Lena Nelson Dooley's Blog, page 17
March 10, 2023
THE SOUND OF LIGHT - Sarah Sundin - One Free Book
Bio: Sarah Sundin is the bestselling author of When Twilight Breaks, Until Leaves Fall in Paris, and the popular WWII series Sunrise at Normandy, among others. She is a Christy Award finalist and a Carol Award winner, and her novels have received starred reviews from Booklist, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly. Sarah lives in Southern California and serves as co-director of the West Coast Christian Writers Conference. Sarah Sundin’s name has become synonymous with her captivating and historically accurate World War II novels. In a recent starred review of Until Leaves Fall in Paris(February 2022), Library Journal stated that Sundin is “a master at her craft” and that she “rises to the top of World War II fiction.” In her newest novel, The Sound of Light, Sundin explores one of the lesser-known facets of WWII, this time taking readers to Nazi-occupied Denmark. Inspired by real-life events, The Sound of Lightoffers a captivating story about ordinary people.
Please provide a brief summary of your new book, The Sound of Light. In Nazi-occupied Denmark, Baron Henrik Ahlefeldt takes on a secret identity as a shipyard worker so he can row messages for the Danish Resistance across the waters to Sweden. American physicist Dr. Else Jensen chooses to remain in Denmark so she can continue her research, her life’s dream. When she makes the dangerous decision to help print resistance newspapers, she hears stories of the movement’s legendary Havmand, the merman. Henrik’s life depends on keeping his secret hidden—a task that proves challenging when he moves into the same boardinghouse as Else—who seems to see right through him.
In The Sound of Light, you take readers to Nazi occupied Denmark. Why did you choose to focus on this location for your novel? Although Denmark is a small country, the stories that came out of Denmark during the war are huge—from the courageous acts of resistance to the astounding way that the Danes managed to save almost all of the Jews in Denmark by ferrying them across to Sweden. I wanted to tell those stories.
Can you provide more information on the Danish resistance? Each occupied nation has a unique story. When the Germans occupied Denmark, they made the country a “model protectorate.” They allowed the king and the government to remain in place, and they gave the Danes, as “fellow Aryans,” freedoms unheard of in the rest of Europe. For that reason, resistance was slow to develop in Denmark, but it did develop—and well. In late 1943, the German crackdown on the Danish Jews dramatically fueled the resistance, and the various groups united to form the Freedom Council to coordinate their efforts, not only with each other but with the Allies. By the end of the war, the Danish Resistance was extremely well respected at home and abroad.
Both of your protagonists, Baron Henrik Ahlefeldt and Dr. Else Jensen, choose to participate in the resistance movement in their own way. Can you explain how each character played a part in the movement? The Sound of Light is based upon real life events. Can you provide some insight on which of the events featured in your book actually took place? I enjoyed featuring many true events in this novel, from resistance attacks to the German crackdown to the inspiring rescue of the Danish Jews. Henrik’s character was inspired by Knud Christiansen, a Danish Olympic rower who rowed Jews to Sweden, and I chose to make Else a physicist after hearing about Nobel Laureate Niels Bohr’s institute in Copenhagen and the role Bohr played during the war.
The Sound of Light focuses on ordinary people responding to extraordinary circumstances. Are there other lessons or inspirational themes found in the pages of your novel? Else is a kind-hearted woman who hates confrontation, but to succeed in her career—and to aid the resistance—she has to learn to speak up. Henrik also needs to step up into leadership roles, which he avoids out of fear of abusing power as his father did. Both of them learn that sometimes silence takes great courage—and sometimes silence is nothing but cowardice.
Your novels are well praised for their historical accuracy. What type of research was required for writing The Sound of Light? Each time I start a new novel, I think the research will be easier because of the previous research I’ve done. Not so, especially for The Sound of Light. The Danish Resistance was small, because the nation is small, and Danish modesty means fewer stories were transcribed. I had to do some sleuthing to find resources in English, but I found them! I also found myself reviewing quantum mechanics—a source of recurring nightmares for this chemistry major—but I also learned so much about Danish Nobel Laureate Niels Bohr, who played a quiet but remarkable role during the war.
What do you love most about writing World War II novels? The era is full of dramatic stories, and the war highlights both the utter depravity of humanity as well as the capacity of people choosing courage and goodness and right at great personal sacrifice. The war challenged ordinary people to make extraordinary decisions—and that fuels amazing stories.
What are you working on next? In my next novel, Aleida Martens is separated from her young son when she flees the Netherlands during the Nazi invasion. In London, the widow desperately searches for her child. As German bombs set London on fire, BBC radio correspondent Hugh Collingwood reports live on the Blitz and helps Aleida seek the missing boy. But then they discover murders flaming among the ashes of the city . . .
How can readers connect with you?
I love hearing from readers! You can find me on my website at http://www.sarahsundin.com or on social media on Facebook (@SarahSundinAuthor), Twitter (@sarahsundin), or Instagram (@sarahsundinauthor).
Thank you, Sarah, for sharing this book with us. I’ve loved every book of yours that I’ve read.
Readers, here’s a link to the book.
Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)
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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 2 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.
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March 8, 2023
FORGED IN LOVE - Mary Connealy - One Free Book
Bio: Mary Connealy writes “romantic comedies with cowboys” and is celebrated for her fun, zany, action-packed style. She has sold more than 1.5 million books. She is the author of the popular series BROTHERS IN ARMS, BRIDES OF HOPE MOUNTAIN, HIGH SIERRA SWEETHEARTS, KINCAID BRIDES, TROUBLE IN TEXAS, LASSOED IN TEXAS, SOPHIE’S DAUGHTERS, and many other books. Mary lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her very own romantic cowboy hero. With over 1.5 million copies sold, Carol Award–winning author Mary Connealy is an established leader in the lighthearted historical romance category. For years readers have delighted in Connealy’s stories full of thrilling adventure and sweet romance starring strong and witty heroines. Featuring self-supporting, independent female protagonists in nontraditional occupations, Mary Connealy steals fans away to the atmospheric American West with Forged in Love, Book One in the WYOMING SUNRISE series.
About the Story: When sparks begin to fly, can a friendship cast in iron be shaped into something more?
Mariah Stover is left for dead and with no memory when the Deadeye Gang robs the stagecoach she’s riding in, killing both her father and brother. As she takes over her father’s blacksmith shop and tries to move forward, she soon finds herself in jeopardy and wondering— does someone know she witnessed the robbery and is still alive?
Handsome and polished Clint Roberts escaped to western Wyoming, leaving his painful memories behind. Hoping for a fresh start, he opens a diner where he creates fine dishes, but is met with harsh resistance from the townsfolk, who prefer to stick to their old ways. Clint and Mariah are drawn together by the trials they face in town, and Clint is determined to protect Mariah at all costs when danger descends upon her home. As threats pursue them from every side, will they survive to build a life forged in love?
Welcome back to my blog, Mary. Can you please tell us a little about your new novel Forged in Love?Forged in Love is me trying to push the limits of what a woman would be allowed to do for a career in 1870. It’s special because it’s set in Wyoming, the first territory (Wyoming wasn’t yet a state then) to give women the right to vote. Of course, there was more to women’s suffrage than just voting. Women could run for elective office. They could be appointed to government posts. They could serve on juries. It’s so hard to understand just how much women couldn’t do. Well, to me, if they could run for office, then they could do all sorts of formerly male-dominated things, and in Forged in Love, I explore just how much women can do.
Forged in Loveis the first novel in your new WYOMING SUNRISE series. What’s the connecting element that ties each book in the series together? Each of the three books has a really strong woman working in a male-dominated field. In book one, my heroine is a blacksmith. In book two, my heroine is a justice of the peace. And in book three, my heroine is a lady rancher. I know I do a lot of lady ranchers. For me, being a rancher is not that bold of a choice, but for a woman in the nineteenth century, it would have been pretty unusual.
Your protagonist, Mariah, takes over her father’s blacksmith shop to make ends meet. What inspired the idea to highlight women in nontraditional occupations in this series?The seed of the story was planted when I visited a restored fort called Fort Atkinson. They host living-history weekends, and I just loved spending time there. I learned about the different jobs of the late 1800s: the cooper who made wooden buckets, butter churns, washtubs, things like that; the farrier who shoed horses; the town doctor; the ones who wove homespun cloth; and the blacksmith, which struck me as the most interesting of the bunch. Once I decided I wanted to work against the traditional, I considered the job of blacksmith for a woman character. Blacksmithing is very hard work—the heavy sledgehammers, the anvil, the raging hot forge. I had to create a woman character who could handle it all. It’s funny how one idea inspires the next. Before I knew it, I had an idea for my novel. Forged in Lovefocuses on themes such as women’s suffrage.
Can you tell us a little more about the significance of this and how it affects your character, Mariah? Mariah is raised by her father after her mother dies. Since her father is a blacksmith, and she was old enough to be careful around fire and hot iron, she went to work with him and her brother. Her father gave her small jobs at first, making nails, angle iron, and hinges. He bought her a smaller sledgehammer so she could manage it. Then in a stagecoach holdup, her father and brother are killed and the town is left without its blacksmith. Mariah, with the training her father had given her and in need of a job, takes over her father’s blacksmith shop. Not everyone approves, but eventually they all need a blacksmith, and she’s it. The town comes around, and Mariah’s got a way to support herself.
Was there anything you found particularly interesting in your research that you included in your novel? I had the best time talking to a blacksmith, who was working at a living-history museum. He was so passionate about the skills involved and loved talking about it. I’ve met several people who are passionate about what they do, are almost always intriguing, even if the topic isn’t one you would choose to discuss. This blacksmith was so interesting to get to know. I also watched a TV series called Victorian Farm. It was fascinating to watch modern folks living in an old farmhouse, raising pigs and sheep, planting seeds and harvesting crops. Their skills also included some blacksmithing. What is your favorite part about writing historical romance? I guess this isn’t a good answer, but truly, I love everything about writing. I love looking at that blank screen with all the possibilities of creating a world and inhabiting it with characters. I love rewriting. The best writing is rewriting, and I never balk at revisions. A book can always be made better. I love the research that goes into it, too. It’s sort of strange, but I usually find some little tidbit of history and then a whole book can bloom from that tidbit.
What do you hope readers take away from this story or the series at large? It seems like I always come back to family. In my books, that seems to be my goal for characters who don’t have a family, to get them one. Or characters who have family to heal the emotional wounds from past troubles. Mariah begins this book by losing her family. In one horrible blow, she loses the men she loves, is badly wounded herself and is set adrift, finding her way back to health and happiness. And Clint, the man who runs the town’s diner, is right there wanting to help and to protect her when more danger comes her way. He’s the beginning of a new family for Mariah.
What do readers have to look forward to in the rest of this series? Book two is The Laws of Attraction. Nell is a lady justice of the peace. Sweet, delicate, seamstress Nell is the widow of a sheriff, who taught her far more than anyone would expect about investigations and firearms and toughness. When widower Brand Nolte brings his three daughters into town to get dresses, Nell is so excited. Sewing pretty dresses is what she loves to do. But when trouble comes for Mariah, and Nell jumps in to help, the townsfolk have found their new judge.
Book three is about my lady rancher, Becky. She’s so tough that she makes the blacksmith and the judge look like wimps. Her turn for trouble is coming with the ruthless stagecoach robbers who roam the area and never leave a witness alive.
How can readers connect with you? My website is: http://www.maryconnealy.com Find me on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/maryconnealy You can find my complete book list at: http/:www.mconnealy.blogspot.com Or sign up for my newsletter at: http://www.maryconnealy.com/newsletter
Thank you, Mary for sharing this new book with my blog readers. You know how much I love reading your stories.
Readers, here’s a link to the book.
Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)
Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.
The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 2 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.
If you’re reading this on Goodreads, 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
March 7, 2023
WINNERS
IMPORTANT: Instructions for winners - When you send me the email, make sure your subject line says this: Winner - (book title) - (author's name) If you don't do this, your email could get lost in my hundreds of emails per day. I WILL SEARCH FOR POST TITLES STARTING THAT WAY.
Some people don't read the instructions of how to enter. Unfortunately, they don't have a chance to win. so next time you come and leave a comment, be sure to read all the instructions if you want a chance to win.
Elizabeth (MD) is the winner of A Match in the Making by Sandra Merville Hart.
Cherie J (FL) is the winner of A Love So Precious by Anita Higman.
Anonymous (TX) is the winner of A Love So Precious by Anita Higman.
Abigail (VA) is the winner of A Love So Precious by Anita Higman.
Anne (NM) is the winner of A Love So Precious by Anita Higman.
Connie (KY) is the winner of A Love So Precious by Anita Higman.
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. Reviews are such a blessing to an author.
Also, tell your friends about the book you won ... and this blog. Thank you.
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If you won an ebook or audio book, just let me know what email address it should be sent to. Remember, you have 2 weeks to claim your book.
March 2, 2023
THE MERCY TREE - Sharlene MacLaren - One Free Book
Welcome back, Sharlene. You have a lot of books out now. What is your favorite setting to use in your books? Well, since I write historical fiction, my favorite time period is the mid- to late-1800s, and I think my favorite settings are little towns in the Midwest. I love small towns in Kentucky and Tennessee primarily, but I’ve also written stories with settings in Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Illinois, Michigan (my home state) and... well, my current work in progress will be a wagon train journey set in 1865, so we’ll be passing through Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, and so on. What do you look for when you’re shopping for a book to buy for yourself? Oh, I love romance, have always been a huge fan, but I love a story with lots of layers and plenty of plot depth. In other words, it doesn’t have to be just about the romance. I also love multi-faceted characters, the kind that you either learn to love or look upon with great disdain before the book’s conclusion. I am not a fan of a simplistic stories, so the back cover blurb had better catch my attention in a good way or I will put it back on the shelf.
Give us a little tour of the setting for this book. Interestingly, The Mercy Tree’s setting is Muskegon, MI, my old stomping ground. While I didn’t grow up in Muskegon, I did grow up about 12 miles north of it, and basically know Muskegon forwards and backwards. That made my research easier than most of my other books. Seeing as I was born in 1948 (yes, I’m ancient. Ha!), I still have a very vivid memory of the 1950s, which is the era in which my story takes place. The church I use in the plot, Church of the Open Door, was a very popular, active church in its day, so I snagged that name, but the premise of my story concerning a pastor who discovers he has a son from a brief affair he’d had ten years prior, is completely fictional. Muskegon is situated in central West Michigan, on the beautiful sandy shores of Lake Michigan, home of some lovely state parks, wonderful sand dunes, camping grounds, and restaurants.
What other books do you have coming out soon?As I stated earlier, the project I’m currently working on will be about a woman of twenty-six and her twelve-year-old nephew who join a wagon train to escape the abusive clutches of her nephew’s father. This book will probably release sometime in the fall of 2024, and it will be my 24th novel.
Please give us a glimpse inside your home. My husband and I have lived in the same home since 1986. It has undergone three major additions, though, so there’s not too much about it that’s original. We despise the idea of ever moving though because we love our neighborhood, so we just keep adding onto it and making little changes here and there in the way of updates. It is a typical ranch-style home, four bedrooms, three baths, two fireplaces, a large kitchen, and a finished basement. It is certainly far from spectacular, but in a word, it’s “home”. I don’t foresee moving until our two daughters say, “Mom, Dad, it’s time for a condo.” And even then, we’ll probably go out kicking and screaming. Haha.
Is this novel part of a series or a stand-alone book? This is a stand-alone novel.
Tell us about the story. It’s 1955, when scandalous affairs are never talked about, divorce is rare, a wife is a “homemaker” more often than not, and every Christian home displays its family Bible front and center. Certainly, a well-respected pastor in the conservative city of Muskegon, Michigan, would never be caught in the middle of a heinous secret that could ruin his career and break up his beautiful marriage and family. Or would he?When Henry Griffin was stationed in occupied Japan in the mid-1940s, he met Rina Hamada, a Japanese woman who fell head over heels for him. Despite having a young wife and baby daughter waiting at home in the States, Henry had too much to drink one night, and one thing led to another… He knew it was wrong. He struggled with guilt and expressed his resistance, but she professed her love and continued to pursue him.
Now, ten years later, a letter from Japan arrives and threatens to upend Henry’s world. What to do and how to tell his wife are just the beginning of his troubles. Tough questions about faith, redemption, and preserving his reputation bring us here, under the shade of The Mercy Tree .
Please give us the first page of the book.
Prologue
“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” Hebrews 4:14, 15 (Revised Standard Version)
July, 1946
Tokyo, Japan
The smells of fish, nicotine, and sweat lay heavy in the hot, sticky air. Shipping docks littered with cigarette butts, animal waste, food scraps and whatnot, bustled with activity as soldiers carrying haversacks hurried past, and squawking ducks and gulls swooped down to peck at the muddy earth. Hot bodies pressed together in a none too straight line, all vying for a spot on the monstrous steamer, a converted battleship, that would take them back to their beloved homeland, America. Ever since the United States had started occupying Japan, American troops had come and gone, serving months-long stints to help keep the peace among military and civilians as well as rebuild the war-torn country.
Private First-Class Henry Griffin held his place in line amongst hundreds of other soldiers and their wives, awaiting his turn to board. He adjusted the thick leather strap of his overlarge backpack across his shoulder. It weighed heavy with souvenirs and a myriad of belongings he’d collected over the past year. Babies wailed, dogs barked, seagulls squawked, and men laughed and visited, some smoking while they stood in line, others reading American newspapers or magazines, and still others simply standing on the dock, shifting their weight with hot impatience as a grueling sun beat down on them.
Orders from one of the commanders rang out from a crackling loud speaker, but the words were lost on Henry’s ears due to a discontented baby squalling and squirming in his mother’s arms just ten or so feet in front of him. Its mother reached for a bottle under the flap of a bag she carried, her soldier husband trying to lend assistance. She shoved the nipple end into the infant’s mouth, and sweet silence followed. The line moved forward a few steps. For the hundredth time that day, Henry thought about his wife Nora. How would it be when they first locked eyes? A twinge of excitement mixed with guilt stirred inside him. They had talked about whether she should join him in Japan, but with a new baby, they’d decided it best she move in with her parents until his return. He wished now he’d insisted she come. No doubt it would’ve been better in the long run. He tried to push aside his tangled emotions by withdrawing his wallet from his back pocket and taking out the wrinkled photograph he kept stored between a few dollar bills. Nora had sent him the photo of his daughter Paige just after her first birthday. Now she was a full sixteen months old. How much had she grown? How many teeth did she have? How long was her wispy blond hair? Was it long enough for a barrette?
How can readers find you on the Internet?
They can find me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/sharmaclaren
I also have a private FB group called Sharlene MacLaren & Friends (Come join the fun!)
Look for me on Twitter, or check out my website at www.sharlenemaclaren.com
Thank you, Sharlene, for sharing this book with us. I’m eager to read it. I’ve always loved your stories.
Readers, here’s a link to the book.
Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)
Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.
The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 2 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.
If you’re reading this on Goodreads, 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
February 28, 2023
CRITICAL THREAT - Lynette Eason - One Free Book
Bio: Lynette Eason is the USA Today bestselling author of Life Flight and Crossfire, as well as the Danger Never Sleeps, Blue Justice, Women of Justice, Deadly Reunions, Hidden Identity, and Elite Guardians series. She is the winner of three ACFW Carol Awards, the Selah Award, and the Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award, among others. She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina and has a master’s degree in education from Converse College. Eason lives in South Carolina with her husband and two children. Booklist has stated that Lynette Eason is a “master of inspirational romantic suspense.” Her more than sixty novels offer the perfect balance of fast-paced thrills with just the right blend of romance that keeps readers longing for more. In Critical Threat, the third volume in the Extreme Measure series, Eason ramps up the action once again. Readers will have trouble catching their breath as they plunge into a breakneck race to stop a serial killer
About the Story: FBI Special Agent Grace Billingsley tracks serial killers, using her skills as a psychiatrist and behavioral analyst to get dangerous people off the street and safely behind bars. But prison psychiatrist Sam Monroe knows that just because a killer is incarcerated doesn’t mean they’re not a threat. His own father, Peter, is a serial killer—in prison but certainly not out of Sam’s life, as much as he wishes he was.
When bodies start showing up with Peter’s MO, Sam and Grace are both called in to consult. They’ve met before—and though Grace thought they’d made a real connection, Sam ghosted her. They’ll have to get past the awkwardness and mistrust to solve this case—especially because it’s about to get personal.
Buckle up for another extreme ride with USA Today bestselling author, Lynette Eason.
Critical Threat is the third volume in your Extreme Measure series. What inspired the idea for this series? Honestly, I never really know how to answer this question. I simply do a lot of brainstorming with different authors and friends, throw it against the wall, and see what sticks. There wasn’t any one thing that I can say inspired the series. Just a lot of great ideas during a brainstorming session that turned into this series.
What is the connecting element for all the books in this series? The four friends who all met as teenagers in juvie on the West Coast. Your main protagonists, FBI Special Agent Grace Billingsley and prison psychiatrist Sam Monroe, must work together to stop a serial killer. What is the relationship between them? Grace is a behavioral analyst. She’s actually also a psychiatrist but uses her skills in a somewhat different way than Sam. Their relationship is one of mutual respect, lots of attraction, and a desperate desire to find a serial killer before he finds them first.
Sam’s father, Peter, plays a key role in Critical Threat. Can you please tell us more about his character? Peter is a serial killer. He’s been in prison for a while, and Sam is very happy to never speak to the man again. Of course, as the story plays out, he has to not only speak to him but ask for his help.
Are there any particular themes that play out in Critical Threat? I think the theme of forgiveness is a big one. It’s one that tends to show up on a regular basis in my books. Maybe because I need it on a regular basis. And also, not judging people. You never know what people are going through, so it’s better not to judge based on appearance. Actually, it’s best not to judge at all.
You have several sources that you utilize to verify the accuracy of your books. Can you please tell us about some of your sources? I have so many wonderful resources, but two of my main resources are my FBI buddies. One of them is a former agent, who is now retired. He reads each one of my stories and gives me feedback. For the medical stuff, I have two physician friends; and for the military stuff, I have yet even more friends. Friends are a great thing to have.
That is so true. You have written over sixty romantic suspense novels. How do you come up with the ideas for your novels? I tend to brainstorm with people and see what works. My editor is a fantastic brainstormer—and she knows what she wants to buy—so I often hash things out with her too.
What do you love most about writing in the romantic suspense genre? That the good guys always win in the end.
Can you please tell readers when they can expect the final volume in the Extreme Measure series? Countdown, the final book in the series, is set to release August 2023.
How can readers connect with you? As always, readers can reach me through my website at www.lynetteeason.com, on Facebook www.facebook.com/lynette.eason, and twitter @lynetteeason.
Thank you, Lynette, for sharing Critical Threat with my blog readers and me. I love reading your books.
Readers, here’s a link to the book.
Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)
Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.
The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 2 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.
If you’re reading this on Goodreads, 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
February 27, 2023
WINNERS
IMPORTANT: Instructions for winners - When you send me the email, make sure your subject line says this: Winner - (book title) - (author's name) If you don't do this, your email could get lost in my hundreds of emails per day. I WILL SEARCH FOR POST TITLES STARTING THAT WAY.
Some people don't read the instructions of how to enter. Unfortunately, they don't have a chance to win. so next time you come and leave a comment, be sure to read all the instructions if you want a chance to win.
Maryann (NY) is the winner of A Not So Persistent Suitor by Sandra Merville Hart.
Diana (SC) is the winner of The Heir's Predicament by Lorri Dudley.
Lucy (WV) is the winner of Everything Is Just Beginning by Erin Bartel.
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. Reviews are such a blessing to an author.
Also, tell your friends about the book you won ... 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 or audio book, just let me know what email address it should be sent to. Remember, you have 2 weeks to claim your book.
February 24, 2023
A HEART'S RESCUE - Lena Nelson Dooley - Blog Tour Information
Visit each of the blog spots for a chance to read the reviews and to sign up for the prize.
Someone will win a $50 Amazon gift card. It could be you.
Blog Stops
Debbie's Dusty Deliberations, February 22
Texas Book-aholic, February 23
deb's Book Review, February 24
Locks, Hooks and Books, February 25
Pause for Tales, February 26
Ashley's Clean Book Reviews, February 26
Connie's History Classroom, February 27
Cover Lover Book Review, February 28
Betti Mace, March 1
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 2
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 3
Blogging With Carol, March 4
For Him and My Family, March 5
Holly's Book Corner, March 6
Simple Harvest Reads, March 7 (Author Interview)
Mary Hake, March 7
February 23, 2023
A LOVE MOST PRECIOUS - Anita Higman - 5 Free Copies
Bio: Anita Higman—an award-winning and bestselling author from Texas—has authored or coauthored fifty-plus books, and she has a BA in the combined fields of speech communication, psychology, and art. A few of Anita’s favorite things are fairytale castles, antiquing, exotic teas, gardening, and laughing with her family and friends! Her latest book, A Love Most Precious, is a collection of devotions inspired from the Book of Ruth in the Bible. Please drop by Anita’s website at anitahigman.com. She would love to hear from you!
Welcome, Anita. What would you like for our readers to know about you personally? Well, I grew up in the country on a farm, but I can’t say it was the idyllic life that many people like to imagine. It was rather difficult at times. But God was with me, and He got me through the hardships and the confusion and the loneliness. I am so grateful to Jesus for the way He sustained me and loved me, and how He brought me through it. The Lord taught me that my past could be used to show more compassion to others, and this has been one way God made something good come from what was not so good. Tell us about your family. Along with my husband of 42 years, we have raised a wonderful family, and I am enjoying the delights of a grandchild now. I never imagined that being a grandmother could bring me such joy and delight. Yes, another gift from God!
I love our grandchildren, and now we have 9 great-grandchildren who are also precious to us. Have you written other nonfiction books? Even though I have written a number of faith-based novels, I am now mostly writing Christian devotional books for women. Another devotional book that I’ve written is entitled, One Day at a Time, Sweet Jesus!
Do you have any other books in the works right now? Yes, and I am excited and grateful for the work. This new devotional book, which I am working on now, will be released sometime next year.
What kinds of hobbies and leisure activities do you enjoy? Actually, I have a list of favorites things—fairytale castles, antiquing, traveling, exotic teas, gardening, and laughing with my family and friends!
Why did you write the featured book? Ruth is my favorite book of the Bible. The more you read it, the more your heart will become beautifully caught up in God's love for you. One day, when I was listening to some music that was inspired by Ruth’s life, God used that music to inspire me to write this devotional book. I am always amazing at how the Lord moves and works in our lives.
How did you get into writing comedy? This devotional book on Ruth only has bits of lighthearted writing in it, but I have written comedy in a number of my novels.
What do you want the reader to take away from the book? Ruth chose the God of Abraham, and her life unfolded with a series of miracles that changed the course of history. God's plans for Ruth were unexpectedly glorious. And so are His plans for you. I hope my devotional book,
A Love Most Precious
, inspires you to dig deeply into the Bible so that you, like Ruth, can become yet another soul-shimmering woman of God. Where on the Internet can the readers find you? Right now, I’m mostly on Instagram. Please drop by to see some of my prayers, which have been created in story-reels. The prayers come out every weekday under anita_higman, and they are called, Real Prayers to Lighten Your Journey. Hope they are a blessing to you!
Thank you, Anita, for sharing this wonderful book with us. I’m eager to start using it.
Readers, here’s a link to the book.
Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)
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February 22, 2023
A MATCH IN THE MAKING - Jen Turano - One Free Book
Bio: Named one of the funniest voices in inspirational romance by Booklist, Jen Turano is a USA Today bestselling author known for penning quirky historical romances set in the Gilded Age. Her books have earned Publishers Weeklyand Booklist starred reviews, top picks from RT Book Reviews, and praise from Library Journal. She’s been a finalist twice for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards and had two of her books listed in the top 100 romances of the past decade from Booklist. She and her family live outside of Denver, Colorado. A pillar of the inspirational romance genre, USA Today bestselling author Jen Turano has long been a fan favorite for her highly satisfying romantic comedies. With over 20 novels published to date, Turano kickstarts a new series centering on a matchmaking company with all the spunky humor and mischief that readers have come to expect from a Jen Turano novel. Gilded Age
high society takes center stage in Turano’s latest hilarious romp, A Match in the Making, book one in The Matchmakers series.
About the Story: Miss Gwendolyn Brinley accepted a temporary paid companion position for the Newport summer season, excited to spend the summer in America’s most exclusive town. She suddenly finds her summer turning anything but amusing when her employer expects her to step into the role of an assistant matchmaker. Tasked with the daunting prospect of attaining advantageous matches for her clients, Gwendolyn soon finds herself in the employ of Mr. Walter Townsend, the catch of the Season, but a gentleman Gwendolyn finds beyond irritating.
Walter Townsend is in search of a wife for the sake of his unruly children—without a mother of their own, the Townsend family can’t seem to keep the same governess for long. What he wasn’t expecting was Miss Brinley, an amateur matchmaker who turns his quest for a new wife into a complete and utter debacle. Constantly besieged by society ladies on a mission to win his affection, Walter must find a way to overcome their inundating attention—and his unexpected attraction toward Gwendolyn. The more time they spend together throughout the Newport Season, the harder it is for Gwendolyn to find Walter a wife when she realizes his perfect match might be . . . her.
A Match in the Making is book one in your new series, THE MATCHMAKERS. Can you please tell us a little bit about this book?
This story centers around Miss Gwendolyn Brinley, who finds herself in the most unlikely of situations—that being an unexpected assistant matchmaker. When Mr. Walter Townsend, an annoying gentleman if there ever was one, decides he needs the services of a matchmaker to handle all the young ladies who’ve decided their greatest desire in life is to become the next Mrs. Townsend, Gwendolyn finds herself responsible for sorting out his love life, a feat that’s more daunting than she ever imagined.
Can you dig a little deeper in the character of Gwendolyn for us? What about her is most important for readers to know?
She’s a lady who embraces an unconventional attitude for her time, and one who doesn’t stand back when she feels injustices are being leveled against those in vulnerable positions. She doesn’t hesitate to insert herself into contentious situations, which takes the New York Four Hundred aback, especially the young ladies Gwendolyn takes to task over their unbecoming behavior.
Were there really employers dedicated to matchmaking services during the Gilded Age?
Yes, there were, but it was a very discreet business. Word of mouth was the only way a mother learned who was in the matchmaking business, and compensation was always discussed in a most careful manner because women of that day were not allowed to dabble in what was considered trade if they wanted to maintain their respectable reputations.
What inspired the idea for this series? I have a box where I toss in ideas for books that come to me at the oddest of times. Doing research stokes a lot of ideas, as does movies, other books, and life in general. For this series, I was watching a movie and there was a matchmaker in a scene, and the idea for a series began formulating from there—but not a normal series. One where the matchmakers are a little peculiar and, of course, land themselves in the most unlikely of situations. I just happened to pull that note out of the box when I was finishing up a different series and thought . . . Hmmm.
Maybe I should do a matchmaking series next.
A Match in the Making addresses themes such as rising to unanticipated challenges. Can you tell us a little more about how this idea comes into play in the lives of your characters and how that might translate to readers today?
Right from the very beginning of the book, it’s clear that Gwendolyn is faced with dealing with what we’d call mean girls today. Society knows she’s in Newport as Mrs. Parker’s paid companion, information young ladies use to slight Gwendolyn every chance they get. She’s not usually one to suffer slights in silence but feels it’s not her place, as Mrs. Parker’s employee, to react to their inappropriate behavior—until they turn their attention to a wallflower by the name of Miss Adelaide Duveen. That’s when Gwendolyn’s true personality comes out and she points out the errors of these young ladies’ ways, something no one has ever had the audacity to do within the hallowed midst of the upper crust. My hope in writing about what amounts to different cases of bullying is to encourage people to stand up to injustices and to step in and assist anyone who is being bullied, no matter if it causes unpleasant conversations or sets a person against people they consider friends.
Was there anything that you found particularly interesting in your research that you included in the book?
I was fascinated by Trinity Church located in Newport, which has enclosed pews that families buy and use for the summer Season. It’s gorgeous and has a cemetery right beside it where many a prominent Newport resident was laid to rest. I also included the Newport Casino into the story, which is this fabulous—not gambling den like you’d imagine—but almost along the lines of a country club, complete with tennis courts, glamorous dining rooms, and ballrooms where many a dance has been held.
With the rise of franchises like the Bridgerton books and streaming series, what do you think is most alluring to fans about storylines featuring the marriage mart of high society?
I think it’s the glamour that attracts fans, and all the rules of etiquette, paired with the most glorious clothing, because who wouldn’t long to be dressed to the nines and then enjoy the delights of an extravagant ball? It also might be the lifestyle, because it’s difficult for us to imagine having a lady’s maid at one’s disposal, or a cook who prepares gourmet meals every day.
What do you hope readers take away from this story?
One of the things Gwendolyn comes to realize is that the life she thought she was meant to live wasn’t a life that was going to satisfy her, and that it was okay for her to change course and embrace something she never considered.
Can you share what you’re working on next?
I have just written the end on the second book in the series, To Spark a Match. It’s Miss Adelaide Duveen’s story—the wallflower in book one. It’s still a hot mess, so I’ll be fluffing it up, and then I’ll move on to writing the third and final book of THE MATCHMAKERS—which I can’t release the title of that one just yet—but it’s Camilla Pierpont’s story, who’s a confirmed spinster who dabbles in making matches of the affectionate kind.
How can readers connect with you?
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jenturanoauthor/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/jenturanoauthor
Twitter - @JenTurano
Web - www.jenturano.com
Thank you, Jen, for sharing this novel with us. I know my readers will love this story.
Readers, here’s a link to the book.
Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)
Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.
The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 2 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.
If you’re reading this on Goodreads, 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
February 20, 2023
WINNERS
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