MEMORIES OF GLASS - Melanie Dobson - One Free Book

Welcome back, Melanie. 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?

An entire labor unit worked alongside me to birth this book! It began with my friend Ann Menke urging me to check out the story behind a series of mines in The Netherlands. Then the courageous Johan van Hulst who was 107 when I wrote this book and many other Dutch friends who contributed by sharing the history of their family or helping me straighten out my facts. My critique partners gave me honest feedback as I rewrote this novel and then the editorial team at Tyndale House who was phenomenal at helping me sort through my many threads.

If you teach or speak. What’s coming up on your calendar?

I love to teach! I’m speaking in two weeks at a chapter of the Pacific Northwest Association of Church Librarians and then on October 1 at the ACFW group in Vancouver, Washington. In November, I’ll be speaking at the Olympic Peninsula Christian Writers Conference (https://www.opcwc.com/).

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

My husband and I did this exact thing almost twenty years ago as newlyweds. Before we had children, we decided to move from Virginia to a mountain town in southwestern Colorado. Just for fun. In hindsight, it was a bit crazy, but we had a wonderful year. I was just building my PR and writing business, and Jon wanted to launch an animation company. We hiked to multiple ghost towns during our year and dreamed about the future and worked like crazy. God used this season in the Rocky Mountains to grow our marriage and launch our dreams.

Sounds wonderful. If you could only tell aspiring novelists one thing, what would it be?

Years ago, I watched an interview with a bestselling novelist, and I was shocked when the woman said she was a “horrible” writer. She quickly followed up this up by saying that while she was a horrible writer, she was a fabulous re-writer. 

At the time, I was talking frequently about writing and thinking about it even more. The problem was that I was not actually doing much writing because I was terrified I would fail. And if I failed, it would be the death of my dream. Once I realized my first draft didn’t have to be perfect, I let go of my fears and began scribbling down my thoughts and eventually scenes onto paper. Then I reworked and polished for several years until I had a clean manuscript to send off to a publisher.

So my advice to aspiring novelists is to write! Study the craft and then sit down with a computer or laptop or device and begin pouring out the first draft. Later you can think about the editing and ultimately publishing of your manuscript.

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])

Almost everything in my life is writing related. J I would probably organize a cruise to ports across Europe and invite writers and locals to share the history and stories of each city that we visited. My idea of a perfect cruise would be endless pots of tea and a quiet space with an ocean view to write so I wouldn’t be much of a help in coordinating any shows!

Tell us about the featured book.

Memories of Glass is a time-slip novel inspired by the Dutch men and women during World War II who rescued more than six hundred Jewish children from a deportation center in Amsterdam. Almost eighty years later, Ava Drake, the director of the prestigious Kingston Foundation, begins to uncover the devastating story about her family’s role in financing Hitler. As she and a child advocate named Landon West dig into the past, Ava discovers that her story is intertwined with the West family and an elderly Dutch woman who has spent a lifetime remembering a boy who was lost during the war. A boy she never expected to find.

I have a time-slip novel percolating in my brain right now. Please give us the first page of Memories of Glass.

Brilliant color flickered across her canvas of wall. Sunflower yellow and luster of orange. Violet folded into crimson. A shimmer like the North Sea with its greens and blues.

Most of the walls in her bungalow were filled with treasures of artwork and photographs and books, but this pale-cream plaster was reserved solely for the light, a grand display cast through the prisms of antique bottles that once held perfume or bitters or medicine from long ago.

The colors reminded her of the tulip fields back home, their magnificent hues blossoming in sunlight, filling the depths of her soul with the brilliance of the artist’s brush. Spring sunshine was rare in Oregon, but when it came, she slipped quietly into this room to watch the dance of light.

Sixty-eight bottles glowed light from shelves around her den, their glass stained emerald or amber or Holland’s Delft blue. Or transparent with tiny cuts detailing the crystal.

These wounds of an engraver—the master of all craftsmen with his diamond tools—made the prettiest colors of all.

Only one of the bottles was crimson. She lifted it carefully off the shelf and traced the initials etched on the silver lid, the ridges molded down each side, as she lowered herself back into her upholstered chair.

All of them she treasured, but this one . . .

This bottle held a special place in her heart.

I’m eager to read your book. It will go at the top of my to-be-read pile when it arrives. Where can we find you on the Internet?

I really enjoy connecting with readers. The best places to find me are on Facebook and Twitter (@MelBDobson) as well as on my website— http://www.melaniedobson.com.

Thank you, Melanie, for sharing this new book with us.

Readers, here are links to the book.

Memories of Glass - Christianbook.com
Memories of Glass - Amazon paperback
Memories of Glass - Kindle
Memories of Glass - Audiobook

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, 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

ENCHANTED ISLE - Melanie Dobson - One Free Book

Welcome back, Melanie. Why did you become an author?

I’ve enjoyed dreaming up story ideas and keeping a journal since I was a child.

When I was nine, I typed out my “autobiography” (it was only a few paragraphs J) and eventually went to college for journalism. After a few years working in public relations, I felt as if God was prompting me to pursue my dream to write fiction. It took seven years—and multiple manuscripts—before my first novel was published. I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue writing down the ideas that spark in my mind and heart.

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

Probably an archeologist or history professor. A job where I’m continually learning new things and visiting new places.

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

I don’t think I would want to live during another time, but my daughter is planning to invent a time travel machine when she grows up. I’m planning to borrow it and travel back to the time of Christ so I can sit at His feet and learn. Then I’ll journey forward through the centuries, stopping along the way to meet a long list of people and experience firsthand their stories of sacrifice, courage, and adventure.

That sounds like the beginning of a novel to me. What place in the United States have you not visited that you would like to?

One of my dreams has always been to explore Montana! Our family just got back from a week kayaking, hiking, horseback riding, and swimming in Glacier National Park. It was an amazing experience.

How about a foreign country you hope to visit?

I’ve always wanted to visit New Zealand. About fifteen years ago, my husband accepted a job there, north of Auckland, and we shipped over our things. Right before we left, we received a phone call that the company’s contract fell through so our things came back via boat, and Jon took a job in Berlin, Germany instead. One day we’ll go!

I’ve always wanted to go to Australia and New Zealand. What lesson has the Lord taught you recently?

1 Chronicles 28 says: “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don’t be afraid or discouraged by the size of the task, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.” I’ve been so encouraged by this verse recently as the Lord has been showing me that if I am faithful to do the work that He’s given me to the best of my ability, I don’t have to be anxious or discouraged at the sometimes seemingly overwhelming size of these writing or editing tasks.

Tell us about the featured book.

Enchanted Isle is a historical mystery and love story inspired by an amusement park that I loved as a child. Sadly this park is now abandoned but the wonder and beauty of it is still very much alive in my mind.

As I began crafting this story, I visited England’s Lake District, near the border of Scotland, and I quickly realized that this magical, rugged land of lakes and fells, legends and lore, would be the perfect location for Enchanted Isle. And so I began to build my park on an island there, each ride inspired by the legends and beauty of the sea.

The story begins in the spring of 1958 as Jenny Winter embarks on a two-month adventure to a quaint village in the Lake District. Adrian Kemp, a handsome and enigmatic local, makes the sightseeing even more beguiling—and he invites Jenny into one of the area’s most enduring legends.

When Adrian shows Jenny his late father’s abandoned dream, a deserted island amusement park, she glimpses a kindred spirit in this reckless, haunted young man. Yet as she opens her heart to Adrian, the two stumble into a labyrinth of mystery leading back a generation to an unforgettable romance and an unsolved murder that still casts a shadow over the lakes. As long-held secrets come to light, it’s left to Jenny and Adrian to put the past to rest and restore a lost dream.

I just finished reading the book last week. Please give us the first page of the book for my blog readers.

August 1935, Lakeland, England

Gilbert Kemp whistled as he trekked down the steep hill to Windermere, whistled as he circled the water’s edge toward the boathouse. Not that he was happy about retrieving his older brother from the park tonight— Simon should have been home hours ago—but earlier this evening, Liz had said yes. Yes, she would marry him and stay here in this district of lakes. Yes, she loved him, just as he loved her.

The thought of Liz leaving for America had completely wrecked him, but now, with a simple question, everything had changed. They would be married in the spring, along these daffodil-spiked banks of this lake.

A sound—the trill of a tawny owl—echoed through the beech trees along the bank. He glanced across the sparks of starlight on Windermere’s surface, toward the island where Simon Kemp and Curtis Sloan had sparked their own version of magic. An amusement park that thrived in Great Britain as the economy struggled to recover from its depression.

Most of the rides were hidden back in the trees, but he could see the light from the Torrid Typhoon, a wooden roller coaster that peaked above the forest and then plunged down toward the water, the cars surfing through the waves of trees.

Tonight the park had closed for the season, most of the summer visitors returning home after their holiday, but his brother was still on the island. Maria, Simon’s wife, was worried and for good reason. Simon’s behavior had been odd the past month, even for an eccentric man. His park was making money, hand over fist it seemed, but paranoia had begun to plague him. Several nights ago, he’d even told Maria that Curtis was stealing from them.

Tomorrow, he’d take Simon to a doctor over in Kendal. The man, he suspected, would tell his brother to hibernate during the winter season. Then Simon would return to his typical eccentric self when he and Curtis reopened their park next spring.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I love to connect with readers! The best places to find me online are at on my website (www.melaniedobson.com) or on my Facebook author page (www.facebook.com/MelanieDobsonFiction/).

Thank you, Melanie, for sharing this book with me and my readers. I loved reading it. The well-defined characters with different personalities and quirks really interested me. The setting shone through the happenings, giving me a feeling that I was there in the Lakes District, too. And I always love a romance and a mystery in the book. With this one we had a few bonuses.

Readers, here are links to the book.

Enchanted Isle - Christianbook.com
Enchanted Isle - Amazon
Enchanted Isle - Kindle
Enchanted Isle - Audio Book

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link:

Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

SHADOWS OF LADENBROOKE MANOR - Melanie Dobson - One Free Book

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

Researching and writing a novel reminds me of putting together the pieces of a big puzzle—I find inspiration from all sorts of places and then try to fit those pieces together to create a story. For Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor, I was inspired by the manor homes and gardens on my trip to England, the process of restoring damaged artwork, the beauty and migration of butterflies, parents who fight for their autistic children along with unique, talented kids who don’t always fit into society’s box of normal, and most of all, by the power of God to redeem and restore broken relationships.

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

I love spending time with other Christian authors! I’d enjoy picking the brains of brilliant contemporary writers like Lisa Wingate, Jan Karon, Leslie Gould, Lisa Wingate, Kristen Heitzmann, and Mindy Starns Clark.

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

Can I organize a trip with these authors instead? If so, I’d love to spend a week researching in Europe with author friends Cathy Gohlke, Carrie Turansky, Sarah Sundin, Julie Klassen, Susan Meissner, and Kristy Cambron. Last year, while I was researching for Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor, I toured the haunting Tyntesfield Manor with Cathy and Carrie. The manor was the inspiration for Carrie’s latest series, and it was so fun to explore it with her.

Sounds like a fun trip. Many times, people (and other authors) think you have it made with so many books published. What is your greatest challenge with writing at this time in your career?

The publishing industry continues to change and most of us who write fiction have to change how we write and market our books as well. Thankfully these changes also mean there are wonderful opportunities to grow as a writer and communicator, and I’m grateful to be able to continue pursuing my passion to write fiction.

Tell us about the featured book.

This novel is about the secrets that haunt the ancient gardens below Ladenbrooke Manor. More than forty years ago, Oliver Croft’s body was found in the shadows of this garden, and while the English villagers have whispered for decades about what happened, no one knows for certain who killed the son of the respected Lord and Lady Croft. When Heather Toulson returns to her parent’s cottage beside Ladenbrooke, she begins to uncover the story of a young woman who loved Oliver. And the truth about the families who tried but failed to keep Oliver and Libby apart.

Please give us the first page of the book.

January 1954, Clevedon, England

Moored fishing boats sagged in the harbor’s waves as the lights on Clevedon’s wooden pier flickered in the wind. A storm was brewing over the swollen waters that separated England from Wales, the dark clouds bulging with rain, but Maggie Emerson didn’t move from her bench along the wide promenade.

She pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her warm, woolen skirt over her stockings. In the summer, day-trippers paraded up and down this promenade, gawking at the sailing boats and the Welsh mountains across the estuary. They clambered over the rocks along the shoreline and paid two pennies each to stroll onto the famous pier that stretched over the water. But few people visited Clevedon this time of year, and on stormy nights like this, most of the town’s residents hunkered down in the safety of their homes.

Maggie knew she should return home too, but even when the clock tower chimed five o’clock, she didn’t stand. Her gaze remained fixed in the distance where salty water from the Bristol Channel collided with the River Severn.

Every evening, after she finished her work at the library, she sat on this bench and watched for a certain yacht to appear. But for the past two months all she’d done was sit alone, watching the fishing boats sway. Aunt Priscilla had warned that the yachtsmen who stopped here wanted only one thing, and then they’d be gone. Maggie hadn’t understood what her aunt meant at the time, but now she knew exactly what Elliot wanted when he’d sailed into their town.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I really enjoy communicating with my readers. My website is www.melaniedobson.com, and there is a link to sign up for my newsletter, as well as links to Facebook (Melanie-Dobson) and Twitter (@MelBDobson).

Thanks so much for having me!

My pleasure, Melanie. I love hosting you and introducing my blog readers to your books.

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

Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor - Christianbook.com
Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor: A Novel - Amazon
Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor: A Novel - 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

CHATEAU OF SECRETS - Melanie Dobson - One Free Book

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

When I was seven, my family flew from Ohio to California to attend a church conference near Disneyland. I don’t remember visiting Disneyland, but I’ll never forget walking down the aisle on the last night of the conference to invite Jesus into my life. It took me awhile to decide to follow Christ, but once I did, I wanted to serve Him with all my heart. Almost forty years later, I am incredibly grateful for God’s many beautiful gifts including grace, redemption, peace, and joy.

Actually, Melanie, I asked Jesus into my heart at a revival in a small town in Arkansas when I was seven years old. You’re planning a writing retreat where you can only have four other authors. Who would they be and why?

The perfect writing retreat would be with the wonderful ladies of my critique group—Leslie Gould, Nicole Miller, Dawn Shipman, Kelly Chang, and Kimberly Felton (I realize that’s actually five, but I can’t leave any of our crew behind!). We are all passionate about writing, and they are an incredible encouragement to me and to each other.

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

I speak occasionally at writer’s conferences and church events. My family spent last December serving children in Uganda, and I had the privilege of sharing our story at a women’s brunch this spring. I love to encourage writers to pursue their calling and encourage parents to serve either internationally or at home alongside their kids.

I know what you mean. I’ve been on missions trips into Mexico and in Guatemala. What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you and how did you handle it?

I remember being absolutely mortified in college when I slipped and fell in front of hundreds of people in the cafeteria. Food all over the place, me and my nice dress sprawled out on the messy floor. I still shudder when I think about it…

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 tell people that I think it’s fantastic, and then I ask how much they’ve written. If they haven’t started their book yet, I encourage them to write a little each day until their manuscript is finished.

Tell us about the featured book.

Château of Secrets is about a French noblewoman named Gisèle Duchant who risks her life to hide members of the French resistance in the tunnels under her family’s château even as the Nazi Germans occupy her home. Seventy years later Gisèle’s granddaughter, Chloe Sauver, returns to the abandoned château to interview with a filmmaker named Riley Holtz. As Chloe and Riley begin to unravel her grandmother’s story, they are both shocked at the family secrets they uncover.

Please give us the first page of the book.

June 1940

Agneaux, France

Candlelight flickered on the medieval walls as Gisèle Duchant stepped into the warmth of the nave. The shadows in the sacristy were the only witnesses to her secret—no one but she and Michel knew the same small room that stored the vestments and supplies for their family’s chapelle was also a hiding place.

She slid the iron gate across the entry into the sacristy, and after locking it, she set down her picnic hamper—emptied of its Camembert cheese and Calvados—and turned toward the pews.

Five women from Agneaux, the tiny commune at the top of the lane, knelt before the altar, the sweet fragrance of incense blending with the smell of cigarette smoke on their clothing. For centuries, women had visited this chapelle to plead with the Almighty to protect their husbands, sons, and brothers as they fought for France. Now they battled in prayer even as the men they loved defended their country against Hitler and his ploy to assimilate the French people into his Third Reich.

Gisèle slid her fingers over the amber rosary beads around her neck, gently fingering the ornamented handle of the brass crucifix in the center. A cross that was also a key.

“Secrets can destroy.”

The words of her university professor echoed in her mind. If a secret was powerful enough, her philosophy professor had declared from his lectern, it could demolish an entire army. Or shatter the heart of a family.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Readers can find me on my website at www.melaniedobson.com or on Facebook at this link: www.facebook.com/pages/Melanie-Dobson/41212604112

Thank you, Melanie, for sharing this new book with us. It sounds intriguing.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Chateau of Secrets - Christianbooks.com
Chateau of Secrets: A Novel - Amazon
Chateau of Secrets: A Novel - 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 COURIER OF CASWELL HALL - Melanie Dobson - One Free Book On This Blog, Plus More

Bio: Melanie Dobson is the author of twelve novels; her writing has received numerous accolades including two Carol Awards. Melanie worked in public relations for fifteen years before she began writing fiction full-time. Born and raised in the Midwest, she now resides with her husband and two daughters in Oregon.

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

Every novel has a different spiritual theme, but I love to write about characters who sacrifice their lives for other people and those who have a sense of wonder and awe about God and His creation.

What other books of yours are coming out soon?

Last March I headed to Normandy to research for my next book, a novel called Château of Secrets that slips between World War II and the present day. Château of Secrets comes out in May and I’m also working on a novella for a Christmas collection that releases next fall.

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

 My dear friend, Tosha Williams. Tosha and I met in college almost twenty-five years ago, and her friendship is a treasure to me. We live more than a thousand miles away now, and it would be such a treat to spend an entire evening with her, talking about our writing and families and all that God is teaching us.

What historical person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why?

I would love to meet Mary, the mother of Jesus, and hear the story of his life and death and ultimately resurrection from her perspective. Also, as the mom of two girls, I really want to know what it was like to parent the Son of God!

How can you encourage authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers?

When I first began writing fiction, I wrote four novels in seven years. During those seven years, I received consistent rejections from both publishers and agents, but I felt like God had called me to write. Because of my love of writing and out of pure obedience to this call, I continued pursuing it in spite of all the rejections (which were super hard to read). This season was hard, but it was also really good as I learned the craft. Those seven years in the desert prepared me well for the later years of writing novels on short deadlines. God often uses our writing in ways we can’t imagine, and I would encourage unpublished writers to pray for guidance and direction (i.e. James 1). I love to learn, and the beauty of novel writing is that there is always something new to learn. I also would encourage those wanting to be published to keep writing as they continue growing in their skills as a novelist.

Tell us about the featured book.

The Courier of Caswell Hall is about a woman who becomes a courier and ultimately a spy for the Patriots during the American Revolution. Lydia Caswell comes from a family of staunch Loyalists, but when she rescues a wounded man on the riverbank near her family’s plantation, she begins to question her loyalties. As both armies gather near Williamsburg for a pivotal battle, both Lydia and her dear friend Sarah must decide how high a price they are willing to pay for freedom—and to help the men they love.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Prologue

July 4, 1826

Glittering trails of firelight illuminated the champagne in Lydia’s glass. Leaning back against a sandstone column, her stiff fingers curled over the worn crook of her cane, Lydia sipped the Veuve Clicquot from its gold-encrusted pool. The warmth from her drink fought off the coolness that stole through her silk gown and gloves.

Hundreds of guests gathered on the north lawn of the white President’s Palace as another round of red-and-blue fireworks rocketed through the night, but only one of the guests interested her. Lydia scanned the shadowed faces of cabinet members and representatives from across the States, searching in vain for their country’s secretary of state.

The echoing boom rattled her bones, and the crowd cheered as shards of light cascaded over the grass.

“Jubilee of Freedom”—that’s what John Quincy Adams, president of their United States, called this day, but the celebration in Lydia’s heart blended with her memories, jubilation fading away like the fireworks in the darkness.

Would their country remember the sacrifices the men and women of the colonies had made as well as their triumphs?

She took another sip, looking again for the distinguished secretary.

Fifty years had passed since their country had declared its independence from Great Britain—and almost fifty years since the man who became the country’s secretary of state turned her and her family upside down.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I love to connect with my readers! My website is www.melaniedobson.com.

Melanie Dobson's latest release, The Courier of Caswell Hall, is a riveting story you won't want to miss. The newest offering in the American Tapestries™ series, it follows an unlikely spy who discovers freedom and love in the midst of the American Revolution.

Enter to win 1 of 5 copies of the book!

  Five winners will receive:

• The Courier of Caswell Hall by Melanie Dobson

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on October 5th. All winners will be announced October 7th at the Litfuse blog.

Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to visit the Litfuse blog on the 7th to see if you won one of the books!

Thank you, Melanie, 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.

The Courier of Caswell Hall - Christianbook.com
The Courier of Caswell Hall (American Tapestries series) (American Tapestry) - Amazon.com
The Courier of Caswell Hall (American tapestries) - Kindle

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book on this blog. 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

WHERE THE TRAIL ENDS - Melanie Dobson - One Free Book

God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?

I love writing stories about ordinary women who sacrifice for others in extraordinary ways. My next novel is another story with the American Tapestries series. This one will be set during the Revolutionary War and is about a woman who becomes a spy for the Patriots. The story after that is about a heroic woman during World War II—I’m still working through the details on that one.

Tell us a little about your family.

My husband and I adopted two girls when they were infants, and God has molded the four of us into a family. We live near Portland, Oregon, and right now my oldest daughter and I are homeschooling. Thankfully, she loves creating stories as much as I do.

Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?

I miss reading for pleasure. When I read fiction these days, I’m usually analyzing, editing, or researching. Every once in awhile, though, a novel will sweep me off my feet. I love getting swept into a story!

What are you working on right now?

I’m in the midst of writing that second novel for the American Tapestries series. It’s set during the Revolutionary War and is about a female spy.

What outside interests do you have?

Our family is very involved with the “Father to the Fatherless” ministry at our church. We’ve recently started a monthly event for foster care kids and their foster parents and are working with other families in our church who want to adopt. I also enjoy hiking, exploring old cemeteries and ghost towns, and line dancing.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

Each book is very different, but for Where the Trail Ends, I was hoping to write a book set in Oregon. It was so much fun for me to research the history of my home state and take my own journey (in my car) on the Oregon Trail.

What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?

That it would take seven years of consistent writing to publish my first novel! Or maybe it was better that I didn’t know. I learned later that seven years and three novels is pretty typical before publication.

I sold my first novel, but it took eight years. Then didn’t sell the second one. What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. He’s teaching me that the root of my anxiety is really a fear of failure, and I need to give that fear to him.

What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?

Oh, I’m still learning so much about writing and this business, but here are three things that I’ve learned in the last decade:

1) Don’t edit while you write your story. It’s better to pour out what’s in your heart and mind on the first version and then clean it up the second time around (I start my writing day by editing what I wrote the day before). 2) Determine the number of words you want to complete each day and schedule a time to write them. 3) Gather a group of “first readers” who love your genre, are honest, and want you to succeed. Give these people permission to tell you the truth about your story, both good and bad, and learn from them.

Tell us about the featured book?

This novel is about a woman named Samantha Waldron and her young brother Micah who are left behind on the Oregon Trail. Here’s a quick blurb about the story:

A young woman traveling the Oregon Trail in 1842 must rely on a stranger to bring her to safety. But whom can she trust with her heart?

For two thousand miles along the trail to Oregon Country, Samantha Waldron and her family must overcome tremendous challenges to reach the Willamette Valley before winter. But when their canoe capsizes on the Columbia River, they must rely on British exporter Alexander Clarke to rescue them from the icy water. Samantha is overwhelmed with men vying for her affections at Fort Vancouver, but the only one who intrigues her—Alex—is the one she cannot have.

One of my daughters married a Waldron, and two of my novels have a prologue on the Oregon Trail, but these people ended up in Oregon City instead of Fort Vancouver. Please give us the first page of the book.

September 1842

Samantha clutched Micah’s hand, water splashing up both sides of the wagon as their two oxen labored to pull them and the Waldron family belongings across the swift Snake River. The wagon bumped over another rock and listed to the left. She swallowed hard. What would happen if her family’s wagon tipped, as the Baylor family’s wagon did two weeks past?

She’d promised Mama that she would take care of her little brother, but it hadn’t been easy. Micah could swim—Papa had taken him down to the pond several times before they left Ohio—but this current would be too hard for him to fight, the river too wide for him to cross. Micah squeezed her hand, and his words trembled along with his fingers. “Are we gonna tip?”

She steadied her voice. “Papa will take care of us.” Micah’s hand relaxed in hers. Their father rode beside them on the one horse they’d purchased for their journey west, yelling at the oxen as he cracked his whip over their heads. During their five months on the trail, Papa had changed from an ordinary small-town lawyer to a passionate horseman and teamster.

They’d all changed, she supposed.

The wagon groaned from the pressure of the current, but she tried to stay calm for Micah’s sake. She wished she could jump off the wagon bench into the river, to help Papa lead their supplies and livestock to safety. But even if the river were shallow enough for her to walk safely through it, Papa would be angry if she got off the bench, and Captain Ezra Loewe, their hard-nosed wagon master, would be furious.

I loved reading this story, and so will many of my readers. How can readers find you on the Internet?

My author page on Facebook or at my website www.melaniedobson.com

Thank you, Melanie, for sharing your life and this story with us.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Where the Trail Ends (American Tapestry) - papeback
Where the Trail Ends: The Oregon Trail (An American Tapestry) - 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

LOVE FINDS YOU IN MACKINAC ISLAND, MICHIGAN - Melanie Dobson - One Free Book

Bio:

Melanie Dobson has written ten contemporary and historical novels including five releases in Summerside’s Love Finds You series. In 2011, two of her releases won Carol Awards: Love Finds You in Homestead, Iowa (for historical romance) and The Silent Order (for romantic suspense).

She enjoys the research process that comes along with being an author of historical fiction so much that she often has a difficult time stopping the research on the history and locale in order to start the writing. Because Melanie visits each location she writes about, she’s been able to spend time in the beautiful and fascinating towns across the country that bring her stories to life.

Melanie received her undergraduate degree in journalism from Liberty University and her master's degree in communication from Regent University. Prior to her writing career, Melanie was the corporate publicity manager at Focus on the Family and a publicist for The Family Channel. She later launched her own public relations company and worked in the fields of publicity and journalism for more than fifteen years.

She met her husband, Jon, in Colorado Springs, but since they've been married, the Dobsons have relocated numerous times including stints in Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Colorado, Berlin, and Southern California. Along with their two daughters, Karly and Kiki, they now enjoy their home in the Pacific Northwest. The entire Dobson family loves to travel and hike in both the mountains and along the cliffs above the Pacific.

When Melanie isn't writing or playing with her family, she enjoys exploring ghost towns and dusty back roads, line dancing, and reading inspirational fiction.

Why do you write the kind of books you do?

I love to research old towns and uncover stories about heroic people from the past. When I write historical fiction (what one friend calls “fact-tion”), I immerse myself in a different era and ask “what if….” The wondering “what if” is my favorite part of writing a novel.

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

I have three happiest days. The first day was May 9, 1998 when I married the love of my life in a rustic Colorado lodge. The second was the day Jon and I met our oldest daughter. I’ll never forget going to the hospital that July morning and lifting the most beautiful brown haired, brown-eyed baby girl into my arms. I didn’t want to put her back down. And the third was the day the State of South Carolina granted us custody of our second daughter, Kinzel Shae. We were waiting at the state line for the phone call that said we could take her out of the state to meet her sister and grandparents.

How has being published changed your life?

Deadlines have definitely changed my life. I used to have months and even years to linger over a story idea or dream about what might happen with my characters, but now I have to discipline myself to decide quickly about the direction of my characters and story. Part of me misses those days of researching for hours as I dreamed and wondered about the beginning and middle of a story, but as someone who starts a new project with great enthusiasm and then struggles to complete it, deadlines are really good for me. They help me stay on track to actually write the endings of my story ideas as well.

What are you reading right now?

I just finished reading Things Unseen: Living in the Light of Forever by Mark Buchanan. It’s a beautifully written book about what why we are never fully content in this life because what our hearts long for most is on the other side.

What is your current work in progress?

I’m in the midst of edits for Where the Trail Ends, one of the novels in Summerside’s new American Tapestries series. This historical romance is about a woman named Samantha Waldron and her young brother who struggle to survive after they are left behind on the Oregon Trail. And it’s about a proper British gentleman who wants the American emigrants to go home before they take over this new country that Hudson’s Bay Company has claimed for the Queen.

What would be your dream vacation?

Touring Europe for a month (or more) with my family. We lived in Berlin when our girls were younger, and I would like to take them back to explore the medieval German villages as well as visit the quaint towns and mountains in Austria, Switzerland, France, and Italy.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

Each book is a little different. Sometimes I send my editor ideas of where I’d like to set one of the Love Finds You books, and sometimes she asks me to write a novel in a specific location. Love Finds You in Liberty, Indiana, for example, was set in Liberty because this town was a major hub on the Underground Railroad, and the name Liberty was quite fitting for the townspeople’s work in helping runaway slaves. Love Finds You in Amana and Homestead were set in the Amana Colonies--a place I've been intrigued about since I was a child. And Love Finds You in Mackinac Island, Michigan was the perfect setting for a Victorian-era romance about a society family on the crux of losing their fortune and an eighty-year-old mystery discovered in an abandoned lighthouse.

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

My dear friend, Tosha Williams. Tosha and I became friends at Liberty University, and her friendship has been a treasure to me for more than twenty years now. Our paths have intersected repeatedly over the years, but now that we live 1,400 miles apart, we try to get together for “tea” over the phone whenever we can. It would be such a treat for me to spend an entire evening with her, talking about writing, our families, and how God is working in our lives.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I love travelling and exploring abandoned houses, ghost towns, and old cemeteries. I also enjoy hiking in the mountains with my family during the summer and country western dancing in the winter. My husband tolerates this dancing hobby of mine fairly well and we often go two-stepping on date nights.

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

My most difficult obstacle right now is scheduling blocks of time devoted to writing. I write during the evenings after my girls have gone to bed as well as on Saturdays while they are running errands and playing with Dad. With every book deadline, I schedule one or two weekends in a local hotel to focus on the story. The girls love to come swim at the hotel pool with their dad, and I’m able to have (mostly) uninterrupted writing time for forty-eight hours.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

I watched an interview a long time ago with a bestselling novelist, and I was shocked when the woman said she was a “horrible” writer. She quickly followed up her admission, saying that even though she was a horrible writer she was a fabulous re-writer.

At the time I watched her interview, I was talking about writing all the time and thinking about it even more. The problem was that I was not actually doing much writing because I was terrified I would fail. And if I failed, I would be devastated. Once I realized my first draft didn’t have to be even close to perfect, I let go of my fears and began scribbling down random thoughts and scenes onto paper. Then I polished and reworked and rewrote these thoughts and scenes until I had a clean manuscript that I could send to a publisher.

I would encourage a new writer who might be terrified of the process to sit down with a notepad or her laptop and begin pouring out what’s in her heart for the first draft. Don’t sweat the editing and publishing until later.

Tell us about the featured book.

I’ve always wanted to visit Mackinac Island so I was really excited to contract for a story set on this lovely island where time seems to stand still. There are no cars on Mackinac and most of the houses and hotels were built more than a hundred years ago. Here’s a short blurb about this novel:

As the Gilded Age comes to a close, Elena Bissette’s once-wealthy family has nearly lost its fortune. The Bissettes still own a home on fashionable Mackinac Island, where they will spend one last summer in the hope of introducing Elena to a wealthy suitor. But Elena is repulsed by the idea of marrying for money. Quickly tiring of the extravagant balls, she spends most evenings escaping back into Mackinac’s rugged forest. There she meets Chase, a handsome soldier who shares her love for the night sky. The two begin to meet in secret at an abandoned lighthouse, where they work together to solve a mystery hidden in the pages of a tattered diary.

As Elena falls in love with Chase, her mother relentlessly contrives to introduce her to the island’s most eligible bachelor. Marriage to the elusive millionaire would solve the Bissettes’ financial woes, and Elena is torn between duty and love.

Please give us the first page of the book.

June 1894

Wind gusted over the bow of the Manitou and whistled under the canopy of her deck. Below the deck, a pipe organ entertained those women who wouldn’t think of mussing their hair or wrinkling their beaded gowns as the steamer maneuvered through the Straits of Mackinac. The deck was crowded with men smoking cigars and talking about whether their fine country would recover from the utter failure of the economy.

Elena Bissette wasn’t talking with the men. She stood against the railing and clung to the organza band that encircled her new hat, trying to keep it from drowning in the choppy waters that marked the juncture of Lakes Michigan and Huron. Strands of light brown hair tangled around her face, and she tried unsuccessfully to secure them behind her ears with her gloved fingers. The breeze tugged at her hair like a child wanting to play, but she couldn’t join in. Not until she was alone.

Jillian had put up Elena’s hair an hour ago, pinning it neatly into an elegant French twist. Her hair would be a disaster by the time they reached Mackinac Island—and so would her mother, once she saw Elena’s hair. When Mama emerged onto the deck, Elena knew exactly what she would say.

Elena Ingrid Bissette. Her mother’s fists would ball up against her wide hips. You’re not supposed to be outside in the wind. You’re supposed to be in the stateroom until our arrival, waiting with your father and me.

The admonitions raged louder in Elena’s mind, drowning out the roar of the wind and waves.

What if he saw you like this, Elena? What would he do?

Mama would snap her fingers. He’d move on to the next girl. Just like that. And there will be plenty of young ladies on Mackinac this summer, plenty of pretty girls.

Tears would follow in perfect dramatic time, just a few of them to inspire the necessary dose of guilt. Then her mother would lean even closer.

Are you trying to ruin what’s left of our lives?

Elena laughed in spite of herself. As if tangled hair could ruin the Bissette family name.

I like the story already. How can readers find you on the Internet?

I love connecting with readers on Facebook or through my website—

www.melaniedobson.com.


Melanie Dobson's "Mackinac Island' Kindle Fire Giveaway! Celebrate with Melanie by entering her Kindle Fire Giveaway!

Find out what the reviewers are saying here!

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A brand new Kindle Fire
• Signed copies of Melanie’s Love Find You books: Love Finds you in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, Love Finds You in Amana, Iowa, Love Finds You in Homestead, Iowa, and Love Finds You in Liberty, Indiana.

But hurry, the giveaway ends on 8/4/12. The winner will be announced on 8/6/12 at Melanie's blog!

Just click one of the icons below to enter! Tell your friends about Melanie's giveaway on FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.

Thank you, Melanie, for sharing with us today.


Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Love Finds You in Mackinac Island, Michigan - paperback
Love Finds You in Mackinac Island, Michigan - Kindle

One reader of my blog will win a copy of the book, too. 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

LOVE FINDS YOU IN LIBERTY, INDIANA - Melanie Dobson - Free Book

Another Summerside Press novel. This one from the state where my brother lives. Welcome, Melanie. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

That’s a great question but a tough one to answer because it’s often hard for me to know where I stop and my characters begin. Even though most of my characters don’t have my personality or a similar background, I strive to understand how they think and would respond in different situations. On the best writing days, with characters I’ve gotten to know well, I feel like I’m scribbling down the dialogue they dictate instead of creating it for them.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I’ve been a bit obsessive (some would say a lot obsessive) about writing since I was a child. I started journaling when I was seven and loved writing poetry and creating stories. In high school and college, I wrote articles and essays for the yearbook, school newspaper, and local newspaper (basically anyone that would publish my work). When I graduated, I pursued public relations as a career and spent almost a decade writing press releases in lieu of creative writing. I had always dreamed about writing fiction but intended to start when I was “older.”

Months before my thirtieth birthday it hit me that I was, in fact, “older,” and if I was going to pursue this dream, I had been better start soon. It took me years, and three completed manuscripts, to learn how to write fiction. Eight years after I started writing fiction, Together for Good was published.

It took me eight years for my first novel to sell, too. Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.

I’ll read pretty much anything that isn’t dark or depressing—especially when I’m writing a darker novel like The Black Cloister. I like suspenseful and compelling stories, and I love to learn new things as I read and be inspired to grow in my journey with Christ. Jan Karon’s Mitford series tops my list of favorite books because whenever I read one of her books, it makes me smile. Even though I’ve read this series four or five times, I still love the characters and want to keep turning the pages quickly to see what happens next.

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

The first novel I wrote was a historical novel called Remembering Rose. That one wasn’t published nor was my next one. It was my third novel, Together for Good, that found a home with a publisher, and I was elated because this was a story about adoption, a subject close to my heart. Together for Good was published in 2006 followed by Going for Broke the next year and then The Black Cloister in 2008. Love Finds You in Liberty, Indiana, comes out this year, and my next romantic suspense novel Crescent Hill (working title) is scheduled to be released in 2010.

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

When things get crazy around our house, one of our favorite sayings is, “Stop and breathe!” We all freeze and collectively breathe in and out until calm is restored. When I write, I try to block out the insanity a bit by not answering my phone or checking my email so I can focus on the story, but I have to say that not checking my email or Facebook is a hard habit for me to break. Some days email is a WHOLE lot more fun than writing a tough portion of my WIP (for that matter, scrubbing toilets is a lot more fun on those days…).

How do you choose your characters’ names?

Sometimes character names seem to find me. Other times I have to search for a name and change the name over and over again through the writing process until it seems to fit my character. In The Black Cloister, my main character Elise Friedman had a special name because she had been born into an abusive religious cult and her mother renamed her Elise to demonstrate that she had been dedicated to God. With the encouragement of my editor, we chose the last name of my main character in Love Finds You in Liberty, Indiana, to be “Brent” specifically to honor a runaway slave named Linda Brent who wrote the phenomenal book Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl.

What is your favorite food?

That’s not a tough question for me. :-) Cheese fondue.

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

Making myself focus! I outline my books now so I know exactly where I am going in case I’m interrupted (like right now!) by a child pounding on my door or I’m not able to write for several days. I also chew way too much gum and drink mug after mug of decaf coffee and tea which for some strange reason helps me stay on task.

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

A bestselling author once said she was a horrible writer but a fabulous re-writer. When I watched her interview, I was thinking and talking about writing all the time but not actually DOING much writing because I was terrified I would fail. And if I failed, I would be devastated…
Once I realized that my first draft would stink, I let go of my fears and began spewing random thoughts onto my computer. After I had my first draft on paper, I polished and reworked and rewrote until I had a coherent draft that I liked. Even though I get anxious each time I start a new book, I’m no longer scared of the process, and I would encourage new writers not to be scared of the process either. Write what’s in your heart and worry about editing (and publishing) it later.

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

Love Finds You in Liberty, Indiana, is a part of Summerside Press’s wonderful new line featuring the stories of small towns across the country, and this novel is about a Quaker woman who runs a station on the secretive Underground Railroad in 1850. When her work is threatened by a slave hunter searching for a runaway girl, she turns to an outspoken abolitionist named Daniel Stanton for help. The two of them risk everything to harbor runaways and aid them in their flight to liberty.

I’ve had a blast writing this book, but even more fun than writing it was going to Liberty and meeting the delightful people of this town. Several of them welcomed me into their home and let me crawl around in the secret spaces of their attics and cellars where the runaway slaves once hid.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

My website and blog is at http://www.melaniedobson.com/, and I’d love to have the readers visit me at Facebook or Shoutlife.com.

Thank you, Melanie, for spending this time with us.

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. 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.

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