsome husband-to-be, his sandy-brown hair falling across his forehead, his chestnut-colored eyes filled with mischief when he was up to something, which was often. Was he experiencing the same excitement she felt? Since he had proposed to her a few months ago, she had dreamed about this day, the day she would marry the man she loved, the man God had set apart especially for her. Memories of his proposal flashed through her mind. He had taken her by surprise that day in the barn, first by asking him to marry her, then by boldly kissing her.

Opening her eyes, she touched her cheeks, flushing at the memory. She had always thought she’d experience her first kiss after she married. Then again, Levi had always been unpredictable. Although he’d tried to kiss her again, she had stopped him. Kissing led to other things—things that should occur after marriage, as their faith taught. She had seen the disappointment in his eyes, but he had agreed to her wishes. Since then he had also been on his best behavior.

She took one last look at the dress she and her mother had finished a week ago, then frowned. Was that a hole in the sleeve? She removed the dress from the hanger. Sure enough, a part of the shoulder seam had separated. She retrieved a needle and thread and quickly stitched it up. After knotting the thread, she snipped it close to the stitches with a small pair of scissors. There. Now it’s perfect. The dress and her wedding day would be fehlerfrei.

Moriah hung up the dress and walked to her second-story window, peering into her family’s backyard. She gave thanks for their two-acre spread, which included a large clapboard barn and storage shed, both painted in the same shade of white as the house. She spied her father and two of her younger brothers, Lukas and Stephen, bringing inside a long wood table the family had borrowed several days ago. Behind them followed Gabriel, Levi’s identical twin brother, carrying a couple of wooden chairs.

As she watched Gabriel, she recalled the close friendship the three of them had shared as children. Some of her favorite memories revolved around watching Levi and Gabriel try to outdo each other in everything. Gabriel always had the better grades and was physically stronger, as he had proved in third grade when he and Levi had taken turns to see who could lift her up. Gabe had carried her across the yard as if she weighed no more than a kitten while Levi had carried her only a few feet. But Levi soon proved he could best Gabe in games of speed and agility, and she smiled as she remembered his determination to climb trees faster and higher than anyone in their school.

She and Levi had begun courting at age sixteen, just after Frau Miller had passed away. Gabriel quickly distanced himself, as if they had never been friends at all. At first, she thought Gabe was grieving the loss of his mother, but he continued to treat her coolly, more so with each passing year. She hoped that would change once she was a part of his family. She missed his friendship.

I can hardly wait until my copy comes. It sounds interesting. How can readers find you on the Internet?

On my website: http://www.kathleenfuller.com/ , and at http://www.amishhearts.com/ .

Kathleen, thank you for introducing us to this book. We enjoyed this time with you.

Readers, here's a link where you can order the book. By using this link when you order, you are helping support this blog.

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


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.

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AN AMISH GATHERING - Kathleen Fuller, Barbara Cameron, Beth Wiseman - Free Books

How did your story for the collection come about?

Beth: Our publisher, Thomas Nelson, gets credit for this great idea, which Kathy, Barbara, and I fell in love with. My story, A Change of Heart, is about a young Amish woman who loves to write stories (go figure!) and her struggle for acceptance within an Amish community that doesn’t necessarily encourage her dream.

Barbara: Natalie Hanemann, a senior editor at Thomas Nelson, asked Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller, and I to do two Amish novella collections. The first is An Amish Christmas, out now, and An Amish Gathering, out at the end of November. We discussed our ideas in a conference call, wrote up a synopsis to be approved, and then wrote our stories with inter-connecting characters just like we did with An Amish Christmas. It was great fun!

Here’s the summary for my story, When Winter Comes: Each year at wintertime, Rebecca Miller mourns the loss of her twin sister who was killed in a skating accident. Ben Weaver has been her friend, but this winter he’s vowed to melt her--heart froze--with grief and make her his wife.

Kathy: Barbara and Beth answered the question perfectly. Here’s a summary of my novella, A Place of His Own: When Josiah Bontrager returns to Paradise to fix up his childhood home, he’s forced to face his past and deal with his feelings for his friend and neighbor, Amanda Graber.

How do you celebrate Thanksgiving?

Beth: We always have Thanksgiving at our house for my family and my husband’s family. There are usually about 20 in attendance, including at least one or two friends who find themselves with nowhere to go for Thanksgiving. All are welcome! It’s traditional all the way! Turkey, dressing, and the works!

Barbara: I celebrate Thanksgiving with my son, daughter-in-law, and three of my grandchildren at their house at mid-day. Rachel, my daughter-in-law, loves to make the meal and it’s a nice break for me since I’ve done it for years. My elderly mother looks forward to being invited all year! We have all the traditional elements. Last year the grandkids watched Paula Deen on the Food Network and contributed a sweet potato dish that was great. Later, my daughter brings the youngest grandchild (he’s 3 ½ now) to my house for Thanksgiving. Oh, and she brings her own plastic ware to take leftovers home. Smart woman, huh!

Kathy: Since we live far from family, we often have a quiet Thanksgiving at home. I’ve made the meal for so long that it’s usually the easiest one of the year for me to prepare. We either have turkey or ham (this year it’s ham), my mother-in-law’s cornbread dressing, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie, and of course crescent rolls, which are a tradition in my family. Afterward we watch football and nap on the couch. It’s a great day for us to relax and reflect on our blessings.

Which is your favorite holiday, Thanksgiving or Christmas?

Beth: Christmas. My boys, Eric and Cory, are 25 and 18 respectively, and I love watching them open presents as much as I did when they were young. And everyone is together! Christmas is my favorite time of year. I could listen to Christmas music all year long.

Barbara: Christmas, definitely. Maybe it’s because it’s such a joy to watch my four grandchildren open their gifts. And I love all the Christmas stories associated with the holiday as well.

Kathy: Christmas. I love the festive atmosphere and the emphasis on Jesus and family. And like Beth and Barbara, I love watching my kids open their presents.

How do you celebrate Christmas?

Beth: On Christmas day, we go to my mother’s house in Houston. We celebrate with my husband’s family usually the weekend before or after. The celebration is similar on both days – everyone brings food, gifts are exchanged, and this year we plan to incorporate some games into the day…like my Amish friends do in the afternoon after the main meal.

Barbara: We celebrate with a Christmas dinner at the son and daughter-in-law’s house and then open presents. The next day my daughter comes to my house and we usually have cheese fondue and then chocolate fondue for dessert.

Kathy: Again Christmas is usually just our family. First thing we do when we get up is open presents, then have breakfast. Then I start on the Christmas meal while the kids explore their gifts, and usually we play a game. Like Thanksgiving, we enjoy a low-key holiday.

Tell us about your family.

Beth: I’m married to a wonderful man, Patrick. My oldest son, Eric, graduated this past May with his masters degree in music performance, and he is a professor at a college in Houston. My younger son, Cory, still lives at home and plans to take college classes next year. I miss my dad terribly this time of year, since Christmas was his favorite holiday. December 1 will be five years since he left for Heaven. My mother still lives in Houston, and we’re very close. My second book, Plain Pursuit, is dedicated to her.

Barbara: I have two children, a grown son, Justin, and a grown daughter, Stephany. They’ve given me four wonderful grandchildren – two boys, two girls! No twins yet even though we have a family history of my mother and my dad being twins…

Kathy: James and I have been married for sixteen years and we have a son, Mathew, who is 15, and two daughters, Sydney (14) and Zoie (11). We also have three dogs and one cat. It’s pretty hectic around our house!

How has writing Amish novels changed you?

Beth: My Amish friends believe that everything that happens is God’s will, therefore they don’t worry as much, and their lives aren’t driven by fear, which ultimately leads to a more peaceful existence. I am a worrier, which I know is a sin, and I’m aware of it. Fear makes it hard to hear God, so I work on that daily in my effort to have the peacefulness my Amish friends are known for. I try not to just ‘talk the talk’, but to live the best life I can. Knowing my Amish friends has made me a better person. For sure.

Barbara: A cousin in Lancaster County took me to visit the Amish years ago and I immediately admired them for their dedication to family and community, their work ethic, and most of all, to live in a spiritual way. The more that I meet the Amish and do research the more I feel I’m doing the writing I should be doing. Even more, I find that I am simplifying my life and trying to treat others in a more spiritual way.

Kathy: My husband and I have long had an appreciation for the land—we used to subsistence farm and we try to be as self-sufficient as possible. As I learned more about the Amish, I could easily relate to that aspect of their culture. I’ve also had the opportunity to examine my faith and belief system and how I live my life. Writing these books has become more than just telling a story, but also a personal journey.

What is your current Work in Progress?

Beth: I’m working on a new project for Thomas Nelson that I can’t discuss quite yet, but I’m very excited about it. More to come on that soon!

Barbara: I am working on the second of a three book Amish series for Abingdon Press. The series is called Quilts of Lancaster County and the books are titled A Time for Love, A Time for Peace, and A Time for Healing (based on a section of Ecclesiastes which I love).

Kathy: Right now I’m finishing up edits on A Summer Secret, the first book in my Mysteries of Middlefield series, which is a children’s series targeted to girls ages 9-12. The children’s series features crossover characters from my Hearts of Middlefield books. As for that series, I’m also working on the third book, A Woman of Virtue, which tells the stories of Stephen and Ruth, the youngest siblings in the Byler clan.

How can my readers find you on the Internet?

Beth: I blog at http://blog.bethwiseman.net/  and http://www.amishhearts.com/ . My website is http://www.bethwiseman.com/ , and I’m also on Facebook and Twitter.

Barbara: I blog at AmishHearts.com with my collaborators on An Amish Gathering.

Kathy: You can find me on my website at http://www.kathleenfuller.com/ . I also blog on Amish Hearts (http://www.amishhearts.com/ ) and I’m on facebook and twitter.

Thank you, ladies, for spending this time with us.

Readers, here's a link where you can order the book:



If you or someone you know prefers an audio book, here's the link to that. Remember, by using these links when you order, you help support this blog.

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


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.

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AN AMISH CHRISTMAS - Kathleen Fuller, Barbara Cameron, Beth Wiseman - Free Books

This is the first time I've featured an Amish Christmas novella collection. I'm going to put the author pictures up in the order they are answering the questions. Welcome, Kathy, Barbara, and Beth. How did your story for the collection come about?

Kathy: I’ve always been interested in “beauty and the beast” type stories, especially in the reverse. I thought it would be particularly interesting to explore that through the Amish—people who value plainness in appearance. I also wanted to write about pride vs. humility, (hochmut and demut). The Amish strive for humility, which was a hard lesson for the hero to learn.

Barbara: Every writer can probably tell you that a story just “came” to them. I truly felt One Child was a gift from God. When I sat down to write it, it was like unwrapping that gift and getting it on the page. I do love stories about cultures colliding and that’s what happens when an Englisch man shows up on the doorstep of an Amish couple’s home at Christmastime.

Beth: I’m afraid I’ll have to say the story just “came” to me. I believe all my stories are inspired by God. He lets me know when it’s working and when it’s not.

What are you reading right now?

Kathy: Love Finds You in Revenge, Ohio, by Lisa Harris. It’s really good!

Barbara: I just finished revisions and have experienced a temporary eye problem so reading has been sidelined (don’t tell the eye doctor that I’m on the computer!) But Debby Mayne gave me a copy of her If the Dress Fits when I met her at a local Romance Writers of America meeting last month so that’ll be next.

Beth: I just finished A Man of His Word by our own Kathy Fuller. Loved this book! It releases in August. I’m starting Betrayed by Amy Clipston.

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

Kathy: I’ve written over a dozen novels and novellas, my latest being a regency-set mystery romance series for Avalon, and the Hearts of Middlefield Amish series for Thomas Nelson.

Barbara: I’ve sold twenty-one books (fiction and non-fiction). An Amish Christmas and An Amish Gathering (Thomas Nelson) will appear this year. Then I’ll have a three book Amish series for Abingdon Press scheduled to appear in 2010 and 2011.

Beth: I’m working on my fourth novel for Thomas Nelson, in addition to the two collections of novellas written with Kathy and Barbara. Plain Perfect (my debut novel) released in September 2008, Plain Pursuit released this past April, and Plain Promise will be on the shelves in September. I’m contracted with Thomas Nelson for three more novels after that – Plain Paradise, Plain Proposal, and one that we haven’t named yet.

What is the hardest thing about writing a part of a novella collection?

Kathy: This is the third anthology I’ve been involved in, and the hardest part by far was weaving the stories together and coming up with crossover characters. But Beth and Barbara are fantastic to work with, and even though the process was challenging, it was fun, too!

Barbara: I agree with Kathy about weaving the characters together – it took a lot of e-mails! But it was great fun!

Beth: Ditto Kathy and Barbara! Lots of work, but great fun!

How did collaborating with this team impact you?

Kathy: I’ve made two very good friends. :-)

Barbara: I feel the same way! :-)

Beth: I was super honored to team up with these fantastic ladies! Biggest impact is definitely the friendships formed. ☺
How do you choose your characters’ names?

Kathy: I pick names I like. That’s pretty much it, nothing scientific about it.

Barbara: A name will just “resonate: -- it’ll feel right. Once I couldn’t write a character until I changed her name. Sounds crazy but it was almost like she was saying, “I don’t like it! I won’t do anything for you until you change it!” Very stubborn character. There are also certain names that are used in Paradise, Pa., and you can’t stray from those or the story won’t be authentic.

Beth: Picking names is a huge process for me. Sometimes it takes days until the right name fits the character. I’ve been known to change the name midway through a manuscript because, like Barbara, the character was screaming that it just wasn’t the right name!

What did you want the reader to take away from your story?

Kathy: I want the reader to be entertained, to say that reading my novella was time well spent.

Barbara: I hope the reader will feel she’s been for a visit with characters who become friends she’ll want to go back and re-visit.

Beth: My story is about forgiveness, one woman’s ability to forgive two men who both betrayed her. I hope the reader will be entertained, but also think about how freeing it can be to truly forgive.

Are you a member of American Christian Fiction Writers? If so, why?

Kathy: Yes. It’s a great organization. The benefits to writers are too numerous to name, but I wouldn’t be where I am today without being a part of ACFW.

Barbara: I’ve heard great things about ACFW so I intend to join soon.

Beth: Absolutely! I can’t wait to get to the conference in September. Looking forward to seeing everyone in Denver. It’s a writer’s high – the fellowship, the classes, the speakers, hooking up with old friends, and always making new ones!

We did have a lot of fun last year, didn't we, Beth? What is the best piece of advice you received as an author?

Kathy: To persevere. Writing, even after you’re published, is difficult. To be successful you have to persevere.

Barbara: To believe in myself and keep working to get better at writing by studying the craft. And to read, read, read – which I adore doing anyway! (That’s more than one piece –sorry!)

Beth: “Miracles happen to those who believe,” said Mary Sue Seymour, my wonderful agent and friend.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

http://www.kathleenfuller.com/
http://www.kathleenfuller.blogspot.com/
http://www.amishhearts.com/

http://www.barbaracameron.com/
http://www.amishhearts.com/

http://www.bethwiseman.com/
http://blog.bethwiseman.net/
http://www.amishhearts.com/

Thank you, Kathy, Barbara, and Beth. I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with all of you.

Readers, here's a link where you can order An Amish Christmas:

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

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