Anna Weaver Hurtt, Inspirational Author
Find me at these social media sites!
  • Home
  • Meet Anna
  • Anna's Books
  • Giveaways
  • Contact Me
  • For Authors

Author Mini-view and Giveaway: Johnnie Alexander and "Where Treasure Hides"

9/29/2015

30 Comments

 
Picture

Author Mini-view:

Hello, blog family! I'm so glad you stopped by for today's author interview and giveaway! I'm featuring the lovely Johnnie Alexander and her book "Where Treasure Hides" today. Isn't the cover exquisite?

Let's get this interview started! :)


Tell us a bit about yourself and your writing. (How did you get started? How many books have you written? Where are you on your writing journey?)

I think I’ve wanted to write since I took my first breath, but I lacked the confidence to do more than dabble for way too long. One of my first major milestones occurred when I participated in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo.org) in 2003.

I discovered how much I loved creating characters and the thrill of having characters do things I never expected. I was hooked, but several more years passed before I did much more than dream of someday being published.

Another milestone was attending the 2007 Florida Christian Writers Conference. I made lasting friendships, learned about craft, and knew I had to keep trying.

Then in 2011, I won the American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis Contest in the historical category. That manuscript, Where Treasure Hides, became my debut novel. Tyndale released the ebook in 2013 and the print edition a few weeks ago.

Where She Belongs (Misty Willow Series), the first of three contemporary romances, releases from Revell in January. My historical novella, tentatively titled The Healing Promise, will be included in Barbour’s Courageous Brides Collection which releases next July.


What is your favorite Bible verse?

I have more than one so it’s always hard to answer a question like this. I’ll go with one that’s a little more obscure: Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun (Ecclesiastes 11:7).

I love the poetry and imagery of that Scripture.


What have you read lately that you would recommend?    

I’ve read two of Ann Tatlock’s novels in recent weeks that were almost impossible to put down: Once Beyond a Time and I’ll Watch the Moon. Ann has a lyrical and gifted voice, and her characters pull you into the story.


What book are you featuring today?

Where Treasure Hides is about a talented artist who protects art and children from the Nazis while the man she loves must fight his own battles against Hitler’s evil regime.


Dutch-American artist Alison Schuyler lives in Rotterdam, Holland with her grandfather who owns the family’s art gallery. While in London, she meets British Army officer Ian Devlin after he protects a Kindertransport boy at Waterloo Station and she draws a sketch of the two of them.


Though the attraction between them is instant, Europe is on the edge of war. August 1939 is not a good time for romance. Circumstances bring them back together but Ian is recalled to duty when England declares war on Germany.

Alison assists her family in protecting Dutch art from the Nazi looters while Ian is wounded and captured at Dunkirk. She’s almost glad he’s a POW—at least he’s out of the war. But Ian chafes under the confinement and eventually escapes.


As the story unfolds, Alison and Ian are reunited then torn apart again. Will they ever find the happiness that eludes them? You’ll have to read the story to find out!


If you could tell people who are going to read/have read your books one thing, what would it be?

In the story, my heroine’s go-to Scripture is Proverbs 31:25 which, in the KJV, reads: “Strength and honour are her clothing, and she shall rejoice in time to come.”

Alison faced an unlikely trial and a difficult loss. But by holding onto this promise, she could rejoice in the blessings God had given her even as she mourned all that the war had taken from her.

This is also one of my favorite verses, though I prefer the NASB version: “Strength and dignity are her clothing and she smiles at the future.”

As daughters of the King of Kings, we can clothe ourselves in strength and dignity no matter what difficulties we are facing. Even in sorrow, joy can be ours as we claim the promise of an eternal future with our Savior.

Author Bio:

Picture
Johnnie Alexander writes inspiring stories that linger in the heart. In addition to winning the ACFW Genesis Contest (2011) and Golden Leaf Award (2014), she has won Best Novel and Best Writer awards (Florida Christian Writers Conferences), and Bronze Medalist (My Book Therapy Frasier Contest). She is the marketing director for the Mid-South Christian Writers Conference and fiction-writing coach for the Serious Writer Community.

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

Buy Links:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Christian Book Distributors
Target
Walmart

You can find her on the following social media sites:
Blog   
Facebook Profile (Friend or Follow!)

Facebook
Author Page     

Twitter

Amazon Author Page



Link to Chapter One:


https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B3f5X1OTj89OZFU0MllxcFFaSkU/edit?pli=1

Giveaway Time!

Johnnie is giving away a paperback copy (e-copy anywhere other than the US) of "Where Treasure Hides" to one lucky subscriber this week! Just fill out the GiveawayTools form below to enter! Giveaway ends 10/6. Thanks for participating and God bless! :)
Entry-Form
30 Comments
Caryl Kane
9/29/2015 12:32:37 pm

Wonderful interview with Johnnie! Johnnie, thank you for reminding us that the Lord will bring us through difficult circumstances. I admire those who did ALL they could to protect their priceless treasures. I can't wait to read WHERE TREASURE HIDES.

Reply
Johnnie Alexander link
9/29/2015 12:45:54 pm

Hi, Caryl. Many people risked their lives to protect art. One special heroine was Rose Valland who worked at the Jeu de Paume museum which the Nazis used as a storehouse before shipping the art out of Paris. She secretly kept detailed records of what was taken and shipped out of the city. That kind of courage is remarkable. Thanks for your encouraging comment.

Reply
Morgan Parson
9/29/2015 04:48:09 pm

Thanks for the interview! I've had this book on my to-reads list since the first time I saw it a little while ago! It looks SO great!! I cannot wait to read it!

Reply
Johnnie Alexander link
9/29/2015 06:06:32 pm

Hi, Morgan. I'm so pleased to hear you have Treasure on your list. This story tugged at my heart from the beginning, and I pray it has that same affect on readers. Thank you!

Reply
Laurie Bergh
9/29/2015 05:05:37 pm

Great interview. I'm glad you did more than just dream about someday being published. I'm glad you started writing.

Reply
Johnnie Alexander link
9/29/2015 06:07:13 pm

Laurie, that is so sweet and encouraging. Thanks so much!

Reply
Sydney Anderson link
9/29/2015 05:25:05 pm

What a fun interview! I would love to read this book!! :)

Reply
Johnnie Alexander link
9/29/2015 06:08:28 pm

Sydney, thanks for stopping by and participating in the giveaway. I'm glad you enjoyed the interview. It was a lot of fun for me, too.

Reply
Tammy Cordery
9/29/2015 06:37:24 pm

The book sounds so good. I would love to read it. What a great interview makes me want to get the book now.

Reply
Johnnie Alexander link
9/29/2015 06:54:15 pm

Thanks, Tammy! The interview was really fun. I enjoyed Anna's questions, and I always love talking about WWII history. It's fascinating and sad and courageous--a lot to delve into. I could get lost in the research :)

Reply
Cynthia
9/29/2015 06:56:37 pm

Can't wait to read this book!!!

Reply
Johnnie Alexander link
9/29/2015 06:58:38 pm

Aw, thank you, Cynthia!

Reply
Joan Arning
9/29/2015 08:01:45 pm

I like reading about women during World Wars.

Reply
Johnnie Alexander link
9/30/2015 09:20:44 am

I like reading about women's experiences, too. Have you read Carve Her Name with Pride? It's about a young woman who was an Allied spy. There's a movie by the same name. So many compelling stories out there.

Reply
Mary Lewis Soileau link
9/30/2015 03:38:42 am

Thanks for an intriguing review. Love to read this book!

Reply
Johnnie Alexander link
9/30/2015 09:21:12 am

Thank you, Mary. I appreciate that!

Reply
Loraine Nunley link
9/30/2015 04:37:14 am

I love your bible verse, Johnnie. Strength and dignity are her clothing - kinda gives me chills! I am looking forward to reading your book, it sounds pretty interesting. Thanks for the interview and the giveaway!

Reply
Johnnie Alexander link
9/30/2015 09:22:37 am

Hi, Loraine. This verse has helped me in lots of situations--when I needed a little courage before making a difficult call or having a troublesome conversation. I've shared it with many women over the years.

Reply
Amy link
9/30/2015 05:23:57 am

I love the heroine's verse, especially the part where "she shall rejoice in time to come". There are times when we just need to be strong - rejoicing comes later as we reap the benefits.

Johannie, it is nice to meet you.
I had never heard of you or your books, so now I will need to add a new book and author to my list.
Thanks for the giveaway!

Reply
Johnnie Alexander link
9/30/2015 09:24:01 am

Amy, it's nice to meet you, too. I love your comment on Proverbs 31:25. Amen!

Reply
amyc
9/30/2015 09:57:37 am

I have heard nothing but awesome things about this book. Thank you so much for this post! So nice to learn more about Johnnie.

Reply
Johnnie Alexander link
9/30/2015 11:51:13 am

Amy, that's so fun for me to know. Thank you!!!

Reply
Melanie Backus
9/30/2015 11:21:27 am

Sounds great,great,great! Beautiful cover! Thank you for the opportunity to be a winner!!!!

Reply
Johnnie Alexander link
9/30/2015 11:52:03 am

I agree, Melanie. I am so thankful to the designer for creating such a lovely cover. Thanks for stopping by.

Reply
Becky I link
9/30/2015 04:06:56 pm

Thank you for writing Christian fiction; I love stores about WWII. Not only is it entertaining, but your work is also educational. A while back, I had a conversation with a 20 something who had no idea about the art looted by the Nazis during the war. Reading stories about that era keeps those facts alive as we loose those of "The Greatest Generation."

Reply
Johnnie Alexander link
9/30/2015 06:01:03 pm

Wow, Becky. That's really sad. I'm thankful for movies like The Monuments Men and The Woman in Gold--both are based on real events. There's also a book called The Monuments Men that I read a few years ago. I was inspired to write about the looting after watching a documentary called The Rape of Europa. There's also a book by that name that's just fascinating. Thanks for coming by!

Reply
Diana
9/30/2015 08:58:20 pm

I love love love this cover! It's so beautiful! Thanks so much for this giveaway! I'm so excited!

Reply
Johnnie Alexander link
10/1/2015 03:51:45 pm

So do I, Diana! I am so thankful to the very talented designer who created it--Kristin Bakken! (Your excitement is contagious!)

Reply
Bonnie Roof
10/4/2015 09:47:41 am

Enjoyed the interview, Johnnie and Anna. 'Where Treasure Hides' sounds like an exciting, emotional book - would love to read it, thanks for the giveaway opportunity!!

Reply
Johnnie Alexander link
10/4/2015 06:55:35 pm

Hi, Bonnie. I'm glad you enjoyed the interview. Your comment that Treasure sounds like an "emotional book" reminded me of a time I was driving to a home about 35 minutes from mine for the first time to attend a new Bible study. This was after I'd written Treasure but before it was published. I was thinking of Ian and Alison, driving on auto-pilot, and my eyes were all teary. I reached a traffic light, stopped, and looked around. My thought: Where am I going and how do I get there from here?

So, yeah, it's definitely an emotional story for me. The characters became very real.

Thanks for stopping by!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Inspirational author. Newbie Air Force wife. Jesus Follower. Recovering musician. Dachshund mama. Coffee addict. Book reviewer/giveaway-er.

    Categories

    All
    Alexis Goring
    Alice K. Arenz
    Alicia G. Ruggieri
    Allyson Carter
    Ane Mulligan
    Angela Meyer
    Angela Ruth Strong
    Author Mini View
    Author Mini-view
    Becca Whitham
    Becky Melby
    Becky Wade
    Bethany House
    Beverages And Books Blog Tour
    Blogging For Books
    Blurb2Book
    Bonnie Leon
    BookLook Bloggers
    Book Reviews
    Book Spotlight
    Camille Eide
    Carla Olson Gade
    Carole Brown
    Chana Keefer
    Charity Bishop
    Christine Lindsay
    Christy Barritt
    Cynthia Ruchti
    Darlene Franklin
    Dawn Crandall
    Debra E. Marvin
    Deeanne Gist
    Denise Hunter
    Devotional
    Diann Mills
    Dina L. Sleiman
    Eileen Key
    Erica Vetsch
    First Page
    For Authors
    Giveaway
    Giveaways
    Harry Wegley
    Heather Blanton
    Jackie Zack
    James R Callan
    Jan Cline
    JC Morrows
    Jeff Goins
    Jennifer AlLee
    Jennifer Slattery
    Jen Turano
    Jerusha Agen
    Jessica Snell
    Joann Durgin
    Jody Hedlund
    Johnnie Alexander
    Jo Huddleston
    Julie Arduini
    Julie Fugate
    Julie Klassen
    Julie Lessman
    Karen Witemeyer
    Kathleen Y'Barbo
    Katie Ganshert
    Kristy Cambron
    Leeann Betts
    Lillian Duncan
    Lisa Belcastro
    Lisa Bergren
    Lisa Orchard
    Lisa Phillips
    Litfuse
    Love Inspired
    Love Inspired Historical
    Love Inspired Suspense
    Lynnette Bonner
    Margaret Brownley
    Mary Connealy
    Mary Weber
    Melanie Dickerson
    Mesu Andrews
    Michelle Ule
    Monthly Newsletter
    Morgan Busse
    Myra Johnson
    Netgalley
    New Book
    Pam Hillman
    Patrick E. Craig
    Paula Mowery
    Rachael Phillips
    Regina Jennings
    Regina Scott
    Ruth Logan Herne
    Sandra Ardoin
    Sarah E. Ladd
    Sheryl Marcoux
    Singing Librarian Book Tours
    Siri Mitchell
    Susan Sleeman
    Tanya Eavenson
    Terri Wangard
    Tessa Afshar
    Thanksgiving
    Tina Radcliffe
    Victoria Bylin
    WaterBrook Multnomah
    Weaver Happenings
    Yvonne Anderson

    Follow this blog

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    May 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.