K. Dawn Byrd's Blog, page 53

Register to win "This Time for Keeps," a novel about second chances...

It's happy release day for me! This Time for Keeps, my novel about second chances released today. For your chance to win a gift card for a free download, please leave a comment at the end of this post. For a second chance to win, leave a comment on my other blog at http://www.zoe-mack.blogspot.com/

Have you ever wondered what would have happened if you'd married your first love?

India McGuire's peaceful life is shattered when on the night of her engagement to David Richards, she comes face to face with Chase Porter, a long lost love. India must come to terms with her overpowering feelings for Chase and choose between David, the neighbor who says he loves her, and Chase, the man who broke her heart.


Chase's plans of leaving quietly turn to disaster when he finds that it's impossible to disappear without seeing India one last time. Feelings begin to surface that he believed buried forever and he finds himself fighting to win her back even as David struggles to hold onto her.

India longs to follow her heart, but she's been hurt too deeply. Who will she choose? The neighbor who can provide stability or the man she vowed to love forever who may once again heed to the call of the open road?

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/This-Time-for-Keeps-ebook/dp/B005VKMQUG/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1318690937&sr=1-2
Desert Breeze: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-218/This-Time-For-Keeps/Detail.bok
B & N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/this-time-for-keeps-k-dawn-byrd/1103372329

Coming soon to christianbook.com and other ebook outlets.

Robert Wilson's "The Poison of Thorns: The Dragon's Back #1"

Title: "THE POISON OF THORNS: The Dragon's Back #1"
Cover blurb:  "The Poison of Thorns [The Dragon's Back #1]" unfolds as an intriguing and action-packed Christian Fantasy with bards, dragons, swords, and mysterious black-robed villains lurking in the shadows.

Ten long years after the mysterious murder of their parents, two brothers have just been freed from incarceration in a prison-like orphanage. Against their wills they are torn apart and launched into separate quests against conflicting and dangerous forces. Independently they struggle to learn the truth and to resolve the unanswered cries for vengeance that have long consumed their lives with the poisoned thorns of unresolved bitterness. Finding themselves pitted against a strange and hostile world, overwhelmed with many questions; it becomes their individual obsessions to find the answers and rescue each other.

Why were they locked away in that out-of-the way orphanage for ten long years, when they had living kin who would gladly have claimed them? Who are the sinister black-robed "Dragonmen" and what is their hidden agenda. And why are these blackrobes so interested in the two teenaged brothers that they would mobilize all of their considerable resources to possess them?

What is the significance of the shape of their isolated continent? Is it true that it appears to be a gigantic Dragon floating above the endless depths? What about the rumors that man-sized, almost invisible dragons are stalking their nights?

And finally, who are the mysterious followers of the mythical Gryphon? Why do they alone, of all the diverse peoples of Dragonsback, have the ability to swim in the dark bottomless waters that surround their land? And most importantly, is the mysterious Swimmer who took part in the deaths of the boys' parents still available… for retribution?

1) How did this story come to you?
The story arose from a very dark time in the life of my family, when a supposed "Christian Leader" destroyed a fledgling ministry that we had thought was God's will for our lives. Many months of depression and bitterness followed this event, until a wise Christian lady led each member of my family though Dr. Neil Anderson's "The Bondage Breaker". She showed us the destructive spiritual warfare nature of bitterness in the lives of believers and we each gained victory. The concept behind the story [a thorn-wielding society living on the back of a land shaped like a dragon] actually was given to me after that by my eldest son, Joshua. He and I then brain-stormed to flesh out the rules for this fantasy land and I began writing.

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
I had been to multiple Christian Writers' Conferences [winning some awards] and submitted manuscripts to multiple agents and publishers, without any favorable response. I actually started writing decades ago and was sitting on two completed novels, each in a different series. "The Poison of Thorns" is actually the second novel that I have self-published: the prior one I had published less than a month before is an apocalyptic Sci-Fi novel dealing with intense Spiritual Warfare subjects. I had thought I had a Christian publisher all lined up for that first novel, when they suddenly backed out. I am the proud owner of a Nook e-reader and I received at that time an email from B&N telling me that they had opened up e-publishing though their online Pubit! service. I also found out that Amazon's CreateSpace would allow me to create POD paperbacks. So I contacted a Christian artist I had met online about doing my covers and quickly formatted and submitted first the Sci-Fi novel, then, less than two weeks later, "The Poison of Thorns".

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
a) I telecommute as a programmer from my home in FL for an international company located in CA.
b) I am a singer-songwriter who has written around 100 songs [mostly Scripture songs].
c) I am an accomplished scroll saw artist, specializing in elaborate and life-like 3-D wooden artwork.

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
I am working on the final edit of the second novel in the Dragonsback Trilogy and hope to have it published within the next month. Once that is done, I will step back and decide if I want to finish the Trilogy or switch back to my "Earth – The Arena" Sci-Fi series [Book 1, "THE PLAYERS" is already published and the second book in the series is about 1/3 done.]

5) Parting comments?
Thank you, Dawn, for all you do to promote good Christian writing!

6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
My Web Page: http://www.robtdwilson.com/  [under the "Novels" tab]
My Blog: http://robtdwilson.wordpress.com/
FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/RobertDennisWilson

Register to win Robert Wilson's "The Poison of Thorns: The Dragon's Back #1"

There are four giveaways this week. Be sure to scroll down and check them all out! We're happy to have Robert Dennis Wilson with us today talking about his book, "The Poison of Thorns: The Dragon's Back #1." To register to win a copy, leave Robert a comment with your email address and if you've not done so, place your email address in my feedburner box to the right to receive weekly emails about giveaways. To learn more about Robert and his book, read on!

Title: "THE POISON OF THORNS: The Dragon's Back #1"
Cover blurb:  "The Poison of Thorns [The Dragon's Back #1]" unfolds as an intriguing and action-packed Christian Fantasy with bards, dragons, swords, and mysterious black-robed villains lurking in the shadows.

Ten long years after the mysterious murder of their parents, two brothers have just been freed from incarceration in a prison-like orphanage. Against their wills they are torn apart and launched into separate quests against conflicting and dangerous forces. Independently they struggle to learn the truth and to resolve the unanswered cries for vengeance that have long consumed their lives with the poisoned thorns of unresolved bitterness. Finding themselves pitted against a strange and hostile world, overwhelmed with many questions; it becomes their individual obsessions to find the answers and rescue each other.

Why were they locked away in that out-of-the way orphanage for ten long years, when they had living kin who would gladly have claimed them? Who are the sinister black-robed "Dragonmen" and what is their hidden agenda. And why are these blackrobes so interested in the two teenaged brothers that they would mobilize all of their considerable resources to possess them?

What is the significance of the shape of their isolated continent? Is it true that it appears to be a gigantic Dragon floating above the endless depths? What about the rumors that man-sized, almost invisible dragons are stalking their nights?

And finally, who are the mysterious followers of the mythical Gryphon? Why do they alone, of all the diverse peoples of Dragonsback, have the ability to swim in the dark bottomless waters that surround their land? And most importantly, is the mysterious Swimmer who took part in the deaths of the boys' parents still available… for retribution?

1) How did this story come to you?
The story arose from a very dark time in the life of my family, when a supposed "Christian Leader" destroyed a fledgling ministry that we had thought was God's will for our lives. Many months of depression and bitterness followed this event, until a wise Christian lady led each member of my family though Dr. Neil Anderson's "The Bondage Breaker". She showed us the destructive spiritual warfare nature of bitterness in the lives of believers and we each gained victory. The concept behind the story [a thorn-wielding society living on the back of a land shaped like a dragon] actually was given to me after that by my eldest son, Joshua. He and I then brain-stormed to flesh out the rules for this fantasy land and I began writing.

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
I had been to multiple Christian Writers' Conferences [winning some awards] and submitted manuscripts to multiple agents and publishers, without any favorable response. I actually started writing decades ago and was sitting on two completed novels, each in a different series. "The Poison of Thorns" is actually the second novel that I have self-published: the prior one I had published less than a month before is an apocalyptic Sci-Fi novel dealing with intense Spiritual Warfare subjects. I had thought I had a Christian publisher all lined up for that first novel, when they suddenly backed out. I am the proud owner of a Nook e-reader and I received at that time an email from B&N telling me that they had opened up e-publishing though their online Pubit! service. I also found out that Amazon's CreateSpace would allow me to create POD paperbacks. So I contacted a Christian artist I had met online about doing my covers and quickly formatted and submitted first the Sci-Fi novel, then, less than two weeks later, "The Poison of Thorns".

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
a) I telecommute as a programmer from my home in FL for an international company located in CA.
b) I am a singer-songwriter who has written around 100 songs [mostly Scripture songs].
c) I am an accomplished scroll saw artist, specializing in elaborate and life-like 3-D wooden artwork.

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
I am working on the final edit of the second novel in the Dragonsback Trilogy and hope to have it published within the next month. Once that is done, I will step back and decide if I want to finish the Trilogy or switch back to my "Earth – The Arena" Sci-Fi series [Book 1, "THE PLAYERS" is already published and the second book in the series is about 1/3 done.]

5) Parting comments?
Thank you, Dawn, for all you do to promote good Christian writing!

6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
My Web Page: http://www.robtdwilson.com/  [under the "Novels" tab]
My Blog: http://robtdwilson.wordpress.com/
FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/RobertDennisWilson

Jennifer Hudson Taylor's "Highland Sanctuary"

Title: Highland Sanctuay
Publisher: Abingdon Press is the publisher

Cover blurb: Caithness, Scotland (1477) Gavin MacKenzie is hired to restore the ancient Castle of Braigh. He discovers a hidden village of outcasts that have created their own private sanctuary from the world. Among them is Serena Boyd, a mysterious and comely lass who captures Gavin's heart. The villagers have an intriguing secret, while Serena harbors a deadly past that could destroy her future. When a fierce enemy launches an attack against them, greed leads to bitter betrayal. As Gavin prepares a defense, the villagers unite in a bold act of faith, showing how God's love is more powerful than any human force on earth.

1) How did this story come to you?
I've always loved historical romances set in Scotland. The highlands have always fascinated me and since so many of my ancestors were Scots-Irish, I wanted to write about that setting. When my daughter was born with a seizure disorder and we were surrounded by hospital staff, had access to medications, and support, I began to wonder what it would have been like for a family in 15th century Scotland.

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
I first pitched it to my editor at the ACFW Minneapolis Conference. I knew she was considering my debut novel at the time and wanted to tell her about the sequel. At that time she wasn't interested, but after my debut novel came out, she asked if I had any other Scottish historicals. I pitched it again and the second time they made an offer on it. So a "no" isn't always a permanent "no".

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
1) I am a workaholic. I have a full-time job, then I come home and write til late at night.
2) I have become a coffee-holic in the last few years. My husband's family have always been huge coffee drinkers, I guess they finally got to me.
3) My dream is to go to Scotland. Although my books are set in Scotland, I've never been fortunate enough to actually go.

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
I'm working on a Quaker historical set in the heart of Piedmont North Carolina in 1858, called A Path of Promise.

5) Parting comments?
No matter what your dreams or goals in life are, never give up, persevere and continue to press through.

6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
http://www.jenniferhudsontaylor.com/
www.facebook.com/jenniferhudsontaylor
www.twitter.com/jt4novels

Susan Meissner's "A Sound Among the Trees"

Title: A Sound Among the Trees
Publisher: WaterBrook Multnomah

Cover blurb:
On a historic Fredericksburg street, Holly Oak stands in quiet elegance. The cannonball wedged between stone and timber is a silent reminder of what the house endured in the Civil War. When Marielle Bishop marries into the family and is transplanted from the arid west to her husband's home, she's soon led to believe that the house brings misfortune to the women who live there.

As a young bride, Susannah Page was rumored to be a Civil War spy for the North, a traitor to her Virginian roots. Her great-granddaughter Adelaide, the current matriarch of Holly Oak, doesn't believe that Susannah's ghost haunts the mansion, but that the house itself bears a grudge toward its tragic past. As Marielle struggles to fit into her new role as wife and stepmother, unsettled by the strange sense of sorrow she feels inside Holly Oak's walls, she must uncover the truth about Susannah, and reconcile her belief that it is people—not houses—that hang on to the past. History can't be undone, but truth uncovered can set the women of Holly Oak free.

1. How did this story come to you?
I'm not a fan of war, but I am drawn to any backdrop of human drama where the stakes are high, courage and sacrifice go hand-in-hand, and relationships are refined by fire. You see that in spades with the Civil War. I've watched Ken Burns' The Civil War on PBS several times over the course of my adult life; it moves me every time I see it. The backdrop of the Civil War is a proving ground for sacrificial love in the historical part of this novel. In the contemporary part, it is the hold the house seems to have on the past that is the proving ground for the people who now live in it.

2. Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
I pitched this idea verbally to my editor over the phone. I wanted it feel almost like a ghost story. I knew it wouldn't actually be about a haunted house, but I very much wanted the characters and the house to be gripped by events in the past that changed them. I am grateful to WaterBrook Multnomah for giving me the green light to pursue this with just the idea and basic premise in hand.

3. Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
First, I've never had to deal with any of the tragic life events I put my characters through! Whenever I write about a dysfunctional family I always feel the need to mention that. I have a great family; wonderful parents, a loving soul-mate and kids I am so proud of. I am so incredibly thankful for the people in my life. Secondly, I really do not like mayonnaise. Or black licorice. Thirdly, I am finding that the more I write, the harder it gets. I seriously thought the more you did something the easier it became. Not so with writing novels. I think it's because I raise the bar each time I start a new book but I start at the same place each time: on blank page with a whole lot of nothing staring back at me.

4. What are you working on now and what's next for you?
I am putting the finishing touches on a book called The Girl in the Glass which will release this time next year. This book is set partially in Southern California and partially in Florence, Italy. My main character heads to Florence for some complicated reasons and while there she becomes friends with a woman who claims she is the last Medici and that she can hear Florence's amazing statues and paintings talking to her. . .

5. Parting comments?
Thanks so much for having me! I love, love, love spending time talking about books and writing.

6. Where can fans find you on the internet?
You can find me at http://www.susanmeissner.com/ and on Facebook at my Author page, Susan Meissner, and on Twitter at SusanMeissner. I blog at http://www.susanmeissner.blogspot.com/. I also send out a newsletter via email four times a year. You can sign up for it on my website. I love connecting with readers! You are the reason I write.

Register to win Susan Meissner's "A Sound Among the Trees"

There are four giveaways this week. Be sure to scroll down and check them all out! We're happy to have Susan Meissner with us today talking about her book, "A Sound Among the Trees." To register to win a copy, leave Susan a comment with your email address and if you've not done so, place your email address in my feedburner box to the right to receive weekly emails about giveaways. To learn more about Susan and her book, read on!

Title: A Sound Among the Trees
Publisher: WaterBrook Multnomah

Cover blurb:
On a historic Fredericksburg street, Holly Oak stands in quiet elegance. The cannonball wedged between stone and timber is a silent reminder of what the house endured in the Civil War. When Marielle Bishop marries into the family and is transplanted from the arid west to her husband's home, she's soon led to believe that the house brings misfortune to the women who live there.

As a young bride, Susannah Page was rumored to be a Civil War spy for the North, a traitor to her Virginian roots. Her great-granddaughter Adelaide, the current matriarch of Holly Oak, doesn't believe that Susannah's ghost haunts the mansion, but that the house itself bears a grudge toward its tragic past. As Marielle struggles to fit into her new role as wife and stepmother, unsettled by the strange sense of sorrow she feels inside Holly Oak's walls, she must uncover the truth about Susannah, and reconcile her belief that it is people—not houses—that hang on to the past. History can't be undone, but truth uncovered can set the women of Holly Oak free.

1. How did this story come to you?
I'm not a fan of war, but I am drawn to any backdrop of human drama where the stakes are high, courage and sacrifice go hand-in-hand, and relationships are refined by fire. You see that in spades with the Civil War. I've watched Ken Burns' The Civil War on PBS several times over the course of my adult life; it moves me every time I see it. The backdrop of the Civil War is a proving ground for sacrificial love in the historical part of this novel. In the contemporary part, it is the hold the house seems to have on the past that is the proving ground for the people who now live in it.

2. Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
I pitched this idea verbally to my editor over the phone. I wanted it feel almost like a ghost story. I knew it wouldn't actually be about a haunted house, but I very much wanted the characters and the house to be gripped by events in the past that changed them. I am grateful to WaterBrook Multnomah for giving me the green light to pursue this with just the idea and basic premise in hand.

3. Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
First, I've never had to deal with any of the tragic life events I put my characters through! Whenever I write about a dysfunctional family I always feel the need to mention that. I have a great family; wonderful parents, a loving soul-mate and kids I am so proud of. I am so incredibly thankful for the people in my life. Secondly, I really do not like mayonnaise. Or black licorice. Thirdly, I am finding that the more I write, the harder it gets. I seriously thought the more you did something the easier it became. Not so with writing novels. I think it's because I raise the bar each time I start a new book but I start at the same place each time: on blank page with a whole lot of nothing staring back at me.

4. What are you working on now and what's next for you?
I am putting the finishing touches on a book called The Girl in the Glass which will release this time next year. This book is set partially in Southern California and partially in Florence, Italy. My main character heads to Florence for some complicated reasons and while there she becomes friends with a woman who claims she is the last Medici and that she can hear Florence's amazing statues and paintings talking to her. . .

5. Parting comments?
Thanks so much for having me! I love, love, love spending time talking about books and writing.

6. Where can fans find you on the internet?
You can find me at http://www.susanmeissner.com/ and on Facebook at my Author page, Susan Meissner, and on Twitter at SusanMeissner. I blog at http://www.susanmeissner.blogspot.com/. I also send out a newsletter via email four times a year. You can sign up for it on my website. I love connecting with readers! You are the reason I write.

Register to win Jennifer Hudson Taylor's "Highland Sanctuary"

There are four giveaways this week. Be sure to scroll down and check them all out! We're happy to have Jennifer Hudson Taylor with us today talking about her book, "Highland Sanctuary." To register to win a copy, leave Jennifer a comment with your email address and if you've not done so, place your email address in my feedburner box to the right to receive weekly emails about giveaways. To learn more about Jennifer and her book, read on!

Title: Highland Sanctuay
Publisher: Abingdon Press is the publisher

Cover blurb: Caithness, Scotland (1477) Gavin MacKenzie is hired to restore the ancient Castle of Braigh. He discovers a hidden village of outcasts that have created their own private sanctuary from the world. Among them is Serena Boyd, a mysterious and comely lass who captures Gavin's heart. The villagers have an intriguing secret, while Serena harbors a deadly past that could destroy her future. When a fierce enemy launches an attack against them, greed leads to bitter betrayal. As Gavin prepares a defense, the villagers unite in a bold act of faith, showing how God's love is more powerful than any human force on earth.

1) How did this story come to you?
I've always loved historical romances set in Scotland. The highlands have always fascinated me and since so many of my ancestors were Scots-Irish, I wanted to write about that setting. When my daughter was born with a seizure disorder and we were surrounded by hospital staff, had access to medications, and support, I began to wonder what it would have been like for a family in 15th century Scotland.

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
I first pitched it to my editor at the ACFW Minneapolis Conference. I knew she was considering my debut novel at the time and wanted to tell her about the sequel. At that time she wasn't interested, but after my debut novel came out, she asked if I had any other Scottish historicals. I pitched it again and the second time they made an offer on it. So a "no" isn't always a permanent "no".

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
1) I am a workaholic. I have a full-time job, then I come home and write til late at night.
2) I have become a coffee-holic in the last few years. My husband's family have always been huge coffee drinkers, I guess they finally got to me.
3) My dream is to go to Scotland. Although my books are set in Scotland, I've never been fortunate enough to actually go.

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
I'm working on a Quaker historical set in the heart of Piedmont North Carolina in 1858, called A Path of Promise.

5) Parting comments?
No matter what your dreams or goals in life are, never give up, persevere and continue to press through.

6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
http://www.jenniferhudsontaylor.com/
www.facebook.com/jenniferhudsontaylor
www.twitter.com/jt4novels

Lillian Duncan's "Pursued"

Title: PURSUED
Publisher: White Rose Publishing

Cover blurb: Reggie Meyers has spent her life pursing the American Dream, but now she's the one being pursued— by an unknown killer. Putting her trust in Dylan Monroe, a man she barely knows, will either be the best decision she ever made or the last.

Reggie's a big city lawyer and Dylan's a country farmer. In the normal course of events, their lives would never intersect but some accidents just aren't meant to be avoided. When Reggie crashes into Dylan, it makes a bad day even worse or so she thinks. Dylan, on the other hand, is intrigued by the feisty lady lawyer and wrangles a way to spend a bit more time with her by offering to drive her home after the accident. And so the journey that will change both their lives begins...

1) How did this story come to you?
I wanted to write a story that showed the different mindsets of "city folks" and "country folks." To put a twist on it, I wanted the heroine to be the high-powered ambitious attorney and the hero to be the "simple farmer."

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
I submitted to White Rose Publishing because I wanted a publisher with experience in both ebooks and print books. It seemed like a good fit. They gave me some wonderful feedback which I listened to and revised the book. I was absolutely delighted when White Rose Publishing accepted the book and offered me a contract.

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
1) I'm hooked on TV crime shows with my favorite being NCIS and Criminal Minds a close second.
2) I used to love to cook, but now I'm spoiled because my husband is a wonderful cook! On the rare occasion when he asks me to fix dinner, I stand in the kitchen and wonder what I should do!
3) I'm very short—4'8". It can be difficult at times, especially when I need something off the top shelf. But most people never forget me because of my height—and that's a very good thing!!

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
I'm working on revisions of my new book, DECEPTION, to be published this fall. DECEPTION is the story of a set of estranged twins. When a niece she knows nothing about calls, Patti must unravel the truth of her sister's disappearance. I'm also working on a sequel to PURSUED.

5) Parting comments?
Thanks so much for inviting me to your blog. If there are any would-be writers out there, I have three pieces of advice. First is never to give up, if it happened for me then it can happen for you. And the second thing is if you are serious about writing, join American Christian Fiction Writers. And the third thing is, never give up!!

6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
My website is: http://www.lillianduncan.net/ and my blog is: http://www.lillianduncan.wordpress.com/

Register to win Lillian Duncan's "Pursued"

There are four giveaways this week. Be sure to scroll down and check them all out! We're happy to have Lillian Duncan with us today talking about her book, "Pursued." To register to win a copy, leave Lillian a comment with your email address and if you've not done so, place your email address in my feedburner box to the right to receive weekly emails about giveaways. To learn more about Lillian and her book, read on!

Title: PURSUED
Publisher: White Rose Publishing

Cover blurb: Reggie Meyers has spent her life pursing the American Dream, but now she's the one being pursued— by an unknown killer. Putting her trust in Dylan Monroe, a man she barely knows, will either be the best decision she ever made or the last.

Reggie's a big city lawyer and Dylan's a country farmer. In the normal course of events, their lives would never intersect but some accidents just aren't meant to be avoided. When Reggie crashes into Dylan, it makes a bad day even worse or so she thinks. Dylan, on the other hand, is intrigued by the feisty lady lawyer and wrangles a way to spend a bit more time with her by offering to drive her home after the accident. And so the journey that will change both their lives begins...

1) How did this story come to you?
I wanted to write a story that showed the different mindsets of "city folks" and "country folks." To put a twist on it, I wanted the heroine to be the high-powered ambitious attorney and the hero to be the "simple farmer."

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
I submitted to White Rose Publishing because I wanted a publisher with experience in both ebooks and print books. It seemed like a good fit. They gave me some wonderful feedback which I listened to and revised the book. I was absolutely delighted when White Rose Publishing accepted the book and offered me a contract.

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
1) I'm hooked on TV crime shows with my favorite being NCIS and Criminal Minds a close second.
2) I used to love to cook, but now I'm spoiled because my husband is a wonderful cook! On the rare occasion when he asks me to fix dinner, I stand in the kitchen and wonder what I should do!
3) I'm very short—4'8". It can be difficult at times, especially when I need something off the top shelf. But most people never forget me because of my height—and that's a very good thing!!

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
I'm working on revisions of my new book, DECEPTION, to be published this fall. DECEPTION is the story of a set of estranged twins. When a niece she knows nothing about calls, Patti must unravel the truth of her sister's disappearance. I'm also working on a sequel to PURSUED.

5) Parting comments?
Thanks so much for inviting me to your blog. If there are any would-be writers out there, I have three pieces of advice. First is never to give up, if it happened for me then it can happen for you. And the second thing is if you are serious about writing, join American Christian Fiction Writers. And the third thing is, never give up!!

6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
My website is: http://www.lillianduncan.net/ and my blog is: http://www.lillianduncan.wordpress.com/

Lena Nelson Dooley's "Christmas Love in Lake Tahoe"

Title: Maggie's Journey
Publisher: Realms, a fiction imprint from Charisma House

Cover blurb:
A girl who's been lied to her whole life…
Near her eighteenth birthday, Margaret Lenora Caine finds a chest hidden in the attic containing proof that she was adopted. The daughter of wealthy merchants in Seattle, she feels betrayed both by her real parents and by the ones who raised her.

Maggie desires a place where she belongs. But her mother's constant criticism and reminders that she doesn't fit the mold of a young woman of their social standing have already created tension in their home. With the discovery of the family secret, all sense of her identity is lost.

When Maggie asks to visit her grandmother in Arkansas, her father agrees on the condition that she take her Aunt Georgia as a chaperone and his young partner, Charles Stanton, as protection on the journey. Will she discover who she really is and, more importantly, what truly matters most in life?

1) How did this story come to you?
This story had been percolating in my brain and heart for several years. It's book one in my McKenna's Daughters series about identical triplets separated at birth.

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
Several years ago, when Tracie Peterson was the acquisitions editor for Heartsong, she was interested in the series, but she left the company to concentrate on her own writing before it was contracted.

In the intervening time, my agent Joyce Hart has sent it to several editors. At least three of them were very interested, but the series didn't make it through committee. Then in 2010, she sent it to Strang/Realms, which later became Charisma House, and they bought the series very quickly.

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
For the first 20 years of my life, I was painfully shy.
I wear a brace on my left leg.
I wasn't a redhead, but I became one as soon as I could.

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
Book 2 of McKenna's Daughters, Mary's Blessing, has been written and will release May 2012. I'm writing book 3, Catherine's Pursuit, right now, and it will release January 2013. I'm also contracted for another series with Realms—Restored Hearts—so l'll plunge right into writing them.

5) Parting comments?
I love my readers. They're the reason I write. I love to connect with them, and I love to hear from them.

6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/lenandooley
http://www.shoutlife.com/lenanelsondooley
www.facebook.com/pages/Lena-Nelson-Dooley/42960748768?ref=ts – my official fan page
http://www.facebook.com/lena.nelson.dooley - my profile
http://www.bustlesandspurs.com/ – Bustles and Spurs
http://justthewritecharisma.blogspot.com/  – Just the Write Charisma

I will give away a copy of Christmas Love in Lake Tahoe.