WHITNEY'S VOW - Susan M Baganz - One Free Book

Welcome back, Susan. Why do you write the kind of books you do? I write what I want to read. I’m my first audience. I started writing Regency romances because I loved that genre and a bit darker, more suspenseful than a typical Regency, but it was fun. I decided to try contemporary romance because I love those too, but never intended a series. God had other plans. I also love romantic suspense so dipped my toe in that pool and am now on my third book and coauthoring another series with a friend that focuses on army a military connection.

Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life? The day I married Ben. We met in June of 2018 and married that December right before Christmas. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined a whirlwind romance and entering into our marriage with such joy and anticipation. I have no regrets. Two and a half years later and we are still on our honeymoon. I believe our past traumas make us appreciate what God has given us in each other.

How has being published changed your life? I started out writing as a hobby as I was as stay-at-home mom. It developed into a career when I became an editor. Now I see it more as a ministry. Writing is worship. I could have found other work that pays more, but this allows me to be home with my kids—and now my husband who is retired but keeps busy.

What are you reading right now? Red-Hot Monogamy by Bill and Pam Farrell. I have been personally blessed by their ministry at a writer’s conference and I’m reading it not because my marriage or sex life is lacking, but more because I want to be the best possible wife I can and if I can help our marriage continue to grow and keep the honeymoon going, then it is worth my time. And who knows? Maybe it will help my romance writing too!

What is your current work in progress? I’m working on the third book in this Homegrown Heroes series. Finnian’s Rescue is about a soldier who had been missing in action, presumed dead. He’d been captured in Afghanistan. His return to civilian life brings back ghosts from his past and he’s not sure who is out to kill him or why. Piper is a sweet young woman he meets who gets embroiled in his journey. After that I have a military romantic suspense to work on that I am co-authoring a dear friend, DeeDee Lake. A new series called Romance Corps. And the eighth book in my Orchard Hill Romance series, Deviled Eggs and Dead Ends, needs to be written! Too many stories, not enough time!

What would be your dream vacation? Almost anywhere with my husband would be great. I’d love to return to England. Having written Regency period romances, I would be seeing things through a different lens. Hawaii would be wonderful too.

How do you choose your settings for each book? My Orchard Hill series is set in the northwest suburbs of Milwaukee because I used to live in that area (that whole write what you know thing?). My Regencies take place in England and Scotland…areas chosen were more in line with what worked best for my storyline. My Hometown Heroes stories are a little more diverse. Whitney’s Vow takes place in Montana because the one time I was there was amazed at the beauty of the area. Madi’s Secret takes place in the northwest suburbs of Milwaukee because I knew the area and wanted to highlight the local dangers of human trafficking. Finnian’s Rescue is my work in progress and takes place in a small fictional town east of Fond du Lac, where I grew up, because heroes are all around us.

If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why? Oh, this is a difficult question! Every person has a unique story. Part of me would like to meet Melania Trump. She exudes such grace and after so much success I would love to know how she handled the vitriol she endured while her husband was president. Her journey would be fascinating to understand. The little bit of interviews I’ve heard, she is a highly intelligent woman and has as an inner strength I find inspiring.

I was saddened by the way the media treated her. I’d love to meet her, too, to let her know that not everyone believed the stories they told about her. What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading? I spend time with my husband. I have also learned to drive a skid-loader and have moved a lot of dirt doing landscaping on our property. I’ve warned my husband he should be careful. I know how to dig holes and bury things. There were a lot of heavy chunks of concrete from past farm buildings that I needed to get rid of in just that way. I’ve planted tons of wildflowers on our property: sunflowers, cosmos, zinnias and more! I look forward to the beauty that will come later. During Covid I re-ignite my love of crewel embroidery and tried a new project with candlewicking. I’ve been making my own designs and enjoy making them for gifts or for our home. I also enjoy making cards with rubber stamps. Creativity marks my life from writing, embroidery, cards, and growing flowers.

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it? I write by the seat of my pants and with every full-length novel there comes a point where I feel like I’ve written myself into a corner. I am bored with the story. I’ll think the book is horrible, no one will want to read it, and it’s the worst thing I’ve ever written. I’ve come to recognize that the real issue is fear and once I write myself past that I’m fine. It has happened with every novel but if you asked me where it was in any of the stories, I wouldn’t be able to tell you. With all that negativity it is surprising that I don’t delete anything before or after that point to take the story in a different direction. In the end, I love the stories God has given me to write, and I need to remind myself that I have an enemy who does not want the truth of God’s love and mercy to be read and understood in the pages of fiction… Persevering is trusting Him for the outcome.

What advice would you give to a beginning author? Write the story God has given you to write. Don’t worry about getting published, just write.

Don’t compare yourself with other writers. I sometimes still struggle with this. Your journey will be unique and your value as a child of God isn’t enhanced by how many books you write (or sell) or how many awards or best-selling statuses you get, or how much money you make. Stay faithful to Him and don’t worry about others.

Publishing is lovely, but don’t overlook the people you impact on your journey. Relationships are more important than publication and people are watching you to see if your life, your walk with Christ and your integrity, matches the values you write about.

Connect with other authors for encouragement and to learn, whether it is at a conference or a local writer’s group or just over coffee. Relationships are necessary and networking is valuable!

Keep reading. Keep learning and growing in your craft. Every book you write will be better than the one you just finished.

Don’t be afraid of the editing process. Yes, sometimes it is torturous, but in the end, it is worth it to have your story come out polished. Yes, you might find things after it is in print that could have been better, or errors everyone missed, but it happens and it’s not the end of the world. When I was producing our Sunday services, even with mistakes I would assure the team: “Nobody died, no one lost a limb. It’s OK.” Learn from your mistakes and move forward.

Tell us about the featured book.

THIS IS NOT THE WEDDING DAY WHITNEY EXPECTED

Whitney Anderson is stunned by the news that her dashing husband is dead. She doesn't understand what's happened except that their ranch in the hills of Montana is at risk. On the verge of a marriage of convenience to save their home—Whitney's world tilts on its axis. 

Blake Anderson returns home from service to his country to find his wife about to wed another. Uncovering the layers of lies and deceit that brought them to this place reveals a conspiracy to gain access to their land under which a vast reserve of oil is untapped.

Blake's not selling, and his return comes at a cost for them all as they fight family, former friends, and foreign enemies. Blake's out to save his land, his wife, and his marriage.

Whitney was once content to remain in the dark when it came to the running of the ranch and Blake's military operations, but now she's vowed and determined to discover the truth and prove her devotion to her husband...Or die trying.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Brides often entertained second thoughts on their wedding day, didn’t they?

Whitney Anderson’s sleeveless gown stuck to her back from the perspiration dribbling down. She was certain her deodorant had stopped working. The machine of a wedding day had taken over and she was a cog in its well-oiled gears. The backyard of her parents’ home basked in the sunshine as the temperature was a comfortable seventy-two degrees. So why was her body on fire?

Her fingertips tingled and the small bouquet of daisies and roses pricked her palms. The aura of a migraine hovered around the recesses of her vision. She’d forgone her contacts and refused to wear glasses at her wedding. If she could only get through this day without passing out…Lord, please rescue me.

She longed for a different face standing under the arbor of flowers than that of her fiancé. The blond, blue-eyed man stood in a blur of pre-migraine and near-sightedness. He did not make her heart sing. It was a prudent match, and at this point her parents were all about avoiding scandal. In other words, they’d bought Peter for her, and he was eager to not only be her husband but to accept the nice paycheck her dad promised for working in the new division of the company. She was no longer a treasured possession, but chattel.

No one cared what Whitney thought about it all. Her hair was escaping the pins meant to secure it in place as if the tresses were holding their own unintentional protest against this day. Imaginary wasps buzzed in her chest, and her stomach growled as Pachelbel’s Canon was skillfully executed by the four-piece orchestra. Execution was what she personally desired as her head pounded when the sunlight pierced her brain. How soon could this torturous day end?

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Blog: http://www.susanbaganz.com

https://www.facebook.com/SusanMBaganz

www.twitter.com/susanbaganz

www.pinterest.com/silygoos

www.youtube.com/c/susanmbaganz

www.linkedin.com/in/susanmbaganz

Instagram: silygooswriter

MeWe: Susan Lodwick

Thank you, Susan, for sharing this book with my blog readers and me. I’m eager to read it.

Readers, here are links to the book.

https://amzn.to/3ywoxkR - Kindle

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (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, 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

ROCKY MOUNTAIN RESTORATION - Lisa J Flickinger - One Free Book

Welcome back, Lisa. What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about? I love to write about redemption, redemption of circumstances, character, or spiritual life. If I had to share the gospel in one word it would be redemption.

What other books of yours are coming out soon? Hmmm, good question. I have an adorable character in my head desperate to hit the page…however…this year has wreaked havoc in our family and finding the time to write has become difficult. I’m hoping for early next year.

I so understand that. Covid and other things have wreaked havoc in my life. If you could spend an evening with one contemporary person (not a family member of yours), who would it be and why? Sam Heughan, Jamie Frazer, from the Outlander series. We wouldn’t even have to speak, I would just enjoy basking in all his Scottish manliness.

What historical person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why? I would love to meet with some early pioneer women and really get a sense of the unique struggles faced when forging a home in the wilderness.

How can you encourage authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers? I would encourage the authors to be open to learning as much as they can about the craft. The competition is stiff, and the better you become at writing, the more likely you are to get that first “send me your manuscript” email.

Tell us about the featured book. Rocky Mountain Restoration follows the journey of the antagonists from the first book in the series, Josephine Thorebourne and Snoop. They board a steamship along the Canadian coast to await their payout from a shady investment. Of course, nothing goes as planned and Josephine has to rely on the kindness of a newfound friend and a gorgeous Irish steward to help her solve the dilemma. 

Please give us the first page of the book. 

1899

SS Jameson, Pacific Ocean

“Eeeeeee!”

Owen’s spine juddered as he slipped a crystal goblet to the expanse of white linen.

Heads bobbed up around the SS Jameson’s dining saloon, their inquisitive eyes fixed on the door leading to the upper deck cabins.

His jowls vibrating, Walter Hamilton, Head Steward, stepped to Owen’s side and hissed under his breath. “Go! Stop that caterwauling.”

“Those are Maggie’s cabins, Sir.” Owen surveyed the room. She’d been attending General Chalmers and his wife Katherine, a moment ago. Where had Maggie gone?

“Aaaahhh!”

“I don’t care whose rooms they are. Go!”

Owen tugged a broad smile to his lips and pinched the beak of his wool cap. “Yes, Sir, right away, Sir.” With a crisp step, Owen marched his polished leather boots to the heavy mahogany door and pushed through.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

My Facebook Page is https://www.facebook.com/LisaJFlickingerauthor

My website is https://www.lisajflickinger.com/

You can also find me at https://www.wildheartbooks.org/authors.html

Thank you, Lisa, for sharing this book with my blog readers and me. I’m eager to read it.

Readers, here are links to the book.

https://amzn.to/3hhpNm9 - Paperback

https://amzn.to/3ACdBUE - Kindle

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (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, 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

WINNERS

 MPORTANT: Instructions for winners  - When you send me the email, make sure your subject line says this: Winner - (book title) - (author's name) If you don't do this, your email could get lost in my hundreds of emails per day. I WILL SEARCH FOR POST TITLES STARTING THAT WAY.

Some people don't read the instructions of how to enter. Unfortunately, they don't have a chance to win. so next time you come and leave a comment, be sure to read all the instructions if you want a chance to win.

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If you won a book and you like it, please consider giving the author the courtesy of writing a review on Goodreads, Amazon.com, Christianbooks.com, Barnes and Noble, or other Internet sites. Reviews are such a blessing to an author.

Also, tell your friends about the book you won ... 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.

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TIMELESS WORLD - Tina M Manka - One Free Book

Welcome, Tina. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters. None. This book was written in regards to the Covid -19 virus, seven years before the virus came. I work in the health field, knowing mankind was in trouble for the past 30 years. I wrote the book in a story line of how our third world would be like. I took the book off and put the name Covid in it since we now had a name for it. I did not want to write the book any other way and scare people.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done? Wrote 10 books in a pandemic. I was only allowed to go to work and home during the Pandemic. So, I wrote books for a year to curb my boring life. It was worth it, though.

When did you first discover that you were a writer? I started reading romance novels at the age of five. One day I sat down with a pen and paper and wrote my own novel. For years, as a kid, I did this. Computers were not invented until my junior year in high school. So, the old fashioned way it was. Later in life, a year ago, one of my card players introduced me to his daughter. She wrote books and edited them. She is now my publisher and editor. We made a business together and work together publishing other people’s books as Indie writers.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading. I only like reading romance books. I tried fantasy books, but couldn’t get into them. My publisher, Teresa A. Beeler had me write a fantasy romance. It turned out okay, but I prefer the regular romance novels. I add a twist to all my books to keep the reader intrigued. Also, the reader can try to figure out the twist in my plots before they happen.

How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world? Writing helped me focus more during the Pandemic. It was scary working in the health field with Covid, even though I trained myself for years on it. You never knew if you would catch it and bring it home to your family. It gave me great comfort knowing I could help others during this horrific year.

How do you choose your characters’ names? By people I have known throughout the years, family members as well are used.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of? I type 200 words a minute, I’m a published author. I am currently writing a book for Harlequin, hoping to get a writing spot with them. Funny story: Alan Alda did a documentary on finding the cell in the human body that ages us. They called it the Wonder Pill. It was the same name I called my book before I took it off the market and renamed it, Timeless World, The Wonder Pill.

If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why? I have dreams of flying in the sky. I get scared and won’t go too high in the air. So maybe, a bird.

What is your favorite food? Chinese food and Italian.

What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?  I never thought I could write a book. So, pushing that submit button was difficult to do. I am trying my hand at different styles of writing. So far, romance with a twist is what I like to write.

Tell us about the featured book.  It’s about a man who invented gadgets in the third world. He agrees to take a pill to see if it works to prolong his life. A hundred years later, he has to talk at a convention about his findings. It’s about a man trying to understand the changes in the world, deciding to approve the pill or deny it. Living a hundred years and losing the people he loves to death is difficult to do. I wrote a sequel to it about his grandchildren, but lost the book. I am planning to rewrite it. The only problem is that I have to find another ending to it. Mocking Jay’s last book stole my ending. My book was written a couple of years, I believe before theirs.

Please give us the first page of the book.

The morning sun rose above the horizon, sending rays of sunlight through Jonathan Smith’s thin curtains. He slipped out of bed and made his way to the connecting bathroom. He lifted the lid to the porcelain toilet and eliminated the alcohol he consumed the night before. A computerized hologram appeared on the wall, flashing. His sodium count was up again from the five beers he drank the previous night.

“I know, I know.” he mumbled to no one. He flushed the toilet and walked back into his bedroom.

Jonathan used to work at the University of Texas twenty years ago in March 2079. He invented a computer system for people’s homes and offices. The system made the house a smart house like cell phones did in the year 2015. All systems came with a hologram named Zoe. Zoe appeared whenever you asked for her or if she had to remind someone of an appointment. Students at the University designed Zoe to help people with their everyday life events. She took notes, made phone calls, turned on lights, unlocked doors, and ordered food at restaurants. Zoe’s performance skills excelled daily through updates from the university. It made life so much easier and stress free.

“Zoe,” he yelled.

A hologram appeared in front of him of a thirty-five-year-old woman. She wore a light blue dress that hung to her knees. Her curly blonde hair snaked down her back to her waist. Her nails manicured to match her attire. “You called Jonathan?” She asked in a calm tone.

“Can you have Thelma cook me some eggs and bacon for breakfast?”

Zoe shook her head. “Your sodium count is up again. I will make it sodium free bacon with no salt on the eggs.”

Since Zoe ran all his blood work and urinalysis through her system, he did not get away with anything. She kept him healthy and thriving for many years since doctors’ offices did not exist anymore. Doctors’ appointments performed via Skype at home were the norm. The robot, Zoe, now performed all x-rays, MRI’s and scans from home. The government did not allow surgeries because of the astronomic death rate due to infections. Zoe used her ultra-ray light beam to help heal wounds. The only thing Zoe did not do is heal major diseases like Alzheimer’s, cancer, auto-immunity diseases, Parkinson’s just to name a few. People lived longer because of the advancements in medicine. However, Jonathan still held the record. 

Jonathan walked into the kitchen and sat down on a chair at the kitchen table. He waved his hand in front of him until his hologram newspaper appeared. “I’ll take my morning coffee now, Thelma.”

Thelma appeared from behind the counter. Robots today appeared human. The only difference between a human and a robot was their voice and the symbol they wore on their uniforms. All robots wore the State of Texas emblem to show they were not human. The creator used silicone they invented to make the skin of the robot appear human. Some were women, and some were men. Everyone designed their own robots, and the companies shipped them to the owners. Jonathan chose a down-to-earth woman who stood around 5 feet 5 inches tall. She had short dark brown hair and wore a navy-blue pant suit with black flat loafers. He liked his women to be in dresses or skirts in case someone visited.

Thelma sat a cup of hot, black coffee on the table in front of him. She smiled and then winked. It was their morning routine of flirting since he was a widower. His wife, Cecily, passed several years ago from Alzheimer’s. Jonathan refused a serious relationship since his wife passed. Jonathan figured no woman would tolerate his ways. So, when he began dating his neighbor, Mary Jo Jenkins, he never planned on falling for the fifty-year-old British woman. But even Mary Jo was unaware of the secret he lived with.

 “Thank you.” The D150 recorded his pulse, oxygen level, and temperature. Zoe then sent the results to Dr. Alexander. Zoe pointed her finger as a bright ultra-ray beam scanned his body for the MRI Dr. Alexander ordered from his last appointment. “Send the scan to Dr. Alexander and inform me when he calls tomorrow.”

Zoe nodded, and she left the kitchen to perform her task in the office.

He touched the hologram screen to turn it on. The front page of the paper showed a picture of his son, Derek. He read the caption and gasped. “Zoe, call Derek for me, please.” The hologram phone emblem lit up green on the bottom of the screen before it separated into two holograms.

“Hello,” answered Derek.

“Hey there, son.” he replied. “I am reading the newspaper and I am wondering why you never informed me of the promotion?”

“Oh!” Derek exclaimed. “You already saw it. I now oversee just about everything the Governor does.”

“That is great, son. Are you still going to practice science while you work for Governor Bates?” Derek had a doctorate degree in Science Medicine. He invented pills and antibiotics for Texas University. The University built the laboratory and paid for it so they could produce more medicines and vaccines. The laboratory covered the whole ten thousand square footage of his basement. It was a win-win situation for Derek and the university since most of the pills used throughout the years were now obsolete.

“Yes, the University has approved of my position with Governor Bates. It will add more publicity for the college.”

“Well, son, you are an integral figure at the college. You have helped Dr. Neill invent several drugs and machinery that saved many people’s lives and helped them to live longer.” Dr. Neill was a respected doctor who worked in the DNA Department at the university. Neill worked for them for sixty years and passed away three months ago at eighty. The university made Derek head of the DNA Department two months ago.

“Many will miss Neill,” said Derek. Derek worked for the university for ten years. He ranked two in his field, graduating from Princeton with honors. After graduation, Derek moved back to Texas and got his first job at the University. Jonathan left the University by that time because he did not want anyone to figure out the experiment included him, especially Derek.

A hundred years ago, at a tender age of forty, Jonathan worked at the university with a new and bright scientist named Dr. Heckler. Heckler invented a pill to make humans live forever. It took years for the doctor to get the formula correct, but he succeeded. Jonathan volunteered in 1996 to be the guinea pig for the experiment. The only people acquainted with the experiment was Dr. Heckler, and the then Dean of the university, Dr. Schultz, and himself. Heckler passed away fifty years ago, and the Schultz passed twenty-eight years ago. He became the last living identity to witness Heckler’s experiment. That is until July 30th of 2097 when he was to inform the current administration of the experiment and the results. He only had a few months left before he met with the new Dean, so he must inform his son soon of his secret.

“Derek, I need to talk to you about something. Can we get together later this afternoon and talk?”

“Sure, dad. How about we meet at the park tonight after work at six?”

“That will be fine. See you then.” He hung up the phone, wondering if he was doing the right thing in telling Derek his secret. It would be a lot for Derek to digest. His son was a smart man, so he did not have to explain every detail. Derek learned about Dr. Heckler in college, so he realized how over-the-top Heckler got with his experiments. It should help him a lot when he had to explain to his son his father is not fifty years old, but a hundred and forty.

How can readers find you on the Internet? I have a Facebook page. Here are the ways to find my books both on sale sites and my editor’s site.

Amazon:  Timeless World

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089QVJXSZ/

https://www.amazon.com/Tina-M-Manka/e/B0865W87C4?

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

www.teresabeeler.com    Go to Author on the bottom of the page or to the library tab to purchase a signed copy directly from the author using paypal.

https://www.teresabeeler.com/99c-books/

Thank you, Tina, for sharing this book with my blog readers and me. When I first read about the story it intrigued me. Because of my own book deadlines, I haven’t been able to read it yet.

Dear Readers, I haven't read this book yet, but I have read one other of this author's books. It contained some more adult material in it. I don't think this book does.

Readers, leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (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, 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 

SOME KIND OF HERO - Hannah Alexander - One Free Book

Welcome back, Hannah. How did you come up with the idea for this story? I’ve seen some scary situations in which friends of ours—and patients in our clinic—were given drugs that were misrepresented and actually caused some horrific side effects. I wanted everyone to pay more attention to the medicines they swallow—and what their doctors tell them.

If you were planning a party with Christian authors of contemporary fiction, what six people would you invite and why? I’m working with several other Christian authors every day using the buddy system, and I have them to thank for helping me get back on my feet after too long a hiatus between books. Kristin Billerbeck practically dragged me back to work last year during the shutdown, and Jenny Jones worked with us every day except Sunday. Colleen Coble also brainstorms with us, as well as Denise Hunter. Robin Lee Hatcher is a fountain of wisdom and encouragement, and no party would work without her. Jim Bell is always good in a party, and these people are friends we enjoy spending time with. Oh! Can’t forget Deb Raney. We’ll slip her in because she’s a kind soul who puts up with all kinds of antics.

Those are some of my favorite authors, too. Now let’s do that for a party for Christian authors of historical fiction, what six people would you invite and why? I also work daily with Jill Eileen Smith, who writes excellent Biblical fiction, and enjoy her company. Angela Hunt helps us with our covers, and she is very creative with many stories to tell about her chickens and other animals. Lena Nelson Dooley is one of my favorite people who can keep a party perking. Stephanie Grace Whitson is an amazing writer, and I’m reading her work right now. Tamera Alexander writes well-researched historical fiction set in Nashville area where she lives. Julie Lessman lives not far from where we set our books in Missouri, and she is quite a hoot. I enjoy her a great deal—fun at a party!

Thank you for including me in the list. We would have a ball with all those people. 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? Focus is my problem, hence my dependence on the people I’ve mentioned above. They are friends, and as friends we keep one another motivated. When I first began writing so many decades ago, I could sit alone and write four books in a year with no encouragement. Now I need to meet online with friends every day to keep going. I still love writing, but I’m more easily distracted.

Tell us about the featured book. Some Kind of Hero Three months ago, Laine Fulton, medical researcher, was falling in love until the man in her life left town on a secret mission with no explanation, no warning. Now she and her friends are facing possible court battle and the loss of their medical licenses over a past tragedy.

Three months after leaving, Dr. Ian Stone returns from his mission rescuing children in a war-torn country to find Laine seeing another man, hesitant to allow Ian back into her life. As nightmares haunt him, he faces her rejection, holding secrets he still cannot share. Suddenly, Laine has her own secrets.

How can Laine give her heart to a man who might disappear again at a moment’s notice? Will Laine’s mission end her career and the hope of a future?

This sounds like a wonderful read. Please give us the first page of the book.

As a practical person with a scientific education, Laine Fulton was never given to superstition, to the willies, or to fear of the dark, but as evening descended over the wooded trail where she typically ran with others much earlier, an odd quivering began in her stomach. Goosebumps marched across the back of her neck.

Although she was trained in self-defense, she couldn’t dismiss the hard facts that women had been raped and badly beaten along this very same trail. Granted, this route was 240 miles long, and the attacks had happened closer to more populated areas than Columbia, Missouri, but this university town had its own element of danger.

Tonight felt spooky. Perhaps that had something to do with the mission she was on.

A thump startled her and she stopped, turned, surveyed the path, heart racing faster. She could see nothing but a herd of white-tailed deer munching in the shaded fields of lush June grass that bordered the trail. No monsters lurked there. This late, not even another jogger shared this place with her, which would be nice if not for those poor women she couldn’t excise from her mind.

According to the reports, those women had also been out late on the trail…alone…

How can readers find you on the Internet?

You can find the first chapter of this book and more at www.hannahalexander.com

On Amazon.com, pull up Hannah Alexander Some Kind of Hero

Also look for us at Hannah Alexander on Facebook

Thanks so much, Lena!

It’s always a pleasure to welcome you here on my blog. I’m eager to read this book.

Readers, here are links to the book.

https://amzn.to/3h2dZnz

https://amzn.to/2Sze8pg

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (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, 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

IN WRATH REMEMBER MERCY - Aquila Dhu - One Free Book

Welcome, Aquila. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters. Lots! Torquil (the hero of the story) and I are both trauma survivors, committed to faithfulness, duty, and honor, and love our land and home-places. MacLeod is impatient and goal-oriented. Some elements of Miss Mary’s love story mirror those of mine. Nannie and I are both tomboys who have daring adventures, and, like Mrs. Grieg, I raised two boys to whom I did not give birth. (My husband was a widower.) 

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done? Applied for graduate school (in History, of course) and for Social Security within two weeks, and was accepted for both. 

When did you first discover that you were a writer? In fifth grade, when I drew pictures on one side of sheets of paper and wrote stories about them on the other side. The origins of In Wrath Remember Mercy date back to junior high.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading. I love the novels of Captain Charles King, John Esten Cooke, and Rosemary Sutcliffe. Other than that, I read history: all periods of American History, and Roman Britain and the Dark Ages, fascinating because so little is actually known about the latter.

Yes, I was wondering what books you read about the Dark Ages. How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world? I trust in God to bring whatever He wills into each day, and pray to respond gratefully and competently. It also helps to live in a rural area rather than in a city.

How do you choose your characters’ names? By national heritage. For example, Gerhardt Vogelsang is German, while most of the Abercairn folks are Scottish.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of? Driving 80 miles per hour through the dark to get my husband to the hospital after an injury. 

If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why? An eagle, as in Isaiah 40:31. “They that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles...”

What is your favorite food? The Beef Stroganoff I make.

I love Beef Stroganoff. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it? Writing too much. I overcame it by cutting out stage directions and some of the secondary characters, and telling the story from a number of first person points of view.

Tell us about the featured book. In Wrath Remember Mercy is a dialogue among the main characters and a few secondary ones. During the War Between the States, part of the Indian Wars in the West, and the latter part of Reconstruction in Virginia, Torquil Dhu Drummond undergoes traumatizing experiences which sometimes overset his reason. He tries to regain the original true, unstained self which trauma has stolen from him by various methods, but finds that only God can truly heal and redeem.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Gloria Victis! (Latin: Glory to the vanquished!)

“For the principle of State rights and State sovereignty the Southern men fought with a holy ardor and self-denying patriotism that have covered even defeat with imperishable glory.” (Dr. Charles E. Stowe, son of the author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, ca. 1900.)

I came to my senses in a dim cell. Hands manacled, head throbbing, dizzy . . . thought I’d vomit. I didn’t! Blood oozing from my head. Couldn’t diagnose any other injuries. How to escape? I ran a finger around the top of my right boot. The skean dhu was gone.

The only light glimmered through gratings in an iron-bound door. Manacles chained to log wall, floor of rammed earth. The guard would be the only weak point . . . . 

I must have passed out again.

Rough prodding in the ribs . . . blue . . .Yankees! Brain and skin prickled. Everything in me flamed for attack. I sprang, but the irons caught me mid-way.

One guard startled back. The other jammed his Spencer into my sternum.

“Give up, Reb! You’re caught. Get up slow.” He kept that carbine on me while the scaredy one unlocked the manacles. 

Dizziness and headache were less. Under guard, crossing the parade, I was memorizing: log palisade, gates, log cabins, North Star, good cover under the edge of a big cistern lid . . . . Then they nudged me into a stark little room.

“Dismissed.”

Silhouetted by the lamp behind him, an officer rose from his field desk, well over six feet tall. Brown hair, a few silver strands glinting. Beneath level brows, intent brown eyes missed nothing. Moustache, knifed off at the lines around a wide mouth.

“MacLeod!”

“Good evening, Lieutenant Drummond.”

How can readers find you on the Internet? The web site is http://www.InWrathRememberMercy.com  There’s opportunity to leave comments, questions, etc. by email: Aquila@InWrathRememberMercy.com

Thank you, Aquila, for sharing your novel with my blog readers and me. I’m sure many people think of PTSD as a modern thing, but this book will open their eyes to it’s historical significance.

Readers, here are links to the book.

https://amzn.to/2SrZEYk - Paperback

https://amzn.to/3j9r00j - Kindle edition

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (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, 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 SISTER'S PLIGHT - Patricia Lee - One Free Book

 

Welcome, Patricia. Why do you write the kind of books you do? My author website tagline is “Broken people in search of an unbroken God.” So many people in today’s world are walking around with broken hearts and dreams, desperate to find answers to the challenges they face. In my stories my characters often embody that pain and I try to a write compassionate tale where the characters , with God’s help, work through their problems. At each story’s end, the hurting  character has found solutions that will help them move on with their lives.

Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life? I came to motherhood late. My husband and I had married, both had jobs, and struggled to establish a foothold with an unstable economy. But one day, after nine years of marriage, we looked at each other and said we needed to add a child to our family. God didn’t waste time. Two weeks later I was expecting our son and the day he was born both my husband and I were in awe of what we had done. In the delivery room, my husband said, “It’s a baby!” As if we had expected something else. We still laugh at that. 

How has being published changed your life? Once a publisher discovers you and offers a contract, your life is suddenly thrown into a tailspin as you meet deadline after deadline. When writing that first book you have a lot of time to write as you are inspired. Then along comes the contract. I found myself editing the first book, writing the second book, and trying to keep track of ideas for the third book. No more leisurely afternoons playing with words and testing sentences. And let’s not even talk about the manuscript edits that fall in there somewhere. But for all its pitfalls I can say being published is a wonderful experience. I’ve discovered my readers are amazing people.

What are you reading right now? I recently completed All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriott. I had never read the book but PBS aired a season of the story earlier this year.  Wonderful—both the book and the series.

What is your current work in progress? This is a first for me. My original publisher asked me to write on speculation a fifth book in my first series. The story will re-introduce Jayden, the foster boy who filled the pages of my third book, Love Calls Her Home, as a grown man returning from Afghanistan. If accepted The Mended Hearts series will have five books. I’ve never been asked by a publisher to write a book. So I’m pretty thrilled. As with any proposed story, there’s always the chance of being turned down.

I’ve only had that happen once, too. What would be your dream vacation? I would like to spend a week in Baja, California. I’ve heard it is beautiful there. The thought of relaxing on a beach sounds like the vacation for me.

I’ve wanted to go there, too. How do you do you choose your settings for each book? The plot of the story usually determines the setting. For instance the characters of my first book were fishermen who worked for the government. The setting had to be a coastal setting. The third book dealt with wild horses. Needed to put them in a high desert where they could roam free. This newest book follows the prairie crossing of a wagon train in the 1850s. Not much chance of doing that without a prairie, dust, wild buffalo, and natives.

If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why? I have come to admire Melania Trump. In the face of a most brutal press and a damning public she has held her head high and carried out her task with the dignity of a queen. She didn’t ask for the role of first lady when she first emigrated to the United States. That position was thrust upon her by the ambitions of her husband. She assumed the responsibility with grace. We could learn a lot about the power of a dignified woman from her.

It’s a shame that so many in the country didn’t give her the respect a First Lady deserves. What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading? I love to grow flowers. For years my husband and I maintained a large dahlia garden at the back of our property. We built a patio entertainment area at the back of our home and filled the nooks and crannies with pots of flowers. My husband likes succulents and I prefer the blooming annuals. So we grow a bit of each.

I like both, too. What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it? The stare of a blank page is one of the most mind numbing obstacles for any writer. When I sit down at the computer, hoping to write delightful prose and make my word count for the day, I often find the wide white screen an immovable obstacle. I’ve been told by others to sit and write whatever comes to mind. Get the creative juices flowing. That is good advice. But my most effective tool is opening the word of God and reading for a few minutes. There’s nothing more powerful to stimulate the mind than an uplifting passage of Scripture.

Yes. That and praying. What advice would you give to a beginning author? Don’t let  rejection stop you. Publishers look for a work that will represent their line of stories. Yours may not fit their line-up. The rejection is not a statement on your ability.

By the same token don’t be so in love with your work that you can’t learn and grow from an editor’s assessment of your story. Writers who succeed learn to stretch and grow from each exercise, and that includes rewrite.

Always keep writing. Never stop.

Tell us about the featured book. The Sister’s Plight is the second and final book in the Call of the Frontier series, a story I’ve always wanted to write. The tale traces the journey of my great-great-great grandfather who crossed the prairies in 1847 seeking free land in the Oregon territory. He homesteaded for four years before returning to Iowa to claim his bride and bring her across the plains. The first time he came by horseback. The second time he led a wagon train which included his new wife, three brothers, and his wife’s family.

The story is told in dual time and follows not only the historical thread, but features a contemporary young woman who follows the path of the wagon train seeking answers to the long lost love of her great uncle. What she finds is her own love story.

From the back cover:

Will a pair of long lost treasures recovered a continent apart pave the way for two eager hearts to find each other?

 Realtor Blake Bergstrom stumbles upon an ancient barn while checking fences along a deserted property. A cursory inspection reveals a prairie schooner stored at the building’s back. He climbs into the wagon and discovers a rusted lockbox. Secreted within is a water color portrait of a young man. Whose picture could this be and why is it here?

When her mother needs her to check an abandoned cabin before the plantation where it sits is sold, Emberly Chastain uncovers her great-great-great Uncle Fred’s Bible and takes it with her. Tucked inside is a watercolor portrait of a young woman Emberly can’t place. Her uncle never married. Who can she be?

Curiosity sets Emberly on a quest to solve the mystery, a journey that will take her across the continent following a long ago wagon train. Will what she finds help her own heart mend and open the door to a new love?

First page of the book:

Intrigued by what appeared to be the outer shell of a ramshackle barn, Blake Bergstrom squeezed through a hole left vacant by a sagging door. The remnants of its hinge had pulled loose from the casing, exposing the narrow gap. The droop of the fascia board along the roofline and the list of the corners at strange angles darkened the interior, hindering visibility. Wary of the building’s safety, he stumbled forward. A shaft of light penetrated the roof, providing an eerie glow in the center of the space—enough intensity to cast unidentifiable shadows around the perimeter.  He blinked, trying to force his eyes to adjust to the dim core. Odors of mold and decaying matter offended his nose. He held his breath. One good sneeze might send the old barn crashing to the ground.

He hadn’t expected to find a building on this isolated acreage his realtor father asked him to explore. But here on the outside corner, buried in a stand of firs, he’d come upon the concealed walls of a long forgotten dwelling. Moss disguised the roof in copious shades of green. Overgrown saplings surrounded the crumbling walls. The front and sides were iffy at best. Only the back wall stood upright on its foundation.

Wonder what this once was.

He crept further into the dusky interior, noting what must have been a row of stalls on one side. Three ten-foot uprights, probably the straightest supports in the place, held the main beam running across the ceiling. At the end, a spacious area filled with a mountain of hay stood open to a loft above. The wind sailed through, delivering more hay on its journey from the upper floor. On the opposite wall ancient hand tools hung in rusted silence. An assortment of leather harnesses and headstalls, their bits intact, covered the remaining corner. Cobwebs filled the spaces where an animal’s head or shoulder might once have been.

Was this a livery?

He picked up a pitchfork stuck in the mound and rustled through the hay. Dust as thick as a cloud of locusts kicked up, making him cough. He thrust the handle of the tool back into the silage so it would stand, startled when the tines connected with something solid behind the mound. Careful not to disturb the hay to avoid another invasion of dust, he pulled the debris aside and squinted to see beyond. Wood mixed with metal emerged with each sweep of his hand. As he worked, a door became visible. A separate room, perhaps? To the door’s left a set of rungs led skyward up the wall. 

He reached for the leather handle and pulled. The opening widened a few inches, but the hay blocked movement further. As he continued removing the hay, the door swung toward him and he peered into the dim interior. A covered wagon stood inside. Why was this here?

The canvas top still stretched over the wooden bows that arched across the wagon. Blake noticed a few holes in the fabric, but if he considered how old the transport must be the condition of the covering amazed him. Missing a spoke here and there, the wheels showed signs of rot and rust. The frame, though, appeared rock solid.

Blake pulled his cell phone from his pocket to see if he had service out here. Only one band of wifi popped up. Not much, but enough for his needs. He ran an internet search for a more elaborate description of the conveyance. Images rolled up and as he scrolled through them, he found one that duplicated the wagon in front of him.  A prairie schooner—used by the wealthier settlers crossing the plains in the 1800s. Who had left it here?

A note from the author:

My publisher will make The Descendant's Daughter free for download July 1-5 as a complementary kickoff to the release of The Sister's Plight. https://amzn.to/3hbWVL5

Ways to connect with me:

Facebook  @patricialeebooks

Twitter @lee_patricia__

Website:  www.authorpatricialee.net

email: patricialeewrites@earthlink.net

Come Chat with Pat (newsletter): http://authorpatricialee.net/mailing-list/

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/corneliushills

Thank you, Patricia, for sharing this book with my blog readers and me. I’m eager to read it.

Readers, here is a link to the book.

https://amzn.to/2SZMMZz - Kindle Preorder

A print copy will be available later.

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (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, 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

WINNERS!!

 IMPORTANT: Instructions for winners  - When you send me the email, make sure your subject line says this: Winner - (book title) - (author's name) If you do n't do this, your email could get lost in my hundreds of emails per day. I WILL SEARCH FOR POST TITLES STARTING THAT WAY.

Some people don't read the instructions of how to enter. Unfortunately, they don't have a chance to win. so next time you come and leave a comment, be sure to read all the instructions if you want a chance to win.

Patricia B (TN) is the winner of Chasing Shadows by Lynn Austin. 

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If you won a book and you like it, please consider giving the author the courtesy of writing a review on Goodreads, Amazon.com, Christianbooks.com, Barnes and Noble, or other Internet sites. Reviews are such a blessing to an author.

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

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Click the Contact Me link at the top of the blog, and send me an Email.

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