The Barn Door Book Loft

Romantic Suspense Author, Sandra Orchard

2013-05-24T00:02:00.000-04:00

Today we welcome Canadian author, Sandra Orchard.

Congratulations on Book One of Port Aster Secrets! Is there a story behind Deadly Devotion?

My children were working at a local greenhouse that exported plants and I had a dream about how explosives could be transported across the border, disguised in flower shipments. How I got from that starting point to an herbal researcher sleuth is quite convoluted, but basically I needed an inciting incident to force my hero and heroine together, and so I used a tried-and-true mystery writer’s trick—I killed someone. <wink>

What started you on your writing journey?

I loved writing from childhood, but what started me writing fiction was discovering Christian romance after losing my mom to cancer when my children were very young. The characters faced similar emotions to many I was experiencing and seeing them overcome and triumph restored my hope and inspired me in countless ways.

What most easily distracts you from writing?

Emails. I tell myself I’m not going to check them, but…

What kind of books do you enjoy reading?

I love reading the Love Inspired Suspense books because I can finish them in a night. In historicals, I’m a Karen Witemeyer fan.

Which character in your new release most interested you while you wrote?

The hero, a former FBI agent turned small town police detective, because I did a lot of research into the psyche of police officers, disillusionment etc. and…participated in the first Writers’ Police Academy which was super cool.

What is a favorite memory from your childhood?

Summers camping with my family.

Are there things you put off doing because you dread them?

Hmm, not really. I like to delegate those things. J

Good delegaters get more done. Has some place you have traveled inspired something in your writing?

Yes, last summer my husband and I went on an Alaskan cruise to celebrate our 25^th anniversary. I’m now writing Killer Cruise about art thieves on an Alaskan cruise for Love Inspired Suspense which should release in 2014.

What makes you smile and/or laugh out loud?

Watching my two year old granddaughter.

Grandchildren are great for a good smile. What is your favorite season of the year?

Spring. I love seeing all the flowers and blossoms come back.

What's your favorite meal with family and friends?

Anything I don’t have to cook!!!! So sorry no recipe. How about 1-800-Get-Pizza J

That's my kind of cooking! Could you share a verse or Scripture passage with us that is special to you?

The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. Proverbs 4:18 (NIV 1984) I love sunrises and this verse reminds that God’s working through each day in my life to bring me fully into his glorious light.

I understand you like to share extras with your readers about your stories. Can you tell us a little about those?

Yes, I create fun bonus features such as location pics, deleted scenes, editorial cuts and commentary, bloopers, character interviews etc. for each of my novels. They can be accessed at: http://sandraorchard.com/extras/bonus-book-features/

That sounds fantastic! When is your next book due out and can you tell us about it?

Fatal Inheritance from Love Inspired Suspense releases August 2013. Here's a teaser:

“YOU DON’T BELONG HERE.”

Someone wants to stop Becki Graw from claiming her inheritance. Police officer Joshua Rayne is just as determined to keep his beautiful neighbor safe. She may not be the tomboy Josh remembers, but she’s just as stubborn. Becki is intent on keeping her grandparents’ remote farmhouse-no matter the danger. Becki’s feelings for her childhood crush may be rekindled, but she’s seen too much to risk opening her heart. As the threats against Becki escalate, the list of suspects grows longer. Josh must convince Becki to trust him with her heart-and her life-before a madman ends their chance at happiness…permanently.

Sandra, I'm excited to take a look at Deadly Devotion! Thanks for sharing with us.

Connect with Sandra Orchard at:

Website
Blog

Facebook Page

Sandra Orchard is giving away a copy of Deadly Devotion. To be entered in the giveaway, leave a comment along with your e-mail address. You can enter the book giveaway twice--once on each spotlight post for the author. Please note: This giveaway is for U.S. and Canada addresses only.

Deadly Devotion by Sandra Orchard

2013-05-23T00:02:00.000-04:00

Book One of Port Aster Secrets

Kate knows the truth is out there—but if she’s right, that means a killer is out there too.

Research scientists Kate Adams and Daisy Leacock were on the brink of a breakthrough for treating depression with herbal medicine when Daisy was suddenly found dead. Kate knows that her mentor’s death wasn’t suicide or a careless accident—and she’s determined to do whatever it takes to unearth the truth about what happened to the woman who changed her life.

Former FBI agent Tom Parker is finding it hard to adjust to life back in his hometown of Port Aster. Though an old buddy gave him a job as a detective on the local police force, not everyone approves. Tom’s just trying to keep a low profile, so when Kate Adams demands he reopen the investigation into her friend’s death, he knows his job is at stake. But despite his attraction to her, Tom thinks Kate herself may have something to hide.

As evidence mounts, a web of intrigue is woven around the sleepy town of Port Aster. Can Kate uncover the truth? Or will Tom stand in her way?

Excerpt

Two blocks from the police station, Kate parked her car curbside. Her stomach was more scrambled than her morning eggs, and her hands hadn’t stopped trembling since she marched out of Parker’s office, vowing to find Daisy’s killer.
Was she nuts?
What did she know about tracking down a murderer?
She could end up his next victim.
Her gaze darted from window to window. Okay, Kate, get a grip. No one besides a roomful of cops even knows you’re looking. She pocketed her keys and stepped out of the car. A short walk might help her calm down and figure out what to do next.
Bright splotches of sunlight dappled the tree-lined street, but the scene felt wrong—as if even the sky had failed her. The weather should be cloudy, miserable, like she felt.
How could Detective Parker insinuate Daisy killed herself on purpose?
He’d acted so concerned with those soft eyes and mellow tones, and then boom, he delivered that “people are rarely what they seem” line. Well, she’d show him. Daisy was an open book—and more than that, a woman full of life and zest. She never would have killed herself.
And Kate would prove it.
Somehow.

About The Author

Sandra Orchard is an award-winning author of Christian romantic suspense. She writes for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense line, and Revell Publishing. She lives in Niagara, Canada with her real-life-hero husband of more than twenty-five years, and writes full time…when not doting on their first grandchild. You can learn more about Sandra’s books and bonus features at www.SandraOrchard.com or connect at www.Facebook.com/SandraOrchard

Purchase Deadly Devotion at:

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Book Depository
Christian Book .com

Sandra Orchard is giving away a copy of Deadly Devotion. To be entered in the giveaway, leave a comment along with your e-mail address. You can enter the book giveaway twice--once on each spotlight post for the author. Please note: This giveaway is for U.S. and Canada addresses only.

Weekly Winners

2013-05-22T00:01:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the Bookshelf of the Barn Door Book Loft.

Before we announce our three winners we’d like to offer a special thanks to Ramona K. Cecil who offered her Historical Romance Heart's Heritage.

Thanks to Jennifer Johnson who offered her Inspirational Romance A Heart Healed.

And thanks to Alice J. Wisler for offering her Devotional Getting Out of Bed in the Morning

And now: We're pleased to announce we have some new winners this week!

Patty has won Ramona K. Cecil’s Historical Romance Heart's Heritage.

Erin S. has won Jennifer Johnson’s Inspirational Romance A Heart Healed.

And Karen K. has won Alice J. Wisler’s Devotional Getting Out of Bed in the Morning.

Congratulations Winners! Remember, it's your responsibility to contact me sharonalavy {at} gmail {dot} com) with your address so the author can send you a book.
Subscribing by email will ensure you don't miss the winners list.

Meet Texas Author Valerie Massey Goree

2013-05-21T00:02:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the Barn Door Book Loft, Valerie. Can you tell us, is there a story behind your book Deceive Me Once?

There are two events that inspired the plot. During a conversation with a friend from Puerto Rico, she stated how her mother-in-law was very unhappy that she was planning a Quinceañera—a coming-of-age party for her daughter. My daughter-in-law is from Mexico and at that time my granddaughter was only three years old. But I got to thinking. Will her mother plan a Quinceañera for her? I loved the idea!

We live out in the country. My dogs love to scamper in the brush and chase any animal, large or small, that dares to venture on our property. One day as I watched them from the back porch, I got to wondering. What if I found a person out there? What if …?

And there is a story behind the name of the main character. When my daughter was in second grade, she transferred to the school where I taught. I had playground duty the first day and noticed my daughter all by herself. My Instructional Assistant also had a daughter in second grade. I introduced the girls. Maricella and my daughter were best friends for many years.

What kind of books do you enjoy reading?

I love suspense, mystery, police procedurals. Recently I read the three book series by Catherine Leggitt, Payne & Misery, The Dunn Deal, and Parrish the Thought. You’ll love Christine Sterling, the amateur sleuth.

Which character in Deceive Me Once most interested you while you wrote?

Deceive Me Once is written in the first person, therefore I felt a strong attachment to Maricella. I was in her point of view for the whole story. She is a devoted wife and mother but struggles with issues from her past.

Let's have a little fun. What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

My husband and I went to Port Aransas and Padre Island for a short vacation. There were tattoo parlors everywhere. We joked that we should stop and each get a tattoo. Not likely to happen! But I decided to tease our kids. We’d already planned a family get-together the weekend after our trip, so I purchased a package of temporary tattoos.

My husband and I applied them to our upper arms. Before the meal, we asked everyone to gather around the table as we had something important to discuss. We were solemn, and admitted we’d done something we weren’t proud of while on vacation. Didn’t know what came over us.

Looks of horror, surprise, and bewilderment met us. Then Glenn and I raised our sleeves and showed off our tattoos. Our daughter’s mouth gaped. Our son snickered. Glenn and I couldn’t hold it in any longer and burst out laughing. That’s when they guessed our secret.

We've thought about pulling that same prank on our kids. Funny. What is your favorite season of the year?

Spring! When I grew up in Rhodesia, we had two seasons—summer and not quite summer. My first spring in Arkansas where I attended College was amazing. I’d get up early in the morning and go out with my camera and take photos of irises, daffodils, red bud trees. I’d never experienced such rebirth before.

What is a favorite memory from your childhood?

I recently had slides from my childhood digitalized. So many memories! We used to take an annual vacation to South Africa where we’d visit family, and spend every day on the beach. Sunburn. Ouch. I can still smell the salty air, and feel the rush of riding a wave into shore.

Has some place you have traveled inspired something in your writing?

Our son served in the US Marines for 11 years. For the last four years he was stationed in San Diego, California. We flew out whenever he was deployed to Iraq or when he came home. We also visited Los Angeles. Scenes from California feature in two of my novels.

What's your favorite meal with family and friends?

It seems everyone is so busy these days that our family only gets together on special occasions. Birthdays, Christmas, etc. But those times are precious. We have two children—both are married, and two grandchildren. My mother lives in a nursing home close by, and my mother-in-law lives in San Antonio. This is our family.

Recipe:

Babootie (South African meatloaf)

1 lb ground beef or turkey 1 small onion, chopped

2 eggs ¾ cup milk

1 slice bread ¼ cup raisins

1 tsp salt 1 tbs curry powder

1 clove garlic, minced

Heat oven to 350. Soak the bread in the milk. Mix meat, onion, raisins, curry powder, one beaten egg, salt and garlic. Squeeze the bread – save the milk. Add bread to the meat mixture. Spray a casserole dish with Pam. Place meat mixture in dish. Beat the other egg into the leftover milk. Pour over the meat. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes.

Are there spiritual themes you like to write about?

It seems all my novels have a similar thread – forgiveness. Forgiveness takes many forms. We need to forgive each other, ourselves, but more importantly, we need to seek forgiveness from God.

Where do you escape for some quiet time to reflect, pray, read, etc?

The back porch. No close neighbors, no cars, just nature.

Could you share a verse or Scripture passage with us that is special to you?

Psalm 121. Lift up your eyes. When I left Rhodesia as a shy 17 year-old on my way to America to attend college, the church gave me a farewell party. One of the elders read that psalm and it has held a special place in my heart ever since.

When is your next book due out and can you tell us about it?

My next book is with a publisher and I’m waiting for the word. Contract or rejection?

You're keeping us in suspense. Thanks for sharing with us today!

Connect with Valerie Massey Goree at:

Valerie's website

Facebook/ Valerie Massey Goree, Author

The third Thursday of each month on Catherine’s Leggitt's blog under the heading My Mother, My Child.

Valerie Massey Goree is giving away a copy of Deceive Me Once. To be entered in the giveaway, leave a comment along with your e-mail address. You can enter the book giveaway twice--once on each spotlight post for the author. Please note: The giveaway is for U.S. addresses only.

Deceive Me Once by Valerie Massey Goree

2013-05-20T00:02:00.000-04:00

Maricella McDonough, known simply as Chella to her family and friends, has been living a life of deception in Hanson Ridge, Texas, ever since the day of her Quinceañera in Eagle Pass. Riddled with guilt over the part she played in the death of her parents, her best friend Eva, and Eva’s parents, she stuffed it all down into the deepest recesses of her mind and moved on with her life.

Now, many miles away and more than 25 years later, it has all finally caught up with her. The body of a young woman is found on the edge of Chella’s property. As she investigates the mysterious death, she discovers the woman is connected with her hidden past. Will Chella’s dark secret be her undoing and ruin the life she has built with her husband and sons? Will they ever forgive her for lying to them all these years?

Excerpt

CHAPTER ONE

I scrubbed her blood off my hands and face. My tears mingled with the water escaping down the drain. The abrasion on my forehead still stung from the alcohol cleanse, and my stained clothes lay bundled in a heap on the bathroom floor.

Brutus pushed the door open and sniffed at my clothes. The stench of death clung to him. Without thinking, I grabbed the startled puppy and placed him in the tub. I used my shampoo to bathe the blood and odor away and rubbed his short, brown fur vigorously with an old towel.

After dressing, I plodded to the kitchen and closed the pet door leading outside, then paced the living room on wobbly legs. The sheriff had to drive only fifteen miles from Bandera, the county seat, to Hanson Ridge. What was taking him so long?

A booming car horn shattered the silence. Brutus barked and ran to the kitchen. I attached his leash and secured it to a cabinet handle, and opened the back door.

I traipsed toward the taupe patrol car. The sun glinted off the white caliche stones in the driveway. An officer climbed out of the car and straightened his brown trooper hat. He was probably close to my age, mid-forties, medium height, with solid arms and chest bulging under a khaki shirt, tucked into his brown slacks as if it had been glued down. His purposeful movements and demeanor inspired confidence.

A brief smile creased his bronze cheeks. “Afternoon, ma’am. I’m Chief Deputy Carlos Quintanilla.” His deep voice sounded more like he should be in broadcasting and not investigating this sad crime.

I extended my hand, but he removed his mirrored sunglasses, slipped them into his shirt pocket and rested his hands on his thick leather duty belt.

“I believe you found a body, Mrs. McDonough?”

His direct question and accusing gaze made me realize for the first time I might be considered a suspect.

I lowered my hand. “Yes . . . yes, sir. And a bag filled with money.”

His penetrating stare sent ripples swirling in my already queasy stomach.

“Where are they, ma’am?”

I stepped around his patrol car and headed down the driveway. “This way, Deputy.”

His long stride brought him beside me. “How’d you get that gash?”

I reached under the hair I’d pulled across my forehead and touched the scraped area. I must not have hidden it as well as I’d thought. “I fell on the driveway. On my way to the house to call your . . . you.”

He grunted.

Our footsteps crunched on the gravel and startled two vultures lingering on the dead branches of a Spanish oak. The skittish birds spiraled in circles above us.

He eyed them for a second, then focused on the brush ahead of us. “How’d you discover the body and the money?”

“Brutus, my puppy—”

“Puppy. Where’s he now? Not by the body, I hope?”

“No, no. He’s locked up in the house. The dispatcher told me to keep him away.”

“Good. Now, tell me what happened.”

I stopped and pointed back to the house. “I was weeding that flowerbed and Brutus brought me the corner of a hundred dollar bill. That got my attention, so I followed him. He keeps a stash of treasures on the lawn over there. I saw bits of money littering the area. Dirty, chewed bills. We think he must be part goat, because—”

“Mrs. McDonough, the body, the money?”

I cleared my throat. “Sorry, I talk when I’m nervous. My husband says—”

The deputy pushed back his hat and rubbed his forehead. “What happened next?”

“I followed the paper trail.” This time I pointed to the caliche. “See. Pieces of money.”

Quintanilla squatted and examined a scrap of paper. “This looks like part of a twenty.” He picked it up and stood. “Show me where you went next.”

We trekked along the driveway peppered with bits of money and veered off into the brush. This time my feet were protected by boots and my legs covered in jeans. My earlier wardrobe of sandals, T-shirt and skirt had proved no match for the rough terrain.

My husband had cleared a few of our nine acres in the Texas Hill Country northwest of San Antonio. The rest had been left raw. Quintanilla and I trudged through the un-cleared land south of the driveway. We stepped over rocks, clumps of dried grass and scraggy bushes. He reached an embankment before me and stopped.

I indicated the general direction and said, “We have to go up there.”

“Lead the way.”

I pulled myself up using the rough branches of the mountain cedar trees. Quintanilla followed. Even though I knew what to expect, the unpleasant odor of old boiled cabbage smothered me. I gagged and gasped for air in the stifling August humidity.

We pushed through the thicket of cedars and stepped into the small clearing. In the middle, half hidden by tall, dry grass, the zipper on the charcoal gray canvas glinted in the sunlight. Flies teemed over the bag.

The deputy stopped, surveyed the area and frowned. “Did you disturb anything, Mrs. McDonough?”

“Please call me Chella or Maricella.”

“I asked you a question, Mrs. McDonough.” He ignored my plea for less formality. His professional tone reminded me again of my precarious situation.

About The Author

American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis Award winner Valerie Massey Goree lives in the Texas Hill Country northwest of San Antonio with her husband of forty years, two dogs, and two cats. She grew up in Central Africa, in Rhodesia—now Zimbabwe. After receiving her Master’s degree in the USA, she and her Texan husband served as missionaries in Zimbabwe where their two children were born. When the family returned to Texas, Valerie worked in the public school system for 25 years. Now retired, she focuses on her writing career and spoiling her grandchildren.

Purchase Deceive Me Once at:

Parson Place Press

Amazon

Barnes and Noble