THE MASON JAR - James Russell Lingerfelt - One Free Book

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

Right now, I can’t write a protagonist I don’t agree with or who doesn’t share a similar worldview to what I once shared or one I share in the present. Maybe I can later. But now, I have to be able to rally behind him or her. I could try to write stuff I don’t agree with or what I’m not experienced in, but I’m afraid it would come across as shallow, so I spare my readers what’s shallow—at least I try. Some readers might say I’m the shallowest writer they’ve read. But I hope not.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

According to friends and family, I do something quirky daily. I asked my family and they said I eat one item at a time on my plate. There’s a pile of beans, corn, meat, bread, etc. I’ll eat the beans. When I’m finished, I move to the corn, then when finished, I move to the next. It drove my dad crazy while I was growing up. He said something about it in front of my grandmother once and she answered, “Your dad did that.” (My grandfather Lingerfelt died before I was born.)

“Daddy did?” my dad said.

“Yep,” Grandmother replied.

Dad never said another word to me about it.

This might not be as quirky, but I watch the sunset every day. We have a 40 acre farm. The hill where our land ends just meets another pasture with green fields as far as you can see. I write then research/implement marketing strategies from about 9am to 6pm, five days a week. So I want to be outside when I come home. At the pasture, I’ll lean against the fence and watch the sun go down.

Sounds wonderful. When did you first discover that you were a writer?

When I was in the third grade and we had to write a story as an assignment. I loved writing it, sharing it, seeing my classmate’s responses. My teacher read it to the class—the only story she read aloud. Oh, that did a lot for my eight-year-old ego. I got a lot of satisfaction from it. I had included some of my classmates in the story, wrote them in a fun, positive light, made them heroes in the story, and they thought I was just peachy for that. I still have it in my old desk. Maybe I’ll show it to my kids one day, if I ever have any.

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

I didn’t fall in love with reading until college. There, I read everything from Pride and Prejudice to The Count of Monte Cristo. Walden and A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers by Thoreau were fun reads. I’ve read most of the classics. If I haven’t, I can tell you their premise. I read all the Romantic and Victorian poets in college. I read a ton of non-fiction, given my studies. Lots of self-improvement, philosophy, theology, and family counseling books. But these days, I try to read best selling love stories so that I keep sharp at what I’m best at writing—which is love stories.

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

I just escape to a quiet place and read and write, because that’s what I loved doing during my free time. That’s why I decided to try to make a living doing it. I was a teacher and resigned to pursue this full time. There’s hard days, for sure. My blog received 5.2 million views during its second year running. I was proud of that. It gave me the affirmation I needed to keep writing. My family also keeps telling me to hang in there, that things will work out, so that helps my confidence a lot. They are very honest with me. When I play the fool, they’ll tell me. My older brother, especially. I think he likes calling me out on stuff, haha. When I need to get physical, I work out at the gym. Working in our vegetable garden is awesome, but that’s seasonal. We had a family garden growing up. I still enjoy it. The world disappears while I’m out there in nature.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

I try to think of names I like to hear when said aloud, but they are also names that have good memories attached to them. I’ve never met a Katherine or Elizabeth or a Shannon I didn’t like. And I like those names when I hear them said aloud. Go ahead. Try it. Say them aloud, but slow, pronouncing each syllable. So poetic, at least to me.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

I’ve finally come to a place in my life where I’m content. I’m 33 now, and I’ve realized that loving loved ones and pursuing passions and goals keeps me loving life and being glad to be in the world. And that’s what I’m doing full time now. I’m rarely in want of anything. But it took a long time mentally to arrive there. I’m young, relative to many people, but inside I feel like I’ve lived two or three lives already.

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

I’m going to pretend I’m in the third grade here. I’ve always been fascinated with wolves as long as I can remember. I grew up on stories like White Fang, Dances with Wolves, Legends of the Fall, the wolf’s connection with the Native Americans (we have Cherokee in our family’s bloodlines). I also grew up on stories about my Uncle Edwin and his wolves in Alaska. He laid the path for the Alaskan pipeline for the engineers. He fought in WWII and later moved to a cabin in Alaska and cut off all ties with his family. He participated in sled dog racing across the Alaskan wilderness and his sled dogs were Timber Wolf/Husky hybrids. He discovered that mix produced the best sled dogs. He was killed by a gang of roughnecks on the Kenai Peninsula (that’s what the locals claimed). It was 1992 and I was twelve at the time. When my dad went to Alaska to oversee the burial, he said hybrid dogs and wolves were living in my uncle’s house. They never attacked but they growled and gnashed at my dad when he entered the gate. No kidding. Dad brought home Uncle Edwin’s leather jackets. Leather fringes hung from the sleeves like something out of a Davy Crocket painting. I wish I could have met Edwin. The Alaskan and Montana wild has always fascinated me.

What is your favorite food?

Dark chocolate. Hands down. When I’ve been good in my nutrition, and I can allow myself a gorging session, I love gourmet Italian food with a California cabernet, merlot, or pinot noir. Followed by dark chocolate.

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

Story structure. Now, I create general outlines just so I know where I’m going and why. They’re not too detailed. I’ll write the outline, then a first draft, let some trusted people read it, listen to their feedback, then I’ll really write the story. I wish I had the self-discipline to have done that the first time around. But I just wanted to start writing and see what happens. That was the child in me. Over 120 pages went unused for The Mason Jar. Ouch. Alabama Irish (coming 2015) has been much easier and faster to write.

Tell us about The Mason Jar.

The protagonist, Clayton Fincannon, meets a girl in college, they fall in love, but when she vanishes, leaving a Dear John letter. Finn returns home to cope with the loss and all his unanswered questions. When love and his securities crumble upon meeting the real world apart from his farm, he enters a stage of dark, self-reflection and introspection. The hopes and dreams didn’t unfurl as he imagined, or they didn’t unfurl at all. We’ve all been there. If not, we will be at some point. Finn’s grandfather leads him to a place of healing through letters left on his desk in a Mason jar. Do Finn and Eden see each other again? You’ll have to read it. I’ve had women write to me, saying they cried their eyes out in reading the letters the grandpa wrote. Some said they found healing for the first time from failed loves that occurred over twenty years ago. The book helps the reader find healing after failed, broken relationships. I have that in all the advertising now because that’s what women kept telling me. That’s why they love it. The vehicle of the messages is the love story. But the messages they connect with are of hope, healing, peace, and the encouragement to love again.

Please give us the first page of the book.

A New Hope

Hundreds of hot air balloons tiered through the evening sky, celebrating the 2014 Colorado Springs Balloon Classic. Purples, yellows, blues, reds, solids, striped, every balloon imaginable lit up the sky. Couples walked hand in hand, children pointed to the air in awe. In the distance, the sun would soon be setting over the snow-capped mountains. At dusk, the pilots would tether the balloons to the ground and pull the gas, blasting the flame and illuminating the balloons. The bright colors pulsated across the sky, drawing out the locals and people from all over the nation.

Eden left the veteran’s clinic with her stethoscope hanging around her neck, and with her arm full of copies of the contracts. Her last day at the clinic was finally over. She had been working toward that day for years, and provided the final signature to give the board full executive authority. Now, the clinic was no longer her concern and she could move on with her life.

For a thirty-year-old girl, being a widow, then burying her mother, and now taking care of her dad in his old age, life hadn’t been the easiest for her.

The clinic’s board had rewarded her a handsome paycheck for her work and part ownership of the clinic. They respected her a lot, as well as her late husband who founded the clinic. Eden did enjoy the work, but there’s a time in all of our lives when even if we want to hang on to the past, we know it’s time to close that chapter in our lives and move on. And she needed to move on. As a licensed nurse, Eden had saved lives, helped heal men and women with various illnesses, and even helped war veterans find new lives after they returned home.

Eden’s dream had been to study Art History. She wanted to study Art History in London, work as a curator, and live on the English countryside. Veterans and their families nodded and said hello as she met and passed them on the sidewalk. Some reminded her of Victor and the life they shared. But the younger men, the ones who came to the clinic alone, they reminded her of Clayton Fincannon, a boy she fell in love with in college. A boy she could never forget. The sting of hurt and regret pained her stomach. She dropped her chin and closed her eyes, wondering if she could ever put her time with Finn behind her.

Her phone vibrated in her purse. Joanna flashed on the screen. Eden’s old college roommate from Pepperdine University. They hadn’t spoken in ten years, until last Christmas. I had to shut everything down, she reminded herself. Pretend none of it happened. Back then, that was the only way her nineteen-year-old heart could handle all that life had thrown at her.

“Hey,” Eden said into her phone.

“Hey, just checking on you,” Joanna replied. Eden had told her about Victor, his cancer, the depression pills her physician placed her on, everything.

“Thanks. How are you?”

“Good. I haven’t told anyone about us reconnecting. But I wanted to let you know that Finn wrote a book.”

“What?!” Eden exclaimed.

“It’s about your time together. It’s beautiful, Eden. He says wonderful things about you, lovely things. I even cried a few times. He changed your last name, though, to ‘Eden Valmont.’ I think it was to protect your identity.”

“How did you hear about it?” Eden asked.

Sounds wonderful. How can readers find you on the Internet?

My website is www.jamesrussell.org which is also home to my blog. I’m also on Twitter as JRLingerfelt, and Facebook and Google+ as James Russell Lingerfelt.

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

James Russell Lingerfelt's debut novel, The Mason Jar, is hot-off-the-press and causing quite the buzz. It's even been optioned for a feature film and is in pre-production.

Catch the spark by entering James' Kindle Fire giveaway!

 
One grand prize winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• The Mason Jar by James Russell Lingerfelt

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on October 19th. Winner will be announced October 20th at James Russell's blog, Love Story from the Male Perspective.

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

The Mason Jar - paperback
The Mason Jar - 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 Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, 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

WATERCOLOR DREAMS - Sherry Kyle - One Free Book

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

Hi Lena, thank you so much for inviting me to your blog today. Yes, God has been doing powerful things in my writing life, including the release of Watercolor Dreams. I write in three different genres—middle grade, contemporary women’s fiction (with romance and a hint of mystery) and historical romance—and I hope and pray God continues to open (and yes, close) doors so I know exactly what He wants me to write.

I so agree with you on that. Tell us a little about your family.

I have been blessed with a wonderful family! I’m married to my college sweetheart for twenty-six years and have four amazing children ages 15 to 21. (I still can’t believe my oldest is an adult!) He commutes to college, and is studying Human Communications. I love that he still lives at home because he enjoys vacuuming. (Maybe not as much as I love that he vacuums). Our next oldest is a sophomore at a university in southern California. My nineteen-year-old is studying to be a teacher like her dad. It’s her second year away, and I miss her every day! (Hey, that rhymed!) My seventeen-year-old son is a senior at our local high school and can’t wait to graduate! We’re waiting for God to reveal the next step in his life. Please, Lord, tell us soon! He loves to cook, eat, and makes dinner when he doesn’t like what I have planned. (I know his tricks). Our youngest is a sophomore in high school. Her two favorite classes are photography and weight training. She is one artistic, strong girl! There are also two furry creatures in our house—Sophie, our ten-year-old English Labrador, and Bandit, our six-year-old Chihuahua Terrier mix. I’d love to say they are the best of friends, but like most siblings they tolerate each other.

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

I find I usually read books in the genres I write, and I read less when I’m writing my own story.

What are you working on right now?

I just completed revising a historical romance I wrote back in 2010, and am putting the finishing touches on a contemporary novel. I also have middle grade fiction in the works.

What outside interests do you have?

I love to take walks along the ocean and decorate my home. We purchased our most recent home a couple of years ago and have since remodeled the kitchen and master bath. I like to look on www.houzz.com for decorating ideas. My most recent one is to add a reclaimed wood accent wall in our family room. Wouldn’t that be amazing?

Yes, it would. How do you choose your settings for each book?

I write novels set in California and so far have stuck close to home. My debut contemporary novel, Delivered with Love, is set in the quaint coastal town of Capitola while The Heart Stone, another contemporary story, is set in Santa Cruz. For Watercolor Dreams, my first historical romance, the setting was decided for me the day I discovered July 9th, my husband and my anniversary date (minus seventy-eight years), is also a special day in the history of Carmel.

Cool. When my first book came out in 1992, my first booksigning was in Carmel. If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?

Jane Austen. Yes, I’m a total romantic and love English accents. J I’d love to share a meal with Jane (yes, we’re on a first name basis) and talk about writing, her books (doesn’t everyone love Emma, Pride and Prejudice, and Sense and Sensibility?), and how to infuse humor into a story.

What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?

Once you start writing novels, you won’t be able to stop! Yes, writing a novel is hard work, but the characters become so real to you that you’ll want to see their story to the end. And when you do type “The End” there will be a mourning period, like you’re saying goodbye to old friends.

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

God is teaching me that He’s in charge of my writing, not me, especially now during my book’s release. I have a lot of fears despite the positive reviews. I’m clinging to Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

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

1. Continue to learn the writing craft. Buy at least one or two new how-to books a year ... and don’t forget to read them. Ha!

2. Go to writing conferences to soak in as much knowledge as you can, and network with other authors and people in the industry.

3. Pray before you write. God will help you put the words on the page … or screen.

Tell us about the featured book.

Watercolor Dreams is a historical romance set in Carmel-by-the-Sea about a female watercolor artist who is given six months to sell her work before her father expects her to return to San Francisco and marry his business partner. What Anna doesn’t count on is falling for the male novelist she sketches into one of her paintings.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, 1910

With each stroke of her paintbrush, Anna Lewis’s heart soared. The watercolor painting of Carmel’s white sandy beach and gently rolling Pacific Ocean would surely give her recognition. The wind blew a lock of hair across her face as she sat on the wood bench next to a cypress tree, her easel before her. She tucked the wispy strand behind her ear, pushed up her leg-o’-mutton sleeves, and dipped her brush into the cerulean blue, adding a few touches to the paper. Horse’s hooves clip-clopped behind her. She glanced over her shoulder. A buggy passed on the narrow street, driving by the quaint bungalows bordering the shoreline.

A man strode up the beach, his hands deep in his trouser pockets and his hat pushed low on his forehead. Anna brought the pointed end of the brush to her mouth and watched him tread near the water’s edge with long, determined steps. She adjusted her wide-brimmed hat and squinted for a better look. From the way the man walked, he must be mulling over something important. He stopped and faced the ocean. The waves crashed against the shore, the water rushing close to his feet. His lone figure added a touch of poignancy to the landscape and beckoned to be part of her painting.

But before she had a chance to paint his form, he turned and walked up the beach toward her. His brows were furrowed and his lips pressed together in a firm line. And yet even with this worried expression, he was a most handsome man.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Readers can find me at these links:

Website: www.sherrykyle.com

Blog: http://www.sherrykyle.com/category/blog/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSherryKyle

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sherrykyle

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

If we can’t meet in person, I hope to connect in cyberspace!

Blessings!

Sherry

Thank you, Sherry, for sharing this new book with us. I can't wait to read it.

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

Watercolor Dreams - Amazon.com
Watercolor Dreams - 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 Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, 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 ADVENT BRIDE (12 Brides of Christmas Collection) - Mary Connealy - One Free Ebook

Bio: Mary Connealy writes romantic comedy with cowboys. She has been a finalist for a Rita Award, Christy Award and Inspirational Readers Choice Awards and a two time winner of the Carol Award.

Mary has over a half a million books in print. She is the author of bestselling The Advent Bride, included in the ebook only 12 Brides of Christmas novella collection, Tried and True, the newly released book #1 of the Wild at Heart series, Kincaid Brides series, Trouble in Texas Series, also; Lassoed in Texas, Montana Marriages, and Sophie’s Daughters series and many other books.

She lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her very own romantic cowboy hero.


Welcome back, Mary. What kind of files takes up the most space on your computer?

Probably pictures but that’s just because they take a lot of space. I’ve got a zillion Word documents and by NUMBER I’m sure there are more of them.

Do you have plans to ever retire from writing? Why or why not?

I picture myself at age 105, dying while halfway through writing a book. I doubt I’ll ever quit writing because … that’s just who I am. It’s what I love to do. What am I going to do instead, Lena? Play golf? I don’t think so!

Excuse me, while I recover from picturing a 105-year-old cowgirl writing. Are you a stay at home kind of person, or do you like to be on the road a lot?

I love being home and even when I’m out running around having a great time, I’m looking forward to getting back home.

Please share a Bible verse or passage that has had the most impact on your life.

The one that popped into my head first (there are so many!) are Matthew 43, 44, 45: “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ 44"But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

There’s a passage in Tried and True, my book that released in September where the heroine says something like, “A lot of things in the Bible can be confusing. Verses can be interpreted differently by different people and sometimes a verse speaks to us in unexpected ways when we need it to. But there is one verse that is absolutely clear. Love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you. There is no give on that.”

I think that’s so challenging and so wise and so HARD TO LIVE BY.

Do you have a favorite Bible character? Who is it and why?

Beyond Jesus, of course, one of my favorites is Peter. He just struggles so much. He’s such a strong man and submitting and trusting and believing are hard for him. And I think that’s so true for so many of us that I find him fascinating.

What has been your favorite time in your life? And why?

Well, now’s pretty good. Let’s just go with now. I loved when my own children were little. But I love being a published author, too. And I do love my grandbabies.

Oh, yeah. Those grandbabies, and great grandbabies are wonderful. Do you have an ereader? If so, what kind do you use?

I have a basic Kindle, the cheapest one they have. I use it a fair amount. But I still want all my most beloved books in paper. I like thumbing through them and reading scenes that are especially good and thumbing is hard with a Kindle.

That’s why I gave my basic Kindle to my husband and bought me a Kindle Paperwhite. It can save your place while you look back to find something and then you can go immediately to where you were reading. I love it. Do you read mostly print books or ebooks?

Mostly print books. I’d say 25% or less ebooks.

I read print books the most, too, but I carry my Kindle in my purse. It’s handy when we have to wait. Do you like to read books in the genres you write, or do you read only other genres … and why?

I’m a big regency romance freak, so no, not too much in my genre. I’m a little afraid to read to heavily in it for fear I’ll start being derivative. I also like romantic suspense and am currently reading the Joe Pickett series by C.J. Box, about a park ranger in the Rocky Mountains. Very cool.

Your writing is so unique that I can’t imagine you ever being derivative. Please tell us about the books we’re featuring today.

The Advent Bride is book #1 of a series of ebooks from Barbour Publishing. You can find out about all the books here: https://www.facebook.com/12BridesCollections?ref=br_tf

Mine, The Advent Bride, is Melanie Douglas, a lonely school teacher and widower Henry O’Keeffe, the overworked, grieving father of her most troubled student. When Melanie challenges Henry’s negligent fathering, Henry, to avoid admitting any failing, challenges her to be a teacher and manage her school. Melanie finds a mysterious box in the cold, attic where she is boarding with a cruel old woman—the only house with an available room in the small Nebraska frontier town.

Hidden drawers give her an idea of how to wring good behavior out of Simon.

As Melanie and Simon search the box for hidden gifts, Henry becomes involved and finds the tender heart for his son that seemed to have died with his wife. The three of them journey toward Christmas one secret at a time, learning about God, about each other and about how love can replace sadness with joy.

I can’t wait to read it. Please give us a peek at the first page of The Advent Bride.

Lone Tree, NE

November 29, 1875

Melanie Douglas realized that being a teacher was turning out to be a little like having the flu.

Simon O’Keeffe. Her heart broke for him at the same time her stomach twisted with dread for herself. The churning innards this boy caused in her made a case of influenza fun and game.

The small form on the front steps of the Lone Tree schoolhouse huddled against the cold.

Shivering herself, she wondered how long seven-year-old Simon had been sitting with his back pressed against the building to get out of the wind.

On these smooth, treeless highlands the wind blew nearly all the time. No matter where a person sought shelter outside, there was no escape from the Nebraska cold.

Just as there was no escape from Simon.

Picking up her pace and shoving her dread down deep, she hurried to the door, produced the key her position as school marm had granted her, and said, “Let’s get inside, Simon. You must be freezing.”

And what was his worthless father thinking to let him get to school so early?

Simon’s eyes, sullen and far too smart, lifted to hers.

“Did you walk to school?” Melanie tried to sound pleasant. But it didn’t matter. Simon would take it wrong. The cantankerous little guy had a gift for it. She swung the door open and waved her hand to shoo him in.

The spark of rebelling in his eyes clashed with his trembling. He wanted to defy her—Simon always wanted to defy her—but he was just too cold.

“My pa ain’t gonna leave me to walk to school in this cold, Miss Douglas.” Simon was offended on his father’s behalf.

“So he drove you in?” Melanie should just quit talking. Nothing she said would make Simon respond well, the poor little holy terror.

“We live in town now…leastways we’re living here for the winter.”

And that explained Simon’s presence. He’d started the school year, then he’d stayed home to help with harvest—or maybe his pa had just been too busy to get the boy out the door. And before harvest was over, the weather turned bitter cold. The five mile walk was too hard and apparently his pa wouldn’t drive him.

The day Simon had stopped coming to school her life as the teacher had improved dramatically. That didn’t mean the rest of her life wasn’t miserable, but at least school had been good. And now here came her little arch enemy back to school. It was all she could do to suppress a groan.

Closing the door, Melanie rushed to set her books on her desk in the frigid room. She headed straight for the pot-bellied stove to get a fire going.

She gathered an armful of logs, pulled open the creaking door and knelt to stuff kindling into the stove. She added shredded bits of bark and touched a match to it. A crash startled her and she knocked her head into the cast iron.

Whirling around, expecting the worst…she got it.

Simon.

Glaring at her.

Around his scruffy boots was a pile of books that sat in a tidy pile on her desk.

Dear God, I’m already weary and it’s just gone seven in the morning, with nearly two hours until children show up. She was on her knees. What better to do than pray?

The prayer helped her fight back her temper. After seeing no harm was done…not counting the new bump on her forehead, she turned and went back to stoking the fire.

Melanie swung the little iron door shut and twisted the flat knob that kept the fire inside. “Come on over and get warm, Simon.” Kneeling by the slowly warming stove put heart into her. Her room at Mrs. Rathbone’s was miserable. She spent every night in a mostly unheated attic.

Simon came close, he must have been freezing to move next to her.

The little boy’s dark curls were too long. He was dressed in near rags. Was his father poor? Maybe a widower didn’t notice worn-out knees and threadbare cuffs. And it didn’t cost a thing to get a haircut, not if Henry O’Keeffe did the cutting himself. And water was certainly free, the boy had black curves under his ragged fingernails and dirt on his neck.

There was egg on the front of Simon’s shirt too. Sloppy as that was, it gave Melanie some encouragement to know the boy had been served a hot breakfast.

The crackling fire was encouraging and the boy was close enough to get warm. She reached out her hands to garner those first precious waves of heat.

“Soon, I’ll have to get to work, Simon. But you can stay here, just sit by the stove and keep warm.”

A scowl twisted his face. What had she said now?

“It ain’t my pa’s doing that I was out there. He told me to go to school at school time. I’m the one that got the time wrong.”

Leave a seven year old to get himself to school. Henry O’Keeffe had a lot to answer for.

Where can my readers find you on the Internet?

Mary Connealy writes romantic comedy with cowboys. She has been a finalist for a Rita Award, Christy Award and Inspirational Readers Choice Awards and a two time winner of the Carol Award.

Seekerville
Petticoats and Pistols
My Blog
My Website
My Newsletter

And I’m on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maryconnealy

And Twitter: http://twitter.com/maryconnealy

Thank you, Mary, for sharing this new ebook with us.

Readers, 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 Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, 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 NOTICE TO MY READERS!!!!!

Dear Readers, I will have knee-replacement surgery this Wednesday. I have worked hard to upload most of the October interviews to post on their regularly scheduled day. So keep checking on the blog.

I'm not sure when I will be back at the computer, so we may miss announcing winners a couple of times. When I do get back on the computer regularly, I'll catch up on announcing the winners.

If you think about it, please pray for me and my recovery.

WINNERS!!!!

Susan (TX) is the winner of Hidden in the Stars by Robin Caroll.
Beth (IA) is the winner of Hearts Stolen by Caryl McAdoo.
Dina P (CA) is the winner of Mercy Killer by James Spence.
Beckie (KS) is the winner of Awakening by Tracy Higley.

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 an 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.

SUNDAY MORNING SONG - Tia McCollors - One Free Book

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

I like to write books about people who would be my friends. They are usually women of faith who face trials but overcome them because of their relationship with God. Not only do I want my novels to entertain, but I want them to inspire. I’ve always said that I write for God (to spread the gospel), for my grandmother (if she can read it then I know I’ve done a great job) and for my children (to leave a legacy).

Good measuring sticks for our novels, Tia. Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?

Definitely the birth of my children. Each was a unique experience that gave me and my husband such overwhelming joy. I know I’m a writer, but the words escape me. It’s hard to explain … and that’s the best kind of happy!

How has being published changed your life?

I came from the world of public relations so I had daily interactions with people. Being published is such a solitary career when you’re in the actual writing process. That’s why I absolutely love the times when I get to connect with readers. I’m sure I’ve met more people that I otherwise wouldn’t have crossed paths with.

What are you reading right now?

These days it seems I’m reading more of my children’s homework and projects than anything else. But when I finally get to crawl into bed with a book these last few nights I’ve been reading a book titled Gone by Mo Hayder. I saw it on the display in my local library so I thought I’d try it out since it was an author I’ve never read.

What is your current work in progress?

It’s untitled for now, but it’s the third book of the Days of Grace series. This series has a romantic undertone so of course the book centers around a relationship. Here’s a little about it:

Rae Stevens is a journalist at heart though she’s currently a love and relationships columnist/blogger and inspirational speaker. She’s beautiful and known locally by many, and also part of the town gossip since she was recently dumped by her even more popular boyfriend, the local news sportscaster.

Due to a staff shortage at the city’s budget-strapped newspaper, Rae’s editor assigns her to write feature stories. Her first assignment is to cover baseball standout Malachi Burke. Malachi has returned to his hometown to spend time with his grandmother whose memory is slipping away due to dementia. He’s also on leave from his major league baseball team after suffering recurring shoulder injuries.

Rae’s heart is guarded, but Malachi is intrigued with Rae from the first time he laid eyes on her. That of course, is the making of a new romance!

What would be your dream vacation?

If I can ever get over my fear of flying long distance (4 hours in the air is enough for me), I wouldn’t mind visiting Italy. I’ve heard such great things about it and would love to immerse myself in the culture.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

They are usually places that I know well or have visited. Most of my books have been in the Atlanta area, and since there are so many different pockets of life and different kinds of communities in Atlanta and the surrounding suburbs, it makes it easy to find interesting places. My current series is based in Greensboro, North Carolina – my hometown.

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

First Lady Michelle Obama because she carries herself with such grace, wisdom, and knowledge. It seems like she’s raised well-rounded children (even before her husband’s term as president), but I’d be even more intrigued to glean from her business experience.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

Organizing. I like to make shabby and disorganized spaces into tidy and functional places!

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

Time and discipline! Oh, that’s two! But most of the time they go hand in hand.

When I want to overcome it, I leave my house and find a quiet corner or conference room in the library. I put my writing on my day’s schedule and try not to veer from it.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Write, write, and write some more! The more you writer, the better of a writer you will become. Practice makes perfect.

Tell us about the featured book.

Quinn Montgomery has been under the abusive hand of her husband for ten years until one final incident changes it all. Now that she’s moved to a new city and is ready to start a new life with her son, being in a relationship is the last thought on Quinn’s mind. When she’s pulled over for speeding by Officer Leviticus Gray she doesn’t expect for their lives to cross paths again. When they do, Officer Gray sets out to put a new song in Quinn’s once broken heart.

It sounds interesting. How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.TiaMcCollors.com

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/FansOfTia

Twitter: @TiaMcCollors.com

YouTube:   https://www.youtube.com/user/TiaMcCollors

Thank you so much, Tia, 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.
Sunday Morning Song - Christianbook.com
Sunday Morning Song (Days of Grace) - Amazon
Sunday Morning Song (Days Of Grace) - Kindle

Christian Book Store

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 Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, 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

DREAMING ON DAISIES - Miralee Ferrell - One Free Book

Welcome back, Miralee. Since you’re being published regularly, what new avenues will your future books take?

I’m actually trying something new starting in the spring….I should say, two new ventures. The first is a middle-grade girls’ horse series of four books with David C Cook. A Horse for Kate (book 1 in the Horses and Friends series) releases March 1, with each successive book releasing in four month intervals. I’m really excited about this series, as I’m using a group of three friends, two girls and a boy, who have adventures, solve a mystery, and take part in various horse activities. Parents will appreciate the wholesome family values woven in as well. Then I’m branching out to try independent publishing. I’ve had one book release already, Forget Me Not, a novella that is tied to my current traditionally published Love Blossoms in Oregon series. There may be one more in that series to tie up a few little details if I have time, as well as a full set of three historical romance (western) books following.

What conferences will you be attending this year? Will you be a speaker at any of them?      

I decided not to attend any conferences this year and chose to take part in two smaller writers’ retreats instead. I felt the need for less teaching and more interaction with other published authors, where I could brainstorm, pray, talk, laugh, and rest. It was a wise decision for me, and I’ll jump back into the conference scene in the spring, possibly at Mt. Hermon in California.

If you were in charge of planning the panel discussion at a writing conference, what topic would the panel cover, and who would you ask to be on the panel, and why?

I think it would be about the changing face of the publishing industry and where it’s headed for authors and publishers—especially as indie (or independent) publishing among traditionally published authors seems to be truly taking hold and become more and more accepted. I’d ask James Bell, Randy Ingermannson, Angela Hunt for starters, but there are a number of others who are not only self-publishing but getting into cover design (like Angie) who bring more than one talent to the mix.

How important is it to you to be active in writing organizations?

It was vital when I started my career, and while I’m still involved, I don’t have as much time to interact as I once did. My focus has shifted more to targeting specific areas of learning as well as helping newer writers who need encouragement or support. I’m a member of several organizations and have grown as a result.      

Where in the community or your church do you volunteer?

I volunteered for the past 20 years in our church as a lay counselor ministering to women. I’m taking a break this year and focusing on my writing, but I do plan to return to that ministry when the Lord releases me to do so.   

 Who are the five people who have made the most impact on your life, and how?        

My mom, who has always been one of my best friends and confidant, my daughter who is the same….they’ve both laughed and cried with me, and shared many wonderful memories…. the same with my son and my husband. All of these people have supported me emotionally and spiritually with encouragement and love. The last is my friend Shannon, who always wants to know what she can pray for in my life. We share equally in the time we talk about ourselves, and try to give equally to the other—a true friendship, and something I don’t have with everyone. She’s been such a blessing in my life.

If you could write the inscription on your tombstone, what would it be?           

She was obedient to God’s calling.

Tell us about the featured book.     

This is book 3 in the Love Blossoms in Oregon series. All of the others were set mostly in the boardinghouse owned by Katherine Galloway and her two young daughters. This one follows all the same characters as the first three books, but the setting a ranch on the outside of Baker City, Oregon, but with a number of scenes still taking place in the boardinghouse.

When her father's debts, brought on by heavy drinking, threaten Leah Carlson's family ranch, she fights to save it. When handsome banker Steven Harding must decline her loan request, he determines to do what he can to help. Just as he arrives to serve as a much-needed ranch hand, Leah's family secrets—and the pain of her past—come to a head. They could destroy everything she's fought for. And they could keep her from ever opening her heart again.

This is western historical romance that offers hope and healing to the deepest wounds in a woman's past.

Please share the first page with us.

One mile outside Baker City, Oregon

Mid-March 1881

Leah Carlson kicked a wicker chair out of her way and stormed off the porch, angrier than she’d been in years. Well, years might be a stretch, but at least weeks. Or perhaps several days. Maybe riding to town and finding Pa would be a good idea.

She glared at the ground, her mood not improved by the thick mud clinging to the bottom of her boots, and scraped it off on a horseshoe nailed to the bottom step. March—her least favorite month—always felt somewhere between winter and spring, with none of the benefits of either.

She trooped up the steps and righted the chair. Not the chair’s fault Pa had gotten drunk again and stayed all night in town. Buddy, their aging ranch hand, had seen Pa go into the saloon when Buddy had headed home from the mercantile last night. At first he hadn’t told her in hopes that his boss would return at a decent hour, but that hadn’t happened.

Leah wrapped her coat closer around her shoulders. Now most of the chores would fall on her, Buddy, and Buddy’s wife, Millie. With Buddy’s back giving him fits, she couldn’t ask him to do the heavy work, although his pride would force him to try. Why did Pa keep falling off the wagon whenever hope set in that he’d finally beat that horrible habit?

Empty promises, that’s all she’d ever gotten. Promises he’d change. Promises he’d do better. Promises he’d broken ever since Ma died nine years ago. And lately it had only gotten worse. Leah had gone from a child at the tender age of fourteen to a caretaker and ranch foreman almost overnight, and to this day she still felt robbed.

Where can my readers find you on the Internet?

Thanks for asking, Lena! A number of places, with the most important being my blog/website at www.miraleeferrell.com. I have a link there to sign up for my newsletter, and I also have a very active Fan Group on Facebook where members get advance news, chances to win books and sneak peeks at new releases. They can find me there at https://www.facebook.com/groups/82316202888/  The last place is Twitter, at www.twitter.com/miraleeferrell

Thank you for the opportunity to share with your readers.

Thank you, Miralee, for sharing this new book with us. It's always a pleasure to have you. I can hardly wait until I can read this one.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Dreaming on Daisies - Christianbook.com
Dreaming on Daisies: A Novel (Love Blossoms in Oregon Series) - Amazon
Dreaming on Daisies: A Novel (Love Blossoms in Oregon Series Book 3) - 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 Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, 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 DAUGHTER OF HIGHLAND HALL - Carrie Turansky - One Free Book

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

Watching Downton Abbey first stirred my interest in the Edwardian era. Then I met with an editor at a conference who was looking for a historical romance set in England that was similar to Downton but unique. I decided to take up the challenge. When I was doing research for the Governess of Highland Hall, the first book in the Edwardian Brides Series, I came across several references to the London season that told how a young woman prepared to come out in society, including her formal presentation to the king and queen. I wanted to find out more about how young women in Edwardian times prepared for marriage and found a mate … and that led me into all kind of fun research, and the story for The Daughter of Highland Hall grew out of that.

I loved Governess of Highland Hall. I can’t wait to read this one. If you were planning a party with Christian authors of contemporary fiction, what six people would you invite and why?

Time together with other authors is such a treat! I’d invite Becky Wade, Katherine Reay, Susie Warren, Deborah Raney, Debbie Macomber, and Terri Gillespie. I’ve enjoyed books by all these ladies, and it would be fun to brainstorm ideas and just have a good chat.

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

Oh, wouldn’t that be fun! I’d invite Cathy Gohlke, Sarah Ladd, Julie Klassen, Kristy Cambron, Lori Benton, and Liz Curtis Higgs. It would be great to talk about research trips and tips with these lovely ladies.

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?

It’s a challenge to stick to my schedule and finish my word count for the day as well as balance writing with everything else going on in life. We have a very active ministry, adult children, and grandchildren we try to stay in touch with often, and lots more going on. Life is never boring at our house! It takes discipline and perseverance to reach my writing goals. I don’t think that will change no matter how many books I write.

Tell us about the featured book.

Book two in the Edwardian Brides Series, The Daughter of Highland Hall, follows 18-year-old Kate Ramsey on a journey of faith and self-discovery as she travels to London to make her debut in society. Her overbearing aunt insists she secure a marriage proposal from a wealthy, titled man to gain a position and secure her future. As Kate begins making the round of balls and garden parties, she attracts the attention of Edward Wellington, who seems to have all the qualifications she is looking for, yet, she’s not sure if he is the best choice. Will that lifestyle bring her true happiness?

When a shocking family scandal forces Kate out of the social spotlight, she has time to volunteer with medical student Jonathan Foster, the handsome and caring brother of her governess. Jonathan, a strong Christian, is determined to help the poor in London’s East End. As her friendship with Jonathan deepens and her faith grows, Kate begins to envision a different kind of future, one that includes Jonathan. Is she ready to make the sacrifices that choice would require? If she does, what will her family and society think?

Please give us the first page of the book.

If she lived to be one hundred and five, Katherine Evangeline Ramsey would never understand why every debutante must begin the London social season by curtsying to the king and queen. Of course, she was excited to be presented at court and to take part in her first season. She had looked forward to it for years, however, mastering the required skills had proven more challenging than she’d expected.

But her aunt, Lady Louisa Gatewood, insisted that was how every well-bred young lady made her debut into English society and announced she was ready for marriage. Kate certainly hoped her aunt was right. Because marriage to the right man was the only way she would gain control of her life and create a future for herself.

Pulling in a deep breath, she straightened her shoulders and prepared to practice her curtsy once more.

Mr. Philippe Rounpear, her gray-haired dancing master, lowered his bushy, silver eyebrows and pointed his white-gloved finger at Kate. “You must float over the floor like a swan gliding across a lake.” He gave a firm nod. “Try again, please.”

How many times was he going to make her do this? Kate stuffed down her frustration and cast a heated glance at her aunt Louisa, who sat on a high-backed chair by the piano, taking on the role of King George V.

Her aunt stiffened. “Katherine, the only way you will gain a position in society is to take your training seriously.”

“I am taking it seriously!” The words flew from Kate’s mouth before she could stop them.

“Then you must conquer these presentation formalities and do them perfectly.”

Kate swallowed the sharp reply rising in her throat, tugged her skirt aside, and stepped into her next curtsy.

Mr. Rounpear’s voice rang out. “No, no! You look as stiff as a broom.” He crossed the oriental carpet of her cousin William Ramsey’s London drawing room and tapped her left shoulder. “You must relax your posture. Think grace, think poise.”

Heat flushed her face. She looked past the dancing master at her younger sister, Penny, who sat next to their aunt, pretending to be Queen Mary. Penny’s eyes danced as she waited for Kate to attempt her next curtsy.

Kate narrowed her gaze at her sister. Just wait. In two years you will be eighteen, and you’ll have to prepare for your own presentation. You won’t be laughing then!

Mr. Rounpear clapped his hands. “Miss Katherine, our hour is almost over. One more time, please.”

“All right.” Katherine blew out a breath and tried to relax her shoulders. She would get this right or expire in the process. She had to. Her future depended on it. Lifting her chin, she stepped to the side, then crossed one leg behind the other, and slowly sank down in front of her Aunt Louisa.

“Better.” Mr. Rounpear nodded. “Not perfect, but better. Now lower your head, count to three, then rise slowly.”

Katherine’s legs burned as she waited and then rose.

“Now take two steps to the right, and curtsy to the queen.”

Katherine glanced at Penny and took the first step, but when she took the second, her foot tangled in her skirt. She gasped and her hand shot out.

Penny smirked and covered her mouth.

Katherine swayed, struggling to recover her balance.

Mr. Rounpear scowled. “Is that how you will conduct yourself at your presentation?”

“Of course not.” Kate untangled her skirt and turned toward the windows, frustration bubbling up within. This man was impossible! She would like to see him curtsy fifty times and never lose his balance.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I enjoy connecting with readers on my website and blog: http://carrieturansky.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorcarrieturansky

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/carrieturansky

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

More about Carrie and this book here: http://litfusegroup.com/author/cturansky 

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
The Daughter of Highland Hall - Christianbook.com
The Daughter of Highland Hall: A Novel (Edwardian Brides) - Amazon
The Daughter of Highland Hall: A Novel (Edwardian Brides 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 Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, 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