AS LONG AS YOU BOTH SHALL LIVE - Linda K Rodante - One Free Book

Dear Readers, I hadn’t read any of Linda Rodante’s books before we scheduled the first two in this series. She is an author to keep an eye on. I loved both Amber Alert, which we featured earlier this summer, and this book As Long As You Both Shall Live. I’m eager to read book three. Her characters are living, breathing people, who are also flawed. They tugged me right into the story with them, and as soon as I finished reading book one, I immediately started book two. Loved the setting, the storylines, the suspense, the romance—the whole package. You won’t want to miss them.

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

I’ve always loved romantic suspense novels and when I started reading Christian fiction, I realized I could actually write something entertaining that also highlighted God’s goodness and purposes. A win-win situation.

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

I have to say it was when I realized that both my sons’ belief in God had become a foundation of their adult lives. 

How has being published changed your life?

It is what I do fulltime now, so it has changed my “career.” I am actually an author. J It has also expanded my horizons and my friendships.

What are you reading right now?

Where There’s Smoke by Susan May Warren--another romantic suspense, and it’s good.

What is your current work in progress?

I just finished Splashdown, book 3 of my The Dangerous Series. It should be out by the time this interview is posted. Splashdown is a little different than the other books, more police procedural. Still lots of romance. And all my books have strong spiritual elements.

What would be your dream vacation?

Two weeks in the Appalachian Mountains with my family, but with a weekend worship festival thrown in.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

I chose places I love and know. I want to be able to bring realistic scenery and lifestyles to the reader. One day I might do a long vacation to someplace in particular just to have a particular setting.

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

Wow. That’s really hard because so many people have so much to give, and I’m not enamored of movie stars, sport stars, or singers. So, it comes back to family again. Maybe because my younger son and his family are in Botswana, Africa, for three years. Right now, I would spend time with anyone or all of them if possible.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

To tell you the truth, I am a home-body, but I love beautiful places and taking pictures, so a ride or walk at the beach or up a mountain is great. Stop and get something to eat and enjoy the time. My husband and I also love to bike. We have two old-fashioned bikes and take rides around the neighborhood or at the parks nearby. The whole family likes to play cards and board games when we get together.

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

Keeping up with social media is the hardest. I truly love staying connected with so many people, but my time to do it is limited—if I want to write and have a life. I have to set up time boundaries each day so I don’t stay online too long!

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Take writing courses, buy writing books and read them, get in a critique group, and go to conferences. Learning your craft should be at the top of your list.

Tell us about the featured book.

As Long As You Both Shall Live is Book 2 in The Dangerous Series. It features the same couple from Amber Alert as they move forward in their relationship. John Jergenson returns home after a month’s long mission trip to Indonesia. His mind is set on asking Sharee Jones to marry him and return to the islands as missionaries. But Sharee has enough to think about—anonymous phone calls, an attack on her life, and uneasiness about their relationship. The last thing she wants is a marriage proposal. When someone runs her down, and she winds up in the hospital, things get serious. Can John keep her alive, keep her ex-boyfriend out of the picture, and fend off the attentions of another woman long enough to convince Sharee to walk down the aisle?

Please give us the first page of the book.

She was always on time.

He could see the church parking lot from the edge of the woods. Glancing at his watch, he shifted position and made sure the trees concealed him. Cars exited the main road, bumped down the drive, and pulled in for the evening service. A steady stream of people parked and entered the building.

    

The woman who called earlier had not given her name—only a message. “Sharee’s getting engaged. She’s going to get married. Just thought you’d want to know.” And although he’d fought the urge to come, he had surrendered to the rising anger before the afternoon ended.

    

His fists clenched. Just like anyone else, he had a right to be here. He could even walk into the church. They couldn’t do anything about it. She couldn’t. Not like before. He contemplated doing that, going in, finding a seat near her, and listening to the sermon.

   

No.

    

He didn’t want to play games.

His head rose in time to see her Honda CR-V turn into the long drive. Parking next to the side door, she jumped out and hurried inside. She hadn’t changed. Same petite body, same untamed hair and, he was sure, the same puritanical attitudes.

   

No, he didn’t want to play games. What he wanted was not nearly so innocent.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

On facebook, Linda K. Rodante, on twitter, @lrodante, on Pinterest, Linda Rodante, also my author website is  http://lindarodante.com/, and my human trafficking/commitment to God website is http://lindarodante.wordpress.com/

Thank you, Linda, for sharing this book with my readers. I'd love to feature the third book in the series on this blog as well.

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

As Long As You Both Shall Live (Dangerous Series) (Volume 2) - Paperback
As Long As You Both Shall Live: A Christian Contemporary Romance with Suspense (Dangerous Series Book 2) - 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

AMBER ALERT - Linda K Rodante - One Free Book

Bio: Born and raised in Florida, Linda loves the salt water, the sun and the swamp lands.

Linda has always loved reading—especially mysteries and romantic suspense novels. Years ago, she found authors Agatha Christie and Mary Stewart thrilling. Today, she reads different types of Christian fiction, but romantic suspense is still her favorite.

Linda taught at a Christian school, worked for the Pregnancy Center of Pinellas County as a Center Director, and as a financial aid assistant at Trinity College of Florida. Now she speaks and works against human trafficking with the Tampa Bay area’s Community Campaign Against Human Trafficking Task Force (now called FREE). Her blog at lindarodante.wordpress.com highlights human trafficking, sexuality in America, commitment to Christ, and her mother’s missionary trips to Israel and Indonesia.

Linda gave her life to Christ at twenty-six and discovered the miraculous love and existence Jesus has to offer. Her life has not always been easy but has included wonderful friends and family, joy, laughter, and even the miraculous.

As a young teen, Linda wanted to write, but it wasn’t until she was in her fifties that God opened the door. Linda’s writing has won finalist and semifinalist awards with the American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis and First Impressions Contests. The fourth book in her Dangerous Series just came out in June.

 

She and her husband live in Florida. They have two grown sons—one is following his grandmother’s example—he and his family are missionaries in Botswana, Africa. Her other son works at the National Institutes of Health in Washington, DC.

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

I think all authors put some of their quirks and frailties into their characters. My protagonist, Sharee Jones in Amber Alert, has a couple of mine—being uncertain of herself next to someone else who is obviously more sophisticated is one that jumps to mind.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

 At age 13, my friend talked me into playing a joke on drivers by pretending to be dead in the street. When they stopped, I would leap up and run into the woods. We had one man chase us. He yelled at us and threatened us. I was terrified and never let her talk me into anything that crazy again!

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

In middle school. I finished reading the books by authors that I liked and thought I guess I’ll have to write my own. However, when I became a Christian, I threw everything away. It wasn’t until thirty years later that I began to write again.

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

The genres that I like to read for enjoyment are limited. My favorite is Christian romantic mystery or suspense. I also like British mysteries, British police procedurals, Christian historical romance or historical romantic suspense. I don’t enjoy graphic sex, cursing, or explicit violence in my reading (or movies, TV), so I don’t venture outside Christian novels much these days. Even though my own novels deal with some hard subjects (domestic abuse, rape, etc), I write so that the story is still a “clean read.”

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

At one point, I said often that I felt overwhelmed, then God showed me not to be overwhelmed by anything but Him. I purposely stopped saying I was overwhelmed and gave my books, the marketing, and everything that goes with it to Him. When I get flustered, I remind myself it is in God’s hands.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

Wow. That’s hard sometimes. Some names come as soon as I start writing, others I struggle with. Once I asked friends on facebook for a name for my main character and used the name that was most recommended.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Although I don’t know if this qualifies as an “accomplishment,” giving my life to Christ was the best decision I ever made. Now, I have two sons who know Him. Ranking right up there is my husband of 40 years. We’ve stayed together through tough times and good and are seeing the blessings from that.

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

A horse! Because I love them—the way they run, head up, manes flying. They represent freedom to me.

What is your favorite food?

Tacos or spaghetti. It depends on the day.

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

I assumed I’d never be published or that anyone would like my books. However, I love Christmas, and I wanted to write something that would lift up Jesus. So, I wrote a short story about Christmas and sent it to members of my family. They all encouraged me to keep writing. A friend who read it told me I should expand it into a novel. When I prayed and asked God if He wanted me to do that, I felt He did. So, I just jumped in and just kept on keeping on.

Tell us about the featured book.

Amber Alert is the novel from that short story above. I wanted to glorify Jesus, and I wanted readers to come away from the story feeling loved. Sharee Jones has waited years for the right man to come along—a man with whom she could share her love of God and of missions. John Jergensen bears little resemblance to the person she’s prayed for. He’s a loner working at the church as a maintenance man, and he wants nothing to do with God. But Sharee needs his help to build the sets for her Christmas program. As they work together, Sharee discovers John’s creativity, his penchant for amusement, and the tragedy that underlies his anger and aloofness. Neither realizes that someone is planning to use the program to terrorize a new mom and kidnap a baby. Sharee’s faith is tested, John’s past life exposed, and God’s healing power forms the backdrop as they work together to find the kidnapper.   

Please give us the first page of the book.

Sharee Jones stalked over the dark field away from the church. Moonlight yellowed the area in front of her and a breeze tossed her mass of curls.

    

Calm down, Sharee. The teen didn’t push your loyalty buttons by design. Abbey Somers had no idea she’d trampled the character of a woman who supported you after a broken engagement two years ago—all while facing a tragedy of her own.

    

Sharee inhaled and caught the scent of jasmine mixed with damp earth. She just needed a few minutes of peace. No one would miss her. Ahead, the inky blackness of the pond reflected the moon’s light, and the cypress trees stood like sentinels against the sky. Bushes clung to the bank except where the church’s maintenance crew of one had cleared them.

   

 She crossed the last few feet to the pond, put a hand against the tree’s trunk and stared at the moon’s cold presence.

    

A growl rose from the darkness. Her heart lurched, and she froze.

   

Grrr…

    

She strained to see through the dark, but black foliage obscured her view. She inched her head around. A bear? Not this close to the city, but… Someone had reported a panther the other day. Her heart gave an erratic jerk.

    

Come on, Sharee, don’t freeze. Move backwards. A step at a time...

    

Clouds raced past the moon. The night shadows shifted, revealing the animal. Whatever stood there was huge.

    

A third growl rose, and her throat constricted.

    

God, I need your help.

    

She glanced over her shoulder. The church lights glowed fifty yards away. A long fifty yards. She swallowed. Stay still. Don’t move.

    

The creature snarled and shook its head. Recognition hit, slid over her.

    

A dog.

    

It should have brought relief, but her throat closed. The scar under her hair constricted. She gave a quick look at the church. People filled the fellowship hall there. The baby shower proceeded without her. No one would come looking for her. Not for a while.

Wow! That leaves us wanting more. How can readers find you on the Internet? 

I’m on facebook at Linda K. Rodante. My author website is lindarodante.com. I also have a blog at lindarodante.wordpress.com where I blog about human trafficking and commitment to God. I’m on twitter @lrodante, on pinterest and on linkedin.

Thank you, Linda, for sharing this book with us. I'm eager to read it, and I'm sure my readers are, too.

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

Amber Alert: Christian Contemporary Romance with Suspense (Dangerous Series) (Volume 1) - paperback
Amber Alert: Christian Contemporary Romance with Suspense (Dangerous Series 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, 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