A SEASON AT THE GRAND - Sherri Wilson Johnson - One Free Book

Welcome to my blog, Sherri. Tell us about your salvation experience. I accepted Jesus as my savior when I was six years old. I grew up in a Christian home and going to church every Sunday was the norm. But one particular Sunday I remember a strong urgency to be saved. I asked my pastor about it and he thought I wanted a drink of water. To this day we don’t know why he thought that except he was hard of hearing. He tried to direct me to the water fountain and it wasn’t until I screamed at him that I wanted to ask Jesus into my heart that he realized I wanted the living water and not water from a fountain.

I wanted to accept Jesus into my heart when I was seven. At first my daddy told me I was too young to understand, but not too long after that, he realized I did. You’re planning a writing retreat where you can only have four other authors. Who would they be and why? I would invite my good friend and mastermind partner CD Gill because we have the best brainstorming sessions together. I would also invite Misty Beller and Christy Barritt because, not only are we friends, but they are also some of the most prolific writers I know, and I would enjoy time with them to pick their brains about their writing process. I would also invite my friend and colleague Kristy Cambron because she is one of the most thoughtful and affirming people I know, and I think she would bring such joy and sunshine to the retreat.

What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you and how did you handle it? I don’t get embarrassed very easily, and honestly can’t even think of one embarrassing moment in my life. Now, I have done plenty of things to embarrass OTHER people without meaning to, but they usually get over it pretty quickly, haha!

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? Whenever anyone tells me that, I always encourage them to get started now. Don’t wait for someday. Someday may never come. Life gets in the way. Make a plan and get going. It will be one of the best experiences of someone’s life. Why? Because writing that first book is really about finding oneself. There are often such wonderful, buried treasures that someone only finds through writing a book.

Tell us about the featured book. A Season at the Grand is set in 1905 in the Mobile Bay area of Alabama, specifically in Point Clear. Amelia Harris is a traveling photographer with The Photographic Times, and she’s commissioned to take pictures of the wealthy vacationers at the resort. Her matchmaking aunts are trying to marry her off because they think she’s a spinster. But she’ll have nothing to do with it. When she meets the resort manager Titus Overton, who has also resisted the matchmaking attempts of some of his guests, Amelia’s heart does a little flipflop. But they each have too many career goals and distractions to make room for love. And because someone is threatening both of them, their priority must be to stay alive. The matters of the heart can wait.

My current contemporary romantic series, Jeopardized Reunions, is set on the bay, too. My prequel novella Bayside Betrayal, which readers can receive for free by subscribing to my newsletter, is set in Point Clear, but in a contemporary setting instead of historical.

Mobile Bay, specifically the Gulf Shores area, is my favorite vacation spot. Every time we’re there, I am inspired to write another story. A Season at the Grand was born out of one of those trips.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Point Clear, Alabama, 1905

Amelia Harris stepped off the Baldwin with one gloved hand in the porter’s hand and the other gripping the handle of her camera case. She could not afford for either of them to land in Mobile Bay. If she lost her camera, then her summer in Point Clear would end before it began, also terminating her career with The Photographic Times. They had sent her here to capture nature photographs as well as images of the elite guests enjoying their seaside holiday, and she couldn’t allow any mishaps to derail her assignment.

Besides, the summer here enjoying the same luxuries of the wealthy meant a reprieve from the matchmaking of Aunt Polly and Aunt Patsy. Why did they insist her marriageable years had an expiration date and that her occupation as a photographer would damage not only her reputation but her future, as well? Why did they think a woman only twenty-five years old couldn’t still find a husband?

“Miss?” The porter’s voice snapped her out of her rumination.

With a quick nod and a prayer her embarrassment hadn’t touched her cheeks more than the June heat already had, she smiled, then released his hand. “Thank you, sir.”

“My pleasure. Enjoy your stay at the Grand Hotel. Your belongings will arrive in your room shortly.”

Amelia smoothed her left hand across her stomach and breathed a sigh. As though that would calm the butterflies which flooded inside her. What did she have to be anxious about? While this might be her first assignment this far from home and without a chaperone or colleague, she carried herself well among the elite and had nothing to fear. Besides, she was here to photograph, not to make friends. Her presence as a commissioned photographer required no further burden of proof.

With The Photographic Times expecting a minimum of two thousand nature images for their penny postcards, socializing sat at the bottom of her priority stack. Best she decide right now to pack her jitters away in her trunk along with her swimwear and leave them there all summer.

Pressing her shoulders against the coastal humidity, she took a step down the boardwalk toward her awaiting adventure.

“Jimmy, come back here. No running on the boardwalk, young man,” a woman’s stern voice called from behind Amelia.

Before she could peek over her shoulder for a hint at the commotion, a boy—Jimmy, most likely—broke through the cluster of guests and slammed into her, ripping her case from her hand.

“Oh no!” She fell to her knees on the weathered boardwalk and grasped the case seconds before it spun its way into the glistening bay. With her hat now dangling by its string across her back and her body splayed out on top of the leather case like a dead fish, she must already be the subject of the onlookers’ gossip. Surely, it would be better if she reboarded the bay boat and returned to Philadelphia this instant.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Find out more about me at my website: https://sherriwilsonjohnson.com/

I’m on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Goodreads and Bookbub. Readers can find me there and at other places through this link: https://linktr.ee/sherriwilsonjohnson

Thank you, Sherri for sharing A Season at the Grand with my blog readers and me. I’m eager to read it.

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

https://www.amazon.com/Season-Grand-Romance-Gilded-Resorts/dp/1942265751/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1683644894&sr=1-1 

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 2 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, 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

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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:
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THE SECRET TO HAPPINESS - Suzanne Woods Fisher - One Free Book

Bio: Suzanne Woods Fisher is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than thirty books, including The Sweet Life, The Moonlight School, and A Season on the Wind, as well as the Three Sisters Island, Nantucket Legacy, Amish Beginnings, The Bishop’s Family, The Deacon’s Family, and The Inn at Eagle Hill series. She is also the author of several nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace and Amish Proverbs. She lives in California. Learn more at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com and follow Suzanne on Facebook @SuzanneWoodsFisherAuthor and Twitter @suzannewfisher.

About the story: In 2022, bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher unveiled her deliciously compelling new book, The Sweet Life, the first book in the Cape Cod Creamery series. In Fisher’s sophomore novel, The Secret to Happiness, Fisher introduces readers to executive chef Callie Dixon, who is recovering from a major setback in her well-planned life. Desperately in need of some soul searching, she ends up at a small ice cream shop on Cape Cod. It takes the charm of a young boy to help her find the answers she’s looking for—and maybe the secret to happiness. Callie Dixon had the world by its tail . . . until it all slipped away. Fired from her dream job after making a colossal mistake, she’s escaped to her aunt’s home on Cape Cod for time to bounce back. Except it isn’t a home, it’s an ice cream shop. And time isn’t going to help, because Callie’s bounce has up and left. There’s a reason she made that mistake at work and she’s struggling to come to terms with it.

Things go from bad to worse when Callie’s cousin Dawn drags her to a community class about the secret to happiness. Happiness is the last thing Callie wants to think about right now, but instructor Bruno Bianco—a curiously gloomy fellow—is relentless. He has a way of turning Callie’s thoughts upside down. Her feelings, too.

Could Bruno be right when he says that hitting rock bottom is the very best place to be? If so, how is that supposed to help her find exactly what—or who—has been missing all along?

Can you please provide a brief summary of your novel, The Secret to Happiness? Callie Dixon arrives at the Main Street Creamery for a short visit with her relatives. Just to get her bounce back, she says, while she’s in-between jobs. To Marnie’s and Dawn’s distress, Callie heads straight to bed and stays there. Turns out her bounce has up and left.

In The Sweet Life, book one of the Cape Cod Creamery series, you introduce readers to Dawn and Marnie Dixon. How is Callie Dixon in The Secret to Happiness related to Dawn and Marnie? While at Penn State’s Ice Cream School, Marnie Dixon bumps into her husband’s niece, Callie, whom she hasn’t seen in years. Something seems “off” with Callie, so Marnie invites her to Cape Cod. More specifically, she doesn’t stop Callie when she invites herself. 

Callie Dixon is an executive chef until a colossal mistake upends her “perfect” world. Can you offer a hint of what might have happened at her former job? I borrowed a real-life situation for Callie. During an actual Food Safety Conference, a sauce for chicken was accidentally left out overnight and served to attendees the next day. Hundreds got sick. Such irony! That scenario had to go into a novel.

Why did Callie choose to relocate to Cape Cod? Actually, I think Cape Cod chose Callie.

Although Callie’s life has gone through a major upheaval, she is resistant to going to a community class about the secret to happiness. How does this class make an impact on her life? While Callie didn’t know what to think about the Secret to Happiness class, she definitely didn’t expect a gloomy instructor. Although Bruno Bianco had written a book on the topic, he never smiled. Never joked, never laughed. Happiness, it seemed, was serious business. 

Your male protagonist, Bruno Bianco, told Callie, “Hitting rock bottom may be the very best place to be.” What did he mean by this statement? Bruno might be gloomy (he would say “somber”), but he has tremendous insights about what it would take to live a fulfilled, contented life. Readers will enjoy discovering how he ended up studying and teaching on the topic of happiness. Let’s just say it has something to do with hitting rock bottom.  

What other life lessons can readers gain from reading The Secret to Happiness? Here’s the biggest one Callie learned: Who or what is telling her story? Once she realized what she’d been letting define her, she was ready to grab hold of her life.

What inspired the idea for this series? My husband’s passion for ice cream making. Like Dawn and Marnie Dixon, he attended Penn State’s Ice Cream School. My editor, after sampling my husband’s ice cream, and told me she wanted a series that would include ice cream. I took that suggestion and ran with it!  

What do you love most about writing contemporary romance novels? Creating relevant love stories with characters who are committed to hanging in there and working things out. Like Dawn Dixon and her mother, Marnie. I enjoy writing from the eyes of a modern millennial, then bouncing back to the point of view of a middle-aged-ish character. After all, love doesn’t have an expiration date.

What are you working on next? Next fall, Lost and Found will release. It’s a story about a young man in love, caught between two sisters.

How can readers connect with you? My website is the place to find me: www.suzannewoodsfisher.com.

Thank you, Suzanne, for sharing this new book with us. I’ve loved every book of yours I’ve read.

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Happiness-Cape-Creamery-Book-ebook/dp/B0BLW62NCR/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1WR9KYP29T63&keywords=The+Secret+to+Happiness&qid=1683217195&s=books&sprefix=the+secret+to+happiness+%2Cstripbooks%2C112&sr=1-1

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 2 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, 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 

HOME AWAY FROM HOME - Penny Frost McGinnis - One Free Book

Bio: If Penny Frost McGinnis could live in a lighthouse or on an island, she would. Instead, she and her husband are content to live in southwest Ohio and visit Lake Erie every chance they get. She adores her family and dog, indulges in dark chocolate, enjoys fiber arts, and baseball. She pens romance with a dash of mystery and the promise of hope. Her life's goal is to encourage and uplift through her writing. Visit her blog at Hope for Today's Heart, where she brings God's hope to people's lives through the written word.

Welcome to my blog, Penny. Why do you write the kind of books you do? I write the stories I do because I want to bring hope to readers. Through contemporary romance, I can offer a picture of what love and respect look like between couples. With the secondary characters, I try to paint a portrait of support and encouragement. Several years ago, I got a nudge from God to write for women and share positive stories that reflect real life.

Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life? I can think of a few. The day I married Tim and the days I gave birth to my girls were all beautiful days filled with joy.

How has being published changed your life? By being published, I have realized a dream I carried for many years. With readers reading my books I feel more responsible to pen my best writing and continue to write words of hope. I’m also a lot busier than I expected to be.

What are you reading right now? I love cozy mysteries, and Jackie Layton’s books are some of my favorites. I’m reading her latest installment in the Low Country Dog Walker series, A Killer Unleashed. If you haven’t read her books, I recommend them.

What is your current work in progress? I’m preparing to write a novella for a Christmas collection that will feature characters from The Abbott Island series.

What would be your dream vacation? For years my dream vacation was a trip to Maine, which my husband and I took in 2018. I’d love to go there again. If I traveled out of the country, I’d love see Scotland.

How do you choose your settings for each book? The island in my Abbott Island series is inspired by Kelley’s Island, Ohio, in Lake Erie. My husband and I love to visit the island any chance we get. One time when we were there, I realized what a wonderful place it would be to use as a setting in the novels. I’ve enjoyed exploring both in person and online.

If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why? It’s hard to choose just one person. If not someone in my family, I’d like to spend an evening with my forever friends from Bible college. We’ve been friends for over forty years.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading? I enjoy fiber arts, baseball, and hanging out with my husband, family, and our dog, Rosie.

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it? Beginning a story is hard for me. I have the ideas, the characters, and the setting in my head, but sometimes I’m not ready to write it. I have to schedule myself a day to sit down and get started. Once I get the first few pages typed, I’m ready to roll.

What advice would you give to a beginning author? I wrote for twenty-five years before I published a full-length novel. At times, I was discouraged, but I always believed God had a plan for my writing. I prayed and kept writing and learning. I attended conferences and workshops and kept writing. Stay the course, continue to learn, read a lot and keep writing.

Tell us about the featured book. Home Away From Home is book #2 in the Abbott Island series. Marigold and Johnny are fifty-something and unsure if they should pursue romance so late in life. Of course, there is some mystery and the promise of hope.

Will Marigold and Johnny embrace love late in life?

When Marigold Hayes turned fourteen, her mother died, and her father went missing. For forty years, she has searched for her dad and lived a quiet life on Abbott Island, until she met Johnny. As her love for Johnny grows, her sorrow from the relentless search for her father breaks her heart. She begs God to help her move forward with her life before she has no love left to give. Then three mysterious strangers show up who could change her life.

Johnny Papadakis moved to Abbott Island ten years ago. His ex-wife had pushed him away and discouraged him from having a relationship with their daughter. After years of hard work, his restaurant flourishes, so does his relationship with Marigold. As he seeks Marigold's hand in marriage, his daughter shows up on his doorstep, looking for a place to call home.

Can Marigold and Johnny settle the past and move toward the promise of a blessed future?

Please give us the first page of the book.

Marigold Hayes jabbed a spade in the soil. A flat of geraniums waved their scarlet heads as she lowered her fifty-four-year-old body onto a grassy spot. The joints in her knees popped and cracked, another reminder her fifty-fifth birthday loomed over her. Five years to sixty, but she had never lost hope of finding her father.

Forty-years had passed since the accident, and the occasional nightmare still haunted her. Newspaper clippings, library research, yet not one morsel about her father. Mom had died, a fact Marigold learned the morning after the accident, and Dad vanished. Not a trace of his being existed after the crews towed the car from the wooded ravine.

She plunged the small shovel into the loamy soil she had worked for the last twenty years. Without fail, she planted annuals and nurtured the perennials plotted in the memorial garden she had created to honor her parents. Blooms of red geraniums and multi-colored zinnias would burst with radiance all summer. White daisies, the flowers Dad had gifted Mom with on anniversaries and birthdays, created a happy backdrop. Along the edge of the corner garden, she tucked in bright yellow marigolds, her namesake.

As she spoke her annual prayer, her heart pleaded and sought God’s help to find her dad. After a murmured, “Amen” soared to heaven, she tipped a geranium from its plastic container, loosened the bound roots, and plugged the plant into the earth. From a plastic jug, she sprinkled water into the hole, then scooped dirt in, and patted it around the stem. Soon, three red-headed flowers stood side by side. From the zinnia seed packet, she sprinkled the beginnings of a rainbow of color. Her steady work soon filled the flower bed with the promise of summer blossoms and her soul with restored hope. With an old tattered dish towel, Marigold wiped the soil from her hands, then she rose from the ground and dusted dirt off her knees. She fingered a red bloom, and a pungent but pleasant fragrance filled the air.

Hands loaded with containers, gardening tools, and the water jug, Marigold trekked to the house.

Feet pounded on the nearby pavement, as Johnny Papadakis jogged from the street into her yard. His tall, slim, well-muscled form raised her pulse, even as she stilled. At fifty-eight, he kept himself in shape. She tipped her chin up. “Hey, there.”

“Hi, Mari.” He stopped a few feet away, bent, and placed his hands on his thighs. After a few deep breaths, he raised to his full six-foot-three height. His brown eyes sparkled in the sun as he adjusted his baseball cap. Hands on his hips, he turned to the garden in the corner of her yard. “Working on your parents’ flower bed?”

She moved to the porch and deposited her armload. “I finished a few minutes ago. You know, I wonder every year whether to continue. Dad would be eighty-three by now and may not be alive.” The memories of her dad and mom had faded with time, except for a few. Whenever she found a worm in the garden, the squiggly creature between her fingers transported her to a happier time.

One autumn day, they had fished in Lake Erie right here on Abbott Island. She'd mustered the bravery, as only a child could, to bait her own hook. Mom had packed potato salad, apples, and a yellow cake with chocolate icing and Dad grilled the fish they caught over a campfire, even the small one she had snagged. A full moon shone and a cool breeze waved as she had cuddled between them in her safe place. Forty years had passed since she'd hugged her dad. Where had he gone?

Johnny rested his hand on her shoulder. “Giving up depends on whether the flowers bring you hope or make you sad.” Without hesitation, he drew her into a hug.

Her head rested against his sweaty shirt, but she didn't care. This man who walked into her life ten years ago empathized. Uncertain she deserved such a wonderful guy in her life, she stowed her emotions deep in her heart. Maybe fear, perhaps set in her ways, or not sure how to respond to his affections, she valued his friendship and company without a deeper commitment.

He patted her back, then let go and reached for the jug and tools she had left on the floor. “Where do these go? I'm happy to put them away for you.”

She grasped the jug’s handle. “I appreciate your help, but I can do it.”

Her tall, handsome friend didn't budge. She released her hold and shook her head. “Thank you. They go in the shed out back.”

With the gardening supplies firm in his arms, he trailed her to the backyard. “Your she shed, of course.” A deep laugh escaped his chest.

Hand on her hip, she turned to him. “Do my paint choices make it a she shed? You know I love color, and chartreuse and periwinkle brightened the yard. Did you see my pink and red tulips when they bloomed and how they created a painting on the front? Besides, I love my little she shed.”

She swung open the door to the building and the earthy odor of potting soil drifted to her nose. On the inside, an antique writing desk sat in the corner, covered with gardening books and journals. A shovel, rake, and several baskets lined the space behind the desk. A pale-pink wall held life jackets, kayak paddles, and other lake life paraphernalia. “Set them on the floor by the desk, and I'll put them away later. I want to spray out the buckets.” 

How can readers find you on the Internet?

My blog: https://www.pennyfrostmcginnis.com/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PennyFMcGinnis

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pennyfrostmcginnisauthor/

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/penny-frost-mcginnis

Thank you, Penny, for sharing this book with us.

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

https://www.amazon.com/Home-Away-Abbott-Island-Book-ebook/dp/B0BWKF8CFQ/ref=sr_1_6?crid=1ZDI80OMJP2R0&keywords=HOME+AWAY+FROM+HOME&qid=1683128421&s=books&sprefix=home+away+from+home%2Cstripbooks%2C110&sr=1-6 

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 2 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, 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 

WINDSWEPT WAY - Irene Hannon - One Free Book

Bio: Irene Hannon is the bestselling and award-winning author of more than 60 contemporary romance and romantic suspense novels. In addition to her many other honors, she is a three-time winner of the prestigious RITA Award from Romance Writers of America. She is also a member of RWA's elite Hall of Fame and has received a Career Achievement Award from RT Book Reviews for her entire body of work

In 2015, bestselling and award-winning author Irene Hannon penned her first Hope Harbor novel entitled Hope Harbor. This novel paved the way for more novels set along the rocky shores of the Oregon coast. Now Hannon lures readers back to the seaside town with her ninth novel in the Hope Harbor collection. Windswept Way will introduce fans to a new cast of characters while still bringing back a few favorites in this charming town where hearts heal and love blooms.  

About the Story: Buying a haunted house was never in Ashley Scott’s plans, but when an intriguing opportunity drops into her lap after a major setback, she finds herself trekking cross-country to Hope Harbor to launch a new life.

Wounded warrior Jonathan Gray isn’t sure what to make of the attractive woman on his reclusive older neighbor’s isolated property, but her presence is none of his business—until she enlists his help with an ambitious project. When Jonathan finds his interest in the new arrival becoming more personal than professional, however, his defenses go up. There’s no room in his life—or his heart—for romance.

Yet, as these three hurting people join forces to restore life, laughter, and love to a historic estate that has known too much sadness, they may also find healing, hope, and happiness for themselves.

Welcome to my blog, Irene. Please provide readers with a brief description of your new novel, Windswept Way? Here’s the story in a nutshell: A woman who’s taken a leap of faith and a reclusive man resigned to being alone help an older woman give new life to her family’s historic estate…and in the process find their own happy ending.

Windswept Way is the ninth book in the Hope Harbor collection. What was the inspiration behind these novels? I’d always wanted to write a heartwarming, long-running series set in a small seaside town filled with characters readers would come to love. When I wrote the first book—called Hope Harbor—I had high hopes it could lead to that series. Happily, those hopes were fulfilled.  My little town has become beloved not only in the U.S., but around the world.

Why did you choose the Oregon coast as the setting for the Hope Harbor novels? I’d seen photos of the Oregon coast for many years, and it looked like the kind of place that could be home to my fictional community. So I took a research trip there, traveled the coast from top to bottom taking copious notes, and found the perfect setting for my stories.

Hope Harbor is a place where “hearts heal and love blooms.” Can you please provide some insight on how this takes place for your two protagonists, Ashley Scott and Jonathan Gray? Both Ashley and Jon are hurting and alone when this story starts. So is the owner of Edgecliff, the historic home that is the centerpiece of this story. But as the three of them begin to work together on their ambitious project to open the estate to the world, their hearts begin to open as well. Because love truly can transform lives.

Can you provide more information on Jonathan Gray’s backstory? Jon was badly injured by an IED in the Middle East, which cost him the future he had planned. He carries deep physical and psychological scars. He’s not in any way the stereotypical model-perfect hero of a romance novel. He’s created a successful landscaping business, but he relies on Daisy, his border collie for company.

Until Ashley comes along.

Each Hope Harbor novel focuses on new characters. Will characters from previous books in the series make appearances in Windswept Way? Every Hope Harbor book is a brand-new story, with a whole new cast of main characters. Each story begins and ends in each book, with no hanging plot threads from book to book. The unifying element is the town. There are several secondary characters who appear in every book, but a reader can pick up any book in the series and feel right at home. Readers who’ve been following the series all along will definitely recognize the leading characters from past books who make cameo appearances in this story.

Do you have a favorite character in this novel? I love Ashley and Jon, but Rose, the reclusive older woman who owns Edgecliff, touched my heart in a special way. Watching her emerge from her self-imposed exile was so inspiring and uplifting.

What lessons do you hope readers gain from reading Windswept Way?  Never judge a book—or a person—by its cover.

What do you love most about writing contemporary romance? I love telling stories about people with honor and character and integrity and faith who are living full, rich, interesting lives and finding happy endings without sacrificing their principles. I think everyone can benefit from encouragement to stay the course in a world that often isn’t supportive of traditional values or faith-based living.

What are you working on next? I’ll have a new suspense series starting in October, which features three foster siblings whose careers put them on the front line of danger. And the Hope Harbor series will continue in April 2024 with Book #10.

How can readers connect with you? For general information and a complete book list, my website is the best place: www.irenehannon.com. But my favorite place to interact with readers is Facebook. I’m on Instagram, but I chat with readers every day on Facebook. Please join the conversation!

Thank you, Irene, for sharing Windswept Way with us.

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=windswept+way+a+hope+harbor+novel&i=stripbooks&ref=nb_sb_noss

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 2 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, 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.

Some people don't read the instructions of how to enter. Unfortunately, they don't have a chance to win. so next time you come and leave a comment, be sure to read all the instructions if you want a chance to win.

Anne (NM) is the winner of The Year of Jubilee by Cindy Morgan.

Diana (SC) is the winner of Remember Me by Tracie Peterson.

Brenda (MS) is the winner of After the Shadows by Amanda Cabot.

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 2 weeks to claim your book. 

RESCUING ROSE - Susan Pope Sloan - One Free Book

Welcome to my blog, Susan. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters. Probably more than I think! My family could answer that better than I, but I do think Noah’s tendency to be a rules-keeper and Rose’s intense love of learning come from me.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done? I don’t know that I’d call anything I’ve done quirky, but stupid? Yes. Embarrassing? Yes.

Like sitting through the wrong funeral service, mistaking one person for another—with an enthusiastic hug, hitting my elbow hard enough to pass out…the list goes on.

When did you first discover that you were a writer? I wrote a poem for the school newspaper in sixth grade and remember working all my spelling words into a story about the same time, so that’s the first inkling I had. In eleventh grade, I was given the opportunity to take creative writing as an elective, and that clinched it.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading. Historical fiction is my favorite, of course, but I try to read a mix of contemporary romance, women’s fiction, and cozy mysteries. Within my critique groups, I was surprised to find that I also enjoy YA Dystopian and even an occasional thriller.

How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world? When weather permits, I enjoy bike riding or walking in our local parks. Being in nature is the best relaxation technique.

How do you choose your characters’ names? My best resource for names is U.S. Census records. A simple internet search brings up names popular for each decade. I also saved a couple of old corporate phone lists from my previous employer and look through those when I’m stumped.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of? Having three children who turned out to be wonderful adults. Second would be completing my novels (four so far).

If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why? A donkey because donkeys are low-key, domesticated work animals that are usually docile but can be stubborn.

What is your favorite food? That’s a hard one. I eat a lot of chicken, so I’ll stop with that.

What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it? Learning about how to get published. I tried with my first novel years ago but grew discouraged. I also went to a few conferences over the years—all before the Internet. When I found the North Georgia Christian Writers Conference and learned about Word Weavers, I realized I had to learn about the marketing side of writing before I could get published.

Tell us about the featured book. I first heard about the real incident that’s covered in Rescuing Rose from a coworker who was a Civil War Reenactor. When I researched the event, I found only one novel which was 30 years old and one scholarly work, which became my primary resource. Knowing most of the women (who were arrested and sent north by Sherman) had no education and no way of contacting their men, I felt strongly that their story needed to be shared. In this book and the two sequels, I follow a group of women and explore what their lives might have been like.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Thursday, July 7, 1864

Roswell, Georgia

Something foul was afoot, and this time it was more than a few mice chewing on the machine belts.

Her loom slowed without warning, and Rose Carrigan clutched at the cotton threads tangled in her fingers. The customary high-pitched whine in the room plummeted to a deep growl as all the machines shuddered to a stop. Shuttles paused mid-sweep, setting the bobbins that fed them to dancing on their spindles. Puffs of cotton drifted like falling snowflakes in the still air.           

The wide-eyed faces of her co-workers mirrored Rose’s bewilderment. A glance at the narrow window to her left revealed the hazy blue of a summer sky. Hours until quitting time.

Whispered questions buzzed but dropped like swatted mosquitoes at a sudden commotion.

A column of blue-clad soldiers burst through the door.

The bearded leader glowered at the workers. “Out! Everyone outside, now!”         

The order bounced from wall to wall. Pointing their rifled muskets, the Union soldiers swept down the aisles and prodded the workers away from their stations.

Dear God, the war had arrived at Roswell’s door. Men with fierce expressions crowded closer. The odor of sweat and filth on their wool uniforms robbed her breath. Memories threatened, but she forced them back.

How can readers find you on the Internet? I’m on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. My website is https://susanpsloan.com

Thank you, Susan, for sharing Rescuing Rose with my blog readers and me. My copy has arrived, and I’m eager to read it.

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

https://www.amazon.com/Rescuing-Rose-Rescued-Hearts-Civil/dp/194226562X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1682524012&sr=1-1

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 2 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, 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 

SECOND TIME AROUND - Melody Carlson - One Free Book

Bio: Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of more than 250 books with sales of more than 7.5 million, including many bestselling Christmas novellas, young adult titles, and contemporary romances. She received a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award, her novel All Summer Long was made into a Hallmark movie, and the film version of The Happy Camper is soon to be released. She and her husband live in central Oregon.

With over 7.5 million books sold, Melody Carlson has wooed her way into the hearts of her many fans with her Hallmarkesque novels. Appealing to readers of Debbie Macomber and Rachel Hauck, each novel offers a perfect balance of romance, small-town feel, and charming characters. Melody’s newest novel, Second Time Around, is a perfect addition to her repertoire. This winning tale is full of heart, home, and second chances.

About the story: When Mallory Farrell inherits her grandmother’s run-down tourist shop in Portside, Oregon, she figures the most sensible thing to do is sell it. But this tiny town has captured her heart. So, when her former secret crush, Grayson Matthews, offers to buy the property and convert it into an outdoor mall, Mallory digs in her heels and decides to renovate the property into an eclectic home decor shop called Romancing the Home.

 As the shop rises in popularity, it catches the eye of a popular renovation show producer. The publicity from a special feature would be great for her shop, but the segment would also include shots of her own home—a depressing apartment on the second floor. How can she live up to her motto of “romancing the home” when her own home is such a sad and dreary place? She is tempted to withdraw from the show and abandon her dream for the shop, but, before she can pull the plug, she confesses her reasoning to Grayson.

Grayson’s understanding and vision for her apartment may just be the catalyst for not only romancing the home but also romancing Mallory as well.

Please provide a brief summary of your new novel, Second Time Around. Empty-nester Marley Farrell inherits her grandmother’s run-down tourist shop in Portside, Oregon. Above the decrepit shop is an equally decrepit apartment—both in need of serious TLC. While preparing the property for sale, Mallory rediscovers her love for the ocean and the funky tourist town. So, when Grayson Matthews (a secret crush from long ago) tries to purchase her property to create a mall, Mallory has second thoughts. She decides to remain in Portside and renovate. And, in the process, she reinvents her life as well.

There is a huge following of home renovation shows. How will Second Time Around resonate with this audience? More than eighty million viewers get HGTV and about ten million tune in each month. Readers who enjoy house renovation and home decor, whether it’s via TV or real life, will resonate with Mallory’s struggle to create a new habitat, meet new friends, and possibly find love.

You new novel has an underlying theme of second chances. Without giving away any spoilers, can you please expand upon how this theme plays out in your book? Mallory’s been hurt by a bad marriage, Grayson’s lost a beloved wife, an old store is about to be demolished, a town is slowly fading away—there’s lots of room for second chances.

Are there any lessons that you hope readers gain from reading Second Time Around? Although it’s a lighthearted story, readers will experience scenes of grace and forgiveness, tucked between the lines. Of course, they might pick up a home design or decor trick along the way too.

Can you tell readers a little more about your female protagonist, Mallory Ferrell, and her background? Mallory has raised three children by herself. As a naturally creative person, she supported her family with a design business that she built from the ground up. Life has taught her to be strong and independent, but she longs for a meaningful relationship.

Why did you choose Oregon as the setting for your book? Okay, it’s no secret I live in Oregon (fifth generation from pioneer roots). I’ve traveled around the world and most of the US, and you can call me biased but I think Oregon is outstandingly beautiful! Since my story involves a small, pretty coastal town, it just seemed to work.

With over 250 novels under your belt, how do you come up with new plots for your stories? I think stories are as limited as people on this planet (past, present, future). Everyone is like a book: peel back some layers, turn a few pages, and there is a story.

Some of your books have been made into movies. Can you please tell readers more about this opportunity? All Summer Long premiered with Hallmark a few years ago (and is still playing it). The Happy Camper will premiere in October on UP TV. I’ve already scripted Looking for Leroy, and it’s under consideration now. 

How can readers connect with you?

http://www.melodycarlson.com/

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

http://ow.ly/oEMP50NRCJQ

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 2 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, 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.

Some people don't read the instructions of how to enter. Unfortunately, they don't have a chance to win. so next time you come and leave a comment, be sure to read all the instructions if you want a chance to win.

Caryl (TX) is the winner of The Words We Lost by Nicole Deese.

Sharon (SC) is the winner of All the Lost Places by Amanda Dykes.

Beth (IA) is the winner of Her Heart's Desire by Shelley Shepherd Gray.

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 2 weeks to claim your book. 

AFTER THE SHADOWS - Amanda Cabot - One Free Book

Bio: Amanda Cabot is the bestselling author of several historical and contemporary romance series, including Mesquite Springs, Cimarron Creek Trilogy, Texas Crossroads, Texas Dreams, and Westward Winds. Her books have been finalists for the ACFW Carol Awards, the HOLT Medallion, and the Booksellers’ Best. She lives in Wyoming.

She has made a name for herself writing historical fiction that blends the perfect amount of romance and intrigue. In After the Shadows, book one in the new Secrets of Sweetwater Crossing series, Cabot returns readers to the Texas Hill Country where the bustling town of Sweetwater holds more than its share of secrets. Fans will be flipping through the pages to solve the mystery in order to get to the happily-ever-after they long for.

About the story: Emily Leland does not grieve when she learns that her abusive husband was killed in a bar fight. She is more than happy to leave the nightmare of her life behind and return to her childhood home. But the homecoming is far different from what she expected.  

First, she discovers that her father has died under mysterious circumstances. Then she learns that the house where the new schoolteacher and his son were planning to live has burned to the ground, leaving them homeless. To add to the mix, her family is facing financial ruin. As a last effort, Emily proposes that she and her sister turn their family home into a boardinghouse. But her sister wants no part of this venture and leaves town.

Alone and broke, Emily moves forward with her plans for the boardinghouse, taking on the schoolmaster, Craig Ferguson, and his son as boarders. The widowed father proves to be an unexpected ally. Not only is he a devoted father and an innovative teacher, but as their friendship grows, Craig is determined to help her get to the bottom of her father’s death.

Can they work together to unmask a killer and escape the shadows of their own past in order to forge a brighter future?

What is the connecting element for all of the books in this series? As you might guess from the series name, there are secrets in each book, but the biggest secret of all—what happened to the man who built Finley House—isn’t revealed until the final book. Finley House, as you probably guessed, is the gorgeous building you see on the cover of After the Shadows.

What makes this series stand out from the other books you’ve written? While each of my previous series has had at least one heroine who’s a newcomer to the town, this time all three heroines are sisters, each of whom has left Sweetwater Crossing for a different reason, who return home to find that both they and their home have changed.

After the Shadows is set in the Texas Hill Country. You have written other series located in this same area. What do you love most about the Texas Hill Country and why do you feel it is a good setting for your new series? Although there are many beautiful parts to Texas, the Hill Country is my favorite, which is why I’ve used it as the setting for a number of books. The varied landscape (hills, meadows, streams, and lakes) as well as the abundance of wildflowers, particularly bluebonnets, make it an appealing location for me, and—judging from the number of letters I’ve received from readers—for readers too. 

Your new novel combines historical romance with the perfect balance of intrigue. How do you maintain this balance? I’m a plotter. In fact, some of my writer friends call me an extreme plotter. That means that I outline my books carefully before I begin to write them, trying to ensure that I haven’t gone too long without addressing the mystery subplot and that it doesn’t overshadow the romance. In theory, I follow the outline faithfully, and the story emerges the way I originally planned. In reality, I sometimes diverge from the plan when the characters tell me I missed something important.

Emily Leland is the oldest daughter in a blended family. Can you please tell readers about her character? Emily’s a classic oldest child, the one who’s felt responsible for her younger sisters, the one who strives for perfection in everything she does. Because she has a deeply ingrained need to excel, she’s reluctant to admit her mistakes and hides the truth of her marriage, not wanting anyone to know how badly she failed. And that could be her biggest mistake of all.

How is her relationship with her sisters? Prior to her marriage, Emily had a close relationship with Louisa and Joanna, but her marriage and her year’s absence from Sweetwater Crossing changed all of them, turning them into adversaries rather than loving siblings. It won’t be easy to mend the rifts.

Can you please provide some background information on your male protagonist, Craig Ferguson? Craig is a deeply principled man who’s lost the love of his life, and has no intention of remarrying. Instead, his focus is on doing what’s best for his son. That’s the reason—the only reason—he moves to Sweetwater Crossing. But once he arrives, everything changes.

What lessons do you hope readers gain from reading After the Shadows? Many of my books deal with the healing power of love, and After the Shadows is no exception. I hope readers will be entertained by Emily and Craig’s story, because after all, the primary purpose of fiction is to entertain, but that they’ll also be encouraged by the way love heals both of their wounds.

What are you working on next? I’m continuing to work on the Secrets of Sweetwater Crossing series. The second book is in its initial editing, and I’ve started outlining the third. It’s been so much fun bringing this small town to life! I can’t wait to learn readers’ reactions to it.

How can readers connect with you? I love hearing from readers and invite them to visit my website, www.amandacabot.com. I call it my one-stop-shopping site, because it includes information about my books, links to my social media accounts, the signup link for my monthly newsletter, contact information, and resources for writers.

Thank you, Amanda, for sharing this book with us. I’ve loved your writing since I first met you, and I’m glad to introduce you to all my blog readers.

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=after+the+shadows+secrets+of+sweetwater+crossing+%231+by+amanda+cabot&i=stripbooks&crid=S3PPW2375I1B&sprefix=After+the+Shadows+%2Cstripbooks%2C105&ref=nb_sb_ss_fb_1_18

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 2 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, 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