Debut Author ~ K. Dawn Byrd

K. Dawn Byrd is an author of inspirational romance. She holds a masters degree in professional counseling from Liberty University that she believes gives her better insight into the minds, feelings and emotions of individuals, which helps her to better understand her characters and develop them more fully. Queen of Hearts, a WWII romantic suspense will release April 1st, and Killing Time, a contemporary romantic suspense, will release August 1st, both with Desert Breeze Publishing.

K. Dawn Byrd is an avid blogger and gives away several books per week on her blog at www.kdawnbyrd.blogspot.com, most of which are signed by the authors. Her blog spotlights not only the books, but the authors also because we all want to know more about our favorite authors.

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When not reading or writing, K. Dawn Byrd enjoys spending time with her husband of 14 years, walking their dogs beside a gorgeous lake near her home, and plotting the next story waiting to be told.

When did you decide to be a writer?

I don't think I ever really decided to be a writer. I've always been an avid reader and began journaling about three years ago. I worked in a jail at one time and decided that if I ever wrote a novel, I'd like to place part of it in a jail setting. I began to journal the horrible stench, the sounds, and the daily routine of the facility just so I wouldn't forget the atmosphere. My over-active imagination ran rampant and before long, I had characters fighting to get onto the page. Killing Time, was born. It's an inspirational romantic suspense that will release from Desert Breeze Publishing in August.

How long did you write before you sold your first book?

I wrote my first book a little over two years ago. I was a horrible first draft and upon re-reading it, I knew it. At that point, I bought every book I could find on craft and studied for a year before I attempted to revise it. After about a dozen edits, that book will be out with Desert Breeze Publishing in August. It's called Killing Time and it's my jail story.

Everyone’s journey to publication is different. Now that you’ve walked that road, what tips can you give to authors still hoping for that first contract?

Don't ever give up. If you do, you'll never land a contract. Looking back, I wasn't ready for that contract two years ago. My writing certainly wasn't ready and neither was my life. I was finishing up my Masters degree and changing jobs. It's staggering the amount of time it takes to market your work and keep up with Facebook, Twitter, blogs, etc. My life is much calmer now and I am more able to assume these challenges.

Was there something about the experience of getting published that was a surprise to you?
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I'm surprised about how much work is involved after you've turned in the final version. Marketing is a never ending evil.

Are you a disciplined writer or do you just write when you feel like it?
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I'm very disciplined and probably too driven for my own good. I try to write something every day and succeed most days. I loved the NaNoWriMo challenge, and every once in a while, I'll challenge myself to my own personal NaNoWriMo in the month of my choosing with a goal of 2,000 words per day, which allows me to finish a novel in a month. Once I finish, I'll take a month off and edit a prior novel before going back to edit the recently completed one.

What kind of activities do you like to do that help you relax and step away from your deadlines for a bit?
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I love to take long walks with husband and our two hairless Chinese Crested dogs at a large lake near our home. My husband is not a reader, but he helps me plot during these walks. We plotted Queen of Hearts while we walked and since I'm so horrible at coming up with titles, he gave it the name.

What is your favorite novel (not written by you) and what made it special?

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Michelle Sutton's Danger at the Door is my favorite. First of all, I loved the book so much that it kept me up half the night and I never stay up past my bedtime. Secondly, Michelle and I became friends later and she recommended Desert Breeze Publishing to me. Michelle and Desert Breeze have changed my life.

How do you think reading the work of others helps you as a writer?
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I study the works of best-selling authors such as Patterson, Koontz and Coben. After taking Margie Lawson's on-line lectures (http://www.margielawson.com/), I've learned how to analyze their work and what makes them so great.

Tell us a little about your latest release:
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Here's the blurb from my publisher:
Daphne Dean is proud to be serving her country stateside during WWII as a reporter and an Office of Strategic Services operative. When the photograph she takes of the crowd at a murder scene places her on the mob's hit list, she's forced into hiding in a vacant mental asylum in the middle of nowhere with terrifying secrets of its own.

Daphne believed herself to still be in love with her ex-fiancée, Kenneth, until she spends several days locked away in the asylum with Vito, the mob boss' son. Can she put the terrifying events that occurred there behind her and allow herself to pursue a relationship with Vito? Or, will she return to Kenneth who has turned his back on his country by becoming a draft dodger and a black market racketeer? One thing's for sure, it won't matter if she can't escape the mental institution alive.

Where did you get your inspiration for Queen of Hearts?

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I love the WWII era and have always wanted to write a historical. With two romantic suspense novels under my belt, I was ready to try something different. A story begin to develop in my mind. Female spy. News paper reporter. The mob. Murder. Romance. An abandoned asylum. I put all these concepts together and wrote Queen of Hearts.

Which character is most like you?

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None of my characters are much like me, but they all have to be animal lovers and there's a stray dog who wins someone's heart in every story.

Who is your favorite character and why?

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My favorite character is Daphne Dean because she's not the perfect every-hair-in-place woman. She has flaws and she knows it. For example, she becomes a spy and is sent out without any formal training, which leads to condemnation from spies who have more experience. Even though Daphne makes some mistakes, she perseveres.

Did you know how Queen of Hearts would turn out? Were you surprised by any of the plot twists or characters?

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I always start with a loose plot and allow my characters to tell their story. I was very surprised when Daphne ended up going into hiding in an asylum. I had no idea that there would be an abandoned mental institution in this story when I plotted it. I was browsing the internet one night and ran across a wonderful website of photographs of literally dozens of abandoned mental institutions. Many of these images were really creepy, but fascinating at the same time. I just had to take Daphne into hiding in an asylum.

What is the main thing you hope readers remember from this story?

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I hope that readers take away that when we love God and follow Him, He will give us the desires of our heart. It may not be easy and may not come about as we'd planned, but God is always faithful.

What kinds of things have you done to market this book? Have you found anything that works particularly well?

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I've actually just starting marketing. I've created a Facebook group called "Christian Fiction Gathering" that's been very successful (http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=128209963444) The members have been very supportive. I've linked my blog to this group. Since I give away anywhere from one to three books per week on my blog, it's attracted quite a following. http://www.kdawnbyrd.blogspot.com/

Tell us what new projects you’re working on.
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I recently completed a romantic suspense called, Death Came Stalking. An agent is considering it at the moment. I have found that I can't not write, so I've started another novel. The before mentioned agent told me that the "sweet spot" in the market right now is romance without the suspense. I'm writing my first non-suspense romance. I call it Finally Forever and it's about a woman who is shocked when the love of her life, who joined the Army ten years ago without so much as a goodbye, storms back into town intent on winning her heart. The only problem is that she's just become engaged to another man.

Do you have any parting words of advice?
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I would encourage new writers to never give up. There were times that I felt like giving up and I'd always tell God, "I need you to send me some encouragement if you want me to continue on this journey." He always did. It seemed like every time I wanted to quit, He'd send me a little glimmer of hope. And, this is so important...study everything you can find on craft. I'm still studying and learning and hope I never stop.

Sunday Devotional

Having a dog is like having another child. They need food. They need shelter. They need. . .well, they don’t need clothing, but you get the idea.

From his earliest days, I was the one who got out of bed at 3:00 a.m. to take Max outside. I’m still the one who feeds him daily, gives him baths, takes him to the vet, and cleans up his messes. When he runs off, I’m the one who tromps through the woods to go look for him. When he picks a fight with my daughter’s cat (she outweighs him by ten pounds) I’m the one who rushes in to rescue him. I do this because despite all the trouble he gets into, I love him.

Max was in a playful mood one day, and my husband and I took turns tossing a plastic toy for him to fetch. When playtime was over, I called Max to come sit with me on the couch. He refused, and sat staring at the toy clutched in my husband’s hand instead.

“Max, come sit,” I repeated.

He wavered. I could see the hesitation in his eyes as he looked from me to the toy. In the end, he chose the toy.

And then it occurred to me. God cares for me. He feeds and shelters me. He clothes me. When I was lost, He came looking for me. He binds up my hurts and rushes in to protect me. And yet. . .I don’t always choose Him. In my words and deeds, I sometimes turn away from the One who gave me life. Thankfully, God is faithful, and despite all the trouble I get into, I am comforted by this knowledge—my Lord loves me. The decision whether or not to follow Him is mine. I will make it. . .daily.

Joshua 24:14-18 (New International Version)

14 "Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. 15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." 16 Then the people answered, "Far be it from us to forsake the LORD to serve other gods! 17 It was the LORD our God himself who brought us and our fathers up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled. 18 And the LORD drove out before us all the nations, including the Amorites, who lived in the land. We too will serve the LORD, because he is our God."

Winners!!

It's always so much fun to give away great books!! Congratulations to this week's lucky winners:

Gwenn Brown – A Tailor-Made Bride by Karen Witemeyer

Nicky M – The Anonymous Bride by Vickie McDonough

cenya2- When Empty Arms Become a Heavy Burden by Sandra Glahn

Winners of this week's books, please use the button in the upper right side of this page to email me with your mailing address so I can forward your information to the authors. Then, sit back and wait for your book to arrive.

Thank you all so much for stopping by The Borrowed Book and thank you Karen Witemeyer, Vickie McDonough, and Sandra Glahn for your generosity in providing books!

Weekly Drawing

Entering our weekly drawing is easy:

1. Leave a comment on Fridays or...

2. Sign up to follow The Borrowed Book. Followers will automatically be entered for a chance to win that week's drawing!

This week, The Borrowed Book is giving away three great books:

A Tailor-Made Bride by Karen Witemeyer ~ Jericho "J.T." Tucker wants nothing to do with Coventry, Texas's new dressmaker. He's all too familiar with her kind--shallow women more devoted to fashion than true beauty. Yet, except for her well-tailored clothing, this seamstress is not at all what he expected. Hannah Richards is confounded by the man who runs the livery. The unsmiling fellow riles her with his arrogant assumptions and gruff manner while at the same time stirring her heart with unexpected acts of kindness. Which side of Jericho Tucker reflects the real man? When Hannah decides to help Jericho's sister catch a beau--leading to uproarious consequences for the whole town--will Jericho and Hannah find a way to bridge the gap between them?

The Anonymous Bride by Vickie McDonough ~ Check yourself into the Texas Boardinghouse Brides series by Vickie McDonough, where you’ll meet Luke Davis, marshal of Lookout, Texas, who flippantly tells his cousin he’d get married if the right woman ever came along. When three mail-order brides are delivered to Luke a month later, he’s in an uncomfortable predicament. How will he ever choose his mate? Rachel Hamilton’s long-time love for Luke is reignited with his return to town. So when three mail-order brides appear, she panics. Will she find the courage to tell Luke that she loves him? Or take an anonymous part in the contest for his hand?

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When Empty Arms Become a Heavy Burden by Sandra Glahn ~ An updated edition of a trusted resource on the all-too familiar topic of infertility. Includes questions at the end of each chapter, lists for recommended reading, case histories, and personal testimonies.

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Winners will be announced Saturday, 05/29/10.

Reader Excerpt ~ The Anonymous Bride by Vickie McDonough

Lookout, Texas
April, 1886

Luke Davis reined his horse to a halt atop the ridge and gazed down at the town half a mile away. Lookout, Texas—the place where his dreams were birthed and had died. He wasn’t ready to return—to face the two people he’d tried so hard to forget. But sometimes God asked hard things of a man.

“I’d rather face a band of Sioux warriors, Lord, than to ride into that town again.” He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.

The town hadn’t grown nearly as much as he’d expected it would in the eleven years he’d been gone. From his high viewpoint, the town roughly resembled a capital E, with Bluebonnet Lane being the spine, and Main, Apple Street, and a new street serving as the three arms. New houses had been added that didn’t yet show wear from the hot Texas summers.

He glanced up. In the trees above a bird chirped a cheerful tune, oblivious to the turmoil churning in Luke’s belly.

Alamo, his black gelding, snorted, as if sensing they’d reached the end of their long journey. The horse tossed his head and back-stepped away from the steep drop-off. Down below, the small river that ran south and west of town still pooled as it made its sharp turn around Lookout. A healthy dose of spring rains had filled the crater dug out by past floods that local kids used as a swimming hole, and a new rope had been added for them to swing on, promising fun as soon as school ended. Memories of afternoons spent there were some of Luke’s favorite. But those carefree days were over.

He glanced heavenward at the brilliant blue sky, halfway hoping God would give him leave to ride away. When no such reprieve came, he reined Alamo around and back down the incline to the river bank. Dismounting at the water’s edge, he allowed his horse to drink while he rinsed three days’ worth of dust off his face.

Alamo suddenly jerked his head up and flicked his ears forward. The horse backed away from the bank and turned, looking off to the right. Luke scooped up a handful of water and sipped, watching to see what had stirred up his horse. Tall cottonwoods lined the life-giving river, and thigh-high grasses and shrubs made good hiding places. He knew that for a fact. How many times as a boy had he and his two cousins hidden there, watching the older kids swimming and sometimes spooning?

“Must have been some critter, ’Mo.” He stood and patted his horse, finally ready to ride into Lookout and see up close how much it had changed. How she’d changed.

Suddenly, three heads popped up from behind a nearby bush. “Hey, mister,” a skinny kid yelled, “that’s our swimming hole, not a horse trough.”

Rocks flew toward him, and he ducked, turning his back to the kids. Alamo squealed and side-stepped into Luke, sending him flying straight into the river. Hoots of laughter rose up behind him as cool water seeped down into his boots and soaked his clothing. His boots slipped on the moss-covered rocks as he struggled for a foothold.

“Foolish kids.” He trudged out of the river, dripping from every inch of his clothing. His socks sloshed in his water-logged boots. Dropping to the bank, he yanked them off and dumped the water and wrung out his socks. With his boots back on, he checked Alamo, making sure the horse wasn’t injured, then he mounted, determined to find those kids and teach them a lesson. Playing childish pranks was one thing, and he’d done his share of them, but hurting an animal was something else altogether.

“Heyah!” Alamo lurched forward. Luke hunkered low against the horse’s neck until he cleared the tree line then he sat up, scanning the rolling hills. He didn’t see any movement at first, but when he topped the closest hill, he found the rowdy trio racing for the edge of town. Luke hunched down and let his horse out in a full canter, quickly closing the distance between him and the kids.

All three glanced back, no longer ornery but scared. He’d never harm a child, but instilling a little fear for the law couldn’t hurt anything.

The two tallest boys veered off to the left, out-pacing the smaller kid. The boy stumbled and fell, bounced up and shot for town. Luke aimed for that one as the older boys dashed behind the nearest house. The youngster pressed down his big floppy hat and pumped his short legs as fast as he could. The gap narrowed. Luke leaned sideways, slowing Alamo, and reached down, grabbing the youth by his overall straps. The child kicked his feet and flailed his arms, but Luke was stronger, quicker. He slung the kid across his lap.

“Let me go! I didn’t do nothin’.” The boy held his hat on with one hand and pushed against Luke’s leg with the other hand. “You’re gettin’ me wet.”

“Just lie still. And I wouldn’t be wet if you hadn’t thrown rocks at my horse.” Luke held a firm hand on the kid’s backside, but the boy still squirmed, trying to get free. “Don’t make me tie you up.”

Suddenly he stilled. “You wouldn’t.”

“Whoa, Mo.” Luke calmed his horse, fidgety from the child’s activity. Alamo had carried him through all kinds of weather, fights with Indians in the Dakotas, and chasing down train robbers, but one skinny kid had him all riled up.

“My ma ain’t gonna like you doin’ this to me, mister.”

Luke grunted, knowing the kid was probably right, but then his mama should have taught him not the throw rocks at strangers. The next man might shoot back.

Being wet with a cocky kid tossed across his lap certainly wasn’t the homecoming he’d planned in his mind.

Vickie McDonough is giving away a copy of her book, The Anonymous Bride. Be sure to visit The Borrowed Book tomorrow for your chance to win!

Author Interview ~ Vickie McDonough

Award-winning author Vickie McDonough has lived in Oklahoma all her life, except for a year when she and her husband lived on a kibbutz in Israel. Vickie has had 18 books and novellas published, and historical Christian romance is her favorite genre to read and write. Vickie is currently the ACFW treasurer and a founding member of WIN, an ACFW chapter in Tulsa, OK. She is a member of ACFW, RWA, CAN, Women Writing the West, and OWFI. She is a wife of thirty-four years, mother of four grown sons and grandma to a feisty four-year-old girl. When she’s not writing, Vickie enjoys reading, gardening, watching movies, and traveling. To learn more about Vickie’s books, visit her website: http://www.vickiemcdonough.com/.

When did you decide to be a writer?

I never planned to be a writer—never even once considered it until a story idea started running through my mind. It was affecting my sleep big time and wouldn’t leave me alone, so I decided to write it down in hopes it would go away. As soon as I completed that book, another idea invaded my mind. I’m thinking: what’s going on here? I’ve always been an avid reader and daydreamed a lot, but I’d never plotted a story. I finished that second book and began to wonder if God wasn’t trying to get my attention. After praying and talking with my husband, I jumped in with both feet and started learning all I could about writing.

At what point did you stop juggling suggestions and critiques and trust yourself (as a writer)?

Uh. . .I’m still working on that. I’ve found that many writers—even very famous ones—are insecure. There’s no guarantees in the publishing world. A writer is only as good as her last story. I still have critique partners, but since I have to write so fast to meet my deadlines, they rarely see the whole book. I’ve had to learn to let go. I write the best story I know how and proof it as much as I have time for then send it in.

I do still use my critique partners’ help in brainstorming new ideas. My background is accounting, and I love using Excel and putting things in nice, neat boxes. I feel a bit handicapped when plotting a book, because it’s very hard for me to think outside the box. My crit partners are great at that and give me some wonderful ideas when we brainstorm. My books are far more interesting thanks to them.

Are you a disciplined writer or do you just write when you feel like it?

Can I say both? Besides writing, I babysit my granddaughter, I’m primary caregiver to my invalid mom, and still have three sons at home, as well as my husband. Life gets in the way of my writing. But, a deadline is an amazing motivator. I try to write 2 – 4 hours five days a week. I make an Excel chart and plot out the days to my deadline, so I know just what I need to accomplish. Some days I make and even exceed my goal, and other days I don’t, especially those weeks I get copy edits or have to do galley edits.

What kind of activities to you like to do that help you relax and step away from your deadlines for a bit?

Reading, watching my fav TV shows, going out to eat, watching movies.

What is your favorite novel and what made it special?

I’ve read so many good books, it’s hard to pick a favorite. The book I’ve read the most though is A Gown of Spanish Lace by Janette Oke. I can remember a certain scene in that book that evoked a tremendous response from me. I wanted to throw the book across the room and quit reading at that point. But I didn’t, and am so glad. Ms. Oke tossed in a fabulous plot point, which if true, would have ruined the book for me. I think that’s why I keep going back and reading that book every few years.

How do you think reading the work of others helps you as a writer?

I read lots of historical romances since that’s what I like and that’s what I write. I enjoy seeing how others write descriptions, because that’s an area where I think I’m weak. I also love the historical settings, which help keep me focused on what I’m writing.

Tell us a little about your latest release:

The Anonymous Bride is the first book in my Texas Boardinghouse Brides series, which is set in the fictional town of Lookout, Texas. The town has some quirky characters, which add humor to the story, as well as conflict. The main theme of the story is learning to forgive past offenses, but I also deal with issues like single parenthood and having a rebellious child.

Here’s a blurb:
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Three mail-order brides arrive in Lookout, Texas, each expecting to marry the local marshal. But—he didn't order a bride. When a contest ensues to discover which bride will make him the best wife, there is a surprise fourth entry--an anonymous one. Mayhem occurs as the whole town tries to figure out who the anonymous bride is, and the mayor pressures the marshal to pick a bride or lose his job. Will Marshal Davis tuck tail and run for the hills? Or will he lose his heart and his bachelorhood?

Where did you get your inspiration for The Anonymous Bride?

This is a “what if” book. My initial idea “what if a mail-order bride suddenly shows up, expecting to marry the town marshal—but he never ordered a bride?” Then I took it a step further and said, “what if 3 brides showed up, expecting to marry the same man?” And what if the town held a contest to see which gal would make him the best bride? I just get thinking “what if’s” and the story began to develop.

Which character is most like you?

Probably Jack, the rebellious daughter of the heroine. She’s a tomboy who hates dresses and runs with boys. She wished she was a boy and has a good reason for feeling that way. I was a tomboy when I was young and always tried to be the son my dad didn’t have. I rode horses, played sports, and even bought a motorcycle when I was 14. Can you see why God blessed me with four sons? :-)

Who is your favorite character and why?

I really like Jack—an am currently writing her story as an adult, which is the third book in the series, Finally A Bride. But I think Luke was my favorite character. He’s a true hero, hurting over a deep wound inflicted by the woman he loved when he was younger. He’s become a Christian and has returned home, hoping to finally forgive and forget, so he can move on with his life. He takes young Jack under his wing and becomes a hero to her. He’s tough yet caring.

Did you know how The Anonymous Bride would turn out?

I knew how the story would end, but before I wrote it, I didn’t realize all that would take place to get to that ending. Were you surprised by any of the plot twists or characters? Yes, my characters always do things that surprise me.

What is the main thing you hope readers remember from this story?

Like I said earlier, the main theme of the story is learning to forgive past offenses. That means not just forgiving the person who hurt you but sometimes also forgiving yourself. I want readers to understand that no matter what they’ve done, God is always willing to forgive them.

I also deal with issues like single parenthood and having a rebellious child. These are issues many women face today, and I hope seeing Rachel’s struggles will show women they aren’t alone. They have friends, family, and God to help them.

What kinds of things have you done to market this book?

I’ve focused mainly on blog tours and Internet marketing. Each blog has a different circle of people who read it, so it’s kind of like tossing a rock in a pond and watching the circles of water grow and spread. I also attended several book festivals, both in Oklahoma and Texas, and I mailed out post cards to my mailing list. Plus, my publisher sent books to my influencer’s list, and many of those folks have posted reviews on Amazon and Christianbook.com. Have you found anything that works particularly well? Honestly, I think word of mouth is the best marketing tool out there—unless you have the good fortune to be on Oprah. My hope is that people who enjoy my books will tell their friends and family and that the circle will keep expanding.

Tell us what new projects you’re working on.

I’ve just finished the first book in a historical Heartsong Presents series sent in South Carolina. Mutiny of the Heart releases in December and is set in the 18th century. It’s the story of a Loyalist woman who takes her deceased cousin’s six-year-old son to his father. Lucas Reed is a staunch American patriot and knows it’s impossible that the boy is his, even though the child looks like him. He suspects he knows the truth, but if word got out, the boy’s life could be in danger. Mutiny of the Heart is the tale of two opposites working together for the sake of a child.

I’ve also just started the third book in my Texas Boardinghouse Brides series, Finally A Bride. It’s the story of Jack(Jacqueline, Rachel’s daughter) grown up and several characters from the first two books who come back to Lookout after a number of years.

For those of you who enjoyed The Anonymous Bride, the sequel, Second Chance Brides, releases in September. It’s the tale of two mail-order brides who were losers in a bride contest. Now they are stranded in Texas and must either find a job or find a husband. Look out single men!

Do you have any parting words of advice?

For readers, thank you for your support and for buying Christian fiction. I encourage you to write to authors and let them know how you liked their books. Also, authors greatly appreciate when you post positive reviews online.

For writers, keep up the good job. I’m a reader as much as a writer. Reading has been my escape from the craziness of raising a quartet of boys. I love a good book and characters that live on after the story is done. Don’t give up if you’re not yet published, because every published author was at some time or another not published. Keep writing and sending in proposals, and don’t give up.

Want more? Be sure to stop by The Borrowed Book on Thursday for an excerpt from The Anonymous Bride by Vickie McDonough.

Author Interview ~ Sandra Glahn, ThM

Sandra Glahn, ThM, teaches in the media arts program at Dallas Theological Seminary, where she edits the award-winning magazine Kindred Spirit. She has authored six books including The Coffee Cup Bible Study series, and the medical-suspense novel, Informed Consent. She has co-authored ten additional works including the Christy Award finalist, Lethal Harvest. A PhD candidate in Aesthetic Studies (Arts and Humanities) at the University of Texas at Dallas, she recently released When Empty Arms Become a Heavy Burden (Kregel).

When did you decide to become a writer?

Never, actually. Writing happened “on the side” and eventually took over. After college I worked for a 700-employee company, and my boss believed I had some talent. So I edited their employee publications. When the company folded, I started a freelance publicity business with 700 contacts. One of my clients produced the music for PBS’s “Barney and Friends.” Another was Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS), where I edited (and still edit) their magazine, Kindred Spirit. I had no aspirations to write a book, but I had an interest in fertility issues. I wrote articles about bioethics on the side (many volunteer hours), and that led to a book contract and later to medical-suspense novels. Today my primary job is still editor, and now DTS professor—teaching writers.

At what point did you stop juggling suggestions and critiques and trust yourself (as a writer)?

I tell my students, “If ten people tell you something’s wrong, change it. If ten people tell you ten different things are wrong, don’t change anything. If you editor tells you something’s wrong, it’s wrong, even if it’s not wrong.” I joined critique groups, and when three people agreed that I could write, I started trusting myself.

Are you a disciplined writer or do you just write when you feel like it?

I’m pretty disciplined. Someone asked me this week, “How do you stay motivated to keep writing?” and I asked, “How do you stay motivated to write a report that’s due?” You do it because it needs doing. Sometimes we treat writing like it’s this mysterious arsty experience that has to wait on the Muse for inspiration. Imagine if a bricklayer thought that way about his “art.” We do better to treat writing like any other work.

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What kind of activities to you like to do that help you relax and step away from your deadlines for a bit?
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I require myself to take a Sabbath, not as some legalistic thing, but in recognition that “down time” is to life as holes are to lace—the empty spaces make the rest beautiful. Taking a full 24 hours off every week requires faith for me, just like giving money does. During my “free” time I like to nap, read, watch HGTV cooking shows, and putter in the kitchen. Also, one of my employee benefits is a healthclub membership, so I work out and read great novels while I walk. And I love to travel. Having family on both coasts helps.

What is your favorite novel and what made it special?

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Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Harriet Beecher Stowe’s s book is a tour de force on social justice—in a class of its own. I laughed out loud, cried, shook my head, shuddered, and then laughed again. I once read that the strongest argument comes with a one-two punch, the second blow being humor. If so, Harriet Beecher Stowe punctuates her argument with a TKO.

For my PhD examinations-prep, I have a reading list of about 200 novels. And so far of all the classics I’ve read, hers sits at the top of the list. Second would be The Brothers Karamazov. Dosteovesky’s masterpiece is the “novel” equivalent to What’s So Amazing about Grace. My Ántonia was fantastic, too.

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How do you think reading the work of others helps you as a writer?

When I was small, whenever my Dad faced the occasional toilet overflow, he would grab the plunger and dash into the bathroom calling out, “Double, double toilet trouble! Come a-runnin’ on the double!” I found his iambic pentameter clever, and I was also glad that the same man who tossed a wrench when the car gave him fits could face so good naturedly what I considered a far less agreeable task. Yet I had no clue that he was quoting—or rather, misquoting—anything.

Nearly four decades later, however, when doing my Ph.D. work, I took a course in Shakespearean tragedies. One evening as I was reading along in MacBeth, I came upon something in Act IV, Scene I that shocked me. The witches bent over their brew chanted, “Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and caldron bubble.”

I burst out laughing.

For years, decades even, I had quoted my dad’s rhyme without realizing he had based it on some of the best-known literature in the English language. I had lacked the background to appreciate it. Yet that deficiency hadn’t kept me from enjoying it at an elementary level. Still, further knowledge added—greatly added—to my appreciation. The path to literacy is laid with many such layers.

Whatever level of literary understanding we have achieved, we are always becoming readers. It’s a lifelong journey. We start out on the dirt path of plain understanding—“my father made up an amusing rhyme.” Yet as we reread texts, we find that even grown-ups grow in literacy.

This is why we must read and reread the Bible. We benefit from the way different truths touch us at different times, depending on what God is emphasizing in our lives in the moment. And we equip ourselves to notice when authors are borrowing from its pages. Doing so also helps us recognize worthy works.

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Consider what John Steinbeck did with Cain and Abel’s story retold as East of Eden. Or what Melville did with Moby-Dick and Jonah. One does not have to know the underlying story to appreciate the conflict between brothers or the joy of triumphing over a whale. But a thoroughgoing understanding of the Genesis story or of Jonah’s voyage adds to the reader’s appreciation of the author’s message. Think, too, of how Dickens used the idea of substitutionary sacrifice in The Tale of Two Cities. Or how Lewis’s Narnia adventures retell the greatest story ever told.

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Those of us who make our living using the word to communicate the Word—we of all people—can and should aid our readers in their multi-layered literary journeys by ensuring that whatever we offer them is legible, readable, and accessible on many levels.

To do so we must read all kinds of literature and especially the Bible, which is both God’s Word and the foundation for much of the world’s great literature. And we need to read not only books from the bestseller lists but also those that have proved their staying power in the market—classic novels, great plays, and famous poets.

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Tell us a little about your latest release:

When Empty Arms Become a Heavy Burden (Kregel) is the first book I ever wrote. The new release is a second and much-updated version produced by a new publisher. Much has changed in the world of infertility treatment in the fifteen years since the original version. Back then nobody talked of cloning or freezing embryos.

The book includes my personal journey through three years of no success at conceiving followed by seven early pregnancy losses and three failed adoptions. My husband and I have since adopted, but we did not include our “happy ending” in the book, because Christ-followers going through the emotional, spiritual, medical, financial, relational crisis of infertility must wrestle with a key question: “Is God good, even if I never have a child?” My personal ending does not aid them in dealing with that question.

I teamed with a seminary medical doctor to write it, and in it we include medical, marital, biblical, bioethical, and relational guidance. We also included questions for discussion, so therapists and small groups can use it—as well as bewildered family members whose well-intentioned words always seem to hurt more than help.

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Where did you get your inspiration for When Empty Arms Become a Heavy Burden?

I was taking a media-arts class at DTS writing a novel when the professor assigned us to meet with a publisher—just to have the experience of pitching an idea. At the end of that appointment as I was heading out the door, he mentioned his daughter had experienced a failed adoption. I spun around and told him that if he ever wanted to publish a book on infertility and pregnancy loss, I would edit it for free as the books on the market at the time fell pretty far short of what I needed.

“Why don’t you write the book yourself?” he asked.

I had to sit down. The thought had never crossed my mind.

Your book deals with the pain that accompanies infertility. What would you say is the most difficult thing couples deal with when faced with infertility?

Because infertility happens during the childbearing years, the experience is usually the first serious grief-trauma a couple goes through together. And they often find that they handle pain much differently. As a result they can feel isolated from each other. The greatest loss the wife articulates is usually the inability to have a baby and become a mommy—a primary job most women envision for themselves, even if they have great careers. For the husband, however, the greatest grief is usually the loss of his partner. The happy woman he married has disappeared, replaced by an inconsolable stranger. All his efforts to reach her, to cheer her, to bring her out of her funk fail. In his helplessness to get her back, he may even state a willingness to live without kids, thinking that might take the pressure off. Yet what he intends as loving, she interprets as being “less committed to the cause.” So two people trying to love each other end up completely polarized.

You and your husband faced your own issues with infertility. Can you tell us about it?

Today I have one child, teach at Dallas Seminary, and I'm married to a missionary. The work is serving a group of Kenya pastors by providing administrative support stateside. They're doing great work on the ground, but need help via spread sheets, child-sponsorship, blueprints, and wells dug. It's sort of the new wave in missions--serving the nations who are doing the face-time work. My life has not turned out the way I imagined, expected, planned. But with the perspective of hindsight, I see the beauty of God's handwork. But that’s the perspective from fifteen years later.

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At the time infertility led to a crisis of faith. I handled the three years without conceiving okay. It was hard, but not crisis-level hard. I even handled the miscarriages and the first failed adoption (three days before Christmas) pretty well. But when the second one happened—a year later, three days before Christmas—after nearly a decade of loss upon loss, I felt like God had forsaken me. I reached a point where my entire life boiled down to “Is God good” and “Will I trust Him?” Part of my crisis was realizing I had too narrow of a view of Christian womanhood. I had always focused on God’s male/female partnership as “be fruitful and multiply” and had missed the earlier expressed purpose, which was “have dominion.” I had to go back to Genesis and work my way through the entire Bible to take a fresh look at who I was and what God expected of me. It was the worst of times, it was the best of times.
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What is the main thing you hope readers remember from this story?

For all of us life ultimately boils down to those two questions I grappled with. Standing by the bed of a dying loved one, we wrestle with, “Is God good and will I trust Him?” A single person who longs for marriage struggles to answer the same questions. Too often books about suffering focus on God building our character (which He does) and good coming from bad (which Romans 8:28 teaches), without exploring Job’s nature walk and seeing that much of suffering is a mystery, because God’s ways are beyond comprehension to a finite being. From there we ponder, “Even if I can’t understand God and His ways, do I have enough evidence to prove He is good?” And I think the Cross is the only way to answer that.

What kinds of things have you done to market this book? Have you found anything that works particularly well?

For a subject this private most people prefer to order online rather than walking into a store. And word of mouth is particularly important in the infertility community. So we’ll be targeting churches with support groups, church book stores, and church librarians moreso than with other works I’ve done.

Tell us what new projects you’re working on.

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I just put the finishing touches on number nine in the Coffee Cup series—Sumatra with the Seven Churches. I had the joy of spending part of last summer in Turkey doing research, and being there added so much to my understanding of Jesus’ messages to the seven churches of Revelation. Once I knock out my PhD examinations, I plan to write historical novel set in first-century Ephesus through the eyes of a young widow there. I’ll explore those confusing passages like “a woman will be saved through childbearing” and develop background information that I think helps us understand the meaning of the some of the difficult “woman” texts.

Do you have any parting words of advice?

I do. Back before I’d ever published anything, I used to look at all the books on the market and think, “Do we really need another novel?” “Why yet another book on marriage,” or “Why would someone want to publish another Bible study on Sermon on the Mount?”

What I came to know years later was that each author’s unique sphere of influence provides a platform through which some readers are more apt to hear from that author than from others—even if the others are more eloquent. So we will always need more books, new books, even on “old” topics. Richard Baxter wrote wonderful stuff for Puritan audiences, and it stirs me when I read it today. Yet I still love reading about the same topics covered by Ruth Haley Barton.

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Because of this, every year I exhort my journalism students to go ahead and write on topics that interest them or in the genres they love, even if someone else has already done it better. Several years ago after hearing this little lecture, one of my students showed up the next week with a quote that I have since cherished. It’s from St. Augustine’s De Trinitate (On the Trinity), translated by Edmund Hill:

Not everything … that is written by anybody comes into the hands of everybody, and it is possible that some who are in fact capable of understanding even what I write may not come across those more intelligible writings, while they do at least happen upon these of mine. That is why it is useful to have several books by several authors, even on the same subjects, differing in style though not in faith, so that the matter itself may reach as many as possible, some in this way others in that.

So my advice: If you are at all inclined to write, do it. Don’t let that voice telling you someone else has already “done it better” stop you from writing. Perhaps that better-written book will never make it into one of your readers’ hands and you will get to be the fortunate soul through whom someone’s life is forever changed.

Sandra is giving away a copy of her book, When Empty Arms Become a Heavy Burden. Be sure to stop by The Borrowed Book on Friday for your chance to win!

Debut Author ~ Karen Witemeyer

Karen Witemeyer is a deacon's wife who believes the world needs more happily-ever-afters. To that end, she combines her love of bygone eras with her passion for helping women mature in Christ to craft historical romance novels that lift the spirit and nurture the soul.

Karen holds a master's degree in Psychology from Abilene Christian University and is a member of ACFW, RWA, and her local writers' guild. She's an avid cross-stitcher, shower singer, and bakes a mean apple cobbler. Karen makes her home in Abilene, TX with her husband and three children.

When did you decide to be a writer?

I had always been an avid reader, and as I grew to adulthood, I toyed with the idea of putting my own stories to paper. I'd daydream romantic plot lines and jot down my ideas in a journal, but I never committed myself to writing. First, college kept me busy. Then kids entered the picture. But in 2003 when my husband learned his job was being cut, the urge to turn someday into this day became too strong to ignore. The busyness didn't disappear, of course. I started working full-time outside the home, and the kids were still young and in need of my attention. However, the Lord had sent me a wake-up call, and I knew I had to answer.

How long did you write before you sold your first book?

I started writing with intention to publish in 2003. I sold a couple of short pieces along the way, but my first contract for full-length novels came in January of 2009.

Everyone’s journey to publication is different. Now that you’ve walked that road, what tips can you give to authors still hoping for that first contract?

The key to enjoying your journey to publication, as with most things, is a positive attitude. This is especially important for a road that is fraught with so much rejection and disappointment. Learn from the past, but don't dwell there. Constantly look forward. Give yourself the tools to be successful – hone your craft, go to conferences, network with other writers and industry professionals – but above all, reminder to smile. The Lord set us on this path, and we are to glorify him just as much when mired in mud pits or sucking wind on steep grades as when we dance in meadows and savor mountaintop views.

Was there something about the experience of getting published that was a surprise to you?

I'm constantly surprised by how much there still is to learn. There is always more technique and craft to master. There are relationships to foster with your publishing team. There are marketing strategies to embrace and somehow find the courage to put into action. But I think the thing that amazes me most is how much joy I derive from working with a team of people who believe in me. I have editors who are becoming dear friends and marketing liaisons who go out of their way to make things easy for a newbie who doesn't know the first thing about selling books. I had a chance to visit my publishing house in person at the first of the year, and I was overwhelmed with warmth and enthusiasm from people who were eager to welcome me into their family.

Are you a disciplined writer or do you just write when you feel like it?

If I only wrote when I felt like it, I'd still be stuck in the middle of my first book instead of nearly finished with my third. There are just those days where I would rather have a tooth pulled than try to figure out what needs to happen next with my characters. I pray a lot on those days.

I don't set daily word count goals because I need flexibility in my writing schedule to accommodate my day job and the demands of being mom for three kids. So, instead of a word count goal, I set chapter goals. My normal pace is one polished chapter a week. When I need to step it up for a deadline, I increase to 3 polished chapters every 2 weeks. My chapters are generally 7-8 pages long, so this averages out to about two pages a day. Some days I write 3 pages, some days I struggle to get 2 good paragraphs. That's why I like the flexibility of the chapter goal instead of the specific word count.

What kind of activities to you like to do that help you relax and step away from your deadlines for a bit?

I enjoy cross-stitching. It is a great way to unwind at the end of the day. Reading is always fun, too—escaping with someone else's characters for a change. I also sing with a community chorus and stay busy keeping up with my kids and all their activities.

What is your favorite novel (not written by you) and what made it special?

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers is my favorite. The emotions that story evoked have stayed with me to this day. Not only did it create a well of compassion in me for people who struggle to believe in the goodness of God, but it compelled me to become more like the hero who willingly surrendered himself to God's plan in order to mend the heart of another. And the tenderness of the love story was exquisite.

How do you think reading the work of others helps you as a writer?

I draw on other writers a great deal. Something in their stories might inspire a plot idea or a character trait that I can twist and tweak and then incorporate into a manuscript of my own. I absorb their mastery of craft by reading well-turned phrases and powerful scenes. I learn what readers in my market enjoy by reading the works of authors successful in my genre. I don't think I could be a writer if I wasn't a reader as well.

Tell us a little about your latest release:

A Tailor-Made Bride is a fun-filled romp in which a feisty seamstress tangles with a set-in-his-ways livery owner in 1880s Texas.

Here's the scoop:

Jericho "J.T." Tucker wants nothing to do with Coventry, Texas's new dressmaker. He's all too familiar with her kind--shallow women more devoted to fashion than true beauty. Yet, except for her well-tailored clothing, this seamstress is not at all what he expected.

Hannah Richards is confounded by the man who runs the livery. The unsmiling fellow riles her with his arrogant assumptions and gruff manner while at the same time stirring her heart with unexpected acts of kindness. Which side of Jericho Tucker reflects the real man?

When Hannah decides to help Jericho's sister catch a beau--leading to uproarious consequences for the whole town--will Jericho and Hannah find a way to bridge the gap between them?

Where did you get your inspiration for A Tailor-Made Bride?

It all started with a question: What happens when believers disagree about what the Christian life should look like?

Hannah Richards believes she is being a good steward of the talents the Lord has blessed her with by turning her needle to creating dresses that are pleasing to look upon. She is imitating the Creator God who designed wildflowers, rainbows, and sunsets.

Jericho Tucker, on the other hand, believes that fancy dress goods encourage women to focus their attention on vain, superficial beauty instead of the inner attributes of a gentle and quiet spirit that Scripture promotes as true loveliness.

Both are right. Yet both see the other as wrong. By throwing Jericho's sister Cordelia into the mix, I forced these two characters to face their differences and learn from each other, to mend those tears of condemnation with threads of grace.

Which character is most like you?

Like most authors, I write a bit of myself into all of my characters. I relate strongly to Hannah, my heroine. However, to be honest with myself, I'm probably more like Cordelia. A little too addicted to sweets, shy in new situations but a dedicated friend once bonds are formed, and head-over-heels in love with a man who leads the singing in worship. (Did I mention my husband is a song leader for our local congregation?)

Who is your favorite character and why?

Jericho—by far. As a reader I enjoy relating to the heroine, but it's the hero who makes me fall in love with a book. So, too, with writing. Jericho is a man wounded and hardened by his past, yet his gruff exterior shelters a tender heart. I couldn't wait to match him up with a woman who would help tear down those walls of his.

Did you know how A Tailor-Made Bride would turn out? Were you surprised by any of the plot twists or characters?

Before I start a manuscript, I have to know what the major plot points of the book will be. So in that sense, yes, I knew how the story would turn out. But aside from that, the rest of the journey was an adventure. I met secondary characters I didn't know existed at the outset and uncovered motivations that I hadn't realized were lurking under the surface. One of my pre-ordained plot points even changed. I originally planned to have my heroine make a daring rescue to save a child, and instead, it played out that she had to save herself.

What is the main thing you hope readers remember from this story?

Being right is less important than living right. Love for one's neighbor and grace in the face of disagreement unifies God's kingdom where dogmatic condemnation and quarrelsome arguments tear it apart.

So many times as Christians, we see things as black and white—right and wrong. We can be quick to condemn other believers because they don't follow a doctrine identical to ours. A Tailor-Made Bride demonstrates how submissive hearts open to the Lord's leading can bridge such gaps with grace, fostering relationships and nurturing increased spiritual maturity.

What kinds of things have you done to market this book? Have you found anything that works particularly well?

The Marketing Department at Bethany House has been tremendous. We share ideas and they help me implement them. For example, they asked me to come up with unique ideas for promotional items to give away at book signings and such. Since my heroine is a seamstress, I thought it would be fun to make up little sewing kits like the ones you sometimes find in hotels. They jumped right on the idea and put them together for me.

I'm hosting a launch party complete with activities and giveaways, doing book signings, distributing bookmarks to libraries and book stores, and sponsoring a contest on my Wes site. Everyone who signs up for my newsletter receives a free download of a biblical fiction short story accompanied by a Bible study based on the life of Rahab. But in addition to that, they are also entered into a contest. Every month, someone wins a set of Christian historical fiction titles. And once you are in my database, you are automatically signed up for all future drawings.

I guess you could say that bribery is my marketing strategy of choice. :-)

Tell us what new projects you’re working on.

My second release, Head in the Clouds, will be hitting the shelves in October. Since I enjoy Regency romances as well as those set in the American West, I thought it would be fun to blend the two by bringing an English nobleman to Texas. In Head in the Clouds, a recovering romantic takes a job as governess for the mute daughter of a sheep rancher and soon learns her heart is not the only thing in danger.

My current work in progress is a story set in the late 1880s that asks the question – what happens after the prodigal son returns? So many times, we focus on the wonderful homecoming the lost son received from his father, but have you ever asked what life was like for him after the celebration was over? How did he relate to his bitter older brother or the servants and townspeople who were only too aware of his past arrogance and wild living?

In my third book, I play on those very questions. My hero is a man recently released from prison who has returned to his faith roots and rededicated his life to the Lord. The heroine is a woman who has been disappointed by men in the past and has little tolerance of those who don't meet her high standards. In an effort to make a clean start, Levi hides his past and Eden believes she has finally found a man of honor and integrity. But when his secret is revealed will both their futures be shattered?

Do you have any parting words of advice?

Don't be in a rush. The publishing world moves slowly and a new writer would be wise to invest their time in honing their craft instead of pushing ahead with an unready manuscript. I tend to be task-oriented, and when I finish something, I want to immediately send it in. I still need to learn patience in this business.

And don't forget to enjoy the ride.

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Karen is giving away a copy of her book, A Tailor Made Bride. Be sure to stop by The Borrowed Book on Friday for your chance to win.

Sunday Devotional

Max isn’t built for swimming. With his long, barrel-like body and short, stumpy legs, he’s like log set adrift on the waves, even when I support him with my hand firm under his belly. But he absolutely cannot stand when we are in the pool and he isn’t. So he sits on the dock and whines, every once in while dipping his paw in the water and drawing it back out.

I tried to get him to jump in one day, when everyone else was splashing around. He came oh, so close, but backed out at the last minute. Frustrated, he laid his head down and just stared at the rest of us, out there having fun without him.

So it is with the Lord. He beckons to us, urging us to join Him where He is. And we sit on the dock, watching as others who have found the courage to trust Him have fun without us. Can it be that we are so foolish as to not believe that the One who created heaven and earth also has the power to keep us from sinking? Is it really that we have not learned to fully trust Him?

If the miracles of God’s love and care are not enough to draw us the Lord, what would it take, I wonder, to get us to finally take the plunge?

Matthew 14:25-32 (New International Version)

25During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear. 27But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." 28"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." 29"Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" 31Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" 32And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.

Winners!!

It's always so much fun to give away great books!! Congratulations to this week's lucky winners:

Carmen7351 – Life In Spite of Me by Tricia Goyer
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Virginia – Emmy’s Equal by Marcia Gruver
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Casey- Highland Blessings by Jennifer Hudson Taylor

Winners of this week's books, please use the button in the upper right side of this page to email me with your mailing address so I can forward your information to the authors. Then, sit back and wait for your book to arrive.

Thank you all so much for stopping by The Borrowed Book and thank you Marcia Gruver, Tricia Goyer, and Jennifer Hudson Taylor for your generosity in providing books!

Weekly Drawing

Entering our weekly drawing is easy:

1. Leave a comment on Fridays or...

2. Sign up to follow The Borrowed Book. Followers will automatically be entered for a chance to win that week's drawing!

This week, The Borrowed Book is giving away three great books:

Highland Blessings by Jennifer Hudson Taylor ~ Highland Blessings is the story of a highland warrior who kidnaps the daughter of his greatest enemy and clan chief to honor a promise he made to his dying father. Bryce MacPhearson, a highland warrior, kidnaps Akira MacKenzie on her wedding day to honor a promise he made to his dying father. While Akira s strength in the Lord becomes a witness to Bryce, she struggles to overcome her anger and resentment when he forces her to wed him, hoping to end a half-century-old feud between their clans. While Akira begins to forgive, and Bryce learns to trust, a series of murders leaves a trail of unanswered questions, confusion, and a legacy of hate that once again rises between their families. Clearly, a traitor is in their midst. Now the one man Akira loves no longer trusts her, and her own life is in danger. Can Bryce look beyond his pain and seek the truth? Will Akira discover the threat against her before it s too late? How will God turn a simple promise into bountiful Highland blessings?


Life, In Spite of Me by Tricia Goyer ~ She wanted to die. God had other plans.

Why does my life have to be so painful?
What’s wrong with me?
It’s not going to get better.
It could all be over soon, and then I won’t hurt anymore.

Kristen Anderson thought she had the picture-perfect life until strokes of gray dimmed her outlook: three friends and her grandmother died within two years. Still reeling from these losses, she was raped by a friend she thought she could trust. She soon spiraled into a seemingly bottomless depression.

One January night, the seventeen-year-old decided she no longer wanted to deal with the emotional pain that smothered her. She lay down on a set of cold railroad tracks and waited for a freight train to send her to heaven…and peace.

But Kristen's story doesn’t end there.

In Life, In Spite of Me this remarkably joyful young woman shares the miracle of her survival, the agonizing aftermath of her failed suicide attempt, and the hope that has completely transformed her life, giving her a powerful purpose for living.

Her gripping story of finding joy against all odds provides a vivid and unforgettable reminder that life is a gift to be treasured.

Includes notes of encouragement Kristen wishes she had received when she was struggling most.

Emmy's Equal by Marcia Gruver ~ Get ready for a suspenseful romantic adventure deep in the heart of Texas. Emmy Dane doesn’t want to give up her petticoats and frills for boots and spurs when her family decides to learn ranching in South Texas. Diego Marcelo’s mother tells him God will soon deliver him from his loneliness—but he assures her he has no need of deliverance. . .that is, until Emmy disrupts the entire way of life at the ranch. Can Diego put his jealousy aside before time runs out? And will Emmy admit she’s found her match in the stubborn foreman?

Winners will be announced on Saturday, 05/22/10.

Reader Excerpt ~ Emmy's Equal by Marcia Gruver

Before another thing could keep him from Emmy, Diego fumbled Faron’s leads free from a young mesquite tree and led him a little farther down the road. Obviously sensing the storm ahead, Faron resisted, bobbing his head and dragging his feet. Giving in, Diego left him secured behind a larger tree and hurried toward the campsite.

The lightning, now constant and intense, lit the ground so brightly Diego wove among the scrub brush and cactus to prevent being spotted. He didn’t stop until he came alongside the camp on the left and slid into the high grass a few yards away.

Crawling closer, he spotted the two men Bertha Bloom had seen tied together in front of the fire. With no protection from the storm, they watched the erupting sky with terror on their faces.

Thunder crashed directly overhead with a noise like the heavens had split asunder. Diego ducked from the resulting explosion of light, the brightest he’d ever seen in his life, but not before the flash illuminated Cuddy tied to a wagon wheel.

Instinctively, Diego came up on his knees, then dropped again when a young man scurried past Cuddy and bailed into the covered wagon.

As Diego tried to decide what to do, the rumbling started again, this time moving the earth beneath him. Realizing the sound was roaring toward him from the left, he glanced up in time to roll out of the path of a madly dashing cow.

Two more sailed past, running right through the middle of the camp, dodging the fire so they missed the two wild-eyed men.

A scream rang out, coming from the direction of the charging herd. Diego flew to his feet and ran. He roared for Emmy, but she couldn’t have heard. The unending crash of thunder colliding with pounding hooves and frightened bellows was deafening.

The scene before him was the essence of a man’s nightmares. An endless sea of red cattle charged his direction, appearing then disappearing as jagged spikes of light exploded around them. Bodies of downed cattle scattered the ground, tripping the others, creating a mad game of falling dominoes.

Emmy, her hair unpinned and her dress torn from one shoulder, darted in front of the driving wall of terror. Her mouth opened in another scream as she ran blindly into the path of certain death. Without a moment’s hesitation, Diego hurtled toward her.
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Marcia is giving away a copy of her book Emmy's Equal. Be sure to stop by The Borrowed Book on Friday for your chance to win!

Author Interview ~ Marcia Gruver

Marcia Gruver is the author of the Texas Fortunes series and the upcoming Backwoods Buccaneers series, as well as numerous articles, short stories, and poems. Marcia’s a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW); the Christian Authors Network (CAN); Faith, Hope, & Love (FHL)-the Inspirational Outreach Chapter of the Romance Writers of America; Fellowship of Christian Writers (FCW); and The Writers View. Lifelong Texans, Marcia and her husband, Lee, have one daughter and four sons.

When did you decide to be a writer?

I owe it all to my fifth-grade teacher. As a gawky, insecure ten-year-old, I wrote a story then shyly slipped the pages, scribbled in jagged lines with a lead pencil, to Mrs. Garcia to read. After class, she squatted to eye level, took my hands, and said, “Honey, your story is really good. You should write more often.” What power lay in those simple words! How amazing the depth of influence she held over my life with her gift of encouragement. I’m convinced that she sprinkled seeds of possibility into my heart, a crop that many years later came to fruition. I decided to write a book because no one said I couldn’t. On the contrary, Mrs. Garcia seemed thoroughly convinced that I could.

At what point did you stop juggling suggestions and critiques and trust yourself (as a writer)?

Hmm, has that ever happened? By nature, writers seem the most insecure of professionals. I suppose it’s because we’re never satisfied with our finished product. We press on to higher and higher degrees of perfection. If I crack the cover of any of my published novels, I find myself still editing, wishing I’d written a line a different way or twisted the plot in a different direction. No matter how comfortable I become as an author, I don’t see that part changing.

Are you a disciplined writer or do you just write when you feel like it?

Deadlines force discipline. I’ve learned what it takes to turn in a well-written manuscript, so I have a choice—I can start early and work diligently to give myself plenty of breathing room, or put off and procrastinate and wind up pulling grueling write-a-thons. The latter method is no fun, so I’m learning to pace myself and get it done.

What kind of activities do you like to do that help you relax and step away from your deadlines for a bit?

We travel so often that I’ve developed a love for being at home playing amateur chef and couch potato. Hearth and home has become my new favorite place to be. I still love watching movies and playing games on my PS3. I’ve recently added a Wii and the Wii Fit software to my list of toys, which helps to alleviate the damage caused by too many hours playing PS3, amateur chef, and couch potato.

How do you think reading the work of others helps you as a writer?

Nothing lifts my writer spirits or gets my creative juices flowing quicker than a well-turned phrase or a winsome line of prose. On the flip side, nothing drives me to strive for greater perfection than to read a pretty good novel that could’ve been great with a little more effort on the part of the author.

Tell us a little about your latest release:

Emmy’s Equal, book three of the Texas Fortunes series, jumps to the year 1907. When a high-spirited girl lands in country thick with cattle, cactus, and cowboys, the South Texas border may never be the same. Emmy’s finding obedience to God a bother, and sure won’t take orders from a hardheaded wrangler. But as hard as she pushes God and the cowboy away, they continue to pursue her with equal fervor.

Diamond Duo, book one in the Texas Fortunes trilogy, opened in 1877 with the rousing adventures and humorous exploits of young Bertha Maye Biddie and Magdalena Hayes. Chasing Charity hops forward a generation to follow the life of Bertha’s daughter, Charity Bloom. Emmy’s Equal, the closing chapter of the series, delves into the life of Magdalena’s spitfire daughter, Emily Dane. Readers following the series and those reading about the family for the first time will love watching Emmy meet her match in the handsome vaquero, Diego Isi Marcelo.

Where did you get your inspiration for EMMY’S EQUAL?

My husband’s job landed us in Carrizo Springs, Texas, for many months. While there, I fell in love with the locals and the region. Before long, I knew my next book would be set amid cactus, cattle, and a rich Hispanic culture. As I plotted the book, a poignant thread of broken parent/child relationships emerged alongside a theme of reconciling ourselves to God, and I realized I’d wound up in South Texas for a reason.

Which character is most like you?

I want to say the beautiful Melatha Rhona Flynn in Emmy’s Equal is patterned after me. Melatha is Diego Marcelo’s gentle, insightful, and deeply spiritual Choctaw Indian mother. Unfortunately, I’m more of a Bertha Bloom, the bungling, snaggletooth, country girl who blurts inappropriate comments and detests wearing shoes.

Did you know how EMMY’S EQUAL would turn out? Were you surprised by any of the plot twists or characters?

I’ve learned how important it is to plot my novels carefully. It saves time in the end and keeps me on the right track. That said, I’ve also learned the value of allowing the characters to surprise me along the way. I know how strange that sounds (except to other writers), but there’s a logical explanation. As the characters grow and develop during the writing process, they bring along with them interesting quirks and personality traits that demand further exploration. Sometimes the characters know more than we do about what needs to happen next. In Emmy’s Equal, Diego Marcelo surprised me the most. I intended him to be a hard-shelled, disillusioned cowhand, but he finally convinced me of his true nature—that of a gentle, softhearted ranch foreman who loves two things with all of his heart: Melatha, his little Choctaw mama, and Carrizo Springs, Texas, the rugged land he has adopted as his own.

What is the main thing you hope readers remember from this story?

I’m touched and humbled to consider that God set up parent/child relationships on the earth and then established the same dynamic between Himself and his creation. Since this earthly bond is intended to be the picture of God’s deep desire to love and protect us, it’s a tragedy when things go awry. I pray parents reading Emmy’s Equal will put their own needs aside and remember to model God’s love to their children every day.

What kinds of things have you done to market this book? Have you found anything that works particularly well?

I tend to set my books around real people in real places, so the best marketing tool I’ve found is to draw the locals into the process by letting them know I’m writing a book set in their hometown, usually a tale woven around the exploits of one of their heroes or legends. I use them for research and send them signed copies after publication. I make sure to get them talking about the book in the local library and in the cafes and coffee shops in town.

Tell us what new projects you’re working on.

Barbour Publishing recently granted me another three-book contract. The series title is Backwoods Buccaneers, and it’s the story of three generations of land pirates--a quirky band of crooks who make their living by raiding and stealing in the aftermath of the civil war. The story begins in Scuffletown, North Carolina, and makes its way down the Natchez Trace to Uncertain, Texas. In some ways, it’s quite different from Texas Fortunes, but I love these new characters, and I think my readers will too.

Do you have any parting words of advice?

I’m not sure I’m wise enough to offer advice, except for the following, which I’ve learned to rely on through first-hand experience:

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. Proverbs 3:5-8 (KJV)

Readers may contact me through my website, http://www.marciagruver.com/ or my blog at http://www.yieldedquill.blogspot.com/. I’d love to hear from them. They can also find me on Facebook and Shoutlife. For an autographed copy of any of my books, they can go to http://www.signedbytheauthor.com/ and search for me by name or title.

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Want more? Be sure to stop by The Borrowed Book on Thursday for an excerpt from Emmy's Equal by Marcia Gruver.