Lena Nelson Dooley's Blog, page 215

TWICE A SLAVE - Sammy Tippit - One Free Book

Welcome, Sammy. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.There’s probably a little of myself in each of my characters. Because I’m viewing life through my own world perspective, a little of me comes out in each of the characters. However, as much as possible, I attempt to write life situations through the eyes of others.
What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?I walked with six others across America, pushing a wheelbarrow filled with Bibles. We passed out the Bibles and held rallies on university campuses in 1970.
When did you first discover that you were a writer?I returned from traveling in Romania in the mid 1980s and knew that what I had witnessed in the nation needed to be shared. I approached Moody Press with an idea about a book on what I had learned. They were open to the idea, and I wrote my first book, Fire in Your Heart. It did well, and I knew writing would be a part of my life and ministry.
Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.With nonfiction, I read a lot of the classic books on Christian living. I enjoy the depth of writers during the 1800s and early 1900s. I, also, enjoy Jerry B. Jenkins and Brandilyn Collins writings in Christian fiction and have read their latest books. I am, also, a big John Grisham fan.
How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?I attempt to maintain a consistent time alone with God, reading His word and spending time in prayer each morning. I find that I am able to accomplish much more with less time if I’ve spent time with God.
How do you choose your characters’ names?With my present novel, Twice a Slave , ninety percent of my characters were historical personalities. I had a pretty good handle on the times and the persons involved in the story. That made it fairly easy. I had a much more difficult time choosing names for the novel I’m presently writing. For it, I chose names that were uncommon but not completely unknown. I tried to find a name that fit the character’s personality.
What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?Speaking at the first outdoor stadium evangelistic event in Romaniaafter the Romanian Revolution.
If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?A lamb. I like the gentle character of the lamb.
What is your favorite food?Crawfish étouffée.
What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?In Twice a Slave , there were several historical circumstances and events that didn’t make sense. However, I checked with experts in those areas and found that even though those events were unusual, they were explainable. It took a lot of digging to find the right experts who knew the answers to those difficult questions.
Tell us about the featured book. Twice a Slave is the story of a Cherokee slave, a forbidden romance, and tragedies that build faith. One man who is determined to find his purpose and discover his identity becomes a slave a second time and changes the course of history in Louisiana. Joseph Willis is one of the most fascinating, yet unknown personalities in Evangelical history. He was born into slavery before the American Revolution, the son of a Cherokee mother and an English father who faced incredible difficulties. His story is timeless and inspires the modern heart to overcome insecurities, conquer prejudice between believers and insurmountable obstacles that unsettle the faithful. Even though Joseph's life was threatened because of his race and faith, he became the first Protestant to preach the gospel west of the Mississippi River. This is a novel based on the life of an unknown slave filled with drama, suspense, love, defeat, and ultimately triumph, an epic all can cheer for.
Please give us the first page of the book.October 1, 1852 Outside Blanche, LouisianaPaw told me not to worry when he and Maw climbed into the family wagon before dawn to head for Blanche to buy supplies. They were leaving me to help Grandpa get ready to speak at the big meetin’. “He’ll be all right, Polk,” Paw said. “We’ll be home in a couple of hours.”
But he didn’t know. Didn’t know I’d get the fright of my life. Didn’t know what I’d be told.
Grandpa was real old, seriously old. Nobody knew exactly how old, because people like him didn’t know, but Paw said he was past ninety. It seemed like everybody expected Grandpa — church folks called him Father Willis — to die any minute. But Paw said they’d been saying that for twenty years. I just hoped it wouldn’t happen when it was only me at home.
A few minutes before Maw and Paw were s’posed to be back home, Rube, an old freed slave, rode up asking if Grandpa was ready to go to the meetin’.
I shook my head. “Paw told me he’d be awake before the rooster crowed, but he ain’t moved a muscle.”
Rube’s eyes grew wide. “Your Paw told me to git the other wagon ready so’s I could tote you and Father Willis to Evergreen behind them in the buckboard. You don’t think somethin’s a-happened to him?”
I shrugged.“We gotta wake him! Right now. Your maw is gonna be mighty upset if he’s not ready to go when they get back.”
Rube and I hurried off to Grandpa’s bedroom and found him on his back, eyes closed, not moving, his face as gray and cold as the blade on Paw’s old knife. We tiptoed to Grandpa’s bed and bent over him, and Rube whispered, “Lord Jesus, have mercy.”
“You think he’s dead?”
“Yessuh, for shor.”
It took all the courage I could muster, but I leaned close to Grandpa’s face and lifted one of his eyelids with my trembling fingers. Fighting back tears, I said, “Yep, he’s dead.”
“What you doing, boy?” Grandpa bellowed, flinching at my touch.
I jumped so high I thought I would hit the ceiling. Rube screamed and fell on his back, and I landed on top of him, our arms and legs tangling as we just kept turnin’ over each other, slapping and kicking and hollering until Grandpa sat up and yelled, “Stop it!”
Old Rube finally gathered himself from the floor and bowed his head. “I’m sorry, Father Willis. We thought you was dead.”How can readers find you on the Internet?www.sammytippit.orgwww.sammytippitbooks.comhttps://www.facebook.com/sammy.tippitwww.twiceaslave.comhttps://www.facebook.com/twiceaslavenovel



Thank you, Sammy, for sharing this new book with us. I know my readers well be as interested as I am in this story.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog. - Amazon
Twice a Slave - 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

FOUR WEDDINGS AND A KISS - Margaret Brownley, Debra Clopton, Mary Connealy, Robin Lee Hatcher - One Free Book

Readers, this is a novella collection by four of my favorite authors of historical romance. This time the collection has a Prologue and Epilogue that gives in a different flavor.
I read the book as soon as my copy arrived. As always, each of these women gave us an interesting story with three dimensional characters who grabbed my heart and didn’t let go until their story was told. Each unique story stayed with me a long time giving me a chuckle and a smile every time I revisited it.
You won’t want to miss this book.
Margaret Brownley's story Courting Trouble
How did this collection come about?The four of us worked together on A Bride for All Seasons, and we had so much fun we decided to do it again. We started with a phone conference to brainstorm. Robin suggested we do something with unlikely brides and the next thing we knew our muses were off and running.
Are these stories connected in some way? The book opens with at a revival. One of the ministers attending is miserably in love with a woman he fears would make an unsuitable pastor's wife. The other ministers tell him stories about other unsuited couples and how God brought them together.
How does your story fit in with the others?In Courting Trouble , my heroine is known as the “black widow.” That's because all three of her husbands died under mysterious circumstances. How's that for an unsuitable bride?
Who chose the setting for this collection?We each chose our own settings. My story takes place in Colorado.
What did you want the reader to take away from your story?My goal in writing is to provide readers with an entertaining story that puts a smile on their faces and maybe even a little hope in their hearts.
Readers want to get to know the authors they read. Can you tell us three things my readers probably don’t know about you?I live in a halfway house. That's because I'm surrounded by projects that are only half complete and may never see the end. Can anyone use a half sweater or half quilt?
I run a shelter for abused, neglected, and depressed Boston ferns. I can turn any fern into a gigantic mass of fronds guaranteed to take over the room. No one is allowed into to my house unless first agreeing to adopt a fern. And no, you can't bring your sick fern over.
My office is painted Monet purple, and I sit on a big rubber ball. I fell off it recently during an earthquake.
Please give us the first page of your story.Colorado 1882Brock Daniels scowled at the brief he’d been studying for more than an hour. Obstreperous conduct? It took thirty-two pages to list a complaint that added up to little more than one shop owner calling another a name generally reserved for crooked politicians and stubborn mules.
Hardly a week went by that a similar freewheeling lawsuit didn’t cross his desk. No wonder the town was on litigation overload. They sure didn’t do things here in Colorado like they did back in Philadelphia.
Tossing the brief down, he reached for his fountain pen. No sooner had he dipped the nib in the ink well and started to write than a slight sound made him lift his gaze. A boy about ten or eleven stood in front of his desk, staring at him with big rounded eyes.
It wasn’t the first time someone had sneaked up on him while working at his desk. The two room office had been his for six months and he still hadn’t gotten around to attaching a bell to the front door.
Brock stuck the pen in the holder and reached into his vest pocket for his watch. The gold case opened with a flip of his thumb. It was nearly ten p.m. Too late for someone so young to be roaming the streets. He snapped the watch shut.
 “May I help you?”
For answer, the lad placed four coins on the desk with such care that the money had to have been hard earned. The coins added up to fifty-six cents.
 “I want to hire you,” the boy said.
Where can my readers find you on the Internet?www.margaret-brownley.comYou can find me on FaceBook, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest.


Now we’re welcoming Debra Clopton, a fellow Texasauthor.
How did this collection come about? We had an all-out brainstorming session conference call that was the most fun. We tossed about everything but the kitchen sink and grabbed hold of this idea when it showed up. It was a blast.
Are these stories connected in some way? Yes, by a fifth romance. It starts out with a bunch of pastors sitting around a campfire. This young pastor needs advice dealing with romance troubles that involve a young woman he thinks is unsuitable as a pastor’s wife. The 4 older pastors tell the poor fella about an unlikely couple that they’d known. And so the stories of unlikely brides begins.
How does your story fit in with the others? OH, my heroine is very unlikely. She’s been trapped beneath her destroyed home after a tornado ripped through her land and killed her pa. I fashioned her after Crazy Cora from the movie Quigley Down Under and loved every moment bringing her to life. She was unconventional before she got hit on the head since her pa raised her to shoot better than most men and to use a whip—both he deemed the necessary tools a woman in the west needed to survive. She has no idea how to handle love … and the men she’s pointing her pearl handled pistol at are truly shaking in their boots. I think readers will love Crazy Katie Pearl … at least I hope so.
I know I did, and I didn’t know she was fashioned after Crazy Cora. I absolutely love the movie Quigley Down Under . Who chose the setting for this collection? I believe we all did.
What did you want the reader to take away from your story? I want readers to sigh at the ending after they have rooted whole-heartedly for my hero and heroine. I also want them to see that God walks beside us all the time, even in unlikely times.
Readers want to get to know the authors they read. Can you tell us three things my readers probably don’t know about you? 1. I truly understand God’s faithfulness … my first husband passed away in 03, and God never left my side. 2. 6 years later, trusting God, I finally went on my 1st date a blind date and met my husband J God truly works in mysterious ways.3. I absolutely believe Banana taffy of any kind is God’s special gift … I even have my donkey Samantha in my 2nd book And Baby Makes Five love it, because I’m so crazy about it.
My husband of almost 50 years was a blind date, and I didn’t like blind dates. My first one had been rather unpleasant and I never planned to go on another one. Yes, God works in mysterious ways. Please give us the first page of your story. A COWBOY FOR KATIE:
She might be as crazy as they said but Katie Pearl had learned that most men were light between the ears. She wondered which one of them she was gonna have to shoot today.
It wasn’t as if she wanted to, but if they came snoopin' around, she was willin’ to oblige them.
“There ain’t no sense pretending you like this, Katie Pearl, no sense at all,” Katie told herself.
From her perch on the wagon seat she could see the dusty buildings of town. And as Myrtle May pulled the wagon round the bend in the road Katie’s insides tensed up.
“You’re a good horse, Myrtle May. Yes you are.” She was glad to have the comfort of her old horse with her as the fire in the pit of her stomach informed her trouble was near.
Town was trouble and there was no getting around it.
Where can my readers find you on the Internet? I love to hear from Readers and have them join my newsletter. I try to return all letters but sometimes because deadlines are pressing its hard. So I love being able to connect with them through my monthly newsletters and also my contests. Join at http://www.debraclopton.comfrom there they can easily find my links to facbook, twitter and goodreads. Happy reading everyone!!!


Welcome Mary Connealy. Each of these novellas are also available individually as ebooks. Here’s her cover for that.
How did this collection come about? This is the second book in a two book contract we signed with Thomas Nelson. The first book A Bride for All Seasons came out last summer. Once we tricked TN into doing one, they decided to trick us into doing two. It’s been great.
Are these stories connected in some way? They are connected by a group of pastors sitting around a campfire talking about the “unlikeliest couple” they’d ever performed a wedding ceremony for.
How does your story fit in with the others? The stories don’t intertwine at all beyond the pastors spinning their yarns, a small prologue and a short epilogue tie them stories together.
Who chose the setting for this collection? We picked a date which coincided with a gathering someone had heard of, of pastors with ministries on the frontier. But the settings were left up to each of us. We did talk about it, wanting to mix things up a bit and not all set our stories in the same place.
What did you want the reader to take away from your story? I think the basic story is Maizy MacGregor learning to take pride in who she is. She’s quite a character but she’s got all the things a woman needed to succeed in the west and if she wasn’t always a proper lady, well, too bad.
Readers want to get to know the authors they read. Can you tell us three things my readers probably don’t know about you? Um….I have a sort of “problem” with pretty jewelry. Not fine gemstones, just fun pretty jewelry. I LOVE IT! I’ve got quite a pile of it.
Please give us the first page of your story. Spitfire Sweetheart Saurita, New Mexico 1879
Maizy MacGregor leaned her head back against the rocks and knocked her Stetson off. She grabbed it as it fell, then tossed it aside in disgust. She had on men's clothes, her hat, her britches, her shirt, her boots, the six-gun she wore on her hip. It had never bothered her before Rylan Carstens moved in next door.
She wiped her eyes. It was sure enough bothering her now.
The water roared beside her, cascading down in a rush. She came here when she needed to be alone. And she really needed that now.
Tossing aside her buckskin gloves, she pulled her red handkerchief out of her hip pocket—no lace kerchief tucked up her sleeve for Maizy—and wiped her eyes again and blew her nose in a completely unladylike way.
How had she let herself get this upset? And over a man, of all things.
Over her neighbor who she'd long ago accepted would never see her as anything but a child and an unattractive, annoying child at that.
She was used to it and ignored it mostly, but today stung. He'd found her walking among his Angus cattle.
Maizy looked to her left and watched the sleek black herd spread out on the long downhill slope. She hadn't gone near them this afternoon. Instead she'd just slipped into this spot. She'd been using it for a get-away since childhood.
But this morning she'd walked right into the middle of his herd, wanting a close-up look. They were gentle cattle, not a horn on a single one of them. They weren't tame enough to touch, they gave way if she got too close. But they didn't run for the hills one day then attack the next like longhorns tended to do.
She'd heard they were gentle, even the bulls. And she was savvy about cattle. She knew how to judge their tempers and stay clear of them when necessary. Her eyes rested on one especially young calf that might have been born just today, long after cows usually threw their calves.
Maizy knew better than to go near a new mama, no matter how easy going she'd been before her calf was born.
She'd told Rylan all that and tried to make him see she was in no danger. He'd thrown her off his land anyway and later followed her home to complain to Pa, like she was a misbehaving child. He'd forbidden her to trespass ever again.
The river was the border between his property and her pa's, and it was true she was, right this minute, on the trespassing side. But surely he didn't mean her little hidey hole was off limits. She barely had a toe over the line and she was completely safe from his placid, fat cattle.
She did admit to taking childish pleasure in defying him. And it was a harmless defiance. If he didn't know she was here, then he couldn't throw her off.
Her horse was tied well across the river, on MacGregor land, cropping grass. She couldn't see the brown and white pinto from here and neither could her neighbor.
Hoping to get control of her hurt, she let herself soak in the peace of stone and water and air, loving the way this rocky ledge cut off the world. She couldn't hear anything thanks to the rushing water. Her spot was curved into the rocks and she could only see straight ahead and to the left. Water was on the right, cascading down from the mountain peaks. Her almost-cave hid her from behind and overhead.
She could be in her own world, alone with her thoughts. She'd always come here to lick her wounds.
A gunshot cut through the air and she sat up straight and banged her head.
Looking for the source of that gun, she turned left and saw him.
Rylan Carstens.
And he was coming straight for her, galloping on his big chestnut stallion. Even at this distance she could tell he was looking right at her. How had he known she was in here?
Another gunshot echoed from his Winchester.
Rylan bent low over his horse, coming as fast as he could on the rocky ground that rose to this bluff along the river. Was he trying to kill her? If so, he was doing a poor job of it. The bullets were missing, going way over her head. But even on their worst day she'd never done anything that oughta make the man killing mad.
Where can my readers find you on the Internet?Seekerville
Petticoats and Pistols
My Blog
My Website
My Newsletter
And I’m on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maryconnealyAnd Twitter: http://twitter.com/maryconnealy

Now let’s welcome the final author in this collection, Robin Lee Hatcher.How did this collection come about?We had so much fun brainstorming and writing the first collection, so it was very easy to slip into brainstorming mode for another conference call. Then one of us took the ideas and wrote up a proposal and sent it off to our editor.
Are these stories connected in some way? Yes, which is why it is best for readers to get the entire collection (print or ebook) rather than just the individual ebook novellas. The collection opens at a pastors' convention, old west style, where one pastor is pondering his feelings for a certain woman back home, a woman he fears is unsuitable to be a pastor's wife. When he confesses the same to the other four pastors in his small prayer circle, they begin telling him stories about couples who God brought together but who seemed unlikely matches. This leads into the four novellas. The first pastor's story is wrapped up in an epilogue at the end of the book.
How does your story fit in with the others?It is the pastors who tie the stories together.
Who chose the setting for this collection? We each chose where we wanted to set our stories. I chose to set mine in western Wyoming.
What did you want the reader to take away from your story?I want them to sigh with happiness at the romantic ending.
Readers want to get to know the authors they read. Can you tell us three things my readers probably don’t know about you?I love to treat myself to a full-body massage on a regular basis. Helps the aches that come from all those hours at the computer.I used to have naturally curly hair.I got to be in the delivery room for the births of three of my grandchildren. Awesome!
Please give us the first page of your story.A LOVE LETTER TO THE EDITORDear Editor:
Do you think there are men in this world who can value a well-educated woman with a mind of her own and the courage to speak it? Is it possible for a man and a woman to have an equal partnership in marriage, seeing each other as God intended them to be? After thirty-five years on this earth, I have begun to doubt it.Sincerely,

Wishful in Wyoming                        *****
Killdeer, Wyoming, August 1879Molly Everton flung open the door to her father’s office in the Killdeer Sentinel, not caring that it hit the wall with a loud crack. “Is it true, Father?”
Roland Everton looked up from the papers on his desk. “Is what true?”
“You know good and well what I mean. Have you hired someone else as editor of the paper?”
Her father removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. A familiar delaying tactic. She’d seen it many times in her thirty-five years.
Molly closed the door and then stepped closer to his desk, trying to check her temper. “It isn’t fair. You know it isn’t fair.”
“My dear, you should know by now that many things in life are not fair. Far from it.”
Where can my readers find you on the Internet?
Readers should visit my web site and blog at www.robinleehatcher. From there, they can find links to my accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, and Goodreads.
Thank you, Ladies, for sharing this new collection with us. As I prepared this post, your first pages took me back to each story, and I thoroughly enjoyed revisiting each one. 
Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog. - Amazon
Four Weddings and a Kiss: A Western Bride Collection - 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

OUT OF THE RUINS - Karen Barnett - One Free Book, Plus More

Bio: Inspired by God's devotion to His people and her own passion for research and learning, author Karen Barnett creates historical romances that explore her characters' faith and how their experiences impact the way they view God. 
A graduate of ValparaisoUniversity and Oregon State University, Barnett's debut novel, Mistaken, was released in 2013 and earned her the Oregon Christian Writers "Writer of Promise" award. A former park ranger, she loves getting out into God's creation. She spends her free time taking photographs, dragging her kids through dusty history museums, decorating crazy birthday cakes, and watching movies. 
Karen, her husband and their two children live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. 
Welcome, Karen. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.
I always include aspects of myself in my heroines. I think that’s the easiest way to breathe life into the characters. Abby in Out of the Ruins is shy and socially awkward. I based the character on a younger version of myself, and it’s actually taken decades for me to gain any sort of self-confidence. Writing her scenes took me back to my youth, and it was fun to view my former insecurities from a more mature perspective.
What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?I’m afraid if I tell you, no one will ever want to come to my house! I worked as a park ranger for a number of years, teaching kids about wildlife and nature. One day I found a deceased brown bat that would have made a perfect specimen for one of my nature programs. I dropped it in a Ziploc bag and tucked it into my freezer until I was able to talk to some taxidermists. Not surprisingly, none of them wanted to touch it. My husband refused to open the freezer until I disposed of the critter. Don’t worry—my freezer has been bat-free for many years now.
How’s that for quirky?
When did you first discover that you were a writer?I’m not sure I truly believed it until I held the first published novel in my hands, but I enjoyed writing stories even when I was a little kid.
Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.My first love is historical fiction, but I like romance, women’s fiction, fantasy, sci-fi, suspense, mystery . . . pretty much anything but horror. I’m a bit of a wimp that way.
How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?Music. I am constantly humming or singing. I keep the radio on in the car, play CDs while I’m doing chores, and listen to Pandora while I write. I also love making my own music—I play guitar, hammered dulcimer, mandolin, and Irish tin whistle.
How do you choose your characters’ names?I’m careful to stay true to my historical era, often checking names against social security data from the period. I’ve also been known to steal names from family history. My current hero, Robert King, gets his name from my husband’s uncle. It always surprises me to see my character’s name show up on the caller ID.
What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?Being a mom. It’s been the toughest and most rewarding job, ever.
If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why? I’d probably be a bird of some type, because I love the idea of flying high and looking down over the world. That’s probably why I always request window seats on airplanes.
What is your favorite food?Oven-fried chicken. It’s best cold, the next day. Yum!
What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?My greatest roadblock is fear. I struggle with it on a daily basis. “What will people think when they read this story? Did I get all my facts right? What if the book doesn’t sell?” I still struggle with it, but I’m quick to ask for prayer. I have a group of friends and fellow writers who will pray for me at a moment’s notice. I also remind myself of some words from Beth Moore: Satan cannot take our salvation from us, so he does everything he can to steal our effectiveness. (Paraphrased from Praying God’s Word). I don’t want fear to win and render me ineffective.
Tell us about the featured book. Out of the Ruins : Abby Fischer doesn’t know if God will answer her prayer for her dying sister. She doesn’t know if miracles can really happen. And she certainly doesn’t know if the handsome Dr. Robert King, with his risky experimental treatment, is the one to remedy her doubts. When tragedy strikes and the mighty San Francisco earthquake shatters what is left of her heart, Abby wonders if God will hear her as she flees alone through burning streets. What will it take to show her that the One she doesn’t want to love is the One whose love will save her?
Please give us the first page of the book.San Jose, California, August 16, 1905 “The doctor could be wrong.” Abby’s words cut through the suffocating silence in the bedroom. She placed her fingers on the sun-warmed windowsill, but it did little to thaw the chill gripping her heart.
Cecelia’s voice barely stirred the air. “He’s not.”
Abby glanced down at the novel she’d been reading, her thumb holding a place between the pages. If only she could stick her thumb on this day and prevent life from moving forward. When had time become the enemy?
She rose from the window seat and paced back to the wooden chair pulled close to her sister’s bedside. The faded rosebud quilt covered Cecelia’s body like a shroud. Abby kept her voice crisp and no-nonsense. “Papa telephoned Cousin Gerald last night. Gerald thinks there might be doctors in San Francisco who could actually do something, despite what Dr. Greene says.”
Cecelia opened her eyes, the flash of blue seeming out of place in her otherwise colorless face. Her unbound hair—once like so many strands of golden silk—now covered the white pillowcase, tangled and matted.
Abby fingered her own brown braid. She hadn’t even bothered to pin it up this morning. “I’m not giving up, and neither should you.”
Cecelia’s eyes closed again, dark circles framing their sunken depths. “I’m too tired. If God’s calling, I’m ready to go home.”
Abby thumped the novel down on the bedside table. “Stop saying that. I’m not going to let you die and leave me here alone.”
Her sister shifted under the covers, as if the very weight of the quilt caused her pain. “You’re—” she stopped for a breath, “not alone.”
The deluge of fear returned, sweeping over Abby like waves across the shore. Who would she be without Cecelia?
How can readers find you on the Internet?I love connecting with readers! You can find me at www.KarenBarnettBooks.com or at any of these social media outlets:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarenBarnettAuthor.comTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/KarenMBarnettPinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/karenbarnett/

Thank you, Karen, for sharing this new book with us. I love historical romance novels. That's why I write them.

Don't miss the debut book, Out of the Ruins, in Karen Barnett's new series, The Golden Gate Chronicles. Set against the backdrop of early 20th century San Francisco, Out of the Ruins will remind readers that no matter who we are or what we’ve done, God is still as close to us as our next breath.

Karen is celebrating with a fun giveaway and Facebook author chat party.


  One winner will receive:
A Kindle Fire HDXOut of the Ruins by Karen BarnettEnter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on June 19th. Winner will be announced at the Out of the Ruins Facebook author chat party on June 19th. Connect with Karen for an evening of fun book chat, games, and prizes. Karen will also be answering audience questions and giving an exclusive look at the next book in The Golden Gate Chronicles series!
So grab your copy of Out of the Ruins  and join Karen on the evening of June 19th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!) Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 19th!Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
 - Amazon
Out of the Ruins: Golden Gate Chronicles | Book 1 (Golden Gate Chronicles 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

THE SHORT LIFE OF MOTHS - Sharon Bernash Smith - One Free Book

Welcome, Sharon. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.I’m sure there is a part of me in every character, some more than others, of course. I’ve received much healing in my life from God, so I like to write about needy people.
What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?Dressing up in a gorilla suit…twice. Enough said!
When did you first discover that you were a writer?I’ve always had a vivid imagination which I believe is essential for being a writer, so I took journalism classes during my school years. Later, I was able to hone the craft as the newsletter editor for several Crisis Pregnancy Centers in my community for nearly 25 years.
Our family served as a Shepherding Home for Crisis Pregnancy Centers a couple of times. Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.I’m sort of a compulsive reader, I think. I’ll read anything from YA fiction to classics and biographies. Just recently I discovered that I’m a distant relative of Winston Churchill, so now I want to devour everything I can about him.
How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?Staying centered on the Lord keeps my mind and spirit occupied with Him and not myself. Exercise is a great stress reliever for me, so I walk 8-10 miles every week with a walking partner who holds me accountable. We solve a lot of the world’s problems during that time.
How do you choose your characters’ names?Sometimes names choose me. I know that sounds crazy, but that’s how it works for me, they just grab my attention or have stayed in my memory. I’ve also used names of real people I know or have known. It’s fun to include them and see the reaction. I actually have a file with names I’m saving for future projects…my favorite I found in an obituary.
What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?I know this will probably sound cliché, but I’m most proud of raising my two sons. They are loving, caring men, who are fathers to some awesome girls, and husbands to two amazing women. It’s pure delight to see them serving their families in such important roles.
If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?I would love to be a bird with the ability to soar above the earth at will. Wings give freedom to a completely different perspective, don’t you think?
What is your favorite food?Wow, that’s a hard question because I’m a total “foodie.” I love ethnic food, especially Hispanic and Middle Eastern dishes. I can make myself like anything I know is good for me, so I try to stay on a healthy food plan that suits me. However, I’d trade my car for a bag of Lay’s potato chips.
What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it? I’m a very social, extroverted person, which doesn’t lend itself well to the solitary calling of writing. However, I’ve learned to prioritize my time, I’m better at saying “no” to social things that would eat up my work time. There are times I still struggle, but when I remember that God asked me to write in the first place, it’s easier.
Tell us about the featured book. The Short Life of Moths is the book I never wanted to write. Its content is centered on a domestic violence relationship, inspired by what tragically happened to my niece. While sitting in a court room, listening to her brutal testimony, I clearly heard God tell me to write the story. Let me just share the back cover with you.
Kristen Edwards is a bright girl full of possibilities—talented, a hard worker, and a horse lover. The summer before her senior year, she gives in to the pleadings of her best friend’s brother, Cameron Dalton, who wants to date her even though he’s four years older and a recovering addict. He tells her he needs her, and she’s committed to helping him change. But really he wants her … all of her. One terrifying night will change everything for Kristen.
Parker Sullivan, who works on a high desert ranch in central Oregon, where rescued horses and wounded children meet, is intrigued by the new ranch hand, Kristen. He’s experienced enough of the rough side of life to know that something happened to her that causes the shadows in her eyes. How can he prove to her that he can be a place of refuge and a friend? If only she could see herself through his eyes …
Please give us the first page of the book.Superior Court, Clark County, Washington“Ladies and gentlemen, what you are about to hear is a story surrounding a lovely, caring friendship…” The prosecuting attorney took two steps closer to the jury box, while each person in the courtroom sat up straighter. “…a lovely, caring friendship that went terribly, terribly wrong. What began as two young people entering a relationship with hope and expectation, ended with one of them being physically and emotionally broken, shamed and humiliated as the result of deliberate and horrifying violence…”
How can readers find you on the Internet?I love Facebook, so look for me there. All my books can be found on:www.amazon.comwww.oaktara.comwww.sharonbernashsmith.blogspot.com

Thank you, Sharon, for sharing your life and new book with us.

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

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

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

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

Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

WINNERS!!!!

Cindy (IN) is the winner of  Proofreading Secrets of Best-Selling Authors  by Kathy Ide.
Jan (TX) is the winner of  Rebekah's   Treasure  by Sylvia Bambola.
Jackie (OH) is the winner of  Ozark Reunion  by Helen Gray.
Vera (NC) is the winner of  A Place in His Heart  by Rebecca DeMarino.
Casey (CO) is the winner of  Raptor 6  by Ronie Kendig.

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.

SPECIAL SUMMER READING CHALLENGE - One Winner - $25 Gift Card

Have You Joined Our Summer Reading Challenge?
Three months of reading challenge - June, July, August. Keep a list of all the books you read and list them this way:
List one will be books with covers on either sidebar of this blog. You will get 3 points for each of them you read.
List two will be the books featured on my blog that aren't in either sidebar. You will get 2 points for these.
List one will be any other book you read in these three months.
When you make your list, we want the title and author(s) of the book.
You'll be reporting on your progress at the end of each month. At the end of June and at the end of July, you can leave a comment with only the number of books read. At the end of August, we'll want your complete lists in the comments. The one who has the most points will receive a gift card to Deeper Shopping Online Christian store.
I'll be reading along with you. This is going to be fun.



Happy Reading!!!

SAVING AMELIE - Cathy Gohlke - One Free Book

Welcome back, Cathy. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?I see just enough to reach the next bend in this amazing journey—the current releasing of Saving Amelie and the thought provoking questions this book raises among readers, the pouring of my heart into my next book, Into the Valley of Secrets (working title), and the joyful anticipation that a new story will emerge from my recent trip to England’s Lake District and Scotland. What the Lord has in store, I cannot say. But each day is a new adventure. Each door the Lord opens is one I’m thrilled to walk through.
Tell us a little about your family.My family is growing ... our first grandchild—a granddaughter—was born last year. She’s changed everything—my husband and I have even temporarily moved to Virginiato be near her. I babysit for her 3–4 days per week while her parents work. My husband generously brings or prepares lunch and pinch hits when I have telephone interviews or book club meetings or radio broadcasts. Our grown son studies and works in China. My mother’s health is challenged, and she and we are planning moves. Our nest is not empty, but ever changing.
Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?Yes, I’ve always loved to read a great deal of fiction. Now, although I still read fiction when possible, I focus primarily on nonfiction for research purposes. I read a great deal of history—something I didn’t consider entertaining early in life, but find absolutely fascinating now.
What are you working on right now?Into the Valley of Secrets (working title), due to release from Tyndale House Publishers in 2015. This is my first time-split novel and is the story of a young woman who discovers, much to her horror and shame, that her grandfather was a Nazi who exploited Jewish friends and strangers during WWII, as well as his very own daughter, her mother. The story, separated by decades, follows conflicted mother and daughter—as well as the men they grow to love—on parallel journeys of discovery, each seeking understanding and a road to redemption.
Sounds very interesting. What outside interests do you have?Right now my chief interest is my granddaughter! Each day is new, and witnessing her accomplishments, reading to her, teaching her and caring for her are great pleasures. I also love reading, cooking, exploring historical sights and gardens, and travel. I’ve just returned from a wonderful trip to England (researching another new book) with author-friend Carrie Turansky (The Edwardian Bride Series) and a fascinating tour of Scotland guided by Liz Curtis Higgs.
I love those two ladies. I read on Facebook about some of those travels. How do you choose your settings for each book?I think settings choose me. When I traveled to Oberammergau to view the Passion Play, I had not planned to set a book— Saving Amelie —there. But after leaving, I couldn’t help but wonder how this Alpine Passion Village, committed to portraying the sacrificial love of Christ, had responded to the cruelties and dictates of Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich. The question would not let me go, so I began to research, and found the story beyond fascinating. That happens often. Sometimes, the very history I’m writing about leads me/draws me to a particular place—as in Promise Me This, when the Titanic sailed first from Belfast, Ireland, and later began its maiden voyage from Southampton, England.
I found Promise Me This a fascinating story. If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?William Wilberforce. His long commitment, even through terrible health, to the abolition of slavery in England has long inspired me. His crusade to elevate the society in which he lived through his writing, speaking, volunteering, campaigning, and crusades amazes and thrills me. He demonstrated what a life entirely focused can accomplish. I’d love to stand in the presence of such passion and faith.
What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?I wish I’d better understood technology and the tools needed to reach readers through today’s social media, as well as the importance and “how” of gradually building relationships through social media.
What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?He’s teaching me, day by day, to trust Him for strength and time. I believe He has led me to and is blessing these months of caring for my granddaughter. At the same time, I’m concerned about the management of time for research and writing, for public speaking and the needed promotion of books. Wonderfully, I’m learning that when I lay aside worry and trust Him most, He blesses me with the most productive writing and work sessions—often at unexpected times and in unexpected places. His gifts are new every morning!
What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?a. Read classics and poetry, certainly the Bible. Nothing better teaches the beauty and rhythm, the essence of words and the economy of expression. b. Study human nature. Get inside the heads of people you know and love—and love to hate, of those you admire and those you find most difficult, of those you glimpse on the street or hear or read about in the news. Understand what makes people tick and you will write compelling characters.c. Write. Write. Write. Nothing beats the doing of a thing.
Tell us about the featured book. Summer, 1939Rachel Kramer is visiting Germany when a cryptic letter from her estranged friend, begging Rachel for help, upends her world. Married to SS officer Gerhardt Schlick, Kristine sees the dark tides turning and fears her husband views their daughter—deaf since birth—as a blight on his Aryan bloodline.
Once courted by Schlick, Rachel knows he’s as dangerous as the swastikas that now hang like ebony spiders across Berlin. She fears her father, an eminent eugenics scientist, may know about Hitler’s plans for others, like Amelie, whom the regime deems unworthy of life. But when she risks searching his classified documents, she also uncovers shocking secrets about her own history and a family she’s never known.
Hunted by the SS, Rachel turns to Jason Young, a driven American journalist whose connections to the resistance help Rachel and Amelie escape the city. Forced to hide in the Bavarian village of the Passion Play, Rachel’s every ideal is challenged as she and Jason walk a knife’s edge, risking their lives—and asking others to do the same—for those they barely know but come to love. 
Please give us the first page of the book.Rachel Kramer dropped her linen napkin across the morning newspaper’s inflammatory headlines: “Cold Spring HarborScientist in League With Hitler.” She glanced up,  willing herself to smile innocently as her father strode into the formal breakfast room.
“You needn’t bother to hide it.” His eyes, bloodshot and mildly accusing, met hers as he took his chair at the head of the polished mahogany table. “I’ve already received a phone call from the Institute.”
Rachel glanced at their butler’s stoic face as he poured her father’s coffee, then carefully framed her statement. “It isn’t true, of course.”
“In league with the Fȕhrer? You believe the ravings of that maniac hack Young?” he scoffed. “Come now, Rachel—” he jerked his napkin from its ring—“you know me better than that.”
“Of course, Father, but I need to understand—”
How can readers find you on the Internet?I love to connect with readers at my home on the web, www.cathygohlke.com and on Facebook at CathyGohlkeBooks.
Thank you so much for having me, Lena!
It’s always a pleasure to host you, Cathy.

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

DEAD RINGER - V B Tenery - One Free Book

Readers, we have another new author today. I met her when I was a speaker for a book club in East Texas, and I'm thrilled to introduce her to you. I can't wait to read this suspense novel.
Bio: Author V. B. Tenery lives with her family in East Texas. Her passion is writing inspirational fiction with shinning characters, settings, and plots so exciting readers come away feeling delighted with the experience. Not content to stay in one genre, her novels range from contemporary suspense and supernatural suspense, to an upcoming historical suspense set in WWII England. When not writing she enjoys reading, hiking, and tube-floating down rivers in the Texas Hill Country.
God’s child trying to make Him proud.
Welcome, Virginia. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.I never see myself as one of my characters, but my values and spiritual beliefs are reflected in most of the main characters, both male and female.
What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done? I let a friend talk me into entering an Arthur Murray dance contest. I’m still not sure how we did it, but we won a bronze metal in the tango. I was so nervous I didn’t remember anything from the moment we began until it ended—a total blank.
When did you first discover that you were a writer? In my teens, I wrote a lot of poetry, but it wasn’t until about twelve years ago that I realized I had a passion for storytelling. A friend and I took a creative writing course at a community college, and the professor gave me a lot of encouragement. He made me believe I could do it. That was the beginning of my first novel. Which, by the way, I rewrote about a gazillion times before it was published in March.
Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading. My range isn’t large, I mostly enjoy suspense, but I’m not limited in the sub-genres. I like contemporary, historical, even speculative fiction as long as it isn’t too far out. I read to escape into an exciting place with characters I want to know. I have two favorite novels: In fiction, To Kill a Mockingbird and in non-fiction, The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom, the greatest book on faith I’ve ever read.
How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world? By accepting my limitations as a human being. I can only do so much, and I don’t beat myself up if I don’t get everything done. I try to walk every day, preferably outdoors to appreciate the world God gave us. It lifts my spirits. In bad weather, I use the gym but it isn’t the same.
How do you choose your characters’ names? It’s really odd, but the main character names just come to me when I begin a new novel. With secondary characters I look up names by their ethnic origin. I’m big on building a strong cast of supporting characters. I have one secondary character that is getting larger and larger. LOL. I think she wants the lead in her own novel.
I’m sure she does. What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of? Raising my daughter to be a woman of faith and being the caregiver for my three grandsons whom I adore.
If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why? I can’t think of an animal I would want to be, but if I had to be one, I’d want to be a dog. After all, the dog is man’s best friend. Dogs are sensitive and loving; they don’t complain; and they gaze at you with adoring eyes. All they ask is an occasional pat on the head or an evening stroll.
What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it? Telling rather than showing was my nemesis. Learning the techniques of deep point of view helped me overcome most of it but it’s still a struggle.
Tell us about the featured book. Dead Ringer is the story of Mercy Lawrence, just out of college and recovering from an accident. When airport facial identification security cameras mistakenly identify her as Tracy Wallace, a notorious missing model, her life is upended. Tracy’s husband, Thomas Wallace, believing Mercy is his missing wife, abducts her and takes her to his private island to care for their ill son. An orphan, Mercy deals with the emotions of abduction and immediately bonds with the little boy. Not the least of her problems is the discovery that her double had made enemies who want her dead.
Thomas is lured into a covert mission to rescue a CIA asset and uncover a government mole, leaving Mercy isolated on the island. Thomas finds himself stranded on foreign soil with a compromised mission and a wounded agent. He must escape alive and rescue Mercy and his son before assassins finish the job they started.
Please give us the first page of your book.Hamilton, BermudaFriday, May 5Mercy Lawrencewouldn’t have noticed the large man standing by the silver Mercedes except for the way he was dressed. Unlike the tourists on the sidewalk, he wore a light gray business suit and tie. Sunglasses hid the upper portion of his face, and the grim set of his mouth detracted from his otherwise handsome appearance. He stood beside the car’s open back door, arms crossed as if waiting for someone.
Not wanting to stare, she tore her gaze away. In jeans, T-shirt, and sandals, she blended easily into the vacationers along the boulevard. She’d spent the last five months in this wonderful country, recuperating from a head injury. Most of her memory remained intact after the accident, but dark recesses still refused to reveal their mystery.
But tomorrow, like a good soldier, she would return to Houston and report to her new job at Sabine Oil. The fulfillment of a goal she’d worked toward for the past six years.
The city’s main drag ran four lanes wide with a palm-tree-lined median. The sea on one side, shops and hotels on the other. A soft wind filled the air with the scent of sea kelp and brine, mixed with a light floral fragrance from the purple bougainvilleas hanging on the walls along the walkway. Seagulls swept low over the water, looking for lunch out past the rolling surf.
She shook her hair loose from the confines of its ponytail clip and turned her face to the balmy sunshine—mainlining vitamin D.
Her path took her within four feet of the parked car.
How can readers find you on the Internet?Website: www.vbtenery.com  www.agatharemembered.blogspot.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/teneryherrin

Thank you, Virginia, for sharing your new novel and part of your life with us today.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Dead Ringer - Amazon Kindle and paperback

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

OF THE PERSECUTED - Angie Brashear - One Free Book or Ebook, Winner's Choice

Readers, here is another debut author with a book that sounds really interesting.
Bio: When Angie Brashear isn’t working or taking care of her family, she writes. Usually at night after her kids fall asleep. She’s a fan of speculative fiction and an avid runner, both of which perplex her nonfiction-reading, football-loving husband. Saved in her early twenties, Angie is grateful for the Lord’s presence in all aspects of her life. She is originally from Rockland, Maine, and currently resides in Cameron, Texas, with her husband and three children.
Welcome, Angie. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.Both my hero and heroine each possess one of my main characteristics. In Lars, it is his reluctance to lead. In Laila, it is her insecurity. Beyond that, my characters are mainly just themselves.
What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?I long to be quirky, but I’m actually quite ordinary. Hm … oh, when I ran the Boston Marathon, I wore my then shorter hair in what felt like a million ponytails with lots of colorful ribbons. Hey, a news reporter liked the style so much, she interviewed my friends and me on the local news station. Sadly, that may be the quirkiest thing I’ve ever done. LOL!
When did you first discover that you were a writer?Just two short years ago. But looking back, the dream to write began long ago. When I was in the fifth grade, my teacher read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis aloud to my class. In doing so, she opened my eyes to adventure and possibilities, all the while helping me escape a world of darkness for a short time. At its conclusion, I wondered, Is God real? He couldn’t be, right? For if He existed, innocent young girls wouldn’t suffer the wrath of drunken addicts or the torment of abandonment. I continued to speculate. Each time God placed believers in my path—a high school teacher, a college friend, and a college coach—my fascination with the possibility grew stronger until the truth stunned me like a slap to the face. God indeed lives in the form of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. He rescues. He saves. And He waited for me. Then He embraced me. It all started with a little seed, planted in the empty heart of the girl I once was. A love for reading expanded to a love for writing. A desire to know God became a desire to serve Him, to reach nonbelievers. So I write, in hopes of reaching at least one lost girl.
Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.My range is narrow, for I prefer to read speculative fiction. Within speculative fiction, I especially enjoy fantasies with a thread of romance.
How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?I’m not sure that I truly do. LOL! Seriously, though, I rely on prayer and fellowship with Christians. Without both, I’d be an utter mess.
How do you choose your characters’ names?A few, such as Lars, are names I chose for my children, but my husband rejected. And Lars’s last name (Landre, land not laund and pronounced with a long e at the end) is actually my maiden name. I realize some people frown on taking such an approach, but it is my way of honoring a father who died too young, and who I never truly knew. As to other names, such as villages, etc., I simply take familiar words and morph them into names I like, names that make sense to the world I created.
What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?My three children. As much love as I feel for each of them, it is sometimes difficult to believe that the Lord loves us so much more.
If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?I’m a long distance runner, so a cheetah. I’d love to run up to 75 mph!
What is your favorite food?Pizza. Definitely pizza, especially the family-owned pizzeria kind.
What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?While I encountered many roadblocks, the biggest was deviating from God’s will. Though I did not recognize my deviation at the time, it was as a slap to the face when I realized I’d been praying selfishly and relying on people to fulfill my lifetime dream. Only God is at the center of my story’s success. Not contracts, not editors, not reviewers, and certainly not me. Of course, He can use many to His glory, but I’m ashamed to admit my focus abandoned His path temporarily.
I’m sure that’s true of all of us at some time or other. Tell us about the featured book. Of the Persecuted is a fantasy with a strong thread of romance geared toward young adult females. The story surrounds an insecure girl who believes she is no more than a burden to the people she loves. But in the midst of physical and spiritual war, and through the loss of loved ones, as well as the turmoil of unrequited love, she discovers her true worth lies in her faith.
Ultimately, my goal is to reach young adult females much like the lost, lonely girl I once was. As a nonbeliever for the majority of my life, I enjoyed reading speculative fiction, and it was the The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis which ultimately opened my eyes to Christ. My prayer is that my stories will do the same for others. I also hope believers will enjoy the Christian undertones of my work.
Back Cover Blurb:Laila Pennedy awaits death by hanging. For the Rendow Clan rules the Woodlands Region, aiming to slaughter the Faithful. And she deserves to die. But Lars Landre, the man destined to lead the Faithful out of persecution, has other plans hidden behind his rare and mysterious blue eyes. Rescue.
Following the daring escape, Laila seeks the path of a warrior and vows revenge against the Rendow Clan. She embarks on a dangerous journey with Lars, one in which they endeavor to reach the promised safety of a magical village, to train for battle, and to ultimately assure freedom for those with faith in the Maker.
Clashes of weapons and souls. Brutal loss of lives. Unrequited love. How in all the Woodlands will Laila survive?
Please give us the first page of the book.Laila Pennedy’s heart pounded.
The noose pinched her neck. She struggled for breath. Muffled voices drifted from the crowd up to the gallows. To her left, a long line of captives trembled. And right, past her brother, more than fifty Faithfuls hung limp, swaying above the platform. She stood on a large wooden barrel in the middle of the line. Too many would die today.
Beyond the mass of enemies, archers congregated amidst scattered stone cottages and log homes in the quaint village. Dilapidated, individual gallows dotted the hillside. Farther in the distance, the morning sun shone on the peaks of the Willow Mountains, her refuge since Faithfuls lost the War of Submission. Oh, what she wouldn’t give to be in the coolness of the upper forest, in exile with other Faithfuls. Safe from the enemy.
If only … Instead, rivulets of sweat trickled down her thighs inside wool leggings, into knee-high leather boots. Her sleeveless, broadcloth dress clung to her torso and hung above her knees, the once beautiful cloth ragged and cinched at her waist by a dingy belt. Her long, matted blonde hair stuck to her face and neck. So much for the gorgeous locks her mother once adored.
“Laila,” her older brother said, his raspy voice tugging at her heart as he too awaited death.
She forced herself to look into Niles’s tear-filled, deep green eyes and shuddered at the noose around his neck. If only she could reach out to him one last time, but her arms were bound behind her back. Soreness strained her shoulders. Her raw wrists stung under the taut rope, which had ripped open her skin.
“I’m sorry, Sissy,” Nilesmouthed.
Sorry? She shook her head. No, this was her fault.
How can readers find you on the Internet?Readers can connect with me on my website (http://angiebrashear.com), on Facebook (http://facebook.com/AngieBrashearAuthor), and on Twitter (https://twitter.com/AngieBrashear). Thus far, I’ve received the most support on Facebook, so it’s easier for readers to connect with me there. Readers can buy my book on Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/dp/0692214712).
Thank you, Angie, for sharing your debut book with us. I can hardly wait to read it. I hope my copy gets here soon.

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

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

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

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Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

STUCK TOGETHER - Mary Connealy - One Free Book

Welcome back, Mary. Did you always know you wanted to be a writer or did you want to be something else?The only job I ever really thought about as a child was, I wanted to build roads. I think we were studying Ancient Rome in school when I was 9 or 10 maybe, and I went to the city with my parents, and it was the first time I’d ever seen an interstate highway. A car went over our heads on an overpass, we went over other cars. I was fascinated by it, the on-ramps and slopes and those massive ribbons of concrete. I remembered in school they’d say that some of those ancient roads, the Apian Way, still existed and I looked at these modern interstate highways and thought, “These will last, just as long, maybe not perfectly intact but enough someone could find them.” That interstate seemed eternal to me and it appealed to me to be part of something eternal I suppose, something that would last for centuries. And now I write books and in a less cement-y way, I think books will last. So the part of that dream that appealed to me came true.
How long does it take you to write a book from start to finish? I write 1,000 words a day, five days a week. Sometimes I write more but I try to never write less. That’s 1,000 words in my current WIP, and if something comes up like galley edits or a finished book sent back with revision notes, those come first.
I’d say I write a full length book (that’s around 80,000 words) every four months. So I’ve been writing two a year and I’ve written a novella now and then to fill in the gaps.
How do you come up with themes for your stories? When you say “theme,” Lena to me that is more than the story, that’s the underlying message I’m trying to get across and often I’m surprised by the theme. But I believe every story, to get to a happily ever after, has to have two characters growing and changing and learning something and that growth can always be rooted in faith. There is no message that isn’t handled best with Biblical principles and God at the center. So when I finally get to my theme, it’s easy usually to say, “This is how a person of faith would handle this.”
Do you have a schedule of when you write? Not really, like a certain time of day. Today I spent the morning reading through galleys I received, so I’ll stick with that all day and probably not write a word. I suppose usually I write in the mid-to-late afternoon but if I get my writing done early or late, I still get it done.
How are you able to balance other aspects of your life with your writing?I don’t balance other aspects of my life. Trust me, I’m unbalanced. I believe there is paperwork on file to that effect with the County Attorney.
What elements do you think make a great story line? C’mon, Lena. Feisty lady ranchers and tough Texas cowboys. What other elements are there???
What was the hardest thing about writing a book? I love writing. I love all aspects of it. The original work, starting the story with a bang, revisions. I love revisions because I know it’s always going to get so much better. I suppose what’s hardest for me is marketing and publicity because I’m so happy by myself, makin’ stuff up. But I’ve even gained something of a comfort level with public speaking, though I doubt I’ll ever love it.
How many books have you written so far? Do you have a favorite? Stuck Together and the novella collection Four Weddings and a Kiss both release in June. They are my 30th and 31st book. I have turned in two more, and they are in different stages of the publication pipeline. I’ve finished two novellas that are turned in. I’ve in the middle of another novella, and I’m finished with yet another full length book that is due in October but needs some polishing. And I’ve got contracts for three more books I haven’t proposed yet. The publisher isn’t ready to talk about them until my October book is turned in. So how many is that? And that doesn’t count about 8 finished books on my computer that are old that have never sold.You count them, Lena. Math isn’t my strength.
Do you have a favorite character? This is tricky because I just fall in love with the book I’m writing. You have to get so deep in the characters and material. The standard answer is always, “This one. This is my favorite.” And it sounds cliché but it’s at least somewhat true because you’re so swamped by the story you’re telling. Vince Yates is one of my favorite characters ever so I’m going to say him.
Tell us about the story. Tina Cahill, newly arrived from the East, is determined to get the saloon in Broken Wheel, Texas, closed for good. To that end, she pickets outside the place every afternoon. Unfortunately, so far no one has paid any attention.

Vince Yates earned the nickname Invincible Vince because of his reputation for letting absolutely nothing stop him. Not his tyrant of a father. Nor the injuries he suffered in the Civil War. Nor the fact that he is Broken Wheel's only attorney and sheriff yet has no law degree.

But Vince is about to face his biggest challenge yet: his past has just caught up with him. His father, mother, and the sister he didn't know he had shown up in Broken Wheel without warning. His father is still a schemer. His mother is suffering signs of dementia. And his surprise sister immediately falls for one of Vince's best friends. Vince has a lot of people to take care of, and Tina doesn't approve of how he's handling any of them. But with almost all the other men in town married off, Vince finds himself stuck with feisty Tina over and over again. Of course, Tina is the prettiest woman he's ever seen, so if he could just get her to give up her causes, he might go ahead and propose. But he's got one more surprise coming his way: Tina's picketing at the saloon has revealed a dark secret that could put everyone Vince loves in danger.
Please give us a peek at the first page of the book.Broken Wheel, TexasDecember 31st, 1868Tina Cahill finished hammering a hefty board across the front of Duffy’s Tavern. Carefully printed on the board were the words “Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter Here.”
It sent a message at the same time it nailed Duffy’s door shut.
Tina’s plan was to get his notice.
“That tears it!” Duffy roared from inside the saloon.
He’d noticed.
She stepped well out of the way expecting only one reaction from the galoot, and she got it.
With one hard shove, he swung the batwing doors open and knocked down her sign, which clattered across the wooden sidewalk. Tina was encouraged when it stayed in one piece—her construction skills were definitely improving and that was good because she meant to be at her mission for a long time and she’d need that sign again later.
Duffy Schuster glared at her.
Wagging her finger under his nose, she said, “Close this den of iniquity, Duffy Schuster.”
To make her point more fully, she looked behind her for her placard—she had this in addition to her sign so she could nail shut the tavern door with one and march back and forth carrying the other. Her placard said “Whiskey—The Poison Scourge” on one side and “LIQUOR—A Thief in Your Mouth that Steals Your Brain” on the other.
She spied the sign on its long, sturdy pole, leaning against the saloon and picked it up, intending to wave it in Duffy’s face.
“I am sick of you—” Duffy hot breath blasted her neck.
Startled to feel him so close, she whirled around. It was a complete accident that her placard slammed Duffy right in the head.
Duffy staggered backward through the swinging doors of the saloon, howling in pain. An unfortunately located spittoon tripped him and he fell, pin-wheeling his arms.
He backhanded his brother, Griss.
Griss, the worse for drink, bellowed a word that made Tina want to cover her ears. Her hands were busy with the sign though, so she had to listen to every bit of the foul diatribe.
Tina peeked over the top of the slapping doors. “I’m sorry, gentlemen.”
She wasn’t really. Well, she was. She hadn’t intentionally clubbed Duffy in the head. And it was just the worst sort of luck—for Duffy—that her placard was on a very stout stick. And it wasn’t her fault about the stick either. Why, just last week, Griss had snapped the handle of her sign right in half. So of course she’d chosen a thicker length of wood this time.
But if ever a man needed a few feet of lumber taken to his head it was Duffy Schuster…and his brother right along with him. So in that sense she wasn’t all that sorry.
Where can my readers find you on the Internet?
Seekerville
Petticoats and Pistols
My Blog
My Website
My Newsletter
And I’m on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maryconnealyAnd Twitter: http://twitter.com/maryconnealy

Thank you, Mary, for sharing this new book with us. You know I always reading your stories.

Readers, this would be a good book for your summer reading. Here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
 - Amazon
Stuck Together (Trouble in Texas Book #3) - 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