Giveaway Winners & A Special Birthday

Okay, so the winners of the giveaways are as follows...

Brandi Boddie won Undercurrent

Michelle won her pick of Laura Frantz's books

Congrats to the winners!  I'll be emailing you for your addresses shortly.  And thanks to all for joining in and making my blog birthday celebration a lot of fun. 

On Sunday, I got to celebrate a very special birthday -- my son turned two years old.  How did two years slip by so fast? It seems like I brought him home from the hospital only a short time ago.  At this rate, I'm going to wake up tomorrow and discover that he's gone off to school!

Celebrating Micah's two years reminded me again of how quickly life gets away from us.  In the here and now it seems to take forever, and so we indulge the illusion of time--we put off this and that, we neglect things that shouldn't be neglected. Like the baby scrapbook I never made for Micah. I had the scrapbook. I had the mementos tucked loosely in the pages. I kept telling myself I'd take the camera chip my next trip to the store, that I'd make a day of it when I had printed photos to work with. But I kept forgetting the camera chip. I never set aside time for the scrapbook. And several computer issues later, most of the photos I have of Micah's first years are in private albums on Facebook.

Don't feel bad for me--I can still download them to a CD and print them.  I still have the mementos (somewhere in one of my boxes) and can still make the scrapbook.  But I'll never have as many pics as I did, and they won't have the same quality. 

"Never put off till tomorrow what can be done today." --Thomas Jefferson

What have you been putting off?

Interview with Laura Frantz Plus GIVEAWAY!

Little did I know when I won The Colonel's Lady in a book giveaway, that God was blessing me with more than just a well-written historical romance staged in a favorite time period--time and time again, Laura amazes me with her genuine friendship and down-to-earth manner.  She is one of the sweetest people I know, and a truly talented author who continually wows me with her lyrical and out-of-the-box writing.  Please help me welcome Laura Frantz!

Laura, I am so excited to have you as my guest today!  Tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from? How long have you been married? How many kids do you have?

I'm from Kentucky though I live in Washington state now with Randy, my husband of 18 years, and our sons, Wyatt (15) and Paul (12). But Kentucky will always be my home, particularly the Lexington and Berea areas. I go back as often as I can. Most of my family is spread throughout the state.

It's so cool that your from the same region of Kentucky as my family!  We're only about thirty minutes away from Berea, and I visited Berea while considering colleges after high school.  Ashland too!  It really is a small world. :-)

How did you and your husband first meet? (Love those first meeting stories.)

During college, I used to fly to different national parks around the country and work. For two summers I waitressed at a historic inn on Lake Crescent in Olympic National Park in Washington. Randy was working at the other historic inn across the lake and the rest is history! Actually, we didn't date for a long time as he was younger and I didn't like that! But a few years went by and then we were both older and wiser we decided age didn't really matter. I always felt, from first meeting, that he was "the one." I don't believe in love at first sight but I do think there is sometimes an instant connection or attraction that can lead to lasting happiness. God given, of course!

I love that you were both working at historic inns, just across the lake from each other!  It sounds like the perfect setting for a sweet romance :-)  And I like the way you put that--an instant connection or attraction.


 When did you first know that you were called to write novels?

Believe it or not, age 7! Before I even really understood what a writer was. But I think most writers are born, not made and we're gifted early on to do certain things. I always felt the Lord was involved in my writing because I honestly can't tell you how to write a book! I just kept writing throughout grade school and beyond as writing become a compulsion for me, but mostly a joy.

Wow, it's neat that you knew at such an early age!  I wrote little stories I never finished as a child, but when I wrote a novella re-telling the story of Esther for a creative writing project in high school, something just clicked, and I never looked back.  I remember being particularly inspired with novel ideas during math class...


How did you come up with the idea for your upcoming release, Love's Reckoning?

I stumbled upon a bit of research about gunsmith apprentices in Kentucky being expected to marry the master gunsmith's daughter. My head started whirling and out of that tangle came the idea for this novel. Only I upped the angst by adding two daughters and having them fall in love with the same man...and then my hero has to choose between them!

Oooh, hoo hoo...that makes me want to read "Love's Reckoning" even more!  Wow, gunsmith apprentices were expected to marry the master gunsmith's daughter?  I can see why it would inspire you!


If you could be any of your characters for a day, who would you choose and why?

Read my review HERE

Oh, love this question! I think I'd be Morrow as she stood to lose so much and took such a risk. Though her hero was worth it, or so I hope! I also loved the fact that together they created these beautiful babies and finally found a home.

Morrow has quite a story and quite a hero, I agree!  Loved her sweet babies.  It would be interesting to walk in her shoes, though I don't think I would be as brave as she. :-)


Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.

I am absolutely terrified of snakes! Flat out, pass out terrified!
I turned 21 in Russia and saw Swan Lake by the Bolshoi Ballet. Russian birthday cakes aren't very sweet!
My husband is 9 years younger than I am and we've known each other 28 years!

Oh, I hate snakes too.  Once while visiting a relative in the hills of Kentucky, I stepped on what I thought was a garden hose, and it reared up and hissed at me!  I've never ran faster. 
It's neat that you got to spend some time in Russia!  Russian birthday cakes aren't sweet? That's interesting! 
My pastor in Maryland is nine years younger than his wife, and I've never known a cuter, more loving couple. I miss them.


Which of the books you've written is the dearest to your heart and why?

Read my review HERE

I love them all (books really are like babies!) but The Frontiersman's Daughter took the longest and was my debut novel. I think Lael's story has the most of me in it. It's about a Kentucky girl, after all, and includes so much of my childhood and family lore/history.

There's something about that first novel--I know what you're talking about ;-)  The essence of Kentucky life was so powerful and alive in "The Frontiersman's Daughter".  It makes it all the more intriguing to know that a lot of your own story was hidden among the pages. 


Which of your books was the hardest to write?

Read my review HERE

The Colonel's Lady was difficult because I had to research the colonial armed forces and that's quite tricky. It was also the first book I'd ever written from the hero's perspective (Colonel McLinn). In addition to that, the setting was static as I had all these people penned up into a military fort. But I think it might have been the most joyful book I'd ever written as it seemed to come together well and the Lord surprised and delighted me by turns while writing.

Researching on the Colonial army must have been quite a project!  I loved the historic details, and I did notice and admire how you kept me interested in the story even with the confined setting.  That is not easy to do!


How many times did you revise your first novel before it turned a publisher's head?

Too many to count! I remember sitting at my desk and thinking if I had to look at the story one more time I would explode! It was actually twice as large as when it went to print. I'd included Lael's childhood before half the book went to the cutting room floor. I didn't write this book for publication, you see. Just for me and the pleasure of spending time with those characters. I was quite smitten with Ian Justus!

Lael's story was beautiful and haunting, and I enjoyed the characters too.  So glad you persevered through the painful editing process!  Ian Justus was a sigh-worthy character. :-)


What other talents do you have besides writing?

Precious few! I do love to cook, take walks, and I've just learned to knit. Only there's not much time for all that anymore. Oh, and I love to travel! I leave for Scotland in December.

Jealous!  Jealous!  I've always wanted to visit Scotland!  And Ireland.  And England.  And Australia.  Okay, okay, go ahead and throw Wales in the package.  LOL!  We better see lots of pictures on your blog, hint, hint. :-)


What advice would you give to pre-published writers?

Write your heart out. Pray. Give your writing dream to the Lord. Trust Him to bring it about if it's His best for you. If it's not, graciously let it go and thank Him.

Great stuff, Laura.  I especially appreciated "and thank Him".  If God says "no" or "wait", we should praise and thank Him for His loving guidance, and trust that He is not holding anything good back from us.  He always has a reason, and He's always wants the best for us.  Thanks for joining me and making my blog birthday fun!


GIVEAWAY: This will be a real treat for you, since Laura has offered to giveaway any of her books, including a copy of her latest, Love's Reckoning.  If you win and choose Love's Reckoning, be aware that you may have several weeks of waiting as the book won't be released until September 1st.  In order to participate in the giveaway, you must have a US mailing address and leave a comment answering the following question:

If you had the opportunity to live the life of a character you've read about, who would you choose and why?

I'll draw and announce the winner on July 31st, with my usual Tuesday blog post.

Interview with Michelle Griep Plus Giveaway

When I first began blogging, I discovered book giveaways.  I never thought I'd be lucky enough to win anything, but I gave it a shot and discovered  it was indeed possible to win books.  In the past year, I think I've won a total of twelve to thirteen books--no fifteen, I've got two on the way--simply by reading blogs, staying informed about book giveaways, and leaving a comment for the ones that catch my eye.  I hope that encourages those who doubt their chances.

One of the first books I won was UNDERCURRENT, a well-written, historical time travel set in the Viking era. Not only was it an amazing book jam packed with the stuff I love, but it opened the door to a friendship that has helped me grow as a writer in so many ways.  I love Michelle Griep, and I know you will too.  Let's welcome her!


Q: Welcome Michelle! I'm so excited to host you on my blog today! Tell us about yourself and your family. Where are you from, and how long have you been writing?

Michelle: I hear voices. Loud. Incessant. And very real. Which basically gives me two options: choke back massive amounts of Prozac or write fiction. I chose the latter. Way cheaper. I've been writing since I discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. I seek to glorify God in all that I write...except for that graffiti phase I went through as a teenager. Oops. Did I say that out loud? At the end of the day, I come home to 3 kids (only 1 has moved out so far), 1 husband, and a slightly psychotic boxer named Tyson.

Me: Michelle, I love your humor!  Your fun personality resonates in every page of your novels, which is why I love them.  I’m sure your kids could tell some stories.  Your dog too.  Tyson is a great name for a boxer, btw. :-)

Q: Tell us about your latest book(s). What do want your readers to take away after the last page

Michelle: People go missing every day. Most meet with foul play. Some leave the social grid by choice. Still, others are never accounted for…where do they go?

UNDERCURRENT is the tale of one such person. Professor Cassie Larson leads a life her undergrad students hope to attain, until she tumbles into the North Sea and is sucked into a swirling vortex…and a different century. Alarik, son of a Viking chieftain, is blamed for a murder he didn’t commit—or did he? He can’t remember. On the run, saving a half-drowned foreign woman wasn’t in his plan. Ragnar is a converted pagan shunned by many but determined to prove his Cousin Alarik’s innocence. He didn’t count on falling in love with Cassie or the deadly presence of evil that threatens his village in Alarik’s absence. UNDERCURRENT is a story of honor, sacrifice, and ultimately forgiveness.

Me: I loved UNDERCURRENT!  It was my first Viking-themed time travel, and it had one of the best endings I’ve read in awhile. Ragnar was so endearing.  Friends, if you'd like to read my review of Undercurrent, you can find it here.


Q: What interests you about the Viking Age?

Michelle: Besides the roots of Christianity in the Nordic culture, there's a ton of other fascinating facts. Case in point...Bubba the Viking. Did you know there's actual graffiti carved into wood and stones left behind by these fellas? And who would've known that one of these big beefy warrior's names was Bubba? Not kidding. Feel free to use that tidbit as an icebreaker at the next party you attend.

Me: A true historical Viking named Bubba? Too funny!  I'll definitely remember that.

Q: Can you share something with us a Genesis 50:20 experience -- something that could have harmed you, that the enemy could have used to hurt you in some way, but God turned it around for good I would appreciate it?

Michelle: Recent experience: my 91 year old mom was in a horrific car accident. Her passenger was killed. By God’s grace, my mom walked away with nothing but bruises. Surely God’s hand protected her, for you see, she is not a believer. She is now housebound without a car, desperate to go anywhere, so I’m using that opportunity to take her to church. She’s come every weekend since March. My prayer (and feel free to make it yours as well) is that she’ll come to a saving knowledge of what Christ did on the Cross.

Me: I remember reading about that on your blog.  Yes, I believe that God did protect her that awful day, and I’m praying/standing with you for your mom to be saved as I'm sure my blog followers will do as well.  When two or three or gathered . . . Amen?!  So glad to hear that she’s been attending church regularly!  Praise God for that!


Q: If you weren’t a writer, what would you be doing?

Michelle: I’d be running a B&B in England. Near a castle. On a moor. With Mr. Rochester as my neighbor. Wow. Did I mention I’m an out-of-the-closet Charlotte Bronte fan-a-maniac?

Me: Charlotte Bronte knew how to write a hauntingly romantic story, didn't she? Myself, I wouldn't mind seeing a castle-backdropped moor out of my window. The stories such a view would inspire!

Q: What are you working on now and what's next for you?

Michelle: I started a Viking sequel but what might very well be next is a historical that I recently finished. It’s a pre-Regency (Georgian for history buffs) about an opium addict and a fella who’s going insane.

Me: Ooh, ooh! I want to read it!  The Georgian time period is a favorite of mine to read and write!


Q: Do you have a funny or touching story that relates to your book?

Michelle: How about weird? There’s an old family story my mom told me about her mom, Clara Brekke. Sometime back in the early 1900’s, Clara’s father took her two-year-old sister and walked out the front door. Just like that. No bags packed. Not a word about where they were going or when they’d return. Nothing. No one ever heard from them again. As a result, I’ve always been curious about missing people. Assuming they’ve not met with foul play, where exactly do they go?

Me: Wow, you have a real-life family mystery!  That would supply a world of writing inspiration for me, too. ;-)  Fascinating!


Q: In addition to writing, you also homeschool your children!  How do you balance it all?

Michelle: Apparently you didn't notice the frayed hem on my superhero cape. Family and schooling takes up the lion's share of my time but I do have one dedicated night per week when I run away from home to write. You can find me at Panera with a cup of java and chocolate chunk cookie every Thursday evening.

Me: I love Panera Bread!  It’s a great place to surround yourself with great food and tune out of reality.  Seriously, I'd admire your success as both a homeschooling mom and author. :-)  In a few years, I'll have to choose between a private school and homeschooling for my own son.


Q: What one piece of writing advice has most benefited you in your career?

Michelle: Buy the book Self-Editing for Fiction Writers. Best writing book I own.

Me: I’ve got to get that one!  I’ve heard you rave about it on your blog.


Q: Is there anything I didn’t ask that you would like to add?

Michelle: I’m frequently asked why do I write? Short answer: Because being a pirate is frowned upon and I’m pretty sure no one will pay me to eat brownies all day. There’s also the simple matter of quieting the voices in my head by capturing them onto paper so I can have some peace. If you hear those same voices, go for it. Write it down. Honestly, there’s nothing better than being a writer.

Me: Ha ha! Love pirates--seriously, I have pirates in all my manuscripts, and my sis thinks I should keep that as a trademark.  Wouldn’t it be great if we could get paid to eat brownies all day?  There is nothing better than being a writer.  It's a roller coaster of a career, but it's totally worth it. :-)


Thanks for being my guest, Michelle!  I'm waiting patiently for the release of your newest work. :-)

Michelle can be found at http://writerofftheleash.blogspot.com/, www.mmgriep.com, http://www.facebook.com/michellegriep, http://pinterest.com/mmgriep/, https://twitter.com/MichelleGriep. 


Okay.  Giveaway time!  To win a copy of UNDERCURRENT, please leave a comment with your email address. You must have a US mailing address. I'll draw and post the winner's name on Tuesday, July 31st.  Seriously, leave a comment.  Romance. Adventure. Humor. Time travel. Big, beefy Vikings. A faith message expertly woven in a non-preachy way. An awesome hero.  What more do you want?