Monday, March 29, 2010

Interview with K. Dawn Byrd and T-Shirt Giveaway!!

Hello everyone! Today we have an interview with K. Dawn Byrd. She has 2 books coming out this year and her first one will release on April 1st!! She has offered one of my readers a large t-shirt with the cover of her new book on the front! So please make sure to enter after reading the interview:)

Thanks so much for being with us today!

How long have you known you wanted to be a writer?
I've always been a reader and even though I loved college English class, I never imagined that I'd one day be a writer. The most memorable events of my childhood include books. I really didn't set out to be a writer. It just happened and now I'm so passionate about it that I can't imagine not writing.
Do you have someone you look up to? Maybe another author? Or a relative?
I look up to my mother and father-in-law. They're amazing people who are so giving and self-sacrificing. They've always been such excellent role models and I love them more than words can say.
Do you have a favorite place? A vacation spot, or somewhere you always wanted to go?
My favorite vacation spot is Myrtle Beach, SC. We visit at least once a year, sometimes twice if we're lucky. My husband plays golf while I sit on the balcony and write while listening to the waves crash into the shore. Every afternoon, we go shopping and out to eat. It's the perfect vacation.

It sounds like a great place! Also relaxing:)

Is there something about you most people would be surprised to know? A secret hobby or embarassing moment?
I used to ride a Harley Davidson, but sold it because there's only so much time in the day and I'd rather be writing.
What one event would you have loved to been at? Either historical or future?
That's a hard one to answer. Since I'm a history buff, I'd have to say the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
And any last thoughts for your readers?
I have two books coming out through Desert Breeze Publishing this year. The first, Queen of Hearts, will release on April 1.


Thank you again!! It was a blessing having you here:)
Now, here is your chance to win a t-shirt with the book cover on it. Remember, it is a size large.
Please comment as to why you like mystery/suspense books:) That will be your entry in the contest.
The giveaway will end next Monday. Winner will be chosen through Random.org.

Disarming Andi Winner!!

Well, the giveaway for Disarming Andi ended last night so Random.org chose a winner this morning. This really looks like a great book and I was wishing I could win it myself:) But the person who gets a copy of this book is....
JoChickenlady!!

I have already emailed her and she has 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen. Thanks everyone for entering and if you didn't win this one, make sure to enter the other one i have running right now and the one I will be putting up in just a little bit.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Interview with Ann Shorey and Book Giveaway!


We are blessed to have with us today, Ann Shorey, author of the well known At Home In Beldon Grove series. You all have been given a chance to win book 2, The Promise of Morning, which Ann has agreed to give to one of my readers:) And believe me, this is a good book!! I have read it and really enjoyed it. I will be putting up my review next week sometime for you all to check out. Now, on to the interview:)


Thanks for being with us today Ann.
How long have you known you wanted to be an author? Probably always. When I was a kid, I used to invent plays and make my younger brother and sister act in them! I didn't start writing seriously until about 1991, when I was able to devote time to my dream.

Sounds like my younger sister:) She just made a play with some friends.
Where do you get your ideas for your stories and settings? My current series for Revell, "At Home in Beldon Grove" was inspired by the lives of my female ancestors. I've used bits and pieces of real life and stirred them into a fictional mix. My most recent release, The Promise of Morning, is set in a fictional town in Illinois modeled after the area where my ancestors settled in the 1830's.

Do you have someone you look up to? Maybe another author, etc? There are a number of authors I look up to, both for their work and their kind spirits. Bonnie Leon is one, as is Jane Kirkpatrick. There are many more, too many to list, who have inspired me through my journey. Bonnie has mentored me from my early days as a "wanna be" novelist, and Jane's talent in taking historical situations and weaving stories from them is a continuing inspiration.
Are you a regimented author or do you just write when the urge hits:) I've always been disciplined about making time to write, but until I received the contract from Revell, I still took lots of time off. Now my deadlines require a bit more regimentation.

What one event would you love to be at? Historical or future. This is a good question. I'd like to go back in time to when Ellie Craig, the protagonist in The Promise of Morning, lived. Her character was inspired by my great-great grandmother's life. Maybe I could be a neighbor or a friend, and get to know her as a person. How's that for a dream?


Do you have a place you have always wanted to go? Maybe a vacation area, overseas, etc? I'd love to go to England and Scotland. Ever since I read James Herriot's veterinary stories, I've wanted to see the areas he writes about. And since my great-grandfather came from Scotland, it would be wonderful to visit the town where he was born.

I agree with you there!! My dream is to someday go to Scotland or Ireland. Such beautiful places!
And any last thoughts for your readers? I hope readers will enjoy The Promise of Morning. I'd love to hear your thoughts about the story. I can be contacted through my website at www.annshorey.com . Thank you, Charity, for inviting me to your blog.

And thank you Ann!! I think it is really neat how Ann has incorporated some of her history into her books. And if you read this series, you will really see it.

Now, as to the giveaway. Please comment below saying you would like to be entered. Anything you want to be entered:)
And for my followers, you get another entry. If you are an old follower, you get 2. If you are a new follower, it is one entry.
This giveaway will end April 2nd. A winner will be chosen through Random.org.

Thanks so much readers!! I really appreciate you all!!

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

My Review of Scattered Petals by Amanda Cabot


In Scattered Petals, author Amanda Cabot offers readers the last book in her beloved Texas Dreams series. Longing for adventure, Priscilla Morton leaves Boston and heads for Texas, never dreaming that the adventure she seeks will leave her badly injured and her parents dead. Priscilla is determined to rebuild her life and make a home for herself in the beautiful Hill Country. But the bandits who took her parents' lives also destroyed her hope for the future. Ranch foreman Zachary Webster knows what the future holds for him, and it's not a woman like Priscilla. She deserves a cultured East Coast gentleman, not a cowboy who's haunted by memories of his mistakes. The best thing he can do is leave her alone. When necessity draws them together, Priscilla and Zach begin to forge a life that, like the scattered petals of her childhood, is filled with promise. But then the past intrudes, threatening their very existence. Amanda Cabot is an accomplished author under various pen names and a popular speaker. The author of Paper Roses, she is also a charter member of Romance Writers of America, the co-founder of its New Jersey chapter, a member of the ACFW, and an avid traveler.

I really like historical Christian fiction. That is what I try to read most. Occasionally I will read a contemporary CF but historical is what I like:) This book is the second installment in a series. I have not read the first one so I am coming into the middle of a series. I was able to follow all of it but it did help for me to go and read a review of the first book to get an overview of what had happened in the first book.

This one starts out with a family traveling west for a wedding. A tragedy strikes and the young lady travels on having to recover on her own. I personally did not like how graphic some of this was. I realize things happen but it was a little more telling then I would like. I did like how realistic the author was in her writing. The young lady does not just automatically bounce back and recover. Nor does she take forever in mourning and healing.

As far as the young man in the story, he has secrets of his own, which you don't find some of them out until near the end of the story. He is very likable is kind of distant at first but gets better during the story.

This author does a good job or writing. She pulls you into the story!! I can't wait for the next book to come out so I can find out what happens to the "ranger".

Thanks to Baker Publishing for sending me a complimentary copy to review.

Available March 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Interview with Elizabeth Goddard and Book Giveaway!

Today we are blessed to have Elizabeth Goddard with us. She has 5 books releasing this year and has been so sweet to offer a copy of her book, Disarming Andi, to one of my blog readers today!! So please comment at the end to be entered in the giveaway. Now for the interview:)



Thanks so much for being with us today Elizabeth!
When did you first realize you wanted to be an author? That was an on-going battle for many years. I knew I wanted to be an author at least twenty years ago, but did I want to pursue it or if I pursued it, would it amount to anything? As I look back now, it’s hard to believe I wasted years in fear, doing nothing at all. Finally, after running from God and His call to write for at least five years, I went to my first writers’ conference looking for the answer to this question: Had God called me to write? Really? By the time I met with DiAnn Mills at that conference (ACW) I already had my answer. She invited me to join what was then American Christian Romance Writers (ACFW) in 2001, and I began writing and submitting.

Where do you get the ideas for your stories? Everywhere! Most of the times, a setting will catch my attention so I pay close attention to settings. I subscribe to Wired Magazine for topics and National Geographic’s Adventure Magazine for places.

Are you a regimented writer or do you just write when the urge hits? If you’re going to be a professional writer, you can’t wait for the urge to hit. This previous year I’ve had back to back books deadlines and I couldn’t afford to wait until I was inspired. But what I’ve found is that by sitting at the laptop every day and the simple act of just “starting” that first sentence, I stir up that inspiration and the words will come.

What place would you love to go for a vacation? Somewhere you have gone before or a place you have never been to? One of my favorite places in the world is Yellowstone National Park. It’s consider a wonder of the world (not the seven wonders) with the beauty of the geophysical activity, the geysers, etc., I would also love to do some foreign travel—Scotland or Greece.

What one event would you have loved to have been at? Historical or future. Love this question! I would love to have been with the astronauts when they stepped onto the moon. How’s that for an event? LOL

Do you have an author or someone you look up to? Someone you can go to with questions, etc. That’s the wonder of joining a group like ACFW. I have several dear writer friends who are amazing writers and I look up to all of them. Some of my closest writing buddies are Lisa Harris, Deborah Vogts, Shannon McNear, Lynette Sowell, Debby Mayne, and the list goes on. I hope I didn’t forget anyone! They’re there for me with encouragement and to offer advice and direction.

Thanks so much for stopping by Beth! I don't know about my blog readers but it is very interesting for me to get to find out more about the author's whose works I read. Again, one of you is going to win a copy of her book, Disarming Andi, so comment below:)

Vance Young inherits a missile launch site—a relic from the cold war buried beneath the plains of North Dakota—from his great-uncle, a man he never knew.An astronomy fanatic, Vance needs free access to the night skies, so he doesn’t consider staying in the underground dwelling until he meets the woman responsible for remodeling it into a lavish home.

Upon meeting the late Vance Erickson’s namesake, Andi Nielsen may have just gotten her second chance to discover what her grandfather hid inside the old missile base decades before, when he served as a missileer. Is she prepared to detonate her growing feelings for the new owner in order to find the hidden treasure? When Vance remotely discovers a cybercrime involving his classified software, can he solve the crime and keep the woman he loves safe?



This giveaway will end next Monday(the 29th of March). Winner will be chosen through Random.org. They will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.

Upcoming Interview and Giveaway!


I just wanted to let everyone know that on Monday, March 22nd I will be having an interview with author Elizabeth Goddard. She has also agreed to give one of my readers a copy of her book, Disarming Andi. So make sure to hop over on Monday:)

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

My Review of A Distant Melody


In A Distant Melody, readers meet two young Americans, about to be separated by an ocean during World War II: Never pretty enough to please her gorgeous mother, Allie will do anything to gain her approval--even marry a man she doesn't love. Lt. Walter Novak--fearless in the cockpit but hopeless with women--takes his last furlough at home in California before being shipped overseas. Walt and Allie meet at a wedding and their love of music draws them together, prompting them to begin a correspondence that will change their lives. As letters fly between Walt's muddy bomber base in England and Allie's mansion in an orange grove, their friendship binds them together. But can they untangle the secrets, commitments, and expectations that keep them apart?

A Distant Melody is the first book in the Wings of Glory series, which follows the three Novak brothers, B-17 bomber pilots with the US Eighth Air Force stationed in England during World War II.

Sarah Sundin is an on-call hospital pharmacist and holds a BS in chemistry from UCLA and a doctorate in pharmacy from UC San Francisco. Her great-uncle flew with the US Eighth Air Force in England during WWII. Sarah lives in California with her husband and three children. This is her first novel.


I really enjoyed reading this book. This is her first novel and normally I am not a big reader of war books. Surprisingly I did like this one. There were 2 things about it that I did not like which I will tell you about but overall, it was good. I also liked that it was a big book. When I buy a book, I want to feel like I am getting my monies worth. So many of the books today are pretty small. You don't have to worry about that with this one:) And it held my attention the whole way!! I read it in about 2 days!! You really want to find out what happens with Allie and Walt. And she also has me wanting to see what happens to the other brothers.

As far as the 2 things I didn't like, they are not real big but just enough to make me think. One was that sometimes, I felt like I missed something. I would have to go back and read to make sure I didn't but it wasn't real clear. It happened probably 3 times in the whole book so it was nothing major but like I said, enough to catch my attention. The other thing was that one of the men in the book, I don't want to spoil anything so I won't go into detail, but there is a rumor started about one of the men in the mill area. It doesn't really say much, but I didn't think it had to be in there. They never really clear it up either as to if it was true or not. Again, nothing major, just something I caught. The good far outweighs the bad in it though. I would definitely pick it up at your book store. And I am waiting to read the next one in the series:)



Available March 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. I also received a complimentary copy for review.

Monday, March 15, 2010

How Sweet It Is Book Winner!

Today my giveaway for How Sweet It Is ended. And the winner who gets to read this great book is.....
OutnumberedMama!!!
I have emailed her and she has 48 hours to respond or I will have to pick another winner. Congratulations! I have a book review coming up later today and possibly another giveaway soon.
Thanks so much Alice for allowing me to giveaway a copy of your book!!

Saturday, March 13, 2010

CSN Apron Review

I recently received a really pretty apron from CSN to review. This is the same apron I was able to give away last month in a child’s size. The first thing I noticed about this apron was it’s durability. It is a very strong material which does not feel like it will tear easily. I have not used it for that long but it feels very nice. The next thing I noticed was the print. Talk about pretty!! It has very nice colors and the floral print really stands out. At first I thought it looked too bright for me as I am more a subtle, calm, color person, but it grows on you. The ties are an added bonus. It is not just a one size neck piece but it is ties that you can do any length. So I could use it and my younger siblings can use it too. Very nice! I will definitely be using this in years to come. If you are interested in buying one yourself, check out CSN.com. They are very cheap for the product you get. I was surprised at how in-expensive they were. They would make a great gift for a daughter, wife or sister!! Thank you so much CSN!!

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

CSN Apron Winner!!

Well, I have picked a winner through Random.org for my giveaway that ended last night.
AND IT IS.....
Annie!!!!
YAY~~
I hope you enjoy it. I have already emailed Annie and she has 48 hours to respong before another winner is picked. Thanks everyone for entering. I wish I could have given you all one of these. Make sure to enter my new book giveaway that ends next Monday.
And thank you CSN for providing this apron to giveaway!!!

Monday, March 8, 2010

How Sweet It Is Book Giveaway!


Today I have an interview with Alice Wisler. She has agreed to give a copy of her newest book, How Sweet It Is, to one of my readers. So make sure to comment at the end to be entered.

Thanks Alice for coming today!
How long have you known you wanted to be a writer?

Since before there was a Walmart in every shopping center, and before the US put a man on the moon.


Where did you get the idea for your books?

My first novel, Rain Song, was due to wondering, what if someone knew more about your past than you do? How Sweet It Is, came along when I was taking a nap one afternoon, I think. Seriously, I am not sure how that story fully entered my thoughts. However, one of the themes from it has to do with starting over after a tragic experience. Hatteras Girl (coming out in October) deals with dreams that come true. Jackie, and her childhood friend, dream of owning a bed and breakfast on the Outer Banks where they want to serve lemon cookies and raspberry cream soda. All of my novels have quirky Southerners in them and a little bit of romance.


These sound like great books! I am a Southerner myself so I am going to have to pick up one of your books:) Do you have someone you look up to as far as an author? Or someone to whom you go to for advice?

I look up to my Uncle Eugene H. Peterson, author of The Message and many other fine books.

I enjoy my monthly critique group and often look to the women there for advice.


Is there somewhere you have wanted to go for a special vacation or something like that?

Alice Springs, Australia. As a missionary kid, I've traveled a lot, but have yet to go to Australia.

I want my picture taken next to a kangaroo.


I know what you mean!! I love Kangaroos:) Personally, I have always wanted to go to Scotland or Ireland.

What one person would you have loved to meet? Either historical or living?

C. S. Lewis


What one event would you love to have been at?

The resurrection of Jesus Christ that one Easter eons ago.


And any thoughts for your readers?

I love my readers! I am always pleased when I hear from them. Feel free to email me at

info@alicewisler.com and be sure to visit my website: http://www.alicewisler.com

Thank you so much Alice!! It is so much fun to learn more about an author. And thanks again for offering the giveaway.

Readers, Make sure to comment for a chance to win How Sweet It Is. And if you blog about it, come back and comment a second time. I will pick a winner next Monday.

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Upcoming Interview and Giveaway

Well friends, I am going to have my first interview and giveaway on Monday!! Author Alice Wisler has agreed to do a giveaway for her book, How Sweet It Is. So, make sure you tell your friends about it and be here on Monday. I will probably run it for a week. AND.. If you blog about, or email 3 people about it, I will give you an extra entry. You have to come back and comment what you did. Only one extra entry though. Be sure to come back:)
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