When Shadows Fall--an interview with Tina Pinson, and giveaway, ending Saturday, June 2 at 10 PM

Q: When Shadows Fall is book one in a Civil War series. Tell us about your setting and why this time period draws you.

 The setting starts in the White House East room, where Rebekah is waiting to meet with President Lincoln. To ask his help in securing the release of her husband who is a prisoner in an asylum. Then it follows the characters through several battles, back to West Virginia where Rebekah lives and then westward to Missouri and then along the Oregon Trail.
 I like the time around the Civil War because I'm curious about how people lived. This war pit family against family and brother against brother. So many people lost loved on. Lost their homes. I find the time so interesting, I have three other books; Finding Middle C, Winds Across the Rockies and From Hell to Eternity that look at some aspect of the war.
 The Oregon Trail is just as interesting because people spent months on the trail, hoping to leave heartache behind, in exchange for an abundant life in a new place. Be it Oregon, or maybe they went down the Santa Fe. They were heading for a dream, hoping it'd turn out like they saw it in their minds and hearts.

 Q: What unique aspects of history do you feature in this series? Is there a pivotal event, and how are your characters affected by it?
 There are of course discussions about major Civil War battles. There is a look at slavery, and how some people considered it. I try to take a glance at the differences between how the war affected the north and the south. How it was to come home maimed. Just differing things. On the trail, I wanted to take a closer look at life on a daily basis. At the time I wrote this story, there were people writing about the Oregon Trail and the characters would start and get there two chapters later. Without telling me much about how the trip went. I wanted to take the trip.

 Q: If you lived during any period in history, when would it be and why?
 I always thought I would love to live during westward expansion in the late 1800's maybe into the early 1900's. Sometimes I think that period seems so easy going. But I know it wasn't always. They had a hard life. Had to forge ahead and push to get what they wanted. We've got it pretty easy.

 Q: As a writer, I find myself journeying along with my characters. What has writing this story taught you about faith in God and in humanity?
 Well, from Rebekah's standpoint, she starts off thinking God isn't going to help her, she has to get it done herself. Then she realizes that God was with her all along. Matthew is forced to look at God closer, forced to look at his mortality because death seems to be drawing ever closer.

 Q: Can you give us a hint of what is to come with the next books in the series?
 Well, in the upcoming parts; someone is kidnapped, someone has their eye on someone's spouse, someone is killed, and old love returns, love is in the air. There is a buffalo stampede. And bugs--lots of bugs. The reader gets to meet a bunch of new people, because we a traveling with a wagon train. I just hope the trip keeps them interested.

 Thank you so much for being with us, Tina. Do you have a question for our readers?

 Rebekah gets her husband, Robert out of an enemy asylum/prison. He is sick and has lost his legs. She could and should have taken him to the home of her family, but they are now with the Union, and are now aligned with the enemy. She chooses to traverse battlefields and take him home. So as not to be a burden to anyone. Would you have done the same?

 Tina has graciously offered to give a free copy of her ebook to one lucky commenter. Please leave your answer to Tina's question with your name and email addy in the comment section. winner will be announced Saturday at 10 PM eastern

The Shadow Catcher's Daughter by Carla Olson Gade

This book is a debut, but it reads like a literary journey by an experienced guide. Set in 1875 chronicling the Four Corners survey into the unspoiled territories of the American West, this historical romance depicts young love amid racial tensions and the rugged beauty of a wild time and place.

Yiska Wilcox is half Navajo, half white, torn between two worlds who don't fully accept him, until he meets John Van Horn and his lovely daughter Eliana. The Van Horns are preparing for an expedition to photograph the west when circumstances literally throw them together with Yiska. Eliana and the young man's friendship is immediate and genuine, and soon they realize their interests and talents compliment one another. As attraction builds between them, it seems that one obstacle after another stands in their way. Both have secrets, and societal prejudices to overcome. Can she be taken seriously as a woman in a man-dominated world? Can her dreams of following her father's footsteps as a professional photographer ever be realized? Will a white society allow Yiska a place of respect, and acknowledge his upstanding character and God-given talents? Can love survive between people of two different backgrounds, or can faith and divine providence bridge the gap? These story questions kept me turning the pages to find out how these lovely and worthy characters find their happily ever after. I enjoyed every minute spent in this historic setting, vivid with wonderful details and obviously well researched. Expect big things from this author!

In fact, Carla has a question for you. "What is your favorite period in history and why?" Leave a comment and you will be entered to win a copy of The Shadow Catcher's Daughter. US and Canada entrants only, please. Winner to be announced Friday, May 11 at 7 PM Eastern.