Lena Nelson Dooley's Blog, page 65

THE QUEEN OF PARIS - Pamela Binnings Ewen - One Free Book

Welcome back, Pamela. Why do you write the kind of books you do?
Every book I’ve written was borne from something interesting that struck me, causing me to research the questions raised. Usually it’s something unusual—as with The Queen of Paris .  I came across a non-fiction book about Chanel with information about the famous designer that I’d never before heard. The book is Sleeping with the Enemy, by Hal Vaughan., published by Random House. After some research, I knew this was a story made for historical fiction. One I had to write.
Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?The day my son, Scott, was born. He was the light of my life. At the time I was working at various jobs, just sort of wandering around. His birth motivated me to straighten up. I had to support him. I went to college by working at a university and getting free tuition for classes in my spare time. Then I went to law school. I became a lawyer because I wanted to be certain that regardless of whatever happened in my son’s life, I could give him what he needed and protect him.
How has being published changed your life?With publishing came new confidence and ambition and a whole new career. I’d practiced law for twenty-five years and loved every minute of it. But writing just grabbed me and wouldn’t let go. My first book, Faith on Trial, was non-fiction. But I moved to fiction after that book because not only was it more fun, but often with fiction I find you can dig down to a deeper truth. Not long after Faith on Trial was published, I resigned my partnership with a large law firm and began to write full time.
What are you reading right now?Right now I’m still hooked on WWII books. I’ve found a wonderful series by Jane Thynne, someone I’d not read before. She writes about a young woman spy operating in Berlinin the years leading up to the war. I’ve so far read The Scent of Secrets and The Pursuit of Pearls.  Her research is amazing, and I love her crisp writing style.
What is your current work in progress?My next book is tentatively titled The Girl from Provence. It involves two minor characters in The Queen of Paris , but is not a sequel to that book. Set at the beginning of the occupation of France, this is more a love story than a war story.
What would be your dream vacation?If money were no object I would love to spend a few weeks in Italy in Positano, on the Amalfi coast in Italy, and also on the island of Capri just a ferry-ride away. I’ve been to Capri for day trips and it’s not only beautiful, but exploring it would be so much fun. It’s full of history.
How do you choose your settings for each book?In the case of The Queen of Paris , as historical fiction the book dictated the settings. Which was fine with me because most of it takes place in Paris and the south of France, two wonderful places! Sometimes I choose a setting just because I love the place, as in the case of my trilogy of two young women lawyers struggling to climb the ladder in a law firm in New Orleans. (Dancing on Glass, Chasing the Wind, An Accidental Life)  I set the story in the 1970’s and early 80’s because that’s when I was at law school and first began practicing. And although I’ve never practiced law in New Orleans, I do consider it home and have great memories of those days in the city in the 1960’s and 1970’s. So it was fun to set the story there.
If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?Dr. Jim Allison, head of Immunology at University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.  He won the Nobel Prize in 2018 for finding a new way to treat cancer using what’s call immunotherapy. As I understand it, this is a way to activate the immune system so that it attacks the cancer cells instead of treating the tumor. Lessening the need for chemotherapy. Dr. Allison’s work has given live-saving treatments to so many people who otherwise would have had no hope. From everything I’ve read, this man has dedicated his life to extending the lives of people with late stage cancers. This choice may sound strange, but twenty-one years ago I was treated for cancer for a year at MD Anderson, and for me and many others doctors like Dr. Allison who spend their lives working to help others are amazing. I wasn’t treated by Dr. Allison and never met him. But I would love to know how this man’s mind works! And to meet him and say thanks.
Also, I’m happy to say that I’ve been completely healthy for the last twenty years, thanks to MD Anderson cancer center.  And every day is a blessing.
Interestingly enough, I have a dear friend who has an inoperable cancer tumor in her brain, but it didn’t grow larger. She was sent to a team of doctors in Dallas who studied her. She actually had antibodies in her body that was keeping the tumor from growing. When the discovered that, they told her they had seeking a woman who had those antibodies. They’d found men, but no women. They’ve been using antibodies they’ve extracted from her blood to help them in their search to find a cure for cancer. When she first told me about it, she said she felt blessed. Chosen to be a vessel to carry what would help others.
What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?I love to travel. My husband, Jimmy, and I have had some great and some funny adventures while traveling. I love to explore cities and new places and talk to people. But I’m not multilingual, unfortunately. Took French in high school, but when I attempt to speak the language in Paris they usually scream and run! Oh well. I do Love river boat cruises—it’s relaxing and easy. Not ocean trips though. Recently we took one on a ship from Rio de Janerio to Buenas Aires, and we hit a tropical storm with sixty-five mile an hour winds for about eight hours. That’s almost hurricane strength, which is seventy mph. Never again.
I also love riding bikes. I have a bright yellow bike with fat tires, no gears, and an old-fashioned pedal brake. Just like the old days. Its great exercise, and I love the free feeling I get from riding.
And I’d say that researching interesting ideas or issues would qualify as a hobby. It’s just fascinating to research an issue or place or idea online and in real books, etc. In the French Quarter of New Orleans we’ve got an amazing research library. Research is critical to writing historical fiction. I try hard to keep an open mind as to both sides of my topic or issue or question. At least until I’ve completed my quest for answers. Regardless, one of my goals inwriting, is never to write with a preordained outcome agenda.
What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?After about three hours of straight writing, often your mind plays trick on you. When I reread I often find the words are flat, or repetitive, or just unnecessary. That when I stop, relax, and read poetry. It’s strange, but regardless of the subject, poetry seems to expand my thinking. Clears things up.
What advice would you give to a beginning author?First, read the best books you can find, and start with the classics. After that, move to contemporary classics and other really good fiction. Read to learn how different writers handle problems, plots, characters, point of view. Pay attention to how the authors do things. For example, in War and Peace, Tolstoy has a hunting scene—man and dog in the woods. The man’s looking for prey, and the dog is patiently waiting for his master. Suddenly Tolstoy switches the point of view to the dog, and what the dog is thinking at that time. It’s fabulous, and very subtle as that’s the only scene like it I can recall in that book. That one scene taught me to pay great attention to the point of view assigned to characters. (Which, by the way, was very helpful when I was writing The Queen of Paris .)
And second, become involved in the literary community, local and far away and online. Go to literary conferences—many of them have editors attending who take appointed interviews and who will review your work as part of the conference. Same with agents—sometimes you can find a great agent at a book conference. Get to know your local bookstores, librarians, writers, book clubs—online and local, and get to know anyone who loves those same things. You will not only learn a lot about the business of writing, but you’ll make friends for life that way.
Tell us about the featured book. The Queen of Paris is the story of Coco Chanel’s hidden life in Nazi occupied Parisduring WWII, as discovered in recently unearthed war-time files. I came across photographs of those files in the book Sleeping with the Enemy and was fascinated to learn that Chanel was actually recruited as a Nazi spy during the four years that Germanyoccupied Franceduring the war. She had a code name, “Westminster,” and was assigned a number. She went on missions; visited Berlin. It was just unbelievable. When I began researching this information, to my surprise it appeared that no one had yet written the whole story of her years during that war. But the question that wouldn’t leave me alone was this: Why? At the time Chanel was one of the richest and most famous women in the world. She was an icon.
So why would she agree to spy for Germany?
Chanel was such a complicated woman. So my research turned to answering the question I’d asked myself. I think I did find the right answers in the end, and I don’t think your readers will have heard this story before. My intent was to make no judgments, but just to answer the question “Why.” Judgment is up to each reader. I think Foreward Reviews summed this up best. They said The Queen of Paris reveals another room in the House of Chanel.
Please give us the first page of the book.Unfortunately I don’t have the finished manuscript on my computer, only edit copies.  But here’s the first thing the reader will see when they open the book, before the prologue. A statement which appears to be Chanel’s, but isn’t.. It’s mine.  
“I’ve found the key to survival. Trust no one but yourself.”
I think these words pretty much sum up the key to Chanel’s personality. At the time that WWII began and the Nazi’s marched into Paris, she had reasons not to trust.
How can readers find you on the Internet?I invite all of you to visit my website, www.pamelaewen.com. Also readers can contact me through the website, and I read every one of those and answer. I’d love to have each and every reader here sign up for the newsletter! I’m also on FaceBook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.
Thanks for the interesting questions, Lena. My thoughts and prayers go out to each and every one of you in this terrible, trying time. God Bless all of us. God bless our country, and God bless the world and those hurting and those who’ve passed away in this pandemic.
Yes, Pamela, all of my close friends and family are praying for our whole country during this trying time. Thank you for joining us.
And thank you for sharing this interesting book with me and my blog readers. My copy is at the top of my to-be-read list. It’s my next read.
Readers, here are links to the book.The Queen of Paris: A Novel of Coco Chanel[image error] - Hardback (on sale for about half price on Amazon)
The Queen of Paris: A Novel of Coco Chanel - Kindle[image error]

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.
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DEVYN'S DILEMMA - Susan G Mathis - One Free Book

Welcome back, Susan. What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about?
All of my books explore faith, hope, and redemption. Devyn’s Dilemma deals especially with the spiritual challenges of overcoming family abuse and the spirit of fear.
What are you working on and what other books do you have?I’m currently working on Reagan’s Reward, book three of the Thousand Islands Gilded Age series.
I have five published historical novels on the market. All are set in the enchanting Thousand Islands in Upstate New York during the Gilded Age era.
The Fabric of Hope: An Irish Family Legacy is the story of a 1850s Irish immigrant and a 21st-century single mom who are connected by faith, family, and a quilt.
Christmas Charity is the story of Susan Hawkins and Patrick O’Neill who find that an arranged marriage is much harder than they think, especially when they immigrate from Wolfe Island, Canada, to Cape Vincent, New York, in 1864, just a week after they marry—with Patrick’s nine-year-old daughter, Lizzy, in tow.
Katelyn’s Choice is book one of The Thousand Islands Gilded Age with Lighthouse Publishing. It’s the story of nineteen-year-old Katelyn Kavanagh who leaves her family’s struggling farm to work on Pullman Island for the famous George Pullman. There she finds herself serving powerful men such as President Ulysses S. Grant, and General Sheridan—and falling in love with her best friend’s brother, Thomas, the handsome boatsman. Katelyn gains popularity with her friends by spilling the sensitive high society gossip she’s privy to. But when she overhears possibly damaging presidential conversations, she knows she can’t tell anyone. She could lose her job—and endanger her president’s 1872 reelection—and jeopardize her relationship with the man of her dreams.
Sara’s Surprise is the story of Sara McNully and Sean Graham who must navigate the challenging waters of work and romance. Sara befriends Sean’s 6-year-old daughter, Madison, but when Sara’s trust is shattered, can Sara learn to trust Sean with her heart or will she break two hearts and run away?
They all sound wonderful. What historical person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why?I’d love to meet Frederick Bourne, owner of Singer Castle—the setting for Devyn’s Dilemma . Though a Gilded Age titan, he was a godly, kind, and giving man as you’ll experience in my story. He was one of the wealthiest men in the world and known for giving much of his wealth to charity. He rubbed shoulder with the likes of J.P. Morgan, the Vanderbilts, and others—some of which you’ll also meet in my novel.
How can you encourage authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers?If you feel that God is leading and guiding you to write, don’t give up. Keep learning! Read books. Take classes. Join webinars. Grow. Grow. Grow in your craft! 
Tell us about the featured book. Devyn’s Dilemma , book two of The Thousand Islands Gilded Age series, just came out April 3, 2020.
Here’s the back-cover copy: 1910, Thousand Islands, New York. Others may consider The Towers castle on Dark Islandan enchanting summer retreat, but to Devyn McKenna, it’s a prison. Yet as she works as a maid for Frederick Bourne, former president of the Singer Sewing Machine Company, her life blossoms under the kindness of his family and fascinating entrepreneurs such as J.P. Morgan, Thomas Lipton, and Captain Vanderbilt. But more than anything, the growing friendship of Mr. Bourne’s valet, Brice McBride, begins to pry away the painful layers that conceal Devyn’s heart.
Brice is drawn to the mysterious Devyn even though he’s certain she’s hiding a secret, one far more dangerous than the clues they find in The Towers that hint of a treasure on the island. When Devyn is accused of stealing Bourne’s investment in Vanderbilt’s New York Citysubway expansion, he might not be able to protect her.
Please give us the first page of the book.Devyn McKenna trembled as her brother, Falan, beckoned her into the skiff. She gazed at the choppy river, the dark clouds scuttling across the sky. Yes, she had to admit that the mighty St. Lawrence River was beautiful. But that same majestic water was also deadly—as she knew all too well.
She scowled and huffed as she shifted from one foot to the other. Why could she not work in Watertown or somewhere else far from the river? Why? She glared at Falan. This was his doing, just to spite her.
She turned her back on him before he could mock her angst as he always did. Before he could resurrect her pain. Her nerves prickled with memories she’d rather forget. Her burning eyes joined in the rebellion, threatening to spill tears.
She hated the river and what it had done to the ones she loved.
Falan scowled. “Come on, Devyn. We don’t have all day. They’re waitin’ for ya, and there’s a dinner party tonight.”
She heaved a ragged moan and gathered her skirts to climb into the small, rocking boat. “I shan’t be able to cross this divide too often.”
He chuckled. “Y’re such baby. What happened before ain’t got nothin’ to do with today. I’ve lived on the island on and off near two years now, and I’m the better for it. Ya’ll be too, if ya grab hold of it instead a fearin’ it.”
Devyn had nothing left to say, at least to him. Instead, she sat down in the middle of the seat and held on for dear life. She had to remind herself to breathe, to swallow. As Falan shoved the boat off from the dock, every wobble and wave frightened her more. What if they capsized? She couldn’t swim. She wouldn’t survive. And this folly would be all for naught.
In sheer panic, Devyn began to stand up, but the rocking waves plunked her down on the hard bench. “Take me back. Take me back now! I cannot do this.” Devyn’s heart beat so fast that she feared it would leave her chest. She held her hand over it, but then she broke into a sweat, and a large knot that threatened to choke her filled her throat. “Take me back now!”
Falan gave her an annoying shake of his head and grunted. “Not on yer life. Or mine. I promised the Bournes, and Mama needs the money ta feed the young ’uns. Just stop yer hysterics, girl, or I’ll slap it out of ya.”
“I’m not a slave! Surely, I can find work inland. I can’t live on an island. I beg you. Take me back.”
Falan laughed at her. He actually threw back his head and laughed hard. Loud and boisterously.
He was mocking her. Again.
Her eyes narrowed, and she dug her fingernails into her fists. “What kind of brother are you, that you have no compassion? You know my story. And you don’t care?”
“I care. A bit.” He quirked a brow and shook his head. “I put yer name forth fer Mama, not fer you. Ya gotta grow up sometime. Y’re twenty years of age and need ta let go and move on. This can be yer ticket out of the hell ya caused.”
Wow! How can readers find you on the Internet?Here’s how you can connect with me:Website: www.SusanGMathis.comLighthouse Publishing: https://shoplpc.com/devyns-dilemmaAmazon: https://www.amazon.com/Devyns-Dilemma-Thousand-Islands-Gilded/dp/1645262731 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SusanGMathisTwitter: https://twitter.com/@SusanGMathisInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/susangmathisPinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/susangmathisautGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6044608.Susan_G_Mathis
Thank you, Susan, for sharing this new book with my blog readers and me. I’m eager to read the book and find out her secret and the other intriguing things.
Readers, here are links to the book.Devyn's Dilemma (Thousand Islands Gilded Age Series)[image error] - Paperback
Devyn's Dilemma (Thousand Islands Gilded Age Series Book 2) - Kindle[image error]

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

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A LIFE RENEWED - Olivia Rae - One Free Book

Bio: Olivia Rae is an award-winning author of historical and contemporary inspirational romance. She spent her school days dreaming of knights, princesses and far away kingdoms. It made those long, boring days in the classroom go by much faster. Nobody was more shocked than her when she decided to become a teacher. Besides getting her Master’s degree, marrying her own prince, and raising a couple of kids, Olivia decided to breathe a little more life into her childhood stories by adding in what she’s learned as an adult living in a small town on the edge of a big city. When not writing, she loves to travel, dragging her family to old castles and forts all across the world.

Olivia is the winner of the Golden Quill Award, New England Readers’ Choice Award, Southern Magic Contest, and the American Fiction Award. She is an Illumination Award Gold and Bronze medalist. She has also been a finalist in many other contests such as the National Readers’ Choice Awards, and the National Romance Fiction Awards. She is currently hard at work on her next novel.
Welcome, Olivia. Why do you write the kind of books you do?I write Christian inspirational fiction. Not only do I enjoy writing this genre, it is a way for me to express my faith and spread the love of Jesus Christ. I feel truly blessed to be able to write these types of books.
Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?I would have to say giving birth to my two children. They were a joy to raise, even though at times it was very trying. But in the end, they both came out okay. Both my children now live in California. My daughter is happily married and my son has a great job in the tech industry.
How has being published changed your life?Being published has taught me to be organized and disciplined. Not only are you responsible for writing your books, but marketing them also. Becoming a writer is not a job for the faint-of-heart. It’s hard work every day of the year.
What are you reading right now?Right now, I am reading two books.  Queen ElizabethI by Milton Waldman for research, and I am also reading for fun, Heavenly Lights: Noah’s Journey by Barbara M. Britton.
What is your current work in progress?My current work in progress is the sequel to A Life Renewed . The book will be called A Life Redeemed. The story takes in England and Scotland during the beginning of Queen Elizabeth’s reign.  Not only will you meet actual historical figures, you get a plot with a lot of twists that will keep you guessing until the end.  A sneak peek of this book is in the back of A Life Renewed .
What would be your dream vacation?I have been to a lot of places because I love to travel. I think my dream vacation would be a trip to the Holy Land. How wonderful would it be to walk and see places that Jesus did all those years ago. Another place I would love to go to would be Rome. The Vatican and the Sistine Chapel are at the top of my list.
How do you choose your settings for each book?Choosing my setting is one of the first things I do. Since most of my books have visits from historical figures, I usually start where they lived. Then the plot of my story and the religious theme of the story might carry my characters to new settings. As in A Life Renewed, Lady Jane Grey escaped from England and then wound up in Germany during the reformation struggles. Here she learned a lesson that Catholics and Protestants are more alike than different. They both believe Jesus Christ died for their sins and are saved by His grace.
If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?Wow, who would I spend one special night with? That is a tough question. Besides my kids who live faraway from me, I can’t really think of anyone. Since I write a lot about the past I’m more interested in dead people. I am sure there are many great personalities living right now, but only time will tell if their decisions and advice was correct. So I guess I will abstain from this question.
With your kids is a perfectly okay answer to that question. What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?My other hobbies are hiking and biking. This year I hope to go to Yellowstoneand the Grand Tetons. Hitting all the national parks is on my bucket list.
Sounds like a wonderful bucket list. What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?Time is my obstacle. I don’t mean finding time to write. I am a slow writer. It can take me three hours to write a thousand words. Not because I don’t know what to write, but often I am back tracking and making sure the story is flowing in the right direction. Sometimes I have to stop to do additional research. Anyone who writes historicals knows exactly what I mean.
Yes, I do. I do a lot of research intermittently during my writing. What advice would you give to a beginning author?Write what you love to read about. This is even more important than writing what you know. Plot out your story. Make sure you have a goal, motivation, and conflict for each character (villains too!). Then stick with it. Don’t stop until you write, “The End.”
I haven’t written “The End” on any of my books, except the first one. Tell us about the featured book. The idea of my new book, A Life Renewed came when I took a trip to England and learned about the tragic life of Lady Jane Grey. Her life was so disastrous, I just wanted to give her a second chance at happiness. So that’s exactly what I did when she escaped her execution instead of dying as she did in real life. In 1554, Lady Jane Grey, “The Nine Days’ Queen” was executed for high treason.
But what if, instead of feeling the blade on her neck she secretly survived?
Back Cover Blurb
Escaping execution, Lady Jane hides as a peasant girl in a principality in Germany. She loves the simple life and never wants to return to England. But her benefactor, a power-hungry German prince, wants to march on London and place her on the English throne again, thereby increasing his dominance in Europe. If she doesn’t agree to his plan, her beloved childhood nurse will be put to death. Desperate for help, Jane must put her trust in the mysterious spy Asher Hayes.  Asher Hayes is done rounding up Protestants for “Bloody Mary” and wants nothing more than to live a quiet life as a farmer and expunge the blood of many from his hands. Except Queen Mary isn’t done with him yet. She throws his father, mother, and sister into prison on false charges in order to force him to accept one last mission – find and kill Lady Jane Grey. But when Asher discovers Lady Jane isn’t a threat to the throne as he believed her to be, he faces a devastating decision – does he sacrifice his family for the woman who reigns in his heart?
Please give us the first page of the book.February 12, 1554Tower of LondonJohn Feckenham, chaplain to Queen Mary, donned his heavy black cloak before clasping his sweaty palms together. He dropped to his knees and offered up one last prayer for the poor soul whose death this day would ease many minds. All this could have been avoided had Lady Jane Grey returned to the true faith. Perhaps then Queen Mary would have held off the executioner’s blade. Yet, she had not.
He would miss their lively doctrinal conversations, for Jane did have a quick mind. A pity they could not continue in this fashion for another month or so. But he had failed to make Jane see the errors of her Protestant faith, and she would not give up the Church of her great-uncle Henry VIII for the true Catholic religion. Jane even made Feckenham promise to give her prayer book to the queen when all was over and done, the hope being that Queen Mary might see the light and turn away from the Pope and Rome, thus saving her body from the flames of hell.
John placed his cap upon his head and slowly made his way to Gentleman Gaoler’s quarters where Jane had been staying since she had been deposed. Though a satisfactory place within the Tower, it still held an unfortunate view of the Tower Green where Jane’s scaffold had been constructed.
Sir John Brydges, Lieutenant of the Tower, was waiting by Lady Jane’s door. A grim line creased his lips. Within the house, the weeping and wailing of Mrs. Ellen and Mrs. Tilney, Jane’s attendants, twisted Feckenham’s heart. All knew their parts to play. The question was, did the fair Lady Jane?
John followed Sir Brydges into the room. “It is time, madam,” Brydges said kindly.
The woman flinched as if Brydges’s words were a hard lash. Dressed in the black gown and dark French hood Lady Jane wore at her trial, the dry-eyed woman finally nodded. In her hands she held a new prayer book and a crumpled piece of parchment, lest she forget the memorized words. As she departed the home and walked to the scaffold, her lips moved slowly, though no words could be discerned—almost as if she were rehearsing the lines to a tragedy.
Few were present to watch this spectacle unfold; after all, Lady Jane did have royal blood coursing through her veins and her death was not subject for public display. All walked on in silence until they stood at the scaffold steps. She turned; her gaze locked with his. “God grant you all your desires and accept my own hearty thanks for all your attention to me. Although indeed, those attentions have tried me more than death can now terrify me.”
Her words swirled through Feckenham’s head and tied his tongue. Before his voice returned, she had ascended the scaffold stairs. With haste, he followed.
How can readers find you on the Internet?My website is: http://oliviaraebooks.com/I am also on Twitter, Facebook and InstagramFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/oliviaraeauthorTwitter:  https://twitter.com/oliviaraebooksInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/oliviaraebooks
Thank you, Olivia, for sharing this book with my blog readers and me. I’m eager to find out how she escaped.
Readers, here’s a link to the book.A Life Renewed (Secrets of the Queens Book 1)[image error] Kindle (The paperback book will be available soon.)

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

CRITICAL DECISION - Richard L Mabry, MD - One Free Book

Dear Readers, I’ve known Richard Mabry for a long time, and as soon as he sold his first novel, I fell in love with his writing. I eagerly await each new book. Critical Decision once again captured me in his story. The story line is unique and kept me guessing. He always writes relatable characters, and these quickly pulled me deep into the situation. You don’t want to miss this book!
Welcome back, Richard. Where do you write?Unlike some of my colleagues who like to take their laptop to various places (from their living room to Starbucks), I do all my writing in my office. It seems like “going to work” when I do this.
I’m with you. Most, if not all, of my books are written in my office. And on a desktop computer. When deciding on how to publish, what directed you to the route you took?I’ve covered the waterfront, so to speak. My first four novels were published by a house that was just getting started with Christian fiction, then I had an offer from a large house that published my next three novels, and finally I went back to my original publisher for three more. I’d probably still be working with a traditional publisher, but financing problems intervened so I managed to use agent-assisted publishing (sort of like indie, but with a bit of help from them) for six novellas and three more novels. So, to answer the question, I simply followed the route that opened in front of me, and so far it’s worked out.
What kinds of things do you like to do outside of writing?I started playing golf with a friend about 20 years ago, and we’ve tried to continue that, although lately the weather has kept us off the links. My wife puts in her time doing Grandma duty. Other than that, we’re mainly homebodies.
What kinds of advice would you give to someone who wants to start writing?Never stop learning. And never give up. It’s disconcerting when you see how many new books are published each year, but I urge you to keep on trying.
Very good advice. What is your favorite book? Favorite author? Do you have an author that inspired/inspires you to write? My tastes are varied, but mainly I read mysteries, thrillers, and detective stories. The books and authors are too numerous to mention.
Where did you get the idea for Critical Decision?My wife (who is my biggest fan and severest critic) was brainstorming with me, and she suggested a book that starts with a physician who finds a strange cell phone delivered to her house. Then it rings, and a voice tells her that she’ll never see her husband again unless she gives one of her patients a medication that will probably kill him. I took the idea and ran with it, and Critical Decision was the result.
From idea to final revision, how long did it take to write?Most of my books are written in 6 to 8 months. This one took a bit longer—about 9 months.
Are you working on anything now?I’m fiddling with a book, working title Medical Mystery, featuring a woman taken to the ER with an unusual EKG and slow pulse, her daughter who works as a nurse, and a family practice physician who has a crush on the younger woman.
Please tell us about the story of Critical Decision.The book begins with a female physician who finds a package on her doorstep. It contains a cell phone, which rings. She finally answers it, and a voice tells her that unless she gives a patient a drug that will probably kill him, she won’t see her husband again.  
Please give us a peek at the first page of the book for my readers.Dr. Kathy Hoover stood at the back door, but soon found that shouting “Go do your business” to her canine companion had little effect.  She was anxious to return to the office, but the dog didn’t seem to understand. She really hadn’t wanted to take the time to come home at lunch, but Darren was out of town, and Kathy forgot to let Archie out this morning before she left. If she didn’t want to clean up a mess on her return home, she figured it was best to go at lunch time and take care of that chore.
Finally, patience and the passage of time accomplished what she couldn’t manage by exhortations, and the deed was done. The dog at the center of all this seemed to sense that Kathy was leaving now. He whined to signal his disapproval. The master was at home and Archie was ready for playtime.
She looked down at the dog and shook her finger. “No time for play. I’ll be back this evening. Now be good.” She wasn’t certain the golden retriever understood, but when she turned toward the kitchen, the dog lay down quietly. Kathy headed for the garage but didn’t quite make it before the doorbell stopped her.
Kathy paused and listened to the door chime’s reverberation fade. The local TV news had run a feature just yesterday about packages disappearing from porches. What if… She sighed and reversed direction. It would only take another minute or two for her to open the front door, check to see if FedEx or UPS had left a package, and bring it in if one were there.
Kathy looked through the pane of glass beside her front door and saw a panel van just pulling away. It wasn’t the familiar dark brown of UPS, nor did it bear the blue and orange logo of FedEx. And it didn’t look like a Postal Service delivery truck. Didn’t she read that Amazon had their own delivery service in some areas? Were those vehicles marked in some way? Whoever brought it, she might as well look at what they’d left.
She unlocked the door, took one step onto her front porch, and saw a small box lying on the stoop. The package was about the dimensions of a shoebox, wrapped in plain brown paper, with her name on a label. Otherwise, it bore no address, no return data, nothing to indicate the carrier. Strange.
Kathy reached down to pick up the box. Now that the dog was taken care of, she needed to get back to the office. Then again, she couldn’t turn loose of the situation with the box. 
Where can my readers find you on the Internet?You can learn more about me at my website, and via my blog and Facebook page. I also have a presence on Goodreads.
Thank you, Richard, for sharing this book with my blog readers and me. 
Readers, here’s a link to the book.https://amzn.to/2ODkyyw
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

SHADOW OF THE DAGGER - Anne Greene - One Free Book

Welcome back, Anne. As an author, I know it takes a lot of people to birth each book. Who were the people involved in the birthing of this book, and what were their contributions?
My publisher is Elk Lake Publishing, Inc. Deb Haggerty is my editor. My dear husband always proofreads my books. Crystel Phelps was my editor and Joyce Hart was my agent.
If you teach or speak. What’s coming up on your calendar? I do book signings, blog interviews, and telephone interviews. I’m thinking of authoring a book on How To Write An Excellent Novel, but my contracts are keeping me too busy this year.
If you had to completely start over in another place, where would you move, and why?I love to live by the ocean, but in the middle of Texas that’s not possible, so I dream of starting over somewhere on the Texascoast. I don’t want to leave Texasbecause my children and grandchildren are proud Texans and never plan to move. I love Galveston so if I ever leave this highly-populated, congested traffic Metroplex of Dallas/Ft. Worth, I would start anew in Galveston which is on the southern coast of Texas. People here are fine, loving, neighborly as in helpful, and conservative. Texans are great people.
If you could only tell aspiring novelists one thing, what would it be?Forget about writing what you know and write about what interests you.
That’s good advice, Anne. Early on, I was told to write what you know, and I did that for the first books, and I’ve done in a few scattered books. The rest have been what I’m interested in. You’ve been asked to be in charge of a celebrity cruise. Who would you ask to take part, and why? (AS in what program, singers, etc. [it doesn’t have to be writing related]) I would have a healthy weight loss and physical activity cruise. The cuisine would be healthy with different options of different diets or life-style menus. There would be choices of yoga, Pilates, cardio, and swimming exercises. This would be an adult only cruise.  All entertainment would be humorous and light-hearted. Music would be peppy to keep people stimulated and moving. Prizes would be awarded for the most weight lost each day by sex and age group.
That sounds like a fun cruise. Count me in. Tell us about the featured book.SHADOW OF THE DAGGERis set in Texas and in the exotic country of Turkey where the seven churches of Revelation were as well as Paul’s journey.
Three people are murdered and one kidnapped to find the solution to a priceless treasure map.
As Nicole Phillips seeks to find her kidnapped brother, she doesn’t know whom to trust. No one is who they appear to be. All is deception.
To bring his brother’s murderer to justice, CIA Intel Analyst, Josh Baruch, lays his life on the line. Can he walk the tightrope between obeying the killers’ instructions and bringing them to justice?
Because Nicole’s husband died in a mysterious plane crash, she fears falling in love again with a reckless, danger-loving type like her late husband. Josh Baruch, the CIA Analyst using her as bait to track her brother’s kidnapper, is just such a risk-taking man. Besides living on the edge, Josh is bitter about women and questions God.
Please give us the first chapter of the book.“My marriage can’t end this way!” Nicole Phillips gripped her brother’s arm as the helicopter door opened. Her tears blurred the desolate, wind-swept slice of Texasland abutting the Mexican border.
The hope she’d nurtured since the police helicopter left the Dallas Police Station wilted like the yellowed sagebrush dotting the arid earth. More tears veiled the officer holding up his arms to assist her off the chopper. She stumbled. The unsteady step down to the rough ground jolted her. She ducked her head beneath the whump, whump, whump of the helicopter’s blades.
Her brother thudded to the ground beside her.
She followed Ian and the policeman away from the blasts of wind created by the spinning blades. Her cowboy boots kicked up dust as she walked across several hundred yards of empty flat land. She and Ian reached a dip in the vast, open landscape.
Scattered wreckage glinted in the sunlight.
Behind her, the helicopter shut down.
A cold chill settled over her. She hugged her arms to her chest. “It’s a mistake. This can’t be Paul’s plane.”With strong, gentle fingers, Ian squeezed her shoulder. “Nikki, there’s no mistake.”
She raised her face toward her newly-deaf brother, so he could read her lips. “Of course, there is. Don’t look so worried. Paul’s fine. Fine.”
Her husband had been missing ten days, six hours, and thirty-five minutes. No, Paul wasn’t fine. She brushed numb fingers across her eyes and blinked hard at the piles of metal.
“Surely, that can’t be all that remains of a plane?”
“I’m afraid so, Sis.” Ian shrugged.   I can’t believe it.” Nicole clenched her fists and shook her head. “This scorched earth is no place to say goodbye.” She gazed at Ian. “No place for a man like Paul to die.”   “Not much left.” Ian’s scratchy voice sounded strained—unlike the usual well-spoken words he practiced each month at rehab. An early diagnosis two years ago had given both of them opportunity to learn lip reading and signing before silence shut Ian from the world of hearing.   “Why here?” Nicole choked, swallowed, then forced words through her constricted throat drier than the desert beneath her boots. “Even if mechanical trouble forced Paul down, he could have skid-landed here. He wouldn’t have crashed. This doesn’t make sense.”   Ian rubbed his square chin. “You’re right. The crash here is more than strange.”   Her boots crunched on the burned grass as she circled the scattered pile of twisted metal and shattered plexiglass. Stark shadows and deadly quiet added to her sense of unreality.“Nothing here adds up,” she signed.   Ian’s long strides shortened to match her steps. She loosened her hand on his sleeve but didn’t let go.   “Bizarre.” Ian stooped by a metal fragment.  “Ma’am.” The police officer loomed beside her.   She’d forgotten him.   “This way, Mrs. Phillips.” He led her to a jagged, misshapen piece of metal hidden by a sheared off bush. “The FAA ruled this crash an accident. Said the plane was out of gas.”   She knelt, touched the metal, then jerked back.  “Careful, sun’s baked it hot.” Ian’s warning came too late.   Nicole rubbed her stinging fingers. With the tip of her nail, she traced the still legible scarlet-painted S. Her heartbeat slowed, turned bleak, deadened.   “I’m sorry, Nikki.” Ian’s baritone voice shook.   “Summer’s Girl,” Nicole whispered.   Ian held out his hand and tugged her to her feet.  “Sorry, ma’am.” The police officer’s hat shielded his eyes. His mouth was set in a hard line. “We searched the area but …” He shook his head. “… couldn’t find any remains. We think coyotes …” he paused and cleared his throat. “Wreck’s been here a few days. There’s blood ...”   The policeman’s voice drifted into background sound. Paul’s plane found but not Paul. Perhaps he was still alive. Nicole gazed around the vast emptiness and said vaguely, “Paul and I talked of having a baby.”   Ian laid gentle hands on her shoulders. “Nikki.” He drew her against his chest.   Her knees threatened to buckle. She leaned into her brother’s shoulder and spoke into his crisp dress shirt. “Sometimes …” She remembered Ian’s deafness and lifted her face to him so he could read her lips. “Sometimes, Paul loaned his plane to one of his buddies.”
Ian shook his head, squinting against the harsh sunlight. His blue eyes brimmed sympathy. “Not this time.” He lowered his voice. “But this was no accident.”
Where can we find you on the Internet?I love chatting with my readers. You can find me atwww.facebook.com/AnneWGreeneAuthorand https://www.amazon.com/Anne-Greene/e/B004ECUWMGand www.AnneGreeneAuthor.comThanks so much for having me on your excellent blog, Lena. You are a fine fellow author, and I appreciate you.
It’s my pleasure to share your book with my blog readers. I’m eager to read it.
Readers, here are links to the book.Shadow of the Dagger (CIA Operatives)[image error] - Pasperback
Shadow of the Dagger (CIA Operatives Book 1) - Kindle[image error]

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

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.

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THE LETTERS - C Kevin Thompson - One Free Book

Welcome back, C Kevin. Tell us about your salvation experience.
It occurred in November of 1981. I was eighteen years old. Cindy and I had been married for about three months. We were home on a Wednesday evening, watching TV, when a knock at the door came around seven o’clock. It was the youth pastor from a local church and a friend we had gone to high school with standing on our front porch. I answered the door, and they asked me if this house was the address they had on their little note card. I informed them they were looking for the house two doors down. So while they were there, we struck up a conversation, and in the midst of it, they asked me “the question”: If I was to die tonight, would I know for sure I was going to be in heaven? I admitted I was not sure. As a matter fact, it was a different question I had pondered for over two years: Was there more to this life than working really hard, accumulating a bunch of money and assorted stuff, and then dying and leaving it all to your kids? I felt like there had to be more to this life than that, but I didn’t have a clue what that would be. If there wasn’t, then why bother to obey laws and rules? Why not eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die? I didn’t word it like that, but does that sound familiar? That’s how I felt. But something inside kept telling me such hopelessness was unwarranted. There was more to this life. That night, on my doorstep, as an eighteen-year-old newlywed who already owned his own house, I gave my life to Christ. Now, all these years later, I am rich. Not in money and stuff. But I am rich in the things thieves and rust and moths can’t touch.
I love to hear salvation stories, and yours is a good one. You’re planning a writing retreat where you can only have four other authors. Who would they be and why? Oh, my, that’s a good question. Only four, huh? Okay, so in no particular order, they would be as follows (and you didn’t say they had to be alive, so we’re gonna swing for the fences): Charles Dickens because he wrote from his heart and believed in his work so intensely, he was willing to risk everything to see it in print; Michael Crichton because he could teach a great deal about researching cutting-edge ideas and creating plots that are ripe for the silver screen; Sir Arthur Conan Doyle because he could teach us how to develop a character that has been mimicked, copied, and spun off of, more than any other literary character in history, I think; and Tom Clancy because he believed in creating a truly good guy—a “boy scout”—and making him into a legend we all wished worked for the government.
Do you have a speaking ministry? If so, tell us about that.I actually do not, per se. Because I’m the major bread winner, I do have a day job that takes up the majority of my time. I have spoken in churches in the past, filling in for pastors in various capacities. I am also going to be teaching a class to our local writers group this summer on developing proposals that get you published, which I hope to then use to get my foot in the door at some writers conferences, so we’ll see how that turns out. J
Hoping it works out all right. I’m supposed to be the keynote speaker for a one-day conference in April, but it has been postponed. What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you and how did you handle it?When I was a language arts teachers years ago, I showed up to school and taught the first half of the day before a student came up to me at the end of class, as the bell rang and students were filing out. He said, “Mr. Thompson, did you know you have two different shoes on?” I laughed and said, “Yeah, right.” I thought he was joking. He said, “No, really. Look.” He pointed at my shoes, so I looked. Sure enough, I had two pairs of the same shoes in my closet. One pair was black. The other brown. I had one of each on my feet. “That’s what happens when you get dressed in the dark,” I told him. He laughed. I laughed. Then, I thanked him for not blurting it out in class and embarrassing me in front of everyone, as I was embarrassed enough. I added that he showed great maturity by handling it the way he did. I then proceeded to open my closet and allow him to raid the stash of candy I had stored away for various rewards. It was the least I could do. And no, I didn’t go home and change my shoes. I lived too far away. So I decided to make an experiment out of it and see if anyone else noticed. Much to my surprise, nobody did. Because you know that if a middle schooler with no couth noticed, he or she would have said something.
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 usually ask then what they want to write. Then, I steer them in the right direction, because fiction is a different animal from non-fiction. If they just want to write a memoir, then that’s an entirely different discussion. But I always tell them that books don’t write themselves, so you have to sit down and actually write it. First things first. Can’t publish an unwritten book.
I also ask them what they plan to do with it once it’s done. That also helps me answer questions and give them some pointers about next steps after it is written.
Very good advice. Tell us about the featured book. The Letters is a book about two worlds colliding within the life of Rachel Hamar. She’s just been let go from her bank teller position as a casualty of downsizing. This happens on the twentieth anniversary of the death of her high school sweetheart, Billy Baldwin. Billy died at the hands of her father because he found out she was pregnant. As a result, her father goes to prison, and her mother lands in a psychiatric ward. At the urging of her best friend, she has an abortion.
Now, twenty years later, everything and everyone she loved has been ripped from her. All that’s left is her mother, Dorothy Hamar, who now is a psychiatric patient at a local hospital in New York City.
It’s in the midst of Rachel’s spiraling depression that a letter arrives in the mail. It’s addressed to her. No return address. Simple white envelope. Common kind. Inside is a folded-up sheet of paper with what looks like scribbles from a pencil scratched across one side. She thinks it’s weird and tosses it in the garbage. Chalks it up to a postal carrier’s error. However, as more arrive, one each day, she fishes the first from the trash and starts comparing them. When she’s in possession of several, and as they shift from scribbles to crudely written letters to pictures drawn by a small child’s hand, Rachel starts to freak out, thinking they may be intended for someone else.
She enlists the help of a local detective, who is concerned this may involve the welfare of a child. However, the detective also believes this may be the work of a serial stalker, and this launches them into a story where two worlds collide into a tale of redemption and wonder.
As Rachel says in the prologue, this is her story. Some will call it a fairy tale. Some will call it a lie. But she calls it a story of love and redemption.
Please give us the first page of the book.West 173rd StreetWashington Heights, NYI slammed the car door shut and dropped my car keys onto the cold pavement. Shuffling the grocery bags from one hand to the other, I crouched in a pretzel-like fashion, trying not to keel over in my high heels.
Stupid keys.
Picking them up, my thigh muscles burned as I rose and fumbled for the one I needed, attempting not to crush the eggs or shatter the glass jars of spaghetti sauce clanking together inrevolt.
A stiff winter breeze battered my face as I trudged up the four blocks of sidewalk to the entrance of my five-story apartment building.
No bigger than a wide alley designed to look like a courtyard, the entrance led to eight fractured, concrete stairs, eroded by years of ice-melting salt in the winter, blistering heat in thesummer, and a million trudging feet.
The steps spread wide under two forty-year-old doors. Their glass panes, arranged in nine squares and each framed in wood, had a slightly melted, made-in-the-seventeenth-century lookabout them.
How can readers find you on the Internet?Readers can find me in several locations:Website:                                 www.ckevinthompson.com/Kevin’s Writer’s Blog:          www.ckevinthompson.blogspot.com/Facebook:                               C. Kevin Thompson – Author Fan PageTwitter:                                   @CKevinThompsonInstagram:                               ckevinthompsonPinterest:                                ckevinthompsonauthorGoodreads:                             C. Kevin ThompsonChristian Authors Network:   https://christianauthorsnetwork.com/c-kevinthompson/BookBub:                                C. Kevin Thompson
In addition to these links above, I also am a regular contributor to the writer’s blog, Seriously Write, I am a member of ACFW and have an author’s page on “Fiction Finder” too.
Thank you, Kevin, for sharing this new book with us. I’ve been eagerly awaiting this book, because it is such a departure from the first 4 books I featured on my blog.
Readers, here are links to the book.https://www.amazon.com/Letters-C-Kevin-Thompson/dp/1951246209/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= - Paperback
The Letters[image error] - Kindle

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

8 PILLARS OF CHICKENING IN - JJ Gutierrez - One Free Book

Welcome, JJ. What would you like for our readers to know about you personally?
I am a corporate career woman turned homeschool mom, writer, speaker and soon to be podcaster. Married for 24 years with three girls…two adult daughters and 10-year-old Hope, the mastermind behind  Chickening IN . I have a passion for seeing women grow in courage and faith, and often I find myself starting new small group ministries. I love my German Shepherd- Bella and most days you’ll find me sipping a glass of fresh brewed ice tea.
Have you written other nonfiction books? This is my first book! However, I have written on my blog for over two years now, and I’ve done some guest post work.
Do you have any other books in the works right now?I am working on several projects that include a 90 Day Devotional- Practical Tip for Overcoming Fear, and a companion workbook to go along with Chickening IN- from FEAR to Courageous FAITH.
What kinds of hobbies and leisure activities do you enjoy?I am a foodie! My husband and I enjoy finding local restaurants for the food, but also, for the face-to-face conversation and connection with each other. I find it relaxing to bake, and I’ve been attempting to perfect a banana bread recipe for years! Also, we travel to Cancun every year, and it’s become my favorite place to vacation.
Why did you write the featured book?I wrote Chickening IN for three reasons. The first is that since I was nine years old, I have been on a mission to change the legacy passed to me from my mother. A legacy of multiple divorces, brokenness, and dysfunction. This book represents the new legacy I leave my children. A legacy of courage, faith, and life in Christ.
The second reason I wrote this book is because God planted the seed deep within my heart. I tried to talk myself out of it many times, because I felt unequipped, unworthy, and uneducated. But the desire would not go away so I decided I better listen and go write the book!
The final reason I wrote this book is because I thought about other women and I wondered if they too struggled with fear, doubt, and anxiety as I have. My heart ached for the woman trapped by fear or the woman living in doubt about who she is and if she can really trust God. Over the years I have learned so much about fear and I felt God calling me to share practical, manageable wisdom and tips to all of us go from fear to courageous faith.
What do you want the reader to take away from the book? Chickening IN is an invitation to a lifestyle of courage and faith. It’s a journey of loosening the power of fear over our lives in practical and manageable ways. With the 8 Pillars of Transformation as our guide, readers will be equipped to overcome fear and walk in faith like never before. Things like:Identify the roadblocks that prevent courageous forward movement.Learn the art of calculated risk taking to reduce risk anxiety.Create action plans to overcome fear and doubt.Learn to face your fear through the stories of people (just like us) in the Bible.
The 8 Pillars of Transformation that we will walk through are:Facing FearStepping-up to the Plate of your LifeTaking Calculated RisksTraveling Unknown RoadsEmbracing your Uniqueness Pursuing your DreamsDoing it AfraidFaith the Difference Maker 
This book is not an easy read or a quick fix. It is a process that requires deep thought and a willingness to be give an honest self-assessment. Readers can expect to be challenged … challenged to put feet to their faith and walk in courageously through the scary situations of life.
Is there anything else you’d like to tell my readers about you or your book?God used the words Chickening IN to grab my attention. They were the vehicle He used to point me back to the Bible, the place where the most life changing words can be found. Without the Word of God, I wouldn’t be sharing my Chickening IN journey with you. Nor would I offer it to you to use as a tool against your fear, doubt, and anxiety. The power of Chickening IN lies not in the phrase, but in the truth of God’s Word that it is founded upon. Knowing the truth, studying the Scriptures, and allowing God to guide and lead your Chickening In. And I am so thankful that the power of transformation lies in God and His Word!
Please give us the first page or two from the book.Chapter 1A TRANSFORMATION JOURNEYTHIS IS MY STORY OF transformation. It is not just another positive transformation story, but one that shares secrets and principles as well as concrete action steps to help you have a transformed life as well! To be vulnerable and honest, my life could have been so many things ... I could have been a victim of my circumstances, I could have repeated my mother’s legacy of pain, brokenness, love-affairs, and multiple marriages. I could have sunk into a life-long depression feeling sorry for myself or become an angry person living with a chip on my shoulder. I had every right to be those things, but I wanted more. I had deep, desperate longings and needs for security, hope, and love. Life was brutal to me. It stole, extorted, twisted, and manipulated me. But, and I mean a huge BUT, God had a different plan. A transformational plan to teach me, heal me, and change me into a new person. Because of that I have learned practical ways to face my fear, create action plans, take smart chances, and be happy with who I am.
I am now able to travel down unknown roads with new-found boldness and have dreams again—BIG dreams! No longer controlled by fear and triggers of a painful past, I have been transformed. You, too, can have a transformed life. I am living proof of it! If it can work for me, it can work for YOU! We need hope, faith, inspiration, and forward movement to change. I call it putting feet to your faith, and this book is written to provide you with the practical steps that worked for me. In this chapter, I want to share with you the importance of forward movement, the roadblocks that prevent us from taking positive action, examples from my life, and the phrase that has guided me to transform and write this book.
The principles laid out in this book are not something I just stumbled upon or made up myself. If it were all about me, the foundation would fail because I am just a human being with faults and weaknesses. But instead, we need something or Someone greater. What better place to go than the Bible! In fact, what I want to share is that putting feet to our faith and taking action is God’s way of transforming us! Let’s look to the Word of God for great examples of the kind of transformation action I am talking about.
Where on the Internet can the readers find you?My website: http://www.chickeningin.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/chickeningin/You can purchase my book at: Chickening IN : From Fear to Courageous Faith, 8 Pillars of Transformation by Amazon.com
Learn more: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1620206064/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_fKbwEbAEZ59F9Or at At Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/chickening-in-jj-gutierrez/1136423524?ean=9781620206065
Thank you, JJ, for sharing this book with us today. It sounds wonderful!
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.
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SAVING SABINE - Kelley Rene - One Free Ebook

Welcome, Kelley. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters. Saving Sabine is based on a personal experience. I worked hard to make Celia, Meghan, and Libby fictitious, although many of the emotions that Celia experiences when she meets Sabine mimic my own.
What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?Oh my! There are soooo many to choose from. The most interesting I think is potty training my last child at 4 months old. A friend told me about an Asian method she used with her kids. I was so intrigued I had to try it. Incredibly, it worked. He was my most stubborn, and yet, potty training was a piece of cake.
There may be other mothers who would like to know that method. When did you first discover that you were a writer?In grade school, a teacher invited me to join the Young Author’s Club. We met during lunch in the library. Our teacher encouraged us to write a story and showed us how to construct it into a book with a laminated cover. I looked forward to our meetings every week, and I was so proud of that book!
Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.I love well-written biographical books. I love to meet new people and learn about their heritage/upbringing. Any time I get my hands on a book based on real life, I generally can’t put it down. I also love good (clean) romances, historical fictions, and self-help books. I’ll read just about any genre but it must be engaging to keep my attention.
How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?I’m an avid crocheter. My mother taught me when I was four years old. Crocheting occupies my hands while my mind thinks (and prays). I usually crochet for 20-30 minutes just before I write to get the creative juices flowing. I never leave the house without a bag of yarn and needles.
I loved crocheting, too, until arthritis in my shoulders slowed me down. I also knit. How do you choose your characters’ names?When a story begins to unfold in my mind, I usually go with whatever name pops into my head. As I get to know the character(s), I research the origins/meanings of the name(s), choosing the best ones for the characters’ personality and situation.
What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?I am most proud of being the mother to five perfectly imperfect people. Years ago, my doctor told me it would be a miracle if I ever got pregnant. Each of my children remind me of God’s miraculous power and His faithfulness in my life.
If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?Lioness. They’re independent, fierce, loyal, brave, strong, graceful, agile, and highly protective over their young. Kelley means warrior, and I will fight for what I believe in.
What is your favorite food?Ice cream. Specifically, caramel pecan praline. So yummy!
My favorite ice cream is a Blue Bellflavor, Chocolate Covered Cherry. It’s a seasonal flavor and hard to find. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?Fear of disapproval choked out my writing voice for almost my entire life. My love for writing and my conviction that writing was my true passion and calling forced me to overcome those fears. By studying the art of writing and practicing every day, God helped me to turn my experiences and imaginings into cohesive stories on paper.
Tell us about the featured book. Saving Sabine is the first book in the European Collection, a series of novellas inspired by true experiences while living in Europe with my family.
After the death of their mother, Celia takes her sister, Meghan, and Meghan’s best friend, Libby, on a cross-country road trip to London. Unfortunately, the sights of the famous city aren’t able to erase the grief they feel. One evening, they meet Sabine in the restroom of a Hard Rock Cafe. They are faced with a decision. Will they turn a blind’s eye to this young woman’s plight or will they step out of their comfort zone and make a difference in her life?
Please give us the first page of the book.The Long RideThe crescendo of my ringtone sent me fumbling for my cellphone in the passenger seat of the rental car. “Hola, que tal?”            “Celia!” Mercedes’ laughter bubbled through the receiver. “You’ve confused your languages.”            “I knew it was you.” I glanced over my shoulder, checking the gas pump.            “How’s the trip going?”            “As expected.” I rolled my eyes. “The girls were bored at Normandy Beach. They just wanted to eat Cheetos and talk about boys.”            “It hasn’t been that long since boys were your first priority.”            I snickered not wanting her to be right. “I don’t like being the adult of the group.” Cool air pricked my arms as it passed through the rental car’s open windows.             “I wish I were there.” She sighed.
“Me, too. Then I wouldn’t be all alone in this band of teenage giddiness.” A car pulled into the station, its driver and steering wheel perched on the right.
“A girls’ weekend to Londonisn’t exactly a hostage situation.”             The gas nozzle popped. I topped off the tank. “Trust me, with my sister and her gal pal, I feel like a hostage to a couple of teeny boppers without a care in the world.”            “It wasn’t a week ago that you were beside yourself with excitement over their arrival.” Static crackled through her words. “Try to have a good time.” Her voice was suddenly somber. “You’ll be sad when they’re gone.”            “If I don’t drop them off on a street corner first and race back to Wiesbadenin peace.” I thrust my chin in the air, smiling at the visual as the sun peeked out from behind the clouds. “I’m kidding. I’ll miss them but… they’re sucking every ounce of my energy.”            “They’re not toddlers,” Mercedes chided. “By the way, I tucked a little surprise into your backpack.”            “Oh yeah? That was thoughtful.” I squinted toward the convenience store, eyeing the girls approaching the vehicle.            “Don’t forget about the memorial service next week. I’ll roll into town with no time to spare.”            “I won’t.” I winced, wishing I could. “I gotta go. This call is likely costing me a small fortune.”            “I’ll be praying for you.” The line went quiet.            “Don’t bother.” Annoyance coated my words. “It’s never worked for me in the past.”            “Well, I will just in case.” Mercedes’ voice was cheerful. “Love you!”            I didn’t respond. Stowing the phone in my pocket, I returned the pump and grabbed my wallet to complete the purchase.
********
“Don’t stop... ’til London!” Meghan shouted along with the radio, ad libbing the words to fit the occasion.            “Ow!” Her best friend, Libby, belted.            I laughed at the teen girls. “You’re making me regret hauling the two of you off to England,” I shouted over the music.             The yellow Mini-Cooper scooted along the highway with as much pep as its passengers’ exhilaration for a European vacation. My hands tightened on the wheel with each car that passed, reminding myself to stay on the wrong side of the road.            Lowering the volume, I primed my sister for info. “Now that you’ve graduated from high school, and you’re officially an Aggie, where do you see yourself in five years?”            “Shut up, already!” Meghan joked. “I’m on summer break. No serious conversations allowed. Only fun. Please?”            “Here ye, here ye. I hereby proclaim all conversations the rest of this trip to be about guys, fun, and Lady Diana. May she rest in peace forever,” Libby announced in her best regal tone.             Both girls chuckled, clinking their soda bottles together in agreement as Libby cranked the stereo once again.
How can readers find you on the Internet?Readers can download a free short story, One Final May Storm at www.kelleyrene.com  On FB: www.facebook.com/imkelleyreneOn Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/imkelleyreneOn Twitter: www.twitter.com/imkelleyreneOn Instagram: www.instagram.com/imkelleyrene
Thank you, Kelley, for sharing the story with my blog readers. I loved it when you brought each chapter to critique group.
Readers, here’s a link to the book.Saving Sabine (European Collection Book 1)[image error]

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