Lena Nelson Dooley's Blog, page 217

A SEASON OF CHANGE - Lynette Sowell - One Free Book on This Blog, Plus Kindle HDX Giveaway

Readers, I’ve known Lynette for many years. We both started out writing for the same publisher and even were involved in projects together. You’re going to love her stories.
Bio: Lynette Sowell is the Carol Award-winning and ECPA best-selling author of more than 15 titles, including A Season of Changeand Tempest's Course. When Lynette is not writing, she works as a medical editor and part-time newspaper reporter. She makes her home in Copperas Cove on the doorstep of the Texas hill country. 
Welcome back, Lynette. Why do you write the kind of books you do?It’s usually one of two things: either the characters and the situations they face or the setting, because I feel many readers want to read and take a trip in their imaginations. And if I can deliver a message of faith and hope, that’s all the better. I want people to come away uplifted after reading one of my books, no matter what my characters face.
Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?I would have to say my wedding day, 19 years ago. God blessed me with a wonderful man and I’m so thankful for him. In July we’re going to celebrate the 20th anniversary of our first date!
How has being published changed your life?In many ways, being published hasn’t changed my life much—there are still chores, grocery shopping, “mundane” everyday things. However, I’m thankful that I do get to live the dream of having my writing be out there so others can read it—and it helps support my family financially. Since December 2013, I’ve been freelancing full-time, which includes news writing for my local newspaper.
What are you reading right now?Right at this moment—nothing! I’m shocked. I have a stack full of books and I’m looking forward to digging into them soon, though.
What is your current work in progress?Right now I’m working on a proposal for my agent to submit for me. It’s a little strange to be deadline-less for the first time in a few years, but I welcome whatever lies ahead and I look forward to it.
What would be your dream vacation?I’ve always wanted to go on a cathedral tour of Europe. I was an art major and one of my favorite things to study was medieval art and architecture.
How do you choose your settings for each book?I choose settings for places I know—Texasor New England—or in the case of my current book series, places that interest me so much I can’t help but write about them. When I first heard of Pinecraft four years ago, I was extremely intrigued, and I knew readers would be too!
What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?I love trying new recipes, especially recipes that are time-friendly and budget-friendly.
What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?Getting to that proverbial middle of the story and trying to prevent sag. One thing I do is jump ahead to the end, to write the very last scene. I call that the “icing on the cupcake” scene and it’s incentive for me to go back and ramp up the rest of the story.
I’ve never done that, but with my current work in progress, the last scene won’t leave me alone. I think I’ll have to write it so I can get back to the middle where I’m now. What advice would you give to a beginning author?Finish that first book. So many people say, “I’d love to write a book,” and they never finish the book. Finish that first book—love it, work on it, but don’t get too attached to it. There’s something about finishing that first book that makes you realize you can be an author.
Tell us about the featured book. A Season of Change is an “urban Amish” romance that takes places in the city of Sarasota, Florida, the home of Pinecraft, an Amish-Mennonite village. It’s a winter haven for Amish and Mennonite snowbirds, and also a vacation spot for Amish and Mennonites from other parts of the country.
Amish widower Jacob Miller believes visiting the Amish village of Pinecraft was a mistake after his daughter is struck by a car. Stranded in Sarasotauntil she recovers, Jacob grows increasingly wary of events that unfold in his unfamiliar surroundings—including the strange curiosity of Englischer Natalie Bennett.
Natalie’s curiosity draws the unlikely pair together, and she soon wonders if Jacob Miller can help her find her mother’s family. As Jacob and Natalie fall in love, their worlds collide. Will their differences tear them apart? Or will their love be strong enough to blend their clashing cultures?
Please give us the first page of the book.“We’re having ice cream at Christmas time, Daed?” Zeke Miller trotted alongside his father on the pavement, trying to keep up with Jacob’s pace. The boy would definitely sleep well tonight; he’d barely stopped since he’d gotten off the Pioneer Trails bus and tumbled into the Florida sunshine.
“Yes, we are. It’s hard to imagine, isn’t it? We’re definitely a long way from home.” Jacob rubbed the top of his son’s head. At only five, Zeke didn’t comprehend the idea of ice cream in winter. His sister, Rebecca, a dozen paces ahead of them, pranced alongside her cousins. The sound of the children’s giggles drifted on the air.
Jacob slowed his steps to match Zeke’s five-year-old stride. Their figures made long shadows as they strode toward Big Olaf’s Ice Cream Parlor. The December twilight came early, even in Sarasota.
To Jacob, the words “Christmas” and “ice cream” didn’t belong in the same sentence. And he certainly never thought he would be entertaining the children’s eager pleas to ride the bus to the beach on Christmas day. But here they were nestled in Sarasota’s winter haven called Pinecraft.
“We’re here, we’re here!” Rebecca giggled, and stumbled. “Ach.” She stopped long enough to stick her foot back into the pink plastic flip-flops, a gift from her cousin Maybelle.
Jacob shook his head over his daughter wearing the sandals, but a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth anyway. As soon as they’d all climbed off the immense travel bus and stepped onto the parking lot of Pinecraft’s Mennonite Tourist Church, the surroundings seemed to draw them in. The children burst with energy after being stuck on a bus for two days, save for a stop here and there to stretch their legs or pick up more passengers. The more distance between Ohio, the more passengers on the bus.
At first the novelty of riding on a mechanized vehicle had the children enthralled with the speed they traveled, the levers that brought the seats forward and backward, but eventually even Rebecca fidgeted and squirmed in her seat.
Jacob sympathized, but instead of running like a child would, he stared at his surroundings, the rows of homes both large and small, the orange and grapefruit trees in front yards. And the palm trees, of course.
He’d never had the opportunity to visit Florida, even after his grandparents bought a home here in Pinecraft. He hadn’t seen the practicality of cramming himself on a bus and traveling hundreds of miles only to do the same two weeks later. Finally, desperation had won out over practicality.
How can readers find you on the Internet?
Readers can find me on my blog (lynettesowell.blogspot.com), Facebook page(Lynette Sowell, Author) or Twitter (@LynetteSowell) on Pinterest. 
In A Season of Change, book one of Lynette Sowell's new series, Seasons of Pinecraft, readers will discover a different side of the Amish community. A Season of Change follows Natalie and Amish widower Jacob Miller as they each discover the mysterious ways God works. Inspired by the image of a Plain woman sitting on a three-wheeled bicycle by the Pinecraft (an Amish community in Florida) post office, Sowell’s latest is a new take on the popular trend in fiction.

Lynette is celebrating with a Kindle Fire HDX giveaway and a Facebook author chat party on June 12th.

One winner will receive:
A Kindle Fire HDXA Season of Change by Lynette SowellEnter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on June 12th. Winner will be announced at the A Season of Change Facebook author chat party on June 12th. Connect with Lynette for an evening of fun book chat, Amish-themed trivia, and prizes. Lynette will also be answering audience questions and giving an exclusive look at the next book in the Seasons of Pinecraft series!

So grab your copy of A Season of Change  and join Lynette on the evening of June 12th 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 12th!Thank you, Lynette, for sharing this new book with us. I'm intrigued by the story line. I'll be glad when my copy arrives, so I can read it.
Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog. - Amazon
A Season of Change: Seasons in Pinecraft | Book 1 - 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

A SEASON OF CHANGE - Lynette Sowell - One Free Book

Readers, I’ve known Lynette for many years. We both started out writing for the same publisher and even were involved in projects together. You’re going to love her stories.
Bio: Lynette Sowell is the Carol Award-winning and ECPA best-selling author of more than 15 titles, including A Season of Changeand Tempest's Course. When Lynette is not writing, she works as a medical editor and part-time newspaper reporter. She makes her home in Copperas Cove on the doorstep of the Texas hill country. 
Welcome back, Lynette. Why do you write the kind of books you do?It’s usually one of two things: either the characters and the situations they face or the setting, because I feel many readers want to read and take a trip in their imaginations. And if I can deliver a message of faith and hope, that’s all the better. I want people to come away uplifted after reading one of my books, no matter what my characters face.
Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?I would have to say my wedding day, 19 years ago. God blessed me with a wonderful man and I’m so thankful for him. In July we’re going to celebrate the 20th anniversary of our first date!
How has being published changed your life?In many ways, being published hasn’t changed my life much—there are still chores, grocery shopping, “mundane” everyday things. However, I’m thankful that I do get to live the dream of having my writing be out there so others can read it—and it helps support my family financially. Since December 2013, I’ve been freelancing full-time, which includes news writing for my local newspaper.
What are you reading right now?Right at this moment—nothing! I’m shocked. I have a stack full of books and I’m looking forward to digging into them soon, though.
What is your current work in progress?Right now I’m working on a proposal for my agent to submit for me. It’s a little strange to be deadline-less for the first time in a few years, but I welcome whatever lies ahead and I look forward to it.
What would be your dream vacation?I’ve always wanted to go on a cathedral tour of Europe. I was an art major and one of my favorite things to study was medieval art and architecture.
How do you choose your settings for each book?I choose settings for places I know—Texasor New England—or in the case of my current book series, places that interest me so much I can’t help but write about them. When I first heard of Pinecraft four years ago, I was extremely intrigued, and I knew readers would be too!
What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?I love trying new recipes, especially recipes that are time-friendly and budget-friendly.
What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?Getting to that proverbial middle of the story and trying to prevent sag. One thing I do is jump ahead to the end, to write the very last scene. I call that the “icing on the cupcake” scene and it’s incentive for me to go back and ramp up the rest of the story.
I’ve never done that, but with my current work in progress, the last scene won’t leave me alone. I think I’ll have to write it so I can get back to the middle where I’m now. What advice would you give to a beginning author?Finish that first book. So many people say, “I’d love to write a book,” and they never finish the book. Finish that first book—love it, work on it, but don’t get too attached to it. There’s something about finishing that first book that makes you realize you can be an author.
Tell us about the featured book. A Season of Change is an “urban Amish” romance that takes places in the city of Sarasota, Florida, the home of Pinecraft, an Amish-Mennonite village. It’s a winter haven for Amish and Mennonite snowbirds, and also a vacation spot for Amish and Mennonites from other parts of the country.
Amish widower Jacob Miller believes visiting the Amish village of Pinecraft was a mistake after his daughter is struck by a car. Stranded in Sarasotauntil she recovers, Jacob grows increasingly wary of events that unfold in his unfamiliar surroundings—including the strange curiosity of Englischer Natalie Bennett.
Natalie’s curiosity draws the unlikely pair together, and she soon wonders if Jacob Miller can help her find her mother’s family. As Jacob and Natalie fall in love, their worlds collide. Will their differences tear them apart? Or will their love be strong enough to blend their clashing cultures?
Please give us the first page of the book.“We’re having ice cream at Christmas time, Daed?” Zeke Miller trotted alongside his father on the pavement, trying to keep up with Jacob’s pace. The boy would definitely sleep well tonight; he’d barely stopped since he’d gotten off the Pioneer Trails bus and tumbled into the Florida sunshine.
“Yes, we are. It’s hard to imagine, isn’t it? We’re definitely a long way from home.” Jacob rubbed the top of his son’s head. At only five, Zeke didn’t comprehend the idea of ice cream in winter. His sister, Rebecca, a dozen paces ahead of them, pranced alongside her cousins. The sound of the children’s giggles drifted on the air.
Jacob slowed his steps to match Zeke’s five-year-old stride. Their figures made long shadows as they strode toward Big Olaf’s Ice Cream Parlor. The December twilight came early, even in Sarasota.
To Jacob, the words “Christmas” and “ice cream” didn’t belong in the same sentence. And he certainly never thought he would be entertaining the children’s eager pleas to ride the bus to the beach on Christmas day. But here they were nestled in Sarasota’s winter haven called Pinecraft.
“We’re here, we’re here!” Rebecca giggled, and stumbled. “Ach.” She stopped long enough to stick her foot back into the pink plastic flip-flops, a gift from her cousin Maybelle.
Jacob shook his head over his daughter wearing the sandals, but a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth anyway. As soon as they’d all climbed off the immense travel bus and stepped onto the parking lot of Pinecraft’s Mennonite Tourist Church, the surroundings seemed to draw them in. The children burst with energy after being stuck on a bus for two days, save for a stop here and there to stretch their legs or pick up more passengers. The more distance between Ohio, the more passengers on the bus.
At first the novelty of riding on a mechanized vehicle had the children enthralled with the speed they traveled, the levers that brought the seats forward and backward, but eventually even Rebecca fidgeted and squirmed in her seat.
Jacob sympathized, but instead of running like a child would, he stared at his surroundings, the rows of homes both large and small, the orange and grapefruit trees in front yards. And the palm trees, of course.
He’d never had the opportunity to visit Florida, even after his grandparents bought a home here in Pinecraft. He hadn’t seen the practicality of cramming himself on a bus and traveling hundreds of miles only to do the same two weeks later. Finally, desperation had won out over practicality.
How can readers find you on the Internet?
Readers can find me on my blog (lynettesowell.blogspot.com), Facebook page(Lynette Sowell, Author) or Twitter (@LynetteSowell) on Pinterest. 
Thank you, Lynette, for sharing this new book with us. I'm intrigued by the story line. I'll be glad when my copy arrives, so I can read it.



Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog. - Amazon
A Season of Change: Seasons in Pinecraft | Book 1 - 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

CHATEAU OF SECRETS - Melanie Dobson - One Free Book

Welcome back, Melanie. Tell us about your salvation experience. When I was seven, my family flew from Ohioto California to attend a church conference near Disneyland. I don’t remember visiting Disneyland, but I’ll never forget walking down the aisle on the last night of the conference to invite Jesus into my life. It took me awhile to decide to follow Christ, but once I did, I wanted to serve Him with all my heart. Almost forty years later, I am incredibly grateful for God’s many beautiful gifts including grace, redemption, peace, and joy.
Actually, Melanie, I asked Jesus into my heart at a revival in a small town in Arkansas when I was seven years old. You’re planning a writing retreat where you can only have four other authors. Who would they be and why? The perfect writing retreat would be with the wonderful ladies of my critique group—Leslie Gould, Nicole Miller, Dawn Shipman, Kelly Chang, and Kimberly Felton (I realize that’s actually five, but I can’t leave any of our crew behind!). We are all passionate about writing, and they are an incredible encouragement to me and to each other.
Do you have a speaking ministry? If so, tell us about that.I speak occasionally at writer’s conferences and church events. My family spent last December serving children in Uganda, and I had the privilege of sharing our story at a women’s brunch this spring. I love to encourage writers to pursue their calling and encourage parents to serve either internationally or at home alongside their kids.
I know what you mean. I’ve been on missions trips into Mexicoand in Guatemala. What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you and how did you handle it?I remember being absolutely mortified in college when I slipped and fell in front of hundreds of people in the cafeteria. Food all over the place, me and my nice dress sprawled out on the messy floor. I still shudder when I think about it…
People are always telling me that they’d like to write a book someday. I’m sure they do to you, too. What would you tell someone who came up to you and said that? I tell people that I think it’s fantastic, and then I ask how much they’ve written. If they haven’t started their book yet, I encourage them to write a little each day until their manuscript is finished.
Tell us about the featured book. Château of Secrets is about a French noblewoman named Gisèle Duchant who risks her life to hide members of the French resistance in the tunnels under her family’s château even as the Nazi Germans occupy her home. Seventy years later Gisèle’s granddaughter, Chloe Sauver, returns to the abandoned château to interview with a filmmaker named Riley Holtz. As Chloe and Riley begin to unravel her grandmother’s story, they are both shocked at the family secrets they uncover.
Please give us the first page of the book.June 1940Agneaux, FranceCandlelight flickered on the medieval walls as Gisèle Duchant stepped into the warmth of the nave. The shadows in the sacristy were the only witnesses to her secret—no one but she and Michel knew the same small room that stored the vestments and supplies for their family’s chapelle was also a hiding place.
She slid the iron gate across the entry into the sacristy, and after locking it, she set down her picnic hamper—emptied of its Camembert cheese and Calvados—and turned toward the pews.Five women from Agneaux, the tiny commune at the top of the lane, knelt before the altar, the sweet fragrance of incense blending with the smell of cigarette smoke on their clothing. For centuries, women had visited this chapelle to plead with the Almighty to protect their husbands, sons, and brothers as they fought for France. Now they battled in prayer even as the men they loved defended their country against Hitler and his ploy to assimilate the French people into his Third Reich.
Gisèle slid her fingers over the amber rosary beads around her neck, gently fingering the ornamented handle of the brass crucifix in the center. A cross that was also a key.
“Secrets can destroy.”
The words of her university professor echoed in her mind. If a secret was powerful enough, her philosophy professor had declared from his lectern, it could demolish an entire army. Or shatter the heart of a family.
How can readers find you on the Internet? Readers can find me on my website at www.melaniedobson.com or on Facebook at this link: www.facebook.com/pages/Melanie-Dobson/41212604112

Thank you, Melanie, for sharing this new book with us. It sounds intriguing.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
 - Amazon
Chateau of Secrets: A 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

NATURE GIRL - Karen Whiting - One Free Book

Welcome, Karen. What has drawn you to writing for children?I always loved children starting with thirty younger cousins who lived near me growing up. I have five children of my own. They are so imaginative, enthusiastic, and fun! I had so much fun with my own children that people kept encouraging me to share the activities I developed for my kids and their friends, so I did.
What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?Take my two year old on a two-hour horseback ride in the rain forest in Puerto Rico. As we drove by we saw a sign and stopped. It turned out they would let him ride. I forgot to ask how long it would be but he loved it. They had a little saddle like a car seat. When I see something fun, I usually want to try it (have enjoyed scuba diving, canopy walks, camel rides, white water rafting, water skiing, hiked along the Appalachian trail and have been in the Rockies and more)
When did you first discover that you were a writer?I’m still discovering I can write and still learning how to write better. I am more a creative person who writes about creative solutions or fun activities and crafts than a natural writer.
Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.I like nonfiction of all types. In fiction, I prefer comedy and regency romance. I love unique children’s books. I also like books that get me to think about scriptures in a new light.
What other books have you written, whether published or not?I’ve written sixteen other books. Some are for women (The 365 Most Important Bible Passages for Women and Secrets of Success for Women: Time). One that won national awards is especially great for those who love history or the military (Stories of Faith and Courage from the Home Front: From the French and Indian War to the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan) that gives the flip side of what happened at home during American wars.
I’ve written many books for girls and children. The One Year My Princess Devotions is for young girls and released several months ago.
How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?Faith and trust that the Lord sees the forest when I only see a tree or leaf. I tend to be energetic and organized so that helps. With a math degree I am very analytical and that also helps me make decisions.
What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of, besides family?I am very pleased about the home front book I mentioned. As a military wife and mom sharing the stories of women, children, and volunteers took a lot of research but I felt greatly honored to be able to do that (along with my co-author Jocelyn Green). I included a story about my dad from WWII and my mother-in-law (helped break the Japanese code). We should celebrate these people of faith and how they helped forge our nation.
If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?I’d be a koala bear because I always enjoyed climbing trees. They look so cuddly and live in a nice climate among friendly people who care about protecting them. I did pet one when I visited Australia.
What is your favorite food?Chocolate although I like nuts too (macadamia especially), so the combining them is wonderful. I add nuts to lots of my cooking, including main dishes.
Is it hard to break into the children’s market?Yes, if you are writing books. Not so much if you will write for periodicals. It is nearly impossible in picture books but much easier in early readers and hi-lo books.
What advice would you give to an author wanting to do that?Start with the periodicals and rethink a picture book to be an early reader or even chapter book. Work your way up to be trusted in the industry and be thrilled to write for the Sunday School take-home papers and magazines as you will reach so many people. I still write for the periodicals. Also write ideas on what to do with children for parenting and family magazines. Attend writer’s conferences where editors who publish for children are on the faculty.
Several years ago, I wrote children’s Sunday School curriculum, take-home papers, and part of a Bible memory curriculum. What would you like to tell us about the featured book? Nature Girl is absolutely packed with fun activities, adventure, and facts plus tips on how to care for the earth. I had great time writing it with my daughter as we consulted experts and talked with real girls who are actively caring for the world God created.
We included three parties to celebrate beauty and make natural skin care products, to celebrate the great outdoors at parks, and healthy food. There are recipes for food, dog treats, and beauty products. Experiments include ones to learn how to test soil, clean up oil, purify water, and try solar cooking. Crafts included help repurpose items and recycle. Quizzes will test knowledge but also make girls laugh.
There’s even fun to learn more about photography and capturing nature to make cards and albums.
The book will keep girls interested for quite a while and provide lots of fun (think fun summer break).
This book reflects some of my passions. I grew up in a dairy farm community, love nature, and enjoy all the activities in the book myself.
This was the perfect time to feature this book on my blog, since schools are letting out for the summer. How can readers find you on the Internet?www.karenwhiting.comand from there you can link into FB and twitter For groups, I’m happy to visit via Skype or be a speaker at an event

Thank you, Karen, for sharing this interesting book with us.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
 - Amazon
Nature Girl: A Guide to Caring for God's Creation - 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 LOST LOVES OF WORLD WAR II - Bruce Judisch - One Free Book

Readers, I met Bruce when he was a speaker for our local ACFW chapter and became intrigued by his stories. His book just came on Saturday, so I haven’t read the stories yet.
Welcome, Bruce. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.I suppose there are bits and pieces of me in most of my characters—some more than others, of course. I think what I more like to do is have my characters face significant emotional events that I’ve faced in my life and see how they handle them. If they do well, I’ve written into them more of who I’d like to be than who I actually am.
What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?Wow, where do I start? I suspect that a list of un-quirky things I’ve done would actually be shorter than a list of my quirky ones. Being a seat-of-the-pants writer, you have to have some quirkiness to surrender the manuscript so the characters will write the story for you. That way you can blame them if the book flops. There, is that quirky enough? (Hint: ask a writer who outlines…)
When did you first discover that you were a writer?When my wife told me I was one. Seriously, I was introducing study through the book of Jonah to my Sunday School class, and I said, “If I were ever to write a novel, it would be about Jonah.” She elbowed me in the ribs after class and said, “Well…?” That gentle prodding gave birth to A Prophet’s Tale.
Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.I love to read (and write) contemporary-historical fiction, a hybrid where the two storylines parallel or complement each other. Susan Meissner is a master of this (e.g., The Shape of Mercy, Lady in Waiting). Historical fiction is next, and there are so many incredible authors in this genre I can’t begin to name them. The list scatters from there, where writing quality quickly overshadows genre. In the non-fiction realm, biographies and expository Biblical commentaries top the list.
I loved both of those books by Susan. How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?I’ve never claimed to have kept my sanity. In fact, I’m not convinced I ever started out with any.
How do you choose your characters’ names?Oh, fun! Character names are really important. Although this may sound like I was groping, I got all 13 of my grandchildren’s names (or derivations of them) in Katia. And it worked really well. My 14th grandchild didn’t make it in time before the book was released, so I’ve named the female lead in my current manuscript after her. Other characters, well, I agonize over them. The names need to be comfortable, memorable, and fit the character for the reader. I just go through name combinations until I hit what I think is a winner.
What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?I’ve been married to my high-school sweetheart for over 41 years. The pride is in that I’ve managed not to chase her away in all this time. But then, maybe the pride should really be in her perseverance…
If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?A dog. I’d like to love and trust that completely, unconditionally, and without restraint.
What is your favorite food?Easy: pizza. Nature’s perfect food. It has all the major food groups: carbs, fat … you know.
What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?I’m neither sure how to describe it, nor do I believe I’ve overcome it—yet. Cec Murphey once told me the greatest compliment he’d ever received on his writing is when an editor told him how easy he was to read. When you read a novel by an accomplished author (I’ve mentioned Susan Meissner; add Allison Pittman, Candace Calvert, Dan Walsh—and many more, not in any particular order), you can’t really put your finger on what it is that’s so good. I think that’s why it is so good: the prose is effortless, it disappears beneath the story and the dream isn’t broken from the front cover to the last page. I want to be able to do that. Perhaps someday I shall.
Tell us about the featured book. Lost Loves of WWII is a Barbour Publishing collection of three novels, two of which are mine: Katiaand For Maria (click hyperlinks for reader reviews). Katia is perhaps my favorite of the books I’ve written (it’s certainly my wife’s favorite),   For Maria is the sequel to Katia, also a contemporary-historical, and the historical storyline is definitely WWII. There’s also a third novel in the collection:  The Train Baby's Mother  by Sharon Bernash Smith, which promises to be a great read. Three novels for the price of one, I think, is a pretty good deal. and, although it deals more with the Cold War than WWII, it does have roots in that war. It’s a contemporary-historical novel with one storyline in the present and the other in the  mid-20th century.
Please give us the first page of the book.Since there are two of my stories in this collection, I get two pages, right?  J  Okay, we’ll compromise; a page and a half. I’ll give the prologue to For Maria, since it’s a complete chapter.
1 March 1940 Frau Mahler, I hope this letter finds you well. I have received no response to my letter of last December regarding your sister’s baby girls. I can only hope it reached you, and that your response is en route. I fear, though, that there may not be time to await its arrival.
Our apartment is being watched, as are so many others in this district. Rósa and I leave for Salzburgtomorrow evening…
* * *
“…AND THEY HIDE IN THE SHADOWS LIKE RATS.”
“Stay back from the window, Rósa. If they see you, they may come before we’re ready.”
Rósa Dudek eased the curtain closed and rubbed her thin arms against the damp cold permeating the front room of their tiny second-floor apartment. The chill crept inward from the tips of her frail fingers and numbed her bony hands, triggering a dull ache in her arthritic joints. She shivered and pulled a threadbare woolen shawl tighter around her shoulders. Her wistful gaze flicked to a small fireplace, empty but for the powdery residue of last month’s coal, now too costly to replace.
“What are you writing, Gustaw?”
Her husband laid his pen onto the table and ran his fingers through thinning black hair. Cupping his hands around his mouth, he blew into them, then flexed his stiff fingers next to three stubby candles sprouting from a triple brass candle holder on the table. A weary halo shrouded the sickly yellow flames and cast weak shadows across peeling floral wallpaper and a pockmarked tabletop. The jaundiced glow accented the deep creases in Gustaw’s lean tired face. He coughed.
“I write again to the Mahlers in Berlin.”
“But why? They didn’t respond to your first letter.”
“I know they didn’t respond, but I don’t know why. The post is slow since the Germans invaded. There could be many reasons.” He lifted his gaze. “And we must do everything we can to return the girls to their family.”
Rósa clutched her arms around her slight waist. “Perhaps they’ve left Berlin. Or maybe they don’t want the children.”
Gustaw paused, then rose from his chair and took his wife into his arms. He kissed her forehead. “You understand we must return them, don’t you?”
Her eyes brimmed as he caressed her cheek.
“God has withheld children from us for reasons only he knows, Rósa, and lacking a son or a daughter does not lessen my love for you, you know that. I’m becoming attached to the twins, too, but we cannot take another family’s children for our own. God would never honor such a thing.”
“Of course I know this,” she sniffled. “But they’re so beautiful, and they look at me as though…” Her chest convulsed, and she rested her forehead on her husband’s shoulder. He let her release, as he had so often over the past twenty-five years at yet another month’s reminder that motherhood had eluded her.
“Rósa, it’s time we must—”
They stiffened at a tapping on the wall. Three taps, followed by two. Then silence. Gustaw rushed to the table and blew out the candles. He stuffed the unfinished letter and envelope into his jacket pocket. “Get the children. Now!”
How can readers find you on the Internet?I have a website at www.brucejudisch.com. If you click on one of the book covers, it will take you to a page dedicated to that book. The exception to that is the cover of Lost Loves, since it’s a compilation. Click on the Katia and For Maria covers for their respective pages to see what’s in Lost Loves.
I’d love to hear from any of your readers through the Contact Me link at the bottom of each of my Web pages. I give discounts for signed copies cheaper than the cover prices.
Thanks so much for hosting me, Lena. It’s been fun.

I've enjoyed having you on the blog as well.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
 - Amazon
The Lost Loves of World War II Collection: Three Novels of Mysteries Unsolved Since World War II - 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.

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Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

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A PROMISE IN PIECES - Emily Wierenga - One Free Book

Bio: Emily Wierenga is a former editor, ghostwriter, freelance writer and staff journalist, a monthly columnist for The Christian Courier, and the author of Save My Children (Castle Quay Books, 2008), Chasing Silhouettes (Ampelon Publishing, 2012) and Mom in the Mirror (Rowman & Littlefield, 2013). Emily resides in Alberta, Canada. This is her first novel.
Welcome, Emily. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters. A Promise in Pieces is my debut novel, but my main character, Clara Wilson, is a lot like me. We are both pastor’s daughters who felt stifled by organized religion growing up. We struggled to get along with our fathers and ended up rebelling; Clara, by heading off to war to serve as a nurse, and me, by traveling as far from my family as I could get—to school out west in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Clara is impulsive and passionate, dedicated, strong and independent, and in the end her love for her mother brings her home—and her relationship with her father is amended even as they worked together to serve her mom. The same thing happened with me; my mum was sick and I returned home to care for her. In doing so, my relationship with my Dad—and subsequently, with God—was restored. 
I sympathize with the other characters yet while they have attributes I can relate to, or perhaps exhibit, Clara is the only one who carries my heart.
What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?This past fall I found a homeless woman asleep in a bathroom stall, and so I told her she could sleep in the back of my van while I figured out what to do to help her. She knew no one in the city. I called my husband asking if I could bring her home but he said we didn’t have the resources in our small Dutch hamlet to help her. Then he found the address and phone number of a local shelter/ministry who could take her in, but before I drove her there, I needed to pick up a chair we’d bought off of Kijiji. I didn’t want the man to know I had a woman lying in the back of my van—he might not have believed I was trying to help her—so I asked him to put the chair in the front seat. JIt was very awkward, and I’m sure he saw the woman’s legs sticking out but he was kind (or terrified) and didn’t say anything. I am very quirky when it comes to helping others. I believe in extravagant love, even if it looks ridiculous.
When did you first discover that you were a writer?When I was young I was taught to be seen and not heard, so many of my thoughts and much of my sadness poured out through my pen when I was seven, and onwards. I had my first poem published when I was 13. I was encouraged greatly in my English classes and by my teachers—receiving over 100 percent in one English class—yet I didn’t even consider becoming a writer until after my first week of teacher’s college. I had received my Bachelor’s of English and enrolled to get my Bachelor’s of Education because I didn’t know what else you could do with an English degree. But that first week of teacher’s college, I knew I wasn’t cut out to be a teacher, and it would be one of the only things I’d quit. I went back to working at a coffee shop and started to write my first novel, and soon after that I received my first job as editor of a non-profit faith-based newspaper.
Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.I enjoy literary novels—anything by Jeanette Walls, Margaret Attwood, Barbara Kingsolver, Toni Morrison, or Khaled Hosseini. I also enjoy non-fiction, about poverty, parenting, or redemption—things like When Helping Hurts by Steve Corbett, which I’m reading right now, Radical by David Platt, Raising Boys by Dr. James Dobson, and anything by Brennan Manning.
How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?I cry. I pray on my knees when my family goes to sleep. I eat dark chocolate and go for runs. I hug my children and watch comedy with my husband.
How do you choose your characters’ names?I think of names that I like, for their first names … but I match the names, too. I thought Clara seemed a fitting name for a red-headed spit-ball. And Mattie, her best friend, seemed to fit a gentle, warm, and loyal personality. Oliver, her husband, seemed both classy and sincere.
What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?Giving birth to two beautiful boys when I was told I probably would not be able to, due to the way I wrecked my body when I was younger from anorexia.
If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?I’ve never understood this question, but I think I would be a swan. It seems to be very peaceful to be a swan.
What is your favorite food?My favorite food is called Bip-Im-Bap, and it’s Korean. I lived in Koreafor nine months with my husband teaching English. The word means “mixed rice.” Bibimbap is served as a bowl of warm white rice topped with namul (sautéed and seasoned vegetables) and gochujang(chili pepper paste). A raw or fried egg and sliced meat (usually beef) are common additions. The ingredients are stirred together thoroughly just before eating. It is best served hot. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bibimbap)
What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?I didn’t know what my voice sounded like. I tried to imitate other people’s voices for years—which isn’t all bad. But the goal, eventually, should be to find your own way of expression—so don’t settle for someone else’s. Your voice is out there. Keep searching. Once you find it, you will know—it’s like slipping on an old pair of comfortable socks.
Tell us about the featured book.It’s been more than 50 years since Clara cared for injured WWII soldiers in the Women’s Army Corp. Fifty years since she promised to deliver a dying soldier’s last wish. And 50 years since that soldier’s young widow gave her the baby quilt—a grief-ridden gift that would provide hope to countless newborns in the years to come. On her way to the National World War II Museum in New Orleans, Clara decides it’s time to share her story. But when the trip doesn’t go as planned, Clara wonders if anyone will learn the great significance of the quilt—and the promise stitched inside it.
Please give us the first page of the book.2000Noah looked like his father, and she hadn’t seen it before. But here in the backseat of a mini-van strewn with skateboarding magazines and CDs, there was time enough to see it in the young man whose long legs stretched from the seat. To see the freckles dusting her grandson’s cheeks, the way his hair poked like a hayfield and his eyes grabbed at everything.
Up front, Oliver asked Shane to adjust the radio, the static reminding Clara of the white noise she used to make with a vacuum or a fan to calm her newborns. The first one being Shane, her eldest, the one in the passenger seat turning now to laugh at his father, who wrinkled his long nose as Shane tried to find a classical station.
Then, Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons,” and Clara could see Oliver smiling, pleased, and she remembered the way he’d looked over at her in church so long ago with the same expression: as though he’d finally found what he’d been looking for.
Noah was playing a game on one of those Nintendo machines. He noticed her watching him, said, “Do you want to give it a try, Grandma?” He looked so eager.
Gone were the days of Hardy Boys and marbles. “Sure!” Clara said, mustering enthusiasm as she took the tiny gadget. Then she saw what he was playing. Some kind of shooting game with uniformed men and guns and she nearly dropped it.
“I’m sorry, it’s too complicated for an old woman like me,” she said, handing it back and turning to stare out the window, at Maryland passing by, wondering what a kid in high-school could know about war.
To download a free chapter, go here: http://www.emilywierenga.com/books/promise-pieces-emily-t-wierenga/.
How can readers find you on the Internet?
For more info, please visit www.emilywierenga.comor find me on Twitteror Facebook.
Thank you, Emily, 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. - Amazon
A Promise in Pieces: Quilts of Love Series - 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.

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WHILE LOVE STIRS - Lorna Seilstad - One Free Book

Welcome back, Lorna. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?After I turn in the third book in the Gregory Sisters Series, I have some ideas for a couple of new series that I want to develop further. They would involve going back a little farther in history than this series was set.
Tell us a little about your family.My husband, David, and I will have been married 25 years this February. We have three children. My oldest son graduates from college next week. I have one daughter who is finishing her sophomore year of college and another who is finishing her freshman year of high school.
Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?I think my writing has made a more critical and aware reader in that I notice things I didn’t before. Sometimes I read something and I think, “Oh, I wish I would have thought to say it that way.” But the biggest change has occurred in time I have for reading. When I’m on deadline, I fall way behind with my To-Be-Read pile.
What are you working on right now?I’m currently finishing the last book in the Gregory Sisters Series As Love Blooms. It’s the story of the youngest sister, Tessa. She’s a lot of fun to write.
What outside interests do you have?There’s life outside of my office? I almost forgot about that. Truthfully, I love cooking and baking. I do some wedding coordinating and flowers for weddings. I’m a 4-H leader, and I’m passionate about teaching Bible classes. Right now, I have two 5th and 6th grade classes. One on Sunday mornings where I teach Acts, and another all girl class on Wednesday nights. I’ll be teaching at Bible camp this summer, too. It’s my mission field.
We have a lot in common. I was a 4-H leader, and then I worked as a 4-H liaison. And I’ve worked a number of years in children’s ministry, but not now. How do you choose your settings for each book?Setting is very important to me. I do more research on setting than almost anything else. I like to set my stories in real places and bring out things that the people who live there might recognize. I also like to discover some things they might not know. Certain stories, like those in my Lake Manawa Series, can only happen one place. Other stories just need the right fit.
If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?Right now, after writing While Love Stirs , I’d love to spend an evening having dinner with Fannie Farmer. She was the first woman to use standardized measurements in her Boston Cooking School Cookbook. She was also one of the first women invited to lecture to the Harvard Medical School. She spoke to them about improving nutrition for the convalescent.
What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?I wish I would have known every heartache, every joy, and every tear I’ve experienced has helped me become a better writer. I wish I’d kept better notes on what I was feeling, too.
What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?This whole year has been about learning to lean on the Lord and not on my own strength. I often want to protect those I love, and I have to remind myself that God loves that person even more than I do. We met with a hospice worker last week concerning my dad, and as much as I want to change this situation, I have peace knowing God will carry us through.
That’s always a hard time in a person’s life. What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?First, I believe you have to feed your writer’s soul, and the best way to do that is through spending time with God and through reading. When writers aren’t reading, they’re starving themselves.
Second, I think authors need to make sure their cup is full and overflowing. If you are always dipping from your cup and not recharging, you’ll get burned out. It’s so easy to lose the joy when your cup is empty.
Third, authors need to protect their “golden hour.” This is the time when you are at your best. It’s not the time to answer e-mails, take phone calls, or schedule appointments. Save the “golden hour” to write.
Very good advice. Tell us about the featured book. While Love Stirs is the second book in the Gregory Sisters Series. It’s a standalone, so you don’t have to have read When Love Calls to enjoy it.
After the death of their parents, the Gregory sisters make a promise to support each other’s dreams. While Love Stirs is the story of the middle sister, Charlotte Gregory, and is set in St. Paul, Minnesota.
As a graduate of Fannie Farmer's Schoolof Cookery, Charlotte is thrilled to have the opportunity to travel, lecture, and give cooking demonstrations on the very latest kitchen revolution—the gas stove. And she certainly doesn't mind that the gas company has hired the kindhearted Lewis Mathis to entertain at her lectures.

Lewis encourages Charlotte's work, especially her crusade to introduce fresh, appetizing, nutritious food to those convalescing in hospitals. But young hospital superintendent Dr. Joel Brooks is not convinced any changes should be made—especially by this outspoken young woman.

When Charlotte and Joel are coerced into planning a fund-raising gala for the hospital, will this combustible pair explode?

Please give us the first page of the book.Thursday, May 12, 1910Charlotte Gregory stared at the elderly doorman. With his arm outstretched, he barred her access to Saint Paul’s recently opened Million-Dollar Hotel.
“Sir, what is the meaning of this?” She fought the urge to shove past him and march inside. Creating a scene was not the way to make a good impression on the hotel’s staff.
In front of her, the revolving door swished, and a stylish couple entered the establishment unimpeded.
Charlottemotioned her head in their direction. Perhaps the doorman would catch on.He simply smiled.
She glanced down at her outfit. While not as fancy as that of the lady who’d been allowed inside, the cream-colored walking suit was one of her best, and her wide-brimmed hat was practically brand-new. Surely she looked good enough for a day visit to the prestigious hotel. She tried to step around the man, but he moved to block her.
“Sir, I need to go inside. I’m here to apply for a position as the chef’s assistant. Now, if you’ll kindly let me pass—”
When he didn’t drop his arm, she darted to the right. She’d come too far to let a portly little gray-haired doorman stop her.
For a portly, gray-haired man, he moved quickly.
“Miss.” He dipped his head respectfully. “If you don’t have a gentleman escorting you, you’ll want to enter through the door on the side.”
“Isn’t this the public entrance?” She glanced at the curved front of the hotel and reread the signage.
“Yes, miss.” He gave her a disarming smile. “But you lovely unescorted ladies enter through a separate door—for the protection of your reputation, of course.”
“Of course.” Charlotte’s cheeks warmed. Why hadn’t she remembered that? She’d read about this kind of hotel etiquette before, but it still seemed absurd—especially in 1910. “In that case, sir, where exactly do I find this ladies’ entrance?”
“It’s to your left, miss.” He pointed his gloved white fingers to a door on the side. “It’ll lead you directly into the lobby. The hotel’s restaurant isn’t open yet, but the roof garden and the Palm Room Café are. May I recommend a cup of tea to ward off the chill of this lovely spring morning?”
The doorman’s deep, sonorous voice made it difficult to stay cross. Besides, he was simply doing his job. She only hoped this wasn’t an indication of the rest of her day.
“Thank you. Perhaps I will have a cup of tea.” To celebrate when I get the position. Charlottenodded her head in thanks and slipped around the corner.
I can’t wait until my book arrives. How can readers find you on the Internet?Website: www.lornaseilstad.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lorna-Seilstads-Fan-Page/119754468040830?ref=hlTwitter: https://twitter.com/LornaSeilstadPinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/lornaseilstad/

Thank you, Lorna, for giving us a peek inside your life and your new book.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
 - Amazon
While Love Stirs (The Gregory Sisters Book #2): A 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

ALL MY BELONGINGS - Cynthia Ruchti - One Free Book on This Blog, Plus More

Bio: Cynthia Ruchti tells stories of Hope-that-glows-in-the-dark through her novels and novellas, nonfiction projects, speaking events and a history of 33 years of on-air storytelling through The Heartbeat of the Home radio broadcast. 
Her books have been recognized by Retailers' Choice, RT Reviewers' Choice, Family Fiction Readers' Choice, ACFW's Carol Award nomination, and other honors. All My Belongings is her eighth release (including three non-fiction books). Ruchti has also written articles for numerous magazines and industry publications and currently serves as Professional Relations Liaison for American Christian Fiction Writers. 
Ruchti lives in Wisconsinwhere she spends her days diving into words, worship, and wonder. It is her delight to serve on her church's worship team and creative arts team. One of her greatest joys is helping other writers grow in their craft. Cynthia and her husband have been married for 40-plus years and have three grown children and five grandchildren.
And, dear readers, All My Belongings and my book, Catherine’s Pursuit are both finalists in the Can Gold Scroll Awards for Novel of the Year. I’m honored to be considered with her book.
Welcome Cynthia. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?Seasons in life bring us to a place of a far deeper understanding of a Scripture verse we may have seen many times, even memorized. I feel that way right now about the verse that says, “To whom much is given, much is required.” God has provided publishing opportunities and a great relationship with my publishing house. He’s blessed me with contracts into the future—both fiction and nonfiction. But all that comes with a sober realization that I’m responsible to handle these gifts well, to give every opportunity my all, and to stay alert to the needs of others—both family and readers—while on this journey. Every book challenges me personally, so whether fiction or nonfiction, I finish the project changed. What do I see on the horizon? More of that! More insights into the human heart, and God’s heart, and what happens when they touch.
Tell us a little about your family.I’m married to my grade school sweetheart. We met when I was in fifth grade and he was in sixth grade. We married young—he was 21 and I was 20—but we’d already been in love for eight years! Three years into marriage, we added our beautiful daughter Amy to the family. Three years later, a son. When she was eleven, our daughter stomped her feet and said, “Why won’t you have another baby!” We calmly told her that our family was large enough. God thought differently. When said daughter was thirteen, we welcomed another son into our world.  Raising teens and a toddler at the same time offered us all kinds of growth potential as parents. Now, all three are grown. They’ve blessed us with five grandchildren. So far. My husband is semi-retired, so we’re doing the dance of figuring out how best to not get in each other’s way. It seems most joys in life come with a flip side called challenge.
Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?As I’ve grown as a writer, I’ve expanded not only my bookshelf capacity (I think we’re up to five full-sized bookcases at the moment), but my reading breadth as well. I read more and a wider variety. Reading great writing makes me a better writer, no matter the genre.
What are you working on right now?Any day now, I’ll receive the edits for my 2015 novel from Abingdon Press—As Waters Gone By. Oh, that book took a lot out of me, in a good way! Emotionally taxing, it also is a balm, an ointment for broken hearts. Can’t wait for that one to hit the shelves, too! I have a nonfiction due to the publisher on August 1st, and am working on that right now. It’s tentatively titled Tattered Souls: Embracing the Mend. That book is complementary to last year’s Ragged Hope: Surviving the Fallout of Other People’s Choices.
What outside interests do you have?Music is a large influence in my life. I sing on the worship team at church and sometimes lead worship in other venues. If I’m in a setting with no music for more than a day or two, I start to twitch. God has often used music as a way to reach me when few other things could. I also love to travel and dream about new places to explore.
How do you choose your settings for each book?So far, all of the settings for my books have had some kind of influence on me personally. In All My Belongings, the location to which the main character runs is my birthplace—Oceanside, California. I’m not sure now when or why I made the decision to choose Oceanside. But I’m glad I did. Now, to have a book signing in Oceanside! Maybe next winter when here in Wisconsinwe’ll be battling dangerous wind chills again. Some of the locations have been a matter of “It absolutely has to happen here.” Others have had a less pointed, but definitely Midwestern feel, in part because it allows writing true seasons, and because it’s what I know best. I’d love to write Southern fiction—my mind somehow thinks that way—but I couldn’t do it justice without an incredible amount of research. Self-fulfilling prophecy?
If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?The Mary who was the first to see Jesus alive again. I’ll bet she’s still telling that story.
What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?I wish I’d known that each rejection formed a tread or a riser for the staircase that would eventually lead to publication…if used that way. I wish I’d known that timing had less to do with my being educated enough and more to do with when God knew my heart would be ready…and my readers ready for the stories I write. Relaxing into His timing would have removed some anxiety for me.
What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?I’m still dreaming smaller than God’s imagination. We all do. I’m practicing dreamer bigger.
What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?Here are three among many:Define success the way God does—obedience to Him. The math works out better that way.Apply yourself diligently to learning, no matter how long you’ve been writing…and then apply what you’ve learned!Resist comparisons. No other writer’s journey will be exactly like yours. Nor should it. If the path God takes you on has far more twists than others, it’s because He’s creating a more compelling plot out of your life!
Tell us about the featured book. The dedication page of All My Belongings reads: “To those who feel homeless when they aren’t, whose journeys take exceptional courage, whose hearts tell them the love they seek is possible, present, and not at all what they imagined. It’s ocean-deep and laced with grace.”
A new identity can’t protect Becca from a past that refuses to go away.
Where do you turn when changing your name doesn’t give you the anonymity you want? When running hundreds of miles away isn’t far enough? When your search for a place to belong lands you right back where you began?
One phone call destroys all the hope Becca Morrow has for a life beyond the shame of her past. Further discredited by the death of her elderly, ailing patient—the mother of the influential businessman, Isaac Hughes—Becca’s new life is shattered and her longing for love slips away. Working to clear her name, Becca must learn to see the beauty in the ugliness of dying, to accept the tenderness in forgiveness, and—at last—discover that where she belongs isn’t as much about her family history as it is about her faith in the One to whom she’ll always belong.
Please give us the first page of the book.The coffee tasted like burnt marshmallows. The charred bits. Jayne set the vending machine cup on the corner of her advisor’s desk.
            Patricia Connor smiled over half-glasses. “Don’t blame you.” She nodded toward her oversized thermal tankard. “I bring my own from home.”
            Home.
            “I’m surprised you wanted to see me today, Jayne. Aren’t they—?”
            “Yes.” Jayne directed her line of sight through her advisor’s office window, over the tops of the century-old oaks and maples lining the campus, toward the courthouse in the center of town.
            “And you didn’t want to be there?” The woman removed her glasses as if they interfered with her understanding.
            Oh, I’m there. I’ve been there every agonizing moment. Several little shards of me are embedded in the hardwood floor in that courtroom. What’s left of me wants an answer from you. “I need to find out if I can reenter the nursing program where I left off.”
            Patricia leaned back in her nondescript office chair. “And you have to know today?”
            “Yes.”
            Her advisor’s head shook so slightly, Jayne assumed the movement originated in the nervous bounce of the woman’s knee, not her neck. “We have…concerns.”
            “My grades were good.”
            “It’s not that. Most nontraditional students are committed enough to pull decent grades.”
            Twenty-seven and nontraditional. In every way. Jayne leaned forward and added, “And work two jobs while doing it.” She wouldn't look out the window again. Her future lay here, in this decision. “If you’re worried about the financial aspect…”
            “Aren’t you? Word is, you’re tapped out with what your family’s gone through.”
            She’d shelved the word family a year and a half ago, the day she found out her father’s middle name was Reprehensible. Bertram Reprehensible Dennagee. Her mother didn’t think she could endure the pain one more day. Her father made sure she didn’t.
How can readers find you on the Internet?I love connecting with readers and invite them to find me at www.cynthiaruchti.com, www.facebook.com/CynthiaRuchtiReaderPage, or www.twitter.com/cynthiaruchti.
Thank you so much, Lena! It’s always a joy to talk to you…and your readers.
We love having you, Cynthia.
Cynthia Ruchti asks what it takes to overcome your past and become who you were meant to be in her latest novel, All My Belongings. Cynthia has woven a heart-wrenching tale of forgiveness, grace, and learning what it means to truly belong.

Cynthia is celebrating the release of her latest novel with a fun giveaway and a live webcast event!
 
One winner will receive:
A $200 Visa cash cardAll My Belongings by Cynthia RuchtiEnter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on June 11th. Winner will be announced at the All My Belongings LIVE webcast event on June 11th. Connect with Cynthia for an evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Cynthia will also be taking questions from the audience and giving away books, fun prizes, and gift certificates throughout the evening.
So grab your copy of All My Belongings and join Cynthia and friends on the evening of June 11th 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 by signing up for a reminder. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 11th!
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

ALL MY BELONGINGS - Cynthia Ruchti - One Free Book

Bio: Cynthia Ruchti tells stories of Hope-that-glows-in-the-dark through her novels and novellas, nonfiction projects, speaking events and a history of 33 years of on-air storytelling through The Heartbeat of the Home radio broadcast. 
Her books have been recognized by Retailers' Choice, RT Reviewers' Choice, Family Fiction Readers' Choice, ACFW's Carol Award nomination, and other honors. All My Belongings is her eighth release (including three non-fiction books). Ruchti has also written articles for numerous magazines and industry publications and currently serves as Professional Relations Liaison for American Christian Fiction Writers. 
Ruchti lives in Wisconsinwhere she spends her days diving into words, worship, and wonder. It is her delight to serve on her church's worship team and creative arts team. One of her greatest joys is helping other writers grow in their craft. Cynthia and her husband have been married for 40-plus years and have three grown children and five grandchildren.
And, dear readers, All My Belongings and my book, Catherine’s Pursuit are both finalists in the Can Gold Scroll Awards for Novel of the Year. I’m honored to be considered with her book.
Welcome Cynthia. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?Seasons in life bring us to a place of a far deeper understanding of a Scripture verse we may have seen many times, even memorized. I feel that way right now about the verse that says, “To whom much is given, much is required.” God has provided publishing opportunities and a great relationship with my publishing house. He’s blessed me with contracts into the future—both fiction and nonfiction. But all that comes with a sober realization that I’m responsible to handle these gifts well, to give every opportunity my all, and to stay alert to the needs of others—both family and readers—while on this journey. Every book challenges me personally, so whether fiction or nonfiction, I finish the project changed. What do I see on the horizon? More of that! More insights into the human heart, and God’s heart, and what happens when they touch.
Tell us a little about your family.I’m married to my grade school sweetheart. We met when I was in fifth grade and he was in sixth grade. We married young—he was 21 and I was 20—but we’d already been in love for eight years! Three years into marriage, we added our beautiful daughter Amy to the family. Three years later, a son. When she was eleven, our daughter stomped her feet and said, “Why won’t you have another baby!” We calmly told her that our family was large enough. God thought differently. When said daughter was thirteen, we welcomed another son into our world.  Raising teens and a toddler at the same time offered us all kinds of growth potential as parents. Now, all three are grown. They’ve blessed us with five grandchildren. So far. My husband is semi-retired, so we’re doing the dance of figuring out how best to not get in each other’s way. It seems most joys in life come with a flip side called challenge.
Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?As I’ve grown as a writer, I’ve expanded not only my bookshelf capacity (I think we’re up to five full-sized bookcases at the moment), but my reading breadth as well. I read more and a wider variety. Reading great writing makes me a better writer, no matter the genre.
What are you working on right now?Any day now, I’ll receive the edits for my 2015 novel from Abingdon Press—As Waters Gone By. Oh, that book took a lot out of me, in a good way! Emotionally taxing, it also is a balm, an ointment for broken hearts. Can’t wait for that one to hit the shelves, too! I have a nonfiction due to the publisher on August 1st, and am working on that right now. It’s tentatively titled Tattered Souls: Embracing the Mend. That book is complementary to last year’s Ragged Hope: Surviving the Fallout of Other People’s Choices.
What outside interests do you have?Music is a large influence in my life. I sing on the worship team at church and sometimes lead worship in other venues. If I’m in a setting with no music for more than a day or two, I start to twitch. God has often used music as a way to reach me when few other things could. I also love to travel and dream about new places to explore.
How do you choose your settings for each book?So far, all of the settings for my books have had some kind of influence on me personally. In All My Belongings, the location to which the main character runs is my birthplace—Oceanside, California. I’m not sure now when or why I made the decision to choose Oceanside. But I’m glad I did. Now, to have a book signing in Oceanside! Maybe next winter when here in Wisconsinwe’ll be battling dangerous wind chills again. Some of the locations have been a matter of “It absolutely has to happen here.” Others have had a less pointed, but definitely Midwestern feel, in part because it allows writing true seasons, and because it’s what I know best. I’d love to write Southern fiction—my mind somehow thinks that way—but I couldn’t do it justice without an incredible amount of research. Self-fulfilling prophecy?
If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?The Mary who was the first to see Jesus alive again. I’ll bet she’s still telling that story.
What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?I wish I’d known that each rejection formed a tread or a riser for the staircase that would eventually lead to publication…if used that way. I wish I’d known that timing had less to do with my being educated enough and more to do with when God knew my heart would be ready…and my readers ready for the stories I write. Relaxing into His timing would have removed some anxiety for me.
What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?I’m still dreaming smaller than God’s imagination. We all do. I’m practicing dreamer bigger.
What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?Here are three among many:Define success the way God does—obedience to Him. The math works out better that way.Apply yourself diligently to learning, no matter how long you’ve been writing…and then apply what you’ve learned!Resist comparisons. No other writer’s journey will be exactly like yours. Nor should it. If the path God takes you on has far more twists than others, it’s because He’s creating a more compelling plot out of your life!
Tell us about the featured book.The dedication page of All My Belongings reads: “To those who feel homeless when they aren’t, whose journeys take exceptional courage, whose hearts tell them the love they seek is possible, present, and not at all what they imagined. It’s ocean-deep and laced with grace.”
A new identity can’t protect Becca from a past that refuses to go away.
Where do you turn when changing your name doesn’t give you the anonymity you want? When running hundreds of miles away isn’t far enough? When your search for a place to belong lands you right back where you began?
One phone call destroys all the hope Becca Morrow has for a life beyond the shame of her past. Further discredited by the death of her elderly, ailing patient—the mother of the influential businessman, Isaac Hughes—Becca’s new life is shattered and her longing for love slips away. Working to clear her name, Becca must learn to see the beauty in the ugliness of dying, to accept the tenderness in forgiveness, and—at last—discover that where she belongs isn’t as much about her family history as it is about her faith in the One to whom she’ll always belong.
Please give us the first page of the book.The coffee tasted like burnt marshmallows. The charred bits. Jayne set the vending machine cup on the corner of her advisor’s desk.
            Patricia Connor smiled over half-glasses. “Don’t blame you.” She nodded toward her oversized thermal tankard. “I bring my own from home.”
            Home.
            “I’m surprised you wanted to see me today, Jayne. Aren’t they—?”
            “Yes.” Jayne directed her line of sight through her advisor’s office window, over the tops of the century-old oaks and maples lining the campus, toward the courthouse in the center of town.
            “And you didn’t want to be there?” The woman removed her glasses as if they interfered with her understanding.
            Oh, I’m there. I’ve been there every agonizing moment. Several little shards of me are embedded in the hardwood floor in that courtroom. What’s left of me wants an answer from you. “I need to find out if I can reenter the nursing program where I left off.”
            Patricia leaned back in her nondescript office chair. “And you have to know today?”
            “Yes.”
            Her advisor’s head shook so slightly, Jayne assumed the movement originated in the nervous bounce of the woman’s knee, not her neck. “We have…concerns.”
            “My grades were good.”
            “It’s not that. Most nontraditional students are committed enough to pull decent grades.”
            Twenty-seven and nontraditional. In every way. Jayne leaned forward and added, “And work two jobs while doing it.” She wouldn't look out the window again. Her future lay here, in this decision. “If you’re worried about the financial aspect…”
            “Aren’t you? Word is, you’re tapped out with what your family’s gone through.”
            She’d shelved the word family a year and a half ago, the day she found out her father’s middle name was Reprehensible. Bertram Reprehensible Dennagee. Her mother didn’t think she could endure the pain one more day. Her father made sure she didn’t.
How can readers find you on the Internet?I love connecting with readers and invite them to find me at www.cynthiaruchti.com, www.facebook.com/CynthiaRuchtiReaderPage, or www.twitter.com/cynthiaruchti.

Thank you so much, Lena! It’s always a joy to talk to you…and your readers.
We love having you, Cynthia.
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