Lena Nelson Dooley's Blog, page 40
September 12, 2021
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 do n'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 A Warriors Heart by Misty M Beller.
Melanie (TX) is the winner of So You Have a Disease by Beth Praed.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 4 weeks to claim your book.
September 10, 2021
TRAIL OF TEARS - Anne Greene - One Free Book
Welcome back, Anne. How did this book come about? Most people in the deep South are acquainted with the history of the
Trail of Tears
. But I was raised in the Midwest and first heard about the
Trail of Tears
in church one morning when I lived in Wheaton, Illinois. Being a history buff and unaware of such a momentous event surprised me. The history fascinated me, and my first thought was – that’s a book that needs to be written. Then, to make history exciting for my readers, I wrote a novel depicting what likely happened to one college-bound young man forced to travel the Trail. My book, Trail of Tears, The Story of John Ross, released February of this year.
Tell us about the book’s cover and what makes it unique. Although the cover doesn’t show the hundreds of Federal soldiers that guarded the Cherokee, the bottom portion of the cover depicts the wagon train on which one thousand Cherokees were transported along the trail. The top portion shows John Ross, the hero, and the two women important in his life.
I’ve known about the trail of tears for decades and found it to be a very shameful blot on our history. Please explain and differentiate between what’s fact and fiction in the book. Most of the events in Trail of Tears actually happened to the Cherokee people. I brought to life the hardship, suffering, and overcoming victory of the people as they spent seven months traveling from what is now Chattanooga, Tennessee, to Indian-controlled Oklahoma Territory.
A brave Moravian missionary accompanied this thousand-member wagon train of captives, and hundreds of Cherokees turned to Christ as they overcame the difficult, treacherous journey.
How much research did you have to do for this book? I researched the Trail, following it from Chattanooga, Tennessee, where my story begins, through western Kentucky, southern Illinois, Missouri, and Arkansas, until the Trail ends at Tahlequah, Oklahoma. I saw the outdoor drama, Unto These Hills, and visited the cultural center, Oconaluftee, an 18th century Cherokee Villagereplica. I met the present-day chief in Tahlequah and researched numerous books about the Cherokee Removal.
What are some of the most interesting things you found about this subject that you weren’t able to use in the story? Most of the American soldier guarding the Cherokee and the vast majority of American people were horrified that President Andrew Jackson uprooted the wealthy, educated, self-governing Cherokees from their ancient home to confiscate their land and search for their gold.
What inspired and surprised you while you were writing the book? Before the Trail of Tears, the Cherokee Nation split into two factions – a small group wanting to transport to the Oklahoma Territory – and a larger group led by John Ross, who believed by using passive resistance they could remain in their homeland. The splinter group’s leaders were executed by the larger group. Two leaders of the splinter group survived. Jarrett Ross fell in love with one man’s daughter – a man who swore to kill every Ross male. The other leader, Stand Watie, went down in history as the last Confederate General to surrender his sword. The Cherokees were split, brother fighting brother, in the Civil War as fought in the West.
What do you hope the reader takes away from the story? The story sounds as if it might be sad … and there are tragic events portrayed, but my book, Trail of Tears, is about hope, overcoming, and finding a new way of life. I think from the first page to the last, you will find Trail of Tears difficult to put down. It’s one of my favorite books!
What is the next project you’re working on? The second book in The Ross Family Saga. For Such A Time As This takes the reader into the life of Jarrett Ross, John’s younger son born in the wild Oklahoma territory. My book opens with Jarrett’s adventures with the Osage Indians, continues on to his time spent as a Pony Express rider, and includes Jarrett’s being conscripted into the Union army while his older brother fights for the Confederate side. All this time, Jarrett attempts to win the daughter of his family’s sworn worst enemy.
What do you do when you have to get away from the story for a while? I’m usually so intent in a story, I have trouble wanting to be away. But I do maintain a rigorous schedule of exercise – a daily walk and four times as week at the health club.
Tell us more about the story of Trail of Tears. What if you are a twenty-year-old, about to attend college, and your whole world collapses? Your mother and sister are missing, and soldiers murder your father, burn your mansion, and take you prisoner.
Trail of Tears relives one of the most heartrending chapters in American history as the US Government transports the self-governing, wealthy Cherokee nation from their ancestral homeland to relocate in hostile Indian Territory.
The Georgiamilitia forces John Ross, with only a trickle of Indian blood flowing in his veins, to walk the thousand-mile Trail of Tears.
After John protects a full-blood Indian girl from the lustful wagon master, the cruel soldier targets John for retribution—until John’s shoved too far.
Bitter animosity explodes from a jealous Army Captain as John pushes and pulls his Conestoga wagon over mountain roads made muddy by rain and slippery by snow.
Yet the persuasive voices of the preacher and his daughter have an impact.
A new destiny awaits John at the end of the trail—if he survives. Four thousand Cherokee do not.
Please give us the first page of the book.
June 1838
John Ross walked with a confident stride, sure of his place in the world. He swung his arms, relishing the freedom of his buckskin shirt, so different from the confining claw-hammer coat dictated by his aristocratic status. His long steps covered ground fast. He wiped perspiration from his forehead and couldn’t wait to dive into the cool lake.
Today Father had released him from his responsibilities. Father said the slaves needed a day off. He would not admit to giving the reprieve because John needed one. But Father wasn’t blind. John smiled. Last night his footsteps dragged when he trudged up to his bedroom. Learning to oversee the Ross plantation hadn’t been easy. Without resorting to whips, he’d needed sweat and guile to motivate their slaves.
“Gain their respect. Show them you can do any job better than the best of them.” Father laid a heavy hand on his shoulder. “Make them hustle to keep up with you.”
John hadn’t been certain he could obey Father’s orders. But he stood in line beneath the blistering sun for hours loading heavy bales of cotton onto wagons to be driven north from the plantation to what when Father had been a lad had been called Ross Landing but was now named Chattanooga.
Many times, only John’s Scottish—Cherokee pride kept him working. The gentleman in the suit couldn’t quit with the slaves watching. If he gave up, they would call John a lily‑livered silk stocking.
John flexed his work-hardened hands. All that suffering paid off. He was in top shape, his muscles toned, lean and hard.
John stiffened. What?
His moccasins skidded as he slid to a stop on the dewy grass.
A huge oak blocked his path. The scent of fresh sawdust filled the air. He touched the smooth still-living end of the hewn-down tree. Someone had cut down the boundary oak.
He rubbed a hand through the short hairs on the back of his neck where every nerve prickled.
Toppling the boundary tree was an act of war.
This land would one day be his. And he wouldn’t let anyone steal it. He was born here where the wind blew free, and his father before him, and his father before him. John tightened his lips. He knew every stream and every wood.
He glanced around, scanning the countryside. The small lake sparkled, serene in the early morning sunlight. Across the water, familiar farmland rolled toward foothills. Mountains rose above the hills, following each other in stately procession, peaks shadowed with smoky haze. No enemy in sight.
He shifted his feet. What should he do?
In the distance, a horse neighed—answered by another.
He clenched his fists. He had to get home. Something was wrong.
He spun back the way he had come and sprinted. In the hot, muggy air his moccasins made no sound. Following a faint path beneath trees festooned with ivy, ears sharpened for danger, he heard only the shrill chirp of an occasional bird, bees buzzing among wild flowers, and the whisper of squirrels foraging for nuts.
Humid air hung a damp coat of perspiration, wetting the buckskin on his shoulders and chest. Swiping a sweaty arm across his brow, he dodged a clump of wild raspberry branches reaching across the trail to rip at his buckskins.
Suddenly, gunfire thundered from the direction of the house. Taking a shortcut, he pounded off the narrow path, shielding his face as he plowed between tangled branches, briars, and bushes. Shot after shot crackled in the still morning air.
How can readers find you on the Internet? I’m always happy to interact with my readers. I’d love for you to join my newsletter.
https://www.amazon.com/Anne-Greene/e/B004ECUWMG
https://www.AnneGreeneAuthor.com
https://www.facebook.com/AnneWGreeneAuthor
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1873472.Anne_Greene
https://twitter.com/TheAnneGreene
Thank you, Anne, for sharing this book with my blog readers and me. 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 4 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
September 5, 2021
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 do n'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.
Pam (OH) is the winner of Coming Home to Mercy by Michelle De Bruin.
Tami (TX) is the winner of Christmas in Galway by Elizabeth LudwigIf 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 4 weeks to claim your book.
September 3, 2021
SO YOU HAVE A DISEASE - Beth Praed - One Free Book
Welcome, Beth. What would you like for our readers to know about you personally? In many ways, I have lived a fascinating life. I am very fortunate to be highly educated. My first master’s degree (from Butler University in Indianapolis) was in music education, and I taught elementary school music for many years. Next I received my second master’s degree in Communications from Georgia State University. The Communications’ degree covered public relations, public speaking, and journalism. While I was living in Atlanta, Georgia, I worked in public relations for a Fortune 100 company for about 10 years. Then my family moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan, to be closer to family. After I moved here, I again began working as a music teacher at Ken-o-sha Elementary School. But after I was diagnosed with MS and the disease caused me to lose the ability to play the piano, I had to resign as a music teacher. But then something amazing happened. I had a dream that I couldn’t get out of my mind. I even wrote about that experience in Guideposts’s Mysterious Ways Magazine. The story can be viewed here: http://www.guideposts.org/inspiration/mysterious-ways/miracle-words
After that dream occurred, I started writing the book. After I had finished the book, I said a prayer and prepared a package for one of the world’s largest publishers—Penguin Publishing. I think that I even kissed the FedEx package (causing the FedEx salesperson to give me an odd look). Then the very next day, I got a call from Penguin. They wanted the book. My first book did very well. It was the top book on multiple sclerosis at Amazon for six years. It was even printed in second language. But I didn’t write the book. God did! And I even put in the dedication page, “To my sweet Savior who gave me this book in a dream.”
Tell us about your family. I have three children—two daughters and a son. I have also had numerous pets my entire life including a couple of cats and a string of dachshunds. We even had a path along my back deck that one of my children would shovel in the winter. It’s unofficial name was the “wienie highway” and our two dachshunds would use it to get off the deck during snowy days. My children are older now and live on their own.
Have you written other nonfiction books? Yes, my second book was The AD/HD Book, and it was also published by Penguin. I published my third and fourth book on my own. My third book was called Domestic Violence: My Freedom From Abuse. I am a victim of domestic violence, and this book was based on things that I learned when I was using Safe Haven Ministry’s services. I also interviewed seven women who gave me their stories for the book. My fourth book was a children’s picture book called Moo the Ghost. That book is about a ghost who has a speech impediment. Rather than say “Boo” like the other ghosts, all that he can say is “Moo.” The lovely illustrations in that book were done my late father, Jack Praed. Also, my children’s picture book, Moo the Ghost, was awarded the Readers’ Favorite Finalist Award in the Children-Concept Genre in September 2020. And now, work is being done by Go To Publish to prepare a print version of the book for children. The new print version should be available by November 2021.
Do you have any other books in the works right now? No new books at the present time. But I am working to help get my devotional about disease recognized. Advertising for my latest book has reached nearly 30,000 people, with nearly 10,000 engagements and 3,600 thumbs up.
What kinds of hobbies and leisure activities do you enjoy? Because I am in a wheelchair now, I can’t do anything that I used to love doing. I used to do kickboxing, but that isn’t going to happen now. And I have lost what some would say was my greatest gift—the ability to play the piano. At first when I was getting my first master’s degree, I was getting it in music performance because I wanted to play the piano professionally. I also had a professor who thought that I was capable. I’m glad that I switched from performance to music education. I had many years that I spent teaching young people about music. Also, since I lost my ability to play when I was just 35, that would have been a very short career as a pianist if I had stayed in performance.
Why did you write the featured book? A Whacky Dream Or Not? (Story About How Book Came To Be By 5 Time Author Beth Praed)
When my neurologist told me that my MS would eventually be fatal for me, I was depressed and angry. The reason for being depressed is obvious. But the anger? I was mad at God! How could He let this happen to me! I had been working on a devotional book about living with a disease. But when I received the latest diagnosis from her, I shelved the book and didn't write again for a year and a half.
And then, I had a dream about my funeral. In that dream, I could see my body in a casket. Then the “dream minister” began his homily. He mentioned how “God gave Beth her first book on MS in a series of dreams. That book became the top book on multiple sclerosis for six years at Amazon. (Which happened in real life.) But the book for which she is best remembered is her devotional about disease.” When I woke up, I remembered the dream. It was then that I realized that the dream minister was talking about this book! So, I started writing again.
(I love this story, Beth. That’s the God I know and Love.)
Maybe it was just some wacky dream! But my dear boyfriend Jim didn't think so. He once said to me, “If I am ever flying on a plane sometime, and you have a dream that my plane crashed, guess what? I would cancel the flight!” Jim unfortunately died before the devotional book about disease was published, but I do believe that he knows.
So now my 5th book, So You Have a Disease: Devotions and Stories To Restore Hope, has been published by CrossLink Publishing and is available. But mainly I am so grateful to God for giving me the motivation to finish writing the book. It probably wouldn't have happened otherwise if He hadn't given me that dream.
Multiple Sclerosis has robbed me of absolutely everything. I have gone from doing daily kick boxing to now being in a wheelchair. But if this book helps other people who are suffering from a serious disease, then my life will have had some purpose and I am so grateful for this opportunity to speak to other individuals who are also suffering.
And to think, the book almost didn't happen if God hadn't given me that whacky dream about my funeral!
Please consider purchasing the $2.99 Kindle Ebook.
https://www.amazon.com/So-You-Have-Disease-Devotions-ebook/dp/B08BF9KTQK/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&
What do you want the reader to take away from the book? I had been working on my devotional book about living with a disease to help other individuals who suffer from a disease of some kind. Having lived with MS for 25 years, I know the despair that one can have when dealing with such a horrendous disease. I felt that some of the stories are memorable and helpful. For example, there is the story, “Air In the Tires.” In that story, it was a snowy day and I was going to a doctor’s appointment. I went into the gas station with my cane and overheard a request from an elderly woman who wanted help putting air in the tires of her car. At first, I wasn’t going to help her. I had legitimate reasons (like it was slippery out there and being handicapped, I could fall) and not very legitimate reasons (like I wanted to get coffee first before I went to the appointment). But God knew that there was a very important reason why she needed my help at that moment that I didn’t know yet. There are many other short stories in the book that are amazing (like the story about how I helped a woman who I saw hit by a car right in front of me).
Is there anything else you’d like to tell my readers about you or your book? I had a Near Death Experience that happened when I was just a child of ten. In the experience, I saw Jesus. That story was told in Guideposts’s Mysterious WaysMagazine and it is also told in my devotional about disease. My NDE happened just a week after my 10th birthday. This year, I turned 60. So basically, I was given an extra 50 years! Difficult at times, that is true, but I am so grateful for those years and for the amazing ways that I could help Jesus (even if I sometimes did so reluctantly)!
Please give us the first page or two from the book.
Preface
My doctor says that I am dying. Every time that I see her, she tells me this fact in a new way. “The multiple sclerosis is killing you; You will not live a long life; your life will be shorter than most; the MS is causing your brain to resemble Swiss cheese; and you’re lucky to know what you are dying from, most people don’t.”
She is a great doctor, and I truly believe that she is just trying to help me when she says these things. Maybe she thinks that I am in denial about my disease. I’m not. I just don’t think that anyone can predict how long someone will live. What am I supposed to do? Just sit in a chair, watch television, and wait to die? All of us will die eventually. A perfectly healthy person can be walking along and be hit by a bus, while another person—to the surprise of his or her doctors—can live decades with cancer. The truth is, only God knows how long that I will live. I just don’t think that He is finished with me yet and that is why I am still here.
And the fact is that I have already died before this time. I had a Near-Death Experience (NDE) when I was just nine, and this experience was written about in Guideposts’s Mysterious Ways
Magazine. It is also told again in this book.
The devotions in this book were given to me by God to help individuals when they are struggling to cope with a chronic illness or a disease. This is the only reason for this book to exist, and it was not written to make a ton of money. If my doctor is right with her diagnosis, I won’t need money where I’m going.
Money is not important to God. Why spend my final days on something that has little meaning? If God can use this sick, broken person to make a difference in the world, then that is everything
to me, and my life has some purpose.
In this book, you will hear me repeat the same mantra: “Surround yourself with good people.” There are many good people in this world. Find them and foster those friendships. We are here to help and support each other. You are not alone. Search for the good people out there—they do exist! If you feel alone, look around you and they will actually come running. God uses his children to help others again and again and again.
I also state throughout the book that maybe you are an “angel-in-training.” Did you ever realize this? Maybe angels are developing from ordinary people who have gone through extraordinary
circumstances, both good and terrible. Right now, you feel sick and discouraged. But perhaps God will use this to help you grow and develop into the person that He needs for you to be. How
about this idea? Wouldn’t that be incredible?
When I was a child, my grandfather used to tell me, “There are only two things that you have to do in life—die and pay taxes!”
Well, he was wrong. There is one more thing, and that is to change. Our lives are constantly changing and I know mine certainly did in December 1995 when I developed multiple sclerosis.
Before that time, I was young; I was healthy; I was superwoman!
Or so I thought. I worked long hours as a public relations executive for a Fortune 100 company in Atlanta. I was married with one child and another on the way. I also was completing my
second master’s degree in communications. I worked eight hours and then went to class at night. I was young! I was invincible!
Before I developed MS, I considered myself a spiritual person. I went to church on a regular basis. And most days, if I remembered, I prayed before bedtime. But, honestly, God was not
a large part of my life. I knew He was there, but I was too busy with work, children, and school to take much notice.
It is interesting how an illness can change you. For some people, a chronic illness or disease can be devastating and more than they can handle. I realized just how unbearable illness can be while I was reading an Associated Press article about Dr. Kevorkian, or Dr. Death. According to the article, twenty of the ninety-three people whose “suicides” he engineered had multiple sclerosis (MS)! Although multiple sclerosis can be a dreadful disease, most MS sufferers don’t die from it. As I read the article, I was immediately struck by the power illness has to devastate people’s lives. These gentle souls were so fatigued and tired of dealing with the MS every day, they no longer wanted to live—they wanted out.
I truly believe that people can sometimes have too much tragedy in their lives. Just like Dr. Kevorkian’s patients, many of us can and do have more than we can bear. Life can be very difficult.
Illness or disease greatly adds to that burden, and we can feel that we are broken. In reality, it might even feel worse than being broken. It can sometimes feel like our lives have been shattered.
How do you begin to heal from your disease if you are in little pieces? So You Have a Disease: Devotions and Stories To Restore Hope is intended to help bring God’s hope and reassurance to individuals who feel like they are broken from illness. If you have been diagnosed with a disease, it will change your life. If I told you differently, I would not be telling the truth. Sometimes a disease can start suddenly, or sometimes you will slowly realize that something is wrong.
I hope and pray that this book is helpful to you. I would like to begin with a Gaelic blessing that is one of my mother’s favorite prayers. Perhaps you have heard it before. Even though you and I
might not ever meet, we are related. We are brothers and sisters. Not only because we all are suffering from a disease, but because we are children of God.
Where on the Internet can the readers find you?
My five books can be viewed at Amazon here:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=beth+praed&i=stripbooks&ref=nb_sb_noss_1
Thank you, Beth, for sharing this book with my blog readers and me. I know it will help some of them or their friends or family members.
Readers, 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 4 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
August 31, 2021
A WARRIOR'S HEART - Misty M Beller - One Free Book
Welcome back, Misty. Tell us a little about yourself and your background. Sure. JI’m a wife, mom of four kids with one more on the way, and full-time writer. I was raised on the family farm in South Carolina and trained horses professionally for a few years. As much as I loved working with animals, for multiple reasons, I knew it couldn’t be a long-term career for me. I took a job in the corporate world and worked there for about 13 years. It was during that time that I began writing fiction. How did you become interested in writing? I was putting together my bucket list, and realized that I really did want to write a novel. So, "Write a novel that's published" made it near the top!
I decided, it's now or never, and made the commitment to do it. So, I had a general idea that I wanted it to be a Christian western romance. But where to start? I finally decided I needed to find a good book to help me plan. I stumbled upon (a.k.a. God led me to) the best possible book to help me get started with a great plan: Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell. For all you writers out there, I can't recommend it highly enough!
From there, I've soaked in every bit of writing instruction I can from some amazing groups and individuals. And I've spent countless hours sitting with my laptop pouring out words onto the screen.
What compelled you to write a book on this subject? I was listening to a historical podcast a few years ago that talked about the Vikings and the female warriors who would sometimes gain fame among them. As the hosts talked about the first Viking raids to North America, I started thinking… “What if one of those groups went farther west than any of us thought? What if they found the Canadian Rockies and lived there in a hidden community for centuries?” The thought took hold, and little by little, the idea for the Brides of Laurent series came to life. I eventually changed the village to be a French settlement named Laurent. The village’s primary warrior was a woman named Brielle Durand, who’d worked hard to win her place as Le Commandant, leader of the Guards and Hunters. I love Brielle’s strength and wit, but also how real her personal struggles became as I wrote her character. Add in a mountain man spy working for the United States government, and you have the secret for a romance with sparks to light up the mountain sky!
What is the main theme or point that you want readers to understand from reading your book? Are there any other themes present in the book? One of my favorite themes to write about is God’s love, and the way He guides us in His plan if we’re intentional about seeking His will in each decision. This book dives even deeper into what it’s like to fully submit to the Father, being willing to step back and fight our battles through intercessory prayer when that’s how God directs.
Are there some specific lessons you hope readers will learn and apply to their lives after reading your book? I pray this story draws readers closer to God. I pray they seek His will for their life each step of the way and aren’t afraid to be bold in their prayers and submit fully to the Lord’s leading.
What makes your book different than any other books similar to yours that are in circulation today? Aren’t there so many amazing books these days?! I’ve been loving all the great new releases this year, not to mention all the fabulous older titles. JMy brand is very much adventurous historical Christian romance set in the Rocky Mountains. Readers of my stories know they’re in for an exciting story and strong characters. J The hidden village of Laurent that lives only in caves is definitely a unique to this series! They’ve been cut off from civilization for a hundred years. Can you imagine?
How does the book intertwine with God’s call on your life and how you are currently serving Him? Great question! I guess the theme about God’s love and following his leading is a consistent theme in my books because it’s been so vital in my own life. I NEVER would have dreamed God would lead me to become a full-time writer, but I’m so grateful He has! I pray daily that He would give me the story and words He wants me to me to write, and that He would use them for His work in the lives of readers.
Do you have a favorite Scripture verse? That’s like asking which of my kids I like best. JOne of my favorites is Matthew 6:33, which has been my year verse for the past couple of years: But seek first the kingdom of Godand His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (NKJV)
When you are not writing, what do you like to do? Do you have any hobbies? My four kiddos keep me busy! They currently range in age from 2 years to 14 years, with one more due in November, so they always have things going on, it seems. J
Tell us about the book.
Brielle Durand is still haunted by the massacre that killed her mother a dozen years before. Vowing to never let it happen again, she's risen to be the key defender for her people's peace-loving French settlement living in hidden caves in the Canadian Rockies. When a foreigner wanders too near to their secret home, she has no choice but to disarm and capture him. But now, what to do with this man who insists he can be trusted?Hoping to escape past regrets, Evan MacManus ventured into the unknown, assigned to discover if the northern mountains contain an explosive mineral that might help Americawin the War of 1812. Despite being taken prisoner, Evan is determined to complete his mission. But when that assignment becomes at odds with his growing appreciation of the villagers and Brielle, does he follow through on his promise to his government or take a risk on where his heart is leading him? Either choice will cause harm to someone.
Brielle and Evan must reconcile the warring in their hearts to have any hope of finding peace for their peoples.
Please give us the first page of the book.
September 1814
Rocky Mountains, Rupert’s Land (Future Canada)
Another ten paces and she’d have to shoot.
Brielle Durand steadied the arrow fletching against her cheek, then pushed her body farther into the bow to draw the cord tighter.
The man in her sights rode calmly forward, his breath blowing white in the early morning air. The mount beneath him snorted, releasing its own cloud as it bobbed against the bit. The animal must sense the nearing danger.
In truth, the beast had more intelligence than its rider. As was usual in the ways of animals. Especially when compared to an Englishman like this fellow appeared to be.
Five more strides.
She narrowed her gaze, focusing on the point of aim so her arrow would hit his midsection. Should she give him warning? Perhaps the cry of a mountain lion would plant fear in his chest. She caught her breath, preparing to make the fierce scream she’d practiced so oft.
But the man spurred his horse faster, as though eager to charge through the opening in the rock. Surely he couldn’t see the sheltered courtyard just beyond. The place forbidden to outsiders—especially Englishmen.
As we close, is there anything else you would like to add?
First, thank you so much for sharing your readers, Lena! You’re been such a blessing to me and countless other writers.
Readers, I know this year has been hard for so many, but please know I’m praying for you! I pray that God would strengthen and protect you and your loved ones, and give you peace. Hugs and blessings to you!
Where can my readers find you on the Internet?
I love 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, when they sign up for the newsletter. Here’s the link for that: https://mistymbeller.com/freebook
I can also be found at these links:
http://www.twitter.com/MistyMBeller
https://www.facebook.com/MistyMBellerAuthor
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/misty-m-beller
https://www.goodreads.com/MistyMBeller
http://www.pinterest.com/MistyMBeller
https://amazon.com/author/mistymbeller
Thank you, Misty, for sharing your books with my blog readers. It gives me great pleasure every time we introduce a new reader to 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 4 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
August 29, 2021
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 do n'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 Faith's Mountain Home by Misty M Beller.
Melanie (TX) is the winner of Hidden Away Somewhere in Texas by Connie Leonard.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 4 weeks to claim your book.
August 27, 2021
CHRISTMAS IN GALWAY - Elizabeth Ludwig - One Free Book
Welcome back, Elizabth. It’s good to have you on my blog again. Tell us about your salvation experience. I became a Christian after I heard the gospel preached in church one Sunday morning. My sister had been begging me to go with her, and I finally listened. This was hard for me because, as the older sibling, I didn’t want to accept that my younger sister might have some wisdom that I did not. God spoke through that pride, though, and called me to repentance and acceptance of His free gift of salvation. I became a servant after my husband and I lost our second child. God really spoke some truth to me while we were in that valley—namely, would I be willing to follow Him no matter what the cost? I can answer that question with confidence now, and it’s a resounding YES!!
You’re planning a writing retreat where you can only have four other authors. Who would they be and why? Without a doubt, I would invite my four critique partners—Ane Mulligan, Michelle Griep, Tara Johnson, and Gina Holmes. These ladies have pushed and prodded me all along this publishing journey. I couldn’t do a bit of it without their honesty and encouragement. And thank goodness you didn’t say three authors, because I would have really been stuck!
Do you have a speaking ministry? If so, tell us about that. I’m always tempted to say no to this question, but right about that time, God sends someone my way who is looking for someone to share about coping with life’s trials, or finding faith and strength in the writing journey, or connecting with readers, or loss of a child…you name it. So, yes, I have a speaking ministry. And it’s all about being open to the people placed in my path, and sharing everything God has done for me along the way.
Very good answer. Many people don’t understand the importance of a one-on-one speaking ministry. What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you and how did you handle it? Ha! Funny question. So, years ago, I had a lady approach me at a book signing. For several minutes, she gushed over how much she loved my books. But as she started describing her favorite, a niggling question began working its way into my head. Why didn’t I remember anything she was talking about? Finally, I asked her the name of the book. Sure enough, it wasn’t one of mine! I didn’t have the heart to tell her because by this time, a small crowd had gathered to listen (she was quite excited and vocal). Instead, I just smiled and nodded and thanked her for taking time out of her day to encourage a writer. When I got home, I looked up the book and quickly realized how she’d made the mistake. The author’s name was also Ludwig, and her middle name was Elizabeth!
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? Years ago, I came across this quote from Dorothy Parker: “If you have any young friends who aspire to become writers, the second greatest favor you can do them is to present them with copies of The Elements of Style. The first greatest, of course, is to shoot them now, while they’re happy.”
LOL!
Seriously though, I always tell people that writing is the hardest, most gratifying thing I have ever done. I tell them to take time to learn the craft. I tell them there are no shortcuts. And then I tell them to never, ever give up, no matter how long it takes.
I love this answer, too. Tell us about the featured book. I am proud of every book I’ve ever written, but Christmas in Galway makes me smile because it was unexpected. Unplanned. I wrote it without a synopsis. In fact, I just sat down in front of my computer and started typing. The secrets of Elinor’s heart were as much a surprise to me as I hope they are to my readers. It was so nice to enjoy writing again—freely, wildly, and with passion.
It’s been two years since a drunk driving accident claimed the life of Elinor Walsh’s fiancé. Though she’s forged on to create a thriving design business for herself, the past still haunts her. Prompted by her friends, she finally capitulates and schedules a flight to Ireland—a trip that should have been her honeymoon. Armed with just a list her fiancé wrote and the keys to a rental car, Elinor heads to Galway, never dreaming that the people she meets there will change her life forever. Confronted with a choice—her past with an old friend or her future with a new one—will she finally be able to move beyond her grief? Or will she cut her losses, and her trip short, and miss out on the one thing she never expected? Please give us the first page of the book. Of course! Here you go:
Panic fluttered inside Elinor Walsh’s chest as the lighted sign above her head clicked off. The clatter of unbuckling seatbelts accompanied the rustling of passengers and the clacking of overhead bins. It was too late to change her mind now. She was sixty-six hundred miles from home, and it was time to get off the plane.
Outside her window, colored lights sparkled against the dusting of snow outside the terminal. This was certainly different from Texas, where Christmas was as likely to be celebrated with glittering palms as it was evergreens.
“Looks cold out there.” The elderly woman in the seat next to her angled her head, artfully adorned with a pair of reindeer antlers, in the direction of Elinor’s thin sweater. “I hope you packed something a little warmer.”
“Oh, yes. There’s a coat in my bag.” Elinor tugged her backpack out from under the seat in front of her and jerked open the zipper, smiling at the woman as she wriggled a gray parka free. Nodding kindly, the woman pushed her arms into her own coat then began collecting the knitting supplies she’d busied herself with throughout the flight.
A line had begun to form in the aisle but Elinor knew it would be awhile before the cabin door opened. She slid her phone out of her purse, switched it out of airplane mode, and tapped a quick message to her friends back home. Just landed.
Libby answered almost immediately. What’s the plan?
The plan? Elinor grimaced. Thanks to her friends she didn’t have a plan, just a car reservation number.
I’ll let you know after I pick up the car, she typed back, her fingers trembling.
Her phone pinged. Good girl.
“Miss O’Shea?” The flight attendant looked down at her expectantly. “Do you need some help with your seatbelt?” She cast a meaningful glance toward the back of the plane, at the line of passengers waiting to disembark.
“Oh no, I can get it. I’m so sorry.”
She fumbled with the clasp, finally managed to get free, then banged her head on the overhead bin when she stood too quickly. Cheeks burning, Elinor waved aside the attendant’s murmured concern and reached for her backpack.
She’d splurged on first class—something she never did. Her money, like her time, was managed to the smallest increment. Well, except for this trip that she’d somehow managed to let her friends talk her into.
Her bag in hand, Elinor scurried up the jetway, pausing when she reached the terminal to type out another message. Keys to the apartment under the mat. Call if you need anything!
A smiley emoticon appeared, followed by the words, Send lots of pictures!
Pictures. Right. She snapped a selfie of herself sticking out her tongue and sent it back with a smile. Libby and the girls would appreciate the humor.
I’m loving the story so far. How can readers find you on the Internet? I’ve made quite a little home for myself on the Internet. Readers can find me at any of the following sites:
Website: http://elizabethludwig.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elizabethludwig102
Blogger: http://theborrowedbook.blogspot.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ELudwig_Author
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-ludwig-6092b411/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Elizabeth-Ludwig/e/B002R612S4
MeWe: https://mewe.com/i/elizabethludwig
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lludwig5/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eludwig_author/
Thank you, Elizabeth, for sharing this book with my blog readers and me. I’m eager to read it. I love stories set in Ireland.
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 4 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
August 25, 2021
COMING HOME TO MERCY - Michelle De Bruin - One Free Book
Welcome Back, Michelle. What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about? I like to write about redemption and the process of healing from grief. What other books of yours are coming out soon? The second book in this Coming Home series is coming next summer.
If you could spend an evening with one contemporary person (not a family member of yours), who would it be and why? I’d want to spend time with our state’s governor because she is a true leader who is doing a great job.
What historical person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why? I’d like to have a conversation with William Wilberforce because he kindly yet tenaciously stood on principles that eventually changed the course of history.
How can you encourage authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers? I would say to take a break and spend some time in prayer. The direction you are going obviously isn’t working, so that might mean that God has different plans for you and the rejections might be his way of leading you into new territory.
Tell us about the featured book. Coming Home to Mercyis a story about two middle-aged people who have been married in the past and lost their spouses. The heroine, Margaret, is trying to decide where her true home is. The hero, Matthew, is looking for a way to rise above the grief and pain in his life. They team up to care for a group of children and eventually choose to spend their lives together.
This book was so interesting to write because the early 20th century was a time of innovation and progress. To write this book, I researched all kinds of items from telephones, to flying machines, to Model T Fords, bandstands, and even the art of building a ship in a bottle. The attitudes of the era fascinate me. People felt the same way one hundred years ago as we feel today about new inventions and the changes they make in our lives. Please give us the first page of the book.
Chicago
April, 1913
Margaret Millerson glanced away from the mountain of buntings on the table and sought encouragement from Julia. Bright, cheery Julia. She always had a positive word on her tongue and a happy look about her eyes and mouth. If anyone could assure Margaret she hadn’t taken on too much by providing decorations for the Library’s Charity Ball, her younger daughter could bolster her once again.
“You’ll finish in plenty of time, Mother. Look how far we’ve gotten this morning.” Julia smiled, melting away a degree of Margaret’s tension.
Margaret shifted her attention to the white rosettes piled on the drawing room sofa taking shape under Bertha Reynold’s skillful hands. The woman looked up and smiled at her friend.
“Yes.” Margaret couldn’t quite smother the note of hesitation in her voice.
“And look at all those tablecloths Isabel hemmed.” Julia gestured to another of Margaret’s close friends serving on the committee.
Isabel paused her work with the needle and thread. “Only five more left.”
“But the ball is tomorrow.” Margaret held her breath against a sigh and looked at Julia.
“Which gives us the rest of today to finish, and tomorrow morning to set up.” Julia picked up a candlestick and polished it.
“I haven’t heard from the florist. I need those flowers for centerpieces.” The idea of hosting the grand event with no flowers to provide the perfect touch of elegance stole her breath away. “How will I know they will be ready in the morning if I haven’t heard from them?”
“I’ll stop and check in there this afternoon. But, Mother, don’t worry. Everything will be just beautiful.” Julia smiled again and worked on another candlestick.
The sigh slipped out. Margaret smoothed her hair and gathered a length of blue fabric into a swag. She must put her energy into her work and not into fretting.
The grandfather clock ticked away the minutes. Sounds of traffic in the street drifted through the open window on this mild spring day. Clatters of pans and the general hum of a well-run household echoed from the back part of the house. Margaret’s breathing returned to normal. Life would somehow go on, even if her part of the charity event failed.
The telephone rang. Margaret glanced down the hall where the wooden box hung hear the kitchen door. To think of talking into a wooden box. She was still trying to grow accustomed to the new device her brother Henry had installed last winter. Most calls were for him on the subject of some business matter or another. Margaret returned her attention to the fabric in her hand. This call was probably another one for Henry, and someone would have to tell the caller that he wasn’t home.
Hurried footsteps grew closer. Ida, the housekeeper, stood in the doorway. “It’s Logan.”
The announcement stilled Margaret’s movements. She couldn’t think why her busy preacher son-in-law would call long distance on a Monday morning and ask for her, unless he delivered bad news. Surely nothing had happened to her daughter or to that precious baby the whole family anticipated.
How can readers find you on the Internet?
Michelle’s website: https://michelledebruin.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichelleDeBruinsAuthorPage/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MichelleDAuthor
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MichelleDB40/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18522892.Michelle_De_Bruin
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/michelle-de-bruin
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 4 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
August 22, 2021
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 do n'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.
Susan (NC) is the winner of Hope's Highest Mountain by Misty m Beller.
Petite (MN) is the winner of The Inn at Cranberry Cove by June Foster.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 4 weeks to claim your book.
August 19, 2021
HIDDEN AWAY SOMEWHERE IN TEXAS - Connie Leonard - One Free Book
Dear Readers, this is book 4 in Connie’s Somewhere in Texasseries. Each story is a stand-alone story, but they are also connected. You might want to go back and read the first 3 after you read this one. Connie’s stories are very authentic, contemporary westerns. I have loved every plot and all the characters.
Welcome back, Connie. What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about? All of my books deal with redemption. We are all flawed and need God’s mercy and grace. Even after we accept Christ as our Savior, we make mistakes, we sin, and we need forgiveness and second chances, third chances, and more.
What other books of yours are coming out soon?
I’m praying about this. The idea for the first book, Somebody Somewhere in Texas, popped into my head while sitting in Triple Cross Cowboy Church. I thought it would be a fun little book to write, and it was. I didn’t plan to write a series, but before I finished the first one, I knew Andrea needed to tell her story, so there had to be a second one, Light up My Life in Texas. Then LeAnn’s story needed to come to life, so Play Me Back Home in Texas was born. I thought I was finished with this series, but Haeley called to me. The idea for Hidden Away Somewhere in Texasgerminated in my mind for over twenty-five years, during the time I thought I would write someday—someday when the kids grew up, someday after I retired. Ten years ago, we went on a mission trip to Marfa, Texas, and I knew I wanted to use that setting for a story. Sex trafficking is the greatest plague of our time, because it preys upon the most vulnerable people in our world. All these ideas came together in Hidden Away Somewhere in Texas. I think it’s my best book yet. I thought it would be the last book in this series, but Haeley, Ryanne, and Reed will be back. I usually start with an idea, the characters, which I have, and the title, which hasn’t come to me yet. I’m more of a seat-of-the-pants writer than a plotter, but this idea needs to develop a bit more before I begin writing. To answer your question, finally, I may work on editing and polishing a Bible study I wrote a few years ago before I start this next novel.
I will eagerly await that book. If you could spend an evening with one contemporary person (not a family member of yours), who would it be and why?
I think maybe Franklin Graham, Anne Graham Lotz, and the rest of their ministry family to glean from their experiences growing up with Billy Graham and their own calling into ministry. Or perhaps Gov. Mike Huckabee and his daughter Sarah Sanders to talk conservative politics.
What historical person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why? Billy Graham for his spiritual insights. Ronald Reagan for his political insights. Mark Twain, Samuel Clemens, for his insights into human nature, his literary mind, and his humor—I wrote my Master’s thesis on him.
How can you encourage authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers?
Read, read, read! Write, write, write! Study the craft. While pursuing traditional publishing, I kept getting rejections that said, “This is good, but. . . .” Usually the “but” had more to do with the market than the story or the writing. I was even told that my writing was “too Christian for the Christian market,” which is moving more into a Christian Worldview, sometimes with no mention of God. Upon completing the Jerry Jenkins Christian Writers’ Guild Craftsman Class, Doc Hensley said, “Don’t hide your talent under a bushel.” Shortly thereafter, while attending a country music concert, God spoke to my heart. None of the performers were rich or famous, but they enjoyed using their talents, and the audience enjoyed their performance. I made the decision then to self-publish my contemporary novel, Big C, little c. I’m not rich or famous, but I enjoy writing. I’ve had positive feedback, and I even have some fans! My best advice to aspiring writers is Read, Study, Write. Pray about it every step of the way. Stay true to what God called you to do. That may require Indie publishing rather than bending to whims of the market.
And there are quite a few smaller presses now that are staying true to the Christian calling. Tell us about the featured book.
Here’s the back cover copy:
What if you had to leave everything and everyone behind, reinvent yourself, assume a new identity?
Haeley Howard lives a charmed life as a socialite, model, and assistant director of little theater. Her perfect world shatters when she witnesses a kidnapping. The FBI wants to hide her away in a safe place so she can testify against Salas, an international drug runner and sex trafficker, if they can catch him. The fashionista becomes boring, beige Holly Brown—friendless, faithless, and faceless. Hidden away on a ranch in the Texas high desert, she fears she might disappear without a trace. Reed Riley, handsome owner of the Riley Ranch, has a mysterious, secretive computer business. Will he prove to be a knight in shining armor or evil overlord? Reed abandoned his dream to become an FBI agent after his father was killed. While running the family ranch, he works as a cybercrimes consultant. He agrees to shelter the witness on his ranch while they search for the slippery Salas. But Haeley Howard, AKA Holly Brown, proves to be more of a challenge than he imagined—strong-willed and surly, yet innocent and vulnerable. He vows to maintain professional distance, but not even the ugly makeup and tasteless clothes can hide her natural beauty. He can’t be distracted, can’t let down his guard.
If he can keep her safe, can they have a future together? Will the Feds give her another new identity, move her somewhere far away? She’s no longer Haeley Howard, but she’s not Holly Brown, either. What plans does God have for her?
Please give us the first page of the book for my blog readers.
Haeley stepped back and admired the makeup on the young girl. “One more smudge to soften the lines, and you’re perfect, Cinderella. Go out and knock ’em dead!”
“This night is sooo important to me.” Cassie hugged Haeley.
Haeley wiped her hands on the damp towel. “We may be a little theater, but every performance is important. We work hard to give the audience the best experience.”
“But tonight I’m meeting an agent.” Cassie’s large, blue eyes sparkled.
“An agent? Here instead of the agency office?”
“Gotta go!” Cassie took her place on stage before the curtain opened.
Haeley wondered what agent Cassie might be involved with, but she pushed the questions from her mind as she helped the woodland creatures and the wicked step-family move on and off the stage. During intermission, she redid Cinderella’s makeup for the ball scene. “Cassie, tell me about this agent. Which agency is he with?”
“I don’t remember, but his name is Tyrone. He thinks I have real talent and is going to help me launch my acting career.”
Haeley tried to hide her frown, but she couldn’t deny the knot forming in her stomach. “How did you contact him?”
How can readers find you on the Internet? I’m most active on Facebook: Connie Lewis Leonard, author (Be sure you go to the author page because my personal page contains political commentary).
My website is http://connielewisleonard.webs.com
You may sign up for my newsletter by sending me an email at rycon70@att.net.
All my books are listed on Amazon under my name: Connie Lewis Leonard
Thank you, Connie, for sharing your new book with my blog readers.
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 4 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
