BLOWING ON DANDELIONS - Miralee Ferrell - One Free Book

Miralee Ferrell is a dear writing friend of mine. She allowed me the privilege to read Blowing on Dandelions for an endorsement, which you can read at the front of the book. My last four books are romances with strong issues like those found in women's fiction. So do Miralee's books. These characters will reach out and grip you so hard, you'll have trouble putting this book down.

Welcome, Miralee. Why did you become an author?

I know a lot of people talk about God nudging them to write, but that truly happened to me. I had no desire to write (other than personal memories/journals/letters). I was visiting a neighboring church to hear a special speaker. At the end of the service I responded to a call for prayer. The pastor/speaker prayed with me and stopped after a few moments. He shared that he felt God was saying that I should be writing … he didn’t know whether fiction or non-fiction, but that it was important it be published. I took that word home, prayed about it and counseled with my pastor, husband, and mother, who all urged me to take it seriously. Two-and-a-half years later (after 3 magazine articles were published) my first book, The Other Daughter, released. Since then I’ve had 7 books published and 6 more are under contract.

I had a book published with the title, The Other Brother. I remember hearing your title and knowing that I had to read it. It was wonderful, as are all of your books. If you weren’t an author, what would be your dream job?

Nothing!! Seriously, if I weren’t writing I’d spend as much time as I could with my grown kids, my mother, my new (2 month old) grandbaby, and my friends. At times I feel as though I shortchange them, although I do put family first 90% of the time and still manage to make my deadlines. But if I had to chose an actual paying job? It would be a Christian counselor with a doctorate. I’m a certified Christian counselor with the American Association of Christian Counselors now, but I wish I’d finished my degree and taken it to the next level. Although if I had, I doubt I’d have started writing, so God knew what He was doing from the beginning.

I’m sure all it took to gain that certification helps you as an author. Your characters are memorable. If you could have lived at another time in history, what would it be and why?

That’s easy, the Old West during the 1870s to the late 1890s, and I would have lived on a working cattle/horse ranch. I’d be riding the ranges instead of working in the house or kitchen, if at all possible. Or at least, I would have been in my teens through my thirties. I suppose by now I’d be on a porch swing playing with my grandbabies!

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

I’ve never visited the Northeastern Seaboard, or any of the northeastern part of the United States. The richness of our country’s history in those places fascinates me, and I’d love to spend a few weeks browsing the museums as well as many of the sites of the Civil and Revolutionary War.     

How about a foreign country you hope to visit?

That’s a little harder, as I have several, but definitely somewhere with castles and lots of history. Maybe Switzerland or Germany or Scotland, I’m not sure. I would love to spend days poking around historical sites that are a few hundred years old!

What lesson has the Lord taught you recently?

To trust Him, completely and totally, no matter what the circumstances look like. His word is true no matter what’s going on in my life and no matter how difficult the challenges.

Tell us about the featured book.

Blowing on Dandelions is a historical romance with a strong women’s fiction thread set in Baker City, Oregon, in 1880. It’s the first in a three-book series, and the reader will continue to see many of the same character in the ensuing books, although each book can stand alone (although there are ties and references to the previous books). Here’s a little bit about the story.

Do Dandelion Wishes Actually Come True?

Katherine Galloway knew this moment of calm wouldn’t last, blown away like the dandelion seeds she scattered as a girl. In 1880, three years after her husband’s death, she struggles to run an Oregon boardinghouse and raise two girls alone. Things don't get easier when her critical, domineering mother moves in. Katherine must make the situation work, but standing up for herself and her family while honoring her mother isn't easy. And with a daughter entering the teenage years, the pressure on Katherine becomes close to overwhelming. Then she crosses paths with Micah Jacobs, a widower who could reignite her heart, but she fears a relationship with him might send things over the edge. She must find the strength, wisdom, hope, and faith to remake her life, for everything is about to change.

Since I’ve already it, please give us the first page of the book for my blog readers.                  

            This is the opening scene and not quite the full page, but I’d hate to leave your readers dangling in the middle of the next scene, so I’ll only share this little bit.

Baker City, Oregon

Late May 1880

Katherine Galloway’s soft exhale sent the dandelion fluff dancing on the warm current of air, but it didn’t bring the anticipated relief. Gripping the stem, she sat in the grassy field with her eyes closed and waited. Why didn’t it come? It had always appeared years ago when she needed it. How long had it been since her mind had drifted away to a place where nothing could hurt her? Fifteen years? Twenty?

She shook her head, and an errant curl tickled her cheek.

More. Many more. But always her memory returned to those times when the dandelion fluff had carried her away to a place where mothers were loving and kind, and little girls didn’t need to be afraid of cutting words or sharp voices.

Had she ever known a time like that, other than in her dreams? Katherine had thought she did, but now she knew: It was all an illusion, like the sunbeams glinting off the bits of white settling to the ground. Seeds—that’s all they were. Seeds that brought unwanted weeds when they matured. Just like her life.

Unwanted. Unwelcome. Unsung.

At least by the one person who had mattered the most while she was growing up.

Katherine pushed to her feet, letting the dandelion stem dangle from her fingers. There was no fantasy world where thirty-two-year-old women—or little girls for that matter—could ride the dandelion fluff and become someone they weren’t. No. It was time to put the past behind her. Mama was coming to stay at her house tomorrow, and somehow Katherine had to survive.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I have several places you can find me and interact.

Web site:  www.miraleeferrell.com

Blog:   www.miraleesdesk.blogspot.com

Facebook Author page:  www.facebook.com/miraleeferrell

Twitter:  www.twitter.com/miraleeferrell

Thank you, Miralee, for sharing your life and this book with my blog readers.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Blowing on Dandelions - Christianbook.com
Blowing on Dandelions: A Novel (Love Blossoms in Oregon Series) - Amazon.com
Blowing on Dandelions: A Novel (Love Blossoms in Oregon 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

TROUBLE IN STORE - Carol Cox - One Free Book

Carol Cox is a long-time writer friend, and I really enjoy reading her books. Trouble in Store is a wonderful read. The characters really leapt from the pages into my mind and heart. Their lives and trouble are often in my thoughts.

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

I’m very excited about this month’s release of Trouble in Store. This historical romantic suspense was so much fun to research and write! Arizona offers a wide panorama of settings to explore, and I love the opportunity to bring those fascinating places to life in my books.

A bit farther out on the horizon is a novella collection where I detoured from my Arizona settings and traveled to your part of the country. Mary Connealy, Karen Witemeyer, and Regina Jennings were the other authors, and working with them was such a delight! Look for A Match Made in Texas next January.

I want to feature that book on my blog. I love to read books by all four of you. Tell us a little about your family.

Dave and I celebrated our 39th anniversary earlier this month, and what an adventure it has been! He’s the pastor of two small churches. In addition to that, he owns and operates the Davis Leather Company, which means I have a handy resource available for information on guns and gun leather.

Our daughter will be a senior in high school this fall. One of her goals for this summer is learning to drive … with me as her teacher. If you sense a nudging to pray for the two of us, please feel free to act upon it!

Our son is in the Air Force, and I’m very proud of his service to our country. He and his wife have blessed us with three sweet grandchildren who light up our lives.

I have a grandson in the Army overseas now. And I know how much grandchildren add to your lives. We now have a great grandson with another on the way. Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?

Between writing, making revisions, checking galleys, promoting the current release, and researching the next project, I simply don’t have the free time I used to be able to devote to reading. Much of the reading I do these days is for research, so I treasure the rare moments when I’m able to curl up with a book and read for sheer pleasure!

What are you working on right now?

I’m nearing completion of another story set in Arizona. This one features a heroine who inherits a newspaper, and I’m having a great time learning about the printing process in the late 19th century!

I’ll want to feature that book on the blog as well. What outside interests do you have?

As you might suspect, church activities take up a lot of my time. I play the piano at both our churches, teach children’s Sunday school, and lead a monthly women’s Bible study. And then there’s the youth group, which keeps us hopping! We’ve been blessed with two wonderful congregations, and I’m very grateful to be able to work with all these different age groups.

When I do have some free time, I enjoy knitting and crocheting. And one of my favorite ways to beat stress is working in the garden.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

More often than not, I feel like the setting chooses me. Sometimes, all it takes is a visit to a location to start the creative juices flowing. What kind of people would have lived there? What problems did they face? How did they resolve them? When questions like that spring to mind—and when the answers start flowing—I know a new story idea may be on its way.

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

One of my favorite places to research Arizona history is the Sharlot Hall Museum in Prescott. Ranch woman, activist, lover of history—and a writer, to boot—Sharlot was fiercely independent, preferring to live life on her own terms, unencumbered by the constraints society placed on a married woman.

Her appointment as territorial historian in 1909 made her the first woman to hold office in the Arizona Territorial government. Her new post was a perfect fit for her passion to preserve history, and she conceived the idea of establishing a historical museum in the cabin that served as the Governor’s Mansion for the territory’s first governors. Eventually, the museum that now bears her name came into being, and her dream became a reality.

I can only imagine what a treat it would be to spend an evening with Sharlot, listening to the stories this remarkable woman could tell!

I’d love to be there with you when you talked to her. What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?

I always heard that writing is a solitary pursuit, so I expected a degree of isolation . . . but I was in for a wonderful surprise. I never dreamed of the enduring friendships I would make with other writers, and with my readers as well. Those connections have been unexpected blessings that have enriched my life immeasurably!

Yes, they make it all worth it. What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

Right now, the lessons are all about priorities. I can’t say this is a new topic for me, but it seems like the Lord sends a reminder every so often. And I’m so glad He does! With today’s hectic pace of life, it’s all too easy to get caught up in the urgent and let the most important priorities slip out of place without even being aware of it.

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

Here are the 3 B’s of Writing listed on my website’s “For Writers” page:

Be patient.

Like any career, writing requires preparation and training. The learning process takes time, so gear yourself mentally for a marathon rather than a sprint.

Be teachable.

The longer I write, the more I realize how much I still need to learn. There is always the joy of growing, of improving my skills, of learning to be a “workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” (from 2 Timothy 2:15 NIV)

Be willing.

If we’re called to write for the Lord, we need to do this for His glory and not our own. Place your writing in God’s hands and be willing to give Him control as to what happens with it. He’s the one who sees the big picture and knows what’s best—both for us and for His plan.

Tell us about the featured book.

Fired from her most recent governess position, Melanie Ross muse embrace her last resort: the Arizona mercantile she inherited from her cousin. But Caleb Nelson is positive he inherited the mercantile, and he’s not about to let an obstinate woman with newfangled ideas ruin all he’s worked for. In hope of turning her interest elsewhere, he determines to get Melanie married off, and luckily, there are many single men in town quite willing to take her off his hands.

The problem is, Caleb soon realizes he doesn’t want her to marry any of them. He’s drawn to her more every day, and he has to admit some of her ideas for the store offer unexpectedly positive results.

But someone doesn’t want the mercantile to succeed, and threatening words have escalated into destruction and danger. Will Melanie and Caleb’s business—and budding romance—survive the trouble that’s about to come their way?

Please give us the first page of the book.

Marietta, Ohio

April 1885

“Are the children ready, Miss Ross?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Melanie Ross bobbed her head, trying not to wince at her employer’s clipped tone. She shot a quick glance at Mrs. Deaver’s daughter and son to make sure nothing had happened to mar their appearance since her last inspection.

Five-year-old Olivia stood on Melanie’s left, long golden curls framing her cherubic face and cascading over the wide collar of the pink dropped-waist dress so carefully ironed by Melanie the night before. The little girl’s eyes glowed with anticipation, and the dimple in her round left cheek deepened when she offered her mother a bright smile.

Mrs. Deaver’s features softened enough to give her daughter a fleeting smile in return.

On Melanie’s right, Clarence Harrington Deaver Jr. dug the toe of his black patent-leather shoe into the Aubusson carpet, his dark scowl indicating the nine-year-old’s distaste for the blue velvet suit, complete with lace collar, designated as his attire for the afternoon.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I love to connect with readers online! Visit my website at:

www.AuthorCarolCox.com to learn more about me and my books.

Then there’s my Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/carol.cox.

I also blog at Writes of Passage on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month: http://www.writespassage.blogspot.com/

And I’m just getting started with Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/authorcarolcox/  I’m still very much a beginner there, so if any of you would like to share helpful hints, I’d love to hear them!

Thank you for inviting me to visit your blog again, Lena. It’s always a joy to spend time with you and your readers!

It's a pleasure to talk to you and help you introduce your new books to my readers.

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

Trouble in Store - Christianbook.com
Trouble in Store: A Novel - Amazon.com
Trouble in Store - 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

THE PROMISE BOX - Tricia Goyer - One Free Book on This Blog, Plus Much More

Welcome back, Tricia. I know you speak at various conferences and meetings. What do you have coming up in 2013?

I've cut out most of my speaking in 2013 … but for a very good reason. We're in the process of adopting two little ones from the Foster Care system. They are ages 5 and 2 years old. I knew it would take time for everyone to adjust so I'm staying home as much as possible. That being said, I am excited to be speaking at the International MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) convention in Kansas City!

If you were planning a women’s retreat, what would be the theme for it?

Living Inspired. That is the name of my radio show, and the theme for my life. The word “inspiration” means “Breath of God.” Our lives can be inspiring when we allow God to breathe into them. It doesn't matter what we can do. It matters what we allow Him to do through us!

Who would you want as speakers and why?

Oh, that's a hard question! A few of my friends:

Robin Jones Gunn, Courtney Joseph, Brooke McGlouthin, Stacey Thacker, Gina Smith, Kennisha Hill, Terri Lynn Underwood, Tracey Eyster, Crystal Paine … the list could go on!

Where would you hold the retreat and why?

I'd find someplace near the beach or mountains—someplace that would refresh a woman's soul.

Do you read print books or ebooks? Or a combination of the two?

Both!

That’s an interesting title. How did you come up with it?

The Promise Box is titled after the object in the book that changes everything. It's a box where a woman collected the promises that God had given to her, both Scripture promises in promises concerning her life.

So what is the book about.

Lydia Wise is a young Amish woman who returns to the small Amish community of West Kootenai, Montana, after her mother's death. It's then she discovers her mother's promise box, and she learns to trust in God's promises too … while at the same time opening her heart to an Amish bachelor.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Lydia Wyse shook rain from her red curls, wishing she could as easily shake memories of the last time she’d seen Mem’s lowered kapp and bowed head, praying for her daughter’s return. Return not only to West Kootenai, Montana, but to the Amish. Lydia was returning all right, but not in the way Mem had wished. Tomorrow was Mem’s funeral, and during the nine hours of driving—from Seattle to Montana—each minute had brought her closer to home. To heartache.

Lydia had stopped for gas in Eureka, about an hour from her parents’ house, and rain now drenched her long curls. Soaked, standing in line to pay, she spotted a few Amish women climbing from a white van and hurrying into the grocery store attached to the gas station. Seeing them, a twinge of familiarity—of longing—filled her heart, but she stuffed the emotions down.

“Are those Amish from West Kootenai?” she asked the gas station attendant who took her cash.

He shrugged. “Don’t know. Just Amish. Not really sure where they’re from.”

“Just Amish.”

How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.TriciaGoyer.com

www.twitter.com/triciagoyer

www.Facebook.com/authortriciagoyer

www.pinterest.com/triciagoyer

Tricia Goyer is celebrating the release of her lastest novel, The Promise Box (Zondervan), by hosting an Amish Baking Box giveaway and connecting with readers during her June 12th Book Chat Party!

One "promising" winner will receive:

• Apron, hot mitts, and kitchen towels
• Amish baking items (rolling pin, pie plate, etc...)
• Sherry Gore's Simply Delicious Amish Cooking
• The Memory Jar and The Promise Box by Tricia Goyer 

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on June 11th. Winner will be announced at the "The Promise Box" Facebook Author Chat Party on June 12th. Connect with Tricia for an evening of Amish fun - book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Tricia will also share an exclusive look at the next book book in the Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors series and give away books and other fun prizes throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of The Promise Box and join Tricia on the evening of June 12th 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 12th!

Thank you, Tricia, for sharing all of this with us today.

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

The Promise Box  - Christianbooks.com
The Promise Box (Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors) - paperback
The Promise Box (Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors) - 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!!!!!

Melissa O (NC) is the winner of Catch a Falling Star by Beth K Vogt. 
Sharon R (NC) is the winner of The Offering by Angela Hunt. 
Jo (AZ) is the winner of Afloat by Erin Healy.
Sharon M (CA) is the winner of Stolen Identity by Lisa Harris. 
Andi (AL) is the winner of Ray of Light by Shelley Shepard Gray.  

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.

GRACE'S PICTURES - Cindy Thomson - One Free Book

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

Not too much, I hope! There are some major differences between Grace and me. She had an abusive father, I had a loving one. I’ve never had to live in a workhouse or travel alone to a new country, so those emotions had to come from other experiences I’ve had (not as severe) when I’ve felt alone, unsure, and afraid. Owen desperately wants to fit in with the people in his neighborhood even though he is not an immigrant like they are. I think we’ve all wanted to fit in and be accepted at some point in our lives.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

Hmm…maybe stay the night at a monastery in Ireland run by French monks where silence is practiced. Come to think of it, maybe that was where I got the experience of trying to fit in.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I suppose when someone paid me for something I wrote. I got $25 for an article on a web site, and to think someone liked what I wrote enough to pay me for it really boosted my confidence. I kept on writing after that, sometimes even for free.

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

Wow. My reading taste is all over. I love historical fiction probably the most. I also love non-fiction history books and biographies, especially baseball biographies. But I read contemporary fiction sometimes as well. I sprinkle in some spiritual books (I really want to read more C.S. Lewis and George MacDonald) along with books on the writing craft. I’m drawn to some Celtic-themed books as well.

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

It is crazy sometimes, isn’t it? I need alone time. If I skip my prayer time in the morning things inevitably do not go smoothly that day. I make family a priority. I think if you know you are firmly rooted you deal with stress so much better.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

For Grace’s Pictures, I chose Grace because it’s a name that appears in Irish history, like the pirate queen Grace O’Malley. I could say I chose it because she needed grace, but that would apply to us all. Owen is also an Irish name and I just liked it.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Having just seen my youngest son married to a wonderful girl he met at church, I suppose I’m most proud of raising three terrific young men. I had help, of course, my husband and lots of prayer.

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

No one ever asked me that before! Hmm … a bird, I think because it must be a wonderful feeling to be able to fly and experience absolute freedom.

What is your favorite food?

Pizza, although I can’t eat regular cheese. But even without it, pizza is the thing I miss the most once my husband started eating gluten-free. I love lots of veggies on mine.

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

Plotting. I was too much of a seat-of-the-pants writer and it caused me to do much more work than if I had properly outlined ahead of time. It’s difficult for me to outline. I like to write the story and figure out what’s going to happen and why as I go along but that has gotten me off track too many times. Brainstorming with other authors helped me a tremendous amount.

Tell us about the featured book.

Grace McCaffery hopes that the bustling streets of New York hold all the promise that the lush hills of Ireland did not. As her efforts to earn enough money to bring her mother to America fail, she wonders if her new Brownie camera could be the answer. But a casual stroll through a beautiful New York City park turns into a hostile run-in with local gangsters, who are convinced her camera holds the first and only photos of their elusive leader. A policeman with a personal commitment to help those less fortunate finds Grace attractive and longs to help her, but Grace believes such men cannot be trusted. Spread thin between her quest to rescue her mother, do well in a new nanny job, and avoid the gang intent on intimidating her, Grace must put her faith in unlikely sources to learn the true meaning of courage and forgiveness.

Please give us the first page of the book.

December 1900

“May I take your photograph, miss?”

Grace McCaffery spun around. She had passed through the inspections without a problem and was on her way downstairs, where she would meet the aid society worker. What now?

“A photograph?” A man stood smiling at her, next to a large camera. She’d only seen one of these machines before, and that was on the ship.

“Why?” She bit her lip. Was everything about to fall apart now?

“For prosperity. It’s your first day in America.” He handed her a small piece of paper. “My name and address, should you later wish to see it. It will only take a moment of your time and then you are free to continue on.”

Free sounded good. “What do I do?”

“Stand under that window—” He pointed toward one of the massive windows. “—and look this way.” Streams of late-afternoon sun shone in through the ornamental ironwork, tracing odd shapes on the tiled floor.

She did as he asked.

“Now look up, miss.” He snapped his fingers. “Look toward the camera.”

Her eyelids were iron weights, but she forced herself to look his way, wanting to get it over with.

After she heard a slight pop coming from the camera, he dismissed her. “Welcome to America!”

America! Ma should see Ellis Island and all the people milling about. Grace sat down on a bench just to the right of the stairs to collect the thoughts rambling around in her head like loose marbles. Imagine, a girl like her, now free in America. She would not have envisioned it herself a few weeks ago. Exhausted, she dropped her face to her hands as she relived what had led her here.

***

“Must go to the workhouse.” Huge hands snatched wee Grace from her bed. “Your da is dead. Behind in your rent and got no means.”

Grace kicked with all her might. “Ma!”

An elbow to her belly. Burning. She heaved.

“Blasted kid!” The policeman tossed her onto a wagon like garbage.

“Ma!”

“I’m here, Grace. Don’t cry.” Her mother cradled her as the wagon jolted forward. “Oh, my heart. You are special, wee one. So special to God.”

Heat emanated from the burning cottage, the temperature torturing Grace’s face. She hid against her mother’s shoulder.

Later, they were pulled apart and herded into a building.

A dark hallway. The sound of water dripping.

Stairs. Up the stairs. Following other children. So many children. Was her mother dead?

Interesting and intriguing. How can readers find you on the Internet?

My website: www.cindyswriting.com

My Twitter handle: @cindyswriting

My Facebook author page: http://www.facebook.com/cindyswriting

Thanks for having me, Lena!

It's my pleasure and great blessing, Cindy.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Grace's Pictures  - Christianbook.com
Grace's Pictures (Ellis Island) - Amazon
Grace's Pictures (Ellis Island) - 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 

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

Our electricity is out. James and I are at the library connected to their Internet. However, the information for today's post is at home on my desktop computer, so I can't load it. I'll catch up as soon as I can after the electricity comes back on. Thank you for your patience

STEALING THE PREACHER - Karen Witemeyer - One Free Book on This Blog, Plus Much More

Bio: Two-time RITA finalist and winner of the coveted HOLT Medallion and ACFW Carol Award, CBA bestselling author Karen Witemeyer writes historical romance because she believes that the world needs more happily-ever-afters. 
She is an avid cross-stitcher, shower singer, and bakes a mean apple cobbler. Karen makes her home in Abilene, Texas, with her husband and three children. 

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

My spiritual themes usually center around issues that I struggle with in my own faith journey. Pride, forgiveness, waiting on God's timing, carrying one another's burdens, trust, not judging, realizing that living right is more important than being right.

In Stealing the Preacher, the theme centers around the idea that in order to truly fulfill God's calling on our lives, we must be willing to surrender our assumptions and rationalizations about what we think that calling entails to follow him in the direction he actually leads, even if that guidance takes us in a different direction than we expect. A secondary theme emphasizes the need to never grow weary of scattering spiritual seed, for God will never give up his pursuit of any individual soul.

What other books of yours are coming out soon?

My next project is actually a novella that features Neill Archer, the final brother in the Archer clan. I just couldn't let him go without giving him his own happily ever after. Away from the Archer ranch for two years to earn the money needed to start up his own spread with his childhood friend, Josiah, Neill takes a job repairing a little old widow’s roof. Only the widow isn’t old nor is she little. She’s nine months pregnant with her deceased husband’s child, and she meets Neill with a shotgun aimed at his chest.

Neill’s story, A Cowboy Unmatched, will be part of a collection entitled A Match Made in Texas. It releases January 2014 and includes novellas by three other wonderful historical authors: Mary Connealy, Regina Jennings, and Carol Cox.

I must feature this book on my blog. You four are some of my favorite historical authors. If you could spend an evening with one contemporary person (not a family member of yours), who would it be and why?

Being a music lover, I'm going to pick Josh Groban. I love his voice, and if I could somehow convince him to let me sing a duet with him (no audience, of course), I think I would float around in a delighted haze for weeks.

A good choice. What historical person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why?

Elizabeth Blackwell. I remember reading a book about the first woman doctor when I was in 5th grade, and it made a huge impact on me. Plus, I would love to ask her a ton of questions about medical treatment in the 1800s for research purposes.

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

Publishing with a traditional house can be a difficult journey that requires perseverance and tough skin. Rejections are a big part of it. I wrote for 6 years before signing a contract. And that contract came after the same publisher rejected my first manuscript. Thankfully, they saw enough potential in me that they asked me to submit again. Even after publication, rejection is still part of the game. The last time I was up for a new contract, my publisher rejected 2 out of 3 of the story ideas I proposed. I had to go back to the drawing board and start again.

Do your best to learn and master the craft of writing, read extensively in your genre, study the market, find critique partners or freelance editors to help you uncover problem areas, enter contests and listen to the feedback you receive, attend workshops and conferences to meet and network with industry professionals, but most of all, just keep writing and submitting.

Tell us about the featured book.

On his way to interview for a position at a church in the Piney Woods of Texas, Crockett Archer can't believe it when he’s forced off the train by an outlaw and presented to the man’s daughter as the preacher she requested for her birthday. He's determined to escape—which would be much easier if he could stop thinking about Joanna Robbins and her unexpected request.

For months, Joanna had prayed for a minister. A man to breathe life back into the abandoned church at the heart of her community. A man to assist her in fulfilling a promise to her dying mother. But just when it seems her prayers have been answered, it turns out the parson is there against his will and has dreams of his own calling him elsewhere. Is there any way she can convince Crockett he ended up right where he was supposed to be?

I have read this book and loved the characters and plot twists. Please give us a short excerpt from the book for my readers.

The horse whinnied at the rough treatment and thrashed about trying to gain his freedom. Crockett used the diversion to make a run for the trees. A building of some kind lay to the north. A building meant people. People meant help. He just prayed he'd been right about the bandits not wanting to lodge a bullet in him.

A shot rang out. Angry shouts demanding he stop followed. But no lead slammed into him, so Crockett kept running.

He ducked beneath post oak branches and zigzagged from one tree to another, taking advantage of any cover the terrain afforded.

The building was getting closer. A barn, maybe? He just had to keep his legs under him.

Hooves pounded into the earth behind him. Crockett's heart rate tripled. They were running him down. And he was running out of trees.

Open grassland lay between him and a fenced pasture. Keeping to the trees would only allow him to delay capture, not elude it. His only chance was to scale that fence and hope that Silas and his gang wouldn't risk discovery by pursuing him onto private property.

Lungs on fire, Crockett burst out of the woods and sprinted for the fence. The hoof beats behind him escalated.

A soft whirring caught his ear a second before a lariat dropped over his head and shoulders. Crockett made a desperate grab for the rope, but before he could get his thumbs hooked, the noose tightened around his chest and yanked him backward. In a flash he was flat on his back staring at the sky.

He'd just been lassoed like a new calf at branding time.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

The easiest place to find information about my books is on my website at:

www.karenwitemeyer.com

I also love to interact with readers through Facebook and the two group blogs I contribute to. My author page on Facebook is:

www.facebook.com/KarenWitemeyersAuthorPage

If you like my page, you can gain access to the first three chapters of Stealing the Preacher for free.

I blog with a group of western romance authors on a site called Petticoats & Pistols. This group features both Christian and general market authors.

www.petticoatsandpistols.com

The second group I blog with is called Writes of Passage. This group is made up of bestselling inspirational historical fiction authors. Some names you might recognize are Tracie Peterson, Tamera Alexander, Julie Klassen, and Lynn Austin. We have so much fun together and love to interact with readers.

www.writespassage.blogspot.com

I love the Writes of Passage women and always read the posts. Thank you, Karen, for visiting with us today.


Karen Witemeyer is "kindling" the excitement for Stealing the Preacher (Bethany House) with a Kindle Fire Giveaway and connecting with readers at her June 18th Facebook Author Chat Party!

  One winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• Stealing the Preacher by Karen Witemeyer 

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends at 4pm on June 18th. Winner will be announced at the "Stealing the Preacher" Facebook Author Chat Party on June 18th. Connect with Karen for an evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Karen will also share an exclusive look at her next book and give away books and other fun prizes throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of Stealing the Preacher and join Karen on the evening of June 18th 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 18th!

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

Christianbooks.com 
Stealing the Preacher - Amazon paperback
Stealing the Preacher - 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

CALICO BRIDES - Darlene Franklin - One Free Book (Plus More Surprise Book Giveaways, a minimum of 6 winners)

Readers, sorry to be late with this post. James and I had to take our grandson to physical therapy this morning.

Welcome back, Darlene. How did you come up with the idea for this story?           

When Barbour decided decided to publish novella anthologies monthly, I decided to try writing a straight “prairie romance.” When I needed four young women (or men) tied together by some common interest, my mind wandered to missions. A local women’s group who takes on mission projects—only local projects, where they could meet the heroes as they go about doing their good deeds. From there, I went with fixtures of the genre: a school teacher, a soldier, a reformed prostitute—and a girl who sets out to bring the wealthiest man out of his self-imposed solitude.

That sounds like a fun book. If you were planning a party with Christian authors of contemporary fiction, what six people would you invite and why?

Oh, you’re asking tough questions!  I might ask my fellow Oklahoma authors – Linda Goodnight, Julie Jarnigan, Robin Patchen, Margaret Daley, as well as Brandilyn Collins and wonderful Spyglass mystery writers Mary Conneally and Nancy Mehl. I’ve worked with all of them, except Brandilyn, and I admire their work. I don’t read a lot of contemporary Christian fiction, so I’m not as well acquainted with the authors.

Now let’s do that for a party for Christian authors of historical fiction, what six people would you invite and why?

This is tough. I have enjoyed anything I’ve read by Liz Curtis Higgs, Laurie Kingery, and Amanda Cabot. I’d love to party with my critique partners: Susan Page Davis, Carla Olson Gade, Cindy Hickey, and Lynette Sowell. Fellow Okies Janet Barton, Lacy Williams, Kathleen Turner, Vickie McDonough, and Regina Jennings would be fun to party with. I’m sure I’m missing some authors whom I truly enjoy and I apologize in advice for the oversight!

I didn’t know that Regina Jennings is an Oklahoma author. Of course, I know the rest of them. Many times, people (and other authors) think you have it made with so many books published. What is your most difficult problem with writing at this time in your career?

My health! I have had unexpected problems arise in the course of each contract for at least the last year. Most recently, I was put on bed rest while finishing Homefront Dreams (turned in June 1).  I have made the difficult decision to dial back my writing goals and to allow myself longer in writing each book. I want to speed up and hate to slow down.

Also, I struggle with trusting God to open the right doors. I would love to write (more) trade books but so far God has closed that door for the time being.

Trade books are getting harder for all of us. Tell us about the featured book.

While sowing good deeds, four Kansas women reap romance. Gladys Polson helps a crotchety widower. Annie Bliss knits for soldiers. Birdie Landry sews dresses for saloon girls looking for a career change. Schoolteacher Ruth Fairfield takes on three orphan children and their new guardian. How will God stitch love into their lives?

Please give us the first page of the book.

Gladys checked the baskets on the kitchen table. Red calico bows she’d festooned with small white flowers peeked out between juniper branches. Such cheerful decorations should improve even crochety widower Norman Keller’s spirits in the middle of the miserable Kansas winter.

            Ma carried a couple of baskets to the family wagon, together with garlands of fragrant juniper branches. “Maybe it would be good if I came with you.”

            Gladys came close to agreeing when she remembered the last time she had knocked on Mr. Keller’s door. The growl with which he greeted carolers could have passed for Ebenezer Scrooge’s. “I’ll see how it goes today. I’d like to do this on my own, if I can. I’ll be back in time to help with supper.”

            Grateful for the January thaw that made an outdoor project possible, Gladys buttoned up her winter coat and drew on her mittens before heading out to the wagon. When she’d decided to reach out to Norman Keller, she hadn’t considered how to keep her activities a secret. To avoid attention, she would keep her wagon off Main Street.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

http://darlenefranklinwrites.blogspot.com/,

http://mydailynibble.blogspot.com/

http://christianfictionhistoricalsociety.blogspot.com 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/darlene.franklin.3

Twitter: @darlenefranklin

Thank you, Darlene, for sharing this book with us.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
CALICO BRIDES (Romancing America) - paperback
Calico Brides (Romancing America) - Kindle
Christianbook.com
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

TALON - Ronie Kendig - One Free Book

Welcome back, Ronie. Why did you become an author?

Although I never intentionally decided, “I’m going to become an author,” I have always loved writing. And with the help of my husband, I overcame my fear of failure enough that I launched into the deep waters of publication. I loved writing, and that’s why I pursued the dream!

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

I think my dream job would be one of two options: either I’d be a licensed counselor, working with military families and/or those with PTSD, or (and this is a huge gap) I’d work as a dog trainer, which is really funny to me, since up until about 2 years ago, I was a cat person!

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

This is probably a killjoy-type answer, but I really do not think there’s a period in time that I’d prefer to live. My mind won’t escape the thought that God has me in this period for a reason, and I’m too aware of the ills of each time period to want to have lived in any of them. Perhaps ... I’d love to live when Jesus lived, and would hope that my heart/life would’ve compelled me to find/seek Him.

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

I’m torn between two options again: either the Grand Canyon or Niagara Falls. These stunning natural wonders are high on my lists of must-sees here in the States.

I haven’t seen either one of these, and would also love to. How about a foreign country you hope to visit?

Aha! Finally—no deliberation here! I want to visit Israel, to walk where our Lord walked, to see the land God chose for His people, where King David ruled, where Ruth won the heart of Boaz ... *sigh* Definitely Israel.

What lesson has the Lord taught you recently?

We’ve all heard about obeying the Lord, doing His will. But when you step out and take risks, attempt what you’ve never done before, there’s the inherent fear (at least, for me) of making a fool of myself. And this week during the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, award-winning actor and screenwriter Torry Martin said: “don’t be afraid to make a fool of yourself.” I’ve been playing it safe. Time to take some risks.

Tell us about the featured book.

Talon is the second book in the A Breed Apart series, and it features a gorgeous yellow Labrador that suffers from post-traumatic stress connected to an explosion that ripped his handler from his life. But now, the mission of the handler’s sister and a covert operative depends on this dog.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Prologue  

Kariz-e Sef id, Afghanistan

Two Years ago 

Flames roared into the sky. A concussive boom punched the oxygen from the air. Eating an IED, the lead Cougar MRAP in the convoy flipped up. As if dancing atop the raging inferno. Shrapnel hurtled from the blast.

“Buffalo! Buffalo!” Sergeant Lee Dawson shouted into the mic, hoping to hear from the first vehicle.

“Anything?” Gunnery Sergeant Austin Courtland coiled his hand around the lead of his Combat Tracking Team dog. Talon stood braced, alert. His bark reverberated through the steel hull in warning.

Lee slanted a glance at the “observer” who’d come along. “Report!” Peering through the cloud of black smoke and debris, he searched the chaos to make sure the others were still alive.

A breeze stirred the flames just in time to see an RPG streaking toward the front end of their MRAP.

“Get out, get out, get out!” Courtland and Talon launched toward the back door.

“Oh cr—”

BooM!

The MRAP bucked against the blast but held. Whiplash had nothing on the ramming sensation pounding into his chest now. Fire burst through the engine.

Fear of being cooked alive or choking to death on smoke shoved Lee from the Cougar MRAP. Coughing and with a hand over his mouth, he choked out, “This way!”

Sand and dirt blasted up, peppering his face. Tiny grains and dust particles swirled under the blazing Afghan sun as he took cover, shouldering his way around the side of the mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicle and out of their attacker’s line of fire. Plumes of heat warbled along the hull.

“Find me some terrorists,” Court shouted over the roar of the fire, then keyed his mic. “Base, this is Echo One. Ambushed and taking fire!”

Peering down the sights of his M16A4 gave Lee nothing but dirt ... crumbled building with dirt ... and more dirt. “I got nothin’.”

“Same,” came a shout from behind as Truitt “True” Anderson slid up behind him, a nasty cut across his cheekbone. “Where the heck did that RPG come from?” The muzzle of his M4 swept Lee’s periphery.

Lee kept his sights aligned, adrenaline pumping through his system faster than the blood. “Court,” he yelled over the gunfire that crackled in the blistering afternoon, “what d’you have?”

“Nothing!”

Staying behind the disabled vehicle, Lee searched the road. Only two buildings north. Several south. Focused ahead, he studied the structures. He scanned the roofs. Since the RPG’s trajectory had been downward, whoever fired it held an elevated position. The roof of one didn’t look strong enough to hold someone, and the other had more holes than coverage. He whipped back to the first, waiting. C’mon! Show your coward head so I can—

“Quirk, report!” Court shouted to the Buffalo team again.

Only crackling and the shouts of the other teams dragging the lead team to safety met the command. Mind locked on the white plastered structure with the right half of the front wall missing told him that’s where the attack had originated.

“Use the drone?” Lee shouted, not lifting his gaze from the scope.

“It’s down!”

Lee wanted to curse. Everything had gone wrong. With the drone down, they’d have to do this the old-fashioned, bloody way. Mano a mano. Hand to hand.

Dark flashed in his reticle. “Court, two o’clock.”

“Let’s clear it out.”

Powerful! How can readers find you on the Internet?

I love hearing from readers and other writers! I can be found:

On my website – www.roniekendig.com

On Twitter – www.twitter.com/roniekendig

On Facebook – www.facebook.com/rapidfirefiction

On Goodreads – www.goodreads.com/roniek

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

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Talon: Combat Tracking Team (A Breed Apart) - paperback
Talon: Combat Tracking Team (A Breed Apart) - 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!!!!!

Readers, so sorry to be so late announcing the winners. This weekend we've had a gender reveal for my next great grandson (It's a boy), a high school graduation for my youngest granddaughter, and later today that granddaugher's Graduation Party at our house.

Kandra (OK) is the winner of Discovering the City of Sodom by Deborah Raney. 
Jackie (NC) is the winner of The Heart Stone by Sherry Kyle. 
Debbie C (IL) is the winner of The Moses Conspiracy ebook by Susan J Reinhardt.
Carol (IL) is the winner of Beyond the Valley by Rita Gerlach. 
Brittany (TX) is the winner of Maggie's Journey pdf file by Lena Nelson Dooley. 
Kristie (OH) is the winner of Mary's Blessing pdf file by Lena Nelson Dooley. 
Mama Cat (AZ) is the winner of Catherine's Pursuit pdf file by Lena Nelson Dooley.  

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.