LADIES OF INTRIGUE - Michelle Griep - One Free Book

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

Since there are 3 different stories, I have 3 different answers :

The Gentleman Smuggler’s Lady was inspired from my time visiting Cornwall where smugglers abound. And Poldark. Who isn’t inspired by Poldark?!

The Doctor’s Woman is a story dear to my heart because I live so close to the fort where this atrocity took place.

A House of Secrets came about from a tidbit of history I uncovered one day while at the Minnesota History Museum, about a secret tunnel reported running from a brothel to the Minnesota Club.

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

Robin Jones Gunn because I heard her speak one time and she’s so personable.

Heather Gilbert because she’s such a sweetie.

Lindsay Harrell because I keep meaning to read her books and I just haven’t gotten around to it yet…bad reader!

Cara Putnam because I’ve never met her but I’d really like to.

Ane Mulligan because she’s another one of my bestest critique buddies in the world.

Deborah Raney because she’s just so doggone noble.

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

Laura Frantz because her smile is infectious.

Julie Klassen because she’s one of my writing buddies.

Lori Benton because I want to write like her when I grow up.

Joanna Davidson Politano because I love her stories and I’d like to meet her.

Shannon McNear because her writing is stellar and we can plot together.

Elizabeth Ludwig because she is truly my partner in crime.

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?

Hah! I almost choked on that one. Does any author ever really have it made? Writing is such a subjective thing that there’s no guarantee ever that anyone will “have it made.” My biggest problem currently is striving to beat down self-doubt, wondering if I can keep coming up with intriguing ideas.

Tell us about the featured book.

These 3 stories were previously published in other collections but now they are all under one cover. Here’s a blurb:

Can truth and love prevail when no one is as they appear?

The Gentleman Smuggler’s Lady
Cornish Coast 1815
When a prim and proper governess returns to England from abroad, she expects to comfort her dying father—not fall in love with a smuggler. Will Helen Fletcher keep Isaac Seaton’s unusual secret?

The Doctor’s Woman (A Carol Award Winner!)
Dakota Territory 1862
Emmy Nelson, daughter of a missionary doctor, and Dr. James Clark, city doctor aspiring to teach, find themselves working side by side at Fort Snelling during the Dakota Uprising. That is when the real clash of ideals begins.

A House of Secrets
St. Paul, Minnesota 1890
Ladies Aide Chairman, Amanda Carston resolves to clean up St. Paul’s ramshackle housing, starting with the worst of the worst: a “haunted” house that’s secretly owned by her beau—a home that’s his only means of helping brothel girls escape from the hands of the city’s most infamous madam.

Please give us the first page of the book.

1815, port village of Treporth, Cornwall, England

Pretend I am courageous.

Pretend my heart still beats.

Pretend all manner of blissful things. . .

and that I shall find him alive.

Re-creasing a worn scrap of foolscap, Helen Fletcher tucked the paper into her valise then snapped shut the clasp, wishing most of all she’d never received such horrid news. No one had ever warned her about the dangers of parchment.

Pretend the world is right and well. . .for it would be—or she would die trying to make it so.

She rose from her sleeping berth and paced the few steps to the small mirror on the wall. Grey-blue light, the last from the end of a melancholic day, leaked through the porthole into her tiny accommodations. The vessel Nancarrow had never been meant to haul passengers, but the captain had made an exception for her plight, thank God. Removing her hat from a hook, she did her best to pin up her dark hair beneath the brim, then tied the ribbon secure. Now that they were docked, she’d not be sorry to leave this tucked-away compartment.

“Of course Father will be fine,” she whispered to her reflection, taking courage in the voicing of such a hope. She lifted her chin, staring into her own eyes. “And you will be, too.”

Whirling about, she retrieved her valise and left her sanctuary of the past fortnight. The corridor was a maze and a dim one at that. Very few vigil lanterns lit the way. She edged past stacks of crates secured against one wall then turned sideways to squeeze through a narrow throat of a space next to a post. Though she ought be used to it by now, the tight quarters smelled of brine and dampness and overworked ship hands—an odor she wouldn’t miss.

At last she made it to the stairs leading to fresh air and England. She’d never been to Cornwall, Bath having been her former home before leaving as a governess to Ireland. But as long as she was with Father, it would no doubt feel like home.

She gripped the railing with one gloved hand and ascended the wooden rungs. Her other hand held tightly to all she owned in this life, which was precious little. No matter. God would provide. He always did. Was not the very fact she’d been sent passage to attend her ailing father proof enough of God’s surprising provision?

The closer she climbed toward the top deck, the louder shouts echoed and boots thudded. Strange. When they’d set sail from Ireland’s green coast, the crew had sung ditties of brisk winds and prows cutting through the ocean blue. Ought not the ballads of mooring at a friendly port be jolly as well? She frowned. No, those rumbles and curses were decidedly not merry at all.

I’m intrigued. How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.michellegriep.com

https://www.facebook.com/michellegriep/

https://www.pinterest.com/michellegriep/pins/

https://twitter.com/MichelleGriep

Thank you, Michelle, for sharing this collection with my blog readers and me. I look forward to reading all three stories.

Readers, here are links to the book.

Ladies of Intrigue: 3 Tales of 19th-Century Romance with a Dash of Mystery - Paperback
Ladies of Intrigue: 3 Tales of 19th-Century Romance with a Dash of Mystery - Kindle

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

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

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

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

Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

THE CAPTIVE HEART - Michelle Griep - One Free Book

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

I lived in the ’hood growing up, so my mom didn’t allow me to go anywhere by myself. Ever. One morning I was in the front yard playing by myself. A school bus pulled up to the curb and the driver swung open the door. He said, “Hey, little girl, do you want to go to Sunday school?” I didn’t know what that was but it sounded better than pushing my baby doll around in a stroller. I ran in the house and asked if I could go, and lo and behold . . . my mom said yes. Reflecting back on this event, that was a miracle of Red Sea proportion because that woman seriously never let me go anywhere. I attended Sunday school that day and every week thereafter, hearing about Jesus, and never doubting a word of it.

You’re planning a writing retreat where you can only have four other authors. Who would they be and why?

Carl Sandburg, which may be tricky since he’s dead. But his poetry blows me away. His rhythm. His perspective. Awesome.

Okay, back to the living. I kind of have a literary crush on Travis Thrasher. He has a way of describing everyday things we take for granted in a fresh, new way. I want to learn how to do that.

MaryLu Tyndall is one of my favorite historical romance writers. I’d invite her because she’s one of the sweetest, most gracious people I’ve ever met. She’s such an encouragement.

Anne Voskamp, while not a fiction writer, is an amazingly creative inspirational author. The way she puts words together is amazing.

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

I try to avoid public speaking as much as possible. It gives me hives. No, really. Super itchy welts because it’s so terrifying. That being said, I have been known to speak to writers groups.

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

Really? I really have to answer this? Sheesh. Okay, let’s get this over with quickly. I was tubing down the Apple River in Wisconsin with my husband-to-be. We went over some rapids and I lost something. Or part of something. The top part. Moral of the story: Always wear a one-piece bathing suit with snug shoulder straps. My fiancé’s eyes widened and he quickly pulled me off the tube and into the water so that I could fix the wardrobe malfunction in private.

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’d say someday never comes, so quit talking about it and just do it. There’s never a “right” time to write a book. Life never slows down. Stop using busy as an excuse.

Tell us about the featured book.

The wild American wilderness is no place for an elegant English governess.

On the run from a cruel British aristocratic employer, Eleanor Morgan escapes to America, the land of the free, for the opportunity to serve an upstanding Charles Town family. But freedom is hard to come by as an indentured servant, and downright impossible when she’s forced to agree to an even harsher contract—marriage to a man she’s never met.

Backwoodsman Samuel Heath doesn’t care what others think of him—but his young daughter’s upbringing matters very much. The life of a trapper in the Carolina backcountry is no life for a small girl, but neither is abandoning his child to another family. He decides it’s time to marry again, but that proves to be an impossible task. Who wants to wed a murderer?

Both Samuel and Eleanor are survivors, facing down the threat of war, betrayal, and divided loyalties that could cost them everything, but this time they must face their biggest challenge ever ... Love.

Please give us the first page of the book.

London, England, February 1770

My precious Lord;

My only hope;

My Saviour, how I need You now.

Eleanor Morgan repeated the words, over and over, scrubbing her fingernails more vigorously with each repetition. Prayer was always better than blood. Perhaps if she focused on the simple child’s verse she taught her charges, she wouldn’t feel like heaving. She bit her lip, trapping a scream behind her teeth. A merciless idea. Better had she cried out at the unfairness of it all, for now blood wasn’t merely under her nails. Saltiness warmed the tip of her tongue.

A rap on her chamber door stopped her scrubbing. The nailbrush clattered into the basin, her heart into her stomach. Before she could think, she turned and snatched one of the brass candlesticks off the bureau. Hot wax spilled onto her skin, the pain barely registering. Duke or not, this time she’d do more than scratch the man’s face. Lecher. Beast. She raised the makeshift weapon, the flame extinguishing as the door swung open.

A tiny woman in a lace wrap entered. Eleanor choked. The candlestick slipped from her hand and crashed to the floor.

My precious Lord;

My only hope;

Duchess Brougham’s gaze darted to the rolling candlestick, then back to Eleanor’s face. One of her brows lifted.

Eleanor rushed forward and sank to her knees in front of the woman, not caring to grab a dressing gown to cover her shift. Why bother? Humiliation was cloak enough. “Your Grace, I swear I did not encourage your husband’s advances. Please, you must believe me. I would never—”

“Rise, Miss Morgan.” The lady waited until Eleanor stood on shaky legs, a single furrow marring her forehead. Was that compassion on her face. . .or resentment?

Duchess Brougham sighed, long and loud, as if she might expel whatever demon anguished her soul.

Eleanor knew she ought say something, but all her words dried up and blew away like the last leaf of autumn.

Slowly, the lady’s mouth curved into a fragile smile. “Did you not wonder, Miss Morgan, why we have had four governesses in the space of a year?”

Eleanor grimaced. She would have inquired had not pride muddled her thinking. The position of governess in a duke’s household didn’t seem nearly as prestigious anymore. La, what a foolish dolt she’d become.

You’ll never aspire to anything higher than a trollop, girl.

The sting of her father’s prophecy slapped her with more brutal force than she’d dealt her employer. She lifted fingertips to her own cheek, coaxing out a whispered confession. “I assumed lack on the part of the other women, Your Grace, and for that I am woefully repentant.”

Duchess Brougham’s eyes glinted with an odd intensity. “The lack is in my husband. I had hoped that this time. . .for you see, the children dearly love you—” Her voice cracked, and she shook her head. “It is a sorry business, but there is nothing to be done for it. For your sake, Miss Morgan, you should leave. Now. Walk out the door and do not come back.”

Wow! I want to read more. How can readers find you on the Internet?

If you’d like to keep up with my escapades, find me at www.michellegriep.com or www.writerofftheleash.blogspot.com or stalk me on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.

Thank you, Michelle, for sharing this book with us. I'm eager to read it.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
The Captive Heart - Christianbook.com
The Captive Heart - Amazon
The Captive Heart - Kindle

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

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

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

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

OUT OF THE FRYING PAN - Michelle Griep - One Free Book

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

Forgiveness and compassion are two of my favorite themes, probably because those are my favorite attributes of Jesus.

What other books of yours are coming out soon?

The Captive Heart comes out in October, but you can pre-order now at Amazon. Here’s a short blurb:

Governess ELEANOR MORGAN flees to America, but the family she’s to serve never arrives to collect her. She must settle for what’s left—an offer of marriage. Backwoodsman SAMUEL HEATH is a survivor. He will find a mother for his young daughter. The trouble is who would marry a murderer?

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

Wow. Tough question. There are so many! I’m going to go with Ann Voskamp, the author of One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are. Her outlook on things, her perspective of grace, continually blows me away.

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

Charlotte Bronte. Yes, another author, and my all-time favorite. How much of Jane Eyre is in her? That’s what I’d want to discuss.

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

Keep writing, whether you think you’ll get published or not. It’s always God’s timing, not yours.

Tell us about the featured book.

Out of the Frying Pan is a zany romantic mystery with a few older main characters. The American population is aging, so why not include a few seniors? Here’s a blurb:

Murder in Paradise whips life into a froth for FERN and ZULA HOPKINS. When the retirement center’s chef is found dead, the two ladies get folded in with the case. Their zany attempts to track down the killer land them in hot water with Detective JARED FLYNN. Should he be concerned about their safety—or the criminal’s?

But there are deadly ingredients none of them expect. Drugs. Extortion. International cartels. And worst of all…broken hearts, especially when the Hopkins sisters’ niece KC arrives on the scene.

Life at Sunset Paradise Retirement Village will never be the same.

Please give us the first page of the book.

It always surprised Zula Hopkins when her eyelids opened to another day. She should be dead by now. She’d outlived four presidents, a beloved husband, and even her son. But she hadn’t outlasted Fern. Fern had her beat by two years.

Probably for spite.

She rubbed away the negativity along with the sleep from her lashes. Pre-dawn light filtered through the open bedroom blinds, and she blinked. Would it be cool enough to wear her leopard print cardigan today or…wait a minute. What day was it, anyway? Flipping through the pages on her mental calendar, she landed on Tuesday, end of May.

End of May?

           

She flung the iris-print comforter off her body with such force, Fifi rolled to the floor and yelped. Poor old girl. Hopefully the little dog hadn’t broken a bone—no time for a vet visit on the day after Memorial Weekend.

           

“Mama’s sorry, baby, but today’s special.” Humming her own rendition of “Born Free,” she snatched her robe and crossed the room at a good clip. Fifi followed, bumping and re-bumping against her lower calves like a crazed ball-bearing in a pinball game. Evidently, the poor little dear forgave her for the rude awakening.

           

The bedroom door rubbed against the frame as she yanked it open, creaking worse than an arthritic joint. Hmm…it’d be a humid one today, then.

           

Pausing, she shifted her gaze from Fern’s closed door to the bathroom, then back. What to do first—begin her morning routine or awaken her roommate?

           

Expedience mattered, though she’d never tell her sister-in-law. Fern would for sure put a damper on her plans to hop the senior shuttle into Ocala. The day after Memorial Day was historically the best opportunity to browse the discarded silk and plastic flowers that didn’t sell for the holiday. Her heart raced just thinking of the booty in the dumpster behind Flowerama Gifts. No, she couldn’t tell Fern.

           

But she would not be late and miss that shuttle, either.

           

“Oh, Fern,” she crooned.

Even with the shades drawn, the barren beige walls of her sister-in-law’s bedroom glared at her. She clamped her lips against the decorating advice bubbling up in her mouth like an Alka Seltzer gone bad. A simple pair of floral-print valances would add so much color. She could whip up this monochrome bear’s den into a swirling vortex of color in no time at all, if only Fern would let her.

Which she wouldn’t.

           

No matter. She’d soon be up to her elbows in plastic gardenias and silk fuchsias. Her lips unfurled into song. “Are you sleeping? Are you sleeping, sister Fern? Sister Fern? Morning bells are ringing—” she ducked a pillow projectile and whirled for the window “—Morning bells are ringing. Ding, ding, dong—”

           

The second pillow nailed her in the behind, and she let loose the shade she’d been opening to flip-flap a slap dance on the roller. “I declare, Fern, you’re getting as mean as Irma Benton. Now, let’s uncover our sunny dispositions and greet the day, shall we?”

           

Her sister-in-law grasped the blanket’s satin edging and plastered it over her head. No matter how hard Zula yanked, the earth-toned covering refused to budge from Fern’s skinny form.

Muffled words rumbled from beneath the barrier. “The sun’s not even up yet, so why should I be?”

           

Zula straightened, weighing her options. Fight or flight? At least if she flew to the bathroom, she could begin her beauty regimen. Careful to sidestep Fifi, she retreated and finished her serenade, “—Ding, ding, dong.”   

           

She scooted out the door to the whap! of Fern’s last pillow smacking the oak veneer.

Sounds like a fun read, as well as a  cozy mystery. How can readers find you on the Internet?

If you’d like to keep up with Michelle’s escapades, find her at www.michellegriep.com or www.writerofftheleash.blogspot.com or stalk her on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.

Thank you, Michelle, for sharing this book with us.

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

Out of the Frying Pan - A cozy little romance ... with murder on the side. - paperback
Out of the Frying Pan - A cozy little romance ... with murder on the side. - Kindle

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

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

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

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

WRITER OFF THE LEASH - Michelle Griep - One Free Book

Welcome back, Michelle. What would you like for our readers to know about you personally?

I’ve been writing since I first discovered Crayolas and blank wall space. Oh yeah, and about that graffiti incident as a teen? So sorry. So, so sorry. I’ve since grown-up—mostly—and currently write historical fiction in the frozen tundra of Minnesota. I also teach writing and history (go figure) at a high school, homeschool co-op.

Tell us about your family.

My husband and I have one birdy still in the nest—a twenty-year-old who daily rolls her eyes at me. Guess she hasn’t hit the my-mom-is-the-savviest-woman-ever stage yet. I’ve also got two transplants under my roof: a friend’s teenage son and a fuzzy-muzzled brindle boxer . . . the canine variety, not the underpants.

Have you written other nonfiction books?

This is my first toe-dipping experience in the waters of nonfiction. Guess what? The water’s not too chilly, so I just might dive in any time.

Do you have any other books in the works right now?

Currently I’m working on a sequel to my latest fiction release Brentwood’s Ward. It’s about a fellow officer in the Bow Street Runners (first police force in London). Here’s a blurb:

Honorable ALEXANDER MOORE goes undercover as a rogue gentleman to expose a traitorous plot against the king—and a master he is with his disguise, for JOHANNA LANGLEY believes him to be quite the cad. But when Johanna is swept up in the intrigue, Alex must choose between his mission and the woman he’s come to love.

Sounds interesting. What kinds of hobbies and leisure activities do you enjoy?

Skipping the pond over to England. LOVE to travel and that’s where I’d spend every penny to visit. Permanently, preferably. I also love to walk my dog around the bajillion lakes near my house and to rollerblade. Reading is a given.

Why did you write the featured book?

Two reasons. One, the clamor of my blog readers who kept slapping me up beside the head with all their “you ought to put this into a book” kind of comments. Two, a friend who threw down the gauntlet and challenged me to self-pub. Who can refuse a double-dog dare?

 

What do you want the reader to take away from the book?

Encouragement. There are so many hurdles and roadblocks on the writing journey that it makes everyone want to quit at some point in time. This book gives the reader hands-on life hacks to avoid landing in a writerly ditch.

Is there anything you’d like to tell my readers about you or your book?

Writer Off the Leash examines a few questions that lots of people have, but are afraid to ask. Are you a writer at heart? How can you tell? And if you are, how do you go about composing and selling the next Great American Novel? All these and more are answered in an easy to understand tongue-in-cheek style. This is more than a how-to book. It’s a kick in the pants for anyone who wants to write but is stymied by fear, doubt, or simply doesn’t know how to take their writing to the next level.

Where on the Internet can the readers find you?

Follow my adventures and find out about upcoming new releases at her blog, Writer Off the Leash, or stop by her website. You can also find her at the usual haunts of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest.

Thank you, Michelle, 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.
Writer Off the Leash: Growing in the Writing Craft - paperback
WRITER OFF THE LEASH: Growing in the Writing Craft - 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

BRENTWOOD'S WARD - Michelle Griep - One Free Book

BIO: Michelle Griep’s been writing since she first discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. She seeks to glorify God in all that she writes—except for that graffiti phase she went through as a teenager.

She resides in the frozen tundra of Minnesota, where she teaches history and writing classes for a local high school co-op. An Anglophile at heart, she runs away to England every chance she gets, under the guise of research. Really, though, she’s eating excessive amounts of scones.

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

That’s the great thing about a great God—life is such an adventure I don’t know what to expect next. But I do have a few ideas . . .

First off, I’ll be dipping my toes into the realm of non-fiction with a writing craft book to encourage writers of all shapes and sizes. Writer Off the Leash: Growing in the Writing Craft will be available in February.

Secondly, I recently spent an entire month in England, which filled me with a bajillion more story ideas. All historical. All romantic. All incredible. I’d better get writing!

Tell us a little about your family.

My crowded nest is currently gaining a bit more elbow room. Three of my four birds have flown the coop, leaving behind my twenty-year-old baby. But I’m not crying about it. My husband and I have adopted a replacement—a bouncing, baby boxer. Ada Clare is our newest addition, a seven-month-old fuzzy muzzle of love.

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

I’ve become a jaded reader. After studying the writing craft, I have a lower tolerance for those who haven’t and put out lazy writing. Now more than ever, I’m a lot more picky about what I read.

I know. I used to read everything, no matter whether it was well-written or not. But now, if there are too many glaring errors in the first few chapters, I stop. What are you working on right now?

A sequel to Brentwood’s Ward, though honestly, either could be a stand-alone. Here’s a blurb for Moore’s Maiden:

Officer ALEXANDER MOORE goes undercover as a rogue gambler to expose a traitorous plot against the crown—and a master he is with his disguise, for JOHANNA LANGLEY believes him to be quite the cad. But when Johanna is swept up in the intrigue, Alex must choose between his mission and reputation as a crack lawman or the woman he’s come to love.

What outside interests do you have?

I love to cook. Well, I suppose eating ranks right up there as well, but cooking and baking are a fun means to an end.

I’m also a closet season binge-watcher. I know, kind of sounds like a felony, right? Not at all. My husband and I have a few favorite shows to watch, but we wait until the entire season is out and watch it all in one weekend. Next on the docket is Downton Abby’s season four.

James and I are waiting for season five to be finished, so we can watch it that way. How do you choose your settings for each book?

It’s usually a place I’ve either been or would love to visit ... and always in England, whether the entire story takes place there or just part of it. I’m an Anglophile at heart.

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

Jesus, but I’m guessing that’s what everyone would say. I’d pick Ruth—as in the book of the Bible. I think she was pretty spunky so conversation might be interesting. Plus I’d like to hear first-hand her love story with Boaz.

I’m that way about Esther. What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?

That writing is a humbling road to travel. Actually, sometimes it’s downright humiliating. Thick skin is mandatory and mine used to be wafer thin.

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

That no matter what He asks of me, as hard or devastating as it may seem, it’s always for my good and His glory.

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

Be teachable.

Take the time to learn the craft, always striving to polish your writing. Listen to what those who have been in the business longer have to say. There’s no room for pride in your baggage on this trip.

Be patient.

It takes a long time to write a book. Don’t expect to crank out three or four a year and have them be literarily fresh.

Laugh.

Don’t take things—especially yourself—so seriously.

Tell us about the featured book.

BRENTWWOOD’S WARD is a blend of Sherlock Holmes and Dickens. Here’s a blurb:

It takes a criminal to catch one, and Nicholas Brentwood is just the man for the job. Reformed in more ways than one, the rough-around-the-edges Brentwood is a member of the Bow Street Runners, London’s early nineteenth-century fledgling police force. There’s none better than Brentwood at catching the felons who ravage the city’s streets, and there’s nothing he loves more than seeing justice served.

Beautiful and beguiling, Miss Emily Payne is not the sort of miscreant Brentwood usually hunts down. When he is assigned as her bodyguard, he vows to protect her from her father’s enemies, who will stop at nothing to carry out their mission fueled by greed and revenge.

All her life, Emily has longed for love, but it remains beyond her grasp. This season she’s determined to find a husband, which is quite the undertaking with a hound-dog guardian like Brentwood watching her every step. If he would just give her some measure of freedom, she is sure she could win the heart of society’s most eligible bachelor.

Emily’s headstrong persistence challenges Nicholas in ways he doesn’t expect but of one thing he’s certain—of all the cunning criminals he’s dealt with in the past, this time he’s met his match.

Please give us the first page of the book.

London, 1807

“You, sir, are a rogue!” Emily Payne scowled into the black marble gaze fixed on hers, determined to win the deadlock of stares. Horrid beast. Must he always triumph?

Without so much as a blink, the pug angled his head. Sunlight from the front door’s transom window streamed over her shoulder, highlighting each of his fuzzy wrinkles. The pup’s face squinched into a doggy smile, coaxing a sigh from Emily. Who could remain cross with that scrunched up muzzle?

“I should’ve named you Scamp instead of Alf, eh boy?” She smiled, then laughed outright when he snuck in a quick kiss on her neck.

Beside her, Mary, her maid, joined in—until Mrs. Hunt, equal parts housekeeper and sergeant-major, huffed into the entry hall. Emily glanced at the matron over the pup’s head. If the Admiralty were smart, they’d press her into service, and the royal navy would learn a new meaning for shipshape in no time.

“Sorry, miss. The little beastie got clean away from me.” Mrs. Hunt reached for the fugitive, the smell of linseed oil and hard work wafting with the billow of her sleeve. “Hand him over, if you please. It won’t happen again.”

 “Hmm. Don’t be so sure.” Emily nuzzled his furry head with the top of her chin, well aware he ought not be encouraged, yet completely unable to stop herself.

Mary tsked. “He just can’t bear to be parted from you, miss, that’s all.”

“Which is more than I can say for the males of my own species,” she mumbled into the pup’s fur. Alf nestled against her shoulder. If only Charles Henley might become so attached, the empty void in her heart would be filled at last. After a last snuggle, she held the pug out to Mrs. Hunt.

But Alf wriggled during the transfer. His back paw caught the lace on her glove, tearing the sheer fabric. Frowning, she inspected the damage. “Oh, bother. Mary, would you—”

“I shall.” Her maid turned, but a rap on the front door spun her back around. “Right after I answer the—”

Emily shook her head. “I’ll do it. You see to the gloves.”

She opened the door to the height of fashion. By faith, the only thing Reginald Sedgewick prized more than his garments was his looking glass. “Uncle Reggie!” She smiled. “A bit early in the day for you, is it not?”

He nodded. Nothing more. Perhaps it was indeed too early for his usual cheerful banter. “Is your father home?” His voice crackled at the edges.

“I’ve not seen him, though that’s not unusual. Come in.” She stepped aside, and the scent of bay rum entered with him—or was it? One more sniff and her nose wrinkled. There was nothing bay about it. The man reeked of rum.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Follow my adventures at my blog WRITER OFF THE LEASH or visit michellegriep.com, and don’t forget the usual haunts of Pinterest, Facebook or Twitter.

Thank you, Michelle, for sharing this new book with us. My copy just came, so I haven't had time to read it. It went to the top of my to-be-read pile.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Brentwood's Ward - Christianbook.com
Brentwood's Ward: - Amazon
Brentwood's Ward - 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

A HEART DECEIVED - Michelle Griep - One Free Book

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

Because more often than not, life is messy. Times get hard. I write about characters facing tough situations and show how God uses those dark seasons of the soul for refinement.

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

Seriously? I only get to choose one other day? Yikes! I foresee a whole lot of angry friends and relatives for not choosing an event with them. Disclaimer aside, I pick the day I held my first newborn son in my arms.

How has being published changed your life?

Well, I bought myself a new laptop so I no longer write with G3 pens and notebooks. Emotionally, I feel validated. That this wasn’t just a freak hobby I’d hopefully give up one day in favor of stamp collecting.

What are you reading right now?

I am always in the middle of at least three books. Currently those three are: Captive by Jill Williamson, Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand, and Madeline’s Protector by Vanessa Riley.

What is your current work in progress?

A trilogy based on the exploits of a few fictional officers of the very real Bow Street Runners—which was a fledgling police force in London starting in the mid-eighteenth century.

What would be your dream vacation?

Staying in a for-real castle in England, not some sissified, remodeled wannabe. The staff would all be historical re-enactors, and I would be the princess. Naturally there’d have to be big beefy knights and a dashing prince. And since I’m dreaming, I’d be thirty years younger and twenty pounds lighter.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

There’s nothing magical about my process. Anywhere in England suits me just fine, so I usually just pick a place and then give it a made-up name.

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

Only one? Wowzer. Other than my family members, I’d like to hang out with Pastor Doug Wilson. I love his blog, Blog and Mablog. He’s a snarky, God loving, wise, and creative fella who would be a hoot to share a few hours with.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I love to rollerblade, play the hammered dulcimer (though I stink at it), and gardening is a huge favorite of mine.

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

Finding the time to write. Like many others, family duties consume a huge portion of my time. My solution is to set aside one night a week to run away and write.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

At the risk of raining on countless parades, I’d have to say expect to not become an overnight success. The writing journey is a long, hard climb and you’ll get a lot of scrapes and bruises. Just suck it up and stick with it, because if writing is in your blood, you won’t find satisfaction in other pursuits.

Tell us about the featured book.

Miri Brayden teeters on a razor's edge between placating and enraging her brother, whom she depends upon for support. Yet if his anger is unleashed, so is his madness. Miri must keep his descent into lunacy a secret, or he'll be committed to an asylum—and she'll be sent to the poorhouse.

Ethan Goodwin has been on the run all of his life—from family, from the law ... from God. After a heart-changing encounter with the gritty Reverend John Newton, Ethan would like nothing more than to become a man of integrity—an impossible feat for an opium addict charged with murder.

When Ethan shows up on Miri's doorstep, her balancing act falls to pieces. Both Ethan and Miri are caught in a web of lies and deceit—fallacies that land Ethan in prison and Miri in the asylum with her brother. Only the truth will set them free.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Deverell Downs Bedfordshire, England, 1795

Sunlight slanted a direct route from heaven through the sanctuary windows. Were the dust motes riding that beam sturdy enough to carry her weight, Miri Brayden would mount up and fly out of there in a heartbeat.

In the pulpit, her brother droned on—and on. And on. Probably something about brimstone or eternal wrath. Who knew? Her mind floated from speck to speck as she zigzagged her eyes up to the glass panes. Beyond, a few small clouds roamed free. What would it feel like to drift away on one of those? A lot softer than the wicked pew that numbed her backside, to be sure.

Half a rebellious smile twitched her lips, then disappeared. If God singled her out for her lack of attentiveness and incinerated her on the spot, she shouldn’t be a bit surprised. Not that she didn’t deserve it.

But that would be too easy an out.

She forced her gaze back to Roland, who aimed his finger like a weapon of God, firing musket balls of scripture into the congregation. Stifling a yawn, she blew out a long breath instead. Several other sighs chorused around her. From behind, a suspicious snort-snort might have been a snore, but she resisted the urge to turn and confirm it. If Roland didn’t end Sunday morning prayers soon, the whole of Deverell Downs Church would meet with a fireball of judgment for dozing off.

Or maybe Roland was their judgment.

Interesting. How can readers find you on the Internet?

Websites: www.writerofftheleash.blogspot.com

                www.mmgriep.com

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

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/mmgriep/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MichelleGriep

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2754194.Michelle_Griep

Linked In: http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=47743174&trk=nav_responsive_tab_profile

Tumblr: http://michellegriep.tumblr.com/

Thank you, Michelle, for sharing your new book with us.

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

A Heart Deceived - Christianbook.com
A Heart Deceived - Amazon.com
A Heart Deceived: 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 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

UNDERCURRENT - Michelle Griep - Free Book

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

There’s a piece of me in every character—even the villains. I’ve got a favorite quote that sums it up nicely:

“For books are not absolutely dead things, but do contain a potency of life in them to be as active as that soul was whose progeny they are; nay, they do preserve as in a vial the purest efficacy and extraction of that living intellect that bred them.” (John Milton)

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

Belly dance at a restaurant.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

When I noticed blank wall space and whipped out my handy-dandy Crayolas.

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

Wow. If there are words on a page, I’ll read it. Any genre. My favorites, though, are historical, particularly Regency or medieval.

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

Apparently you’ve heard the rumor that I’m sane. Huh. Well, if I weren’t anchored to the solid rock of my savior Jesus, I’d be loony tunes for sure. Days when I don’t fit in my quiet times with God’s word and prayer are usually not so good.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

Most often I use census data, other times I’ll make them up according to the character’s personality.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Homeschooling my 4 kids, and I’m soon to reach the finishing line. 3 down, 1 to go.

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

A boxer, as in the canine variety. They’re cute, loyal, playful, and get to eat and sleep all day.

When I was in junior high, my parents raised registered boxers. What is your favorite food?

Dark chocolate.

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

When I began writing, I didn’t know what I was doing. It took me a long time to figure out what showing versus telling was all about. Best advice I ever received was to buy a copy of Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, which cleared up the mystery for me.

Tell us about the featured book.

People go missing every day. Many meet with foul play, some leave the social grid by choice, but others are never accounted for. Such is the fate of successful linguistics professor Cassie Larson. She leads a life her undergrad students hope to attain, until she tumbles into the North Sea and is sucked into a swirling vortex…and a different century.

 Alarik, son of a Viking chieftain, is blamed for a murder he didn’t commit—or did he? He can’t remember. On the run, saving a half-drowned foreign woman wasn’t in his plans.'

 Ragnar is a converted pagan shunned by many but determined to prove his Cousin Alarik’s innocence. He didn’t count on falling in love with Cassie or the deadly presence of evil that threatens his village in Alarik’s absence.

Undercurrent is a story of the sacrifice involved in forgiveness.

Please give us the first page of the book.

A thread-thin shaft of sunshine needled Alarik’s closed lids, but he’d not open them—it would hurt. His woolen tongue tasted of soured goat milk, and Thor’s own hammer beat against his temples. He hadn’t felt this bad since Björn’s wedding feast.

Something dripped a slow rhythm against his lips, trickling off into his beard. He toyed with the idea of swiping it away, but that would require too much effort.

         A quiet rumble, low and throaty, moaned from afar. No, not far off. Near. And it carried a message of pain.

         “Alarik.”

         He blinked open his eyes, then swallowed back the shock of light and spit out a string of curses.

         “Alarik.”

         “Ja,” he answered, voice raw. His vision emerged like one who’d been in the depths of a fjord and risen from black, to gray, to stunning blue of day. He focused on a hand, palm open, relaxed, not more than an arm’s span above him. Deep red drops fell from a pallid fingertip and splattered onto his face.

         Blood.

         He jumped to his feet, warrior instincts alert, and reached for the knife at his side. Gone.

         “Alarik.”

         His head jerked to the sound. The room reeled, and his stomach lurched. “Ragnar, by the gods, what has happened?”

         “Go.” His cousin lay ashen in color, tunic slashed and stained, breath light and quick. “You...will be...blamed.”

         “What blame? What has happened?” Ragnar turned his head, and Alarik followed his gaze to the object silently indicated. A body sprawled over a wooden keg, slaughtered and mutilated, seeping away the last of its lifeblood. A man’s body, with Alarik’s blade driven hilt-deep into the carnage.

Einar...his brother.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.mmgriep.com or e-mail me at michellegriep@gmail.com


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 if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link.
Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com