Lena Nelson Dooley's Blog, page 157

BLONDEVA'S BOYS - Kendra Norman Holmes - One Free Book

Welcome back, Kendra. Why do you write the kind of books you do? My writing is ministry, and the books that I write—both fiction and nonfiction—are done so in accordance to the leading of the Holy Spirit. He’s the inspiration and motivation for what I write, when I write, and how I write. Being used by Him is humbling. I write the kinds of books that I do because of my desire to obey and please God.
Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life? Oh gosh…that’s a tough one. It would be a toss-up between the day I married my husband and the days that I gave birth to my children. I’ll go with the day that I married Michael. It was joyous from start to finish. The happiness in the childbirth experiences didn’t come until the end. LOL!
How has being published changed your life? Before becoming a published author, I’d never done any real traveling, and although I was already a licensed minister at that time, I was still very much an introvert. At the time I became a nationally published author, I was thirty-something and had never been on an airplane. My world experience was limited to Georgia, Florida, Alabama, and South Carolina. Once I became nationally known as a published author, my entire existence changed. I found myself flying all over the United States and even traveling internationally to share my books with people in all walks of life. I thought that being a published author would give me the opportunity to say what I wanted to say without actually saying it. Instead it thrust me into the limelight and onto the stage. It was a bit overwhelming at first, but God had anointed me for this even before I was born. Traveling and public speaking has become an intricate part of my life. I feel very blessed to be chosen and trusted by God to carry out this assignment.
What are you reading right now? I am on the verge of starting to read a nonfiction/ministry book titled, Is It Just My Imagination?The author is Ternae T. Jordan, Jr., an amazing man of God who I met just a couple of weeks ago when my travels took me to Chattanooga, Tennssee.
What is your current work in progress? I’m still tying up the loose ends of Blondeva’s Boys as I prepare to take it to print to release, hopefully in the next two to three weeks. Once I’m completely finished with it, my next writing project will be a joint one that I will be doing with my husband. We have plans to write a daily devotional together that will be geared toward encouraging and strengthening marriages and family bonds. I’m excited about getting started.
What would be your dream vacation? That would definitely be Hawaii!! It’s the one state I’ve never been to that I really want to visit. I have had the pleasure of visiting some beautiful places in my life including islands in the Western and Eastern Caribbean, but I very much want to set my feet on the grounds of Hawaii. I know the day is coming in which my heart’s desire will be fulfilled, and I’m looking forward to it!
How do you choose your settings for each book? I typically set my stories in places where I’ve been so that I can make the story as accurate and as believable as possible. There was once a time in my career when almost all of my fictional stories were set in Atlanta, Georgia, because that’s where I was living at the time and I just felt more comfortable having them take place there. Now, I venture out a little more and either set them in a city/state that I’ve visited, or I create a fictitious town and set the story there (as I did in Blondeva’s Boys ).
If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?I think I’d have to say Joyce Meyer. She’s incredibly inspirational and has a wealth of godly wisdom. I very much respect her and love the ministry God has entrusted to her. Often times when I watch Joyce on television as she becomes transparent and blesses so many people by sharing the pains and the joys of her life’s testimony, I see a reflection of myself. I believe spending an evening talking and sharing with Joyce Meyer would be a wonderfully unforgettable experience.
What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading? I think if I weren’t a writer, I would use my creativity in the field of professional photography. I love taking pictures and capturing moments on film. In the near future, I actually have plans to purchase a professional camera with all the bells and whistles and pursue photography as a true hobby.
What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it? I work a full-time job Monday through Friday, and I have a husband who I adore and with whom I thoroughly enjoy spending time. Because we both are employed in corporate Americaand work full-time hours, Saturdays are largely geared to spending quality time together and focusing on us. And on Sundays a large part of our time involves ministry and corporate worship. So my most difficult writing obstacle is finding the time to do it. I never have the time to write, but I always make the time to write. All the talent in the world won’t get the book written. If I want it done, I have to make it happen. So I do…late at night, on the occasional Saturdays when my husband works a few overtime hours, during lunch breaks at work, etc. It’s about how badly you want it. It takes sacrifice. It’s the difference between writing being a pastime versus it being a passion.
What advice would you give to a beginning author? My advice always comes in the form of these three words: Prayer. Patience. Perseverance. I strongly believe an aspiring writer needs all three. Personally, I don’t know how anybody gets through anything without prayer. It’s the first thing I do in the morning, and I find myself talking to God throughout the day. He’s the source of my strength and the source of my inspiration. I can’t write without Him. Success won’t happen overnight, but if a writer doesn’t get anxious and exercises patience during the process, all the hard work will pay off. And finally, writers need to understand that discouragements will come along the way. We’ve all experienced them on our journeys, but with perseverance and a dogmatic refusal to allow the stumbling blocks to make them give up, beginners will eventually be able to taste the sweet fruit of their labor.
Tell us about the featured book. Blondeva’s Boys is a project that is near and dear to my heart. The female matriarch in the story is named after my beloved mother who passed away in November of 2014. While the only real likeness between my character and my mom is their deep love for God and family, it was important for me to give her the same name. My mom absolutely hated her first name and solely went by her middle name. Although I didn’t care much for the name either, I’ve come to appreciate it for being as uniquely beautiful as she was, and I wanted Mama’s name to become a household one. In my story, Blondeva is a God-fearing woman in her 80’s who, along with her husband, raised four children—all sons. Most of them grew up to be successful in pretty much every aspect of their lives. However their youngest, Isaac, has a history of disappointments in everything from schooling to marriage and the shadow of those failures have followed him all throughout his life. The story takes place in the fictitious town of Nona, Alabama. Isaac moved away from the small city in which he was raised and even joined the US Air Force in order to escape the constant reminders of his failures. Ms. Blondeva (as she’s called by most) pulls a few strings to get Isaac back to his hometown. He now works as a licensed contractor and her bait to lure him home are the renovations that are needed on the home that she and her husband have shared for several decades and her “failing health” (note the quotations marks). What Isaac ultimately finds out is that he—not the family home—is the one in store of a makeover: spiritually, mentally, and physically.
Please give us the first page of the book. Blondeva’s Boys opens with a “prologue,” giving the readers a peek into a dramatic incident that will happen later in the story. The prologue takes readers to an injured Isaac who is lying on the side of one of Nona, Alabama’s roads. He’s seriously battered and bruised and a stranger, who Isaac doesn’t even have enough strength to open his eyes and see, is talking to him and trying to keep him conscious until help arrives. There are no cell towers on that particular rural stretch of highway, so Isaac just has to suffer through what he believes is a slow death while the stranger’s young son runs to the nearest convenience store to get help. The first page of the book gives readers a taste of things to come.
How can readers find you on the Internet? My official web home is www.RoyaltyWriter.net. Readers may also find me on social media through Facebook (www.Facebook.com/KendraNormanHolmes), through Instagram (royaltywriter) and Twitter (@Royalty_Writer). I’m also the host of a weekly Internet radio show called Royal Pen Network. Listeners can tune in each Wednesday evening at 7:00 p.m. (EST) and listen live by going to www.JoynetRadio.com.

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

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

9 WINNERS!!!!!!!!!

Angela (KY), Sherida (NM), Lourdes (NY), MaryP (AUS), Jennyd (KY) are winners of a print or ebook of  Cloaked in Love  by Elaine Manders.

Kara (FL) is the winner of  Sit, Stay, Love  by Dana Mintink.

Diana (SC) is the winner of  The Lady and the Mountain Call  by Misty M Beller.

Abigail (NC) is the winner of  Back in the Saddle  by Ruth Logan Herne.

KayM (TN) is the winner of What Happened on Beale Street by Mary Ellis.

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.

BREAKING FREE - Jennifer Slattery - One Free Book

Bio: Jennifer Slattery writes soul-stirring fiction for New Hope Publishers, Christian living articles for Crosswalk.com, and devotions for Internet Café Devotions, the group blog, Faith-filled Friends, and her personal blog. She also does content editing for Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas’ Firefly imprint and loves working with authors who are serious about pursuing their calling. When not writing, reading, or editing, Jennifer loves going on mall dates with her adult daughter and coffee dates with her hilariously fun husband.Visit with Jennifer online at JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLoud.com and connect with her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/JenSlatte
Welcome back, Jennifer. Tell us about your salvation experience.I was saved at a young age at a neighborhood Good News Club ran by a sweet old lady who lived in the same trailer park I did. I’m not exactly sure how old I was, and no one marked the date for me, but it was sometime between my kindergarten year and the summer before I hit third grade. I don’t recall much of what she said—actually, I don’t remember a whole lot of those years. But I do remember her name—Ms. Dorothy, her smile, and all the popcorn she fed me and all the other dirty, rambunctious neighborhood kids whenever we came over. Probably because she couldn’t afford much else. One afternoon she told me Jesus, God’s Son, had died for me, and that truth penetrated deep.
That was the day I first believed, though I didn’t do much with my immature belief for a long, long time. Not until a Good Friday almost two decades later when I had a little one of my own. That afternoon, walking down the sidewalk with my daughter, what God had done for me struck me with such force, I knew my only response was to surrender my life completely to Him. That was when I first sensed a definite call to serve Him, though at the time I had no idea what that meant. I just knew He wanted me to dedicate my life to ministry. He’s since expanded on and clarified that call, showing me how my speaking and writing fit into all that.  
You’re planning a writing retreat where you can only have four other authors. Who would they be and why?Eva Marie Everson because she’s brilliant and funny and imparts wisdom in every conversation. Shannon Taylor Vannatter because she has the sweetest, most giving heart I’ve ever met. Though she has an incredibly busy and thriving writing career, she always finds time to help other writers out. Holly Michael because she’s a gifted writer with incredible life stories of experiences in foreign lands that absolutely fascinate me. Mikal Hermanns because she’s a bundle of joy and energy I’d love to bottle up for future use, and it’s fun to see how God is expanding her reach as she steps out in faith to serve Him through her writing.
Do you have a speaking ministry? If so, tell us about that.I do. I speak on a wide variety of subjects but one of my most popular keynotes is a testimony I call “The Power of Grace.” In it, I share how God brought me from a hopeless, homeless teenager filled with self-loathing and shame to a suburban author passionate about reaching out to the broken.
I also love speaking to women on how they can grab hold of deeper emotional and spiritual freedom through Christ and discover and embrace their unique calling. We all have a call—a unique way of revealing grace to our hurting world, and nothing will fulfill us quite like doing that which we were created to do.
Readers can learn more about my speaking topics here: https://jenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com/speaking/ 
People are always telling me that they’d like to write a book someday. I’m sure they do to you, too. What would you tell someone who came up to you and said that?I’d say, “Do it.” Though I’m sure you’ve heard the same response to that statement that I have: “I don’t have time.” Yet we tend to have time for those things that are most important to us. Truth is, if we really want to do something, we’ll find a way to make it happen. It might mean cutting back on our social events or another hobby or watching less television, but it’s not a matter of how much time we have but rather how we use the time we’ve been given. I’ve known some incredibly busy writers—moms of little ones who also work full time—who manage to make writing a priority. They’ve simply learned to be more intentional with how they spend their time, and have published novels to show for it.
Tell us about the featured book.I’d love to. How about I share what’s on the back cover?
Sometimes it takes losing everything to grab hold of what really matters.

Women’s ministry leader and Seattlehousewife, Alice Goddard, and her successful graphic-designer husband appear to have it all together. Until their credit and debit cards are denied, launching Alice into an investigation that only leads to the discovery of secrets. Meanwhile, her husband is trapped in a downward spiral of lies, shame, and self-destruction. Can they break free from their deception and turn to the only One who can save them? And will it be in time to save their marriage?
People can read the first three chapters here: http://newhopepublishers.com/2016/02/free-sample-of-breaking-free/
Please give us the first page of the book for me and my readers.Sure!
This place, these friends—her life—was exhausting. What Alice wouldn’t give to hide away . . . indefinitely. And yet here she sat in an upscale Seattle restaurant with her upscale Seattle friends, playing the part, while her latest keynote cycled through her brain again and again. Authenticity. Transparency. That’s the key to the Christian life.             Right.             Breathing deeply, she glanced around. The quaint little bistro was busier than normal. Wait staff, dressed in white double-breasted shirts, flitted around brightly colored tables, heavily laden trays in their hands. Bottles of wine lined the far wall, their red and green labels adding a splash of color to the exposed brick. Aliceraised her fork and nibbled on a piece of chicken, careful not to smudge her lipstick. As she chewed, she studied her friends.             Friends? What a comical word choice. Beth was the only one Alice trusted, and yet she spent countless hours with the others, listening to them go on and on about their passionate marriages and honor roll kids. Either they all lived picture-perfect lives or they were Academy Award winners. Like Alice—always carefully groomed, full of smiles, and positive words. The boys? They were great. Trent, her husband, he was great. Everything was great. Just perfect.             Not.             And the fear that one of them would find out just how imperfect her life was consumed her like a rapidly growing cancer.             Misty, a redhead with glitter-blue eye shadow, grabbed a slice of zucchini bread from the center basket. “We need to meet for lunch more often.”             “Speaking of getting together . . .” Beth, a petite blonde with sparkling blue eyes and skin too smooth for a woman in her forties, flashed a smile. “Who’s hosting the next women’s game night?” She glanced from one face to the next.             Avoiding eye contact, Aliceswallowed and tucked her hair behind her ears. Her house was off limits.             Beth’s gaze zeroed in on Misty.            She waved her hands in the air. “No way. Not me. I’m still trying to clean the chocolate stains out of my carpet from last time.” She threw her hair over her shoulders, exposing large gold hoop earrings.             “Yeah, but you were the one that started flinging the cake around in the first place.” Beth dabbed her mouth with a napkin and looked at Alice. “Looks like it’s on you.”            Aliceraised a hand and opened her mouth to protest when someone touched her shoulder. She glanced at the waiter standing over her.             He leaned closer and whispered, “There seems to be a problem with your credit card ma’am.”            Her cheeks burned as everyone looked at her. “What do you mean by problem?”            The kid shifted, eyes darting from face to face. Turning back to Alice, he spoke quieter. “Your credit card company declined the charges.” He placed the card on the table.            Alice’s stomach dropped. They had a ten thousand dollar limit. She’d done some minor shopping last week, bought a new dress and matching shoes, but nothing big. Unless Trentwent on a Saks Fifth Avenueshopping spree, there should still be plenty of credit left on their account. Certainly enough to pay for a chicken and watercress salad.             She pulled her wallet from her purse, flipped it open, and stared at the empty pocket. Where had her twenty dollars gone? Maybe her boys had grabbed it without telling her. So she’d pay with debit.             “Here.” She handed her bankcard to the waiter then turned back to her friends with a forced smile. “OK, OK, I’ll do it. I’ll host the next game night.” Anything to get the focus off her and her finances.Used by permission. Breaking Free: A Novel, by Jennifer Slattery (New HopePublishers, Birmingham, AL) NewHopeDigital.com
How can readers find you on the Internet?They can stop by my blog at JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLoud, follow me on Twitter at Jenslattery, connect with me on Facebook at JenSlatte, or interact with me on Pinterest, also at jenslatte. They can see various scene locations pinned to my Breaking Free board at http://www.pinterest.com/jenslatte/breaking-free/
Thanks for having me on your site, Lena! I always love spending time with other book addicts. 

It's always a pleasure to have you, Jennifer, and being a book addict is the best kind of addict to be.

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

THE BACHELOR GIRLS GUIDE TO MURDER - Rachel McMillan - One Free Book, Plus More

Welcome, Rachel. What a lovely picture of you. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters. It really depends on the book I am writing. In the Herringford and Wattsseries, it is a little easier to find me in my two heroines Jemima and Merinda. Merinda has a fierce independent side, which I definitely have, and Jem has a romantic nature, which I also have. They’re both two sides of the same coin and two sides of my personality.
What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done? I’ve traveled through Austria, Germany, and Switzerland on my own. Some people find that quirky. I once tried speed dating: where they line you up and a bell goes when you’re finished talking to the person across from you. It was pretty quirky. And actually pretty nerve-wracking.
When did you first discover that you were a writer? When I was 9 years old and my brother Jared gave me a purple Precious Moments journal, which I filled up. I always told stories in my head. I had a huge imagination. Now, I write them down. I never stopped writing.
Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.I read everything. I studied Victorian Literature in university, so I love Dickens and the Brontes and the classics. I read a ton of mysteries. I read a bit of everything. I also really like any novels set during the Napoleonic Wars and the Age of Sail. Anything on a boat! Patrick O’Brian’s books are favourites of mine.
How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world? I don’t! Kidding. I have a career and I am not going to lie, this first publishing contract of mine has had some tight deadlines. Tighter than any I had when my agent and I were preparing proposals for submission to publishers. I prioritize. I work on the subway on the way to work in the morning. I work over lunch break. I work evenings and weekends. I still make time for my family and friends but it takes a concerted effort. I am fortunate in that I don’t have a family relying on me. I am single and live by myself so if I need to eat Lucky Charms for dinner while typing away, I do.
How do you choose your characters’ names? Again, it is really dependent on the story. Sherrinford Holmes was Arthur Conan Doyle’s original name for Sherlock Holmes when he was plotting his series. When I set out to write the Herringford and Watts series, I wanted a name that gave a nod to Sherlock Holmes and came up with the surname Herringford. Miranda is my cousin’s name and I initially thought I would use that, but I wanted something just a little odd and unique for my heroine and so Merinda was born. With Jem Watts, I again wanted to pull on John Watson. Jem is a name I am fond of especially because of To Kill a Mockingbird, and there was something about Jemima Watts that just seemed to invoke the Edwardian era.
What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of? Signing a book contract is a huge deal for me. Especially because for most of my life I was too scared to show anyone my writing. I wrote all the time: manuscripts and scenes and chapters – but I wrote for myself. I still find it hard to believe I worked up the courage to pursue publication and find an agent. It takes nerves of steel. Sometimes I have them, sometimes I am a marshmallow, but I persevered, and I found some guts and it took me less than two years from the time I signed with an agent to the time I signed with Harvest House. Those years of silent, timid practice led to something!
If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why? I really, really love Basset Hounds. I would love one. They’re kind of dopey and slow but they have really good hearts. I am clumsy and the most unathletic person ever. If I were an animal, I would trip over my own ears.
What is your favorite food? I love sushi and luckily in Torontothere are so many restaurants to choose from. I also really, really, really love popcorn. I could live on popcorn.
I love popcorn. My husband brought home a bag of dill pickle popcorn for me. I love it, but it is a strong flavor that you can only eat a handful at a time. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it? One of the biggest problems was one I mentioned earlier. I am too nervous to show people my ideas. Obviously, I am getting better and stronger but I have a lot of insecurities about my writing. The longer I am involved in the writing community, the more I realize how normal this is! We just keep plugging away. There are good days and bad days no matter what stage of the publication journey you’re at.
Tell us about the featured book. The Bachelor Girl’s Guide to Murder is the first full-length novel in the Herringford and Wattsseries. A novella was released in December (A Singular and Whimsical Problem) and two more novels and two more novellas follow this book. In Edwardian-era Toronto, Canada, women are finessing their domestic skills in order to secure good marriages. Long-time friends and flatmates Merinda and Jem decide, instead, to solve murders and hone their sleuthing skills. They’re big Sherlock Holmes fans and try to use his methods and inspiration as they trip through danger, clues, and possible solutions. Of course, their (mis)adventures in murder and mayhem entangle them romantically with a muckraking Italian reporter named Ray and a stalwart police constable, Jasper Forth. In book II, you meet a Mountie!
I’m eager to feature that book here, too. Please give us the first page of The Bachelor Girl’s Guide to Murder .
I can do slightly better! Readers can read the entire first chapter on my publisher’s website : https://www.harvesthousepublishers.com/data/files/excerpts/9780736966405_exc.pdf
Jemima
Your father and I have decided that, after giving you several opportunities to prove you are pursuing a proper course for a lady of your station and background, we can no longer financially support your endeavors. While we applaud your dedication to your job at Spenser’s, we think it is high time you settled down. Your father and I have long tired of presenting you with eligible suitors, only to have you dismiss them to follow Merinda Herringford around like a bee to honey. We have long felt, and expressed, that she is not fit company for a lady of your potential.* As we seem to be making no headway in securing you a future worthy of your breeding, we can only keep you in our prayers and hope that soon you will see the error of your ways, return to your upbringing, and recognize that a lady of your not inconsiderable age (honestly, Jemima, four-and-twenty is hardly the age to be gallivanting about Toronto unwed) should be making prudent strides toward securing a husband. Please see the enclosed pamphlet suggesting appropriate activities for young ladies who are, as you should be, in pursuit of a proper husband…
How can readers find you on the Internet?Blog: www.a-fair-substitute-for-heaven.blogspot.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/rachkmc1Twitter: www.twitter.com/rachkmcInstagram: www.instagram.com/rachkmcPinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/rachkmc/

Meet best friends and flatmates Merinda and Jem, who launch their own Sherlock Holmes-esque consulting detective business in 1910 Toronto in Rachel McMillan’s The Bachelor Girl’s Guide to Murder. The deaths of young Irish women lead Merinda and Jem deeper into the mire of the city’s underbelly. Merinda could well be Toronto’s premiere consulting detective, and Jem may just find a way to put her bachelor girlhood behind her forever–if they can stay alive long enough to do so.

Rachel is celebrating the release of The Bachelor Girl's Guide to Murder with a Murder Mystery Prize Pack giveaway (details below) and an author chat party on April 28 !

 
One grand prize winner will receive:
One copy of The Bachelor Girl's Guide to MurderA magnifying glass necklaceA bowler hatA pocket watchA $30 Amazon gift cardEnter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on 4/28. The winner will be announced at  The Bachelor Girl's Guide to Murder Facebook party . RSVP for a chance to connect with Rachel and other readers, as well as for a chance to win other prizes!

RSVP today and spread the word—tell your friends about the giveaway via FACEBOOK, TWITTER, or PINTEREST and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 28th!Thank you, Rachel, for sharing your new book and the wonderful party with us. 
Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog. - Amazon
The Bachelor Girl's Guide to Murder (Herringford and Watts Mysteries Book 1) - 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

ALL THAT GLITTERS - Lisa J Flickinger - One Free Ebook

Dear Readers, I'm visiting with a Christian author friend from Canada today.
Welcome, Lisa. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.I consciously do not to write myself into my characters. I make the characters their own individuals and try to stay consistent. Although, I’m sure I don’t always escape intrusions of my own personality.
What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done? Traipsed around Thailand for a month with four other women while not having a clue what we were doing.
When did you first discover that you were a writer?I discovered I was a writer in grade four. I remember how proud I felt when my teacher praised a poem I’d written. I started writing small books and fashioning covers out of Mactac.
Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.I enjoy reading light romance of any genre: mystery, chick lit, faith-based, literary fiction, sci-fi etc. but historical romance makes my toes tingle.
You might like my last series McKenna’s Daughters. They’re historical romance. How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?My house is pretty quiet. The kids have flown the nest, and my husband works long hours. If things get hectic, I like to walk along the path behind our house and watch the river flow.
How do you choose your characters’ names?I usually determine what year they were born and look for baby names I like from that year. Sometimes I give a nod to someone I love and respect by naming a character after them. Both of my grandmother’s names appear in All That Glitters .
What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?My children, by far, are the thing I am most proud of. All three are kind, considerate, and productive members of society. The nine grandchildren we have are an awesome bonus.
If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why? I think I would be a Seeing Eye dog. I like to be useful but not crazy busy like a beaver.
I think that’s the most interesting answer to that question I’ve had. What is your favorite food? I love ham, and ham wouldn’t be great without scalloped potatoes (and a Caesar salad).
I used to love ham, but now my body won’t tolerate pork. I miss it. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it? I struggle constantly with procrastination. So many small tasks distract me from sitting down and writing what’s going on in my head. I have spurts of overcoming it by setting a schedule on paper, posting it in my office, and forcing myself to stick to it.
Tell us about the featured book.Pushed by the desire to see the family reunited before her father’s death, Vivian Connor chases her errant sister, Ginny, to the far north during the gold rush. Heartbreak and danger plague her journey across the country to a world plum crazy over gold. When she arrives in Dawson City, Vivian tries to convince Ginny to forgive herself and return home.  Meanwhile, Ben McCormack leaves his farm to retrieve his intended bride from a rowdy, tent town on the Alaskan coastline. Ben’s path inadvertently entwines with Vivian’s, and he finds his heart tugging him toward Vivian.
Please give us the first page of the book.“Vivian, are you in there?”
The bedroom door opened; Vivian Connor clutched her embroidery hoop tighter, and her needle paused in midair, the indigo blue floss dangling.             Her younger sister Virginia stomped into the room and threw herself onto the bed. “I think . . .  I think I’ll suffocate if I have to stay in this house one more minute.” She kicked her feet and hit the coverlet with clenched fists.
Not again. The pockmarks in the rose-colored wallpaper across the room were a reminder of the last “unfortunate incident” as mother called it. Was it just a week ago? Father had replaced her brush, comb, and mirror with the sterling silver set arranged on the chiffonier. They must have cost dearly—too dearly for a family without any wages. Tucking a ringlet behind one ear, Vivian stood and crossed the room hiding the gift from Virginia’s view. “All right, Virginia, what is it now?”
“Father decided I couldn’t go to the Fireman’s Ball on Saturday. I asked him a week ago when Loganasked me. He said he doesn’t know Logan Harris well enough to trust his daughter with him, but I’ve known him for a whole month.”
Interesting. How can readers find you on the Internet?I’d love to hear from readers on either my website/blog at www.lisajflickinger.com or Author Facebook Page
Thank you, Lisa, for sharing this new book with us. I just received it the other day and I'm eager to read it. I know my readers are, too.
Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
 - Amazon
All That Glitters - 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

ANNOUNCING THE AUTHOR CON AT SACHSE, TEXAS

Dear Readers, we don’t have an interview today. The person scheduled didn’t get the information to me in time. I wanted to let you know about an upcoming event, so I’ll use this opportunity.
Have you ever been to Comic Con, or Star Trek Con, or anything like that? Well, the library in Sachse, Texas, has started hosting an Author Con. I missed last year’s event, because of the trouble I had with my second knee, before I had the knee-replacement surgery for it.
I will be participating in this year’s event:
Saturday, May 21, from 12 noon to 4 PM.Sachse Public library3815 Sachse Road Building CSachse, TX 75048
If you don’t know where Sachse is, it’s a suburb on the east side of Dallas. If you live within comfortable driving distance, I’d love to have you come by. I will have books for sale. One will release by the end of April, and I’ll have it there.
Another thing I like to do is have my picture taken with any fan I meet. First, these pictures will be featured on the Home page of my website. Then I will set up a page on my website where I’ll post those if the fan gives me permission to use the picture.
www.lenanelsondooley.com

My fans are the reason I write. I love creating stories that touch readers, and I love meeting them or hearing from them in any way.


I really hope to see you there!

SACRED ASHES - Sherri Stone - One Free Book

Welcome, Sherri. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters. In this book, my main character struggles with learning to forgive. It is something I have had to do as well, although not to the same extent. I also gave her some of my traits that I see as weaknesses, such as being too stubborn and being closed to the people around me.
What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?I don't really see myself as quirky, although my family might disagree with that. :) Then again, they might just skip quirky and go straight to weird!
When did you first discover that you were a writer?I actually started writing stories many years ago, before I really considered that I might be published one day. I wrote this book about seven years ago, before I knew about ACFW or about writing fiction. I just wrote the story that was in my heart.
Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.The first Christian fiction book I ever read was The Healer, by Dee Henderson. I was hooked. I tend to enjoy romantic suspense more than straight romance. I also am a fan of Christine Feehan. She has several series that I love to read, although they may be a bit edgy for some readers. I also enjoy reading biographies, and non-fiction inspirational. In a pinch I'll read the back of a cereal box. I just love to read.
How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?In the last two years I have ended some commitments to extra things that I enjoyed but took time or emotional investment that I simply no longer had. I've been a social worker for twenty-five years, and more than once in that time. I have burned myself out. I made the mistake of confusing my identity with my job--I put my whole heart into it. That sounds noble on the surface, but it's the kiss of death. I pushed myself to the point that I no longer cared about much. I have asked the Lord to help me focus on the important things and be able to graciously let go of everything else. He is faithful to do that, I just don't always get it right. I'm still a work in progress ...
How do you choose your characters' names?By feel. I will often change them several times as I write until they click. Not very scientific, I know, but it works for me. I could never wait to write a story until I had all the names down. I'd never write anything!
What is the accomplishment you are most proud of?What gives me the most pleasure is making a peaceful home for my husband and myself. We are both in helping professions and deal with the problems of other people all day long. We are currently dealing with his grandfather who has dementia and needs nursing home placement. That has created a lot of drama in our family and we need the refuge of our home to rest, and recharge, and at times to heal.
If you were an animal, which one would you be and why?I would love to be a bird for the freedom of flying, but I would also love to be some kind of jungle cat. As someone who doesn't run, I would love to know what it's like to take off running with all the strength of a fast cat. The sad truth is, I'm more like a sloth. :-)
What is your favorite food?If I'm in the mood for salty stuff I like Ruffles potato chips, French Onion dip, and Dr. Pepper. If I need sweet, you can't do better than Reese's Peanut Butter cups. Notice there's no food of substance there. I'm a junk food junky!
What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock and how did you overcome it?Sometimes ignorance is bliss. When I wrote my first story, I didn't edit as I went. I didn't know about head-hopping, POV, back story, dumping, etc. I just wrote the story. Now I find that I try to edit as I write, which slows me down, and I think also maybe takes away from the story a bit. I am still trying to figure out how to stop doing that. All suggestions are welcome.
I always edit as I go. I can't stand to leave a messy passage without making it better. Tell us about your featured book. Sacred Ashes is my baby. It is about a preacher's daughter, Dani, who has dealt with anger and grief over her family's murder for ten years. The story begins when the man who killed them dies in prison. What should be closure for her instead triggers attempts on her life and forces her to come to grips with her own turning away from God. In the process, she meets a man who protects her and pushes her to trust again. It is the first in a series of three books. Dani's friends--Grace and Lucy--each get a story. Grace's will be out this summer.
Please give us the first page of the book. The rustic windows of Dani LaClere's rented beach cottage stood open in invitation to the night breeze, tangy with salt and secrets of the sea. A shadow glided along the balcony on the street side, protected from moonlight, one with the night. It reached the window and poured into the cottage like primordial ooze. Silent and deadly.
He stood for a moment, listening for any sign that she was awake, but the sound of the surf gently pounding the shore kept him from hearing anything. With the flick of a finger the cottage came to life in the eerie, green glow of night vision goggles. Dani's world. He began to explore.
A small vase on the coffee table overflowed with flowers he couldn't identify. Books stacked in careless piles gave testimony to her favorite pastime. A tote bag waited by the door, bulging with towels, bottled water, suntan lotion, and chocolate. The room was neat in a carefree, lived-in sort of way.
He continued to the corner that held a tiny kitchen. A bag of cookies sat on the counter and he helped himself to a handful as he headed for her room. He moved like a ghost across the sisal rug to the doorway of her bedroom where he stood and watched her sleep. Two steps would bring him to her bedside. He was tempted. His hands clenched in barely controlled agitation. All of the sneaking around fed his frustration. He was a man of action. Hands on. Yeah, he wanted hands on her. Right now. A small growl of frustration escaped him. Tonight he was only permitted to watch and record.
He pulled out his camera and started to record while another scenario played in his head. The one where he killed her. It wouldn't be so hard. She wasn't very big--average height from what he could tell. He pictured his hands around her throat. Or maybe he would wrap that long brown hair around and around, pulling it tight until she stopped breathing.
Suddenly he heard his own breathing, quick and ragged, above the sounds of the waves and forced himself to slow it down. He couldn't afford to make a mistake. A few more minutes and he would slip out into the night. She stirred restlessly and he held his breath.
Don't wake up yet, Dani. If I have to kill you tonight I'll be in so much trouble.
A quiet giggle slipped out and he caught his breath and stared at Dani, willing her to stay asleep in spite of the noises he made. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply for a moment to regain some control. Killing her would be nice. It would be even better after they tormented her for a while.
He clicked off the recorder and stepped gingerly toward the window in the main room. Three steps away from the doorway he froze. Her breathing changed abruptly. She was awake. He slid into a small niche between the wall and the entertainment center and prepared to wait. She would sleep again. There were hours yet until daylight.
He flipped open the video screen and played back the recording without sound. So close. What a rush. Impatient as he was, it would be fun to play with her for a while. They could only kill her once.
Wow!! How can readers find you on the Internet?I blog at www.sherristone.net, and I'm on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/sherrilynnestone. I have a few boards on Pinterest at https://www.pinterest.com/sherriston/.
Thank you, Sherri, for sharing this suspense novel with us. I'm eager to read it, and I know my readers will be, too.
Readers, here’s a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.Sacred Ashes (Lethal Legacy Book 1)

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

WINNERS!!!!!

Donna (AR) is the winner of  Quimby Pond  by Bruce Judisch.

Michelle (CA) is the winner of  The Gilded Curse  by Marilyn Turk.

Robin (NC) is the winner of  Early Birds  by Janetta Fudge Messmer.

Sonnetta (NJ) is the winner of  Counted With the Stars  by Connilyn Cossette.

Terrill R (WA) is the winner of the ebook April Fool's Love by 10Authors.

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.

WHAT HAPPENED ON BEALE STREET - Mary Ellis - One Free Book

Dear Readers, I loved the first book in Mary’s Secrets of the South series, so I was eager to read this one. It’s even better. Mary’s research really gave her a feel for the South making her settings even richer in history and tradition that wove through this contemporary romantic suspense novel. The wide variety of types of characters carried the story to amazing places. You reallywon’t want to miss this wonderful read.
Bio: Mary Ellis has written twelve award-winning novels set in the Amish community and several historical romances set during the Civil War. Her latest, What Happened on Beale Street , is second of a new mystery series, Secrets of the South, from Harvest House Publishers. Before “retiring” to write full-time, Mary taught school and worked as a sales rep for Hershey Chocolate, a job with amazingly sweet fringe benefits. Mary enjoys traveling, gardening, bicycling, and swimming and lives in Ohio with her husband, dog, and cat.
Welcome back, Mary. How did this book come about? During my travels through the South, I discovered the Mississippi Blues Trail which I followed to Beale Street in Memphis. I’ve always loved music, so I created a story about two PI’s who come to Memphisto solve their friend’s murder. While researching in the area, I discovered the marvelous Peabody Hotel. It’s had one hundred years of history, romance, and intrigue within its stately walls. So of course my characters had to stay at this elegant hotel.
Tell us about the book’s cover and what makes it unique.During my last trip to Memphis, my husband and I ate at B.B. King’s Restaurant on Beale Street. I took a photograph that’s almost identical to the book cover, but I’d never sent the photo to my publisher. The cover designer for Harvest House couldn’t have selected a better cover for my story.
Please explain and differentiate between what’s fact and fiction in the book. The events which take place in the book are pure imagination, but I tried to make the characters and setting as true to life as possible. I changed the name of the hotel to the Carlton in the book, so readers don’t confuse a real place with made-up events. We can’t have guests tearing about the hotel, looking for missing jewels.
How much research did you have to do for this book? Plenty. I studied the history of the city of Memphis from after the Civil War through its recent rebirth/renewal. I researched the birth of the blues, along with its founding musicians, and then made several trips to Beale Street and traveled the Blues Trail into Mississippi. For the characters I interviewed a chief of police, the director of a homeless shelter, two hotel managers and a concierge, several professional musicians, and a real estate agent. And of course, I listened to CD’s of the blues while writing.
I love blues music. What are some of the most interesting things you found about this subject that you weren’t able to use in the story? I have a subplot which involves jewels that have been missing for fifty years. While staying in the elegant hotel where this subplot takes place, I was able to incorporate several real-life details into my fiction. To tell you more than that would spoil the story.
What inspired and surprised you while you were writing the book? I was able to incorporate many obscure details I learned during my trips into the story. An author never knows what will be useful while writing.
That is so true. What do you hope the reader takes away from the story? One of my characters, Danny Andre, volunteered at an outreach center for those recovering from drug/alcohol problems. The neighborhood Danny lived in, along with his volunteer activities and late-night line of work, often put him in danger. But as a Christian, he took Jesus’s command to serve his fellow man seriously. His character is an example for all Christians.
What is the next project you’re working on? I just finished the edits on book 3 of the Secrets of the South Mysteries. Magnolia Moonlight, the story about a murdered minister set in Natchez, Mississippi, will release in August. And I’m presently writing book 4, Sunset in Old Savannah. Since I plan to live in Georgia for half the year after my husband retires, it was a pleasure to research and write this book.
I can hardly wait for the next book to release. We need to schedule it on my blot. What do you do when you have to get away from the story for a while?I’m lucky to live on 3 acres of wooded land. There are always branches and broken limbs to be gathered and dragged to the burn pile. I take my dog, and we stomp around the woods for an hour. When I come back to the house, I’m physically exhausted but mentally refreshed.
Tell us about the story.How Can Music So BeautifulHide Something So Deadly?
A cryptic plea for help from a childhood friend sends cousins Nate and Nicki Price from New Orleans to Memphis. When these two private investigators arrive at Danny Andre’s last known address, they discover signs of a struggle and a lifestyle not in keeping with the choirboy they fondly remember.
Danny’s sister, Isabelle, reluctantly accepts their help. She and Nate aren’t on the best of terms due to a shared past. Can they get beyond painful memories to find her brother?
And what on earth was Danny involved in besides becoming a rising star as a sax player? Nate and Nicki follow clues into dim and smoky clubs, trail potential stalkers, and challenge dangerous men with connections to underworld drug trafficking. To complicate things, the hotel they are staying in has its own secrets. Confronted with murder and mystery in the land of the Delta blues, the cousins and Isabelle will have to rely on their faith and investigative experience to solve the case and not lose their lives.
Please give us the first page of the book for my readers.New OrleansNicki Price opened one eye to find an irate face looming over her in the dark room.
“Why do you pay a phone bill if you refuse to answer the thing?” Her roommate slapped the phone down on Nicki’s solar plexus, none too gently.
“I do pick up when people call during daylight hours.” Letting her cell fall to the floor, Nicki turned over and snuggled deeper under her covers.
Chloe Galen plopped down on the edge of the bed. “Nic, you’re a partner in a big-time PI agency. You need to be ready for adventure twenty-four-seven.”
“Spoken like a true artist-in-residence, who paints solely when the creative impulse strikes but under no circumstances before noon. Besides, Price Investigations is not a big-time agency. I work for my cousin for chump change.” Nicki tried to bump Chloe off the bed with her hip. “Isn’t it the middle of the night? Why are you still up?”
“Because whenever I doze off, your stupid phone wakes me up. How can you stand the theme song from a TV Western for a ringtone? If you don’t answer the next time it rings, I’m coming back with a bucket of cold water.” Chloe picked the phone from the rug just as it began its annoying tune again as though on cue and handed it to her friend.
Nicki sat upright and kicked the tangled covers to the foot of her bed. “Hello?” she demanded crossly. “Whoever you are, do you have any idea what time it is?”
“Nicki?” A familiar voice on the other end sounded distant. “It’s Danny Andre.”
“Danny. I’d recognize your Barry White imitation underwater.” Nicki changed her tone as every trace of sleepiness vanished. “How are you? Where are you? I heard you moved to the big city to seek fame and fortune. I have major news too—a new job, cool apartment, and a real live fee-ahn-say.” She couldn’t help grinning as she said that last bit.
How can readers find you on the Internet? I love interacting with readers at:  http://http://www.maryellis.net/  or http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Mary-Ellis/126995058236

Thank you, Mary, for writing this wonderful book. I know my readers are as eager to read it as I was when it arrived.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
 - Amazon
What Happened on Beale Street (Secrets of the South Mysteries 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

BACK IN THE SADDLE - Ruth Logan Herne - One Free Book

Dear Readers, I’m thrilled to share one of Ruth Logan Herne’s new books with you today. Back in the Saddle is one of my favorite cowboy stories. A contemporary western, it caught my heart from the first page and held on. I loved the characters and the story. The setting was just right for this story. You really won’t want to miss it. Ruth is on the current list of The Forty Best Contemporary Christian Authors. If you go to her Amazon page, you will see an amazing list of books by Ruth.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_10?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=ruth%20logan%20herne&sprefix=Ruth+Logan%2Caps%2C196
Welcome, Ruth. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.Lena, not too much of me, or I’ll scare folks away! I think there’s always a grain of us in each heroine and a smattering of what we love in each hero, but mostly I base them on what I see going on around me with the young families/parents/kids I’ve worked with daily. So basically I exploit small children, pets, and farm animals for personal gain … Nicely, of course! J
What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?My family would assure you that they are too numerous to mention. Let’s just say my children who have an experimental nature most likely got that from their maternal side!
When did you first discover that you were a writer?I’m pretty sure it was pre-birth, a gift from my amazingly talented mother, so I don’t have any memory of not wanting to read and then tell stories. Certainly pre-verbal, and I can see this in some of my grandkids and the kids I work with. I’m pretty sure that while writing can be learned, storytelling is inborn. I like to think of it as a gift of the spirit, and then I use it just that way!
Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.I love all kinds of books, but I actually read a lot of non-fiction and/or fact-based stories. Michael Lewis comes to mind, Ben Carson’s books … but I’m a big Herman Wouk fan (Winds of War, War and Remembrance, The Caine Mutiny), I loved the early Nora Roberts stories, Catherine Marshall’s Christy, and Ray Bradbury. More than reading, I love writing, so I spend more time creating than relaxing, but in my world, that’s the best way to relax: Write more stories!
How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?I’m a New Yorker, from upstate, with six kids, 14 grandkids, and two of my boys are in Manhattan. I love our run, run, run world, so it seems crazy sane to me!
How do you choose your characters’ names?It depends on the book. Names of the time period make a difference, and if the parent/parents had issues might enter into it. I do some self-naming, friends and kids and folks I love, slipping them in there … and in my current Love Inspired Grace Haven series, I have all the men throughout the novels named after a fallen police officer from 2014. I love that I was able to do that tribute to the people who work so hard to keep us safe.  In the Double S Ranch series, I wanted rugged western names, so Colton“Colt”, Nicholas “Nick” and “Trey”, although Trey wasn’t named because he was third, that was coincidental or God’s timing, because Trey was actually the son of two country music singers who succumbed to drug use and died of an overdose. His mother called him Trey because she thought the name Trey Walker sounded like a country music name. And he became a country music singer a quarter-century later!
I love picking out names!
What is the accomplishment that you are proudest of?My children are my shining lights on earth, and they’re all so sure of themselves and somewhat feisty. (I blame their father for that.) They were the best gift God could have given me, and I treasure each one of them. Of course they love the fact that their waitress mother is now a published author with nearly thirty books out and more to come, but they probably get tired of hearing about make-believe people! My grandkids, conversely, love hearing stories, so there’s an audience for everyone.
What is your favorite food?Chocolate with a side of chocolate!
What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?The road to traditional publication is a difficult one, so traveling that path was a patience builder and time-tester, but I had one goal in mind and that was to succeed. With the help of my buddies “The Seekers” (www.seekerville.blogspot.com) we formed a pact to pray each other into publication, and it worked, all thirteen of us have been published by royalty-paying publishers. To us, the power of prayer and writing is as clear as anything. And working together gave us an amazing support network.
A very worthy undertaking. Tell us about the featured book. It’s been a long time since Colt Stafford shrugged off his cowboy legacy for shiny Manhattanloafers and a promising career on Wall Street. But when stock market manipulations leave him financially strapped, the oldest son of legendary rancher Sam Stafford decides to return to the sprawling Double S ranch in Gray’s Glen, Washington. He’s broke, but not broken, and it’s time to check in with his ailing father and get his legs back under him by climbing into the saddle again.

He doesn’t expect to come home to a stranger pointing a loaded gun at his chest— a tough yet beautiful woman that Sam hired as the house manager. Colt senses there’s more to Angelina Morales than meets the eye and he’s determined to find out what she’s hiding ... and why. 
Please give us the first page of the book for my readers.The sharp metallic click meant one thing.
Someone had a gun pointed in Colt Stafford’s general direction.
He sucked a breath and realized two other things. First, these might be the last two thoughts he’d ever have and that would be a downright shame, wouldn’t it?
Second?
He’d been away from the Double S too long when he couldn’t tell what kind of gun by the sound of the mechanism. Was it his father’s Ithaca Deerslayer or the vintage Remington short barrel?
He put his hands high, figuring this was about as good a welcome as he could expect after being gone nearly seven years. “I’m unarmed and this is my home. Kind of. Who in the name of all that’s good and holy in the West are you?”
A stream of Spanish argued his status, and that brought him to two more things. The person speaking wasn’t his sick father, the man he’d come home to help. It was a woman, and not too tall from the direction of the Hispanic tongue-lashing being laid down right now.
He turned his head slightly.
Backlit from the foyer light, he couldn’t make out her features. Her silhouetted frame said she was petite, but most assuredly feminine.
The gun, however, wasn’t.
See, Readers, doesn’t that opening make you want to know what happens next? How can readers find you on the Internet, Ruth?
I love the Internet! I love to play and pray with folks on Facebook as Ruth Logan Herneand my website is ruthloganherne.com, or you can find me with other authors who love to cook and bake at www.yankeebellecafe.blogspot.comand with a dozen other wonderful friends, sisters in Christ and authors at www.seekerville.blogspot.comwhere we chat with readers and aspiring authors every single day!
Thank you, Ruth, for sharing this new book with us. I'd love to share any of your books with my readers.
Readers, leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (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