Lena Nelson Dooley's Blog, page 45
May 6, 2021
TO SAVE A KING - Rachel Hauck - One Free Book
Dear Readers, I’m always on the lookout for books by Rachel Hauck. I especially love her royal stories, but every other book is just as good.

How did you become interested in writing? I was always interested in writing. I had a diary in first grade and wrote in it. I loved to read as well. I was born for this.
I agree. It’s wonderful when we discover what God created us to do. What compelled you to write a book on this subject? I’d written The Royal Wedding Series and readers asked if I was going to write more so I decided to try a second royal family. To Love A Prince was the first of the True Blue Royals. To Save A King is book two. Ever since Prince William married Katherine, I knew American would be interested in royals again. I was right.
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? The main thing I want is for the readers to be entertained and escape their world for a few hours. Also, to feel hope.
What makes your book different than any other books similar to yours that are in circulation today?It’s different by the story and the characters. But it’s the same as it’s a “Rachel Hauck book.” I hope To Save A King delivers what readers expect from one of my stories.
Do you have a favorite Scripture verse? I do! I love Song of Solomon 4:9. “You’ve made my heart beat faster, my sister, my bride, with a single glance of your eyes.” I love this pure passion of the Lord speaking to us.
It takes many people a long time to understand that His love is meant to teach us how to love our spouses. When you are not writing, what do you like to do? Do you have any hobbies? I might like to watch a lot of HGTV. But I won’t say for sure. (snort) I love to keep active with running or lifting weights.
No wonder you are in such good shape. More power to you. Tell us about the book. This is the story of Prince John who thought he’d married the love of his life. And he had. But her untimely death destroyed his future. Gemma Stone, the story’s heroine, wanted to be a star but her efforts ended in disaster, and she is too ashamed to even talk about it. But when the prince and Gemma meet, everything will change.

Prologue
Let’s Begin Here…
Perrigwynn Palace
Port Fressa, Lauchtenland, 2000
Once Upon A Time…
… Prince John believed in fairy tales.
“Tell the fairy tale, Mum,” he’d say on the nights his mum, the queen of Lauchtenland, tucked him and little brother Gus into bed, imagining the story’s thick white feather, almost wishing it would appear before his eyes.
The Swan’s Feather was as old as the House of Blue itself. When it began no one really knew, but for centuries the tale echoed in the halls of Hadsby Castleand Perrigwynn Palace.
On this particular night, Mum hurried ten-year-old John and eight-year-old Gus toward the gold and blue couch, the big skirt of her sparkling dress swishing. She’d told them frightfully grand men and women from around the world awaited her in the Great Hall.
“Quickly boys, I don’t have long.” Mum sat with a sighing smile.
“Tell The Swan’s Feather, Mum.” Though John was the oldest, if he didn’t speak up, he’d not get his way.
“I hate that one.” Gus leaned around Mum, making a face. “Tell the one about the knight who kills the dragon.”
“We heard that one last time.” Tonight, John was determined to win. After all, he was the crown prince and future king. If he couldn’t rule his little brother, then who could he rule?
So the brotherly debate began over which fairy tale was the best and Mum, being a queen, settled it with swift diplomacy.
“We heard your story last time, Gus.” She kissed her youngest prince on the head. “Tonight it’s John’s turn to choose.”
John sneered at his brother then sat back. Mum was busy tonight and if they argued, there would be no story.
Being a queen was serious business and to be good at “queening”—as Dad liked to say—required a good deal of work.
“We’re lucky men,” he’d say. “Mum loves us and her country with such devotion.”
However, Gus, being Gus, made a final appeal. “The Swan’s Feather is about a girl. Blech.” His protest came with a spew of biscuit crumbs.
“What’s wrong with girls?” Mum said. “I’m a girl.”
“No you’re not. You’re Mum and mums don’t count.”
“Be quiet,” John said. “Mum can’t be late to her dinner.”
As for The Swan’s Feather being about a girl? Well, that’s exactly why John loved it.
“Here we go.” Mum hugged both boys close. “The story of The Swan’s Feather. Once upon a time, there was a young prince.”
I love this prologue. Where can my readers find you on the Internet?
Go to my web site: www.rachelhauck.comand sign up for my Stay Inspired letter. Thanks!
Thank you for allowing me to be part of the launch of To Save a King, which released this week. I’m eager to read it.
Readers, here are links to the book.
https://amzn.to/3vLG4En - Paperback
https://amzn.to/3b8dmWg - Kindle edition
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
May 4, 2021
UNDER THE MAGNOLIAS - T. I. Lowe - One Free Book
Bio: T. I. Lowe is an ordinary country girl who loves to tell extraordinary stories and is the author of nearly twenty published novels, including her debut, Lulu’s Café, a number one bestseller. She lives with her husband and family in coastal South Carolina. Find her at tilowe.com or on Facebook (T.I.Lowe), Instagram (tilowe), and Twitter (@TiLowe).

Can you walk us through the emotions you felt while writing this book? My emotions were all over the place. I fully invest in my characters. When they hurt, I hurt. When they rejoice, so do I. One scene where Austinstarts unraveling and doesn’t see how to hold her family together, I was right there with her. It was a tough writing day, for sure, and I walked away from the computer not knowing how she would either. I definitely stayed in my head for several months while writing this one.
You’ve said that this book is the most important book you’ve written to date. Why? The subject matter of this book, even though it’s fiction set in the eighties, is so relevant today. Everyone hurts. Everyone struggles. And everyone hides their truths to some degree. I was led to write this book in a way that I hope readers will realize it’s not so healthy to hide, that it’s okay to seek help no matter what they are going through.
You say you are an observer of people. What do you mean by that? How do you use that to craft your stories? People are so fascinating. I know I look like a weirdo but I’m all about people watching. I also want to understand things that I see, whether it’s from a news headline or something I’ve witnessed in person, so I work that out through my stories.
Some of the common themes in this book are the power of community and connectedness, as well as the impact that small and simple kindnesses can have on those around us. How do you hope those themes encourage the reader? Why did you include those themes specifically? I hope the reader will reflect on their own actions and attitudes toward others. As I’ve already said, kindness is a simple act but can have such a profound effect on the one receiving it. Austin was able to stop hiding due to the strength she garnered from those who reached out to help her and her family. We can be that for someone—how powerful is that? Simple act of kindness example: I’m always on people-watching duty, so when I go through a checkout line and the cashier is in a terrible mood and being rude, instead of complaining to the manager, I ask the cashier if they’re having a bad day. I can’t tell you how many times this was exactly what they needed. Just someone to take the time to acknowledge them and to let them unload a second. I’ve always left those situations with the cashier smiling at me. Simple kindness, ladies and gentlemen.
Why did you choose to set this book in the eighties? Why was it important to you to write a coming-of-age book that wasn’t set during the age of social media? The eighties was a great decade, so why not! I truly wanted to get to a simpler time for this book. One with less noise, so to speak. I think it’ll be easier for someone to read this subject from afar and not have cell phones and all that to distract from it. It makes Austindifferent yet shows her coming-of-age journey is still relevant today.
What was your inspiration for this book? You’ve referenced some of the conversations you had with God about writing this book. Can you walk us through that a bit?Spring of 2019, it seemed every time I turned on the news or pulled up Facebook, there was a headline that a community leader, mostly church leaders, had committed suicide. Man, did that put such a burden on my heart. I wanted to know their story and why they got to the point of feeling that hopeless. Before I knew it, I was deep into research. I discovered most times those victims were secretly suffering with mental illness. They were worried what others would think, so they kept it hidden. A lot of prayer went into the book, asking God to help me understand and to express that understanding to readers. Days of writing with goose bumps along my arms and a tightened chest, I knew I wasn’t telling this story alone.
This book is gritty in parts, but it also serves up a good dose of humor. Why did you intentionally include humor in this story? Can you give us an example? Life is tough! It is gritty, yet I lean heavily on humor to get me though the rough patches of life. I also needed it to get through the rough patches of this book and I think readers will too. You will meet Phoenix, aka Peg. He is the next-to-oldest brother and boy, does he have a mouth on him. The scene where he gets ahold of a man who is making racists remarks cracks me up even now. It’s a lot of dry humor, my favorite type, and Peg always gave me some comic relief on the hard writing days with his sarcastic one-liners.
Why is it important to write stories about characters who deal with real issues? What are some of the real issues that this story addresses? Sometimes I think reading about real issues in fiction is easier for us to digest than reading it in nonfiction or in a self-help book. It takes us out of it, so to speak. The issues addressed in this book are quite extensive, but it is mostly about ill-fitting labels that need to be done away with.
Why did you choose to represent characters who are marginalized or misunderstood in this book? I don’t know about you but I am just so tired of the labels and the unrealistic boxes society creates and expects you to live up to. That’s hogwash. If God wanted us all to fit in the same box, he would have created us as carbon copies. He didn’t, so that means it’s a gift to be different and I think differences should be celebrated. I did a lot of celebrating this in Under the Magnolias.

Nobody is immune to hardship in life and the Fosters know that well. For readers going through a personal battle, what does Under the Magnolias offer them? It will give them the courage to seek help in those times, realizing it’s not healthy to keep it all hidden. And that people genuinely do care and want to help.
We see a beautiful picture of what it means to be the church in this book. What do you hope readers take away from this? Exactly as you put it in the question, the church is beautiful, and I’m so sad that so many are missing out on this because they have misguided views of what church is supposed to be. I’m not an expert on theology, but I do love how Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 puts it: “Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth, for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”
What do you hope your readers walk away with when they’ve turned the last page of this book? My hope is that they say, “Dang, that girl can write!” Ha! Just kidding. Kinda ... No, seriously, I want them to get to the end of this book and find their own sense of freedom. To bravely go out and live without putting on airs. To exercise their compassion and empathy muscles more.
Thank you, T. I., for sharing this book with my blog readers and me. This novel is going to the top of my to-be-read pile.
Readers, here are links to the book.
https://amzn.to/3nUH6eE - paperback
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
May 2, 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 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.
Stephanie (NY) is the winner of To Love a Prince by Rachel Hauck.
Janie (KS) is the winner of Princess Lillian and Grandpa's Goodbye by Jenny Fulton.Alison (MI) is the winner of The Storm Breaks Forth by Terri Wangard.
Valri (TX) is the winner of Present Danger 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 4 weeks to claim your book.
April 29, 2021
AFTER THE RAIN - Rita Gerlach - One Free Book

I was 7, and my parents’ reaction was similar to ours. You’re planning a writing retreat where you can only have four other authors. Who would they be and why?
MaryLu Tyndall: MaryLu has been a strong sister in Christ, and has prayed for my family, counseled me, and been a good friend, even though we only met once face to face.
Rachel Muller:Rachel is a talented woman, homeschool mom, and friend. She helped me set up the Writing to Inspire Christian Workshop. I would have been stressed if I hadn’t had her help.
Roseanna White:Roseanna has been an inspiration to me. She is talented and one of the nicest writers you could ever meet. Like Rachel, Roseanna graciously accepted to teach at the workshop several times.
Carrie Pagels:Carrie opened up the door for me to be published with Barbour Publishing. She has been a friend and an inspiration. She also taught at the workshop, and we’ve had lunch on a few occasion. She is one of the most giving writers I know, and an inspiration to me to persist in storytelling.
Do you have a speaking ministry? If so, tell us about that. Not in the true sense. But I have taught classes on writing. Each year at the Writing to Inspire Christian Writers Workshop, and on dialogue at the Lancaster Christian Writers Conference.
What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you and how did you handle it? The most? There are too many to tell, and too embarrassing to share.
People are always telling me that they’d like to write a book someday. I’m sure they do to you, too. What would you tell someone who came up to you and said that? I would first ask them why, and if it is really on their heart, when are they planning to begin. What genre would they like to write in? Then I’d give them a bit of advice. Write because you love to write, even if it means never getting published with a major publisher and going Indie. If the person isn’t interested in writing novels, I suggest they write in a journal.
What is important is touching the lives of others through an inspiring story. Do not ever let fame and money be your motivation for being an author. If it is, you are writing for the wrong reasons.
Tell us about the featured book. Back in 2014, I was going through one of the most difficult times in my life. It was a time I never thought I would experience. I’d done my best, what I believed then, to take care of my health. But when I heard the words, “you have breast cancer,” I felt the ground move under me, and I was shaken to my core. Those words invoked images of the suffering I saw with a close friend who died from breast cancer, and what my dear sister-in-law was going through at the time, and how it would eventually take her life. I cried in the doctor’s office in my husband’s arms, thinking life was over, that I was going to leave him and my two boys.
I was taken on a roller coaster journey through treatment. Once I was over the initial shock, I was determined to live. One thing that kept me going, besides Paul’s constant care and humor, was writing. I had several novels published, but two books came into my life. One was Mercy’s Refuge, a historical romance set in 1620 inspired by William Bradford’s diary Of Plymouth Plantation. But there was another story that I began with a synopsis and a few first chapters. After the Rain. I loved every minute writing this story.

Here is the synopsis for your readers.
It is 1908, a year in the Edwardian Age, the year J.M. Barrie’s play What Every Woman Knows, premiered in Atlantic City, and the first Model T rolled off the assembly line in Detroit. It is a year when the world faced one of its worst disasters in history, when the New Year would heal the wounds of loss.
Louisa Borden lives a privileged life in Chevy Chase, Maryland, a new and thriving community on the outskirts of Washington, DC for the well-to-do. Against the wishes of her domineering grandmother, she retreats from the prospects of a loveless marriage, and instead searches for her calling in life.
When her horse is spooked along Rock Creek, she is thrown from the saddle—an embarrassing situation for any affluent young lady. Soaking wet, bruised and humiliated, she is carried up the muddy bank to safety by Jackson O’Neil, a stranger to the city, who changes the course of everything, including the lives of all those around her.
Please give us the first page of the book.
Autumn 1908
Jackson O’Neil scanned the ridgeline. The clouds were low and misty, shades of blue and gray ash that stretched along the mountains as far as his eyes could see. Autumn came early. The dogwoods were turning crimson. The maples gold, the oaks deep brown—taking his breath away.
A whisper of a breeze stirred the changing leaves and ruffled his dark hair. His quarter horse grazed in the field beyond the farmhouse his father had built so many years ago, before he was born, before his younger sister took her first breath.
He drew in the scent of apples fallen from the trees, listened to the hum of yellow jackets thirsty for the sweet overripe nectar of the rotting pulp. As he heaped hay over the fence, he whistled to his horse Ransom. With a sweep of his mane, Ransom raised his head and trotted over.
Jacksonrubbed the velvety nose offered him and reached inside his pocket for a sugar cube. “Come spring, I’ll find you a mare. It gets lonely, doesn’t it?”
He understood loneliness and was weary of being asked why he hadn’t found a wife. Community picnics in Chestnut Creek were the worst with every unwed daughter shoved in front of him. Always he’d been polite, and felt sorry for the girls embarrassed by their mother’s interference.
He rubbed his horse’s ear and recalled the seasons when mares and foals grazed in his father’s fields, and a stallion paced in the next meadow over. He’d been home more than a year since his father turned the land over to him, land that had been in his family for three generations, named for the place where his great grandfather was born in Ireland. Jackson smiled, grateful to be home, regretful he had ever left.
An engine rumbled in the distance. It drew closer and a dust cloud flew up into the air. Choking exhaust mixed with rusty sand and dirt, held no comparison to the colossal billows of soot and concrete dust he remembered. He threw back the images and focused on Bill Shanks barreling toward him on the motorbike used for delivering the mail. Whipping around a bend, Shanks skidded to a halt, frightening Ransom away from the fence.
“I’ve a letter for you.” Shanks lifted his goggles and drew a brown envelope out of his leather satchel. “It’s from your pa.”
“Thanks. It’s warm today, isn’t it?”
Shanks wiped the sweat off his forehead. “Sure is. I bet it’s even hotter in Washington. How long have your folks been away?”
“Months.”
“Seems longer. Are they coming back?”
“Eventually.”
Jacksontook the letter in hand. Shanks was the last person he’d share information with. He already knew too much and was as much a gossip as the old women in the village. Chestnut Creek had its share of chinwaggers like any other place. But hereabouts they assumed too much, stretching a story beyond all proportions into a brow-raising whopper.
Shanks scratched his head beneath his brown leather cap. “Nice of your pa to hand over the farm. I suppose it’s helped you forget.”
Jacksonshifted on his feet. “Forget what?”
“You know—the earthquake out there in San Fran.”
For a moment, Jacksonlooked into Shanks’ inquisitive eyes. He had no idea what it felt like to have the earth buck under his feet, to hear it rumble like deafening thunder beneath the ground, to see the walls of buildings ripple and bend, then collapse into the street onto carriages, wagons, people, and horses—to hear the screams and calls for help. The fires—they compounded the devastation. Hundreds were dead or injured. Thousands were homeless.
Shanks pulled off his cap and smoothed back his hair. Sandy blond and slick with cheap hair grease, it fell over his forehead and he jerked it away. “Guess you don’t like talking about it, huh?”
“Not really. Got a newspaper in your satchel?”
“Yep. It’s the Washington Post if that’s okay.”
“Thanks.”
“Not much good in the news these days.”
“At least we aren’t at war.”
Shanks glanced at the door. “Got any coffee on the stove?”
“Sorry, no.”
“That’s okay.” Shrugging, Shanks moved his motorbike back. “I got to get going. More mail to deliver.”
“Thanks for bringing mine.” Jackson glanced up at the sky. “Looks like rain.”
“Ah, it won’t be for hours.” Shanks adjusted his goggles and turned the motorbike toward the dirt road. As he drove away, Jackson looked at the postmark on the envelope. September 21, 1908, the District of Columbia.
He sat down on the stoop of his porch and tore it open. Unfolding the page, he noticed a change in his father’s handwriting—shaky and quickly scrawled. Blotches of ink marred the paper.
Dear Son,
Doctors can do nothing more for your mother. She’s been poked and prodded to the point of tears, and still they can’t find the cause of her ailment. Some say cancer. Others say anemia, or that it is all in her head. I’ve given up on the ole quacks.
A diet of more vegetables and fruit has sustained her, but she’s lost so much weight I barely recognize her. The doctors here in Washingtonhave passed her back and forth without giving us a solid diagnosis. She’s tired and wants to come home. The lease on the house is about over and I want to bring her home by Christmas.
Your sister misses you. Specialists suggest I place her in an institution and have her sterilized. I understand she should never bear the burden of motherhood, but to do this to her and to send her away? I can’t do such a thing. It would break all our hearts.
I was firm, and they said I’ll do it eventually, and if they see any neglect on our part, they will contact the proper authorities and have her taken from us. There is no neglect. Only love. But they will be watching. This has added to your mother’s worry and mine. I’m afraid of what the future might hold for people like your sister. So, we must protect her.
Come as quick as you can. I’ll need your help bringing the family home.
Pa
With his mouth tense, Jacksontucked his father’s letter inside his shirt. He would pack right away and head out. He had three dollars in his pocket, sixty in his dresser drawer, more than enough to cover the cost and get him to Washingtonby train.
He ran his hands over his eyes and whispered a prayer for his mother. She had suffered enough. His heart lurched thinking of his sister. He would not allow them to take Blossom away or hurt her. Compared to every person he had known, she was the kindest and most loving of all. If God were to make angels out of humans, she would be one of them. Blossom was the apple of Alan O’Neil’s eye, and to be badgered to put her away had to be taking its toll.
Jacksonglanced down at the newspaper beside him. An announcement and the photograph at the bottom caught his attention. A woman dressed in a lace gown, her hair piled up and loose beneath a broad feathered hat, caused something electric to shoot through him. Her eyes fascinated him, and flamed a fire in his bosom.
Mrs. Beatrice Whitaker will receive Mr. Rupert Eastcott, the future Lord Pencroft, at her home on Lenox Street, Chevy Chase, by Thanksgiving. An engagement to her granddaughter, Louisa Borden, daughter of Mr. Maxium Borden, will be forthcoming.
Jacksonshook his head. The girl’s soft mouth, gentle smile, and liquid eyes pale in black and white, were enough to captivate. However, looks could be deceiving. A woman like her would not give him the time of day. If they met—which was a million to one—she would give him the cold shoulder and a haughty look—but boy was she pretty.
Only in your dreams, Jackson. Only in your dreams.
He folded the newspaper and hurried inside, gathered some clothes, and shut the door behind him. He hurried down the staircase to the first floor. Clara Robinson stepped out the kitchen door.
“I wish you’d bring them home the minute you get there. I know Miss Emma must be loathing the city.”
“I’ll get them back as soon as I can, Clara.” He dragged on his hat.
“Here take this with you. You’ll get hungry on the train.” She handed him a brown bag stuffed with food.
He smiled. “Thanks.”
She raised her chin. “No thanks, just promise you’ll eat it.”
“I promise.”
“Wish you’d let Grant drive you to the station.”
“I need the brisk ride. Where is Grant?”
“He’s gone hunting.”
Jacksonstepped outside and spotted Grant trotting toward the house. “He’s back. Looks like he got a brace of pheasants.”
Grant Robinson and his wife Clara had worked for the O’Neils as long as Jacksoncould remember. Two robust people who knew all there was to know about living off the land were a part of the family and Jackson loved them both.
Grant stopped short when he reached the front porch steps. “Two birds for the pot tonight, Clara.” He held up the birds for her to see. Then he looked at Jackson. “Are you going into town, Mr. Jackson?”
“I got a letter from Pa.I’m going to Washington.”
Grant frowned. “Your ma—is she…?”
“No, not yet. Pa wants to bring her home and needs my help. I don’t know how long I’ll be gone. I know Ballyshannon is in the right hands with you and Clara.”
“I’ll pull out the motorcar.”
“No need. I’m riding Ransom into town. Come by the livery stable later and fetch him. Be sure he gets plenty of oats.”
Grant nodded. “I’ll take good care of him, don’t worry.”
Jacksonput his hand on Grant’s shoulder. “That I believe.”
With sadness in his heart, he went out to the barn and saddled Ransom. Alongside the tracks Shanks’ motorbike had made, he galloped his horse down the road toward the train station.
How can readers find you on the Internet?
I have a Facebook page and an author’s page:
https://www.facebook.com/rita.gerlach.3/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/249323152879604/
My website is here: http://ritagerlach.wordpress.com/
Thank you, Rita, for allowing me to be a part of the relaunch of this book. I’m eager to read it, since I love all your books I’ve read.
Readers, here are links to the book.
https://amzn.to/3nvyv1K - paperback
https://amzn.to/3e3R9L5 - Kindle edition
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
April 22, 2021
PRESENT DANGER - Elizabeth Goddard - One Free Book
Dear Readers, Elizabeth Goddard is a longtime friend. I was privileged to mentor her early in her career. She has grown way beyond my mentoring, and I love her romantic suspense novels. You will, too.

It may be midnight or midday
It's never early, never late
He gon' stand by what He claim
I've lived enough life to say
Help is on the way (roundin' the corner)
Do you have a favorite Bible verse? And why is it a favorite? Have a lot of scriptures I turn to on any given day, week, month, or year. I especially love Isaiah 49:15-16
“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne?
Though she may forget, I will not forget you!
16 See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.
I love this verse because I read it at a time when I was feeling desperate, and it seemed to go straight to my heart, to my marrow—God will not forget me. The scripture is filled with so much passion and emotion. Don’t you think?
Yes, verse 16 is a favorite of mine, too. What is the one thing you wish you could go back and change in your life? Only ONE thing? Ha ha! You jest. I certainly wish I had started writing sooner.
What is the most important characteristic for a good friend to have? A listening ear.
What extracurricular activities did you participate in when you were in school? Volleyball, racquetball, tennis, French club, science club—to name a few.
What is your favorite movie of all times? There are too many movies that I love, but I think I really love the old Cecil B. DeMille version of The Ten Commandments (even though it’s not historically accurate) The movie was directed and produced by a man who believed in God, and you can sense the anointing in the movie.

Please give us the first page of the book.
Chance Carter should have known this last delivery wouldn’t go down without a hitch.
A monstrous thunderhead had popped up in a clear morning sky and now loomed directly in his path as if forbidding, or at least challenging, his approach to his destination—a lone airstrip in Nowhere, Montana. As an experienced pilot and courier for an airfreight company, inclement weather didn’t concern him as much as the troubled feeling in his chest, which he’d been trying to ignore since takeoff.
Given the cold, hard stone of unease that had settled in his gut, he’d failed miserably.
Earlier this morning, back at the FBO—fixed-based operator—the rhythm of his flight prep had seemed off. Excitement hadn’t pumped through his every movement, and the usual bounce to his step hadn’t accompanied him while he worked through his preflight checks. If that hadn’t been enough, dread had replaced the anticipation that had always filled him as he readied to climb into the cockpit of his Piper Cherokee 235, which he affectionately called Ole Blue.
Now, as he neared the airstrip, he shook off the apprehension and grabbed on to the assurance earned from years of experience and hours spent piloting.
Thank you, Beth, for sharing this book with my blog readers and me. I’m eager to read my copy that arrived a couple of days ago.
How can readers find you on the Internet?
My website for starters: http://elizabethgoddard.com
Subscribe to my newsletter
Follow me on Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/elizabeth-goddard:
My Facebook fan page: http://facebook.com/elizabethgoddardauthor
My Facebook readers group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/371401767951
Twitter: http://twitter.com/bethgoddard
Readers, here are links to the book.
https://amzn.to/2QQ5RMB - Paperback
https://amzn.to/3vcgQPk - Kindle
Also available in Audiobook edition
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
April 19, 2021
THE STORM BREAKS FORTH - Terri Wangard - A Free Kindle Book For Winner Worldwide

What other books of yours are coming out soon? I’m revising a short story that was published in a collection of historical Christmas stories. It’s now a novella and will release late this year. I’ve added another point of view, which was trickier than I anticipated.
If you could spend an evening with one contemporary person (not a family member of yours), who would it be and why? With a bit of trepidation, I would say Tammy Jernigan. She’s brilliant with a bachelor’s, two master’s, and a doctorate in hard sciences, which totally intimidates me, but she flew on the space shuttle five times. We’re the same age and she’s an example of what I could have done with my life (assuming I had a scientific bend).
What historical person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why? Marguerite L’Amiraud, my 8th great grandmother. She and 11 other foremothers were Daughters of the King, marriage women sent to New France to marry the men settling there. Marguerite married in 1668. What was it like to leave everything familiar and go to a wilderness to marry a stranger?
How can you encourage authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers? I know exactly how they feel! Keep submitting, keep writing, keep reading. Meet with other writers.

Simple suggestions for coping with wartime measures lead Maren into an active role in the community, but her service doesn’t help deflect suspicion from her. Zealous patriots target her with a vengeance.
Peter caught the eye of a major who seems intent on using him as a spy. He’s been fortunate to avoid injury so far, but these activities are likely to get him killed.
Peter and Maren dream of the day they will be reunited, but more and more, that day appears to be a mirage.
Some things don’t change. One hundred years ago, politic rancor was high and a pandemic raged, but God is still in control.
Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08WN3ZBCT
Please give us the first page of the book.
Milwaukee , Wisconsin
Good Friday, April 6, 1917
“They’ve done it. Congress has declared war on Germany.”
Maren Bloch jumped when the door slammed against the wall as her husband Peter stormed in. Packets of seeds she’d been sorting on the kitchen table slipped from her grasp. One split open, and tiny orbs bounced across the shiny surface. Sinking down on the nearest chair, her thoughts scattered like the seeds.
“What will this mean?” She needed to catch her breath. “For us? How will it affect us?”
“I think a lot of people expect we’ll be supplying the Allies openly now, but I believe it will be more than that. England and France will be whining for all the fresh cannon fodder they can get. We’ll be raising an army.” A distant gaze filled Peter’s eyes as he retrieved a pencil from his pocket.
Joining the war had been inevitable. President Wilson liked to say the United Stateswould remain neutral, but he’d been supplying Britain from the start. He allowed the sale of war material to them. He harangued Germanyfor using submarines, but never spoke a word of warning to Britain about its blockade of Germany. Maren’s cousins were starving because of it.
She rose and pried the pencil from his grip before he snapped it in half. “You won’t have to enlist, will you?”
“I heard all men in their twenties will have to register for a draft. Lately, Wilson’s been supporting conscription. It’s going to happen. Soon.”
She stared at him. “Surely, you’re not in favor of going to fight, are you?”
How can readers find you on the Internet?
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorTerriWangard
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/terriwangard
Instagram: @terriwangard
Website: http://www.terriwangard.com(has newsletter subscription form)
Thank you, Terri, for sharing this new book with us.
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
April 18, 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 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.
Jan (PA) is the winner of The Descendant's Daughter by Patricia Lee.
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.
April 15, 2021
PRINCESS LILLIAN AND GRANDPA'S GOODBYE - Jenny Fulton - One Free Book

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done? In college, a friend and I put a kiddie pool in the cafeteria and filled it with water. Then we took off our shoes and socks and dangled our feet in it.
When did you first discover that you were a writer? I’ve always loved to write. My mom would dictate some of my stories from the time I was 3 years old. So, in that sense, I guess I’ve always known, but for a long time, it wasn’t something I shared or talked much about.
Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading. Oh, that’s a wide range. I enjoy classic novels by Jane Austen, Louisa May Alcott, Charles Dickens, Harold Bell Wright, many types of fantasy and fairy tales books, historical fiction, Christian romance, some speculative Christian fiction, mystery and suspense, biographies, memoirs, pretty anything except horror.
I also like to read most genres, but mostly just Christian novels. What other books have you written, whether published or not?
Published: (as a ghost writer under the pen name A. S. King) Invisible Battles: the Quest for Hope
Unpublished: a Bible Study on 1 Corinthians
Unpublished: a multicultural memoir about dreaming, healing, and trusting
Unpublished: three other children’s books about Princess Lillian and her little sister, Zoe
How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world? Right now, I’m focused on taking things one day at a time. Writing has done a lot to keep me sane. I wake up at 5 and usually have about an hour or two to write before my girls wake up. From there, it’s focusing on what tasks need to be done and what tasks I can do based on what time I have and how the girls are doing (especially my 2 year old).
What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of, besides family? Besides family and getting my first children’s book published, I’m most proud of the opportunities I’ve had to teach overseas and on the Navajo Nation, and to learn other languages (Spanish and Mandarin).
If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why? I think I’d be a horse because they alternately run, work, and rest in the grass soaking up the sun. And really because they’re one of my favorite animals to watch.
What is your favorite food?
American: Seafood Fettuccine Alfredo (emphasis on the shrimp)
Chinese: Hong Shao Qie Zi (red cooked eggplant)
Korean: Bibimbop
Thai: Mango Sticky Rice
Mexican: ChilesRellenos
Navajo: Fry Bread

What advice would you give to an author wanting to do that? Don’t give up. Write from your heart and believe in yourself and your work enough to keep pushing forward. Find a good critique group to be part of, for they’ll encourage you and help you move your skills and stories forward.
What would you like to tell us about the featured book? Princess Lillian and Grandpa’s Goodbye is the first of what I hope to be a series of other books centered on Lillian and her little sister, Zoe. This first book was written in December 2020 after my grandpa had a heart attack and was taken to the hospital. My mom kept us updated. “He’s ready to go home,” she told us. A video she later sent us confirmed it. I’ve never seen someone so patiently and eagerly awaiting his call into heaven. Shortly after watching the video, I sat down to process the bittersweet feelings of seeing someone I loved preparing to leave this world. As is often the case, I processed by writing. In this case, I took a character I already loved and tried to look at the scenario through her eyes.
How can readers find you on the Internet?
Social Media Links:
Website: https://heart-soul-mind.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JennyFultonWriter
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorFulton
Instagram: www.instagram.com/jennyannfulton/
Thank you, Jenny, for sharing this new book with my blog readers and me. I enjoyed reading it, and I’ll give my copy to my great-grandchildren. They will love it.
Readers, here are links to the book.
https://amzn.to/3aekbW0 - Paperback
https://amzn.to/3uUiaWG - Kindle
Also available in hardback and audio editions.
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
April 12, 2021
TO LOVE A PRINCE - Rachel Hauck - One Free Book
Dear Readers, Rachel Hauck is a good friend, and I love her writing, especially her royal stories. I know you’ll love them as much as I do.

RH: What a great question. “The Blessing” by Kari Jobe and Cody Carnes.
Rachel, you know that I’ve known Kari and Cody for a long time, she longer than he. The first time I heard “The Blessing,” I was in tears, my heart filled with thankfulness to God for HIs promises. Do you have a favorite Bible verse? And why is it a favorite?
RH: I love Song of Songs 4:9 and Psalm 45:11.
The first one goes like this, “You have made my heart beat faster my sister my bride with a single glance of your eyes.” This speaks of Jesus’s deep and pure love for us, His Bride.
The second one is “The king desires your beauty.” This again speaks of Jesus’s love for us, His majesty and speaks of how He sees us. Beautiful!
There are so many young women who compare themselves with the world’s view of beauty, which isn’t beauty at all and miss how God sees them. My heart breaks for them. What is the one thing you wish you could go back and change in your life?
RH: Nothing. Because it all leads me to where I am now. Even the hard times pressed me to go for God like never before. I wouldn’t trade them.
I feel like that, too, even after three of the hardest months James and I have ever experienced. But God was with us. What is the most important characteristic for a good friend to have?
RH: This is two-fold for me: honesty and loyalty. Sometimes we think loyalty precludes honestly. But a loyal friend should be honest. If not a friend, then who?
So true. What extracurricular activities did you participate in when you were in school?
RH: I actually worked when I was in school. I started at Publix when I was fourteen. I wanted to earn money. I did try out for cheerleading. So glad we didn’t have cell phones then! In college I was in sorority so they were my friends and family. But I also worked.
What is your favorite movie of all times?
RH: This is a tough one. Wow. How about if I do three? My favorite Christmas movie is It’s A Wonderful Life. My favorite every-other-day-of-the-year-movie is Remember the Titans. My favorite TV movie is Once Upon A Prince.
I’ve watched It’s a Wonderful Life almost every year of my adulthood. And I love Once Upon A Prince, which is based on your book.Tell us about why you wrote To Love A Prince.

Please give us the first page of the book.
RH: I’m actually giving you the first page of the first chapter. The opening is a bit of a prologue set in 1938. But the book is contemporary.
Chapter One
February, Present Day
Floridana Beach , FL
This was the life. A girl on holiday with her mates. Surely something memorable was bound to happen.
Standing on the water’s edge, Daffy washed her weary soul with the low rumble of the waves, raised her face to the sun, and pretended she was more than an ordinary girl.
Time away was so needed. After graduating with her master’s degree, she jumped straight into work, striving to prove herself with barely a moment to breathe.
Two years in she needed a break. Then while online Christmas shopping she stumbled across the sweet blue cottage on the American coast and booked a week in February without even checking her diary. Then she coaxed her little sister along with her best friend, Leslie Ann, to join in the fun.
The three had arrived on the central Florida private beach around midnight and slept until the sun filled their rented beachfront cottage with glorious light. The sights, sounds, and sun filled her with expectation. This week was going to be amazing. She just knew it.
“I think I’ll emigrate to America,” she said.
“Surely not.” Little sister Ella splashed through the winter-chilled waves. While the sun was warm, the breeze still nipped with a southern chill. “Why would you?”
“Why not? I always said I wanted to live abroad.”
“You never.” Ella paused beside Daffy as she tied her rich dark hair into a floppy topknot.
“You wanted to marry the prince and rule Lauchtenland. Besides, you joined the Royal Trust to work for Mum. She’d be put out if you left.”
“Dream killer.” Nevertheless, Ella was right. Well, partially right. Daffy couldn’t leave the Royal Trust after Mum went out on a limb to secure her position. Not very far out on the limb, but far enough. “But I do love my job.”
With her master’s degree in restorative arts, she wanted nothing more than to knock around historic artifacts, furniture, clothing, paintings, photographs and literature. The House of Blue had acquired such things for the last, oh, five hundred years. Longer, if the Hadsby Castlefire in 1595 hadn’t destroyed nearly everything the royal family owned.
But the chair had been saved. The King Titus. Constructed by Lauchtenland’s first king after the Norman conquest. It had been the royal throne for almost a century before King Louis II replaced it in 1881.
“What are we talking about?” Leslie Ann Parker, stunning, talented—and the latest sensation of Lauchtenland’s national Morning Show, reporting on all things royal—arrived at the waves.
How can readers find you on the Internet?
Clubhouse: Rachel Hauck
Thank you, Rachel, for sharing this book with my blog readers and me. I can hardly wait for my copy to arrive. It will go straight to the top of my to-be-read pile.
Readers, here are links to the book.
An Audiobook is also available
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
April 11, 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 don't do this, your email could get lost in my hundreds of emails per day. I WILL SEARCH FOR POST TITLES STARTING THAT WAY .
Some people don't read the instructions of how to enter. Unfortunately, they don't have a chance to win. so next time you come and leave a comment, be sure to read all the instructions if you want a chance to win.
Abigail (VA) is the winner of The Indebted Earl by Erica Vetsch.
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.