WINNERS!!!

Judy (IN) is the winner of Growing Up Ziglar by Julie Ziglar Norman.
Lady Dragonkeeper (HI) is the winner of Chameleon by Jillian Kent.
Amy Campbell (AL)  is the winner of Spring Hope from Martha Rogers. 
Patty (SC) is the winner of Frantic by Mike Dellosso.
Kaz (NY) is the winner of Love Finds You in Daisy Oklahoma by Janice Hanna.
Ladette Kerr (GA) is the winner of Lady and the Sea by Sharon Leaf.

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.

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.

GLAMOROUS ILLUSIONS - Lisa T Bergren - One Free Book Here and Much More

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

I’ve been a Christian as long as I can remember; I’ve always loved God. But I made a significant turn from a very bad path post-college, when I was bartending and a ski bum. God used a couple of Frank Peretti novels and my old Michael W. Smith albums to reach me—to remind me how far I’d wandered, and how close he wanted me to be. Face-down on that apartment’s awful shag carpet, I wept out of regret and then out of joy as he entered, and called me to a new life. I went from there to Israel and Egypt and came home, knowing I wanted to serve in the industry that had changed my life: Christian publishing and music. That was 22 years ago!

God is so good to come to us where we are and call us to Himself. You’re planning a writing retreat where you can only have four other authors. Who would they be and why?

Angela Hunt: Total craftswoman who has been after it for years.

James Scott Bell: Craftsman, and he’s funny too.

Trisha Goyer: She’s so versatile; she’s published a lot of varied books and has a good instinct for what might be hot, next.

Robin Gunn: I love her heart and would love to listen to her do devotions.

I love all four of those authors, too. I’d want to be a retreat crasher on that one. Do you have a speaking ministry? If so, tell us about that.

I speak only once or twice a year. I prefer to write than stand up in front of people. But I’m finally over the fear that made it impossible, once.

Where are the three most unique places you’ve been?

#1 Inside the Great Pyramid, Giza, Egypt: worst claustrophobic experience ever, but SO cool!

#2 Bio-luminescent Bay, Vieques, Puerto Rico: water glows with an neon-blue light when you swim at night!

#3 San Galgano, Italy: roofless abbey where some say the legend of the sword in the stone originated

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?

Start writing and keep writing; read Writer’s Digest; go to a writer’s conference; join a local critique group—and be OPEN to what everyone tells you so you can learn and get better; read obsessively in the genre you want to write in (romance, suspense, fantasy, historicals)

Tell us about the featured book.

GLAMOROUS ILLUSIONS is about Cora Diehl Kensington, a girl who is halfway through teacher college in Montana, who comes home to the farm to find everything she’s ever known has changed. It’s the beginning of a discovery story about finding true identity in our relationship with God—not the world, family, career, money, or home…and it takes place on the Grand Tour of Europe. In this book, we follow Cora and the others from Montana to England and France. In the next two books, they’ll go from France to Switzerland, Austria, and Northern Italy. Book three is all-Italy (shocker). Because I adore Italia.

I must feature books two and three on this blog. They all sound wonderful. Please give us the first page of the book.

As the locomotive reached the train station, I strained so hard to see my folks that my eyes hurt. I looked left and right, but the town was as sleepy as always. It wasn’t as if I had to search for them among throngs—I saw no one but old Clifford Miller climbing into his wagon with some effort across the street, and Susan Johnson entering her hardware store.

Likely just a bit late, I decided, making my way forward between the seats before we had fully stopped, then climbing down the steep steps to the wooden platform.

“Miss?” asked a man behind me.

I turned in surprise, holding my hand up to my old hat as I felt a pin slip, and then—embarrassed that I’d forgotten to even look for it—took my valise from the conductor’s hand. “Thank you.”

The railroad man looked beyond me to the vacant platform and street. “Someone comin’ for you, miss?”

I’m hooked. I have the book on my Kindle, and it will be the next one I read. How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.LisaBergren.com

www.Facebook.com/LisaTawnBergren

www.Facebook.com/RiverofTimeSeries

Twitter: @LisaTBergren

Win a $350 “Glam” Visa Card Prize Pack from @LisaTBegren and RSVP for 6/27 Facebook party!

What is our "true" identity? Join the conversation at Lisa Tawn Begren's Glamorous Illusions Author Chat Facebook Event Page. On the evening of 6/27 we'll gather to talk about our spiritual journey, share our stories and a few laughs.

In the meantime, celebrate with Lisa by entering her Glamorous Illusions Giveaway!

One "glamorous" winner will receive a "Glam Prize Pack":

• A $350 Visa Cash Card (Oh ... think of what you could do: treat yourself to a mani/pedi, a fabulous new dress, dinner for two, or even a two-night escape in a lovely hotel - you're only limited by your imagination!)
• Glamorous Illusions (by Lisa Tawn Begren)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends 6/26/12. Winner will be announced at Lisa's "Glamorous Illusions" Facebook Party on  6/27 {Fun begins at 5pm PDT / 8pm EDT}. Lisa will be hosting an evening of meaningful chat, fun trivia, laughter, and encouragement - bring your friends! She'll also be giving away some GREAT prizes: gift certificates, books, and a Book Club Prize Pack! (Ten copies of the book for your small group or book club and a live chat with Lisa via video or phone.)

So grab a few of your friends and your copy of Glamorous Illusions and join Lisa on the evening of June 27th for an evening of fun.

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP TODAY and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 27th!

Thank you, Lisa, for sharing your life with us and letting us be a part of the fun.

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

Glamorous Illusions: A Novel (Grand Tour Series)

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 MIDWIFE'S LEGACY - Rhonda Gibson - One Free Book

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

I Love to write about forgiveness. Without it we would all be lost. My characters “usually” have to forgive others or themselves as they move on in life.

What other books of yours are coming out soon?

I just had a book come out in May and my next one doesn’t come out until next Spring J

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

Joyce Meyer – I love to sit under her teachings because I admire her love of the Lord and her willingness to share all that she has learned and is learning about our Savior.

James and I have been in the James Robison studio audience when she was on the show. We like to listen to her, too. What historical person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why?

This changes from time to time because there are so many, I’d love to meet. Today I think I’d like to meet Noah’s wife. Because she started over with only three other ladies, her daughter-in-laws. Everything changed for her the moment she stepped on the Ark. What must that have been like? How did it feel?

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

We all have received rejections up until the moment we received our first contract so you are not alone. The only way to get published is to keep trying! Here is a list of some books that were rejected and the number of times.

Auntie Mame, Patrick Dennis (15)
Carrie, Stephen King (30)
Chicken Soup for the Soul, Jack Canfeld and Mark Victor Hansen (140)
Diary of Anne Frank (16)
Dr. Seuss books (15)
Dubliners, James Joyce (22)
Dune, Frank Herbert (23)
Gone with the Wind, Margaret Mitchell (38)
Harry Potter book one, J. K. Rowling (9)
Jonathan Livingston Seagull, Richard Bach (18)
Kon-Tiki, Thor Heyerdahl (20)
M*A*S*H, Richard Hooker (17)
The Peter Principle, Laurence Peter (16)
The Prncess Diaries, Meg Cabot (17)
Watership Down, Richard Adams (26)
A Wrinkle in Time, Madeleine L’Engle, (26)

These titles were taken from the web and not from a book.

So as you can see, You can do it!  I can’t even remember how many times I was rejected J So keep at it!

I’ve laughingly told other writers that I could paper at least two walls of my office with my rejection slips. Tell us about the featured book?

The Midwife’s Legacy is a novella collection put out by Barbour Books. I am blessed to be working with such talented and sweet authors! Pamela Griffin, Jane Kirkpatrick, and Trish Perry.  My story is, The Midwife’s Apprentice.

The short version of the back cover J Peek into an aged journal that links the adventurous lives of four courageous midwives. Wisconsin farmer, widow, mother, and midwife Adele Marley is too busy for a smitten, unwavering banker. To survive in love and life, Polly Schultz must rise above her fears on the Oregon Trail, this one is mine J. Christiana is in a battle to prove to one man that she can be both a wife and a midwife. Her confidence shaken, Kendra Silverstone needs confirmation of God’s hand in her life and love. How will God work to give these women the direction they need?

All four of the authors of this collection are good friends of mine, so I know it will be good. Please give us the first page of the book.

Sure! I’d love to!

The Midwife’s Apprentice

By

Rhonda Gibson

                                                        Chapter One

Summer 1860

“Form up!”

The words snapped through the hot morning air, sharper than a mule skinners whip, the order was picked up and echoed around the camp. Polly took her place beside the wagon.

Mamadele had called the trip to Oregon, a grand adventure. Polly frowned. Her grand adventure had turned into endless days of walking, choking on dirt from the wagons, and being lonely. Since she traveled with the Bentz’ family, she really wasn’t alone but they were a family and Polly the outsider, the mid-wife’s apprentice. Oh, Idella Bentz’ had never called her such but Polly could see the worry in the soon to be mother’s eyes.

At the end of each day, thanks to Mamadele’s journal and the sketch paper she’d brought, Polly found relief from the endless travel. The soothing sounds of the oxen, cattle, and horses also gave her comfort as she read or sketched in her small tent at night. Thanks to her little mule, Betsy, Polly was able to ride some days. But when she was walking, Betsy gently pushed her from behind, often with Luke Bentz’ sitting on Polly’s hip. At first the men had protested the small mule being with her but Mr. Bentz’ had put a stop to their grumbling. For that, Polly was thankful.

According to Mr. Bentz’ they should arrive at the new Fort Kearney by night fall, Polly prayed it were so. Her feet hurt and she was tired. If Idella didn’t need her so badly, Polly would have already turned around and rode her little mule home.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

There are several ways J

www.rhondagibson.net

http://rhondagibson.blogspot.com/

http://recipesfromrhondascollection.blogspot.com/  This one is a recipe blog where I feature other authors.

I’m also on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

I also blog on The Craftie Ladies of  Love Inspired http://craftieladiesofromance.blogspot.com/

Thank you so much for having me Lena! It is always a pleasure to visit with your readers. 

And it's always a pleasure to host you, Rhonda.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.

The Midwife's Legacy (Romancing America) - paperback
The Midwife's Legacy (Romancing America) - Kindle


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

WINNING THE WIDOW'S HEART - Sherri Shackleford - One Free Book

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

I’d like to say “nothing,” but I know that’s not entirely true. Right now, I’m writing a tomboy character, which is exactly the opposite of me. I’m a complete girly-girly with a chandelier hanging in my office to prove it. But there’s no denying that parts of an author’s personality seep through the pages. My characters are just regular people trying to do the right thing, and falling in love along the way.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

When my brother-in-law was director for the local opera company, he asked me to help out during a show. All I had to do was wear a costume, and move furniture during scene changes. Sounds easy, right? Except it turned out to be a much bigger part. I had to act, and hit spots, and I even participated in a staged fight. Since I don’t read music, and I don’t speak Italian, I had to figure out my positioning based on where the other performers were standing. Then I had to perform in front of an audience! An introvert’s worst nightmare. Truth be told, I had a blast. I came back and did another opera the next year. And I still don’t sing or speak Italian.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I was in my mid 30’s and I still didn’t know what I wanted to be when I grew up. I knew I loved to read, and decided I’d try my hand at writing a book. Once I started writing, I couldn’t stop! It became a compulsion. I knew I was a writer, because every time I became discouraged and quit, something drew me back in.

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

I am rather narrow-minded in the book reading category. I read almost exclusively romance, although I do read across genres. I adored the Zebra Regencies, and I still campaign to bring back the regency book club. I like secular and Christian books. I have a soft spot for Julie Garwood. Of course Cheryl St.John is a favorite!

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

I don’t. Instead, I embrace the insanity. As Michael Caine once said, “There are only two things in life I can’t stand: Intolerance for other cultures. And the Dutch.”

How do you choose your characters’ names?

I subconsciously steal them from my critique partners. This is a real problem. I’ll think of a great name, that’s perfect for a character, and realize I heard it from a book or a critique I just read. When I was working on Winning the Widow’s Heart, I named a character Elizabeth. My critique partner, Cheryl St.John, was working on Marrying the Preacher’s Daughter, and the character’s name was, Elisabeth. Sigh. I tried to name the character Isabelle, but that didn’t work. Cheryl said don’t worry about it. And I figured, “Who cares? It’s not like this book will ever get published!”

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Selling Winning the Widow’s Heart to Tina James at Love Inspired Historical. Writing and selling a book was the most difficult challenge I’ve ever faced.

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

I would be my dog. She’s fat and lazy, she gets to sleep on the bed, and she gets a blueberry facial at the dog groomer once a month. I’ve never gotten a blueberry facial!

What is your favorite food?

Frosting out of a can. Definitely. Most people like chocolate, but I prefer the decadent bouquet of a nice whipped vanilla. I like to keep a can in the back of the fridge and eat it over a two-week period using only my index finger. There’s something delightfully debauched in skulking behind the refrigerator door with a finger full of frosting.

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

Discouragement. Was and still is. I don’t have a lot of patience to fix a story. I’ll give it a couple of tries, and if it’s not working, it’s not working. This served me well as pre-pubbed, but it’s a struggle as a published writer.

Tell us about the featured book.

When Texas Ranger Jack Elder stormed the isolated Kansas homestead, he expected to find a band of outlaws. Instead, the only occupant is a heavily pregnant woman-and she's just gone in to labor. A loner uneasy with emotion, Jack helps deliver widow Elizabeth Cole's baby girl and can't get back on the trail fast enough. The robber and murderer he's after killed one of Jack's own, and he vows to catch the man. But when he returns to check on Elizabeth and her little one, he discovers that she may hold the key to his unsettled past-and his hoped-for future.

Please give us the first page of the book.

A shrill scream from inside the homestead split the frosty air.

Jack Elder flattened his back against the cabin’s rough-hewn logs, his Smith & Wesson drawn. Icy fear twisted in his gut. He couldn’t think about the woman inside, couldn’t let himself imagine what had ripped that tortured sound from her.

Head cocked to one side, he strained to hear voices over the howling wind. How many men were inside? Was Bud Shaw one of them?

Dense clouds draped the afternoon in an unnatural twilight. Fat, heavy snowflakes sheeted from the sky, pillowing in heaps on the frozen ground. Jack nudged the deepening slush with his boot. No footsteps showed in the fresh covering. No animal prints either.

The glass-pane windows had been covered with oil cloth to keep out the cold air and curious eyes. He cautiously edged toward the rear of the house, his shoulders hunched. A sharp gust of wind sucked the breath from his lungs. He stretched one hand around the corner, relieved to feel the raised surface of a door latch.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.sherrishackelford.com

sherrishackelford@gmail.com

www.facebook.com/SherriShackelfordWriter

twitter: @smshackelford


Thank you, Sherri, for the interesting interview.


Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Winning the Widow's Heart (Love Inspired Historical) - paperback
Winning the Widow's Heart (Love Inspired Historical) - Kindle


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.) If the winner is from North America, it will be a paperback. If the winner is from anywhere else, the book will be an ebook.

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

END OF THE TRAIL - Vickie McDonough - One Free Book

I'm thrilled to feature this last book in the Texas Trail series. I read the manuscript for endorsement and loved it. I know you will, too. Welcome, Vickie. Why did you become an author?

When my four sons were young, I prayed for years for God to help me find a job where I could work from home. It took a while, but God answered my prayer by surprising me with a career in writing. I’d never once considered becoming a writer, but then stories started coming to me, and I had to write them down to get them out of my head just so I could sleep. I studied the craft, joined writers’ groups, and attended conferences. What I love about writing is that I can write at home in my pajamas, I’m free to care for my elderly mom, I get to do something that’s fun, and I have made a lot of good friends in the writing world. But the thing that I like most is that I can write an entertaining story with a faith message and touch people’s hearts and encourage them in their faith journey.

If you weren’t an author, what would be your dream job?

When I was growing up, I dreamed of marrying a rancher and living on his ranch, but now I’d have to say that it would be cool to be a graphic artist or an animator.

If you could have lived at another time in history, what would it be and why?

I like living in this day and age. We have so many cool technological inventions and new things are being created each year, but if I could go back in time, I’d like to go to the late 1800s and experience life then. I’m so used to modern comforts though, that I think I’d have a hard time of it—and I shudder to think of having to wear a corset.

What place in the United States have you not visited that you would like to?

There are several: Alaska, Hawaii, the Northwest, and the Northeast. If things work out, my husband and I will be going on a cruise to Alaska next year.

How about a foreign country you hope to visit?

Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and Scotland are the countries I’d like to visit the most.

What lesson has the Lord taught you recently?

I’ve fallen down several times in the past few years, which resulted in my having a full knee replacement this spring. I fell down again the last week of May and asked God why that keeps happening. I’m not normally a klutz. I think He’s telling me that I need to slow down and pay closer attention to things around me and to Him.

Tell us about the featured book.

End of the Trail is the 6^th book in the Texas Trails series. It’s the story of Brooks Morgan, who is the son of Annie and Riley Morgan from Long Trail Home. Brooks has a falling out with his father and leaves home when he is just sixteen. For years he drifts around, but then he meets a dying man who hires him to be his caretaker. In a card game one night, Brooks wins a ranch. But when he goes to claim his new home, he finds a pretty woman packing a rifle who claims the ranch is her inheritance. Raven Creek Ranch is Brooks’ one chance to make something of himself and prove to his father that he’s become a responsible man. He’s not leaving, but neither will the woman. When the ranch is threatened by a vile man, they must some how find a way to unite together to save Raven Creek.

Please give us the first page of the book.
Prologue

Waco, Texas

1886

  “You’re a good son, Brooks, but your father is right.”

  Brooks stared at his mother, halfway stunned that she’d sided with his pa against him. “You don’t feel I do my share of the work around here either?”

  Annie Morgan winced and gazed out the parlor window, not looking at him. She might not admit in words that she agreed, but that tiny grimace told Brooks she did. He ducked his head, hating the feeling of disappointing his mother. He’d always been her favorite—her first son. He craved her warm smile, but that was hard to be found just now. Still, he pushed aside disturbing feelings and retrieved his charming smile—the one his ma said could make a die-hard Texas cattle rancher invest all his money in a herd of sheep—and squeezed between his ma and the window.

She flicked a glance up at him then it swerved away. “Don’t try to charm me. This is all my fault. I shouldn’t have coddled you so much.”

His grin faltered. Now she sounded like his father. “You didn’t coddle me.”

“Yes, she did. She still does.” Melissa’s voice sounded from upstairs, followed by quick footsteps on the stairs.

He spun around, glaring at his bossy older sister. “Nobody asked you.”

“I’m getting married soon. That means you’ll be the oldest of us kids at home.” She reached the bottom of the stairs and shifted the basket of dirty clothes to her other hip, cocking her mouth up on one side. “It’s time you start acting like you’re sixteen instead of six.”

Brooks clenched his fist. As much as he might like knocking that know-it-all look off Melissa’s face, he would never hit a female.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

My website is www.vickiemcdonough.com .

I’m also on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/VickieMcDonough and

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/vickiemcdonough 

           

Moody Publishing, the publisher of the Texas Trails series, has created a fabulous website with some cool info about the series I’ve written along with two other authors: www.texastrailsfiction.com

Thank you, Vickie, for sharing your book with us.


Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
End of the Trail (The Texas Trail Series) - paperback
End of the Trail (The Texas Trail Series) - Kindle


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

LIBERTY BELLE - Patricia PacJac Carroll - One Free Ebook

I've really looked forward to this day. Patty has been in the critique group that meets in my home for several years. I've enjoyed watching her grow and mature in her writing skills. Welcome, Patty. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

On purpose very little, but I seem to find myself in them. Especially the flaws. Hmm.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

Threw a surprise retirement party for my sweet hubby. (Pray for that man : ) Since the dates were so close, I got my good friend to get my husband to plan a surprise birthday party for me not knowing he was planning his own party. He even cleaned the house for his own retirement party. He hasn’t let me forget that one yet.

(Actually, I could share a few other quirky things, but I won't.) When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I am a late bloomer. Played with it a little in high school, but back in the day we only read books by authors long dead. So it was never an idea I had of something that I could or should do.

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

I do like action with believable characters. Love historicals set in the Old West.

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

Oh, were we supposed to keep that? Seriously, the only way to keep sane in this crazy world is through Jesus Christ. He is the wind in my sails, and the life in my blood.

Without Him, I am nothing and lost.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

They just fall out of the air into my head. I am a seat-of-the-pants writer so I am often surprised by my characters.

Sometimes I do have to change the names later.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

I think when I really got serious about writing and decided to finish a book rather than start a new one each week. : ) 

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

I love horses, the idea of galloping across the land sounds delightful to me. I even cry when I watch Secretariat win that last race.

What is your favorite food?

Strawberry Shortcake

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

Keeping myself on one story long enough to finish it. Now when a new story attacks me (yes, that is what they do) I write down the idea and tell it to wait in line with the others.

Tell us about the featured book.  

Set in 1859 Denver, Liberty Belle is a story of finding freedom and forgiveness. A jilted bride, a wayward sheriff, a small boy, outlaws, and a gallows provide plenty of action, romance, and  hope.

Liberty Longstreet was left at the altar, but that wasn’t the worst of her day. She awakens to the fact that she needs to declare independence from her controlling mother. Wanting her freedom and to find a man of her choosing, Libby leaves home for faraway Denver. She just doesn't count on being robbed, falling for a wayward sheriff, or being accused of

murder.

Sheriff Wade Calder throws down his badge in a quest for revenge. Instead, he takes responsibility for his enemy’s young son. Wanting only to be free, Wade runs into Libby, and she wins what is left of his heart. Unfortunately, he has nothing to offer her until he picks up his badge. His honor is restored, but it may cost Libby her

life.

Together they learn the cost of freedom and the wealth of forgiveness.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Liberty Belle

By

Patricia PacJac Carroll

Crimson, Missouri

1859

I can do this. I will. I have to. Liberty Auraria Longstreet stared into the gold-framed mirror hanging in the tiny, church, dressing room. She hoped to come up with an answer, a secret way to escape her fate. Instead, her image told the facts. She was to be married. Today. To Thomas Garvey. And all because Mother lay so near death that her weakened condition prevented even her attendance at the wedding.

Libby’s groaning sigh stirred the air in the claustrophobic enclosure. Why did Mother’s dying heart have to sentence hers to a life with a man she didn’t love? Libby pulled the lace hanky from her sleeve, fingered the intricately initialed E, and wiped a tear from her cheek.

With eyes squeezed shut, she searched her mind for the man in her dreams. The one she’d imagined on countless, long nights. The one she’d dreamed of under sun-filled skies in the garden. The one she desired to come find her, speak life into her heart, and whisk her away to a life of adventure.

She sighed again. He only existed in her dreams. Her hopes had been replaced by Mother’s pale face and gasping desire to know her only child would marry into a prominent family.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

My website is http://www.patriciapacjaccarroll.com

Thank you, Patty, for sharing your new book with us.


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

I know you'll love this book, so even if you don't win, you'll want to get a copy.



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

LOVE IN DISGUISE - Carol Cox - One Free Book

I'm thrilled to have my long-time friend Carol Cox back on the blog after a long wait. Welcome, Carol. What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about?

Some authors know exactly the theme they plan to explore when they begin writing a book, but that has never worked for me. I may get a sense of the theme while the book is being written, but often I don’t discover it until the story is complete. Trust is a theme that seems to come up a lot in my books.

What other books of yours are coming out soon?

Love in Disguise will be my only book release this year. Next year, watch for another historical romantic suspense set in Arizona. I wish I could share the title with you, but we’re still working to come up with the perfect name!

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

I’ve just started reading Nearing Home by Billy Graham. His continued passion to reach the lost for Christ at a stage of life when many people would be content to rest on their previous accomplishments is a true inspiration. I would love to spend an evening with him and hear him speak from his heart.

What historical person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why?

When I was beginning the research for Love in Disguise, I came across a biography of Nellie Cashman, also known as The Angel of Tombstone. Nellie was an amazing woman who spent much of her life in rugged western mining camps, but never lost her standing as a woman of deep faith and unquestionable virtue. An entrepreneur, community leader, and a successful miner in her own right, Nellie was equally at home panning for gold in the deserts of Arizona or “mushing” a dog sled across the frozen landscape of Alaska, where she once organized a rescue party that traveled 77 days to save nearly 100 miners from scurvy. A woman of many facets who didn’t fit into the mold society expected—she would be a fascinating person to get to know!

Yes, she would. How can you encourage authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers?

Rejections are painful, no doubt about it. Sometimes it’s hard to look past the “no” and see the positives that may be there as well. It took me a lot longer than it should have to learn to set a rejection letter aside for a time and then take another look at it. Once my emotions had settled down, it was much easier to see hints as to why that piece didn’t pass muster and occasionally find encouragement I hadn’t spotted at first. This is also a great time to get feedback from others who can be more objective about your work, especially those who have more experience in the publishing world. Conferences and workshops are wonderful places to make connections like that. Develop a teachable spirit and a willingness to learn. These are traits that will stand you in good stead throughout your writing career.

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

Can she solve the crime before they uncover her true identity?

Jobless and down to her last dime, Ellie Moore hears about a position with the Pinkerton Detective Agency and believes it’s the perfect chance to put her acting skills and costumes to use. Reluctantly, the agency agrees to give her one assignment, one chance to prove herself. Disguised as Lavinia Stewart, a middle-aged widow, Ellie travels to Arizona to begin her investigation. When the need arises, she also transforms into the dazzling Jessie Monroe, whose vivacious personality encourages people to talk.

Mine owner Steven Pierce is going to lose his business if he can’t figure out who’s stealing his silver shipments. In his wildest dreams, he never expected to receive help from a gray-haired widow . . . or to fall in love with her beautiful niece.

Then the thieves come after Lavinia and Jessie. Ellie isn’t safe no matter which character she plays! Should she give up and reveal her true identity? What will Steven do when he realizes the woman he’s falling in love with doesn’t really exist?

I am totally hooked. Please give us the first page of the book.

Chicago, Illinois

December, 1881

“O happy dagger! This is thy sheath.”

Ellie Moore gripped her hands together as she mouthed the well-known line from the last act of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The words floated out into the dark chasm beyond the edge of the footlights, and an expectant hush filled the theater, followed by a collective gasp at the moment she plunged her fists toward her abdomen and threw her head back with an agonized grimace.

“There rust, and let me die.” Ellie let her head fall to one side and held her pose, silent as the grave, while the Capulets and Montagues reconciled, and the prince delivered the final line.

Not until the roar of applause swept through the auditorium of Chicago’s Orpheum Theater did she stir again, ready for the curtain call. Ellie waited for the proper moment, then swept one foot behind her and sank into a low curtsey, spreading her arms wide. Her right hand brushed against the back of the red velvet curtain that screened her from the stage.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I love to connect with readers online! They can visit my website at: www.AuthorCarolCox.com to learn more about me and my books, and while they’re there, they can also sign up to “Get the News” and receive my newsletter.

Another way to connect with me is through my Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/carol.cox.

Thank you, Lena, for inviting me to be on your blog. It’s always a joy to spend time with you!


It's always a pleasure to have you here, Carol.


Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Love in Disguise - paperback
Love in Disguise - Kindle


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

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT and Winners!!!!!

Special Announcement:
If you were one of the people who left a comment to enter to win a copy of Quest for the Nail Prints by Don Furr on my blog in April 2011, and you didn't win a book, please contact Don at this email address: donfurr@gmail.com 

Now for thhe Winners:
Land Hill House (MO) is the winner of Wildflowers from Winter by Katie Ganshert.
Jill (OH) is the winner of Submerged by Dani Pettrey.
Beth (IA)  is the winner of Annie's Truth, from Beth Shriver. 
Diana (VA) is the winner of Lily by Diane T Ashley and Aaron McCarver.
Lindsey (NM) is the winner of The Widow of Saunder's Creek by Tracey Bateman.
Merry (TX) is the winner of The Anniversary Waltz by Darrel Nelson.

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.

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.

LADY AND THE SEA - Sharon Leaf - One Free Book

Sharon and I are co-hosts with two other woman on the Gate Beautiful blog radio show. Welcome, Sharon. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters?

As much as possible. My debut novel, Lady and the Sea, is based on a true story, so I wrote my heart and soul into those characters.  The protagonist, Rosie Atkisson, has my fine qualities, but after a few months of writing, she began taking on her own unique personality.  Ellen, the antagonist, is a young woman who says what she thinks.  Now, that is how I would like to be but I know Ellen’s words would get me into way too much trouble, and I would regret saying them.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

Oh my, do I have to narrow it down to one?  I met my husband on the phone, so when we decided to meet face-to-face, he asked, “How will I recognize you?”  I hesitated, then I answered in an oh-so-sultry voice, “Well, for one thing, I’m a knockout!”  Of course I was joking, but Rob told me later that he had second thoughts about meeting me because suddenly I sounded quite stuck-up.  But he also admitted, “You’re right, Sharon … you ARE a knockout.”   Rob and I were married a year later and we’re celebrating our twenty-fourth anniversary this month.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

In sixth grade my mother gave me a diary with its very own key for Christmas.  I’ve been writing ever since. 

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

Biographies, autobiographies, adventure--anything that takes me on someone’s personal journey.  I love going to a bookstore and picking up a book (I don’t have to know the author), looking at the front cover, reading the back, then taking it home and experiencing their journey.  The Reluctant Tuscan by Phil Doran was such a book.  I’m an avid fan of Bodie Thoene, author of historical fiction. When I was a volunteer for fourteen months on the World War II ship MS Restoration, I read the Zion Covenant series while sailing the seven seas. 

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

At my wonderfully savvy age of sixty-six, I’ve learned to pace myself.  I prioritize:  God, family, writing, eating, reading, drinking, watching my favorite movies over and over.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

I choose character’s names from family and friends, although several of my characters in Lady and the Sea were names that had an attitude, like Prissy.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

I am proud that I completed a ½ marathon and lived to tell about it.  Oh, I almost forgot … I’m proud that I received a degree in Theology at the age of sixty.  And of course, I am most proud of my recently published debut novel, Lady and the Sea, proving that it is never too late for dreams to come true.

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

If I could be any animal, I would be a horse.  When I was a little girl I pretended to be a horse, bucking and whinnying (not whining!) all around the house.  I played with my brother’s plastic horses, Roy Roger’s horse Trigger and the Lone Ranger’s horse Silver.  Why?  Because they run wild and are magnificent creatures to behold.  I guess I’m just a wild and free woman at heart!  (smile)

What is your favorite food?

My favorite food is bread.  Hot, warm, cold, soft, hard; doesn’t matter.  With lots of melted butter.  With or without jam; doesn’t matter.  Yes, bread is my favorite weakness.

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

My greatest roadblock to writing is watching my favorite movies—over and over.  If I could take back all the hours I spent watching my favorite movies I would have finished Lady and the Sea in half the time, plus another book or two.  I still can’t get enough of Out of Africa and Return to Me.  How did I overcome it?  I threw them out with a loaf of stale bread.

Tell us about the featured book.

Lady and the Sea is a story about faith and forgiveness, sprinkled with adventure and romance on the high seas and at home.  After two failed marriages, forty-eight-year-old Rosie Atkisson struggles through the process of rebuilding her life with her husband, Jesse, in Southern California.  But the settled rhythm of her newfound comfort is interrupted by a tug in her heart when she encounters a haunting photo of another aging lady, the World War II vessel MS Restoration. 

A special mission to transport Russian Jews from Sochi, Russia, to Haifa, Israel, means an adventure of a lifetime; does she dare pass up this dangerous assignment that will take her thousands of miles from her family and comfortable life?  In spite of her fear of water and the unknown condition of the ship, Rosie says yes to that inner Voice that is saying GO!

After surviving fourteen months on board the old ship - from a hurricane to symptoms of a heart attack, from miracles to the M word—menopause—and now being held at gunpoint in the Haifa harbor – Rosie wonders if she will ever return to her own safe harbor.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Chapter One ~ July 1995

Within minutes of the MS Restoration entering the Haifa harbor, an Israeli gunboat sped from the port and circled the World War II vessel.  As two soldiers aimed their deck-mounted machine guns at the ship, another shouted instructions in Hebrew through a loudspeaker.

The captain of the MS Restoration responded over the ship’s radio, “Please, speak to us in English!”

Rosie grabbed the rail.  “Do they think we’re terrorists?”

Jesse touched her arm.  “Rosie, calm down.”

“Do they think we’re pirates?

“Just calm down” her husband repeated, holding out his hand.

“Will they make us jump overboard?  I don’t have my life jacket,” she spoke, fighting back her fear of water that was trying to surface once more.

 “Rosie, you must get hold of yourself.”

Her mind raced as she gazed up at the man who’d brought her on this unpredictable journey.  Jesse’s right.  What’s come over me? Rosie asked herself, all the time wishing she didn’t have to go to the bathroom.  She didn’t dare leave his side.

The ship, her fellow crew members, and their special passengers—the Russian Jews—had finally reached their destination.  No more troubled waters.  No more hurricanes.  No more delays.  On this hot July morning, they were home free—or so they thought.

Rosie looked at the crew, poised as if they were ready to hit the deck.  “Isn’t this ironic?  We’ve traveled halfway around the world, and this is the welcome we get.”

“Stop your engine!” the soldier shouted.

Within seconds, they were dead in the water.

Rosie’s stomach churned.  She hung her head over the side of the ship and let it rip.  After wiping her mouth with a hankie, she grabbed hold of Jesse’s arm.  She’d heard stories about people who’d experienced close calls.  Her seventy-year-old father once told her about the time his ship almost went down in the China Sea during the war.  “At that moment, my whole life passed before me,” Talmage said.

Now feeling lightheaded as the Israeli soldiers glared at the Restoration through their binoculars, Rosie knew that this was her moment.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

You can find me on my website at www.sharonleaf.com.  I’m on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sharonleafwrites and I also have a Lady and the Sea Facebook page.  My blog is www.sharonleafblogspot.com

Lena, thank you for giving me the opportunity to chat with you.


It was my great pleasure to welcome you here, Sharon.


Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Lady And The Sea: A Novel Based On A True Story - paperback
Lady and the Sea: A Novel Based on a True Story - Kindle


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