Johnnie Alexander and Free Books!

A talented artist protects art and children from the Nazis while the man she loves must fight his own battles against Hitler’s evil regime.

Before we visit today's author, I want to announce that the winner of the signed copy of The Potter's Lady, by Judith Miller, is:

augustlily06@ . . .

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 chat with novelist Johnnie Alexander, author of historical novel, Where Treasure Hides (Tyndale, August 2015).

Johnnie Alexander writes inspiring stories that linger in the heart. Where Treasure Hides, her debut novel, won the ACFW Genesis Contest (2011) and Golden Leaf Award (2014). Her first contemporary romance, Where She Belongs (Misty Willow Series; Revell), and her first novella, “The Healing Promise” (Courageous Bride Collection; Barbour), release in 2016.

She also has won Best Novel and Best Writer awards (Florida Christian Writers Conferences), and Bronze Medalist (My Book Therapy Frasier Contest). She volunteers as a category coordinator for the ACFW Genesis Contest, judges various contests, and serves as marketing director for the MidSouth Christian Writers Conference.

A graduate of Rollins College (Orlando) with a Master of Liberal Studies degree, Johnnie treasures family memories, classic movies, road trips, and stacks of books. She lives in the Memphis area with a small herd of alpacas and Rugby, the princely papillon who trees raccoons.

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

--I’ve worn my mom’s class ring for decades. She lost the onyx stone, so it’s polished gold but still has her graduation year on it and her initials engraved inside.

--I once wrecked my car to avoid hitting a chair that was in the road. As my car went sailing through the air, I squeezed my eyes shut and thought, “This is like a ride at Disney World.”

--I don’t like lemon meringue pie but my favorite pie of all time is O’Charley’s lemon meringue pie. (I know, it doesn’t make sense to me either.)

You may have wrecked your car, but you saved the life of that chair. We must have our priorities!

Please tell us a bit more about the plot of Where Treasure Hides.

a href="http://s73.photobucket.com/user/Trish..." target="_blank">Artist Alison Schuyler spends her time working in her family’s renowned art gallery, determined to avoid the curse that has followed the Schuyler clan from the Netherlands to America and back again. She’s certain that true love will only lead to tragedy—that is, until a chance meeting at Waterloo station brings Ian Devlin into her life.

Drawn to the bold and compassionate British Army captain, Alison begins to question her fear of love as World War II breaks out, separating the two and drawing each into their own battles. While Ian fights for freedom on the battlefield, Alison works with the Dutch Underground to find a safe haven for Jewish children and priceless pieces of art alike. But safety is a luxury war does not allow.

As time, war, and an old rival struggle to keep them apart, will Alison and Ian have the faith to fight for their love, or is it their fate to be separated forever?

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

Alison is a gifted artist who faces extraordinary challenges. Her heart yearns for one man, a soldier and a hero, but for a time she considers an alternative that at first seems safer. Later in the story, she insists on staying in Holland to help protect the art and the Jewish children while her father is equally insistent she return to the United States. Through her struggles, Alison learns to trust God with her future.

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

This is a hard question for me because I don’t use celebrities for inspiration. But after spending some time searching around the internet, I selected Lily James (from Downton Abbey) to play Alison


and Theo James to play Ian.






But if we could time travel, then Ingrid Bergman plays Alison




and Joseph Cotten plays Ian.





Who is one of your favorite fictional characters?

Jean Valjean, the prisoner who becomes a savior to young Marius in Les Miserables. After his conversion, and no matter the stakes, Valjean endeavors to do the right thing. He embodies grace and sacrificial love.

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

I recently read Ann Tatlock’s Once Beyond a Time , and absolutely loved it. Ann has a lyrical writing style yet creates characters with their own distinct voices. The story, set in the late 1960s, centers on a broken family who move into a house that’s a strange nexus in time. Characters from the past and from the future help the family find healing and hope.

That's a fascinating story premise! What are you working on now?

I’m finishing up Book #2 in the Misty Willow Series for Revell. The first book, Where She Belongs, releases in January.

Where else can readers find you online?

These links will take you to my online hangouts:

Blog http://johnnie-alexander.com
Facebook Profile (Friend or Follow!)
Facebook Author Page
Twitter
GoodReads
Amazon Author Page









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

I once had what I considered a pipe dream—to own an alpaca. Now I have twelve.

What’s a pipe dream you have? (But be careful because it just might come true.)

Thanks, Johnnie, for visiting with us and telling us about your novel.

Readers, Johnnie has offered to give a signed copy of her book to the winner of our drawing on Monday, August 17. To enter, leave a comment below in answer to Johnnie'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.

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.