THE WEDDING KISS - Hannah Alexander - Free Book

Our interview today is with Cheryl Hodde, one half of the team that makes up Hannah Alexander. Welcome, Cheryl. Why do you write the kind of books you do? 

When I was writing my first book twenty-seven years ago, it just happened to be a romantic suspense, because that was always my favorite kind of book to read. I realized before the first few pages were completed that without God in the middle of the romance, there would be no worthwhile romance, so I started writing inspirational romantic suspense. Then one day I was working on a medical scene when my pastor surprised me with a blind date, and that date just happened to be Dr. Mel Hodde. We began to corroborate on my medical scene, and I discovered Mel also had an interest in writing. From then on I wrote with Mel’s input, and included medical to the mix.

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

The day Mel finally proposed to me!

How has being published changed your life?

Though I love having my work published, the most important and rewarding part of my job is making friends with other writers. When Christian novelists get together, it’s like a family reunion. We weird folks realize we’re not really that weird, after all, because there are a lot of us, and we discover that God placed a bond between us that will last for eternity.

What are you reading right now?

I’m reading From This Day Forward, by Margaret Daley. It’s an historical romance published by Summerside. Margaret is a fabulous writer!

What is your current work in progress?

 I’m working on a novel entitled Against the Wind, about a woman in 1855 who is chasing down her husband’s killer and trying not to fall in love with the captain of the wagon train she’s traveling with. Fortunately for her, she’s made a lot of friends on the journey, and they come in handy when her life is at stake.

What would be your dream vacation?

I grew up near the ocean and the mountains, and I miss both, living here in Missouri. My dream vacation would feature both—in an isolated cabin at least a mile from the nearest neighbor. Is there a place like that?

If you find it, I would want to rent the cabin after you went home. How do you choose your settings for each book?

Almost all of my novels have been set somewhere in Missouri, most of them imaginary places so I can build the town the way I want it to be. I’m working on a series now set in a real place, with imaginary citizens, buildings, grocery stores, churches, and clinics. It’s a beautiful little park called Jolly Mill, which was once called the Village of Jollification, and was a popular stopping place for travelers in the 1800s. I’m setting Against the Wind there now, using a cave that was once rumored to extend seven miles to a town called Monett. I love to play in caves.

I know you do. I’ve loved reading some of your books with caves in them. If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?

I’ve love to spend a long evening with my husband, just the two of us, maybe eating king crab and stuffed potato peels, talking long into the night, with no deadlines or telephone calls or job to go to the next morning. An evening of peace and quiet together would be wonderful.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I’ve been an avid hiker most of my life. I’ve hiked into the Grand Canyon a few times, and have hiked in the Mark Twain National Forest in Missouri hundreds of times. I love to walk along a sandy beach and feed the birds. I guess walking is my favorite hobby. It’s where I draw closest to God and His creation.

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

As with many other novelists, my most difficult obstacle is writing the first draft, because I constantly edit myself. A friend of mine, Lissa Halls Johnson, joined me in a week-long retreat a couple of years ago, and we both broke through the wall by doing timed writing, thirty minutes at sitting, and then reading them to each other and discovering our first drafts weren’t as bad as we’d thought they would be.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Read excellent writing by a favorite novelist, and read a book about novel writing, all the time you’re writing your own work. That doesn’t necessarily work for everyone, but it worked for me. Get the basics down and learn the craft and learn to edit your own writing until it’s perfect. Then and only then should you begin to market your work. I wrote for fourteen years, and I had thirteen novels under my belt before I sold my first novel. The others sold after that, but I was glad I’d learned how to master my craft before it went out into the world.

Tell us about the featured book. 

The Wedding Kiss is a romantic suspense set in 1901 about Keara McBride, whose father was tricked into gambling away her only home, and then was thrown into jail for murder. In desperation, she asks her neighbor, Elam Jensen—the widower of her best friend—to marry her so she can help care for the children. All goes well until their first kiss during the wedding ceremony, before a full church auditorium, when they discover the effects of the kiss.

Life becomes even more complicated when they ride home to find the sister of Elam’s late wife lying unconscious on the front porch. And she’s been shot. And she’s been stalked halfway across the country by her husband’s killer. As things heat up around the Jensen house, love grows between Elam and Keara. They learn to work together to save his sister-in-law, their neighbors, and a whole tribe of people targeted for death.

Sounds like a book I can’t wait to read. Please give us the first page of the book.

Chapter 1

A meadowlark’s song lingered in the chilly spring air as Keara McBride’s boots squished through a wet field of new wheat. She tried to let the song soothe her and the warm sunlight take the chill from her bones, but the beauty that seldom failed to settle her heart was failing today. Betrayal and shock and rage warred within her with such force that they nearly outshouted the fear that trembled deep into her bones.

These past two years since Ma’s death, Keara had defended her grieving pa’s antics to anyone who complained, but if Brute McBride was standing in front of her right now, she’d blast him with more words than any of the neighbors had ever dared speak to her against her bullheaded father.

The perfume of honeysuckle reached her, but she didn’t turn to enjoy its beauty along the split-rail fence today as she usually did. The splash and roar of White River filled her heart, loud and fast after the rains, like the storm that had whipped up inside her when she discovered how much she had lost, and what she must do to survive. All because of Pa.

She loved this land whittled from the forest around it by hard, backbreaking labor. The nearby resort city of Eureka Springs, with its gardens, healing springs, and steep, winding hillside streets, could not compare to the beauty of this Arkansas countryside. The thought of living and working there away from the ones she loved made her shiver, but if this plan didn’t work, what choice would she have?

Stepping over the rise with legs that felt shaky, she saw the peaked roof of her neighbor’s home. Smoke drifted from two of the three chimneys. She stopped, and for a moment she couldn’t catch her breath. The sky appeared to blacken with clouds, but there were no clouds, only blue that stretched from the ridge of hills in the east all the way to the end of the world in the west.

The end of the world…of her world.

Bite the bullet, Keara.

She marched like a soldier down the rise through White River Hollow, her gaze set on the big house, painted like a brilliant butterfly, its multiple colors chosen with care, its gingerbread trim carved by the hands of a man who’d willingly indulged his wife’s whimsy. It was put together strong to last, like the man who’d built it, with the help of his relatives and other neighbors who lived comfortably spaced from one another along the hollow.

A porch, gilded with yellow and lavender railings, skirted the front and east side of the house, and a kitchen garden greened the yard where the rock fence protected the crop from many rooting and foraging animals.

Eight-year-old Britte and six-year-old Rolfe were proud of the garden they had helped Keara plant. She could close her eyes and see their beautiful faces—Britte so much like her mother, and Rolfe like his father. Thoughts of them gave her strength to keep walking. This was for Gloria’s children. Keara inhaled the scent of the fruit tree blossoms in the orchard as she drew near, the pink and white blooms looking like pastel clouds. Her mouth usually watered when she thought about the peaches and apples, plums, and pears that would come from those trees—some of which still had not reached full bloom. Today her mouth tasted of dust.

She looked for signs of the children in the yard or playing under the trees. No one was in sight.

By the time Keara stepped up to the broad porch, she was winded and shaking, and not from the half-mile walk. She rang the cowbell Elam had hung next to the door for Gloria. The clanging echoed in her ears.

After a moment the wooden door with navy and sky-blue trim opened and Elam’s tall, strong frame filled the doorway. His familiar dark brown eyes lit with welcome, but he was also obviously surprised.

“Keara?”

She caught her breath, but the steadiness of his voice calmed her. She had come to know Elam Jensen well over the winter—knew the burden he carried after Gloria’s gruesome death late last summer.

Now I know I must read it. How can readers find you on the Internet?

Visit us at our website www.hannahalexander.com

Thanks so much for this, Lena. It’s been fun!


Likewise, visiting with you is a great pleasure, Cheryl.


Readers, here's a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.
The Wedding Kiss


Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)


Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

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HIS STEADFAST LOVE - Golden Keyes Parsons - Free Book

What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about?

That God is faithful, and he will make a way if we trust him. This seems to be the pre-dominate theme of all my books.

Another issue that comes up nearly every time I speak at a conference or retreat is forgiveness and bitterness. I think it is a concern with most everyone, but particularly women. We get hurt so easily, and when we bury those wounds, they turn into bitterness. I find that my characters have to work through that as well.

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

I had to think about this one. I think I’d like to spend an evening with Billy Graham. I so respect his unwavering focus on remaining faithful to God’s call on his life and his uprightness in doing so.

I know you said “one contemporary person,” but, if you’d indulge me, I’d like also to mention George W Bush. You know we live not too far from his ranch here in Texas, and see the helicopters flying over when they come to Crawford. I didn’t agree with everything he said or did as president, but I trusted him—his character and integrity.

I agree with you about both of those men. A powerful leader is one who can make the hard decisions and stand by their convictions. What historical person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why?

I’d like to meet Abraham Lincoln. In doing the research for this latest book, set during the Civil War in Texas, I was amazed at the moral fiber, courage, and integrity of our 16^th president. The hand of God was definitely on the man. Some of the unpopular decisions that he had the grit to make against all odds probably saved our nation.

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

I know how discouraging that is. I have a box full of rejections. It took me ten years to get my first book published.

But don’t give up. Soak up everything you can from other writers. Go to writers conferences and take the workshops. Keep submitting. Get in a good critique group. Learn from them. I have a quote above my desk that says, “A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit.” (Richard Bach). In God’s time it will happen.

Tell us about the featured book.

We are so excited about this book. It deals with a thoroughly Southern family who lives on the Texas Gulf coast during the Civil War. The heroine, Amanda Belle, questions the goodness and faithfulness of her pastor father’s God as she experiences the horrors and deprivation of the division of the nation, and is torn between loyalty to her family and her love for a Union officer.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Note: This scene takes place before Texas secedes from the Union when Federal troops were stationed on the frontier.

CHAPTER ONE – September 1860

My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side.

Abraham Lincoln

Sweet, gooey peach pie filling stuck to her fingers. Amanda Irene Belle turned her back on the table laden with pies and licked her index finger.

A husky voice interrupted her surreptitious snack. “Which pie do you recommend? They all look tasty.”

Startled, she looked into a pair of blue eyes as clear as a cloudless Texas sky.

She cleared her throat and bobbed a curtsey. “I’m afraid you have observed me being rather impolite. Please excuse my bad manners.” Ignoring the heat rising in her cheeks, she waved her hand over the desserts lined up on long tables covered in calico tablecloths under the blooming magnolia trees. The special offerings of the ladies from the congregation dotted the tables—and each woman watched eagerly to see which platters and baskets emptied first. A young slave stood at each end of the table lazily waving a palm fan to keep the flies away.

 “Our Elsie baked the chess pie, and it is a favorite. So you are fortunate that there is still a piece left—if you like chess pie, that is, Lieutenant.”

He grinned. “I don’t blame you for sampling the goods. I don’t know that I could have resisted either. And it’s Captain.”

Flustered, she flicked open her fan. “Oh my soul. I’m sorry. I’m not very conversant with military ranks.”

“Give it no mind.” Pointing to the chess pie, “That must be a southern dish. I’ve never tried it, but upon your recommendation, I’m happy to indulge.” He held his plate toward her, and she lifted a sugary, buttery slice of the chess pie onto his already full plate. “This is such a treat for my men—to sit down to home cooking. Thank you for your hospitality.”

How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.goldenkeyesparsons.com  Thanks, Lena!


It's my pleasure to welcome you here again, Golden.


Readers, here's a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.
His Steadfast Love (Darkness to Light)


Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Feedblitz, Facebook, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link.
Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

LAKESIDE REUNION - Lisa Jordan - Free Book

Bio: Heart, home and faith have always been important to Lisa Jordan, so writing stories that feature those comes naturally to her. She has been writing contemporary Christian romance for more than a decade. Her debut novel, Lakeside Reunion, will be released in November by Love Inspired. Her second novel, Lakeside Family, will be released in August 2012 by Love Inspired. Happily married for over twenty years, Lisa and her husband have two young adult sons. When she isn’t writing or caring for children in her in-home childcare business, Lisa enjoys family time, romantic comedies, good books, crafting with friends and feeding her NCIS addiction. Visit her at www.lisajordanbooks.com to learn more about her writing.

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

I’m not exactly sure how much of myself is written into the books. When my characters go through trials, I try to think about how I reacted in those situations and draw on the attached emotions to write a scene that will resonate with readers.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I wanted to write when I was 16, but I realized I could be a writer when I completed the rough draft of a novel during Nanowrimo almost a decade ago.

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

I love contemporary romances, romantic suspense, women’s fiction. I love happily ever after endings and stories that fill me with hope.

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

I’ve lost my sanity a long time ago. J Having a supportive family and taking time out for myself helps me to stay focused when I need to be.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

I created Lindsey and Stephen so long ago that I’m not really sure where their names came from. Lindsey’s original name was Ivy, but I couldn’t get the character to open up, so I changed her name. I like to check meanings of names, too and make sure they fit the character.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

So hard to say—I’m proud of my young adult men for being kind and respectful. I graduated college at the age of 40. Publishing my first book at 42 was fun too.

What is your favorite food?

Lasagna. Mashed potatoes. My mom’s stuffed pork chops. Hubby’s rotisserie chicken.

Tell us a little about your journey to publication.

I wanted to write since I was 16, but didn’t become serious until just over a decade ago. I spent years working on my craft, and then finaled in the 2009 Genesis contest. In 2010, I signed with Rachelle Gardner, who submitted my manuscript to Love Inspired. I received “the call” in January. Lakeside Reunion was released on November 1. Lakeside Family, my second book, will be released in August 2012.

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

I struggled with flat characters, but Susan May Warren and Rachel Hauck taught me how to get to the core of my characters’ motivations.

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

Allow God to guide your steps, believe in yourself and the talents God has given you, listen to the experts, but find your own voice, and don’t rush to get published. 

Tell us about the featured book.

Lakeside Reunion: Bed-and-breakfast owner Lindsey Porter prays she won’t run into Stephen Chase when she returns to Shelby Lake. Five years ago, the cop jilted her to marry another woman, and Lindsey fled town. But no sooner does she hit city limits than Stephen pulls her over for a broken taillight. Despite the past, he’s still able to stir up Lindsey’s old feelings for him. Now a widower and single dad, Stephen recognizes a second chance when he sees one. And he’ll do anything to make Lindsey trust in God and take a risk for love—again. Read an excerpt of Lakeside Reunion

Please give us the first page of the book.

Any moment now, Lindsey could put the car in Drive, touch the gas pedal, drive past the green-etched Welcome to Shelby Lake sign and return to her past. Another hundred feet and she would be back.

Visitors traveled to the northwestern Pennsylvania lake-front community to get away. She escaped to put her life back together.

Center Street unfurled like black satin ribbon under a canopy of evergreens and multicolored maples and oaks that would take her right down memory lane. Past the elementary school where Mom taught kindergarten. Past Aunt Claire's sewing shop. Past Mrs. Lawson's pink-sided house with the plastic yard goose she dressed each holiday. Past the church where Lindsey almost said "I do."

Mom, why did you have to fall down the stairs?

Lindsey gripped the steering wheel, pressing her forehead against the powder-blue fuzzy cover. Maybe banging her head against it would knock some sense into her brain. She'd made promises that never, ever, not in a thousand years would she return to Shelby Lake.

But promises didn't account for widowed mothers who might slip on a dirty sock on the stairs to the laundry room.

Next to her, on the seat of her friend's borrowed Taurus, her cell phone chimed. She read the display. Perfect—Granddad checking in. He probably expected her to hedge at the city limits, weighing the pros and cons.

Like for the past half hour.

She answered the call. "I'm on my way, really."

"No doubt in my mind, sweetness. Your mama's been taken to X-ray. She's asking for that quilt—you know, the one with all those circles—off the recliner near the davenport. Could you pick it up on your way?" Granddad's voice betrayed an edge of stress—playing family watchdog for the past five years whittled any visible panic from his voice. "Can you hurry?"

"Yes…sure. I'll be there in about twenty minutes or so." She ended the conversation and clenched the phone.

Quilt with circles, Granddad had said. The wedding ring quilt on the recliner near the couch. Dad's recliner. Closing her eyes, she could picture him sitting there—feet crossed at the ankles, hands tucked behind his head. An ache pinched her chest. But she would do it. For Mom.

She imagined her mother, fragile, her eyes wide with pain, maybe even fear as she lay puddled at the bottom of the stairs, or trying to drag her broken body toward a phone. If Lindsey hadn't swept the Shelby Lake dust off her feet, she might have been there. Might have heard her cry out. Or rather, might have been the one carrying the laundry downstairs.

She glanced at the sign again and released a loud sigh. Okay, so the town had fewer than five thousand people. Entering city limits didn't guarantee she'd see him. Or his son. Or run smack into the humiliation of being left at the altar.

It felt that way. Come on, who calls off a wedding a week before the big day?

Wow! Interesting. How can the readers find you on the Internet?

Email: lisa@lisajordanbooks.com

Website: www.lisajordanbooks.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/lisajordan

Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorLisaJordan

My Book Therapy: http://mybooktherapy.ning.com/profile/LisaJordan

I blog at MBT Ponderers: www.mbtponderers.blogspot.com

I blog at WordServe Water Cooler: www.wordservewatercooler.com

Thank you, Lisa, for spending this time with us.

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

Lakeside Reunion (Love Inspired)


Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Feedblitz, Facebook, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link.
Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

THE LONER'S THANKSGIVING WISH - Roxanne Rustand - Free Book

As an author, I know it takes a lot of people to birth each book. Who were the people involved in the birthing of this book, and what were their contributions?

The Loner's Thanksgiving Wish is the fifth book in the Rocky Mountain Heirs series.  Though a reader could read any one of the books alone and enjoy a good story, the best part of such a series is being able to re-visit favorite characters from this small ranching community. There are some loose ends purposely left unanswered in each book, so the extra fun can be trying to figure out those answers while on the way to reading the following books.

As you can imagine, six different authors writing their own story, while needing to coordinate every minor detail of the town and the cast of local characters who pop up here and there, means there needs to be a lot of communication between those authors.  Readers are smart, and will notice if the police station is suddenly on a different street, someone is pregnant for a year, if there's a change in the color of someone's eyes, or a character's personality radically changes!  J

The other five authors in this series--Linda Goodnight, Arlene James, Carolyne Aarsen, Lenora Worth and Kathryn Springer--are wonderful writers, and they were incredibly helpful. I think the e-mails we all exchanged might fill enough pages for another book!

                        

If you teach or speak. What’s coming up on your calendar?

I'm on three workshop panels at the RT Convention in Chicago this coming April--two on writing inspirational fiction, and one on writing suspense.

If the workshop is accepted, I'll also be speaking at the RWA national conference in Anaheim in July.  Authors Cindy Gerard, Kylie Brant and I usually give a workshop at RWA, and we have a ball.  Cindy and Kylie are very entertaining speakers!

If you had to completely start over in another place, where would you move, and why?

I adore pine forests, mountains, and being near water.  Alaska is so gorgeous, I think I might move north!

My husband spent about 15 months in Alaska before we met. He’s always said he’d take me there, but after almost 47 years together, who knows. If you could only tell aspiring novelists one thing, what would it be?

I would tell them to work hard, gladly accept critiques and contest scores to help assess and improve their craft, and never give up.  Oops--that's more than one thing, I guess. But the last part--having the grit and determination to keep trying--is just so important.  I know too many people who had the sheer talent to be very successful, but not the motivation.

You’ve been asked to be in charge of a celebrity cruise. Who would you ask to take part, and why? (AS in what program, singers, etc. [it doesn’t have to be writing related])

We've been on a half-dozen cruises, but none were as much fun for me as a recent cruise I was on with several dozen writers.  It was a blast!  So if I were to be in charge of planning a cruise, I would love to have every passenger be a writer, a reader, or someone from the publishing industry, with lots of opportunity for interaction.

Tell us about the featured book? 

Here is the back cover blurb.

THE LONER'S THANKSGIVING WISH

Adopted as a baby, Mei Clayton never felt like she belonged in her family. She left tiny Clayton, Colorado, the moment she could. Now, to fulfill the terms of a will, she must move home for a year. But when she reunites with handsome Jack McCord—the mountain-rescue expert she once secretly loved—she has to keep her distance. Their relatives have feuded for years. She'll never fit in with the Claytons if she gives in to her feelings for Jack. Unless faith and love can help open hearts in time for Thanksgiving.

I know I’ll love this story. Please give us the first page of the book.

CHAPTER 1

         Mei Clayton veered off the trail near the summit of Belle's Peak, found the edge of the cliff where she'd often picnicked as a teenager, and surveyed the panorama of rugged ranching country below.

 

To the west, shadowed by the massive, snowy peaks of the Rocky Mountains, lay the distant, rustic cowboy town of Clayton, Colorado.  Her hometown, named after a great grandfather she'd never met.  The last place she wanted to be today, tomorrow or ever.

Especially for an entire, interminable year, though that's exactly what she had to do, thanks to a stipulation in her Grandpa George's will.

 

She would stay a year--but not one day more.

Mei and each of her five cousins all had to comply, or none would receive a single penny.  And though Mei would have preferred to continue teaching in San Francisco, she just couldn't let the others lose out on the inheritance some of them badly needed.

         Delaying her inevitable, awkward arrival, she'd parked along the highway to hike one of the easier trails in this part of the Rockies, just to savor one of the good memories she'd kept close to her heart during her years away.

 

Yet even up here, she hadn't found a sense of solitude and peace. The snow-dusted trail offered an easy climb and breath-taking vistas, and she'd already run into several other local hikers taking advantage of the unseasonably warm sunshine for the first weekend of November.

She'd hoped to do a little climbing and had brought her gear in a backpack.  But the snow was deeper at this higher elevation, and she needed to turn back. Get in her car.  And face her return to the town she'd so desperately wanted to leave as a teen.

 

Though it was her impending conversation with her widowed mother that truly had her stomach tying itself it a tight knot.

Where can we find you on the Internet?

www.roxannerustand.com   (website, and The All Creatures Great and Small blog)

http://twitter.com/RoxanneRustand

http://www.facebook.com/roxanne.rustand

Roxanne, thank you for sharing this book with us.

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

The Loner's Thanksgiving Wish (Love Inspired)


Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Feedblitz, Facebook, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link.
Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

First November Winners!!!

Samantha (MI) is the winner of Bandit's Hope by Marcia Gruver.
Baker's Dozen (CA) is the winner of Lost in Dreams + Misic CD by Roger Bruner.
Pam K (KS) is the winner of Baby, It's Cold Outside by Susan May Warren.
Faye (SD) is the winner of Torrent by Lisa Tawn Bergren.
Kim (NY) is the winner of The Wonder of Your Love by Beth Wiseman.
Maggie (IN) is the winner of Remembering Christmas by Dan Walsh.

If you won a book and you really like it, consider giving the author the courtesy of writing a review on Goodreads, Amazon.com, Christianbooks.com, Barnes and Noble, or other Internet sites. 

Also, tell your friends about the book and this blog. Thank you.

Congratulations, everyone. Send me your mailing address:
Click the Contact Me link at the top of the blog, and send me an Email.
When you contact me, please give the title of the book you won, so I won't have to look it up.

Remember, you have 4 weeks to claim your book.

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A LASTING IMPRESSION - Tamera Alexander - Free Book + Much More

The post today will be a little different from usual.

About Tamera Alexander

Tamera Alexander is a best-selling novelist whose deeply drawn characters, thought-provoking plots, and poignant prose resonate with readers. Having lived in Colorado for seventeen years, she and her husband now make their home in Nashville Tennessee, along with their two adult children who live near by. And don't forget Jack, their precious--and precocious--silky terrier.

Tell us about your walk with Christ.

I came to Christ as a teenager and asked him to be not only my Savior, but Lord of my life. I didn’t begin to understand the true cost of discipleship and what “taking up your cross daily and following me” meant until later in life, and I’m still learning. I’m so grateful that Jesus never changes––not yesterday, or today, or tomorrow. He’s always the same. Rock solid. Dependable. Trustworthy. Lavish in grace. But that grace isn’t cheap. He loves me far too much to leave me where I am. The roads that God chooses for me are rarely the ones I’d choose for myself, but with the Holy Spirit’s guidance, and by following in Christ’s steps, I trust him to lead me every step of the way. And something I’ve learned…every step changes the view!

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

C. S. Lewis…because his perspective and writings on this life and the next have long captivated me. Laura Ingalls Wilder…so I could thank her for first igniting my love for story and for the hours I spent with her family on the prairie. Kahlil Gibran, author of The Prophet…for first opening my eyes to the immense beauty and artistry of words (and my thanks to my seventh grade teacher, Debra Ackey, for the gift of that book). Finally, I’d invite Luke, the writer of the Book of Acts in the Bible, because I’m currently in Bible Study Fellowship and we’re reading one of “Luke’s books!” I’d love to know the “behind the scenes details” of some of the events he recorded, and thank him for faithfully penning the historical account of the early church.

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

I used to speak publicly far more than I do now. I’m currently contracted for several books and they all have back-to-back deadlines, so I’ve had to greatly limit my number of speaking engagements. But I do love to talk and visit with readers. In fact, just tonight I Skyped with a book club in Atlanta and we had such fun! For more information on virtual book club meetings, visit www.tameraalexander.com.

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

I’m not sure it’s the most embarrassing thing but right now––as I’m typing this––I’m still feeling sick to my stomach over something that happened earlier today. I forgot a luncheon I was supposed to attend. Flat forgot it. It was on my iCal, plain as day, but I failed to set a reminder alarm with the event and this morning I got bogged down in planning details for upcoming projects, emails were flying back and forth, and I totally spaced the appointment.

Cringe.

The woman who invited me (and who paid for my ticket) very kindly emailed afterward to make sure I was all right, and when I read her note on my laptop, my heart dropped like a stone. I hadn’t forgotten something like that in a long time. How embarrassing. I immediately called and apologized, profusely. She was very gracious and understanding. But oh…embarrassing just doesn’t describe it.

We all make mistakes, and as hard as we try not to, we all let others down from time to time. Still, you hate when it happens. I’ve found it’s best just to admit your mistake and ask for forgiveness. Then learn from your mistake and put measures into place to decrease the likelihood of it happening again. Then go eat a piece of Weight Watchers Peanut Butter Pie that you keep in the freezer for such moments as these.

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 always try to encourage them and then also ask, “What are you willing to give up so you can accomplish that goal? What price are you willing to pay to learn the craft?” There’s a cost inherent in learning anything and especially in learning to do it well. Writing is no exception. I tell them about American Christian Fiction Writers (www.acfw.com). It’s THE single best resource for writers who aspire to write stories for the Christian market. Then I point them to my list of favorite writing resources:

•     The Moral Premise by Stan Williams 

•     Stein on Writing by Sol Stein

•     How to Grow a Novel by Sol Stein 

•     Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell

•     Getting Into Character by Brandilyn Collins

•     Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass

•     Word Painting by Rebecca McClanahan

•     Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave

•     Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

Tell us about the featured book, A Lasting Impression, a Belmont Mansion novel.

When I first stepped foot across the threshold of the Belmont Mansion in Nashville, TN, and learned about Adelicia Acklen––the born-before-her-time woman who built Belmont––and her “tough as nails” personality and extraordinary life, I knew I wanted to write a story that included her, her magnificent home, and this crucial time in our nation’s history.

But when I “met” Sutton Monroe and Claire Laurent while visiting the mansion one afternoon, or more rightly, when they shoved their way into my imagination and met each other, I knew I had to write their story. And I knew exactly what the setting would be too. The historic Belmont Mansion. After over two years of research and writing, A Lasting Impression is the culmination of that “chance meeting.”

A Lasting Impression is about being authentic in one’s life and relationships, and in one’s faith. It’s a love story about a nation mending after war, ­­the redemption of those wounded, and the courage of a man and woman to see themselves––and each other––for who they really are.

Please give us the first page of the book.

A Lasting Impression

Chapter 1

Claire Laurent studied the finished canvas on the easel before her, and though masterpiece hardly described it, she knew the painting was her best yet. So why the disappointment inside her? The fiendish fraudulence trickling its way through her like tiny beads of sweat beneath layers of crinoline and lace. She ran a hand through her curls and dropped the soiled paintbrush into a cup of turpentine, full well knowing why. And knowing only deepened her guilt.

Her gaze fell to the lower right­hand corner of the canvas, the one reserved for the artist’s signature. She hadn’t yet been able to bring herself to sign this one. Not with that name. Because of all the landscapes and still lifes and portraits she’d painted, none had truly felt like hers . . .

Until this one.

A breeze, moist and swollen, heavy with the certainty of rain, wafted in through the open second­story window, and she peered from her bedroom over the town, breathing in the tang of salty air moving in from the gulf. She viewed the Vieux Carré below, the Old Square she’d painted so many times she could close her eyes and still see every detail—the rows of pastel­colored buildings clustered together and edging the narrow streets, their balconies of decorative black cast iron boasting hanging baskets that cascaded with late summer blooms. The combination lent a charm and beauty unique to this part of the city.

No wonder she’d fallen in love with New Orleans so quickly, despite the hardship of recent months.

The steady tick-tick-tick of the clock on the mantel marked the seconds, and she released her breath with practiced ease. She rose from her stool and stretched, paying the toll for retiring so late in recent evenings and for rising so early, but there was no avoiding it. This painting had taken longer to complete than she’d estimated.

Much longer, as her father kept reminding her.

Almost half past two, and she needed to “take leave of the gal­ lery no later than three,” as her father had insisted. She knew she shouldn’t allow his request to bother her. It wasn’t the first time he’d demanded she leave while he “conferred” with gallery patrons. And it wasn’t as if she didn’t know what he was doing during that time. What they did as a family business.

Read a full two chapter excerpt here:

http://www.tameraalexander.com/cmsdocuments/Alexander_LastingImpression_Ch1&2.pdf

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Author Website:        www.tameraalexander.com

Author Blog:             www.tameraalexander.blogspot.com

Author Facebook:     http://www.facebook.com/tamera.alexander

Author Twitter:         http://twitter.com/tameraalexander

Tamera and her publisher, Bethany House, are hosting A Lasting Impression Kindle Fire Giveaway a Southern-Style Facebook party with a TON of Giveaways!

A Lasting Impression Giveaways and Facebook Party!

Beginning November 4th, Tamera's celebrating the release of her novel with a KINDLE FIRE Giveaway. Then on November 15th she'll be wrapping up the release of A Lasting Impression with a lavish Southern-Style Author Chat Party on Facebook!

Kindle Fire Giveaway and Facebook Party from Tamera Alexander! While Tamera and her book,  A Lasting Impression, are traveling across the country virtually (with a few international stops as well!), she will be hosting a Kindle Fire Giveaway (11/4 - 11/15) and preparing for a lavish Southern-Style Facebook Party (11/15) (dripping with hospitality, of course). She will be giving away Southern Food Baskets, books, and an array of other fabulous freebies! Don't miss a minute of the fun. Swoon!

Read what the reviewers are saying here.

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A Brand New Kindle Fire (shipped as soon as it releases)
• A copy of A Lasting Impression and 3 other special books Tamera wants you to have (for Kindle)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on November 15th. Winner will be announced at A Lasting Impression Facebook Party on the 15th. Tamera will be wrapping up the A Lasting Impression celebration with an author chat and giving away Southern Food Baskets (Loveless Cafe Food Baskets, books, Amazon & Starbucks gift certificates, and copies of Christy Jordan's Southern Plate cookbook), six gift certificates to Starbucks and Amazon.com, and copies of A Lasting Impression! So grab your copy of A Lasting Impression (it's okay if you don't have one yet- you might win one!) and join Tamera on the evening of November 15th for an author chat, a trivia contest (How much do you know about the 1860's?) and lots of Southern-inspired giveaways (complete listing here).

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER. Hope to see you on the 15th!

Here's a link to the complete blog tour schedule: http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/text/13436980

In addition to that, one reader will receive a free copy of the book on this blog.


Thank you, Tamera, for the fun interview.

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

Lasting Impression, A (A Belmont Mansion Novel)

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Feedblitz, Facebook, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link.
Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

A SOUND AMONG THE TREES - Susan Meissner - Free Book

Welcome back, Susan. I love your head shot. Why do you write the kind of books you do?

I like to write about the depths of human relationships. All of our best and worst intentions seem to come out in our closest human relationships. I have this quote by Cecil Day Lewis on my website that goes like this: “We write not to be understood, but to understand.” I think that’s most of the reason I write about human relationships; to understand how we tick and how we are created in God’ image and how much can be changed when we allow God to make us more like Him.

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

This is a hard question to answer! The day I married my husband and each of the four days our children were born are all at the top of that list. I can’t imagine life without these five people.

How has being published changed your life?

Being published certainly has given me the exposure to explore in writing everything I observe from life. It has made my life fuller and busier, and it has tempered me. Getting published is really a small part of the writing life. Publication increases your ability to reach people with what you write but it doesn’t complete your writing life. You do that when you keep writing and keep writing and keep writing.

What are you reading right now?

I just finished Sandra Byrd’s To Die For, a novel centered on the friendship of a young English woman and Anne Boleyn. A tragic story, but interestingly told. Sandra is a fabulous writer.

What is your current work in progress?

I am putting the finishing touches on a book called The Girl in the Glass which will release this time next year. This book is set partially in Southern California and partially in Florence, Italy. My main character heads to Florence for some complicated reasons and while there she becomes friends with a woman who claims she is the last Medici and that she can hear Florence’s amazing statues and paintings talking to her. . .

What would be your dream vacation?

I want to go to Greece and spend two weeks touring the islands!

How do you choose your settings for each book?

I usually find the setting within the idea for the book. When I come across a premise for a story I consider where it could be told best. Sometimes you can tell the same story in any number of locations but that’s not always the case. With A Sound Among the Trees, with overtones of The Civil War running through it, I knew I needed a southern state to set it in.

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 that evening with New Zealand author Kate Morton. She writes such compelling fiction. I am always inspired to write with more excellence after I’ve read one of her books. I’d like to ask her where her ideas come from, how she refills her idea well, how she plots her books, if she outlines or not, where her motivation springs from. I have her latest book, The Distant Hours, on my bedside table and I can’t wait to get to it.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I love to be outdoors, and I love spending time with my family. Meal times, whether I cook or we go out are also times that are special to me so we choose restaurants for memory value, not just the menu. We like independent restaurants and I guess you could say we are all coffee snobs. I also love to travel. Love it.

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

The more I write the more I need a way of refreshing my mind and soul for the next book. Sometimes it feels like I have used up all the good words and there aren’t any left. Reading great books reminds me that there are plenty of ways left to tell a story!

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Keep writing in anonymity. Every day that you write you are becoming a better writer. Surround yourself with good books, books that inspire you and challenge you. Find at least one seasoned writer to mentor you or take a class on creative writing to help you identify bad habits that might hold you back. Writing is re-writing so learn to hold your words with an open hand. And then keep writing.

I love your cover, too. Tell us about the featured book.

For 150 years, Holly Oak has stood the passing of time and wills on a historic Fredericksburg street and it has the Civil War scars to prove it. Marielle Bishop marries into the family and its multi-generational ties to the house, leaving behind her independence and her love of Arizona’s deserts to become a wife and stepmother. 

But it isn’t long before Marielle is led to believe that the house she just settled into brings trouble and misfortune to the women who live there. Local folklore has it that Susannah Page, a spy for the North who secretly aided Union soldiers, haunts Holly Oak - longing for pardon.

When Susannah’s great-granddaughter Adelaide McClane tells her that the house is “stuck” because of its tumultuous past, Marielle determines to get past the rumors and uncover the secrets that are buried within its walls. With Adelaide’s richly peppered superstitions and deep family roots at stake, Marielle must carve out her new life carefully as she sorts out the truth and makes peace with the sacrifices she has made for love. 

Please give us the first page of the book.

Here’s the link to the excerpt:

http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?isbn=9780307458865&view=excerpt

How can readers find you on the Internet?

They can find me at www.susanmeissner.com and http://www.susanmeissner.blogspot.com/

And on Facebook and Twitter at @SusanMeissner.

Thank you, Susan, for the interesting peek into your life.

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

A Sound Among the Trees: A Novel


Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Feedblitz, Facebook, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link.
Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com