NEVER SAY NEVER - Lisa Wingate - Free Book

I particularly wanted to feature this author and this title, because several years ago, I had a book with that title. It's interesting to see how very different our two books are. Welcome, Lisa. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

There’s a bit of me in each of my characters, but in general my characters are composites of people I’ve met. Though the names have been changed to protect reputations, and details have been altered to make everyone younger and better looking, most of the characters in Never Say Never were created from bits and pieces of real-life characters I’ve had the pleasure of meeting around town and in my travels. One of the most wonderful things about writing a story set close to home is that almost anything can serve as research. I find my characters at the gas station, the local movie theater, the feed store, football games on Friday night, and church potlucks on Sunday afternoon. Basically, no good joke goes unrecorded, and no one is safe. Writers are the people sitting at the ballpark with one eye on the game and one ear in the stands. You never know when the next great idea will land in your lap, or when the next potential character will stroll by on the way to the concession stand.

Some members of the Wingate family might also claim to recognize themselves among the citizens of Daily, Texas. I would offer the disclaimer that any resemblances are completely unintentional, but that would be a bald-faced lie. When you come from a family of great storytellers and colorful characters, there’s nothing to do but make use of what you’ve got.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

You mean that I’d admit to in public? Since we’re talking about books… riding on a Founder’s Day parade float in McGregor, Texas, while wearing an antique prom dress, sporting a tiara, and singing "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" comes to mind. Not only are the ladies of the McGregor Tiara Literary Society a fun-loving group of readers, they’re nothing if not quirky. When I agreed to be the speaker at their inaugural meeting (they were reading my first book, Tending Roses, at the time) they emailed the response, “Wonderful! Will you be bringing your own tiara, or will you need a loaner?” Upon arriving at their meeting in my tiara, I not only gave my first ever tiara book talk, but also participated in the election of various princesses, such as the Princess of Email and the Princess of the Potluck List. Shortly afterward, I was invited to ride on the Tiara Club float in the upcoming Founder’s Day Parade. Of course, with the Tiaras, there’s always more to an event than meets the eye. It was only after I’d agreed that they responded with, “We’re so excited! Would you like to come to McGregor to try on prom dresses, or should we bring them to you?”

Sounds like a wonderful time. I'd have loved it. When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I’ve loved to write for as long as I can remember. My older brother was a good writer, and when you’re the youngest in the family, you want to do what the older kids do. When he won a school award for his poem, “The Bee Went Under the Sea,” I was so impressed by his literary brilliance (and the blue ribbon) that I immediately went to my bedroom and created my first book, The Story of a Dog Named Frisky. The Frisky story was the start of many partially-completed writing projects.

A special first grade teacher, Mrs. Krackhardt, put the idea if being a real writer into my head. She found me writing a story one day at indoor recess, and she took the time to stop and read it. When she was finished, she tapped the pages on the desk to straighten them, looked at me over the top and said, “You are a wonderful writer!” That was a defining moment for me. In my mind, I was a writer. When your first grade teacher tells you that you can do something, you believe it.

Growing up, I often wrote in response to things I felt were wrong in the world. I wanted to create something that would cause people to stop and think, to treat each other and the world around them with greater kindness and grace. Those desires eventually led me to write my first mainstream novel, Tending Roses, which was published in 2001.

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

I read as often and as much as I can, which varies depending on writing schedules and family activities. These days, I often have the pleasure of reading books by authors I’ve met at book events. Reading a story by someone I’ve actually met is special, because there’s a dimension beyond just the printed page. I can look through what’s written and see bits of the writer.

I read in all genres. I love any book that whisks me up, takes me on a journey, and leaves me with the sense that the character’s heart, soul, and life have been changed for the better.

In terms of classics, I love anything by Twain, because the writing is real and timeless. Reading Twain makes you realize that, when you take away the modern trappings, people really haven’t changed all that much. There’s a little Huck Finn in all of us. I enjoy the writings of Will Rogers for the same reason. Rogers’ humor is dead-on today, just as it was when he penned it. I’ve loved sharing C.S. Lewis with my sons as they’ve grown up, as well. Gift From the Sea is another tiny, but favorite classic.

In terms of modern writers, I enjoy reading anything by Debbie Macomber, Luanne Rice, Adriana Trigiani, and others. Most recently, I’ve loved Janice Hanna Thompson’s Fools Rush In and Judy Christie’s Gone to Green. I enjoy any story that explores life in a positive way and ends with the belief that all things are possible.

What other books have you written, whether published or not?

I write for both Penguin Putnam (New American Library) and Bethany House, typically one book per year for each publisher. Never Say Never is my thirteenth release for these two companies. In order, the books are:

TENDING ROSES SERIES
Tending Roses
Good Hope Road
The Language of Sycamores
Drenched in Light
A Thousand Voices

TEXAS HILL COUNTRY SERIES

Texas Cooking
Lone Star Cafe
Over the Moon at the Big Lizard Diner

DAILY TEXAS SERIES

Talk of the Town
Word Gets Around
Never Say Never

BLUE SKY HILL SERIES

A Month of Summer
The Summer Kitchen
Beyond Summer (July 2010)

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

When I find it, I’ll let you know! Seriously, though, I think maintaining sanity and staying focused in a world filled with sound bytes, distractions, and demands is a challenge. There’s a silent intimation that if we can’t do everything, be everything, and have everything all at once, we’re somehow failing in life. For me, the key to not driving myself crazy is in facing the fact that I’m just me. I’m not Wonder Woman, and that’s okay. I try to remind myself of the things that really matter and to stay focused on what that will be significant in a year, five years, ten years, and so on. So many of the modern pastimes and issues that eat up our time and cause worry really don’t matter beyond tomorrow, when you get right down to it.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

Character names are an interesting challenge. Some characters come into my mind with their names and histories fully formed, and some characters arrive as virtual strangers. In the cases of those mystery characters, I find myself thumbing through phone books and baby name books, looking for something that seems right. There’s not a great deal of science to it. It’s just about image that comes to mind with the name.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

As much as I love writing and speaking, my greatest accomplishment in life is my family. I’m the mom of two awesome farm boys who are now rushing toward adulthood much faster than I’d thought possible. Life with boys has been a nonstop adventure filled with tree forts, sand pile cities, and unexpected pets captured in unlikely locations. The more years go by, the more I realize that the most precious memories are the ordinary ones of picnic lunches at the creek out back, rainy afternoons playing cutthroat Yhatzee, and evenings spent lying side by side in bed reading a story before lights out. I think recognizing those moments as they’re happening and treasuring them up has been and continues to be my greatest accomplishment.

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

A horse, definitely. I was a horse-crazy girl growing up, which is probably why I live on a ranch today. As kids, we spent hours on horseback, exploring creeks and woods, and old homesteads left to go to seed. I loved exploring crumbling barns and old home foundations, and imagining the people who built them. Some of my earliest stories were created while playing “let’s pretend” on the back of a horse.

What is your favorite food?

Dessert—any kind. I’m perfectly happy to skip the meal and move straight to the sweets. Life is short, after all!

I so agree. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

My greatest roadblock was, and still is what I lovingly call the dreaded HOBBICs (not to be confused with Hobbits). Honestly, the toughest part of writing for me is just getting to the point of Hands On Keyboard and Backside In Chair. Once I’m finally there and into the story, hours can pass and I barely notice. Unfortunately, on the way to the chair and the keyboard, I can find a million distractions—the dog looks hungry…the laundry hamper is full…there’s a pretty bird outside and I should take a picture…it’s three o’clock and Dr. Phil must be missing me…who’s on Facebook and what are they talking about? You name it, I can become distracted by it. For me, overcoming the HOBBICs is about giving myself a page quota each day and sticking to it. The sooner I start and the harder I work, the sooner I have my pages all nicely tucked into the manuscript. For a writer, there’s no better feeling than that!

What advice would you give to an author just starting out?

First, finish a novel. It’s almost impossible to sell a partial if you’re unpublished. Polish it and send it out, because as much as we’d like them to, editors won’t come looking in your desk drawer. While you’re waiting for news, write another book. If the first one sells, you’ll be set for a two-book deal. If the first one doesn’t sell, you have eggs in another basket. Don’t take a critique too seriously if you hear it from one editor/agent, unless there’s an imminent contract involved. Editors and agents, just like the rest of us, are individuals. What works for one may not work for another. If you receive the same comment from multiple sources, consider revising your manuscript before you send it elsewhere. Be tenacious, be a thick-skinned as possible, keep writing while you wait for news. Never stop creating new material—that’s where the joy is, and if you keep the joy of this business, you keep the magic of it.

Tell us about the featured book?

Some book ideas you search for, and some just blow in on the wind, as did the idea for Never Say Never. During the past several years, we in Central Texas have been the recipients of massive influxes of evacuees during hurricane evacuations. These costal exoduses of people, pets, and belongings are frightening, frustrating, challenging, and at times oddly wonderful. When so many are on the road seeking shelter, the worst, but also the best qualities of humanity come to the surface. We’ve enjoyed amazing moments of friendship, family reunions, and chances to share a food and space with strangers from other places. We’ve traded stories and recipes, laughter and tears.

One thing we’ve learned about hurricanes, living here, is that the paths are never predictable. Storms waver, hesitate, speed up, slow down, and sometimes change course unexpectedly. Evacuations can change and develop quickly. What better way for the three old girlfriends from Daily, Texas, to break out of a rut, than for a trip to the coast to land them smack in the middle of a sudden and chaotic hurricane evacuation?

Having watched our little town mobilize to take in hurricane evacuees several times now, I’ve been reminded that sometimes the worst things that can happen bring out the best in people. Given the opportunity and faced with the need, regular people can rise to the occasion in amazing ways, as do the citizens of Daily in the book.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Chapter 1
Donetta Bradford

You’d imagine, livin’ high and dry in the middle of Texas, with the jackrabbits and the prickly pears, you wouldn’t close your eyes at night and feel the water. In this country, people think of water like the narrow string that runs over the rocks in Caney Creek, or drifts long, and slow, and lazy down the Brazos or the Guadalupe. But when I close my eyes, I feel the kind of water that surrounds you and seeps into your mind and soul, until you breathe in and out with the tides.

Where, in heaven’s name, would a person get a dream like that in Daily, Texas, where the caliche-rock ground’s so hard the county’s got no need to pave roads—they just clear a trail and let folks drive on it. It’ll harden up quick enough and stay that way three quarters of the year while the farmers and the ranchers watch the sky and hope for rain. Life here hasn’t got much to do with water, except in the waiting for it. But every night when I close my eyes, I feel a tide, rockin’ back and forth under my body. I been feeling it for sixty-nine and a half years now, long as I can remember. I never did anything about it, nor told anybody. They’d think I was nutty as a bullbat, and when you’re a businesswoman in a small town, well, you got to protect your reputation. That goes double, if you’re the hairdresser, and a redhead. We all know what kind of reputation hairdressers and redheads got.

All that’s even more important for someone whose people, historically speaking, ain’t from Daily. In a little town, even if you been there all your life, you’re not native unless you can trace your roots back generations. There’s still folks that’ll point out (in a backhanded way mostly, because they’re all gonna need a haircut sooner or later) that I’m only a Daily girl by half, on my father’s side. On the other side, there’s a bit of scandal the biddies still cluck about.

My daddy was what you’d call a prodigal. After leaving behind his fine, upstandin’ family and a half-dozen broken-hearted girls of marriageable age in Daily, he wandered the world for so long everyone thought he’d either landed in jail or got hisself killed in a barroom fight. Then one day, he showed up at my grandparents’ hotel building on Main Street, as mysterious as he left. He wasn’t alone, either. He was driving a 1937 Chevy folks thought he must of got in a bank robbery, and he had a girl in the passenger seat. When she stepped out, my Grandma Eldridge fainted right there on the spot. The girl was pregnant, and she was Cajun, and a Catholic. She was thumbin’ a rosary ninety-to-nothin’.

It’s hard to say which one of them three things Grandma Eldridge fainted over, but it took her two full weeks to get over the shock and humiliation, and welcome my mama into the family.

I love it. How can readers find you on the Internet?

Never Say Never hit the shelves February 1, and then the next book out will be Beyond Summer in July 2010. For more information about the books or me, stop by my e-home away from home, http://www.lisawingate.com/ . I’m also on Facebook and Youtube, of course. Isn’t everybody? By signing up for the newsletter on http://www.lisawingate.com/ , you can enter a monthly drawing for a free autographed book and receive occasional notes about upcoming happenings, new books, speeches and appearances, and anything else that’s newsworthy in Daily, Texas, or in the real world. I love sharing my cyber-porches with friends who also know the joy of living within a story, then sending it out into the world.

Lisa, thank you for spending this time with us. I loved it. We can do this again with different questions when Beyond Summer comes out, if you want to.
 
Readers, here's a link where you can order the book. By using this link when you order the book, you'll be helping support this blog.

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


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.

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LIBERTY'S PROMISE - Amber Miller Stockton - Free Book

Welcome, Amber, I'm thrilled with your new 3-in-1, especially the cover. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?

Honestly, each step is a new one on this exciting journey. God has blessed me in more ways than I could imagine with this career, and I eagerly await all that He has in store. In the more immediate future, I’m pursuing a break into trade-length from the mass-market fiction as well as seeking an agent. We’ll see what happens.

Tell us a little about your family.
I am married to another author, Stuart Stockton, who had his first book release in April of 2009. His second releases in October of this year. We have one daughter who will be 1 in April this year, and we live at the base of beautiful Pike’s Peak in Colorado Springs. We also have a border collie named Roxie, who keeps life bouncing. Outside of our little circle, I have 3 brothers and my parents have been married for over 35 years. Stuart has 2 sisters and a brother (all of whom are married), 3 aunts, 2 uncles, 4 cousins, 1 nephew and 1 niece. His parents have also been married 35 years.

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

Definitely! I’ve discovered books I used to enjoy that I no longer do because I have become quite a bit pickier than I used to be. As a writer, you have to be aware of the rules of writing and write what an editor will deem a worthy novel. Once you’ve established yourself and proven that you can meet those guidelines, there is a bit more freedom granted. I’ve found that I can’t usually get into a book that hops in and out of point-of-view characters within a scene or includes a lot of telling and not showing. And books with pages and pages of nothing but narrative without interspersing dialogue usually don’t hold my attention.

What are you working on right now?

Although I don’t have any current contracts, I am working on two historical series. The first is set in Wyoming featuring a socialite artist from Philadelphia who accepts a teaching position out west so she can sketch the wondrous landscapes. She befriends a cattle baron and learns the ways of a ranch while discovering a simplistic way of life that fulfills her in ways far beyond her imagination.

The second series is focused on silver mining in Colorado, featuring 3 siblings who sold their mine to run a ranch but find their mine is still irrevocably entwined in their lives.

What outside interests do you have?

I love to travel, enjoy photography, spend a lot of time designing web sites (especially for other authors and speakers), relax when watching old movies and listening to music. It’s rare for my home to be “silent” even if it’s just music playing in the background.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

Generally, I will read a story in the paper, hear a report on the news, or see a house or a building and start asking questions. Once in a while, the setting is changed to a place I can research easily if the original location looks like it might be difficult. But, for the most part, the setting comes as a result of the research I do. I’d say the setting chooses me. I don’t choose it.

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

Some of the names that come to mind are Abraham Lincoln or George Washington or John Adams. But, I’m going to go back even farther and say I’d love to spend an evening with Mary, the mother of Jesus. Her acceptance of God’s plan for her life and her willingness to do what was asked of her, despite her fears and uncertainties are quite an inspiration. None of us know exactly where our lives are headed, but if we make up our minds to say “yes” no matter what, I think we’ll discover amazing things.

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

How difficult it would be to be accepted as a serious novelist or even an author with any wisdom to share with others when I’m so young. I was published before I turned 30 and with so many authors out there who didn’t start until their 40’s or 50’s or older, there is a definite stigma against younger authors not having “lived life” enough to share any wisdom with those older.

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

To trust in Him and wait on His timing. I’m getting antsy without a contract right now, but God is telling me He’s got it all under control, and I just need to wait on Him.

I know what you mean. I'm also "between contracts." What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?

Write. Read. Network. Write as much as you can and always keep at least one story going at all times. Read a wide variety of authors in multiple genres to get a feel for different writing styles and to see what is selling out there. Network with everyone and anyone. You just never know where those connections might lead, and word of mouth is by the far the best marketing tool for your books.

Tell us about the featured book?

This book is an anthology collection of my first 3 novels, all set in Colonial Delaware. Relive the birth of a new country as three women battle for determining to whom they can entrust their hearts. Raelene is all alone, but is there peace in following the wishes of her deceased father? Elanna is intelligent for her young age, but will her love for an older man turn into a passing fancy when his integrity is questioned? Margret's loyalties are torn when the colonists rebel, for how can a relationship with a British soldier built on deceptions survive? Will each woman find her place of freedom to embrace her faith and trust her heart to love?

Please give us the first page of the book.

Heedless of the home-stitched stockings showing at her knees, Raelene Strattford ran down the tree-lined lane, her skirts flying behind her. Strands of hair from her crown of braids came loose and flailed in the cool breeze. After being cooped inside the house for the past week, abed with a fever, it should have been refreshing, but Raelene was distracted by the lone wagon coming toward her.

It wasn't the one she expected. This one belonged to her neighbors, not her mother and father. One man drove it at a dirge-like pace as another walked alongside, both with heads down. But what made Raelene run even harder were the two workhorses tied behind it. Her family's workhorses! That could only mean. . .

A sob tore through her body.

Mama! Papa!

Her pounding heart beat her voice dead in her throat, but not the furtive prayers for this not to be what it seemed, what she feared. As she reached the wagon, her mouth as parched as the dirt beneath her feet, the driver halted the horses.

"Whoa, Braedon."

Raelene couldn't recall her neighbors' names, not with the panic racing through her mind.

"I am sorry, miss," the larger of the two said, stepping between her and the wagon. The cocky farm boy had actually had the nerve to ask her father permission to court her. What was his name?

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

You can always find me at my web site or my blog. I update my books page with my latest releases and books coming soon. So, if you want to keep up with my career, you can check that page on my site. I also have a group on Facebook called Amber Stockton Readers that you can join. There are weekly discussions on my books and fiction in general. Then, my blog features author spotlights and book giveaways each week. Here are the URL’s:

http://www.amberstockton.com/
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=117209102310
http://amberstockton.blogspot.com/

Thanks so much, Lena, for having me here today. It’s been a pleasure in so many ways. And of course, I’d love to hear from you readers in the comments. Thanks for coming by today and for your support of my books and my career. An author is nowhere without readers and support.

That is so true. I'm really glad you could stop by.
 
Readers, here's a link where you can order liberty's Promise.

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


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

If you’re reading this on Feedblitz, Facebook, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment. Here’s a link.

http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/

Winners!! We Have Winners!!!

Bethany is the winner of Black Hills Blessing by Mary Connealy.

Tweezle is the winner of Sworn to Protect by DiAnn Mills.


Julie Hilton Steele is the winner of Easter Promises by Allie Pleiter.


CindyW is the winner of What's in Your Closet by Rhonda Gibson.
 
Congratulations, everyone. Send me your mailing address:
Go to http://www.lenanelsondooley.com/  then click on Contact Me.

You have 6 weeks to claim your book.

If you didn't win and you plan to order the book, please use the link provided on the individual interview. By using that link when you order, you will help support this blog.

We have an exciting lineup in 2010, including my next book Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico, which releases in May. You can view the book trailer here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EequBWNkHRE

LOST MISSION - Athol Dickson - Free Book

Welcome to my blog, Athol. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

It’s unavoidable that there must be a little of me in almost every character I write, because of course they begin in my imagination. They’re formed from the collected memories of every experience I’ve ever had. But I’ve never written a character with the idea that they are in any way a surrogate for me, or anybody else. They’re all unique and independent.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

My wife and I once sold or gave away most of our possessions and moved onto a 50 foot power yacht to live aboard it full time and cruise the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coasts of the USA. We bought it in Ft. Lauderdale, cruised from there through the Florida Keys around Florida and then along the coast to Galveston. There we did a lot of work on the boat, then we cruised it back to Florida, and up to the Chesapeake Bay, then back to Florida, then back up the Atlantic coast again, then back down to Florida again, and then back to Galveston, where we sold the boat and moved back ashore. Altogether that took about two years. It was a blast, but I suppose most people would consider it a strange thing to do.

Sounds like quite an adventure. When did you first discover that you were a writer?

When I was 13 or 14 years old, in a creative writing class in school. The teacher took me aside and said I had real talent. It was good to hear, since I enjoyed writing so much. The teacher’s name was Miss Brown. She was sort of a hippie type, I think. She drove a VW microbus with flowers painted on the sides. I thought that was very cool at the time, so I took her seriously.

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

I read almost everything. Mystery and suspense, for sure, and general literary fiction and Christian fiction of course, but also I enjoy the classic romance writers, everyone from Jane Austin to Daphne du Maurier. I’m reading Graham Greene’s The End of the Affair right now, which is wonderful so far. Before that I read Ken Follet’s Pillars of the Earth, and before that I read Dickens’ Dombey and Son.

What other books have you written, whether published or not?

Whom Shall I Fear?, Every Hidden Thing, They Shall See God, The Gospel according to Moses, River Rising, The Cure and Winter Haven are my published titles. Like most authors I’ve written other things will probably never be published, and probably should not be published. Some writing should be thought of as a learning experience and left at that. I once wrote a novel during a very bad period in life. I had just lost my mother to cancer and I had been swindled by some people whom I trusted. My head was in a bad place, and it showed in my work. That novel is just awful.

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

I never watch television. That helps a lot. Also, I’m fortunate to be able to focus all of my professional attention on writing, rather than having to squeeze it in around another job. I do some volunteer work at a homeless shelter, which helps me to count my blessings and remember it’s not all about me, and I try to get out on the water in my boat as often as possible. There’s no more peaceful place to be than out on the ocean or on a lake or river.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

The minor characters’ names just come to me. I don’t put much thought into them, except to try to avoid using names that sound too much alike. But I pick the major characters’ names very carefully. I think about their personalities, or the lessons they learn, or what they symbolize, and then I go looking for names with meanings that somehow connect with that.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

My wife and I have been married more than a quarter century now, and we’re still crazy about each other. I don’t think it’s quite accurate to say I’m proud of that, because that would imply that I deserve the credit, but I do think it’s amazing and wonderful.

It is wonderful. So is being married for almost 46 years as James and I are. If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?

A porpoise, I think. They have great lives. They have families and friendships; they play a lot; they have no trouble finding food; they get to live in the ocean and they have very few enemies. Plus they just seem so happy.

What is your favorite food?

Sushi. No, wait. Tex-Mex. No, wait. Indian. No, wait. Thai. No, wait...I guess it’s pretty much whatever is in front of me at the moment, as my waistline so amply proves. Sigh.

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

The kinds of stories I write are very difficult to classify. Are they “suspense”? Are they “literary”? Are they “speculative fiction”? They’re not really any of those things, but they include a bit of all of those things. My novels are not like anybody else’s really, especially the last four titles. Most readers who give one of them a try end up reading everything I’ve written; the reviews are great, and they’ve won quite a few awards, so I know there are a lot more people out there who would love my stories if they just gave them a try. But because they’re so difficult to describe, it’s been hard to find a way to explain them to potential readers. So that’s my greatest roadblock—finding a compelling way to explain my work to potential readers—and I haven’t overcome it yet. If anyone has any ideas, I’m all ears!

Well, we'll try to help you with that with this intervieww. What advice would you give to an author just starting out?

Focus on your writing, not on getting published. Once your work is good enough, getting published will take care of itself.

Tell us about the featured book?

Rather than reinvent the wheel, I’ll just quote what I wrote recently for a press release if that’s okay:

“Lost Mission, is an epic suspense story spanning two centuries and brimming with magical realism. Lupe de la Garza, a simple shopkeeper in a mountain village in Mexico, believes God wants her to go to America to preach the gospel. She is guided on her quest by her people’s greatest treasure: an altarpiece painted by the eighteenth century Franciscan friar who founded her village after fleeing the mysterious destruction of his California mission outpost. When Lupe is distracted by desire for a young minister who rescues her from certain death in the Arizona desert, and when her preaching in a southern California beach town inspires only apathy and laughter, she begins to lose faith in her quest. Then the slumbering evil that destroyed the friar’s Franciscan mission rises up again after two hundred years, and Lupe once more looks to the altarpiece for guidance, only to find the true purpose of her quest in the midst of her single greatest fear.”

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

I don’t have a copy with me right now, so I’m not sure exactly where the first page break is, but I can quote the first few paragraphs. The story sounds like pure historical fiction at first, but keep in mind Lost Mission is set in two times: the eighteenth century, which is where the action opens here, and our modern time, the story of Lupe de la Garza, which I described before. So with that in mind, here’s how it begins:

Let us begin the story of La Misión de Santa Delores on the holy day of the three kings, in Italy, in Assisi. To commemorate his twentieth year among the Franciscan brothers, Fray Alejandro Tapia Valdez made a pilgrimage to his beloved San Francisco’s humble chapel, the Porziuncola. For more than a week the friar prayed before the chapel’s frescos, rarely ceasing for food or sleep, But despite his lengthy praises and petitions, despite his passionate devotion to Almighty God, Fray Alejandro was a pragmatic man. He did not believe the rumor, common in his day, that the frescos’ perfection was beyond the reach of human hands. As we shall see, in time the friar would reconsider.

The Franciscan stood five feet four inches tall, an average Spaniard’s height in the eighteenth century. He was broad and unattractive. Heavy whiskers lurked beneath the surface of his jaw, darkly threatening to burst forth. Fray Alejandro’s brow was large and loomed above the recess of his eyes as if it was a cliff eroded by the pounding of the sea and ready to crash down at any moment. The black fullness of his hair had been shaved at the crown, leaving only a circular fringe around the edges of his head. His nose, once aquiline and proud, had become a perpetual reminder of the violence that had flattened it at some time in the past.

For all its ugliness, Fray Alejandro’s visage could not mask the gentleness within. His crooked smile shed warmth upon his fellow man. His hands were ever ready with a touch to reassure or steady, or to simply grant the gift of human presence. When someone spoke, be they wise or not, he inclined his head and listened with his entire being, as if the speaker’s words had all the weight of holy writ. In his eyes was love.

Love does not defend against the sorrows of this world, of course. On the contrary, each day as Fray Alejandro knelt in prayer at the Porziuncola he became more deeply troubled. His imagination had recently been captured by strange stories of the heathen natives of the new world, isolated wretches with no knowledge of their Savior. This tragedy grew in Alejandro’s mind until he groaned aloud in sympathy for their unhappy souls. Other brothers kneeling on his left and right cast covert glances at him. Many thought his noisy prayers an uncouth intrusion, but caught up as he was in sacred agony, Alejandro did not notice.

Then came that holy day of the three kings, when in the midst of his entreaties for the pagans of New Spain, Fray Alejandro suddenly felt a painful heat as if his body was ablaze. In this, the first of his three burnings, Alejandro became faint. He heard a whisper saying, “Go and save my children.” The bells of Saint Mary of the Angels begin to peal, although it was later said the ropes had not been touched. As startled pigeons burst forth from the bell tower, Alejandro rose.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

My website is:
http://www.atholdickson.com/
I’d love it if people would visit that site and send me an email.

Also, to read the complete first chapter of Lost Mission you can go to my blog, at:
http://www.whatatholwrote.blogspot.com/
I don’t blog often, but when I do I put a lot of thought into it.

Thank you, Athol, for giving us this interesting glimpse into your life and your book.

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


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

If you’re reading this on Feedblitz, Facebook, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment. Here’s a link.

http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/

HOMECOMING - Rosey Dow - Free Book

When I first became acquainted with Rosey, she and her family were missionaries. Welcome, Rosey. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.


Although I don’t make any of the characters me in a complete sense, the events in the story quite often mirror feelings that are going on in my life during the writing. The emotions I’ve recently experienced just show up and there’s not stopping them either.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

At age 24 I had an irresistible impulse to take a writing aptitude test offered by a home study course. When I they said I was a stellar candidate for their course, I was surprised and pleased. Then when I got into the course, I discovered something that felt like magic.

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

Mysteries, of course. I’m addicted to those. I also enjoy frontier books. I also read a lot of books on writing style, business, and self-improvement.

What other books have you written, whether published or not?

My Christy winner, Reaping the Whirlwind
Biggest seller with more than 250,000 sold, Colorado
Other titles: Sharon Takes a Hand, Fireside Christmas, Colorado Christmas
Collaborative works: Betrayed, Face Value
Cookbooks: Survival Cookbook: For Americans Abroad, Penny Pinching Meals

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

For years I’ve taken advantage of the early morning hours before the family wakes up, usually 5-9am, to get my best writing done.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

I have some name books that I browse through, looking for a name that feels right. I also use the phone book for last names and jot names from other novels into my journal.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

In my life as a whole, raising 7 great kids, homeschooled all the way
In my writing, winning the Christy Award

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

An otter. They are busy little guys but they also know how to have fun. And they are cute!

What is your favorite food?

Chicken Pad Tai. I’m always on the lookout for a Thai restaurant.

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

Letting myself go. My own inhibitions stifled my creativity for years. Once I was able to release a lot of inner restrictions, my work flowed.

What advice would you give to an author just starting out?

Read everything about writing you can get your hands on.
Find a good mentor.
Never give up.

Tell us about the featured book?

Homecoming developed from a situation that happened in my extended family. I took the core conflict from that and wrote it into my favorite setting, the Old West. There is a lot of heart in this story because of the love and compassion I felt for my family member going through that type of pain at the time. It has the sweetest ending I’ve ever written.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Chapter One

Dusting a glass jar of penny candy on the wide oak counter, Laurie Wilson smiled. Profits from the silver strike had brought the Aspen Emporium five times more than their most optimistic dreams. The strongbox held golden eagles totaling thirty-thousand dollars. She'd counted them last night.

The money hadn't made her smile. It was the memory of Mark's exultant war whoop that put a curve to her lips and a song in her heart. Mark and his partner, Sandy Miller, had planned and slaved for years to arrive at this day. What a celebration they'd had the night before.

"The coffee bin's showing the bottom," Mark said, breaking into her thoughts. Six feet of wiry strength, he towered over her five feet four inches. "The flower barrel's less than a third full.” He set a bowl-shaped colander on a bare pine shelf.

A heavy snow the night before had forced Mark to delay his plans to travel over Smuggler Mountain. He'd hoped to ride a horse to Salida and hop a train to Colorado Springs. He had a major deposit to make without delay. Mark had definite ideas about which bank was reliable. Since he knew a banker in Colorado Springs, that's where he must go. He didn't want his hard-earned cash in Buena Vista or Pueblo.

"This is the last crate in the storeroom," Mark told Laura. "I hope the snow melts soon. Another week and we'll be completely out of supplies. Sandy may have to drag a sled over the mountain."

"Business isn't heavy now," Laura said. "It may be two more weeks before things get sparse enough for anything that drastic. Surely by then the weather will break."

Mark took the dust rag from her hand and flipped it onto a shelf. He hugged her and kissed the tip of her dainty nose. He gazed deeply into her gray-green eyes, fringed with dark lashes and full of love for him.

"You're a real comfort to me, sweetheart. I made the right choice when I picked you."

"You're mixed up," she countered, her eyebrows raised provocatively. "I picked you, remember?"

A light knock sounded on the door, and Mark quickly released her. "We'll fight this out later," he promised with a wink.

His boots sounded loud on the plank floor as he strode across the room. His key rattled in the lock, and the door swung inward.

Mark froze with his hand on the doorknob. Laura walked farther down the counter to see what was wrong.

In the doorway stood a masked man. He had a Colt revolver aimed at Mark's chest.

Good hook. How can readers find you on the Internet?

http://roseydow.com/

Thank you, Rosey, for spending this time with us.
 
Readers, Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book.



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


If you’re reading this on Feedblitz, Facebook, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment. Here’s a link.

http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/

THE CAPTAIN'S LADY - Louise Gouge - Free Book

So good to have you back on my blog, Louise. Tell us about your salvation experience.

Lena, there never was a time in my life when I didn’t know for certain that Jesus was my Savior. I remember going to Sunday school when I was very small, and our sweet teacher told our class about God’s salvation. I believed with the innocence of a child, and from that time on, I loved learning about Jesus. At first, John 3:16 was the verse that I loved the most because it encapsulates all the Truth of salvation. Then I fell in love with Ephesians 1:6, “He hath made us accepted in the Beloved.” What a precious truth. Finally, Psalm 47:4 says, “He shall choose our inheritance for us.” I believe that means God has chosen a path for each of us, and to seek and follow that path leads to the greatest joy in life and for eternity.

How did you and your spouse meet?

A blind date on March 21, 1965! Our roommates were dating, and they introduced us. Within a few days, they broke up, and we kept dating. We were married two and a half months later. That was almost 45 years ago, and I’ve never regretted it. Funny story: as a young girl, I vowed never to marry a redheaded man or a man with a “funny” last name. Well, of course David is a redhead, and Gouge is not exactly easy to pronounce. But I just tell folks it rhymes with Scrooge.

James and I were a blind date, and we married almost as quickly as you did. You’re planning a writing retreat where you can only have four other authors. Who would they be and why?

In reality, I’d invite my talented critique partners, who are all published authors. We have a great online friendship, but it would be great to brainstorm in person with them. But if I chose authors of the past, I would choose Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, Charles Dickens, and Lew Wallace. The first three are English authors who really understood human nature, both good and evil, and the tragedy that strict social structures can cause. Wallace wrote Ben Hur after spending several years trying to prove God did not exist. At the end of his journey, he found Jesus, just like his character.

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

I tell people the same thing my friend said in 1984 when I told her I wanted to write a book: Go home and write it! So I did. Then, after going back to college and getting my degree in creative writing, I was able to edit that book, and it became my first publishing credit. I always tell people, “If I can do it, you can do it. So go do it!”

Tell us about the featured book?

The Captain’s Lady is my second book for Steeple Hill Love Inspired Historicals, and it’s a sequel to Love Thine Enemy. One secondary character from the first book stormed in and asked for his own book. How could I refuse? In The Captain’s Lady, American Patriot Captain James Templeton is torn between love and duty. He must deny his heart to help win his country's freedom. His orders from General Washington are clear. His target: Lord Bennington, a member of George III's Privy Council. The assignment: find Bennington's war plans. The risks: the future of the East Florida Colony, Jamie's life...and his heart. In spite of the dangers of their hopeless situation, he's fallen in love with Lady Marianne Moberly, Lord Bennington's daughter. Desperate to protect his country, Jamie carries out his orders with a heavy heart. But Marianne's persistence is a challenge he never expected. With love and faith, they must navigate troubled waters to win their future together.

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

I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine. Song of Solomon 6:3

March 1776
London, England

Lady Marianne peered down through the peephole into the drawing room while her heart raced. Against her back, the heavy woolen tapestry extolling one of her ancestors’ mighty deeds pushed her into the wall of her father’s bedchamber, nearly choking her with its ancient dust. Yet she would endure anything to observe the entrance of Papa’s guest.

Often in childhood she and her closest brother had evaded the notice of Greyson, Papa’s valet, and crept in here to spy on their parents’ guests, even catching a glimpse of the Prime Minister once when he deigned to call upon Papa, his trusted friend, the earl of Bennington. But no exalted politician captured Marianne’s interest this day.

Her breath caught. Captain James Templeton–Jamie–entered the room with Papa, and warmth filled her heart and flowed up to her cheeks.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

My website is http://www.louisemgouge.com/ . I’m also on Facebook and Goodreads.

Thank you, Lena, for having me as your guest!

My pleasure, Louise.

Readers, here's a link where you can order the book.

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


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

If you’re reading this on Feedblitz, Facebook, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment. Here’s a link.

http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/

THE EASTER EDITION - Robin Shope - Free Book

Today, I'm featuring Robin Shope, the author of several books, but we're featuring her Easter one. She's going to just tell us about herself, her writing, and her book.

Falling in love with writing in the fifth grade was the easy part. I adored my writing teacher. She always read the best compositions aloud in class. The way she cradled them in her hands told me they were treasures. I worked extremely hard to please her; to hear my words read aloud—but I was never chosen. A few years later, we moved to Delavan, Wisconsin. I wrote a composition for my language arts teacher and she told me there was no way I could have written that paper because it was too good. I proudly explained every word belonged to me. She sent me to the principal for lying. The principal called my mother and spoke with her. Mother told him that she watched me write that paper sitting at the kitchen table. All the fuss and commotion sent me a clear message that I had a good story. My motivation springs from that moment.

Please forgive me because my genre is rather schizophrenic. I began my adult writing career by writing mystery and co-authored three books with Susan Wales. Since then I decided I needed romance in my life so I wrote a series of romance novels, under the series name, The Turtle Creek Edition. The first was The Christmas Edition, quickly followed by The Valentine Edition and now The Easter Edition .

The Christmas Edition caught the eye of director/producer Steven Zambo of Salty Earth Pictures and by the time this interview ‘airs’, he will be in post production. The targeted release of the movie based on my book is December 2010. The name of the story has been changed for the movie. It will be aired as Journey to Paradise. As a result, my publisher is re-leasing the book with a new ending and more scenes, so even if you have read it the first time, you will want the newer copy. Steve Zambo plans on releasing The Valentine Edition next, and then The Easter Edition.

A new book series is in the works with Point Yonder Press. The series combines mystery and romance about a young woman who is a biologist and returns to her hometown, which happens to be on an island in Lake Michigan—Willow Island. The women at Bridge Over Troubled Waters Bible Study stir enough trouble for everyone, and Wynn sets out to solve the island mystery as well as uncover her own past. Be sure to watch for the release of Wynn in the Willows.

Lastly, I have co-authored a young adult book with former Dallas Cowboy, Kalen Thornton. Ruby Red is being published by Sparklesoup and the talented Amu Munoz is designing the cover. The story is told through Ruby Red’s eleven-year old eyes. Set in the 1920s, Ruby is taken in as a maid and finds little hope of being anyone. Then she makes a risky move by faking insanity. After being tossed out, she sneaks onto a train that is heading west where she finds adventure, danger, and renewed hope.

I love writing about strong women. Does it show?

Readers can order my books from Amazon or any bookstore. Each of my books has a spiritual message which is close to my heart. The Easter Edition's is " Follow God for He will give you the desires of your heart." Not only will readers be captivated by the story and characters but they will find messages of hope and renewal.

Here is a blurb: Bridal shop owner, Carol Horn, looks forward to being a bride herself someday. Having surrendered her desires to God, she's praying the Lord will show her the path she should take. When she meets new assistant pastor, Luke Peters, she feels he is the answer to her prayers, but if that’s so, why does she feel called to go overseas to help build an orphanage?

Luke has a sketchy past that includes doing jail time, but he comes to Turtle Creek, Wisconsin, as a changed man. He falls hard for Carol, but when she applies for the mission trip, Luke finds himself torn between ignoring her application and giving up the one person who trusts that he has truly become a man of God. Can Luke overcome his shadowy past and show Carol that he is the man for her, or will she discover that the rumors about him are true?

Generally ideas come to me all the time. I write them down the minute I get them, otherwise they're gone along with my youthful figure. I have the beginning plots for ten more books but I have to write and edit the books which are contracted first. As for names, I have a baby book that sometimes I look through, but usually my characters tell me what their names are as I write about them. They are insistent like that. Some of my characters personify different sides of my personality.

Like a smoker (which I am not) I have given up writing and then taken it back up again at least a hundred times. What drives me? It is part of who I am and I suppose that is part of every successful writer’s psyche. The inner conflict is often a driving force to put fingers to the keyboard and start pecking away. I have all these characters inside of my brain that want to be set free on paper and each has his or her own story to tell. There were discouraging times when the rejections piled up. To some degree I wanted to be published, but there was also a part of me that wanted to write even if that work might not be published. With each rejection, I became even more determined to write a good book. I learned a lot from reading the books of other authors, attending writer’s workshops, and going to ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) conference. That organization is invaluable. They are loving and supportive; it’s good to have a ‘friend’ when things go right and wrong.

I never sit back and relax. I am driven to write, but writing is also a form of relaxation. There will always be the next book to tend to whether I have to polish a rough draft or write out what is burning inside me, there is always good work to do.. It’s like having a lot of children. You want to enjoy the ones that are already born and you do, but it’s the newborn that needs the most attention. God has opened many writing doors for me and I keep walking through them. I never chose publishers at random. I study the market to see what publishers are looking for and query those publishers with suitable book proposals.

The Easter Edition is the third book in the Turtle Creek Edition series. I think readers will find it to be a passionate read about a young woman who is torn between serving God and being with the man she loves. (Let's not overlook The Valentine Edition which shows ultimate forgiveness).

Readers can find my books on amazon.com at
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=robin+shope&x=0&y=0  or order them from any bookstore.

I would be honored for everyone to befriend me on Facebook, Robin Jansen Shope. Also please join Journey to Paradise Movie and Salty Earth Pictures for movie updates.

My blog is http://write2robinshope.blogspot.com/

Thank you, Robin, for spending this time with us.
 
Readers, leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book.



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


If you’re reading this on Feedblitz, Facebook, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment. Here’s a link.


http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/  

HOW TO HANG LOOSE IN AN UPTIGHT WORLD - Elizabeth Baker - Free Book

Welcome to my blog, Elizabeth. You are writing nonfiction. Do you also write fiction?

Yes. I love fiction and suspect that many authors only consider themselves “real” writers when they’ve placed a significant work of fiction on the market. I just finished my first full length novel. And, I have also written about thirty short stories as well other short pieces of fiction.

What would you like for our readers to know about you personally?

That after sixty-five years of walking with the Lord, I feel as though I am only now beginning to know Him and understand what His kingdom is about. It’s a realization that feels very strange because I have been an active, growing, seeking Christian since I was nine. At this stage, I find something deeply spiritual in me is growing younger instead of older. I am more filled with wonder; more keenly aware of my limitations, more fully conscious of my need of Him. It’s not an unpleasant stage to be at, but what I was not expecting.

Tell us about your family.

It is a big one; at least by today’s standards. I have four children, their mates, fifteen grandchildren and five great-grands. The children and grand children are scattered over several states. Only two families are close enough for frequent visits. And, I live with my Mom; we are both widows and have formed a household together for the past twenty years.

The family is not perfect, but all my children love the Lord and all are active in local churches. It has been a deep satisfaction to see the spiritual heritage of one generation transferred to the next. One family attends the same church where I go. What a joy to sing hymns with them, join in church activities and bump into the little great-grandchildren in the nursery or running up the aisle after services.

Have you written other nonfiction books?

Yes. It has been easiest to publish non-fiction books that were related to my field of expertise. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor with the state of Texas, so self-help books were a natural fit. I’ve written on problems solving, applying Christian principles to common life difficulties and How To Hang Loose in an Uptight World, is on stress management.

What other books have you written, and where can the readers of the blog find them?

My personal favorite site for locating any book is AddALLBooks.com. This site lists books—both new and used—by price and availability. Doing a search on Elizabeth Baker will bring up everything I’ve ever written, even out of print stock hidden away on the back shelf of used book stores.

I was surprised the other day when I found the first book I had ever written was still available. The Happy Housewife has been out of print for well over twenty years, but I found several copies being sold for one cent each. Of course, there was a shipping charge of $3.99, but it was still a bargain and I couldn’t resist ordering a copy.

Other titles to look for are: Love Around the House; Wanting to Follow, Forced to Lead; Who Am I? A Woman’s Guide to Self-Acceptance and a few others.

Do you have any other books in the works right now?

My agent is circulating a non-fiction proposal that I am excited about. I’ve gone through some rough spiritual water the past few years and remembering the times when I experienced God’s interaction with my life has been a great comfort and encouragement. As I remembered these experiences, I found them grouped in nine categories and those became the chapters of the new book.

Like many Christians, I find God’s touch through miraculous circumstances that have an uncanny relationship with prayer, but they also come through conviction, an inner voice of assurance, specific Bible verses, the testimony of others and emotional comfort that seems to have no relationship to outside circumstances. Remembering these times has brought new encouragement to my faith. Like a fresh wind. The book has a light, personal touch and I used an abundance of brief, true illustrations for each of the nine experiences. The illustrations came from family and friends and autobiographies as well as personal excerpts and the focus of the book is to encourage readers to record their own memories.

The book is titled, Tracing God’s Footprints in Your Life, and I’ve developed a branding using the same concept. It’s on my website, in the newsletter I send out and I’ve used it as a title to my devotional blog. My hope is to encourage Christians to aggressively pursue a search for God in practical life situations.

Also, as I mentioned earlier, I have my first novel making the rounds. That manuscript was five years in development and in many ways it has my heart like nothing else I have ever written. An Ordinary Sunday in Thyme takes a reader through the hours of one Sunday in the small, East Texas town of Thyme. There are no murders, no romances, no police, no twisted plots or thievery. The only thing that makes the book fascinating is that common, daily events are being viewed through a duel metaphysic. Angels are as much a part of the plot as the people. The human characters will remind the readers of the stories by Jan Karon while the angelic forces are even more active than those in the books of Randy Alcorn.

My passion for the novel was to expose readers to what our daily lives might look like if we could view them through heaven’s eyes. It took a lot of work and study to remain both biblically grounded and still within the realm of psychological and physical probability. I was grateful for my doctorate in philosophical anthropology and my son’s backround in physics. Without those—or my thirty-five years as a Bible teacher—I don’t think the book would have been possible. I could have written some kind of fantasy, but when the reader puts down this book, there is the uneasy feeling that everything they’ve just read is not only possible within the real world, but probable.

Where on the Internet can the readers find you?

Several places. And, I always love to hear from folks. My website is http://www.elizabethbakerbooks.com/ . Readers can open up the first chapter of most of my books and read it in advance of purchase if they like as well as finding out as much/or as little about me as they might want. I send out a newsletter each month and a devotional once each week. You can sign up for those from the website or from my blog at http://www.tracingfootprints.blogspot.com/ . Past devotionals are stored on the blog and a sample of the newsletter can be viewed by going to http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs031/1102771164403/archive/1102783379054.html . Of course, if anyone wants a more personal glimpse, on Facebook my username is “grannywritesbooks.”

What kinds of hobbies and leisure activities do you enjoy?

There is a small vegetable garden to the side of my home that I really enjoy. It is not very big, but in this part of Texas we can grow something most months of the year. It is a delight to pick a few beans or strawberries when they are fresh and there is nothing better in God’s creation than a vine ripened tomato warm from the summer sun!

Why did you write the featured book?

Trouble! I had been dealing several years with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and was honestly afraid that I might never get well. I knew part of the answer to this autoimmune problem was stress, so I found myself both researching the most effective stress control techniques I could locate. I needed ideas that were concise and easy to understand, and they had to be compatible with both my lifestyle and my Christian beliefs. I was surprised by how hard to locate items that met all of those criteria.

Once on the road to recovery, I knew that others could use the same information I had worked so hard to locate and test, so I wrote How to Hang Loose in an Uptight World. The book is a light, non-technical read that allows the reader to understand the basic dynamics of stress and why it damages our bodies, test how much stress is currently impacting their health, and consider which of the fifteen offered techniques will best fit with their personal lifestyle and level of commitment.

What do you want the reader to take away from the book?

That depends on the reader. One reader might deeply benefit from learning how to scripturally meditate. Another might need a stress-reduction technique that can be practiced without committing any time to the task or interfering with daily responsibilities. Still another may need Biblical support for a total lifestyle change. A major goal of the book was to provide enough information in a concise form so that the reader could take away and apply what was specific to their personal situation.

If there is something general, I hope each reader walks away with a better knowledge of themselves and a keen awareness of how to be a better steward of the life God has given. Exactly how that unfolds for each individual depends on them. But, I know this from experience, all fifteen stress-busters work and practicing any one of them for one week can make a great deal of difference in our level of life enjoyment and peace.

Thank you, Elizabeth, for spending this time with us.
 
Readers, here's a link where you can order the book. By using this link when you order, you'll be helping support this blog.

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


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

If you’re reading this on Feedblitz, Facebook, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment. Here’s a link.

http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/

LOTS OF WINNERS!!!

Stephen Bly told me to choose 3 winners for Creede of Old Montana, so here they are:

Merry
TinaDeeBooks
Lovedandamazed

Gahome2mom is the winner of Behold the Dawn by K.M. Weiland.

IdahoMarla is the winner of The Heart's Journey Home by Jen Stephens.


A.J. Hawke is the winner of Plain Jayne by Hillary Manton Lodge.
 
Congratulations, everyone. Send me your mailing address in one of two ways:

Click on View My Complete Profile, then use the Email link.
Go to http://www.lenanelsondooley.com/ then click on Contact Me.

You have 6 weeks to claim your book.

If you didn't win and you plan to order the book, please use the link provided on the individual interview. By using that link when you order, you will help support this blog.

We have an exciting lineup in 2010, including my next book Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico, in May. You can view the book trailer here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EequBWNkHRE

WHAT'S IN YOUR CLOSET - Rhonda Gibson - Free Book

I know that this is a collaboration between mother and daughter. How did this story come about?

Stacy has always expressed an interest in writing and she really liked the idea for this story. So I asked her if she’d like to write part of it, she said yes and as you can see the editor at White Rose Publishing liked the way we wrote together.

Did you find it easy to work together on it?

We did. She would write her part, I’d read it over. I’d write my part she’d read it over. If we didn’t agree on something we would sit down together and rework the part that we felt needed to be re-written or re-plotted.

How did collaborating with this team impact you?

It gave both Stacy and I a chance to grow closer in our relationship as mother and daughter.

What is the hardest thing about writing as a team?

Finding the time to get together and go over what we’d written. Stacy has a 3 year old and she is center of both our worlds.

What are you reading right now?

The Ranger’s Apprentice book Seven, The Biggest Loser Success Secrets, and Heartland Wedding by Renee Ryan

How did you choose your characters’ names?

This book is chock full of names from our family and friends. David is an uncle, Brad is patterned after my brother, and I have a cousin who is the sheriff. Emily is the name of one of Stacy’s grade school teachers. Megan was one of my grade school friends, that I have lost contact with and Ruth is one of my favorite women in the Bible.

Would you want to work on another book together?

Sure, we have one in the works now :-)

Are you a member of American Christian Fiction Writers? If so, why?

Yes I am. I’m a writer that needs to learn, grow and develop not only my writing skills but in Christ. ACFW is the place to do all those things.

What do you want to tell us about the book?

I think this book is different because it is contemporary with a little historical mystery. Also, I’m a fan of the Titanic and she is mentioned in this book and plays a big role in the mystery of the story. If you want to read the first 20 pages of the book, go to http://www.whiterosepublishing.com/  and click on the cover of the book it will direct you to the preview pages :-)

Where can our readers find you on the Internet?

I am at http://www.rhondagibson.com/
My webpage is full of writing and reader related things. I have a featured author page like yours Lena where once a month we give away a free book.
I also have recipes on my blog http://www.rhondagibson.blogspot.com/
I love hearing from readers so feel free to email me at rgib2001@yahoo.com

Thank you, Rhonda for sharing this book with us.

Readers, here's a link where you can order the book. By ordering the book using this link, you'll be helping support this blog.

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


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

If you’re reading this on Feedblitz, Facebook, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment. Here’s a link.

http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/

EASTER PROMISES - Allie Pleiter - Free Book

Here's the back cover copy:

A “veterinarian on sabbatical,” widowed Paul Sycamore is not interested in answering his new neighbor’s constant questions about her expectant sheep. But the comfort his child finds on Audrey Lupine’s Middleburg, Kentucky, farm just may open his heart.

Author's bio:

An avid knitter, coffee junkie, and devoted chocoholic, Allie Pleiter writes both fiction and non-fiction. The enthusiastic but slightly untidy mother of two, Allie spends her days writing books, doing laundry, running carpools, and finding new ways to avoid housework. She grew up in Connecticut, holds a BS in Speech from Northwestern University, spent fifteen years in the field of professional fundraising, and currently lives in suburban Chicago, Illinois. The “dare from a friend” to begin writing nine years ago has given rise to a career spanning two parenting books, eight novels including the multi-nominated MY SO-CALLED LOVE LIFE, and various national speaking engagements on faith, women’s issues, and writing.

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

I’m a product of Young Life, meeting Christ during camp as Young Life has done for so many young people over the years. I had an Aunt with a strong faith, and a vibrant youth group in high school, so I grew up with the foundations ready for when my faith really strengthened during my college years. I’m afraid I don’t have a dramatic story (even though I was a theater major!). My faith experienced more of a slow, steady growth than any great leaps forward.

How did you and your spouse meet?

We were both out with friends. At six feet tall, I was always scanning any room for someone with enough altitude to catch my eye. Jeff has the most astounding blue eyes, and I’m very much an drawn to a person’s eyes. On our first date, he put the top down on his convertible to see if I’d care about getting my hair ruined. I, in turn, ordered lobster to see if he’d pay for it. I didn’t care, he paid, and the rest is history.

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

Debbie Clopton because she drives a cool car and always eats desert first
Charlene Baumbich because we’re dear friends and could have fun just about anywhere
Camy Tang so we could knit until our fingers were numb
Debbie Macomber because I admire her spirit and I think she’s an outstanding businesswoman (and she knits, too)

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

The theater major in me loves to speak. For a raging extrovert like me, it’s the antidote to the isolation of solitary writing. Having written two parenting books, I do a lot of speaking to mothers and families. One of those books was about fear, and I was humbled when the US Army hired me to speak to families of deployed soldiers. The rest of us have no concept of the sacrifices made by our military families! I have been writing about knitting on my knitting/travel blog DestiKNITions, so I’ve been able to add some fiber-based engagements to my calendar, which pleases me immensely. Speaking really feeds me, so I’m always open to invitations.

With a grandson who has served one tour in Iraq and will soon deploy to Afghanistan, I understand the sacrifices. What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you and how did you handle it?

I’ve had migraines most of my adult life (now under control with medication), but between that and my two pregnancies I’m afraid I’ve gotten sick in public far more than anyone should. How did I handle it? Not particularly well. I try to be a good humored and gracious woman, but it’s tough to be either of those when you’re nauseous, very pregnant, and your head feels ready to explode. I’d like to think I’m a bit better at handling it now that it happens far less often.

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, it does happen often. I tell people you never know if you have a novel in you until you’ve banged out about 100 pages. You learn so much about the process and your ability to craft stories and characters when you stick it out to that first 100. So, I tell people to go write their 100 pages and come back to me then. Only a very small percentage do, by the way.

Tell us about the featured book?

My novella Bluegrass Easter is the final installment of my Kentucky Corners series and my first effort at a shorter piece. We met librarian Audrey Lupine in Bluegrass Hero, and readers will recognize many of Middleburg’s quirky cast of characters. The plot line actually was born from a real-life story. As a knitter, I’ve had a relationship with a local sheep farm for several years. The folks at Esther’s Place in Big Rock, IL wrote in a newsletter about their very...enthusiastic...ram who got every one of their ewes pregnant, resulting in a surprise population explosion of lambs. It’s the most endearing story, and I was delighted to take my control freak librarian and put her in the same boat (or is that pen?). It’s very funny, but it also deals with some very deep and touching issues.

Please give us the first page of the book.

BLUEGRASS EASTER

CHAPTER ONE

Two o’clock in the afternoon was one of Audrey Lupine’s favorite times in the library. Adults only. The little children--staples of any weekday library crowd--had gone home for naps and the rambunctious teen after school crowd had yet to arrive. She could actually manage a cup of tea at her reference desk this time of day. Not exactly the English high tea, but close enough. She was just inhaling the luxurious aroma, browsing through a textbook, when a blonde head bobbed up to the desk.

“How old are you?” A round pink face framed in layers of wavy blond hair topped the desk edge. A set of elbows parked themselves just under the face.

“Pardon?”

“The lady at my old library--” she mispronounced the word in a way other people might find adorable, “--was really old.”

Audrey was pretty sure twenty-nine was not anywhere in the neighborhood of “old.” What parent had taught--or more precisely forgotten to teach--this little girl to mind her manners? “I guarantee you I am not ‘really old.’ But even if I were, that’s not a nice question to ask.”

The girl’s blond brows scrunched together over pale blue eyes. “Why not?” Her head disappeared below the desk only to bob up again, this time with a yellow backpack. “You can ask me how old I am.” She granted it like the greatest of favors. A magnanimous grade-school gesture. “Go ahead, ask.”

“I won’t.” I’m debating with a second-grader. Worse, I seem to be debating decorum with someone under four feet tall. Audrey closed the textbook with what she hoped was a “this conversation is now over” thump.

No such thing. “I’m seven and three-quarters. Dad says I’m seven and thirty, but I’m not sure what that means.” The head bobbed up and down now, alternating heights, as if standing on...

Oh no. “You’re not standing on your books, are you young lady?”

Blink. Pause. “Nope.” The head bobbed back down again, and Audrey heard suspicious scrambling. Audrey counted to ten and reminded herself that even precocious second-graders grew up to read books. As for the remark about “seven and thirty,” Audrey agreed with “Dad” one hundred percent.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

My website is http://www.alliepleiter.com/ , and my knitting blog is destiKNITions.blogspot.com

Thank you, Allie, for this interesting conversation.

Readers, here's a link where you can order the book.

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


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

If you’re reading this on Feedblitz, Facebook, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment. Here’s a link.

http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/

SWORN TO PROTECT - DiAnn Mills - Free Book

Award-winning author, DiAnn Mills, launched her career in 1998 with the publication of her first book. Currently she has over forty books in print and has sold a million and a half copies.

DiAnn believes her readers should “Expect an Adventure.” DiAnn Mills is a fiction writer who combines an adventuresome spirit with unforgettable characters to create action-packed novels.

Six of her anthologies have appeared on the CBA Best Seller List. Three of her books have won the distinction of Best Historical of the Year by Heartsong Presents. Five of her books have won placements through American Christian Fiction Writer’s Book of the Year Awards 2003 – 2008, and she is the recipient of the Inspirational Reader’s Choice award for 2005 and 2007. She was a Christy Awards finalist in 2008.

DiAnn is a founding board member for American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Inspirational Writers Alive, Romance Writers of America’s Faith, Hope and Love, and Advanced Writers and Speakers Association. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country. DiAnn is also a mentor for Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writer’s Guild.

She lives in sunny Houston, Texas. DiAnn and her husband have four adult sons and are active members of Metropolitan Baptist Church.

It's always a pleasure to have DiAnn on this blog. Welcome, DiAnn. Why do you write the kind of books you do?

That’s a two-part answer!

1. I love suspense with a strong thread of romance.
2. I love to write strong women in traditionally male roles.

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

When I married Dean! He has always made me feel like I was the most important person in the world.

How has being published changed your life?

Being published has given me the reassurance that God purposed for me to communicate the written word to readers through fiction. So many people have no clue what Truth really is. Writing fiction is a way for them to see a Christian character solving his/her problems in ways that may not meet the world’s standards but honors God.

That's the way I feel, too. What are you reading right now?

The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard
Dawn’s Light by Terri Blackstock
Story by Robert McKee

What is your current work in progress?

The third book in the Call of Duty series. It’s titled To Uphold and Enforce. But that could change. :-)

What would be your dream vacation?

A trip to the Holy Lands. We’re talking about taking that vacation!

How do you choose your settings for each book?

The setting has to fit within the plot and the characters. I want the setting to be more than where my story takes place. I want the place to be character too, an antagonist.

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

Billy Graham. One day all we’ll have of Mr. Graham are the written word and his recordings. I’d like to simply sit and listen to what he has to say.

I'd gladly join you in that. What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

Cooking and gardening.

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

Creating the unpredictable. I hope I overcome it! When plotting and creating characters, I do my best to hide motives but make them realistic.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

1. Read the books written by writers you admire.
2. Read the books written about writing. And reread them.
3. Write everyday.
4. Pray for direction.
5. Network with other writers, and that means participating in conferences and critique groups.

Tell us about the featured book?

Sworn to Protect is the second book in the Call of Duty series. I am sooooo excited about this novel. The heroine is a Border Patrol agent in McAllen, Texas. I was fortunate to obtain permission to “ride the line” with a couple of agents, tour the border patrol station, and talk to several of the agents. I came away with such respect for these brave men and women.

But you asked me about the book. :-)

Danika Morales has sworn to protect our nation’s borders. But that oath has come with a price. Two years ago, her husband was killed trying to help undocumented citizens--the very people Danika is responsible for deporting as a Border Patrol agent. His murder was never solved.

Now a recent string of attacks and arrests leads Danika to believe her husband’s death wasn’t just a random act. It may be part of a larger conspiracy, and it appears that she’s the next target. When the Border Patrol discovers that one of their own is leaking top-secret information, Danika turns to the only person she can trust--a doctor at the local medical clinic. Together they search for answers before more innocent lives are destroyed.

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

The Rio Grande was not just murky. It was toxic. Danika Morales respected the river’s temperament—lazy and rushing, crystal and muddy, breath-taking and devastating. To many illegal immigrants, its flowing water signified hope and an opportunity for a better tomorrow, while others viewed the river crossing as a means of smuggling drugs or spreading terrorism. But for Danika, the depths meant death, and it didn’t discriminate among its victims. That was why she chose a Border Patrol badge and carried a gun.

Shortly after the 8:00 a.m. muster, Danika snatched up the keys to the Tahoe assigned to her for the next ten hours and checked out an M4. A hum of voices, most with Hispanic accents and clipped with occasional laughter, swirled around the station. A labyrinth of sights and sounds had succeeded in disorienting her. A daze. She took a sip of the steaming coffee in hopes no one saw how the day’s date affected her. Her hands shook. The twelfth of July. The second anniversary of Toby’s murder. She thought she could handle it better than this, but the raw ache still seared her heart.

“Tough day for me too,” Jacob whispered beside her. “We can get through this together.” The familiar tone of voice, as in many times before, nearly paralyzed her. Jacob sounded so much like his brother.

She stood shoulder to shoulder with her brother-in-law and glanced at his muscular frame and the silver streaks in his closely cropped hair, everything about him oddly different from Toby. Gone were the gentleness, patience, and the out-stretched arms of love.

“Thanks. But I’m all right.”

He frowned, a typical expression. “Well, I’m not, and you shouldn’t be either.”

She was in no mood to rile him today. “I miss Toby every minute of the day, but we have to move on. He would have wanted it that way.”

“Not till his murderer is found.” Jacob’s jaw tightened. “I’m disappointed in you.”

Danika took another sip of the hot coffee, burning her tongue. Caustic words threatened to surface and add one more brick to the wall dividing them. “I want the killer found too. I’m committed to it. I think about him every day and mourn for our daughter who will never know her daddy. But I choose not to spend my time harboring hate and vengeance.”

“You must not have really loved my brother.”

Okay, bring on the book. How can readers find you on the Internet?

http://www.diannmills.com/ and sign up for my monthly newsletter!

Thank you, DiAnn, for once again giving us a peek into your life.

Readers, here's a link where you can order the book. By ordering using this link, you'll help support this blog.

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


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

If you’re reading this on Feedblitz, Facebook, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment. Here’s a link.

http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/