Today, we're taking a visit to our friend's blog Debbie Castello. Debbie's interviewed Miralee Ferrell, author of Love Finds You in Bridal Veil, Oregon.
If you've been to the Christian fiction section of your neighborhood walk-in book store, no doubt you've seen the lovely covers by Summerside Press of their new Love Finds You In... series. They are lovely! These books have been the hot topic over at the Inspirational Romance Online Book Clubs network (come join!). So far, no one I've heard from has been disappointed.
Times are tough nowadays, the purse strings get tighter and tighter for everyone. If you feel that pinch, come with me to visit Debbie Castello's Sword & Spirit blog and leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of Love Finds You in Bridal Veil, Oregon. The GIVEAWAY will run for the next few days, so let's head over now, while we're together.
And if you're interested in reading this book and chatting with others about it, join the Inspirational Online Book Clubs at http://SweetRomance.ning.com/
The book clubs are 2 - 3 weeks long and you visit & leave comments/replies at your convenience!
Happy Monday! We're starting the week with our guest author Kim Watters. Kim has a new Steeple Hill Love Inspired story, On Wings of Love, and she's here to chat with us about it. So, as usual, grab your favorite cuppa, a bowl of oatmeal or a bagel and let's visit with Kim.
Kim, you've got a great story here. I really enjoyed the immediate tension, yet attraction, between the two main characters (Noah and Ruth) in your Love Inspired book On Wings of Love. If you would, give us the hook on this story.
A nurse dedicated to helping others, discovers the man who steals her heart doesn't want her help.
What kind of research did you did you need for writing this book?
I spoke with a donor coordinator from both the Phoenix area and Little Rock. I did lots of on-line research about the process of organ donation from both the donor and recipient side. I also spoke with a pilot about the plane scenes and strove to get them as accurate as possible.
Ruth is the heroine in On Wings of Love. Tell us about her job.
Ruth is an Organ Procurement Coordinator. Her job starts after a donor has been found. She finds the recipients and then goes in and coordinates the various surgeries with the surgical teams coming to retrieve the organs. She will also accompany a surgical team herself and bring back the organs for the recipient.
Did you have anyone in mind that you modeled her after? Is there an actress you'd cast as Ruth? Who would play Noah?
I usually use pictures from magazines for my characters. I cut them out and create a small story board with my characters that I set next to my computer so I can look at them as I write their story. An actress for Ruth? Kate Hudson. Noah. Hmmm. How about Gerard Butler. A gal can dream, can't she?
What does she first notice about Noah that draws her to him so strongly (physically and inwardly/emotionally?
First she notices his eyes. Then she senses his sorrow. She feels the need to help him with his struggles and bring him back to his faith that he rejected years ago.
What's Noah's first impression of Ruth? There's something about her that tugs at him, can you share what he feels/senses?
He thinks she's a vulture because of what she does for a living. But underneath her lab coat, he senses a vulnerability that calls to his sense of duty.
Tell us about Noah's profession.
Noah is a charter pilot who owns his own company. He doesn't want the contract with the donor network, but he has overhead and employees to pay so he doesn't have much choice in turning down contracts.
Noah has two co-pilots, what can you tell us about both of them?
One is his best friend Brad, his late wife's cousin. They've been friends for over a decade. The other is Houston, his late son's dog, who goes with him everywhere because Noah hasn't been able to let go of his son's death.
What would you like readers to come away with after reading On Wings of Love?
That organ donation is a wonderful gift the each and everyone of us has to give to someone else when we don't need them anymore.
Ruth Fontaine's job is to deliver lifesaving organs to those urgently in need. But the gruff pilot of her charter plane has no kind words for her work. And then she discovers the heartbreaking reason why. Noah Barton lost his wife and young son. Grieving, he gave in to pressure to donate his child's organs—a decision he regrets. He's bitter against those who "take advantage" of people's anguish. Yet he still flies her on her missions, with his beloved family dog, Houston, as his copilot. Now Ruth will have to show Noah he has two other copilots: the Lord and her love.
You’re invited to join this new online romance book club network site, built with you in mind.
There will be several online book clubs taking place, at least two a month. As we grow, we’ll add more with a variety of authors, many of whom will drop by for a visit with our book club reading.
Many authors have donated books for the Inspirational Romance site giveaways, so we’ll have a lot of fun winning more books!
Each online book club at the site will have a discussion forum where we’ll read a few chapters then spend a few days answering a question to cover those chapters, or chatting with one another about what we’ve read. You can come at your convenience, you just click onto your book club discussion group, skim the comments/replies and add your own, so this is convenient for your busy schedule.
Current Inspirational Romance Online Book Club Schedule:
Feb 20—Lori Wick ~ The Princess
Mar 1—Linore Rose Burkard ~ Before The Season Ends
Mar 15--Julie Klassen ~ The Silent Governess Apr 1—Mary Connealy ~ The Husband Tree
Apr 15—Maggie Brendan ~ No Place For A Lady
April 15—Lori Wick ~ Book club will vote on next reading
May 1—Linore Rose Burkard ~ The House In Grosvenor Square
May 15—Vickie McDonough ~ The Anonymous Bride
June 1—Lori Wick ~ Book club will vote on next reading
June 15—Lena Nelson Dooley ~ Love Finds You in Golden NM
Thanks for your visits here. I hope you enjoy them and I hope you enjoy the many online book clubs at Inspirational Romance. Since I'm nursing a pretty bad cold, formatting author interviews, and editing my writing, I'll see you here sometime this weekend, rested and ready for our time together. Oh, and bring your favorite cuppa for our visit!
Here we are again, and I'm excited to share with you the rest of this interview with Mitch McVicker. Best thing I can do is invite you to bring your favorite cuppa, and enjoy Mitch sharing his heart.
Before we get started, I want to share one of my favorite Mitch songs (I think a lot of us love this song). I only wish the audio was a little better quality, but I'm grateful to have this to share with you. Enjoy Mitch's The Lemonade Song from his self-titled first solo album:
Don't forget to leave comment for a chance to win a giveaway CD of Mitch's latest release Always Believe. And please, if you'd love to see Mitch play in your church or at a local coffee house, have them contact Mitch. As you can see, he's a pretty great one-man band. He'll share his contact info below in just a few moments. Enjoy...
Mitch, we’re glad to have more time with you for this 2nd part of our interview.
I think everyone would love to peek into the making of an album/CD. What steps do you usually go through in writing a song? Do they usually come to you in bits and pieces and then bring it all together later, or does it usually come all at once? Lyrics first, then the music or the music first…? Can you take us through that process?
the song writing process is different each time. sometimes a chord progression or melody is first, sometimes they are simultaneous. sometimes one lyric is first, sometimes a bunch of lyrics. sometimes it's just an idea at first. sometimes everything happens at once. but i think it's safe to say it's always a process.
it's like cooking. it's like a recipe coming together to make a dish. yet, some recipes take longer to prepare and assemble, some need to be cooked longer. some are made with ingredients that were just bought, some have ingredients that have been on the shelf a long time.
the important thing is to pay attention to life. because there is no formula for songs. if i approach songwriting like that is the case, it's safe to say my songs will suck pretty bad. you never know what you will make, when you will make it, and what the ingredients will be. sometimes a melody, notion, chord voicing, etc. slams me over the head and i run with it in that moment. most of the time, i put them in my "bag" and "carry" them around for a while til i come across the next piece or ingredient to put with it.
for me, i have never had to go to a secluded cabin and write for a week. that has never made sense to me. it's not how i work.
for me songs come from life and experience. so why retreat way from that? don't songs spill out from life? there are 3 or 4 songs waiting to happen on my trip from my house to the store, if i am paying attention, if i am open, if i have the guts and courage.
You're doing 100 concerts a year. That's a lot of time on the road. Tell us about your traveling, how you get from town to town (are you driving yourself, are you traveling with a band in a bus, do you fly, etc)?
i drive myself from concert to concert in a van. i tour solo. i spent years traveling with and touring with other guys playing as a band behind me. now, this is where the lord has brought me. it's hard, but real good.
tours are extensive, but i get home every week. my van never gets home. roughly, i play concerts thursday through sunday. then, i park the van at whatever airport is between sunday's concert and the following concert on thursday. i fly home. i am there for 2 days. the re-connection with my family, every week, is invaluable.
i spent years taking the 6-week-gone approach to touring. i am done with that. that wrecks relationships. i am so very thankful to do it this way now.
How do you a) fellowship, and b) commune with God (while you're on the road)?
fellowship is easy. i have amazing friends all over the country. yes, i am pretty much a stranger in the town that i live in, but i have an amazing community of life-giving people, that know me for who i really am, everywhere i go.
communion with god is a matter of obedience. that's a hairy, scary church word...but, for me, it's being faithful to what the lord is doing in me and remembering that he is turning me into my true-self. it comes down to a positioning of the heart and paying attention to the lord...around every corner.
for me, many times, it's a discipline. that's one of the ways the lord has set me up. the lord often communicates with me through my drive. NOT a selfish drive, but, rather, a true-self drive.
so tangibly, i read the scriptures, pray, listen, and journal before the day gets going. if i don't, i feel like i am walking around with a hole in my chest...and feeling as if i am being less than the lord has intended.
You have a young family now, how do you guard your family time with so much time away?
i guard it by making it a priority. there is a power in presence. so i try to be present as much as i can. and when i am present to my family, i try to really "be" there. not with a wandering mind, heart, or soul. i try to look at myself when i am 70, look at how i wished i would have spent my time, and then spend my time that way. "trivial" family time becomes powerful. you CAN do it all. life becomes truly full. it alleviates what is actually trivial.
What do you do to keep that time special, to make memories with them?
i play in the snow. i pick mushrooms. i make up nonsense songs. i try to listen. in short, i try to always do what is not "cool".
You play in churches--what's a way that we can get you to visit our churches or coffee houses if we'd like to see you, but have never done anything like this before?
there is a phone number and email address on my website (i think). that's the way to get a hold of me about coming to do a concert. a concert is easy to pull off. what i do is pretty grassroots and small potatoes. i set up my schedule. 95% of the concerts that i do are done with people that "have no idea how to put on a concert". i have learned that that is a false statement. because it works. i love it. mmcvpromotions@aol.com - 770 714 2863.
**Mitch send this to me this morning (which is awesome, I couldn't get it copied off the site yesterday--so thanks Mitch!)
go to www.mitchmcvicker.com for individual concert details
(concerts will continue to be added over the next couple months)
Coming back to Always Believe--what do you think this album offers its audience in terms of musical artistry, and also in terms of what God might be saying through it?
always believe is the artiest record i have recorded. but hopefully it's not art for art's sake. i just wanted to let the songs speak. i didn't want any booyah to get in the way of the creative process. i wanted the music and the lyrics to have room to be powerful. i wanted it to sound like autumn. this record is the greatest reflection of me that i have recorded. but at the same time, i think i am less in the way than i have been on records in the past. i had, and i have, no pre-conceived notions as to what god might say through it. but i know god does, and i know god will...because god speaks. hopefully this record makes listening possible.
What would you ask for us to keep in prayer for you?
prayer? that i can become real. that my family can become real. that i can direct attention towards jesus and remember why i do this.
Special thanks to Mitch McVicker for allowing me to load him down with twice as many questions I usually allow myself for an interview, and to his lovely family for the time they gave up while he answered them. Please feel free to repost this interivew (would love to have it link to my site, but even better, back to Mitch's site).
The vid below was filmed nearly 5 months before the night Mitch & Rich Mullins were in the car accident--one where Rich walked Home through pearly gates, and Mitch returned to us to finish the work God gave him to do for a while longer. What a blessing. For both of them, and for us.
Mitch McVicker & Rich Mullins performing a song entitled "New Mexico", which would later appear on Mitch's debut solo album. This performance is from Rich Mullins' guest appearance on the Wheaton College televison program, "The Exchange", on April 11, 1997. The full hour-long program is available through Wheaton College's media department. Click here for more info on how to purchase this program on DVD: http://www.wheaton.edu/media/duplication/request.html
And please support Mitch by sharing his music with your friends, and asking your church to visit his site and invite him to play a concert in your home church or favorite coffee shop.
To view currently scheduled tour dates, click here.
Two winners will be drawn Sunday, Valentine's Day, for a copy of Mitch's latest release Always Believe. For a chance to win, answer fill in the missing lyrics from Part 1 of the interview, or list your top 2 favorite song clips fromAlways Believe--you can hear those on Mitch's music page of his site.
Thank you, Mitch, the the interview, for making great music, and for making us more than fans--you've made us friends.
I hope you'll fall back into a cozy chair, pick up the beverage you enjoy sipping and refresh yourself today in making a new friend, at least I hope Mitch McVicker will feel like a friend before the end of our visit with him, so much so that I hope you'll want to support him by asking your church to invite him out for a concert. Don't let the word concert scare you though, Mitch is as down to earth as they come. In fact, if you've ever seen and enjoyed Rich Mullins in concert, you'll feel right at home with Mitch's way of doing things. Simple, grassroots, honest, and fun.
For those of you not familiar with Mitch, does his name ring a bell? It might.
Think back to that day you heard about the accident involving Rich Mullins and another guy--his friend/bandmate.
The accident that took Rich Mullins threatened to cut the strings on Mitch's life. While we mourned the death of Rich, we prayed for his friend who laid in a coma in a hospital. The accident we call tragic, I think Mitch might define as pivotal.
Well, best for me to hush so we can visit with Mitch. As you'll see in the pics, vids, and our interview, Mitch is a pretty laid-back kind of guy. I've left his responses exactly as I received them (with the exception of one typo and bolding the album name/song name). You'll see that Mitch has a love and ever deep respect for the One who holds his life. And he's living it to show it.
This interview is coming in two parts, catch the second part Wednesday, this week.
Before we get started, I noticed a funny little thing and can't stop wondering about it, but I forgot to ask Mitch...notice the pink flamingo in the following pics? I never did find out what it was for...
Here's my 'chat' with Mitch (his responses are in blue)...
Obviously, all the songs on Always Believe are pretty special, but which one really resonates with you and where your life's path has taken you, and why?
15 minutes. it's the closest i have come to saying what i want to say in a song. it is my desire to truly live out and believe the notion that my faith, my motives, my being is not effected by life's circumstances.
"it don't matter if the sun is shining, it don't matter if it rains" my identity is rooted much deeper than that
Where'd you record this album and what was unique about the place?
i recorded at greenjeens studio in wellington, kansas, a small rural town. it's a state of the art studio in a real old building. it's just a couple of rooms with creaky doors and creaky floors. it's the kind of place you want to be when you are really creating.
there's a ton of real, everyday history there. a ton of real life has been lived in that space. wellington is real simple in the grandest sense (it touts itself as the "wheat capital of the world"). there isn't a lot to distract you from your objective, your purpose.
i have recorded in some super, pristine, shiny studios. but it's hard to get a sense of any lifeblood pumping through those places. that's what was significant about greenjeans.
We've just passed the 12th(?) year anniversary of your car wreck in which your dear friend, mentor, and roommate, Rich Mullins, was taken. We're so glad you're here with us, still making incredible music. What has that journey been like for you, recovering from severe injuries, missing your friend, moving forward in life?
it's hard to put that into a simple paragraph. it basically comes down to the lord doing his thing in the way he always does. in the way he has worked through all of us over the entire span of history. he brings good from what we deem to be not good.
Let's look back on a moment you and Rich and a few friends shared on stage a while back. Rich is on the right in white, Mitch is 2nd from the left in a black t-shirt.
i miss rich, but i am glad for how things have worked out for him! in one instance everything he was trying to attain with his life, being in communion with god, was achieved. i'm glad i get to stick around and get another chance to grow, love, follow, live. the journey has been scary...especially initially when i had no idea of what would come of my life...recovering from a closed head injury that had me in a coma (and effects everything for years and years), collapsed lungs, double vision, and a voice knocked down to about 15%.
my life was completely altered from where i thought it was heading...i mean i was on the verge of record contracts, and continuing to do bigger and better concerts. now, i truly had to be open. things were out of my control. i had to let go. there was no way i could will myself back to the point i wanted to be. yet, i had no doubt that i was going to be in this spot, doing what i feel called to do. but i had too narrow of vision. there is so much more than i had ever suspected. the lord's faithfulness persists when mine lacks.
You were on the road touring for Always Believe when that anniversary passed a few days ago, and how was that for you?
frankly, its a day on the calendar. the date is significant in terms of the calendar but, i miss rich like i miss him everyday. i celebrate rich's life on that day like i do everyday. i am reminded of the lord's faithfulness and grace and love and construction of me, but that is my desire all days. the anniversary is a benchmark in my life...and forever will be. but it has evolved over the years. i used to receive tons of calls and letters from all kinds of people on the anniversary. now, not so much...maybe, a couple emails.
each year when the anniversary passes, generally i am finishing up doing a concert. i wouldn't want it any other way. rich wouldn't either. and, hopefully, god shares the same sentiment as well.
getting to be on the always believe tour was signicant. because this cd is the most complete expression of me, and the lord has invested much in bringing me to this point.
What is the most profound thing God has impressed on you in life in the last 12 years?
"cup or cone?" i think that will be the lord's first question. when his glory is finally and ultimately revealed, when i am fully me, when i am seeing him face to face, "cup or cone?"
I believe I'll have both Mitch, but let's start with this!
If only! While we enjoy the thought of "cup or cone," please enjoy this song by Mitch--and what a relaxing venue! Oh, and there's that pink flamingo again, LOL...
Mitch is a GMA Dove award-winning Contemporary Christian Music Artist. But more than that, he's a man who is loved by his family and friends, loved by God. And he's eager to allow that love to pour out over those who need God's love.
In a world gone wrong, thank God for that. And, thank you God for Mitch.
For a chance to win a copy of a Mitch McVicker CD, just have your church or local coffee house book him for a concert--well, not really, but that would be great if you did! For a real chance to win a copy of Mitch's CD Always Believe this week (yes, we're having a Mitch McVicker contest every week in the month of February 2010), go to Mitch's album page and listen to his songs. Then finish this phrase correctly, leaving the answer here in the comments section below.
Here's the song lyric to finish as it is on the album (fill in the blanks):
I've been a scoundrel
Living down by the quarry
But you ______ ______ _____ _______ _______
Now, you're making more of me than I thought I'd ever be...
I'm so glad we're all together to share some time with Susan Page Davis and Ethan Chapman. Ethan is the hero of Susan's latest historical western romance The Sheriff's Surrender. Thank you both for being here, you especially Ethan, sigh...
Oh! You too, Susan! You know we always enjoy your visits and your novels, sigh...and your heros...
I'll just pass out the Starbucks here.
Susan, I love the idea of a Ladies' Shooting Club. And The Sheriff's Surrender was one of my favorite reads of 2009! Love women who don't hide from protecting themselves and their town, yet not taking over the responsibility completely from the menfolk, but helping where they can, and properly training to better protect themselves.
Susan, where did you get the idea for this story?
My daughter lives in Idaho, and I thought the mountains in the southwestern part of the state were a fabulous setting. I’d been reading some westerns and some of Alexander McCall Smith ’s “No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency” books, and I thought it would be fun and challenging to write about a group of independent women who supported each other in a way that would make their men annoyed.
What would you like readers to go away with when they've finished the book?
A desire to reach out to others within their communities to share Christ, to strengthen each other, and to show compassion.
Do you mind if we turn the interview over to Ethan from here on out?
Not at all. He can handle it.
Ethan, tell us what you did before you came to be sheriff.
I’m a rancher. I’ve got a spread just north of Fergus with a few hundred beef. It’s small enough that I can run it myself with help from the McDade brothers in summer and fall.
How is it that you became the sheriff anyway?
That was not my choice. We had a good sheriff, Bert Thalen, but someone whacked him over the head. The folks in town got a bit upset and wanted to put someone into the office right away so they’d feel more secure. I wasn’t planning to have to track down a murderer. But why me, out of all the men in town? Personally I think the mayor and the town council chose me because I didn’t have any living relatives they’d have to console if I got killed like Bert. I’d been in the army, too. That might have had something to do with it.
Tell us about Gert Dooley. You kind of act as though she's your sister, not Hiram's. Don't you think of her as anything else?
Hm. Well, sure. I mean, what do you want me to say? She’s a good cook, a good friend. . .okay, she’s a cut above most of the women you’ll find out here. What are you getting at, anyway, ma’am?
Do you have a lead on any suspects?
I have some clues, but so far they haven’t helped much. This killer leaves something behind every time he kills. Or nearly every time. See, that’s a problem. I’m not exactly sure what the killer did and what was merely coincidence—or clumsiness.
So how do you feel about this Ladies' Shooting Club? What is it and how does the town feel about it?
You know, I think it’s a good thing. Gert Dooley has a level head, and she’s teaching those ladies firearm safety and marksmanship. What’s wrong with that? If there’s trouble while the men are off on the range or at the mines, their women will be able to defend themselves. I don’t see any harm in it. But some of the men—well, the mayor and Cy Fennel, for instance. They’d like to see the club banned and the women putting down their guns and picking up their brooms. I don’t think Micah Landry and his wife have spoken to each other since Emmaline joined the shooting club. Seems foolish to me.
Do you think Gert can out shoot any man in town? If so, how's that make you feel?
I know Gert can outshoot any man in town. People are good at different things. I’m not sure what I’m good at yet, but there’s no sense feeling bad that someone can outshoot me. Not that I’m so terrible at it, just not as good as she is. Know what? I’m kind of proud of her. If I were ever going to court a girl, it would be someone like Gert. A lot like Gert.
Do you have a question for our readers you'd like to ask of them, Ethan?
Yeah. Why can’t we get any decent coffee out here?
Oh, Ethan...I apologize. It's from a chain...oh, never mind. I'll bet you're used to Arbuckles, let me see if there's still some in the cupboard from AJ Hawke's last visit. AJ leaves the real stuff behind, always trying to get me off the Starbucks...
Susan and Ethan, thanks for a great interview. We always enjoy our visits with you, Susan. And, Ethan, you come on back anytime, we'd love to see you, I mean visit with you again.
Susan, may I have permission to send folks to your blog/site?
A murder in Fergus, Idaho, has the town’s women scared. But the men don’t seem able to stop the rash of thefts, assaults, and vandalism that follow. Half a dozen women band together to arm themselves against trouble. The gunsmith's plain sister, the emporium's owner, a couple of rancher's wives and saloon girls take their shooting lessons seriously.
The men are skeptical at first and slightly amused. The new minister's wife shocks the town by joining the club, and other women follow her lead. When they show no sign of letting up on their drill, the men beg the sheriff to disband the club and put their women back where they belong.
Those are fighting words to the ladies. Domestic rebellion threatens until a new murder grabs everyone's attention. Will the sheriff and his men find the killer and put him away? Or will that honor belong to the Ladies' Shooting Club?
The meter above is to show the progress on finishing the chapter goal of 2,300 words ~ chapter 7.
Molly's been wondering what kept you all so long (don't tell her it was me), Jeff's eager to figure out what's going on with that sassy girl with the sweet face, and Eddie, well, just pray for that poor fella...LOL!
PS ~~ Please share Love's Gamble with any friends who might enjoy it ~ just ask them to drop by The Homestead Heart to read the chapters. Thanks, friends, for spreading the word!I so appreciate you!
Writing heartwarming, gentle historical romance with humor...think Lori Wick's touching moments & endearing, lovable characters dipped in the comedic sauce & sass of Mary Connealy's laugh out loud stories.
DiAnn Mills - SWORN TO PROTECT Ends - April 17th Great suspense romance!
Mary Connealy - Author's selection of previous release Ends - April 17th (Join the book club above for another chance to win a Mary Connealy book! We're reading THE HUSBAND TREE - a hilarious book!)
WINNERS:
Terry Burns - ON THE ROAD HOME WINNER is...RubynReba pbclark[at]...
Jennifer AlLee - THE PASTOR'S WIFE WINNER is...Cindy countrybeart52[at]...
The Husband Tree
Silas Harden is the hero of Mary Connealy's fun and funny cowboy comedy THE HUSBAND TREE. Click the pic to order your copy from Amazon
More with Silas Harden...
Silas, would you finish this sentence? There's nothing better than...having a home of my own. I grew up rough, running wild on the streets while my ma worked in a saloon. I hated that life and swore I'd make a real home for myself. And even though I've lost two ranches, I'm planning to try again someday. What's the most important thing you own? I came into Montana with nothing. I left my last home on the run and didn't stop to get so much as a change of clothes. So I had my horse, my fire iron and a few dollars in my pocket. I reckon I don't own a thing. But I've got a strong back and a good mind and I can always find a way to get along.
What's the prettiest place you've ever seen?I owned a ranch in New Mexico sweeter'n anything you've ever seen. There was desert and rugged mountains all around. People thought I was a fool to claim that land but I knew something no one else did. I found a high mountain meadow full of lush grass and running water up there. I spent two years combing strays out of the hills to get the beginning of a herd. It was a beautiful place and it hurt bad to give it up. But being tricked into marrying Lula Mae Tool was too high a price to pay for any ranch. So I lit out and I kept drifting until I met Belle.
What's your favorite indulgence? When a man lives and works alone it's mighty pleasant to hear another voice, even more so to eat food not cooked over an open fire. Better still if that food is cooked by the soft hand of a woman who'll talk while you're eating. I don't ask for much.
Author DiAnn Mills
Whether historical or contemporary - Suspense Romance at its best. With DiAnn Mills books, you really can expect an adventure!
More fun with DiAnn
What is your favorite movie?That's a tough one! Gone with the Wind for my whimsical moments . . . Lord of the Rings for my truth in symbolism moments and High Crimes for my suspenseful moments.
What was the best gift you'd ever received?The gift of life from my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Money and schedule not being a factor, what would be your dream vacation? Ireland at Christmas. We've been there twice, but not at Christmas. Right beside that is a trip to Israel. Other than the Bible, what book made the greatest impact in your life?Little Women Where can we sign up for your newsletter?www.diannmills.com And I invite your readers to find me on Facebook
Breach of Trust
Call of Duty Series by DiAnn Mills
A Woman Called Sage
Coming May 2010 - but you can pre-order now by clicking the pic above
More by DiAnn Mills...
Check out all the great books by DiAnn Mills by visiting her website or clicking the pic above to go to her Amazon page.
All Giveaways ~
Annoying legal disclaimer: Giveaway drawings void where prohibited; open only to U.S. residents; the odds of winning depend upon the number of participants.
Just so you know...
Disclosure of Material Connection: I receive books free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Book Review Blogger program/BookSneeze. I am not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express are my own. This is true of any book I review for any publisher or author; I will not review books where a positive review is required and I will always express my own opinions of each book received and read. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Want More GIVEAWAYS?
Visit my friend Carman to find out where other author book giveaways are running!
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Reading & Loving It!
The Anonymous Bride by VICKIE MCDONOUGH ~ I'm reading this book and really ENJOYING IT! Amazon has it for UNDER $10!
Terry Burns latest release
Want your copy now? Click here for Amazon and place your order!
Click the pic above to visit Terry Burns website.
More about Terry Burns...
Terry Burns is an inspirational author and literary agent. He’s listed as number four on the Publisher’s Marketplace list of agents helping debut authors to publish. Before coming with the agency, he represented businesses as a chamber of commerce executive for more than twenty-five years, making deals and doing promotion. He came from a writing background where he has over 30 books in print, including work in a dozen short story collections and four non-fiction books plus numerous articles and short stories.
Terry says it best...
I had to share this quote from Terry Burns. Why? Because it's true.
Publishers don't fall at your feet, no matter what heartbreaking, staggering work of genius you've written...
"Getting published isn't a selection process, it's a survival process!" --T.Burns
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Follow Along!
Author Jennifer AlLee
More with Jennifer AlLee
Q: If you weren’t a writer, what else would you be doing?
A: My deepest desire, even as I write, is to get back on the stage. One of my dearest memories is of the year I spent doing community theatre in my early twenties. I did just about everything you could do: assistant director, lighting person, sound gal, prop mistress, bit part, supporting actor, lead… it was amazing! The only reason I stopped is because our theatre was torn down to expand the parking lot of the police station next door. Over the years I've been involved in church drama ministry, but right now, I am without dramatic prospects. I’d love to do a musical one day, like Godspell, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (although I’m now too old to play the narrator) or Sunset Boulevard (even though I’m not quite old enough to play Norma Desmond... but there's always makeup!)
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
A: I’m a little nervous about going any place where the natives don’t speak English, so my travel aspirations are humble. I’d love to go to Hawaii. I’d also like to visit Australia and New Zealand. And right now, I’d be willing to give Greece a try because I have good friends who moved there and they could guide me around.
Q: What do you do for fun?
A: I’m a TV/movie junkie. My tastes cross genres, but I tend to like weird stuff. My favorite current TV shows are LOST, Flash Forward, Lie to Me, and Bones. Recent favorite movies are the new Star Trek, UP, and The Blind Side. Of course, live theatre is the best, but it’s so expensive that I rarely go. A few months ago my son had to do a review of a live production for his drama class, which was the perfect excuse to see Phantom of the Opera. Man, that first blast of music in the overture gave me chills. I wanted to jump right out of my balcony seat and onto the stage to join them.
Jennifer's Books
And also from Jennifer...
More with Mitch...
Your favorite season of the year and why?
autumn. i love the air getting cooler with less humidity. it feels arty and inspiring. seems more laidback and relaxed. colors are less vivid and eyepopping. makes me feel like life isn't working as hard at trying to impress...and, therefore, is doing just that. to me, summer has always felt like life is laughing at it's own joke. autumn moves away from that.
An instrument you'd love to learn to play one day?
easy, piano. all music stems from piano. i should have stuck with the lessons my parents put me through when i was 10.
If you could have lunch & spend an afternoon with anyone, historical or present day, who would it be and why?
very hard. there are so many. rich, again. tom waits. richard rohr. bob dylan in '66. tom osborne. my dad when he was 22. me when i was 10.
Quality or characteristic you first noticed about your wife AFTER you realized you loved her, but before you let her know how exactly you felt?
her love of tom hanks movies
Few more fun things...
Okay, Mitch, what’s your favorite dessert?
any kind of chocolaty ice cream
Favorite children's book?
"guess how much i love you"
Favorite memory with Rich?
too many...picking a favorite wouldn't be right. but... when he was chewing me out (weird i know). when he was rooting me on.
Always Believe
Dove award winning singer & songwriter ~ Mitch McVicker ~ Interview here Saturday evening & a chance to win a copy of Mitch's ALWAYS BELIEVE
Mitch McVicker ~ click the pic to visit his website
- The Country House Courtship by Linore Rose Burkard
- Surrender the Wind by Rita Gerlach
Just finished recommend these as great reads:
- The Husband Tree by Mary Connealy (HILARIOUS!)
- The Sheriff's Surrender by Susan Page Davis
I'm enjoying...
The Country House Courtship is a wonderful Regency period romance by Linore Rose Burkard...an interview w/Linore & giveaway coming soon!
More with Ethan Chapman
Describe yourself (tall, blond, etc) Fairly tall, dark hair, brown eyes. I ride a paint gelding, Scout. That’s about it.
What type of gun do you carry? I’ve got a Remington rifle, and lately I’ve been wearing a Colt revolver.Nothing fancy, just enough to do the job.
What's your favorite food Gert makes? Oh, that’s got to be pie. Apple, blueberry, blackberry, rhubarb, I don’t care.
Who is the most peculiar person in your town? Maybe Augie Moore. He’s the bartender at the Spur & Saddle. He’s bald as a billiard ball and big and tough. But he has a Bible, and they say he cooks the chicken dinner they serve every Sunday at the saloon.
Where is your town located? We’re in the OwyheeValley in southwest Idaho. (They say that name comes from “Hawaii,” after some men who came from there to work in the mines). We’re up in the mountains, though not as high up as SilverCity or RubyCity. We’re into the mining country, but there are a lot of ranches around here, too.
What's another book by Mrs. Davis that you think you'd enjoy reading if you could? I heard she’s got some good shoot-em-up tales in her Wyoming Brides book. Cavalry troopers and scouts and wagon trains and such. I wouldn’t mind reading those.
Ethan's Recommendation
Click the cover above to order this book
Causes I support...
Stay A While...
Kick your shoes off, sit back, & relax...this blog is for you!
Bustles & Spurs - Author Titles
Thanks Bonnie Calhoun!
SPECIAL THANKS to my dear friend, BONNIE CALHOUN, for technical assistance and advice on both my blogs, BUSTLES & SPURS and THE HOMESTEAD HEART--Thanks Bonnie! I couldn't have done it without you! ILY, Lady!
I Review for Thomas Nelson
A Cozy Heart...
A Cozy Home...The Homestead Heart...invite your friends!
Chris Tomlin
How Great Is Our God
If you write, read along...
Enjoy Those You Love ~
Don't miss it! Go now & make some great memories with your family!
Today, we're taking a visit to our friend's blog Debbie Castello. Debbie's interviewed Miralee Ferrell, author of Love Finds You in Bridal Veil, Oregon. 
Times are tough nowadays, the purse strings get tighter and tighter for everyone. If you feel that pinch, come with me to visit Debbie Castello's Sword & Spirit blog and leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of Love Finds You in Bridal Veil, Oregon. The GIVEAWAY will run for the next few days, so let's head over now, while we're together. 
