Harry Wegley and Free Books!

With the dangers from their past either dead, or locked away in federal prison, they left for the Maui honeymoon of their dreams, oblivious to the coming nightmare.

Before we visit today's author, I want to announce that the winner of the signed copy of Firewall, by DiAnn Mills, is:

mac262@ . . .

Congratulations! I'll email you today to get your mailing address, and we'll get your book to you right away. 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 with novelist Harry Wegley, author of Moon Over Maalaea Bay (Harbourlight Books, Pelican Book Group, June 2014).

Harry served in the USAF as an Intelligence Analyst and a Weather Officer. In civilian life he performed research in atmospheric physics. After earning an MS in Computer Science, Harry worked 20+ years developing computer systems for Boeing before retiring near Seattle, where he and his wife of 48 years enjoy small-group ministry, grandchildren, hiking on the Olympic Peninsula, snorkeling Maui whenever possible, and where he writes inspirational thrillers and romantic suspense novels.

Harry is currently starting his 8th novel.

Please tell us three random things we might not know about you.

-- I’m enough Cherokee to be a legal member of the tribe, but I’m also half German. My wife is more Sioux than I am Cherokee, and what isn’t Sioux is Irish. Isn’t America wonderful? I hope that never changes.

-- Born in California, raised in Oregon, I had a scholarship to the University of Oregon, but I’m a Texas Aggie, class of ’71. Life is full of surprises.

-- I used to be able to stay under water for up to 3 minutes. Whenever I tried that while doing the dead man’s float, after about 60 seconds my wife would swim over and yank my head out of the water. Then I’d do it again. I think there must be big differences in the way men and women like to be shown they are loved. ☺

I'm in the middle of reading Louis Zamperini's biography, Unbroken, and his practiced ability to stay underwater like that turned out to be a lifesaver when his plane crash landed. So, as frustrating as you were to your wife, that was probably a smart skill to achieve!

Please tell us a bit more about the plot of Moon Over Maalaea Bay.

When Lee Brandt’s bright, beautiful bride disappears on their wedding night in Maui, both Lee and the US government want her back, and each takes drastic measures to find her. But Jennifer, an NSA research scientist, is in high demand. An international trafficking syndicate wants her for revenge. A wealthy, Middle-Eastern prince, who collects women, wants her for what she looks like. Foreign intelligence agents want her for what she knows.

As the clock ticks down toward Jennifer’s sale, her soon-to-be adopted daughter, Katie, flies to Maui and joins the search, ending up in the traffickers’ crosshairs. Could Lee choose between his bride and his future daughter?

A few hours earlier, Jennifer promised herself to Lee “until death do them part.” Could she make death part them to avoid the degradation the traffickers have in mind for her? If she did, would God forgive her?

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

Jennifer has been a Christian for eight months. Her faith is strong even in adversity. She has faced danger before and refuses to be paralyzed by fear. She has a heart that, as long as it’s beating, won’t stop fighting for what is right and for the people she loves. Though she’s small and not particularly strong, she’s bright (IQ of 200) and very quick. If her opponents make one wrong move they quickly find themselves in checkmate.

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

I had never noticed or heard of Drew Waters until watching the movies The Ultimate Life and, more recently, The Redemption of Henry Myers. But he would make a good Lee.





Jennifer’s is a more difficult role to fill, as she is Japanese-Hawaiian and has so many extraordinary qualities spelled out in great detail by Lee. But my wife and I went looking for a “Jennifer” on the Internet and found a Japanese singer and actress from Hawaii, Yuna Ito, who is the right age and would be a perfect fit. I wanted to use her picture for the book cover, but realized I probably couldn’t afford what her agent would want for those rights. If you like music, she has a wonderful voice, unlike Jennifer.

I don't know if you mention in the story that Jennifer can't sing, but I like that you know that.

Sometimes a writer’s imagination can be triggered with word mapping. If I give you the word "challenge," what three words first come to mind, and how would you word a sentence (or 2, if needed) using all four words?

Obstacle, overcome, strength. God sometimes challenges us to grow in our faith by placing obstacles in our path that seem impossible to overcome using our own strength.

Love that.

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

Wolfsbane by Ronie Kendig. It had more than enough action to suit me—guys need their action fix every few chapters—but the characters drew me in until I had invested more in them than the characters of any other book I’ve recently read.

What are you working on now?

I’m polishing my 7th novel and am early in the planning stage for my 8th. The story I’m polishing reaches back into the Cold War era and pulls some of that intrigue and espionage drama into the present. It’s a high-action, romantic suspense story about a young woman whose father is murdered. He left her alone in the world with a set of journals documenting his secret KGB past, an SVR assassin on her trail, and instructions to run for protection to a family she hardly knows. She’s forced to trust a young man with her life, a man she believes she must never trust with her heart.

Where else can readers find you online?

Author web site (currently under re-construction): hlwegley.com
Pelican Book Group: H. L. Wegley books
Faceboook
Amazon Author Page: Amazon
Twitter
Goodreads
Blog – The Weather Scribe – a climate of suspense and a forecast of stormy weather: weatherscribe.blogspot.com


The book can be purchased in fine book stores and online via the following buttons:




CBD.com
(eBook)

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

What’s your favorite genre and why are you drawn to it?

Thanks, Harry, for visiting with us and telling us about your novel. Readers, Harry has offered to give a signed copy of his book to the winner of our drawing on Monday, July 14. To enter, leave a comment below in answer to Harry's question, above. "Please enter me" won't get you entered. Leave your email address, in case you win, like so: trish[at]trishperry[dot]com.

Be sure to check out my interview with Creston Mapes and Nancy Mehl, below. Leave an appropriate comment at the bottom of the post to enter the drawing for a signed copy of the book.

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 HERE.