SWEETER THAN BIRDSONG - Rosslyn Elliott - Free Book

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

My first goal is to tell a good story, and that means making the novels compelling and entertaining. But beneath that, I have a passion for preserving history by bringing it to life, by telling it in a way that touches people’s hearts. Much of our American history has never been told. I like to find the undiscovered stories of triumph over adversity that built this country. My dream is that the books I write will encourage people spiritually, and also inspire them to value our past and to see what is worth preserving.

Tell us about one of the happiest days in your life.

When I was pregnant with my daughter, we had a terrible scare at the 16-week ultrasound. The doctor saw three signs that she had a terrible genetic condition that would mean she probably wouldn’t live to see her first birthday. Though I would have carried her to term no matter what, we had an amniocentesis to follow up on the visual diagnosis. Many, many good people were praying for us while we waited for results for an agonizing weekend. The doctor called first thing Monday morning to tell us that the amniocentesis came back showing a normal chromosomal pattern, not the deadly one. The joy of that morning was beyond words.

How has being published changed your life?

Well, it hasn’t changed who I am, nor should it change any writer whose priorities and values are stable. I’m so glad I was published at 39 and not at 25. I needed those years to mature and understand that you can’t find joy by pursuing the world’s definition of success—that life cannot be about feeling validated by others for achievements. Since I’ve been published, I’ve been a lot busier, which is not completely a good thing. When the deadlines really heated up, I had to give up some of my service to friends and neighbors, and that was hard. I have to negotiate a compromise in the future, because I can’t give up serving the people around me—it’s an important part of the spiritual life.  I want to be honest about these things, so writers seeking publication have some idea what’s ahead! However, I am very grateful to have realized my publishing dream.

What are you reading right now?

I’m reading The Fox in the Cupboard, a memoir about a woman who returns to riding horses after years of urban life. It’s beautifully-written, and I can empathize with the author.

What is your current work in progress?

In about a week, I’ll get the editorial letter for Lovelier than Daylight, the third novel in the Saddler’s Legacy series. I’m excited to hear what my editors have to say. I’ve been blessed with two of the best editors in the business, and they have great insights.

What would be your dream vacation?

I’d love to take a European tour. My interest in European history, landscape and architecture that first developed when I lived in England as a girl with my military family. I would be so excited to take my daughter back to see some of the things I saw twenty-five years ago. Plus, I never made it to Spain or Italy, and I would love to visit some of the beautiful cities there.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

Because my books are based on real people and events, I don’t really choose the settings. But I do immerse myself in details about each setting. I have to develop an intuitive knowledge of how it feels to walk through those scenes, or I can’t write it well.

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

My first choices would be my family members, or my closest friends.  But I’ll make it a little more interesting by choosing someone famous. Let’s see… this is really hard… the people I most admire are dead. Ok—I would like to meet one of the foremost intellectual advocates of the Christian faith, so I’ll pick William Lane Craig. Anyone whom Richard Dawkins refused to debate has GOT to be interesting.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I love singing (mostly by myself or with my daughter) and listening to great choirs and classical music. I work with the children at our church, teaching them music, because that’s an important part of Christian life. I also like cooking and wish I had more time for it. And I like making things with my hands---decoupage, for example.

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

It’s my self-criticism and the feeling that my work will never be good enough. I overcome it through prayer and reminding myself that even imperfect work can serve a higher purpose.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Before you choose your genre, think very hard about whether that genre represents your calling as a writer. Historical fiction is a natural for me because it ties together several of my passions and my mission. I will never get tired of it. Would I experiment with something else? Sure! But it wouldn’t be as central to who I am as historical fiction.

Tell us about the featured book.

Sweeter than Birdsong is the second novel in my Saddler’s Legacy series about the real Hanby family of Ohio. It’s based on the true love story of Kate Winter, one of the first female college graduates in America, and Ben Hanby, a talented composer who secretly aids fugitive slaves to flee to Canada before the Civil War. Kate is terribly shy and hiding some family secrets, but Ben finds her fascinating, with her intelligence and beauty. He casts her in his musicale, unaware that she is planning to flee town. A frightening accident leads Ben and Kate to a dangerous mission that will change both of their lives forever.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Westerville, Ohio 1855  ­­­

Her customary walk across the college quadrangle had become an executioner’s march.

Kate’s heeled shoes clunked over the flagstones. Her full skirt and horsehair crinoline dragged from her waist, too warm even for this mild May morning.

She climbed the stone steps of the whitewashed college building and laid hold of the black iron door handle with a clammy palm. The dim foyer led to the lecture hall. Her breath came faster and her corset squeezed her lungs. It had not felt so tight when the maid laced it an hour ago. Up ahead loomed the dark rectangle of the hall’s oaken door, which stood ajar.

At the threshold, she paused. Inside the hall, a baritone voice lifted in clear, well-balanced phrases. The speaker’s persuasive power carried even here. Ben Hanby. He was the best orator in the class. She laid a hand to her midsection to quell the pulsing nausea there. If she did not go in now, she would not go at all.

At her push, the door swung open to reveal rows of masculine shoulders in dark coats, all heads turned toward the speaker. Each gentleman’s neat coattails fell open over his knees, black against the polished wood floor. Each white collar rose to the sweep of hair worn according to the current vogue, longer than a Roman’s but never past the collar.

On the raised platform beyond them, Ben Hanby stood, as natural and poised as if he were alone in the room, his dark hair thick over his brow. His eyes were intent, his face alive with interest in his subject, but his words floated past Kate in a wash of sounds her jumping nerves could not interpret. Of course speaking came easily for him—his father was a minister.

He finished with a question to the audience, and even her disrupted attention caught the subtle humor in the lift of his eyebrow as he delivered his line straight-faced. A chuckle rose from the young men, echoed in the lighter laughter of the small party of young lady scholars seated with their chaperone on the end of the front row.

Ben Hanby descended the stairs, the barest smile appearing as he exchanged glances with his friends.

“Miss Winter.” Professor Hayworth’s bass rumbled across the hall.

She froze on the threshold. Heads turned toward her. Her skin tingled in waves of heat, her heart kicked in an uneven cadence. Could it stop from such fright?—the thought made it worsen, like a stutter in her chest that could not move on to the next beat.

“I am glad you choose to join us today.” Professor Hayworth spoke to her from the dais, beside the podium, full bearded in his formal black robe. “You have arrived just in time to give the first of our ladies’ speeches.”

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I love to have readers stop by my hangouts on the internet. I have a website and blog at www.RosslynElliott.com. There’s a contact form on the site plus a comments section on the blog if you want to chat or ask a question. Then I’m always glad to see new people at my author page on Facebook, and I’m on Twitter @RosslynElliott. Come say hello!


In this second in the award-winning Saddler's Legacy series, Rosslyn Elliott has written a stirring novel of hope and faith inspired by real historical people and events. With Ben Hanby, a genius composer, Kate Winter, one of the first female college graduates in America, and John Parker, an ex-slave who risked his life time and again to help fugitive slaves, Sweeter than Birdsong is full of real heroes to inspire us. "I hope readers will find a renewed sense of strength in their own lives," says Elliott, "knowing that change is possible, and our efforts matter. I want them to remember these unique, brave people in history who left us a shining example of what it means to live out one's beliefs with passion and commitment."

So to celebrate the music in all of us, Rosslyn and Thomas Nelson are hosting this "sweet giveaway".

One fortunate winner will receive:

• A Brand new iPod Nano (Winner's choice of color!)
• Fairer than Morning by Rosslyn Elliott
• Sweeter than Birdsong by Rosslyn Elliott

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on February 28th. Winner will be announced at Sweeter than Birdsong Author Chat Facebook Party on 2/28. Rosslyn will be chatting with guests, sharing a sneak peek of the next book in the series, hosting a trivia contest, and more! She'll also be giving away some GREAT prizes: gift certificates, books, season 1 of DowntownAbbey, and a book club prize pack! (Ten copies of the book for your small group or book club AND a LIVE Author Chat for your group with Rosslyn.)

So grab your copy of Sweeter than Birdsong and join Rosslyn and friends on the evening of the 28th for an evening of fun.

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 28th!


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


Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Sweeter than Birdsong (A Saddler's Legacy Novel) - paperback
Sweeter than Birdsong (A Saddler's Legacy Novel) - Kindle


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

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

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

If you’re reading this on 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

RIVER'S CALL - Melody Carlson - Free Book

Welcome, Melody. Please tell us about your salvation experience.

I grew up in an “unchurched” home with divorced parents and some dysfunction. I declared myself an atheist when I was twelve. I actually think it was a desperate cry for God to reveal himself to me. Fortunately that happened in high school when I was “kidnapped” to a Young Life meeting and heard the gospel for the first time ever. I did a complete turn around—going from darkness to light—and I immediately began trying to bring all my old wild party friends with me.

You’re planning a writing retreat where you can only have four other authors. Who would they be and why?

I’d probably pick four of my favorite author friends, including Robin Jones Gunn (she’s such a natural encourager and gifted storyteller) and Jane Kirkpatrick (always interesting to talk to and an incredible historical writer) and Heather Harpham Kopp (because she’s a fabulous writer and we need to catch up) and then I’d pick an author I don’t know very well Christa Allan (because I’m reading her book Walking on Glass right now and it’s really good).

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

I prefer spending my time writing, but I do speak occasionally. I’m most easily enticed to speak to teens, because I feel that I have the most impact there. Right now I’m considering doing a cross-country tour next fall (to visit schools and libraries and meet more teens).

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

I can’t think of too many embarrassing moments. But I do recall a writing related incident. I was doing a book signing at Walmart and my table was set up in the men’s underwear department—don’t ask me why! I was supposed to be signing my Diary of a Teenage Girl books, but not a single teen girl ventured to that particular section of the store. However I did manage to scare away quite a few bewildered male shoppers. That was kind of embarrassing—and funny.

Thank goodness my first, and only, Walmart signing was set up near the checkout stands. 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?

I tell them to go for it. The only way to “write a book” is to sit down and actually do it. However, some people get more focused on a “publishing” a book than really writing it. That’s a whole different challenge. But if you truly want to write, you should just jump in and just do it. Then do it some more. The only way you improve at anything is by doing it a lot. Then I’d recommend the usual things, take some writing classes, join a good critique group, attend writers’ conferences, read the kinds of books you aspire to write, and if you’re seeking publishing, study the market and consider self publishing ebooks.

Tell us about the featured book.

River’s Call is the second book in a trilogy (The Inn at Shining Waters). It’s a story about several generations of women, and set on a beautiful coastal river in Oregon, with a slight focus on Native American history. The main character Anna is establishing an inn with the hopes of encouraging her guests to enjoy peace and practice forgiveness. However, she is constantly challenged by the various members of her own extended family, including a “grown” daughter who’s somewhat entitled and difficult.

Please give us the first page of the book.

October 1959

           

Anna’s dugout canoe sliced a quiet path through the glasslike surface of the river. Today the Siuslaw was the color of topaz, with reflections of trees along its edges. Interspersed between spruce and firs, maple trees shone in shades of gold and rust and red. Anna turned the canoe around, paddling back to the inn where she would start breakfast, when the silvery form of a good-sized fish shot out of the water. Soaring nearly a foot into the morning air, it arched then gracefully came down with a quiet splash. The third one she’d seen this morning.

Spawning season had begun. The salmon were beginning their annual migration upriver, and in a day or two the whole river would be hopping with them, with fishermen not far behind. Grandma Pearl used to say that the salmon were practicing their jumping skills, getting strong enough to make it up mountain streams and small waterfalls in order to lay their eggs in the same spots their ancestors had been procreating their young for hundreds of years.

October had always been Anna’s favorite month on the river. With mild weather, good fishing, harvest moons, and gorgeous sunsets, who could complain? And this year—her first October back on the Siuslaw in twenty years—she was sharing this special month with Clark! Only two weeks since returning from their honeymoon, Anna and Clark had already fallen into a comfortable pattern. It was amazing how compatible they were. Both enjoyed the quietness of the morning, a good cup of coffee, and the great outdoors.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

http://www.melodycarlson.com

Thank you, Melody, for visiting with us today. It's always a pleasure.


Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
River's Call - The Inn at Shining Waters Series - paperback
River's Call - Kindle


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

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

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

If you’re reading this on 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

More Winners!!

Angela (KY) is the winner of An Amish Family Reunion by Mary Ellis.
Bakers Dozen (CA) is the winner of In Too Deep by Mary Connealy.
Ginger (AL)  is the winner of The Guardian Duke by Jamie Carie. 
Sharon (MN) is the winner of The Attache by Dave Bond.
Carol N Wong (TX)  is the winner of Threads of Hope by Andrea Boeshaar.
Mom2three (AR)  is the winner of Far From Home by Nicole Baart. 

If you won a book and you really like it, consider giving the author the courtesy of writing a review on Goodreads, Amazon.com, Christianbooks.com, Barnes and Noble, or other Internet sites. 

Also, tell your friends about the book ... and this blog. Thank you.

Congratulations, everyone. Send me your mailing address:
Click the Contact Me link at the top of the blog, and send me an Email.
When you contact me, please give the title of the book you won, so I won't have to look it up.

Remember, you have 4 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.

ENEMIES OF THE CROSS - Greg Mitchell - Free Book

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

I love writing about monsters. I think they’re such powerful symbols for our everyday fears and struggles. Contrary to what many might think of a “horror” writer, I don’t like to be scared. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that I write scary stories as a way of controlling the things in my life that are beyond my control. The nightly news is terrifying. Werewolves are fun. It’s fantasy, it’s an escape. Yeah, on the surface it looks dark because you’re dealing with monsters and death and whatnot, but at the end of the day, you can close that book or shut off that movie. It’s safely contained in the story and it’s a nice, accessible way to conquer your fear. Then you can carry that small amount of courage as you return to a world that seems to be slipping further into madness with each passing day.

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

Probably the day I got married to Meghan. Since I was little, all I had really wanted was to find my true love and start a life together, so meeting her and marrying her was a dream come true. I felt invincible that day. She rocks.

How has being published changed your life?

Surprisingly, it hasn’t changed my life a whole lot, I’d say. I’ve met a lot of new writer peers, so that’s been a blessing. But it’s not like anyone recognizes me on the street, and the money’s not pouring in. I still have a 9-5 day job and still worry about bills and still go eat at McDonald’s. It’s certainly not glamorous, but then again, I never expected it to be. The important thing to me has always been about finding that outlet to get my stories to people. I think the biggest change is within, as I feel fulfilled that The Coming Evil Trilogy is being told. I feel a real peace in that.

What are you reading right now?

I’m currently reading my good friend Ed Erdelac’s book Merkabah Rider: Tales of a High Planes Drifter. It’s a “weird western”, and I’m really loving it. Ed’s got a great personable style and he does so much research into the period, you feel like you’re there. I’d say he’s gone a long way to inspire me to try my hand at a weird western one day.

What is your current work in progress?

At the moment, I’m working through my first (and quite possibly my last!) non-fiction effort—a timeline chronicling the stories of the Back to the Future franchise. It’s entirely unofficial—meaning it wasn’t commissioned by the actual rights holder—and it’s a lot of hard work. On the fiction side, I’m working on a couple pet projects, but nothing I’m prepared to announce just yet. As for the third and final installment in The Coming Evil Trilogy—it’s finished! I’ve turned it in to the editor and we’ll be working through the edits on that sometime in the fall. It’s going to be epic. Brace yourselves for a thrilling ride.

What would be your dream vacation?

Oh, I’m totally a homebody. Any vacation is a dream to me if I’ve got a comfy hotel room and free cable. I enjoyed Universal Studios an awful lot, though. I’d like to return there.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

I’m fond of the small town setting. Not only is it a horror movie staple, but I actually live in a small town, right here in the buckle of the Bible belt. I know about blue collar workers, and your word still meaning something, and sealing deals with handshakes. It’s a very safe environment—which is why I think it’s so much fun to drop a ravenous monster into all of that and watch the fireworks.

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

I suppose the “normal” response is to choose someone powerful or wizened in order to learn from their greatness. Or maybe a favorite author or actor so that you can somehow gain a clearer understanding of them as people. But I think if I’m going to spend an evening with someone, it’s someone I want to pal around with. So, on that note, I’d have to say it’s a toss up between “Fonzie” actor Henry Winkler, professional wrestler Rowdy Roddy Piper, and celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I enjoy taking long drives in the country, by myself, listening to classic horror themes. Nothing like passing by old forgotten shacks to the sounds of the Dark Shadows opening music to soothe my soul. Beyond that, I love vegging out and watching movies. It’s nice to turn my brain off for awhile and just be entertained.

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

I have very defined and predictable cycles. I am absolutely not one of these writers who write every single day. I’ve tried that, and nothing good comes from it. Just a bunch of frustration, wasted time, and ruination. I only write when the mood comes over me. But it’s a very definite mood. It’s not a “Meh, I’d like to write today.” I wait and let it build until I can’t not write. When it’s nearly bursting out of me, then I sit down and crank out pages upon pages. I write all night, forgoing sleep, food, and personal relationships. That’ll last for maybe a week, maybe two. Then pure exhaustion follows and I am dried up. I got nothing left. I get a little depressed and worried that “I’ll never write again!”, and I struggle trying to find the ideas or, better yet, the words. The ideas are always there, but my ability to string together a cohesive and descriptive sentence is not. It then becomes a waiting game, waiting to—as I put it—catch that next wave. That dry spell, though, is rough. Sometimes I handle it well. I fill my time with family, fun, and friends. But sometimes I start to get the itch to write and I can’t. Not yet. The wave hasn’t fully developed yet. So patience is my most difficult writing obstacle. And, what can you do to overcome it, but wait and trust that it’ll come when it’s ready?

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

I usually say “be true to yourself”, but today I’m going to add “Don’t be afraid of critique.” Since getting published, I’ve met so many young authors trying to get in the door and they’re convinced they’ve got everything going for them. They think their story is stunningly unique yet insanely marketable (which I’m beginning to think is an oxymoron) and that their craft is perfection incarnate. I believe everyone has room for improvement, including me, yet I don’t fault them for writing like amateurs. But that attitude that you’re The Next Big Thing and anyone who doesn’t “get” you is just outdated is a killer. There’s a fine line between confidence and arrogance. You’ve got to be teachable in this business. Yes, you need to stick to your guns and be true to your vision—but you’ve got to be open to listening to others. Maybe they have good ideas. Maybe when they say your writing needs work, it does. Especially if these are people in the position to give you a job. It’s humbling and painful and nobody likes to hear that they’re not as good as Ole Joe over there, but you have to endure it, keep working at it, and try again.

Tell us about the featured book.

Enemies of the Cross is the sequel to last year’s The Strange Man, and is the second act of The Coming Evil Trilogy. It picks up three months later and deals with the aftermath of the climatic confrontation at the end of the first book. This time, the story switches to Jeff Weldon, a burnt-out pastor trying to find answers as to what happened to his brother (Dras, the hero of the first book) and uncover the truth about the demonic Strange Man and what he has planned for their town of Greensboro. Jeff’s going to discover more than a few dark secrets and do battle with his own personal demons in the process. Whereas the first one was sort of a summer blockbuster roller-coaster kind of narrative, this one is a much more intense, introspective work.

Please give us the first page of the book.

PROLOGUE

Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision . . .

—Philippians 3:2

The emergency room doors slapped open as workers rushed Dras Weldon in on a stretcher. Paramedics hovered over him, their faces a picture of cold determination. At their sides, Jeff Weldon, his wife Isabella, and Dras’s best friend Rosalyn Myers hurried along, covered in Dras’s blood and their faces stained by dried tears.

“It’s going to be OK,” Jeff whispered to his fallen brother. “It’s going to be OK. I’m right here.”

Despite his reassuring tone, Jeff held himself in contempt. Why didn’t I do anything to help him? I saw it coming.

Last Saturday, when Jeff spotted the rolling clouds of the storm that threatened to consume Greensboro, he had an uneasy suspicion that bad times were coming on horseback. When he read about Lindsey McCormick’s disappearance the following day, his anxiety grew. He didn’t know how, but her disappearance was a part of the terrible pull he felt in the pit of his stomach as he watched the strange storm from inside the safety of his home. The winds and the rain had wrought their damage and retreated into the darkness, but he could not shake the mood that some great evil lingered.

“Give us some room!” the paramedics shouted at Jeff and the others.

A tall blond nurse who answered to the name of Jill stood behind the front desk, her eyes wide. The paramedics stared at her impatiently as she struggled with the horrible sight.

“Where?” a member of the emergency team shouted at her, bringing her out of her stupor.

Stuttering, she pointed down the hall. “D-Doctor Brown will meet you in Room 107.”

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I’m easy to find! Head on over to my blog at www.thecomingevil.blogspot.com  and there I’ll be. On the site you’ll find links to my social networking pages, as well as handy links to all my works. I hope everybody stops by!


Thank you, Greg, for the interesting interview.


Readers, here is a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.
Enemies of the Cross (The Coming Evil)


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

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

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

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

ACCUSED - Janice Cantore - Free Book

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

I don’t think I do write myself in the characters, at least not consciously. I know that the main character in Accused is a composite of a couple of women I worked with, women who I considered great police officers. I did my job, and worked hard to be the best I could, but these two ladies always impressed me and far outshone me. They are still on the job, one is a deputy chief now and the other is a sergeant. I just thought they balanced work and life so well. But I will say that my characters do often reflect my faith, the struggles, the weaknesses and the strengths. They ask a lot of the same questions I ask and they need the Lord every bit as much as I do.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I went to a Star Trek Convention several years ago. It was one of the first conventions held in Anaheim and William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy were both there. I consider Star Trek and all it’s spin offs one of my guilty pleasures but the convention was a bit much. I couldn’t relate to all the people running around in costume.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I’ve wanted to write since I was a child. I used to fill notebooks with stories about horses. But one incident in high school has stayed with me. I’d written an extra credit assignment for a health class. I don’t remember the topic, but I remember the teacher telling she enjoyed reading the assignment and wished she could give me extra, extra credit. She said I had a talent for writing. That little bit of encouragement went a long way.

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

Suspense and Mystery novels are my favorite, but I read biographies and historical fiction. Francine Rivers, Terri Blackstock, Randy Alcorn, Harlen Coben, Michael Connelly, Randy Singer, Catherine Marshall, and Elizabeth George are among my favorite authors. Francine Rivers’ books inspired me to write stories with a spiritual message.

I’ve read and enjoyed the books of several of the same authors. How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

My morning quiet time is precious to me. I need to start my day with time in the Word or everything is off key and out of balance. My church gives out Bible in a year book marks and I love following the reading guide. I also find that exercise is essential to relieving stress. Walking my two dogs every day is also a must.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

For my new book Accused, I chose the main character’s first name, Carly, as kind of a tribute to Randy Alcorn. I had just read his book Deadline (awesome book, really made an impact) and I named my main character after a character in his novel. In my book The Kevlar Heart, the main character’s name was part of the backstory. Brinna had issues with her father and part of it had to do with the fact that when she was born her Dad was certain she would be a boy and had picked out the name Brian. When a girl was born he just changed some letters around, didn’t even try to think of another name. But those are the only special names I can think of. Usually, I use names I like, that sound interesting. Once or twice, with permission, I have used the names of people I worked with.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

This may sound odd, but I would have to say talking my aging parents into selling their big house and moving them to a smaller house. It was a battle that took a couple of years. My parents had lived in a big house with a lot of property for 40 years. But as they aged it got harder to take care of. My father was always the handyman, but when dementia set in, the house was pretty much falling down around them and the stress on my mom immense. Still, they adamantly refused to move. Finally, I was able to persuade my mom and we found a house she liked and made the move. Now, three years later, she is so happy with the new, manageable home. Now we have less stress, and it is easier for my dad to get around with his walker. I’m so glad I persisted.

My husband and I have dealt with an aging parent with dementia. I totally understand. If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?

An eagle. I would love the ability to fly, to soar above the world, to have the feeling of flying where God is.

What is your favorite food?

Chocolate with caramel, hope that counts as a food.

My kind of food, for sure. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

My dad was my first roadblock, mostly because he grew up during the depression and steady, reliable work was an obsession. He discouraged my desire to write, believing it was a hobby, not a career. So I put the desire away when I went to college. The experience of working the front lines of the Rodney King riots that brought the desire back. I experienced so much during that chaos that I needed to write about it. I was on my own by then and even if writing was a hobby, it was an okay hobby. Once I sat down to write then, there really were no discernable roadblocks in my way. (Now selling the writing has many roadblocks, but that would be a different question and answer all together.)

Also for the last three years I have been the primary caregiver for my parents, and their health and sometimes doctor’s appointments and can keep me away from the computer, but the only roadblocks pop up when I procrastinate with computer games or some other such time waster. Discipline and wanting to put out the best story possible helps me bust the barriers down.

Tell us about the featured book.

Accused is a story I started writing when I was still working juvenile investigations for the Long Beach Police Department. The idea came from a real life crime that was kind of gruesome, and I remember seeing the suspect who was a minor, in juvenile detention. I thought about the crime and the kid and played the “what if” game, settling on the question, what if he didn’t do it? To put the cuffs on someone you need to be fairly certain the person is guilty. So I had my main character, Carly, operating from that assumption initially, but then seeing things that just didn’t add up. I mixed in faith, an unfaithful ex husband, and the bad guys who need a fall guy, and went from there. I loved how Carly grew and changed in the novel and realized there were more stages for her so Accused is the first in a three book series. (But not gruesome like the original crime that spawned the idea!)

How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.janicecantore.com

www.facebook.com/JaniceCantore

Thank you, Janice, for giving us a peek inside your life and your book.

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

Accused (Pacific Coast Justice) - paperback
Accused (Pacific Coast Justice) - Kindle


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

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

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

If you’re reading this on 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

PROMISE ME THIS - Cathy Gohlke - Free Book

Bio:
Cathy Gohlke is the two-time Christy Award-winning author of William Henry is a Fine Name and I Have Seen Him in the Watchfires. Her second novel also won the Carol Award and was chosen by Library Journal as one of the Best Books of 2008. Promise Me This is available now and Band of Sisters will release September 2012 from Tyndale House Publishers. Cathy, her husband, and dog, Reilly, live on the banks of the Laurel Run in Elkton, Maryland.  www.cathygohlke.com

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

I often pose questions or dilemmas for my characters similar to those with which I’ve struggled. Sometimes those similarities are simple, but other times they are issues that have challenged me to my core—like how to stand against physical or emotional abuse, the courage to choose rightly when I know that choice will hurt someone I love, or how to know what God wants of me.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

Just before my older sister’s summer wedding (I was her thirteen-year-old maid of honor), I was visiting my aunt. A severe storm had pummeled the island, and another was expected the next day. In anticipation, islanders and members of the Coast Guard had stacked sandbags along the shore. Early the next morning, though the wind was high and the crashing sea had already covered those bags, I climbed to their top and ran, barefoot, along their line (never bothering to read the warning signs forbidding such things).

It was exhilarating—the wind whipping my long black hair round my face and shoulders, my skirt flying round my legs like a ship’s sail gone berserk. Romantic lines raced through my brain, “as sure-footed as a mountain goat; as fleet as a gazelle; fearless in the face of danger,” etc., etc. I ran faster and faster—until I slipped on the bags and fell feet first into a gigantic oyster bed.

Over four decades later I still carry a scar on my wrist to remind me of those razor-sharp shells. The half-mile trek on bleeding feet back to my aunt’s home and the sting of iodine unsympathetically administered stole every ounce of adventure and romance from my mind—briefly. Quirky? Maybe. Painful? Foolish? Yes. But it’s one of the thrilling highlights of my memory.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I knew I wanted to write from the moment my grandmother revealed to me (at five years of age) the astounding fact that books are not created by magic, but that “real people write books.” In fourth grade one of my poems was selected by my teacher to be included on a mimeographed page and presented to the class as part of our Christmas celebration. Seeing my poem “in print” and realizing that others valued the ideas I’d conveyed was a thrilling moment for me. I remember thinking, “This is the beginning. This is the first one.”

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

My Bible first and foremost—it grows more precious and exciting each day. Books on organization fascinate me because I struggle with that. I enjoy reading gardening, do-it-yourself, cookbooks, histories and books of crafts from long ago, poignant YA and some family sagas. I love historical fiction, mysteries, classics, quirky humor and slice of life stories. The most important thing to me is a great story, well written, with a compelling or distinctive voice.

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

Prayer—all day long I keep a running conversation with the Lord, which reminds me that I’m not in this alone. And while I take my writing seriously, I try hard not to take myself too seriously. I confess to living nose-to-the-grindstone and feeling overwhelmed sometimes, so am working on developing and maintaining more balance in my life.

When I realized that “pray without ceasing” means an ongoing conversation with God all day long and into the night, my life changed. How do you choose your characters’ names?

I start by researching first and last names (and their meanings) that were common in the era and location of my story’s setting—and then I search for uncommon names, often found in diaries and letters from the period. Next, I identify my story characters’ leading traits and try to match characters with names that convey the ideas of those traits. For instance, the primary villain in Promise Me This is named “Hargrave” because her heart is “hard” and cold as the “grave.”

I take into account that particular letters and their combinations evoke mental images (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual) when said aloud, as does the unique spelling of a name printed on the page. All of those things go into making a character seem more like a “Scarlett O’Hara” or a “Ben Hur” rather than some less suited name.

And, then, there are times that I’m just partial to a name or wish to honor someone I know or knew—if their name fits the character and era.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Raising my children. I love them with all of my heart and am very proud of the people they’ve become. Both are loving, giving, and compassionate adults, able to lead but quick to serve and help those around them. In every other way they’re extremely different. They fill my life to overflowing.

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

A horse. I love the strength, stamina and beauty of horses. I love to see them in full run—so independent and free. But they’re also affectionate and bond strongly with people. They can work hard alone and well as a team—with their riders or with other horses, side by side. Those are qualities I admire.

What is your favorite food?

Blackberry Crumble Pie—the recipe for my son’s birthday pie—with vanilla ice cream. It tastes of summer—Yum!!!

Sounds delicious. I loved the huge blackberries that grew in Arkansas. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

My greatest roadblock was insecurity and fear: not believing I could figure out a plot, build it up, wind it down, and tie up all those loose ends; not believing I could sustain a reader’s interest or write something that others would want to read. I feared failure, but not as much as I feared getting old and not having tried. I expected the road to be long and hard and that I’d learn something new at every junction; I’ve not been disappointed.

Sometimes people have said to me, “I’d never have stuck at it that long.”

But the notion of quitting astounds me. If I needed to walk from Maine to Florida I wouldn’t think of giving up in North Carolina. I overcame my fears by praying constantly, believing that God had given me the passion to write for a purpose, and walking forward each day. The wonderful surprise was that I’ve not had to walk the trail alone—many wonderful sisters and brothers in Christ walk it with me.

Tell us about the featured book.

Promise Me This –Michael Dunnagan was never supposed to sail on the Titanic, nor would he have survived if not for the courage of Owen Allen. Determined to carry out his promise to care for Owen’s family in America and his younger sister Annie in England, Michael works hard to strengthen the family’s New Jersey gardening and landscaping business.

Annie Allen doesn’t care what Michael promised Owen. She only knows that her brother is gone—like their mother and father—and the grief is enough to swallow her whole. As Annie struggles to navigate life in England without Owen, Michael reaches out to her through letters. In time, as she begins to lay aside her anger that Michael lived when Owen did not, a tentative friendship takes root and blossoms into something neither expected.

Just as Michael saves enough money to bring Annie to America, WWI erupts in Europe. When Annie’s letters mysteriously stop, Michael risks everything to fulfill his promise—and find the woman he’s grown to love—before she’s lost forever.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Promise Me This—First Page

The great ship returned late from her sea trials beyond the shores of Carrickfergus, needing only her sea papers, a last-minute load of supplies, and the Belfast mail before racing to Southampton.

But in that rush to ferry supplies, a dockworker’s hand was crushed beneath two heavy crates carelessly dropped. The fury and swearing that followed reddened the neck of the toughest man aboard the sturdy supply boat.

Michael Dunnagan’s eyes and ears spread wide with all the fascination of his fifteen years.

“You there! Lad! Do you want to make a shilling?”

Michael, who’d stolen the last two hours of the day from his sweep’s work to run home and scrub before seeing Titanic off, turned at the gruff offer, certain he’d not heard with both ears.

“Are you deaf, lad? Do you want to make a shilling, I say!” the mate aboard the supply craft called again.

“I do, sir! I do!” Michael vowed, propelled by wonder and a fear the man might change his mind.

“Give us a hand, then. My man’s smashed his paw, and we’ve got to get these supplies aboard Titanic. She’s late from her trials and wants to be under way!”

Michael could not move his feet from the splintered dock. For months he’d slipped from work to steal glimpses of the lady’s growing. He’d spied three years ago as her magnificent keel was laid and had checked week by week as ribs grew into skeleton, as metal plates formed sinew and muscle to strengthen her frame, as decks and funnels fleshed her out. He’d speculated on her finishing, the sure beauty and mystery of her insides. He had cheered, with most of Belfast, as she’d been gently pulled from her berth that morning by tugboats so small with names so mighty that the contrast was laughable.

I will be reading this book very soon. I can hardly wait. How can readers find you on the Internet?

I’d love to hear from you! Visit my website at www.cathygohlke.com . A new website (same address) that includes recipes my characters loved and photos of locations that inspired Promise Me This will be up and running soon.

Thank you so much for having me, Lena. I’ve loved spending time with you and your readers!

And thank you, Cathy, for sharing your newest book with us. I’d love to have you for the next book release.


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

Promise Me This - paperback

Promise Me This - Kindle

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

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

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

If you’re reading this on 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

BLUE MOON BAY - Lisa Wingate - Free Book

Welcome, Lisa. Tell us about your salvation experience.

I literally can’t remember a time as a young child when I didn’t feel God’s presence in my life.  I can’t remember not knowing that I was His.  He was the third parent who would be there with me and listen to me, even after bedtime when my own parents were tired of my yammering and just wanted me to hush up.  As I grew up and was baptized, I drew a different and deeper sense of our relationship to our father and creator.  I think we’re always seeking to better understand the many dimensions of God--to internalize how broad and deep that relationship really is.  It isn’t fully possible, I know.  How can the finite ever really understand the infinite?

The farthest I ever came from being active a faith life was in the young adult college years, when it seemed that just wasn’t the focus of anyone around me.  There weren’t as many campus ministries back then, and it just seemed like church was a “When you go home to visit” thing for everyone.  It’s amazing how God uses the events in your life to fit you for a particular purpose, though, because this is one of the reasons I teach Sunday school for high school seniors today.  I want them to see the value of plugging into a faith community in college and being active during this time when they’re making so many of life’s big decisions.  It can make all the difference in the choices they make and the outcomes they receive. 

You’re planning a writing retreat where you can only have four other authors. Who would they be and why?

Oh, that is hard!  I want a retreat with fifty authors!  There are so many I admire as writers and so many I love as friends.  I guess if I had to pick four, I would retreat with the girls I blog with on www.SouthernBelleView.com, Beth Webb Hart, Marybeth Whalen, Rachel Hauck, and Shellie Rushing Tomlinson.  We have so much chatting over life and sharing glasses of cyber-tea on our online front porch, and when we do have the chance to get together in person, it is a blast.   They are a joy to be with!

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

I do quite a lot of speaking to groups of all sorts, for everything from women’s retreats, to banquets, to professional conferences, to book clubs.  Writing is such a solitary profession, and it is a joy to get out and talk to real people.  When I was little, if you’d asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, “professional speaker” would not have been anywhere on the list, I can promise you.  I was the kid who was mortified in the first grade when I figured out that, if I put my hand over my eyes, the teacher could still see me and call on me to read out loud. 

One of my favorite things about book travel is that I often meet people who have read my books, and they share stories of what the books have meant to them.  It’s an incredible gift to have someone tell you, “This book made me write my mother a letter after fifteen years,” or “This story made me stop seeing taking care of my aging parents as such a burden,” or even, “This made me laugh during a terrible time in my life.”  As much fun as creating fictional people is, it’s the connections with real people that matter most.

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

Well, I embarrass myself all the time because I tend to have “duh” moments whenever names are involved.  There are days when, honestly, I think I could forget the names of my own children and pets.  The only good thing is that I’m to the point where I can pass it off as a result of  the dreaded EO-FB (Episodic Over-Forty Brain) disease.  Typically I could tell you everything about a person and I could replay what we’ve talked about, but I couldn’t give you a name, to save my life.  Even if a name does come to me, at this point, I’m afraid I’m wrong.  I probably am.  If I get to the Pearly Gates someday, and a fill-in-the-blank quiz with names is involved, I may be in serious trouble ;o)

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?

This question comes up a lot when I’m out speaking and via email.  Here’s what I usually tell people:

--Finish the manuscript.  Just learning to write from “Once upon a time…” to “The end” is the thing that stops most people.  It’s almost impossible for an unpublished writer to sell an unfinished manuscript.

--Don’t worry about making it perfect, just finish the manuscript (Did I say that already)?  It’s a lot easier to make something out of something than something out of nothing.

--Don’t pay anybody for anything, unless you know exactly what you’re getting for the money and you have checked references.  There are so many scams floating around in any entertainment-oriented business.  I’ve stopped a few people just short of spending money they couldn’t afford on publishing services that were making ridiculous promises.

--Believe in your story.  God wouldn’t have put it inside you unless it had value.  You may need to work on it.  You may need to work very hard and long, even, but that thing that’s inside you is there for a reason.

--While you’re trying to sell the first book, write a second.  You have more than one story in you, waiting to be told.

Tell us about the featured book.

Booklist called Blue Moon Bay "A warm and expressive modern twist on the parable of the Prodigal Son, or, in this case, Prodigal Daughter."  That's a pretty good nutshell for this story (I just found out that the book got a starred review from Booklist, by the way.  If you heard squealing from Central Texas last week, that was me). 

When Heather Hampton’s family falls into conflict over the sale of the family land, she is forced to return to the family funeral home in tiny Moses Lake, Texas to sort things out and deal with a family mystery and the unresolved wounds of the past.  But when local banker, Blaine Underhill, and Heather's crazy family get involved, all bets are off. Suddenly, Heather's quick trip to Texas leads to Valentine's Week in the family funeral home, and a revelation that could change Heather's life forever. 

**Right now, we have something brand new going on – a contest in which one reader can win the chance to “Join the cast” of the next Moses Lake book (Firefly Island, 2013) by becoming one of the townsfolk in Moses Lake.  I think it will be so much fun to write a reader into the story!  For more information and entry form, go to: www.lisawingate.com/jointhecast

Please give us the first page of the book.

Chapter 1 

The future is a blank page, but not a mystery.
--A Tinker’s Riddle
(Written on the Wall of Wisdom, Waterbird Bait and Grocery, Moses Lake, Texas)

            Is it possible for nine months and three days of your life to haunt you forever?  Can memories become like restless spirits, their long, thin fingers always reaching, and tugging, and grabbing?  Their fingernails, in my case, would be some variation of floral pink, nicely manicured.  Perfectly matched to a shade of lipstick and possibly a purse or some other accessory.  Undoubtedly, this is not the norm for personal demons, but try telling them that.  They won’t listen, I promise.


            There is no escape from those graceful Moses Lake ladies, with their embroidery-adorned pantsuits and their languid Southern drawls.  When they whispered in my mind, their sentences rose and fell and rose again, filled with long vowels, padded and powdered with cheerfulness they couldn’t possibly be feeling all the time.  They became the stuff of my darkest recurrent nightmares—the kind that reprised the most awkward teenage years and found me wandering the halls of Moses Lake High School with no idea where I was supposed to go, suddenly aware that I’d arrived in my Pooh Bear pajamas, or even worse, I’d forgotten the pajamas altogether.  Yet, somehow, I was just now noticing…


            Even from thousands of miles away, after the passage of season after season, the High School dream lingered, along with the feeling that somewhere in the tiny town of Moses Lake, Texas, the ladies were still talking about me.  “Such an odd little thing,” they were saying, a purposeful twang on the last word morphing it into tha-ang.  “All that eyeliner and that tacky, tacky purple lip gloss.  Why, those black T-shirts didn’t help her figure, one little bit, I’m tellin’ ye-ew.  But how much can you expect, considerin’ what happened?”  I wondered if their conversations turned darker, then—if the women whispered behind their hands about things I was never allowed to know.  Did they discuss theories, or facts, as they sat at Lakeshore Community Church, making greeting cards, or knitting scarves for orphans, or boxing cans for the food pantry?  Did they know what happened…

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I love visiting with readers and new friends online.  People can find me on:

Twitter:   http://twitter.com/#!/lisawingate

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lisa-Wingate-Readers-Circle/132187520154779

Blogging Mondays at: www.SouthernBelleView.com

My website: www.Lisawingate.com

Find the Moses Lake “Join the Cast” contest at: www.Lisawingate.com/jointhecast

Thank you, Lisa. It's always such a pleasure to have you drop by.


Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Blue Moon Bay - paperback
Blue Moon Bay - Kindle


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

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

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

If you’re reading this on 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