Lena Nelson Dooley's Blog, page 210

SONG OF THE PRAIRIE - Vickie McDonough - One Free Book

Dear Readers, I was privileged to read this book for an endorsement. Song of the Prairie is a satisfying conclusion to Vickie’s Pioneer Promise series. I’ve loved the Harper family all through the series, and each of the heroines has brought a different dynamic to the family. I think you’ll love it as much as I did.
Welcome back, Vickie. How did this book come about? I visited the Mahaffie Stage Stop in Olathe, Kansas, on a research trip, and got the idea for a story about a family who ran a stage stop along the Santa Fe Trail. Song of the Prairie , which is set in 1870s Kansas, is the third book in my Pioneer Promises series, a saga about the three Harper brothers. I’ve written Ethan’s and Josh’s stories in Whispers on the Prairie and Call of the Prairie, so it’s time for Aaron’s. He’s the oldest brother, a widower with two young children.
Tell us about the book’s cover and what makes it unique. The sunflowers represent Kansas, but the picture of the woman and child is what makes it special. She sacrifices her dream to protect her cousin’s baby from his cruel father.
Please explain and differentiate between what’s fact and fiction in the book. I placed Harpers fictional ranch on the real Santa Fe Trail, which thousands of pioneers traveled in the years before the railroad crisscrossed the country. Rabies is a real disease, as we all know, but in the 19th century, if a person contracted it, it was a death sentence. There was no treatment for it. Some of the towns are real places, but Windmill, Kansas, is fictional. The rest of the story is pretty much all made up too. It is fiction, after all.
How much research did you have to do for this book? Since this is the third book in the series, I didn’t have to do as much research for it as with the other two. I did study up opera and musical terminology for the heroine’s story and on rabies and how it affected bitten animals and people. Writers sure look up some strange things.
Yes, we do. What are some of the most interesting things you found about this subject that you weren’t able to use in the story? I found the research on rabies rather interesting. It’s a horrible disease, and people who contracted it back in the 1800s suffered terribly. I chose not to show this in my story and opted instead to have a character die quickly after he has an encounter with a rabid coyote.
What inspired and surprised you while you were writing the book? Aaron, the hero, is a good man. He’s the oldest of the three Harper brothers and used to being a take-charge, responsible man. He was extremely kind to Janie after Paul’s death, and helped her a great deal, even though he was wrestling with his own problems. He freely opened his heart to Benji, Janie’s adopted son, and he’s a fine example of a godly man. 
What do you hope the reader takes away from the story? I hope readers will see that no matter what they are going through—no matter how hard the circumstances in their lives are, God is always ready to help them if they call on Him.
What is the next project you’re working on? I’ve just finished Gabriel’s Atonement, which is book 1 in my Land Rush Dreams series. That series centers around two of the Oklahomaland runs and the land lottery. Gabriel’s Atonement releases in January. I’m also working on a novella for a summer collection called The County Fair Bride.
What do you do when you have to get away from the story for a while? Several things. My sister and I have a booth at a vintage/antique mall, and I like to shop for things to sell in it. Sometimes I paint on a project for the booth. I also dabble in stained art, but my favorite get-away is probably to get lost in the pages of someone else’s book.
Please give us the first page of the book. September 1874 Juliet Fairchild bounced on her toes, nervous anticipation making her limbs quiver, as she waited off stage to hear her name introduced for the first time. Years of training and sacrifice had brought her to this moment—her debut performance in New York’s Academy of Music opera house. A crescendo of applause heralded her entrance. A grinning stagehand winked, tipped his cap, and tugged the curtain open, and she walked onto the stage. Exuberant cheers and whistles joined the ovation. Smiling, Juliet curtsied and glanced up at the private box seating to her left where her parents sat, but shadows greeted her instead of their happy faces. The audience’s clapping shifted, taking on a repetitive tempo.
Juliet blinked as her dream faded. Her eyes focused on the moonlight peeking through the opening between the curtains—her bedroom curtains. She wasn’t in an opera house, preparing for her debut performance, but in her small rented room down the street from the music school where she taught voice lessons to young girls from affluent families. Though the chimes of the church bell down the street signaled five in the morning, the overly warm room was still shadowed in darkness. She bolted up from her bed, suddenly aware it wasn’t applause she heard but knocking.
And she wasn’t Juliet Fairchild but plain Jane Dunn, teacher at Boston Academy of Music for Young Women.
Yawning, Janie tugged her robe over her gown and hurried across the room. Who could possibly need her at this hour?
She unlocked the door and pulled it open just far enough for her to see out. “Who’s there?”
“It’s me, ma’am. Mazie.”
“Mazie?” Her mind ran through her list of new music students and fellow teachers, but she couldn’t remember anyone with that name.
The woman took a step back, and in the faint illumination of the lamp the landlady had placed on the hall credenza to help boarders to find their way downstairs to the privy, she recognized the dark-skinned young woman who worked for her cousin Carolyn.
Janie’s heart pounded a hard staccato beat. She pulled the door back and motioned for the maid to enter, then lit her lamp. “Has Carolyn gone into labor?”
Mazie flipped back her cloak, revealing the bundle she held. Tears glistened in her eyes. “Yes, ma’am, but she done had d’baby.” Mazie sniffled and held out the blanketed package.
“What this?” Janie shook her head and stepped back, fearful of the thought that charged across her mind.
“It d’baby, ma’am.”
“What?” Janie crossed her arms. “Why did you bring it here?”
How can readers find you on the Internet?Website: vickiemcdonough.com (There’s a sign-up link for my newsletter on the Home page)Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VickieMcDonoughTwitter: https://twitter.com/vickiemcdonoughPinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/VickieMcDonough/Christian Fiction Historical Society blog: http://christianfictionhistoricalsociety.blogspot.com/

Thank you, Vickie, for letting me share this new book with my readers.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
 - Amazon
Song of the Prairie (Pioneer Promises) - 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

SPIRIT BRIDGE - James L Rubart - One Free Book

Welcome back, James. How did you come up with the idea for this story?Since Spirit Bridge is the final novel in a three-part series, I came up with the overall idea a number of years ago. The question I asked myself was, What if we could send our spirits into other people’s souls to help set them free? Out of that question came the Well Spring series.
It’s the three-book story of four ordinary people, a photographer, a radio station executive, a singer, and a physics professor, who do extraordinary things. It’s the story of people who learn to step into a greater destiny than they thought possible. The story of four friends who see God do truly marvelous things in their lives and the lives around them.
And this all came from my first novel, ROOMS. In that book, a young Seattle software tycoon inherits a home on the Oregoncoast that turns out to be a physical manifestation of his soul. I always wondered what I would do for a sequel. The thought was others going into people’s souls, and that idea was born in the Well Spring series.
If you were planning a party with Christian authors of contemporary fiction, what six people would you invite and why?Susan May Warren- if you’ve ever been around Susie for more than five minutes you know “Life of the Party” was coined with her in mind. She’s completely in love with Jesus and is so full of joy you can’t help but be caught up in her enthusiasm for life. I treasure the times we get to hang out.
Ted Dekker- Over the years, Ted has become a good friend and I love the way he challenges the way I think in so many different ways. I’m not a great small-talk person, and Ted likes to go deep immediately, and I love that about him. Our conversations are rarely under two hours, and it would take a full dinner party to cover all the topics of the moment on his mind.
Ronie Kendig- One of the most committed friends I’ve ever had. Darci and I had the chance to spend a weekend with her and her husband Brian last year, and they both feel deeply and love fiercely. She’s definitely one of my spiritual younger sisters.
Frank Peretti- I’d only met Frank in passing till a week ago. But at the Oregon Christian Writers conference earlier this momtn, he was in Allen Arnold’s and my class, “Live Free, Write Free,” and I got to know his heart a bit there. On top of that, Allen and Frank and I ended up spending about four hours together talking about life and the Lord and writing and everything else under the sun, and I loved getting to know not Frank Peretti the writing legend, but Frank Peretti the man who loves Jesus and is following the Holy Spirit wherever He leads.
Stephen Lawhead- I started reading Steve in the mid 80s and he blew my mind. I didn’t know his kind of fiction existed, and he was a huge inspiration for me to try writing that kind of fiction for the Christian market. I’ve met Steve a few times now and spent some time together, and he’s just as fascinating in person as he is in his books.
(William) Paul Young- Paul has become a good friend as well, and I’d have him at the party simply because of all the fiction authors I know, he reflects Jesus more than anyone else. He’s had massive success, but it truly means nothing to him except as a platform to love people.
Having these six together would make for a truly remarkable exchange of ideas. I would have to record it!
And I’d want that recording. Now let’s do that for a party for Christian authors of historical fiction, what six people would you invite and why?Historical fiction? What is historical fiction? People write it?
That's naughty. How can you say that to a historical fiction author? Many times, people (and other authors) think you have it made with so many books published. What is your most difficult problem with writing at this time in your career?Believing I can do it again. While I’m writing part of me says, “Hey, you’ve already done it a number of times before, so it’s proven, you can do it again,” and another part of me says, “Uh, yeah, you’ve done it, but maybe that’s all there is, it’s all gone now.”
In the end you have to relax, and wait for the Lord and what He wants to do together, and trust him and the ability He’s given you.
Tell us about the featured book. This is the third and final novel in my Well Spring series (started with Soul’s Gate, and followed by Memory’s Door) and I hope it’s an epic conclusion to the story of the four Warriors Riding. Here’s the back cover copy which will give you a good feel for the book:
The Warriors Riding have battled in astounding supernatural realms. Set captives free. And awakened thousands of hearts. But now their only chance of survival depends on calling forth the Spirit Bridge .
Reece, Dana, Brandon, and Marcus have achieved staggering success in the spiritual realms . . . but each are reeling from recent vicious attacks. They need rest. A break from the war. But the warlord Zennon is raging and will give them no quarter. The demon holds what he believes to be the trump card—a hidden strategy set in motion before Warriors Riding even began—that will detonate the team from the inside out. And he’s just set it loose.
The street-magician Simon—finally free of Zennon's alternate-reality prison—is racing to remember his past before his ignorance obliterates his destiny. Then there's Miyo—a brash young warrior with advanced knowledge of spiritual realities and supernatural armor even Reece doesn't know about. These two will be pivotal in final war against the Warriors Riding.
If only the Warriors knew which side Simon and Miyo were truly on.
If only they knew how to fight against Zennon’s final assault.
Spirit Bridge is the epic conclusion to acclaimed author James L. Rubart’s Well Spring series, which will propel each of the Warriors Riding on a quest of true identity, ultimate freedom, and a final battle that will leave them changed forever.
How can readers find you on the Internet?I love to connect with readers. The best place to do that is:Website: http://jameslrubart.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JamesLRubartE-mail: james@jamesLrubart.com
As always, thanks so much for having me, Lena!
It’s such a pleasure for me. I’ve loved every book you’ve written, and I know my readers have, too. We wait with great anticipation for the next one.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
 - Amazon
Spirit Bridge (A Well Spring Novel 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

HERB OF GRACE - Adina Senft - One Free Book

Welcome back, Adina. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?He has certainly been bringing opportunities my way … and with those comes my gratitude that He also included time management skills in my former corporate life! Right now I’m finishing up the third book in the Healing Grace series, called Balm of Gilead. Immediately after I turn that in, I’m doing a romance novella for one of the Kindle Worlds (Lucy Kevin’s Four Weddings and a Fiasco world). And after that, I’m going back to the Victorian steampunk era for books 7 and 8 in my Magnificent Devices series written as Shelley Adina. That should take me into the early months of 2015 … where in February, book two of the Healing Grace series (Keys of Heaven) comes out. What a crazy schedule!
Tell us a little about your family.My husband and I just celebrated our 26th wedding anniversary, and we have eleven of what my mom refers to as her grandchickens!
Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?I don’t think writing has changed the way I read … mostly because I see the story in pictures in my head. Of course, since I’m a professional copyeditor, spelling errors and typos will throw me out of a story faster than film breaking and whipping off a projector reel! If anything has changed, it’s the scope of my reading. Most of my friends are authors, so I enjoy reading their work, which has expanded my taste (which tends to mysteries and Regency romance) quite a bit.
What are you working on right now?I’m in the final moments of Balm of Gilead, which is due in a few days and will be out in July 2015. I’m scrambling to wrap up three separate plot lines, engineer a black moment and a revelation, and wrap up the trilogy in a satisfying and believable way. While I’m doing that, I’m working on the promotion for Herb of Grace , which launched the series on August 5. There are just not enough hours in the day. Yikes!
What outside interests do you have?Besides chicken keeping, I’m a costumer, a quilter, a teacher, and a copyeditor. When I appear in my steampunk guise, all my costumes are hand made. I have one or two pieces I’d like to work on this winter for an event I’m doing next June. And I absolutely must learn to lace a corset without assistance! In between work sessions on the books, I piece a few quilt blocks at a time. At the moment I’m working on a quilt I’m calling “Chickens in the Yard,” which has 48 blocks pieced to look like adorable chickens, and shading in the background fabrics that makes it look as though they’re enclosed. Then, I’m adjunct faculty in the Writing Popular Fiction MFA program at Seton Hill University, which means I’m thesis advisor to two students.
How do you choose your settings for each book?For the Healing Grace novels, the choice was easy. I fly out to Pennsylvania every summer to teach at Seton Hill, and Lancaster County is only three hours away down the Pike. So it seemed logical to set my imaginary Amish districts there, somewhere vaguely south of Intercourse and east of Strasburg. When I go there to research, I can actually walk the fields that my herbalist heroine would walk, and smell the scents of elderflower and hay. I can visit the home of my Amish friend who reads my manuscripts, play with her kids, see how she runs her home, and wrap these little details into the story.
If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?I would love to talk with Jane Austen. Can you imagine her comments on how life has changed between her time and ours—and how some things never change? Plus she had a really good eye for fashion and I would love to talk dress construction and millinery with her.
What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?I wish I had known that keeping a journal and recording the events of daily life would be so useful. There are details of past careers, vacation locations, and other things that just seemed like so much minutiae … which I could really use in novels now. But the brain just can’t hold everything, can it? That’s why we have paper J
What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?He’s been very faithful in teaching me the unmistakable lesson that I can’t do it all. I’ve had to cut back on two of the three arms of my business because trying to do too much was literally making me sick. So that’s been an important change over the past year.
That’s a hard lesson to learn when you have a lot of interests. This year, He has had me cut back on a few things I really like to do. What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?Don’t get hung up on writing one book and promoting it for the rest of its life. Write the next book. And the next. And the next.
Trust the brain. Every so often I’ll panic about never having another book idea. Then, invariably, in chapter 10 of the current book, the next idea will come sizzling into my head and I’ll have to run for my story journal so I don’t forget it. Hm. Maybe I should amend this to say, “trust the Lord,” since He is the wellspring of our creativity!
Love what you’re doing. Don’t write to the market or because someone says that’s what they want to see for your next proposal. Readers have infallible love-detectors. They know when something really matters to us—because we’ve made it matter to them.
Tell us about the featured book. Medicinal herbs have been part of the human experience for thousands of years, as evidenced by the multitude of folk names some of them have collected. When I was researching the Healing Grace novels, I realized that people often summed up some spiritual property in certain herbs through the names they gave them, and the idea for this series was born.
In each novel, the folk name reflects a healing property in the herb itself. But going a little further, it reflects God’s healing process in the spirit if we only allow Him the time and the room to do it. So, in Book 1, “herb of grace” is the folk name for rue, a bitter and astringent herb used in small quantities for ailments of the digestive system. And as we know, rue is also a verb meaning to be sorry for something one has done in the past. But there is a world of difference between ruing one’s mistake and coming to that place of repentance where God’s grace can begin its healing work …
Herb of Grace Amish widow Sarah Yoder has been struggling to raise her two teenaged sons and provide a home where family and members of her Old Order Amish church can find fellowship and friendship. Though she is close to her in-laws, lately it feels like her relationship with her boys is splintering. Her stepson Simon wants to move out west to find work. And her youngest, Caleb, is spending far too much time over at the tumbledown home of a man who left the church long ago. Henry Byler only returned recently to Willow Creek when he inherited the family farm—under protest—and now seems caught in a struggle between the faith of his childhood and the world he’s come to know.
Ruth Lehman, the local Dokterfraa, believes Sarah should use her gift for growing plants to become an herbal healer, too. Sarah is reluctant, however, uncertain if caring for others will take her away from her family—the place where she believes God wants her. But when she feels called to help members of her community, she soon discovers that the heart can be scarred as deeply as the body. As she compiles her herbs, she waits for God to do his healing work in a man who rues a harsh decision, in a lonely prodigal who has lost everything, and maybe even in a herbalist-in-training who firmly believes she will never love again.
Please give us the first page of the book.When Sarah Yoder ran the quilting needle into her finger—again—the women of her family who were gathered for sisters’ day exchanged glances of sympathy, and her sister-in-law Amanda got up to fetch a Band-Aid strip and some cold water. Everyone in her own family and that of her in-laws knew that God had not given her a gift with needle and thread. But Sarah knew they’d never say a word—except perhaps for Ruth Lehman, who had come down from Whinburg on this windy March day to visit.
Ruth was blessed with the happy conviction that when God put a thought into her mind, it was His will that she pass it along. “Sarah, you were gripping that needle too hard. Stop fighting the thimble and it will go easier. You don’t need ten stitches to the inch. Seven or eight will be just fine.”
Sarah took the cloth from Amanda and dabbed carefully at the droplets of blood that she’d got on the blue border of the quilt. “I’m just grateful you include me in your quilting frolics. I’m a terrible quilter—whether the tourists at the quilt shop know it or not.”
“You’re a good piecer, though.” Corinne’s voice was gentle where Ruth’s had been gruff. “Look at these pinwheels you made for the border, all color coordinated and so pretty. My section looks as though it came straight out of the ragbag.”
Corinne clearly had an obedient, color-coordinated ragbag. But Sarah appreciated the encouragement from her mother-in-law all the same. Amanda wrapped her finger as tenderly as if she were three years old, and took the cloth back to the sink.
“I like piecing,” Sarah admitted, picking up the needle. Maybe she ought to put Band-Aid strips on all her fingers, just in case. “I like putting colors together and making designs. But colors and designs don’t keep the boys warm at night—or Englisch tourists, either.”
“Do they put them on their beds?” Amanda wondered aloud as she took her place and picked up her own needle. “Or do they hang them on their walls instead of using them?”
“As long as they’re able to buy them, it doesn’t matter to me,” said Barbara Byler, who was Corinne’s oldest daughter and married to one of the three Byler boys, who were now in their forties but who were still referred to as boys. “It’s nearly time to plant the peas, and I don’t know about you, but the seed catalogs eat more of my money at this time of year than I do the vegetables at harvest time. I need the money the quilts bring in.”
Now here was a topic where, unlike quilting, Sarah felt right at home. But even the idea of her garden was edged with anxiety about money, because while the garden was a big one even by Amish standards, it still wasn’t enough to support her and the boys. Despite the fact that they both worked hard and Simon gave her nearly all his wages, they still could not completely make ends meet. Somehow she had to come up with a plan to keep body and soul together before her house payments to her in-laws got any further in arrears.
Involuntarily, her hands tightened on the needle, she rammed it against her thimble, and it slipped down and into her knuckle. Tears welled in her eyes. With a mumble of apology, she left the needle stuck halfway through the top, batting, and backing, and fled Corinne’s big front room. When discouragement found its way past her defenses, there was only one thing to do—go outside into God’s creation and look for His comfort.
How can readers find you on the Internet?I love visitors! You can find Adina Senft here: http://www.adinasenft.com, and Shelley Adina here: http://www.shelleyadina.com.
Thanks for having me over, Lena!
It’s always a pleasure to host you, Adina/Shelley.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
 - Amazon
Herb of Grace: A Healing Grace Novel - 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!!!!!

Abiding Mom (GA) is the winner of an ebook copy of  Mercy's Flight  by T L Gray. 
Bonnie R (KY) is the winner of Seagrass Pier  by Colleen Coble.
Lisa S (VA) is the winner of   Yankee in Atlanta  by Jocelyn Green.
Jan H (TX) is the winner of an ebook copy of  Soveriegn Ground  by Hilarey Johnson.
Kristen (OK) is the winner of  Beyond I Do  by Jennifer Slattery.

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.

CHAPEL SPRINGS REVIVAL - Ane Mulligan - One Free Book

Dear Readers, I’ve known Ane for years. It’s a great honor to introduce her and her debut novel to you.
Welcome, Ane. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters. All of my characters have small bits of me in them. For instance, Claire moves before she thinks, getting her into some mishaps. She also speaks without a filter. I've often wished I could really say what I think, but I don't. Most of my characters, however, are a composite of two or three people.
What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?I don't know if you'd call it quirky, but it sure fits with the above question. It was when I worked at a manufacturing company. I moved too fast, once again without thinking, and the tie on my blouse got caught in the paper shredder.
When did you first discover that you were a writer?Being ADHD as a kid, I didn't think about writing, but I was a storyteller. Unfortunately, they called it lying back then. So I internalized my stories and played them out with my dolls, spending weeks on each story before moving on to the next.
As an adult, I put it all away, except for making up stories for my kids. In 1996, I became creative arts director for my church and started writing scripts. I've written short sermon starters to full-length musicals. I didn't turn to novels until 2003.
Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.My favorite genre is women's fiction. I like romance if there's more to the story than just the romance. I'm crazy about romantic comedy. I draw the line at suspense and thrillers. Brandilyn Collins will tell you I'm the Queen of the Big Honkin' Chicken Club.
How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?Ha! I don't have any to keep. Seriously, my world isn't as crazy as it was years ago. Maybe that's why God didn't call me to write until I was in my 50s.
How do you choose your characters’ names?Names are important to me. Once I have an idea about who the character is, what the personality is like, I go to the Baby Name Survey Book. That tells you what image people have of a name. That's for my main characters. For the supporting cast, I either use the Social Security site for names popular for the year they were born, or I use the I also keep a spreadsheet, alphabetized by both first and last names. I don't want too many beginning with the same letter.
What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?Probably my son. In spite of me, he's turned into a wonderful man, who loves God. Other than that, I'd have to say the musical I wrote for Easter, He Knew My Name. When my church performed it, we had 27 people give their lives to Jesus. And isn't that why we write?
Of course, it is. If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?I had one idea that was funny until I got it down on paper. Then it was a bit on the sick side. I've got a whacked sense of humor. PETA doesn't like me much. I suppose I'd be a dog. They're loyal and loyalty is a quality I highly regard.
What is your favorite food?Anything cooked by my Chef Son. Other than that, its sushi.
What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?The first draft. Creating is the hardest part for me. I have a loud inner editor and shutting her up is nearly impossible. I've tried to throw down a fast first draft, but it just ends up frustrating both of us. I finally decided I have to write my way.
Now I edit as I go. But once I complete my first draft, it's ready for my critique partners. When I apply their critiques, it's ready for my beta readers, then my agent.
I edit as I go. I can’t help it either. Tell us about the featured book. With a friend like Claire, you need a gurney, a mop, and a guardian angel. When attention is drawn to the slackened tourist trade in Chapel Springs, and their livelihoods are threatened, Claire and Patsy join forces to address the town's revitalization in hopes of drawing back the tourists. But they never guessed the real issue needing restoration was their marriages.
Please give us the first page of the book.Claire Bennett couldn't remember when the tradition began—meeting her friends at the bakery, Dee's 'n' Doughs, before the workday started. It must have been after their nests had emptied, since none of them had any tag-alongs velcroed to their ankles. Whatever the cause, stopping for a chat and a hot cup of coffee got her creative juices flowing. Okay, maybe that was the caffeine and sugar, but she couldn't imagine life without her girlfriends.
She wished she could share her deepest heart with Joel. They used to talk, sort of, but something changed between diapers and soccer. It was around the time she started going to church without him. She shuffled through a pile of leaves on the sidewalk. The dry crunch reminded her of their conversations. He wasn't much of a talker and never had been, but he'd become noticeably quieter lately.
A spring breeze played with the edge of her shirttails as she stepped up onto the boardwalk along Sandy Shores Drive. She paused and with her hand, shaded her eyes against the rising sun and welcomed the tremolos and wails of the loons floating up with the mist, lifting off Chapel Lake. She searched the reeds along the shoreline for their distinctive black and white neckbands. Like Yankees, they'd soon migrate back to the north. She'd miss their plaintive cries. Time and time again, she'd tried to capture the emotion in her pottery, but so far she hadn't found a way to translate sound into form.
Not seeing the loons, she scanned the width of Moonrise Cove for Joel's boat. Near its center, a lone fisherman—not her hubby—had anchored his dinghy in the fog. Joel was probably angling off Henderson Island. But that lone boat in the foggy Cove would make a melancholy painting. Maybe she'd suggest it to Patsy. With the image in mind, she hurried on to the bakery.
Soft light poured through the picture window of Dee's 'n' Doughs. As she pulled open the glass door, the brass bells attached to a quirky wrought iron hook shaped like a loon, announced her arrival. She paused on the threshold for a moment, closed her eyes, and let the heavenly aroma of yeast, vanilla, and almonds entice her. That indulgence alone would probably add another inch to her waistline. When she opened her eyes, her studio/gallery partner, Patsy Kowalski, was chuckling at her.
How can readers find you on the Internet?My website is www.anemulligan.comand I'm President of Novel Rocket. I'm on Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, and Pinterest. Good gravy, when put like this, I'm all over the place. LOL
Thanks for having me, Lena. We redheads need to stick together.
As I said earlier, it’s such a pleasure to finally be able to feature you on my blog.

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

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

SWEET MOUNTAIN MUSIC - Suzie Johnson - One Free Book

Welcome back, Suzie. Why do you write the kind of books you do?Because I love them! I feel so very blessed to be able to write the type of book I love reading.
Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life? The day my son was born, most definitely!
How has being published changed your life?It’s a very exciting time, and there’s never a dull moment because there are always deadlines.
What are you reading right now?I’m currently reading Rosemary Cottage by Colleen Coble, after having just finished Tidewater Inn – also by Colleen Coble.
I love Colleen Coble books. What is your current work in progress?The first of a three-book project, A Fair to Remember is set in 1901 at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York. Photographer Clara Lambert comes under suspicion as a possible accomplice, when someone shoots President McKinley. It will be a Fall 2015 release by WhiteFire Publishing.
I’d love to feature that book on this blog. What would be your dream vacation?I would love to go skating under the EiffelTower, then ride a bike through the South of France before making my way to Tuscany. All of this would be topped off by a gondola ride in Venice, of course.
I’ve always wanted to visit France, because French was my second teaching field in college. How do you choose your settings for each book?I don’t actually choose them. I usually just get an inkling, somehow. And when I do the germ of a story comes to life. For example, for Sweet Mountain Music , my husband and I used to take our son on road trips into the mountains. Something about staring out the window at the towering fir trees, pristine rivers, and the mountain peaks made Sweet Mountain Music come alive, and I knew I needed to set a book there.
If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?This might very well be the hardest question anyone has ever asked me. Why, Lena? Why did you ask me this? I can think of plenty of people who are no longer living that I’d like to spend an evening with. But other than my family and friends? You. Are. Tough. As a writer, I think it would be fascinating to spend time asking questions of Stephen King. Not because he’s famous. But because he’s very brilliant and I know he has a lot of wisdom to pass on to other writers.
What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?Ha! You mean there’s something else? I really enjoy baseball, and riding roller coasters.
What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?For years, I tried to edit while I would write. I would get so frustrated because my brain doesn’t actually work that way. I just didn’t realize it. Now, to keep the creativity flowing, I have to either write on my AlphaSmart or on a tablet (the paper kind).
What advice would you give to a beginning author?Don’t wait for inspiration because it’s fleeting. Once you have the germ of an idea, work to develop it.
Tell us about the featured book. Sweet Mountain Music is set in the mountains of Northwest Washington in the late 1890s. My hero, Ben, is a scientist on the hunt for the legendary Sasquatch. Chloe is a reporter who wants to break the big story so she can show her father she’s just as capable a journalist as her brother.
My husband was just talking about Sasquatch earlier this week. Please give us the first page of the book.Cedar Ridge, WashingtonCascade Mountains, 1896“I think we should have him take off his shirt.” Several delighted oohs and aahs followed the sugary, yet authoritative voice drifting through the slightly opened window.
Standing below the window, Chloe Jane Williston recognized the voice of Trina Clark. From the sounds of it, every young woman in Cedar Ridge sat inside the town hall.
What could they possibly be up to in there? And why didn’t she know about it? There was a story in the making, she could tell; one that would hopefully sell more copies of The Cedar Ridge Reporter than usual. Chloe stretched up on the tips of her toes and tried to see through the crack. It was much too narrow. Disappointed, she scrubbed at the window’s filthy panes with the sleeve of her gray and white pinstriped shirtwaist.
Her only success came in dirtying her sleeve.
Chloe frowned and stood back to once again survey the window. She found a clearer spot higher up, but wasn’t tall enough to reach it.
Glory-be. If only she had something to stand on, she’d be able to see better.
Quickly, pulse jumping, Chloe looked around the wooded area surrounding the meeting hall. Nothing.
Scanning the early summer sky, dusty blue with traces of wispy clouds, she smiled. Thankfully, it wouldn’t be dark for a few more hours. It stayed light so much later here in Washingtonthan it did back in Boston.
Kicking at a bed of last year’s pine needles, Chloe stubbed her toe on a partially buried rock. She stood back and sized it up. Boulder was more like it. It appeared wide enough for her to stand on and yet not so huge she wouldn’t be able to move it. It was worth a try.
At least the town of CedarRidge was good for something. There were plenty of rocks if nothing else. A deep breath filled her lungs with the rich sappy fragrance seeping from the surrounding trees. After prying, tugging, and then kicking at the rock, it finally broke free.
Blood-red worms squirmed forth when she rolled it over. An army of potato bugs scurried every which way. Chloe allowed herself to shudder just once, before kicking and rolling the rock toward the meeting hall.
Each direction she looked, snow-tipped mountains and lush fir trees rose to greet her. The Skykomish River, racing down from higher elevations, thundered in the background. Grudgingly, Chloe admitted to herself that Cedar Ridge was more than a pile of rubble and too many trees. The mountains were higher, the sky bluer, and the air headier than any place she’d ever lived.
More than once she’d tried to describe this place on paper, but failed. It wasn’t possible to put words to the majesty of her surroundings. Her father had chosen well when he’d moved the family this time.
Life would be almost perfect if only she had a friend or two. As for the almost part, she didn’t want to think about it right now.
How can readers find you on the Internet?www.susandianejohnson.comwww.inkwellinspirations.com            Thank you so much for hosting me, Lena!

It is my pleasure, Suzie. My readers will love hearing about your book.

Readers, here is a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.
Sweet Mountain Music - 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

THE HESITANT HEIRESS - Dawn Crandall - One Free Ebook

Dear Readers, here's another debut author. She and I also share the same agent. I'm thrilled to introduce her first book to you. 
Bio: A graduate of Taylor University with a degree in Christian Education, and a former bookseller at Barnes and Noble, Dawn Crandall didn’t begin writing until 2010 when her husband found out about her long-buried dream of writing a book. Without a doubt about someday becoming traditionally published,Apart from writing books, Dawn is also a first-time mom to a precious little boy (born March 2014) and also serves with her husband in a pre-marriage mentor program at their local church in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Dawn is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, secretary for the Indiana ACFW Chapter (Hoosier Ink), and associate member of the Great Lakes ACFW Chapter.The Everstone Chronicles is Dawn’s first series with Whitaker House. All three books composing the series were semifinalists in ACFW’s prestigious Genesis Writing Contest, the third book going on to become a finalist in 2013.
Welcome, Dawn. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.Honestly, there is a lot of me in Amaryllis Brigham. When I started my second book in the series (before I had Joyce as my agent), it was just for fun as well, and also to prove to myself that I could write another character from first person POV that didn't sound just like Amaryllis. I ended up with a character so opposite of me, it was quite interesting to write.
What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?I’m actually quirky about 100% of the time because I have ADD. It’s very difficult to just pick one instance. J But probably the most important one was, while I was single and meeting friends to go camping near the Indiana Dunes, I sabotaged my future husband’s bags and threw them in my car telling him he should probably ride with me. He was the only guy in the group who would never talk to me, and that drove me nuts! I quickly found out that it was because he had a crush on me … and we began dating about a month later. J   
When did you first discover that you were a writer?I always enjoyed writing in school, but I never ever in my wildest dreams thought it was possible to actually be one—at least a published writer! So I didn't write for a long time ... basically from the time I was 16 until I was 32. When my husband found out I'd always wanted to write a book, he let me quit my job to work on my book. That was in 2010, and The Hesitant Heiress is the book I wrote. :)
Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.I love very complex, historical romance books that keep me guessing and in which everything adds up in the end.
How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?Considering I just had my first baby this spring, and the three books from my debut series are all coming out before he'll even be one years old—it's been kind of crazy. I love being a mom though! It's being a "mom of a newborn who writes books" that seems a bit challenging.
How do you choose your characters’ names?I have a list of names that I really like, ones that I've collected over the years. I pick them up here and there and then try them out until they fit. I’ve actually had a lot of the characters in The Hesitant Heiress since college, because although I wasn't writing back then, I was thinking about the book I wanted to someday write.
What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?Marrying the best guy I've ever met in 2005 AND finally having my son in March 2014.
If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?I would be a cat. I have three cats; Lilly, Pumpkin and Clover, and I love them so much.
What is your favorite food?Chicken Korma (Indian curry)—I think I could eat it all day, every day.
What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?I couldn't decide whether to write in first person (the way I wanted to!) or third person (the way most people do). Finally, I decided, since I was writing it for myself, it would be written from first person.
Tell us about the featured book. I wanted to write a novel reminiscent of old classical romantic suspense novels like Jane Eyreand Rebecca—but I also wanted to tie in a very relevant spiritual thread. The heroine, Amaryllis Brigham, thinks she knows what she wants—as well as how she will achieve it. But as circumstances beyond her control keep her from her goals, she finds that accomplishing her dreams of founding a music academy in Seattle are only secondary to finding the peace she desperately wants pertaining to the events leading to her mother's death eleven years before.
{The blurb from GoodReads:}
After being unjustly expelled from the Boston Conservatory of Music, Amaryllis Brigham sees her dreams of founding a music academy disappearing before her very eyes. Now the only way to achieve her goal comes with high stakes for someone set on avoiding men as much as possible: marry within the year to inherit her grandmother’s fortune. Amaryllis reluctantly takes part in her aunt’s society, intent on getting to the west coast on her own … and without a husband.

Despite her own misgivings, she soon finds herself falling in love with the most unlikely of men, Nathan Everstone, whose father not only had a part in her expulsion, but whose ominous presence has haunted her dreams for a decade since her mother’s tragic death. Nathan turns out to be much more than he seems and everything she never knew she wanted. But just as everything Amaryllis has recently hoped for comes to fruition, it all falls apart when she finds that the real culprit who has been managing her life isn't who she thought at all.
Please give us the first page of the book.February 16, 1890Boston, Massachusetts“Miss Brigham, may I have a word with you?” Professor Silvious strolled down the aisle toward the stage of The Boston Conservatory of Music’s auditorium.
I’d just finished playing Chopin’s Raindrop, a favorite of mine. I’d long been in the habit of taking every chance I could get to play the grand piano at the center of the stage in the auditorium, but I never could rid myself of the nerves that doing so created in the pit of my stomach.
“Yes, sir.”
Professor Silvious always had a frown on his face, ever since the moment I’d met him over three years before, so it didn’t surprise me to see it there now.
He stopped short, evidently deciding that the central aisle of the empty auditorium was as good a place as any to tell me what was on his mind.
“Miss Brigham, I received a letter today concerning you.” The tone of his voice was sharp, as if I’d somehow offended him by forcing him to receive said letter. He stood stoically, both hands behind his back, as I walked the remainder of the way to stand before him.
“Was it from my Aunt Claudine?” I could not imagine who else would have bothered. She was the only one who wrote me anymore, the only person who seemed to care I even existed. My cousin Lawry had been a faithful correspondent for a few years, but after his graduation from Dartmouth, his letters had stopped.
“No, it was not from your Aunt Claudine. If you indeed have an Aunt Claudine, that is.”
“Claudine Aberna—”
“Yes, I know who Claudine Abernathy is, Miss Brigham—it’s her connection to you I highly doubt. And the letters you say you’ve received from her while she’s been conveniently out of the country these last three years.”
“I have every one of them, if you’d like to see them.” I’d saved them all, rolled up and tied together with a black ribbon, hidden in my hollowed-out version of Great Expectations.
“This letter is the only one I need to see, Miss Brigham. And from what it tells me, you are not the kind of young woman we at The Boston Conservatory wish to be affiliated with…no matter your talent.”
I swallowed hard. “Whoever sent the letter is obviously lying.” It was unheard of to speak back to a professor in such a manner, but who else would defend me if I did not defend myself? There was no one.
“There’s no contest when it comes to my judging the truth of this letter. You are a young woman with an unknown past, no relatives, and now a very trustworthy account from Bram Everstone against you.”
It took only a moment to understand what was happening. The professor would, because of some slanderous letter, believe the worst of me.
Me—Amaryllis Brigham, whose most fervent desire was to be good.
“I am the epitome of self-control and perseverance, Professor Silvious. There can be no truth—”
“So says you. But we know absolutely nothing of your life before the age of fourteen. You seem to have appeared out of the woodwork, which is where you will return. We cannot have someone of your ilk contaminating the good standing of our institution.”
“You mean—”
“I mean, Miss Brigham, from this moment on, consider yourself expelled from The Boston Conservatory without references.”
“But I—”
“It matters very little what you think or what you say. The decision is final.”
How can readers find you on the Internet?Facebook: facebook.com/DawnCrandallWritesFirst Book Review Blog: APassionforPages.blogspot.com GoodReads: www.goodreads.com/dawn_crandallPinterest: www.pinterest.com/dawnwritesfirstEmail: dawncrandallwritesfirst@gmail.comTwitter: @dawnwritesfirst

Thank you, Dawn, for sharing your debut novel with us.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Hesitant Heiress (The Everstone Chronicles) - Kindle

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the ebook. 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

SPEAK NO EVIL - Mary L Hamilton - One Free Book

Welcome back, Mary. What has drawn you to writing for children? Honestly, I wanted to write for adults and had no interest in writing for children. But while raising my three kids, I watched several of their friends suffer the devastation of broken and dysfunctional families. The story I felt compelled to write seemed better suited to a younger audience, and I decided maybe I could offer some hope to kids through these stories, the kind of hope that comes through faith in a loving God.
What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?I’m not a quirky sort of person. The only thing I can think of is bringing my own light bulb to a women’s conference. I wanted a brighter light than they usually had in the residents’ rooms. Is that quirky?
It’s interesting, that’s for sure. When did you first discover that you were a writer?I’ve enjoyed writing ever since I could write my name. I carved “Mary” into a dresser and a windowsill, which demonstrates my early attempts at public writing. But my first job out of college required me to write a monthly newsletter for the organization. People often told me how much they enjoyed reading it, and asked if I’d ever written for publication. With the encouragement of a few friends, I pursued that goal when I became a stay-at-home mom.
Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.I like everything from non-fiction inspirational and biographies to mystery/suspense, mainstream, women’s fiction, and some YA. About the only things I don’t care to read are science fiction (because I trip over all the unusual words) and romance.
What other books have you written, whether published or not?I’ve written one other book in the Rustic Knoll Bible Camp series, titled Hear No Evil. It’s the story of a young teen who struggles to understand his mother’s sudden rejection, only to find out it was for his own protection.
Yes, we featured that book on this blog as well. How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?I try to start every day with quiet time alone with my Bible. It may only be a few minutes of reading and a quick prayer, but without that, my day just seems to spiral out of control. Exercise also helps expel some of the nervous energy that builds up.
What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of, besides family?Becoming a published author was the fulfillment of a dream. I’m proud to have accomplished that, but also very humbled. To know that people actually buy my books and want to read something I’ve written always amazes me.
If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?I’d like to be an otter, because they’re awfully cute and always look like they’re having so much fun. Besides that, I love to swim.
My favorite souvenir from our trip to the Monterey Peninsula is a tiny sea otter figurine. I loved watching them in Monterey Bay. What is your favorite food?Chocolate. I can live without most anything but I must have chocolate, and it must be dark.
That’s the kind I eat. Is it hard to break into the children’s market?For me, it was easier than I expected, and I give all the credit to the Lord. I’d pretty much given up on seeing my first book published when I happened to meet Lynellen Perry of HopeSprings Books at a writers’ conference. She was willing to take a chance on me and loved my story. I don’t believe that would’ve happened if the Lord hadn’t orchestrated it.
What advice would you give to an author wanting to do that?Attend conferences and make connections with other writers, agents and editors. Get to know them on a personal basis, not just to see what they can do for you. The more they see your professionalism and your teachable spirit, the more likely they will think of you when an opportunity arises.
What would you like to tell us about the featured book? Speak No Evil is the story of Taylor, the bully from the first book. Taylorcarries around an attitude as a defense against the hurt he holds inside. His younger sister is the only one who believes in his dream of one day driving racecars, but her adventurous spirit keeps landing Taylor in trouble. He knows having her at camp with him will be a pain, but he never expects the pain to go so deep.
How can readers find you on the Internet?I’d love to connect with readers. Besides these links, I’m also on Goodreads.com.Website: http://www.maryhamiltonbooks.comFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/maryhamiltonbooksPinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/mhamiltonbooksTwitter:@mhamilton122
Thank you for sharing your new book with us.

Readers, here’s a link to the book. http://tinyurl.com/oaleqya

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

THE TURNING - Davis Bunn - One Free Book

Welcome back, Davis. Why did you become an author?I came to faith at age twenty-eight. I started writing two weeks later. I had never picked up a pen before to write more than a business report – I was working as a business consultant based in Germany at the time.
I wrote for nine years and finished seven books before my first was accepted for publication. All through that while, no matter how hard it was to hold onto the dream, I remained convinced that the writing was both a calling and a gift.
It took me eight years to sell my first manuscript. If you weren’t an author, what would be your dream job?There is no other dream job I would seek. I want to simply extend my reach within this profession. Nowadays I also lecture in creative writing, both at seminars around the globe and at Oxford University. This year I have also been contracted to write two feature film screenplays.
And I am the screenwriter for a Christian feature film. If you could have lived at another time in history, what would it be and why?Sorry. The question does not touch me. My internal realms fuel a great many new vistas, both in the here and now and further afield. Next year, for example, I am publishing both a new fantasty and a new science fiction series (under the pen-name Thomas Locke). The other times and places are here with me now.
What place in the United Stateshave you not visited that you would like to?That is very interesting indeed. I left the US at age 20, and have lived most of my life since overseas. I know Europefar better than I do my own homeland. I would love to travel more. The Northwest in particular interests me.
How about a foreign country you hope to visit?I have lived in eleven different countries and worked in over forty. The question for me is, what is my favorite area. There are two. For cities, it would be my adopted home town of Oxford. For regions, it would be the Basque coast of France. Home to some of the world's biggest waves, which makes for an amazing mix with the French-Basque culture.
What lesson has the Lord taught you recently?Beautiful question. The topic of this recent book, The Turning , is “listening to God.” This has played a role in my spiritual walk since the very early days. It is one thing to “live” it. But another thing entirely to teach. In conjunction to the book's release I did a forty-lesson radio project with Moody (available free as podcasts, downloadable from my website, TheTurningBook.com) and a forty-lesson guided introduction to the discipline of listening (also available for free on the website). A great and taxing and enormous gift to me personally. I hope it proves the same to others.
Tell us about the featured book.Five different people, in different congregations, and different cities, and different cultures, all have been studying a lesson plan about listening to God. And to their astonishment, God communicates with them. In each case, the communication comes in the form of a request, or an invitation if you will. God asks them to turn away from the normal course of their lives, and do something that would be impossible unless they relied fully on him and trusted him to see them through.
Take the main character as an example. While in university, John Jacobs was a rising star of the Ohio State football team. But one night he goes out with buddies, gets drunk, starts a bar fight, and winds up going to jail on felonious assault charges. John has spent the forty years since that point carrying the burden of that youthful mistake. When the story opens, John’s nephew is being released from jail. For the second time. During Danny’s first stint, he found Christ and turned his life around, only to get out, go back on drugs, and rob John’s own home. In John’s case, the request is for John to be there when Danny emerges from prison that very afternoon.
All five of these people assume the request from God, this turning, is all there is. But in fact what really happens is, God has a major challenge he intends to put before them. But first he had to unite them as listeners. As people willing to follow his guidance. Whatever that requires. Wherever God might take them.
This sounds very interesting. Thank you, Davis, for sharing this new book with us. A large number of my readers are fans of your books.

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

Anna W H (FL) is the winner of  Fair Play  by Deeanne Gist. 
Mary P (Aus) is the winner of an ebook copy of  Unseen  by James Pence.
Hollie I (KY) is the winner of   Guidelines for Writing Christian Fiction  by C E Maychild.
Britney A (TX) is the winner of  Abandoned Memories  by MaryLu Tyndall.
Linda K (CA) is the winner of  Nine Days  by Christine Pisera Naman.

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.