Lena Nelson Dooley's Blog, page 4
April 22, 2024
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.
Cherie (FL) is the winner of Shadows at Dusk by Elizabeth Goddard.
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.
April 17, 2024
THE IRISH MATCHMAKER - Jennifer Deibel - One Free Book
Bio: JenniferDeibel is theauthor of A Dance in Donegal (winner of the Kipp Award forHistorical Romance), The Lady of Galway Manor, and The Maidof Ballymacool. Her work has appeared on (in)courage, on TheBetter Mom, in Missions Mosaic magazine, and in otherpublications. With firsthand immersive experience abroad, Jennifer writesstories that help redefine home through the lens of culture, history, andfamily. After nearly a decade of living in Ireland and Austria, she now livesin Arizona with her husband and their three children.Jennifer draws from her years of experience living in Ireland to craft historical novelssteeped in culture. In her newest novel, The Irish Matchmaker, Deibel journeys back to Ireland with atale of mismatched romances, fresh new starts, and happily ever afters.
About the story: As the daughter of a matchmaker with an excellent reputation, CatríonaDaly is well-versed in love. The one thing love hasn’t done for her yet is takeher away from the tiny town she’s been languishing in. The only time thevillage is truly bustling is during the annual matchmaking festival. And thisyear, she has her eye on the grandest prize at the festival, Andrew Osborne,the son of a lord. After a failed romance set up by a rival matchmaker, Andrewis ready to find a new match. And Catríona has just the match in mind—herself.
Donal Bunratty is left adrift after the lossof his wife. He has been trying to manage his cattle farm and raise hisdaughter all alone. But finding new love is more difficult than it would seem.Despite his shyness, Donal agrees to attend the matchmaking festival for thesake of his daughter. Alas, when he attends the festival, the only woman to drawhis attention is the one who’s supposed to find his future wife for him—and sheis set on matching herself with another.
It will take everything Catríona has learnedof love to end this festival with success. The matches she makes could changeher life forever.
Welcome, Jennifer. Can you please provide a brief summary ofyour novel The Irish Matchmaker? Catríona Daly is no stranger to the business of love—even thoughpersonally she has yet to find it. Eager for a match of her own and a freshstart away from her sleepy village, she makes grand plans for the annualLisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival. She never expects a shy, widowed sheepfarmer to distract her from her goal.
What do you hope readers will gain fromreading The Irish Matchmaker? I pray that all readers will be encouragedin their own faith journey—whether they’ve been following Jesus for years orjust exploring what this God thing is all about. And if anyone is struggling totrust in God’s provision, when it’s almost impossible to see how He couldprovide, I hope that they would be heartened and encouraged to trust Him.
Why do you love setting your novels in Ireland?The culture, language, and people are part ofmy heart and soul. I love being able to help others experience even a piece ofthat incredible country. It is such a joy.
What type of research was required to portraythe historical setting in The Irish Matchmaker? While I’ve driven through Lisdoonvarna and stopped for tea once ortwice, I was never able to spend much time there. So I spent a lot of days andweeks online learning about the town’s history, as well as the history andmethods of matchmaking. I was so grateful to be able to chat with people at theSpa Wells Historical Centre, as well as talk to third-generation matchmakerWillie Daly (who is still making matches in Lisdoonvarna to this day)! It wassome of the most fun research I’ve done in a while!Catríona is the daughter of a renownedmatchmaker. What were the responsibilities of a matchmaker during this timeperiod?
Matchmakers were responsible for findingsuitable matches for their clients. Sometimes the first match worked, othertimes it took a few tries. Then it was their job to negotiate the terms of thematch—money for dowry and land or livestock that was going to be part of thedeal, etc. Many matchmakers also kept meticulous records. Lisdoonvarna’scurrent matchmaker carries a book with him that has the details of every matchmade by him, his father, and his grandfather!
Catríona is determined to make a reputationfor herself as a great matchmaker, as well as make herself a prosperous match.What, in your opinion, makes a great match between two characters? That’s the million-dollar question! There has to be some commonthread connecting the characters to begin with. It could be a sharedcircumstance, mutual attraction, or even mutual annoyance! But both partiesreally need to have the same goal for the relationship. A good dose of conflictor a few obstacles can really help refine those goals and draw the coupletogether. I also think laughter is a must for any successful romantic match.
What do you love most about writinghistorical romance? I love being able to experience the worldthrough a different lens. No matter how many stories I write, I learn so much,and I get to see countries, cultures, and time periods most people don’t getthe opportunity to if they don’t read or write historical fiction. It’s a chanceto see what things were like.
Whatabout your own life influences your writing? Oftentimes, my own faith andstruggles influence what or how I write. I’m able to draw on those experiencesin order to add a deeper layer of authenticity to the characters’ thoughts andactions. Many of the humorous situations in my books were inspired by events Iactually experienced—like the “moving cloud” (aka sheep) in the nighttimejourney over the Errigal Pass in A Dance of Donegal and the cowsmunching on seaweed in the middle of the street after a storm in The Lady ofGalway Manor!
How can readers connect with you? I absolutely love connecting with readers, so I hope they will! Mywebsite has all the links to find me around the web. Readers can sign up for mynewsletter there and find links to all my social media.
Where can readers purchase a copy of TheIrish Matchmaker? The Irish Matchmaker is available wherever books are sold in paperback, ebook, andhardcover format. And the audiobook will be available after the release date.The best deal can always be found at Baker Book House where you can preorderthe book for 40 percent off and free shipping.
Thankyou for sharing this book with us. It sounds so interesting.
Readers, here’s alink to the book.
Leave a commentfor a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow theseinstructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at leastthe state or territory or country if outside North America. (Commentscontaining links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)
Void whereprohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering thegiveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the entererin accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.
The onlynotification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure tocheck back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 2 weeks fromthe posting of the winners to claim your book.
Ifyou’re reading this on Goodreads, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, orAmazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to beincluded in the drawing. Here’s a link: Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com
April 16, 2024
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.
Caryl K (TX) is the winner of Calling on the Matchmaker by Jody Hedlund.
Brenda (MS) is the winner of Earning the Mountain Man's Trust by Misty M Beller.
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.
April 10, 2024
SHADOWS AT DUSK - Elizabeth Goddard - One Free Book
Bio: Elizabeth Goddard is the USA Today bestselling andaward-winning author of more than 50 novels, including Cold Light ofDay and the Rocky Mountain Courage and Uncommon Justice series. Herbooks have sold nearly 1.5 million copies. She is a Carol Award and Reader'sChoice Award winner and a Daphne du Maurier Award finalist. When she's notwriting, she loves spending time with her family, traveling to find inspirationfor her next book, and serving with her husband in ministry.Elizabeth hasmastered the craft of writing action-packed, high-stakes novels that keepreaders on the edge of their seats. In Shadows at Dusk, book two in the Missing in Alaska series,Goddard returns readers to the last frontier and introduces characters who facenew dangers and dark mysteries as they search for what they’ve lost whilelearning to trust each other.
About the story: Alaska is a far cry fromhis home state of Montana, but Detective Trevor West would go to the ends ofthe earth to find his missing sister. After disappearing in a small Alaskantown, all she left behind were a few photographs. With Police Chief AutumnLong’s help, Trevor seeks out Carrie James. An experienced bush pilot withknowledge of the area, Carrie is his best shot at finding the locationsdepicted in the photographs.
But Carrie won’t help for free. Grieving the death of her trustedfriend, she agrees to use her skills to help Trevor if he uses his own expertiseto track down her friend’s killer and bring them to justice.
Neither of their searches prove to be easy as they venture into the darksecrets of the Alaskan land. To find what they need, they’ll have to trust eachother and stay steadfast in the face of danger. The truth—and a killer—is outthere.
What type ofresearch was required for Shadows at Dusk? This novelrequired a ridiculous amount of research—in fact, probably the most researchI’ve had to do for any of my novels. I had to know everything about flying abush plane in Alaska. I had to learn details about the various islands,conflict minerals, geology, and EPA Superfund sites. I find it all sofascinating!
Both of yourprotagonists, Trevor West and Carrie James, have skillsthat the other one needs. Can you explain their roles and how they can helpeach other? Detective West is a former Deputy US Marshalwho used to track fugitives, and Carrie is determined to find the personresponsible for her friend’s death and needs his tracking skills. Carrie hasbeen a bush pilot in Southeast Alaska for ten years, and she recognizes the locationsin the pictures that Trevor’s sister left behind. They make a great team!
Shadows at Dusk is set inAlaska. Why did you choose this setting for your series? I can’t believe that’s even a question! Ha. Most of my novels are setin stunning locations, and I figured it was time I write another series inAlaska. The landscape provides all the elements I need to ramp up the tension.
What do you hope readers will gain from reading Shadows at Dusk?I hope they’ll come away breathless after theride of their life. Entertainment aside, I want to give them a fresh sense ofawe at God’s creation as they learn more about Alaska and to make them feellike they’ve just come back from an adventurous trip. Shadows at Dusk is thesecond in the Missing in Alaska series. Will we be seeing any recurringcharacters from Cold Light of Day, the first book in your series? Carrie and Trevor head away from Shadow Gap in their search, but theyinteract with Shadow Gap characters throughout the novel.
What is the connecting element between the books in the Missing inAlaska series? Shadow Gap, Alaska, and the characters wholive there connect all the stories.
What do readers have to look forward to in the final volume of the Missingin Alaska series? Another wild ride and a winter story!
What do you love most about writing romantic suspense novels? I love the action and adventure I can add to the suspense elements tokeep pushing the story forward, and, as a result, I often hear my books areunputdownable.
How can readers connect with you? Atmy website, ElizabethGoddard.com, readers can subscribe to my newsletter to getthe latest news. The icons for my various social media sites can also be foundon my website.
Where can readers purchase a copy of Shadows at Dusk? Everywhere books are sold,but especially Baker Book House.
Thank you for sharing Shadows at Dusk with us, Beth. You knowI love all your books.
Leave a commentfor a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow theseinstructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at leastthe state or territory or country if outside North America. (Commentscontaining links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)
Void whereprohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering thegiveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the entererin accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.
The onlynotification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure tocheck back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 2 weeks fromthe posting of the winners to claim your book.
If you’re readingthis on Goodreads, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, pleasecome to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in thedrawing. Here’s a link: Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com
April 9, 2024
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.
Anne (NM) is the winner of Double Take by Lynette Eason.
Brenda (MS) is the winner of Cherished Betrothal by Denise Weimer.
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.
April 3, 2024
CALLING ON THE MATCHMAKER - Jody Hedlund - One Free Book
Bio: Jody Hedlund is the bestselling author of more than thirtyhistorical novels for both adults and teens and is the winner of numerousawards, including the Christy, Carol, and Christian Book Awards. Jody lives inMichigan with her husband, busy family, and five spoiled cats.From the talentedpen of bestselling author Jody Hedlund comes a brand-new series set amidst thebustling streets of St. Louis, Missouri, the gateway to the West. Beloved forher western historicals, readers are sure to fall for the Shanahan siblings asthey discover their places in life and love—even in spite of themselves—withthe help of a wily Irish matchmaker. Escape to 1849 St. Louis for a daring andromantic tale in Calling on the Matchmaker, book one in the A Shanahan Match series.
About the Story: Haunted by thedeath of her sister, Finola Shanahan has resolved that she’s not worthy of afamily of her own and commits to spending her days caring for immigrants in theslums.
Unwilling toconsider marriage, Finola has perfected the ability to sabotage therelationships her parents arrange for her. At wit’s end, her father calls uponthe local Irish matchmaker, who pairs her with successful wagonmaker RileyRafferty. After her usual tricks fail, Finola quickly realizes she can’toutsmart or outwit the dashing, determined, and daring man.
A candidate in theSt. Louis mayoral election, Riley is confident a union with the wealthyShanahan family will help solidify his chances of winning—and even more assuredhe and Finola can make a difference together. When a cholera outbreak begins totake St. Louis by storm, they must navigate a burgeoning attraction and growingdanger, testing all they know about love and sacrifice.
Your latest novel, Calling on the Matchmaker, is book one in the new series, A Shanahan Match. Can you please tell us a little bit about the series?
Jody Hedlund: This new series is a saga involving the Shanahan family in thefrontier city of St. Louis, Missouri, in the late 1840s. The Shanahans are abig and loving family with six children. The oldest are reaching marriageableage, so the local matchmaker is called upon to help form advantageous matches.Even though the Irish matchmaker is wily, he still faces challenges as he seeksto pair each of the Shanahan siblings with their true loves.
Since the series revolves around the Shanahansiblings, can you provide a short introduction to each sibling? Book 1 in the series involves Finola Shanahan, who is the oldestShanahan sibling and the first in line for the matchmaker’s help. The troubleis that she has no intention of getting married and works to foil thematchmaker’s plans.
Book 2 tells Enya Shanahan’s story. She is a fiery redhead with anequally fiery personality and is rebellious against her strict parents. As aresult, she gets herself into trouble and ends up needing a marriage ofconvenience.
Book 3 finally gives Kiernan Shanahan a chance to find his true love.As the first-born son, he’s driven in life, business, and love. He’s ready forthe matchmaker to find him an advantageous match, but his heart may havealready found someone else.
What do readers need to know about the Shanahan family, butespecially about Finola? Finola’s parents both immigrated from Ireland as young adults. As aresult of their Irish heritage, they have strong ties to the large Irishcommunity in St. Louis and also have a heart for helping the newly arrivedIrish immigrants, many of whom are escaping starvation and poverty in Irelanddue to the potato famine. Finola, in particular, has become involved with agroup of nuns who visit the poor tenements and help the immigrants. She desiresto join the convent and spend her life in service to God. But her parents areopposed to her entering the convent and want her to get married.
Some major themes that Callingon the Matchmaker addresses are family relationships, mistakes, and forgiveness.How do we see these play out in the lives of your female protagonists? Finola is wrestling with a past family tragedy that she hasn’t beenable to forget about or forgive herself for. As a result, she feels as thoughshe has to do penance for the mistake. One way she feels she can make up forthe tragedy is by becoming a nun and living a life of service to God. She hastried to talk to her parents about her desire to enter the convent, but theyhaven’t listened to her. As a result, she doesn’t communicate well about whatshe wants. Throughout the course of the story, she has to learn to gain a voiceas well as learn to forgive herself and others for the past.
This novel is arguably a bit different from other books you’vewritten recently. Can you share what inspired the idea for this story? It is a little different. But I hope readers appreciate getting tolearn about new areas of the country and new parts of history through mystories. Since I love romance more than anything else, I thought the matchmakeridea would be a fun way to tie a series together. As I began researchingmatchmaker stories, I realized that there is a long tradition of Irish menbeing matchmakers. So, the Irish matchmaker takes the stage in all of thebooks.
Which character in this book was your favorite to write and why? Doyou think this will be readers’ favorite as well? Obviously I love the hero and heroine! But aside from them, BellamyMcKenna, the matchmaker, is one of my favorite characters in this series. He isin the process of beginning to take over the matchmaker duties from his fatherand has some different, less conventional ways of bringing about matches. He’s notonly intuitive, but he’s also very clever. Readers will hopefully fall in lovewith Bellamy (and maybe, just maybe, he’ll get his love story eventually too!).Your previous series, Colorado Cowboys, highlighted cowboys in the American West. What prompted you to headin a different direction for this series? Asmuch as I loved writing my Colorado Cowboys series, Ididn’t want to pigeon-hole myself as a western or cowboy-romance writer. Sincemost of my series highlight different places and historical events, I wanted totake readers on a new adventure and introduce them to a new part of historythat I haven’t yet explored.
Why set these books in St. Louis? Does it have special meaning to thestory? Knowing I wanted to use the Irish, Iresearched places that had large Irish populations in the 1800s, and St. Louiswas one of them. As the Gateway to the West, St. Louis was full of danger,disease, and disaster—all of the things that make for a great story and theperfect setting for the Shanahan family.
In particular, I chose the year 1849 as the starting point for thisseries because a number of tragedies occurred in St. Louis at that time,including a deadly cholera epidemic and a tragic fire along the riverfront.
What is one of your favorite things about writing historical fiction?I love finding and bringing little known erasof history to life for readers. It’s always fun to hear from readers how muchthey’ve learned from my books and how that aspect of history came to life forthem.
What lessons do you hope readers gain by picking up Calling on theMatchmaker? Ihope readers will learn, just like my characters, that sometimes we mistake ourown inability to forgive ourselves as God’s inability, but instead God forgivesus so deeply, that He puts our mistakes out of His mind as far as the east isfrom the west. If God forgives us so generously, shouldn’t we also be willingto forgive ourselves the same way?
Can you share whichShanahan sibling the next book in the series is about? The next book isEnya’s story and involves a marriage of convenience, a steamboat captain, andthe Great Fire of 1849.
That soundsinteresting, too. How can readers connect with you? To stay up todate, I invite readers to join my Facebook ReaderRoomwhere I post the most relevant book news and interact with readers. Or readerscan visit my website at jodyhedlund.com
Thank you forsharing Calling on the Matchmaker with us today. I know my readers will want to read it.
Readers, here’s alink to the book.
Leave a commentfor a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow theseinstructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at leastthe state or territory or country if outside North America. (Commentscontaining links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)
Void whereprohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering thegiveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the entererin accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.
The onlynotification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure tocheck back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 2 weeks fromthe posting of the winners to claim your book.
If you’re readingthis on Goodreads, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, pleasecome to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in thedrawing. Here’s a link: Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com
April 2, 2024
EARNING THE MOUNTAIN MAN'S TRUST - Misty M Beller - One Free Book
Bio: Misty M. Beller is a USA Today bestselling author of romantic mountain stories, set onthe 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love. Raised on afarm and surrounded by family, Misty developed her love for horses, history,and adventure. These days, her husband and children provide fresh adventureevery day, keeping her both grounded and crazy.
Misty’s passionis to create inspiring Christian fiction infused with the grandeur of themountains, writing historical romance that displays God’s abundant love throughthe twists and turns in the lives of her characters.
Sharing herstories with readers is a dream come true for Misty. She writes from hercountry home in South Carolina and escapes to the mountains any chance shegets.
About the Story:
Naomi Wyatt has finally given up onthe man who once promised to love her for the rest of his life—then disappearedafter a business trip, never responding to her letters. She’s now alone with abeautiful baby to provide for, a daughter whose red hair reminds her daily ofthe man she gave her heart to. She has to move on, though, and she did, goingwest with her sister. When Jonah Coulter asks for her hand in marriage, sheknows she would be hard-pressed to find a better father for her sweet child.He’s a Coulter, after all, and he’s proven to be a good friend during herdarkest hours.
Eric LaGrange thought he’d lost Naomiforever. But when he finally gets word that she’s in the Montana Territory, hedrops everything to go after her…and their daughter? How could Naomi have kepttheir beautiful child from him? And how could she move on so quickly that she’salready engaged to another man? He loves Naomi so much that he’ll acceptwhatever choice is best for her, but is that him…or this settled rancher who clearlycares for them. No matter what, he’s determined to know his daughter and becomethe father he always wanted to be.
With Eric’s sudden appearance, Naomi’sheart is shredded once again. She barely has time to catch her breath before anew threat appears on the horizon. This time she has far more at stake than herheart, and only a Divine hand can turn this disaster for their good.From a USA Today bestselling author comes a mountainfamily saga filled with a second chance romance, love triangle, hidden treasure,and faith that heals wounded hearts.
Welcome back, Misty. What genre(s) do you write and why? I tend to be a bit of a sentimentalist, so Christian Historical Romanceis perfect for me! My favorite period isbetween 1860 - 1880, when the cowboy days were really ramping up. I love thesimpler life, where there's no rat race. Just hard work, plenty of alone time(can you tell I'm an introvert?), and a strong family unit. My stories usuallycenter around horses and ranching, which comes from my love for the animals. Iwas completely horse crazy growing up, and actually trained and showed horsesprofessionally for a couple years after high school.
If you were to choose one superpower, what would it be? This is a tough one! Maybe to always know the right thing to say? We havefive kiddos ranging in age from two years to sixteen years, and it’s not alwayseasy being a parent. It would be wonderful to always look back and feel like I’dsaid exactly the thing each child needed to hear at that moment.
I so understand that. Many a time while raising ourdaughters, I had to pray for God’s help for something I said the wrong way. Doyou ever get stuck when you’re writing a book? What do you do to get unstuck? Yes, often! I’ve found the best way to break through my block is to talkthrough the story with a writer friend. They usually throw out ideas until Isee exactly what I was missing.
What is your least favorite part of writing? The hardest part of writing for me is editing. This is the part where Igo through painstakingly and reword sentences to make them come to life withstronger verbs and the perfect phrasing. I always drink a lot of coffee duringthis process!
If we came to your house for dinner, what would youprepare for us? There’s no telling! J We often have a lot going on inthe evenings, so dinner can range from spaghetti to pizza to a frozen casseroleto chicken tenders and fries.
What is your typical day like? I’m usually up early, starting with Bible reading, then getting all thekiddos where they need to be for the day. I usually get to start writing orwriting-related work around 9:30-ish. I often sprint with other writer friendsfor 2-3 hour, then depending on the day, I may have Zoom meetings or need topick-up kids. Sometimes I get to sneak back to my desk for another hour or twoin the afternoons. Then comes dinner andusually soccer practices or games. It’s definitely a full life!
What is most difficult for you to write? Characters,conflict, or emotions? Why? Hmmm… It doesn’t feel like one ofthese is harder to write than another. I get to know my characters a littlemore with each chapter, so that might be the hardest. I usually need to come backto the early chapters and add in details and emotions once I know thecharacters better.
How likely are the people you meet going to end up in yournext book? Not very likely. J My characters are usually people withtheir own personalities who come alive in my mind.
Tell us about your hero. Give us one of his strengths andone of his weaknesses. Oh, I LOVED Eric! He’s sodetermined to care for and protect those he loves. He came into the story witha slightly misguided notion of what that protection should look like when itcame to Naomi and their daughter, but I love that he was willing to change. J
Please give us the text on the first page of your firstchapter.
OCTOBER1869
ROCK CREEK,MONTANA TERRITORY
EricLaGrange eyed the mountain slope still ahead of them. He rode with a group ofCoulters, headed up this treacherous path toward their ranch. The blindingafternoon sunilluminated the snow-capped peaks to the west, its stark light only shadowed bythe low-flying vulture circling overhead in search of its next meal.
Thisplace reminded him too much of another steep slope. That jagged ledge wasthousands of miles away from here, yet tragedy didn’t care about location.Though he and his best friend had only been boys, daring to play in the spotthey'd been warned against, his best friend's life had changed forever thatday.
Hecouldn't let that happen to his daughter.
Hisdaughter.
The wordstill sounded so foreign. How could he have had a child—been a father—fornearly a year and not known?
Tell us about your next book and when is it beingpublished? I’d love to! Rocky Mountain Journey isthe final book in my Sisters of the Rockies series published by Bethany House,a series that has been one of my favorites, yet one of the most challenging, towrite. This story picks up with Faith Collins (our heroine) as she goes insearch of the Peigan Blackfoot woman who once saved her father's life. Shesteps fearlessly into the uncharted Rocky Mountains and the dangers that comewith it with a secret she must guard at all costs—she’s masquerading as a man!
Grant Allen (our hero) is on asearch for his long-lost brother who went west to the Rockies. He teams up withthe same group of trappers as Faith and soon becomes suspicious of the newmember among them. As he uncovers Faith's secret, of course he feels compelledto protect her from the dangers of the unpredictable terrain and the unrulytrappers. And this is where the story gets really interesting!
As Faith and Grant navigate theuntamed wilderness to fulfill their missions and find what they are trulysearching for, they’re tested and, at times, we wonder if they’ll make itthrough this journey with their hearts intact.
Sounds wonderful. But all your books are. Where can myreaders find you online? Ilove to connect with readers! One of my favorite ways is through my newsletter,and readers can get a free copy of my book, A Pony Express Romance, whenthey sign up for the newsletter. Here’s the link for that: https://mistymbeller.com/freebook
I can also befound at these links:
https://amazon.com/author/mistymbeller
https://www.facebook.com/MistyMBellerAuthor
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/misty-m-beller
https://www.goodreads.com/MistyMBeller
http://www.pinterest.com/MistyMBeller
Thank you for sharing Earning the Mountain Man’s Trustwith my blog readers and me. I’ve loved every book of yours I’ve read.
Readers,here are Purchase Links:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C7NCSTTX
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/earning-the-mountain-man-s-trust
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id6450163846
https://books2read.com/u/3ydLWL
Leavea comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow theseinstructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at leastthe state or territory or country if outside North America. (Commentscontaining links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)
Voidwhere prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants.Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf ofthe enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaininglocal/federal/international laws.
Theonly notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure tocheck back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 2 weeks fromthe 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 commentif you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link: Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com
April 1, 2024
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.
Caryl K (TX) is the winner of Marshaling Her Heart by Mary Connealy.
Heidi (CA) is the winner of The Seamstress of Acadie by Laura Frantz.
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March 30, 2024
LAST DAY TO GET...
Amazon #1 Bestseller in 3 categories,
A Heart's Gift by Lena Nelson Dooley,
for only $.99.
March 28, 2024
CHERISHED BETROTHAL - Denise Weimer - One Free Book
Welcome back, Denise. Tell us about your salvationexperience. My father was a minister. One Sunday when I was five or six,God impressed on my heart during the service that I was in need of a Savior,and I prayed to give my life to Him. On the way home, I worked up the nerve totell my parents. Never once did I doubt that was the moment He saved me, thoughI grew in my understanding and rededicated my life and was baptized as an olderteen.I was 7 years old when I first asked Jesus into my heart.You’re planning a writing retreat where you can only have four other authors.Who would they be and why? Oh, goodness, that’s a tough one! There are somany authors who have inspired me. Authors who have served as co-writers onprojects. Amazing authors I’ve served as an editor for. So it would be too hardto try to rank them in priority, and I’d never want to hurt any feelings byselecting so few. Suffice it to say, I’d choose authors who write in similargenres who have found unique ways to connect with readers and whose hearts forthe Lord are obvious.
Good answer. Do you have a speaking ministry? If so, tellus about that. I don’t have a speaking platform, per se, but as both anauthor and editor (Acquisitions and Editorial Liaison for Wild Heart Books),I do speak to a variety of groups about a variety of topics. This ranges fromtalking with historical or community organizations about the history in mybooks and how I turn research into fiction to addressing budding writers ontopics of the craft. Probably my favorite setting in which to speak would be ata book club.
I love connecting with book clubs, too. What is the mostembarrassing thing that has happened to you and how did you handle it? Hm,nothing super embarrassing comes to mind. Except there was this one time…LOL. Ihave enjoyed living history and vintage dance for a number of years. One timewhen I was quite a bit younger and more foolish, while attending a ball, I hadpinned fake ringlets to the side of my hair so the curls wouldn’t wilt in theGeorgia humidity. While I was whisking around doing the Virginia reel, one ofthe curls came loose and rolled around on the dance floor like a fleeing mouse.Thankfully, I believe I was able to snatch it up before anyone noticed. Ormaybe I just blocked out the memory of what happened after that.
People are always telling me that they’d like to write abook someday. I’m sure they do to you, too. What would you tell someone whocame up to you and said that? Yes, lots of people do tell me this, mostoften when I am at my book table at festivals. I generally ask them what theyhave in mind and encourage them to pursue their dream. Often, I will mentionjoining a writers’ group or attending a conference so they can gain someknowledge before they get started. What’s more challenging is when people tellme they have a story idea that Isimply must pursue…or pen for them as a ghost writer! Not all of these ideasline up with the style or genre I write.
I understand that. Tell us about the featured book. Thoughit is one of the more serious reads of the Scouts of the Georgia FrontiersSeries, A Cherished Betrothalis actually my favorite—for a variety of reasons.
Fascinating history of the struggle for the backcountry of Georgia and South Carolina as the American Revolution began. A backstory that provides a lot of angst, romantic tension, and opportunity to show God’s redemptive power. Swoon-worthy Scottish hero bent on revenge and a sweet heroine who serves as his foil. Tropes: childhood sweethearts, amnesia, love triangle, war.
Alexander Morris bearsthe childhood scars of the Long Canes massacre that killed his brother andfather. His dark past forces him into the lonely life of Georgia Ranger, andeventually, to join the bordering South Carolina Rangers that revolt againstthe Crown. When he’s posted to the fort erected to defend the community oncedecimated by the massacre, duty demands he court the loyalty of his swornenemies, the fierce Cherokee warriors.Elspeth Lawrence neverforgot the boy who sacrificed himself for her at Long Canes—any more than sheforgot the younger sister taken captive. She’s learned to not only forgive buthelp minister to the Cherokees at her father’s mission. Alex Morris’s arrivalat nearby Fort Charlotte stirs Elsie’s memories and her emotions. He doesn’teven remember her…or the long-ago attack. But the bitterness that simmers justbeneath his stoic exterior—as well as her courtship by a locallandowner—challenge their undeniable bond.
When Alex uncovers along-held secret and a plot to sabotage patriot talks with the Cherokees, hemust choose between his desire for revenge and his love for the girl he savedlong ago.
Please give us the first page of the book.
July 12, 1775
Fort Charlotte, SouthCarolina
“Dinna touch me, sir!”
The sharp command from the captain’s residence stoppedLieutenant Alexander Morris in the process of striking the British colors inthe fort’s yard. The act itself had already given him pause, for there could beno going back from this. The taking of a crown fort—even one in the backcountry—wasno less an act of aggression for the lack of bloodshed.
But what was a Scottish woman—unmistakable, from her liltingbrogue—doing here?
Alex’s men had been instructed to supervise Captain GeorgeWhitefield’s family as they packed and prepared to be escorted from FortCharlotte. A wagon awaited them with horses already hitched in the yard. Theywould travel northeast to the town of Ninety Six, along with whatever munitionsMajor James Mayson chose to transfer to the fortified town. Where the Whitefieldswent from there mattered not, so long as—having refused to join the Patriotcause—they left the area.
The undeniable rumble of an argument proceeded through theopen door of the captain’s quarters. Alex folded the flag over his arm,smoothing the King’s Colours with his scarred hand. He’d fought with theGeorgia Rangers under this banner, but never again. The line had been crossednow. Swallowing past the unexpected tightness in his throat, he pivoted andwent to see what might be out of kilter with the Whitefields.
He was about to enter the captain’s cabin when a petite formin a blue bodice and linen petticoat swept through the door, nearly collidingwith him. The young woman stopped, one hand flying up to secure her tiltingstraw hat.
How can readers find you on the Internet? DeniseWeimer writes historical and contemporary romance from her home in NorthGeorgia and also serves as a freelance editor and the Acquisitions and Editorial Liaison for Wild Heart Books. A wife and mother of two daughters, shealways pauses for coffee, chocolate, and old houses.
Connect with Denise here:
Thank you, Denise, forsharing A Cherished Betrothal with my blog readers and me.
Readers,here’s a link to the book.
https://www.amazon.com/Cherished-Betrothal-Scouts-Georgia-Frontier-ebook/dp/B0CHMZKBCL/
Leavea comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow theseinstructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at leastthe state or territory or country if outside North America. (Commentscontaining links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)
Voidwhere prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants.Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf ofthe enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaininglocal/federal/international laws.
Theonly notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure tocheck back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 2 weeks fromthe 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 commentif you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link: Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com
