Lena Nelson Dooley's Blog, page 22
November 29, 2022
THE BLACKOUT BOOK CLUB - Amy Lynn Green - One Free Book
Bio: Amy Lynn Green has always loved history and reading, and she enjoys speaking with book clubs, writing groups, and libraries all around the country. Her debut novel, Things We Didn’t Say, was nominated for a 2021 Minnesota Book Award, won two Carol Awards, and received a starred review from both Booklist and Library Journal. Amy and her family make their home in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
About the story:An impulsive promise to her combat-bound brother lands Avis Montgomery the position of head librarian in small-town Maine. Never much of a reader herself, Avis starts a book club in hopes of keeping library doors open when dark times threaten to close them down.
At first glance, the rag-tag group of women who attend the first meeting couldn’t be more different. But as the women face personal challenges and band together as war comes dangerously close, they find they have more in common than they think.
As growing friendships are tested by secrets of the past and present, they must decide whether depending on each other is worth the cost.
Transporting readers to a fascinating and complicated time in world history, Green highlights the power of story in this thoughtful tale that Susan Meissner and Lisa Wingate fans won’t want to miss.
Welcome to my blog, Amy. All three of your novels take place during WWII. What about this era fascinates you, and what do you believe is the draw for readers? WWII is brimming with stories and drama, whether overseas or at home, and I think readers never tire of the high stakes and fascinating details about the era. All three of my novels have focused on different aspects of the American home front—conflict around prisoner of war camps, the sacrifice of conscientious objectors, and now the U-boat battle in the Atlantic and the importance of Rosie the Riveter workers during the war years. I love telling lesser-known historical details that took place on this side of the Atlantic, and the United States setting allows for a few more lighthearted and humorous moments than the understandably more somber stories set on the front lines or in occupied countries.Can you tell us a little more about who or what inspired you to write this story? Most of my stories start with a historical fact that intrigues me, and this one is no different. I learned that a group of civilians with sailing experience—from Prohibition rumrunners to wealthy yachters—volunteered their time and their vessels to patrol the East Coast for U-boats to aid the Coast Guard. This “Hooligan Navy,” as it was nicknamed, plays a small part in the novel, but I loved including it, and that’s what inspired me to set the novel in beautiful coastal Maine.
The Blackout Book Club has been called “an ode to books and libraries, but also an ode to human connection.” What purpose does the book club serve for these women in your novel? That was my favorite part of this novel, actually! There are four main characters in the novel, from very different backgrounds and social standings, thrown together in this book club. Each of them has a reason to isolate themselves, and each slowly learns how to trust each other, form friendships, and find community through the stories they love. Plus, it was a wonderful chance to include a variety of heated opinions on books of the time that I loved (or hated).
As a book lover and author yourself, what do you find valuable about book clubs today? As an author, I’ve been privileged to speak with many book clubs around the country, and as a reader, I’ve enjoyed participating in them. What has struck me every time is the depth and richness that the diversity of opinions brings to the discussions. Everyone has thoughts and interpretations and experiences that make a book come to life in new ways. It’s so much more than the fun of a shared hobby (though we all need people who understand that “just one more page” is usually a lie). It’s about loving books even more after hearing others’ perspectives on them. I hope real life book clubs enjoy meeting Avis, Ginny, Louise, Martina, and the rest—and hearing their thoughts on some classic stories.What aspect of home front life from your research was your favorite to work into the novel? I especially enjoyed writing about the Victory Book Campaign, where citizens donated millions of books of interest to the troops to fill base libraries and to be distributed to men on the front lines. Popular topics ranged from textbooks to classics to Western to mystery novels. This was a huge morale-booster for the men, often starved for entertainment, and one soldier declared that books were more popular than pin-up girls! Many credit wartime initiatives like this one with making reading a common pastime for the average American, not just an elite few.
What lessons do you hope readers will gain from reading The Blackout Book Club? I hope readers come away with a greater appreciation for the support and encouragement of people in their lives, whether that’s family, longtime friends, a faith community, neighbors, or even book club members. As I wrote, I found myself challenged to be better at asking for help, seeking advice, and living life with those around me. We really do need each other.
What are you working on next? I’m midway through writing a novel that starts with an all-female Midwestern swing orchestra . . . that eventually travels to the desert front of North Africa with a USO camp show to entertain the troops there. It’s been a joy to travel to Morocco and Algeria through my research and slip in some of the incredible and dangerous experiences that real performers had as they put on a show for the men overseas.
How can readers connect with you? Much like some of my characters, I love letter writing, so always feel free to drop me a line via the contact page on my website, amygreenbooks.com. You can sign up for my newsletter there as well, which goes out quarterly with updates and bookish fun. I also share historical fun facts on my Facebook page and glimpses into my writing and personal life on Instagram.
Thank you, Amy, for sharing this book on my blog. WWII is a popular genre right now.
Readers, here’s a link to the book.
Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (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 2 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.
If you’re reading this on Goodreads, 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
November 27, 2022
12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS BOOKMAS Starts Thursday, December 1
Starting on December 1 and continuing through December 12, one of these authors will have a free e-book for everyone. Be sure and bookmark this blog post, and make a note to claim your free Christmas book every day.
Days
Dec 1 - Lacy Williams, Christmas Homecoming https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0963XK6KB/
Dec 2 - Shanna Hatfield, The Christmas Bargain, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A71KP8O/
Dec 3 - Julia Ridgmont, The Christmas Switch, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077T4B9YH
Dec 4 - Vickie McDonough, Beloved Enemy, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KPQC3C4
Dec 5 - Misty Beller, Freedom in the Mountain Wind, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YX9DCJ5/
Dec 6 - Lorri Dudley, The Duke's Refuge, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XWRK345/
Dec 7 - Kathleen Denly, Waltz in the Wilderness, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZG15XCJ/
Dec 8 - Lena Nelson Dooley, A Heart's Gift, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08JD3MX9N/
Dec 9 - Keely Brooke Keith, The Land Uncharted, http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MW7Z1QW
Dec 10 - Linda Ford, Austin, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0952VGFP9
Dec 11 - Kit Morgan, The Christmas Mail-Order Bride, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FVGRX9O
Dec 12 - Kari Trumbo, A Sugar Plum Christmas, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09L7CCZ3R
Author emails
Shanna shanna@shannahatfield.com
Keely keely@keelykeith.com
Misty misty@mistymbeller.com
Kathleen kathleendenly@gmail.com
Laura/(Julia) walkthelineediting@gmail.com
Vickie fictionfan1@me.com
Lorri fldudley63@gmail.com
Linda lindaford@airenet.com
Kit Morgan authorkitmorgan@gmail.com
12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS BOOKMAS Coming Soon!
Starting on December 1 and continuing through December 12, one of these authors will have a free e-book for everyone. Be sure and bookmark this blog post, and make a note to claim your free Christmas book every day.
Days
Dec 1 - Lacy Williams, Christmas Homecoming https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0963XK6KB/
Dec 2 - Shanna Hatfield, The Christmas Bargain, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A71KP8O/
Dec 3 - Julia Ridgmont, The Christmas Switch, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077T4B9YH
Dec 4 - Vickie McDonough, Beloved Enemy, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KPQC3C4
Dec 5 - Misty Beller, Freedom in the Mountain Wind, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YX9DCJ5/
Dec 6 - Lorri Dudley, The Duke's Refuge, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XWRK345/
Dec 7 - Kathleen Denly, Waltz in the Wilderness, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZG15XCJ/
Dec 8 - Lena Nelson Dooley, A Heart's Gift, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08JD3MX9N/
Dec 9 - Keely Brooke Keith, The Land Uncharted, http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MW7Z1QW
Dec 10 - Linda Ford, Austin, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0952VGFP9
Dec 11 - Kit Morgan, The Christmas Mail-Order Bride, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FVGRX9O
Dec 12 - Kari Trumbo, A Sugar Plum Christmas, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09L7CCZ3R
Author emails
Shanna shanna@shannahatfield.com
Keely keely@keelykeith.com
Misty misty@mistymbeller.com
Kathleen kathleendenly@gmail.com
Laura/(Julia) walkthelineediting@gmail.com
Vickie fictionfan1@me.com
Lorri fldudley63@gmail.com
Linda lindaford@airenet.com
Kit Morgan authorkitmorgan@gmail.com
WINNERS
IMPORTANT: Instructions for winners - When you send me the email, make sure your subject line says this: Winner - (book title) - (author's name) If you don't do this, your email could get lost in my hundreds of emails per day. I WILL SEARCH FOR POST TITLES STARTING THAT WAY.
Some people don't read the instructions of how to enter. Unfortunately, they don't have a chance to win. so next time you come and leave a comment, be sure to read all the instructions if you want a chance to win.
Jeanie (AZ) is the winner of Beneath the Bending Skies by Jane Kirkpatrick.
Jan (TX) is the winner of The Captain and Mrs. Vye by MaryAnn Diorio.
Lucy (WV) is the winner of Falling for the Cowgirl by Jody Hedlund.
If you won a book and you like it, please consider giving the author the courtesy of writing a review on Goodreads, Amazon.com, Christianbooks.com, Barnes and Noble , or other Internet sites. Reviews are such a blessing to an author.
Also, tell your friends about the book you won ... 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 or audio book, just let me know what email address it should be sent to. Remember, you have 2 weeks to claim your book.
November 23, 2022
WINTER AT THE WHITE QUEEN - Denise Weimer - One Free Book
Welcome, Denise. Why do you write the kind of books you do? Stories that honor the Lord, whether contemporary or historical—some with deeper spiritual themes and some lighter and relaxing—are my goal. I’ve felt the calling to be a writer since middle school. To frame my stories, I enjoy finding unique settings and little-known aspects of history, mostly in my home state of Georgia. Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life? The clearest answer to that would be my wedding day and the births of my two beautiful daughters, both in college and grad school now.
We also only had two daughters. They’re both grandmothers now. How has being published changed your life? My first novella was released when I was in my late twenties, then after some time passed, my first series came out. That started my publishing journey with author events on weekends, speaking and teaching engagements, and learning how to market online … and led to me becoming an editor as well. So it’s definitely become a career path—one that has paired well with being a mom.
What are you reading right now? At the moment? Nothing except my Bible. J We just completed a move, and I’ve been working on editing projects as well. Editing takes so much reading, I usually don’t read for pleasure except when I’m not deep into a project.
What is your current work in progress? See answer above. LOL. However, I am in the brainstorming and early research phase for a new trilogy of Southern frontier romances with my publisher. Book one is complete. By the time this article is posted, I’ll probably be writing book two.
What would be your dream vacation? We’ve gotten to take some of our dream vacations through my husband’s job in the past, including Ireland, Alaska, and a Mediterranean cruise. We hope to go out West to Glacier National Park soon. I also wouldn’t mind seeing Scotland, Austria, or Switzerland or returning to Italy.
How do you choose your settings for each book? As mentioned above, most of my books are set in Georgia or neighboring states. We have so much variety here, from the mountains to the coast, from the big city to small towns. And fascinating history from Colonial times to contemporary. I’ve yet to run out of inspiration.
If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why? I guess I’m not much of a super-fan. No one is coming to mind. Being surrounded by friends and family and a supportive church and writing community is what warms my heart most.
I’m with you on that. What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading? Little towns with cute gift shops, antique stores, coffee shops or tea rooms, and historical sites are always calling my name. I love hiking (especially to waterfalls) and, in general, being in the mountains.
Something I often pair with book events is living history. I’ve worked part-time as a historical interpreter and maintain connections with local historical sites and museums, and I also have a group of friends with whom I’ve done 1800s dance performances. Nothing like wearing a corset and smelling wood smoke to get my creative juices flowing.
What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it? If we’re being completely transparent? I find the biggest obstacle to writing the small amount authors make overall, especially on e-books. So much time goes into the research and writing process, but even when publishers are generous in royalty percentages as mine is, authors only receive a tiny portion of the overall pie due to editing, design, printing, distribution, and marketing costs. This is true even for veteran authors, unless you’re a huge bestseller. I became an editor to supplement our income, but happily, I’ve found it’s just as much my “thing” as writing.
What advice would you give to a beginning author? Your path to publication might look quite different from someone else’s, and that’s completely fine. Just make sure you are informed of current writing style and marketing expectations, whether you are self-publishing or pursuing traditional publication. This could mean taking classes, working with a mentor or experienced critique group, or paying for an editor you can learn from. You also must curate an online presence—website, a couple of social media outlets, and eventually, an author newsletter. Guest blog, do author swaps in newsletters, and participate in online giveaways and parties to build your connections.
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Tell us about the featured book. A Winter at the White Queen is the first novella in the Romance at the Gilded Age Resorts series with Wild Heart Books. It’s a foray into the “Age of Wonder,” as I like to call the time when the old ways met the new and exciting inventions changed daily life forever. While I hope readers will enjoy a chuckle or two at Ellie’s story, some deeper themes are also explored. Ellie Hastings is tired of playing social gatekeeper—and poor-relation companion—to her Gibson Girl of a cousin. But her aunt insists Ellie lift her nose out of her detective novel long enough to help gauge the eligibility of bachelors during the winter social season at Florida’s Hotel Belleview. She finds plenty that’s mysterious about the suave, aloof Philadelphia inventor, Lewis Thornton. Why does he keep sneaking around the hotel? Does he have a secret sweetheart? And what is his connection to the evasive Mr. Gaspachi, slated to perform at Washington’s Birthday Ball?
Ellie’s comical sleuthing ought to put Lewis out, but the diffident way her family treats her smashes a hole in his normal reserve. But when Florence Hastings’ diamond necklace goes missing, Ellie’s keen mind threatens to uncover not only Lewis’s secrets, but give him back hope for love.
Please give us the first page of the book.
January 1910
Ellie Hastings didn’t need to be as sly as the heroine in her favorite detective novel. Dora Myrl combined skill with beauty to achieve her objectives, but Ellie could rely on the invisible cloak of plainness.
She’d been sitting at a table in the train’s dining car next to Lewis Thornton’s for a full ten minutes, and he hadn’t once looked up—not even when the waiter brought her tea. But perhaps that wasn’t personal. Alternating his attention between his steak and a small book open at his right hand, the bachelor her aunt deemed a prime candidate for her daughter Ada also failed to acknowledge the curious glances of businessmen or tittering mamas with female offspring in tow.
Ellie stirred sugar into her teacup and drew a blank square of paper closer. She plucked her pencil out of the spine of the leather notebook where she kept observations of potential suitors for her cousin—loose-leaf, so she could organize them in order of preference. Lewis Thornton, she wrote.
Nibbling her lower lip, she studied the mechanical engineer from under her pale lashes. Tall and blonde, square-jawed, firm-lipped, Thornton bore himself like a man of the new century. Suave. Aristocratic. Confident. Aunt Florence had heard he’d made a fortune off some invention for the railroad. Florence had no idea what kind. She’d been snagged the moment a friend uttered the word fortune. And he didn’t reside so far from Pittsburgh as to prevent the continuation of a courtship Lewis and Ada might begin during Hotel Belleview’s upcoming winter season.
Ellie scratched on her paper. Pros: Handsome. Wealthy? Philadelphia.
Surely, Ada couldn’t dismiss this one on looks. Or style. His stiff collar and four-in-hand tie countenanced society’s dictates enough to please Walter Hastings, while the gray-striped pants he’d paired with his black frock coat—popularly termed “mixed cheviots”—should satisfy Ada’s panache.
Traditional. Stylish.
Cons? None visible upon brief observation. She might be forced to talk to him. She could wait until he got up and make her departure at the same time, but the idea of employing her usual dropped-item tactic made a knot form in her stomach. She wasn’t a brainless female. Why did she submit herself to such indignities? She firmed her lips. She knew well why.
How can readers find you on the Internet?
My novels and novellas span the Colonial era through the contemporary, ranging from lighthearted to serious and spiritual, and are mostly set in Georgia. If you would like to learn more, please visit: https://www.deniseweimerbooks.com.
I would love to connect with you on social media or through my author newsletter.
https://www.facebook.com/denise.weimer1/
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/denise-weimer
https://twitter.com/denise_weimer
https://webs.us19.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=16c561f75e5036405879c9836&id=b58acc62a5
Thank you, Denise, for sharing this novella with us. I’m eager to read it.
Readers, here’s a link to the book.
Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (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 2 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.
If you’re reading this on Goodreads, 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
November 22, 2022
HIS DELIGHTFUL LADY DELIA - Grace Hitchcock - One Free Book
Bio: Grace Hitchcock is the award–winning author of multiple historical novels and novellas. She holds a master’s degree in creative writing and a bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in history. Grace lives in the New Orleans area with her husband, Dakota, and their son and daughter.
About the story: Delia Vittoria’s mother has lost her voice at last. After five years of being her diva mother’s understudy, it is time for Delia to assume her place as the lead soprano onstage behind the Academy of Music’s faded velvet curtain. And she is all that stands between the Academy and its greatest threat—the nouveaux riche’s lavish new Metropolitan Opera House.
Kit Quincy never misses opening night, but when his sister begs him to help get her husband out of an Italian opera star’s arms, Kit confronts the wrong Lady Vittoria. When he happens upon the stunning young diva again at Mrs. Astor’s dinner party the following night, he attempts to make amends and is instead pulled into a plot to win the great opera war.
To draw attention to Delia Vittoria as the new soprano star, Kit is convinced to act as both Delia’s patron and the enigmatic phantom who once haunted the Academy years ago. But when a second phantom appears, more than Delia’s rising career is threatened.
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Welcome, Grace. Please provide a brief summary of your new novel His Delightful Lady Delia.
His Delightful Lady Delia
is a sweeping romance that follows our dear Kit Quincy. Blackmailed into posing as an enigmatic phantom, Kit is tasked with saving the Academy of Music by furthering a rising Italian opera star’s career. But when a second phantom appears, more than Delia’s future is threatened.
Can you tell us a little more about what or who were the inspirations behind this book? I was researching for the American Royaltyseries when I came across an article following the great opera house wars between Mrs. Astor, who supported The Academy of Music with its knickerbocker opera patrons, and the nouveaux riche, who built The Metropolitan Opera House as a solution to the knickerbocker’s exclusive ways.
What about New York during the Gilded Age first captured your imagination? I loved that women were finally getting more freedom in the Gilded Age, which allows me to place my heroines in occupations they wouldn’t find themselves in even a few decades before. In the midst of great change for women in society, there is still the element of sweet romance with suitors and ballrooms, beautiful gowns, and handsome gentlemen paying call to woo their sweethearts.
What did you enjoy most about delving into the world of music and theater for this novel? I have been listening to opera and Broadway since I was fourteen, so it felt like returning to an old friend in the research. My first Broadway show I ever attended was The Phantom of the Opera in the historic Saenger Theatre in New Orleans at the age of five, and I have been enchanted ever since.
Also, I am from a large Italian family, so learning about the Italian opera companies was especially fun to delve into.
Did you do any research for your novel? Did you learn anything new about the Academy of Music or the Metropolitan Opera House while writing? Every book I write, I do intense bouts of research, making certain I have the correct names for roads in the past, where buildings used to be, the architecture of historical houses, opera houses, hotels and rooftop gardens, along with what operas were playing in what theater at the time. One of my favorite resources was referencing old newspapers during the debut of the new opera house. Very helpful and fun! I’ve a scene in the book featuring an ice cream shop, Horton’s, which I found advertised in a newspaper from 1883.
What about the character of Delia Vittoria do you think your readers will most resonate with? Delia has experienced deep hurt in her childhood with her father’s abandoning her and her mother, making it difficult to trust any man. I think her journey to healing in Christ is something a lot of us can relate to in some form or another. Without giving away any spoilers, what makes the Academy phantom such a thrilling mystery? How did you work to build suspense within your story? Well, there is the fact that I changed the real phantom’s identity about three times (ha-ha), so his identity was a surprise even to me in the end! Hopefully readers will enjoy the suspense leading up to the grand finale.
Did you explore anything new as a writer while working on His Delightful Lady Delia? What continues to motivate your writing? Storytelling has been a part of my life for so long, I have quite the list of stories to write next, and I’m not sure if I’ll ever reach the end of it! So I’d say my motivation is that I simply can’t NOT write.
As for trying something new, I used a lot more Italian phrases than I have ever used in a book before and had to do significant research to ensure I got the tense correct, as well as the vernacular of the time.
What lessons do you hope readers will gain from reading this novel? I’m hoping to offer the reader a clean, entertaining story with deep characters and their journeys toward healing and love, while also delivering a twist or two that readers do not see coming.
How can readers connect with you? Readers can sign up for my newsletter here: http://gracehitchcockbooks.com/authornewsletter/. I can also be found on Bookbub, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Thank you, Grace, for sharing this new book with us. I’m eager to read it.
Readers, here’s a link to the book.
Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (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 2 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.
If you’re reading this on Goodreads, 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
November 20, 2022
WINNERS
IMPORTANT: Instructions for winners - When you send me the email, make sure your subject line says this: Winner - (book title) - (author's name) If you don't do this, your email could get lost in my hundreds of emails per day. I WILL SEARCH FOR POST TITLES STARTING THAT WAY.
Some people don't read the instructions of how to enter. Unfortunately, they don't have a chance to win. so next time you come and leave a comment, be sure to read all the instructions if you want a chance to win.
Abigail (VA) is the winner of The Premonition at Withers Farm by Jaime Jo Wright.
Lucy (WV) is the winner of Alaskan Escape by Maryann Landers.
Lourdes (NY) is the winner of Honor Bound by Hallee Bridgeman.
If you won a book and you like it, please consider giving the author the courtesy of writing a review on Goodreads, Amazon.com, Christianbooks.com, Barnes and Noble , or other Internet sites. Reviews are such a blessing to an author.
Also, tell your friends about the book you won ... 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 or audio book, just let me know what email address it should be sent to. Remember, you have 2 weeks to claim your book.
November 17, 2022
BENEATH THE BENDING SKIES - Jane Kirkpatrick - One Free Book
Bio: Jane Kirkpatrick is the New York Times and CBA bestselling and award-winning author of 40 books, including The Healing of Natalie Curtis, Something Worth Doing, One More River to Cross, Everything She Didn’t Say, All Together in One Place, A Light in the Wilderness, The Memory Weaver, This Road We Traveled, and A Sweetness to the Soul, which won the prestigious Wrangler Award from the Western Heritage Center. Her works have won the WILLA Literary Award, the Carol Award for Historical Fiction, and the 2016 Will Rogers Gold Medallion Award. Jane divides her time between Central Oregon and California with her husband, Jerry, and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Caesar.
About the story: Mollie Sheehan had spent much of her life striving to be a dutiful daughter, even when doing so led to her own heartbreak. But when romance blooms between her and Peter Ronan, Mollie finally allows herself to hope for a brighter future—until her father moves her to California to ensure the breakup.
Yet, time and circumstances work to reconnect her with her former fiancé. Together they weather the challenges of marriage and settlement until Peter assumes the position of a lifetime—Indian Agent among the Flathead People. Mollie’s language skills, her desire to make everyone feel welcome, and her overarching sense of justice lead her to stand beside her husband and the People during the turbulent Nez Perce War and beyond.
Beneath the Bending Skiesis a sweeping story of hospitality, destiny, and the bonds of family.
Welcome back, Jane. Your novel is based upon true events that occurred in the life of Mollie Sheehan Ronan. How did you first learn about Mollie and what compelled you to write a fictional account of her story? About ten years ago, I read Mollie’s memoir called Girl from the Gulches. It was such a sweeping story of the West and the strains of family bonds, yet with a happy ending. I never forgot her story. It kept niggling me while I worked on other novels, but it seemed the right time to write about goodness and family and happily ever after. And there was that magnificent Montana landscape to draw us all in! Beneath the Bending Skies is a story that encompasses hospitality, destiny, and the bonds of family. Can you please expound about how these themes play out in your novel?Those themes are all wrapped up with Mollie’s desire to honor her deceased mom, please her father, and yet follow her own faith and heart. When she falls in love with her father’s “former” best friend, he moves his entire family to San Juan Capistrano where Mollie attends a convent school. And while she was told to never have contact with Peter Ronan, the priests of Helena, Montana, and the sisters in Los Angeles, California, nurture the longings of these two. When Mollie decides to marry without her father’s blessing, she nevertheless spends her days as a young wife, mother, and eventually works beside her husband on the Flathead Nation, but always seeks to bring her father back into the family fold. The tragic Nez Perce War crystallizes the role of family and the necessity of widening the scope of what family means.
What lessons do you hope readers gain from reading Beneath the Bending Skies? To truly honor our father and mother, we must also honor ourselves. And that family comes in many shapes and sizes as Mollie discovered as a stepchild, half sister, wife, and mother, and the member of a family of Native peoples who welcomed her into their midst. The importance of listening to that inner voice—that’s what I hope readers take away.
Mollie’s husband, Peter, becomes the Indian agent appointed by the Secretary of the Interior for the Flathead Reservation. What did this role entail? Think mayor or governor. He was responsible for working with the various tribes, resolving issues between non-Indian ranchers, acting as judge in judicial matters, advocating with the federal government for food, blankets, bullets for hunting, and other necessities for welfare of the Indian people whose lives were changing. The Agency employed dozens of people—physicians, blacksmiths, teachers, carpenters, lumbermen, etc.—and Peter had to manage finances and the needs of a small town too.
How did Mollie’s language skills and her gift of hospitality aid her husband’s position on the reservation? Because it was a well-organized agency, dozens of dignitaries from the federal government, priests, journalists, and tribal people dropped in and stayed. Mollie became the organizer of meals and hospitality, working beside her husband to make visitors and employees welcome—especially those of the reservation whom they were there to serve.
What type of research was required to write about the Ronans’ lives among the Flathead?Mollie’s memoir was a terrific source book. And Peter’s reports for several of the years of his time at the agency, his letters, etc. were published by the Montana Historical Society. They offered insights into the struggles Peter had and the joys too. Not being familiar with the history of Montana, I read dozens of books on mining and the Age of Vigilantes and the politics of the region, how women helped their husbands or fathers earn a living in a settlement time. Records about the Nez Perce War were also helpful. I also looked to my own mental health background to focus on family stresses and my seventeen years working on a reservation in Oregon with friends who brought authenticity—I hope—to this story. The Ronans became embroiled in the Nez Perce War in 1877. What was the one life-changing event that took place during that time? I actually think there were a couple of events. One was Peter’s ability to keep the tribes he worked with agreeing not to join the Nez Perce renegade Chief Joseph, even though they had familial ties to him. Later, Peter worked to allow the defeated chief to return to his own country and even invited him to join the Jocko Agency he managed. But for Mollie, it was not only the commitment of the tribes to her family’s personal safety during this troubled time but also that she encountered a father who sought his daughter who had been taken hostage. He’d become wounded himself. Mollie’s care for this wounded father helped her see the importance of doing what one can for others, and the importance of family, and renewed her desire to heal the wound with her own father. That decision changed all their lives.
You refer to your novel as the “sandwich generation of the 1800s.” What do you mean by this statement?Mollie felt the responsibility of her father and stepmother while she had her own family with needs. She was the “meat” in that sandwich between generations. A great many women today struggle with those same challenges. I thought it of interest that some circumstances cross generations and decades. I hope how Mollie dealt with it might offer inspiration for women today.
What do you love most about writing historical novels? I love exploring how women of the past dealt with the challenges of family, finding meaningful work, growing in their faith, managing life. That these women really lived adds inspiration, I think, if I’ve told their stories well. I also think that stories set in another time allow readers to imagine themselves. Stories are like maps. They help us figure out where we’re going but also help reduce the fear and anxiety of the unknown. Writing such stories helps me reduce those fears and anxieties too.
How can readers connect with you? My website is jkbooks.com. Many readers sign up there for my Story Sparks monthly newsletter of news and inspiration. You can find me on Facebook and Instagram.
Thank you, Jane, for sharing Beneath the Bending Skies with my blog readers and me. I love your books.
Readers, here’s a link to the book.
Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (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 2 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.
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November 16, 2022
THE CAPTAIN AND MRS. VYE - MaryAnn Diorio - One Free Book
Welcome back, MaryAnn. Tell us about your salvation experience. Oh, how I love to tell this story! Thank you for the opportunity to do so.I received Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord at the age of 25. I had just returned from a year of living in Italy where I studied for my Master’s degree. Because of the readings required in my course of study, I returned home with questions about the existence of God. (Warning here: Be careful where you or your children get an education! :)
Up to that point, I had been a devoted member of the Catholic Church. One Sunday morning, I was feeling very depressed as I entered church. But when I left, I felt even more depressed. Something wasn’t right. The service should have encouraged me. Instead, it added more questions to my already large repertoire.
As I left church, I stood on the steps and in my heart, I cried out to God. “Lord,” I said, “is this all there is to You? If not, please show me!”
Shortly thereafter, a fellow teacher at the school where I taught, who was a Christian, invited me to a meeting of Campus Crusade for Christ. A young woman named Margo witnessed to me, but I was afraid to accept Christ because I had been taught that only Catholics go to heaven. But she was so kind and loving, and I know she prayed for me.
For two years afterward, the Lord kept sending me people to witness to me about being born again. Finally, in December 1970, as I was watching Billy Graham on TV, I accepted Jesus as my Savior and Lord. And I have never been the same.
For a full, detailed version of my testimony, your readers can visit my website at https://www.maryanndiorio.com/how-to-live-forever.
I love hearing salvation stories. You’re planning a writing retreat where you can only have four other authors. Who would they be and why? This is a very difficult question for me as so many fellow writers have helped me grow along the way. But I suppose I would choose the members of my mastermind group. We meet once a month via Zoom, yet we have never met in person. I would love to attend a retreat with them.
Do you have a speaking ministry? If so, tell us about that. Yes. I used to speak in person, but now I speak only via Zoom. My speaking ministry has been primarily to women, especially hurting women. Of course, all women have hurt at some point in their lives. That’s the reason we all need a Savior.
If I could summarize the theme of my speaking ministry, it is to help women expose the lies in their lives and replace them with the truth. As John 8: 32 states, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
Over my 77 years of life, it is the truth of God’s Word that has sustained me and seen me through many difficult challenges. I want to share the truth of God’s Word with women so that they, too, can be set free wherever they need to be.
What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you and how did you handle it? I ran into a pole and said, “Excuse me!” I handled it by laughing with those who witnessed the event and laughed as well.
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 would say, “Then write it!” I believe that a desire is an indication of a talent.
Tell us about the featured book.
The Captain and Mrs. Vye
started only as a title. One day, Holy Spirit just dropped the title into my spirit and it grabbed my attention. At that point, I had no idea at all about the story or its plot.Then I started asking myself some questions. Who is Mrs. Vye? What is her problem? Her biggest dream? The biggest fear keeping her from achieving that dream? As a result of the answers to those questions, the story began taking shape. As I wrote it, I felt a keen sense of Holy Spirit’s presence guiding me.
There were times I had no clue where I was going. But then I prayed, and the Lord answered with a way to move forward. He always makes a way for us, doesn’t He? Glory to His Holy Name! J
Please give us the first page of the book.
Cape May, New Jersey
Monday, February 17, 1873
As she faced her husband in the lovely sitting room of their spacious home, Loretta Vye's fragile hold on joy slipped. Her stomach tensed as she clutched the gold cross around her neck, a gift from her late mother on Loretta's eighth birthday. She always grabbed hold of it when she was upset. “You're leaving again? When?”
“Tomorrow, my dear.”
“Tomorrow?” Her voice rose several decibels.
A frown darkened his angular face. “Yes, dear.” He turned away from her momentarily, clasping his hands behind his back, and then faced her again. “An urgent situation has arisen that requires I leave immediately.”
How can readers find you on the Internet?
They can find me at https://www.maryanndiorio.com
Thank you so much for this opportunity, Lena. I am most grateful to you!
It’s my pleasure to host you on my blog again.
Readers, here’s a link to the book.
Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (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 2 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.
If you’re reading this on Goodreads, 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
November 15, 2022
FALLING FOR THE COWGIRL - Jody Hedlund - One Free Book
Bio: Jody Hedlund is the bestselling author of over 30 historical novels for both adults and teens and is the winner of numerous awards, including the Christy, Carol, and Christian Book Awards. Jody lives in Michigan with her husband, busy family, and five spoiled cats.
Welcome, Jody. Please provide a brief summary of your new novel, Falling for the Cowgirl. This book continues the McQuaid family saga as the family of five siblings struggles to survive in the high country of Colorado. Even though Ivy McQuaid is the youngest child in the McQuaid family (and the only girl), she gets her happily-ever-after in this fourth book of the series. Readers who’ve read the previous books have already gotten a glimpse of the feisty and precocious Ivy during her younger years. But as Falling for the Cowgirlopens, Ivy is all grown up and searching for a place where she belongs and that she can finally call home.
Of course, her long lost love, Jericho Bliss, shows up on the scene and causes all kinds of mayhem for her as always. Though she’s tried to forget about the man who broke her heart, she realizes she can’t stop loving Jericho, even though he makes it clear that he has no intention of pursing anything between them.
What about the life of ranchers first captured your imagination? I lived in the high country of Colorado as a child and then for a few years while my husband was in graduate school, so Colorado has always held a special place in my heart. During a family vacation there in recent years, I visited the Fairplay area in South Park and realized it would be the perfect setting for a ranching story. Not only was it beautiful, but it was loaded with so many historical details that I’d never run out of interesting information to inspire me.
Can you tell us a little more about what and who were the inspirations behind this book? In doing research for this series, I came across a chapter in a book devoted to ranch women that had a few paragraphs about women being involved in the rodeo circuit. After reading about those women and the many challenges they faced, I knew right away that Ivy had to not only be a cowgirl but also a rodeo participant.
Since this series is set in the 1860s and early 1870s, rodeos were just developing. In those early days, they were known as cowhand competitions, and most of them didn’t allow women to participate. Ivy, being the strong woman that she is, doesn’t let anything hold her back and finds a way to join in the competitions anyway. You’ll have to read the book to find out how!
What did you enjoy most about creating a tough and independent protagonist like Ivy McQuaid? What did you find the most challenging, if anything? After growing up with four older brothers, Ivy is a typical tomboy. She’d much rather spend her days chasing cattle and wandering around the ranch than doing any of the women’s tasks at home. Not only does she buck against the constraints put on women in the cowhand competitions, but she also wants to own land and have a place of her own. Earning money for land is difficult for a woman, but convincing a man to sell her land is equally challenging. Even though Ivy is struggling to be accepted as a woman in a man’s world, I had to make sure she didn’t come across as too masculine and abrasive. The challenge was finding ways to make her attractive as a woman, especially to the hero. She wants the hero to notice her, and so begins to take more care with her appearance. For example, I have her struggling to adjust to wearing fancy garments that are hand-me-downs from a sister-in-law.
Like many of us, your character Jericho Bliss fears putting those he loves in danger. Do you believe it is more important for us to respect such fears or overcome them? Because his mother was tortured and died at the hands of criminals, Jericho is forever scarred. Not only did his mother die, but his father turned to heavy drinking in his grief, and so Jericho lost both parents. His fear of putting Ivy into danger as a result of his job is legitimate. The criminals he’s hunting are the worst of the worst.
Even so, Jericho has to learn that when we give fear control, it keeps us from living life to the fullest. In a sense, we’re letting it kill a part of us—especially the joy and the beauty that awaits us in relationships.
Without giving away any spoilers, what makes Ivy McQuaid and Jericho Bliss such a compelling duo? They’re both strong and stubborn characters, and when they come together the sparks fly!
What sets Falling for the Cowgirl apart from your previous novels? The other books in the series are from the perspective of the McQuaid brothers. This book is about the lone sister in the family.
What do you hope readers will take away from reading this book? When Ivy experiences one loss after another, she grows increasingly despondent. In a very poignant scene near the end of the novel, Judd (the grandfatherly man who shepherds the McQuaid family) challenges her to stop building her life on a crumbling foundation and instead to find her acceptance in God’s unfailing love, in the One who will never leave or forsake her. She has to learn to take her aches to the Lord instead of trying to bear them all herself.
Jericho has a similar spiritual journey. He, too, has to come to grips with walking life empty-handed and trying to hold himself up instead of turning to the One who is beside him and waiting to lift him up every time he stumbles or falls.
This book sounds so interesting. How can readers connect with you? To stay up to date, I invite readers to join my Facebook Reader Room, where I post the most relevant book news and interact with readers. Or readers can visit my website at jodyhedlund.com.
Thank you, Jody, for sharing this book with my blog readers and me. I love western historical novels.
Readers, here’s a link to the book.
Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (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 2 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.
If you’re reading this on Goodreads, 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
