SHE WALKS IN LOVE - MaryLu Tyndall - One Free Ebook

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

Actually, I never quite know where my writing will go or what stories God will lead me to write in the future. After I finish a book or series, I pray about it and then head in the direction of whatever the Lord puts on my heart. At the moment, after this series, I’m thinking of another time-travel book involving treasure hunting!

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?       

How to grab your reader from page 1 and keep them hooked!  I would fill the panel with the following authors: Michelle Griep, Julie Lessman, Laura Frantz, and Ronie Kendig. Why? Because they are, in my opinion, among the top authors who know how to do this.

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

Writing is a lonely profession and can often be frustrating and demoralizing. Therefore, it’s extremely important for a writer to stay connected to other writers, whether by a professional organization such as ACFW or an online group. We need the support and encouragement, believe me! It’s also nice to bounce ideas off each other.   

That is so true. Where in the community or your church do you volunteer? 

I’m not currently volunteering anywhere. I watch my 4 grandkids during the week. They are 1, 3, 4, and 5 years old, so I’m pretty busy. I guess you could say that’s my volunteering at the moment.           

And that’s so important. We are great-grandparents, and James has picked one of the great-grandsons up after school one day a week last and will this year. It’s important to both of them. Who are the five people who have made the most impact on your life, and how?

My sister because she has the biggest heart of anyone I know, and she has shown me how to be kind to the unkind. My friend Selma because she knew me BC (Before Christ) and never condemned me but loved me anyway. My mother because she taught me humility.  My good friend Mark because he has shown me what a true man of God looks like, and last but not least, Jesus, because He is my all in all, my Savior, and my Prince!            

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

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son Jesus that whosoever believes on Him will not die but have everlasting life. See you on the other side!

Tell us about the featured book.     

She Walks in Love is the 2nd book in my Protectors of the Spear trilogy, but you don’t need to read the first book to enjoy this one. The trilogy is about the Spear of Destiny, which is the Spear that stabbed Jesus on the cross, and the three ladies who are assigned to protect it. Here’s the book blurb:

Lady Cristiana D'Clere, the new protector of the Spear, is on the run from the steward of her estate, who has kept her drugged for years. All she ever wanted was to be safe, marry well, and raise a bevy of wee ones. Instead, she is far from home, chased by men intent on killing her and stealing the Spear of Christ for its incredible powers.

Sir Jarin the Just has never forgotten the woman who stirred his heart like no other. Determined to find and restore her to her proper place as Lady of Luxley Castle, he sets out on a journey fraught with more dangers than he ever could have foreseen. The biggest danger is to his heart, for he has vowed to remain unfettered and never surrender his freedom to a woman.

Though the Spear protects the couple along their journey, Cristiana must learn to trust the One whose blood stains the relic, while Jarin must learn to rely on powers far above his own knightly skills. For the dark magic that is chasing them may take all the powers of heaven to defeat.

Please share the first page with us.

“Prithee, whose wedding is it?”

“’Tis yours, my lady,” the curious maid who buzzed around Cristiana D’Clere answered.  “Do you not remember?”

Mine? Closing her eyes, Cristiana attempted to shake the fog from her mind as the maid adjusted a circlet laden with flowers, atop her head. When she opened her eyes, it was to the blurred image of a woman in a looking glass. Her? Nay, not possible.

She peered closer. Honey-streaked brown hair, braided with golden threads, tumbled over her shoulders and down her back, framing what could be considered a comely face, though a bit thin and pale. She wore an exquisite wedding gown of blue Samite silk with a jeweled belt hung about her hips. Her wide bell sleeves were embroidered in gold and embedded with glistening pearls that matched the adornment hanging about her neck. Light brown eyes—misty and vacant—stared back at her.

The maid lifted a white veil over the lady’s head and draped it down her shoulders.

Cristiana’s vision became snowy. She lifted her hand to rub her eyes, and the woman across from her did the same. Horror squeezed the breath from her lungs. She stumbled back from the looking glass as the truth sank in.

My wedding?

The maid gripped her elbow. Another woman scurried up from behind and caught her waist ere she fell. A wave of heat swamped her. One of the maids lifted her veil and set it gently atop her circlet.

“Are you all right, my lady?” Her face appeared overly large and distorted before it suddenly disappeared. Blinking, Cristiana glanced over the chamber—her chamber, the room she’d occupied alone for the past seven years.

Ever since her sister, Alexia, had abandoned her.

Light flowed in waves through the small window and over a stone floor before firing glistening arrows atop a large bed set against one wall. A table and chairs perched beside a glowing hearth, and in the corner, two large chests sat open, overflowing with all manner of fine attire.

Several women, dressed in too-fine clothing for maids, scurried about with various tasks of which Cristiana could make no sense. Some set vases of fresh flowers on the tables and mantel, others dusted and swept, some placed lit candles about, while others flung rose pedals on the bed.

Nothing, in truth, made any sense.

One of the ladies handed her a mug. “Here, my lady. A drink will settle your nerves. ’Tis normal to be nervous on your wedding day.”

The tapestries decorating the high walls spun around her.

“Who are you?”

The lady’s brow twisted. “I’m Gelda, your bridesmaid.”

Bridesmaid. “Who…who…” Cristiana took a sip of the spiced wine and attempted to draw a breath. “Where is Seraphina?”

“Your lady’s maid? Never fear, my lady. She’s about somewhere. Prithee, be at ease. We must finish getting you ready. Sir Walter will be here anon to escort you to the ceremony in the great hall.”

Setting down the cup, Cristiana gaped at the woman. Surely this was but a dream—a terrible, horrible dream. Lord knew she’d had many a nightmare the past few years. Some even whilst she was awake. Aye, that must be it. Closing her eyes, she prayed to wake up, but her head grew light again and she wobbled.

Firm hands gripped both her arms ere she fell. Mayhap ’twas not such bad news…not if she were to marry Sir Jarin the Just. Was he not her hero? Her knight? The only man who caused her heart to leap at the mere thought of him?  Besides, had she not always desired above all to be married to such a man? To be protected, cared for…cherished? Alas, why could she not recall the courtship…the engagement? She pinched the bridge of her nose, desperately trying to remember.

“Who am I to marry?” she finally asked.

Some of the ladies giggled.

Wow! What happens next? Where can my readers find you on the Internet?

Link to purchase She Walks in Love:  http://alturl.com/8846k

Website/Blog:  https://www.marylutyndall.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/marylu.tyndall.author/?ref=bookmarks

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaryLuTyndall

Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/mltyndall/

Bookbub:  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/marylu-tyndall

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

Readers, leave a comment for a chance to win a 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, 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

CHARITY'S CROSS - MaryLu Tyndall and SHATTERED MEMORIES - Debbie Lynne Costello - Two Free Books or Ebooks

Dear Readers, we have a double feature to day. My friends, MaryLu Tyndall and Debbie Lynne Costello, are introducing their new books together. Instead of interviews, we'll have interesting information about their books, a peek at their stories, and each author's bio. As always, we'll have a giveaway of each book. If the winner is in the US, the book will be a print book, and if the winner is in a foreign country, the book will be an ebook.

Welcome, MaryLu and Debbie Lynne. I'm so happy to host you here.

First we'll look at MaryLu Tyndall and her book, Charity's Cross:

Bio: Award winning and best-selling author MaryLu Tyndall describes herself as an introvert, tall ship enthusiast, friend of pirates and mermaids, obsessive-compulsive control freak, history lover, hopeless romantic, and a sword wielding princess-warrior of the King of Kings. Her books are filled with adventure and romance guaranteed to touch your heart! Her hope is that readers will not only be entertained but will be brought closer to the Creator who loves them beyond measure. In a culture that accepts the occult, wizards, zombies, and vampires without batting an eye, MaryLu hopes to show the awesome present and powerful acts of God in a dying world. She has published over seventeen novels and currently lives in California with her husband, 6 kids, 2 grandkids, and various cats.

Eleven Fun facts about me and my new book Charity’s Cross

By MaryLu Tyndall

Charity’s Cross is my 4th Independently published book (I have 16 traditionally published books before I went Indie).

I never intended to write Charity’s Cross, but after receiving so many reader emails begging me to write it, I relented.

Charity’s Cross is book 4 in my Charles Towne Belles series (originally published in 2009). However, I wrote the story in such a way so it could be read as a stand-alone without having read the other books.

I wrote Charity’s Cross while caring for my very first grandchild.

I have been writing romance novels for 13 years. Before that, I was a software engineer at IBM.

I am an introvert with a rabid fear of public speaking.

I listen to alternative rock while writing battle scenes and classical movie scores while writing romance scenes.

I had to dig deep into the psyche of an abused woman to write some of the scenes in this book. Not fun, I can tell you.

Chocolate and popcorn are my go-to snacks while writing.

Charity’s Cross is a sort-of crossover book between my Legacy of the King’s Pirates series and my Charles Towne Belles series, containing characters from both family lines.

The most important thing to me when writing any book is that God is glorified and readers are brought closer to Him through the pages.

Charity’s Cross Back cover copy:

Suspected of killing her husband, Charity Westcott flees on the first ship out of Portsmouth, England, heading for the colonies. Loathing all men after her abusive marriage, she hopes to reunite with her family in Charles Towne, but the ship ends up in Nassau. When she spots her husband’s brother, who is intent on seeing her hang, boarding her ship, she jumps overboard. 

Pirate turned preacher, Elias Dutton, must get to Barbados as soon as possible. His sister is in danger, and his parents have charged him with her safety. He cannot let them down—again.  But after rescuing a madcap woman from the bay, he now finds himself tricked into masquerading as her husband so they both can procure passage to Barbados.

Pirates, storms, shipwreck, and betrayal threaten to delay the couple in their journey even as sparks fly between them. With her brother-in-law in fast pursuit, the last thing Charity wants is help from a man, especially a religious one, but she has no choice. After Elias’s heart was broken by a sordid woman who nearly ruined his life, he seeks a woman pure as the virgin sands of the Caribbean. He believes he has found such a woman in Charity. Until he discovers she is a murderer and is now faced with two choices: letting her go or turning her in to the authorities.

MaryLu Links

Amazon link to buy Charity’s Cross: http://bit.ly/CharityCrossAmazon

MaryLu Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/marylu.tyndall.author/

MaryLu Twitter page: https://twitter.com/MaryLuTyndall

MaryLu Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mltyndall/

MaryLu Blog and Website:  http://www.marylutyndall.com

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

Charity's Cross (Charles Towne Belles) (Volume 4) - paperback
Charity's Cross - Kindle

And now we're going to check out Debbie Lynne and her book:

Bio: Debbie Lynne Costello has enjoyed writing stories since she was eight years old. She

raised her family and then embarked on her own career of writing the stories that had been

begging to be told. She and her husband have four children and live in upstate South Carolina.

She has worked in many capacities in her church and is currently the Children’s director. Debbie

Lynne has shown and raised Shetland sheepdogs for eighteen years and still enjoys litters now

and then. In their spare time, She and her husband enjoy camping and riding their Arabian and

Tennessee Walking horses.

How Shattered Memories intertwines with Charleston history

In 1886 after some mild earth rumblings, Charleston, South Carolina, was hit with a 7.0+ earthquake that twisted the earth so severely that waterlines broke leaving people without water and gas lines fractured, causing widespread fires.

Very few buildings escaped either total destruction or major damage. Many of the buildings that were salvageable were fitted with earthquake bolts. These are long rods with a washer and nut on the end that runs through both walls of the building. So many buildings and even hospitals were damaged as the ground shifted and rumbled. In Shattered Memories, my hero’s family sets up a makeshift hospital when all the local hospitals are damaged beyond use.

Wires were cut and railroad tracks twisted from the quake, leaving Charleston and its close neighbors temporarily cut off from the world.

An estimated 14,000 chimneys fell from the earthquake and nearly every building had severe damage. My heroine, Olivia experiences this devastation when she returns to her family’s home and finds it in shambles.

Structural damage was reported as far away as Alabama, central Ohio, eastern Kentucky, southern Virginia, and western West Virginia.

Although most numbers say 66 deaths were attributed to the quake, it is hard to know for sure what the true amount was. Due to poor accounting of people, there seems to be a question of how accurate the numbers are. There were people counted who were already sick but it was said their death was hastened from fright of the quake. Then there were the deaths that occurred instantly, and the deaths that came over time as a result of injuries sustained. So a true count will never be known. However, I found numbers as low as 50 and high as 500. Just as the real people of the Charleston earthquake struggled with loss, my characters face the deaths of family and friends.

Doctors saw wide varieties of injuries from the disaster. My hero, Drew, is a doctor as is his father and brothers. His family works hard to treat victims of the earthquake while comforting them through their loss and pain.

The total damage was in excess of 5.5 million dollars (112 million in today's market). Despite South Carolina’s leading role in the Civil War, the country rallied around Charleston and sent aid to help in its rebuilding. In 14 months, Charleston had rebuilt its city.

The people behind my characters in Shattered Memories

Most of my characters come from within my head. I can ask myself what if—and then see how my character responds. As I go through visualizing how they react to different circumstances and questions, I learn my character. It usually takes about 3 chapters for me to truly get to know who they are and before I am comfortable with them. Those first 3 chapters are sometimes slow to write because I’m not sure how they are going to respond to things or how their dialogue with others will progress. I want to keep them true to who I visualize in my head. The more I write the more I know them and know what their response is going to be. I think I can say that all of my characters have something, whether it’s a habit, trait, look, or belief comes from someone I have met, seen, or know.

But the characters of Shattered Memories are a little bit closer to home. Each of the Warwick children has traits of one of my own children. It was fun to mold the characters with a child in mind. Now that isn’t to say my characters are my children. Sweet mercy! They’d tar and feather me if I did that. But I tried to pick out things about them (my children) which would resonate with my character and then I developed the personality from there.

I hope as you read this story that the people within the book will come to life and you’ll somehow connect with them, feeling their pain, uncertainty, turmoil, as well as their relief, discoveries, and happiness. I hope the setting will be real and you will walk through the streets with each of these characters, seeing the devastation and experiencing what they experienced.

But above all I hope you walk away with some nugget that brings you closer to our Lord and Savior. 

Shattered Memories Back Cover Copy:

Olivia Macqueen wakes in a makeshift hospital, recovering from a head injury. With amnesia stealing a year of her memories, she has trouble discerning between lies and truth. When her memories start returning in bits and pieces, she must keep up the charade of amnesia until she can find out the truth behind the embezzlement of her family’s business while evading the danger lurking around her.

Doctor Drew Warwick frantically searches through the rubble left by the Charleston earthquake for the lady who owns his heart. He finds her injured and lifeless. When she regains consciousness, the doctor’s hopes are dashed as he realizes she doesn’t remember him. But things only get worse after he discovers she believes she’s still engaged to the abusive scoundrel, Lloyd Pratt. Now Drew is on a race with the wedding clock to either help her remember or win her heart again before she marries the wrong man.

Debbie Lynne's Links:

Website: www.debbielynnecostello.com

Blog: www.theswordandspirit.blogspot.com - www.HHHistory.com

Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/debbielynne1/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9458076.Debbie_Lynne_Costello  

Google Plus:  https://plus.google.com/u/0/+DebbieLynneCostello/posts

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/debbielynnecostello

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DebiLynCostello

Purchase Shattered Memories:  http://www.amazon.com/Debbie-Lynne-

Costello/e/B00TRT6RYS/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1 

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book or ebook. Please tell us if you like reading books about pirates and natural disasters. 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

THE RECKONING - MaryLu Tyndall - One Free Book

Dear Readers, I’ve known MaryLu for a long time. We both started being published by the same publisher, but at different times. She writes wonderful sea-faring adventures that keep the readers attention until the last word of the last page. And her stories stay with you for a long time. I love featuring her on my blog.

BIO: Award winning author MaryLu Tyndall dreamt of pirates and sea-faring adventures during her childhood days on Florida's Coast. With more than fourteen books published, she makes no excuses for the spiritual themes embedded within her romantic adventures. Her hope is that readers will not only be entertained but will be brought closer to the Creator who loves them beyond measure. In a culture that accepts the occult, wizards, zombies, and vampires without batting an eye, MaryLu hopes to show the awesome present and powerful acts of God in a dying world. A Christy award nominee, MaryLu makes her home with her husband, six children, and several stray cats on the California coast.

Welcome back, MaryLu. 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?

You are so right! Neither this book or any other book of mine would have seen the light of day if not for a host of people helping me along. Many many thanks go to Ravven, my cover designer. Isn’t she fabulous? To Rel Mollet, my editor. She did a wonderful job “fixing” all the whoopsies in the manuscript. To Debbie Mitchell, who volunteered to read the book in its “raw” state, and who always offers me great encouragement! And last, but never least, to Michelle Griep, author extraordinaire and friend, who critiqued the manuscript. (We often swap our manuscripts) I also want to thank my readers and influencers who’ve encouraged me along by their excitement and kind words, and to all my friends like you, Lena, who help me spread the word. Thank you!

It’s my great pleasure to do so. If you teach or speak. What’s coming up on your calendar?

I’m co-teaching a writer’s retreat in August set in a gorgeous cabin on beautiful Lake Tahoe. It’s a four day intensive one-on-one writer’s workshop for intermediate to advanced writers. Susanne Lakin, my good friend and excellent author, is the other teacher. Should be fun!

Sounds like it. If you had to completely start over in another place, where would you move, and why?

Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands or anywhere tropical that is part of the US! I’m sure there must have been mermaids in my family line because I love to swim, snorkel, surf, and sail in the warm turquoise sea! (Hey, those all start with s!)

Yes, they do. If you could only tell aspiring novelists one thing, what would it be?

Write the story God puts on your heart, not what the market says will sell, then study the craft of writing, read great books, and work harder than you ever thought possible.

You’ve been asked to be in charge of a celebrity cruise. Who would you ask to take part, and why? (AS in what program, singers, etc. [it doesn’t have to be writing related])

I’m one of those strange people who really don’t care much for celebrities, at least most of them. I think the real heroes of this world are the men and women on the front lines in the wars going on in the Middle East, and missionaries spreading the Gospel in dangerous foreign lands. So, I would invite both military people and missionaries to my cruise. Heck, they could probably use the rest and relaxation more than anyone!

You are so right. I have a grandson who just got out of the military this last week after at least ten years service. And the first time James and I went on a cruise, we took a missionary couple with us. Tell us about the featured book.

The Reckoning is a time travel romance that transports a young American 21st century girl back 300 years onto a pirate ship! It’s full of romance, excitement, danger, and humor. The overall theme is trusting God when life is out of control!

Here’s what the back cover says:

When Morgan Shaw crept into the hold of an old pirate ship replica at San Diego’s Annual Tall Ship Festival, her only intention was to avoid the guy who had just dumped her and who was now boarding the ship with two women on his arm. What she didn’t expect was to wake up aboard a real pirate ship three-hundred years in the past. But of course, it wasn’t real. Her wealthy father had obviously staged it all in an effort to get her mind off her upcoming chemo. Or had he?

Pirate Rowan Dutton seeks enough treasure to repay a debt to his sister and reinstate the Dutton name among British Jamaican Society. He is but one major haul away from accomplishing his goal when a strange woman appears on his ship and causes him to lose his prey. Despite his anger, he is enthralled with the little minx, her strange clothing, odd speech, and her insistence that they are all actors playing a charade paid for by her father.

Yet when the brazen little lady divulges Rowan’s secret to a longtime nemesis, events are triggered that could cost them both their lives and change the course of history forever.

Sounds intriguing. I’m actually reading your mermaid book right now, so please give us the first page of The Reckoning.

San Diego, California, August 2015

"Did you hear me? I have cancer." Morgan Shaw repeated the dreaded words to her boyfriend Jason, who sat beside her on the sticky metal bench. From the look on his face, she supposed the middle of San Diego's crowded annual Tall Ship Festival was not the best place to convey the horrid news. She'd been trying to tell him for two weeks, but he'd always been too busy with his job tending bar, too distracted with memorizing lines for one of his many auditions ... or just too plain drunk.

No doubt the condition he'd soon be in if he didn't stop gulping down the Mojito he held so fondly in his hands. He took another swig and stared at her again, his baby-blues pools of shock and ... dismay? Not sorrow, not horror ... not even concern.

He squeezed the plastic cup holding his precious alcohol. It made a crackling sound even above the chatter and buzz of people passing by, the lap of waves, and the bells ringing from boats in San Diego Bay.

"Are you going to die?" he finally asked, pressing fingers to his perfectly-moussed dark hair while nodding at an attractive woman who smiled at him as she passed by.

A sharp pain stabbed Morgan at his callous tone. Even the doctor had been more tactful. Hepatocellular carcinoma, he had said. Liver cancer, stage 3C. With chemo and radiation, she had a good chance of surviving. But she'd spotted the pity in his eyes, and when she arrived home, the Internet provided the true survival rate—less than thirty percent.

"Everyone's going to die," she returned, shifting out of the hot sun.

"Are you gonna have to go through chemo and lose your hair?" He studied her as if assessing how ugly she would be.

"Maybe." She dabbed the perspiration on her neck. "Yes, I guess. I go for my first session on Tuesday."

Why, oh why, had she allowed him to talk her into coming to this stupid festival? She hated these old boats anyway. And she didn't much care for the sea either. Last year when she'd gone whale watching, she'd spent the entire four hours puking her guts over the side of the boat. But Jason loved historical sailing boats and had bought tickets to this weekend event two months in advance. So, they'd grabbed Morgan's roommate, Tiffany, and her boyfriend Brad, and made a day of it.

Speaking of ... where was Tiffany anyway? She and Brad had gone off to the nearest bar for take-out drinks forty minutes ago. Though her roommate's cheerleader-type exuberance normally grated on Morgan, she sure could use her help now with Jason. If only to untie the knot of tension forming between them.

By the way he was chewing his lip and glancing around, Morgan thought he might bolt. She'd expected shock. She'd expected it would take time for the news to sink in. But she'd also expected a speck of care, of concern, and perhaps even a willingness to help. After all, they'd been "dating" for nearly six months now. She still had to pinch herself to believe that the coolest, best-looking guy in San Diego had chosen her—plain, nerdy, control-freak Morgan. He'd said he'd grown tired of the model-types and wanted a woman with intellect, someone like her, the lead software engineer at Qualcomm Holographic Industries. Morgan couldn't have been more thrilled. Jason was good-looking, smart, and going places. He had a way about him that made her feel special, cherished, something she'd never felt before. Yes, being his girlfriend definitely hiked her confidence up a notch and made it worth dealing with some not-so-pleasant aspects of their relationship. As in not seeing him the past two weeks due to his job at the FLUXX, and his insistence that flirting with patrons was just part of his job. "How could she expect other women not to notice his good looks?" he had said. Those good looks, along with his talent, were going to make him a fortune when Hollywood discovered him. And she'd be right by his side when that happened. Or so he said.

Yet as he gulped down the rest of his Mojito and avoided her eyes, Morgan feared his promises were as fleeting as the hot wind blasting over her.

A man dressed like a pirate walked by and winked at her. Across the popcorn-strewn path, a vendor selling cotton candy handed a sticky pink glob to a small boy, who immediately dove in with his entire face, much to his mother's dismay. Behind Morgan, the creak of an old boat, the Star of India, if she remembered, mimicked the ache in her heart.

She suddenly felt so terribly alone.

I can’t wait to finish the book I’m reading so I can start this one. Where can we find you on the Internet?

Website: http://www.marylutyndall.com

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/marylu.tyndall.author

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaryLuTyndall

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mltyndall/

Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/u/0/104594006329583771780/posts

Thank you, MaryLu for sharing this new book with us. I know my blog readers will love it, too.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
The Reckoning (Legacy of the King's Pirates) (Volume 5) - Paperback
The Reckoning (Legacy of the King's Pirates Book 5) - 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 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

ABANDONED MEMORIES - MaryLu Tyndall - One Free Book

Readers, I read this book last week, and I loved it. As with many series, the last book is the best, but it’s always best if you read the other two in order. You learn the depth of the other two sets of main characters that way. Book one is Forsaken Dreams, the second Elusive Hope.

I’ve loved every MaryLu Tyndall book. She writes exciting stories with lots of twists and turns, then plays them out across an tapestry of vivid setting that is authentic to the time period and place. Her characters are multi-dimensional and always grab my heart.

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

Actually, this is the third and final book in my Escape to Paradise Series, so the storyline flows along from the first two books. The entire series I pitched as LOST meets Gone with the Wind. It’s the story of a group of Southerners who flee after they lost the Civil War and sail for Brazil in the hopes of starting a new Southern Utopia. The overall arching theme is that God predestined each one of them to come to Brazil for a specific task. Each of the six main character’s lives are intertwined in ways they could never have predicted but ways which led them to Brazil at a certain time and place for a certain purpose.

Each book follows the romance of two of the characters, and in Abandoned Memories we watch how the Doctor who is terrified of blood falls for the woman with a sordid past. We also find out why God drew the colonists to Brazil and what does it have to do with gold and an evil temple and visions which haunt them. Exciting stuff!

Yes, it is. A book that is hard to put down. If you were planning a party with Christian authors of contemporary fiction, what six people would you invite and why?

Irene Hannon because I recently discovered her great suspense books

Ronie Kendig. Love love love her military suspense!

Francine Rivers because I haven’t met a Francine Rivers book I didn’t like

Joel Rosenberg because I’d like to hear his perspective on End Times and Israel

Ted Dekker because he’d definitely add an entertaining element to the party

Camy Tang because she’s just plain cool

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

Laurie Alice Eakes because she’s one of the best writers I know

Michelle Gripe because she promised me a sword fight

You because you’re such a sweet encourager!

Julie Lessman because we are twin sisters separated at birth

Laura Frantz because I love her heart for the Lord

Lori Benton because she’s one of my new favorite authors

Thank you for including me in that list with authors I also admire. 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?

Many people may not know this but Abandoned Memories is my last contracted book with a traditional publisher. I’ve started self-publishing my books and already have one out, The Ransom, and another in the works. This is a very exciting time for authors because we have so many more choices now than we used to have and a lot more freedom. My most difficult problem I struggle with now is learning the ropes of managing my own career. But, honestly, I’m having fun doing it!

My readers are familiar with The Ransom, because we’ve featured it on the blog already. I loved it as well. Tell us about the featured book.

As I said above, Abandoned Memories is book 3 in my Escape to Paradise series. It isn’t necessary that you read the first two, but I recommend it because all the main characters flow through the three stories. However, I don’t think it would be too hard to catch up with what’s happening. Here’s the back cover blurb.

It is 1866 and the fledgling Confederate colony of New Hope is Angeline Moore’s last chance at a normal life. Running from the law, she longs to make a fresh start in this new Southern Utopia. But a series of strange disasters threaten to destroy everything the colonists have worked for, and strange visions threaten to reveal a past Angeline is desperate to hide.

James Callaway failed at both doctoring and preaching, but he hopes that his move to Brazil will give him another chance to become the spiritual leader he so desires. He longs to create a world free from the immorality that plagued every street corner back home and ruined his life. And he believes Angeline is just the sort of refined woman he needs to keep him on the right track.

But something is amiss in New Hope: haunting visions, the discovery of crypts beneath an ancient temple, and an archaic Hebrew book, set the colonists’ fears on edge. When one of their own is murdered, a series of disasters leads them to believe God has brought them to Brazil to defeat an evil that, if unleashed, could wreak havoc on the entire world.

I especially loved the spiritual warfare aspect of this series. Please give us the first page of the book.

October 18th, 1866 The jungles of Brazil

The ground shook like a ship in a sea squall. Dirt and rocks pelted Angeline ... striking ... stinging. Her heart seized. Covering her head, she spun and staggered back the way she’d come—up toward the tunnel entrance and into the temple, where at least she wouldn’t be buried alive. Unless the roof of the ancient shrine caved in. A violent jolt struck, launching her against the rock wall as if she were made of paper. Pain radiated up her arm. Her legs quivered like the ground beneath them, and she fell onto the shifting dirt.

The hand that engulfed hers was rough like old rope, powerful, yet warm. An equally powerful arm swung around her waist as tremors wracked the tunnels. “Hang on. You’re safe,” James spoke in her ear, covering her head with his own. Pebbles rained down on them. Coughing, Angeline flung a hand to her mouth when the quaking finally stopped.

She drew a deep breath, her lungs filling with dust scented with spice and man and James. And standing there, ensconced in his embrace, fears that had risen so quickly when the ground had begun to shake suddenly vanished. She hated herself for it. She pushed from him. The stench of sulfur and mold instantly swept away his masculine aroma and resurrected her terror.

James stared at her oddly while he said to the men, “I told you we should not have brought the women.”

Brushing dirt from her skirts, Eliza, who stood in front of them with her husband, Blake, turned to face him. “You had no say in it, Doctor. We insisted. Did we not?” She smiled at Angeline. “There’s nothing to fear from a little shaking.”

Angeline wasn’t so sure. But then again, she didn’t possess Eliza’s courage and strength. Few women did. Those qualities, along with a multitude of others, were the reason Angeline admired her friend so much—the reason she’d cast aside her fears and agreed to venture into the eerie temple they’d found in the middle of the Brazilian jungle.

And then down into the tunnels beneath.

Yet at the moment, Eliza looked as if someone had dumped a bucket of chalk powder on her head. If Angeline weren’t so frightened, she’d giggle at the sight. But her alarm at being so far below ground during an earthquake stifled any laughter. She never should have come along. The men had insisted on investigating a loud explosion they’d heard last night that had shaken the ground all the way to their settlement of New Hope. When they feared it came from the temple, Eliza’s concern for Mr. Graves mounted, but now that Angeline had seen the ancient ruin and experienced the stink and heat of the narrow tunnels that spanned beneath it, she wondered why anyone would want to return. Or live here, as Mr. Graves had done since they’d arrived in Brazil.

Mr. Graves was one of the reasons Angeline had joined them today—to witness for herself the madman “digging his way to hell,” according to some of the colonists’ reports. Exaggerated reports, she was sure, but after Eliza had regaled her with further tales of gruesome obelisks, prison alcoves hewn in rock, strange Latin and Hebrew inscriptions, and Graves’s obsession with releasing powerful, invisible creatures, Angeline’s curiosity had gotten the best of her—regardless of James’s insistence that she remain in town. Or maybe because of it. Angeline grew tired of men dictating her. Telling her how to live and what to do and how to behave.

And using her like a dried-up commodity.

So, she’d come. And now, despite the heat and the terror and the pain, the look of approval in Eliza’s eyes made it all worth it. Almost.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Website/Blog: http://marylutyndall.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/221955524678618/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaryLuTyndall

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/mltyndall/

Thank you, MaryLu, 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.
Abandoned Memories - Christianbook.com
Abandoned Memories: (Escape to Paradise) - Amazon
Abandoned Memories (Escape to Paradise) - 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 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 RANSOM - MaryLu Tyndall - On Free Book or Ebook

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

I’m the prodigal child who ran away from God at a young age and spent years in dissipated living in the world doing all the things that I thought would bring me happiness and give me meaning. But much like the prodigal son in the Bible, I woke up one day and found myself in a pig sty. My life was a mess, a big, giant mess. My marriage was failing, my teenage kids were rebelling, I hated my job, and I was aging. I actually wanted to die. Instead, I picked up my old Bible, dusted it off, and began to read. Somewhere in prophecies of Ezekiel, I realized that the words of a prophet who lived some 2000 years ago were coming true in my day and age in the land of Israel. A light flickered deep in my soul, and I gazed up to heaven and said, “You’re real.” Up to that point, I hadn’t really believed God was there. His Spirit fell upon me in that moment, and I’ve never been the same.

That’s our powerful God! You’re planning a writing retreat where you can only have four other authors. Who would they be and why?

Julie Lessman because we are surely twins separated at birth and our parents never told us.

Michelle Griep because she’s super quirky and my writing buddy.

Laurie Alice Eakes because she’s a brilliant writer and a good friend.

Ronie Kendig because she’s just plain cool.

Do you have a speaking ministry? If so, tell us about that.

My husband might say yes to that question since I tend to talk his ear off, but no, I don’t speak professionally.

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! Lots of people dream about writing a book but very few actually sit down and write the entire thing. It’s hard work. If they are serious, they need to start learning the craft of writing, take classes, read books, attend conferences. Then get a great idea and plant their behind in a chair and write.

Tell us about the featured book.

The Ransom is the sequel to my best-selling Legacy of the King’s Pirates series, but you don’t have to have read the prior books to enjoy this one. Here’s the back cover blurb.

Port Royal, Jamaica 1692

Living in a city deemed the wickedest in the world is no easy task for Miss Juliana Dutton. To make matters worse, with an ailing father and a drunken fool for a brother, she is forced to take over the running of the family business in order to survive. When a meddlesome suitor threatens to discover her secret and cast them all onto the streets, she agrees to a spurious engagement with the town buffoon, Lord Munthrope. She only hopes the man is trustworthy.

The Pirate Earl, Alexander Hyde, son of the infamous Captain Edmund Merrick Hyde, is the most feared pirate in Port Royal. Disillusioned with the religion of his parents and the pleasures of the world, Alex staves off his emptiness by leading a dual life to hide his deepest secrets.

A long-time enemy is out to destroy Alex and take Juliana for his own. Struggling to maintain her faith in the Divine, Juliana faces her problems bravely, but the harder she tries, the more it seems everything is working against her. Unwittingly, she and her weak fiancé become entangled in the hostility between  the Pirate Earl and his enemy, while even more dangerous forces are rising up to destroy them all.

Please give us the first page of the book.

The Cat and the Fiddle Tavern, Port Royal, Jamaica

March 1692

Murk, mire, and mayhem. ’Twas the only fitting description for the punch house in which Juliana Dutton found herself. No, not found herself. She had come here on purpose, passed through the display of debauchery once on her way to the brothel beyond, and now, yet again, on her way back to the street. Only this time, the room overflowed with patrons—if patrons was a fitting term for the slovenly-attired men and women guzzling their drinks amidst shouts and curses and a discordant fiddle. What had she been thinking?

But she had to make sure one last time that her friend Abilene was not among the dissolute cullions flooding the room—that the woman had not been hiding when Juliana had passed through before. Or worse, swallowed up in the arms of some foul ruffian. Yet, as Juliana peered from beneath the hood of her cloak, cringing at the visions that met her eyes, her friend was nowhere in sight.

What was apparently in sight was her. Dozens of glazed eyes fastened upon her as she wove through tables laden with mugs of Kill-Devil rum, card games, flickering lanterns, and plates brimming with roasted boar and fish pudding. The scent of food joined the odors of sweat, smoke, and bitter spirits, creating a stench that would keep the Devil himself away. Though, from the befouled language and equally befouled sights, it appeared he was already present.

The ensuing whistles and lewd invitations proved her assumption correct. Air fled her lungs. Gripping her throat, she hurried toward the door. A chair slid in her path. A man rose before her, brashly eyeing her from the hood of her cloak to the tips of her red mules. A brace of pistols crossed a chest the size of England adorned with a red doublet trimmed in metallic lace. Two formidable swords hung from each hip. A scar on his neck disappeared behind a stained cravat that bubbled over his shirt like the ale foaming on his mustache.

Pirate.

I can’t wait until my copy arrives to read the rest. How can readers find you on the Internet?

http://www.marylutyndall.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marylu.tyndall.author

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaryLuTyndall

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/mltyndall/

Blog: http://crossandcutlass.blogspot.com/

Thank you, MaryLu for sharing this new pirate book with us.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
The Ransom: Legacy of the King's Pirates - Christianbook.com
The Ransom: Legacy of the King's Pirates - Amazon
The Ransom (Legacy of the King's Pirates) - Kindle

Christian Book Store

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Print book if winner is in the US, ebook if the winner isn't. 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 

VEIL OF PEARLS - MaryLu Tyndall - One Free Book

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

I was daydreaming, praying, thinking about my favorite city, Charleston, South Carolina—about the injustice of slavery and what a wide gulf there was between the slaves and the wealthy landowners and the idea just popped into my head: what would happen if a runaway slave and the son of a plantation owner fell madly in love? And what if the slave didn’t appear black and the young man didn’t know who she was? Well, you can see how that idea just shot fireworks through my brain!

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

Ronie Kendig – because her books make me swoon and sit on the edge of my seat at the same time (which can be quite dangerous)

Camy Tang – she’s a dear friend and a blast to hang out with

Karen Kingsbury – I want to know her secret to success

Ted Dekker – I want to know if he’s as weird and spooky as his books

Terri Blackstock – she frightens me, but in a good way!

Joel Rosenberg – must pick his brain about what’s going on in the Middle East

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

Julie Lessman – because we must have been twins separated at birth!

Laurie Alice Eakes – she’s the smartest lady I know and super interesting to talk to

Louise M. Gouge – a dear friend whose writing is so eloquent, it puts mine to shame

Julie Klassen – I must know her secret to winning all those Christy awards!

Mary Connealy – she makes me laugh!

Wanda Brunstetter – she’s the dearest, sweetest, most Godly author I know.

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?

Pressure. Lots of pressure. When you’re unpublished, your only goal is to please one publisher enough to catch their attention and possibly get a contract. When you’ve got multiple books out there, there is a certain expectation from readers, reviewers, and publishers that each book is at least as good as the last, if not better! The last thing we authors want to do is disappointed our readers! And we definitely don’t want to disappoint our publishers with low sales numbers or we may never see another book contract again. Talk about stress! Be careful what you wish for, right?

Tell us about the featured book.

Can I just insert the video trailer here. It’s so awesome and describes the book perfectly! 

Please give us the first page of the book.

Barbados, the Caribbean, December 10, 1811

If Althea got caught, Sir Walter would whip her to death. It was why her heart hammered in her chest and her breath seized in her throat. It was why she stood at the top of the stairway unable to move. Darkness coated the main corridors of the house like molasses, so thick it nearly forced her backward down the long hall to her chamber. Where she belonged. Where she was usually locked behind a bolted door. But not tonight.

Not ever again.

Taking a deep breath, she pressed her valise against her chest with one hand, gripped the banister with the other, and began her descent. She slid her boots over marble, feeling for the edge of each tread, careful to not jangle the chains around her ankles. Careful to not even breathe too loudly lest she awaken anyone and her only chance to escape—the chance she’d planned for years—would dissipate like her childhood had the day she’d arrived on this plantation.

Her shackles rattled. She cringed. Slowly now. Take your time. Her breath huddled in her throat. She slid down another step. The tread creaked. The sound echoed through the house like an alarm. She halted, listening. Only her ragged breathing filled the air. No, wait, voices—whispers. But at well past two in the morning, all the servants and slaves should be asleep. She inhaled silently. No, it was just the wind whisking past the window panes. Warning her to go back to her prison or cheering her onward, she couldn’t tell which.

Starting down again, she rounded the curved stairway. Firelight coming from the parlor licked the foyer tile, evidence that the ravenous monster slept within. Sir Walter Miles. Althea had amused him with rum and sweet smiles until he toppled like a felled tree onto the sofa.

She eased down the rest of the stairs, then halted before the open parlor door, bracing herself to hear his voice—his insolent, mad voice, beckoning her. Or worse doling out some cruel punishment for being out of her room at night.

But instead, all she heard were his snores, deep and blubbering as they always were when he was besotted. The smell of rum and smoke bit her nose. Perspiration spilled down her back. Slipping past the parlor, she clipped the ring of keys from her belt—the ones she’d used to open her chamber door—and set them on the side table. She only wished they’d held the key to unlock her shackles as well. A tall shadow on her left gave her a start. Pressing a palm over her heart, she brushed past the grandfather clock, its tick-tock tick-tock hurrying her along, reminding her she hadn’t much time to escape. Thunder rumbled in the distance. She stopped at the front door. Normally, there would be a guard on the other side as there was at each exit of the house. But tonight, Althea had overheard Sir Walter order the man to accompany the overseer into Bridgetown for an early morning slave auction. He’d already been well into his cups by then and had failed to post another servant there.

Or at least she hoped he had forgotten.

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

Website: http://www.marylutyndall.com

Blog: http://crossandcutlass.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/MaryLu-Tyndall-Swashbuckling-Romance/175344859169475

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/MaryLuTyndall

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/mltyndall/

Thank you, MaryLu, for this peek into your life and your new book.


Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Veil of Pearls - paperback
Veil of Pearls - 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