Lena Nelson Dooley's Blog, page 104

THE KEEPER'S CROWN - Nathan D Maki - One Free Book

Bio: A life-long love for historical fiction and a passion to create high-intensity, realistic novels from a Christian worldview has propelled Nathan into his writing career. He is the author of the War Within series of novels set in Ancient Rome, and most recently The Keeper's Crown , a novel of the Apostle Paul.

A recent trip to Rome to walk the ancient streets, explore the Catacombs, and stand in the Coliseum plunged Nathan even deeper into the ancient world he brings to life for his readers.
Nathan's novels combine the faith and romance of Francine Rivers's Mark of the Lion trilogy with the action and adventure of Bernard Cornwell or Conn Iggulden.

Nathan lives in Ontario, Canada, with his wife, son, and three very spoiled dogs. He pastors a church and manages his own business in addition to his writing. Sometimes he even sleeps.

Nathan Fun FactsLike most true Canadians Nathan has a fake tooth thanks to hockey (and his high-sticking brother!)
Nathan, Rachel, and their son Alexander have two pugs, Pandy and Portia, whose idea of a good life is waking up, eating, napping, eating, napping, potty, and bed. A recent addition is Oliver, the Boston Terror…er…Terrier.
Nathan spent 13 years in a program called Bible Quizzing and memorized over 6000 scriptures. His team took 2nd place in North America one year.
Nathan graduated from Carleton Universitywith highest honors in Journalism and History only to become a landscaper, author, and pastor. Go figure! :)
Nathan has ridden horses in Texasand Arizona, studied fencing and saber dueling, and considers skiing, skating, and tobogganing a great way to spend his free time in the winter. (When he’s not reading or writing historical fiction.)
Welcome, Nathan. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.I think every character a writer brings to life contains a piece of their creator, but it certainly varies from character to character. Quintus, the male protagonist in The Keeper’s Crown , suffers a shoulder injury like I did, so I could bring that to life more effectively. Not only how it felt physically but also mentally. Quintus is also a catalyst for my own internal question, “What is true success?” He seeks success by the world’s standards until Paul shows him that God’s ways are so much higher.
What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?Growing up, I always went to a church camp in the summer. It had a strict curfew. Well, my last year of camp a couple friends and I snuck fireworks onto the campgrounds and set them off outside the girls’ dorms at 2 in the morning. We got caught and in trouble, but we went out with a bang!
When did you first discover that you were a writer?I’ve always loved books. Even before I learned to read at 5 my parents or grandma would finish reading me a book and I would push it back into their hands and say “Wead! Wead!” I guess my love for writing grew out of that.  Books are my favorite things. Park me in a library for the rest of my life and I’d be happy. So the idea of creating something as amazing and immortal as a book became my dream over my teen years and became a reality in my 20s and now into my 30s.
Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.I’m mainly a historical fiction nut, given that that’s the genre I write. Of course, that’s a kind of chicken and egg sort of thing. I mostly prefer the ancient or medieval world, but I’ll delve into books about the World Wars, etc if it’s well-written. Besides historical fiction, I also enjoy fantasy like Lord of the Rings, historical mysteries like the Bro. Cadfael series, some dystopian novels, and modern-day political/military thrillers.
How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?Who says I do?
Seriously though, between pastoring, running my own business, homeschooling my son, and writing books I’ve got a lot of hats in the air. Fortunately, here in Canada there’s several feet of snow on the ground during the winter so I get a break from my landscaping business and take that 3-4 months of the year to write.
How do you choose your characters’ names?I always want to pick names that are appropriate to the time and place, so I’ll pull up lists on Google of ancient Roman or Jewish names and then either pick one that sounds good or pick one that has a meaning I like. In the case of Jael, the heroine of The Keeper’s Crown , I picked her name because she’s one of my wife’s favorite Bible characters, and I envisioned my Jael having the same fiery spirit.
What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?My greatest accomplishment in life is wooing and winning my wife Rachel and creating my son Alexander. Xander’s eight, and speeds through life at 100 miles an hour. Young Quintus is largely based on him.
If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?I’d like to say an eagle, soaring above the world, or a lone wolf loping through the timber, but in actual fact I’d probably be a beaver. Very Canadian of me, I know. But I love to build something lasting, and I’m a fairly unassuming kind of guy. 
What is your favorite food?My wife asks me this all the time and is exasperated when I tell her, “Anything you cook, Love.” Seriously though, I’m pretty easy-going about food. I do love a good steak with onions, mushrooms, and green peppers on the grill.
What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?I think the biggest problem with writing is the fact that after the writing and rewriting and publishing process is done the hard work of promoting your book begins. I’m not naturally the kind of person to put myself forward and promote myself or my own work, so while the writing is a joy the promotion is a job.
Tell us about the featured book.My latest novel, The Keeper’s Crown , is based on the later life of the Apostle Paul, from his arrest in Jerusalem through his martyrdom in Rome. We follow his life through the eyes of a young Roman named Quintus who is exiled to Judaea by Emperor Nero, fights to win a victor’s crown, and instead ends up chained to Paul of Tarsus. Along the way, a young Jewess named Jael saves Quintus from her brother, a rebel captain, and though they are from completely different worlds that meet only to bleed they are drawn into a tumultuous love story that culminates the night of the Great Fire of Rome.
Please give us an excerpt of the book.The prisoner looked over his bare shoulder at Quintus. “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and uncondemned?” His voice was steady and calm, as if he were asking a newcomer to a bathhouse about the weather outside.
A Roman! Quintus froze. If this man’s claim was true, by law they should not even have fettered him. They certainly could not scourge him.
“Hold,” he told the inquisitor. “Don’t touch him until I return.”
Quintus sprinted the stairs three at a time. He found Lysias nursing a cup of wine and staring blank-faced at the milling crowd in the Temple courts below. Lysias turned and cocked an eyebrow. “Has he broken already? I had him made of sterner stuff.”
“Watch what you’re doing with this one,” Quintus said. “This man is a Roman.”
The tribune set down his cup so abruptly its contents sloshed over his hand. He didn’t seem to notice. “Take me there.”
When they reached the dungeon, the prisoner was still bound as Quintus had left him. His arched back and lean, outstretched arms reminded Quintus of a juniper clinging to a wind-lashed crag. If he felt discomfort from the strained position he gave no sign of it.
Lysias paced around to face him. The man’s eyes were closed, and his lips moved without a sound. “Tell me,” the tribune demanded, “are you a Roman?”
The bound man looked up and met the tribune’s eyes with a frank gaze. “I am.”
“Hmm.” Lysias ran a knuckle back and forth across his lips as he slowly shook his head. “With a great price I obtained this citizenship.”
“But I was born free.” The prisoner’s eyes gleamed an inner light. “My name is Paul.”

How can readers find you on the Internet?Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NathanDMaki/Website: www.NathanDMaki.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/NathanDMakiEmail: NathanDMaki@hotmail.comAmazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Nathan-D-Maki/e/B00J8C2TCS/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1521838902&sr=8-1
Paperback link: https://www.amazon.com/Keepers-Crown-Mr-Nathan-Maki/dp/0994835426/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1520382597&sr=8-14&keywords=The+Keeper%27s+Crown#customerReviewsEbook link: http://hyperurl.co/alu5nq

Book Trailer:https://youtu.be/CW8B3fdJYgs
Thank you, Nathan, for sharing this book with me and my blog readers.
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.
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SACRED JOURNEY - Ward Tanneberg - One Free Book

Welcome, Ward. What would you like for our readers to know about you personally?I have been in active ministry for 58 years, beginning as a young evangelist, serving as a denominational youth director, college public relations director, pastor in three churches, lecturer, adjunct professor, writer, novelist, and nonprofit organization executive director. Obviously the man can’t hold a job!
Tell us about your family.I am a widower. Dixie and I were married for amazing 59 years. We have 2 married children, 3 grandchildren, 4 step-grandchildren and 2 great grandsons. All of whom I love dearly.
Have you written other nonfiction books? The first book I wrote was a history of the Pentecostal movement in the Pacific Northwest, called  Let Light Shine Out. I picked the topic for a Master’s thesis while in grad school. It turned out to be a book instead.
Do you have any other books in the works right now?I write the “almost” weekly blog, Perspective. Its target audience is “people living, learning, and leading in life’s second half.” I try to speak into their spiritual journey with stories, humor, church, life experience, and other issues relevant to the season they are in. I also invite guest bloggers to share their stories from time to time. How about it? Want to share some perspective with people who hear regularly from me?
I also have some too-new-to-talk-about fiction, non-fiction, and allegory projects that will soon be looking for a home. They don’t have names yet, although I’m thinking of a few good ones. They are like unborn babies. Not sure if they are boys or girls. It’s a surprise.
What kinds of hobbies and leisure activities do you enjoy?I enjoy quiet evenings, being with family, long walks with GAGE, the wonder dog, people, good books and movies, sports, swimming, golf, and travel.
Why did you write the featured book?On Valentine’s Day 2014, Dixiewas diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Short of a miracle she had only a few months to live. We both had thought I’d be first to go. This was truly unexpected news.
In discussing the idea of my telling her story, at first she said, no. Eventually, however, she realized, her story written by her husband, might well bring encouragement, hope, and healing to others facing similar circumstances. She had taught us how life could be a “sacred journey.” And at the end she taught us how to die.
Dixie’s life has been filled with teaching moments and I was nowhere near ready for these moments to end. We used to laugh when she’d look at me or our children and ask her most familiar question, a question seeming to sum up who she was. As her final line in the book, she offers up this question for one last time to each and every reader on their own sacred journey. “So tell me, what do you think we’ve learned from all of this.”
Sacred Journey contains discussion questions designed for couples, book clubs, small groups, grief recovery or bereavement settings, to encourage seeking the reader’s answers to Dixie’s question, “So tell me, what do you think we’ve learned from all of this.” Each set of questions are directed to a specific chapter, making it easy for a group leader to access.
What do you want the reader to take away from the book?It is a true love story, framed in the final eighteen months of a woman’s life, written by the man who loves her still. It is not a how-to book, but you will better understand the emotional, physical, and spiritual crises you, other family members, or friends could be facing one day, or perhaps are dealing with right now.
Is there anything else you’d like to tell my readers about you or your book?This is a book for family and for caregivers. One pastor provided all the hospital chaplains in his city with a copy. It’s not a sad book, but you will cry. It’s not a carefree read, but you will be uplifted in spirit. It is a book for pastors and pastors’ wives to read. It’s about one of their own. She was who they are now. Dixie’s journey will help them help others.
Please give us the first page or two from the book.Calm before Storm
The year was 1935. The stock market had crashed six years before, causing a domino effect of bank failures, unemployment, disintegrated fortunes, and homes lost to foreclosures, leaving people feeling helpless and fearful. Many lived in despair, while others reached for strong inner resources and fought their despair with hope. And some just gave up on life, choosing death by their own devices. Still others existed in a living death of fear and anger, my parents included. My family were farmers in Oklahoma, and probably not greatly affected by bank failures and stock market demise. They lost their land! The lack of rain and fury of winds and irreparable farming practices collided in mid-America, creating the perfect storm for soil erosion as farms literally blew away ~ DLT diary, 2015.
✧
There is no doubt. Loss brings with it its own demons. And when crises subside, the demons are not gone with the winds. They settle in with no intention of going away. ~ WT
[image error]Early in January, after two long travel days driving south from our home in Bellevue  Washington, we arrive in Indio, California, exhausted and wondering why we left the comforts and conveniences of home to accept the inconveniences and less comfortable circumstances of a hotel situated in the middle of a desert. This is a different kind of desert however, an oasis made beautiful by money and water. Oh yes, and sun. Well, there is that! When rain is normal and seeing the sun in January a rare event, this might be enough. But there is more. 
A different place helps me gather up life’s fringes and draw them into my center. To focus and think. To plan and pray. It can happen almost anywhere, but there is something for me that is truly restorative about the desert. The warmth and sun, the barren hills and jagged mountains. I grew up in the high desert of eastern Washingtonstate. This could be part of it. Or maybe it’s because so much of what happens in the Bible, what Jesus did, how God reveals himself to us, takes place in the desert.
It’s about roots. The desert has a way of speaking to us. The trees, the barrenness, sudden rain-flooded streams, and dry river beds. When you plant something here and water and nurture it, it grows quickly, leafs out, bears fruit, becomes a beautiful thing. I like that. It shouldn’t happen, but it does. A stick turns into an orange or lemon or grapefruit tree almost overnight it seems. A little water and the desert blooms. It’s extraordinary!
Life, I think, is like this. Even in January.
Dixie and I spend the entire month of days here in this desert where once we lived for four years. In the early morning sunshine, we stretch our legs by walking a 2.8-mile route before preparing a breakfast we enjoy outdoors on the deck. Later I go for a swim, then sit by the pool and read. I am preparing to go to Russia in a few weeks to teach in a seminary extension program. Dixieprefers the quiet of our room to do some catch up reading and meditation.
We do not tell acquaintances in the area we are here. We want to be together, but alone. Just the two of us. Something we need, especially since I will be leaving soon. Each day is a pleasant repeat of the one before. Evenings are warm and quiet and meals are simple. We enjoy desert sunsets, more beautiful, we agree, than anywhere else in the world. At least we feel that way right now.
The final day comes at last as we knew it would. Reluctantly we leave this desert hideaway to resume our real life. As we drive north on I-5, we are unaware we have just completed our last major trip together.
That passage really grabbed my heart. Where on the Internet can the readers find you?For more author information and to subscribe to Ward’s free website, Perspective, go to www.wardtanneberg.com.
Thank you, Ward for sharing Dixie’s final days with us. I know my blog readers will be as eager as I am to read the book.
Readers, here is a link to the book.Sacred Journey[image error]

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, 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

CHRISTINE'S PROMISE - Kay Moser - One Free Book

Welcome, Kay. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.  A great deal sometimes. For example, in the Aspiring Hearts Series, I created Sarah, a poverty-stricken Czech immigrant girl who is determined to get an education and become a teacher. Almost everyone opposes her efforts because she is female. I wasn’t poverty-stricken, but I was the first woman to earn a Ph.D. from Baylor University, and I had to fight my way into the doctoral program and all the way through it because the English Department opposed the idea of women earning doctoral degrees.
What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?  Rollerblade to my British Literature class to teach Hamlet on my 50th birthday. I think Shakespeare would have approved, but my Dean did not!
When did you first discover that you were a writer?  My Freshman English professor assigned a short story. I had no idea how to write one, so I procrastinated until three hours before it was due. In desperation I sat down and just typed something up. Several days later the professor summoned me to his office. I figured I was in big trouble, but he just shook my story at me and demanded, “Who are these people?” I shrugged and answered, “I just made them up.” He stared at me for what seemed like an eternity, then quietly asked, “You do know you’re a creative writer, don’t you, Kay?” That was the moment I understood that I was not crazy, that all the stories running like a film in my head were there for a purpose. It took another fourteen years of life experience to teach me that they were there for God’s purpose.
Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.  I am most drawn to literary fiction about human relationships, but it has to be beautifully written. I also enjoy biography and history.
How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?  I refuse to run. Many, if not most of the “demands” of life are really choices, and I learned to say “No” decades ago. I keep my environment quiet. I don’t text and severely limit other technology that might disrupt my peace. Most important, I keep a constant conversation going with God. When I do slip into feeling frantic or stressed, God reminds me that He is in charge of everything (I’m not!). He also reminds me that He made me worthy, and consequently, I don’t have to earn my worth by rushing around or pleasing other people.
How do you choose your characters’ names?  The psychology of the character suggests a particular kind of name to me. Of course, one has to consider the ethnicity and socio-economic position of the character, as well as the timeframe of the story. Minor characters I name according to their dominant traits. For example, in Skirting Tradition, the reader will meet Fanny Sharp and Louise Proper.
What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of? Earning a Ph.D in English
If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why? A lark because it shoots straight up from the ground when it takes off, because it flies higher than most birds, and because it sings its most beautiful song when it is soaring at its greatest height.
Interesting. I didn’t know that. What is your favorite food?Hot tea with milk and sugar. Yes, I do consider that a food! An essential food, in fact.
What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?  I hate writing first drafts. If my mind is immersed in a scene, I want to write it beautifully, not hurry through it. I don’t have an answer to this problem other than to apply discipline to myself. I just make myself write the first draft, so I can have the pleasure of rewrites.
Tell us about the featured book. Christine Boyd is the envy of all the ladies in Riverford, Texas, in 1885. She is, after all, the daughter of a revered Confederate general and the wife of wealthy banker, Richard Boyd.
Beautiful, accomplished and elegant, she exhibits the exquisite manners she was taught in antebellum Charleston. She is the perfect southern lady.
Or is she?
Christine’s genteel demeanor hides a revolutionary spirit. When she was ten years old and fleeing the Union soldiers in Charleston, Christine promised God that she would help the downtrodden and bring needed changes to her world.
She is an adult now and determined to keep that promise.
Riverford, Texas, will never be the same!
Please give us the first page of the book.“There has to be a better way!” Mrs. Christine Boyd insisted as she crossed the railroad tracks that divided Riverford, Texas, into two vastly different worlds. When she did so, she left behind the dusty, unpaved roads of the slums and the hodgepodge shacks that were considered homes by the poor. “Delivering a few loaves of bread and some ham is simply not enough. And that poor child in the Jones family! His leg….” She straightened her spine and pursed her lips. “It’s 1885, for heaven’s sake. Things have to change.”
Billows of red dust floated around her as she stopped and stamped her feet on the beginning of the sidewalk of the “quality” side of town. Straight ahead of her stretched an orderly, tree-lined, brick-paved street filled with neat cottages, their flower gardens proudly displaying the tired blooms of late September. To her left, however, she saw dark clouds of smoke and knew that one of the landowners nearby was burning his fields. She cringed at the thought of the choking smoke further adulterating the hot air that refused to give up its hold on East Texas. “Those poor sharecroppers,” she murmured. “They will be standing all day in the glaring sun tending a blazing fire!”  Hollyhocks, their leaves yellowed and their flowers nearly spent, and sweet-scented honeysuckle greeted her over the white picket fences as she resolutely started down the first block. She was eager to reach an oak tree that offered her a brief respite from the broiling sun. When she reached the shade of the tree, she gratefully stopped and lowered her basket to the ground. She untied the netting which she had used to cup her wide-brimmed straw hat around her face and shook it thoroughly.
“Sakes alive!” A chocolate-brown face, surrounded by white hair and beard, popped up from the flowerbed next to the fence. “Miz Boyd, what you doin’ down here so early in the morning?”
“Just running errands, Cal, but I’m glad I ran into you.”
“But ma’am, you ain’t been ’cross them tracks, has you? That ain’t no place for a lady like you. What Mr. Boyd gonna say when he hear ’bout it?”
Christine smiled as she shrugged her shoulders. “Time will tell, but that’s not what I want to talk to you about.”
“Miz Boyd, you look powerful hot. I better get you some cool well water.”
“No, thank you, Cal, but I haven’t time. I want to talk to you about that boy they call Nobo. Who is he related to?”
“Ain’t related to nobody far as I knows. Old Nessy take care of him. I ’spect she think he be her son, but she ain’t never been right in the head since the War.”
“He has a badly infected leg that needs attention.”
“Yes’m. He done had that a long time. Ain’t likely to heal, I figure.”
“I am going to send Moses down with some ointment, and I want you to put it on his leg twice a day.”
“You wants me to do it?”
“Yes, I do. As you said, Nessy is not reliable. Will you help the boy?”
“Yes’m, I be glad to.” He leaned closer. “I already borrowed some of Miz Johnson’s yams for the boy—“ Christine heard the screen door slam, and Calsuddenly fell on his knees and started pulling weeds.
“Cal! Who you talking to? I ain’t paying you to stand around and—“ Mrs. Johnson limped down the steps, shaking a broom at Cal. “Oh gracious me!” She stopped in her tracks when she saw Christine Boyd. “Why, Mrs. Boyd, I had no idea….” The gray-haired, severe-looking woman dropped the broom, brushed off her apron and hurried forward.
“Good morning, Mrs. Johnson,” Christine smiled as she retied the netting around her hat. “It is already a hot morning, isn’t it?”
“Yes, and it don’t help that Mr. Pritchard just gotta burn his fields today.”
“Yes, I was just thinking about the poor sharecroppers—“
“Oh, they’re used to it, I figure.” Mrs. Johnson waved her hand contemptuously. “If they ain’t, they can just go back to where they came from.”
“To Czechoslovakiaand Germany? That’s quite a distance.”
“No one asked them to come here in the first place. I ain’t gonna worry about the likes of them, but you, Mrs. Hodges, you shouldn’t be out in this heat. I’ll send Calto fetch a bucket of cold water from the well for you. Cal!”
How can readers find you on the Internet? Join me on my FB personal Timeline and enjoy the photos I post daily of my garden, teatime, and all things beautiful. My website is www.kaymoser.com. I also post on Instagram and Goodreads. My Twitter handle is @KayMoserBooks
Thank you, Kay, for sharing this book with us. I know I’m going to enjoy reading it. So will my blog readers.
Readers, here are links to the book.Christine's Promise[image error] - Paperback
Christine’s Promise - Kindle[image error]

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, 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

WINNERS!!

New instructions for winners in 2018 - When you send me the email, make sure your subject line says this: Winner - (book title) - (author's name) 

Connie (KY)  is the winner of  Atlantis  by Carol Roberts.

Diana (TN) is the winner of  Red Sky Over America   by Tamera Lynn Kraft.

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

Congratulations, everyone. If you won a print book, send me your mailing address:
Click the Contact Me link at the top of the blog, and send me an Email.

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When you contact me, please give the title and author of the book you won, so I won't have to look it up.

Remember, you have 4 weeks to claim your book.

LIGHT UP MY LIFE IN TEXAS - Connie Lewis Leonard - One Free Book

Dear Readers, I’m thrilled to share the second book in Connie’s contemporary In Texas romance series. I’ve read both of the books, and if you missed the first one, you’ll want to go back and read the first one too. I loved both of them. The books are so authentic to the western community in Texas and the Cowboy Churches. I love the characters. They pulled me right into the story with them. And the Texas tornado was realistic. You’ll want to read this one.
Welcome back, Connie. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?The past four years, God has opened the doors for my writing, which is a dream come true. I have written 78 articles for 15 different regional magazines with three different publishers. I love writing good news stories about amazing people who make a positive difference in the world. I believe writing articles with a strict word count and deadline has helped develop my fiction writing. I have published three novels and one interactive devotional Bible study during that time. I just started the third novel in my In Texas contemporary inspirational romance series. I’m excited about it and whatever God has planned after this book. 
Tell us a little about your family.My husband and I have been married for forty-eight years. We were just babies when we married! God called Gary into the ministry after we had two children. We have enjoyed a great life with all the blessings and burdens of ministry. He is now semi-retired, serving as associate pastor and minister to senior adults at Triple Cross Cowboy Church.
We praise God for our two adult children and three wonderful grandchildren. Our daughter is a licensed professional counselor in private practice, and our son is a football coach and teacher.
Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?Being an English teacher for 25 years, I already noticed grammatical, spelling, or punctuation errors. Now that I write, I notice plot problems, shifts in POV, and character inconsistencies. I also notice beautifully written descriptions, emotionally evocative passages, profound prose, and characters that come alive.
What are you working on right now?I just started the next novel in the trilogy. This one is Play Me Back Home in Texas.
What outside interests do you have?I love spending time with my family. I enjoy cooking and baking. I love our Cowboy Church, I love our seniors’ group and small group Bible studies, and I love working in Children’s Church. Those things are in addition to reading and writing.
How do you choose your settings for each book?My first novel doesn’t specifically name the setting. Although it is fiction, parts of it are autobiographical about my breast cancer diagnosis, so I set it in Wichita Falls, Texas, where we lived at the time.
The idea of Somebody Somewhere in Texas popped into my head one Sunday morning during worship. The Cowboy Church plays a significant role in the book. I chose the West Texas setting because I am familiar with the area, and it fit the storyline. The second and third books have the same setting.
If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?Since he has passed on to glory, could I say Billy Graham? I had the opportunity to attend two of his crusades, but I wish I could have met him in person. I would love to hear him talk and share how God used him to reach so many people.
I really loved him from afar. He made such an impact on so many people worldwide. What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?God gave me the dream to write when I was in the eighth grade. It was a secret dream that I shared with very few people. I knew I would write someday—someday when the kids were grown, someday when I retired. I thought when the time was right, I would write and be published—after all, I was an English teacher, with a master’s degree, who studied and taught great literature and writing. I wish I had known how difficult it would be, how much I had to learn. I have attended local, regional, and national writers’ conferences. I went through the Jerry Jenkins Christian Writers’ Guild Craftsman Class. All that I have learned has shown me how much more I need to learn. I want to continue learning and developing my craft, so I can bring honor and glory to God.
We all need to understand just how much we need to learn of our craft. I’ve read author’s books that I loved the early ones, but the longer they were published, the quality went down. I want to always continue learning our craft too. What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?I stand amazed at how the Lord continues to pour out His great grace and mercy on me even though I am so unworthy. He is still trying to teach me to be still, to wait on Him, to trust Him completely, but sometimes I’m a slow learner.
What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?Keep learning. Keep praying and listening to the Lord. If He gives you a story, it is worth telling. Don’t hide your talent under a bushel. Let His light shine in and through you. I don’t measure success by the number of books sold or the amount of money earned. Each time someone tells me how my books have touched them, I thank God for giving me the opportunity to be used by Him.
I feel the same way. Tell us about the featured book.Here is the back cover copy:     She had a history that kept her from trusting.He had a history that included a little girl.            Andrea Travis wants to establish her veterinary clinic and be independent. She doesn’t want or need a man. Who can trust them anyway? But then the winds of a tornado blow Winn Timberman into her life. Is this ordinary guy an unsung hero, the chivalrous knight of her dreams?
Winn Timberman is trying to put the pieces of his heart and life back together again. As a lineman, he lights up the lives of county electric co-op customers. But his main responsibility is to protect his little girl. He’s all she has. She’s all he wants—until he meets the beautiful, blue-eyed vet.
Can they overcome their haunted pasts to build a future? Will their swirling emotions blow them into a whirlwind romance, or will their hopes and dreams be washed away by a hurricane of historic proportions?
Hang on to your hats for a wild ride in this contemporary Christian romance filled with faith, forgiveness, and love.
Please give us the first page of the book for my blog readers.Andrea looked out the window of her veterinarian clinic and watched hail pummel the lineman hanging on the utility pole. Ominous, black clouds obscured the sunlight. She wondered how the man could see what he was doing with the dim light on his helmet. She wondered how long the batteries in her flashlight would hold out. How long would this storm last?
The weather alert bleeped on her phone. The tornado watch had just been upgraded to a tornado warning headed in her direction. With 90 mile an hour winds, it could strike within twenty minutes. She opened the door and clutched onto the porch pillar. Shining her light at the lineman, she yelled at him to come down. He made no move. She brandished the flashlight, motioning for him to come inside. While fighting against the wind to keep her balance, she shuffled one foot at a time until she reached the pole.
Cupping her hands she yelled, “Come down! A tornado is coming!” He stared down at her. “Tor-na-do!” She made a swirling motion with one arm with her other arm wrapped around the pole.  “Tor-na-do! Come down, now!” She gestured again for him to climb down. She started to make her way back to the building. Blown forward, she hit the pillar with a thud. Holding tight she beckoned to the crazy man on the pole. Once she reached the door, she turned to see him making his descent. Even with the ropes tied around his waist, the wind whipped him back and forth.
How can readers find you on the Internet?http://connielewisleonard.webs.com/Connie Lewis Leonard, Author Facebook pageLight up My Life in Texas Book Club Facebook page
Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Light-up-My-Life-Texas-ebook/dp/B07B9KNR7J/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1522086197&sr=1-1&keywords=light+up+my+life+in+texas
Thank you, Connie, for sharing this book with my blog readers and me.
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, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link:Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

THE REJECTED PRINCESS - Katie Clark - On Free Ebook

Welcome, Katie. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.I’m not sure I consciously write any of myself into my characters…but I guess a little gets in there anyway! For my upcoming novel, The Rejected Princess , I think the biggest part of my characters that resembles myself is their strong desire to follow the rules. It helps them throughout the story—but it also puts up roadblocks more than once!
What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?That’s a hard question! I’m pretty much the most boring person ever, so let’s see…quirky? I once volunteered to write and direct an entire children’s program at our church. That was an experience, for sure!
Been there, done that. It is quite a job. When did you first discover that you were a writer?I’ve been writing stories since I was seven years old. My first two stories were about angels and animal doctors!
Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.I enjoy reading almost everything! I used to joke that I would be happy reading the encyclopedia (which is true), but for novels I don’t care what it is as long as it’s a great story.
How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?I am not afraid to say no. I’m not afraid to put on the brakes. I value my quiet time, and I definitely need it!
How do you choose your characters’ names?That’s a tough one! Sometimes I just know them. I know without a doubt what they should be called. Other times, it’s more of a struggle. I have a couple of baby name books I like to flip through for inspiration.
What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?Are we talking writing or just in general? My children are my treasures, for sure. But if we mean writing, I am most proud of the fact that I’ve finished a novel at all (let alone 8!).
If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?A cat. Not because I particularly like cats, but because they’re a little antisocial and everyone knows and accepts that.
What is your favorite food?Do you have a while? Ha! I love food. Chinese, Italian, Mexican…but I guess I’ll just say ice cream.
What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?My greatest roadblock was just general lack of knowledge on the writing craft. God opened so many doors that allowed me to learn. Learning is key, and is something a writer must always be open to doing. I remind myself often that I have MUCH to learn.
Tell us about the featured book. Sure! The Rejected Princess is a YA romantic fantasy novel about a princess who learns she has an anomaly—in a world where anomalies are stomped out through Termination. She has to keep her anomaly hidden while stalling her upcoming marriage and putting a stop to a rebellion within the kingdom, all while learning all she can about her powers.
Please give us the first page of the book.Princess Roanna of Chester’s Wake had only been to the dungeon once in her life, but that one trip had scared her enough that she never wanted to return. Now, ten years later, Roanna worked in the palace libraries side by side with Prince Benjamin of Lox, her lifelong friend and cohort in crime all those years ago, as they sorted socks, coats, and blankets to take to the Rejected in the orphanages.
“I just want to look around the dungeon for a little while.” Ben’s voice pulled her gaze toward him.
Roanna hated the dark and dank dungeon, which reeked of bodily fluids. The place gave her chills.
Thunder boomed overhead, and Roanna gasped. Pressing her eyes closed, she took a deep breath to calm herself. Perhaps she was being silly.
Ben quirked an eyebrow at her and grinned. He leaned against the library wall and turned to the windows as rain dumped loads of water into the western gardens of her family’s palace at Chester’s Wake. Ben was taller than her, and his dusty-blond hair was parted messily to the right side. He was handsome, as so many hopeful girls had told him before. Not that he seemed to care about that.
How can readers find you on the Internet?My website is www.katieclarkwrites.com, and from there you can find me on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter!
Thank you, Katie, for sharing this book with us. I’m eager to read it, and I know many of my readers will want to read it or want it for young adults they know.
Readers, here are links to the book. - Amazon paperback
The Rejected Princess - Kindle[image error]

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

THE PIRATE BRIDE - Kathleen Y'Barbo - One Free Book

Bio: Bestselling author Kathleen Y’Barbo is a multiple Carol Award and RITA nominee of more than eighty novels with almost two million copies in print in the USand abroad. A tenth-generation Texan and certified paralegal, she has been nominated for a Career Achievement Award as well a Reader’s Choice Award and is the winner of the Inspirational Romance of the Year by Romantic Times magazine. To connect with her through social media, Welcome back, Kathleen. I know you speak at various conferences and meetings. What do you have coming up in 2012?I will be teaching two classes at the Texas Christian Writers conference in Houstonon August 4. In September, I will be taking part in the ACFW National Conference (truly it’s International since writers come from all over the globe), and I will also be teaching at an all-day conference sponsored by my local ACFW group—Woodlands ACFW Chapter/Writers on the Storm—in October. Watch for more news about those events as details become available.
If you were planning a women’s retreat, what would be the theme for it?Forgiveness. How much do we hold against others? Worse, for what do we blame ourselves? Finding forgiveness is such a big part of having an effective Christian life. It’s also the ONLY way to live.
Who would you want as speakers and why?Donna Pyle is the first to come to mind because her book Forgiveness: Received from God and Extended to Others is just so amazing.
Where would you hold the retreat and why?Somewhere warm and sunny!
Do you read print books or e-books? Or a combination of the two?Unless I’m reading the Bible or books for endorsement that are not available in digital format (which is RARE), I read e-books exclusively.
I'm usually reading both a print book at home and an e-book when I'm away from home. Pirate Bride  is an interesting title. How did you come up with it?Actually I didn’t but I like it. Pirate Bride is part of the Mayflower Brides series, and as such, each book has the word Bride in it combined with another word that hints at the story it tells. I’m thrilled to announce I’m currently working on my next book for that series, Alamo Bride, which takes place in 1836 Texasand features the great-granddaughter of the couple in Pirate Bride .
So what is the book about?The last time New Orleans attorney Jean-Luc Valmont saw Maribel Cordoba, a Spanish nobleman’s daughter, she was an eleven-year-old orphan perched in the riggings of his privateering vessel proving herself as the best look-out on his crew. Until the day his infamy caught up with them all, and innocent lives were lost.            Unsure why he survived but vowing to make something of the chance he was given, Valmont has buried his past life so deep that no living person will ever find it—or so he hopes as he seeks to live as the new man he has become. Until Maribel Cordoba arrives on his doorstep and threatens all he now holds dear. 
One hundred years after her mother's family came to the New World on the Mayflower, Maribel Cordova has landed in New Orleans with one purpose: to find what she has lost. Twelve years after she was pulled from the warm Caribbean Sea and deposited in an orphanage, hazy memories and vaguely remembered stories all collide in the presence of a man she never really forgot. A man who does not want her to remember. 
I can hardly wait to read it. Please give us the first page of the book.Maribel and the CaptainPart I:In the waters of the Caribbean, April of 1724
Chapter OneAboard the Spanish vessel Venganza near Havana
Mama may have been named for the great-grandmother who traveled from Englandon the Mayflower, but that fact certainly did not keep her in the land of her birth. Twelve-year-old Maribel Cordoba sometimes wondered why Mama refused to discuss anything regarding her relations in the colonies beyond the fact that she had disappointed them all by marrying a Spaniard without her papa’s blessing.
The mystery seemed so silly now, what with Mama gone and the father she barely knew insisting she accompany him aboard the Venganza to his new posting in Havana. Maribel gathered the last reminder of Mary Lytton around her: a beautiful scarf shot through with threads of Spanish silver that matched the piles of coins in the hold of this magnificent sailing vessel and clutched the book she’d already read through once since the journey began.
Though she was far too young at nearly thirteen to call herself a lady, Maribel loved to pretend she would someday wear this same scarf at a beautiful ball along with a gown in some lovely matching color. Oh she would dance, her toes barely touching the floor in her dancing shoes. And her handsome escort would, not doubt, fall madly in love with her just as Papa had fallen in love with Mama.
Her fingers clutched the soft fabric as her heart lurched. Mama. Oh how she missed her. She looked toward the horizon, where a lone vessel’s sails punctuated the divide between sea and sky, and then shrugged deeper into the scarf.
Nothing but adventure was ahead. This her papa had promised when he announced that as newly named Consul General, he was moving her from their home in Spainto the far away Caribbean.She had read about the Caribbeanin the books she hid beneath her pillows. The islands were exotic and warm, populated with friendly natives and not so friendly pirates.            Maribel clutched her copy of The Notorious Seafaring Pyrates and their Exploits by Captain Ulysses Jones. The small leather book that held the true stories of Blackbeard, Anne Bonny and others, had been a treasure purchased in a Barcelona bookseller’s shop when Papa hadn’t been looking.
Of course, Papa never looked at her, so she could have purchased the entire shop and he wouldn’t have noticed.
But then until the day her papa arrived with the news that Mama had taken ill and was now with the angels, she’d only seen this man Antonio Cordoba three times in her life. Once at her grandmother’s funeral and twice when he and Mama had quarreled on the doorstep of their home in Madrid.
On none of these occasions had Senor Cordoba, apparently a very busy and very important man, deigned to speak to his only daughter. Thus his speech about Mama had been expectedly brief, as had the response to Maribel’s request to attend her funeral or at least see her grave.
Both had been answered with a resolute no. Two days later, she was packed aboard the Venganza.
She watched the sails grow closer and held tight to Mama’s scarf. Just as Mama had taught her, she turned her fear of this unknown place that would become her new home into prayer. Unlike Mama—who would have been horrified at the stories of Captain Bartholomew Roberts and others—Maribel’s hopes surged.
Perhaps this dull journey was about to become exiting. Perhaps the vessel on the horizon held a band of pirates bent on chasing them down and relieving them of their silver.
How can readers find you on the Internet?Facebook: www.facebook.com/KathleenYBarboTwitter: www.twitter.com/KathleenYBarboWebsite: www.kathleenybarbo.com
Readers, here are links to the book. - Amazon paperback
The Pirate Bride (Preview): Daughters of the Mayflower - Book 2 - Kindle[image error]

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, 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

WINNERS!!!

New instructions for winners in 2018 - When you send me the email, make sure your subject line says this: Winner - (book title) - (author's name) 


MJSH (NJ) is the winner of  Love and Roses  by Sally Bayless.

Faith C (CO)  is the winner of  High Cotton  by Debby Mayne.

Paula (MO) is the winner of Deception at Fairfield Ranch   by Tamara G Cooper.

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. 

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

Congratulations, everyone. If you won a print book, send me your mailing address:
Click the Contact Me link at the top of the blog, and send me an Email.

If you won an ebook, just let me know what email address it should be sent to.

When you contact me, please give the title and author of the book you won, so I won't have to look it up.

Remember, you have 4 weeks to claim your book.

RED SKY OVER AMERICA - Tamera Lynn Kraft - One Free Book

Bio: Tamera Lynn Kraft has always loved adventures. She loves to write historical fiction set in the United States because there are so many stories in American history. There are strong elements of faith, romance, suspense, and adventure in her stories. She has received 2nd place in the NOCW contest, 3rd place TARA writer’s contest, and is a finalist in the Frasier Writing Contest and has other novels and novellas in print. She’s been married for 39 years to the love of her life, Rick, and has two married adult children and three grandchildren. 
Tamera has been a children’s pastor for over 20 years. She is the leader of a ministry called Revival Fire for Kids where she mentors other children’s leaders, teaches workshops, and is a children’s ministry consultant and children’s evangelist and has written children’s church curriculum. She is a recipient of the 2007 National Children’s Leaders Association Shepherd’s Cup for lifetime achievement in children’s ministry.
Welcome back, Tamera. What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about?The themes that normally come out in my novels are redemption, courage in the face of adversity, and trusting God in any circumstance. Red Sky Over America is a great example of that. All three themes are in the book. America has to have courage to face her father when she challenges his views of slavery. When he doesn't react well, she has to trust God with the consequences even though she was doing what He called her to do. As far as the redemption theme, you'll have to read it to find out. If I told you about it, it would be a spoiler.
What other books of yours are coming out soon?Lost in the Storm, Book 2 in the Ladies of Oberlin Series, is coming out in November. I'll also have a related novella coming out at the same time. Book 3 of the series, The Aftermath, will be released in August, 2019. Here's a blurb about the series.
Ladies of OberlinIt's the middle of the 18th century, a troubled time in American history, when strong women find it difficult to find their place in society. Three women dare to fight against social injustices, but when they fall in love, things get complicated.
Three women roommates, graduates of Oberlin College, challenge society norms to do what is right even though it may cost them everything, including love. Oberlin College, considered radical at the time, was the only co-education, multi-racial college before the Civil War, and its graduates were involved in many progressive era issues including abolition, women’s suffrage, prohibition, and the missionary movement.
In Red Sky over America , in a nation on the brink of war, America confronts slavery and risks being alienated from her slave owning father. In Lost in the Storm, during the Civil War, Lavena challenges a profession ruled by men to become a war correspondent, but will she keep her job by destroying the man she loves? In The Aftermath, when Betsy's husband comes home from the war as an alcoholic, she uses unladylike tactics to fight against the evils of drink to save her marriage.
Meet the Ladies of Oberlin, the causes they're willing to fight for, and the men who capture their hearts. 
If you could spend an evening with one contemporary person (not a family member of yours), who would it be and why?My answer will controversial, but I would choose President Donald Trump. No matter what the politics involved are, he would be a fascinating person to talk with.
What historical person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why?I would love to meet Abraham Lincoln. He seemed like such an unassuming man, yet there were so many facets to him. The only success he had in life was being one of our greatest presidents. He hated slavery, yet he fought the Civil War to keep the Union together, not to end slavery. Then near the end of the war, he drew out the war to make sure amendments ending slavery and getting the right to vote for blacks were in place. He would have been such an interesting man to talk with.
How can you encourage authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers?It's all part of the process. Almost every successful author has faced a lot of rejection. I have. While waiting for your big break, keep writing and keep learning your craft. The authors who succeed are usually the ones who persevere, not necessarily the most talented. As Winston Churchill would say, "Never give up, Never."
Tell us about the featured book. Red Sky Over America Ladies of Oberlin book 1Here's the blurb about it.William and Americaconfront evil, but will it costs them everything?
In 1857, America, the daughter of a slave owner, is an abolitionist and a student at Oberlin College, a school known for its radical ideas. Americagoes home to Kentuckyduring school break to confront her father about freeing his slaves.
America's classmate, William, goes to Kentucky to preach abolition to churches that condone slavery. Americaand William find themselves in the center of the approaching storm sweeping the nation and may not make it home to Ohioor live through the struggle.
Please give us the first page of the book.October, 1857, Oberlin, OhioAmerica Leighton's hands trembled as she read the letter. It was worse than she thought. She stood frozen in place, staring at the words. hoping somehow they would change.
They didn't.
The grandfather clock chimed, and she glanced up. Five o'clock. She didn't want to be late. Placing the envelope in her book, she tucked it in the pocket of her hooded cloak, pushed open the post office door, and rushed outside. As she passed the historic elm on the edge of College Park, the wind burned her cheeks, just what she needed to get her thoughts off the mail she'd received.
Two riders on horseback galloped toward her, rustling the yellow autumn leaves and stirring up a cloud of dust and brown grass. Dirt clung to their long wool coats buttoned tight against their chins. They wore their wide brim planter’s hats low on their brows. If their attire wasn't enough, the revolvers holstered around their waists and the shotguns perched in their gear showed what they were.
Slave catchers.
America drew in a short breath. She diverted her attention and walked on to Ladies Hall a bit faster than usual, but the hope they would leave her alone trampled under horses' hooves as the men rode across the grassy lawn and stopped in front of her.
The older man tipped his hat. "Ma'am, we're deputies from Maysville."
Cold air turned her breath to steam. Remember to act natural. She forced her voice to keep an even tone. "You're a long way from home."
The younger man wrinkled his forehead. "Aren't you Miss Leighton?"
America pressed her tongue across the back of her teeth and nodded. She didn't recognize any of them.
He turned to the other man. "George, this is Colonel Leighton's daughter."
The older man smiled, and his front gold tooth glimmered. "Ma'am, the name's George Mills. This is my partner, Pete Fowler. Pleased to make your acquaintance. I've had the occasion to buy horses from the colonel in the past. He has a good eye for horse flesh."
"So why are you gentlemen clear up here in Northern Ohio?" She didn't need to ask.
"We've been hired to retrieve some property." Mr. Mills adjusted in his saddle. "What about you? You're a long way from Kentucky."
"I attend Oberlin College."
Mr. Mills raised his eyebrow. "I didn't know Oberlin was a ladies' school."
"It's not. I attend classes with men."
He leaned back in his saddle. "Didn't think the colonel would allow his girl to attend one of those schools."
Mr. Fowler cleared his throat. "Maybe you could help us, Miss Leighton, you being a Kentuckian and all. Have you seen any fugitive slaves around these parts? We're looking for an ebony skinned girl about sixteen with a scar across her right cheek, and a copper colored young buck, tall and thin."
Taking a couple of steady breaths to keep her tone even, she gazed straight at them without flinching. "No, can't say as I have." They couldn't have given a better description of Chance and Milly. If only they would ride off.
"Don't fret about it," Mr. Mills said. "We'll find them. Ma'am, if you do see any Negro runaways, you'll let us know? We're staying at the hotel."
Her heart skipped a beat. "I'll do that."
Mr. Fowler tipped his hat, and they rode off.
America leaned against the elm and watched them. Everything inside urged her to dash off to the boarding house where Milly and Chance stayed, but she waited until the men were out of sight. As soon as they disappeared from view, she hoisted her skirts up and ran to warn the couple to hide.
How can readers find you on the Internet?Website: http://tameralynnkraft.netNewsletter: http://eepurl.com/cdybpbGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7334438.Tamera_Lynn_KraftWord Sharpeners Blog: http://tameralynnkraft.comFacebook: http://facebook.com/tameralynnkraftTwitter: http://twitter.com/tamerakraft
Readers, here are links to the book.
Red Sky Over America (Ladies of Oberlin) (Volume 1)[image error] - Paperback
Red Sky Over America (Ladies of Oberlin Book 1) - Kindle[image error]
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, 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

ATLANTIS - Carol Roberts - One Free Ebook

Welcome, Carol. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters. My debut novel Atlantis definitely has a lot of my younger years in it. I was searching for answers to various questions at the time, and I was using my interest in myth and mythology to try and answer them. Atlantis reflects that search.
What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?I sent birthday wishes and flowers on the completely wrong date. The person was delighted anyway.
When did you first discover that you were a writer?When I was traveling at the age of 19. I took a lot of notes about different cultures, people, and their stories. When I first settled in New Zealand, I started to submit my articles to a travel magazine.
Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading. I enjoy reading other authors of the visionary/metaphysical genre, also romance and fantasy. If it has a historical element, even better.
How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world? I live in a very remote region of New Zealand where everything is very relaxed. I still have to keep my sanity, though, so I read and write, surf, and mountain bike.
How do you choose your characters’ names? Yes, that’s an interesting one. There wasn’t a lot to research for Atlantis , so I went with ancient Greek names. A lot of them started with ‘A’, so I might have favored the letter ‘A’ a bit, lol.
What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of? I am actually really proud that Atlantis was accepted and published by Clean Reads without an agent.
If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why? I would have to be an eagle. There is a lot of myth woven around the two main characters in Atlantis, all involving a wolf and an eagle.
What is your favorite food? Homemade. I love food, but it has to be homemade.
That’s called “pure food” by many nutritionists in the US. I love pure food, too. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it? The thought of my story being read. I didn’t have problems writing until I reflected upon potential readers. Then everything shut down. So I decided that I would not publish it anyway, and that helped. When it was finished, I told myself that sending it to publishers was also safe, because there was very little chance of it being picked up. It was quite a shock when it happened, but I am getting used to the idea of readers now, and it’s easier to write the second one.
Tell us about the featured book. Atlantis is a speculative story, written like a mystery. It follows the High Priestess who is drawn to look into the past to understand her visions of the future. The story has a visionary/metaphysical element, investigating concepts like destiny and the choices within that.
Please give us the first page of the book. Prologue“And that is all I can tell you.”
The big, leather-bound book closed with an air of finality, as if to never again disturb the dust particles that resettled on the ancient, worn cover. Derwan’s voice, harsh and abrupt, carried all the weight of his rank and age, and, bending slightly forward, his whole position radiated an intense dislike of the situation.
The silence between the two dimly illuminated figures lengthened, permeating the ancient Hall of Priests and weaving intricate patterns of potential words and meanings through the thick stone columns and heavy torch holders. Not all the candles were still burning; some had melted into wax pools whilst others were about to extinguish, flickering wildly and releasing puffs of smoke into the blackness above. Then the stillness became heavy, and Derwan started to feel strained.
Nobody but the woman opposite him held the right or rank to ask for such a lengthy audience, nobody had ever dared to give him, the high priest, the position to wait patiently for a dismissal, and it was unheard of that anybody had ever dared to go back in time and request insight into the Book of Justice. And yet, to his old and watery eyes, the woman was only a child wasting his precious time. His anger flared suddenly, throbbing behind the grey skin of his temples and pulsating like a hissing snake through his withered veins.
Alanthea sat motionless, her eyes still tracing the faded image on the book cover: a wolf, standing upright and proud, looking back over his shoulder toward an eagle soaring just above.
How can readers find you on the Internet? Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/Carol-Roberts/e/B077JX4SWD/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1Twitter: @authorRobertsC, My newsletter that people can sign up to; sent on the 30th of each month: https://www.smore.com/nj9mg-atlantis-by-carol-roberts
Thank you, Carol, for sharing your debut book with me and my readers.
Readers, here’s a link to the book.Atlantis[image error]

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