Meet and Greet: Angela Breidenbach

Book Giveaway Drawing!
Read the details later in this post.


Angela Breidenbach is Mrs. Montana International 2009, a multi-award winning inspirational speaker and the author of the Gems of Wisdom: For a Treasure-filled Life from Journey Press, the Creative Cooking Series including the new release of Creative Cooking for Simple Elegance and the new Kindle release, Creative Cooking for Colitis. 


Other works by Angela include compilation books and devotionals from Guidepost, Group, and articles in magazines, ezines, and newspapers. She connects missions to her work with Hope’s Promise Orphan Ministries and the Jadyn Fred Foundation. 


Angela also teaches online classes and coaches one-on-one in courageous confidence, personal growth, and powerful living. She’s certified in mentor/peer counseling as a Stephen Minister and life coach. Angela serves as an assisting minister for her congregation in Missoula, MT. She volunteered as the American Christian Fiction Writer's publicity officer for two years. Not only did she walk the hard line of deciding to donate her mom's brain for the study of schizophrenia, but she’s also on the brain donation list at the Brain Bank-Harvard McLean Hospital. Angela is married with a combined family of six grown children and two grand children. 


Gems of Wisdom: For a Treasure-filled Life releases May 2011 from Journey Press, a Sheaf House imprint.


BRC: Welcome, Angie! What brings you to Book Readers Central?


Angie: I'm hoping to really reach out to women who want to overcome negative attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors so they can lead an intentional, missional life style. As I spoke more and more on the topics from Gems of Wisdom: For a Treasure-filled Life, I found two surprising results.

First, women love doing this book in small groups. That just blew me away. I had no idea I'd written a small group or personal study. I thought readers would want to work through this privately only. The stunning dynamics have happened in the group settings. The interaction has opened up break-through moments for healing in relationships.

The second unexpected result is the amount of women who harbored misunderstandings and/or anger toward their own moms. I really want to offer freedom from the burdens of buried issues and empower people to live the calling God has placed on their lives.

BRC: What type of books do you write?

Angie: I'm an eclectic writer. I write Christian fiction, devotionals, cookbooks, and this one (Gems of Wisdom: For a Treasure-filled Life) is considered Christian Living/Women's Issues. I also write articles and have a monthly feature in the Christian Fiction Online Magazine. 

BRC: Why do you write?


Angie: My mind is full of questions and stories. I really want to help people heal from the past and grow into their life purpose. I think God just made me to write and speak. I describe it as having a busy bee buzzing around in my head. She has to get out and pollinate the keys on my laptop to tell her stories. ;-) My husband says it's just because I'm full of awe attacks and can't keep quiet about it, lol.

BRC: How would you describe your newest release?

Angie: Gems of Wisdom: For a Treasure-filled Life is very transparent. I use real historical pirates to embody negative attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. Then the gemstones are gems of wisdom God uses to help us live fulfilled and valuable lives in His will. 

About the book: In Gems of Wisdom: For A Treasure-Filled Life you'll embark on a treasure hunt for God's unique gems of wisdom. Be empowered, learn to influence through your own life lessons, and preserve important relationships. Gems of Wisdom invites the reader on a treasure hunt to find important life concepts represented by the beautiful stones God created. Excellent for small groups as well as individual study. Tracie Peterson, best-selling inspirational author of over 80 books says, “Angela’s book is thoughtful, insightful, and heart touching.”

BRC: What do you hope the reader takes away after reading it?

Angie: If I could tell you one thing? It's that all of our experiences, negative and positive, help us to really change the world and leave a legacy. It's those experiences that God uses to shine His strength in our weaknesses. We naturally want to hide, forget, or avoid those moments we wish never happened. But when we go on the treasure hunt, God shows us His wisdom and fills our treasure chest with gems of wisdom that overflow to touch other people's lives. 

BRC: Which is your favorite character from your book?

I really love Cookie Smythe. He's a funny old pirate that embodies the sense of God bringing good out of our shameful moments.

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

Angie: During interviews with volunteers, one of the most poignant stories belongs to my friend Rachel. She had the "perfect" mom while I didn't. But as we told one another our stories and bonding at a writers retreat in front of a roaring, crackling fire, a sense of grace and mercy changed both of our lives. Because of that profound experience, I share that specific story in Chapter 1. It was that powerful to me.

BRC: Tell us about your writing process.

Angie: I tend to have a fiction and non-fiction happening at the same time because the different styles feed my creativity. I do a lot of marketing though and break up the day with important details to promote my work. Both have to be in each day for my career goals. If it's not in your daily schedule, it's not attainable.

BRC: What will you write next?

Angie: I'm currently working on a 365 day devotional and an inspirational historical trilogy. But every now and then I pull out a contemporary romantic comedy to tickle my funny bone. I am getting some questions about the next Gems of Wisdom book, but I have some requests I need to fulfill first.

BRC: Which books do you recommend to readers?

Angie: Tracie Peterson used Gems of Wisdom: For a Treasure-filled Life to research her upcoming trilogy from Bethany House. The House of Secrets first book in the series will be coming out this fall. Tracie and I plan to do some speaking events together and co-promote because our books are not competitive, but rather build and deepen the experience for the reader. I'm just so excited because I've had the honor of pre-reading quite a bit of the first book as Tracie went through her writing process. I've also had the honor of having Tracie read mine. I can't wait for her series to release!

BRC: Where can readers find you online?

Readers can interact with or learn more about me at the following links:

AngelaBreidenbach.com

MyGemofWisdom.com

GodUsesBrokenVessels.com

ColitisCooking

TheFaithGirls.com (Weekly Wednesdays)

Facebook for Angela Breidenbach

Twitter for Angela Breidenbach

LinkedIn for Angela Breidenbach

Youtube for Angela Breidenbach


BRC: How can readers contact you?

Readers may email me at: angela (at) mygemofwisdom (dot) com 

Posted by Janalyn Voigt, author of novel books

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Book Giveaway Drawing:

Angela Breidenbach will give away a free e-book copy of Gems of Wisdom: For a Treasure-filled Life to a reader of this blog. To enter, leave a comment to this post. If you are a follower of Book Readers Central and tell me so in a separate comment, I'll give you an extra chance to win. 

Please include a valid email address in an anti-spam format (example: youremailhandle[at]gmail[dot]com]) or your entry will become invalid. Entries will be accepted until this coming Sunday at midnight (Pacific Time/US).

I'll announce the winner on Book Readers Central next Monday. The winner must respond within two weeks of notification. Detailed rules of giveaways on Book Reader's Central are located in the footer of this blog.

As an Amazon Associate, Janalyn Voigt benefits when products are purchased on Amazon through links from Book Readers Central.

Meet and Greet: Lena Nelson Dooley

Lena Nelson Dooley

Award-winning author, Lena Nelson Dooley, has more than 650,000 books in print. She is a member of ACFW and president of the local chapter.

Lena loves James, her children, grandchildren, and great grandson. She loves chocolate, cherries, chocolate-covered cherries, and spending time with friends. Travel is always on her horizon. Cruising, Galveston, the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas, Mexico. One day it will be Hawaii and Australia, but probably not at the same time. Helping other authors become published really floats her boat. And the high point of her day is receiving feedback from her readers, especially her fans. And she loves chocolate, especially dark chocolate.

BRC: Welcome, Lena. I'm with you on the dark chocolate, by the way.

Thank you, Janalyn for inviting me to this wonderful site. I'd love to connect with readers here.

BRC: Great! What type of books do you write?

I have quite a back list consisting of both historical and contemporary stories. Some are novella collections, some are short novels, and one is a long novel. 

BRC: That does sound interesting. Tell me, why do you write?

Actually, God told me to become a professional writer. You can read how that happened by going to this page on my blog: http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/p/about-me.html

BRC: Interesting! Thanks for that glimpse into your faith. How would you describe your newest release?

Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico, is my Heroine-in-peril, Mail-order-bride gone awry story. It's a story of unmerited forgiveness, and understanding the love God has for us.

BRC: Which is your favorite character from your book?

This book is peopled with interesting characters, but I think my favorite is Jeremiah Denison, the hero, or maybe it's Maddy Mercer, the heroine, or . . .

BRC: I can see how it might be hard to choose. Do you have a funny or touching story that relates to your book?

I'm what's called a seat-of-the-pants writer. And because I am, God often leads my writing in a direction that I hadn't even imagined. That happened with this book, and it became a much stronger story for the changes. 

BRC: Intriguing. Tell us about your writing process.

I let a story percolate or stew in my head for a while before I start putting it down on paper. A lot of the story develops during this time. But then when I start writing, I start at the beginning and write straight to the end.

BRC: What will you write next?

Since this book released, I've signed a three-book contract with another publisher. I have written the first book in the McKenna's Daughters series, and I'm working on the second book right now.

BRC: Which books do you recommend to readers?

This depends entirely on what the person likes to read. Pirate's Prize is good for people who like adventure and pirates. If the reader likes mysteries, I suggest Double Deception or Wild Prairie Roses.  For romantic suspense, Cranberry Hearts. Historical romance, Minnesota Brothers and of course, Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico. 

BRC: Thanks for stopping by for a visit. Say, wWhere can readers find you online?

http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

Facebook - Lenanelsondooley

Twitter - lenandooley

Website - www.lenanelsondooley.com

A regular contributor to: http://www.bustlesandspurs.com/

Shoutlife  - lenanelsondooley

Posted by Janalyn Voigt, author of novel books

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Meet and Greet: Shannon Taylor Vannatter

Book Giveaway Drawing!
Read the details later in this post.

Shannon Taylor Vannatter married her high school sweetheart. Since then her husband answered the call to preach and they became first-time parents 16 ½ years into their marriage. 26 years later, she is a stay-at-home mom/pastor’s wife/writer. When not writing, she runs circles in the care and feeding of her husband Grant, their eight-year-old son, and their church congregation. Home is a central Arkansas zoo with two charcoal gray cats, a chocolate lab, and three dachshunds in weenie dog heaven. If given the chance to clean house or write, she’d rather write. Her goal is to hire Alice from the Brady Bunch.

Her series with Heartsong Presents launched in May with White Roses, followed by White Doves in October, and White Pearls in January. Each title releases to the 10,000-member Heartsong book club before releasing to stores six months later. All three books are set in Romance and Rose Bud, Arkansas. Brides and lovebirds take advantage of the re-mailing program to have wedding invitations and Valentines cards mailed from Romance with a unique postmark. Romance also hosts several annual weddings with Valentine’s Day the most popular date.

BRC: How would you describe White Pearls?

Shell Evans and Ryler Grant are both unsaved, drifting and searching. They've had a previous intimate relationship and fell for each other, but it scared them to death because they've always been no string types. When they're forced to work together, restoring a historical plantation into a bed and breakfast, they've realized their lives are empty, but they don't know what to do about it. It's the story of two lost souls who have tried everything to feel complete, yet they're still empty.

What message do you hope your book conveys? 

That we all have a God-shaped hole in our souls and we'll never be complete until we accept Christ.
What did you enjoy most about writing this book? It was fun and different writing both a hero and heroine who were unsaved. Exploring their darkest thoughts and immorality. Writing a character with no moral code opens up lots of possibilities, but I didn't want to go far enough to offend anyone. It was a delicate balance.

What did you dislike most about writing this book? When it ended. Back when I was writing the first book in the series, White Roses, I thought Hmm, I'd like to explore the blond bimbo and convert her. It was fun slowly changing her and watching her blossom.

What inspired you to become a writer? 

I've answered this question before in a previous interview here, so I'll expand. I couldn't find any clean romances anymore and didn't know the inspirational market existed. At the same time, I had a story in my head from the time I was 15. I'd replay it over and over, but didn't know what to do with it. Finally, 15 years later, I realized it could be a book. And it was, my first really badly written manuscript. Maybe someday I'll try to rework it with what I know now.

BRC: What are you working on now? 

I'm reworking a rodeo series and a longer romance between an estranged married couple.
What books do you enjoy reading? Inspirational romance. I don't get to read as much anymore, but I really like Christine Lynxwiler's books and I've only read one of Annalisa Doughty's, but I really enjoyed it.
Where can readers buy your book? As of January, it will be available through heartsongpresents.com. It will hit stores and Amazon in July.

Learn more about Shannon and her books at http://shannonvannatter.com. Her blog, The Inkslinger, features true love stories, inspirational author’s real-life romances, insight into the love lives of their fictional characters, book excerpts, romantic destinations, and weekly book giveaways at http://www.shannonvannatter.com/blog. Her group blog: http://www.inkspirationalmessage.com features ten writers on life and writing. She’s active on Facebook: facebook.com/shannontaylorvannatter and Twitter: @stvauthor.

Book Giveaway Drawing: Shannon Taylor Vannetter will give away a free copy of  White Pearls to a reader of this blog. To enter, leave a comment to this post. If you are a follower of Book Readers Central and tell me so in a separate comment, I'll give you an extra chance to win. 

Please include a valid email address in an anti-spam format (example: youremailhandle[at]gmail[dot]com]) or your entry will become invalid. Entries will be accepted until this Saturday at midnight (Pacific Time/US). 

I'll announce the winner on Book Readers Central on Friday. The winner must respond within two weeks of notification. Detailed rules of giveaways on Book Reader's Central are located in the footer of this blog.

©2010 Janalyn Voigt, author of novel books

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Whistlestop Wednesday Book Review: "Seeds of Summer" by Deborah Vogts

SEEDS OF SUMMER will take you into the Flint Hills, one of the last tallgrass prairie regions in the world, for a touching love story. Rodeo Queen Natalie Adams tries to conquer adversity on her own when she suffers disappointment, tragedy and broken family relationships. Jared Logan only wants to help, and although Natalie views the handsome young pastor with suspicion, she's in no position to turn down a helping hand. When their attraction grows, Jared holds to his principles and Natalie faces the God she rejected to go it alone.  

Deborah Vogts vivid writing brings to life the gentle hills covered in bluestem, the wide-open skies of Kansas and the melding together of two hearts. I couldn't recommend this book more for women who enjoy contemporary romance. I approve this book for teens because of its wholesome relationships and its honest portrayal of the temptations and challenges teens face.

©2010 Janalyn Voigt

*A complimentary copy of this book was provided to me by the author for purposes of review.

Meet and Greet Monday: Jill Nelson

Book Giveaway Drawing! Details below.

Jill Elizabeth Nelson writes what she likes to read—tales of adventure seasoned with romance, humor, and faith, earning her the tagline: Endless Adventure, Timeless Truth. Jill speaks regularly at conferences, writer’s groups, library associations, and civic and church groups. When teaching classes for writers, she delights in bringing the Ahah! moment to her students as they make a new skill their own. Jill and her husband live in rural Minnesota where they raised four children and are currently enjoying their first grandchild.

Dear Reader:

I’m excited to “meet” you through the pages of my books. I write what I like to read-- tales of adventure seasoned with romance, humor, and faith; hence, my tagline: Endless Adventure, Timeless Truth. If this sounds right up your alley, pull up a seat and let me tell you about my latest release, Calculated Revenge.

Available on Amazon.com

Calculated Revenge begins when a young school teacher finds on the playground a backpack that belonged to her kid sister--victim of a murderous abductor eighteen years ago. Now she must team up with a reluctant investigator to stop this killer before her own daughter meets the same fate.

It’s been eighteen years since Laney Thompson’s sister was abducted and killed, but Laney’s pain and haunting guilt has never faded. Now the murderer is back, taunting Laney with mementos of her sister and threatening Laney’s young daughter. School principal Noah Ryder is her best hope for protecting her daughter—if she can convince the former investigator to take the case. As the threats escalate and clues lead to shocking secrets from the past, Laney’s survival—and that of her daughter—depends on the rusty gifts and skills Noah wants only to forget.

What do you think, dear Reader? Will you brave the deep waters of this tale of danger, abduction, and betrayal? My heroine is honest, sincere, sensitive, and caring. She’s also fiesty and can be touchy and a bit blind in defense of her family. My hero is strong, honorable, protective, and determined, but ultra-cautious about relationships. They both wrestle with guilt over past tragedies. I hope their struggles with issues of faith and forgiveness in the face of tragedy will strike a resonant chord in your heart.

My web site contains excerpts, links to purchase books, my speaking schedule, a monthly contest to win an autographed copy of my latest release, and an opportunity to sign up for my quarterly newsletter. Pop on by at http://www.jillelizabethnelson.com/. I have a readers’ group on Facebook where we chat about all sorts of things, book-wise. I’m also on Twitter and Shoutlife. Oh, and I have a blog on my web site, too. I give away lots of books there that are not my own.

Calculated Revenge released in April. My next book releases in October:

Legacy of Lies finds a cop’s widow scrambling to defend her family’s honor after the bones of a long-ago kidnap victim are found in her grandparents’ back yard. In order to unearth the truth, she must defy her hometown’s powerful founding family and team up with the last man on the planet for whom she’d like to feel attraction—another cop.

Blessings, dear Reader, in all your adventures within the pages of a good book.

Jill

Enter to win a free copy of Calculated Revenge by leaving a comment to this post, including your contact information. A link to detailed rules for Book Readers Central book giveaway drawings is located in this blog's footnotes. Entries will be accepted until midnight on Wednesday, July 21st. The winner will be announced on this blog on Friday, July 23rd.

Please consider following this blog to keep informed of future giveaways and for more great interviews and book reviews. An email sign-up form is located in the sidebar if you prefer to receive posts by email.

Meet and Greet Monday: Carla Stewart

A two-time ACFW Genesis winner, Carla Stewart is a Guideposts Writers Workshop alumna and has been published in Guideposts, Angels on Earth, and several regional magazines and anthologies. Her debut novel, Chasing Lilacs, releases in June 2010 with FaithWords. Carla enjoys a good cup of coffee, weekend getaways with her husband, and the antics of their six grandchildren.
Dear Reader

Hi there. My name is Carla Stewart and I’m so happy to be here today to share a little about my writing journey and to introduce you to my first book, Chasing Lilacs.

I’m a wife, mom to four boys, and Mimi to six terrific grandkids (only one girl in the bunch). I believe in Jesus, the power of the written word, and a good cup of coffee. Nine years ago, I hung up my nurse’s cap and strapped myself to a chair in front of the computer, eager to pursue my lifelong dream of writing a novel. It’s been a circuitous journey with a lot of bumps along the way, but I’m very excited that finally, my debut novel, Chasing Lilacs, is about to become a reality. June 17 to be exact.

The idea for the story sprang from childhood curiosity—the occasional whisper about someone who’d had a nervous breakdown or shock treatments. The term “nerve problems” frequently cropped up with no explanation of what that meant. Not only were these taboo topics for conversation in the 1950s, I later learned that the ailments themselves were often misunderstood and not always treated properly. As a writer, I wanted to explore what it might have been like for an adolescent girl from that era to have a mother with these problems.

The setting is similar to the one where I grew up in the Texas Panhandle: a close-knit petroleum camp where neighbors helped one another and kept an eye on everyone’s kids. The theme of community was a natural outcropping of that. It was a more carefree time, almost magical, and I hope I’ve portrayed some of that feeling—Elvis on the radio, poodle hair cuts, endless hot summers, Grapette in a bottle.

Even in the best of times, though, tragedy can strike and faith can be tested. As my young protagonist, Sammie, struggles with her own identity and her mom’s “nerve” problems, she has to decide who to trust to help her through the storm. When grief comes, she learns that God’s healing often comes through the embrace a loving community.

One final thing that I hope all of my readers find in Chasing Lilacs is that small part of themselves that longs for childhood, for simpler times. A final sigh that, as the book ends on a positive note, you’ll be glad you’ve taken a step back into another era.

I’ve just turned in a second novel to my publisher, FaithWords. It, too, has a nostalgic thread and showcases the power of friendship—this time between two women, an aging jazz singer and a young paralegal who is in an abusive relationship. I’m in the process of researching a third novel, but it’s too early to share about it since I’ve not discovered the heart of the story myself.

My heart’s desire is to write the kind of novels I love to read. Some of my recent favorites are The Shape of Mercy by Susan Meissner, The Help by Kathryn Stockett, and anything by Lisa Samson. Two all time favorites are The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd and Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen.

I’ve enjoyed being here and am always excited when I can connect with other book lovers. You can find me here:

http://www.carlastewat.com/
Carla’s Writing Café (Blog) 
Facebook
Twitter

Chasing Lilacs is available for pre-order now at:
Amazon
CBD

CHASING LILACS (FaithWords, June, 2010)

It’s the summer of 1958, and life in the small Texas community of Graham Camp should be simple and carefree. But not for Sammie Tucker. Sammie has plenty of questions about her mother’s “nerve” problems. About shock treatments. About whether her mother loves her.

As her life careens out of control, Sammie has to choose who to trust with her deepest fears: Her best friend who has an opinion about everything, the mysterious boy from California whose own troubles plague him, or her round-faced neighbor with gentle advice and strong shoulders to cry on. Then there’s the elderly widower who seems nice but has his own dark past.

Trusting is one thing, but accepting the truth may be the hardest thing Sammie has ever done.

“A remarkable debut novel. Carla Stewart cleverly captures the stark simplicity of a young girl’s voice with all the masterful qualities of powerful prose. Unforgettable.”
—Susan Meissner, author of The Shape of Mercy

“Chasing Lilacs is the kind of coming of age story that sticks to you beyond the last page. Unforgettable characters, surprising plot twists, and a setting so southern you’ll fall in love with Texas. Carla Stewart is a new talent to watch!”
—Mary E. DeMuth, author of Daisy Chain and A Slow Burn

Meet and Greet Monday: Cynthia Ruchti

Book giveaway drawing! Read the details, below.

Cynthia Ruchti writes stories of hope that glows in the dark. She writes and produces The Heartbeat of the Home, a syndicated drama/devotional radio broadcast, and is editor for the ministry's Backyard Friends magazine. She also serves as current president of American Christian Fiction Writers. Cynthia married her childhood sweetheart, who tells her his own tales of wilderness adventures.

BRC: How would you describe your book?
The tagline for the book is “She’d leave her husband…if she could find him.”

When Libby’s husband Greg doesn’t return from a two-week canoe trip to the Canadian wilderness, the authorities write off his disappearance as an unhappy husband’s escape from an oatmeal marriage and mind-numbing career. Their marriage might have survived if their daughter Lacey hadn’t died and if Greg hadn’t been responsible. Libby enlists the aid of her wilderness-savvy father-in-law and her faith-walking best friend to help her search for clues to her husband’s disappearance. What the trio discovers in the wilderness search upends Libby’s assumptions about her husband and rearranges her faith.

It’s my prayer that this fictional adventure story and emotional journey will reveal its own hope-laden clues for those struggling to survive or longing to exit what they believe are uninspiring marriages. How can a woman survive a season or a lifetime when she finds it difficult to like the man she loves?

BRC: What message do you hope your book conveys?
THEY ALMOST ALWAYS COME HOME will resonate with women who thought they’d never consider divorce but can’t stomach the pain and distance that mark their marriage relationship. From the newly married to the long married, women readers will identify with unmet expectations and the discovery—both unnerving and endearing—that their husband is not at all who they thought. And neither are they. They’re stronger, more culpable, more courageous, and more vulnerable than they knew.

Also key to the story is the unfolding of a deeper faith (If God is here in my pain, why haven’t I felt Him) and the power of female friendships as evidenced through Libby’s relationship with her comforter-but-truth-teller friend, Jenika.

BRC: What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
I’m hard-pressed to think of any part of this process that I didn’t enjoy. Hard work? Definitely. But laced with joy all along the way.

BRC: What did you dislike most about writing this book?
It was good for me but unnerving to have to confront attitudes in my own heart in order to write Libby’s story with authenticity and empathy. I grew. Growing pains are no more comfortable at this age than when I was ten.

BRC: What inspired you to become a writer?
My journey toward a lifetime of writing began by reading books that stirred me, changed me, convinced me that imagination is a gift from an imaginative Creator. As a child, I read when I should have been sleeping…and still do. I couldn’t wait for the BookMobile (library on wheels) to pull up in front of the post office in our small town and open its arms to me. Somewhere between the pages of a book, my heart warmed to the idea that one day I too might tell stories that made readers stay up past their bedtimes.

BRC: Tell us about your writing process.
I’m a “snatch” writer and a “cranny” writer. A file of ideas for future projects bulges with 80 or more one-liners, Scripture verses that could spawn a novel, or intriguing concepts. For me, a novel often begins with a snippet of conversation, a snatch of a phrase, a title, a single word. It’s fleshed out in crannies of time bolstered with occasional glorious longer stretches. After writing myself into corners, I’ve now changed my tactic to include a little more preplanning and a rough outline. My characters and storylines sometimes rebel against the constraints of the outline, and usually win. Discovering where they wanted to go is half the fun of writing.

BRC: What are you working on now?
One of the stories I ache to tell pierced my heart in a single, poignant moment. I still have difficulty talking about it without a catch in my throat. During a sweet time of communion with a wafer in one hand and a miniature cup of grape juice in the other, I heard those familiar words of Scripture read yet again: “On the night He was betrayed, Jesus took the cup and—”

Not just any night. Not on a night following a breakthrough moment when His disciples finally understood what He’d been telling them. No.

Jesus declared His love in unprecedented extravagance on the night He was betrayed.

The thought took my breath away. I haven’t regained it. The storyteller in me asked what that extravagance might look like in a marriage. I’m working now to finish the story ON THE NIGHT HE WAS BETRAYED. Where does a relationship expert turn when his wife leaves him and takes a tiny heartbeat with her?

Another project waiting to connect with readers is ALL MY BELONGINGS. The main character’s father killed people as his community service project. No wonder she changed her name and her path. His reputation threatens to undermine her attempts to find a place to belong and a legacy worth repeating. ALL MY BELONGINGS explores the difference between what we want to believe and what we do believe regarding end of life issues. What do we do if that gap is wider than we thought?

BRC: What books do you enjoy reading?
My bookshelves—don’t ask how many!—hold a wide variety of genres. The collection expands faster than a good yeast dough. I’m a mood reader, grabbing a light comedy one day and a literarily rich work the next. Although I appreciate well-written nonfiction, I gravitate toward an emotionally engaging contemporary women’s fiction story.

BRC: Where can readers buy your book?
THEY ALMOST ALWAYS COME HOME is available at cokesbury.com, Amazon.com, christianbooks.com, and your neighborhood bookstore.

BRC: Where can readers find you online?
http://www.cynthiaruchti.com/ or http://www.hopethatglowsinthedark.com/

They can also connect with me through Facebook, Twitter, and Shoutlife.

Book giveaway drawing: Enter for a chance to win a free copy of THEY ALMOST ALWAYS COME HOME by leaving a comment on this post. Entrants will be accepted until this Wednesday at midnight, US/Pacific time. The winner will be announced on this blog on Friday. For more detailed rules, click on the link in the right sidebar of this blog.

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Meet and Greet Monday: Gail Sattler

Author Gail Sattler lives in Vancouver, BC, where you don’t have to shovel rain, with her husband, sons, dogs, lizard (who is quite cuddly for a reptile), and bass guitar.

BRC: Tell us a little about yourself and how you got started writing.
I say on my blog that I’m a wife, mom, writer, musician, dog owner, and lizard lover. I haven’t written a story about my lizard yet, but my first published book was inspired by my first dog, who has now gone to that great doghouse in the sky. I’d sent a photo of my dog to the art department at Barbour so they would get the dog right for the cover, and they ended up giving me the original artwork. The dog is perfect except for some reddy-brownish color on her beard (it’s a Schnauzer), which was not in the photo. My husband laughed at that, and said it was okay, the dog had obviously got into the spaghetti (my dog’s favorite meal) and it would just wash off. That painting is framed and still hanging above my writing computer. Spaghetti sauce and all.


BRC: That’s funny. I’m sure many authors have stories about the cover art of their books that readers would love to hear. Do you have any interesting stories to tell us about the cover of your new book, The Narrow Path?

I’m glad you asked, because there is a very interesting story behind the cover of this one. Because of the Mennonite characters my editor wanted something featuring the hat worn by the hero, which in turn made me want to see the hero wearing the hat. But because of the modern heroine, the cover wouldn’t be a true representation of the book just to show the Old Order hero. So I wanted to show both. However, they needed two models, and they’d run out of time for their deadline. But that problem was solved when two people who work in the office at Abingdon posed for the cover.

BRC: That’s different. It obviously worked, the cover is quite intriguing. How did they make that work?
Michael and Christa were really good sports. The whole office helped, too. Everyone helped to collect all the accessories we needed as mentioned in the book – they had the hat, but needed suspenders and a leather-bound Bible for Ted. We needed a red cell phone for Miranda, as that phone plays into the story, and someone in the office actually owned a red cell phone. Together, they got everything needed that was specifically mentioned in the book - the red t-shirt, red nail polish and lipstick, and even red earrings for “Miranda”, except with Christa’s long hair, you can’t see them in the pose they used for the cover. And then there was more accessories to hunt and find, for the book trailer.

BRC: You mean there’s more? Tell us about the book trailer.
It is very special that the people on the cover are the same people who are in the book trailer. Not many authors can say they have their hero and heroine from the cover in their book trailer, but I do. Again, Michael and Christa graciously posed for the photos in the book trailer, and again, the ladies in the office gathered the accessories needed – again including the red cell phone, but also the iPod, mints, lipgloss, and Abingdon provided the program disk for her Bible, which she has installed on her cell phone. Someone even had a red purse, which was an added surprise. I just love that purse! I want one of those. Then they took everything outside and took the photo in someone’s car, because the scene was to portray the way Miranda spreads everything out in her car, when she’s back at home in Seattle, sitting in traffic. Aside from those, everything in the book trailer is directly or indirectly somewhere in the book.

BRC: Readers can view that book trailer, below. It’s been great having you visit with us.

Thanks. It’s been fun.

BRC: How can readers find out more?

• Email Gail Sattler at mail@gailsattler.com
• Find out more about me at http://www.gailsattler.com/
• Learn more about The Narrow Path, read the opening chapter and view the book trailer at http://www.mennonitefiction.com/
• Read the first three chapters online, viewing it as a PDF Flipbook at http://issuu.com/abingdonpress/docs/the narrow path

BRC: Where can readers purchase The Narrow Path?

They can find it at any Christian bookstore or online at:

• christianbook.com
• barnesandnoble.com
• amazon.com
• cokesbury.com

Meet and Greet: James L Rubart

 Author James L. Rubart lives in the Pacific Northwest and describes himself as a water skier, guitar player, dirt biker, cliff jumper, husband to his amazing wife for almost 24 years, and dad to two awesome sons, 17 and 14. His day job is helping authors and businesses market themselves through his company Barefoot Marketing. His debut novel, Rooms, just released with B&H Publishers and has already reached the top position in  the Amazon sales list.

BRC: How would you describe your book?
A story with all the boring parts taken out. Smile. Rooms is the story of a young Seattle software tycoon who inherits a home on the Oregon coast that turns out to be a physical manifestation of his soul. If you’re saying, “Ooooooo,” then I think you’ll like it. If you’re saying, “Huh?” then the jury is out. J If you took It’s a Wonderful Life, Disney’s the Kid, The Shack, The Screwtape Letters, Field of Dreams, Wild at Heart, some romance and mixed them all together you’d have Rooms. The headline on the back of my cover conveys the story pretty well: “What would you find if you walked into the rooms of your soul? One man is about to find out.”

BRC: What message do you hope it conveys?
That there is incredible freedom and healing in Jesus. And people can step into their destiny, even if they feel like they've missed it their whole lives.

BRC: What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
As I say in my dear reader letter, I needed this book for my own healing and freedom. It was a story I wanted to read, so I loved watching the ideas flow from the imaginings God gave me onto paper and into my heart.

BRC: What did you dislike most about writing this book?
I think the book will set some people free. It’s the theme I keep hearing from people who have already read it. And freedom is vehemently opposed by the enemy of this world. So there were definitely times I had to push through that were tough. Times I was tempted to give up where my amazing wife pushed me to press on through the oppression coming at me.

BRC: What inspired you to become a writer?
Christmas ’72. My mom gave my sister and me The Chronicles of Narina. At nine years old I was sucked into that world and never wanted to leave. Through C.S. Lewis’ brilliance the bug bit hard and never let go. Ever since I’ve wanted to try to do for others what Clive Staples did for me.

BRC: Tell us about your writing process
These days—with as crazy-busy as I am—I tend to write in batches. I'll take a weekend and write eight hours a day for two and half days, then might not write again till three days later.

BRC: What are you working on now?
Book of Days which will release in January 2011. It’s the story of a man who goes on a quest to find God’s Book of Days—described in Psalm 139—that has recorded the past, present, and future of every soul on earth. Also, I’m working on The Chair which will release in the fall of 2011. And in the land of surreal, a number of film production companies are interested in both Rooms and Book of Days, so we’re starting to explore possibilities there.

BRC: What books do you enjoy reading?
Everything. Bios, fiction, non-fiction, magazines … I always have five or six books going at the same time.

BRC: Where can readers buy your book?
Amazon, as well as Barnes & Noble, Books A Million, Amazon, Family Christian Stores, LifeWay, CBD, etc.

BRC: Where can readers find you online?

• http://www.jimrubart.com/ 
• http://www.barefootmarketing.com/Home/
• Facebook: James L. Rubart
• Twitter: @jimrubart
• e-mail: jim@jimrubart.com

Book Giveaway Contest: Leave a comment on this interview to enter. Entrants are limited to those with mailing addresses in the United States and will be accepted until midnight on Wednesday (Pacific Time). The winner will be announced on this blog on Friday. For complete contest rules, click the link in the right sidebar.