PROPOSING MISCHIEF - Regina Jennings - One Free Book

Welcome back, Regina. As an author, I know it takes a lot of people to birth each book. Who were the people involved in the birthing of this book, and what were their contributions? First, I’d like to thank Elly Mae Clampett for being the inspiration for Maisie, and my grandparents for introducing me to The Beverly Hillbillies. I’ve enjoyed learning Joplin history from Paula Callihan and Mary Anne Phillips. Also, Brad Belk provided me with information on Joplin’s Crystal Cave.

On the industry side, my editors Dave Long and Jessica Sharpe are sure to work my book over, but only after my critique partners Stephanie Landsem, Kristi Hunter, and Tarisa Holman have their say.

If you teach or speak. What’s coming up on your calendar? Today, I’m in Joplin, Missouri, the setting of Proposing Mischief, for a presentation on my research and a book signing. Saturday, I’ll be back in Mustang, Oklahoma, for my book launch party. After that, I’ll have a nice break for the holidays before starting back to work.

If you had to completely start over in another place, where would you move, and why? Great question! I’m very family-oriented and a lot of my family live nearby, so if I had to leave my first thought would be to go to Missouri where the rest of my family lives. If I was picking a place unrelated to the relations, I’d like to live in a quaint village in England. I’m sure it’d be nothing like I expect, but it seems so enticing.

If you could only tell aspiring novelists one thing, what would it be? Enjoy where God has you today—learn from it, be a blessing to others, and exalt our Lord. Take advantage of opportunities. When the time comes, you’ll be ready, but don’t forget to appreciate where you are today.

You’ve been asked to be in charge of a celebrity cruise. Who would you ask to take part, and why? (AS in what program, singers, etc. [it doesn’t have to be writing related]) If I was organizing entertainment for a cruise, I would include salon-type discussions with interesting people from different disciplines. Some people I’d love to make available to guests would be Jordan Peterson, Amy Coney Barrett, Condoleezza Rice, Stephen Fry, Lin Manuel Miranda, Ree Drummond, and Chris Pratt.

For musical entertainment I’d have Adele, Harry Connick, Jr, and Mumford and Sons. When Harry isn’t performing, he’s welcomed to come visit in the salon.

Tell us about the featured book. Olive Kentworth has spent her life hiding her interest in architecture, even as she pores over architectural books and sketches buildings. When she accepts a job on a home expansion, it’s only because her cousin Amos agrees to pose as the builder. To further hide her involvement, Olive takes a position as a nanny—not knowing that she’ll be working for her idol—Joplin’s leading architect, widower Maxfield Scott.

Maxfield Scott is intrigued by his new nanny—she makes his home and his life bearable again. His work, on the other hand, is a disaster. Some untrained builder is remodeling a completed project of his. What’s worse, Maxfield’s current client wants changes to his plans because of Amos’s work.

As the competition between the men heats up, Olive’s involvement becomes harder to hide. Will the relationship between her and Maxfield survive, or will they both miss out on building something for their future?

Please give us the first page of the book.

“When I told Pa I wanted to go to town, I didn’t mean the feed store.” Maisie Kentworth reached over the side of the wagon bed and let the elm leaves swish against her hand as they passed. “That feed store doesn’t sell any phosphate drinks, and I aim to have me one of those today.”

Her brother Amos pulled one rein tight, swerving to make the sharp turn into the feed store’s lot. “Welp, we gotta get feed, that’s a fact, and ever since that Silas Marsh business, they want to keep you on a short leash. So if you want to step foot off the ranch, it’s church or the feed store, or else you’ll be tied to Granny’s apron strings. Them’s the only options.”

Maisie grabbed the supple end of a branch and held it tight so all the leaves were stripped away as it ran through her hand. Silas Marsh. She wished she’d never lit eyes on the man. She’d been staying in town with her cousin Calista when Silas had entered her world. Charming, attentive, and romantic, the young miner seemed just what Maisie had wanted in a man, but evidently she wasn’t the only lady to feel that way.

Turning around in her seat and throwing her leg over the back, she planted her sturdy boot in the middle of her cousin’s back and jostled him until Hank groaned and rolled over.

“Wake up. We’re here.” Maisie tidied her chestnut hair behind her ears, and wiggled her freckled nose at the sweet scent of the feed that should’ve told Hank it was time to wake up and work.

Hank lifted his straw hat from his face and squinted at the sun. “What do you need me for? I thought we brought you to do the toting.”

With a boot to his shoulder, Maisie shoved harder. “Get on your feet, Hank. It’s time to work.”

“Hank ain’t afraid of hard work,” Amos cheerfully added. “He’ll curl up right against it and sleep like a baby.”

“What’s your hurry?” he groaned. “I was out hunting all night. Give me a minute.”

“If we have time to spare, we might could drive on into town to the soda fountain,” Maisie said.

Hank bolted upright. “I do admire myself a phosphate cherry root drink.” The flat, immovable planes of Hank’s face gave his every pronouncement the weight of the granite tablets from Mount Sinai.

“There ain’t no way.” Amos set the brake and wrapped the reins around the handle. “I have strict orders not to let Maisie anywhere near town.” And even when Amos was serious, the sparks of merriment in his eyes didn’t allow one to believe him.

Where can we find you on the Internet? My website is www.reginajennings.com. I’m also on Facebook, Twitter and very rarely Instagram. I look forward to visiting with you all there.

Thank you, Regina, for sharing this new book with my blog readers and me. My copy is on my table at the top of my to-be-read pile. I’m eager to dive into it.

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Proposing+Mischief&i=stripbooks&ref=nb_sb_noss

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

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

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

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

THE MAJOR'S DAUGHTER - Regina Jennings - One Free Book

Bio: Historical romance author Regina Jennings is a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University with a degree in English and a minor in history. She’s the winner of the National Reader’s Choice Award, a two-time Golden Quill finalist and a finalist for the Oklahoma Book of the Year Award. Regina has worked at the Mustang News and at the Oklahoma National Stockyards. Her latest book, The Major’s Daughter is set in Oklahoma Territory, at Historic Fort Reno. She lives outside of Oklahoma City with her husband and four children.

Welcome back, Regina. Why did you become a historical author?

Because it gave me something to do with all the research I’ve acquired over the years.

If you weren’t an author, what would be your dream job?

Something that requires reading a lot of books and organizing the information.

If you could have lived at another time in history, what would it be and why?

That’s a difficult question, because the most interesting times in history are also the most dangerous. Danger aside, I’d like to witness the founding of our country and see the courage of the people and the genius of the founders.

That would have been awesome. What place in the United States have you not visited that you would like to?

South Carolina.

How about a foreign country you hope to visit?

Ireland.

What lesson has the Lord taught you recently?

I’ve been memorizing the first chapter of James, and it reminds me of the inevitably of trials and temptations in our life. We should waste no time wondering why they happen, but instead should prepare and cling to God so that we can endure.

Tell us about the featured book.

Caroline Adams returns to Indian Territory after tiring of confining society life. She wants adventure, and when she and her friend Amber come across swaggering outlaw Frisco Smith, they find his dreams for the new territory are very persuasive. With the much-anticipated land run pending, they may just join the rush.

Growing up parentless, all Frisco Smith wanted was a place to call his own. It's no wonder that he fought to open the Unassigned Lands. After years of sneaking across the border, he's even managed to put in a dugout house on a hidden piece of property he's poised to claim.

When the gun sounds, everyone's best plans are thrown out the window in the chaos of the run. Caroline and Frisco soon find themselves battling over a claim—and both dig in their heels. Settling the rightful ownership will bring these two closer than they ever expected and change their ideas of what a true home looks like.

Please give us the first page of the book.

April 16, 1889

Purcell, Chickasaw Nation

“We're getting a town lot and it's purt near guaranteed. You see, we ran into this man selling town lots in Fort Worth, so we've already put our money down for a corner spot, but we're going to run anyway. I figure, why not? Make a claim on a 160-acre homestead, and then we can decide whether we cotton to the farm or the town. There'll be plenty of losers out there to sell out to when we decide which one we want. Easy money. That's what I'm saying.”

The train from Garber, Texas, didn't need steam power. Caroline Adams was of the opinion that it could be propelled solely on the hot air provided by its passengers. She turned her face toward the window to squelch the impulse to challenge the braggadocious man seated behind her. Did he not understand the nature of the race? Why did he think someone in Texas could sell town lots in the Unassigned Lands when no one was permitted in yet? And what town? Besides some depot workers, no one lived in the region. There were no roads, no houses, no neighbors. The whole idea was ludicrous.

Having grown up on the fort that protected the lands, Caroline had insight that no one else on the train possessed, but they wouldn't credit it to her. They’d believe her to be too fine a lady to know about the untamed lands they were headed toward—just as the society people in Galveston thought she was too uncouth to know her way around a drawing room.

  

A sharp jab on her leg and Caroline turned to see her friend Ambrosia Herald wielding her parasol against her.

“You have that look on your face, Caroline.” Amber's blue eyes twinkled. “Scowls can cause irreversible damage to your skin and once a wrinkle appears on the surface, it will never completely disappear. It lurks there waiting for fatigue or age to summon it and mar your complexion.”

“You and your faux facts,” Caroline retorted. “You're as full of malarkey as every other speculator on this train.” But while Amber was jesting, the passengers on the overcrowded train believed the tall tales they were spouting.

“Do you think you’ll see him?” Amber asked. “Do you think the infamous Frisco Smith will make the run?”

Caroline rubbed her nose. It’d been two years since she’d seen the man, and his name still left her perplexed.

Frisco Smith—roguish frontiersman and boomer—spent more time in the guard house at her father’s post than at the illegal homesteads he tried to establish. She shouldn’t feel foolish about her youthful infatuation with him. He was, after all, uncommonly handsome and debonair. But when she left the isolated fort to move into society, she learned what her father had known all along. Men like Mr. Smith had nothing to offer a lady. She had to think about her future, which was exactly why she’d returned to Oklahoma Territory.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Website: http://www.reginajennings.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ReginaLJennings

Twitter: www.twitter.com/#!/ReginaJennings

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/reginaljennings/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reginajenningsauthor/

Thank you, Regina, for sharing this new book with us. I always love your books. I know many of my readers do, too.

Readers, here are links to the book.

The Major's Daughter - Christianbook.com
Major's Daughter (The Fort Reno Series) - Amazon Paperback
The Major's Daughter (The Fort Reno Series Book 3) - Kindle
The Major’s Daughter: Fort Reno Series, Book 3 - Audio book

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

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

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

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, 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

HOLDING THE FORT - Regina Jennings - One Free Book

Welcome back, Regina. Why did you become an author?

So that I could justify all the time I spent reading, daydreaming, and doing research.

If you weren’t an author, what would be your dream job?

Something to do with numbers and money. I like to balance spreadsheets and manage assets.

If you could have lived at another time in history, what would it be and why?

I’d love to be present at one of the Oklahoma Land Runs. I can’t imagine the excitement and energy before the gun went off. But as soon as the land is settled, then I’d transport to another time and place that’s already civilized so I don’t have to build everything from the dirt up.

I’ve been interested in the Land Runs, too. What place in the United States have you not visited that you would like to?

Charleston, South Carolina.

How about a foreign country you hope to visit?

Ireland.

What lesson has the Lord taught you recently?

That if it’s important enough for me to tell someone else, it’s important enough to tell Him. In fact, I should talk to the Lord about something before I share with friends so that I’ve had time to think about whether it’s something I should share or not.

A very good, and hard, lesson to learn. Tell us about the featured book.

Holding the Fort lands close to home for me, just about twenty miles down the road at Fort Reno, to be exact. It’s about Louisa Bell whose job as a dance hall singer is in jeopardy. On top of that, she finds out that her brother is getting in trouble with his commander in the cavalry. They both might be relying on Bradley’s job security, so she decides to go down there to Indian Territory and straighten him out.

Major Daniel Adams is said commander who has his hands full with his rowdy troopers, not to mention his two adolescent daughters. If he doesn’t find someone respectable to guide his children, his mother-in-law insists she’ll take them.

So when Louisa arrives with some reading materials that a nice lady asked her to deliver, she’s mistaken for the governess who never appeared. Daniel is skeptical. He requested someone older and less…lively….but he’s out of options. His mother-in-law must be satisfied, which leaves him turning a blind eye to his unconventional governess’s methods. Louisa’s never faced so importance a performance. Can she keep her act together long enough to help her brother, or will her mistakes ruin everything? 

Sounds like my kind of story. Please give us the first page of the book.

June 1885

Wichita, Kansas

The fumes of the gaslights at the foot of the stage protected Louisa Bell from the more noxious odors of her audience. On hot nights like tonight, the scent of the unwashed bodies in the Cat-Eye Saloon could be overwhelming. Braving a deep breath, Louisa placed her hand delicately against her beribboned Polonaise and crescendoed her way into the next stanza. She lifted her head and sang to the rafters so she didn’t have to meet the eyes of the overly-interested, overly-intoxicated, overly-male audience. Their approval meant that she had a place to live and food to eat. And while she knew that performing on stage carried certain undesirable associations, it was the only path open to her.

She held the final note while Charlie resolved the chord on the piano. The applause exploded immediately. Whistles and hoots filled the air.

“That was dandy, Lovely Lola.” Slappy flopped his loose hands together in appreciation.

“Lovely Lola, will you marry me?” She didn’t know his name, but the cowboy was there every summer when the cattle made it up the trail.

“You’re an angel,” Rawbone cried.

Louisa might not be the youngest, most coquettish performer, but the purity and emotion of her voice couldn’t be denied. She curtsied elegantly, holding the flounced skirt to the side. Cimarron Ted held up a glass to toast her. She could return his smile without worry as she prepared for her last song of the night. Charlie started the intro on the piano, and Louisa mentally rehearsed her pre-song recital.

I am Lovely Lola Bell, she told herself. They will be enchanted by my performance and will love my show.

She caught movement out of the corner of her eye. It was Tim-Bob, the owner of the Cat-Eye Saloon. With his hand wrapped firmly around Persephone’s white, shapely arm, he was marching through the stage curtains and onto the stage, right in the middle of Louisa’s nightly performance.

“Hey, Charlie,” Tim-Bob called. “Cut off that music. I have an announcement to make.”

The pianist wasted no time in stopping and taking a swig from his bottle. The crowd wasn’t as quick to simmer down.

“Let Lovely Lola sing!” a man hollered.

“It’s Saturday night! Can’t have Saturday night without Lovely Lola.”

Whatever was going on, Louisa wished it didn’t have to happen in front of the rowdy mob. Persephone showed promise as a performer on Tuesday nights—that was Louisa’s night off—but she showed more promise as the next lady love of Tim-Bob’s So, why was she here now?

What a hook! I wish my copy was here now so I could start reading it today. How can readers find you on the Internet?

Yes, please find me on the internet! I love to hear from readers at my website - www.reginajennings.com and on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest.

Thank you, Regina, for sharing this new book with us.

Readers, here are links to the book.

Holding the Fort - Christianbook.com
Holding the Fort (The Fort Reno Series) - Amazon paperback
Holding the Fort (The Fort Reno Series Book 1) - Kindle

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

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

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

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

Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

AT LOVE'S BIDDING - Regina Jennings - One Free Book

Dear Readers, I discovered Regina Jennings when her debut novel released. Since then, I’ve read every one of her releases, except this one, but as soon as my book gets here, I’ll dive right in. Her characters really grab me and pull me into their stories. Stories that stay with me for a long time.

BIO: Regina Jennings is a homeschooling mother of four from Mustang, Oklahoma. She enjoys watching musicals with her kids, traveling with her husband, and reading by herself. Regina graduated from Oklahoma Baptist University with a degree in English and a history minor. She has worked at The Mustang News and First Baptist Church of Mustang, along with time at the Oklahoma National Stockyards and various livestock shows. For more posts by Regina or information about her novels—At Love’s Bidding, A Most Inconvenient Marriage and others—please visit her website - www.reginajennings.com.

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

My grandparents owned a few auction houses in Missouri, and my dad’s business required him to attend several auctions a week, as well. I guess you could say I was raised in a barn! While the family business involved livestock auctions, I love estate auctions, too. In fact, we bought our house at an auction, which was very exciting!

The auctions I’m familiar with are frenzied, loud, and involve real estate or animals. They are part-carnival, part-garage sale, part-sporting event. They bring communities together, spawn competitions, and break out into fights. I wanted to contrast these exciting events with the staid, dignified art auctions of a house like Christie’s or something that dealt with more highbrow offerings.

In order to do that I had to think of something that would bring a woman from a Boston Auction House to an Ozark Livestock Auction. That’s when I came up with the idea of a missing painting, and the rest fell into place from there.

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

Only six? Well, the four I’m most likely to gather with are Julie Jarnagin, Susan Crawford, Erin Taylor Young and Lacy Williams. In fact we do get together regularly because they are all OKC ladies. If my party includes airfare, then I’m sending invites to Becky Wade and Dani Pettrey. I always look forward to seeing them at conference.

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

Historical fiction is even tougher, because I have so many of my genre friends who help me out! I’ll start with my conference roomies, Stephanie Landsem and Karen Witemeyer. It really is a pity that I only see them once a year or so. We’re never together long enough. Other people that I’d invite to this party—Kate Breslin, Sarah Sundin, Cara Putnam and no party would be nearly as much fun without Jen Turano.

Many times, people (and other authors) think you have it made with so many books published. What is your most difficult problem with writing at this time in your career?

The most difficult thing for me is to realize that there’s always more writing to do.  I’m not a procrastinator. I like to get finished with something, and then put it away. When I sign a new contract I feel like I’m signing over my freedom because that means I have work I have to do for the next three years. I want to get done with stuff, but this isn’t going to be done for a long time. I just have to stop thinking about the number of words that’s going to be, the number of hours that’s going to be, and think about the awesome stories I get to be a part of.

Tell us about the featured book.

After helping her grandfather at their Boston auction house, Miranda Wimplegate discovers she’s accidentally sold a powerful family’s prized portrait to an anonymous bidder. Desperate to appease the people who could ruin them forever, they track it to the Missouri Ozarks and make an outlandish offer to buy the local auction house and all its holdings before the painting can move again.

Upon crossing the country, however, Miranda and her grandfather discover their new auction house doesn’t deal in fine antiques, but in livestock. And its frustratingly handsome manager, Wyatt Ballentine, is annoyed to discover his fussy new bosses don’t know a thing about the business he’s single-handedly kept afloat. Faced with more heads of cattle than they can count–but no mysterious painting–Miranda and Wyatt form an unlikely but charged partnership to try and prevent a bad situation from getting worse.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Behind the massive marble building where even in May the crisp sea air never chased away the odors ground into the cobblestones, the newsboys and shoe-shiners gathered, waiting on her. They didn’t have much time. Every moment away from their posts meant missed customers, but Miranda Wimplegate was under similar constraints. The auction only paused briefly at noon, just enough time for her to snatch a tray of apricot tarts and crepes and sneak out before Grandfather took the platform and the bidding resumed. The silver platter dug into Miranda’s side as she made her way down the narrow steps of the servants’ entrance. She wished for something more substantial to feed them, but the dirty scamps of Boston—unlike the French citoyens—preferred cake, so her head was safe, at least until her mother learned of her largesse.

Little Ralphie sat at the foot of the steps, but he hopped up quick enough when she opened the door. He was nearly trampled as the boys wrestled for the sweets on the tray, but she held back a choice few for him. After they settled down, Miranda took her perch on the top step with Ralphie sitting next to her French kid boots. All right, they weren’t kid leather, probably just cow, but Ralphie didn’t know the difference. He was content nibbling the edge of the tart, holding it in hands as grubby as the bottom of the trash bin beside him.

“Well, are you gonna tell one of your stories, or not?” That was Connor. Quick to express his impatience, but always listening, always thinking. He wouldn’t work the corner in front of the Wimplegate Auction House much longer. Already his shoulders were broadening. Soon he’d catch the eye of one of the dock foremen and would give up hawking papers for a better paying job—a job that would begin to bow his back before it ever had a chance to reach its full height.

Miranda balanced the empty silver tray on her lap, careful to keep it from getting scratched against the rough ground. “We’ll continue the story about Joseph. You remember what I told you yesterday?”

“Aye.”

“Sure.”

Two boys tussled as boys do when one wants to savor a treat and the other has already consumed his. With a quick thump to their heads, Connor quieted them.

He was trying to help, but Miranda saw an opportunity for improvement. “Connor, I’d rather be interrupted than have you inflict pain on someone. Remember that, please. Turn the other cheek…and our story today is a perfect example.” She tried to smooth Ralphie’s stiff red hair as she began. “Joseph was sold as a slave by his brothers, but God didn’t forget him…”

How she wished they still had the neat classroom leased across the alley, but since Grandmother had died, Grandfather had let his work with the street children wane. He was all business now, but she couldn’t give it up, even if Mother didn’t approve of her feeding their expensive sweets to the urchins. As she talked, Miranda glanced between the buildings for a glimpse of the church clock on Park Street. She was running out of time.

You have me hooked. How can readers find you on the Internet?

website: www.reginajennings.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ReginaLJennings

Twitter: www.twitter.com/#!/ReginaJennings  

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/reginaljennings/

Thank you, Regina, for sharing this new book with us. I know my readers are as eager as I am to read it.

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

At Love's Bidding - Christianbook.com (Best price today)
At Love's Bidding - Amazon
At Love's Bidding (Ozark Mountain Romance Book #2) - Kindle

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

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

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

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

A MOST INCONVENIENT MARRIAGE - Regina Jennings - One Free Book

Bio: Regina Jennings is homeschooling mother of four from Oklahoma. She enjoys watching musicals with her kids, traveling with her husband, and reading by herself. When not plotting historical fiction, she plots how she could move Highclere Castle, stone by stone, into her pasture and how she could afford the staff to manage it.

Regina is the author of five historical romances. Her latest release is A Most Inconvenient Marriage. She loves to hear from readers at her website - www.reginajennings.com and on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest.

Dear Readers, I have loved every one of Regina’s novels. This latest one is my favorite of the new novels connected to the Civil War. She always gives us a fresh and different look at the historical time periods she covers with her novels. Since I grew up in the Arkansas Ozark Mountains, I know a lot about the whole range, which reaches into Missouri, where her book is set. She remained true to the setting and the people who lived there.

And her characters were well-developed. I couldn’t help but care about what was going to happen to them. I don’t want to give away too much of the story, but I know you will be sorry if you miss reading this book.

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

One of my favorite themes is reconciliation. The Bible says we have been given the ministry of reconciliation, of bringing people to the Lord, so that their sins may be forgiven and their relationship with their Creator repaired. That’s what I like to see happen in my stories. Characters must deal with the conflicts that separate them from God and from those who would love them. Ending strife, clearing misunderstandings, and striving to do better, those are elements that are found in all my stories.

What other books of yours are coming out soon?

A Most Inconvenient Marriage is the first of a series set in the Missouri Ozarks. The second book will be titled At Love’s Bidding. Miranda Wimplegate’s family owns an auction house in Boston, but their future is threatened when her grandfather accidentally allows a priceless heirloom to slip through their hands. In order to keep the powerful family happy, Miranda and Grandfather trace the art to a small town in the Ozark Mountains, but he makes yet another mistake by purchasing a livestock auction instead of an antique auction house and firing everyone except the manager.

Wyatt Ballentine didn’t expect the auction house he manages to be sold out from under him, but he surely didn’t reckon on the new owners being a naïve young woman and her batty grandpa. Now they’ve barged into his life and disrupted his business. He’d have pity on the girl, if he didn’t suspect that she was trying to steal his legacy.

I can’t wait to read that book, Regina. We must schedule it on my blog for my readers. If you could spend an evening with one contemporary person (not a family member of yours), who would it be and why?

Can the answer to this one be Jesus? No? Okay, then I’d have to say Ree Drummond, a/k/a The Pioneer Woman. Ree and I have a lot in common—we’re both authors, Oklahomans, and homeschooling mothers of four kids. The glaring differences are that she’s an amazing cook, has a perfectly decorated house (or two, or three), and an amazing sense of style. Despite all those faults, she’s hilarious and seems like a great lady to hang out with. Plus, I’m just down the turnpike, so come on over, Ree!

I’ve watched her a few times. I didn’t know she lived in Oklahoma. You know she started as a blogger before she got her cooking show. What historical person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why?

George Washington. I’d love to hear what his hopes were for our country and what he thinks of the various branches of the government and the roles they play now. Plus I hear he was a superb dancer.

Tell us about the featured book.

A Most Inconvenient Marriage is about a nurse named Abigail Stuart who feels like her only friend in the world is the sweet but gravely wounded patient Jeremiah Calhoun. Fearing he won't survive, the Confederate soldier's last wish is that Abigail look after his sickly sister at home. Marry him, return to his horse farm, and it'll be hers.

Abigail takes him up on his offer and moves to Missouri after his death, but just as the family learns to accept her, the real Jeremiah Calhoun appears—puzzled to find a confounding woman posing as his wife. Jeremiah is determined to have his life back to how it was before the war, but his own wounds limit what he can do on his own. Still not fully convinced Abigail isn't duping him, he's left with no choice but to let the woman stay and help—providing that she give up her claim that she’s his wife and doesn’t ruin his chances with his childhood sweetheart.

“Inconvenient” barely scratches the surface of what the two of them feel about each other, but maybe they’ll find some common ground.

Please give us the first page of the book for my readers.

February 1865           

Gratiot Street Prison - St. Louis, Missouri

“First you're going to write my good-bye letter to my sweetheart and then you're going to marry me.” The prisoner's smile belied the beads of sweat condensing on his forehead.

Abigail Stuart wrung tepid water out of the rag and mopped his brow. “I will not write your Lady Juliet to tell her that I've replaced her. Your fever must be causing you to hallucinate. Romeo was no fickle lover.”

A fly landed on his chin. The prisoner lifted what was left of his arm, forgetting he couldn't reach his mouth with the putrid stump. Abigail shooed the pest away and wished for a blanket to alleviate his chills. Two years of caring for the dying Confederate prisoners had numbed her to the sight of mangled flesh, but she'd never stopped mourning the senseless pain these young men suffered.

“You won't be happy, Miss Abby, not without a stable full of horses,” he said. “And I can give you that. You've got to be sick and tired of this prison.”

“My horses are gone. Nursing is all I have left.”

The man wet his lips. “Marry me and you won't have to stay here another day. The farm, the stock, the nicest horseflesh in the hills——they'll all be yours. If the last thing I can do with this life...”

Dr. Jonson caught Abigail's eye. She'd already tarried too long with her favorite patient, but she wasn't sorry. He'd been kind to her, no matter what color his uniform had been before they'd cut him out of it. She sloshed the rag in the basin. The gangrene had poisoned his blood. She didn't have much time—and neither did he.

“What about your lady? Why not will the farm to her?”

“My sweetheart?” His eyes grew soft beneath the pain. He closed them and inhaled like he was filling his lungs with the smell of fresh hay instead of the stench of the medical ward. With his good hand he tapped the thin mat beneath him. “My fiancée can take care of herself. This war won't slow her down. It's my...my sister that I worry about. Rachel isn't strong—hasn't been since she took the fever. You're a nurse and you could help her ma with the farm. It's the perfect solution.”

A faint hope stirred in her chest. Could this be the answer she’d been praying for? “But what if I don't like the Ozarks? What if your family doesn't welcome a Yankee invading their home?”

“Then walk away. What have you lost?”

She took his hand, surprised again by the dry heat in the freezing room. “You don't even know your real name, Romeo. Or has that memory finally been restored, too?”

He wiggled his feet against the end of the cot and shuddered as another chill ravaged his body. Quickly he mastered the pain and the smile returned.

“My name is Jeremiah Calhoun. Captain Jeremiah Calhoun.”

That should whet their desire to read the book. How can readers find you on the Internet?

website: www.reginajennings.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ReginaLJennings

Twitter: twitter.com/#!/ReginaJennings

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/reginaljennings/

Thank you, Regina, for sharing this new book with me and my readers.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
A Most Inconvenient Marriage - Christianbook.com
A Most Inconvenient Marriage - Amazon
A Most Inconvenient Marriage (Ozark Mountain Romance Book #1) - Kindle

Christian Book Store

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

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

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

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

CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE - Regina Jennings - One Free Book

Readers, I love Regina’s writing. I haven’t received this one yet, but when it gets here, it will go to the top of my to-be-read pile.

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

God has been moving in my writing life, but I don’t know where it’s more evident—on the page or on my heart. This writing discipline is still fairly new to me, and I’m finding it challenging. Honestly, I'm generally more of a "plow-through, do the work, and don't worry about how you feel" type of person, but I've never been a writer before so I'm realizing that this isn't laundry. This isn't gardening or some physical labor that I can force. I might rip out weeds with a bad attitude, but I need to have my heart right before I start working on a book. Hopefully this internal work makes it to the pages of my books.

I know what you mean. It will change you. Tell us a little about your family.

I married my high school sweetheart several (ahem!) years ago. We have four children that we’ve homeschooled—one graduate so far. Because of my husband’s job as an insurance adjuster, we’ve had the opportunity to travel the country together—literally coast to coast. We are passionate about missions and spend a lot of our vacation time serving with our church and partnering with missionaries around the world.

James and I have been on a number mission trips into Mexico, and I’ve been on one to Guatemala. We have several close friends, who are missionaries. And James and I will be celebrating our 50^th anniversary late this year. Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?

I used to feel obligated to finish every book I started. Now I don’t have that luxury. Sometimes it’s liberating to set aside a book, but sometimes I wish I had the time to give it a better chance. And now when I’m reading historical books, whether fiction or non-fiction, I read with a notebook nearby so I can jot down names, locations, battles, etc., for further research if there’s the possibility of it being helpful later.

What are you working on right now?

My next series starts this December with the release of A Most Inconvenient Marriage. This series is set near the end of the Civil War in the Ozark Mountains. The first book stars a nurse named Abigail Stuart who feels like her only friend in the world is the sweet but gravely wounded patient Jeremiah Calhoun. Fearing he won't survive, the Confederate soldier's last wish is that Abigail look after his sickly sister at home. Marry him, return to his horse farm, and it'll be hers.

Abigail takes him up on his offer and moves to Missouri after his death, but just as the family learns to accept her, the real Jeremiah Calhoun appears—puzzled to find a confounding woman posing as his wife. Jeremiah is determined to have his life back to how it was before the war, but his own wounds limit what he can do on his own. Still not fully convinced Abigail isn't duping him, he's left with no choice but to let the woman stay and help—providing that she give up her claim that she’s his wife and doesn’t ruin his chances with his childhood sweetheart.

“Inconvenient” barely scratches the surface of what the two of them feel about each other, but maybe they’ll find some common ground.

Please let me feature that book on my blog, too. What outside interests do you have?

I love history and really enjoy visiting historic sites. Last fall we took our oldest daughter on a senior trip to England and Scotland, and I can’t wait to go back.

When I’m home I’m usually busy with housework and homeschooling, but when I have a moment, I like to play the piano and watch BBC shows—but not at the same time.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

My biggest concern is that the setting matches the historical context of the story. If I want the heroine to be a buffalo hunter and I want the hero to be a railroad supplier, then I’m limited to potential locations.

Since this series is called The Ladies of Caldwell County you’d think that’s where it takes place, but not actually. Anne Tillerton left her farm in Prairie Lea, Texas, and traveled north to join the buffalo hunters in Indian Territory. I created the fictional town of Garber, Texas, because I needed a location that covered both the frontier and a civilized railroad town. Garber is a fictionalized city near the Oklahoma/Texas border that I based on the real city of Sherman. It helps me to have an actual location in mind.

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

George Washington. I’d love to hear what his hopes were for our country and what he thinks of the various branches of the government and the roles they play now. Plus I hear he was a superb dancer.

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

I wish I’d known how easy it is to lose ideas. For years I had ideas for stories, facts from research, things I thought I’d never forget. I wish I would’ve written them down and kept them in a file for when I was finally ready to start writing.

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

Find trustworthy critique partners, even if you have to pay for them.

Read, read, read—especially in the genre you wish to write for.

Realize with all humility that you’ll be blind to many of the flaws in your work. You will need help.

That is so true. It’s one reason I started hosting a critique group in my home almost three decades ago. Tell us about the featured book.

You bet! Anne Tillerton has been hiding away as a buffalo hunter in Indian Territory. When the depot’s cook runs off, Anne must find her or take to cooking herself, but on the train to town she runs into complications.

Nicholas Lovelace knows commercial success, but he’s not sure what to do when his train gets held up. Thankfully, the bandits are thwarted by the last person Nick ever expected—Anne Tillerton from back home in Prairie Lea. By the time the robbers are dealt with Nick owes the eccentric woman his life.

Anne finds the runaway cook, but the woman flees again and leaves Anne with her infant son forcing her to turn to the only person she knows in town. Nick doesn’t know what to do with a baby and being seen with a rough-around-the-edges woman isn't helping his reputation. Will the two of them find the child’s father before their partnership changes the course of their future?

Please give us the first page of the book.

Pushmataha, Indian Territory

September 1883

The serving line hadn’t moved an inch and the mood of the men in the depot diner was growing ugly. Nicholas Lovelace rapped the flimsy tin plate against his knuckles and took a deep breath. No warm scents of meat and potatoes. No bread baking that he could detect. If dinner wasn’t simmering, he might as well get back on the train. No point in crowding around the kitchen door with the lumberjacks, the Indians, and the hunters voicing their complaints.

The plate clattered on the roughhewn table as Nick abandoned the depot. His stomach gnawed at his ribs, telling him that the roll and coffee from the last station had burned away hours ago. Could he wait for supper at the hotel in Garber where he boarded?

He’d rather not. His only hope for nourishment this side of the Red River was the ramshackle general store. Otherwise he wouldn’t live long enough to prepare Mr. Stanford’s report…which would be a pity. He’d so anticipated the praise it would bring.

Nicholas’s crew was performing ahead of schedule—clearing the timber from the railroad’s future path, shipping it to the mill, processing it into ties and trestles and shipping it back to the railhead. He had ridden the train as far as the track would carry him, and his men toiled a good three miles further still—a nice lead, but no more than he expected.

And no more than Ian Stanford expected. Mr. Stanford had contributed more to the success of Lovelace Transportation Specialists than anyone outside of Nick himself. In fact, every merchant, every trapper, hunter, and farmer along the twin rails owed Mr. Stanford—and Nicholas was blessed to call him his mentor. Stanford had taught him much, but now Nick wanted to expand. Upon his return to Garber, Nicholas would begin seeking contracts with other railroads. It was time to grow.

I can’t wait for my copy to get here. You have me hooked. How can readers find you on the Internet?

I love hearing from readers and the wacky discussions we have. Here are a few of the places I hang out:

website: www.reginajennings.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ReginaLJennings

Twitter: www.twitter.com/#!/ReginaJennings

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/reginaljennings

Thank you, Regina, for sharing this new book with us. It's always a pleasure to have you on my blog.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Caught in the Middle - Christianbook.com
Caught in the Middle - Amazon
Caught in the Middle (Ladies of Caldwell County Book #3)

Christian Book Store

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

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

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

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

A MATCH MADE IN TEXAS - Carol Cox, Mary Connealy, Regina Jennings, Karen Witemeyer - Three Free Books

Dear Readers, there were a lot of really good novella collections that I received in 2013. I read most of them and loved them. But this collection if my very favorite

Welcome, Carol Cox. How did your story for the collection come about?

I spent a number of years in Fort Worth while my husband was in seminary. During our time there, I fell in love with Texas. One of the reasons I was thrilled to take part in this collection was that it gave me an opportunity to write a story set in a state that still has a claim on my heart. An idea had been percolating in the back of my mind for quite a while about a young woman hired to help keep an eye on an older woman who is prone to flights of fantasy … or is her mind really a lot sharper than anyone suspects? A Match Made in Texas provided a perfect vehicle for bringing that story to life.

What other books have you had published?

This novella marks a milestone for me, since No Match for Love is my 30th published title. I’ve written novels and novellas for several different publishers in varied genres, including contemporary romance, contemporary cozy mysteries, and historicals. The historicals outnumber the others by far. You can find a complete bibliography of all my titles on my website: www.authorcarolcox.com

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

No Match for Love is my 12th novella, so I’m very familiar with the process of putting a collection together. Some only have a unifying theme—a season, holiday, locale, etc. But in a collection like this, where the stories are intertwined, characters and locations overlap. It’s vital to keep them all straight, and that can be a tricky process! I felt very blessed to be part of a team that was so easy to work with and worked hard to keep all those details straight.

How did collaborating with this team impact you?

There’s something special about joining forces in a project like this. I love the brainstorming and sharing of ideas that goes on! Of the other three authors, Mary is the only one I’ve met in person. Working with all of them was a joy, and getting acquainted with Karen and Regina online was a real bonus. I hope to have the pleasure of meeting them face to face one day!

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

I’ve been a member of ACFW since the beginning, back when it was known as ACRW (American Christian Romance Writers). Living in a somewhat isolated area, I don’t have many opportunities to connect with other writers locally. When I heard about a new group forming that would be devoted to Christian writers, I jumped at the chance to be a part of it. It’s such a blessing to be able to be a part of an organization like this, even though most of my connections are online rather than in person. The things I’ve learned through ACFW and the relationships I’ve formed with a number of the other members are priceless.

Where can my readers find you on the Internet?

I love connecting with readers online! You can find me:

at my website: www.authorcarolcox.com

on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carol.cox

I also blog on Writes of Passage on the first and third Saturdays of every month: http://www.writespassage.blogspot.com/

Thank you for a wonderful interview, Lena. I appreciate all the support you’ve given over the years more than I can say!

It’s been my pleasure to help promote your books I love them, and the Writes of Passage blog is on that I’ve followed and read a long time.

Welcome, Mary Connealy. How did your story for the collection come about?

Karen, Regina, Carol, and I are all Bethany House authors and Bethany wanted a novella collection. They hunted around for authors who had similar styles. We are all historical authors, who can write in a light-hearted style, plus we had time and were eager to do it. So we brainstormed story ideas and pitched them to Bethany House and we came up with this Matchmaker idea that we all loved.

What are you reading right now?

I am right this minute reading (brace yourself LOL) A Match Made in Texas. I hadn’t read the other stories in the collection. I finished Karen’s book on Christmas Eve. I am so in love with her Archer family that I was dying to get my hands on this book, and I finally had time late at night Christmas Eve after all the festivities were over AND I’d managed to launch myself into an insomniac fit, probably because of an overindulgence in caffeine laden things like chocolate. But I had the book at hand and just loved it. I didn’t get back to it last night but I’m looking forward to reading through the whole collection.

What other books have you had published?

C’mon, Lena, you don’t want the list and you know it. A Match Made in Texas is my … I’m gonna say 27th book. Mostly all romantic comedy with cowboys—though I’ve done a few other things. And last spring I signed a new contract with Bethany to keep doing this for a while, so the next book from them Stuck Together, which is book #3 in the Trouble in Texas series comes in June then we start a new series in September called the Wild at Heart series, book #1 is Tried and True.

I didn’t have those two books scheduled on my blog, so I just scheduled them. What is the hardest thing about writing a part of a novella collection?

Well, there was nothing about this that really counted as hard, so when I say hardest part it wasn’t hard at all. But we did start each of these books in the same town, Dry Gulch, Texas. My book stayed in Dry Gulch but Karen, Regina, and Carol took there “show on the road” you might say. They started there and immediately left. Still that start forced us to get our story straight about Dry Gulch. How big was it? Was there a train? What was the name of the General Store? Was anyone mentioning names of the characters in town and if so, what are those names. I had the son of the banker be my hero, the Whitfield Bank. So if anyone mentions the bank, they need to call it the Whitfield Bank. Karen’s heroine’s long deceased father owned the General Store. I had a General Store called Claasens. So she mentions the store as part of her backstory and then she has to say the old name and get the current name right, or at least not get it wrong. So we had to get a few of those facts straight, but that just gave us a change to talk to each other and that was always fun.

I have to tell you a funny story, Mary. I host a critique group in my home. Many newer authors have too much backstory in their first chapter. I've written it so many times, I started saying "too much BS." A while back, one of the new authors almost fell off her chair when she saw that. How did collaborating with this team impact you?

Mainly it gave me a chance to get to know Karen, Regina, and Carol better and that was great. We had a lot of fun writing this book.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

After 27 books, naming characters is just part of the landscape of my life, Lena. You know how that is. I name more people by noon on Wednesday than most people do in a lifetime. The main characters take a little thinking as do villains but there are a lot of secondary characters too and some of those names just don’t MATTER. It just needs to be done. Sometimes I name them by clicking on some random link on Google and just skimming some news article until a likely name jumps out at me. I try to be careful about that. I don’t think I’ve got any secondary characters named Tim Tebow, at least not yet.

Mary, you are so funny, Mary. What did you want the reader to take away from your story?

My main goal in my books is to entertain. I’m trying all the time to write the best, most entertaining book I’m capable of writing. If someone gets a deeper message from it, well that’s probably an accident.

Where can my readers find you on the Internet?

Seekerville
Petticoats and Pistols
My Blog
My Website
My Newsletter

Friend me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maryconnealy

Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/maryconnealy

Welcome, Regina Jennings. What are you reading right now?

I am reading The Hole in Our Holiness by Kevin DeYoung, A Million Little Ways by Emily P. Freeman, and The Headmistress of Rosemere by Sarah E. Ladd.

I just finished reading The Headmistress of Rosemere last week. I loved it. What other books have you had published?

Like A Match Made in Texas my other books are historical romances and usually involve Western settings. My first two releases are Love in the Balance and Sixty Acres and a Bride, and I’m really excited about the upcoming spring release Caught in the Middle which stars a buffalo-hunting woman and a railroad tycoon.

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

I’ve never written anything shorter than 95,000 words, so this was a huge shift for me. While plotting I kept thinking of subplots, secondary characters, changes in settings, and then I’d remember that I have a quarter of the words I’m used to having. That was difficult. On the other hand, my favorite scenes are always those that feature the romance. An Unforeseen Match gave me permission to stack those scenes up one after another, without apology.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

In this novella I kept thinking of my heroine as Faith but then I realized that she’s losing her eyesight and we can’t have Blind Faith, can we? Her name is now Grace.

Clayton Weber shares a last name with a friend of mine whom I used to babysit. Now she’s a librarian in Florida and yes, I’ll try to take credit for that.

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

I want to remind them that they are capable of accomplishing great things. In the story, Grace fears that she has nothing left to contribute to the world because she is losing her sight, but with Clayton’s help she learns ways to compensate for her disability. In real life, our oldest daughter suffers from severe dyslexia and is a patron of the Library for the Blind. While visiting their facilities, we’ve met blind staff members who work fulltime shelving the audiotapes and books. With modified computers they keep tabs on their circulation and answer emails. There seems to be no limit to what they can do, and that opinion was solidified through the biographies I read about visually impaired people.

My research inspired me to look again at my excuses and ask myself if I’m really doing all I can, and I hope this story inspires others, too.

  

Where can my readers find you on the Internet?

Several places, and I hope they do come alooking! I love getting to know readers.

Facebook - website: www.reginajennings.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ReginaLJennings

Twitter: www.twitter.com/#!/ReginaJennings  

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/reginaljennings/

Welcome, Karen Witemeyer. How did your story for the collection come about?

My story, A Cowboy Unmatched, came about because I really wanted to write a happy ending for the last of the Archer brothers. Travis and Jim had found their true loves in Short-Straw Bride. Crockett and Joanna had their happy ending in Stealing the Preacher. But the youngest Archer, Neill, still needed his story told. I had so much fun turning the tables and putting a pretty (and very pregnant) widow on the business end of a shotgun to meet him when he arrived to work on her roof. Since the reclusive Archers were always scaring visitors off their land with the threat of firepower, this seemed poetic.

When I started reading your story and realized it was an archer brother, I was thrilled. What are you reading right now?

Right now I am reading a western Christmas novella by Kaki Warner titled Miracle in New Hope. It's excellent.

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

The hardest thing is making sure little details match up. We purposely tried to keep our stories linked yet separate so there would be less overlap and fewer details to try to coordinate. But even so, our editor still found a few discrepancies that we needed to tweak. For example, I originally described the town of Dry Gulch as a dusty, one-horse town with only a handful of buildings. Since most of my story took place outside of town, this worked well for me. However, other stories that took place more in town, described Dry Gulch as a much more developed place. So I adjusted my description to match theirs. Editors are such a blessing!

Yes, they are. We authors couldn’t do without them. How do you choose your characters’ names?

I love using historically accurate names. I often visit the Social Security website and search their database of popular names by year. You can search all the way back to 1880. A fabulous resource! I also love using biblical names. However, my Archer brothers were extra fun because I named them each for a hero from the Alamo – Travis, Crockett, Bowie (who only answers to Jim), and Neill. Neill was named for the commander who had to leave the Alamo to care for an ill family member and therefore survived because he was absent when Santa Ana laid siege.

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

Galatians 6:2 says we are to “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” While many of us are good at helping others with their burdens, we often refuse to let others help us carry our own. Whether it be pride that keeps us from accepting help or fear that others will let us down or think us weak, it is hard to ask for help. Yet that is what the brotherhood of Christ is all about. Carrying each other’s burdens. That is the message of Neill and Clara’s story. Not only are we to be willing and eager to serve others in their time of need, but we are also to step out in trust and humility and allow others to serve us in the same way. 

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

Yes. I have been a member of ACFW since 2005. I credit this organization with launching my career. From pairing me with online critique partners, to providing an email loop where new authors can ask questions of seasoned veterans, to hosting national conferences where authors can interact with agents and editors from the top Christian publishing houses, ACFW is a Christian author’s best friend. I met both my editor and my agent at their conferences, and I truly believe I wouldn’t be published today without that contact.

Where can my readers find you on the Internet?

The easiest place to find information about my books is on my website at:

www.karenwitemeyer.com

I also love to interact with readers through Facebook and the two group blogs I contribute to: www.facebook.com/KarenWitemeyersAuthorPage

www.petticoatsandpistols.com (A western romance blog)

www.writespassage.blogspot.com (A Christian fiction blog of bestselling authors) 

Thank you, Carol, Mary, Regina, and Karen, for sharing with us today.

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

A Match Made in Texas - Christianbook.com
Match Made in Texas, A: A Novella Collection - Amazon.com
Match Made in Texas, A: A Novella Collection - Kindle

Christian Book Store

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

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

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

If you’re reading this on 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