Lena Nelson Dooley's Blog, page 85

HER DEADLY REUNION - Beth Ziarnik - One Free Book

Dear Readers, I’m thrilled to have Beth on my blog again. I loved reading Her Deadly Reunion. The cover reminds me of the Gothic novels I read for years. The dark mysterious setting. And as I read the story, it was a lot like one of those novels. I’ve always loved trying to figure out the mystery in them. With this storyline, Beth kept me guessing. I loved the heroine and hero. They quickly pulled me into their story. It is a real page-turner with a satisfying ending. Thank you, Beth.

Welcome back, Beth.Why do you write the kind of books you do? I love reading romantic suspense, Lena, and have for years. Never tire of it. Probably because it’s a grown-up, contemporary version of the fairy tales I loved as a child. Think of it—hero and heroine fall in love as they fight against great odds to reach their happily ever after.  I think we all desire a happily ever after of some sort, don’t you?
Yes, and my HEA is with my husband James. Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?You would think getting married to my handsome sweetheart, the births of our two sons, and finally getting that first novel published would top the list. But my happiest day was when Jim and I had made it to our happily ever after. Married 47 years and I suddenly realized we were not only dearly in love, but with all the wonder of those glorious days when we first fell in love. We had come through many conquered challenges to reach that joy and peace! That perfect love. Unfortunately, we only enjoyed that heavenly place for a short time. Two weeks later and without any warning, Jim went to be with Jesus. 
I’m sure that is hard. How has being published changed your life?Being published has not only changed my life, it has become my life during these six years since Jim’s passing. My first novel, Her Deadly Inheritance, debuted three years later—the one Jim so believed in that he said he’d publish it if no one else did. Its sequel, Her Deadly Reunion , released last November while I was healing from two broken ankles.
Wow! Two broken ankles. Must have been hard. What are you reading right now?Currently, The Power of the Blood by H.A Maxwell Whyte—a fabulous old classic that dates back to 1973. I lead a women’s Bible study at church, and we’re bowled over by what we are learning as we draw intimately closer to Jesus and put its teaching into practice. I’m also reading a lineup of romantic suspense novels by Christy Barritt, Terri Reed, Lisa Harris, and Laura Scott. After that, I have so many more TBR novels on my list.
What is your current work in progress?Her Deadly Vows, the third book of my Jill Shepherd Suspense Series. Jill joins Clay in Haiti. While he works on restoring an historic hotel, she works on the final preparations for their wedding. Before long she realizes she may not live long enough marry Clay.
We must feature that book on my blog when it releases. What would be your dream vacation?I’d love a 7-10 day Mississippiriverboat cruise with tours of the southern plantation mansions still in existence. Maybe because I’ve started a pre-Civil War romantic suspense series, where my heroine winds up on a riverboat in the first and second novels. Onsite research is so much fun! And I love fascinating architecture. Faster than anything else. it propels my mind into the “What if?” of story possibilities for my characters.
James and I have been on cruises of the Caribbean, but never a river cruise. How do you choose your settings for each book?Strangely enough, they seem to come to me, more than my searching for them. For my first novel, I knew I wanted a paper mill town and an island. When I prayed about it, I ran across The Grand Island Story by Beatrice H. Castle and knew I’d found the perfect setting for Her Deadly Inheritance. For Her Deadly Reunion , a one-day senior bus tour to the Pabst Mansion in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, hooked me. Talk about breath-taking architecture inside and out, and all the features I’d need for that story. As for Her Deadly Vows, even before the story started forming in my heart, the Lord surrounded me with family and friends who are familiar with Haiti and its culture. And I’m enjoying all the research. Unfortunately, I don’t expect ever to visit that fascinating island. Though I hear such great things about its people.
If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?When I was six years old, I would have said Roy Rogers. I wanted him to wait until I grew up and could marry him. He struck me as being kind and courageous—not to mention a terrific singer! What can I say? I’m a music lover.
What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?I work jigsaw puzzles and play games with friends and family. Can you believe I love snow blowing my Wisconsindriveway with my little Toro. Though--LOL--I guess we can’t call that a hobby, can we? Does playing my Q-Chord and singing along count? How about camping in my A-frame, fold-down camper? And this summer, I plan to get back to gardening, making beautiful flowers and fresh vegetables grow.
What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?Truthfully, my most difficult writing obstacle is getting the seat of my pants in chair. But I’m working on that because the moment I start writing, I get lost in the story and time disappears until I emerge from the lives of my characters again. And I actually enjoy editing.
What advice would you give to a beginning author?Write! You can’t be a writer unless you write. (I tell myself that all the time!) Try to write at least 15 minutes a day. Once you start, you’ll find it hard to stop. Find a local, or online, Christian writing group and join it. Writers need other writers who understand their passion, encourage them, and help them grow in their craft. Go to a Christian writers’ conference. Yes, every year. You’ll be amazed how fast you’ll advance in your writing dream.
Tell us about the featured book.Jill Shepherd is desperate to meet the father she’s never known. She accepts his invitation to spend the holidays at his home in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Upon her arrival, she’s not only met with hostility from his family but finds him gravely ill. When his nurse secretly shares suspicions that someone is trying to kill him, Jill attempts to find out who at the house might have a motive.
Her father’s condition worsens. Jill and her boyfriend Clay Merrick are ordered from the house, and suddenly find themselves embroiled in a race to outwit a mysterious killer and unmask a bitter plot that has been years in the making. With the life of her father hanging in the balance, how can Jill and Clay prove her innocence and stop the killer before it’s too late?
Please give us the first page of the book for my readers.Never look for your father! Promise me!            Minutes from her birth father’s home, her mother’s words of pleading echoed through Jill Ashley Shepherd’s heart, growing more insistent. Was she making a terrible mistake?            Seated beside Clay Merrick, she gazed at his dear face as he steered his old Ford F-150 truck through Milwaukee’s snow-filled streets. Was it only six months ago they had fallen in love? So strong was their bond, it seemed they had already loved for a lifetime. How she treasured his emotional support at a time like this.            A stray curl of his dark hair fell against his forehead as he glanced at her, his gray eyes soft with concern. “Are you sure you want to go ahead with this?”            She blinked and swallowed hard, then turned to stare beyond the windshield at the large, lazy snowflakes drifting from a white Wisconsin sky. Snowy mounds frosted the edges of business windows displaying Christmas delights and grew on streetlights festooned in evergreen wreaths and bright red bows. Cheery Christmas lights winked at passersby from every direction.            But reminders of Christmas failed to lift her spirits.            Was this the right day to meet her birth father? “Absolutely,” she squeaked out.            Clay’s raised brows said it all.            For years, she had dreamed of the father-daughter relationship she’d been denied. For years, she had wondered, did she resemble him? Would her father have a place in his heart for her? What had separated her parents so long ago?
How can readers find you on the Internet?Since I’ll have a new website up around the end of this month, Lena, readers can best find me now at:bethziarnik.wordpress.comfacebook.com/authorBethAnnZiarnik
Thank you for having me back on A Christian Writer’s World, Lena.
And thank you, Beth, for sharing this book with me and my blog readers.
Readers, here are links to the book.Her Deadly Reunion[image error] - Paperback
Her Deadly Reunion (Jill Shepherd Suspense Book 2)[image error] - Kindle

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)
Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.
The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.
If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link:Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

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STARS IN THE GRASS - Ann Marie Stewart - One Free Book

Welcome, Ann. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.Many people have asked if STARS is autobiographical and if Abby is me. People see the 10-year-old Abby in the 50+ year old me. I was born the same year as Abby and I wanted to go “home” to my youth and it’s easier to write about what you know. Birch Bay, Washington, two miles from my grandparents’ farm, was my idyllic childhood vacation place. Various other characters in my novels stem from my life experiences. For a character to have any degree of believability he/she has to be based on someone or have some quality of someone I believe in. I like to feel I know all my characters and could pick them out off the street.
What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?Not exactly quirky but I did a mini triathlon in my 20’s and I was almost clawed under during the swimming portion, and the wheel almost fell off my bike during the biking. I used to sing the National Anthem for the Seattle Mariners in the Kingdome before it was blown up.
Cool on the National Anthem. When did you first discover that you were a writer?Very young. I was writing first person short stories in elementary school as the life of a pencil. My dad thought of me as such a good storyteller that he gave up his turn at the Toastmaster podium, and turned it over to his elementary-aged daughter. I did some sort of three-point presentation on how grownups ruin Christmas by trying to be too organized.
Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.  I enjoy non-fiction and memoirs (Brain on Fire, Boys in the Boat, Seabiscuit, Unbroken) to Christian fiction by Chris Fabry and Charles Martin, to women’s literary fiction – saga, mother/daughter stories. Some favorites:  To Kill a Mockingbird,  Cutting for Stone, The Language of Flowers, Kite Runner, The Light Between Oceans, The Glass Castle.I’ll read almost any genre if the book has a strong VOICE and it’s “readeemable.”  
How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world? Do I? I have four jobs: voice teacher, musical theatre director, substitute teacher, and author. The beauty of these jobs is that they all give me freedom. I can say yes or no or change up my schedule. Right now, there’s NOTHING I want to retire from! But I have learned that “No” is a really important choice because it gives me margin. We all need margin. There was a three-month period I had no margin and I turned down two friends who needed my help. I hated that. My children are 20 and 22 and I loved raising them on a farm where we can breathe even if we take in the aroma of sheep. It’s so difficult to “compete” with this world’s fast pace and intensity and it’s just not healthy.
I so agree. How do you choose your characters’ names?  That’s such a great question because in my novels, there is usually significance to each character’s name and how they earned it and how they feel about it. It has to resonate with me in a special way. After I’ve selected it, I write with the name and then after I’ve lived with it, I either love it or not. If I’m iffy, it goes. As a kid sitting in church, I would sketch out big families and name every member. I’ve ALWAYS loved names. Writing and naming people is a way to have a big family and the fun of naming them all!
What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of? It’s not my accomplishment, it’s God’s. My family. I love my entire extended family and am so proud of the women of God my daughters have become. One is a kind and gentle nurse and the other is studying International Relations/Arabic so she can be a positive liaison for peace.
If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why? A puppy. Who doesn’t love a puppy? Pleasing everybody! You get away with everything. Hahaha.
What is your favorite food?  All kinds of fruit. White pizza. Arugula. Tiramisu. Salted Caramel, white chocolate. Butterscotch chip brownies.
What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?  Getting things right. Sometimes I feel stuck at the beginning of research. If I am in a different time period, location, and I want believability, I can be my worst critic. I’m currently working on Out of the Water, a time-slip novel in 1919, 1931, and 1981. It covers Boston, Deer Lodge, Montana, and Seattle, Washington. I’m fascinated by Boston during the war, pandemic, and even a molasses flood, as well as a prison town in Montana, but these locales and time periods are unfamiliar. I wrote a Christmas novella in a month this winter and it takes place in Loudoun County, Virginia, and Washington, DC, my stomping grounds. The research was delightfully easy! How do I overcome it? I just have to put something on the page and then have someone read it for accuracy later. If I wait for perfection, nothing will happen.
Tell us about the featured book?. Stars in the Grass was originally the short story “Seeing from the Balcony.” It came out of my greatest fear. Ironically, the fear of losing a child came before ever having a child. In the meantime, I did get married, raised two little girls, and wrote three other books. Finally, I returned to the short story and brought the characters to life with the novel. Originally 102,000 words, my book doctor said it should be 80,000. I tightened it to 85,000 and it was a better book for the pruning. Someone asked me, “How do you know it’s done?” I knew STARS was ready. There wasn’t anything more I wanted to add or delete, and I had read it soooooo many times! 
Please give us the first page of the book. This is a funny question. The novel opens with the Prologue. The first chapter of my book is a few pages later. When at the Christy Awards, they announce winners by reading the opening paragraph of the novel. When I didn’t hear the Prologue, I thought I lost. But the words I was hearing didn’t sound like it was a Holocaust Novel or anything in the Middle East. Suddenly, I recognized my own words. But when I turned to my best friend and my publisher, and said I thought it was my book, they were disbelieving. They, too, were waiting to hear the Prologue.  I’ll give you the Prologue—what I was expecting to hear!
Prologue
I spent the better part of my childhood sitting on a pew in the balcony of Bethel Springs First Presbyterian Church, listening to my dad’s long vowels as he preached on predestination. Sandwiched between my older brother, Matt, and my little brother, Joel, I counted bald heads, doodled on church bulletins, and studied the stained-glass Jesus.
Reverend McAndrews was godlike and mysterious. Definitely not the same man who read to us from Dr. Seuss, ran through the sprinkler on steamy Ohio summer afternoons, or smiled as we played hide-and-go-seek in his Father’s House.
Though I can’t remember many of his three-point sermons, I have other good memories. One Sunday during a hymn, Matt and I sang loudly, changing the words to our liking, “Gladly, the Cross-Eyed Bear,” and crossing our eyes for added effect. When we sat back down, I rested the hymnal on the railing and fanned myself by riffling through the pages. Then it happened. Onto one of the fifty-one shining bald heads below, I dropped the hymnal.
It clapped to the floor, and then in the congregational hush, Mr. Ludema winced in surprised pain. I only looked down long enough to see necks craning up toward the balcony and then turning toward my father and then back to the balcony. Dad squinted to see Mrs. Ludema as she nursed her husband’s head and then looked up at the cause of the disruption. Me.
Dad stared at me for fifteen seconds. I know because I counted every one of them. I did not look away; instead I memorized his sandy thick hair fringed with gray streaks. I couldn’t see his eyes because the sun was reflecting on the lenses of his glasses. His mouth was closed, his thick jaw tense. The congregation waited for the Reverend McAndrews, and so did I. At last he said, with a nod to the balcony and a sigh, “And the Word has come down from on high.”
During responsive reading, his voice rose and fell so predictably, I was nearly lulled to sleep unless I pulled out a pencil to sketch the hills and valleys. “‘O give thanks to the Lord, for he is gooood,’” Reverend McAndrews read from Psalm 136. His voice grew louder and the pitch higher until the word Lord, where he paused and let it fall off to a low, soft, long, concluding gooood. We echoed, “‘For his steadfast love endures for ever.’” After repeating it twenty-six times, what I thought everlasting was the psalm itself.
I did not question the psalmist’s message until I was nine and Matt was fifteen and we crossed a crevasse of pain. It took struggling through that jagged blackness of doubt and fear for the girl in the balcony to finally consider the words, and to really connect with the man in the pulpit and the woman at the organ.
My mother looked just like Jackie Kennedy. I don’t know if our former First Lady could play the organ, but my mother could not, despite the expectations of the elders of BS Pres. (Such an unfortunate acronym, but one this Preacher’s Kid enjoyed flaunting.) The organ faced forward, so my mother’s back was toward the congregation, which could have been symbolic considering her reluctance to play the role. Though my mother’s keyboard technique lacked beauty and grace, her speech did not. My mother’s voice was soft and gentle, full of intricate words she shared, always believing in expanding her children’s vocabulary at every opportunity. Nothing about her projected strength, but I would learn she had enough for all of us. The summer before I turned ten was idyllic—until August 3, 1970. At the time I didn’t know what that word meant, not having heard it in a sermon or one of Mom’s vocabulary lessons. But it perfectly describes a time when I thought the world was safe and good things lasted forever. What I couldn’t know then, but try to remember now, is how fragile and delicate are the moments we most treasure, and if they break into pieces, repairing means seeing anew.
How can readers find you on the Internet?Social media links:Website: www.annmariestewart.com  see book trailer!Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnnMariStewart/Linked in: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ann-stewart-37ba16171/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annmaristewart/Twitter: https://twitter.com/AnnMariStewart
Thank you, Ann, for sharing this book with my readers and me.
Readers, here are links to the book. - Amazon paperback
Stars in the Grass - 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

THE SHATTERING - Marsha Barth - One Free Book

Welcome, Marsha. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.Most of my stories are non-fiction so my characters pretty much contain 100% me. In my fictional writings that I do and my blogs, they too contain pretty much 100% me.
What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?Probably chasing two criminals, with my husband, behind a department store where they had just robbed an elderly lady of her purse. (I was a lot younger and faster then, than I am now when I did that.) Laugh a lot.
When did you first discover that you were a writer?When I wrote my mom a poem for Mother's Day and she cried as she read it. I learned how powerful words can be when they are able to move a heart.
Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.Wow, I love pretty much all range of books. I love true stories, inspirational stories, fictional stories that could be true, stories of good overcoming evil, and stories of love, victory, and adventure. I love books that I can learn from which covers all ranges. My favorite book that covers all those genres, and that I love the most—The Holy Bible.
How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?I have to take down-time. I make myself, because I am an A personality. In that down time, is my time with God—just Him and me, time that I read some or any of the above books, and I love watching old movies to just veg.
How do you choose your characters’ names?I have to envision that the name I pick fits the character I am developing. I probably could not pick a name for a bad person in which I have only known nice people with that name. I kind of pick names I have no connection with personally or I pick names I purposely associate with good people or bad people. This makes it very easy for me to develop the character either into the villain or the hero.
What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?Wow, that is another great question. But I have several that tie for that one. Marrying my wonderful husband of 45 years and having my two beautiful children will always be at the top of that list. I also am thankful for the accomplishments God has called me to do in the work that I am doing—whether it be from teaching a small child in Sunday School who now is grown and serving God, or speaking at the prisons, rehabs, Universities, state events, to congressmen, senators, governors, and bringing them the wonderful message of hope that we can go from Victim to Victor. Whether writing books, blogs, or speaking and teaching, the joy of being a small part of changing a life is an accomplishment that brings more joy than pride, I believe.
If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?Probably, a doggie. Any kind. The dogs I have had throughout my life have always given me so much love. They were my best friends, and my best ears, for listening to my problems at some of the hardest times in my life.
What is your favorite food? Wow, can any of us only pick one? Unfortunately, I love many. I love chicken and veal and a good roast beef, real mashed potatoes and gravy that only southern people can make. And for dessert, a German Chocolate Cake, or Carrot Cake or a prize winning Apple Pie. That's my one favorite.
What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it? My books are my true stories, so writing was a little more different for me because as I wrote my stories, I initially had to relive them. I overcame this, because God had taken me on a healing journey before I wrote my stories. I was able to write them as a victor and not a victim. Also, as far as the actual writing in itself, I believe that any story's greatest challenge in writing will be to find a key interest point that draws the reader into the book before he/she knows they are hooked. Also, not overwhelming the reader with too much detail or difficulties at once, by intriguing uplifting moments or laughter to soften these, is a very beneficial attribute for any author to challenge themselves to do this


Tell us about the featured book. The Shattering - A Child's Innocence Betrayed by Marsha Barth is my true story. More than a story of victimization from abuse, it is a story of the power of love, the promise of hope, and the joy of overcoming. All of us have been shattered at sometime in our life by someone or something. In this amazing story, written in novel form, the reader gets to see how one thread of hope changes a life forever and how we can go from victim to victor. The Shattering is a story of how all of us can be inspired to overcome what has shattered us and to realize that sorrow is but for a season and that joy does come in the morning. May you be blessed by the reading of this inspirational book. May your heart be opened to the joy and realization that, you do matter, and that you can heal. May you know that God has not forsaken you and that He is not the cause for man's sorrow, but the solution to our complete restoration.

Please give us the first page of the book.A light breeze blew through the open door and blew the loose pictures off  the end table. Julie bent down to pick them up. She leaned back in the chair and fingered the pictures tenderly, looking at them one by one. She paused, engulfed in the memories that they were stirring. A slight smile broke across her young face as she looked at the picture she now held in her hand. It was an old black and white picture. Julie remembered the little white house with the red shutters. Julie shifted in the big chair. She tucked her legs up under her to get more comfortable. Slowly, she turned the pictures through her hands before stopping once again. The old photo with the pinked edges had caught her attention. Julie held the photo in her hand and placed the other photos down on the table beside her. She peered into the photo as if to glean some understanding from the young face that stared unknowingly back at her. The child in the picture looked to be six or seven years old. His straight, dark-brown hair hung to one side and swept over his small brow. Julie brought the picture closer and studied it in detail. The little boy did not smile, which saddened Julie. Even more disturbing was the lost look in his little eyes. They were void of laughter and appeared sorrowful. The innocence of childhood... 
How can readers find you on the Internet?http://marshabarth.comhttps://www.facebook.com/The-Shattering-215752548593960/https://www.linkedin.com/in/marsha-marty-barth-9865a840/https://twitter.com/mbarthmbarthhttps://www.pinterest.com/martybarth3/the-shattering/Thank you, Marsha, for sharing this book with my blog readers and me.
Readers, here is a link to the book.The Shattering[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

OF FIRE AND LIONS - Mesu Andrews - One Free Book

Welcome back, Mesu. Tell us about your salvation experience.I was raised in a Christian home—a spiritual mutt. Mom charismatic. Dad Quaker. Paternal grandparents ordained ministers (both grandpa and grandma) in the Pilgrim Holiness denomination—then switched to Nazarene, and then Wesleyan. Scripture was the weapon in my family’s theology wars, and I wanted nothing to do with God by the time I was twelve. I was an alcoholic by nineteen. When I was a sophomore in college, my boyfriend of five years broke off what I thought was an engagement, and I tried to end my life. A week later, my best friend and her fiancé invited me and her fiancé’s best friend, Roy Andrews, to attend a high-school-alma-mater football game. I’d known Roy since jr. high. He was as pagan as I was, but when he wore a tie to the football game, I knew something was different. When he didn’t cuss or show his red-headed temper while telling us that his roommate wrecked his car earlier in the day, I thought the folks at a Texas Christian college had brainwashed him! He denied it and said Jesus had changed him. I laughed. I only agreed to a second date as a challenge to see if he could keep up his holy-roller act. But the second date turned into three weeks of dates. The realization that he was so thoroughly different, completely changed, brought me to the saving knowledge of Jesus that I needed. I poured out my last bottle of black-label Jack Daniel’s (whiskey) the next morning. I married Roy Andrews six months later, and we’ll celebrate our 35th anniversary in June. J
What a testimony! I love hearing them. You’re planning a writing retreat where you can only have four other authors. Who would they be and why?Francine Rivers – for three reasons: 1) because she came to Christ later in life and writes real stories; 2) because of her wonderful dry sense of humor; and 3) because she’s insanely talented and my favorite fiction author.Liz Curtis Higgs – also three reasons: 1) same as Francine—came to Jesus later in life and has a humility about her that saturates a room; 2) forget dry sense of humor—she’s just crazy fun! And 3) I’d pick her brain on how to get soooooo much done and still have time to breathe!The last two are men—they’d have to sleep in a different cabin! But I’d invite James Scott Bell and Donald Maass because I’ve learned so much about the writing craft from both of them. Though they have significantly different styles, they’re fascinating teachers and passionate about writing.
I know all of them, besides Donald Maass, personally and agree with you wholeheartedly about each one. Do you have a speaking ministry? If so, tell us about that.Yes, I enjoy speaking, but because of some chronic health issues and increasing writing deadlines, I don’t do it as often as I once did. I’m looking forward to sharing about the themes in Of Fire and Lions at the writer’s conferences and women’s events in 2019. I still have some openings in the 2020 calendar and will begin to share about the next release early that year, Isaiah’s Legacy, the sequel to Isaiah’s Daughter. My favorite weekend conference topic is still “Sacred Love, Sacred Dance,” a journey through the entire Book of Song of Songs exploring intimacy with Christ.
What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you and how did you handle it?I was a Mary Kay consultant when our first daughter was a year old and had the opportunity to do the makeup for one of my high school friend’s wedding. We finished the makeup on the bride, the bridesmaids, and the mothers of both bride and groom. I helped my friend get her dress on and stood back to appreciate the stunning image. She looked A.M.A.Z.I.N.G! But then she realized she hadn’t painted her nails! “No worries,” said the Mary Kay lady-friend from high school, “I’ll paint them right where you stand.” We only had five minutes before she was to walk down the aisle, so someone handed me the bright red fingernail polish. I’d almost finished the second coat when someone asked what time it was. I looked at the watch on my wrist—and unwittingly tipped the bottle of red polish… Yep… The collective gasp nearly sucked all the oxygen from the room. I saw spots before my eyes and the red polish in a streak down the front of the bride’s pure, white taffeta. I. Wanted. To. Die. Every woman in the room went into “fix it” mode. One tried acetone to remove it, and the taffeta started to “melt” before our eyes. I just stood there with the polish still in hand. Slack-jawed. Stunned. Mortified. Finally, someone grabbed some liquid white-out (like we used to use to correct typewritten pages) and covered the red with that. I called out, “I’m so sorry!” as she walked out the door and got a laser-death stare from her mother. I sat in the back row for the wedding and left before the reception. Fast forward to our 20th high school reunion—this precious woman never mentioned the fiasco. Fast forward another fourteen years, when I have a conference in this woman’s Texas town. She picks me up from the airport and chauffeurs me to my hotel. I finally worked up the courage to ask her how she ever forgave me. “Mesu, there were so many other hard things that happened that day,” she said. “A little fingernail polish on my dress was the least of my worries.” What a great lesson in perspective and grace!
I love that. People are always telling me that they’d like to write a book someday. I’m sure they do to you, too. What would you tell someone who came up to you and said that?I tell them it’s easier to write a book now than ever before. If they’re interested in writing about their life and memoirs, I suggest they do it through Amazon’s KDP program, where they can sell copies one-by-one at any price they set. It’s simple. They don’t need a publisher. And they can make changes for themselves if they find errors or typos. This is the perfect solution for those who simply want to write something for family and/or friends to read. If they’re serious about making writing more than a hobby, that’s a completely different animal. That requires commitment, passion, and a willingness to withstand multiple rejections—possibly never being traditionally published—on the journey to sharing their work publicly. Lots of folks want to write a book but few have the passion or calling to publish one. I wrote for twelve years before signing my first contract and endured countless rejections. If writing is just a whim…let it pass.
Good advice. Tell us about the featured book.Survival. A Hebrew girl first tasted it when she escaped death nearly seventy years ago as the Babylonians ransacked Jerusalem and took their finest as captives. She thought she'd perfected in the many years amongst the Magoi and the idol worshippers, pretending with all the others in King Nebuchadnezzar's court. Now, as Daniel's wife and a septuagenarian matriarch, Belili thinks she's safe and she can live out her days in Babylonwithout fear—until the night Daniel is escorted to Belshazzar's palace to interpret mysterious handwriting on a wall. The Persian Army invades, and Bellili's tightly-wound secrets unfurl with the arrival of the conquering army. What will the reign of Darius mean for Daniel, a man who prays to Yahweh alone? Ultimately, Yahweh's sovereign hand guides Jerusalem's captives, and the frightened Hebrew girl is transformed into a confident woman, who realizes her need of the God who conquers both fire and lions.
Please give us the first page of the book. "King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles. . . . He gave orders to bring in the gold and silver goblets that Nebuchadnezzar . . . had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them. . . . As they drank the wine, . . . the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall."—Daniel 5:1–2, 4–5 Babylon October 539 BC I’d never seen a sesame seed grow until I came to Babylon almost seventy years ago.
At harvest time my husband, Daniel, looks to the tiny seed as cause for great celebration. How inconsequential is a miniscule seed? How incomprehensible its yield? How unbearable the process of growth? A seed is buried. It dies. Then sprouts. And grows. It blossoms. Dries and dies again to be plucked up and used for the purpose of its planting. My husband’s purpose in celebration was to mark the passing of years toward prophecy’s fulfillment—now just futile poetry. But it caused me to remember things I’d rather forget.
It was a day I dreaded all year long.
I picked up my polished-bronze mirror and tucked a stray tendril of gray curls beneath my new linen head scarf, noting in the reflection his fidgeting behind me. He always had trouble tying a jeweled belt, but his fingers seemed more trembly this morning. Was he nervous too?
I set aside my mirror and crossed the bedchamber, nudging his hands aside. “Let me do it.” Though both his hands and mine were spotted with age and lined with bulging blue veins, at least mine were still nimble.
He cradled my head and placed a kiss on my forehead. “Thank you, love. What would I do without you?”
I finished the knot and gazed into his rheumy eyes, as smitten as I’d been sixty-six years ago. “Let’s hope you never find out.” I laced my arm through his. “Let’s go downstairs. The children are waiting.”
He opened our chamber door, and lively family sounds floated up from the courtyard below. We descended the stairs slowly since Daniel’s feet pained him. Waiting in our lush green courtyard were three generations of our descendants seated around four long rectangular tables. Four daughters with their husbands. Twenty-one grandchildren. And thirty- two greats.
Two conscientious grandsons met their saba Daniel at the bottom of the steps, one supporting each elbow. I was left to follow—alone. The snubbing had begun.
“I’m fine,” he protested. “Tend to your savta.”
“But Ima said your feet have been paining you, Saba.” Our oldest daughter’s firstborn offered an obligatory nod at me. “Shalom, Savta.”
I returned the nod with a half smile but remained silent, refusing to mock the peace such a greeting offered. One glance at our oldest daughter, Kezia, assured me there would be no shalom today. She stole sullen glimpses at me while standing beside her husband, Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah’s exiles in Babylon. Our other three daughters stood arm in arm with their husbands, eyes trained on the abba they all adored.
How can readers find you on the Internet?Ways to Connect With MesuConnecting with readers is one of the greatest blessings I’ve found in this writing journey. I’d love to hear your suggestions, your opinions, or anything else you’d like to share!Please visit http://www.mesuandrews.com/to order free bookmarks, download Bible studies or group discussion questions. Facebook: Mesu AndrewsTwitter: MesuAndrewsPinterest: MesuAndrewsGoodreads: Mesu AndrewsInstagram: Mesu Andrews
Thank you, Mesu, for sharing this new book with my blog readers and me. Last weekend, my pastor started a sermon series on The Kings of Babylon. This book is very timely for me.
Readers, here are links to the book.
Of Fire and Lions: A Novel - Kindle[image error]
Of Fire and Lions: A Novel - Audio[image error]

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)
Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.
The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.
If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link:Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

WINNERS!!

IMPORTANT: Instructions for winners  - When you send me the email, make sure your subject line says this: Winner - (book title) - (author's name) If you don't do this, your email could get lost in my hundreds of emails per day. I WILL SEARCH FOR POST TITLES STARTING THAT WAY.

Tammy G (TX) is the winner of the book  Hair Calamities and Hot Cash   by Gail Collotta. 

Connie (KY) is the winner of Face in the Mirror   by Paula Mowry.

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.

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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.

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A TENDER HOPE - Amanda Cabot - One Free Book

Dear Readers, I have loved Amanda Cabot’s books for years, and I’m thrilled to feature
A Tender Hope on the blog. It’s a wonderful historical, romantic suspense novel. Her characters always leap from the pages straight into my heart bringing me into their stories. An what a story! Lots of suspense, romance, and surprises. I highly recommend this wonderful read. You’ll have a hard time putting it down.
Bio: Amanda Cabot’s dream of selling a book before her thirtieth birthday came true, and she’s now the author of more than thirty-five novels as well as eight novellas, four non-fiction books, and what she describes as enough technical articles to cure insomnia in a medium-sized city.  Her inspirational romances have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists, have garnered a starred review from Publishers Weekly, and have been nominated for the ACFW Carol, the HOLT Medallion, and the Booksellers Best awards. A popular workshop presenter, Amanda takes pleasure in helping other writers achieve their dreams of publication.
Welcome back, Amanda. How did you come up with the idea for this story?The initial impetus came from my readers. So many of them were intrigued by Thea, the heroine of Paper Roses’ little sister, and asked for her story that I kept thinking about their pleas to show them what happened to Thea when she was all grown up. At first, I was committed to writing other series, but when I started plotting the Cimarron Creek trilogy, I knew it was time to give Thea her own book.
I loved the fact that we went back to the characters from Paper Roses. If you were planning a party with Christian authors of contemporary fiction, what six people would you invite and why?Oh, what fun this would be. I’m already planning a dinner party where we talk about the changing face of contemporary Christian fiction and how each of my guests is impacting that. The authors I’d invite, in no particular order, are:Irene Hannon. Her Hope Harbor stories are guaranteed to make me smile when the characters reach their happily-ever-after.Liz Johnson. As a fan of Lucy Maud Montgomery, I fell in love with Liz’s books set on PEI and all the references she made to Maud and Anne of Green Gables.Suzanne Woods Fisher. I debated whether to put her on the list for the historical party or this one, since she writes both. Eventually I decided she’d be a great addition to the contemporary authors, since her wonderful Amish stories provide a contrast to the other guests’ books.Erin Bartels. Her debut novel, We Hope For Better Things, is one of the best books I’ve read in many years.Lynette Eason. When I’m looking for keep-me-awake-all-night suspense, Lynette’s my go-to author.Sandra Orchard. When I grow up, I want to write mysteries as well as Sandra does. In the meantime, I simply enjoy hers.
Now let’s do that for a party for Christian authors of historical fiction, what six people would you invite and why?We’re not going to have a dinner party this time. Instead, since we all write about “times gone by,” I’m going to serve high tea. Scones, crumpets, some decadent pastries, and six different kinds of tea. I hope my guests will enjoy the menu and the discussion of how we ensure historical accuracy while still telling stories that appeal to modern readers. My guests would be:Stephanie Grace Whitson. Her endless creativity never fails to amaze me, which is why I’ve loved each of Stephanie’s books.Karen Witemeyer. When I want to laugh a bit while I’m reading, I turn to Karen.Kim Vogel Sawyer. Kim and I’ve been in several novella collections together and have had a lot of fun with them. I know it would be even more fun to meet in person.Valerie Fraser Luesse. Missing Isaac was such a phenomenal book that I’d love to have its author at my party.Jane Kirkpatrick. I’m in awe of the way Jane turns true-life stories into such fascinating novels. Ann H. Gabhart. Whether she’s writing historical novels or contemporary mysteries, Ann never fails to deliver top-notch stories.
Many times, people (and other authors) think you have it made with so many books published. What is your most difficult problem with writing at this time in your career?My biggest challenge – I refuse to call it a problem, since that might lead to writer’s block – is making each story different from and better than the previous ones. I never want readers to say, “I’ve read that before” or “All Amanda’s characters are the same,” and so I agonize over each and every book I write.
Tell us about the featured book. A Tender Hope is the last of the Cimarron Creek trilogy, but like all of my books, it can be read as a standalone. One of my pet peeves are books where I feel lost if I read them out of sequence, so I’ve made a promise to my readers that I’ll never put them in that situation.
What's the story about? I'm always challenged to tell a story in only a couple sentences, but here's what I wrote as part of the proposal for this book:
  When a Texas Ranger comes to Cimarron Creek on a mission to capture the men who killed his brother, the last thing he expects is to find his heart touched by an abandoned baby and the widow who may hold the clues he needs.
As for the widow, she's Thea, the little sister from Paper Roses who captivated so many readers. Thea's all grown up now, and oh, does she need a happy ending. Unfortunately, when she leaves her home, trying to put the pain of the past behind her, she may have put her life in peril.
Back Cover Copy
As far as Thea Michener is concerned, it’s time for a change. With her husband murdered and her much-anticipated baby stillborn, there is nothing left for her in Ladreville. Having accepted a position as Cimarron Creek’s midwife, she has no intention of remarrying. So when a handsome Texas Ranger appears on her doorstep with an abandoned baby, Thea isn’t sure her heart can take it.
Ranger Jackson Guthrie isn’t concerned only with the baby’s welfare. He’s been looking for Thea, convinced that her late husband was part of the gang that killed his brother. But it soon becomes clear that the situation is far more complicated than he anticipated—and he’ll need Thea’s help if he’s ever to find the justice he seeks.

Please give us the first page of the book.August 8, 1881She was free.
Thea Michener smiled as she checked the harness, then climbed into the buggy. Within minutes, she would be leaving the only home she could remember. As much as she loved Ladreville, whose half-timbered buildings and Old-World charm made visitors declare it to be one of the prettiest towns in the Hill Country, it was time for a change.
While others might have trembled with fear over the thought of leaving family, friends, and all things familiar, the prospect filled Thea with relief. A new town, new possibilities, a new life beckoned her. A year ago she would not have dreamt of leaving, but that was a year ago. So much had changed in the past year, most of all Thea.
“But you haven’t changed, have you, Maggie?” Her smile widened into a grin as she looked at the bay mare that had carried her on countless journeys. The horse was the one part of her old life that she was taking with her, that and the tools of her trade. What she was leaving behind were the need for secrecy and the fear that someone would discover the truth she had tried so hard to hide.
How can readers find you on the Internet?I love to hear from readers and hope they’ll explore my webpage and follow me on social media. Here are the links:www.amandacabot.comhttps://www.facebook.com/amanda.j.cabothttps://twitter.com/AmandaJoyCabot/http://amandajoycabot.blogspot.com/
Thank you, Amanda for allowing me to introduce this story to my blog readers.
Buying Links Amazon Barnes & Noble Christian Book Distributors
Readers, leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book that will be given when there are at least 10 separate commenters. 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

BEAUTY IN HIDING - Robin Patchen - One Free Book

Welcome back, Robin. Why do you write the kind of books you do?
I write different genres—romance, suspense, and women’s fiction. Lately, I’ve been focusing on romantic suspense because I love to see how people react when they’re in danger. I consider myself to be a fairly calm person, but the few times I’ve been in dangerous situations (or situations I’ve thought might be dangerous) I haven’t handled it well. For instance, once when we first moved into our house, a glass shelf on our built-in wet bar fell onto the tile countertop beneath it, shattering the shelf and all the glassware we’d stored there. We were in bed, and I was still awake when I heard what sounded like a window smashing. My husband was awakened by me repeatedly slapping him on the arm saying, “Eddie, Eddie, Eddie, Eddie…” in a loud and embarrassingly high-pitched voice. I’m not exactly Cool Hand Luke in a crisis. It’s funny because there’s never been any real danger. But it wouldn't be funny if I were in a truly perilous situation. Perhaps I like writing suspense to see how a person should react to danger. Maybe, if I keep writing strong heroes and heroines, I’ll eventually learn to be like them.
Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life? This is a hard question. The big days—my wedding, the births of my children—were very emotional, but not completely happy, because there was so much going on. They were stressful days, scary days in some ways. Probably, my happiest days have been those spent on vacation with the people I love. For instance, my family vacationed last summer in the Colorado Springs area. We were all there, even my son who lives in Hawaii. The day we went white water rafting stands out as one of the happiest of my life.
Sounds exciting, but I’d never do it. How has being published changed your life? I spent the first forty years of my life trying to figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up. When I turned forty, I started writing my first novel and finally discovered what I was born to do. (At least that’s how it felt.) The book was terrible, as first novels tend to be. (You gave me my first critique ever, as a matter of fact. You were very gentle with this novice.) But I’d fallen in love with writing, so I kept at it, kept learning, kept trying until finally, a few years later, I was offered my first writing contract. It changed my life because it showed me that, indeed, I could do this writing thing. Now, I’m a full-time writer and freelance editor. A little more than a decade ago, I never dreamed where God would take me.
I’m blessed that God allowed me to have a small part in that. What are you reading right now? I just finished Becky Wade’s True to You, Falling for You, and Then Came You. I’m eagerly (impatiently) awaiting Sweet on You.
I’ve often said I’d like to write like Becky Wade when I grow up. What is your current work in progress? I’m working on a book that’s tentatively titled Legacy Rejected. It’s about a woman whose mother sent her away right after her father was killed. When her house is broken into, she discovers her parents are money launderers, and the criminals they used to work with are after something they think the heroine has. I hope I’ll be able to explain it better when I know the story better myself.

What would be your dream vacation? I’d love to go around the world. We’d start by visiting my son in Hawaiiand seeing the islands. Then we’d head to the Far East, the Himalayas, Israel, Egypt, Africa, Europe… Oh, I forgot Australia and New Zealand. We’d have to fit those in there. And of course South America, too. I pretty much want to go everywhere in the world… twice.
How do you choose your settings for each book? Most of my books are set in New Hampshire, which is where I grew up. Since I now live in Oklahoma, I like writing about New Hampshire. It reminds me of home.
On Saturday, my younger granddaughter got engaged to a man from New Hampshire. If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why? Hmm, hard question. Right now, I’d say Loren Cunningham, the man who founded Youth With a Mission. I’d love to hear the stories of all the places he’s been and all the ways he’s seen the Lord work around the world.
We have several friends who have been YWAM missionaries, and some of their stories are amazing and miraculous. What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading? I love to travel, and I love to ski, but I don't get to do either of those very often. I’m not sure you can call it a hobby, but I love to hang out with friends—coffee, lunch, shopping. I'm always up for spending time with friends.
What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it? I don’t think I’m a very good plotter. I dive into my books and can’t figure out how to get back out. With every book, I write an outline, and I think I’m getting better at it, but it’s definitely my biggest issue.
What advice would you give to a beginning author? If you’re really just starting out, write your first book and don’t worry about all the stuff you’re doing wrong. Just write until you get to the magical words, The End. If you enjoy that process, then start learning how to write better. I find that people who know too much about what they need to learn going in often never finish their books. They can be paralyzed by all those rules. We learn by doing, though, so it’s crucial that people who want to write do so often. I also think that people who don’t enjoy the process when they don’t know all the stuff they’re doing wrong are likely going to hate it when they start learning. It’s too hard to do if you don't love it.
Tell us about the featured book. Beauty in Hiding is book two in a three-book linked series. Here’s the blurb:
Harper’s second chance at life will become a second stint in prison if anyone connects her to those two dead men. 
Nutfield, New Hampshire, is as good a place as any to hide from the murderer Harper left behind in Maryland. All she has to do is lie low and make enough money to keep herself and Red alive until she can figure out who her enemies are. 
Jack Rossi is mystified by his beautiful new tenant and her confused grandfather. Something's not right, but the love he sees between them and the care she takes of the old man convinces Jack they're trustworthy. As drawn as he is to Harper, she’s his tenant, so she’s off limits.
Derrick, Harper's ex-boyfriend and Red’s grandson, needs to find his grandfather and get his hands on the old man’s money before Derrick ends up with a bullet in the skull. And when he gets his hands on Harper, she’ll be sorry for what she’s put him through.  
Harper and Jack grow closer, but so do her enemies. If the truth comes out, she may lose her freedom—or her life.
Please give us the first page of the book.Of course it was raining.
And not merely raining. Harper had been white-knuckling the steering wheel of her used VW Jetta through an absolute deluge since Rhode Island. Visibility had been practically nonexistent on the interstate. After she’d exited onto the state highway that brought her to Nutfield, thanks to the lack of street lights, visibility had been no farther than a few feet in front of her car.
The constant swish-swish of the wipers was the only sound as she stopped at a T in the road. The area was deserted. Maybe that was normal in a little town for a Monday night at eight-thirty. She had no idea. She’d never lived anywhere this far off the beaten path.
She consulted her phone to check the map, but her navigation software was trying—and failing—to figure out where she was. Shocking that a fifty-dollar pay-as-you-go phone from the convenience store didn’t work properly.
Fortunately, she’d studied the map enough at the last stop that she sort of knew where she was going. Sort of.
She glanced at Red, the elderly man in her care. His eyes were wide with worry, and she didn’t blame him. He’d had a very difficult few days. Both of them had, but they’d survived this long. She’d keep Red safe if it killed her.
Which it very well might.
Interesting! How can readers find you on the Internet?
Links to Beauty in Hiding : Amazon: https://www.amzn.com/B07M75ZDKJUniversal Link: https://books2read.com/u/m2vpWd
My profiles: Website: http://robinpatchen.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/RobinPatchen/BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/robin-patchenGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5187882.Robin_PatchenAmazon: https://www.amazon.com/Robin-Patchen/e/B00A289790/
Thank you, Robin, for sharing this suspense novel with my blog readers and me. I’m eager to read it.
Readers, leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)
Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.
The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.
If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link:Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

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.

Janice (OK) is the winner of the book  The Secret of Willow Inn   by Pat Nichols. 

Alicia (TX) is the winner of  The Long Way Home   by June Foster.

If you won a book and you like it, please consider giving the author the courtesy of writing a review on Goodreads, Amazon.com, Christianbooks.com, Barnes and Noble, or other Internet sites. Reviews are such a blessing to an author.

Also, tell your friends about the book you won ... and this blog. Thank you.

Congratulations, everyone. If you won a print book, send me your mailing address:
Click the Contact Me link at the top of the blog, and send me an Email.

If you won an ebook or audio book, just let me know what email address it should be sent to.Remember, you have 4 weeks to claim your book.

FACE IN THE MIRROR - Paula Mowery - One Free Ebook

Welcome back, Paula. Why do you write the kind of books you do?My mother worked at a Christian bookstore, so I grew up reading Christian fiction. I write what I have always loved to read. Also, I like including a Christian worldview into my books.
Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?Wow, there’s a tie between the day I married my high school sweetheart and the day my daughter was born.
How has being published changed your life?Being published has allowed me to share my faith with people I never would have connected with otherwise. It’s a good feeling to encourage people in their faith or lead them to a relationship with Jesus.
What are you reading right now?I’m finishing up A Simple Amish Christmas by Vannetta Chapman. Soon I will start Christy Barritt’s, On The Lookout.
What is your current work in progress?With the demands of my full-time job right now, I haven’t worked on any writing projects, though I have three in various stages of creation.
What would be your dream vacation?My dream vacation would include staying in a treehouse in a remote location with access to water (ocean or lake either one).
Sounds like fun. How do you choose your settings for each book?The settings for my books are normally places I have lived or experienced. They say to write what you know, so I take that literally when it comes to my settings.
If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?I would love to spend an evening with a Deaf professor from Gallaudet University. I would pick her brain for information on my next book which includes a Deaf character.
My youngest granddaughter will graduate in May with an Associates Degree in Deaf Education and will be a certified Deaf Interpreter. We’re very familiar with all that. What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?Being a pastor’s wife and a full-time educational interpreter, reading for fun is usually the only hobby I can fit in. I do teach a sign class and enjoy preparing and teaching it. It isn’t like work. It’s more like a fun hobby.
What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?My most difficult writing obstacle is finding time to write with my crazy busy life!
What advice would you give to a beginning author?To aspiring authors I’ve always advised them to read, write, study writing, and repeat. As writers, we never “arrive.” There’s always more to learn.
Tell us about the featured book. Face in the Mirror is a sequel to For Our Good, which was my first attempt at adding suspense to my romance writing. As I finished Charlie and Colton’s story in For Our Good, it didn’t really seem done. The spark came for another story. Face in the Mirror gives more of Charlie and Colton’s story as well as introducing another couple. One of the characters is an interpreter for the Deaf which mirrors my current job.
Please give us the first page of the book.Sydney Russell strolled out onto the tarmac of the private airplane terminal in Knoxville, Tennessee. Mitch zipped by on the refueling truck and waved in her direction. She returned the greeting and continued to make her way toward her mother. Raised voices stopped her. Her mother wasn’t alone. The dark-haired and equally as dark-skinned man peeked from the other side of her mother and glared at her. Despite the comfortable sunny April day, she shivered. 
Mom glimpsed over her shoulder and her eyes bulged at connecting with her gaze. She flipped back toward the man and shoved some kind of package back into his hands. Though the man called after her, she practically sprinted to Sydney. Not stopping, she grabbed her daughter’s arm and pulled her into the airport terminal lobby.
She let out a deep breath and flashed a weak smile at Sydney. “Hi, honey. Sorry I wasn’t quite ready. Now we can go for that lunch.”
Sydneymassaged her arm. Her mother’s rough grasp seemed to almost bruise. “Mom, what’s wrong? You’re trembling.”
Her mother scanned the lobby. “Let’s go. I’ll tell you during lunch. Not here.” Sydneyfollowed her mom to the car and sat in silence during the short drive across the street to the…
How can readers find you on the Internet?www.paulamowery.blogspot.comThis blog has other links for Facebook.
Thank you, Paula, for sharing this new book with us. I’m eager to read it.
Readers, here is a link to the book.Face in the Mirror[image error]

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