Lena Nelson Dooley's Blog, page 78
July 28, 2019
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.
Connie (KY) is the winner of A Foundation of Fear by Kim McMahill.
Linda (CA) is the winner of Lawfully Guarded by Elle E Kay.
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.
Connie (KY) is the winner of A Foundation of Fear by Kim McMahill.
Linda (CA) is the winner of Lawfully Guarded by Elle E Kay.
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.
July 25, 2019
TEXAS MY TEXAS - Caryl McAdoo - One Free Book
Welcome back, Caryl. You have a lot of books out now. What is your favorite setting to use in your books?
Texasand its history, but to spice up settings for my readers, my Texicans do travel in some of my stories! They’ve been to Californiaand New York City, New Orleans, and Alaskato name a few! I love writing about
What do you look for when you’re shopping for a book to buy for yourself?
Historical Christian Romance, and I love family sagas and series best!
Give us a little tour of the setting for this book.TEXAS MY TEXAS is book two in the Cross Timbers Romance Family Saga series. In book one, four families came from Tennessee to Texas. This book is set in 1841, the next year, and is all about them digging in and getting fields ready to plant and building their animal population (milk cow, chickens, hogs, etc.)
The area is actually what is now Irving, Texas, on Delaware Creek and the Trinity River bottomlands. That’s where Ron and I grew up, met, married, and reared all our children. We were residents there fifty-plus years, but it didn’t become Irving until the early 1900s, so we don’t call it Irvingin the book, of course.
What other books do you have coming out soon?This month I released BIPARTISAN LOVE set in the Texas Hill Country in 1968 (the year I married). It’s a follow-up to SON OF PROMISE, both companion books to my Texas Romance Family Saga series. This month, JEWEL’S GOLD debuted. It’s book four in the Gold Diggers Collection, and a companion book as well to the Texas Romance Family Saga as it features the daughter of a child born in book four of that series.
And my final release this year is in September TEXAS TEARS, book three in the Cross Timbers Romance Family Saga, following TEXAS MY TEXAS. It’s also a part of the Thanksgiving Books and Blessings Collection! It’s set in 1845 when the Republic of Texasvoted to enter the Union.
Please give us a glimpse inside your home.
We live deep in the woods about five miles south of Clarksville, Texas, seat of Red River County, on thirty-four acres. The front 12 is a farm field we lease. I call it The Peaceable. We built the house in 2012-2013 and moved in July 2013. It’s a steel house, even the studs in the walls are steel. Our property is surrounded by a little over 600 acres Ron’s brother owns, so all the grandsugars come during hunting season, and there’s a five acre lake, too, stocked ten years ago with Florida bass! I LOVE the woods, the country, and the small town life. Inside the house, since it’s just Ron and me now (as of January 2017, we’ve become empty-nesters after rearing four grandsons after our own four), we live mostly in one room—our master bedroom and office. SO much cheaper to only cool or heat the one room. I’m back up in the corner on the far side of the bed, and he’s at the desk to the right. We love Love, LOVE being together all the time!
Is this novel part of a series or a stand-alone book?All my books are stand-alone and can be enjoyed as such. However. I LOVE revisiting characters with new stories, so TEXAS MY TEXAS is a part of the Cross Timbers Romance Family Saga series. Two of the daughters in book one have romances in this title! And you see all the folks you’ve already met again.
Tell us about the story.
It’s a story that deals with devastating depression, true unconditional love, and choosing to have a fulfilled life with blessings and joy. Trials and tribulations do come, but it’s clear they can all be overcome when walking with the Creator of all things! It’s a story that once again proves, Love never fails!Please give us the first page of the book.March 8th, 1841Between the Delaware Creek and Trinity River—what would become Dallas CountyGabrielle stood over the little cradle rocker her pap had made, touched her baby boy’s nose, then glanced over at Izzy’s son. She hated the resemblance of the two infants and that he’d come out with such pale skin.
Were the others thinking of him as high yeller like she was? So far, no one had spoken it if they were.
“Thank you.” She looked at her father’s new bride. “I won’t be long, Mam.”
Libertyrocked forward, set her Bible on her lap, and smiled. “Take your time, sweetheart. These two are high and dry with full bellies. Don’t you love how much they sleep?”
“Yes, ma’am. I truly do.”
Without more jawing, Gabrielle grabbed her bucket yoke and strolled out of the barn. She loved the building her daddy built—well, they all helped, but he designed it and was the one who knew how.
It made her so proud.
What the next joint effort would be had become a point of contention. Everyone couldn’t agree on what or when.
But did it really matter? Hopefully, she’d not be around to know or care. If it weren’t for her son . . . If only she had miscarried like Alicia, she and her son could both be in Heaven.
At the pool, formed when the men had dammed up the creek, she set the yoke down, knelt, then pressed her forehead to the bank’s soft earth.
How can readers find you on the Internet?Links :
Author Pages: Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Caryl-McAdoo/e/B00E963CFG BookBub - https://www.bookbub.com/authors/caryl-mcadoo?follow=true Website: http://www.CarylMcAdoo.com Newsletter: http://carylmcadoo.com/sign-up-to-the-caryler/
Influencers’ Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carylers/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_1hQx6UZbWi3OYwmKKxh6Q (Hear Caryl sing her New Songs!)Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CarylMcAdoo.authorGoodReads: http://tinyurl.com/GoodReadsCaryl LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caryl-mcadoo-00562323Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/CarylMcAdooPinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/CarylMcAdoo
Thank you, Carol, for sharing this book with my blog readers and me. I’m eager to read it.
Readers, here are links to the book.Texas My Texas (Cross Timbers Romance Family Saga)[image error] - Paperback
Texas My Texas (Cross Timbers Romance Family Saga 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
July 24, 2019
A NEW YORK YANKEE ON STINKING CREEK - Carol McClain - One Free Book or Ebook
Welcome back, Carol. What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about?
Virtually all my books deal with redemption of some sort. They don’t necessarily deal with salvation, but with misconstrued/misunderstood concepts of faith the characters must work out.
A New York Yankee on Stinking Creek deals with two characters. On the surface they seem diametrically different. The protagonist must find a softening from her liberal, atheistic views. The antagonist must find her freedom from religion’s rules. Neither character will do so without each other.
What other books of yours are coming out soon?Chantel and Charlie AKA The Honeymoon’s Over may or may not make it out—but here’s where readers on this blog can weigh in. It’s a rom/com with 50-year-old newlyweds dealing with grown children who don’t act too grown-up. Neither character sees his or her children as an issue. It’s funny and lighthearted.
When it releases, I’d love to feature it on this blog. If you could spend an evening with one contemporary person (not a family member of yours), who would it be and why?Katherine, Duchess of Windsor. For one, I love little children and I’d love to romp with her kids. Second, it would be glorious to see how royalty live, to get a first-hand tour of the castles from someone intimately connected to them. Finally, I’d love to understand the role the royalty actually do.
What historical person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why?This is always a tie between Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mother Teresa. I know these humans are flawed. Our society especially loves to point out King’s sins. Nevertheless, the change in the world these two made awe me.
First, I was a child during the time of Martin Luther King, Jr. I longed to be a Freedom Rider and to attend his rallies. That he willingly went to jail for his convictions amazes me.
Also, I taught AP English Language and Composition. We always studied King’s speeches. To pick his oratorical brain would be divine.
With Mother Teresa, her work among the poor blows me away. I’m a germaphobe. So I’d love to do her work, but under the extreme poverty she worked with, I know I’d be too crazy to be much help. Her humility and dedication floor me.
Since there’s no way I could ever physically or emotionally do their work, I’ll fantasize about it in my novels.
How can you encourage authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers?I’ve been there, and am still there. My latest release A New York Yankee on Stinking Creek is my first self-published book. Increasingly, this is becoming a viable option. HOWEVER, do not self-publish if you haven’t taken to heart what publishers have said and haven’t incorporated their critiques. Hone your craft. Study it. Get a professional editor after having a good critique group tear the work apart. Get beta readers.Once assured you have a good work, consider self-publishing.
Yet, if you’ve done the above, re-submit. I don’t remember how many times the Harry Potter series had been rejected.
Could you change genres? I write women’s fiction, and the market seems to be small with this one. One friend changed from writing spec to writing romance. Her career has exploded. Thomas Nelson took her on and gave her a three-book contract (on any idea she had), and her agent is working through several potential movie offers.
Mostly, God will use your writing to teach you humility—even if you become a best-seller. Read the one-star reviews popular author’s get.
If God is telling you to write, if you cannot quit, if the writing bug keeps biting, keep writing. (Do you see a parallel to Dr. King’s periodic sentence in his “I Have a Dream” speech? I had mercy and made it shorter.)
Tell us about the featured book.
The extremes of anything are always in error. This concept is a tenet of my belief system. Extreme conservatives are as closed minded as extreme liberals. Our preconceived notions always deceive us. Thus was born my liberal, atheistic protagonist—the famous artist Kiara. Her only hope when she finds herself on Stinking Creek, Tennessee, is an extremely rule-ridden Christian, Delia Mae “Lia” McGuffrey. Neither can find freedom without the other.
NOTHING GOOD COMES FROM STINKING CREEKAlone, again, after the death of her fiancé, abstract artist Kiara Rafferty finds herself on Stinking Creek, Tennessee. She wants out of this hillbilly backwater, where hicks speak an unknown language masquerading as English. Isolated, if she doesn’t count the snakes and termites infesting her cabin, only a one-way ticket home to Manhattan would solve her problems.
Alone in a demanding crowd, Delia Mae McGuffrey lives for God, her husband, her family, and the congregation of her husband’s church. Stifled by rules, this pastor’s wife walks a fine line of perfection, trying to please them all. Now an atheist Yankee, who moved in across the road, needs her, too.
Two women. Two problems. Each holds the key to the other’s freedom.
Please give us the first page of the book.Like a bomb, Kiara’s world detonated and dumped her back in time to a stinking cabin on Stinking Creek. It might as well have been an explosion rather than a long cab ride that rattled her brain like mortar fire—or a ride on the A train.
Kiara’s eyes strained through the darkness, illuminated only from the taxi’s headlights. A log cabin looking like it was chinked with mud rose before her. Bryce, why did you call this place a haven?
“The far’s one-hundred-twenty.” The cabbie’s gravelly voice jarred her. “We’ll skip the cents seein’ as I ain’t gonna fuss with change at midnight.”
Kiara twisted the ring on her left index finger. One-twenty? I thought Manhattan cabbies gouged.
The driver jumped out of the taxi, popped the trunk, and grabbed her luggage. He plopped her bags on the front porch. The simple wooden structure stood no more than a foot off the ground. The rough planks disappeared into the gloom around the far side of the cabin.
“The far don’t include the tip.” The driver grinned. His face, lit by the taxi’s headlights looked like a kid holding a flashlight to his face to scare his friends around a campfire. Creepy.
She fished through her handbag and pulled out her wallet. Hopefully, the local taxis would be cheaper. A chirruping filled the air interspersed with a loud croaking. Manhattan was noisy, but this?
“What’s making the racket?” She waved her hand—the one grasping the fare.
The cabbie slanted his head and listened. “What? Them insects?”
“They’re bugs?” Visions of cockroaches scurrying across her floor in her Manhattan condo scuttled through her imagination. She wouldn’t survive these hills.
“They’re katydids. ‘Bout ready to die off for the season. The loud croakin’—them’s tree frogs.”
Katydids? Frogs living in trees? Kiara shuddered and handed the cabbie a hundred-dollar bill and a fifty. “Keep the change.” She turned her eyes back to the cabin, and her heart wrung out more misery. “Thank you.”
She fumbled for her key—the one Bryce had made a year ago when they bought this place. The key, splashed in different colors like a Kandinsky painting created while on LSD, swirled in a wild mix of pink and turquoise and yellow creating an abstract design. She had laughed out loud when he presented it to her as though he were giving her the keys to Windsor Castle.
“The cabin’s in your name, alone, my cherry-haired leprechaun.” He bent and kissed the whorls of hair she’d just begun training into dreadlocks. “Amanda won’t be able to lay her hands on it.” His eyes had danced with joy. “When we marry, we’ll have a retreat like Yaddo. A place for all artists—writers and photographers and sculptors—”
Interesting! How can readers find you on the Internet?I’d love to connect via my website and a sign-up for my weekly blog and occasional newsletter. You can find this at http://www.CarolMcClain.com I’m active on facebook. https://www.facebook.com/carol.d.mcclainhttps://www.facebook.com/author.Carol.McClain/On twitter: @carol_mcclainOn Instagram: carol_mcclain
If readers live overseas, I will send out an ebook. Those in the States will get a paperback.
Thank you, Carol, for sharing this boo with my blog readers and me. I’m eager to read it. I’m sure they are, too.
Readers, here are links to the book.A New York Yankee on Stinking Creek[image error] - Paperback
A New York Yankee on Stinking Creek - 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
Virtually all my books deal with redemption of some sort. They don’t necessarily deal with salvation, but with misconstrued/misunderstood concepts of faith the characters must work out.A New York Yankee on Stinking Creek deals with two characters. On the surface they seem diametrically different. The protagonist must find a softening from her liberal, atheistic views. The antagonist must find her freedom from religion’s rules. Neither character will do so without each other.
What other books of yours are coming out soon?Chantel and Charlie AKA The Honeymoon’s Over may or may not make it out—but here’s where readers on this blog can weigh in. It’s a rom/com with 50-year-old newlyweds dealing with grown children who don’t act too grown-up. Neither character sees his or her children as an issue. It’s funny and lighthearted.
When it releases, I’d love to feature it on this blog. If you could spend an evening with one contemporary person (not a family member of yours), who would it be and why?Katherine, Duchess of Windsor. For one, I love little children and I’d love to romp with her kids. Second, it would be glorious to see how royalty live, to get a first-hand tour of the castles from someone intimately connected to them. Finally, I’d love to understand the role the royalty actually do.
What historical person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why?This is always a tie between Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mother Teresa. I know these humans are flawed. Our society especially loves to point out King’s sins. Nevertheless, the change in the world these two made awe me.
First, I was a child during the time of Martin Luther King, Jr. I longed to be a Freedom Rider and to attend his rallies. That he willingly went to jail for his convictions amazes me.
Also, I taught AP English Language and Composition. We always studied King’s speeches. To pick his oratorical brain would be divine.
With Mother Teresa, her work among the poor blows me away. I’m a germaphobe. So I’d love to do her work, but under the extreme poverty she worked with, I know I’d be too crazy to be much help. Her humility and dedication floor me.
Since there’s no way I could ever physically or emotionally do their work, I’ll fantasize about it in my novels.
How can you encourage authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers?I’ve been there, and am still there. My latest release A New York Yankee on Stinking Creek is my first self-published book. Increasingly, this is becoming a viable option. HOWEVER, do not self-publish if you haven’t taken to heart what publishers have said and haven’t incorporated their critiques. Hone your craft. Study it. Get a professional editor after having a good critique group tear the work apart. Get beta readers.Once assured you have a good work, consider self-publishing.
Yet, if you’ve done the above, re-submit. I don’t remember how many times the Harry Potter series had been rejected.
Could you change genres? I write women’s fiction, and the market seems to be small with this one. One friend changed from writing spec to writing romance. Her career has exploded. Thomas Nelson took her on and gave her a three-book contract (on any idea she had), and her agent is working through several potential movie offers.
Mostly, God will use your writing to teach you humility—even if you become a best-seller. Read the one-star reviews popular author’s get.
If God is telling you to write, if you cannot quit, if the writing bug keeps biting, keep writing. (Do you see a parallel to Dr. King’s periodic sentence in his “I Have a Dream” speech? I had mercy and made it shorter.)
Tell us about the featured book.
The extremes of anything are always in error. This concept is a tenet of my belief system. Extreme conservatives are as closed minded as extreme liberals. Our preconceived notions always deceive us. Thus was born my liberal, atheistic protagonist—the famous artist Kiara. Her only hope when she finds herself on Stinking Creek, Tennessee, is an extremely rule-ridden Christian, Delia Mae “Lia” McGuffrey. Neither can find freedom without the other.NOTHING GOOD COMES FROM STINKING CREEKAlone, again, after the death of her fiancé, abstract artist Kiara Rafferty finds herself on Stinking Creek, Tennessee. She wants out of this hillbilly backwater, where hicks speak an unknown language masquerading as English. Isolated, if she doesn’t count the snakes and termites infesting her cabin, only a one-way ticket home to Manhattan would solve her problems.
Alone in a demanding crowd, Delia Mae McGuffrey lives for God, her husband, her family, and the congregation of her husband’s church. Stifled by rules, this pastor’s wife walks a fine line of perfection, trying to please them all. Now an atheist Yankee, who moved in across the road, needs her, too.
Two women. Two problems. Each holds the key to the other’s freedom.
Please give us the first page of the book.Like a bomb, Kiara’s world detonated and dumped her back in time to a stinking cabin on Stinking Creek. It might as well have been an explosion rather than a long cab ride that rattled her brain like mortar fire—or a ride on the A train.
Kiara’s eyes strained through the darkness, illuminated only from the taxi’s headlights. A log cabin looking like it was chinked with mud rose before her. Bryce, why did you call this place a haven?
“The far’s one-hundred-twenty.” The cabbie’s gravelly voice jarred her. “We’ll skip the cents seein’ as I ain’t gonna fuss with change at midnight.”
Kiara twisted the ring on her left index finger. One-twenty? I thought Manhattan cabbies gouged.
The driver jumped out of the taxi, popped the trunk, and grabbed her luggage. He plopped her bags on the front porch. The simple wooden structure stood no more than a foot off the ground. The rough planks disappeared into the gloom around the far side of the cabin.
“The far don’t include the tip.” The driver grinned. His face, lit by the taxi’s headlights looked like a kid holding a flashlight to his face to scare his friends around a campfire. Creepy.
She fished through her handbag and pulled out her wallet. Hopefully, the local taxis would be cheaper. A chirruping filled the air interspersed with a loud croaking. Manhattan was noisy, but this?
“What’s making the racket?” She waved her hand—the one grasping the fare.
The cabbie slanted his head and listened. “What? Them insects?”
“They’re bugs?” Visions of cockroaches scurrying across her floor in her Manhattan condo scuttled through her imagination. She wouldn’t survive these hills.
“They’re katydids. ‘Bout ready to die off for the season. The loud croakin’—them’s tree frogs.”
Katydids? Frogs living in trees? Kiara shuddered and handed the cabbie a hundred-dollar bill and a fifty. “Keep the change.” She turned her eyes back to the cabin, and her heart wrung out more misery. “Thank you.”
She fumbled for her key—the one Bryce had made a year ago when they bought this place. The key, splashed in different colors like a Kandinsky painting created while on LSD, swirled in a wild mix of pink and turquoise and yellow creating an abstract design. She had laughed out loud when he presented it to her as though he were giving her the keys to Windsor Castle.
“The cabin’s in your name, alone, my cherry-haired leprechaun.” He bent and kissed the whorls of hair she’d just begun training into dreadlocks. “Amanda won’t be able to lay her hands on it.” His eyes had danced with joy. “When we marry, we’ll have a retreat like Yaddo. A place for all artists—writers and photographers and sculptors—”
Interesting! How can readers find you on the Internet?I’d love to connect via my website and a sign-up for my weekly blog and occasional newsletter. You can find this at http://www.CarolMcClain.com I’m active on facebook. https://www.facebook.com/carol.d.mcclainhttps://www.facebook.com/author.Carol.McClain/On twitter: @carol_mcclainOn Instagram: carol_mcclain
If readers live overseas, I will send out an ebook. Those in the States will get a paperback.
Thank you, Carol, for sharing this boo with my blog readers and me. I’m eager to read it. I’m sure they are, too.
Readers, here are links to the book.A New York Yankee on Stinking Creek[image error] - Paperback
A New York Yankee on Stinking Creek - 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
July 23, 2019
OVERCOMER - Chris Fabry - One Free Book
Bio: Chris Fabry is an award-winning author and radio personality who hosts the daily program Chris Fabry Live on Moody Radio. He is also heard on Love Worth Finding, Building Relationships with Dr. Gary Chapman, and other radio programs. A 1982 graduate of the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism at Marshall University and a native of West Virginia, Chris and his wife, Andrea, now live in Arizona and are the parents of nine children.
Chris’s novels, which include Dogwood, June Bug, Almost Heaven, and The Promise of Jesse Woods, have won five Christy Awards, an ECPA Christian Book Award, and two Awards of Merit from Christianity Today. He was inducted into the Christy Award Hall of Fame in 2018. His eightieth published book, Under a Cloudless Sky, is a novel set in the coalfields of his home state of West Virginia. His books include movie novelizations, like the bestseller War Room; nonfiction; and novels for children and young adults. He coauthored the Left Behind: The Kids series with Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye, as well as the Red Rock Mysteries and the Wormling series with Jerry B. Jenkins. Visit his website at www.chrisfabry.com
Welcome back, Chris. You visited the set of Overcomer when it was being filmed. What did you take away from that experience?I was amazed at the complexity of all the moving parts. I was also struck by the commitment the Kendricks and their team have to tell the story they’re given and not deviate. Their commitment to prayer on set was heartening and rich.
Can you tell us a little bit about the story line, without giving too much away?The film focuses on a fifteen-year-old girl, Hannah Scott. She’s been through a lot of loss in her life and struggles with her identity, which is universal. As you watch her grapple with what life throws at her, you will be encouraged to run your own race. Her coach also has a big part in the film and novel because he’s struggling with some of the same questions.
This story suggests that we often let others, our culture, or the roles we play define us. What do you hope this story does inside readers?First, I hope it captivates readers as simply a good story. I want you to turn the pages to see what will happen next. I was able to develop some of the story lines a little further and show a little more than the film can show in two hours. So my desire is for a satisfying read that takes you deeper into your own heart. Then, when you see the film, I hope you’ll be amazed at how the two versions of the story come together.
Is discovering our identity in Christ something you can do “mentally”? How do you get the knowledge to transform the way you live?There is a sense that you can “know” this and not experience it. In other words, there are plenty of Christians who get this in the head but not the heart. It’s our hope that this story will bridge the gap between head and heart. Transformation doesn’t come with knowing facts. It comes when you participate with God in the change He is making on the inside. That’s always a painful process but a good one.
This book suggests that surrendering our lives to God is the only way to discover the life we were meant to live. Comment on that principle.I once knew an old missionary to Indiawho told me, “Your greatest mission in life is submission.” The best thing we can do with our lives is to fully surrender to God’s work. For those of us who like to control things (me being chief controller), this is a scary, vulnerable thing to do. But we find real, abundant life when we get to the point where we’re willing to allow God to do whatever he wants to do in and through us.
What do we risk when we surrender control and place our future in God’s hands? What do we gain?Surrender is a huge risk because we lose control. We lose the ability to write our own story. But when you take that step of faith—and another and another—you begin the journey of entering the Bigger Story, the Larger Story of what God is doing in you and in the world. Look at the disciples before they fully entered that story and after they entered it. You’ll never reach your full potential until you submit to God’s working in your life.
This is your second novelization of a Kendrick brothers’ movie. What is your process for writing a movie novelization?I love the fact that the Kendricks have drawn the boundary lines and have made all the hard choices. I call it the fence line—they’ve put up the barbed wire and I get to play in the pasture. I read the script, I watch the rough cut of the film about a thousand times, I ask questions about what’s on Hannah’s wall, for example. Why does she choose those images to put above her bed? Why does she wear that shirt on her first day of school? So I get to do things with words and answer questions that you can’t do in a film because of the limitations on-screen.
Are there similarities between this story and War Room?Yes. I could almost feel Miss Clara praying for this little girl. And there’s a sense of an unseen hand at work behind the scenes. Things come together in a way that can’t be explained other than the work of God in hearts and lives.
What do you enjoy about this process?I love the sense of exploring characters and their hearts. To me, these are real people. I like to put myself in the place of a coach who has defined himself by wins and losses. I like to run with Hannah and hear the struggle she has with asthma. And I enjoyed getting to know Hannah’s grandmother, Barbara. She’s a difficult character in the film, but in the book you learn some of the backstory of why she acts the way she acts. I just love that process.
What is challenging about this process?The most challenging thing about writing someone else’s idea is that I have to stay consistent with something someone else invented. It’s easy for me to go in some direction or add some motivation that isn’t necessarily on target with the vision of the Kendricks. So I lean on Alex mostly to rein me in and keep me in the pasture.
What character will we learn more about in the book than we see in the movie?Hannah’s grandmother, Barbara, has a tough, crusty exterior. And in the film you see a lot of her fear and how that motivates her life. Of course, you want to see her change by the end of the story, but we know that doesn’t always happen. So I found it challenging to tell more about what’s going on inside Barbara in the novel.
Who is your favorite character in this story and why?How do you not answer with Hannah? She’s just so relatable and real to me. But I have to say that Thomas captured my heart. When you see the depth of his struggle, the guilt he has lived with, the way God has taken hold of him—but that he is still growing in grace when we meet him—his face, his heart all comes through so strongly.
How did you relate to this story personally?I aspire to have my identity come from what God has done for me in Christ. In reality, I struggle with the same thing these characters are struggling with. Do I gauge my worth by my performance? Do I gauge my acceptability with God by some external thing, or do I really believe God accepts me as I am and that He sees the righteousness of Christ in me? Do I strive or rest? Those are questions that are huge in my life and I think will make a difference for anyone who reads or sees this story.
What goes on behind the scenes regarding the film and novelization process that you’d like people to know?I wish you could see the e-mails that go back and forth. We get into such minute detail in some cases. Alex has the freedom to say, “I didn’t like this chapter.” And then I probe and find out how I missed the mark. It’s such a collaborative effort, but at the same time I feel a freedom to go certain directions that we might not eventually use. I have freedom to fail, which is important in any creative endeavor.
Here’s the blurb for the story.Life changes overnight for coach John Harrison when his high school basketball team’s state championship dreams are crushed under the weight of unexpected news. When the largest manufacturing plant in town suddenly shuts down and hundreds of families begin moving away, John must come to grips with the challenges facing his family and his team. Urged by the school’s principal to coach a sport he doesn’t know or like, John is frustrated and questioning his worth . . . until he crosses paths with a student struggling with her own journey.
Thank you, Chris, for sharing this new book on its release date with my blog readers and me. I love the Kendrick brothers’ movies. I’m eager to see the movie and read your book.
Readers, here are links to the book. - Amazon Paperback
Overcomer[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, 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
Chris’s novels, which include Dogwood, June Bug, Almost Heaven, and The Promise of Jesse Woods, have won five Christy Awards, an ECPA Christian Book Award, and two Awards of Merit from Christianity Today. He was inducted into the Christy Award Hall of Fame in 2018. His eightieth published book, Under a Cloudless Sky, is a novel set in the coalfields of his home state of West Virginia. His books include movie novelizations, like the bestseller War Room; nonfiction; and novels for children and young adults. He coauthored the Left Behind: The Kids series with Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye, as well as the Red Rock Mysteries and the Wormling series with Jerry B. Jenkins. Visit his website at www.chrisfabry.com
Welcome back, Chris. You visited the set of Overcomer when it was being filmed. What did you take away from that experience?I was amazed at the complexity of all the moving parts. I was also struck by the commitment the Kendricks and their team have to tell the story they’re given and not deviate. Their commitment to prayer on set was heartening and rich.Can you tell us a little bit about the story line, without giving too much away?The film focuses on a fifteen-year-old girl, Hannah Scott. She’s been through a lot of loss in her life and struggles with her identity, which is universal. As you watch her grapple with what life throws at her, you will be encouraged to run your own race. Her coach also has a big part in the film and novel because he’s struggling with some of the same questions.
This story suggests that we often let others, our culture, or the roles we play define us. What do you hope this story does inside readers?First, I hope it captivates readers as simply a good story. I want you to turn the pages to see what will happen next. I was able to develop some of the story lines a little further and show a little more than the film can show in two hours. So my desire is for a satisfying read that takes you deeper into your own heart. Then, when you see the film, I hope you’ll be amazed at how the two versions of the story come together.
Is discovering our identity in Christ something you can do “mentally”? How do you get the knowledge to transform the way you live?There is a sense that you can “know” this and not experience it. In other words, there are plenty of Christians who get this in the head but not the heart. It’s our hope that this story will bridge the gap between head and heart. Transformation doesn’t come with knowing facts. It comes when you participate with God in the change He is making on the inside. That’s always a painful process but a good one.
This book suggests that surrendering our lives to God is the only way to discover the life we were meant to live. Comment on that principle.I once knew an old missionary to Indiawho told me, “Your greatest mission in life is submission.” The best thing we can do with our lives is to fully surrender to God’s work. For those of us who like to control things (me being chief controller), this is a scary, vulnerable thing to do. But we find real, abundant life when we get to the point where we’re willing to allow God to do whatever he wants to do in and through us.
What do we risk when we surrender control and place our future in God’s hands? What do we gain?Surrender is a huge risk because we lose control. We lose the ability to write our own story. But when you take that step of faith—and another and another—you begin the journey of entering the Bigger Story, the Larger Story of what God is doing in you and in the world. Look at the disciples before they fully entered that story and after they entered it. You’ll never reach your full potential until you submit to God’s working in your life.
This is your second novelization of a Kendrick brothers’ movie. What is your process for writing a movie novelization?I love the fact that the Kendricks have drawn the boundary lines and have made all the hard choices. I call it the fence line—they’ve put up the barbed wire and I get to play in the pasture. I read the script, I watch the rough cut of the film about a thousand times, I ask questions about what’s on Hannah’s wall, for example. Why does she choose those images to put above her bed? Why does she wear that shirt on her first day of school? So I get to do things with words and answer questions that you can’t do in a film because of the limitations on-screen.
Are there similarities between this story and War Room?Yes. I could almost feel Miss Clara praying for this little girl. And there’s a sense of an unseen hand at work behind the scenes. Things come together in a way that can’t be explained other than the work of God in hearts and lives.
What do you enjoy about this process?I love the sense of exploring characters and their hearts. To me, these are real people. I like to put myself in the place of a coach who has defined himself by wins and losses. I like to run with Hannah and hear the struggle she has with asthma. And I enjoyed getting to know Hannah’s grandmother, Barbara. She’s a difficult character in the film, but in the book you learn some of the backstory of why she acts the way she acts. I just love that process.
What is challenging about this process?The most challenging thing about writing someone else’s idea is that I have to stay consistent with something someone else invented. It’s easy for me to go in some direction or add some motivation that isn’t necessarily on target with the vision of the Kendricks. So I lean on Alex mostly to rein me in and keep me in the pasture.
What character will we learn more about in the book than we see in the movie?Hannah’s grandmother, Barbara, has a tough, crusty exterior. And in the film you see a lot of her fear and how that motivates her life. Of course, you want to see her change by the end of the story, but we know that doesn’t always happen. So I found it challenging to tell more about what’s going on inside Barbara in the novel.
Who is your favorite character in this story and why?How do you not answer with Hannah? She’s just so relatable and real to me. But I have to say that Thomas captured my heart. When you see the depth of his struggle, the guilt he has lived with, the way God has taken hold of him—but that he is still growing in grace when we meet him—his face, his heart all comes through so strongly.
How did you relate to this story personally?I aspire to have my identity come from what God has done for me in Christ. In reality, I struggle with the same thing these characters are struggling with. Do I gauge my worth by my performance? Do I gauge my acceptability with God by some external thing, or do I really believe God accepts me as I am and that He sees the righteousness of Christ in me? Do I strive or rest? Those are questions that are huge in my life and I think will make a difference for anyone who reads or sees this story.
What goes on behind the scenes regarding the film and novelization process that you’d like people to know?I wish you could see the e-mails that go back and forth. We get into such minute detail in some cases. Alex has the freedom to say, “I didn’t like this chapter.” And then I probe and find out how I missed the mark. It’s such a collaborative effort, but at the same time I feel a freedom to go certain directions that we might not eventually use. I have freedom to fail, which is important in any creative endeavor.Here’s the blurb for the story.Life changes overnight for coach John Harrison when his high school basketball team’s state championship dreams are crushed under the weight of unexpected news. When the largest manufacturing plant in town suddenly shuts down and hundreds of families begin moving away, John must come to grips with the challenges facing his family and his team. Urged by the school’s principal to coach a sport he doesn’t know or like, John is frustrated and questioning his worth . . . until he crosses paths with a student struggling with her own journey.
Thank you, Chris, for sharing this new book on its release date with my blog readers and me. I love the Kendrick brothers’ movies. I’m eager to see the movie and read your book.
Readers, here are links to the book. - Amazon Paperback
Overcomer[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, 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
July 21, 2019
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.
Beth (IA) is the winner of Shadowing Stella by Elle E Kay.
Jackie (SC) is the winner of Mail-Order Refuge by Cindy Regnier.
Sharon (SC) is the winner of A Heart Surrendered by Joy Massenburge.
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.
Beth (IA) is the winner of Shadowing Stella by Elle E Kay.
Jackie (SC) is the winner of Mail-Order Refuge by Cindy Regnier.
Sharon (SC) is the winner of A Heart Surrendered by Joy Massenburge.
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.
July 16, 2019
LAWFULLY GUARDED - Elle E Kay - One Free Ebook
Welcome back, Elle. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?
There are several more books I hope to write including another book for the Blushing Brides Series, but once Lawfully Vindicated releases, God willing, my release schedule will slow down until winter.
Tell us a little about your family.My husband, Joe, is a carpenter. He is a blessing from God. Our son is in the Army and stationed in San Antonio. His family is down there with him, so we don’t get to see much of our grandchildren and have to make-do with Facetime for watching them grow.
I’m also blessed to be from a large family and extended family. I recently returned from a girls weekend with my sisters, an aunt (my age), and my mom. It was a blast, and I even made time to take a walk on the beach and have some alone time with God.
Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?Yes. I don’t have the time to spend reading that I once did, so I gravitate toward shorter books. I also notice mistakes that I never would’ve picked up on before I started writing. Being unable to turn off my inner editor takes some of the enjoyment out of reading.
I frequently read trade books now, so that takes up time that used to be devoted to pleasure reading, but I still love reading, even though it’ll never be the same as it once was.
I understand that. If a story takes me out of inner-edit mode, I know it’s a very good book. What are you working on right now?Lawfully Vindicated. It’s a historical western romance partially based on a true story of a US Marshal who is arrested after shooting a former justice while on duty. The research for this one is quite interesting.
What outside interests do you have?Mostly our goat farm. I enjoy the time I spend with our livestock, and our livestock guardian dog, Sadie. Bird watching is a pleasure, also.
For a long time, I enjoyed being in the church choir. I learned how to play piano and really enjoy it (though I still consider myself a beginner).
How do you choose your settings for each book?It depends. Mostly, I like writing about the area where I live, since I know it best, but in the case of my current WIP, it’s a historical and the events I’m fictionalizing took place in 1889 California, so I set my novella there.
If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?Most of the time someone asks this question, they exclude Jesus. I’m glad you didn’t. I would choose Him. I’d like to sit at the Master’s feet like Mary did, and soak up everything He has to teach me.
What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?Point-of-view. I wish I had understood it better. My debut novel had too many point-of-view characters, and although it added a unique element to the story, I wonder if it might’ve been better served by limiting them.
I think POV is hard for every author early in their career. I know it wasn’t until about the third book that I totally understood. What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?That sometimes we think a matter is concluded, but if we haven’t talked it over with Him, it’s not finished. I listened to a David Peacock sermon on Sermon Audio tonight after hearing a sermon from our local preacher on the same subject on Sunday morning. Whenever that happens, I know there is something in it that God wants to make sure I understand clearly.
What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?Learn the craft.Stay humble.Help others.
Tell us about the featured book.
Lawfully Guarded
was my first Billionaire romance. It’s a novella and I’ll give you a hint: the guy isn’t the billionaire. It was fun to write Delaney as she starts off a selfish spoiled brat, but opportunities abound for her to grow and learn about real life, love, relationships, and most importantly, God.
I could tell from the cover that he wasn’t the hero. Please give us the first page of the book.When Alexander Whitaker’s office door opened, Trenton Prescott turned his back on the spectacular view of the Pacific Oceanto face the woman entering the room. Her thick brown hair spilled down her back in waves, skimming her waistline. The picture he’d been sent of her didn’t do her justice.
Interest sparked in her dark eyes as she looked him up and down. The mini dress she wore showed off her shapely legs, and he fought to keep his gaze on her face.
Delaney Whitaker lowered herself into the chair facing her father’s mahogany desk. “What was it you wanted, Daddy?”
“I’d like you to meet Trenton Prescott of Garrison Security.”
She turned and appraised him once more before offering her hand, which he shook. “Charmed, I’m sure.”
Mr. Whitaker scowled at her. “Trentwill be your bodyguard until such time when Courtney is safely returned home and I determine that the danger is past.”
The woman sneered. “I will not be followed around like a child with a nanny.”
“You will do exactly what you’re told if you’d like to stay in my good graces, my dear.” He leaned back in his chair, turning his stare from Delaney back to Trent. “Thank you for getting here so quickly. I appreciate everything Garrison Security is doing to help us during this difficult time.”
“Glad to be of service, sir.” Trentstood. “If we’re about done here, I’d like to get going.”
“I think we’ve covered everything,” Mr. Whitaker stood and gave Trent a firm handshake.The young woman rose to her feet, and the older man kissed the top of his daughters head, saluted Trent, and left him to face his surly client.
“Well, come on then.” Delaney held the door open. “I’ll get the staff to ready a room for you.”
“We’re not staying here.” He brushed past her, and the sweet smell of jasmine tickled his nose.
“I’m not leaving home.”
He turned to face her. “You don’t have a say in the matter, princess. Your father and I worked out the details.” He grinned. “You’re not safe. Not even in your daddy’s Bel Air mansion.”
“We have excellent security.”
“Yes. So excellent someone managed to get around security, turn off all the cameras, and kidnap your sister.”
“My sister is a nitwit.”
“Even so, you’re coming with me.”
How can readers find you on the Internet?Website: https://www.ElleEKay.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElleEKay7Twitter: https://twitter.com/ElleEKay7Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/elleekay7/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elleekay7/Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15016833.Elle_E_KayAmazon Author Central: https://www.amazon.com/author/ellekayBookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/elle-e-kayTumblr: https://elleekay7.tumblr.com/
Thank you, Elle, for sharing this book with my readers and me. I’m eager to read it.
Readers, here’s a link to the book.Lawfully Guarded: Inspirational Christian Contemporary: A Billionaire Bodyguard Lawkeeper Romance (The Lawkeepers)[image error]
Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the ebook. 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
There are several more books I hope to write including another book for the Blushing Brides Series, but once Lawfully Vindicated releases, God willing, my release schedule will slow down until winter.Tell us a little about your family.My husband, Joe, is a carpenter. He is a blessing from God. Our son is in the Army and stationed in San Antonio. His family is down there with him, so we don’t get to see much of our grandchildren and have to make-do with Facetime for watching them grow.
I’m also blessed to be from a large family and extended family. I recently returned from a girls weekend with my sisters, an aunt (my age), and my mom. It was a blast, and I even made time to take a walk on the beach and have some alone time with God.
Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?Yes. I don’t have the time to spend reading that I once did, so I gravitate toward shorter books. I also notice mistakes that I never would’ve picked up on before I started writing. Being unable to turn off my inner editor takes some of the enjoyment out of reading.
I frequently read trade books now, so that takes up time that used to be devoted to pleasure reading, but I still love reading, even though it’ll never be the same as it once was.
I understand that. If a story takes me out of inner-edit mode, I know it’s a very good book. What are you working on right now?Lawfully Vindicated. It’s a historical western romance partially based on a true story of a US Marshal who is arrested after shooting a former justice while on duty. The research for this one is quite interesting.
What outside interests do you have?Mostly our goat farm. I enjoy the time I spend with our livestock, and our livestock guardian dog, Sadie. Bird watching is a pleasure, also.
For a long time, I enjoyed being in the church choir. I learned how to play piano and really enjoy it (though I still consider myself a beginner).
How do you choose your settings for each book?It depends. Mostly, I like writing about the area where I live, since I know it best, but in the case of my current WIP, it’s a historical and the events I’m fictionalizing took place in 1889 California, so I set my novella there.
If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?Most of the time someone asks this question, they exclude Jesus. I’m glad you didn’t. I would choose Him. I’d like to sit at the Master’s feet like Mary did, and soak up everything He has to teach me.
What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?Point-of-view. I wish I had understood it better. My debut novel had too many point-of-view characters, and although it added a unique element to the story, I wonder if it might’ve been better served by limiting them.
I think POV is hard for every author early in their career. I know it wasn’t until about the third book that I totally understood. What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?That sometimes we think a matter is concluded, but if we haven’t talked it over with Him, it’s not finished. I listened to a David Peacock sermon on Sermon Audio tonight after hearing a sermon from our local preacher on the same subject on Sunday morning. Whenever that happens, I know there is something in it that God wants to make sure I understand clearly.
What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?Learn the craft.Stay humble.Help others.
Tell us about the featured book.
Lawfully Guarded
was my first Billionaire romance. It’s a novella and I’ll give you a hint: the guy isn’t the billionaire. It was fun to write Delaney as she starts off a selfish spoiled brat, but opportunities abound for her to grow and learn about real life, love, relationships, and most importantly, God.I could tell from the cover that he wasn’t the hero. Please give us the first page of the book.When Alexander Whitaker’s office door opened, Trenton Prescott turned his back on the spectacular view of the Pacific Oceanto face the woman entering the room. Her thick brown hair spilled down her back in waves, skimming her waistline. The picture he’d been sent of her didn’t do her justice.
Interest sparked in her dark eyes as she looked him up and down. The mini dress she wore showed off her shapely legs, and he fought to keep his gaze on her face.
Delaney Whitaker lowered herself into the chair facing her father’s mahogany desk. “What was it you wanted, Daddy?”
“I’d like you to meet Trenton Prescott of Garrison Security.”
She turned and appraised him once more before offering her hand, which he shook. “Charmed, I’m sure.”
Mr. Whitaker scowled at her. “Trentwill be your bodyguard until such time when Courtney is safely returned home and I determine that the danger is past.”
The woman sneered. “I will not be followed around like a child with a nanny.”
“You will do exactly what you’re told if you’d like to stay in my good graces, my dear.” He leaned back in his chair, turning his stare from Delaney back to Trent. “Thank you for getting here so quickly. I appreciate everything Garrison Security is doing to help us during this difficult time.”
“Glad to be of service, sir.” Trentstood. “If we’re about done here, I’d like to get going.”
“I think we’ve covered everything,” Mr. Whitaker stood and gave Trent a firm handshake.The young woman rose to her feet, and the older man kissed the top of his daughters head, saluted Trent, and left him to face his surly client.
“Well, come on then.” Delaney held the door open. “I’ll get the staff to ready a room for you.”
“We’re not staying here.” He brushed past her, and the sweet smell of jasmine tickled his nose.
“I’m not leaving home.”
He turned to face her. “You don’t have a say in the matter, princess. Your father and I worked out the details.” He grinned. “You’re not safe. Not even in your daddy’s Bel Air mansion.”
“We have excellent security.”
“Yes. So excellent someone managed to get around security, turn off all the cameras, and kidnap your sister.”
“My sister is a nitwit.”
“Even so, you’re coming with me.”
How can readers find you on the Internet?Website: https://www.ElleEKay.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElleEKay7Twitter: https://twitter.com/ElleEKay7Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/elleekay7/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elleekay7/Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15016833.Elle_E_KayAmazon Author Central: https://www.amazon.com/author/ellekayBookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/elle-e-kayTumblr: https://elleekay7.tumblr.com/
Thank you, Elle, for sharing this book with my readers and me. I’m eager to read it.
Readers, here’s a link to the book.Lawfully Guarded: Inspirational Christian Contemporary: A Billionaire Bodyguard Lawkeeper Romance (The Lawkeepers)[image error]
Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the ebook. 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
July 15, 2019
A FOUNDATION OF FEAR - Kim McMahill - One Free Book
Welcome back, Kim. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon? Well, I hope to see my work reach more people. In this hectic reality we all live in, a little escape from reality can be a nice respite.
You are so right. Tell us a little about your family. My family has always been adventurous and outdoorsy. Though some have slowed down a bit, the next generation has taken up the baton and keeps us busy trying to follow along.
Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how? Ever since Prism Book Group published Marked in Mexico, I have gotten to know some amazing ladies who were also published by Prism and are very talented writers. I have definitely read some books I never would have dreamed of and found I enjoyed them a lot.
What are you working on right now? I recently submitted my 4th novel in the Risky Research Series to my publisher, A Measure of Madness. The 5th, and likely final in the series is still in its infancy.
What outside interests do you have? I love to travel, garden, do jigsaw puzzles, and I enjoy the outdoors. I also have an interest in learning a second language, but that may have to wait until my schedule frees up a bit.
How do you choose your settings for each book? I generally feel a story when I’m visiting a new location and keep it in the back of my mind for possible inclusion in a future novel. Visiting Mayan ruins in Mexicogave me the idea for Marked in Mexico. I’ve also set several books in parts of Wyomingthat I have always loved.
If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why? Nellie Tayloe Ross was the governor of Wyomingfrom 1925-1927, and the first female governor of a U.S. state. I imagine she faced many obstacles that would be interesting to hear about.
I’m sure you’re right. What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels? That I likely wouldn’t be able to quit my day job anytime soon.
What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now? Patience, patience, patience…
I’m very familiar with that kind of lessons. What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?First, write a great book. Second, accept constructive criticism from those you trust. Seldom are editors trying to be mean, they are trying to be helpful. Third, if you aren’t a social media guru, become one, and quick!
Tell us about the featured book.
Here’s the blurb for
A Foundation of Fear
.FBI Special Agent Devyn Nash is obsessed with taking down Coterie, a deadly group out to control the multi-billion-dollar diet product industry. The FBI’s plan to expose Coterie places Devyn’s best friend and her partner’s fiancé in the crosshairs of this ruthless organization. Can Devyn protect her friend and bring the cold-blooded killers to justice before they strike again while distracted by injury, a sexist bully, and a long-distance relationship with a handsome Wyoming sheriff?
Lobbyist and Coterie assassin Sofia Wilks wants nothing more than to regain control of her life. Sofia knows Agent Nash is nipping at her heels, but the FBI agent isn’t the worst of her fears. She is drawn to a man who has the power to destroy her.
Sounds interesting. Please give us the first page of the book.Sweat soaked her light pink, I Love DC t-shirt. Hip hop music blasted through her earbuds, helping to keep up her energy level as she pounded down the trail in Rock Creek Park. She ran nearly every night year-round, hot or cold, rain or shine, but with her boss on the road, the past couple weeks at work had been busier than usual. Now she was paying the price.
With only a mile and a half between her and her car, tension already gripped her lazy legs. No one ever said running was easy, otherwise everyone would be doing it, and the trails would be packed with people. As it was, she hadn’t come across another jogger for over fifteen minutes, and the knowledge made her uncomfortable. The park was generally well-used, especially this time of year when the temperatures were pleasant. The hive of activity always gave her a sense of security, but tonight the lack of people encouraged her to run a little faster.
The thick foliage on the deciduous trees crowding the trail made the early evening seem darker than it actually was. As she rounded a bend, she spied a jogger ahead and exhaled a sigh of relief. The tall muscular man’s pace was slow, so she shortened her stride to avoid catching him.
How can readers find you on the Internet?Blog: http://www.kimmcmahill.blogspot.comTwitter: Goodreads author page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/849945.Kim_McMahill
Thank you, Kim, for sharing this book with my blog readers and me. I’m eager to read it.
Readers, here are links to the book.A Foundation of Fear (Risky Research)[image error] - Paperback
A Foundation of Fear (Risky Research Book 3) - 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
July 14, 2019
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.
Lucy (WV) is the winner of Dark of Night by Alice K Arenz.
Vera (NC) is the winner of A Taste of Tragedy by Kim McMahill.
Linda (CA) is the winner of an ebook copy of My Bereaved Billionaire by Katie Evergreen.
Wendy (NE) is the winner of The Express Bride by Kim Woodhouse.
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.
Lucy (WV) is the winner of Dark of Night by Alice K Arenz.
Vera (NC) is the winner of A Taste of Tragedy by Kim McMahill.
Linda (CA) is the winner of an ebook copy of My Bereaved Billionaire by Katie Evergreen.
Wendy (NE) is the winner of The Express Bride by Kim Woodhouse.
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.
July 10, 2019
A HEART SURRENDERED - Joy K Massenburge - One Free Book
Dear Readers, I’m thrilled to feature Joy with her new book, A Heart Surrendered. Her book is wonderful. Her characters are well-developed, and they face real situations that go deep into the heart. Her voice is unique and a delight to read. I know you’ll love this one.
Welcome back, Joy. Why do you write the kind of books you do?I write Christian Romance because it’s what I read. Those who know my personal testimony, know that I married my best friend. Not because I loved him, but because he was the only man I’d ever truly trusted. He loved me to Jesus. So, I write the stories of pastors or their kids to show how God still uses relationship to convey His love for us.
The opportunity to weave my community, church, and love for God’s word along this writer’s journey is an added bonus.
Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?There are so many, I hate to be partial. Besides the day I realized I’d fallen in love with my husband, or the birth of my children, it would have to be the arrival of my grandchildren.
How has being published changed your life?There are so many different facets to the process that you discover you can’t succeed alone. God has brought so many new people into my life. It’s humbled me, taught me to serve others even more, and pushed me beyond my comfort zone. There is so much to learn. More than anything, my prayer life has matured.
What are you reading right now?Psalms 119 every day. Getting into Characterby Brandilyn Collins. In the car I’m listening to the audiobook, A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers.
What is your current work in progress? RUTH Book 2 in The Wounded Lamb series while I seek God for the scripture basis for Janice and Derrick’s story. I have to finish what I started in A Heart Surrendered .
What would be your dream vacation?Hawaii. But only if I could take all my kids, their spouses, and my grandkids. That would be awesome!
How do you choose your settings for each book?I’ve started in the Pine Woods of East Texas because I love my hometown area. But my characters will lead me to new places, I’m sure.
If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?Francine Rivers. It’s always been one of my dreams. Her relationship with God bleeds from the pages of her books. I love it. I’d be honored to sit in on her Bible study. I’d want to hear her speaking casually to her writing buddies around the table at one of their retreats.
I met Francine when she was the speaker at the American Christian Fiction Writers national conference. I love her books, and her testimony is awesome, too. What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?I love Sunday evenings with my family when they come to the house and sit around. I love to cook their favorites. Play board games. Anything that involves laughing and making memories.
What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?Editing! I dread it. It tears at my confidence. It strips the cover away, exposing my fears. It unearths my doubts.
However, I go back to the scriptures I wrote in my journal when I accepted the calling on my life to create word pictures so people might be prompted to seek the source of the love I write about.
God’s promises are true. He equips those He calls. Not because my fear leaves, I write because I choose to take Him at His word, trusting Him with the outcome. Trusting Him to help me.
What advice would you give to a beginning author?Know why you write. Write it down. Then, do it. Write something every day until you have a finished work.
Tell us about the featured book.Sharonda Peterson is afraid she’ll surrender the one thing she’s tried to protect all these years. Her heart. However, to gain the things we really want in life, that’s just what we have to do. Put our hearts on the line. True relationship is about trusting someone else.
I believe everyone struggles in this area. While this is a romance, the main characters’ personal challenges mirror that of the rich young ruler story told in the Bible. When they learn to trust God with everything, only then do they realize God’s plans for their lives to be better than anything they could have created for themselves.
Please give us the first page of the book for my readers.Sharonda pulled the lapels of her pink blazer together with trembling hands. Despite several attempts, the third button never slipped into the hole. Even if it had, she wouldn’t be able to lift her arms. The tightness pinched across her ample bosom.
“I hate Sundays,” she said through gritted teeth.
A door slammed from the hallway. Her mother’s shouts from her parents’ bedroom stopped. Dad had taken a verbal beating. He might be esteemed as the great Pastor Broddrick Peterson at the church, but in this house, until he was elevated to Bishop, First Lady Marianne would find something to nag about.
Sharonda sucked in her breath and tried again to fasten the resilient button. She exhaled in defeat. The jacket remained open and exposed the matching camisole beneath. Rather than rehang the two suits she’d tried on, Sharonda scooped them from her closet floor and stashed the garments in the back corner. After service, she’d fill a thrift store bag with everything too snug. That meant half of her wardrobe.
She eyed the hat box stored high on the shelf. Another something pink. Paste a label across her chest and she’d pass for a human billboard for Pepto Bismol. “Not today.” She grabbed her Sunday curriculum satchel and purse from the hook instead. Crossing her bedroom to the bureau, she placed her hand on her Bible and traced the lettering.
Mother won’t approve. Get the hat.
How can readers find you on the Internet?http://www.joykmassenburge.com @authorjoymassenburge@joymassenburge
Thank you, Joy, for sharing this book with my blog readers and me. I’m sure they’ll love it as much as I do.
Readers, here are links to the book.A Heart Surrendered[image error] - Paperback
A Heart Surrendered - 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
Welcome back, Joy. Why do you write the kind of books you do?I write Christian Romance because it’s what I read. Those who know my personal testimony, know that I married my best friend. Not because I loved him, but because he was the only man I’d ever truly trusted. He loved me to Jesus. So, I write the stories of pastors or their kids to show how God still uses relationship to convey His love for us.The opportunity to weave my community, church, and love for God’s word along this writer’s journey is an added bonus.
Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?There are so many, I hate to be partial. Besides the day I realized I’d fallen in love with my husband, or the birth of my children, it would have to be the arrival of my grandchildren.
How has being published changed your life?There are so many different facets to the process that you discover you can’t succeed alone. God has brought so many new people into my life. It’s humbled me, taught me to serve others even more, and pushed me beyond my comfort zone. There is so much to learn. More than anything, my prayer life has matured.
What are you reading right now?Psalms 119 every day. Getting into Characterby Brandilyn Collins. In the car I’m listening to the audiobook, A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers.
What is your current work in progress? RUTH Book 2 in The Wounded Lamb series while I seek God for the scripture basis for Janice and Derrick’s story. I have to finish what I started in A Heart Surrendered .
What would be your dream vacation?Hawaii. But only if I could take all my kids, their spouses, and my grandkids. That would be awesome!
How do you choose your settings for each book?I’ve started in the Pine Woods of East Texas because I love my hometown area. But my characters will lead me to new places, I’m sure.
If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?Francine Rivers. It’s always been one of my dreams. Her relationship with God bleeds from the pages of her books. I love it. I’d be honored to sit in on her Bible study. I’d want to hear her speaking casually to her writing buddies around the table at one of their retreats.
I met Francine when she was the speaker at the American Christian Fiction Writers national conference. I love her books, and her testimony is awesome, too. What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?I love Sunday evenings with my family when they come to the house and sit around. I love to cook their favorites. Play board games. Anything that involves laughing and making memories.
What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?Editing! I dread it. It tears at my confidence. It strips the cover away, exposing my fears. It unearths my doubts.
However, I go back to the scriptures I wrote in my journal when I accepted the calling on my life to create word pictures so people might be prompted to seek the source of the love I write about.
God’s promises are true. He equips those He calls. Not because my fear leaves, I write because I choose to take Him at His word, trusting Him with the outcome. Trusting Him to help me.
What advice would you give to a beginning author?Know why you write. Write it down. Then, do it. Write something every day until you have a finished work.
Tell us about the featured book.Sharonda Peterson is afraid she’ll surrender the one thing she’s tried to protect all these years. Her heart. However, to gain the things we really want in life, that’s just what we have to do. Put our hearts on the line. True relationship is about trusting someone else.I believe everyone struggles in this area. While this is a romance, the main characters’ personal challenges mirror that of the rich young ruler story told in the Bible. When they learn to trust God with everything, only then do they realize God’s plans for their lives to be better than anything they could have created for themselves.
Please give us the first page of the book for my readers.Sharonda pulled the lapels of her pink blazer together with trembling hands. Despite several attempts, the third button never slipped into the hole. Even if it had, she wouldn’t be able to lift her arms. The tightness pinched across her ample bosom.
“I hate Sundays,” she said through gritted teeth.
A door slammed from the hallway. Her mother’s shouts from her parents’ bedroom stopped. Dad had taken a verbal beating. He might be esteemed as the great Pastor Broddrick Peterson at the church, but in this house, until he was elevated to Bishop, First Lady Marianne would find something to nag about.
Sharonda sucked in her breath and tried again to fasten the resilient button. She exhaled in defeat. The jacket remained open and exposed the matching camisole beneath. Rather than rehang the two suits she’d tried on, Sharonda scooped them from her closet floor and stashed the garments in the back corner. After service, she’d fill a thrift store bag with everything too snug. That meant half of her wardrobe.
She eyed the hat box stored high on the shelf. Another something pink. Paste a label across her chest and she’d pass for a human billboard for Pepto Bismol. “Not today.” She grabbed her Sunday curriculum satchel and purse from the hook instead. Crossing her bedroom to the bureau, she placed her hand on her Bible and traced the lettering.
Mother won’t approve. Get the hat.
How can readers find you on the Internet?http://www.joykmassenburge.com @authorjoymassenburge@joymassenburge
Thank you, Joy, for sharing this book with my blog readers and me. I’m sure they’ll love it as much as I do.
Readers, here are links to the book.A Heart Surrendered[image error] - Paperback
A Heart Surrendered - 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
July 9, 2019
MAIL-ORDER REFUGE - Cindy Regnier - One Free Book
Dear readers, I love mail-order-brides stories. I love Cindy’s story. She has several different twists to the story. I liked how she works those in. Her characters are living, breathing people who grabbed my heart and pulled it straight into the story. You won’t want to miss this one.
Welcome, Cindy. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters. Without it being intentional, quite a bit of myself ends up in my characters. It’s much easier to give them thoughts, feelings, and emotions when I am experiencing the same thing.
What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?I once went through an automatic car wash unable to get my window back up. Long story, but suffice it to say I was drenched by the time I made it to my next appointment. The interior of my car didn’t fare so well either. My three kids were with me. They loved it – as soon as it was over.
When did you first discover that you were a writer?I think I’ve always known I was writer. I wrote stories in second grade, and by third grade, I was writing plays modeled after TV shows for my friends to perform in class. I wrote my first full length novel at about age 13. While other kids were playing sports, writing was what I loved to do.
Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.My first choice is historical romance, but I’m not limited to that. I enjoy contemporary romance, cozy mysteries, and classics. I’ve even been known to pick up a Louis L’Amour western every now and then.
When I was lots younger, I read every Louis L’Amour book I could get my hands on. How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?Writing grounds me. I can pour all my stress out onto the page, transfer it to characters and then work it all out for them in the end.
How do you choose your characters’ names?I usually see their faces and just inherently know their names before I ever figure out what’s going to happen to them in the story. It’s almost like they’re already living inside my imagination. Their names even surprise me sometimes. If I ever change a name because it’s not working for some reason, that character lives on in my head with his or her original name, despite what they’re called in the book.
I’ve had to change a character’s name, because he kept calling himself by a different name. What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?Raising my boys to be strong, competent men, but catching glimpses of a gentle, kind nature in them when it comes to relating to their ladies (or their mother.)
If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?I always thought I’d like the life of a cat. Sleep all day, hide from humans except for when I wanted to be with them and show my contentment with purring.
What is your favorite food?Mexican
My husband and I love TexMex, and eat it often. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?In real life I avoid conflict as much as I can. It’s also hard for me to put my characters through it, but a story without conflict isn’t a story. So I apologize to them (in my head of course,) then throw it at them knowing it’s all going to be okay in the end.
I had that same problem, because I’m naturally a peacemaker. Tell us about the featured book.
Mail-Order Refuge
is my debut novel. It is the story of Carly who comes to Kansasas a mail-order bride to escape a dangerous situation back east. Rand, a Kansas rancher needs a wife to look after his recently orphaned nieces. Of course, the dangerous situation follows Carly and becomes even more convoluted when she meets Rand’s ex-fiancee who wants him back. Hint: This is a romance so HEA is a distinct possibility.
Yes, there was lots of conflict in this book. That’s one thing that kept me from putting it down as often as I should have. Please give us the first page of the book for my blog readers.“Tommy, wait!” Carly Blair screeched as she bounded off the depot platform after her brother.Her shout was swallowed up by the shriek of the train whistle. She missed the last step and plunged face first into the dust of the small-town train station. A horse and cart rumbled past as a hand jerked her upright.
“Tommy.” She struggled to free herself from the grip on her wrist, searching the crowd frantically for her brother.
“Are you hurt?” The voice was deep, slightly raspy and, quite possibly, on the verge of laughter. When she still struggled, the man added, “The boy is safe, miss.”
Safe? Carly whirled around to see her little brother standing beside a stranger. Thank God. The man gripped Tommy in one hand and her in the other while her gaze traveled up, up, up. Blinking twice, she stared into a pair of pale blue eyes nearly hidden by shocks of chestnut hair beneath a wide-brimmed straw hat.
“I … I’m fine,” she managed, sucking in her breath. The handles of her satchel dug into her free hand. “Thank you.”
The man had saved Tommy from being trampled in the streets of this Kansastown, but why was he still gripping her wrist? Twisting from his hold, Carly searched the area for their trunks. Fear crawled up her throat. Oh, what had she done?
What you had to do.
I know that caught my reader’s attention. How can readers find you on the Internet?https://cindyregnier.com/https://www.facebook.com/CindyRegnierauthor/https://twitter.com/CindySRegnierhttps://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19069509.Cindy_Regnierhttps://www.bookbub.com/authors/cindy-regnier
Thank you, Cindy, for sharing your debut novel with us.
Readers, here are links to the book.Mail-Order Refuge[image error] - Paperback
Mail-Order Refuge - 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
Welcome, Cindy. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters. Without it being intentional, quite a bit of myself ends up in my characters. It’s much easier to give them thoughts, feelings, and emotions when I am experiencing the same thing.What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?I once went through an automatic car wash unable to get my window back up. Long story, but suffice it to say I was drenched by the time I made it to my next appointment. The interior of my car didn’t fare so well either. My three kids were with me. They loved it – as soon as it was over.
When did you first discover that you were a writer?I think I’ve always known I was writer. I wrote stories in second grade, and by third grade, I was writing plays modeled after TV shows for my friends to perform in class. I wrote my first full length novel at about age 13. While other kids were playing sports, writing was what I loved to do.
Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.My first choice is historical romance, but I’m not limited to that. I enjoy contemporary romance, cozy mysteries, and classics. I’ve even been known to pick up a Louis L’Amour western every now and then.
When I was lots younger, I read every Louis L’Amour book I could get my hands on. How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?Writing grounds me. I can pour all my stress out onto the page, transfer it to characters and then work it all out for them in the end.
How do you choose your characters’ names?I usually see their faces and just inherently know their names before I ever figure out what’s going to happen to them in the story. It’s almost like they’re already living inside my imagination. Their names even surprise me sometimes. If I ever change a name because it’s not working for some reason, that character lives on in my head with his or her original name, despite what they’re called in the book.
I’ve had to change a character’s name, because he kept calling himself by a different name. What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?Raising my boys to be strong, competent men, but catching glimpses of a gentle, kind nature in them when it comes to relating to their ladies (or their mother.)
If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?I always thought I’d like the life of a cat. Sleep all day, hide from humans except for when I wanted to be with them and show my contentment with purring.
What is your favorite food?Mexican
My husband and I love TexMex, and eat it often. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?In real life I avoid conflict as much as I can. It’s also hard for me to put my characters through it, but a story without conflict isn’t a story. So I apologize to them (in my head of course,) then throw it at them knowing it’s all going to be okay in the end.
I had that same problem, because I’m naturally a peacemaker. Tell us about the featured book.
Mail-Order Refuge
is my debut novel. It is the story of Carly who comes to Kansasas a mail-order bride to escape a dangerous situation back east. Rand, a Kansas rancher needs a wife to look after his recently orphaned nieces. Of course, the dangerous situation follows Carly and becomes even more convoluted when she meets Rand’s ex-fiancee who wants him back. Hint: This is a romance so HEA is a distinct possibility.Yes, there was lots of conflict in this book. That’s one thing that kept me from putting it down as often as I should have. Please give us the first page of the book for my blog readers.“Tommy, wait!” Carly Blair screeched as she bounded off the depot platform after her brother.Her shout was swallowed up by the shriek of the train whistle. She missed the last step and plunged face first into the dust of the small-town train station. A horse and cart rumbled past as a hand jerked her upright.
“Tommy.” She struggled to free herself from the grip on her wrist, searching the crowd frantically for her brother.
“Are you hurt?” The voice was deep, slightly raspy and, quite possibly, on the verge of laughter. When she still struggled, the man added, “The boy is safe, miss.”
Safe? Carly whirled around to see her little brother standing beside a stranger. Thank God. The man gripped Tommy in one hand and her in the other while her gaze traveled up, up, up. Blinking twice, she stared into a pair of pale blue eyes nearly hidden by shocks of chestnut hair beneath a wide-brimmed straw hat.
“I … I’m fine,” she managed, sucking in her breath. The handles of her satchel dug into her free hand. “Thank you.”
The man had saved Tommy from being trampled in the streets of this Kansastown, but why was he still gripping her wrist? Twisting from his hold, Carly searched the area for their trunks. Fear crawled up her throat. Oh, what had she done?
What you had to do.
I know that caught my reader’s attention. How can readers find you on the Internet?https://cindyregnier.com/https://www.facebook.com/CindyRegnierauthor/https://twitter.com/CindySRegnierhttps://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19069509.Cindy_Regnierhttps://www.bookbub.com/authors/cindy-regnier
Thank you, Cindy, for sharing your debut novel with us.
Readers, here are links to the book.Mail-Order Refuge[image error] - Paperback
Mail-Order Refuge - Kindle[image error]
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