GOING HOME - Leann Harris - One Free Book

Welcome back, Leann. As an author, I know it takes a lot of people to birth each book. Who were the people involved in the birthing of this book, and what were their contributions?

My publisher,  Forget Me Not Romances. And my critique partner, Kathy Wall.

If you teach or speak. What’s coming up on your calendar?   

I haven’t done  much of anything recently. I’ve had cancer, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.  With this book, I’m up and running again.

And I’m thrilled to see that, dear friend. If you had to completely start over in another place, where would you move, and why?

I’d go back to where I grew up, Denver.  I miss seeing the mountains. You were never lost if you could see them.

I grew up in the Ozark Mountains, and I’ve always felt that way about them. If you could only tell aspiring novelists one thing, what would it be?

Write because it’s your passion, because you can’t live without telling the stories in your head. If you want money, fame, you’ll be disappointed.

Tell us about the featured book.

Melissa Danner is the second child of a large family, the first daughter. She has brothers and sisters, but once her mother is killed in an accident (right before the book begins) she is the driving force that gets the family back on feet. Her love interest is Nathan Winters, her older brother’s best friend growing up. When they meet again at the rodeo in Denver, sparks fly. They are attracted to each other. Missy doesn’t want the change and to prove nothing has changed, she kisses Nate. Her plan backfires on her big time. It was a fun book to write.

It sounds like a fun one. Please give us the first page of the book.

January, Denver

Melissa Danner hurried around the outer hall of the Denver Coliseum looking for seating Section XX where her family’s seats were located.

“Next up is barrel racing, and we have some sharp and eager ladies wanting to show their talent.” The announcement vibrated in the hall.

“Hurry up, Tony.” Missy glared at the footwear her co-worker had chosen for his first time at the rodeo--loafers without socks. Her breakup with her long-time fiancé had left her vulnerable to Tony’s quest for a date. He’d been asking for months.

“I’m trying, but I’ve got something in my shoe.” He limped toward her.

“We’re almost to the right section. According to the signs, we’re one more entrance over.”

“I want you to give a good Colorado welcome for our first contest, Julie Long, from Mesa, Arizona,” the announcer continued.

“We don’t have time. Let’s go inside and I’ll locate my family.” She helped Tony climb the stairs. They emerged into the bright lights of the arena just as the first rider finished.

“Miss Julie’s score is 17 seconds. Next up is Carol Jones out of Oklahoma City.”

Missy spotted her family in the next section. They took up the entire row. First in line was her father. Behind him sat Nathan Winters, her oldest brother’s best friend.

Where can we find you on the Internet?

https://leannharris.com/

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

Readers, here are links to the book.

Going Home - Paperback
Going Home - 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, 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

STOLEN SECRETS - Leann Harris - 2 Free Ebooks

Welcome back, Leann. Why did you become an author?

Because I had stories running around in my head and started writing them after my daughter was born.

If you weren’t an author, what would be your dream job?

I’d be a full time interpreter for the deaf. Interpreters are hired to do an interpreting session. It’s the same as nurses who do private duty. You’re called and go to the job. It’s never the same.

If you could have lived at another time in history, what would it be and why?

That’s a hard one. I am a creature of the modern era, but if I had to choose, 1776. I admired what the men and woman of America did to create this country.

What place in the United States have you not visited that you would like to?

I’d like to see the West Coast and drive up and down Highway 5.

How about a foreign country you hope to visit?

I’d love to see Ireland. I’ve been to England and Scotland, but I’d like to see the Emerald Isle.

My granddaughter, who is taking deaf ed in college, just returned from a mission trip to Ireland. She went last year, too. What lesson has the Lord taught you recently?

I’ve been reading Genesis and read how Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery. When the brothers meet Joseph years later, I was impressed how they’d matured, grown, and changed from the selfish young men they were before. They’d learned from their mistakes. I’ve messed up in the past, been forgiven, and learned from those mistakes. Now I need to put that knowledge into action.

Tell us about the featured book.

Stolen Secrets is about a woman who made a big mistake in her youth, fell in love with the wrong man and did what he asked her to do. She knew it was wrong, tried to run from it, but 20 years later is caught in the fallout from that mistake. The book takes place in the middle of the Cold War.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Point a la Hache, Plaquemines Parish,

Shrove Tuesday (Mardi Gras) 6:40 pm

February 15, 1972, Day 1

“Sheriff, we got a floater,” Martha Pitman, the department dispatcher, yelled from the other room.

Sheriff Colin McDonald rubbed his forehead and he ground his teeth. He thought they’d made it through Mardi Gras without any fool getting drunk and falling in the Mississippi River and drowning. Apparently not.

“Who called it in, Martha?”

“Stan.” Martha didn’t need an intercom. Her voice could be heard in the next parish and would definitely win any hog calling contest she entered. “He’s by Frenchman’s Wharf.”

“Tell him I’m on my way. Call Doc Weber and ask him to meet me at the wharf.”

“You got it, Sheriff.”

Colin sighed and closed the file he’d been studying. The older he got, the less tolerant he was with stupid. It had been a long week with teens drinking, partying, and then smashing up the chicken coop of Miss Marlee Astor, the old maid of the parish. And then there was the incident where he’d arrested the illustrious grand dam of the parish, Geraldine Yarborough, for driving her Lincoln into her neighbors’ porch. He was still catching all sorts of grief for that, but her majesty hadn’t given him an option when she refused to take a sobriety test. Even his daughter protested that one. How could he, the sheriff, arrest her boyfriend’s grandmamma?

Colin grabbed his cowboy hat off the file cabinet by the door and jammed it on his head.

Martha glanced at him. “Doc will meet you there. He didn’t seem too happy to be called out from his dinner.”

“He’s not the only one,” Colin growled. “Tomorrow’s Ash Wednesday and our business should slow down. Who’d ever think I’d be happy to see Lent?”

“Certainly not Father Dunn,” Martha snapped back.

Colin glared at her. He didn’t need any reminder of his shortcomings. His mother and mother-in-law did a fine job of cataloging them.

She shrugged. “Drunks are drunks, Sheriff. You get them all year long.”

“True, it’s just this time of the year seems to bring ’em out in force. Maybe I’m too old for this job.” After being a New Orleans cop, then a State trooper, Colin had had enough of politics and ambitious individuals who only wanted what was best for them. And he had a belly-full of their boot-licking and jockeying for position.

Martha raised a plucked, bleached brow. “Is it the drunks you’re worried about or is it somethin’ else? Maybe it’s that jeune fille of yours.”

Martha knew everyone’s business in the parish. She was his eyes and ears and had several times helped him avoid a ticklish situation. So why was he surprised by her question? Since his wife died three years ago of breast cancer, his only daughter had been his world until she started dating. Lizabeth’s maturity hit him hard. “We can’t keep them from growing up, can we, Martha? Well, that boy she’s keeping company with better not step out of line or he’ll be seeing the inside of the jail.”

Martha grinned. “Watch out, Sheriff. He’s the mayor’s son and Geraldine’s grandson.”

That also grated on Colin’s nerves. The boy thought he was owed.

Steel laced his smile. “That don’t mean squat to me. Young Jon puts his hands where they don’t belong, he’ll be sorry.”

Martha laughed. “Spoken like the father of a teenage girl.”

She was right. For sure.

I can hardly wait for my copy to arrive. How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.leannharris.com

www.facebook.com/authorleannharris

http://craftieladiesofromance.blogspot.com/

http://www.loveinspiredauthors.com/

Thank you, Leann, for sharing this new book with us. I know my readers will be as eager as I am to read it.

Readers, here’s a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.

Stolen Secrets

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

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

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

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

THE LAST LIE - Leann Harris - 2 Free Ebooks

Readers, Leann Harris is a dear friend of mine. I’m excited about this new series she’s started, Legacy of Lies.

Welcome, Leann. How did you come up with the idea for this story?  

Several years ago a question occurred to me: What would happen if you came home from college and discovered your family had disappeared? Then eighteen years later, when you’re in France on vacation you see your dad getting on a bus, but it’s obvious he’s had a stroke. What would do? That’s the basis of my story. And what if the man, a good-looking Scotsman offers to help you search for your father. Later, you discover he’s lying to you. What do you do then?

Wow! What a premise. If you were planning a party with Christian authors of contemporary fiction, what six people would you invite and why?

Only six authors? That’s like asking me which of my children I love more. Okay, let’s try.  Margaret Daley, Kelly Gilbert, Angie Breidenback, Beth Shriver , James Rubart, and James Scott Bell. These people each write in a different area, and I’d love to compare experience and compare notes.

Now let’s do that for a party for Christian authors of historical fiction, what six people would you invite and why?  

Allie Pleiter, Lynne Gentry, Lena Nelson Dooley, Tricia Goyer, Lori Copeland, and Julie Lessman. I love the books these ladies have done and see how the historical market differs from the contemporary market.

What a party. I’d really enjoy that one. I love all these authors’ books, and I am blessed to be included. Many times, people (and other authors) think you have it made with so many books published. What is your most difficult problem with writing at this time in your career?

After I recovered from my cancer, (Hodgkin’s Lymphoma)  God sent people into my life to put this book , The Last Lie, out as an ebook. I wasn’t thinking about it, but years ago, I wrote this book, but knew the time for it wasn’t right. God brought the people to me, and I got the message now was the time. I had to, learn an entirely new skill set, but it was exciting to learn.

Tell us about the featured book.

When Catherine Lyons comes home from college, she discovers her family has disappeared. Fifteen years later when Catherine is on vacation in France, she sees her father getting on a bus, but he’s had a stroke. When she tries to talk to him the nurse taking care of him won’t allow it. Cat shows up at the clinic the next day, but the people there claim to know nothing of the man. This time Cat isn’t going to give up. Cat learns the name of the nurse she talked to and goes to her apartment and finds her dead.

Colin Montrose is with MI-6 and doesn’t know who this woman is who has stumbled into his operation, but he wants to know. He follows Cat and asks if she murdered the woman. Before she can answer, they hear police sirens and flee. Together, Cat and Colin chase after Cat’s father, trying to discover the truth behind her life and her parent's lives.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Prologue
Thanksgiving Day, 1989
Colorado Springs

Catherine Lyons glanced around the faces at the dining room table. Her father and Melvin Fitzpatrick were arguing about who would win the Thanksgiving Day football game, the Cowboys or the Broncos. Of course, Papa thought it would be the Broncos by two touchdowns.

 “Go ahead and tell them,” Sarah Fitzpatrick whispered, elbowing Cat.

For the last eight years, her family had celebrated Thanksgiving with the Fitzpatricks. Both of Catherine’s parents were only children and their parents dead. That first Thanksgiving, when the Fitzpatricks discovered the situation, they had adopted the Lyons into their big Irish family. Since that time, holidays were celebrated with the Fitzpatricks, all seven of them. When they invited their family—all aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, it was a houseful filled with noise, laughter, and joy.

Catherine glanced at her friend. “I’m waiting for the right moment.”

“You better tell them before the FBI shows up.”

Sarah had a point. She didn’t want to freak out her parents. They might think the FBI was here for a different reason.

“What mischief are you two thinking up?”

Okay, this book just moved to the top of my to-be-read list on my Kindle. How can readers find you on the Internet?

http://www.leannharris.com

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

Readers, here’s a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.
The Last Lie: Inspirational Romantic Suspense

Leave a comment for a chance to win one of two free copies of the ebook. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

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

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

If you’re reading this on 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

A RANCH TO CALL HOME - Leann Harris - Three Free Books

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

I was raised Catholic and always went to mass. In the late 60’s the Holy Spirit swept through both the Catholic and Episcopal churches. I was going to college and went to a prayer meeting with an Episcopal priest. He talked about the baptism in the Holy Spirit. If God wanted me to have it, I wanted it, and accepted it. That day, God was no longer out there floating in the universe, but inside me and walking with me.

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

Oh, my, there are so many, but if I have to, I would love to do a retreat with Kelly Gilbert, Lynne Gentry, Lena Nelson Dooley, and Arlene James.

And I would love a retreat with all of y’all. Do you have a speaking ministry? If so, tell us about that.

Not at this time, but having gone through my cancer, I think God’s going to open up something new for me. I do teach writing at Collin College.

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

Wow, there is such a wealth of incidents. I have this talent of not reading the signs on bathrooms and barrel into the wrong restroom.

Been there, done that. Remember the embarrassment. People are always telling me that they’d like to write a book someday. I’m sure they do to you, too. What would you tell someone who came up to you and said that?

Write it, but no editor will ever come to you and say, “I heard you wrote a book and I want to read it and buy it.” You have to write that book, even if no one has asked for it. When the market opens up, you will have a finished book to submit.

Tell us about the featured book.

A Ranch to Call Home is about Captain Brenda Kaye who was injured in Baghdad when meeting with several Iraqi women on the education of their children, a suicide bomber walked into the restaurant and blew himself up. Because of her injuries, Brenda resigned her commission. When she returns home, she has to face old hurts from high school and the new pain from her time in Iraq. She meets Caleb Jensen, who is a friend of her brother’s at the ranch. Caleb has his share of wounds and baggage. When Brenda’s brother begs her to help him pull off the charity rodeo the town is doing to help the ranchers, Caleb and Brenda are drawn together and things start happening.

I like it when things start happening. Please give us the first page of the book.

Home. She was home.

After twelve years and a lifetime of experiences gained in the army, ex-captain Brenda Kaye was coming home to the little town of Peaster, Texas, west of Fort Worth to face—what?

Sucking in a long, steadying breath, she turned her army-surplus jeep down the dirt road that led to her family’s farmhouse. When she woke early this morning, she felt an urgency to go home. She knew better than to ignore that little voice, for it had saved her life more than once. She packed her clothes and a few personal items into her vehicle, notified her apartment manager she was going to Texas and started home. She didn’t call. Instead, she wanted to surprise her brother and grandfather. She didn't know what her plans for the future were, she only knew she had to go home. Now.

When the familiar white farmhouse came into view, her stomach tightened. She’d faced some intimidating fellow soldiers and hostile Iraqi men and not backed down, but the sight of her home made her heart pound and her mouth go dry. The gravel road opened up into a large area with the white-clapboard house on the right and the barn on the left, fifty or so yards away. The house had a wraparound porch where the side kitchen door was the main door the family used.

She parked her jeep by an unknown truck but didn’t see her brother’s tan, two-tone F-150. Her grandfather’s old, faded, green Ford pickup sat on the other side of the unknown truck. She sat for a moment and rubbed her right calf, easing the cramping there. She felt the raised scars through the khaki pant leg, a painful reminder of why she was ex-captain Kaye.

Taking a deep breath, she got out of the jeep and looked around. Home. It hadn’t changed much, except for that beautiful horse trailer parked by the barn. She started up the porch steps when a voice called out, “Can I help you?” Kinda like he owned the place.

She stopped on the second riser, turned, ready to open fire and faced a cowboy—an attractive cowboy, to be sure, but still a stranger. He stood outside the barn’s double doors. His clothes—a worn chambray work shirt rolled up to his elbows, well-worn jeans, boots and work gloves—were standard garb for a working cowboy. A curl of wavy brown hair hung over his forehead as he studied her. A 1000-watt smile curved his mouth. “You’re Joel’s sister, Brenda.”

How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.leannharris.com

Thank you, Barbara, 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.
A Ranch to Call Home - Christianbook.com
A Ranch to Call Home (Love Inspired LP\Rodeo Heroes) - Amazon
A Ranch to Call Home (Rodeo Heroes) - 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

FRESH-START RANCH - Leann Harris - One Free Book

Why do you write the kind of books you do? 

Because God shows me broken people and how they can become whole and fix things around them.

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

Aside from the day I got married and birth of my children, the best day I had was spending the day in Jackson Hole with a friend.  We had a wonderful breakfast at this quaint restaurant, and I had the best coffee cake I’ve ever tasted.  I’d be willing to drive to Wyoming again just to eat at that restaurant.   Then we spent the day driving around the area, enjoying the Fall color and the wonderful coolness of the air.  And for those of us from Texas, that temperature is heaven.

How has being published changed your life?  

I’ve been published 20 years and sometimes I pinch myself to make sure this is my life.  Writing is work, unglamous, but I love it.

What are you reading right now? 

I’m reading Lena’s new book, Mary’s Blessing.

Thank you. I hope you like it. What is your current work in progress? 

I am working Captain Brenda Kaye’s story.  She appeared in Redemption Ranch.  When she walked on the stage, she didn’t want to leave until I promised her her own story.  She’s a determined woman.

What would be your dream vacation? 

Spending Autumn in the mountains of Colorado.  I’d love the wonderful smells of the changing seasons and the glorious color.

How do you choose your settings for each book? 

I love the West.  Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana. I know those states and my stories occur there.

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

Charles Swindoll.  He’s our pastor and led such a rich life.  I’d like to chat with him.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading? 

I garden and I use it a therapy.  When I get stuck on a story, I go out and dig in my garden.  It inspires me.

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

Housework.  I ignore it until… 

What advice would you give to a beginning author? 

You have to write.  It has to be a priority.   Whatever works with your schedule, you need to write weekly.  Establish a goal—the number of pages you will produce each week. When I’m actively writing a book I have daily goals, usually 7 or 8 pages.  Other people try for ‘x’ number of pages per week or a chapter a day.  It doesn’t matter.  You have to write.

Tell us about the featured book. 

Ethan McClure meets the new vet when he walks into the barn and finds her examining his horse.  He’s shock a woman that short can maneuver a horse, but she does.  It’s a rough meeting, but Dr. Tessa Grant works with horse rescue and Ethan is the head of a local group.  Their love of horses helps them through attacks and secrets becoming know.  And in the end, Ethan and Tessa face the trials together.

Sounds like a wonderful story. How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.leannharris.com

I also blog on http://ladiesofsuspense.blogspot.com/  

and http://loveinspiredauthors.blogspot.com/

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

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

Fresh-Start Ranch (Love Inspired) - paperback
Fresh-Start Ranch (Love Inspired) - Kindle


Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

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

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

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

REDEMPTION RANCH - Leann Harris - Free Book

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

I’m hope to be branching out with another publisher, continue to write for Steeple Hill, and teach writing at the local community college.

Tell us a little about your family.

My husband has just retired, so what do you do with a husband around the house? We’re learning how to deal with each other. My children are grown and I have granddogs, a white lab and a Great Dane.

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

When I first started writing, I couldn’t enjoy a book because I was looking at the mechanics. Now, I can read anything. If the story isn’t good, I don’t finish the book.

What are you working on right now?

A couple of stories for Steeple Hill. Captain Brenda Kaye popped into a book and wouldn’t let me finish Redemption Ranch until I promised her a book.

What outside interests do you have?

I garden. I love it. I also taught deaf kids and love signing songs.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

It usually depends on the story. But I am drawn to setting in the Southwest or Rocky Mountains.

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

I’ve love to spend the evening with Winston Churchill. He was a man with vision and understood the face of evil.

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

I wish I knew about a support system. RWA helped before there was ACFW. Both are great support to teach and encourage.

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

I need to be in a regular Bible study. This is a year of learning for me. I’m doing a Beth Moore study now.

My church will have Beth Moore as a speaker at our women’s conference Pink Impact in April. We have a Frisco campus, which is closer to where you live.What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?

Write. Set writing goals for yourself, then do it. Also, with prayer, seek God about your writing goals, then go for it.

Tell us about the featured book.

Tyler Lynch is an Iraqi vet who is so shut down that he only wants to be with his dog. His dog doesn’t ask how he feels, why is he feeling sad, and what happened. His dog just loves him. Then Tyler meets a lady who changes his world. His dog introduces them. If his dog likes her, then Tyler thinks she might be okay.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Chapter 1

“Oh, Charming, what’s wrong with me?” Beth McClure ran her hands down the gelding’s broad back. His warm coat and steady heartbeat calmed her.

Twenty minutes ago her brother and his wife, her best friend and ex-college roommate, announced there would be a new McClure come spring. Friends and family gathered at the ranch cheered the news.

Beth was glad for them, really.

And sad.

It was selfish of her, but the news stabbed her in the heart, making her realize how alone she was. Oh sure, she had family, friends, but there was not a prospect of a boyfriend in sight. In some ways she was content to be alone, but her heart still ached.

Charming raised his head and stepped back, knocking Beth into the back wall of the stall. She stumbled, her skirt tangling in her legs, and she twisted her ankle. Wearing heels out in the stable wasn’t smart, but she wasn’t worried about that when she escaped.

“Charming, what’s wrong with you?” She pushed the horse away, as she searched for her shoe. Charming danced again, bumping her a second time. She fell against the side of the stall, losing her other shoe.

“Stop.” She glanced over her shoulder to see what made the horse so nervous. She spotted the black dog sitting outside the open stall door.

“Oh, sorry, guy.” Beth patted Charming on his back hip to quiet him. The black dog sat quietly, watching her. Beth recognized him. He belonged to the newest employee of Second Chance Ranch, Tyler Lynch. He was an Iraqi War Veteran like her brother, Zach. Tyler’s dog, Dogger, was known as a cautious critter, who didn’t offer his friendship lightly, much like his owner. In the month Tyler had been at the equine therapy ranch, she’d never known his dog to allow anyone to pet him, and she only had a nodding acquaintance with the dog’s owner.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.leannharris.com

Thank you, Leann, for visiting with us today.


Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Redemption Ranch (Love Inspired) - paperback
Redemption Ranch (Love Inspired) - Kindle


Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

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

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

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

GUARDED SECRETS - Leann Harris - Free Book

Why do you write the kind of books you do?

I write romantic suspense. I love reading mystery, so I write that. I am also branching out into cozies (soft mysteries in told in the first person) and traditional romance.

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

Aside from the day I got married and birth of my children, the best day I had was spending the day in Jackson Hole with a friend. We had a wonderful breakfast at this quaint restaurant, and I had the best coffee cake I’ve ever tasted. I’d be willing to drive to Wyoming again just to eat at that restaurant. Then we spent the day driving around the area, enjoying the Fall color and the wonderful coolness of the air. And for those of us from Texas, that temperature is heaven.

How has being published changed your life?

I’ve been published 16 years, but only recently in Christian market. But, I’ve recently quit my day job. Staying at home is a wonderful thing. I can write and my schedule is mine own. When you teach school, your time is not your own. It is a joy to get up and eat breakfast and drink my tea leisurely.

What are you reading right now?

I’m reading a new author, Liz Johnson. Her book, The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn, is her first book. It is always a joy to read a new author.

What is your current work in progress?

I am working on a cozy. My heroine is a livestock photographer and all sorts of shenanigans happen at the livestock show where she’s taking pictures--a murder, a stolen pig, and a good looking sheriff. And of course, the sheriff is the hero.

What would be your dream vacation?

Spending a week in the mountains of Colorado. I’d love to get a cabin in the mountains and just enjoy the coolness of the morning and smell the wonderful smells of the changing seasons. I also want to see the glorious color.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

I’m comfortable with setting in the south and west. I’ve also put books in Scotland, England, and France. I spent a couple of weeks in England and Scotland just to have the experience of being there.

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

Rick Warren. I’d love to talk to him about his world vision. He also puts his faith into action. He is a man who has face opposition and still remained faithful.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I garden and I use it a therapy. When I get stuck on a story, I go out and dig in my garden. It inspires me.

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

While I was teaching, time was the biggest obstacle. After I finished a day of teaching, I'd come home, eat, watch a little TV, then between 9-10 every night I'd write. Most of the time I didn’t feel like writing, but it’s a matter of discipline. You ignore your feelings and sit down and write. Some people might wonder how could I write without inspiration? I had it when the book was born. It’s the daily work that demands discipline. Once I sit down to write the words come and all sorts of wonderful things happen.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

You have to write. It has to be a priority. Whatever works with your schedule, you need to write weekly. Establish a goal—the number of pages you will produce each week. When I’m actively writing a book I have daily goals, usually 7 or 8 pages. Other people try for ‘x’ number of pages per week or a chapter a day. It doesn’t matter. You have to write.

Tell us about the featured book?

Guarded Secrets is a story about a man whose life was destroyed and how God reached down and turned his mourning into dancing. The heroine, Lilly Burkstrom is also a wounded soul. Her ex-husband is murdered and she knows his death isn’t an accident. The killer is soon after her, and Jon, the police detective assigned to the case, has to protect her.

Please give us the first page of the book.

The door stood ajar, and panic raced through her veins. She’d locked her ex-husband’s apartment door after retrieving his clothes for the funeral.

“Mom, did you forget to lock the door? You know Daddy always made me-” Tears clogged Penny’s throat.

Lilly Burkstrom pulled her daughter into her arms.

“I don’t understand, Mom,” Penny sobbed into her mother’s waist. “Why did Daddy have to die?”

It was a question Lilly asked herself. Peter had been murdered in a convenience store robbery gone bad.

It didn’t make much sense to her, a twenty-nine-year-old woman, so how could she expect her eight-year-old daughter to understand it?

“I don’t know, sweetie. I know you miss him. I do, too.”

Penny hugged her with a desperate intensity. “You won’t leave me, will you?” She looked up, her huge brown eyes glistening with tears.

Lilly’s heart broke. She wiped the wetness from her daughter’s cheeks. “No I won’t.” Although she and Peter had been divorced almost since Penny’s birth, they had come to terms with their failed marriage and had become friends. Peter’s recent salvation had changed all their lives. “I can take you home and do this by myself.”

Penny wiped away her tears and stepped back. “I want to help.”

Lilly pushed the door all the way open and peered inside. The condition of the apartment shocked her.

Penny gasped. “Mom, what happened?”

Lilly’s gazed swept the living room, dining room, and kitchen. It looked as if a tornado had ripped through the place, throwing things everywhere. Chairs and end tables had been tossed on their sides. The sofa had been turned over, and the cushions ripped and thrown around the room. The kitchen cabinets stood open; boxes of cereal and spaghetti spilled out from the shelves. Broken dishes and glasses littered the countertops and floor.

“I don’t know." Three days ago, when she’d been inside this apartment to get one of Peter’s suits for the funeral, everything was fine.

“I wonder if Dad’s bedroom is this way.” Penny started down the short hall.

A loud noise came from the bedroom.

Penny froze. When she turned her head, her frightened gaze met Lilly’s.

Lilly motioned for her daughter to come toward her. Penny turned and ran to her mother. Lilly rushed them out of the apartment and down the stairs. They retreated to Lilly’s car and Lilly whipped out her cell phone.

“Nine-one-one. What is your emergency?”

“I need to report a burglary.”

I'm totally hooked. Can't wait to get my copy of the book. How can readers find you on the Internet?

http://www.leannharris.com/
I also blog on http://ladiesofsuspense.blogspot.com/ and http://loveinspiredauthors.blogspot.com/

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Author Leann Harris - HIDDEN DECEPTION - Free Book

I've known Leann Harris for several years, and I'm happy to feature her debut Love Inspired Suspense novel. I reviewed the book in the August newsletter on my website - www.lenanelsondooley.com .

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

I write characters that I admire and probably wish I could do some of the things
I have my characters do. I draw from people around me--their strengths and passions.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

When I started writing Scottish historicals, I saw an article about a young woman who taught Highland dancing in my town. I went and watched her. My daughter became interested and she started doing Highland dancing.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

When I was a kid, I was a storyteller. I’d see a movie or TV show then I’d put my spin on it. I loved making up stories with me as the heroine. Since I am dyslexic, I didn’t think I could write, but when my youngest child went to school, I started writing—and wrote what I knew. It was about a deaf woman in Colorado in 1886. And I am sure to have all my stuff proofed.

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

Mystery and romance hold my attention, and I read everything in that range from category to mainstream. I’ve also discovered cozies. They are great fun.

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

I’ve written 10 romantic suspense books and one futuristic book. Before I was published, I wrote 5 historical romances set in England (1066) and Scotland (1682). I know so many little facts about Scottish life that would amaze you.

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

The Lord. He is my strength and sanity. My first nine books were written while I was a full time mother. I sold this current book while working full time teaching high school deaf. I worried on how I would do it. I wrote everyday from 9-10 at night.

When I sit down to write, I consider worship. God gave me the talent and desire to write, and it would be wrong not to use it. I am also grateful for a husband who cooks and understands about take out.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

I love Biblical names, and I look through the little baby book I got with the birth of my first child. I look at the meaning of the name. I had a book where the hero’s name was Matthew Hawkins. I kept typing his name and it just didn’t ring right, then when I started referring to him as “Hawk” I knew the man went by his nickname. The name was right.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Having two children who love the Lord.

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

Okay, I’ve put myself in my characters’ place, looked at the world through their eyes. I’ve written stories in another galaxy on another world. I’ve been in a killer’s head, but I’ve never thought about being an animal. Is that not strange? But most writers are a little weird. Weird and wonderful.

What is your favorite food?

I love refried beans made with lard. Lard. There are just some things that shouldn’t be messed with and refried beans falls into that category. I will eat low fat in other areas but not refried beans. And I will tell you the smell of refried beans made with lard is to die for and one of my favorite childhood memories.

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

Sometimes when I am writing and get to a place were I am stumped, I go outside and pull weeds in my garden. Or go to the gym and exercise. It helps get the old mind working. Now those are daily writing roadblocks. I guess my biggest problem was the first book I wrote for Silhouette. This heroine appeared in a book that Silhouette didn’t buy, but the minute I wrote her, I knew all about her and her family. It took me a month to find the hero to match that gutsy heroine. The hero came very slowly and finally revealed himself to me. But I thought about her everyday and tried to match her with many different heroes. It was a relief when he appeared.

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

Join a writing group. ACFW, RWA, Mystery Writers. It doesn’t matter. Get with other writers. They will educate you and encourage you. Your family loves you, but they do not understand how writers think. Be around other writers. You’ll enjoy that unique perspective on life.

What would you like to tell us about the featured book?

As I was writing this book, God’s truth appeared on the page. It was wonderful to have those words of comfort and compassion appear. They surprised me. I felt that God was saying something to and through me, giving comfort to those who found themselves in the situation and Elena and Daniel found themselves.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Please visit my website www.leannharris.com or visit www.loveinspiredauthors.com
In the next few weeks, some of those characters from Hidden Deception will be blogging their views of the book and their opinions. Watch for it on my webpage.

That sounds like fun. Thanks for being with us, Leann.

Readers, leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Then go over and check out her website.