KENTUCKY DREAMS - Marlene Morrell - One Free Book

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

I write non-fiction also. I wasn’t sure I should be writing a series. I prayed for leading when I was a third of the way into the second book. The words and story tumbled out so fast and I felt good about the content. Then I know that there were three books in the Kentucky Cowboy series. I have a passion for horses like my late Mother and late hubby. Though I enjoy penning romance and that special relationship, I have always been intrigued by horses, mystery and suspense. I intend to incorporate more of the latter in future books.

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

One of my happiest days was when famed novelist, Loree Lough, assured me early on in my writing career that I would be commercially published. She said that writing can be taught but that you cannot teach the ability to make your readers care about your characters and what happens to them. She said I had that gift.

How has being published changed your life?

It is a great commitment and privilege to write for the Lord. I am daily inspired to extend my reach. I am still learning to say no to stuff, so I can focus more.

What are you reading right now?

Joyce Meyer’s The Power of Simple Prayer

What is your current work in progress?

Kentucky Derby Drama

What would be your dream vacation?

Rent a house in Palm Beach or Hawaii and invite some favorite people to join me. The 5-Star chef can whip up amazing dinners which my guests and I will enjoy.

I want to be one of your favorite people. 😊 How do you choose your settings for each book?

The characters and story dictate where it will be set, in the Kentucky Cowboy series about horse racing in Kentucky. In Love Found in Manhattan, since I lived in New York City for seven years, and loved it and the snowy winters and energy of the city, I knew I wanted to capture that for my readers. With Angel in Shining Armor, which is set in Bellingham, Washington, and Nashville; the heroine, Ayita High-Eagle, an American Indian, I chose an Indian Reservation in an area I know and because she rises to fame as a singer in Nashville, it had to be set there. So, in conclusion, though it varies, the characters sometimes chose their location.  

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

It’s a toss-up between President Donald Trump and Joel Osteen. Mr. Trump because of his remarkable determination, fearless and invincible spirit and Mr. Osteen because he has morphed “Positive Thinking” to the highest level we have ever seen. (In my opinion.) I would enjoy picking their brains.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I enjoy watching old movies, Hallmark movies, playing tennis (when I get time), swimming, and dining with friends.

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

For me it is having the discipline to stay focused and get it done quickly. God is the only one who can help me.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Read voraciously. Attend writing conferences, and get in a critique group.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Dana and Graham settled into wedded bliss...but not for long. Though she’d had many reservations about just how well daily life with Graham would work out, she was thrilled and delighted to discover that it was much better than she could have hoped for. “Good morning, darling.” Dana nuzzled close to her handsome, new hubby. It gave her an incredible high just being in close proximity to him. She gave him a peck on his cheek.

           

In seconds, Graham’s lips were on hers. Passion engulfed them as they soared to new and glorious ecstasies. When they finally came up for air, Dana bounced out of the luxurious bed, slipped on her lavender silk robe that lay strewn on a chair and hummed a tune, soon bursting forth into song. “If ever I should leave you...it wouldn’t be in winter, for seeing you in winter, I never would go...your hair soft as sunlight, your lips right as rain...”

           

Graham joined her in song as they harmonized, dancing around the room together as though they were rehearsing for a musical. He was clad in a white, terry robe while he performed the musical number, dancing with Dana.

Her spirit soared to new and glorious heights she never could have imagined. “So this love!  You want to know something...really, totally amazing?” Dana smiled, her heart was as light as a feather, as she peered into his eyes.

           

“You have to ask?”

           

“Just...checking. Well...God...I guess I would have to say...the Holy Spirit, which is the same thing... has been pouring out incredible songs of praise and worship...I mean just raining them down on me....I mean... I could be riding one of the thoroughbreds... when suddenly this supernatural...anointing falls over me and I burst into song...the music and lyrics just rain down from heaven! I mean...I can’t tell you how incredible that is!”

           

“So...I hope you’ve recorded...or remembered the words and the tune...I realize that might be a challenge when you aren’t expecting the... outpouring.”

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Marlene Worrall Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest. IMDB.

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

Readers,  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

KENTUCKY COWBOY - Marlene Worrall - One Free Book

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

It varies. With Kentucky Cowboy, the heroine shares my love of real estate and horses, but that’s about it. A professional equestrian, she is focused on achieving her goal of winning the Kentucky Derby. I learn from my characters. I need to be more focused myself.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

Dance on a chess table New Year’s Eve.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

In about 4th grade. The teacher gave us a writing assignment. When I handed mine in, she told me I did not write it. She said it must have been written by one of my parents or an older sibling. I insisted I wrote it. She then told me to sit back down and write another assignment and then she would decide whether or not I wrote it. She apologized.

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

Suspense. Mystery Romantic suspense/mystery. Romance. Biographies. History. Non-fiction spiritual books, non-fiction general.

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

Who said I was sane? (Just joking) I think really good friends, meditating on scripture, and swimming and power walking help me to stay balanced.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

They just appear as if in a dream. I do not work at it usually. Though with a former book, the name Ayita High-Eagle took some considerable research until it felt right. So, again, it varies.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

I guess being cast in a West End play in London after arriving in that city only two weeks prior; and both myself and the hit musical Promises, Promises were a grand success.

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

A cat, a beautiful, white Persian with green or blue eyes. I could lie around and observe/study people all day, while my master took care of my needs.

What is your favorite food?

Hot, spicy Mexican food.

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

Marketing the books once they are finished. I’m still working on that. The writing comes easy; it’s the marketing that is a challenge; as well as time consuming.

Tell us about the featured book.

When Dana Lockhart’s brother Stefan is killed performing a show jump, Dana walks away from her career as a show jumper. Opening a real estate office specializing in horse farms in Bluegrass county, she meets handsome gentleman farmer, Graham Van Rensellier, and his two sons, Will and Jay. Graham’s beloved wife Myrna has gone on to Glory. Heartbroken, he moves from Houston to Kentucky, leaving behind his painful memories, hoping to forge a new life for him and his two young sons. Certain he will never love another woman the way he loves Myrna, he is thrown for a loop when he meets the gorgeous, charming Dana. But he’d promised Myrna, despite her protestations, that there would never be another woman for him. Powerfully drawn to the aristocratic Graham, she sells him a horse farm. Due to unlikely circumstances, she must move onto the farm and live in his guest house, taking her two thoroughbreds with her. Together, they embark on a mission to train a colt with the goal of winning the purse at the Kentucky Derby. Their colt is stolen. They hire a P.I. and embark on a mission to find the stolen colt. Their pursuit takes them to the Bahamas. Will they get their colt back in time to finish training and compete for the purse at the Kentucky Derby? Will Graham and Dana admit their love for each other before it is too late?

Please give us the first page of the book.

Dana’s cell chirped just as she was settling into her office and sipping her morning coffee. A number she did not recognize flashed on her screen. I bet it’s a call on my new listing…Sugarbush Stables. The sign just went up but I know it’s a hot listing. A caller was on her cell. “Dana Lockhart, Lockhart REALTY.” She put a smile into her voice as she spoke.

 “Graham Van Rensellier. I’m calling about Sugarbush Stables. Ah was drivin’ around and just spotted the new sign.” The man’s voice was husky, his accent Southern. The timbre of his voice held power. Whoever he was, she would bet he was force to be reckoned with.

“Ah’d like to view the property at your earliest convenience.” His voice seemed to waiver somehow, making him sound almost vulnerable.

Dana played by the rules. Ever since an acquaintance of hers had been murdered at a showing on a remote ranch, she’d been cautious. Roger, her sometime partner, usually accompanied her.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

 Marlene Worrall Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest. IMDB.

Thank you, Marlene, for sharing this book with my readers and me.

Readers, here are links to the book.

Kentucky Cowboy (Sagebrush Ranch) (Volume 1) - Paperback
Kentucky Cowboy: A poignant romantic mystery of love, betrayal, and shared passions (Sagebrush Ranch 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

ANGEL IN SHINING ARMOR - Marlene Worrall - One Free Book

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

A professional actress since I was nineteen, I lean toward drama and tend to write extreme characters. Like the heroine, an aspiring singer, I was an ambitious actress.

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

When I was offering the featured role in a West End musical.

How has being published changed your life?

I spend more time doing book-signings and dreaming up ways of promoting books, which tends to lessen the time of actually writing. Also, folks tend to treat me with greater respect and wonder how I managed to write and publish books.

What are you reading right now?

I just finished War Room by Chris Fabray. I highly recommend it.

I loved the movie that the book is based on. It was number one in the box offices for several weeks last year. What is your current work in progress?

A novel titled Kentucky Cowboy. The book was inspired by my late hubby who was a polo player and horse enthusiast. The novel has a strange history. I finished it, was offered a contract with a publisher if I would make changes quickly. Regrettably, I didn’t. The only copy I had was lost in a freak accident, but the story keeps niggling at me. It’s a different book than it originally was, but I believe it is a much better book.

I’d love to feature that on the blog when it releases. What would be your dream vacation?

Rent a fabulous house overlooking the ocean, and invite some of my friends to join me. The house would probably be in Palm Beach, Sarasota, or maybe Maui, Hawaii. (I don’t ask for much.)

Sounds like a great vacation to me. I’d love to join you and your friends. How do you choose your settings for each book? 

They choose me. I knew Ayita High-Eagle lived on an Indian Reservation, so I selected an area I know. I knew she would become a singing sensation in Nashville, so that location found me, also.

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

I would spend the evening with the U.S. senator Lindsey Graham. I have long been fascinated by him. He is, arguably, one of the most brilliant political minds of our time. I would learn so much.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

Playing tennis. Power walking by the ocean. Viewing good films. Visiting friends in California.

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

Getting up early and staying focused, staying with it.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Attach butt to chair and keep it there.

Tell us about the featured book.

This book has supernatural elements and was given to me by inspiration from God. I did not “cook up” the supernatural, angelic elements in the book; they were “given” to me. Ayita High-Eagle is a beautiful 19-year-old American Indian woman. Abused by her promiscuous Mom, she seeks to end her own life. But God has other plans for her. Soon she moves onto the Circle K ranch with best friend, Marjoi Peterson, and her family. She meets handsome, cynical Valdez Lopez. Sparks fly. But will her burning desire to become a Nashville recording artist thwart their blossoming romance? Can Ayita become the catalyst pointing the way to a spiritual awakening for him─despite his objections? Read this poignant story of love, forgiveness, and challenging issues that must be resolved before Ayita can commit to “Love, Honor, and Obey…” 

Please give us the first page of the book.

“I’ll be leaving the Reservation real soon,” Ayita High-Eagle told her mother.

    

“Good, ‘cause this house is too crowdy for the three of us, and I ain’t kickin’ Wally out longs he brings in a paycheck. No matter how meager it is,” her mother said as she stirred soup in a broad pot on the old stove dominating the cramped kitchen. “One of these days I’m gonna move off the Reservation, too. ‘Soons I find someone who’s gonna support me better than Wally.”

   

“I told you before, Mother, you don’t have to put up with him. I can get you a job at Joey’s. They’re always looking for good servers.”

    

“Ya, well I told you, I ain’t interested in workin’ for nobody. We git by on what Wally brings in.”

    

“But you don’t even like him!” Ayita lamented.

    

“I told you…I’m stickin’ with him ‘til I git someone better.” Her mother continued stirring and alternately sampling the black bean soup, a steely resolve evident in her tone and manner. She sprinkled in more spices before pouring a generous dose of dark sherry into the soup and taking a long swig of wine from a tumbler.

    

The pungent aroma wafted through the air, tickling Ayita’s taste buds. “May I sample it?”

   

 “Help yerself.”

    

Ayita tasted a large spoonful of the soup.

    

Her mother smiled, raising her eyebrows. “Well?”

    

“Delicious.”

    

Ayita turned her face away from her mother so she wouldn’t see the tears and overwhelming emotions surging inside her.

   

Today’s the day.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.MarleneWorrall.com. MarleneWorrall Facebook, twitter, Goodreads, Amazon.

Thank you for sharing this book with us. I'm eager for my copy to arrive. The story sounds interesting.

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

Angel in Shining Armor - paperback
Angel in Shining Armor - 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. (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

LOVE FOUND IN MANHATTAN - Marlene Worrall - One Free Book

Dear Readers, I love featuring Christmas stories this time of year. Today, we have an author we haven’t had visit this blog before.

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

That depends on the character. The heroine in Angel in Shining Armor has a few traits I possess, like ambition and the self-esteem issue. However, most of her character is drawn from inspiration from God and my vivid imagination.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I danced on a glass chess table on New Years Eve at a party in Bel Air, California.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

My earliest memories are in grade five when I wrote a play and also directed, produced, and starred in it. The teacher allowed me to present it at lunch hour. Also in about grade six, our teacher asked us to write a story about an imaginary trip. She told me it was excellent but did not believe I wrote it. (She said she thought my parents wrote it) She told me to write another story right away, and then she would decide whether or not I wrote the first one. She apologized.

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

I love suspense and mystery. I gobble up non-fiction and a wide variety of fiction.

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

By reading the Bible first thing in the morning and meditating on the Word. This gives me strength for the day.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

They just come to me mostly. Certain names I’ve always loved. Though with Ayita High-Eagle, I spent considerable time researching Indian names and it “felt” right.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

I’m not really “proud” of any accomplishment per se. But through the inspiration and grace of God, Love Found in Manhattan  has been released and this gives me great joy.

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

It would be a tossup between a Persian cat and a maybe an Arabian steed horse.

What is your favorite food?

Lobster and dark chocolate.

Two of my favorites as well. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

Though I’m side-stepping the question a bit; for me, the problem was the hassle of selling the book and the challenge of successfully marketing it.

Tell us about the featured book.

When Tiffany Vandermeer’s step-folks Cessna 52 crashes on Christmas Eve morning, she is devastated. Shocked, she wanders around the Big Apple and discovers a discarded infant. This find leads her into the arms of handsome obstetrician, Jason Prescott. The chemistry between them is palpable. She doesn’t want to deceive him, but she’s bonded with the helpless baby and can’t bear to see him placed in an orphanage the way she’d been. Will her deceit destroy their budding romance? 

Read this story of deceit, forgiveness, and triumphant love, as Jason, a man of unusual faith shows her how. He can use the baby discovery and her loss to catapult her into a new level of faith and a glorious future with him. Will God and his miraculous timing allow her to retrieve the baby if she relinquishes him to authorities?

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Please visit my website at www.MarleneWorrall.com or my facebook page. My blogspot is http://MarleneBWorrall.blogspot.ca

Thank you, Marlene, for sharing this holiday book with us. I'm eager to read it, and I know my readers are as well.

Readers, here’s a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.
Love Found in Manhattan (A Christmas Romance)

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. (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