BETRAYED - Tina Pinson - One Free Book

First, thank you so much for letting me come visit and share about my book Trail of the Sandpiper -- Betrayed, Lena

Thank you, Tina. It's my pleasure to share your book with my blog readers. Welcome back. Tell us about your salvation experience.

I went forward to accept Christ at a young age—about 6. The pastor had been talking about asking for forgiveness of sins and accepting God's gift of grace given by his Son on the cross, and so had the Sunday School teacher and my parents, so when the invitation was given—I believe it was “Just as I am”—I stepped out and went forward to talk to the pastor and let the church know I had accepted Christ as my savior. Nothing earth shattering happened, I bowed my head and asked Christ to forgive my sins and come into my life. I didn't feel any different. I don't think I looked any different and I don't know that I acted any different. I was raised in a home where Christ was talked about. We learned to read using the scriptures and were told that we should follow Christ as an example for our lives. A few weeks later, I was baptized.

Life went on fine. I went to church, sat in Sunday School, had Bible Study with my family and read scriptures for myself. Around the time I turned fourteen, we were living in Turkey and the first church and scripture came to life. I don't know if that caused me to wonder where I stood with God, but I begin to question my faith. Did I choose to follow Christ because I wanted to please the adults in my life, or because I truly believed Christ died for my sins? Thinking about that, and where I stood in my own faith, made me take a closer look at myself, and my beliefs.  After some soul searching, I went before the Lord and rededicated my life.

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

That is a tough question. Are they supposed to be alive or can I pull from those who have passed on. There are so many authors it might be interesting to rub shoulders with and bounce ideas off of.

Janette Oak, who started selling books and helped put Christian Fiction on the map.

Francine Rivers, because she started writing in the secular arena and has continued in the Christian arena. She might have good ideas for how to bridge the two and reach both well.

And it might be interesting to sit down with Charles Dickens or Mark Twain or Jane Austen, because their stories have remained for a long time and still have relevance.

 

Maybe I could sit with Nora Roberts, she's so prolific and I'd like to learn her secret on where she finds the time to write and perhaps some of it could rub off on me.

Authors like Veronica Roth (Insurgent), Suzanne Collins (the Hunger Games) Stephanie Meyers (Twilight Series) and Nicolas Sparks might be interesting to talk to find out how they sold so many book and got them turned into movies and what it entails. How did it change their lives?

And there might be others who I find funny in their writing and in person and would just like to sit down with.

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

I have done some speaking but not much. Mainly at Women's ministry meetings and such. I've also done some singing and visited a couple of small groups. I sometimes speak on writing, why I write. Other times I talked about my life and others on a thought in scripture.

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

Well, I fell in an open manhole once. I tried to act like it didn't faze me at all, even though several people saw me, and my shoes were squeaking from getting wet.

I hate to admit it… but… the most embarrassing was probably belittling someone and having my son tell that person what I said and seeing the look of hurt and shock on their face. There wasn't just embarrassment but shame as well. There wasn't much I could do but apologize and I did so for a long time.

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've had several people tell me that, I especially love the one where they have a story and I should help write it for them.  My answer is usually to say, if you're supposed to write a book, I hope you sit down and write it and that it gets published and you have good sales.

Tell us about the featured book.

Betrayed is the first in my World War II Trail of the Sandpiper series. I wrote the brunt of it many years ago. It actually placed third in the ACFW Noble (Genesis) Prize in 2003. I wrote after watching Three Came Home and Father Goose. Old movies about what happened to people after the Japanese started taking over the islands of the Pacific.

Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and now has designs on the islands of the Pacific. Justine Whitcomb's encampment, the Wairopi Missionary Compound, sits in the crosshairs. The Japanese land on Papua New Guinea and the compound is attacked, leaving Justine to get herself and several children off the island. This sends her trekking through enemy lines, and into Tyler Merrick's path.

Tyler and his team have been sent by the U.S. to search for a spy known as the Sandpiper and a rogue that been using the Sandpiper's name and sending false messages. Wounded at Pearl Harbor and losing a brother there, Tyler nursed his anger with liquor, biding his time until he could get back into the war. Now the enemy is all around him and, while he should be in the fight, he finds himself saddled with women and children.

Even though she's done nothing to warrant his mistrust, Justine sees the chinks in his armor, and doesn't want or need a slightly tarnished white knight. She's capable and strong and that raises Tyler's ire. He wonders if Justine isn't the spy he was sent to find or the rogue. Justine questions why the navy has come so far inland and why Lt Merrick seems so angry with her. Can they trust one another to get off the island? Can they trust the Lord to lead them through danger to safety? 

Please give us the first page of the book.

Destiny

December 4, 1941

With a whistle on his lips and a jig in his step, Tyler packed his bag. By noon, he'd be on his way to Pearl Harbor—white, sandy beaches, hot days, warm nights, wine, and women. Who could ask for more? To sweeten the pot, his twin brother, Alex, received orders for Pearl as well. Plucking his shirt from the bed, Tyler flung it on his shoulder. Doing a move reminiscent of Fred Astaire—a soft two-step, twirl, and a glide—he tossed his rolled socks in his seabag.

Tyler hadn't seen Alex in several years. Not from lack of trying, but life managed to keep them apart.

It'd been that way since they were children. He thought about the first time, after their parent's death, that they'd been separated from each other. Alex had stopped on the front walk of the orphanage and looked back before his new parents led him away. With one hand pressed to the glass and the other pressed to his lips to muffle his tears, and Tyler stood there.

Alone.

Tyler clasped the front of his shirt and recalled, with clarity, how his eight-year-old heart felt like it'd been ripped apart.

He stayed in touch with Alex for a time through letters.

They made plans to run away together and hide where no one could find them as soon as they had the means to do it. One didn't amass a fortune with bottle-return pennies and allowances.

They wrote when they could and managed to meet up ten years later. A meeting here and letter there was all they had. Now Tyler was headed to Pearl, too. The military was going to do for them what they never could. Bring them together again. His friend, Wyatt, said it was a miracle. Tyler wouldn't allow himself to believe in miracles, no matter what Wyatt might say.

They wouldn't have the same duty station. Alex had orders to the battleship USS Arizona, and Tyler would get his final orders after more training at Pearl. He'd already been through Naval Survival Schooling and hoped to put his training and expertise in jungle warfare and island languages to good use if talks failed with Japan and war became reality.

So far, the Pacific Theater was quiet.

Roosevelt still sat at the table, working on a treaty with the Japanese. No one believed Japan wanted war with the United States.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Tina's Blog

Twitter:@Tina_Pinson

Facebook-- https://www.facebook.com/TinaEPinsonAuthor

Pinterest http://pinterest.com/tinapinson/

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 Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, 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

THYME FOR LOVE - Pamela S Meyers

Bio:  A native of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, author Pamela S. Meyers lives in suburban Chicago with her two rescue cats. Her novels include Thyme for Love, and Love Will Find a Way, contemporary romantic mysteries, and her 1933 historical romance, Love Finds You in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. When she isn’t at her laptop writing her latest novel, she can often be found nosing around Wisconsin and other mid-western spots for new story ideas.

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

I recently received my rights back on my first two published books and have been busy updating the first one, Thyme for Love (TFL), which I just published independently through Amazon. It’s exciting to do the entire process of publishing myself. Now that TFL is published, I’ll begin work on editing Love Will Find a Way. Then after that, I hope to write the third in the series, which I am calling The Cooking Up Trouble series. Although I haven’t published anything traditionally since Love Finds You in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, I still hope to publish that route in addition to the Indies.

Tell us a little about your family.

Since I am an only child and never married, my family connections are not exactly the same as a lot of people. My parents are both deceased, but I have first cousins whom I see periodically. I have a number of very close friends from church who are my sisters in the Lord and they count as much as family to me as any siblings would have.

I love friends like that. Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?

Yes. First, I don’t have as much time as I used to for casual reading. But I do try to read current releases in my genre to keep up with what is out there and also to better my craft by reading other writers. Sometimes it’s hard to turn off the “editor” hat and just read for enjoyment.

What are you working on right now?

Having just published Thyme for Love, I’m working a lot on getting the word out to people about the book through promotion on social media and in blog interviews like this one J. The ACFW conference is coming up next month, and I need to focus on the novel I’d like to pitch to editors there and prepare for the appointments

What outside interests do you have?

I enjoy knitting and crocheting, both great stress reducers after a busy day of writing and editing. I attend Bible Study Fellowship each year from September to May and I really enjoy digging deep into the Bible and learning how to apply God’s Word to my life. This coming fall we’ll begin studying Revelation and I’m very excited about that.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

All three of my published books are set in southeastern Wisconsin where I grew up. Love Finds You in Lake Geneva is actually set in my hometown. I was very blessed to have the opportunity to set a novel there. The two mystery/romance novels are set in the small town of Canoga Lake, a fictitious community about ten minutes east of Lake Geneva. I chose to not have the story in Lake Geneva because in the first book, Thyme for Love, the police chief is a bungler, and I didn’t want to paint the police chief of my hometown that way J. I love setting my stories in Wisconsin, or the Midwest in general, because there are so many wonderful settings throughout the area. You have the Apostle Islands at the very northern most point in Wisconsin, the rolling glacier-formed hills of the Kettle Moraine in southeastern Wisconsin, the large and beautiful city of Chicago…I could go on, but I’ll stop.

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

I think I would love to go back in time to how my hometown of Lake Geneva was in the thirties when my Love Finds You book is set. I learned so much about the town in doing my research and I’d love to just hang with the townspeople and enjoy getting to know them. Then after that it would be great fun to go back even farther to the very late 19th Century in the same area. Many of Chicago’s wealthy built large mansions on the lakeshore and they lived a very different lifestyle than the townspeople. I’d love to go back and hang out in some of their homes, attending their tea parties and ride on their steam yachts.

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

That can take a very long while to become established and just because someone tells you that your writing is ready to be published, it may not be that ready. I had quite a letdown in the early days of my writing because someone told me I was ready to be published and I really was not. That didn’t stop me, but it wasn’t realistic to tell me that.

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

Just today He showed me from Hebrews 13: 5-6 that I have been obsessing too much about how many books I’ve sold so far since I went Indie. It’s nice to be able to check on your sales right up to the minute, but it’s easy to become too caught up in it and almost make it an idol. I want all my writing to be to His glory, and it doesn’t matter if I sell a small number of books or thousands.

I don’t look at the numbers of my Indies until it’s royalty time. What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?

Work hard, never stop learning the craft, and be flexible.

Tell us about the featured book.

New chef, April Love, has landed her dream job, but she never anticipated her former fiancé and a murdered boss would be on the menu.

When April Love applies for a job as an in-house chef at a century-old lakeshore mansion in Canoga Lake, Wisconsin, she never expected to find her old flame, Marc Thorne, working there and looking more gorgeous than ever. He’d left her high and dry weeks before their planned wedding, and last she heard, he was living on the West Coast. Soon, the old attraction heats up. But, April senses Marc isn’t spilling all the beans about his past eight years, and no amount of questioning has him talking. Despite being unable to trust Marc for her future, she’s determined to not let him stand in the way of living out her dream.

Their boss is murdered, and Marc is falsely accused of the crime. He’s about to be indicted, and April has no choice but to turn detective and find Ramón Galvez’s real killer. It isn’t long before she realizes she may be the murderer's next victim if she doesn’t stop her sleuthing. If she stops now, hopes for a future with Marc will end in a cellblock.

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

The kitchen door opened, and I came face to face with a ghost. Not a Scrooge’s Christmas Past kind of ghost. More like the Ghost of Long-Lost Love. Bronze complexion, espresso-dark eyes, hair as black as licorice, and the new addition of a short beard that grazed his jawline—Marc Thorne looked as gorgeous as he had when he walked out of my life the day before college graduation.

Limp as overcooked pasta, I gripped the island’s granite counter, its rock-solid support my only hope of not toppling off my four-inch-too-tight heels. Why now? I opened my mouth to speak, but a vise-like grip on my chest had squeezed out every ounce of air.

Marc stepped closer, and a whiff of his citrusy aftershave tickled my nose. Thankfully he wasn’t wearing the spicy fragrance I’d always liked. One sniff of that stuff and I’d have been transported back to a time I preferred to keep dead and buried.

“April? What are you doing here?”

What was I doing here?

I forced a ragged breath into my lungs. “I’m waiting to interview with . . . Mr . . . Gomez for the chef position.”

I can’t wait until my copy arrives, so I can see what happens. How can readers find you on the Internet?

Website:  www.pamelasmeyers.com

Blog: www.pammeyerswrites.blogspot.com

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/pamela.meyers

Twitter: www.twitter.com/pamelameyers

Google+:  https://plus.google.com/u/0/+PamelaMeyers/post

Thank you, Pamela, for sharing this new book with us. I know my readers will be interested in the story, too.


Readers, here is a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.
Thyme for Love (Cooking Up Trouble Book 1)

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 Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, 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

ISLAND DREAMS - Kimberly Rose Johnson - One Free Ebook

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

I don’t set out to write spiritual themes into my stories, but two keep popping up. Fear and forgiveness.

What other books of yours are coming out soon?

I had a fun anthology release in July called Love in Mistletoe Springs. Island Christmas, The final book in the Wildflower B and B Romance series releases in October.

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

Debbie Macomber because I admire her career and all that she has accomplished.

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

I would love to ask Adam and Eve a bunch of questions. Hmm, there would probably be a language barrier.

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

Continue to improve your writing and remember that God’s timing is perfect even though it’s rarely the timing we’d like. I know this from personal experience. J

Tell us about the featured book.

Island Dreams is the second book in the Wildflower B and B Romance series. It takes place on a small Island in the Puget Sound. Here is the back cover blurb. Piper Hunt arrives on Wildflower Island to develop family property into an upscale resort knowing this may be her last chance to prove her worth to her father. With grandiose ideas, she soon finds herself at odds with adjoining property owner, Chase Grayson. As she begins to appreciate the simplicity of the island, she struggles to maintain balance between her father's wishes, preserving the natural beauty of the island, and her attraction for Chase.

Chase Grayson values the peace and quiet of Wildflower Island. That serenity is threatened when Piper Hunt discloses her plans to develop an upscale resort that not only butts up to his property, but will turn the island into a busy tourist destination. In fighting her plans, he also finds himself fighting his attraction to her. If he doesn't stop her plans for the resort, his life will be altered forever. If he succeeds, it means he will never see her again. Can he live with either choice?

Please give us the first page of the book.

Sure.

PIPER HUNT HATED TO BE LATE but this time it couldn’t be helped. She rushed into the general store where the smell of coffee permeated the air. She’d give anything for a good cup right now. She hoped this place had a decent brew but was doubtful. She already missed the Starbucks in her Tacoma office building.

She stopped abruptly as her surroundings registered in her brain. “Whoa.” She’d stepped back in time at least fifty years. Her dad had warned her about Wildflower Island, but this was the kind of place one had to see to believe.

The general store looked like something out of Little House on the Prairie only somewhat modernized. She looked around the expansive space. It really wasn’t bad. On one side groceries and sundries were lined up neatly on old-fashioned wood shelves reminiscent of a simpler time in history, on the other side a small café.

She squared her shoulders and strode to the right toward the café. Now to find Chase Grayson. She looked around the room and didn’t spot anyone that could be described as six foot tall and in his early thirties. She glanced at her watch. The ferry to the island had been a little late this morning thanks to a stalled vehicle. The man was supposed to meet her here ten minutes ago. Had he given up and left? She’d sent him a text, but he hadn’t replied. Maybe he never saw it.

A guy who looked to be in his late teens stood at the café’s register. “May I help you?”

“I hope so. I’m looking for Chase Grayson. I was supposed to meet him here.”

“You missed him. He left a few minutes ago. Are you Piper?”

“Yes.”

He held out a piece of paper. “He asked me to give this to you.”

How can readers find you on the Internet?

The best place to find me is my website. I have a newsletter sign up there as well as a contact button and all buttons to all my social networking sites. http://kimberlyrjohnson.com/

Here are my other site links if you’d prefer.

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/KimberlyRoseJohnson

Twitter https://twitter.com/kimberlyrosejoh

Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/krose1990/

Thank you, Kimberly, for sharing this new book with us. I can't wait to read this one. I loved the first one in the series so much.

Readers, here’s a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.
Island Dreams (Wildflower B&B Romance Book 2)

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free ecopy 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 Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, 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!!!!!

Dear Readers, here are this week's winners. I go will have knee-replacement surgery on Monday. I'll be in the hospital a couple of days, then go into rehab for a couple of weeks.

I've uploaded interviews to post five days a week while I'm gone. I'm not sure when I'll be able to announce the winners though. I will have connection to the Internet some, but I may have to wait to announce the winners until I get home. Keep checking the blog while I'm gone.

Amy (VA) is the winner of Midnight on the Mississippi by Mary Ellis.

Melissa (NC) the winner of Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Beth K Vogt.

Diana (SC) is the winner of the Ebook Orphaned Hearts by Marion Ueckermann.

Terrill (WA) is the winner of the Ebook Nettie's Love by Patricia Pacjac Carroll.

Melanie (TX) is the winner of The Hopper-Hill Family by Erika S Castiglione.

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 an 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.

SAVING JUSTICE - Susan Crawford - One Free Book

Dear Readers, this is a new author to the blog, introducing her debut novel. Let’s give her a warm welcome.

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

I have to work hard not to assign my own emotions and opinions to my characters, so I’m sure there’s more of me in them than I even realize, but I do like to add in some fun personal things. The heroine in Saving Justice has a couple of my quirks. For example: I consume warm chocolate chip cookies like they’re going out of style—I bake them when I’m stressed or bored or happy or you name it—and so does Kinley. Also, I’m not exactly a neat-freak. When Kinley can’t find her laptop because it’s shoved under the couch that’s piled with stuff, that may or may not have been a snapshot of my living room while I was writing the scene. (My husband loves this about me.)

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I’m sure I’ve done lots of quirky things, but the one that my family comments on the most is that I only eat one thing at a time. If I have a plateful of food, I finish each serving completely before moving on to the next item. I don’t like to mix all the tastes up. I have no idea why, but I’ve done it this way for as long as I can remember.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

My family heritage is rich with writers and storytellers of all kinds, so a love of words was nurtured into me as far back as I can remember, but I didn’t grow up wanting to be a writer. In my twenties, I began to think that I might like to write something, but I always thought it would be non-fiction. I’ve always loved to read, but never considered myself a creative type, so I was very surprised in my late thirties when the urge to write a novel hit me out of nowhere. I decided to give it a try and discovered that I love it!

I don’t believe it came out of nowhere. I believe that God wove that talent into your DNA, and that was the time He had chosen to pull it out and use it. Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.

Anything with an element of romance is my favorite—contemporary, historical, suspense, women’s fiction—I like it all. I also enjoy reading young adult books and some speculative fiction, though I’m not a big fan of fantasy and sci-fi. In non-fiction, I love memoirs and anything that challenges me to dig deeper in my faith.

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

It’s a struggle, not gonna lie. Like many writers, I’m an introvert, and we need to be alone in order to recharge, but that’s really hard to do when there are so many obligations and activities clamoring for our time and energy. I’ve found that I have to purposefully, intentionally step away from all the noise and movement that surrounds me, even if it’s just for a few minutes. I think God has been trying to teach me how to do this better for a while, but I’m finally learning how to regain my balance when I feel overwhelmed. It can be something as simple as taking a bubble bath or going to a quiet room to read, but those kinds of things can make a big difference in my level of sanity.

I’m one of those extrovert writers. How do you choose your characters’ names?

I keep a running list of names I like. It has several leftover baby names I didn’t get to use for my own kids, so it’s fun to be able to use them on my fictional people. My husband and I came thisclose to naming one of our daughters Kinley Reid, but we didn’t, so now Kinley gets to be the heroine in my story. When I choose a name, though, it has to fit the character. If nothing from my list sticks, I pull out the Name Dice app on my phone and roll the dice until something strikes me.

I hadn’t heard about that app. I’ll have to download it to my phone. What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Staying married for almost 22 years. It’s a miracle that my husband has put up with me for this long. Ron Crawford a patient and gracious man. J

James Dooley and I will celebrate our 51^st anniversary in November. If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?

I don’t know, what kind of animal likes to eat junk food and be left alone for long periods of time? A bear? Yeah, maybe I’m a bear. They seem cute and cuddly from a distance, and they get to hibernate for months. I could live with that.

What is your favorite food?

Chocolate chip cookies, fresh out of the oven.

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

Fear. I often battle with the voices that tell me I’m not a good writer, that I can’t do this, that it’s too hard and I should just quit and leave the storytelling to the talented ones. But God has been so gracious to surround me with people who speak truth over me. He’s given me family, friends, a fantastic publishing team, and an amazing community of writers who constantly speak words of encouragement. Also, I hold onto the scripture that says His power is made perfect in weakness, and I pray like crazy every time I sit down to write.

That’s why “The Voice of Truth” is one of my favorite contemporary Christian songs. Tell us about the featured book.

Saving Justice is my debut novel and the first book in my Heart of the City series. It’s a contemporary romance set in Oklahoma City, my beloved hometown. It’s the story of a schoolteacher, a man who’s running from his past, and a boy from a poverty-stricken neighborhood who brings them together.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Kinley Reid had expected poverty, but this was worse than she’d imagined. Infinitely worse. The baby-blue house in front of her looked as sturdy as a cereal box. She matched the address on her purple sticky note with the numbers near the front door, though with the paint peeling off, they were hard to make out. Unfortunately, she’d come to the right place.

As she tiptoed over bits of trash in the so-called yard, untamed weeds brushed her ankles and the reality of her students’ living conditions crashed in on her. The Martindale neighborhood sat just five miles from her own quaint little housing addition, but the differences were so extreme, they were hardly measurable. Homes on her street were well-built, though small, and lawns were nicely kept, but terms like homes and lawns were far too generous to describe Kinley’s present surroundings. How could such poverty exist in Oklahoma City? Or maybe the better question was how could she have been blind to the severity of it until now? She knew her fourth-graders faced significant challenges, but she hadn’t seen their lives from this angle before.

She reached the porch, paused, and then climbed the crumbling concrete steps. Squaring her shoulders, she pasted on her best teacher smile and knocked on the rickety door. A plump woman with cocoa skin and cropped gray hair answered, a crying infant in one arm and a toddler clutching her leg. The stink of sour milk hit Kinley, and she fought the urge to turn her head.

“What you want?” the woman asked. “I ain’t buying nothin’.”

Kinley broadened her smile and raised her voice over the baby’s squalls. “I’m not selling anything, ma’am. Are you Justice’s grandmother?”

“Who’s asking?”

“I’m Kinley Reid, his teacher.” She extended her hand, but the woman only deadpanned in return. Kinley’s hand hung there for several awkward seconds before she surrendered and pulled it back. “Is Justice here?”

I’m hooked. I can’t wait until my book arrives. How can readers find you on the Internet?

You can find me at the following links:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SusanCrawfordBooks

Twitter -  https://twitter.com/SuCrawford

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/SusanCrawford

Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/sucrawford/

Instagram - https://instagram.com/sucrawford

And I’d love for you to stop by my website and sign up for my newsletter. www.susancrawfordbooks.com

Thank you, Susan, for sharing your debut novel with us. I know my blog readers are as interested in it as I am.

Readers, here’s a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.
Saving Justice: Heart of the City (Hometown Romance)

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 Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, 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

OSLO OVERTURES - Marion Ueckermann - One Free EbookOslo

Bio: Marion Ueckermann’s passion for writing was sparked in 2001 when she moved to Ireland with her husband and two sons. Since then she has published devotional articles and stories in Winners, The One Year Devotional of Joy and Laughter, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Miraculous Messages from Heaven.

Marion loves writing Contemporary Inspirational Romances set in novel places and has three Passport to Romance novellas published and contracted through White Rose Publishing, a Pelican Book Group imprint: her debut novella, Helsinki Sunrise; Oslo Overtures (August 2015); and Glasgow Grace (2016).

She lives in Pretoria East, South Africa, in an empty nest with her husband and their crazy black Scottie, Wally.

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

He has, Lena, and it’s been such an amazing blessing. At the beginning of the year, I felt God was giving me the word BREAKTHROUGH, for 2015. Three days later that breakthrough began to happen when I was asked to take part in a boxed set (Splash!) of summer novellas with eight other international authors. The decision to become a part of Splash! has turned my writing world upside down (in a good way) and set me on a path I never thought I’d travel.

On the horizon, I see a busy time and a lot of hard work. Orphaned Hearts, my Splash! novella was released independently last month as Book 1 of my new indie published, Heart of Africa romance series. I am planning to release Book 2 at the end of the year, so after I attend my first American writer’s conference in Dallas in September with ACFW, I’ll be working hard on that.

I also have Book 1 completed in Heart of Ireland—another “Heart of...” romance series I’m planning. That’ll be a northern hemisphere spring release. Then I need to write to additional three books in that series to release every three months during 2016.

I’ve just contracted my third Passport to Romance novella, Glasgow Grace (working title), so I’ll be busy with galley edits on that in the next few months. I still have so many Passport to Romance novellas I want to write and submit to my publisher, White Rose Publishing (Pelican Book Group).

And then, of course, in between all the writing, these releases need to be marketed. As I said, busy, busy, busy.

Tell us a little about your family.

Oh, golly, where do I start? I’m from a really close-knit family—two brothers and one sister. At the time I prepared this interview, I had written that I was blessed to still have my parents, aged 88, although the sands of time were running out, and that I was making the most of the opportunities I still had with them. However, on July 17th, my dear mother was called home to Jesus. I miss her terribly, but am so glad that we don’t mourn as those who have no hope. I will see her again one day.

I married the love of my life thirty years ago and we have two amazing sons, and two gorgeous grandsons. My youngest son, Kyle, lives in Budapest with his Finnish wife (that’s when they’re not living in Finland or Sweden). They’ve just bought a tiny cottage on a fairly large piece of ground about a half-hour outside of Budapest, so perhaps they’ll settle down there. They’re missionaries (well, kind of cyber-missionaries J. You can see what exciting stuff Kyle’s up to here: http://www.awakenmovement.com/team/)

My oldest son, Ryan, and his family live in the townhouse right next door to our house, and he has his office in our loft. He’s a 3D Architecture Visualizer. Ryan gets to drink our coffee all day, and we get to see our grandsons every day if we want. A win-win situation don’t you think, although hazardous to writing time.

Yes, those grandchildren are important. Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?

Yes. I get little time to read now L, except for my critique partners’ great work J.

What are you working on right now?

Right now I’m finalizing my Christmas novella, Poles Apart, for another boxed set. Then I have to plan and prepare for ACFW Dallas. After that, it has to be me and Heart of Africa Book 2.

What outside interests do you have?

None. My interests lie inside—in my office, at my desk, and in front of my laptop. But my, what wonderful worlds are to be found there.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

I love writing stories set in unusual locations, hence my tagline “A Novel Place to Fall in Love.” With the Passport to Romance stories, Pelican Book Group have a long list of interesting places around the world that they require stories for. So that list so far has had a strong influence on my setting choice, although I tend to gravitate to the cities that I’ve been to. In fact, on my way back to South Africa after ACFW, I have a seven hour stopover in Madrid. I definitely plan to make a dash for the city and spend three hours there researching because that’s another Passport to Romance city, and I’ve had a story brewing in my head since I booked my airline ticket and realized I could go and do a little European location digging.

Finally, because I’m South Africa, stories in Africa are high on my list of things to do. There are so many beautiful places for my characters to go in our country, from the winelands of the Cape, to the desert dunes of Namibia, to the roaring waters of Mosi-o-Tunya (the Smoke that Thunders)—more commonly known to the traveler as the Victoria Falls.

I have friends who have a mission school on the banks of Lake Victoria where they rescue and educate throw away boys. They teach them about the Lord and teach them skills that they’ll need to make a living. If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?

I’ve never really been into history... I’d probably love to spend a night though chatting to our former President, the late Nelson Mandela. I think he was just an amazing man with much wisdom to impart. It would be an evening not only of learning much, but an entertaining one, too. Mr. Mandela, I think, was quite a character, too. He really loved people. I know he’d probably spend the evening though asking me about my writing and encouraging me to follow my dreams.

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

ALL the rules of writing!

Some of those aren’t really rules, just suggestions to make our writing better. What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

To breathe ... and just take one thing at a time. Eventually it’ll all get done.

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

Write ... every day. When you don’t, it’s hard to get back into it.

Network! Other authors play such an important part in your success as a writer, whether it be in your critique partners polishing your work, or just the opportunities you come to know of because of your writer friends. No writer can be an island.

Do not be in a hurry to publish. Allow God to use the unpublished years to prepare you for what He’s called you to.

Tell us about the featured book.

Oslo Overtures is set high in the Norwegian skies (a lot of the time) and takes the reader on an adventure into the fascinating world of wingsuiting. Danger, excitement, romance, and an unusual setting make this a great story. The story is about overcoming fear from painful wounds of the past, and discovering that God moves in the situations of our lives to accomplish his plan for our lives.

Anjelica Joergensen and renowned wingsuiter Kyle Sheppard from New Zealand meet in Oslo when they join an international team to break the formation flying Guinness World Record where Kyle goes from one blunder to the next in front of the beautiful Norwegian.

Anjelica carries the scars of a tragic loss. She’s not looking for love, but love soon finds her and has her questioning whether falling for another wingsuiter is such a good idea. When Kyle makes a foolhardy decision, Angelica has to make a hard choice.

Sometimes you have to lose it all, to win it all. The same can be said for Anjelica and Kyle’s love story. It’s a story about losing, and winning.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Anjelica drank in the beauty of the surrounding mountains that hugged the dark blue waters far below. The climb had been worth it. As usual. She could never get enough of the view across the fjord. Beside her, pockets of snow filled the gaps between flat gray rocks.

She stepped up to the edge, closed her eyes, and inhaled deeply. The butterflies in her stomach were determined to be the first to take flight. Standing at the exit point—whether a precipice, skyscraper, or aircraft’s open door—was one of the scariest moments. She could turn away and fail or step forward into moments of death-defying adventure. Despite her anxiety, this was Anjelica’s favorite place.

She raised her arms and leaned over the rock. Her body dropped through the air before she stretched her limbs like a bird. As the wind wrapped around the shape of her wingsuit, she began to fly.

Visions of the week ahead filled her mind. She exhaled slowly. Her helmet warmed inside at her breath. She had to calm her thoughts—focus on the flight was paramount to success. For the next few minutes, she and the currents would wage war against gravity and error.

Determined to improve on her previous time in the air, Anjelica raised her head. She bent her body at the waist and looked ahead, slowing her rate of descent and forward momentum.

I can’t wait to read this book. How can readers find you on the Internet?

I look forward to interacting with readers at any of the following places:

WEBSITE       http://marionueckermann.com/

FACEBOOK   https://www.facebook.com/Marion.C.Ueckermann

AMAZON       http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00KBYLU7C

GOOGLE+      https://plus.google.com/+MarionUeckermannAuthor/

TWITTER       https://twitter.com/ueckie

PINTEREST   https://www.pinterest.com/ueckie/

Oslo Overtures releases tomorrow and will be available on Amazon and Pelican, and probably the other sites listed below:

Amazon

Pelican Book Group              

Christianbook.com                

Barnes & Noble

Nook 

Thank you, Marion, for sharing this new book with us. I know my readers will love it.

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 Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, 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  

PATRIOT HEART - Diane Kalas - One Free Ebook

Dear Readers, Diane is a long-time writing acquaintance and fellow Texan. I’m pleased to share her debut book with you today. I was intrigued by her Civil War storyline.

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

I try to “get into character” as actresses need to do in order to play a part. However, where period clothing is concerned, I write what I would love to wear in regards to style, colors, and fabric.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I don’t think I’m a quirky person. However, my son teases me about lining up my ceramic roosters facing the same direction. When he moves them, I move them back.

I’ve told my husband that if I were to have a mental illness, it probably would be obsessive/compulsive disorder. When did you first discover that you were a writer?

My first try at writing was a time travel-historical romance years ago. Tricky for a newbie, but the challenge took hold to research and write and rewrite.

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

I love inspirational historical romance, biographies, reprinted journals, and diaries of people who lived during the Civil War or pioneered out West. I have 22 antique books that I own and have read, starting 1859 to 1902.

I’d love to see them. I love antique books. I have several journal/diary reprints. How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

I go to estate sales, one or two times a month, with girlfriends and then have lunch. I try not to mention my writing and focus on buying some little treasure.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

There’s a Web site that lists popular 19th century names by decades. I also have a baby name book that gives the origin of the names.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Raising a son to become a Christian man, husband, and father.

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

I love animals, all kinds, but I’ve always had a cat. They’re somewhat independent.

What is your favorite food?

Pasta. Love the different kinds of pasta with sauce, chicken, lobster, or vegetables.

I love pasta, too, but James isn’t as fond of it, so I don’t make it very often. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

I’d say it was the POV thing, and then that became deep POV. It was a matter of training my brain and studying a couple of books that gave examples that helped me understand.

Tell us about the featured book.

Patriot Heart is book 1 in a 3-book series about three Civil War POWs who met in the infamous Andersonville Prison for Union soldiers and survived because of their friendship and Christian faith.

I decided to write my hero as a strong Christian and the heroine who is unsaved, instead of the reverse which is seen more often. The idea for a Civil War hero with soldier’s fatigue emerged after news journalists reported on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder almost every week since the US got involved in the Middle East conflict named Desert Storm 1990-91. I wanted to write about a Christian veteran who struggled with horrific nightmares and hallucinations after confinement in Andersonville Prison. He’s a man who leans upon the Lord for recovery, although fears he’s losing his mind and unfit for marriage.

The heroine is a confident, bossy young woman who’s determined to live her life her way. She buys an old emporium near the Missouri River and turns it into a supply depot for emigrants heading out West after the war. The hero lives there, and she can’t avoid him. She tells herself she doesn’t need God, or the hero, and throws herself into her business.

In romance, it’s such fun to write those scenes when hero/heroine clash. In this story, the reader needs to see the hero’s sense of humor even though his mind hasn’t left the prison pen altogether.

Here is my back cover blurb.

DUTY             COURAGE        INTEGRITY

May 1865. All Dan Goodman wants is to marry an uncomplicated girl and have a family, but the war interfered and he became a POW who now believes he’s losing his mind and unfit for marriage. He dreams of Oregon to put the memories behind him. The problem is he owes a debt of gratitude to the beautiful songstress. In addition, Clara Barton wants him to be a witness for the prosecution in the first trial for war crimes in American history.

INDEPENDENT         ENTERPRISING        FEISTY

Letty Talbot is a world-weary steamboat songstress, and wants a new direction after sudden loss. Letty decides to run a supply depot for emigrants going out West, and talks Dan into a partnership where he builds the prairie schooners. Letty won’t admit she wants to keep Dan from leaving. Even though Letty and Dan butt heads a lot, no man ever interested Letty as this one did.

TRUST            LOVE         PEACE

If Letty marries Dan she losses her depot, because married women have no property rights. Letty must learn to trust God with her future. Dan must forgive fellow Union inmates who killed for selfish reasons, and face the commandant of Andersonville Prison in a court of law. Allowing his Oregon dream to fade, he can then embrace the future God planned for him.

Please give us the first page of the book.

“And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him;

and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:12

Chicago, Illinois – Tuesday, May 2, 1865

Dan Goodman stared at the Lincoln Special with the slain President’s photograph over the cowcatcher, flanked by flags, and festooned in black along the sides of the railway cars. Out of respect, he saluted the train even though his fallen commander in chief remained on exhibit at the Cook County Courthouse until evening.

The sharp crack of mourning bunting slapped against the depot, startling Dan. He inhaled a shaky breath, disappointed in himself. After all these months, away from Andersonville Prison, he still had a reaction to unexpected sounds.

Dan continued to observe Lincoln’s train, until the Chicago and Alton rolled under the enormous Federal flag stretched across the tracks and blocked his view. He smiled at the scene.

His future arrived to carry him far from everything in the recent past.

A powerful opening scene. How can readers find you on the Internet?

http://dianekalas.blogspot.com

http://pinterest.com/dianedreams

http://twitter.com/dianekalas

www.facebook.com/dianekalasauthor

www.amazon.com/patriotheart/dianekalasauthor

www.forgetmenotromances.com/authors/dianekalas

Thank you, Diane, for sharing your new book with us. I know My readers will be interested in it.

Readers, here’s a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.
Patriot Heart (Journey Home Book 1)

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the ebook. 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 Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, 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

PULSE - L R Burkard - One Free Ebook

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

I like to show that God can accept anyone into his family, that the only requirement is a repentant heart. It's not what we've done, or what we've become, or what we failed to do. It's being contrite and realizing we bring nothing to the table, but God accepts us anyway. People tend to focus on themselves and whether or not they feel worthy, instead of focusing on God's forgiveness and power of redemption.

What other books of yours are coming out soon?

A contemporary romance, called FALLING IN. It's nothing like PULSE, which is YA Suspense. I also have a time-travel regency in the works, and a romantic suspense that includes a trip aboard the Titanic.

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

Carolyn Mahaney (wife of C.J. Mahaney). I love her writing style; she's full of warmth and wit and wisdom and she'd be an awesome mentor—even for one night.  

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

Jane Austen, because I’d love to hear her account of how and why she wrote her novels, including how much (or little) she struggled with the tasks. Also because, if I could possibly earn her trust, she'd be delightful.   

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

Authors need to have a thick skin because rejections will come. I can't think of a single published author who hasn't faced them. But at the same time, we need to find people who can critique our work so we know we aren't being rejected for quality reasons. Many rejections from publishers are not about the quality of the work, but about the publishers' current list, needs, and whether they have room for the particular type of book we've submitted. 

Tell us about the featured book.

PULSE is Young Adult Suspense featuring three teenage girls and their families. The book asks the question: What would you do if the whole world came to a sudden, crashing….stop? It follows the aftermath of a catastrophic electromagnetic pulse that takes down America's electric grid, and how survival might look.

  

Please give us the first page of the book.

ANDREA

AGE 16, JANUARY 11

DAY ONE

So my dad got all upset because when he went to leave for work the car went halfway down the driveway and died. His precious Mercedes. I was just walking out to wait for the school bus and he hurried towards me in a huff, yelling something about how the starter wouldn't even turn over.

"What'd you do to the car, Andrea?" he demanded. I stared at him. I couldn't believe he was trying to pin it on me.

           

"Nothing."

           

"What'd you do to it, huh?" he asked again. I turned and stalked blindly down the             driveway to wait by the mailbox. My heart was pounding. Normally I'd enjoy the crunch of snow beneath my boots, and the way the pines lining our driveway are blanketed in white; but I barely noticed either.

           

Leave it to Dad to ruin my day before it starts.

           

Yesterday Mom let me practice driving for about thirty-five minutes and the Mercedes drove just fine. So I'm supposed to know what happened? I'm guessing it's frozen because we're having a nman cold spell. The bottom line is Dad loves his car more than me (he loves lots of things more than me). I blinked away tears that felt cold on my skin the moment they appeared. Where was that wretched bus? I wanted to see my friends and forget about home.

           

I waited, beginning to freeze. Designer boots aren't made for warmth. I waited a long time; I knew the bus should have come already, but I didn't want to go back—Dad would say I overslept and missed it on purpose or something like that.

           

Finally, I had to go in. Sure enough, there was Dad, hands on hips, glaring at me. "Why are you back?"

"The bus didn't come."

He stared at me as if he didn't believe me.

"So walk to school," he said. I gaped at him. Was he kidding? We live, like, five miles from my high school. My mother called him from the kitchen. I turned and stared out the window. Our secluded circular drive was a winter wonderland. In nice weather, it's a beautiful manicured front, maintained meticulously by landscapers. Today it was a world of white, so cold the snow glittered. No way was I going to walk to school. Anyway, my father says things he doesn't mean when he's mad, so I took off my coat and boots in the mud room. (There's rarely an ounce of mud in it but that's what we call it.)

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I have two websites; my older one is http://LinoreBurkard.com, and the new one for The PULSE Effex Series, is http://L.R.Burkard.com. I'm also on Facebook and Twitter and LinkedIn and Goodreads.  

Thanks for having me on the blog, Lena. 

I love hosting you. Thanks for sharing this new book with us. I know my blog readers will be interested in it.

Readers, here’s a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.
PULSE (PULSE EFFEX SERIES Book 1) - 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 Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, 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