HANA-LANI - Christine Sunderland - Free Book

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

I write a good deal of myself into my characters.  Every character has some of me or my life in them.  I draw on my own experience, at times dramatize and exaggerate it, but there is usually a kernel from my life.  My time spent in Italy, France, and England as well as Hawaii has been a major resource, and the characters reflect not only me but folks I have known, their desires and their fears.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I'm not very quirky, but I've had some experiences that were unexpected and remarkable.  Once while hiking in a Hawaiian rain forest, I tripped on a rock, flew through the air, arms outstretched, and softly landed in high grass where an angry guinea hen, defending a nearby nest, batted her wings and glared at me with menacing beady eyes. (an experience I used in Hana-lani)

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

Quite late in life.  In our European travels I kept detailed journals, and with descriptions of people I met along the way as well as settings.  Then I thought it would be fun to add a plot.  One thing led to another, and quite late in life – my fifties – I found I had written a novel which I called Pilgrimage, set in Italy.  OakTara offered me my first contract in 2007, and they followed this with the publication of Offerings, set in France, Inheritance, set in England (a trilogy), and Hana-lani, set in Hawaii (a stand-alone).

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

I love history and good fiction.  Not being a scholar, I prefer my history to be "popular" with attention to irony and interesting moments that created the culture in which we live today (Paul Johnson, Barbara Tuchman, Gertrude Himmelfarb).  I prefer fiction with attention to metaphor, but with compelling thought-provoking themes and a good story.  (Children of Men by P.D. James; The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards; Father Elijah by Michael D. O'Brien; War in Heaven by Charles Williams; Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro; The Death of a Pope by Piers Paul Read, Father Elijah by Michael D. O'Brien).

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

Good question!  I limit television and my to-do list and try not to over-extend.  I begin and end my days with prayer – morning and evening (ten minutes) and pause to give thanks at meals and during the day.  I exercise regularly and try and remember to breathe.  I worship God weekly in my local parish church.  I try to do my best and leave the rest up to God.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

At first I used family names and still do when I can, personalizing the writing experience.  I make lists and Google them to see what associations might crop up in the reader's mind, associations I might not have thought of.  The names need to be dissimilar in a particular book and somehow sound like the character as well as reflect the ethnic background.  They may be names that have a payoff in the end.  In my work-in-progress one of the main characters has a middle name that later becomes meaningful.  It's surprisingly difficult to meet all these criteria so I usually change them a few times during the writing process.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Giving birth to my son, raising him (for a time as a single parent), and seeing him now as a responsible, loving father and husband who has a strong faith in God, with a lovely wife and two adorable children.

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

A cat.  They seem so contented, clever, and sociable.  I love cats and we have two remarkable ones who are making a cameo appearance in my novel-in-progress.

What is your favorite food?

Salmon lightly cooked.  But I also love Fuji apples with soy nut butter, and green salads with tomatoes.

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

Making my sentences too long for the modern reader, and sometimes creating phrase lists that go on and on so that the reader gets bored and confused and generally wants to toss my book far far far away, in a dark dreary place where there is no light, or so a local editor once warned me, and another said the practice came from reading the Psalms which I find fascinating.  I try and watch out for the tendency.  Varying my sentences helps.   I'm not sure I can say I've overcome it.

Tell us about the featured book.

Hana-lani is the story of old Nani-lei who lives in Hana-lani, her family home in rural Hawaii.  She looks after her grandson Henry, 52, and his daughter Lucy, 6, who have returned to Maui from Berkeley after the death of Maria, Henry's wife.  Henry and Maria, both professors, had been working on A History of Ethics, and now the grieving Henry struggles to finish it.

The story also follows the life of city girl Meredith Campbell, 36, fast-paced, self-centered, and beautiful, who believes her body will ensure her happiness.  After losing her job and finding her lover unfaithful, she flies to Maui, sure he will follow…but her plane crashes near Hana-lani.

As their worlds collide in a natural world both beautiful and dangerous, Henry is forced to act on his words, and Meredith comes face-to-face with her own life choices.

Hana-lani considers the “permanent questions” T.S. Eliot asks – what is goodness, truth, and love?

Please give us the first page of the book. 

S

an Francisco magazine said she was one of the most eligible women in town, and Meredith Campbell agreed. It was nice to be appreciated since moving from New York, nice to be admired in the party circuit. She had arrived at the City by the Bay in early 2002, so it had taken her only two years to get her name in print.

            The workout room was packed with slim bodies, pushing and pulling, engaging steel levers and weights, grinding rubber soles onto moving belts. Above the whirring of the machines and the beeping digital read-outs, a rock band wailed as the February rain fell silently outside the double-paned windows of the tenth-floor club.

            She flipped her cell shut, thought better of it, flipped it open, and tapped another number. She had finished twenty minutes on the Stairmaster and read her results: 178 calories. Not bad. Unlike some women who let themselves go, she worked hard, two hours daily, to meet her standards, but it seemed she could never quite meet them; she could never be quite like those models in the magazines. Still, her legs were long with muscular calves, her thighs toned, her tummy almost flat, her hips just wide enough to be alluring, her waist sweet and narrow. Her breasts tilted up nicely, impressive in her stretch camisole. She couldn’t complain about her facial features, either, with the high cheekbones, wide-set blue eyes, star smile, and thick blond hair falling to her shoulders. She had come to expect men to melt at first glance.

            Holding the phone to her ear, Meredith waited, counting the rings, not wanting to leave a message.

            “Pick up, Parker, pick up.” She wiped her brow and climbed off the Stairmaster.

            “Parker Kirby, Accounts,” Parker said in her clipped voice, sounding rushed as usual.

            “They fired me,” Meredith hissed as she slipped her magazine, folded back on “How to Find Love,” into her Gucci tote alongside the Chronicle’s horoscope page. The astrologer had predicted today would not be good.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.ChristineSunderland.com

http://mytravels.ChristineSunderland.com

Twitter: Chrisunderland

Facebook: Christine Thomas Sunderland

Publisher: www.OakTara.com

Contributor to the Christian Post: http://blogs.christianpost.com/bindings/

Thank you for spending this time with us, Christine.



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 if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link.
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SHE MAKES IT LOOK EASY - MaryBeth Whalen - Free Book

Why do you write the kind of books you do?

I just follow the ideas that are placed on my heart and count them as gifts from the Creator. I plan to keep doing that as long as the ideas keep coming.

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

I have found that those monumental “happiest days” are rarely what you expect them to be. Getting married and having my children were all so surreal I can honestly say I wasn’t the happiest I’ve ever been. I was also stressed and confused and overwhelmed and… a thousand other emotions. So I guess I would look to the happiest moments instead of happiest days. The moments God gives me where I look around and think “I am really happy.” Seeing my son who almost died as a baby swim across the pool, the water sloughing off him as his arms move with such force. Thinking, “We actually got to this point. Thank You God.” Being mesmerized by my youngest’s impish grin and thinking “I am so happy I followed Your leading and had this out-of-the-ordinary family.” Looking at my husband and still feeling so much love for him after 20 years of marriage. Laughing hard with my teens over something. Cuddling up with my children. Those are the happiest moments. And for those I am truly grateful.

How has being published changed your life?

I can’t tell you how much my life has been enriched by the opportunity to enter this writing community. I have been so blessed by meeting other writers—people who process life like I do, through writing. People who “get me.” That’s invaluable.

What are you reading right now?

I am doing some research for an idea that involves a WWII storyline, so I am reading books on WWII and novels that have centered around WWII, just seeing how they did it. As a contemporary novelist, I never thought I’d be doing historical research!

What is your current work in progress?

I have a novel that will be coming out in fall of 12. This one will be a follow-up (not a sequel!) to The Mailbox, my first novel. It will be set in Sunset Beach, NC again and will be another love story that centers around an inanimate object that brings two people together. I am quite excited about it!

What would be your dream vacation?

An entire summer spent at Sunset Beach, NC. One or two weeks is just not enough!

How do you choose your settings for each book?

I choose settings I am familiar with. This goes back to the old writing advice, “Write what you know.” So far that’s been Sunset Beach, NC (where we have vacationed for years) and my hometown of Charlotte, NC.

If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why? I would say Ann Voskamp, author of the book 1000 Gifts. That book is so inspiring, and so is she.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

Running. If you can call exercising a hobby. Cooking too. I love finding and trying new recipes. 

I love reading recipe books. Does that count? What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?

Finding time. With six kids and a busy life, I have to make writing happen and make sacrifices to do it. That’s not always what I want… but it is necessary if I want to pursue this dream to its fullest potential.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Write the book that’s on your heart. Read authors who are similar to your style/subject matter. Learn as much as you can about writing.

Tell us about the featured book.

Ariel Baxter has just moved into the neighborhood of her dreams. The chaos of domestic life and the loneliness of motherhood, however, moved with her. Then she meets her neighbor, Justine Miller. Justine ushers Ariel into a world of clutter-free houses, fresh-baked bread, homemade crafts, neighborhood playdates, and organization techniques designed to make marriage better and parenting manageable.

Soon Ariel realizes there is hope for peace, friendship, and clean kitchen counters. But when rumors start to circulate about Justine’s real home life, Ariel must choose whether to believe the best about the friend she admires or consider the possibility that “perfection” isn’t always what it seems to be.

A novel for every woman who has looked at another woman’s life and said, “I want what she has,” She Makes It Look Easy reminds us of the danger of pedestals and the beauty of authentic friendship.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Here is a link to the first chapter of She Makes It Look Easy for your readers: http://www.scribd.com/doc/55551500/She-Makes-It-Look-Easy

How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.marybethwhalen.com

www.twitter.com/marybethwhalen

www.shereads.org

www.southernbelleview.com


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 if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link.
Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

JEWEL OF PERSIA - Roseanna M White - Free Book

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

I love history. For as long as I've been learning about it, I've been jotting down story ideas that could weave that history in and bring it to life. My biblicals I write because I love how delving in and researching them helps me better understand my faith and the awesomeness of my Lord.

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

Well, it's hard to choose between wedding day and the births of my kids, so I'm going to say any one of several days last September, when we had a simply fantastic family vacation in the Outer Banks of NC. Weather, circumstances, lodging, and family just came together perfectly for one amazing week. Ah, bliss.

How has being published changed your life?

I don't have to feel quite so guilty spending every spare moment at my computer. ;-) No, seriously, the most life-changing part for me is reader feedback. There is absolutely nothing in the world like being told that God used your words, your story to change a life, deepen a faith, or renew an appreciation for Christian fiction.

What are you reading right now?

UNFORGETTABLE by Trish Perry. I'm only a chapter in, but I can't wait to read more!

What is your current work in progress?

Well, at the moment I'm doing revisions on my December release, Love Finds You in Annapolis, Maryland, and also working up a proposal for a story set in the same era (Revolutionary War) but in New York. Need to make a few tweaks to that one yet. =)

What would be your dream vacation?

Oh my—this changes daily for me, LOL. At the moment, we'd really love to go to Sicily. When I was 12 we had a foreign exchange student from Germany, and he's now living in Sicily and begging us to come visit. How we'd love to! If only someone would invent instant—and free—transportation!

How do you choose your settings for each book?

Usually the history I'm calling on determines my setting for me. With JEWEL OF PERSIA, for instance, I knew I wanted to write a book that combined Esther and Herodotus's HISTORIES, so that meant I had to put them in Persia, mostly Susa, and along the route to Greece, in the early years of the reign of Xerxes.

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

Gotta say, no one famous—I'd pick my critique partners (I'm cheating and lumping them together, ha ha). We've only met in person twice, so having an evening with these wonderful ladies is the very best of treats!

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

You mean there's a world outside of writing and reading??? ;-) I love to bake, I get into grooves where I do sketches, and my kiddos take up a lot of my time, especially now that we're homeschooling. We love to take walks together, and have a blast with our Friday Night Family Time, which usually includes a movie and popcorn.

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

Time. I often feel like I can't string two thoughts—much less two sentences—together without interruption. Thankfully, I have a very supportive family. My mother-in-law now takes the kids every Monday to give me a solid writing day, and my hubby doesn't mind when I take an hour or two to write when the kids are in bed, every now and then.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Keep at it, don't be afraid to learn and grow and let yourself develop through practice, and CONNECT! Can't stress that one enough. It's by joining writing groups that I've most developed and plugged into the industry.

Tell us about the featured book?

JEWEL OF PERSIA is the Esther story you've never read before. ;-) I'll paste the back cover copy:

How can she love the king of kings without forsaking her Lord of lords?

Kasia grew up in a poor Jewish home with more siblings than luxuries. But when a chance encounter forces her to the palace of Xerxes, she becomes a concubine to the richest man in the world. She alone, of all Xerxes' wives, loves the man beneath the crown. She alone, of all his wives, holds the heart of the king of kings.

Traveling with Xerxes through Europe as he mounts a war against Greece, Kasia knows enemies surround her, but they’re not the Spartans or Athenians. The threat lies with those close to the king who hate her people. She determines to put her trust in Jehovah–even if it costs her her marriage.

Years of prayers are answered when Kasia's childhood friend arrives at the palace after the war, but even as she determines to see Esther crowned in place of the bloodthirsty former queen, she knows the true battle is far from over. How far will her enemies go to see her undone?

Combining the biblical account of Esther with Herodotus's Histories, Jewel of Persia is the story of a love that nearly destroys an empire . . . and the friendship that saves a nation.

Please give us the first page of the book. 

Susa, Persia

The third year of the reign of Xerxes

The river called to Kasia before she saw it, the voice of its sweet waters promising a moment of unbridled sensation. Kasia cast a glance over her shoulder at her young friend. She ought not go. Abba forbade it—rarely enough to keep her away, but today she was not alone. Still. Esther was not opposed to adventure, once one overcame her initial reservation.

Kasia gripped her charge’s hand and grinned. “Come. Let us bathe our feet.”

Esther’s creased forehead made her look far older than twelve. “We could get in trouble.”

Kasia laughed and gave the small hand a tug. “That is half the fun. Oh, fret not, small one. My father is too busy to notice, and your cousin will not be back from the palace gates until evening.”

“But the king’s household is still here. It is unsafe.”

“We will only be a moment.” She wiggled her brows in the way that always made her young friend smile. “It will be fun. Perhaps we will even glimpse the house of women.”

Esther’s eyes brightened, and she let Kasia lead her another few steps. “Do you think Queen Amestris will be out? I have heard she is the most beautiful woman in all the world.”

“Only until little Esther grows up.” She tugged on a lock of the girl’s deep brown hair and urged her on. The Choaspes gurgled up ahead, where it wound around Susa and gave it life.

Esther laughed and plucked a lily, tucked it behind Kasia’s ear. “I will be blessed to have a quarter of your beauty, Kasia. Perhaps if I do, Zechariah will marry me.”

“And then we shall be sisters at last.” Kasia twirled Esther in a circle. A merry thought, though it was hard to imagine Zechariah settling down. He was two years her elder, but showed no signs of maturity at eighteen. If anyone could inspire it, though, it was sweet little Esther. Once she grew up, half the men in the Jewish population would probably bang at Mordecai’s door . . . and probably a few of their Persian neighbors as well.

Esther joined her in her impromptu dance, then sighed happily. “I should very much like sisters and brothers. I am blessed that Cousin Mordecai took me in, but having him as a father provides no siblings.”

Kasia smiled but knew she had better change the subject before Esther fell into memories of the parents she had lost. Though three years past, the tragedy could still pull the girl into a vortex of pain. “Any time you want to borrow one of mine, you are welcome.”

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Http://RoseannaMWhite.com

http://RoseannaMWhite.blogspot.com

http://www.facebook.com/roseanna.white

And I welcome reader email at roseanna [at] roseannawhite [dot] com

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 if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link.

Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com 

UNDERCURRENT - Michelle Griep - Free Book

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

There’s a piece of me in every character—even the villains. I’ve got a favorite quote that sums it up nicely:

“For books are not absolutely dead things, but do contain a potency of life in them to be as active as that soul was whose progeny they are; nay, they do preserve as in a vial the purest efficacy and extraction of that living intellect that bred them.” (John Milton)

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

Belly dance at a restaurant.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

When I noticed blank wall space and whipped out my handy-dandy Crayolas.

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

Wow. If there are words on a page, I’ll read it. Any genre. My favorites, though, are historical, particularly Regency or medieval.

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

Apparently you’ve heard the rumor that I’m sane. Huh. Well, if I weren’t anchored to the solid rock of my savior Jesus, I’d be loony tunes for sure. Days when I don’t fit in my quiet times with God’s word and prayer are usually not so good.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

Most often I use census data, other times I’ll make them up according to the character’s personality.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Homeschooling my 4 kids, and I’m soon to reach the finishing line. 3 down, 1 to go.

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

A boxer, as in the canine variety. They’re cute, loyal, playful, and get to eat and sleep all day.

When I was in junior high, my parents raised registered boxers. What is your favorite food?

Dark chocolate.

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

When I began writing, I didn’t know what I was doing. It took me a long time to figure out what showing versus telling was all about. Best advice I ever received was to buy a copy of Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, which cleared up the mystery for me.

Tell us about the featured book.

People go missing every day. Many meet with foul play, some leave the social grid by choice, but others are never accounted for. Such is the fate of successful linguistics professor Cassie Larson. She leads a life her undergrad students hope to attain, until she tumbles into the North Sea and is sucked into a swirling vortex…and a different century.

 Alarik, son of a Viking chieftain, is blamed for a murder he didn’t commit—or did he? He can’t remember. On the run, saving a half-drowned foreign woman wasn’t in his plans.'

 Ragnar is a converted pagan shunned by many but determined to prove his Cousin Alarik’s innocence. He didn’t count on falling in love with Cassie or the deadly presence of evil that threatens his village in Alarik’s absence.

Undercurrent is a story of the sacrifice involved in forgiveness.

Please give us the first page of the book.

A thread-thin shaft of sunshine needled Alarik’s closed lids, but he’d not open them—it would hurt. His woolen tongue tasted of soured goat milk, and Thor’s own hammer beat against his temples. He hadn’t felt this bad since Björn’s wedding feast.

Something dripped a slow rhythm against his lips, trickling off into his beard. He toyed with the idea of swiping it away, but that would require too much effort.

         A quiet rumble, low and throaty, moaned from afar. No, not far off. Near. And it carried a message of pain.

         “Alarik.”

         He blinked open his eyes, then swallowed back the shock of light and spit out a string of curses.

         “Alarik.”

         “Ja,” he answered, voice raw. His vision emerged like one who’d been in the depths of a fjord and risen from black, to gray, to stunning blue of day. He focused on a hand, palm open, relaxed, not more than an arm’s span above him. Deep red drops fell from a pallid fingertip and splattered onto his face.

         Blood.

         He jumped to his feet, warrior instincts alert, and reached for the knife at his side. Gone.

         “Alarik.”

         His head jerked to the sound. The room reeled, and his stomach lurched. “Ragnar, by the gods, what has happened?”

         “Go.” His cousin lay ashen in color, tunic slashed and stained, breath light and quick. “You...will be...blamed.”

         “What blame? What has happened?” Ragnar turned his head, and Alarik followed his gaze to the object silently indicated. A body sprawled over a wooden keg, slaughtered and mutilated, seeping away the last of its lifeblood. A man’s body, with Alarik’s blade driven hilt-deep into the carnage.

Einar...his brother.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.mmgriep.com or e-mail me at michellegriep@gmail.com


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 if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link.
Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

THE CONSTANTINE CODEX - Paul L Maier - Free Book

I read A Skeleton in God's Closet when it first came out, so I knew I wanted to feature this author and book on my blog as soon as I heard about its release. Welcome, Paul.

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

I don’t intentionally get autobiographical in my novels, but there’s no question but that the protagonist in the Skeleton series reflects my own attitudes and values.  Some have said that I’m the Jonathan Weber figure in those novels, but my reply is always, “No, I’m not that good.”

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I accidentally wandered across the Israeli-Syrian border at the Sea of Galilee, and was arrested, put before a makeshift firing-squad, but survived by the grace of God and the command of a uniformed Syrian officer.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I really never set out to be a writer, but I knew that I had to record the life story of my famous father, Dr. Walter A. Maier, who founded “The Lutheran Hour” radio program.  And my writing career took off from there.

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

History and historical fiction are my favorites, with a thriller thrown in from time to time.

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

Sometimes I simply have to tune that world out, which may account for the fact that, a times, as many as 350 e-mails get backed up in my internet queue.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

Simply by what sounds naturally in the context.  When it comes to Popes, however, I simply looked in the World Almanac to see what papal names hadn’t been used.  And that’s how I invented a pope named Benedict XVI for my Skeleton series back in 1994 – years before the present pope actually took that name.  I have quite a few e-mails addressed to “Paul the Prophet!” 

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Establishing an exact date for Jesus’ Crucifixion – April 3, A.D. 33 – and uncovering the Roman politics behind the crucifixion.

What is your favorite food?

French onion soup.

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

How to end a novel most appropriately, rather than drawing it out. – I overcome that with a bit of editorial self-discipline.

Tell us about the featured book?

 In the Skeleton series I deal with the greatest possible challenges that could affect Christianity.  But in the third volume, The Constantine Codex, I cover instead a rare manuscript discovery that would be of tremendous benefit to the church. The challenge of Islam, however, is a major sub-plot in the novel.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

My e-mail address is:   maier@wmich.edu


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



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 if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link.
Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

7 Winners!!!

Marianne (Alberta) is the winner of The Wedding Season by Louise Gouge.
Robyn (NE) is the winner of A Reluctant Queen by Joan Wolf.
Kristie (OH) is the winner of Summer Dream by Martha Rogers.
Rebecca (OK) is the winner of Shattered by Melody Carlson.
Shirley (IL) is the winner of Lion of Babylon by Davis Bunn.
Mozi (OR) is the winner of Branded by Tim Sinclair.
Jo (AZ) is the winner of My Foolish Heart by Susan May Warren.
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NIGHT OF THE COSSACK - Tom Blubaugh - Free Book

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

In this first novel—quite a bit. The protagonist is my grandfather.  He died before I was born and I had just a few facts about him.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

When I was 15, I was swimming in a river with some friends.  We were wondering how deep it was. I got a large rock, put it on an inner tube, and pushed it out in the middle of the river. I wrapped my arms around the rock and pulled it off the tube. I rode it down until the water turned black and cold. Sufficiently scared, I let go and finally made it back to the surface. We never did find out how deep it was and I didn’t care to know. This may qualify as something other than quirky—maybe more like a word that starts with s and ends with d.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

When I was in grade school. I would write poems and send them into companies that advertised in comic books they wanted poems for song lyrics. I didn’t have the money they required.

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

I like action—mainly westerns and intrigue. I read a lot of non-fiction for knowledge and research—history.

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

I don’t run. I walk. I’m fortunate in that I am retired and can control my time and activities.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

In this first novel, I researched names in the country my protagonist was in and tried to select unusual names.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Writing this novel. I’ve accomplished a lot of things, but this was the most rewarding.

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

A cat. Nothing gets past them and they are very independent.

What is your favorite food?

BBQ Ribs, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, lemon meringue pie.

Those are my husband’s favorites, too. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

Grammar. I joined a good critique group and my publisher has a good editor.

Tell us about the featured book.

It’s a story about my maternal grandfather.  He died a year before I was born.  I always wanted to know him. I took a little information I had and wrote a story around them. He was a Jew, born in Georgia on the Black Sea, who became a Russian Cossack soldier.  Something happened that caused him to defect and immigrate to the USA. The story is about his life on the run.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Nathan’s eyes flew open. Sounds, screams and gunshots penetrated the cold air of his upstairs bedroom. The pungent smell of smoke invaded his nose. He coughed. Am I having a nightmare? Shadows danced wildly across the ceiling and down the walls. 

Heart pounding, he threw off his covers, jumped out of bed, and rushed to the window. His little brother, Israel, followed.

Its real!

“What is it, Nathan?” Israel whispered.

Nathan pulled his brother against the wall behind him.

“Hey! I want to see!”

“Shush, Israel.” Nathan looked through the window at the valley below, his heart racing. Men in long coats and fur hats were running through the village brandishing swords and raising rifles. Cossacks!

The Bukolovs’ and the Gorbenkos’ houses were burning. Bodies lay on the ground. He couldn’t tell who they were, but he knew they were friends.

Momma rushed into the room. “Get away from that window, Nathan!”

“Those are Cossack soldiers, Momma!”

“Cossacks,” echoed Israel.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

http://tomblubaugh.com

Thank you for the interesting interview, Tom.



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


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DRIVEN - Shellie Neumeier - Free Book

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

Many of my characters’ traits come from traits I wish I had rather than traits I have. For instance, one of my characters is quick witted and never fails to turn a conversation in her favor. I on the other hand, suffer from delayed humor syndrome…I think up great responses about two hours after they’re appropriate. 

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

After being a stay-at-home mother for nine years, I told my husband I wanted to become a tax accountant and open my own practice. Two weeks later, our tax agency had been born and I was enrolled in our local technical college to acquire my associates in accounting degree. To date, I’m still a practicing tax accountant, although our tax company is closed.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I’m still in a phase of disbelief. Telling stories has always been a favorite pastime, but writing them down hadn’t crossed my mind until my husband encouraged me to do so. I had to overcome my fear of grammar and creative writing rules before I could allow the story to develop. I will forever be grateful for editors and critique partners; they are gifted beyond measure, in my mind.

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

I love to read young adult—from consumer fiction like Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson to inspirational fiction like those written by Melody Carlson. Recently, I read some of Jenny B. Jones’ work and fell in love with her comedic romance.

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

Assuming I’ve kept my sanity, our family works hard to guard our Sundays as family day of rest. It’s the most rejuvenating practice I’ve found.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

Most of my characters introduce themselves. Whether I’m walking the dogs or having a moment of quiet, their names drift through my mind and as I test them out, their nicknames and quirks begin to develop.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Raising my four children—hands down. Nothing can compare to watching them grow from infancy into adulthood and knowing God trusted me to be their mom—good and bad traits included.

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

Hmm. I’d love to be a Jaguar, filled with grace and speed; or a she-lion, fierce in her protection; but my husband likens me to that dog on UP (the one that says “squirrel” with energized distraction). 

What is your favorite food?

Paninis or cheesecake. My favorite meal would be a Turkey and asiago cheese Panini with cheesecake for dessert.

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

My biggest struggle has been smoothing each sentence into a coherent paragraph that flows into a readable chapter. I started writing like a news reporter—fact-based and choppy. But a few wonderful critique partners knocked that nasty habit right out of me.

Tell us about the featured book.

Robyn Stanley can’t help but notice the handsome new guy at her school. She ignores, however, the arrival of another being at Brookfield Central High School—a demon assigned to destroy her…

Robyn loves her friends, enjoys her youth group, and looks forward to meeting cute Caleb Montague. But when a caustic news reporter challenges her school’s prayer team, Robyn must choose: defend their right to meet on campus and pray for whomever they wish or back down at the principal’s request.

Now she must learn what God wants her to do. And she had better learn fast, because there’s a supernatural enemy in town whose sole mission is to stop her—no matter the cost.

Please give us the first page of the book.

One

From a comfortable height above the trees, Sebastian circled the abandoned paper mill, drinking in the atmosphere of dereliction and decay surrounding the property. This place has more character than most of the humans I know. Half broken windows winked like the evil eyes of wayward souls, while snow drifts gathered in the corners. The wind toyed with the snow, whipping trails that could chill his feet and ankles. If he had feet and ankles, that is.

Slipping through a second-story window, Sebastian watched a rat scurry across the dusty floor in a dash for the shadows. Like an angry cloud—black as asphalt, thick as cigar smoke—Sebastian floated after the rodent, watching with mild interest as it raced for another shadow and nearly collided with an old tom cat whose eyes glowed bright with hunger. The tom sprang, but Sebastian turned away. He didn’t have time for these cat and mouse games today, no matter how much he enjoyed them. He had bigger game to consider, and as he moved over the room, he thought about the girl he’d come to destroy.

Sebastian peered through the panel of small rectangular windows overlooking the town of Brookfield, fifty in all, though most were broken, and he yawned as he watched the town stretch with morning life. Humans filtered in and out of the corner diner, scampered about in their shiny cars, and huddled against the wind in mindless oblivion. Sebastian’s mouth curled into a sneer.

The chill of something sinister invaded his airy form. Turning, he watched his master rise above him like the heavy black curtain of a Broadway stage. Sebastian shuddered; if he had skin, it would have crawled. The master’s eyes glowed yellow—the only indication that he was not merely a cloud of coal dust, but something far more dangerous.

“Your host is ripe, Sebastian,” the master said. The voice sounded sweet, like a lover’s call, and Sebastian had to concentrate in order to keep his focus on the task at hand. With a shiver, either from fear incited by the master’s voice or in anticipation of human possession—he knew not which, nor did he care—Sebastian billowed out to his largest, most impressive form.

“Your timing is superlative, as usual, sir.”

As if Sebastian had not spoken, the master went on. “The human dabbled in spirit calling and witchcraft and is quite receptive to our temptations. This should be an easy possession for you, even if the human is a teen.”

Sebastian deflated a little, his voice falling into a whine. “But, sir, I despise working among teenagers. They. . .”

“Go.”

How can readers find you on the Internet?

They can contact me through my website: http://shellieneumeier.com or email me at Neumeier(dot)shellie(at)gmail(dot)com.


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



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.)

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BEYOND ALL MEASURE - Dorothy Love - Free Book

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

I write my own life questions, my own struggles into the lives of a few of my characters.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I’ve been asked this question a lot lately and honestly I am not all that quirky. In seventh grade a friend and I went to see a movie starring the gorgeous red- haired Rhonda Fleming. We bought henna at the drugstore and dyed our hair red. That lasted until my dad got home from work and made me wash mine out.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

A third grade teacher praised my first efforts and encouraged me to write. In high school, the journalism bug bit. I edited my high school paper, and my university paper and tried fiction many years later.

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

I love historical fiction. I read Southern writers of both literary and commercial fiction. As a writer of historical fiction, I read a lot of nonfiction for background research. I enjoy biographies and memoirs. I love almost anything except sci fi and horror.

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

Some days I am not sure my sanity is intact. My husband and I both love the beach and we live about 2 and a half hours from the coast. A few days at the beach is very restorative----spiritually, emotionally, physically, creatively. I love my beach time.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

I read through old journals and diaries to find names appropriate for the time, and I try to choose names whose meanings have some connection to the character’s role in the story. In Beyond All Measure, my protag, Ada, needs a friend to rely on. I came across the name Mariah, which is a diminutive of Amariah, meaning, sent from God.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

I finished my PhD in 28 months while working full time after the head of my doctoral committee said it could not be done. Passed my qualifying exams in research and statistics on the first try. Ditto for my second language requirement exams. Graduated with a nearly perfect GPA. That was a happy day for sure.  

What is your favorite food?

I love fresh seafood and anything from my mother’s summer garden. Okra, squash, peas, tomatoes, corn, and a pan of her amazing buttermilk cornbread. Plus the requisite gallon of iced tea---- and I’m a happy girl.

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

I came from a journalism background where the rules are to state the facts in descending order of importance. No adjectives allowed. I had to learn how to write description into a narrative. My first fiction teacher, Peggy Moss Felding, used write in green ink on my manuscripts, Give us more, more, more.

Tell us about the featured book.

BEYOND ALL MEASURE is set in Hickory Ridge, a fictional small town in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains in the year 1871. Ada Wentworth, a young Bostonian who has lost her family, her fiancé and her fortune, arrives by train to take a job as a lady’s companion, but only until she can save enough money to open a millinery shop back east. But then she meets Texan Wyatt Caldwell, the handsome blue eyed owner of the local lumber mill. When their friendship turns to love, Ada must let go of her painful past in order to embrace God’s plans for her, and to trust Wyatt with her heart.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Holding tightly to her worn travel satchel, Ada Wentworth stepped through a cloud of billowing steam and scanned the rain-slicked railway platform, looking for the woman who had promised to meet her. Smartly-dressed travelers folded their black umbrellas and push through a knot of farm wives, mill workers, and station peddlers hawking candy and magazines. A line of buggies and wagons waited in the heat, the placid horses swishing their tails against a cloud of flies. A group of schoolboys jostled Ada roughly as they passed, their languid, high-pitched accents falling strangely on her ear. She pulled her handkerchief from her cuff and blotted her face, her gaze traveling from one person to the next. People a-plenty, but no red-haired woman carrying a white parasol. She skirted a mound of baggage and wound her way toward the agent’s office, trying to quell her growing apprehension. A steady stream of travelers flowed past her like water around a stone. A hard lump formed in her throat.

What on earth had she done?

How can readers find you on the Internet?

My website is www.DorothyLoveBooks.com. Visit me there, or click on the icon to find me on Facebook. 


Thank you, Dorothy, for this interesting peek into your life and work.



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 if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link.
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