COWBOY BRIDES -Various Authors - 4 Winners

Welcome, authors. How did the stories for your collection come about? 

Once our publisher, Cynthia Hickey of Winged Publications, set out the collection title Cowboy Brides last February, the bones started falling into place quickly. Early on, we landed on the idea that all six parties headed for a trip down the aisle could be from one large ranching family, and the matrimonial die was cast! Enter the Danner family, where three sons and three daughters would find romance while living on Colorado’s Front Range. Martha Lou needed a visual on the ranch house, so we decided on a sprawling home with separate wings for the guys and gals. The next essential: the order of the weddings—which would not parallel birth order! To lend credibility, that also set the order the stories would fall inside the collection. Here’s a look at that wedding order: Melissa Danner (by Leann Harris), Brandy Jo Danner (by Renee Riva), Rait Danner (by Cindy M. Amos), Noah Danner (by Christina Rich), Wyatt Danner (by Rose Verde), and Kylee Danner (by Martha Rogers). Characterizations developed along the way, ranging from feisty (Brandy Jo) to downright rebellious (Kylee). You could say that most of the romances occurred out of the blue! Tied together by ranching chores and civic duties at the nearby fictional town of Silverdale, the love stories blossom despite the open range’s isolation and family obligations. Don’t expect sibling support at first appearance, however, as the love interests all have to meet with collective approval—not an easy task! 

What is the hardest thing about writing in a collection:

Cindy

Cindy Amos: Above all, I wanted to represent the characters belonging to other authors in

the correct light. If I chose to alter my assigned character later, or have them go through

transformation, I had full liberty to do so. But to verify I had handled another person’s

 Danner character true to form, I would send that author snippets of scenes for approval.

 Often, that would spark the next idea, and so we fed off of each other’s creativity.

LeeAnn Harris: Getting all the details right. What the ranch looked like, the town, how

each brother or sister related to the others.

 Renee Riva: Coordinating the time lines and actions of the other characters with five other

 writers!

Christina Rich:

Rosa Verde: Getting the facts straight like what does the house look like, when did their

mom die, what's the order of the siblings and when they got married, the town, to mention a

few.

Martha Rogers: Keeping every character in the right voice and staying true to

the personalities. I had to read all of the others first to make sure I kept all the facts in order

and include more information about their lives after the weddings,

Leeann

How did collaborating with this team impact you?

 Cindy Amos: Fun to co-ordinate with others and read their stories.

Leeann Harris: I needed to remember the others were following me. Missy is the oldest

daughter, but the second child.  The oldest is a boy, but in family dynamics it is usually the

oldest daughter that ends up the family caretaker.

Renee Riva: It was challenging, but by the time we finished I felt like we really were the

Danner family. I really got to know my fellow authors better. That was a nice highlight

       Christina Rich: 

Rosa Verde: Basically, it showed me we could work as a well oiled team if everyone is on

the same page.

Martha Rogers: We all enjoyed collaborating with each other and getting to know the

different authors and read their stories.

      

A peek into our stories: (In order)

Leeann Harris: Going Home: 

Melissa:

Renee

Once back in his truck, Nate glanced at the girl he’d known all his life. She was Noah’s little sister, who always tagged along with them. Tonight, however, having her backside in his face for several minutes changed things. This was not the skinny tomboy he remembered. When she turned, bringing them face to face, he didn’t remember her eyes so blue or her lips so kissable. Whoa-—what was going on? The electricity scrambled his brain.

Renee Riva: To Love a Cowboy:

Brandy Jo has had a crush on shy Dane Bronson since third grade. After eating at the Branding Iron Grill where Brandy Jo waitresses, he finally works up the nerve to invite her on a sunset ride on horseback. Alot of drama and humor cross their trail before they head for the altar

Cindy Amos: In Renegade Restoration:

Rait: civic-minded Rait Danner heads the restoration project for Silverdale’s Old Town district. After hiring the most outstanding candidate as the nonprofit’s new director, Serena Thornton turns out to be both beautiful and resourceful—but her tattered jeans distract Rait from the lovely woman inside until a family-plotted slow dance at a sibling’s wedding reception brings him to his senses.

Christina Rich: Falling Hard: Noah

Rose Verde: Lassoed By Love:

Martha

Wyatt Though recovering from a near career ending injury, Wyatt Danner is determined not to be just another washed up bull rider. Months before his doctor thinks he's ready, he's preparing to get back on the circuit. Then his neighbor asks him to care for her horses while she deals with a family problem. Despite his schedule he agrees. In the most unlikely of circumstances, he meets magazine journalist, Christole Spencer. But he's sworn off people like her. Except that God had other plans.

Martha Rogers: Rodeo Mix-up

Kylee: Now the last one home, Kylee is determined to quit college and join the rodeo circuit as a barrel racer to be with her boyfriend, Jesse Martin. Her brothers are dead-set against it and believe Jesse is an ex-con out to charm Kylee for the Danner fame and fortune. However, startling revelations come to light to show Jesse he isn’t who he says he is, and a lot more than the Danner reputation is at stake.

Where Can Readers Find You:

Leeann Harris: www.leannharris.com , Facebook https://www.facebook.com/authorLeannHarris/

Renee Riva: https://www.amazon.com/Renee-Riva/e/B001K8UJ52

Cindy Amos: http://cindymamos.wixsite.com/natureink

                On Facebook at https://facebook.com/cindymamos/natureink

Rose Verde: https://www.facebook.com/roseverde2016/

Martha Rogers: www.marthawrogers.com , https://www.facebook.com/MarthaRogersAuthor/

  

Collection can be found at: https://amzn.to/2HPEMEg

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

Readers, leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. There will be 4 winners who will win the collection or whatever individual book they choose. 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

SWEETWATER ROMANCES - A Valentine Sampler - Various Authors - One Free Book

CINDY M. AMOS

TOOLBOX TRINKETS

How did the idea for the collection come about?

In early December, I was studying the market and noticing how the Christmas collections had taken off with high sales. Two random thoughts collided—first, we are writers of romance and, second, an upcoming holiday is all about romantic affection. What if we could get something short and sweet ready in time for Valentine’s Day? Each piece would be like a chocolate in a sampler box, the first one making the reader want to “taste” the next. After one night of mulling it over, I pitched the idea to publisher Cynthia Hickey. She posted it on our authors’ Facebook group to test interest. I think the collection filled in half an hour! She set the length at 6,000 words and then slammed down the deadline –January 1st! Oh my, that put all of us in a scramble!

Are the stories connected, and if so, how?

We decided the stories would be linked, and the interacting characters would be the merchants in town. We designed a town square where the proprietors could be right down Main Street from each other. The next thing we had to do was claim a business. I wanted the town hardware store, and then Cynthia picked the candy shop, Renee the café, Martha Lou the bakery, Brandi the boutique, Jennifer the vet clinic and Christina the photography studio. Before it could grow into a tangled mess, Cynthia sent out a message—name and describe your hero and heroine!

What’s the hardest thing about writing a part of a collection?

From my perspective as a writer, I wanted to protect the integrity of the other writer’s story. For instance, my heroine Willow goes into the candy store to buy her hardware guy Evan a treat. Cynthia’s character Lori interacts with her. I knew Lori’s name and what she looked like, but lacked any information about Sweet Nothings candy shop. Cynthia gave me a general description of the shop layout, so I fleshed out the scene. Once completed, I forwarded the scene right to her for review and approval. How funny looking back, she mainly changed the apron Lori wore to red and ruffled. So Valentine-y!

To prevent any inconsistencies, I became the editor/reviewer for the collection. Our use of names turned into a comedy of errors, so I focused on that aspect to make sure the right guy showed up with his correct love interest whenever two story-lines merged. Secondary characters also had to coordinate – even off-the-page characters merely referred to had to match. The brick-and-mortar town seemed to become authentic the more we described it, which was fascinating to watch develop.

How did collaborating with the team impact you?

By the third story I reviewed (Renee’s), I realized how sweeping the creativity process is in the discipline of fiction writing. The imagination aspect was epic, as we started with a rote description of a town built around a central park. When the authors populated it with characters that began to share their hopes and dreams, it truly breathed life into the setting. That sensation was elevating for me, making me want to read on to know more. By the way, Renee Riva is so genuinely funny, and it leaks into her writing with understated charm. Everybody in town comes to see her heroine, Shelby, at the cafe!

What did you want the reader to take away?

I remember thinking, if we can get this to be seamless, the reader will be taken away to Sweetwater and anticipate the arrival of Valentine’s Day just like our townsfolk. We can hold them there suspended and let them enjoy the romance of it all. Our job was to sweep them away! Most of the couples end up at Annie Bob’s B and B for a table-for-two buffet on Valentine’s night. You’d think that outcome would be predictable, considering the common setting, but the readers are in for a real treat! Questions will be asked, but maybe not the ones you might expect! This collection is all about love, whether it lands at first sight or takes a decade to mature. Romance readers are sure to be pleased with the variety offered by this sweet sampler.

Please give us a peek at your story.

Toolbox Trinkets begins with the quintessential query into love: a newcomer, Willow Stevens, peeks into the hardware store’s front window from Main Street and sees shopkeeper Evan Masterson laboring over an intricate project at the front counter. Dubious about finding help for a complicated remodeling job, she chooses to enter the store questing for assistance and finds so much more. Evan’s capability and Willow’s vulnerability match up in an unexpectedly harmonic project-for-two. That sweet peek leads off the sampler, and romance strikes seven times—all right down the block!

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?

In the vastly circulating sea of good advice to authors, I think the advice that strikes a resonating truth for me is “write your next book.” So many writers get bogged down with cyclic editing or endless marketing. Yes, there’s much ancillary work to be done, but without a well-written book at the core, it’s all meaningless. Go sit down and write your next book. By the middle segment, you should be thinking “series” or at least “follow-up book.” Writing should be a fresh river, not a staccato set of stagnant pools. Time will go fluid if you devote yourself to the task of completing a full manuscript. Enjoy the euphoria of penning “The End” and then regroup and do it all over again.

Where can you be found on the Internet?

My website has my complete booklist, my new release blog and a newsletter sign-up button (please do!): http://cindymamos.wixsite.com/natureink

Find me on Facebook at: https://facebook.com/natureinkbooks

Twitter at @cindymamos

Also follow me on my Amazon author page and on Goodreads.

Thank you so much, Lena, for having us on your blog today! And before it’s too late…

Let me wish you a Happy Valentine’s Day!

It’s my pleasure, and thank you.

New in town, Willow Stevens arrives at The Master’s Toolbox hardware store, hoping to get some assistance with a detailed home improvement project. Caught soldering a seam for his latest metal-craft project, Evan Masterson soon becomes interested in another type of bond—right in time for Valentine’s Day. When Willow offers to help with his Etsy page and shares an idea to improve the store’s garden section, how can Mr. Fix-it refuse? Find out why Evan’s toolbox might need a trinket to guard it from here on out.

When romance flutters down on Sweetwater, Kansas, the hardware store marks love’s epicenter!

About the Author

Cindy M. Amos writes inspirational romance from the heartland of Kansas, where living close to the land always leads to love. She enjoys wildflowers, border gardens, and canning produce from the summer vegetable garden. The Amos family owns a five-generation ranch in the magnificent Flint Hills of central Kansas, where the prairie offers endless inspiration for her stories.

CYNTHIA HICKEY

How did the idea for the collection come about? Cindy M. Amos pretty much said it all. It was a very fast turnaround and done more or less as an experiment. If this set does well, we’ll do more holiday themed short story sets.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?

This is the advice I give all my authors. You won’t be found if you don’t promote. Advertise, interact with your readers, and write the next book.

Where can you be found on the Internet?

Connect with me on FaceBook

Twitter

Amazon

Sign up for my newsletter and receive a free short story

www.cynthiahickey.com

Follow me on Amazon

Whisper Sweet Nothings

Lori Clark had made a life for herself after the love of her life left her ten years before with no explanation. She'd married, had a child, been widowed, owned a business...now Drake Langley was back in her life with an incredible story and professing a love for her that never went away.

How can she forgive someone who broke her heart? Can she learn to trust again and accept the love Drake offers?

Website at www.cynthiahickey.com

Multi-published and Amazon and ECPA Best-Selling author Cynthia Hickey has sold over a million copies of her works since 2013. She has taught a Continuing Education class at the 2015 American Christian Fiction Writers conference, several small ACFW chapters and RWA chapters. She and her husband run the small press, Winged Publications, which includes some of the CBA’s best well-known authors. She lives in Arizona with her husband, one of their seven children, two dogs, one cat, and three box turtles. She has eight grandchildren who keep her busy and tell everyone they know that “Nana is a writer.”

MARTHA ROGERS

How did your story for the collection come about?

I wanted to write about a bakery and a girl who had to bake her own birthday cake because her birthday was on a holiday. Added in the long-time boy friend she’d like to whom she wanted to be more and there was the story. It was fun to write and add in characters from other stories.

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

Making sure I had the facts right about other characters and places.

Where can my readers find you on the Internet?

www.marthawrogers.com

@martharogers2

www.hhhistory.com 

Martha Rogers is a multi-published author and writes a weekly devotional for ACFW. Martha and her husband Rex live in Houston, Texas where they are active members of First Baptist Church. They are the parents of three sons and grandparents to eleven grandchildren and great-grandparents to four. Martha is a retired teacher with twenty-eight years teaching Home Economics and English at the secondary level and eight years at the college level supervising student teachers and teaching freshman English. She is the Director of the Texas Christian Writers Conference held in Houston in August each year, a member of ACFW, ACFW WOTS chapter in Houston, and a member of the writers’ group, Inspirational Writers Alive.

ICING ON THE CUPCAKE

Lilly and Landon have known each other since they were pre-teens, but love has been a secret held in their hearts. He plans a special Valentine’s Day for her as it is also her birthday. However, Hudson Barnes, the new man in town may be the one to derail all of Landon’s secret preparations. Valentine’s Day will either be the end of ten years of procrastination or be the penalty for not declaring his love before now.

RENEE RIVA

A peek into my story Sweetwater Café:

Welcome to the Sweetwater Cafe in the small town of Sweetwater, Kansas, where EVERYBODY knows your name!

For Shelby Smith, enough is enough. After six years of working the BBQ Lunch Special under the overbearing eye of grumpy, Great Aunt Beula, Shelby is ready to get out of Dodge... until a handsome, young, newcomer walks into the cafe one frosty February morning.

Can Chase Tanner change the direction this city wannabe is heading, and help to heal a family at the same time?

C'mon in for a BBQ Sweetwater Burger and find out!

I can be found on the internet here:

Amazon Central

https://www.amazon.com/Renee-Riva/e/B001K8UJ52/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

website: www.reneeriva.com

facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sweetcleanromcom/

Renee Riva has been writing stories ever since she won her first writing contest in the second grade. She combines her memories of a happy childhood (growing up in a big Italian family with a bunch of noisy siblings she wouldn’t trade for anything in the world), the heart of a “hopeful” romantic, and adds a big dose of gentle humor to delight the hearts of readers. Renee has published two children’s picture books with Waterbook/Random House: Izzy the Lizzy and Guido’s Gondola, a humorous , family trilogy published by David C. Cook: Saving Sailor, Taking Tuscany, and Heading Home. She currently has nine Forget Me Not Romances and Take Me Away Books with Winged Publications. She loves writing romantic comedies and both contemporary and historical novellas about young love.

Before becoming an author, Renee wrote for Madison Park Greeting Cards as an in-house contributing editor. Her articles have appeared in Our Family Magazine and Guideposts. Renee is a touring author for schools, has belonged to Get Lit: sponsoring authors to visit small rural schools in Washington State, and has a weekly booth at Market at the Parkway in Richland, Washington all summer long. Her website is www.reneeriva.com  and she can be contacted through through this site.

JENNIFER ALLEE

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

We had a lot of fun brainstorming the name of the town, then details about different businesses and characters. The tricky part is continuity. We want to have characters cross into other stories to reflect the small town community, but have to make sure they're portrayed accurately. One author, Cindy Amos, read all the stories to make sure nothing was out of whack. That was a big help!

What is the best piece of advice you received as an author?

Just keep writing. Careers will have ups and downs, but no matter what, a writer writes. And I've never doubted that I am a writer. LOL

For the first 10 years of her life, Jennifer AlLee lived above a mortuary in Hollywood, California, one block away from Hollywood and Vine. Over the years, she worked in numerous fields, including as a church secretary and an administrative assistant at a cable company, but whatever the position, writing always became part of the job description. In 2007, her first novel was published. Since then, she's published eleven novels and quite a few novellas with five different publishing houses. While she's thrilled to be living her dream as an author, Jennifer considers raising her amazing son to be her best creative achievement.

Thank you all for sharing this new collection with us. My readers and I love novella collections.

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

Sweetwater Romances: A Valentine Sampler

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

CHRISTMAS AT STONEY CREEK - Martha Rogers - One Free Book

Dear Readers, I love this time of year. The weather is cooler, and Christmas novels and novellas release. There are a lot of them, so I start reading Christmas books usually in September, but my September was really busy, so I’ve started reading them this month. Christmas at Stoney Creek was written by a dear writer friend. Her historical novels are nostalgic and interesting. I think you’ll really love this one.

Welcome back, Martha. Do you have a favorite genre to write? If so, what is it?

I’d say historical romance, but it’s really a toss-up with contemporary. Not as much research is needed for my contemporaries, so I enjoy writing them.

If you didn’t live in the part of the country where you do, where would you live?

Texas is the only place I’d ever want to live, but if I had to be transferred or my husband was, then I’d hope we could live in New England. I loved Vermont and Connecticut when we visited there. Not sure I’d do very well with the winters there. Hawaii would be a very close second, but the distance from the mainland keeps it from being first.

What foreign country would you like to visit and why?

I’ve been to Austria, Germany, and Switzerland and would love to go back. The country is beautiful and the people were absolutely wonderful. We were close to Italy but never made it across the border, so I would really love to go back and take a tour of Italy. There’s so much history there and a lot of it had to do with Biblical days as well. I’d love to see some of those places and walk where Paul walked.

Describe what you think would be the most romantic vacation you could take.

My most romantic vacation would be in Hawaii. Oahu and Maui are so beautiful and the settings in the mountains and on the seashore are perfect for candlelight dinners and romantic strolls. 

Where would you like to set a story that you haven’t done yet?

I have in mind a story set in Nashville, but it hasn’t been developed yet. It’s still a germ or a seed in my head, but I’ve never had one there, so I hope to get it plotted.

What is the main theme of this novel?

Christmas At Stoney Creek shows us the importance of accepting people as who they are. You have to truly accept a person for who he or she is outwardly to know the depths of love and character in their heart and soul.

Tell us about the story.

When Tom first meets Joe on the train between Austin and Stoney Creek, others have shunned him because of his body odor, ragged clothes, and unkempt appearance. Tom, however, sees the potential for a story. As a newspaper reporter, he seeks unusual stories and he senses there is one with Joe. Joe makes friends with the people of the town and as time passes they learn how caring for one another leads to far greater blessings than they could have imagined.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Stoney Creek, Texas

October 1892

The scruffy and somewhat dirty old man shrank into the corner of his seat on the train. Instead of the foul air surrounding him, Tom Whiteman’s journalistic nose smelled a story.

Tom contemplated the bedraggled figure a moment longer then folded the notes on the article he had been writing and stowed them in his coat pocket. He’d go over them later, but for the moment, this stranger aroused his curiosity. He didn’t appear to have much money, so how had he bought a ticket?

Instincts borne from reporting unusual events kicked in, and Tom sensed a story behind the tattered clothes and dirty exterior. Other passengers moved away to give the man more room and to escape the odor surrounding him. Snow-white hair needing a haircut as well as a good combing covered the man’s head, and a droopy discolored mustache graced the man’s upper lip. Although his hunkered-up state gave no clue as to height, his form didn’t carry extra weight.

While observation gave some clues, Tom would have to sit with the man to learn more about him. He’d make a good personal feature story for the Stoney Creek paper. Tom crossed the aisle and settled into the seat next to the stranger. He extended his hand in greeting. “Hello, I’m Tom Whiteman. I’m on my way back home to Stoney Creek, Texas. Where are you headed?”

The man’s blue-eyed gaze searched Tom’s face before answering. “Name’s Joe.”

“Hm, I see.” Rather evasive. This strangely dressed man in shabby, well-worn clothes hit a chord deep inside that prodded him to dig behind the man’s countenance and learn more. The man’s outward appearance may be ugly and worn, but the serenity in the man’s eyes grabbed Tom’s heart and wouldn’t let go.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.marthawrogers.com is my website

www.facebook.com/MarthaRogersAuthor/ Author Page on Facebook

Thank you, Martha, for sharing this holiday book with us. I know my readers will be eager to read it.

Readers, here are links to the book.

Christmas at Stoney Creek - Christianbook.com
Christmas at Stoney Creek: A Novel - Amazon paperback
Christmas at Stoney Creek: A Novel - 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

CATCH US IF YOU CAN: Spring Scavenger Hunt!

Thank you for coming to this blog post. The hunt is officially over, but I'm leaving this post up, so you can leisurely go back and check out all the authors on the hunt. 

Catch Us if You CAN: Spring Scavenger Hunt! STOP # 11, Lena Nelson Dooley’s Blog.

Here are the CAN Hunt’s official guidelines:

WELCOME, to the Catch Us if You CAN: Spring Scavenger Hunt! We hope you enjoy meeting Christian Author Network members as you chase down clues for the chance to win our grand prize: $200 in gift cards from CBD, Barnes & Noble, or Amazon, plus 29 free books, one from each participating CAN author!

•     2nd and 3rd Prizes: $50 Amazon, or Barnes and Noble, or CBD gift certificate!

•     Catch us on this hunt beginning at Noon on Friday, 03/21/14 and ending at Midnight on Thursday, 03/27/14. No need to hurry as you search for clues—you have almost an entire week! If you need help at any time during the hunt, check in here:

http://illuminatingthewordthroughfiction.blogspot.com/2014/03/resource-page-for-catch-us-if-you-can.html

•     Enjoy 29 stops, each featuring a different CAN author!

•     Gather the clues from each post, beginning at STOP # 1 and ending at Stop #29. Follow the directions and fill out the Rafflecopter form. Be ready to provide the complete clue in sentence form, gathered from all 29 stops, within 2 days of email notification or another winner will be randomly drawn. There is no need to email/submit the clue, unless you are notified by 03/29/14.

Sorry, due to international regulations and postage costs, prizes will be awarded to US Residents only. Individual contests within the hunt may vary, so please read rules presented with each giveaway.

Introducing Martha Rogers!

http://www.marthawrogers.com

Facebook: Martha Whiteman Rogers,

Twitter:@martharogers2 

Book review blog: http://marthawrites.blogspot.com

I’ve known Martha for many years. She’s a very interesting woman.

Bio: Martha Rogers is a free-lance writer and the author of the Winds Across the Prairie and Seasons of the Heart series as well as the novella, Key to Her Heart in River Walk Christmas and Not on the Menu in Sugar and Grits. The first books of her new series, The Homeward Journey, are now available in Love Stays True and Love Finds Faith. She was named Writer of the Year at the Texas Christian Writers Conference in 2009 and is a member of ACFW and writes the weekly Verse of the Week for the ACFW Loop. In addition to fiction, Martha has contributed to compilations by Wayne Holmes, Debra White-Smith, and Karen O’ Connor as well as various devotion books. Martha is a frequent speaker for writing workshops and the Texas Christian Writers Conference. She is a retired teacher and lives in Houston with her husband, Rex. Their favorite pastime is spending time with their nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

So, Martha, tell us about the book you’re featuring during this Catch Us if You Can Scavenger Hunt.

Blurb for Love Finds Faith:

Hannah Dyer has just moved to Texas to help her brother-in-law in his medical practice. Despite her handicap of having one leg much shorter than the other, she is a great nurse whose skills help make the practice the most successful in the area.
 
When Micah Gordon returns home after some shady escapades, his father hopes he will settle down to ranch life. Hannah is smitten by his good looks and roguish ways, but because of her leg, she has no hopes of attracting his attention.
 
After Micah suffers a tragic loss, he loses his faith and almost loses his ranch. Can Hannah’s care and staunch faith help him on the road to recovery with a new hope, new faith, and a new love?

Can we be looking for new releases from you, Martha?

My next release will be in the fall with Book 3, Love Never Fails, and I’m currently working on the Christmas book, Christmas at Stoney Creek which is based on the characters from the same series The Homeward Journey. 

Since I became a published novelist so late in life, I have a sense of urgency to get my stories out of my head and onto paper. I’ll keep writing as long as I can whether other contracts come my way or not.

Martha, please give us some fun facts about you.

I was a nursing student before I changed my major and decided I wanted to be a home economist instead. Then later I pursued a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction. Because of that, I spent 36 years teaching at both the secondary and college levels.

I graduated from Baylor University with a Bachelor of Science Degree and have remained a loyal Bear fan to this day. I bleed green and gold. Sic ’em Bears!

I’m currently working on the Christmas book, Christmas at Stoney Creek which is based on the characters from the series The Homeward Journey.

Lena here! Thank you, Martha, and thank you, Readers. Are you ready to continue?

THE SCAVENGER HUNT CAN-DOs:

Before you go, write down this STOP 11 clue:  cooperative

WAIT! Check out this giveaway! I am giving away a Kindle copy of both Maggie’s Journey and Mary’s Blessing (Or a pdf copy of each, if you prefer). Be sure to leave a comment on this post to be a part of that giveaway. And as always on this blog, we want to know where you live, at least the state or territory.

Please come back to visit this blog often. Five days a week I interview Christian authors and help promote their books. On Saturdays, I sometimes promote Christian movies and usually have some kind of special giveaway about the movie.

Now, proceed to stop #12, Martha Roger’s site! http://www.marthasfun.blogspot.com/2014/03/can-catch-us-if-you-can-scavenger-hunt.html She has a surprise giveaway for you, too.

LOVE STAYS TRUE - Martha Rogers - One Free Book

Martha Rogers is both a long-time writing friend and a fellow Charisma/Realms author.

Welcome, Martha. Since you’re being published regularly, what new avenues will your future books take?

 I have a new series planned also set in Texas that will be about a quest for treasure left by a great-grandfather for three great-grandchildren to find who discover an even greater treasure of love.

What conferences will you be attending this year? Will you be a speaker at any of them?

I’ll be conducting two workshops at the Texas Christian Writers Conference in August here in Houston. Then I will attend the ACFW conference in Indianapolis in September.

If you were in charge of planning the panel discussion at a writing conference, what topic would the panel cover, and who would you ask to be on the panel, and why?

Several topics come to mind. If it’s for new writers, I would say a discussion of how to make manuscripts attractive to editors and how to pitch them. That panel would include authors and editors: Colleen Coble, Brandilyn Collins, Ami McConnell, Kim Moore, Sue Brower, James Scott Bell, and Randy Ingermansson would be good have on the panel.

How important is it to you to be active in writing organizations?

To me it’s very important. Making contacts with other authors, feedback from others about your work, meeting and making new friends in the writing world, and attending workshops to learn more about the craft of writing are all good reasons for being a part of a writing group, whether local or national.

Where in the community or your church do you volunteer?

We’ve been members of Houston’s First Baptist church for over 50 years. I sing in the choir, co-lead a weekly First Place 4 Health class and I’m a group leader for a weekly Bible Study, Grace Walk.

Who are the five people who have made the most impact on your life, and how?

My husband because he believed in me and my writing and supported me.

Marge Caldwell set an example of a life well-lived for Christ and gave me very good advice.

My paternal grandmother, Lella Whiteman who taught me the importance of having a personal relationship with my Lord and Savior.

DiAnn Mills because she took me under her wing and mentored me in the early days of my writing career, and she also introduced me to Kathleen Y’Barbo Turner and Janice Thompson who have become close friends of mine.

Tamela Hancock Murray, my agent, contracted me as an unknown and worked with me and believed in me all these years.

If you could write the inscription on your tombstone, what would it be?

Martha Rogers:

1936 - ??

 She lived the “Dash” well.

Tell us about the featured book.

The featured book is a fictionalized account of my great-grandparents’ love story just after the close of the Civil War. He was a POW at Point Lookout, Maryland, and the story is of his journey home to his true love, Sallie, in Louisiana. Real names, places, and events are all a part of this historical novel.

Please share the first page with us.

Point Lookout, Maryland

Monday, April 10, 1865

Cold air chilled his arms and a sharp object poked at his cheek. Manfred Whiteman reached down to pull a ragged blanket up over his arms and brushed away the straw scratching his face. A few moments later a sudden brightness aroused him again. His lids opened to a slit. Slivers of sunlight peeked through the tiny windows and dispersed the shadows of the night.

He shut his eyes against the sun’s rays, but sleep would not return. He lay still in the quiet of the new morning and sensed a difference in the air that settled over him like a cloak of peace. Raising his head, he glanced around the room. The same familiar stench of wounds, dirty hay, unwashed bodies, and death permeated the air, but in it all, the difference vibrated. Something had happened, he could sense it, but nothing unusual appeared in the confines of the prison barracks.

After being captured in the Battle of Nashville in December, he, his younger brother Edwin, and other prisoners had made the long march from Nashville to Louisville, Kentucky. From there they were transferred to Camp Chase in Ohio. Then, in the first week of February, they had been loaded onto trains like cattle and sent to Point Lookout, Maryland, a prison housing nearly fifty thousand men. Upon their arrival, the captured soldiers had been stripped of everything personal, and as the days progressed, hundreds of men died. Manfred mourned the loss of friends, but thanked the Lord every day for sparing his life, as well as the life of his brother.

 Edwin lay sleeping on the pallet next to him, curled on his side as usual. Others still slept, their snores filling the air with sound. No use in trying to sleep now. Manfred’s stomach rumbled with hunger, but most likely the only breakfast would be hard tack or biscuit.

Where can my readers find you on the Internet?

www.marthawrogers.com

Thank you, Martha, 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.

Love Stays True - Christianbook.com
Love Stays True (The Homeward Journey) - Amazon.com
Love Stays True (The Homeward Journey) - 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.

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Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com