Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Interview with Trish Perry and Book Giveaway


Today we have an author who is a real treat!! I have read a couple of her books and enjoyed them. Trish Perry is the author of several books and she is a talented writer. She has offered to give one of my readers a copy of her book, Sunset Beach. Please read to the end so you can find out how to enter. But please don't just skip to the end of this interview. You don't want to miss it!!



Thanks for being here today Trish!

Happy to be here, Charity.

How long have you known you wanted to be an author?

Although I casually toyed with writing on and off all my life, I never considered pursuing publication until the 90s, when I had gone back to school to complete a degree in Psychology. Part of my degree work involved writing, which led to classes in creative writing, which really lit a fire in me. By the time I got my degree, I decided to wait a few years for grad school so I could give writing a serious shot. Two years later I definitely had the bug, and I never went back to Psychology.

Where do you get the ideas and settings for your books?

They come from varied sources. The first book I wrote (not published) was a spiritual warfare novel. The idea came to me as I read Donna Levin’s Get That Novel Written. Something she wrote made me consider why I had so enjoyed a particular novel I read before I became a Christian. I got the idea of writing a Christian answer to that novel. I learned so much while I wrote that first novel!

The other book ideas came while I was just daydreaming, taking a shower, praying, or chatting with my editor. When I know I need to come up with a story for a contracted book, I just keep praying and waiting for God to plant some ideas in my mind. He always does. As soon as thoughts start to spark, I jot them down. Stories and settings build from those first few thoughts.

Are you a regimented author? or do you write when the urge hits:)

I have to be regimented. Otherwise my lack of discipline keeps me from getting the work done. I love to write, but sometimes you’d never know it, considering all of the procrastinating and fiddle-faddling I do to keep from sitting in front of the computer and getting the job done!

So I figure out when a book is due, and then I break down how many days I have until that date. I allow for days I know I won’t be able to write, and I knock off a few just to be safe. Then it’s simple division and discipline. It’s the only way I can get it done without freaking out during the final few weeks.

Do you have an author you look up to as a mentor? Someone you can go to with questions, etc?

Not any one author, no. But that’s one of the reasons I belong to a number of writers’ groups, especially the online groups. This is one of the wonderful things about the Internet, the way it opened up communication with people all over the world. In the Christian writing world in particular, authors are so generous with their time and expertise. I can’t remember the last time I had a writing question or dilemma I was unable to solve, thanks to the support and ingenuity of my fellow Christian authors.

What person would you love to meet? Historical or future.

I’m going to shy away from anything Biblical on this and your next question, because I figure you get a lot of those answers.

That said, there are so many people I’d like to meet. But for today I’ll say I’d love to meet the late author P. G. Wodehouse. The man was both eloquent and hilarious. He was so classy but always made great fun of the upper classes. I love his writing and think he would have been fascinating to know.

What event would you like to see? Historical or future.

I’d like to see my son’s future wedding. He’s only 18, but he has deliberately focused on his schoolwork, friendships, and efforts to follow God’s path up until this moment, staying clear of dating because he knew he’d be going away to college. He’s such a cool person—strong in his faith, funny, smart, good looking—and I’m eager to see who he’ll end up marrying. I think God has someone wonderful in mind for him, and I so look forward to meeting her. I pray for her all the time.

Do you have somewhere you have always wanted to go? Maybe a vacation spot, overseas, etc?

Just last week my brother sent me an article about a kind of Italian vacation you can take via a company called Home Food. The company focuses on the cooking of individual families, scattered all over the Italian countryside. These villagers open their homes to travelers for a culinary feast typical to their specific region. The countryside is supposed to be the kind you see in paintings and films. And the food is supposed to be amazing.

SIGN! ME! UP!

Any last thoughts for your readers?

I want to thank anyone who has taken the time to read this interview and to read any of my novels. I certainly hope they entertained you and maybe uplifted you in some way. I love hearing about that from readers, so please visit my site (www.trishperry.com) and drop me a line.

Thanks so much!

Thank you, Charity! I appreciate the exposure!

To Enter Giveaway- Please leave a comment. If you want to comment about the interview or for Trish, please let me know you want to enter:)

Extra Entry- 1.Blog about this giveaway. And come back and comment that you did so:)
#2.Tweet about this giveaway. Can be done twice a day but please leave the link for your tweet. My last winner won from a tweet. You never know who will win this one!!
#3. Be a follower of mine:)
This giveaway will end next Monday. Winner will be chosen through Random.org. Thanks so much everyone!!

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

My Thoughts of In Harm's Way by Irene Hannon


Eagerly Awaited Conclusion in Bestselling “Heroes of Quantico” Series: The danger is real, but can she convince the FBI her story is true?
Irene Hannon’s bestselling Heroes of Quantico series has gripped readers with what reviewers have praised as “extraordinary writing, vivid scenes, and a surprise ending….a not-to-be-missed reading experience.”

In Harm’s Way is the final book of the series, where FBI special agent Nick Bradley is confronted by Rachel Sutton: Nick has seen his share of kooks during his fifteen years with the Bureau. But Rachel is an enigma. She seems normal when she shows up at the FBI office in St. Louis--until she produces a tattered Raggedy Ann doll she found and tells him she thinks something is wrong because of a strange feeling of terror it gives her when she touches it. Nick dismisses her, only to stumble across a link between the doll and an abducted child, setting in motion a chain of events that uncovers startling connections—and puts Rachel's life on the line.

Publishers Weekly praised the novel, calling it a “fast-paced crime drama with an aside of romance.” Filled with palpable suspense and a touch of romance, In Harm's Way is the final installment of Hannon’s thrilling Heroes of Quantico series.

Irene Hannon is the bestselling author of more than 30 novels, including Against All Odds andAn Eye for an Eye. Her books have been honored with the coveted RITA Award from Romance Writers of America, the HOLT Medallion, and the Reviewer's Choice Award from Romantic Times BOOKreviewsmagazine. For more information about Irene and her books, visit her website at www.irenehannon.com.

My Thoughts- I have read the first 2 in this series. Out of them all, I really liked the first one best. The second one in the series I didn't really care for. It was good, but not up to par with the first one. Then this one came out. It was almost as good as the first one!! The author really has a way of getting you into the story and interested in finishing the book:) Believe me, you want to get this final installment!!

I was provided with a review copy of this book from Baker Publishing Group. All thought are my own.

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



Interview with Jim Rubart and Book Giveaway!!


Today we have with us Jim Rubart. He has agreed to give one of my blog readers, a copy of his new book, Rooms.

Thanks for being with us today Jim!!
Thanks for not believing all the rumors and having me! (They know I’m kidding, right, Charity?)

How long have you known you wanted to be an author?

The desire hit me early, I realized around ten or eleven it was my destiny. But for many years I allowed fear to hold me back. I thought I’d be like one of those deluded America Idol singers people laugh at, so I didn’t take the shot till 2003.

Where did you get the idea for your story?

When I was a teenager I read Robert Unger’s little pamphlet My Heart, Christ’s Home. In my mid-twenties I thought, “What if you took that idea and put it on steroids?” and I started a short story. In my early forties—when I decided to make the story a novel—I mixed in some Wild at Heart, It’s a Wonderful Life, The Matrix, some C.S. Lewis, and other books and movies I’ve loved and out came ROOMS.

Are you a regimented writer?

I am now! Or do you write when the urge hits? I remember those days, but they can’t exist if you want to succeed as an author. No athlete practices only when they feel like it. Same thing for writers.

What one event would you have loved to have been at? Either historical or future?

I would love to be living when Jesus returns. That would be a rush.

Do you have someone you look up to? Maybe another author or relative?

A friend I’ve known for thirty-one years named Jim Vaux. He has the most integrity of anyone I’ve ever met. And he loved the Lord with everything inside.

What place would you love to go to?

Place? That sounds so singular! Maybe a historical site, overseas, or vacation spot? If I have to pick one I’ll go with my wife to Bali/French Polynesia and hang out in one of those huts that sit out over the water.

Do you have any other works in the making?

Three! Book of Days will release in January 2011, The Chair will release in the fall of 2011 and my novel I-Have-No-Clue-What-The-Book-Is-About will release in the summer of 2012.

And any last thoughts for your readers?

I knew my dream for so long without stepping into it. I was scared to risk. But life is risk. If not now, when are you going to jump off the cliff and see if you can fly? Do it.

Thank you so much!
Thanks for having me!

Readers, please comment below for a chance at winning a copy of Rooms. And if you get the word out there in any way, come back and comment. Either through Twitter, Facebook, your blog, etc. Please only tweet once a day. And you get another comment if you are a follower:)
Giveaway ends next Wed. Winner will be chosen through Random.org. They will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen. Thanks everyone!!

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Too Close To Home By Lynette Eason Review


New romantic suspense series: “Women of Justice
FBI agent Samantha Cash sets out to solve a string of murders in a small Southern town. Troubles arise when the case turns personal…

Lynette Eason debuts a new romantic suspense series that features strong female characters who will stop at nothing to find the criminal: the Women of Justice series.

Too Close to Home is the first novel in this new series, which renowned suspense author Dee Henderson called “a hit” and said that she “enjoyed every minute.”
In this thrilling first book, readers meet Samantha Cash, who is the FBI's secret weapon. Her methods are invisible, and she never stops until the case is closed. When missing teens begin turning up dead in a small Southern town, Samantha is assigned to help the local police chief Connor Wolfe find the killer. And he has two problems with that. There's her faith--in God and herself. And then there's the fact that she looks exactly like his late wife.
As they get close to an answer, the case becomes personal. The killer seems to be taking an interest in Connor's 16-year-old daughter, who thinks her dad is getting way too protective. Can't a girl just have some fun?

Too Close to Home ratchets up the suspense with each page, and will have readers cheering for the characters they love as justice is served and love grows even in the face of danger. Read this one with the lights on!

Lynette Eason is the author of three romantic suspense novels, and a member of American Fiction Christian Writers and Romance Writers of America. A homeschooling mother of two, she has a master's degree in education from Converse College.

My thoughts- I am a big mystery reader. I like the fun of trying to figure out who did it before I get to the middle of the book:) This book was great!! The mystery part was well done, the characters were very likeable and the bad guy was one you really, really didn't like!! It was also hard to figure out who did it. The title gave some of the mystery away, because obviously it was someone close to home, but it took me a while to see who it was. I will definitely be watching for more from this author!!

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

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Interview with Melanie Dobson and Book Giveaway!!

Well friends, today we have with us, Melanie Dobson. And... She has agreed to give one of my readers, who will fast become one of her readers:) a copy of her newest book, Love Finds You In Homestead Iowa. I will post the ways to enter below.

How long have you known you wanted to be a writer?

I’ve been compelled to write ever since I began jotting down my thoughts into a bright red diary while I was in second grade. During middle school, my fascination with Nancy Drew pushed me to start a number of “mysteries,” but I discovered early in life that endings are hard to write so I never finished these stories. After college, I pursued a career in public relations and journalism instead of fiction writing. I always thought I would start writing stories again when I was “older,” but it wasn’t until a few months before my thirtieth birthday that I realized I was indeed older. God renewed my passion for fiction, and a decade after the big 3-0, I’m still writing novels.

Are you a regimented writer? Or do you just write when the urge hits?

Until I became a mom, I wrote when the urge hit, but six years ago, my husband and I adopted two beautiful girls. Motherhood has forced me to become a more regimented writer, and as a result, a more productive writer as well. When I’m in the midst of a book, you will find me working at the local coffee shop while my girls are in school. My goal is two thousand words a day, and I do my best not to stop writing until those words are on paper.

Do you have someone you look up to? Maybe another author or a relative?

I admire author Jan Karon and her writing (the Mitford series). Jan has a gift for sweeping readers into her stories through subtle description and great characters, and I love how she weaves her plots together. I’ve also learned a lot from reading novelists such as Angela Hunt, Kristen Heitzmann, and Beth Webb Hart.

Is there something you can tell us about you that most people would be surprised to know?

I am obsessed with abandoned houses, ghost towns, cemeteries, and dead end roads. My husband is very patient, regularly stopping our car so I can explore a dilapidated house or overgrown cemetery. The towns make me wonder what happened when people actually lived there, and my mind begins to weave together a story.

Wow!! Sounds like fun:) The houses part. Not too sure about the cemeteries:D

What one event would you love to be at? Either historical or future?

One of the reasons I love writing fiction is so I can experience historical events on paper. My latest novel was set in the Amana Colonies in Iowa, a peaceful commune until the Great Depression. The Amana lifestyle was modeled after the church in the book of Acts, and they worked together, worshipped together, and shared all their goods. From everything I’ve read, they were a community who loved God and loved each other, and I wish I could have spent a year or two in the Amanas while they lived in such close community.

Do you have any other novels besides Love Finds You in Homestead, Iowa coming out this year?

My next novel, Refuge on Crescent Hill, actually releases this month. This is a contemporary romantic suspense set in a dilapidated Ohio mansion—a mansion hiding a number of both past and present secrets. The Silent Order, my next romantic suspense novel through Summerside, releases in the fall. This story is about a Cleveland detective hiding out in Ohio’s Amish country during the late 1920s and an Amish woman who can’t let him find out about her past.

Thanks, Charity!

I will have to make sure to pre-order The Silent Order!! It sounds very good and I always love suspense novels.

Thank you so much Melanie!! It was a blessing to get to know more about you as an author. And please make sure you stop by her website everyone to get more info on her new books!!

www.melaniedobson.com


Readers, Please comment below to be entered in the giveaway for Love Finds You In Homestead Iowa. This giveaway will end April 20th. Winner will be chosen through Random.org.

And if you are a follower, please leave a comment for a second chance to win this book. Also, if you tweet about this giveaway or post about it on your blog, or any other way to get the word out, come back and comment again!! Only one tweet per day though, please:)

Times are hard in 1894. Desperate for work, former banker Jacob Hirsch rides the rails west from Chicago with his four-year-old daughter, Cassie. When a life-threatening illness strands the pair in Homestead, Iowa, the communal Amana villagers welcome the father and daughter into their peaceful society.

Liesel, a young Amana woman, nurses Cassie back to health, and the Homestead elders offer Jacob work. But Jacobs growing interest in Liesel complicates his position in the Amanas. Will he fight to stay in the one place that finally feels like home, even if it means giving up the woman he loves? Or will Liesel leave her beloved community to face the outside world with Jacob and Cassie at her side?

Monday, April 12, 2010

Interview with Margaret Daley and Giveaway!!



Today we have author Margaret Daley with us. She will be giving one of my blog readers a copy of her book, Love Lessons. Please comment at the end to be included in the giveaway.


Thanks for being with us today Margaret!!
How long have you known you wanted to be an author?

I kind of stumbled into writing. As I was growing up, I always wanted to be a teacher, and I was for twenty-seven years. I retired two years ago to write full-time. Also as I was growing up, I loved to make up stories. I used to play with my dolls and paper dolls and have these elaborate stories about their lives. So I have always been a storyteller, and only when I was in my late twenties did I decide to try and write some of the stories down.

Where do you get the ideas for most of your stories?

They just come to me a lot of the times. I often say from God. I do get inspiration for a story or something in one from observing life around me or something I've seen on television or read in the newspaper.

Are you a regimented writer? Or do you write when the urge hits?

I am a disciplined writer. I try to write almost every day. I find when I do it comes easier than having long periods between writing.

What one event would you have loved to have been at? Historical or future?

I would have like to have met Jesus while he had been traveling around and teaching. What an awesome experience.

I know
what you mean. So many times while reading the Bible, I just imagine what it would have been like to be there.

Do you have someone you look up to? Maybe another author or a relative?

My mother who was so caring and devoted to others.

What place would you love to go? A vacation spot or someplace overseas?

Tahiti--it is gorgeous and I love the beach.

Is there something about you that most people would not know?

I struggled to learn to read because I have an auditory processing problem.

And any last thoughts for your readers?

You are the reason I write. I love hearing from readers and personally answer every letter. If I didn't, it was because for some reason I didn't receive it. You can check out my books and read some of my excerpts at http://www.margaretdaley.com . May God be with you all.


Well readers, please comment to enter this giveaway. Margaret is such a good writer so you don't want to miss any of her books.

This giveaway will end next Monday. Winner will be chosen through Random.org. They will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Novica Stores Review

I recently received two jewelry items in the mail and I wanted to tell you all about them. I was able to go onto Novica and pick out something I wanted to review and so I will show you what I got and tell you my thoughts on them.

The first item I picked was the Jasmine Vine Bracelet. This is a very delicate looking chic bracelet. And it also comes from Bali or Java. That's right! These come from overseas and they are handcrafted by local people. I was really impressed at how quickly these arrived as they are from so far away. I slipped on my bracelet, it is a regular clasp hook, and was very easy to get on. I wore it to Church and got complimented several times. Very sadly the bracelet came apart in two places. I don't think it was from wear as I only wore it a couple days before this happened. And I was holding a child so maybe it caught on something but I didn't feel it catch. I was really upset that it happened because I really liked this bracelet.

The other product I got is the Gold Vermeil Pendant "Majestic". This is really a beautiful pendant! The name is perfect for it! Very majestic looking and something I will wear for special events. I mean, look at it. And this pendant came from guess where? Thailand!! Yep, I have a pendant from Thailand. And it is so pretty. I will be wearing this for a long time to come.

I was really happy with both my products other than the bracelet breaking. I am still able to wear it if I am very careful. If you are looking for a place to get neat, out of this world(or out of this country at least:) gifts or products, Novica is the place to look. Please check them out.

I received two products in exchange for my thoughts on them. I did not receive any monetary compensation.

Friday, April 9, 2010

Horizon Organic Chocolate Milk Giveaway 2 winners!!!


I was recently contacted by Horizon to see if I wanted to work with their company to host a giveaway. There will be 2 winners for this so please make sure you read to the end and enter.

Now I love Chocolate Milk. I am not a real big white milk drinker but I love drinking chocolate milk!! I am pretty picky though about the flavor. This is one chocolate milk I am going to have to try. It is good for you! Here is what their site says about this great milk.

Mmm chocolate! Horizon Organic lowfat Chocolate Milk with DHA Omega-3 provides a great tasting and easy way to add calcium and DHA to your family’s diet. DHA Omega-3 is an important nutrient that helps support heart, brain and eye health, and it’s available in lowfat half gallons.

DHA belongs to a category of healthy fatty acids known as Omega-3's. Found in high concentrations in the tissues of the brain and eye, DHA Omega-3 is thought to help support healthy function in these areas. DHA has also been shown to help support heart health.
• DHA provides a nutritional boost for children's growing minds and bodies. Children's brains grow incredibly fast. In fact, the brain nearly quadruples in the first five years of life.
• DHA is a key structural component of the brain, yet many young children don't get their recommended daily amount of DHA as it is found in a limited number of food sources.
Horizon Organic Milk Plus DHA Omega-3 is fortified with a natural, 100 percent vegetarian and sustainable source of DHA - a safe, wholesome, delicious way to bring more of this important nutrient into your family's diet.
Visit http://www.horizonorganicdha.com/ to learn more!


Flavored Milk is a Nutrient-Rich Beverage
· Flavored milk provides the same nine essential nutrients as unflavored milk (calcium, potassium, phosphorous, protein, vitamins A, D, B12, Riboflavin and niacin), and can help kids meet their calcium requirements.
· Flavored milk consumers did not have higher total fat or calorie intakes than non milk consumers
Kids Love the Taste of Flavored Milk
· According to 2005 USDA data, 66% of the milk chosen by children in schools is flavored


Another way to stay up with Horizon is through their Facebook page.

Now, I know after reading this that you are going to want to rush out and buy some at your grocery store. But, if you can wait long enough, you may just win some!!

2 of my readers are going to win 4 coupons each. 2 of them are for a free half gallon of Horizon Organic lowfat Chocolate Milk with DHA Omega-3 and 2 coupons for $1 off a half gallon of the same milk. So 2 of you will get 4 coupons.

This is for US entrants only.

Mandatory Entry- Go to the Horizon website and look around. Then come back and tell me another product you would love to try.

Extra Entries. These can only be done after the mandatory entry has been finished.
1.Go to the Horizon Organic Chocolate Milk page and tell me another interesting thing you learned.
2. Become a follower. If you are already a follower, please comment and let me know:)
3.Tweet about it. Please post your link on here from your tweet. You can do this daily. 1 tweet a day please.
4.Post about this on your blog. You get 3 comments for this. So please comment three times.
5.Link it up. If you add this to a linky come back and let me know. Also tell me which one please.

This giveaway will end 4/16. Winner will be chosen by Random.org. They will have 48 hours to respond to my email or another winner will have to be chosen. Thanks for entering everyone!!

Monday, April 5, 2010

Another Winner!!

I had another giveaway end last night and the winner is...
SHELLEY!!!

She has been emailed and has 48 hours to respond.
Thanks everyone for entering!!

Saturday, April 3, 2010

The Promise of Morning Winner!!


Well, this giveaway ended yesterday but for some reason my blog would not allow me to do a new post. So the winner was picked and she has already responded but I am only now being able to post a winner. And it is.....
Abi!!!
Congratulations!! This book is really a good book. I enjoyed reading my review copy and can't wait for the next book to come out:) I hope you enjoy it, Abi.

Please make sure to enter my giveaway going on right now. It does not have many comments at all. It is for a Queen of Hearts Large T-Shirt. I will also be putting up a new giveaway on the 10th. So make sure to be back!!

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Detective Kit Giveaway!


I found this really neat giveaway for a Child's Forensics Expert Kit. This would really make a child's day!! It is by BSW Toys and it is being given away through The Cartoon Lovin' Mama. Go check it out!! It ends tonight at midnight so you don't have long!!

My Review of The Promise of Morning by Ann Shorey

Promise of Morning from Ann Shorey takes readers to Beldon Grove on the frontier in the 1840s. Life isn’t easy here. For Ellie Craig, the graves of her three infant children make it unbearably lonely, despite the love of her husband Matthew. When she uncovers a family secret that suggests she may not be as alone as she thought, Ellie is determined to find the truth. Meanwhile, Matthew Craig faces controversy in the church he pastors when a man arrives in town claiming to be both a minister and the son of the town's founder. Will Matthew find the courage to reclaim his church? Or will he return to itinerant preaching, leaving Ellie even more alone than before? Book 2 in the At Home in Beldon Grove series, The Promise of Morning will touch your soul with themes of overcoming tragedy, finding strength to meet daunting challenges, and trusting your heart to love again.

Ann Shorey is the author of The Edge of Light and has published selections in the Cup of Comfort series and in Chicken Soup for the Grandma's Soul

My thoughts: First off, I have not read the first book in this series so I am coming into the middle of the story. There were a couple things that were mentioned I knew nothing of. It only happened once or twice so it was nothing major. That said, I did enjoy reading this story. I have never read anything by this author so it was a first. I am glad to say I will be reading more of hers when they come out!!

When the book first started I really did not care for either of the parents in the story. They both seemed self centered and not really caring about the other. Ellie, to me, was way to touchy about the children. By the time I read a little more I saw things from her point of view and why she felt that way. I really liked Matthew and the way the author portrays his thoughts and feelings.

Another reason I really liked this book was that the author incorporated some of her family history into these books. That to me was really neat! You should definitely buy this book at your nearest bookstore.

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