Getting to know you with Ruth O'Neil

Please welcome Ruth O'Neil to my blog this week. I meet her when I reviewed a book by her mother about the civil war and put in in my top ten for the year. Unfortunately her mother had passed away but through the book we have kept contact. Ruth's latest book is listed below. I am still not reading much but it does look like an interesting read. Welcome Ruth

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I have been a freelance writer for more than 20 years, publishing hundreds of articles in dozens of publications as well as a few books. I enjoy helping others of all ages make their publishing dreams come true. I was born and raised in upstate New York and attended Houghton College. When I’m not writing or homeschooling, I spend my spare time quilting, reading, scrapbooking, camping and hiking with the family.

2. When you were a child did you have a favourite book or books?

I loved reading, even as a child. I would often spend my summer days lounging at the pool, after a stop at our local library so I would have something to read. The Little House and Trixie Belden series of books were some of my favorites. (I loved Little House also)

3. Do you have a favourite Genre to both read and right write?

Definitely fiction. When I read, I like to escape to another world. When I write, I like to touch reader’s emotions. I love to make readers laugh and cry.

4. Did you have favourite authors growing up who have influenced you?

I don’t know if I had any particular authors that influenced me. I was a voracious reader and read everything I could get my hands on. My influence was probably a conglomerate of authors.

5. When did you know you wanted to be an author?

I was 9 years old when I wrote my first story. My mom liked to write and would tell me about writing stories with her cousin when they were young. I wanted to be just like my mom – like most little girls.

6. How did you go about becoming an author?

My mom was a HUGE influence on me. She would encourage me, give me constructive criticism, and take me to writer’s conferences where I gained valuable information at a young age.

7. If you were not a writer what would you like to be?

I would probably do something crafty. I enjoy sewing quilts on the side to relax and think when I have a writing project going on in my head.

8. Outside of reading and writing what do you like to do?

Quilting (when I’m thinking about writing), camping (where I enjoy writing in the peace and quiet), hiking with my family (where I get inspired with new writing ideas), and reading (where I enjoy other people’s writing).

9. Do you have a place you love to visit or would love to visit?

I really enjoy the beach or pretty much anything outside. I often work outside simply because I can since I work at home.

10. If you could have a meal with 3 living people who would you choose and why?

Hmmmm…that’s a tough one. Maybe Candace Cameron Bure, because I respect her stand to be godly in an ungodly world.  Karen Kingsbury, because I see similarities in our writing styles and how we come up with ideas. And maybe Jerry Jenkins, author of the Left Behind series of books, one of my favorites as an adult.

Finally can you tell us about your current books and/or any that will be coming out soon. Also where we can find you on the web.

Belonging my latest book, available on Amazon as an ebook – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LA8KK9M

After the death of her father, painfully shy and introverted Shelly finds her world turned upside down. She is forced to speak with people and she may even have to move from her comfortable apartment. Sorting through her father’s possessions at his house brings back many memories, including how they would research her mom’s genealogy so that in a way, she could get to know her mother’s family, who are all deceased. Shelly wonders why her dad never researched his own family and she never remembers any family events. Why? She begins a journey that takes her to places she never dreamed. Throughout the entire story, God nudges Shelly to get out of her comfort zone. That’s easy for some, but for Shelly it may almost be impossible.

Come Eat at My Table - http://amzn.to/14Q7vyz

Karin is a woman with a past. About the time she thinks no one will ever know, it comes back to haunt her. The deeper she tries to push it away the more prominently it returns. Forgiveness is a word that isn’t in her vocabulary as far as the people from her past are concerned.  She thinks she's fine until someone from her past shows up unexpectedly forcing her to think about what happened. With the help of her family and other people around her she realizes that she must learn to forgive, even if forgiveness wasn't asked of her.

You can find all of my books on my website - http://ruthoneil.weebly.com/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/writerrutho

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/RuthONeilAuthor

Getting to know you with Katherine Walden

 Please welcome my friend and debut author Katherine Walden to my blog today. She has a new devotional book out that looks like a good read.

 1. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I live with a neurological disorder called Charcot Marie Tooth Disease, but I have not allowed my disability to stop me from living an active, productive life. I worked with Youth With A Mission for 13 years and finally settled in Alberta, Canada. However, my disability progressed to the point where I was no longer able to work in a regular work environment. After consulting with my doctors and seeking the advice of trusted pastors and family members, I decided to hang up the traditional work hat, and I now live on a small disability pension.

Someone once said, "You can take the minister out of the pulpit but you can’t take the ministry out of the minister." I continue to minister around the world without taking a step from my apartment through the Internet, I founded I Lift My Eyes Ministries in 1996, and I now reach thousands on a daily basis, thousands more than I would have ever imagined when I was involved in regular ministry!

I have been an active member of Harvest Vineyard Christian Fellowship, in Alberta, Canada since 1993. At present, I serve the local body through helping to facilitate a weekly small group fellowship as well as overseeing our emergency prayer line. At present, I am also a mentor and friend to several younger women, providing a listening ear, wise counsel, and of course, prayer!

 2. When you were a child did you have a favourite book or books?

My favourite author was L.M. Montgomery, the author of the beloved "Anne" series. I own most of her works, and every few years, I pull one of her books off my shelf for some comfort reading. Some people reach for a chocolate bar at times of stress; I reach for a chocolate bar and a good book!  Coincidentally, I once led a home fellowship group with L. M. Montgomery's great-niece although L.M Montgomery lived thousands of miles from me.

3. Do you have a favourite Genre to both read and write?

 I love to read Christian fantasy, C.S. Lewis, Tolkien and George MacDonald's faerie tales. I devoured Jeanette Oke books when I was younger as Mrs Oke wrote most of her fictional books while living a few miles from where I grew up!  Right now, I mostly read non-fiction; books on prayer, Christian living, counselling, and relationships. I am drawn to books that inspire me live my faith with authenticity.  My writing is mostly inspirational devotional in nature, although I have written several instructional articles on prayer. (Jenny here it was Janette Oke's Canadian west series that got me back into reading.)

4. Did you have favourite authors growing up who have influenced you?

L. M. Montgomery, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Louisa May Alcott, Margaret Mitchell, Anne Frank, Helen Keller and Marie Killilea, who wrote 'Karen' and 'With Love from Karen'. I see echoes of their collective influence in all my writings.

5. When did you know you wanted to be an author?
At the age of nine, I created an outline for a book about a girl and her horse. I am now well aware that the concept wasn't very original. However, the dream of owning horses, and then writing about them, died after a week at summer camp. I discovered I didn't like horses as much as I thought I did. I didn't give up my love of writing though and literature, English and Drama were my favourite classes in my school years. (Jenny again love the story of the horse. its funny how we can really want something till we actually either see or do the activity)

6. How did you go about becoming an author?

I suppose the obvious answer is simple. I wrote. When it comes to my devotionals, God challenged me to move past occasional snippets and quips that would pop out of my head and onto paper. I had not written formally for several years, and I was very rusty. I cringe at some of my earlier writings, but I extend grace to the earlier me.  Once I began sending out weekly devotionals via email, I had no choice but to write. It spurred me on and the author within reawakened.

7. If you were not a writer what would you like to be?

A teacher or counsellor. But I don't think I could stop being a writer any more than I could change my eye colour.

8. Outside reading and writing what do you like to do?

I listen to worship music, classical music and just about anything else except for rap and twangy country genres. I enjoy my friends and my local church, where I serve as a mentor and prayer coordinator. I am also a member of a home fellowship leadership team. In the summer, I enjoy traipsing about my urban neighbourhood; there are great coffee shops, sweet little parks and many independent boutiques and stores within blocks of me.

9. Do you have a place you love to visit or would love to visit?

I have lived most of my life in Alberta, Canada, and I grew up within an hours drive of the Rocky Mountains. Banff National Park and Jasper National Park are both places that fill a deep place in my heart. I am hoping to travel down the Oregon Coast to Northern California in the next year. My ultimate dream vacation would be a six-week holiday travelling through the whole of the United Kingdom: Scotland, Ireland, England and Wales.

 10. If you could have a meal with 3 living people who would you choose and why?

This answer changes at a whim as I love to share a meal with three or four very diverse people and just listen to them talk.  I am feeling a bit cheeky today, so my answer would be the following.

Danny Silk, Justin Bieber and Justin's mother who is a strong believer. Danny Silk is a Christian psychologist and relationship expert and has written several books, including 'Keep Your Love On' and 'Loving On Purpose'. I think it would be fascinating to watch the three of them as they discuss family dynamics, personal responsibility and faith. I would be taking copious notes!

Finally can you tell us about your current books and/or any that will
be coming out soon. Also where we can find you on the web.

 

 http://katherinewalden.com

"Seasons - Reflections on Changes Throughout Life" is a compilation of 90 inspirational devotions and thought-provoking writings, penned with humour, wisdom and compassion. It is my hope that this thought-provoking devotional will challenge you to consider a delightful myriad of uplifting possibilities that all surround the fact that God is good, He is on our side and His intention is to bless His children. "Seasons" is currently available on Kindle and I will be releasing other digital formats of the book in October.

I am currently in the process of publishing another collection of 90-100 devotions that is tentatively titled, "Dare to Call Him Friend." I will probably publish that on to Kindle in September 2014.

Getting to know you with Jolina Petersheim

Please welcome Jolina Petersheim to my blog today. Her new book The Midwife is out this month.

 

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

My husband and I share a Plain background that originated in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, but we actually met here, in the mountains of Tennessee. (Our fathers even attended the same Mennonite high school.) We met at church through my husband’s formerly Amish grandfather, Amos Stoltzfus, who encouraged my family to visit. Grandpa Amos was a wonderful, lively man, and I partly based my character in The Outcast, Amos King, after him.

My husband and I are both drawn to a simple life, reminiscent of our heritage (our long-term goal is to live off the land), but we do not intend to drive a horse and buggy any time soon. We have a darling little girl, who is two, and who is about ¼ my size already (she takes after daddy!). We’re expecting our second child in September. I know I am blessed. (Jenny here, I got to visit Lancaster county last year)

2. When you were a child did you have a favourite book or books?

Yes! The Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery. I loved Anne with an ‘e’ so much that, for a long time, I wanted red hair just like hers. To this day, I feel Anne and I could be the best of friends because the two of us are always getting into scrapes.

3. Do you have a favourite Genre to both read and write?

I gravitate toward literary fiction with unique characters and a strong sense of place, such as The Orchardist, The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, and The Invention of Wings. However, I will read about anything if it’s a break from Curious George!

4. Did you have favourite authors growing up who have influenced you?

We didn’t have a TV for the majority of my childhood, so I instead read everything I could get my hands on. Sometimes, this got me into trouble as I was ten years old when I selected a book with mistress in the title. But, for the most part, this sampling allowed me to get to know a wide range of authors like Austen and Eyre, which I still enjoy reading today.

5. When did you know you wanted to be an author?

I honestly cannot remember a time when I did not enjoy making up stories. My father and his friend wrote songs together on Tuesday nights for many years, and I believe this helped influence my love for the writing process. My insatiable hunger for books combined with this love, and by around six years old, I knew I wanted to be an author.

6. How did you go about becoming an author?

Since I started out so young, I really just continued to read and read every chance I got. I also wrote every chance I got. I have fat diaries crammed full of my thoughts from the time I was six until I was twenty-two and started using my spare time to work on my first novel, which shall never see the light of day! I also became connected with a group of authors in Nashville, who taught me about the importance of an author platform. I started using social media and pursuing publishing credits. I signed my publishing contract with Tyndale House three years (and two novels) later.

7. If you were not a writer what would you like to be?

A journalist who goes around, trying to get people to tell me their stories. Writing, of course, would be involved. But I love words so much and am so equally terrible at math that I don’t think I’d have many other options.

8. Outside reading and writing what do you like to do?

I love hiking. I don’t go as often as I used to because I’m a mom, but there’s just something so therapeutic about being outside with nature. If I ever need to process life, I go for a long, long walk by myself, whereas I usually take my daughter and my Akita pup, Kashi. I often don’t have an answer by the time I return, but the problem doesn’t nearly seem as insurmountable as it had before.

9. Do you have a place you love to visit or would love to visit?

Rugby is this little restored Victorian village nestled in the mountains of Tennessee that was established as a Utopian society for the second sons of England who didn’t share the rights and privileges of their firstborn brothers. Of course, this society didn’t work out, but the dream is still there in the lay of the land and the ornate beauty of the buildings. I feel like I breathe more easily when I am there. What can I say? I’m a romantic.

10. If you could have a meal with 3 living people who would you choose and why?

(1)    Ina May Gaskin, one of the founders of modern midwifery, who lives in a commune in Summertown, Tennessee. Midwifery is a subject that utterly fascinates me. Fannie Graber, the head midwife in The Midwife, is partly based on Ina May.

(2)    Lois Lowry, the author of The Giver. Her depiction of the rise and fall of community really resonates with me—as my family lived in a community when I was growing up—and is something I am trying to convey through my own fiction.

(3)    Heidi Baker founded an orphanage in Africa and has witnessed miracles. I would love to hear her recount these miracles in person. Seems it would be an incredible faith builder.

Finally can you tell us about your current books and/or any that will be coming out soon. Also where we can find you on the web.

Short version: The Outcast, my debut, is a modern retelling of The Scarlet Letter set in an Old Order Mennonite community in Tennessee—released July 1, 2013

Long version: Four years ago, a family member told a true story about the power of desire that was left unchecked and how it trickled down through an Old Order Mennonite family, not only affecting that generation, but the generations to come. We were all sitting around the kitchen, and after the person finished speaking, I gasped, “That’s a book!” But I did nothing about it. At the time, I was writing Southern fiction and did not want to surrender to “Amish fiction”—a genre my father always told me I should write.

However, a few years later, I was on the London Underground when a tall, stoop-shouldered man in a black suit stepped on board. My best friend and I recognized him as the person who was friends with the woman who was allowing us to stay in her flat. On the subway, this unsung poet and prophet spoke into my best friend’s life. Then later, on the double decker bus, he spoke into mine. He told me I would give up the manuscript I was currently working on and begin writing again. I didn’t know I would listen, but when I came home, I could not hear anything else. I put my current manuscript in a drawer and began writing a fictionalized version of the story that had been told to me. The unsung prophet of the London Underground is mentioned in the acknowledgements section of The Outcast.

Synopsis of The Midwife—released June 1, 2014

Since the day Rhoda Mummau was baptized into the Old Order Mennonite Church and became the head midwife of Hopen Haus, she’s been torn between the needs of the unwed mothers under her care and her desire to conceal the secrets of her past. Contact with the outside world could provide medical advantages, but remaining secluded in the community gives her the anonymity she craves.

Graduate student Beth Winslow is on a path she never would have chosen. Heartbroken after surrendering a baby to adoption, she devotes herself to her studies until she becomes pregnant again, this time as a surrogate. But when early tests indicate possible abnormalities, Beth is unprepared for the parents’ decision to end the pregnancy—and for the fierce love she feels for this unborn child. Desperate, she flees the city and seeks refuge at Hopen House.

Past and present collide when a young woman named Amelia arrives to the sweeping countryside bearing secrets of her own. As Amelia’s due date draws near, Rhoda must face her past and those she thought she had left behind in order for the healing power of love and forgiveness to set them all free.

You can find me here:

www.jolinapetersheim.com

www.southernbelleviewdaily.com

www.facebook.com/jolinapetersheim/author

www.twitter/Jolina_Joy

 

Getting to Know you with Kimberley Rose Johnson

Please welcome Kimberley Johnson to my blog today. Kimberley is a Heartsong Presents author and she has a new book coming out in June.

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I’m a mom of two teen boys, I’ve been married to my college sweetheart for 23 years and I live in the Pacific NW.

2. When you were a child did you have a favourite book or books?

I had a couple of favorites. When I was under the age of six I loved Sammy the Seal. I can’t tell you how many times I checked it out from the library. Then I’m guessing around the third grade I read a book call Can I Get there by Candlelight. I still have that on my bookshelf. Once I hit middle school I started reading romance books and have enjoyed them ever sense. (Jenny here love you mentioning a book from when you were so young. One of my favourites I still have is a book with 3 fairy tales and it introduced me to The Snow Queen which I loved.)

3. Do you have a favourite Genre to both read and right write?

My favorite genre to write is contemporary Christian romance, and I like to mix up reading between romantic suspense and contemporary romance.

4. Did you have favourite authors growing up who have influenced you?

Let me preface this with I never imagined I’d be a writer, so there is no one writer that influenced my writing directly. I read a ton of Grace Livingston Hill books growing up. I also really enjoyed a Christian book club that mailed out novels that are about the length of Heartsong Presents books, but I’m pretty sure they were a different Publisher—the name escapes me.

5. When did you know you wanted to be an author?

About ten years ago.

6. How did you go about becoming an author?

I didn’t have a clue about how to write, or get published. In fact, I didn’t know writer’s groups like American Christian Fiction Writers existed.  LOL, I didn’t even know how to send an email back then.

What I did know was that I had a story to write, so over the course of a year during snippets of time, I wrote. When the story was complete I started researching how to get a book published. Long story short I self published and in the process that company taught me how to get my feet wet in the world of publishing. I discovered writers groups and attended my first writer’s conference in 2006.

I studied the craft, wrote every day, and eventually acquired my agent who sold my first series to Heartsong Presents. A Romance Rekindled is the second book in that series, but each book stands alone.

7. If you were not a writer what would you like to be?

Before I was a writer I taught piano lessons. I imagine if I wasn’t writing fulltime I would still be teaching piano.

8. Outside reading and writing what do you like to do?

You mean there is more to life than reading and writing? LOL

I enjoy walks with my husband and yellow lab, coffee with friends, and attending my son’s band concerts. There really isn’t time for much else outside of my normal routine.

9. Do you have a place you love to visit?

This past year my husband and I went to Orland Florida. That had been on my bucket list since I was a young girl. I need to come up with someplace new now.

10. If you could have a meal with 3 living people who would you choose and why?

Debbie Macomber because I admire her writing and all that she has accomplished. I’d also choose my two critique partners I’ve never met in person, Margaret Daley and Vickie McDonough. I think these three writers would make for a very interesting and fun dinner party. (Jenny again, I would love to meet Margaret and Vickie also they both write books I love and contributed to my album I made for my birthday).

Finally can you tell us about your current books and/or any that will
be coming out soon. Also where we can find you on the web.

You can find me at http://kimberlyrjohnson.com/

I have a series with Heartsong Presents that takes place in Leavenworth, WA. Leavenworth is a Bavarian themed village nested in the Washington Cascades. The first book, A Christmas Promise, released this past November. Book two, A Romance Rekindled, releases in June. Here’s the back cover blurb.

SUSAN HILL ISN'T READY TO FORGIVE 
The small-town CPA can't forget how Blake Mitchell jilted her and left their hometown without an explanation. But when her first love returns to Leavenworth, the ruggedly handsome writer evokes conflicting emotions, especially when Susan meets the child she assumes is his daughter. 
Since his parents' deaths six years ago, Blake's been raising his little sister on his own. But he's never forgotten the woman he left behind. Now, he can't undo the past, but maybe he can change the future…if he can convince Susan to give him one more chance.

Thanks again for your time and agreeing to be on my blog. Thanks for having me!.

Getting to know you with Narelle Atkins with a giveaway.

Please welcome Narelle Atkins back to my blog today. Her new book The Nurse's Perfect Match has just released. She is also offering a giveaway.

(Thought it would be nice to include one of when I met

Narelle in April)

How does it feel to have your second book just released?

Book releases are exciting! The first one is special, but I feel more relaxed with my second book release because I know what to expect. I really love this story, and I’m thrilled to see The Nurse’s Perfect Match in print. It doesn’t feel like three months since my debut book, Falling for the Farmer, was first released. This year is flying by too fast!

What was your reaction the first time you saw a physical copy of your first book in Australia, did it make it feel more real?

It was an emotional moment when I first opened the box of books from my publisher. To see, hold, touch, and smell the books. Yes, I’m one of those people who likes the smell of print books, and the tactile experience of reading a physical book rather than reading on a screen.

A very special moment was seeing Falling for the Farmer on the shelf for the first time in the Koorong book store in Adelaide. It was wonderful to share that moment with you, and my husband. That’s when I felt like I was a real author. (Jenny here I was there and I can vouch for her excitement. Also a sales girl got quite excited when she saw our excitement and I told her Narelle had just seen her book for the first time in a store in Australia. She was jumping out of her skin I think more to meet an author than anything).

Does this book have a theme?

The Nurse’s Perfect Match is the second book in a continuity series set in Snowgum Creek, a fictitious town in Australia. The series theme is coming home, and finding love in the small town community near the Snowy Mountains. The Nurse’s Perfect Match is a single dad romance story. Amy and Ben come from different worlds, and Amy’s heart’s desire is to have a family of her own to love.  

Your latest book The Nurse’s Perfect Match has just been released. What do you hope readers take out of this book?

I hope readers will find the story entertaining and inspiring. I hope they’ll enjoy journeying with Ben and Amy as they fall in love, and overcome obstacles to achieve their romantic happily-ever-after ending.

Can you tell us a little about the hero and heroine?

Ben Morton, my hero in The Nurse’s Perfect Match, is an apple farmer and single dad who lost his wife to cancer. He struggles to understand why a loving God would take away the mother of his children. He shared a strong marriage with his late wife, who was also a Christian. My heroine, Amy Wilkins, is a widow who lost her husband when her marriage was in crisis. Amy moves back home to Snowgum Creek, and works as a nurse in the medical clinic owned by Ben’s younger brother, Luke.

Have you got a fun tibit you can tell us about this book?

My sister has an adorable dog named Lily. In my story, Ben and his children also have a dog called Lily. She is based on the real Lily, although my sister’s dog is better behaved than my Lily in the story.

What will be happening next for Narelle Atkins?

I have four upcoming releases over the next twelve months. The Doctor’s Return, the third book in my Snowgum Creek series, will be released in August 2014. Her Tycoon Hero, the first book in my Sydney series, will be released in November 2014, followed by two more books in the series, releasing in February and May 2015.

http://www.narelleatkins.com/

NURSE AMY WILKINS HAS COME HOME

After her marriage ends in tragedy, Amy returns to Snowgum Creek to rebuild her life. There she meets widower Ben Morton, who's not looking for romance, though his young children are eager for Amy's attention. She's given up on her dream of being a mother, but can't ignore how she's drawn to Ben's little ones, and to their handsome farmer dad.

As love kindles between Ben and Amy, she worries how she'll ever measure up to the wife he lost. And Ben is concerned about how Amy will ever truly fit into life on the farm. They could be the answer to each other's prayers--if the secret Amy is keeping doesn't tear them apart.

Narelle is offering one copy of her book to one of my readers you can enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Getting to know you with Davalynn Spencer

Today I have Davalynn Spencer on my blog. I met her at the new Love Inspired Heartsong Presents goodreads group. Her latest book has just been released.

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I have a serious addiction to bacon and chocolate. Not together, but one is as good as the other. Besides that, I’m married to a retired rodeo bullfighter and clown, and I’m the mother of one not-so-retired bullfighter. Needless to say, I’ve bloodied my knees in prayer a few times, not just for them but also for our daughter and older son. Once a mom, always a mom.

2. When you were a child did you have a favourite book or books?

As a child, I read whatever was in our home library, particularly if it had a horse in it.

3. Do you have a favourite genre to both read and write?

I read across genres but I most enjoy books with a strong romantic thread. Perhaps that’s what got me started writing inspirational romance. I love happy endings and discovering how people work through their problems. Whether historical or contemporary, love stories are full of encouragement.

4. Did you have favourite authors growing up who have influenced you?

As crazy as it sounds, the author who most influenced me is one I discovered in the sixth grade—as a teacher. I populated my classroom bookshelves with the books of Gary D. Schmidt because of the way he wrote. Readers can see, smell, feel, and taste his stories. That is a personal goal of mine: to draw readers into my settings so they feel as if they are there.

5. When did you know you wanted to be an author?

Again – the sixth grade, but as a student. I wrote a short story that our teacher used as a play during a class outing. After that, I was hooked on words.

6. How did you go about becoming an author?

I started freelancing more than twenty years ago and worked as a crime-beat reporter for about six. My freelancing has appeared in Western Horseman, American Cowboy, Chicken Soup for the Soul, The Upper Room, Quiet Hour, and many other publications. In the 1990s I edited and wrote the monthly publication for the Fellowship of Christian Cowboys, Inc., The Line Rider, and later contributed a column to them. Though all these years involved writing nonfiction, in my heart I was a novelist just waiting to break out. I wrote two books and participated in a webinar with literary agent and agency owner Joyce Hart. She liked my work, encouraged me, and gave my name to one of her agents. My first sale was a Christmas novella ebook to Pelican Books in 2012. My first Heartsong Presents book debuted in 2013, The Rancher’s Second Chance.  

7. If you were not a writer what would you like to be?

A chocolate maker or a rancher. (wonders if the two could be combined)

8. Outside reading and writing what do you like to do?

I enjoy taking our dog to the Arkansas Riverwalk or just walking out in the country where we live. I sing and play the piano and guitar, and have played on worship teams for years. (Love Hillsong!)

9. Do you have a place you love to visit or would love to visit?

There are several places I’d like to see: Australia, New Zealand, Scotland, and Israel.

10. If you could have a meal with 3 living people who would you choose and why?

I would choose Gayle Roper because I love her writing, and actually did have lunch with her at a writer’s conference in Estes Park, Colorado. Next would be my agent, Linda S. Glaz, because she lives in Michigan and I live in Colorado. But first, I’d have lunch with my daughter who lives in California and I don’t get to see nearly enough.

11. Finally can you tell us about your current books and/or any that will
be coming out soon. Also where we can find you on the web.

I have three Heartsong books coming out this year: The Cowboy Takes a Wife (Feb.), Branding the Wrangler’s Heart (May), and Romancing the Widow (Aug.). You can reach me at my website, www.davalynnspencer.com where you can sign up for my inspirational, every-other-week blog, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AuthorDavalynnSpencer where you’ll find a subscribe button to receive my quarterly newsletter.

Getting to Know you with Lesley Ann McDaniel

Please welcome Lesley Ann McDaniel to my blog today. Lesley Ann is a Heartsong Presents author who is also being featured on a blog tour with ACRBA this week. My post will be up tomorow

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember, but my first love is theatre. When I started to write seriously about eight years ago, my plotlines just naturally seemed to revolve around the entertainment industry. It’s fun to see how some of the work experiences I’ve had have come out in my books. Not to mention people I’ve known, but I’m not naming any names!

2. When you were a child did you have a favourite book or books?

I had so many favorites. “Little Women”, “A Little Princess”, any of the Nancy Drew mysteries. I pretty much enjoyed every book I read. (I loved Little Women when I did read it)

3. Do you have a favourite Genre to both read and right write?

As a reader, I do seem to gravitate toward romance, but I prefer substantial plotlines. I love well-written suspense, and Young Adult. It should come as no surprise that those are the genres I write in as well.

4. Did you have favourite authors growing up who have influenced you?

Definitely Jane Austen. Who doesn’t want to write like her? I want to write description of setting like Margaret Mitchell, although she’s wordy for contemporary tastes. F. Scott Fitzgerald did such an amazing job of creating characters. I love Truman Capote’s way with words, although I’ll never be able to bring myself to read “In Cold Blood”. I got to see him speak one time, and he read one of his short stories. What an amazing experience that was.

5. When did you know you wanted to be an author?

I used to say I wanted to be an author when I was a child, then set that goal aside for a number of years. I have a theory about why so many of us seem to take up writing as a second career at a later point in life. We need to have some life experience to draw on in order to have something interesting to write about.

6. How did you go about becoming an author?

I started by writing the novel I’d had in my head for about fifteen years. By the time I finished, I knew it was terrible, and that I needed to set it aside for a while. I took a year to write what became my first completed book, “Saving Grace”, then went back to rewrite that first book. It’s a YA novel called “Pure Hollywood”, which I’m planning on publishing soon.  

I went the standard route of submitting my proposals for those first two books and eventually got an agent. Ironically, it was my third book, “Lights, Cowboy, Action”, that finally sold to a publisher (Heartsong Presents). Now that things are changing in the publishing world, I’m happy to call myself a hybrid author, with some books traditionally published and some indie published.

7. If you were not a writer what would you like to be?

The other things I already am; a mom and a theatrical costumer.

8. Outside reading and writing what do you like to do?

I love to spend time with my kids, cooking, watching movies. I love to travel, but rarely get to these days. I also love going to the theatre, when I’m not backstage.

9. Do you have a place you love to visit or would love to visit?

So many places! My number one favorite place I’ve been and would love to revisit is Paris. The one in France.

10. If you could have a meal with 3 living people who would you choose and why?

That is such a hard question. I’m going to say the first three people who pop into my head. Angela Lansbury (one of my favorite actresses, and I’d just love to hear all her theatre stories), Cher (loved her show when I was a kid, and I’ve always wanted to meet her), and Brandilyn Collins (my favorite suspense writer- I have a hundred questions for her). I’m sure those three ladies would find each other fascinating. I’m such an introvert, I’d love to not have to do too much talking at this make-believe dinner. (I would love to meet Angela Lansbury she is so versatile and had a great career, it would be an interesting dinner)

Finally can you tell us about your current books and/or any that will
be coming out soon. Also where we can find you on the web.

Well, since you asked…

My Montana Hearts series with Heartsong Presents:

“Lights, Cowboy, Action”

“Big Sky Bachelor”

“Rocky Mountain Romance”

Book 1 in my Madison Falls series:

“Saving Grace”

All my books are on Amazon http://amzn.to/1iBgFUc and my website www.lesleyannmcdaniel.com

I also have a romantic suspense coming out soon. “Tide Will Tell” will be book 2 in the Islands of Intrigue series. Check out book 1, “The Unrelenting Tide” by Lynnette Bonner at http://amzn.to/1nCtxy0


SHEILA MACINTOSH IS HEAD OVER HEELS FOR BEN JACOBS 

But they haven't spoken since his sister Courtney's wedding last summer. Now that they're back together again on Courtney's Montana ranch, Sheila's wondering if she only imagined that Ben cared for her—and their time together was just a beautiful dream. 

Ben's crazy about Sheila, but he's too shy to tell her, and he's praying for another chance to win her affections. Can this sweet computer expert overcome his shyness and show her that sometimes dreams really do come true?

Getting to know you with Shannon Taylor Vannatter and giveaway

Please welcome Shannon Taylor Vannatter to my blog today. I first read one of Shannons novels about 2 and a half years ago and love it. Have connected with her on the new goodreads group at https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/129196 and she is also giving one copy away.

1.    Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I’m a pastor’s wife/stay at home mom. We live in very rural central Arkansas. Our son is twelve and is very active in sports. Our church is twelve miles west of our house and his school is twelve miles east of our house. We spend a lot of time running back and forth in a twenty-four mile radius.

2.    When you were a child did you have a favourite book or books?

I loved the Dr. Suess books when I was little. When I was nine or so, I read The Little House on the Prairie books. The show was on then and I was an avid fan. In my teens, my mom introduced me to clean romance novels and I loved them. (Jenny here I loved Little House on the Prairie books also)

3.    Do you have a favourite Genre to both read and right write?

Inspirational Contemporary Romance. When I first started writing, I wrote romantic suspense. I think I went in that direction because I watched a lot of detective shows as a teenager and young adult. The problem with my romantic suspense was the bad guy got caught and the suspense got wrapped up long before the romance did.

I finally heard a speaker at a writer’s conference say that whatever genre you read the most is probably the genre you should write. It was an Aha moment for me and I hit my stride writing straight romance. A few of my books have a suspense element, but the romance is the focus.

4.    Did you have favourite authors growing up who have influenced you?

I wish I could remember the authors of those first romance novels I read. I know it was Harlequin and it was a clean line, but that’s all I remember. That first taste of romance definitely influenced me. And it’s surreal that I write for Harlequin’s inspirational line now.

5.    When did you know you wanted to be an author?

I was in my thirties. My husband’s work hours changed and my evenings were free. Our son wasn’t in the picture yet, so I suddenly had free time in the evenings. I went to the library to get some clean romance books and couldn’t find any.

At the same time, I’d had a story in my head since my teens. I’d move scenes around and add complications over the years. I thought it was a movie, but I didn’t want to go to Hollywood, so I’d pushed it to the back of my mind.

Not being able to find clean romance novels and that story collided. It finally hit me that it was a book. But I didn’t have a computer and I wasn’t that great of a typist. I decided that if I ever got a computer, I’d write it. Three years later, my father in law got a new computer and gave me his old one. As soon as it was plugged in and operational, I was writing the book. It got 52 rejection letters in 1999.

In 2013, I totally rewrote it from scratch, using all the knowledge gained from years of writer’s groups and conferences and Rodeo Queen was published.

6.    How did you go about becoming an author?

I wrote five books without ever attending a writer’s group meeting or conference, without ever reading anything about how to write. I just did it. Over two hundred rejection letters, a Print On Demand published book, and lots of frustration, I joined two writers groups and started attending conferences. I bought several books on writing, Writer’s Digest, and The Writer magazines.

After three years, it seemed like I wasn’t learning anything new, but I was still getting rejections. I googled Christian Writers Conferences and found American Christian Fiction Writers. I attended the conference for three years, before I finally joined the online group, and joined an online critique group. In 2008, I pitched a book to an editor with Heartsong Presents, which was owned by Barbour then. I got a request for the full and an offer for a three book contract in early 2009.       

7.    If you were not a writer what would you like to be?

I can’t imagine being anything else. I dallied with the idea of being an interior decorator several years ago. But then a friend of mine went into that business and it didn’t sound as fun or glamorous as I’d imagined. But I made the heroine in my latest release an interior decorator. With writing, I can have fun careers through my heroines.

8.    Outside reading and writing what do you like to do?

I love spending time with my family. I’m a homebody and I’m at my happiest doing something crafty.

9.    Do you have a place you love to visit or would love to visit?

My husband has family in Texas and we love visiting there. I have cousins in Georgia and I spent some growing up years there, so I love going to see them. I’m not a vacation to somewhere I’ve never been just for the fun of it type. Vacation to me is visiting family I don’t get to see often.

10.  If you could have a meal with 3 living people who would you choose and why?

My son, my husband, and my parents. That’s four, but I can’t leave anyone out. I’m pretty much about family. We live across a hayfield from my parents. My cousin lives across the dirt road and my aunt and uncle are moving to the end of the dirt road. I told you it’s rural. We do live on a paved highway, but you turn on the dirt road to get to our driveway. All of my aunts, uncles, cousins, and in laws live in a 20 mile radius except for the Texas, Georgia, and Missouri branch. (I have had a few say family and it refreshing to see, as it shows how much they mean to a person. Its also interesting to see how people read the question as it says 3 living people not 3 famous people although my 3 are not family I needed a 4^th to even out the numbers a bit)

Finally can you tell us about your current books and/or any that will be coming out soon.

Rodeo Song is another of my early attempts at writing. Back in the eighties, I went to a Michael Bolton concert. I loved his raspy voice. Halfway through the concert, he did his famous lobby run and sang Georgia on My Mind at the opposite end of the arena from the stage. That night, I dreamed I was in the lobby and he grabbed my hand. You know how dreams are—I wasn’t married. He took me on stage and sang Georgia to me. I thought the dream was funny and told my husband, family, and friends about it.

Years later, when I started writing, I decided it could be a book. It got several rejections. Last year when Harlequin gave the opportunity to continue my Texas rodeo series, I decided I could rewrite the one about the rock star. I rewrote it from scratch and the hero became a country star to fit the Texas theme and added a twist—the heroine he takes on stage was his high school sweetheart.

Also where we can find you on the web.

Website: shannonvannatter.com

Blog: shannonvannatter.com/blog

Facebook: http://facebook.com/shannontaylorvannatter

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/29672798-shannon-vannatter

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/stvannatter/

Twitter: @stvauthor

Rodeo Song
JENNA WENTWORTH FOUND THE MAN OF HER DREAMS 
But when silken-voiced Garrett Steele set out for stardom, he left Jenna—and his cowboy past—far behind. A chance encounter at one of his concerts propels him back into Jenna's life. But, once burned by love, Jenna must guard her heart against the captivating singer. 


Once upon a time, Garrett vowed he'd be a success, no matter what. But that path shattered his soul. His reunion with Jenna makes him long for things he once took for granted. Now he must show her that he's found what he was looking for all along…right here in his hometown.


Bio
Shannon Taylor Vannatter is a stay-at-home mom/pastor’s wife/award winning author. She lives in rural central Arkansas in a town with a population of around 100, if you count a few cows. Shannon writes inspirational contemporary romance and it took her nine years to get published in the traditional market.


Shannon hopes to entertain Christian women and plant seeds in the non-believer’s heart as her characters struggle with real-life issues. Their journeys, from ordinary lives to extraordinary romance through Christ-centered relationships, demonstrate that love doesn’t conquer all—Jesus does. In her spare time, she loves spending time with her family and doing craft projects.

Giveaway
Shannon has offered one copy to a reader of my blog (international) if you would like to win this book please leave a comment either asking Shannon a question or a comment on the interview. Entries saying looks good or good interview please enter me will not be accepted. Please leave a way to contact you. You have til Friday 11th. April to enter.