Interview & Book Giveaway with Author Missy Tippens

It's my pleasure to welcome Love Inspired author Missy Tippens to the blog! Pull up a chair, grab a cool, refreshing beverage, and let's chat with Missy...

Q: Do you plot out your story ahead of time, or do you think it up as you go?
A:  Yes, I’m a plotter! I write pages of brainstorming notes, fill out quite a few charts, use index cards (actual paper ones but also some within a computer program), and use other computer programs to help like The Snowflake Method by Randy Ingermanson.

Q:  Do you treat yourself to something special when a project is completed?
A:  I usually do. It’s such a relief to send off a manuscript. I always feel like celebrating. I sometimes go for a pedicure or go shopping. Other times I’ll take my family out to eat because they’re usually sick of frozen pizza by that time! :)

Q;  What’s your favorite part of the writing business? What’s your least favorite?
A:  Favorite: It’s a tie between working in my pajamas and the wonderful reader letters. :)
Least favorite: The fact that nothing is guaranteed and that a lot about the process is out of my control. I’m a control freak, so it’s hard to let go and trust God for the rest.

Q:  After becoming a published author, what surprised you the most?
A:  The amount of work that goes into the whole process—revisions before selling, art fact sheets, revisions after selling, several rounds of edits, promoting, website maintenance, blogs, signings, learning about contracts. Also, I’ve learned how much work editors do! They’re amazing.

Q:  If you weren’t a writer, what would you be doing?
A:  I’d probably still be teaching. A couple of years ago, I was an adjunct at the local technical college. I really loved doing that.

Q:  What does your family think about your crazy career?
A:  They love it. They’re proud of me and get excited with each sale and each release. My husband is reading my recent release right now to see how different it is from the first draft he read. My children even helped me with my last book signing. Of course, I rewarded them with an i-Tunes card, so I imagine they’ll help again! :)

Q:  What’s the one far out sci-fi technology you’d most like to see become a household item?
A:  I saw this really cool technology using photovoltaic glass by Corning. I can’t even begin to describe it! You just need to watch this You Tube video. :)
http://bit.ly/ejStPY

Thanks for having me on your blog, Jen! I’ve had fun.

I’d love to give away a copy of A Family for Faith today! Please leave a comment to be entered. I’d love to hear what far out technology you’d most like in your house.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Missy Tippens is a pastor’s wife and mom of three who lives near Atlanta. After ten years of pursuing her dream, she made her first sale of a full-length novel to Love Inspired in 2007. She still pinches herself to see if it really happened! Her novels have been finalists in the American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year Contest, the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence and the Bookseller's Best Award. Her most recent release from Love Inspired is A Family for Faith. The next, A House Full of Hope, will be out in February 2012.

You can find Missy at http://www.missytippens.com/.

ABOUT THE BOOK – A Family for Faith
When Faith Hagin sees widower cop Gabe Reynolds every day in her coffee shop, she can’t help but feel for the struggling single dad. She’s raised a teenager of her own—and sadly, knows what not to do. But thanks to his matchmaking preteen daughter, Chelsea, the whole town’s praying for Gabe to find a wife!

Even though Faith thinks she’s content being just friends, spending time with him and Chelsea starts to feel like a fresh start at having a family. And their love may be the answer to everyone’s prayers.


WIN THE BOOK
If you’d like to be entered to win a copy of A Family for Faith, just leave a comment on this blog (and answer Missy's question for fun!) I’ll pick a winner at random on Friday, April 29th. Please leave an email address so I can contact you if you're the winner. (To prevent spammers from trolling for your email, please use this format with the brackets--you [at] yourmail [dot] com--or something similar.) Good luck!

Meet Cara Putnam - Interview & Book Giveaway

Today I’m thrilled to present Cara Putnam, author of Deadly Exposure (Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense #102) Let’s meet Cara!

THE BIO

Cara describes herself as “an attorney, wife, mom, women's ministry leader, and all around crazy woman. Crazy about God, my husband, and my kids, that is.” In her "spare" time she serves as publicity officer for American Christian Fiction Writers (www.acfw.com) and adviser to the Indiana chapter.

THE INTERVIEW

JA: Your latest book is Deadly Exposure from Steeple Hill’s Love Inspired Suspense line. Please tell us about it.
CP: I love suspense mixed with a good romance, and that’s what Deadly Exposure is. Here’s the blurb:

How could a killer strike in a crowded theater? That was the question plaguing TV news reporter Dani Richards. She'd been in the box next to the victim -- and hadn't heard or seen a thing. Now the very man who broke Dani's heart years ago is investigating the murder. And when her coverage of the story led the killer to stalk her, police officer and former flame Caleb Jamison insisted on protecting her. Dani was afraid to let Caleb close again. Yet she had no choice. The killer's sinister phone calls left no doubt that he'd come for Dani next.

JA: Your heroine, Dani Richards, is a TV news reporter. Caleb Jamison, the hero, is a police officer. Did you have to do much research to nail down these characters’ professions?
CP: Actually not as much as you’d think. I worked at a small TV station in Nebraska for two years during college, so had an up-close experience with that field. After that I trained aspiring journalists, designed a TV studio, and even served as a panelist on a Gen X Crossfire type show, so kept my fingers firmly in that arena. I’ve always loved broadcast journalism, so it was fun to go back to the field – even if it was only in my mind and write Dani.

For Caleb I did a lot of research on how the Lincoln Police Department is setup, but because of my legal background had a good handle on the investigative side. I also have read several books on the investigative side, so felt pretty comfortable about getting the facts right.

JA: Was there a certain incident or “ah ha” moment that inspired this story?
CP: Actually, my husband and I were brainstorming in the car. I knew I wanted to start writing and that first book would be a suspense. I picked Lincoln as a setting because I’ve lived in Lincoln and still visit there, so it was an “easy” setting to picture and capture. At the same time, I liked the idea of a feisty journalist for the heroine. And again that was a comfortable role. Then I tried to think about something that would make a unique place for a murder. The rest flowed out of those initial ideas.

JA: What do you hope people take away after reading Deadly Exposure?
CP: That God is a rock and a fortress. Even when we don’t acknowledge Him, He can be that for us if we’ll just turn to Him.

JA: What’s next for you in the writing arena?
CP: I’m getting ready to start a new three book World War Two series. I love finding homefront stories that can serve as the backbone of the romances, and can’t wait to dive into the research. I’m also writing a Complete Idiots Guide this summer. Should be a fun twist and return to my legal roots. I’m also working on a couple suspense proposals.

JA: You’ve been writing since you were a teen but put the dream on hold until a fortuitous meeting at book signing event in 2005. This is the kind of story I love to hear! Would you care to tell us about that?
CP: Wow! You’ve done your research LOL. I’ve loved to read since I could pick out words. And out of that grew a desire to write my own books. I tried my hand at it as a teen, and then got busy with life. But the dream would burble back to the surface every few years. I’d hold it in my hands and ask God if it was time to kill it, breathe life into it, or put it back on the shelf. For years, He said wait. So I’d read novels, pick up how to write books at the library, and wait.

Then in April 2005, I went to a booksigning at my local Parables store. I was determined, almost obsessed, with getting to that event – to the point I think my husband wondered what was up. I thought I just wanted to meet Colleen Coble. God knew much more would come out of it. Colleen and I were chatting, when Eric asked her if I’d mentioned I wanted to be a writer. Colleen lit up in her special way, and the next thing I know I have marching orders.

I emailed her a quick thank you, and followed her advice. She truly was the midwife for this book. She encouraged me every step of the way and has become a dear friend in the process.

JA: As well as being a writer, you’re also a lawyer, a wife and a mom. How do you manage it all?
CP: I don’t. :+} I’ve stepped back from the law a bit. I teach business law at Purdue and take on only the cases that interest me right now. I’m trying to pour as many of my daytime hours into my kids as I can…and combining work at the firm and homeschooling had become a challenge. I don’t sleep much, but I know I’m right where God wants me for right now.

JA: What would people be surprised to learn about you?
CP: I am a HUGE college football fan, especially when the Nebraska Cornhuskers are playing. :+} I also come from a very competitive game playing family. The card game of choice: ten point pitch.

JA: Are there any books in your “to-be-read” pile that you just can’t wait to dig into?
CP: Denise Hunter’s Convenient Groom; I’m reading Diann Hunt’s For Better or For Worse, and I can’t wait to read Colleen’s new book Anathema.

JA: Last but not least, how can people keep up with your latest publishing news?
CP: I blog weekdays at http://carasmusings.blogspot.com. I post reviews of great Christian fiction that I’m reading. Update folks on my books and writing life, and even include snapshots at life in general. I also have a website: www.caraputman.com. I routinely update it as well.
Thanks so much for having me, Jennifer.

Thanks for spending time with us today, Cara. May God continue to bless you in your writing journey!

WIN THE BOOK

If you’d like to be entered to win a copy of Deadly Exposure just leave a reply to this blog. I’ll combine the responses of my Blogger and ShoutLife blogs to pick a winner at random on May 14th. Please leave an email address so I can contact you if you're the winner. (To prevent spammers from trolling for your email, please use this format with the brackets--you [at] yourmail [dot] com--or something similar.) ShoutLifers will be contacted via ShoutMail. Good luck

Guest Blogger Debra Clopton & Book Giveaway!

Dreaming up HER BABY DREAMS
by Debra Clopton

I love romantic comedies! A long time ago when I first started writing I felt a little strange because I was drawn to write romance. But that was what made me feel happy when I finished reading or happy when I walked out of the theater. When I created my Mule Hollow series it was with the intention of giving readers a place to relax while they were there and then smile when they closed the book and walked away--while at the same time feel and see the beauty in honoring God’s plan for a man and a woman.

I’ve used all types of heroines—usually upbeat sassy types because that’s just what I like. And I’ve used all kinds of heroes—all cowboys which is the number one requirement! But when I set out to write HER BABY DREAMS I had a heroine who had moved to Mule Hollow in the very first book THE TROUBLE WITH LACY BROWN and she’d been in all seven of the other books just waiting for me to find her a husband. But you see, I had a problem because Ashby Templeton wasn’t a sassy girl, she had no pep, no energy that translated into energy and inspiration for me, the author, to create her story. Sooo she just had to sit back and be patient while I wrote all the other books and waited on the right cowboy to come along and give me all that creative energy that I needed to write her love story.

Now, don’t get me wrong about Ashby, yes she was reserved and a little uptight and really wished she could be more like all the sassy gals in Mule Hollow who she’d watched get married. But she just couldn’t let herself loosen up. And she was afraid all of her dreams were destined to remain dreams only. Well as you know I couldn’t let that happen so little did she know but I was diligently looking for the cowboy who could make all those dreams come true. Especially since she wanted a baby!

That’s when I realized the hero I’d never written about was the exact hero that Ashby needed. She needed a man who was as sassy as all those heroes I loved to watch in the movies. You know the Mathew McConaughey type who is just a big, happy go lucky flirt that makes you smile when he smiles and laugh when he laughs. And of course that is when my hero stepped into my imagination and I had Ashby’s love story. I can’t tell you how excited I was when Dan Dawson the big ole flirt swaggered into my head…if you read my last book NEXT DOOR DADDY you met him! Oh, when that man smiles my knees go weak :+} I had the best time with Dan. Normally I have the heroines shaking up the heroes’ lives but in this story I turned the tables and it was the hero doing all the shaking and it was so much fun. I’m grinning just thinking about it.

I really believe readers will have a good time watching Dan in action. I know I did. And like I said the reason I love romantic comedy is because it leaves me with a smile and I believe HER BABY DREAMS will do just that to anyone who reads it!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Debra Clopton is an award winning author of the Love Inspired ongoing MULE HOLLOW SERIES about a small Texas town. She loves everything about small town life and believes that is why her readers are connecting with her books so well. She is currently working on book 10 in the series set to come out sometime in 2009. There are 3 books in the series coming out in 2008, Next Door Daddy, Her Baby Dreams and The Cowboy Takes a Bride. Debra writes full time. She has two sons and is grateful that they too love small town life and have chosen to make their homes in Madison County--although she is extremely fond of road trips traveling to see her sons was not something she wanted to have to do! Visit Debra on the web at debraclopton.com.

WIN THE BOOK

Big thanks to Deb for visiting the blog today! If you’d like a chance to win a copy of Her Baby Dreams, just leave a reply to this blog. I’ll combine the responses of my Blogger and ShoutLife blogs to pick a winner at random on April 4th. Please leave an email address so I can contact you if you're the winner. (To prevent spammers from trolling for your email, please use this format with the brackets--you [at] yourmail [dot] com--or something similar.) ShoutLifers will be contacted via ShoutMail. Good luck!

Welcome Back Cheryl Wyatt! Interview & Giveaway

It’s a first today as I welcome back Cheryl Wyatt, this blog’s first repeat guest. And what a great guest to have again! Cheryl is the author of A Soldier's Family (Wings of Refuge, Book 2) (Love Inspired #438) from Steeple Hill’s Love Inspired line. Let’s spend some time with Cheryl!

THE BIO

Cheryl Wyatt's closest friends would never dream the mayhem she plots during announcements at church. An RN-turned-SAHM, joyful chaos rules her home and she delights in the stealth moments God gives her to write. She stays active in her church and in her laundry room. She's convinced that having been born on a Naval base on Valentine's Day destined her to write military romance. Prior to publication, Cheryl took courses through Christian Writers Guild. An active member of RWA, FHL and ACFW, she won numerous awards with multiple manuscripts. Visit her on the Web at www.CherylWyatt.com. Sign up for her newsletter for news and chances to enter contests with great prizes. Hang with her on the web at www.Scrollsquirrel.blogspot.com. You can also find her skittering around Steeple Hill's message boards as "Squirl" at www.SteepleHill.com.

THE INTERVIEW

JA: First, let me congratulate you on the success of your debut novel, A Soldier's Promise. The reviews and reader buzz have been awesome, and it was a top pick from Romantic Times. Silly question, but how does all this attention make you feel?
CW: Thank you! I'm STILL beside myself with elation over two Top Picks. I'm not sure it's garnering me as much attention as it is convincing me that the editors weren't half asleep when they bought my book. LOL! That it's not just a fluke, I am really meant to do this. When people do mention it, I feel goofy-happy but kinda cringy too because I know how subjective reviews are. Doesn't mean I'm any less happy about the Top Picks though. LOL! But I do feel bad for the authors who didn't get Top Picks that month, because I know their writing is that caliber. This industry is so subjective and I'm thankful that I ended up with an RT reviewer who connected with my characters and who loved my story.

Normally, attention makes me feel very uncomfortable because I am extremely shy in nature and much prefer obscurity. So the public attention has really stretched me, big time. Promotion is HARD for me because I feel strange talking about my writing and my books. Feels like I'm trying to push myself off on people. LOL! So any time my books can promote themselves through rave reviews, etc, I'm thrilled about that. LOL! But because my editor went to bat for me on this book, and because Steeple Hill took a chance on an unpublished, unknown, unproven author...I feel I owe it to them to do as much as I can to generate buzz about my books. That motivation makes talking about the books easier.

JA: Now, on to your current book. A Soldier's Family is the next in the Wings of Refuge series. Tell us about it.
CW: A Soldier's Family is Manny and Celia's story. They were secondaries in the first book. Manny is stuck in Refuge, IL to recover from a skydiving accident, and opens his heart to this fireball widow and her teenage son. This book has more emphasis on "family" than "soldier" and there are some nice twists that I think readers will enjoy.

The book is IN STORES NOW! Saw a bunch in Wal-mart yesterday in fact. LOL! They can also be purchased online anywhere books are sold.

JA: I'm so glad that Celia and Manny get to take center stage in this book. When you're writing a series, do you plan out the main characters for each book, or just wait to see who grabs the spotlight?
CW: I generally know at least one of my main characters months, even years in advance. I had all of the PJ books plotted out, and several of them written when I contracted. So I know ahead of time who the people are in the series. My character development (which I spend a LOT of time on) always precedes the plot development, though I might have snippets of the plot to go on in the beginning.

JA: What do you hope people take away when they finish reading A Soldier's Family?
CW: Though I don't write agenda-driven books or don't really set out to have a book end up with a takeaway value, it inadvertently always does. My editors or critiquers usually end up pointing it out to me. I'm usually oblivious to themes that are blatantly obvious to them. LOL! I hope readers will be encouraged about second chances and, if they struggle with fear or guilt over something...I hope this book makes a positive impact to move them past that. Mainly, I hope the story makes them laugh or touches them in some way. That it'll be memorable.

JA: What's next for you in the writing arena?
CW: I just turned in PJ Ben's story, which will release in April of 2009. We're putting a different spin on the title and, though it is the third book in Wings of Refuge, it's officially titled Ready-Made-Family. The story focuses on a stranded single mother and Ben. It is also an emotionally-charged book. As long as my editors keep asking for books from Wings of Refuge...I'll keep turning them in. :-) There are seven men on the pararescue team and I'm considering giving the commander (Aaron Petrowski, for those who read the first two books) a story too.

After I finish out the Wings of Refuge Series, I'll start turning in books from a series I'm tentatively titled The Heart of Refuge. These books will feature the townspeople from the fictional Refuge, which is the constant setting for Wings of Refuge. Some of the secondary characters we met in the Wings of Refuge books will become the main characters for the Heart of Refuge Series. Many of those books were finished prior to me contracting Wings of Refuge and a few of them have already garnered acclaim in unpublished writing contests. So I'm hoping they'll go over well with Steeple Hill readers should my editors feel they're right for their house.

I also have my Navy SEAL series, a few of which also placed well in RWA, FHL and ACFW contests. So we'll see what happens with that. Not sure whether I'll start turning in the SEAL series or the Heart of Refuge Series.

I did want to mention that since there is a year's lapse between books two and three in Wings of Refuge, I will be doing a blog once a week from the perspective of the cat who skitters through the Wings of Refuge stories. Psych will keep readers informed of what's going on in Refuge as well as providing first-hand accounts of any new developments with the characters from the first two books. Psych's first post will go up soon, and he'd really love it if people would drop by and listen to him lament his meager existence of being sentenced to lounge around Celia's Aztec tile and stare at people's hairy ankles all day. LOL! My blog where Psych will make his regular appearances is www.scrollsquirrel.blogspot.com.

JA: You've had a lot of experience – and success – entering writing contests. How important do you think they were to your development as a writer?
CW: For me they were crucial. I entered the contest circuit prayerfully and under the direction of God. I felt that's the avenue He asked me to take during that two to three year span. Rather than submit to editors, I entered contests. Gained feedback, used what I could and applied to my stories. I do believe my contest placements helped my now editor to request my work. I met her at RWA. I also think the contest wins helped push my work to the top of the slush pile. Contest feedback really assisted me in learning to work with my editors in the sense that contest critiques (as well as Christian Writer's Guild instructor feedback) enabled me to get to a place where I was willing to hear hard things about my writing and do something about it. Contest critiques definitely prepared me for editorial revision notes.

JA: Working on a series, you probably don't have much time to lounge around. If you could get away, what's your idea of the dream vacation?
CW: Go back to Disney with the family and lounge around the pool writing while they're flipping upside down at 60 MPH on roller coasters. LOL! Or, go to Australia where a friend there has promised me great seats at a real Cricket game. I brought a Cricket bat all the way from India once. I'm crazy about the sport to the point I wonder if I was born in the wrong country. LOL! Okay, seriously I LOVE my country but...I wish Cricket was as prevalent in the U.S. as it is in India and Australia, etc.

JA: Have you read any books lately that thrilled you to your toes?
CW: I recently read Julie Lessman's A Passion Most Pure. I love her voice to pieces! Also, Camy Tang's Sushi series is SO fun. I generally don't like chick lit...but Camy's stories have enough of a romance flair in them, and because they're written in third person, I can't wait for each book to come out and I'm not just saying that because these gals are my friends. I am in awe of their writing. Camy has THE best eye for great story structure, and any author wanting to learn how to continually ramp tension in fiction could use her books as a craft study on how to do that seamlessly. Also, Julie's book has a hero who is also a player at first...but she brilliantly endears us to him. I have GOT to figure out how she made him so lovable and sympathetic. Great writing. I really enjoy Mary Connealy's books too. She is THE funniest woman on the planet (in person), and I catch glimpses of her humor in her books.

JA: Last but not least, how can people keep up with your latest publishing news?
CW: The best place is my blog (address above) or readers are welcome to go to my Web site www.CherylWyatt.com and sign up for my quarterly newsletter. On the first page, there is a box that says, "Join Cheryl Wyatt's Author Mailing List." If folks will input their e-mail address there, they will receive an e-mail to confirm their subscription to my quarterly newsletter, which is called Acorn Connection.

I just held a huge contest for newsletter subscribers and gave away lots of great stuff, including autographed books, Worship CDs featuring skydivers on the cover, flash drives, and opportunities to name characters in upcoming books. My next contest, I will be giving away an Amazon Kindle! But only my newsletter subscribers are able to enter. If people have difficulty signing up for the newsletter, they can e-mail me at Cheryl @ CherylWyatt.com (close spaces) and put "Newsletter Help" in the subject header and I will enter them.

I am also active on the Steeple Hill forums, www.SteepleHill.com and I JUST got word that my debut book (A Soldier's Promise) is one of the Top 10 Most Blogged-about Books on eHarlequin! Thanks to everyone who contributed to that by posting reviews, etc.

Jennifer, thank you SO much for featuring me. This has been great fun. Hope to see folks over on my blog and commenting. Again, the address is www.scrollsquirrel.blogspot.com.

Thanks for stopping by again, Cheryl, and continued blessings on your writing journey!

WIN THE BOOK

You can win a copy of A Soldier’s Family here. Just leave a reply to this blog. I’ll combine the responses of my Blogger and ShoutLife blogs to pick a winner at random on March 26th. Please leave an email address so I can contact you if you're the winner. (To prevent spammers from trolling for your email, please use this format with the brackets--you [at] yourmail [dot] com--or something similar.) ShoutLifers will be contacted via ShoutMail. Good luck!

Meet Valerie Hansen - Interview & Book Giveaway

Today it’s my pleasure to introduce Valerie Hansen. Her latest novel, Frontier Courtship (Steeple Hill Love Inspired Historical #4), is part of Steeple Hill’s brand new historical line. Let’s meet Valerie!

THE BIO

Valerie Hansen was thirty when she awoke to the presence of the Lord in her life and turned to Jesus. In the years that followed she worked with young children, both in church and secular environments, as well as raising a family of her own and playing foster mother to a wide assortment of furred and feathered critters.

Married to her high school sweetheart since age seventeen, she now lives in an old farm house she and her husband renovated with their own hands. She loves to hike the wooded hills behind the house and reflect on the marvelous turn her life has taken. Not only is she privileged to reside among the loving, accepting folks in the breathtakingly beautiful Ozark mountains of Arkansas, she also gets to share her personal faith by telling the stories of her heart for Love Inspired.

Life doesn’t get much better than that!

THE INTERVIEW

JA: Your latest book is Frontier Courtship. Please tell us about it.
VH: This is the book of my heart. I know that’s often said but in this case it’s very, very true. I was selling only contemporary stories. Those were doing very well but I LOVE history and doing that kind or research, so I began a book just because. It had no market for it and not even a glimmer of a sale. Still, I finally finished it. And, thanks to God’s timing and my wonderful agent, it became Frontier Courtship.

JA: The heroine, nineteen-year-old Faith Beal, faces not only the harsh conditions of a wagon train, but has to care for her younger sister as well. How do you think a modern-day teenager would hold up in such a situation?
VH: I started to say, poorly, until I thought of some of my grandchildren. They didn’t have to avoid hostile Indians or stand up against a nefarious wagon boss’s plotting but they have shown extraordinary accountability. I think we do what we have to do, even though modern times have presented different challenges.

JA: Let’s talk about your hero. Connell McClain takes it upon himself to look after Faith. What qualities do you find heroic in a leading man?
VH: This one is easy. I married him! My husband has been my partner and protector for many years. He backs me in whatever I want to try to do, even writing my first novel. I was doing it on a borrowed typewriter so he went out and bought me one of my own – one that even made corrections! And he was also the one responsible for my first computer. He may not have to actually shoot dinner for me, but he sees that I eat well when I’m writing, too. A man who can cook! And gladly does. Wow!

JA: What do you want people to take away after reading Frontier Courtship?
VH: I want them to appreciate what our ancestors went through to make their way in this country. They were very special people whose faith and inner strength would put most of us to shame. It took a brave individual to face those challenges and triumph. As I think I said in the letter to my readers at the end of this book, we owe those pioneers a lot.

JA: Frontier Courtship is part of Steeple Hill’s brand new Love Inspired Historical line. (Congratulations!) Have you been itching to write a historical, or did the LI folks approach you with the idea?
VH: As you’ve seen from my first answer, no. I was already writing for both their other lines, romance and suspense, when Melissa Endlich, an editor who had worked with me in the past was put in charge of the new historical line. It was a match made in heaven, to quote an old cliché. Melissa took a look at the book I had written for my own pleasure and not only loved it, she asked for more. Right now, I have two finished and two more contracted, yet to be written. That should give me two in 2008 and two in 2009, plus about the same number of suspense titles from Love Inspired. Yes, I work hard!

JA: What’s next for you in the writing arena?
VH: There I go again, answering before you asked! Love Inspired is keeping me very busy, PTL, and for relaxation I’ve been entering essay contests in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine. So far, I’m a three-time finalist.

JA: What would people be surprised to learn about you?
VH: Well, I did accidentally shoot myself in the shin last year when I dropped a loaded pistol, but I’ve already managed to work the result and how it felt into a book. The heroine of my second book, Wilderness Courtship, Aug, 2008, is Charity Beal, Faith’s sister. I shot her and used my own reactions to the resulting wound. She and I are both fine, now, thanks. But I still take a lot of kidding about it. And I no longer go hiking with the hammer on a live shell.

JA: If you had a whole afternoon to do nothing but sit on the porch swing and read, what might you grab?
VH: I seldom read longer books when I take a break from writing, usually settling for a mystery magazine such as Ellery Queen and the like. I do, however, have a wonderful porch swing. There’s even a picture of me sitting in it on my website. Living out in the country away from traffic and noise is very pleasant, especially for someone like me who values peace and quiet.

JA: Last but not least, how can people keep up with your latest publishing news?
VH: My website is www.ValerieHansen.com I try to update it quarterly but sometimes get so caught up in actually writing more books that the website lags a little behind. Right now, there is an excerpt of Frontier Courtship that may be of interest, as well as the newsletter and a few pictures of the old farmhouse we restored.

Thanks for letting me tell you about myself.

Blessings,
Valerie Hansen

Thank you, Valerie, and continued blessings on your writing journey!

WIN THE BOOK

You can win a copy of Frontier Courtship here. Just leave a reply to this blog. I’ll combine the responses of my Blogger and ShoutLife blogs to pick a winner at random on March 8th. Please leave an email address so I can contact you if you're the winner. (To prevent spammers from trolling for your email, please use this format with the brackets--you [at] yourmail [dot] com--or something similar.) ShoutLifers will be contacted via ShoutMail. Good luck!

Meet Cheryl Wyatt - Interview & Book Giveaway

I’m thrilled to introduce debut author Cheryl Wyatt! Her new book,
A Soldier's Promise (Wings of Refuge, Book 1) (Love Inspired #430) is the first of a three-part series. Let’s meet Cheryl…

The Bio

Cheryl Wyatt's closest friends would never dream the mayhem she plots during announcements at church. An RN-turned-SAHM, joyful chaos rules her home and she delights in the stealth moments God gives her to write. She stays active in her church and in her laundry room. She's convinced that having been born on a Naval base on Valentine's Day destined her to write military romance. Prior to publication, Cheryl took courses through Christian Writers Guild. An active member of RWA, FHL and ACFW, she won numerous awards with multiple manuscripts. Visit her on the Web at www.CherylWyatt.com. Sign up for her newsletter for news and chances to enter contests with great prizes. Hang with her on the web at www.Scrollsquirrel.blogspot.com. You can also find her skittering around Steeple Hill's message boards as "Squirl" at www.SteepleHill.com.

The Interview

JA: Congratulations on your debut novel, A Soldier's Promise. Tell us a little bit about it.
CW: A Soldier's Promise is book one in my Wings of Refuge Series. The series features a team of USAF PJs (Pararescue Jumpers). They are Special Forces skydiving paramedics who are also trained in combat and rescue. These guys are the ones who often drop behind enemy lines to go after downed US pilots. Each story features one man on the team, and of course, the woman who captures their hearts... or rescues them in some cases. The stories are also centered around a fictional town on Southern Illinois named Refuge. The second book in Wings of Refuge (A Soldier's Family-Manny's story) is on sale now where ever books are sold.

A Soldier's Promise, the debut book, is an Inspirational Romance. It features Joel the team leader. He goes back to the town of his most painful childhood memories to pledge allegiance to a promise he made to an ill child. He falls in love with the child's teacher who is trying to adopt the boy.

BACK COVER BLURB
"My name's Bradley. I'm eight and have cancer. I want to meet a Special Forces soldier more than anything. Well, almost anything. Having a family would be nice."
U.S. Air Force pararescue jumper Joel Montgomery promised to make a sick child's wish come true. Well, not the family part—not with Joel's past. And so despite vowing never to set foot back in Refuge, Illinois, Joel parachuted onto the boy's school lawn to a huge smile. But another smile unexpectedly stole Joel's heart: that of Bradley's beautiful teacher, Amber Stanton, who was trying to adopt the boy. And trying to show Joel it was time for new vows.

JA: Your hero, Joel Montgomery, is a US Air Force pararescue jumper. Did you jump out of any planes as part of your research?
CW: LOL! I really, really, really wanted to...and seriously planned to, but found out I was pregnant the day I called the skydiving facility to purchase tickets for a tandem jump. Had to cancel of course. LOL! So all my research had to come through skydivers and instructors and soldiers who live in the skies more than they live on the ground.

JA: You were born on a naval base. Was your father just a little disappointed that your hero isn't a navy man?
CW: He he. No. Actually, my dad was in the Marines. LOL! Many Marines were trained in San Diego at Camp Pendleton during the Vietnam war.

JA: What do you hope people take away when they finish reading A Soldier's Promise?
CW: I hope they take away a love for the Wings of Refuge series and characters that will sprint them to the stores at midnight the night before each release of every new book in the series. LOL! Okay, seriously now, I hope they will take away whatever God knows they need at this particular point in their life and in their relationship with Him. I hope the book moves them, encourages them, and gives them genuine belly laughs during more lighthearted moments.

JA: What's next for you in the writing arena?
CW: Getting my contracted novel in early, which is book three in the Wings of Refuge series and scheduled to release early in 2009. I'm going to keep plowing through these PJ stories then hopefully start turning in books from another series. Also, turning in the proposal for book four which was brainstormed by myself, Camy Tang and Pammer James during a six hour drive from North Carolina where we went on a writing, brainstorming and prayer spree to a cabin in the mountains.

JA: Your birthday is February 14th. Does that mean you end up with a pretty awesome Valentine's day celebration?
CW: Actually, I love that my husband combines my birthday and Valentine's Day gift... it usually means he thinks of something nice. And there's less of a chance of him forgetting that way. LOL! And we get to go to my favorite restaurant even though my husband doesn't care for it. LOL!

JA: What's something that people would be surprised to learn about you?
CW: Other than romance, I don't like typical girlie-type things. I like looking at race cars and chromed-out motorcycles and wicked looking knives and powerful guns and watching extreme sports. Anything high-speed, high-action and extreme-adventure.

JA: Almost every author I know has a stack of to-be-read books a mile high. What's in your stack?
CW: All the Steeple Hill January books from the book club other than mine, Julie Lessman's A Passion Most Pure, Leigh Bale's Healing Place, A book by Tracey Peterson and Michael Landon Jr (title escapes me at the moment), Tracey Bateman's debut Avon Inspire book, Linda Lael Miller's new book and a SWAT manual as well as about fifty others. LOL!

JA: Last but not least, how can people keep up with the latest Cheryl Wyatt publishing news?
CW: The best way is by subscribing to my blog at www.scrollsquirrel.blogpsot.com and signing up for my newsletter at www.CherylWyatt.com where it says, "Sign up for Cheryl Wyatt's Author Mailing List"

Thank you, Cheryl, and continued blessings on your writing journey!

Win the Book
A Soldier’s Promise is in stores now, but you can win a copy here. In fact, Cheryl is graciously giving away two copies of the book! Just leave a reply to this blog. The winner will be picked at random on January 28th. Please leave an email address so I can contact you if you're one of the winners. (To prevent spammers from trolling for your email, please use this format with the brackets--you [at] yourmail [dot] com--or something similar.) Good luck!

Meet Debra Clopton! Interview & Book Giveaway

Meet Debra Clopton!





What a joy to present author Debra Clopton. Her new book, Next Door Daddy (Mule Hollow Matchmakers #7) (Love Inspired #428) is a fun and heartfelt tale of the power of love, both past and present.

The Bio

Debra Clopton is an award winning author of the Love Inspired ongoing MULE HOLLOW SERIES about a small Texas town. She loves everything about small town life and believes that is why her readers are connecting with her books so well. She is currently working on book 10 in the series set to come out sometime in 2009. There are 3 books in the series coming out in 2008, Next Door Daddy, Her Baby Dreams and The Cowboy Takes a Bride. Debra writes full time. She has two sons and is grateful that they too love small town life and have chosen to make their homes in Madison County--although she is extremely fond of road trips traveling to see her sons was not something she wanted to have to do! Visit Debra on the web at debraclopton.com.

The Interview

JA: Your latest book is Next Door Daddy, part of the popular Mule Hollow series. Tell us a little bit about it.
DC: This is a special book to me personally. I believe it has a little bit of everything for my readers! It is about two people who have loved and lost their soul mates. My hero, widower Nate Talbert, prays God will send him a miracle that will help him find a way to start living again…he doesn’t expect it to come in the form of a widow, her daredevil son, his Chinese Shar Pei who’s had cosmetic surgery and a talking Cockatiel! I love writing books with lively characters and this one has them in abundance. It is funny and sad but the message comes straight from my heart.

JA: Mule Hollow is a small rural community with an abundance of bachelors, so they advertised for brides in hopes of revitalizing the town. How did you come up with such a fun and unique idea?
DC: I actually came up with the idea in about an hour. I’d always wanted to write about a hairstylist and when I decided to try my hand at writing humor the hook line “Love is in the air and the hair!” came to me in a flash and I was off and running. I don’t know about you, but that’s how I work. Something inspires me and I pound out a blurb really fast that excites me. I live in a small town of about 4000 people but there are towns all around me of less than 400. I also had a large cowboy clientele in my salon and I had plenty of older women who said the funniest things. From that, Mule Hollow just came naturally!

JA: There are some pretty quirky characters in Mule Hollow. Are any of them based on people you know?
DC: LOL! Like I said I had plenty of people to pull from but no one is actually a whole character. I don’t develop my characters based on people. I take traits from people but my characters ultimately come from the story’s needs. My heroes are always a composite of strength, stubbornness and humor, and my late husband is my role model for them. Although, he was not a cowboy so I combine him with different cowboys I know and go with it. In my book Meeting Her Match the hero, Pace Gentry, was inspired by an actual friend of the family—a cowboy who would just as soon walk back in time and stay there. He is truly a man who was born in the wrong era. My favorite part of writing is creating characters!

JA: What do you hope people take away when they finish reading your books?
DC: Foremost I hope they close the book with a smile on their lips and hope in their hearts. I want to transport people away from the strain of stressful life to a place they can relax. God’s given me the talent to entertain and that’s what I focus on as I write.

JA: Next Door Daddy is dedicated to your late husband, Wayne. What would you like people to know about him?
DC: Wayne was a great guy who loved the Lord, me and his two sons. There is so much I could say here, but so little space… I do believe in love at first sight. I was a gonner the minute he smiled at me as I was handing him the Dr Pepper he’d ordered for his date. (I was seventeen and working at a local Dairy Palace) Soon after he told his brother as they were driving up to the drive-thru to order another Dr Pepper that he was going to marry me--we hadn’t even begun to discuss dating at that time, but we both just knew :) Much of our personal courtship and lives are in Pollyanna’s backstory in Next Door Daddy. This was the most personal book I’ve ever written and it was in honor of Wayne’s life, his strength, his humor and what I know are his wishes for me and our sons as we go on with him in our hearts.

JA: What’s next for you in the writing arena?
DC: I’m about to start book 10 in the Mule Hollow series and am excited about the book. Also, others are coming. I find keeping the series alive and changing is a challenge that I really enjoy. Readers are really coming on board with such enthusiasm that I want to keep the books going as long as they are wanted. God’s been so good to give me this opportunity. I also have other ideas that I’m working on too, but they are in the early stages.

JA: What’s something that people would be surprised to learn about you?
DC: Oh boy, let’s see….I write under the name Debra instead of Debbie because it is my way of honoring my husband. Wayne is the only one who ever called me Debra.

JA: Almost every author I know has a stack of to-be-read books a mile high. What’s in your stack?
DC: I’m studying Donald Maass’ Writing the Breakout Novel, I have several of my fellow Love Inspired authors on my stack. I’m also a big fan of the NASCAR series that Harlequin has started up so I have several of those waiting on me to read. I’m also reading John Grisham’s Pelican Brief again.

JA: Last but not least, how can people keep up with the latest Debra Clopton publishing news?
DC: Please visit me at my website debraclopton.com and I also have a new blog just for news debraclopton.blogspot.com. I’m not much of a blogger but I will put up latest news here. I hope everyone will drop by and say hi! And if you haven’t been to Mule Hollow I hope you will grab a book and come on inside for a visit!

Thanks for the interview Jennifer! I really enjoyed it.

Thank you, Debra, and continued blessings on your writing journey!

Win the Book
Next Door Daddy is in stores now, but you can win a copy here. Just leave a reply to this blog. The winner will be picked at random on January 21st. Please leave an email address so I can contact you if you're the winner. (To prevent spammers from trolling for your email, please use this format with the brackets--you [at] yourmail [dot[ com--or something similar.) Good luck!