Spotlight on Tammy Barley and Hope's Promise

Don't forget the rules of the spotlights here. A random question will be inserted into each spotlight for you to answer in the comments in order to be entered. So, be on the lookout!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

TAMMY BARLEY's roots run deep and wide across the United States. With Cherokee heritage and such ancestors as James Butler "Wild Bill" Hickok, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Henry David Thoreau, she essentially inherited her literary vocation and her preferred setting: the Wild West. The first book of her new Sierra Chronicles trilogy, Love’s Rescue, went into its second printing only five weeks after its release and landed on a best-seller list at ChristianBook.com.

In addition to writing, Tammy makes a career of editing manuscripts, ghostwriting, and mentoring other writers, and judges various fiction contests. She is also a homeschool mom of three teens, and still manages to stay mostly sane.

HOPE'S PROMISE
by Tammy Barley
Published by Whitaker House

ABOUT THE BOOK

Jake Bennett is finally wed to the love of his life, Jessica Hale—but he isn’t convinced she won’t leave him. Life is a constant struggle for the Bennetts as they battle drought and live in fear of raids on Southerners, and he is not sure that Jess knew what she was getting herself into when she married him.

Jess, however, despairs for another reason—she is unable to conceive a child.

While trying to prove their unconditional love for each other, the Bennetts must defend against attacks on the Paiutes, the doubts that haunt them both, and an unknown force that threatens to destroy all they hold dear. Together, they must stand in faith through betrayal, barrenness, and a very real threat, trusting that God will reward their hopes for a better future.

Readers, buy your copy of Hope's Promise today!

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

1. What gave you the inspiration for this story?

Hope’s Promise continues the story of Jake and Jessica. They share a powerful, passionate love and an epic dream, and there was too much story for one book. It was inspired by journals of folks who struggled and enjoyed the rare setting in which the book takes place, the Honey Lake Valley of the northern Sierra Nevadas.

2. How much of your own experiences influenced your characters? What aspects became traits that were theirs and theirs alone?

I’m a horse-hugger—they’re like big, loveable dogs—so the horse ranch setting was a must, and that, of course, influenced the characters’ dream and goal of turning the cattle ranch into a horse ranch (though I love cows too). I’m known for being tenacious, and so is Jess, but she’s got more grit and guts than most manly men—critical for women to survive in the Old West—and that is all her. Jake is calm (he didn’t get that from me!), and he also listens, in the way all women wish their husbands listened, and he’s honorable, he does what’s right, which was a common trait among the cattlemen of the cowboy era and part of what made them such a remarkable part of American history.

3. If your hero/heroine were an ice cream flavor, what would he/she be and why?

Jess would be mint sorbet—fresh as the outdoors, with an icy kick if you decide to take her on.

4. Are there any themes in Hope's Promise that you hope the reader sees? Are there any themes that weren't overt but developed as the story progressed?

Simply, always hold tightly to hope, as the title suggests. Jess faces overwhelming odds and the threat of losing everything, yet she remembers all the time God has helped her through before, and trusts that He will help her through now. Another theme—God gives each of us a special gift. In Hope’s Promise, Jess discovers she has premonitions.

5. What were your most difficult parts to write? Your favorite?

Difficult—about the real hardship of life and livelihood at the time. It was almost completely dependent on the altruism of nature. (Remember the Little House series, and Laura Ingalls Wilder? Fires, floods, and draughts drastically changed lives.)

Favorite—the ranchmen’s humor. I still laugh when I think about different scenes. (Gotta have humor to balance life’s challenges!)

6. When is your next book coming out and what is the story?

The last book in The Sierra Chronicles, Faith’s Reward, comes out January 2011 (complete with a totally gorgeous cover). Here’s the blurb:

The year 1865 starts out as a nightmare come true for Jessica Bennett. The cattle she and her husband, Jake, fought to save from drought the summer before now face the threat of freezing to death. Her fears worsen when Jake contracts pneumonia.

Springtime brings trials of a different kind—the snowmelt causes the ranch to thrive so much that Jake must sell off the last of their cattle to make room for their horses and the young foals to be born. In the meantime, Jess endeavors to recover her rightful inheritance, which mysteriously disappeared from the bank. When she discovers a link between the banker and a group of murderous Unionists, who continue to target Southerners even though the war is over, Jake launches an undercover investigation.

The conspiracy runs deeper and wider than either of them could have imagined. Jess must put her life at risk to stop the ringleader and save the lives of many others. Yet, Jess refuses to give up hope in the God she serves—a God of love who often provides above and beyond our greatest dreams.

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Thank you, Tammy, for being in the spotlight with us.

NEW!! Readers, answer the question associated with the spotlight in the comments, then leave your email address for your chance to win a FREE autographed copy of Hope's Promise. If you do not answer the question, you will not be entered.

Question: Jess begins having eerie premonitions in Hope’s Promise. President Lincoln, you may have read, had premonitions about his death. Have you ever had a premonition or a sense that something was going to happen, that later did? If so, why do you think God gives us these instincts or premonitions?

Make sure you also leave your email address (name at domainname dot.com/net). You won't be entered in the drawing without it. If you wish to comment but don't want to be entered, say so when you post.

This week, the contest is open to anyone worldwide.

ACFW Conference Blog Tour: Lasting Friendships

This is one of my two blog posts I'll be sharing as part of the ACFW Blog Tour promoting the upcoming national conference in Indianapolis, Indiana, in September this year.

So many of those who know me know I am not one to be a wallflower at any social event. Even if I don't know a soul, I will find someone who is willing to hold a conversation with me. Most folks view me as someone who has "never met a stranger." And it's true...for the most part.

There are times when I willingly blend into the background, but there are other times when I make an entrance and can't help but stand out. I supposed it's part of my personality, but I generally command attention without putting forth much effort. Some folks are just wired that way.

Since 2002, I have attended every annual conference held by ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers). That first year in Kansas City, we only had 100 members in attendance...and that included the faculty! So, needless to say, it was a rather cozy bunch. :) Still, to this day I can look back at that conference and recount several meetings of fellow writers I now consider close friends or mentors.

This was the year I met Tracie Peterson for the first time face-to-face after years of emailing and writing. From being a bookstore buddy with Tamera Alexander, to manning the registration table with Jennifer Johnson, or laughing with Linda Windsor when Jennifer admitted how to Linda how Linda's books "affected" her. And who can forget the tale of the "Kissing Bandit" with Kaye Dacus or Brandilyn Collins telling us to be careful, because "there are normals about."

In Houston, there was the stalking of Deborah Raney (whose first book was made into a film) with Cindy Woodsmall (now a NYT bestelling author) and discovering Brandilyn Collins' serial killer from Eyes of Elisha was present in living, breathing form in our main meeting hall. That year also began the identity confusion with Allison Wilson, which still occurs to this day, even though neither one of us look anything like the other. We still have a lot of fun with it though. :)

Next came Denver in 2004 where I first worked with Jeanne Leach and Connie Stevens, helping run the conference bookstore. This was also the conference where I met the man who is now my husband and fellow author, Stuart Vaughn Stockton. And of course, this year, I pitched my first novel to Jim Peterson, eventually landing a contract in 2006. He and his wife, Tracie, remain mentors and great friends.

Then, there was Nashville, where many matchmaking mamas decided to intervene in my relationship with Stuart, believing we were perfect for each other. Ane Mulligan and Lena Nelson Dooley are two who come to mind, although I know there are many more.

Dallas followed for 2 years, and this is where I met another Tiffany. Tiffany Colter, that is. She has since gone on to work with Chip MacGregor, James Rubart, and Susan May Warren on the Masters Seminar series. She also does author coaching, and we both write for the ACFW AFictionado e-zine. We both go by "Tiff" and people confuse us all the time. We have a lot of fun redirecting folks, and sometimes even taking credit for each other's accomplishments.

2008 was in Minneapolis and 2009 was in Denver. Each year, I meet someone new, and each year, the friendships I've established become that much more dear to me. Because of the conferences, I met most of my clients for web design, many of whom have become friends as well. At the conferences is where so much fun, laughter, memories, and good times happen. I can't even begin to recount everyone the conferences have brought into my life, and who are still in my life today, but those I've shared above are just the dusting the surface.

These friends have moved from mere writing acquaintances, to friends and prayer partners, and even babysitters, helping me when I've needed them to be there in a pinch or lend a hand.

So, if you're wondering about the aspects of the conference aside from writing instruction, consider that God might want you to attend so He can use the conference as a means of bringing you together with someone who will become a best friend. If you don't attend, you might miss out on the blessing of a friendship you won't discover...unless you attend.

Thanks, ACFW, for providing the platform where I have been able to meet many treasured friends.

CFBA Blog Tour - Carla Stewart and Chasing Lilacs

Don't forget the rules of the spotlights here. A random question will be inserted in each spotlight for you to answer in the comments in order to be entered. So, be on the lookout!

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Chasing Lilacs
FaithWords
by Carla Stewart

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

CARLA STEWART’s writing reflects her passion for times gone by. She believes in Jesus, the power of the written word, and a good cup of coffee. She's a country girl living now in a mid-sized city with her engineering husband who just happens to be her best friend and biggest fan. She and her husband have four adult sons and delight in the adventures of their six grandchildren.

FROM CARLA:

I grew up in the Texas Panhandle with two younger sisters and loving parents. Small town school. Great neighbors. Today, those small-town, fundamental things resonate within me -- the twang in people's voices, the art of being neighborly and just being a decent human being.

Growing up, I preferred the company of books over TV and playing outdoors. I imagined myself in many different careers, but given my down-to-earth raising, I settled on nursing. I didn't faint at the sight of blood and did well in science, so it seemed a natural choice.

I worked as a registered nurse off and on through the years, but primarily I stayed home with my four rambunctious boys and dreamed of the day when I could write the novels I loved to read. When our youngest son was in high school, I quit my job as a nursing instructor and settled in to pen my first novel. It's been quite a journey. One I wouldn't trade for anything.

I'm committed to writing the stories of my heart and am truly thankful to Jesus, my Savior, for allowing me this freedom. May all the glory be His.

Chasing Lilacs is her first book!

**(insert comment from Amber: I was there when Carla won in her category for the Genesis Contest at the ACFW national conference. And I later learned she'd signed her first contract. It's exciting to be able to feature her here today.)

CHASING LILACS
by Carla Stewart
Published by FaithWords

ABOUT THE BOOK

It is the summer of 1958, and life in the small Texas community of Graham Camp should be simple and carefree. But not for twelve-year-old Sammie Tucker. Sammie has plenty of questions about her mother's "nerve" problems. About shock treatments. About whether her mother loves her.

When her mother commits suicide and a not-so-favorite aunt arrives, Sammie has to choose who to trust with her deepest fears: Her best friend who has an opinion about everything, the mysterious kid from California whose own troubles plague him, or her round-faced neighbor with gentle advice and strong shoulders to cry on. Then there's the elderly widower who seems nice but has his own dark past.

Trusting is one thing, but accepting the truth may be the hardest thing Sammie has ever done.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Chasing Lilacs, go HERE.

Readers, buy your copy of Chasing Lilacs today!

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NEW!! Readers, answer the bonus question related to the spotlight in the comments, then leave your email address for your chance to win a FREE copy of Chasing Lilacs. If you do not answer the question, you will not be entered.

Question: Carla states 3 fundamentals that have stuck with her. Name one of them. Then, share a value or fundamental from your upbringing that has stuck with you until today.

Make sure you also leave your email address (name at domainname dot.com/net). You won't be entered in the drawing without it. If you wish to comment but don't want to be entered, say so when you post.

This week, the contest is open to US/Canada residents only.

Spotlight - Amanda Flower and Maid of Murder

Don't forget the rules of the spotlights here. Random questions will be inserted in each spotlight for you to find and answer in the comments in order to be entered. So, be on the lookout!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

AMANDA FLOWER, a native of Akron, Ohio, started her writing career in elementary school when she read a story she wrote to her sixth grade class and had the class in stitches with her description of being stuck on the top of a Ferris wheel. She knew at that moment she’d found her calling of making people laugh with her words. Like her main character India Hayes, Amanda is an academic librarian for a small college near Cleveland. When she is not at the library or writing her next mystery, she is an avid traveler who has been to seventeen countries, forty-eight U.S. states, and counting. Maid of Murder is her debut novel and the first in a series featuring amateur sleuth India Hayes. Amanda is also currently seeking a publisher for her middle-grade children’s mystery, The Mystery of the First Andora. She lives and writes near Akron.

MAID OF MURDER
by Amanda Flower
Published by Five Star Publishing

ABOUT THE BOOK

India Hayes, a college librarian and reluctant bridesmaid, is thrown into the role of amateur sleuth as she hunts down the person who murdered her childhood friend and framed her brother for the crime. When bride-to-be Olivia turns up dead in the Martin College fountain and the evidence points to India’s brother Mark, India must unmask the real culprit while juggling a furious Mother of the Bride, an annoying Maid of Honor, a set of hippie-generation parents, a police detective who is showing a marked liking for her, and a provost itching to fire someone, anyone—maybe even a smart-mouthed librarian.

Readers, buy your copy of Maid of Murder today!

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

1. This is your debut novel. Congratulations! What gave you the inspiration for this story?

The main character, India Hayes, inspired me to write her story. Several years ago, I was sitting in a Blockbuster parking lot on the Fourth of July, and India’s mildly sarcastic voice popped into my head. Although it’s been revised many times since, the first paragraph is what India said to me that day. From her remarks a novel and series was born.

2. How much of your own experiences influenced your characters? What aspects became traits that were theirs and theirs alone?

Admittedly, my main character India and I have a lot in common. She’s a college librarian and so am I. Consequently, many of the library situations that happen to her I’ve either experienced in a library or witnessed. However, India and I have very different temperaments. She’s more phlegmatic than I am and takes tough frightening situations in stride. I’m more of a scaredy cat.

3. If your hero/heroine were an ice cream flavor, what would he/she be and why?

Now, this is question India would like because she loves ice cream just like I do. I think she would be Buckeye because she’s an Ohio girl. If you’re not from Ohio, you might not be aware of buckeye ice cream, which is peanut butter ice cream with buckeye candies (chocolate-covered peanut butter balls formed to look like buckeyes) mixed in. India is like this flavor because she’s sweet with a little of a salty edge.

4. Are there any themes in Maid of Murder that you hope the reader sees? Are there any themes that weren't overt but developed as the story progressed?

When I write, I don’t develop my novels around a particular theme. Since I write mysteries, I develop my novels around an event in this case murder or in the case of my children’s books a lesser crime. However, it’s amazing to see the themes that appear in one of my novels through the writing process. A large portion of this mystery deals with how the close-knit Hayes family interacts with each other, so family is an important theme. Another important theme is loyalty. The novel puts those how are loyal in juxtaposition against those who are not.

5. What were your most difficult parts to write? Your favorite?

For me, the most difficult part to write is the middle of the novel. When I start out, I usually know how the novel will start and how it will end. It’s in the murky middle where I get stuck.

I love to write dialogue because the way a person speaks shows a lot about him or her. Some of my favorite parts in the book occur when India is speaking with another character, and they are shooting witticisms back and forth at each other. In particular, I love writing dialogue for Ina Carroll, India’s land lady, and Bobby McNally, India’s best friend. They are both quirky characters, who show a lot about themselves when they speak.

6. When is your next book coming out and what is the story?

My next book will be the sequel. I don’t have a release date yet, but I would guess sometime in 2012. In India’s second adventure, she is volunteering as a face painter at her town’s Founders’ Day Festival. She’s not happy about it, but her sister is the chair of the committee and twisted India’s arm into volunteering. Things go from bad to worse for India when she stumbles upon a body on the festival grounds.

Question: I don’t just write mysteries, I love to read them too. I’m always on the lookout for a new mystery author. Who is your favorite mystery author, and what do you like about his or her books?

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Thank you, Amanda, for being in the spotlight with us.

NEW!! Readers, answer the question associated with the spotlight in the comments, then leave your email address for your chance to win a $10 Gift Card to Borders. If you don't answer the question, you won't be entered.

Make sure you also leave your email address (name at domainname dot.com/net). You won't be entered in the drawing without it. If you wish to comment but don't want to be entered, say so when you post.

This week, the contest is open to US/Canada residents only.

Spotlight on Jill Elizabeth Nelson and Calculated Revenge

Don't forget the new rules of the spotlights here. Random questions will be inserted in each spotlight for you to find and answer in the comments in order to be entered. So, be on the lookout!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

JILL ELIZABETH NELSON writes what she likes to read—tales of adventure seasoned with romance, humor, and faith, earning her the tagline: Endless Adventure, Timeless Truth. Jill speaks regularly at conferences, writer’s groups, library associations, and civic and church groups. When teaching classes for writers, she delights in bringing the Ahah! moment to her students as they make a new skill their own. Jill and her husband live in rural Minnesota where they raised four children and are currently enjoying their first grandchild. Visit Jill on the web at www.jillelizabethnelson.com.

CALCULATED REVENGE
by Jill Elizabeth Nelson
Published by Steeple Hill Suspense

ABOUT THE BOOK

It’s been eighteen years since Laney Thompson’s sister was abducted and killed, but Laney’s pain and haunting guilt has never faded. Now the murderer is back, taunting Laney with mementos of her sister and threatening Laney’s young daughter. School principal Noah Ryder is her best hope for protecting her daughter—if she can convince the former investigator to take the case. As the threats escalate and clues lead to shocking secrets from the past, Laney’s survival—and that of her daughter—depends on the rusty gifts and skills Noah wants only to forget.

Readers, buy your copy of Calculated Revenge today!

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

1. What gave you the inspiration for this story?

I'm passionate about kids--protecting them and educating them--and I've long wanted to do a story about child abduction. However, I also wanted to give the plot unique twists, so we're not just dealing with the standard pervert. My familiarity with public schools from former employment and sending four children through the system made a solid springboard for the story. I'm also a life-long native of small towns in Minnesota, so I know how they tick. It's an intriguing dynamic I hope my readers enjoy.

2. How much of your own experiences influenced your characters? What aspects became traits that were theirs and theirs alone?

Setting was probably the story aspect most influenced by my own experiences and not so much the characters. However, my acquaintance with our local elementary school principal and various teachers helped with the primary concerns common to these kinds of occupations. The personality traits and history of my characters are pretty much their own. Noah and Laney, my hero and heroine, both struggle with ugly, gut-wrenching events in their past, along with the accompanying guilt and self-doubts. This creates a subtle bond between them that I capitalized on covertly throughout the story. My depiction of Laney's former neighbor is based on personal experience with alcoholics.

3. If your hero/heroine were an ice cream flavor, what would he/she be and why?

You want us to try avoiding Rocky Road? LOL! Yes, I think that would be the flavor of every fiction plot on the planet, as well as the characters.

Laney, my heroine, is vanilla fudge brownie. She's a pure and honest soul, a wholesome girl-next-door type--hence the vanilla. However, veins and nuggets of depth and richness lie within. No wonder my reluctant hero finds her irresistible!

4. Are there any themes in Calculated Revenge that you hope the reader sees? Are there any themes that weren't overt but developed as the story progressed?

I hope the reader sees the theme of forgiveness front and center. The depth of forgiveness required from my characters is cavernous, but not nearly the scope of what Jesus did for us. I hope the reader grasps that comparison and is helped to come to terms with the need to forgive others in their own life. The corrupting power of hatred and bitterness is the flip side to that forgiveness coin. I hope the reader takes the example played out in the story as a jolt of awareness--a spear to the gut, if you will, as to what could happen in their own soul if they don't let go of hurts and grudges, even those that seem just and deserved. If God gave us what was just and deserved, instead of His unmerited grace and favor, we'd all just be greasy spots on the road. His example must be our lifestyle if we are to enjoy peace and freedom in our hearts.

A more subtle theme would be an admonition not to accept people at face value, but to look through the eyes of the Holy Spirit to discern the heart. None of us are exactly who we appear to be on the outside. Kind of a scary concept, which should drive us closer to God for His protection and discernment.

5. What were your most difficult parts to write? Your favorite?

I found it challenging to write the scene near the end where the heroine loses hope for her daughter and is confronted with the ugliness of unforgiveness in her own heart. Even though it was a difficult part to write on an emotional level, since Laney's loss and betrayal is so overwhelming, it was also one of my favorites because it was a deep, defining moment for both Noah and Laney. Through Laney's predicament, Noah is forced to confront his own need to forgive and let go.

6. When is your next book coming out and what is the story?

Legacy of Lies releases to bookshelves in October from Steeple Hill. A cop's widow discovers the bones of an infant in her grandmother's back yard. Were her upright grandparents really the kidnappers and killers that took the son of the town's most prominent family decades ago? Is murder her legacy? In order to clear her family name, she must defy the clout of the town's founding family and team up with the last man on the planet she'd care to feel attraction for--another cop.

Question: How long has it been since Laney's kid sister disappeared, and have you ever tried to comfort someone who has lost a love one prematurely? Or have you ever been the person to experience such loss?

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Thank you, Jill, for being in the spotlight with us.

NEW!! Readers, answer the question associated with the spotlight in the comments, then leave your email address for your chance to win a FREE autographed copy of Calculated Revenge. If you do not answer the question, you will not be entered.

Make sure you also leave your email address (name at domainname dot.com/net). You won't be entered in the drawing without it. If you wish to comment but don't want to be entered, say so when you post.

This week, the contest is open to anyone nationwide.

Spotlight on Shannon Vannatter and White Roses

Don't forget the new rules of the spotlights here. Random questions will be inserted in each spotlight for you to find and answer in the comments in order to be entered. So, be on the lookout!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

SHANNON VANNATTER is a stay-at-home mom/pastor’s wife/writer. When not writing, she runs circles in the care and feeding of her husband Grant, their eight-year-old son, and their church congregation. Home is a central Arkansas zoo with two charcoal gray cats, a chocolate lab, a dragonfish, and three dachshunds in weenie dog heaven. If given the chance to clean house or write, she’d rather write. Her goal is to hire Alice from the Brady Bunch.

Her series with Heartsong Presents launched in May with White Roses. White Doves follows in October, and White Pearls in January. Each book ships to a 10,000 member bookclub, then to stores six months later. All three books are set in Romance and Rose Bud, Arkansas. Brides and lovebirds take advantage of the re-mailing program to have wedding invitations and Valentines cards mailed from Romance with a unique postmark. Romance also hosts several annual weddings with Valentine’s Day the most popular.

Order White Roses at http://www.heartsongpresents.com/book/detail/9781602607552/. Learn more about Shannon and her books at http://shannonvannatter.com. Her new blog, The Inkslinger, features true love stories, inspirational author’s real-life romances, insight into the love lives of their fictional characters, book excerpts, romantic destinations, and weekly book giveaways at http://www.shannonvannatter.com/blog.

WHITE ROSES
by Shannon Vannatter
Published by Barbour Publishing's Heartsong Presents

ABOUT THE BOOK

Pastor Grayson Sterling loves his wife. The problem is, Sara was killed by a hit-and-run driver two years ago. Grayson knows he needs to move on, that the continuing depth of his grief is not healthy for him or his young son. Desperate, he convinces his church to hire Mark Welch as associate pastor to relieve him of some of his load. When Adrea Welch arrives at his church with her brother, Grayson cannot deny his attraction to her.

For years, florist Adrea Welch has been artfully arranging white roses for Sara Sterling. Now those flowers are carried to the cemetery by a faithful, grieving husband. How can Adrea be so attracted to a man still devoted to his dead wife? When secrets from Adrea’s past collide with their budding relationship, both she and Grayson must learn to lean on God’s abiding wisdom.

Readers, buy your copy of White Roses today!

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

1. What gave you the inspiration for this story?

My dad always sends me flowers or balloons on Valentine's Day. As he's gotten older, I've wondered how I'll feel the first time no gift comes. Then I turned it around, and wondered would happen if I die first. I decided he'd take them to the cemetery. It became a widowed pastor and the florist who did his wife's flowers and grew from there. I still have my dad. He's seventy and still works part-time as a ranch foreman.

2. How much of your own experiences influenced your characters? What aspects became traits that were theirs and theirs alone?

Adrea is tempted to bite her nails when she's nervous, a habit I had as a kid. Grayson has panic attacks if anyone he loves is in danger or when an ambulance goes by. I lost a cousin in a car accident several years ago. For a long time afterward, I worried that someone I loved was in every ambulance I heard.

3. If your hero/heroine were an ice cream flavor, what would he/she be and why?

Adrea is Death by Chocolate, her choice when she's feeling down. Grayson is Chocolate Chip. Just because he's yummy handsome and that's my favorite flavor. So far, all my heroes have dark hair and green eyes like my hubby.

4. Are there any themes in White Roses that you hope the reader sees? Are there any themes that weren't overt but developed as the story progressed?

The theme is letting go of your fears and letting God handle life for you. A side theme that readers might not notice: Wade was a thorn in Adrea and Grayson's side.

5. What were your most difficult parts to write? Your favorite?

The black moment was the most difficult because I hate being mean to my characters. My favorite was the happily-ever-after.

6. When is your next book coming out and what is the story?

The next book in the series is White Doves and releases to the book club in October and stores in April. It's set in the Romance, AR post office. The heroine is the postmaster and the hero is the mail carrier.

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Thank you, Shannon, for being in the spotlight with us.

NEW!! Readers, answer the question associated with the spotlight in the comments, then leave your email address for your chance to win a FREE autographed copy of White Roses. If you do not answer the question, you will not be entered.

Question: Since it's close to Father's Day:
1. What do you think I should do for my dad in return for all those gifts?
2. What's your favorite memory about your dad?

Make sure you also leave your email address (name at domainname dot.com/net). You won't be entered in the drawing without it. If you wish to comment but don't want to be entered, say so when you post.

This week, the contest is open to anyone worldwide.

Blog Winners All Posted

Ok, I'm SO embarrassed that 8 weeks of spotlights went without winners being selected. Chalk it up to a vacation in Yellowstone, a writer's conference and then Memorial Day weekend following my daughter's 1st birthday, and now closing on a new house. So much to do, so little time to do it.

Thank you for continuing to leave comments though. I truly appreciate your support. So much more than words can say.

All winners have been posted. Another winner next week. Congratulations to all the winners. And keep coming back to leave comments. You just never know when the next win will be you!

Blog Spotlight - Gina Holmes and Crossing Oceans

Don't forget the new rules of the spotlights here. Random questions will be inserted in each spotlight for you to find and answer in the comments in order to be entered. So, be on the lookout!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

GINA HOLMES began her career penning articles and short stories in 1998. In 2005 she founded the influential literary blog, Novel Journey. She holds degrees in science and nursing and currently resides with her husband and children in Southern Virginia. Her debut novel, Crossing Oceans released April/May 2010 with Tyndale House Publishers. To learn more about her, visit: www.ginaholmes.com or noveljourney.blogspot.com

CROSSING OCEANS
by Gina Holmes
Published by Tyndale House

ABOUT THE BOOK

Sometimes love demands the impossible

Nothing deepens a stream like a good rain . . . or makes it harder to cross. Jenny Lucas swore she’d never go home again. But life has a way of upending even the best-laid plans. Now, years after she left, she and her five-year-old daughter must return to her sleepy North Carolina town to face the ghosts she left behind. They welcome her in the form of her oxygen tank-toting grandmother, her stoic and distant father, and David, Isabella’s dad . . . who doesn’t yet know he has a daughter. As Jenny navigates the rough and unknown waters of her new reality, the unforgettable story that unfolds is a testament to the power of love to change everything—to heal old hurts, to bring new beginnings . . . even to overcome the impossible.

VIEW THE TRAILER



ENDORSEMENTS

"Beautiful and heartfelt."
Charles Martin, NYT bestselling author of Where the River Ends

"Poignant and unforgettable, CROSSING OCEANS will break your heart — and then put the pieces back together again. This is an uplifting and inspiring tale that reminds us to live every day as if it’s our last."
Tess Gerritsen, NYT Best-selling author

"Moving, heart-rending and poignant, a stunning debut. Holmes returns us to what matters in a too-short life—what it really is to come home."
Tosca Lee, author of Havah & Demon: A Memoir

"Gina Holmes explores the beauty, tenderness and tenacity of mother-love in Crossing Oceans with marvelous skill and insight. An outstanding debut from a gifted storyteller. Bravo!"
Susan Meissner, author of The Shape of Mercy

Readers, buy your copy of Crossing Oceans today!

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

1. What gave you the inspiration for this story?

I was writing suspense novels at the time I started, but no longer wanted to read suspense. I had discovered classics like Jane Eyre and Watership Down, and then had been reading Charles Martin, Lisa Samson, Tosca Lee, Claudia Burney, Francine Rivers, Memoirs of a Geisha, Kite Runner, and I fell in love with words all over again. I wanted to try something different.

The idea about a dying woman who never told her boyfriend she was pregnant just popped in my head. I was going through a divorce at the time. It was something I had prayed so long and hard for a miracle for, and that miracle never came. Instead my husband asked me for the divorce. I felt like I was dying. I think subconsciously I was working that out through my story.

2. How much of your own experiences influenced your characters? What aspects became traits that were theirs and theirs alone?

Good question that only a writer would think to ask. Ha. My parents divorced when I was a baby and I was very much a mediator type like Isabella. I saw the good in everyone when I was that little, and in everything. So, she is somewhat based on me at that age, and pieces of my own children. She's a lot more sanguine than I am though. I have more melancholy, like Jenny.

Speaking of Jenny, she always tries to do the right thing, but that's not always her first reaction. She's sort of a knee-jerk reaction type at first, just the way I am. But, like me, give her a few minutes to think about it and she's able to make the right choices and see things through other's eyes. Though, I hope I'm a little more empathetic than she is. She's tougher than me that way.

3. If your hero/heroine were an ice cream flavor, what would he/she be and why?

Jenny would be ... okay, I have no clue. She's a dying woman, it's hard to assign a flavor to that.

4. Are there any themes in Crossing Oceans that you hope the reader sees? Are there any themes that weren't overt but developed as the story progressed?

The theme that as Christians, we don't need to fear death, is I guess the most obvious. In the Bible, God promises to those who have called on Jesus' name, streets of gold, no more tears, mansions, and His presence. The end of this human life is only a wonderful beginning.

A theme that took on a life of its self was the one of sacrifice. The twist near the end of the story where Jenny is asked to give even more than I'd planned when I started writing the book completely caught me off guard. I sat there with the idea of what she was going to be asked to do and my heart ached for her. It's too much, I told myself and yet I knew I had to write it.

In this life where everyone, including people in our churches, are using the platitude as though it's gospel of "you deserve to be happy," I wanted to show that personal happiness isn't always the right choice. Jesus deserved happiness more than you or I and what did he choose? And thank goodness He did. You and I don't deserve happiness. We're sinners, we deserve Hell. But because of Jesus giving up what He deserved, we ultimately will have happiness, if not in this life, than in Heaven.

5. What were your most difficult parts to write? Your favorite?

The twist at the end where I ask Jenny to give more than I thought she would have to. I truly asked her to give something that seemed an impossible sacrifice. That killed me to write. It also was so difficult to write the scene at the ocean, where Jenny explains death to her daughter, using the ocean as a metaphor (thus the title of the book.) I cried every single time I read or edited it. I want to cry just thinking about it. As a mother, that's hard.

6. When is your next book coming out and what is the story?

Dry as Rain is being written as we speak, well, after we speak. It's the story of a couple who let's assumptions cause an avalanche in their marriage that leads to infidelity and ultimately the choice of whether or not to divorce. It's supposed to release this time next year. I'm only two weeks away from that deadline. I'd appreciate prayers of those who would be willing. I need a small miracle to pull it together and finish it with a bang.

* * * * *

Thank you, Gina, for being in the spotlight with us.

NEW!! Readers, answer the question below in the comments, then leave your email address for your chance to win a FREE autographed copy of Crossing Oceans. If you do not answer the question, you will not be entered.

Question: What one aspect of your life do you feel would be a good starting point for a story?

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June New Releases in Christian Fiction

Check out the exciting new June releases written by ACFW authors. Great summer reading is ahead!

1. A Hopeful Heart by Kim Vogel Sawyer -- An Historical from Bethany House. Can she turn her second-best chance into a golden opportunity?

2. A Love of Her Own; Heart of the West series by Maggie Brendan -- A Romance from Revell. April McBride has everything her heart desires . . .except the one thing money can't buy.

3. A Matter of Character; The Sisters of Bethlehem Springs, #3 by Robin Lee Hatcher -- A Romance from Zondervan. In 1918, writing dime novels simply isn't done by an heiress, so when Joshua looks for the author who's sullied his grandfather's name, he never suspects Daphne's the guilty party.

4. A Tailor-Made Bride by Karen Witemeyer -- An Historical from Bethany House. Sparks fly when a dressmaker who values beauty tangles with a liveryman who condemns vanity.

5. Almost Forever; Book 1, Hanover Falls Novels series by Deborah Raney -- Women's Fiction from Howard Books/Simon & Schuster. Survivors of five fallen firefighters band together to try to make sense of the tragedy that took their loved ones.

6. Anna Finch and the Hired Gun; Women of the West series, Book 2 by Kathleen Y'Barbo -- A Romance from Waterbrook. When an aspiring reporter and a Pinkerton detective get tangled in Doc Holliday's story...and each other...sparks can't help but fly.

7. Chasing Lilacs by Carla Stewart -- Women's Fiction from FaithWords/Hachette. A coming-of-age story set in Texas in the 1950s as a young girl struggles with her own identity in light of her mother's mental illness.

8. End Game; Big Sky Secrets, book #3 by Roxanne Rustand -- A Romance from Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense. Big Sky Secrets--a five-book Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense series set in the Rockies of Montana

9. Her Abundant Joy by Lyn Cote -- An Historical from Avon Inspired. Can a beautiful young widow find peace in the arms of a Texas Ranger?

10. Maid of Murder; India Hayes Mysteries, Book One by Amanda Flower -- A Suspense/Mystery/Thriller from Five Star Mystery. College librarian and reluctant bridesmaid, India Hayes, sets out to prove her brother's innocence when the bride is murdered.

11. Maid to Match by Deeanne Gist -- An Historical from Bethany House. Two servants at Biltmore House at the turn of the century find that God can take your life in a very different direction than you had planned.

12. Manor of the Ghost by Tina Pinson -- Women's Fiction from Desert Breeze. Kaitlin didn't believe in Ghosts, until she saw them in Devlin's eyes and heard them in the deafening silence of her son, Derrick.

13. My Son, John by Kathi Macias -- Women's Fiction from Sheaf House. Can God bring healing to a family torn apart by a brutal crime?.

14. Ruby Red; Ruby Red and The Colors of Home Series by Robin Shope -- A Multicultural from Sparklesoup. Eleven-year-old Ruby Red sneaks on board the Orphan Train, meant only for white children, with her pet cockroach in her pocket.

15. Sabotage by Kit Wilkinson -- A Suspense/Mystery/Thriller from Steeple Hill. Equine veterinary student Derrick Randall tries to help Olympic hopeful Emilie Gill find faith and a way to her Olympic dreams.

16. Shades of Morning by Marlo Schalesky -- A Romance from Waterbrook. When Marnie becomes the guardian of her Down syndrome nephew, will she run again?

17. Steadfast Soldier; Wings of Refuge #7 by Cheryl Wyatt -- A Romance from Steeple Hill. These soldiers of the skies are fearless, faithful...and falling in love.

18. The Heart's Song by Winnie Griggs -- A Romance from Love Inspired. Two lonely people work together to help others and ultimately find love.

19. The Homecoming; Sequel to The Unfinished Gift by Dan Walsh -- An Historical from Revell. Shawn Collins returns home from the dangers of WW2 to face the loss of his first love, but discovers God has set in motion a plan to heal his broken heart.