Category: Giveaways

Author Mini-view and Giveaway: Angela Meyer and "Where Healing Starts"

9/13/2016

Happy Tuesday!

Hello, blog friends! We are back with another author mini-view and giveaway this week! Joining us this week is the lovely Angela Meyer. Isn't the cover of "Where Healing Starts" lovely? Let's get this mini-view started!

Author Mini-view:

#1. 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 have tried it all, beginning when I was in junior high when I wrote poetry. In addition I have written inspirational essays, children’s stories, devotionals, novels and short stories. Where Hope Starts, the first book in the Applewood Hill series, is my first published novel.

There is a fun story about the first novel I wrote. It began when a critique partner challenged me to write more descriptions for a children’s story that I was working on.

I am currently releasing my second book in the series, Where Healing Starts, and I am writing the first draft of book 3.

#2. What is your favorite Bible verse?

"Therefore this is what the LORD says: “If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman." Jeremiah 15:19a

#3. What have you read lately that you would recommend?

Not a Fan by Kyle Idleman. This book is great. It gets to the heart of what it means to follow Jesus.

#4. What book are you featuring today?

Where Healing Starts continues the story of the Hannigan family which began in the first book of the Applewood Hill series.

After turning his life over to God, Charles Hannigan is seeking to restore the family to wholeness, but Joanna and Blake want no part of their dad’s efforts. Still hurting from his past anger and rejection, each sibling is on a path toward self-destruction.

Blake is unwittingly following in his father’s footsteps, anger punctuating all his relationships. His brief time serving in the Marines led to PTSD, increases his volatility.

Rejected by the only one she ever trusted, Joanna runs to addiction and men to salve her pain. She eventually finds herself with nowhere else to turn and asks their older sister Karen for a job and a place to stay.

Both Blake and Joanna are determined to hang onto their anger, refusing to forgive. They see no reason to trust God. This novel is about their journey towards healing.

Read the first chapter: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwkAhFCBpzf4VWdnMTNrN1o0SVVqUUR4c0NNc0FJd0xZOWY0/view?usp=sharing

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

God is in the business of healing and restoring. When we bring our brokenness to Him, He will make us new.

About the Author:

Angela D. Meyer, author of The Applewood Hill Series, lives in NE with her husband of 25 years and their high school daughter. Their son serves our country in the Marines. Angela enjoys hanging out with her family, reading, connecting with friends and encouraging women to grow in their faith. One of her dream spots to vacation is next to the ocean and someday she wants to ride in a hot air balloon.

Giveaway!

Angela is generously giving away an e-book copy of "Where Healing Starts" to one of my blog subscribers! Just fill out the Giveaway Tools form below to enter! (If it doesn't show up in the email, click here and go to http://www.annaweaverbooks.com/giveaways to enter from the website.) Giveaway ends 9/20. Thanks for participating and God bless!

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Review and Giveaway: "Fire and Ice" by Mary Connealy

7/19/2016

12 Comments

Book Blurb:

Saddle up for mysteries and laughs with the Wilde sisters!

BAILEY WILDE IS THE OLDEST SISTER—and the one who takes care of everyone else in her family. But after her sisters marry and move away, her little homestead becomes bleak and lonely, especially during the long winter months. In a moment of weakness, Bailey agrees to a wild plan concocted by her neighbor, Gage Coulter.

Gage is an honest man, but he didn't make his fortune by being weak. He won't break the law, but he'll push as hard as he can within it. Five thousand acres of excellent grazing land is lost to him because Bailey's homestead is located right across the entrance to a canyon full of lush grass. Gage has to regain access to this land—and he's got to go through Bailey to do it. So he makes a proposal...

Can these two independent, life-toughened homesteaders finally loosen up enough to earn each other's respect—and maybe ind love in the process?

My Thoughts:

I read the first two books of the “Wild at Heart” series and I’ve been dying to see how Bailey Wilde, the rough and tumble tomboy of the family, and Gage Coulter, the rugged cattle baron are going to end up together. All I can say is I was in for a wild ride!

I loved the chemistry between Bailey and Gage. They are both such passionate characters that the sparks just fly between them. I found their slow journey from enemies to friends to husband and wife to be completely captivating and well-paced. I also loved the “marriage of convenience” twist and couldn’t wait for the love simmering under the surface to bloom into something beautiful and strong.

The couple deals with many obstacles in the path to happiness, including deadly storms, an over-bearing mother in law, and death traps set by an unseen and unknown enemy. This book is full of action and adventure, making it hard to put down to go back to real life sometimes.

There are some hilarious moments sprinkled throughout the book. One of my favorite lines is from page 162: "Hang on tight, Mrs. Coulter. We've got to make a run for it." Bailey slapped the old nag on the rear - the old nag meaning the horse, not Ma Coulter, although Bailey was sore tempted."

However, there were also some deep, intensely emotional moments. Some of the exchanges between Gage and Bailey run really deep, opening up feelings that neither of them had ever shared with anyone else. Bailey and her sisters share a beautiful, loving connection, too. Without giving away the ending, there is a moment between Bailey and her father that brought tears to my eyes.
All in all, this is an excellent conclusion to the “Wild at Heart” series and I cannot wait to see what Mary has for us next. 5 stars!

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, which I have given.

Giveaway!

This week, I'm giving away a copy of this book to one of my subscribers! Just fill out the Giveaway Tools form below to enter! (If it doesn't show up in the email, click here and go to http://www.annaweaverbooks.com/giveaways to enter from the website.) Giveaway ends 7/26. Thanks for participating and God bless!

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Author Mini-view and Giveaway: Terri Wangard and "No Neutral Ground"

7/12/2016

5 Comments

Author Mini-view:

Hello, blog friends! We are back with another author mini-view and giveaway this week! Joining us this week is the lovely Terri Wangard. Isn't the cover of "No Neutral Ground" intriguing? Let's get this mini-view started!

1. 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?)

After doing a little writing in the early 2000s, I set it aside until 2008. That's when I read Debbie Macomber's Twenty Wishes, about a group of women who decide to fulfill bucket dreams. I bought a new laptop and started writing. All three books in my Promise For Tomorrow series release this year.

2. What is your favorite Bible verse?

Philippians 4:4-8 is a favorite passage, if not the favorite. I claimed verse 6 especially the first time I ventured off on my own (other than school).

3. What have you read lately that you would recommend?

Into the Black: The Extraordinary Untold Story of the First Flight of the Space Shuttle Columbia and the Men Who Flew Her by Rowland White. I’ve been fascinated by the space program since learning about the planets in second grade.

4. What book are you featuring today?

No Neutral Ground is the second book in Promise For Tomorrow.

After his father divorces his mother because of her Jewish ancestry, Rafe and the rest of his family flee Germany. As a B-17 navigator, he returns to Europe. Flying missions against his former homeland arouses emotions that surprise Rafe. Despite being rejected, he is troubled by the destruction of Germany and his heart still cries for his father’s love.

Sweden may be neutral, but it’s full of intrigue. Jennie assists the OSS at the American legation in Sweden. She thought she’d be doing passive, behind-the-scenes work. Instead, she’s pushed into an active role to gain intelligence and frustrate the Germans.

How can Rafe and Jennie succeed in their dangerous roles when they are so conflicted?

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

I read historical novels that I hope will entertain and enlighten. I hope that's how my readers feel -- that they enjoyed their time spent reading and that they could place themselves in that time.

About the Author:

Terri Wangard grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin, during the Lombardi Glory Years. Her first Girl Scout badge was the Writer. These days she is writing historical fiction, and won the 2013 Writers on the Storm contest and 2013 First Impressions, as well as being a 2012 Genesis finalist. Holder of a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in library science, she lives in Wisconsin. Her research included going for a ride in a WWII B-17 Flying Fortress bomber. Classic Boating Magazine, a family business since 1984, keeps her busy as an associate editor.

www.terriwangard.com

Giveaway!

Terri is generously giving away a copy of "No Neutral Ground" to one of my blog subscribers! (This giveaway is for an e-book copy.) Just fill out the Giveaway Tools form below to enter! (If it doesn't show up in the email, click here and go to http://www.annaweaverbooks.com/giveaways to enter from the website.) Giveaway ends 7/19. Thanks for participating and God bless!

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Review and Giveaway: "The Ringmaster's Wife" by Kristy Cambron

7/5/2016

25 Comments

About the book:

The Ringmaster’s Wife (Thomas Nelson, June 2016)

An ounce of courage. A split-second leap of faith. Together, they propel two young women to chase a new life—one that’s reimagined from what they might have become.

In turn-of-the-century America, a young girl dreams of a world that stretches beyond the confines of a quiet life on the family farm. With little more than her wit and a cigar box of treasures to call her own, Mable steps away from all she knows, seeking the limitless marvels of the Chicago World’s Fair. There, a chance encounter triggers her destiny—a life with a famed showman by the name of John Ringling.

A quarter of a century later, Lady Rosamund Easling of Yorkshire, England, boards a ship to America as a last adventure before her life is planned out for her. There, the twenties are roaring, and the rich and famous gather at opulent, Gatsby-esque parties in the grandest ballrooms the country has to offer. The Jazz Age has arrived, and with it, the golden era of the American circus, whose queen is none other than the enigmatic Mable Ringling.

When Rosamund’s path crosses with Mable’s and the Ringlings’ glittering world, she makes the life-altering decision to leave behind a comfortable future of estates and propriety, instead choosing the nomadic life of a trick rider in the Ringling Brothers’ circus.
A novel that is at once captivating, deeply poignant, and swirling with exquisite historical details of a bygone world, The Ringmaster’s Wife will escort readers into the center ring, with its bright lights, exotic animals, and a dazzling performance that can only be described as the greatest show on earth!

Learn more and purchase a copy.

My Review:

This book completely enveloped my imagination and heart, dragging me along for the ride between its pages. I haven't been pulled so completely into a story like this in a very long time.

Both Mable and Rosamund are excellent characters. Their stories are compelling, at times heart-wrenching, and impossible not to get lost in. I connected with both of them as the author switched back and forth between their respective stories.

I also found the rich history of this opulent and intriguing time period to be completely fascinating. All in all, I absolutely loved this book and recommend it to historical fiction readers everywhere!

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, which I have given.

Giveaway!

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Author Mini-view and Giveaway: Bonnie Leon and "To Dance with Dolphins"

6/27/2016

20 Comments

About the book:

Twenty-two-year-old Claire Murray has suffered from a mysterious disease for years. Her social circle has shrunk to a small support group for people with chronic illness and disability. But what if life could be about more than doctors, pain, and medications?

Claire and three others—old grouch Tom, hippy-holdout Willow, and moody Taylor—hatch plans for a cross-country trip to swim with the dolphins in Florida. Only a day into the trip, they unexpectedly need help. And who happens to be hitchhiking along the highway but a young, good-looking loner named Sean Sullivan? However, the last thing he wants is to be harnessed to a bunch of ailing travelers.

Though the journey proves difficult, following God’s plan might be even harder. Will they find the courage to follow their dreams and dare to live again?

Author Mini-view:

Happy last week of June, blog friends! (I can't believe we're halfway through the year already!) Please join me in welcoming the lovely Bonnie Leon to the interview table today. (Doesn't her book sound absolutely amazing?! And that cover... Gorgeous!) Let's get this mini-view 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've been writing and publishing books for more than twenty years. I love the mystery and beauty of creating stories, but what I love most about my life is my family. My husband and I have been married forty-five years. He's a good man. We have three children and seven grandchildren and we've lived in the same small town in Southern Oregon for thirty-six years.

All my growing up years I never imagined myself as a writer, though I loved to read. And then, in late 1989 I was gripped by a compulsion to write and filled up legal pads with poems, personal experiences and short stories. I played at writing until a terrible auto accident in 1991 left me unable to work or to care for my family. God in His mercy led me into writing during a time in my life when I felt I had nothing else to give. It was a whirlwind romance. I wrote my first-ever novel in 1992 and sold it to Thomas Nelson Publishing in 1993, and it published in 1994. I've been writing ever since.

I'm sixty-four now and I've slowed down a bit, but still love to write and have lots of book ideas still percolating in my mind.

I am presently working on a revision of one of my first novels. It is the second revision I've done and I've discovered that revising is much more difficult than creating. In the Land of White Nights will release in August and I am proud of the work and know that it is a much better book with a more satisfying story line. I can't wait for it to release.

What is your favorite Bible verse?

My favorite Bible verses are Isaiah 40:26 - 31. I often go to these verses to remind me of the power and hope that is in my Creator.

What have you read lately that you would recommend?

I recently finished reading A Flight of Arrows by Lori Benton and highly recommend the book. She is one of those writers who is special. I know when I sit down with one of her stories I am going to be carried away and lifted up.

What book are you featuring today?

I had a story, the story of my heart, that weighed on me for years. It was always in the back of my mind, asking me to write it. I wanted to but I was busy, or the time wasn’t right or publishers wanted something else from me. For years I let it go. But it had to be heard and finally I stepped away from everything else and went to work on the story of my heart.

It wasn’t easy. It was contemporary and I’ve always written historical. The characters had to be real and quirky and fun. And the story would reveal my soul. It was risky. But I did it. And I’m hoping you will read the book of my heart. TO DANCE WITH DOLPHINS is the story of a group of friends who have given up on life and set out on a cross country trip hoping to discover there are still hopes and dreams for people like them.

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

My books reveal the heart of people, their strengths and weaknesses, and the power of God who offers hope and change for those who seek Him.

About the Author:

Bonnie Leon is the author of twenty-one novels, including the recently released To Dance With Dolphins, the popular Alaskan Skies and bestselling The Journey of Eleven Moons. Bonnie’s books are being read internationally and she hears from readers in Australia, Europe, and even Africa.

She enjoys speaking for women’s groups and teaching at writing seminars and conventions and especially delights in mentoring young authors. These days, her time is filled with writing, being a grandmother and relishing precious time with her aged mother.

Bonnie and her husband, Greg, live in Southern Oregon. They have three grown children and seven grandchildren.

You can find Bonnie at:
https://www.bonnieleon.com
https://www.facebook.com/BonnieLeonAuthor
https://www.bonnieleon.blogspot.com
Twitter: @bonnie_leon
https://www.pinterest.com/bonnieleon/

Giveaway!

This week, Bonnie is generously giving away a copy of "To Dance With Dolphins" to one of my blog subscribers! (The winner can choose between a paperback copy and e-book copy.) Just fill out the Giveaway Tools form below to enter! (If it doesn't show up in the email, click here and go to http://www.annaweaverbooks.com/giveaways to enter from the website.) Giveaway ends 7/5. Thanks for participating and God bless!

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Author Mini-view and Giveaway: Michelle Ule and "The 12 Brides of Summer"

6/20/2016

10 Comments

About the Book:

Meet 12 adventurous Victorian era women—a beekeeper who is afraid of bees, a music teacher whose dog has dug up a treasure, a baker who enters a faux courtship, and six more—along with the men they encounter while making summertime memories. Will these loves sown during summer be strengthened by faith and able to endure a lifetime?

Author Mini-view:

Hello, blog friends! Sorry for the hiatus this month... With a family wedding, two road trips, and increased hours at my job, this summer has begun with a bang here. I'm pleased to introduce Michelle Ule, our author interviewee and giveaway queen for the day. :) 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’ve been a professional author since 2011, but have a degree in English from UCLA where I trained as a newspaper reporter back in the dark ages. I’ve written forever—including a massive family history that’s in the Library of Congress.
I got my start towards publication at the Mt. Hermon Christian Writer’s Conference in 2003 when it seemed like God gave me a promise that if I put Him and His plans first in my life, someday I would be published. More to the point, I needed to focus on my daughter’s teenage years. I got my first contract the very day we drove her to college. You can read about that here: http://www.booksandsuch.com/blog/dreams-come-true-at-mount-hermon/
I’m the published author of five novellas and a rogue Navy SEAL novel; three of the novella collections made best seller lists, including The New York Times for A Log Cabin Christmas Collection.
I’m currently writing a biography called Mrs. Oswald Chambers, which is the story of Biddy Chambers, an intrepid Victorian stenographer who married the noted Bible teacher and compiled My Utmost for His Highest. It releases in fall 2017 from Baker Books.

What is your favorite Bible verse?

I like all of Romans 12, but the one I’ve clung to in these social media days as a Christian is Romans 12:18: “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” (NKJV)

What have you read lately that you would recommend?

I really enjoyed Lori Benton’s A Flight of Arrows. I love all of Lori’s books, but this most recent one has such an interesting presentation of how God works in the lives of all people—no matter their culture. Several of my novellas examine how Jesus is expressed between cultures—and how he is the meeting place for people who see life in such different ways.
I’ve written about Lori’s book and my reaction to her presentation of the Gospel here: http://michelleule.com/2016/04/29/native-americans-gospel-flight-arrows/

What book are you featuring today?

My featured book today is the latest novella collection, The 12 Brides of Summer. Twelve different inspirational romance writers teamed up to write a first collection: The 12 Brides of Christmas and now have written sequels to their stories in the summer book.
The Sunbonnet Bride tells the tale of a young seamstress in 1874 Fairhope, Nebraska, who has to choose between a pristine banker or a sweaty teamster after a tornado rolls through town. Which man deserves her heart more? One who works with his mind or one who works with his hands? And however will she choose?
Hint: reed flutes, a blackberry pie and sunbonnets make the difference.

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

Truth can be stranger than fiction and often is more interesting. See my novella in A Pioneer Christmas Collection, A Gold Rush Christmas—which fictionalizes the true story of the day most of the prostitutes in Skagway, Alaska, fled.

About the Author:

Navy wife Michelle Ule is a graduate of UCLA and the author of five novellas and a novel. She lives in northern California with her family where she works at a literary agency, teaches Bible study, plays in a woodwind ensemble, and writes.

Michelle is a long-time lay counselor in both crisis pregnancies and budget counseling. She loves to travel and is an accomplished genealogist. You can learn more about her at www.michelleule.com.

Giveaway!

This week, Michelle is generously giving away a copy of "The 12 Brides of Summer" to one of my blog subscribers! (The winner can choose between a paperback copy and e-book copy.) Just fill out the Giveaway Tools form below to enter! (If it doesn't show up in the email, click here and go to http://www.annaweaverbooks.com/giveaways to enter from the website.) Giveaway ends 6/28. Thanks for participating and God bless!

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Book Spotlight and Giveaway: A Desperate Escape by JC Morrows

5/17/2016

4 Comments

About the Book:

A Secret . . . A Confession . . . A Decision that will change the lives of an entire country.

The palace is scrambling to recover from a brutal assault . . . the country is in disarray . . . and the royal security team is on edge like never before.

Kayden entered the palace under a lie . . . a lie that has now been exposed.

And now . . .

Prince Dvarius has to decide what to do with his reluctant assassin.

Links:
AMAZON: http://amzn.to/1Sx0NBj
KINDLE: http://amzn.to/1p08zLT
NOOK: http://bit.ly/1W3reRN
ITUNES: http://apple.co/1R0hSlo
KOBO: http://bit.ly/1Ynah6b
GOODREADS: http://bit.ly/1n5J2Q

Excerpt:

Kayden sat on the cot Dvarius had led her toward after they'd rushed inside the bunker. The explosions were coming nearer and nearer.
She leaned back against the wall, going over their last conversation in her mind.
“I was sent here to kill you.”
No matter how she tried, there was simply no other way she could have gotten through to him in that moment. His own training had taken over — pushing him to where he knew he was supposed to go in a crisis.
Drey was counting on that.
She looked up and watched Dvarius pace across the room. There was so much on his shoulders — and now she had added to it.
I will never be able to undo that.
When he turned back to her, she opened her mouth to speak, but he immediately cut her off.
“Do not even try to explain yourself! There is nothing you could say right now that I want to hear!”
He moved away from her again, pacing back and forth, as far as the room would allow, while keeping his distance from her.
With every explosion, his shoulders jerked.
With every shower of plaster that rained down on them, he cringed — and she knew why. She knew he wasn't thinking about the damage or the repairs.
He was thinking about the people who were still out there in the palace — his people — who were still in danger.
She knew his thoughts were on the people who were wounded, with no one to help them, and the ones who had already died.
“You are fortunate the palace is under siege right now or I would send you packing this instant.” His voice was quiet . . . hard . . . cold.
And with it came an unexpected sensation from within her. A lump of emotion lodged itself in her throat, making it difficult to breathe and impossible to speak.
Dvarius turned away. Kayden stayed where she was, not moving anything except her eyes, as he moved back and forth across the length of the massive room — and she tried to figure out what was going on inside of her . . . what emotions had taken hold of her.
There were at least fifty guards in the room with them — and Kayden knew she should be thankful they were more intent on what was happening outside the bunker, but there was no room in her for thankfulness at the moment.
She was too consumed with emotion, fear she recognized . . . fear that the door wouldn't hold, fear that the palace would come down on their heads, fear for the people who did not have such a place to hide, and fear that the end would come without her ever having a chance to tell the Prince how she felt.
It didn't matter that she had not meant for her confession to come out this way.
It had.
And now that the worst was out, she could see what he thought of her.
It didn't matter that this had turned out to be a bad idea.
It didn't matter that she could have found a better way to tell him.
It was done now and there was no going back.
All she could do now was try and protect him, if he would let her.
She was still a little surprised that he'd led her into the bunker, his arm at her back, guiding her . . . protecting her.
He could have sent her away. He could have left her outside the doors, completely vulnerable in the castle, but he hadn't — and she knew why.
She had known for some time that he was not the man she had been led to believe — a man she had been sent to assassinate.
“Have you no loyalty?”
The question took her by surprise. It was not spoken in the same harsh tone, but in nearly a whisper.
“Do you really think so little of me?”
His words shocked her so much that her response was literally the first thing that came to mind.
“I didn't know you then.”
There was a hint of something in his expression — something that she could not identify.
“What am I supposed to think now? How am I supposed to believe anything you say . . . anything you have said?”
“I don't know.”
She had to force the words out through the pain that had filled her chest.
He nodded and walked away again. She breathed out a heavy sigh. As her breath hitched with unshed tears, a glint of light refracted off the edge of her ring.
Very slowly, she moved the fingers of her right hand up her left hand until they rested on the ring.
She knew she would always cherish every moment that had led her here . . . even sitting in this bunker while Prince Dvarius angrily paced.
Even when she had nearly killed him with an arrow, he had loved her. He had chosen her when no one had wanted him to — perhaps not even the Queen. Now he was protecting her, even though she had been sent to kill him.
He is a good man and he will be a good king.
All she had to figure out was how to get him on that throne.

About the author:

JC Morrows - Bestselling author of YA Christian speculative fiction, drinker of coffee and avid reader - is a storyteller in the truest sense of the word. JC has been telling stories in one form or another her entire life and once her mother convinced her to write them down, she couldn't stop.

She finished her first speculative fiction novel purely for the enjoyment of her mother - also known as her biggest fan.

She gives God all of the glory for her talent and ability!

"And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it." Habakkuk 2:2 KJV

Website: http://jcmorrows.com
Amazon: http://amazon.com/author/jcmorrows
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7279550.J_C_Morrows
Instagram: http://instagram.com/jcmorrows
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JCMorrows
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/jcmorrows/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JC.Morrows.Author

Giveaway!

JC is generously giving away a copy of any book in the Order of the Moonstone series: A Reluctant Assassin, A Treacherous Decision, or A Desperate Escape to one lucky winner! To enter, just fill out the Giveaway Tools form below. (If it doesn't show up in the email, click here and go to http://www.annaweaverbooks.com/giveaways to enter from the website.) Giveaway ends 5/24. Thanks for participating and God bless!

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Author Mini-view and Giveaway: Leeann Betts and "UnBalanced"

5/10/2016

3 Comments

About the Book:

Carly Turnquist, forensic accountant, is in the middle of planning her son's wedding when she sees a bank robbery that nobody else will admit to. When the story hits the regional news, her credibility is called into question, which jeopardizes her upcoming testimony at a trial. When Mike's long-lost brother turns up but soon disappears, leaving his young son behind, Carly wonders if the two are connected in some way. Can Carly figure out what's going on before her career is ruined?

Author Mini-view:

1. 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 started writing novels as a NaNoWriMo challenge in 2002. Before that, I wrote short stories, devotionals, poetry, greeting cards, magazine articles. But I love books the best! I've written more than 20 books, but recently started in the publishing journey with the release of the stories closest to my heart, the By the Numbers series, featuring Carly Turnquist, forensic accountant.

2. What is your favorite Bible verse?

My favorite Bible verse is Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning, God"

3. What have you read lately that you would recommend?

I recently read "In the Blink of an Eye" by Wendy Staub, which I would recommend if you like suspense. Spoiler alert: it contains elements of the spirit world.

4. What book are you featuring today?

Today I am featuring "Unbalanced", book 3 in the series. Carly Turnquist, forensic accountant, is in the middle of wedding plans for her son, when she sees a bank robbery everybody else denies happened. Then her husband's long-lost brother shows up but leaves soon after, abandoning his young son behind. And when the story about Carly spotting the non-existent bank robbery hits the national news, her credibility is called into question. Can she figure out what's going on, or is she really losing her mind?

Author Bio:

Leeann Betts writes contemporary suspense, while her real-life persona, Donna Schlachter, pens historical suspense. No Accounting for Murder and There Was a Crooked Man, books 1 and 2 in her By the Numbers series, released in the fall of 2015 Book 3, Unbalanced, released in January. Book 4, Five and Twenty Blackbirds, is due in April, with more planned for later dates. If you like accountants or are an accountant, check out Counting the Days: a 21-day devotional for accountants, bookkeepers, and financial folk. Leeann and Donna have penned a book on writing, Nuggets of Writing Gold, and Donna has published a book of short stories, Second Chances and Second Cups. You can follow Leeann at www.AllBettsAreOff.wordpress.com and Donna at www.HiStoryThruTheAges.wordpress.com . All books are available at Amazon.com in digital and print, and at Smashwords.com in digital.

Giveaway!

Leeann is generously giving away the winner's choice of a paperback or e-book copy of "UnBalanced" to one of my blog subscribers! Just fill out the Giveaway Tools form below to enter. (If it doesn't show up in the email, click here and go to http://www.annaweaverbooks.com/giveaways to enter from the website.) Giveaway ends 5/17. Thanks for participating and God bless!

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Author Mini-view and Giveaway: Jo Huddleston and "Promise Me"

5/10/2016

5 Comments

About the Book:

In 1960, civil discord in Vietnam fills the news. After his college graduation, Patrick Fitzgerald plans to join his daddy’s South Carolina accounting firm. But Uncle Sam may have another position in mind for Patrick—in the U.S. Army. His family’s affluence would be no match for the persuasion of the military draft

Adriana Montagna’s Papá ekes out a living as a coal miner in the mountains of West Virginia. Can a lasting relationship form with Patrick, or will his wealth become a barrier between them?

Meanwhile, the fiber of America’s unity stands on the precipice, while its youth fight a no-win battle on foreign soil. What good can a young couple hope for at such a time as this?

Author Mini-view:

#1. 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 like to laugh with people but not at people. The beach is my favorite vacation spot. I don’t like to see or hear about people or animals being abused. I’m a spectator fan of several sports, my favorite being tennis. I dislike being in the dark and I’m fearful of snakes!

I write sweet Southern historical romance novels, and have published two series: the West Virginia Mountains series and the Caney Creek series. I have four nonfiction books published and have coauthored with Vickie Phelps two nonfiction published books.

After publishing more than 200 articles and short stories, which appeared in over 50 well-known Christian and secular publications including Guideposts, Decision and The Upper Room, I had a health problem that interrupted my writing career for seven years. You can read details of that part of my writing journey at http://bit.ly/1QKgRP5.

I’ve been a high school teacher and guidance counselor, a state political campaign secretary, two-time small business owner, and a real estate agent. I hold a B.A. degree from Lincoln Memorial University (TN) and am a member of their Literary Hall of Fame. I earned an M.Ed. degree from Mississippi State University and belong to American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW).

Please visit me at www.johuddleston.com where you can sign up for my mailing list and newsletter, connect with me on social media, and read my two blogs.

#2. What is your favorite Bible verse?

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Philippians 4:8, NIV

#3. What have you read lately that you would recommend?

Hearts That Survive by Yvonne Lehman. If you think the movie Titanic told you everything about that great ship’s short ocean voyage, well think again and read this book!

#4. What book are you featuring today? (Share a blurb if desired.)

Promise Me, Book 3 in the West Virginia Mountains series. Here’s the back cover blurb:
In 1960, civil discord in Vietnam fills the news. After his college graduation, Patrick Fitzgerald plans to join his daddy’s South Carolina accounting firm. But Uncle Sam may have another position in mind for Patrick—in the U.S. Army. His family’s affluence would be no match for the persuasion of the military draft.

Adriana Montagna’s papá ekes out a living as a coal miner in the mountains of West Virginia. Can a lasting relationship form with Patrick, or will his wealth become a barrier between them?
Meanwhile, the fiber of America’s unity stands on the precipice, while its youth fight a no-win battle on foreign soil. What good can a young couple hope for at such a time as this?
Buy Link for Promise Me: http://amzn.to/1MWyAl1

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

If you enjoy my books, please tell your family and friends about them and leave a short review of one or two sentences on Amazon to help others find Christian fiction to read.

Author Bio:

Jo Huddleston is an Amazon Bestselling author of books, articles, and short stories. Novels in her West Virginia Mountains series and her Caney Creek series are sweet Southern historical romances. Her novels are endorsed by Amanda Cabot, Cara Lynn James, Sharlene MacLaren, and Ann Tatlock. The redeeming story of God’s pursuing love is the foundation of her novels, and in them you will find inspiration, hope, and gentle stories that are intriguing and entertaining. Jo is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and the Literary Hall of Fame at Lincoln Memorial University (TN).

Giveaway!

Jo is generously giving away an E-BOOK copy of "Promise Me" to one of my blog subscribers! Just fill out the Giveaway Tools form below to enter. (If it doesn't show up in the email, click here and go to http://www.annaweaverbooks.com/giveaways to enter from the website.) Giveaway ends 5/17. Thanks for participating and God bless!

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Author Mini-view and Giveaway: Christine Lindsay and "Sofi's Bridge"

5/3/2016

2 Comments

Book Blurb:

Seattle Debutant Sofi Andersson will do everything in her power to protect her sister who is suffering from shock over their father’s death. Charles, the family busy-body, threatens to lock Trina in a sanatorium—a whitewashed term for an insane asylum—so Sofi will rescue her little sister, even if it means running away to the Cascade Mountains with only the new gardener Neil Macpherson to protect them. But in a cabin high in the Cascades, Sofi begins to recognize that the handsome immigrant from Ireland harbors secrets of his own. Can she trust this man whose gentle manner brings such peace to her traumatized sister and such tumult to her own emotions? And can Neil, the gardener continue to hide from Sofi that he is really Dr. Neil Galloway, a man wanted for murder by the British police? Only an act of faith and love will bridge the distance that separates lies from truth and safety.

Author Mini-view:

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?)

Just after the reunion with my birthdaughter Sarah in 1999 I started writing. Meeting Sarah whom I had relinquished to adoption in 1979 when she was 3 days old, and finding her again when she was 20 was the most emotional experience of my life.

My husband caught me crying one day about the original loss of my child, and he gave me a brand new journal and pen, and said, "Here honey, write it."

That was the start. A few years later I felt the Lord encourage me to put the emotional and spiritual healing I had received into Christian fiction to encourage others. It's been a long journey, but I this year I am seeing my 7th book published.

What is your favorite Bible verse?

My life verse is Isaiah 49:15, 16a, "Can a woman forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has born? Though she may forget, I will not forget you. See...I have engraved you on the palms of my hands."

The whole aspect of God taking our broken hearts and healing them, giving us joy that is centered on Him, is the theme of all my novels. I believe in happy endings. It's also the theme of the non-fiction book of mine that is coming out this August 2016, Finding Sarah--Finding Me: A Birthmother's Story. More to come on that book in August.

What have you read lately that you would recommend?

I recently read and loved the Language of Sparrows by Rachel Phifer, and highly recommend it.

What book are you featuring today?

But today I am featuring my latest historical romance Sofi's Bridge. In this book too, my readers will find complex characters, wounded by life, but finding joy and healing in Christ. You can read the first chapters of all my books on my website (www.ChristineLindsay.org) but here is a snippet from Sofi's Bridge:

“Sometimes I think it would be easier,” she said, “if I didn’t feel the urge to use these natural abilities—I think God-given abilities—but to do the more expected tasks of a woman in my social position. Strangely, my father considered it more socially acceptable for my sister to enter yacht races than for me to consider a career.”

Sofi raised her gaze. “But what about you, Neil? With all this talk about life’s purposes and the toil of one’s brow, what are you doing with your life?” The sun nestled between two peaks as she tensed her weight against the sun-warmed granite.

Her natural perfume intoxicated him—not the overpowering colognes of society, but the scent of soap, apples she been paring earlier—stirring the desire to touch her cheek, her hands, her arms. What if he closed the gap between them? How would the softness of her cheek feel against the roughness of his? What would her lips taste like?

His breath quickened.

Sofi’s eyes widened.

He couldn’t tear his gaze from her softly parting mouth. A muscle tapped at the base of her throat.

Had one of them moved closer?

He pulled in a breath. When a man and a woman cared for each other, they should speak the truth. He wanted to tell her about the thrift clinic he’d partnered in for the poor back home. Tell her of the work he’d done in the hospital. If he shared his pride in those accomplishments, he knew her eyes would shine in understanding.

Aye, right, ye fool. Then tell her you left the clinic and your position in Belfast City Hospital, as well as all your patients, to run to Washington State to be a gardener. How could he possibly tell her about the night that stole his life from him, and all with one slash of a knife? He rubbed the pressure between his brows.

“Time we were getting back to the cabin.”

“Right. Of course.” In a fluster, she smoothed her shirtwaist. Her eyes that moments ago were shining turned a dull slate. She set her profile to him. “Foolish for the two of us to stand here any longer.”

About the Author:

Christine Lindsay is the author of multi-award-winning Christian fiction. Tales of her Irish ancestors who served in the British Cavalry in Colonial India inspired her multi-award-winning series Twilight of the British Raj, Book 1 Shadowed in Silk, Book 2 Captured by Moonlight, and the explosive finale Veiled at Midnight.

Christine’s Irish wit and her use of setting as a character is evident in her contemporary romance Londonderry Dreaming. Her newest release Sofi’s Bridge also features a dashing Irish hero.

Aside from being a busy writer and speaker, Christine and her husband live on the west coast of Canada. Coming August 2016 is the release of Christine’s non-fiction book Finding Sarah—Finding Me: A Birthmother’s Story.

Giveaway:

Christine is generously giving away an E-BOOK copy of "Sofi's Bridge" to one of my blog subscribers! Just fill out the Giveaway Tools form below to enter. (If it doesn't show up in the email, click here and go to http://www.annaweaverbooks.com/giveaways to enter from the website.) Giveaway ends 5/10. Thanks for participating and God bless!

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