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

Guest Blogger Margaret Brownley and Waiting for Morning

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

MARGARET BROWNLEY, a New York Times bestselling author, has penned more than twenty-five historical and contemporary novels. Her books have won numerous awards, including Reader’s Choice. She has published the Rocky Creek series, and A Lady like Sarah was a Romance Writers of America RITA© finalist. Happily married to her real life hero, Margaret and her husband have three grown children and live in Southern California.

WAITING FOR MORNING
by Margaret Brownley
Published by Thomas Nelson

DAWN COMES EARLY
by Margaret Brownley
Published by Thomas Nelson

ABOUT THE BOOKS

More Love and Laughter from N.Y. Times Bestselling Author, Margaret Brownley

Waiting for Morning

Molly Hatfield comes to Arizona Territory seeking stability and security. But living in Cactus Patch provides her with more than she ever dreamed of.

There is nothing Molly wouldn’t do for her teenaged brother, Donny. Blaming herself for the accident that left him wheel-chair bound, Molly has dedicated her life to his care. But in 1896, gainful employment for a woman is hard to come by. So when Molly learns that an eccentric rancher in Cactus Patch, Arizona, is looking for an heiress--someone to take over management of the ranch in exchange for future ownership--she jumps at the chance to provide a real home for her brother.

If she proves to have a knack for ranching and agrees to remain single for life, the ranch can be hers. Neither stipulation worries Molly. She’s resourceful and hardworking. And she gave up dreams of marriage long ago when she dedicated her life to her brother’s well-being.

However, Molly didn’t bank on meeting Dr. Caleb Fairbanks, the town’s handsome and charismatic young doctor. Caleb has a way with Molly that makes her nervous. But it’s how he is with her brother that really alarms her. Caleb sees past the wheelchair and genuinely likes Donny, but Molly fears he’s putting unrealistic ideas into her brother’s head. Falling in love with Caleb would threaten everything she’s worked for, even her brother’s future happiness.

But it could be the very reason God brought her to Last Chance Ranch.

Readers, buy your copy of Waiting for Morning today!

Dawn Comes Early

Looking for a woman of good character and pleasant disposition willing to learn the ranching business in Arizona territory. Must be SINGLE and prepared to remain so now and forever more. Will be given ownership of ranch. —Eleanor Walker

Disgraced dime novelist Kate Tenney fled the city that banned her latest book for a fresh start at a cattle ranch in the Arizona Territory. She hopes ranching turns out to be as romantic as she portrayed it in her novels.

But what awaits her is a much harder life. There is no room for mistakes on a working cattle ranch in 1895, and Kate is ill-prepared for her new life. She quickly learns that dawn comes early . . . every day. But she is tenacious.

Having been abandoned by a string of men, Kate has no intention of ever marrying. But she didn’t expect to meet Luke Adams either. Luke awakens feelings inside Kate she doesn’t recognize, and his steady presence is a constant distraction. She has only written about love in the past, never known it herself. But her feelings for Luke stand in the way of all she has to gain if she is chosen as the heir.

Perhaps God brought Kate to the barrenness of the desert to give new life to her jaded heart.

Readers, buy your copy of Dawn Comes Early today!

AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR FEATURE AUTHOR

Kate Whittaker will never get a husband
as long as she keeps shocking
the town with her newfangled inventions.

The recent eBook release of one of my earlier books, Head Over Heels, brought back a lot of memories: some good; some bad.

While I was madly trying to meet my deadline, the Northridge earthquake struck and my house was practically destroyed. Even worse, my son's apartment slid off its foundation and he and his wife and baby barely got out alive. Though many roads were closed, they were able to make it safely to us.

We set up a crib on the front lawn and that's where we lived while waiting for the city inspector to tell us if the house was safe enough to enter. One thing worked in our favor; though the earthquake struck in January the weather was sunny and warm. I don't know what we would have done otherwise.

If having your roof practically cave in while on deadline isn't bad enough, the earthquake occurred five days before my daughter's wedding. Out of town guests who had already arrived pretty much had to fend for themselves. I was too busy trying to find an open store so we could purchase diapers.

When phone service resumed, we tried rescheduling the wedding, but reception halls were booked for a year and my daughter didn't want to wait that long. So, we set up "wedding central" on the front lawn next to the baby crib and got busy.

People bent over backward to help us. The church had suffered damages but we were assured it would be ready to go by that Saturday. Same for the country club where the reception was scheduled.

The news wasn't so good for the severly damaged mall where the wedding rings waited to be sized. Fortunately, management worked with us and we were able to retrieve the rings just in the nick of time. The photographer had set up shop on a sidewalk, but he assured as he was good to go. Ditto for the caterers and musicians. Many roads and freeways were closed and one of the hardest chores was rerouting guests.

On the third day of living on the lawn, the UPS man drove up to deliver a wedding gift, and we were able to toast our good fortune with the only unbroken drinking glasses for miles around.

With the help of friends and family, the wedding went off without a hitch, I wish I could say the same about the house renovations. I called my editor and got a two week extension on my deadline (which made me wonder what would have to happen to get, say, a month.) All local hotels were filled, so we had to stay in the house while workers sawed, drilled and hammered. I lived in a dust cloud for weeks.

While in the middle of writing a scene, I looked down to find a man under my desk pouring silicone into foundation cracks. The smell alone nearly knocked me out, but it was the aftershocks that bothered me the most.

When my heroine Kate in Head Over Heels blows up something in the book with one of her inventions, you can be sure that this writer was a-rocking and a-rolling when she wrote it. Now you know the story behind the story.

* * * * *

Thank you, Margaret, for sharing with us today.

Reader Question: Anyone have a disaster story to share? You might win a copy of Dawn Comes Early if you do.

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 Dawn Comes Early. 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 Kelly Long and Arms of Love

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

KELLY LONG was born and raised in North Central Pennsylvania. There was an Amish hitching post at the small grocery store in her town. She loves to write Amish romance and is the author of novel, Sarah's Garden, the novella Amish Christmas Expanded Edition with some other great Amish authors, Amish Love with Beth Wiseman and Kathy Fuller, and Lilly's Wedding Quilt--the sequel to Sarah's Garden. She lives in Atlanta with her husband and children.

ARMS OF LOVE
by Kelly Long
Published by Thomas Nelson

ABOUT THE BOOK

The year is 1777. America is in turmoil.  And Amish life is far different than today.

Pennsylvania in the late 18^th century, once called William Penn's Woods, was an assortment of different faiths living together for the first time in American history. Included in this tapestry was a small and struggling population called Amish.

Surrounding this peaceful people were unavoidable threats: both Patriots and the British were pillaging land and goods for the sake of the war, young Amishmen were leaving the faith to take up arms and defend freedom. A simple walk in the untamed forests could result in death, if not from bullet or arrow, then from an encounter with a wild animal.

Amid this time of tumult, Adam Wyse is fighting a personal battle. To possibly join the war efforts and leave his faith, which would mean walking away from the only woman he's ever loved: Lena Yoder. But for that love he's made a promise that may keep them apart permanently.

When Adam withdraws from Lena, she's forced to turn to his brother, Isaac, for support. Must Lena deny her heart's desire to save Adam's soul? And will life in this feral and primitive New World be more than this peace-keeping people can withstand?

Readers, buy your copy of Arms of Love today!

AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR FEATURE AUTHOR

Dead Men Tell No Tales

The origin of the phrase "Dead Men Tell No Tales" is most often associated with a time of piracy but actually dates to the mid-1500's and a more proverbial "Dead men reveal no secrets." Obviously, the author was excluding one Man---Jesus Christ. Despite our fascination as a culture with remaining eternally young (looking at least), and despite incantations, potions, and prescriptions for longevity, every man must die. The secret that Christ tells from His resurrection is that dead men are not always dead men.

During lean years of college, my husband was the caretaker of a large cemetery up in the mountains of Pennsylvania. He had to dig the graves by hand, and me, being me, would often come and visit him with a picnic lunch for a digging or a burial. (Yes, odd, but that's a whole other blog). In any case, I remember this burial on St. Patrick's day for two reasons---because I brought green iced cupcakes and because the sun was shining brightly in a usual blah March sky...In any case, as I considered the sprays of flowers, and the new tombstone of the woman, as clear as a bell it came into my head "Why seek you the living among the dead?" I felt a joyous exuberance, a freedom, because somehow, God had let me know that this woman had been a believer in Christ. She didn't lie within the earth....she was far and away.

Too often we forget the triumph that Jesus has, that we have because of Him, over the secrecy of death. The Bible says that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to us in our daily lives, yet we so often grope along fearfully, scared of getting hurt, afraid to die. Seek to loose your life for Christ (not random sky diving with no parachute) but daily surrender to the power and the wonder of the once dead man who now tells the tale of eternal life...and follow hard after Him.

* * * * *

Thank you, Kelly, for sharing with us today.

Guest Question: What has Jesus told you in times of darkness that you feel you should proclaim in the light for His glory?

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 US/Canada residents only.

Thomas Nelson $10,000 contest + free e-book!

From Thomas Nelson:

One of the highlights of our days in the Fiction department at Thomas Nelson? Receiving reader letters—either directly addressed to us or passed along from our talented authors. It’s critical to be reminded that at the end of our long days acquiring, editing, designing, selling, marketing, and publicizing books, those stories are reaching readers, striking nerves, changing lives. We want readers’ feedback. How stories have given you hope. Which authors’ series you can’t help from sharing with everyone you meet. We want to know what makes you stay up late in the night to finish a story, and conversely what turns you away.

We’re conducting a series of surveys—seeking answers from readers who love Christian fiction. Up for grabs is a free e-book for every respondent who completes the survery, as well as a $10,000 prize for one entrant. The responses we gather will help shape the future of the books we publish for years to come. As well as the data we’re collecting here, we’ll also seek more in-depth feedback from a panel we’ll develop over the next year. More details to come. The note below from one of authors gives a specific picture of how reader feedback shapes her work. In short, your opinion matters! We thank you for your time and appreciate your responding.

--Thomas Nelson Fiction


Dear Friends--

Your opinion matters. It really does. I love hearing from readers about what worked for them in a story and about what doesn’t work. Reader feedback changed the balance between romance and suspense in my novels. After the Rock Harbor trilogy, I wanted to write more suspense in my novels because that’s what I personally like. But readers really wanted more relationship and romance in the books so I moved back that direction to about the same mix of 50/50 that the Rock Harbor novels contained. I write for you even more than for myself.

I had no intention of setting a whole series of books at Bluebird, Texas. It was going to be only one book, but readers sent me requests in droves for more books. The fourth book in the Lonestar series, Lonestar Angel, will be out in October. The Rock Harbor novels were going to be complete at three. There are now five and I’m thinking about another one! All due to reader demand.

I’ve often asked for reader input on names and locations too. When I was struggling for a name for my hero in The Lightkeeper’s Ball, I turned to my readers. Harrison really fit my character, and my readers told me. Love that! When I was trying to decide on a location for the new Hope Beach series I’ve started, I asked readers. Their overwhelming response was for a series set in the Outer Banks so guess what I’m writing?!

That’s why we’re coming to you for answers. We want to give you what you really want! Don’t be afraid to let us know what you really think. We value your honesty and the time it will take to share with us. Looking forward to hearing what you have to say!

Your friend,
Colleen Coble

Welcome Kelly Long and Lilly's Wedding Quilt

Please interact with our guest authors by answering the question they provide. Your response will also enter you in the drawing for a free book.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

KELLY LONG is the bestselling author of Sarah’s Garden and Lilly’s Wedding Quilt. She has also written novellas with Beth Wiseman and Kathy Fuller, including An Amish Love. Kelly is a former English and Latin teacher and lives near Hershey, Pa with her husband and children. You can connect with Kelly on Facebook at Fans of Kelly Long or on the blogs Amish Hearts.com or Amish Living.com.

LILLY'S WEDDING QUILT
by Kelly Long
Published by Thomas Nelson

ABOUT THE BOOK

Local Amish schoolteacher Lilly Lapp is tired of weddings, afraid of horses, and immersed in caring for her depressed mother. But when Jacob Wyse, a handsome horse breeder from her small community rescues her from a dangerous accident, Lilly discovers a renewed interest in life and the possibility of love.

Yet Jacob has lost the one true love of his life to another man and doesn't care to expose himself to the vulnerabilities of loving again. God works to bring this unlikely pair into a sweet romance to produce a pattern of faith, which leads to the creation and comfort of Lilly's Wedding Quilt.

Readers, buy your copy of Lilly's Wedding Quilt (A Patch of Heaven Novel) today!

AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR FEATURE AUTHOR

Loneliness in Fiction Writing

What did I know about becoming a fiction writer when I slowly waded in? Needed a good agent? Yep. Needed a good publishing house? Sure. Needed to be willing to market, meet deadlines, do book signings, travel…? All good. Got it down. Needed to face the unremitting cold of the vast icy paper and the brain frozen fingers? You betcha.

I seemed to have had it figured out…UNTIL….I realized that nothing could have prepared me for the abject loneliness, the God and me aloneness of the process of writing for others to read.

You might say…suck it up; you get to work in your pajamas. Well, I missed getting dressed for work. I missed my students; the interaction between coworkers….other brains in the room besides my own wacky writer one.

So, I prayed more.

Got dressed. Put on makeup (okay..only a little). Started to talk to myself…I realized that I needed CONNECTION to survive. So, I bugged my Editor (truly blessed lady); made friends with my agent (easy to do…great personality)….Made best friends with other writers….

But I needed more.

So, I joined ACFW. Okay. I didn’t know what to do with it once I joined, but I finally got going and discovered felt like this too. And, I learned a lot from my other loop, The Writer’s View. I learned loneliness is not fictional, readers are not fictionalized (they care), and the life I am living for Christ now is not lonely fiction but an opportunity to reach millions…

I just have to be willing to take the first step with Him…Alone.

Peace,

Kelly Long

* * * * *

Thank you, Kelly, for sharing with us today.

Guest Question: What lessons have you learned as a writer? And if you're not a writer, what life lessons have you learned recently? How has God challenged you to grow in the life you're living?

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.

Thomas Nelson $10,000 contest + free e-book!

From Thomas Nelson:

One of the highlights of our days in the Fiction department at Thomas Nelson? Receiving reader letters—either directly addressed to us or passed along from our talented authors. It’s critical to be reminded that at the end of our long days acquiring, editing, designing, selling, marketing, and publicizing books, those stories are reaching readers, striking nerves, changing lives. We want readers’ feedback. How stories have given you hope. Which authors’ series you can’t help from sharing with everyone you meet. We want to know what makes you stay up late in the night to finish a story, and conversely what turns you away.

e’re conducting a series of surveys—seeking answers from readers who love Christian fiction. Up for grabs is a free ebook for every respondent who completes the survery, as well as a $10,000 prize for one entrant. The responses we gather will help shape the future of the books we publish for years to come. As well as the data we’re collecting here, we’ll also seek more in-depth feedback from a panel we’ll develop over the next year. More details to come. The note below from one of authors gives a specific picture of how reader feedback shapes her work. In short, your opinion matters! We thank you for your time and appreciate your responding.

--Thomas Nelson Fiction

Dear Friends—

Publishing books is a team effort, and there are a lot of players—authors, editors, cover designers, marketing staff, and a host of other behind-the-scene folks who help get the books on the shelves. And readers are also a large part of the process. Your input matters, probably more than you know.

When I hear from readers, I really listen to what they want. This is particularly true with my series books. For example, Seek Me With All Your Heart (book #1 in the Land of Canaan series) wraps up nicely at the end, but one of my minor characters (Katie Ann) was left pregnant after her husband left her. I received lots of emails about Katie Ann from readers, so book #2 in the series—The Wonder of Your Love—is Katie Ann’s story.

With the popularity of social media resources such as Facebook, it has allowed me to keep in close contact with readers and to seek opinions and advice. Several times, the publisher and I couldn’t decide on a cover, so we posted the cover options on Facebook and let readers decide. And if you’re posting anywhere on my Facebook Fans Page, your name could end up in a book. I often scan the names there, so you are unknowingly helping me just by being on the site.

Readers also made it clear that they wanted books in digital format, large print, and audio versions. Authors and publishers listened, and most (if not all) of my books are available in multiple formats.

As an author, I hope to write entertaining stories that will be enjoyed for many years. As a reader, I have favorite authors, and I’m not afraid to let them know what I want in future books. We listen to the likes and the dislikes in our effort to bring you the best stories we can, so don’t be shy. Tell us what you think!

Warmly,
Beth Wiseman

Welcome Margaret Brownley and A Vision of Lucy

Please interact with our guest authors by answering the question they provide. Your response will also enter you in the drawing for a free book.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

MARGARET BROWNLEY: Thrills, mystery, suspense, romance: Margaret penned it all. Nothing wrong with this—except Margaret happened to be writing for the church newsletter. After making the church picnic read like a Grisham novel, her former pastor took her aside and said, "Maybe God's calling you to write fiction."

So that’s what Margaret did. She now has more than 25 novels and novellas to her credit and has been published in 15 languages. The first book in her Rocky Creek series A Lady Like Sarah was a 2010 Women of Faith selection, and Romance Writers of American RITA finalist. Her next book A Vision of Lucy released in June.

Happily married to her real life hero, Margaret and her husband live in Southern California, and have three grown children.

A VISION OF LUCY
by Margaret Brownley
Published by Thomas Nelson

ABOUT THE BOOK

More Love and Laughter in the Old West

From Bestselling Author Margaret Brownley

Trouble may follow Lucy wherever she goes, but with the help of God and the rugged, reclusive David Wolf, she'll never face adversity alone.

Lucy Fairbanks dreams of working as a photographer at the Rocky Creek newspaper. If she can earn money making photographs, then maybe her father will see that what she does is worthy, more than just a distraction. And her deepest hope is that he'll see her as an artist, the way he thought of her deceased mother, a painter. But trouble follows Lucy on every photo shoot: a mess of petticoats and ribbons, an accidental shooting, even a fire.

When Lucy meets David Wolf, a quiet, rustic man who lives on the outskirts of town, she thinks she can catch the attention of the town with his photograph. She doesn't count on her feelings stirring whenever she's near him.

Two things happen next that forever change the course of her life: Lucy meets someone who sees her as no one else has-as the compassionate, creative young woman that God made in His image. And Lucy helps David uncover a secret that forces him to change his perspective on an event that left him deeply-scarred.

God's arms are around this unlikely couple as they discover the truth about long-held assumptions and the importance of forgiveness.

Readers, buy your copy of A Vision of Lucy (A Rocky Creek Romance) today!

AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR FEATURE AUTHOR

Sage Advice for Photographers from A VISION OF LUCY

• When photographing stampeding cattle, charging bulls or blazing shoot-outs, use a fast shutter speed.
• Brides, take pity on your photographer. Matthew S. Brady and his helpers were able to record the entire War Between the States with little more than 1100 photographs. Half that number should satisfy most brides.
• Doctors, do not look at the camera like it’s a patient needing help through death’s door. Such a pose will speak ill of you, and it won’t do much for your practice, either.
• A man imagines himself more handsome than his photograph; a woman believes herself more homely.
• While posing for a photograph spinsters should avoid looking desperate or deprived. A serene smile will show that your circumstances are by choice and not for lack of beauty or character.

SAY CABBAGE

In 1850, Julia Shannon of San Francisco took the family portrait to new heights when she shockingly advertised herself as a daguerreotypist and midwife. After reading about her I just had to write about a lady photographer. Of course, the heroine of A Vision of Lucy doesn’t deliver babies but she still finds plenty of ways to get into trouble.

I loved writing about old time photography and have nothing but awe for the brave souls who first took camera in hand. Not only did they contend with unwieldy equipment but also dangerous chemicals and exploding labs.

Women had an advantage over male photographers who were often confounded by female dress. This explains why one photographer advertised in 1861 for an assistant, “Who Understands the Hairdressing Business.” Women also had a few tricks up their leg of mutton sleeves—or rather their skirts. Elizabeth Withington invented a “dark thick dress skirt” to use as a developing tent when she traveled.

Those cheerless faces in early photographs were partly due to vices that held heads still for long periods of time. Photographers used all sorts of devices to hold a client’s interest. One even had a trained monkey. Another photographer had a canary that sang on command. Mechanical birds were a favorite gimmick and “Watch the birdie” became a familiar refrain in studios across the country.

Magazines and newspaper ran ample advice for posing. An 1877 edition of The Chicago Inter-Ocean advised women with large mouths to say the word “Flip,” although one photographer preferred the word “Prunes.” If a small mouth was the problem the word “Cabbage” would make it appear larger.

Not everyone was enamored with cameras. One dog owner put up a sign warning “photographers and other tramps to stay away” after his dog had an unfortunate run-in with a tripod.

Did photography have a bearing on the suffragette movement? Indeed, it did, but it appeared to be more of a detriment than a help. The photographs of militant suffragettes or women dressed in bloomers did more harm than good.

If you think America was tough on suffragettes, think again. The women’s rights movement was considered the biggest threat to the British Empire. According to the National Archives the votes-for-women movement became the first "terrorist" organization subjected to secret surveillance photography in the world.

Photography has come a long way since those early daguerreotype days. One can only imagine what the brave souls of yesteryear would think of today’s “aim and click” cameras. Nowadays you can’t even drive down the street without having your picture taken. But as Lucy would say, Never leave the house unless you’re ready for your close up.

~ ~ ~

Before I ride off into the sunset I want to tell you that I’m looking for a reader’s dog to feature in one of my upcoming books. The dog will belong to Lucy’s brother Caleb. I liked him so much I decided to give him his very own book. So if you think your dog has what it takes to be a furry sidekick for a doctor in the Old West Go to my website for details: www.margaretbrownley.com

* * * * *

Thank you, Margaret, for sharing with us today.

Guest Question: Having your photograph taken in the 19th and early 20th centuries was serious business. A person might have only one photograph taken in a lifetime. How has the ease of taking pictures today changed your view of picture taking? Do you think we place more or less value on photographs today? Was there ever a time that you felt a camera was intrusive?

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.

Welcome Brandy Bruce and Looks Like Love

Please interact with our guest authors by answering the question they provide. Your response will also enter you in the drawing for a free book.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

BRANDY BRUCE holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Liberty University. She’s been a nonfiction developmental book editor for Focus on the Family more than six years, and she’s the author of the newly released novel Looks Like Love. Brandy makes her home in Colorado with her husband, Jeff, and her daughter, Ashtyn.

LOOKS LIKE LOVE
by Brandy Bruce
Published by WestBow Press, a division of Thomas Nelson

ABOUT THE BOOK

Following a break-up with her boyfriend, an unfulfilling career, and a general bad taste in clothes, Kasey Addison feels lost in her own life. With the help of her best friend, Amanda, Kasey embarks on an unexpected journey to rediscover life and love, starting with a whirlwind London jaunt. Surrounded by red telephone booths, double-decker buses, and men in fuzzy black hats, Kasey falls in love with mud baths, Jane Austen, and stone cathedrals. And in the middle of London she meets Lincoln Davis, a Texan with a really great tan, and her life gets even more unrecognizable. When her spur-of-the-moment vacation is over, Kasey, a junior marketing consultant, finds herself on the marketing team for LETA, a growing cosmetics company. Kasey's thrown into the fast-paced world of promotional galas, photo shoots, and magazine interviews. When the owners of LETA decide to release their very first fragrance, Kasey's new assignment is to find out what love looks like and then find a way to sell it. With the help of Amanda and a few new friends, and with a rekindled relationship with the Lover of her soul, Kasey discovers that sometimes love looks like what we least expect.

BOOK TRAILER

http://www.youtube.com/user/ThatOneP3RSON#p/a/u/1/A3D3Kum0ChU

Readers, buy your copy of Looks Like Love today!

AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR FEATURE AUTHOR

Thinking in Words

I fell in love with fiction at a really early age. It was Amelia Bedelia, then the Babysitter’s Club, then the Christy Miller series, and on it went. I started scribbling my own stories once I entered the sixth grade, and by the time I went to college, I knew I wanted books to be a part of my career. So I became a book editor. There was, and continues to be, something so fascinating to me about taking a rough manuscript and then shaping and polishing it until it becomes what it was always meant to be.

To me, editing is like working a puzzle. Despite the fact that I’m a fiction reader and writer, after college I began working as a non-fiction editor for a publishing house. And to this day, I love my work. When an author first sends me his or her book, I look at all the possibilities. Would something flow better at the beginning instead of the ending? Is this part really necessary to the overall message? Could we somehow make this section more inspiring? What’s missing? It’s very much a puzzle that I have to put together.

But in my personal life, fiction has remained my passion, and I’ve never given up that habit of scribbling stories of my own. Sometimes I think that my thoughts come out in story form. Do you know what I mean? I think in words and pictures, of course, but I also think in story. I’m a character living out her destiny and God is my author. Or I’m the author and my imagination runs wild as I create characters of my own.

Several years ago I went on a European tour, visiting Ireland, Scotland, England, and France. It was an amazing journey, and I came home with all kinds of inspiration for stories. A few years later, I accepted an editor’s position at Focus on the Family, and my husband and I moved from Virginia to Colorado. And as we settled into our new home and new jobs, a story started forming in my mind. A story of a young woman, Kasey Addison, who was starting over and in desperate need of hope and adventure and inspiration. I began her journey by sending her to England, and everything just unfolded from there. The end result was my novel Looks Like Love.

While I was writing Looks Like Love, I pulled out my journal that I’d taken on my trip overseas to remind myself of all the little details I’d forgotten. I opened all my photo albums from that trip, and I surrounded myself with the souvenirs I’d bought. I drew inspiration from my own journey as I dived into Kasey’s story. I hope you’ll check out Looks Like Love and then let me know what you think! I love hearing from my readers.

When I think of the beauty and power of story, I think of the best storyteller of all time—Jesus. I like to think of Him sitting and sharing parables with an engaged audience. He knew the value in a well-told story. A good fiction story stays with us and inspires us. It captures our attention and keeps us turning pages. Any book-lover can think of a book that made a huge impact on his or her life. What’s yours?

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Thank you, Brandy, for sharing with us today.

Guest Question: Any book-lover can think of a book that made a huge impact on his or her life. What’s yours?

ENTRY RULES Readers, leave your email address (name at domainname dot com/net) along with your answer to the question(s) 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.

Welcome Golden Keyes Parsons - Just Making Up Stories

Please interact with our guest authors by answering the question they provide.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

GOLDEN KEYES PARSONS - In her deep plowing of the heart, moving from tears one moment to laughter the next, Golden will touch your heart with her dynamic Bible teaching, combined with her vivid personal examples, moving from tears one moment, to laughter the next, all the while communicating the message that God is faithful--keep trusting Him. She has a passion to communicate the Word of God in such a manner that will lead to godly living.

Golden, and her husband, Blaine, have just retired as pastors at Faith Mountain Fellowship Church in Red River, NM. They have three grown daughters and eight grandchildren. Her testimony and myriad of life experiences lend a touch of authenticity to her teaching. She loves to speak for women's conferences, seminars, luncheons, retreats and Mother/Daughter events.

If deep Bible teaching that brings the Scriptures alive is what you want, Golden is the speaker you need.

WHERE HEARTS ARE FREE (A Darkness to Light Novel)
by Golden Keyes Parsons
Published by Thomas Nelson

ABOUT THE BOOK

Bridget is in love with one man...and promised to another.

Amid the liberty and promise of the New World, Bridget Barrington and Phillipe Clavell fall in love. But nothing about their love seems possible.

To pay for the Clavell family's passage from France, Philippe, a former member of French royalty, worked as an indentured slave to the Barringtons. Bridget is the heiress of the prominent plantation.

When Bridget's parents discover the budding Romance between their daughter and their servant, they quickly orchestrate her engagement to an older, more advantageous match. But Edward Moorehead has a secret. And he's anything but a good match for Bridget.

Separated from her true love and in danger from her betrothed, Bridget must rely on God to deliver her from darkness into light.

Readers, buy your copy of WHERE HEARTS ARE FREE today!

AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR FEATURE AUTHOR

JUST MAKING UP STORIES

I have a confession to make. When I first started trying to get published, I was writing non-fiction—Bible studies, general inspirational books, a book on marriage. And, frankly, I had a rather snobby attitude toward fiction writers. I would pass them in the halls at writers’ conferences and although I never said it out loud, I would think to myself, “They are just making up stories. I’m writing biblical truth.” Ahem, ahem—as I smiled sweetly.

One fall at the Glorieta Christian Writers’ Conference while working on staff, I happened to have a few moments, so I slipped into the back of a fiction class. What I heard in that one-hour session rocked my world, and I’ve never looked at fiction the same way since. Dave Lambert was leading the workshop, and he said that a non-believer is probably not going to pick up a Christian non-fiction book. However, they might pick up a novel and read it. He said as Christian fiction writers we can embed the gospel in a novel in perhaps a more palatable way than in a non-fiction book, which sometimes is way too preachy for a non-believer. I walked out of that classroom reeling.

The Holy Spirit had fingered a chord in my heart. I remembered that Jesus was the Master Storyteller and taught biblical truth through stories. Why had I thought that telling stories was an inferior method of spreading the gospel?

About the same time I came across a published genealogy of my Huguenot ancestors. I wanted to tell their story, and I decided I would do so as historical fiction. As I began writing and submitting my chapters to my critique group, they enthusiastically encouraged me. They assured me that fiction was definitely where I needed to be. The rest, as they say, is history. I procured an agent and a four-book contract with a major publisher.

Recently I received word of an atheist picking up my book in France and commenting, “Maybe there is something to this God thing.” I watched an atheist professional safari guide from South Africa sit down in the den of our daughter’s home and read through In The Shadow of the Sun King in one day. He has since ordered the rest of the series for his mother. I receive emails on a regular basis of similar testimonies.

My profession is to tell stories. I am so blessed to write and tell my stories. I pray that they in turn bless the readers and that they bring glory to God.

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Thank you, Golden, for sharing with us today.

Reader Question: What stories have touched your life in a profound enough way to inspire you to change your decision or current path in life? What book(s) have challenged your way of thinking?

Spotlight on Margaret Brownley and A Lady Like Sarah

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

MARGARET BROWNLEY - Thrills, mystery, suspense, romance: Margaret penned it all. Nothing wrong with this—except Margaret happened to be writing for the church newsletter. After making the church picnic read like a Grisham novel, her former pastor took her aside and said, "Maybe God's calling you to write fiction."

So that’s what Margaret did. She now has more than 20 novels to her credit. In addition, she's written many Christian articles and a non-fiction book. Still, it took a long time before Margaret tried her hand at writing inspirational fiction which led to her Rocky Creek series.

"I love writing about characters at different stages of faith," she says of the new direction her writing career has taken, "and I'm here to stay."

Happily married to her real life hero, Margaret and her husband live in Southern California.

A Lady Like Sarah
by Margaret Brownley
Published by Thomas Nelson

ABOUT THE BOOK

When Preacher Justin Wells promises an injured lawman to help him take his prisoner to Texas, Justin has no idea the trouble that lies ahead. The slightly-built prisoner turns out to be a Sarah Prescott—sister of the notorious Prescott brothers--and she’s determined to miss the hanging party waiting for her in Texas.

But escaping proves to be tougher than she thought. The poor man doesn’t own a gun and hasn’t the foggiest idea how to survive the wilderness. How can she leave him alone with the injured marshal?

Nothing is more sacred to Justin than a promise made to a dying man. But can he really bring himself to turn the blue-eyed beauty over to the hangmen? She’s tough as leather, but there’s something about her that is pure and good.

When she rides into a trap, he blames himself. Now, she faces the gallows and nothing short of a miracle will save her.

He can’t bear to lose her, but how can a simple preacher fight an entire town? And how can either one of them know that miracles come in many guises—including love?

Margaret's book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prY2q9Oasp4

Readers, buy your copy of A Lady Like Sarah today!

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

1. This is your debut inspirational novel after 20 novels for the secular market. Congratulations! What gave you the inspiration for this story?

You never know when inspiration is going to hit. It’s different for every book. It can be something someone says or an item in the newspaper. Years ago I read an article in the National Enquirer about an Avon lady in the Amazon. She sold cosmetics to the natives who preferred buying their war paint than making it. From that article sprang my book Touch of Lace.

A Lady Like Sarah was inspired by Pearl Hart who robbed a stagecoach to pay her mother’s medical bills (Health care was highway robbery even in the 1800s). Her story got me thinking about how far we would go to protect or save a loved one.
My next book A Suitor for Jenny (September 2010) was inspired by an organization that really existed: The Society for the Protection and Preservation of Male Independence. What fun the heroine has breaking through that society!

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

My experiences are, as one might expect, very different than what my characters experienced in 1879. However, human emotions haven’t changed and that’s the heart of my story. As for traits, Sarah and I are both survivors. The trait that is most hers is that she acts before she thinks. I try to think before I act and sometimes I even succeed.

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

Sarah would be Rocky Road. It’s got hard nuts and soft marshallow. She’s a tough gal—had to be, it was the only way she could survive. But the hero sees a softness in her that others don’t see. Justin would be Napoleon. He doesn’t know what God expects of him just as Napoleon ice cream doesn’t know what flavor it’s meant to be.

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

I hope that one of the themes that readers see is that it’s still possible today as it was more than a hundred years ago for goodness to triumph against all odds. An overt theme that developed during the writing of the book was that God always sends the right people in our lives when we most need them.

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

One of the things I feel is missing from many inspirational romances is sexual tension. I don’t want to read what happened beneath the covers or behind the bedroom door, but I do want to see and feel their growing attraction and love for each other. Sarah and Justin were alone together for most of the story. The hardest part was to show their growing desire for one another without crossing the line. Though he was a preacher, God made him all man and he was greatly tempted. My favorite part was writing Sarah’s dialogue. She kept waking me up at night to tell me her odd though humorous take on life and I’d have to jump out of bed to jot it down. I loved every moment I spent with her.

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

The 2nd book in my Rocky Creek series is A Suitor For Jenny. The book is scheduled for publication September 2010. A little preview:

When seeking a husband, it is best to go where the odds are in your favor. That would be Rainbow Creek, Texas, with the highest number of eligible bachelors per capita of any other town in the west due to the and fulfill the promise made to her dying father.

Soon after arriving, she posts a sign that reads:

Wanted: Husbands
Must be clean, well-mannered and generous
Interested parties are to meet at the hotel
10 a.m. to 4.p.m.
Must provide proof of financial security

Her plan hits a snag when the enthusiastic applicants, including the handsome marshal, RICK ARMSTRONG, fail to meet her stringent requirements. Rejecting her sisters' poor choices for mates and riding herd on her own growing feelings for the marshal, Jenny doggedly continues the search. But she is about to learn that a man's faith is more important than his bank account and choosing a husband is a job best left to the heart.

Thank you all!

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

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