October 30, 2014

Savanna's Gift (Christmas Romance) now .99 cents for Kindle

Just in time to get into the Christmas spirit: 

My 2011 Christmas Romance, Savanna's Gift, is now on sale for Kindle for only .99 cents! 

I'm not sure how long Amazon will offer it at this low price, so grab it, savor it now or save it for later when you need to unwind. Enjoy a sweet treat and a mug of something hot & spiced, and experience rekindled love amid twinkly lights, snow, sweet treats, and God-given second chances.


October 29, 2014

Finding Mercy (Michael Landon Jr & Cindy Kelley): Not Your Typical Historical

Written by the Love Comes Softly screenplay-writing duo Michael Landon Jr and Cindy Kelley, Finding Mercy picks up where the suspense of Traces of Mercy leaves off. The lovely young Confederate sharp-shooter, still suffering from amnesia, is on the run from bounty hunters and driven by a need to find out who she is, in spite of what uncomfortable truths she might uncover. She finds Captain Elijah Hale a maddeningly stubborn companion, and, though she doesn't care to admit it, a genuine friend.

Through the smoldering rubble of what was once a thriving South, Mercy presses on in search of her past. The south is being rebuilt, slowly, laboriously, in a changing culture and by the hands of men and women, once slaves, now freedmen living by an unfamiliar new code, confusing new rules.

Soon, Mercy begins to become acquainted with who she was before the war, before losing her memory—and she isn't sure she likes what she finds. It seems a twist of Providence has now given her an entirely different view of life and people, and finds she is no longer the person she was raised to be.

This saga plays out like a movie, full of drama, suspense, bits of humor, and a growing romance. It’s woven with intriguing twists and new conflicts as Mercy unravels more difficult truths. And in the midst of her soul-searching, her life continues to be in danger. And the Yankee officer who gallantly escorted the lovely Confederate soldier home has battles of his own—his heart not the least of them.

With or without the aid of memories, Mercy must take a dangerous stand. Since she can't rely on knowing her past, she must stand on what her heart tells her. If only she could be sure she can trust what it’s saying . . .

This is a powerful story of coming to terms with prejudice and ignorance, of rising above the clash of culture and conscience, and having the courage to do what’s honorable even if it means risking all you have left—like the tiny token of mercy you hold in your hand. It’s a gripping saga of post-Civil War south and real characters you feel you know as friends. It’s a story that settles into your bones and lingers long after you close the book.

Not your typical Historical series, Finding Mercy is Historical Drama/Suspense at its finest!

Find this book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and check out the discussion on Goodreads.

Follow @CindyAKelley and @MLandonJr on Twitter!

And be sure to check out their other works such as The Silent Gift (a novel), the Love Comes Softly series, and the new original Hallmark TV Series When Calls The Heart entering its second season spring 2015.

October 24, 2014

The Hatmaker's Heart by Carla Stewart: Heart Capturing & Dazzling Detail

Carla Stewart is a masterful novelist with a smooth storyteller's voice whose work I have followed and loved since her first book hit the shelves. No, long before. Carla tells the story HERE of how she and I met beneath the shade of a giant California Redwood years ago and became writing partners and more. 

The Heartmaker's Heart by Carla Stewart
The Story (1923, New York): For Nell Marchwold, bliss is seeing the transformation when someone gets a glimpse in the mirror while wearing one of her creations and feels beautiful. Nell has always strived to create hats that bring out a woman’s best qualities. She knows she’s fortunate to have landed a job as an apprentice designer at the prominent Oscar Fields Millinery in New York City. Yet when Nell’s fresh designs begin to catch on, her boss holds her back from the limelight, claiming the stutter she’s had since childhood reflects poorly on her and his salon.
But it seems Nell’s gift won’t be hidden by Oscar’s efforts. Soon an up-and-coming fashion designer is seeking her out as a partner of his 1922 collection. The publicity leads to an opportunity for Nell to make hats in London for a royal wedding. There, she sees her childhood friend, Quentin, and an unexpected spark kindles between them. But thanks to her success, Oscar is determined to keep her. As her heart tugs in two directions, Nell must decide what she is willing to sacrifice for her dream, and what her dream truly is.
==============================
Camille's Review:
The Hatmaker’s Heart sparkles with the dazzling sights and scents of New York, the glittering nightlife, and the social and cultural turmoil and excesses of the Roaring Twenties. It’s the story of a young woman with a flair for designing beautiful hats and a desire to draw out her clients’ confidence while struggling to find her own.

Nell Marchwold is a gracious young Englishwoman of faith and good character, with a keen milliner’s eye and exquisite taste in fashion. Her heart burns with the dream of a career at a time when women were not encouraged in business. She struggles to keep her dream alive, in spite of repeated opposition, haunting memories, and a stammer that marks her as an imbecile in the eyes of high society matrons—a stammer she must learn to master if she is ever to make a name for herself.

But for Nellie, it’s not about fame. She wants to be known for making plain women feel beautiful and confident. She has a generous heart, one that quietly whispers to her of her first love. As her accomplishments and confidence grow, an opportunity arises for Nell to realize her dream. Success or failure hangs by a silken thread, a test of her faith, strength, and honor. Will she have the courage to face the test? Or will her new-found confidence retreat into the shadows of her traumatic past?

Nell is quiet but has an inner strength that captured my heart. You’ll root for her as she gathers the nerve to speak her mind, but perhaps she will find it's her heart that needs to be heard.

Carla Stewart tells a dazzling story full of vivid detail, and as always, a fascinating reveal of times gone by. I am looking forward to her next book in this series!

The Hatmaker's Heart is available at major online booksellers including Amazon.

=======================

 The Author (from Carla): In a nutshell: I believe in Jesus, doing the right thing, the power of the written word, and a good cup of coffee. I’m a country girl living now in a mid-sized city with my engineering husband who just happens to be my best friend and biggest fan. We’re the parents of four grown sons who’ve married wonderful girls and given us seven amazing grandchildren. Being a Mimi is far more fun that I ever dreamed.

October 22, 2014

I don’t know how it happened, but today, I’m thrilled to be the featured guest at not one, but THREE of the coolest Writing blogs! Join the gang at Novel Rocket where some publishing journeys read like an epic novel (& find out what kind mine is), then scoot over to The Writers Alley to chime in on how “real” Christian should fiction be. Then visit Carla Stewart’s stylish blog for a peek at how she and I met under the shade of a California redwood. 

I’m honored to be invited by all these cool cats (& all on the same day, total coincidence) & would be quadruple honored if you’d stop by one or all three blogs. Carla is giving away a copy of my book, so be sure to comment to enter that drawing if you’d like a chance to win. I’d love to see you there & Thanks!

Novel Rocket: A Michener Epic Writing Journey With A Happy Ending

The Writers Alley: Can I Be Honest?

Carla Stewart: Those Were The Days



ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE MYSELF. . . .

RANDOM FACTS ABOUT ME:

I've published five novels and 2 novellas (more about those on my website.) I've been writing all my life, but decided in 2007 to get serious about being published.

I love action movies and Jane Austen. (she’s dead, I know. I found that out when I tried to get her to endorse my novel)

They let me play Bass guitar and sing in a worship band.

I can produce 4 dozen homemade cinnamon rolls in a flash for a crowd of drooling young adults. Or publishing house editors.

I used to have a Harley. Now we have seven grandkiddos. Decent trade, really.

I am a proud Grammy. Don't even think about taking candy from my babies.

I hate shopping (Yes, I'm aware that I'm a girl)

MY ROOTS:
I've lived in Oregon all my life, spent time in Eugene (Go DUCKS!), Springfield, Reedsport, and Smith River. Which is not really a town, but a river, about 70 miles long, a tributary of the Umpqua River in southwest Oregon.

Although it's not a town, it is a community with a strong sense of pioneer history. It's cool to say you've lived there, especially if you lived there during the days when you had to take a boat to school. No joke! The old farmhouse my grandfather and my mother grew up in still stands, nestled into a narrow, pasture carpeted valley, complete with a swimmin' hole and its own 'crick'. It may turn up in one of my novels.

There's a rumor that my ancestors had a connection with the Mafia back in Sicily. I used to fantasize as a kid about a big black limo with tinted windows pulling up and whisking me away from school. Ahhh. So THAT'S why I'm having so much trouble conjugating my dangling participles now.

NOT RANDOM: I am challenged by the truth and amazed by the grace of God. And it's either in spite of or because of that grace that I hold a PhD in Learning Stuff the Hard Way.