Winners!!

Happy Saturday, BB fans! Thanks to everyone who participated in our "puzzling" Friday giveaway! Keep all those facebook and Twitter notifications, coming! This week's winner is:
.
Judy Strunk Burgi - No Safe Harbor by Elizabeth Ludwig!

Congratulations, Judy! Please use the button in the upper right side of this page to email me with your email address. Then, sit back and wait for your book to arrive. Thank you all so much for stopping by The Borrowed Book!

Weekly Drawing

It's fun Friday at The Borrowed Book!


To enter:

Follow Us! Followers are automatically entered. Or...

Leave the time it took you to complete the puzzle in the comments section. Winners will be drawn from ALL of the times, so the person with the fastest time may not be the actual winner, but by leaving your time, you double your chances.

Want another entry? Tweet your puzzle time and mention The Borrowed Book, get another entry. RETWEET our Tweet, get two entries!

Post your puzzle time on BB's Facebook wall and...you guessed it...get another entry!

Post it on your OWN Facebook wall and you could get as many as FIVE entries.

It's all a way to spread the word about the great giveaways on BB. So c'mon! Help us spread the word, and have a little fun at the same time. :-)

This week's puzzle feature is brought to you by our own Elizabeth Ludwig and her newest release, No Safe Harbor.

Character Spotlight ~ Cara Hamilton and Rourke Turner

We're celebrating the upcoming release of Elizabeth Ludwig's newest novel, No Safe Harbor (Book 1 in the Edge of Freedom Series from Bethany House Publishers), and we thought it might be fun to let you meet the stars of this tale!

Brief physical description:

I have two protagonists—Rourke (Walsh) Turner and Cara Hamilton.

Cara is Irish, with long red hair and beautiful green eyes. She’s sweet, but don’t let that fool you. She has a fiery side!

Rourke is the kind of hero women swoon over. He’s tall and handsome, with raven black hair and deep blue eyes.

Actor/famous person who might resemble her/him:

I always pictured Kirsten Dunst as Cara, or perhaps Deborah Kerr. Either way, it would have to be a strong actress who played the part of Cara Hamilton, since she is very much a take-action kind of gal.

For Rourke and his piercing blue eyes...who else but Clive Owen! One glance from those baby blues, and poor Cara was head over heels...

Strengths and weaknesses:

Rourke is stalwart and brave, loyal to a fault, and he would do anything for his family. Unfortunately, it is those very qualities that drive him to seek revenge...even at the expense of the woman he loves.

Cara, on the other hand, is gentle and willing to forgive, yet when her faith is called into question, she realizes her greatest weakness may lie in the one area she’d always believed herself strong.

Quirk (if any):

Both of my characters are intrinsically opposed to lying, yet both find themselves resorting to subterfuge in order to protect the ones they love. In the end, it’s these half-truths and deceptions that nearly drive them apart and almost cost them their lives!

The inspiration for the character:

Family members on both my side and my husband’s emigrated from Europe in the early 1900’s. Some of my ancestors were from Spain. My husband’s ancestors were from Holland, Ireland, and Germany. These brave men and women who risked everything in search of a better life were the inspiration for this story. I hope I’ve done them proud!

Background to the story:

No Safe Harbor is set in New York City in 1897, right around the time that immigration to this country was hitting its height.

Lured by a handful of scribbled words across a faded letter, my focal character, Cara Hamilton, sets off from Ireland on a quest to find the brother she'd thought dead. Her search leads her to a houseful of curious strangers, and one man who claims to be a friend--Rourke Walsh. Despite her brother's warning, Cara trusts Rourke, revealing her purpose in coming to New York.

She's then thrust into a world of subterfuge, veiled threats, and attempted murder, including political revolutionaries from the homeland out for revenge. Her questions guide her ever nearer to locating her brother--but they also bring her closer to destruction as those who want to kill him track her footsteps.

With her faith in tatters, all hope flees. Will her brother finally surface? Can he save Cara from the truth about Rourke... a man she's grown to love?

Reviews:

4 Stars from Romantic Times - There is romance, mystery, intrigue, suspense and much more in Ludwig's first Edge of Freedom novel. The characters are strong, both in mind and spirit, which was a must for people straight off Ellis Island in the late 1800's. The author did her research well for this book. ~ RT Reviews

No Safe Harbor, coming October, 2012, from Bethany House Publishers.

2012 Carol Award Winners

Left to Right: Janelle Mowery, Becky
Yauger, and Elizabeth Ludwig

Every year, authors across the country look forward with anticipation to the annual American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Awards. The Carol Awards are ACFW's recognition for the best Christian fiction published by traditional publishing houses in the previous calendar year. The event has grown over recent years, garnering attention from Publisher's Weekly, The Romantic Times, and many others. We at The Borrowed Book are pleased to announce this year's winners:

Debut Novel
Fairer Than Morning by Rosslyn Elliott (Thomas Nelson)

Long Contemporary

The Search by Suzanne Woods Fisher (Revell)

Susan May Warren giving her
acceptance speech at ACFW

Long Contemporary Romance

My Foolish Heart by Susan May Warren (Tyndale)

Long Historical

Fairer Than Morning by Rosslyn Elliott (Thomas Nelson)

Long Historical Romance

To Win Her Heart by Karen Witemeyer (Bethany House Publishers)

Mystery

Falling to Pieces: A Shipshewana Amish Mystery by Vannetta Chapman (Zondervan)

Novella

An Accidental Christmas from A Biltmore Christmas by Diane T. Ashley/Aaron McCarver (Barbour Publishing)

Romantic Suspense

Lonestar Angel by Colleen Coble (Thomas Nelson)

Short Contemporary

Lakeside Reunion by Lisa Jordan (Love Inspired)

Short Contemporary Suspense

Nightwatch by Valerie Hansen (Love Inspired Suspense)

Short Historical

The Deepest Waters by Dan Walsh (Revell)


 Speculative Fiction

Broken Sight by Steve Rzasa (Marcher Lord Press)

Suspense/Thriller

Fallen Angel by Major Jeff Struecker/Alton Gansky (B & H Fiction)

Lisa Wingate at 2012 ACFW
Awards Gala

Women’s Fiction

Dandelion Summer by Lisa Wingate (Penguin Praise/Berkley)

Young AdultThe Merchant’s Daughter by Melanie Dickerson (Zondervan)

Why Write, Really?

Why, really?

The ACFW conference for 2012 has just concluded and while exciting, challenging and exhausting, we came away with a treasure trove of information. Now it’s time to put pen to paper (rather fingers on the keyboard) and begin to write. 

Why, really? Donald Maas, author of Writing the Breakout Novel states there are two pervasive reasons writers write: (a) for the approval of others and (b) for the sake of writing.  Margaret Daly, president of ACFW has just reminded us there is another reason. To let our lights shine to glorify God. She encouraged us to “go out into the world and shine our lights for all to see… and be ready to tackle our current writing project.” 

Have you prayed and considered why you want to write? Have you asked for direction on this path to publication? Have you begun (or continue) to hone your craft?  Do you have a teachable spirit? 

We know the writing world is changing at warp speed and we need to be ready to seek His will for our lives and our words. It’s a privilege to serve Him in this fashion, to have the calling to write. Seek His face, then. . .ready. . .set. . .type!

Eileen Key, retired teacher, taught middle school for thirty years and survived. She is now a freelance writer and editor. A lifelong reader, Eileen has owned a library card from eight different cities. Eileen is an active member of Grace Community Church. Keeping up with her three grown children and their families is her delight. Any spare time is devoted to three amazing grandkids. Visit her Web site at www.eileenkey.com. 

Contemporary Romance Spotlight: The Way of Grace

About the Book:

"In pursuit of justice, in need of grace . . .

A justice-seeking perfectionist pursues her dream of a perfect life in her hometown of Miller’s Creek, Texas. Sidetracked by a desire to be a prosecuting attorney, Grace Soldano launches into uncharted waters, making herself over to please her boss and mentor. Then a disheveled free spirit turns her perfectly ordered world upside down, challenging her concept of personal goodness. A fall from perfection leaves Grace teetering between vengeance and grace, caught in a deadly crossfire that leaves her dreams in a heap of ashes. Can she learn to joyfully accept the life God has given her–far from perfect–but one completely immersed in His grace?"

About the Author:

"A Texas-born gal, Cathy’s desire is to write heart-stirring stories about God’s life-changing grace. Her first novel, Texas Roads, was a 2009 American Christian Fiction Writers’ Genesis finalist. Her second novel, A Path Less Traveled, was published in 2010. She currently lives in Bentonville, Arkansas, with her husband of thirty years, and is working on book three in the Miller’s Creek novels, The Way of Grace."

You can learn more about Cathy on her website, Twitter, or Facebook.

Online Launch Party!

The Way of Grace Book Launch Party

Monday, October 1, 2012

6:00 - 9:00 PM (CST)

http://www.WordVessel.blogspot.com

Includes a scavenger hunt and giveaways (even a Kindle!).

For more information, or to RSVP, click HERE (blog post) or HERE (Facebook event page). 

You can read Amber's review of A Path Less Traveled, the second book in the Miller's Creek series, HERE. And be looking for the release of The Way of Grace, the third book in the series - coming soon!

Winner!!

Happy Saturday, BB fans! Thanks to everyone who participated in our "puzzling" Friday giveaway! Keep all those facebook and Twitter notifications, coming! This week's winner is:
.
Anne Payne - Deadly Additive by Donn Taylor!

Congratulations, Anne! Please use the button in the upper right side of this page to email me with your email address. Then, sit back and wait for your book to arrive. Thank you all so much for stopping by The Borrowed Book!

Weekly Drawing

It's fun Friday at The Borrowed Book!

To enter:

Follow Us! Followers are automatically entered. Or...

Leave the time it took you to complete the puzzle in the comments section. Winners will be drawn from ALL of the times, so the person with the fastest time may not be the actual winner, but by leaving your time, you double your chances.

Want another entry? Tweet your puzzle time and mention The Borrowed Book, get another entry. RETWEET our Tweet, get two entries!

Post your puzzle time on BB's Facebook wall and...you guessed it...get another entry!

Post it on your OWN Facebook wall and you could get as many as FIVE entries.

It's all a way to spread the word about the great giveaways on BB. So c'mon! Help us spread the word, and have a little fun at the same time. :-)

This week's puzzle feature is brought to you by Donn Taylor and His newest release, Deadly Additive.

Author Interview ~ Margaret Daley

Margaret Daley, an award-winning author of eighty-three books, has been married for over forty years and is a firm believer in romance and love. When she isn’t traveling, she’s writing love stories, often with a suspense thread and corralling her three cats that think they rule her household. To find out more about Margaret visit her website at http://www.margaretdaley.com.

Hi, Margaret! Welcome to The Borrowed Book. Tell us a little about yourself. How did your writing journey begin?

I love to read and one day years ago I decided I would try to put a story down on paper. I've always been a storyteller so it seemed natural to try and write. It was harder than I thought and I would never show anyone my first attempt at writing a book.

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

I sold my first book about three years after I started writing.

Wow, that's pretty fast! What book(s) are you reading, or have read lately?

The truth is I've been writing so much lately I haven't had time to read for pleasure. I have three books that I'm endorsing in the next couple of months, however, that I will be reading. I'm excited about getting a chance to read for pleasure: Chasing Christmas by Steven Hunt, Q Manifesto by Alan Schleimer and Catherine's Pursuit by Lena Nelson Dooley.

I understand completely! I used to love reading, but my time is so limited now, I hardly have the chance. Which fictional literary character most inspired/inspires you?

Sherlock Holmes--what an interesting, complex character

I LOVE Sherlock Holmes. Surprisingly, I enjoyed watching Robert Downey, Jr. play the character in the newest movie releases. I was afraid he wouldn't do the character justice.

Now that you are published, do you still experience rejections? If so, how are these rejections different or similar to the ones you received before becoming published?

Yes, I still receive rejection, and they aren't any easier now as they were when I was unpublished.

Tell us a little about your latest release:

Blurb for Shattered Silence, the second book in The Men of the Texas Rangers Series by Abingdon Press:

A serial killer is targeting illegal aliens in southern Texas. Texas Ranger Cody Jackson is paired with a local police officer, Liliana Rodriguez, to investigate the murders. 

While the case brings Cody and Liliana ever closer, the tension between Americans and Mexican Americans heightens. As Cody and Liliana race to discover who is behind the murders and bring peace to the area, what they uncover isn’t what they expected. Will Cody and Liliana’s faith and love be strong enough to survive the storm of violence?

The whole book sounds fascinating, but if you could only share one line from Shattered Silence, which one would you choose and why?

No one sees me. They walk right by me and don’t even know I am here. I’m invisible.

This is the opening of the book and it condenses down how some people feel who have been neglected by the people around them, some even bullied and some with no self esteem.

What inspired you to choose the setting for your novel?

In The Men of the Texas Rangers Series I'm showcasing different areas of Texas. I wanted one to take place along the border.

What kind of research did you have to do for this book? Can you share some articles or website links you found particularly helpful?

I have two people I have used as a resource: A detective for the Attorney General's office and a Texas Ranger. I've also read articles on the Internet about the Texas Ranger (their official website) and I belong to crimescenewriters on Yahoo.

Tell us what new projects you’re working on.

I'm working on the fourth book in The Men of the Texas Ranger Series called Severed Trust located in the northeastern part of Texas.

What is the one question you were afraid I would ask…and how would you answer?

I didn't have one question I was afraid you would ask me.

You're a brave woman! :-) Where can readers connect with you?

Website: http://www.margaretdaley.com
Blog: http://www.margaretdaley.com/margarets-blog/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/margaretdaleybooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/margaretdaley

Write Right~1927 Sunday Dinner Menu

I recently acquired a nice little book called, The Fifty Two Sunday Dinners (Being a selection of tested and balanced menus, easily and economically prepared for every Sunday in the year.) Originated and published by Woman’s World Magazine Co., Inc. Chicago, U.S.A. 1927.

Like the title says, the book contains 52 menus of Sunday dinners (one for each Sunday of the year). I picked this one because the spinach mold and mustard onions intrigued me.

Fortieth Sunday Dinner Menu:

Navy bean soup with croutons

Sweet cucumber pickles

Stuffed sliced ham

Sweet potato croquettes

Spinach mold

Whole wheat biscuits

Mustard onions

Candle salad

Salted crackers

Gingerbread and whipped cream

Sweet Cider

Spinach Mold

 

Wash 2 quarts spinach to serve 6 or 7 people. Wash through several mains, then cook for 20 minutes in slightly salted water. Turn into colander and press out as much water as possible. Chop fine, drain again, put in double boiler with 2 tablespoons butter, salt, and pepper to taste and a tablespoon lemon juice. Heat hot, then press into an earthenware mold, and set away until wanted, overnight will do it no harm. Half an hour before serving set mold in pan of hot water, and heat in oven until spinach is hot all through Turn out on heated platter and garnish with sliced hard boiled egg.

Mustard Onions

Cook together 1 quart vinegar, 1quart water, 1 pound brown sugar. If vinegar is mild, the water may be omitted, and another quart vinegar used. Mix 1 cup flour, 3 tablespoons dry mustard, 1 tablespoon turmeric and wet to a paste with a little of the vinegar. Stir into the liquid and cook until the sauce begins to thicken, then add 3 quarts of small onions, which have been skinned, measure after skinning, and cook for 10 minutes longer. Bottle while hot and be sure to fill full of the sauce after packing in the onions. Run a table knife inside each jar, down by the side, to let any air bubbles rise, and put in more sauce if necessary.

Stuffed Sliced Ham

 Have 2 slices of ham cut, each about 1 1/2 inches thick. If very salty soak for an hour. Make a bread crumb stuffing, rather dry, do not use any liquid. Season with a little summer savory if liked, or a very little minced onion. Put a thick layer of this on one slice of ham, and put the other slice on top, holding the two together with wooden skewers or toothpicks. Put in baking dish, turn in sweet milk to cover bottom of dish, and bake for 2 hours, gently turning ham at the end of an hour, and adding more hot milk as the first cooks away. When ham is nicely browned and cooked all through lift out with 2 cake turners to a hot platter. Thicken gravy with flour, season and turn over the ham. 

 

Candle Salad

On each salad plate place some shredded lettuce. On this put a slice of canned pineapple. In the hole in the center of the pineapple slice insert the pointed end of half a banana. Put a spoonful thick mayonnaise on the top of the banana, letting it run down one side to represent melted candle wax. The candle flame is half of a maraschino cherry, and a handle may be made for the candlestick of a strip of celery softened until pliable in hot water.

Tweaking a Sentence to Add Drama by Donn Taylor

Who would believe that a subject as prosaic as punctuation of compound predicates could help dramatize the actions—and thus the immediacy and interest—of a novel? Yet, with apologies for the pedantry, that is what I will attempt to illustrate today.

First of all, though, I’d like to suggest that no structure of writing is too small for a writer to pay attention to. When the poet and dramatist Oscar Wilde said he had worked all day on a poem, someone inquired what took so much time in a single poem. Wilde replied that in the morning he put in a comma, and in the afternoon he took it out. The best writers do spend time on small details that others may think insignificant.

I would also like to cite a concept proposed years ago by literary critic Stanley Fish, that the meaning of a sentence is everything that happens to the reader as he progresses through it. The skilful writer can speed his reader up or slow him down, as appropriate to the events being described.

Now back to compound predicates: Elements of these are connected by coordinating conjunctions, usually and. Thus:

Light from the Jeep's headlights moved at right angles from the highway and then disappeared.

Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/doMqtrIKOMw

However, the sentence cannot be written this way: 

Light from the Jeep's headlights moved at right angles from the highway then disappeared.

The reason is that then is an abverb, not a coordinating conjunction, so it cannot connect the two elements of the predicate. (Yes, I know that sentences written this way appear in many poorly edited manuscripts, but that does not make them grammatically correct.)

However, another grammatical rule says that a comma is often used to mark an omission. In this example, and.

Light from the Jeep's headlights moved at right angles from the highway, then disappeared.

For fiction, this construction has the advantage of suggesting passage of time between the moving and disappearing.

The principle I’m proposing: Use the and to rush the reader through the sentence to suggest continuous action, but substitute the comma for and to make the reader pause, suggesting a time lapse or at least separation of the predicate’s two actions.

Here is an example from my suspense novel Deadly Additive:

The man hesitated, then spoke.

The comma forces a pause, dramatizing the man’s hesitation. That dramatization is lost if the sentence is written with the and, rushing the reader through to the second action:

The man hesitated and then spoke.

Here, from the same novel, are other examples in which I chose to force a pause for dramatization or to show a separation of the two actions. Also provided are the same sentences written the other way, with the and. It’s not that those are wrong. It’s just that they lose the dramatic or illustrative quality of those with the comma.

He nodded toward the eastern mountains, then threw a glance at [his companion].

He nodded toward the eastern mountains and then threw a glance at [his companion].

He held up the guilty document, then thumbed through her other receipts….

He held up the guilty document and then thumbed through her other receipts….

[The victim’s] twitching grew into violent convulsions, then subsided into stillness.

[The victim’s] twitching grew into violent convulsions and then subsided into stillness.

"Fools!" Contreras permitted himself the one exclamation, then asked for details.

"Fools!" Contreras permitted himself the one exclamation and then asked for details.

The rifle held steady, then wavered.

The rifle held steady and then wavered.

The guard came to present arms and back to port, then stepped aside.

The guard came to present arms and back to port and then stepped aside.

He worked his fingers to restore circulation, then shook hands with [his rescuer].

He worked his fingers to restore circulation and then shook hands with [his rescuer].

Deliberately, he touched his forefinger to his lips, then gently pressed it to hers.

Deliberately, he touched his forefinger to his lips and then gently pressed it to hers.

This is a small distinction, and one that may be meaningless to speed readers. But small distinctions like this make the difference between mediocre writing and good writing.

Donn Taylor led an Infantry rifle platoon in the Korean War, served with Army aviation in Vietnam, and worked with air reconnaissance in Europe and Asia. Afterwards, he completed a PhD degree at The University of Texas and taught English literature at two liberal arts colleges. His previous novels include a mystery, Rhapsody in Red, and a suspense novel, The Lazarus File (spies and airplanes in the Caribbean). Poems that he published in various journals over the years are collected in his book Dust and Diamond: Poems of Earth and Beyond. He is a frequent speaker for writers' groups and has taught poetry writing at the Glorieta and Blue Ridge conferences. His current teaching crusade is to promote the writing of good-quality poetry that's accessible to ordinary readers. He and his wife live near Houston, where he writes fiction, poetry, and articles on current topics.

Historical Romance Book Review: Angel of the Cove

About the Book

"Before Anna Prentiss can start nursing school in New York, her brother sends her to Cades Cove, deep in the Smoky Mountains, to spend a summer apprenticing to the local midwife. Anna is determined to prove herself and then head to the big city. But nothing could have prepared Anna for the beauty of the Cove, the community and friendships she finds there, or the feelings Simon Martin, the handsome young minister, arouses in her. Has God’s plan for Anna changed? Or is she just starting to hear Him clearly?"

Amber's Review

For a sweet summer setting, Cades Cove is the place to visit! Tucked away into the Smoky Mountains (a setting reminiscent of Christy by Catherine Marshall), Cades Cove is a delightful retreat with a dear community and lovely, rustic scenery.

Anna Prentiss' experiences as an apprentice to the well-beloved midwife of the Cove, Granny, are informative, suspenseful, and uplifting. The "summer-lovin'" drama feels a bit over-exaggerated at times, but overall the romance is enjoyable to read about. And the tidbits of wisdom from the kind and generous Granny, as well as the lessons on friendship and understanding, round out the story in a meaningful way.

While perhaps not extremely original (after all, Christy fans will find the setting, the pastor-love-interest, the attitudes of the Cove residents, and the strong female mentor to be nothing new), Robbins' story has its own charm. The details regarding midwifery are interesting, and Anna's challenges as a newcomer to the Cove are unique.

*With thanks to the author and Harvest House for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

Note: This review was posted previously on Seasons of Humility.

About the Author

"Sandra Robbins is a multi-published author who lives with her husband in the small Tennessee college town where she grew up. At present she has eleven books published and six more contracted. Her books have been finalists in the Daphne du Maurier Contest for excellence in mystery writing, the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence for romance, the Holt Medallion, and the ACFW Carol Award. In Barbour’s 18th Annual Heartsong Awards for 2010, Sandra was one of five authors voted by readers as favorite new authors, and The Columns of Cottonwood which went on to be a finalist in the ACFW Carol Award was voted by readers as one of ten favorite historical romances of the year. Angel of the Cove, her first book in the Harvest House historical romance series Smoky Mountain Dreams, releases in August, 2012. It will be followed by Mountain Homecoming and Mountain Laurel Promises in 2013.
 

You can find out more about Sandra and follow her blog at her website http://sandrarobbins.net/"

Book Trailer

Winners!!

Happy Saturday, BB fans! Thanks to everyone who participated in our "puzzling" Friday giveaway! Keep all those facebook and Twitter notifications, coming! This week's winner is:
.
Cindy W - The Road to Mercy by Kathy Harris!

Congratulations, Cindy W! Please use the button in the upper right side of this page to email me with your email address. Then, sit back and wait for your book to arrive. Thank you all so much for stopping by The Borrowed Book!

Weekly Drawing

It's fun Friday at The Borrowed Book!

To enter:

Follow Us! Followers are automatically entered. Or...

Leave the time it took you to complete the puzzle in the comments section. Winners will be drawn from ALL of the times, so the person with the fastest time may not be the actual winner, but by leaving your time, you double your chances.

Want another entry? Tweet your puzzle time and mention The Borrowed Book, get another entry. RETWEET our Tweet, get two entries!

Post your puzzle time on BB's Facebook wall and...you guessed it...get another entry!

Post it on your OWN Facebook wall and you could get as many as FIVE entries.

It's all a way to spread the word about the great giveaways on BB. So c'mon! Help us spread the word, and have a little fun at the same time. :-)

This week's puzzle feature is brought to you by Kathy Harris and her newest release, The Road to Mercy.

Author Interview ~ Kathy Harris

Kathy Harris is an author by way of a “divine detour” into the Nashville entertainment business. After graduating with a Communications degree from Southern Illinois University, she moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to work in the music industry.

An active member of American Christian Fiction Writers and the publicity officer for Middle Tennessee Christian Writers, she lives near Nashville with her husband and their two Shiloh Shepherd dogs. She regularly interviews literary and music guests on her blog.

Abingdon Press released Kathy's Christian women’s fiction debut, The Road to Mercy, on September 1, 2012.

Hi, Kathy! Welcome to The Borrowed Book. Tell us a little about yourself. How did your writing journey begin?

I’ve wanted to write books since I was a child, but life took a turn and I ended up with a career in the music business. It’s been challenging and fun, and I’ve been blessed. But I decided a dozen years ago that it was time to also concentrate on my writing again. And I’m not sure anything could be more fulfilling, at least for this time in my life.

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

About ten years! It took four years to finish my first manuscript, another four to finish the second (which became my debut book). My personal story is a bit unusual in that I signed my manuscript with an agent before I’d finished it. It took another six months to complete it. Within about a year we were talking seriously to a publisher. About eighteen months later, the book was released!

Now, that's persistence! Many people who never get their books published gave up way too early! :-) What book(s) are you reading, or have read lately?

I’m one of “those” people who loves to read e-books because I can read on the go. I read on my iPhone, which means I always have a “book” with me. And I often read more than one book at a time. Usually a fiction and a non-fiction. Sometimes a writing craft book.

Right now I’m reading and loving The Prayer That Changes Everything: The Hidden Power of Praising God by Stormie Omartian. And I’ve just finished Krista Phillips’ fun new contemporary romance, Sandwich, with a Side of Romance.

At the top of my TBR stack is Mother of Pearl by Kellie Coates Gilbert. Krista’s and Kellie’s books released from Abingdon the same day as mine. It’s been fun “celebrating” with them.

Mother of Pearl is near the top of my list, too! Which fictional literary character most inspired/inspires you?

What contemporary woman doesn’t love Scarlett O’Hara? : ) Her famous, ‘I’ll think about that tomorrow’ line has inspired me on many days! haha

Now that you are published, do you still experience rejections? If so, how are these rejections different or similar to the ones you received before becoming published?

I think writers are notoriously insecure. We worry about rejection, even when we haven’t been rejected yet : ) I recently pitched a story idea to Love Inspired Suspense and the editor gently told me it didn’t fit their guidelines. A detour, for sure. But not a dead end. I’ll rewrite the manuscript to trade length and see what happens from there!

As writers, we just have to move on and write a “new ending” : )

Tell us a little about your latest release:

Tragedy, love, and secrets meet on a journey of faith.

Dr. Ben Abrams, rescued as an infant from a fiery crash that killed his family, turned his adversities into success but lost his heritage of faith. Fifty years later, Josh and Bethany Harrison face a difficult decision that also tests their faith. A rupture in Beth's carotid artery leaves her on the brink of death, even as she's pregnant with their first child. While Dr. Abrams urges her to abort the baby to save her own life, she and Josh step out on faith and
continue the pregnancy.

During the next few months, Josh, a contemporary Christian singer, struggles with his faith while Beth hides a secret that may destroy their marriage. She also discovers a decades-old connection to Dr. Abrams that could change his life forever.

If you could only share one line from THE ROAD TO MERCY, which one would you choose and why?

“I have faith the road doesn’t end here, and when the Lord calls us to the other side of the hill, the view will be completely different.”

Great line!! What inspired you to choose the setting for your novel?

The prologue was inspired by something that happened when I was a young child. The main part of the book is set in Nashville, where I live, and in the music business, where I work.

What kind of research did you have to do for this book? Can you share some articles or website links you found particularly helpful?

Lots! Mostly medical websites because my female protagonist has a serious medical condition. I also consulted with doctors early on to make sure my story was feasible. As well, I consulted with women who had related or similar medical issues.

Tell us what new projects you’re working on.

I have several manuscripts in the works—in different stages of development. Oh, to have all the time in the world to write! But no one does, so setting priorities is necessary. My first priority is to finish the final draft of the romantic suspense I mentioned above. Then, it’s back to work on another women’s fiction story, which is partially drafted.

What is the one question you were afraid I would ask…and how would you answer?

As odd as it sounds, that question would be, “How did you react when you found out you were going to be published?”

My answer is “I was in denial.” : ) I delayed celebrating, because I kept thinking it wasn’t really happening. Finally, on release day, my husband and I went out for a quiet supper at one of our favorite restaurants to celebrate!

Where can readers connect with you?

I love to connect with readers! My blog is www.DivineDetour.com. My author site is www.KathyHarrisBooks.com. My Facebook author page is https://www.facebook.com/KathyHarrisAuthor. And my Twitter address is @divinedetour.

Thanks for hosting me at The Borrowed Book!