ONCE UPON A PRINCE - Rachel Hauck - One Free Book on This Blog Plus Much More

Readers, please follow all the instructions at the bottom of the post if you want to be included in the giveaway.

I'm thrilled to be sharing this new book with you. I've loved all of Rachel's books, but this is my favorite. I read it in one day last week. I honestly had a hard time putting it down when I had to. It's engaging, has plenty of depth, and the characters grabbed my heart right away. ... And I love princess stories.

Welcome, Rachel. I love your new headshot. One of my favorite pictures of me was when the photographer caught me when I was teaching a session, and I was laughing. Please tell us a bit about yourself.

I’m ten pounds overweight and I like potato chips. One explains the other. I’m a Florida girl with Ohio roots and I love the sun on my shoulders.

Writing is a passion and an emotional outlet for me. I started writing my first novel in ’94. An epic WWII book that lived in the darkness of my closet until I pilfered some scenes for the sub plot in Love Starts with Elle.

My husband is my best friend and makes me laugh. We don’t have children but a very spoiled dog.

When I’m not writing, I loved to hit a good spin class or lift weights, watch college football and troll Facebook for the latest happenings with my family.

I’m taking piano lessons and that’s all I’ll say about that… There’s a reason we take lessons as kids under our Mama’s watchful eye.

I lead worship at my church!

Is Once Upon a Prince part of a series?     

Most certainly! It’s the first in the Royal Wedding Series! Princess Ever After is next.

I can hardly wait for the next one. What was your inspiration to write Once Upon a Prince?

Duchess Kate, seriously. I got up at 5:00 a.m. to watch her marry Prince William and I thought, “The world just fell in love with her.” I was right. I knew she was the new Princess Di.

Her poise and confidence got me thinking and dreaming of royal weddings and an idea for a series was born.

How much research did Once Upon a Prince take?

Quite a bit. At first I just read a lot of royal history online but found I was shallow on some actual history and interaction with living royals. I read about 4 books on the British royal family and one on the three cousins, Nicholas II, George V, and Wilhelm II.

It’s fascinating history.

What are the some of the most interesting facts that you learned while researching and writing Once Upon a Prince?

Ah, you had to ask… I just pulled a mental blank. Well, let’s see, for starters, Queen Victoria wanted to marry her children to the royals of Europe because she thought it would lead to peace.

Her great grandsons were George V and Kaiser Wilhelm II as well as Tsar Nicholas II and his wife, Alexandra. They were all first cousins.

George and Nicolas look like twins.

Also, I realized in more depth how deeply WWI impacted Europe. Almost all of the royal houses fell after that war.

What other new writing projects do you have on the horizon?

I’m working on the rewrites for Princess Ever After as well as a novella to be released next spring. Stay tuned for more on that front! After that will be the third Royal Wedding book.

What message would you like your readers to take from reading Once Upon a Prince?

I wanted to show how God has a plan for us even when our lives look out of control or so unplanned it seems they will never get on track. Also, that when we surrender completely to the Lord, He never forsakes us. His plans for us are good.

There’s also a bit of a picture about how the power of love can change a nation.

What organizations are you involved with?

I’m on the executive board of American Christian Fiction Writers and a member of Romance Writers of America.

What are some of the challenges you face as an author?

My biggest challenge lately has been really utilizing my time well. When I first left the corporate world to write full time, I managed my writing time fairly well. But with the onslaught of social media, and nine years of working from home, I don’t manage my time as well as I’d like.

Working on it…

I totally understand that. Who is the person who most influences your writing?

My writing partner Susan May Warren has a huge impact on my writing because we talk craft and stories all the time. I also brainstorm with her throughout the first and final draft process.

My editor is also a major influence because she’s the first one to actually read the story and react. I value her opinion immensely.

What aspects of being a writer do you enjoy the most?

Writing! Story telling. Holding the completed, printed book in my hand. Most of all, hearing from readers!

What do you do to get away from it all?

I live in Florida so the beach is fifteen minutes away. I like to drive over there sometimes. I love to hit the gym. I can really disconnect from the stress of writing in a spin class. And often I find solutions to plot or character problems.

I also love a good prayer/worship set. I love watching Netflix with my Hubby!

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Thanks for  having me Lena!! Appreciate you.

It's my great pleasure to have you drop by, Rachel.

One "royal" winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• Once Upon a Prince by Rachel Hauck

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 27th. Winner will be announced at the "Once Upon a Prince" Facebook Author Chat Party on May 28th. Connect with Rachel for an evening of book chat, wedding trivia, laughter, and more! Rachel will also be sharing a sneak peek at the next book in the series and giving away books and fun gift certificates throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of Once Upon a Prince and join Rachel on the evening of May 28th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 28th!

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

Once Upon a Prince (Royal Wedding Series) - paperback
Once Upon a Prince (Royal Wedding 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 Google +, Feedblitz, Facebook, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link.
Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

WHEN A SECRET KILLS - Lynette Eason - One Free Boook

Welcome back, Lynette. It's been a while since you were here. 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?

Oh goodness, so many people. I’m sure I’ll forget someone, but I must thank my FBI buddy, Drucilla Wells, who read and critiqued the FBI procedural stuff. And Jim Hall, a police officer, who also read and critiqued the law enforcement stuff. Without them, there’s no telling how many errors would be in that book! So thankful God places people in our lives when we need them most! And of course, everyone from my brainstorming buddies to my editor, Andrea Doering (who is a fabulous brainstormer!) to Barb Barnes who makes sure all copy editing is done to a T. She’s fabulous. Who else? Michele Misiak who makes sure the books get all the publicity possible and Donna Hausler who is in charge of blog tours and making sure influencer copies get into the right hands. And I could really go on and on, but I’ll stop there. J

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

I LOVE to teach. More than I like to speak, although I do that too. J May 19-23, I’m teaching at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference. In August I’m teaching at the Catch the Wave Conference in GA and November, I’m teaching at the CLASS conference in Albuquerque, NM. These are some fabulous opportunities for people to come learn the craft of writing.

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

To Panama. And I don’t mean Florida. It just looks so peaceful and slow paced. I think I would like a more slower paced life! LOL.

If you could only tell aspiring novelists one thing, what would it be?

NEVER give up your dream of writing no matter what anyone says.

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])

Singer – Mandisa – just love her. She has a wonderful testimony, loves God wholeheartedly, and has a passion for reaching other for Him. I just plain like her. Oh, and she has an amazing singing voice. LOL.

Karen Kingsbury – just because she’s so gracious, a fabulous writer, and makes people feel right at home.

Abby Scuito (however you spell her last name.) from “NCIS” – She cracks me up. I love her personality.

Jim Caveziel from “Person of Interest” – I just like looking at him. I’d put him in charge of security. 

Tell us about the featured book?

When a Secret Kills is the third book in the Deadly Reunions series. Here’s the back cover blurb:

She's come home to put a killer behind bars.

But the killer plans to put her six feet under.

Investigative reporter Jillian Carter knows it's time to put the past to rest. She's tired of looking over her shoulder, letting a killer go free. She's no longer the scared kid who changed her name and disappeared. Now, no matter what the cost, Jillian must do what she is trained to do—find the truth and expose it. And the truth is that Senator Frank Hoffman committed murder ten years ago—and Jillian watched it happen.

Didn't she?

Get ready for the spine-tingling, nail-biting conclusion to this explosive series.

"A fabulous read! Eason is a master at romantic suspense. I gobbled up the novel in two days and promptly ordered the first two books in the series. Highly recommended!"

—Colleen Coble, author of the Rock Harbor and the Hope Beach series

"Fast-paced romantic suspense with compelling characters who pull you into the story and make you care what happens to them."

—Margaret Daley, author of Scorned Justice and the Men of the Texas Rangers series

"Clear the runway and fasten your seat belts. This novel captures the reader in the first line and doesn't stop until the end. Eason has created a suspense-packed story that captivates."

—DiAnn Mills, author of The Chase and The Survivor

Please give us the first page of the book.

Sunday, August 27

10:50 AM

            Would he try to kill her today?

            Probably.

            Jillian shifted her carry-on bag, stepped off the plane and walked through the jetway toward the gate, her eyes scanning every face she passed. Yesterday, she’d called Serena Hopkins, her high school friend she hadn’t seen in ten years, and gotten an earful on the events of the past two months. Serena had warned her in no uncertain terms that Jillian was a target.

            Jillian had almost laughed out loud. Being a target wasn’t something new to her. She’d been a target for the past ten years while living in California.

            She’d just been a hidden target.

            Until about two weeks ago when someone tried to kill her and got her friend and co-worker instead. She fingered the healing scar on her forearm as she thought about Jeff. The grief threatened to smother her, and she shoved it off with a vengeance. There would be time for grieving later.

            Knowing they’d tracked her down after ten years of hiding, using a false name, and covering her tracks not only scared her down to her very bones, it told her two things.

            They were getting desperate…

            …and it was time to fight back.

Where can we find you on the Internet?

I am active on facebook. You can like my page at www.facebook.com/lynette.eason and twitter: @lynetteeason My website is getting ready to undergo a complete overhaul, but you can still visit at www.lynetteeason.com I love to hear from readers, so please stop by and say hello!

Thanks so much, Lena, for having me here today!  God bless!

It's a great pleasure to me to feature you and your new book on my blog, Lynette.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
When a Secret Kills: A Novel (Deadly Reunions) - paperback
When a Secret Kills (Deadly Reunions Book #3): A Novel - 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 Google +, Feedblitz, Facebook, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link.
Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

ADORING ADDIE - Leslie Gould - One Free Book

Note to readers: Be sure to follow all the instructions at the bottom of the post, so you can be included in the giveaway.

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

I don’t consciously write myself into my characters, but honestly it can’t be helped. All of the emotions and flaws of my characters originate with me. Over and over, without meaning to, something I’ve struggled with shows up in my stories. Writing it out brings more healing to my own life and adds depth to my characters’ journey.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

Traveling around the U.S. in a VW bus with my hubby and our first baby way back in 1987. We really weren’t hippies—but lots of people we met along the way thought we were.

I first saw Lancaster County while on that trip. My husband lived in Pennsylvania as a boy and would visit the area often. He wanted to share the experience with me. I was hooked from that very first visit.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I clearly remember writing my first word when I was four: sky. It was an accident, I was simply putting letters together, but once my sister told me I’d written a word—and such an amazing word at that—I was hooked. I’m positive that was my most fulfilling moment up to that point in my very short life.

I still experience that sense of fulfillment, that feeling of harmony, on writing days when I’m in the groove and able to write four or five thousand words.

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

Unless I’m doing research for a novel, I enjoy reading mostly fiction. I love books by Ann Tatlock, Lynn Austin, and Jane Kirkpatrick and lots of other Christian authors. I try to read as many Christy and ACFW winners as possible, and I read a fair amount of Amish fiction too. I also read general market bestsellers and prizewinners too, and I especially love novels set in other cultures.

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

I’ve kept a journal since I was thirteen. Taking time to write down my feelings and then scripture that speaks to what I’m going through helps keep me balanced. I’m trying really hard to pray immediately when something pops up that makes me feel unsettled too, instead of fretting about it for a while—or a really long time—first. I also take time to exercise, including walking with a good friend, my husband, and my sister, all at different times of the week. They’re three people, along with many other friends and family, who help me keep my sanity!

How do you choose your characters’ names?

I used to use a baby name book, but now I look through online name lists. I never choose the name for a character until I know what the meaning of the names is. Even if I really like a name, if I don’t like the meaning I won’t use it.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

My family. In September my husband and I will have been married 30 years. We have four children, ages 15 to 26. God has seen us through hard times, including my husband’s one-year deployment to Afghanistan, my mother’s cancer and death, trying teenage years, and many other challenges. We have sought wise counsel many times as we strive for both truth and grace.

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

A cheetah. I used to run long distance, but I always admired the sprinters. A cheetah can run at 70 mph for nearly 400 yards. I think that would be amazing!

What is your favorite food?

It used to be chocolate, but I’m working really hard to not eat much refined sugar. So, there’s this as a second option: watermelon. Yum!

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

Time management—and I’m still working to overcome it. I usually do fine on writing days—it’s the days when I have marketing to do and proposals to write and research to tackle that I get off schedule. All of it takes longer than I think it will. And I’ll get distracted and end up on a rabbit trail leading to nowhere. I have to set the timer and challenge myself to stay on task—or else the whole day can disappear before I’ve gotten anything done.

Tell us about the featured book.

Adoring Addie is the second in the Courtships of Lancaster County series and was inspired by Romeo and Juliet. I loved all the research—both the Shakespeare angle and the Amish setting.

Please give us the first page of the book.

My parents were positive I’d met my future husband. They expected me to marry Phillip Eicher, the bishop’s son. And soon.

“He’s coming over tomorrow, for the barbecue,” my mother said, perched on one of our mismatched chairs at the end of the table, her plump hand gripping a pen that hovered over her notebook. She spent most of her days there, writing lists, giving orders, and babying her bad knee. “He wants to talk to your Daed—at least that’s what his mother told me.”

“Oh.” I wiped my sweaty palms down my just-starched apron.

A smile spread across her round face. “We’ll have a wedding to plan soon.”

“Mutter, please.” I’d always called her Mutter and my father Daed, the more formal terms, rather than the familiar Mamm and Dat that my Bruders called them. She seemed to prefer it. I don’t think my father cared.

Mutter continued speaking as if she hadn’t heard my plea. “That’s why you shouldn’t go today. We want the barbecue tomorrow to be—”

I strode out of the kitchen, my basket of hand-quilted potholders in my arms, hoping she’d think I hadn’t heard her. I’d already compromised by waiting to go to the farmers’ market until after I’d cleaned the breakfast dishes. It would be nearly eight o’clock, long after the market opened, by the time my cousin Hannah and I arrived.

As I turned the corner into our large living room, a space big enough to host our entire church, my brother Billy came sliding in his stocking feet across the polished floor. His eyes narrowed under his dark bangs, partially pushed up on his sweaty forehead. He carried a gallon jar of pond water and plants in one hand, while his other flew around in an attempt to keep his balance. Still, greenish water sloshed over the rim.

A grin spread across his face as he veered toward me.

I swung the basket around to my hip and stepped sideways.

It didn’t matter.

He plowed into me anyway.

I managed to stay on my feet, but the basket landed on the floor, the jar on top and tipped sideways. The murky water soaked my potholders that had been bound for the market.

“Billy,” I cried.

“My tadpoles!” he yelled, falling to the floor, stomach down, his ten-year-old body flailing toward my basket.

I righted the jar, which had a few inches of water remaining, and began picking through the potholders, rescuing the slimy creatures.

“What’s going on in there?” Mutter called out.

The tadpoles flopped this way and that. I rushed from one to the next, pinching each one tightly enough to hold on to but not enough to damage, dropping them the back into the green slime.

Billy crowded in too and began shaking out the potholders and tossing them onto the floor, his brown eyes wide.

“Addie?” Mutter yelled.

“Just a minute.”

“Nell!” Mutter called to her younger Schwester, who’d been holed up in the sewing room off the kitchen since breakfast. “Would you see what’s going on?”

“I think we got them all.” Billy grinned.

“One more.” I plucked the tiniest tadpole from the black border of a potholder still in the basket and dropped it into the jar. “Take them back and let them go.” I spoke firmly. “They’ve been traumatized enough.”

“Ach, Addie,” he groaned.

“Take courage and do as I say. Quickly.” I thought of him as Billy the Brave. At ten, although dabbich—clumsy—he was still eager to help and please, but he also stuck up for others, including me. “And take Joe-Joe down to the creek with you so he’s out of Mutter’s way.” I scooped up the potholders.

Billy slid to the staircase, called for our littlest brother, the youngest of seven children, and then headed to the front door to put on his boots. He tended to keep them there to avoid Mutter in the kitchen.

I lifted one of the wet potholders to my face and sniffed. I couldn’t help but frown at the swampy smell.

“What happened?”

I lifted my head to Aenti Nell’s round face and alarmed expression. She was short, a little squat, and had still-dark hair, the same color as Mutter’s was a few years ago before it turned gray, but a kerchief partly covered Aenti’s head instead of a Kapp.

I held up the wet square. “Billy.” That was all I needed to say.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Please visit my blog, “like” me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, and re-pin me on Pinterest! Thank you!

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

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

Adoring Addie (The Courtships of Lancaster County) - paperback
Adoring Addie (The Courtships of Lancaster County Book #2) - 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 Google +, Feedblitz, Facebook, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link.
Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

IT HAPPENED AT THE FAIR - Deeanne Gist - One Free Book on This Blog Plus Much More

God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?

Right now we have plans for one book a year from now through 2015. In the meanwhile, I am trying to take things one step at a time, one day at a time. Every morning I ask for my daily bread. That’s far enough ahead for me. :-) 

Tell us a little about your family.

We have four grown children who are in the workplace and out on their own: a graphic designer, a web designer, an interior designer and a musician. My husband (a true jock) simply shakes his head and says, “All that athleticism wasted on the liberal arts.” LOL. We also have been blessed with a wonderful daughter-in-law and son-in-law. No grandbabies yet, though!

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

The biggest change is I can’t pleasure read when I’m writing the first draft. I’m too much of a sponge and my cowboy starts saying things like, “The devil, you say.” Nope. No can do.

What are you working on right now?

Readers can actually get a sneak peek at the two main characters in next year’s book by downloading an electronic short story, Tempest in the White City. It’s about Hunter Scott who is one of the elite. An 1893 Chicago World’s Fair guard specifically chosen for his height, physique, character and ability to serve and protect. When he is overcome with debilitating abdominal pain, he stumbles to an infirmary only to discover the doctor is female. Female. But even worse, she has the nerve to diagnose him, the toughest man west of anyplace east, with constipation—an unspeakable ailment in mixed company. The two of them face off in the short story and my 2014 release will tell their full story.

I’ve already downloaded that story and read it. I loved it. Can’t wait to get to know those two characters better. What outside interests do you have?

Other than reading, I love to scrapbook, stamp, do puzzles and go to anyplace that has water—lakes, beaches, rivers, whatever.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

I have always been fascinated with intriguing little historical tidbits I would find in those historical time-line books or in an article somewhere.  In this case, however, I chose the Chicago World’s Fair because it has always held a fascination for me. When I finished It Happened at the Fair, I wasn’t quite ready to let go of the setting, so the next two books will have a connection—some small, some big—to the Fair.

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

I’ve always wanted to be on that walk on the road to Emmaus that Jesus took after His resurrection. He was with those two guys and He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures, from Moses to the Prophets, concerning Himself. I’m so envious of those guys. Boy, would I love to have heard that conversation!!

I’m with you on that. What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?

I wish I’d realized that the best thing I can do with my working hours is to write a really, really good book and let the rest take care of itself.

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

To focus on Him and not to worry about what tomorrow will (or won’t) bring.

What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?

Finish the book.

Finish the book.

Finish the book.

No, seriously. Finish the book. They can also: Join a critique group. Join a writing organization. Read how-to books. Enter contests. And … when they finish the first manuscript, start on the next one. J

Very good advice. Tell us about the featured book.

Our hero, Cayden McNamara, travels to the 1893 Chicago World's Fair with his most recent invention, but the noise in the Fair’s Machinery Palace makes it impossible to communicate with potential buyers. In an act of desperation, he hires Della Wentworth, a teacher of the deaf, to tutor him in the art of lip-reading.

He becomes distracted watching her lips and finds his attraction for her growing with each encounter. This isn’t good because not only does he have big plans for his future, but he has a girl back home. Della Wentworth could ruin everything.

I’ve read the book and loved it, but please give us the first page of the book for my blog readers.

Cullen’s eyes swelled to mere slits, his roughened cheeks itched, and a sharp line separated the raw skin on his neck from the skin protected by his shirt. It had happened every planting season for his entire twenty-seven years, and it would happen for the next.

He yanked off his gloves, shirt, and undershirt, worked the pump, then stuck his entire head beneath the water. The icy stream stung and soothed all at the same time. He dare not dither though. Those cotton seeds rode on the breeze and any exposed skin would begin to itch within a day’s time.

Rearing up, he combed his fingers through his hair. Water drizzled down his back, mingling with the sweat collecting between his shoulder blades. The hinges on the backdoor screen squeaked. His stepmother clomped out, her plump body listing with the weight of the pail she toted.

“Are you ready to throw that out, Alice?”

She nodded, dirty water sloshing over the sides of the bucket. “I’ve got it,” she said. “You get on inside. You know better than to be out here without a shirt on.”

“A few more minutes won’t hurt.” Taking it from her, he retraced his steps, tossed the pail’s contents, and pumped fresh water into it.

She stood at the door, her back holding the screen open. Her auburn bun sagged, as streaked with muted white as a song sparrow’s wing. “Come on,” she said. “Ya look a fright.”

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Facebook--@DeesFriends

Twitter--@DeeanneGist

Pinterest--@DeeanneGist

IWantHerBook.com


Deeanne Gist is celebrating the release of It Happened at the Fair with an iPad Mini Giveaway and a Live Author Chat Webcast event {5/22}!

  One "fair" winner will receive:

• An iPad Mini
• A $25 iTunes gift card

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 21st. Winner will be announced at the "It Happened at the Fair" Live Webcast Event on May 22nd. Connect with Deeanne for an evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Deeanne will also be taking questions from the audience and giving away books and fun gift certificates throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of It Happened at the Fair and join Deeanne and friends on the evening of May 22nd for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 22nd!

Thank you, Deeanne, for sharing this new book and your party with us.

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

It Happened at the Fair: A Novel - paperback
It Happened at the Fair: A Novel - 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 Google +, Feedblitz, Facebook, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link.
Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

WINNERS!!!!!

Martha (WI) is the winner of Duchess by Susan May Warren.  
Vera (NC) is the winner of Madeline's Protector by Vanessa Riley. 
Bonnie (FL) is the winner of The Dance by Dan Walsh and Gary Smalley. 
EJ (IA) is the winner of Always the Baker Finally the Bride by Sandra D Bricker.
Stephanie (NY) is the winner of Sweet Sanctuary by Kim Vogel Sawyer.
Merry (TX) is the winner of The Runner by A Wayne Gill.  

If you won a book and you 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. If you won a print book, send me your mailing address:
Click the Contact Me link at the top of the blog, and send me an Email.
If you won the ebook, just let me know what email address it should be sent to.
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.

TREASURES OF THE HEART - Mike Lynch - One Free E-Book

Note to new blog readers: Please follow all instructions at the end of the post to be included in the book drawing.

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

It all comes down to the story. Is it different? Does it capture my attention? I figure if it's interesting for me, it will be interesting for others. As to how I come up with a particular story, that’s hard to say. Sometimes they just come to me in a moment. Other times, it may come from a casual conversation, or a story in the news, or God whispering an idea in my ear. I suppose that’s why I can't stick to one genre.

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

Is it too much of a cliché to say the day I married my wife? We've been together 22 years now, and going strong.

I don’t think it’s cliché at all. How has being published changed your life?

It has certainly soaked up most of my free time. Most writers will attest to the fact that when they're not writing, they're still thinking about their story. Writing has also forced me to be more of a disciplined person. Even though I may not feel like it at times, I need to sit in front of the computer and work on the next chapter or do some revisions. It is a taskmaster that is never satisfied until the book is done. Probably the best way writing has changed my life is all the people I've had a chance to meet along the way—other writers, people who've bought my books, hopeful writers I've helped over the years. I always enjoy talking about writing with them, and what inspires me.

What are you reading right now?

I'm actually reading a story my daughter wrote for my birthday, a story about a king and a queen who lived in a castle during the medieval period. She is a very good writer in her own right, much better than I was at her age.

What is your current work in progress?

I have started on my next novel with a fellow writer I've known for a few years, Stuart Clark. He and I are working on a novel called Mind Writer, a futuristic story that deals with the ethics of cloning and how it would affect society if people could keep themselves alive for generations.

What would be your dream vacation?

There are two places I would love to visit—Jerusalem and Pompeii. History is my passion, and those two cities are probably the most interesting historical places in the world in my opinion. Rome with be a close third, followed by Istanbul.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

It depends on the kind of genre I choose for each story. If it's a sci-fi story, then space will fit in there somewhere. If it's a fantasy, than alternate dimensions. If it's a romance, then I tend to gravitate toward small towns with an eclectic group of people who live there, and if it's a historically-based story, then sometime in the past that works best for the setting.

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

That's a tough one. There are so many interesting people in the world I wish I could ask a thousand questions. If I had to choose one, I would say Stephen Spielberg. I love movies, and his have been some of my top favorites. Despite his obvious success as a filmmaker over the last 40 years, he seems to be just as creative and excited about his projects as when he first started. I hope to have that kind of passion in my life years from now. Plus, I'm sure he would have a whole treasure trove of stories to share.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I pretty much said it in the previous question. I love films. I love watching them, and then analyzing them afterward. I enjoy hearing behind-the-scenes stories about a movie. How it was made, the problems experienced along the way, things we learn from them. To me, there are few things better than being taken away on an exciting journey for a couple of hours to far-off places and meeting interesting people along the way.

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

For me, my most difficult writing obstacle is knowing when it's time to stop. It doesn't matter how many times I've edited a story, I can always find something to fix. I've basically come to the conclusion that a story is never really finished, you just have to decide it's done, than then send it to the publisher.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Write, write, write. Submit what you've written to a publisher, and then write some more. I know that's not new, but the only way we'll be really good writers is through practice. There's just no substitute for time in front of the computer. Most writers who go back and read their earlier works often cringe. Their stories are generally much less polished than they are today. But at that time, it was the best they could do. Honing their skills came by writing one story after the other. Clunky sentences, weak characters, and flat storytelling fell by the wayside over time, replaced with gems that have found their way into readers' hands. That’s what all writers should aspire to in my humble opinion, and that comes by writing.

Tell us about the featured book.

It is titled, Treasures of the Heart. This is an adventure story I co-authored with Brandon Barr.

Bree McKinney is your run of the mill researchers who is happy to lose herself in her work as an oceanographer, until she meets a mysterious stranger, Jack Castle. He's charming ex-Navy SEAL who needs her help to find the HMS             Sheba Queen’s rumored cargo of gold, a legendary British warship that mysteriously sank off the New England coast in 1779. Bree finds herself falling in love as they search for the lost treasure, but their search takes a life or death turn when a dangerous man from Jack’s past catches up with him, and will stop at nothing to claim the gold for himself.

There are a lot of twists and turns in the story that will keep the reader engaged from the first page to the last, plus a nice romantic element that will warm anyone's heart. If you're in the mood for a nice little buried treasure story, then Treasures of the Heart will be right up your alley. 

Please give us the first page of the book. 

CHAPTER 1 

Another wave crashed over the bow, slamming Samuel Piper onto the deck. Half   frozen, he clung to the mizzenmast with one hand, his cutlass tightly gripped in the other. The Sheba Queen trembled under his feet as gale force winds blew against her without remorse. If she hadn’t run aground against Lucifer’s Horns, a jagged grouping of rocks less than a mile from shore, the ship would have foundered under the torrent, and he'd likely be dead, his life quickly ended by the frigid waters. The misery he endured at present still         seemed a cruel mercy.

Samuel pulled himself back to his feet and caught glimpses of two men fighting through thick sheets of rain. One lunged forward with his sword while the other parried the thrust that was intended to finish him off. Clangs of metal against metal pierced through a succession of thunder claps that lit the ship, casting it in an eerie glow. The darkness that followed was total, and Samuel navigated the ship by memory, his eyes recovering slowly from the blinding flashes cast down from an angry sky above.

“To the quarter deck!” someone yelled. “We make our stand there.”

Quick, disjointed movements caught Samuel’s attention. He turned in the direction from where they originated, just in time to catch the edge of a sword coming down on him. A man twice his size materialized in the dark, his shadowy outline like a massive beam. Samuel raised his cutlass just in time to fend off the blow, but the power of his opponent's crushing attack sent him stumbling back into the ship’s rigging.

His laced shirt and pantaloons soaked by rain, the Spaniard came at him again just as a thirty-foot wall of water slammed into the ship. The Sheba Queen teetered noisily against Lucifer’s Horns, momentarily halting the Spaniard’s attack as the two men held onto whatever they could.

“Preparar a morir usted perro,” he said, and thrust his sword at Samuel again.

He used his smaller size to his advantage, and darted out of the way quicker than his unwieldy adversary could move.

With the same devastating impact as before, still another wave crashed into the ship, this time knocking Samuel onto the deck. The Spaniard gained the upper hand, and made a wide cut with his sword, slicing Samuel’s arm. He ground his teeth, fighting the searing pain, and rolled out of the way before the man could finish him off.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

The best place to find me is my website: www.mikelynchbooks.com

Thank you, Mike, for sharing this new book with us.

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


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

A HEARTBEAT AWAY - S Dionne Moore - One Free Book

Here's another of my friends with her newest novel. Welcome, Sandra. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

I think a little of me slips into most of my characters. It’s a subconscious thing. Writing male characters is especially difficult because I’m constantly reminding myself to think more like a man. For male characters, I can always rely on my husband as a good role model and have even asked him, “How would you handle this?” “What would be your reaction?”

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

Chinese fire drill. Midnight. Three of us in the middle of Phoenix, Arizona. We laughed so hard. It rates up there next to the singing at the top of my lungs, windows rolled down, wind in my hair. . .yeah, you’ve done it too, admit it!

The singing? Yes. The Chinese fire drill at midnight? No. When did you first discover that you were a writer?

As a teen, I composed a book, scene by scene, in my head every night. I guess that’s when I first realized my penchant for plotting, but I was never one to write it down until much later. It took me a long time to realize the value of *finishing* a book. I learned so much going in that process, but just putting those two words “The End” down on paper--er, screen, was immensely gratifying.

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

A wide range, really. I enjoy research, so nonfiction books abound in my house. I love mystery, good romantic suspense, some contemporary (really, very few), and historical romance of almost any type and in most time periods.

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

Never claimed to be sane. I have my moments, and most of them wild fluctuations between running around like a woman a-fire, or lulls of inactivity with no scheduled appointments when I can enjoy a book or get some writing done.

More recently, I’ve found how annoying it is to receive texts. My iMac chirps, my iPhone bleeps, and my iPad whistles, all at the same time, so I have made hard and fast friends with Do Not Disturb.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

Certain names are more common in one location than they are another, so I look first to my setting, then pay attention to the last names of the people from that time period. It’s a little easier with first names and I generally just pick something I like.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Raising a daughter who loves the Lord and is learning, daily, how to be more for Him.

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

A dog, specifically a little dog, because if it’s anything like our little guy, it’s a fun life with nary a care in the world.

What is your favorite food?

Chocolate. Dark chocolate. Yum!

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

POV (point of view). I never could figure out what people meant when they’d mark my manuscript and tell me I was out of POV. Then I had a kind man explain it to me and the lightbulb flickered to a full glow.

Tell us about the featured book.

A Heartbeat Away is the story of a young woman who rediscovers her faith with the help of a secret message in a quilt her mother gifted her.

Please give us the first page of the book.

September 14, 1862

Battle of South Mountain

Joe opened his eyes to darkness. A shadow moved against the semi-blackness of a window and his senses screamed the warning. He jerked, gasped at the jolt of pain, and fell back. His heart pounded with fear at his weakness as his mind struggled to place where he was. Ben? Where was he? They had stayed close to each other. Too close. Ben had blamed himself when Joe had taken the minie ball in his shoulder. Joe heard his own voice as if from a great distance; his explanation to ease Ben’s guilt; “We’re in a war, what do you expect?”

            He blinked as a vision of Ben flashed through his pounding head. He massaged his forehead, felt a hand on his shoulder and swung to his left, rolling to avoid the contact. He fell into nothingness, slammed into the floor. Pain took his breath.

            “Joe!”

            Through the waves of nausea he realized one thing, the voice was soft. Feminine. When the hands touched his shoulder, his face, he felt the softness in the fingertips, reminding him of home and gentler times.

            “You’re in a springhouse on our farm,” the voice rushed to explain. “You were injured.”

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Depending on what you enjoy, you can find me:

Website: http://www.sdionnemoore.com

Google+: http://plus.google.com/sdionnemoore

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/sdionnemoore

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/sdionnemoore

Twitter: @sdionnemoore

Scoop.it: http://www.scoop.it/u/s-dionne-moore  

The Borrowed Book: http://www.theborrowedbook.blogspot.com

Cozy Mystery Magazine:  http://www.cozymysterymagazine.blogspot.com

Thank you, Sandra, for sharing a little of your life and your new book with us today.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
A Heartbeat Away: Quilts of Love Series - paperback
A Heartbeat Away: Quilts of Love 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 Google +, Feedblitz, Facebook, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link.
Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

WHERE TREASURE HIDES - Johnnie Donley - One Free Ebook

(Note to new people reading the blog: If you don't follow all the instructions at the bottom of the page, you won't be included in the drawing for the free book.)

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

I wish I had been blessed with Alison’s artistic talent! Her fingers itch for a brush the way mine itch for a pen. I’m just more comfortable holding one in my hand even if I don’t have anything to write. Other than that, I don’t consciously base my characters on myself or anyone I know. They grow into themselves through freewriting and in the initial draft.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I asked my daughter, and she said that I fill my glass with so much ice that “you can only put a teaspoon of soda in it.” And a straw. I kind of have an obsession with straws.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I’ve been making up stories as long as I can remember, telling them to myself as I fell asleep at night. In the third grade, I made up an amazing game with my friends where we were kittens who could turn into lions and tigers with our magic watches. But it’s only been in the last six years or so that I’ve been able to devote time to a writing career.

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

I love Anne Perry’s World War I series, Tolkien’s Middle Earth sagas, C.S. Lewis’ nonfiction works (though not his space trilogy), Daniel Silva’s thrillers, and practically anything about World War II. Other favorites include Kate Morton, Susan Frasier King, Jane Kirkpatrick, Davis Bunn, and Jack Cavanaugh.

My most recent reads are Mind of Her Own by Diana Lesire Brandmeyer and Claiming Mariah by Pam Hillman. Both were fun and entertaining stories by talented authors. I’m currently re-reading Les Miserables and The Hobbit.

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

I choose not to run, run, run by limiting my obligations to only a few major activities. I facilitate a women’s Bible study, serve as President of the American Christian Fiction Writers Central Florida Chapter, and volunteer as a guardian ad litem for my county. I also have other ACFW responsibilities, such as a First Impressions first round judge and Genesis Historical Fiction Coordinator.

Almost every day, I have quiet time in my comfy chair. My papillon Rugby lies across the top of the chair so he can see out the bay window. I pray, read Scripture, and write in my journal.

Sometimes I am overwhelmed – who isn’t? But these are specific choices I make to lessen stress and give me the time I need to write.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

This is an interesting question. Somehow the main characters seem to choose themselves, though I have looked up common German names, for example, for those characters and kind of try different ones on for size. Eventually something fits just right. I’ve also used a database that lists the most popular names by decade. This is a great resource for historical novelists.

For minor characters, sometimes I just look around at the books on my shelves or check the credits of some TV show for inspiration.

A World War II double agent, the protagonist in an earlier manuscript, was code-named after my sister’s cat which inspired the names of an entire secret mission.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Giving my now adult children happy childhood memories.

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

When I was two, I wanted to be a dog when I grew up. But now I’d like to be a powerful bird, like a falcon or hawk, so I can fly above the world and see its magnificent variety.

What is your favorite food?

I love pizza and a really good steak. But not at the same time.

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

I’m always afraid of the blank page so it helps me to write my first draft during NaNoWriMo. Where Treasure Hides began as a NaNoNovel in 2009. The published story bears little resemblance to that messy draft, but it gave me something to work with. I also found it helpful to being a blank book with the words, “My name is Alison Schuyler ...” I kept on writing and discovered several things about Alison that helped with both character and plot development.

This year, I spent November writing my next project. Again, I don’t expect the polished version to look much like the original. The main characters need more depth, and my dramatic climax didn’t work. But the messy draft gives me potential.

Tell us about the featured book.

Alison Schuyler inherited her family’s artistic talent and a strong belief that true love leads to tragedy. On the eve of World War II, a chance meeting at Waterloo station brings bold and compassionate British officer Ian Devlin into her life. While Ian fights for freedom on the battlefield, Alison works with the Dutch Underground to find a safe haven for Jewish children and priceless pieces of art alike. As time, war, and a spurned Nazi officer struggle to keep them apart, Alison fears she and Ian will be separated forever. She needs to find the faith to fight for their love and to trust God with her future.

Please give us the first page of the book.

First Page (Lena, this is actually the first two pages. The first page is only the first two paragraphs, but adding the second page gives a more complete vignette. Of course, feel free to use as little as you wish.)

August 1939

The stringed notes of “Rule, Britannia!” grew louder as the crowd quieted, eyes and ears straining in their search for the violin soloist. The patriotic anthem echoed through Waterloo Station’s concourse, and as the second chorus began, sporadic voices sang the lyrics. Travel- weary Brits stood a little straighter, chins lifted, as the violinist completed the impromptu performance, the last note sounding long after the strings were silenced.

Alison Schuyler gripped her leather bag and threaded her way through the crowd toward the source of the music. As the final note faded inside the hushed terminal, she squeezed between a sailor and his girl, murmuring an apology at forc­ing them to part, and stepped onto a bench to see over the crowd. A dark-haired boy, no more than seven or eight, held the violin close to his anemic frame. His jacket, made of a finely woven cloth, hung loosely on his thin shoulders. The matching trousers would have slipped down his hips if not for his hand-tooled leather belt.

Either the boy had lost weight or his parents had purposely provided him clothes to grow into. Alison hoped for the latter, though from the rumors she’d heard, her first assumption was all too likely. She stared at the cardboard square, secured by a thick length of twine that the boy wore as a cheap necklace. The penciled writing on the square numbered the boy as 127.

Other children crowded near the young musician, each one dressed in their fine traveling clothes, each one labeled with cardboard and twine. Germany’s castaways, transported to England for their own safety while their desperate parents paced the floors at home and vainly wished for an end to these troublesome days.

“Now will you allow him to keep his violin?” A man’s voice, pleasant but firm, broke the spell cast over the station. The children fidgeted and a low murmur rumbled through the crowd. The speaker, dressed in the khaki uniform of a British Army officer, ignored them, his gaze intent on the railroad official overseeing the children.

“He better,” said a woman standing near Alison. “Never heard anything so lovely. And the lad not even one of the king’s subjects. I’d take him home myself—yes, I would—if I’d a bed to spare.”

Alison mentally sketched the tableau before her, pinning the details into her memory. The officer’s hand resting on the boy’s shoulder; the official, a whistle around his neck, restlessly tapping his clipboard with his pencil; the dread and hope in the boy’s eyes as he clutched his prized instrument. The jagged square that tagged his identity.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

My Treasured Moments blog is at www.johnniedonley.com.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JohnnieAlexanderDonley
Twitter: https://twitter.com/johnnie_donley

Thank you, Johnnie, for sharing your book with us today.

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

Where Treasure Hides


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