WHISPERS IN THE READING ROOM - Shelley Gray - One Free Book

BIO: Shelley Shepard Gray writes Amish romances for Harper Collins inspirational line, Avon Inspire and historical romances as Shelley Gray for Harper Collins Christian Publishers. Her novels have been Holt Medallion winners and Inspirational Readers Choice and Carol finalists. Shelley’s novels have appeared on both the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists.  

To date, Shelley has published over fifty novels for a variety of publishers. Her novels have been highlighted in the Philadelphia Enquirer, Washington Post, Time Magazine, and USA Today. She has also been interviewed on NPR as well as numerous regional radio stations.

Welcome back, Shelley. 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?

You’re right, Lena! I certainly does take a village to give life to each book, and Whispers in the Reading Room had several people who helped so much. One such person is my longtime girlfriend Julie. She met me in Chicago for a research trip and embraced the research as much as I did! She toured the Palmer House Hotel with me, visited the Fair exhibit at the Field Museum, read chapters, and pretty much smiled while I talked about the ideas for the book for hours. My critique partners Heather Blake and Cathy Liggett helped me plot, then replot, then rework the book several times. Over at my publisher, Natalie Hanemann and Jean Bloom helped me with about a hundred things. I’ve never been so grateful for so many caring friends and coworkers.

If you teach or speak. What’s coming up on your calendar?

I love to visit libraries, and I have been busy setting up several events for May and June, 2016. I’m also planning to attend next summer’s RWA conference in San Diego and the ACFW conference in Nashville. I love to travel and talk about books.

If you had to completely start over in another place, where would you move, and why?

I’ve actually started over several times over the years, due to my husband’s job. Though it was sometimes hard, I’m so glad I had the opportunity to have several fresh starts. I know I would have never become a writer if we hadn’t been transferred to Cincinnati. As far as the future goes, I have a feeling we’ll only move if our children start their families someplace far away. Then, we’d pack up in a heartbeat!

If you could only tell aspiring novelists one thing, what would it be?

Write! I meet so many aspiring novelists who tell me all about their blogs and Twitter accounts. For me, the only way to be a writer is to actually write every day.

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])

Boy, if I could be in charge of a celebrity cruise, I’d probably just ask all my friends to come, especially writers that I’ve met through the years but only see once a year at conferences. Seeing them would be so fun!

Tell us about the featured book.

Whispers in the Reading Room features a librarian, a gambling club owner, the Chicago World’s Fair, and a murder.

Lydia’s job at the library is her world—until a mysterious patron catches her eye . . . and perhaps her heart.

Just months after the closure of the Chicago World’s Fair, librarian Lydia Bancroft finds herself fascinated by a mysterious dark-haired and dark-eyed patron. He has never given her his name; he actually never speaks to a single person. All she knows about him is that he loves books as much as she does.

Only when he rescues her in the lobby of the Hartman Hotel does she discover that his name is Sebastian Marks. She also discovers that he lives at the top of the prestigious hotel and that most everyone in Chicago is intrigued by him.

Lydia and Sebastian form a fragile friendship, but when she discovers that Mr. Marks isn’t merely a very wealthy gentleman, but also the proprietor of an infamous saloon and gambling club, she is shocked.

Lydia insists on visiting the club one fateful night and suddenly is a suspect to a murder. She must determine who she can trust, who is innocent, and if Sebastian Marks—the man so many people fear—is actually everything her heart believes him to be.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Chicago Times-Courier

From October 1893

Reported by Benson Gage

While the majority of the city basks in the glow of the Columbian Exposition’s success, far more dark events are taking place in the city’s underbelly. This publication has learned there has been a spike in attacks and murders deep in the heart of Camp Creek Alley. Has crime sought to take advantage of the fact that most everyone’s eyes are on the bright Plaisance, allowing all sorts of criminals to run rampant?

This reporter can only advise for any reputable citizen with a care for both his purse and his life to stay far away from the area. It is very likely that even establishments that look reputable hide many dark secrets behind their beguiling façades.

Intriguing. Where can we find you on the Internet?

I’m everywhere on the Internet! www.shelleyshepardgray.com, on Facebook, and on Twitter (ShelleySGray)

Thank you so much for the fun interview, Lena

I love having you visit my blog, Shelley, and my readers and I are very interested in this new book.

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

Whispers in the Reading Room - Christianbook.com (Best price today)
Whispers in the Reading Room (The Chicago World's Fair Mystery Series) - Amazon
Whispers in the Reading Room (The Chicago World's Fair Mystery Series Book 3) - 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

AMONG THE FAIR MAGNOLIAS - Tamera Alexander, Shelley Gray, Dorothy Love, Elizabeth Musser - 3 Free Books

Dear Readers, we have a special treat today. A collection from a special group of authors that I really love their books.

Welcome to my blog. How did your story for the collection come about?

Tamera:  Savannah Darby is a character we first meet in To Win Her Favor, a Belle Meade Plantation novel. And I knew when writing that novel that Savannah had a deeper story to tell, and I’m grateful for the chance to tell her entire story in To Mend a Dream, my novella in the Among the Fair Magnolias collection.

Elizabeth: I was actually doing research for a novel that takes place both in modern day and during the late 1800s and had studied a lot about Reconstruction in Georgia.  When I was asked to contribute to Among the Fair Magnolias, inspired by my previous research, I wrote Love Beyond Limits, a story about a young Southern white woman whose courage and convictions lead her to fight for the rights of the freedmen.

Dorothy:   I fell in love with Pawleys Island and the South Carolina Lowcountry while writing Carolina Gold. I'm  fascinated by the history of the old rice plantations and by the lives of 19th century women who managed to accomplish so much despite the restrictions placed on them. My novella, A Heart So True, explores both the beauty of the Lowcountry and the difficult choice my character Abby Clayton faces in determining her own future, and it gives readers of Carolina Gold and The Bracelet a glimpse of their favorite characters from those books.

Shelley: Russell Champion, the hero in An Outlaw's Heart, was featured in a series of westerns I wrote a few years ago for Abingdon Press. I jumped at the chance to finish his story.  

Are these stories connected in some way? If so, how?

They’re connected by the Southern locale and the time period (1860-1878). And that we’re all writers passionate about sharing history and the true love and hope found only in Christ.

What are you reading right now?

Tamera: I’m reading The Silencing: How the Left is Killing Free Speech by Kristen Powers; Israelology: The Missing Link in Systematic Theology by Arnold G Fruchtenbaum (in prep for an upcoming Revelations study); and Prayers that Changed History by Tricia Goyer

Elizabeth: Holiness by Grace by Bryan Chapell; Prayer by Tim Keller; Saving Amelie by Cathy Golhke  

Dorothy: The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love.

Shelley: I'm reading Eric Larson's Isaac's Storm and Soaring by Kristen Ashley

How many other books have you had published?

Tamera: Among the Fair Magnolias is my twelfth publication. I’ve written eleven novels to date, and one novella.

Elizabeth: I have published nine novels and one other novella.

Dorothy: Fair Magnolias is my nineteenth publication. Seventeen novels and two novellas.

Shelley: I think I'm at 53 books. (Insert Tamera gasping here! Tamera says, I had no clue! Shelley, babe, you’re ah-mazing.)

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

Tamera:  Honestly, it was a pleasure all around. I love how the four stories (and themes) blend with each other and show the ever changing life in the South over those two decades. 

Elizabeth: Well, I tend to write LONG novels, so I was a bit concerned that I would not do well with a novella, but I actually really enjoyed the experience and found, to my surprise and delight, that when needed, I can be succinct!  I echo Tammy—really felt thankful and privileged to contribute to this collection.

Dorothy: Since we weren't required to mesh the stories, writing the novella was easy. I published a novella, A Proper Marriage at Thomas Nelson last year and  enjoyed writing a complete story in a much smaller space.  So I jumped at the chance to write a second novella. It's a nice break from the intense work of researching and writing a 95,000 word novel.

Shelley: I have to echo what Tamera said. I was so honored to be asked to write one of the novellas in this collection. Though I'd long been a fan of Tamera's, Elizabeth's, and Dorothy's work, I never had the chance to get to work with them. Since writers usually spend lots of time alone, it was wonderful to have “book friends.” 

How did collaborating with this team impact you?

Tamera:  I’ve known Dorothy and Elizabeth for a while now—both women are such blessings.  And I enjoyed the chance to work with Shelley which was a real honor for me. Love all these women.

Elizabeth: It was a lot of fun.  I had the privilege of doing a book tour with Tammy last year, and she is priceless, and I so enjoyed corresponding with Dorothy and finally meeting her last November.  I’ve only “met” Shelley through email and Skype, but hope to meet in person in the future.  I felt a lot of reassurance and complicity working with these women, all such talented authors.  It’s been a real pleasure to put our heads together for some fun blog and interview opportunities, too, like the video Tammy mentioned.

Dorothy: Tammy has encouraged and blessed me in so many ways since my arrival in this market and it was such an honor to coauthor with a writer whose work I absolutely love (insert Tamera’s grateful tears here). I first met Elizabeth in the pages of her wonderful novels, The Swan House and The Sweetest Thing and when my publisher was looking for another author for Among the Fair Magnolias, I requested Elizabeth. We were able to connect in Nashville last fall and she is every bit as lovely as her books. Though Shelley lives in Ohio now, she is a Texas girl like me.  We were introduced by a mutual friend at a writers' conference several years ago. I enjoyed Secrets of Sloane House so much, and was thrilled to have Shelley as a coauthor for Among the Fair Magnolias.

Shelley: I've honestly learned a lot. We each approach our novels in different ways. These other authors are so talented! I should also mention that the team at Harper Collins Christian Publishing have been so great to work with. 

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

Tamera: Gain a deeper appreciation for Southern history, for a start, as well as come away encouraged in your faith as you’ve been swept away into another  time and place. 

Elizabeth: I want the reader to become more aware of the challenges that faced the South after the Civil War, and especially see the courage of the freedmen and those who supported them.  I pray we’ll be reminded again that all men are truly equal in God’s sight.

Dorothy: My hope for all my stories is that they will act as windows and  mirrors. Windows that allow readers to peer into another time and place, and mirrors that reflect  a universal truth about ourselves.

Shelley: I always simply hope that readers will feel that it was time well spent. There are a lot of books to choose from, so it means a lot when someone gives one of my stories a try. 

Please give us a peek into your story.

We have a treat for you! We got together and made a VIDEO introducing our novella collection. 

Tamera:

To Mend a Dream

Savannah Darby would do almost anything to revisit her family home. So when new owner, Aidan Bedford, a Boston attorney and former Union soldier, seeks to redecorate the house for his fiancée, Savannah jumps at the opportunity. But the clock is ticking. Can she find the box her father supposedly hid there during the war before her assignment is completed? And before she sees yet another battle lost on the home front. This time, one of the heart.

Elizabeth:

Love Beyond Limits

Emily Derracott loves her childhood friend Thomas McGinnis, but she cannot marry a man who doesn’t share her strong convictions about the freedmen. Besides, she harbors a secret love for someone else. But the prospect of becoming his wife is not improbable. It is completely impossible.

Dorothy:

A Heart So True
Abigail Clayton knows what is expected of her: to marry her distant cousin Charles Kittridge and take her place in society. But despite his many business successes, Charles is not the man her father thinks he is. Besides, her  heart belongs to Dr. Wade Bennett, a brilliant young physician engaged in developing new medicines. When her father unexpectedly announces her engagement to Charles during the Clayton's annual barbecue on Pawleys Island, Abby must decide whether to honor her father's wishes or to  follow her heart.

Shelley:

An Outlaw’s Heart
Russell Champion returns to his small Texas hometown after seven years. He had been sent away when he was just fifteen and suffered greatly. He returns to only give himself closure. Instead he discovers his mother wants to make amends and Nora, the woman he once risked everything for, is in need of him again.

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

Tamera: Don’t write for the market. Write the story God has placed on your heart, the story you’re most passionate about. Because passion bleeds through on the page. Unfortunately, boredom does too. So if you’re not passionate about your characters and story, the reader will sense it and they won’t be either. 

Elizabeth: As a writer, you’ll need to create AND edit, but be sure that when you to separate the two.  When you are creating, just get the ideas down on your laptop.  Later, you can move into
editing mode” and polish up.  It doesn’t work to create and edit at the same time.

Dorothy: When I was starting out, people told me to "write what you know." But after seventeen books, I have come to believe it's more important to write about the things that move you to anger or to compassion or to love. To write what you are most curious about. Today it's easy to find out whatever you need to know.   Don't limit yourself to writing what you know.

Shelley: To listen to advice. Many, many editors have helped me learn to be a better writer. I'm thankful for them. 

Where can my readers find you on the Internet?
Tamera:

www.TameraAlexander.com

www.facebook.com/TameraAlexander

Elizabeth:                 

www.elizabethmusser.com

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Elizabeth-Musser/149546181768451?fref=ts

Dorothy:
www.DorothyLoveBooks.com 

www.facebook.com/dorothylovebooks

Shelley: 

www.shelleyshepardgray.com

www.facebook.com/shelleyshepardgray

Twitter@ShelleySGray

Thank you, ladies, for sharing this new book with my readers. I can hardly wait to read it, and I know my blog readers feel the same way.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Among the Fair Magnolias - Christianbook.com
Among the Fair Magnolias: Four Southern Love Stories - Amazon
(The paperback is on a special sale today on Amazon. I don't know how long that will last.)
Among the Fair Magnolias: Four Southern Love Stories - 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 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 TEXAN'S PROMISE - Shelley Gray - Free Book

Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

Boy, that’s a great question! Hmm. All my characters have some basic traits that are like me, I suppose. Most try to be good people. Most of my characters really do believe in happy endings and falling in love-as I do, too! But usually my characters are usually people not like me. Instead they’re people I’d like to know.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

Since it’s Christmas time, I’d have to say the quirkiest thing I’ve done lately is decorate way too early for Christmas. And I’ve been known to listen to Christmas music all year long. Yes, it drove my children crazy!

I love Christmas music and play Christmas CDs from the day after Thanksgiving until New Years day. When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I never thought of myself as a writer until I deliberately sat down and attempted to write a novel. I never thought of myself as a “real” writer until I sold my first book-back in 2000. I’ve always considered myself a reader.

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

I’ve always enjoyed reading. I majored in English literature, and really enjoyed studying the classics. Now, I usually will read romances or mysteries. I read fast, and I can never leave a bookstore (or grocery store! Or Walmart!) without a book in my hands. In college, my favorite place to hang out in was the local library-not the college one!

When I was a child, the library was an important place for my family to visit. We brought home loads of books. We couldn’t afford to buy them. How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

I try to keep focused on what is important and not get too stressed about things that don’t matter all that much. I rarely worry about a messy house! As far as writing, I usually have a bunch of deadlines, so I try to concentrate only what is due next, not what is due a month from now.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

I use a baby name book-the kind expectant moms would buy! For my Amish books, I have copies of The Budget, which is the Amish newspaper. I get all my names from people mentioned in the regional reports.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Personally, it’s that I’ve been married 23 years to my college sweetheart and that my college-aged kids still like to come home. Professionally, it’s making the New York Times Bestseller List.

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

Ha! Hmm…I guess I’d be a mole.: ) I’m very comfortable staying home and kind of hiding out from the rest of the world. Especially in the winter!

What is your favorite food?

That would be cookies. I love to bake cookies, and have been known to eat too many.

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

As far as actual writing, my greatest roadblock was when I once had a heroine who completely did not want to follow my outline or goals for her! I ended up praying a lot, and asking God to help me meet my deadline, and have the strength to believe in the story and the heroine enough to ignore the outline and my fears.

I also have to say that selling A Texan’s Promise was a tough roadblock, too. The manuscript went to many editorial boards and was “almost” sold, but then rejected, for various reasons. I had to learn that there is a time for everything, and that I needed to be patient and wait for this book’s time. Once again, God’s timing was perfect.

I know what you mean about that. My McKenna’s Daughters series was like that. Tell us about the featured book?

A Texan’s Promise is a western historical romance set in Texas and Colorado in the 1870’s. My hero, Clayton Proffitt, is just wonderful! He’s honorable and noble and willing to do whatever it takes to help the woman he loves. My heroine, Vanessa Grant, starts out as an extremely vulnerable woman in the worst of situations, but then finds enough to strength to save Clayton from himself. A Texan’s Promise features a whole cast of characters, who have been hurt in one way or another by war and hardship but have become better for those experiences.

I wrote the book for fun on weekends and in the evenings. I guess you could say in a lot of ways, it’s the book of my heart.

Please give us the first page of the book. Here you go:

“Vanessa, honey, why you crying?”

Clayton! He stood in the doorway to the stables, his presence both a soothing balm and a source of panic.

Vanessa gingerly leaned back against the wood behind her, willed herself to relax, but it was no good. It was going to be some time before she could calm down again.  “I’m sorry I woke you.”

“You didn’t.” His eyes narrowed as he stepped closer. “It’s midnight. Isn’t it awfully late for you to be out of bed?”

Yes. Yes, it was. It was too late for a lot of things now. Wiping her eyes with the side of her fist, she shook her head. “I’ll go in soon.”

Clayton crouched beside her, his knees brushing her skirts. A puff of dust flew up, mixing with his scent, all bay rum and horses. “Care to tell me what happened?”

She was thankful for the darkness. “No.”

I can’t wait to read this book. How can readers find you on the Internet?

I hope readers will visit my website: www.shelleyshepardgray.com, or on Facebook, too! I write a blog a few times a week, and am on FB almost every day.


Thank you, Shelley, for the interesting interview.


Readers, here's a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.
A Texan's Promise - Book #1 in The Heart of a Hero Series


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