Penny Zeller's "Hailee (Book #3 in the Montana Skies Historical Romance Series)

Title: Hailee (Book #3 in my Montana Skies Historical Romance Series, which follows McKenzie and Kaydie).

1) How did this story come to you?
I knew beforehand that I would be writing a third book in this series. Hailee Annigan’s character was inspired by a piece of mail I received regarding orphanages. I knew I wanted to write a story about a girl placed in an orphanage and how she came to find herself in that predicament.

I introduced my main male character, Nate Adams, in the second novel in my series, Kaydie, and was excited to expound on his character and follow his struggles in answering God’s calling on his life.

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
Hailee is the final book in my Montana Skies Series. Nate is McKenzie and Kaydie’s nephew (their sister, Peyton’s son). I was excited to conclude my three-book series with a final glimpse into the lives of those who call Pine Haven, Montana, home.

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
Hmmm, let’s see… well, I met my husband through a prank phone call (yep, it’s true & I even wrote a blog post about it titled “Why Prank Phone Calls are Beneficial”); I threw up while dissecting a worm in junior high science class (yuck! And you guessed right, I still think worms are gross!), and the most current thing is that I am an edge-of-the-seat writer and don’t use an outline. Yep, it’s true. But don’t tell anyone.

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
Next on the agenda is my historical romance series set in the post-Civil War era. I recently completed the first draft of the first book and am hard at work on the second.

5) Parting comments?
I am excited to announce that the book trailer for Hailee was recently produced by Tinkertime Productions and can be seen at http://youtu.be/LEGoM43jtwA. I love the music that producer Cindy Sproles chose and I would love to hear what you think about it too!

I also wanted to say thank you to my readers for their support and encouragement. I couldn’t embark on this writing journey without you!

6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
I love hearing from my readers via –
* My website: http://www.pennyzeller.com/
* My humor blog: http://www.pennyzeller.wordpress.com/
* My FB page www.facebook.com/pennyzellerbooks (Come join in the conversation of just-for-fun Fridays, where I ask a question and we all chit-chat about it)
* On Twitter: http://twitter.com/pennyzeller

Thank you again, Dawn, for having me as your guest. It was an honor to be here!

Lillian Duncan's "Deception"

Title: DECEPTION
Publisher: HarbourLight Books

Cover blurb: Twins are supposed to have an unbreakable bond, but Patti and Jamie have serious “relationship issues.” Patti hasn’t seen Jamie since her twin ruined her upcoming nuptials years before. When a niece she knows nothing about calls, Patti must unravel the yarn of Jamie’s life and her disappearance.

Detective Carter Caldwell takes his job seriously, and it's his job to keep Patti and her adorable niece safe. But Patti is determined to help find her sister. Each step brings her closer to the truth, but pulls her further into a web of danger and deception.

They must find the courage and faith to continue the search for her sister. Her journey will take her down a road of deception where they will have to fight for her life and the lives of countless Americans.

1) How did this story come to you?
The story came to me as a scene popped in my head about a little girl calling a stranger and telling her that her mommy was gone and she was all alone. From that scene, came the rest of the story.

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
It’s been a long long journey but this story was special to me and I wouldn’t give up. That’s why I’m so excited it’s finally here!

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
1) I used to know how to cook but not anymore. Since I married my husband, he loves to cook and so now if I need to cook, I have no idea how to do it.
2) I’m fluent (sort of) in American Sign Language. I say sort of because I don’t use it on a regular basis any longer and so it’s not as fluent as I’d like it to be.
3) I’m very short-under 5ft. Being that short changes the way you perceive the world and the way the world perceives you.

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
I have several projects I’m working on but not sure where that will take me as far as my writing career goes.

5) Parting comments?
DECEPTION is a story that’s near and dear to my heart. I hope readers will enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
http://www.lillianduncan.net/ or http://www.lillianduncan.wordpress.com/

Elizabeth Camden's "The Rose of Winslow Street"

Title: The Rose of Winslow Street
Publisher: Bethany House

Cover blurb: Libby Sawyer’s quiet, respectable life in Colden, Massachusetts is shattered when a bold stranger from Romania invades her world. Fascinated by this enigmatic man, Libby uncovers layers of mystery surrounding Michael Dobrescu’s amazing past….and his plans for the future in which she plays a startling role.

1) How did this story come to you?
Like a lot of writers, I glean tidbits from real life stories. A few years ago there was a case in my hometown in which a man doing home renovations found $200,000 hidden in the ductwork of his house. He thought he hit the jackpot until the previous owner showed up and wanted it back. A nasty court case ensued, and it is still wending its way through the system. This incident provided the seed of an idea in which a descendant of the previous home-owner shows up at a house claiming ownership, but that is where the resemblance the real-life story ends.

The Rose of Winslow Street is set in 1879 and features a mysterious band of strangers from Europe who come to a peaceful village where they must unravel a century-old mystery that is wrapped up in the house where the heroine lives. In short order, they seize the house and proclaim ownership over it, dispossessing the heroine and her family. In order for the plot to work, I needed both sides to be highly sympathetic, yet set against each other in stark opposition, with no easy solution in sight. Michael and Libby are natural enemies, but they are also both exceptionally smart people who develop a grudging respect for each other. And sometimes the attraction of forbidden fruit is a powerful romantic draw, as Libby soon discovers.

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
I think all authors probably have manuscripts they struggle with, and others which simply pour out of them in a stream of inspiration. The Rose of Winslow Street was in that second category. I loved every second of writing this book, and amazingly, my publishers agreed and asked for almost no revisions. That doesn’t happen very often!

3) Tell me a couple things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
I am a “stealth nerd.” I suffered from almost crippling introversion until high school, when I signed up for Drama class in an attempt to get over my shyness. It worked. Now I’m pretty good at faking poise, even though the introverted geekiness is still with me. Always will be, I suppose. I can fake it for a couple of hours before I have to withdraw into the shell of my office to recharge my batteries in private.

I am generally out of bed by 4:00 in the morning. Because my husband needs to leave for work by 6:00, and we both like to go to the gym for an hour on most days, that 4AM wake-up call is the only way it is going to happen!

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
My next book features a character from my first novel, The Lady of Bolton Hill. It is entirely a stand-alone book, so readers will be able to hop right in, even if they didn’t read the first. Alex Banebridge was a wonderfully fun, whiplash smart character in the first book, even though he was only seventeen years old. In the next book, Alex Banebridge is all grown up and is ready to set the world on fire. Look for it in late 2012.

5) Parting comments?
Just that I am thankful for the chance to be in this business. Reading novels was a huge part of my life, and if I can give back just a fraction of the joy I have had from reading, I will be very grateful indeed. Thank you for the opportunity to help me get the word out!

6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
I blog about the romance genre and what’s going on in the industry at http://elizabethcamden.com/blog

Ann Shorey's "Where Wildflowers Bloom"

Title: Where Wildflowers Bloom
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group/Revell

Cover blurb: The War Between the States stole a father and brother from Faith Lindberg—as well as Royal Baxter, the man she wanted to marry. With only her grandfather left, she dreams of leaving Noble Springs, Missouri, and traveling west to Oregon to start a new life, away from the memories that haunt her. But first she must convince her grandfather to sell the family's mercantile and leave a town their family has called home for generations.

When Royal Baxter suddenly returns, Faith allows herself to hope that she and Royal will finally wed. But does he truly love her? Or will another man claim her heart?

1) How did this story come to you?
I was interested in how women resumed their “normal” lives after the Civil War ended. My great-grandparents settled in Missouri (from Illinois) in 1867, so my interest is personal as well as fictional!

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
Where Wildflowers Bloom is the first in the Sisters at Heart series for Revell. I wanted to honor the importance of friendship in the lives of women, so each story is about a different protagonist, but their friendship ties them, and the series, together. My editor at Revell liked the idea, fortunately!

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
1) I love to spend time camping in the Oregon desert with my husband. We have a canvas wall tent, and drive to places 40 and 50 miles off the highway, with nothing around but sagebrush and an occasional range cow. We stayed out there for 10 days last summer.
2) I always wanted to play the piano, but had no discipline to stick with lessons. Now here I am committed to contracts that require discipline to meet deadlines. Hmm.
3) I like peanut butter and dill pickle sandwiches. 

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
I’m working on Book 2 of the Sisters at Heart series. The working title is When the Heart Heals, and the story is about a woman who’s an herbalist and was a nurse in the Civil War—a time when few women were nurses. After that, I’ll be writing Book 3, tentatively titled Love’s Sweet Beginning.

5) Parting comments?
My tagline is “Yesterday’s Women – Today’s Issues.” Readers will be able to relate to my historical fiction as the characters face the same situations women deal with today. But now we have the resources they lacked. Yet those women persevered. I love their determination.

6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
Please visit my website, http://www.annshorey.com/, find me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AnnShoreyAuthor#!/AnnShorey  or follow me on Twitter at Ann_Shorey.

Thank you for inviting me to visit your blog! I enjoyed the interview.

April Gardner's "Warring Spirits"

Title: Warring Spirits
Publisher: Vinspire Publishing

Cover blurb: In 1816 Georgia, escaped slaves control the land just beyond the American border in Las Floridas. Lost somewhere between white and black worlds, Milly follows hope to the only place that can offer her refuge—the place Georgians are calling Negro Fort. The first, sweet taste of freedom convinces Milly that surrender is not an option. Death would be more welcome.

Major Phillip Bailey has orders to subdue the uprising and return the runaways to their masters. Forced to fight alongside Creek warriors—the same who etched the scars into his mind and flesh—Phillip primes himself for battle. But inside, a war already rages—return for the woman he thought lost to him or concede her to the enemy she loves; follow orders or follow his heart.

1) How did this story come to you?
When I finished Wounded Spirits, the first book in the Creek Country Saga, I started out writing Warring Spirits with a different story and with different main characters. But there was something about it that just didn’t sit right with me. It didn’t highlight a little known historical event, which is what I want my writing to be known for. So I went back to my research books and dug around until I stumbled upon Negro Fort and the devastation that happened there. By the end of that day, the Lord had given me the plot for Warring Spirits.

2) What kind of research is involved in writing historical novels?
Massive amounts!! I have an entire book shelf full of research books. I’ve been researching ancient Creek Country (part of present-day Alabama and Georgia) for the last decade and there’s still so much to discover.

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
I’m dyslexic and because it was so difficult, hated reading until I was about 12.
If I didn’t have a computer, I wouldn’t write. My handwriting and spelling is that bad.
I can solve a rubix cube. Takes me ten minutes, but I can do it!

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
At this exact moment? Nothing. With two books having released in November, I’m focusing on marketing, but come January, I’m going to pick back up with a novel I’m co-writing with writer Michelle Massaro. Can’t wait to jump back into it!

5) Parting comments?
It’s always a pleasure to be featured here. Thank you for the opportunity to chat about my novels!

6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
Readers can learn more about my books on my website and blog. I love to interact on Facebook!
http://www.aprilgardner.com/
http://www.aprilwgardner.com/

Staci Stallings' "If You Believed in Love"

A Brother's Struggle, A Sister's Hope
An Interview with Janet Elliott, Jonathon Danforth's Twin Sister

So you want to know more about my brother, Jonathon Danforth, huh? (Janet sits back and thinks moment then sits forward.) Okay. I'll tell you about him.

For one thing he's a lot smarter than he gives himself credit for. He always has been. He could get into and out of more trouble when he was younger than any kid I knew. And he was always into something. Not bad things necessarily--like drugs or something--just stuff.

Like the time he was running that gambling ring in the third grade. He aced more kids out of dimes and quarters than most kids could ever dream of doing. Of course, Mom made him give them all back when she found out about it. But that was just Jon, you know? He was always looking for the angle, making deals, and trying to one-up somebody.

Okay, so it got him in some fights in school. He spent most of junior year in the principal's office. In fact, they very nearly kicked him out of school more than once. Not that he was a bad kid exactly. He just couldn't sit still, couldn't just be. He always had to be pushing the envelope, always testing the water, always trying to see how far he could go before someone pulled him back.

I think that's why the last year has bothered me so much. Yes, I know all about people grieving and needing time. But Jon like checked out of life, you know? I mean, he wouldn't even leave that stupid apartment for Christmas last year. "Nah, Janet," he said when I called him and begged him to come over. "I think I'll just stay here. I'm not really in the mood for tinsel and stockings."

He had me worried sick if you really want to know the truth. I mean, okay, I'm not his mom, but I am his big sister, and I know that living on pizza and beer in a dark pigsty of an apartment is just not healthy.

That's why I talked him into taking that class--the one over at the community college. Of course, English was never really Jon's style, but it was either that or Chemistry, and I didn't want to hear he'd blown the whole place up.

(She laughs and then sits back again, lost in thought.)

I just worry about him so much. (Pulling forward, her eyes are filled with tears that never fall.) It killed him... what happened. It did. It was like one minute he was one guy--my baby brother, into everything, wheeling and dealing with the world, and the next second he was this guy I didn't even recognize anymore. It scared me, you know. It really did. (One tear slips from her eye and slides down as she wipes it away and sniffs.) We're all we've got in the world now. With Mom and Dad both gone, it's just us.

I didn't want to lose him too. (Her smile is tight and sad.) Plus, he really is a great guy when you get to know him. He has such a big heart for people and for things he really cares about. I guess I just hope he finds something to care about again, you know. (She lets her gaze fall to the table.) I just want him to be happy... or at least not completely miserable.

(With a laugh, she jerks her hair back and smiles.) Sorry. I guess I get a little carried away when I talk about him. I mean, he's my baby brother, right? (She tries to smile again, this one is in apology.) I hope I haven't bored you to tears with all of this. (She shrugs slightly.) I just want what's best for him, you know? And I hope and pray he can find whatever that is, whatever the next chapter of his life is. (She nods.) Yeah, that's what I want the most... for Jon to be happy.

If You Believed in Love, by Staci Stallings, featuring the story of Janet's brother, Jonathon Danforth now available via Kindle & Nook at: http://stacistallings.wordpress.com/2011/10/31/if-you-believed-in-love-2/

Lisa Lickel's "Lavender Dreams"

Title: Lavender Dreams, an anthology
Publisher: MuseItUp

Cover blurb: Ten short stories in this anthology to entertain you. More importantly, the authors and cover artist have generously donated these stories and their royalties to help raise funds for cancer research each year.

Back Cover: MuseItUp Authors dedicate this book to all who have been affected in one way or the other by cancer. All royalties from the sales of this book will be donated each year to a cancer research organization, or hospice in order to further combat and find a cure.

The book is divided into three sections: non-fiction, fiction based on true stories, and fictional stories—ten stories generously donated by the authors to help raise funds for cancer.

This book is dedicated to the memory of one of our dear editors who passed away 2011 from cancer, Karen McGrath.

You will always be remembered.

1) How did this story come to you?
My short fiction, “Testing,” is a revised scene from an as-yet published novel. The story features a scene from an imagined drug trial.

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
MuseItUp picked up my cozy mystery series, Buried Treasure. When I saw the news about Karen, and how the other authors felt about her, I wanted to get involved as well, and offered my short story. My mom is a breast-cancer survivor and some of my friends are battling cancer. I am glad to donate the proceeds to support cancer research.

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
I edit a Christian spec/sci-fi/monsters magazine; I am a vacuum-cleaning freak; I can butcher deer.

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
Muse is re-releasing The Gold Standard, featuring a picture of the crazy cat, Carranza, on the cover. The second book in the series, The Map Quilt, comes out next April.

5) Parting comments?
Thank you for featuring this book. Cancer has affected most of us in some way or another and this is one way we can help fight this disease.

6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
My web site has all my links: http://www.lisalickel.com/

Angela Ruth's "Love Finds You in Sun Valley, Idaho"

Title: Love Finds You in Sun Valley, Idaho
Publisher: Summerside Press, an imprint of Guidepost

Cover blurb: Actress Emily Van Arsdale has finally returned to her home state—with an entire film crew in tow! With stunning scenery and a reputation for hosting celebrities, Sun Valley is the perfect setting for Emily’s newest romantic comedy. Tracen Lake is happy to work as a stunt consultant for the movie but not as thrilled to deal with a bunch of high-maintenance Hollywood types. Tracen is surprised, however, to discover in Emily a down-to-earth Idaho girl who does all her own stunts and loves the outdoors. As filming wraps up and Emily heads off to her next gig, will she be able to leave Sun Valley—and Tracen—behind?

1) How did this story come to you?
The story actually started out as Love Finds You in Sweet Home, Oregon—an area with a lot of water and known for outdoor adventures. This inspired Tracen’s background and the whole theme of “home sweet home” versus “home is where the heart is.” When the publisher asked me to move the location to Sun Valley (they already had quite a few stories set in Oregon), the swanky culture fit Emily’s celebrity status perfectly.

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
Man, I wish publishing books was always as easy as this one turned out to be. Before selling the Sun Valley story, I had written three complete novels that couldn’t find a home. All Summerside requested for their new romance line was a proposal including three chapters. I banged it out in a day. When my agent called with the good news, I was sure it would be for one of my other books that I’d slaved years over. But I’m so glad I sold this story, because I absolutely loved getting to know the characters.

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
1. My husband left me in the middle of the writing/publication process, and I haven’t finished reading a romance novel since.
2. I moved in with some neighbors who supported me through the divorce, and I dedicated the book to them for showing me what love was again.
3. God brought Prince Charming into my life, and being married to him is so much better than any romance novel. For our wedding, my publisher let us design a mock “Love Finds You” book cover with our own photo on it to put on display (left)

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
I am currently writing a prayer book (similar to Stormie Omartian’s series) for abandoned wives. God romanced me in such a sweet way after my divorce that I want to share that fulfillment with all unloved wives.

5) Parting comments?
Publishing my first book was an amazing experience, and it’s eye-opening to learn how different readers perceive it. Be forewarned that this story is considered larger than life and includes romance scenes that will awaken your senses. But I’m proud to claim that even those who had complaints admit to finishing the whole book in one day!

6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
I’ve just recently started a blog primarily for women forced to move on after their husband moves out. I’d love to have readers visit, but I’d especially love it if they passed on the blog site to anyone they know struggling with infidelity and/or divorce: www.angelaruthstrong.blogspot.com.

RL Copple's "Infinite Realities"

Title: Reality's Dawn

Publisher: Splashdown Books

Cover blurb: Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, reality invaded the world. When the presence of reality emerges from under the façade of perception, lives are changed. Forever. A mystical ring binds Sisko to bless others with miracles and avoid using its power for himself, which would lead to a curse. With his friends Josh the wizard and Seth the leader of a gang of thieves, Sisko explores the emerging reality through his travels and adventures.

Journey with Sisko as reality's presence confronts and changes the greedy, the killers, the trapped, the demonic, and Sisko himself.

...Reality has dawned, and no one will be the same.

1) How did this story come to you?
I participated in a group "duel" in a critique group I was part of back in 2006. Out of that came the short story, "Steamy Realities." I had an idea after that for most stories coinciding with faith, hope, and love. The publisher of the magazine liked them and wanted to publish them in a novella, which was published in November 2007 as Infinite Realities. I added one more story to that collection to make five total that had a larger story arc. It received good reviews, but everyone complained about how short it was, they wanted more. Which is the best kind of complaint to get. So in the fall of 2010, I finally got around to writing more stories to fill in the holes and flesh out the characters better, adding on ten new stories to make a total of fifteen. That resulted in the novel-sized collection titled Reality's Dawn. So far, everyone who has read it has had good things to say about it. It has a fairy tale feel, but in an unconventional way.

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
The first sale was to a magazine, which is now defunct, called "The Sword Review." Bill Snodgrass was the managing editor, and also ran the parent company, Double-Edged Publishing. He took an interest in what I had done with the series and wanted to publish them as a novella. So I never had any formal submission process with him. I was just picked up. Infinite Realities was published in November 2007.

As mentioned above, I wrote ten more stories to fill out the story arc of the book in the fall of 2010. However, Double-Edged Publishing had, for all practical purposes, gone out of business, so I needed a new publisher. I also had a third book in the series yet to be published. DEP had published the second book in the trilogy, Transforming Realities, in March 2009.

I had become acquainted with Grace, who headed up Splashdown Books. She had previously reviewed Infinite Realities and gave it a five-star review, so I had an idea she might like the "new and improved" version just as well. So I sent her the manuscript for it and the third book in the series that was yet to be published. It all happened relatively quickly, in that by the beginning of February of 2011, she had decided to take all three of my books, publishing the new and improved first book as Reality's Dawn in March 2011, the sequel Transforming Realities as Reality's Ascent in May 2011, and in the near future, the third book will arrive, titled Reality's Glory.

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
I know the basics of Byzantine Chant and chant regularly at church. I tried to jump my car over a small ditch once, but a tree jumped in the way. My brother and I made up a whole slew of superheroes and villains and mailed them to marvel back in the early 70s; we never heard back, but I always wondered if my Magnet Man was the inspiration for Magnito.

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
The final book in the Realty Chronicles trilogy, Reality's Glory is scheduled to be published in the summer of 2012. I also have two books written in a new at-least-five-book series in the same world, more of a dragon story. Editing both of those.

I recently self-published the first of a two-part series on August, a space opera story called "Mind Game." I'm currently editing its sequel, Hero Game, with plans to publish it next year sometime.

I am doing an episode space opera serial called Underground, that I plan on self-publishing once it is finished and final edits done on it.

I recently published a non-fiction ebook on "How to Make an Ebook: Using Free Software." Currently at sale on Amazon, B&N, Apple, Sony, Kobo, and other online retail outlets.

5) Parting comments?
One of the reasons I write speculative fiction is its ability to enable people to see the mundane in a new light, a fresh perspective they've not considered before. It's one thing to preach. It's another to experience it in your heart. Sermons and non-fiction titles are good and needful, don't get me wrong. But many people will read those and come away only mentally enriched for the moment, but not affected by them for life. Fiction has a way of putting those truths, that theology, into life and the reader gets to experience the results.

My goal is to get the reader to see something from an angle they've yet to consider, experience truth in a way they've been unable to see with their mind previously, and hopefully open up new vistas of truth in their own life. That often takes demonstrating truth rather than preaching it directly. And because of that, I think too many dismiss fiction, especially speculative fiction, and pure escapism entertainment. It does have to be entertaining to work, but just because it is entertaining, doesn't necessarily mean it is worthless.

I think if more Christians though of it as an experiential retreat instead of escapism, it would enable a higher quality of writing and affect more lives as a result.

6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
http://www.rlcopple.com/
http://www.blog.rlcopple.com/
Twitter: www.twitter.com/rlcopple
Facebook: www.facebook.com/rlcopple

Chad Young talks about the faith of a young lady...

This week we're not having a book giveaway, but please take a moment to read Chad Young's interview.

“The Faith of a Young Lady” by Chad Young

“But the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.’” (Luke 1:29-33)

One of the reasons I love the gospel of Luke is that it gives so much background surrounding the birth of Jesus. Put yourself in Mary’s shoes for a moment. You’re a young lady, set to be married to a young guy named Joseph. You’re minding your own business one day, probably daydreaming about your wedding, when an angel of the Lord appears to you. At this point, you didn’t even know for sure that angels existed, but this angel tells you that God will place a child inside of you, a virgin. For me personally, I think I would either pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming or start laughing and tell the so-called “angel” to leave me alone and stop playing a prank on me. I don’t think for a second I would have had enough faith to believe what the angel said was true. But listen how Mary immediately responded:

“I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.”

My prayer today is that the Lord would give me faith like Mary. With strong faith like hers, my struggles with sin, and pride would fade away. My love for Christ the King would grow more intimate. The will of God would seem more important than my own selfish ambition.

My prayer to Jesus: “Lord, I praise you that you are the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords. You are the beginning and the end, the Alpha and Omega. You created all things for your pleasure and purpose, including me. You even died on the cross for me so I could be adopted into the family of God. Yet so often I turn away and try to live life on my own terms, seeking worldly desires instead of the desires of the King. I surrender my life to you today. Make me the person you want me to be, and help me to fall more deeply in love with you. I ask you to give me faith like Mary had on the day she found out she would give birth to you. Increase my faith so that I may help to make you famous on earth. Amen.”

About the Author:
Chad Young is the author of Authenticity: Real Faith in a Phony, Superficial World, available at Amazon. As Campus Crusade for Christ’s director for the South Carolina Lowcountry with a scope of 25 college campuses and 70,000 students, Chad resides in Charleston, SC, with his wife Elizabeth and their four young children: Wyatt, Clark, Evelyn and Josilynn. He holds an undergraduate degree from Clemson University and a graduate degree from Georgia Tech; Chad worked in the paper industry for 6 years before going into full-time ministry. He has served on the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ for 9 years and has also written a discipleship training manual. He has a passion for helping students learn what it means to have an authentic relationship with Christ.

Margaret Daley's "His Holiday Family"

Title: His Holiday Family
Publisher: Love Inspired

Cover blurb: When Hurricane Naomi tears through a small Mississippi town, a daring rescue unites two heroes. Nurse Kathleen Hart is a single mom racked by guilt over her husband's death. Firefighter Gideon O'Brien—orphaned as a young boy—has lost too many people he cared for. To rise above the storm's devastation, Gideon helps Kathleen and her sons rebuild their home. As Christmas approaches, they discover that even the strongest of storms can't destroy a romance built on the foundation of faith.

1) How did this story come to you?
I used to live on Mississippi Gulf Coast and wanted to honor the people who rebuild after a disaster like a hurricane. They do an amazing job. They are heroes.

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
My publisher asked me to do a Love Inspired series, and this is what I came up with. His Holiday Family is the first in A Town Called Hope Series. The second one is in April, 2012 called A Love Rekindled and the third one is out in September, 2012 called A Mom’s Fresh Start.

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
1) I love to read and haven’t read a book in four months for pleasure.
2) I don’t want any present for Christmas.
3) I can’t think of a third thing that would surprise my readers--I’m an open book.

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
I’m working on my third in the Men of the Texas Rangers Series for Abingdon Press. These books are a romantic suspense (contemporary). This third book called Scorned Justice should be out in August 2013 and is about revenge. The first book in the series will be out in March 2012 and it is called Saving Hope, followed by the second one, Shattered Silence in August 2012.

5) Parting comments?
I love hearing from my readers. You can email me from my website. There is a contact form.

6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
http://www.margaretdaley.com/

Melanie Dickerson's "The Merchant's Daughter"

Title: The Merchant’s Daughter
Publisher: Zondervan

Cover blurb: An unthinkable danger. An unexpected choice.
Annabel, once the daughter of a wealthy merchant, is trapped in indentured servitude to Lord Ranulf, a recluse who is rumored to be both terrifying and beastly. Her circumstances are made even worse by the proximity of Lord Ranulf's bailiff---a revolting man who has made unwelcome advances on Annabel in the past. Believing that life in a nunnery is the best way to escape the escalation of the bailiff's vile behavior and to preserve the faith that sustains her, Annabel is surprised to discover a sense of security and joy in her encounters with Lord Ranulf. As Annabel struggles to confront her feelings, she is involved in a situation that could place Ranulf in grave danger. Ranulf's future, and possibly his heart, may rest in her hands, and Annabel must decide whether to follow the plans she has cherished or the calling God has placed on her heart.

1) How did this story come to you?
Beauty and the Beast has always been my favorite fairy tale, and when I decided to do another fairy tale retelling, I knew I wanted to do a Beauty and the Beast story. I knew I wanted to set it in England and for it have a little bit of a Gothic feel. Then the story just gradually evolved. I don’t really remember too much about the process. I wrote it about four years ago.

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
I was still trying to get The Healer’s Apprentice published when I entered The Merchant’s Daughter in its first contest, and it won first place and The Healer’s Apprentice took fourth. But I didn’t really try very hard to get it published. Once Zondervan decided to publish The Healer’s Apprentice, my agent submitted The Merchant’s Daughter to my editor. A few months later, she asked for some changes. I did the changes, and finally, about a year after we submitted it, they said yes.

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
1) My books are published as YA’s but I rarely read a YA.
2) I am watching the TV show Once Upon a Time, which is not surprising, but it is the first TV show I’ve followed in over twenty years.
3) I hate bananas.

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
I have a Snow White story and a Cinderella story that are both sequels to The Healer’s Apprentice and am hoping Zondervan will publish them in about a year. Right now I’m working on a Regency for an adult Christian audience.

5) Parting comments?
I should probably say something profound like “World peace is so important and we should all do our part,” but instead I’ll say, “Please go buy my book. It’s really good.”

6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
I love interacting with readers, so please friend me on facebook, http://www.facebook.com/people/Melanie-Dickerson/100000220838349

And please check out the awesome trailers for The Merchant’s Daughter and The Healer’s Apprentice on my website, http://www.melaniedickerson.com/

Beth Trissel's "Somewhere the Bells Ring"

Title: Somewhere the Bells Ring
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Cover blurb: Caught with pot in her dorm room, Bailey Randolph is exiled to a relative's ancestral home in Virginia to straighten herself out. Banishment to Maple Hill is dismal, until a ghost appears requesting her help. Bailey is frightened but intrigued. Then her girlhood crush, Eric Burke, arrives and suddenly Maple Hill isn't so bad.

To Eric, wounded in Vietnam, his military career shattered, this homecoming feels no less like exile. But when he finds Bailey at Maple Hill, her fairy-like beauty gives him reason to hope--until she tells him about the ghost haunting the house. Then he wonders if her one experiment with pot has made her crazy.

As Bailey and Eric draw closer, he agrees to help her find a long-forgotten Christmas gift the ghost wants. But will the magic of Christmas be enough to make Eric believe--in Bailey and the ghost--before the Christmas bells ring?

1) How did this story come to you?
In a vivid dream that took place in the beautiful old Virginia home place where my father grew up and I visited during the holidays about a young woman, a guest in the house at Christmas, and the mysterious gentleman she met. That dream nagged at me until I wrote the story. I’m also very nostalgic about the late 1960’s, thus the time period the story is set in, and an even earlier era 1918 and the end of WW1--that accounts for the flashbacks.

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
Writing it. My Faery Rose (light paranormal) editor loved the story, so the journey was all in the creation.

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
I’m a wee bit psychic. Stories and characters often come to me in dreams, also events I’d rather not know about sometimes. I pray a lot.

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
The next story in my ‘Somewhere’ series, the sequel to Scottish time travel romance Somewhere My Lass, while I wait to hear back from my historical editor about a manuscript I turned in, the third in my colonial frontier trilogy and the sequel to Through the Fire. I write for two different lines at the Wild Rose Press.

5) Parting comments?
If you enjoy an intriguing mystery with Gothic overtones and heart-tugging romance set in vintage America then Somewhere the Bells Ring is for you. And did I mention the ghost?

6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
My blog is the happening place and has links to everything else: http://bethtrissel.wordpress.com/

Liz Tolsma's "Under His Wings in A Log Cabin Christmas"

Title: Under His Wings in A Log Cabin Christmas
Publisher: Barbour

Cover blurb: Adie O’Connell, orphaned and alone in a dangerous logging camp, seeks the stability she once knew when both her parents lived. Despite the compassion and friendship offered by Noah “Preacher Man” Mitchell, she refuses to consider marriage to a man always drifting from one job to another for God.

1) How did this story come to you?
I was visiting the Camp Five logging museum in Laona, Wisconsin and thought it would be a great place to set a story.

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
I wrote the first two chapters of the book several years ago, but wasn’t able to find a publisher for it. It sat lonely on my hard drive for that entire time. Then in August 2010, Barbour put out a call for a Christmas story with a log cabin in it. How perfect! I wrote the third chapter, polished everything, and submitted it.

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
Wow, this is hard for me. I’m pretty much a what-you-see-is-what-you-get kind of person.
1. I’m disorganized. O.K., very disorganized. I like to pretend I have it all together, but I don’t.
2. I haven’t read the other stories in the collection. I’m afraid they’re way better than mine.
3. I don’t like talking on the telephone.

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
My agent has submitted my WWII story to several publishers. Still waiting… I’m working on a prairie romance now and will soon embark on another series set in South Dakota.

5) Parting comments?
Thank you so much for hosting me. I appreciate it and I appreciate all the readers who have bought the book and sent me such kind comments.

6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
They can find me at www.liztolsma.blogspot.com, http://www.liztolsma.com/, on Facebook as Liz Tolsma and on Twitter @LizTolsma. I’m also a regular contributor to The Barn Door, http://www.thebarndoor.net/

Register to win Precarious Yates' new book on human trafficking at www.zoe-mack.blogspot.com

We're happy to have Precarious Yates with us talking about her new book "The Elite of the Weak." She's on our sister blog at www.zoe-mack.blogspot.com. Please leave a comment there with your email address for your chance to win. Thanks!

Tell me about The Elite of the Weak

The Elite of the Weak is set in the near future, when Babylon is rebuilt over the ancient ruins, odd political alliances are forged and strong earthquakes occur in strange places.

Trained to do covert missions from a young age, Hadassah enjoys few things more than thrills, whether it’s jumping out of an airplane, a high speed chase after a Somali pirate or crawling through the air ducts in a mafia-owned warehouse. But nothing is more thrilling than rescuing kids from human trafficking. The only thing is, she might do better on a team than on her own.

Enter Revelation Special Ops and their unique short-term mission trips. This elite group of people, R.S.O., is trained to rescue kids from the darkest forms of human trafficking. And they may just be willing to take seventeen year old Hadassah on board.

Why did you write about human trafficking?
In the summer of 2010 I knew I needed to start writing again, but I didn’t want to write about just anything. I had spent almost two years in intense study of the book of Revelation, so I knew my book would have an End Times theme. Also, by that time I had spent ten years raising awareness about the horrors of human trafficking throughout the world, and this theme snuck into everything I wrote anyway. But I took three days where I asked God what He wanted me to write about. That’s when the idea came to me for Revelation Special Ops.

We all agree that kids should not be trafficked. It’s just plain wrong on so many levels. But I prayfully wondered: will there be people trying to rescue these kids when the world as we know it starts to fall apart? It was from that question that I started writing the first book of Revelation Special Ops, The Elite of the Weak, during the 2010 NaNoWriMo. I was so inspired by the character of Hadassah that I wrote over 62,000 words in a month—by hand. I hope she inspires others too.

What inspired you to become an abolitionist?
Eleven years ago, I took a summer job working for a company that did electronic funds transfers for non-profit organizations. You’d think a job like this would be mundane, but my boss, a former Navy Seal, was anything but mundane. He’d spent four months in early 2000 filming a documentary about forced prostitution in Eastern Europe. So my job title went from passive receptionist to an active abolitionist. I was asked to help put the presentation together, pooling articles about human trafficking from a dozen or more news sources. I learned later that my boss took this presentation to the Vatican when he had an audience with the Pope and other Vatican staff.

Once I learned about what happened to girls and women around the globe, I couldn’t be silent about it any more.

Does human trafficking only happen overseas?
There are over 100,000 kids caught in human trafficking in the USA. As many as 95% of those trafficked have been in foster care.

What are some practical steps a teen abolitionist can take?
(1) First of, get close to God. He is the great Emancipator and the great Abolitionist. A friend of mine said recently, “In Exodus 2, Moses was an activist and a revolutionary. But in Exodus 3 he became a prophet and a deliverer. That’s what... an encounter with God will do to you.”
(2) Allow the Lord to soften your heart toward those who are oppressed. It’s easy to feel compassion when they are far away, not so much sometimes when they are up close.
(3) Prayerfully, and with your parents’ full knowledge and support, befriend someone who may be on the brink. Many kids in terrible circumstances will be more likely to tell a friend they were propositioned by a pimp. Love, advice and help from peers can lead kids on the brink toward positive choices. But tell your parents and direct this friend toward the guidance counselors at school or your youth pastor. Remember that you are powerful in this person’s life (even when they mock you), but you also can’t and shouldn’t do this on your own.
(4) Get involved with organizations that work to end trafficking. Here’s a link http://precariousyates.wordpress.com/links to a list of them .
(5) Start a prayer meeting, or bring it up as a topic in your next prayer meeting.
(6) Tell friends about the issue, or tell them about books, news articles, organizations, etc.
(7) Hope in the Lord always. With God all things are possible, including a world without slavery.

Register to win a signed paperback by leaving a comment at www.zoe-mack.blogspot.com.