Lena Nelson Dooley's Blog, page 151
June 20, 2016
TO HEAL A COWBOY'S HEART - Janet Lee Barton - One Free Ebook
Dear Readers, I'm sorry to be so late posting this. I slept late this morning after a Father's Day filled with church and fun activities. James and I went to two different celebrations with parts of our family. The first one had to happen earlier, because our younger grandson had to go to work before the celebration at his sister's house.
As I’ve told you before, Janet is a good friend of mine. I don’t see her as often as I’d like to, because she lives in Oklahoma and I live in Texas, but my husband and I love spending time with her and her husband. Her recent books have been historical romances. This one is a contemporary, and there’s a cowboy involved. What’s not to love?
Welcome back, Janet. Tell us about your salvation experience.I can’t remember when I didn’t believe in the Lord. I was raised in the church and I became a Christian when I was twelve years old when my cousin and I were baptized on the same day. So very thankful for God’s plan for our salvation through His Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ.
You’re planning a writing retreat where you can only have four other authors. Who would they be and why? Oh, Lena, I know so many wonderful authors I would love to spend time with. I can’t name just four. J
I know what you mean. I’d have a hard time answering this question myself. Doyou have a speaking ministry? If so, tell us about that.I don’t have a speaking ministry, but I love talking about the Lord, and about how blessed we are to have salvation and the hope and promise of having a home in Heaven through Jesus Christ.
What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you and how did you handle it?Lol. Happened when I was around fourteen, and it’s still too embarrassing to tell. Really.
Now you’ve really piqued my curiosity. 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 tell them to go for it. But to learn all they can about writing and to develop a good writing habit. To go to conferences so that they can learn from professionals, meet other writers, agents, and editors. And to keep the joy in it.
That’s all good advice, but that last phrase is essential. Tell us about the featured book.After her aunt suffers a stroke, Sierra Ramsey comes home to stay in Golden Creek, determined to stay but dreading to run into the man she’d once loved and then walked out on—without telling him why. Even though she thought she was doing the right thing for his sake, she’s lived to regret it. But the reasons why haven’t changed, and she can’t see how things would ever have worked for them.
When she finds he’s now a widower with a child, by a chance meeting with his mother-in-law, her heart breaks once more that he’d made a life for himself fairly soon after she left. But when her aunt tells her all the family has gone through and then Clint’s mother-in-law telephones that evening and offers her a job she needs as badly as they need help, compassion and common sense win out, and Sierra finds herself accepting against her better judgment.
When Clint finds out his mother-in-law has hired Sierra as a nanny to his daughter, he’s livid and is determined to find a way to let Sierra go. That is, until his young daughter takes to her in a way she’s never taken to anyone else and his in-laws accept her with open arms. For the sake of the family he loves, he tries to accept that the Lord has sent Sierra to help them in a time of need and prays she doesn’t run out and leave his little girl—or anyone else heartbroken.
It doesn’t take long until the two realize that they never stopped loving one another, but can they face the past and find a way back to what they once were, or will there be hearts left broken once more?
Please give us the first page of the book.The moment Sierra Ramsey walked into Myers Drugstore with her aunt, it seemed as if the last three and a half years of her life faded away and she’d never left her home town. The medicinal smell, mixed with the sweet aroma of the perfume a woman was trying on at the cosmetics counter, took her back to her high school days. She and her friends would come in on weekends and sample the newest fragrances before their dates that night. She’d spent many an hour at the old fashioned soda fountain, and it pleased her to see that there were still fourteen stools along the bar and seven booths across from them. At least a few things had stayed the same. Memories of sharing a sundae with Clint at one of those booths suddenly surfaced. They’d been to a movie and come in afterward. They were laughing and talking about the movie when he reached across the booth and wiped some chocolate off her bottom lip. She could almost feel his touch, see the look in his eyes—
No. Sierra shook her head. She couldn’t let herself start thinking of him just because she was home again. She pulled her thoughts back to the present and concentrated on getting her aunt to the pharmacy counter at the back of the store.
You really hooked my interest with this page. How can readers find you on the Internet?Readers can find me at www.janetleebarton.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janetleebartonbooks/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JanetLeeBarton
Thank you, Janet, for sharing this new ebook with us.
Readers, here’s a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.To Heal a Cowboy's Heart (Golden Creek Book 2)[image error]
Comments question: Do you like cowboy novels? Which is your favorite -- historical or contemporary?
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. (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
As I’ve told you before, Janet is a good friend of mine. I don’t see her as often as I’d like to, because she lives in Oklahoma and I live in Texas, but my husband and I love spending time with her and her husband. Her recent books have been historical romances. This one is a contemporary, and there’s a cowboy involved. What’s not to love?
Welcome back, Janet. Tell us about your salvation experience.I can’t remember when I didn’t believe in the Lord. I was raised in the church and I became a Christian when I was twelve years old when my cousin and I were baptized on the same day. So very thankful for God’s plan for our salvation through His Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ.You’re planning a writing retreat where you can only have four other authors. Who would they be and why? Oh, Lena, I know so many wonderful authors I would love to spend time with. I can’t name just four. J
I know what you mean. I’d have a hard time answering this question myself. Doyou have a speaking ministry? If so, tell us about that.I don’t have a speaking ministry, but I love talking about the Lord, and about how blessed we are to have salvation and the hope and promise of having a home in Heaven through Jesus Christ.
What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you and how did you handle it?Lol. Happened when I was around fourteen, and it’s still too embarrassing to tell. Really.
Now you’ve really piqued my curiosity. 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 tell them to go for it. But to learn all they can about writing and to develop a good writing habit. To go to conferences so that they can learn from professionals, meet other writers, agents, and editors. And to keep the joy in it.
That’s all good advice, but that last phrase is essential. Tell us about the featured book.After her aunt suffers a stroke, Sierra Ramsey comes home to stay in Golden Creek, determined to stay but dreading to run into the man she’d once loved and then walked out on—without telling him why. Even though she thought she was doing the right thing for his sake, she’s lived to regret it. But the reasons why haven’t changed, and she can’t see how things would ever have worked for them. When she finds he’s now a widower with a child, by a chance meeting with his mother-in-law, her heart breaks once more that he’d made a life for himself fairly soon after she left. But when her aunt tells her all the family has gone through and then Clint’s mother-in-law telephones that evening and offers her a job she needs as badly as they need help, compassion and common sense win out, and Sierra finds herself accepting against her better judgment.
When Clint finds out his mother-in-law has hired Sierra as a nanny to his daughter, he’s livid and is determined to find a way to let Sierra go. That is, until his young daughter takes to her in a way she’s never taken to anyone else and his in-laws accept her with open arms. For the sake of the family he loves, he tries to accept that the Lord has sent Sierra to help them in a time of need and prays she doesn’t run out and leave his little girl—or anyone else heartbroken.
It doesn’t take long until the two realize that they never stopped loving one another, but can they face the past and find a way back to what they once were, or will there be hearts left broken once more?
Please give us the first page of the book.The moment Sierra Ramsey walked into Myers Drugstore with her aunt, it seemed as if the last three and a half years of her life faded away and she’d never left her home town. The medicinal smell, mixed with the sweet aroma of the perfume a woman was trying on at the cosmetics counter, took her back to her high school days. She and her friends would come in on weekends and sample the newest fragrances before their dates that night. She’d spent many an hour at the old fashioned soda fountain, and it pleased her to see that there were still fourteen stools along the bar and seven booths across from them. At least a few things had stayed the same. Memories of sharing a sundae with Clint at one of those booths suddenly surfaced. They’d been to a movie and come in afterward. They were laughing and talking about the movie when he reached across the booth and wiped some chocolate off her bottom lip. She could almost feel his touch, see the look in his eyes—
No. Sierra shook her head. She couldn’t let herself start thinking of him just because she was home again. She pulled her thoughts back to the present and concentrated on getting her aunt to the pharmacy counter at the back of the store.
You really hooked my interest with this page. How can readers find you on the Internet?Readers can find me at www.janetleebarton.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janetleebartonbooks/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JanetLeeBarton
Thank you, Janet, for sharing this new ebook with us.
Readers, here’s a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.To Heal a Cowboy's Heart (Golden Creek Book 2)[image error]
Comments question: Do you like cowboy novels? Which is your favorite -- historical or contemporary?
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. (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
June 19, 2016
WINNERS!!!!!
Readers, sorry I'm late getting these posted. We had a wonderful service this morning. Then this afternoon/evening, we had two separate Father's Day celebrations with family members. What a wonderful day.
Wendy (FL) is the winner of A Nanny for Keeps by Janet Lee Barton.
Abigail (NC) is the winner of Medical Judgment by Richard Mabry, MD.
Becky (MO) is the winner of Captured by Dennis Jernigan.
Amanda J (FL) is the winner of No Other Will Do by Karen Witemeyer.
Laurie B (WI) is the winner of Dawn at Emberwilde by Sarah E Ladd.
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.
Wendy (FL) is the winner of A Nanny for Keeps by Janet Lee Barton.
Abigail (NC) is the winner of Medical Judgment by Richard Mabry, MD.
Becky (MO) is the winner of Captured by Dennis Jernigan.
Amanda J (FL) is the winner of No Other Will Do by Karen Witemeyer.
Laurie B (WI) is the winner of Dawn at Emberwilde by Sarah E Ladd.
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.
June 17, 2016
COLORING THE SCRIPTURES - Michelle Stimpson - One Free Coloring Book
Dear Readers, my friend, Michelle Stimpson, has created a scriptures coloring book. I know you’ve enjoyed her books I’ve featured. Just before I had my second knee-replacement surgery was Adult Coloring Week. Some coloring pages were online for people to print.
I’ve always loved coloring. I colored with my children and grandchildren. Then it became hard to find coloring books with pretty pictures in them. I printed up the pages and bought markers and crayons. I had artist’s coloring pencils. I put all this in my bag to go to rehab when I did. You only do rehab about two hours a day, and I knew I’d want something to keep me busy when I felt a little better.
Since then, I’ve acquired several coloring books for adults. This will be a good addition to my collection.
Welcome back, Michelle. You’ve spent most of your career writing Christian novels and novellas. Why a coloring book now?Writers need relaxation, too! I’m not a big television-watcher, so I’m kind of getting into this coloring thing during my down-time. I also wanted to combine my coloring time with meditation. What better way than to incorporate the scriptures? I dabble here and there in graphic design, so I decided to give it a try.
Do you use markers or colored pencils when you color?I mostly use Crayola® markers because they don’t bleed through pages often. I’ve tried colored pencils, but I get tired of sharpening them, so that’s out. If I come across a coloring book where the markers bleed through, I just put a sheet of paper between the page I’m working on and the next page.
When the Inspire Bible, which has illustrated verses to color in it, released earlier this year, I bought one. While I’m coloring the picture, I’m memorizing the verse. I use gel pens for things I want highlighted in the verse. Why do you think so many adults are turning to coloring these days?Well, this coloring craze began with the art therapy movement some time around the 1940s. But I think it goes back beyond this relatively new form of psychological intervention. Our Heavenly Father is very creative. He’s created so many beautiful things in the earth. We don’t have to look for in order to behold His majesty. As His children, we’re much like Him in our desire to create beauty. Coloring is simply one more way to express our creativity as well.
Did you create the designs in the book by hand?Well, that depends on what you mean by “by hand.” I clicked “by hand” and purchased some of the backgrounds—LOL! But no, I’m not much for drawing. Everything was done by purchasing fonts and background designs, then manipulating them through graphics software.
Will you be making another coloring book?I’m thinking about it. When I’m sitting at a booth selling books, people will buy a coloring book often before they’ll buy a chapter book. The coloring books are quite a novelty, so I’ll pray about it and see where it goes!
Can children enjoy this coloring book, too?Certainly! While most of the designs would take hours for anyone to complete, the book does contain some less intricate designs that would be great for kids.
How can my readers find you on the Internet?My contact info: www.MichelleStimpson.comstimpson.michelle@gmail.comLink to the book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Coloring-Scriptures-Verses-Bible-Color/dp/1943563047
Thank you, Michelle, for sharing this with my blog readers.
Comment question to answer: Have you tried adult coloring? What is your favorite type of pictures to color?
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. (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.
I’ve always loved coloring. I colored with my children and grandchildren. Then it became hard to find coloring books with pretty pictures in them. I printed up the pages and bought markers and crayons. I had artist’s coloring pencils. I put all this in my bag to go to rehab when I did. You only do rehab about two hours a day, and I knew I’d want something to keep me busy when I felt a little better.
Since then, I’ve acquired several coloring books for adults. This will be a good addition to my collection.
Welcome back, Michelle. You’ve spent most of your career writing Christian novels and novellas. Why a coloring book now?Writers need relaxation, too! I’m not a big television-watcher, so I’m kind of getting into this coloring thing during my down-time. I also wanted to combine my coloring time with meditation. What better way than to incorporate the scriptures? I dabble here and there in graphic design, so I decided to give it a try.Do you use markers or colored pencils when you color?I mostly use Crayola® markers because they don’t bleed through pages often. I’ve tried colored pencils, but I get tired of sharpening them, so that’s out. If I come across a coloring book where the markers bleed through, I just put a sheet of paper between the page I’m working on and the next page.
When the Inspire Bible, which has illustrated verses to color in it, released earlier this year, I bought one. While I’m coloring the picture, I’m memorizing the verse. I use gel pens for things I want highlighted in the verse. Why do you think so many adults are turning to coloring these days?Well, this coloring craze began with the art therapy movement some time around the 1940s. But I think it goes back beyond this relatively new form of psychological intervention. Our Heavenly Father is very creative. He’s created so many beautiful things in the earth. We don’t have to look for in order to behold His majesty. As His children, we’re much like Him in our desire to create beauty. Coloring is simply one more way to express our creativity as well.
Did you create the designs in the book by hand?Well, that depends on what you mean by “by hand.” I clicked “by hand” and purchased some of the backgrounds—LOL! But no, I’m not much for drawing. Everything was done by purchasing fonts and background designs, then manipulating them through graphics software.Will you be making another coloring book?I’m thinking about it. When I’m sitting at a booth selling books, people will buy a coloring book often before they’ll buy a chapter book. The coloring books are quite a novelty, so I’ll pray about it and see where it goes!
Can children enjoy this coloring book, too?Certainly! While most of the designs would take hours for anyone to complete, the book does contain some less intricate designs that would be great for kids.
How can my readers find you on the Internet?My contact info: www.MichelleStimpson.comstimpson.michelle@gmail.comLink to the book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Coloring-Scriptures-Verses-Bible-Color/dp/1943563047
Thank you, Michelle, for sharing this with my blog readers.
Comment question to answer: Have you tried adult coloring? What is your favorite type of pictures to color?
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. (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.
June 16, 2016
IN LOVE AND WAR - Trish Perry and others - One Free Book
Dear Readers, In Love and War is another collection you’ll love. I love the writing of each of these authors, but I’m only interviewing one of them.
Welcome back, Trish. How did your story for the collection come about?I wanted to set
More Than Meets the Eye
in nearby Washington, D.C., but I didn't want to write the stereotypical Washingtonpolitically themed story. So I made sure there were plenty of ad agencies in Washington and made both of my protagonists designers—I liked the idea of them having an artistic bent. And because this would be a relatively short work, I made them old high school classmates so they'd already have some history when they met at the beginning of the novella.
Are these stories connected in some way? If so, how?Yes, our overall theme is romantic rivals, so there's conflict between the hero and heroine in each novella.
What are you reading right now?I'm reading Anne Tyler's contemporary novel, Breathing Lessons, as well as Jennifer Donnelly's The Winter Rose, set in 1900's England.
How many other books have you had published?I've published 12 romances and four books of devotions (with fellow authors).
What is the hardest thing about writing a part of a collection?It really depends upon the collection. In this case, it was easy for us to adhere to the common theme, which was our sole parameter. But I've been involved in other collections in which the stories were connected by events, or history, or family lines. When that happens, the different authors have to be far more coordinated in their efforts, and they're restricted in how much control they have over their stories.
How did collaborating with this team impact you?This project has been a dream. Every author is seasoned and professional. Not a diva or brat in the bunch! So I've thoroughly enjoyed working with these fine authors (Debby Mayne, Miralee Ferrell, and Kimberly Rose Johnson) and would gladly do so again. I think we've written a fun group of stories here.
What did you want the reader to take away from your story?My story involves a young woman who remembers the hero from their high school years, when his behavior offended her and left a lasting, bad taste in her mouth. She's cautious and unforgiving toward him right from the start. I hope my readers will understand what she gets wrong and what she gets right and maybe identify with how they might be making the same mistakes. We all make assumptions and incorrect judgments in life—we're only human!
Please give us a peek into your story.Jensy St.Martin is not pleased when she recognizes the latest ad man to join the Washington, D.C., agency she has long considered her professional home. Phil Quinn was a cocky, love-’em-and-leave-’em type when they attended the same high school ten years ago, and she senses he hasn’t changed much since then. When the two ad designers are forced to work together on a campaign, Jensy learns more than she wants to know about the man, and his growing attractiveness becomes the least of her worries.
What is the best piece of advice you received as an author?Where can my readers find you on the Internet?www.trishperry.comwww.facebook.com/TrishPerryAuthorwww.twitter.com/TrishPerryWrtr
Thank you, Trish, 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.
In Love and War[image error] - Paperback
In Love and War - 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. (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
Welcome back, Trish. How did your story for the collection come about?I wanted to set
More Than Meets the Eye
in nearby Washington, D.C., but I didn't want to write the stereotypical Washingtonpolitically themed story. So I made sure there were plenty of ad agencies in Washington and made both of my protagonists designers—I liked the idea of them having an artistic bent. And because this would be a relatively short work, I made them old high school classmates so they'd already have some history when they met at the beginning of the novella.Are these stories connected in some way? If so, how?Yes, our overall theme is romantic rivals, so there's conflict between the hero and heroine in each novella.
What are you reading right now?I'm reading Anne Tyler's contemporary novel, Breathing Lessons, as well as Jennifer Donnelly's The Winter Rose, set in 1900's England.
How many other books have you had published?I've published 12 romances and four books of devotions (with fellow authors).
What is the hardest thing about writing a part of a collection?It really depends upon the collection. In this case, it was easy for us to adhere to the common theme, which was our sole parameter. But I've been involved in other collections in which the stories were connected by events, or history, or family lines. When that happens, the different authors have to be far more coordinated in their efforts, and they're restricted in how much control they have over their stories.
How did collaborating with this team impact you?This project has been a dream. Every author is seasoned and professional. Not a diva or brat in the bunch! So I've thoroughly enjoyed working with these fine authors (Debby Mayne, Miralee Ferrell, and Kimberly Rose Johnson) and would gladly do so again. I think we've written a fun group of stories here.
What did you want the reader to take away from your story?My story involves a young woman who remembers the hero from their high school years, when his behavior offended her and left a lasting, bad taste in her mouth. She's cautious and unforgiving toward him right from the start. I hope my readers will understand what she gets wrong and what she gets right and maybe identify with how they might be making the same mistakes. We all make assumptions and incorrect judgments in life—we're only human!Please give us a peek into your story.Jensy St.Martin is not pleased when she recognizes the latest ad man to join the Washington, D.C., agency she has long considered her professional home. Phil Quinn was a cocky, love-’em-and-leave-’em type when they attended the same high school ten years ago, and she senses he hasn’t changed much since then. When the two ad designers are forced to work together on a campaign, Jensy learns more than she wants to know about the man, and his growing attractiveness becomes the least of her worries.
What is the best piece of advice you received as an author?Where can my readers find you on the Internet?www.trishperry.comwww.facebook.com/TrishPerryAuthorwww.twitter.com/TrishPerryWrtr
Thank you, Trish, 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.
In Love and War[image error] - Paperback
In Love and War - 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. (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
June 15, 2016
SIGNED, SEALED, AND DELIGHTED - Crystal L Barnes - One Free Book or Ebook
Dear Readers, when I first read Crystal Barnes’s debut novel, I told people that she is an author to watch. Her stories really grabbed my heart, and her writing is wonderful. I have to confess that I haven’t read this one yet, because my copy hasn’t arrived. The other two grabbed me and wouldn’t let go until I finished reading them. And she does her own covers, which I loved, too. So I asked her to design the cover for The Gold Digger. The cover wasn’t what I expected, but I loved it. When she told me she prayed about the cover and this was the design that came to her, I knew why.
Welcome back, Crystal. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?Umm…books. =D
Tell us a little about your family.Ooo, what a question. We love playing games—board games, card games, etc. My parents both came from big families so get-togethers can be a bit chaotic. And loud. Quietness is not our strong suite. Maybe that’s ’cause we grew up playing outside in the sticks where noise didn’t matter so much. JThere’s always loads of laughter, though when we get together.
Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?Oh my, yes! I don’t get near as much reading time as I used to, but reading is still one of my definite ways to recharge those creative juices. I also know when I get a hold of a good book because I’ll stop wanting to pick it apart and get sucked into the story. Oh, the woes of an author. J
What are you working on right now?Recovering from a book launch. J My novella
Signed, Sealed, and Delighted
has the special thrill of currently being included in the Texas Historical Romance collection titled
Lone Star Love
alongside four other great authors. We threw a week-long Facebook party to celebrate. Loads of fun!
I’m also working on my next story Hook, Line, & Suitor (Marriage & Mayhem series, book 3). Ideas for a future series are also swimming in my brain.
What outside interests do you have?Outside as in outdoors? Or outside as in “not in my office”? LOL. I’m looking forward to a trip this summer. We hope to spend family time horseback riding, hiking, swimming, and maybe even finding a museum or two. OH, and how could I forget fishing! We hope to do that as well.
How do you choose your settings for each book?Well, I know Texas. I’ve lived here all my life and have been traveling all over it since I was a kiddo. So I work with what I know. Although all my places so far have been fictionalized, oft times loosely based on real places. I’ve also based some of the houses in my stories on homes that I’ve toured on some of my trips. I’ve got pictures of some of them up on my website (www.crystal-barnes.com).
If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?Hmm…that’s a hard one. I talk to Jesus every day. He’s both past, present, and future. Other than Him, perhaps…hmm…I don’t know. Annie Oakley? Or maybe one of my ancestors who first came to Texas in the 1840s?
What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?Oy, another hard one. Maybe…don’t rush the learning process. I know some of us have to learn the hard way, but taking the time to learn from others mistakes and successes is never a waste.
What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?Trusting Him amidst the chaos. Being an author (a human), there are so many things that demand my time and focus. New things pop up often. If we listen too much to the “noise” around us, we get all jumbled up and may miss what He’s trying to tell us or teach us in that moment. I don’t want to miss anything He is saying or teaching me. I love Him and I want how I spend my time to reflect that. He knows what I need to get done and when it needs doing.
What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?Pray.Follow God’s leading.Write to please Him. Not others. He’ll take it from there. J
Those are so true. Tell us about the featured book.
Signed, Sealed, and Delighted
is an adapted version of one of the first stories I ever wrote, the first story that God really dropped into my heart and sealed my calling to write for Him. Originally released as the short story “Let's Make a Deal,”
Signed, Sealed, and Delighted
is more than double the length and packed with even more fun, faith, and friction than before. As I mentioned earlier, it’s currently being featured in the collection
Lone Star Love
with fellow authors Janice Thompson, Kathleen Y’Barbo, Vickie McDonough, and Marcia Gruver.
Here’s the blurb:Her father's dying wish changes everything ... After years of working in the Cater Springs’ clinic, Sarah Asher never planned on marriage. However, she neglected to mention that to her pa. Determined to fulfill his dying wish, despite her well-informed fears, Sarah marries Joseph Matthews but only after a few signed and sealed promises. One in particular—he can kiss any dreams of sharing a room with her goodbye.
Joe has never had any luck with woman, and marriage doesn’t seem prone to change that. Sarah might be a handsome filly and his only ticket to inheriting the ranch promised him, but she’s pricklier than a barrel cactus and more temperamental than a Texastornado. Keeping his distance from her should be easy. Only it isn’t. The beautiful woman attracts trouble and constantly requires saving, putting her well within arms’ reach.
Will signed promises seal their fate to a loveless marriage, or can Sarah move past her fears to find a love worth delighting in?
Please give us the first page of the book.May 25th, 1877 – Wichita, Kansas“Young man, this is normally when you say ‘I do.’”
Joseph Matthews shifted his focus from Sarah Asher to the silver-haired preacher who stood grinning at him. Swallowing, Joe resisted the urge to tug at his collar. He’d sealed his fate with those two words weeks ago just before digging her father’s grave, but today they threatened to crawl back down his throat and strangle him.
Allen Asher’s bloody but relieved face flashed through Joe’s mind. Shaking away the searing image, he wiped sweat from his forehead. That stampede had changed everything. That, and Allen’s dying wish. His mentor knew Joe had no luck with women. Why had he made such an outlandish request? Why did marrying Allen’s daughter have to be the only way to get the ranch he’d promised Joe, the ranch he’d put years of blood and sweat into?
“Son?” The old preacher shifted and placed a weathered hand on his Bible.
Twin lines formed between Sarah’s dark brows.
“Uh, sorry.” Joe rubbed at the tension building in his neck. “I do.”
With a tilt of her head, Sarah eyed him, then turned her attention to the preacher who was posing the same question to her.
Joe let his gaze slide the length of his soon-to-be wife. Maybe marrying Sarah might not be so bad. After all, she was a mighty handsome woman. Even bathed in trail dust. And wearing a Stetson. A smile tugged at his lips. Did she realize she still wore her hat? Doubtful. What female in her right mind got married in a cowboy hat? Then again, who would confuse Sarah for most women? If her raven locks didn’t set her apart, her mouth would the minute she opened it.
“I…” Deep green eyes wide with uncertainty sought his, then shifted back toward the preacher. “Excuse us a moment, Reverend?”
“Uh, of course.”
Joe looked at the minister in stunned astonishment a split second before Sarah grabbed his arm and tugged him down the aisle of the small, stuffy church to within a foot of the exit.
“What’s the matter?” The words hissed through his lips. “I thought this is what we’d agreed upon?”
Sarah peeked at the preacher, then answered in the same hushed volume. “There are a few things I need to make sure of first.”
“You couldn’t have mentioned that a day ago? Or maybe even an hour? The preacher’s waiting.”
“Do you want to keep your word to my father or not?”
Joe frowned. “You know I’m a man of my word. Now what’s this about?”
“First—”
“You mean there’s more than one?”
Readers, see what I mean. Doesn’t that make you want to run out and get her book right now? Crystal, how can readers find you on the Internet?
I’m so glad you asked. J Readers can connect with me at my website or on my blog, my Amazon Author page, Goodreads, Pinterest, Google+, or on my Facebook author page.
I look forward to “seeing” y’all!Thanks so much, Lena, for having me as a guest on your blog!
It’s my great pleasure to feature you here, Crystal.
Readers, here are links to the books. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.Signed, Sealed, and; Delighted: Prequel Novella (Marriage and; Mayhem Book 0)[image error]
Lone Star Love: Five Historical Romances Set in the Lone Star State[image error]
Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the your choice of the books. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)
Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.
The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.
If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link:
Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com
Welcome back, Crystal. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?Umm…books. =D Tell us a little about your family.Ooo, what a question. We love playing games—board games, card games, etc. My parents both came from big families so get-togethers can be a bit chaotic. And loud. Quietness is not our strong suite. Maybe that’s ’cause we grew up playing outside in the sticks where noise didn’t matter so much. JThere’s always loads of laughter, though when we get together.
Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?Oh my, yes! I don’t get near as much reading time as I used to, but reading is still one of my definite ways to recharge those creative juices. I also know when I get a hold of a good book because I’ll stop wanting to pick it apart and get sucked into the story. Oh, the woes of an author. J
What are you working on right now?Recovering from a book launch. J My novella
Signed, Sealed, and Delighted
has the special thrill of currently being included in the Texas Historical Romance collection titled
Lone Star Love
alongside four other great authors. We threw a week-long Facebook party to celebrate. Loads of fun! I’m also working on my next story Hook, Line, & Suitor (Marriage & Mayhem series, book 3). Ideas for a future series are also swimming in my brain.
What outside interests do you have?Outside as in outdoors? Or outside as in “not in my office”? LOL. I’m looking forward to a trip this summer. We hope to spend family time horseback riding, hiking, swimming, and maybe even finding a museum or two. OH, and how could I forget fishing! We hope to do that as well.
How do you choose your settings for each book?Well, I know Texas. I’ve lived here all my life and have been traveling all over it since I was a kiddo. So I work with what I know. Although all my places so far have been fictionalized, oft times loosely based on real places. I’ve also based some of the houses in my stories on homes that I’ve toured on some of my trips. I’ve got pictures of some of them up on my website (www.crystal-barnes.com). If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?Hmm…that’s a hard one. I talk to Jesus every day. He’s both past, present, and future. Other than Him, perhaps…hmm…I don’t know. Annie Oakley? Or maybe one of my ancestors who first came to Texas in the 1840s?
What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?Oy, another hard one. Maybe…don’t rush the learning process. I know some of us have to learn the hard way, but taking the time to learn from others mistakes and successes is never a waste.
What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?Trusting Him amidst the chaos. Being an author (a human), there are so many things that demand my time and focus. New things pop up often. If we listen too much to the “noise” around us, we get all jumbled up and may miss what He’s trying to tell us or teach us in that moment. I don’t want to miss anything He is saying or teaching me. I love Him and I want how I spend my time to reflect that. He knows what I need to get done and when it needs doing.
What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?Pray.Follow God’s leading.Write to please Him. Not others. He’ll take it from there. J
Those are so true. Tell us about the featured book.
Signed, Sealed, and Delighted
is an adapted version of one of the first stories I ever wrote, the first story that God really dropped into my heart and sealed my calling to write for Him. Originally released as the short story “Let's Make a Deal,”
Signed, Sealed, and Delighted
is more than double the length and packed with even more fun, faith, and friction than before. As I mentioned earlier, it’s currently being featured in the collection
Lone Star Love
with fellow authors Janice Thompson, Kathleen Y’Barbo, Vickie McDonough, and Marcia Gruver. Here’s the blurb:Her father's dying wish changes everything ... After years of working in the Cater Springs’ clinic, Sarah Asher never planned on marriage. However, she neglected to mention that to her pa. Determined to fulfill his dying wish, despite her well-informed fears, Sarah marries Joseph Matthews but only after a few signed and sealed promises. One in particular—he can kiss any dreams of sharing a room with her goodbye.
Joe has never had any luck with woman, and marriage doesn’t seem prone to change that. Sarah might be a handsome filly and his only ticket to inheriting the ranch promised him, but she’s pricklier than a barrel cactus and more temperamental than a Texastornado. Keeping his distance from her should be easy. Only it isn’t. The beautiful woman attracts trouble and constantly requires saving, putting her well within arms’ reach.
Will signed promises seal their fate to a loveless marriage, or can Sarah move past her fears to find a love worth delighting in?
Please give us the first page of the book.May 25th, 1877 – Wichita, Kansas“Young man, this is normally when you say ‘I do.’”
Joseph Matthews shifted his focus from Sarah Asher to the silver-haired preacher who stood grinning at him. Swallowing, Joe resisted the urge to tug at his collar. He’d sealed his fate with those two words weeks ago just before digging her father’s grave, but today they threatened to crawl back down his throat and strangle him.
Allen Asher’s bloody but relieved face flashed through Joe’s mind. Shaking away the searing image, he wiped sweat from his forehead. That stampede had changed everything. That, and Allen’s dying wish. His mentor knew Joe had no luck with women. Why had he made such an outlandish request? Why did marrying Allen’s daughter have to be the only way to get the ranch he’d promised Joe, the ranch he’d put years of blood and sweat into?
“Son?” The old preacher shifted and placed a weathered hand on his Bible.
Twin lines formed between Sarah’s dark brows.
“Uh, sorry.” Joe rubbed at the tension building in his neck. “I do.”
With a tilt of her head, Sarah eyed him, then turned her attention to the preacher who was posing the same question to her.
Joe let his gaze slide the length of his soon-to-be wife. Maybe marrying Sarah might not be so bad. After all, she was a mighty handsome woman. Even bathed in trail dust. And wearing a Stetson. A smile tugged at his lips. Did she realize she still wore her hat? Doubtful. What female in her right mind got married in a cowboy hat? Then again, who would confuse Sarah for most women? If her raven locks didn’t set her apart, her mouth would the minute she opened it.
“I…” Deep green eyes wide with uncertainty sought his, then shifted back toward the preacher. “Excuse us a moment, Reverend?”
“Uh, of course.”
Joe looked at the minister in stunned astonishment a split second before Sarah grabbed his arm and tugged him down the aisle of the small, stuffy church to within a foot of the exit.
“What’s the matter?” The words hissed through his lips. “I thought this is what we’d agreed upon?”
Sarah peeked at the preacher, then answered in the same hushed volume. “There are a few things I need to make sure of first.”
“You couldn’t have mentioned that a day ago? Or maybe even an hour? The preacher’s waiting.”
“Do you want to keep your word to my father or not?”
Joe frowned. “You know I’m a man of my word. Now what’s this about?”
“First—”
“You mean there’s more than one?”
Readers, see what I mean. Doesn’t that make you want to run out and get her book right now? Crystal, how can readers find you on the Internet?
I’m so glad you asked. J Readers can connect with me at my website or on my blog, my Amazon Author page, Goodreads, Pinterest, Google+, or on my Facebook author page.
I look forward to “seeing” y’all!Thanks so much, Lena, for having me as a guest on your blog!
It’s my great pleasure to feature you here, Crystal.
Readers, here are links to the books. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.Signed, Sealed, and; Delighted: Prequel Novella (Marriage and; Mayhem Book 0)[image error]
Lone Star Love: Five Historical Romances Set in the Lone Star State[image error]
Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the your choice of the books. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)
Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.
The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.
If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link:
Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com
June 14, 2016
MY FATHER'S HOUSE - Rose Chandler Johnson - One Free Book
Bio: Rose Chandler Johnson is the author of the award winning devotional God, Me, and Sweet Iced Tea: Experiencing God in the Midst of Everyday Moments.
My Father's House
is her first novel. She happily makes her home near Augusta, Georgia.
Welcome, Rose. (Actually, Rose is my middle name.) Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.Probably more than I realize. My protagonist , Lily Rose, and I share many of the same interests—the love of writing and the French language, gardening—and in many ways, our lives took similar paths.
What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?In the privacy of my own backyard, I have been known to hug an old oak tree.
When did you first discover that you were a writer?As a child, when I was no more than eight or nine, I wrote plays for my two sisters and brother and I to perform in a large back room of our house. I can’t imagine why they always listened to my directions. My stage name was always the most beautiful actress name I could think up at the time—Sandra Blake. Later, in high school, I dreamed of being a writer one day and started writing in college.
Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.I read non-fiction more than fiction, and books on religion and spirituality, in particular. I like devotionals. I love Oswald Chambers and have read his complete works. The classics and the “must-reads” for college were foundational for me. But I love bestsellers sagas such as The Thorn Birds and A Woman of Substance by Barbara Taylor Bradford. I read novels by Daniel Silva and John Grisham, and occasionally a Stephen King novel. All the Light We Cannot See is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time.
How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?My relationship with Jesus and my quiet time with God keeps me focused.
How do you choose your characters’ names?I do spend some time choosing names. But, basically, I go with what sounds suitable and fitting for the story and the heritage and personality of the character. Lily Rose could have only been a Southern girl named after the flowers in the spring.
What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?Raising my six children
If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?I’d probably be a dog, maybe like the little terrier who takes up with Lily Rose on What is your favorite food?That’s hard to say; I’m not a picky eater and I come from a family of good cooks so I really enjoy eating. Favorite food? Let me say—crème brulee.
I love that, too, but I don’t eat it very often. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?I’m still working on the greatest roadblock, which is managing my time to write. My family has always been my priority, so I have to work very hard to carve out time to write. Often I have to give myself permission to make writing time for me.
Tell us about the featured book.One reviewer called it “a triumphant story of hope.” I think that describes it. It reminds me of the verse Psalms 27:13:
I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Please give us the first page of the book for my readers.“Go on, Darling, and see about the colt,” I said. He stirred a cup of steaming coffee, and then handed it to me. When my hands wrapped around the warm ceramic mug, he leaned down and gently pressed his lips to my forehead. I closed my eyes, grateful for his touch.
“I love you,” he said, while taking me by the shoulders and gently pulling me into the circle of his arms. I laid my head against his chest and felt its rise and fall.
“Go,” I whispered. “I’m going to take a walk and look at the gardens.”
He rubbed my back in wide slow circles.
“I’m grateful she died in the spring,” I said.
“I won’t be long. I imagine I’ll find you sitting under the magnolia when I return.”
“Uh-huh.”
“I’ll join you there,” he said.
I followed him out onto the porch and watched him walk to the truck, stop, and turn. He fixed his gaze on me, and I knew he didn’t want to leave. I smiled then, and he nodded before getting in and backing down the driveway. He waved, and something about his smile and the gentle blue of the sky strengthened my heart. I watched him disappear down the street before I turned and walked back inside.
Yesterday we buried the woman who raised me, tethering my heartstrings to both heaven and earth. Full of simple goodness, her love never let me go. She wanted to be buried next to her husband, and so she is, and before we lowered her body into the red Georgiaclay, we read the 23rd Psalm. The words flowed like a soothing balm.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
This morning the words are whispering to my soul, and I can’t help remembering.
Purchase a copy: http://amzn.to/217Bvib
How can readers find you on the Internet?Blog: http://www.writemomentswithgod.blogspot.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/rechanjo Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/rosecjohnson/boards/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosechandlerjohnsonauthorGoodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/18188725-rose-chandler-johnson
Thank you, Rose, 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. (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
Welcome, Rose. (Actually, Rose is my middle name.) Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.Probably more than I realize. My protagonist , Lily Rose, and I share many of the same interests—the love of writing and the French language, gardening—and in many ways, our lives took similar paths. What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?In the privacy of my own backyard, I have been known to hug an old oak tree.
When did you first discover that you were a writer?As a child, when I was no more than eight or nine, I wrote plays for my two sisters and brother and I to perform in a large back room of our house. I can’t imagine why they always listened to my directions. My stage name was always the most beautiful actress name I could think up at the time—Sandra Blake. Later, in high school, I dreamed of being a writer one day and started writing in college.
Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.I read non-fiction more than fiction, and books on religion and spirituality, in particular. I like devotionals. I love Oswald Chambers and have read his complete works. The classics and the “must-reads” for college were foundational for me. But I love bestsellers sagas such as The Thorn Birds and A Woman of Substance by Barbara Taylor Bradford. I read novels by Daniel Silva and John Grisham, and occasionally a Stephen King novel. All the Light We Cannot See is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time.
How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?My relationship with Jesus and my quiet time with God keeps me focused.
How do you choose your characters’ names?I do spend some time choosing names. But, basically, I go with what sounds suitable and fitting for the story and the heritage and personality of the character. Lily Rose could have only been a Southern girl named after the flowers in the spring.
What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?Raising my six children
If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?I’d probably be a dog, maybe like the little terrier who takes up with Lily Rose on What is your favorite food?That’s hard to say; I’m not a picky eater and I come from a family of good cooks so I really enjoy eating. Favorite food? Let me say—crème brulee.
I love that, too, but I don’t eat it very often. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?I’m still working on the greatest roadblock, which is managing my time to write. My family has always been my priority, so I have to work very hard to carve out time to write. Often I have to give myself permission to make writing time for me.
Tell us about the featured book.One reviewer called it “a triumphant story of hope.” I think that describes it. It reminds me of the verse Psalms 27:13:I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Please give us the first page of the book for my readers.“Go on, Darling, and see about the colt,” I said. He stirred a cup of steaming coffee, and then handed it to me. When my hands wrapped around the warm ceramic mug, he leaned down and gently pressed his lips to my forehead. I closed my eyes, grateful for his touch.
“I love you,” he said, while taking me by the shoulders and gently pulling me into the circle of his arms. I laid my head against his chest and felt its rise and fall.
“Go,” I whispered. “I’m going to take a walk and look at the gardens.”
He rubbed my back in wide slow circles.
“I’m grateful she died in the spring,” I said.
“I won’t be long. I imagine I’ll find you sitting under the magnolia when I return.”
“Uh-huh.”
“I’ll join you there,” he said.
I followed him out onto the porch and watched him walk to the truck, stop, and turn. He fixed his gaze on me, and I knew he didn’t want to leave. I smiled then, and he nodded before getting in and backing down the driveway. He waved, and something about his smile and the gentle blue of the sky strengthened my heart. I watched him disappear down the street before I turned and walked back inside.
Yesterday we buried the woman who raised me, tethering my heartstrings to both heaven and earth. Full of simple goodness, her love never let me go. She wanted to be buried next to her husband, and so she is, and before we lowered her body into the red Georgiaclay, we read the 23rd Psalm. The words flowed like a soothing balm.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
This morning the words are whispering to my soul, and I can’t help remembering.
Purchase a copy: http://amzn.to/217Bvib
How can readers find you on the Internet?Blog: http://www.writemomentswithgod.blogspot.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/rechanjo Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/rosecjohnson/boards/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosechandlerjohnsonauthorGoodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/18188725-rose-chandler-johnson
Thank you, Rose, 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. (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
June 13, 2016
A SILVER MEDALLION - James R Callan - One Free Book
Welcome back, James. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?
A Silver Medallion
releases this week. The horizon is filled with my least favorite activity - marketing. But this is an important book in that it highlights the plight of so many people who get trapped in an intolerable situation, with no way to get out, and the good people who try to help them. So I will market it to the best of my ability.A very important topic. Tell us a little about your family.My wife and I have four grown children and six grandchildren. Unfortunately, they are scattered across the U.S.from Pennsylvania to California. It does provide us with ample reasons to travel.
I’m really blessed to have all my children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren live within 20 miles of us. Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?Yes, it has, mostly in three ways. My favorite genre to read is mystery. But when I am in the midst of writing a mystery, I do not read mysteries. Second, now I read more "women's fiction" to learn more about emotions. And as I meet more writers, I read their books, thus expanding my reading list.
What are you working on right now?I have begun the third Father Frank mystery, which will follow Cleansed by Fire and Over My Dead Body. These are cozy mysteries where a minister must solve the crime.
What outside interests do you have?My wife and I both love to travel and we do a good bit of that, both in the U.S.and abroad. In Texas, we live in the middle of a forest and when we are home, we spend a lot of time outdoors, working on the gardens, cutting dead trees, or just enjoying nature.
How do you choose your settings for each book?All of my recent books have a Texas flavor. Beyond that, the major conflict often leads me to the location.
I’ve written books set all over the U.S., but now I’m trying to use Texassettings more often. If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?I think it might be John F. Kennedy. He brought a spirit to America that was not here before and has not been here since. I’d want to ask him what could be done today to restore some of that spirit, that optimism, that patriotism back to the country.
What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?How important and difficult marketing would be. Even with a publisher, today the author is expected to do most of the marketing. It is something I am ill-equipped to do. And it is very time consuming. But it is an important part of being an author in 2016.
What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?Patience. And I seem to be a slow learner.
I’m thinking all authors have a hard time with that. What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?Write. Read. Market. First and foremost, you must write a lot—every day if possible. Second, you need to read a variety of good authors. Reading different authors gives you a balance. Readingonly one author, even though he or she is good, does not provide a well-rounded background. And reading good authors puts good writing in your psyche. Reading bad writing does the opposite. Marketing is a reality. It should start early. Some say before the book starts. I’m not sure about that, but certainly early is better than later.
Tell us about the featured book.
In
A Silver Medallion
, young, unadventurous Crystal Moore meets a woman held slave in modern Dallas, Texas. She is not held by chains, but by threats to harm her two children left in Mexico if she should escape or even tell anyone of her situation.Crystalwould like to forget about this, but her conscience won’t let her. She finally realizes that the only resolution is to go to Mexico and try to rescue the two girls, for only when they are free and safe will the mother dare to escape.
In Mexico, she enlists the aid of mysterious Juan Grande. If she succeeds, the children and the mother will be free, but Crystalwill have two powerful and ruthless men who will want her dead.
Please give us the first page of the book.CRYSTAL Moore drove slowly along the sandy road that curved through the property she had roamed as a child. Her grandparents had christened it “The Park” when they purchased it over fifty years ago. To Crystal, they could have named it Serenity. The tall, stately Southern pines, the oak and hickory trees, the mirror-still lake, the peaceful quiet, all worked to cast a spell of tranquility over her.
Crystal’s maroon LeSabre crested the hill. Two hundred feet ahead, her grandmother stood under a maple tree, its autumn foliage creating a golden halo above her grey hair. Eula Moore was staring at the small storage shed about twenty feet behind her cedar-shake house. She aimed a double-barreled shotgun at the door of the building.
Fifty feet from Eula, Crystalswitched off the ignition, eased out of the car, and moved forward, careful not to crack a twig or crunch a dried leaf. Now she saw her grandmother’s right index finger curled around the trigger. Whatever was going on, she did not want to distract her Nana.Eula Moore pointed the shotgun at the shed, her wrinkled hands as steady as those of an eye surgeon. “Don’t make no sudden moves. I got a nervous trigger finger. I might just blow your head off.”
Nothing moved.“Now, very slowly, come on out in the open, and keep them hands over your head where I can see ‘em.”
Experience told Crystal her grandmother had heard the car, but Eula’s attention never left the shed. The elderly woman stooped down, gaze still fixed on the building, picked up a rock with her left hand and made a sweeping, underhanded throw. As the chunk of limestone arched skyward, Eula pulled the ancient shotgun up and once more trained it on the shed.
The rock struck the tin roof with a satisfying bang. No animal came bolting out the door. The noise echoed and died away. The birds stopped their chirping. All was quiet.
Crystalcrept up beside her grandmother. “What’s in there, Nana?” she whispered.
“Animal. Person. Beats me. But I didn’t git to seventy-five being careless.”
Eula Moore, five feet two inches tall, ninety-five pounds with short-cropped grey hair, held a strategic position. No one could leave the shed without coming into her gun’s sight. And no one could see her without first revealing himself. Eula looked frail, but her voice was strong, her will stronger. “Better come out ‘fore I start shootin’.”
A slight breeze wiggled the leaves on a towering oak tree shading the area. A squirrel sat motionless. The scene was as peaceful as a painting of a country lane. Except for the shotgun.
A few moments passed. Then a single finger came into view. Gradually, it turned into a whole hand, waving in a small arc. “Por favor, no dispare.” The tiny brown hand fluttered again. The voice quavered slightly. “Please. No shoot. No shoot.” Eula didn’t lower the gun or take her gaze off the shed. “Por favor? Spanish?” Eula said to Crystal. Then to the tiny hand, “Manos arriba.”
Now, two hands waved. But no body appeared.
“You need to work on your Spanish, Nana. He may not know what you’re saying.”
Eula snorted. “Pardon me. I didn’t go to S.M.U. Or Stanford. Maybe you can do better.”
Crystalturned toward the shed. “Salga con las manos arriba. Come out with your hands up.”
A foot materialized in the opening. “Hands up.” Then a body began to emerge. “Hands up.”
Was it a child? Little more than five feet tall and slender as broomcorn, she could have been a girl of fourteen. Her uncombed hair, nearly reaching her waist, appeared as black and shiny as obsidian. Pink and blue embroidery decorated the rough-woven, white dress hanging from her shoulders and stopping just short of her scratched knees. Well-worn leather sandals revealed feet accustomed to no shoes at all.
The small hands trembled slightly as the young Mexican edged forward, but she held her head high and her back ramrod straight.
Eula waggled the barrel of the shotgun at the girl. “Far enough. Hold it right there. Alto.” Eula focused on the girl, but spoke to Crystal. “Okay. So I don’t remember my Spanish good enough to find out what I got here. See what you can do. But don’t get in my line of fire.”
A cloud drifted away, allowing the sun to play fully on the girl’s face. This was not a child. Those large eyes could not develop such sadness, such pain, in such a short life.
“¿Como se llama?” Crystalasked.
The thin young woman maintained her focus on the gun. “Rosa. Rosa Bonita Lopez.”
“¿Habla Ingles? Do you speak English?”
“Un poco.”“Hablo Español un poco. Vamos probando con Ingles. Let’s try English,” said Crystal. The young woman’s expression did not change, nor did her attention waiver from the shotgun.
“Okay. Your name is Rosa Bonita.”
“Si. Yes.”
“And what were you doing in the shed?”
The Mexican woman’s forehead wrinkled and she tilted her head slightly to one side. Is she puzzled by the English or by what kind of an answer to give? Crystaltried Spanish again. “¿Que hacias en el cobertizo?”
After several seconds, Rosa looked at Crystal. “Food.”
“You were looking for food?”
“Si.”
“Are you hungry?”Eula made a small grunt. “Dumb question.”
“Si. Yes.”
“When did you eat last? ¿Cuándo comiste por última vez?"“Ayer en la mañana.”
“Yesterday morning!” Crystalturned to her grandmother. “She’s probably starving. Let’s take her in and give her something to eat. Then we can find out why she’s here.”
Eula didn’t move or lower the shotgun but Crystal walked over, smiling, took the young woman’s hand and led her into the house.
I’m eager to read the rest. I’ll do that as soon as I finish the book I’m reading now. How can readers find you on the Internet?Amazon Author's page: http://amzn.to/1eeykvGWebsite: http://www.jamesrcallan.com Blog: http://www.jamesrcallan.com/blog Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/james.callan.33865GoodReads: http://bit.ly/13fCBdp
Thank you, James, for sharing this new book with us. My blog readers will find the story as fascinating as I do.
Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.A Silver Medallion (Crystal Moore Suspense) (Volume 2)[image error] - Paperback
A Silver Medallion (A Crystal Moore Suspense Book 2) - 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. (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]
June 12, 2016
WINNERS!!!!!
Mike M (TX) are the winner of Resilience by L R Burkard.
Jan H (TX) is the winner of Lead Me Home by Amy K Sorrells.
Jackie (GA) is the winner of The Alliance by Jolina Petersheim.
Dianne C (VA) are the winner of Sister Eve and the Blue Nun by Lynne Hinto.
Michelle (CA) is the winner of The Valiant Heart Romance Collection by DarleneFranklin and others.
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.
Jan H (TX) is the winner of Lead Me Home by Amy K Sorrells.
Jackie (GA) is the winner of The Alliance by Jolina Petersheim.
Dianne C (VA) are the winner of Sister Eve and the Blue Nun by Lynne Hinto.
Michelle (CA) is the winner of The Valiant Heart Romance Collection by DarleneFranklin and others.
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.
June 10, 2016
DAWN AT EMBERWILDE - Sarah E Ladd - One Free Book
Welcome back, Sarah. Tell us about your salvation experience. My faith is very important to me. I was saved as a young child. What a difference that has made in my life! You’re planning a writing retreat where you can only have four other authors. Who would they be and why?
Hmmm … that is such a fun question! Since we are daydreaming here, I think I wDo you have a speaking ministry? If so, tell us about that. Unfortunately I do not have a speaking ministry. I really admire writers who do!
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? Every writer has to start somewhere. Even writers who how have written several books started with nothing more than an idea and a blank page. Step number one is to simply get started! Step number two is to keep at it. It may take a few months or a few years. But persistence is key.
Tell us about the featured book.
Here is the synopsis for my newest book, Dawn at Emberwilde :
Isabel Creston never dared to dream that love could be hers. Now, at the edge of a forest filled with dark secrets, she faces a fateful choice between love and duty.
For as long as she can remember, beautiful and free-spirited Isabel has strained against the rules and rigidity of the Fellsworth Schoolin the rolling English countryside. No longer a student, Isabel set her sights on a steady yet unexciting role as a teacher at the school, a safe yet stifling establishment that would provide her a steady environment to care for her younger sister Lizzie, who was left in her care after her father’s death.The unexpected arrival of a striking stranger with news of unknown relatives turns Isabel’s small, predictable world upside down, sweeping her and her young charge into a labyrinth of intrigue and hidden motives.
At her new family’s invitation, Isabel and Lizzie relocate to Emberwilde, a sprawling estate adjacent to a vast, mysterious wood rife with mysterious rumors and ominous folklore—along with whispers of something far more sinister. And perhaps even more startling, two handsome men begin pursuing Isabel, forcing her to learn the delicate dance between attraction, the intricate rules of courtship, and the hopes of her heart.
At Emberwilde, Isabel will discover that the key to unlocking the mystery of her past may also open the door to her future and security. But first she must find it—in the depths of Emberwilde Forest.
Sounds intriguing. Please give us the first page of the book. I can do better than that! My publisher unlocked the first 3 chapters! Click here to read the first 3 chapters.
How can readers find you on the Internet?
I love to connect with readers on the Internet! You can find me on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
Thank you, Sarah, for sharing this new book with us. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading all of your other books.
And Readers, you’ll want to check out those 3 chapters she’s offering for you to read.
Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog. - Amazon, paperback
Dawn at Emberwilde (A Treasures of Surrey Novel Book 2)[image error] - Kindle
Dawn at Emberwilde - Audible
Comments: Have you read any of Sarah's other books? If so, which was 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. (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]
June 9, 2016
NO OTHER WILL DO - Karen Witemeyer - One Free Book
Hey, Readers, we have another Karen Witemeyer book today. I know you’ve been enjoying her books as much as I have. She lives in Texas, and so do I, so her books are set in Texas, and they are authentic to Texasand the time period.
Welcome back, Karen. I love your new author photo. The colors are so pretty, and so are you. Why did you become an author?I've always been enamored with story. I was a serious bookworm as a kid, preferring to hide away in my room with my nose buried in a book to nearly everything else. I never expected to be an author, though. Authors were amazing, creative people who transport a person into another place and time. I was just me. A math and band nerd whose only artistic expression was following someone else’s patterns, whether in music or in my one artistic hobby—cross-stitch. I was great at following directions, but creating from scratch? Not a chance.
Apparently, God had different ideas. He’d laid the foundation in my passion for reading, then sprinkled seeds along the way through English teachers and college professors who complimented my writing ability. Then finally, he took away my safety net when my husband lost his job in 2003 and as a young mother with three babies at home, I knew I had to do something to contribute to the family income. I ended up finding a day job, but God used that shock to jumpstart a dream of writing inside me. The bug had bitten, and I wasn't going to let it go. I started writing short pieces, then longer one. I attended national conferences and learned all I could about the industry. Then, six years later, in 2009, I signed my first 3 book contract with Bethany House. Only God could have brought to fruition a dream I didn’t even realize I possessed.
If you weren’t an author, what would be your dream job?Well, actually, I still work a day job in addition to writing. I’m not sure it is my dreamjob. I work for a university in the registrar’s office revising the catalog, attending academic council meetings, and managing the course-related information in our school data system. It’s a good job with great co-workers, and I’m very thankful for the position. But dream job? That would probably entail a mountain cabin with a path leading through a forest to a waterfall where people paid me an unrealistic sum to host secluded book clubs/cross-stitch camps on the weekends, leaving me the freedom to write during the week.
If you could have lived at another time in history, what would it be and why?I write historical stories, and I love romanticizing the 19thcentury. Things were so much simpler back then. Families stayed closer together. God was a more vibrant part of the community. But in reality, there was no air conditioning, no washing machines, and no memory foam mattresses. Body odor was the norm and lice infested more heads than not. Would I like to jump in a time machine and visit the 1880's and 1890's that I write about? Absolutely! Would I want to live there? No thank you.
What place in the United Stateshave you not visited that you would like to?I’ve never been to Montana. I’d love to visit a dude ranch up there and experience 19th century life in 21st century comfort.
How about a foreign country you hope to visit?Over the past year, I’ve had the privilege to visit both The Netherlands and Germanyon book tours. What a fabulous experience! Europehas such rich history and architecture. The history nerd in me eats it up. One place that I’ve never visited that I would love to try is New Zealand. I’m a sucker for waterfalls and places with lush vegetation, and New Zealandseems to fit the bill. Maybe someday I’ll get the chance to see them firsthand.
What lesson has the Lord taught you recently?He always seems to have something new to show me. Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot on his command to be fruitful. We are instructed to abide in the vine of Christ and to bear fruit. The fruit is designed to nourish others and to point them to Jesus. It struck me the other day as we were discussing this idea at ladies’ Bible class, that we are also encouraged to scatter seed for the kingdom. We often think of scattering seed as teaching the good news. But it occurred to me that by being fruitful and sharing that fruit generously with those around us, we are also scattering seed. For fruit, by definition, is a food that contains seeds. When people are touched by our love and kindness and nourished by the fruit of our good deeds, the seeds hidden inside are planted in them, perhaps without them even being aware. Others may water those seeds, and when the time is right, God will give the increase and bring about a harvest for his kingdom.
That is so true. I hadn’t thought of it that way before. Tell us about the featured book.Men are optional. That was the credo Emma Chandler’s suffragette aunts taught her and why she started a successful women’s colony in Harper’s Station, Texas. But when an unknown assailant tries repeatedly to drive the women out, Emma is forced to admit they might need a man after all. One who can fight. And there is only one she trusts enough to ask.
Malachi Shaw has finally earned the respect he’s always craved by becoming an explosives expert for the railroad. Yet when Emma’s telegram arrives, he leaves his job behind and rushes to Harper’s Station to repay the girl who once saved his life. Only she’s not a girl any longer. She’s a woman with a mind of her own and a smile that makes a man imagine a future he doesn’t deserve.
As the danger intensifies, old feelings grow into something more, but Emma and Mal will need more than love to survive.
Please give us the first page of the book.PrologueWinter 1882 – Cooke County, TXMalachi Shaw made the arduous climb back into consciousness with great effort. But then, everything Mal had accomplished so far in his thirteen years of life had required great effort. Not that he had achieved anything worth bragging about. Orphaned. Starving. And . . . cold.That’s what his senses picked up first. The cold. And not just the huddling-under-the-saloon-stairs-in-a-too-thin-coat-during-a-blue-norther kind of cold. No. This was a cold so harsh it burned. Which made exactly zero sense.
With a groan, Mal lifted his head and tried to draw his arms beneath him to push himself up. That’s when the rest of the pain hit. His shoulder throbbed, his ribs ached, and his head felt like it had collided with a train. Oh, that’s right. It had.
Memories swirled through his mind as he slowly crawled out of the snowdrift that must have broken his fall. He’d hopped the train, just as he’d done a half dozen times over the last month since his drunk of a father finally got himself killed, run over by a wagon while trying to cross the street. The old man hadn’t been good for much, leaving Mal to scrounge for food in garbage bins while he spent whatever coins he managed to earn at the card tables on whiskey. But at least he’d kept a roof over their heads—a rundown, leaky roof supported by slanted, rickety walls that couldn’t even hold the wind out—but a roof nonetheless. The morning after they laid his father in the ground, the lady who owned the shack kicked Mal out on his ear. Barely gave him time to gather his one pathetic sac of belongings. A sac, Mal discovered as he frantically searched the area around him, that was nowhere to be found.
“No!” He slammed his fist into the frozen earth near his hip then slumped forward.
How can readers find you on the Internet?http://karenwitemeyer.com- The best place to connect with me online is at my website. I offer monthly drawings for free books, bonus material like deleted epilogues and behind-the-scenes peeks into my books, as well as free excerpts for all of my stories.Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/KarenWitemeyersAuthorPage/Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3114906.Karen_WitemeyerBlogs - http://petticoatsandpistols.com/and http://inspiredbylifeandfiction.com/
Thank you, Karen, 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.
- Amazon, Paperback
No Other Will Do (Ladies of Harper's Station Book 1)[image error] - Kindle
No Other Will Do: Ladies of Harper's Station, Book 1 - Audio
Comments: What is the favorite Karen Witemeyer book that you've read?
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. (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]
Welcome back, Karen. I love your new author photo. The colors are so pretty, and so are you. Why did you become an author?I've always been enamored with story. I was a serious bookworm as a kid, preferring to hide away in my room with my nose buried in a book to nearly everything else. I never expected to be an author, though. Authors were amazing, creative people who transport a person into another place and time. I was just me. A math and band nerd whose only artistic expression was following someone else’s patterns, whether in music or in my one artistic hobby—cross-stitch. I was great at following directions, but creating from scratch? Not a chance.Apparently, God had different ideas. He’d laid the foundation in my passion for reading, then sprinkled seeds along the way through English teachers and college professors who complimented my writing ability. Then finally, he took away my safety net when my husband lost his job in 2003 and as a young mother with three babies at home, I knew I had to do something to contribute to the family income. I ended up finding a day job, but God used that shock to jumpstart a dream of writing inside me. The bug had bitten, and I wasn't going to let it go. I started writing short pieces, then longer one. I attended national conferences and learned all I could about the industry. Then, six years later, in 2009, I signed my first 3 book contract with Bethany House. Only God could have brought to fruition a dream I didn’t even realize I possessed.
If you weren’t an author, what would be your dream job?Well, actually, I still work a day job in addition to writing. I’m not sure it is my dreamjob. I work for a university in the registrar’s office revising the catalog, attending academic council meetings, and managing the course-related information in our school data system. It’s a good job with great co-workers, and I’m very thankful for the position. But dream job? That would probably entail a mountain cabin with a path leading through a forest to a waterfall where people paid me an unrealistic sum to host secluded book clubs/cross-stitch camps on the weekends, leaving me the freedom to write during the week.
If you could have lived at another time in history, what would it be and why?I write historical stories, and I love romanticizing the 19thcentury. Things were so much simpler back then. Families stayed closer together. God was a more vibrant part of the community. But in reality, there was no air conditioning, no washing machines, and no memory foam mattresses. Body odor was the norm and lice infested more heads than not. Would I like to jump in a time machine and visit the 1880's and 1890's that I write about? Absolutely! Would I want to live there? No thank you.
What place in the United Stateshave you not visited that you would like to?I’ve never been to Montana. I’d love to visit a dude ranch up there and experience 19th century life in 21st century comfort.
How about a foreign country you hope to visit?Over the past year, I’ve had the privilege to visit both The Netherlands and Germanyon book tours. What a fabulous experience! Europehas such rich history and architecture. The history nerd in me eats it up. One place that I’ve never visited that I would love to try is New Zealand. I’m a sucker for waterfalls and places with lush vegetation, and New Zealandseems to fit the bill. Maybe someday I’ll get the chance to see them firsthand.
What lesson has the Lord taught you recently?He always seems to have something new to show me. Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot on his command to be fruitful. We are instructed to abide in the vine of Christ and to bear fruit. The fruit is designed to nourish others and to point them to Jesus. It struck me the other day as we were discussing this idea at ladies’ Bible class, that we are also encouraged to scatter seed for the kingdom. We often think of scattering seed as teaching the good news. But it occurred to me that by being fruitful and sharing that fruit generously with those around us, we are also scattering seed. For fruit, by definition, is a food that contains seeds. When people are touched by our love and kindness and nourished by the fruit of our good deeds, the seeds hidden inside are planted in them, perhaps without them even being aware. Others may water those seeds, and when the time is right, God will give the increase and bring about a harvest for his kingdom.
That is so true. I hadn’t thought of it that way before. Tell us about the featured book.Men are optional. That was the credo Emma Chandler’s suffragette aunts taught her and why she started a successful women’s colony in Harper’s Station, Texas. But when an unknown assailant tries repeatedly to drive the women out, Emma is forced to admit they might need a man after all. One who can fight. And there is only one she trusts enough to ask.Malachi Shaw has finally earned the respect he’s always craved by becoming an explosives expert for the railroad. Yet when Emma’s telegram arrives, he leaves his job behind and rushes to Harper’s Station to repay the girl who once saved his life. Only she’s not a girl any longer. She’s a woman with a mind of her own and a smile that makes a man imagine a future he doesn’t deserve.
As the danger intensifies, old feelings grow into something more, but Emma and Mal will need more than love to survive.
Please give us the first page of the book.PrologueWinter 1882 – Cooke County, TXMalachi Shaw made the arduous climb back into consciousness with great effort. But then, everything Mal had accomplished so far in his thirteen years of life had required great effort. Not that he had achieved anything worth bragging about. Orphaned. Starving. And . . . cold.That’s what his senses picked up first. The cold. And not just the huddling-under-the-saloon-stairs-in-a-too-thin-coat-during-a-blue-norther kind of cold. No. This was a cold so harsh it burned. Which made exactly zero sense.
With a groan, Mal lifted his head and tried to draw his arms beneath him to push himself up. That’s when the rest of the pain hit. His shoulder throbbed, his ribs ached, and his head felt like it had collided with a train. Oh, that’s right. It had.
Memories swirled through his mind as he slowly crawled out of the snowdrift that must have broken his fall. He’d hopped the train, just as he’d done a half dozen times over the last month since his drunk of a father finally got himself killed, run over by a wagon while trying to cross the street. The old man hadn’t been good for much, leaving Mal to scrounge for food in garbage bins while he spent whatever coins he managed to earn at the card tables on whiskey. But at least he’d kept a roof over their heads—a rundown, leaky roof supported by slanted, rickety walls that couldn’t even hold the wind out—but a roof nonetheless. The morning after they laid his father in the ground, the lady who owned the shack kicked Mal out on his ear. Barely gave him time to gather his one pathetic sac of belongings. A sac, Mal discovered as he frantically searched the area around him, that was nowhere to be found.
“No!” He slammed his fist into the frozen earth near his hip then slumped forward.
How can readers find you on the Internet?http://karenwitemeyer.com- The best place to connect with me online is at my website. I offer monthly drawings for free books, bonus material like deleted epilogues and behind-the-scenes peeks into my books, as well as free excerpts for all of my stories.Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/KarenWitemeyersAuthorPage/Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3114906.Karen_WitemeyerBlogs - http://petticoatsandpistols.com/and http://inspiredbylifeandfiction.com/
Thank you, Karen, 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.
- Amazon, Paperback
No Other Will Do (Ladies of Harper's Station Book 1)[image error] - Kindle
No Other Will Do: Ladies of Harper's Station, Book 1 - Audio
Comments: What is the favorite Karen Witemeyer book that you've read?
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