FAITH'S REWARD - Tammy Barley - Free Book

Author's Bio: I have lived in twenty-seven places in eight states (so far) and have visited nearly all. When I'm not writing? I judge a number of top writing contests and love my work as a manuscript editor and biographer. I am also Mom to two sons, one daughter, a rescued American Eskimo dog, thirteen parakeets, and an aquarium full of fish. The children I homeschool; the dog I taught to sit. She also barks at parked cars.

In my spare time, you're likely to find me baking, gardening, behind a camera, or hugging a horse.

Welcome, Tammy. I love your new picture. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?

Wow—He certainly has! It’s difficult to see past next year—and God has a way of tilting Earth under me and sending me in unexpected directions—but I see three to four new books in the next year . . . and perhaps even something coming of the few whispers I’ve heard about The Sierra Chronicles being considered for film production. Truly, only God knows.

What are you working on right now?

Recently, I returned from an unforgettable trip out West, where I dove into research for my next trilogy, set in the gorgeous Wind River Mountains of Wyoming. Some amazing history there, and some almost-unbelievable true stories. I’m so excited to see how the new series is unfolding.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

The setting has to be the American West, and the setting has to include mountains, which I dearly love—the vistas, forests, wildlife, and waterfalls. Each trilogy will be set in its own mountain range or valley at the mountains’ foot. The setting and its history must be conducive to a little mystery, even more suspense, and great romance.

Tell us about the featured book?

The Sierra Chronicles, book three—Faith’s Reward

The year 1865 starts out as a nightmare come true for Jessica Bennett. The cattle she and her husband, Jake, fought to save from drought the summer before now face the threat of freezing to death. Her fears worsen when Jake contracts pneumonia.

Springtime brings trials of a different kind—the snowmelt causes the ranch to thrive so much that Jake must sell off the last of their cattle to make room for their horses and the young foals to be born. In the meantime, Jess endeavors to recover her rightful inheritance, which mysteriously disappeared from the bank. When she discovers a link between the banker and a group of murderous Unionists, who continue to target Southerners even though the war is over, Jake launches an undercover investigation.

The conspiracy runs deeper and wider than either of them could have imagined. Jess must put her life—and the life of her unborn child—at risk to stop the ringleader and save the lives of many others. Yet, Jess refuses to give up hope in the God she serves—a God of love who often provides above and beyond our greatest dreams.

Sounds interesting. Please give us the first page of the book.

Honey Lake Valley, northern California
January 1865

“Jake?”

Jessica Bennett jolted upright in bed, her hand trembling as it searched the cold sheets in the darkness beside her. Her fingers brushed Jake’s equally cold pillow, then the soft fur of the cat that huddled on it, the only trace of warmth in the place where her husband had gone to sleep beside her. “Jake?”

Wind rattled the windowpane with nearly enough force to crack it. The terrible cold seeped through the glass and turned the bedroom to ice. Jess hugged her flannel nightgown firmly to her and sat still and alert, straining to hear over the storm for any indication of movement in the house, either upstairs or downstairs. She heard no thud of boot heels on the plank floor, no jingle of spurs to suggest any presence inside the house but hers.

Judging by the thick darkness, dawn was still hours away. Though she and Jake had worked until they were exhausted—sometime after midnight—he must have rested in bed until she fell asleep, but no longer than that. Once he was certain she and the baby within her were at rest, he’d gone back to work and joined the next shift of cattlemen who fought to keep their horses and cattle alive, digging them out of the snow and providing hay to stimulate their bodies’ heat.

The misty darkness abruptly grew darker, closing in around her.

Then, blackness.

An image flashed through her mind—She stood in boot-deep snow under a gray sky, a Henry rifle gripped in her hands. At her sides stood two of the cattlemen. More than a dozen Paiute Indian men stepped forward to stand alongside them. She recognized one Paiute who worked at the ranch. The others were strangers. Their faces revealed fear, and resolve. In front of her, perhaps five paces away, stood thirty or more renegade white men who, as one, reached their hands to their holsters, drew their guns, then took aim at Jess and the Indians. Jess cocked the Henry rifle, pressed the butt to her shoulder, and sighted down the barrel at the cold, glittering blue eyes of the man who aimed the bore of his revolver at her. Though fear burned like liquid fire beneath her skin, she firmed her grip, shifted her index finger from the rifle’s trigger guard to the curve of the metal trigger. And pulled….

Wow! That pulls us right into the action. How can readers find you on the Internet?

Here’s my Web site:
http://www.tammybarley.com/index.html

And one more nifty thing . . .

The Sierra Chronicles book two, Hope’s Promise (now available!), comes with a contest: Hope's Promise Vacation-for-a-Day Contest—Read Hope’s Promise for a chance to win a horseback riding adventure for your whole family!

ALSO, The Sierra Chronicles book three, Faith’s Reward, comes with a contest of its own: Faith’s Reward Day-of-Your-Dreams Contest! If you were given the chance to dream up your perfect day, what would it be? A day at the spa? A fabulous massage? A mani-pedi? Hours of free shopping at the stores of your choice? All of the above? How about anything you want, plus the ability to take your best buddy with you? You got it! =) Read Faith’s Reward for a chance to win the day of your dreams!

For details and to enter, visit http://www.tammybarley.com/Bookshelf.html .

Thank you so much, Lena! It’s such a joy to visit your blog.

And I'm always glad to host you, Tammy.

Readers, here's a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.



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

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

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

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

http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/

HOPE'S PROMISE - Tammy Barley - Free Book

Welcome back, Tammy. Why do you write the kind of books you do?


My love for writing about the Old West was inspired by my grandmother’s stories of her grandmother and grandfather, a Cherokee Indian woman rescued by a western wagon train scout. Riding horses across the west, historic places I visited there, and journals written by those who lived in the West when it was still being carved—each of these spurred my imaginings, and the stories and characters that began to unfold. My love for romances? Simple. I’m a hopeless romantic. =)

Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?

My second pregnancy was very difficult, and dangerous. I knew I’d never be able to have more children, and I had always wanted a daughter, and I really wanted three children, not just two. So the pregnancy was bittersweet. Then I went for my mid-pregnancy ultrasound, and the technician started asking unusual questions that drove up my concern. “Is this your first ultrasound for this pregnancy? Did your doctor warn you to be aware of anything unusual?” I carefully asked why she was asking these unusual questions, fearing the worst. She answered, “It isn’t my place to tell you this, but you’re going to have twins.” I was stunned. “How do you know?” I asked. She smiled and said, “Because there’s two of everything in there!” She scanned further. I was expecting a second son…and a daughter. I laughed—for probably five minutes—in pure joy.

How has being published changed your life?

I’m living my dream, and every day is my best day. I never had that before, no matter how many different jobs I undertook, and there were many jobs (wedding coordinator, ballroom dance instructor, travel consultant), over many years. When I write, I get to use the gift God gave me. Until I did that, I was never completely happy.

What are you reading right now?

Steven King’s The Dead Zone. Can you believe that was first published in 1979?

What is your current work in progress?

The first book of my next trilogy, which takes place in the Wind River Mountains, in Wyoming.

What would be your dream vacation?

A peaceful Caribbean cruise—no political trauma, no hurricanes, and plenty of time to buy emeralds on St. Thomas. =)

How do you choose your settings for each book?

With each series, a different western mountain range inspires me, each for its own reason. I research the history of the location, and the story unfolds from there.

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

Wow—what a fabulous question! Until Patrick Swayze died, I would have said Patrick Swayze. Now I’d have to pick Antonio Banderas. I love ballroom dance, and, to quote a bumper sticker I once read, “Life is too short to dance with ugly men.” =)

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

In my spare time, you're likely to find me baking, gardening, behind a camera, or hugging a horse.

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?

Outside distractions—disagreements between the kids, the lawn that I have to take time out to mow, bills I have to take time out to pay, groceries I have to shop for, dust dragons that multiply like things cloned, great days outside that beg me to go out and play in them. I try to set aside my Saturdays to do those things, and I try to take Sundays off, so that my workdays remain as conducive to work as possible.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Write what you know, write what you love, and never give up. No one who gives up accomplishes their dream.

Tell us about the featured book?

Hope’s Promise, book two of The Sierra Chronicles:

Jake Bennett is finally wed to the love of his life, Jessica Hale—but he isn’t convinced she won’t leave him. Life is a constant struggle for the Bennetts as they battle drought and live in fear of raids on Southerners, and he is not sure that Jess knew what she was getting herself into when she married him.

Jess, however, despairs for another reason—she is unable to conceive a child.

While trying to prove their unconditional love for each other, the Bennetts must defend against attacks on the Paiutes, the doubts that haunt them both, and an unknown force that threatens to destroy all they hold dear. Together, they must stand in faith through betrayal, barrenness, and a very real threat, trusting that God will reward their hopes for a better future.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Western Nevada Territory
May 1864

“Would you care to rest awhile, Jess?”

Withholding a smile, Jess leaned forward in the saddle as her horse clamored beside Jake’s to the top of the rocky bank. When the ground leveled out, she glanced at the progress of the small herd of Thoroughbred stallions close behind, then tossed a lightly accusing gaze to her husband.

“Rest awhile? Are you coddling me, Bennett?”

In the shadow of his hat brim, Jake’s whisky-brown eyes sparkled at her as he grinned the crooked grin she loved. “No, ma’am, I wouldn’t dare.” He nodded sagely to Taggart and Diaz, the hired men with bandanas pulled up against the rising dust, who wrangled on the opposite side of the herd. “But the boys haven’t stood on their own feet twice since sunup, and they’re looking peaked.”

“Peaked?” Jess looked to the burly, orange-haired Irishman and the sinewy, born-in-the-saddle Spaniard and burst out laughing. “Those two wouldn’t walk to their dinner plates if they could ride!”

The sleek, long-limbed Thoroughbreds continued, heads bobbing, toward the mountains, whistled on by the two cattlemen. From her position riding flank, Jess took in the beauty of white nose blazes and white socks flashing amid the bays, chestnuts, and blacks, framed by the red earth and green pines of the Sierra Nevadas.

They were going home.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I’m at http://www.tammybarley.com/index.html , along with a lot of surprises and goodies!

Thank you, Tammy, for visiting with us again.

Readers, here's a link to the book. By using this link when you order, you help support this blog.

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)


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

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

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

http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/

LOVE'S RESCUE - Tammy Barley - Free Book

I love introducing you readers to debut authors. Welcome, Tammy. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

Thank you for having me here, Lena, and hello to everyone visiting!

I wrote a few aspects of myself into the main character in Love’s Rescue, Jessica Hale. Jess gets her fierce determination from me (don’t you love it when people tell you that you “can’t” do something, just so you CAN do it and prove them wrong? =) ). From me she also gets her great love of horses, the need to feel the wind in her hair, and her enjoyment of simple pleasures. The rest comes from places you may find unexpected—from strangers I meet only in passing, whose actions or humor or caring or uniqueness memorably touches me.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I danced down Hollywood Boulevard with a mime in a tux.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I always loved to write, but had never considered writing as a career. The real discovery came in a God moment. After I graduated high school I prayed one night, and asked Him what I was supposed to do with my life. I heard His voice beside me. “You’re supposed to be a writer.”

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

Romance, suspense, historical (fiction and nonfiction), mystery, inspirational, romance, chick-lit, some paranormal, and biographies. Oh, and I love a great romance. =)

What other books have you written, whether published or not?

I have written devotional series for missionary wives and many other inspirational devotions, Christian plays for mentally handicapped adults, and another historical romance which involved time travel.

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

I’m mom to three young teens who all have lively, quirky humor, and I’m blessed with wonderful friends. When you surround yourself with good people and laughter, you can get through anything.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

Baby name books, historical records, and movie credits. Some key grips out there have no idea they have cowboys named after them.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Professionally, this book. It’s my first full-length novel to be published, and the dream of half a lifetime. Personally, that I’m raising three children who every day are a miracle.

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

An eagle. I’d love to fly over green forests and high mountains, warmed by the sun, surrounded by wind, and oh, the views I would see! Of course I’d need access to McDonald’s fries and Moose Tracks ice cream.

What is your favorite food?

Strawberries. That’s the job I want in heaven—to tend God’s berry fields (and be chief taster).

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

Self editing. I had to learn to write in free-flow thought first and touch up later.

What advice would you give to an author just starting out?

Join a good writers’ group and a good critique group. Great information, great inspiration, great opportunities.

Tell us about the featured book?

The blurb by Whitaker House tells it nicely:

A Dividing Conflict
In 1863, the War Between the States is dividing more than just a nation. To escape the conflict, Jessica Hale and her family flee their Kentucky homestead and head for the Nevada Territory. Her brother, Ambrose, committed to the Confederates, rejoins the Kentucky militia and is disowned by his father. But the worst is yet to come.
A Heroic Kidnapper
When Unionists presume the family to be Confederate sympathizers, they set a devastating fire to their home. All alone and then “kidnapped” by cattleman Jake Bennett, Jessica is taken to a ranch deep in the Sierra Nevada wilderness. Can she overcome her resentment toward Jake for failing to save her family?
The Depths of Love
When Jake launches a plan to help Jessica’s brother escape from prison camp, she sees him for the honest, good-hearted Christian man that he is and now knows the depth of his love for her. Through the lingering smoke and smoldering ashes from her ruined home and murdered family, will Jessica see a future with Jake?

Please give us the first page of the book.

Carson City, Nevada Territory. April, 1860

She was going to lose him.

Jessica Hale pushed back the brown tendrils the wind whipped into her eyes, her fingers trembling. Further down the road her brother handed the last of his cases to the driver on top the stage, then tossed his hat through the coach window onto a seat with an air of resolve. He turned and strode toward her.

His long, wind-tossed sandy hair and mustache gleamed brightly in the morning sun, like gold coins intermittently hidden by shifting dust. His sky blue eyes—eyes that had always teased her, understood her and patiently guided her—now attempted to disguise unspoken regret as he smoothed a hand over each of the sorrel coach horses, and calmly took in the young town he was leaving behind. She knew better. He was going to miss this, the town and their parents. But his heart called him home. Ambrose was every inch a Kentucky gentleman. He always had been. Her throat tightened.

“Jessica?”

She couldn’t help but smile. Jessica. Like always, he spoke her name with that same flowing, deep timbre of the brook they had often played in as children.

“Now what is that smile for?”

“I love the sound of your voice.”

“You do?” Ambrose’s eyes sparkled at her in amusement. “You never told me that before.”

“Well now you know.” She loved the Southern lilt of it, loved the quiet honor he wore with the same ease that he wore his greatcoat. She took a deep, steadying breath. “Are your bags loaded, then?”

“They are.” Lightly he added, “The driver was kind enough to strap them down. With the rough going, I’ll get bounced out long before they will.”

Her smile faded. “Perhaps you should stay.”

I can hardly wait for my copy to get here. How can readers find you on the Internet?

I’m at http://www.tammybarley.com/. Click on the Bookshelf page to view the book trailer and to enter a drawing to win a Western guest ranch vacation for two, or one of many other prizes, beginning July 7, 2009, the day the book releases.

Thank you, Tammy, for spending this time with us.

Readers, here's a link where you can order Love's Rescue:

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. 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.

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

Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com