tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58665838689134433132024-03-06T00:32:20.107-05:00K. Dawn ByrdK. Dawn Byrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17794345260605025953noreply@blogger.comBlogger563125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5866583868913443313.post-51151074421192977212019-12-19T20:24:00.000-05:002019-12-19T20:25:01.542-05:00Interview with Barbara M. Britton and spotlight of Lioness...<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lioness-Mahlahs-Journey-Tribes-Israel-ebook/dp/B07XSDLZMR/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=barbara+britton&qid=1576804737&sr=8-1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="304" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs7qSt7P3z4JnYPi5qQXBy3nXfw9XlczBHODujeWkbg5jn3JDNHegsS5I8YoMQenWw8Ql2aAfP-mGnvT2u1K8Mejfhuc6BFbJ-mYcGYZgvmsGywh1d98xqOH52r_qaCukVjHgTq4R_eo0/s320/lioness.jpg" width="193" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">We're happy to have Barbara M. Britton with us talking about her book<i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lioness-Mahlahs-Journey-Tribes-Israel-ebook/dp/B07XSDLZMR/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=barbara+britton&qid=1576804737&sr=8-1" target="_blank"> Lioness</a></i>. To learn more about her and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lioness-Mahlahs-Journey-Tribes-Israel-ebook/dp/B07XSDLZMR/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=barbara+britton&qid=1576804737&sr=8-1" target="_blank"><i>Lioness,</i></a> please read on...</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Back cover blurb</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">While the Israelites struggle to occupy the Promised Land of
God, Mahlah bat Zelophehad is orphaned and left to care for her four sisters.
But daughters of the dead are unable to inherit land, and it will take a
miracle for Mahlah to obtain the means to care for her sisters and uphold the
vow she made to her dying mother. <br />
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Mahlah must seek Moses, the leader of her people, and request something
extraordinary—the right for a daughter to inherit her deceased father’s land. A
right that will upset the ox-cart of male inheritance and cast her in the role
of a rebel. <br />
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But, God is the protector of the orphan and the widow, and five orphaned
daughters need His help. With God, anything is possible. Even changing man’s
tradition.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Please give us the
first page of the book.</span></b><br />
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who
fears the Lord is to be praised. Proverbs 31:30<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></i><b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mahlah arched her back. A sky, blue and
crisp like a faceted gem, draped over the camp. No trade winds cooled the
warmth of the fresh, new sun. She picked up a basket from outside her family’s
ramskin tent and wedged it against her hip. Grasping her woven belt, she
shifted the leather, so her knife was but a flinch away. She wouldn’t allow any
beast in the wilderness to harm her sisters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Come
on, Tirzah. The dew is gone.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tirzah
emerged from behind the tent flap. She blinked at the brightness and wrinkled
her nose. “Why do I have to gather manna?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Because
it is your turn.” Mahlah reached to take the hand of her youngest sister. “Hurry
now, before Father stirs.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A
gurgling noise rumbled from Tirzah’s belly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mahlah
stifled a laugh. “We better go before your hunger wakes the neighbors.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It
won’t.” Tirzah pressed her lips together. Her stone-collecting satchel hung at
her side.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“If
we stay here and let our kin harvest the closest manna, your rumble will turn
into a roar.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Please tell us five random things we might not
know about you.</span></b></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">-<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
love watching football</span><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">In High School, I was on a Bible quizzing team<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I was a Blue Bird in grade school, and I loved
selling (and eating) thin mints<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I’m the only girl in my home<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I’m a breast cancer survivor<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">W</span></b><b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">hy did you choose to write this book?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I’ve been a Christian
for a long time, but I had never heard the story of the daughters of
Zelophehad. These girls aren’t one hit wonders in the Bible either. There is a
lot of Scripture about their groundbreaking “ask” of Moses and of God. I wanted
to bring their story to light, so others could be inspired by these orphaned
sisters.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">What one thing about writing do you wish
non-writers would understand? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Publishing
can be a slow process. If an author is traditionally published, a book may take
18 months to get to the shelves. Couple that with the time taken to write a
book, and an author may be busy, but a reader doesn’t see their efforts. I wish
the traditional process was quicker.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">What is the toughest test you've faced as a
writer?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">With
the invention of social media platforms, authors can be contacted night and day
by readers. While interactions are wonderful, some can be hurtful. Not every
book is for every reader. I was contacted by a reader who didn’t like one of my
novels and then challenged my faith. I don’t mind a book critique, but no
reader should judge my relationship with God. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">What do you hope readers take away from your novel?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The theme for
“Lioness” is “Go forth with God.” The daughters of Zelophehad trusted God
enough to seek an inheritance that had never been given to women. Especially,
unwed girls. Their faith in God is an inspiration. They are also bold. The
girls seek Joshua many years later and remind him of God’s promise of land.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">What accomplishment(s)
are you most proud of, writing-related or not? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">My children aren’t
perfect, but they are walking with the Lord. Their belief brings me joy. I
taught elementary chapel for many years and I believe children’s ministry is
very important. Teaching isn’t easy, but it is rewarding. After eight years of
writing manuscripts, my first book contract was a joy, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">What do you do for fun when not writing?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
am finding marketing my books to be fun. At first it was overwhelming, but I
have found a groove. I also enjoy reading, baking, and walking (which I need to
do after eating what I baked). I enjoy dancing, but my husband isn’t too fond
of dancing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">What are you working on now? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I am
working on another Biblical story, but before it will hit the shelves, I have a
historical novel set during WWI that will release (after the DoZ series).
“Until June” is a hope-filled caregiver story based on a true story I heard on
a cruise ship excursion.</span></div>
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<span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>How about you? Did you know the story
about the daughters of Zelophehad?</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Check out Numbers 26:33, 27:1-11,
chapter 36 and Joshua 17:3-6<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">You can find Barb on:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="about:blank"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Facebook</span></a><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="about:blank"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Twitter</span></a><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="about:blank"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Goodreads</span></a><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="about:blank"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Amazon Link</span></a><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> for “Lioness.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Bio</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNqCFbpnZVX8WPmoafM5824sVNjMpyVNwIrD_lee9_1-3jTfTnDBSG_CasxPv8cc8uTrN_EYhIHoWZgh1xpn30_pPalp1WhwZLbiWbiKgEsh6dPyQZltzZI65_idtfQvk6pO2ZlTFWwIU/s1600/Britton-+Head+Shot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNqCFbpnZVX8WPmoafM5824sVNjMpyVNwIrD_lee9_1-3jTfTnDBSG_CasxPv8cc8uTrN_EYhIHoWZgh1xpn30_pPalp1WhwZLbiWbiKgEsh6dPyQZltzZI65_idtfQvk6pO2ZlTFWwIU/s320/Britton-+Head+Shot.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Barbara M. Britton lives in Southeast Wisconsin and
loves the snow—when it accumulates under three inches. Barb writes romantic
adventures for teens and adults. She is published in Biblical fiction and
enjoys bringing little known Bible characters to light in her stories. Barb is
a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, the Society of Children’s
Book Writers and Illustrators, Romance Writers of America and Wisconsin Romance
Writers of America. Barb has a nutrition degree from Baylor University but
loves to dip healthy strawberries in chocolate. Find out more about Barb’s
books at </span><a href="about:blank"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">http://www.barbarambritton.com/books.html</span></a><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />K. Dawn Byrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17794345260605025953noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5866583868913443313.post-28179371238679941842019-10-24T10:59:00.000-04:002019-10-24T10:59:54.447-04:00Interview with Kathy McKinsey & spotlight of Millie's Christmas...<div style="text-align: left;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGGbPCExf3rTwHTZT6WHKGj8bXElyxkrOBX68EWaYbj6IsRZeOlRWI_Qhq0qyG-1nuxHKRUtIx5JeKx1R16nSzzEy1sd_BNmKEG8UPWK9KuwaiTP9AsaE9TmlGtjrIAJtKHSk09UM1jcI/s1600/Kathy+mckinsey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1036" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGGbPCExf3rTwHTZT6WHKGj8bXElyxkrOBX68EWaYbj6IsRZeOlRWI_Qhq0qyG-1nuxHKRUtIx5JeKx1R16nSzzEy1sd_BNmKEG8UPWK9KuwaiTP9AsaE9TmlGtjrIAJtKHSk09UM1jcI/s320/Kathy+mckinsey.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
<b>We're happy to have Kathy McKinsey with us today talking about <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Millies-Christmas-Kathy-McKinsey-ebook/dp/B07YTF53KT/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3KFE07UP0342C&keywords=kathy+mckinsey+millie%27s+christmas&qid=1571928970&sprefix=kathy+mckinsey+mill%2Caps%2C156&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Millie's Christmas.</a> To learn more about Kathy and her wonderful book, read on!</b><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><o:p> <b>From the back cover:</b></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ruthie says Millie will love Christmas. Ruthie is Millie’s
best friend, so she’s sure Ruthie’s right, but why does Millie keep finding
Ruthie and her brother Jake crying?<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Millie, an orange kitten, shares about her first Christmas.
Her best friend Ruthie, six years old, teaches Millie about Christmas—food,
decorations, music, presents, and Jesus!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Millie’s friend Bruce, the family dog, also helps her
celebrate Christmas, and sometimes gets her in trouble.<o:p></o:p></div>
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When Ruthie’s big brother Jake breaks his ankle, Millie
learns about sad things, like divorce, when Jake can’t visit his mommy for
Christmas. Millie watches Ruthie’s family love each other through the sadness,
and find joy in Christmas.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>The first page of the book:</b><br />
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center; text-indent: .5in;">
MILLIE'S CHRISTMAS</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center; text-indent: .5in;">
ONE<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Hello. My name is
Millie, and I'm a cat. Well, my mama says I'm still a kitten. But I'm four
months old. I think that makes me a pretty grown-up cat.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
We live in a house
where there are two cats, Mama and me. There’s one dog, Bruce. He’s my friend.
And we have four people. The most important person is Ruthie. She's six years
old, and she's my best friend. She says I'm her cat, but really she's my
person.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Ruthie has a big
brother named Jake who's nineteen. He's funny. Then there are their parents,
Mommy and Daddy, and they're nice but very busy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Ruthie says I'm
beautiful. I'm orange all over, except a white spot on my tummy and one white
ear. Bruce laughed at me once and said I looked goofy with that one white ear.
What does he know? He's mostly brown all over, with a black patch above his
nose, and he has white feet. Now that's goofy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Something exciting
happened today. Ruthie picked me up, squeezed me, and ran all over the house
yelling, “It's Christmas time. It's Christmas time. Millie, you're going to
love Christmas.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Meow, meow,” I
yelled back. I didn't know what Christmas was, but Ruthie was excited, so I was
too. “Meow.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Ruthie kissed my
face and whirled through the house, making me dizzy. “At Christmas we have lots
of fun food, and candles, and decorations, and visiting, and candy.” She rubbed
my ribs. “You’ll love it, Millie.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
I didn’t know what
most of that stuff was, but it made Ruthie happy, so I knew it would be great.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<b><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Please tell
us five random things we might not know about you.</span></b><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;">My favorite vegetables are coffee and cocoa beans. Daisies are my
favorite flowers. I am starting a new job as a braille certification teacher in
a women’s prison. My favorite color is orange. When I was a teenager, I had a
crush on Tony Orlando.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Why did you choose to write this book?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Several years
ago, I learned about NaNoWriMo, a program where writers are encouraged to write
a novel during the month of November. I didn’t feel ready for this, but I did
want a project to keep me writing every day. By then it was December, and I
decided to write a Christmas story. I am more of a pantser than a plotter, but
usually I have a very basic outline of what will happen in the story. This
time, however, I just sat down to write whatever came to mind. Before long, God
had given me this fun family Christmas story. I believe people of all ages can
enjoy Millie’s Christmas.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;">What one
thing about writing do you wish non-writers would understand?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Readers
should know what hard work a writer does, from working up an idea, writing,
editing and re-editing, to publishing to marketing.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;">What is the
toughest test you've faced as a writer?</span></b><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;">The hardest thing for me has always been making myself sit down and
write. Once I start, I love it. I am making slow progress in this discipline.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;">What do you hope readers to take away from your novel?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;">I want them to remember that the love and joy of Jesus will be with
them during hard times.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpLast">
<br /></div>
<div class="textboxCxSpFirst" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<b><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of,
writing-related or not? </span></b><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="textboxCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">I am most thankful for the gift God has given me of
being mother to five wonderful children, now adults.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="textboxCxSpLast" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b>What do you do for fun when not writing?</b></span><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;">I love to
read, crochet and knit, cook and bake.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;">What are you
working on now?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;">I am working on a story about a mother and her teenage daughter,
and the mother is blind. I am blind, but I have never tried before to have a
main character be blind. I’m finding it quite a writing challenge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Bio and
links:</span></b><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr9DZM5I3SOnSoPDFxytwyAMvZLoimnP-d_X89auWwqw7uqx8pHbVNX5xdA18sKL7idBo_5o-mjSlIt-dhUS6NnyQElD7APd0RYcoWFlBZhuCqOfKdyqpdy2eWo_FCDiwv-sXyy-peIeo/s1600/Kathy+McKinsey+photo+2018+20180526_185632.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr9DZM5I3SOnSoPDFxytwyAMvZLoimnP-d_X89auWwqw7uqx8pHbVNX5xdA18sKL7idBo_5o-mjSlIt-dhUS6NnyQElD7APd0RYcoWFlBZhuCqOfKdyqpdy2eWo_FCDiwv-sXyy-peIeo/s200/Kathy+McKinsey+photo+2018+20180526_185632.jpg" width="112" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;">
Kathy McKinsey grew up
on a pig farm in Missouri, and although she’s lived in cities for nearly 40
years, she still considers herself a farm girl.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;">
She’s been married to
Murray for 32 years, and they have five adult children.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;">
She’s had two careers
before writing—stay-at-home-Mom and rehabilitation teacher for the blind.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;">
She lives in Lakewood,
Ohio with her husband and two of her children. Besides writing, she enjoys
activities with her church, editing for other writers, braille transcribing,
crocheting, knitting, and playing with the cat and dog.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;">
<a href="mailto:Kathy.mckinsey@gmail.com">Kathy.mckinsey@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;">
https://www.kathymckinsey.com<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/kathy.brinkmann.mckinsey">https://www.facebook.com/kathy.brinkmann.mckinsey</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;">
<a href="https://twitter.com/kathymckinsey">https://twitter.com/kathymckinsey</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;">
https://www.amazon.com/All-My-Tears-Kathy-McKinsey-ebook/dp/B07P92QZPJ<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
K. Dawn Byrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17794345260605025953noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5866583868913443313.post-65676442618642389822019-09-06T15:22:00.000-04:002019-09-06T15:27:01.564-04:00Interview with Kelli Pizarro & spotlight of Shanty by the Sea...<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Shanty-Sea-Kelli-Pizarro-ebook/dp/B07SNGNLF6/ref=sr_1_1?crid=I5P9H9PS5JTN&keywords=shanty+by+the+sea+kelli+pizarro&qid=1567797007&s=gateway&sprefix=shanty+by+the+sea%2Caps%2C190&sr=8-1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgE_NuKrtPeg5w7w2DeYNeylRTvzhaLG_BXOKvJ4leUF75uQ23UqfBl3OVD5PisdHn36S2sDjxq0iBGuLKIfE-6CkaN0ilAnJUAbuI-bmzX3EuiiRQmDZQTfxlkg-3M37w68QZC_gBZ8U/s320/shanty.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">We're happy to have Kelly Pizarro with us today talking about her book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07SNGNLF6/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0" target="_blank">Shanty by the Sea</a>.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Please give us the first page of the book.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I caught a glimpse of a couple holding hands, staring
through the window of a high-end boutique at a display of china. Yes, the kind
that everyone swears they’ll have when they get married, but only a few make it
a point to put on their registry and even fewer actually receive as a gift. I
didn’t get a good look at the set, but I’m pretty sure it was blue. I was too
busy studying the couple.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I know, I know. So staring at them over my steaming paper
cup of coffee is not “catching a glimpse.” It may not be healthy to sit on a
bench and watch shoppers accomplish their private-though-public tasks,
wondering if their lives mimic your own in any way. But what else is a girl to
do on a Thursday afternoon after work? So I sipped the last of my amaretto and
honey breve and savored every moment of the view before I ran out of sunlight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> The couple, appearing to be in their early thirties, were
dressed in matching sweaters. Cute, if you’re into that sort of thing. I don’t
know if I am or not. My boyfriend only wears one coat, every single day of the
year. Gray with black stripes, white around the collar. It’s pretty hard to
find anything matchy-matchy when your boyfriend stands a foot tall and spends
more time in one day grooming himself than you do all week. Ok, so I don’t have
a boyfriend. I have a cat, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. That’s sort of the same
thing, right?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">From the back cover:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Scarlett Cooper’s goals in life up to this point have been
simple enough: run The Little Latte coffee shop by day and finish a novel-in-the-making
by night. When her creative writing juices dry up, she visits the local
bookstore for inspiration and leaves with a flier promoting an upcoming
writer’s retreat in Cape Cod. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">When announced as a winner, Scarlett crosses the state line from
New Hampshire into Massachusetts. What she doesn’t realize is the retreat is
themed The Great Writers of History, and she has been selected to play the part
of starving artist Charles Dickens.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Hilarity ensues as Scarlett dresses in costume and competes against
two fellow writers playing the parts of Jane Austen and William Makepeace
Thackeray, spends her nights in a tiny shack on a cliff overlooking the sea,
and finds herself developing feelings for a local man hired to tend to the
retreat pet: a decrepit donkey named Janet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Although things at the retreat don’t run as smoothly as Scarlett
had hoped, and the competitive nature of the other writers tests her in a way
reminiscent of Job who lost half his donkeys (one of which was probably named
Janet), she learns that no amount of adversity is worth letting go of one’s
dreams.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Please tell us five random things we might not
know about you.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I prefer rainy, autumn weather over sunshine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I have Pinterest boards for coffee shop and tea house ideas
because I'd love to open one someday!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I impersonate my English Bulldog, Purple Haizely, on a daily
basis. It's become the norm in my house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Although most people might think I am unapproachable at first
(it's the face), I'm the goofiest, weirdest human you'll meet and I love random
conversations with strangers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I love cooking and eating Italian food. One day you might catch
me spending a summer in Italy. If you do, don't judge how much I have on my
plate!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Why did you choose to write this book?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">After my diagnosis of breast cancer on my 27th birthday, I began
prioritizing many things. One, I realized I spent way too much time worrying if
my house was perfect and meals always 100% homemade. I realized I stressed too
much over what people thought of me and my writing, and that is why I'd never
completed a single book I'd started. Since I was young, I've filled notebooks,
typed on old typewriters, and had random computer documents filled with bits of
books that would never come to fruition. After chemotherapy was complete and I
was able to start life again, I decided I would let a few stresses go and write
a story that shows what life might have been like for me had I taken a few
different turns. Been born somewhere else, pursued my dreams of running a
coffee shop, worked toward finishing my books, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">A few years back I made a friend who is my age and had never had
a boyfriend or been on a date. She is my kind of quirky, and an absolute
delight to talk to. You never know what's going to come out of this girl's
mouth. She's just that random. I combined my story with parts of each of our
personalities, threw in my dream of visiting New England in the fall, and bam!
Shanty by the Sea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">What one thing about writing do you wish
non-writers would understand? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Writers are people with normal lives who are kept up by their
imaginary friends. We write because we love it, and because we must, and we
thrive on reviews. Every time you review a book, an author somewhere gets their
wings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">What is the toughest test you've faced as a
writer?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The many rejection letters that come from uninterested
publishers. It makes thick skin, for sure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">What do you hope readers to take away from
your novel?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Even with life's crazy obstacles, pursuing the dreams and goals
God has given you is worth the hard work. You don't need anyone to give you
permission to chase after that dream. Not everyone you meet along the way is
your cheerleader, either. At the end of the day, you feel better knowing you
have taken a few steps forward, despite the great effort it often takes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of,
writing-related or not? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Homeschooling my children is one thing I'm proud of. My oldest
turned sixteen this year and graduated her high school studies. She's sitting
across from me painting on canvas as I type this. She'll go to work within the
next couple months and start college next fall. My other two kids are preparing
for a similar path. Getting to be part of this is one of my biggest blessings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Also, the sheer excitement of finishing five books and coming
close to finishing two more is overwhelming. I am proud of myself for that.
Life is crazy busy, and I have to make a lot of sacrifices on sleep and time to
make this happen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">What do you do for fun when not writing?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Travel, read, cook, visit family, play in the garden, and sit at
my favorite local coffee shop and people-watch. These are my favorite things.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">What are you working on now?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Two books at present.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">One, Blackwater's Daughter, is about a woman, Alesia, who takes
a live-in housekeeping and assistant job at Blackwater Plantation in Louisiana.
The proprietor is handsome and moody, and has a book full of family secrets
stashed away in the spare room. Alesia stumbles upon this book and uncovers
more than a brief glimpse into the plantation's past.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Another, which isn't presently titled, features an eccentric
twenty-something woman named Lydia who owns and operates a pet bakery in Salem,
Massachusetts. When her ex-boyfriend's new love interest is found dead by
poisoning with a half-consumed treat from her bakery in her possession, Lydia
is the primary suspect. She pulls together with her best friend and a couple
other townsfolk to prove her innocence and get her bakery back to running.
Involving herself in the tangles of this murder mystery puts Lydia and her
Frenchie, Pierrie, in grave danger, but this doesn't keep her from seeking out
the truth about the murder... and a few other things she's been avoiding
dealing with in her life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I hope both of these to be finished by the end of the year and
ready for querying come January.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Where else can readers find you online?
<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Here are some links!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://www.facebook.com/authorkellipizarro/<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://twitter.com/KelliPizarro<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://books2read.com/SBTS<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://dustybookends.blogspot.com<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwU6ENNv4JUua30oLIKFknND9oQGWaFdA9wum0_9yqXlnLnPdbu6OOEP_ziMtg2nMUZCBXRShGbdiYJEbCmBdjUK6RAo7jLtUaAq08bml5jFj5cqzjRniBLFg6VAIHpTxsqEIBPLEBQTk/s1600/61OsWl84v1L._SY600_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwU6ENNv4JUua30oLIKFknND9oQGWaFdA9wum0_9yqXlnLnPdbu6OOEP_ziMtg2nMUZCBXRShGbdiYJEbCmBdjUK6RAo7jLtUaAq08bml5jFj5cqzjRniBLFg6VAIHpTxsqEIBPLEBQTk/s200/61OsWl84v1L._SY600_.jpg" width="160" /></a></div>
<b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Bio<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Kelli Pizarro was born in East Texas, where she now resides with
her husband Julian, and their three children, Lexi, Aly, and Trent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Christian dystopian and historical novels, with romance
sprinkled in here and there, are her favorite reads. She is currently working
on her sixth and seventh books.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Most evenings she can be found curled up with a cup of coffee
and her laptop. She hopes to own a coffee shop or tea house one day. Her goal
as an author is to touch as many hearts as she can with stories that encourage
people to seek to know God and His Son, Jesus, more intimately.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">You can find Kelli on Facebook and Twitter where she loves
connecting with her readers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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K. Dawn Byrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17794345260605025953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5866583868913443313.post-36588091496822512272019-08-22T08:35:00.003-04:002019-08-22T08:35:55.681-04:00Interview with Maria T. Henriksen & spotlight of Not Again...<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/2/Book%20description/blurb:%20Christina%20De%20Rosa%20holds%20a%20potentially%20deadly%20secret%20that%20threatens%20to%20get%20out.%20As%20an%20innocent%20young%20teenager,%20Christina%20survives%20a%20terrifying%20detailed%20sexual%20assault%20that%20destroys%20her%20self-worth%20and%20trust.%20%20%20In%20her%20daily%20struggle,%20Christina%20searches%20for%20ways%20to%20keep%20her%20torment%20at%20bay,%20so%20she%20can%20function%20as%20a%20%22normal%22%20teenager.%20Meanwhile,%20Christina's%20spiritual%20journey%20leads%20her%20down%20a%20path%20causing%20conflict%20within,%20as%20she's%20riddled%20with%20guilt%20and%20shame.%20%20%20A%20chance%20encounter%20with%20her%20longtime,%20hot%20crush,%20Avery%20Evans,%20sparks%20a%20fire%20in%20Christina%20that%20she%20can't%20%20extinguish.%20As%20the%20sweet,%20loving,%20knight%20in%20shining%20armor%20he%20readily%20portrays,%20Avery%20offers%20the%20safety%20and%20security%20that%20Christina%20craves.%20%20In%20her%20quest%20for%20internal%20peace,%20Christina%20must%20make%20a%20decision.%20Will%20she%20give%20her%20heart,%20body%20and%20soul%20to%20the%20super%20popular,%20Avery%20Evans?%20%20%20Will%20Christina%27s%20nightmares%20become%20all-consuming%20or%20will%20her%20discoveries%20lead%20her%20to%20a%20renewed%20way%20of%20life?%20%20Find%20out%20if%20true%20love%20triumphs%20in%20this%20edgy,%20faith-based%20young%20adult%20page-tuner,%20set%20in%20the%201980s.%20%20*Not%20Again%20is%20NOT%20your%20typical%20Christian%20coming%20of%20age%20story.%20Fierce%20faith%20doesn%27t%20come%20without%20a%20fight.%20Prepare%20for%20heartache,%20self-harm,%20traumatic%20events,%20real%20romance,%20and%20actual%20scripture%20in%20these%20pages.%20%20%20Tell%20us%20a%20little%20about%20yourself:%20Hi,%20I%27m%20a%20debut%20author%20and%20I%20am%20super%20excited%20to%20have%20recently%20launched%20my%20first%20novel%20called%20Not%20Again.%20Not%20Again%20is%20a%20young%20adult%20edgy%20Christian%20romance%20novel%20that%20follows%20the%20spiritual%20journey%20of%20a%20young%20teenage%20girl%20during%20the%201980s.%20There%27s%20real%20romance,%20actual%20scripture%20and%20lots%20of%20heartache%20as%20well%20as%20humor.%20%20%20I%20started%20reading%20young%20adult%20novels%20when%20I%20began%20to%20substitute%20teach%20because%20it%20was%20convenient%20to%20check%20out%20books%20at%20the%20school%20library.%20Before%20I%20knew%20it,%20I%20was%20hooked%20on%20reading%20that%20genre.%20I%20decided%20to%20combine%20elements%20that%20I%20like%20to%20read%20like%20romance%20and%20make%20it%20faith%20based%20with%20a%20literary%20flair.%20As%20a%20teacher,%20I%20can%27t%20resist%20an%20opportunity%20for%20a%20teaching%20lesson%20as%20demonstrated%20by%20the%20various%20themes%20in%20the%20novel.%20%20Being%20a%20substitute%20teacher%20and%20parent%20of%20boy/girl%20teenagers%20causes%20me%20to%20be%20immersed%20in%20the%20daily%20struggles%20of%20teens.%20Life%20is%20messy%20and%20teenagers%20have%20their%20own%20challenges%20in%20navigating%20life.%20Not%20Again%20speaks%20to%20those%20struggles%20in%20a%20meaningful%20way.%20%20During%20the%20revisions%20of%20my%20novel,%20I%20experienced%20a%20tremendous%20amount%20of%20physical%20pain%20and%20stress,%20including%20neck%20surgery.%20As%20a%20result,%20I%20found%20it%20necessary%20to%20employ%20coping%20mechanisms%20to%20get%20me%20through%20that%20difficult%20season%20of%20my%20life.%20In%20turn,%20I%20incorporated%20those%20same%20techniques%20in%20my%20novel.%20My%20hope%20is%20that%20my%20book%20will%20transform%20lives%20by%20it%27s%20inspirational%20message,%20and%20not%20just%20the%20lives%20of%20teens,%20but%20adults%20as%20well.%20%20Tell%20us%20five%20things%20about%20yourself%20that%20many%20people%20don%27t%20know:%20I%20placed%203rd%20in%20my%20age%20group%20for%20a%2010K%20after%20only%20running%20for%20less%20than%20a%20year.%20%20I%20spent%201.5%20years%20in%20physical%20therapy%20the%20past%202%20years%20nursing%20multiple%20injuries.%20I%20aspire%20to%20run%20a%20half%20marathon.%20I%20took%20the%20photos,%20video%20and%20wrote%20the%20song%20for%20the%20book%20trailer%20&%20cover.%20%20I%20want%20to%20become%20an%20inspirational%20speaker.%20%20Tell%20us%20about%20your%20journey%20to%20publication:%20The%20most%20challenging%20aspect%20of%20publishing%20%20novel%20was%20the%20actual%20publishing%20portion%20of%20it.%20The%20writing%20and%20revising%20was%20the%20easy%20fun%20part.%20Trying%20to%20figure%20out%20what%20avenue%20to%20publish%20and%20how%20to%20go%20about%20executing%20my%20plan%20was%20excruciating.%20%20%20Technical%20issues%20were%20abound.%20It%20seemed%20as%20if%20every%20fluky%20issue%20that%20could%20be%20experienced,%20I%20experienced%20it.%20There%20were%20epic%20fails%20all%20over%20the%20place.%20I%20had%20to%20buy%20a%20brand%20new%20computer,%20a%20brand%20new%20phone,%20a%20brand%20new%20tripod%20to%20broadcast%20live%20and%20I%27m%20still%20having%20issues,%20not%20the%20same%20ones,%20different%20ones.%20%20%20You%20have%20to%20be%20a%20jack%20of%20all%20trades%20to%20self-publish%20and%20promote%20yourself.%20It%27s%20grueling%20and%20frustrating.%20There%20are%20many%20obstacles%20to%20overcome.%20Is%20it%20worth%20it?%20I%20honestly%20don%27t%20think%20I%20will%20know%20the%20full%20impact%20of%20my%20novel,%20but%20it%20was%20written%20out%20of%20obedience%20to%20Christ.%20%20I%20have%20a%20message,%20a%20ministry.%20The%20book%20was%20inspired%20by%20God%20as%20I%20never%20knew%20what%20was%20coming%20next.%20Not%20Again%20was%20written%20with%20many%20themes%20that%20I%20hope%20my%20readers%20will%20take%20to%20heart.%20%20When%20I%27m%20not%20writing,%20you%20can%20find%20me%20jogging,%20reading%20or%20listening%20to%20live%20music%20music%20performed%20by%20talented%20%20friends.%20%20Links:%20www.facebook.com/groups/292254218386413%20https://www.facebook.com/PurpleNchocolate/%20https://www.instagram.com/maria_t_henriksen/%20https://twitter.com/mariathenriksen%20Authormariathenriksen@gmail.com%20https://kdp.amazon.com/amazon-dp-action/us/dualbookshelf.marketplacelink/B07WHKGDF7%20https://kdp.amazon.com/amazon-dp-action/us/dualbookshelf.marketplacelink/1733390413%20https://www.mariathenriksen.com" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPwarOejbYrIeJnJHHwMtJUJs4pjWiT-yb3VfhXsexqCkrsAjuV8_QkSbLmwtfOEvgPGS0Kf8SVRuk0ecp0DrIz9Q9JyitppQLAtRFb9FfmpefSFN3uPikhzYkSj2IcaHEYNPt6VJZ1cE/s320/41MnssO%252B7KL._SX331_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We're happy to have Maria T. Henriksen with us today talking about her book <a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/2/Book%20description/blurb:%20Christina%20De%20Rosa%20holds%20a%20potentially%20deadly%20secret%20that%20threatens%20to%20get%20out.%20As%20an%20innocent%20young%20teenager,%20Christina%20survives%20a%20terrifying%20detailed%20sexual%20assault%20that%20destroys%20her%20self-worth%20and%20trust.%20%20%20In%20her%20daily%20struggle,%20Christina%20searches%20for%20ways%20to%20keep%20her%20torment%20at%20bay,%20so%20she%20can%20function%20as%20a%20%22normal%22%20teenager.%20Meanwhile,%20Christina's%20spiritual%20journey%20leads%20her%20down%20a%20path%20causing%20conflict%20within,%20as%20she's%20riddled%20with%20guilt%20and%20shame.%20%20%20A%20chance%20encounter%20with%20her%20longtime,%20hot%20crush,%20Avery%20Evans,%20sparks%20a%20fire%20in%20Christina%20that%20she%20can't%20%20extinguish.%20As%20the%20sweet,%20loving,%20knight%20in%20shining%20armor%20he%20readily%20portrays,%20Avery%20offers%20the%20safety%20and%20security%20that%20Christina%20craves.%20%20In%20her%20quest%20for%20internal%20peace,%20Christina%20must%20make%20a%20decision.%20Will%20she%20give%20her%20heart,%20body%20and%20soul%20to%20the%20super%20popular,%20Avery%20Evans?%20%20%20Will%20Christina%27s%20nightmares%20become%20all-consuming%20or%20will%20her%20discoveries%20lead%20her%20to%20a%20renewed%20way%20of%20life?%20%20Find%20out%20if%20true%20love%20triumphs%20in%20this%20edgy,%20faith-based%20young%20adult%20page-tuner,%20set%20in%20the%201980s.%20%20*Not%20Again%20is%20NOT%20your%20typical%20Christian%20coming%20of%20age%20story.%20Fierce%20faith%20doesn%27t%20come%20without%20a%20fight.%20Prepare%20for%20heartache,%20self-harm,%20traumatic%20events,%20real%20romance,%20and%20actual%20scripture%20in%20these%20pages.%20%20%20Tell%20us%20a%20little%20about%20yourself:%20Hi,%20I%27m%20a%20debut%20author%20and%20I%20am%20super%20excited%20to%20have%20recently%20launched%20my%20first%20novel%20called%20Not%20Again.%20Not%20Again%20is%20a%20young%20adult%20edgy%20Christian%20romance%20novel%20that%20follows%20the%20spiritual%20journey%20of%20a%20young%20teenage%20girl%20during%20the%201980s.%20There%27s%20real%20romance,%20actual%20scripture%20and%20lots%20of%20heartache%20as%20well%20as%20humor.%20%20%20I%20started%20reading%20young%20adult%20novels%20when%20I%20began%20to%20substitute%20teach%20because%20it%20was%20convenient%20to%20check%20out%20books%20at%20the%20school%20library.%20Before%20I%20knew%20it,%20I%20was%20hooked%20on%20reading%20that%20genre.%20I%20decided%20to%20combine%20elements%20that%20I%20like%20to%20read%20like%20romance%20and%20make%20it%20faith%20based%20with%20a%20literary%20flair.%20As%20a%20teacher,%20I%20can%27t%20resist%20an%20opportunity%20for%20a%20teaching%20lesson%20as%20demonstrated%20by%20the%20various%20themes%20in%20the%20novel.%20%20Being%20a%20substitute%20teacher%20and%20parent%20of%20boy/girl%20teenagers%20causes%20me%20to%20be%20immersed%20in%20the%20daily%20struggles%20of%20teens.%20Life%20is%20messy%20and%20teenagers%20have%20their%20own%20challenges%20in%20navigating%20life.%20Not%20Again%20speaks%20to%20those%20struggles%20in%20a%20meaningful%20way.%20%20During%20the%20revisions%20of%20my%20novel,%20I%20experienced%20a%20tremendous%20amount%20of%20physical%20pain%20and%20stress,%20including%20neck%20surgery.%20As%20a%20result,%20I%20found%20it%20necessary%20to%20employ%20coping%20mechanisms%20to%20get%20me%20through%20that%20difficult%20season%20of%20my%20life.%20In%20turn,%20I%20incorporated%20those%20same%20techniques%20in%20my%20novel.%20My%20hope%20is%20that%20my%20book%20will%20transform%20lives%20by%20it%27s%20inspirational%20message,%20and%20not%20just%20the%20lives%20of%20teens,%20but%20adults%20as%20well.%20%20Tell%20us%20five%20things%20about%20yourself%20that%20many%20people%20don%27t%20know:%20I%20placed%203rd%20in%20my%20age%20group%20for%20a%2010K%20after%20only%20running%20for%20less%20than%20a%20year.%20%20I%20spent%201.5%20years%20in%20physical%20therapy%20the%20past%202%20years%20nursing%20multiple%20injuries.%20I%20aspire%20to%20run%20a%20half%20marathon.%20I%20took%20the%20photos,%20video%20and%20wrote%20the%20song%20for%20the%20book%20trailer%20&%20cover.%20%20I%20want%20to%20become%20an%20inspirational%20speaker.%20%20Tell%20us%20about%20your%20journey%20to%20publication:%20The%20most%20challenging%20aspect%20of%20publishing%20%20novel%20was%20the%20actual%20publishing%20portion%20of%20it.%20The%20writing%20and%20revising%20was%20the%20easy%20fun%20part.%20Trying%20to%20figure%20out%20what%20avenue%20to%20publish%20and%20how%20to%20go%20about%20executing%20my%20plan%20was%20excruciating.%20%20%20Technical%20issues%20were%20abound.%20It%20seemed%20as%20if%20every%20fluky%20issue%20that%20could%20be%20experienced,%20I%20experienced%20it.%20There%20were%20epic%20fails%20all%20over%20the%20place.%20I%20had%20to%20buy%20a%20brand%20new%20computer,%20a%20brand%20new%20phone,%20a%20brand%20new%20tripod%20to%20broadcast%20live%20and%20I%27m%20still%20having%20issues,%20not%20the%20same%20ones,%20different%20ones.%20%20%20You%20have%20to%20be%20a%20jack%20of%20all%20trades%20to%20self-publish%20and%20promote%20yourself.%20It%27s%20grueling%20and%20frustrating.%20There%20are%20many%20obstacles%20to%20overcome.%20Is%20it%20worth%20it?%20I%20honestly%20don%27t%20think%20I%20will%20know%20the%20full%20impact%20of%20my%20novel,%20but%20it%20was%20written%20out%20of%20obedience%20to%20Christ.%20%20I%20have%20a%20message,%20a%20ministry.%20The%20book%20was%20inspired%20by%20God%20as%20I%20never%20knew%20what%20was%20coming%20next.%20Not%20Again%20was%20written%20with%20many%20themes%20that%20I%20hope%20my%20readers%20will%20take%20to%20heart.%20%20When%20I%27m%20not%20writing,%20you%20can%20find%20me%20jogging,%20reading%20or%20listening%20to%20live%20music%20music%20performed%20by%20talented%20%20friends.%20%20Links:%20www.facebook.com/groups/292254218386413%20https://www.facebook.com/PurpleNchocolate/%20https://www.instagram.com/maria_t_henriksen/%20https://twitter.com/mariathenriksen%20Authormariathenriksen@gmail.com%20https://kdp.amazon.com/amazon-dp-action/us/dualbookshelf.marketplacelink/B07WHKGDF7%20https://kdp.amazon.com/amazon-dp-action/us/dualbookshelf.marketplacelink/1733390413%20https://www.mariathenriksen.com" target="_blank">Not Again</a>. To learn more about Maria and <a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/2/Book%20description/blurb:%20Christina%20De%20Rosa%20holds%20a%20potentially%20deadly%20secret%20that%20threatens%20to%20get%20out.%20As%20an%20innocent%20young%20teenager,%20Christina%20survives%20a%20terrifying%20detailed%20sexual%20assault%20that%20destroys%20her%20self-worth%20and%20trust.%20%20%20In%20her%20daily%20struggle,%20Christina%20searches%20for%20ways%20to%20keep%20her%20torment%20at%20bay,%20so%20she%20can%20function%20as%20a%20%22normal%22%20teenager.%20Meanwhile,%20Christina's%20spiritual%20journey%20leads%20her%20down%20a%20path%20causing%20conflict%20within,%20as%20she's%20riddled%20with%20guilt%20and%20shame.%20%20%20A%20chance%20encounter%20with%20her%20longtime,%20hot%20crush,%20Avery%20Evans,%20sparks%20a%20fire%20in%20Christina%20that%20she%20can't%20%20extinguish.%20As%20the%20sweet,%20loving,%20knight%20in%20shining%20armor%20he%20readily%20portrays,%20Avery%20offers%20the%20safety%20and%20security%20that%20Christina%20craves.%20%20In%20her%20quest%20for%20internal%20peace,%20Christina%20must%20make%20a%20decision.%20Will%20she%20give%20her%20heart,%20body%20and%20soul%20to%20the%20super%20popular,%20Avery%20Evans?%20%20%20Will%20Christina%27s%20nightmares%20become%20all-consuming%20or%20will%20her%20discoveries%20lead%20her%20to%20a%20renewed%20way%20of%20life?%20%20Find%20out%20if%20true%20love%20triumphs%20in%20this%20edgy,%20faith-based%20young%20adult%20page-tuner,%20set%20in%20the%201980s.%20%20*Not%20Again%20is%20NOT%20your%20typical%20Christian%20coming%20of%20age%20story.%20Fierce%20faith%20doesn%27t%20come%20without%20a%20fight.%20Prepare%20for%20heartache,%20self-harm,%20traumatic%20events,%20real%20romance,%20and%20actual%20scripture%20in%20these%20pages.%20%20%20Tell%20us%20a%20little%20about%20yourself:%20Hi,%20I%27m%20a%20debut%20author%20and%20I%20am%20super%20excited%20to%20have%20recently%20launched%20my%20first%20novel%20called%20Not%20Again.%20Not%20Again%20is%20a%20young%20adult%20edgy%20Christian%20romance%20novel%20that%20follows%20the%20spiritual%20journey%20of%20a%20young%20teenage%20girl%20during%20the%201980s.%20There%27s%20real%20romance,%20actual%20scripture%20and%20lots%20of%20heartache%20as%20well%20as%20humor.%20%20%20I%20started%20reading%20young%20adult%20novels%20when%20I%20began%20to%20substitute%20teach%20because%20it%20was%20convenient%20to%20check%20out%20books%20at%20the%20school%20library.%20Before%20I%20knew%20it,%20I%20was%20hooked%20on%20reading%20that%20genre.%20I%20decided%20to%20combine%20elements%20that%20I%20like%20to%20read%20like%20romance%20and%20make%20it%20faith%20based%20with%20a%20literary%20flair.%20As%20a%20teacher,%20I%20can%27t%20resist%20an%20opportunity%20for%20a%20teaching%20lesson%20as%20demonstrated%20by%20the%20various%20themes%20in%20the%20novel.%20%20Being%20a%20substitute%20teacher%20and%20parent%20of%20boy/girl%20teenagers%20causes%20me%20to%20be%20immersed%20in%20the%20daily%20struggles%20of%20teens.%20Life%20is%20messy%20and%20teenagers%20have%20their%20own%20challenges%20in%20navigating%20life.%20Not%20Again%20speaks%20to%20those%20struggles%20in%20a%20meaningful%20way.%20%20During%20the%20revisions%20of%20my%20novel,%20I%20experienced%20a%20tremendous%20amount%20of%20physical%20pain%20and%20stress,%20including%20neck%20surgery.%20As%20a%20result,%20I%20found%20it%20necessary%20to%20employ%20coping%20mechanisms%20to%20get%20me%20through%20that%20difficult%20season%20of%20my%20life.%20In%20turn,%20I%20incorporated%20those%20same%20techniques%20in%20my%20novel.%20My%20hope%20is%20that%20my%20book%20will%20transform%20lives%20by%20it%27s%20inspirational%20message,%20and%20not%20just%20the%20lives%20of%20teens,%20but%20adults%20as%20well.%20%20Tell%20us%20five%20things%20about%20yourself%20that%20many%20people%20don%27t%20know:%20I%20placed%203rd%20in%20my%20age%20group%20for%20a%2010K%20after%20only%20running%20for%20less%20than%20a%20year.%20%20I%20spent%201.5%20years%20in%20physical%20therapy%20the%20past%202%20years%20nursing%20multiple%20injuries.%20I%20aspire%20to%20run%20a%20half%20marathon.%20I%20took%20the%20photos,%20video%20and%20wrote%20the%20song%20for%20the%20book%20trailer%20&%20cover.%20%20I%20want%20to%20become%20an%20inspirational%20speaker.%20%20Tell%20us%20about%20your%20journey%20to%20publication:%20The%20most%20challenging%20aspect%20of%20publishing%20%20novel%20was%20the%20actual%20publishing%20portion%20of%20it.%20The%20writing%20and%20revising%20was%20the%20easy%20fun%20part.%20Trying%20to%20figure%20out%20what%20avenue%20to%20publish%20and%20how%20to%20go%20about%20executing%20my%20plan%20was%20excruciating.%20%20%20Technical%20issues%20were%20abound.%20It%20seemed%20as%20if%20every%20fluky%20issue%20that%20could%20be%20experienced,%20I%20experienced%20it.%20There%20were%20epic%20fails%20all%20over%20the%20place.%20I%20had%20to%20buy%20a%20brand%20new%20computer,%20a%20brand%20new%20phone,%20a%20brand%20new%20tripod%20to%20broadcast%20live%20and%20I%27m%20still%20having%20issues,%20not%20the%20same%20ones,%20different%20ones.%20%20%20You%20have%20to%20be%20a%20jack%20of%20all%20trades%20to%20self-publish%20and%20promote%20yourself.%20It%27s%20grueling%20and%20frustrating.%20There%20are%20many%20obstacles%20to%20overcome.%20Is%20it%20worth%20it?%20I%20honestly%20don%27t%20think%20I%20will%20know%20the%20full%20impact%20of%20my%20novel,%20but%20it%20was%20written%20out%20of%20obedience%20to%20Christ.%20%20I%20have%20a%20message,%20a%20ministry.%20The%20book%20was%20inspired%20by%20God%20as%20I%20never%20knew%20what%20was%20coming%20next.%20Not%20Again%20was%20written%20with%20many%20themes%20that%20I%20hope%20my%20readers%20will%20take%20to%20heart.%20%20When%20I%27m%20not%20writing,%20you%20can%20find%20me%20jogging,%20reading%20or%20listening%20to%20live%20music%20music%20performed%20by%20talented%20%20friends.%20%20Links:%20www.facebook.com/groups/292254218386413%20https://www.facebook.com/PurpleNchocolate/%20https://www.instagram.com/maria_t_henriksen/%20https://twitter.com/mariathenriksen%20Authormariathenriksen@gmail.com%20https://kdp.amazon.com/amazon-dp-action/us/dualbookshelf.marketplacelink/B07WHKGDF7%20https://kdp.amazon.com/amazon-dp-action/us/dualbookshelf.marketplacelink/1733390413%20https://www.mariathenriksen.com" target="_blank">Not Again</a>, read on!</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Book description/blurb:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Christina De Rosa holds a potentially deadly
secret that threatens to get out. As an innocent young teenager, Christina
survives a terrifying detailed sexual assault that destroys her self-worth and
trust. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In her daily struggle, Christina searches for
ways to keep her torment at bay, so she can function as a "normal"
teenager. Meanwhile, Christina's spiritual journey leads her down a path
causing conflict within, as she's riddled with guilt and shame. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A chance encounter with her longtime, hot
crush, Avery Evans, sparks a fire in Christina that she can't extinguish.
As the sweet, loving, knight in shining armor he readily portrays, Avery offers
the safety and security that Christina craves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In her quest for internal peace, Christina
must make a decision. Will she give her heart, body and soul to the super
popular, Avery Evans? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Will Christina's nightmares become
all-consuming or will her discoveries lead her to a renewed way of life?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Find out if true love triumphs in this edgy,
faith-based young adult page-tuner, set in the 1980s.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">*Not Again is NOT your typical Christian coming
of age story. Fierce faith doesn't come without a fight. Prepare for heartache,
self-harm, traumatic events, real romance, and actual scripture in these
pages. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Tell us a little about yourself:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Hi, I'm a debut author and I am super excited to
have recently launched my first novel called Not Again. Not Again is a young
adult edgy Christian romance novel that follows the spiritual journey of a
young teenage girl during the 1980s. There's real romance, actual scripture and
lots of heartache as well as humor. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I started reading young adult novels when I
began to substitute teach because it was convenient to check out books at the
school library. Before I knew it, I was hooked on reading that genre. I decided
to combine elements that I like to read like romance and make it faith based
with a literary flair. As a teacher, I can't resist an opportunity for a
teaching lesson as demonstrated by the various themes in the novel.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Being a substitute teacher and parent of
boy/girl teenagers causes me to be immersed in the daily struggles of teens.
Life is messy and teenagers have their own challenges in navigating life. Not
Again speaks to those struggles in a meaningful way.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">During the revisions of my novel, I experienced
a tremendous amount of physical pain and stress, including neck surgery. As a
result, I found it necessary to employ coping mechanisms to get me through that
difficult season of my life. In turn, I incorporated those same techniques in
my novel. My hope is that my book will transform lives by it's inspirational
message, and not just the lives of teens, but adults as well.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Tell us five things about yourself that many
people don't know:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I placed 3rd in my age group for a 10K after
only running for less than a year. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I spent 1.5 years in physical therapy the past
2 years nursing multiple injuries.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I aspire to run a half marathon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I took the photos, video and wrote the song
for the book trailer & cover. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I want to become an inspirational speaker.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Tell us about your
journey to publication:</span></b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The most challenging aspect of
publishing novel was the actual publishing portion of it. The writing and
revising was the easy fun part. Trying to figure out what avenue to publish and
how to go about executing my plan was excruciating. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Technical issues were abound. It seemed as if
every fluky issue that could be experienced, I experienced it. There were epic
fails all over the place. I had to buy a brand new computer, a brand new phone,
a brand new tripod to broadcast live and I'm still having issues, not the same
ones, different ones. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">You have to be a jack of all trades to
self-publish and promote yourself. It's grueling and frustrating. There are
many obstacles to overcome. Is it worth it? I honestly don't think I will know
the full impact of my novel, but it was written out of obedience to Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I have a message, a ministry. The book was
inspired by God as I never knew what was coming next. Not Again was written
with many themes that I hope my readers will take to heart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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reading or listening to live music music performed by talented <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/PurpleNchocolate/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">https://www.facebook.com/PurpleNchocolate/</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://twitter.com/mariathenriksen" target="_blank"><span style="color: #196ad4;">https://twitter.com/mariathenriksen</span></a></span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />K. Dawn Byrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17794345260605025953noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5866583868913443313.post-78212830828082121442019-08-14T21:44:00.000-04:002019-08-14T21:49:11.945-04:00Interview with Jan Cline & spotlight of The Pruning...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pruning-American-Dreams-Book-ebook/dp/B07TN8GY1Z/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+pruning+jan+cline&qid=1565833240&s=gateway&sr=8-1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="324" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTyXqaAMjW6d8jbxQGMWMIBctaEYnQuovpDEOD1QyIR7XAW1FqUdv-Vx6YQjDHNsDyuOIzgEF0ISaLelg8iUMPQXZedBurt431KKKIrcC3CuexyHci73eOW0iPb4GgdF_Knaz8GlF8Vn0/s320/41FZM-p9cnL.jpg" width="207" /></a><span id="goog_1323307955"></span><a href="https://draft.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_1323307956"></span></div>
<b style="text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;">We're happy to have Jan Cline with us today talking about her book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pruning-American-Dreams-Book-ebook/dp/B07TN8GY1Z/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+pruning+jan+cline&qid=1565833240&s=gateway&sr=8-1" target="_blank">The Pruning.</a> To learn more about Jan and her inspirational historical fiction book, read on!</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">Back cover blurb</span></b><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;">Clarissa Wilding can’t run away from her past. Moving from
the drought-ridden Kansas plains to the green hills of the Pacific Northwest
has only drawn her secrets to the surface, threatening the new life she has
built with her husband, Frank, and their boys. When Frank introduces her to his
brother, everything changes, and Clarissa must deal with new revelations that
test their family bond and may forever alter their happiness.</span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">The first page of the book:</span></b></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; line-height: 200%;">Chapter
One<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; line-height: 200%;">Pasco,
Washington, June 1935<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; line-height: 150%;">After three long
days and two nights sitting on a lumpy seat, Clarissa had looked forward to
getting off this train, but now all she wanted was to slither into the safety
of the grimy locomotive and go back where she’d come from. Despite a promise of
a new beginning, her life was about to fall into an abyss deeper than the sand
dunes she had just escaped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; line-height: 150%;">Her throat
tightened as she tried to pull in some air. Like the dust storms around their
homestead on the Kansas plains, the sight of her husband, Frank, hugging his
estranged brother, robbed her of breath. If her first impression was correct,
another kind of storm brewed before her eyes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 150%;">It can’t be him.</span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 150%;">
Her gut told her this wasn’t her imagination, but indeed a cruel twist in her
plans for a brighter future for what was left of her family. One more long look
at his face, his stature, and any lingering doubt faded. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; line-height: 150%;">She turned from
the scene and scanned the yard around the clapboard station house. The sheer
beauty of the clear skies and rolling hills in the distance should have been
her welcome. The sight of blooming flowers and tall leafy trees might have
excited her but for the shock of seeing him again. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Please tell us five random things we might not know about
you.</span></b></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">1)<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">I’m a craft-a-holic.</span></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">2)<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">I have been singing
since I was 6 years old – sometimes professionally. </span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">3)<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">I founded and directed a
writers conference for 5 years. </span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">4)<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">In my family I’m known
as the cheesecake queen. </span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">5)<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">I was first published
when I was in the 3<sup>rd</sup> grade. Been writing ever since. </span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;">Why did you choose to write this book?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;">This book is the 2<sup>nd</sup> in a
series on a topic I became fascinated with while watching some documentaries.
The depression/dust bowl era has so many stories left untold. I believe in keeping
history alive, and the characters in my book make that happen for me, and I
hope for my readers. Once I developed my make-believe family in book 1, I had
to continue their journey through all the tough years Americans endured. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">What one thing about writing do you wish non-writers would
understand? </span></b><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">How much hard work it takes to organize and write a good
story. That most talented authors have to study the craft and learn what makes
a good read. The majority of authors don’t earn a living just from writing
books. I’d like non-writers to know that while it’s great to get a book for
free, authors work very hard to get that story to them. Please thank your
favorite authors with reviews on Amazon. </span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">What is the toughest test you've faced as a writer?</span></b><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">Writing the next book, and making it better than the last.
Book 3 of my series is based on the life of my mother. As I finish the
manuscript, I feel pressured to get the characterization right while still
telling a great partially true story. This has been a struggle for me – sort of
mixed emotions at times. But I know I’m supposed to write this book. I’ve
researched it for years and just want to get it right. </span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;">What do you hope readers to take away from
your novel? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;">I hope my readers see that even through
the most difficult times, determination and faith can move mountains. The women
in my books all find that inner strength to endure impossible situations. It’s
a lesson in humility for most of us who have never had to suffer through
devastating circumstances like those of the dust bowl, the great depression,
and WW2. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of, writing-related or
not?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Creating and directing my conference was a huge thing for me, and I
feel good that so many writers were encouraged and even published through those
conferences. The other thing is just finishing a novel, then 2, then 3!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"> What do you do for fun
when not writing?</span></b><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">Crafts, RV camping, golf. We also have a cabin on a small
lake that is a good getaway. </span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">What are you working on now?
</span></b><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">Book 3 of this American Dreams series. As I mentioned, it is
based on the life of my mother – and her WW2 bomber pilot husband. Then I have
another WW2 story up my sleeve for next year. </span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">Where else can readers find you online? </span></b><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">Jancline.net</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">Facebook: Jan Cline Author</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">Twitter: @Jan_Cline</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">Anyone can join my monthly newsletter and receive a free
short story! Jancline.net/subscribe </span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNCK3308vAtbNzjuCIaTnUaXGGORiWvJ6SyJt4u-KdBfyCKKbi7sqvGgf4N9fZIOZBrkIS1RcSEwKJQYMvqNFYbyCSbByIrsyL0oXYQ_mpW_5anzj-CVwridh_fYmmR0nsgebZ1c0B3n0/s1600/Jan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1551" data-original-width="1446" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNCK3308vAtbNzjuCIaTnUaXGGORiWvJ6SyJt4u-KdBfyCKKbi7sqvGgf4N9fZIOZBrkIS1RcSEwKJQYMvqNFYbyCSbByIrsyL0oXYQ_mpW_5anzj-CVwridh_fYmmR0nsgebZ1c0B3n0/s200/Jan.jpg" width="186" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">Bio</span></b><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">Jan has been writing most of her life, but wasn’t published until
later in life. After writing non-fiction for several years, fiction became her
focus, with emphasis on the stories from America’s history. Her first novel,
Emancipated Heart, was published in 2016. Jan enjoys her life in northern
Idaho, living with her newly retired husband and very spoiled dog. She has 9
grandchildren to keep her busy. </span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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K. Dawn Byrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17794345260605025953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5866583868913443313.post-80102965106605985422019-08-08T08:01:00.000-04:002019-08-08T08:01:27.586-04:00Interview with Heather Norman Smith & spotlight of Where I was Planted...<div style="margin-bottom: 13.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Where-Planted-Heather-Norman-Smith/dp/1620209071/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=where+i+was+planted&qid=1565265085&s=gateway&sr=8-1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="216" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpCJlubFwrcPsHLrsy9Qix0QpfBxwMhQnrPJU9kI0po5cxGaQtFVrmm8zQyOMDUAyk_eF_MGNgVjMxqBggv9380ALBDqIRuL7RfgDaaTJjyILpHVaFgGfHpitS0w05Ika7VxpSuie8I9ar/s320/51Cgan10QTL._SY346_.jpg" width="199" /></a></div>
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<b>We're excited to have Heather Norman Smith with us today talking about her book Where I was planted. To learn more about Heather and her book, read on!</b><br />
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<b><br /></b>
<b>Please<br />
give us the first page of the book.</b><u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></div>
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I’ve<br />
spent a lot of time thinking about weeds. Not just the dandelion and chickweed<br />
that pops up uninvited in people’s vegetable gardens. I’m talking about the<br />
kind of weeds that squeeze themselves up through the tiniest of cracks in<br />
sidewalks, and in roads and parking lots, and in little crevices in rocks.<br />
They’re unattractive to most people, but I think these plants are remarkable.<br />
Shallow soil, short roots, and trampled on by every pair of feet that happens<br />
their way—not to mention tires. But still they manage to keep growing, or at<br />
the very least, sprout up a little and stay green. I reckon most people have<br />
never even thought about it, how special they are. But I’ve thought about it a<br />
lot . . . because I’m one of them.<o:p></o:p><u1:p></u1:p></div>
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I<br />
figured it out on a Saturday afternoon, in the early spring of my fifth-grade<br />
year, at Susie Pennywell’s eleventh birthday party. I hadn’t laid eyes on Bert<br />
in three days, as he came and went mostly while I was at school or asleep, so<br />
it seemed okay to go without asking his permission.<o:p></o:p><u1:p></u1:p></div>
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It<br />
was a long walk to Susie’s house. I started out with a swift pace, determined<br />
not to be the last kid at the party. But after the first twenty minutes, it<br />
felt like my shoes were filled with lead. I shoved my hands down deep into the<br />
pockets of my denim trousers and forced my legs to work harder, step by step.<br />
That cake’s gonna be worth it, Nate. Just keep walkin’. That birthday cake will<br />
surely be worth it, I thought.<o:p></o:p><u1:p></u1:p></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Back cover blurb</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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In the spring of 1961,<br />
ten-year-old Nate "Weenie" Dooley has a revelation—his father is not<br />
a good one. Inspired by National Geographic, his favorite thing next to the<br />
Bible storybook his mother gave him before she died, Nate plans to leave his<br />
father and their home in the Smokies to set out on adventure.<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></div>
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When he discovers that<br />
his father has left him first, it will take the help of a stray dog, some kind<br />
neighbors, a one-man-band, letters from a long-lost-aunt, and a new<br />
understanding of God to figure out he isn't really alone.<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></div>
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Will he find that Copper<br />
Creek is where he's always belonged? Or will his wanderlust keep him from ever<br />
coming back?<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Please tell us five random things we might not<br />
know about you.</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">My favorite drinks are<br />
black coffee and Diet Dr. Pepper.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I love to sing.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I’m a mom of four. My<br />
kids are twelve, eight, and six, and my adorable foster son is two.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">My dad has been my pastor<br />
all my life.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I play the alto saxophone.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Why did you choose to write this book?<u1:p></u1:p></span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I don’t remember a specific inspiration for this<br />
story. As with my first book, the characters seemed to show up in my brain one<br />
day, and after I met them, I had to tell their story. The general concept of<br />
the book probably comes from my heart for orphans, though. My desire to bring<br />
awareness to the needs of children drives a lot of my writing.<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">What one<br />
thing about writing do you wish non-writers would understand? </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I must write! It’s<br />
something I am compelled to keep doing. And if I can’t find time to write for<br />
several days, it starts to affect me emotionally. I feel like something is<br />
missing.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">What is the toughest test<br />
you've faced as a writer?</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Being patient. It takes a long time to bring a book<br />
into the world, and I’m not very good at the waiting part.<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What do you hope readers to take away from your novel?<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">That God is good, regardless of our circumstances.<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b>What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of,<br />
writing-related or not?</b><u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></div>
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Anything good about me comes from God, not me, so<br />
I try to focus on gratitude instead of pride. I am extremely grateful for the<br />
opportunity to publish my first two novels.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">What do you do for fun when not writing?</span><u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">I enjoy being outdoors with my family—at<br />
the beach or in the mountains. And I recently enjoyed performing in an outdoor<br />
community theater production with my oldest daughter.</span><u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">What are you<br />
working on now? </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">For a very short while, I’ve put novel writing on hold<br />
to work on a devotional. I didn’t intend to start this project until much<br />
later, but it feels like what I’m supposed to be doing now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Where else<br />
can readers find you online? </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.heathernormansmith.com/">www.heathernormansmith.com</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="body" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/heathernormansmith">www.facebook.com/heathernormansmith</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="body" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.twitter.com/hnsblog">www.twitter.com/hnsblog</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="body" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.instagram.com/heathernormansmith">www.instagram.com/heathernormansmith</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="body" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17895912.Heather_Norman_Smith">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17895912.Heather_Norman_Smith</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij3zpmc7ahi1sCH1Q-uia5zNj16nR4XIPr__pbbcppCKsG9sUZaHWosXBV-JfTuiubz4IlW9rdf5MNxo3xcXWuXCsJoY9ottqgJwacfFPrHdwPtG1aKGpYkv83uXw0t0sRY8xWFYQGyH1m/s1600/Heather+Smith++2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1600" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij3zpmc7ahi1sCH1Q-uia5zNj16nR4XIPr__pbbcppCKsG9sUZaHWosXBV-JfTuiubz4IlW9rdf5MNxo3xcXWuXCsJoY9ottqgJwacfFPrHdwPtG1aKGpYkv83uXw0t0sRY8xWFYQGyH1m/s200/Heather+Smith++2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Bio</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="body" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
Heather Norman Smith is<br />
an author of inspirational fiction and a devotional blogger. Her goal is to use<br />
the written word to entertain and encourage, while illuminating the redemptive<br />
love of God. She also enjoys writing songs and singing about Jesus.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /><u1:p></u1:p>
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Heather is proud to be a<br />
life-long North Carolinian and aims to present the beauty of the Tar Heel State<br />
in her writing. Her home is just outside Winston-Salem, NC, where she lives<br />
with her husband and their three children. She and her husband are also foster<br />
parents.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<br /></div>
K. Dawn Byrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17794345260605025953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5866583868913443313.post-80412338416041585752019-07-31T09:54:00.000-04:002019-07-31T09:55:14.246-04:00Interview with Allen Steadham & spotlight of Mindfire...<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mindfire-Allen-Steadham-ebook/dp/B07QGDZ5N8/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3G3YEIC8NDX8U&keywords=mindfire+allen+steadham&qid=1564580921&s=gateway&sprefix=mindfire+st%2Caps%2C175&sr=8-3" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="324" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdFhLAE2l637K21aE0Ul93iLJU6ZLS64ajkn18-GzfpnM7p10EW3ffFl1Fh8y-eHjs3vzDsjKQdgXrHmllfTNqWnK6oRBW0qumvByYrSdhqbPSfZi7PUOFcJvk20Dk1pSihft1BC_4pu8/s200/41i2I5ouckL.jpg" width="129" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We're happy to have Allen Steadham with us today talking about his book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mindfire-Allen-Steadham-ebook/dp/B07QGDZ5N8/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3G3YEIC8NDX8U&keywords=mindfire+allen+steadham&qid=1564580921&s=gateway&sprefix=mindfire+st%2Caps%2C175&sr=8-3" target="_blank">Mindfire</a>. To learn more about Allen and his Christian Superhero Thriller, read on!</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Back cover
blurb</span></b><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">"For
unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required."</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Leia Hamilton
can move things and set them on fire with her mind.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Leia's father
and step-mother tried to hide their past: a time when they were part of a team
of superheroes. But despite being disbanded for over twenty years following a
series of tragedies, their problems were passed to their children and Leia
finds that her future collides with their past.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In the
diverse world of human and superhuman, heroes and villains, friends and
enemies, some of Leia's choices have terrible consequences. For Leia, this
leads to a personal crossroads and a search for redemption.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Not your
normal superhero novel, Mindfire isn't about secret identities, costumes, or
evil plots endangering the world. Instead, self-discovery and adaptation is at
the forefront as the reader follows the lives of the characters who are unafraid
to show love and explore spirituality.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Can
redemption and renewed grace weather the flames of absolute power and
superhuman strength?</span></div>
<br />
<div class="textboxCxSpFirst" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<b><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Please give us the first page of the book.</span></b><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="textboxCxSpLast" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">SWEATING FROM HER BRISK WALK across the Digby
College campus</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">in record-breaking near-ninety-degree July heat,
Leia Hamilton dragged</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">herself into an empty seat towards the back of the
large Jason V. Frederick</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">lecture hall, which wasn’t well-lit or properly
ventilated. The building itself</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">must have been at least twenty-five to thirty
years old. The acoustics carried</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">well enough but also made it seem like all sound
escaped from a human-sized</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">tin can. Students were always tempted to sleep but
their success often</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">depended on the teacher.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Professor Angela Merrick, whom Leia had nicknamed
“Professor Doom,”</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">scowled and deliberately made direct eye contact
with Leia but said nothing,</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">continuing her lecture. The professor radiated
confidence and something else,</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Leia wasn’t sure what. The professor’s long black
hair was often worn in a</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">bun like today but sometimes she wore it down.
Leia believed the professor</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">would be very beautiful if she didn’t always
project a certain amount of</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">tension. It had given her worry lines that made
her look a few years older than</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">she probably was.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Thirty minutes later, Josh Manning saw Leia
escaping her first class of the</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">day. Mentally noting her distressed expression, he
whirled her around and</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">kissed her passionately in front of the other
class escapees in the hallway. He</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">was red-haired, even taller than Leia and lanky.
He also had more than a bit of</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Southern charm to accompany his slight Alabama drawl.
Suddenly, he pulled</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">back, confused and concerned.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“Your skin is, like, really hot!” Josh put his
hand on her forehead. “You</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">have a fever or something?”</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“I’m fine,” Leia pulled back and glared at Josh.
“Now what are you doing?</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">You said you’d keep things mellow on-campus!”</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“You looked like you needed cheering up,” Josh
said.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Leia facepalmed. And a moment later, she grabbed
his arms in a rage.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“What is wrong with you?” Leia screamed. “Save
that stuff for when</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">we’re alone!”</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“Oh yeah, that’s subtle,” Josh replied. “Do you
think anyone didn’t hear</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">you just now? All I did was kiss you!”</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Please tell us five
random things we might not know about you.</span></b><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I am
interracially married (my wife is African-American)</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I’ve played
electric bass guitar since 1986</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I take sky
pictures with my iPhone & post them on Instagram and Facebook</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My wife and I
have the same birthday (5 years apart)</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I studied
journalism in high school and college</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Why did you choose to write this book?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This was my first full-length, completed novel. I chose to
undertake it for National Novel Writing Month (Nanowrimo) in November 2013 and
completed the first draft in three weeks. I asked the Lord to bless me with
inspiration and he did. I took characters and story elements from original superhero
comic book I wrote and drew, starting at age ten. I continued that comic into
my twenties, finishing it in my thirties. But now, I wanted to only write
Christian fiction. And the Lord took my familiarity with these characters and
their histories to craft a story in the present day, a story that would point
towards Him. A redemption story. So that’s what Mindfire is. It’s all to God’s
glory. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What one
thing about writing do you wish non-writers would understand?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It’s a
process. No one starts out a great writer. People may have great ideas but it
takes time, practice and mistakes to get better. A writer is always learning
and growing. A writer should never think they’re “good enough,” they should
keep pushing themselves. That’s what makes a person a writer. </span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What is the
toughest test you've faced as a writer?</span></b><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Depicting salvation. It’s one thing to show a character going
through trials or realizing that they need God and His Son, Jesus Christ. But
to show that person actually ask for and receive the greatest Gift ever
bestowed, it takes me as a writer submitting myself to this Holy God and
allowing Him to show me the way to depict it. Salvation is the same but the way
people approach, perceive and accept it is different each time. It’s a very
personal experience and that has to be respected and shown properly. Otherwise,
one runs the risk of making the Divine seem commonplace, which it is not and
never can be. It is extraordinary.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What do you hope readers to take away from your novel?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpLast">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">While it is very normal for people to try and solve their own
problems, the only lasting solution is Jesus Christ. He is the ultimate
superhero who died for our sins to give us eternal life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="textboxCxSpFirst" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of,
writing-related or not? </span></b><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">I’m proud of completing Mindfire. It is the
culmination of a lifetime of character building while also saying goodbye to a
part of my past in a satisfying way. It’s knowing that theses characters’
stories may be able to help someone who may not even know they’re seeking the
Lord. Or it may bring peace to someone who is struggling in their walk with
Christ. I don’t know how the book will be received but I know what the Lord can
do. It’s an honor to be used by Him for anything.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What do you
do for fun when not writing?</span></b><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I like to watch Star Trek (all series) and foreign dramas. My
oldest son and I go to the movies somewhat frequently. My wife and I love
spending time together. I also enjoy doing things with the whole family.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What are you
working on now?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I’m working on the first book in a Christian steampunk trilogy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Where else
can readers find you online?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Website – </span><a href="https://allensteadham.com/"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">https://allensteadham.com</span></a><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Facebook – </span><a href="https://facebook.com/jaspecfiction"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">https://facebook.com/jaspecfiction</span></a><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Twitter – </span><a href="https://twitter.com/Mindfirenovel"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">https://twitter.com/Mindfirenovel</span></a><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Instagram – </span><a href="https://instagram.com/allensteadham"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">https://instagram.com/allensteadham</span></a><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7IHG-uvb4wEZbhXbjhwODL9jMf_dHrsLG2_T5JTQC-obnXsgm4gkM-vLvv1ekx381fEoC_WxOl5V7pV1cIO-iRGAR4jckupPkHd535bLYC83NiIt4fSu2uMcYBHqos5pFyem99GUlyb4/s1600/Allen-Steadham-author-2018+%25281%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="586" data-original-width="564" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7IHG-uvb4wEZbhXbjhwODL9jMf_dHrsLG2_T5JTQC-obnXsgm4gkM-vLvv1ekx381fEoC_WxOl5V7pV1cIO-iRGAR4jckupPkHd535bLYC83NiIt4fSu2uMcYBHqos5pFyem99GUlyb4/s200/Allen-Steadham-author-2018+%25281%2529.png" width="191" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Bio</span></b><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Allen
Steadham created comic books and webcomics before he started writing novels. He
has been married to his wife, Angel, since 1995 and they have two sons and a
daughter. When not writing stories, Allen and his wife are singers, songwriters
and musicians. They have been in a Christian band together since 1997. They
live in Central Texas.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />K. Dawn Byrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17794345260605025953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5866583868913443313.post-26434472403342861442019-07-17T10:11:00.000-04:002019-07-18T12:13:38.056-04:00Interview with Pat Jeanne Davis and spotlight of When Valleys Bloom Again...<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Valleys-Bloom-Again-Jeanne-Davis-ebook/dp/B07MVV5TSN/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2B5WJIW7JTZ1Q&keywords=when+valleys+bloom+again+pat+jeanne+davis&qid=1563372458&s=gateway&sprefix=davis+when+vall%2Caps%2C179&sr=8-1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="667" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6NBRnhpnXLrnMvfC1WWUZ1bp0BUYpmc50EM0ypm77Ayhyphenhyphen_7NlXI-TlGjK6KMtmhvrgJOpHa01XCmU6iu2F9_VNqnF51Ol7t-gZ5pAsNN5ot6UFB98j6vH80wBt077QyBkqdMXNWaUVko/s320/davis.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<b>We're happy to have Pat Jeanne Davis with us today discussing her inspirational historical novel <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Valleys-Bloom-Again-Jeanne-Davis-ebook/dp/B07MVV5TSN/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2B5WJIW7JTZ1Q&keywords=when+valleys+bloom+again+pat+jeanne+davis&qid=1563372458&s=gateway&sprefix=davis+when+vall%2Caps%2C179&sr=8-1" target="_blank">When Valleys Bloom Again.</a></b><br />
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<b><i><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When Valleys Bloom Again</span></i></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Inspirational Historical Romance</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As war approaches in 1939 Abby Stapleton’s safety is under threat.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <span style="color: black;">Her
father, a British diplomat, insists she go back to America until the danger
passes.</span> <span style="color: black;">Abby vows to return to her home in
London—but where is home?</span> <span style="color: black;">With her family
facing mortal danger so far away and feeling herself isolated, she finds it
hard to pray or read the Bible.</span> <span style="color: black;">Did she leave
God behind in war-torn London too?</span> <span style="color: black;">Abby
becomes friendly with Jim, a gardener on her uncle’s estate.</span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Jim can’t get Abby out of his mind.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <span style="color: black;">Did she have a sweetheart in
England?</span> <span style="color: black;">Was it foolish to think she’d
consider him?</span> <span style="color: black;">He curses his poverty and the
disgrace of his father’s desertion and drunkenness haunts him.</span> <span style="color: black;">Can he learn to believe in love for a lifetime and to hope
for a happy marriage?</span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Abby couldn’t know the war would last a long time, nor that she
would fall in love with Jim—soon to be drafted by the U.S.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <span style="color: black;">Army—or
that she’d have to confront Henri, a rejected suitor, determined by his lies to
ruin her reputation and destroy her faith in God’s providence.</span> <span style="color: black;">Will she discover the true meaning of home and find
happiness with Jim?</span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Please
give us the first page of the book.</b></div>
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<i>London, August 1939</i><i><o:p></o:p></i></div>
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Abby Stapleton
slumped back in her seat, any glimmer of hope she’d harbored would soon be
extinguished. A crystal chandelier jingled in the draft of an open window. She
loved this room with its embossed wallpaper and rich tapestries, vibrant with
memories of family. How could she leave all this?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Her father folded the newspaper with
its glaring headlines, plopped it on the table and parted his lips to speak.
Abby forestalled him. “I’m nineteen,” she said, her nerves rubbed raw by the
endless squabbles with her parents. <i>Speak
low and slow, Abby. </i>“I don’t w-w-want to go.” Her voice, thin and strained,
echoed back from the high frescoed ceiling.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“A father can’t
ignore his responsibilities,” he said, clasping her hand. “You know Hitler’s
taken Austria and Czechoslovakia. Probably he’ll take Poland next.” He furrowed
his brow. “And when that happens war with Germany will be unavoidable.” His
hand shook, and he sounded as though he’d aged ten years in the space of a few
minutes.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Sunlight dispersed
through a bay window, washing the brocaded settee on which she and her mother
sat with patches of red and gold. Her mother sidled closer and stroked Abby’s
arm, her face taut and pale. “Do as your father says, dear. There are sandbags
and barrage balloons everywhere, and gas masks are being handed out.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Still determined to
speak her mind before it was too late, Abby shut her eyes in a silent prayer. <i>Lord,
help me to keep my temper. </i>She released her hand from her father’s. “I
sh-sh-should be able to decide for myself w-w-whether I want to leave.” Now of
all times when she needed eloquence, this accursed stammer bound her up tight.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQe_yDQNpoRAjb42bysexoR4SLh5zip5KNPgi_Vk93-Ad_GUyN1iBFU1HWIESmISkLV_5WD757Q4YXqTDJb5qRcByvT6fXcY7-Vzq4rbnPLA06VEfgBvULyPOvLgqxzxyxGojZi4aj8ak/s1600/PatJeanneDavis__2018_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1212" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQe_yDQNpoRAjb42bysexoR4SLh5zip5KNPgi_Vk93-Ad_GUyN1iBFU1HWIESmISkLV_5WD757Q4YXqTDJb5qRcByvT6fXcY7-Vzq4rbnPLA06VEfgBvULyPOvLgqxzxyxGojZi4aj8ak/s320/PatJeanneDavis__2018_large.jpg" width="242" /></a></div>
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<b>Why did you choose to write this book?</b></div>
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I have family in the US that served in the European
Theater during WWII. When war was declared by England in 1939, my father-in-law
was conscripted into the British Eight Army and served his country until 1946.
I’ve had a keen interest in this period of history and hoped to some day write
a faith based novel with an Anglo-American connection set during those dark
days of the war. <o:p></o:p></div>
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As the ranks of those who lived through this period get
smaller, I desired to highlight their lives in an instructive and entertaining
way. <i>When Valleys Bloom Again </i>unfolds through the eyes of Abby Stapleton
from an estate on Philadelphia’s Main Line with its landscaped gardens, to the
bombed-out inner-city and suburbs of London to the battlefield in North Africa
and Normandy. Military and history buffs will appreciate the references to
battles and hardships faced by soldiers.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>What do you hope readers to take away from your novel?</b></div>
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That
through all of life’s experiences with
faith in God and submission to His will, we can be hopeful and steadfast in
purpose, trusting in the promise from Him that all things work together for<br />
good.<br />
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<b>BIO:</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>PAT JEANNE
DAVIS</b> lives in Philadelphia, Pa with her British-born husband, John. They
have two grown sons. She enjoys flower gardening, genealogy research and
traveling with her husband. Pat has published essays, short stories and
articles online and in print. She has a keen interest in twentieth-century
American and British history, particularly the period of World War II. Pat’s
father-in-law served in the British Eighth Army during the war. <i>When Valleys
Bloom</i> <i>Again</i> is her debut historical romance set in that era. She is
a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers and the Historical Novel
Society. Pat loves to hear from her readers. Subscribe to her newsletter here <a href="http://www.patjeannedavis.com/">www.patjeannedavis.com</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Links:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>When Valleys Bloom Again can be
purchased here:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Amazon: </b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Valleys-Bloom-Again-Jeanne-Davis/dp/1948888920/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=154"><b>https://www.amazon.com/Valleys-Bloom-Again-Jeanne-Davis/dp/1948888920/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=154</b></a><b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Barnes & Noble:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/when-valleys-bloom-again-pat-jeanne-davis/1130351044?ean=9781948888929 </b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Social Media: <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Website: </b><a href="https://www.patjeannedavis.com/"><b>https://www.patjeannedavis.com</b></a><b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Facebook: </b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pat.j.davis.7"><b>https://www.facebook.com/pat.j.davis.7</b></a><b>
</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Instagram: </b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/patjeannedavis/"><b>https://www.instagram.com/patjeannedavis/</b></a><b>
<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Goodreads: </b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43600391-when-valleys-bloom-again?from_search=true">https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43600391-when-valleys-bloom-again?from_search=true</a> <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Amazon Author Page: </b><a href="https://amazon.com/author/patjeannedavis"><b>https://amazon.com/author/patjeannedavis</b></a><b> <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>LinkedIn: </b><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/pat-jeanne-davis-34290422/"><b>https://www.linkedin.com/in/pat-jeanne-davis-34290422/</b></a><b> <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Pinterest: </b><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/patjeannedavis/"><b>https://www.pinterest.com/patjeannedavis/</b></a><b> <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>BookBub: </b><b><a href="https://www.bookbub.com/books/when-valleys-bloom-again-by-pat-jeanne-davis">https://www.bookbub.com/books/when-valleys-bloom-again-by-pat-jeanne-davis</a></b></div>
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K. Dawn Byrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17794345260605025953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5866583868913443313.post-44245017178172169482019-07-10T07:43:00.001-04:002019-07-10T08:17:28.704-04:00Spotlight of June Foster’s Dreams Deferred....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLXPdvP-nib1UfRTL_6Du9EJQr6Zi5g8wUG2xoVvZkVvbiQtShRAvG5hTx9J1kkO7M4qelIvaaFQ8UohSbVxwyVR0HTtMqtfHim7CxdOMnnyIepVMAxpu81dw91UyfEB4MUIeb1x0jVCc/s1600/43C88896-1FFB-459E-8D28-394A7A394C20.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="360" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLXPdvP-nib1UfRTL_6Du9EJQr6Zi5g8wUG2xoVvZkVvbiQtShRAvG5hTx9J1kkO7M4qelIvaaFQ8UohSbVxwyVR0HTtMqtfHim7CxdOMnnyIepVMAxpu81dw91UyfEB4MUIeb1x0jVCc/s320/43C88896-1FFB-459E-8D28-394A7A394C20.jpeg" width="230" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">We’re happy to have June Foster with us today talking about her novel Dreams Deferred. To learn more about June and her book, read on! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Frances Matthew Hall is obedient to family tradition: all firstborn sons will </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">serve as a priest</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">. Now Matt </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">officiates</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> at St. Aloysius Catholic Church in San Antonio, Texas. But when on Easter Sunday, h</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">e notices a</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> beautiful young woman who takes</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">his breath away, he must fight</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> against his attraction to her</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> or leave the priesthood</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> and alienate his entire family</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Mary Louise Graham is a middle school teacher and devout catholic. Yet no amount of service</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> to the community</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> can ease the heavy load of guilt she carries. God can never forgive </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">her unspeakable mistake</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">. But when Father Matt tells her about a forgiving God through His son Jesus Christ, she's free. Only thing, the Godly priest now means more to her than he should.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Can two people find their way to each other amidst </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">insurmountable</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> obstacl</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">es?</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> </span><span class="s2" style="font-style: italic; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Dreams Deferred</span><span class="s2" style="font-style: italic; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">is inspired by the author's great grandfather and </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">great </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">grandmother's story.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">Short blurb:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Father Matt Hall wants to serve the Lord. School teacher Mary Louise Graham </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">needs freedom from her unforgivable past</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">. They never expect to fall in love.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">The Story Behind the Story</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><span class="s4" style="font-style: italic; line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">Dreams </span><span class="s4" style="font-style: italic; line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">Deferred </span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">is inspired by the true-to-life story of my great grandfather and great grandmother. I chose to set it in contemporary times, nevertheless, I borrowed many of the story elements from the true story.</span></span><br />
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<span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">Frances Mathew Halbedl grew up in the European Austrian Empire and followed tradition in which the oldest son became a priest in his family's Catholic faith. After being ordained in Moravia, he immigrated to the United States in 1866 to serve in a parish in the state of Louisiana.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">My aunt and mother always told the story of how one Sunday while saying mass, he spotted a young teen, much younger than my Mary Louise. He waited several years for her to grow up then stepped down from the priesthood to marry her. I wish I knew some of those rich details of their courtship, but since I don't, I fictionalized their romance.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">They later moved to San Antonio, Texas, and had five children, three girls and two boys—Ida, Mamie, Alice, Roy, and Clifton, who was my grandfather. Just for fun in one scene, I imagined that Matt had a dream he was riding in a car with Mary Louise and the three youngest kids. In my story, the dream helped him realize how much he loved Mary Louise.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">Mathew taught music both in the public school and privately. Later he became the first principal of a high school in San Antonio. In December of 2005, my husband and I visited San Antonio and looked up Matthew and Mary Louise's house. The large, two-story home is still there on </span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">Roseborough</span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;"> Drive. We weren't able to go in because it's a private residence. But I had so much fun envisioning Matt and ML's lives as they lived there with their children.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">We also visited Clifton </span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">Halbedl's</span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;"> home, which I remember from childhood. I also had the address for Mamie's home, and we were able to go inside. A gracious lady who spoke no English invited us in. I have tons of pictures and hope to share them on my blog.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">In the story, Matt gets a job at Jefferson High School. This is patterned after Thomas Jefferson High School where my mother went to school. Her name was Mary Louise, as well, named for her grandmother.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">If I've learned anything from writing this book, I wish I'd </span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">probed</span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;"> for more information when my mother and aunt were still al</span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">ive, but I'm grateful for what I do know.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s2" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 14.399999618530273px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">About June Foster</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><span class="s4" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">June Foster is an award-winning author who began her writing career in an RV roaming around the USA with her husband, Joe. She brags about visiting a location before it becomes the setting in her next contemporary romance or romantic suspense. June's characters find themselves in precarious circumstances where only God can offer redemption and ultimately freedom.</span><span class="s4" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;"> To date</span><span class="s4" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;"></span><span class="s4" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">June has</span><span class="s4" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;"> seen publication of 19</span><span class="s4" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;"> novels and 1 devotional. </span><span class="s4" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">Find June at junefoster.com.</span></span></div>
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K. Dawn Byrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17794345260605025953noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5866583868913443313.post-32245547266919837002019-06-26T11:05:00.001-04:002019-06-26T11:06:15.418-04:00Interview with Gail Pallotta & spotlight of Stopped Cold...<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Stopped-Cold-Gail-Pallotta-ebook/dp/B07R7RHF5K/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=stopped+cold+pallotta&qid=1561561247&s=gateway&sr=8-1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="303" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXZkj0MzJ1piBXyQ3z9t3wbyQ2u4HohQEwgM8gdnwxTTIBzr3oTfSahvebNnOzrG8N64SB32gBX4YVPI8CJVMhtaNi-QXblA3rqpjv82K9jEGaxASvU3tRfe-rZjEQ54u8sY7P7Xiu0n0/s320/pallotta.jpg" width="193" /></a><span id="goog_2103450900"></span><a href="https://draft.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_2103450901"></span></div>
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<b>We're happy to have Gail Pallotta with us today talking about her novel <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Stopped-Cold-Gail-Pallotta-ebook/dp/B07R7RHF5K/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=stopped+cold+pallotta&qid=1561561247&s=gateway&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Stopped Cold.</a> To learn more about her and her book, read on!</b></div>
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<b>Back cover blurb:</b></div>
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Things aren't what they seem in peaceful
Mistville, North Carolina.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Margaret McWhorter enjoys a laid-back Freshman
year in high school swimming and hanging out with friends—until the day her
brother, Sean, suffers a stroke from taking steroids. Now he's lying
unconscious in a hospital.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Anger sets a fire for retribution inside her, and
Margaret vows to make the criminals pay. Even the cop on the case can't stop
her from investigating. Looking for justice, she convinces two friends, Jimmy
and Emily to join her in a quest that takes them through a twisted, drug-filled
sub-culture they discover deep in the woods behind the school. Time and again
they walk a treacherous path, and come face-to-face with danger.<o:p></o:p></div>
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All the while Margaret really wants to cure Sean,
heal the hate inside, and open her heart to love.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Please give us the first page of the book.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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My first day as a Freshman at Meriwether Christian
High School in Mistville, North Carolina, the sun shone on a small plant with
pink blossoms on the window sill and gave Mrs. Hornsby’s English class a
cheerful look. She stood in front of pine straight back chairs scrunched
together in the middle of the room, the tables shoved up against the wall at
the end of it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Today we’ll form a circle and get acquainted.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Her voice sounded bubbly and kind, but I wanted to
escape to the pool or a beach. She directed us with her hands as we scraped
chairs across the laminated floor and took our seats. That’s when I noticed
Jimmy Willmore staring at me. As self-conscious as a possum in a dog show, I
peered at my lap. Was he checking me out? I raised my head and glanced at him. <o:p></o:p></div>
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He shifted his gaze to the blackboard.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mrs. Hornsby ran her hand through her short,
salt-and-pepper-colored hair then twirled around. “Let’s start with you.” She
gestured toward a pretty girl with dainty features and long, blonde hair.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“I’m Sally Dumont, a transfer student from North
Wilkes.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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The other kids gave their names, but I let them
fade into the background while I thought about Jimmy Willmore. Then it was my
turn. “I’m Margaret McWhorter, and I entered Meriwether in middle school.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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What do you do for fun when not writing? Get
together with friends and family, go to lunch with hubby, swim and go to the
beach every chance I get.<o:p></o:p></div>
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What are you working on now?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m excited about a new adult romantic
suspense novel I’m working on.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Please tell us five random things we might not
know about you.</b></div>
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I’m a fan of Elvis Presley. I listen to his CD,
“An Evening Prayer,” three days a week on the way to the pool.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I love fresh fish, especially eating it on the
Back Porch in Destin, Florida.<o:p></o:p></div>
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It’s hard to find my shoe size, so I rarely throw
away a pair of shoes no matter how old and ragged looking they get. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I have Lyme disease, but thanks to Jesus and a
wonderful alternative doctor, I’m up and kicking.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I cook Southern recipes handed down from three
generations.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Why did you choose to write this book?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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As a college student then later as a young Mom, I
knew of children, teens and young adults affected in a devastating way because
they didn’t always excel. The results ranged from heartache in children over
not winning a race or making all As to suicide attempts and suicide in young
adults. I’m not sure if these sad situations crossed my path more than they did
that of others or not, but the more pain I witnessed, the more I wished these
children, teens and young adults had believed they did not have to be the best,
but do their best. Even though the drive seemed to originate from different
sources - parents, siblings, peer pressure or within - I wanted to tell them
that God had given each of them a gift or gifts to use for Him, and they didn’t
need to be #1. The theme rattled around in my head for years until finally I
put it in <i>Stopped Cold.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>What one thing about writing do you wish
non-writers would understand?</b> <o:p></o:p></div>
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It takes a lot of hard work. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>What is the toughest test you've faced as a
writer?</b> <o:p></o:p></div>
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Marketing, especially balancing it with time to
write. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>What do you hope readers to take away from your
novel?</b> <o:p></o:p></div>
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Standards set by others pale when we use our
talent to glorify God. We’re all created in His image, but each of us has a
particular gift or gifts to use for Him. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of,
writing-related or not?</b> <o:p></o:p></div>
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My wonderful, Christian daughter. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYVs5ZTl_lZyhNTOBwN_MuGzlXXUe1p5eBhis5lAfU6RNwmYgNWm28E_N3kjZXelpXMxoKeVpJ_c3TKehswigOBrmNw89vSsXYg7osWL3nE1sdj8NMWWAhHoK9KKUkA02MbOR0W_ew0o0/s1600/Portrait+shot++Gail+Pallotta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="123" data-original-width="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYVs5ZTl_lZyhNTOBwN_MuGzlXXUe1p5eBhis5lAfU6RNwmYgNWm28E_N3kjZXelpXMxoKeVpJ_c3TKehswigOBrmNw89vSsXYg7osWL3nE1sdj8NMWWAhHoK9KKUkA02MbOR0W_ew0o0/s1600/Portrait+shot++Gail+Pallotta.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b>Bio:</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Award-winning author Gail Pallotta’s a wife, mom, swimmer and bargain shopper who loves God, beach sunsets and getting together with friends and family. She’s a former regional writer of the year for American Christian Writers Association, a 2013 Grace Awards finalist and a 2017 Reader’s Favorite Book Award winner. She’s published six books, poems, short stories and two-hundred articles. Some of her articles appear in anthologies while two are in museums.</div>
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<b>Where else can readers find you online?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I have a special twitter site for the high school
in <i>Stopped Cold</i> and would love to
have people follow it. It’s Meriwether Christian @MeriwetherCS. (<a href="https://twitter.com/MeriwetherCS">https://twitter.com/MeriwetherCS</a>)<o:p></o:p></div>
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Website - https://gailpallotta.com<o:p></o:p></div>
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Blog - https://www.gailpallotta.blogspot.com<o:p></o:p></div>
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Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AuthorsandMore<o:p></o:p></div>
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Twitter - Gail Pallotta @Hopefulwords <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />K. Dawn Byrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17794345260605025953noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5866583868913443313.post-43387693868949031282019-06-19T08:22:00.000-04:002019-06-19T10:22:46.077-04:00Interview with Alexis A. Goring & spotlight of Love in Pictures...<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Love-Pictures-Alexis-Goring-ebook/dp/B07DPQW1CW/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=love+in+pictures+goring&qid=1560946443&s=gateway&sr=8-1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"></a></div>
<a name='more'></a><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Love-Pictures-Alexis-Goring-ebook/dp/B07DPQW1CW/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=love+in+pictures+goring&qid=1560946443&s=gateway&sr=8-1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="360" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNQP0NlX2Ce3IaJEpIDPiR610O1jhaqSwmeTEcEcMhz-lMiFbx-cLPaup3q-2w3vNlDWpnFKV40SPmYxIBUEm6cBP31bpVCz2ot7Wp3ZR0L1sYdWYDWV_wfkyAhVLrC3eZNox3E5_VdKE/s200/oring.jpg" width="143" /></a><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We are happy to have Alexis Goring with us today talking about her novel <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Love-Pictures-Alexis-Goring-ebook/dp/B07DPQW1CW/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=love+in+pictures+goring&qid=1560946443&s=gateway&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Love in Pictures</a>. For more information, please click on the cover, the link, or read on!</span></b><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Back
cover blurb for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Love in Pictures</i>
(book) by Alexis A. Goring: <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Wedding
photographer Michelle Hadley has a passion for diversity and believes that love
comes in all colors. So, she’s working hard to convince editors to feature her
clients’ images on the covers of the mainstream bridal and wedding magazines.<br />
<br />
Despite having a career that focuses on celebrating forever love, Michelle has never
actually been in a romantic relationship, and she’s not looking for love, until
she meets the one man she cannot forget. <br />
<br />
Since his fiancée broke his heart, Logan Emerson’s focus has been on his
career. He’s won awards for his work as a print journalist and dreams of
greater success on television as a broadcast journalist. But his personal
struggle presents many challenges that might prevent his dreams from coming
true.<br />
<br />
Michelle doesn’t date often, and since his heartbreak, Logan has shied away
from the dating scene. But something about Michelle awakens Logan’s desire to
love again.</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>The first page of the book:</b><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Chapter
1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;">M</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">ichelle
Hadley stared at the Lightroom editing screen on her computer and studied the
newlywed couple she’d captured in the photo. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">The bride held a beautiful bouquet of soft blue and
pastel pink hydrangeas near her waist, while the handsome groom with skin the
color of coffee stood close behind her, holding her in a loving embrace,
kissing her forehead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Michelle sipped her favorite green tea as she sat and
worked at Marie's Mocha Café and sighed. The forehead kiss. So romantic. Meant
he loved her brains, not just her beauty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">The bride’s olive skin glowed, and her dark brown
tresses cascaded down her shoulders and rested at her waist. She peered at the
flowers she held in her manicured hands, her golden-brown eyes sparkling, a
sweet smile tugging at the corner of her lips. Everything about this picture showed
that this couple was in love and happy to say I do, not only on their wedding
day, but every day they spent together thereafter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Ah, love. Something she might never experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">She bit her bottom lip. Would she ever meet a great
guy and be blessed with a real-life happily ever after?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">She reached for her cup and took a sip to the calming
accompaniment of the smoothie machine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">She tapped her fingers on her computer keyboard and
opened Facebook Messenger. Writing messages to her best friend, Juliana
Fernandes, who worked as a writer for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bridal
Mode Magazine, </i>also soothed her nerves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Michelle: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hey,
girl. What’s up?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Juliana: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Michelle,
mi amiga, it’s been such a long day! Want to meet me for lunch? I could use a
little <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">girl talk.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Michelle: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sorry.
I’m editing photos, and I’m on deadline.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Juliana: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Oh yes,
my lovely friend the wedding photographer who’s all work and no play.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Michelle: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What
do you mean?<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Juliana: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You
never make time for fun.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Michelle: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Yeah,
I do. I meet up with you, and we go shopping and for coffee.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Juliana: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Yes,
and I love our time together, but girl, you need to meet a man and go out on a
date, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">several dates, with
several eligible bachelors. I could find one for you. I meet plenty in my line
of <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">work.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Michelle: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Aren’t
most of those men you interview getting married? <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Juliana: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Oh
yeah, that’s right. </i></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "wingdings"; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">L</span></span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">
But they have brothers, cousins and friends! Amiga, I could totally <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">hook you up!<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Michelle: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lol.
Thanks, but no thanks. God is my matchmaker.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Juliana: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Yeah?
Well, sometimes God uses good friends like me to pull the strings.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Michelle: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sorry
to cut this short, but I need to get back to work.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Juliana: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">And
then you do that.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Michelle: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Do
what?<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Juliana: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">When I
get too close to the truth, you end the conversation.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Michelle: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jules,
you’re taking this way too personal.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Please
tell us five random things we might not know about you.</span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">#1: I love Talenti Gelato that’s available in American
grocery stores but <i>nothing </i>tastes
better than <i>authentic</i> gelato that’s only
made fresh and tastes the best in the actual country of Italy!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">#2: When I went to Italy with friends, we got lost and ended
up in front of a bridal shop where I instantly fell in love with the beautiful
wedding dress on display in the shop’s window!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">#3: The song “Christmas Day” by Mandisa and Michael W. Smith
has a special meaning for me because it reminds me of a special someone and
Christmastime in the city!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">#4: Fresh spinach leaves cooked to perfection and properly seasoned
is my favorite healthy food!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">#5: Wish-Bone® Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing and
homemade honey-lemon dressing are my top two favorites in the world!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Why did you choose to
write this book?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I
chose to write this book because I love wedding photography, good food,
Journalism and Italy! So I thought that it would be a wonderful idea to write
about those passions in a story. I’m also passionate about the issues that set the
heart of the heroine in this story (Michelle) on fire: celebrating diversity, seeking
justice, keeping hope alive, sharing kindness, and capturing people’s love for
each other in pictures. Like Logan (the hero), I have dreams of being a
broadcast journalist on television and radio, so it was fun to explore that
more in this story. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What
one thing about writing do you wish non-writers would understand? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Everyone can learn how to write but not everybody is a
professional writer. It can be a tough but very rewarding profession. However,
it’s not for the faint of heart! It takes discipline and perseverance past
rejection. But if God’s called you to it, He’ll help you through it!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What
is the toughest test you've faced as a writer?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The toughest test that I’ve faced as a writer is trying to
write full-length novels that have a minimum word count of 70K words. My
stories so far, stop around the 45K mark and I haven’t yet figured out how to
stretch the story to novel-length without making it messy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Writing a full-length novel is not a walk in the park! It
takes time, perseverance, creativity and a lot of planning and it doesn’t come
easy to all authors. My specialty thus far is writing novellas. I know that my
readers want me to write full-length novels and turn my standalone stories into
series but at this point in my career, it’s too overwhelming of a task to take
on. Hopefully, I’ll be able to do this for my readers in the future but first I
have to get over my tendency to write “precise and concise” (I’m a trained
print journalist)! Lol.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What do you hope
readers to take away from your novel?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I
hope that readers learn how important it is to treat everyone with kindness and
judge people by the content of their <i>character</i>,
NOT their <i>skin color</i>. I also hope
that my readers are inspired to never give up on dreaming about, being blessed
with and <i>keeping</i> true love. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="textbox" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b>What
accomplishment(s) are you most proud of, writing-related or not?</b></div>
<div class="textbox" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
The accomplishments that I am most proud of
include but are not limited to:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="textbox" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
#1: Knowing Jesus Christ as my Savior and
Truest Friend<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="textbox" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
#2: Earning my B.A. in Print Journalism and
my MFA in Creative Writing<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="textbox" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
#3: Working as the Morning Show Intern for
WGTS 91.9 FM<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="textbox" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
#4: Writing and publishing three books!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="textbox" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
#5: Writing the devotionals that God places
on my heart to help people.<b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="textbox" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What
do you do for fun when not writing?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I
love eating good food at restaurants with loved ones and I enjoy watching
movies on the Hallmark Channel.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What
are you working on now? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My
first standalone nonfiction book project. But I cannot share details about it
yet.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Where else
can readers find you online? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Facebook: </span></b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAlexisAGoring/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAlexisAGoring/</span></a><span style="font-family: "times" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Twitter: </span></b><a href="https://twitter.com/PennedbyAlex"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://twitter.com/PennedbyAlex</span></a><span style="font-family: "times" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Website: </span></b><u><span style="color: blue; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://alexisagoring.jimdo.com</span></u><span style="font-family: "times" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Pinterest: </span></b><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/capturingidea/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://www.pinterest.com/capturingidea/</span></a><span style="font-family: "times" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Goodreads: </span></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7260528.Alexis_A_Goring"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7260528.Alexis_A_Goring</span></a><span style="font-family: "times" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“God is Love” blog: </span></b><a href="http://capturingtheidea.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">http://capturingtheidea.blogspot.com</span></a><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdAjo5dfVSKS_ChXq25d5hiGZjN30OS3bCuNg6Hd9IXWtXwQXm23sIQhymirCg5JJPH5yygKjM0Hye8LgyI0cIM0CfWcfxX1U8UxPQxksLSJFmlATczkrq-6abC8lzTcK95KqUE5Sx5eA/s1600/Alexis+A.+Goring%252C+Spring+2019+foto.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1242" data-original-width="930" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdAjo5dfVSKS_ChXq25d5hiGZjN30OS3bCuNg6Hd9IXWtXwQXm23sIQhymirCg5JJPH5yygKjM0Hye8LgyI0cIM0CfWcfxX1U8UxPQxksLSJFmlATczkrq-6abC8lzTcK95KqUE5Sx5eA/s200/Alexis+A.+Goring%252C+Spring+2019+foto.png" width="149" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Bio: </span></b><span style="font-family: "times" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Alexis A.
Goring is a passionate writer with a degree in Print Journalism and an MFA in
Creative Writing. She loves the art of storytelling and hopes that her stories
will connect readers with the enduring, forever love of Jesus Christ.</span><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />K. Dawn Byrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17794345260605025953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5866583868913443313.post-24001451667008373562019-06-05T05:45:00.000-04:002019-06-05T08:39:09.031-04:00Interview with Lynn Basham Tagawa & spotlight of The Shenandoah Road...<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Shenandoah-Road-Novel-Great-Awakening-ebook/dp/B07FK5ZQ5Z/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=novel+of+the+great+awakening+lynne&qid=1559659080&s=gateway&sr=8-1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="676" data-original-width="452" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz6mg8b8Kx6eMXpurqEJVNsB8Vfk-MzS9wuoWeKCdAWlm9SE0IZW2LEt27Bq80Xe7eYLgUZtzwQrae417QyqvB7Y7a87P3I6k1-Y8FrpJ6_vRTeoNFswszsdUOAfX7XEQP8h4cI1XMgbk/s200/shenandoahroad-tagawa-ebookweb.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
<b>We're happy to have Lynne Basham Tagawa with us today talking about her book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Shenandoah-Road-Novel-Great-Awakening-ebook/dp/B07FK5ZQ5Z/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=novel+of+the+great+awakening+lynne&qid=1559659080&s=gateway&sr=8-1" target="_blank">The Shenandoah Road: A Novel of Great Awakening.</a> To learn more about Lynne and this historical fiction novel, read on!</b><br />
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<b>From the back cover:</b><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">John Russell's heart aches from the loss of his wife, but the Shenandoah Valley frontiersman needs to marry again for his daughter's sake. At first he believes he has found the right young woman, despite their differences, but his faith falters when time reveals she isn't quite what she seemed. Can he truly love her? </span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Unlike her disgraced sister, Abigail Williams obeys the Commandments. At least, she thinks herself a Christian until a buckskin-clad newcomer courts her. He treats her kindly but also introduces her to a sermon by the controversial preacher, George Whitefield. Her self-righteousness is shattered, and she wonders about their relationship. If she confesses her lack of faith, will John continue to love her? </span><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;"><b>The first page of the book:</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">Chapter One<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">The Lord’s my shepherd, I’ll not want;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">He makes me down to lie<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">In pastures green; He leadeth me<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">The quiet waters by.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">--Psalm 23:1, The Scottish Psalter, 1650<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">May 1744<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">John Russell knelt on the grass that grew over the grave. The
small hickory cross had survived the winter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>On it was carved a name.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">His wife’s name. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">Janet Russell
(1719-1742)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">He had spent
hours over the little cross, finding the best wood, hand carving it, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">engraving it,
and rubbing linseed oil into it again and again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">Still, it would
not endure the elements. Wood never did. But her soul was safe with God, and
though he had grieved long and hard, his peace was real, too. The peace that
went beyond all understanding. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">He stood.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">“She was a good
wife,” Sarah murmured behind him. “And she willna mind you marrying again.”</span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Please tell us five random things we might not know about
you. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I’m a science teacher by trade, and I’ve taught a lot of
algebra over the years—I’m definitely the nerdy type. I play the flute. I
graduated from the University of Hawaii. I married a “local boy” I met in
Geology 101.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Why
did you choose to write this book? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">A
lot of things came together. My friend Douglas Bond has written a number of HF
books both for adults and young teens, and his writing inspired me. I thought,
“It’s possible to write an engaging story without sacrificing spiritual truth.”
I also realized that there were few stories written in this time period. One of
Douglas Bond’s (for juveniles) and Jack Cavanaugh’s <i>The Colonists</i> come to mind. But nothing exactly like I wanted to
write.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">What one thing about writing do you wish non-writers would
understand? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The huge amount of labor that goes into a book you can read
in two days. Especially a genre like historical fiction. Some writers have no
problem writing a thousand words a day, every day. But sometimes I spend more
time researching that actually writing. Then you come to “The End,” but that’s
only the beginning. Next comes the rewrite, the editing, and so forth. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">What is the toughest test you've faced as a writer? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">My debut novel was hard (<i>A
Twisted Strand</i>). I’d already published a nonfiction book (<i>Sam Houston’s Republic</i>) but fiction is
different. The rules are different. Sometimes I felt like a grown-up going to
first grade, and I like to think of that story as my Creative Writing 101. From
conception to publication it took four years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">What
do you hope readers to take away from your novel? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
want readers to get a sense of what it was like to live in that time period, in
every regard: daily life, cultural differences, the impact of the Great
Awakening, and even things like the flora and fauna of the time period. Did you
know that buffalo often wandered into the Shenandoah Valley? But most of all,
I’d like the reader to come away with uplifting and challenging scriptural
truth. It’s why I added the subtitle. I want readers to know upfront that it’s
not a romance per se, it’s something much more, which is why it doesn’t fit
into the “romance” genre.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b>What
accomplishment(s) are you most proud of, writing-related or not? <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Besides my kids
and grandkids? LOL Actually, I am happy about “placing” at the Selah
Awards—tied for second place in the historical/biblical fiction category. It is
gratifying for a relatively untested writer.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">What do you do for fun when not writing?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Read!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">What are you working on now?
<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I’m working on a sequel to <i>The Shenandoah Road. </i>It’s set roughly ten years later, during the
time period of the French and Indian War. I won’t give anything away, except
this: I decided to create a Shawnee point of view character in addition to the
main two. I have really loved that aspect of the story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Where else can readers find you online? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I have a Facebook page: </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/lynne.tagawa"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://www.facebook.com/lynne.tagawa</span></a><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I also have a website: </span><a href="https://www.lynnetagawa.com/"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://www.lynnetagawa.com/</span></a><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl5NIpWRKcI5bu5yZXu-rbHUNNILjGM0sXJs8gRj7yWv7QgV7MXKUxqVCweRirMD_4zTRNcKwaFSdtQsLwQWsxeXux6EUf5b3BVOn7WO5tOg53Guev-fShFIEN_o6hPxIyhqmoUaI1FWI/s1600/LynneTagawapic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1494" data-original-width="1600" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl5NIpWRKcI5bu5yZXu-rbHUNNILjGM0sXJs8gRj7yWv7QgV7MXKUxqVCweRirMD_4zTRNcKwaFSdtQsLwQWsxeXux6EUf5b3BVOn7WO5tOg53Guev-fShFIEN_o6hPxIyhqmoUaI1FWI/s200/LynneTagawapic.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Bio<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Lynne Tagawa is an author, editor, educator, and best of all,
grandma to four. She loves to writes quality fiction with solid gospel content.
Her debut novel, <i>A Twisted Strand, </i>is
contemporary romantic suspense, but she thinks she’s found a true home in
historical fiction. Currently she’s writing the sequel to <i>The Shenandoah Road: A Novel of the Great Awakening.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Back cover blurb<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">John Russell’s heart aches from the loss of his wife, but the
Shenandoah Valley frontiersman needs to marry again for his daughter’s sake. At
first he believes he has found the right young woman, despite their differences
in background, but his faith falters when time reveals she isn’t quite what she
seemed. Can he truly love her? And what about his own failings?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Unlike her disgraced sister, Abigail Williams obeys the
Commandments. At least, she thinks herself a Christian until a buckskin-clad
newcomer courts her. He treats her kindly but also introduces her to a sermon
by the controversial preacher, George Whitefield. Her self-righteousness is
shattered, and she wonders about their relationship. If she confesses her lack
of faith, will John continue to love her?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"></span>K. Dawn Byrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17794345260605025953noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5866583868913443313.post-18512692873440494942019-05-29T03:29:00.000-04:002019-05-29T03:29:12.754-04:00Interview with Jarm Del Boccio & Spotlight of The Heart Changer...<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Heart-Changer-Jarm-Del-Boccio-ebook/dp/B07N7QRLFF/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+heart+changer+del+boccio&qid=1552915046&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spell" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="314" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQXSvaOrxuTMQ-CyWO9IoUItwVqZoHOg696ieQ_MFECyoqZ4Bs7O0AqO7QIzo_MHdsHujXUyIhUBR6KmMPM1-QCKH_qOdAavPyuNq46F0NgHK0Mv9-iWSjVhbWmkLBBbkSmn1_X7GokjU/s320/heart+changer.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<b>We're happy to have Jarm Del Boccio with us today talking about her book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Heart-Changer-Jarm-Del-Boccio-ebook/dp/B07N7QRLFF/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+heart+changer+del+boccio&qid=1552915046&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spell" target="_blank">The Heart Changer. </a> To learn more about Jarm and her book, read on!</b><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Cover blurb</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Can an Israelite
captive, wrenched from all she loves, serve the very man who destroyed her village?</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Miriam is asked to do
the impossible: serve the wife of Naaman, commander of the Syrian army.
Clinging to treasured memories of home and faith, Miriam faces captivity with
worry and bitterness. Little does she know the Heart Changer is wooing and
preparing her for a greater mission—far beyond what she could imagine.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">This middle-grade
historical novel reflects the heartache and angst of a young refugee in a
foreign land where all hope seems lost. </span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Please tell us five random
things we might not know about you.</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">1. I love to travel,
and am passionate about visiting new places. My motto is: never visit the same
location twice. Well — I’ve disregarded my own rule a few times, but otherwise,
I stick to it as best I can. I’m slowly checking off destinations on my bucket
list, and have journeyed to six of seven continents. I’ll let you decide which
one I have yet to step foot on . . .</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">2. I was accidentally
hit in the head with a baseball bat and sported black and blue eyes for eight
grade graduation. A well-meaning elderly man thought I had applied my makeup
incorrectly. The ironic thing is — I am not a sports fan!</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">3. When I was a
junior in high school my first job was — no joke — in a Chinese laundromat.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">4. My secret desire?
To get caught up in a flash mob singing a tune from a favorite musical.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">5. When I was in
elementary school, I begged my Mom for a baby alligator from Florida, trying to
convince her we could keep it in our bathtub. She gently asked me what I would
do once it grew to full-size. I pondered the question for a minute or two, and
reluctantly backed down.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Why did you choose to write this book?</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I have a soft
spot for kids in the Bible who have no name and backstory, but have made a huge
impact on the people around them. So, I chose the story of Naaman’s wife’s
servant girl from 2 Kings 5. I gave Miriam a name AND a feasible backstory! I
try to stay as close to the historical account as possible. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">What one thing about writing do
you wish non-writers would understand?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Authors are not passionate about writing for financial gain, but because
we have a story to tell the world that can’t be squelched. We want to impact
lives!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">What is the toughest test you've
faced as a writer?</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Hmmmm. I guess I have to say receiving one manuscript rejection after
another. One year, I submitted to agents and editors twice a month. That’s over
24 submissions which ended up as a ‘no’ or ignored, as I watched other kid lit
authors sign contracts and find agents after only a few tries. It will happen
when the time is right. My career is in God’s hands.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">What do you hope readers to take away from your
novel?</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">There’s
always hope when God is allowed to write our story. He has conceived it, so He
will bring it to pass in the best way possible.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">What
accomplishment(s) are you most proud of, writing-related or not?</b></div>
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I wouldn’t consider this an accomplishment, per se, but
I have the ability to fit into whichever culture or country I am visiting at
the time. Often, while traveling, folks can’t tell by my speech that I’m
American. They say I have more of a cosmopolitan accent. And I love to eat,
speak and live as they do. From ‘85 to ‘87 I taught missionary children in an
isolated village of Papua New Guinea. Even there I tried to fit in by carrying
a load in a woven bag on my back with most of the weight resting on the strap
across my forehead, just like the local women.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Please give us
the first page of the book.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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C H A P T E R<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>O N
E<o:p></o:p></div>
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“RUN! RUN, MY DAUGHTER! DON’T let them see you!”
Miriam’s mother cried in alarm, shielding baby Zacchaeus in her long robes. She
watched, helpless, as her precious child ran to escape the oncoming invasion.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Picking up
her skirts, the young girl fled down the center of the Shunem town market,
following the frantic path of others, terror- stricken by the billowing clouds
of dust gathering in the distance. As the villagers ran for their lives,
baskets of fruits and vegetables, nuts and spices were carelessly scattered on
the parched ground. Carts of fish and goat’s cheese were upset, the sound of
splintering and cracking adding to the mayhem as striped awnings ripped from
their door frames. Goats and sheep scattered, and those who could not be freed
from their leads bleated in fear. Shouts of the Syrian army, and the sound of
clomping horse’s hooves on the stone pavement signaled the enemy’s advance.
Cries and screams escaped from the villagers as they dropped a trail of
precious belongings in their flight. A keepsake and a fresh loaf of bread meant
nothing. Only their lives mattered now.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Miriam eyed
another overturned cart, its sweets scattered in the dust, and swiftly darted
behind it to evade the soldiers’ haunting advances. She covered her face with
the cloth from her head covering, tucking it in to hide her maturing face.
Heart pounding, she took a deep breath, pressing her head against the rugged
wood, praying no one had seen her.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What do you do for fun when not
writing?</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I love to take tours and visit museums, especially when they relate to
history. Travel is my go to inspiration, so I take advantage of it whenever
possible. Next on my bucket list is a cruise through Scandinavia or a stay in a
Mongolian yurt! And I have to admit, I love to be pampered with a facial or
massage, but it’s been a while since I’ve enjoyed one.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">What are you working on
now?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I have three
other middle-grade novels, set in England, Spain, and the 1893 World Columbian
Exposition. The latter novel I’ve been submitting to publishers and agents, so
I would be blessed if it was in God’s plan for it to be snatched up in 2019!</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXn0wn2CAe1I1kQY_5jE8RbFTDQPVM8WU_ZFh3mJEd40TSK9fTnopzwkswnONBUnilOe30jkJDc_ttBJiZYAWencQptG3EeMcStbjHvNV3xem513ntO4NCnZTexbDAnIZFasv-PorimJI/s1600/jarm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXn0wn2CAe1I1kQY_5jE8RbFTDQPVM8WU_ZFh3mJEd40TSK9fTnopzwkswnONBUnilOe30jkJDc_ttBJiZYAWencQptG3EeMcStbjHvNV3xem513ntO4NCnZTexbDAnIZFasv-PorimJI/s200/jarm.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , serif;">Jarm
(‘J’ pronounced as a 'Y') Del Boccio finds her inspiration in everyday life,
but in particular, when she travels the globe, observing the quirky things that
happen along the way. Focusing on lives of characters from the past, Jarm is
devoted to breathing new life into the pages of history. </span></i><i><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , serif;">Jarm
has a background in elementary and high school education, and served for seven
years as a school librarian. Grateful for the opportunity, she taught three
missionary kids in an isolated area of Papua New Guinea. She is part of SCBWI
and American Christian Fiction Writers, and has published articles in "The
Old Schoolhouse" magazine.</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , serif;">“The
Heart Changer,” her debut MG historical/biblical fiction, releases with
Ambassador International April 26th 2019. Jarm is content with the journey God
has placed her on, and lives with her husband, adult daughter and son (when he
lands at home) in a tree-lined suburb of Chicago. You can connect on her author’s
website/blog at: </span></i><span class="Hyperlink1"><a href="https://www.jarmdelboccio.com/"><i><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: "helvetica" , serif;">https://www.jarmdelboccio.com/</span></i></a></span><i><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , serif;"> </span></i><i><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span lang="RU" style="font-family: "hoefler text" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">"</span><i><span style="font-family: "hoefler text" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">My Passion is to Make Scripture and History Come Alive
for my Readers: Illuminating the Past. Making Sense of the Present. Offering
Hope for the Future.”</span></i></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Where else can readers find you online? </span></b><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">My author’s website/blog: </span><span class="Link"><a href="https://www.jarmdelboccio.com/"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">https://www.jarmdelboccio.com/</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Facebook Page: </span><span class="Link"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/JarmDelBoccio/"><span lang="IT" style="color: #0563c1; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">https://www.facebook.com/JarmDelBoccio/</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Pinterest: </span><span class="Link"><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/jarmdelboccio/"><span lang="IT" style="color: #0563c1; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">https://www.pinterest.com/jarmdelboccio/</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Twitter: </span><span class="Link"><a href="http://www.twitter.com/JarmVee"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">www.twitter.com/JarmVee</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Instagram: @JarmDelBoccio</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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K. Dawn Byrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17794345260605025953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5866583868913443313.post-82931308776445541292019-05-24T07:19:00.000-04:002019-05-24T07:19:47.469-04:00Interview with Sherrinda Ketchersid and spotlight of Lord of Her Heart...<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lord-Her-Heart-Sherrinda-Ketchersid-ebook/dp/B07Q4R9L8Z/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=1FGHXEWUV06HX&keywords=lord+of+her+heart+by+sherrinda+ketchersid&qid=1558696290&s=gateway&sprefix=lord+of+her+heart+she%2Caps%2C180&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYBckRkjSaGVTmjQu39u4uVQJPQNMcw_91Nr31pbd3zt1XaAnt0TvO4lTOY-cAMIuEIfVKrzEKCog2Gv9DK7bvCjAKCPVELHsc4ierXMcVywjjHTYcMtUUvv3RaUAHvjAoZBCMHciDi2s/s320/lord+of+her+heart.jpg" width="213" /></a><span id="goog_1816753017"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_1816753018"></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>We're happy to have Sherrinda Ketchersid with us today talking about her book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lord-Her-Heart-Sherrinda-Ketchersid-ebook/dp/B07Q4R9L8Z/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=1FGHXEWUV06HX&keywords=lord+of+her+heart+by+sherrinda+ketchersid&qid=1558696290&s=gateway&sprefix=lord+of+her+heart+she%2Caps%2C180&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1" target="_blank">Lord of Her Heart.</a> To learn more about Sherrinda and her book, read on!</b></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>Back cover blurb</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Lady
Jocelyn Ashburne suspects something is amiss at her family’s castle </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background: white;">because her father ceases to write to her. When
she overhears a plot to </span><span style="background: white;">force her into vows—either to the church or a
husband—she disguises </span><span style="background: white;">herself and flees the convent in desperation to
discover the truth.</span><br />
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<span style="background: white;">Malcolm Castillon of Berkham is determined to
win the next tournament </span><span style="background: white;">and be granted a manor of his own. After years
of proving his worth on </span><span style="background: white;">the jousting field, he yearns for a life of
peace. Rescuing a scrawny </span><span style="background: white;">lad who turns out to be a beautiful woman is not
what he bargained for. </span><span style="background: white;">Still, he cannot deny that she stirs his heart
like no other, in spite </span><span style="background: white;">of her conniving ways.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Chaos, deception, and treachery threaten their
goals, but both are </span><br />
<span style="background: white;">determined to succeed. Learning to trust each
other might be the only </span><span style="background: white;">way either of them survives.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div>
<div class="textbox" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<b>Please give us the first page of the book.</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="background: white; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“I tire of this
endless cleaning.” Jocelyn Ashburne sat on the cold stone floor of the
cellarium and put a hand to her aching back. Her gray woolen habit made her
itch. She wanted to pull off the veil to release her damp curls from its
confines. “Methinks the Reverend Mother Agatha is attempting to tire my body
and mind into forgetting my desire to return home. My petition for release has
been again ignored, and I know not what to do.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Perhaps you should write to your
father once more.” Sister Mary, her dearest friend at the convent, scrubbed the
floor, swiping at her forehead before looking up at Jocelyn. “It could be he
has had much to deal with at Ramslea and has been too busy to answer.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Jocelyn dipped her rag
into the bucket of rosemary-scented water and wrung it out. “I’ve been here
four years. I know I’ve only heard from him a few times, but ’tisn’t like him
to be so silent, even with the distraction of his new wife. My father has been
silent for an entire year, and I am worried.” Perhaps she should scour his
missives for clues to solve the mystery of his silence. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“Do you sincerely
think Helen might sway his ability to make decisions?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Jocelyn huffed and
scrubbed the floor with renewed vigor. “Aye, she cares not for me and only
fawned over me in the presence of Father. He was blind to everything but her
beauty and charm.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“He was lonely after
losing your mother. I’m sure Helen fills the void in his heart. God will
provide for you. Never fear.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Would that Jocelyn had
Mary’s faith in God’s ability to manage her return home. So far, He had been
silent to her pleas. Perhaps His lack of communication was His answer. Perhaps
she was to have faith amid the silence of her earthly father, as well as her
heavenly one. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>Please tell us five
random things we might not know about you.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">1. I love to paint and
letter in my Bible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">2. I have scoliosis and
had to wear a metal back brace as a freshman and sophomore in high school.
Think Joan Cusack in Sixteen Candles. </span><span style="background: white; font-family: "wingdings"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">3. I moved away from home
to attend a Bible school when I was 17 and just out of high school.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">4. My husband gave me a
dozen roses on my 18<sup>th</sup> birthday (I’d only been talking to him for
two weeks.) and we were inseparable after that. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">5. Coffee with cream is
often my go-to dessert. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Why did you choose to write this book? I
originally wrote this book to tell a good story and bring someone as much joy
as reading has brought to me. But as I wrote, the message of trust came through
and I hope that brings hope to others as they journey with God. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>What one thing about
writing do you wish non-writers would understand?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Hhmm. My friends and family are very
supportive of my writing, but I hear others say they wished people would
understand how time consuming the writing life can be. A writer must treat
writing as a job and pass up invitations sometimes in order to get their “job”
done. It takes a lot of discipline and hard work to get a book written and
rewritten. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>What is the toughest test
you've faced as a writer? </b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Rejection is always difficult. There have been times
when I have wanted to give up, but as a spinner of stories, I have decided I
would write even if the book doesn’t see the light of day. I write because I am
a writer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>What do you hope readers to take away from
your novel? </b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I would love for readers to get lost in the story and come away
smiling. But on a deeper level, I hope they can see in themselves a need to
trust—not only the need to trust God in difficult times, but learn to trust
others for help when they need it. Everyone needs a listening ear or help from
time to time, and sometimes we are afraid to ask. We need to get over that
feeling of not wanting to bother someone or not trusting others to step up to
the plate and help us out. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpLast">
<br /></div>
<div class="textboxCxSpFirst" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<b>What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of,
writing-related or not? </b></div>
<div class="textboxCxSpFirst" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
I’m most proud that I have raised self-sufficient and
loving children. They are kind, thoughtful, and generous. They are my greatest
accomplishment and I love them dearly. Writing-wise, I am most proud that I
stuck with my first story and didn’t shove it under the bed. The book needed a
lot of work, but my publisher took a chance on it and molded it into something
I am super proud of.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="textboxCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>What do you do for fun when not writing? </b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I
love to read inspirational romance, historical or contemporary. I also like to
paint and letter in my Bible as a way of worship. I like to spend time with my
seven month old puppy, Phineas. He gets me outside and moving. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>What are you working on
now?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I am editing and rewriting my
second story, His to Keep. It is the story of Ian McGowan, the head guardsman
in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lord of Her Heart.</i> He receives an
inheritance that forces him to marry an English woman. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtJiJgQGZHngWmi708Pp8-QL3uTgwpqQsh7EvcaHm8ZmXMw7cL5vaiUsHIHC4za2VZ1sScXiXUN-h5LDl5iIVBISQRbUURs6YJGwJr41_RFXrnHmH7B8kxhu1W5FTZuAaCoLSyNZ2MiX8/s1600/Sherrinda_square.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtJiJgQGZHngWmi708Pp8-QL3uTgwpqQsh7EvcaHm8ZmXMw7cL5vaiUsHIHC4za2VZ1sScXiXUN-h5LDl5iIVBISQRbUURs6YJGwJr41_RFXrnHmH7B8kxhu1W5FTZuAaCoLSyNZ2MiX8/s200/Sherrinda_square.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><b>Bio</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">Sherrinda Ketchersid is a lover of stories with happily-ever-after endings. Whether set in the past or present, romance is what she writes and where her dreams reside. Sherrinda lives in north-central Texas with her preacher husband. With four grown children, three guys and a gal, she has more time and energy to spin tales of faith, fun, and forever love.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>Where else can readers
find you online?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Facebook: </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/SherrindaKetchersidAuthor/"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">https://www.facebook.com/SherrindaKetchersidAuthor/</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Twitter: </span><a href="https://www.twitter.com/sherrinda"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">https://www.twitter.com/sherrinda</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Instagram: </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/sherrinda"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">https://www.instagram.com/sherrinda</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Pinterest: </span><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/sherrinda/"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">https://www.pinterest.com/sherrinda/</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Goodreads: </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19022507.Sherrinda_Ketchersid"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19022507.Sherrinda_Ketchersid</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Website: </span><a href="https://www.sherrinda.com/"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">https://www.sherrinda.com</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
</div>
K. Dawn Byrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17794345260605025953noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5866583868913443313.post-84689852000271982252019-05-15T05:57:00.000-04:002019-05-15T05:57:09.094-04:00Interview with Gina Holder & Spotlight of No Greater Love...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Greater-Love-Shadows-Over-Whitman/dp/1797959581/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=holder+no+greater+love&qid=1557832492&s=gateway&sr=8-1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="324" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnwhLLIByAilNYfND1tPCzPVAAKmySRAM9KxLlOS7G_Kvm4go44k5qecYdzoMXMdtP4ioJviNwMkQLMPtupgOkquJLmdoz_qpecaFK1PxnpjG26fz1s2MSXQRXmgmNyaypOwVMLkLM498/s200/Gina+holder.jpg" width="129" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We're happy to have Gina Holder with us today talking about her book <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Greater-Love-Shadows-Over-Whitman/dp/1797959581/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=holder+no+greater+love&qid=1557832492&s=gateway&sr=8-1" target="_blank">No Greater Love.</a> </i>To learn more about Gina and her work read on!</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Back
cover blurb:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">One Book
Changed Her Life…and Her Eternity<br />
<br />
He said he’d never risk leaving a widow.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">She said
she’d never love a man in uniform.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Paige
McDonald collects antique literature and works at the largest bookstore in Portland,
Oregon. When her grandfather, a firefighter, was killed, she vowed never to
fall in love with a first responder. An old Bible leads to an unexpected
discovery and disrupts everything she knows about herself, her family, and God.
Her desire to know the truth sends her to the town of Whitman directly into the
radar of Patrol Officer Hamilton Bryant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">After the
loss of his best friend and fellow officer, Hamilton vowed never to marry. He
won’t risk leaving a widow. Instead, he reserves his passion for serving his
family and the town he’s sworn to protect. When a series of robberies and
threats against the mayor correspond with Paige’s sudden appearance in Whitman,
their paths intersect.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="textbox" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">Please give us the first page of the book.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="CSP-ChapterBodyText-FirstParagraphCxSpFirst">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "garamond-italic" , serif;">There isn’t another
smell like this in the entire world.</span></i> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="CSP-ChapterBodyText-FirstParagraphCxSpLast">
The musty scent of vintage
paper enveloped her like the familiarity of a security blanket, drawing her
into her happy place. The smell of various perfumes and lavender vacuum powder
lingered in the air. Several dimly lit, antique lamps sat atop the stand-alone
marble-topped bookcases in the middle of the room. A terracotta rug and leather
chairs gave the room the appearance of a cozy den. Paige McDonald closed her
eyes and jostled her hand along the fraying spines where their roughness
tickled the pads of her fingertips. She imagined the lives they’d lived, the
places they’d been, and the stories they could tell beyond the ones written on
their thinning, yellowed pages.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="CSP-ChapterBodyTextCxSpFirst">
A shrill noise echoed in the distance,
breaking into Paige’s daydreams. She lowered her hand and sighed, moving to
open the interior door of the Rare Book Room. She stepped through the doorway
into the Pearl Room on the third floor of the largest bookstore in the world.
Florescent lights momentarily blinded her. She clicked the door shut behind
her, protecting the rare literary volumes against the ultraviolet rays. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="CSP-ChapterBodyTextCxSpMiddle">
“Paige! Paige McDonald!” <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="CSP-ChapterBodyTextCxSpMiddle">
Customers lifted their heads as the
intrusive sound interrupted their browsing. The source of the offensive voice
topped the stairs leading from the color-coded Red and Purple Rooms below.
“I’ve been searching everywhere for you.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="CSP-ChapterBodyTextCxSpMiddle">
“Yes, Mrs. Bastille. What can I do for
you?” Paige clasped her hands behind her back and waited for instructions as
the swanky assistant manager stalked her direction. Cat Bastille’s red hair
complemented her fiery personality. She wore an outdated navy pantsuit and a
gold scarf around her neck. Paige detested the woman, but she was all that
stood between herself and the unemployment office.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="CSP-ChapterBodyTextCxSpMiddle">
The manager invaded Paige’s personal
bubble and blew coffee breath in her face. Paige scrunched her nose against the
odor. “The toilet is overflowing. Get in there and put a stop to it. Then,
clean out the fridge in back. Some of the employees’ lunches are growing mold.”
Cat tossed her hair over her shoulder with a show of dramatics. The woman
should have been an actress…or a troll. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="CSP-ChapterBodyTextCxSpLast">
“Of course, Mrs. Bastille. I’ll take care
of it.” Paige kept her voice sweet and submissive, when all she really wanted
to do was grab the woman by her oversized hooped earrings and shake her. Cat
repeatedly assigned her to the lowest and most demeaning tasks in the store.
However, working at Powell’s City of Books in downtown Portland was the closest
thing to her dream, and if it required groveling at the feet of Cat Bastille,
then so be it. Without another word, she ducked under her boss’s outstretched
arm, heading for the janitor’s closet on the second floor. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="textbox" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Please
tell us five random things we might not know about you.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I have heterochromia, meaning my eyes are not the
same color<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I collect Precious Moment figurines.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I took horseback riding lessons for three years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I play piano, organ, and I used to also play cello
and guitar.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I’ve visited 15 countries and 43 states.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Why did you choose to
write this book?</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I wrote the book in such a way that if I share my inspiration for
the story, I’ll give away spoilers!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What
one thing about writing do you wish non-writers would understand?</span></b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Writing a book is about 10 % inspiration and 99 %
perspiration. (Yes, I’m aware that doesn’t equal 100%.) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What
is the toughest test you've faced as a writer? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When I was editing my debut novel, Whither Shall I
Go, my husband took me away to a cabin in the mountains for us to work on the
book together. Unfortunately, I was very sick the entire time, burning up with
fever. When I got home, I was diagnosed with mono. I couldn’t do anything for
the next two weeks. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What do you hope
readers to take away from your novel?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A reminder of just how much God loves them. Also, a new or renewed
appreciation for the first responders and their families.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What do you do for fun when not writing? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I read books for fun and for review. I love to
watch cheesy Hallmark movies with my husband. I spend time with my family. I’m
addicted to social media and spend time each day surfing the web. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What
are you working on now? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I’m beginning Book 2 of the Shadows of Whitman
series, the sequel to No Greater Love. I’m also working on a historical romance
called, In the Midst of the Sea, it’s book one of a shoot-off series from my
debut novel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Where else
can readers find you online? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I can be found on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
under the name “storiesbygina”. I also have a blog at </span><a href="http://storiesbygina.wordpress.com/"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">http://storiesbygina.wordpress.com</span></a><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwMmZ6jeq7NME8v0btaV1oNH4OMDL50QSmGnxBbBnGQ6dxB7J5NpwT6cn05FRBowIusZEohRZslM3d3fzQ625QumvpSGvz07_Y4IQBo5sDbMsldRDql8sWGhucksapM_2vKfQxtfHX7vc/s1600/GinaProfile-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="364" data-original-width="276" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwMmZ6jeq7NME8v0btaV1oNH4OMDL50QSmGnxBbBnGQ6dxB7J5NpwT6cn05FRBowIusZEohRZslM3d3fzQ625QumvpSGvz07_Y4IQBo5sDbMsldRDql8sWGhucksapM_2vKfQxtfHX7vc/s200/GinaProfile-8.jpg" width="151" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Gina
Holder</b> dreamed of being a writer from her early teen years and completed
the Long Ridge Writer’s Group “Breaking into Print” course. She also graduated
from Faith Bible Institute. In August 2017, she published her first novel,
Whither Shall I Go?, a historical romance. No Greater Love is her first
contemporary romantic suspense.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="CSP-ChapterBodyTextCxSpLast">
She lives in Colorado with her husband and
daughter. When she’s not homeschooling her daughter or working on her next
novel, she enjoys reading, watching movies, singing, and playing the piano and
organ.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
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K. Dawn Byrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17794345260605025953noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5866583868913443313.post-10762313966486439502019-05-08T05:38:00.000-04:002019-05-08T05:38:00.644-04:00Interview with Patrick E. Craig & spotlight of The Mennonite Queen...<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mennonite-Queen-Paradise-Chronicles-Book-ebook/dp/B07NV2GPVP/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?crid=IUFPUM9OJIFA&keywords=the+mennonite+queen+patrick+e.+craig&qid=1557178342&s=gateway&sprefix=patrick+craig+mennoni%2Caps%2C260&sr=8-1-fkmrnull" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNAC9f8dTvGMWTT-rxJ_a4UcQTAeCHzq1AMK48BQRbqeR3-Iz_1dm9rbNS8p3U038ZbohaURmCl_IzCiMpSH_dT3ZPni3dHTP0CBt4t7hQ852YLoc0MW-HJV3xgUYTcNy_aQG8-nvqRHQ/s320/patrick.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<b>We're happy to have Patrick E. Craig with us today talking about his novel <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mennonite-Queen-Paradise-Chronicles-Book-ebook/dp/B07NV2GPVP/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?crid=IUFPUM9OJIFA&keywords=the+mennonite+queen+patrick+e.+craig&qid=1557178342&s=gateway&sprefix=patrick+craig+mennoni%2Caps%2C260&sr=8-1-fkmrnull" target="_blank">The Mennonite Queen</a>. To learn more about Patrick and his book, read on!</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>Back cover blurb:</b> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Isabella, Princess of Poland, is raised to a life of great
wealth and leisure in the Polish Royal Court, destined to marry a king. But
fate or divine providence intervenes when she meets Johan Hirschberg, a young
Anabaptist who works in her father’s stable. This chance meeting leads the
young couple into a forbidden love. Together they flee Poland and embark on a
dangerous journey that brings them, after great peril, to the small parish of a
troubled priest named Menno Simons. Catholic Bishop, Franz von Waldek, paid by
King Sigismund, Isabella’s father to find the princess at all costs, pursues them
across Europe. Isabella does not know it, but if von Waldek captures her, she
will have to make a choice that will change the course of European history
forever.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;"><b>Please give us the first page
of the book. </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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PROLOGUE—1559 <i>Sic Fata Volunt, </i>The Will of Fate<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="DraftStyle" style="line-height: normal; tab-stops: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">The woman groaned and turned on the
couch, awakened by a patter of rain rattling the windows. Outside, dark heralds
of the unseasonal storm hid the moon. Distant lightning illuminated the room.
An unearthly light touched her face momentarily and then faded as the gray
predawn took victory over the indigo night. A long roll of thunder shook the
window again, and she pulled her shawl tighter, a frown furrowing her brow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="DraftStyle" style="line-height: normal; tab-stops: .5in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">I must tell him… before I go… <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="DraftStyle" style="line-height: normal;">
Queen Isabella of Hungary
focused her eyes on the candle<i> </i>sputtering in the persistent draft that
plagued the building. The<i> </i>flickering light illuminated Filippo Lippi’s
painting above the fireplace,<i> Madonna and Child Enthroned. </i>Mary held the
Christ-child, the love in her eyes captured<i> </i>perfectly by the artist.
Jesus’s tiny hands clutched his mother’s<i> </i>robe, but he was not happy, nor
was he comforted. Isabella could <span style="font-family: "athelas-regular" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Athelas-Regular;">imagine his little mouth quivering—as
though someone unseen was preparing to tear him from his mother’s arms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="DraftStyle" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "athelas-regular" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Athelas-Regular;">Isabella blinked back tears.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "athelas-regular" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Athelas-Regular;">Ah, my Abel,
my son... where are you tonight?</span></i><o:p></o:p></div>
<b><br /></b>
<br />
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>Please tell us five random things we might not know about
you. </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I was a professional Rock & Roll Musician from
the sixties to the eighties with albums on Warner Brothers Records.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I quit the music business in 1986 and became a
pastor/worship leader.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My favorite sport is fly fishing<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I am one of only seven male Amish Authors<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I have every one of the Hardy Boy Books on my
library shelf<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>Why
did you choose to write this book?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> The Mennonite Queen ties up my two Amish
series, Apple Creek Dreams and The Paradise Chronicles, all of which are about several
generations of a fictional Amish family, the Hershbergers, in Ohio and
Pennsylvania. This book tells the slightly fictional story of the matriarch of
the Hershberger clan, Isabella, who became the mother of the first Hershberger
son in 1534. I say slightly fictional because Isabella Jagiellon was a
historical figure I surrounded with fictional characters to create a mythical
“missing three years” story to help me establish the roots of the Hershberger
family.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>What one thing about writing do you wish non-writers would
understand?</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The best writers do not
write about topics they think will sell, they write stories that are in their
hearts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>What is the toughest test you've faced as a writer? </b></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">To be
honest, the toughest test has been continuing to write as I waited for that one
breakthrough book that captured the imagination of the reading public. So far, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Amish Heiress</i> has come the closest,
although I have great hopes for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Mennonite Queen</i>. As a writer, I am determined to continue writing my
stories. If I can’t get them published traditionally, I will publish them
myself. So far, I’m about half and half.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>What
do you hope readers to take away from your novel? </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Every story does not end with
a “happily ever after.” Life can be hard, it can be painful, and it can
especially be unfair. Yet in every story, people can achieve greatness by
clinging to that which is great—truth, faith and love.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="textbox" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;"><b>What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of,
writing-related or not? </b></span></div>
<div class="textbox" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">I’m proud of the success I had as a young man in the
music business, I am proud of my work as a pastor and worship leader in the
middle part of my life, and now I am proud to be pursuing the thing I love the
most—telling stories that touch people in the deepest part of their lives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="textbox" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>What do you do for fun when not writing? </b></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My wife and I love
to pack up our travel trailer and take off for the mountains of Idaho and
Oregon. We fish, ride bikes, rest, sit by the campfire and get back in touch
with God’s wonderful creation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>What are you working on now?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I have several projects in process. One is a World War II series I am
co-authoring with my friend, Murray Pura, who I consider one of the great
writers of this generation. The series title is Islands and the first book is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Far On The ringing Plains. </i>I am also
working on a book title <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Amish
Menorah. </i>It’s set in the last Amish community in Europe in 1937 and it is
about an Amish man who falls in love with an Amish man who falls in love with
and hides a Jewish girl from the Nazis. I also have a medieval series, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Amour mi Tien</i> (Love Keep Me), that is
set in the heart of the Wars of The Roses. I call the first book in that series
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Roses of Agincourt. </i>I also just
signed a contract with Elk Lake Publishing to release my YA mystery series, The
Adventures of Punkin and Boo. The first book, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Mystery of Ghost Dancer Ranch, </i>will be released in August.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNOyQWRatAcUumWWGriuwiKDxh-6yAE4ChaLY4o65sVfhPTK0sZHiCMhwKMiqAz97i8AnEXe_c2vDE3ykDnpo2Rd2O1wYMhK4w-MH2NsZP2wU3tDUiPte1iix-NvLmsm1HkBQiRpwt1Sc/s1600/PCraigPhotoSM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNOyQWRatAcUumWWGriuwiKDxh-6yAE4ChaLY4o65sVfhPTK0sZHiCMhwKMiqAz97i8AnEXe_c2vDE3ykDnpo2Rd2O1wYMhK4w-MH2NsZP2wU3tDUiPte1iix-NvLmsm1HkBQiRpwt1Sc/s200/PCraigPhotoSM.jpg" width="160" /></a></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Bio: </b> </span><b>Patrick E. Craig</b> is a traditionally published/independent author.
In 2013, Harvest House Publishers published his <i>Apple Creek Dreams</i> series. His current series is <i>The Paradise Chronicles</i>, published by
P&J Publishing<i>,</i> and<i> </i>the first book, <i>The Amish Heiress</i> was published in 2015. It remained on the Amazon
Top 100 best sellers list for seven months. <i>The
Amish Princess</i> was released in 2016 and <i>The
Mennonite Queen </i>in April 2019. In 2017 Harlequin purchased the print rights
for <i>The Amish Heiress </i>for their
Walmart Amish series. That book is now in Walmart stores on across the country.
Just recently Patrick signed with Elk Lake Publishers to publish his kids’
mystery series, <i>The Adventures of Punkin
and Boo. </i>Patrick and his wife, Judy,
make their home in Idaho. Patrick is represented by the Steve Laube Agency.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>Where else can readers find you online?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><b> </b></span></span><a href="http://www.patrickecraig.com/"><span style="background: white; color: windowtext; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">www.patrickecraig.com</span></a><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Webpage<br />
</span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/PatrickECraig"><span style="background: white; color: windowtext; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">https://www.facebook.com/PatrickECraig</span></a><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Facebook<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/PatrickECraig"><span style="background: white; color: windowtext; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">https://twitter.com/PatrickECraig</span></a><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Twitter<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
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<b><span style="background: white;">Where
can readers find your books?</span></b><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://tinyurl.com/n6sfagg"><b><span style="color: windowtext;">http://tinyurl.com/n6sfagg</span></b></a><b> Amazon<br />
</b><a href="http://tinyurl.com/yyjfwl6j"><b><span style="color: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://tinyurl.com/yyjfwl6j</span></b></a><b><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Barnes & Noble<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="http://tinyurl.com/y4t4dts6"><b><span style="color: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://tinyurl.com/y4t4dts6</span></b></a><b><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> KOBO<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="http://tinyurl.com/y4b7pt6v" style="text-indent: 0in;"><b><span style="color: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://tinyurl.com/y4b7pt6v</span></b></a><b style="text-indent: 0in;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Apple Books</span></b></div>
<br />K. Dawn Byrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17794345260605025953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5866583868913443313.post-92113606310195009592019-05-01T05:59:00.000-04:002019-05-01T05:59:00.368-04:00Interview with Johnnie Alexander & spotlight of Match You Like Crazy...<div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Match-You-Like-Crazy-Romance-ebook/dp/B07ND4N2Q5/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=johnnie+alexander+match+you&qid=1556546014&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnull" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="313" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRfaJ-I56sfO4a4accfwzwA_24gqgvQJW_VF_xuhL00rm5M3uzajHqKmWRR4To1RRHXBoexjOXJtcLNkyx446WZNXxsqySAUjTqgPSJfqL8JsrtUdsu3RYlHwwXyliJcgpyEMScdEHVfk/s320/51YgSxKlbNL.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We're happy to have Johnnie Alexander with us today talking about her book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Match-You-Like-Crazy-Romance-ebook/dp/B07ND4N2Q5/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=johnnie+alexander+match+you&qid=1556546014&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnull" target="_blank">Match You Like Crazy.</a> To learn more about Johnnie and her book, read on!</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Back
cover blurb<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">They have
everything in common. So why aren’t they a perfect match?</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Bre Fisher wishes she’d said no
when her grandmother gave her a trip to Matchmaking Week, especially when Nate
Hunter takes the seat beside her on the puddle-jumper to Joy Island. He’s the
last person she expected to see.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Nate figures he can’t go home if
Bre is his match. The longstanding business rivalry between their families
makes romance with a Fisher impossible. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Yet in addition to the same family
expectations and obligations, Bre and Nate have the same interests ~ maybe even
the same dream. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Will a week on Joy Island spark
another feud? Or prove they’re a crazy perfect match? <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">FIRST PAGE</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">“Match You Like Crazy”<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Resort to Romance
Series</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Johnnie Alexander<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Chapter One<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">A puddle-jumper!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">For the hundredth
time since Bre had arrived at the oceanside airport, she wished she had paid
more attention when Gran asked if she wanted to take a plane or a boat to Joy
Island. The plane seemed the obvious choice since the flight didn’t depart till
three. The boat had left the dock at ten that morning. Way too early! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">By choosing to
fly, she’d had plenty of time to make the drive from her Tampa home to the
private airport located along Miami’s southeastern seaboard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">But a
puddle-jumper?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">She prayed she
wouldn’t vomit as she maneuvered the narrow aisle on her way to Seat L-1 near
the back of the small plane. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">L
for Love. Perhaps it was a sign.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Gran had suggested
as much when she printed out the ticket and stuffed it in the packet with Bre’s
other travel documents. Her gray eyes had sparkled with a mischievous glint.
Bre should have summoned the courage to say no. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">No to the plane.
No to Joy Island. No to the whole matchmaking scheme. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Yet here she was,
entrusting her life to a flying tin can to make her grandmother happy. But she
refused to sit in a window seat no matter what it said on her ticket.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Each row held
three seats—two on the right side of the aisle and one on the left. Row L was
empty, and Bre gratefully dropped into L-2, the only seat that wasn’t next to a
window. Perhaps L also stood for <i>Luck</i>
and no one else had been assigned to the row.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">She stowed her
tote then opened the texting app on her phone to send a quick “I’m on board”
message to Gran and her parents. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“I think you’re in
my seat.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Bre looked up at
the man hovering above her. And gasped. It couldn’t be. Not <i>him.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Recognition dawned
in his eyes, and a slow smile curved his lips.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“You’re Bre
Fisher. Aren’t you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“And you’re Nate
Hunter. Small world.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Too small.” He
tapped his phone screen. “I’m pretty sure my ticket said L-2. I’ve got it on
here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“I’m L-1. It’s
just that . . .” Bre gazed toward the window. Outside the plane, palm trees
waved their fronds in beat with the tropical breezes wafting from the Atlantic
Ocean. The sun shone bright and hot in a perfect blue sky dotted with perfect
white clouds. A tranquil picturesque scene if you overlooked the concrete of
the tarmac. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">But to be among
those clouds in that perfect blue? Bre gagged at the thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“How about I take
the window seat?” Nate offered. “You look a little tense.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Thank you.” Bre
stood so he could squeeze past her. She’d imagined this day getting worse
before it got better but sitting beside Nate Hunter for the duration of the
flight was the worst of the worst. Unless she did vomit. She shuddered at the
thought of that humiliation.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Please
tell us five random things we might not know about you.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My birthday is in a couple weeks!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Captain America is my favorite Avenger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I traveled through Europe with a penguin travel
pillow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My mom lost the crest on her class ring, so she
had it polished and gave it to me when I was thirteen. I’ve been wearing it
ever since. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I took my kids out of school for Trilogy Tuesday—when
theaters showed all three of the Lord of the Ring movies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Why did you choose to
write this book?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Authors
Jill Kemerer and Jessica Patch created the series and asked me to write one of
the ten novellas. The concept—ten couples spending Matchmaking Week on a Bahama
island owned by two eccentric and wealthy sisters—sounded so fun that I
immediately said yes. All the stories in the Resort to Romance Series have the
word “Match” in the title.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What do you hope
readers to take away from your novel?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This
is a light-hearted romance which I hope readers will simply enjoy—an escape
from the to-do list to a romantic tropical island. The main characters, Nate
and Bre, work in their individual family businesses but they both have an
adventurous dream. It’s a story of reconciliation and following one’s heart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="textbox" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">What
is something you hope to achieve, writing-related or not?</span></b></div>
<div class="textbox" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">I’d like to write a screenplay based on a
short story that was published in an anthology. And though I don’t expect to
ever have the opportunity, I’d love to be a director’s VIP guest on a movie
set.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="textbox" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What
do you do for fun when you finish a writing project?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Start
on the next one!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">However,
I also enjoy going to the movies, browsing the shelves of my local library,
taking walks, and curling up on the couch with a good book.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What
are you working on now?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I’m writing “Blue Moon,” a WWII novella for Barbour’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hometown Heroines Collection</i>. My
heroine, a member of the Women Officers of Public Safety unit, teams up with </span><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">an
Army Intelligence agent to protect a top-secret atom bomb facility from
sabotage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkOvA1JheB1TsUQoUd5u3erqk_YOgVqSB86uE3aOY_urikbWeSxAPB5DGaXFKeMT5aKgxc7Ye3nn1TEuBaR4_AUclX5urzEmRfQ8SjIswonmjE3B_HyRcFkhHQgiZQ_7I8Lv5t4_EW_4A/s1600/johnnie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="213" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkOvA1JheB1TsUQoUd5u3erqk_YOgVqSB86uE3aOY_urikbWeSxAPB5DGaXFKeMT5aKgxc7Ye3nn1TEuBaR4_AUclX5urzEmRfQ8SjIswonmjE3B_HyRcFkhHQgiZQ_7I8Lv5t4_EW_4A/s200/johnnie.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Bio<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Johnnie Alexander creates characters you want
to meet and imagines stories you won't forget. Her award-winning debut novel, <i>Where
Treasure Hides</i>, is a CBA bestseller. She writes contemporaries,
historicals, and cozy mysteries, serves on the executive boards of </span><a href="http://seriouswriter.com/"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Serious Writer, Inc.</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> and the </span><a href="https://www.midsouthchristianwriters.com/"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Mid-South Christian Writers Conference</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">, co-hosts an online show called </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/writerschat/"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Writers
Chat</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">, and interviews inspirational authors for </span><a href="http://www.novelistsunwind.com/"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Novelists
Unwind</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">. She also teaches at writers conferences and
for Serious Writer Academy. Johnnie lives in Oklahoma with Griff, her
happy-go-lucky collie, and Rugby, her raccoon-treeing papillon. Connect with
her at </span><a href="http://www.johnnie-alexander.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">www.johnnie-alexander.com</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> and
other social media sites via </span><a href="https://linktr.ee/johnniealexndr"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">https://linktr.ee/johnniealexndr</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Where else
can readers find you online?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My monthly newsletter provides fun updates and giveaways.
Please sign up at </span><a href="http://johnnie-alexander.com/"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">http://johnnie-alexander.com</span></a><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">.
Connect with me on other social media sites via </span><a href="https://linktr.ee/johnniealexndr"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">LinkTree</span></a><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
K. Dawn Byrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17794345260605025953noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5866583868913443313.post-36567778549537008522019-04-24T11:34:00.001-04:002019-04-24T11:35:01.671-04:00Interview with Amy R. Anguish and spotlight of Faith and Hope....<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Faith-Hope-Amy-R-Anguish/dp/1945094826/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=faith+and+hope+anguish&qid=1556119538&s=gateway&sr=8-1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="324" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKDuo_wxoboSt6WREPcYYATW8yMep8MxOFgOtOixyA-UKy7X8Iszn4PVM0-OKVXhETJHfNfVuIvJRvrwL0bxHhFvbNFEOW-AP-FNzTbefqLHgJP3n_QhgToPzWOHEnvwh2CbxsF9tF-Bg/s200/anguish.jpg" width="129" /></a></div>
<b>We're happy to have Amy R. Anguish with us today talking about her book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Faith-Hope-Amy-R-Anguish/dp/1945094826/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=faith+and+hope+anguish&qid=1556119538&s=gateway&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Faith and Hope</a>. To learn more about Amy and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Faith-Hope-Amy-R-Anguish/dp/1945094826/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=faith+and+hope+anguish&qid=1556119538&s=gateway&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Faith and Hope</a>, read on!</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Back
cover blurb<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Two
sisters. One summer. Multiple problems.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Younger sister Hope has lost her job, her car, and her
boyfriend all in one day. Her well-laid plans for life have gone sideways, as
has her hope in God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Older sister Faith is finally getting her dream-come-true
after years of struggles and prayers. But when her mom talks her into letting
Hope move in for the summer, will the stress turn her dream into a nightmare?
Is her faith in God strong enough to handle everything?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">For two sisters who haven't gotten along in years, this
summer together could be a disaster ... or it could lead them to a closer
relationship with each other and God. Can they overcome all life is throwing at
them? Or is this going to destroy their relationship for good?</span></div>
<div class="textbox" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="textbox" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b>Please
give us the first page of the book.</b></div>
<div class="textbox" style="background: white;">
“In
all honesty, I really thought this meeting might have been to say I was going
to get a raise next year.” Hope Cook gave a little chuckle. Anything was better
than bursting into tears in front of her boss, even if it was faking laughter.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="textbox" style="background: white;">
“Trust
me, Hope. If I could have done that, you would be at the top of my list.” Mr.
Smith straightened some papers. “Unfortunately, the school board has spoken.
The team has to have another coach.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="textbox" style="background: white;">
“I
know.” Hope half-heartedly held up a fist. “Go Buckley!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="textbox" style="background: white;">
“If
anything changes at all, I’ll let you know.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="textbox" style="background: white;">
Hope
couldn’t help but slump her shoulders as she opened the doors to rain.
Evidently, the weather was in the same mood she was. She stepped out from under
the overhang ... and directly into a puddle.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="textbox" style="background: white;">
Laid
off.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="textbox" style="background: white;">
Wet
clothes.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="textbox" style="background: white;">
Soaked
feet.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="textbox" style="background: white;">
She
listed every bad thing the afternoon had wrought thus far as she squished her
way through the parking lot.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="textbox" style="background: white;">
“You
have got to be kidding me.” The umbrella doused her with another shower as she
fought to close it. She tossed the miscreant tool into her backseat and slammed
the door.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="textbox" style="background: white;">
She
took a moment to lay her head on the steering wheel and give in to her
depression. “Why, God? Why give me my dream job only to take it away?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="textbox" style="background: white;">
A
clap of thunder sounded. She lifted her head and hands.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="textbox" style="background: white;">
“Okay,
okay. Sorry. But I don’t understand.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">
</span></div>
<div class="textbox" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
She shook her head. Was she really arguing
with God? Obviously, she needed to go home and rest.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="textbox" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Please
tell us five random things we might not know about you.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">1. I hate plan white socks. I prefer polka dots,
stripes, and sometimes a mixture of each.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">2. I love having a random few streaks of hot pink
in my hair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">3. I love reading about horses, but not so much
actually being near them, and especially not riding them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">4. I used to tell people that I wanted to be a
babysitter when I grew up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">5. In high school, I was a runner up in a contest
and had a drawing hanging in the football stadium where the Tennessee Titans
play.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Why did you choose to
write this book?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I sort of wrote this book as therapy for myself. It helped me work
through some of the things I was going through dealing with infertility at the
time. I also just couldn’t get the idea out of my head—what would happen if two
sisters who didn’t along were forced to spend the summer together?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What
one thing about writing do you wish non-writers would understand? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It’s almost impossible to be perfect. I don’t mean
me. I mean my manuscript. No matter how many different eyes have looked at it
or how many times I have gone through each line, it seems there is always a
mistake left.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What
is the toughest test you've faced as a writer?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Marketing myself and my books. It’s not that I
don’t believe they’re good and that you’d enjoy them. It’s that I don’t want to
be pushy, either.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What do you hope readers
to take away from your novel?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">No matter what you are going through in your life, if you have God,
you can make it through and come out better on the other side. Especially if
you have other Christians there to help you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpLast">
<br /></div>
<div class="textboxCxSpFirst" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<b>What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of,
writing-related or not?</b></div>
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Being a mommy.
Having made several quilts. Any plants that don’t die in my gardens.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <b>What do you do for fun when not writing?<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Crochet, paint, sew, read, garden, teach Bible
class, chase kids, and the usual things like laundry and dishes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What
are you working on now? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I am waiting to hear if I’ve made it past round
one in the Love Inspired contest, and rewriting a romance I started back in
like 2008 that needed A LOT of work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZyKxozfCDAYgUX7bndiwZs0ZJESzC5LaMv8hAppim2R0KfIXaNxQ_IOpJjCOsjqXVn8vxW9T9H3CLYgfqg6V0vhmWzA_4bT43Fjswh3T6BiL60D9YHanMtY879hRYKEPurU7i-lJbrWQ/s1600/anguish+2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="853" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZyKxozfCDAYgUX7bndiwZs0ZJESzC5LaMv8hAppim2R0KfIXaNxQ_IOpJjCOsjqXVn8vxW9T9H3CLYgfqg6V0vhmWzA_4bT43Fjswh3T6BiL60D9YHanMtY879hRYKEPurU7i-lJbrWQ/s200/anguish+2.jpeg" width="133" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Bio<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Amy R Anguish</span></b><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br />
<b>Author of <i>An Unexpected Legacy</i></b><br />
<br />
Amy R Anguish grew up a preacher's kid, and in spite of having lived in seven
different states that are all south of the Mason Dixon line, she is not a
football fan. Currently, she resides in Tennessee with her husband, daughter,
and son, and usually a bossy cat or two. Amy has an English degree from
Freed-Hardeman University that she intends to use to glorify God, and she wants
her stories to show that while Christians face real struggles, it can still
work out for good.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>Where else can readers find you online? </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p>
</o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://abitofanguish.weebly.com/"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">http://abitofanguish.weebly.com</span></a><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> and
http://facebook.com/amyanguishauthor<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />K. Dawn Byrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17794345260605025953noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5866583868913443313.post-78633267414435795622019-04-10T04:00:00.000-04:002019-04-10T04:00:03.699-04:00Interview with Jennifer Slattery & spotlight of Restoring Her Faith<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Restoring-Her-Faith-Love-Inspired/dp/133547918X/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_2?keywords=slattery+restoring+her+faith&qid=1554859110&s=gateway&sr=8-2-fkmrnull" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="316" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0LQ8rvmOkHr619fKw7Vqyi2F0Vo8PQLDB-F-ZTEtTI0hS9Z4T4dx5K1zVt2hbJcDdyhJyXiwU3FxAvfEVIYuaTkIBaCROIpbwieAIB_w-ellNxhPU0kl2kCEJPSDx3D_22pPs3K7lDNU/s200/slattery.jpg" width="126" /></a></div>
<b>We're happy to have Jennifer Slattery with us talking about her Love Inspired book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Restoring-Her-Faith-Love-Inspired/dp/133547918X/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_2?keywords=slattery+restoring+her+faith&qid=1554859110&s=gateway&sr=8-2-fkmrnull" target="_blank">Restoring Her Faith</a>. To learn more about Jennifer and her book please read on!</b><br />
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Back
cover blurb<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">She left belief behind…<br />
Yet this family could change her mind</span></b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">With two boys to raise, a fledgling contracting
business to run and a family ranch to keep afloat, widower Drake Owens finds
his hands aren’t just full—they’re overflowing. When Faith Nichols is hired to
help him renovate the church, he’s drawn to the beautiful artist, but he can’t
fall for a woman who isn’t a believer. Can love restore her faith…and his
heart?</span></span></div>
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Please
tell us five random things we might not know about you.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I have a fierce ice cream addiction which my
husband encourages. I may have three containers of Blue Bunny Peanut Butter
Party ice cream in my fridge at this moment—as he wants to see I never run out!
My daughter jokes that I would quickly choose coffee over dinner, if forced to
make a choice—and she’s not entirely wrong. I would also much prefer a leisurely
walk with my man on a sunny day than a fancy steak dinner. I’ve attended eight
colleges in five different states but only acquired one degree. I’m a terrible
cook. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Why did you choose to
write this book?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
Normally, my story ideas start with a character—her
struggle, fears, dreams, etc. But this time, it began with a church. A series
of churches, actually, sprinkled throughout Texas. They’re known as the Painted
Churches of Texas, and they are gorgeous. I was immediately drawn to their
artistry, the symbolism in many of their images, and the history behind them.
As I spent time learning about these churches, Faith, my heroine, emerged, and
the plot took form. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What
one thing about writing do you wish non-writers would understand?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Hm … That God made me to be strange. It’s just a
symptom of the creative brain. ;) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What
is the toughest test you've faced as a writer?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">These are questions I’ve never thought of. I think the toughest
test will likely be a continual one—will I serve myself or stay obedience to
Christ, however He leads.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What do you hope
readers to take away from your novel?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpLast">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">That faith can carry us through really difficult challenges,
families can stay strong through chaos if they hold tight to one another, and
close-knit communities make life easier and more fun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of,
writing-related or not? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">Holding tight to
my marriage and (both my husband and I) choosing to get help and push through
when we wanted to quit. We almost got divorced some 20 years ago but God
radically transformed our marriage, and I’m so glad He did. And that, by His
grace, we stayed.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">Please give us the first page of the book.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="Body-Text-Opening">
<span class="LIC"><span style="font-size: 18.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">T</span></span>he long, deserted road felt much too
similar to one Faith had taken decades before, with all her belongings crammed
in a pair of tattered suitcases. Hopefully Sage Creek would be nothing like her
experience in Alpine, back when she’d been a gawky, metal-mouthed kid in
desperate need of a friend.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="Body-TextCxSpFirst">
She’d received taunting and rejection instead.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="Body-TextCxSpMiddle">
Her cell phone rang, and she glanced at the
screen. It was her best friend, Toni. As a fellow artist fighting to survive
Austin’s competitive market, she understood Faith in a way few others did.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="Body-TextCxSpMiddle">
She answered through her Bluetooth. “Hey, girl.
What’s up?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="Body-TextCxSpMiddle">
“Girls’ night out this Friday. Bahn mi French
fries, baby!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="Body-TextCxSpMiddle">
“Sounds fun but can’t. I’m on my way to that
contract job I told you about. I’m just over fifteen miles out. With no sign of
civilization, except the occasional longhorn, in sight.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="Body-TextCxSpMiddle">
“You make Sage Creek sound so appealing.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="Body-TextCxSpMiddle">
Faith glanced at her wobbly trailer through her
rearview mirror, packed with, she hoped, everything she’d need to restore
Trinity Faith’s historic stained glass windows, which had decorated the church
since its founding. “Let’s just say I haven’t had the best experience with
small town Texans.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="Body-TextCxSpMiddle">
“Not all ranching communities measure a person’s
worth based on how well they bake a casserole. Besides, those people didn’t
hire you to make friends.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="Body-TextCxSpMiddle">
“True.” She was going to, hopefully, get some
media exposure, enough to salvage her career. If she, and whoever else she’d be
working with, pulled this job off well, the church stood a good chance of
receiving historical status. “Depending on how this deal turns out, I may even
be able to get Jeremy Pratt from <span class="ITALIC"><span style="border: none;"><span style="border: none;">Lone Star Gems</span></span></span> to write a feature
article on me.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="Body-TextCxSpMiddle">
“Wow. Just a mention in that magazine would for
sure get folks’ attention. But a full story? That’d put your name on the map
for sure.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="Body-TextCxSpMiddle">
She gripped her steering wheel with both hands as
something black—a tire?—came barreling toward her in the opposite lane, while a
red pickup screeched past, throwing sparks.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="Body-TextCxSpMiddle">
She screamed and slammed on her brakes. Her
trailer tugged right, then left as the oncoming tire rammed into her front end.
It bounced off, flying ten feet into the adjacent field.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="Body-TextCxSpMiddle">
Smoke seeped from beneath her hood as she veered
onto the shoulder, and the acrid stench of burning rubber pricked her nose.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="Body-TextCxSpMiddle">
“Faith, you okay?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="Body-TextCxSpMiddle">
“I…” Her throat felt scratchy. What had happened? “Can
I call you back? I was just hit by a…a flying tire. The front of my car is
smoking.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="Body-TextCxSpMiddle">
Her supplies! She shot a glance to her
trailer—lying on its side—behind her. She groaned and closed her eyes.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="Body-TextCxSpMiddle">
Faith pressed trembling fingers to her temples.
Now what? All her sheets of specially ordered glass, potentially shattered. She
didn’t have time to order new. And what about the damage done to her car?
Fighting the urge to hyperventilate, she focused on her breathing—in through
her nose, out through her mouth. In, out…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="Body-TextCxSpLast">
Did Sage Creek even have a mechanic? Probably one
that charged outsiders ten times what they should. Through her rearview window,
she watched a tall, broad-shouldered cowboy step out of his now lopsided truck.
Dressed in faded jeans and a Stetson, the man had to be at least six foot five
and was built like a linebacker.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">What do you do for fun when not writing?<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I love spending time with my husband, our adult daughter, her
boyfriend, and her dog. It doesn’t hugely matter what we do, though playing
games always leads to laughs. Oh, and coffee must be included at some point. I
also love spending time with my friends and reading. Does brainstorming count
as writing? Because that’s crazy fun for me also!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What are you working on now?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I’m plotting a book I plan to write a proposal for soon. I’m super
excited about this one. It’s also set in Sage Creek. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTJkD8GJ8ccl2-DbvIinVy2l17wGN7hI3l90h9xDan6X-0ZOAujm2HmFBobSvY-RUW0DMFfiMYEtJi36HVhi3Orwzxjo7dcrnepVTTbmffedDZTD5SflacYqHoFzFOC7kaKJLzznLcsqs/s1600/BioPhoto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1343" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTJkD8GJ8ccl2-DbvIinVy2l17wGN7hI3l90h9xDan6X-0ZOAujm2HmFBobSvY-RUW0DMFfiMYEtJi36HVhi3Orwzxjo7dcrnepVTTbmffedDZTD5SflacYqHoFzFOC7kaKJLzznLcsqs/s200/BioPhoto.jpg" width="167" /></a></div>
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<b><i><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "open sans" , serif;">Bio:</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b><i><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "open sans" , serif;">Jennifer Slattery</span></i></b><i><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "open sans" , serif;"> is
a writer and speaker who’s addressed women’s groups, church groups, Bible
studies, and other writers across the nation. She’s the author of seven
contemporary novels, including her latest release, </span></i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Restoring-Her-Faith-Jennifer-Slattery/dp/133547918X"><i><span style="background: white; font-family: "open sans" , serif;">Restoring Her Faith</span></i></a><i><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "open sans" , serif;">. She
also maintains a devotional blog found at <a href="https://jenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #3366b4;">JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLoud.com</span></b></a>. She has
a passion for helping women discover, embrace, and live out who they are in
Christ. As the founder of </span></i><a href="http://whollyloved.com/"><i><span style="background: white; font-family: "open sans" , serif;">Wholly Loved
Ministries</span></i></a><i><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "open sans" , serif;">, she and her team partner with churches to
facilitate events designed to help women rest in their true worth and live with
maximum impact. When not writing, reading, or editing, Jennifer loves going on
mall dates with her adult daughter and coffee dates with her hilariously fun
husband. Visit her online </span></i><a href="http://jenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com/"><i><span style="background: white; font-family: "open sans" , serif;">HERE</span></i></a><i><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "open sans" , serif;"> to find
out more about her writing, ministry, speaking engagements, or to book her for
your next women’s event. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Where else
can readers find you online?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">They can visit my website at </span><a href="http://jenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com/"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLoud.com</span></a><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> or
find my blog on </span><a href="https://www.crosswalk.com/blogs/jennifer-slattery/"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Crosswalk</span></a><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">. They
can also visit my ministry’s website, </span><a href="http://whollyloved.com/"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">WhollyLoved.com</span></a><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">, find
me on </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/JenSlatte"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Facebook</span></a><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">, </span><a href="https://twitter.com/Jenslattery"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Twitter</span></a><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">
(though I’m nearly nonexistent there …) or </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/slatteryjennifer/"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Instagram</span></a><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">.</span></div>
K. Dawn Byrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17794345260605025953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5866583868913443313.post-79589935765647017892019-04-03T05:00:00.000-04:002019-04-03T05:00:04.488-04:00Interview with Kathy McKinsey & spotlight of All My Tears...<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/All-My-Tears-Kathy-McKinsey-ebook/dp/B07P92QZPJ/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=kathy+mckinsey+all+my+tears&qid=1554229635&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnull" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="324" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBOCgnDJAX9w9QeR4KCMqmUgUb4emFNSsyIKk8hVPFmGgT0Ai_Uuq4f-IetgMG_YEE_e3ToAzVnEcQh501Vl51LwGI845Cw_-U-enWK-T_cvXziPTIyJd-bXucnKG5-MIHLy58_kf0czc/s200/kahty+mckinsey.jpg" width="129" /></a><span id="goog_1636165016"></span><a href="https://draft.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_1636165017"></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">We're happy to have Kathy McKinsey with us today talking about her new release<a href="https://www.amazon.com/All-My-Tears-Kathy-McKinsey-ebook/dp/B07P92QZPJ/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=kathy+mckinsey+all+my+tears&qid=1554229635&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnull" target="_blank"><i> All My Tears.</i></a></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Back
cover blurb</span></b></div>
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Meet five women who
struggle with life’s deep sorrows. Beth fights to recover from alcoholism and
to mend her relationships with her family. Ann doesn’t believe God will forgive
her. Kathleen wrestles with a years-old fear and with saving her marriage.
Cassie needs to learn to deal with chronic depression. Martie finds herself the
single parent of the eight-year-old niece she barely knows when the child’s
parents die in a car wreck. See how god gives them
the gifts of hope, healing, and love.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Kathy, please
tell us five random things we might not know about you.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">I have three brothers; please pray for me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">My favorite TV shows are MASH and West Wing<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">I graduated from high school in a class of
seventy-two<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">My mother’s homemade white bread is my favorite
recipe to bake.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">I love when my dog kisses me on the lips.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Why did you choose to
write this book?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">I wanted to write stories about women, in
different stages of life, with a variety of struggles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">What
one thing about writing do you wish non-writers would understand?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">I wish non-writers understood
what a hard job writing is.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">What
is the toughest test you've faced as a writer?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">The toughest part for me is
convincing myself to start a story. When I start, I thoroughly enjoy it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">What do you hope
readers to take away from your novel?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">I want my readers to know that God is a loving
Father, who waits for us and runs to greet us the moment we turn to him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of,
writing-related or not?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">I am so blessed
to have five adult children who are fascinating, competent individuals.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The first page from <a href="https://www.amazon.com/All-My-Tears-Kathy-McKinsey-ebook/dp/B07P92QZPJ/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=kathy+mckinsey+all+my+tears&qid=1554229635&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnull" target="_blank"><i>All My Tears</i></a><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="background-color: transparent; text-indent: 0.5in;">When I opened my eyes, my brother Jeff sat
beside me, his head in his hands, asleep.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; text-indent: 0.5in;">Where
was I? I didn’t know this room. What . . . “Jeff?” My voice croaked.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; text-indent: 0.5in;">He
jerked awake, then looked straight at me. “Cassie. Hey.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; text-indent: 0.5in;">“Why
are you here?” My eyes were heavy and my mouth dry. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; text-indent: 0.5in;">Turning my head, I saw the
IV attached to my arm. “Is this a hospital? Why, what, why are you here?”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jeff
leaned over and put his face right beside mine. “Because there’s nowhere else
I’d rather be right now.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; text-indent: 0.5in;">“What—what
happened?” I lay in a bed, and my head was confused and groggy. “Jeff?”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; text-indent: 0.5in;">“You’re
hurt.” He laid his hand on my shoulder. “But yes, this is a hospital, and
you’re going to be okay. Just sleep now. I promise I’ll stay with you.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; text-indent: 0.5in;">Relaxing,
I closed my eyes. He wasn’t going anywhere.</span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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-</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What do you do for fun when not writing?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Besides reading, I love to knit and crochet and
play with the cat and dogs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">What
are you working on now?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">My current story is about a lady who, after
tragedy, returns to the farm home and family she’s kept herself from for twelve
years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-NCpjENfsGFrg47Sk80WZMUsT8dMj9I5QtJ4zuWriWvP3bYg8uXWr7T-ttsdN0xdN8zE7KnWzNsYujkP7TV0EUWOtmWshnwgEkZz_BJIHc1IfPvhr6GJ_rl4Rmd2vOSeOlubikDHChzQ/s1600/Kathy+McKinsey+photo+2018+20180526_185632.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-NCpjENfsGFrg47Sk80WZMUsT8dMj9I5QtJ4zuWriWvP3bYg8uXWr7T-ttsdN0xdN8zE7KnWzNsYujkP7TV0EUWOtmWshnwgEkZz_BJIHc1IfPvhr6GJ_rl4Rmd2vOSeOlubikDHChzQ/s320/Kathy+McKinsey+photo+2018+20180526_185632.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
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<b>Bio:</b></div>
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Kathy McKinsey grew up
on a pig farm in Missouri, and although she’s lived in cities for nearly 40 years,
she still considers herself a farm girl.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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She’s been married to
Murray for 31 years, and they have five adult children.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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She’s had two careers
before writing—being a stay-at-home-Mom and working as a rehabilitation teacher
for the blind.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Now she lives in
Lakewood, Ohio, with her husband and two of her children. Besides writing, she
enjoys activities with her church, editing for other writers, braille
transcribing, crocheting, knitting, and playing with the cat and dogs.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Where
else can readers find you online? </span></b></div>
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<a href="http://kathymckinseyauthor.blogspot.com/">http://kathymckinseyauthor.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/kathy.brinkmann.mckinsey">https://www.facebook.com/kathy.brinkmann.mckinsey</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p>
</o:p></div>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/kathymckinsey">https://twitter.com/kathymckinsey</a> <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>Contact Kathy at:</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">
</span></div>
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<a href="mailto:Kathy.mckinsey@gmail.com">Kathy.mckinsey@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />K. Dawn Byrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17794345260605025953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5866583868913443313.post-71885843940466799402019-03-13T09:22:00.000-04:002019-03-13T09:23:22.210-04:00Interview with Sara Foust & Spotlight of Rarity Mountain...<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Rarity-Mountain-Faith-Hope-Love-ebook/dp/B07MZFVRCG/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=foust+rarity+mountain&qid=1552482943&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnull" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="324" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX7q_fZZx-sK1E2h4BvWu_q7Fjk5ZUp3DVuTgS6BiZzmFcbtlcJCcd5n3t-zmelKVr_juAB88j_hzg8TBPJxusozARteYegRfKozfTGum1BN7FGrfgGKwzaks_BzI_FtKyJMcddOjkJas/s200/51fuTn8k07L.jpg" width="129" /></a></div>
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<b>We're happy to have Sara Foust with us today talking about her book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Rarity-Mountain-Faith-Hope-Love-ebook/dp/B07MZFVRCG/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=foust+rarity+mountain&qid=1552482943&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnull" target="_blank">Rarity Mountain</a>. To learn more about Sara and her book, read on!</b></div>
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<b>Cover blurb:</b> On the surface, SIMON FINCUFF and FERN STRONGBOW
have nothing in common. Simon has served his sentence, but his past conviction
still haunts him. Fern is a veterinarian and grew up on an off-the-grid
homestead. The one thing they share? Each has a dark secret they would do
almost anything to protect.<o:p></o:p></div>
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When their current careers are yanked away, they
are left scrambling to pick up the pieces. A reality television show falls into
their paths, offering a life-changing opportunity that tests their resolve and
their faith. <o:p></o:p></div>
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These two unlikely partners must battle to survive
for thirty days in the untouched wilderness of Rarity Mountain with only a
handful of survival items and a director who is out for drama, no matter the
cost. With their lives and their carefully guarded skeletons on the line, they
will discover how far they are willing to go to win the million-dollar prize
for Survival Tennessee.<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Please
tell us five random things we might not know about you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I was born in California, but I grew up in
Tennessee. I tried to save a chipmunk once and ended up with it latched onto my
thumb. I want to learn to SCUBA dive. My favorite bird is a blue heron, but I
also really love owls. I had recurring nightmares about Bigfoot as a child.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Why did you choose to
write this book? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This story began forming as a prayer for God to give me another
book idea. Once the idea for a book about a survival show came to me, Simon’s
and Fern’s past mistakes just had to be written. Their story is one of pasts
that contain some very bad decisions and a present filled with God’s
forgiveness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What
one thing about writing do you wish non-writers would understand?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I have to write. It’s part of me, and if I don’t
write I cannot be complete or even completely happy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What
is the toughest test you've faced as a writer?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Getting started was hard. I kept getting critiques
from other writers that made me cry and made me wonder if I was really any good
as a writer. I am so thankful for my cousin Becky. Without her encouragement, I
probably would’ve given up before I’d gotten a good start.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What do you hope
readers to take away from your novel? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I hope readers realize that no matter what they’ve done, having
faith in God and in mankind is always worth it. God can forgive any
indiscretion and wants a relationship with you. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of,
writing-related or not? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">I am so proud
that I have followed my dream and now have 4 books published, all while
homeschooling 5 kids, working part-time from home, keeping up with
housekeeping, and all the other daily tasks of life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What
do you do for fun when not writing? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I read, watch television, and get outside with my
kids. I also love to camp and hike. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What
are you working on now?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I am writing the first book, called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Jade Owl</i>, in a new Inspirational
Romantic Suspense series about an archaeologist looking for relics in the Great
Smoky Mountains. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">Please give us the first page of the book.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><b>Chapter 1</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Dr. Fern Strongbow settled into a
folding chair across the desk from Dr. Sylvia Greenlee. Fern popped a flower
into her mouth and smiled as her friend and mentor grimaced. “Dandelion?”</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Sylvia shook her head. “You eat some
strange things, Fern.”</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“They’re delicious.” Fern ate
another yellow top and smiled. “What’s on the agenda for our weekly session?”</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">A dog whined in the next room,
drawing Fern’s gaze to the office door. No doubt Max was having trouble
awakening from his dental surgery. Pentothal did some strange things to their
patients in recovery. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’m sure Kaylee can handle that.”</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She was probably right. But what if
Kaylee was otherwise occupied? Fern leaned back into the cold metal and sighed.
“I miss the old chairs.”</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Well, they were worth $50 at the
farmer’s market. Paid the water bill last month.”</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Max whined again. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Fern’s gaze once again darted to the
closed door. “You sure Kaylee isn’t busy with something else?”</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Max will be fine. We need to talk.”</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2oBbYM8ii9yRYwBHAj-4TMuKDmfAf1_G77MlpGfu5yc6XeeOCdyMpveK0IpoTA6SoK8yN3-aajMiey6wVbkgF4qL3v4aa1DQH0w09DOmIgnakJZEWP2lk94JsogPy7FXUYy48hytNaMA/s1600/sara+foust.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2oBbYM8ii9yRYwBHAj-4TMuKDmfAf1_G77MlpGfu5yc6XeeOCdyMpveK0IpoTA6SoK8yN3-aajMiey6wVbkgF4qL3v4aa1DQH0w09DOmIgnakJZEWP2lk94JsogPy7FXUYy48hytNaMA/s200/sara+foust.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://draft.blogger.com/null" name="_Hlk2236775"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><b>Bio:</b></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://draft.blogger.com/null" name="_Hlk2236775"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Sara is a multi-published, award-winning author
and homeschooling mother of five who writes surrounded by the beauty of East
Tennessee. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from the
University of Tennessee and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers.
She is the author of the Love, Hope, and Faith Series, which includes <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Callum's Compass </i>(2017), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Camp Hope </i>(2018), and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rarity Mountain </i>(March 2019). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She also has a story, “Leap of Faith,” in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Chicken Soup for the Soul: Step Outside Your
Comfort Zone</i> and a novella, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Of Walls </i>(November
2018). Sara finds inspiration in her faith, her family, and the beauty of
nature. When she isn’t writing, you can find her reading, camping, and spending
time outdoors with her family. To learn more about her and her work or to
become a part of her email friend’s group, please visit </span></a><a href="http://www.saralfoust.com/"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk2236775;"><span style="background: white; color: blue; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">www.saralfoust.com</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk2236775;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">. </span></span><br />
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<br />K. Dawn Byrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17794345260605025953noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5866583868913443313.post-40130604650149345602019-03-06T04:00:00.000-05:002019-03-06T04:00:05.677-05:00Linda Shenton Matchett interview & spotlight of Love's Rescue, inspired by Rahab...<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Loves-Rescue-Wartime-Brides-Book-ebook/dp/B07MJM6MNL/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=matchett+love%27s+rescue&qid=1551832499&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnull" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHYo4ae7epm8dw4rI-Bn5gouUVVc19q0H-iX7VfiXey-8q0df_HXceV1mLgO29ICqmHdxRx-fjj_xpIafU-sK9pSDP5RmabE3QZqeZAif2IA5z9xsDdA1o_ofNShld4ZeOzQCQ9Eme8Ts/s200/matchett.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">We're happy to have Linda Shenton Matchett with us today talking about her book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Loves-Rescue-Wartime-Brides-Book-ebook/dp/B07MJM6MNL/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=matchett+love%27s+rescue&qid=1551832499&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnull" target="_blank">Love's Rescue</a>, which was inspired by the Biblical story of Rahab. To learn more about Linda and her book, read on!</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Back
cover blurb:</span></b><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Love’s Rescue<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A
prostitute, a spy, and the liberation of Paris.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Sold by her parents to settle a debt,
Rolande Bisset is forced into prostitution. Years later, shunned by her family
and most of society, it’s the only way she knows how to subsist. When the
Germans overrun Paris, she decides she’s had enough of evil men controlling her
life and uses her wiles to obtain information for the Allied forces. Branded a
collaborator, her life hangs in the balance. Then an American spy stumbles onto
her doorstep. Is redemption within her grasp?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Simon Harlow is one of an elite corps of
American so</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">ldiers. Regularly chosen for dangerous covert missions, he is tasked
with infiltrating Paris to ascertain the Axis’s defenses. Nearly caught by
German forces moments after arriving, he owes his life to the beautiful
prostitute who claims she’s been waiting for the Allies to arrive. Her lifestyle
goes against everything he believes in, but will she steal his heart during his
quest to liberate her city?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Inspired by the biblical story of Rahab, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Love’s Rescue</i> is a tale of faith and
hope during one of history’s darkest periods.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpLast">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Please
tell us five random things we might not know about you.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">I married my high school sweetheart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Our family moved multiple times while I was
growing up, and I attended three high schools.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">My husband and I ran a bed and breakfast for
twelve years, and it’s nothing like the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bob
Newhart Show.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">I graduated from Carson-Newman College with a BA
in Psychology, and my first job was in an abused women’s shelter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">I’d rather eat dessert than dinner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Why did you choose to
write this book? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Love’s Rescue </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">is book two in a series
I hadn’t intended to write. I published the first book, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Love’s Harvest</i>, in 2016 as a standalone novella. The story is a
modern retelling of the book of Ruth set between WWI and WWII. Over the years, I’ve
received numerous comments that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Love’s
Harvest </i>helped readers relate to the Bible in ways they hadn’t been able to
do, so I decided to create a series of retellings that focuses on women of the
Bible who are often overlooked. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Love’s
Rescue </i>is Rahab’s story set during the last weeks of the German occupation
of Paris. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">What
one thing about writing do you wish non-writers would understand?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">The amount of time and work it takes for a writer
to produce a book. Being an author is not as glamorous as one would think!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">What
is the toughest test you've faced as a writer? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">I recently received a message from a reader
through Facebook saying hateful things about me personally in addition to
criticizing my book. It can be difficult as a writer to receive negative
comments about our work, but this note attacked me. It set me back on my heels,
and made me seriously consider not writing any longer. After encouragement from
other writers and a lot of prayer, I realized I am writing for an audience of
One, and as difficult as it is, I need to pray for this person and move on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">What do you hope
readers to take away from your novel? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">That God can, and does, use anyone to further His kingdom; often
those most unexpected. He can use you!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="textboxCxSpFirst" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of,
writing-related or not? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">That I have been
married for nearly thirty-six years!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">Please give us the first page of the book.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Paris,
August 1944<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Rolande Bisset
ducked her head and pulled the brim of her starched cotton sunhat lower over
her face, not so much to block the sun’s glare, but to avoid the merchants’
ogling and shoppers’ sneers. She hurried past the darkened shops, most no
longer operating since the Germans arrived four years ago. Would she ever smell
freshly-baked croissants or peruse a succulent collection of vegetables again? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">A scorching breeze
sent her hat’s veil dancing. Perspiration trickled between her shoulder blades
and threatened to ruin her cobalt-blue silk suit. Her pumps had seen better
days, but thanks to leather rationing, a new pair was not in the offing. The
Occupiers needed the material for their boots.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Intent upon
reaching her destination, Rolande failed to see a rotund woman approaching.
They collided, and the woman’s elaborate <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">chapeau</i>
slid from her upswept hair and poked Rolande in the face before landing on the
pavement. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“I beg your
pardon, madam.” Rolande bent to retrieve the confection of flowers, birds, and
ribbons. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The woman narrowed
her eyes. “Watch where you’re going, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">collaborateur</i>.”
She snatched the millinery masterpiece from Rolande’s grasp and drew her skirts
close. Looking down her nose, she plunked the hat on her head and marched down
the sidewalk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">No longer hungry,
she continued down the avenue past Aux Cerises Café where the outdoor tables
were filled with German soldiers. One of the men whistled and smirked, his
Aryan features marred by a long scar that ran from his eye to his jaw. Her
stomach clenched, and nausea threatened. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Pigs. Men were all
pigs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">She continued
along the avenue until she came to the tiny market her older brother owned. He
never acknowledged her presence in the shop, but neither did he forbid her to
enter. His wife typically looked at her with a mixture of pity and contempt. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">What
do you do for fun when not writing?</span></b><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">I love the outdoors. In the summer I do a lot of
kayaking and in the winter I snowshoe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">What
are you working on now?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">I’m just finishing up <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Love’s Belief,</i> Book 3 in the series. The story is inspired by
Shiprah and Puah, the two midwives who saved Jewish babies in opposition to
Pharoah’s decree to kill them. The book is set in Germany during 1943. I’m also
outlining book 4 which is yet untitled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Where else
can readers find you online?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Website/Blog:
http://www.LindaShentonMatchett.com<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/LindaShentonMatchettAuthor<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/lindasmatchett<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/lindasmatchett<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Linda-Shenton-Matchett/e/B01DNB54S0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">BookBub Author Page: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/linda-shenton-matchett<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Purchase
Links:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Amazon: https://amzn.to/2SuT9hl<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/love-s-rescue-1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/loves-rescue-linda-shenton-matchett/1130382950?ean=9780998526546<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Apple Books: https://itunes.apple.com/book/id1451530079<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Bio: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Linda
Shenton Matchett<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i></b>is an author,
speaker, and history geek. A native of Baltimore, Maryland, she was born a
stone’s throw from Fort McHenry and has lived in historic places all her life.
Linda is a member of ACFW, RWA, and Sisters in Crime. She is a volunteer docent
and archivist at the Wright Museum of WWII and a trustee for her local public
library. Linda and her husband live in central New Hampshire.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
K. Dawn Byrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17794345260605025953noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5866583868913443313.post-36643658732268372802019-02-20T10:41:00.001-05:002019-02-20T10:41:44.900-05:00Zoe M. McCarthy & spotlight of Tailor Your Fiction Manuscript in 30 Days<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tailor-Your-Fiction-Manuscript-Days/dp/0989106497/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1550676783&sr=8-3&keywords=zoe+mccarthy" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="293" data-original-width="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDFgCrqtqGBpCUh7GIjmKLQddWOmh3bMIv3yr6wv5BbZJku8OpIoggAQgLLrQlrhueEqcDFEflWwZS3ZwgoVsERZwOQaq9F_57uZsX2o4IbmCcE5M6MF1uDeJSxNdVwMIw04aBVxue294/s1600/zoe+book.webp" /></a></div>
We're excited to have Zoe M. McCarthy with us today talking about her new book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tailor-Your-Fiction-Manuscript-Days/dp/0989106497/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1550676783&sr=8-3&keywords=zoe+mccarthy" target="_blank">Tailor Your Fiction Manuscript in 30 Days. </a> I actually purchased this one and have been reading it and am gleaning some great treasures from this book.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-indent: .5in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #211e1e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">You’re an author of Christian
contemporary romances. Why did you choose to write the nonfiction <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tailor Your Fiction Manuscript in 30 Days</i>?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #211e1e; font-family: "MinionPro",serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">I was an actuary in my first career, but I always held a passion
to create stories. Determined to learn the route to publication, I attended
writers’ conferences, picking up and studying presenters’ books on writing, and
joined a critique group. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #211e1e; font-family: "MinionPro",serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When my first contemporary romance contracted, my research on
publishing and marketing convinced me I needed to start a blog and post
regularly. Because my analytical side gives me a keen interest in the mechanics
and methodologies of good writing, a how-to blog on writing appealed to me. In
2012, I began my blog. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #211e1e; font-family: "MinionPro",serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">After I had published over one hundred fifty blog posts, an
agent and a publishing house editor suggested I write a book based on my blog.
The idea interested me, and I attended a workshop on the dos and don’ts for
turning blog posts into a book. I wanted to share more than the information I’d
accumulated. I desired to help writers who had manuscripts but didn’t know how
to get them ready for publication, writers whose manuscripts received
rejections, writers whose self-published novels received poor reviews, and
writers who wanted to write the stories on their hearts but needed help to put
them to paper. <i>Tailor Your Fiction Manuscript in 30 Days </i>was born. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #211e1e; font-family: "MinionPro",serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #211e1e; font-family: "MinionPro",serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Which
is more difficult for you to write, fiction or nonfiction, and why?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #211e1e; font-family: "MinionPro",serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I’m more comfortable writing fiction, but it took years for me
to feel at home in writing novels. I signed with an agent early in my career.
Then I had four rejected manuscripts. I didn’t give up. Before my fifth novel
contracted, I joined critique groups, read many books on writing, entered
contests for feedback, and attended writing workshops at conferences. I loved
learning how to improve my novel writing. When I attended a pre-conference
class on the Hero’s journey, my fiction writing became easier and more
enjoyable. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #211e1e; font-family: "MinionPro",serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For non-fiction writing, I enjoyed two parts, 1) producing a
methodology to help writers get their manuscripts in shape and 2) sharing in a
purposeful, unified manner good writing principles I’d learned and posted in my
blog. My analytical side enjoyed organizing all that material. I was less
enthralled with creating a detailed table of contents and an index.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #211e1e; font-family: "MinionPro",serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #211e1e; font-family: "MinionPro",serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the
interview for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Putting Green Whisper </i>earlier
this month, you told us five random things about yourself. Please tell five
other things we might not know about you.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #211e1e; font-family: "MinionPro",serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In my freshman year in college, I spent almost the entire night
in the hall outside my dorm room working on a logic problem the professor had
assigned us with a twinkle in his eye. My roommates gave up after about thirty
minutes. It dawned on me that the solution involved several cases. The next day
when the professor asked if any of the fifty class members had solved the
problem, only two of us raised our hands. The professor saw that I’d burst if
he didn’t choose me come to the black board. My solution was correct.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #211e1e; font-family: "MinionPro",serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I attended Bible Study Fellowship for nine years and was a
children’s leader for five of those years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #211e1e; font-family: "MinionPro",serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In fifth grade, I entered the talent show dressed like an old
miner with a pipe, and recited Robert Service’s poem, “The Cremation of Sam
McGee.” I didn’t win, but the teaching staff asked me to perform it for the PTA
one evening. I did.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #211e1e; font-family: "MinionPro",serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I’ve seen the Taj Mahal
in India, Michelangelo’s David in Italy, The Mendenhall Glacier in Alaska, the
site of the bridge over the River Kwai in Thailand, and the Christ the Redeemer
statue of Jesus Christ in Brazil.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #211e1e; font-family: "MinionPro",serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">At ten living in Haiti, my family had five parrots, a donkey,
and two dogs. One parrot came with us to the U.S. and, when I was in my early
twenties, Jaco ended up in Busch Gardens in Florida.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #211e1e; font-family: "MinionPro",serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #211e1e; font-family: "MinionPro",serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Tell us
more about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tailor Your Fiction Manuscript
in 30 Days.<o:p></o:p></i></span></b></div>
<div style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #211e1e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The
revising method in <i>Tailor Your Fiction Manuscript in 30 Days</i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> </span>works for any fiction genre. The
goal is to shape a not-yet-submitted, rejected, or self-published fiction manuscript
with low ratings into a book that shines. The method can also be a guiding
resource for writers starting a manuscript.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I think the comments from some of the endorsers of the book
describe it well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Zoe McCarthy’s book, <i><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Tailor Your Fiction Manuscript
in 30 Days</span></i><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">, </span>is a
fresh and innovative refocusing of your novel or novella. Through a few
simple—and fun—steps, Zoe helps writers take their not-ready-for-publication
and/or rejected manuscripts to a spit-polish finish. Writing is hard work, yes,
but it doesn’t have to be difficult.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">—Eva Marie Everson, best-selling and multiple award-winning
author, conference director, president of Word Weavers International, Inc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If you want to increase your chance of hearing <span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">yes </span>instead of <span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">sorry </span>or <span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">not a fit for our list at this
time, </span>this book is for you. If you want to develop stronger story
plots with characters that are hard to put down, this book is for you. Through
McCarthy’s checklists and helpful exercises and corresponding examples, you
will learn how to raise the tension, hone your voice, and polish your
manuscript. I need this book for my clients and the many conferees I meet at
writer’s conferences around the country. Thank you, Zoe. A huge, #thumbsup,
for <i><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Tailor Your Fiction Manuscript in 30 Days</span></i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .25in; text-indent: .5in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">—Diana L. Flegal, literary agent, and freelance editor<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">Tailor Your Fiction Manuscript</span></i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> is a self-editing encyclopedia!
Each chapter sets up the targeted technique, examples show what to look for in
your manuscript, then proven actions are provided to take your writing to the
next level. Whether you are a seasoned writer or a newbie, you need this
book! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">—Sally Shupe, freelance editor, aspiring author<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Zoe has developed a guiding resource for beginning writers. Her
method is designed for brainstorming, shaping, and revising the early draft of
a manuscript. General and specific tips are offered for applying rules of
writing to enhance one’s story for a workable second draft. By exploring the
plot line of <span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Love Comes Softly</span>, writers
may examine their own work for stronger plot and characterization. Valuable
tools are offered that enable the writer to develop a workable draft in only 30
days!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .25in; text-indent: .5in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">—Yvonne Lehman, award-winning, best-selling author of 48 novels<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #211e1e; font-family: "MinionPro",serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Where
else can readers find you online?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-family: "MinionPro",serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://zoemmccarthy.com/">https://zoemmccarthy.com</a></span></span><span style="color: #211e1e; font-family: "MinionPro",serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-family: "MinionPro",serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tailor-Your-Fiction-Manuscript-Days/dp/0989106497">https://www.amazon.com/Tailor-Your-Fiction-Manuscript-Days/dp/0989106497</a></span></span><span style="color: #211e1e; font-family: "MinionPro",serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #211e1e; font-family: "MinionPro",serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_xAHBj0mp3G1GOf_0jXz2BquEmUwSeq79evnBdbRvnItkFiNUOBOGHWyiTGQ5QW9cZnBwR9MrANp7p072nRyINZpgLHjG86HyPzLx6DYdYnH67fhMwIqG8d7soMafTz2d-CrDGIWPoqo/s1600/Zoe+M.+McCarthy_Headshot+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="552" data-original-width="414" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_xAHBj0mp3G1GOf_0jXz2BquEmUwSeq79evnBdbRvnItkFiNUOBOGHWyiTGQ5QW9cZnBwR9MrANp7p072nRyINZpgLHjG86HyPzLx6DYdYnH67fhMwIqG8d7soMafTz2d-CrDGIWPoqo/s200/Zoe+M.+McCarthy_Headshot+%25281%2529.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #211e1e; font-family: "MinionPro",serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bio:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #211e1e; font-family: "MinionPro",serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Zoe writes contemporary Christian romances involving tenderness
and humor. Believing opposites distract, Zoe creates heroes and heroines who
learn to embrace their differences. She’s the author of <i>Good Breaks</i>, <i>The
Putting Green Whisperer</i>, <i>The Invisible Woman in a Red Dress</i>, <i>Gift
of the Magpie</i>, and <i>Calculated Risk</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #211e1e; font-family: "MinionPro",serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In respect to her nonfiction writing, Zoe still attends writing
workshops at popular Christian writers’ conferences, and explores online
writing articles to improve her writing and her blog posts. Her weekly blog posts
share what she’s learned and often include examples of how she incorporated
skills and techniques into her own writing. In addition to her instructional
blog, Zoe has taught workshops at libraries, writer groups, and the Virginia
chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) Conferences. She belongs
to Word Weavers and ACFW, is the treasurer for the ACFW Virginia chapter, and
taught a month-long ACFW course on writing.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #211e1e; font-family: "MinionPro",serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Her husband, John, partners with Zoe on the nonwriting tasks in
her publishing career. They live on a hill in the Virginia Blue Ridge
Mountains. Zoe and John enjoy exploring mountains and valleys, canoeing the New
River, or spending time at their cabin on a lake. She also teaches a community
Bible study and hosts a prayer shawl ministry. Zoe and John have two sons, two
daughters-in-love, and six grandchildren. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: .5in;">
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<br />K. Dawn Byrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17794345260605025953noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5866583868913443313.post-36977861594784695092019-02-13T08:16:00.001-05:002019-02-13T08:16:40.926-05:00Interview with Carol McClain and Giveaway of Yesterday's Poison...<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Yesterdays-Poison-Carol-McClain-ebook/dp/B07KJQL732/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1550061293&sr=8-1&keywords=yesterday%27s+poison+carol" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_o7kSjZs38Q3iAQjWbwbL1vTITR8wNK1HUn1AdBozyHS6RYrp4DAfda0ksTzDrW2TJ7hmNBQS1F4FfQTCDKh-EusvoEHWjVYsjooHJcffpKs6n5_loIcsDeiBLmtsLYGiX9trlcJwor8/s320/carol+2.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
We're happy to have Carol McClain with us talking about her book Y<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Yesterdays-Poison-Carol-McClain-ebook/dp/B07KJQL732/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1550061293&sr=8-1&keywords=yesterday%27s+poison+carol" target="_blank">esterday's Poison</a>. To learn more about Carol and her book, read on!<br />
<br />
<b>Back Cover:</b><br />
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding: 0px;">
After her boyfriend betrays her, Torie Sullivan careens her car into a ditch in a drunken fury. Paramedic Adam Benedict rescues the unconscious woman, then realizes she's one of the middle school bullies who tormented him twelve years ago. The encounter rips open scars he thought had healed.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-top: -4px; padding: 0px;">
While kayaking one morning, Adam discovers Torie bathing in the frigid waters of Hookskill Preserve. He then learns she’s living in a lean-to in the wilderness. Despite his hatred for her, Adam’s innate compassion won't allow him to leave Torie in the wilds of Albany County. He offers her a secure, private room in his minuscule cabin.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-top: -4px; padding: 0px;">
When tragedy strikes Adam’s family, his girlfriend Maya Vitale gives Torie a room in her apartment. Torie envies Maya’s idyllic life, unaware she, too, hides a dark and shameful past.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-top: -4px; padding: 0px;">
Each character drinks yesterday’s poison. Their friendships intertwine their lives and expose their toxic pasts. They must learn to forgive the unpardonable.</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">My favorite author<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We have so many great authors to choose from. For years, I
loved Annie Dillard. Her way with words and her thought process and sass always
keep me thinking. I’ve reread <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pilgrim at
Tinker Creek</i> too many times to count. With each reading, I uncover more
wonder.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Dillard’s always my first thought when it comes to authors.
Recently, though, in the realm of fiction, I’ve fallen in love with Lisa
Wingate and Susan Meissner. Both authors think differently than most CBA
authors. They don’t seem to lean to the obvious. Never am I afraid to pick up
one of their books—so much so, that I don’t put a lot of thought into it. If I
find a secondhand book or on a bookstore shelf, I nab it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">If I could write
about anyone or anything it would be what I want at this moment.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Currently, I’m obsessed with goats. I love their
personalities. We live on two acres in the country, and if my husband was
willing to help me, (or willing to own them), I’d have goats. I, at one time,
owned a Nubian named Heidi. Such a sweet animal.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Since goats are not on my horizon, my new protagonist owns
eight of them. She creates soap and yogurt from their milk. I’m learning soap
making (I already know how to milk) and having a ball living through Meredith’s
world. Her mother shears Meredith’s angora goats (she owns angora and Nubian),
and creates fabric from it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">If I could spend time
with anyone, it would be Adam Benedict from my latest novel, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Yesterday’s Poison.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Although Adam allowed the past to poison his true nature, I
love Adam’s vocation. He’s a paramedic. When researching his occupation, I got
to attend training sessions with the local EMTs. My critique partner, Randy
Cook, was a paramedic at one time. I love the idea of saving people’s lives.
I’m obsessed with medical shows (and weirdly—I love the autopsy scenes the
most). Adam has a heart for the hurting, when he discovers his nemesis needs
help, despite his disdain, he finds a solution to her problem. His love, his
skill and his compassion make me want to be like him.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>I will give away a kindle or nook copy of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Yesterday’s Poison. </i>Let me know your
favorite author or if you could spend time with anyone, who and why?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />K. Dawn Byrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17794345260605025953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5866583868913443313.post-21693411758235292732019-02-06T10:46:00.001-05:002019-02-06T10:46:28.958-05:00Interview with June Foster and Spotlight of The Long Way Home<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Long-Way-Home-June-Foster-ebook/dp/B07M7PFFNR/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1549467654&sr=8-1&keywords=the+long+way+home+june+foster" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="360" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFLuMZ8flr0s0EWqAUfZZsEyDJCN3hmGqdSZQ0xoTMA2KZ2hvCRZIqjYep8R-zkb5mHSjMWX-pKJmc7KRpIFDGuA6yUZ-M7o1myaRJju5C5JFEjBku0lVNzjvAaA3hhnyrtzK2MAwZjVs/s200/The+long+way+home.jpg" width="143" /></a></div>
We are happy to have June Foster with us today talking about her book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Long-Way-Home-June-Foster-ebook/dp/B07M7PFFNR/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1549467654&sr=8-1&keywords=the+long+way+home+june+foster" target="_blank">The Long Way Home</a>. We'll start with a short blurb and then we'll learn more about June and the book.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 28.8px;"><b>Short blurb: </b>A kidnapping and vicious murder leave David Maguire and Jada Atwood with few options—remain in the clutches of their abductors or attempt an escape. But the attraction they discover for each other could change their lives. Will they find their way home or die in a Pennsylvania forest?</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Please
tell us five random things we might not know about you.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">My great grandfather was a Catholic Priest. In
fact, my next book is inspired by him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">I didn't start writing until I was 65.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">My granddaughter is a wrestler. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">My other granddaughter is studying to be a doctor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">I lived full time in our RV on and off for 15
years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Why did you choose to
write this book?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">My editor asked for volunteers to write a story where the hero and
heroine meet then go on an adventure. But when I began writing, I had no idea
the direction the plot would take. This is the first time I've ever written a
murder into the story. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">What
one thing about writing do you wish non-writers would understand?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Authors ponder every word they pen on the page. It
is tough work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">What is the toughest test you've faced as a
writer?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">I have to admit, it was getting rejections from
editors and agents. I had to stop taking it personally and keep persevering.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">What do you hope
readers to take away from your novel?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">The heroine in The Long Way Home asks God to save her at the point
of a dire catastrophe. I'd like readers to embrace the hope that we don't have
to wait until we've exhausted all resources, but we can receive God's grace
even when our lives aren't in crisis mode.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of,
writing-related or not? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">I am proud that
I had the opportunity to raise two daughters who received the Lord in their
lives. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Back
cover blurb:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">David Maguire's
tour of duty in Germany is over, and he's returning home to Oak Mountain,
Alabama in search of a job. After a long flight from Frankfort, he shares an
Uber with Dallas resident Jada Atwood. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jada Atwood, a
registered nurse midwife, is on her way to a medical conference in Queens. If
only she could live up to her father's legacy at the hospital where she works,
she could prove worthy of his reputation. Marriage awaits yet her fiancé has
yet to offer a ring.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">When the Uber
driver must make a stop to pick up a passenger at a Queens shopping center, two
men who robbed a nearby bank commandeer the Ford as a getaway car. But when
they discover two passengers, they have to get rid of the extra baggage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">After the kidnappers
murder the Uber driver, David and Jada fear for their lives. Will they find their
way home or die in a Pennsylvania forest? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Chapter One<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">If David Maguire
wouldn't look like an idiot, he'd kneel down and kiss the hot, well-traveled
sidewalk outside the airport. Finally, he stood on U.S. soil. A new beginning
awaited, and God willing, a new job after his interview next week. The thought
thrilled him more than Christmas morning as a kid.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The silver Ford
sedan described on the Uber app inched up behind a line of cars at passenger
pickup. He stood on tiptoes and waved at the driver who neared the curb. Then
David moved his thumbs over his cell's screen. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mom. Just landed. Can't wait to see you guys.</i>.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> Got a flight from JFK to Birmingham tomorrow. </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The driver stopped
and jumped out. "Lieutenant Maguire?" His accent hinted of Middle
Eastern origins. "I'm Hadjira Khan, your driver." He whipped off his
ball cap, wiped his brow, and plopped his hat on again. "Let me get
this." The driver grabbed David's duffle bag and set it in the trunk next
to a light pink suitcase. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Appreciate
it. I'm going to the Rockford Hotel in Queens." <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Yes, sir. I
have two more passengers besides you."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">"No
problem." The cheaper fare suited David just fine. He couldn't be too
extravagant since his army pay would end soon. He sure didn't want to sponge
off of Mom and her new husband. "However I can get there is fine. I'm just
glad to be home." He opened the door, tossed his backpack in, and sat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">A woman with long,
dark hair and dressed in white jeans and a tight filmy blue blouse sat on the
other side. She looked up, nodded, and then continued tapping her cell's
screen. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">David smiled then
focused on his text when his phone dinged. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I can't wait to see you. Let me know what time to pick
you up from the airport. Mom</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Tomorrow at 3:13. See you then. Love you.</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">No matter how hard
he tried to disguise his smile, the wide grin stretched his lips. He'd be in
Oak Mountain soon. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Uber driver
pulled from the curb. "You two comfortable back there?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Yeah,
sure." David took a deep breath and glanced toward the woman again. He
tried to identify the aroma emanating from her. It wasn't likely Hadjira that
smelled like roses. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Yes,
thanks." She peered at the driver then cast a quizzical look to David.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">He gave her a weak
smile and turned to face the front of the car, mentally kicking himself for
staring too long.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Hadjira pulled off
on a main thoroughfare and lifted his chin to glance into his rearview mirror.
"We stop at a strip mall off 135th for one passenger. Then I take you to
Rockford Hotel, sir, and you to Regal Gardens, ma'am." <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">"No problem," David mumbled, trying not to draw
out the words into multiple syllables as his southern drawl tended to do, worse
when he got nervous. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">So the woman was staying at a hotel in Queens as well. He</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> cleared away the
hesitation that impeded his question. "Where you coming from?" Ugh.
The most uninspired conversation starter he could've thought of. And to make
things worse, this lady was probably a big city woman and resented his
intrusion into her space.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What do you do for fun when not writing?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">I love to go shopping and to lunch with my
daughters. I work out at the gym, and I love to watch Hallmark movies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">What
are you working on now?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">I am just about to begin my next novel which has
no name at the present time. It will be a contemporary romance inspired by my
great grandfather's romance. A Catholic priest and a young parishioner fall in
love.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Where else
can readers find you online?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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junefoster.com<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">https://www.amazon.com/author/junefoster<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">https://twitter.com/vjifoster<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/authorjunefoster">https://www.facebook.com/authorjunefoster</a></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNd9TU3RBzoI9HvtxxiT1-1VMfcJeD3DeImfxfLcmG9Oal3RrBwjNNZWtJ-ogMRG875NNGg0Tb2dsPtj9p-f9D3VWLUhTm_R6Hjfcs43RNhLL4XMXbJrHzv4Ex0nOyFBohT3I18-R2rrg/s1600/june-foster-LR-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1068" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNd9TU3RBzoI9HvtxxiT1-1VMfcJeD3DeImfxfLcmG9Oal3RrBwjNNZWtJ-ogMRG875NNGg0Tb2dsPtj9p-f9D3VWLUhTm_R6Hjfcs43RNhLL4XMXbJrHzv4Ex0nOyFBohT3I18-R2rrg/s200/june-foster-LR-2.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>Bio:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">June Foster is an award-winning author who
began her writing career in an RV roaming around the USA with her husband, Joe.
She brags about visiting a location before it becomes the setting in her next
contemporary romance or romantic suspense. June's characters find themselves in
precarious circumstances where only God can offer redemption and ultimately
freedom. Find June at junefoster.com.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />K. Dawn Byrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17794345260605025953noreply@blogger.com1