Meet Jocelyn Green - plus a GIVEAWAY!

UPDATE Sunday, 8/10/14 10:00 PM CDT

WINNER!

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Timestamp: 2014-08-11 03:06:09 UTC
Congrats to Allison! Email me your address by Saturday 8/16/14 at 11:59 pm CDT, Allison, and I'll send the book your way!

* * * * *
I am thrilled beyond belief to welcome Jocelyn Green to the website today. I met Jocelyn two years ago at ICRS when she was promoting her first novel, Wedded to War, and we immediately became friends. I am a huge fan of her novels and she is a delight--so genuine and kind, and lots of fun as well. We roomed together this year at ICRS and had a wonderful time connecting at the end of each of our crazily busy days. Our room rang with laughter as we shared stories. We never did manage to have an official interview (not that Jocelyn would EVER not show up if one was scheduled! Grin!), so we made do via email. All this did was make me want to go back and do it all over again! Grab your favorite iced drink and enjoy getting to know a phenomenal author and my friend, Jocelyn Green. And be sure to enter the giveaway for an autographed copy of her latest novel, Yankee in Atlanta at the end of the interview!


I am so glad to connect with you again! I loved your first two novels, Wedded to War and Widow of Gettysburg. And of course, Wedded to War was a 2013 Christy finalist in two categories! I must say, though, that Yankee in Atlanta exceeds even those. It is phenomenal! What sparked your love for this era and led you write this Heroines behind the Lines series?

Thank you Linda! My love for this era is really fueled by my love for these women I represent in the novels. The Civil War is interesting and tragic on so many levels, but when I read the diaries of unsung heroines a few years ago, in a basement archives in Gettysburg, I really felt like these women were speaking to me. I could almost hear their voices, and they were blowing me away with their stories of faith and courage. I was stunned by their strength and by the fact that I’d never been taught much about women’s contributions during the Civil War. I was researching for a nonfiction book (Stories of Faith and Courage from the Home Front) but at that point I imagined the possibility of a historical novel series. Thankfully, my publisher agreed that these are stories that should be told.

Since it came out a couple of years ago, it had obviously been a little while since I read Wedded to War. As I continued my way through Yankee in Atlanta, I realized that several of these characters appeared in that first book. Did you plan this when you wrote Wedded to War?

Not at all! But after Wedded to War came out, so many readers asked what happened to Ruby O’Flannery, I wanted to give them a satisfying conclusion to her story. So I connected a bunch of dots in Yankee in Atlanta, and I think it worked well.

While Caitlin McKae is the main focus of this book, Ruby is a strong secondary character who touched my heart. I ached for what she went through! Without giving any spoilers, can you share a bit about her and what we can learn from her?

She’s a very interesting character, isn’t she? We first meet Ruby in Wedded to War. She’s an Irish immigrant whose first husband, Matthew, goes off to fight with the 69th New York regiment. His pay doesn’t come for months, and her needlework simply does not provide her with enough money for rent and food, so she makes some desperate choices in order to survive. By the end of Wedded, she has a baby and turns her back on a seedy lifestyle, choosing to become a new creation in Christ instead.

In Yankee in Atlanta, she’s a domestic, and her son is two years old. She’s doing weekly Bible studies, and life is better than it has ever been. But her past creeps up behind her and tries to drag her back into a world of vice and pain. She fights tooth and nail for the sake of her son.

Perhaps my favorite passage in this book is one I marked in chapter seven, when Caitlin is remembering the last conversation she had with her father, when things were so desperate during the Panic of 1957. She refused to attend a prayer meeting with him, saying it wouldn't feed their family. He responded, "'Prayer may not always change our circumstances. But it always changes us.' He smiled. 'That's why I go. My faith is not a talisman. 'Tis the anchor in the storm.'" Do you think some today who profess to be Christians, especially here in the USA, see their faith more as a talisman than an anchor? What is the danger in that and how can that be avoided?

Yes, I do. The danger in thinking of our faith or our salvation as simply a good luck charm is that it ignores the main point, which is our relationship with Jesus Christ. God never, ever tells us that as His children life will be without pain and trials. In fact, He tells us the opposite. What He does say is that He’ll never leave us nor forsake us. Through everything that happens, our relationship with Christ should deepen.

One good way to avoid that talisman mentality is to focus not on our circumstances, but upon the character of God. When it feels like He doesn’t love us, take that thought captive to the Scriptures. What does the Bible say about it? He says He loves us, over and over. I’m a big proponent of pinning down those niggling doubts with the Truth of God’s Word.

Life isn’t supposed to be easy. It’s supposed to bring glory to God.

I have long been a fan of Civil War era fiction. Your novels are unique in that they are historically accurate and portray the setting so well without providing so many details that parts become dry and monotonous, causing me to begin skimming paragraphs or even pages, as I have done with other books in this genre. I know you do a tremendous amount of research. How do you find such a great balance in knowing what to include and what is just information that helps you write the story better?

Thank you! I do love research, but battle details, for example, can get tedious. I only put as much in as my character would experience, which means I don’t have to explain the generals’ strategies, and exactly how many troops were where, etc. I figure there are plenty of other books which do that. I strive to boil the Civil War down to the personal experiences of my characters. What did they feel, see, hear, smell, taste? If it’s personal to them, and only if it helps move the plot forward, it will probably be interesting. And if it isn’t, I chop it out. I have pages and pages of “chopped copy” that just didn’t make the cut.

Are you a plotter or a pantser? Or a little bit of both? Do your characters ever surprise you or are you always in complete control?

Generally, I’m a plotter. But looking at my outline for Spy of Richmond and then at my finished manuscript, you’d think otherwise. I make a lot of changes along the way. But I need an outline to help me get going or I’m overwhelmed with too many possibilities.

Sometimes the characters do surprise me. They won’t let me continue writing if I’m headed down the wrong path. It’s a weird, fierce form of writer’s block, like Balaam’s donkey. :-)

What was the most difficult aspect of this book to write and why? What part, if any, flowed the smoothest?

Battle scenes are always hard. Especially after writing the Gettysburg book, it was a challenge for me to describe similar things (shooting, being wounded, artillery, etc.) in a different way. I want the scenes to be vivid, but not graphic. That can be difficult. But the scenes that made me cry or feel sick to my stomach were the one in which Ruby’s son is in danger, and one in which a group of deserters were executed.

The part that flowed the smoothest for me: does the “About the Author” section count? Ha ha! Seriously, for some reason, I felt like I had to fight for every chapter, almost every scene of this book. I’m not sure what it was, but my process felt extremely constipated. I was fact checking up to four sources for a single scene to make sure I got the details right, and keeping up the two story arcs (in New York City and in Atlanta) stretched me. I can’t think of anything I wrote that came easily.

What message do you want readers to take away from Yankee in Atlanta?

Yankee in Atlanta is about divided families, conflicted loyalties, and hearts refined by fire. But even through all of that, for all of the characters, these verses from 2 Corinthians 4 seem to resound: “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.” In the end, there is hope. There is rebirth. It was true for the characters in Yankee in Atlanta, and it can be true for every single reader, by God’s grace.

You just finished writing the fourth (and final) book, A Spy in Richmond. Can you give us a sneak peek into it? Does it have any connections with any of the previous three books?

Yes I did! Yahoo! Here’s the book blurb:

Trust none. Risk all.

Richmond, Virginia, 1863. Compelled to atone for the sins of her slaveholding father, Union loyalist Sophie Kent risks everything to help end the war from within the Confederate capital and abolish slavery forever. But she can’t do it alone.

Former slave Bella Jamison sacrifices her freedom to come to Richmond, where her Union soldier husband is imprisoned, and her twin sister still lives in bondage in Sophie’s home. Though it may cost them their lives, they work with Sophie to betray Rebel authorities. Harrison Caldwell, a Northern journalist who escorts Bella to Richmond, infiltrates the War Department as a clerk–but is conscripted to defend the city’s fortifications.

As Sophie’s spy network grows, she walks a tightrope of deception, using her father’s position as newspaper editor and a suitor’s position in the ordnance bureau for the advantage of the Union. One misstep could land her in prison, or worse. Suspicion hounds her until she barely even trusts herself. When her espionage endangers the people she loves, she makes a life-and-death gamble.

Will she follow her convictions even though it costs her everything–and everyone–she holds dear?

So we actually do have several ties to previous books here, which really surprised me, but it works. Harrison Caldwell, Bella and Abraham Jamison are all main characters, and they are from Widow of Gettysburg. We also see Dr. Caleb Lansing from Wedded to War, and Susan Kent, the villain from Yankee in Atlanta, is Sophie Kent’s half-sister who comes back to town after the siege of Atlanta. Spy of Richmond can be read as a stand-alone, but it will be more fun if a reader has read the series in order.

If you had lived during the Civil War, which of your four heroines would you have been most likely to be and why? Or would you have been one of the secondary characters?

Oh, what a good question. I share a few qualities with each of the different heroines, but I probably relate most to Sophie Kent for a couple of reasons. First, she’s a writer. Second, she has an overdeveloped sense of guilt, and so do I. (I don’t recommend it.) And third, she feels compelled to do something, rather than just be an observer.

What's next on your horizon after this series is completed? Do you foresee writing more fiction? Do you want to continue in the Civil War era or move onto something else? Is more of your non-fiction for military wives and families ahead?

Honestly, Linda, I don’t know what’s next on the horizon. I am open to more fiction, including but not limited to the Civil War, but I miss writing nonfiction, too. I have a germ of an idea for a nonfiction for moms (not necessarily military moms) but it’s very embryonic at this point. I have lots of ideas for both fiction and nonfiction, but I’m praying God makes it clear which direction I should take, since writing is an investment that requires sacrifice for the entire family.

I know you are a busy wife and mom. When you aren't juggling writing and family duties, what do you enjoy doing in your free time, say if you had a whole day to yourself?

If I had a day to myself, I would read something for fun, eat pie, go for a walk by the river, and watch Les Miserables while eating Tostitos and salsa con queso. Or a documentary on The Plague. One of those. Ha ha ha  Or maybe I’d go antiquing with my mom and daughter… If I get up really early I bet I can do it all!

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

You’ve done a great job with your questions!

Thank you so much for chatting with me!

It’s absolutely my pleasure.


Click the links to read my reviews of Jocelyn's novels:

Wedded to War (includes my 2012 interview with Jocelyn)
Widow of Gettysburg
Yankee in Atlanta

Readers, you can learn more about Jocelyn at her website www.jocelyngreen.com and connect with her on Facebook and Twitter. You can also visit her Heroines Behind the Lines website to learn more about her Civil War books, characters, and settings, as well as Faith Deployed, her website for military wives.

GIVEAWAY!

Today is my birthday, but YOU get the gift! I have an autographed copy of Yankee in Atlanta provided by Jocelyn and Moody/River North Fiction to give to one of my readers! Just leave a comment on this post by 8:00 pm CDT Sunday (8/10/14) and I will randomly choose a winner. Continental US residents only, please. You must include an email address to be entered. Earn up to two additional entries by sharing about this post on FB or Twitter and leaving additional comment(s) with those links. One entry per comment. Limit three entries per person. Void where prohibited.

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August New Releases

More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website.

Contemporary Romance:

Small-Town Billionaire by Renee Andrews -- When trapped in a tiny North Alabama "Mayberry" town, billionaire Ryan Brooks wants nothing more than to get back to Chicago ASAP, but a business opportunity--and the eclectic yet gorgeous woman with the brainstorm idea--keep him planted, if only temporarily, on his sister's ranch. (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

The Doctor's Return by Narelle Atkins -- After years spent traveling the globe, Megan Bradley never expected to be back in her hometown sharing an office with her former sweetheart, Dr. Luke Morton. Though too busy to dwell on past mistakes, she can't ignore her feelings for the handsome doctor. Luke is afraid to trust his heart to Megan, knowing she may not stay for long. But as they work together, their romance quickly rekindles. When a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity comes her way, Luke must free Megan to choose between a big-city career or love and family...right there in Snowgum Creek. (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Rescuing the Texan's Heart by Mindy Obenhaus -- Cash Coble is desperate for a change. Stressed out and overworked, he heads to Colorado to visit his ailing grandfather and finds his mood lifted by the beautiful woman living next door. After a troubled past, ice climber Taryn Purcell isn't looking for love. Especially not with a charming Texan who's consumed by work. But there's something about Cash that captures her heart. Never one to back down from a challenge, Taryn promises to show Cash how to carve out a happy life-one that includes her. (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

A Heart to Heal by Allie Pleiter -- Guidance counselor Heather Browning is desperate. She needs a mentor to help Simon, a disabled student who is struggling at Gordon Falls High School. Unfortunately, hotshot Max Jones is her only option. Confrontational and cavalier, Max uses his flashy persona to hide the bitterness he's felt since his life-changing accident. Perpetually cautious, Heather finds Max's bad-boy bravado as intriguing as it is infuriating. But as Heather and Max work together to build Simon's self-confidence, they begin to trust each other. Max has never been slow and careful with anything. Can he be gentle with Heather's heart? (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Stranded with the Rancher by Tina Radcliffe -- Stranded at single father Dan Gallagher's ranch during a Colorado blizzard, Dr. Beth Rogers is counting the days until the roads are clear. She can't wait to leave for her exciting new life in New York. But suddenly the big-city doctor is delivering babies in log cabins, helping to feed newborn calves and teaching Dan's little girl to play hymns on the piano. No-nonsense Beth even throws a snowball or two at the handsome, love-shy cowboy. She thought she had her heart set on leaving, so why does she dream of Dan asking her to stay forever? (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Herb of Grace by Adina Senft -- Amish widow Sarah Yoder struggles with single motherhood and a forbidden attraction while she learns herbal medicine ... and God cures the ailments of the heart and spirit. (Contemporary Amish Romance from Faith Words [Hachette])

General Fiction:

Home to Chicory Lane by Deborah Raney -- When empty-nesters Grant and Audrey Whitman spend the bulk of their retirement funds to renovate their home into a beautiful bed and breakfast, the last thing they expect is that their five kids will return home. Can Audrey still realize her dream and at the same time provide the comfort of home her children so desperately need? (Contemporary from Abingdon Press)

A Grand Design: Quilts of Love Series by Amber Stockton -- A quest to piece together an heirloom quilt takes a surprising turn when a man from Alyssa Denham's past-the reason she hadn't returned to the island in fifteen years-interrupts the relaxing getaway for her and her best friend, Libby. Will memories of her past keep Alyssa from letting go? Or will the quest to piece together the heirloom quilt restore Alyssa's fractured heart-and bring healing to her entire family? (Contemporary from Abingdon Press)

Historical Romance:

With Every Breath by Elizabeth Camden -- In the shadow of the nation's capital, Kate Livingston's respectable life as a government worker is disrupted by an encounter with the insufferable Trevor McDonough, the one man she'd hoped never to see again. A Harvard-trained physician, Trevor never showed the tiniest flicker of interest in Kate, and business is the only reason he has sought her out now. Despite her misgivings, Kate agrees to Trevor's risky proposal to join him in his work to find a cure for tuberculosis. However, a shadowy enemy lies in wait and Trevor's closely guarded secrets are darker than she ever suspected. With everything to lose, they must find the strength to trust that hope and love can prevail over all. (Historical Romance from Bethany House [Baker Publishing Group])

Tried and True (Wild at Heart) by Mary Connealy -- Kylie Wilde fought in the Civil War dressed as a boy and now she's homesteading as a man. But when land agent Aaron Masterson comes to inspect her claim, he immediately realizes she's a woman. She begs him not to tell, but can he in good conscience defraud the U.S. government, even if she really did serve in the war? Aaron is interested in the little spitfire from the moment her long hair falls from her cap, but when he tells her of his plans to make a life up in the mountains, she draws away. Kylie's focus is to "prove up" her homestead, sell it for a profit and move back east to civilization. When someone tries to burn her out, Aaron and Kylie suspect local land baron Gage Coulter, who denies any involvement. He does suggest a way for Kylie to stay safe, though--marry him! More attacks scare Kylie into considering matrimony. Should she tie her fortune to Gage or Aaron? Either choice will put an end to her dreams of a civilized life. And what if marrying doesn't stop the attacks after all? (Historical Romance from Bethany House [Baker Publishing Group])

The Lady and the Officer by Mary Ellis -- Madeline Howard never planned to become a spy, but when military intelligence falls into her lap, how could she not serve her country behind enemy lines? Two men love her-one a Rebel, the other a Union General. Maddy's heart is pulled between wanting to be loyal to those who care for her and wanting to help the man she believes is on the right side of the conflict. Will her faith in God show her the way to a bright future, or will her choices bring a devastation of their own? (Historical Romance from Harvest House)

A Stranger On My Land by Sandra Merville Hart -- Carrie and her little brother, Jay, find a wounded soldier on their land after a battle which later became known as "The Battle Above the Clouds." Adam, a Union soldier, has been shot twice in the arm. Though Carrie is reluctant to take Adam to their cave where her family hides their livestock from both armies, she cannot turn her back on him. But her Aunt Lavinia, bitter over what Yankees have done to their land, urges Carrie to allow Adam to die. Carrie refuses, but cannot remove the bullets. Adam's friendship with Jay softens her heart toward him. Even though Carrie's father fights for the Confederacy in far-off Virginia, her feelings for the handsome young soldier begin to blossom into love. When Adam's condition worsens, Carrie knows a Union surgeon is needed to save his life. How can she accomplish this and keep her family's hiding place a secret? (Historical Romance from Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas)

Song of the Prairie by Vickie A. McDonough -- Janie Dunn's life changes when, at the request of her dying cousin, she flees with her cousin's newborn son to protect him from his abusive father. She moves to Kansas, but things take a dire change when her brother is killed. Is a marriage of convenience to kindhearted Aaron Harper the answer to her problems? Is Kansas far enough away from New York that they are safe from the baby's father? (Historical Romance from Whitaker House)

Romancing the Widow by Davalynn Spencer -- Martha Stanton isn't looking for love. The light went out of Martha's soul when her husband fell to a bullet in St. Louis. Now, back in her hometown of Canon City, she's convinced she'll never know happiness again. Until she crosses paths with a darkly mysterious Colorado Ranger. Haskell Jacobs has a mission. And the beautiful, flame-haired widow sure isn't it. But Martha is somehow mixed up in the crime that brought Haskell to the rough-and-tumble town...and soon, she's entangled in the lawman's heart. But the danger that lurks around them is all too real. Can they find strength and love in each other before it's too late? (Historical Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

In Perfect Time by Sarah Sundin -- World War II flight nurse Lt. Kay Jobson collects hearts wherever she flies, so how can C-47 pilot Lt. Roger Cooper be immune to her charms? Still, as they cross the skies between Italy and southern France, evacuating the wounded and delivering paratroopers and supplies, every beat of their hearts draws them closer to where they don't want to go. Can they confront the fears and misunderstandings in their pasts? (Historical Romance from Revell [Baker Publishing Group])

Miracle in a Dry Season by Sarah Loudin Thomas -- It's 1954 and Perla Long's arrival in the sleepy town of Wise, West Virginia, was supposed to go unnoticed. She just wants a quiet, safe place for her and her daughter, Sadie, where the mistakes of her past can stay hidden. But then drought comes to Wise, and Perla is pulled into the turmoil of a town desperately in need of a miracle. Casewell Phillips has resigned himself to life as a bachelor...until he meets Perla. She's everything he's sought in a woman, but he can't get past the sense that she's hiding something. As the drought worsens, Perla's unique gift divides the town in two, bringing both gratitude and condemnation, and placing the pair in the middle of a storm of anger and forgiveness, fear and faith. (Historical Romance from Bethany House [Baker Publishing Group])

The Wrangler's Inconvenient Wife by Lacy Williams -- With no family to watch over them, it's up to Fran Morris to take care of her younger sister, even if it means marrying a total stranger. Gruff, strong and silent, her new husband is a cowboy down to the bone. He wed Fran to protect her, not to love her, but her heart has never felt so vulnerable. Trail boss Edgar White already has all the responsibility he needs at his family's ranch in Bear Creek, Wyoming. He had intended to remain a bachelor forever, but he can't leave Fran and her sister in danger. And as they work on the trail together, Edgar starts to soften toward his unwanted wife. He already gave Fran his name...can he trust her with his heart? (Historical Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Sweet on the Cowgirl by Rose Ross Zediker -- Laura Barnes Wants to Be a Wild West show. But her father will only allow her to perform if she disguises herself as Mr. Buckskin Jones. When soda-pop king Guy Roberts shows up to do business with her family, Laura is torn between keeping her identity under wraps and revealing her growing feelings for Guy. Guy is drawn to Laura's poise and beauty, but he, too, guards a secret. As their affection for each other grows, Guy begins to think about a future that includes Laura. When both their secrets suddenly come to light, their romance will face the ultimate showdown. (Historical Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Middle Grade/Young Adult:

Speak No Evil by Mary L. Hamilton -- At 15, Taylor Dixon dreams of getting his driver's license and driving race cars when he's older. His sister, Marissa, is the only one who believes in his dream, but her adventurous spirit keeps landing him in trouble. Consequently, Dad won't let him get his license and predicts Taylor is heading for the same jail cell as his once-favored older brother. Taylor returns to Rustic Knoll Bible Camp expecting softball, swimming and sermons. Then he finds a classic Mustang in the camp's garage and jumps at the owner's invitation to help restore it. But when Marissa falls for his snobbish cabin mate, the war of words and pranks escalates until it threatens both the car and his dreams for the future. Will Taylor fulfill Dad's prediction and end up in jail? Or will he finally learn the Truth found in the old car's engine? (Middle Grade from HopeSprings Books)

Rebels (The Safe Lands) by Jill Williamson -- The Safe Lands have long kept the true meaning of Liberation secret from their people. But after being sentenced to Liberation themselves, Mason and Omar soon discover the truth. Levi watched his brothers' public sentencing and tries to hold out hope they are still alive, He is forced to focus his attention elsewhere, however, when his new wife, Jemma, is captured and made the Safe Lands' newest Queen. His only choice to save Jemma may be to take up Omar's old role of undercover vigilante, leading the rebels in their quest to overthrow the government. But will Levi's new role be enough? Meanwhile, Jemma's sister, Shaylinn, is ready to give birth to the "Safe Lands'" children … but not even Ciddah is sure they can be delivered safely in the midst of a rebellion. And Mason must face the fact Omar's illness could be fatal. If they can all unite their efforts, together they may be able to expose the Safe Lands' lies to the people. But if they fail, they will all surely die. (Young Adult from HarperCollins Christian Publishing [Thomas Nelson & Zondervan])

Thriller/Suspense:

Her Stolen Past by Lynette Eason -- When Sonya Daniels finds a kidnapped baby's birth certificate hidden in her late mother's home, she's shocked. What was her family's connection to the child, still missing for over two decades? And what happened to the little girl? Sonya hires detective Brandon Hayes to help her get to the truth. But someone doesn't want the truth to come out and will stop at nothing to keep them from investigating. Sonya knows the guarded cop won't rest until he unravels the mystery-but the answers could be more than she can bear alone. (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

A Cry from the Dust by Carrie Stuart Parks -- In the shadow of the Mormon church, a 19th-century conspiracy is about to be shattered by a 21st-century forensic artist. In 1857, a wagon train in Utah was assaulted by a group of militant Mormons calling themselves the Avenging Angels. One hundred and forty people were murdered, including unarmed men, women, and children. The Mountain Meadows Massacre remains controversial to this day-but the truth may be written on the skulls of the victims. When renowned forensic artist Gwen Marcey is recruited to reconstruct the faces of recently unearthed victims at Mountain Meadows, she isn't expecting more than an interesting gig . . . and a break from her own hectic life. But when Gwen stumbles on the ritualized murder of a young college student, her work on the massacre takes on a terrifying new aspect, and research quickly becomes a race against modern-day fundamentalist terror. Gwen finds herself in the crosshairs of a secret society bent on fulfilling prophecy and revenging old wrongs. Can a forensic artist reconstruct two centuries of suppressed history . . . before it repeats itself? (Thriller/Suspense from HarperCollins Christian Publishing [Thomas Nelson & Zondervan])

Operation Zulu Redemption: Hazardous Duty Pt 3 by Ronie Kendig -- After all the hits they've taken, it'd be easy to quit. But Annie, Teya, and Nuala didn't train so intensely to be part of the first all-female special ops team to let their enemy win. Now that the fight's been incited so fiercely with Jessie, Candice, and Keeley, the rest of Zulu won't go down without a fight. They'll find answers, justice, and vindication for that tragic night they were set up in Misrata. Or die trying. Sam Caliguari won't give up, either. Not even the thugs who steal him away from Manson in an effort to muzzle him will stop him from getting Annie out of trouble. Annie knows Sam will use every bit of his SEAL training to track her down, but she didn't expect the tangle of strong feelings she'd have for him and Trace. Teya never imagined the nightmare that would hit after crossing the deadly path of The Turk. What could he possibly want with her so specifically? And while Trace anticipates physical threats, he's also watching his back for the next political fallout, because Francesca Solomon is unyielding in her quest to bring him down. Will Zulu ever catch a break? (Military Suspense from Barbour Publishing)

Operation Zulu Redemption: Act of Treason Pt 4 by Ronie Kendig -- It's Zero hour for Zulu. They've been targeted, hunted, deceived, and betrayed. Zulu is crumbling in their pursuit of justice. Even rifts within the team are tearing them apart. In the shocking, explosive finale of Operation Zulu: Redemption, the team has one last plan to draw the enemy out and take them down-for good. But will it work? Who can they really trust? Ultimately, what price will justice demand? (Military Suspense from Barbour Publishing)

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Hazardous Duty - Order NOW!

Operation Zulu: Redemption
Hazardous Duty - Part 3!
Ronie Kendig
(Shiloh Run Press)
ASIN: B00KGMISE2
Aug 1, 2014/188 pages/$4.99
Part 3 of a Brand-new 5-part Serial Novel!
The odds are stacked against them, but Zulu refuses to surrender.

After all the hits they’ve taken, it’d be easy to quit. But Annie, Teya, and Nuala didn’t train so intensely to be part of the first all-female special ops team to let their enemy win. Now that the fight’s been incited so fiercely with Jessie, Candice, and Keeley, the rest of Zulu won’t go down without a fight. They’ll find answers, justice, and vindication for that tragic night they were set up in Misrata. Or die trying. Giving up isn’t in the bones of Sam Caliguari either—not even after thugs snatch him from Manson. He won’t be muzzled in his effort to get Annie out of trouble. Annie knows Sam will use every bit of his SEAL training to track her down, but she didn’t expect the tangle of strong feelings she’d have for him and Trace. Téya never imagined the nightmare that would hit after crossing the deadly path of The Turk. What could he possibly want with her so specifically?
And while Trace anticipates physical threats, he’s also watching his back for the next political fallout, because Francesca Solomon is unyielding in her quest to bring him down. Will Zulu ever catch a break?

MY THOUGHTS

Ronie Kendig continues to turn up the heat in the third installment of her four-week miltary suspense serialization. Just when it seems things might be turning a corner toward a resolution, another twist sends the story--and the reader's heart!--down another perilous and adrenaline-filled track. Danger appears at every turn and for some of the team, hearts and emotions are as much in jeopardy as their physical lives. Nothing is predictable or certain except for the realization that missing any of these episodes is a serious breach in conduct!


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this this e-book from Ronie Kendig and Barbour Publishing as part of a blog tour. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Click the links to read my reviews of the previously-released episodes:

Overkill: The Beginning
Collateral Damage - Part 1
Out of Nowhere - Part 2

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Operation Zulu: Hazardous Duty - SNEAK PEEK!

Do you Zulu?!?! Are you reading Ronie Kendig's serial e-novel, Operation Zulu: Redemption? If not, you are seriously missing out! Ronie is at the top of her game, and each episode gets better and better. The introduction/teaser, Overkill is FREE, so you have no excuse for not giving it a try.

Here are links to my reviews of the episodes released so far.

Overkill: The Beginning
Collateral Damage - Part 1
Out of Nowhere - Part 2

Ronie is giving us a sneak peak into Hazardous Duty - Part 3, which releases Friday, below. Brace yourselves, check out the exciting excerpt below, then RUSH to preorder!

Sam
Altitude: 34,000 feet
Unknown Date and Time
Cold steel bit into his wrists. Sam shifted where he sat—which is where, exactly?—and felt the cuffs make another greedy imprint on his arms. He gritted his teeth, noting the sound of chains scraping against metal. The vibrations worming through his entire body and the deafening roar of massive engines combined with the hollowing of his hearing warned him he was on a plane. In fact, his fourth one. If he’d been counting right.

Then again, could be the same plane, refueled and they’d placed him in different locations to confuse him. Aboard the first aircraft, he’d been strapped into a cushioned seat. They’d progressively gotten worse from there. Now, he’d been placed on a Globemaster in a strap seat on the uncomfortable-as-possible transport.

They’d cuffed him on scene, stuffed him in the SUV—but not before he spotted a glimpse out the heavily tinted windows of Solomon’s car hidden down the road. As soon as the door closed, he’d been hooded and taken to a chopper—a private one, he guessed—that ferried him to an airstrip. Nobody talked to him as they secured him into that first seat.

He knew two things from this little seek-and-find game: One, they didn’t want him knowing his location or destination. But this wasn’t the first time Sam had been a hostage. He had survival skills beyond most men, probably even more than those holding him. And two, patience would deliver him to whoever was behind this kidnapping. Patience would help him connect the dots of this incident to Ashland.

Ash. . .

Faced with the very real possibility of seeing her again, maybe even face-to-face, fear streaked through him. Stabbed his confidence. Mutilated his courage.

What if she didn’t want to see him again? What if she was some sick psycho who used men and loosed them?

Sam snorted and shook his head. She might’ve been able to hide her real name, but there was so much about Ashland she hadn’t been able to hide. The meticulous attention to detail that spoke of someone aware. . .very aware of her environment. Of threats. The hunger in her eyes for companionship and understanding. The way she responded to his kiss. That wasn’t faked, not simply because she’d kissed him back or how she’d done that. But because of the heat of passion in her face. That wasn’t something a person could fake.

Distinct and obvious, the descent pushed aggravation through his veins. Would this stop be one of many more? He’d tolerated a lot already but his fuse wasn’t endless.

Tires screeched against the tarmac, jolting him forward as the engines and the reverse thrusters slowed the aircraft.

Ashland, sure hope you’re at the end of this journey.

Join the community at TeamZulu.com to learn more, interact with Ronie Kendig, and be a part of this mission!

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Full Steam Ahead - An Interview with the Author

Full Steam Ahead
Karen Witemeyer
(Bethany House)
ISBN: 978-0764209673
June 2014/352 pages/$14.99
When love simmers between a reclusive scientist and a wealthy debutante, will they abandon ship or is it full steam ahead?

Nicole Renard returns home to Galveston, Texas, to find her father deathly ill. Though she loves him, Nicole's father has always focused on what she's not. Not male. Not married. Not able to run Renard Shipping.

Vowing to find a suitable husband to give her father the heir he desires before it's too late, Nicole sets out with the Renard family's greatest treasure as her dowry: the highly coveted Lafitte Dagger. But her father's rivals come after the dagger, forcing a change in Nicole's plans.

After a boiler explosion aboard the Louisiana nearly took his life, Darius Thornton has been a man obsessed. He will do anything to stop even one more steamship disaster. Even if it means letting a female secretary into his secluded world.

Nicole is determined not to let her odd employer scare her off with his explosive experiments, yet when respect and mutual attraction grow between them, a new fear arises. How can she acquire an heir for her father when her heart belongs to another? And when her father's rivals discover her hiding place, will she have to choose between that love and her family's legacy?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Photo courtesy of
Amber Gilbert

Two-time RITA finalist and winner of the coveted HOLT Medallion and ACFW Carol Award, CBA bestselling author Karen Witemeyer writes historical romance because she believes that the world needs more happily-ever-afters. She is an avid cross-stitcher, shower singer, and bakes a mean apple cobbler. Karen makes her home in Abilene, Texas, with her husband and three children. Learn more about Karen and her books at www.karenwitemeyer.com and connect with her on Facebook.

MY THOUGHTS

Karen Witemeyer writes such fun stories, and this one is no exception. I loved the connection to Galveston and was fascinated to discover there were steamships in Texas! Clever character development and verbal sparring between Nicole and Darius sparked plenty of chuckles as I read. On the flip side, the issues burdening their hearts are as relevant today as they were in the 1850's and added depth to the story. Witemeyer deftly weaves a thread of faith throughout, making this both an enjoyable and inspiring novel.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this this book from Baker/Bethany House Publishing as part of a blog tour. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”


INTERVIEW WITH KAREN WITEMEYER

I was thrilled to have the opportunity to interview Karen Witemeyer back in June when I was in Atlanta for ICRS. What a delight she is! We had such fun chatting together about this book and her writing. In fact, I had so much fun talking to her that I forgot to take her picture! Here is my interview:

Congratulations on your Christy nomination for Stealing the Preacher! I love your books, and they always have the cutest covers!

Thank you! They have really done a good job for me. I've been very pleased!

They're fun stories with great characters. Your brand-new release is Full Steam Ahead, which is wonderful. Tell the readers about that.

It is a bit of a different time period for me. I'm usually in the 1880's. That's kind of my decade of choice. This time, however, I went back to the early 1850's. The reason is, when i was brain-storming ideas, I thought, "I want something explosive. I want explosions!" So I had to figure out what I was going to do to make explosions work in my plotline. At first I thought that maybe I'd have a hero who was a chemist who would have lab explosions and chemical things. But it's so long since I studied chemistry that it scared me to death to even try to research and understand what I'm researching. So I started doing some more research, and I remembered the steam engines and how fickle they were, especially in the early days and started researching steamboats. I found some great information on actual explosions that took hundreds of lives. It was really devastating because so many lives were lost to something that they didn't understand. Basically, the technology advanced before their understanding of it did. They knew it worked, so they used it but they didn't really understand how to make it safe or how to keep these explosions from happening. I kind of wanted a "mad scientist" type as my hero, so that's where I was going with this.

I put my hero on an actual steamboat that exploded in New Orleans. He was devastated by this event because he saw firsthand all these people who died, and some of them died pretty brutally and in rather ugly ways since the explosion was so massive. I found firsthand accounts of the event and played off of that in describing it.

Was it on the Mississippi?

Yes, on the Mississippi, down in the harbor of New Orleans. Basically, just as they pulled away from the levee, it exploded. It wasn't like it was a steamboat that was trying to push too fast or anything like that. There were a lot of different reasons why the steamboats exploded. It wasn't all just negligence or faulty equipment. My hero became obsessed with trying to figure out how to make this technology safer so no more lives would be taken by this. He carries a lot of guilt about a child he was unsuccessful in saving after the explosion, and that's where his obsession comes from.

Because all of my stories are set in Texas, I wondered if it was realistic to have steamboats in Texas. As it turns out, there were a lot of steamboats, especially around Galveston and going up the Trinity River. So my heroine is from Galveston, and she is the daughter of a shipping magnate who is in failing health. He doesn't have a son to carry on the business, and even though she is capable of carrying on the business, in the 1850's, there is no one who would take her seriously as the head of this company. She has to set out to find the next best thing to a son, which is a son-in-law. Her dowry is a pirate dagger that was bequeathed to her family from Jean Lafitte, who was a famous pirate out of Galveston. I have a bit of the pirate angle going with the heroine. She keeps the pirate dagger strapped to her side and has some skills in that area. It is believed that the dagger is what makes their business successful; whoever owns the dagger will be successful, and a competitor is after the dagger. She takes the dagger with her to spare her family from being in danger from the competitors. She planned to go to New Orleans, where her family has business connections, to find a husband, but to elude the competitor following her, she goes up the Trinity River and stops in Liberty, where my hero is conducting his experiments.

She's out of funds and finds work as his secretary since no one else will work for him because of all the explosions he makes in his experiments. So that's how they meet and the story unfolds from there.

That is fascinating. I never knew about the steamboats in Texas! And I loved the pirate angle. I've been trying to convince Mary Lu Tyndall to write a book set in Galveston!

That would be neat! It's not a major part but it's some back story that adds some flavor. It's a lot of fun.

Of course, since I'm from Texas, I love books set anywhere in the state, but Galveston is my kids' favorite place to go on vacation and not because of the beach. It has so many other places and history that we love to explore. It's fun to read a book that has a connection there.

I didn't get to go in person but I found some great pictures of historic homes that were built around the same time that my heroine's family would have been building houses. And I found a map of Galveston from 1848, I think, so I could see exactly where all the streets were and where all my fictional houses would be. It was really a lot of fun.

Did you grow up in Texas?

No, I grew up in California but came to Texas to go to Abilene Christian University. I met my husband in college and stayed! We both work at ACU. I work as a testing coordinator. I give ACT's and CLEP tests, stuff like that, as my day job. (She laughs.) That's a very left-brain job and then writing is right-brain!

I'm amazed at authors like you that have full-time jobs and manage to write as well!

And I have three kids at home, too! That's why I only get out one book a year.

Tell me about your kids.

My oldest is a daughter. She just turned sixteen, so we're working on the whole driver's license thing; that's fun! Then I've got two boys, fourteen and twelve. They keep me hopping!

What are you working on next?

There will be a follow-up novella to Full Steam Ahead. One of the characters is a runaway boy who is sort of adopted by the hero and heroine during the course of the story. I wrote a novella that will feature him once he's all grown up and he's finally, after seventeen years, going back to the home that he ran away from, facing his past. Of course, he finds love on the way. That will release on February 3, 2015 and is called Love on the Mend. It will just be in e-book format for now.

That seems to be a trend now, to put out novellas and e-books.

Yes, and because I only put out one book a year, that's a long time for readers to wait to see something from me. I'm trying to find new ways to get more content out there. Last year I wrote a novella for my last Archer brother and put it in a compilation with Mary Connealy, Regina Jennings, and Carol Cox called A Match Made in Texas that came out in January. We're trying that again with this novella, only it will just be a single release on my own. We're just playing with it to see if it's something that's marketable. If it is, then maybe it's something that can continue. I can find a way to squeeze in a novella in my year's worth of writing, but there's no way I can write two full-length books in one year. I'm trying to find new ways to stay in touch with readers and give them new content and make them hungry for more so they don't forget me over the course of the year!

Then my next full-length book will come out around the same time period, early summer, in 2015. It's called A Worthy Pursuit. I'm still writing it. It's due on August 15. It's set in 1891 in Texas, of course!

It's interesting that you love writing books set in Texas so much since you are originally from California. Not that I'm complaining!

Well, it's home. I've lived in Texas now longer than I lived in California. And since I live here, it's easy to research and access. Also, it is so varied. You can get the ocean, the forest, the desert, everything in Texas. I've tried to move my stories around geographically within Texas to give it a different feel. This next one will have a bounty hunter who is going after what he believes to be a kidnapped child, and the teacher who took the child – to protect her from her grandfather – has three children with her who are all child prodigies in some way. They all have different gifts, so that's fun to make it unique. Over the course of the story, each of the children's gifts come into play in the plot.

Where do you get your ideas for your stories?

All different kinds of places! I love to read, and I probably get most of my inspiration from things that I read. Sometimes movies and TV play into it, too. Before I ever started writing, I was a historical romance reader. That was all I read. I never read contemporary. Historical romance was my genre and I loved it. I'm still that way. Some people say, if you write in the genre, you shouldn't read in that genre. I'm the exact opposite. I want to be so absorbed in the genre that it's just natural and flows. So I get ideas from different authors. I take something from here, something there, twist it and make it something completely different.

Do you read just Christian authors or do you read general market as well?

I read both. In fact, Short Straw Bride, with my first Archer brother, kind of had two main inspirations. One was the musical Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Then Jodi Thomas, who is also a Texas author who writes for the general market, has a similar set of books with a set of brothers who are somewhat reclusive and that kind of spawned an idea for me. I took those two inspirations and mixed them up and made something totally new.

Do you plan everything out or do you have just the basics and see where the story takes you?

I'm kind of a combo. I don't write out a synopsis for every chapter or anything like that. Of course, I have to write a synopsis for my publisher before they'll sign a contract. I need to know the basic story problem and how my hero and heroine are going to meet. I usually know two or three big events that are going to happen in the plotline and how the happy ending is going to work out. Part of that is research, like with the steamboats. If I want explosions, how am I going to get explosions? Once I have those pillars of the story, I just start writing. I have my road map, but sometimes it may get a little wavy between Point A and Point B.

Do your characters ever do things that surprise you?

Every once in a while, but I'm a pretty strict taskmaster. I like to keep them on task and on track. Sometimes they'll say things I don't expect or will move the story in a tiny detour and then come back. I let them have a little bit of leeway, but I don't let them go too crazy. I'm too much of a control freak!

I'm also one of those strange authors that likes to edit as I go. I don't have a big session of writing creatively and then going back to layer and fix it. I'm a perfectionist. It has to be polished as I go through it. So I pretty much write one draft, but it's a very polished draft. I send each chapter to my critique partners, so I polish it as I go. So when it's The End, it's the end, and I turn it in. Of course, I get my editorial feedback and go back and make changes based on that but for the most part, it's a very slow first draft, but it's the only draft. I'm odd. I think I'm in the low percentage of authors that do it that way!

Yes, most authors I've talked to just want to get something on the page and then go back and fix it.

Right. But my bent is more editorial than it is creative. The creative part is really hard for me. I put in all that energy at the beginning so I know what the story is going to entail and what direction it's going to go. Once I have that outline, my editor comes out and says, "Okay, I want to play! And I want to fix it and make it perfect before we go on to the next thing." I guess I have to keep both sides of the brain happy as I go through because my editor will not be quiet!

Oh, I can see that I would be that way, too. I'm such a grammar geek and continuity person. It would drive me nuts to misspell a word and not fix it.

I've got enough of a perfectionist streak in me that I can't move on until it's taken care of. If I can't find the right word, I will sit there and work on that word until it comes to me, and then I'll move on!

Do you hear the voices in your head or see it playing out like a movie?

I would say I'm more visual. I'll see it as a movie, and that's how I try to describe it: as I see it. If I can't figure out where he's standing – and it might not be anything that's on the page – I have to visualize it to make sure he can actually use that hand to do that or whatever I'm writing.

You are plenty busy with working and family and writing. If you ever do have spare time, how do you like to spend it?

Besides reading, my next favorite hobby is counted cross-stitching. I really enjoy that. I don't do it as often as I would like because, obviously, time is an issue. And sometimes I get in reading mode where that's all I want to do when I have free time. Other times, I'll be ready to take a break from reading and I'll cross-stitch while we watch TV. My husband loves to watch Texas Rangers baseball, and I like it fine but I'm not riveted, so that's a perfect time to get out the cross-stitching.

What has been the best thing about your writing journey?

My favorite thing of all is hearing from readers and seeing what God can do through my story. I will probably never meet these people in person but God can do wonderful things even through simple, lighthearted stories. My books have been translated into Dutch and German; I've even had a couple in Romanian. To hear from people all the way across the world tell me they loved my books and why and how it impacted them, it just blows my mind to think that someone has read my book and has become closer to God because of it.

Tell me more about that. Your books are definitely more lighthearted, as you say, rather than issue driven. Faith is more subtle.

It is. My approach to Christian fiction is that I write what I would like to read. Because I've been a Christian for many, many years, the characters I most relate to are characters who are already Christians. What I have my characters deal with is not so much the "finding Jesus" as the day-to-day reconnecting, and learning how to deal with things that weigh on them. For example, in Full Steam Ahead, the hero has had guilt just weighing on him for nearly two years, and he's trying to atone himself by finding these new safeguards. That's his way of trying to redeem his failure. It takes the heroine coming in and seeing things from a different perspective to say, "You can't redeem your failure. Only Jesus can do that for you." Those kind of moments. I know the things that I struggle with. You will see worry a lot as a theme in my books because that's something that women deal with a lot, as well as anxiety about the future. Because I experience that myself, I let my characters deal with it, and hopefully letting them find peace helps me and helps others find peace and trust and surrender. That's my faith message. These are established believers dealing with everyday life and stuff that happens, just like we do. How do we find Jesus in the midst of all that? How do we remember to lean on Him? And sometimes, how do we lean on each other when it's hard to ask for help? At the same time, while my faith message is subtle, you will find overt places where the characters are going to the Bible and finding wisdom there instead of feelings. I incorporate Scripture into my stories as well. So that's my angle.

I love it. Thank you so much for taking the time to talk with me! It's so much fun to meet you!

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The Butterfly and the Violin-Don't Miss it!

The Butterfly and the Violin
(A Hidden Masterpiece Novel, Book 1)
Kristy Cambron
(Thomas Nelson)
ISBN: 978-1401690595
July 2014/336 pages/$15.99
A mysterious painting breathes hope and beauty into the darkest corners of Auschwitz—and the loneliest hearts of Manhattan.

Manhattan art dealer Sera James watched her world crumble at the altar two years ago, and her heart is still fragile. Her desire for distraction reignites a passion for a mysterious portrait she first saw as a young girl—a painting of a young violinist with piercing blue eyes.

In her search for the painting, Sera crosses paths with William Hanover, the grandson of a wealthy California real estate mogul, who may be the key to uncovering the hidden masterpiece. Together, Sera and William slowly unravel the story behind the painting’s subject: Austrian violinist Adele Von Bron.

A darling of the Austrian aristocracy, talented violinist, and daughter to a high-ranking member of the Third Reich, Adele risks everything when she begins smuggling Jews out of Vienna. In a heartbeat, her life of prosperity and privilege dissolves into a world of starvation and barbed wire.

As Sera untangles the secrets behind the painting, she finds beauty in the most unlikely of places: in the grim camps of Auschwitz and in the inner recesses of her own troubled heart.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kristy Cambron has been fascinated with the WWII era since hearing her grandfather’s stories of the war. She holds an art history degree from Indiana University and received the Outstanding Art History Student Award. Kristy writes WWII and Regency era fiction and has placed first in the 2013 NTRWA Great Expectations and 2012 FCRW Beacon contests, and is a 2013 Laurie finalist. Kristy makes her home in Indiana with her husband and three football-loving sons.

Find out more about Kristy at http://kristycambron.com.


MY THOUGHTS

This is an incredible book, and even more so considering that it's a debut novel. Cambron has crafted a beautiful story about an aspect of World War II and Auschwitz that was completely unknown to me. Intertwined contemporary and historical threads blend to form a masterpiece that juxtaposes privilege and privation, hope and despair, freedom and fences. Meticulously researched and rife with emotion (though at times a bit difficult to read due to the anguish that rises from the pages), The Butterfly and the Violin reminds us that worship and beauty can and do rise from the darkest of places. Worth every ache and tear shed while experiencing this gem of a novel, this is a must-read, and I fully expect to see it gracing award lists next year.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book from Thomas Nelson & Litfuse Publicity as part of a blog tour. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”



Welcome to the launch campaign for debut novelist Kristy Cambron's The Butterfly and the Violin.
Romantic Times had this to say: "Alternating points of view skillfully blend contemporary and historical fiction in this debut novel that is almost impossible to put down. Well-researched yet heartbreaking. . . ."

Kristy is celebrating the release of the first book in her series, A Hidden Masterpiece, with a fun Kindle Fire giveaway and meeting her readers during an August 7th Facebook author chat party.

 One winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• The Butterfly and the Violin by Kristy Cambron

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on August 7th. Winner will be announced at The Butterfly and the Violin Author Chat Party. Kristy will be connecting with readers and answering questions, sharing some of the fascinating research behind the book, hosting a fun book chat, and giving away some GREAT prizes. She will also be giving an exclusive look at the next book in the series, A Sparrow in Terezin!

So grab your copy of The Butterfly and the Violin and join Kristy on the evening of August 7th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via 
FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.
Hope to see you on the 7th!

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