Lena Nelson Dooley's Blog, page 169

CHAPEL SPRINGS SURVIVAL - Ane Mulligan - One Free Book

Dear Readers, Ane and I have been long-time online friends, and I always look forward to going to the American Christian Fiction Writers national conference, so I can see my online friends, especially Ane.
Welcome back, Ane. Why do you write the kind of books you do? I didn't grow up with sisters, but I have always had close girlfriends and loved them. As an adult, many wonderful, Godly women poured into me their strength, friendship, and accountability. I've seen girlfriends band together to help each other out of a pickle, and those are the stories I'm drawn to. Toss in my overgrown funny bone, a crazy family, and a bit of romance, and voila! You have my books.
Yes, your books have a wonderful voice including all those things. Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life? This is such a hard question, Lena, but I'd have to pick the day I was found by my birth sisters, ten years after I posted a query on an adoption board. It was God-ordained to be sure. If anyone wants to read the whole story, they can find it on my website.
I can imagine how wonderful that can be. I love seeing the sibling reunions on TV. How has being published changed your life? It gave be a second career after I retired. And surprisingly to me, it has drawn me closer to God as I invite Him to write with me each day. He's taken me on adventures I never dreamed of, and I've met people I never would have. Most important to me, though, are the lives my stories have impacted. That's priceless!
That makes it all worth it. What are you reading right now? Right now, I'm reading Deborah Raney's latest in her Chicory Inn series, Another Road Home. I recently finished Summer at Hideaway Key, by Barbara Davis, and As Waters Gone By, by Cynthia Ruchti. I recommend all highly!
What is your current work in progress? Right now, I'm working on the fourth book in the Chapel Springs series, Lost in Chapel Springs. Lacey Dawsonfinally gets her story told. And it's quite a story!
What would be your dream vacation? A house on the beach, where I could sit on the deck and listen to the waves. Or maybe a cottage on the moors of Ireland.
How do you choose your settings for each book? I love small towns. I grew up in a suburb of Los Angeles, California. When we moved to Georgia, I felt like I'd come home. We live in a small town, where nearly everyone is related to everyone else or knows them. Instead of remaining outsiders, we were absorbed into life here. We live near a lake in north Georgia, and so I chose to set my stories in an area like this. Chapel Springs is smaller than Sugar Hill, where I live, and it's higher up in the north Georgiamountains. My husband claims it's in Hidden Valley.
If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?Sandie Bricker. I love her humor and she's a redhead. Need I say more? I do? Well, that's easy. Sandie also had a great impact on my prayer life by starting a prayer e-loop, when Diann Hunt was battling cancer. Di won her battle when God called her home, but the Accidental Warriors stayed together, praying each other through many difficulties and seasons. We live in different states, so I'd love to spend an evening with her.
I love Sandie, too. Of course, we redheads are always drawn to each other. What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading? My other passion is theatre. I'm president of a new community theatre in my town, so I direct, and raise money, and shop for costumes and props at flea markets and yard sales.
I don’t know if I ever told you, but my I have my BA and most of a Masters in Drama, and I’ve served as the Drama Director for two different churches as well as being active in community theater, but I’m not involved in drama right now. What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it? I juggle being a seat-of-the-pants writer and a plotter. Rachel Hauck calls it being a "planster" and I guess it fits. I've got to have an outline. Just an idea for each scene. Then I can untie my SOTP self to have fun. However, if I don't have that plan, I stall.
What advice would you give to a beginning author? Go to conferences and network. Read books on the craft and have two or three critique partners. And finally, circumstance doesn't' replace motivation. Know your character's motivation, and readers will follow them anywhere.
I read your first book in this series. Tell us about this one. I love this story! Our adult son got himself a twenty-first century mail-order bride, and didn't tell us until a year after the fact. For leaving me out of it, I told him it was going into a book and it did.  Here's the back cover blurb:
Chapel Springs Survival
A mail-order bride, a town overrun with tourists, and illegal art.  Can Claire and Chapel Springs survive?
Claire Bennett's Operation Marriage Revival succeeded and life is good. That is until the mayor's brother blabs a secret: Claire's nineteen-year-old son has married a Brazilian mail-order bride. When Claire tries to welcome her, she's ridiculed, rebuffed, and rejected. Loving this girl is like hugging a prickly cactus.
Lydia Smith is happily living alone and running her spa—then the widow on the hill becomes a blushing bride. Then her groom's adult son moves in—on everything.
From the first sighting of a country music star in The Painted Loon, Chapel Springs is inundated with stargazers, causing residents to flee the area. When her best friends put their house on the market, Claire is forced to do something or lose the closest thing to a sister she’s got.
With her son's future at stake and the town's problems to solve, it's Claire's who needs a guardian angel.
Please give us the first page of the book. I'd love to!             Like shot pinball, Claire Bennett pinged against, around and between hordes of straw hats, bikinis, and plaid shorts. All along Sandy Shores Drive, shoulder-to-shoulder throngs of people crowded the sidewalk and spilled into the avenue. A party atmosphere—with noise level to match—permeated the quiet morning and their once peaceful village.
What had they done? When she and her friends envisioned the revitalization of Chapel Springs, it was a nice, controlled rise in tourist trade—not this craziness.
One bruised elbow later, Claire reached the door of her art gallery, The Painted Loon, and turned her key in the lock. A heavy hand grasped her shoulder. Her heart skipped a beat. Was she about to be robbed?
Hold on. In broad daylight? With this crowd watching? She may not be the brightest color on the palette, but she did possess a little common sense. Her gaze traveled up the beefy arm to a scraggly-bearded face with beady eyes. A rolled red bandana wrapped around his forehead, held back salt-and-pepper hair. Beside him stood a bleached-blonde motorcycle mama, dressed in a halter-top and the skimpiest shorts Claire had ever seen. Strings hung from their ragged edges and drew attention to the lumpy cellulite dotting the back of her thighs. Who was this woman trying to kid? She was fifty if she was a day.
"You're the loon lady," Motor-mama said. "We want to see your pots." They tried to shoulder their way into the gallery, but Claire stood her ground.
"I'm sorry, we aren't open yet. Please come back at ten." She threw the deadbolt, pulled down the window shade, then leaned her back against the door and drew in air.
How can readers find you on the Internet? You can find me at my website, Novel Rocket, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Google+
Thanks for having me on, Lena!

Ane, the pleasure is all mine. I know my readers will be interested in this new book.

Readers, here’s a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.
Chapel Springs Survival

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

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

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

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

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ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS - Rosanne Croft, Sharon Smith, Linda Reinhardt - One Free Book

Welcome, Rosanne. How did this book come about?We wrote stories for 3 books and our editor/publisher creatively put all the stories in asparkling new edition with Shiloh Run Press, an imprint of Barbour Publishing. How exciting for us to have this book of Christmas stories available at Walmart stores as well as online.
What was your contribution to the collection?I wrote eight stories for the book. Some are based on real life memories and others are sheer imagination. 

What other books have you written?Our first book together was Like A Bird Wanders, a historical novel. We had such fun doing it together, with each of us starring as a sister in the book. After the Christmas stories, we moved on to individual projects and cheer for each other’s new endeavors. I think your readers may remember I was featured on your blog this past year for A Gentile in Desereta Utahromance based on a relationship between a lovely LDS girl and a born again Christian guy. What conflict already! It’s the first in a series and the second, A Saint in the Eternal Citywill be forthcoming on Amazon soon.
Tell us about your favorite Christmas memory.I’ll let you read the long version in my story, “Starlight and Snow.” The essence was a Nativity scene that we traditionally went to see at night. There was a padded kneeler in front where you could study the figures, and while there it almost came alive to me. Peace settled on me, unbelievable peace.
Tell us something about your family.I’m married to a good man and it’s been 35 years! We have a special trip planned tocelebrate. We have a 21 year old daughter in and out of our home, although independent for the most part. Two married sons have given us five grandchildren.
Today we went to Grandparents’ Day with five-year-old Grayson and made turkeys!
Please give us the first page of one of the stories you contributed to the collection.From “The Longest Silence”by Rosanne Croft
It was a good day. I had two letters at mail call one from my mom and one from a guywho’d shipped out of Vietnamtwo months ago. I walked to my bunk and tore open the one from Charlie. Peace on Earth1968, his card said.  But the picture had nothing to do with Christmas; it was a photo of an M48 tank. We’d given Charlie a celebration barbeque at Quonset hut, our hooch. But his attitude had been so  cynical and mean;I didn’t see why we’d gone to any trouble for a selfish guy like him. Now hesends me a demoralizing Christmas photo card.
Merry Christmas to you, too, pal , I thought gloomily.Charlie’s sarcastic greeting threw me into a cranky mood of self pity. He was home, farfrom the rocket attacks on our evacuation hospital. He’d never have to carry another gurney off a helicopter in the middle of the night, I thought bitterly. Charlie was spending the holiday at home with his family, complete with stockings on the fireplace and a decked-out Christmas tree. Oh sure, here the cooks at the mess would roast a big turkey dinner for us, I knew. But the turkey, and especially the potatoes and gravy, never tasted like home. Must have been all the insects buzzing around, ending up in the food. Extra protein, some guys said.
We medics were friends for life, most of us, locked together in mortal combat against wounds received by our fighting men in the rice patties and jungles of the Central Highlands of Vietnam. At the 71st Evacuation Hospital, our job was to save as many lives as we could, and we did it twelve hours every night shift and twelve hours every day shift. We stabilized them and sent them on.
But this December of 1968, when US casualties peaked at over 16,000 killed in one year,I felt the same hopelessness depicted on that card. There would never be peace on earth. I tucked the card into my pants pocket with dismay and walked out of the hooch.
I almost rammed straight into Phil, the chaplain’s assistant, as he hurried back from thedirection of the sergeant major’s office. Poor Phil;he’d lost every hair on his twenty-year-old head from taking quinine to fight against malaria. We all took it, but some men had the bad luck to have side effects. Young guys look strange when they’re that bald. Talk about nerdy. That’d be Phil.
“Hey, Sergeant,” he said, “I have a surprise.”
Why did you want to write a book like this?The stories were a wonderfully creative way to commemorate some of my best Christmasmemories. Important family stories will now be in written form, only fictionalized a bit to make them more interesting.
What do you want the reader to take away from your stories in the collection?I hope readers who like to curl up with a book of stories will be touched emotionally and feel peace in their situations. Sometimes I read to escape and I know there are those kinds of stories here, too. Throughout human history, there have been hard times but Christmas is the time to be reminded of Jesus’living presence. I pray readers see the reality of Jesus’coming at Christmas and feel his love for them.
Where can my readers find you on the Internet?I would love to be friends with readers on Facebook under Rosanne Croft. My blog is alas, not updated, but it’s at rosannecroft.wordpress.com. Thanks for the interview, Lena!
Now we'll meet the second author in the collection.
Welcome, Sharon. How did this book come about?I had so many  story ideas in my head and knew for sure I'd never be able to write novels from them all, so when the short story concept clicked, I was on a roll.
What was your contribution to the collection?Twenty-seven of the stories are mine.
What other books have you written?My first book was a historical novel written with Linda and Rosanne, titled Like a Bird Wanders. The sequel, Old Sins Long Shadows was my own endeavor. My next book, The Train Baby's Mother, is a Holocaust survivor's story and won first place in the 2013 Oregon Christian Writer's contest. The three Christmas books contained in this anthology followed. The Short Life of Moths, a book of hope and healing after domestic violence came out in 2013 and spawned a ministry to prevent violence against women through education. Last year, Barbour books published a compilation containing The Train Baby's Mother and two titles by Bruce Judisch.
Tell us about your favorite Christmas memory. I love Christmas and have many wonderful memories, but my first Christmas with my first child stands out as one of awesome wonder.
Tell us something about your family.I'm married and have two grown sons. They each have two incredible daughters who fill my life with joy and laughter. Right now, we're looking forward to a new grandson after the first of the year. I also have a huge extended family who loves to celebrate everything. 
Please give us the first page of one of the stories you contributed to the collection. “The Train Baby”Somewhere in Germany/1943“Listen!”
“I hear nothing, Ellie. Your imagination once again is getting the best of you.”
“I tell you, I heard something, Fritz. What if it's a wounded animal caught in a hunter's trap?”
“They hunt only for food. How many times must I tell you this?”
“Tell me a thousand times, and I will think it cruel.”
Another sound rises from the direction of the rail tracks running through the back of their grandparent's property.
“Fritz!” Ellie's head jerked in the direction of the wail.
“I heard it. Maybe the train hit an animal.”
They moved as fast as the knee-deep snow would allow, straining against the heavy restriction. Cousins brought together by misfortune, living in the country for safekeeping while their fathers fought for the homeland, they found comfort in the camaraderie that kept fears about war at a distance.
Fritz, whose long legs gave him an advantage over the younger Ellie, arrived first. “I see nothing Ellie. Winter plays a trick on us.”
Ellie, her braids now loosed from a red stocking hat, grabbed her heaving sides. Misting breath crystallized in the fierce December cold. “Oh, Fritz, you are always so wise, far and above any boy in all the land.” She waved her arm, bowing in mockery.
Suddenly, the stillness collapsed with a cry, plaintive and intense. 
I read the collection written by you and Bruce. Your story lingered in my thoughts for many days. Why did you want to write a book like this?The birth of Jesus is the most loving gift from Heaven. My intention was to draw people back to the real meaning of Christmas. 
What do you want the reader to take away from your stories in the collection?Jesus is real. I want my readers to realize the love that God has for them.
Where can my readers find you on the Internet?All my books are at the usual sites. And please look for me on Facebook.

 And now we'll meet the third author, Linda Reinhardt.
How did this book come about?
Sharon put together the original book, Once Upon A Christmas .  It needed some more stories so she invited Roseanne and me. The publisher liked it so much she asked us to put together another one the next year and then the next. And now they are compiled together in this edition.
What other books have you written?
I co-wrote Like A Bird Wanders with Sharon and Roseanne, along with Starry Starry Night, Once Upon A Christmas , and Always Home for Christmas.
I also wrote the Sister Blue Thread Series, Hidden Song, Silenced Song, and soon to be released Lost Song.
Tell us about your favorite Christmas memory.
My favorite Christmas memory - that is hard to answer, there are so many, my first with my husband, my daughters first, times with family and friends, but one memory creeps into my mind every year...When I was young, I always sat next to my Dad at church. He loves hymns and Christmas music. I loved to sit next to him on Christmas Eve and sing Christmas hymns. He has a beautiful voice. Although we don't go to church together right now, I can still hear him singing every Christmas Eve. The memory will literally bring tears to my eyes remembering him singing the songs.
Tell us something about your family.
I am married to a wonderful, Christian man. We have a beautiful, miracle daughter who is now in middle school. I also am blessed to have most of my extended family living nearby.
Why did you want to write a book like this?  
I had some Christmas stories I had written tucked away in files. I had no idea what I was going to do with them. Except one, “Only One Gift For Me,”  which I had also written a screen play for, and it was performed at a church I attended a few years ago, and also at retirement  homes for a couple of years. So ... when Sharoninvited me to join her I was more than excited to join the project. 
What do you want the reader to take away from your stories in the collection?
It hit me one Christmas that not everyone I loved believed or were following Jesus, so I wrote a story and passed it around hoping it would lead them to Jesus. I still hope that just maybe, when a person nestles in to read these stories in the middle of the Christmas rush, they might have a few moments of reflecting on the goodness that Jesus brings. And that’s really what this holiday is all about, Jesus, and Him coming to earth as a baby....
Where can my readers find you on the Internet?
I would love to connect with readers on facebook! Or they can find me on my blog, lindajreinhardt.blogspot.com.
Thank you, Rosanne, Sharon, and Linda, for sharing this wonderful book with us. I've read a few of the stories so far and loved them. I know my readers are eager to read the book, as well.
Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog. Once Upon a Christmas: 55 Heartwarming Short Stories Bring Meaning to the Season - Amazon
Once Upon a Christmas: 55 Heartwarming Short Stories Bring Meaning to the Season - Kindle

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

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

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

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

JACOB'S CHRISTMAS DREAM (Christmas Mail-Order Angels) - Darlene Franklin - One Free Ebook

Dear Readers, I read as many Christmas books as I can find during October, November, and December. Right now, I’m reading this novella collection, Christmas Mail-Order Angel. I’ve always loved mail-order bride stories. I even wrote a mail-order bride novel. I’m really enjoying this collection. I think you will, too.
Welcome back, Darlene. You have a lot of books out now. What is your favorite setting to use in your books?I write primarily about the West. I’ve experimented with Kansas, Nebraska, and Wyoming, but I write mostly about settings I know first-hand: Texas (8 books), Oklahoma(7 books), and Colorado(5). I moved to Coloradoin 1991 and felt like I had come home. Now I live in Oklahoma, and I’ve spent time in Texasas well.            But I’ve written the most books set in Vermont. Eight books are a continuous series covering Maple Notch, Vermont, from the Revolutionary War to the present. The other two books are novellas. I grew up in New England, and Vermontwas the state I was able to contract when Barbour was publishing books about all fifty states in the country.
What do you look for when you’re shopping for a book to buy for yourself?Hmm. Good question. Practical questions eliminate a lot of good books: is it available on Kindle? Living in a nursing home, I can’t accumulate hardbacks the way I used to. How much does it cost? I’ve also become leery of buying books that are part of series, at least sci fi. After that. The cover, the description, an author I have enjoyed before. Even the length (shorter is better for me.). The setting does influence my choice as well. A book set in Coloradois going to catch my interest before a book set in Iowa. No offense meant to Iowans. I just don’t know your state well enough to appreciate it.
Give us a little tour of the setting for this book.These settings are fun. They’re both fictional. It’s a mail-order bride series. The ladies all come from the town of Merville, Maine. “Mer” is the French word for sea, and “ville” is the French word for town (I think). It’s a fishing village that has lost too many men to the Civil War and to the sea.
Angel Vale is located in southwestern CrookCounty is Wyoming. It’s named for a rock formation near the town. Gold was discovered in the region during the Black Hills Gold Rush. There’s not a Christian woman to be found in the town. It’s not even quite a town yet. That’s why the men want brides.
What other books do you have coming out soon?Right now I have a devotional book designed for use during Advent available: An Advent Journey through Matthew. A devotional every day of Advent ties the events of Jesus’s life back to the Christmas season. It’s available for only 99 cents until Christmas at http://www.amazon.com/ADVENT-JOURNEY-THROUGH-MATTHEW-2015-ebook/dp/B016NIEJLI/
I also tried NANOWRIMO (National Novel Writing Month) for the first time this November, and I completed the first draft of a new mystery series, Case Closed. I am looking forward to publishing a new series this year.
I have a devotional in a book that makes a good advent read—21 Days of Christmas. It’s a fiction lovers devotional book with short stories by fiction authors with a devotion after the story that ties to the story. Please give us a glimpse inside your home.You mean the home I share with 100 other people? ☺ I share a room with one person. Into my half of the room, I’ve squeezed family pictures, collages of my daughter’s poems, my clothes, toiletries, and one copy of each of my books, a couple of Bibles and all of my books online. My desk is my bedside table.
Is this novel part of a series or a stand-alone book? Jacob’s Christmas Dream is the first novella about eleven mail order brides going to Wyomingto marry gold rush miners. The complete collection of eleven stories has just been published as Christmas Mail-Order Angels : the Complete 11 Volume Set
Tell us about the story.Becky Patterson escapes the stifling life at her father’s parsonage for an exciting life as a mail-order bride ... only to learn her potential groom is a part-time preacher, Jake Underwood. Her dreams of working alongside Jake in his store stall when an itinerant preacher wants to ordain Jake as pastor of the growing church. Will Becky accept God’s calling on her life—or will she reject Jake’s love and the future God has planned for them?
Please give us the first page of the book for my readers.Angel Vale, Crook County, WyomingTerritory, June 1877Get Your Personal Christmas Angel. Sign up with Matthew Thomas, Marriage Broker.Jake Underwood looked at Matt across the packing crate he was unloading onto a shelf at his store in the small mining town. “What's this all about?”             Matt’s grin widened. “Why, I’ve figured how to make me some money, seeing as how my claim on the river didn’t make me enough money to earn a plug nickel. I thought I’d ask you to give it a look-see and tell me what you think.”
Jake frowned as he read the words again, wondering if he was misreading Matt’s sloppy handwriting. “Christmas Angels? Marriage broker? Are you setting up in the mail order bride business?” Matt had experimented with a lot of money-making schemes through the years, but this was his most outrageous idea yet.
“Yup.” Matt snapped his suspenders against his chest. “There’s plenty of men in Angel Vale ready to settle down. There’s the ranchers who were already here settling in before they found gold last year. Then there’s the miners who struck gold, the ones that didn’t spend it all away on gambling and fancy duds and such. And there’s not a bride to be had in all of Crook County, at least not one any god-fearing man would pick.” Matt winked. “There’s you, for instance. Why a fine man like yourself, with a good head for business and in good standing with the Lord, isn’t married yet is beyond me.”
Jake huffed. “You’ve got twenty years on me, and you’re not married.”
“Maybe I wasn’t ready until now.” Matt’s smile turned serious. “It’s time I stop drifting across the plains like tumbleweed. Gold or not, I want to stay put here in Angel Vale. Got to stay here, to keep you in line, don’t I?”
Jake simply smiled. “Do you really think men will pay money for this service?” He scratched his forehead. “I’ve seen some of those advertisements they put in the paper. Don’t cost that much. Why would they pay you to do it for them?”
“I’m aiming to bring a whole bevy of women, find a good match for everyone who’s interested. I’d like to see a bride for everyone who wants one, including you and me, if you want. I’ll find someone back east to help me out, choose the finest women while I weed through the men who are interested.” He picked up a lemon drop, placed a penny in the change jar by the register, and stuck the candy in his mouth. “You watch. The men’ll come out of the woodwork for the service I aim to provide.”
A wife. Matt didn’t know how often Jake’s mind had turned toward matrimony in recent days. He had always thought to marry when he reached thirty, but he had passed that milestone almost a year ago. No matrimonial prospects existed in the town of Angel Vale. It would take a host of Christmas angels to provide for the needs of the town’s single men.
“See what I have here,” Matt said. “I’ve found several circulars advertising for brides. I figure we can write letters to send to all of ‘em, and see what kind of response we get.”
“I have a better idea.” Jake pulled out his Bible. “When I was a young boy.” Before things turned sour with his father. “Pa made me promise on the Bible.” He lifted in the air. “That if I ever got ready to marry, he wanted me to find a bride from the town where he grew up, Merville, Maine. It’s right on the coast, the prettiest little place on God’s green earth to hear him tell it.”
How can readers find you on the Internet?FacebookwebsiteBlogAmazon author page
Thank you, Darlene, for sharing this new book with us.

Readers, here’s a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.
Christmas Mail Order Angels: The complete 11 Volume Set

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

REDEEMING CADE - Susan Crawford - One Free Book

Welcome back, Susan. Why do you write the kind of books you do?I write fiction because I believe in the power of story to connect us with the heart of God. He’s constantly showing me new things about the depth of His love for me, and teaching me how to love others well, so I want to write stories that reflect those themes. Inspy romance is my favorite because I love a Happily-Ever-After. There’s just something special about two people finding true, lasting love. And when you can see God's hand in bringing them together, it makes it even sweeter.
Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?I’d have to say my wedding day. I have a picture of my husband and me right after the ceremony, and we were both over-the-top giddy with joy. That was 22 years ago, and I still count that as the best decision I’ve ever made. Ron clearly and beautifully reflects Jesus to me every single day, and he always makes me laugh.
How has being published changed your life?It has been great, but it has also given me a lot more work to do. I have this constant feeling that I’m behind and will never catch up. There’s always something I could be working on. But I have a family and a day job, so being published has challenged me to evaluate my life and keep the most important things at the top of my priority list. I’m learning to let go of some of the tasks on my to-do list and trust that God, in His grace, will cover my insufficiencies.
What are you reading right now?From the non-fiction shelf, I’m reading The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson. It’s an excellent book about how to pray through your biggest dreams and greatest fears. In fiction, I’m reading a wonderful novella called O Little Town of Bethany by Rene Gutteridge and Cheryl McKay.
What is your current work in progress?I’m in the plotting stage of Book 3 in my Heart of the City series. The hero is Tyson Phillips, who makes an appearance in Book 2 as the heroine’s brother. I’m not totally sure where this story will go yet, but by the time I finished writing Redeeming Cade , I was smitten with Tyson and knew he had to have his own book.
What would be your dream vacation?I’d love to take my family on a grand tour of Europe … especially England, France, and Italy.
How do you choose your settings for each book?All the books in my Heart of the City series are set in my hometown of Oklahoma City. I chose it because I love my city, and because I haven’t read many books set in Oklahoma that aren’t about cowboys. Cowboys are awesome, don’t get me wrong, but I wanted to show a different side of my beloved state.
What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?I love to do crafty things and paint, or just hang out with my family watching Netflix. Our current favorite show is Once Upon A Time.
What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?This may sound dumb, but actually writing is my biggest writing obstacle. I can stare at a blank page for hours, type some words, and then delete them all. Getting the first draft down is a huge hurdle for me, even when I’m armed with a well-plotted outline. But once that’s done, I can move on to the phase I enjoy: editing.
What advice would you give to a beginning author?Study the craft, read like crazy, and find a writers group to be a part of. But mostly, don’t stress about the outcome. Have fun creating and trust the Lord to do the rest.
Tell us about the featured book.From the back cover:Cade McGuire has turned a one-eighty. The ex-con is now assistant director at the downtown mission that gave him a fresh start when he needed it most. When Cade attends a press conference and discovers that a woman running for a seat on the city council plans to close the mission, he can’t just stand by. Not even for a politician as beautiful as Darby Phillips.
Darby has been groomed her whole life for a future in politics. The City Council seat is just the first step in following her grandfather’s footsteps and making a difference for the community. When the obviously blue-collar Cade confronts her at a press conference, demanding she come and meet the people she’ll displace with her fancy new entertainment district, she knows refusing would be political suicide. No problem. A few hours at a rundown mission won’t change anything.
As Darby and Cade butt heads over what the city needs most, one unsettling thing becomes clear: though they’re from opposite worlds, they might just be what each other needs.
Please give us the first page of the book.She clucked her tongue. "As long as Ed’s gone, you are. He hired you because he believes in you."
Cade hoped she was right.
How can readers find you on the Internet?You can find me at the following links:Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SusanCrawfordBooksTwitter -  https://twitter.com/SuCrawford Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/SusanCrawfordPinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/sucrawford/Instagram - https://instagram.com/sucrawfordAnd I’d love for you to stop by my website and sign up for my newsletter. www.susancrawfordbooks.com
Thanks so much for having me, Lena!
My pleasure, Susan. Thank you for sharing this new book with me and 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

THE CALLING OF ELLA MCFARLAND - Linda Brooks Davis - One Free Book

Dear Readers, I was privileged to read this book for endorsement, and I loved it. The characters, the historical accuracy, the storyline. I think you’ll love it, too.
Welcome, Linda. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.I don’t consciously write myself into my characters. I often ask myself if a character’s words or actions are his/hers or mine. I refer to the Myers-Briggs Personality Inventory when I develop the characters and try to stay true to their unique traits.
What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?I love quirky people. I admire and enjoy them, but I don’t think of myself as one of them—unless you count the time I showed a quirky level of naiveté. I actually believed and prepared for a protest when a friend reported that a mutual friend—an American citizen, mind you, who was living and going to school in Abilene, Texas—had been drafted into the French Foreign Legion.
I. Kid. You. Not. Once upon a time my middle name was naive.
When did you first discover that you were a writer?Unlike others who can point to writing as their calling from an early age—some even to early school years—I  didn’t realize I was a writer until I was in high school. Even for dry, boring assignments in government/civics, sitting down to a typewriter (manual in those days) and allowing my thoughts and emotions to bubble up in the form of words was a delightful experience that peaked during my first year away from home as a college freshman. I simply loved sitting in my quiet dorm room and writing letters home. As I told Mother and Daddy every move I made, I imagined their rapt attention and enjoyment, which is my experience when I write today.
Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.I love a good story, whether historical, romance, or suspense involving legal or international conflict. I became an avid reader in fourth grade. I have those Weekly Reader books to this day. As I peruse them, I’m surprised that I chose stories in which the main character was a boy, maybe because in those days it was the boys who were out getting into trouble and having adventures, as in The Red Badge of Courage and, several years later, Where the Red Fern Grows. And yet, I can remember as a girl lying across my bed, book on floor, reading Christy, Anne of Green Gables, and later on, Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, Gone With the Wind, and To Kill a Mockingbird. I still enjoy meaty, brave stories that tackle hard issues head-on.
How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?I’ve found if I don’t start my day well, I don’t end it well. For me, that means sitting at my bedroom bay window with a cup of coffee, open Bible, and prayer journal. If I begin in this way, the insanity of any day seems to even out or I remain calmer in the turmoil. Invariably, when I find myself part of the turmoil, I realize I’ve neglected the bay window.
How do you choose your characters’names?Because I write historical fiction, I choose names that fit the time period, but even then characters earn their names. Noble heroes and lovely, courageous heroines wear names that have a noble, lovely, or courageous ring to them. Sometimes they’re the names of my cherished ancestors. Antagonists’ names can just sound unpleasant or remind me of a distasteful person in my past. My favorites are names are those I have no connection with at all. I can give a low-down reprobate such a name without worrying I’ve offended someone I know.
What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?Far and above, my proudest accomplishment is rearing my fantastic children—a son and daughter, veterinarians who actually like one another so well they are in practice together. I can’t take credit for my six beautiful grandchildren, so I’d say professionally I’m most proud of winning the 2014 Jerry B. Jenkins Operation First Novel Award.
That’s a wonderful writing achievement. If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?I’ve learned in recent years that I’m an introvert. This surprised me at first, but I’ve come to accept it as the way God made me. One personality inventory tags me as a desert animal I’ve never heard of, the meerkat—ethical, idealistic, loyal, values oriented, and curious but inflamed by threats to the security of my babies or morals. Sounds fairly quirky to me.
I would have said I’m most like a deer. Not at all quirky.
What is your favorite food?Mexican, hands down!
James and I had delicious Tex-Mex food for lunch today. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?Working through the discouragement or fear of rejection has been my biggest challenge but the one that provides the greatest reward on the other side. Only through confidence that the Lord has called me to be a writer can I overcome this roadblock.
Tell us about the featured book.Set in 1905 Indian Territory prior to Oklahoma statehood when the temperance and woman’s suffrage debates are raging, The Calling of Ella McFarland is the story of a young woman on the verge of reaching her lifelong dream—a teaching position at prestigious Worthington School for Girls—but whose sister’s unwed motherhood has created a scandal that clouds her family name and may limit her to a life of grueling farm labor. One strikingly handsome board member shows Ella kindness, but will the other two men overlook her family’s disgrace?
When she comes to the rescue of a young sharecropper’s daughter, she’s thrust into a domestic abuse situation that opens her eyes to the ramifications of women being denied a voice in their governance through the vote. Forced to make decisions about her faith, family, and aspirations, independent-spirited Ella finds a calling taking shape in ways she never imagined and a new love budding in her heart.
How will she manage in her male-dominated world to give voice to the voiceless without losing her own? Can she find God’s will amid the tumultuous storm that surrounds her? Or will fear and pride have their way?
Ella McFarland must decide.
Please give us the first page of the book for my readers.Ella had aimed for this day all her life.            Perching on the edge of the tufted chair, she slipped off her gloves. A corset stave bit into her flesh, but she held herself erect. Such was expected of a teacher candidate at OklahomaTerritory’s Worthington School for Girls.            “Miss McFarland.” Stationed at the head of the library table, Mr. Abernathy gestured to a colleague on either side.  “As the board of directors, we must emphasize that female teachers who marry are dismissed.”The man’s tone had turned as severe as his starched collar. “Unlike for men, marriage divides women’s loyalties.”            Women more prone to divided loyalties than men? Ella suppressed an urge to spout the challenge. A Worthington teacher knew her place. “Rest assured, sir, I am wedded to teaching.”            Perspiration dribbled down her spine. Was 1905 the hottest year on record? Plucking a handkerchief from a sleeve, she dabbed moisture from the cleft in her chin and pressed it to her nose. The library’s musty tomes and velvet window coverings tickled her nostrils and devoured the oxygen.             The man stifled a cough with a fist. “Your loyalty notwithstanding . . .”            She willed herself to relax. Had the Lord Himself not brought her to this premier institution of learning for the socially elite?

How can readers find you on the Internet?Website: www. lindabrooksdavis.com   Facebook: Linda Brooks Davis, Author https://www.facebook.com/Linda-Brooks-Davis-945490792152157
Twitter: @LBrooksDavis
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/linda-brooks-davis/67/245/904
Publisher: Mountainview Books

When The Calling of Ella McFarland debuts on December 1, it will be available to order both in print and ebook forms through bookstores and online outlets—Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Google, Christianbook.com, etc.

Thank you, Linda, for sharing this book with my readers. I know they are 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

THE MOUNTAIN MIDWIFE - Laurie Alice Eakes - One Free Book

Laurie Alice Eakes has been a friend of mine for a number of years. We were part of a three-author team, who wrote a Heartsong series set in Iowa. She came up with the theme that tied the books together. They later released in one volume titled Wild Prairie Roses.  I’m always thrilled when we both are able to attend the same writer’s conference and get to connect again. And right now, she’s living in Texas, too, but not very close to me. I love her writing, especially her novels about midwives. They are so authentic.
© Marti Corn Photography.Welcome back, Laurie Alice. As an author, I know it takes a lot of people to birth each book. Who were the people involved in the birthing of this book, and what were their contributions?A woman named Juliana Fehr helped me with inspiring the initial thought of writing this book when I was in grad school in 1998. She is the director of the nurse-midwifery program at ShenandoahUniversity in Winchester, VA, and a midwife herself, who helped me with a history of medicine project on which I was working. My talk then and her book Diary of a Midwife inspired me. She helped me with more research for this book. Authors Kristi Ann Hunter and Becca Witham also gave me much input in plot ideas. And, of course, my agent Natasha Kern, and my editor, Becky Phillpot offered many suggestions. Those are the major players.
If you teach or speak. What’s coming up on your calendar? I have a speaking engagement/book launch on December 12 at the Bristol Public Library in Bristol, Virginia. I will also be speaking at the Booksamillion there, but the time is not set. I also have an interview on Saturday December 5 on WHCB Radio 91.5 FM at 3:30 p.m. That is out of Johnson City, Tennessee, but can also be streamed.
If you had to completely start over in another place, where would you move, and why?Probably somewhere in either the Midwest like Illinois or Michigan, or Virginia. I am one of those rare people who likes winter, and I miss the lakes of the Midwest.
If you could only tell aspiring novelists one thing, what would it be?Do not rush your craft and seek and accept constructive criticism. In other words, have a teachable heart and mindset. No one is perfect out of the gate.
You’ve been asked to be in charge of a celebrity cruise. Who would you ask to take part, and why? (AS in what program, singers, etc. [it doesn’t have to be writing related])I would choose several people, underprivileged children, I think, or perhaps some older people, and have them on the cruise to be treated like celebrities.
Tell us about the featured book. The Mountain Midwife :For nearly two hundred years, women in Ashley Tolliver’s family have practiced the art of midwifery in their mountain community. Now she wants to take her skills a step further, but attending medical school means abandoning those women to whom she has dedicated her life, the mountains she loves, and the awakening of her heart. Ashley Tolliver has tended to the women of her small Appalachian community for years. As their midwife, she thinks she has seen it all. Until a young woman gives birth at Ashley’s home and is abducted just as Ashley tries to take the dangerously bleeding mother to the nearest hospital. Now Ashley is on a mission to find the woman and her newborn baby ... before it’s too late.
Please give us the first page of the book.The doorbell rang sometime after midnight. The electronic tinkling of the telephone in the middle of the night meant a patient had gone into labor. But this was the double-toned chime of the doorbell in the darkness, and that meant trouble.
Heart pounding, Ashley Tolliver rolled out of her queen-size four-poster, dislodging several cats in the process, and snatched up the jeans and T-shirt ever ready on a chair beside her bed. By the time the bell chimed again, she was dressed and shoving her feet into a pair of ballet flats. The third ring found her halfway down the steps.
A shadow loomed behind the sheer curtain covering the front door’s glass at the foot of the steps. It was a hulking man’s silhouette against the porch light. No sign of a woman beside him.
Ashley paused on the bottom step. At the least she should have brought her cell phone with her despite the terrible reception inside the house there in the hills. The gun her brother insisted she own for protection on her lonely nighttime excursions to patients was, as usual, locked in the glove compartment of her Tahoe.
She turned to retrieve her cell.
Three rings of the bell in rapid succession conveyed a sense of urgency. She was being silly. No burglar was going to announce his arrival by ringing the doorbell so persistently. Emergencies brought men and their expectant wives, daughters, girlfriends, to her door.
You have me hooked, Laurie Alice. Where can we find you on the Internet?You can find me in numerous places. My Web Site http://www.lauriealiceeakes.com has information about and excerpts from my books.I am on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@LaurieAEakesOn Facebook https://www.facebook.com/authorlauriealiceeakes/I am working on a Pinterest board with midwifery resources, so keep an eye out for that in the next couple of weeks.
Thank you for sharing this new book with us. I know my readers are as eager as I am to read this new book.
Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog. - Amazon
The Mountain Midwife - 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

LOVE FOUND IN MANHATTAN - Marlene Worrall - One Free Book

Dear Readers, I love featuring Christmas stories this time of year. Today, we have an author we haven’t had visit this blog before.
Welcome, Marlene. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.That depends on the character. The heroine in Angel in Shining Armor has a few traits I possess, like ambition and the self-esteem issue. However, most of her character is drawn from inspiration from God and my vivid imagination.
What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done? I danced on a glass chess table on New Years Eve at a party in Bel Air, California.
When did you first discover that you were a writer? My earliest memories are in grade five when I wrote a play and also directed, produced, and starred in it. The teacher allowed me to present it at lunch hour. Also in about grade six, our teacher asked us to write a story about an imaginary trip. She told me it was excellent but did not believe I wrote it. (She said she thought my parents wrote it) She told me to write another story right away, and then she would decide whether or not I wrote the first one. She apologized.
Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading. I love suspense and mystery. I gobble up non-fiction and a wide variety of fiction.
How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?By reading the Bible first thing in the morning and meditating on the Word. This gives me strength for the day.
How do you choose your characters’ names?They just come to me mostly. Certain names I’ve always loved. Though with Ayita High-Eagle, I spent considerable time researching Indian names and it “felt” right.
What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of? I’m not really “proud” of any accomplishment per se. But through the inspiration and grace of God, Love Found in Manhattan  has been released and this gives me great joy.
If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why? It would be a tossup between a Persian cat and a maybe an Arabian steed horse.
What is your favorite food? Lobster and dark chocolate.
Two of my favorites as well. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it? Though I’m side-stepping the question a bit; for me, the problem was the hassle of selling the book and the challenge of successfully marketing it.
Tell us about the featured book. When Tiffany Vandermeer’s step-folks Cessna 52 crashes on Christmas Eve morning, she is devastated. Shocked, she wanders around the Big Apple and discovers a discarded infant. This find leads her into the arms of handsome obstetrician, Jason Prescott. The chemistry between them is palpable. She doesn’t want to deceive him, but she’s bonded with the helpless baby and can’t bear to see him placed in an orphanage the way she’d been. Will her deceit destroy their budding romance? 
Read this story of deceit, forgiveness, and triumphant love, as Jason, a man of unusual faith shows her how. He can use the baby discovery and her loss to catapult her into a new level of faith and a glorious future with him. Will God and his miraculous timing allow her to retrieve the baby if she relinquishes him to authorities?
How can readers find you on the Internet?
Please visit my website at www.MarleneWorrall.com or my facebook page. My blogspot is http://MarleneBWorrall.blogspot.ca

Thank you, Marlene, for sharing this holiday book with us. I'm eager to read it, and I know my readers are as well.

Readers, here’s a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.
Love Found in Manhattan (A Christmas Romance)

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!!!!!

Lynn (Nova Scotia) is the winner of  Without Proof  by Janet Sketchly.

Bonnie R (KY) is the winner of the ebook  Christmas Traditions  by Darlene Franklin (and other authors).

Connie (KY) is the winner of   Freed to Forgive  by Julie B Cosgrove.

Melanie (TX) is the winner of  Island Christmas  by Kimberly Rose Johnson.

Rachael (MO) is the winner of  The Five Times I Met Myself  by James L Rubart.

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 of the book you won, so I won't have to look it up.

Remember, you have 4 weeks to claim your book.

A THOUSAND SHALL FALL - Andrea Boeshaar - One Free Book, Plus More

Dear Readers, Andrea has been a good friend for a number of years. We’ve written for some of the same publishers and encouraged each other in our writing lives. This is the first book in a new series for her.
Bio: Andrea Boeshaar is the cofounder of American Christian Fiction Writers and runs "The Writer's ER," a coaching service for writers. She is the author of thirty published works, including Threads of Faith, a finalist in the Inspirational Readers Choice Awards. Andrea is also the author of a popular devotional and regularly blogs on a number of sites.

Connect with Andrea: website, Twitter, Facebook
Welcome back, Andrea. As an author, I know it takes a lot of people to birth each book. Who were the people involved in the birthing of this book, and what were their contributions? A Thousand Shall Fall is one of those stories that weighed heavily on my heart. I ached to write it. It began first as a Love Finds You story (Guideposts/Summerside Press) and a contract was sent to my agent at the time and me. Unfortunately the fiction line closed without all the details of my contract being ironed out. My present agent, Mary Sue Seymour, sent my proposal to Kregel Publications. Miraculously, the managing editor there shared my vision for this book and series and soon I was signing a contract with the company for a 3-book deal. The staff at Kregel—Steve, Dennis, Dawn, Leah, Noelle, and Katherine—have all been fabulous to work with. My substantive editor, Lori, has been great, too. In addition to the Kregel staff, I received valuable feedback from authors Kimberley Woodhouse, Cindy Hickey, Christina Miller, and Tracie Peterson. Without the efforts on the part of these folks, my “book baby” may not have been born.
If you teach or speak, what’s coming up on your calendar? Yes, I teach workshops and speak at ladies’ retreats and other conferences. Presently, I have no speaking engagements lined up—which is fine. I’m immersed in setting up book signings and online media events for my novel A Thousand Shall Fall .
If you had to completely start over in another place, where would you move, and why?I would be in the foothills of South Carolina. My husband and I love the area. We feel inspired by the mountains—plus, I have a lot of friends between Greenville and Atlanta, Georgia. Here in Wisconsin, I get tired of the winter by January 2nd.
If you could only tell aspiring novelists one thing, what would it be?I would advise this: Take caution when choosing to independently publish your book or sign with a small publishing company. Unless you’re willing to pay a publicist, self-promotion is difficult. You don’t want to harass folks by telling them you’ve got a book release. They may sever their ties with you on social media because they are tired of seeing your two sentence gloats about your novel! Just because you Tweet it or post it every fifteen minutes does not guarantee you’ll sell a single copy. Asking your friends to write reviews helps, of course, but to a point. Publicity, I have learned, must be very strategic and far-reaching. In addition, building a platform for yourself (a large collection of readers and “followers” takes time. Start building as a writer immediately and work up to the title of “published author.” Your publisher should be willing to invest in you and help you succeed.
Tell us about the featured book. I believe readers of historical fiction will enjoy my novel, particularly if you enjoy the Civil War era as I do.
A Thousand Shall Fall takes place in the Shenandoah Valley in 1864. Known as the “Daughter of the Stars,” the Shenandoah Valley had been defended by such Confederate heroes as General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, General Turner Ashby, General Stephen “Dod” Ramseur, and General Tom Rosser. But they lost the Valley to Union General Phil Sheridan and his Army of the Shenandoah by November 1864. This first book in my Shenandoah Valley Saga covers only the Battle of Winchester III (September 19, 1864). Book two will address the Battle of Cedar Creek (October 19, 1864) and the brave women who nursed soldiers wearing both blue and gray. But that’s the historical part. There’s also a compelling fictional story woven into this factual account.
In the autumn of 1864, spirited Carrie Ann Bell is searching for her runaway sister in the heart of Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. Disguised as a Yankee soldier, she stumbles into a skirmish near Front Royal—and instead of her sister, she finds trouble.

Colonel Peyton Collier of the Union cavalry division arrests her for impersonating an Officer, but protects her from worse consequences. Soon the Southern girl finds herself drawn to the chivalrous Yankee horseman, discovering that her foe has become her ally—and more than that, someone she could love. 
But Carrie has promised to keep a dark secret, never suspecting that her silence might threaten the life of the gallant Colonel who holds her—and her heart—captive.
Please give us the first page of the book.August 15, 1864Ooh, that Sarah Jane!
Carrie Ann Bell stared at her youngest sister’s sloppily scratched note. How could that girl do such a scandalous thing? Running off with a lowlife peddler? Certainly, Sarah threatened to run away numerous times in the past, but who would have thought she’d actually do it? Mama would be heartbroken when she learned the news.
Heartbroken and angry. Carrie could practically hear Mama crying and blaming her for Sarah running off. Mama would say Carrie paid more attention to Papa’s newspaper than her sisters . . .
And maybe Mama was right. But her sister Margaret was eighteen and Sarah, fifteen. They weren’t that much younger than Carrie herself. And writing for the Bell Towerin Papa’s absence had been Carrie’s refuge, a place of normalcy in a world turned topsy-turvy.
Staring at Sarah’s note, Carrie debated whether to withhold this information from Mama. Maybe she’d go looking for her youngest sister and bring her home to the Wayfarers Inn—What an oxymoron. The Wayfarers Inn was no more a home than a damp, dark cave was an elegant mansion. Still, it was a roof over her family’s head.
Carrie paced the small newspaper office, paused, and ran one, ink-stained fingertip over the smooth surface of Papa’s desk. Surely she could catch up with Arthur Sims, that no-account speculator with whom Sarah ran off. He couldn’t have traveled far in that large, rattling contraption of his. Painted in obnoxious shades of yellow and orange, it resembled a circus wagon.
Carrie’s hand shook as sudden fire flowed through her veins. She was tempted to notify the law and file kidnapping charges against the man, except the law had better things to do than go hunting for a fast-talking swindler who rode off with a starry-eyed girl.
Love it! Where can we find you on the Internet?Readers can log on to my website at: www.AndreaBoeshaar.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/Andrea.BoeshaarTwitter: @AndreaBoeshaar

Thank you, Lena, for interviewing me on your blog!
It's my pleasure, Andrea. I always enjoy having you here.
Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/1jbj37T
The search for her runaway sister goes awry when Carrie finds herself arrested during the Civil War for impersonating an officer in Andrea Boeshaar's A Thousand Shall Fall. Soon, though, she finds herself drawn to the handsome, gallant colonel who arrested her. Carrie Ann discovers that her foe has become her ally—and more than that, someone she could love. Will she protect someone who has been like family or be loyal to this stranger to whom she wants to offer her heart? When her world is being torn apart around her, whom should she trust?

Andrea is celebrating the release of A Thousand Shall Fall with a Kindle Fire giveaway!

 
One grand prize winner will receive:
A copy of A Thousand Shall FallA Kindle Fire HD 6Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on December 10th. The winner will be announced December 11th on Andrea's blog .



And one reader will win a copy of the book on this blog.
Thank you, Andrea, for sharing this new book with us. I know my readers are eager to read the story.
Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)
Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.
The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.
If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link:Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com