Monday, August 31, 2015

THE SEAKEEPER'S DAUGHTERS - Lisa Wingate - One Free Book

Dear Readers, if you haven’t read any of Lisa Wingate’s books, try one. You’ll be hooked for life.

Welcome back, Lisa. Since you’re being published regularly, what new avenues will your future books take?
My last few books have been dual time frame novels. The historical threads were created from fictionalized historical events. I love doing the research, finding little-known events and building on those. I imagine the people who were involved, what issues they may have faced, how they might have learned from their challenges.

I love having present day characters discover some historical mystery and telling a time-slip story allows the modern characters to learn life lessons from the past. I have at least one more book coming up along those lines. My lips are sealed at this point about the topic, title, and theme, but it’ll be hitting shelves sometime in 2016.

And I hope it hits my blog soon after. What conferences will you be attending this year? Will you be a speaker at any of them?
I’ll be attending several book festivals in the South while on Tour in September, including the Decatur Book Festival, SIBA Conference, and a bit later the Lousiana Book Festival. In the spring, I’m scheduled to attend a wonderful book festival in Panama City Florida. I’m looking forward to the books and the scenery.

I’ll be speaking at all of these book festivals, in one capacity or another. Typically, I’ll be sharing a panel spot with other authors, which allows us to bounce ideas and thoughts around. I’ll also be speaking at various luncheons and venues during The Sea Keeper’s Daughters book tour in September. For more about that, friends can check out the Appearances page on my website.


And, I’ll be teaching a fiction track at Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference in March in Felton, CA.

Busy lady. 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 love speaking with other writers about their writing processes – what works for them and what doesn’t. I think we can all gain tips from one another to improve our productivity both in writing and in publicity. I think if I were planning a panel, it would be a combination of talking about writing process and tips to optimize the writing life. I’m not sure who I’d ask. I think we can learn from other writers of all types.

How important is it to you to be active in writing organizations?        
Working with other authors is very important to me. I have friends I meet with regularly and typically I attend and/or speak at several writing conferences each year. Some of my best opportunities have happened because I’ve come to know other writers. As writers we need support, advice, and help with everything from publicity to plotlines. Many brains are better than one.

Where in the community or your church do you volunteer?
For years my, husband and I taught Sunday school for high school seniors, which we loved. It’s hard to believe, but we continued so many years, that eventually our Sunday school kids were coming to visit with their own children. It has been such a joy to keep in touch with them and watch them grow into Godly adults with families and adult lives of their own.

I started the children’s choirs with another lady at the church we attended for 30 years. The Lord led us to another church about 12 years ago. Now some of my boys and girls are on the praise teams for this new church. It’s such a blessing seeing them up on stage. Tell us about the featured book.
From modern-day Roanoke Island to the sweeping backdrop of North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains and Roosevelt’s WPA folklore writers of the Federal Writers’ Project, past and present intertwine to create an unexpected destiny….

Restaurant owner, Whitney Monroe, is desperate to save her business from a hostile takeover. The inheritance of a decaying Gilded Age hotel on North Carolina’s Outer Banks may provide just the ray of hope she needs. But things at The Excelsior are more complicated than they seem. Whitney’s estranged stepfather is entrenched on the third floor, and the downstairs tenants are determined to save the historic building. Searching through years of stored family heirlooms may be Whitney’s only hope of quick cash, but will the discovery of an old necklace and a depression-era love story change everything?

Tell the inspiration for the book
I never know where my stories will come from. While working on my first Carolina book, set on the Outer Banks, I became fascinated with the mystery of the Lost Colonists of Roanoke Island. You can’t spend time on the Carolina Coast without realizing that theories abound as to the fate of the 117 people who vanished from Sir Walter Raleigh’s ill-fated colony over thirty years before the Pilgrims would land on Plymouth Rock. While writing my second Carolina book, The Story Keeper, I delved into the mystery of what early explorers deemed to be Appalachia’s “blue-eyed Indians,” who were found to have been living in the mountains decades before other Europeans pressed in. I knew that the third Carolina book would somehow bring these two fascinating bits of history together.

While researching the previous books, I came across life history interviews written by participants in a little-known Depression-era program called the Federal Writers’ Project. The Project was championed by Eleanor Roosevelt and was a WPA program designed to hire impoverished writers, academics, housewives, and reporters. They became Field Interviewers, tasked to travel the hidden corners of America and record the stories of the common man. The adventures of these Federal Writers were equally as fascinating as the narratives and stories they discovered during their travels.

What might a modern woman discover, I wondered, if she were to happen to find the long-hidden missives of a relative who had left behind her wealthy family to become a Federal Writer? Could she possibly discover, among mountain stories handed down by oral tradition, not only her own family history, but a clue to one of America’s oldest mysteries?

Sounds so interesting. Please share the first page with us.         
Perhaps denial is the mind’s way of protecting the heart from a sucker punch it can’t handle. Or maybe it’s simpler than that. Maybe denial in the face of overwhelming evidence is a mere byproduct of stubbornness.

Whatever the reason, all I could think standing in the doorway, one hand on the latch and the other trembling on the keys, was, This can’t be happening. This can’t be how it ends. It’s so . . . quiet. A dream should make noise when it’s dying. It deserves to go out in a tragic blaze of glory. There should be a dramatic death scene, a gasping for breath . . . something.

Denise laid a hand on my shoulder, whispered, “Are you all right?” Her voice faded at the end, cracking into jagged pieces.

“No.” A hard, bitter tone sharpened the cutting edge on the word. It wasn’t aimed at Denise. She knew that. “Nothing about this is all right. Not one single thing.”

“Yeah.” Resting against the doorframe, she let her neck go slack until her cheek touched the wood. “I’m not sure if it’s better or worse to stand here looking at it, though. For the last time, I mean.”

“We’ve put our hearts into this place. . . .” Denial reared its unreasonable head again. I would’ve called it hope, but if it was hope, it was the false and paper-thin kind. The kind that only teases you.

Denise’s hair fell like a pale, silky curtain, dividing the two of us. We’d always been at opposite ends of the cousin spectrum—Denise strawberry blonde, pale, and freckled, me dark-haired, blue-eyed, and olive-skinned. Denise a homebody and me a wanderer.
“Whitney, we have to let it go. If we don’t, we’ll end up losing both places.”

For the complete excerpt, go here…

Where can my readers find you on the Internet?
Blogging Mondays at: www.SouthernBelleViewDaily.com
The Untold Story Guru: http://theuntoldstory.guru


Thank you, Lisa, for sharing this new book with me and my blog readers.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
The Seakeeper's Daughters - Christianbook.com
The Sea Keeper's Daughters (A Carolina Heirlooms Novel) - Amazon
The Sea Keeper's Daughters (A Carolina Chronicles) - 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

Friday, August 28, 2015

COUNTING ON A COWBOY - Debra Clopton - One Free Book

Dear Readers, I’ve loved every book Debra has written since I first discovered her. Cowboys, Texas, Romance, and a touch of Comedy. What’s not to love? I’ve read Counting on a Cowboy and loved it. Debra’s books go to the top of my to-be-read pile. I loved the characters, who leapt from the page into my heart, and the storyline that is different from other books I’ve read. You won’t want to miss this one.

Bio: Debra Clopton is a multi-award winning novelist and has written more than 22 novels. Along with writing, Debra helps her husband teach the youth at their local Cowboy Church. Debra's goal is to shine a light toward God while she entertains readers with her words.

Welcome back, Debra. Why do you write the kind of books you do?
I want to sweep people away into a small town world where they can de-stress from their day, or have an adventure, while making them laugh and think at the same time. I want to be a light in a darkening world. God gave me a gift of storytelling and I want to use that gift to make people smile and hopefully shine a light back to him.

Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?
I have several happiest days-both of my wedding days, to my first husband, Wayne and then my second husband, Chuck, 6 years after Wayne went to be with the Lord. Both days my sons were born and all 3 days my granddaughters were born. There is no way to separate out a single day. God’s been so good in my life and blessed me in so many ways. There have been very difficult days too but I try to focus on the blessings.

I do, too, Debra. How has being published changed your life?
Being published enabled me to fulfill the ministry God prepared me for, which is exactly how I view my writing.

What is your current work in progress?
I just finished Kissed By A Cowboy, book 3 in my Four of Hearts Ranch Romance series. This is the oldest Monahan brother, Jarrod’s story. This story originally had an entirely different plot but when I sat down to write it, it didn’t work with the first 2 books in the series. I changed it up and am really happy with where the new plot took me. Also, I’m now finishing up Chase book 3 in my shorter New Horizon Ranch of Mule Hollow series which I’m enjoying too. I’m writing constantly but having a great time.

What would be your dream vacation?
Oh goodness, I guess I’d say Kauai and I’ve been blessed to go there twice. With my husband’s career, we travel a lot and see so many amazing places-I’m going to start a Road Tripping with Debra Clopton Blog or something-but I’m usually working while we are driving down the road and at the hotel so its so nice to get away on a real vacation where he and I both can totally get away from everything. Kauai is our favorite place to do that.

How do you choose your settings for each book?
I’m known for my small-town Texas settings so I try to set the books in interesting areas of Texas. But I love other states too and see a lot of interesting places so I hope to venture out a little later on.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?
Road trips with my husband are fun. I used to paint and hope to get back to that one day but right now, my writing and spending time with my family are all the time I have.

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?
I want my openings to pop, to pull readers in and so it is sometimes hard for me to get started because I work on that so much. I have to push myself to move on with the story and then come back to the beginning. And many times I will finally force myself to change an opening that I have been working on and it finally works with the new opening but it is hard to let that go after I’ve envisioned it in my mind for so long.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?
To learn story structure and remember that entertaining the reader is key but there is a structure that helps the story move in a captivating flow that keeps the reader’s attention. And attend writing conferences; I love learning and when I’m at a conference I still attend workshops because I love seeing how others creative process works. And of course finish the book and start a new one! 

Tell us about the featured book.
After losing everything she held dear, Abby never wants to love again. But a certain cowboy may just spur her to wonder if love might be worth the risk.

Running from a past that haunts her, Abby Knightly is drawn to the cozy town of Wishing Springs, Texas. Maybe this small town could offer hope and healing and a future for Abby . . . if she’s brave enough to reach out and take it by the reins.

Bo Monahan isn’t interested in the new romantic destination his little town has become—or the women who might be looking at him like he’s their next Mr. Right. Between taking care of his Pops and his growing stirrup business, he isn’t looking for serious romantic commitments. But when the infant son he never knew about shows up at his doorstep, his world is turned upside down.

This confirmed bachelor might not think he needs a wife, but he sure needs help. Even Abby can see that, and despite her best efforts to keep her distance, she can’t help but be drawn to this new father-son duo. As Abby throws herself into helping Bo navigate fatherhood, hope sparks between them, revealing that maybe, just maybe, they can navigate their dark pasts and emerge together into a future as bright as the Texas sun itself.

Please give us the first page of the book for my blog readers.
“Wake up, Abby,” Abby Knightley demanded of herself through a huge yawn. Sitting straighter, she gripped the steering wheel of her car as if her life depended on it—and it did.

Abby’s stomach knotted at the thought . . . her firsthand knowledge of just how truly life could change in the blink of an eye. She knew getting behind the wheel was always life or death. She’d suffered great loss—she pushed the memories away, unable and unwilling to go there. She blinked back the sting of tears and berated herself for driving while tired. For putting herself in this situation.

She almost pulled over to the side of the deserted road to sleep. But thankfully her GPS reported that her destination, the small Texas town of Wishing Springs, was only about five miles ahead. She could make that . . . just a little farther. And that was the only reason she was still driving . . .

Her eyes blurred and she eased her foot off the gas pedal as the worry gripped her further. She should have stayed in Houston after being delayed so late. But she hadn’t wanted to. She’d feared that if she didn’t leave right then, there might have been another delay tomorrow. And then another one. With so many friends and family trying to talk her out of moving—like today, Abby might not have ever gotten up the determination to leave again if she hadn’t finally gotten in her car and driven off. Of course the fact that she’d sold her home and had a moving company haul her belongings off to storage was a pretty good sign she was going somewhere. But Wishing Springs, Texas?

How can readers find you on the Internet?
My recently updated website is www.debraclopton.com and I’m on facebook at www.facebook.com/debra.clopton.5 and on twitter I’m @debraclopton I love to hear from readers!


Thank you, Debra, for sharing this new book with us. I can hardly wait for book three to release.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Counting on a Cowboy - Christianbook.com
Counting on a Cowboy (A Four of Hearts Ranch Romance) - Amazon
Counting on a Cowboy (A Four of Hearts Ranch Romance 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

Thursday, August 27, 2015

A HOME FOR HIS FAMILY - Jan Drexler - One Free Book

Dear Readers, Jan is new to our blog. Let’s give her a warm welcome.

Welcome, Jan. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.
I know quite a bit of myself bleeds into my characters, but a huge part of my characters comes from observing people and listening to their stories. I hear a story about someone’s experience, and I start thinking – what will happen next?

A true author for sure. What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?
Probably when I traveled in Europe by myself for two months – back when it was only slightly dangerous for a woman to travel alone. Yes, I’m that old. ;)

When did you first discover that you were a writer?
Probably when I was ten or twelve – but then I thought everyone was a writer. All of my favorite people were: Laura Ingalls Wilder, Beverly Cleary, Marguerite Henry. It wasn’t until I was much older that I realized that not everyone has a double life – their story lives and their real life. After my children graduated from our homeschool, I was able to take the time to put my stories on paper, and that’s when I realized I didn’t just want to be a writer, I really was one.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.
I read everything from history to classical literature, to popular fiction (most genres), non-fiction, and my favorite – children’s literature. I try to read widely as well as deeply, and often have at least five books going at the same time.

I keep two going, one on my Kindle that I carry in my purse and one print book at home. How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?
By abiding in Christ. My day starts with a time of devotions and Bible reading, and that helps keep me centered and my perspective in the right place.

How do you choose your characters’ names?
I write historical novels, so I look to literature or biographies of the time I’m writing. For my Amish stories, I go to my genealogy. Many of my characters are named after my ancestors. In A Mother for His Children, my August 2014 release from Love Inspired Historical, I stayed closer to home. The girls in the family (except Nellie) are named after my aunts.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?
Making – and sticking to – the decision to homeschool our children. That one thing has affected our family for the good more than anything else we could have done.

If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?
I’m not sure. But my dogs seem to have a pretty easy life!

What is your favorite food?
Chocolate. I don’t even have to think about that one!

A girl after my own heart. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?
Getting the first draft of a book on the computer is always the hardest part for me. Some days I think I’d rather clean the toilet than face that first draft! But I know that I can’t fix anything that isn’t written, so I set a minimum daily word count for myself and stick to the plan.

Tell us about the featured book.
A Home for His Family is my first western. It takes place in Deadwood, which is only about an hour’s drive from where I live. Deadwood has a fascinating history and I loved researching the story. Here’s the information from the back cover:

Nate Colby came to the Dakota Territory to start over, not to look for a wife. He'll raise his orphaned nieces and nephew on his own, even if pretty schoolteacher Sarah MacFarland's help is a blessing. But Nate resists getting too close—Sarah deserves better than a man who only brings trouble to those around him.

Sarah can't deny she cares for the children, but she can't let herself fall for Nate. Her childhood as an orphan taught her that opening her heart to love only ends in hurt. Yet helping this ready-made family set up their ranch only makes her long to be a part of it—whatever the risk.

Please give us the first page of the book.
Deadwood, Dakota Territory
May 1877
“Sorry for the delay, folks. There’s a bull train on the trail ahead of us, and they’re hogging the road. It won’t be long until we’re moving again.” The stagecoach guard acknowledged Sarah MacFarland and Aunt Margaret, the only ladies in the cramped stage, with a tip of his hat. Water sluiced off the brim onto the feet of the male passengers. “The good news is that we’re only a few miles from Deadwood, and the rain is easing up a bit.”

“Thank you.” Sarah answered him with a nod, but kept her face classroom-firm. She had already learned women were few in this western country, and men were eager to take even a polite smile as permission to overstep the boundaries of propriety. Aunt Margaret had the notion Sarah might find a husband out here in the west, but Sarah had no such dreams. Twenty-eight years old put her firmly in the spinster category and she was more than happy to remain there.

How can readers find you on the Internet?
My website is: www.JanDrexler.com
I’m also on Facebook: www.facebook.com/JanDrexlerAuthor
And I have fun on Pinterest, too: www.pinterest.com/jandrexler/

Thank you for sharing this new book with us. I love reading westerns romances, and so do most of my blog readers.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
A Home for His Family - Christianbook.com
A Home for His Family (Love Inspired Historical) - Amazon
A Home for His Family (Love Inspired Historical) - Kindle

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

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

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

BECAUSE OF THE RAIN - Deborah Raney - One Free Ebook

Dear Readers, I recently finished reading Because of the Rain on my Kindle. Its a book that deals with an unthinkable event that changes the lives of a whole family. Deborah has written a number of books that when I first read the premise, I cant imagine how the story can end in a way that I will find satisfying. This was one of those books. One thing about Deborahs stories is that she finds the fine line to the end that can satisfy the reader. Her characters leap off the pages and the reader feels all their pain and journeys with them to the end. You wont want to miss this powerful story.

Welcome back, Deborah. You have a lot of books out now. What is your favorite setting to use in your books?
Ive written quite a few books set in southeast Missouri, including my new Chicory Inn Novels series. I first got to know this beautiful area of the state when our daughter both attended Southeast Missouri State. They ended up both marrying area men and are now both elementary teachers in southeast Missouri. And thus, I have three grandsons there, and a new grandbaby on the way. Its fun to get to see my grandkids when I go on research trips. :)

What do you look for when youre shopping for a book to buy for yourself?
I want something that will be entertainingeven page-turningwhile also being thought-provoking. I prefer contemporary books that explore issues I might find myself dealing with in life. (Which is also why I love to write contemporary womens fiction.)

There are only a few authors of contemporary womens fiction that I read, because I often prefer reading historicals. Of course, you were the first person on that list. Give us a little tour of the setting for this book.
Because of the Rain is set in a fictional suburb of Illinois, Chicago area. I chose this area for my first two novels because I thought it would be boring to write about my home state of Kansas, but I wanted some place in the midwest that would be fairly similar culturally and dialect-wise as well. I soon learned that it was a blast to write stories set in Kansas, and who knew the setting better than someone who lives there?

What other books do you have coming out soon?
My Chicory Inn Novels series, beginning with Home to Chicory Lane, is going strong. The first book in the series was a Christy Award finalist, won the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, a Silver Scroll award from AWSA, a bronze award in Foreword Magazines INDIEFAB Award, and was a finalist for Christian Retailings Best Award. The second book in the series, Two Roads Home, just released in June, and book 3, Another Way Home will be out in October. There are two more books to complete the series.

Please give us a glimpse inside your home.

These photos of my office show how my office is located where the builders of our home intended the formal dining room to be. But we are not formal people and so I nabbed this space at the front of the house for my office. Its a bright, cheery place to be and I love having the coffee bar in my officeespecially so I can smell that wonderful aroma all morning long!

Is this novel part of a series or a stand-alone book?
Because of the Rain is a stand-alone novel. It was first published by Bethany House in 1997 under the title In the Still of Night. When I got the rights back to the book and re-issued it through Greenbrier Press, we learned that in the ensuing years, more than a dozen books with that same title, and many others with similar titles, had been published. So to avoid confusion we chose a new title, which I think is appropriate since my update of the novel (mostly to bring the story into the 21st Century and give my characters cell phones and computers!) has made it almost a whole newand much better, I think!story. My favorite thing about this new version is the gorgeous cover, which was designed by my husband, Ken Raney!

It is a lovely cover. Tell us about the story.
Anna Marquette has everything to live for. Her daughters are in college and, with the support of Paul, her loving husband, she is pursuing her dream of a career in counseling. Then one night, while on a trip to Orlando, the unimaginable happens. She takes a short cut to an evening out with Paul and is brutally assaulted.

When Anna suspects the attack has left her pregnant, her faith is put to the test. As Anna and her family confront the heart-wrenching decisions that lie ahead, Anna gradually comes to realize that God has a plan for her and that she must trust Him. But will her family accept the choice she makes? Will her husbands love for her prevail? And will her marriage survive this ultimate test?

Please give us the first page of the book for my blog readers.
Anna Marquette stepped into the quiet of the carpeted hallway and closed the door to the hotel room behind her. Checking the lock, she tucked the key card into her large leather handbag and headed across the hall toward the bank of elevators. The doors at the far end of the row slid open silently, and she entered the empty car. The air inside smelled of stale cigarette smoke and air conditioning. Anna pressed the button for the lobby and leaned back against the handrail as the elevator began its descent. The elevator shaft was encased in glass, affording Anna a sweeping view of Orlando’s skyline as the cage crept slowly down the sleek face of the towering building and ground to a halt on the lobby level.

It was March, and they’d flown out of Chicago’s O’Hare yesterday morning in below freezing temperatures. But March in Orlando meant ninety degrees. The late afternoon sun beat down on the glass, warming Anna’s bare arms. It always amazed her that the weather could be so drastically different just a few hours’ flight away.

Paul had laughed at Anna as she packed sweaters and wool jackets alongside her summer dresses.

“Anna, we’re going to Florida, not the Yukon.”

“I know, but I’m not taking any chances. You know I can’t stand to be cold.”

“Suit yourself. But I’m only carrying one suitcase.” He gave her the grin that had won her heart twenty-three years ago and continued folding golf shirts and summer dress shirts, adeptly packing them into one half of the large suitcase that lay open on their bed.

An executive with a large advertising agency in Chicago, Paul Marquette was a seasoned traveler. His business trips were usually overnight—two or three days at the most—but he traveled several times a month. Whenever he had to be gone longer than that, he liked Anna to come with him.

When their daughters were younger, Anna had relished the chance to get away with Paul and take a break from being a full-time mom. Her parents lived an hour west of Chicago and were always anxious for a chance to spoil their granddaughters. But now that the girls were grown and on their own, and Anna’s days were more her own to orchestrate, the days spent lounging in a hotel room or shopping the malls of whatever city they happened to be in had lost some of their appeal. Yet the evenings with Paul, exploring the city together and sampling the local cuisine, made the days of solitude worthwhile.

How can readers find you on the Internet?
I love meeting my readers on social media! I dont know how Id survive the life of solitude an author leads without my breaks for Facebook and e-mail interaction! Here are just a few places you can find me online:

Thank you, Deborah, for sharing this book with us. I know my readers will like reading it as much as I did.

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

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the ebook. 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

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

CARLY'S DREAM - Birdie L Etchison - One Free Book

Readers, this happened long ago. Birdie was Writer of the Year at Warner Pacific College in '83 after two juvenile books were published. Her collection of four Heartsongs in  OREGON was the runner up selection in the Christian Book publication.

Welcome back, Birdie. Why do you write the kinds of things you do?
Writing for the inspirational market, whether it be romance or articles, is rewarding and makes me feel good.

Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day of your life?
It is difficult to narrow it down to just one incident. The birth of my children is an awesome memory. Making the first sale of writing; signing the first book contract.

How has being published changed your life?
It’s a fulfillment of a dream. I wanted to be a writer since I received a diary for my 8th birthday. Schooling, marriage, and children kept me from writing until one day when I began in earnest.

What are you reading right now?
Samuel Hall’s Daughter of the Cimarron

What is your current work in progress?
Another 3-book series Mountain Music – Wind in the Pines is Book I

 What would be your dream vacation?
Having a week alone to work on writing. Currently I am house-sitting in Port Townsend and enjoying my time here. I take evenings off to sight-see.

How do you choose your settings for each book?
I choose a place I’ve never been and then explore it for a week or so. I went to an Amish community in Ohio to do research for Carly’s Dream.

If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?
Earl Emerson, mystery writer from Seattle. He works with the fire department there and his books always have that background. I think it would be a fascinating evening.

What are your hobbies besides writing and reading?
Cooking and baking. I tend to include both in my writing.

What is your most difficult writing obstacle and how do you overcome it?
Procrastination. Finishing a book. There are no easy answers to this. Getting a contract helps.

What advice would you give a beginning author?
Keep writing. Keep submitting. Never give up on a writing project. Persistence is the key.

Tell us about the featured book
I got the idea in the middle of the night – it was a dream. I couldn’t get it out of my thoughts. It was an Amish story, starting with a young girl. She has a mystery to solve.

Please give us the first page of the book
PROLOGUE
He didn’t want to leave her here alone like this. She was only five and was all he had anymore. He’d lost his family. His wife, this child’s mother. And now her.

He hadn’t prayed to God much. There seemed to be no point. He’d done the worst thing when he went to live with the Englischers. Why hadn’t he returned after the year’s time? If only he hadn’t met Bethy. Her smile and warm gaze spoke to his heart. Though shunned by everyone he knew and loved, there was no turning back. He had stayed in Indiana.

He stopped the car alongside the road. He would walk her a few yards up the driveway, but he couldn’t go the whole way. This was already too close.

The letter was pinned to her coat. He watched her clutch the small bag containing her clothes and toothbrush.

A lump caught in his throat. How could he assume they would care for her? Yet he knew this was better than the kind of wanderlust life he had to offer.

He looked at the small round face, so like her mother’s, the same deep blue eyes that matched the sky on a cloudless day. She wasn’t an Amish child, but soon she would be dressed like the others. And she would belong.

He bent down and pulled her close. “You’ll always be in my heart.”

He let her go then and hurried back to the car. Jumping into the driver’s seat, he made a U-turn and headed toward town.

He didn’t dare look back.
                                                            ****
Albert Hostetler was in the barn cleaning stalls when he heard the scream. He dropped the broom and ran outside. Nobody he knew ever screamed. Did someone get hit on the road out front? Mamm and Daed had gone to town for supplies. His brothers were out in the field, preparing the ground for planting. So who could it be?

He could see nothing from where he stood, as the farmhouse hid most of the driveway. But someone was definitely in trouble.

As he stood there undecided, Rufus came running toward him barking, as if to say, “Come.”

Another scream and Albert raced toward the sound.

Within seconds he spotted the pitiful form. The tiny girl was turned toward the road, arms outstretched as she wept.

Albert gasped. This had to be a mistake. She wasn’t Amish. Her dress barely covered her knees. No kapp on her head, and she had shoes. Strong sturdy ones. Hair short, she definitely looked like an Englisher.             

How can readers find you on the internet?
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Goodreads
LibraryThing.com
Facebook: Birdie L.Etchison writer
I also have several e-books out through Forget Me Not Romances, a division of Winged Publications

Thank you, Birdie, 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.
Carly's Dream - paperback
Carly's Dream - 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

Monday, August 24, 2015

LOVE IN MISTLETOE SPRINGS - Ginger Solomon - One Free Book (or ebook)

Dear Readers, this is a Christmas novella collection with five authors, some of our favorites and some new ones—Ginger Solomon (our features author today) and these others: Gail Sattler, Lee Carver, Kimberly Rose Johnson, and Lee Tobin McClain. Ginger is offering a print book if the winner is in the US and an ebook if the winner is outside the US.

Welcome, Ginger. How did you come up with the idea for your story?
When the other authors and I started brainstorming, I decided I wanted the guy who loved to decorate for Christmas. And he needed to have a love interest who didn’t. Add on to that the fact that she’s his boss and doesn’t like animals, it made for some interesting conflict.

If you were planning a party with Christian authors of contemporary fiction, what six people would you invite and why?
Wow, there are so many wonderful authors I would love to invite. Only six. *sigh* Ruth Logan Herne for sure. She is always good for a laugh, and I love her books. I’d love to meet Valerie Comer in person, so I’d invite her. I’d also invite Carol Moncado and Elizabeth Maddrey for the same reason. All of them co-blog with me on InspyRomance.com. Finally, Ronie Kendig and Lynette Eason. I love suspense and would like to know how they come up with some of their scenes. J

Now let’s do that for a party for Christian authors of historical fiction, what six people would you invite and why?
Karen Witemeyer and Jen Turano because I’d like to pick their brains on how to get quirky heroines who always mean well. Mary Connealy because I just love her cowboy stories, and I think she’d make us all laugh. I don’t read much Biblical fiction, but I’d love to meet Liz Curtis Higgs (and take one of her trips to Scotland…drool). I follow Kim Vogel Sawyer on Facebook, and she has such a sweet spirit. I’d invite her (with Clyde). Lastly, Julie Lessman. I’ve read several of her books and her romantic scenes up the heart rate without being unsuitable.

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?
Time. All seven of my children still reside at home. Three have graduated and are in college, but I homeschool the other four. They are in 12th, 10th, 8th, and 6th grade this year. I am busy. During the summer months, I get more time to write, but that’s also when our garden, berries, and trees produce, so I’m also busy with those. My goal is 5,000 words per week, but some weeks I’m lucky to get 1,000. It is what it is. I like to say that my full-time job is homeschooling, and writing is my part-time job, neither of which pay much, except in the satisfaction of doing what God has called me to do.

Tell us about the featured book.
My novella in the Love in Mistletoe Springs collection is entitled Mr. Christmas and Miss Scrooge.  Mitch Silverton agreed to be in charge of decorating for the fundraiser. And he needs his boss, Margaret Holberg, to donate her family's vast array of decorations to make the day unforgettable. BUT ... She's not sharing. Christmas is not a holiday she wants to celebrate in July, and saving the animal shelter is not high on her list of important things to do. He wants her to share more than the decorations. He wants her heart. Will he succeed in changing Miss Scrooge into Mrs. Christmas?

Please give us the first page of the book.
Note: The prologue details the shelter meeting referred to here.

“What do you mean he’s not here?” A hysterical female voice screeched as Mitch Silverton entered Holberg’s Hardware after the shelter meeting. Todd Richards, his boss, had agreed to stand in for him for a few hours. They switched when one of them needed a few hours off for one reason or another. It didn’t happen often, but now he wished he’d skipped the meeting. It sounded as if Todd needed a little backup.

Mitch glanced at Sean, their part-time worker, who shrugged and mouthed, “Miss Holberg.”

With a nod, he headed toward the office. Meggy had come to visit. Her first that he knew of since he’d been hired six months ago after he returned home when his mom was diagnosed with cancer. Her parents took off on a year-long trip around the world a few weeks later, leaving her in charge of the company, which included two hardware stores and a lucrative online business. He hadn’t seen her since she was in braids and braces, and they both worked for her dad. He took a deep breath as he rounded the last aisle.

“Where is he?” Meggy asked, her volume down a few decibels from the first time.

“He asked for a few hours off to go to the emergency shelter meeting.” Mitch recognized Todd’s pacifying voice—the one he used for upset customers.

“That’s no excuse for him to be away from the store. He should be here, taking care of things.”

“Now, Margaret—”

“Miss Holberg.” Her voice held enough venom to kill.

I can’t wait to read the rest. How can readers find you on the Internet?
Pinterest

Thank you, Ginger for sharing this new collection with us. I love reading the Christmas novella collections. I know my readers do, too.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Love in Mistletoe Springs - Paperback
Love in Mistletoe Springs - 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

Friday, August 21, 2015

THE AMISH HEIRESS - Patrick E Craig - One Free Book

Bio: Best-selling author Patrick E. Craig is a lifelong writer and musician who left a successful songwriting and performance career in the music industry to follow Christ in 1984. He spent the next 26 years as a worship leader, seminar speaker, and pastor in churches, and at retreats, seminars and conferences all across the western United States. In 2011 he signed a three-book deal with Harvest House Publishers to publish his Apple Creek Dreams series. The books are historical Amish fiction and include A Quilt for Jenna, The Road Home, and Jenny’s Choice. A Quilt For Jenna is currently the #1 best seller in Amish Fiction on Amazon. His current series is The Paradise Chronicles and the first book in the series, The Amish Heiress, is published by P&J Publishing. Patrick is represented by the Steve Laube Agency. Patrick and his wife Judy make their home in Idaho and are the parents of two adult children and have five grandchildren.

Welcome, Patrick. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.
The characters in my books are a real amalgam of many parts of my own personality. Writer, musician, farmer, outdoorsman, searcher… Each of my characters does show something of my own personality.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?
Hmmmm. Well, that is a very interesting question. Since I lived in San Francisco in the 60s, I was involved in quite a few quirky things, maybe too many to relate here. I once met Janis Joplin in the middle of a concert in the Panhandle in Golden Gate Park.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?
I published my first article in the school paper when I was seven years old. I got such positive feedback from my teacher, my parents and my friends that I realized this was something I could do well. I’ve been writing ever since.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.
I like romance, adventure, westerns, mysteries, sci-fi, classic, paranormal…the whole gamut of books. I’ve read hundreds maybe thousands of books in my life.

I’m sure I’ve read several thousand. I’m a voracious reader, too. How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?
I moved from California to Idaho a year ago. My wife and I live on a small acreage outside of Boise in the country. We go on trips to the mountains, read a lot, spend time in our garden and visit our family.

Sounds wonderful. How do you choose your characters’ names?
By chance. I have to be really careful. In my third book I realized that I had three characters whose name began with a “J.” In The Amish Heiress, my editor pointed out that I had three minor characters named Jonas.

So you’re hooked on J’s. I was at one time. What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?
Getting my first series, Apple Creek Dreams, published with Harvest House.

If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?
A horse I guess. I suppose I read too much Zane Grey when I was a boy.

I read a lot of Zane Grey when I was a teen. What is your favorite food?
Steak and eggs.

What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?
Dialogue tags, I hate them. “He said, she said,” used to drive me crazy when I wrote. It broke up the flow of the story completely. Now I almost exclusively use action beats. I think there are two or three dialogue tags in The Amish Heiress, but that’s all.

I so agree with you. I use action tags, internal thought tags, and descriptive beats with almost no tags. This help make every word add to the story. Tell us about the featured book.
When I was writing the Apple Creek Dreams series, I was going to tell the stories of Jerusha Springer, her adopted daughter, Jenny, and then Jenny's daughter, Rachel. But I fell in love with the character of Jenny, and then there were two books about Jenny where I had only planned on one. Now I finally get to tell Rachel's story. It's a different kind of story, but then I'm not exactly known in Amish circles as someone who writes a typical Amish novel. I think that's because I read too many Zane Grey books when I was a kid.

Please give us the first page of the book.
Rachel, my darling girl, how can I tell of the joy you give me. In the dark days when we thought we had lost your papa, I was adrift in my grief but you were my ray of sunlight, and precious memories were bound into your very being. In all those years when Jonathan was gone, you were my rock, the one person I could turn to that always had an uplifting word or a loving gesture. I know your heart ached as mine did, but somehow you held yourself above the pain and were always there for me. And for such a long time, you were the one who believed your papa would come home someday.

That is why it surprised me when it was so hard for you when your papa did come home. You were fourteen, you were becoming a woman, and Jonathan had missed such a big part of your life. You and your papa were at odds for a long time. I think that you had finally reconciled yourself to Jonathan being dead – you had moved on. And then when he came home, you had to learn that relationship all over again. We were so close, the two of us and then there was another person in the house, a man who in many ways was a stranger to us both, especially on his “bad” days. I think you felt like he came between us. So when the opportunity came for you to go, you were ready, too ready…
                                                                        Rachel – From The Journals of Jenny Hershberger

I like Amish books that are outside the norm. I can hardly wait until your book arrives. How can readers find you on the Internet?
Where can readers purchase my books?

http://www.patrickecraig.com/my-book-store/ My website
The Amish Heiress is available at my website and on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and GoodReads. 

Thank you, Craig, for sharing this new book with us. I know my blog readers are glad to have found out about your books.

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:

Thursday, August 20, 2015

BAT CRAZY - Carole Brown - One Free BookCaro

Bio: Brown not only has her award winning (Winner of the 2015 Christian Small Publisher Award in General Fiction, nominated for an Epic Award, RWA International Digital Awards finalist in Inspiration, Laurel Award finalist, Selah finalist; Genesis semi-finalist) debut novel, The Redemption of Caralynne Hayman, available for purchase now, but a companion book called West Virginia Scrapbook: From the Life of Caralynne Hayman, filled with tidbits of information about West Virginia.

A fun, lighthearted mystery series began with the first book: Hog Insane, introducing Denton and Alex Davies. Her WWII romantic suspense Spies series began with With Music In Their Hearts, began featuring three red-headed sisters, three spies, and three stories.

Besides being a member and active participant of many writing groups, Carole Brown enjoys mentoring beginning writers. She loves to weave suspense and tough topics into her books, along with a touch of romance and whimsy, and is always on the lookout for outstanding titles and catchy ideas. She and her husband reside in SE Ohio but have ministered and counseled nationally and internationally. Together, they enjoy their grandsons, traveling, gardening, good food, the simple life, and did she mention their grandsons?     

Welcome back, Carole. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?
I’m hoping to increase the volume of books I’m putting out. I’m not a fast writer, but I not only have a few almost “ready-to-go” books, but several are being researched and I’m preparing to begin the process of actually writing them. Some of these are stand alones which will fill in gaps between series and others are new series I’m hoping to begin.

On a different note, I want to study and develop a more strategic marketing plan. I’ve worked hard, but believe I can take what I’ve learned, and continue to learn, and hopefully create an even better plan.

Tell us a little about your family.
Oh, my, Lena. You don’t know how dangerous that is! Lol. Especially as I adore my grandsons!
My hubby and I have two sons, one daughter-in-law and one wanna-be daughter-in-law (lol), three adorable (we won’t talk about how ornery they are!) grandsons. Our grandsons are twelve, ten, and three.

We enjoy being with them as much as possible, whether at-home activities or traveling/vacationing together. We regularly ask them to visit overnight and try to see them every week.

Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?
Writing takes a lot of time. Add to that marketing, research and all the other things that go along with a writer’s life, and you learn quite quickly that you must be more selective in your reading habits. I love being able to endorse and review books for others and tend to lean toward those authors who’ve been so supportive of my own writing endeavors. I also love to encourage new authors by helping out as able. BUT reading for enjoyment and relaxation is important too! Saves sanity and a writer’s emotional life. J

What are you working on right now?
I’m really excited about the release of Bat Crazy! I struggled for several months with it—problems with the plot, brain freeze, life in general—but when everything began to come together, the words flew onto page! J

I’m releasing in November or early, early December a very light suspense.

The next few months I’ll be finishing the second book in my WWII Spies suspense series about 3 red-headed sisters.

Working on book 3 in my Denton and Alex Davies mystery series

And then I want to intensify my research on a couple of stand alones. I’m super antsy to get started on these!

What outside interests do you have?
Besides traveling and ministry, we also enjoy a bit of gardening—mine tends toward flower gardens and pools and hubby works mostly with our small vegetable garden. I want to create a few more miniature gardens, love scrap booking (fairly new interest), reading, dinners out, collecting music boxes (unique, old, or unusual), collecting quotes, and occasionally, elephants. 

How do you choose your settings for each book?
Once I know how my novel will be going, I study different settings. I think it’s super important to pick the right one so research on terrain, geography, wildlife, population, attitudes (sometimes) lingo, etc. are vital to a story’s strength and reality.

Like many authors, I can’t always visit every setting I’ll probably be choosing, but I do tend to pick out locales that we have visited in our travels. It kind of gives me a “feel” for the setting.

If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?
If not a Biblical person, then no doubt, I’d choose someone from the WWII era. Perhaps a general, president, or even someone who had a hand in the way the war was won. It’s such an interesting period that just about anyone who served in the war is interesting to me.

What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?
Hmmm. Not sure. Perhaps the reality of being a writer: the determination and persistence a writer needs to keep at the job and not quit or let discouragement stop their efforts, and the ability to market, to study the market and keep track of what works and what doesn’t.

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?
This has been a really hard year for me. With five deaths in as many months, and two of them very distressing, plus other “events” that was hard, I believe the Lord helped me to trust him more fully, to realize that he truly is the one who loves us deeper than any human can. I feel my faith is stronger than ever even though I realize trials and hard places will come again.

What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?
Find out what God wants for your writing life and stick to that plan no matter what others or even yourself thinks it should be. That’s the only way to be successful and happy.

Write, write and write, then market. Learn from others, but also experiment and find what works for you and your books.

Never, never quit.

Tell us about the featured book.
Monster Bats with red eyes that attack humans? Denton doesn’t think so and Alex hopes not, but who are they to quibble with the local gossip?

Transmission problems and a blown tire land Denton and Alex Davies right in the middle of a dilapidated, unfriendly town that’s welcoming no strangers, least of all nosy ones with a bent toward solving mysteries.

But with support from the town detective—an admirer of the Davies—and their own tenacious personalities, Denton and Alex aren’t easily scared off. Not when warnings in the form of painted bats show up on the porch of their rented cabin, not when the mayor threatens to run them out of town and not even when Denton finds the cache of bones ...

An ancient story, a bit of a map, a lost jewel, and even a bat clan serve to provide the Davies and their sidekick, Taffy, the dog, their hardest case so far.

Please give us the first page of the book.
Taffy’s whine caught my attention but I didn’t have time to dwell on it.

The explosion rocked our RV and sent it into a swerve-and-weave dance that had my heart pounding like an African drum. By the time I had us pulled over to the side of the road, sweat beaded my forehead and my hands shook as if I’d suddenly developed an extreme case of nerves.

The semi that flew past us rocked us again.

A soft sigh escaped Alex’s lips, and I glanced over at my wife to make sure she was okay.

“What on earth happened, Denton?” she asked, face white, her voice trembling,

I swung open my door. “Let’s find out.”

Turned out, we had a flat. I marched to the back of the RV and opened the compartment.
No tire. Not jack. “Why aren’t they here?”

“Doesn’t Max check this stuff?”

Alex’s tense question put me on alert. After effects of what could have been a serious accident. Fortunately, God in his heaven must have been looking out for us today.

How can readers find you on the Internet?
Barn Door Book Loft: http://www.barndoorbookloft.net/

Thank you, Carole, for sharing this new book 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