TRIBE OF SHADOWS - David Fergusson - Free Book

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

Within the story, several characters emerge – some which we could classify as on the side of the light, and several definitely on the side of darkness. I have always classified myself as someone who has taken risks and put oneself on the edge a few too many times (in my younger days – I’ll put that down to youthfulness – now being married and having children, I think I have calmed down considerably) – so I can identify with several of the characters (on the side of the light) who push things to the limit within the book– but definitely not the more sinister characters.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I don’t know if quirky is the right word to use for this story, but I recall working in Botswana with a friend of mine who dragged me out to explore one of the salt pans with him. Unbeknown to me, this is one of the most dangerous places to get lost in Botswana, and in those days, there was no GPS or anything like that – all we had was his little watch compass, a tourist guide book with vague descriptions on how to navigate through the pan, no spare water or fuel (to those of you who know Botswana , it was the Makgadikadi Pan.) Anyway, we amazingly managed to find our way to the central point of the Pan called Kubu Island which is this enormous granite outcrop with several gigantic Baobab trees – so after climbing those (not recommended) and finding out the hard way that the salt pan is not as it seems – (the mud flying off the tires as we attempted not to sink the vehicle was scary enough), God smiled on us and we somehow headed north… and I reiterate… north, as we found the sun at one stage definitely on the wrong side of the vehicle. We eventually came out of the bush just before the sun set and managed to drag a petrol attendant out of a bar to fill up the truck. If any of you ever consider going there – extra water, fuel and a decent GPS system is a must – and don’t drive too far off the roads – you may start sinking.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

The first company I ever worked for (an auditing company actually) – one of the members of staff started a weekly magazine which I started contributing to for fun. The editor of this mentioned once or twice that I should write a book – so this stuck with me. Several years later I found myself in a position where I had the stories accumulating in my head, so I started writing for fun, and it took off from there.

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

I grew up reading fiction from authors like Frank Peretti in my teens – books like This Present Darkness, and The Oath, which I must say is the only book I have ever bought twice ( a friend of mine borrowed it and somehow it got lost – hence the double purchase.) Of late, I have found authors like Steven Lawhead – he has recently done a trilogy on Robin Hood which I really enjoyed. I must say, I have tried a few other books from the secular section and found myself burning at least three of the books I purchased – so I’m sticking these days to the Christian Fiction side of the internet when it comes to fiction.

On the non fiction side – more on the bible study and books which give the reader some sort of spiritual direction – I have really enjoyed Beth Moore – now I know you are going to say that she mainly writes for women – and I would agree that some of her books are – but a lot of her Bible studies especially the one on Isaiah I believe is for both men and women and she has a great way of helping you see the steps you need to take to walk closer to Jesus.

That is so true. How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

Funny enough – running is one of them. I’ve run the comrades marathon once – this is a fifty four mile run from Pietermaritzburg to Durban in South Africa with a cut off of eleven hours. My time wasn’t great but this type of race one tries to finish, never mind the timing – except the cut off time that is. And no I didn’t get into one of the ambulances along the way – I did look for them but couldn’t find any – so I had to keep running – getting in with ten minutes to spare.

Secondly – now being married and having two little girls, I’ve found that I would rather spend my time at home with them, rather than over committing myself to other things. So cutting back on other commitments has helped.

And thirdly - Tennis - this is my other sanity break.

In the far distant past, I played tennis, but not well. How do you choose your characters’ names?

The names of my characters I use usually have some sort of emotional pull on me. If I don’t form some sort of tie or connection with a name then I find it quite hard to get motivated to write about the individual character. In this book, each character had a piece of a friends name - not the full names – just a piece – so it ended up as a reminder of my friends all over the world and stirred me with my writing.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Probably getting published. If you were to ask me, who I am the most proud of – that would have to be my wife and all her hard work she puts into raising our two little ones – very active ones I must add.

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

It would have to be a wolf. Reason being is their persistence in hunting and chasing their prey. I find with myself, I am usually a fairly persistent person, who … how should we say… doesn’t go away if something needs to be done, or someone has to do it for you … i.e. chasing passports… things like that.

Secondly – one usually associates a wolf with a full moon – and I love full moons – and no I don’t howl at it, but it’s just great when the earth is flooded with a white light at night.

What is your favorite food?

Caramel squares (short cake covered in caramel) – my wife makes them – I can eat them all day.

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

I think trying to find a comfortable place to write was a fairly big challenge. I find myself sitting all day and this does absolutely nothing to motivate me to continue writing at a desk when the evening comes.

I just wanted to end up in bed – so I now prop myself up with a pillow and place the laptop on my wife’s wooden tray from the kitchen. Works wonderfully and the fan on the laptop doesn’t end up trying to suck air through the blanket.

Tell us about the featured book.

Tribe of Shadows – The Hunted unveils the plight of Ross and William Hunt, two brothers whose destiny and that of an entire community, lies in their ability to outsmart … The priest of the dead. He is a man who is both a national and a spiritual leader of a nation deep rooted in ancestral worship. With entire communities slaughtered, and a nation in chaos… the arrival of the land’s most feared leader at Ross and Angie’s photographic camp sends all but a few into hiding to escape with their lives and whatever they can carry. Having been protected for the last two years by the General himself, due to one act of kindness, Ross can only remain calm, as his life is turned upside down with this unexpected arrival and the preparation of a national ceremony looming. Things change though, with the unveiling of a secret, and a desperate attempt to get the evidence to his brother, William Hunt, a renowned journalist based in London. Torn between love, passion and fear, as friends and family members are hunted across two continents, with mercenaries stopping at nothing short of genocide to protect their interest, and the knowledge of their atrocities, the ultimate question both brothers must face is… what do they believe and will it withstand the onslaught they will face? Tribe of Shadows delves deeply into the darkness of the lost soul, and the compassion and patience needed to draw it out of the shadows.

Please give us the first page of the book.

London – Wednesday the 7th of October

Delusional. That was the only word that came to my mind as I looked at the woman sitting across from me on the subway. I had spent the last three–quarters of an hour fighting my way through a sea of people and had finally managed to secure a seat, when I saw her. At first glance I noticed her white leather boots and red jacket.

Her mane of brown hair was definitely eye catching, but I froze as she turned around and smiled at me. Those dark green eyes caught me in an instant, and I knew we had met before.

She continued to smile at me and mouthed the words, “Next train stop.” I shook my head and looked away. Don’t be a fool! I told myself. No one in this city would knowingly acknowledge a complete stranger. But she had. In a city where you may, day in and day out, sit next to someone and never know their name, this woman had ventured beyond the boundaries of common courtesy to engage my attention. I moved my head quickly as if to look to the end of the carriage, letting my head continue to move but allowing my eyes to linger upon her. She had not moved and sat there watching me with a knowing smile on her face.

A very good hook. How can readers find you on the Internet?

I have a fairly new blog which can be found at http://www.davidfergusson.blogspot.com/

I am also on facebook under the name David Fergusson at
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=86985495484

and there is a thirty second video clip of the book trailer on youtube at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iO2j_Fsheuk

I am quite excited that the book is available both in paperback and ebook or kindle downloads on Amazon and several other web sites.

Thank you for this chance to share a bit about myself and this exciting project.

My pleasure, David.
 
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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.)

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LOVE FINDS YOU IN TOMBSTONE, ARIZONA - Miralee Ferrell - Free Book

I've really been looking forward to this interview. Welcome, Miralee. Tell us about your salvation experience.

I can’t remember a time in my life that I didn’t love the Lord. I was raised in a Christian family that attended church three times per week. I don’t remember specifically asking Jesus into my heart, but always knew that I loved Him. When I was sixteen I made a full, life changing commitment to Him and went even deeper in my walk. Not long after that I worked through the summer at a coffee house that was under the covering of Teen Challenge, working with street kids, and out of that grew a desire to minister to others.

I believe that testimonies like yours are some of the most powerful, because all they do is glorify God. You’re planning a writing retreat where you can only have four other authors. Who would they be and why?

That’s hard because I have so many authors I truly love and respect. I think I’d have to choose ones that I felt I could learn the most from for my genre, as well as ones that would be fun to hang out with. The first would be Kim Vogel Sawyer, because she’s not only an amazing author, she’s a good friend and I’ve love to have her along. The second would be Lauraine Snelling. She’s an accomplished author (whose work I love) and is highly respected in the historical genre. The same reasons for both Tracie Peterson and Lori Wick. I’ve loved their work for years, and know they’d have much to teach.

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

Yes, that’s something I’ve been branching out into more this past year. I’ve spoken at several women’s church functions—teas, breakfasts, etc., as well as the NW Conference for Librarians, book clubs and historical groups. I’ll also be teaching a fiction class at a writer’s conference on the WA coast in March. Speaking is something I truly enjoy and love to talk about where God has taken me in my writing and publishing journey.

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

I still laugh when I think of this. Years ago when Allen and I were very young—no kids yet—we had a new pastor at our church. We invited him and his wife to our home for dinner, and I made cream pies for desert with meringue topping. I slid them into the oven to brown right after the pastor’s arrival, then forgot about them in the hurry of getting dinner on the table. Suddenly, the kitchen filled with smoke and the smoke alarm screamed. Allen pulled the pies out and the topping was baked black and hard…he pulled it off and the pies were fine. We were able to laugh about it and told them the black toppings were perfectly curved (kind of hollowed out where it shrank up) to the point it could be used as a Frisbee!

One time we invited visitors at a service to our apartment after church. When I opened the oven door to remove the chicken Italian dish, the oven burst into flames. People are always telling me that they’d like to write a book someday. I’m sure they do to you, too. What would you tell someone who came up to you and said that?

Yes, I’ve had that happen a few times as well. It depends on who they are and where they are on their journey. If they’re a personal friend and have something written, I’ll offer to read it and critique a few pages if they want an honest opinion. I’m always careful to give the good points as well as what needs work. If it’s a total stranger, I’ll typically ask how far along they are, then point them to the appropriate books on the craft, to a conference, to membership in ACFW, or all of the above. I like to encourage new writers as much as possible and help where I can. I’ve helped strangers before and critiqued a short piece or one chapter for free, then suggested they find an editor or learn the craft a bit more, depending on their need.

Tell us about the featured book.

This was an amazing book to write. First, because I returned to a favorite character from Love Finds You in Last Chance, California, by the name of Christy Grey—the saloon girl who came to town and caused trouble for Alexia and Justin. Second, because of the spiritual thread—God’s redemptive plan for each of us as individuals, and His all consuming love and acceptance of us right where we are. Christy needed to discover that for herself and I loved helping her along on her journey, as well as introducing my readers to new characters who became friends long before I finished. Here’s a brief summary of the book:

In a town where dreams are buried, does love stand a chance?

BACK

Love and second chances aren’t easy to come by in a town named Tombstone. When Christy Grey receives an urgent summons to Tombstone, Arizona, she reluctantly leaves her new life in California. The trip goes from bad to worse when four masked men hold up Christy’s stage. She finally arrives in Tombstone to find her mother ill and her brother trapped in a life of gambling. Desperate for money to support her family, will Christy bow to pressure from the local saloon owners and return to the life she thought she’d given up for good?

Nevada King has problems of his own. He’s been dodging bullets for years and wants nothing more than to settle down. But he’s on the run from outlaws bent on revenge, and the one woman who captures his interest recognizes him from the stagecoach holdup. Will Christy turn Nevada in to the authorities, or will the outlaws on his trail catch him first?

Oooo, I like it already. Please give us the first page of the book.

Late March 1881
Last Chance, California

Ma needed her. Christy Grey mouthed the words, just to see how they tasted. She stood on the boardwalk in front of the telegraph office in Last Chance, California, staring at the slip of paper clutched in her trembling fingers. Once again she read the words from her younger brother, Joshua.

Ma sick. Stop. Can’t care for her alone. Stop. Come soon. Stop. Joshua

Hope sprouted a tender shoot and quickly withered as the bright heat of reality settled around her. Christy almost laughed. She’d allowed herself to be fooled. Joshua, not Ma, needed her. Ivy Malone’s life revolved around her husband at the time—number three being the most recent. Thankfully, Christy had a stable stepfather growing up following her own father’s death. But after burying two husbands, Ma had foolishly married a man named Logan Malone, and Christy had little use for him.

She sighed and drew her double-breasted wool cloak tighter around her. It was past time to head to Miss Alice’s. The older woman would be disappointed at her impending departure, but it couldn’t be helped. Joshua wouldn’t have written if their mother wasn’t in danger. Ma wouldn’t allow it.

A blast of cold air blew snow under the overhanging roof and lifted the hem of her skirt. That was one thing she’d never gotten used to—the deep snow and cold winters of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. When her fiancé, Ralph, was alive, she’d figured she’d live here forever, but after he died three years ago, her life had floundered more than once. If it weren’t for the fact her seven-year-old nephew Toby lived here, she might have moved on long ago. Of course, her friendship with his stepmother, Alexia—or Alex, as she liked to be called—and his father, Justin, had been a factor in her decision, as well.
This might be the change she’d been seeking, though. She loved the small hamlet of Last Chance, but maybe it was time for a new place and a more promising future. She appreciated all her close friends had done when they’d drawn her in and accepted her in spite of her past as a saloon girl. But so often she felt like someone on the outside looking in. While many of the townspeople were kind, her past always hovered in the background. Some had never forgiven the poor choices she’d made.

The last three years she’d floated with no purpose or sense of direction. Nothing in her life had turned out as she’d dreamed when only a young girl. So many if onlys followed by one disappointment and wrong choice after another. She’d hoped to start her own business here in Last Chance but had drifted down the easier path of working for Miss Alice at her boardinghouse. She desperately needed to figure out where she belonged—where she could make a difference.

A sense of excitement combined with dread warred inside her. She’d miss her young nephew terribly, and dealing with Ma’s querulous attitude would be difficult, but the thought of starting over where no one but family knew her brought a definite exhilaration.

I definitely want to read this soon. How can readers find you on the Internet?

My web site address is http://www.miraleeferrell.com/
My blog address is http://www.miraleesdesk.blogspot.com/
My Facebook profile page is www.facebook/miralee

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.

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WORDS - Ginny Yttrup - Free Book

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

One of the things I enjoy most about writing fiction is creating characters. I try to make each character unique, but I’m sure some of my own thoughts, actions, and emotions are woven into each one. In the book I’m working on now, one of the characters is very sarcastic and I’ve had such fun with her. I wouldn’t dare say many of the things she says, but I’ve certainly thought some of the things she verbalizes. There’s probably more of me in her than I care to admit!

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

On a warm summer evening last year, I hopped in the car with my best friend and her fifteen year old daughter. We drove to the house of another friend, picked her up, and then went to another friend’s house. We toilet papered her yard, rang her doorbell, and sprayed her with silly string when she answered the door. She then joined us and we went to another friend’s house and did the same. Finally, we ended up at a movie theater where we knew a group of friends would be coming out of a movie soon. We waited and accosted them with toilet paper and silly string in the parking lot. We all ended the evening together over ice cream at a local restaurant where several from our group serenaded the patrons with songs from the movie Grease. We ranged in age from 15 to 65. It was a stretch for this introvert, but it was an evening I’ll never forget!

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

In my early twenties I worked as a human resources specialist. The job required a lot of correspondence and I found I enjoyed writing--forming sentences, taking thoughts and putting them in a framework that others found helpful. That was the first time I received encouragement as a writer. I worked for a tough boss who was well read and a stickler for excellence in writing. Where he often used a red marker to correct the work of others in our department, my work typically came back with a note telling me it was fine. Soon, he no longer checked my work, but let me send things out on my own. That was high praise coming from him and it planted a seed of desire in me to pursue the craft of writing.

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

I’m an eclectic reader. I enjoy fiction--especially literary fiction, non-fiction, memoirs, biographies, travel journals, and cookbooks. I read a wide range of books from both the CBA and ABA market. When I finish writing a book, I typically have a stack of books that I’ve collected to read. Reading is my treat once I’ve met my deadline.

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

I seek solitude with the Lover of my soul. I begin each morning with God and time spent in His Word. This isn’t as noble as it may sound--it’s simply survival for me. When my focus is on God rather than on myself, I’m less apt to get caught up in the stress of the day.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

I have a couple of baby names books on my shelf and I refer to those. With my current novel, I held a contest on Facebook to find the name for a main character. I offered a brief description of the character and then gave the winner a Border’s gift certificate. That was great fun and I now have a long list of wonderful names that I’ll refer to for my next book.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

I’m the mother of two incredible young-adult sons. Justin and Jared are fun, thoughtful, and wise. I can’t claim the credit for the way they are turning out--but I am very proud of them. They are a gift from God and they are His unique creations.

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

I’m tempted to say platypus, just for fun. But, I’ll have to choose the good ol’ house cat. I’d love nothing more than sleeping the day away in warm, sunny spot.

What is your favorite food?

My favorite food is whatever I’m eating at the moment. My housemates just took chocolate chip cookies out of the oven, so at the moment, warm chocolate chip cookies are my absolute favorite food. With the exception of peas, I’ll eat almost anything and enjoy it.

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

I had to persevere through years of discouragement. Just before my 30th birthday, I believed God had affirmed my desire to write, and perhaps was even calling me to write. I began attending writers conferences, worked on honing my craft, and networked with other writers, editors, and agents. When I was 45, I submitted the first chapters of my debut novel to agent, Steve Laube. Steve offered to represent me and eventually sold the novel to B&H Publishing Group. I’m now 48 and enjoying the release of my first book. During those 15+ years, there were many, many times when I wanted to give up--when I had to believe, against all visible evidence, that God had indeed called me to write. I finally reached a point of complete surrender where I told God I’d continue to write simply as an act of worship regardless of whether or not my work was ever published.

I’m grateful God took me to that point of surrender before publication. It helped put having a book published in perspective for me. Publication isn’t something that defines me or adds worth to who I am. There was a point in my life when I would have viewed it that way. Now, I’m clear that my value is found in God alone.

Tell us about the featured book.

Set amongst the towering redwoods of the northern California coast, Words is the story of 10-year old Kaylee Wren who hasn’t spoken since her drug addicted mother walked away, leaving her in a remote cabin, in the care of a man who is as dangerous as he is evil. With silence her only refuge, Kaylee collects words she might never speak from the only memento her mother left behind: a dictionary.

Sierra Dawn is thirty-four, an artist, and alone. She has allowed the shame of her past to silence her present hopes and chooses to bury her pain by trying to control her circumstances. But on the twelfth anniversary of her daughter’s death, Sierra’s control begins to crumble as the God of her childhood woos her back to Himself.

Brought together by Divine design, Kaylee and Sierra will discover together the healing mercy of the Word--Jesus Christ.

Words is an especially poignant story for me as it’s loosely based on my own history of childhood sexual abuse. My prayer is that all who read Words will be drawn to the Truth, Jesus Christ, and will experience the freedom found in Him.

I know there are many women who need to read this novel. Please give us the first page of the book.

I collect words.

I keep them in a box in my mind. I’d like to keep them in a real box, something pretty, maybe a shoe box covered with flowered wrapping paper. I’d write my words on scraps of paper and then put them in the box. Whenever I wanted, I’d open the box and pick up the papers, reading and feeling the words all at once. Then I could hide the box.

But the words are safer in my mind. There, he can’t take them.

The dictionary is heavy on my lap. I’m on page 1,908. I’m reading through the Ss.

When I finish the Zs, I’ll start all over again.

Su∙per∙f lu∙ous.

I like that word. It means something extra, something special, something you don’t need. It’s super. But you don’t need super. You just need good enough.

How does it sound when someone says it?

I didn’t really think about how words sound until I stopped talking. I didn’t mean to stop talking, it just sort of happened.

My mom left.

I got scared.

And the words got stuck.

Wow! Powerful opening. How can readers find you on the Internet?

http://www.ginnyyttrup.com/

Thank you so much for spending this time with us, Ginny.
 
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.

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ALASKA WEDDINGS - Susan Page Davis - Free Book

Author bio:


Susan Page Davis is an award-winning author with more than thirty novels published. A Maine native, she now lives in Kentucky with her husband Jim, who is an editor, and the youngest two of their six children. She’s the grandmother of six. Susan loves reading, history, travel, and animals.

So happy to have you back here, Susan. Have you ever been to Alaska?

Yes, I have. It’s a magnificent place, and one you can’t possibly see more than a small fraction of in a single visit. While there I stayed with friends in Anchorage and drove down to Homer, where one of the Coast Guard bases in Alaska is located. My brother was a career Coast Guard officer and had been stationed there and in Kodiak. He put me in touch with some of his friends. Homer is a gorgeous town on a volcano-ringed bay. My friend and I were given a guided tour of the Coast Guard buoy tender docked there and met my brother’s retired captain. After we returned to Anchorage, I drove north to visit Wasilla, home of the Iditarod headquarters, and other sites for my research.

That sounds wonderful. Wish I could have gone with you. How was the setting chosen for this series?

My editor invited me to submit a proposal for a series of books set in Alaska. I was a bit intimidated, but overjoyed to be asked.

What do you like most about this collection?

I love the setting and the characters. The animals are a bonus.

 What book are you currently writing?

I’m actually working on two historicals. Lady Anne’s Quest is set in Oregon in 1855. An English lady had gone West to find her missing uncle. That will be part of my Prairie Dreams series from Barbour. Captive Trail is about a stagecoach driver who finds a white woman dressed like a Comanche lying unconscious in the road. It’s book 2 of the Texas Trails series from Moody, which I’m writing with Darlene Franklin (Lone Star Trail) and Vickie McDonough (The Long Trail Home).

Since all three of you are my friends, I'm very excited about that Moody series, as well as the Prairie Dreams series. What’s coming up next in your writing life?

More writing! I’m blessed to have books contracted to write through this year.

Tell us about the stories in Alaska Weddings.

In Always Ready, Caddie has followed her late father’s footsteps by becoming a Coast Guard officer. She serves in the Gulf of Alaska, where conditions are harsh. She is attracted to Aven, an officer on another ship home ported in Kodiak, but they discover a secret in the past that links them—and may keep them apart.

In Fire & Ice, Robyn (Aven’s sister) operates a kennel in Wasilla, where she raises and trains sled dogs. Six valuable dogs are stolen from her pens, and she turns to neighboring veterinarian Rick for help in finding them. Will they find romance, too?

In Polar Opposites, Aven and Robyn’s widowed mom, Cheryl is working in Rick’s veterinary clinic when she meets the new animal doctor, Oz Thormond. Cheryl thinks they are too different to ever “click,” but when Oz invites her to go to the North Slope with him and study polar bears, she begins to wonder.

Please give us the first page.

Here’s the first page of Always Ready (the first story in the collection):

Caddie Lyle stood on the bridge of the ship, watching out the windows ahead as the farthest Aleutian Islands came into view. The crew of her ship, the U.S. Coast Guard’s buoy tender Wintergreen, was carrying out its early summer assignment to check their most remote navigational aids and deliver supplies to a few isolated Native Alaskan villages. Volcanic mountains formed an eerily beautiful backdrop to the frothing seascape that stretched before them into infinity. The 225-foot ship seemed a tiny bit of flotsam.

The Bering Sea writhed all around the ship, tossing it up and down in nauseating plunges. Caddie braced her feet as a particularly violent lurch hit them. She focused on a large map hanging on the wall across the room. Seasickness rarely overtook her, but she’d struggled the past forty-eight hours in the inhospitable waters of the North.

The skipper paused beside her and looked forward out the big windows, at the barely visible land in the distance. “In a few hours, we’ll be at the western end of the U.S.A.”

Caddie nodded and pulled in deep breath. Her stomach settled down as the deck found a more level plane. “Can’t believe I’m really out here.”

“You can believe it. We’ll put in at Attu soon. When our errand there’s completed, we’ll head on home.”

Home and family seemed worlds away. Of all the people Caddie loved, only her father had seen these waters. Like her, he had come years ago with supplies for the Coast Guard station at Attu, the last in the chain of Aleutian islands. She stared out the side windows, where nothing but waves and sky existed. This wild setting reduced the massive Wintergreen to a fragile bark. But God was still above, keeping them afloat. She smiled at the thought.

“Sir,” Lindsey Rockwell, their operations specialist, called to the captain from her post at the radio desk. “I’m getting a distress signal.”

I love it already. Where can the readers find you on the Internet?

Come see my website at: http://www.susanpagedavis.com/

Thanks for coming by my blog today, Susan.
 
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.

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First February Winners!!

Bakersdozen (CA) is the winner of Masquerade Marriage by Anne Greene.
Deborah (VA) is the winner of Found in Translation by Roger Bruner.
Ticia (TX) is the winner of Advent Phoenix by Carol Parsons.
Jan Marie (IN) is the winner of Book of Days by James L Rubart.
Rbooth43 (NC) is the winner of The Rhythm of Secrets by Patti Lacy.
A good way to thank the author for the book is to write reviews and post them on Amazon and other online sites.

Congratulations, everyone. Send me your mailing address:
Click the Contact Me link at the top of the blog, and send me an Email.
You have 6 weeks to claim your book.
If you didn't win and you plan to order the book, please use the link provided on the individual interview. By using that link when you order, you will help support this blog.

A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

CITY OF TRANQUIL LIGHT - Bo Caldwell - Free Book

I was sent a copy of this book from the publisher and found the idea intriguing. I have a friend serving as a missionary in China today, so I'm very interested in the country.

I thought you readers would be interested in it. Here's a conversation the publisher sent to me.

It’s been nearly ten years since your first novel, THE DISTANT LAND OF MY FATHER, was published. What took you so long?

That’s a question I’ve asked myself. Part of the answer is that life intervened. I started the novel in 2002 and wrote perhaps eighty pages, and although I didn’t like them much, I’ve come to accept that mediocre first drafts are often part of my process. In 2004 I was diagnosed with stage-one breast cancer (I’m now healthy and cancer-free), so that fall and the first half of 2005 were given to chemo and radiation. It took another year for my head to clear enough to write fiction, and I returned to the novel in 2006 and finished it two years later. The other part of the answer is easy: I’m a slow writer, something I’ve made peace with.

CITY OF TRANQUIL LIGHT is based on the lives of your grandparents, who were missionaries in China and Taiwan. Where did you draw the line between their experiences and the fictional characters of Will and Katherine?

The biggest difference is that unlike my characters, my grandparents had five children. I chose not to deal with fictional children because they would complicate what felt like an already complex story. Also, my grandparents lived in five different cities in China and worked in Taiwan after the Communist takeover of China. I had my characters settle in one place so that I wouldn’t have to keep rebuilding cities, and I chose to have my characters stay in the United States once they returned because I wanted to focus on what leaving China meant for them, on aging and on their marriage. Finally, while my grandparents’ lives were certainly the primary inspiration for the book, I was also inspired by the lives of other missionaries, and I incorporated parts of their stories as well as my grandparents’. The line between what really happened to any of these people and what I made up or exaggerated is already blurry and, in my experience, will become more so as time passes.

China has played a large role in both of your novels. What does the country mean to you?

China represents a connection to my childhood and to my family. It’s where my grandparents lived most of their lives, and where my mom and her siblings grew up. Family dinners with my grandparents were always Chinese food, and I used to help my mom make chiaotza—steamed dumplings—when I was little. All my aunts and uncles knew how to make them. Everyone in my mom’s family had at least a couple of pieces of Chinese furniture in their homes, and my grandparents had many Chinese items. So in a weird way, there’s also a connection for me between China and home, although I’ve never been there.

In the book, you create a richly detailed vision of China in the early twentieth century. Can you tell us about your historical research into this period of Chinese history?

I’m not a fast researcher but I’m thorough, and I learn much more than what appears in the novel. I started with historical books about China, mostly from the library and used-book stores, then read biographies and autobiographies of missionaries who’d served in China, many of whom my grandparents had known. These books presented history through a narrower lens; I saw how historical events had affected specific individuals and places, which made those events more real and immediate.

How did you decide to tell the story from two different points in time?

Trial and error. The first draft was entirely in Will’s voice, and early readers said the story needed more of Katherine, for which I am very grateful. Someone also mentioned the word journal. At first I thought her journal might appear all in one section, but once I started writing it, I began interspersing it and enjoyed the dialogue that began to take shape. And I learned that rather than echoing or contradicting what Will said, Katherine could enlarge upon it and expand it, which appealed to me.

Will’s and Katherine’s faith brings them together and gives their lives both challenges and purpose. Did writing about their love and faith have any impact on your own marriage and/or faith?

Writing about Katherine’s decline made me value the present with my husband. We’re both healthy and (relatively) young, and I hope we have lots of years ahead of us. But writing about Will watching Katherine’s decline caused me to be more grateful for what we have now. And yes, the novel affected my faith strongly. When I started it in 2002, I tried to imagine my grandfather’s faith and to portray it accurately, but when I returned to the novel in 2006, after chemo and radiation, I no longer wanted that distance. I came to believe that although it was riskier to write about my own faith and what was in my heart—instead of hiding behind my grandfather—it was also more worthwhile.

CITY OF TRANQUIL LIGHT tells the story of two extraordinary lives, filled with hardship and joy. What did you learn in writing about those lives?

I learned about the cost of marriage, which I first saw with my parents. My mom and dad were married for fifty-six years, and when my dad passed away in 2000, I watched my mom lose him then begin her life without him. She was very brave, and although the way in which she did that was remarkable, it still broke my heart. When I read biographies of missionaries, I saw one spouse or the other go through the same thing: this devastating separation after decades of companionship. But I also saw them survive it, as has my mom, and go on to live good lives. If you marry and are fortunate enough to grow old together, one of you will lose the other. But people survive that, and they even thrive, despite that great loss. That inspires and encourages me.

Do you think you could endure the hardships your grandparents endured?

My gut response is no—I love the comforts of home—but we endure what we have to endure, don’t we? I’m also not sure I could have stayed as long as they did and remained so faithful to a calling. But I don’t think my grandparents knew they could do those things, and although I haven’t endured anything like they did, I’ve surprised myself by the ways I’ve gotten through some challenges in my life, and that’s something that excites me: we don’t know how we’ll be in a crisis. We often respond in ways we never dreamed we would, or could, a fact that gives me hope.

Thank you, Bo Caldwell, for a very interesting interview.

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.

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THE VOYAGE OF PROMISE - Kay Marshall Strom - Free Book

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

I wish I knew! All I know is that I need to keep on writing. It’s a wonderful journey, and I love it!

Tell us a little about your family.

My first husband, Larry, died after a long, horrifying illness. He was far too young. His illness, almost 10 years of care giving, and his untimely death have greatly impacted my life and the lives of my two children. Yet it was Larry who encouraged me to start writing and I will forever be grateful to him for it. I am now remarried to Dan—my greatest encourager, my best friend, and, by the way, my best editor. Between us, Dan and I have four grown children and four grandchildren.

Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?

Well, yes. But even more my reading habits have changed my writing. I’ve been writing for a quarter of a century now. (Yikes! Hard to believe!) At first, I wrote anything I thought had even the slightest chance of getting published, whether it was a genre I read or not. I did see a variety of things published, but just getting published wasn’t where my heart was. For the last eight years or so, most of my writing has circled around topics of social justice and how it applies to us as followers of Christ. That’s what I’d always read. Now my writing follows my heart.

What are you working on right now?

Even as my trilogy set in Africa during the days of the slave trade is being released, I am working on another trilogy, this one set in India. (I’m going a bit crazy trying to remember which continent I’m on!) Blessings in India is the generational sage of two families: untouchables and the high caste Christians who own them. Book 1, set in 1905, tells of the untouchables’ enslavement to the high caste moneylenders. Book 2 is set in 1946, the time of India’s independence. Book 3 is in current times. In one century, so many radical changes, yet so much stays the same.

Sounds like books I'll want to feature on my blog. Be sure and contact me when you have pub dates. What outside interests do you have?

I love to travel, which is why the foreign settings work so well for me. One of my great off-time activities is to speak on cruise ships in exchange for cruises for my husband and myself. We’re right now negotiating for one in the early spring that starts in Florida, goes through the Panama Canal, and all the way up the Pacific coast.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

Some settings choose me. Africa did. I was in Senegal working on another book, interviewing women of the persecuted church, when I visited an old slave trading fortress. Manacles… cells… holding places for tiny children. By the time I left, my head was pounding with story questions. On the other hand, India as a setting was first suggested by Indians who lamented the fact that the world cannot grasp life under the oppression of the caste system. When my editor suggested that same setting, I knew it was meant to be. I’ve been to India seven times, mostly on other writing projects, but there is still so much I don’t know. Fortunately I have friends there who are willing to be my first line readers.

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

Charles Dickens. His book, A Tale of Two Cities—which I read in 8th grade because I had to!—first showed me the power of the pen to address social injustice. The book left me breathless. I’d ask him if he made up his characters, or if they were based on people he knew. And I would ask him how he controlled his rage as he wrote about such unbearable things as poor little David Copperfield!

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

That sometimes there is a fine line between fact and fiction, and that’s okay so long as you don’t forget which side of that line you’re on.

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

That He is in control. I cannot change a thing. None of us can—although we can most certainly be faithful hands and feet and mouthpieces for Him to use. In the end, though, God’s perfect will is what will prevail. Always.

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

First, learn your craft, for writing is a craft. Classes, books, writers’ conferences—all will help in this.

Second, know what you’re writing about. Be willing to do the research, talk to the necessary people—do the traveling, if need be—in order to achieve a good degree of expertise in the subject. You may think a particular detail is small and no one will ever know the difference. But believe me, someone will, and if you’re wrong you have ruined your credibility.

Third, never give up. Write and write and write some more. Everyone gets better and better. No one gets worse and worse.

Tell us about the featured book.

The Voyage of Promise is the second book in the Grace in Africa trilogy. In book 1, The Call of Zulina, Grace Winslow, daughter of an English slave trader and his African princess wife, was forced out of her life of comfort and innocence when she was accidently caught up in a violent rebellion at her parents’ slave fortress, Zulina. She had to choose a side, and she aligned with the slaves. In the years between books 1 and 2, Grace married the slave Cabeto and established a new life. But as book 2 opens in 1792, slavers descend upon the village and tear her new family apart forever. She watches in anguish as her husband is led in chains aboard a tightly packed slave ship bound for America. An old enemy has a more sinister plan for Grace and prepares her for a different kind of servitude in London. But Grace will not be enslaved. And she will not give up on the man she loves. In her determination to be reunited with her husband, she finds God reaching out to her.

Interesting. Please give us the first page of the book.

West Africa, 1792

The African sky sizzled a deep orange as the blistering sun sank across the wall. All day long one griot after another had stood before the village, each storyteller taking his turn at weaving together a piece of the tale of how a few African captives outsmarted and outfought the powerful white slave man in his own slave fortress and won freedom for many. Each storyteller did his best to make his piece of the story the most dramatic, the most spectacular, the most breathtaking of all. Each one decorated his tale with songs and poems and gorgeously crafted words, so that when the entire story tapestry was complete, his part would shine more brightly than all the others. And each storyteller’s efforts were rewarded with energetic chants and cheers from the crowd.

Grace, settled comfortably between Mama Muco and Safya, grabbed at her little son who was once again doing his best to wriggle away from her. “Stay close, Kwate,” she warned. Grace tried to be stern with the little one, but even as she scolded, a smile tugged at the edges of her voice. Never in her life had she been as happy as she was at that moment.

As the sun pitched low on the stifling evening, as the feast goats crackled in the roasting pit, as children threw beetles into the fire to toast and then dig out and pop in their mouths, drums beat the celebration into a fever pitch. People had poured in from villages far and near to join the celebration and bring offerings for the ancestors, for the great rebellion was a part of their lives, too. Their griots came along and jostled for a chance to stand before the people and weave in their own village’s piece of the story. And because it is in the nature of a storyteller to be a gossip, each one tried to outdo the others in passing along the latest news about the restoration of the slave fortress, Zulina. A new white man ran it now, one announced. He was called by the name of Hathaway, and he was a harder man than Joseph Winslow ever was.

Grace caught her breath. Jasper Hathaway? The man her parents had tried to force her to marry?

Even more intriguing. How can readers find you on the Internet?

Look for me on my website: http://www.kaystrom.com/ and on Facebook.

Also, please come by my dedicated blog site a leave a message http://www.graceinafrica.com/ . My other blog is at http://www.kaystrom.wordpress.com/ .

Thank you, Kay, for the very interesting discussion.
 
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.

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RAIDER'S HEART - Marcia Gruver - Free Book

I'm excited about this new series, Marcia. What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about?


My books tend to have four distinct threads woven throughout or at least touched on. The themes most prevalent in my novels are salvation, forgiveness, parent/child relationships, and racial prejudice. Can’t seem to escape these topics, so perhaps they’re a calling of sorts. At least for now.

I know what you mean. Many of my my books touch on the same themes in varying ways. What other books of yours are coming out soon?

The fate of Reddick “Tiller” McRae, the impish but lovable boy the McRaes open hearth and home to, remains a bit of a mystery at the end of Raider’s Heart. In Bandit’s Hope (release date: October, 2011) we discover what happened to Tiller and the scandalous mischief he’s been about in the ten years since he’s been missing.

I'll put that on my schedule, too. If you could spend an evening with one contemporary person (not a family member of yours), who would it be and why?

I’m thinking Bill Gates, one of the richest men in the world. Many people believe that acquiring great wealth will solve all their problems and ultimately make them happy. Since Bill is in a position to know, I’d like to ask him if he agrees.

I admire the way he and his wife have become philanthopists. What historical person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why?

Funny you should ask. After researching Raider’s Heart, I would love to meet Henry Berry Lowry, North Carolina’s infamous bad-boy/hero featured in the book. I first learned of Henry in a TV documentary where he was portrayed as irresistibly handsome and a tireless champion for his people.

There are very few pictures of Henry available, but from the written accounts, they hardly do him justice. Said to resemble a gypsy, he was known as the Don Juan of Scuffletown. Even the families of those he killed in the post civil war conflict called him one of the handsomest men they ever saw.

In The Swamp Outlaws by George Alfred Townsend, Henry is described in much detail. Some of his many charms are quoted below:

“His voice is sweet and pleasant, and in his manner there is nothing self-important or swaggering. He is not talkative, listens quietly, and searches out whoever is speaking to him like a man illiterate in all books save the two great books of nature, and human nature above all.”

“No man who stands face to face with him can resist his quiet will and assurance and his searching eye. Without fear, without hope, defying society. . .if he had lived ages ago he would have been a William the Conqueror.”

Sigh. . .

Yes, I’m a hopeless romantic. I confess to having quite a crush on Henry Berry Lowry by the time I finished my research.

How can you encourage authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers?

Tell a good story! Studying trends and publisher’s guidelines are important, but without an interesting plotline and riveting characters, you’re wasting everyone’s time—including your own.

Tell us about the featured book.

Since I can’t say it better, allow me to answer with the back cover copy:

A Silly Little Lamp has turned Dawsey Wilkes's life upside down.

Hooper and Duncan McRae grew up hearing their father's tales of the little golden lamp that eluded his possession. Hooper, always the daring brother, seizes a once-in-a-lifetime chance when passing the Wilkes house to get a peek at the legendary lamp. But simple curiosity could open a Pandora's box of trouble for the McRaes.

Whisked from her opulent home in the middle of the night, Dawsey Wilkes wakes up deep in the Carolina swamps, the prisoner of a rowdy family who support the infamous Henry Berry Lowry, a vigilante intent on bringing justice to the poor.

Wooed by the competitive McRae brothers and shunned by their sister Ellie, Dawsey remains intent on getting back home to her ailing father. But has it been God's plan all along to unite these two very different families?

I know I'm going to love reading this. Please give us the first page of the book.

Fayetteville, North Carolina, 1852

Silas McRae crashed through the moonlit cornfield and burst out the other side panting like a hounded deer. Free of the noisy stalks, he lit out at full speed then tripped and kissed the bottom of an irrigation canal. Cursing his foolhardy decision to return to Fayetteville in the first place, he lifted his mud-smeared face and took stock of the situation.

He saw not a soul of his band of misfits across the wide expanse of newly mowed grounds, and no one hunkered along the tree line past the nearby manor. They’d cut out on him when the heat turned up. As simple as that.

A surge of warmth crept up his neck at the thought of the skirmish he’d just dodged. Every lead slug exploding from the end of a scattergun had missed him cold. Every indignant hand on the scruff of his neck had fallen away as he ran.

By thunder! He loved the thrill of the chase. The bulging knapsack of loot under his arm only topped the cake.

His roaming gaze eagerly swept the stately main house, and he closed his eyes for fear their sudden twinkle might be spotted from afar. It appeared his night of plunder wasn’t done. What treasure lay behind those gilded walls? Beckoning. . .

As stealthy as a panther, Silas crept toward the siren’s call. With any luck, he’d have a king’s portion to lay at Odie’s feet on his return. His lovely wife would be most proud.

He angled across the courtyard to the backside of the house and came to the first window. Squinting in disbelief, he watched the curtains gently swaying. With a sense of destiny, he raised the sash higher and peered inside. Cocking his head, his trained ears strained for the slightest noise.

Nothing.

Smiling, he swung his lithe body over the sash and soundlessly touched the floor. When his eyes adjusted to the meager light, he gasped.

Trinkets and charms of every description lined the top of the polished dresser. On one side a solid brass bell, a fine kerosene lantern on the other. In the center, a delicate silver tray held an infant’s brush and comb along with matching vessels of various shapes and sizes. Fanciful falderal, his for the taking.

He placed the lantern near the window to snatch up as he slipped out. But first. . .

Stuffing a crocheted doily into the mouth of the bell to silence the clapper, he opened his sack to add it and the silver pieces to his collection. Rubbing his hands together, he took inventory of the dusky room to see what might be next.

A glint of reflected moonlight caught his eye from across the room. He tiptoed toward it, amazed that the shimmer seemed suspended in midair. Closer inspection revealed an item displayed on a glass-topped table.

A chill shot up his spine. Had he stumbled across Aladdin’s magic cave?

The curious low-slung lamp had a long spout and ornate handle—fashioned of gold, if he knew his business. Breathless, he hefted it to test the weight and smiled.

Worth a fortune!

Rustling in the corner spun Silas toward the sound. More startled by what he saw than what he heard, he crept close for a better look. Heart racing, he parted the mosquito net draped around the crib and gazed at the unforeseen windfall.

A baby sat up in bed, propped by legs so fat they creased in impossible places. A white nightdress tucked under one side of its bum made it difficult for the little mite to stay upright. Struggling to keep its balance, the child stared at him with round, questioning eyes.

Laying aside the lamp, Silas’s hands inched forward, stopping when sudden creases feathered the delicate brow and the rosebud mouth puckered to cry.

Odie’s words flew at him like darts from the shadowed corners. “Promise me! Swear on your life you won’t steal a babe and leave its mother with empty arms—not even for me.”

He straightened and patted the pudgy leg. “S’alright, snippet. Don’t aim to hurt you none.”

With practiced hands, he eased the child down on the mattress, tucking the cover into the folds of its chubby neck. The delicate threads of the blanket were so fine, they snagged on the tips of his calloused fingers. “There you are, little one,” he cooed. “All snug in your bed.”

The baby blinked up with wary eyes.

Silas chuckled. “Don’t fret, now. Go on to sleep. Tomorrow’s another day.”

He carefully swept up the nearby bounty and bundled it into a spare knapsack. Satisfied, he nodded. “Your husband’s a man of his word, Odell McRae. What I take from this room will leave no empty arms behind.”

Crossing to the door, he cast one last glance at the sleeping baby in the cradle and nodded. “That’s right, good wife. A man of his word.”

Wow! Once again your opening really grabs me, Marcia. How can readers find you on the Internet?

Readers may contact me at http://www.marciagruver.com/. I’d love to hear from you.

Thank you, Marcia, for the thought-provoking interview.
 
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/

LADY IN THE MIST - Laurie Alice Eakes - 2 Winners, Free Book and Either a Tote or Mug

I've been looking forward to this interview for quite a while. I was privileged to read this manuscript for an endorsement, and fell in love with the people and the story. Welcome, Laurie Alice. Why do you write the kind of books you do?

These are the kind of books I like to read—adventure, mystery/suspense, and, above all, romance. Although I enjoy other genres, the historical romance has been my preference since I discovered them about twenty years ago.

Since I also love writing historical romance books, I understand. I love reading them, too. Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?

This one is difficult. I’ve had a lot of happy days in my life—getting married, making my first sale, and my second and… :-) Winning awards. . . I don’t honestly think I can pin down one day.

How has being published changed your life?

How much space do I have? I think I could write a book just about that. Especially in the last two years, when I started making significant sales, I have had to think through what my behavior, my words, my whole demeanor conveys to the public. Although I think that as a Christian, too, it’s a bit different now. I have an audience, a special audience, that comes from all faiths and all walks of life. If I’m too opinionated on certain issues—and I am opinionated—I could alienate someone.

Yes, besides the writing full-time aspect, I believe I have become a more thoughtful and considerate person. Funny what things God uses to change our hearts.

What are you reading right now?

I’m actually between books and deciding what to read next. Mostly I’ve been reading critiques and contest entries—and my own edits.

What is your current work in progress?

I have two at the moment. I am editing my second midwife book, out next February, and working on another book for Avalon, which right now I call my lady lawyer book.

They both sound very interesting. I'll want to feature them on my blog. What would be your dream vacation?

I want to stay in a Scottish castle. Although I’ve been to continental Europe three times, I haven't yet made it to Great Britain, especially Scotland. Or maybe I just want to go to a warm sunny island and lie around on the sun-baked sand.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

That depends on the book. Sometimes, like with the midwife series, I came up with the story first, then thought of the best setting for it. But with my Heartsongs, I chose the setting, then read about the place until I came up with the story. Mostly though, I pick places I like or find interesting. Virginia is special to me. I have a tie to it, besides having lived there for a considerable percentage of my life, so I love books set there.

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

I think I’m supposed to pick someone famous, but, frankly, I think it would have to be my sister. I don’t think the two of us have spent an evening together just the two of us since we were children, and I have a lot of things I’d like to ask her, as her life has been so different from mine so far. Besides, she’s just an interesting woman in her own right.

You can choose whoever you want to for the answer, and your choice was a good one. What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I don’t know if I have a “hobby.” I knit a little but am not very good at it. I like doing a lot of things like hiking and watching movies and listening to music, especially live music. If I could indulge this, which I can't where I currently live, I would probably make a hobby of finding new musicians to go listen to.

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

Self-doubt. Definitely self-doubt. Despite selling 15 books and a novella, winning a major award and finalling in another, I just can’t believe that I’m writing things people want to read.

That is something I believe all authors face from time to time. What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Finish. It’s the best advice I ever received. You can’t submit an unfinished manuscript and sell it, with a few exceptions. At some point, you have to let the work go. Once you do, sit down and start another one; don’t sit around and wait to learn the fate of the first one.

Tell us about the featured book.

Here is the back cover copy, and it’s so much more, a subtle allegory of our old life and new life in Christ. How? That’s telling too much of the story. It’s a book that took me a long time to write, not the actually story. I wrote it in four months, but the actual idea and concept took a long time to germinate and come to fruition. I think this makes it more special.

By virtue of her profession as a midwife, Tabitha Eckles is the keeper of many secrets.

Dominick Cherrett is a man with his own secret to keep: namely, what he, a British aristocrat, is doing on American soil working as an indentured servant.

In a time when relations between America and England rest on the edge of a knife, Tabitha and Dominick cross paths, leading them on a journey of intrigue, threats, public disgrace, and . . . love? But can Tabitha trust Dominick? Finding true love seems impossible in a world set against them.

With stirring writing that draws you directly into the story, Lady in the Mist takes you on the thrilling ride of love’s discovery.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Seabourne, Virginia
May 1809

"I'm sorry." Tabitha Eckles dared not look Harlan Wilkins in the eye. If she witnessed even a flicker of grief, the floodgates of her own tears would spring open and drown her good sense in a moment when she needed all of it. "I did everything I could to save your wife."

"I'm sure you did." Wilkins's tone held no emotion. He stood next to the dining room sideboard with the rigidity of a porch pillar. Candlelight played across the lower half of his face, sparkling in the crystal glass he held to his lips without drinking, without speaking further.

"The baby came too soon ..." Tabitha needed to say something more to a husband who had just lost his young bride of only six months, as well as their son. "After the accident—"

"Did she regain consciousness?" Wilkins lashed out the words. The amber contents of his glass sloshed, sending the sharp scent of spirits wafting around him.

Tabitha jumped. "No. I mean, yes. That is—" She took a breath to steady her racing heart and give herself a moment to think of a safe answer. "She mumbled a lot of nonsense."

At least Tabitha hoped it was nonsense, the ravings of a woman in terrible pain.

Readers, this is only a tiny taste of the wonderful story.

Laurie Alice, how can readers find you on the Internet?

I have a web site that has my books, some stuff about me, reviews, and excerpts. I also have a blog, which I’ve just revived.
http://www.lauriealiceeakes.com/
http://www.seizethechance.blogspot.com/

Thank you, Laurie Alice, for this fun visit today.
 
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. On this interview, the winner will have to be from the US. (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/

BLOOD COVENANT - Lisa Harris - Free Book

I'm always glad to welcome my friend, Lisa Harris, to the blog. Since you’re being published regularly, what new avenues will your future books take?

To be honest, one thing I am constantly reminded of in this publishing journey is that I can write stories, continue to learn the craft, and submit to publishers, but in the end I have little control over the future. In spite of that, God has blessed me lately with opportunities to be able to write books that combine issues that are on my heart with fiction, something I am very grateful for. I’d love to be able to continue writing fiction that not only gives the reader a fast-paced adventure, but stories that stretch people’s worldview as well.

I love that your books do that so well. Readers, Lisa and her family are missionaries in Africa. Her books take me there, and I know the settings are authentic. Now, Lisa, what conferences will you be attending this year? Will you be a speaker at any of them?

Even though living overseas makes going to yearly conferences a challenge, I’ve still been blessed to attend several of the ACFW conferences over the past few years. We are now back in the States temporarily, and while I was unable to go to a conference, it worked out for me to visit my publisher, Zondervan, and meet in person with my editor and marketing director, as well as my publicist. Meeting face-to-face with all of them has been a real blessing. I’ve also been able to connect with a few of my writing buddies [including you, Lena :-) ] which has been a big encouragement for me.

If you were in charge of planning the panel discussion at a writing conference, what topic would the panel cover, and who would you ask to be on the panel, and why?

It’s a bit of a unique perspective, but I would love to hear from readers themselves as to what books have changed and challenged them the most and why.

That would be interesting. Maybe we should work on that for another year. How important is it to you to be active in writing organizations?

I think it’s very important to be as active as possible in a writing organization. They are a wonderful place to meet other writers, get advice, grow in your craft, and make connections with editors and publishers. I’m so thankful for the friends I have made through writing organizations.

Where in the community or your church do you volunteer?

My family is blessed to be able to work fulltime in ministry overseas. Besides my involvement with that, I also started a non-profit organization this past year. The ECHO Project was birthed out of a need to meet the physical needs of the people we work with in Africa.

I love the ECHO Project that you and Lynne started. Who are the five people who have made the most impact on your life, and how?

Wow, do I have to limit it to five? I guess because I’m home with family for the first time in a long time, I’m reminded again of how blessed I am to have such a supportive family. From my husband who has always believed in me and who encourages me to reach for my dreams, to my mom who’s always been there for me, rooting me on. I’ve also been blessed with the example of my husband’s aunt and uncle, Allen and Janelle Avery, who lived in Africa over forty years. We were able to work with them until Allen passed away last summer, but his impact on me and others will last a very long time. I’ve also been greatly impacted by missionaries like Jim Elliot and others who once said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” What incredible words of truth, that continue to keep me focused on what really matters.

When I wrote for Accelerated Christian Education, I wrote the videoscript for a feature on Jim Elliot. That saying of his has stayed with me for years. If you could write the inscription on your tombstone, what would it be?

She lived with no regrets.

Tell us about the featured book.

Blood Covenant is book two in my Mission Hopes series from Zondervan and a story I’m so excited to share with you. Here is the description from Zondervan’s website. “From the explosive first pages, Lisa Harris weaves a tale of heart-stopping suspense and adventure with her second book in the Mission Hope Series.

When fighting erupts between government forces and renegade Ghost Soldiers deep within the Republic of Dhambizao, thousands are forced to leave their homes. Dr. Paige Ryan, who works with Volunteers of Hope International, is sent to lead a team to set up a refugee transit site—where the immediate needs for shelter, water, sanitation, and food are critical. Nick Gilbert, a bush pilot for Compassion Air, joins the team to help fly supplies in and out of the area.

With the refugee camp already experiencing overcrowding, raids, and uprisings, a group of American mountain climbers is attacked by the Ghost Soldiers. Paige’s medical team responds immediately, rescuing survivors and taking them into the camp. When it’s discovered that one of the trekkers is carrying an infectious disease, the harrowing conditions of the camp are forgotten.

In desperate need of vaccines and the Ghost Soldiers blocking the only road out until their demands for amnesty are met, it won’t be long before the disease is out of control … and there is nowhere to run.

I can't wait until I get my book. I loved the first one in the series and have been waiting impatiently for the second one. Please share the first page with us.

PROLOGUE
THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 3:48 P.M.
Republic of Dhambizao (RD), Anamadi Township

Jonas Moya moved from the narrow alleyway onto the dusty street, then disappeared into the late afternoon crowd. The country's elite, with their fancy government buildings, commercial strips, and plush houses, had all but forgotten the tangled web of muddy alleyways that laced the sprawling slums of the capital. Which made the high-density township the perfect place to hide.

He breathed in a lungful of acidic smoke from the piles of trash burning in the distance, then glanced again behind him. A group of women balanced buckets of water on their heads. Children played along the edge of the road. A drunk loitered in front of a shop. But there were no signs of anyone following him.

He shook off the uneasy sensation. Rarely did President Tau's soldiers set foot inside the rambling settlement, known for its high crime and corruption—even with the recent order to round up every member of the Ghost Soldiers in the country-wide manhunt stretching from the capital to the to the base of Mt. Maja. It was an order that had left him on the run.

Anger replaced his unease. None of the president's government officials had complained about the generous financial kickbacks they'd received from the dozens of slave-labor camps the Ghost Soldiers set up throughout the country's fertile mines. But their fat payments didn't change the fact that he and the others would take the fall for their crimes, while the current government remained innocent before the UN and the rest of the world.

The crowd thinned and an eerie silence settled across the humid afternoon air. It took a full five seconds for Jonas to grasp what was happening. By then he stood fully exposed to a dozen uniformed soldiers converging on the leaders' rendezvous point less than ten meters in front of him. Automatically he dropped for cover behind a battered pickup, but not before catching a glimpse of his brother, Seba, and four others lying face down in the dusty street. If he'd arrived five minutes earlier, he'd be lying there as well.

Clinging to the truck's rusty bumper, he searched for an escape route, weighing his options one by one. His best bet was to take the alley across the street and get lost in the endless maze of cinder-block houses. But running would do nothing for his brother and the others.

Squinting in the bright afternoon sunlight, he peered around the dented bumper. One of the soldiers kicked Seba in the ribs. "Where are the rest of your men?"

Seba rolled over, sprang to his feet, and slammed into the soldier. Instinctively, Jonas pulled out the weapon hidden beneath his thin jacket, but not before a shot ripped through the humid air. Seba dropped onto the street. Blood seeped through his pant leg and spilled across the brown dirt beneath him.

Jonas fought rising panic. There was still no sign of Ngozi. Together the two of them might stand a chance, but alone, any heroic rescue would prove foolish against President Tau's elite.

The soldiers began to spread out, searching for the missing rebel leaders—and making his hiding place vulnerable. Another group of soldiers approached from behind. Jonas dropped to all fours and cursed. He'd waited too long, and now his only escape was blocked. Another gunshot echoed in the air. The few remaining curious onlookers scattered toward the surrounding compounds. A soldier yelled. Jonas' jaw tensed as two of them headed toward his position.

For a split second he considered the odds, then made a run for the alley. Halfway across the street, he felt a bullet rip through his shoulder. He stumbled, pain searing his senses. Blood dripped down his arm, but he couldn't afford to slow his pace. He flew toward the narrow alley lined with someone's laundry, trying to ignore the thundering footsteps behind him. Yanking a shirt from the line, he pressed it against the wound. Behind him, the two soldiers closed in.

Anger and adrenalin drowned out the pain. For years, he and the other men had been nothing more than puppets in the hands of their own government. Hundreds of them had been recruited and trained as the president's secret guard. Today they were called insurgents and rebels. Used for the government's purposes, like the running of their slave-labor camps, they were then easily disposed of when the rest of the world caught on.

Jonas slipped into the afternoon shadows of the deserted alley, took a sharp left, then a right, managing to put distance between him and the soldiers. A plan began to form in the recesses of his mind. That same government believed they could get away with watching them rot in some dark prison in exchange for more foreign aid and UN support.

Not if he had his way.

Wow! Bring it on!! Where can my readers find you on the Internet?

Stop by my website at http://www.lisaharriswrites.com/ or my blog for a slice of Africa at http://myblogintheheartofafrica.blogspot.com/.

To learn more about our new non-profit, please visit http://www.theechoproject.org/.

Thanks, Lena! It’s always a pleasure to stop by!

And as always, Lisa, I loved having you.
 
Readers, be sure to check out her links. I love all the pictures from Africa on her blog. And the ECHO Project is a very worthy cause.
 
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/