CFBA Blog Tour - DiAnn Mills and A Woman Called Sage

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!

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
A Woman Called Sage
Zondervan (April 1, 2010)
by DiAnn Mills

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Award-winning author DIANN MILLS launched her career in 1998 with the publication of her first book. Currently she has over forty books in print and has sold more than a million copies.

DiAnn believes her readers should “Expect an Adventure.” DiAnn Mills is a fiction writer who combines an adventuresome spirit with unforgettable characters to create action-packed novels.

Six of her anthologies have appeared on the CBA Best Seller List. Three of her books have won the distinction of Best Historical of the Year by Heartsong Presents. Five of her books have won placements through American Christian Fiction Writer’s Book of the Year Awards 2003 – 2007, and she is the recipient of the Inspirational Reader’s Choice award for 2005 and 2007. She was a Christy Awards finalist in 2008.

DiAnn is a founding board member for American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Inspirational Writers Alive, Romance Writers of America’s Faith, Hope and Love, and Advanced Writers and Speakers Association. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country. DiAnn is also a mentor for Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writer’s Guild.

She lives in sunny Houston, Texas. DiAnn and her husband have four adult sons and are active members of Metropolitan Baptist Church.

A WOMAN CALLED SAGE
by DiAnn Mills
Published by Zondervan

ABOUT THE BOOK

They took away everything she loved...now, she’s out for revenge.

Sage Morrow had it all: life on a beautiful Colorado ranch, a husband who adored her, and a baby on the way. Until five ruthless gunmen rode up to their ranch and changed her life forever. Now Sage is a bounty hunter bent on retribution.

Accompanied only by her majestic hawk, she travels throughout the Rocky Mountains in search of injustice, determined to stamp it out wherever it’s found. The stakes are raised when two young boys are kidnapped and Sage is forced to work with Marshall Parker Timmons to rescue them. But Sage may ultimately get more than she bargained for.

In this exciting historical romance set in the late 1800s, murder, intrigue, kidnapping, and questions of faith will keep you in suspense until the final pages.

If you would like to read the first chapter of A Woman Called Sage, go HERE.

Watch the Book Trailer here:



Readers, buy your copy of A Woman Called Sage today!

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

1. What gave you the inspiration for this story?

While vacationing in the Rocky Mountain National Park, and idea for a woman bounty hunter would not let me go. I could see her riding through valleys and over treacherous mountains. When we visited the tourist center right outside the park, I saw that the Ute Indians had once roamed there. The spark continued to grow until I had to write the story. She's a courageous woman with a tragic past.

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

I think my many trips into the Rocky Mountain National Park provided much of the setting and helped form Sage's character. It was easy to point out places where she could have camped and beautiful lakes she would have admired. I can't think of anything about Sage or Parker that resembled me. :) Sage has a kinship with animals, and I certainly do not. However, she did want to help those women who'd been hurt by outlaws and left as widows. And I do have a desire to help hurting women. Regarding Parker - he had interests in law and politics, which I do not!

Question: Do you have an animal you love (could be a pet or a wild animal)? What about that animal appeals to you?

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

Sage would have been Coffee Heath-Bar Crunch. That flavor would have provided the caffeine to keep her going, the chocolate to keep her sweet, and the crunch to keep her rugged in times of danger.

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

My key theme in is dealing with bitterness. How do you purge it from your life when it walks and stalks you. Prejudice was a minor theme, as well as exploiting widows.

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

Weaving the thread of suspense that finally tied all the mystery and confusion in Sage's life to reality. My favorite parts were building the romance between Sage and Parker. And I loved Leah, who is more like me.

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

The Fire in Ember is about John Timmons, who is in the current book, and a young woman named Ember. I believe that will be released in January 2011.

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

NEW!! Readers, find the question buried somewhere in the spotlight and answer it in the comments, then leave your email address for your chance to win a FREE copy of A Woman Called Sage. 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.

Spotlight on DiAnn Mills and Breach of Trust

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

DIANN MILLS is an award-winning author who launched her career in 1998 with the publication of her first book. Currently she has over forty books in print and has sold a million and a half copies. DiAnn believes her readers should "Expect an Adventure." She is a fiction writer who combines an adventuresome spirit with unforgettable characters to create action-packed novels.

Six of her anthologies have appeared on the CBA Best Seller List. Three of her books have won the distinction of Best Historical of the Year by Heartsong Presents. Five of her books have won placements through American Christian Fiction Writer's Book of the Year Awards 2003–2008, and she is the recipient of the Inspirational Reader's Choice award for 2005 and 2007. She was a Christy Awards finalist in 2008.

DiAnn is a founding board member for American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Inspirational Writers Alive, Romance Writers of America's Faith, Hope and Love, and Advanced Writers and Speakers Association. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country. DiAnn is also a mentor for Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writer's Guild.

She lives in sunny Houston, Texas. DiAnn and her husband have four adult sons and are active members of Metropolitan Baptist Church.

BREACH OF TRUST
by DiAnn Mills
Published by Tyndale House

ABOUT THE BOOK

Paige Rogers is a former CIA agent who lost all she treasured seven years ago when her entire team was killed in a covert mission. She blames their leader—Daniel Keary—whom Paige believes betrayed them. Disillusioned and afraid for her life, she disappeared and started a new life as a small-town librarian. But when Keary announces his candidacy for governor of her state, he comes after Paige to ensure that she won't ruin his bid for office. He threatens everything she holds dear, and Paige must choose between the life of hiding that has become her refuge...or risking everything in one last, desperate attempt to right old wrongs.

Buy Your Copy of Breach of Trust today!

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

1. What gave you the inspiration for this story?

While driving through rural Oklahoma, my "what-if" writer's mode kicked in. What if a CIA agent was forced to change identities and hide out in rural Oklahoma? What would she do? How would she change her looks? And more importantly, what would bring her out of hiding? I wanted my heroine to have found God among good people who showed her what following Jesus was all about. And I wanted her commitment to her new-found faith to guide her in all of the decisions she faced in bringing a corrupt politician to justice.

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

I'm not so sure anything prepared me for Paige's nightmare. What led me to research and write this story is that all of us have risky/unsafe dreams. Deep down, I would have loved to have been a part of the CIA. On the humorous side, I'm a church librarian and that part of Paige was fun. What aspects became traits that were theirs and theirs alone? The heroine's sixth sense and uncanny ability to detect signs that pointed to danger. Also, Paige is much smarter than I am. :) Miles gave the appearance of a good-old-boy: a high school football coach who had a crush on the local librarian. But he is so much more.

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

Once you read Breach of Trust, you will see that Paige is a vanilla gal. In fact, there is a scene with her preference for vanilla. Symbolically, she wanted the whole world to be a white/pure place for people to live, but she knew it wasn't possible.

4. Are there any themes in Breach of Trust that you hope the reader sees? Are there any themes that weren't overt but developed as the stories progressed?

All Christians are called to a purpose, a divine calling that others may not understand. The issue of trust is difficult topic for anyone who has ever been betrayed.

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

The most difficult was the research. I searched the CIA website, phoned the CIA in DC, read recommended books, and talked to others who were involved in other security organizations similar to the CIA. My favorite part was showing who Paige really was to Miles. Had to giggle through that. Of course there were some hard scenes between the two, and often the challenging scenes become my favorite.

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

Breach of Security is my next book in the Call of Duty series. Danika Morales is a Border Patrol Agent in McAllen, Texas. For two years she's looked for the murderer of her husband. What she discovers is a plot to destroy everything she believes in.

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

Readers, leave a comment for your chance to win a FREE copy of A Breach of Trust.

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). 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.

Spotlight on DiAnn Mills and Texas Legacy

Today's spotlight author is celebrating the release of 3 of her full-length books which have been repackaged into an anthology. If you love historical fiction, and you love romance, plus enjoy a setting in Texas, you're going to love the books within this anthology. I found the characters engaging, the stories memorable and the dialogue flowing well. Of course, I read these books when they were published individually, but that doesn't diminish the enjoyment factor or the quality. And now, you have them all in one place!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

DIANN MILLS, an award-winning author, launched her career in 1998 with the publication of her first book. Currently she has over forty books in print and has sold more than a million copies. Six of her anthologies have appeared on the CBA Best Seller List. Three of her books have won the distinction of Best Historical of the Year by Heartsong Presents. Five of her books have won placements through American Christian Fiction Writer's Book of the Year Awards 2003 – 2007, and she is the recipient of the Inspirational Reader's Choice award for 2005 and 2007. She was a Christy Awards finalist in 2008.

TEXAS LEGACY
by DiAnn Mills
Published by Barbour Publishing

ABOUT THE BOOK

Enjoy the acclaimed Texas Legacy series of three novels by award- winning author DiAnn Mills all under one value-priced cover. Kahlerville, Texas, is home to the Andrews family and three romantic adventures. Morgan Andrews is falling for a female outlaw. Grant finds himself protecting the woman who is determined to take his child. Bonnie sets aside her grief for a pastor with a secret past. Can faith hold family and love together?

Buy Your Copy of Texas Legacy Today!

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

1. What gave you the inspiration for these stories?

A love of the old west and characters who stood out as unique and strong.

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

Hmm. I guess I'm rather adventuresome and I love the thrill and romance of the old west. I work very hard at making my characters distinctly different, but sometimes a little of myself creeps into my characters. For Casey in Leather and Lace, her desire to forsake the outlaw life no matter the outcome. For Jenny in Lanterns and Lace, her desire to think for herself and be willing to make mistakes in her quest to be independent. For Bonnie in Lightning and Lace, her desire to live up to what God expected of her in her role as a single parent.

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

Leather and Lace - Casey would be chocolate (dark and mysterious) and Morgan would be Neapolitan (he had to decide what he really wanted).

Lanterns and Lace - Jenny would be strawberry (sweet and raised Victorian) and Grant would be vanilla chocolate swirl (he fit into about any situation).

Lightning and Lace - Bonnie would be peach (everyone thought she was sweet and homespun) and Travis would be butter pecan (he had a tough nut to crack with Bonnie).

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

Forgiveness in all three, and the understanding that God forgives our sins if we repent and turn from our ways.

Leather and Lace - I wrote this for the contemporary woman who thinks that because she's been in jail neither God nor man would want her.

Lanterns and Lace - I wrote this for the woman who may think that science and tradition answers the problems of the world.

Lightning and Lace - I wrote this for the woman who faces single parenting with fear and inadequacy.

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

Leather and Lace - (most difficult) when Morgan had to tell Casey what happened to his wife. (favorite) - when Casey confronted Grant about his target practice.

Lightning and Lace - 2 parts: 1) when Bonnie confronted Travis about her love for him 2) when Travis confessed to his church that he was not what they thought.

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

The next release is Breach of Trust, published by Tyndale. It's the first in the Call to Duty series: contemporary romantic suspense. The heroine is an ex CIA operative who has to choose between bringing a corrupt politician to justice and keeping her loved ones safe.

* * * * *

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

Readers, leave a comment for your chance to win a FREE autographed copy of Texas Legacy.

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). 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 anyone worldwide.

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