A FATHER'S GIFT - Paula Peckham - One Free Book

Welcome back, Paula. Why do you write the kind of books you do? My talent for writing, such as it is, is a gift from God, and I want to honor Him in what I write. So I chose to write Christian fiction. I write historical because I love learning about the past. And I write romance because I wanted to share an honest depiction of what love is like. Being a Christian doesn’t automatically mean there are no problems in your life. My characters to show how they deal with the issues life throws their way, but do it with God’s help.

Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life? That’s a hard question to answer. Maybe the birthdays of my children. Maybe the day I married John. Maybe the day my mother told us she did NOT, in fact, have cancer after all.

How has being published changed your life? I have more self-confidence as a writer now. To have someone in the industry tell me she thought my work was good enough to publish made it all feel real. It also gave me the confidence to feel I’m good enough to help others, even though I’m still learning so much myself.

That’s good. I learned that  wherever we are in our writing career, we should be learning from those who’ve walked longer in this journey, and we should be helping those who haven’t gone as far as we  have. What are you reading right now? A book written by a good friend of mine. It’s historical, and it’s magical realism. The book is titled River Witch, written by Cheryl Burman.

What is your current work in progress? Book three in my San Antonio series. It’s titled Accepted, and it tells the story of Jonathan, Manny’s best friend from Protected. It also includes a historical fact that, so far, 100% of the people I tell about it have not known.

I love learning historical facts. What would be your dream vacation? I love the ocean and I love scuba diving. I want to spend a month in Greece.

How do you choose your settings for each book? For the next little while, my setting will be San Antonio, because that is where my series is set. After that, we’ll see. It will undoubtedly be somewhere in Texas though.

If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why? Sting. He is a poet, and I’d love to hear how he creates. I love music as much as I love reading, and I’m a huge fan. Also, I think Sting is a Christian. Like Bono, of U2, Sting writes lyrics that might not be obviously Christian to the casual listener.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading? I like to cross-stitch. I’m not artistically talented at all, and creating a cross-stitch design is the closest thing I can come to making art. I’d also love to learn how to quilt.

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it? Staying disciplined about a writing schedule. There is so much other stuff to do when you write: marketing, editing, research, promoting, learning. I’m easily distracted.

What advice would you give to a beginning author? Find a critique group. Follow writers on social media. Take their recommendations about best books to read on learning the craft. Never stop learning how to be a better writer.

Tell us about the featured book. A Father’s Gift was originally published in a Christmas anthology titled Christmas Love Through the Ages. It continues the story of Abby and Manny from Protected. I asked my publisher if she’d be interested in reading it, and she liked it. So we added it to the series. When I originally started writing it, the third character in the book, Gabe, was going to be patterned from the angel Gabriel who announced the birth of Christ. Things quickly went sideways, as they tend to do, and the book morphed into something completely different. That’s always fun.

Please give us the first page of the book.

San Antonio, Texas, 1864

“Let’s go, boys. Time to head home.” Manny climbed onto the seat and slapped the reins against the backs of the long-suffering oxen. The wagon groaned, the wheels pressing deep ruts into the ground. He glanced behind him.

Maybe I got carried away.

He’d cut down some small trees where the creek ran parallel to the road in front of his property. He loaded the last of the cut wood, wiping sweat from his brow despite the chill in the early December air. His list of chores before the baby came just decreased by one. They would have plenty of fuel for warmth or cooking once his son arrived.

Enough wood to last two winters filled the bed of the wagon. He shrugged. Being prepared was a good thing.

Excitement and unease competed in his chest, the same as he’d felt when Dr. Simpson confirmed Abby’s hunch. Her pregnancy was a dream come true. But this dream dragged thunderclouds behind it. Manny swallowed the discomfort that sprang to mind every time he thought of the impending birth. He had little experience with fatherhood, none with babies.

His dad had disappeared. At the age of five, Manny didn’t understand why it had happened. He only knew his father never came home. Card games were more important to Mark Blair than his family. That wouldn’t happen with his son. He’d be there.

How can readers find you on the Internet? I have an author page on Facebook, Paula Peckham, Author. I have a website where I blog – www.paulapeckham.com. I’m on Twitter and Instagram, and occasionally I post on TikTok.

Thank you, Paula, for sharing this book with my blog readers and me. I absolutely love your writing.

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

http://ow.ly/FJZb50L29RH

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 2 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

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

PROTECTED - Paula Peckham - One Free Book

Welcome, Paula. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters. Pretty sure little bits of me show up in all of my main characters, at least so far. I wrote a contemporary novella to be included in a Christmas anthology, and it was the easiest thing I’ve ever written because it was a story from my life. In fact, my mother texted me after her copy arrived in the mail (Texas Heirloom Ornament) and told me, “I’m reading your autobiography.” I laughed because it was almost accurate.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done? Following a nudge from the Holy Spirit one night at church, I convinced my husband we needed to buy property in Rio Bravo, Mexico, where our church had done mission work for ten years, and we built a little house there in the neighborhood where we serve.

When did you first discover that you were a writer? I wrote for the school newspaper when I was in high school, and I enjoyed it, but I never seriously sat down to write a book until I was in my 50s.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading. I read everything! Stephen King’s horror, Dick Francis’ mysteries, John Grisham’s legal thrillers, Patricia Cornwell’s medical mysteries, Ray Bradbury’s science fiction, Cheryl Burman’s mystical women’s fiction, just about any romance, non-fiction about nature, biographies, cereal boxes … If it’s been published, I’ve probably tried it.

How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world? It’s easier now that I’ve retired from teaching. When I start feeling overwhelmed with the world, I remind myself God is in control, and I don’t have to know all the answers.

How do you choose your characters’ names? Since I write Christian fiction, I often choose a name from a Bible character who exemplifies what I want my character to be like. For example, in Protected, my male main character has a best friend named Jonathan. I chose that name from the friendship between Jonathan and David.

My female main character’s name is Abigail. I chose her name because it would easily shorten to Ab, which then easily switched to “Abner” when she decided to disguise herself as a boy.

And some names come from websites that list popular names for that year.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of? I dropped out of college when I got married at age nineteen because we couldn’t pay our bills without both of us working. Then two babies came. I finally started back again, taking two classes a semester at night. It took me seventeen years to get my college degree, but I never gave up. I think that determination has served me well as an author too. It gets discouraging when success doesn’t happen overnight, and it’s very tempting to quit. I’ve learned the value of perseverance.

If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why? Ooh, that’s hard. Maybe a dolphin, because I love to swim, and they’re intelligent. Maybe a mockingbird, because doesn’t everyone wonder what it would be like to fly, and they sing so beautifully. Maybe a dog because they always seem so happy, and they’re loyal and non-judgmental, both characteristics I’d love to have. Or a horse, because they’re powerful and majestic, and I’ve loved horses since I was a child and begged Santa for one every year.

What is your favorite food? No hesitation on this one! Mexican

What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it? Sometimes what I start with in my imagination isn’t supported by historical fact. It’s tempting to bluff my way through the parts I’m not sure about or ignore a critique partner who tells me the thing I’m writing hadn’t occurred yet. If it means switching up major parts of the story plotline, I want to resist. But I know historical accuracy is important, so I’ve always given in and rewritten what I needed to in order to maintain authenticity.

And I’m proud of you for that. Tell us about the featured book. Protected is a western story set in Texas. Think of what you might get if you mashed together Beauty and the Beast, Mulan, and John Wayne’s movie, The Cowboys. My female MC is strong and independent. My male MC is kind and loyal. The bad guys are just creepy enough. The side characters are fun and funny. It will make you laugh and maybe even cry.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Texas plains, late Spring, 1862

Abigail Walker stood beside the fresh grave. Fear and grief wrapped around her chest like the cinch of a saddle. She dropped a limp handful of wildflowers onto the mound of loamy black soil. Sunbeams beat down on the prairie, highlighting the ten other graves that had appeared in a somber line over the past two weeks. Three of them held pieces of her heart. Death had snatched her entire family―her younger brother Nathan, Mama, and Papa. Stunned, she struggled to breathe.

A warm wind dried the tears from her face and teased some strawberry-blonde strands from her messy braid. Golden flashes of sunlight slipped through the tossing leaves on the trees near the creek where the children from the wagon train gathered for this final ceremony.

“Abby, do you want to say any last words?” Grady Strong’s tone held sincere kindness, but the matter-of-fact question, repeated several times already to the others standing around the grave over the past two weeks, slapped her heart.

Abby’s eyes stung as she gazed into their sun-dappled faces. A nearby mockingbird ran through its joyful repertoire in direct contrast to the grief swamping her as she stood with the remaining group of travelers heading for a new life in San Antonio, Texas. Could they finish the journey alone?

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I have an author page on Facebook, Paula Peckham, Author. I have a website where I blog – www.paulapeckham.com. I’m on Twitter and Instagram, and occasionally I post on TikTok.

Thank you, Paula, for sharing this wonderful book with my blog readers. I love your writing.

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

http://ow.ly/7pkv50KRuwl 

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 2 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

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

CHRISTMAS LOVE THROUGH THE AGES - Lisa Bell, Gail Kittleson, Paula Peckham, Cleo Lampos, Lena Nelson Dooley - 5 Free Books

Lisa Bell – “Listen”

Imagine Christmas from the eyes of an angel. With so many people focusing on everything but Jesus, do the angels get frustrated? In “Listen,” fly with Gabriel, Michael and a band of loveable angels as they determine the best ways to capture the attention of humans and turn their thoughts back to celebrating Jesus’ birthday.

 

Gail Kittleson - Gold Mine Christmas - Set in WWII, a young Arizona woman in a chaotic family finds her voice. The risk she takes leads her far from home, but still near in heart to the clutch of younger sisters she has always nurtured. As she dedicates herself to the local U.S.O, she discovers a treasure far more valuable than she ever imagined.

Turtle Creek Christmas - An Orphan Train girl named Irene loses touch with her birth family as she comes of age in her new Iowa home. As she experiences a schoolroom for the first time, a caring teacher makes all the difference. Irene also makes her first friends, and discovers to her surprise that someone strong and kind finds her interesting and desirable. Through it all, the promise of the very first Christmas nestles down in her heart. 

 

Paula Peckham - The Father’s Gift - This story is a continuation of my debut historical romance novel, Protected. I enjoy writing historical fiction, and the collection needed a story from my time frame. I got to know Manny and Abby while writing Protected, and I was eager to follow them through their new life together. (Spoiler alert: In Protected, they fall in love. Sorry to ruin the ending for you, but it is a romance, after all.) In the new story, they look forward to the birth of their first child.

When I first started writing The Father’s Gift, I intended for the character Gabe to be a pseudo angel figure. I saw him playing a part that would almost qualify as a miracle. However, as the story grew legs, Gabe became a different character altogether. I won’t give that away, but I think he brings the story much more mystery and excitement.

Some other characters from Protected make an appearance, too. We get to see Yaideli, Manny’s grandmother, and Jonathan, Manny’s best friend. If you enjoy Manny and Abby’s story, you can go back to their beginning in Protected, arriving from Elk Lake Publishing, Inc. in March, 2022.

A Christmas Hallelujah - I based this short story on an actual event. My husband, John, and I were traveling, and we were sitting in the gate area, waiting for our flight. People crowded the space, and not a single seat remained open. A woman sat on the floor, leaning against a column. She stared at the floor the entire time, exuding sadness. I watched her for a while, then the Beth Moore story I mentioned popped into my mind. I felt God urging me to go speak to her. So I got up, walked over, kneeled beside her, and asked if she was okay. She told me her father was sick, and she was flying home. We prayed together, then I went back to my seat. I never spoke to her again. From that kernel, I layered the rest of my story around it.

 

Cleo Lampos - Blessings on the 38th Parallel - The Korean Conflict rages in 1952 on the 38th Parallel as North and South troops fight for territory. Robert McAllister, a Radio Technician at Kimpo Air Base celebrates Christmas Eve fixing radio equipment at another base where he encounters the orphans who survive near the GIs. On the way back to his home base, Mack is given a baby boy. How will he handle this orphan? Meanwhile, at the MASH  unit, nurse Valerie Pazan leaves a midnight Christmas Eve service and discovers a tiny baby in a pile of rocks. She is able to attend to the physical needs of the infant, but worries about the prospects ahead for this child. On Christmas Day, these four person’s destinies will cross.

A Bookmobile Noel - Dorothy Wagner knows she is fortunate to have a job in the Great Depression of 1935. A graduate of library school in Chicago, her trial assignment as a bookmobile librarian in southern rural Illinois will determine her future. As Dorothy travels in the bookmobile, which is driven by a CC Lieutenant Tom Nelson, she faces the depth of the economic conditions of the country. The lack of nutritious food, medical care, birthing facilities, clothing, and homelessness. Visiting a hobo’s camp changes her perspective. Dorothy is able to assist in a scurvy outbreak, as she realizes that her future in this impoverished area would be a Christmas wish come true.

 

Lena Nelson Dooley - Rescued Christmas

When Rose Ellen Murphy becomes a mail order bride, the unthinkable happens. It is the worst mistake of her life. Or is it? Jedediah Strong finds a woman's beaten and bloody body in a gully on his ranch, high in the mountains of Wyoming. He starts to bury her, when he notices a slight movement. She's not dead. He takes her home to his mother.These two people help heal Rose Ellen’s body. Can they also help her emotions heal from the trauma she’s endured?

“A Divine Romance” - When God first told me to become a professional writer in 1983, He also told me to use my gift to bless people at Christmas instead of sending Christmas cards. I’ve only missed writing a Christmas short story four times since then. This is one of those stories. A friend leads Jolene to Colorado and then to Jesus.

Buy link to the books:

http://ow.ly/7tpB50GbrE6

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. There will be 5 winners. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

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

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

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