THE QUILTED HEART - Mona Hodgson - One Free Book

Dear readers, I read this delightful book as soon as it arrived. Even though it is a novella collection, it read as seamlessly as one book, just changing the hero and heroine from story to story. I loved that continuity almost as much as I loved the characters. Understanding how the Civil War affected the lives of each person, brought history to life. And I love history. As always with Mona’s novels, her skillful writing drew me into the center of the story and kept me there until the last page. I wasn’t ready for my time with these characters to end.

Hi, Lena. What fun to join you here. Hello, Everyone!

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

I was seven years old when I attended Vacation Bible School at Trinity Baptist Church in Indio, California. During the Bible story time one morning, Mrs. Bacon spoke about sin, our separation from God, Jesus’ deity and sinless nature, Jesus’ death on the cross, His resurrection, and our forgiveness through belief in Him. That sunny June day in Southern California, I prayed, asking Jesus to forgive me and be my Savior.

I grew up in a Christian home with parents who were active in church and Child Evangelism Fellowship. At age 14, a freshman in high school, I attended a large Wednesday night youth group at Grace Baptist Church in Riverside, California. On one of those Wednesday nights, I felt the conviction of the Holy Spirit to grow in a faith that was more “my own;” to go deeper in relationship, rather than to let religion shape my faith and walk.

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

Only four? Okay. Lauraine Snelling, Carol Cox, Carrie Turansky, Joanne Bischof because they all write Historical Romance that I love reading. They all love the Lord. They each enjoy a good laugh, and each one has tremendous heart.

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

I do have a speaking ministry, and I especially enjoy speaking at Christian women's retreats. I'm over-the-top excited about my newest book release, The Quilted Heart, because the title first belonged to my most popular retreat talk series by the same name. A quilted heart is a transformed heart—a heart transformed by God’s grace, Jesus’ blood shed for us, and the Holy Spirit’s renewal. Just as quilters repurpose scraps of cloth and create beautiful quilts, God pieces together the remnants in our lives that we would readily reject as shameful mistakes and tragic circumstances to make you and I a new creation. Beautiful.             You can learn more about The Quilted Heart Retreat at http://monahodgson.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/The-Quilted-Heart-Retreat-Series-Flyer.pdf . 

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?

Recognize and remember that writing for publication is a process and a journey. Expect delays, and detours. Enjoy the adventure! Make the most of writers’ conferences, critiques by published writers, and writers’ market guides and publishers’ Submission Guidelines.

Tell us about the featured book.

Tattered relationships and broken hearts, like a quilt, can be pieced together by God's love.

Once a week, Elsa Brantenberg hosts the Saint Charles Quilting Circle at her farmhouse on the outskirts of the riverside town of St. Charles, Missouri. The ladies who gather there have all lost men to the Civil War, and are facing their painful circumstances together in friendship and prayer. Can the tattered pieces of their hearts be stitched together by God's grace?

           

Women, especially, long for community and tend to engage social, emotional, and spiritual families. The means for making that connection may vary and change from place to place and time period to time period and generation to generation ... shade trees, front porches, quilting circles, Facebook groups, blogs, but we want to fit in and find a place of belonging. From a young age, we search for our social home.
           

In The Quilted Heart omnibus, the quilting circle provide that connection point for the female characters. In Dandelion on the Wind, the first of the three novellas, Mrs. Brantenberg had this to say to a new member, “Here in this quilting circle, none of us are alone. Not in our sorrows, nor in our triumphs.”

I'd love for you to meet Elsa, Maren, Emilie, Caroline, and the other inspiring women in The Quilted Heart novellas.

Dandelions on the Wind
When Maren Jensen took a job on Elsa Brantenberg’s St. Charles, Missouri farm,   she never expected to call the place her home. As she grows to love Mrs. Brantenberg and her granddaughter, Gabi, Maren is transformed from a lonely mail-order bride-without-a-groom to a beloved member of the Brantenberg household. But when Gabi’s father, Rutherford “Wooly” Wainwright, returns to the farm unexpectedly, everything changes for Maren, and she feels compelled to find another job. Are her choices in obedience to God, or is she running from His plan?

Bending Toward the Sun
Dedicated to her education and to helping her father in his general store, Emilie Heinrich is convinced she doesn't have time for love. But when a childhood friend returns to St. Charles, Missouri, after serving in the Civil War, his smile and charm captures Emilie’s eye and her heart. Will she be forced to choose between honoring her father and a future with a husband and family of her own?

Ripples Along the Shore
Change is brewing in St. Charles. A group of brave souls are preparing to head west on the Boone's Lick Wagon Train, led by the mysterious and handsome Garrett Cowlishaw, who served as a Confederate soldier in the war that killed Caroline’s husband. Despite her dislike for him, Caroline is tempted to join the wagon train and start fresh somewhere new, but when Mr. Cowlishaw forbids her­ a single woman­ to travel with them, will one man’s prejudice destroy Caroline’s hope for a new future? Or will the ripples of God’s love bring the answer she needs?

I’ve read the book, but please give us the first page for my blog readers.

Never mind that four months had passed since General Lee’s surrender. Maren never walked the apple orchard or the wheat field without careful watch for bushwhackers and jayhawkers. Four-year-old Gabi held tight to Maren’s hand while they followed Gabi’s grandmother to the field. When Mrs. Brantenberg’s walking stick sprung a branch in her path, the child’s gaze darted up the lane toward the orchard then back to the farmhouse and across the hillock to the five acres of wheat.

            “Are they coming again, Miss Maren.” Dread strained Gabi’s voice.

            Maren drew in a deep breath in the hopes it would remove any tension from her own voice. “The war is over, little one.” We should be safe. “God is with us. Like Oma said, ‘Fear is not of the Lord. We cannot live in fear. We must trust God.’”

            Gabi gave a quick nod, then began swinging Maren’s hand at her side.

            Fear is not of the Lord. We cannot live in fear. We must trust God.

            Maren willed her shoulders to relax into the child’s playful arm swinging. Still, she’d heard too many stories about raiders from the women in the quilting circle to let down her guard. To believe the fighting would ever end. The memories of the Union jayhawkers traipsing through the orchard picking apples and taking the steer from the pastures remained fresh in her mind too. She glanced toward the cabin in the far corner of the property, past the orchard. Now empty. She’d only heard about the Confederate bushwhackers who had raided the farm last year, but little Gabi remembered.

            Maren fanned the side of her bonnet against her ear to cool the onslaught of hot August air. Thankfully, she saw no sign of trespassers today. And if any outlaws did show their faces, Mrs. Brantenberg had her stick ready with a stack of sorrows backing it up.

            Mrs. Brantenberg stopped at the edge of the field. This close, Maren could see that two women didn’t do as even a job of planting as she and her father had in the old country.

            Gabi stepped up to the three-foot-high lawn, giggling. “They have whiskers like the cats do.” Her hands brushed the tips of the wheat stalks.

            Bent, the widow plucked one head and rolled the grains between her fingers.

            Maren did the same on the thinner area, where the stalks didn’t reach as high. The grain was soft and green inside. She didn’t need to taste it to know it’d be bitter. “Still a ways to go here.”

            When a covey of bobwhites exploded from within the crop, Gabi cried out and fell to the ground.

            Maren bent over the child. “Just thieving fly-by-nights. They learned their lesson, didn’t they?”

            Gabi nodded. “They scared me.”

            “Didn’t do my heart any good either.” Mrs. Brantenberg patted her chest. Then, smiling, she pressed the tip of her stick to the ground. “The wheat on the north end turned golden first. It’s more likely to be ready in just a few more days.”

How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.monahodgson.com/blog
https://www.facebook.com/Author.Mona?ref=hl
http://www.pinterest.com/monahodgson/
https://twitter.com/MonaHodgson

Click here to order your paperback or eBook copy of The Quilted Heart. (http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?work=220625)

Thanks so much, Lena, for this opportunity to connect with your followers. Blessings and Happy Reading to you all!

I thoroughly enjoyed spending this time with you, Mona.

Readers, 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 

TWICE A BRIDE - Mona Hodgson - One Free Book

Welcome, Mona.

Hi, Lena! Thanks for the invitation to join you here.

Hello, everyone!

What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about?

God’s amazing grace and our desperate need of it are central spiritual theme in my Sinclair Sisters of Cripple Creek novels. As a result of accepting and growing in God’s grace, we experience reconciliation, restoration, and second chances.

What other books of yours are coming out soon?

Twice a Bride, the fourth and final book in the Sinclair Sisters of Cripple Creek Series just released in October.

February 12, 2013 is the release date for Dandelions on the Wind, the first of three eNovellas in The Quilted Heart stories. Bending Toward the Sun, April 2013 and Ripples Along the Shore, May 2013.

These novellas introduce the Saint Charles Quilting Circle and serve as the prequel to my next series, Hearts Seeking Home. We’re headed west in a caravan of covered wagons.

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

Harriett Beecher Stowe, the author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin and many more works. Harriett’s passion for people and her love of words made a difference.

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

I’ve signed contracts for eight novels and novellas with a publisher from whom I had previously received a rejection or two. I wasn’t ready.

Recognize and remember that writing for publication is a process and a journey. Expect delays, and detours. Enjoy the adventure! Make the most of writers’ conferences, writers’ market guides, and critiques by published writers.

Tell us about the featured book.

Readers met Kat and Nell Sinclair, the two middle sisters, in Two Brides Too Many and Ida Sinclair, the eldest sister, in Too Rich for a Bride. In The Bride Wore Blue, the baby sister, Vivian Sinclair arrived in Cripple Creek with a secret. Now, in Twice a Bride, it's time for a family reunion as Mr. Harlan Sinclair makes his way back to his four daughters and their families.

Love lost doesn't mean love lost forever!
Can unexpected romance deliver a second chance for two deserving widows?

Full of resolve, young widow Willow Peterson decides to pursue her dreams to be an artist as she settles into a new life in the growing mountain town of Cripple Creek. When she lands a job working as a portrait painter with handsome entrepreneur and photographer Trenton Van Der Veer, the road before Willow seems to be taking a better-than-anticipated turn.

With questions tugging at several hearts in town, including the Sinclair Sisters’ beloved Miss Hattie, change is traveling down the tracks as several unexpected visitors make their way out West. Will the new arrivals threaten the deep family bonds of the Sinclair sisters and the roots of love that are just taking hold for Willow?

Filled with the resonating questions that all women face, this romance awakens hope against grief, love against loss, and dreams against life’s unexpected turns.

See The Sinclair Sisters of Cripple Creek Series Book Trailer and Read a Chapter One Excerpt from Twice a Bride here. http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?work=212055

Please give us the first page of the book.

1898
Jagged edges marked the sculpted granite at Willow’s feet. Love was like that. Smooth in places. Sharp and dangerous in others.

’Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.

Willow stared at the white rose in her hand. She agreed with Alfred Lord Tennyson’s statement. But on this last day of August, churned clods of Colorado dirt formed a blanket over her father’s grave. Was it the loss of her father so soon after their reunion, or was it fear threatening to rob her of air? Both were cunning adversaries.

She glanced at the shiny black carriage where her loved ones awaited her. Aunt Rosemary hadn’t looked at her today, but Willow had seen the apprehension clouding Mother’s eyes. Her brother, Tucker, had stared at her during the graveside service, worry rutting his brow. Even her sister-in-law watched her the way one would watch a pot on the brink of a boil.

If Willow dared to look in a mirror, she’d see the same question lurking in her own features. Could this insatiable sorrow pull her back into a tide she couldn’t withstand any more than Sam could survive the undercurrent in the San Joaquin River?

She bent to the ground. “Father, I’m sorry for the anguish I’ve caused you. I wanted to be strong.” She laid the rose on the grave. “I won’t be a Weeping Willow this time.” Squaring her shoulders, she brushed away the tears spilling onto her cheeks. At what point after Sam’s death had her mourning become abnormal? Would she recognize warning signs if it were to happen again?

“Willow?” Tucker’s voice wafted on the breeze, just above a whisper.

Drawing in a fortifying breath, she looked at her brother and stood. His eyes narrowed as though he expected her to crumple.

Tucker had been the only one to visit her at the asylum after Father had her committed, and he’d visited her once a week despite never receiving notable response from her. Tucker met her gaze. “Are you all right?”

“Yes.” She brushed a blade of grass from her mourning gown. “I needed some time.”

“I can’t help but worry about you.”

She offered him a slight grin. “I know.”

He slid his hands into his trouser pockets. “You shouldn’t be alone.”

Willow agreed. She’d expected by this time in her life to be a pastor’s wife and herding at least two or three little Peterson tykes.

“I’m not alone.” Was she trying to convince him or herself? “Mother and Aunt Rosemary are at the boardinghouse with me.”

He looked at the rose she’d placed on their father’s grave. “Saturday they’ll return to Colorado Springs.”

“But Miss Hattie is under the same roof, and she’s not going anywhere.”

Willow added a lilt to her voice to see if she could cause his brow to soften. “And I have you.”

Perhaps it was a mistake to live this close to her brother. He had a wife, a church to shepherd, and the Raines Ice Company to oversee. Worrying about her was not a pleasant way for Tucker to live. But if she didn’t settle in Cripple Creek, where would she go? Nothing, and no one, awaited her in Stockton, California, where she’d grown up and married Sam.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

You can learn more about me, my books, and my speaking ministry at www.monahodgson.com. You can also connect with me on Hindsight by Mona Hodgson at http://monahodgson.wordpress.com, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/#!/Author.Mona, and on Twitter, LinkedIn, and NovelCrossings.

Thank you, Mona, for visiting with us today.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Twice a Bride: A Novel (The Sinclair Sisters of Cripple Creek) - paperback
Twice a Bride: A Novel (The Sinclair Sisters of Cripple Creek) - 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

TOO RICH FOR A BRIDE - Mona Hodgson - Free book

I love having Mona on my blog. Welcome, Mona.

Lena, you are so good to me. Thank you for this opportunity to connect with your followers. Hello everyone!

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

My experience tells me that the horizon is bound to hold surprises, but right now I’m expecting to write at least two more Cripple Creek stories. I may write four more after that—the friends of the Sinclair sisters, or begin a new historical series in a different setting. And more children’s books, I hope. A Southwest picture book and a historical middle grade novel have sparked editorial interest. It’ll be fun to see what God has for me on the horizon.

I feel that way, too. So many vistas are opening for both of us. Tell us a little about your family.

My hubby, Bob, and I have been married 38 years. He’s my computer and website manager. Yay! We have two grown daughters. Amy is married. She, our son-in-law, and three of our four grandchildren live and work in Tanzania, East Africa. Sara is the mother of our youngest grandson. They live about an hour from us. Currently, we’re in the middle of planning Sara’s February wedding. We are also caregivers for my mom and her husband, who live next door to us.

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

I read a lot more, and in many more genres than before I wrote for publication. My main interest in reading material shifted from nonfiction, self-improvement books to fiction. And, in the last several years, historical fiction. I also returned to reading children’s books—all formats and genres. One of the best ways to learn to write well is to read good writing.

What are you working on right now?

Currently, I’m writing Beyond a Bride, Book Three in the Sinclair Sisters of Cripple Creek Series. Then a proposal and sample chapters for a second historical fiction series.

What outside interests do you have?

Flying in helicopters and bi-planes. Visiting East Africa. Playing table games with friends.

I have a friend who is an instructor for pilots at Bell Helicopter. She told me one time that she would take me up in a helicopter, but it never worked out. I'd love to try. How do you choose your settings for each book?

In the case of The Sinclair Sisters of Cripple Creek Series, the Colorado mining camp location serves as a bit of a character itself in each of the books. The main players help to determine the settings for the individual stories through their circumstances, situations, and professions. For instance, Kat and Nell carry us with them on the train and Dr. Morgan Cutshaw introduces us to the Sisters of Mercy Hospital in Two Brides Too Many. Ida Sinclair shows us around an 1896 stock exchange while Tucker Raines chills us in an ice house in Too Rich for a Bride.

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

Tea and snickerdoodles with Harriett Beecher Stowe would be fabulous. Harriett was faithful to write out of her convictions and passions.

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

I had to wait long enough to finally have a novel published (twenty years) that I came into the experience well-prepared. God knew that even though the desire to be a novelist was there early in my writing career, I wasn’t ready. By the time I signed my first novel contract in 2009, I had learned how to partner with a publishing house teams, developed a respect for deadlines, and studied the fiction craft with many of the best-selling CBA novelists.

My years of preparation were long, too, but not quite that long. What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

That nothing we commit to Him is wasted, and that it’s a ton of fun to see when and where and how He’ll use the lessons He’s teaching me.

Another thing I agree with wholeheartedly. What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?


1. Be obedient, persevere.
2. Be intentional about learning the writing craft and growing your industry saavy.
3. Expect detours and enjoy the adventure.

very good advice. Tell us about the featured book.

Too Rich for a Bride is Book Two in The Sinclair Sisters of Cripple Creek Series. In Two Brides Too Many (Book One), readers met Kat and Nell, the two middle Sinclair sisters. Now it’s Ida’s turn, the oldest sister.

As the business-savvy Sinclair sister, Ida has never wanted to settle down. Instead of love, she craves success. But while searching for one, she just might find the other.

Ida Sinclair has joined her sisters, Kat and Nell, in the untamed mining town of Cripple Creek, Colorado, for one reason: to work for the infamous but undeniably successful businesswoman, Mollie O’Bryan. Ida’s sisters may be interested in making a match for their determined older sister, but Ida only wants to build her career.

Under Mollie's tutelage, Ida learns how to play the stock market and revels in her promising accomplishments. Fighting for respect in a man's world, her ambition leaves little room for distractions. She ignores her family's reservations about Mollie O'Bryan's business practices, but no matter how she tries, she can't ignore the two men pursuing her affections—Colin Wagner, the dashing lawyer, and Tucker Raines, the traveling preacher.

Ida wants a career more than anything else, so she shrugs off the suitors and pointed “suggestions” that young ladies don’t belong in business. Will it take unexpected love—or unexpected danger—for Ida to realize where her priorities truly lie?

Two Brides Too Many is available from your favorite bookseller. Too Rich for a Bride is now available (as of October 12th) exclusively at Walmart stores until May 2011!

Please give us the first page of the book.

Portland, Maine
18 September, 1896

Ida Sinclair didn’t know where her ambition would take her, only that she possessed a liberal measure of it. That was why the Merton School of Business was the perfect place for her. And why she sat in the front row of the classroom. She didn’t want to miss any bit of information or instruction that could mover her closer to success.

Gazing from the calculations on the blackboard to the guest lecturer’s dark eyes, offset by traces of silver at his hairline, Ida waited for Mr. Bradley Ditmer to finish his point about customer relations and then raised her hand.

“Miss Sinclair, you have another question?”

Ida moistened her lips. “Yes, I’d like to know how one goes about securing financing to launch a busi—”

A roar of laughter started her and she turned to glare at the source—a gangly, beak-nosed young man in the row beside hers.

“I wouldn’t worry too much about financing, missy,” he said. “Learn how to make a good pot of coffee and keep a file cabinet organized, and maybe I’ll hire you to work in my company.”

More laughter swept across the room until the professor made his way to the mouthy student’s desk. Mr. Ditmer’s footsteps stilled all other nose.

“Mr. Burn—”

“Burkett.”

“You are a child to indulge in such hubris. Kindly keep it to yourself.”

Ida felt the same burn she’d become accustomed to since her first day in class. Her fellow students didn’t approve of her plans and aspirations. Even the women. But she also felt somewhat vindicated by Mr. Ditmer’s gallant stand against such boorish rantings.

The professor cleared his throat. “To answer your question, Miss Sinclair, bankers, private investors, and those on the stock exchange could provide necessary funding for a business.” He sauntered back to the front of the room then turned to face her. “However, no investor is wont to throw away money on frivolous pursuits. Each business proposal is weighed individually by its likelihood of success.”

“Thank you, sir.” Ida sealed her mouth shut against the numerous questions his answer raised.

She was still recording her thoughts and idea in her notebook when Mr. Ditmer dismissed the class, making her the last to head for the door.

“Miss Sinclair?” Mr. Ditmer’s clear tone resonated off the empty desks in the room.

Ida stilled her steps a few feet from the classroom door and turned to face her instructor. A pleasant view, to be sure. The man was no Teddy Roosevelt, but he exuded the same commanding presence and compelling confidence.

Very interesting. How can readers find you on the Internet?

You can learn more about me and my writing and speaking at http://www.monahodgson.com/. You can connect with me on Facebook at the Mona Hodgson Fan Page, where you’ll receive updates on my books and events and contests.

Thank you, Mona, for the fun interview.
 
Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

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

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 6 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Feedblitz, Facebook, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment. Here’s a link.

http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/

TWO BRIDES TOO MANY - Mona Hodgson - Free Book

Welcome, Mona. I'm so glad this book is now in bookstores everywhere. Why do you write the kind of books you do?


I write children’s books because the exercise prompts me to think like a child with curiosity and wonder while sharing truth with ages two to twelve.

I write novels because of my love and respect for story and the women I write them for. And the historical fiction gives me an excuse to visit museums and other times and places.

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

The day our daughter Sara was released from the neo-natal preemie unit.

I can only imagine. How has being published changed your life?

I think the biggest change has come as part of the process of getting and being published. The people who have mentored me and the people I have mentored along the way have impacted me greatly on many levels—writing, personal, and spiritual.

What are you reading right now?

The Flame Trees of Thika by Elspeth Huxley.

What is your current work in progress?

Beyond a Bride, Book Three in the Sinclair Sisters of Cripple Creek Series. The youngest of four sisters travels from Portland, Maine to Cripple Creek, Colorado for a fresh start that seems to have more twists and turns than the train she rides west on.

Too Rich for a Bride, Book Two, is in production and will be available in Walmart stores October 2010.

What would be your dream vacation?

A month in a beach house within walking distance of the Pacific Ocean.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

I live in the southwestern United States and its history fascinates me, especially the late 1800’s when so many women found themselves displaced and called upon to do hard things.

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

Maya Angelou. I’m drawn to her poet-spirit and her heart for all peoples.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I enjoy traveling, snorkeling, and playing table games.

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

Sandwich generation responsibilities that are requiring more and more of my time and energy. I’m learning to maximize bits and pieces of time for writing. Figuring out what energizes me so I can refuel for those bits and pieces of time.

That's a difficult time in all of our lives. What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Recognize and remember that writing for publication is a process and a journey that requires intentional and persistent steps. Expect detours. Enjoy the adventure! Make the most of writers’ conferences, writers’ market guides, and critiques by published writers.

Tell us about the featured book.

Two sisters.


Two missing misters.

Kat and Nell Sinclair are headed west—away from the manicured lawns of Maine to the boisterous, booming mining town of Cripple Creek, Colorado, to start new lives for themselves as mail-order brides.

Aboard the train, romantic dreamer Nell carries a photo of her intended close to her heart and imagines an exciting and love-filled future, while her pragmatic older sister, Kat, resigns herself to marriage as a duty, not a delight.

But when the ladies disembark at the train depot, neither fiance’ awaits them with open arms. The well-bred Sinclair sisters find themselves alone in the wild, frontier town—a place where fire threatens to reduce the buildings to rubble, the working women strut the streets, rogues will gamble for the shoes on one’s feet, and God’s grace is found among the most unlikely of folks.

Please give us the first page of the book.

1895, Portland, Maine
“I have you cornered.”

Kat looked up from the writing desk to the table, where Nell was grinning. Nell’s match with Ida had been particularly animated on this Sunday afternoon. Both were fiercely competitive, and Kat knew better than to challenge either one of them at checkers, or most any game.

Ida perched on a cushioned chair, face to face with Nell. The oldest of the four Sinclair sisters wasn’t accustomed to losing, and it showed in Ida’s furrowed brow. She stared at the board, but the pattern of the red and flack disks didn’t change. When she finally made a move, Nell snatched the red game piece off the board, her blue eyes sparkling.

“That’s five out of seven, Ida.” Vivian, the youngest at sixteen, called the tournament from the sofa where she lounged with Sassy, her Siamese cat.

“You’ve been dethroned, sis.” Kat closed her journal. “We have a new Sinclair Checkers Champion.”

While Ida lifted an imaginary crown off her head, Nell stood and smoothed her skirt. Ida placed the invisible trophy atop Nell’s wheat-blond twist. “I present the new queen of checkers.” Ida bowed. All four of the sisters giggled.

Kat picked up her journal and walked to the window. Fabric ties held tartan curtains open, framing the idyllic outdoor scene. Crimson and golden leaves adorned the maples and oaks outside, and a couple of squirrels frolicked while a handful of leaves twisted and twirled above them like autumn acrobats.

Acrobats in fall colors

Twist and twirl . . .

Kat hurried back to the writing desk and recorded the words in her journal, her pencil flying over the page. Sunday was the most inspiring day of the week. The Sabbath’s time of rest and reflection always left her refreshed and full of new ideas.

Nell cleared her throat. “I don’t suppose you’re writing about my victory for the Portland Press Herald.”

“A recounting of your conquest, as great as it was, isn’t Kat’s cup of tea.” Vivian laughed. The name Sassy fit Vivian as well as it did her cat.

“Now if Nell were the writer in the family, we’d all be reading a most romantic love story,” Ida said, returning the checkerboard to the bookcase.

“I believe in love.” Nell shrugged. “Is that so bad?”

“Believing in love is not at all bad, Poppet.” Father’s warm voice drew their attention to the doorway. He wore a herringbone suit, his auburn mustache and beard neatly trimmed. He leaned against the door frame, his arms crossed over his chest.

“We have a new checkers champion, Father.” Nell raised her hands to her head and formed a crown. “Me.”

“And such a humble winner.” A weak smile turned up one side of Father’s mouth, and an uneasiness began to niggle Kat’s stomach. Something wasn’t right.

You can read the first chapter at http://www.monahodgson.com/ . Go to Mona’s Novels page and click on Sneak Peek.
What are some ways that readers of your books can help you as an author?

Besides buying copies for everyone they know? LOL

• If you’ve read one of my books and liked it, please mention the book on Twitter or Facebook, on your blog, or in gatherings with people you think might enjoy it.

• Write book reviews for Amazon.com, BN.com, Christianbook.com, and other online bookstores.

• Are you in a book club, or know anyone who is? Please tell them about Two Brides Too Many and let them know that Book Club Discussion Questions are available at my website: http://www.monahodgson.com/ .

• Visit your favorite bookstore, if you don’t find Two Brides Too Many, please tell the owner/manager about the book and encourage them to carry it in their store.

• Write a book review for your local newspaper, church newsletter, denominational magazine, or for other appropriate magazines. Online too.
How can readers find you on the Internet?

Visit my website at http://www.monahodgson.com/
Join me on Facebook at Mona Hodgson Fan
Follow me on Twitter at MonaHodgson
Email me at mona@monahodgson.com  with Quarterly E-newsletter in the subject line to receive quarterly updates and behind-the-scenes news.

Thank you, Mona, for visiting with us again.

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TWO BRIDES TOO MANY - Mona Hodgson - Free Book

I'm thrilled to be featuring Mona right now. Her historical novel will release in Walmart in October. I was privileged to read it for endorsement. You will love this story. Welcome, Mona. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

Oh. I think I give away pieces of myself to each character—male or female, young or old. Mostly, an intuitive act in the process. Personality traits. Experiences. Interests. Frustrations and joys. Struggles and triumphs. Family and relationship dynamics. Certainly, lessons being learned on my spiritual journey.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

Well, I’ve ridden a camel, fed a giraffe food from between my lips, and I petted a crocodile. I went for a helicopter ride for my 50th and a flight over Sedona in a bi-plane for my 55th.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I accepted the possibility in November 1987 when I received an envelope from The Secret Place (a quarterly devotional publication) the day before Thanksgiving. Inside, my first rejection letters along with my first acceptances.

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

Children’s books are a big favorite—picture books, poetry, and middle grade fiction, mostly. Novels for adults—historical (mostly 1700s and 1800s) and contemporary, romance, mysteries, and westerns. A good story for any age pulls me in.

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

I’ve had 28 children’s books published, including Real Girls of the Bible: A Devotional (Zonderkidz), Bedtime in the Southwest (Rising Moon Books), and The Princess Twins Series (Zonderkidz I Can Read).

I’m currently writing Too Rich for a Bride, Book Two in the Sinclair Sisters of Cripple Creek Series.

I can hardly wait for that one. Please contact me, so we can feature it near its release, too. How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

Bubble baths and smacking the ball in a heated match on the Wii tennis game.

I've done Wii bowling, but I haven't tried tennis. We don't have the game at our house. How do you choose your characters’ names?

Usually from a list of names I’ve collected. Those names can come from badges on waitress or store clerks. They can be the names of newscasters or musicians. Sometimes I use the names of people I know or names from my family history. In other cases, I look at lists of names from particular time periods or countries.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Professionally? The writing of this book—Too Rich for a Bride. It is my first completed novel, and I wrote it from concept to draft, including the research.

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

A roadrunner. I tend to move too fast at times. I’m a wistful wanderer every chance I get. And I’m a curious explorer, keeping an eye out for the next lizard . . . i.e. story to chew on.

What is your favorite food?

A carne asada taco with avocado, lime, and cilantro in a fresh corn tortilla. Or a spinach enchilada with green sauce.

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

Perfectionism. Fear of not getting it right. Having a two-month deadline and a two-book contract worked wonders.

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

Remember that writing, being a writer, and publishing is a process, and persevere.

Yes, it's all about the process. Tell us about the featured book?

Two sisters arrive in an 1896 mining camp expecting marriage, but finding love.

Cripple Creek is a booming gold mining town nestled in a saddle valley near the base of Pike's Peak on the front range of Colorado. At an elevation of nearly 10,000 feet and just below timberline, the city’s history is one of ups and downs with fires, disease, and labor wars. Two Brides Too Many is the 1896 story of Kat Sinclair and Nell Sinclair, two of four sisters who make their way to Cripple Creek from Maine to find love and God’s design for their lives.

Please give us the first page of the book.

1895, Portland, Maine

“I have you cornered.”

Kat looked up from the writing desk to the table, where Nell was grinning. Nell’s match with Ida had been particularly animated on this Sunday afternoon. Both were fiercely competitive, and Kat knew better than to challenge either one of them at checkers, or most any game.

Ida perched on a cushioned chair, face to face with Nell. The oldest of the four Sinclair sisters wasn’t accustomed to losing, and it showed in Ida’s furrowed brow. She stared at the board, but the pattern of the red and black disks didn’t change. When she finally made a move, Nell snatched the red game piece off the board, her blue eyes sparkling.

“That’s five out of seven, Ida.” Vivian, the youngest at sixteen, called the tournament from the sofa where she lounged with Sassy, her Siamese cat.

“You’ve been dethroned, sis.” Kat closed her journal. “We have a new Sinclair Checkers Champion.”

While Ida lifted an imaginary crown off her head, Nell stood and smoothed her skirt. Ida placed the invisible trophy atop Nell’s wheat-blond twist. “I present the new queen of checkers.” Ida bowed. All four of the sisters giggled.

Kat picked up her journal and walked to the window. Fabric ties held tartan curtains open, framing the idyllic outdoor scene. Crimson and golden leaves adorned the maples and oaks outside, and a couple of squirrels frolicked while a handful of leaves twisted and twirled above them like autumn acrobats.

Acrobats in fall colors

Twist and twirl . . .

Kat hurried back to the writing desk and recorded the words in her journal, her pencil flying over the page. Sunday was the most inspiring day of the week. The Sabbath’s time of rest and reflection always left her refreshed and full of new ideas.

Nell cleared her throat. “I don’t suppose you’re writing about my victory for the Portland Press Herald.”

“A recounting of your conquest, as great as it was, isn’t Kat’s cup of tea.” Vivian laughed. The name Sassy fit Vivian as well as it did her cat.

“Now if Nell were the writer in the family, we’d all be reading a most romantic love story,” Ida said, returning the checkerboard to the bookcase.

“I believe in love.” Nell shrugged. “Is that so bad?”

“Believing in love is not at all bad, Poppet.” Father’s warm voice drew their attention to the doorway. He wore a herringbone suit, his auburn mustache and beard neatly trimmed. He leaned against the door frame, his arms crossed over his chest.

“We have a new checkers champion, Father.” Nell raised her hands to her head and formed a crown. “Me.”

“And such a humble winner.” A weak smile turned up one side of Father’s mouth, and an uneasiness began to niggle Kat’s stomach. Something wasn’t right.

I hope that hooked other readers as it did me the first time I read the words. How can readers find you on the Internet?

http://www.monahodgson.com/
www.twitter.com/monahodgson
www.facebook.com/mona.hodgson
www.plaxo.com/monahodgson
www.linkedin.com/monahodgson

To receive my quarterly e-update, email me at mona@monahodgson.com with Mona’s Update in the subject line.

Mona, thank you for spending this time with us.

Readers, check in your local Walmart in October to get a copy of this book

Author Mona Hodgsen - REAL GIRLS OF THE BIBLE - Free Book

Mona, welcome. You are writing nonfiction. Do you also write fiction?

Real Girls of the Bible: A Devotional (Zonderkidz/HarperCollins, February 2008) is my first nonfiction for middle-grade readers.

I’m currently writing historical fiction for middle-grade readers and for women. My published fiction includes the Desert Critters Friends series of twelve early readers. I also have six fiction I Can Read books due to release in November 2008 and February 2009.

What would you like for our readers to know about you personally?

Hmm. I hadn’t dreamed about being a writer until I reached my 30s, and then I knew I wasn’t qualified. You can read my Jonah story on the “For Writers” page at http://www.monahodgson.com/. I’m learning that the true adventure kicks in when I recognize my weakness because then I get to view it in light of God’s incredible strength and power. Thanks, Paul. Apostle Paul articulated it so well in 2 Corinthians 12:9.

I’m a big fan and advocate of writers’ conferences. Not only do I enjoy the instruction, the inspiration, and building relationships with writers, editors, and agents, I have encountered many of my spiritual mentors at Christian writers conferences.

I agree with you about conferences. Tell us about your family.

Bob and I will celebrate 36 years of marriage this August. Our oldest daughter, our son-in-law, our two oldest grandsons, and our only granddaughter live and work in Africa. Our youngest daughter and youngest grandson live about an hour away from us.

I have a close friend living and working in Africa. She sends the most interesting information to me. Have you written other nonfiction books?
Yes. Hide and Seek for early readers is a devotional on the fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 5:22-23. How Did Bible Heroes Pray?, a picture book. My six I Wonder books are also considered nonfiction, though the narrator is a fictional character—I Wonder Who Hung the Moon in the Sky, I Wonder Who Stretched the Giraffe’s Neck, I Wonder How Fish Sleep, I Wonder Who Made Me, I Wonder How God Hears Me, and I Wonder What I Can Give God. My rhymed picture book Bedtime in the Southwest is also considered nonfiction, though it is a series of questions that I answer at the end.

What other books have you written, and where can the readers of the blog find them?

Readers can find my books on my website (http://www.monahodgson.com/), on Amazon.com, or they can ask for them at their favorite bookstore.

Here is a complete list of my books:

The Princess Twins and the Tea Party (Zonderkidz I Can Read, February 2009)
The Princess Twins Play in the Garden (Zonderkidz I Can Read, February 2009)
The Princess Twins and the Birthday Party (Zonderkidz I Can Read, February 2009)
The Princess Twins and the Kitty (Zonderkidz I Can Read, February 2009)
The Best Breakfast (Zonderkidz I Can Read, November 2008)
Thank You God for Rain (Zonderkidz I Can Read, November 2008)
Real Girls of the Bible: A Devotional (Zonderkidz, February 2008)
How Did Bible Heroes Pray? (Kregel Kidzone)
Bedtime in the Southwest (Rising Moon Books)
Desert Critter Friends Series
Friendly Differences
Thorny Treasures
Sour Snacks
Smelly Tales
Clubhouse Surprises
Desert Detectives
Jumping Jokers-
Campout Capers
Sticky Statues
Goofy Glasses
Crabby Critters
Spelling Bees
I Wonder Series (Out of print, available at www.monahodgson.com)
I Wonder Who Hung the Moon in the Sky
I Wonder Who Stretched the Giraffe’s Neck
I Wonder How Fish Sleep
I Wonder How God Made Me
I Wonder How God Hears Me
I Wonder What I Can Give God
Hide & Seek, A Devotional Book (Out of Print, available at http://www.monahodgson.com/ )

Do you have any other books in the works right now?
I’m spending most of my writing time on finishing the draft on my historical novel for women, but I’m also working on Hey, God, It’s Me: Prayer for Real Girls and I’m hatching more stories for Zonderkidz I Can Read.

Where on the Internet can the readers find you?

http://www.monahodgson.com/, http://www.desertcritters.com/, http://www.realgirlsofthebible.com/.

What kinds of hobbies and leisure activities do you enjoy?
I’m an avid reader of children’s books, contemporary and historical fiction (women’s, romance, mystery), and nonfiction that feeds my soul and fuels my writing. I’m currently reading Art & Fear by David Bayles and Ted Orland, Writing for the Soul by Jerry B. Jenkins, A Bride So Fair by Carol Cox. I recently finished Secrets on the Wind by Stephanie Grace Whitson and Forevermore by Cathy Marie Hake.

Walks and table games are favorite pastimes. Hula hoop and ping pong are on that list too.

Some of my favorite places to retreat include, funky coffee shops, a drive through a stand of aspens, mountain cabins, and a trip to the beach.

Why did you write the featured book?

I’d been asking God for the right idea for a middle-grade book. It wasn’t happening.

After reading Lynne Cheney’s book A is for Abigail: An Almanac of Amazing American Women, I got the idea to write an alphabet picture book on Bible girls. I showed it to an editor at the Mount Hermon Christian Writers’ Conference and she asked me if I’d consider writing a book about women from the Bible for middle grade girls. “Sure,” I said. After I left the room, I collapsed to my knees.

What do you want the reader to take away from the book?
I want girls and women to know they are not alone. We are all on this life-journey and faith-walk together. And we have a rich heritage in the stories of women who have encountered the living God and found their home in His heart. I want the readers of Real Girls of the Bible: A Devotional to know that God has a divine and trustworthy plan for their lives just as He did for those Bible girls and women.

I want to bring our Bible girls—Ruth, Martha, Esther—to life for my readers, which is why I’m making myself available to present mini-dramas at Real Girls Retreats (overnights or Saturday) at churches across the country. For more information on those, go to http://www.monahodgson.com/.

Mona, thank you for spending this time with us.

Readers, you can order a copy using this link:

And you can leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book.