HIGHLAND CROSSING - Laurie Alice Eakes, Pamela Griffin, Jennifer Hudson Taylor, Gina Welborn - Three Free Books (US Only)

I've really been looking forward to featuring this novella collection. Coming from these ladies, it will be very good. How did your story for the collection come about?

LAE: My agent, Tamela Murray of the Steve Laube Literary Agency, called to tell me that Becky Germany wanted a collection centered around Highlanders in America. Pamela Griffin was a natural person to ask because she was in another Scottish novella series and is such a beloved writer in the genre, Gina Welborn because she had done research into Scotland for another project and is just a fine writer, and Jennifer Hudson Taylor because she has her lovely Highland books out. We brainstormed for a couple of weeks, put together a collection of generational connected stories set in North Carolina during the colonial era, and—voila! Becky bought it.

PG: The theme was the Argyll Colony, the Scottish settlers there. From the years (eras) the four of us talked about including, I chose to write about the first shipload of settlers that sailed from Scotland to America, to live in a new land and find peace from oppression, (when the main part of town was no more than one building in the midst of a forest).

JHT – Since I’m contracted for a 3-book series to release in 2013 in which a Scottish family migrates to the Carolinas during the colonial period, I wrote the last novella with the final generation to keep from conflicting with my other series. Hearts Inheritance is set in 1815 in what is now Fayetteville, NC, my home state.

GW: Well, I think the we brainstormed contained very little me brainstormed because I was working on an editor request at the time. However, being able to trust Pamela, Laurie, and Jennifer to direct us to a great premise was easy because they’re all amazing writers. I admire their craft.

What are you reading right now?

LAE: I usually don’t say what I’m reading just in case it’s someone else’s favorite book and I end up not liking it. Mostly I read a mix of historical romance and contemporary romantic suspense or mysteries.

PG: Nothing in fiction. I'm on a February 15th book deadline, (unless the many times I go over my chapters for editing counts as reading - lol)- and won't have much time in reading for relaxation until that is sent in.

JHT – A Hope Undaunted by Julie Lessman

GW: Oh, I’ll happily share I’m reading Annapolis by Roseanna White, Summer of Promise by Amanda Cabot, and Beautiful Outlaw by John Eldredge. I just finished The Untold Story of the New Testament Church by Frank Viola, which totally gave me a new appreciation for Paul’s writing. Of course, one of my favorite novels of 2011 was Laurie’s A Necessary Deception. Laurie, should I share how you nicely insisted I re-read Patricia Veryan’s Golden Chronicles series during the summer of 2010? If you loved Laurie’s first regency, then I recommend reading Veryan’s series to see how an author can take a villain in book 1 and turn him into a hero by book 6.

What other books have you had published?

LAE: This novella collection will be my first novella. I also have Heart’s Safe Passage coming out in February 2012, which is my third book with Baker/Revell and my ninth book published.

PG: I've written for Heartsong Presents, Barbour, Tyndale House, and Summerside Press. All in romance, both historical and contemporary, set in the U.S. and in Europe. My most recent books are Love Finds You in Hope, Kansas (Summerside Press) and In Search of a Memory, In Search of a Dream, and In Search of Serenity (Heartsong Presents) which also is a 3 n' 1 with the title Connecticut Brides (Barbour).

JHT – Highland Blessings and Highland Sanctuary, both with Abingdon Press. I’m also part of another novella collection coming out in April 2012, Quakers of New Garden through Barbour Books.

GW: Later this year my second novella, All Ye Faithful, is part of the A Cascades Christmas anthology. Has anyone else notice how trendy flannel shirts are this winter? Either that or I have lumberjacks on my mind.

What is the hardest thing about writing a part of a novella collection?

LAE: Getting four creative minds going in the same general idea. We all have so many thoughts and ideas that pinning it down to the right ones is a bit of a challenge. It’s a fun challenge, though. Working with Gina and Pamela and Jennifer was a terrific experience. They are all so creative and talented and have such vast knowledge of history. Then the point comes where everything starts to click together, and it’s like creative fireworks—brilliantly fun.

GW: Amen, sister!

PG: When anyone in the group is hard to get in contact with on a regular basis (which thankfully wasn't the case with this group! :))

JHT – This was my first time working with a group of authors on a collaborative team other than a critique group, and it worked out very well. Once we started brainstorming, emails flew back and forth and ideas just starting falling into place. We are all from different parts of the country with varying backgrounds and experiences. I love how we were able to work so well together.

How did collaborating with this team impact you?

LAE: I was never sure I could work with a creative team, I’m such a lone wolf kind of writer, and I did and it worked, and I loved the energy of a team effort.

PG: In every novella team I write with, I always learn something helpful from the rest of the women, usually in relation to the setting or time period we are working with, etc., or other useful writer's tips and information. The other authors in this set were wonderful and easy to collab with.

JHT – It was nice to have other creative minds to bounce ideas around. Authors tend to work alone and that leaves me mulling ideas around in my head, wondering if I’m going in the right direction.

GW: Call me SpongeGina SquareWriter because I sat back and soaked up anything and everything Pamela, Laurie, and Jennifer could teach me.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

LAE: First I find a list of names appropriate to the time period and setting and nationality. From that list I pick names I like. In “Printed on My Heart”, my novella in Highland Crossings  the surname MacGill came from a list of ship passengers to North Carolina during the influx of Scottish immigrants in the mid eighteenth century. Her first name Fiona came from a list of Scottish names used at that time. The hero is Welsh, as many Welsh immigrated to North Carolina at that time, too, and, likewise, I picked appropriate names, though the surname was more difficult, as the Welsh were still shaky on using surnames.

PG: - For this story, I used a great reference book- "Names Through the Ages" by Teresa Norman. it is over 500 pages- extensive- and gives the names used for each century, country, name meanings, etc. I went to the section of names in Scotland 20-30 years prior to when my story begins. I chose Seona, because it means "God is gracious" (something she must learn):  I chose Murdag (Seona's cousin) because it means "Sea warrior" (she is strong in character, helping Seona escape by ship in my first scene.) Just 2 examples. Once I choose a name, I often write the characters to reflect something about the meaning, whether all through story, something they become at end, or just a simple behavior trait that signifies them.

JHT – Since I had the final story, I had to carry on the surnames of the previous generations in the other Highland Crossings novellas. For other surnames I used a genealogical reference on the Argyll Colony entitled, Carolina Scots. Then I went through my list of characters from my 15^th century Highland series and my upcoming MacGregor Quest series to make sure I wasn’t duplicating names. My names evolved from a process of elimination. Based on what was left, I liked Brynna for the heroine and Niall for the hero.

GW: I read a 1790 census of North Carolina and compiled a list of male and female names that stood out to me. Obviously since my heroine is the daughter of Laurie’s leads, her surname was chosen for me. Once I had a list of two choices for each of my leads, I bounced them off Laurie. One choice for my hero was . . . well, hmm, all I can think of is Wolverine which makes me think of Logan which makes me think of Hugh Jackman. And Logan, Hugh or Jackman weren’t on my list. Anyway, Laurie knew a guy who had my hero’s second name choice and he was a weasel so I went with Finley instead. As far as Seran’s name, we liked how it sounded with Cardew, not to mention it was different.

What did you want the reader to take away from your story?

LAE: Trusting that God has a perfect plan for our lives.

PG: Always, always, I want them to feel inspired, encouraged, refreshed, and closer to God, while also being thoroughly entertained and feeling it was well worth their time to read.  :)

JHT – I hope that Heart’s Inheritance reminds readers that our greatest treasure is the unconditional love of God and it is given as our true inheritance.

GW: Plus looking for God’s opportunities, and if we’re really submitting to Jesus as Lord of our lives, then that means we have to be willing to sacrifice our goals, wants, dreams because God may have something better for us. Often He does. Yet we still struggle with letting go of what we think is best, which takes us back to choosing to trust God. It’s a minute-by-minute action.

Are you a member of American Christian Fiction Writers? If so, why?

LAE: Yes, I am a member of ACFW, as I believe belonging to professional writing organizations is important to writers and ACFW is focused on Christian fiction. I also belong to other professional writers organizations.

GW: Ditto.

PG: No.

JHT – Yes, because it is valuable organization that helped me transition from secular fiction to Christian fiction and I’ve found many valuable friends and fellowship.

What is the best piece of advice you received as an author?

LAE: Sit in the chair and write.

PG: No matter what happens, keep your eyes on Jesus, and never quit.

JHT – Don’t ever give up and to remember that God’s timing isn’t necessarily my timing.

GW: Don’t forget you’re telling a story so sometimes you have to tell and not show.

Where can my readers find you on the Internet?

LAE: Mostly, I can be found at http://www.lauriealiceeakes.com From there, one can find my blog. I am also on Facebook. No Twitter account yet. After February when I’ve finished up a couple of major deadlines I’ll work on Twitter.

PG: http://www.pamela-griffin.com/

JHT – www.jenniferhudsontaylor.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/JenniferHudsonTaylor

Twitter: www.twitter.com/jt4novels

GW: My sixth-grade (middle child) son googled me over the Christmas break and said, “Mom, did you know your picture is on the internet?” Even though I explained about being a writer, he still thought being able to google me was creepy. Fans, not stalkers, can find me at www.inkwellinspirations.com, my team blog with eleven other inspirational writers. A link to my personal website can be found on Inkwell. On Facebook, I’m Gina Marie Welborn.


Thank you Laurie Alice, Pamela, Jennifer, and Gina. I know all my readers will love learning about all of you and your book.


Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Highland Crossings (Romancing America) - paperback
Highland Crossings - Kindle


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LOVE FINDS YOU IN HOPE, KANSAS - Pamela Griffin - Free Book

Pamela is the first author I ever mentored, and I'm so happy to welcome her to the blog. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

It depends on the character, though a little of myself goes into every book. Things I’ve experienced, lessons I’ve learned, feelings I’ve had in getting there, etc.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

There are so many. lol Going back to question #1 – right now I can think of only one “oops moment” I put in a story novella and don’t mind sharing. My heroine goes out onto the apt. balcony and the toddler she’s babysitting closes the sliding door which locks. She finds herself locked out with baby on other side of glass, and no way to get down from balcony. It happened to me, with my eldest who was then a toddler, and close to midnight, when no one was around and sharp cactus stood outside the downstairs apt. picket fence below. To complicate matters even more, I had no shoes on. I’m a night owl, and a huge, beautiful cross was lit up with white lights on a hill in the distance, in Nevada, where we then lived, but could only be seen while standing on the balcony. I loved to go out there late at night, when all was quiet, and felt closer to God while looking at it and communing with Him. My son woke up and accidentally shut the door which I’d kept open a few inches (the handle was broken. I had been waiting for days for a handyman to come fix it). Sure enough, the lock slipped and locked me out. My son cried almost the entire time I was trying to figure a way back inside, also trying to reassure him through a thick pane of glass – what amounted to hours. Besides my toddler, I also had an infant son who thankfully slept through all of it. I called down to some strangers finally passing by. They located the handyman, who tried not to laugh the entire time he opened my locked apartment and freed me from my balcony prison. That was many years ago, and I altered it into a more humorous experience for my story – though looking back, I can laugh now too. Since that night, I’ve learned it helps to laugh at and through my problems.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

When I was a freshman in high school and very much a wild child (unsaved)- I wrote a suspense ghost story for my literature class. The teacher was so blown away by it she asked my permission to send it to a short story contest. I told her I didn’t care either way. I was also a rebellious brat. (It wasn’t considered cool by the bad crowd I hung with to be too smart.) Thank God that He’s in the habit of transforming warped vessels of rotting clay into worthier vessels made of stronger stuff and fit for good use. :)

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

All genres of fiction – Romance, suspense, mystery, cozy, humorous, historical – from American to European to any part of the world, really. My favorite historical stories tend to be Scottish or Irish based and set in those countries. Also England. I love medieval - the Victorian era. There are only a couple of genres I don’t like.

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

Sanity? What’s that?

I have a dry wit and have found as I mentioned before that it helps to laugh and laugh at oneself and problems. Not in a non-caring way, but in a “Oh, well. God’ll fix it – and since I can’t do anything about it, I’m not going to worry” kind of way. Although sometimes I have to remind myself of that resolve. Or my sons do it for me when I forget. My 17 year old (the sleeping infant when I was on the balcony) has a wonderful gift for impersonations and for making people laugh. He often pulls me from my stressed-out mode with his good cheer, and I soon find myself giggling helplessly or laughing so hard until tears are rolling from my eyes. Did you know it’s been scientifically proven that daily laughter can improve health, decrease sickness, and even reduce weight? I am laughing my way into longevity and a smaller size … but then, the Bible does say that laughter doeth good, like medicine. :)

How do you choose your characters’ names?

Often it has a lot to do with the meaning of the name. I look into the definition of each one (from a baby name book I have), and try to find one of the thousands inside that fits who my character is – because I believe there’s a lot of importance in a name… God considered it important enough (changing Abram to Abraham, just to show one example), and there is significance to the reason a name was given by Him to each person. So when I create my fictional characters, besides keeping in mind their origin, etc, I often do the same with their names.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Raising my two sons in a godly manner as a single mom, despite a lot of flack from some close relations (not my parents) who put me down for my Christianity and my decisions, mainly the desire to train my boys to know, love, and serve the Lord. My parents have only ever been a help and strong blessing to me, and I am so grateful for their generous support through the years.

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

Never thought about that. lol Something in the cat family I guess - I love cats. They are so graceful, beautiful, independent to a point, and take no flack from anyone. Yet they can also be loving, giving and warm. Perhaps a lioness…

Perhaps protecting her cubs. What is your favorite food?

Does dark chocolate count as food? :) No? Oh, well…

For a meal: any seafood – shrimp especially, lobster, crab, any shellfish, also catfish…I also love fresh veggies and salad and fruits. For a snack: medium salsa mixed with nonfat yogurt (vanilla or plain) used as a dip for plain tortilla chips. Yum! :)

Actually, lots of authors say that chocolate is their favorite food. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

I honestly can’t think of any offhand. I love to write, have the Internet and a plethora of books and a good critiquer friend who is dedicated to research and highly intelligent, so no problem there. If I can’t find something, I ask her and within minutes she sends me an email filled with reliable links. I created the time to write by giving up TV (though there are a couple of shows I record and watch as I want, and now and then I watch movies with my boys for a family night). And doors have opened to me that I never expected. My wait to get published wasn’t very long, perhaps a little over a year. The stories come to me fast – I often work on more than one at a time, so if I’m ever “blocked” in one, I move to another and often in doing so, it frees up the earlier blockage. I think I would have to say any roadblock consists of not enough hours in the day to write all that I want to write. Can’t overcome that unless I can bend or stop time. lol ;-)

Tell us about the featured book.

I enjoy all my stories, and this one was especially fun to write. Love Finds You in Hope, Kansas, is set in 1889. Five little impish darlings decide their pa needs a wife, and they want another ma. Only their pa, Rafe, has lost all hope, still grieving over their ma’s death that took place over a year ago. Alison Stripling has sworn off men, spurned because she is “nameless” – an orphan left on the doorstep of an orphanage as a baby. She gladly leaves the posh parlors of Boston for the prairie wilds of Kansas after receiving a letter asking for help with the children. She believes the letter came from her brother-in-law, Rafe, and hopes it is the answer to her prayers – but it was really written by the children, as a ploy to get their pa hitched to Auntie Alison and secure them a ma. In an effort to get his stubborn brood to see reason, Rafe and Alison secretly band forces utilizing their own plan that goes haywire from the start – and more than once – with often comical, at times heart-wrenching results…in a town called Hope, will one unforgettable family at last come to find it?

Sounds like a very good read. Please give us the first page of the book.

Chapter One
Hope, Kansas
Midsummer 1889

“Don’t just stand there with your mouth hangin’ open like a fish. Do you want a new ma or don’t you?” Andy directed the tense question to their little sister, Maggie, who hovered outside the stable door in clear indecision about whether to join them.

“Yeth,” she whistled through the space of her two missing front teeth.

“Where’s Baby Lynn?” Sam wanted to know. She hoped their little sister hadn’t been left unattended.

“I finally got her to thleep. Thee was awful futhy.”

“It’s a good thing she’s napping and not nosing around.” Andy clasped one hand over the wrist hooked around his bent knees. “She’s too young to keep secrets. Now get in here, Mags, and shut that door. If Pa sees you lurking outside and gets wind of what we’re doing, we’re all as good as doomed.”

Maggie did as ordered, moving across the barn to join them. The young schemers sat in a semicircle around a glowing lantern, its flame steady enough to cut through the dark interior. Patches of blue sky shone through the cracks of walls and roof. Usually the barn doors remained open during the day so the children could tend to their chores, but now they stood closed in deep secrecy.

Intriguing. How can readers find you on the Internet?

My website is: http://pamela-griffin.com/

My email for readers is: words_of_honey@juno.com  (I answer all mail, and if ever I don’t, it likely went into spam because of subject title and the lack of a reply wasn’t intentional.)

Also, please note - if you visit my website before I can get the guest book taken down, it is no longer operable. The company quit last month. If you leave a note there (as has happened a few times since then) I cannot see it to read it. I need to find a new guest book company that meets my needs … perhaps even start a weekly blog … my dad takes care of my web page, and that is a project we’ve been discussing – what to do with it next. Any suggestions of what you would like to see or have me do are welcome and will be considered. And a big thank you to all my readers through the years. :) Postage rates now what they are, I can no longer afford to respond personally to each of the hundreds of letters and tear sheets I have received in the last year or so, but many of you have been a source of encouragement to me and I didn’t want to let this go without thanking you guys from the bottom of my heart. Here’s hoping all of you have a wonderful holiday season and a blessed 2011!

Thank you, Pamela, for spending this time with us.
 
Readers, here's a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

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

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

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

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