BEES IN THE BUTTERFLY GARDEN - Maureen Lang - One Free Book

Bio:

Maureen Lang writes stories inspired by a love of history and romance. An avid reader herself, she’s figured out a way to write the stories she feels like reading. Maureen’s Inspirationals have earned various writing distinctions as a finalist for the Rita, Christy, and Carol Awards. In addition to investigating various eras in history (such as Victorian England, First World War, and America’s Gilded Age) Maureen loves taking research trips to get a feel for the settings of her novels. She lives in the Chicago area with her husband, children, and Labrador retriever.

Why did you become an author?

I’ve been writing stories since I was ten, so I think that means storytelling is just part of who I am. But I did make the decision to pursue publication, which is perhaps different from an innate desire to tell stories. For me, I wanted the widest possible audience and the validation that comes with publication. I’ve been touched by stories my entire life, and I hope to touch other lives with my stories. That emotional connection from a well-crafted tale is a big part of why I wanted to join the publishing field as a creator of that emotional connectivity.

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

I’d be a restaurant critic that would appeal to the average person, not especially sophisticated but honest and able to communicate the various flavors I’d experience. I doubt there is much money to be made in such a job, unless I was a syndicated columnist—and I guess the real “dream” part of the job would be not gaining any weight from eating all the time! I love going to a new restaurant but I’m never satisfied with tasting only one thing on the menu. I’d love to have someone offer me a little taste of everything, and to share what’s good (or not) about each new taste.

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

I believe I’m more enamored of the idea of history than actually wanting to be part of it. If I really had to choose to go back, I don’t think I’d go very far. I’m too spoiled by modern conveniences (flushing toilets, for example). However, if I could visit just long enough to see what life was really like in another era, I’d choose the Victorian times (better known as the Gilded Age here in America). People were so . . . polite! Everyone still expected people to have some kind of faith, and even though I’m sure the clothing was incredibly uncomfortable, it was so lovely I’d have liked to see crowds everywhere dressed so wonderfully.

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

Believe it or not, I’ve never been to the Grand Canyon! I’d love to visit there.

I haven’t either. Maybe we could go together. How about a foreign country you hope to visit?

I’ve never been to the city of Prague, which is in the Czech Republic. I’m told that because it was never bombed during either of the World Wars that it’s somewhat similar to Belgium’s city of Brugge, which I have been to and loved. Brugge has many buildings that date back to the 12^th century—incredible to behold! I’d love to have that experience in another city, and from what I hear, Prague promises to provide that.

What lesson has the Lord taught you recently?

That He has given me many tasks to complete while I’m here on this earth. I’d sometimes get frustrated when other things got in the way of my writing, as if writing was the only mission He had for me. But the truth is my life isn’t just about writing! I have a disabled son who needs full time care, and God has taught me that He’s given me this gift to write so I can take care of my son (and not work outside the home). My care-giving responsibilities don’t hinder my writing duties; God has given me the blessing of writing to go hand-in-hand with my other duties. I used to have my priorities backward. Being a caregiver is more important to God than my other work, because He’s a bigger fan of my son than He is of my books. J

Tell us about the featured book.

Bees In The Butterfly Garden is one of the most fun books I’ve worked on so far! It’s the story of Meg Davenport, who was raised in a fictitious but exclusive school for girls in the Gilded Age. Upon the death of her father, Meg learns he wasn’t the respectable businessman she believed him to be, but was really a thief. Determined to prove he’d been wrong to shut her away from who he really was all those years, Meg persuades (coerces) her father’s protégé, Ian Maguire, to accept her partnership and take up where her father left off. Ian knows the last thing her father would have wanted was for Meg to become a thief—but when she offers access to one of New York’s wealthiest families, he ignores his guilt and gives in to his greed. But who will catch Meg and Ian first? The Law? Or God?

Sounds totally intriguing. Please give us the first page of the book.

Prologue

A young lady of impeccable decorum never appears outside her home unchaperoned, uncoiffed, ungloved, or unhappy. —Madame Marisse’s Handbook for Young Ladies

April 1879

Along the Upper Post Road, Connecticut

Freezing rain pelted Meg Davenport. Though her cloak was thoroughly sodden, along with the hem of her gingham skirt, she refused to think about her misery. This is my last chance. All the blasted rain in the sky won’t stop me now.

         A glimmer of warm hope stirred inside when she peered ahead instead of watching her own slippery steps. People, horses, carriages. She’d jumped from the back of a farm wagon nearly a mile ago when it had turned off the main road, and here at last was her first destination—the roadhouse near the train station.

         Meg hurried into the modest one-story building, squeezing through the crowd but keeping her hood so low that she could barely scout an opening in the room. Though she wanted to, she wouldn’t dare remove her wet cloak. She’d promised herself not to take any risk of being seen, at least not until reaching safe anonymity in the thick of New York City.

         So she clutched her travel bag to her chest and pressed on, hoping to find a spot against the wall. She didn’t worry her satchel would be grabbed as much as she feared that dropping it would mean certain trampling in an effort to retrieve it.

         It was warmer in here than waiting outside for the train; there was no doubt about that. But the smell of the place almost sent her back out anyway. Besides the odor of smoky wood from a fireplace and burnt onions from the kitchen, smells of many other sorts came from those who, like her, had sought shelter from an icy April rain. Such smells as Meg had never, in all her fourteen years, been subjected to. Unwashed bodies simply weren’t tolerated, even among the school staff with whom Meg was rarely allowed to mingle. How long would she have to wait for the train to take her on the next leg of her journey?

      Journey. The word tripped her thoughts. Flight was more fitting.

(Chapter One picks up after the rest of the Prologue, four years later when Meg is all grown up . . . and ready to take her father’s place as New York’s most successful thief.)

My copy has arrived, and I must get to it soon. How can readers find you on the Internet?

My blog is on my website, which I update every Monday.

www.maureenlang.com

I also blog every other Wednesday at Christians Read, a blog hosted by a variety of Christian authors.

http://christiansread.wordpress.com/

Thanks very much for having me, Lena! I always love visiting your popular blog.

And I love having you come by, Maureen.

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

Bees in the Butterfly Garden (The Gilded Legacy) - paperback
Bees in the Butterfly Garden (The Gilded Legacy) - 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

SPRINGTIME OF THE SPIRIT - Maureen Lang - Free Book

So glad to have you back, Maureen. How did you come up with the idea for this story?


When I proposed a Great War series to my publisher, we knew each story would be set in Europe. I thought a logical backdrop for each book would be to start the first story at the beginning of the war, the second in the middle, and the third and final story at the end of the war. Each book is an independent read, with a whole new cast of characters, and the war itself the theme tying it all together.

What could be more dramatic than setting this final book in the series in Germany? Finally, I could create sympathetic German characters! Being German myself, that appealed to me. But the era and setting turned out to be far more challenging than I expected.

So I concentrated on one aspect of the political upheaval going on at the time, what I considered to be the most dramatic. Most people are familiar with the Red/Communist revolution in Russia toward the end of the First World War. I didn’t know it started a Communist revolution in many other parts of the world—including Germany. I whittled away all of the other German political themes of the time, focused on the relationships of my characters and how they would have been impacted by the events they naturally would have been part of. History wrote much of the story. It was extremely educational for me, but the characters made it far more fun than a history lesson!

That's one reason I love historical fiction. If you were planning a party with Christian authors of contemporary fiction, what six people would you invite and why?

Oooh, Lena, this is a hard one since I admire so many authors out there today! I sincerely believe we’re part of a Renaissance of Christian fiction, that God is stirring a number of talented authors to write for Him. It’s exciting to be part of this industry these days! Which means, of course, there are literally scores of people I’d love to sit down with and chat. So consider this just a start…and of course I’d start with you, Lena! I know you write more historicals lately, but you’ve also done some contemporary work and you’re also one of my favorite conversationalists. Another top-of-the-list name would be Allie Pleiter, who is local to me so we get together every so often and every time we do I’m reminded why she’s one of my favorite people ever—she’s smart and witty and fun, just like her books. I’d also love to chat with Deb Raney, because she has such a heart for encouraging others. And I know Nancy Moser has been writing historicals lately, too, but she’s another one who’s written some contemporary fiction so I would include her here. I not only admire her work, but she and I have a number of things in common from tastes in books to political leanings. Another author I would include would be Janet Lee Barton – we had the opportunity to get to know one another at a writer’s retreat last year, and I know she’s a kindred spirit. Then there is Harry Kraus, who is an amazing writer and such an interesting guy to talk to about his mission work in Africa. Speaking of the Sudan…I can’t forget DiAnn Mills, who is another one writing both contemporary and historical. DiAnn has such a heart for others, I love talking to her every time I see her. I know that leaves out a bunch of my other friends, so we’ll just have to save those names for a future date, won’t we?

Thank you for including me, and I love the collection you would pull together. Now let’s do that for a party for Christian authors of historical fiction, what six people would you invite and why?

Once again I’ll have to leave out so many favorites! But the historical authors I’m closest to are: Siri Mitchell, Jill Eileen Smith, Tammy Alexander, Judy Miller, Ruth Axtell Morren, and I’d love to sit with both Julie Klassen and Julie Lessman, because I keep getting them confused and I’d like to know both of them well enough to never do that again.

That group would be a really fun party. 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?

I’ve talked to a number of multi-published authors and most (if not all) realize there is little, if any, job security in this business. Even best sellers know that if their sales go on a downward trend and fail to creep back up (for reasons that may or many not have to do with the quality of a book, but might also depend on the popularity of a series, a genre, a trend, etc) then even they might find themselves searching for a new publisher. Most of us realize we have to bring something new and fresh to our audience while also meeting the demands of what’s expected. Basically we must balance new ideas with the knowledge that while we’re not writing to a trend we are likely writing to a specific audience, one that expects us to write the kind of book they’ve enjoyed from us in the past. That can be tricky, especially if you want to write a variety of books. I’ve been blessed to write both historical and contemporary stories, with a romance being the theme my readers look for in my stories. But it’s difficult to know how a book will be accepted if it feels very different from previous books.

Tell us about the featured book.

Springtime of the Spirit


Germany, 1918

Four years of fighting have finally come to an end, and though there is little to celebrate in Germany, an undercurrent of hope swells in the bustling streets of Munich. Hope for peace, fairness—the possibility of a new and better tomorrow.

It’s a dream come true for Annaliese Düray. Young and idealistic, she’s fighting on the front lines of Munich’s political scene to give women and working-class citizens a voice in the new government. But she’s caught off guard by the arrival of Christophe Brecht—a family friend, recently returned from the war, who’s been sent to bring her home.

It’s the last place she wants to go.

Christophe admires Annaliese’s passion, unable to remember the last time he believed in something so deeply. Though he knows some things are worth fighting for, he questions the cost to Annaliese and to the faith she once cherished. Especially when her party begins to take its agenda to new extremes.

As the political upheaval ignites in Munich, so does the attraction between Annaliese and Christophe. When an army from Berlin threatens everything Annaliese has worked for, both she and Christophe face choices that may jeopardize their love, their loyalty, and their very lives.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Part I

November 1918

Chapter One

One step, then another. He’d started out with his eyes forward, chin up, but all he could see now were the tips of his boots.

Christophe Brecht was inside German territory, the train having taken them back over the border, away from the trenches that had marred France for the past four years. The ground his boots pounded now belonged to the fatherland.

Home.

The only sound was that of his men marching beside him—not that their tread could be called marching. Most looked as tired and worn as he, barely able to take the next step. They were still covered in the mud of no man’s land, thick from boots to knee and in varying layers up to the helmet.

Did any of them remember how it had been when they marched—yes, really marched—in the other direction? Songs and praise echoed from every avenue, and flowers showered them from smiling women, with proud pats on the back from fathers and old men.

The city that had sent them so gloriously off to battle was still beyond sight. Those not wishing to go all the way to Munich had been made to get off the train already, close to but not at their requested destinations. The train lines were in disarray after handing over half of their locomotives to the Allies, too much disarray to answer individual needs.

But Christophe wasn’t far from Braedon, his small hometown some distance west of Munich. He shoved away old thoughts of how this day was supposed to be. No victory parades to greet them, no flowers. No woman to kiss him now that he was home. Just silence.

A very poignant opening. I can't wait to read it. It just came yesterday. How can readers find you on the Internet?

http://www.maureenlang.com/
http://www.facebook.com/maureen.lang

Thanks very much for having me, Lena!

My pleasure and great blessing, Maureen.
 
Readers, here's a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.



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 6 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. Here’s a link.

http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/

WHISPER ON THE WIND - Maureen Lang - Free Book

Bio: Maureen Lang is a multi-published author of romantic historical and contemporary fiction. She is the recipient of RWA’s Golden Heart Award and ACFW’s Noble Theme (now the Genesis) and winner of RWA/FHL’s Inspirational Reader’s Choice Contest. Maureen has also been a Christy finalist, multiple-time finalist in ACFW’s Book of the Year contest (now the Carol Award), as well as finaling in various RWA Chapter contests including the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence Contest, the Holt Medallion, and others. She lives in the Midwest with her husband, two sons and their lovable Lab.


So glad to have you back, Maureen. Tell us about your salvation experience.


When I was in Middle School (back then they called it Jr. High) I was already writing stories. As it happened, one of my characters used to like to quote the Bible. However, being from a family who didn’t read the Bible, I had no idea where to start. Like many families of the late 1960s and early 70s, we did own a copy of the Bible—but it was just a nice dust collector. So I brushed it off and started reading, looking for wisdom, wit, and even judgment that this particular character might use around other characters in my book.

Well, one day while I was reading this Bible, one of my older brothers came home for the weekend from college. While away, he’d been challenged in his own faith—or lack thereof—by a group affiliated with Campus Crusade for Christ. He talked to me about what the Bible was really for—not just research for one of my stories, but the actual Word of God—and that was the beginning of my life being changed.

I always found it interesting that God kind of “warmed me up” through a character in one of my novels. I guess He knew how to reach me, didn’t He?

That's why we shouldn't put Him in a box. He know just how to reach each of us. You’re planning a writing retreat where you can only have four other authors. Who would they be and why?

First of all I’d ask you to be there, Lena! I tend to be on the introverted side, so having someone as friendly and outgoing and eager to share as you are would really start things out right. I’d also have Siri Mitchell, who is a good friend and critique partner, because we’re similar in so many ways. And Jill Eileen Smith because I’ve known her so long, and Judith Miller because she’s another kindred spirit, and Tammy Alexander and Kathleen Fuller because they’re also friends of mine…oops, you did say just four others, didn’t you? I don’t think I’d be able to cut it down to four, because I have several others in mind...

Sounds like a retreat I'd love attending. Thanks for including me. Do you have a speaking ministry? If so, tell us about that.

I’ve spoken a few times at Ladies Retreat events and a couple of writer’s conferences, but it’s not something I do very often. I’ve never really felt that teaching is my gift, since I prefer to stay home and write. It’s also hard for me to get away, having a child with a disability who basically needs round-the-clock attention.

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

I admit trying to avoid embarrassing situations at all cost, which is probably why I need my characters to live more exciting lives than I allow myself. Thanks to that general mindset, I have few recent examples. However, years ago when I was single I attended an event with other singles where a pastor visited while we all shared snacks as he spoke. Somehow I ended up in the very first row. As I was trying to slice in half a piece of fruit, my plastic fork broke in two pieces. Part of the fork went one direction, the fruit in another, and the plate in my lap. Did I mention I was in the front row? The pastor stopped speaking, watched me pick up the pieces, let me apologize, then continued on with his sermon. Needless to say, I didn’t end up with anyone asking me for my phone number at that particular singles event…

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?

I do have people mentioning that to me, and one of the first things I try to find out is if they’re really serious. Many people have a desire to write but with little actual intention to follow through, even though computers have made writing so much easier. If they’re a dabbler, I encourage them to continue to explore writing because I believe it’s a wonderful way to connect not only with our own thoughts and emotions but with God.

But if they’re really serious about writing—let’s say I’ve met them at a writer’s conference, so they’ve already invested some time and money into this endeavor—I encourage them to read voraciously, everything from the genre in which they hope to sell something. A market study is a great place to start, especially reading the work of new authors who’ve recently broken into print. See what works, try figuring out why their book was chosen. I also encourage them to find a critique group, either in person or online or both, enter writer’s contests in their appropriate genre (unbiased feedback is worth the entry fee, whether or not their submission becomes a finalist or wins). And if I haven’t met them at a conference, I counsel them to attend one that offers appointments with agents and editors. Meeting someone in that venue is invaluable, especially in this day and age when so few editors are open to looking at something without an agent, and agents are nearly as hard to connect with as an editor.

I always finish by saying that although I love writing, only a small percentage of writers ever get to be published in the traditional way. It takes every bit as much perseverance as talent (perhaps more). In fact, I usually try saying that if there is anything else they’d like to do as an outlet for their creativity, perhaps they should do that if they aren’t prepared for rejection, discouragement, and little job security which unfortunately are the foundation pieces in the business. That just sounds like a bundle of good news, doesn’t it? Sometimes writers are called to write, but it’s hard to say how God will bless that particular gift. Enjoying it as something that draws us closer to Him is a good thing to keep in mind.

Tell us about the featured book.

Whisper on the Wind is a story of love, action and adventure, and all about the power of words. In the middle of World War One, Isa sneaks inside German-occupied Belgium to smuggle out the man she’s always loved. But Edward refuses to leave. He’s involved in a secret newspaper, one that is a lone voice of hope to a city occupied by the enemy. Soon Isa is caught up in the uncensored newspaper, too—but is she doing it because she believes in the cause, or just to get Edward to notice her?

Please give us the first page of the book.

Whisper on the Wind

By Maureen Lang

Once there was a young man who came of age just as war erupted, a war reaching farther than the world had ever known. His country, his home, his parents, his very future—all were threatened by an enemy whose power stretched wide. He shared only one belief with his oppressors: that the written word is the immortality of speech. Because of the oppression, he could not roar as they did, but found a way to join a whisper so incessant that even his enemies stopped to listen…

Prologue

Edward Kirkland kicked through the ashes, staring at the black dust as if seeing what it had been just yesterday: his home. All that was left was a pile of charred ruins amid the shell of the hotel his father had managed. And there, not far in the distance, was the university. He could see the vestiges of the library from here, with nothing but rubble in between. Compliments of the German Imperial Army. There wasn’t a thing Edward or all of Belgium could have done to stop it. Not that they hadn’t tried, but a mouse couldn’t fight an eagle.

Edward turned to leave. He shouldn’t be out anyway, with German soldiers still roaming the streets, keeping the peace they’d broken with their arrival. He needed to return to his mother and brother in hiding at the church.

Something on the ground glimmered in the faint afternoon light. Though he stopped to investigate, scraping away fragments with the tip of his shoe, Edward knew nothing of value was left. Before they set the fire, the Germans had carried anything of worth out to a waiting cart to be shipped to Germany as spoils of war.

Then he saw the rose and a flash of silver light. With a lump in his throat, Edward bent and picked up the picture frame. He saw that the glass was broken and most of the photo burned away . . . except for the middle, where a shard held it intact. And there, smiling as if the world were a happy place, was Isa Lassone’s face.

Isa, his mother’s young charge, who’d fled with her parents before the invasion. She was safely ensconced in peaceful, prosperous America. She had both her parents, both her silly, selfish parents, while his father lay dead and the remains of their home smoldered.

The picture might have fallen without the glass holding it down. Bracing the photo in one hand, with the other he brushed away the broken pieces. He should let it go, let it join the wreckage of his home.

But Edward’s thumb pressed it back into place, firmly within his grip.

Slipping the frame into the pocket of his coat, he made his way through the brightening streets. The ground was strewn with debris—bricks, glass, even a stinking dead horse here and there, the carcass oozing under the early August sun. Half the city was gone, along with Edward’s father. Shooting and looting had lasted all night, but he’d had to see the hotel and university himself before he’d believe that they, too, had succumbed to the fires.

Something inside told Edward he should pray, reach out to God to help him face this day. That was what his father would have done, what he would have wanted his son to do.

Edward turned up the collar of his coat against an ash-laden breeze and walked away, trying not to think at all.

“Halt!”

Edward did so because to refuse a soldier’s orders was to be shot. He’d seen it done.

“You will come with me,” came the awkward command, followed by a firmer, “Es ist ein Befehl!”

Edward raised his hands, sorry for only one thing: his death would multiply his mother’s grief.

Wow! I'm hooked. How can readers find you on the Internet?

http://www.maureenlang.com/
http://maureenlang.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/maureen.lang

Thanks very much for having me, Lena!

It's always a pleasure to visit with you.

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














Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. (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 6 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. Here’s a link.

http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/

LOOK TO THE EAST - Maureen Lang - Free Book

It's a great pleasure to welcome Maureen back to my blog. What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about?

This is one of the most exciting aspects of Christian fiction—the spiritual layer that can be represented subtly or overtly, symbolically or blatantly. The theme in Look To The East is misplaced faith—how people can put their faith in the wrong thing, like themselves, or another person, or even in a group of people. In previous books, as in My Sister Dilly, I wrote about God’s unconditional forgiveness, and in The Oak Leaves my characters learned to trust God even when everything else in their lives seemed to fall apart. I have an upcoming book (Book Two in my Great War series, still untitled at the moment) where the hero’s faith has become elusive, impossible to hold on to. Unfortunately, it’s usually challenge, heartache and conflict that bring us closer to God, and it’s no exception for my characters.

What other books of yours are coming out soon?

I wish I could tell you the title, but as of right now Book Two in my Great War series is untitled. Being “Book Two” is just a technicality, by the way. The fact is, each book will stand alone, with characters only loosely related. I’ve just turned this second book in and had a blast writing it—or should I say rewriting it, since it’s actually an updated version of a story idea I had several years ago. I’ve always loved this story and its characters, but when I first wrote it, it was not only too long, it didn’t easily fit into a specific genre. It straddles the fence between historical fiction and historical romance—so I’ve cut the length and turned up the romantic element so that it better fits the historical romance genre (my favorite kind of book!).

I love historical romance, too. If you could spend an evening with one contemporary person (not a family member of yours), who would it be and why?

I’d like for my husband and I to be able to spend an evening with Charles Krauthamer. Who’s he, you might wonder (if you don’t watch Fox News in the evenings). Dr. Krauthamer is a syndicated columnist who, to me, is one of the most insightful conservative voices out there. You won’t see him on shows like "The McLaughlin Group" or other venues where panelists are trying to out-shout each other. He’s soft spoken but sure of himself, which I admire.

Sounds interesting. How long have you known that you wanted to be novelist?

Seriously, since I was ten years old. I’ve always wanted to tell stories, and I completed my first novel at age ten. Handwritten. A romance (of course!). I passed it around to neighborhood kids and they were so encouraging I decided all those years ago to never give it up.

What can you tell authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers?

It’s easy to be really candid with a faceless person, so my advice will be candid. It depends on how long a person’s been at it, the quality of the rejections they’ve received, and the kind of personality a person has in order to withstand this kind of business. If a person writes a book, polishes it, and then is so eager to start getting feedback they start mailing it out to agents (and editors, if they can connect with one or find one still taking submissions without an agent) they may be jumping the gun. In that case, early rejections might not be coming because the author doesn’t have talent. They just didn’t let enough time go by to achieve a fresh eye to really polish their work. Perhaps they didn’t get enough outside input—from other writers rather than friends or relatives—someone objective enough to tell them if their project is working.

If a person studies the market by reading the kind of book they’re trying to publish, has joined a critique group or partnered with someone else who can give them objective help, has attended some workshops on craft (either online or at writer’s conferences) and is seriously pursuing professional writing, then they stand a chance at publication. The competition is tough, so the quality of work has to be stellar.

Secondly, is the writer consistently receiving only form letter rejections, despite all their efforts at learning to improve, polishing? There are levels to rejection, from form letter to the more personal but encouraging rejections. Ones that include lines like “although this project doesn’t work for us, we’d like to see something else by this author,” or “if the author could make a few changes, we’d like to see this again,” or some other form of “please consider resubmitting in the future.” If, after years of trying, of submitting and resubmitting, an author still only receives form letter rejections, it might be time to reevaluate. I’ve seen many reasons for an author not to progress. Some people are simply uncoachable. They have a story in them and want to tell it, but have no desire to listen to any advice they’re given; for whatever reason they just can’t see their work from a fresh perspective. On the other hand, I’ve seen writers bring in work that seems entirely unpublishable. But with time spent improving their craft, market study, more reading, withstanding critiques, I’ve seen a number of writers go on to produce wonderful (and definitely marketable) work.

Third, there are some people who wither over rejection. I do not mean to belittle how painful rejection is. It’s terribly difficult, because it feels so personal. But in reality the rejections a writer receives on the early portion of their journey in this business are the first steps to prepare a writer for the professional side of things. Just because a person is published doesn’t mean rejection doesn’t still come. After publication, most rejections are no longer private. A bad review for all to see, a withdrawn contract, a short career. This business isn’t for the fainthearted, and someone with a fragile ego might be spared all kinds of heartache by not ever getting published.

That may sound harsh, but for some, God gave the gift of writing as a way to communicate with Him. Writing, in its purest sense, is fulfilling and can be a great way to learn and grow—in faith, in insight. Publication feels like validation, but the truth is, if writing brings a person closer to God, greater insight into themselves or others, then that’s the real validation.

Tell us about the featured book?

Look To The East is one of my favorite projects! It was one of those stories where, at times, my fingers couldn’t keep up with what the characters were doing. Don’t you love it when that happens?

This story follows the romance of Julitte Toussaint and Charles Lassone. Charles tries to volunteer to fight against the Germans just as the First World War breaks out, but he’s too late. He’s caught behind the battle lines, forced to take shelter in a small French village where he meets Julitte, the adoptive daughter of a sailor. They fall in love despite the danger—if the Germans were to find Charles, it would be death for him and perhaps the same for anyone helping him. And when Charles escapes, he comes back for Julitte, proving to himself and to her that he’s not the coward he thought he was at the beginning of the book.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

http://www.maureenlang.com/ or visit my blog at http://maureenlang.blogspot.com/

Thank you, Maureen, for once again sharing one of your books with us.

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Author Maureen Lang - MY SISTER DILLY - Free Book

Welcome back, Maureen. What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about?

It’s always exciting to me when the theme for each book reveals itself as something I need to be either reminded of or taught. For My Sister Dilly, the theme is forgiveness. When I really looked at the meaning of forgiveness, it occurred to me that it’s most meaningful within the context of a relationship, not only between ourselves and God, but within the relationships in our lives. Yet I hear so much about forgiving ourselves that I really wanted to know what that meant. Isn’t guilt the result of not forgiving yourself? If we’ve wronged someone, either God by not living up to the perfect standard He is just by His nature, or wronged another human being, then it’s our responsibility to seek forgiveness and repent of whatever we’re seeking forgiveness for. But once we’ve received that forgiveness, freely given by God through Christ, and perhaps eagerly given by those who love us, why do we still feel guilty? My Sister Dilly reminded me that if we’ve received forgiveness within the context of relationship, we should stop carrying guilt. The whole idea of forgiving ourselves becomes moot once we’ve accepted the forgiveness from those we’ve offended. So the theme I learned with this book was about guilt and forgiveness, and if we’ve been forgiven by those we’ve offended it’s okay not to feel guilty any more.

Such a hard concept for some people to live out. What other books of yours are coming out soon?

Right now I’m working on the first of a three book series that returns to the First World War era. This time setting has always fascinated me, since it seems to be just on the brink of modern times and yet with a foot still firmly in the historical realm. This time I’m investigating the Great War from a thoroughly European setting. Book One takes place in a small village in Northern France, Book Two in Brussels, Belgium, and Book Three in Germany just after the war ends. Although they’re set during the war, they’ll have surprisingly little, if any, battle scenes. They’re all romances, with the necessary angst a war backdrop so easily provides. It’s amazing to me how resilient people are when faced with incredible challenges, and this war (like all of them) provides extraordinary fodder for any novel.

I’m fortunate enough to be planning a trip to Belgium and Northern France to help my research, which is one of the absolute best perks of being a writer – tax deductions for research trips!

If you could spend an evening with one contemporary person (not a family member of yours), who would it be and why?

It’s hard to choose! I’m fascinated by a lot of people – like those in leadership, maybe General Petraeus just because he’s been able to accomplish something others before him haven’t, or Billy Graham who’s done so much for the Kingdom. Or Beth Moore, whose Bible studies and speaking ministry just astounds me. I’d ask them if they struggle with the same things us ordinary folk do. I’d love to spend time with a great entertainer like Billy Crystal or great actor like Anthony Hopkins and ask if they ever get butterflies. I’d absolutely love to spend time with historian Doris Kearns Goodwin who knows so much more than I do, or a journalist like Charles Krauthammer who’s seen so much and seems so wise, or a successful writer like J.K. Rowling to ask if all the problems that must come with fame/fortune are really worth it. But in reality if I was fortunate enough to spend an evening with any one of them I’d probably be so awestruck and afraid of wasting their time with my blubbering that I’d just sit there and ask them to talk so I could listen.

How long have you known that you wanted to be novelist?

Since I was very young – too young to really know at what age this whole passion-for-writing started. I recall listening to my mother tell me and my sister stories that she made up, instead of reading them out of a book (although she did that, too). I remember my father telling a neighbor that of his six kids I was “the creative one.” I remember trying to convince friends it would be fun to spend an afternoon making up stories or just reading together. I remember our neighborhood putting on plays for the adults and even though I’m certainly no actor, I liked seeing the effect words could have on people if the words were chosen well. So, I guess I’ve wanted to be a novelist pretty much my whole life.

What can you tell authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers?

Don’t give up! I know it’s hard to receive a rejection, because it’s such a personal thing. This isn’t a team sport, after all, where you can share the feeling of defeat. But if I had to give one bit of advice to try and avoid rejections, I’d say don’t hurry things. So many new writers I’ve met over the years are (understandably) eager to get validated as a writer through publication, but they submit something too soon. They might have heard of someone talking about how an editor found a book that was a diamond in the rough, and together they made it the sparkling success it ended up being. Unfortunately, although revisions are expected after a book is accepted by a publisher, the books that are picked up nowadays are the ones that require the least amount of work on the other side of the contract. They’re looking for someone who can tell a good story and has the basics down, so the next story you write will live up to that pattern – that next story that must be written under a deadline, without years to perfect it the way most writers have spent before their first book is picked up.

So don’t rush things! Polish your work with the help of critique buddies who can help you see with their fresh eyes what’s working and what’s not. That of course means finishing your first book, but might also mean finishing a few more to get to know this craft of writing and what works best for you. Go to conferences as you can afford to, to network and to help deepen your understanding of the craft. And with each project think about what you’re trying to convey, so it’s unique to you, fresh to the market, and absolutely the best you can do.

Tell us about the featured book.

My Sister Dilly is probably my most challenging novel yet, but one I’m really happy that I wrote. It was inspired by a conversation I had with my sister-in-law about a friend of hers who is in prison. I was so moved by the story that I wanted to use at least some of her friend’s experience in a novel, and My Sister Dilly is the result.

It begins with Hannah, sitting in a parked car across the street from a Special Needs School. She’s looking for her sister’s handicapped child, so when Hannah goes to the prison where her sister has been incarcerated for the last six-and-a-half years, she can assure her that her daughter is okay.

Here’s a short blurb about My Sister Dilly:

Hannah Williams leaves her small, Midwestern hometown in favor of the faster pace and trendier lifestyle of LA. But when her sister Dilly makes a horrible mistake and ends up in prison, Hannah goes back to make up for "abandoning" her - leaving in LA the one man she's ever loved. But she learns she can't really go back, all she can do is accept forgiveness. Both her sister's and God's.

It’s about two sisters, forgiveness, overcoming mistakes, and of course there’s a romance, too, since I can’t write a book without one!

Me, neither, and I really don't enjoy reading a book without at least a touch of romance. How can readers find you on the Internet?

http://www.maureenlang.com/
Come visit me!

Maureen, thank you for spending this time with us. I always enjoy it when you come by.

Readers, leave a comment on for a chance to win a free copy of My Sister Dilly.

If you don't want to wait to read it, click on the link below to buy the book.

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Author Maureen Lang - ON SPARROW HILL

I'm happy to welcome Maureen Lang back to the blog with an interview about her latest book, On Sparrow Hill.

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

The first thought that usually comes to mind about this is that I write books I want to be reading. That’s the fast and simple answer, but it’s really more than that. I love books; I specifically love books that honor God. I’m convinced God uses books of all kinds to touch, teach, and grow us.

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

This will probably sound cliché, but it was the day I married my husband. I’m crazy about the guy. He’s taught me so many things, and we’ve shared so much it’s impossible not to be most thankful for him.

How has being published changed your life?

Surprisingly, being published hasn’t changed my life as much as I thought it would! It’s one of those things many people believe: having a dream come true will change everything. But the fact is I’d still be writing, whether or not I became published, I’d still attend writer’s group meetings, I’d still attend conferences. Being published has undoubtedly affirmed my writing and brings me great happiness when others tell me they enjoy my books, but the actual process — putting characters to paper — is the same. And since I still do the laundry, cooking, cleaning, and serve my family, the only thing that’s changed is that I get more feedback from readers than I ever did before I was published.

What are you reading right now?

I’m reading two manuscripts, one for a critique partner and one for endorsement to be released next year. I’m also reading two novels (depending on my mood). One is secular, called Case Histories by Kate Atkinson (not for the gentle reader) and The Elevator by Angela Hunt (wonderful writer!). I’m often reading more than one book at a time, and I don’t have any trouble keeping all the characters straight. If I can’t remember one set of characters when I pick up the book again, I usually don’t go back to it.

What is your current work in progress?

I’m working on a contemporary women’s fiction novel that will release through Tyndale in the Fall of ’08. This is one story I have trouble talking about in short sound bites! Hannah Williams wants to make up for not being there when her younger sister was desperate enough to attempt a murder-suicide. When she fails, it lands her sister in prison instead. So Hannah has put her own life on hold for over six years, planning and saving for the day she would return to make up for failing to be there when she was needed most. But despite her goal, her sister is convinced she doesn’t need help, especially when she learns Hannah has been refusing the attention of the man she loves all these years. The working title is “My Sister Dilly” but I’m not sure if that is set in stone yet!

Sounds wonderful. We'll want you back for an interview when it comes out. What would be your dream vacation?

Europe: Brussels, Prague, Rome . . . Someplace where history comes alive, I can learn and be fascinated by everything around me.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

I like to choose settings I’m fairly familiar with, or at least have done some research about to feel like it’s familiar. There are some places that might feel over-exploited in fiction, but really I think just about anywhere can be brought to life with fresh eyes and new perspective.

Sometimes the setting is an important part of the plot, which makes authenticity more important. For example, in the project I’m working on now, the setting is the Midwestern town the heroine left behind. She doesn’t want to live there, but feels obligated to return in order to take care of her sister. Although I’ve never lived in a small, Midwestern town, I’m familiar with such surroundings because that’s the kind of setting in which my husband grew up. In this case research was easy, but for a story where the setting impacts the character and their decisions, it has to be part of the story, almost like another character.

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

Anne Lamott. I think she has a lot to teach writers!

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I’ve become so boring. I used to love painting ceramics, but between family demands and the fact that I try not to have too many breakable items around the house (I have a handicapped son who loves to pick things up, look at them, then set them down in the most precarious spots!) I haven’t done much of that lately. If I had time, I might like stamping and making pretty stationery. My sister has made some really lovely cards and it looks like fun.

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

All of the other demands in my life. Each of us has been given the same 24 hours in a day, but it seems like my hours disappear faster than ever! I can only write while my boys are in school, which limits my time. I haven’t figured out how to overcome this problem, although things like consistent housework, fancy cooking, and entertaining have gone by the wayside. It would be nice to be able to do it all, but I just can’t.

I know what you mean. What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Don’t give up! I know this business can be discouraging, even intimidating, but if you keep writing, keep growing by sharing your work with others, staying involved in writer’s groups and loops, there’s a very good chance you’ll see your work in print. I’ve seen writers wait a long time, but the ones who succeed are the ones who’ve stuck with it and continued to learn through workshops and critique.

Tell us about the featured book.

On Sparrow Hill is the romantic sequel to The Oak Leaves, both published by Tyndale House. Like the first of this two-book series, On Sparrow Hill offers dual stories. Part of the book is set in contemporary times, the other in the Victorian era. On Sparrow Hill takes a European setting, with the English heroine an estate manager for the historic home now owned by a descendent of the Victorian characters in The Oak Leaves. She struggles with her attraction to the estate owner until he reveals his own feelings for her — but she knows his aristocratic mother would never approve. Through letters she finds in the family vault, the historic segment goes across the Irish Sea to a school for the “feebleminded” that was first envisioned in The Oak Leaves. In that thread, Berrie Hamilton (from The Oak Leaves) has one goal: to run the school Cosima Escott first envisioned. But when the brother of one of her students gets in the way, she isn’t sure what troubles her most: his temper or her unruly attraction to him. This story is more romantic than the first, which made it so much fun to write. Dana, also from The Oak Leaves, joins the contemporary story, and is dealing with a genetic disorder that was introduced in The Oak Leaves, the same genetic disorder I carry (Fragile X Syndrome). So this book is very special to me! I hope everyone who liked The Oak Leaves will enjoy On Sparrow Hill just as much.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.maureenlang.com

Maureen, thank you for spending time with us. I can hardly wait to read both of the books.

Readers check out Maureen's web site.

And leave a comment on this post for a chance to win a copy of On Sparrow Hill.

Maureen Lang

Readers, today we're talking to Maureen Lang.

Maureen, tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

Since all of my characters are filtered through me and my perceptions, experiences, history and personality, all of them probably have a little bit of me in them. In one book, The Oak Leaves (a recent release from Tyndale) the contemporary heroine is very much like me. In fact during the first draft, she was a little too much like me because some of her experiences as a mom finding out her child is mentally handicapped happened to me. I had to go back and distance myself from the character, making her less like me, to make the book easier to write. Usually my heroines are women I’d LIKE to be, or if they have some weakness or fault it’s one I can identify with.

I know what you mean. What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I have to laugh at this because I’m so-not-quirky. I was once with a carload of women as we drove down to Nashville for our ACFW conference and they each said to me I was the most “normal” person they knew. I wasn’t sure how to take that (my translation: normal = boring) but they assured me they liked me anyway. I do like to have quirky characters, however, so maybe I’m just living vicariously through them!

So based on that qualifier, the quirkiest thing about me will probably be snickered upon by those who are truly quirky. I often can’t remember how old I am. Once I turned 21 it stopped being interesting. However, now that I’m nearing 50, which seems to be a marker, I’ll probably be able to keep it straight, at least for a few years!

You are so young. When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I was very young – maybe 9 or 10. I wrote an entire book (which was probably only around 30 notebook pages long, with large printing and very wide margins) and passed it around the neighborhood. It was so much fun I’ve been doing it ever since.

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

I enjoy women’s fiction and historical romance, so that includes both contemporary and historical settings. I like a book where the conflict is deep, the character grows, emotions are touched —but if it has a romance in the story, all the better!

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

I actually wrote three secular romances for a New York publisher about twenty-some years ago, but those books are long out of print and didn’t honor God, so I rarely mention them. When God brought me back to Him, I knew if I ever wrote again I’d tell only stories that honor Him. My debut Inspirational was Pieces of Silver, which was a finalist for a Christy. The sequel to that, Remember Me, came out this past February, and the following May The Oak Leaves released. Pieces of Silver and Remember Me are both set during the First World War, and Oak Leaves has a combination setting, contemporary Chicago and Victorian England, so it was the best mix for my taste. The sequel to The Oak Leaves is titled On Sparrow Hill and will release in February of ’08. It, too, has a combination setting, this one between contemporary England and Victorian Ireland.

Maureen, tell us how you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

Sometimes it feels like I don’t! My boys are young (nine and twelve) and I really do enjoy spending time with them. I also never feel like my husband and I have enough time together, so all that adds up to stress. It’s sometimes difficult to find childcare because my twelve year old is handicapped, so it’s a good thing I’m a homebody. Still, you don’t have to leave your hometown to feel like there is too much to do in a day.

The thing that helps me most to get a grip on life in general is writing, which is a wonderful thing considering my occupation. There is something about creating a fictional world, one where you as the author have some control, can touch emotions, find satisfaction, that makes facing the real world so much easier. I honestly feel that if God wired us up a certain way, and we’ve found out what it is and are blessed to be able to DO it, nothing is more satisfying. It’s what we were made to do.

I totally agree with that. How do you choose your characters’ names?

I always have a setting chosen first, whether it’s contemporary or historical, American or some other country. One of my favorite name books lists names by country, which is so helpful. I like unusual names, ones that haven’t been used too often, but they can’t be too far out there, either, or it just won’t feel right. I once wrote an entire book with the hero’s name “Cosmo” but I suspect if I dust that one off and try selling it, the first order of revision will be choosing a new name. It’s funny, though, because by the end of writing that book the name really fit him.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

I’m proud of all of my books, because I not only enjoyed the process, but I stuck with the whole writing passion even through the inevitable rejections. Getting a book contract is a major accomplishment. But I would have to say I’m most proud of The Oak Leaves, because it reflects so much of my own experiences. That storyline revolves around a woman receiving a Fragile X diagnosis on her son, which is a genetic form of mental retardation. It’s something I faced personally—my twelve-year-old has Fragile X. So few people have heard of this disorder that I knew “someday” I would write a book that contained this element and I could help spread the word about it. If more people hear about it, they might be inclined to donate for research and education about it. When I began the book I honestly didn’t feel like I was ready to write it, but I really felt nudged to go ahead with the project anyway. When the book came out about three years after I wrote the first draft, I hosted a book launch party and raised over two thousand dollars for the National Fragile X Foundation. I’m proud of that.

That is an accomplishment. If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?

I’d probably choose to be a dog, because most of them have the sweetest, most selfless personalities. I’d like to be that way…

What is your favorite food?

Hmmm….cookies…no, chocolate….no…cookies with chocolate…

You're making me hungry. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

Finding a publisher! I’d been away from writing for twenty years. When I came back to it the kind of writing I wanted to do had nothing to do with the writing I once did. Granted writing is a bit like riding a bike in that you don’t forget how, but it would’ve been nice to keep some contacts and have a writing network maintained to be able to help get my foot back in the door. But even if I’d done that, it wouldn’t have helped because I switched markets. It took me about four years to find a publisher again, one who was willing to take a chance on an unknown. I also think these days it’s just as hard to find an agent as it is to find a publisher, and I’m very glad to be working with Greg Johnson so I don’t have to worry about that.

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

Write! Rewrite! Submit! As soon as you submit, start something new, because when the rejections come in (notice I didn’t say ‘if’ the rejections come in) you’ll have new hope with your new project. That’s not to say to give up on the first project, but when the rejections come and you try to understand why, you’ll find revising something old is possible to do even while you’re creating something new. Every bit of writing will teach you something, so if you keep at it you’ll just get better and better.

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

Remember Me was so much fun to write. It’s set during one of my absolute favorite time settings, the First World War (1914-1918) ,and it’s more romantic than the first book, Pieces of Silver. I love a good romance! Plus, the hero in Remember Me is near and dear to my heart. He really was supposed to be “finished off” at the end of Pieces of Silver where he was initially introduced, but I found myself liking the guy so much I just couldn’t give him such a sad and hopeless ending. And so Remember Me was born!

I know what you mean. In my Minnesota series, I thought the hero and the heroine in the second book were taken care of in The Other Brother. But God showed me something different. Their story became His Brother's Castoff. How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.maureenlang.com or I have a blog on Amazon Connect and a page on Shoutlife. Drop me a note, I love hearing from my readers!

Maureen, thank you for spending this time with us.

Readers, you'll want a chance to win a copy of Remember Me. So leave a comment on this interview.

I will be going to the national American Christian Fiction Writers Conference later this week, so I'm going to post two more interviews before I go. You don't want to miss any of them.