Carla Laureano and Five Days in Skye Giveaway

I am thrilled and honored to have my friend and fellow author visiting here at A Fictional Life this week. Not only does she share my beloved state of Colorado, but she's a mom down in the trenches with me, juggling little ones at home in the midst of a writing career. Enjoy this little peek in Carla's life.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

CARLA LAUREANO has held many job titles—professional marketer, small business consultant, and martial arts instructor—but writer is by far her favorite. She currently lives in Denver with her patient husband and two rambunctious sons, who know only that Mom’s work involves lots of coffee and talking to imaginary people.

FIVE DAYS IN SKYE
by Carla Laureano
Published by David C Cook

ABOUT THE BOOK

Hospitality consultant Andrea Sullivan has one last chance to snag a high-profile client or she'll have to kiss her dreams of promotion good-bye. When she's sent to meet Scottish celebrity chef James MacDonald on the Isle of Skye, she just wants to finish her work as efficiently as possible. Yet her client is not the opportunistic womanizer he portrays himself to be, and her attraction to him soon dredges up memories she'd rather leave buried. For James, renovating the family hotel is a fulfillment of his late father's dreams. When his hired consultant turns out to be beautiful, intelligent, and completely unimpressed by his public persona, he makes it his mission to win her over. He just never expects to fall under her spell.

Soon, both Andrea and James must face the reality that God may have a far different purpose for their lives—and that five days in Skye will forever change their outlook on life and love.

Readers, buy your copy of Five Days in Skye today!

AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR FEATURE AUTHOR

Four Steps for Creating Memorably Flawed Characters

Nothing makes me put down a book faster than characters who are too good to be true. You know the type: they always know just what to say, never make a mistake, succeed in every endeavor. As a reader who is keenly aware of her own flaws, I can’t relate to those types of people. Frankly, I find them a little boring.

Interesting characters, on the other hand, are fully fashioned human beings, complete with deep-seated needs, fears, and flaws. As a writer, I’d like to say that coming up with a convincing flaw is the hard part. Unfortunately, I’ve got plenty of my own from which to draw. But how do I write deeply flawed characters still make them likeable? Or better yet… memorable?

There are the four questions I typically ask myself when I’m developing a character’s “fatal flaw:”

1. Is the flaw relatable?
   
   Not many of us would accept a serial-killer-as-hero whose flaw is, you know, killing people. (Unless you’re a fan of Dexter or Bret Easton Ellis, in which case, that might not bother you.) Aside from the moral issues, it’s not a fault to which readers can relate.
   
   But a mom (let’s call her Jen) who is habitually impatient with her kids? That strikes close to home. We immediately relate to the emotions the character experiences—what mom hasn’t watched the clock tick towards the school bell while the kids still haven’t put on their shoes or combed their hair? Suddenly, that point of commonality draws us in. We are Jen, and we’re curious to see what’s going to happen next.


2. Is the flaw understandable?
   
   Not understandable in the sense of comprehensible, but is there a good reason for it? A character who treats others badly makes for an unlikeable hero or heroine, unless we understand the reason behind the behavior.
   
   Maybe Jen’s own mother demanded she always be on time and punished her if she wasn’t. Better yet, what if Jen was supposed to come home straight after school, but didn’t—and her father had a heart attack? If she had’ve been there, she could have saved him. Now the root of Jen’s flaw is not impatience, but fear and guilt. Not only do we sympathize with Jen, there’s great potential conflict to explore within the story.


3. Does the flaw put the story goal into jeopardy?
   
   Jen’s problems are interesting, but unless they somehow affect her ability to get what she wants most (what I would call the story goal or the stakes), they’re irrelevant. How they affect the story goal might depend on genre, but they will always relate to that big obstacle that must be overcome before the end of the book.


• a. Romance: Jen is a single mom, and her love interest is perpetually late. Perhaps he had a similar upbringing, but chooses to deal with it the opposite way as Jen. Not only could this be a source of contention between them, but perhaps the hero sees her impatience with her children as a sign that she’s not mate material.
• b. Women’s fiction: Jen’s impatience with her kids drives a wedge between her and her daughter, who rebels, bringing back terrible memories of the consequences of her own rebellion.
• c. Suspense: Building on the situation above, Jen’s daughter purposely misses the bus—and disappears somewhere between school and home.
• d. Romantic suspense: Combine a and c. The love interest is the town’s police chief, whose own strict upbringing makes him unconsciously blame Jen for her daughter’s disappearance. Ah, now we’re getting somewhere. This is a story I’d like to read!


4. Is the flaw surmountable?
   
   As much as we’d like to believe that every issue can be resolved in three hundred or so pages, that isn’t always the case. I need to choose flaws that have the potential to be overcome in a satisfying way, whether it’s through therapy, God’s grace, or the power of love. I try not to wrap everything up in a neat little package—real life just doesn’t work that way—but I want some sort of change to occur. Regardless of how the issue is resolved, Jen must be appreciably different in thought or action by the end of the book.
   

If I can answer yes to all four questions, then I know I have a good flaw that will make for a memorable character. Like people, characters may have many flaws, but generally only one major one that will relate to the central conflict of the story.

Reader Question:  Who are your favorite characters? How do their flaws make them endearing and memorable?

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Thank you, Carla, 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 in Carla's themed gift basket giveaway. If you do not answer the question, and your email address isn't provided, you will not be entered.

To celebrate the release of Carla's book on June 10th, she is giving away a fabulous Scotland-themed gift basket including a paperback copy of Five Days in Skye, a beautiful coffee table photography book filled with images of Scotland, CDs of music that inspired the story, as well as plenty of imported British goodies for your own afternoon tea break! Enter below for your chance to win! A winner will be chosen at random and announced on her blog [http://www.carlalaureano.com] on release day.
a Rafflecopter giveaway


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

Christy Award Finalists Announced!

It's official! The prestigious Christy Award finalists have been announced! Join with me in congratulating all of the honored nominees!

Contemporary Romance

The Breath of Dawn

by Kristen Heitzmann

Bethany House Publishers

Lethal Legacy

by Irene Hannon

Revell

Wildflowers from Winter

by Katie GanshertWaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group

Contemporary Series, Sequels, and Novellas

Two Destinies

by Elizabeth Musser

David C Cook

You Don’t Know Me

by Susan May Warren

Tyndale House Publishers

Waiting for Sunrise

by Eva Marie Everson

Revell

Contemporary Standalone

The Air We Breathe

by Christa Parrish

Bethany House Publishers

Borders of the Heart

by Chris Fabry

Tyndale House Publishers

Not in the Heart

by Chris Fabry

Tyndale House Publishers

First Novel

Into the Free

by Julie Cantrell

David C Cook

Tangled Ashes

by Michèle Phoenix

Tyndale House Publishers

Wedded to War

by Jocelyn Green

River North Fiction

Historical

Flame of Resistance

by Tracy Groot

Tyndale House Publishers

Wedded to War

by Jocelyn Green

River North Fiction

A Wreath of Snow

by Liz Curtis Higgs

WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group

Historical Romance

Against the Tide

by Elizabeth Camden

Bethany House Publishers

Be Still My Soul

by Joanne Bischof

WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group

Love’s Reckoning

by Laura Frantz

Revell

Suspense

Downfall

by Terri Blackstock

Zondervan

The Last Plea Bargain

by Randy Singer

Tyndale House Publishers

Rare Earth

by Davis Bunn

Bethany House Publishers

Submerged

by Dani Pettrey

Bethany House Publishers

*This category includes four nominees due to a tie in scoring.

Visionary

Daughter of Light

by Morgan L. Busse

Marcher Lord Press

Soul’s Gate

by James L. Rubart

Thomas Nelson

Starflower

by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

Bethany House Publishers

Young Adult

Child of the Mountains

by Marilyn Sue Shank

Delacorte Press

Failstate

by John W. Otte

Marcher Lord Press

Interrupted: A Life Beyond Words

by Rachel Coker

Zondervan

Spotlight on Bonnie Grove and Talking to the Dead

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

BONNIE GROVE started writing when her parents bought a typewriter, and she hasn’t stopped since. Trained in Christian Counseling (Emmanuel Bible College, Kitchener, ON), and secular psychology (University of Alberta), she developed and wrote social programs for families at risk while landing articles and stories in anthologies. She is the author of Working Your Best You: Discovering and Developing the Strengths God Gave You; and Talking to the Dead: a Novel. Grove and her pastor husband, Steve, have two children; they live in Saskatchewan.

TALKING TO THE DEAD
by Bonnie Grove
Published by David C. Cook

ABOUT THE BOOK

Twenty-something Kate Davis can't seem to get this grieving widow thing right. She's supposed to put on a brave face and get on with her life, right? Instead she's camped out on her living room floor, unwashed, unkempt, and unable to sleep—because her husband Kevin keeps talking to her.

Is she losing her mind?

Kate's attempts to find the source of the voice she hears are both humorous and humiliating, as she turns first to an "eclectically spiritual" counselor, then a shrink with a bad toupee, an exorcist, and finally group therapy. There she meets Jack, the warmhearted, unconventional pastor of a ramshackle church, and at last the voice subsides. But when she stumbles upon a secret Kevin was keeping, Kate's fragile hold on the present threatens to implode under the weight of the past…and Kevin begins to shout.

Will the voice ever stop? Kate must confront her grief to find the grace to go on, in this tender, quirky first novel about embracing life.

Buy Your Copy of Talking to the Dead today!

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

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

Thanks so much! It’s an exciting time – I’m having fun with it.

My inspiration is difficult to nail down. In part, the story came out of my experiences as a counselor, sitting with people who were attempting to articulate their pain and distress who were concerned that what they were experiencing wasn’t “normal”. I’ve also been close to a few people who suffered debilitating mental illness, and been inspired and amazed by them as they struggle to maintain their life and dignity in the midst of chaos. What struck me about all of these situations was how, in the midst of mess, illness, pain, and loss, God was always present. He mingles with our humanity. And that is the story I wanted to tell; God in the midst of our lives.

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

Kate Davis is the protagonist, and she is very much her own person, but, like all writers, I hold great sway over how my characters see the world. I’m “in” my characters in bits and pieces, but it’s far more interesting to me to write characters that differ from me in most respects. For Kate, three things stood out as I began writing her. First was her strong sense of irony – this developed into a character who is socially and psychologically aware, but could still manage to find traces of humor and lightness even in the midst of dark circumstances. Secondly was her feistiness. Kate works hard to get her life back and just won’t give up until she gets the answers she needs – that tenacity pays off for her. Lastly, what stood out about Kate was her confusion. She keeps having these conversations where she gets lost in what was said and what wasn’t. She means to say one thing but ends up saying something else. I enjoyed writing those scenes because I think we can all relate to feeling confused sometimes.

3. If one of your characters were an ice cream flavor, what would he/she be and why?

Rocky Road, for sure. She walks a very rocky path in the book, but it is a road – a place that leads her somewhere. And there are a few nuts. It’s the perfect flavor for Kate.

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

My tag line is: Life is Messy. God is Love. I’m endless fascinated by God’s grace – the ways He finds us and shows us our deep need for Him. Everything I write is an examination of some facet of God’s interaction with humanity.

The concept of prevenient grace runs through the book – the idea that God is active and involved in everyone’s life regardless of what they believe. This is evident in Kate’s journey, but it also shows up in the lives of all the other characters as well.

There are many other themes running through the book. Somatic experience of emotion, our tendency toward avoiding pain rather than understanding it as having a role in healthy grieving, the power of our minds over circumstances, and more. Lots of goodies to sort through for those who would like to.

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

I don’t know about calling them “difficult”, but I tend to write emotional scenes more slowly than scenes dealing with, say, action. Scenes involving expressions of love, sorrow, hope, healing, that sort of thing, tend to come in drips of words and sentences rather than a flow. The emotional expression of characters is important – so I linger on these scenes, sometimes for a few days.

My favorite is when glimmers of humor soak through the story. It’s been my experience that no matter how difficult one’s circumstances get, if you can see a way to have a laugh, even for just a moment, it makes the journey bearable. Laughing is my favorite past time, and writing stuff that makes me laugh is a hoot. There were many times writing Talking to the Dead when the humor soaked through.

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

My next book is scheduled to release June 1, 2010. I don’t have a title for it, but from the beginning I’ve fondly referred to it as Gabby Well’s The Musical! It’s all the fun and drama of a musical without the singing. Or dancing. Or music.

It’s the story of a woman who finds hope in the ‘red words’ of the bible but her life is then thrown into chaos when she is framed for murder. She goes on the run, trying to find the real killer, all the while looking to the red words for help and hope.

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

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

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 I announce the winner.

This week, the contest is open to anyone worldwide.

Blog Tour - Sherri Sand and Leave it to Chance

I had the privilege of "meeting" this author via email and through my husband after she visited David C. Cook one day a little over a month ago to see the office of the publisher for her book. As Cook rebuilds their fiction line once more, they are developing some new talent and unique stories through the books they're acquiring. Sherri's first book is one of them. And you'll learn about it today!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sherri Sand is a wife and mother of four young children who keep her scrambling to stay ahead of the spilled milk. When she needs stress relief from wearing all the hats required to clothe, feed and ferry her rambunctious brood, you'll find her sitting in a quiet corner of a bistro reading a book (and surrounded by chocolate). Then to elude that calorie consumption you might see her running on the trails throughout Eugene, a city considered to be the running capital of the world. Sherri is a member of The Writer's View and American Christian Fiction Writers. She finds the most joy in writing when the characters take on a life of their own and she becomes the recorder of their stories. She holds a degree in psychology from the University of Oregon where she graduated cum laude.

Sherri's blog: http://sherrisand.blogspot.com/

LEAVE IT TO CHANCE
by Sherri Sand
Published by David C. Cook

ABOUT THE BOOK

Single mom of three, Sierra Montgomery is desperate to find a new job to keep from having to move back home and be smothered to death by her mother's good intentions and overbearing love. So when Sierra inherits Chance, a quirky old gelding she doesn’t have a clue what to do with, she thinks her best bet may be to sell the horse to cover another month's rent—a decision that devastates her children.

Enter Ross Morgan, a handsome landscaper who just happens to have an empty barn and fenced pasture...perfect for an old horse to live out his days as the pet of three wounded kids. Ross develops a soft spot for eldest child Braden...and he just might have one for Braden's mother. But what he doesn't have is time for distractions—he's got a landscaping business to run.

But Sierra has a secret. She's terrified of horses and—thanks to her past—wary of attractive men. Yet seeing the way her angry son idolizes Ross and adores that old horse forces Sierra to confront her fears. Will she remain distrustful and self-reliant, or will she seek help from God and those who love her?

PERSONAL REVIEW

From the moment I saw the cover, I knew this was a book I would love to read. And I was right. At first glance, it appears that Chance is the man on the cover, when in fact it's the horse! The antics of Chance kept me laughing all the way through, and I suspect any woman reading this who loves horses will feel the same.

Sierra's plight with her three children will be one that grabs you from the start. You struggle along with her as she faces financial difficulties and decisions that might devastate her children. Then, Ross Morgan enters the picture with what appears to be the perfect solution. Trouble is, Sierra can't get over her past...or her fear of horses.

Sherri has established an engaging and heartwarming story with a writing style similar to that of bestselling author Karen Kingsbury or Deborah Raney. With perfect blend of humor and genuineness, this story will keep you turning the pages to the very end. Even then, you'll want to read more. Here's hoping for a book 2 to be out soon!

Buy your copy of Leave it to Chance today!

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

1. What gave you the inspiration for this story?

I have four children of my own, and as a writer, I have such a vivid imagination. I can always come up with the most gut-wrenching conclusions to the most innocuous circumstances involving my kids. That makes it hard to let go and trust. But how much control do we actually have over every day life? I also love horses, and desperately wanted one as a child. So, I set out to write a story about children, a mischievous horse and trusting God.

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

They came to me. When I saw Sierra, I knew she was a mom who deeply loved her kids and wanted the best for them. Elise was so fun to write with her over-the-top ways. When she drove up to Sierra's and pushed her ooga horn, I knew I was going to love her. And Sid is such a dear and reminds me so much of my father-in-law, Art. And Ross, how could you not love him?

3. What themes exist in Leave it to Chance that you hope the reader sees?

The theme of forgiveness played a significant role, though I didn’t consciously implement it into the novel. Just like most of us living in this fallen world, there have been a couple of significant events in my life that I had difficulty forgiving. I finally realized that if I waited until I felt like forgiving, it would never happen. And I desperately needed to forgive. The bitterness was choking the life out of me. So with God's help and through His grace I made the choice to forgive and forgive and forgive. I wish I could say that there was instant peace and joy. Though I think that can happen for people when they forgive, I'd lived in unforgiveness for so long that I had to continually make a choice to forgive until the freedom came. And when that freedom came, it was a wow moment for me!

Another theme is that of proving your worth. Our world is performance driven. How often do we praise others without attributing it to something they've done? Even with our children, we praise how well they unloaded the dishwasher or drew a picture or minded us. It's difficult to find the words to value people for who they are, apart from anything they do. For most of my life, performance colored my relationship with God. I could not wrap my mind around the concept that He loved me despite less than perfect behaviors.

4. What was your most difficult part to write with this book?

The editing. I wrote and rewote and rewrote and then my agent sold it to David C. Cook who hired an amazing editor to reshape it. It was tough. Spent a lot of time sending up SOS prayers!

5. What is next in the writing line for you?

I've started a collaboration series that I'm really excited about. I met with my agent and another writer a couple weeks ago to brainstorm and do some character development. It's going to be a lot of fun to write.

* * * * *

Thanks, Sherri, for joining us and being in the spotlight.

Readers, leave a comment for your chance to win a FREE copy of Leave it to Chance.

If you wish to comment but don't want to be entered, say so when you post. Make sure you also leave your email address (name at domainname dot.com/net) or that it's available for viewing in your blogger profile. Wouldn't want you to miss out on winning a book. :)

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 I announce the winner.

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

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OTHER STOPS ON THE TOUR

Blog Tour Spot

Camy's Loft

Chatter Matters

A Christian Romance Writer's Journey

Cliffy's Mom’s Blog

Fictionary

Flying Changes
The Friendly Book Nook

Horse Book Reviews

I Don't Wanna Blog

In the Dailies

Leap of Faith

lighthouse Academy

A Little Bit of Sunshine

Margaret Daley

Ma Space

Musings on This, That & The Other Thing

Mystery, Suspense and God, Oh My!

Net's Notes

Novel Journey

Penning Prose

Portrait of a Writer...Interrupted

Reading 'N' Writing with Patricia

Real Women Scrap

Relevant Blog

Sharon Hinck

Sips 'n' Cups Cafeteria

Smells Horsey

Toni V. Lee

Writing by Faith

The Writing Road


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Spotlight on Michelle Cox, John Perrodin and Simple Little Words

Today, I am veering just a smidgeon off-course from featuring a fiction book. However, as my tagline is "Touching Hearts; Inspiring Lives" I figured this book would fit right in line with that. It's all about how the simple little words you speak can touch a life in ways you never imagined.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Michelle Cox is a speaker, co-author (with John Perrodin) of Simple Little Words: What You Say Can Change a Life, and the author of Mothers Who Made a Difference. She writes frequently for various publications at Focus on the Family, has written greeting card text, and recently taped a part of a DVD small group curriculum on parenting and marriage for Focus on the Family. She and her husband, Paul, live near Asheville, North Carolina.

John Perrodin is Senior Editor for the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild. He has written three YA novels with Jerry in the Renegade Spirit series. For 12-plus years, he worked at Focus on the Family and served as Special Assistant to Dr. James C. Dobson. He and his wife, Sue, live in Colorado Springs.

SIMPLE LITTLE WORDS
by Michelle Cox & John Perrodin
Published by David C. Cook

ABOUT THE BOOK

Words can inspire, encourage, and convey love. They can poke and prod and compel to action. Or they can wound, discourage, and criticize. And what is said or not said in the most mundane moment can alter the course of a life...forever.

Buy Your Copy Today!

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

1. You've compiled a collection of stories from a wide variety of authors and known names in the industry for this book. What gave you the inspiration for this story?

JP: Michelle Cox and I have been friends for years. When I saw some stunning samples of her article writing I knew it would be great to work on a book project together. So we did some brainstorming and pitched and pitched and pitched. Simple Little Words was Michelle's brainchild and appropriately leads off with her sharing a touching personal story. I think both of us try to share encouragement whenever we can – and we were thrilled to have the chance to put some of the exciting results of those "simple little words" in this special compilation.

MC: A special moment from my childhood was the inspiration for Simple Little Words. As a child from a dysfunctional home situation, I had no self-esteem and no self-confidence. On a class field trip one day, a classmate’s mom said, "You have the most beautiful green eyes I've ever seen." To her they were ten simple little words, but to a child who needed to hear there was something of beauty about her, they were life changing. This book is a beautiful reminder that our words are powerful tools.

2. Tell us one thing about this book that might not be obvious from reading it, or something special from the time it took to put it together.

JP: This project helped me to realize how everything – even a book – must be placed completely in God's hand. From the cover selection to the order of chapters, I had to let go and trust. And that was as fun as it was hard. Ultimately, it was exciting to see things shaped differently than I expected and yet clearly along the lines God had in mind. Both Michelle and I experienced email problems and computer "issues" and learned that "in everything we must give thanks." Maybe that's part of the reason we were so pleased to turn over the creation of the website, http://www.simplelittlewords.com, to my teen son, Jace.

MC: John lives in Colorado and I live in North Carolina. I'm still amazed at how well our writing partnership works despite the distance. Writing with John is a joy and I know without a doubt that God put this team together. I think the thing that really surprised us as we worked on this book was that God’s vision for Simple Little Words was so much bigger than ours had been. We were awed by the heart-tugging stories He sent us. John and I split the submissions for editing so neither of us had read the entire manuscript from start to finish until several weeks before our deadline. When I read the complete book for the first time, the powerful stories God provided blew me away. I cry every time I read them.

3. What themes exist in Simple Little Words that you hope the reader sees? Are there any themes that weren't overt but developed as the story progressed?

JP: I hope the reader sees that our time on this spinning orb is short. We don't know how many more opportunities we'll have to look a loved one in the eye and say "I'm sorry." That's the beauty of Simple Little Words. We're not asking anyone to make fancy speeches or write eloquent tomes. All we're asking is that they take the time to speak life, hope, and love to those around them.

MC: I think one of the most important themes is that people need to say those simple little words to their loved ones while there's time. None of us has the guarantee of tomorrow. We all need to hear that we're special to someone or that we're loved. Children need to hear that they are of value to their parents—and they need to hear it often. I hope our readers will realize that the words they say today might be remembered for a lifetime.

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

JP: The hardest part of the job was making sure we were staying true to the heart of the each storyteller. Especially with the "as told to" chapters we wanted to allow the voice of the person to come through loud and clear. My favorite part of the process was waiting to see what stories God would send our way. That was sheer delight – to see Him deliver us the words He wanted us to share.

MC: One of our challenges was that we had a rather tight deadline to compile Simple Little Words. The publisher originally wanted the book in six weeks—and we only had two stories! Our first thought was panic and then we prayed. Two days later, I called John and said, "If God sent us the contract, He will send us the stories." We were amazed at how the stories came to us.

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

JP: I have two books coming out: Uncover Me and Surviving Me, the first two (of four) books in the Trio Plus series for teen girls. These Thomas Nelson releases will be available August 2008. Uncover Me and Surviving Me are co-authored with Susie Shellenberger, editor of Focus on the Family's Brio magazine.

MC: I just finished a 360-page cookbook as a gift to welcome my son's new bride to our family. John and I will begin working soon on a study guide/workbook about prayer for a large evangelistic ministry. We don't have a release date yet. We also have several projects under consideration at various publishing houses.

* * * * *

Thank you, Michelle and John, for being in the spotlight with us.

Readers, leave a comment for your chance to win a FREE autographed copy of Simple Little Words.

If you wish to comment but don't want to be entered, say so when you post. Make sure you also leave your email address (name at domainname dot.com/net) or that it's available for viewing in your blogger profile. Wouldn't want you to miss out on winning a book. :)

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 I announce the winner.

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

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Spotlight on Terri Kraus and Renovation

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

After eleven co-authored books with husband, Jim, Terri Kraus has added her award-winning interior designer’s eye to her world of fiction. Terri has worked as a professional designer for 25 years. She has also directed women’s ministries at her church for the past 6 years and has traveled extensively internationally. She makes her home in Wheaton, Illinois, USA, with her husband, son, Elliot, miniature schnauzer, Rufus, and Siberian cat, Petey.

Visit Terri Kraus at her website: http://www.terrikraus.com/.

RENOVATION
by Terri Kraus
Published by David C. Cook

ABOUT THE BOOK

Ethan Willis has made a career out of restoring old houses like the Carter Mansion, so he's an expert with doors and windows. Tragically widowed and left with a young son, he's done the best he could, but now that Chase has become a teenager, that best somehow isn't quite good enough.

For his part, Chase doesn't know what he'd do without baseball, his best friend Elliott and the secret hideaway even his dad doesn't know about. What he does know is that the reporter lady who suddenly started chatting with his dad can't be a good thing.

In a small town where everyone knows everything, does an outsider a young, cute, ambitious reporter-kind-of-outsider like Cameron Dane even have a prayer of getting to know the handsome but moody builder? Does it matter that they both hold secrets from their pasts? And can Chase ever be freed from the hidden guilt of his mother's death? Only time, and a special kind of patience, will tell.

Buy Your Copy Today!

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

1. This is your first solo novel after writing for years with your husband, Jim. What gave you the inspiration for this story and how did you find the experience of launching out on your own?

Writing a novel set in the world of the restoration of old buildings has always been a dream of mine. The idea of renovation is in my family's blood. I'm an interior design professional. My brothers are rehabbers. My husband, Jim, and I have survived the renovation of three houses.

Many readers are probably, like me, HGTV fans that watch the many shows about fixing up old houses. You find yourself glued to the glimpses of contractors and owners engaged in the process. You live vicariously through the rehabbing, renovating, and restoring.

I've always been captivated by old buildings. Poring over books about art, architectural styles, and decoration from all over the world has always been one of my favorite pastimes. As I've traveled internationally and visited many of the places I've studied independently and in the course of my education in design, I've become even more passionate about restoration. I can talk forever about the importance or preserving buildings that are testaments to the creative impulse, the hours of painstaking effort, the motivation and dedication of artists, designers, craftsmen and artisans from previous eras. All were, no doubt, imperfect people—but people used as instruments in God's hands to create perfectly rendered works of art that endure and can stir our hearts so many, many years later.

For me, there's something quite magical about walking into an old place, with all its history, where so much life has been lived, where so many events and significant moments have taken place—the happy ones, the sad ones, and all the everyday moments and hours in between. Imagining who might have inhabited a house, how the family came together, the love they shared, their conversations, the tears and laughter, is irresistible to me. I find inspiration as I imagine how they celebrated and grieved, how they overcame adversity, how they survived tragedy, then moved on to enjoy life within the old walls once again.

Having my own series to write has been a bit scary at times, but a great experience nonetheless. Jim and I work wonderfully together, having very complementary skills, so it's different than I'm used to. He'll always be my best critique partner, so it’s been good to have his input. He's great with dialog, so that's very helpful.

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

Having worked as an interior designer for 25 years, I've been involved in a lot of restoration/renovation projects. I know well the upheaval, the despair of having no control, the agonizing over style decisions, the budget constraints, the disagreements between contractor and owner, and the emotional rollercoaster of unexpected problems and unanticipated gifts along the way. Together my clients and I have accepted big disappointments, celebrated tiny successes, and experienced the inexpressible elation at seeing what was once in ruins—old, broken, useless—become, with all its quirks, a beautiful, completely renewed, and usable place for people to share life again.

Looking back on all those projects, I can echo the sentiment in the opening line of Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." As the owner of the Carter Mansion in the book, these are the struggles and triumphs CeCe experiences. As the builder/contractor, Ethan struggles with all of the problems and victories on the reverse end. CeCe is Italian, so I enjoyed giving her some of my own ethnic characteristics. Ethan and Cameron, the other two main characters, are a conglomeration of people I have worked with, and their journey back to God through all the pain and secret keeping caused by tragedies in their lives is their own entirely. Ethan's son Elliot does reflect some of the character traits of our son Elliot, and that was fun to weave into this book.

3. What themes exist in Renovation that you hope the reader sees? Are there any themes that weren't overt but developed as the story progressed?

I love the metaphor of restoration, which is why I came up with the idea for the Project Restoration series—stories that would follow both the physical restoration of a building and emotional/spiritual restoration of a character.

After all, God is in the business of restoring lives—reclaiming, repairing, renewing what was broken and bringing beauty from ashes. I know, because I've seen his renovation firsthand. For many years, I've worked in women's ministries. I've seen many women—as well as the men and children they love—deal with scars from their past that shape their todays and tomorrows. They all long for restoration—to live joyfully and productively once again—but that also requires forgiveness. Forgiveness of others (whether they deserve it or not) and, perhaps most importantly, forgiveness of oneself in order to be healthy and available to God. Clinging to past hurts or "unfairness," hostility, anger, grudges, resentment, bitterness, or allowing abuse to alter your self-worth renders your life virtually useless.

Unforgiveness shapes your perception of yourself, your outlook on life, the kind of relationships you have, and keeps you in "stuck" mode. It leaves you in a dark, emotionally paralyzing, spiritually debilitating, physically draining state and causes so much unnecessary pain…even addiction.

Yet God himself stands and waits, extending the gift of restoration. The light of his love shines on all those dark places deep within us, exposing what needs his healing touch. This is the type of restoration I've become passionate about too. For when our souls are gloriously freed through God's renovation, we become whole, useful, and able to extend the forgiveness we have experienced to others. Then individuals, families, churches, and entire communities can be transformed!

Perhaps there are readers who have an event in their past they need to let go of. It is my hope and prayer that by reading the book some will experience the renovation that awaits them through saying yes to God’s invitation of heart restoration…and the life-transforming joy that will follow.

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

I think he most difficult were the heart-wrenching scenes, because it’s sometimes difficult to strike the right balance of conveying the emotion without becoming overly sentimental and "sappy." It's also difficult to know how to be sure to convey the theme without overdoing it. My favorite parts to write are, of course, all the design features of the renovation and the historical details of the house.

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

Book 2 of the Project Restoration Series comes out in October.

Single-mom Leslie Ruskin and her 5-year-old daughter, Ava, are starting over in a new town—Butler, Pennsylvania—where her ancestors once lived, after a devastating divorce turned their world upside-down. As Leslie tries to provide a stable life for little Ava, she struggles to manage her own anxiety. She buys a landmark building in the historic area of town, which she is strangely drawn to. As the new owner of the Midlands Building, with its architecturally stunning first floor, Leslie is in need of a master carpenter to renovate its neglected interior. Jack Kenyon seems to be the perfect man for the job. He's starting over, too, after leaving Franklin, Pennsylvania, where he worked for Ethan Willis on the restoration crew of the Carter Mansion. But Jack is struggling to master his own demons. Haunted by loneliness, his past failures, and the lost relationship with his own young daughter, Jack finds it difficult to maintain his sobriety. As the Midlands Building is transformed from the run-down former home of a locksmith shop, with its own secrets, into a vibrant café/bistro, the relationship between Leslie and Jack becomes the catalyst in their journey towards the renewal that their lives so desperately need…and unlocks the love they are destined to discover.

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

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