THE BILLIONAIRE'S MIRACLE FAMILY - Arabelle Stevens - One Free Book

Happy Valentine's Day, Dear Readers!!!

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

Almost none. Part of the fun for me is to get into the skin of another person, i.e., my characters. I often give them personality traits and have them say things I’d never dream of in myself. It’s fun.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

Quirkiest thing. Well that’s easy. Sick of being on the hamster wheel, I sold my big house and moved into my camp. My 12x28, off-grid cabin, complete with composting toilet. That’s right, I live in a “tiny house.” I own it outright, I have more land than I ever have, I have minimal bills, and I empty my own toilet. Daily. It’s no big deal.

I’m happy for you. When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I’ve always written stories, even back into childhood. Then in high school, my English teacher entered one of my short stories in a national contest . . . and I won. I knew I could write and maybe do something with it at that point. I put myself through college by doing freelance commercial writing. That wasn’t what I wanted to do though . . . writing ads for Coke and the local utility companies didn’t feed my soul. Fiction did. That was a real craft to me.

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

I enjoy many types of books. I do find myself gravitating to romance and books by Dan Brown. It would be easier to say what I can’t read. I can’t read gory, it makes me nauseated and I creep out, and I can’t read erotica . . . I giggle and get too embarrassed. I don’t mind some pretty steamy and a little violence if the story calls for it, but if it all gets too in depth (pardon that, no pun intended), I just feel naughty, lol.

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

I don’t. Peace and quiet grounds me, it centers me. That’s one reason I got off the hamster wheel and moved to a small cabin in the woods. I get my inner Thoreau on almost every day. Now THERE’S someone who knew how to live!

How do you choose your characters’ names?

I use the internet a lot. There are lots of sites that list men and women’s names. I find that very handy. I also eavesdrop. A LOT. You wouldn’t believe some of the very cool names floating around in every restaurant.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

My kids. They grew up to be really good people. Strong, self-reliant, capable, smart. When they went out into the world on their own, they were ready. I did that.

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

An eagle. I often have dreams that I’m soaring and flying way overhead, exploring the world, seeing amazing sights.  I’m sure some dream interpreter would have something interesting to say about that.

What is your favorite food?

Lobster. You can’t live in Maine and not love lobster. If you do, we can’t be friends because I’ll never understand you.

We can be friends. I love lobster. I just don’t get to eat it very often. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

I didn’t think my writing was interesting. Because I didn’t like to write violence or sex, I thought my stories would be perceived as boring. I dabbled with all of that at the beginning of my fiction career, but I just wasn’t comfortable with it. I finally just wrote what I thought was a decent story, with minimal steamy. I still thought it wouldn’t do well and was about to set it on a shelf when a good friend told me to get over myself and just publish it. It was well-received with pretty good reviews. That book was Everything More.

Tell us about the featured book.

The Billionaire’s Miracle Family is the first book I’ve written “to market.” Billionaire books don’t seem to be fading in popularity so I thought I’d try my hand at it. It was so fun having a character who was a billionaire that I could write virtually any situation money could buy. I also wanted a book with some cerebrality to it so there had to be some depth, I didn’t want anything to be as it appeared. The book starts out in the usual way of romances with some conflict and some humor, but then it all gets deeper with (I hope) lots of rich themes and character. And, of course, the happy ending that I always love.

Some reviewers of a Christmas book of mine that released in September brought it to my attention that it was also a billionaire romance. Please give us the first page of your book.

Audrey Edlin rolled over in frustration, her silky ash-blonde locks falling over her face. She grabbed a pillow and pinned it over her head, trying to block out the sound of kids skateboarding on the sidewalk under her bedroom window.  Wasn't there some kind of curfew for kids in Boston? Where were these kids' parents?

Audrey looked over at her clock. One in the morning. One loud burst of laughter as a skateboarder crashed into empty metal trashcans, and that was it. Audrey flew to the window and threw it open.

"Do you kids know what time it is?! Some of us have to get up in a few hours! Get out of here!"

The group of skateboarders looked up at Audrey in her second story window, messy-sleep hair covering her face. Except that they weren't kids. They were full-grown men, mouths hanging open like naughty children, looking with guilty, blinking eyes at one another.

Finally, one of the men spoke up.

"I'm really sorry, Miss. My buddy, Rem, here didn't think I could still do a jump, and then my other friend here, Mark, dared me to do it . . . and . . . well . . .  we're sorry we disturbed you."

Audrey recognized the one speaking as her next-door neighbor. He didn't seem to have a job, didn't seem to do anything but play loud video games, and drink beer.

"Oh. It's you," she said disgustedly. "I should have known. 

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/arabelle.stevens.754

Website:  www.arabellestevens.com

Thank you, Arabelle, for sharing this book with us. I’m eager to read it. My mother died when I was 7. Here name was Frances Arabella, but she went by Fanny Belle.

Readers, here are links to the book.

The Billionaire's Miracle Family: Billionaire Miracle Series (Book 1) - Paperback
The Billionaire's Miracle Family: Billionaire Miracle Series (Book 1) - Kindle

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (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

LADIES OF INTRIGUE - Michelle Griep - One Free Book

Welcome back, Michelle. How did you come up with the idea for this story?

Since there are 3 different stories, I have 3 different answers :

The Gentleman Smuggler’s Lady was inspired from my time visiting Cornwall where smugglers abound. And Poldark. Who isn’t inspired by Poldark?!

The Doctor’s Woman is a story dear to my heart because I live so close to the fort where this atrocity took place.

A House of Secrets came about from a tidbit of history I uncovered one day while at the Minnesota History Museum, about a secret tunnel reported running from a brothel to the Minnesota Club.

If you were planning a party with Christian authors of contemporary fiction, what six people would you invite and why?

Robin Jones Gunn because I heard her speak one time and she’s so personable.

Heather Gilbert because she’s such a sweetie.

Lindsay Harrell because I keep meaning to read her books and I just haven’t gotten around to it yet…bad reader!

Cara Putnam because I’ve never met her but I’d really like to.

Ane Mulligan because she’s another one of my bestest critique buddies in the world.

Deborah Raney because she’s just so doggone noble.

Now let’s do that for a party for Christian authors of historical fiction, what six people would you invite and why?

Laura Frantz because her smile is infectious.

Julie Klassen because she’s one of my writing buddies.

Lori Benton because I want to write like her when I grow up.

Joanna Davidson Politano because I love her stories and I’d like to meet her.

Shannon McNear because her writing is stellar and we can plot together.

Elizabeth Ludwig because she is truly my partner in crime.

Many times, people (and other authors) think you have it made with so many books published. What is your most difficult problem with writing at this time in your career?

Hah! I almost choked on that one. Does any author ever really have it made? Writing is such a subjective thing that there’s no guarantee ever that anyone will “have it made.” My biggest problem currently is striving to beat down self-doubt, wondering if I can keep coming up with intriguing ideas.

Tell us about the featured book.

These 3 stories were previously published in other collections but now they are all under one cover. Here’s a blurb:

Can truth and love prevail when no one is as they appear?

The Gentleman Smuggler’s Lady
Cornish Coast 1815
When a prim and proper governess returns to England from abroad, she expects to comfort her dying father—not fall in love with a smuggler. Will Helen Fletcher keep Isaac Seaton’s unusual secret?

The Doctor’s Woman (A Carol Award Winner!)
Dakota Territory 1862
Emmy Nelson, daughter of a missionary doctor, and Dr. James Clark, city doctor aspiring to teach, find themselves working side by side at Fort Snelling during the Dakota Uprising. That is when the real clash of ideals begins.

A House of Secrets
St. Paul, Minnesota 1890
Ladies Aide Chairman, Amanda Carston resolves to clean up St. Paul’s ramshackle housing, starting with the worst of the worst: a “haunted” house that’s secretly owned by her beau—a home that’s his only means of helping brothel girls escape from the hands of the city’s most infamous madam.

Please give us the first page of the book.

1815, port village of Treporth, Cornwall, England

Pretend I am courageous.

Pretend my heart still beats.

Pretend all manner of blissful things. . .

and that I shall find him alive.

Re-creasing a worn scrap of foolscap, Helen Fletcher tucked the paper into her valise then snapped shut the clasp, wishing most of all she’d never received such horrid news. No one had ever warned her about the dangers of parchment.

Pretend the world is right and well. . .for it would be—or she would die trying to make it so.

She rose from her sleeping berth and paced the few steps to the small mirror on the wall. Grey-blue light, the last from the end of a melancholic day, leaked through the porthole into her tiny accommodations. The vessel Nancarrow had never been meant to haul passengers, but the captain had made an exception for her plight, thank God. Removing her hat from a hook, she did her best to pin up her dark hair beneath the brim, then tied the ribbon secure. Now that they were docked, she’d not be sorry to leave this tucked-away compartment.

“Of course Father will be fine,” she whispered to her reflection, taking courage in the voicing of such a hope. She lifted her chin, staring into her own eyes. “And you will be, too.”

Whirling about, she retrieved her valise and left her sanctuary of the past fortnight. The corridor was a maze and a dim one at that. Very few vigil lanterns lit the way. She edged past stacks of crates secured against one wall then turned sideways to squeeze through a narrow throat of a space next to a post. Though she ought be used to it by now, the tight quarters smelled of brine and dampness and overworked ship hands—an odor she wouldn’t miss.

At last she made it to the stairs leading to fresh air and England. She’d never been to Cornwall, Bath having been her former home before leaving as a governess to Ireland. But as long as she was with Father, it would no doubt feel like home.

She gripped the railing with one gloved hand and ascended the wooden rungs. Her other hand held tightly to all she owned in this life, which was precious little. No matter. God would provide. He always did. Was not the very fact she’d been sent passage to attend her ailing father proof enough of God’s surprising provision?

The closer she climbed toward the top deck, the louder shouts echoed and boots thudded. Strange. When they’d set sail from Ireland’s green coast, the crew had sung ditties of brisk winds and prows cutting through the ocean blue. Ought not the ballads of mooring at a friendly port be jolly as well? She frowned. No, those rumbles and curses were decidedly not merry at all.

I’m intrigued. How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.michellegriep.com

https://www.facebook.com/michellegriep/

https://www.pinterest.com/michellegriep/pins/

https://twitter.com/MichelleGriep

Thank you, Michelle, for sharing this collection with my blog readers and me. I look forward to reading all three stories.

Readers, here are links to the book.

Ladies of Intrigue: 3 Tales of 19th-Century Romance with a Dash of Mystery - Paperback
Ladies of Intrigue: 3 Tales of 19th-Century Romance with a Dash of Mystery - Kindle

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (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

LOVE, LIES, AND HOMEMADE PIES - Sally Bayless - One Free Book

Welcome back, Sally. Tell us about your salvation experience.

I accepted Jesus as my personal savior and was baptized when I was twelve. I had been raised in the church, but I think one of the strongest influences leading to my decision was the example of a Christian friend my age, who was facing health issues. Her calm faith really struck home and helped me see that I personally needed Jesus.

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

What a fun thing to consider! I would invite Susan Anne Mason, Tammy Doherty, and Emily C. Reynolds, all of whom write Christian romance and have been my critique partners. I know they would have great ideas if I got stuck on a plot problem and that we would have a blast! I would also invite my friend Mary, who I met in an online writing group focused on goal-setting. During the past year, after finding her faith more and more important, she has decided to switch from another genre to writing Christian fiction. I would enjoy getting to know her better, and I think she would get a lot out of time with fellow Christian fiction writers.

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

I’m sorry to say that I’m not a public speaker. Two years ago, after years of working with children’s Sunday school, I felt called to lead a women’s Sunday school class. That was a big leap for me as far as talking in front of people. It’s been very rewarding, though, and I’ve found that God has equipped me, so who knows where I’ll be one day!

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

Oh, I’ve done many embarrassing things in my life. The most interesting, I think, happened about 25 years ago when I was at my friend Tammy’s house one evening. (I will pause here to assure you there was absolutely no alcohol involved.) We were sitting outside on her back porch when we saw these three lights spinning around in a circle in the sky. We thought and thought and thought and could not come up with a single idea of what they might be. I got the brilliant idea to call the small local airport. I mean, we didn’t really think it was aliens, but all the same, we sort of felt like we ought to ask.

So I called.

The guy on the other end of the line tried hard not to laugh at me. Eventually he pulled himself together and explained that those lights were coming from a car dealer who pointed big spotlights up into the sky and that the light was bouncing off the bottom of the clouds, not coming from an alien spaceship up above.

O—kay then! Not. Aliens.

I sounded like the biggest fool ever. How did I handle it? Tammy and I laughed about it for years.

I love it! 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?

If someone tells me that they’d like to write a book, I always say “Go for it!” If you want to write fiction, I recommend Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell as a great introductory book on the craft of writing. If you want to write non-fiction, I recommend starting with blog posts by Joanna Penn. And no matter what you want to write, I recommend that you try to write every day. At first, aim for 100 words a day—no matter what—and see what happens!

Tell us about the featured book.

Love, Lies, and Homemade Pie is a brand-new release! It’s a contemporary Christian romance and is the prequel to my Abundance Series. It’s set in a small Missouri town in 1980. The back cover copy is:

When a woman who’s keeping secrets falls for a journalist who’s digging for the truth, does the attraction between them stand a chance?

Cara Smith has a whole new life planned—a new name, a new look, and a new hometown in Abundance, Missouri. If she can just avoid questions from that intriguing guy at the newspaper, no one will ever find out about her past.

Will Hamlin, editor of the local paper, can’t help but wonder about the mayor’s new secretary. She’s clearly hiding something—something that could be the big story the newspaper desperately needs to stay afloat. But after Will’s initial inquiries fail to turn up anything, he grows less interested in Cara’s past and more interested in winning her heart with slices of pie and stolen kisses.

When a crime is uncovered at city hall just as Will unearths Cara’s dark secret, the repercussions shatter their romance. Has Cara really left her past behind? Can Will finally find a way to save the paper? And can they each place their trust in God and together find freedom in the truth and overcome the obstacles to their love?

I’ve loved your other books. I’m eager to read this one. Please give us the first page of the book.

Monday, Aug. 4, 1980

Fear can really do a person in.

Oh, a little caution—the kind that makes a driver keep both eyes on the road—is a good thing.

But too much fear can ruin a person’s life.

And starting today, at age twenty-seven, Cara Smith was building a new life, trying to put fear behind her and become the person she wanted to be.

Driving along the rural Missouri highway, she passed a sign for Abundance—the town where she’d chosen to begin that new life—and she attempted to push the pesky tickle of fear away. Then she took another look, noticing a green Lincoln Continental sprawled on the edge of the road.

A woman in a red business suit stood by the raised hood of the vehicle, waving her arms.

The smart thing to do, the cautious thing to do, since Cara was traveling alone, was to stop at the next gas station and ask the attendant to call the highway patrol.

But something about the woman radiated small-town propriety. Slightly frazzled small-town propriety, but propriety nonetheless. And she had two little kids in her backseat.

Cara eased her foot onto the brake. Being smart and cautious was one thing. Being downright unhelpful was another. Besides, wasn’t her new life all about being brave? She pulled her white Volare onto the shoulder and turned off the engine.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I have a website and I’m on Facebook, Twitter, and (more and more) Pinterest!

http://www.sallybayless.com/

https://www.facebook.com/authorsallybayless/

https://twitter.com/sally_bayless

https://www.pinterest.com/sally_bayless/boards/

Thank you, Sally, for sharing this new book with my blog readers and me. I know they’ll be as eager to read it as I am.

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

Love, Lies, and Homemade Pie: An Abundance Series Prequel (The Abundance Series)  - Paperback
Love, Lies, and Homemade Pie: An Abundance Series Prequel (The Abundance Series Book 0) - Kindle

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (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!!

IMPORTANT: Instructions for winners  - When you send me the email, make sure your subject line says this: Winner - (book title) - (author's name) If you don't do this, your email could get lost in my hundreds of emails per day. I WILL SEARCH FOR POST TITLES STARTING THAT WAY.

Linda (CA) is the winner of The Stronghold by Marianne Evans. 

Connie (TX) is the winner of Blessed Gifts by Jackie Castle.

If you won a book and you like it, please consider giving the author the courtesy of writing a review on Goodreads, Amazon.com, Christianbooks.com, Barnes and Noble, or other Internet sites. Reviews are such a blessing to an author.

Also, tell your friends about the book you won ... 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 or audio book, just let me know what email address it should be sent to.Remember, you have 4 weeks to claim your book.

COWBOY BRIDES -Various Authors - 4 Winners

Welcome, authors. How did the stories for your collection come about? 

Once our publisher, Cynthia Hickey of Winged Publications, set out the collection title Cowboy Brides last February, the bones started falling into place quickly. Early on, we landed on the idea that all six parties headed for a trip down the aisle could be from one large ranching family, and the matrimonial die was cast! Enter the Danner family, where three sons and three daughters would find romance while living on Colorado’s Front Range. Martha Lou needed a visual on the ranch house, so we decided on a sprawling home with separate wings for the guys and gals. The next essential: the order of the weddings—which would not parallel birth order! To lend credibility, that also set the order the stories would fall inside the collection. Here’s a look at that wedding order: Melissa Danner (by Leann Harris), Brandy Jo Danner (by Renee Riva), Rait Danner (by Cindy M. Amos), Noah Danner (by Christina Rich), Wyatt Danner (by Rose Verde), and Kylee Danner (by Martha Rogers). Characterizations developed along the way, ranging from feisty (Brandy Jo) to downright rebellious (Kylee). You could say that most of the romances occurred out of the blue! Tied together by ranching chores and civic duties at the nearby fictional town of Silverdale, the love stories blossom despite the open range’s isolation and family obligations. Don’t expect sibling support at first appearance, however, as the love interests all have to meet with collective approval—not an easy task! 

What is the hardest thing about writing in a collection:

Cindy

Cindy Amos: Above all, I wanted to represent the characters belonging to other authors in

the correct light. If I chose to alter my assigned character later, or have them go through

transformation, I had full liberty to do so. But to verify I had handled another person’s

 Danner character true to form, I would send that author snippets of scenes for approval.

 Often, that would spark the next idea, and so we fed off of each other’s creativity.

LeeAnn Harris: Getting all the details right. What the ranch looked like, the town, how

each brother or sister related to the others.

 Renee Riva: Coordinating the time lines and actions of the other characters with five other

 writers!

Christina Rich:

Rosa Verde: Getting the facts straight like what does the house look like, when did their

mom die, what's the order of the siblings and when they got married, the town, to mention a

few.

Martha Rogers: Keeping every character in the right voice and staying true to

the personalities. I had to read all of the others first to make sure I kept all the facts in order

and include more information about their lives after the weddings,

Leeann

How did collaborating with this team impact you?

 Cindy Amos: Fun to co-ordinate with others and read their stories.

Leeann Harris: I needed to remember the others were following me. Missy is the oldest

daughter, but the second child.  The oldest is a boy, but in family dynamics it is usually the

oldest daughter that ends up the family caretaker.

Renee Riva: It was challenging, but by the time we finished I felt like we really were the

Danner family. I really got to know my fellow authors better. That was a nice highlight

       Christina Rich: 

Rosa Verde: Basically, it showed me we could work as a well oiled team if everyone is on

the same page.

Martha Rogers: We all enjoyed collaborating with each other and getting to know the

different authors and read their stories.

      

A peek into our stories: (In order)

Leeann Harris: Going Home: 

Melissa:

Renee

Once back in his truck, Nate glanced at the girl he’d known all his life. She was Noah’s little sister, who always tagged along with them. Tonight, however, having her backside in his face for several minutes changed things. This was not the skinny tomboy he remembered. When she turned, bringing them face to face, he didn’t remember her eyes so blue or her lips so kissable. Whoa-—what was going on? The electricity scrambled his brain.

Renee Riva: To Love a Cowboy:

Brandy Jo has had a crush on shy Dane Bronson since third grade. After eating at the Branding Iron Grill where Brandy Jo waitresses, he finally works up the nerve to invite her on a sunset ride on horseback. Alot of drama and humor cross their trail before they head for the altar

Cindy Amos: In Renegade Restoration:

Rait: civic-minded Rait Danner heads the restoration project for Silverdale’s Old Town district. After hiring the most outstanding candidate as the nonprofit’s new director, Serena Thornton turns out to be both beautiful and resourceful—but her tattered jeans distract Rait from the lovely woman inside until a family-plotted slow dance at a sibling’s wedding reception brings him to his senses.

Christina Rich: Falling Hard: Noah

Rose Verde: Lassoed By Love:

Martha

Wyatt Though recovering from a near career ending injury, Wyatt Danner is determined not to be just another washed up bull rider. Months before his doctor thinks he's ready, he's preparing to get back on the circuit. Then his neighbor asks him to care for her horses while she deals with a family problem. Despite his schedule he agrees. In the most unlikely of circumstances, he meets magazine journalist, Christole Spencer. But he's sworn off people like her. Except that God had other plans.

Martha Rogers: Rodeo Mix-up

Kylee: Now the last one home, Kylee is determined to quit college and join the rodeo circuit as a barrel racer to be with her boyfriend, Jesse Martin. Her brothers are dead-set against it and believe Jesse is an ex-con out to charm Kylee for the Danner fame and fortune. However, startling revelations come to light to show Jesse he isn’t who he says he is, and a lot more than the Danner reputation is at stake.

Where Can Readers Find You:

Leeann Harris: www.leannharris.com , Facebook https://www.facebook.com/authorLeannHarris/

Renee Riva: https://www.amazon.com/Renee-Riva/e/B001K8UJ52

Cindy Amos: http://cindymamos.wixsite.com/natureink

                On Facebook at https://facebook.com/cindymamos/natureink

Rose Verde: https://www.facebook.com/roseverde2016/

Martha Rogers: www.marthawrogers.com , https://www.facebook.com/MarthaRogersAuthor/

  

Collection can be found at: https://amzn.to/2HPEMEg

Thank you for sharing this new collection with my blog readers and me. I’m eager to read it.

Readers, leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. There will be 4 winners who will win the collection or whatever individual book they choose. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (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

CAPTURE ME - Sherry Kyle - One Free Book

Welcome back, Sherry. Tell us about your salvation experience.

I was raised in a Christian home and accepted Jesus into my heart right along with Joy Sparton of Parsonage Hill when I was ten years old during a summer family vacation to Snow Mountain Ranch, Colorado.

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

I would invite my Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference roommates, the “Sycamore Sisters” as we like to call ourselves, to a writing retreat. We have encouraged each other in our writing journeys for the past decade and are all published authors and dear friends.

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

I don’t have a formal speaking ministry, but do enjoy talking with people about the writing process and encouraging others to achieve their dreams.

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

Oh, boy! Which embarrassing moment should I share? There have been many times over the years when I’ve been embarrassed or done silly things, but the most recent is when I pronounced a “trendy” word wrong in front of my young adult kids (wish I could remember what it was!) Let me tell you, they jumped on it and couldn’t stop laughing. My husband didn’t understand why it was so funny, so it must have been a generational thing. My first tendency is to be defensive, but I joined in and smiled along with them.

People are always telling me that they’d like to write a book someday. I’m sure they do to you, too. What would you tell someone who came up to you and said that?

Yes, people tell me that all the time. I encourage them to take classes and attend writer’s conferences. Talk to people in the industry and ask questions. Just like any profession, it takes time to learn and hone the craft. Years ago, it was frowned upon to self-publish, but now anyone can do it if they put in the hours and hours of work needed to produce a quality book.

Tell us about the featured book.

Capture Me is about two biological sisters raised in two different families. Will an old photograph prompt a reunion?

When Ashley Stevens discovers a box of photos that remind her of her difficult childhood with cancer, she wants to push that box aside while keeping her promise to her adoptive grandmother to create scrapbooks from the pictures in the trunk. A photo of herself as a young child sitting beside a smaller girl continues to haunt her. Who is she and why does the toddler’s face look so much like her own? Between her job at the animal shelter, waiting on a proposal from and her boyfriend of three years, and his troubled family, will Ashley ever discover who the girl is?

There’s nothing Kayla Witherspoon wants more than to quit medical school. After two grueling years, it is time she tell her parents the truth—that she desires to be a fashion designer, not a doctor like them. Adding to her fear of imperfection, a woman claims Kayla has a biological sister. She’s gotten along fine as an only child. Why would she need a sibling now?

Please give us the first page of the book.

La Selva Beach, California

Ashley Stevens stood on the front porch and shaded her eyes from the early morning sun. “Here, boy.” Her voice shook with unwanted emotion.

She’d grown attached to the young pup she’d found yesterday wandering up and down the street. Poor thing looked like a cast-off when she spotted him, but a good scrubbing in the metal tub brightened up his beautiful tan coat.

She zipped up her blue sweatshirt, grabbed her car keys off the hook, and slammed the front door on her way out in pursuit of the Labrador. All God’s creatures deserved a loving home, and this pooch was no exception.

Sliding behind the wheel of her beat-up station wagon, she put the key in the ignition and peeled out of the driveway down the eucalyptus-lined street toward the beach, her teeth biting the inside of her cheek. “Tanner, where’d you go?”

Once in the parking lot, she scanned the area. A few dogs and their owners were taking their early morning walks.

Please be here.

She rushed to the shore and kicked off her sandals. The air was cool, crisp, and smelled of salt, and the waves crashed against the shore. Moist sand oozed between her toes, and a seagull flew overhead. She jogged up the beach, jumping over kelp and keeping her eyes peeled for the stray.

Ashley loved all the animals at the no-kill animal shelter where she worked and would take home as many as possible. But her grandmother had insisted that no animals were allowed at the beach house and told her as much on the phone the night before.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I love to connect with my readers! You can visit me at my website, and on these social media sites: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

Thank you, Sherry, for sharing this new book with my blog readers and me. I always love your books.

Readers, here is a link to pre-order the book.

Capture Me

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (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

NEVER LET GO - Elizabeth Goddard - One Free Book

Welcome back, Elizabeth. You have a lot of books out now. What is your favorite setting to use in your books? 

Setting serves as inspiration for me. I love nature, mountains, waterfalls, and coastlines. For quite a few books now I’ve used the Pacific Northwest. I lived in Oregon and spent a lot of time in Seattle as well. I love the rocky coast and the mountains. So you could say that’s one of my favorite settings. Another favorite is Wyoming. I love the Jackson Hole area, Grand Teton, and Yellowstone National Parks. I’m so glad I had the opportunity to set a series in Jackson Hole!

What do you look for when you’re shopping for a book to buy for yourself?

Usually an author I know, but often an amazing cover will draw my attention or an intriguing premise. I especially love to read in my genre—romantic suspense. I try to steer clear of reading too much of the back cover copy. I don’t want to know much about what is going to happen. (reviewers, please don’t give away the storyline when you write reviews! LOL)

I so agree with that last statement, Elizabeth. Give us a little tour of the setting for this book.

The story starts in one setting, then the characters land in Wyoming and the remainder of the series will stay there. Jackson Hole is the valley between the Teton Range and the Gros Ventre Range in Wyoming. Grand Teton National Park is there and nearby Yellowstone National Park as well. The mountains are amazing and an important part of the setting as is Bridger-Teton national forest.

Is this novel part of a series or a stand-alone book?

Never Let Go is the first book in the Uncommon Justice series. So far there are three books in the series, and they center around the three McKade brothers. Austin McKade is the brother in the first book but readers will meet Heath in book one too, and I hope they will be eager to read his story next. 

What other books do you have coming out soon?

In the fall, Always Look Twice (book two in Uncommon Justice) is the sequel to Never Let Go and Heath’s story.

I also write for Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense. Distress Signal (book 3 in Coldwater Bay Intrigue) just released in January and in May, Running Target, releases. It’s the fourth and last book in my Coldwater Bay Intrigue series.

Please give us a glimpse inside your home.

Do I have to? LOL! I live in a small parsonage next to the church where my husband pastors. I have three sons living at home with me. My daughter is in her twenties and lives in California and we’re in Michigan. With the four bedrooms in use, I have taken over the living room as my office!

Tell us about the story.

I don’t think I can say it better than the back cover copy!

As a forensic genealogist, Willow Anderson is following in her late grandfather's footsteps in her quest for answers about a baby abducted from the hospital more than twenty years ago. The case may be cold, but things are about to heat up when someone makes an attempt on her life to keep her from discovering the truth.

Ex-FBI agent--and Willow's ex-flame--Austin McKade readily offers his help to protect the woman he never should have let get away. Together they'll follow where the clues lead them, even if it means Austin must face the past he's spent much of his life trying to forget. And even if it puts Willow's tender heart at risk.

In this fast-paced and emotional page-turner, bestselling author Elizabeth Goddard keeps the stakes high, the romantic tension sparking, and the outcome uncertain until the very end.

Please give us the first page of the book.

PROLOGUE

Wednesday, 12:30 p.m.

Twenty-One Years Ago
Houston, Texas

Nursing scrubs? Check. White sneakers? Check. Keycard? Check.

Calm, even breathing? Nope.

She had everything she needed to get in and out quickly. The plan seemed so easy. Too easy. Then why did her heart pound against her rib cage until it ached? Why did her pulse roar in her ears as she walked the sterile hallway, heading for the maternity ward?

Palms sweating, she pushed through double doors into a wide corridor. Almost there.

Everything inside screamed for her to keep her head down. But that might give the wrong impression.

Forcing her chin high, she carried the file folders with purpose as her sneakers squeaked down the long white hallway. She made it to the wing where mothers and their newborn babies rested until released and found it busy with food service workers, janitorial personnel, and other hospital staff. Good. She’d been right to carefully calculate her arrival for the lunch hour.

Wow! I can hardly wait to read this book. How can readers find you on the Internet?

Find out more on my website

Follow me on my Facebook Author page

Follow me on Twitter 

Follow me on Instagram

Follow me on Bookbub

Follow me on my Amazon Author Page

Thank you, Beth, for sharing this new book with my blog readers and me. You know I’ve loved your suspense novels since the very first one.

Readers, here are links to the book.

Never Let Go (Uncommon Justice Book 1) - Amazon Paperback
Never Let Go (Uncommon Justice Book 1) - Kindle
Never Let Go - Audio book
Never Let Go - Christianbook.com

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (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!!!

IMPORTANT: Instructions for winners  - When you send me the email, make sure your subject line says this: Winner - (book title) - (author's name) If you don't do this, your email could get lost in my hundreds of emails per day. I WILL SEARCH FOR POST TITLES STARTING THAT WAY.

Shelia (MS) is the winner of Loves Delicate Blossom by Ada Brownell. 

Mindy (NJ) is the winner of Hidden Motives by Hannah Alexander.

Pam (OH) is the winner of The Invisible Woman in the Red Dress by Zoe M McCarthy. 

If you won a book and you like it, please consider giving the author the courtesy of writing a review on Goodreads, Amazon.com, Christianbooks.com, Barnes and Noble, or other Internet sites. Reviews are such a blessing to an author.

Also, tell your friends about the book you won ... 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 or audio book, just let me know what email address it should be sent to.Remember, you have 4 weeks to claim your book.