Lena Nelson Dooley's Blog, page 206

WINNERS!!!!

Kam110476 (OK) is the winner of  In the Image of Man  by Robert Roush.
Kelly Y (VA) is the winner of the ebook  Seek and Hide  by Amanda G Stevens.
Cindy W (IN) is the winner of  Where Eagles Soar  by Bonnie Leon.
Janny (IN) is the winner of  Like There's No Tomorrow  by Camille Eide.

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.

New Movie - THE SONG, including my review

This movie released Friday, and James and I were at the first showing at Rave Theater in Northeast Mall in Hurst, Texas. It's based on the writings of King Solomon, including some passages from the Song of Solomon.

We enjoyed the movie, because the teachings of Solomon played out in the life of fictional character, Jed King, son of David King, both singers and song writers. All throughout the movie, snippets from the Bible were the thoughts of Jed as he made wise and foolish decisions in his life. And the foolish decisions weren't white-washed as some Christian films have been, instead showing reality in this 21st Century. It's a story with glorious high points, dark low points, and redemption.

Be sure to have some tissues with you.

Here's the trailer to the movie:

AWAKENING - Tracy Higley - One Free Book

Welcome back, Tracy. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?I’ve been having a great time branching out a little bit, writing a contemporary suspense after so many historical novels. In the upcoming year, I’m hoping to do some of both. I’ve got a historical novel I’m working on right now, plus an idea for a time-travel series.
Tell us a little about your family.I have one great husband and four great kids! My children range from 11 to 21 years old, so we’re parenting at all different levels—middle school, high school, college, and beyond (my 21 year old is already finished with college and out on her own!). Here at home these days, it’s just me, hubby, and two boys, now that the older two girls are out of the house. It’s a whole new world being the only female in the house!
My husband was always the only male in a house with three females. Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?Hmmm, I think I’d say my writing has made me a bit more critical when I read. If I see what I know are glaring flaws that are distracting in a novel (not typos, but things like characterization and plot structure), I’m likely to set it aside. Life’s too short to read books that are less than wonderful. I also don’t read as much fiction as I used to, perhaps because I’m writing it.
What are you working on right now?Currently in focus is a historical novel set around the magi who came to visit Jesus at his birth. These aren’t your grandmother’s magi, however. Lots of spiritual darkness set in an epic quest across the desert.
What outside interests do you have?I never like this question, since I don’t have any good answers! Does chocolate count? Besides writing and the business-side of it, and reading, I love movies and good TV drama, and I love to travel.
How do you choose your settings for each book?Settings just speak to me; they really do. The setting for my books is typically the first thing to draw me to an idea, before characters or plot. There are so many amazing and fascinating places and times to write about. I’ve written about ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, Pompeii, Jordan, Israel, and Ephesus. I just keep returning to these wonderful places that draw me!
If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?I’m a huge history buff, so this is an impossible question—impossible to choose only one! But I’ll give you one of my choices—Caesar Augustus. Weird, I know. But he was an amazing emperor, ruling at an unbelievably critical time in Rome’s history. I’d love to hear about the ancient world from his perspective.
What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?I wish I’d known that the best way to go about it doing it well is to write the books you want to read, the books you love, and love to write, and to ignore anyone telling you otherwise.
Very good advice. What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?I think God is expanding my worldview the past few years. I’ve been working on a Master’s Degree in Ancient History, which is giving me a broader scope of human history and God’s work in the world, and I’ve done more contemplating of ideas outside those that have been part of the “standard” world of my upbringing. I’m realizing that God and His plan are much bigger than I previously understood.
It’s wonderful when we finally realize that. What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?Chase your adventure—there is a unique calling on your life that only you can fulfill. Figure it out and go for it.Discipline and focus—in your writing and your personal life—will get you farther than raw talent.Love your work—always and foremost love the writing you’re doing, or don’t do it.
Tell us about the featured book. Awakening is a contemporary suspense, set in exotic locations around the globe, including Greece, Egypt, and Venice.
Kallie Andreas is a mystery, even to herself.
Seven years ago Kallie woke up in a New York City museum, injured and traumatized. Alone and unclaimed. When a mysterious billionaire invites her to scour the black market with him for a lost treasure, Kallie can't resist. Dimitri is wealthy, charming, and good-looking, but she's not interested—not in someone who's clearly hiding secrets of his own.
Please give us the first page of the book.The world outside Kallie’s apartment was unreal—a hazy fairy tale sucking her into itself as she dashed from her building into the gray morning chill and descended rain-slicked concrete steps to the city street.
Not a happily-ever-after fairy tale.
Kallie hesitated on the sidewalk, turned, and eyed the massive door to her apartment building, then ran a hand through the dark waves of her hair, flattening quickly in the damp. Should she bolt back upstairs for an umbrella?
Overhung with scudding clouds and wrapped in an evil mist, the murky streets had all the feel of the Brothers Grimm about them—tales of stepsisters who cut off parts of their feet to fit the glass slipper and wicked queens forced to dance in fiery iron shoes until they dropped dead.
But she was late already for her Yearly Ritual. And the portal to the underground labyrinth of subway tunnels yawned only three blocks east. If she hustled, she could descend into their protection before the clouds fractured and soaked her through. Better to push forward and attempt repairs to her hair when she reached the museum.
She flipped the collar of her white trench coat upward and soldiered on. She clutched her soft-sided laptop case to her body, kept her head down, and wove through sluggish pedestrians, dodging wayward umbrellas and stepping over puddles. The wind was strangely warm for March, with a hint of salt impossible this far from the sea. The kind of peculiar wind that dampened the soul and whispered of longings unfulfilled, of desires just out of reach.
The three blocks stretched, and the metallic-rimmed eyes of a hundred windows seemed to watch her rush to the subway. The streets smelled of rotting leaves and garbage in corners and sausages cooked by street vendors braving the elements—a combination of ordinary odors trapped by weighted air and the city fermenting, composting around her.
Such black thoughts.
But it was always this way—on this day.
March twenty-first. Vernal equinox. Her birthday, as Judith called it. And if so, only her seventh birthday, with the rest lost in mist thicker than the New York air.
Wow. I can’t wait to read this one. How can readers find you on the Internet?I’d love to have readers join me on my website, www.TracyHigley.com, or on Facebook/tracyhigley or on Twitter @TLHigley.

Thank you, Tracy, for sharing this new book with us.

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

Christian Book Store
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

MERCY KILLER - James Pence - One Free Book

Welcome back, James. Why do you write the kind of books you do? Where fiction is concerned, I enjoy reading thrillers, so that’s what I like to write. To me, a good suspense/thriller is the literary equivalent of a roller coaster ride. I enjoy the challenge of writing a story that will keep readers turning the pages.
As for nonfiction, I enjoy writing the stories of people who have faced difficult or tragic circumstances but have overcome them through God’s power and help. I like to write stories where God wins.
Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life? June 14, 1980, the day I married my best friend and the love of my life, Laurel.
How has being published changed your life?It’s like a dream come true. For years, I longed for the day when I could make a living as a writer. That’s a reality for me now, and I love it. Whenever I’m tempted to complain about deadlines, workload, or some of the other frustrations that authors face, I remind myself how blessed I am to be doing what I do. God has given me the desire of my heart.
What are you reading right now?How much time do you have? I’m usually reading five or more books at the same time. Here are a few that are in my current reading list: The Bible Tells Me So by Peter Enns, Undiluted by Benjamin Corey, Walking the Bible by Bruce Feiler, The City by Dean Koontz, Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King, The 10-Second Rule by Clare DeGraff, The Gathering Storm by Winston Churchill.
What is your current work in progress?I have six nonfiction collaborations in various stages of development. Two are similar to my book Terror by Night in that they focus on people who have lived through horrific circumstances, but have grown in their faith through them.
My current fiction project is an edit/rewrite of my very first novel, Friendly Revenge for publication in 2015.
What would be your dream vacation?A trip to Alaskato (hopefully) see the Northern Lights.
How do you choose your settings for each book?I use a mixture of real and fictionalized settings. For example, Mercy Killer is set in Dallas, Texas. However, Sentinel Health Systems (the hospital where the action takes place) is something I created. It’s loosely based on the Gaylord Texan resort.
Beyond that, because I don’t enjoy research, I try to stay with locations I’m familiar with. One exception is a novella that I ghostwrote a few years ago (The Encounter). The author wanted it to be set in Fairbanks, Alaska. I’ve never been to Alaska, so I had to do quite a bit of research to get the setting accurate. One Amazon reviewer said, “The setting is in Alaska, and I liked that it was written in such a way that you know the author has really spent time there,” so I guess I did a good job of research.
If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?I can only choose one? That’s tough. As a writer, I’d probably choose Stephen King (and/or) Dean Koontz. (I know. I cheated.) Much of what I’ve learned about writing and storytelling has come from them. I’d love to have an evening to sit down and chat.
What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?I enjoy painting, drawing, playing keyboards and singing, mowing my six-acres of pasture with a push mower (great aerobic exercise), and spending time with my awesome wife.
What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?Inertia. The hardest part of writing for me is getting started. If I’m stuck in neutral, I put myself on the clock. I set up a timer for 25-minute intervals and push myself to write at least 350 words in that amount of time. That usually does it. Oh, I also use a program called Freedom to turn off Internet access while I write.
The Internet is both a blessing and a curse to me as a writer. It’s a blessing because it makes research easier than ever. It’s a curse because it is one of the greatest time wasters ever invented.
What advice would you give to a beginning author?First, learn your craft before you try to get published. And please master the basics. Don’t expect an editor to correct your sloppy spelling, punctuation, formatting, etc. You’d think this would be obvious. Sadly, it’s not.
Second, don’t rush to self publish your book just because you’ve gotten some rejections from conventional publishers. Yes, it’s tough breaking in, but nowadays many writers aren’t even trying.
Third, if you do self publish, do it right. Many self-published novels and nonfiction books are poorly written, poorly edited, have cheesy looking covers, and amateurish layout. If you are planning to self publish, show respect to the people who are going to shell out their hard-earned money to buy your book. Don’t give them an inferior product. Hire an editor to go over your book. Get a good cover designer, and have someone who knows what she’s doing handle the layout. Pay someone to proofread your book before it’s released. Turn out the best product you can possibly produce.
Okay, I’m off my soapbox.
Tell us about the featured book. Mercy Killer is a thriller/mystery that is set against the backdrop of the right-to-die and euthanasia issue. Lori Westlake is a physician working at Sentinel Health Systems in Dallas, Texas. She is invited to join a clandestine euthanasia society operating in the hospital and secretly helping patients who wish to take their own lives. Because she is an advocate of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide, she considers becoming a part of this group. What she doesn’t know is that a serial mercy killer is also working within the organization. 
When a patient is murdered, Charles Hamisch, a retired police detective is recruited to help solve the case. Detective Hamisch has recently been diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) and is struggling with suicidal thoughts of his own. As he faces his own impending death, Lori and Charles ultimately join forces in a desperate attempt to capture the “Angel of Mercy.”
Please give us the first page of the book.
Prologue
Mercy Hospital, St. Louis, Missouri
The woman hovered between life and death.
One day after her thirty-third birthday MariBeth Wilson, mother of three young children, had suffered a massive stroke. Quick work by an EMS team had kept her alive, but severe brain damage had left her in an irreversible coma.
Her husband, Rick, sat beside the bed staring at a small photograph in his hands, virtually in a coma of his own. The third-year resident assigned to the case stood at the door and watched. After a few seconds, he felt a presence at his side. The nursing shift supervisor nudged his arm.
“He hardly ever moves,” she said, shaking her head. “He won’t eat, won’t talk. I told him if he didn’t eat, he’d turn into as much a vegetable as she is.”
The resident’s anger flashed white and hot. “Don’t use that word around me,” he said, “and certainly not around him.” He nodded in Rick’s direction.
“I’m sorry, Doctor,” the nurse replied with just the barest hint of condescension in her voice, as if she wanted to remind him that she’d been working as an RN back when he was still in diapers. She didn’t say it though. Not to his face. She knew better.
“Bring me a cup of coffee,” he said, stepping into the room.
The nurse drew herself up. “Doctor, you can get your own—”
“Bring me a cup of coffee.”
The nurse turned on her heel and strode angrily down the hallway.
The young physician entered the room and circled around to the far side of the bed. He held out his hand. “Good morning, Mr. Wilson.”
Rick kept gazing at the photo. His black hair was matted and unkempt, and judging by the stubble on his face, he hadn’t shaved for a few days.
The resident pulled up a chair and sat down. “They tell me you’re not eating.”
No response.
“Is that your family?” the resident asked, gesturing toward the picture.
Rick nodded weakly, his eyes fixed on the photograph.
“May I see it?”
He appeared to think about it and then offered the picture to the resident.
“Nice family,” the resident said. “Three children?”
The grieving husband looked at the resident through red-rimmed eyes. He swallowed and nodded. A tear leaked from the corner of one eye and traced its way down his cheek and into the stubble of his beard.
“Those kids are going to need you, Mr. Wilson.” The resident’s voice was gentle.
Rick put his head in his hands and ran his fingers through his hair. “I can’t do it.”
“Doctor?” a voice called from the doorway.
The resident looked up. The nursing supervisor stood in the doorway frowning, a paper cup of coffee in her hand. He motioned her to bring the coffee to him.
“What can’t you do?” the resident asked as he took the steaming cup from the nurse’s hand. He motioned toward the door with the back of his hand, dismissing her.
She sighed disapprovingly and left the room.
“I can’t handle this,” Rick said, glancing briefly at MariBeth’s still form on the bed. “They said she could go on like this for ...” he choked up, unable to finish the sentence.
“For a long time,” the resident finished for him. He handed Rick the coffee. “Here, you look like you could use this.”
“Thanks,” he said, taking a sip from the cup. For the first time since he’d entered the room, the resident thought he saw the hint of a smile on the man’s face.
The resident noticed a tiny ceramic angel about the size of a person’s thumb on the table next to MariBeth’s bed. Trying to draw Rick into a conversation, he pointed toward the angel. “What’s that?” he asked.
Rick picked up the angel and handed it to the resident. “Her mother gave it to her when she was little. Told her the angels would always be watching over her.” He shrugged. “She always kept it at her bedside at home. I don’t know why I brought it here. I think the angels forgot about her.”
How can readers find you on the Internet?Website:  www.jamespence.com Facebook:  www.facebook.com/JamesPenceBooksTwitter:  @jameshpenceGoodreads:  www.goodreads.com/jameshpence

Thank you, James, for sharing your new book with us. I love medical thrillers.

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

Christian Book Store
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

HEARTS STOLEN - Caryl McAdoo - One Free Book

Dear Readers, even though she lives not too far from me, in Northeast Texas, I first met Caryl in Indianapolis, Indiana, at last year’s American Christian Fiction Writers conference. Soon after that, she invited me to speak at the Northeast Texas Writer’s Conference. She’s become a good friend. I loved her first book that we featured on this blog. I haven’t received my copy of this new one yet, and I can hardly wait to read it.
Welcome back, Caryl. Why do you write the kind of books you do?I must admit, the reason I started writing historical Christian romance is because my agent, Mary Sue Seymour, said if I would write one set in the 1800s, she’d sell it. It actually proved to be a God-plan from the first. Did you know Mary Sue grew up a McAdoo? It was her maiden name! As though the Lord whacked us on the head with a velvet hammer and said, “PAY ATTENTION, DAUGHTERS, I HAVE A PLAN.” It is without a doubt my favorite genre now. J
Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?I was just talking about that on Facebook because my firstborn son turned forty-five, and I was telling him that the day he was born was my favorite most happy day. I do have four children and they are all in the top five, the day I married being the fifth. All your nannies are so special and you love each one differently, but I don’t think a woman can know or imagine how holding that firstborn in your arms affects your heart. And I am glad you said besides the day Christ came to live in my heart; the happiest nine-year-old you ever saw!
How has being published changed your life?More blessings! I love people and getting to know them, so being published has given me a bigger platform—a way to meet more precious children of God and to share His love when someone doesn’t know Him. I’m blessed to work at home or anywhere. I’m blessed to set my own hours. I’m blessed to create wonderful characters who become my friends. I’m blessed to have such a creative outlet and thank God everyday!
I know what you mean. All those things are blessings to me as well. What are you reading right now?Right now, I am reading  a Civil War romance, RETURN TO SHIRLEY PLANTATION by Carrie Fancett Pagels. It’s Volume One of Murray Pura’s American Civil War Series Cry of Freedom. Since I started writing historical, at the quite grown-up age of 64, I find that I am fascinated with history. My husband has always been a history buff, but I’m a new one J
What is your current work in progress?THE BEDWARMER’S SON, set in two historical time periods. In the 1850s I’m writing the romance of the Bedwarmer, a young slave girl named Jasmine, and in the 1920s, what’s going on with her son on trial for murder. His attorney, a young white woman from up North who might fall in love with the bedwarmer’s son’s grandson. I’m enjoying that period, and also that they are in Dalton, Georgia, since I almost always write Texassettings. 
What would be your dream vacation?Don’t even have to think about this one, going to Israel; walking the streets of Jerusalem, praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, speaking to some of the people who’ve lived there their whole lives. I’d enjoy wading in the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee.
How do you choose your settings for each book?I love Texas, and love writing about the Lone Star State. I’ve been to every corner of it, and know it well. But my favorite part is the Northeast where God led my husband and me in 2008, specifically Red River County, but all the surrounding counties, too J As I was saying, I set THE BEDWARMER’S SON in Dalton, Georgia, because I needed a plantation with slaves, but a Texan will come into the story before it’s over.
If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?A harder question I had to think about. I thought of politicians, then authors, then music, yes, I’d enjoy an evening with music, so I’d like to spend an evening with Sandi Patty singing and visiting and giving God glory. I love her music and we have a similar range J
What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?Music, I love to sing—mostly praise and worship, but God gives me new songs that go along with my children’s books I take into schools and He gave me Susannah’s Ballad for VOW UNBROKEN. He gives me scripture songs to help me with whatever I’m going through. I also like to paint and garden—not so much the getting down and in the dirt anymore (pretty hard to get up) but decorating the garden, adding touches. I love Pinterest for remembering great ideas.
I use Pinterest for storing setting ideas and clothing for my books when I’m writing them. What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?Not getting distracted! If I discipline myself to stay off Facebook until a certain time—and email and Pinterest and PicMonkey—I find I can focus on my writing and get just as lost in those wonderful friends I create on the page.
What advice would you give to a beginning author?Hands down, to get into a good critique group! I would never have gotten published at all ever without the mentoring and hard-nosed critique I got at the DFW Writers Workshop. Writing groups who listen to each other read and only hear how good it is are only good for folks not serious about improving their craft and want mostly to visit. A good critique group can turn a gifted story teller into a writer! If you’re a story teller (that gift comes only from God), you can learn the craft.
Tell us about the featured book. Hearts Stolen is a story that will reinforce no matter what the circumstance, no matter how grievous it seems, if you will repent, pray, and put your trust in God, there is nothing—no thing—He can’t get you out of. And the scripture comes to mind that He does things so much more than we can even imagine, blessings pressed down and overflowing.
Please give us the first page of the book.Just thinking about him made Sassy want to stick her tongue out like she used to do to her father when he ordered her around. But Charles had married her, and she promised to love, honor, and obey him.
She loved the man alright, leastwise she guessed she did. If he’d only treat her like a wife, not a child.... Of everyone, he should understand most that she was grown; coming on sixteen, as mature as she would ever get.
Rosaleen he’d called her. She hated her given name. Pshaw, she could do both, visit her mamma and have his ol’ supper ready. As the sun peeked over the treetops, Sassy leaned forward and tickled the mare’s ribs with her heels.
“Haw, pretty girl; we don’t have all day. He said he’ll be back by dark.”
Stretching her gait, the mare flew over the rolling terrain. The wind whipped Sassy’s hair behind her. Oh, how she loved riding, always had. In barely any time, she slowed the mare into a lope and topped the last hill before Kickapoo Creek.
That’s where she always let Bliss get a sweet drink, but not too much, from the easy flowing stream. With only another eight miles to her folks’ place, she might make it in time for some breakfast leftovers. She clicked her tongue.
Her mare cleared the far bank, then her snort and shiver shifted Sassy’s attention to follow Bliss’ gaze. Two bare-chested Indians sat on painted ponies. The bigger one pointed a long-handled club at her and whooped.
Sassy hammered her heels into the mare’s ribs. The gray shot forward, hitting a full gallop in fewer than ten strides.
Calm, stay calm, but her heart beat like the nines. She’d never lost a race in her life, not on Bliss. She definitely couldn’t lose this one. With a good lead, she’d outrun the little ponies.
How can readers find you on the Internet?www.CarylMcAdoo.comwww.facebook.com/CarylMcAdoo.authorwww.CarylMcAdoo.blogspot.comwww.twitter.com/CarylMcAdoowww.amazon.com/CarylMcAdoo

Thank you, Caryl, for sharing this new book with us.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Hearts Stolen (A Texas Romance) (Volume 2) - paperback
Hearts Stolen (A Texas Romance Book 2) - 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

HIDDEN IN THE STARS - Robin Caroll - One Free Book

Dear Readers, I’ve loved all the Quilts of Love novels that I’ve read, but I think this one may be my favorite. Robin has been a friend of mine for a number of years. She writes wonderful romantic suspense novels. This story had a unique new twist to the suspense. It kept me guessing for a long time. And the characters grabbed my heart and wouldn’t let go. This is definitely a must-readnovel.
Bio: Robin Caroll is the author of 22 published novels. When she isn't writing, Robin spends time with her husband of 25 years, her three beautiful daughters, and two handsome grandsons, and their character-filled pets at home in Little Rock, Arkansas. She gives back to the writing community by serving as conference director for American Christian Fiction Writers. Her books have been named finalists in such contests as the Carol Award, HOLT Medallion, Daphne du Maurier, RT Reviewer's Choice Award, Bookseller's Best, and Book of the Year.
About the book: A quilt holds the secret to a killer still at large—and who his next victim will be.
Following an attack that killed her mother and stole her ability to speak, 21-year-old Sophia Montgomery has no choice but to accept her estranged grandmother's offer to return to their family home. Although detective Julian Frazier is working hard on the case, Sophia unknowingly frustrates him because her inability to speak thwarts her eyewitness evidence. The fact that Julian is undeniably attracted to Sophia doesn't help either, so Julian hides his feelings as concern for a trauma victim and focuses instead on finding the killer.
Little do they know, the clues to solving the case may be right in front of them, displayed in Sophia's mother's "special" quilt design. Who will realize the secret Sophia's unwittingly been hiding in plain sight? When the truth comes to light, will Sophia find her voice again? Or will the murderer—still at large—silence her forever?
Welcome back, Robin. Tell us a little about yourself and your background. I love boxing. I love Hallmark movies. I love fishing. I love scrapbooking. Nope, I've never fit into the boxes people have wanted to put me in.
When I’m not writing, I devote my focus to ACFW as Executive Director. ACFW has done so much for me, I wanted to give something back.
I enjoy spending quality time with my husband of twenty-five years, three beautiful daughters, two handsome grandsons, and our character-filled pets at home.
How did you become interested in writing? I’ve always loved to tell stories and to write. I’ve always kept a journal and storytelling is just part of who I am.                                                                                                                                                                         What compelled you to write a book on this subject? As a young girl, my family lived in the country. We didn’t have many friends close enough during the winter where we could just hop on our bikes and ride down to a neighbor’s house. During those lonelier times, my mother taught me how to quilt. I will always associate quilts with the strength of the mother-daughter bond. When I heard about the Quilts of Love series, I wanted to be a part of it.                                                                                                            What is the main theme or point that you want readers to understand from reading your book? Are there any other themes present in the book? The strength of the familial bond is the strongest thread in the story, but another theme would be the sacrifices we make for the people we love.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Are there some specific lessons you hope readers will learn and apply to their lives after reading your book?  I hope they will feel they were entertained, but also they will be reminded that no matter what their circumstances, what the Enemy means for evil, God will turn to good.                                                                                                                                     How does the book intertwine with God’s call on your life and how you are currently serving Him?One day, fully frustrated with writing and on the verge of tears, I prayed the scary prayer: that if writing wasn’t what He called me to do, then I’d walk away from it, but He’d have to remove the desire from my heart because I wasn’t strong enough to do it myself. I was lucky enough to get my first contract not too long after that, but I truly was willing to walk away if that’s what He told me to do. It was really scary because, for me at least, writing was, in my mind, tied to my identity. I learned that writing, while important to me and I love it, is still what I do, not who I am. I love being an author, but I’m also so much more: wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, friend, etc.
Some of the reader mail I’ve received has put me in tears of praise for being allowed to share stories with readers. For instance, one reader wrote me after reading one of my books and thanked me for showing that it was possible to reconcile with God after being angry with Him. It truly blesses me for God to use me in such a way.

Do you have a favorite Scripture verse? Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.                                                When you are not writing, what do you like to do? Do you have any hobbies? I’m an avid scrapbooker and card maker, and I enjoy making mini scrapbook albums. Of course, I love reading as well. And watching movies with my family. I also love cooking.
Where can my readers find you on the Internet?www.robincaroll.comwww.facebook.com/author.robincarollwww.twitter.com/robincaroll

Thank you, Robin, for sharing this new book with us and giving us a peek into your busy life.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
 - Amazon
Hidden in the Stars: Quilts of Love Series - Kindle

Christian Book Store
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

WINNERS!!!!!

Dear Readers, sorry to be so late posting these.

Britney (TX) is the winner of  Driftwood Tides  by Gina Holmes.
D L (MI) is the winner of  A Grand Teton Sleigh Ride  by Elizabeth Goddard and Lynette Sowell.
Frances (FL) is the winner of  For Love or Country  by Jennifer Hudson Taylor.
Shelia (MS) is the winner of Hallowed Halls  by Hannah Alexander.
Robin (NC) is the winner of  A Grand Design  by Amber Stockton.

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.

SING OVER ME, DVD - Dennis Jernigan - Free Online Viewing Through September

I first heard Dennis Jernigan in the 1980s in concert at our church in Texas. He came to our church more than once, and our choir, which I sang in, did a lot of his music. Since the 1980s, he has written the music my heart feels. During that time, I learned about bits and pieces of his history and his deliverance.

I'm really not a fan of documentaries, but this one touched my heart. This DVD tells the whole story, revealing the awesome power of God in all of our lives. I thoroughly enjoyed revisiting his music, which led me into worship times with the Lord during much of the music. His story is one that needs to be told today. It will bring hope to many people who see no hope in their future because of their addictions, sexual or otherwise. I think that every Christian should view this story.

Bio: Dennis Jernigan is one of the most popular and prolific worship leaders of our time, having written more than 2,200 songs, including “You Are My All in All” and “Hands Lifted High.” He has released over 30 full-length CDs, multiple songbooks and folios, and has authored more than five books including his most recent, What Every Boy Should Know…What Every Man Wishes His Dad Had Told Him. His newest full-length CD is titled, Days of Awe. Dennis graduated from Oklahoma Baptist Universityin 1981 with a music degree. Dennis and his wife, Melinda, live in Muskogee, Oklahoma, where they enjoy visits from their grown children and grandchildren. They serve as pastors in a home church in Muskogee. Learn more at http://www.dennisjernigan.com.

Sing Over Me DVD - Dennis JerniganIn Sing Over Me , veteran hymn writer Dennis Jernigan alters the public conversation about homosexuality by revealing his struggles with same sex attraction and how he was delivered.

Jernigan first felt “different” at 5 years old, when a man in a public bathroom asked Dennis to touch him. He eventually began sexually experimenting with other boys.


“I used to think God hated me,” Jernigan said. At church Jernigan only heard how much God hated homosexuality. He hid. He battled shame. He walked the path of temptation, failure and guilt, until one day in 1981, at a 2nd Chapter of Acts concert.

Prophesying from the stage, Annie Herring said, “God sees everything you think you are hiding. Whatever it is, He loves you anyway.” Jernigan gave his shame to God, and received God’s love in return.

“The most asked question of my life, ‘Was your healing instant, or was it a process?’” Jernigan said. “The answer is yes.” He was made a new creation that day, and since then he has been in the process of allowing God to remove things from his life. He shares his story in the hope others will find freedom and healing. And others are.

Jernigan has been married to his wife Melinda for 31 years and they have 9 children together. Dennis and Melinda live on a farm in rural Oklahoma. Jernigan is the author of well-known songs like We Will Worship the Lamb of Glory, All in All, Who Can Satisfy, and hundreds more.

Sing Over Me includes footage of Jernigan visiting his childhood home, church, and college and even includes a recording of the moment Jernigan was set free. During the month of September, Sing Over Me will be available to stream free at www.singovermemovie.com. Jernigan's story is also available in his autobiography of the same title, Sing Over Me.

Sing Over Me is available for sale and digital download at Vision Video. 

LIKE THERE'S NO TOMORROW - Camile Eide - One Free Book

Welcome, Camile. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.Novelists can’t avoid including a part of themselves in their characters, to some degree. So I like it when the characters surprise me. Elderly Scottish sisters Maggie and Grace in Like There’s No Tomorrow surprised me by taking center stage and tearing off with it. I had to do a wee bit of intervention. I’m definitely nothing like either of them. J
What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?Probably the quirkiest thing in recent years would be riding a stick pony around the local burger joint on a dare on my 50thbirthday while the diners all sang to me. There won’t be any repeats of that.
Well, you only have one 50th birthday. When did you first discover that you were a writer?Age 7. I wrote and illustrated sequels to the Peanuts comic strip in the paper.
Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.I like well-written books with great subtle wit, heart-tugging drama, intelligence, strong romance, and a little touch of mystery. Some of my favorites blend most of these and include the work of Dale Cramer, Charles Martin, Deborah Raney, Debbie Macomber, Susan Meissner, Athol Dickson, Carla Stewart, Jenny B Jones, and many others. I am a huge fan of Jane Austen’s irony and subtle wit.    
How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?I try to bite off no more than I can chew, and I’ve learned it’s okay to say, “No.” I say it often, just for practice. J
How do you choose your characters’ names?I often look at the meaning of a name, both its actual meaning and its cultural sense to choose a name that suits the character. Emily is a sweet, old-fashioned name for a young woman who is lovely and kind. In my second book, the hero provides a loose retelling of Joseph in the Bible, a man who feeds people and cares for the fatherless, so his name, Joe Paterson, reflects that. In another book I hope to publish soon, I chose Eliza for the heroine because it seemed to fit the 1953 setting and the Golden Age of Hollywood backdrop for the story.
What accomplishment you are most proud of?Getting the nerve to ask a cute co-worker out for a coke after work and spending the next 3 (plus) decades learning how to be a passable wife and mom in spite of past baggage and my total ignorance of what lasting, godly marriage looked like.
If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?Probably a monkey. They never take themselves seriously—or anything else, for that matter.
What is your favorite food?Peanut M and Ms.
My favorite snack is dark chocolate M and Ms. I love the crunch as well as the chocolate, but I limit when I eat them. What problem with writing was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?Being faced with a task far greater than my ability was both a curse and a blessing. I once got a ten-page “Memo” from my agent that meant a deep revision of an entire book. I had done the best I could and couldn’t see how I could ever make the changes she wanted. It wasn’t that I disagreed with her, I just didn’t see how I could pull it off. I spent a month staring at the manuscript. Another month whining to friends. I finally asked God to somehow do the reconstruction of this story because I just couldn’t. And that was when the ideas began to trickle in. It took realizing that anything truly worthwhile would always be beyond my ability to execute, and that I would always have to surrender and depend on God to get me there. I understand that no matter how good my skills are, I will always need God, my Source, because anything of great worth will—and ought to—be beyond my ability.
I’ve had similar rewrite letters from some of my editors. And I’ve had my time of walking through the house and complaining to God before I really prayed to Him to help me. Tell us about the featured book.Scottish widower Ian MacLean is plagued by a mischievous grannie, bitter regrets, and an ache for something he’ll never have again. His only hope for freedom is to bring his grannie's sister home from America. But first, he'll have to convince her lovely companion, Emily, to let her go.Emily Chapman devotes herself to foster youth and her beloved Aunt Grace. Caring for others quiets a secret fear she holds close to her heart. But when Ian appears, wanting to whisk Grace off to Scotland, everything Emily needs to protect—including her heart—is at risk.
Like There’s No Tomorrow  is an amusing yet heart-tugging love story about two kind, single caretakers, two quirky, old Scottish sisters bent on reuniting, and too many agendas. It’s a tale of family, fiery furnaces, faith, and the gift of each new day.
Sounds wonderful. What a timely book, what with the Scottish vote yesterday in the news. Please give us the first page of the book.Glasgow, ScotlandIan MacLean had spent the last two years feeding chickens, hiding the kitchen knives from his mule-headed grannie, and questioning his sanity.
But if his luck held out, all that was about to change.
Feeling lighter than he had in months, Ian crossed the street, climbed into the old farm truck, and looked back at the row of flats he’d just left. Beyond the building and to the west, the lights of Glasgow cast a golden glow against the night sky.
Ian slipped the key into the ignition, but hesitated, studying the windows of his sister’s flat. When had he last felt so free?
His talk with his absentee brother-in-law had succeeded. Davy had not only come home, but he was home to stay. He’d given Ian his word. Ian could still see the look on his sister’s face when her husband walked in the door. Claire’s stunned silence proved that she could actually hold her tongue when she fancied.
Ian started the truck and smiled. All in a day’s work.
Aye, he’d helped Claire’s family, which had lifted a huge weight from his shoulders. Not that Claire or her kids were a burden. Ian loved his nieces and nephews as if they were his own, and as long as he drew breath, they would never go hungry. But more than food, those kids needed security and stability. They needed their da.
And now, Davy was home.
Ian tapped the pedal to bring the truck’s idle down to a low grumble. Only one obstacle to his freedom remained: Maggie MacLean. But if his luck held out and if all went as planned, he would soon be free of his daft grannie and her mind-numbing nonsense. Free to explore a world of possibilities. Free to write that series of feature articles that would take him to remarkable, far-away places.
But then, any dull place would do—as long as it took him away from Kirkhaven.
Ian glanced at the envelope tucked in the cracked visor above him. Mailing the latest letter to Aunt Grace was all he had left to do. The sooner it arrived in Oregon, the sooner his great-aunt could move back home to Scotland and take charge of her errant sister, Maggie.
And the sooner Ian could get on with his life, shackle-free.
I can hardly wait to read this story. How can readers find you on the Internet?
Website: www.CamilleEide.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/Camille.EideTwitter: https://twitter.com/CamilleEide (@CamilleEide)Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/camilleeide/like-theres-no-tomorrow-a-novel/Along The Banks – www.camilleeide.wordpress.comExtreme Keyboarding – www.camilleeide.blogspot.comThank you, Camile, for sharing this new book with us.
Readers, here’s a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.Like There's No Tomorrow

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

WHERE EAGLES SOAR - Bonnie Leon - One Free Book

Welcome back, Bonnie. Tell us about your salvation experience. When I was a child I believed in God and His goodness, but through the years I rejected Christ each time I was given the opportunity to believe. I trusted more in my own rebellious ways, my own power.
God had plans for me, and He loved me enough to drive me to my knees. In a matter of months my father died, a dear friend died, I lost a baby, and my husband walked away and filed for divorce. I was devastated and alone.
One night an old friend from my high school days came to visit. She was excited to share her new-found faith in Jesus. I wasn’t interested, but I watched the 700 Clubwith her that evening. As she was leaving, she stopped and said, “I just want you to know one thing—Jesus loves you.”
I needed to hear those words so badly. Most of my life I’d felt unlovable and unloved. Inside, I grabbed for the lifeline she threw, but outwardly I acted as if the words meant nothing. But what she said stayed with me and I wondered if Jesus was the answer.
A week later, I turned on the 700 Club, and when Pat Robertson shared the gospel, I knew it was true and that it was for me. I got on my knees right there in front of my television and prayed. And God reached down and lifted me up. He showed me that I was special, created by Him, and loved by Him. My life has never been the same.
Thanks for sharing that. I know someone who reads this blog needs to hear it. You’re planning a writing retreat where you can only have four other authors. Who would they be and why?That’s a difficult question. There are so many fabulous writers.
John Steinbeck – His writing is dark, but magical.James Michener – I love his dedication to historical detail. It has been said he went through his lengthy manuscripts 17 times before considering them completed. His commitment to excellence is inspiring.Billy Graham – I admire him deeply and trust him. He is the real deal. When I listen to him speak and read his writings it’s as if I’m hearing from God. Bodie Thoene – She writes with devotion and passion for God. Her faith is palpable. A conversation with her would be amazing.
Do you have a speaking ministry? If so, tell us about that.I do more writing than speaking, but each time I get in front of a group I feel privileged, and the energy from the audience uplifts me. Looking into the eyes of listeners and knowing that we share the same heart is a remarkable thing.
I love to teach those who love to write. It’s so much fun to see students grasp new writing principles and realize they can create the book or article they’ve been longing to write.
Small groups are my favorite. I thoroughly love the give and take that happens in a small group, whether it’s a readers group or small writing retreat. Getting together with people passionate about the written word is exhilarating.
No matter whom I speak for or where I always feel I receive more than I give. Now, that’s a great deal.
What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you and how did you handle it?Any time I’m teaching I always over prepare, determined to do a great job. Sometimes I get things wrong—grammar, a writing principle, or historical detail. It always embarrasses me. But I’ve learned to be kind to myself—no one knows everything. And I look at each error as something newly learned.
And then there was the time I intended to go fishing but ended up in the drink. I stepped into the boat, but before I could get my other foot off the dock the boat slid away from me. I straddled the water, knowing there was not going to be a good outcome. With my muscles and my jeans about to tear, into the water I went. Someone gave me a hand up out of the water, then with my sneakers squeaking and pants dripping, I walked up the dock, feeling like a piece of wet seaweed and well aware of the giggling audience.
People are always telling me that they’d like to write a book someday. I’m sure they do to you, too. What would you tell someone who came up to you and said that?It happens a lot. I’m not one to squelch dreams. I ask them what they want to write about and what they’ve been doing to create their book. If they have questions I answer them and will often give information about how to get connected with other writers and writing organizations, and I encourage them to take the necessary steps to make their dream come true.
Tell us about the featured book. Where Eagles Soar is a true story about a Native American woman who grew up in the Alaskan wilderness. She lived in the bush where she learned the skills of hunting, trapping, and mushing dogs from her father who was a brutal man. 
The book is told in Lily’s voice, as if she were sitting across from you and telling her story. It’s a tale of heartache, survival, hatred, and forgiveness … and of a mother’s love and the Great White God who saved her life and her heart.
Please give us the first page of the book.My people were story tellers. My dad was a story teller. And I’m a story teller too. But more than that, I am a truth teller. I know about life and death, hope and desperation, riches and bankruptcy. A bankruptcy of the soul, and the beauty of God and his truth—how it shines when it is held up alongside the twisted, ugly lies of the Evil  One.
Sometimes the way we begin our life has little to do with where we end up or who we become along the way.
And sometimes it has everything to do with it.
There are people in this world who walk around all scarred up inside—angry and never able to find their way. But for some, scars make them stronger and show them a better way to live.            I’m one of those. And I want to tell you my story.            Most of my life I lived in a muddle of love and brutality, raging inside. Mama was good and kind and her life was one of sacrifice. Daddy didn’t know how to love. He only knew how to get what he wanted. And no one had better ever get in his way, not even family.            Living with ruthlessness can turn a person sour, like milk left out in the heat too long. That was me. I learned I could be better, only it took a great God, a lot of years, and a miracle to show me the way.
I can’t wait to read it. How can readers find you on the Internet?My website address is http://www.bonnieleon.com.And I can always be found on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/BonnieLeonAuthor

Thank you so much, Bonnie, for sharing some of your life, and your new book, with us.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Where Eagles Soar - Paperback
Where Eagles Soar - 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