A ROYAL MARRIAGE - Rachelle McCalla - One Free Book

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

While I was raised going to church, summer camp propelled my faith forward in a very personal way. I later met my husband at the same camp, too, so it holds a special place in our hearts. We spend time there with our children every summer. It’s quickly becoming one of their favorite places, and a solid part of their faith foundation.

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

If this is my dream writing retreat, I’d pick C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Susan Cooper, and Madeleine L’Engle. Then I would sit back and take notes like crazy!

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

I’m an ordained Presbyterian minister, but I try to stay out of the pulpit as much as possible. I’ve found I can reach more people at a more honest place when I funnel my efforts into fiction.

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

Well, I was very nearly late for this blog interview! Fortunately Lena Nelson Dooley is an extremely gracious hostess and sent me a timely reminder. Thank you, Lena!

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?

Write! Just do it. You can’t edit a blank page. You may have a dozen books in your head, but no one can read them there.

Tell us about the featured book.

A Royal Marriage is my first foray into historical fiction. It’s the opening book of the new Protecting the Crown series, which is a spin-off of my suspense series, Reclaiming the Crown. The book’s focus on the Christian kingdom of Lydia, a fictional place founded by Lydia, the leader of a house church who we meet in the Bible in Acts 16:14 & 40. This particular book is set in the year A.D. 801 and features a real historical person—Gisela, daughter of Charlemagne. History records her name and the dates of her birth and death, but tells us little else about her. I’ve filled in the details.

Since I’ve read all the other books and loved them, I know I’ll love this one, too. Please give us the first page of the book.

Castlehead, Lydia, A.D. 801

"A ship approaches, Your Majesty. Her sail is spread with the Carolingian cross." Renwick, chief messenger among the Lydian guard, bowed low before the king.

"Charlemagne." His Royal Highness, King John of Lydia, lowered the sword with which he'd been sparring with his younger brother, Prince Luke. Why would the Holy Roman Emperor send a ship to Lydia unannounced? Charlemagne's realm had expanded vastly under his leadership, but John had assumed the renowned ruler would have no interest in the tiny kingdom of Lydia. Was he wrong?

King John turned to face the messenger. "She approaches directly?"

"Making for the wharf at high speed, sire," Renwick panted as though he, too, had run to reach the king quickly.

"Then we shall make haste, as well." Sheathing his sword, John headed for the courtyard gate, the fastest route to the Mediterranean shore.

"To the lookout tower, Your Majesty?" Renwick appeared confused by the king's choice of direction.

"No, Renwick." John led the way. "To the wharf."

Prince Luke ran beside him. "Why would Charlemagne visit Lydia? We are not his vassals."

"I doubt it is Charlemagne himself," King John acknowledged. "The emperor regularly sends emissaries throughout his empire to report back to him." He prayed that was true this time, irregular though it might seem.

"But Lydia is not part of his empire." Luke chafed visibly at the idea.

"We are part of Christendom. As such, we ought to ally ourselves closely with the Holy Roman Empire. Such a position could prove to be advantageous." John reached the end of the wharf and shielded his eyes from the sun, examining the quickly approaching vessel, her sails emblazoned with the distinctive Carolingian cross, four tri-quetras joined at the center to form the distinctive symbol of Emperor Charlemagne's reign.

"Three masts!" The sight filled John with awe. Lydia had no ship to match it. And yet, "She looks to be wounded."

"Aye, brother." Luke clapped one hand on John's shoulder and pointed with the other. "Her foresail has been rent and hastily mended. Do you think she has weathered a storm?"

"Or an attack." John met his brother's eyes.

"Saracens?" Prince Luke spoke the word softly, as though saying it aloud might draw the vicious pirates closer.

"They raid the Mediterranean waters regularly."

"Never so close to Lydia."

"We don't know how far this ship has come," King John acknowledged. "Or whether the Saracens may have taken her."

"Taken her?" Fear sparked in his brother's blue eyes as he looked out to the ship and back at the ramparts of their castle. If the pirates had taken the ship, they could approach under Charlemagne's cross and dock before the Lydians realized trouble had reached their shores. The castle's defenses might be breached before they could even prepare for battle. "Why would Saracens approach so boldly?"

"For no good reason." John shook his head. He didn't want to believe that Saracen pirates had taken the emperor's ship, but given her condition, it was a distinct possibility. "Let us pray for Lydia's safety."

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

I love to meet readers online! Like my author page on Facebook, or look me up on Goodreads or my webpage, www.rachellemccalla.com

Thank you, Rachelle, for sharing this new series with us. I know my readers will want to get a copy of this first book as soon as possible. I can hardly wait until my copy comes.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
A Royal Marriage (Love Inspired Historical) - papeback
A Royal Marriage (Protecting the Crown) - 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

THE MISSING MONARCH - Rachelle McCalla - One Free Book

Welcome back, Rachelle. I love having you here. What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about?

Great question!  In my suspense stories, my characters are often in deadly danger fighting for their lives.  Thus I often find myself writing about God’s protection, and trusting God, and finding faith even in life’s bleakest moments.

What other books of yours are coming out soon?

This December my first Love Inspired Historical hits the shelves.  It’s called A Royal Marriage, and it takes place in 801 AD in the fictional Mediterranean Kingdom of Lydia, which is the kingdom featured in the Reclaiming the Crown series.

Then in March, readers can look for the first suspense book of my new Protecting the Crown series, which centers around the men of the Lydian Royal Guard who readers have met in the Reclaiming the Crown Series.  The first book, Defending the Duchess, stars Linus Murati, who readers first met in Protecting the Princess.

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

It would be great fun to spend an evening with a real prince or princess, to learn a bit about what they’re like in person.

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

There are so many intriguing historical figures who I’d love to meet, including Dietrich Bonheoffer and Corrie Ten Boom.

I’d love to talk to Corrie Ten Boom. How can you encourage authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers?

Keep sharpening your craft.  Read what the publishers publish.  Read the publisher’s guidelines, follow their blogs, find out the specific genres or types of books they’re looking for, and then write the story they can’t refuse. 

Tell us about the featured book.

The Missing Monarch is the fourth and final book in the Reclaiming the Crown series.  Readers have followed the four royal siblings, heirs to the Lydian crown, as they struggle to restore peace in the wake of an insurgent uprising.  In this last book, we finally meet Thaddeus, who’s been missing-presumed-dead for the past six years. 

Please give us the first page of the book.

"Regis?"

The Crown Prince Thaddeus of Lydia didn't hesitate to respond to his prearranged code name. "Yes?"

"Have you seen the news?"

"Always."

"Then you know—?"

"Yes." Thaddeus didn't need his friend Kirk, the sole person on earth who knew how to reach him, to elaborate any more over the phone. Yes, he knew that the tiny kingdom of Lydia had been nearly overtaken by insurgent forces ten days before. He also knew who was behind those forces—a man who went by the code name 8, short for Octavian, an egomaniac would-be despot, who'd stop at nothing to achieve the power he desired. What Thad didn't know, was how to stop him from taking over the tiny kingdom.

"You know that we need you?" A voice broke in, a female. One of his sisters? Princess Isabelle or Princess Anastasia, he couldn't be sure which one.

"You need me to stay right where I am." Thad hoped his sister could hear the authority in his voice. He was, after all, her big brother, besides being the crown prince of the Christian nation. He knew what he was talking about.

"No—" Isabelle's voice for sure. "We need you on the thr—"

"Don't say it." Thad interrupted her before she could drop any words that might give away his identity. They had no way of being certain their line was secure, though he knew Kirk would have taken every possible precaution. The risk was simply too great. If Octavian ever found where he was hiding, all the sacrifices he'd made would have been in vain.

"We need you here." That was Alexander's voice, so much more mature than when Thad had left home. But then, Prince Alexander had been through many trials on behalf of Lydia. "You're the only one who can end this."

"If I come home, things will only get worse, I promise you. You have to trust that I know what I'm talking about."

"If you would explain—"

"I can't. Not over the phone. You know that." Thad took a deep breath, wishing there were some way he could impress upon his younger siblings the gravity of the situation. They couldn't underestimate the foe they were up against. "Please don't try to contact me again. The risks are far too great."

"You need to come home." It was Kirk's voice again, insistent this time.

"No. I need to go. Goodbye." Thad gripped the phone, knowing he needed to end the call and cut the line that exposed him to potential detection. Still, he hesitated to sever the connection to his family. He missed them so much, the six long years since he'd seen them last weighing on his heart.

Anastasia's voice echoed distantly over the still-live line. "You were right, Kirk. He's determined not to return. I wish we could make him understand, but we can't risk trying to visit him, and he won't listen to any of us."

"There is one person he might listen to. I don't know if I can convince her—"

"Don't!" Thad nearly shouted, glad he hadn't hung up the phone after all. "Don't bring her into this. Never speak of her again."

"But—"

"No. There's nothing she can say to me that will change anything. She deserves her privacy. Do you understand?" Silence ticked by in tense seconds, and Thad feared the connection had been severed after all. "Promise me you won't try to contact her."

Reluctance filled Kirk's voice. "I promise."

"Thank you. I've got to go." Thad ended the call, feeling even more alone than he had mere moments before, the reminder of his long-lost wife prickling the long-dead parts of his heart like blood rushing back to a sleeping appendage, as though to rouse his buried feelings back to life.

He trusted his friend. Kirk would keep his promise not to reach out to Monica.

Thad stared at the phone in his hand, replaying the details of their conversation. They hadn't spoken Monica's name. And surely their line was secure. So why did Thad feel such a breathless sense of panic, as though somehow, by mentioning a woman he cared about, they'd exposed Monica to detection?

Because he knew his enemy. And every time he'd underestimated Octavian before, he'd been wrong. Dead wrong.

I can hardly wait to get my copy. I’ve read all of this series, including the pre-book on your website. I love all of them. How can readers find you on the Internet?

Like my author page on facebook, find me on goodreads, and for the latest information on upcoming stories, new releases, and exclusive insider information about existing titles, visit my website, www.rachellemccalla.com

Thank you, Rachelle, for spending this time with us today.


Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
The Missing Monarch (Love Inspired Suspense) - paperback
The Missing Monarch (Love Inspired Suspense) - 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

PRINCE INCOGNITO - Rachelle McCalla - One Free Book

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

I have so many exciting writing projects in progress! After Prince Incognito, I have one more book in the Reclaiming the Crown series. The Missing Monarch hits shelves in September. Then, this December, my first historical debuts. A Royal Marriage is set in the same fictional kingdom of Lydia, but it takes place in the year 801, and tells the story of the Lydian King John and the daughter of Charlemagne, Gisela. It’s also the first book in my Protecting the Crown series, which features a mix of suspense and historical titles. The first suspense book in the series, Defending the Duchess, comes out in March of next year.

Tell us a little about your family.

My husband and kids keep me very busy! I have four kids, ranging in age from three to nine years old, two boys and two girls. Each of the books in the Reclaiming the Crown series is dedicated to one of them. My seven-year-old has even started reading the book dedicated to her (my nine-year-old has to wait—his book isn’t out yet!)

I’ve dedicated books to my daughters, my sons-in-law, my grandchildren. Now I have a new grandson-in-law. He’s next. Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?

Since I’ve always been an avid reader, that aspect has never changed. But I find myself reading a lot of books for research, especially now that I’m starting to write historicals.

I totally understand that, since I write historicals. I’ve built quite a library of reference volumes. I like to be able to page through them when I’m writing. What are you working on right now?

I’m in the middle of the final edits of A Royal Marriage. I just finished the revised manuscript for Defending the Duchess, and I’ve finished the first chapter of the next suspense book in that series, which doesn’t have a firm title yet.

What outside interests do you have?

I love to travel, especially now that the kids are getting old enough to handle road trips. We’re taking off for Mount Rushmore in a couple of weeks (six McCallas in one van—pray for us!). We also like to go camping and hiking.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

Right now I have it pretty easy, because my books are centered around one place, the fictional kingdom of Lydia. Previous books have been set in places familiar to me. My first two Survival Instinct and Troubled Waters, are set among the Apostle Islands on Lake Superior. We lived in the tiny lakeside town of Bayfield for almost two years. And my Holyoake Heroes series is set in southwest Iowa, around the small towns where my husband grew up.

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

I’d love to hang out with Winston Churchill, because he has such a great sense of humor and also because he lived through so many tumultuous events.

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

Hmm, that’s a great question. It would have been nice to know that I was going to get published, so I could stop obsessing about how to do that.

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

This summer I’ve been learning how to be a mom to kids who are suddenly a year older than they were last year! I know a year might not seem like much, but we’re on new ground with a lot of new experiences. The oldest two set off their own firecrackers for the first time the other day. The girls went off the high dive at the pool for the first time this week. My oldest went away for six days at summer camp. They’re reading chapter books and middle grade books and playing board games with each other (sometimes without even fighting!). It’s been a great new adventure.

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

Read and pray and write all the time—and go on Lena Nelson Dooley’s blog if you can—she’s the best!

Thank you, Rachelle. Tell us about the featured book.

Prince Incognito is the third of the four books in the Reclaiming the Crown series. It follows the adventures of Alexander, the soldier prince and presumed heir of the Lydian throne. Alec is injured in the ambush on the royal motorcade, and he’s lost all memory of who he is and who is after him. He needs to keep his country and his crown safe, but first he needs to figure out who he is. Fortunately he finds a friend, Lillian Bardici, who tends his injuries and helps him. When he saves her life in return, they realize they need each other’s help if they’re going to survive.

Please give us the first page of the book.

His Royal Highness Prince Alexander of Lydia stood at attention in the palace courtyard, his back extra straight, his arms practically immobilized by the stiff sleeves of his dress uniform. The classic-cut olive-green suit was reserved for formal occasions, and Alec hadn't realized until he'd squeezed into it for this evening's state dinner just how long it had been since he'd last worn it.

About fifteen pounds of muscle ago, judging by how tight the shirt felt around his neck. He couldn't take a deep breath, and he felt a tingling sensation in his fingers every time he tried to bend his arms at the elbow. The warm weather of the June evening didn't help, though Alec was at least accustomed to heat.

His last deployment, a humanitarian mission in the deserts of North Africa, had required daily physical labor. Alec hadn't appreciated how much the work had transformed him until he'd returned home to Sardis, Lydia's capital city, the day before and found that none of his old clothes fit the same.

The limousines began to line up for the motorcade, and Alec watched his parents descend the palace steps with the rustle of sashes and silk. His father, His Majesty King Philip, waved Alec away from the head car.
"You'll be sixth in line." He pointed him farther down the queue.

"Why sixth? Who's in between us?" Though Alec didn't want to sound presumptuous, he was, after all, heir apparent to the throne of Lydia. While that didn't mean he had to ride in the front car, he certainly found it odd that he'd be placed so far down the line.

"State officials. Regional dignitaries. Guards."

"Guards?"

"Yes. Guards on motorcycles, guards in every car." King Philip motioned to a group of gun-bearing men. "You'll have one riding with you."

"A bodyguard?" Alec looked down at the young man who'd stepped forward. The kid wasn't small, but Alec was considerably larger, and he guessed, more experienced. "Father, I'm a soldier. I can take care of myself."

The king was halfway to his car, but as he looked back, he seemed to notice for the first time that his son had grown, and he deflated a little. "Fine. You can ride alone. But stay close. Stay safe." The king appeared as though he wanted to say more, but the cars and guards were waiting, and he ducked inside the limo after the queen.

Alec watched the door close after his parents, and their car rolled forward.

What was that all about? Stay close? Stay safe? Alec blinked at the abundance of men who filled the waiting vehicles and perched on their motorcycles, ready to go. Behind him, he spotted his sister Isabelle giving her bodyguard the cold shoulder as he held open the door to her waiting limousine. She'd told Alec that her request to have the guard removed had been turned down by their father.

Something strange was going on. When he'd first arrived home, Alec had assumed everything felt foreign simply because he wasn't used to it anymore. He'd acclimated to desert life, and no longer felt like he fit in with Lydia's aristocratic circles. In fact, until the announcement at tonight's dinner, when his father had promised he'd learn what his next assignment was, Alec didn't figure he'd feel as though he fit in anywhere.
But all the extra security, as well as his father's odd behavior, left Alec questioning what was going on. Sure, he was used to men with guns—but there weren't usually so many of them swarming the palace, were there? And whereas these events of state tended to be stressful for his father, today the king seemed downright jumpy.

Alec slid into his car, but he couldn't relax, in spite of the sumptuous leather seat of the limousine he was riding in. Too much about the situation bothered him.

Besides that, in a seated position, he could hardly take a breath.

His car crept forward, and Alec strained to see through the darkly tinted windows to the vehicles ahead of him. He hadn't seen any officials or dignitaries in the courtyard—no one had entered the vehicles ahead of him except for a few guards.

What was going on?

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I’m on Facebook, goodreads, and www.rachellemccalla.com

Thank you, Rachelle, for another interesting interview. My copy of the book arrived today, and I can’t wait to dive into it.


Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Prince Incognito (Love Inspired Suspense) - paperback
Prince Incognito (Love Inspired Suspense) - 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