This week I’m hosting Allie Pleiter with Falling for the Fireman, Ann Shorey with Where Wildflowers Bloom, Kathy Fuller with An Amish Wedding, and Murray Pura with The Wings of Morning. If you want to enter the drawings for the books, please leave a comment on one of the post during the week with your email address. I will not enter you without an email address (my way to contact you if you win). If you don’t want to leave an email address, another way you can enter is to email me at margaretdaley@gmail.com. The drawings end Sunday (February 19th) evening.

Bio for Allie Pleiter:

An avid knitter, coffee junkie, and devoted chocoholic, Allie Pleiter writes both fiction and non-fiction.  The enthusiastic but slightly untidy mother of two, Allie spends her days writing books, buying yarn, and finding new ways to avoid housework.  Allie hails from Connecticut, moved to the midwest to attend Northwestern University, and currently lives outside Chicago, Illinois.  The “dare from a friend” to begin writing has produced two parenting books, fourteen novels, and various national speaking engagements on faith, women’s issues, and writing.  Visit her website at www.alliepleiter.co or her knitting blog at www.DestiKNITions.blogspot.com

Blurb for Falling for the Fireman:

Harlequin Love Inspired February 2012

ISBN #978-0-373-87725-6

There’s something achingly familiar about the look in fire marshal Chad Owens’s eyes. Widowed mom Jeannie Nelworth knows firsthand what it is: loss, hurt and yes—bitterness. Ever since the fire that changed their lives, Jeannie’s young son has borne that same look, pushing everyone away. So she’s grateful when Chad tries to get through to the boy with the help of his trusty fire station dog.

But the man who’s all about safety and prevention keeps himself protected—from loving and losing again. Seems as if Jeannie will have to add his kind, guarded heart to her rebuilding efforts.

Bio for Ann Shorey:

ANN SHOREY has been a full-time writer for over twenty years. Her writing has appeared in Chicken Soup for the Grandma’s Soul, and in the Adams Media Cup of Comfort series. She made her fiction debut with The Edge of Light, Book One in the At Home in Beldon Grove series for Revell. The Sisters at Heart series is her latest offering. She’s tempted to thank Peet’s coffee and Dove chocolates when she writes the acknowledgments for her books.

She may be contacted through her website, www.annshorey.com, which also contains her blog, http://annshorey.blogspot.com/ or find her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/AnnShorey.

Blurb for Where Wildflowers Bloom:

How far will she go to follow her dreams?

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

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

“Where Wildflowers Bloom invites you to settle down over by the checkerboard at Lindberg’s Mercantile Store and get to know the people of Noble Springs as they put the sorrows of the Civil War behind them and embrace life and love anew. Ann Shorey has come up with an appealing mix of history and romance that readers are sure to enjoy.”—Ann H. Gabhart, author of The Blessed and Words Spoken True

“The authenticity of Where Wildflowers Bloom transported me straight to post–Civil War times, yet the characters—their hopes, dreams, conflicts, and fears—all rang contemporarily true. Another winner from Ann Shorey!”—Christina Berry, Christy-nominated and Carol Award–winning author of The Familiar Stranger.

Bio for Kathleen Fuller:

Kathleen Fuller is the best-selling author of the Hearts of Middlefield series. She currently writes Amish fiction for Thomas Nelson. To find out more about her books, visit her website: www.kathleenfuller.com

 

Priscilla King has dreamed of being married to Chester Lapp since she was sixteen. With the help of her sister Naomi’s matchmaking skills, Chester proposes to Priscilla on her nineteenth birthday. As the wedding day approaches, problems emerge: an attendant with poison ivy, a failed celery crop, and a torn wedding dress.

 

At the same time, Priscilla’s best friend Rose is convinced her fiance is hiding something and she is intent on discovering the truth at any cost.

 

Naomi remains hopeful that she, too, will soon find her perfect match. When Chester’s cousin shows up, there’s an immediate attraction between him and Naomi-as well as an obstacle that may just as immediately derail their blossoming love.

 

Is God sending a message to stop the wedding? What is certain is that the hearts of these three women will be forever transformed by this touching Amish wedding.

 

Bio for Murray Pura:

 

Murray Pura, who has two Masters degrees and has pastored for 25 years, now writes full-time at his home in the Canadian Rockies. He has published inspirational fiction and nonfiction with Zondervan, HarperOne San Francisco, Barbour, and Harvest House. His latest books include the nonfiction devotionals Rooted and Streams as well as the romances A Bride’s Flight From Virginia City, Montana and The Wings of Morning. Murray’s writing has been nominated for a number of awards for writing excellence. He and his wife Linda have a son and a daughter.

 

Blurb for The Wings of Morning:

 

When a young Amish man is forced into enlisting in the US Army Air Corps it plunges his life and his Amish community into turmoil. His love for beautiful young Lyyndaya Kurtz, and her love for him, is stretched to the limit as America enters World War One and Jude begins to fly combat patrols over Germany and France. His shunning and excommunication by the Amish for his participation in warfare not only makes a hard situation worse but threatens to end his relationship with Lyyndaya forever – if enemy airplanes don’t do that first.

 

 

 

Interview with the heroine from Love Finds You in Annapolis, Maryland by Roseanna White:

Lark, tell me the most interesting thing about you.

Oh my, I fear there isn’t much to tell. I’m a bit too bookish and tend to fade into the wallpaper—I am nothing beside my beautiful sister or cousin. Prithee, forgive such a non-answer!

What do you do for fun?

I enjoy little more than settling in with a good tale of adventure!

What do you put off doing because you dread it?

I tend to procrastinate when it comes to bringing up subjects that will result in confrontation. ’Tisn’t that I refuse to argue, mind you, when a subject demands it—but I shy away from it whenever I may.

What are you afraid of most in life?

Spending it alone, as the spinster sister of my well-loved brother. Or worse, spending it alone at the side of the one who should love me above all—but never will.

What do you want out of life?

To find my place, my purpose. Sometimes I fear it shall never be clear.

What is the most important thing to you?

I have always valued family above all . . . and yet recently, I have come to cherish liberty equally—that elusive thing my brother fought for in the Revolution, but which seems so hard to hold.

Do you read? If so, what is your favorite type of book to read?

Oh, yes! I am all the time sneaking off with one of my favorite books. I read anything I can find, be it sermons or poetry or treatises, but my absolute favorite are books with an adventure within the pages. Don Quixote ranks at the fore of my list.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I would be more. More beautiful, more spirited, more determined, more devout. Just more.

Do you have a pet? If so, what is it and why that pet?

We have animals aplenty on our plantation outside Williamsburg, but none have ever been permitted to be pets—well, unless one counts my father’s and brother’s horses, but I haven’t a mount that is solely mine, I’m afraid. And we’ve no dogs or cats at Endover. Perhaps someday, though, I shall demand such a creature to keep me company. That would surely help the long days pass by the more quickly!

If you could travel back in time, where would you go and why?

Oh, I wouldn’t travel far—just back a few decades to the days when the pirates roamed the seas more freely. I should greatly like a ship, a cutlass, a pistol—and the gumption to demand my own adventure. Alas, I think I shall have to settle for those novels.

Interview with the heroine from Winds of Wyoming by Rebecca Carey Lyles:

1. KATE NEILSON, tell me the most interesting thing about you.

This is embarrassing, but I have a feeling people who knew me in Pennsylvania would say the most interesting thing about me is the fact I spent five years in prison. I like to think I’m interesting because I’m a totally different person now than when I was first incarcerated. Don’t get me wrong! Prison was awful. I never want to return. Lots of bad stuff happened to me there. But some really good things also happened that changed my life—for the better.

2.  What do you do for fun?

Line dance! I had never tried line-dancing before I moved to the ranch. It’s loads of fun and great exercise.

3.  What do you put off doing because you dread it?

I avoid telling people what my life was like before I came to Wyoming. When I lived on the streets in Pittsburgh, I committed about every crime a person can commit, except murder. I know someday, somewhere, somehow, people here will discover I’m an ex-felon. I dread seeing their responses when they find out who the real me is, so I’m pretty vague about my history.

4.  What are you afraid of most in life?

I’m afraid my boss will find out about my past and I’ll lose the internship I’m doing at the ranch to fulfill requirements for the marketing degree I earned while I was in prison. Working on a guest ranch is a dream come true for me, something I’ve longed for since I was a little girl. Plus, I love the Whispering Pines ranch. It’s beautiful here and the people are really nice. It’s a great place to work.

5.  What do you want out of life?

I want to live a normal life and have a real family to call my own. I spent most of my younger years in foster homes and my teen years either on the streets or in jail. That’s why I need to keep my internship, which has the potential to become a permanent job. It’s hard for ex-felons to find work, especially work they like. With steady employment, I can be a productive citizen, one who contributes to society rather than takes from it.

6.  What is the most important thing to you?

This may sound strange, but I think I need to grow up in some aspects of my life and become more childlike in other areas. I didn’t have much fun as a kid, so I can be too serious at times. Plus, some things happened to me when I was young that make it hard for me to trust people—and God. I became a Christian in prison, so learning to trust God is what I want most in life, but it’s hard to let down my guard. I have a sneaking suspicion that growing up and becoming more childlike are both somehow intertwined with trusting God.

7.  Do you read? If so, what is your favorite type of book to read?

Now that I’ve become a Christian, I’m fascinated by the Bible, partly because the two women I admire the most, my Great-Aunt Mary and my good friend Dymple, have both shared their love for God and his Word with me. I also like to read novels, those where the good guys and gals not only win but become better people. I have to admit, however, that after living on the streets, I find the plots of some books a bit too idealistic.

8.  If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

My first reaction was to say I’d change my past. But I’m learning God has a plan and a purpose for everyone and everything that happens to us. Still, I wish I could have known my parents and my brother longer. I barely remember them, which makes me sad.

 9.  Do you have a pet? If so, what is it and why that pet?

My real family had a cocker spaniel named Trudy. She was a sweet dog. I miss her almost as much as I miss my parents and my brother. Here at the ranch, the owner, Mike Duncan, has a collie named Tramp. Tramp is a sweet dog, too, and very attached to his master, who obviously loves his dog. From my experience, men who love their pets and are good to them tend to be really nice guys. That’s definitely the case with Mike.

10. If you could travel back in time, where would you go and why?

Though it would be interesting to visit the West when it was first being settled and to talk with early pioneers, I’d probably want to return to the days just before I lost my family. I couldn’t change what happened to them, but I could hug my mom and my dad and my brother again and again and tell them how much I love them.

“At—Nowhere Motel.” A sob caught on the end of the last word. “Help—me.” Lily’s breath rattled, followed by a clunking sound as though she’d dropped the phone.

Rose paced the small bathroom at Beacon of Hope. “Lily?” Sweat coated her palms, and she rubbed her free hand against her jeans.

Silence taunted her.

What have you done? But the second that Rose asked that question, an image came to mind of her friend lying on the dingy gray sheets in the cheap motel, wasted, trying anyway she could to forget the horror of her life.

“Lily, talk to me. Stay on the line.” Pulling the door open, Rose entered her room. When she saw her roommate, she came to a stop.

Cynthia’s wide-eyed gaze fixed on Rose for a few seconds before the fourteen-year-old dropped her head and stared at the hardwood floor. Rose crossed to her dresser, dug into the back of the top drawer, and grabbed a small, worn leather case.

She pushed past her roommate and headed into the upstairs hallway.

Striding toward the staircase, Rose dismissed her room- mate’s startled expression and focused on the crisis at hand. “Lily, are you still there?”

A sound as though someone fumbled the phone and caught it filtered through the connection. “Rose, I need—you.”

“I told you I would come if you wanted to get out. I’ll be—”

A click cut off the rest of Rose’s words. No, Lily. Please hang on.

Rushing down the steps to the first floor, she quickly re- dialed the number and let it ring and ring. When she approached the program director’s office, she finally pocketed her cell, took out her homemade tools, and picked the lock, a skill she learned to give her some sense of control over her life. In the past she’d done what she had to in order to survive.

Guided by the light through the slits in the blinds, Rose entered Kate’s darkened office and switched on the desk light. A twinge of guilt pricked her. If Kate found her in here after- hours, how could she explain herself? Especially with what she was going to do next to the woman who had saved her and taken her in.

Kate’s gonna be so disappointed in me for stealing—no, borrowing—the van. She’s put so much faith in me. But I’ve got to save Lily. I promised her. When I bring Lily back here, Kate will understand.

Rose used her tools to open the locked drawer on the right. Pulling it out, she rummaged through the papers to find the set of keys at the bottom, then bumped the drawer closed with her hip.

I have no choice, Kate. Please forgive me.

The memory of the words, I need you, spurred Rose to move faster. She had to get to her friend. Get her out . . . finally. Bring her to Kate.

Clutching the keys in one hand, she turned off the lamp and carefully made her way to the office door. She eased it open a few inches and peered out into the short hallway. The empty corridor mirrored the feeling inside her.

When would it go away? When will I feel whole?

After she checked to make sure the office door was locked, she hurried toward the side exit of the building that housed the residential program for teens like her. Outside the summer heat blasted her in the face even though it was past midnight. Her heart pounded as hard as her feet hitting against the concrete. Sweat beaded on her forehead as she rushed toward the parking lot to find Beacon of Hope’s van. The security light cast a yellow glow on the vehicle at the back of the building. Visions of her friend slipping into drug-induced unconscious- ness, no one there to care whether she died or not, prodded her to quicken her steps.

I won’t let you down, Lily. She was the reason her friend was where she was right now, stuck in a life that was quickly kill- ing her.

As Rose tried to unlock the white van, her hands shook so badly the keys dropped to the pavement. Snatching them up, she sucked in a breath, then another, but her lungs cried for more oxygen. With her second attempt, she managed to open the door and slip behind the steering wheel. Her trembling hands gripped the hot plastic. After backing out of the parking space, she pressed down on the accelerator and eased onto the street in front of Beacon of Hope. With little driving experience, she would have to go slower than she wanted. She couldn’t get caught by the cops. This was her one chance to save her friend. If all went well, she could be back here with Lily before morning.

She tried to clear her mind and concentrate totally on the road before her. She couldn’t. Memories of her two years as a prostitute tumbled through her mind, leaving a trail of regrets. One was having to leave Lily behind.

Nowhere Motel—her and Lily’s name for one of the hell- holes where they’d had to earn their living. A place—one of several used when they were brought to Dallas—near the highway on Cherry Street. A place where inhuman acts happened to humans—young girls who should be dressing up for their prom, not their next trick.

She’d escaped only because she’d been left for dead on the side of the road when a john discarded her like trash. But the Lord had other plans for her besides death. A judge had seen to it that she came to the Beacon of Hope program, and Kate had given her a glimpse of a better life.

And I’m gonna start with rescuing Lily. I’m not gonna let her die. She’s gonna have a chance like me.

Rose slowed as she neared the motel, two rows of units. Bright lights illuminated the front rooms, which maintained an appearance of respectability, while the rooms in the back were shrouded in dimness.

After she parked across the street from Nowhere, she sat in the van staring at the place, its neon sign to welcome travelers taunting her. Sweat rolled down her face, and she swiped at it. But nothing she did stopped the fear from overwhelming her to the point of paralysis. Memories of what went on in the back rooms of the motel threatened to thwart her attempt to rescue Lily before it began.

I owe her. I have to make up for what I did to her.

She pried her hands from the steering wheel and climbed from the van. After jogging across the two lanes, she circled around to the second building that abutted the access road to the highway.

The sounds of cars whizzing by filled the night. People going about their ordinary life while some were barely hanging on. A loud, robust laugh drifted to her as she snuck past the first unit, heading for room three, the one Lily always used at Nowhere. Someone opened a door nearby and stepped out of a room ahead of her. Rose darted back into a shadowed alcove at the end, pressing her body flat against the rough cinder block wall. Perspiration drenched her shirt and face. The stench of something dead reeked from a dumpster a few yards away. Nausea roiled in her stomach.

Two, sometimes three, of his guards would patrol, making sure the girls stayed in line. She wasn’t sure this was a guard, but she couldn’t risk even a quick look. She waited until the man disappeared up the stairs, then hurried toward the third unit. With damp palms, she inched the unlocked door open and peeked through the slit.

Dressed in a little-girl outfit that only underscored Lily’s age of fifteen, she lay sprawled on the bed, her long red hair fanning the pillow, the sheets bunched at the end. Her friend shifted, her eyes blinking open. Groaning, she shoved herself up on one elbow, only to collapse back onto the mattress.

Footsteps on the stairs sent a shaft of fear through Rose. Her heartbeat accelerated. She pushed into the room and closed the door, clicking the lock in place. She almost laughed at her ridiculous action as though that would keep anyone out. But she left it locked.

The scent of sex, alcohol, and sweat assailed her nostrils and brought back a rush of memories she’d wanted to bury forever. For a few seconds she remained paralyzed by the door as memories bombarded her from all sides. Hands groping for her. A sweaty body weighed down on top of hers. The fog she’d lived in to escape.

She shook them from her thoughts. Can’t go there. Lily is depending on me.

Turning toward her friend, she started across the room. Lily’s glazed eyes fixed on her. For several heartbeats, nothing dawned in their depths. Then a flicker of recognition.

She tried to rise, saying, “Rose, so sorry . . .” Lily slurred her words as she sank back. “Sor—reee.”

“I’m here to get you out.” Rose sat on the edge of the bed. “You’ve got—”

A noise behind her and to the left cut off her next words. She glanced over her shoulder as the bathroom door crashed open, and he charged into the room.

“Did you really think I’d let you go?”

His gravelly voice froze Rose for a few seconds. King never came to Nowhere Motel. Too beneath him. He should be—

Finally, terror propelled her into action. She scrambled off the bed and ran for the door. She grappled for the lock, her sweat-drenched fingers slipping on the cold metal.

King slammed her against the wall beside the door—her only escape route. He pressed her back to hold her pinned, the scent of peppermint sickening her. He loved to suck on peppermint candies, and she’d come to hate that smell. The aroma enhanced her desperation.

Words from her street days spewed from her mouth. She twisted and tried to buck him off. He thrust her harder against the wall until she couldn’t catch her breath. Lightheaded from the lack of air, she went still.

“You’ll always be mine. That john paid for losing you.” Her pimp threw the lock on the door and opened it. “Tony.”

Oxygen rushed back into her lungs and with it returned the frantic need to get away.

But before she could make a move, King’s fingers clamped around her upper arm so tightly she thought he would break it. A six-foot-tall guard appeared in the doorway as King dragged her across the room and flung her on the bed. One of her arms flopped then bounced on the mattress near Lily. Her friend’s head lolled to the side. Her eyes closed.

“Hold her.” King withdrew a syringe, filled with a clear liquid, from his pocket.

“No,” Rose screamed and scrambled over Lily’s body. She had to get away. She wouldn’t go there again.

Tony lunged across the bed and grabbed her leg. His fingers dug into her ankle. Inch by inch he hauled her to him. Lily moaned as Rose slid across her, but Lily’s eyes stayed closed.

Can’t give up. Rose kicked free and launched herself at the guard, raking her fingernails down his cheek.

He struck her face with his fist. Pain radiated outward from her jaw. Her vision blurred. A metallic taste coated her tongue. The room tumbled through her mind, as if she’d been stuffed into a dryer in the middle of its cycle. The ringing in her ears drowned out what Tony said. Throwing his body over hers, he trapped her on the bed.

Can’t—

Her pimp loomed over her. Through the haze, she saw the malicious grin as King gripped her arm and yanked it toward him.

When he held up the syringe, her heart beat so fast she thought she would pass out from the hammering force against her ribcage. She gasped for a mouth full of air, but it wasn’t enough.

“No, please not that,” she whimpered as he jabbed the needle into her arm.

Interview with the hero from In Too Deep by Mary Connealy:

Ethan Kincaid, tell me the most interesting thing about you.

The most interesting thing about me is the worst thing. I drove my little brother, Seth crazy. He was always reckless, doing things that near about scared me to death, but when he finally got himself in a real bad spot I had to fight through his pain and panic to get him to save himself because I couldn’t do it. And I was too hard on him. I pushed him past what he could stand. I saw my little brother lose his mind right before my eyes.

What do you do for fun?

Fun is what I’m best at. I don’t want to take anything too seriously. After what happened to my little brother I’ve been real careful to not let anyone get to close. So it’s easy to laugh. I’m quick with a joke or a smile. I’ve learned it’s easy to take off when things get tough, too.  But now, without me hardly knowing how it happened, I’m married to a woman who seems to be able to sneak around and make me care. about her and want to protect her.

What do you put off doing because you dread it?

I’ve got my own ranch now but it used to be run by my bossy big brother, Rafe. I’m still working with the cowhands he hired. I get told how Rafe did things about ten times an hour and I oughta have it out with my hired me, make sure they know I’m running this outfit. But Rafe usually did things right and it’d be stupid to fire a good cowpoke just because I want to be in charge. So I hold my tongue and smile when I’d like to put my fist right through my foreman’s face.

What are you afraid of most in life?

Fear ain’t something a man can ever be proud of. And he sure as certain don’t want to admit to being afraid of nothin’. But that cavern, the one where Seth almost died, it’s got it’s hooks in the deepest fear in my gut and I can’t stand the thought of going down there. Until my baby daughter gets lost in that cavern and I’ve got to go down to save her. That kind of fear is a shameful thing.

What do you want out of life?

For most of my life I’d have told you I wanted my brothers and my ranch. But watching Seth risk his neck in that cavern, even after he’d been hurt so bad, was too hard. Now, I want that sweet little woman I married to be safe. Protecting her is the most important job I’ve got. You’d think there was enough trouble to be had on a Colorado ranch in the Rocky Mountains. But there’s lots worse trouble following my pretty Audra. Men, hunting a lost treasure, think she knows where it is and they won’t quit coming.

What is the most important thing to you?

I’d like a peaceful life. I’d like to be near my family. I’d like Rafe to stop bossing me and Seth to stop being so crazy I can’t sleep for worrying. And I’d like to have my wife by my side day and night, without it being a life and death business to get through each day. Where in tarnation did that stupid treasure, stolen by my wife’s dead husband, get to? So which is that? My brothers giving me a break? My wife being safe? That treasure turning up. And while I’m listing important things, I’d like that blasted cavern to collapse and disappear for good.

Do you read books? If so, what is your favorite type of book?

Don’t reckon I’m much of a reader, what with there being no school for a hundred miles when I was growing up. I’ve learned to read some, it’s right handy to know how. I can fetch around to understand a newspaper, if I ever get near one. And I’ve read my share of the Bible, Ma taught us what little we knew about reading from that. But I can read sign. Follow the trail of a man or beast in the woods, over rocky soil, across a racing stream—anywhere—better’n any man I know.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I’d have more guts. I’d face my fears. I’d climb down in that cavern and take a long walk and look at the pretty rocks, with out feeling like I’m sliding down the throat of a monster straight to Hades.

Do you have a pet? If so, what is it and why that pet?

Don’t reckon I’ve got a pet, there isn’t even a dog around the place. But I brought a real pretty mare home with me and she’s expecting a baby, bred from a fancy thoroughbred stallion. I’m looking forward to seeing that little foal born.

If you could travel back in time, where would you go and why?

I know right where I’d go. I’d go two minutes before I hurt my little brother and do everything different. I panicked. If I’d have just stayed back from the edge of that pit…if I’d known it was going to collapse…a little fall that would’ve left Seth with a few bruises, turned into a life and death struggle that drove him crazy and destroyed my family. Oh, yeah, if I could just do that over again and keep my head. I would’ve changed everything.

Interview with the heroine from Before the Scarlet Dawn by Rita Gerlach:

Eliza Bloome Morgan, tell me the most interesting thing about you.

The most interesting thing about me is that I dared to propose marriage to a man far above my station that had been jilted by a lady. That I would initiate a proposal would have shocked everyone in Derbyshire. As a vicar’s daughter, I was expected to behave properly.

What do you do for fun?

Life was hard in 1775, and we had plenty of work to occupy our time from sunup and long after sunset. So having ‘fun’ was a luxury. People back home in Derbyshire would have been shocked to hear that I learned to shoot my husband’s long rifle. It was a necessity in the wilderness, and I became a crack shot. While he was away fighting in the Revolution, I had to fire it. Forgive me, but I will not give away that scene to your readers. But I will say the result of setting the rifle off, were unexpected and frightening.

What do you put off doing because you dread it?

Confronting people even when they deserve it. I am shy about hurting a person’s feelings. When it comes to daily tasks, I may dread some, such as cleaning the floors or hauling water, but they are essential to colonial life and cannot be put off no matter how much I may dislike doing them.

What are you afraid of most in life?

The one thing I was afraid of most in my life was loosing my husband. He went off to fight the British, and as each day went by, I dreaded receiving news that he might have been killed, missing in action, or taken prisoner.

What do you want out of life?

To be loved unconditionally.

What is the most important thing to you?

My daughter Darcy. She is the apple of my eye and the joy in my life.

Aside from that, my marriage to Hayward and my faith in God.

Do you read? If so, what is your favorite type of book to read?

Yes, I do read. In the wilderness, books are precious, so I value all the copies in my husband’s library. I enjoy the works of William Shakespeare and the Bible.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

This is a deeply personal question, and if I answer it, I will be spoiling part of my story in ‘Before the Scarlet Dawn’. You see, there was a mistake I made, and if I could have I would have changed the course it put me on and the effect it had on those who loved me.

Do you have a pet? If so, what is it and why that pet?

It would have been an additional expense for me to own a pet at River Run. To keep a horse and milking cow was enough.

If you could travel back in time, where would you go and why?

I do not think I would if the opportunity was presented to me. I would fear getting stuck and never returning. Life is difficult enough in the late 18^th century, and very short. I cannot imagine it being any better in the past. But if I were to go, I would like to travel back to the day Jesus preached on the Mount of Olives. To sit in the grass and listen to him teach the Beatitudes to a multitude would be an amazing moment and one I would treasure all my life.

I just had this thought that you could include in the interview a link to the first chapter. 
http://www.abingdonpress.com/forms/displayImage.aspx?pcid=2517746

And if they would like to pass the word on about Before the Scarlet Dawn they can use this webpage. 
http://daughtersofthepotomacseries.blogspot.com/

This week I’m hosting Rita Gerlach with Before the Scarlet Dawn, Mary Connealy with In Too Deep, Rebecca Carey Lyles with Winds of Wyoming (ebook), and Roseanna White with Love Finds You in Annapolis, Maryland. If you want to enter the drawings for the books, please leave a comment on one of the post during the week with your email address. I will not enter you without an email address (my way to contact you if you win). If you don’t want to leave an email address, another way you can enter is to email me at margaretdaley@gmail.com. The drawings end Sunday (February 12th) evening.

Bio for Rita Gerlach:

Rita Gerlach has published three historical novels plus articles and is a contributor to Colonial Quills blog. In addition to her blog InSpire, her blog Stepping Stones Magazine for Readers, showcases the latest releases by inspirational writers of various genres. She is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and currently lives in Maryland with her husband and two sons. See her websites at: www.ritagerlach.blogspot.com .

Blurb for Before the Scarlet Dawn: 

On a windswept night in April of 1775, Eliza sat at her father’s bedside hoping he would recover. Forced to leave the home she grew up in, Eliza grows desperate. She could marry her former suitor, but cannot bear the thought of a loveless marriage.

Instead she falls in love with Hayward Morgan, the condescending son of a landed gentleman. When Eliza learns of his plans to leave England and build a life in the Maryland frontier, she decides to present a proposal of her own.

From critically acclaimed novelist, Rita Gerlach, comes book 1 in ‘The Daughters of the Potomac Series’, a timeless tale of love and betrayal, loss and redemption against the backdrop of the American Revolution.

Bio for Mary Connealy:

Mary Connealy writes romantic comedy…with cowboys. She is a Carol Award winner, and a Rita and Christy finalist. She is the author of The Kincaid Brides Series: Out of Control, In Too Deep, Over the Edge.

Lassoed in Texas Trilogy containing three full length books: Petticoat Ranch, Calico Canyon and Gingham Mountain. Petticoat Ranch was a Carol Award Finalist. Calico Canyon was a Christy Award Finalist and a Carol Award Finalist.

The Montana Marriages Trilogy: Montana Rose, The Husband Tree and Wildflower Bride. Montana Rose and The Husband Tree are Carol Award Finalist.

Cowboy Christmas and Deep Trouble: Cowboy Christmas is the 2010 Carol Award for Best Long Historical Romance, and an Inspirational Readers Choice Contest Finalist.

The Sophie’s Daughters series. Doctor in Petticoats, Wrangler in Petticoats, Sharpshooter in Petticoats. Doctor in Petticoats was a finalist for a Rita Award.

Mary is also the author of Black Hills Blessing a 3-in-1 collection of sweet contemporary romances, Nosy in Nebraska, a collection of cozy romantic mysteries and, writing under the pseudonym Mary Nealy, she’s the author of Ten Plagues.

Find Mary online at:

http://www.seekerville.blogspot.com/

http://petticoatsandpistols.com/

http://mconnealy.blogspot.com/

http://www.maryconnealy.com/

Blurb for In Too Deep:

In 1866 Colorado, Ethan Kincaid agrees to a marriage of convenience with the same casual disregard he gives every decision. Audra Gilliland, young mother of two, accepts his proposal because she wants to stop being a burden to her newly married stepdaughter.

And suddenly both of them are in far deeper than they’d planned.

Ethan doesn’t expect Audra to affect him so profoundly, and when she begins to, he’s terrified of the pain he’s felt before when someone he loved was seriously injured on his watch. He’s determined that his new wife will do as he says so he can keep her safe from the dangers that lurk on their ranch.

Audra has been cared for all her life by one man or another–and they’ve done a poor job of it. Now she’s planning to stand up for herself. And her new husband had better agree or get out of her way!

What will it take to transform two wayward hearts fearful of getting in too deep into two trusting hearts ready to risk falling deeply in love?

Bio of Rebecca Carey Lyles:

Debut novelist Rebecca Carey Lyles grew up in Wyoming. Her nonfiction titles, both available on Amazon, are It’s a God Thing! Inspiring Stories of Life-Changing Friendshipsand On a Wing and a Prayer – Stories from Freedom Fellowship, a Prison Ministry.Currently, she and her husband, Steve, live in the neighboring state of Idaho. She enjoys the creativity and beauty that abound throughout her adopted state as well as opportunities to hike, camp and cross-country ski in the midst of God’s grandeur. Visit her at: http://www.beckylyles.com

Blurb for Winds of Wyoming:

Fresh out of a Pennsylvania penitentiary armed with a marketing degree, Kate Neilson heads to Wyoming anticipating an anonymous new beginning as a guest-ranch employee. A typical twenty-five-year-old woman might be looking to lasso a cowboy, but her only desire is to get on with life on the outside—despite her growing interest in the ranch owner. When she discovers a violent ex-lover followed her west, she fears the past she hoped to hide will imprison her once again.

Bio of Roseanna White:

Roseanna M. White grew up in the mountains of West Virginia, the beauty of which inspired her to begin writing as soon as she learned to pair subjects with verbs. She spent her middle and high school days penning novels in class, and her love of books took her to a school renowned for them. After graduating from St. John’s College in Annapolis, Maryland, she and her husband moved back to the Maryland side of the same mountains they equate with home. Roseanna is the author of two biblical novels, A Stray Drop of Blood and Jewel of Persia, both from WhiteFire Publishing (www.WhiteFire-Publishing.com) and Love Finds You in Annapolis, Maryland from Summerside Press. She is the senior reviewer at the Christian Review of Books, which she and her husband founded, the senior editor at WhiteFire Publishing, and a member of ACFW, HisWriters, and Colonial American Christian Writers.

Blurb for Love Finds You in Annapolis, Maryland:

In 1784 peace has been declared, but war still rages in the heart of Lark Benton.

Never did Lark think she’d want to escape Emerson Fielding, the man she’s loved all her life. But when he betrays her, she flees to Annapolis, Maryland, the country’s capital. There Lark throws herself into a new circle of friends who force her to examine all she believes.

Emerson follows, determined to reclaim his betrothed. Surprised when she refuses to return with him, he realizes that in this new country he has come to call his own, duty is no longer enough. He must learn to open his heart and soul to something greater … before he loses all he should have been fighting to hold.

http://www.amazon.com/Love-Finds-You-Annapolis-Maryland/dp/1609363132/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1322004990&sr=1-1

HEART OF GOLD

The truest treasure is found deep in the heart.

Back in her beloved Virginia, Shannon Adair loved nursing injured soldiers back to health. But in Grand Coeur, Idaho-the rough-and-tumble place where her father has been called to lead the church-she’s not sure where she fits in. Then a critically ill woman arrives, and Shannon knows her place at last: to care for this dear woman and ease her pain.

Matthew Dubois is the fastest and most reliable stagecoach driver on Wells Fargo’s payroll. But his widowed sister is dying and he’s about to inherit his young nephew. So he takes a job at the Wells Fargo express office in Grand Coeur until he can find the one thing he needs to get back to driving: a wife to care for the boy.

What neither of them knows is that God is at work behind the scenes-and is lovingly bringing them together to discover the true desires of their hearts.

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Love Finds You in New Orleans by Christa Allan — (Historical Romance from Summerside Press – Guideposts).

Picture Perfect Family by Renee Andrews — Missionary Daniel Brantley has returned to Claremont, Alabama to raise his orphaned nephew; however, Mandy Carter, the woman whose proposal he refused years before, isn’t about to let him take Kaden away. (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired).

Into the Free by Julie Cantrell — A simple girl with anything but a simple story. (Contemporary Fiction from David Cook).

A Wedding to Remember in Charleston, South Carolina by Annalisa Daughety — Wedding planner Summer Nelson is throwing herself into her work to avoid the pain of her recent marriage separation. Husband Luke knows he made a mistake – but doesn’t know how to fix it. When a hurricane traps them together, the crisis might tear them apart forever. (Contemporary Romance from Barbour Publishing).

Heart’s Safe Passage by Laurie Alice Eakes, — When midwife Phoebe Lee is pressed by her pregnant sister-in-law to help save her husband from an English prison during the War of 1812, they end up aboard a British privateer crossing the Atlantic under the command of a man with a deadly mission. (Historical Romance from Revell).

Highland Crossings by Laurie Alice Eakes, Pamela Griffin, Jennifer Hudson Taylor, Gina Welborn, — Historic North Carolina takes center stage in a new collection of novellas that follows the lives and loves of four women…and the heirloom brooch that connects them through generations. Will Seona, Fiona, Seren, and Brynna find God’s path in a new world far from their Scottish home? (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing).

When the Smoke Clears by Lynette Eason — When Alexia arrives home to find her ex-boyfriend dead in her mother’s basement, she realizes she needs help. Thanks goodness Hunter Graham is more than willing to offer it. (Romantic Suspense from Revell).

Sweeter than Birdsong by Rosslyn Elliott — A shy young woman must find her courage when she is thrown together on a dangerous errand with a musical genius. (Historical Romance from Thomas Nelson).

Words Spoken True by Ann H. Gabhart — Adriane Darcy stands ready to do whatever she must to keep her father’s newspaper number one in the city including agreeing to marry a man she doesn’t love, the son of a powerful local political figure, but when she meets Blake Garrett, the editor of a competing newspaper, sparks fly that will change both their lives forever. (Historical Romance from Revell).

Before the Scarlet Dawn by Rita Gerlach– In 1775, A young woman longs for acceptance and leaves behind all she has in order to follow her heart and the man she loves into the Maryland wilderness. But will her love and faith protect her from the trial she must face? Will she find the true meaning of companionship? And how will she face the world when she is rejected by those closest to her? (Historical Romance from Abingdon Press).

Sheltering Love by Elizabeth Goddard — Alexa’s last chance to produce an award-winning documentary draws attention to a canopy biologist hiding in the trees. When their greatest fears collide in the heart of the wilderness, can they each bury the past long enough to nurture love? (Romance from Heartsong Presents (Barbour)).

Promise Me This by Cathy Gohlke– Michael Dunnagan is given a life, a hope and a future through his friend’s sacrifice aboard Titanic. Now he must keep his promise to help Owen’s family in NJ, and bring his sister from England to America. He never expected to fall in love with her, or that she would disappear into the horrors of WWI. Michael risks everything to find the woman he’s grown to love. (Historical from Tyndale House Publishers).

To Love and To Cherish by Kelly S. Irvin– The sudden, tragic death of Emma Shirack’s parents in a buggy accident and the return of a suitor who abandoned her years earlier test Emma’s Amish faith and her ability to forgive. Will a man she thought of as a friend be the one to help her to heal? (Romance from Harvest House).

Sixty Acres and a Bride by Regina Jennings– She’s Finally Found a Place to Call Home… How Far Will She Go to Save It? (Historical Romance from Bethany House).

Hometown Cinderella by Ruth Axtell Morren — (Historical Romance from Love Inspired).

Falling for the Fireman by Allie Pleiter– When fire marshall Chad Owens suspects that fire victim Jeannie Nelworth’s son may be channeling his emotions in a dangerous manner, will the pretty and but protective widowed mom be strong enough to help him? (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired).

Second Chance by Eileen Hinkle Rife– Dareece Jackson, a teen from the projects, wants something in Mave Robertson’s purse…and he’ll stop at nothing to get it. (Contemporary Fiction from OakTara Publishers).

Song of My Heart by Kim Vogel Sawyer– Sadie Wagner has always been devoted to her family. So when her stepfather is injured and can’t work, she decides to leave home and accept a position as a clerk at the mercantile in Goldtree, Kansas. Goldtree also offers the opportunity to use her God-given singing talent – though the promised opera house is far different from what she imagined. With her family needing every cent she can provide, Sadie will do anything to keep her job. Thad McKane comes to Goldtree at the request of the town council. The town has been plagued by bootlegging operations, and Thad believes he can find the culprit. (Historical Romance from Bethany House).

A House Full of Hope by Missy Tippens– A widowed mom of four who’s put her life on hold until her kids are grown finds hope of love in the most unlikely of places when the former bad boy who ruined her sister returns to town seeking redemption. (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired).

A Sweethaven Summer by Courtney Walsh– Campbell Carter has come to Sweethaven in search of answers about her mother’s history. Just before losing a battle with cancer, Suzanne Carter wrote letters to childhood friends from her hometown of Sweethaven, Michigan. Suzanne’s three friends-Lila, Jane, and Meghan-haven’t spoken in years, yet each has pieces of a scrapbook they made together as girls. Suzanne’s letters have lured them all back to the idyllic lakeside town, where they meet Campbell and begin to remember what was so special about their long Sweethaven summers. (Contemporary Fiction from Guideposts Books).

Blue Moon Bay by Lisa Wingate– A sweet deal for the sale of lakeside family property in Texas could make Heather’s career, but suddenly the family backs off, Heather rushes back to the site of a previous family tragedy and finds an old high school flame and her brother scheming to — what? (Cozy Mystery from Bethany House).

The Scent of Cherry Blossoms by Cindy Woodsmall– Love between a Mennonite woman and an Amish man threatens the lifelong relationship between two brothers. And two families. Annie is a young Old Order Mennonite woman whose grandfather co-owns a restaurant with the Zooks, an Old Order Amish family. Romance between the Mennonites and Amish is unacceptable. Inappropriate. Forbidden. But it seems that Annie and Aden have denied their feelings for each other for as long as they can tolerate. (Contemporary Romance from Waterbrook Multnomah).

In Too Deep by Mary Connealy– In 1866 Colorado, Ethan Kincaid agrees to a marriage of convenience with the same casual disregard he gives every decision. Audra Gilliland, young mother of two, accepts his proposal because she wants to stop being a burden to her newly married stepdaughter. And suddenly both of them are in far deeper than they’d planned. (Historical Romance from Bethany House).

Interview with Rebecca Price Janney:

1.  What made you start writing?

I think it’s something like Paul’s divine compulsion to preach—“Woe to me if I preach not!”  It’s something I must do, for Him.

2.  How long have you been writing? When did you sell your first book?

I started writing seriously in the 8^th grade and had my first published newspaper article that year.  At 15 I had a newspaper column covering the Philadelphia Phillies as a feature writer in the spring and summer, politics and hockey the rest of the year.  (I’ve always thought there was a connection between politics and ice hockey!)  My first book sold in 1992 and was published by Word the following year. 

3.  How do you handle rejections?

After I rail a bit at the insensitivity of publishers, I either work off my emotional energy at the gym or in a fit of cleaning.  Then I calm down and bow to the situation, which is really acknowledging God’s sovereignty.  I have Romans 8:28 memorized, of course!

4.  Why do you write?

Like I said earlier, I must! 

5.  What would you be doing with your free time if you weren’t writing?

Free time?  What is that?  I guess I’d have to find something else to daydream about! 

6.  What are you working on right now?

I’m thrilled to be under contract to write a book that’s been in my heart since I was 17.  That’s a long time to nurture a story, and each page brings me such joy.  It’s a historical novel that takes place between the springs of 1968-1970 and covers some of the most tumultuous events in recent American history, including the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert Kennedy.  It culminates with the Asbury Revival.

7.  Do you put yourself into your books/characters?

Put it this way, I write a lot from my experiences and those of interesting people I’ve met along the way—“write what you know,” and all that.

8.  Tell us about the book you have out right now.

I have 18 books of non-fiction and fiction out, including two young adult series.  My non-fiction works deal mainly with historical-cultural-theological trends, including WHO GOES THERE? A CULTURAL HISTORY OF HEAVEN AND HELL, and THEN COMES MARRIAGE?  A CULTURAL HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN FAMILY.  I’ve also done biographical books, including HARRIET TUBMAN and GREAT WOMEN IN AMERICAN HISTORY. 

9.  Do you have any advice for other writers?

It’s a tough way to make a living!  Many people think, “Oh, I could write a book.”  It’s really better to appraise whether or not you actually have the ability to write well and whether God is calling you to do it.  Also, can you handle the rejection that inevitably goes along with it?  If the passion and call are there, go for it, but start small.  I have a friend who started with take home Sunday School papers and is now an accomplished author.  I often tell aspiring writers to go to a conference.  It’s a great place to make contacts with other writers, editors, and publishers, as well as to hone your craft.

10. How important is faith in your books?

Very important!  It’s the foundation from which I write everything.

11. What themes do you like to write about?

I like to examine how God has worked in individual lives and events to further His purposes.

12. What is your favorite book you’ve written and why?

I’m often asked this, and it’s really impossible to answer for me. Each one is special to me. 

13. What is your writing schedule like?

I like to write first thing in the morning, after everyone leaves for school and work.  I also teach, though, and on those mornings, I must wait.  Even when I’m not at the computer, though, I have a notebook to jot down thoughts, and I frequently daydream about scenes in the book until I’m ready to actually write about them the next day.