Lena Nelson Dooley's Blog, page 176
September 21, 2015
A REFUGE AT HIGHLAND HALL - Carrie Turansky - One Free Book or Ebook
Dear Readers, if you’ve liked Downton Abbey, you’ll love Carrie’s series Edwardian Brides. Carrie is a dear friend and a very good writer.
Welcome back, Carrie. 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?
Cathy Gohlke and I traveled to Englandand Scotlandon a research trip in May 2014, and we brainstormed ideas for this book while we enjoyed that trip together. She has been a wonderful encouragement and support in my writing journey, and I try to do the same for her. I belong to a local group of writers in Philadelphiacalled Story Crafters. Those ladies are a wonderful encouragement too.
We really need those encouragers, don’t we? If you teach or speak. What’s coming up on your calendar? On October 31 I’ll be speaking and signing my new book, A Refuge at Highland Hall , at a Costume Tea Party at Paris in a Cup Tea Salon and Café in Orange, California. This should be a fun event. I’m looking forward to meeting Californiafriends there. For details you can visit my website: http://carrieturansky.com/index.php/extras/
If you had to completely start over in another place, where would you move, and why?I’ve been blessed to live in some wonderful places and travel to several others. I’m originally from Oregon. I love the natural beauty of my home state, so that might be where I’d want to start over. But being near family is most important, so I’d probably want to live close to at least some of my family members.
If you could only tell aspiring novelists one thing, what would it be?It takes a long time to hone your skills as a novelist. Reading and writing are key as well as connecting with other writers to exchange feedback on your writing. I encourage aspiring novelist to join American Christian Fiction Writers and attend the national conference each year. That’s a great organization and a wonderful way to learn and grow as a writer.
So many authors, me included, have been impacted by those conferences. 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])Oh, wouldn’t that be fun! I think I’d give my cruise an English-Downton Abbey theme and invite the stars from that program to come along. We could have a costume contest and maybe play a fun game including facts about the show.
Save me a place on the cruise. I’d love it. Tell us about the featured book.
A Refuge at Highland Hall
is the third and final book in the Edwardian Brides Series. The story will sweep readers away to England and France in 1915 as the Ramsey family and their staff and friends face the dramatic challenges and losses of World War One, yet they also experience the hope and triumph that comes as they put their trust in God to carry them through. Penny Ramsey helps the family welcome a group of orphaned children to Highland Hall, but she soon discovers caring for them is more difficult than she’d expected. She writes to Alex Goodwin, a daring British pilot, who chases German Zeppelins across the Front Line in France and Belgium, and she longs for the day they can be together again. The story included two pure and heartwarming romances: Penny and Alex, and Lydia Chambers and Marius Ritter, a lady’s maid and a prisoner of war. But most of all I hope readers will be inspired by the characters’ examples of trusting God through the trials they face.
Fans of Downton Abbeywill find many of the same elements in this series: A wealthy, aristocratic family living on a large English country estate with romance, conflicts, family drama; and loyal servants with troubles and heartaches of their own.
Please give us the first page of the book. A Refuge at Highland Hall by Carrie TuranskyOctober 20, 2015/WaterBrook Multnomah BooksISBN: 9781601425003
April 1915Waves of khaki-clad British soldiers flowed across the south lawn of the London Zoological Gardens, slowly making their way toward the chairs and benches surrounding the bandstand. Some men leaned on canes or hobbled on crutches. Others wore bandages or sported slings, testifying to the wounds they had received fighting for King and country.
Penelope Ramsey scanned their faces, searching for Theo Anderson, but her fleeting hope quickly faded. She suppressed a groan and turned away.
She must stop being ridiculous. Theo wasn’t here. He was in France. And at this very moment, he was probably performing surgery to save the life of some poor wounded soldier fresh from the battlefield.
She shook her head. These wandering thoughts would never do. She was nineteen now, and it was time to put away childish, romantic daydreams—especially those involving Theo.
Last week he’d written to tell her he was engaged to a Frenchwoman who volunteered at the hospital where he was stationed in Rouen, France.
After she read his letter, she fled to her room and cried until her eyes were red and swollen and her pillow was a soggy mess. How could he fall in love with someone else? She’d always imagined their friendship would grow and move toward romance. Though he’d never made that promise, she’d held on to that hope ever since she first danced with him at her sister Kate’s debutante ball almost three years ago.
Was there still a chance she would find true and lasting love, or was she a fool to cling to that cherished dream?
Penny lifted her gaze to the sea of soldiers once more. So many men were caught up in the fight. Thousands from her generation had already been lost. Heaven only knew how long this terrible war would last and how many more would perish.
Excerpted from A Refuge at Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky Copyright © 2015 by Carrie Turansky. Excerpted by permission of Multnomah Books, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC. All rights
I can’t wait until my book arrives. Where can we find you on the Internet?I love to connect with reading friends through social networks and my website: http://carrieturansky.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorcarrieturanskyPinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/carrieturansky/Twitter: https://twitter.com/carrieturansky
Thank you, Carrie, for sharing this book with me and my readers. I know they as eager to read it as I am.
Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
- Amazon
A Refuge at Highland Hall: A Novel (Edwardian Brides Book 3) - Kindle
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
Welcome back, Carrie. 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?Cathy Gohlke and I traveled to Englandand Scotlandon a research trip in May 2014, and we brainstormed ideas for this book while we enjoyed that trip together. She has been a wonderful encouragement and support in my writing journey, and I try to do the same for her. I belong to a local group of writers in Philadelphiacalled Story Crafters. Those ladies are a wonderful encouragement too.
We really need those encouragers, don’t we? If you teach or speak. What’s coming up on your calendar? On October 31 I’ll be speaking and signing my new book, A Refuge at Highland Hall , at a Costume Tea Party at Paris in a Cup Tea Salon and Café in Orange, California. This should be a fun event. I’m looking forward to meeting Californiafriends there. For details you can visit my website: http://carrieturansky.com/index.php/extras/
If you had to completely start over in another place, where would you move, and why?I’ve been blessed to live in some wonderful places and travel to several others. I’m originally from Oregon. I love the natural beauty of my home state, so that might be where I’d want to start over. But being near family is most important, so I’d probably want to live close to at least some of my family members.
If you could only tell aspiring novelists one thing, what would it be?It takes a long time to hone your skills as a novelist. Reading and writing are key as well as connecting with other writers to exchange feedback on your writing. I encourage aspiring novelist to join American Christian Fiction Writers and attend the national conference each year. That’s a great organization and a wonderful way to learn and grow as a writer.
So many authors, me included, have been impacted by those conferences. 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])Oh, wouldn’t that be fun! I think I’d give my cruise an English-Downton Abbey theme and invite the stars from that program to come along. We could have a costume contest and maybe play a fun game including facts about the show.
Save me a place on the cruise. I’d love it. Tell us about the featured book.
A Refuge at Highland Hall
is the third and final book in the Edwardian Brides Series. The story will sweep readers away to England and France in 1915 as the Ramsey family and their staff and friends face the dramatic challenges and losses of World War One, yet they also experience the hope and triumph that comes as they put their trust in God to carry them through. Penny Ramsey helps the family welcome a group of orphaned children to Highland Hall, but she soon discovers caring for them is more difficult than she’d expected. She writes to Alex Goodwin, a daring British pilot, who chases German Zeppelins across the Front Line in France and Belgium, and she longs for the day they can be together again. The story included two pure and heartwarming romances: Penny and Alex, and Lydia Chambers and Marius Ritter, a lady’s maid and a prisoner of war. But most of all I hope readers will be inspired by the characters’ examples of trusting God through the trials they face.Fans of Downton Abbeywill find many of the same elements in this series: A wealthy, aristocratic family living on a large English country estate with romance, conflicts, family drama; and loyal servants with troubles and heartaches of their own.
Please give us the first page of the book. A Refuge at Highland Hall by Carrie TuranskyOctober 20, 2015/WaterBrook Multnomah BooksISBN: 9781601425003
April 1915Waves of khaki-clad British soldiers flowed across the south lawn of the London Zoological Gardens, slowly making their way toward the chairs and benches surrounding the bandstand. Some men leaned on canes or hobbled on crutches. Others wore bandages or sported slings, testifying to the wounds they had received fighting for King and country.
Penelope Ramsey scanned their faces, searching for Theo Anderson, but her fleeting hope quickly faded. She suppressed a groan and turned away.
She must stop being ridiculous. Theo wasn’t here. He was in France. And at this very moment, he was probably performing surgery to save the life of some poor wounded soldier fresh from the battlefield.
She shook her head. These wandering thoughts would never do. She was nineteen now, and it was time to put away childish, romantic daydreams—especially those involving Theo.
Last week he’d written to tell her he was engaged to a Frenchwoman who volunteered at the hospital where he was stationed in Rouen, France.
After she read his letter, she fled to her room and cried until her eyes were red and swollen and her pillow was a soggy mess. How could he fall in love with someone else? She’d always imagined their friendship would grow and move toward romance. Though he’d never made that promise, she’d held on to that hope ever since she first danced with him at her sister Kate’s debutante ball almost three years ago.
Was there still a chance she would find true and lasting love, or was she a fool to cling to that cherished dream?
Penny lifted her gaze to the sea of soldiers once more. So many men were caught up in the fight. Thousands from her generation had already been lost. Heaven only knew how long this terrible war would last and how many more would perish.
Excerpted from A Refuge at Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky Copyright © 2015 by Carrie Turansky. Excerpted by permission of Multnomah Books, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC. All rights
I can’t wait until my book arrives. Where can we find you on the Internet?I love to connect with reading friends through social networks and my website: http://carrieturansky.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorcarrieturanskyPinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/carrieturansky/Twitter: https://twitter.com/carrieturansky
Thank you, Carrie, for sharing this book with me and my readers. I know they as eager to read it as I am.
Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
- Amazon
A Refuge at Highland Hall: A Novel (Edwardian Brides Book 3) - Kindle
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
September 20, 2015
WINNERS!!!!!
Kathleen (BC-CAN) is the winner of an ecopy of
Voice in the Wilderness
by H L Wegley.
Mary P (AUS) the winner of the ebook The Reliable Cowboy by Susan Page Davis.
Pam (OH) is the winner of The 12 Brides of Summer by Davalyn Spencer.
Deanna (PA) is the winner of Valley of the Shadow by J M Hochstetler.
Brenda (VA) is the winner of Butterfly Dreams by Bonnie Engstrom.
If you won a book and you like it, 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.
Mary P (AUS) the winner of the ebook The Reliable Cowboy by Susan Page Davis.
Pam (OH) is the winner of The 12 Brides of Summer by Davalyn Spencer.
Deanna (PA) is the winner of Valley of the Shadow by J M Hochstetler.
Brenda (VA) is the winner of Butterfly Dreams by Bonnie Engstrom.
If you won a book and you like it, 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.
September 18, 2015
UNCONDITIONAL - Tanya Eavenson - One Free Book
Bio: Tanya Eavenson enjoys spending time with her husband, and their three children. Her favorite pastime is grabbing a cup of coffee, eating chocolate, and reading a good book. Tanya is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Word Weavers International, and writes for Christ to the World Ministries.
Welcome back, Tanya. Why do you write the kind of books you do?I write Contemporary Romance and Historical Romance under the heading Inspirational Romance. My hope is when readers pick up my novels, they will witness God’s grace through my characters and perhaps experience God’s unconditional love for them.
Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?The day I found out I was pregnant with our first child. My husband and I had been through so much within our marriage, our daughter was an answer to prayer and a precious gift from the Lord.
How has being published changed your life?Being published is a journey I’m on as an author, but also as a follower of Christ. Since becoming an author, I’ve faced more doubt about myself and about my writing than ever before. There are days it’s a struggle, but it’s relying on God to direct my path that takes faith—a lot of faith. This seems funny to say, but sometimes I feel like I’m in training, allowing God to have His way in my life, and when I do, He uses me to touch others in ways I’ve never dreamt. I know one thing for sure, the Lord is fulfilling a purpose in me, and whether it’s in word or in deed, He will be glorified.
What are you reading right now?As of right now, I’m not reading anything due to my fast approaching deadline for my current work in progress Restored. However, the first few books on my reading pile are from Mary Connealy’s series Wild at Heart. Once I finish my Unending Love series, I’ll be snuggling up in a chair with one of Mary’s books.
I love Mary’s books, too. Her newest just arrived this week. I’m eager to start reading it. What is your current work in progress?My current work in progress is the next novel in the Unending Love series called Restored. Restored is about my secondary character, Dr. Steven Moore, from Unconditional . He’s the tall, dark, and handsome type, but not only is he good looking, his heart is for the Lord. He lives for what is true and right, even if it breaks him in the process. I loved Steven’s character so much, I had to write it! Steven’s story releases winter of 2016 and I can’t wait!
Be sure to let us feature it on the blog. What would be your dream vacation?My husband and I have always wanted to take a family trip to Bass Pro Shop in Missouriand stay in their log cabins, rent a boat, and go fishing. Twice we planned it, but we’ve had to cancel for various reasons. It’s a simple dream, but I hope we’ll be able to accomplish it in the future.
How do you choose your settings for each book?Settings depend on where I’ve lived or where I’d like to visit. If I’ve never visited the location for my novel, I research the setting and find someone who has lived in the area. This is where research comes in regardless of whether it’s a contemporary or historical novel.
If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?I’d love to spend an evening with author Lori Wick. I love the biblical aspects of her writing and how the characters feel like family. God was calling me to write, but it wasn’t until I read her series, The English Garden Series that I began to write. God used her in my life and I’d like to say thank you.
What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?You won’t believe it, but it is fishing! I enjoy getting out in the bass boat and spending a few hours on the water. My dad always wanted a boy; instead he got a baby girl. He taught me how to fish at an early age, and it came in handy when I met a guy from my church who loved to fish. =) Now married nineteen years, my husband said it was one of the things he found attractive about me, a companion to share his life with.
What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?My greatest obstacle, and one I mentioned earlier, is doubt. It’s funny, I relate to Peter from the Bible so well, how he inspires me to step out of my comfort zone and meet Jesus, but also how he turned his attention to the storm. In a similar way, at times I take my eyes off Jesus. The inadequacies I feel or the doubts can almost topple me over. When that happens, I have to remember to take courage, to remember He is with me, to stop doubting and have faith. My faith isn’t built on my abilities, but the character of God. He will help me accomplish any task and walk alongside me in the journey.
What advice would you give to a beginning author?The best advice I’d give to a new writer besides encouraging them to study the craft or find a critique group, is to never give up. Writing isn’t easy. The journey has so many highs and lows that if you give up, you’d never know the person you’d become, or how your stories impact hearts and lives in the process.
Tell us about the featured book.
Unconditional
is a story of a husband and wife who struggle with disappointment and heartache and ask if marriage is worth fighting for. But it’s also a story of how God’s grace can lead to healing beyond the imagination, because with God, nothing is impossible.
Back cover blurb:He will fight for her at any cost...
Elizabeth Roberts can't remember her past, and the present is too painful. She turns to nightclubs and drinking to forget her infant daughter's death, her husband's affair.
When his wife's coma wiped out the memory of their marriage, Chris Roberts found comfort elsewhere. He can't erase his betrayal, but with God's help he’s determined to fight for Elizabethat any cost.
She wants to forget. He wants to save his marriage. Can they trust God with their future and find a love that’s unconditional?
Please give us the first page of the book.Sure! Hope you enjoy!
Prologue “Please, Elizabeth...I can’t lose you.” Chris Roberts gently kissed his wife’s hand. He focused on her bandaged head and breathing tube, looking for any sign she heard his pleas, felt his touch. Nothing.
“Your daughter needs you. I need you.” His voice faded into the quietness of the room. He wiped his cheek with the back of his hand and tried to force his mind clear. The image of his pregnant wife slipping from the church steps still haunted him. He should have been closer, should have caught her.
The doctor and nurse came into the room, but he barely acknowledged them as they checked his wife’s vitals and changed her bandage. There was nothing more they could do.
“Mr. Roberts,” the doctor spoke from Elizabeth’s bedside. “There’s been no change, but the wound to her head is healing nicely.”
“It’s been two weeks. Will she ever come out of this coma?”
"I don’t know. All we can do is wait and pray. But I thought you should know about your daughter.”
Chris met his gaze. “Katherine. Is she all right?”
The doctor’s eyes softened. “Her breathing is still our main concern since her lungs weren’t fully developed, but she is doing better than we expected. What I’m trying to say is she’s thriving and should be able to go home within the week.”
Chris tried to smile but failed. Katherine had survived the terrible incident, but what about Elizabeth? He turned back to his wife and squeezed her hand. “Did you hear the doctor? Katherine’s doing well. We can go home soon, but you have to wake up.” He bowed his head and fought against his tears. The door clicking closed behind him echoed in the room.
The days passed in slow motion — the next day, and the next — all blending together into one long vigil, one long prayer that never seemed to go farther than the ceiling. Where was God? Was he even listening? Doubts preyed on Chris as he entered Elizabeth’s room and found his brother standing at Elizabeth’s bed. Phillip’s eyes were closed, head bowed. He held Elizabeth’s limp hands in his. He spoke in soft whispers, and though Chris couldn’t make out his words, his brother’s expression suggested he was pleading to God in prayer.
What good would it do? Another week had passed, and still his wife lay unconscious. Three weeks, and Elizabeth’s condition hadn’t changed. The window to her recovery was quickly closing. He’d never in his life felt so helpless.
After several minutes, Chris touched his brother’s shoulder. “Phillip.”
Phillip whirled to face him. “She squeezed my hand. It was soft, but I felt it. I think she’s waking up.”
Chris went to Elizabeth’s side and searched her features, her eyes, as he’d done many times before for any sign she’d come back to him. A vise tightened around his heart. False hope, yet again.
He fought the desire to sink into a chair and sob, but instead collected her hands within his. A small moan escaped her lips.
Chris’s breath caught. “Oh, Elizabeth. I’m here. Look at me.”
“I’ll get the doctor!” Phillip rushed from the room.
Chris touched her forehead where the bandage had once been and smoothed down her hair. “Open your eyes.” He ached for her touch, for her smile, for her love. “Sweetheart, I’m here. I love you.”
Slowly, surely, Elizabeth’s eyes fluttered open. Tears filled his own eyes.
The doctor burst into the room with a nurse on his heels. Even while they examined Elizabeth, he refused to leave her side. She squinted and blinked twice. A frown touched her brow as she gazed around the room, then at him.
He smiled down at her, joy filling his heart. His wife was alive. “Katherine’s home. We’ve been waiting for you.”
Elizabethlicked her lips, her gaze never leaving his. “I’m sorry…” she paused. “Who is Katherine? Who are you?”
I want to know what happens next. I know my readers do, too. How can readers find you on the Internet?Readers can connect with me at my website http://www.tanyaeavenson.com/. There they can sign-up for my newsletter, learn a little about me, my journey as an author, and grab more of the opening of Unconditional . They can also contact me on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Google, or on Amazon.
Buy links for the book:Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Unconditional-ebook/dp/B00AZL8F5G/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1357883999&sr=1-1&keywords=tanya+Eavenson+Unconditional
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/unconditional-tanya-eavenson/1114108760?ean=2940016066837
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/unconditional/id592895859?mt=11
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/unconditional-7
Thank you, Tanya, for sharing this new book with us.
Readers, 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
Welcome back, Tanya. Why do you write the kind of books you do?I write Contemporary Romance and Historical Romance under the heading Inspirational Romance. My hope is when readers pick up my novels, they will witness God’s grace through my characters and perhaps experience God’s unconditional love for them.Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?The day I found out I was pregnant with our first child. My husband and I had been through so much within our marriage, our daughter was an answer to prayer and a precious gift from the Lord.
How has being published changed your life?Being published is a journey I’m on as an author, but also as a follower of Christ. Since becoming an author, I’ve faced more doubt about myself and about my writing than ever before. There are days it’s a struggle, but it’s relying on God to direct my path that takes faith—a lot of faith. This seems funny to say, but sometimes I feel like I’m in training, allowing God to have His way in my life, and when I do, He uses me to touch others in ways I’ve never dreamt. I know one thing for sure, the Lord is fulfilling a purpose in me, and whether it’s in word or in deed, He will be glorified.
What are you reading right now?As of right now, I’m not reading anything due to my fast approaching deadline for my current work in progress Restored. However, the first few books on my reading pile are from Mary Connealy’s series Wild at Heart. Once I finish my Unending Love series, I’ll be snuggling up in a chair with one of Mary’s books.
I love Mary’s books, too. Her newest just arrived this week. I’m eager to start reading it. What is your current work in progress?My current work in progress is the next novel in the Unending Love series called Restored. Restored is about my secondary character, Dr. Steven Moore, from Unconditional . He’s the tall, dark, and handsome type, but not only is he good looking, his heart is for the Lord. He lives for what is true and right, even if it breaks him in the process. I loved Steven’s character so much, I had to write it! Steven’s story releases winter of 2016 and I can’t wait!
Be sure to let us feature it on the blog. What would be your dream vacation?My husband and I have always wanted to take a family trip to Bass Pro Shop in Missouriand stay in their log cabins, rent a boat, and go fishing. Twice we planned it, but we’ve had to cancel for various reasons. It’s a simple dream, but I hope we’ll be able to accomplish it in the future.
How do you choose your settings for each book?Settings depend on where I’ve lived or where I’d like to visit. If I’ve never visited the location for my novel, I research the setting and find someone who has lived in the area. This is where research comes in regardless of whether it’s a contemporary or historical novel.
If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?I’d love to spend an evening with author Lori Wick. I love the biblical aspects of her writing and how the characters feel like family. God was calling me to write, but it wasn’t until I read her series, The English Garden Series that I began to write. God used her in my life and I’d like to say thank you.
What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?You won’t believe it, but it is fishing! I enjoy getting out in the bass boat and spending a few hours on the water. My dad always wanted a boy; instead he got a baby girl. He taught me how to fish at an early age, and it came in handy when I met a guy from my church who loved to fish. =) Now married nineteen years, my husband said it was one of the things he found attractive about me, a companion to share his life with.
What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?My greatest obstacle, and one I mentioned earlier, is doubt. It’s funny, I relate to Peter from the Bible so well, how he inspires me to step out of my comfort zone and meet Jesus, but also how he turned his attention to the storm. In a similar way, at times I take my eyes off Jesus. The inadequacies I feel or the doubts can almost topple me over. When that happens, I have to remember to take courage, to remember He is with me, to stop doubting and have faith. My faith isn’t built on my abilities, but the character of God. He will help me accomplish any task and walk alongside me in the journey.
What advice would you give to a beginning author?The best advice I’d give to a new writer besides encouraging them to study the craft or find a critique group, is to never give up. Writing isn’t easy. The journey has so many highs and lows that if you give up, you’d never know the person you’d become, or how your stories impact hearts and lives in the process.
Tell us about the featured book.
Unconditional
is a story of a husband and wife who struggle with disappointment and heartache and ask if marriage is worth fighting for. But it’s also a story of how God’s grace can lead to healing beyond the imagination, because with God, nothing is impossible.Back cover blurb:He will fight for her at any cost...
Elizabeth Roberts can't remember her past, and the present is too painful. She turns to nightclubs and drinking to forget her infant daughter's death, her husband's affair.
When his wife's coma wiped out the memory of their marriage, Chris Roberts found comfort elsewhere. He can't erase his betrayal, but with God's help he’s determined to fight for Elizabethat any cost.
She wants to forget. He wants to save his marriage. Can they trust God with their future and find a love that’s unconditional?
Please give us the first page of the book.Sure! Hope you enjoy!
Prologue “Please, Elizabeth...I can’t lose you.” Chris Roberts gently kissed his wife’s hand. He focused on her bandaged head and breathing tube, looking for any sign she heard his pleas, felt his touch. Nothing.
“Your daughter needs you. I need you.” His voice faded into the quietness of the room. He wiped his cheek with the back of his hand and tried to force his mind clear. The image of his pregnant wife slipping from the church steps still haunted him. He should have been closer, should have caught her.
The doctor and nurse came into the room, but he barely acknowledged them as they checked his wife’s vitals and changed her bandage. There was nothing more they could do.
“Mr. Roberts,” the doctor spoke from Elizabeth’s bedside. “There’s been no change, but the wound to her head is healing nicely.”
“It’s been two weeks. Will she ever come out of this coma?”
"I don’t know. All we can do is wait and pray. But I thought you should know about your daughter.”
Chris met his gaze. “Katherine. Is she all right?”
The doctor’s eyes softened. “Her breathing is still our main concern since her lungs weren’t fully developed, but she is doing better than we expected. What I’m trying to say is she’s thriving and should be able to go home within the week.”
Chris tried to smile but failed. Katherine had survived the terrible incident, but what about Elizabeth? He turned back to his wife and squeezed her hand. “Did you hear the doctor? Katherine’s doing well. We can go home soon, but you have to wake up.” He bowed his head and fought against his tears. The door clicking closed behind him echoed in the room.
The days passed in slow motion — the next day, and the next — all blending together into one long vigil, one long prayer that never seemed to go farther than the ceiling. Where was God? Was he even listening? Doubts preyed on Chris as he entered Elizabeth’s room and found his brother standing at Elizabeth’s bed. Phillip’s eyes were closed, head bowed. He held Elizabeth’s limp hands in his. He spoke in soft whispers, and though Chris couldn’t make out his words, his brother’s expression suggested he was pleading to God in prayer.
What good would it do? Another week had passed, and still his wife lay unconscious. Three weeks, and Elizabeth’s condition hadn’t changed. The window to her recovery was quickly closing. He’d never in his life felt so helpless.
After several minutes, Chris touched his brother’s shoulder. “Phillip.”
Phillip whirled to face him. “She squeezed my hand. It was soft, but I felt it. I think she’s waking up.”
Chris went to Elizabeth’s side and searched her features, her eyes, as he’d done many times before for any sign she’d come back to him. A vise tightened around his heart. False hope, yet again.
He fought the desire to sink into a chair and sob, but instead collected her hands within his. A small moan escaped her lips.
Chris’s breath caught. “Oh, Elizabeth. I’m here. Look at me.”
“I’ll get the doctor!” Phillip rushed from the room.
Chris touched her forehead where the bandage had once been and smoothed down her hair. “Open your eyes.” He ached for her touch, for her smile, for her love. “Sweetheart, I’m here. I love you.”
Slowly, surely, Elizabeth’s eyes fluttered open. Tears filled his own eyes.
The doctor burst into the room with a nurse on his heels. Even while they examined Elizabeth, he refused to leave her side. She squinted and blinked twice. A frown touched her brow as she gazed around the room, then at him.
He smiled down at her, joy filling his heart. His wife was alive. “Katherine’s home. We’ve been waiting for you.”
Elizabethlicked her lips, her gaze never leaving his. “I’m sorry…” she paused. “Who is Katherine? Who are you?”
I want to know what happens next. I know my readers do, too. How can readers find you on the Internet?Readers can connect with me at my website http://www.tanyaeavenson.com/. There they can sign-up for my newsletter, learn a little about me, my journey as an author, and grab more of the opening of Unconditional . They can also contact me on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Google, or on Amazon.
Buy links for the book:Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Unconditional-ebook/dp/B00AZL8F5G/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1357883999&sr=1-1&keywords=tanya+Eavenson+Unconditional
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/unconditional-tanya-eavenson/1114108760?ean=2940016066837
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/unconditional/id592895859?mt=11
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/unconditional-7
Thank you, Tanya, for sharing this new book with us.
Readers, 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
September 17, 2015
SEE NO EVIL - Mary L Hamilton - One Free Book
Welcome back, Mary. Tell us what you’ve been up to since we last talked with you.The last time I visited with you, I’d had my first book published. Since then, two more books in the Rustic Knoll Bible Camp series have come out, the last one in May. It’s been an eventful year, with one book launch, two moves, and two children’s weddings. Exciting!What made you want to write the Rustic Knoll Bible Camp series? My dad was the director of a Bible camp, and we lived onsite for almost 20 years. It had a huge positive impact on my brothers and sisters and me. One day, as I thought about the people I’d known on the permanent staff, I realized they were all characters in themselves. I’d read Jan Karon’s Mitford series and wanted to create a similar community of characters in my camp stories.
See No Evil, the third and final book, tells the story of a blind camper who struggles with a form of pornography. How did you come up with that idea?Steven is in all three books, and I’d always intended to bring him back in the third book having had a corneal transplant allowing him to see. I’d planned to have him find a girly magazine in the cabin and realize he had temptations he’d never dealt with before. But after researching what it’s like to regain sight after so many years, I realized my plan wasn’t realistic. I needed to keep Steven blind. But my editor still liked the pornography angle, so I had to find a way for a blind young man to get tangled up in pornography.
You struggled to write this book. Tell us about that.It was a very difficult book to write, mainly because my whole plan fell throughm and I had to come up with a totally different story and write it in a short period of time. I like to know the end of my stories while I’m writing, because it gives me a goal to shoot for. But with this story, I had no idea how it would end until the day before I wrote it. I considered quitting and admitting I couldn’t write, but decided since the Lord gave me the opportunity and He knows a thing or two about writing a book, He must know what He wants me to write.
That is so true and a valuable lesson for a Christian author to learn. What are you working on now?I’m trying something new, working on a cozy mystery for an adult audience.
What book have you read recently that you couldn’t put down?Greyson Gray: Camp Legendby B.C. Tweedt. It’s a YA/middle grade book, but I couldn’t put it down even during the weekend of my son’s wedding!
How long did it take you to become a published author?It took me at least six years to write the first book. After that, it took a couple more years of rewriting to get it publishable, a year to find an agent, and another year to find a publisher.
What’s one thing you wish you’d known before you became a published author?I wish I’d understood that writing may be a hobby, but publishing is a business. Once you’re published, you must treat your writing like a business.
What advice do you have for beginning writers?Be patient. It’s so hard to wait, but early on, a writer friend told me she’d gone to a conference one year thinking she was ready. Later she realized she really wasn’t ready yet. She still had a lot to learn, a lot to practice. That helped me be more patient with the process. Use your time of waiting to improve your skills in both writing and marketing.
Where would you go on your dream vacation?I would tour the UK. So many of my favorite childhood stories took place there—Robin Hood, Winnie the Pooh, Sherlock Holmes and many of the fairy tales. I love castles, and I could listen to a British, Scotch, or Irish accent forever.
Tell us about the featured book.Steven Miller, 17, guards a dark secret.Dad drilled into Steven that his blindness should never be used as an excuse. So when Steven finds an old triathlon medallion among Dad’s belongings, he’s inspired to follow in his footsteps. Maybe it’ll quiet the guilt he’s carried since Dad’s death three years ago.While Steven continues his triathlon training during his final summer at camp, a serious illness keeps Rustic Knoll’s beloved Nurse Willie from managing her clinic. When Steven teams up with his friend Claire to encourage Willie’s recovery, his feelings for Claire grow beyond friendship.
But his buddy, Dillon, has started down a dangerous path that Steven knows all too well. Can he keep his friend from falling into that pit without exposing his own past?
Please give us the first page.Steven Miller pulled away from his mom’s hand as she straightened his t-shirt before getting out of the car. “It’s fine, Mom. Leave it alone.”
Blindness was no excuse for sloppy dressing, but this was camp. Some guys wore the same clothes they’d slept in the night before. He got out of the car, leaving behind its air-conditioned comfort. Ugh! This heat wave would make the cabins feel like saunas. He adjusted his dark glasses, then reached into the back seat and found the rough canvas of his duffle bag.
“Can I get that for you?” Mom’s door slammed and she hurried around to his side.
“I’ve got it.” As if I’m not capable of doing it myself. He bit his tongue as he lifted the bag out of the car and set it on the gravel parking lot. Mom wasn’t trying to be annoying. So why did she get on his nerves so easily lately? She’d always watched out for him during Dad’s tough lessons on living with blindness. Survival for the Blind 101, they’d called it. Had she grown more protective in the three years since Dad died? Or maybe Dad’s absence failed to balance out Mom’s hovering. Either way, it would be nice if she’d back off a little.
Claire called from somewhere nearby. “Steven! Wait for me.”
Where is she? Car engines and voices of other excited campers made it hard to tell which direction she was calling from. He waved his hand in the air to acknowledge her, then closed the car door and leaned against it. “Mom, you don’t have to stick around. Claire can get me through registration.”
“Well, I…I wasn’t in any hurry.”
He’d done it again—said something the wrong way.
A very good opening. How can readers find you on the Internet?Website/blog: http://www.maryhamiltonbooks.comFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/maryhamiltonbooksPinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/mhamiltonbooksTwitter: http://twitter.com/@MHamiltonAuthorAmazon author page: http://amzn.to/1KP59m9Goodreads: http://tinyurl.com/qhhx5sk
Here’s the book buy link:
Thank you, Mary, for sharing this new book with us. It will change lives.
Readers, leave a comment for a chance to win a free print or ecopy 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
September 15, 2015
MIRACLE DRUG - Richard L Mabry, MD - One Free Book
Dear Readers, I know you have been enjoying the romantic medical suspense novels by my friend Richard Mabry, MD. Today, we’re finding out about his latest release. Welcome back, Richard. How did this book come about? I’ve read a couple of books about the physician caring for the current President of the US, but couldn’t recall seeing much about the doctor assuming that responsibility for an ex-President. Since we have an ex-President living in the area, my curiosity was piqued. So I asked the author’s favorite question: What if? What if an ex-President came back from overseas infected with a disease for which no cure existed? What if a doctor suddenly had the responsibility for this person’s care thrust upon him? And what if the infection also involved the nurse the doctor was dating? The novel sprang from those thoughts.
I like those “what ifs.” Tell us about the book’s cover and what makes it unique.My publisher, Abingdon Press, has done a great job conveying both the subject matter and mood of my books via their covers. In this case, the look resembles the cover of my preceding novel, Fatal Trauma, yet clearly shows it’s about an infection that requires protective garb of some type.
Please explain and differentiate between what’s fact and fiction in the book.People may not believe it, but I completed this book before Ebola became nationally known. Because I was plowing new ground, I had to guess about the measures medical professionals would take to avoid the spread of my imaginary infection—much as those initially called on to treat Ebola in the US would later do. As the Ebola epidemic got a foothold in the US and became of more than academic interest, some measures of both prevention and treatment were used that I couldn’t have foreseen when I wrote Miracle Drug . In summary, I think it’s valid in some respects, total conjecture in others.
How much research did you have to do for this book?A lot! As I’ve said, I was making up things right and left, yet wanted them to be believable. I had to walk a fine line between fact and fiction throughout the novel, and this required quite a bit of research.
What are some of the most interesting things you found about this subject that you weren’t able to use in the story?I discovered that, although Bacillus decimus infections (as detailed in the novel) aren’t real, there are numerous infections in various parts of the world that are just as dangerous—and there are brave men and women who risk their lives every day to combat them.
What inspired and surprised you while you were writing the book?After the book was written and edited, I followed with great interest the stories of the health care professionals who battled the disease and won, as well as the saga of the patient who came to America and succumbed to the infection.
What do you hope the reader takes away from the story?We’re all human, with frailties and a tendency to think first of ourselves.When the reader turns the last page of Miracle Drug , I hope they remember the sometimes-silent witness of one of the characters who unselfishly faces death if her sacrifice can help another live.
What is the next project you’re working on?My next novel, which is already written and edited, is Medical Judgment . It’s scheduled to be released by Abingdon Press in the spring of 2016.
We will want to find out about that one on this blog when it releases. What do you do when you have to get away from the story for a while?I sometimes escape for minutes to hours into the plot and pages of a novel. Many of my favorite authors are now deceased—people like Robert B. Parker, Michael Parker, and Ross Thomas—but I keep coming back to their work because I love their writing.
I have had a weekly golf game with my friend and attorney for over ten years. That time away from professional responsibilities has been good for us both. We don’t keep score, and purists would cringe at the way we play, but it’s enjoyable…and that’s all that counts for us.
Tell us about
Miracle Drug
.Back cover copy:The infection wasn’t supposed to happen, but it did. The treatment was supposed to take care of it, but it didn’t. Then Dr. Josh Pearson discovered why—the patients had another infection, one that was universally fatal. The only chance for their survival was treatment with an experimental drug, but the manufacturer might already have discarded its supply.The stakes were high because the patients were the former President of the United States and a nurse with whom Josh was falling in love. The situation was bad and getting worse by the minute. Overcoming all this would take more than a miracle drug—it would take a miracle.
Please give us the first page of the book.Dr. Ben Lambert stood at the bathroom sink washing his hands. He sensed more than saw the movement behind him.
“You’re not supposed to be in here,” he said without turning. The intruder didn’t respond. Lambert repeated the words, this time in Spanish. “Supone que no debe estar aquí.”
When there was still no answer, Lambert, his hands wet, the water still running, turned toward the intruder. That’s when he felt it—a sharp pain in his left upper arm. Within seconds a burning pain swept over his extremities. His vision became fuzzy. He tried to reach out, but the commands his brain sent went unheeded by his arms and legs.
With agonizing slowness, Lambert crumpled to the ground. He felt his heart thud against his chest wall in an erratic rhythm, at first a fast gallop, then slower and more irregular. He tried to breathe but couldn’t satisfy his hunger for air. His calls for help came out as weak, strangled cries, like the mewling of a kitten.
Then the next wave of pain hit him—the worst pain he’d ever experienced, centered over his breastbone as though someone had impaled him with a sword. Lambert struggled to move, to cry out for help, to breathe. Through half-closed eyelids, he could barely see a patch of worn linoleum, topped by an ever-enlarging puddle beneath the soapstone sink. Then that vision, and the world around it, faded to black, and Ben Lambert died.
Wow. What a place to leave us! I want to know what happens next, and I’m sure my readers do as well. How can readers find you on the Internet?
My home page is http://rmabry.com. I blog twice weekly at http://rmabry.blogspot.com. I’m on Twitter (RichardMabry) and Facebook (rmabrybooks), as well as some other social media sites.
Thank you, Richard, for sharing this new book with us. As always, it will go to the top of my to-be-read pile.
Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog. - Amazon
Miracle Drug - Kindle
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
September 14, 2015
LOVE FOUND AT HARBOR INN, MAINE - Teresa Ives Lilly - One Free Book
Welcome, Teresa. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?He has opened the door for me to work with three different groups of lovely women writers who have helped and inspired me. I see filling the upcoming year with writing at least five more novellas. Tell us a little about your family.I am married and have three grown children. I have one grandson whom I watch every week and sometimes after nap he will play in the playpen and let me write for half an hour.
Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?Yes, I used to love to read long historical Christian novels, but now I find I like to read other novellas, which is also what I write.
What are you working on right now?A Harvey Girl Novella
I love Harvey Girl stories. What outside interests do you have?I line dance and visit bed and breakfasts when I get a chance.
How do you choose your settings for each book?I tend to write about stories set in small towns that come from my own imagination.
If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?I’d love to sit with Laura Ingals Wilder for a night and discuss life or with Grace Livingston Hill and discuss the Lord.
What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?Not to be afraid to join a critique group. When I finally did this my writing improved.
What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?To trust Him in my writing and selling of books and to tithe even on book money.
What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?Join a critique group, accept their ideas and don’t just sell a book to a publishing house unless God gives you a clear okay.
Tell us about the featured book.
Love Found at Harbor Inn, Maine
was written because I visited Maine and wanted to capture the atmosphere. The story is a light, fun Christmas romance and contemporary.Please give us the first page of the book.Bundled in her winter coat, gloves, and scarf, Penny Trent stood in the square of the Harbor Inn Courtyard and watched as soft flakes of snow drifted from the sky and gently landed on the already cleared sidewalks that ran around the square of quaint stores. She sighed with contentment. Morning was her favorite time of day.
The first day of December and all the specialty shops were already brightly decorated for Christmas. The town’s theme this year was Silver Bells, and each window display boasted a variety of bells, silver tinsel, and white icicle lights. She’d decorated her window with a three tiered wedding cake decked out with silver snowflakes.
Penny shielded her eyes with her hand and turned away from the shops to the open side of the square that overlooked the ocean. She scanned the horizon. The coast of Mainewas a beautiful sight on this lovely winter day with its many nooks, crannies, and crags. She could see the Old Harbor Lighthouse in the distance.
There had been only one cold day since Thanksgiving and the water along the coast wasn’t frozen, but she imagined it was bitter cold. Only a few early morning combers walked along the beach just steps away from the courtyard. The sand was untouched, except by gulls that ran to-and-fro, searching for breakfast.
Penny inhaled the fresh, frigid air. To hear the gentle lapping ocean waves was the epitome of the good life.
Even though she’d suffered the past few weeks, she was still able to close her eyes and lift her face as her heart sang out, This is the most pleasant place on earth. I’m so blessed that my aunt left it to me as my inheritance.“Excuse me, Miss?” A smooth masculine voice at her elbow broke into her thoughts. She turned, surprised to see a tall, muscular stranger standing behind. She took a step back.
The stranger smiled. As if struck by a ray of sunshine, the brilliance of his grin flashed at her. She took in a gulp of air.
“Excuse me, I didn’t mean to disturb you. Are you Penny Trent?”
Penny studied the man in silence. Regardless of the ugly Christmas sweater he wore, this was the man of her dreams. He stood within touching distance. Tall, brown wavy hair, blue eyes the color of a summer sky, and all housed in a perfectly muscular body. She was tempted to reach out and poke him to see if he were real.
The man cleared his throat.
Penny’s gaze shot up, her cheeks flushed. She noted the crinkles next to his eyes. A sure sign he had read her thoughts and was laughing at her. She stood a bit more erect.
“Yes, I’m Penny Trent.”
To her surprise, the man reached out, grabbed her hand and pumped it up and down. “Great, great. I’m Kyle. Granny told me I would find you here.”
Penny tilted her head and stared at the man, wondering how it would feel to brush back the curls that fell across his cheek. “And just who is Granny?”
“Oh, that’s right. I’m the only one who calls her Granny. She doesn’t like anyone to know she’s a grandmother. Said it made her feel old, but secretly, she loves being my grandmother.”
Penny continued to stare at him, trying to make sense from his words. Ugh, too good to be true.There goes the man of my dreams. It’s a shame he’s slightly touched in the head and can’t seem to answer a simple question.
“Excuse me, Kyle? You did say your name is Kyle?”
The man nodded.
“I still have no idea who Granny is. I’m sorry. I don’t know who you are, and I really do have to open my shop.” Penny took a step back then turned to go.
The man moved in front of her and blocked her path. “No, wait. Granny told me I’d probably fudge my introduction. I usually do.” He gave a rueful grin. “But give me a chance, I get better and I happen to know you don’t open Cake Time for another half hour. You usually get a cup of coffee first.”
Penny shook her head. She was surprised the man knew her morning routine, but it was also obvious he wasn’t going to make any sense. Slightly nervous and irritated, her eyes scanned the area. Where are the local rent-a-cops who usually worked this area or even another shop owner? It was still too early for any of them to be about. Unlike Penny, who lived above her cake shop, the owners of the closest shops; Just a Cup, Blue Willow Antiques, Turn the Page Book Shop and By the Sea Gifts, commuted from the city.
Penny began to back up. Grandson or not, this man didn’t seem stable. She quickly turned and hurried toward her shop, hoping the man would take the hint. She was not interested in speaking to him.
The stranger fell into step beside her.
“Yup, I messed up. I’ve gone and gotten you all confused, so let me start again. My grandmother is known to all of you shop owners as Helen.”
Penny’s head shot around. She stopped in her tracks and turned to face him. Helen was the owner of the coffee shop called Just a Cup, well known for great coffee and Helen’s famous recipe for lemon coffee cake. Kyle had Penny’s full attention.
“Ah, now I’m doing better. You see, my grandmother, err… I mean Helen, is in the hospital…”
“What? I just saw her the day before Thanksgiving. What happened? Is she hurt, sick? What hospital?”
Kyle held up a hand. “Whoa! Wait a minute. I don’t want to get everything all turned around again.”
Penny held her breath, waiting impatiently.
“Granny fell down the stairs in her house on Thanksgiving day. She is in the city hospital and is doing alright. She broke her hip and they did surgery, but she also broke a rib and has a slight concussion.”
“Oh, no!” Penny gasped. “She told me she was going to take off the week between Thanksgiving and December, so I never even thought to worry about her. I’m so sorry this has happened. I’ll visit her later today if you think they will allow me to see her.”
He shook his head. “Probably not. I was only allowed to speak to her for a few minutes. Perhaps a couple days from now, we can drive into the city together. I have a great old truck, with spare chains in the back, just in case we get stuck in a blizzard.”
The image of snuggling up beside the handsome, dark haired man in a truck flashed through Penny’s mind, but she quickly pushed it away. This was not the time to daydream about a total stranger; especially one who seemed to live in a constant state of confusion.
Penny shook her head sympathetically and gave the man a quick appraisal. There was a small resemblance to Helen. “Please keep me posted. I want to see her as soon as possible. She’s been such a good friend.”
“Yes, she told me.”
Penny frowned. “What about her shop? Will it stay closed while she is in the hospital? It’s a pity, with the Christmas rush almost here. There are more and more tourists every day, and by December tenth, the square will be packed during business hours. Evenings, too. Can she afford to lose that much income?”
Kyle slapped his chest. “That’s why I’m here. I promised Granny I would run things for a few days.” He raked a hand through his hair and mumbled, “Haven’t worked in the shop since I was sixteen.”
“You worked in the coffee shop?”
“Yep. I used to spend the summers with Granny. I grew up in California, but I loved being here in Maine with Granny.”
“She never mentioned you.” It was strange that she had known Helen for nearly three years and her friend never mentioned a grandson.
Kyle smiled mischievously. “I don’t doubt it. When I turned seventeen, I told my parents I was too old to be sent off to Maine for the summer. Granny wasn’t happy about it and she told me she was striking my name off the Good Grind List.”
Sounds interesting. How can readers find you on the Internet?www.teresalilly.comis my blog, Teresa ives lilly author is my Facebook page.
Thank you, Teresa, for sharing this book with us. Many of my readers love novellas.
Here's a link to the book: Love Found at Harbor Inn Maine
Readers, 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
CUP N CAKE - Teresa Ives Lilly - One Free Book
Welcome, Teresa. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?He has opened the door for me to work with three different groups of lovely women writers who have helped and inspired me. I see filling the upcoming year with writing at least five more novellas. Tell us a little about your family.I am married and have three grown children. I have one grandson whom I watch every week and sometimes after nap he will play in the playpen and let me write for half an hour.
Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?Yes, I used to love to read long historical Christian novels, but now I find I like to read other novellas, which is also what I write.
What are you working on right now?A Harvey Girl Novella
I love Harvey Girl stories. What outside interests do you have?I line dance and visit bed and breakfasts when I get a chance.
How do you choose your settings for each book?I tend to write about stories set in small towns that come from my own imagination.
If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?I’d love to sit with Laura Ingals Wilder for a night and discuss life or with Grace Livingston Hill and discuss the Lord.
What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?Not to be afraid to join a critique group. When I finally did this my writing improved.
What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?To trust Him in my writing and selling of books and to tithe even on book money.
What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?Join a critique group, accept their ideas and don’t just sell a book to a publishing house unless God gives you a clear okay.
Tell us about the featured book.
Cup n Cake
was written because I visited Maine and wanted to capture the atmosphere. The story is a light, fun Christmas romance and contemporary.Please give us the first page of the book.Bundled in her winter coat, gloves, and scarf, Penny Trent stood in the square of the Harbor Inn Courtyard and watched as soft flakes of snow drifted from the sky and gently landed on the already cleared sidewalks that ran around the square of quaint stores. She sighed with contentment. Morning was her favorite time of day.
The first day of December and all the specialty shops were already brightly decorated for Christmas. The town’s theme this year was Silver Bells, and each window display boasted a variety of bells, silver tinsel, and white icicle lights. She’d decorated her window with a three tiered wedding cake decked out with silver snowflakes.
Penny shielded her eyes with her hand and turned away from the shops to the open side of the square that overlooked the ocean. She scanned the horizon. The coast of Mainewas a beautiful sight on this lovely winter day with its many nooks, crannies, and crags. She could see the Old Harbor Lighthouse in the distance.
There had been only one cold day since Thanksgiving and the water along the coast wasn’t frozen, but she imagined it was bitter cold. Only a few early morning combers walked along the beach just steps away from the courtyard. The sand was untouched, except by gulls that ran to-and-fro, searching for breakfast.
Penny inhaled the fresh, frigid air. To hear the gentle lapping ocean waves was the epitome of the good life.
Even though she’d suffered the past few weeks, she was still able to close her eyes and lift her face as her heart sang out, This is the most pleasant place on earth. I’m so blessed that my aunt left it to me as my inheritance.“Excuse me, Miss?” A smooth masculine voice at her elbow broke into her thoughts. She turned, surprised to see a tall, muscular stranger standing behind. She took a step back.
The stranger smiled. As if struck by a ray of sunshine, the brilliance of his grin flashed at her. She took in a gulp of air.
“Excuse me, I didn’t mean to disturb you. Are you Penny Trent?”
Penny studied the man in silence. Regardless of the ugly Christmas sweater he wore, this was the man of her dreams. He stood within touching distance. Tall, brown wavy hair, blue eyes the color of a summer sky, and all housed in a perfectly muscular body. She was tempted to reach out and poke him to see if he were real.
The man cleared his throat.
Penny’s gaze shot up, her cheeks flushed. She noted the crinkles next to his eyes. A sure sign he had read her thoughts and was laughing at her. She stood a bit more erect.
“Yes, I’m Penny Trent.”
To her surprise, the man reached out, grabbed her hand and pumped it up and down. “Great, great. I’m Kyle. Granny told me I would find you here.”
Penny tilted her head and stared at the man, wondering how it would feel to brush back the curls that fell across his cheek. “And just who is Granny?”
“Oh, that’s right. I’m the only one who calls her Granny. She doesn’t like anyone to know she’s a grandmother. Said it made her feel old, but secretly, she loves being my grandmother.”
Penny continued to stare at him, trying to make sense from his words. Ugh, too good to be true.There goes the man of my dreams. It’s a shame he’s slightly touched in the head and can’t seem to answer a simple question.
“Excuse me, Kyle? You did say your name is Kyle?”
The man nodded.
“I still have no idea who Granny is. I’m sorry. I don’t know who you are, and I really do have to open my shop.” Penny took a step back then turned to go.
The man moved in front of her and blocked her path. “No, wait. Granny told me I’d probably fudge my introduction. I usually do.” He gave a rueful grin. “But give me a chance, I get better and I happen to know you don’t open Cake Time for another half hour. You usually get a cup of coffee first.”
Penny shook her head. She was surprised the man knew her morning routine, but it was also obvious he wasn’t going to make any sense. Slightly nervous and irritated, her eyes scanned the area. Where are the local rent-a-cops who usually worked this area or even another shop owner? It was still too early for any of them to be about. Unlike Penny, who lived above her cake shop, the owners of the closest shops; Just a Cup, Blue Willow Antiques, Turn the Page Book Shop and By the Sea Gifts, commuted from the city.
Penny began to back up. Grandson or not, this man didn’t seem stable. She quickly turned and hurried toward her shop, hoping the man would take the hint. She was not interested in speaking to him.
The stranger fell into step beside her.
“Yup, I messed up. I’ve gone and gotten you all confused, so let me start again. My grandmother is known to all of you shop owners as Helen.”
Penny’s head shot around. She stopped in her tracks and turned to face him. Helen was the owner of the coffee shop called Just a Cup, well known for great coffee and Helen’s famous recipe for lemon coffee cake. Kyle had Penny’s full attention.
“Ah, now I’m doing better. You see, my grandmother, err… I mean Helen, is in the hospital…”
“What? I just saw her the day before Thanksgiving. What happened? Is she hurt, sick? What hospital?”
Kyle held up a hand. “Whoa! Wait a minute. I don’t want to get everything all turned around again.”
Penny held her breath, waiting impatiently.
“Granny fell down the stairs in her house on Thanksgiving day. She is in the city hospital and is doing alright. She broke her hip and they did surgery, but she also broke a rib and has a slight concussion.”
“Oh, no!” Penny gasped. “She told me she was going to take off the week between Thanksgiving and December, so I never even thought to worry about her. I’m so sorry this has happened. I’ll visit her later today if you think they will allow me to see her.”
He shook his head. “Probably not. I was only allowed to speak to her for a few minutes. Perhaps a couple days from now, we can drive into the city together. I have a great old truck, with spare chains in the back, just in case we get stuck in a blizzard.”
The image of snuggling up beside the handsome, dark haired man in a truck flashed through Penny’s mind, but she quickly pushed it away. This was not the time to daydream about a total stranger; especially one who seemed to live in a constant state of confusion.
Penny shook her head sympathetically and gave the man a quick appraisal. There was a small resemblance to Helen. “Please keep me posted. I want to see her as soon as possible. She’s been such a good friend.”
“Yes, she told me.”
Penny frowned. “What about her shop? Will it stay closed while she is in the hospital? It’s a pity, with the Christmas rush almost here. There are more and more tourists every day, and by December tenth, the square will be packed during business hours. Evenings, too. Can she afford to lose that much income?”
Kyle slapped his chest. “That’s why I’m here. I promised Granny I would run things for a few days.” He raked a hand through his hair and mumbled, “Haven’t worked in the shop since I was sixteen.”
“You worked in the coffee shop?”
“Yep. I used to spend the summers with Granny. I grew up in California, but I loved being here in Maine with Granny.”
“She never mentioned you.” It was strange that she had known Helen for nearly three years and her friend never mentioned a grandson.
Kyle smiled mischievously. “I don’t doubt it. When I turned seventeen, I told my parents I was too old to be sent off to Maine for the summer. Granny wasn’t happy about it and she told me she was striking my name off the Good Grind List.”
Sounds interesting. How can readers find you on the Internet?www.teresalilly.comis my blog, Teresa ives lilly author is my Facebook page.
Thank you, Teresa, for sharing this book with us. Many of my readers love novellas.
Readers, 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
September 13, 2015
WINNERS!!!!!
Beth (MT) is the winner of
The Seakeeper's Daughter
by Lisa Wingate.
Dee (NE) the winner of The Birdhouse by Laura V Hilton.
Kristen (OK) is the winner of Mystery Rider by Miralee Ferrell.
Emma (PA) is the winner of A Texas Christmas by Len Nelson Dooley.
Pam (OH) is the winner of Desperate Escape by Lisa Harris.
If you won a book and you like it, 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.
Dee (NE) the winner of The Birdhouse by Laura V Hilton.
Kristen (OK) is the winner of Mystery Rider by Miralee Ferrell.
Emma (PA) is the winner of A Texas Christmas by Len Nelson Dooley.
Pam (OH) is the winner of Desperate Escape by Lisa Harris.
If you won a book and you like it, 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.
September 11, 2015
BUTTERFLY DREAMS - Bonnie Engstrom - One Free Book
Bio: Bonnie Engstrom loves to write and she loves food, especially salad. She used to love to cook, but since her husband semi-retired he took over as resident chef. She grew up in Pittsburgh, he in Chicago, and they met in Washington, D.C, when they attended George Washington University. They raised their children in Southern California (that is a separate state from Northern California, isn’t it?), so several of her stories are set in Newport Beach. (Not
Butterfly Dreams
, though.)
She and psychologist husband Dave of fifty years now live in Arizona. They are the parents of three grown children and the proud grandparents of six grandchildren, four of whom live in Scottsdaleand two in Costa Ricaon the beach! Pura Vida! Surf’s up!
The couple’s eldest son is an IT expert who taught his mother everything she knows about computer literacy. Unfortunately, he and his wife live in Maryland, too far to fly home for a weekend to help Mom as he used to when she lived in Californiaand he in Arizona.
Welcome, Bonnie. Tell us how much of yourself do you write into your characters?I suppose I write a lot of myself into my characters, especially Betsy in
Butterfly Dreams
– her sassiness and her insecure body image and, definitely, her impatience with Noel. Does he listen to her? And, why does he disappear a lot?
What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?How about stupidest? I shredded the only copy I had of a very good cozy mystery. I was sure it was in a Word file on my computer. It wasn’t.
When did you first discover that you were a writer?Actually, I was a journalist for a long time before writing fiction. As for writing for the Christian market …
When I was tearing lettuce for a salad about fifteen years ago. I kept hearing, not audibly, but in my soul, “Write!” I left the lettuce and went right to my computer. I wrote a non-fiction about the prayers and praises of the internet prayer chain I was part of at the time. Took a proposal to Mount Herman that year and met with an editor and an agent. Neither one had ever heard of online prayer chains. They just shook their heads.
Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.Pretty much all Christian romances, an occasional secular romance, mostly by Susan Wiggs (I skip the hot and heavy parts), Jennifer Chiaverini’s quilt mystery novels, and every Debbie Macomber I can get my hands on. I used to love the silly Cat Who mystery series, but that author passed away.
How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?Sanity. What’s that?
How do you choose your characters’ names?Honestly, they just pop into my head. I never have to search for names. A few have been named after my mother, Harriett, and grandfather, Lance.
What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?Being married for fifty years to the same man!
That is a wonderful thing. James and I will celebrate our 51st anniversary in early November. If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?No contest – a cat. Sleep, eat, sleep, eat and occasionally play.
What is your favorite food?Sashimi and avocado. Yum!
What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?Keeping motivated when I felt as if my writing was going nowhere. I think encouragement from other Christian authors, particularly on the ACFW email loop and very positive critiques at conferences, kept my spirits up. Special thanks to Gayle Roper who suggested I start this book with a list; and to Virginia Smith who loved A Winning Recipe; but especially to sweet Christy Dykes whose faith was so encouraging. Then an old, trusted friend bought a small publishing company, and she is now publishing my books at Forget Me Not Romances. Thanks, Cynthia!
Tell us about the featured book.Betsy’s life is one mishap after another; especially a disaster when her kitchen blows up. She is conflicted about meeting tall, handsome, rich Noel. After all, her last marriage to The Jerk was a heartbreak when she was pregnant with her daughter, Brie. Now Brie appears to be in the same situation, and it becomes Betsy’s mission to console her and encourage her to repair her marriage. Noel gives little sympathy, and basically no help or encouragement. Plus, Betsy’s friend Bett is constantly conflicted about faith and hopes Betsy’s faith rubs off on her, and she keeps hinting she has a big secret.
Please give us the first page of the book.The very first page is a comment from Bett. The next is the prologue in Betsy’s voice.
I never intended to deceive anyone, especially Betsy. She is the love of my life. But, it’s gone on too long. Deception is not right. The truth must set me free, as well as all those I love.
Prologue“You make the most unique salads. Heavens, Betsy, you should go into the business.”
And that’s how it all started.
Unfortunately, or maybe not, that comment was made by my mother. That’s why my signature salad is dubbed “Heavenly Harriett.”
Lists. My bane.
Grocery, shopping, cleaning, gifts to buy, bills to pay . . . hopes, dreams, a butterfly life.I open my journal and write what to me seems obvious at my stage of life.
What I want:A full-time live-in housekeeper. Nada on cooking. That’s my department.
A come-to-the-house daily personal trainer to help me eliminate the love handles, protruding tum-tum and ballooning derriere.
A new catering van. Old Sassy is becoming very cantankerous. But, if I get wish #4, this is a moot wish.
A good, God-fearing, Bible-believing husband who is dripping in dough – the money kind.
Closing the book with a sigh and a snuffle, I start chopping.
Sounds like a fun read. How can readers find you on the Internet?I love to hear from my readers. I can be contacted at bengstrom@hotmail.com, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/bonnieengstromauthor?fref=tsor check out my website at www.bonnieengstrom.com. They can write to me at 8776 E. Shea Blvd., 106-528, Scottsdale, AZ 85260.
Thank you, Lena, for this wonderful opportunity to chat with you on your award-winning blog. It’s been fun!
It has been a blessing to finally get to interview you about a book. And I know my readers are as interested in this book as I am.
Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.Butterfly Dreams
- Amazon
Butterfly Dreams (A Christian Contemporary Romance)
- Kindle
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
She and psychologist husband Dave of fifty years now live in Arizona. They are the parents of three grown children and the proud grandparents of six grandchildren, four of whom live in Scottsdaleand two in Costa Ricaon the beach! Pura Vida! Surf’s up!
The couple’s eldest son is an IT expert who taught his mother everything she knows about computer literacy. Unfortunately, he and his wife live in Maryland, too far to fly home for a weekend to help Mom as he used to when she lived in Californiaand he in Arizona.
Welcome, Bonnie. Tell us how much of yourself do you write into your characters?I suppose I write a lot of myself into my characters, especially Betsy in
Butterfly Dreams
– her sassiness and her insecure body image and, definitely, her impatience with Noel. Does he listen to her? And, why does he disappear a lot?What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?How about stupidest? I shredded the only copy I had of a very good cozy mystery. I was sure it was in a Word file on my computer. It wasn’t.
When did you first discover that you were a writer?Actually, I was a journalist for a long time before writing fiction. As for writing for the Christian market …
When I was tearing lettuce for a salad about fifteen years ago. I kept hearing, not audibly, but in my soul, “Write!” I left the lettuce and went right to my computer. I wrote a non-fiction about the prayers and praises of the internet prayer chain I was part of at the time. Took a proposal to Mount Herman that year and met with an editor and an agent. Neither one had ever heard of online prayer chains. They just shook their heads.
Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.Pretty much all Christian romances, an occasional secular romance, mostly by Susan Wiggs (I skip the hot and heavy parts), Jennifer Chiaverini’s quilt mystery novels, and every Debbie Macomber I can get my hands on. I used to love the silly Cat Who mystery series, but that author passed away.
How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?Sanity. What’s that?
How do you choose your characters’ names?Honestly, they just pop into my head. I never have to search for names. A few have been named after my mother, Harriett, and grandfather, Lance.
What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?Being married for fifty years to the same man!
That is a wonderful thing. James and I will celebrate our 51st anniversary in early November. If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?No contest – a cat. Sleep, eat, sleep, eat and occasionally play.
What is your favorite food?Sashimi and avocado. Yum!
What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?Keeping motivated when I felt as if my writing was going nowhere. I think encouragement from other Christian authors, particularly on the ACFW email loop and very positive critiques at conferences, kept my spirits up. Special thanks to Gayle Roper who suggested I start this book with a list; and to Virginia Smith who loved A Winning Recipe; but especially to sweet Christy Dykes whose faith was so encouraging. Then an old, trusted friend bought a small publishing company, and she is now publishing my books at Forget Me Not Romances. Thanks, Cynthia!
Tell us about the featured book.Betsy’s life is one mishap after another; especially a disaster when her kitchen blows up. She is conflicted about meeting tall, handsome, rich Noel. After all, her last marriage to The Jerk was a heartbreak when she was pregnant with her daughter, Brie. Now Brie appears to be in the same situation, and it becomes Betsy’s mission to console her and encourage her to repair her marriage. Noel gives little sympathy, and basically no help or encouragement. Plus, Betsy’s friend Bett is constantly conflicted about faith and hopes Betsy’s faith rubs off on her, and she keeps hinting she has a big secret.Please give us the first page of the book.The very first page is a comment from Bett. The next is the prologue in Betsy’s voice.
I never intended to deceive anyone, especially Betsy. She is the love of my life. But, it’s gone on too long. Deception is not right. The truth must set me free, as well as all those I love.
Prologue“You make the most unique salads. Heavens, Betsy, you should go into the business.”
And that’s how it all started.
Unfortunately, or maybe not, that comment was made by my mother. That’s why my signature salad is dubbed “Heavenly Harriett.”
Lists. My bane.
Grocery, shopping, cleaning, gifts to buy, bills to pay . . . hopes, dreams, a butterfly life.I open my journal and write what to me seems obvious at my stage of life.
What I want:A full-time live-in housekeeper. Nada on cooking. That’s my department.
A come-to-the-house daily personal trainer to help me eliminate the love handles, protruding tum-tum and ballooning derriere.
A new catering van. Old Sassy is becoming very cantankerous. But, if I get wish #4, this is a moot wish.
A good, God-fearing, Bible-believing husband who is dripping in dough – the money kind.
Closing the book with a sigh and a snuffle, I start chopping.
Sounds like a fun read. How can readers find you on the Internet?I love to hear from my readers. I can be contacted at bengstrom@hotmail.com, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/bonnieengstromauthor?fref=tsor check out my website at www.bonnieengstrom.com. They can write to me at 8776 E. Shea Blvd., 106-528, Scottsdale, AZ 85260.
Thank you, Lena, for this wonderful opportunity to chat with you on your award-winning blog. It’s been fun!
It has been a blessing to finally get to interview you about a book. And I know my readers are as interested in this book as I am.
Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.Butterfly Dreams
- AmazonButterfly Dreams (A Christian Contemporary Romance)
- KindleLeave 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
September 10, 2015
VALLEY OF THE SHADOW - J M Hochstetler - One Free Book
Welcome back, J M. Why do you write the kind of books you do?Growing up in a family with the history the Hochstetlers have, I was naturally drawn to historical accounts by the time I was in high school. It wasn’t dates, events, and places—the usual subjects of history textbooks—that especially drew me, but people. I wanted to know what the lives of the people of bygone ages were like, whether they were leaders or the common people of the day. What did they share in common with us today? And how were they different, and why? I believe that we can’t understand ourselves and our own time without understanding what shaped us, both events and people. Only by learning from history can we avoid the mistakes of the past and also benefit from great advances that were made. Over time, as a way of making sense of all that, I began to write novels about people set during historical eras that especially interested me.
Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?I have three daughters, and I have to say that the day each was born and the day each of my grandchildren was born were the happiest I’ve experienced.
How has being published changed your life?It’s made me feel a greater connection to my audience and a deep responsibility to write stories that not only entertain—which certainly has to be the first priority or no one will read them—but also in an organic way to educate, and then encourage readers to a higher standard. I’m committed to representing the historical period along with the people, society, and culture I’m writing about as accurately and authentically as possible; to portraying human nature realistically, in a way that communicates universal truths and offers personal insights that are life-changing for readers.
What are you reading right now?I’m researching my next book, so I’m reading a lot of resources on Native Americans, specifically the Lenape and Seneca tribes. I just found a particularly helpful, very well researched children’s textbook published in 1985, now out of print, titled The Magic Moccasins. I’m developing a high regard for children’s and young adult stories that are deeply researched, and this is one of the most detailed I’ve found on several Native American tribes, including the two that appear in my current project.
What is your current work in progress?I’m working on The Return, book 2 of the Northkill Amish Series, which I’m writing with my fifth cousin, multi-published author Bob Hostetler. This is the story of our non-resistant Amish Hochstetler ancestors, who came to this country from Europe in 1738 and got caught up in the French and Indian War. Readers can find more information about them and the series at www.northkill.com.
What would be your dream vacation?I’d love to travel the Alsaceregion in Europe and Switzerland, where my Anabaptist ancestors originated, and follow in their footsteps as they emigrated to America. I’d also incorporate side trips to Germany, Austria, Italy, and Greece. Those are countries I’ve always wanted to visit. New Zealandand Australiaalso have a great appeal to me. It would be wonderful to spend several months visiting all these countries and sampling local history, culture, and cuisine.
How do you choose your settings for each book?The historical era I choose to write about essentially determines the settings of each of my novels. The Northkill series is set along the Pennsylvania frontier and in Ohio Territoryin the 1750s and 1760s because that’s when and where my ancestors lived. My American Patriot Series takes place during the American Revolution, and each volume is set in the particular theater of war the book covers. Book 1, Daughter of Liberty, is set in the Boston area, and the sequels move to New York, Philadelphia, and Fort Pitt, and also into Ohio Territory as the war impacts the Native American communities. The remaining volumes will follow the characters to France and onto the high seas with the expansion of the naval war, and then return to the Southern states as the land war in Americamoves south to its conclusion at Yorktown, Virginia.
If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?Right now it’s Dr. Ben Carson. I’ve read his life story and seen him on TV a number of times, and I’m incredibly impressed by how he overcame a difficult childhood due to the strength and love of his mother, an emphasis on education, and a deep relationship with God to become this brilliant, compassionate, wise, and truly civil man. There’s no one like him on the public stage today. He amazes me, and I would love to get to know him better.
What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?I love to spend time playing in my garden. I could do that all day long. And I’m getting back into scrapbooking, which I had to set aside for a couple of years because of writing projects. But I’m discovering that participating in one art strengthens others as well. Antiquing is a particular love as is playing around with my home’s décor. In another life I would have been an interior designer. Or maybe a landscape designer. Or an archeologist. Or an artist…
What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?Balancing research and writing is the hardest. I could easily bury myself in research for months on end, but then I would never get the story written. So there comes a point at which I have to force myself to put aside my research resources and just write!
What advice would you give to a beginning author?Read, read, read. Then write what you love to read. Write about subjects you’re deeply passionate about. Don’t worry so much about getting published. Worry about writing the very best story you can write, and you’ll find an audience.
Tell us about the featured book.
Valley of the Shadow
is Book 5 of my American Patriot Series. Elizabeth Howard is a prisoner aboard a British prison ship in New York Harbor, surrounded by the might of the Royal Navy. British General William Howe has summoned Brigadier General Jonathan Carleton to surrender to him or she will be executed. Carleton knows, however, that Howe will never release her, but will surely execute them both as soon as Carleton surrenders. From heart-pounding battles on the high seas, to the rigors of Valley Forge and the Shawnee’s savagely fought wars to preserve their ancestral lands,
Valley of the Shadow
continues the thrilling saga of America’s founding in an inspiring story of despair, courage, and triumph. Please give us the first page of the book.Thursday, 30 October, 177711:05 p.m.In the flickering candlelight the words swam and blurred before his eyes. Clenched in his hand, the paper shook.
Brigadier General Jonathan Carleton stared at the letter, his mind gone blank. A wave of terror and rage squeezed the air from his lungs and brought bile into his throat.
By degrees he became aware of the gusting wind that beat against the inn, the sudden bursts of freezing rain flailing the window panes, his own ragged breath. Despite the heat radiating from the hearth’s blaze, chill sweat trickled down his brow and beneath his worn buckskins, darkly rain-slicked from the downpour his Rangers had ridden through. He swallowed with difficulty and forced himself to focus on the letter’s signature.
William Howe.Knight of the Bath. Commander in Chief of His Majesty’s forces on the North American Station.
“Jon, what is it?”
Behind him, Colonel Charles Andrews’s voice sounded hollow and far away. Ignoring his friend, Carleton studied the words scrawled boldly above Howe’s name as though, if he willed it, they would say something else.
That the American cause was entirely lost. That Washington had surrendered to the British. That Howe’s entire army waited outside the door to escort Carleton to the scaffold, there to hang for treason.
Anything.
Not this.
Sounds interesting. How can readers find you on the Internet?They’ll find my personal website at www.jmhochstetler.com. For information about The American Patriot Series, go to www.theamericanpatriotseries.com, and for information about the Northkill Amish Series go to www.northkill.com. I’m also on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/joan.hochstetler.
Thank you, Joan, for sharing this book with me and my readers.
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Valley of the Shadow (The American Patriot Series Book 5)
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