Lena Nelson Dooley's Blog, page 141

My Audio Books - Lena Nelson Dooley - 3 Free Audio Books

Dear Readers, when I started having my books turned into audio books, I thought that probably most readers who used audio books might be young people, because they could listen to them on their cell phones. Since then, I've discovered that all ages use them. They can be played on many electronic devices, and people use them when they exercise, when they do housework, and during many other activities. Anything you have that plays mp3 files will play the books.

So here are the books I have had made into audio books. They are available on Audible.com, Amazon, Kobo, and iTunes.

The first book I had turned into an audio book is my full-length novel, The Gold Digger.
It's 1890, and Golden, New Mexico, is a booming mining town where men far outnumber women. So when an old wealthy miner named Philip Smith finds himself in need of a nursemaid, he places an ad for a mail-order bride--despite the protests of his friend Jeremiah. Hoping to escape a perilous situation back East, young Madeleine Mercer answers the ad and arrives in town under a cloud of suspicion. But just as she begins to win over Philip--and Jeremiah himself--the secrets she left behind threaten to follow her to Golden . . . and tarnish her character beyond redemption.
http://www.audible.com/pd/Romance/The-Gold-Digger-Audiobook/B01J49189O/ref=a_search_c4_1_2_srImg?qid=1476395654&sr=1-2


The second book I had turned into an audio book is a novella, Charlsey's Account.
Spur your faith and love of romance in this novella where passion hits the open range. Saddle up with Charlsey Ames as she shakes off the trail dust for a citified dandy.
Charlsey Ames is the son her father would never have - riding, roping, and working the ranch with the best of them. Horace Miller, III, an accountant from back East, is intrigued by the feminine Charlsey until he learns she dresses like man out on the range.Can these two stop judging each other long enough to recognize the future God has planned for them?http://www.audible.com/pd/Fiction/Charlseys-Accountant-Audiobook/B01KK6LMJQ/ref=a_search_c4_1_3_srTtl?qid=1476395654&sr=1-3


And the third book I had turned into an audio book is Christmas novella, Christmas Confusion.Lori Compton, mayor of Mistletoe, needs ideas for ways to prop up the sagging economy. After having her heart broken by the former pastor, she doesn't want to spend time with the new pastor. Rev. Russell Brown has plenty of ideas, even one that includes his spending the rest of his life with the beautiful mayor. Will Lori be able to move beyond her hurts and recognize God's intentions for the future of the town - and for her own future?http://www.audible.com/pd/Romance/Christmas-Confusion-Audiobook/B01M0OOB64/ref=a_search_c4_1_4_srTtl?qid=1476395654&sr=1-4


When you go to Audible.com and search for my books, you'll find one other novel, Pirate's Prize. I'm putting a link to the book, but I won't be giving away a free copy of that one. It was produced by the publisher.One of your favorite inspirational romances, Pirate's Prize, is now available as a complete and unabridged audiobook. Angelina de la Fuente Delgado, the pampered daughter of a wealthy merchant, is on her way home from a trip to Spain when her ship is attacked by pirates. The brigands capture her and her aunt and steal all the merchandise on the ship. After forcing most of the crew to walk the plank, they sink the vessel into the Atlantic. Brian O'Doule, who is secretly in love with Angelina, is also kidnapped by the pirates. Driven by feelings of guilt for not preventing the disaster, he does everything in his power to protect the women and to find a way for them all to escape. Will Angelina ever see her home and her beloved father again? Or will she be forced to marry the fierce pirate captain, Etienne Badeau?http://www.audible.com/pd/Romance/Pirates-Prize-Audiobook/B00HES3QT8/ref=a_search_c4_1_1_srTtl?qid=1476395654&sr=1-1

Comments conversation starter questions: Have you ever used an audio book? Do you have anyone on your Christmas list who would appreciate an audio book as a Christmas gift?
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

PAINT THE STORM - Dawn V Cahill - One Free Book

Welcome back, Dawn. Why do you write the kind of books you do?I’ve read a lot of Christian fiction, and one day it dawned on me: the market is glutted with Amish, historical, sweet romance, and romantic suspense genres. Not that I didn’t enjoy them. It’s just that there is a certain type of story the traditional Christfic market seemed to lack: stories about the type of people I encounter every day in my home city (Portland). Stories dealing with issues unique to the 21st century— stuff that was unthinkable twenty, thirty years ago. Like same-sex marriage, social breakdown, new-age philosophies. Stories with those elements—edgy fiction— seem to be a rarity in the Christian market. So I made it my aim to write those “missing” stories. Thus, Hot Topic Fiction was born.
Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?When my oldest son was born 28 years ago. I fell so madly in love, and still haven’t recovered J
How has being published changed your life?It actually hasn’t changed my life as much as I thought. Maybe if I were better known, and sold more books, it might.
What are you reading right now?Among others, I’m reading June Foster’s book about a young Christian man battling homosexual temptation – Ryan’s Father. I chose it because, as mentioned above, very little Christian fiction covers this topic, and I was curious to see how she handled it. I’m about one-quarter through it.
What is your current work in progress?Paint the Valley – sequel to Paint the Storm . This one covers a school shooting – another all-too-frequent occurrence this century. Not to give away too much, but Meg’s son gets caught in the middle of a shooting spree in his college class and is seriously injured. Turmoil ensues, and … well, you’ll just have to stay tuned!
What would be your dream vacation?A tour of Ireland! I have a soft spot for the Irish culture and history.
How do you choose your settings for each book?I choose a place that’s familiar enough to write about. My first book and trilogy is set in Seattle, my second book and series is set in the San Francisco Bay Area (Golden State Trilogy). I spent a few years in both places. My third series is going to take place right here in Portland, and I’m going to call it Rose City Trilogy.
If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?My oldest son, because I rarely see him. J
What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?Hiking! I also am involved in various community activities involving singing and dancing. Those were my two passions before I started writing. I still enjoy singing and dancing, but writing has definitely captured my heart.
What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it? My full-time job really interferes with my writing and other author-related activities like marketing and blogging. To overcome it, I try to get as much done on weekends and evenings as I can, but many times I’m too drained. I also take as many vacation days as I can. Alas, I’m not in a position to retire yet, although that’s my wish and my prayer.
What advice would you give to a beginning author?Develop a thick skin. Get objective feedback from other authors – join critique groups, find beta-readers. Enter contests – the feedback is invaluable. I entered contests almost as soon as I started writing seriously three years ago, and I tell you, that feedback went a long way toward assuring me I had the talent to keep going. In my first contest, they were like, You have the gift, now develop the craft.
Tell us about the featured book.A conservative Christian mother wearies of her constant clashes with her defiantly gay daughter. When she is challenged by her prayer group to love Linzee as Christ would, she struggles to put it into practice. Then Linzee goes missing, and Meg finds herself uniting with the unlikeliest of allies as she searches for her daughter.
You can read the full blurb on the Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/Paint-Storm-Christian-Contemporary-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B01M0SQY8H/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
Please give us the first page of the book.Meg swept ruby red acrylic across the canvas, forming a span over gray-blue water. Streaks of raspberry pink infused the Golden Gate Bridgewith a romantic glow. More paint splattered onto her smock, which always looked like it had just emerged from Paintball Central. Barry might laugh at her smock, but he’d love the finished product on her easel.
Her phone chimed just as she added a dab of silver-gray to the fog rolling over the Bay.Linzee’s picture graced the screen.
“Hey, you.”
“Hey, Mom.”
Instead of dull brown rock, vibrant kelly green formed the lookout spot at Point Bonita, complete with blinding white lighthouse.
“What time is Uncle Brad’s Fourth of July shindig?” Linzee said.
“Noonish.” More ruby red stretched to the sky. Those famous towers, supporting the weight of the structure on their graceful shoulders. Not everyone could paint and talk on the phone at the same time. But, like most moms, she could multi-task with the best of them.
“Good,” said Linzee. “I’m going to bring Nena.”
Meg paused, her red-tipped brush suspended above the canvas.
“You and the family will finally get to meet my significant other.”
How can readers find you on the Internet?Amazon Author pageWebsiteFacebookTwitterPinterest
Thank you, Dawn, for sharing this book with us.
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

FETA AND FREEWAYS - Susan M Baganz - One Free Book

BIO: Susan M. Baganz chases after three Hobbits, and is a native of Wisconsin. She is an Acquisitions Editor with Prism Book Group, specializing in bringing great romance novels and novellas to publication. Susan writes adventurous historical and contemporary romances with a biblical world-view.
Susan speaks, teaches, and encourages others to follow God in being all He has created them to be. With her seminary degree in counseling psychology, a background in the field of mental health, and years serving in church ministry, she understands the complexities and pain of life as well as its craziness. She serves behind-the-scenes in various capacities at her church and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), and serves on the board of the southeast chapter. Her favorite pastimes are lazy…snuggling with her dog while reading a good book or sitting with a friend chatting over a cup of spiced chai latte.
Welcome, Susan. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters. I think some of me shows up in at least one of my characters. My first book has more of “me” in it than any of my others, but there are pieces of me scattered everywhere amongst the pages of all my books. I don’t know if I’m brave enough to confess to just how much is “me”!  A man from church gave me a hug after reading my second novel and said “I’m getting an interesting glimpse into your head.” I responded: “Scary, isn’t it?”
What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done? I took workshops at ComedySportz in Milwaukee and even worked there for a time. A co-worker was a gifted player there. We saw each other at work and began to engage in a conversation in jibberish. I seriously walked away from that feeling like I’d had a legitimate and satisfying conversation! The memory still makes me smile. I’ve also been known to play practical jokes but it’s been years since I’ve done anything like that. Not everyone can take a joke even when it’s meant with the greatest of love and best of intentions.
When did you first discover that you were a writer?I’ve always been a writer. My ability to write well is what got me through graduate school (MA Counseling Psychology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) and allowed me to excel in my job as a Case Manager and Admissions/Discharge Coordinator for a Community Support Program. I wrote – a lot! I didn’t realize how much I loved writing fiction until I did National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo.org), November of 2009. Then I was hooked.
Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading. I used to read only Regency romances, then branched out to contemporary and romantic suspense. As an editor I have contracted medieval, suspense, mystery, historical, speculative fiction/sci-fi, and mid-grade/YA adventure stories. I also read nonfiction from theological topics, leadership and psychology. Recently finished, Humilitasby John Dickson, and am wading slowly through Switch by Chip Heath and Dan Heath. Just starting the Relationship Principles of Jesus by Tom Holladay. I can easily be reading three books or more at a time.
I used to only read one novel at a time, but with my Kindle in my purse, I read one novel when I’m away from the house and another at home. How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world? I don’t. I’ve recently been challenged to improve my own care of myself. I’ve been walking several times a week before the kids get up for school. I spent three months, earlier this year, on crutches and a scooter and every step I take is still painful, but I am moving, and am back into physical therapy. I also started taking lessons to relearn something I enjoy. Sometimes I color, or binge watch TV shows. I’ve exhausted Psych, Bones (never finished), Lie to Me (only 3 seasons-that was enough), Castle(never finished) JAG and am currently working my way through NCIS. Or movies—anything Jane Austen or Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit. I call it research of course.
How do you choose your characters’ names? For every book it’s different. For my current release I wanted a Greek name and spelling and liked Nikolos (Niko for short). I wanted a female name that also had a Greek feel and decided on Tia. Short and sweet. Last names I just make up something. For my next book though, it’s based on a real-life man named Johnny—but I couldn’t change the name. It was as if the character insisted on being Johnny. So sometimes I can go a little unique and sometimes very basic. I’ve had characters complain. I had one character (a woman) change her name three times as I was writing her story. Finally, she was happy. Sounds strange to those who don’t write—but that’s what it feels like in my head.
I so understand. What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of? My first thought is: Staying alive as I’ve struggled with major depressive disorder my entire life. My second is: Continuing to obey God even when it runs counter to what others think is right for me. All my life it feels like significant people in my life have disagreed with my choices. But if I’m following God’s leading, that’s all that matters. And yes, I’ve survived the censure and slander that’s come along the way. I gotta admit—sometimes it hurts though when people who you think should love and support God’s call on your life—don’t. Makes me all the more grateful for those who have stood by my side, praying and believing God had a plan. There are women who prayed with me when I was only dreaming of being published who rejoice with me now. I am so grateful for them and my pastors who believed in God’s calling on my writing.  
If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why? A raccoon. They tend to be a bit mischievous and often do their messiest work when no one is looking. And the mask. I’ve always had darker circles under my eyes since I was a child. And I wear glasses…
What is your favorite food? Oh…if you were to go out to dinner with me, we’d go to Q’doba and I’d get a naked steak burrito (cilantro rice and pinto beans) with queso, mild and verde salsa, cheese and sour cream. We wouldn’t even need the chips.
What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it? I hit a “wall of fear” with every full length novel. I’ll believe I’ve written myself into a corner, that this is the crappiest book out there and no one would ever want to read it. I pray. Sleep. And write my way through. In thirteen full-length manuscripts that I’ve completed, I could not tell you where that spot is in any of them. Makes the five star reviews all the sweeter.  Tell us about the featured book.The idea for Feta and Freeways came after finding out a band I’ve always loved, Burlap to Cashmerewas back recording. They’d dropped out of the music scene in the late 90’s, burnt out. Before they could come back though one of the musicians, Johnny, who is a guitar player and cousin to the lead singer and guitar player Steven, was almost killed and spent three weeks in a coma after a brutal attack. They didn’t know if he’d ever play again. Praise God, he can! I fell in love with their music all over again and decided to write a book about the lead singer of the band, named Nikolos. The next one, Root Beer and Roadblocks is due out in February and tells Johnny’s story.

He’d never noticed her…till now.
Nikolos Acton is the lead singer of a Christian Band, Specific Gravity, struggling to make it in the industry after an unplanned break, touring the country with their manager, Tia.
Tia Bartel loved Niko for the longest time, but it wasn’t until she stepped in to save his life that he finally realizes what has been there all along. Is it too late for him? Could a relationship between them work after years of ignoring her? How would he ever convince her he’s worthy of her trust?
As they journey on the freeway of life and love, they encounter struggles as they are forced to rely on their faith, and friends, to make it through.
Please give us the first page of the book. The way to love anything is to realize it may be lost.Gilbert K. ChestertonJuly 2012 Sirens wailed, competing with Nikolos Acton’s voice and guitar as they combined with the band’s groove pounding through the speakers. Usually, nothing invigorated him more than the synergy of the mix of instruments and vocals. But today, as the audience joined in with the singing, what might have been a holy moment was marred by the dissonant sounds outside the tent. They played until the applause of the crowd drowned out the final chord.  “Thank you for coming. Our album is for sale at the back table.” With a wave, Niko turned to his buddies.  Emergency lights pulsed off the cars parked nearby, but the sirens no longer rang in the air.
“Wonder what happened?” Johnny scrunched his eyes as he often did when he concentrated. 
Niko ruffled a towel over his damp curls and shrugged. “Let’s get packed up. I’m sure Tia will fill us in after we’re done signing merchandise and taking photos.” He tossed the sweaty cloth into the bin. Tia’d collect them later. Outdoor summer concerts tended to be hot.
Marc frowned. “Whatever it is happened backstage.” He stepped closer and elbowed Niko. “Any cute blondes catch your eye?”
“Not interested.” Niko rolled his eyes at his bass player.
“Yeah, right.” Sam winked as he packed his guitar and slid his sunglasses back on. It had been an inside joke that flaxen-haired ladies seemed to love Niko and sought him out after every concert. In spite of their Christian faith and venues, some of the women crossed lines, which surprised him. Not only in the provocative clothing they wore but even with their suggestive remarks and innuendos. It definitely made touring a challenge in the struggle to stay pure. 
Niko shook his head at his bandmates. A festival worker in an orange vest motioned for him. 
“Be back in a sec, guys.” He headed over. 
“Nikolos Acton?” 
“Yeah?” 
“We need you out here. There’s been trouble.”
And we want to know what that trouble is, don’t we, Readers? How can readers find you on the Internet?www.susanbaganz.comwww.facebook.com/susanmbaganzwww.twitter.com/susanbaganzwww.pinterest.com/silygoos
Thank you, Susan, 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.Feta and Freeways[image error] - Paperback
Feta and Freeways - Kindle

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, 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[image error]

LOVE'S CHOICE - Ginger Solomon - One Free Ebook

Welcome back, Ginger. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?Good things. God has blessed me to be involved with some great writers in the last year on two different, and successful, boxed sets. He’s also given me story after story to keep the flow going. As of this moment, I do not have any books scheduled to release, but if I can get my health concerns under control, I hope to re-release my Broken Holidays Series as a boxed set and make it available in print in the next month or so. And I would like to get a new Christmas story written and released, but I don’t have much time before it would have to be done, so… *shrug* it might not happen. Such is the flexibility of being an indie author.
Tell us a little about your family.I have the most awesomest (yes, I know it’s not a word, but it’s true) husband and seven children, ages 24-12; five boys and two girls. We all reside in northern Alabama, though, sadly, no longer in the same home. I did my job well, and two of my children have flown the coop with a third looking to move out early next year. I homeschool the youngest three (the others have all graduated). We used to have a menagerie of animals, but for now we are down to one cat, one dog, two turtles, and a flock of chickens.
Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?Haha. Yes. I have less time to read, first of all. And second, I can’t read just any old book and be happy with it. I have always been a grammar nazi (ask my kids) and haven’t been able to read truly awful books, but now I see the big no-nos that I didn’t know about before – head-hopping, using was too often, etc. It makes it hard to enjoy certain books.
I know what you mean. When the story can silence my inner editor, it’s a good one. What are you working on right now?Honestly, nothing. I had surgery to remove a tumor on my pituitary gland just over two weeks ago. I had a set-back a week later and was re-hospitalized, so I am still in recovery mode. I plan to get back into it asap and write that Christmas novella I spoke of above, but it depends on my continued improvement.
I’m sure my readers will join me in praying for your recovery. What outside interests do you have?I love to sing in the choir in my church. I also enjoy playing video games with my sons, coloring in adult coloring books (it’s a great way to brainstorm a book), and various needlecrafts, but I have to be “in the mood” for those. J
How do you choose your settings for each book?For the Belikarian Weddings Series, I originally intended Belikaria to be just outside southern Turkey, but it was a little too Middle-Eastern for my story, so I went searching slightly more toward Europe and found a little island in the Aegean Sea that belongs to Greece. It worked perfectly for my setting. I could incorporate Middle-Eastern and Greek customs and make my own story world.As for my other stories, it sort of comes to me as I’m working out the basics of the story. I know a general setting, maybe, and I search Google maps for a corresponding topographical area, or I set it some place I’ve been.
I think my next few books are going to be based in my home state of Alabama.
If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?I think I’d like to meet Robert Frost. I have loved his poems for a long time, and I wonder what he was thinking when he wrote some of them.
What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?How involved the whole process is. I don’t mind writing. I can handle editing. I can make my own covers. I can even do the multiple blog posts required to market. But “pushing” my books on my friends via Facebook, Twitter, and all the other available social media outlets feels so intrusive. Yes, I want to tell them. Yes, they probably want to hear about them. ONCE. But when do I know? Did they see my announcement post? Re-posting about “me” is hard.
What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?Ahh. To be WITH Him. I went to the ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) Conference this year and sat in on a class that challenged me not only to write better, but to BE better by doing my writing WITH God, allowing Him the reins in my story, listening to His voice tell me where to go, and trusting in the outcome. Even if the story is not like what everyone else writes. Easy in theory. Hard to practice.
Yes, but it makes the stories so much better. I’m not a plotter, but I do have a storyline and a timeline. God often shows me things that improve my stories so much. What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?Never stop learning the craft. Be willing to try something new. Never give up if you feel called to tell a story.
Tell us about the featured book. Love’s Choice is the third and final book in my Belikarian Weddings Series. For those who’ve read books one and two, this is Matthias’s story. Here’s the blurb:
Aileen Najjar joins the royal household when her boss marries the princess. She loves working in the kitchen, but when the head cook allows her to prepare most of the meals, trouble finds her. The handsome head of security turns out to be her ally as she struggles to fit in.
Matthias Firat wants to find the mole who leaked information leading to the attempts on the princess’s life. His attraction to the new kitchen helper prompts him to ask for her help.
When she discovers the truth, it might very well break both their hearts.
Please give us the first page of the book.A sudden movement on one of the security monitors drew Matthias Firat’s attention. What was going on in the kitchen? He leaned forward to get a better look.
Someone stood in front of the stove, stirring something in a large pot. From the back, he couldn’t tell who it was, since most of the women in the kitchen wore black head coverings, blouses, and jeans.
Every few minutes one of the other kitchen servants would walk by and give her a little shove. She didn’t react, just readjusted her stance after each assault.
Another servant started her way. This one shoved harder, and the stirrer bumped into the pot, knocking it over and spilling the contents all over the stove and herself, if her sudden step back was any indication.
He glanced at a different screen with another view of the kitchen. The other women laughed. No one moved to help the stirrer. His gaze shifted back to the original scene. She turned to get some paper towels, and he grunted. Aileen. Pain flitted across her expression as she bent to clean the mess.
Just then Cook walked in, arms flailing. The spoon she always had in her hand waved like she conducted an orchestra. Aileen straightened but kept her gaze aimed at the floor. She nodded a few times but didn’t seem to reply. Cook stomped away, and Aileen resumed her cleaning. Without sound, Matthias had no idea what Cook had said, but by her angry gestures, he doubted it was anything complimentary.
An interesting intro to the story. How can readers find you on the Internet?WebsiteInspy Romance BlogFacebook Author PageTwitter @GingerS219PinterestAmazon Author Page

Thank you, Ginger, for sharing this book with me and my readers.

Readers, here’s a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.
Love's Choice[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

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A ROYAL CHRISTMAS WEDDING - Rachel Hauck - One Free Book

Welcome back, Rachel. You have a lot of books out now. What is your favorite setting to use in your books?Of course I love to write books set in the south since I live in Florida, but I really loved the Royal romance book setting of Brighton Kingdomand the Grand Duchy of Hessenberg. Maybe because I made them up! Ha!
I’ve loved all your books, and the royal romance books are my favorites. What do you look for when you’re shopping for a book to buy for yourself?Premise and opening line are key for me. If the opening line doesn’t catch me, or the premise, I won’t keep reading. I look for well written, well told stories. While I write romance, I do love fiction with a literary, even epic, feel like The Girl On The Train, Nightingale, Me Before You, A Hundred Summers.
Give us a little tour of the setting for this book.
A Royal Christmas Wedding was set in fictional Brighton Kingdom which I placed in the North Sea between England and Germany. It’s an old country with a rich history so I tried to create an ancient as well as modern feel. Lots of traditions. While it’s an island, it’s also mountainous, with high rocky cliffs leading down to the sea. It’s quite beautiful.
I love the stories of the royal series, but the setting is wonderful, too. What other books do you have coming out soon?The Wedding Shop, part of The Wedding Collection, released in August. I’m working on a book for next summer! Stay tuned!
I’ve loved The Wedding Collection, too, especially The Wedding Chapel. Please give us a glimpse inside your home.Ah, I love my house. A gift from the Lord. It’s an older brick home that’s been remolded on the inside. The best part is the office. A two story turret built off the garage by the previous owners who also happen to be friends. We’re blessed.
Is this novel part of a series or a stand-alone book? A Royal Christmas Wedding is the fourth in the Royal Wedding Series.
Tell us about the story. Royal Wedding fans will remember Avery, Susanna’s sister, from Once Upon A Prince. She was a senior in high school when Susanna married King Nathaniel of Brighton Kingdom. She was lively and spunky, and just so happened to fall for one of Nathaniel’s cousins, Prince Colin.
Colin walked into the story as a hero, befriending Avery, and almost falling for her right away.
I knew their story had to be told.
The book opens five years later and well, things haven’t turned out quite the way either of them planned.
Will there be another royal wedding in the Truitt family? Stay tuned!
Please give us the first page of the book.Ah, this is tricky but fun. I open with a prologue!
Brighton Kingdom 1834 PrologueThe night was moonless, the color of black ink, with not one star twinkling from the heavens. The air, cold and brisk, swirled with snow.
The ancients called such darkness the Boot of God. But for Prince Michael, the glow of gaslights lined along the palace grounds and the love beaming in his heart showed him the way.
Lady Charlene offered a challenge. And he aimed to take it.
Running along the perimeter, past the reach of the gaslights, Michael aimed for Pembroke Chapel and its notorious bell tower. “Mick, ole chap, what’s lit your fire?” The voice of his mate Paulson slipped over his shoulder. “The music, the food, pints of bitters, and all the pretty ladies are back in the ballroom, the latter just waiting for a dance with us.”

“Don’t slow me, Pauls. I’m going to ring the chapel bell.”
Michael worked the heavy iron latch of the tower’s door until it sprang open.
“What? You jest. And what unsuspecting damsel will be the object of your unwanted affection?” Paulson’s steps neared, his breathing heavy, his lantern giving some light.
“If I tell you, what will be the mystery?” Michael started up the slick stone steps of Pembroke Chapel bell tower in the dark, feeling his way and balancing with his hand on the rickety wood railing.
Tonight he wanted nothing more than to ring the chapel bell at midnight—according to the Harvest Celebration tradition—declaring his love for Lady Charlene and intention to marry her on Christmas Day.
One hundred and eighty-two narrow steps and he’d arrive at the top of the tower.
Paulson’s voice echoed from below. “If you ring that bell, everyone will want to know who is your intended. You won’t escape, ole man. What of your father? He’ll have a word or two to say.”
“He’ll discover the truth on Christmas morn. Like everyone else. Who am I to break with a good Brighton tradition by revealing the woman of my affection?”
At the top, Michael butted against a door, forcing the rusty hinges to give way until he stood under the four-hundred-year-old bell.
Paulson arrived a moment later, the lantern swinging from his hand, the golden light reflecting in his wide smile. “There’s your bell. What seems to be the delay, my good man?” He motioned to the bell cord. “Or did you knock some sense into yourself banging against the door?”
“The cord . . .” Michael yanked on the twisted hemp rope attached to a hook in the tower stone. “It won’t budge. It’s frozen.”
“Thank the heavens, you’re saved.”
“I don’t want to be saved.” Michael, determined, rubbed his hands together, gripped the rope, and leaned, pulling his muscles taut under his winter coat.
Since my book hasn’t arrived, I am eager to find out what comes next. How can readers find you on the Internet?Go to www.rachelhauck.com and from there, connect with me on social media.
Thank you, Rachel, for allowing me to feature another royal wedding series book on my blog. I love them and I know my readers do, too.
Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog. [image error]A Royal Christmas Wedding (Royal Wedding Series)[image error] - Kindle
A Royal Christmas Wedding - Audio

Comment conversation starter questions: Have you read any of Rachel's Royal Wedding series? If so, which is your favorite?

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:
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THE CAPTIVE HEART - Michelle Griep - One Free Book

Welcome back, Michelle. Tell us about your salvation experience.I lived in the ’hood growing up, so my mom didn’t allow me to go anywhere by myself. Ever. One morning I was in the front yard playing by myself. A school bus pulled up to the curb and the driver swung open the door. He said, “Hey, little girl, do you want to go to Sunday school?” I didn’t know what that was but it sounded better than pushing my baby doll around in a stroller. I ran in the house and asked if I could go, and lo and behold . . . my mom said yes. Reflecting back on this event, that was a miracle of Red Sea proportion because that woman seriously never let me go anywhere. I attended Sunday school that day and every week thereafter, hearing about Jesus, and never doubting a word of it.
You’re planning a writing retreat where you can only have four other authors. Who would they be and why?Carl Sandburg, which may be tricky since he’s dead. But his poetry blows me away. His rhythm. His perspective. Awesome.
Okay, back to the living. I kind of have a literary crush on Travis Thrasher. He has a way of describing everyday things we take for granted in a fresh, new way. I want to learn how to do that.
MaryLu Tyndall is one of my favorite historical romance writers. I’d invite her because she’s one of the sweetest, most gracious people I’ve ever met. She’s such an encouragement.
Anne Voskamp, while not a fiction writer, is an amazingly creative inspirational author. The way she puts words together is amazing.
Do you have a speaking ministry? If so, tell us about that.I try to avoid public speaking as much as possible. It gives me hives. No, really. Super itchy welts because it’s so terrifying. That being said, I have been known to speak to writers groups.
What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you and how did you handle it?Really? I really have to answer this? Sheesh. Okay, let’s get this over with quickly. I was tubing down the Apple River in Wisconsinwith my husband-to-be. We went over some rapids and I lost something. Or part of something. The top part. Moral of the story: Always wear a one-piece bathing suit with snug shoulder straps. My fiancé’s eyes widened and he quickly pulled me off the tube and into the water so that I could fix the wardrobe malfunction in private.
People are always telling me that they’d like to write a book someday. I’m sure they do to you, too. What would you tell someone who came up to you and said that?I’d say someday never comes, so quit talking about it and just do it. There’s never a “right” time to write a book. Life never slows down. Stop using busy as an excuse.
Tell us about the featured book. The wild American wilderness is no place for an elegant English governess.
On the run from a cruel British aristocratic employer, Eleanor Morgan escapes to America, the land of the free, for the opportunity to serve an upstanding Charles Town family. But freedom is hard to come by as an indentured servant, and downright impossible when she’s forced to agree to an even harsher contract—marriage to a man she’s never met.
Backwoodsman Samuel Heath doesn’t care what others think of him—but his young daughter’s upbringing matters very much. The life of a trapper in the Carolina backcountry is no life for a small girl, but neither is abandoning his child to another family. He decides it’s time to marry again, but that proves to be an impossible task. Who wants to wed a murderer?
Both Samuel and Eleanor are survivors, facing down the threat of war, betrayal, and divided loyalties that could cost them everything, but this time they must face their biggest challenge ever ... Love.
Please give us the first page of the book.London, England, February 1770My precious Lord;
My only hope;
My Saviour, how I need You now.
Eleanor Morgan repeated the words, over and over, scrubbing her fingernails more vigorously with each repetition. Prayer was always better than blood. Perhaps if she focused on the simple child’s verse she taught her charges, she wouldn’t feel like heaving. She bit her lip, trapping a scream behind her teeth. A merciless idea. Better had she cried out at the unfairness of it all, for now blood wasn’t merely under her nails. Saltiness warmed the tip of her tongue.
A rap on her chamber door stopped her scrubbing. The nailbrush clattered into the basin, her heart into her stomach. Before she could think, she turned and snatched one of the brass candlesticks off the bureau. Hot wax spilled onto her skin, the pain barely registering. Duke or not, this time she’d do more than scratch the man’s face. Lecher. Beast. She raised the makeshift weapon, the flame extinguishing as the door swung open.
A tiny woman in a lace wrap entered. Eleanor choked. The candlestick slipped from her hand and crashed to the floor.
My precious Lord;
My only hope;
Duchess Brougham’s gaze darted to the rolling candlestick, then back to Eleanor’s face. One of her brows lifted.
Eleanor rushed forward and sank to her knees in front of the woman, not caring to grab a dressing gown to cover her shift. Why bother? Humiliation was cloak enough. “Your Grace, I swear I did not encourage your husband’s advances. Please, you must believe me. I would never—”
“Rise, Miss Morgan.” The lady waited until Eleanor stood on shaky legs, a single furrow marring her forehead. Was that compassion on her face. . .or resentment?
Duchess Brougham sighed, long and loud, as if she might expel whatever demon anguished her soul.
Eleanor knew she ought say something, but all her words dried up and blew away like the last leaf of autumn.
Slowly, the lady’s mouth curved into a fragile smile. “Did you not wonder, Miss Morgan, why we have had four governesses in the space of a year?”
Eleanor grimaced. She would have inquired had not pride muddled her thinking. The position of governess in a duke’s household didn’t seem nearly as prestigious anymore. La, what a foolish dolt she’d become.
You’ll never aspire to anything higher than a trollop, girl.
The sting of her father’s prophecy slapped her with more brutal force than she’d dealt her employer. She lifted fingertips to her own cheek, coaxing out a whispered confession. “I assumed lack on the part of the other women, Your Grace, and for that I am woefully repentant.”
Duchess Brougham’s eyes glinted with an odd intensity. “The lack is in my husband. I had hoped that this time. . .for you see, the children dearly love you—” Her voice cracked, and she shook her head. “It is a sorry business, but there is nothing to be done for it. For your sake, Miss Morgan, you should leave. Now. Walk out the door and do not come back.”
Wow! I want to read more. How can readers find you on the Internet?If you’d like to keep up with my escapades, find me at www.michellegriep.com or www.writerofftheleash.blogspot.comor stalk me on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.

Thank you, Michelle, for sharing this book with us. I'm eager to read it.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
 - Amazon
The Captive Heart - 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

RESTORING CHRISTMAS - Cynthia Ruchti - One Free Book

Dear Readers, I was hooked on Cynthia Ruchti books when her first novel was published. Now I wait eagerly for the next one to come out. I loved last year’s Christmas book. I haven’t read this one, because my copy hasn’t arrived yet, but it will go to the top of my to-be-read pile.
Welcome back, Cynthia. Why did you become an author?I was motivated to become an author because of the way the written word impacted my life, the way story changed me, moved me, educated me, expanded my compassion and understanding. I longed to be able to interpret life through words for someone else, for my readers.
If you weren’t an author, what would be your dream job?Such a difficult question for me. Sometimes I think I could be happy as a wedding planner, or a photographer, or a florist. At one time, I went back to college with the goal of becoming an elementary school teacher. But there’s something to be said for pursuing a career as a secret Bed and Breakfast inspector.
If you could have lived at another time in history, what would it be and why?Before Downton Abbeycaptured my attention, I might have answered differently. I might have chosen a Little House on the Prairie time period, despite its challenges. But the costumes, the immaculate manners, the culture, and the architect of the Downton Abbey aristocracy—minus the arrogance, secrets, and drama—is captivating to the imagination.
What place in the United Stateshave you not visited that you would like to?Hawaii. Someday. Someday…
How about a foreign country you hope to visit?Italy and Franceare running neck-and-neck on my wish list.
What lesson has the Lord taught you recently?At the recent ACFW conference, Ted Dekker challenged us to consider God’s admonition that our spiritual survival depends on “renewing our minds” applies to all areas of our lives. That had a significant impact on the way I view disappointments and distresses.
Tell us about the featured book. Restoring Christmas is the story of a woman who sets out to restore a neglected fieldstone farmhouse and earn herself a spot on the Heart-and-Home Christmas renovation special. What she doesn’t expect is to restore a life.
Alexis Blake has one chance to land her own show on the Heart-and-Home network and nothing—not an uncooperative client, a job site without indoor plumbing, or a challenging videographer—is going to stand in her way.
Elsie, at seventy-plus, is far from the ideal client, but she knows exactly what she wants her fieldstone house to look like, and no designer can tell her otherwise.
Gabe Langley, the man with the camera, is caught in the middle, and it is his wisdom and warmth that just may be the bridge that will bring these two women together. Can they restore more than just a house and save Christmas memories from being lost forever?
Please give us the first page of the book.Roasted chestnut latte? How can that be a bad thing?            Alexis Blake shuffled forward in line as two of the three customers ahead of her finished paying for their beverages. The only person left now in the chasm between her and coffee stepped up to place his order. A defensive linebacker-sized guy with espresso hair curling over his collar. Alexis caught sight of the chalkboard boasting the Caffé Tlazo breakfast special of the day. Wild mushroom and crispy shallot quiche. Not her typical organic yogurt and blueberry quick-fix breakfast. And not what she expected from an unpretentious café in an unpretentious town along the western shore of Lake Michigan.            Algoma. She rehearsed it in her head for the sake of any sensitive locals: Al (as in Pal) GO-muh.The town might have shared Lake Michigan with Chicago more than two hundred miles to the south, but it had little else in common with the metropolis. Alexis hadn’t seen much more of shore-hugging Algoma than what edged the road that brought her to town. The highway wove through farmland and orchards, slowing her down with interspersed villages clustered around a cheese factory, winery, or connection to the “Old Country.”             She’d sat at the stop sign in Algoma too long where Highway 54 decided it was done, the highway creators as startled by the view as she was, apparently. The road teed with a wide-sweeping vista of Lake Michigan and the curious, skinny red lighthouse at the tip of the breakwater. Turning south at the tee would have taken her toward Kewaunee by way of Alaska. The town, not the state. North led to the heart of her destination, home to the most important client she’d never met. Would soon meet. Right after Alexis signed the contract with the videographer.
After a flood of email exchanges, she was about to meet the local videographer who could either propel her career forward or ruin it.            While she waited for the linebacker to finish gabbing with the barista, she checked the clock on her phone. Fifteen minutes. She had fifteen minutes to place her order and get settled before George Langley arrived. Not much breathing space, but the drive from Green Bay, across the stubby base of Wisconsin’s thumb, took longer than expected. As had picking out an outfit that said “confident but approachable.” She unbuttoned her wool coat. Late October. Too warm for wool. Too cold for a lighter jacket.            Alexis scanned the customers already seated. As eclectic a mix as the artsy décor. Nobody matched the description of the George Langley she’d seen on the website, a man with silver hair, distinctive bushy eyebrows, and sparkling deep-water eyes.The chatty guy in front of her turned after slipping a dollar into the tip jar and headed toward the small, mismatched tables scattered throughout the compact café. A room that looked as if it had lived an earlier life as a screened-in porch held additional tables and chairs—slate-topped wrought iron, patio-style.            No. No, no, no.The ex-football player chose the one table he couldn’t have, the one by the windows in the southeast corner. The spot where she and George were destined to plot out the next eight weeks of her life, and maybe longer. Maybe the next eight, ten, twenty years, if the audition video went well. No. This guy could not have that table.            She corrected the details of her fumbled order—her fault—focused on the task at hand, added more to the tip jar, and launched herself toward the corner table.            “Excuse me, sir. Would you mind moving to another spot? I’m meeting someone here.” She tapped the slate tabletop with her index finger. “Here.”            “No can do.”            Nice smile. Nice try.“I’d really appreciate it. I’ve never met the man before and…”            “Blind date, huh? Breakfastblind date?” He nodded as if contemplating. “Uncommon, but not unwise.”            A waitress set a blue-green and chocolate brown pottery mug in front of the irritant. The foamed milk on top sported a design that looked like a cross between a heart and a fern leaf. Classy touch.            “It’s a business meeting,” Alexis said, pulling her laptop case off her shoulder as if that would convince him.            “Me, too. Here. Right”—he tapped with his index finger—“here.”
I love this opening, Cynthia. How can readers find you on the Internet?I love to keep in contact with readers through facebook.com/CynthiaRuchtiReaderPage, twitter.com/cynthiaruchti, or my website—http://www.cynthiaruchti.com

Thank you, Cynthia, for sharing this holiday treat with us. By the way, I love your new headshot.

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

 - Amazon hardcover
Restoring Christmas: A Novella - Kindle

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, 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[image error]

THE HONORABLE HEIR - Laurie Alice Eakes - One Free Book

Dear Readers, I’ve known Laurie Alice Eakes for decades. We were in a Heartsong Presents novel series together. Lisa Harris was the third author. They were set in Iowa after the Civil War. Later the three books were released as a collection Wild Prairie Roses. I have loved Laurie Alice’s novels since then.
She has recently relocated to a cold climate because she is weird enough to like snow and icy lake water. When she isn’t basking in the glory of being cold, she likes to read, visit museums, and take long walks, preferably with her husband, though the cats make her feel guilty every time she leaves the house.
Welcome back, Laurie Alice. How did this book come about?A couple of years ago, some ladies wanted to write a group series with Tuxedo Park, New York as the setting. The Tuxedo Club was an exclusive gated community built for the rich people of New York. It’s a pretty spectacular place, or was at the time. The father of Emily Post, the author of Etiquette, was the main architect on the project.
Tell us about the book’s cover and what makes it unique.Waterfall creates some truly beautiful covers. This depicts my heroine as a woman between mourning for her husband and breaking back into society. She is headed for a ball in the lovely Tuxedo Park clubhouse.
Please explain and differentiate between what’s fact and fiction in the book.What’s fact? The setting. The gated community, the clubhouse, the annual autumn ball, the December charity tea are all real places and events. The tennis club and skating on the lake, including the use of skating chairs, are also real. That Emily Post drove down to the train station every day to pick up her husband, who was usually not on the train, is from her biography. The person mentioned who doesn’t have a telephone was a real resident without a telephone. That people were beginning to call for invitations is real, and the way Thanksgiving was celebrated happened. Thanksgiving at this time was state by state and not yet a national holiday.
Fiction: The events of the story other than those mentioned above, are not true to my knowledge.
How much research did you have to do for this book? I researched a great deal for this book, from reading all of Emily Post’s original version of Etiquette, to books on the houses of the Tuxedo Club, to a biography of Emily Post, who grew up and then resided in the Tuxedo Club well into her adulthood, to a book called To Marry an English Lord. Then I had to read up on the dress of the day, the Boer War, which effected the hero, and other details like that. I loved reading about ice skating at the turn of the century, including the skating chairs. Very weird contraptions.
What are some of the most interesting things you found about this subject that you weren’t able to use in the story?Most of what I read couldn’t possibly make place in the story, of course, and I touched on as many things as I could to give an authentic flavor of the time and place and people.
What inspired and surprised you while you were writing the book?I was surprised how interesting Etiquette was to read. One would think a book on manners would be boring, and it wasn’t in the least. Mrs. Post had a great sense of humor and sense of irony and a wonderful way with words. She wrote novels, which I didn’t know. One day I will read them.
What do you hope the reader takes away from the story?The understanding that one can put the past behind and begin a new life. It may take work and changed behavior, and mistakes can be gotten over.
What is the next project you’re working on?I have another book coming out in November, My Enemy, My Heart, a long historical with an American heroine trapped in England during the War of 1812, and I am working on the publisher’s edits on the second book in the series coming out next spring.
What do you do when you have to get away from the story for a while?Read books in a wholly separate genre, go for walks, sometimes I even clean house.
Please give us the first page of the book.November 1, 1900“The young widow should wear deep crepe for a year and then lighter mourning for six months and second mourning for six months longer. There is nothing more utterly captivating than a sweet young face under a widow’s veil, and it is not to be wondered at that her own loneliness and need of sympathy, combined with all that is appealing to sympathy in a man, results in the healing of her heart. She should, however, never remain in mourning for her first husband after she has decided she can be consoled by a second.” Emily Price Post
She felt his gaze upon her from the instant she stepped into the clubhouse ballroom. That ballroom, all white pillars and blue velvet benches around the circular walls, fell silent the moment Catherine VanDorn, now LadHer heart skipped a beat. Her gold-shod feet stumbled. Skin-deep cold from the rainy November evening crept through to her bones, and for the first time that evening, she accepted that Mama was correct to tell her not to wear the mauve satin ball gown a mere thirteen months after her husband’s death. It was too bright, too frivolous, proclaiming, however falsely, that the debutante who had departed from Tuxedo Park in triumph on the arm of an English lord, a scandal in her wake, intended to seek a new husband.
How can readers find you on the Internet?http://www.lauriealiceeakes.comWhere you can find excerpts of my books.http://www.twitter.com/@LaurieAEakesWhere I keep people up-to-date on my life.http://www.facebook.com/AuthorLaurieAliceEakes/Where I have contests fairly regularly, call-outs for my street teams on books, give away books randomly, and just feed some news.
Thank you, Laurie Alice, for sharing this book with us. I'm eager for my copy to arrive so I can read the story.
Readers, Laurie Alice is in the middle of a move from Texas to a northern state, so she may not be able to comment very often on the blog, if at all. However, she will come and read the comments at some time in the future when she can. She will love to hear from you.

Comments conversation starter questions: Have you read any of Laurie Alice's previous books? Which one was your favorite?
Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.The Honorable Heir[image error] - Paperback
The Honorable Heir[image error] - Kindle
The Honorable Heir - Audio

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[image error]

DEAD BROKE - Linda Fulkerson - One Free Book

Dear Readers, I loved this book, and not just because it takes place in my home state and I recognized so many places I’d been. If you love a good mystery/suspense, this book is for you.
Welcome, Linda. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.The protagonist in my River Valley Mysteries series, (Andrea “Andy” Warren), is a combination of mine and my daughter’s personalities. She is a freelance sports photographer. I was once a newspaper sports writer, and my father was a professional photographer, so I drew on my knowledge of those careers as I wrote.
That’s why they rang true as authentic. What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?I enlisted into the Marine Corps on a dare. I served for nine years.
Wow! When did you first discover that you were a writer?I became interested in writing while I was a copy-editor for our small town newspaper. I soon started writing features for local magazines and began querying major national magazines. I quickly collected many generic, photo-copied rejection slips. One day, I received a rejection letter from an editor at Woman’s Day that was signed in ink with a hand-written note in the margin about what a great idea my pitch was, but, she explained, it just wasn’t something they needed at that time. I was so excited to get a real note from an editor that I danced around the house, waving the letter. My family thought it was an acceptance letter and didn’t understand why I was so excited about a rejection notice. Getting a personal note meant my query had made it past the slush pile onto the desk of a real editor whose name actually appeared on the magazine’s masthead. That’s the day I told myself, “I can do this!”
Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.My favorite genres are mystery and fantasy, but I read a lot of historical romance, too. I appreciate any book that can quickly pull me into the life of an interesting character. My two all-time favorite classic authors are Raymond Chandler and Mark Twain. I also love reading authors who use unique ways to describe common situations or emotions. Douglas Adams was a master at that. I enjoy humor and try to include it in my writing. My favorite nonfiction authors are Erma Bombeck and Robert Fulghum. I read a lot of writing craft books, too, and James Scott Bell is the absolute best at explaining various aspects of craft. For Christian fiction, my favorite authors include Kristin Billerbeck, Frank Peretti, Susan May Warren, and many others. I’ve learned to never start a Susan May Warren book unless I can devote enough time to finish it, because I typically read her books in one sitting.
How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?I start nearly every morning with a 2-mile walk through the woods (we live in the country) with my husband, and I take a nap every day from 1-1:30 pm. That gives me the extra oomph I need to be productive until bedtime, which for us, is 1 am. (Hubby works second shift.) I try to take life one day at a time and rarely stress. Like everyone else, I stay incredibly busy between church and family, my digital marketing services/graphics design company, consulting/coaching, speaking engagements, and writing. I start each day by making a to-do list and march down it as much as possible. Things with a deadline get done first. Things that don’t get done get put at the top of the next day’s list. But the main thing that keeps me sane is trusting in God’s promise that everything will work out for the good.
How do you choose your characters’ names?For the mystery series, most of the names popped into my head – names I like, names I’ve heard throughout the years. I keep a spreadsheet of character names, descriptions, speech patterns, occupations, relationships to other characters, etc., for quick reference so I won’t get confused on future books in the series. I’m working on another series in a speculative genre (dystopian), and I did research on names with specific meanings. I used Latin and Hebrew names for both the characters and place names. The first book in that series is still in progress.
What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?Raising four children to adulthood, who are all Christians and who are all self-sufficient, is something for which I’m extremely grateful, but, of course, my husband played a huge role in that feat. Personally, it would be my first book, The Prodigal Daughter: Hope for Runaway Christians and Those Who Await Their Return, a memoir my mother encouraged me to write.
If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?LOL – probably my dog (an 11-year-old miniature dachshund). She is spoiled beyond belief and sits on my lap while I write.
What is your favorite food?Pizza with sausage, mushrooms, and onions. Oh, and Dr Pepper.
What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?I’ve had a lot of challenges with writing during the past two years due to health issues for both of my parents. They both passed away during the past year, just nine months apart. I guess my biggest roadblock was guilt from wanting to keep writing while still helping take care of my parents, so I had to learn to juggle my work instead of setting aside large blocks of writing time, which is what I was used to doing.
My mother encouraged me to keep writing. Even though she had late-stage cancer, she would ask what I was working on and how it was coming along. One of the biggest barriers for me was learning to write in locations other than the comfort of my desk chair, such as my car and/or hospital waiting rooms.  
With God’s help and encouragement from my family, especially my daughter, to publish one novel, two nonfiction books, and two coloring books for writers during the past year.
Tell us about the featured book. DEAD BROKE is Book One of my River Valley Mysteries series, which features a spunky protagonist and a quirky community. I’d read a few of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum books, which were fun and well-written, but they include a lot of foul language and sexual content. I decided Christian audiences needed something similar without being subject to the sex scenes or bad language, so I started brainstorming ideas for a mystery series.
Tagline: Sometimes home is sweeter when it’s in a different time zone.
Blurb: Sports photographer Andrea “Andy” Warren, whose faith has dipped to the same depths as her checkbook balance, receives a phone call that forces her return to the Arkansashometown she renounced, where she hopes to avoid her meddling mother, her ex-fiancé, and the local sheriff.
Please give us the first page of the book for my readers.The only force with sufficient power to propel my feet forward is the inescapable awareness of my checkbook balance. The figure pounds inside my head like the beat of a bad disco song, and I find myself moving in step with its cadence. Constance, you owe me for this one. In reality, I owe her. But who wants to muddle a perfectly good mope-fest with the facts?

After a mental pep rally, I suck in a deep breath, adjust my camera bag’s shoulder strap, and take another step. I can do this.
I stride into the shadow of the hulking arena, grateful for the momentary reprieve the shade provides from the Phoenix heat. Loose change shimmers from the depths of a decorative fountain near the entrance, tempting passersby to toss in a coin or two. No sense wasting the few cents I have, though. My wish won’t come true.

My new Jimmy Choo slides clap against the concrete floor as I make my way through the VIP tunnel. At the corridor’s mid-point, a man wearing a black T-shirt emblazoned with the Week Night Wrestling logo sits behind a table marked ‘Security.’ He’s a burly guy, bald, with gray stubble, and looks to be nearing sixty. Probably a WNW has-been who won’t let go.
A roar from the crowd invades the passageway. The noise bounces off the walls and reverberates in my ears. I flip open my wallet to reveal media credentials, lean toward the guard, and
How can readers find you on the Internet?The easiest place to find me is my website, LindaFulkerson.com. Just above the site’s footer, you can find links to all my social media profiles – Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Google+, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Instagram. I’d love for people to connect with me on their favorite social media platform(s).
Thank you, Linda, for sharing this book with us. I am eager for the next book to come out. We need to feature it on the blog, too.
Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.

Paperback:

Dead Broke (River Valley Mysteries Book 1)[image error] - Kindle

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