Interview with Marji Laine and new serial romance A Dozen Apologies, with giveaway links

Welcome Marji! We are so happy to have you here this week, and that you have agreed to share a bit about yourself.

Q: First of all, hot cocoa, warmed mulled cider, or cappuccino?   ;)

Oh that’s easy! Hot chocolate with a little dollop of whipped cream and sprinkled with cinnamon. Mmmm!

Q: What causes are you passionate about, and do they find their way into your writing?

That’s a toughie. It’s not that I don’t have opinions, I do. But I’m a peacemaker. The only thing I’m truly passionate about is sharing the truth and love and grace of the Lord. And, YES, that finds its way into my writing quite a lot!

Q: When did you first know you were a writer?

I’ve dabbled for decades. Started a screenplay when I was 7. Lol! About three years ago, my mom challenged me with the question of what I would do if time and money weren’t an issue. I said, “Write!” without hesitation. I actually surprised myself because I had a strong scrap booking home-business. I didn’t surprise my mom, though. Even my sweet hubby encouraged me to focus my efforts on writing and eliminate as many interruptions as possible. Not an easy thing for a home-schooling mom of 4 to do, but writing became my fulltime career and I haven’t regretted it for a moment.

Q: If you could sit down and interview any person, fictitious or real from any time, who would that be and what is the first question you would ask?

Mara--main character

So many choices! I’d love to sit and chat with Laura Bush, Angela Lansbury, or Cleopatra. But if I have to ask a specific question … I think I’d like to chat with the main character in this collaborative novella with which I’m involved. I can’t imagine what she expected when she set out to apologize to all of the men she humiliated. But it’s easy to see from the picture why the men fell for her like they did.

Q: Who have been your mentors, and how did they help you most?

Lena Nelson Dooley has been so helpful to me. Not only has she helped me wade through the waters of this publishing realm, but she even encouraged me to pitch to my agent. I don’t think I would have been brave enough without her. Another couple of critique partners who have always been spot-on with their suggestions are Lynne Gentry and Kellie Coates Gilbert.

Q:  What do you hope your readers will take away from your books? And can you hint at any works to come?

In my books, I want my readers to find a character who lives out the faith she professes. Mara has an extraordinary experience in the first chapter of A Dozen Apologies that sets up the entire book based on her dedication to follow the Lord’s leading.

Q: Do you have a question you would like our blog readers to answer?

Yes! This story deals with a lady who is willing to take up almost any job she can find. Some of them are quite humorous. What’s the craziest job you ever had or the weirdest thing you ever did on a job?

 

Thank you for being with us this week. I wish you every blessing as you write for His glory!

Thanks so much, Kathleen! I’m really excited about A Dozen Apologies. It is a unique novella in several ways. First, the chapters are being posted, one per weekday, on the Write Integrity Press blog writeintegrity.com. And the postings started TODAY! Second, there are 12 different authors for this one story, but the transitions are seamless. Third, after the first 13 chapters are posted, the readers have to decide the ending of the book. Each chapter has a different hero. The most favorite hero gets the girl.

And finally, once the ending is determined, the last chapter will only be available in the Kindle book itself. BUT, that book will be FREE for Valentine’s Day and the two days following, so everyone can enjoy the whole story.

You can find me at MarjiLaine.com, on Facebook, Pinterest, Goodreads, and Google+.

Christmas in New York! Four Stories, five #bookgiveaways DAY 3 IT REALLY IS A WONDERFUL LIFE by Linda Rondeau

It Really is a Wonderful Life by Linda Wood Rondeau

I just finished this quick read at 3 AM--it was a page turner and a twisty-turny journey to happily ever after for two young people at a crossroads in their lives. Dorie Fitzgerald is left to raise her two young children after her husband Captain Devon Fitzgerald dies in the Iraqi war. She moves to be near her parents' home in upstate NY, and rents a house from her father while her mother provides daycare. She struggles to find a job, and decides to get to know the community through a local theater production of "It's a Wonderful Life". There she meets two eligible bachelors and is swept from one romance to another, but her heart is drawn to the quiet and unassuming Jamey Sullivan.

Jamey is an aspiring and agented actor on the cusp of his dream, but has laid aside his personal ambitions for a season to see to his dying father's affairs. The last thing on his mind is romance and family when the Broadway lights beckon. But something about Dorie makes it harder than ever to leave the small town behind. It isn't Bedford Falls, but he is a doppelganger for George Bailey, and there is a Mr. Potter type of monopoly threatening to take over the town of Midville in the form of Junior Harwood.

In this contemporary Christmas classic redeaux, everyone finds a happily ever after--even Junior Harwood and Dorie's spurned love interest. Jamey gives up his Broadway debut for the quiet small town life and settles down with Dorie, her son Josh and daughter Emma, and a dog named Boomer. The town is spared from a monopoly and welcomes back their hometown boy scout leader and erstwhile hero. And the struggling characters find through faith and budding romance that it really is a wonderful life.

Linda Wood Rondeau: Born in Syracuse, New York, I graduated from North Syracuse High School and went on to Houghton College, majoring in English and education. As often happens, I changed to a social work career working in various human services fields for nearly thirty years. As my heroine in It Really IS a Wonderful Life, I met my wonderful husband doing Community Theater. Three children and nine grandchildren later, we moved from Northern New York to enjoy the benefits of the sunshine state, mainly golf and daily walks. I published my first book-length manuscript in 2011, The Other Side of Darkness, a Selah Award winner for best new novel. Then came I Prayed for Patience God Gave Me Children, a devotional book, in 2012, It Really IS a Wonderful Life, a Christmas novella, in 2012 and Days of Vines and Roses, a contemporary suspense with paranormal elements, in 2013. Coming soon: two Christmas novellas: Joy Comes to Dinsmore Street (HHP) and A Christmas Prayer (LPC),a novel, Songs in the Valley (HHP) and a Jolly Angels, a contribution to HHP's romance anthology, Blue Heaven. You may learn more about me on my website, http://www.lindarondeau.com, or on facebook, twitter, Pinterest, Google Plus, and Linkedin.

Enter to win one of two copies of this delightful retelling in today's comments. Winners drawn Friday, Nov 22. See Monday's and Tuesday's posts for two other chances to win a unique New York Christmas story. Tune in tomorrow for a chance to win a collection of Christmas romances set in New York City's Central Park.

To enter today, tell us about your favorite Christmas movie. For extra entries, tell me if you shared this post on fb, twitter, google+ pinterest, and if you are a follower of this blog.

Christmas in New York! Four Holiday Stories, five #bookgiveaways Day 2 YULETIDE HEARTS by Ruth Logan Herne

Yuletide Hearts by Ruth Logan Herne

Men of Allegeny County book 4

I received this book as part of a gift basket from Seekerville.com. It was the large print edition, and the first thing that caught my attention was the lovely cover image. But what made me jump right in and read is the fact that it is set in upstate NY towns I have known well, such as Houghton, Wellsville, and Olean. Ms Herne's writing is a departure from my typical read of historical romance, and her style is straightforward and yet artful, easy and yet containing more depth than meets the eye. 

When a stoic Iraqi war veteran and single mom meets the man who has taken over the development her father has lost to foreclosure, she promises her heart to keep a safe distance. The contractor, a young marine with a past that needs the same finishing work as the housing development he seeks to complete, has anything but love on his mind. When Matt Cavanaugh meets Callie Burdick, even his tough marine training hasn't prepared him for the siege she stages on his heart. 

With themes of redemption, forgiveness, commitment, and determination, this sweet contemporary romance packs a big story in a small package. Besides a lovely glimpse at charming small town life in upstate NY, the Christmas story plays out in modern terms as mother and child find shelter under the covering of an adoptive father, and love conquers sin and debt. 

Lovely on so many levels, this book makes me want to read more from this talented and insightful author.

Ruth Logan Herne loves Charlie Brown Christmas trees, rooting for the underdog and people who go the distance while others see the path as too long or broken! She loves God, chocolate, writing, dogs and is blessed by a sprawling family, oodles of grandkids and a sweet old farmhouse in constant need of work. She's sure that clean rooms are over-rated, snakes and possums should mind their own business and buy their own farm and puppies and kittens and babies are about the cutest things on Earth. A "pull-up-your-big-girl-panties-and-move-on" kind of gal, she is blessed to be married to her high school sweetheart (although it wasn't as if THEY WERE KNOCKING DOWN THE DOOR to challenge him for her!!!), work with young families who allow her to exploit their sweet children on blogs, and rock babies on a regular basis. An author for Love Inspired Books and Summerside Press, she lives in upstate New York.

See yesterday's post for another chance to win one of Ruth's Christmas in Upstate NY books from the Men of Allegany County Series. Tune in tomorrow for another giveaway of a New York State Christmas story, It Really is a Wonderful Life by Linda Rondeau.

To enter, leave a comment about a prayer God answered for you in an unexpected way. For extra entries, tell me if you shared this post on Fb, twitter, google+ or pinterest, and if you follow this blog. Good luck! 

Christmas in New York! Four holiday stories, five #bookgiveaway Day 1 HIS MISTLETOE FAMILY by Ruth Logan Herne

Ruth Logan Herne's His Mistletoe Family 
from the Men Of Allegany County series

I really enjoyed this sweet story about a retired Army Colonel and a young entrepreneur in Upstate NY who find romance and comfort in one another's arms. Haley Jennings loves a challenge in business--she has started a co-op in her grandfather's old factory right during the Christmas rush, which would be a daunting task for the most focused among us. But then, a monkey wrench is thrown into her life--her brother has left his two young sons into her care.

With a five and a three year old in the back seat of her convertible, Haley must find time, food, and resources on a cold Thanksgiving night when her search lands her at a church meal, locking eyes with a handsome and mysterious man--Brett Stanton. Brett hides his pain by hiding from the world. He has lost family in the war and has shut himself off from relationships--until something about the beautiful lady and her two young wards tug at his heartstrings.

As a resident of upstate NY who has traversed these same small towns--Bolivar, Jamison, Wellsville, Olean. . . I found this book to be a delightful trip through my memories of beautiful countryside and warm-hearted people. This writer captures small town hospitality and the rugged, pull-together aspect of these communities. Her characters are believable and sympathetic, and their stories resonate in the heart.

Even though Christmas is past, the snow is still white on the ground, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this holiday happily ever after.

Ruth Logan Herne loves Charlie Brown Christmas trees, rooting for the underdog and people who go the distance while others see the path as too long or broken! She loves God, chocolate, writing, dogs and is blessed by a sprawling family, oodles of grandkids and a sweet old farmhouse in constant need of work. She's sure that clean rooms are over-rated, snakes and possums should mind their own business and buy their own farm and puppies and kittens and babies are about the cutest things on Earth. A "pull-up-your-big-girl-panties-and-move-on" kind of gal, she is blessed to be married to her high school sweetheart (although it wasn't as if THEY WERE KNOCKING DOWN THE DOOR to challenge him for her!!!), work with young families who allow her to exploit their sweet children on blogs, and rock babies on a regular basis. An author for Love Inspired Books and Summerside Press, she lives in upstate New York.

Tune in tomorrow to hear about another of Ruth Logan Herne's Upstate New York Christmas stories, Yuletide Hearts.

Leave comment below with your favorite Christmas memory. One winner for each book this week will be chosen on Friday, November 22. You can earn extra entries by sharing on FB, twitter, pinterest, and google+, (see upper right corner of blog for easy buttons) and for subscribing to this blog via email or feedburner. Let me know what you did for your extra entries. Good luck!

Interview with Elaine Cooper and new giveaway of Fields of the Fatherless, part 2

Welcome Elaine! We are so happy to have you here this week as a follow up to the review of your lovely novel (posted here Oct 28), and that you have agreed to share a bit about yourself.

 

(Elaine) Thank you so much for having me!

 

Q: First of all, coffee or tea? In your story you show how tea was a sign of British loyalties, and how true Patriots only drank coffee.  

 

A. In deference to Betsy Russell and the Patriots of 1775, I’ll have some coffee, please. Do you have any fresh milk? ;-)

 

Q: What causes are you passionate about, and do they find their way into your writing?

 

A. I am passionate about many things, mostly about injustice to the down trodden and poor. In my third book, “The Legacy of Deer Run,” I depicted the prejudices of the upper class townspeople to the “hill people” who were hard workers but quite poor. That attitude is so contrary to God’s teaching as described in James 2: 2-6. In Proverbs 29:7, it says “The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern.” There are so many verses about the poor in Scripture that, were I to write them all down, it would take up this entire blog post and more!

 

Q: When did you first know you were a writer?

 

A. I’ve written stories and poems since I was a child but I suppose I understood that I might be a “writer” when a newspaper editor saw some of my work and she offered me an opportunity to do freelancing. I still find it difficult to grasp the concept of being called a writer. Every time someone introduces me as an author, I have this uncomfortable feeling that I should be looking around the room for the “real” author!

 

Q: If you could sit down and interview any person, fictitious or real from any time, who would that be and what is the first question you would ask?

 

A. I’ve always been intrigued by Mother Theresa and her work. I think I would love to sit down with her and ask, “How did you know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that this is what God called you to do?” Imagine the love in her heart to reach out to those who many would prefer to ignore!

 

Q: Who have been your mentors, and how did they help you most?

 

My biggest mentor has been my husband, Steve. When I first met (and then married) newspaper reporter, Steve, I was intrigued by his job but never in a million years imagined that I would become a published author. When I, many years later, felt the compelling urge to write my first novel, Steve was instrumental in helping me hone my skills. I’ve always admired his work and hope that my writing is even half as good as his.

 

I’ve also learned so much about the craft from author/editor Lisa J. Lickel. She knows her history and she knows word “stuff!” LOL! And she taught me so much about writing book reviews, a skill that is tougher than many might think.

 

Q:  What do you hope your readers will take away from your books? And can you hint at any works to come?

 

I want my readers to first of all be drawn into the characters in my story, to feel their fears, joys and hopes. But I also want my readers to come away spiritually awakened in some way so that they feel closer to God. Since I write historicals, I definitely want my readers to be swept up in another era so they can, hopefully, understand life long ago.

 

Works to come? I am taking a one-book-break from historical fiction to write about my journey with my daughter through her battle with brain cancer. She passed away ten years ago this month when she was only 24-years-old. What I hope to accomplish in Bethany’s Calendar is to show God’s grace and mercy in the midst of my life’s greatest trial. But I also hope that my journey with my daughter will help other families going through similar circumstances know how they can be an advocate for their loved one. And how they can survive, with God’s strength.

 

Q: Do you have a question you would like our blog readers to answer?

 

Hello blog readers! I would like to know if you like a historical novel that has lots of romance, or if you prefer historical fiction with just a small taste of “love in the air.”J  

A copy of Fields of the Fatherless will be drawn for one lucky winner via random.org on Friday. You can gain extra entries by subscribing to this blog, Elaine's blog, and sharing on fb, twitter, or google+ at top right ADD THIS bar. Tell me in the comments where you shared, and don't forget to leave your email addy with your answer to Elaine's question.

 

(Kathy) Thank you for being with us this week. I wish you every blessing as you write for His glory!

 

(Elaine) Thank you so much, Kathleen!

 

 

ABOUT FIELDS OF THE FATHERLESS:

 

Sometimes the greatest stories of bravery and sacrifice are hidden from the history books. Sometimes those stories need to be told.

 

In the early months of 1775, war is brewing in the American colonies. Although frightened, eighteen-year-old Betsy Russell of Menotomy Village, Massachusetts, wants to be prepared in case of attack by the British troops.

Her father, prosperous farmer Jason, is the fourth generation of Russells on this land—yet their very rights as British Colonials are being stripped away one by one. Will the King of England take the Russells’ land as well?

Tensions are growing here in the countryside west of Boston and the outbreak of battle seems almost a certainty. Jason desperately wants to protect his family—his wife, children and grandchildren—and their future. Betsy makes every attempt to be prepared for the worst.

But not even the American militia could have predicted what was about to occur—right on the Russells’ doorstep. If Betsy loses everything she holds dear, are the rights of all the Colonists endangered? (Based on a true story.)

 

 

Novelist Elaine Marie Cooper is the author of The Road to Deer Run, The Promise of Deer Run and The Legacy of Deer Run. Her passions are her family, her faith in Christ and the history of the American Revolution, a frequent subject of her historical fiction. She grew up in Massachusetts, the setting for many of her novels. Fields of the Fatherless releases October 2013. 

Visit her website at: http://www.elainemariecooper.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ElaineMarieCooperAuthor

 

Interview with Molly Noble Bull and giveaways! ends Friday Nov 8

Welcome Molly! We are so happy to have you here this week, and that you have agreed to share a bit about yourself.

Q: First of all, what is your pleasure: coffee and donuts, tea and crumpets, soda and chips, or are you more a fruit smoothie/health conscious gal? J 

Molly: I’ll take the coffee with Splenda. I’d love a donut, but I better not—too many calories.

Q: What causes are you passionate about, and do they find their way into your writing?

Molly: I am passionate about the Lord. I am a pro-life Christian activist, and I am passionate about saving the life of unborn children from conception to birth and beyond. I also love my former college sweetheart turned husband and our children and grandchildren with passion. All those passions find their way into all my books. 

Q: When did you first know you were a writer? 

Molly: I am dyslexic. School was hard for me, especially elementary school. I didn’t really learn to read until I was in about the fourth grade.

I learned that I was a writer when I could barely spell the word right much less write. It happened in the fourth grade. Since I couldn’t spell, I was unable to write the kind of stories I wanted to write. However, I was pretty good at telling stories that I made up as I went along. My English teacher and my public school music teacher must have noticed that I was kind of creative, and they told me I was talented. Those encouraging words got me going toward becoming a novelist—gave me a desire to never give up. 

To learn more about this period in my life, please read Christian Authors Who Conquered Learning Disabilities by Molly Noble Bull and four other Christian authors.

All five of us had learning disabilities. All five of us became published Christian authors. You might have heard of at least one of them. Her name is Margaret Daley, and she is the former president of ACFW. Apparently, learning disabilities are common among artists, writers and musicians. 

Q: If you could sit down and interview any person, fictitious or real from any time, who would that be and what is the first question you would ask?

Molly: I would love to sit down and talk to the Lord face-to-face for all eternity. But I can’t say what my first question would be because I have so many.

Q: Who have been your mentors, and how did they help you most?

Molly: I would have to say that the two fourth grade teachers mentioned above plus my high school English teacher were my mentors. They believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. Because of their encouragement, I tried harder and harder to overcome by learning problems. Later, I became an elementary and early childhood teacher where I tried to encourage my students. As a published novelist, I also try to encourage new writers. Encouragement makes all the difference. 

Q:  What do you hope your readers will take away from your books? And can you hint at any works to come? 

Molly: I can’t go into all the world to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. But my books can go places I cannot go and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. All I had to do was learn how to write my stories without preaching. If you read Gatehaven, my Christian Gothic historical, you can decide if I achieved my goal. 

Currently, I am working on the sequel to Gatehaven.

Stay tuned.

Gatehaven by Molly Noble Bull is a Christian Gothic novel is set in Scotland and in a haunting mansion in the north of England in 1784 where Ian Colquhoun and Shannon Aimee battle a Frenchman with dark secrets. Will they learn enough about God’s Words to defend themselves or will evil overcome them? 

Molly entered Gatehaven in the 2013 Creation House Fiction Writing Contest as a manuscript, and it won the grand prize. Gatehaven is available to trade paperback and soon as an e-book. To find all Molly’s book, write Molly Noble Bull in the search slot at online and walking-in bookstores.

(Kathy here--look for my review here on Wednesday) 

Website: www.mollynoblebull.com

Facebook: Molly Noble Bull

Twitter: Mollyauthor.

Pinterest: Molly Noble Bull

Blogs:

Writers Rest, http://writersrest.blogspot.com

I also write articles for

.   Commandment Keepers, www.commandmentkeepers.com

.   Bustles and Spurs, www.bustlesandspurs.com

Q: Do you have a question you would like our blog readers to answer?

Molly: Again, I have a lot of questions. It’s hard to decide which one to use. So here is one.

We all buy books written by popular authors. But what would cause you to buy a book written by someone like me—someone you might never have heard of until today? 

I hope everybody will answer my question and leave a comment. However, I will give a free copy of Gatehaven in trade paperback to the first five readers who promise to write a review of Gatehaven and post it at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Christian Book.com or someplace. If you don’t like Gatehaven after reading it, you don’t have to write a good review, but I do hope you will write a review. I learn even from my critics. 

Kathy: Thank you for being with us this week. I wish you every blessing as you write for His glory!

Molly: Thank you for inviting me. And may the Lord bless you and yours today and every day.

Gatehaven Update

MOLLY: If I learned anything during my years writing for publication, it is that unforeseen things happen in life as well as in the book publishing world. Such an event is happening right now, and here it is. The publication of Gatehaven, my upcoming Christian Gothic historical novel, was delayed.

Yep, it’s true.

Gatehaven will still be published in trade paperback and later as an e-book, but it won’t be available in stores until late December 2013 or early January 2014. People who promised to review Gatehaven can still get a free copy of the novel, but they won’t have the book in their hands as soon as I first thought.

Life is a series of highs and lows—joys and disappointments. Those that choose to buy and read The Overcomers, Christian Authors Who Conquered Learning Disabilities will discover what I learned as a dyslexic, and it is this. Never, never, never, never, never, never give up.

Civil War novella "A Soldier's Heart" by Tamera Lynn Kraft, review with giveaway

Every now and then, a story comes along that goes straight to the heart. Entertainment and romance and even authentic history are all nice, and this had all of that, but it is a rare read that reaches past those earthly pleasures and touches you with a word of encouragement and truth.

Civil War pontoon bridge at Cincinnati, OH

Ms. Kraft has written a powerful story of healing and overcoming in "A Soldier's Heart", her novella about a soldier struggling with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and guilt over the death of the men under his leadership. When Sergeant Noah Andrews musters out of the 7th Ohio regiment after three brutal years of service to Lincoln's Army, he wants nothing more than to live a quiet life on his farm with his young and lovely wife Molly and put the war behind him. But when anxiety and claustrophobia overwhelm him in the cheering crowds welcoming him home as a hero, he realizes the war still lives on in his head.

Molly has waited for her husband for three long years working his farm and managing all its hard duties. She believes all will be well if Noah only returns safely home to him. They have loved one another since childhood, and yet their marriage was only a day old when he left for war. The man she loves finally comes home to her, but something drastic has changed in him. She is unprepared for the battle for her marriage that his strange condition foists on them.

soldier's letter from Ohio

Filled with a cast of hometown characters and authenticity that can only come from thorough research and passion for the time period, this story rings true on every level. From the quaint terms of the time, including the title term for PTSD before it was an official diagnosis, to the unique aspects of setting such as Buckeye trees and flat farmland, I was transported to rural Civil War Ohio. The town's preacher, Reverend Obadiah Haskell and Noah's best friend and brother in law Aaron provide moments of poignant wisdom that help Noah on the road to recovery. But the town Copperhead, Horace Greene, picks a fight with Noah, fearing Greene's son will be drafted because Noah refused to reenlist. And one of the town ladies, Mrs. Townsend, asks him to share what he is unready to revisit in his mind. Realistic episodes of anger, and visions of enemies that aren't there make him feel he is a danger to the one he loves best--Molly. Will he have to sacrifice the peaceful life he has longed for to protect Molly from himself?

This novella packs so much into its pages. For students who wish to learn what life was like in this turbulent time, I can think of no finer read. And for Civil War buffs like me who expect a lot, it delivers. For lovers of a sweet romance or those who identify with the hero's struggle with past traumas, "A Soldier's Heart" has a message for everybody. Read it. Savor it. And tell your friends.

To enter in a drawing for this novella, leave a comment below about a time in your life when a friend or pastor helped you through a hard place. A winner will be selected Friday evening via random.org. Giveaway prize is in E-copy format only. Good luck!

Interview with AMBER SCHAMEL and giveaway of HEALER'S TOUCH, ends Sept 20

Welcome AMBER! We are so happy to have you here this week, and that you have agreed to share a bit about yourself.

AMBER: Thanks Kathy! It's great to be here. I've been very excited about this interview, and I'm a big fan of your blog and your writing. ;)


Q: First of all, apple pie and ice cream, apple slices and caramel, or apple juice in your juicer J note the sliding scale from decadence to health?
A: I'll take the ice cream and the fresh apple juice. :) I try to keep everything in balance. My favorite thing from my juicer is celery and carrot juice.

Q: When did you first know you were a writer?
A: I have always had an active imagination and even as a young girl I would make up stories and play them out in my make believe. I started writing those stories down when I was about fourteen. But the real calling came about the time I graduated from High School. I had been doing a lot of study on how media and books affect people's attitudes and worldview. It was astonishing how the subtle messages that have been worked into entertainment over the years has completely transformed our nation and our morals. I realized that someone needed to write stories that upheld morals, faith and godliness. The Lord then led me to Habakkuk 2:2 which says " And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it." That became my commission.

Q: How does your faith play into your writing?
A: My faith plays very strongly into my writing. All of my stories come from a distinctly Christian world view with a high moral standard. However I never want my reader to feel like they're being hit over the head with a Bible. :) That hurts.

Q: If you could sit down and interview any person, fictitious or real from any time, who would that be and what is the first question you would ask?
A: Wow, that's a hard question! I would want to interview Jesus. But everything I think about asking Him, He's already left an answer for. I thought about asking Him to explain how much God loves us, but the whole Bible is filled with examples, symbols and types. He would just say to me "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son." I thought about asking Him when the rapture would come, but He would answer "No man knows the day." So I would probably ask Him why I wasn't born during the time when He walked the earth. That's something I've wondered about a lot.

Q: Who have been your mentors, and how did they help you most?
A: The ladies over at Seekerville have been a great inspiration to me and have taught me so much by their blog posts etc. I have also learned a lot from Giovanni, my rep over at Helping Hands Press. He's taught me a lot about marketing and staying in touch with readers.

Q: What do you hope your readers will take away from your debut? And can you hint at any works to come?
A: I want my readers to come to the same realization that Aaliyah does, that bitterness is a terrible disease that is far worse than leprosy. And Jesus Christ is the only one that can heal us of that disease.

Next, I'm working on a Christmas story I'm calling The Swaddling Clothes. Many stories have been told down through the ages about Mary, Joseph and the birth of the Messiah. Stories of shepherds and sheep, kings, angels, and stables. But there is one story that has never been told. One story that has remained hidden in the fabric of time. The story of The Swaddling Clothes.

Q: Do you have a question you would like our blog readers to answer?
A: Have you ever struggled with bitterness? What helped you to overcome it?

Amber is offering a digital edition of The Healer's Touch to one lucky commenter this week. Leave an answer in the comments to her question (in green, above) to enter to win. If you share this post on facebook, twitter, Google+, and if you like or follow any of Amber's links below, let me know for extra entries!  

The Healer's Touch Synopsis:

Aaliyah's last chance at winning her husband's love is destroyed when she is banished from her home as an 'unclean' sinner, exiled to the leper colony. When a chance at being cured comes in the form of a rumor, she must risk her life to appear in public, or die a leper.

Amber Schamel was born in Littleton, CO and has traveled extensively throughout the United States, Europe, and the Holy Land. She was raised in a family of 11 children, homeschooled through education and currently works with their 10 family businesses as bookkeeper and marketing director. She volunteers half of the summer at a non-profit Christian Family Bootcamp in rural MO helping and ministering to young girls and Christian families. Amber loves history, culture, reading and music. She has a musical ministry and travels throughout the United States ministering thru song. During her spare time she enjoys crafting Christ-honoring stories that will inspire and encourage her readers. Amber currently lives with her family outside of Colorado Springs, CO.

To learn more about Amber, visit her author website: http://visionwriter.weebly.com

Amber, thank you for being with us this week. I wish you every blessing as you write for His glory!

Thanks so much for having me on your blog this week, Kathy! I've enjoyed hanging out with all of you. I'd love it if ya'll would stop by and say hello. Here's where you can find me.

www.AmberSchamel.com

www.stitchesthrutime.blogspot.com (an awesome group blog I'm a part of)

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAmberSchamel
Twitter - @AmberSchamel https://twitter.com/AmberSchamel
Pinterest - http://pinterest.com/AmberDSchamel/