Trish Perry's Blog, page 26

Mary Ellis and Free Books!

When a philandering husband turns up dead, two crack detectives find more suspects than moss-draped oaks in charming old Savannah, including a scheming business partner, a resentful mistress, and a ne’er-do-well brother in Sunset in Old Savannah.

Before we meet today's author, I want to announce that the winner of the free e-copy of Runaway Brides is:

stacey_dale@...

Congratulations! I'll get your e-book right out to you. I encourage readers to keep commenting and/or subscribe at right (above my list of books) in order to participate in future book give-aways! Subscribers are entered a second time when they comment.

And now let's meet novelist Mary Ellis, author of the Inspirational romantic suspense novel, Sunset in Old Savannah (Harvest House Publishers, April 2017).

Mary Ellis has written twenty-one novels. Her debut book, A Widow’s Hope, was nominated for a 2010 Carol Award. Living in Harmony won the 2012 Lime Award for Excellence in Amish Fiction while Love Comes to Paradise won the 2013 Lime Award.

She is currently writing Secrets of the South Mysteries. Book one, Midnight on the Mississippi, was a finalist for the RT Magazine’s Reviewer’s Choice Award, and finalist for Daphne Du Maurier for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense. Book two, What Happened on Beale Street, won the Judge a Book by its Cover for Inspirational Romance.

Please tell us one random thing we might not know about you.

My husband and I built our own home from the ground up. Everything—including structural, finished carpentry, electrical, plumbing, drywall, painting—you name it! It took us 3 years to move in and another 10 years to finish. We will never do that again.

Wow. I remembering just remodeling a home, which proved a nightmare. Like you, I swore I'd never do that again.

Please tell us a bit more about the plot of Sunset in Old Savannah.

In Savannah, everyone has something to hide. Investigative partners and best friends Michael Preston and Elizabeth Kirby are hired by a wealthy socialite to do surveillance on her wayward husband. When the husband turns up dead, the socialite becomes the police’s chief suspect. Mike and Beth must follow the clues through the historic town with more secrets than branches of moss-draped oaks.

The duo uncovers a hodgepodge of potential murderers, including a scheming business partner, a resentful mistress, and a ne'er-do-well brother. As praise of their agency gets around, Mike and Beth must hire investigator Kaitlyn Webb to ease the workload.

But will ghosts of Kate’s past threaten everyone's safety before a killer can be put behind bars?

What is it about Kirby that will make your readers care about her?

Beth Kirby is very good at her job, but makes plenty of mistakes too. She often lets her emotions cloud her judgement, and her heart for the downtrodden often gets her in trouble with the boss.

If you were the casting director for the film version of your novel, who would play your lead roles?

I would love that young actress from The Fault in Our Stars, Shailene Woodley, to play the lead role of Beth Kirby.

What is something you’ve thanked God for this week?

Yes, I thanked God many times this week because I was traveling alone. I don’t like flying, so I thanked Him each time the plane landed safely. I also thanked Him for helping me find each location, since my GPS wasn’t working right. And I thanked Him again when I finally walked through my front door! Did I mention I don’t like traveling alone?

It's always great to get back home!

What is the last novel you read that you would recommend?

I recently finished Fatal Frost by Nancy Mehl. Not only was it well written, but it was so much my cup of tea—romantic suspense. I couldn’t stop turning the pages.

What are you working on now?

I am putting the final touches on the first of a new mystery series called Night Falls on Charleston. When a roving PI rents a room above an Italian restaurant, she lands in the middle of a family feud with robbery, arson and murder for the daily specials.

Where else can readers find you online?

I can be found at www.maryellis.net and on Facebook at MaryEllis/Author.

The book can be purchased via the following button:



Finally, what question would you like to ask my readers?

What edgy topic would you like to see addressed in Christian fiction?

Thanks, Mary, for visiting. Readers, Mary has offered to give away a signed copy of her novel next week. To enter, leave a comment below in answer to Mary's question, above. "Please enter me" won't get you entered. Remember that subscribers are entered an additional time in each drawing. The drawing is done by email, so leave your email address, like so: trish[at]trishperry[dot]com. 

Also, I'd love it if you'd connect with me on Facebook. Just click on my name at the right of today's post.

Annoying legal disclaimer: drawings void where prohibited; open only to U.S. residents; the odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. See full disclaimer, as well as my Disclosure of Material Connection HERE

Runaway Brides, May Releases, and Free Books!

Seven stories of weddings that didn't work. These seven brides flee their grooms and find true love where they least expect it. Whether you're a southern gal or city, you'll empathize with these women as they search for a love everlasting.

Before we focus on today's novella collection, I want to announce that the winner of the free e-copy of Starstruck is:

Myersalicem@...

Congratulations! I'll get your e-book right out to you. I encourage readers to keep commenting and/or subscribe at right (above my list of books) in order to participate in future book give-aways! Subscribers are entered a second time when they comment.

And now I want to let you know about this week's give-away, another great new e-collection which also includes my novella, Miss Apprehension . This collection released this week.

It's called Runaway Brides, and besides my story, the collection includes:




Rescue Me, by Mary Alford










Just One Kiss, by Debra Lynn Collins













Cinderella's Boot, by Darlene Franklin















Orange Blossom Bride, by T. I. Lowe










Never Too Late, by Debby Mayne










and Bride on the Run, by Martha Rogers










This collection is available for a short time for $2.99 at Runaway Brides at Amazon,[image error] but I plan to give away a copy to someone who answers this question:

Have you ever known of a bride or groom who got cold feet or completely called off a wedding right before the nuptials? What happened next?

To enter, leave a comment below in answer to my question, above. "Please enter me" won't get you entered. The drawing is done by email, so leave your email address, like so: trish[at]trishperry[dot]com. 

Also, I'd love it if you'd connect with me on Facebook. Just click on my name at the right of today's post.

Annoying legal disclaimer: drawings void where prohibited; open only to U.S. residents; the odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. See full disclaimer, as well as my Disclosure of Material Connection HERE

As you scroll to the bottom of today's post to leave your answer to my question, take a look at what else is releasing in May!


Contemporary Romance:

Amish Brides by Jennifer Beckstrand, Molly Jebber, Amy Lillard -- Under bright blue skies, wedding bells ring--fulfilling sweet dreams, impossible wishes, and joyous new beginnings among these three new stories. (Contemporary Romance from Kensington Publishers)

Sprouts of Love by Valerie Comer -- An overzealous community garden manager delivers more than the food bank manager can handle. Can love sprout amid the tsunami of vegetables? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

Summer Dreams by Delia Latham -- God's love...reflected in the waters of the Pacific, and in the eyes of a young couple who walk its moonstone shores. (Contemporary Romance from White Rose Publishing [Pelican])

Right Where We Belong by Deborah Raney, Melissa Tagg, Courtney Walsh -- Three sweet stories of small-town romance by three tried-and-true authors. Whether in a quaint home bakery in Langhorne, Missouri, a cozy boho coffee shop in Maple Valley, Iowa, or a charming lakeside cottage in Sweethaven, Michigan, love grows best in small towns just like this! (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

A Spring of Weddings by Toni Shiloh and Melissa Wardwell -- Two Spring wedding novellas, "A Proxy Wedding," and "Hope Beyond Savannah." (Contemporary Romance from Celebrate Lit Publishing)

True to You by Becky Wade -- Former Navy SEAL John Lawson hires genealogist Nora Bradford to help him to uncover the identity of his birth mother. As they work side-by-side, this pair of opposites begins to suspect that they just might be a perfect match. (Contemporary Romance from Bethany House [Baker] Publishing)


Cozy Mystery:

What the Bishop Saw by Vannetta Chapman -- A fire blazes out of control in the San Luis Valley of Colorado, leaving an elderly, Amish bachelor dead. Bishop Henry Lapp rushes to the scene, and he learns the fire was no accident. When the police point the finger at a suspect Henry knows is innocent, the bishop must decide whether or not to use his mysterious, God-given gift—one he's tried desperately to ignore all these years—to try and set the record straight. (Contemporary Romance from Harvest House Publishers)


General Contemporary:

A Season to Dance by Patricia Beal -- The heart wrenching love story of a small town professional ballerina who dreams of dancing at the Met in New York, of the two men who love her and of the forbidden kiss that changed everything. (General Contemporary from Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas)

Looking Glass Lies by Varina Denman -- A poignant and relatable novel, Looking Glass Lies captures the war women wage against themselves, and the struggle to see beauty reflected in a mirror not distorted by society’s unrelenting expectations. (General Contemporary from Waterfall Press)


Historical:

Blind Ambition by Carol Ashby -- What began as a bored man's decision to try a different road turns into an emotional and spiritual quest that changes the direction of his entire life. (Historical from Cerrillo Press)

Wings of the Wind by Connilyn Cossette -- A broken and bitter Canaanite woman dresses as a man to fight against the invading Hebrews, never expecting that she would live to be captured and married to one of her enemies, and certainly not to find love and healing among the very people who killed her family. (Biblical/Historical from Bethany House [Baker] Publishing)


Historical Romance:

The Secret Admirer Romance Collection by Amanda Barratt, Lorraine Beatty, Molly Noble Bull, Anita Mae Draper, CJ Dunham, Jennifer Uhlarik, Becca Whitham, Kathleen Y'Barbo, Penny Zeller -- Shy expressions of love lead to nine historical romances. Declaring one’s love can be hard--even risky--especially when faced with some of life's greatest challenges. (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing)

The Noble Servant by Melanie Dickerson -- She lost everything to an evil conspiracy . . . but that loss may just give her all she ever wanted. (Historical Romance from HarperCollins Christian Publishing)

My Heart Belongs in Ruby City, Idaho: Rebecca's Plight by Susanne Dietze -- It’s a mail-order disorder when newlyweds realize they've married the wrong partners with similar names. An annulment seems in order--and fast. But when the legalities take longer than expected, Rebecca Rice wonders if Tad Fordham wasn’t the right husband for her all along. . . . (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing)

A Love So True by Melissa Jagears -- They begin with the best of intentions, but soon the complications pile up and Evelyn and David's dreams look more unattainable every day. When the revelation of a long-held secret creates a seemingly insurmountable rift between them, can they trust God still has a good plan for them despite all that is stacked against them? (Historical Romance from Bethany House [Baker] Publishing)

Road to Harmony by Sherry Kyle -- When Jonas returns to Harmony, Elena's heart is torn between her secret love, and the storeowner her parents hope she marries. (Historical Romance, Independently Published)

Hills of Nevermore by Janalyn Voigt -- Can a young widow hide her secret shame from the Irish preacher bent on helping her survive? (Historical Romance from Mountain Brook Ink)


Romantic Suspense:

Fatal Mistake by Susan Sleeman -- Each day could be her last...but not if he can help it. An FBI agent must protect the woman who can identify a terrorist bomber in bestselling author Susan Sleeman's riveting romantic suspense novel. (Romantic Suspense from Faith Words [Hachette])

Happy reading! And post your comment below.

Miss Apprehension and Free Books!

Did Cherise really want to run away from her wedding only to involve herself with yet another man--and a high-profile movie star at that?

Before we look at this novella, I want to announce that the winner of the signed copy of Cowboy Homecoming, by Louise Gouge, is:

spowell01@...

Congratulations! I'll email you to get your snail mail address, and we'll get your book right out to you. I encourage readers to keep commenting and/or subscribe at right (above my list of books) in order to participate in future book give-aways! Subscribers are entered a second time when they comment.

And now I want to let you know about this week's give-away, a fun new e-collection which includes my novella, Miss Apprehension . The collection is called Starstruck, and these are the three stories included:

Romance outshines any Hollywood star in these three romantic novellas where celebrities learn that some things are more important than fame.






Miss Apprehension, by Trish Perry

The setting for Cherise Paul’s destination wedding couldn’t be more romantic. So why does she feel she’s being dragged down the aisle?

She doesn’t plan to run away and become entangled with the famous young actor, Niles Adair, and his film crew, but circumstances unfold exactly that way.

When her fiancé, Jerry Gallagher, re-enters the scene, Cherise must decide: What does she want? What is she afraid of? What does she not understand? And who would have thought that Spanx could play such a pivotal role in one woman’s destiny?


Hollywood, Texas, by Kathleen Y'Barbo

Movie industry insiders may call actress Amy Foreman the next Grace Kelley, but Texas veterinarian Adam Chambers calls her the woman who broke his heart. Now she’s grooming dogs in his clinic while the trouble she left back in California untangles in her absence.

Where does a woman with the most famous face in America go to hide? Home, of course. From Hollywood, Texas to Hollywood, California and back again…can a small town veterinarian and a famous hometown movie star rekindle their lost love?


Deep in the Heart of Mayhem, by Janice Thompson

Welcome to the Texas Hill Country, y’all! It’s the perfect place for love, weddings, and mayhem! Brooke Morrow never dreamed she would end up coordinating a wedding for Hollywood starlet, Matti Maynor. Against her better judgment, she finds herself organizing the wedding of the century. It doesn’t help that Matti is marrying Texas senator, Jake Bradford, who happens to be Brooke’s ex.

Between the bride and the altar stands a whodunit complicated enough to send even the best sleuth running for the hills. Can Brooke survive the twists and turns while coordinating a wedding she’d sooner avoid? Will the whodunit be solved in time for the big day?


This collection is available for a short time for only 99 cents at Starstruck on Amazon,[image error]but I plan to give away a copy to someone who answers this question:

What are your thoughts about novella collections? Do you enjoy the shortened form of fiction? Why or why not? 

To enter, leave a comment below in answer to my question, above. "Please enter me" won't get you entered. The drawing is done by email, so leave your email address, like so: trish[at]trishperry[dot]com. 

Also, I'd love it if you'd connect with me on Facebook. Just click on my name at the right of today's post.

Annoying legal disclaimer: drawings void where prohibited; open only to U.S. residents; the odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. See full disclaimer, as well as my Disclosure of Material Connection HERE

Louise Gouge and Free Books!

How can she accept his proposal when he only wants to marry her to gain his father’s approval?

Before we meet today's featured author, I want to announce that the winner of the signed copy of Designing Love, by Kimberly Rose Johnson, is:

spowell01@...

Congratulations! I'll email you to get your snail mail address, and we'll get your book right out to you. I encourage readers to keep commenting and/or subscribe at right (above my list of books) in order to participate in future book give-aways! Subscribers are entered a second time when they comment.

And now let's revisit novelist Louise Gouge, author of the inspirational historical romance, Cowboy Homecoming (Harlequin LIH, April 2017).

Florida author Louise M. Gouge writes historical fiction for Harlequin's Love Inspired Historical Romances. She received the prestigious Inspirational Readers’ Choice Award in 2005 and placed in 2011, 2015, and 2016; and placed in the Laurel Wreath in 2012.

When she isn't writing, she and David, her husband of fifty-plus years, enjoy visiting historical sites and museums.

Please tell us one random thing we might not know about you.

When I was a child from four to eight years old, my family lived in a cozy country house on Mobile Bay in Alabama. In front of our house was a circular driveway lined with eighteen gardenia bushes. Every year they would bloom in profusion. I came to love the fragrance of gardenias more than any other flower and often mention the scent in my novels. After living in many other places, most too cold for those warm weather bushes, I finally have gardenias in my yard again. Each spring when they bloom, I am carried back to my happy childhood and those eighteen magnificent bushes.

They definitely have their own, distinctive fragrance, don't they? I love the way scents can immediately bring us back to childhood memories.

Please tell us a bit more about the plot of Cowboy Homecoming.


Love finds a home out West.

After two years, Tolley Northam returns home, transformed from a mischievous youth into an ambitious lawyer confident of winning his father’s approval at last. But he soon begins to wonder if the only way to do so is to marry family friend Laurie Eberly—a woman his father has always liked. If only she weren’t so adamant about refusing Tolley’s proposal…

Laurie’s childhood friend is now a handsome, accomplished lawyer with undeniable charm. But she can’t accept Tolley’s proposal; she believes it’s just to earn his father’s praise. First he’ll have to prove to her that he wants her for a wife not because his father thinks she’s the perfect match, but because he does.

What is it about Tolley that will make your readers care about him?

Tolley Northam is a former bad-boy who’s straightened up and become a solid citizen and man of faith. And yet he has trouble convincing those who knew him in his younger days that he’s changed his ways.

If you were the casting director for the film version of your novel, who would play your lead roles?

Diogo Morgado, who portrayed Jesus Christ in the recent miniseries The Bible.



In your main character’s voice, give us a statement about the subject of romance.

Tolley to Laurie: Although we often joked about joining our two families with at least one marriage, it doesn’t mean I don’t love you. I do, no matter what your last name is. If you’ll have me, I’ll do everything in my power to see your dreams come true. Wherever you want to go, I’ll go with you. I love you with all of my heart. Without you, there isn’t any dream worth having.

What is the last novel you read that you would recommend?

I love anything by Laurie Alice Eakes. Most recently, I reread one of her early books, Better than Gold , which is newly available for Kindle at amazon.com (available by clicking on the title). I love her characters and settings. In all of her books, she really takes you there, wherever “there” may be.

What are you working on now?

I just finished the sixth book in my Four Stones Ranch series set in Colorado. It’s great fun to develop a fictional community and build on it through a long series like this. My town of Esperanza is modeled on historic Monte Vista, Colorado, where I lived for many years.

Where else can readers find you online?

Web site at blog.Louisemgouge.com
Facebook
Twitter: @Louisemgouge

The book can be purchased online via the following buttons:




          CBD

Finally, what question would you like to ask my readers?

Do you like heroes who are wounded, damaged, and in need of redemption, or do you prefer a hero who has come through trials and is now on the straight and narrow?

Thanks, Louise, for telling us about your novel. Readers, Louise has offered to give a signed copy of her book to the winner of our drawing on Monday, April 24. To enter, leave a comment below in answer to Louise's question, above. "Please enter me" won't get you entered. The drawing is done by email, so leave your email address, like so: trish[at]trishperry[dot]com. 

Also, I'd love it if you'd connect with me on Facebook. Just click on my name at the right of today's post.

Annoying legal disclaimer: drawings void where prohibited; open only to U.S. residents; the odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. See full disclaimer, as well as my Disclosure of Material Connection HERE

Kimberly Rose Johnson and Free Books!

Someone is framing Sierra. Can Spencer Preston discover the true criminal before he loses her?

Before we meet today's featured author, I want to announce that the winner of the signed copy of Home, by Ginny Yttrup, is:

marypopmom@...

Congratulations! I'll email you to get your snail mail address, and we'll get your book right out to you. I encourage readers to keep commenting and/or subscribe at right (above my list of books) in order to participate in future book give-aways! Subscribers are entered a second time when they comment.

And now let's revisit novelist Kimberly Rose Johnson, author of the contemporary romance, Designing Love (Mountain Brook Ink, April 2017).

Kimberly Rose Johnson married her college sweetheart and lives in the Pacific Northwest. From a young child Kimberly has been an avid reader. That love of reading fostered a creative mind and led to her passion for writing. She especially loves romance and writes contemporary romance the warms the heart and feeds the soul.

Kimberly holds a degree in Behavioral Science from Northwest University in Kirkland, Washington. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers.

Please tell us one random thing we might not know about you.

I can’t have gluten. I know it’s not exciting, but it’s a big deal in my life and very random. ☺

Oh, I hear you, Kimberly. I try to avoid gluten, but I dearly love it.

Please tell us a bit more about the plot of Designing Love.

Sierra Robbins, single mother and interior design assistant, wants to provide a stable home for her teenage son and become a successful interior designer.

She’s well on her way to both goals when she agrees to house sit a home in Sunriver, Oregon. It couldn’t be more perfect. She’ll be close to her job at Belafonte Designs while living rent-free. But things don’t go as expected beginning on day one when a police officer responds to the alarm they set off at the house. Was that alarm a sign of trouble to come?

Spencer Preston, lives for his job as a police officer in Sunriver, but when he responds to a house alarm and finds Sierra and her son there everything changes. Suddenly he finds himself torn between the upholding the law and protecting the woman he believes is innocent.

What is it about your lead characters that will make your readers care about them?

Sierra cares about others and goes out of her way to help them. Spencer is a tough guy, but he has a soft side that is fun to get to know.

If you were the casting director for the film version of your novel, who would play your lead roles?

Although he is too tall, I think George Stults would make a great Spencer.

And here he is as a police officer!



As for Sierra maybe Haylie Duff, although, lol, she might be too short.







In your main character’s voice, give us a statement about the subject of romance.

I have nothing against romance, but my life is devoted to raising my son. I’m not in the market for romance.

What is the last novel you read that you would recommend?

The last book I read that I would recommend is Her Baby's Protector by Margaret Daley and Susan Sleeman. It’s two separate novellas in one book put out by Love Inspired Suspense. I’m a fan of both of these authors. I love to read romantic suspense and these two novellas read like full-length novels. The stories are well developed and move fast.

It is difficult to produce that full-length novel feel with a novella, as you and I both know. Those are words of praise, for sure.

What are you working on now?

I am currently writing the sequel to A Love Song for Kayla. An Encore for Estelle, which I hope to release in June.

Where else can readers find you online?

My website www.kimberlyrjohnson.com I also blog at inspyromance.com. Readers can follow me on Amazon as well.

The book can be purchased online via the following buttons:












Finally, what question would you like to ask my readers?

What is it about inspirational romance that draws you?

Thanks, Kimberly, for telling us about your novel. Readers, Kimberly has offered to give a free e-copy of her book to the winner of our drawing on Monday, April 17. To enter, leave a comment below in answer to Ginny's question, above. "Please enter me" won't get you entered. The drawing is done by email, so leave your email address, like so: trish[at]trishperry[dot]com. 

Also, I'd love it if you'd connect with me on Facebook. Just click on my name at the right of today's post.

Annoying legal disclaimer: drawings void where prohibited; open only to U.S. residents; the odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. See full disclaimer, as well as my Disclosure of Material Connection HERE

Ginny Yttrup, April Releases, and Free Books!

When a novelist loses her way at midlife, can her characters lead her home?

Before we meet today's featured author, I want to announce that the winner of the free e-copy of False Fire, by Veronica Heley, is:

tumcsec@...

Congratulations! I'll email you to get your snail mail address, and we'll get your book right out to you. I encourage readers to keep commenting and/or subscribe at right (above my list of books) in order to participate in future book give-aways! Subscribers are entered a second time when they comment.

And now let's visit novelist Ginny Yttrup, author of the Women's Fiction novel, Home (Barbour, April 2017).

Ginny L. Yttrup is an award-winning novelist who writes about the issues everyday women face, offering hope and sometimes a little humor along the way. She’s also a writing coach, mother, mother-in-law, friend, and companion to Bear, the Entitled Pomeranian.

Please tell us one random thing we might not know about you.

I once jumped out of an airplane and had my parachute fail. Yep. I should probably write about that, right?

Good grief, yes!

Please tell us a bit more about the plot of Home.

Novelist Melanie Vander runs away. From conflict. From pain. From reality. When Melanie finds herself faced with a looming deadline, she decides it’s time for an escape to a novel worthy locale. Maybe a bit of distance will inspire her husband to appreciate her again too, she reasons.

Craig Vander is facing his own problems, including a recession that’s all but shut down his business, the possibility of losing their home, and a wife who’s checked out emotionally. Craig feels as though he’s carrying his burdens alone.

As Melanie runs away from her problems by escaping into a “relationship” with one of her characters, Craig dives into his struggles, seeking God for strength and healing for his marriage.

Will Melanie allow her characters to lead her home?

What is it about Melanie that will make your readers care about her?

Melanie is flawed, though delightfully so. At least, that’s what she tells herself. She struggles with wrinkles, a few extra pounds, and she tends to avoid emotional pain at almost any cost. Until the cost is just too high. She’s real—at least as real as any fiction character. And as a novelist, she’ll be the first to tell you just how real those characters can become.

If you were the casting director for the film version of your novel, who would play your lead roles?

The answer to this question would reveal a key plot point, so…

Hmm, intriguing!

In your main character’s voice, give us a statement about the subject of romance.

How about a bit of from the book?

Laughter bubbles from my core and burbles, like a wave meeting the shore, as it comes out my mouth. I let my arms drop to my sides. He calls to me from the shore. “What’re you laughing at, silly girl?”

How long has it been since he’s called me that?

I open my eyes, the smile still playing on my lips—the lips of a woman, not a girl—as his long strides cover the distance between us. “I’m laughing because I’m happy. You, this,”—I do a slow spin—“all of this, makes me happy.” I yell over the sound of the rain, pounding the sand now.

Very cinematic! What is the last novel you read that you would recommend?

Since You've Been Gone by Christa Allan. I loved this story and I always enjoy Christa’s writing—quirky, fun, and yet she makes you think.

What are you working on now?

I’m writing my next novel. The working title is Chosen. I haven’t come up with a tagline or blurb yet. I’m just writing sample chapters—getting a feel for the characters and the story.

Where else can readers find you online?

Readers can visit my author website: www.ginnyyttrup.com and writers can visit my website for writers: www.wordsforwriters.net.

The book can be purchased online via the following button:



          CBD


Finally, what question would you like to ask my readers?

As as avid reader myself, I always like to know why other readers read. So, why do you read?

Thanks, Ginny, for telling us about your novel. Readers, Ginny has offered to give a signed copy of her book to the winner of our drawing on Monday, April 10. To enter, leave a comment below in answer to Ginny's question, above. "Please enter me" won't get you entered. The drawing is done by email, so leave your email address, like so: trish[at]trishperry[dot]com. 

Also, I'd love it if you'd connect with me on Facebook. Just click on my name at the right of today's post.

Annoying legal disclaimer: drawings void where prohibited; open only to U.S. residents; the odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. See full disclaimer, as well as my Disclosure of Material Connection HERE

As you scroll to the bottom of today's post to answer Ginny's question, take a look at some of the exciting novels being released in April!

Contemporary Romance:
Sandpiper Cove by Irene Hannon -- When a police chief and an ex-con join forces to keep a young man from falling into a life of crime, sparks fly. Given their backgrounds, it's not a promising match—but in Hope Harbor, anything is possible. (Contemporary Romance from Revell [Baker])

Oh Baby by Delia Latham -- Dawni Manors seeks peace in Angel Falls, Texas. What she finds is a cowboy, an abandoned infant, and emotional chaos. If the Heart's Haven angels really are there, what in the world are they thinking? (Contemporary Romance from White Rose Publishing [Pelican])

General:
A Fragile Hope by Cynthia Ruchti -- Where does a relationship expert turn when his wife leaves him and carries a tiny heartbeat with her? (General from Abingdon Press)

Waiting for Butterflies by Karen Sargent -- When tragedy strikes, Maggie discovers a mother's love never ends--not even when her life does. Longing for her family after her sudden death, she becomes a lingering spirit and returns home where she helplessly witnesses her family's downward spiral in the aftermath of her passing. Her husband is haunted by past mistakes and struggles to redeem himself. Her teenage daughter silently drowns in her own guilt, secretly believing she caused her mother's death. Only her five-year-old, full of innocence, can sense her presence. Although limited by her family's grief and lack of faith, Maggie is determined to keep a sacred promise and save her family before her second chance runs out. (General from Walrus Publishing [Amphorae Publishing Group])

Mystery:
Sunset in Old Savannah by Mary Ellis -- When a philandering husband turns up dead, two crack detectives find more suspects than moss-draped oaks in charming old Savannah, including a scheming business partner, a resentful mistress, and a ne'er-do-well brother. (Mystery from Harvest House Publishers)

Historical:
Above Rubies by Keely Brooke Keith -- In 1863, young teacher Olivia Owens establishes the first school in the remote settlement of Good Springs while finding love. (Historical, Independently Published)

Historical Romance:
A Rose So Fair by Myra Johnson -- Caleb Wieland would give anything to win farm girl Rose Linwood's heart, but Rose's stubborn independence is proving as thorny as the flower for which she's named. (Historical Romance, Independently Published)

Under the Same Sky by Cynthia Roemer -- In 1854 Illinois, Becky Hollister wants nothing more than to live out her days on the prairie, building a life for herself alongside her future husband. But when a tornado rips through her parents' farm, killing her mother and sister, she must leave the only home she's ever known and the man she's begun to love to accompany her injured father to St. Louis. Catapulted into a world of unknowns, Becky finds solace in corresponding with Matthew Brody, the handsome pastor back home. But when word comes that he is all but engaged to someone else, she must call upon her faith to decipher her future. (Historical Romance from Mantle Rock Publishing)

The Pony Express Romance Collection by Barbara Tifft Blakey, Mary Davis, Darlene Franklin, Cynthia Hickey, Maureen Lang, Debby Lee, Donna Schlachter, Connie Stevens and Pegg Thomas -- Nine historical romances revive the brief era of the Pony Express. Join the race from Missouri, across the plains and mountains to California and back again as brave Pony Express riders and their supporters along the route work to get mail across country in just ten days. It is an outstanding task in the years 1860 to 1861, and only a few are up to the job. Faced with challenges of terrain, weather, hostile natives, sickness, and more, can these adventurous pioneers hold fast, and can they also find lasting love in the midst of daily trials? (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing)

Romantic Suspense:
Plain Target by Dana R. Lynn -- Horse trainer Jess McGrath only wants to clear her disgraced brother's name, but enemies keep coming out of the woodwork and danger only gets closer. Jess soon learns that no place is safe—and no one can be trusted…except for the last white knight she'd ever expect to ride to her rescue. Paramedic Seth Travis was the boy behind her high school humiliation, but he's also the man keeping her alive. When they find sanctuary in the Amish community, can they uncover answers in time to stop a killer—and resolve their past in time to build a future together? (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Dangerous Testimony by Dana Mentink -- Four weeks before she's set to testify at a gang murder trial, someone is determined to make sure that Candace Gallagher Andrews never takes the stand. When nowhere is safe for the private investigator or her little girl, Candace turns to the only person she can trust—longtime friend and former navy SEAL Marco Quidel. For Marco, protecting Candace is not just another duty. As the trial date nears and the killer stalks ever closer, Marco knows fear for the first time—the fear of losing Candace and her daughter. But while Marco begins seeing Candace as more than just a friend, her late husband's memory is never far from her mind. So he must keep Candace alive—and not get emotionally involved—long enough to put away a killer. (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Deep Extraction by DiAnn Mills -- Special Agent Tori Templeton is determined to find who killed her best friend's husband. Tori finds an unexpected ally in the newest member of the task force, recently reinstated Deputy US Marshal Cole Jeffers. As Tori and Cole dig deeper into Nathan's personal and business affairs, they uncover more than they bargained for. And the closer they get to finding the real killer?and to each other?the more intent someone is on silencing them for good. (Romantic Suspense from Tyndale House)

Final Verdict by Jessica R. Patch -- When Aurora Daniels becomes the target of someone seeking their own twisted justice, Sheriff Beckett Marsh is the only one who can rescue her. As a public defender, Aurora has angered plenty of people in town—and in her past. And while Beckett constantly clashes with the feisty lawyer professionally, it's his duty to protect and serve. Guarding her 24/7 is now his sole assignment. He may not have been able to save his fiancée from a dangerous felon, but he'll do whatever it takes to keep Aurora alive. Even if working with her to catch and convict this ruthless killer puts his heart in the crosshairs. (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Guardian by Terri Reed -- When a fellow FBI agent is kidnapped and a protected witness vanishes, Leo Gallagher will stop at nothing to find them both. So when he discovers a link between the case and a single mother in Wyoming, Leo and his trusty K-9 partner rush to question Alicia Duncan. Could she be the key to locating the missing persons? Not if a killer has anything to say about it. Someone is determined to keep Alicia from talking, so Leo and his chocolate Lab must keep her and her little boy safe on their family ranch. With danger lurking around every corner, Leo must work overtime to not lose another person who's important to him. (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Witch by Denise Weimer -- Having restored Michael Johnson's ancestors' house and apothecary shop and begun applying the lessons of family and forgiveness unearthed from the past, Jennifer Rushmore expects to complete her first preservation job with the simple relocation of a log home. But as her crew reconstructs the 1787 cabin, home to the first Dunham doctor, attacks on those involved throw suspicion on neighbors and friends alike. And while Jennifer has trusted God and Michael with the pain of her past, it appears Michael's been keeping his own secrets. Will she use a dream job offer from Savannah as an escape, or will a haunting tale from a Colonial diary convince her to rely on the faithfulness of his love? (Romantic Suspense from Canterbury House Publishing)

Speculative Romance/Fantasy:
The Fairetellings Series (Books 1 through 3) by Kristen Reed -- Discover a trio of enchanting novellas inspired by three beloved fairy tales: Cinderella, Snow White, and Beauty and the Beast. (Speculative Romance/Fantasy, Independently Published)

Happy reading!

Veronica Heley and Free Books!

Bea investigates when fire disrupts a dinner party for two ten-year old girls and ends in multiple deaths, which may or may not have been intended.

Before we meet today's featured author, I want to announce that the winner of the free signed copy of Murder is No Accident, by Ann Gabhart, is:

mapickle54@...

Congratulations! I'll email you to get your snail mail address, and we'll get your book right out to you. I encourage readers to keep commenting and/or subscribe at right (above my list of books) in order to participate in future book give-aways! Subscribers are entered a second time when they comment.

And now let's revisit novelist Veronica Heley, author of gentle crime novel, False Fire (Severn House, March 2017).

Veronica Heley celebrates the publication of her 78th book in 2016, having been in the business for over 40 years. She is currently writing two gentle crime series; the Ellie Quicke Mysteries and the Abbot Agency series.

She also writes a short story once a quarter for the Methodist Recorder. Her early books, which include more crime and some historical novels, are currently being brought out as e-books.

She’s involved with her local church and community affairs, likes to break for coffee with friends and does the garden when she has time.

Please tell us something random we might not know about you.

I love chocolate but hate coconut. My favourite colour is blue. I like to have something flowering all the year round in my garden.

I picture a lovely English garden at your home!

Please tell us a bit more about the plot of False Fire.

False Fire starts with thirteen people for a dinner party which ends in multiple deaths – oh, and brings in a teddy bear who becomes a very important person in the lives of two poor little rich girls.

Bernice and Alicia may be heiresses but money can’t buy the love that these ten-year old girls need – and there are reasons why some of their families might welcome their deaths.

Goodness! How intriguing. 

What is it about Bea that will make your readers care about her?

Bea is a successful businesswoman, running a domestic agency whose watchword is ‘discretion’, but she has a nurturing nature and often finds herself taking on other people’s problems.

Emily Dickinson said this about writing: “A wounded deer leaps the highest.” How do you interpret that, and do you agree?

Fear can impel you to outdo whatever you think you can manage by yourself. And yes, I agree.

What is the last novel you read that you would recommend?

I re-read Terry Pratchett’s Guards! Guards! The characterisation is marvellous, and his invention awe-inspiring.

He was truly original. What a loss to not have him with us anymore.

What are you working on now?

I’m working on another Bea Abbot novel, called False Pride. A family which has suffered from adverse publicity in the past, closes ranks against an investigation into stolen property, a death . . . and Bea’s ten year old ward defies her authority.

Where else can readers find you online?

At www.veronicaheley.com

The book can be purchased online via the following button:







Finally, what question would you like to ask my readers?

My editors are always urging me to find my heroines a man, but although that worked out all right in the Ellie Quicke mysteries when she came to know Thomas, Bea has not so far found anyone to invite into her life. When a suitable man comes knocking at the door, should she invite him in . . . or not?

How interesting that we had a recent guest, Ann Gabhart, ask something similar! 

Thanks, Veronica, for telling us about your novel. Readers, Veronica has offered to give a free e-copy of her book to the winner of our drawing on Monday, April 3. To enter, leave a comment below in answer to Veronica's question, above. "Please enter me" won't get you entered. The drawing is done by email, so leave your email address, like so: trish[at]trishperry[dot]com. 

Also, I'd love it if you'd connect with me on Facebook. Just click on my name at the right of today's post.

Annoying legal disclaimer: drawings void where prohibited; open only to U.S. residents; the odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. See full disclaimer, as well as my Disclosure of Material Connection HERE

Ann Gabhart and Free Books!

When murder comes to call at a stately Victorian house, the town of Hidden Springs looks to Deputy Sheriff Michael Keane to solve the crime before anyone else dies.

Before we meet today's featured author, I want to announce that the winner of the free signed copy of With Love, Wherever You Are, by Dandi Mackall, is:

rosemcnana@...

Congratulations! I'll email you to get your snail mail address, and we'll get your book right out to you. I encourage readers to keep commenting and/or subscribe at right (above my list of books) in order to participate in future book give-aways! Subscribers are entered a second time when they comment.

And now let's visit novelist Ann Gabhart, author of the cozy mystery, Murder Is No Accident (Revell Books, March 2017).

Ann H. Gabhart is the bestselling author of many novels, including Angel Sister, Small Town Girl, and Love Comes Home, the 2015 Selah Book of Year winner. She’s also known for her Shaker novels and Heart of Hollyhill books.

Now, as A.H. Gabhart, she is writing the Hidden Springs Mysteries set in a small town much like the Kentucky town where she grew up.

Ann and her husband have three children and nine grandchildren and still enjoy country life on a farm near that small town. Ann likes to take walks with her dog, Oscar, to mull over new story ideas.

Please tell us one random thing we might not know about you.

I have nine wonderful grandchildren who like going on walking adventures with me out here on our farm, especially if I let them go hunt rocks and crawdads while wading in a nearby creek. The kids and I have carried enough fossil or shiny rocks to the house to start a rock garden. They leave the crawdads in the creek. Except once. Poor crawdad didn’t live long in spite of my grandson carrying him home in creek water.

Aw, no pet crawdad. 

Please tell us a bit more about the plot of Murder is No Accident.

The old Chandler place should be empty. The magnificent Victorian mansion is for sale, even if its elderly owner Miss Fonda doesn’t realize it. But when real estate agent Geraldine Harper enters the house on a sunny October day, she’s not alone. Minutes later, there is a body at the bottom of the steep steps leading to the tower room.

Deputy sheriff Michael Keane is called in. At first blush, it looks like the death was a tragic accident, but clues point to foul play. And when a second body is discovered, the race is on to find the culprit . . . before someone else dies.

If you like your small-town America sweet and quirky—with a dash of sinister—this is the whodunit book for you.

What is it about Michael that will make your readers care about him?

Michael has old-fashioned values but with modern tolerance for different lifestyles. He wants peace in his private life and hopes for happiness. He likes the freedom of not being the “boss” in the sheriff’s office and wonders at his lack of ambition. He’s sort of coasting along waiting for whatever happens next. He is easy-going, but when faced with a crisis knows how to take action. He loves his little town of Hidden Springs. It is part of his heritage since his ancestor founded the town. He has an Aunt Lindy who insists he must keep the Keane family going in Hidden Springs.

He’d like to be married with kids, but he’s in love with a woman he can’t imagine settling down with him in a small town like Hidden Springs while he can’t imagine living in the big city with her. Readers want to know how that may eventually turn out.

If you were the casting director for the film version of your novel, who would play your lead roles?

This is always a difficult type of question for me since I don’t watch much television or see many movies. I much prefer reading and imagining the heroes and heroines. But since you asked, I tried to match up my characters with an actor and actress via the internet.

I picked Simon Baker for Michael Keane





and Ksenia Solo for Alexandria Sheridan.





Emily Dickinson said this about writing: “A wounded deer leaps the highest.” How do you interpret that, and do you agree?

I suppose she’s saying the best writing comes from great intensity of feeling and pain. When death is near, the deer has one last leap for life. Perhaps that is meaningful to other writers, but I think I’m too practical to go down that road. It’s good to feel your stories with all your creative might, to be with your characters through every struggle and joy, but then once that story is written, I’m ready to live on and write a new story.

What is the last novel you read that you would recommend?

So many books I could recommend, but a recent novel I read was The Dog That Talked to God by Jim Kraus. I’m a dog lover so when the title caught my eye, I decided to give the book a try.

The first person story is written from the viewpoint of a woman who struggles with her faith after a tragedy in her family. I found her story compelling and the dog talking to her fun. This book was an easy, entertaining read but with a strong message regarding faith.

What are you working on now?

I have gone back to my historical novel roots and have a book coming up next that is set in the Appalachian Mountains in the 1940’s. The novel, These Healing Hills, will be about a nurse midwife with the Frontier Nursing Service and is scheduled for a September release. Then I’m working on another historical idea about what happens in a small Kentucky town after a cholera epidemic.

How fun to be branching out so much!

Where else can readers find you online?

My website, www.annhgabhart.com, has information about all my books and some about me too. You can also find both my blogs, One Writer’s Journal and Heart of Hollyhill, there as well. I enjoy getting to know my readers on my Facebook author page.

I do occasionally tweet out this or that on Twitter with a user name of AnnHGabhart and I’m always adding pictures on Pinterest about stories I’m researching or simply pictures I like. Again just look for AnnHGabhart. You can access all these social media places from my website.

The book can be purchased online via the following button:



          CBD


Finally, what question would you like to ask my readers?

What do you think makes a cozy mystery cozy? And do you like romance mixed with your mysteries?

Thanks, Ann, for telling us about your novel. Readers, Ann has offered to give a signed copy of her book to the winner of our drawing on Monday, March 27. To enter, leave a comment below in answer to Ann's question, above. "Please enter me" won't get you entered. The drawing is done by email, so leave your email address, like so: trish[at]trishperry[dot]com. 

Also, I'd love it if you'd connect with me on Facebook. Just click on my name at the right of today's post.

Annoying legal disclaimer: drawings void where prohibited; open only to U.S. residents; the odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. See full disclaimer, as well as my Disclosure of Material Connection HERE

Dandi Mackall and Free Books!

Based on the incredible, true story of the author’s parents, With Love, Wherever You Are follows the whirlwind romance of a WW2 Army doctor and Army nurse, sent to different countries, surrounded by danger and desperately wounded patients, and only their letters to connect them for months at a time, as the war seems eternal—and their marriage a distant dream.

Before we meet today's featured author, I want to announce that the winner of the free signed copy of My Heart Belongs in the Superstition Mountains, by Susan Page Davis, is:

psalm103and138@...

Congratulations! I'll email you to get your snail mail address, and we'll get your book right out to you. I encourage readers to keep commenting and/or subscribe at right (above my list of books) in order to participate in future book give-aways! Subscribers are entered a second time when they comment.

And now let's revisit novelist Dandi Mackall, author of the historical romance, With Love, Wherever You Are (Tyndale House, March, 2017).

Dandi Daley Mackall is the award-winning author of nearly 500 books for children and adults. She visits countless schools and presents keynote addresses at conferences across the United States. She is also a frequent guest on radio talk shows and has made dozens of appearances on TV.

Her awards include the Edgar Award, ALA Best Book, NY Public Library Top Pick, Romantic Times Top Pick, the Geoffrey Bocca Memorial Award, Dean Arts and Achievement Award, Outstanding Alumna Award from the University of Missouri. She is the 2016 Hall of Fame recipient of the Council of International Reading Association’s Award.

Her novel My Boyfriends Dogs is now a Hallmark Movie.

Dandi writes from rural Ohio, where she lives with her family, including horses, dogs, cats, and an occasional squirrel, deer, or raccoon.

Please tell us one random thing we might not know about you.

I love to dance—fast, slow, rock and roll. I even dance to TV commercials. I just can’t help myself.

I'm a repeat offender in that respect, too, Dandi! I love the release dancing brings!

Please tell us a bit more about the plot of With Love, Wherever You Are.

Publisher’s Weekly Starred Review:

Mackall (My Boyfriends’ Dogs) provides a fictionalized account of her parents’ World War II marriage in this well-researched page-turner. Nurse Helen Eberhart had no intention of getting married, but when she enlists in the Army to care for the wounded in 1944, she meets lieutenant and doctor Frank Daley and her plans soon change.

After a quick wedding in Chicago, the two are sent to different areas of Europe for what turns out to be the final year of the war. While they manage to arrange an occasional rendezvous, most of the time they are unaware of each other’s locations and maintain their relationship through letters, writing two or three times a day and waiting eagerly for the unpredictable mail to come through.

The “Story Behind the Story” and discussion guide included in the back of the book offer a fascinating look at where real life ends and fiction begins. While one might expect a story written in homage and remembrance of one’s parents to be overly sentimental and idealized, Mackall has admirably resisted that urge. Instead, she has crafted memorable, complex characters who courageously face the tragedy of war and the difficulties of cultivating a bond while separated. While the real people behind the characters pack additional punch, Mackall’s heartbreaking narrative and precise prose alone will stay with readers long after the final page.

What a wonderful review, Dandi!

What is it about your lead characters that will make your readers care about them?

They’re real. True, I’m telling my parents’ story, but that’s not what I mean. I inherited Dad’s Army trunk full of letters they’d written to each other while overseas, in different countries, over 600 letters, tied in stacks with bootstrings, untouched since 1945. After reading those letters and discovering Young Helen and Young Frank, it became easy to care.

Separated for so long, they struggled to remain “real,” for each other while caring for horribly wounded and dying soldiers, 18-year-old amputees, German POWs, and concentration camp survivors. Yet they never considered themselves exceptional or heroic.

If you were the casting director for the film version of your novel, who would play your lead roles?

Erika Christensen (Parenthood) because she starred in my Hallmark movie, and she’s delightful, as convincing in terror as she is in angst or love.





Could I please have a young Paul Newman


or Robert Redford, fresh from The Sting or Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid?



Absolutely! Ah, it was a pleasure seeking pictures of those two stunning gents. 

Emily Dickinson said this about writing: “A wounded deer leaps the highest.” How do you interpret that, and do you agree?

In a sense, this is a major theme in With Love, Wherever You Are. 2 Cor. 12, 9-10, ". . . my power works best in weakness. . . . For when I am weak, then I am strong.” War and danger and tragedy can show us that we’re not so powerful on our own. And that’s when we’re willing to see our need for God and let God be God.

What is the last novel you read that you would recommend?

A Great Reckoning by Louise Penny. I’m always immersed in the locale, Three Pines, and the quirky, compassionate characters waiting for me on the park bench.

What are you working on now?

I’m dipping my toe into my Aunt Dot’s remarkable story. She was an Army nurse in the Philippines when bombs were dropped on Pearl Harbor and then on her base and hospital. She had a whirlwind romance too, married in a foxhole, and saw her husband captured and sent on the Bataan Death March.

Wow. My parents met during the war, as well. Mom was a Brit, and Dad was a young fighter pilot. They both passed away very recently, just one month apart from each other. I love the durability of so many of the romances that began during World War II. A lovely generation.

But I’m also finishing a teen novel, Just Sayin’, and a lively, rhyming picture book, Rock Away Granny!

Where else can readers find you online?

www.dandibooks.com
www.dandibooks.com/with-love-wherever-you-are/
Video trailer
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads
Blog

The book can be purchased online via the following button:



          CBD


Finally, what question would you like to ask my readers?

What fun! OK: What’s the worst thing an author can do to a reader?

Thanks, Dandi, for telling us about your novel. Readers, Dandi has offered to give a signed copy of her book to the winner of our drawing on Monday, March 20. To enter, leave a comment below in answer to Dandi's question, above. "Please enter me" won't get you entered. The drawing is done by email, so leave your email address, like so: trish[at]trishperry[dot]com. 

Also, I'd love it if you'd connect with me on Facebook. Just click on my name at the right of today's post.

Annoying legal disclaimer: drawings void where prohibited; open only to U.S. residents; the odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. See full disclaimer, as well as my Disclosure of Material Connection HERE

Susan Page Davis, New Releases, and Free Books!

A girl lives a lie orchestrated by her uncle, but when she matures, how long can she accept a life of fraud?

Before we meet today's featured author, I want to announce that the winner of the free signed copy of Confessions of a Crispy Mom, by Laura Polk, is:

abreading4fun@...

Congratulations! I'll email you to get your snail mail address, and we'll get your book right out to you. I encourage readers to keep commenting and/or subscribe at right (above my list of books) in order to participate in future book give-aways! Subscribers are entered a second time when they comment.

And now let's revisit novelist Susan Page Davis, author of the historical romance novel, My Heart Belongs in the Superstition Mountains (Barbour, March 1, 2017).


Susan Page Davis is the author of more than seventy published novels. She’s a two-time winner of the Inspirational Readers’ Choice Award and the Will Rogers Medallion, and also a winner of the Carol Award and a finalist in the WILLA Literary Awards.

A Maine native, she now lives in Kentucky. She is the mother of six brilliant children and ten fabulous grandchildren.

Please tell us one random thing we might not know about you.

I have this cat called Arthur, only I call him Naughty Arthur. My daughter left him with us when she moved away. His is the most loving cat ever, but so mischievous! He jumps up on my desk and sticks his head in my water cup. And if I leave the door to the closet open, watch out! He gets into the big box of shipping envelopes and can’t get out. I’ve had to rescue him more than once.

I remember when I was a teen, we had a cat who was fond of getting into my sister's closet and getting inside her purses. I'll leave it up to the readers' imaginations to figure out what kind of "insult" he liked to leave for her.

Please tell us a bit more about the plot of My Heart Belongs in the Superstition Mountains.

A Chance for Escape Takes Two Unlikely Allies on a Romantic Adventure through the Desert.

Since she was orphaned at age twelve, Carmela Wade has lived a lie orchestrated by her uncle, pretending to be a survivor of an Indian kidnapping and profiting from telling her made-up story on the speaker circuit. But as she matures into adulthood, Carmela hates the lies and longs to be free. On a stagecoach in Arizona Territory, Carmela and her uncle are fellow passengers with US Marshal Freeland McKay and his handcuffed prisoner.

The stage is attacked. Suddenly a chance to make a new life may be within Carmela’s reach . . . if she can survive the harsh terrain and being handcuffed to an unconscious man.

What is it about Carmela that will make your readers care about her?

She was placed in a bad situation as a child. Now she is getting to the age where she thinks she may be able to change things, but she’s not sure how to go about it.

Emily Dickinson said this about writing: “A wounded deer leaps the highest.” How do you interpret that, and do you agree? 

I think it means those who feel the most pain make the biggest impression on the world. I’m not sure I would agree, at least not in general. Of course, there are individual cases where that is true, but sometimes those with deep wounds don’t have the strength left to leap.

What is the last novel you read that you would recommend?

Right now I am reading Stealth Power , book 2 in Vikki Kestell’s Nanostealth series. I loved book 1, Stealthy Steps, so I got this one as soon as it was available. Okay, it’s Sci-Fi, not my usual genre, but I like to read a variety of things, and now and then I dive into Sci-Fi and enjoy the possibilities.

What are you working on now?

I am launching my new Maine Justice series: http://susanpagedavis.com/maine-justi... , and on March 13, I’m doing a Maine-themed giveaway here: https://www.facebook.com/Maine-Justic...

But for a historical, my next release will be June 1, when my novel The Kidnapped Groom will appear in the collection Seven Brides for Seven Mail-Order Husbands.

Where else can readers find you online?

Website: www.susanpagedavis.com
Twitter: @SusanPageDavis
Facebook

The book can be purchased online via the following button:



          CBD



Finally, what question would you like to ask my readers?

If you were going to be handcuffed to someone by accident for the next four hours, who do you hope is your bracelet-mate?

Thanks, Susan, for telling us about your novel. Readers, Susan has offered to give a signed copy of her book to the winner of our drawing on Monday, March 13. To enter, leave a comment below in answer to Susan's question, above. "Please enter me" won't get you entered. The drawing is done by email, so leave your email address, like so: trish[at]trishperry[dot]com. 

Also, I'd love it if you'd connect with me on Facebook. Just click on my name at the right of today's post.

Annoying legal disclaimer: drawings void where prohibited; open only to U.S. residents; the odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. See full disclaimer, as well as my Disclosure of Material Connection HERE



As you scroll to the bottom of today's post to answer Susan's question, take a look at the excellent inspirational fiction releasing this month!


Contemporary Romance:

Reunion at Crane Lake by Robin Bayne -- Colt's memory is returning after the accident that ended his career. Now he wants to take over his family's inn, but he'll have to partner with his former fiancée to be able to afford it. He'll need forgiveness to make that happen. Tia's goal is clear: to return the inn to its former grandeur. And she'll even work with Colt to do so. But like the inn, their relationship needs a lot of work. He broke her heart...can she ever trust him again? (Contemporary Romance from White Rose Publishing [Pelican])

[image error] Hope by Fay Lamb -- She's a starving artist facing a serious illness; he's the doctor who's her only hope of survival. If only she hadn't caused his sister to die. (Contemporary Romance from Write Integrity Press)





Muffins & Moonbeams by Elizabeth Maddrey -- Malachi Baxter is happy to hide in the background and manage the business-end of the family bakery. He'd much rather live in the online world of computer games where he can explore the galaxy and no one has to know he's deaf. Ursula Franks designs websites during the day and spends her evenings battling alien races online where relationships are easy and uncomplicated. When she agrees to design a website for the local Community Supported Bakery, she has no idea that Malachi is the real man behind her online persona's best friend and her own secret crush.As the two work together on the website, they uncover an attraction, but will they be able to put aside past hurt and insecurity to find love? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

[image error] Then Came You: A Bradford Sisters Novella by Becky Wade -- Garner Bradford, heir to the troubled Bradford Shipping empire, doesn't know much about babies. But he's going to have to learn fast because he's just become a single father to his newborn daughter. Career girl Kathleen Burke is wholly uninterested in settling down. She has big dreams, and none of them include Garner and his small hometown in Washington State. Yet she can't seem to get her handsome boss out of her head or her heart.... (Romance Novella, Independently Published)


General:

When the Bough Breaks by Ane Mulligan -- Her dream job has a Catch 22—and time's running outRookie lobbyist Sienna O'Shea is determined to make a name for herself in New York's capitol city and use that influence to gain easier access to her birth records. For years she's searched for her birth mother, but when she's handed her first assignment—to lobby support for the permanent sealing of all adoption records—her worlds collide. Swept up into the intrigue of backroom politics, falling in love was not on Sienna's agenda, but the candidate for Lt. Governor runs a formidable campaign to make her his first lady. When an investigative reporter discovers foreign money infiltrating political campaigns, the trail leads to Sienna's inner circle. (General, Independently Published)

[image error] The Memory of You by Catherine West -- Thirteen years ago, Natalie lost a part of herself when her twin sister died. Will traveling back to the family winery finally put the memory to rest, or will it completely destroy her? (General from HarperCollins Christian Publishing [Thomas Nelson and Zondervan])


Cozy Mystery:

Murder Is No Accident by A. H. Gabhart -- When murder comes to call at a stately Victorian house, the town of Hidden Springs looks to Deputy Sheriff Michael Keane to solve the crime before anyone else dies. (Cozy Mystery from Revell [Baker])


Historical Romance:

A Rocky Mountain Romance by Misty M. Beller -- When Zeche takes shelter from a blizzard in a remote cabin, he doesn't expect to find a beautiful woman and her father, a disturbed Civil War veteran. Zeche's instincts tell him Greta is endangered and he should stay and protect her, but his own presence aggravates her father's condition. With a dangerous snowstorm outside and growing hostilities inside, can he find a way to keep them all safe from harm? Or will it be to the detriment of his heart? (Historical Romance, Independently Published)

A Stolen Heart by Amanda Cabot -- From afar, Cimarron Creek seems like an idyllic town tucked in the Texas Hill Country. But when former schoolteacher Lydia Crawford steps onto its dusty streets in 1880, she finds a town with a deep-seated resentment of Northerners--like her. Lydia won't let that get her down, though. All will be well when she's reunited with her fiancé. But when she discovers he has disappeared--and that he left behind a pregnant wife--Lydia is at a loss about what to do next. The handsome sheriff urges her to trust him, but can she trust anyone in this town where secrets are as prevalent as bluebonnets in spring? (Historical Romance from Revell [Baker])

Desert Moon & Honor Bound by Susan Page Davis and Colleen L. Reece -- Enjoy an Old West romance adventure from author Susan Page Davis. Julia Newman looked forward to moving home to Arizona, then she got word that her mother has died and Julie's stagecoach is robbed. If that wasn't enough, the first person she sees in town is Adam Scott—the man she always loved but could never have—and now he is accusing her brother of criminal activity. Also includes a bonus historical romance, Honor Bound by Colleen L. Reece. (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing)

Her Motherhood Wish by Keli Gwyn -- En route to the Double T Orphanage to work on its expansion, carpenter Chip Evans and Caroline Hunt discover two orphaned children—and become their caregivers. But Chip's determined not to let himself get too attached to the children who just lost their widowed father…or to the lovely woman helping him care for them. Especially since Callie and the little ones just don't fit into his detailed plans for the future. Callie can't help but fall in love with the orphans, and despite her better judgment, she's falling for Chip, too. Her dreams of being a wife and mother were not quite like this. But Callie believes a plan bigger than Chip's brought them all together…and now she just has to help him see it, too. (Historical Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

The Planter's Daughter by Michelle Shocklee -- When her father's Texas cotton plantation faces bankruptcy, Adella must choose between the man who can her family's land and the man who can save her! (Historical Romance from Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas)




When Tides Turn by Sarah Sundin -- When Quintessa Beaumont learns the US Navy has established the WAVES program for women, she enlists, eager to throw off her frivolous ways and contribute to the war effort. Lt. Dan Avery employs his skills in antisubmarine warfare to fight U-boats at the peak of the Battle of the Atlantic, but the last thing he wants to see on his radar is fun-loving Tess. As Dan and Tess work together in Boston, the changes in Tess challenge his notions--and his heart. (Historical Romance from Revell [Baker])


Medical Suspense:

Dcotor's Dilemma by Richard L. Mabry M.D. -- Young surgeon Tyler Gentry thought the offer to join the Hall Group of surgeons offered the answer to his problems, but things changed when he received a 3 AM phone call that told him such a move would be hazardous to his health. (Medical Suspense, Independently Published)


Romantic Suspense:

Her Baby's Protector by Margaret Daley and Susan Sleeman -- Saved by the Lawman by Margaret Daley: As an unknown assailant attempts to kidnap family-court judge Kate Forster's infant son, police officer Chase Walker thwarts the attack—and vows to keep the pair safe. But who will protect the ex-marine's heart when the widowed mother and her little boy make him long for a permanent spot in their family? Saved by the SEAL by Susan Sleeman: The tragedy that killed Bree Hatfield's best friends--and left her with custody of their young daughter--has been ruled an accident. But Bree knows it was murder. Scared and alone, she turns to her ex-boyfriend, navy SEAL Clint Reed, who'll risk everything to protect baby Ella and the woman he never stopped loving. (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Agent-in-Training by Terri Reed -- FBI intern Zara Fielding and her K-9 partner, Radar, stumble across a robbery gone wrong and put themselves in the criminals' crosshairs. Her childhood friend FBI computer guru Dylan O'Leary works for the secretive FBI unit she longs to join, and he vows not to let anything happen to her. As they work to stay one step ahead of the bad guys, new feelings ignite. When she goes missing, it's only Dylan--and Radar--who can track her down. Will they arrive in time to save her and the future she and Dylan have started dreaming about? (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired [Harlequin])


Speculative Romance/Fantasy:

Ingrid's Engagement by Kristen Reed -- When King Viggo marches through the kingdom of Schlagefilde in a relentless quest for retribution against its wicked king, the Count of Anselm attempts to make peace with him. As the two strike a deal that will protect the people of Anselm, the King of Villriket becomes enthralled with a portrait of the Count's oldest daughter, Ingrid. The vengeful king vows that he will leave Edmund's county in peace if he will allow him to marry Ingrid. To prevent her father from incurring the sovereign's wrath, the young lady hastily agrees and enters into an unforeseen engagement with the grim ruler. Ingrid's Engagement tells the enchanting tale of a beautiful young woman who softens the hardened heart of a beastly king with nothing more than her quiet wisdom and gentle spirit. (Speculative Romance/Fantasy, Independently Published)

Happy reading!