Angela Breidenbach and A Healing Heart

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ANGELA BREIDENBACH is a speaker, coach, and author of A Healing Heart, April 2013 from Abingdon Press in the Quilts of Love series. Her family tradition is to create the life story on a photo memory quilt for each graduating senior. She is certified in mentor/peer counseling as a CTA life coach, as a Stephen Minister, and a weight loss/nutrition coach. Angela serves as an assisting minister (worship/prayer leader) for her congregation in Missoula, MT.
http://www.AngelaBreidenbach.com
Twitter: @AngBreidenbach
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/AngelaBreidenbachInspirationalSpeakerAuthor

A HEALING HEART, Quilts of Love series #6
by Angela Breidenbach
Published by Abingdon Press

ABOUT THE BOOK

Workaholic, Mara Keegan, suffers a heart attack and must trust her business to the one man who tried to destroy it, Joel Ryan. During her recovery, Mara works to fulfill a promise to her graduating daughter by creating a photo memory quilt. Will Joel's photo be on the quilt? Mara must learn about heart health from the inside out!

Endorsements:
More Praise for A Healing Heart

A heart-warming and romantic story of new beginnings and hope through the fog. A story of real life filled with true emotion and characters you can't help but love.
—NY Times bestselling author, Tosca Lee, Tosca's latest book: Iscariot

A Healing Heart is an emotional story of learning to let go of the past and embracing the future. Angie Breidenbach deftly creates lifelike teenagers, a frazzled mother, and a caring hero you will love. This charming book tugs at your heart and encourages you to reevaluate what's important in your life."
—Vickie McDonough, author of 25 books and novellas, including End of the Trail

"Restoration and hope drive this emotionally charged novel by Angela Breidenbach. Mara Keegan's healing journey will keep you turning the pages as she uncovers promises of a life she never thought she would have again. Family dynamics, made richer through the process of gathering photos for a memory quilt, come full circle as Mara learns to let go, let God, and let love into her heart; a truly healed heart."
—Lindi Peterson, award-winning author of Her Best Catch and Summer's Song

"Breidenbach's latest novel, A Healing Heart, paints a knee-bending word picture of our Healer God. Whether the physical, spiritual, or emotional heart, the Big Guy can handle it. Laden with conflict, sweet romance, and humorous contradictions, the story propels the reader forward while giving her pause to wonder . . . 'What places in my heart need healing? What wounds will I allow God to stitch?' A Healing Heart sports an endearing and motley cast of characters, and the frigid Montana landscape contrasts nicely with the hero's warm, sigh-worthy persona. It's a unique and touching addition to the Quilts of Love series."
—April W. Gardner, librarian and award-winning author

"Some stories provide pure entertainment, while others teach a lesson. A Healing Heart by Angela Breidenbach does both and is one of those books that every over-achieving, God-loving woman should read. Not only did I enjoy this book, I found myself reflecting on my own life and how much of myself I saw in the story."
— Debby Mayne, author of Sweet Baklava, Waiting for a View, and the Class Reunion series

Readers, buy your copy of A Healing Heart today!

AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR FEATURE AUTHOR

Trust

Trust is one of the hidden issues often misunderstood. When someone betrays another and forgiveness becomes more a war within the victim than the perpetrator. A backstabbing comment is one thing, but when it strikes deep into your core?

For Mara Keegan in my new release, A Healing Heart, Joel Ryan nearly destroyed her business. Now he’s showing up replacing her beloved (and trusted) business coach. I think had the heart attack not happened, Mara would have had a much tougher time accepting Joel. She battles with forgiveness. Why should she forgive someone who didn’t car how many lives he destroyed?

I’ve felt that way toward someone before. I’m so glad a mentor/coach shared with me that forgiveness and trust are two different things. I began to work on forgiveness to free my heart from the prison of bitterness. A very similar struggle for Mara. The only way I could forgive such a terrible affront was to take it to prayer. I can’t forgive on my own. Forgiveness comes through the help of the Holy Spirit. So I ask for help.

As I began to feel the healing of forgiveness, I could release the bitterness I’d been harboring. But I didn’t need to trust that person. I found out trust is earned, not given. I always wanted the person who’d offended me to earn my trust back. That one person didn’t. But other people did. How interesting people can choose their own behavior, right? How wonderful it is for some people who choose to repair relationships. I have the greatest respect for those folks and wanted to portray the hope of restored relationships.

Some of the most spectacular experiences in my life are those restored relationships. The fact is trust is built over time—a long period of time—where you can test the safety of that trust in small increments as you build confidence.

Reader Question: What would someone have to do to prove worthy of your trust after they betrayed you?

* * * * *

Thank you, Angela, for sharing with us today.

ENTRY RULES Readers, leave your email address (name [at] domainname [dot] com) along with your answer to the question for your chance to win a free autographed copy of the book featured above. If you do not answer the question, and your email address isn't provided, you will not be entered.

This week, the drawing is open to contiguous US residents for a print copy and international or Alaska/Hawaii residents for an eBook copy.

Kay Marshall Strom and The Hope of Shridula

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

KAY MARSHALL STROM is the author of forty-two published books. A 21st century abolitionist, she travels throughout the country and around the world speaking on God’s priorities: acting justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God (Micah 6:8).

THE HOPE OF SHRIDULA
by Kay Marshall Strom
Published by Abingdon Press

ABOUT THE BOOK

India, 1946: For forty-eight years, Shridula’s father and his family have toiled as slaves in the fields of the high-caste Varghese family, all because of her grandfather’s small debt. At 54 years old, her father, Ashish—whose name means Blessing—is worn out and aging fast. His one joy is his only child, now twelve years old. He doesn’t even mind that she is a girl.

Shridula was born, her mother insisted on giving her a name that also means Blessing. Ashish gazed at his newborn baby and said, “Perhaps the name will bring you more fortune than it brought me.”

His words proved prophetic in ways Ashish could never have imagined. And when the flames of revolution brought independence to India, they seared change into Shridula’s soul.

Readers, buy your copy of The Hope of Shridula today!

AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR FEATURE AUTHOR

The Truth About Fiction

To Marilyn, I wrote. Blessings! Kay Marshall Strom. I smiled as I handed the signed copy of The Hope of Shridula to the tall woman before me.

“Is it true?” Marilyn asked.

“It’s historical fiction,” I explained.

“But is it true fiction?”

Hmmm. True fiction. By definition, fiction is a product of the author’s imagination. Even so, Marilyn’s question set me to thinking. Just how true should fiction be? Six years ago, on my fifth trip to India, I read John Grisham’s book, The Testament. It tells about just-out-of-rehab attorney Nate who is under orders to locate a young missionary in the jungles of Brazil and inform her that she is the sole heir to a huge fortune. Poor Nate gets more than he bargained for, including malaria. On the way down the river, he cries out in agony that he’s dying. The boat captain tells him to go to the bottom of the boat, lie down, and cover himself up with an old tent. If he’s still alive when they get to the mouth of the river, he will survive.

A week later, in a village in India, I went to bed feeling sort of icky. In the middle of the night, I woke up shaking with chills so bad I cracked a tooth. I stumbled out of bed and fell on my face. Before long, the chills changed to a roaring fever. In my badly addled mind, I reviewed each of Nate’s symptoms and checked them off in my sweat-drenched body. Yep, I had malaria. Get to the bottom of the boat, I told myself. Pull the old tent over you. I struggled back into bed and pulled up the cover. If you’re still alive when you get down the river, you will survive. I was and I did.

How true does fiction need to be? True enough that someone in the throes of malaria will not be led astray.

My Blessings in India trilogy—The Hope of Shridula is book 2—is set in 20th century India. It’s a world strictly controlled by a punishing caste system. Shridula and her family are at the bottom. Untouchables. So low, they must never let their polluted shadows pass across the shadow of anyone high caste. They must sweep away their disgusting footprints, beat a drum to warn of their approach. It’s a harsh world. Still today, many in the dominant high castes have no desire to have the caste system examined too closely. Also, the contrast between Hinduism and Christianity is sharp, and not appreciated in most of India. So how do I paint such a canvas?

Not with one-sided thoughts. Nor with exaggerated words. Certainly not with bad Indians and good Christian Europeans. No, no, that would never do. But I do need to portray it truthfully. My job as a writer is to find that balance.

The Hope of Shridula is set during a pivotal time in Indian history: the country’s fight for independence from Britain, and the horrifically careless partition of Muslim Pakistan from Hindu India. In my search for balance, I interviewed many people, including an old man who took part in the partition. He could tell only so much of his story at a time before sobs overtook him. “So horrible!” he would cry. “I do not want to remember.”

How true does fiction need to be? True enough that history is not distorted. True enough that those who lived it, or who inherited the memories, will not be insulted or angered.

Shridula’s story is fiction. The setting, however, is true. I researched through stacks of books. I talked with Indians and Pakistanis. I went to India and saw the landscape, watched the washer caste washing clothes in the river and a man scrubbing down his elephant. Watched people bathing in that same water and collecting it in jars to drink. Visited the markets and bought mangos and custard apples, and spices from brightly colored displays.

How true is fiction? True enough, and in the right places.

The Hope of Shridula is true fiction.

Reader Question: How much truth do you expect in the fiction you read?

* * * * *

Thank you, Kay, for sharing with us today.

ENTRY RULES Readers, leave your email address (name [at] domainname [dot] com) along with your answer to the question for your chance to win a free autographed copy of the book featured above. If you do not answer the question, and your email address isn't provided, you will not be entered.

This week, the drawing is open to US/Canada residents only.

Guest Blogger Richard Mabry and Lethal Remedy

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

DR. RICHARD MABRY is the author of four published novels of medical suspense. His books have been finalists in competitions including ACFW’s Carol Award and Romantic Times’ Inspirational Book of the Year. His latest novel is Lethal Remedy. He currently serves as Vice-President of the American Christian Fiction Writers. You can learn more about him at his website: http://rmabry.com. He blogs at http://rmabry.blogspot.com.

LETHAL REMEDY
by Richard Mabry
Published by Abingdon Press

ABOUT THE BOOK

Dr. Sara Miles’ patient is on the threshold of death from an overwhelming, highly resistant infection with Staphylococcus luciferus, simply known to doctors as “the killer.” Only an experimental antibiotic, developed and administered by Sara’s ex-husband, Dr. Jack Ingersoll, can save the girl's life.

Dr. John Ramsey is seeking to put his life together after the death of his wife by joining the medical school faculty. But his decision could prove to be costly, even fatal.

Potentially lethal late effects from the experimental drug send Sara and her colleague, Dr. Rip Pearson, on a hunt for hidden critical data that will let them reverse the changes before it’s too late.

Lethal Remedy (Abingdon Press, 2011) is Dr. Mabry’s fourth novel of medical suspense. His next book will be released in early 2013.

Readers, buy your copy of Lethal Remedy today!

AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR FEATURE AUTHOR

A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To Fame And Fortune

There’s a wonderful line in The Muppet Movie. The Muppets have come to the big city looking for fame and fortune, and they encounter Orson Wells, playing a big-time producer. At the end of the scene, he tells his secretary to prepare the “standard rich and famous contract.” I guess that’s the kind of contract an author dreams about, but so far as I can tell, it only exists in the movies.

From the outside, being a writer seems exciting. At my first writer’s conference, I was awestruck by the published writers there. These were people whose names were household words—well, not in my household, but I was just getting started, so I could be excused for not knowing all of them. But surely they were celebrities in their hometowns. Most certainly they had to stop and give autographs in the grocery store or dry cleaners. And undoubtedly they lived in the lap of luxury. After all, they were published authors!

When my first novel was published, I’ll never forget the thrill of opening that box and seeing the cover with “Richard L. Mabry, MD” printed at the top. I listened carefully, but so far as I could tell, there were no cheering crowds outside my window, no marching bands in the street. I opened my Internet browser, but there was no headline about the book. What I did find, however, were a bunch of emails about interviews and guest blog posts that I’d lined up to get the word out. No matter that there were no cheering crowds yet. Surely these would do the trick.

Now, fast-forward about two years. That’s when I opened a carton and removed another book with my name on the cover above the title, Lethal Remedy. This was my fourth published novel, and by this time, reality has set in. I took a minute to thank God for having brought me this far. I showed the book to my wife, Kay, and gave her the personalized copy I wanted her to have. I pulled enough books out of the box to cover the give-aways I’d promised. I made sure I was current with the blog interviews and guest posts I’d set up. And then I got back to writing the proposal I hoped a publisher would accept. I didn’t take the time to listen for cheering crowds and marching bands.

At church, a few people know I’m an author, and we talk a bit about it. I’m sometimes asked to sign a book. I’ve been asked to share a little about the publishing industry with my home fellowship group. But that’s about it for the famous part. And as for rich, well that’s not going to happen, either.

Do I mind that I never got that “standard rich and famous contract?” Not at all. My words have been read by many more people than the population of the town where I grew up. If I’ve succeeded in my mission, when those readers turn the last page of my novel they find they’ve been left with a message—not a hard-sell of Christianity, because that’s just not my style, but rather a message that no matter how far we drift from God, we can always turn back to Him. I’ve been allowed to use the printed page as my pulpit. And that’s rich and famous enough for me.

* * * * *

Thank you, Doc, for sharing with us today.

Guest Question:  How about you? Which matters most to you—that the book you’re reading sold a million copies and garnered rave reviews, or that it speaks to you, even if no one else is talking about it? What do you say?

ENTRY RULES Readers, leave your email address (name at domainname dot com/net) along with your answer to the question for your chance to win a FREE autographed copy of the book featured above. If you do not answer the question, and your email address isn't provided, you will not be entered.

This week, the contest is open to US residents only.

CFBA Presents Bonnie Calhoun and Cooking the Books

This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingCooking the BooksBarbour Books (April 2012)byBonnie Calhoun
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

As the Owner/Director of the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance Bonnie has helped use the 220+ blogs of the Alliance to promote many titles on the Christian bestseller list. She also owns and publishes the Christian Fiction Online magazine which is devoted to readers and writers of Christian fiction. She is the Northeast Zone Director for American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). At ACFW she was named the ‘Mentor of the Year,’ for 2011, and she is the current President of (CAN) Christian Authors Network. Bonnie is also the Appointment Coordinator for both the Colorado Christian Writers Conference and the Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference.

In her spare time she is an avid social media junkie, and teaches Facebook, Twitter, Blogging and HTML as recreational occupations. She also has a novel coming out in the Abingdon Quilts of Love series. Her novel Pieces of the Heart will release in August of 2013.

Bonnie and her husband Bob live in a log cabin on 15 acres in upstate area of Binghamton, New York with a dog and cat who consider the humans as wait-staff.

ABOUT THE BOOK

After her mother dies from a heart attack, Sloane Templeton goes from Cyber Crimes Unit to bookstore owner before she can blink. She also "inherits" a half-batty store manager; a strange bunch of little old people from the neighborhood who meet at the store once a week, but never read books, called the Granny Oakleys Book Club; and Aunt Verline, who fancies herself an Iron Chef when in reality you need a cast iron stomach to partake of her culinary disasters. And with a group like this you should never ask, “What else can go wrong?”

A lot! Sloane begins to receive cyber threats. While Sloane uses her computer forensic skills to uncover the source of the threats, it is discovered someone is out to kill her. Can her life get more crazy?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Cooking The Books, go HERE

Watch the book video:

If you'd like to read interviews with Bonnie, try these:
Everbody Needs A Little Romance
A Christian Writers World
Novel Rocket
ACFW - Fiction Finder

MY REVIEW

All right, so I know the author of this book quite well. We go back a number of years, and we've been up into the wee hours of the late night some nights emailing back and forth or chatting on the phone. That being said, I knew I was in for a real treat with this book. Bonnie has a flair for the dramatic, but her real-life quick wit and wicked sense of humor found their way into the main character (Sloane Templeton) in spades! Sloane's poor taste in men and desire to do everything herself without asking for help seemed rather familiar to me (except Bonnie married herself a real gem), but there came a point when I was ready to slap the woman and tell her to call the cops!

Nevertheless, this novel is chock full of likable characters, memorable lines, and a good old-fashioned mystery. I don't normally read mysteries, but this one I had no choice. The author would likely whip me with a wet noodle and string me up if I passed on her book, but no worries. I wasn't coerced in any way. The humor, supporting cast, and great story meld together to produce a fantastic literary delight. For a debut novel, this one is a keeper! You won't be disappointed.



*** I received a free copy from the publisher through the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance in exchange for this review. No compensation was given or received, and I was not required to give this book a favorable review. Thank you to CFBA, Hamby Media, and Abingdon Press for providing this book.

Guest Blogger Margaret Daley and Saving Hope

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

MARGARET DALEY Margaret Daley, an award-winning author of eighty-two books, has been married for over forty years and is a firm believer in romance and love. When she isn’t traveling, she’s writing love stories, often with a suspense thread and corralling her three cats that think they rule her household. To find out more about Margaret visit her website at http://www.margaretdaley.com. She has 2 current releases.


SAVING HOPE
by Margaret Daley
Published by Abingdon Press

ABOUT THE BOOK

When a teenager goes missing from the Beacon of Hope School, Texas Ranger Wyatt Sheridan and school director Kate Winslow are forced into a dangerous struggle against a human trafficking organization. But the battle brings dire consequences as Wyatt's daughter is terrorized and Kate is kidnapped. Now it's personal, and Wyatt finds both his faith and investigative skills challenged as he fights to discover the mastermind behind the ring before evil destroys everyone he loves.

Readers, buy your copy of Saving Hope today!

A LOVE REKINDLED
by Margaret Daley
Published by Harlequin's Love Inspired

ABOUT THE BOOK

"Do You Want My Help Or Not?" -- Kim Walters wants Zane Davidson's help all right. Her family is struggling to rebuild their home after a hurricane, and Zane is a successful contractor. But the fifteen years that have passed since they were high school sweethearts aren't about to magically melt away. Nothing can erase Mr. Walters's clear message—Zane wasn't good enough for his daughter. But now the Walters fortune is gone, and the town is reeling from the recent natural disaster. Can Kim and Zane find the faith to believe that some things work better the second time around?

Readers, buy your copy of A Love Rekindled today!

AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR FEATURE AUTHOR

Spring—Time to Renew
By Margaret Daley

You probably want to know what spring has to do with writing. Well, nothing directly except I find myself wanting to skip writing and spend more time outside after a long winter. It does become harder to plant my butt in the chair and write. So first, I’m asking what do you do to keep yourself on track when the great outdoors (with lots of sunshine and flowers) is calling you? Right now the gorgeous day is shouting my name.

What I really want to write about is what spring means and how it applies to a writer. When I think of spring, I think of renewing and refreshing. Nature does it and it is so welcomed by me. Nothing beats seeing the trees putting leaves on, flowers coming up, bushes leafing out and blooming. Nature’s colors change from dull, drab ones to vibrant colors that just looking at them helps me feel renewed and ready for whatever is next. That’s what I want to be able to do as a writer whenever I need it.

As much as I wish I could have spring more than a few months a year (Can you tell spring is my favorite season?), I can’t, at least not in Oklahoma where it will get extremely hot in the summer. So what do I do to renew myself as a writer throughout the year?

When I finish a book, I treat myself to a double dip ice cream cone (cookie dough) guilt free and a few days off from writing before I start my next project. I try to build in some rewards for accomplishing certain things, but is that enough? See the questions below for my request for your help. Any suggestions are appreciated.

* * * * *

Thank you, Margaret, for sharing with us today.

Guest Question: What do you do to refresh yourself? Give yourself a boost to accomplish what you need to do? Do you have favorite music you listen to? Read a special book? Go out with friends or family somewhere you enjoy?

ENTRY RULES Readers, leave your email address (name at domainname dot com/net) along with your answer to the question for your chance to win a FREE copy of one of the books above. There will be TWO winners this week! If you do not answer the question, and your email address isn't provided, you will not be entered.

This week, the contest is open to residents of the US/Canada only.

Guest Blogger Kay Marshall Strom and The Hope of Shridula

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

KAY MARSHALL STROM is the author of forty books, including The Faith of Ashish (book 1) and The Hope of Shridula (book 2) of the Blessings in India trilogy. She also wrote the highly acclaimed Grace in Africa trilogy, with books 1 and 2 named in ALA Booklist’s Top Ten inspirational fiction of 2010 and 2011. Kay travels the globe, speaking out against social injustice, especially modern-day slavery. She and her husband live in the Pacific Northwest.

THE HOPE OF SHRIDULA (book 2 in the Blessings in India trilogy
by Kay Marshall Strom
Published by Abingdon Press

ABOUT THE BOOK

India 1946: For forty-eight years, Shridula’s family toiled as virtual slaves in the fields of the high-caste Mammen family, all because of her grandfather’s small debt. Her name, like that of her father Ashish, means blessing. When Shridula was born, her father said, “Maybe the name will bring her more fortune than it brought me.” His words prove prophetic in more ways than he ever could have imagined. Shridula works in the home of the oppressive, so-called Christian, landowner—a terrifying place. Despite all, she gets a glimpse of Christianity. As flames of revolt burn through India, God’s hand is on Shridula. Hope comes to her in many ways—through the Bible given to her father many years earlier, through the landowner’s daughter, through clouds of war, and through an aging missionary time forgot.

Readers, buy your copy of The Hope of Shridula today!

AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR FEATURE AUTHOR


Researching Around the World
by: Kay Marshall Strom

An “Untouchable” Indian family, bowed beneath the oppression of the caste system, fights its way toward freedom and faith.

Slave traders swagger though the Slave Coast of Africa, totally unaware that God is at work. Very soon their lives will change, and nothing will ever be the same again.

In the hill country of Nepal, traffickers weave a tight and vicious web. One small girl outsmarts them all.

Each of these is the premise of one of my books (or, in one case, a chapter in one). Some are historical, others current. Some deal lightly with the global setting, others are intricately interwoven with it. But one thing is always the same:  Readers who may never see these places expect the book to be specific and accurate. How do I know? Because they tell me. The following are excerpts from readers’ actual messages followed by my answers:

“I was dumbfounded by Grace and all she went through in the three Grace in Africa books. Was that true?  How do you know?” – Natalie W.

Yes, Natalie, the premise was true. Grace’s parents—an English slave trader and his African wife—were fashioned after real people I “met” while I was in West Africa researching Once Blind: The Story of John Newton. I spent a great deal of time in a restored slave holding fortress (Goree Island), looking and reading and asking questions. I fashioned Zulina Fortress after it (The Call of Zulina).

“I just finished reading The Hope of Shridula [book 2 of the Blessings in India trilogy]. I’d never heard much about what went on with India’s independence, and I knew nothing about the partition of Pakistan. How do you know all that is true?” –Jon

First of all, I read and read and read. I read history written from India’s viewpoint, from the British viewpoint, and from Pakistan’s viewpoint. I also talked about my project on Facebook. To my great joy, an Indian Facebook friend put me in touch with an old man who, at the age of 15, had served in the Indian army on the front lines during partition. He told me so much, and sent me painfully insightful documents. 

“Can you really speak the Indian language? You use it in The Faith of Ashish and The Hope of Shridula. How did you learn it?” –Carolyn B.

Although the official language of India is Hindi, and the language of education and business is English, the languages spoken in that country number in the many thousands.  In the books, I used Malayalam, the language spoken in the Southern state of Kerala.  I don’t speak the language.  I used an on-line language translator and had help from Indian friends.

“Do you really go to all the places you write about?” –Kim Y.

Yep, Kim, I do. I don’t think one can really write the details of a location unless he or she has been there to see and hear and smell and taste. It is so important to meet the people and listen to what they have to say.  Of course, a short visit doesn’t give you everything you need. But another benefit of going is that you meet local people you can contact for specific help. (“Those little red African flowers that are brewed into tea… what are they called?”) Sometimes you can even find local people willing to read over your manuscript and point out errors. (“No, no!  Your Untouchable Indian character cannot have a silver necklace. Before independence, Untouchables were not allowed to touch metal.”)

“What is the most important thing you’ve learned about the world?” –Frederick L.

I began my travels thinking I had so much to share with my global brothers and sisters. But, oh, they have so much more to teach me. The most important thing I’ve learned is to close my mouth and listen.

* * * * *

Thank you, Kay, for sharing with us today.

Guest Question: What is most important to you when read a book with a foreign setting?

ENTRY RULES Readers, leave your email address (name at domainname dot com/net) along with your answer to the question for your chance to win a FREE copy of the book above. If you do not answer the question, and your email address isn't provided, you will not be entered.

This week, the contest is open to residents of the US/Canada only.

Welcome Doc Richard Mabry and Lethal Remedy

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Richard L. Mabry, MD, is a retired physician and medical school professor who achieved worldwide recognition as a clinician, researcher and teacher before turning his talents to non-medical writing after his retirement.

Richard’s book, The Tender Scar: Life After The Death Of A Spouse, has ministered to multiple thousands of grieving individuals. His meditations and short pieces have appeared in The Upper Room, In Touch, and other periodicals.

He is the author of three published novels of medical suspense. One of them, Medical Error, is a finalist for this year’s Carol Award of the American Christian Fiction Writers. His fourth novel, Lethal Remedy, is scheduled for publication in October.

Richard and his wife live in North Texas, where, when he’s not writing or trying to improve his golf game, he tries to be the world’s best grandfather. His website is http://www.rmabry.com.

LETHAL REMEDY
by Richard (Doc) Mabry
Published by Abingdon Press

ABOUT THE BOOK

This “miracle drug could kill more than bacteria.

Dr. Sara Miles’ patient is on the threshold of death from an overwhelming, highly resistant infection with Staphylococcus luciferus, known to doctors as “the killer.” Only an experimental antibiotic, developed and administered by Sara’s ex-husband, Dr. Jack Ingersoll, can save the girl's life.

Dr. John Ramsey is seeking to put his life together after the death of his wife by joining the medical school faculty. But his decision could prove to be costly, even fatal. Potentially lethal late effects from the “wonder drug” send Sara and her colleague, Dr. Rip Pearson, on a hunt for hidden critical data that will let them reverse the changes before it’s too late. What is the missing puzzle piece? And who is hiding it?

Readers, buy your copy of Lethal Remedy today!

AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR FEATURE AUTHOR

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE WRITING LIFE

I’ve been a published author long enough now to realize that people are more curious about the writing life than I ever thought possible. I’m asked these questions when I meet with book clubs, when I do signings, at parties, at church, even at family gatherings. So I thought it might be fun to share a few with you, along with my answers.

I want to write a book. How do I go about it? What I want to say is, “Do you realize you’re asking me to distill what took me four years to learn into a few sentences?” But I don’t. Never antagonize a potential reader, the little voice inside me says. Instead, I tell them something like this:

-Learn the craft. Attend a writer’s conference. Study a half dozen of the most basic books. Read the work of others, and learn from what they do (and don’t do).

-Practice the craft. Write, get someone knowledgeable to critique your work, revise, write some more. Lather, rinse, repeat.

-Mainly you get your work in front of editors via an agent. Get an agent. Identify the ones you want to represent you, learn what they want in a query, revise your query letter until it shines like gold and cuts like a diamond, and be prepared to wait…and be rejected.

I’m thinking of self-publication. With e-books, it seems so easy. Like most things that seem easy, it isn’t. Either of these routes begins with hiring a professional editor to polish your work and put it into the proper format. Then you’ll want a professional to do the cover graphics. After that, you’ll need to work very hard to market your book—twice as hard as if it were conventionally published, because, even though authors grouse about how little their publisher does to market their work, it’s still nice not to be alone in the efforts.

Can you make money as a writer? You can if your name is James Patterson (who will gross an estimated $100 million this year) or Stephen King. Otherwise, don’t quit your day job.

But don’t writers get paid for books? A writer gets an advance against royalties for each book under contract. This is usually paid in increments, divided into several payments (varies with the publisher). This isn’t money for free, it’s an advance on royalties, and if your book doesn’t “earn out,” that’s all you’ll get. The author doesn’t have to repay any royalty not earned out, but by the same token they don’t get any more money for it. And all that assumes a contract in the first place.

Once you’re published, you don’t have problems getting a contract for other books. Right? Wrong. Oh, so wrong. And whereas it’s tough for an unpublished writer to get a contract, sometimes it’s even tougher if you’ve had one or more books published and they don’t sell well. You think writers hate the term “platform?” Even more, we hate poor sales numbers. The other factor to keep an established author from getting a contract is that what you write might no longer be in fashion. You might be able to avoid that if you pitch an Amish vampire missionary nurse romance.

Now, imagine you’re at a dinner, seated next to your favorite author. Which author would that be, and what question would you ask him/her?

* * * * *

Thank you, Doc, for sharing with us today.

Guest Question: Imagine you’re at a dinner, seated next to your favorite author. Which author would that be, and what question would you ask him/her?

ENTRY RULES Readers, leave your email address (name at domainname dot com/net) along with your answer to the question for your chance to win a FREE autographed copy of any one of Doc's 4 novels (Code Blue, Medical Error, Diagnosis Death or Lethal Remedy.). If you do not answer the question, and your email address isn't provided, you will not be entered.

This week, the contest is open to US/Canada residents only.

Welcome Kay Marshall Strom and The Faith of Ashish

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

KAY MARSHALL STROM recently finished her 40th book. She has also written numerous magazine articles, stories for children, and two prize-winning screenplays. She is in demand as a speaker throughout the country. More and more, her writing and speaking take her to other countries. Kay and her husband, Dan, live in the Pacific Northwest.

THE FAITH OF ASHISH
by Kay Marshall Strom
Published by Abingdon Press

ABOUT THE BOOK

Virat and Latha named their son Ashish—Blessing—for he was the light and glory of their world. Yet a simple drink of water changes all their lives forever. For Virat, Latha, and Ashish are Untouchables, outcastes who must never contaminate the world of the other, higher, castes.

When Ashish mistakenly drinks from the public cup beside the wrong well, he is badly beaten. Knowing that his son needs a doctor, which takes money, Virat ventures into the dangerous and forbidden realm of the high caste. He begs Mammen Varghese the wealthy landowner—member of a Christian family—for a loan. He receives the money, along with a life of slavery for himself and his family.

But Mammen Varghese does not understand the strength of a father’s love, the faith of a child, or the power of a young British nurse who cannot forget a boy named Blessing.

Readers, buy your copy of today!

AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR FEATURE AUTHOR

In Search of An Idea

"Forty books? Really? Where do you get all your ideas?"

I hear that question all the time. If people only knew! Would that I could live long enough to write on all the ideas in my bulging idea file.

Nope, those ideas are not all new and original with me. I mean, does a subject exist under the sun that has not been covered and covered and covered again? It is the job of a writer to take that already-used-and-reused idea and imbue it with new insights, perceptive interpretations, and a fresh approach. The more you read, the more you will see how other authors’ accomplish this.

The place to start is with your own Idea File. Here are six steps to getting one started:

1. Make a list of five things you know well enough to teach. Prepare to be surprised at how much expertise you already have. (Yes, of course it is all right to put more than five into your file!)
2. Look at what you consider irresistible reading. Those articles, stories, and books you cannot put down are great jumping off places for your own brainstorming of ideas. If you love the subject, it will show in your writing.
3. Make use of the newspapers and magazines you read. In those pages, you will be amazed by the emotion or absurdity or hilarity of true stories. You will meet the most wonderful prototypes for your characters. (Truth really is stranger than fiction!) How many times have you read something and said, "That reminds me of ... (whatever)!" When that happens, cut out the piece and jot your reaction down in the margin, then stick the piece and your notes in your idea file.
4. Stash notepads in strategic places. Great ideas strike at the most unexpected moments... and they have a nasty way of flying away before you can locate a pen and paper. So have notepads and pens ready and waiting beside your television, radio, and computer. Also in the glove box of your car and on the table beside your bed. And anywhere else ideas tend to pop into your head.
5. Disagree with something you read? That's a good thing! When you strongly disagree, consider your reaction a good topic for your own writing. If you reacted that way, you probably aren't the only one.
6. Write from your own experience. What happened to you? Who did you encounter? What roads have you traveled? All these are grist for your writing mill. This is exactly how The Faith of Ashish, book 1 of the Blessings in India trilogy, started. I was in Ireland on behalf of the movie Amazing Grace when I met Sam Paul, a man from India who was also on the team. Both of us were speaking about the problem of slavery in the world today. Sam Paul said to me, “Why don’t you write about the plight of the Dalits—Untouchables—in India? So many are enslaved as bonded Laborers.” He was right. I wrote the books.

Ideas? You will find them. Or should I say, they will find you?

Write on!

"I write what I would like to read—what I think other women would like to read. If what I write makes a woman in the Canadian mountains cry, she writes and tells me about it, especially if she says, 'I read it to Tom when he came in from work and he cried too.' Then I feel I have succeeded."

Kathleen Norris--on publication of her 78th book

* * * * *

Thank you, Kay, for sharing with us today.

Guest Question: On what areas of expertise could YOU teach? Have you ever written anything about them? If so, what?

ENTRY RULES Readers, leave your email address (name at domainname dot com/net) along with your answer to the question for your chance to win a FREE autographed copy of the book above. If you do not answer the question, and your email address isn't provided, you will not be entered.

This week, the contest is open to US/Canada residents only.

Spotlight on Vannetta Chapman and A Simple Amish Christmas

Don't forget the rules of the spotlights here. Answer the random question associated with this spotlight in the comments in order to be entered in the drawing.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

VANNETTA CHAPMAN has published more than 100 articles in Christian family magazines. She discovered her love for the Amish while researching her grandfather’s birthplace in Albion, Pennsylvania. Vannetta is a multi-award-winning member of Romance Writers of America. She currently teaches in the Texas hill country. A Simple Amish Christmas, her debut novel, released on October 1st. It is now in its 3rd printing and is a CBD bestseller. Chapman is hard at work on a three book Amish murder mystery series set in Shipshewana, Indiana. Written for Zondervan (a division of Harper Collins), these cozy mysteries will begin releasing in 2011.

A SIMPLE AMISH CHRISTMAS
by Vannetta Chapman
Published by Abingdon Press

ABOUT THE BOOK

Annie Weaver always planned to return home, but the 20-year-old RN has lived in Philadelphia for three years now. Her time of rumschpringa is about to come to an abrupt end, bringing for Annie an overwhelming sense of loneliness as the Christmas season is in full swing. She returns home and finds herself face-to-face with a budding romance with an Amish farmer. Her passion for healing has caught widower Samuel Yoder's attention. Will she also capture his heart? Annie has several important choices to make, all on the morning of A Simple Amish Christmas.

Readers, buy your copy of A Simple Amish Christmas today!

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

1. What gave you the inspiration for this story?

My agent specifically asked me to write an Amish story, which I hadn't done before A SIMPLE AMISH CHRISTMAS. But the inspiration for this particular story came from two places--my grandparents, who I've discovered lived in Pennsylvania during the early 1900s and then the conviction that many Amish women must struggle with the same problems that you and I do.

2. How much of your own experiences influenced your characters? What aspects became traits that were theirs and theirs alone?

I always bring something of myself to a story, at least in its inception. Although Annie loves her community as well as her Amish faith, she has an insatiable desire to learn. This becomes a bit of a problem when her schooling ends after the 8th grade. She's a bit adrift and dissatisfied with her employment prospects. I didn't attend college full time after high school, and I definitely was not satisfied with the secretarial work I was doing. Like Annie I've always had a desire to learn more that is never quite satisfied.

3. If your hero/heroine were an ice cream flavor, what would he/she be and why?

I think Annie would be Neapolitan--homemade vanilla because she has that basic goodness about her, rich chocolate to represent the more daring side of her personality that is willing to take risks, and then of course strawberry to represent the fun teasing side of her that does tend to land her in trouble occasionally.

4. Are there any themes in A Simple Amish Christmas that you hope the reader sees? Are there any themes that weren't overt but developed as the story progressed?

I suppose every book has multiple themes, but the one theme that I consciously tried to develop was a focus on God's grace. Annie is young and hasn't learned to fully accept that yet. Samuel, on the other hand, knows God's grace intellectually - but part of his heart has suffered so that he no longer can embrace it. Which is why God has brought them together.

5. What were your most difficult parts to write? Your favorite?

The most difficult part for me was probably the home birthing scene, since that's something I've never seen personally. However, I was present for the birth of my dear friend's daughter in a hospital room, and that was one of the most precious, blessed events I've ever witnessed. So maybe this was my most difficult and most favorite scene rolled into one.

6. When is your next book coming out and what is the story?

I have a 3 book series from Zondervan which will begin releasing next year. Shipshewana Amish Mystery Series is set in Indiana and involves two women (one Amish, one English), a quilt and a dead body. I'm currently working on book two and love, love, love these ladies. Watch for the cover on my webpage and blog.

* * * * *

Thank you, Vannetta, for being in the spotlight with us.

ENTRY RULES Readers, answer the question associated with the spotlight in the comments, then leave your email address for your chance to win a FREE autographed copy of A Simple Amish Christmas. If you do not answer the question, you will not be entered.

Question: I was surprised to learn my grandparents were born and raised in Albion, Pennsylvania. Where were your grandparents raised?

Make sure you also leave your email address (name at domainname dot.com/net). You won't be entered in the drawing without it. If you wish to comment but don't want to be entered, say so when you post.

This week, the contest is open to US/Canada residents only.

Spotlight on Sandra D. Bricker and Always the Baker, Never the Bride

Don't forget the rules of the spotlights here. Answer the question associated with this spotlight in the comments in order to be entered in the drawing.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

SANDRA D. BRICKER has been publishing in both the Christian and general market for years with novels for women and teens, magazine articles and short stories. With 11 novels in print and 5 more slated for publication through 2012, Sandie has carved out a niche for herself as an award-winning author of laugh-out-loud comedy for the inspirational market. Sandie was an entertainment publicist in Hollywood for 15+ years for some of daytime television’s hottest stars. When her mother became ill in Florida, she left Los Angeles to provide care … and begin her writing career!



Always the Baker, Never the Bride
by Sandra D. Bricker
Published by Abingdon Press

ABOUT THE BOOK

They say you can’t have your cake and eat it, too. But who would want a cake they couldn’t eat?

Just ask Emma Rae Travis about that. A baker of confections who is diabetic and can’t enjoy them? When Emma meets Jackson Drake, the escapee from Corporate America who is starting a wedding destination hotel to fulfill a dream that belonged to someone else, this twosome and their crazy family ties bring new meaning to the term Family Circus. The Atlanta social scene will never be the same!

Readers, buy your copy of Always the Baker, Never the Bride today!

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

1. What gave you the inspiration for this story?

First and foremost, my love of all things cake! Like Emma Rae, I am also a diabetic, so me and cake together ... not so much. I've learned all kinds of ways to incorporate it into my life at safe intervals, but it can be quite a challenge. I can live without many things in life, but I'd almost rather have cake than anything else. But isn't that always the way? We desperately want the things we can't have, like cake. And George Clooney.

2. How much of your own experiences influenced your characters? What aspects became traits that were theirs and theirs alone?

There’s a whole lot of me in Emma Rae. Not just the diabetic part, but the certain characteristics she has, the way she approaches the idea of love, the importance of her relationships. And Emma has a deep-down dream that she’s pursuing, a lot like me and my writing. Also, the crazy family situations for both Emma and Jackson are inspired out of my wish that I had that. I come from a really large extended family (my mom was the youngest of eight), but we moved away from them when I was very young so there aren’t the solid connections that my characters have with their families.

3. If your hero/heroine were an ice cream flavor, what would he/she be and why?

Oh, no Rocky Road here. Emma and Jackson would both be a very upstanding flavor with a little nutty crunch to them. Maybe butter pecan or vanilla almond. Emma has a penchant for hazelnut, so maybe that would be good. Is there such a thing as hazelnut ice cream?

4. Are there any themes in Always the Baker, Never the Bride that you hope the reader sees? Are there any themes that weren't overt but developed as the story progressed?

Well, the overall theme of the book, and one that is present in a lot of my work, is that thread of destiny. I’ve always been fascinated by the way our lives are road-mapped for us by God, and then He tosses in the road signs all along the way. We either follow them, or we detour off on our own, but we seem to always come full circle to His plan. There are certain situations and people that come into our lives out of a divine destiny; but there are also the ones that act as propellants to get us where we’re going. And then there are the speed bumps we encounter as well.

5. What were your most difficult parts to write? Your favorite?

I can truthfully tell you that there was not a difficult thing about writing Baker! It was the most delightful writing experience I’ve ever had. I adored the characters, the storyline just cruised along, the words flowed … and, added bonus, there was cake! Not every book goes along like this one did, but Emma was a total joy to spend time with every day.

6. When is your next book coming out and what is the story?

Just as this one comes out, I also have Love Finds You in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, coming up in a month or so. That one was fun because I got to incorporate another true love of mine into the story, my adoration for classic film. Then I have a devotional coming out in the spring that I’ve co-authored with Kristin Billerbeck, Debby Mayne, Trish Perry and Diann Hunt. It’s called Delight Yourself in the Lord…Even on Bad Hair Days, and a portion of the proceeds will go to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. Beyond that, I have two follow-up books to this year’s The Big 5-OH! that I’m working on now, The Big 4-OH! and The Big 3-OH! Since the characters from the first book come back, it’s like a great reunion where I get to spend time with old friends while weaving a whole new world for the other two.

* * * * *

Thank you, Sandie, for being in the spotlight with us.

ENTRY RULES Readers, answer the question associated with the spotlight in the comments, then leave your email address for your chance to win a FREE autographed copy of Always the Baker, Never the Bride. If you do not answer the question, you will not be entered.

Question: Emma’s passion is designing and creating wedding cakes. What’s your life’s passion?

Make sure you also leave your email address (name at domainname dot.com/net). You won't be entered in the drawing without it. If you wish to comment but don't want to be entered, say so when you post.

This week, the contest is open to US/Canada residents only.

Spotlight on Robert Elmer and Wildflowers of Terezin

Don't forget the new rules of the spotlights here. Random questions will be inserted in each spotlight for you to find and answer in the comments in order to be entered. So, be on the lookout!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ROBERT (BOB) ELMER has written more than 50 books for youth and adults, building on his experience as a news editor and reporter, advertising copywriter, teacher, and assistant pastor. When he's not writing (or sailing) he's a mentor and editorial board member for the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild, and has spoken to young audiences across North America. Robert and his wife Ronda live in the Pacific Northwest.

WILDFLOWERS OF TEREZIN
by Robert Elmer
Published by Abingdon Press

ABOUT THE BOOK

Wildflowers of Terezin is a sweeping historical novel set against a backdrop of danger. A Danish Lutheran pastor's complacent faith is stretched to the breaking point during World War II when he meets a young Jewish nurse Hanne Abrahamsen and becomes deeply involved in Resistance efforts to save Denmark's Jews from the Nazi prison camp at Terezin, Czechoslovakia--also known as Theresienstadt.

Challenged by his activist brother and swayed by his own attraction to Hanne, Pastor Steffen abandons his formerly quiet, uninvolved life and hesitantly volunteers to help smuggle Denmark's Jews out of the country before a Nazi roundup. Steffen finds that helping his Jewish neighbors is the most decent, spiritual thing he has ever done. As he actually does God's work, rather than just talking about it, Steffen's faith deepens and he takes greater risks in his sermons.

When things go terribly wrong and Hanne is sent to Terezin, Steffen finds his heart fully engaged. He undertakes protests and rescues that are more and more dangerous, never imagining where it will lead him, or the ultimate cost of his decision to get directly involved.

Readers, buy your copy of Wildflowers of Terezin today!

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

1. What gave you the inspiration for this story?

My Danish heritage has flavored my interest in writing historical fiction, and I've always been interested in history. Perhaps it's that way with children of immigrants. There's a strong tie back to the old country, and when my parents and my grandmother told stories about their life in Denmark, I knew there were things there I had to pass along somehow. What was it like during the occupation years? What was it like to be a student back then, a kid? Were there lessons for us that we need to remember today? I wanted so much to tell these stories, both in the "Young Underground" novels for kids, and now in Wildflowers of Terezin.

2. How much of your own experiences influenced your characters? What aspects became traits that were theirs and theirs alone?

You know, sometimes it's not obvious until a book is written. All fiction writers draw from their own experience, but seldom build characters that are too close to themselves--except perhaps by accident. In this story, I look back and see some of myself in the character of Steffen, one of the main characters.

3. Are there any themes in Wildflowers of Terezin that you hope the reader sees? Are there any themes that weren't overt but developed as the story progressed?

The story is about faith in the face of deadly opposition, about choosing the right thing and making love work when it's hard. It's a challenge to complacent faith, and a contrast between those who seek safety and those who just do the right thing, period. Where is the safest place, really? I think we can all relate to that kind of challenge, even if we're not living in a war zone or a prison camp.

4. What were your most difficult parts to write? Your favorite?

Probably the most difficult parts were the bleakest days for Hanne in the Terezin death camp. I won't give it away, but I have to say these were scenes where Robert Frost's quote came to mind: "No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader." I have to say those were emotional scenes to write.

And it took tons and tons of research. All the months of preparation and writing that went into "The Young Underground" also went into this book. I've poured through stacks of old Danish books, looking for the best information from original sources. Good thing I read Danish!

Question: Do you read/speak a second language? If so, what?

5. When is your next book coming out and what is the story?

Right now I'm immersed in my new position, serving as a writer/editor at a university. I'm working on helping edit a testimony/autobiography, and my idea file is percolating, so stay tuned!

* * * * *

Thank you, Bob, for being in the spotlight with us.

NEW!! Readers, find the question associated with the spotlight and answer it in the comments, then leave your email address for your chance to win a FREE autographed copy of Wildflowers of Terezin. If you do not answer the question, you will not be entered.

Make sure you also leave your email address (name at domainname dot.com/net). You won't be entered in the drawing without it. If you wish to comment but don't want to be entered, say so when you post.

This week, the contest is open to US/Canada residents only.

CFBA Blog Tour -- Ronie Kendig and Dead Reckoning

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Dead Reckoning
Abingdon Press - (March 1, 2010)
by Ronie Kendig

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

RONIE KENDIG has been married since 1990 to a man who can easily be defined in classic terms as a hero. She has four beautiful children. Her eldest daughter is 16 this year, her second daughter will be 13, and her twin boys are 10. After having four children, she finally finished her degree in December 2006. She now has a B.S. in Psychology through Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA. Getting her degree is a huge triumph for both her and her family--they survived!

This degree has also given her a fabulous perspective on her characters
and how to not only make them deeper, stronger, but to make them realistic and know how they'll respond to each situation. Her debut novel, Dead Reckoning released March 2010 from Abingdon Press. And her Discarded Heroes series begins in July from Barbour with the first book entitled Nightshade.

DEAD RECKONING
by Ronie Kendig
Published by Abingdon Press

ABOUT THE BOOK

Underwater archeologist Shiloh Blake is consumed with passion for the water and inflamed at the injustices of life. When her first large-scale dig traps her in the middle of an international nuclear arms clash, she flees for her life.

When she spots a man trailing her, the questions are, Who is he? And how is he always one step ahead? Is the man trailing her an enemy or a protector sent by her CIA father?

Reece Jaxon is a former Navy SEAL and now serves his country as a spy. His life is entangled by the beguiling Shiloh Blake as he hunts down the sources to a nuclear dead drop in the Arabian Sea near Mumbai, India. The only way to end this nightmare and prevent a nuclear meltdown is to join forces with Reece. Will Shiloh violate her vow to never become involved in her father's web of intrigue and mystery? Will she reconcile with her past and with him? Will she allow God to help her throught this ordeal of danger, mistrust and uncertainty?

If you would like to read the prologue and first chapter of Dead Reckoning, go HERE. You can also sign up as a Follower when you get to that page, and get announcements of the first chapters for all the great books we tour!

Readers, buy your copy of Dead Reckoning today!

MY REVIEW

I must admit, I have never been a big fan of reading international espionage and intrigue type books. However, I adore them in TV and movies. Scarecrow and Mrs. King ranks at the top of my favorite TV shows for the spy world.

That being said, this debut novel from Ronie kept me captivated. And as a historical fiction reader and author, that's saying a LOT! She writes as if she's been a published author for years instead of this being her first published novel. Not only does the intrigue story keep you turning the pages, but the deep delving into the wounds and hurts of the characters helps you connect and relate to both Shiloh and Reece on so many levels.

Kendig does an awesome job at portraying the realistic emotions associated with common wounds we all face. With an international setting, she writes a novel with just the right amount of twists and turns, and a perfect pacing as the international terror plot unfolds. Readers of this genre should add Ronie Kendig to their list. No doubt about it!

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

1. What gave you the inspiration for this story?

The inspiration came from a book I'd written called Midnight Zone that did not find a home. MZ was the story of Shiloh's parents, and I was reallly excited to explore what their child--Shiloh--was like as an adult.

2. How much of your own experiences influenced your characters? What aspects became traits that were theirs and theirs alone?

Not much since the story is a spy thriller and set in India. I think there's some of my strength and resiliency in Shiloh, but other than that, her fierce determination, her raw courage are hers alone.

3. If your hero/heroine were an ice cream flavor, what would he/she be and why?

I imagine Shiloh would be something simple like vanilla--she's just not a complicated person and likes things simple. Reece, the hero, wouldn't eat ice cream.

4. Are there any themes in Dead Reckoning that you hope the reader sees? Are there any themes that weren't overt but developed as the story progressed?

That no matter what course our life takes...no matter how messed up things may seem, God does have a plan. He didn't just drop us on this earth and forget about us. He will use all the pains, all the heartache and make something great and beautiful out of those experiences.

5. What were your most difficult parts to write? Your favorite?

I'm not sure "difficult" is the right word, but the most draining scene to write was a torture scene because it demanded a slower pace and a much closer attention to detail and a high emotional content for it to be succesful.

6. When is your next book coming out and what is the story?

My next release will be Nightshade, Book #1 of the Discarded Heroes series with Barbour Publishing. "They've championed freedom and risked their lives---but too often, America's veterans are forgotten and discarded. Suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, former Navy SEAL Max finds himself engaged in a new battle---to save his family. How can he protect his wife from a dangerous enemy when she wants him out of the house?"

* * * * *

Thank you, Ronie, for being in the spotlight with us.

Readers, leave a comment for your chance to win a FREE autographed copy of Dead Reckoning.

Make sure you also leave your email address (name at domainname dot.com/net). You won't be entered in the drawing without it. If you wish to comment but don't want to be entered, say so when you post.

And if you want to make certain you don't miss anything, check the box that says 'email follow-up comments to:' when you leave a comment and they'll be sent to the email address associated with your blogging account. That way you'll be notified of any comments and will know when the winners are announced each time.

This week, the contest is open to US/Canada residents only.

Spotlight on Christa Allan and Walking on Broken Glass

Today's spotlight was actually dated for 2 weeks ago due to a CFBA Tour that needed it posted then. So, you can find the spotlight here:

http://amberstockton.blogspot.com/2010/02/cfba-blog-tour-christa-allan-and.html

Please leave all comments to enter the drawing with that post. Thanks!

CFBA Blog Tour - Jennifer AlLee and The Pastor's Wife

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
The Pastor's Wife
Abingdon Press - (February, 2010)
by Jennifer AlLee

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

JENNIFER ALLEE was born in Hollywood, California and for the first 10 years of her life lived over a mortuary one block from Hollywood and Vine. An avid reader and writer, she completed her first novel in high school. That manuscript is now safely tucked away, never again to see the light of day. Her first inspirational romance, The Love of His Brother, was released in November 2007 by Five Star Publisher.

Besides being a writer, she is a wife and mom. She’s an active member of American Christian Fiction Writers and serves as the Nevada Area Coordinator. Living in Las Vegas, Nevada, her husband and teenage son have learned how to enjoy the fabulous buffets there without severely impacting their waistlines. God is good!

THE PASTOR'S WIFE
by Jennifer AlLee
Published by Abingdon Press

ABOUT THE BOOK

Maura Sullivan never intended to set foot in Granger, Ohio, again. But when circumstances force her to return, she must face all the disappointments she tried so hard to leave behind: a husband who ignored her, a congregation she couldn't please, and a God who took away everything she ever loved.

Nick Shepherd thought he had put the past behind him, until the day his estranged wife walked back into town. Intending only to help Maura through her crisis of faith, Nick finds his feelings for her never died. Now, he must admit the mistakes he made, how he hurt his wife, and find a way to give and receive forgiveness.

As God works in both of their lives, Nick and Maura start to believe they can repair their broken relationship and reunite as man and wife. But Maura has one more secret to tell Nick before they can move forward. It's what ultimately drove her to leave him three years earlier, and the one thing that can destroy the fragile trust they've built.

If you would like to read the prologue and first chapter of The Pastor's Wife, go HERE. You can also sign up as a Follower when you get to that page, and get announcements of the first chapters for all the great books we tour!

Readers, buy your copy of The Pastor's Wife today!

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

1. This is your debut novel. Congratulations! What gave you the inspiration for this story?

Thank you! This is my second novel, but it's my first novel in the CBA, which is very exciting. My inspiration for the story was rooted in real life. I served as a church secretary for many years which definitely gave me a unique perspective on the lives of a pastoral family. When I was working on the original concept for this novel, I thought about the pastors’ wives I’ve known over the years. All of them have handled themselves with amazing grace under pressure. But what if another woman couldn’t? What if a young woman thinks she knows what she’s getting into, but the reality of losing who she is and becoming a “pastor’s wife” is more than she can handle? What if some other tragedy pushes her over the edge? Would she run? And what would happen if she had to return to the scene of her heartbreak years later? All those questions eventually became The Pastor’s Wife.

2. How much of your own experiences influenced your characters? What aspects became traits that were theirs and theirs alone?

My church secretarial experiences came in handy for obvious reasons. Maura and I share a love of theatre, but we're pretty different when it comes to communication. If I had been in her shoes, I would have spoken up before it got so bad.

3. If your hero/heroine were an ice cream flavor, what would he/she be and why?

Rocky Road, because their relationship is full of bumps, but it ends up being smooth and satisfying with surprising moments of sweet marshmallow goodness.

4. Are there any themes in The Pastor's Wife that you hope the reader sees? Are there any themes that weren't overt but developed as the stories progressed?

In this particular story, the theme was pretty clear cut from the beginning. It's about the importance of forgiveness, not only for the one receiving it, but for the one giving it.

5. What were your most difficult parts to write? Your favorite?

The most difficult scene was in the last third of the book. I don't want to give away the details, but it has to do with the final secret between Nick and Maura being revealed. I had to put them both in a very vulnerable spot.

My favorite part was probably the whole section around Christmas time. It's close to the middle of the book, and I really enjoyed how the couple's relationship was evolving.

6. When is your next book coming out and what is the story?

Gee, I wish I knew when my next book was coming out! I don't have a contract for anything right now, but I have a completed manuscript that's looking for a home. I'm also working on several new projects, including a historical romance I'm co-writing with my friend Lisa Richardson. I know God's got a plan, and I can't wait to find out what it is!

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Thank you, Jennifer, for being in the spotlight.

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