NO SAFE HARBOR - Elizabeth Ludwig - One Free Book on This Blog + Much More

Bio: Elizabeth Ludwig is an award-winning author and an accomplished speaker and teacher. Her historical novel Love Finds You in Calico, California earned four stars from Romantic Times. She is the owner and editor of the popular literary blog The Borrowed Book. Along with her husband and two children, Elizabeth makes her home in Orange, Texas.
Learn more at www.elizabethludwig.com.

Dear Readers, I've read this book recently and loved it. I think you will, too. And the cover is awesome.

Welcome, Elizabeth. What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about?

There’s actually one theme in particular that I try to weave into all of my books. It’s a unifying message in all three of the books from my latest series called the Edge of Freedom. It’s one that I hope will speak to everyone who reads them, but rather than tell you what it is, I’d like to show you with a line taken from one of the books:

“My dear, braw lad,” Cara whispered, “your faith was never in God. It was the church you followed, and the Fenians, not the Savior.”

What other books of yours are coming out soon?

I just finished the second book in the Edge of Freedom Series, called Dark Road Home, and am currently working on book three. Each of these books focuses on a different aspect of the struggle in Ireland, and how it translated to America. Overall, I am very excited to have been entrusted with this great project!

If you could spend an evening with one contemporary person (not a family member of yours), who would it be and why?

Not a family member…okay, then I guess I would have to say Tim Tebow (and who wouldn’t, right?) My goodness, that man is pretty! J

Joking aside, I would love to just pray with him and encourage him to stay faithful. Lots of eyes are on him. Fair or not, that makes him a role model.

What historical person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why?

I’d like to meet Abraham Lincoln. There’s been some controversy lately about him. I think I’d like to get to know him, find out who he really was and what he believed. Also, I’d like to ask him if he ever, ever killed a vampire. ;-)

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

I guess I would have to share a bit of my own writing history.

I wrote for six years before I sold my first book. As you can imagine, a collected a hefty pile of rejections from the time I submitted my first manuscript to the day I completed my first sale. In between is a time I fondly recall now as the desert years.

The desert years were a lonely, desperate time of self-pity and despair. How I wish I had realized then the presence of God in my life. With every tear I wept, He gently and lovingly molded me. Like a potter using water to make the clay pliable, God used my tears to soften and shape me. I’ll never forget the moment the realization hit me that nothing, not a moment of time in my long and difficult publishing journey had been wasted.

“Don’t be so focused on the goal that you miss the journey.” (Paraphrased)

I heard these words at a conference I attended. Suddenly, I realized that was exactly what I’d been doing. My goal was publication. Only that. Not the knowledge to be gained along the way, or the friendships forged in adversity. I missed the fleeting opportunities God had prepared to comfort me, and for me to give comfort. Like a darkened landscape exposed by a shaft of lightening, my life suddenly became visible, and I became determined to ENJOY the writing journey God had set me on.

Tell us about the featured book.

My newest release, No Safe Harbor, is sort of a departure from the typical Historical Romance. I’ve added a strong element of suspense to give it a sort of gothic romance feel (readers familiar with Victoria Holt and Phyllis A. Whitney will know what I’m talking about).

The story is set in and around New York City, especially Ellis Island. For those of you not familiar with its history, over twelve million immigrants entered the United States through Ellis Island from 1892 to 1954. Many of those immigrants were Irish, so when I decided to write a book about an Irish girl searching for her brother in America, it seemed the natural choice.

Here’s a little blurb about the book:

Lured by a handful of scribbled words across a faded letter, Cara Hamilton sets off from 1896 Ireland on a quest to find the brother she'd thought dead. Her search lands her in America, amidst a houseful of strangers and one man who claims to be a friend--Rourke Walsh.

Despite her brother's warning, Cara decides to trust Rourke and reveals the truth about her purpose in America. But he is not who he claims to be, and as rumors begin to circulate about an underground group of dangerous revolutionaries, Cara's desperation grows. Her questions lead her ever closer to her brother, but they also bring her closer to destruction as Rourke's true intentions come to light.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Sure! Here you go:

Ellis Island, 1897

A mischievous wind lifted the tips of Cara’s hair and tossed them into her eyes. She brushed the strands away then blew on her shaking fingers to warm them. The day was overcast, like every one before it for the past two weeks, but thankfully the snow had stopped and the sea had settled into something less than raging. She stood against the rail with no fear of being tossed over.

Few passengers crowded the rails of the ship, Servia. Most were kept below deck by the frigid February temperatures and the choppy Atlantic Ocean, but not Cara. Bad weather had lengthened the crossing, made her longing for her first glimpse of America sharper.

America. And Eoghan.

Just thinking of her twin brother brought a wash of hot tears to her cheeks. Eoghan was alive. After two years of bowing under the villagers’ whispered condemnation, of bearing in silence the brand given her family name. . .finally. . .the chance to uncover the truth behind his disappearance. His letter in hand, she’d scrambled aboard the first ship to America she could find.

Her fingers crept inside her coat to press the precious scrap of paper against her chest.

Soon, my sweet lad. I’ll be at your side! And then we’ll prove you were no traitor to your church or your country.

Gently, she caressed the twisted leather bracelet encircling her wrist. Eoghan wore one identical to it—a gift from their father on their sixteenth birthday.

“Ah, Miss Hamilton. You made it on deck, I see.”

Cara tucked the bracelet into her sleeve then turned toward the boisterous voice. Douglas Healy was a kind man. A bit loud for her liking. Nonetheless, his generosity had rescued her from steerage—a fact for which she would be forever grateful, and his good-humored jokes had made the trip across the Atlantic bearable. His presence had also kept some of the more amorous lads at bay, since they’d assumed mistakenly that he was her father.

She greeted him with a smile. “And you, as well, Mr. Healy. Here to catch your first glimpse of America?”

He snorted, his full moustache stirred by the force. “I’ve seen it before. This is my fourth crossing. Business, you know.”

His gray eyebrows bunched as he claimed the spot next to her at the rail. Teased by the wind, the fedora on his head lifted slightly. He caught it with a gloved hand and jammed it firmly back in place. “You, however, have yet to reveal your reasons for making the journey. Still no hope of finagling the information?”

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I’ve actually made quite a home for myself out in cyber space. Readers can find me at:

Website: www.elizabethludwig.com

Blog: www.theborrowedbook.blogspot.com.

I’m also on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.ludwig.33?ref=tn_tnmn and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/theborrowedbook.

Stop on by! I’d love to have you visit.


Elizabeth Ludwig is celebrating her new book with a Kindle Fire Giveaway and connecting with readers at a Facebook Author Chat party on 12/6.

One winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• No Safe Harbor by Elizabeth Ludwig

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on December 5th. Winner will be announced at the "No Safe Harbor" Author Chat Facebook Party on 12/6. Connect with Elizabeth, get a sneak peek of the next book in the Edge of Freedom series, try your hand at the trivia contest, and win some great prizes—gift certificates, books and a Book Club Prize Pack (10 copies for your book club or small group)!

So grab your copy of No Safe Harbor and join Elizabeth on the evening of the December 6th for a chance to connect with her and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun, RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 6th!

Thank you, Elizabeth, for visiting us today and for inviting us to your party.

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

No Safe Harbor (Edge of Freedom) - paperback
No Safe Harbor (Edge of Freedom) - 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

RESURRECT - David E Stevens - One Free Book on This Blog + Other prizes

Bio: A Navy fighter pilot with hundreds of aircraft carrier landings, Commander David E Stevens holds degrees from Cornell and the University of Michigan with graduate work in astrophysics. He test piloted new fighters and received an aviation patent. With a Top Secret clearance, Dave served as Strike Operations Officer for the Persian Gulf during Desert Storm and led classified defense programs. He's traveled to over two dozen countries.

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

Quite a bit – I think most authors put themselves into their characters, whether they do it intentionally or not. One of Resurrect’s leading characters, coincidentally, has the same background I do: test pilot, engineer, etc. Of course, the character then takes on attributes that I’d like to have, but don’t. I’m also more than happy to put my many faults into my characters … hoping they’ll permanently transfer. 

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if that were true? But I do believe that we authors learn to deal with some of our problems through our characters. What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I don’t know if it’s quirky, but bungee jumping in a small town in Mexico might not have been the brightest thing I’ve done. The dumbest thing I’ve done, more than once, was land on aircraft carriers at night.  

I’ve been in some small Mexican towns. That might have been really, really dangerous. When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I’ve always loved telling stories and had a tendency to rewrite and “wordsmith” from way back. However, the idea of being an actual writer kind of snuck up on me over time. There’s a bit of a story behind it.

Despite an almost one-in-five fatality rate for aircraft carrier pilots, I, like most twenty-year-olds, believed I was immortal. Then I lost one of my best friends to a jet crash. Until we have a personal experience with death, or the death of someone close, I don’t think it’s real. I believe that applies to societies as well. We tend to turn a blind eye toward potentially apocalyptic threats facing humanity, not to mention, what happens after we die.

With that in mind, I decided to try and figure out what the greatest threats facing humanity really were. I thought it would be a positive way to apply my military “demolition” background: nuclear weapons attack pilot, strike planner during Desert Storm, and classified weapon systems developer. Using the latest science and a lot of statistics, I ranked the greatest threats to the human race, ones that we can do something about. Then I decided the best way to get that information out to people was to write. So, I wrote a fun, action adventure trilogy that accurately highlights those threats and found I really loved writing.

I also know that there are many people out there that think as I used to think–science is sufficient and doesn’t require anything spiritual to explain the universe. I realized writing would allow me to use my science background to reach out.

I like your reasoning on this. Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.

I love comedy, action, and science, anything that makes me think, laugh, or flinch. Don’t tell my fellow fighter pilots but I’m also a sucker for a happy ending and a bit of a romantic.

That’s a good combination. How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

That’s a trick question. It assumes we’ve kept ours. I think you’ll agree, sanity isn’t a prerequisite to writing.

Seriously, I like to run and walk. I think that helps with my focus.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

That’s easy. I use the names of my friends and those I meet. They’re the names I know. I do mix up their first and last names with different characters to provide plausible deniability (unless someone gives me specific permission to use their whole name). For special characters, I do research names by nationality and popularity as needed. Hmm … Lena would make a great character name…

I’ve read a couple of books recently that had a character named Lena. Go for it! What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

My marriage to my amazing wife. She’s not just my wife, she’s my best friend, subject matter expert, and cheerleader.

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

A black leopard. Not sure why except that I think they’re one of the most beautiful animals in the world. They’re sleek, fast hunters.        

What is your favorite food?

Steak, cheesecake, and chocolate. Covers all the major food groups: meat, eggs, dairy and vegetables … chocolate’s a bean, right? ;)

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

Probably the mechanics, such as grammar. I thought dangling participles and split infinitives could be fixed with superglue ... my editor didn’t think that was funny either.

Tell us about the featured book.

It’s an apocalyptic, metaphysical, techno thriller with a little romance. Yeah, that’s a marketing nightmare of a description, isn’t it? It’s actually a fun action adventure that hopefully introduces the reader to some new ideas, but allows them to draw their own conclusions. A Colorado Gold finalist for best action thriller of the year, it’s been optioned for a movie by producer Fred Miller (soon to be released, When Angels Sing, starring Harry Connick Jr.).

Preventing his burning fighter from crashing into a neighborhood, Navy Commander Josh Logan ejects ... too late.

Critically injured, he's offered a new life and mission - exploit highly classified military technology to stop a global cataclysm. The price? He’ll be dead to everyone he knows.

I’ve been very fortunate to have Resurrect endorsed by a couple astronauts, several astrophysicists, and an admiral. But Resurrect doesn’t just highlight real life apocalyptic threats facing humanity, it delves into the intersection of cutting-edge science and religion, positively bridging the two.

Sounds like a book I want to read. Please give us the first page of the book.

Chapter 1 Depart

Thirty-foot blue-white blowtorches slashed the twilight, driving the twenty-ton fighter down the runway like an angry rhino on crack. Using small rudder corrections, Commander Josh Logan kept the overpowered F-18 Super Hornet tracking straight. Clumsy and ungainly on the ground, it transformed into an agile and graceful bird of prey as it leaped into the air.

He was delivering the brand new fighter to a squadron on the West Coast. It was a routine ferry flight, but it felt great to be back in the air and away from his desk.

The fifty-million dollar Hornets, assembled only a few hundred yards away at the Boeing plant, shared St. Louis International Airport with commercial airliners. The air traffic controllers wanted the fighters out of their crowded airspace as soon as possible. Happy to oblige, Josh pulled the jet into a sixty-degree climb. Smiling, he knew his vertical departure in afterburner dominated the dusk like a comet. He’d loved roller coasters as a kid. Fighters were just roller coasters without the track.

As he raised the landing gear, he caught something out of the corner of his eye – a tiny blur of motion accompanied by the slightest of vibrations. He quickly checked his engine instruments – everything looked okay.

***

The red-tailed hawk tucked its wings and dove, but too late. It struck inside the landing gear bay at 250 miles an hour. The bird expired in an explosion of feathers, the impact creating a hairline fracture in a high-pressure fuel line.

Good hook. I can’t wait to read it. How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.ResurrectTrilogy.com

On the website, we’re doing drawings for a Kindle Fire HD and having a future trilogy character named after them, plus the opportunity to be invited onto the set during the filming of Resurrect.

Thank you so much, Lena, for having me on your blog. I really appreciate it. If Resurrect does become a movie, you’re cordially invited to the set during the filming. Dave

To celebrate the release of Resurrect, David E. Stevens has teamed up with his publisher, Kregel Publications, for a Kindle Fire Giveaway and Facebook Author Chat Party {12/4}.

One "thrilling" winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• Resurrect by David E. Stevens

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on December 3rd. Winner will be announced at the "Resurrect" Author Chat Facebook Party on 12/4. Connect with David, get a sneak peek of the next book in the Resurrect Trilogy, try your hand at the trivia contest, and win some great prizes—gift certificates, books and a Book Club Prize Pack (10 copies for your book club or small group)!

So grab your copy of Resurrect and join David on the evening of December 4th for a chance to connect with David and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book - don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun, RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 4th!

Also, one reader of this blog will win a free copy of the book. 

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

TWICE A BRIDE - Mona Hodgson - One Free Book

Welcome, Mona.

Hi, Lena! Thanks for the invitation to join you here.

Hello, everyone!

What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about?

God’s amazing grace and our desperate need of it are central spiritual theme in my Sinclair Sisters of Cripple Creek novels. As a result of accepting and growing in God’s grace, we experience reconciliation, restoration, and second chances.

What other books of yours are coming out soon?

Twice a Bride, the fourth and final book in the Sinclair Sisters of Cripple Creek Series just released in October.

February 12, 2013 is the release date for Dandelions on the Wind, the first of three eNovellas in The Quilted Heart stories. Bending Toward the Sun, April 2013 and Ripples Along the Shore, May 2013.

These novellas introduce the Saint Charles Quilting Circle and serve as the prequel to my next series, Hearts Seeking Home. We’re headed west in a caravan of covered wagons.

What historical person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why?

Harriett Beecher Stowe, the author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin and many more works. Harriett’s passion for people and her love of words made a difference.

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

I’ve signed contracts for eight novels and novellas with a publisher from whom I had previously received a rejection or two. I wasn’t ready.

Recognize and remember that writing for publication is a process and a journey. Expect delays, and detours. Enjoy the adventure! Make the most of writers’ conferences, writers’ market guides, and critiques by published writers.

Tell us about the featured book.

Readers met Kat and Nell Sinclair, the two middle sisters, in Two Brides Too Many and Ida Sinclair, the eldest sister, in Too Rich for a Bride. In The Bride Wore Blue, the baby sister, Vivian Sinclair arrived in Cripple Creek with a secret. Now, in Twice a Bride, it's time for a family reunion as Mr. Harlan Sinclair makes his way back to his four daughters and their families.

Love lost doesn't mean love lost forever!
Can unexpected romance deliver a second chance for two deserving widows?

Full of resolve, young widow Willow Peterson decides to pursue her dreams to be an artist as she settles into a new life in the growing mountain town of Cripple Creek. When she lands a job working as a portrait painter with handsome entrepreneur and photographer Trenton Van Der Veer, the road before Willow seems to be taking a better-than-anticipated turn.

With questions tugging at several hearts in town, including the Sinclair Sisters’ beloved Miss Hattie, change is traveling down the tracks as several unexpected visitors make their way out West. Will the new arrivals threaten the deep family bonds of the Sinclair sisters and the roots of love that are just taking hold for Willow?

Filled with the resonating questions that all women face, this romance awakens hope against grief, love against loss, and dreams against life’s unexpected turns.

See The Sinclair Sisters of Cripple Creek Series Book Trailer and Read a Chapter One Excerpt from Twice a Bride here. http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?work=212055

Please give us the first page of the book.

1898
Jagged edges marked the sculpted granite at Willow’s feet. Love was like that. Smooth in places. Sharp and dangerous in others.

’Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.

Willow stared at the white rose in her hand. She agreed with Alfred Lord Tennyson’s statement. But on this last day of August, churned clods of Colorado dirt formed a blanket over her father’s grave. Was it the loss of her father so soon after their reunion, or was it fear threatening to rob her of air? Both were cunning adversaries.

She glanced at the shiny black carriage where her loved ones awaited her. Aunt Rosemary hadn’t looked at her today, but Willow had seen the apprehension clouding Mother’s eyes. Her brother, Tucker, had stared at her during the graveside service, worry rutting his brow. Even her sister-in-law watched her the way one would watch a pot on the brink of a boil.

If Willow dared to look in a mirror, she’d see the same question lurking in her own features. Could this insatiable sorrow pull her back into a tide she couldn’t withstand any more than Sam could survive the undercurrent in the San Joaquin River?

She bent to the ground. “Father, I’m sorry for the anguish I’ve caused you. I wanted to be strong.” She laid the rose on the grave. “I won’t be a Weeping Willow this time.” Squaring her shoulders, she brushed away the tears spilling onto her cheeks. At what point after Sam’s death had her mourning become abnormal? Would she recognize warning signs if it were to happen again?

“Willow?” Tucker’s voice wafted on the breeze, just above a whisper.

Drawing in a fortifying breath, she looked at her brother and stood. His eyes narrowed as though he expected her to crumple.

Tucker had been the only one to visit her at the asylum after Father had her committed, and he’d visited her once a week despite never receiving notable response from her. Tucker met her gaze. “Are you all right?”

“Yes.” She brushed a blade of grass from her mourning gown. “I needed some time.”

“I can’t help but worry about you.”

She offered him a slight grin. “I know.”

He slid his hands into his trouser pockets. “You shouldn’t be alone.”

Willow agreed. She’d expected by this time in her life to be a pastor’s wife and herding at least two or three little Peterson tykes.

“I’m not alone.” Was she trying to convince him or herself? “Mother and Aunt Rosemary are at the boardinghouse with me.”

He looked at the rose she’d placed on their father’s grave. “Saturday they’ll return to Colorado Springs.”

“But Miss Hattie is under the same roof, and she’s not going anywhere.”

Willow added a lilt to her voice to see if she could cause his brow to soften. “And I have you.”

Perhaps it was a mistake to live this close to her brother. He had a wife, a church to shepherd, and the Raines Ice Company to oversee. Worrying about her was not a pleasant way for Tucker to live. But if she didn’t settle in Cripple Creek, where would she go? Nothing, and no one, awaited her in Stockton, California, where she’d grown up and married Sam.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

You can learn more about me, my books, and my speaking ministry at www.monahodgson.com. You can also connect with me on Hindsight by Mona Hodgson at http://monahodgson.wordpress.com, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/#!/Author.Mona, and on Twitter, LinkedIn, and NovelCrossings.

Thank you, Mona, for visiting with us today.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Twice a Bride: A Novel (The Sinclair Sisters of Cripple Creek) - paperback
Twice a Bride: A Novel (The Sinclair Sisters of Cripple Creek) - 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

LOVELIER THAN DAYLIGHT - Rosslyn Elliott - One Free Book

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

I have a couple of projects stewing in my brain. My first trilogy was inspired by a house, and my next project will also be based on a historic building that I discovered this summer. I seem to be architecturally-oriented as a writer! However, despite my plans for writing, this is a transitional time in our family’s life because we just made a major interstate move and acquired some land and horses. Finding writing time has been challenging because we’ve been spending so much time setting up fencing and storage, not to mention caring for the equines and canines, plus homeschooling and teaching riding lessons. I’m at peace with this transition, just enjoying the blessings that come with it and not worrying about the future. God knows the plans he has for me. When it’s time to write again, whether that’s a month from now or a year from now, the time will become available. It strikes me as a pretty good idea to take a sabbatical for a few months anyway, with all of the turbulence in the publishing world these days! It will be interesting to see which publishers are still thriving a year from now. Too often, I think we get caught up in the pressure to publish nonstop, but it’s important to stay balanced and hear God’s voice, not just the conventional wisdom of the world.

Tell us a little about your family.

My husband is a creative and talented salesman and a doting father to our fourth-grader. Lately, we’ve been working so hard outside that we tend to come in at night and collapse into bed! But during the day, we have fun working with our horses. My daughter and I like to cook together too. We all like music, though my daughter and I are more classically-oriented compared to my husband’s taste for classic rock and 80’s hair-bands. And we all share a love for nature that brings us pleasure just from walking outside and seeing whatever new beauty is out there in the fields, whether it’s butterflies, birds, or morning frost.

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

I have a new appreciation for good novels from any genre. They are so much harder to write than anyone would ever guess who hadn’t been through the process. These days, when I see an error or something else that isn’t perfect in a novel, I think “How long did this author have to write this novel? Was she on a two-month deadline? Did she have a good line editor or a bad one?” I read with more grace and insight for authors now.

What outside interests do you have?

Teaching is an abiding passion for me. I love to teach, especially when I get to teach young people. Right now I’m teaching riding lessons, plus two drama classes, one for my church and one for a homeschool group. When I get the chance, I also love to go listen to good classical or folk music. And I enjoy light strategy board games like Settlers of Catan.

I’ve noticed that many authors have a drama background. I do as ell. How do you choose your settings for each book?

Thus far, I’ve been inspired by setting more than any other single aspect of writing. Because my first three novels were based on real history, the settings were mostly self-selecting. However, in my first novel, I moved one historical setting from the country to the city, because I needed to make a contrast between rural and urban life. So I do exercise some liberty, even though my settings are in part determined by the history I’m writing. In Lovelier than Daylight, I chose to incorporate the unusual cultural atmosphere of German Village in Columbus, Ohio. Depicting German American culture was my favorite part of the novel.

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

I’d like to have dinner with Queen Elizabeth I. I’d love to know if she really had a human side, or if the pressures of her position erased most of her humanity.

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

Ignorance is bliss! I’m actually glad that I didn’t know how hard and occasionally disturbing the publishing journey can be. Having a book published is a blessing, and I never forget that, but there are some strange and difficult episodes along the way. Now, I watch new writers go through their first publishing experience, and I see them going through some of the same trials. As a result, I’ve developed a lot of compassion for authors, because I know the challenges we all face. Very few people have a completely easy or smooth ride through traditional publishing. So whenever someone asks me for counsel, I am happy to help in any way I can.

I’m in one of those difficult times right now, so I understand. But God is so with me. What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

I’m learning to take joy in the moment, to wait on His call with grace and peace.

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

First, success is determined in the end by God alone, not by the world, and if we forget that, we won’t be joyful. So, the first thing to do is to stay tuned in to heaven’s priorities and tune out any message that gets in the way. Second, be humble. We can’t learn or grow without humility. Finally, be kind and love others. In that way, we stay true to our primary calling. Whether or not success comes down the pipeline is not completely within our control, but we always have a say in keeping our spiritual integrity. And if we ever find that the lifestyle of writing is threatening that integrity, we need to consider making changes. As the scripture says, we gain nothing if we gain the whole world but lose our souls.

Tell us about the featured book.

Lovelier than Daylight is the last in a trilogy of three novels based on the real-life Hanby family of Westerville, Ohio. Each novel focuses on a different generation in the family, so each can stand alone as its own story, though of course it’s ideal to read them in order! I enjoyed creating this generational saga because it was rewarding to trace one minister’s family through fifty years of life, spanning from 1825 to 1875. And it was fascinating to show how America had changed in that fifty years! Lovelier than Daylight is based on a real historical episode known as the Westerville Whiskey War that made national news in 1875.

Lovelier than Daylight follows Susanna Hanby through an unforgettable summer, as she discovers that her sister has disappeared, along with her six children. Her sister’s alcoholic husband claims they’ve run away, but Susanna doesn’t believe him. As Susanna attempts to find her family and bring them home, she’s drawn into a crusade for temperance that turns violent in a small Ohio town. An attractive German American brewer named Johann Giere is supplying his goods to a saloon in Westerville. When Susanna tries to stop him, he finds himself attracted to her, but she can’t stand his profession. As he offers to help her find her family, conflict over temperance erupts in Westerville, in gunpowder and flames. Susanna and Johann risk their lives and their hearts as their deepening relationship forces a choice between passion against principle.

Sounds totally captivating. Please give us the first page of the book.

Tall grass and wildflowers blocked her view and stranded her in the middle of the meadow. Susanna’s arms prickled as if someone watched her—but surely no one else was out here in the country, on this June morning already hot and breathless.

Scores of fleabane daisies studded the wall of grass like flat yellow eyes, unblinking. The heavy air pressed from all sides, its stillness broken only by the hum of a wasp that circled above her head.

Her sister needed her. She must get to the farmhouse as soon as she could. She gripped the handle of her heavy valise with both hands and pushed through the grass, peering for marks of passage to keep her on the overgrown path. Her back grew warm under her bustled polonaise and corset, and her petticoat dampened beneath her skirt. She wanted to lift her curls away from her neck and fan herself, but she trudged on. At least her straw hat kept the sun out of her eyes.

This summer refused to relent, with its constant liquid heat, harsh as the burn of whiskey on the tongue. Susanna had tasted a sip of whiskey once, at her father’s request. He wanted her to know its flavor so curiosity could never tempt her, even though she promised him drink held no allure for her. Whiskey had done more than enough harm already.

She would not think of that. She was here to bring companionship and merriment to her sister and her children before she headed off to college in Westerville.

A brick chimney poked above the grass. Her sister’s house squatted ahead with its familiar, peeling white planks. Rusted farm tools lay by its walls, and the fields beyond bore only a sparse cover of wilting corn. But any neglect was not Rachel’s fault. With a lazy husband and six little ones to feed, Rachel could not go out in the fields and do everything herself.

Susanna hurried forward, her shoulders aching from the pull of the valise.

Why hadn’t the children come out to greet her? Clara or Wesley should be out doing their chores, even if the little ones stayed inside.

 She stopped. Something had happened to the flowerbeds. The blooms lay crushed and browned along the foundation of the house. Her throat knotted—Rachel must be so sad. The only color and luxury at the home had come from the flowers she had so patiently watered and weeded. All dead now.

She set her luggage at the bottom of the stoop, climbed up and knocked. No answer. She laid a tentative hand on the knob and pushed the door open a crack. “Rachel?” Her call sank into eerie silence. Her stomach hollowed and she gripped the knob tighter. She eased the door open. The small parlor with its threadbare furniture was empty.

A few steps took her into the dim hallway and back to the bedroom. No one was there. The sheets were rumpled, the quilt hung on the floor, and the baby’s cradle was empty. Something was wrong—her breathing quickened.

Yes, totally fascinating and suspenseful. How can readers find you on the Internet?

I have a website at www.rosslynelliott.com, but I’m more likely to be checking in on Facebook! I love to talk to readers, so feel free to friend me or like my author page for updates.

Thank you, Rosslyn, for sharing your life and new book with us.

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

Lovelier than Daylight (The Saddler's Legacy Series) - paperback
Lovelier than Daylight (The Saddler's Legacy Series) - 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

Winners!!!!!!!

Janet Estridge (FL), Mark (OH), and Hollymag (CA) are the winners of Double Exposure by Susan Sleeman. 
Dorie (NY) is the winner of To Whisper Her Name by Tamera Alexander. 
A J Hawke (TX) is the winner of A Bride's Rogue in Roma, Texas by Darlene Franklin.
Judy B (IN) is the winner of The Christmas Star by Ace Collins.
Beth (IA) is the winner of Cracks in the Ice by Deanna Klingel. 

If you won a book and you 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. If you won a print book, send me your mailing address:
Click the Contact Me link at the top of the blog, and send me an Email.
If you won the ebook, just let me know what email address it should be sent to.
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. 

CAMELLIA - Diane T Ashley, Aaron McCarver - One Free Book

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

 More books. Aaron and I enjoy writing together. We look forward to many more years of working on new projects.

Yes, we have some things in the pipeline now with our agent. We will tell more when we can.

Tell us a little about your family.

I am married to a fantastic man, Gene, who is an auditor at a large local hospital. I have a brother (Mitch) who is a lawyer here in Mississippi. He’s been kind enough to let me set up a working office in his building. My sister (Vicki) lives in central Florida and has a really “cool” job – her own shaved ice business.

My dad still lives in Tennessee, in the home he built for my mother shortly after they married. My sister (Marilyn) is married with two college-aged children. She teaches at the elementary school in our home town. My other sister (Ginger) is married and lives in northeast Georgia. She has two grown children and two granddaughters.

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

I spend more of my reading time doing research, but I do allow myself a little time for entertainment. So many of my friends are writers, and I love reading their books.

Writing has definitely changed my reading habits. I was always a voracious reader before being published. I still read as much Christian fiction, my favorite type of book to read, as I can, but much of my reading is now research, prepping for my college classes I teach, and editing, another job I have.

What are you working on right now?

We are waiting to hear from publishers about our new proposal.

What outside interests do you have?

I enjoy watching television, playing electronic games, and reading.

I love watching classic movies, watching some TV shows, and reading as much as possible.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

Aaron is the idea guy, so I’ll let him explain this one.

Ideas usually come to me through history. I may be watching a documentary or visiting a historic home or reading about some past event and will think about the people who lived during that time. I then start thinking of possible stories for these “real” people and come up with ideas for books and series. The settings come with where the events took place.

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

I’d love to spend some time with Benjamin Franklin. I would love to know what it was like to live during that time.

 I am going to cheat and name a few. I would love to hear from John the apostle about what it was like being the “disciple who Jesus loved.” I would love to talk to George Washington about the early days of our country. And I would love to talk to George W. Bush about his standing for godly principles when so many were against him.

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

When I first started on my own, I found it difficult to think through a whole novel. Once I took a class Aaron taught on writing from an outline, I learned a logical approach that I’m still using. Everything, as I was so naïve. I would have loved to have known that authors go through difficult times like everyone else and your publishers and agents understand and want to help you through these times.

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

To lean on Him instead of my own strength.

To trust in His timing and not my own.

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

Be persistent, patient, and flexible.

Persistence, I agree, is key to being a published author. Also attend conferences like ACFW’s. This is vital. And learn how to network. I do not mean social networking. I am talking about networking at conferences and similar events. As the commercial says, it is priceless.

Tell us about the featured book.

Camellia Anderson misses her life of wealth and privilege. She misses the balls, she misses the suitors. . .and she’s bored with hearing about politics despite the undeniable wave of unrest raging across the South. Then a routine trip to New Orleans brings Thad Watkins—staunch Southern supporter and dashing soldier—into her world, and they begin a whirlwind courtship.

Jonah Thornton is disappointed when he sees Camellia growing closer to Thad. He has admired Camellia from afar even though he knows he is no more than a friend to her. Having questioned the practice of slavery in the past, and without much hope of finding love with Camellia, Jonah heads north to join the Union Army.

When an injury brings Jonah back into Camellia’s life, she is both challenged by and drawn to this man of strong convictions. Suddenly Camellia is torn between two loves—just as the nation is torn between north and south. But is she willing to risk everything—her reputation, her life, and her heart—to save a Union soldier?

Reply

Please give us the first page of the book.

Jonah Thornton did not want to die.

His fingers cramped, and he loosened his grip on the trigger of his Sharps carbine. The butt of the rifle seemed grafted to his shoulder, an extra arm with deadly intent. He bent his head and sighted down the thirty-inch barrel, wondering if he could really pull the trigger. Wondering if he could take the life of another man. He raised his head and moved the rifle back to marching position, heel at waist level, barrel with bayonet over his shoulder.

A twig broke some distance away, and the tempo of Jonah’s heart soared. Was it a scout looking for evidence of the force mustering in the area between the city of Boonville and the Mississippi River? Or a rabbit or deer foraging for an early morning meal?

His awareness stretched outward. Around him, the breaths of his fellow soldiers sounded loud, as did the whisper of gunpowder sliding into the throats of their muskets, followed by the snick of minie balls—a sound as deadly as a rattlesnake’s tail. The moment was fast approaching when he would find out exactly what it meant to fight for his beliefs. Even to the point of risking his life in the protection of those beliefs.

Sweat sprouted on his forehead as he caught the rhythmic cadence of marching feet. The rest of the battalion was about to reach his position between two cornfields on the edge of Boonville.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.dianeashleybooks.com   

Aaron can be found at his author pages at www.barbourbooks.com  or at www.fictionfinders.com

Thank you, Diane and Aaron, for sharing another of your books with us today.

Readers, here is a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog. Camellia: Song of the River 2


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

SHADOWED DREAMS - Tina Pinson - One Free Book

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

I write what touches my heart. I feel that God lays the ideas on my imagination and when they persist, I have to write it down. Usually I dream about my stories. I tend to write about the late 1800s because the time frame intrigues me. I often wonder how my life might have been had I been alive then. I have also been writing some contemporary fiction. Then there was Grace, a 9/11 catastrophe type story releases next year. And Christmas in Shades of Gray, a offbeat Dickinson's Christmas tale releases as well.

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

Well after three tries, because my husband to be was in the military and kept getting extended, when I finally walked down the aisle to say "I do" -- nearly thirty-three years ago -- was pretty special. Of course there is having my children. Each one rates up there on the joy meter. And my grandchildren. Just welcomed a little boy, Gunner Liam and now we are looking forward to another little girl. My son is threatening to name her Pepper Pots Pinson since my grandson loves Ironman.

How has being published changed your life?

Not too much, except I probably spend more time on line trying to get some marketing done when I should be writing. I guess it has also helped me take a closer look at my stories and see if I can out do myself.

What are you reading right now?

I just finished The Merchant's Daughter by Melanie Dickerson and A Merry Little Christmas by Anita Higman. Both were good reads.

I thoroughly enjoyed both of those books, too. What is your current work in progress?

I have a few WIPS, but I have been focusing on trying to get one done at a time now and Finding Middle C a Civil War yarn is first up. Although I did get somewhat sidetracked by a There's A Monster Beneath My Bed. A children's picture book.

What would be your dream vacation?

I would love to go to Australia and do some sightseeing. Would also love to go on a cruise to Alaska. Might sound silly, but just getting back to Colorado for a respite is wonderful.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

A lot of times I can write about a place I've visited. But many times the setting comes with the dream and where the story takes place. Of course my latest series starts in the east then the characters travel west on the Oregon Trail and that is a specific trail.

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

I would like to sit down with George and Laura Bush. I would love to talk to them about what they went through as the first family, and what happened in their home on 9/11. Then there are a couple of actors and authors that might be interesting to dissect in conversation.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I like to sing, draw, garden, (although Arizona is much harder than Colorado I'm finding) and run power tools. Actually I like to build. Power tools and I can be questionable cause I'm a klutz, drilled my arm last year.

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

I suppose my biggest obstacle beyond social networking or TV and family, is me. I find ways to procrastinate and ways to critique myself right out of writing a chapter. Sometimes I really need to shut my inner editor up and just write. When I do, I get more accomplished.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

First and foremost, write your heart. Write your voice. It's all fine well and good to write what you know, but then you might never write anything. Think outside the box. Create new worlds with the imagination God has given you and use it to His glory. Research if necessary. But don't tuck yourself in someone else's mold and lose the wonder of who you are as a writer.

Tell us about the featured book.

Shadowed Dreams is the second in my Shadow Series. It is the continuing story of Matthew and Rebekah Cavanaugh. Book 1 When Shadows Fall, followed them through the battle and loss of the war, and on to Missouri where Rebekah planned to take the train west to Oregon. In book 2, Matthew has convinced Rebekah to marry him, under a contract of convenience, so he can help her west, with the understanding that they can call it quits once they reach Oregon. But Matthew doesn’t want to let Rebekah go ever, he hopes she'll become his wife in more than name. He hopes to win her heart. And he has six months on the trail to do so.

The Shadow Series is written much like Hunger Games, Harry Potter, The Dreamhouse Kings, and Divergent, not that its dystopian or fantasy but the story continues to follow the main characters and an ensemble cast throughout.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Life is a mixture of joy and sorrows,

Wwhere darkness and light mingle to cast shadows upon your soul.

These shadows, often fleeting, touch us far deeper than their hazy essence ever deemed  possible.        Rebekah St. James

Rebekah looked at the man she was marrying. He was so handsome just a look from him sent fingers of hope and desire skittering down her spine. She closed her eyes. It seemed like such a dream. Yesterday, after being told she couldn't join the train, she'd all but given up having any dreams come true and now... it looked like her dreams might just take flight.

She sighed. She wanted to share this day with her parents. She wanted to tell them she was all right. She was here because of war, but she was still standing.

She closed her eyes, and prayed they heard her heart.

Mother, Father,

I wish I could see you now. Wish you could be here. No, I wouldn't call you from Heaven to come to a land of chaos and war.

War. I hate war. With every fiber of my being. How could I not? War has taken so much from this nation. So much from me.

War and the sickness and need that rose from it, took my baby, Cassandra. Is she with you now? I often wonder how much you see of my life.

War and the horror of it stole my husband, Robert Montgomery as well. You never met him. All this happened after I saved him from a Yankee prison with help from my Godfather, Abraham Lincoln, and brought him home to West Virginia to heal after he lost both his legs.

Robert's war-ravaged body mended, but his mind was lost in a battle all its own. Lost in an unseen war I couldn't win for him. A war he wouldn't try to defeat. Not for himself, for me or our son, Andrew. I am afraid to ask if he is with you as well.

War and the necessity to live uprooted me from my home and brought me, along with Andrew, and my cousin, Caroline St. James, and my son's great uncle and my dear friend, Elijah Montgomery, to Independence, Missouri, with a dream to head west.

West... to Oregon. To the new Eden. Far from the war dividing the nation. West to peace.

I am not alone in my desire to find peace and rest. War has ravaged us all. That is the nature of war.

Nothing good can come from it.

Yet... look at me. Without this war and the losses in my life I wouldn't be standing here today marrying Matthew Cavanaugh, my friend, my childhood dream.

Such irony. War has dredged up enough sorrows to last my lifetime, but war has brought me to this moment. To Matthew.

I only hope that once he learns the truth about me, about the attack... oh I don't know what I hope...

Kiss Cassandra for me, and if Robert is there, tell him... tell him...

How can readers find you on the Internet?

My website -- http://www.tinapinson.com/

Twitter:@Tina_Pinson

Facebook-- http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=754617103

Purchase my books at:

Desert Breeze:

When Shadows Fall

Touched By Mercy

In the Manor of the Ghost

Shadowed Dreams

Amazon:

Touched By Mercy

In the Manor of the Ghost

When Shadows Fall

Shadowed Dreams

Barnes & Noble:

Touched By Mercy

In the Manor of the Ghost

When Shadows Fall

Christian Books Distributors:

Touched By Mercy

In the Manor of the Ghost

When Shadows Fall

Thank you for stopping by my blog to share your book, Tina.

Readers, 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