MISSING: MAX - Karen Young - Free Book

Welcome, Karen. I've really looked forward to this interview ever since I read your book Blood Bayou. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

Although I never intend to do that, many readers have said, “Karen, I could hear your voice in this or that character.” But I never purposely create a character’s personality that I recognize as my own. My ego’s not big enough for that. :-)

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

As a writer or as a person? I’m pretty buttoned-up, if you want to know the truth. So change that from quirky to reckless and I admit to agreeing to marry my husband on our very first date. He asked and I said yes. It lasted 43 years…when he died of a heart attack. And if I had it to do over again, I would.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

When I had my first job as part time secretary to a lawyer when I was a senior in high school. He realized I could write his correspondence as well as he could. And I was stuck with doing it.

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

I’m far more adventurous than I used to be. Giving you an idea: I’m reading, My Stroke of Insight, The Help, Black Hills (Nora Roberts), Almost Forever, (Deborah Raney), Same Kind of Different as Me, and To Kill a Mockingbird, (the selection of my book club).

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

Too many to be listed here. I’ve been published since 1981 and my body of work includes The Silence of Midnight, for which I won a Rita and Blood Bayou, my first work of Christian fiction, May 2009. Coming up, Missing: Max in the summer of 2010. I’ve actually published 36 books. All of this is on my website.

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

My personality keeps me pretty much grounded. But I do get a little crazy as a deadline approaches. In the past, I tended to freak out over publicity/marketing responsibilities, but now I have a full-time publicist and I let her do the worrying. Oh, one more thing, computers and how they work are beyond my pay grade. I am technically challenged, but again, I have professional help in three daughters who aren’t technically challenged. Thank goodness.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

That’s a big thing with me. I actually think long and hard for just the right name. In the book I’m writing now (untitled as yet), I named the hero “Brody,” but it just never seemed right. Now he’s Tucker Kane. Isn’t that cool? The wrong name for a hero can make him seem “un-alpha.” I tend to like classic names for my heroines: Rachel, Camille, Anne, Erica, Claire, Suzanne.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

I was very proud to win a Rita for one of my books. Being recognized by my peers was heady stuff. But being signed by Simon & Schuster to write Christian fiction is pretty wonderful, too.

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

A cat. Dogs have masters; cats have staff. (That is not original. Someone else said it first.)

What is your favorite food?

I love a good hamburger. I also like fish a lot. I could live on fish five days a week. Then I’d want a good ‘burger.

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

I have thankfully never experienced writer’s block, but in every book there is always a point—a roadblock?--where I’m stuck…just facing a brick wall. I have been known to call a writer friend more than once and say, “This is the hardest book I’ve ever written!” I’ve learned I must just push on through, keep writing and eventually I’ll overcome that roadblock.

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

Read a lot in the genre you choose. Write a book or article or short story (whatever), finish it and go on to the next one. Every project contributes to learning your craft. Don’t be discouraged by rejection. It happens to every writer and, like adversity, it builds character. (That last one is a joke.) Seriously, however, I’m always struck by the sheer determination of unpublished writers, how they persevere in the face of the challenge of getting published today. I so admire that.

Tell us about the featured book?

Missing: Max is a kidnapping story. I know that’s a hard theme for some readers. There’s that age-old question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” My hero/heroine as a couple are having marital problems. Each is focused inwardly. Their teenage daughter is devastated and in therapy. But her solution to their problems is almost as shocking as the kidnapping. As they work to put their lives back together and overcome this horrendous loss, the heroine suddenly finds herself being stalked by the kidnapper. Will Max be found?

Please give us the first page of the book.

Chapter One

They say some people have a premonition about calamity before it strikes. But Jane Madison felt only irritation when her cell phone rang as she waited in the Mardi Gras crowd to order shrimp po’boys. Checking caller ID, she decided to ignore the call when she saw it was Melanie . Her stepdaughter probably wanted to change her order, but after standing in line for more than twenty minutes, Jane was finally up, so changing was not an option.

The man ahead of her received his order of fried shrimp, calamari and beer. Loaded down, he turned suddenly and almost crashed into her. Not for the first time that day, Jane wished she were elsewhere. Ordinarily, she avoided Mardi Gras Day in New Orleans, but Melanie was at the age to be enthralled by the uninhibited and often near-depraved behavior all too common at the event. So Jane had reluctantly agreed to take her, even though it meant having to take Max. The other possibility for Melanie calling was that Max was awake. If he was, Christine would know what to do. Having her best friend along made the day a bit more tolerable for Jane.

Teething had made Max cranky and restless lately, but so far he’d been surprisingly docile just watching the goings-on around him from his stroller.

Her cell phone rang again. Apparently Melanie wasn’t giving up. Now loaded with two large bags and three soft drinks, Jane looked around for a place to set everything but there was no open spot, just hordes of people, literally a crush of humanity. Grumbling, she turned back to the vendor’s cart and with a murmured apology transferred the load to his counter and fumbled to click her phone free of her purse. Sometimes Melanie could try the patience of a saint. “What is it, Melanie?”

“Mom, Max is gone!” the girl cried. “Come quick! He was here a minute ago and now he’s disappeared!”

I can hardly wait to read it. How can readers find you on the Internet?

http://www.karenyoung.net/

Thank you, Karen, for taking time out of your busy day to spend with us.

Readers, check out this wonderful book trailer:




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THEY ALMOST ALWAYS COME HOME - Cynthia Ruchti - Free Book

Welcome, Cynthia. I've really been looking forward to featuring your debut novel. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

It’s inescapable. No matter what we write, snippets from our own lives wind up in our characters. Small nibbles—like a woman trying to get into the Guinness Book of World Records for most bad hair days in a row, a child with a familiar-sounding insecurity, a cherished setting, a color-commentary detail. Big gulps—an issue with which an author wrestles, a concern that needs a spiritual Heimlich to dislodge. It’s the same for my books. I don’t set out to write autobiographically, but I sometimes uncover a startling or tender truth about myself as the plot and character layers unfold.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

Lena, you know me. I live for quirky. I think it’s adorable when my grandkids make huge, gruesome, creative messes. Their parents just shake their heads and correct the children’s behavior when they get them home. Quirky? I made a writing desk out of a discarded ladies restroom door.

I'd love to see that. When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I’d get excited when the teacher announced a massive term paper assignment. Loved the 3x5 cards, the research, the outlining, the whole process. If she asked for 10 pages minimum, I gave her 15. In college, my ears perked up when I heard the words, “It’s an essay test.” YES! When I was stirred by a book I read, I felt a wave of “I want to create an experience like this for readers someday.”

I always loved telling stories, but I didn't like the term papers. Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.

If you looked at my bookshelves at home, you’d wonder if you’d stumbled into a community library by mistake. The shelves in my half-bathroom (that’s right—floor to ceiling shelves) hold my Daddy’s pulpit commentaries, every Christian relationship book published in the 70s and 80s, a bunch of non-fiction titles, knitting books, and an occasional classic. The shelves in the hall upstairs hold children’s classics, the Little House series, Janette Oke’s Love Comes Softly series, and Far Side and Dilbert humor. The spare room shelves contain a mix of historicals and contemporary women’s fiction (all ACFW members, of course!). The shelves in my bedroom are reserved for the 120 books to-be-read. Books that touch me to my marrow or reveal a new way of looking at an old truth resonate with me.

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

I’ve used the expression before, but find it a daily challenge. I don’t want to be busy; I want to be active. Serving and ministering are high priorities for me. But I’m learning to take time for soaking if I hope to serve well…soaking in the Word of God and in silent companionship with Him. I am so much more productive when I stop the flurry of activity and just listen.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

I love weaving subtle undertones of meaning into my characters’ names. Libby thinks she wants to be liberated from a stale, emotionally-unsatisfying marriage. Greg Holden can’t be held. Frank is…well, frank. In 30 years of writing radio scripts, I’ve had to choose names for thousands of the dramas’ characters. When I need a name for a young contemporary character, I look through the hospital births. If I need an older character, I look at the list of “given in memory of” section of the hospital auxiliary newsletter. My ear is tuned to the lyrical quality of some names. Good choices go in a file for books-yet-to-be-born.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

I suppose birthing three children without medication doesn’t count, since that happened a while ago. It’s a hard question for me. Every “accomplishment” in my life has been a gift I stepped into as if the Lord were holding my coat for me. What could I claim if all I did was slip my arms through the sleeves? Loving when we don’t feel like it is an accomplishment, but even that comes from Him. I took first place in my bassoon solo at the state contest in ninth grade. Something more recent? The first time I typed “The End.”

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

EyorTiggePooh. Though Eyore obviously needs Prozac, he’s a deep thinker. Tigger’s energy and enthusiasm are contagious. Winnie the Pooh’s gentle nature and honey-rich friendship appeal.

What is your favorite food?

Cheesecake. No, gluten-free truffle brownies. No, cheesecake. Definitely cheesecake. No…

Tell us a little about your journey to publication.

Although I’ve been writing a very long time and took my first creative writing course in 1977, my interest in fiction developed more recently. I attended the first ACFW conference in Kansas City (when it was still ACRW) after having attended several other writers’ conferences that just dabbled in fiction. All-fiction-all-the-time felt like changing schools and finding you already have a friend in the new class. I have three complete novellas—romances—that will forever remain in an airless folder in my file cabinet. They were practice. But at the ACFW conference in Nashville in two thousand and (oh, what year was that?) Deborah Raney’s critique and Gayle Roper (and her fiction clinic girls) offered encouragement I’ll cherish forever. I buckled down to learn as much as I could, to study, grow, keep practicing, polish, edit, kill off my favorite word pictures so the truth of the story could shine through…

Every time I’d wonder if fiction were my idea or the Lord’s, He’d send someone or something to tell me to keep pressing on. I began to see sparks of interest in agents’ and editors’ eyes. I progressed past form letter rejections to personal notes and invitations to submit something else. I inched my way up the ladder of the Genesis contest, using the judges’ comments to tweak another area that needed shoring up. A critique group opened their arms to me and forced me to “produce something and send it to us!” That discipline, along with their love and encouragement and prayers, changed my toying with fiction into a pursuit.

Then, I finaled in the Genesis contest. At the ACFW awards banquet in 2008, the Lord took me by the hand and walked me to the platform to receive the Second Place award in women’s fiction. At the conference, I connected with acquisitions editor Barbara Scott. Weeks later, that manuscript went to committee with Abingdon Press and Barbara became MY editor. In that same short time-frame, I signed with agent Wendy Lawton of Books and Such Literary Agency. I’d run alongside the train, paralleling the tracks, for many years until the Conductor reached His Hand to pull me onboard.

My debut novel—They Almost Always Come Home—released this month. The journey has just begun.

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

Gayle Roper once told me I had too much whipped cream in my manuscript—beautiful words but unnecessary calories. I replied at the time that it might explain my dilemma, since I personally don’t think one can ever have too much whipped cream on anything! But I took her observation seriously. How much of my writing was just for me? Just to entertain me with vocabulary gymnastics or luxurious language choices? I’ve had to conquer a grocery list of roadblocks, stumbling blocks, mental blocks, and other blockages but this “whipped cream” issue rises to the surface like… Never mind.

What advice would you give to others who are trying to get their first book published?

Work and wait. Work as hard as you can and wait as hard as you can. The Lord assures us that His promises cannot be overdue a single day. Successful writers cling to that truth—and to Him--while they invest their lives in writing for His glory.

That is so true. And if more authors believed it, they'd quit fretting and rest in Him. Tell us about the featured book?

After those first practice novellas and a dozen other ideas, some of which made it farther than the first few chapters, when I landed on the plot and characters for They Almost Always Come Home, I had a sweet little moment of communion with the Lord when I “felt” Him tell me this would be my first published novel.

In 1999, my husband almost didn’t return from his annual canoe trip to the Quetico Wilderness in Canada. He became gravely ill and crept closer to death’s door, out of range of communication, for five days before the Provincial Park rangers could get a float plane rescue to him. Doctors say he was within an hour or two of the end when rescue arrived. His true story—and mine—holds its own fascination. He (and I) fully recovered.

Two years ago, the what ifs teased my fiction imagination. What if he hadn’t been rescued? What if, unlike my personal story, it were a novel and the guy’s wife wasn’t at all sure she wanted him to be found? What if no one knew whether the husband had disappeared intentionally or…?

They Almost Always Come Home tells that couple’s story.

When Libby’s husband Greg doesn’t return from a two-week canoe trip to the Canadian wilderness, the authorities write off his disappearance as an unhappy husband’s escape from an oatmeal marriage and mind-numbing career. Their marriage might have survived if their daughter Lacey hadn’t died and if Greg hadn’t been responsible. Libby’s obsessed with finding out what happened to him, not so much to get her husband back, but to gain closure. If he walked out on her, she wants a divorce…and isn’t that biblical grounds? If he’s dead, then let’s get the mourning over with so she can go on with her life. How dare he find the marriage escape hatch before she did! Libby enlists the aid of her wilderness-savvy father-in-law and her faith-walking best friend to help her search for clues to her husband’s disappearance. What the trio discovers in the search upends Libby’s presumptions about her husband and rearranges her faith.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Do dead people wear shoes? In the casket, I mean. Seems a waste. Then again, no outfit is complete without the shoes.

My thoughts pound up the stairs, down the hall, and into the master bedroom closet.

Greg’s gray suit is clean, I think. White shirt, although that won’t allow much color contrast and won’t do a thing for Greg’s skin tones. His red tie with the silver threads? Good choice.

Shoes or no shoes? I should know this. I’ve stroked the cement-cold cheeks of several embalmed loved ones. My father and grandfather. Two grandmothers—one too young to die. One too old not to.

And my Lacey.

The Baxter Street Funeral Parlor will not touch my husband’s body, should the need arise. They got Lacey’s hair and facial expression all wrong.

I rise from the couch and part the sheers on the front window one more time. Still quiet. No lights on the street. No Jeep pulling into our driveway. I’ll give him one more hour, then I’m heading for bed. With or without him.

Shoes. Yes or no? I’m familiar with the casket protocol for children. But for adults?

Grandma Clarendon hadn’t worn shoes for twelve years or more when she died. She preferred open-toed terrycloth slippers. Day and night. Home. Uptown. Church. Seems to me she took comfort to the extreme. Or maybe she figured God ought to be grateful she showed up in His house at all, given her distaste for His indiscriminate dispersal of the Death Angel among her friends and siblings.

“Ain’t a lick of pride in outliving your brothers and sisters, Libby.” She said it often enough I can pull off a believable impression. Nobody at the local comedy club need fear me as competition, but the cousins get a kick out of it at family reunions.

Leaning on the tile and iron coffee table, I crane everything in me to look at the wall clock in the entry. Almost four in the morning? I haven’t even decided who will sing special music at Greg’s memorial service. Don’t most women plan their husband’s funeral if the man’s more than a few minutes late?

I can hardly wait to get my copy of the book. How can the readers find you on the Internet?

With a name like Cynthia Ruchti, Googlers have little trouble finding me. I’m not the one who teaches math. My Web address is: http://www.cynthiaruchti.com/  and my blog (give me a minute to post something fresh first!) is http://splashinginthedeepend.blogspot.com/ . Readers can also link to me through our radio ministry Web site: http://www.heartbeatofthehome.org/ .

Cynthia, what a wonderful interesting interview. Thanks for sharing with us.

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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.

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MORNING FOR DOVE - Martha Rogers - Free Book

Welcome, Martha. I've been anxious for this second book in your series to release. Why do you write the kind of books you do?

I have always loved history and thinking about what life would have like back then. Research uncovers so many fascinating things to learn about life in the past.

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

My wedding day. Fifty years ago, I married the love of my life and we’ve truly lived an adventure.

James and I are just a few years behind you. How has being published changed your life?

I’m constantly on a deadline and don’t have as much time for some things I did before.

What are you reading right now?

Haven’t had much time for reading lately, but I just finished your book and loved it.

I'm glad you liked it. What is your current work in progress?

Book 4 in the series is Caroline’s Choice.

What would be your dream vacation?

To go back to the Swiss Alps with my husband.

I've always wanted to experience the Alps. How do you choose your settings for each book?

Depends on the mood and how the plot will develop. Sometimes I have the place before the book and then work my story to fit that place.

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

I think I would like to spend some time with Laura Bush. She is a great supporter of literacy for children and I think that’s an important thing we all should support.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I once sewed all my own clothes and scrapbooked, but no longer have time for them. Now any spare time is spent with the grandchildren whenever possible and volunteering at our church.

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

Tying all the ends and weaving it all together into one story. I usually have a lot of disjointed ideas for scenes, so I put them down and then flesh them out.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Pray, be patient and persevere

Tell us about the featured book?

Dove is Lucy’s best friend and has always admired Luke Anderson. Her Cherokee heritage creates problems with Luke’s mother as she was left for dead after a massacre of her family.

Please give us the first page of the book.

“…weeping may endure for the night, but joy cometh in the morning.”
Psalm 30:5 KJV

Chapter One
Oklahoma Territory 1897

Today was not a good day for a wedding. It was Lucinda Bishop’s wedding day and he wasn’t the groom. The sun may be shining outside, but Luke Anderson’s insides rolled and tumbled like the dark clouds before a storm. His feelings should have been under control by now, and they had been up until this moment. Now Lucy’s image rolled through his mind like pictures on a stereo-optic machine.

He shook his head and snatched off his tie. Anger filled his heart. His eyes closed tight and he prayed for God to take away his negative feelings. All thoughts of Lucinda must be put away as part of his past and not his future.

Calm swept through him as the Lord’s peace took over. Still he’d rather do anything else, like stay behind and keep the store open. Pa didn’t worry about the business he’d be losing by closing down for the day because most of the town folk would be at the church. He shrugged his arms into the sleeves of his jacket. He hated having to wear a suit in this heat. With his tie now securely back in place, Luke headed downstairs to meet his parents.

His mother tilted her head and looked him over from head to foot. “I must say you do look especially handsome today.” She nodded her approval and turned for the door.

Luke tugged at his collar and forced himself to smile. She must have thought he’d come down in his work clothes.

His sister beamed at him. “You are handsome, even if you are my brother.”

Luke shook his head and followed her outside. “You look very pretty yourself, Alice.”

She looked up at him and furrowed her brow. “Thank you, I think.”

Luke relaxed as his sister’s comments. He usually ridiculed or teased her, but she did look pretty today with her blond curls dancing on her shoulders. At sixteen, she had the notice of a few boys in her class at school.

The tightness in his chest loosened. He’d get through this day.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

http://www.marthawrogers.com/  and marthasbooks@blogspot.com . My website is presently undergoing reconstruction and should be up and running soon.

Thank you, Martha, for spending this time with us today. Hope I get to see you when I'm in The Woodlands next weekend.

Readers, here's a link to the book. By using the link when you order, you 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.

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SEEDS OF SUMMER - Deborah Vogts - Free Book

Author Bio: Deborah Vogts and her husband have three daughters and make their home in Southeast Kansas where they raise and train American Quarter Horses. As a student at Emporia State University studying English and journalism, Deborah developed a love for the Flint Hills that has never faded. In writing this series, she hopes to share her passion for one of the last tallgrass prairie regions in the world, showing that God’s great beauty rests on the prairie and in the hearts of those who live there.

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

My tag line (and the name of my blog) is Country at Heart. I’ve always enjoyed reading contemporary or historical books with a western, country or small town setting. It’s the life I know and it’s what I enjoy reading. I guess writing about that life is what comes natural to me. I believe my core readers are those who love country life, were raised in the country or who dream of the simple life it offers.

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

The day I married my husband. We were actually high school classmates, but it wasn’t until after our 5th year class reunion that we started dating. We married on Valentine’s Day 1990, and he’ll always be my valentine!

How has being published changed your life?

Writing on deadline. LOL. I’ve also been surprised at how much time marketing takes. As aspiring authors, we’re told that you have to market, and yes, that it takes a lot of your time, but oh my goodness . . . I never quite expected it to take so much time from my writing schedule. I had always thought that I was good at multi-tasking, but when it comes to marketing and writing, I have to do one or the other—I haven’t figured out a good way to do them both. Maybe the best idea is to set aside one or two days a week to do “only marketing.” I’m not sure…I’m still working on that one. LOL

Another thing that has surprised me is how incredibly honored I feel to receive “fan mail.” That is something I never equated into the “author picture.” I LOVE getting letters or emails from my readers. That has been such a huge blessing to me.

What are you reading right now?

This past weekend, I began reading Crossing Oceans by Gina Holmes, and I am loving it.

What is your current work in progress?

I’m currently finishing up the third book in the series, Blades of Autumn, which is the story about Clara, the owner of Clara’s Café.

(Blurb for Book #3) With a café to run and three children to raise, Clara Lambert doesn’t have time for men or loneliness, despite what her heart might tell her. When two handsome cowboys vie for her attention, one of the brothers proves to be her soul mate, but at what cost? Will it tear the brothers’ relationship apart or is blood really thicker than water?

What would be your dream vacation?

Like most people, I think it would be fun to go to Europe and travel the countryside for a month, but I don’t suppose that will ever happen. Did I mention I have an aversion to flying? LOL. That said, I think it would be a hoot to travel across the United States in an RV with my husband. I love the mountains, so I’m sure that would be in our travel itinerary.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

My book series, Seasons of the Tallgrass, is set in the Flint Hills of Kansas—a strip of land stretching from Nebraska to Oklahoma, about 100 miles wide and 300 miles long that refuses to be tamed because of the flint rock embedded in the hills. Although farmers once tried to run plows through it, they abandoned their efforts, leaving it to its original native grass. That is why it remains as one of the largest tallgrass prairies in the world.

Years ago, I took a Flint Hills Folklife summer course at Emporia State University that was taught by Dr. Jim Hoy. Along with classroom study, we took field trips into the heart of the Flint Hills and visited with old-time ranchers, schoolmarms and post-mistresses. It was such a delightful experience, especially our drives into the pastures. We would get on these back roads and drive over pasture guards into the open range. We would travel for miles without seeing another car or even an electric line—just pure, native prairie. That summer, I fell in love with the Flint Hills, and it has stayed with me all this time.

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

I’d like to visit with a movie producer, maybe Larry Levinson, and try to convince him to make a movie out of my books! LOL. For my newest release, we could get Megan Fox to play Natalie and Keanu Reeves to play Jared Logan. :-)

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I like to take walks with our two golden retrievers or dig in the dirt in my flower beds or garden. Or even mow! I am weird in that I LIKE to mow. We have a large yard, so it takes me about two hours on an industrial-sized mower, but I enjoy this time to just think or sing. LOL. Yes, I sometimes sing when I mow. It’s also a good time for me to pray or to plot out scenes in my current writing project. Other than that, I enjoy playing the piano, baking something, sewing or scrapbooking! Oh the joys. :-)

I love the smell of fresh-mowed grass. What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?

I’ve had to learn to be disciplined with my writing time—and I’m still trying to learn how to do better—and how to convince my family that my writing is a real job. I’ve been fortunate that my books have been slated a year apart, but with everything that goes into the writing process and then the marketing, the months go by so fast!

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Never give up. Right before I landed my second agent, I almost gave up on my dreams, and I am so thankful I didn’t. Not that God would have let me. I searched and asked that he give me scripture answers that would lead me in the right direction. Some of those he gave were: Isaiah 41:13, Deuteronomy 31:8, Proverbs 3:5-6, and my favorite one that ministered to me and still does today, “Be Still and Know that I am God.”

Tell us about the featured book?

Seeds of Summer will be released in late May. It is the second book in the Seasons of the Tallgrass series. A heart-warming contemporary romance set in the Flint Hills of Kansas where a former rodeo queen abandons her dreams in order to care for her deceased father’s ranch and her two half-siblings, only to realize with the help of a young new pastor that God can turn even the most dire circumstances into seeds of hope.

For each of the seasonal books, I wanted to portray one aspect found in the Flint Hills—and I knew I had to include a story about a female rancher. Also because I have three daughters who are spread out in age, I started wondering what it would be like if something happened to my husband and I, and our oldest daughter was left to care for her sisters. That’s how Seeds of Summer first came to my mind.

I really enjoyed writing Natalie’s story and trying to get her through the difficult family problems she had to face. She is a very strong character with an interesting twist in her story—she’s a former Miss Rodeo Kansas AND the first runner up Miss Rodeo America. I don’t want to give away any of the plot line, but I can say that much of my research involved studying the rodeo queen pageants.

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

I can do better than that! Country magazine (Reiman Publications) interviewed me for their April/May issue, which was an incredible blessing and honor, as I’ve been a huge fan of their publications for years. If you go to their site, you can read a sample from the first chapter of Seeds of Summer as well as enter your chance to win one of my books. This drawing ends May 31. http://www.country-magazine.com/

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Readers may visit my author web site at http://www.deborahvogts.com/  or at my blog: http://www.deborahvogts.blogspot.com/

Readers can also find me on Twitter: DeborahVogts
or on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/DeborahVogts?ref=profile

Thank you, Deborah, for visiting with us again.

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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.

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WINNERS!!!!! - WINNERS!!!!! - WINNERS!!!!!

Cindy W is the winner of The Anonymous Bride by Vickie McDonough.

Kristen is the winner of The Superlative Stream by Kerry Nietz.

Katrina is the winner of The Stones by Eleanor Gufstason.

Runner 10 is the winner of She Walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell. (You can read my review of this book by clicking the Book Review link at the top of the blog.)

MosiEsme is the winner of Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico, by Lena Nelson Dooley.
 
Congratulations, everyone. Send me your mailing address:
Click the Contact Me link at the top of the page, and send me an Email.

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.

TOO CLOSE TO HOME - Lynette Eason - Free Book

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

I think a lot of my stories wind up having some sort of forgiveness theme in them. I also do inner beauty. You know, how God looks on the inside of a person, not the packaging. I think I have to do one of those every once in a while to remind myself not to get so hung up on what I look like. i.e., “ugh, would you look at the bags under my eyes? Ever since I turned 40…” or “Man, if I could just lose 20 pounds…” you know, things like that. Not that you shouldn’t take care of yourself and do your best to be healthy, but it’s not good to just focus on your looks. The heart is what God looks at.

What other books of yours are coming out soon?

Valerie Hansen and I had a book out in February called My Deadly Valentine. We each wrote a Valentine stalker story and the two novellas were compiled into one anthology. My novella is Dark Obsession. In March/April 2010 is the Revell book, Too Close to Home, then in August I have another Steeple Hill book coming out called Protective Custody. Then in September, the second Revell book, Don’t Look Back, should be ready to put in an appearance in the bookstores. So, 2010 is going to be an exciting year for me. LOL.

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

Probably another writer. I love to hang out with published authors and those just learning the craft. I don’t have a specific person in mind—well actually, I have about ten in mind—but I think I enjoy other authors so much simply because they understand how I think. It’s really hard for a person who doesn’t constantly have a story in his/her head to “get it”. Other non writers might respect those of us who create mayhem out of nothing, but no one truly understands a writer like another writer. Except maybe musicians—those who constantly have a song in their head. Ha. Being with other writers is so stress free and exhilarating. I think that’s why I enjoy writing conferences even when I’m not teaching. LOL.

How long have you known that you wanted to be novelist?

Probably since I was in Middle school and attempted to write my own book. I didn’t make a conscious decision that I wanted to be a novelist until my daughter was about 9 months old and I sat down at a computer my brother built for me and pounded out my first draft of my first novel. It was a disaster if you measured it against all the writing do’s and don’ts, but I FINISHED it. I actually wrote a 78,000 word book. I was hooked!

What can you tell authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers?

At least you’re submitting. Well, keep submitting and don’t give up because while it’s true if you don’t submit, you don’t get rejected, it’s also true you won’t get accepted, so hang in there and keep trying. Also, make it a point to really read the rejection letters. Sometimes publishers—or perhaps a very nice editor—will give you some pretty clear reasons why they didn’t want the book. After the initial wave of frustration, depression, anger, etc, go over that rejection letter. It may be that there isn’t really anything there to see, but there might be something that will help you better understand why the book was rejected. You don’t want to miss that.

Tell us about the featured book?

Too Close to Home started as an idea about four years ago. I started it, didn’t like and went on to something else. I actually wrote the first three chapters of this book before I was published with Steeple Hill, but never thought it would develop into a very good story. Then I had an idea of how to change it drastically and Too Close To Home is the end result.

Please give us the first page of the book.

“Wake up, partner,” the voice rumbled in his ear as Connor Wolfe’s sleep-drugged mind struggled to keep up. “We’ve found another body. In a dumpster behind the BI-LO off East Main.”

He shifted the phone and glanced at the clock.

The number 2:08 glared at him. Great. Just the way he wanted to start his Monday morning.

“Be right there.” He hung up and closed his eyes for a brief moment before gathering the energy to swing his feet to the floor. Two hours of sleep. Well, he’d gone with less. However, at the age of forty-two, he seemed to feel the lack a lot more than he did ten years ago. Shaking his head to fling off the fog of interrupted sleep, he headed for the shower, wondering if he should wake up Jenna, his sixteen-year-old daughter, or just hope she slept through the rest of the night.

He settled on leaving her a note. Fifteen minutes later, hair still damp, he directed his unmarked Ford toward the crime scene. His partner, Andrew West, would meet him there.

First a cop, then a homicide detective with SLED, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, Connor had seen a lot in relation to crime, but this case had him by the throat and wouldn’t let go. Six disappearances and now three dead bodies—and very

Wow! You really leave us handing, don't you? How can readers find you on the Internet?

My website is http://www.lynetteeason.com/ and my email is lynetteeason@lynetteeason.com  I love to hear from reader and do my best to answer each email.

Lena! Thank you so much for having me here on your blog. I’ve enjoyed answering these questions immensely. God Bless and until next time…

And I loved having you here, Lynette.

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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.

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HIGHLAND BLESSINGS - Jennifer Hudson Taylor - Free Book

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

It depends on the book and the character. In Highland Blessings, Akira has my Scots-Irish temper, yet my compassion. She wants to help create peace between the MacPhearson and MacKenzie Clans, she only wants to go about it in a different way than Bryce, the hero.

In an unpublished novel, Beloved Liberty, the heroine is plagued with my allergies. But since it is 1810, she has to suffer through it. There are no allergy shots for her as I am able to receive each week.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I don’t know if it is the quirkiest or the most defiant, but my temper got the best of me when I was about eight or nine and I locked my mother out of the house to keep her from spanking me for something I had done. I can’t remember what I had done, but she wouldn’t make that promise. My mother never lied to me, and I knew if I could convince her to make that promise, I wouldn’t get my punishment. She told me she would wait outside for the rest of the afternoon until my dad came home with the key. Then I would get two spankings. After a while I finally let her in and faced my punishment.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

When I was 12, I finished watching Gone With the Wind with my mom and decided I wanted to write the next great novel. I started handwriting my first manuscript in a spiral notebook. She was so supportive and patient, giving me advice and encouraging me. She read everything I wrote.

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

My favorite novels are historical romance. I read Regencies, medieval, colonial, and Victorian. I also love the period between 1900 and 1950. Occasionally, I will read a contemporary and there are many I enjoy. I also like romantic suspense and mysteries. Other books are historical in nature where I enjoy learning about history and researching a specific time period, event or topic for my own writing.

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

My devotions and prayer time with God and talking to my husband who always helps me see things more clearly and calmly. He’s such a blessing. I don’t know what I would do without him.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

I like to research names and their meaning or origin. Sometimes and name will just come to me and I know it is the one.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

I didn’t accomplish this on my own, but with God’s help and my husband’s, overcoming and learning to deal with my daughter’s delayed development once I realized she wouldn’t die from her seizure disorder. She would stop breathing and require CPR. I would panic, and I thank God that not one of those episodes ever happened when my husband wasn’t with us. I would simply fall apart and that isn’t like me. I’ve always been level-headed and in control, this was the only thing that could unravel me to pieces—every time it happened.

I’m working on a sequel, Highland Sanctuary, where the heroine has a seizure disorder. This character is modeled after my daughter, but instead of being born in 1997, my heroine was born in 1457 and I explore the difficulties people like my daughter faced back then.

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

Possibly a bird, because I would want to fly over the earth. I used to have dreams of flying when I was younger.

What is your favorite food?

Pasta, although I enjoy Mexican and Chinese quite well. The only the I don’t like is hot, spicy foods.

Tell us a little about your journey to publication.

I first wrote secular romance and started trying to get my work published at 25 in 1996. I flew to my first RWA Conference in Dallas, TX. I didn’t know a single soul and I didn’t care. I was determined. In 2003 some personal things happened in my life and I stopped writing, while God taught me a great deal to get through my circumstances. It wasn’t until 2006 that I took up writing again. This time I decided I would write Christian fiction. In 2007, two of my manuscripts placed in ACFW’s Genesis contest and I signed a contract with my literary agent, Terry Burns. On my birthday, October 30th, 2008, I got the call that Highland Blessings had sold to Abingdon Press. It was the best birthday gift God had ever given me.

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

Finding time to write, and I’m still trying to overcome it since I have a full-time job. I just squeeze in writing wherever and whenever I can. I don’t have a choice if I’m going to write. I still get frustrated, and I work on my attitude each day not to resent my need to work or to resent those that are able to stay home when I cannot. I’m happy to say that I’m doing much better with this.

What advice would you give to others who are trying to get their first book published?

Don’t give up. Persistence is the key to the publishing world. And pray, pray, pray.

Tell us about the featured book?

Highland Blessings is the story of a highland warrior who kidnaps the daughter of his greatest enemy and clan chief to honor a promise he made to his dying father. Bryce MacPhearson, a highland warrior, kidnaps Akira MacKenzie on her wedding day to honor a promise he made to his dying father. While Akira s strength in the Lord becomes a witness to Bryce, she struggles to overcome her anger and resentment when he forces her to wed him, hoping to end a half-century-old feud between their clans. While Akira begins to forgive, and Bryce learns to trust, a series of murders leaves a trail of unanswered questions, confusion, and a legacy of hate that once again rises between their families. Clearly, a traitor is in their midst. Now the one man Akira loves no longer trusts her, and her own life is in danger. Can Bryce look beyond his pain and seek the truth? Will Akira discover the threat against her before it s too late? How will God turn a simple promise into bountiful Highland blessings?

Please give us the first page of the book.

Scotland, 1463

Cedric MacPhearson knew he was going to die, but he glanced up at the low clouds brewing a new storm and raised a fist, determined he would last until one of his sons found him. The survival of his clan depended upon it. And as ornery and stubborn as he had been all his life, no one would believe he had agreed to a peaceful settlement with the MacKenzies if he died, least of all his sons.

Beads of sweat broke along his brow as he struggled to remain conscious, mentally listing every black deed he had ever committed and then muttering a whispered prayer for each one. As the MacPhearson Chieftain, Cedric’s word had been law and never questioned. He had always thought himself a fair man with a firm ruling hand. Now as he prepared to meet his Maker, he wasn’t so sure. It was imperative that he complete one last goodwill before he closed his eyes forever.

The restless wind twirled faster, rustling the scattered leaves around him. The cool air was a comfort, projecting a feeling of being lifted high and floating away as the pain in his chest faded to numbness. Lightning flashed silently in a series of quicksilver, highlighting a lone rider approaching at top speed.

Rumbling thunder echoed in Cedric’s ears, drowning out the sound of a winded destrier pulled short and his son’s voice calling to him. Cedric’s head was gently lifted into the lad’s lap and tenderly cradled in youthful hands, strong with promise. Bryce, his middle son peered down at him with intelligent, gray eyes full of concern.

“Da! What happened to ye?” He reached over and carefully lifted Cedric’s bloody tunic. Moisture gathered in his gray eyes at the sight of the large sword wound slightly below Cedric’s heart. “Likely, the villain got yer lungs.” His voice sounded like a man, but it shook with desperation. He looked deeply into Cedric’s eyes with painful certainty. “Who did this to ye?”

How can the readers find you on the Internet?

My website is: http://www.jenniferhudsontaylor.com/
My writing blog is: http://jenniferswriting.blogspot.com/
My Celtic blog is: http://carolinascots-irish.blogspot.com/
I’m also on Facebook, Shoutlife, Goodreads, and Shelfari.

Lena, Thank you for this wonderful opportunity to be interviewed on your blog!

Jennifer, I've really enjoyed our time together.

Readers, here's a link to the book. By using this link when you order the book, 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.

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SEASONS IN THE MIST - Deborah Kinnard - Free Book

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

Not as much as some writers, perhaps more than others. All my female main characters seem to turn out shorter than average! Maybe that’s because I have no imagination regarding what it’d be like to be tall.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

Bought myself a dirt-bike motorcycle, enjoyed riding it ‘til I had to sell it to pay college tuition. I can prove I’m a biker chick. I have photos.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I started writing when I was ten, because “Bonanza” had no pre-teen girl with her own pony. I thought this was a crying shame so I grabbed a stub pencil and a spiral notebook and created Vanessa Cartwright, the long lost sister. I haven’t stopped writing since then—so I expect that makes me a writer. I’m still discovering what kind the Lord wants me to be.

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

I read everything from science fact to science fiction, techno-thrillers, historical non-romance, contemporary romance, historical romance (particularly medieval) and the occasional mystery. The only genre I can’t read is horror. It squicks me out.

I agree about horror. What other books have you written, whether published or not?

How long have you got? I have two out of print (POWERLINE and OAKWOOD), three e-books currently available (ANGEL WITH A RAY GUN, ANGEL WITH A BACKHOE, and DAMAGES), and one print book (SEASONS IN THE MIST). I have something like 14 other stories finished, about 4 in progress, a couple languishing and one or two that will never see daylight. Currently I’m working on SEASONS OF RECKONING, a sequel to SEASONS IN THE MIST.

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

Who says I keep my sanity? I call my house “Casa Chaos.” That ought to ring a bell for many readers. I find I need my “down time” increasingly as I get older, and I’m getting more covetous of my prayer time. If I don’t get enough during a typical week, it tends to get still more insane.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

It varies. Sometimes when I start a book, I just “know” the characters, and their names come to me as part of who they are. Sometimes, particularly when I’m writing a historical, I have to dig long and hard for a name that sounds right to me for that person, and is authentic to the time.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Raising my daughters. Both of them know and love the Lord. If ever I lay a crown at His feet, I think that will come first to mind.

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

I’d be a horse, because they look like they’re having fun much of the time. I’ve always loved them.

What is your favorite food?

Dark chocolate, good coffee, artichokes, well-prepared fish. I can’t choose just one!

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

My stories tend to be more character-driven than plot-driven, and I’m a seat of the pants writer. So I never quite know exactly where a story will take itself while writing it. That can be a challenge, when I’m sitting here staring blankly at the keyboard and wondering what happens next. I’ve tried a more structured approach, such as outlining, and find it just doesn’t work. It’s just not my work style. I’m still overcoming it and learning to accept that my style is okay for me.

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

Write early, write often, write what’s in your heart. It’s a learnable skill, but you can’t learn it if you don’t do it.

What would you like to tell us about the featured book?

SEASONS IN THE MIST is a story my heart was begging to tell. A young woman accidentally time-travels from 21st century Cornwall, in England, to that of the 14th century. In the journey she must rediscover both love and faith. I’ve loved this story since the first parts of it came to me, on vacation in Cornwall, and I’m tickled to pieces that it’s out there now for others to enjoy.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I’m at http://www.debkinnard.com/ . My blog’s address is http://www.justtellthestory.blogspot.com/ . I love company!

Thanks, Deb, for the wonderful interview.

Readers, here's a link to the book. By using the link when you order, 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.

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UNWILLING WARRIOR - Andrea Boeshaar - Free Book

I've been looking foward to this interview. Welcome, Andrea. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.


All of my characters have a little bit of me in them. I think writers write primarily what they know – what they’ve experienced and learned – and we can’t help writing from that unique and intimate perspective that makes us who we are.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I don’t think I’m really a quirky person. But my husband reminded me of the time we visited the Upper Peninsula in Michigan and I wanted to swim in Lake Superior. Well, it wasn’t warm enough so I climbed down a steep embankment and put my foot in the ice-cold water just so I could say I was in Lake Superior. :-)

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I knew it in third grade when I wrote my first book called Little Miss Mouse. That desire to create stories and write poems and nonfiction is still there in the heart of me.

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

I’m varied in my reading. I read my Bible (of course). It’s a precious time when God speaks to me through His word. I’m presently reading Trusting God Even When Life Hurts (NavPress) by Jerry Bridges. It’s nonfiction. I also read Christian contemporary and historical romances the last being When Love Blooms (Zondervan) by Robin Lee Hatcher. (LOVED IT!)

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

I’ve been writing and publishing in the Christian market for more than 15 years. My list of publications is lengthy but available on my website http://www.andreaboeshaar.com/

My most recent titles are: Unwilling Warrior (Realms Fiction); Be Still and Let Your Nail Polish Dry (a devotional collection from Summerside Press); Heartland Heroes (Barbour Publishing) and Love Finds You in Miracle, Kentucky (Summerside Press).

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

It’s not easy. When I quit my part-time job last year I thought I would have more leisure time on my hands, but I’m busier than ever. I’ve got some looming writing deadlines, so I try to stay organized. But inevitably my office gets cluttered, the laundry has to be put away, the dust collects on my furniture, and the dishes pile up in the sink. And then just when I think I’ll catch up, I decide to spend the afternoon with the grandkids. So the busyness never ends.

But what I’m learning is that it doesn’t matter what life throws at me. What’s important is my reaction to it. Things get overwhelming when my focus is off the Lord and His goodness.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

A number of different ways. Sometimes I’ll hear a name in conversation, like it, and make a note of it. Other times, I’ll go searching in my character-naming book. But more often than not I will name special characters after actual people in my life. In my story Unwilling Warrior, the hero’s name is Benjamin and that’s my oldest son’s name.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

I’d have to say I’m most proud of my three sons. They are all heroes. They’re tall, good-looking, and successful. But what I’m most proud of is that my “boys” have grown up to become hard working and kind hearted men.

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

I love animals and have a healthy respect for them, but I can’t even imagine if I was one. I just never had the desire to be anything but a person – a princess, actually. Or a queen…yeah, that’s it. A queen!

What is your favorite food?

I go in spurts. This month it’s Oreo cookies.

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

I get hung up in the middle of my stories. The good ol’ “middle muddle,” as I call it. But working with Tracie Peterson (when she oversaw the Heartsong Presents line) helped a lot. Then I attended a conference workshop with authors Susie Warren and Rachel Hauk that was a tremendous blessing to me. So now when I hit my middle muddles I have an easier time of it finding my way out.

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

1) Don’t give up. Writing is a lonely business and trying to get published can be discouraging – and even heartbreaking. Keep at it. Keep abreast of what’s currently being published, particularly books in your genre or field of interest. Attend writers’ conferences. Hone your craft. Most importantly persevere.

2) Don’t rely heavily on a few people’s opinions. I know authors who have been devastated by critique groups or a literary agent’s or editor’s rejection letter. Remember writing is subjective. Some people don’t like mysteries and others do. Some don’t enjoy romances, but many more people love them. If your story is well-crafted and well-written and if you pray and persevere, you will find just the right home for your work.

3) Finally, there are a lot of desperate authors out there who will do almost anything to see their book (and name too) in print. Don’t be one of them.

Tell us about the featured book?

Unwilling Warrior is a historical romance. The War Between the States has Valerie Fontaine frightened about her future. She never suspects she’ll be thrust into the middle of it.

Benjamin McCabe’s got a noble dream of photographing the Civil War – and he never expected to fall in love with a New Orleans socialite.

When Valerie’s father is arrested on charges of treason, Ben secures a way for her to leave the city and travel to his family’s home in Jericho Junction, Missouri, where she’ll be safe.

Can Valerie adjust to life on the prairie and remain true to her promise to wait for Ben no matter what the cost?

You’ll have to read the book and find out. :-)

I intend to. Please give us the first page of the book.

Raindrops splattered against the garden’s cobblestone walkway, forming puddles in low-lying areas.

Above, the heavens seemed to mourn in tearful shades of gray. Staring out the floor-to-ceiling window, Valerie Fontaine realized she’d forgotten the dreariness of the season. She’d been back in New Orleans only a week, arriving Christmas Eve, but now she questioned her decision to leave Miss C. J. Hollingsworth’s Finishing School for Young Ladies, a year-round boarding school in Virginia where she’d studied for the last sixteen months. She let out a long, slow sigh. Life here at home was—well, worse than the weather.

Closing the shutters, she stepped away and hugged her knitted shawl more tightly around her shoulders. She strolled from the solarium to the parlor, steeling herself against her father’s continuing tirade. But at least they were talking now. He hadn’t said more than six words to her since she’d been home.

“You should have stayed at school.” She had thought Father would be glad to see her, given that it was their first Christmas without Mama.

But such wasn’t the case. Instead of spending the holiday with her, he’d been at his gentlemen’s club almost continuously. His actions hurt Valerie deeply. Nevertheless, he was the only family she had left now.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

On my website at: http://www.andreaboeshaar.com/

Thank you, Andrea, for coming by my blog.

Readers, here's a link to the book. By using this link when you order, 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.

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HERO'S RANSOM - Diane & David Munson - 2 Free Books

So glad to have you back, Diane and David. Why do you write the kind of books you do?

Suspense is what we lived and breathed for many years, so we write what we know about. As a federal undercover agent, David assumed the identity of a criminal and associated with criminals knowing that if they realized his true identity, it could be deadly. This resulted in real adrenaline rushes. Diane prosecuted those who broke the law and defended the accused.

From watching or reading the news, it seems as if there is no justice in the world. Though God’s plan is often hard to discern, we’ve both observed mercy and compassion despite rough circumstances. We try to bring to life the men and women who are duty-bound to catch the guilty and see them brought to justice.

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

Each day is fresh and new in Jesus, who is our hope for peace and joy and eternal life in the next. If we had to choose one day, years ago we hiked through Yellowstone, snapped photos of bison and grizzly bears, and stood hand in hand on a winding path at the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. We rejoiced at the stunning creation all around us. It was like a touch of Heaven.

Sounds wonderful. How has being published changed your life?

In our careers, most everything we worked on had to be closely held and protected from public scrutiny. Since we began writing suspense, we reveal as much as possible about the work of our hands without divulging too much. While we enjoy speaking to churches, libraries and at other events, it is challenging getting used to people knowing so much about us. However, as stated in our biographies and on our book covers, we live in an undisclosed location.

What are you reading right now?

David is enjoying the audio version of Tony Dungy’s Uncommon. Diane recently finished Robert Whitlow’s Mountaintop and loved it. She’s in the middle of an old classic, one of Grace Livingston Hill’s many inspirational novels. During Grace’s life, she wrote more than one hundred books and each one is a gem. On our list is David McCullough’s John Adams. The movie series was excellent.

I collected almost all the Grace Livingston Hill's books that came out in paperback. I've since donated them to home schoolers. What is your current work in progress?

Our passion is to infuse our fiction with bits of history. In the next thriller, an earlier character named Wally, who as a “lost boy” survived the horrors of civil war in Sudan, is making a fresh start in America. To his horror, his bride-to-be, Liberty, is forced from her African village into indentured servitude. As Griff Topping and Bo Rider, two of our courageous federal agents, race to find her, they discover what it means to have freedom. The working title is “Redeeming Liberty.”

I'd love to feature the book when it releases. What would be your dream vacation?

Setting out together with our cameras and touring wildlife parks in Africa or Alaska. Either one would be fantastic and a total adventure.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

We interest readers in colorful areas in America and around the world. Many times, we select places where we’ve traveled, such as the Blue Ridge Mountains in Front Royal, Virginia (Confirming Justice), or Kazakhstan (The Camelot Conspiracy). In Hero’s Ransom, we feature Thailand where David spent time on a mission trip. When we worked for the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington D.C., David served on a Congressional fellowship. Of course D.C. power plays percolate throughout our novels. We thrust our characters into the suspense in large cities such as Chicago and in small, quaint towns, such as Chelsea, MI, which is featured in Hero’s Ransom.

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

Diane – Franklin Graham. He reaches out to North Korea, a place we have prayed for, and I would love to talk with him about his trips there. He has an incredible ministry for the Lord. David—Charles Colson, a man who rose to the seat of power and enjoyed all the perks, then to be dishonored and serve prison time, before coming to know God’s love and forgiveness. He must have interesting insights about life.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

We love to hike and snap photographs of wildlife, flowers and the beauty of God’s Earth. We sing in the choir and hop on our bikes for a ride. David gets out on the golf course and Diane enjoys planting flowers and trying new recipes, especially using fresh ingredients. She has started scrapbooking to preserve family memories.

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

Carving our time to write is always a challenge in our busy lives. In between our marketing efforts, and appearing at stores, libraries and churches to speak, we aim to write a certain number of pages or set aside a block of hours each day. It’s not always easy, but watching the words grow on the pages is fun!

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Never give up on what God is leading you to do with your writing. Keep honing your craft and believe in what you are doing, even when a few knocks come your way because they are certain to, as certain as we are that the stars twinkle down on us at night.

Tell us about the featured book?

CIA Agent Bo Rider (The Camelot Conspiracy) and Federal Agents Eva Montanna and Griff Topping (Facing Justice, Confirming Justice, The Camelot Conspiracy) return in Hero’s Ransom, our fourth family-friendly adventure. When archeologist Amber Worthing uncovers a two-thousand-year-old mummy and witnesses a secret rocket launch at a Chinese missile base, she is arrested for espionage. Her imprisonment sparks a custody battle between grandparents over her young son, Lucas. Caught between sinister world powers, Amber’s faith is tested in ways she never dreamed possible. Danger escalates as Bo races to stop China’s killer satellite from destroying America, and with Eva and Griff’s help, to rescue Amber using an unexpected ransom. It features scenes in Chelsea and Ann Arbor, Michigan, CIA headquarters in Langley, VA, New York City, as well as China and Thailand. Readers see up close and personal the political intrigue within government agencies and get an inside look at how our Federal agents risk their lives to keep us safe.

I love that they are written by people who have really been there, not just someone who writes what he or she thinks it's like. Please give us the first page of the book.

In the world of secret agents, it’s hard to tell the truth from lies. On Sunday morning in the sprawling complex in northern Virginia that Insiders fondly called “The Agency,” CIA agent Bo Rider was on a mission to find out which was which.

A Central Intelligence Agency agent for seven years, he’d labored at Langley in the ultra-sensitive National Clandestine Service, contracted malaria in Brazil, paddled in a dug-out canoe on the Nile River, and slept on cold rocks in Afghanistan, all to keep the country safe. But, danger was what he’d signed on for, so instead of enjoying pancakes and sausage with his family, he stepped down the familiar hallway, a grim question on his mind and top-secret file under his arm. He was about to close his office door and delve into the classified matter when a hand grabbed his arm.

Ready to strike an unseen enemy, Bo freed his arm, spinning on his heels.

“Got a minute?” In his black suit, crisp white shirt, and red-striped tie, Director Wilt Kangas exuded power and authority, which never ceased to impress Bo.

No one would guess the man was battling cancer. His unexpected presence in Bo’s office doorway was perplexing. Rarely did Kangas venture from his prestigious executive suite on the top floor to these lower parts where Bo and the other worker bees gathered and analyzed intelligence. Yet, here he was, and Bo dared not refuse to see him. Still, what did Kangas want with him?

The two men stepped inside Bo’s office, exchanging no pleasantries. Bo shut the door and, seconds later, Kangas thrust a jab, one Bo couldn’t parry.

“Rider, have you heard from Solo?”

“Not in a while.” The CIA agent raked a hand through his curly hair. “Frankly, I’m concerned about the lack of contact. Do you know something I don’t?”

Kangas’s ashen face sent dread pulsing through Bo’s veins. The real reason for the sudden visit must be bad news. Kangas was the only person in the CIA besides Bo who knew the identity and importance of Bo’s most valuable intelligence asset, code-named Solo.

His lips set in a tight grimace, Kangas snatched a cell phone from its leather holder, flipping it over in his hands, as if it were a talisman to ward off evil spirits. Bo wondered how Kangas was doing, but this was no time to speculate on his boss’s health.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Please read more about us and our writing at http://www.dianeanddavidmunson.com/ , where you can sign up for our e-mail newsletter, view photos we’ve taken around the country, and see our Q&A about the justice system. We love to hear from our readers, who tell us which character they want to see return.

Thank you for another interesting interview, Diane and David.

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First May 2010 Winners

Casey is the winner of Disaster Status by Candace Calvert.

Michelle Sutton is the winner of Chesapeake Weddings by Cecelia Dowdy.


Melinda Lancaster is the winner of Enjoying True Peace by Stephanie Perry Moore.


Jan Cline is the winner of Finding Jeena by Miralee Ferrell.


Mark is the winner of The Camelot Conspiracy by Diane & David Munson.
 
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We have an exciting lineup for the rest of 2010, including my new book Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico, which releases today. You can view the book trailer by clicking on the Books link at the top of this blog. It's available in both print edition and Kindle edition.