GIVEAWAY and Deanna's Review of The Widow's Captive. A Christmas novella by Lucette Nel.

Want to win a copy of Lucette Nel's The Widow's Captive?Leave a comment below to enter!

The Widow’s Captive is an adorable story about a woman on the run with two kids in tow. Not to mention the bun cooking in the oven. Someone’s after her, and the weather outside is frightful. It’s no wonder she takes refuge in an ‘abandoned’ cabin. 

Buy The Widow's Captive by Lucette Nel on Amazon. ONLY $0.99, right now!

When the unsuspecting sheriff arrives, Adeline Spencer gives him a piece of her mind, with a skillet to his head. Who could this guy be? Surely he’s in cahoots with the man who’s after her. Soon, Adeline’s got him hogtied. She’d rather push him out the door, but she can’t let him freeze to death outside.

Once he regains consciousness, there is lovely tension, humor, and a lot of back and forth between the protagonists.

Will Adeline have her baby during the storm of the century? And without a midwife around will Jonah the sheriff be competent enough to help? Will Ward, the man out to get her, find them at the worst possible time? And will the spark grow between Adeline and Jonah, or be extinguished by the unending snow and stress of being housebound before it can barely stoke a flame?

Lucette Nel’s writing is witty, intelligent and fun. An excellent writer, this debut author takes the inspirational historical genre by storm. Literally, a snow storm. I highly encourage you to try this entertaining holiday read. With a smidgen of romance, a touch of laughter, and a bundle of faith and fun, this story will warm your hearts just in time for the Christmas season.

Don't forget to leave a comment below to enter in the giveaway of Lucette Nel's The Widow's Captive. Tell us your favorite thing about the Christmas season.

Book Review: Zombie Takeover by Michele Israel Harper

I've been known to indulge in zombie entertainment once or twice. It's true. I admit it. I succumbed to curiosity when the whole world would not shut up about this show called, "The Walking Dead." I may have seen an episode, just to see what all the hype was about.

Or.........I may have binge-watched the first four seasons because I was late to the party, and now I may be eagerly, shamelessly, breathlessly waiting with the rest of the world to find out who Neagan killed (I think it's Eugene. Who do you think it was? And don't you dare say Glenn. Don't. You. Dare.).

photo credit: vanity fair

I like riveting television, okay? I want to be engaged with pop-culture. An apocalyptic epidemic resulting in a massive zombie takeover is a fascinating and mind-bending thing to think about. And it's darn good writing, if you can stomach it.

The problem is, many Christians can't. It crosses too many lines for them. When the living become more wicked and fearsome than the dead, it ceases to be entertaining.

With Zombie Takeover, author Michele Israel Harper gives people of faith an avenue to zombie entertainment. Readers will have the freedom indulge their love of zombie culture without violating their conscience with cursing, murder, or sex. 

Her characters show godly compassion to one another, selflessness, and--yes!--even purity. The heroine prays. She listens to God as if He is still active in this world, which has been taken over by zombies. But as dire as the world is, Harper keeps the 1st person narrative light, and even laugh-out-loud funny in parts. 


Candace Marshall is a fresh and welcome heroine for readers who have grown weary of the brooding, dark, and masculine female leads so prevalent in pop-culture today. She's humble, and doesn't take herself too seriously. She's clutzy, socially awkward, needs rescuing every once in a while, and she has a wonderful, compassionate, and even maternal heart.

Better than that, she stands up for her convictions. Her love interest, the swoon-worthy Gavin, responds just the way every young romantic reader hopes he will. He is chivalrous, amorous, and a true gentleman.

The action begins on page one, and good pacing carries the heroine through obstacle after obstacle. Readers will also stay engaged with a believable romance between a sweet couple they can't help but root for.

Readers may think they've got it figured out, but I promise there will be some head-scratching along the way! 

Worry not, zombie lovers, the gore is present, but palatable.

At just $1.99 for pre-order on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, ibooks, and Kobo it's a steal, and a worthy, entertaining, lighthearted read. Support this amazing and talented author, and don't forget to leave a review on her Goodreads page.


Michele Israel Harper spends her days as a stay–at-home mom and her nights typing away furiously on her laptop. Sleep? Sometimes… A member of the Heartland Christian Writers, American Christian Fiction Writers, as well as the treasurer for the Indiana chapter of ACFW, Michele has her bachelor’s degree in History and can most often be found with her nose in a book when not chasing her two rambunctious boys or cuddling her new baby daughter. Visit her website at http://www.MicheleIsraelHarper.com to learn more about her.


You can meet her virtually at her Facebook launch party this Thursday.  Never been to a Facebook party before? It's easy! Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/704667613005619/. Click that you're either "interested" or "going." Show up at the page the day of the event (July 14th between 7-10pm--Facebook will send you a reminder) and comment on ANY picture to enter the giveaways of your choosing. Winners will be chosen and notified, and the post office will never go out of business with the number of prizes being mailed. She's giving away roughly 50 books!

Want to know more about Zombie Takeover?

Check out this blog post yesterday from a reviewer who hates zombies but loved the book!

And Michele is blogging tomorrow because it's RELEASE DAY! How exciting! You don't want to miss it.

Sarah Monzon's Finders Keepers ~ GIVEAWAY

I had the opportunity to interview Sarah Monzon, bestselling author of The Isaac Project. She recently released her second novel, Finders Keepers (A Carrington Family Novel, Book 1) Trent Carrington and Summer Arnet stopped by too! =)

Sarah, we are delighted to have you, and congratulations on your second novel, Finders Keepers. Let's get started on those questions, shall we?

Lucy:     This is your second novel, would you mind telling us if publishing Finders Keepers was any different from publishing The Isaac Project? Was it easier? Any nerve-wrecking, nail biting experiences?

Sarah:            It was definitely different. Some aspects were harder and some were easier. The nausea induced from releasing the books into the big, wide world was the same for both, however. Worrying about how my baby was going to be received. Worrying if readers will love and relate to the characters, if they will be gripped by the story. I’m one hot mess of vulnerability.

           

Lucy:         We all need a hero! Tell us about Trent? Was there a real-life inspiration behind him?

Sarah:           Oh, Trent. Where do I even begin? He’s a heart stopper, that one. He has a laid-back, devil-may-care air about him with a hint of danger and adventure. His too-long hair, tattoo, leather jacket, and Harley encompasses his bad-boy, ladies’-man persona. Although he was raised in a Christian home, tragedy from his childhood has rocked his faith.

            Was there a real-life inspiration for Trent? No, not really. Although when I was writing a lot of the scenes between him and Summer, especially his flirtatious bantering, I would ask myself, “What would Jose have said?” (Jose is my husband and he was a HUGE flirt/ladies’-man when I first met him).

Lucy:        We love a heroine we can relate to! Any real-life inspiration behind Summer?

Sarah:           I think every character has a bit of me in them. Summer has a bit more than most. I don’t outline or have a complete story in mind as I write, it just comes as the story develops, so I was surprised when Summer was telling me her story (yes, my characters speak to me…don’t call the crazy house!).  I was surprised because Summer’s story is so similar to my own. Summer was conceived from a one-night stand and raised by an amazing single mom. She was grew-up with a daddy-sized whole in her life and that shaped a lot of decisions she made. For me, I was conceived from an affair my mom had when she was separated from a bad marriage (God’s grace from a mistake is what my mama calls me), and then raised me and my older brother by herself. While I at times yearned for that father-figure, I always knew I had a Heavenly Father who loved me and could literally feel his arms wrap around me in times of need and pain.

Lucy:         What was your favorite part to write and why?

Sarah:            Can I say all of it? Is that a cop-out? It’s true though. I had so much fun with Summer and Trent and their bantering. On the flip side, Isabella’s story is full of adventure and fast-paced and action-packed.

Lucy:         You obviously did a lot of research, anything interesting you want to share?

Sarah:           Google and YouTube are life savers. Seriously. I can’t imagine writing a book without those resources at my fingertips.

Lucy:        Is there a message in your novel that you hope readers will grasp?

Sarah:            God is your father. He has adopted you into His family. He loves you and He wants to call you son/daughter.

Lucy:         What are your future projects?

Sarah:            Finders Keepers is the first in a four book series. Each book in the series will feature on of the Carrington siblings. The next story, All of You, will feature Michael Carrington.

Hi Trent, so happy to have you here on our blog.

You’re a modern treasure hunter, any misconceptions you

want to clear about your career?

First and foremost, I am not a pirate. No matter how many times Summer says otherwise. No one benefits from artifacts that are hidden away. I find the treasure and people can learn more about past cultures and history. It doesn’t hurt if the finds line my pockets.

2.    Why did you choose your career?

I’ve always been interested in history and inspired by men like Ponce de Leon. Men who weren’t afraid to push boundaries, have adventures, and discover new worlds. Plus, it helps that I have won every scavenger hunt I’ve ever participated in. Drove my sibling crazy growing up.

3.    What’s been your favorite travel destination?

      I have a keen fondness for the Bahamas. I don’t kiss and tell.. oh, who am I kidding? The tropical moon is part particularly magic to steal a few kisses under.

4.    Are you an adrenaline junkie / daredevil?

I like to live life to the fullest. I work hard, play hard, and love hard. I don’t think that makes me a daredevil, do you?

5.    What do you like to do in your spare time? With whom? Trent your Harley doesn’t count ;)

I’ve been doing a whole lot more scuba diving than I ever have in the past. And I think you can guess with whom. ;)

6.   Are you in love with Summer Arnet?
      Does the sun rise in the east and set in the west? Does the moon control the tides?

7.    What does God mean to you?

Summer has come to show me that God is my heavenly Father. I’ve heard that phrase my whole life, and I used to roll my eyes whenever I heard my parents say it, but it’s true. I still have a long way to go, but instead of blaming God for some unfortunate events, I’m learning to trust Him.

And now, Summer's turn! (You look a little worried, Trent? Hehehe)

Summer, I’m so glad you agreed to this interview!

What are you most proud of about your life, personal and professional.

I must say I was fairly bursting with excitement to finally see my name with the photo credit in Our World. Years of hard work and dreaming finally paid off. Of course Trent’s sunken ship didn’t hurt either. Tabitha Michael’s really loved those pictures.

When you wake up in the morning, what’s the first thing you do?

Coffee. Must. Have. Coffee. I cannot function without it. Seriously. Don’t even try to talk to me before that first cup.

You’re taking a road trip – what music do you listen to?

Summer: I love some Adele and Michael Buble. Don’t judge.

What makes you angry?

Injustice. Human trafficking. Racism. Political corruption. Bullying. Child hunger. Oh, was I only supposed to pick one thing? I could go on and on.

Do you have any physical insecurities?

I never liked all my freckles. It’s a common companion to the red hair, but I always wished I had a less speckled complexion.

What was the first thing you noticed (physically) of Trent? (Heheheheheh)

Ugh. Is Trent around here anywhere? His ego is big enough as it is without hearing us dish about him. I can already picture his self-confident smirk. Oh well, he already knows when I first saw him I thought he resembled a Norse god. Let that one slip one time and he never lets me forget it.

What does God mean to you?

Because of my personal history, growing up without a dad in my life, the role of God as my father really resonates with me. After yearning all my life for that father figure, to finally have found one in the Creator…I’m sorry, can I have a tissue? *sniff*

 About the book:

​"1698, Spain The same evil that stole her mother’s life stalks Isabella Castellano. Afraid for her safety and with no one to help her, Isabella disguises herself as a cabin boy and hires on to one of His Majesty’s treasure fleet vessels. But has her flight from a known threat only led her to be ensnared in a sea of dangers? Present Day, Florida Summer Arnet will go anywhere to capture the perfect shot that will get her marine photography noticed by the prestigious natural magazine, Our World—even diving in waters haunted by Great White sharks. When a treasure hunter with a ladies’ man reputation approaches her about a sunken ship at one of her past dive locations, it might be the chance she’s been looking for to launch her career…if his charming smile doesn’t derail her first.

A past tragedy has left a hole in Trent Carrington’s life—a hole he’s tried to fill with women, money, and adventure. Could the feisty marine photographer be the missing piece or will Trent finally accept that the treasure he seeks can’t be found where rust and moths destroy? Three lives. Three hundred years. One ship that ties them together." 

Author Bio:

Sarah Monzon is a pastor’s wife and a stay at home mom to the two cutest littles in the world.  Playing pretend all day with them isn’t enough, she spends the evenings after their heads hit the pillow to create her own imaginary characters.  When she isn’t in the world of make believe, she can be found in a small desert town in central Washington taking care of her family, fostering friendships, and enjoying all the adventures each day brings.

Want to win a Kindle version of Sarah's novel? Of course you do!

All you have to do is leave a comment, with your email address to stand a chance.

Winner will be notified via email on June 18th.

Be blessed

~Lucy

To avoid spam, please leave your email in the following format : Name(at)gmail(dot)com

Heather Frey Blanton author of Hang your heart on Christmas visits Quills and Inkblotts

Welcome all!

Today I’m very fortunate to be interviewing Heather Frey Blanton.  

She’s the author of A lady in Defiance, Hearts in Defiance, In time for Christmas and Grace be a lady. *All of her titles are available at Amazon.*

Heather writes wonderful Christian Western Romances about strong pioneer women and men. If you love historical romances as much as I do, you will love her stories.

Recently, she released Hang your heart on Christmas.

Hi Heather, welcome to Quills and Inkblotts. We are delighted to have you at our little corner on the web.

Please tell us a little about you?  I live on a farm outside of Raleigh, NC with my three boys, 12, 15, and 54 (come on, you know what I’m talking about with that last one). We ride and shoot together just like every family oughta. If you like Duck Dynasty, you’d like us. We’re down home.

                        

I am a freak about history; can’t get enough of it. I have a journalism background and love to research. I’ve walked parts of the Oregon Trail, climbed to the top of Independence Rock, and held an outlaw’s note in my hand. Now that’s living!

Favorite scripture and why?  God works all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 When my first book was rejected by a major Christian publisher – well, let’s just say I’m sure I’ve been punched in the gut harder but can’t remember when. It could have taken the wind out of my sails, but I knew God had a plan. I hung on to that thought and that scripture.

When did you decide to become a writer?  Oddly, I’m not sure it was ever a conscious decision. I am the youngest of six kids and my siblings were always busy, so I occupied myself with writing and drawing. I often wrote stories so I could keep a TV showing going (in my head) that I didn’t want to end. Just because the credits were rolling didn’t mean I had to say goodnight to the Hardy Boys. I had the biggest crush on Parker Stevenson!

What is the hardest thing about writing?  Getting to know my characters deeply and intimately. But once I’m there, writing their stories flows like water!

What is the easiest thing about writing?  Choosing my setting. For some reason, bam! I just always know it. Sometimes the decade can give me problems, but the geographic locations call to me for each story!

Are you a plotter or a panster?  I started out as a pantser. I built my first novel entirely around one scene and then just let the story unfold. That’s not a bad way to write, but I wind up cutting a lot of scenes. While they may help me get to know my characters, ultimately, if a scene doesn’t move a story forward, out it goes. With my last two books, however, I’ve done a lot of outlining and writing in my head. What I mean is, I do a lot of writing in my head (which is pantsing, basically), but then I transfer that “day dreaming” to beats, which help create the outline. Gee, I think that actually makes me a plotster.

You're a traditionally published author as well as an Indie author.  What would you say are the main advantages and disadvantages of self-publishing?  In February of 2012, I asked my agent if I could self-publish A Lady in Defiance; I wanted to sell two hundred copies for my Relay for Life team. By May, I had sold nearly three thousand copies! Well, ironically, at the same time, my book had made it all the way to the fabled “contract meeting” at a MAJOR Christian publisher. They passed on me because the sales team said my sales projections were too low. Imagine the publisher’s surprise when A Lady went on to sell eight thousand copies that year! I saved my money, quit my job, and started writing full-time a year later. To date, A Lady in Defiance has sold over thirty thousand copies, gathered 406 reviews, and earned 4.7 star`s on Amazon!

Since 2012, I’ve released three novels, two novellas, and been published in three collections. It takes a single traditionally published book sixteen months on average to see its release date.

If I had gone the traditional route with my first book, my advance would have only been around $7-10,000. So I would have had to keep my job and write in my spare time, while trying to market the book, raise a family, clean the house, and be a good wife. All while making less money per book. I didn’t care for that scenario so I released my agent and self-published Hearts in Defiance in September of 2014.

Praise the Lord, things have worked out for me.

But there is a very definite downside of being an indy author. Namely, you do everything yourself. You write the stories, hire editors and cover designers, plan the marketing, audition narrators for your audio books, develop the marketing plan, etc. Indy authors don’t generally command big bucks for their books, either. Most of us sell our stories for .99 to $2.99. Lastly, it is nearly impossible to get book stores to carry an indy author’s books, for a myriad of reasons.

The cover of Hang your heart on Christmas is gorgeous. Who designed your book cover?  Roseanna White is not only a fabulous designer, she is an author for Bethany House. I think her skills on both fronts are exceptional.

You’ve crafted some fine, well developed male hero’s in your stories. Dent Hernandez and Charles McIntyre are definitely my favorites. Do you have a favorite? (I promise I won’t tell Dent if it’s not him.)  Oh, I adore Charles McIntyre. He is a man who is trying to leave behind a dark past and walk in the light. He wants to surrender everything to God, but relinquishing control doesn’t come naturally and he struggles to find his way. He’s hard on himself for his failures, yet loves his family unconditionally. He’s so flawed, yet that gives me, as a writer, the chance to show God’s strengths in those vulnerable, human weaknesses. But I love all my leading men for various reasons.

In your latest release, you introduce readers to U.S. Marshal Dent Hernandez and schoolteacher Amy Tatee. What inspired you to pair Dent with Amy? Give us an insight into Amy and Dent? What makes them work as a couple?  Amy brings out Dent’s natural desire to serve and protect. That’s what makes him such a great lawman and lover. But he struggles with changing paths, letting go of his plans. Amy is a strong woman but not one of those annoyingly harpy characters that’s over the top. She accepts her femininity and is willing to cry in his arms. That doesn’t make her weak or fragile. I love that.

What came first to you when you started Hang your heart on Christmas?

Character, plot or setting?  Definitely the plot on this one. I wanted a hero who was keeping a secret and when it was revealed, the heroine was going to have to make a hard choice about their relationship. It’s so funny how characters “come to life.” In the end, BOTH Amy and Dent were grappling with right and wrong, duty and honor, standing or running.

Are you working on something at the moment?  I am currently working on Book 3 in my Defiance series. I expect that A Promise in Defiance will be out in late winter 2016. We’ll see. I also have a script that I wrote for A Lady in Defiance and a Hollywood agent is perusing it as I write this! That’s pretty exciting! I hope one day you’ll see A Lady on the Hallmark Channel!

What’s it about?  In A Promise in Defiance, I bring some things full circle. The town settled down a bit in Book 2, but things are fixing to heat back up. There is a pretty epic battle brewing for the soul of the town, not to mention a couple of my characters. This story will be fairly intense. The stakes for my characters are going to be extremely high. At least I hope so.

Your genre is historical romance, what draws you to this genre?  I am a history freak. Who knows why? But the people, their stories, the simpler lifestyle, the black-and-white morals, it all beckons to me. I am home when I’m writing an inspirational romance set against the back drop of the Rockies a hundred-plus years in the past.

Have you ever considered writing in a different genre?  Funny story there. I wrote a time travel Christmas novella. In Time for Christmas. This is a story that has rattled around in my head since high school, so I finally wrote it a few years back. As a Believer now, though, I was particularly excited to be able to put a Christian spin on it. Specifically, I found a scripture that could explain time travel (2 Kings 20:10). I love this story and overall it has great reviews (4.5 stars and 108 reviews), but I’ve been surprised by how many readers don’t think God can control time. That shocks me.

If Hang your heart on Christmas were to be made a movie, do you have an actor and actress in mind to play Dent and Amy?  Vikkas Bhardwaj is the gentleman on the cover of the book. He is an actor and a model and the nicest fella you’d ever want to meet! I mean truly a baby doll. He would be wonderful in this part! I’d like to see maybe Erin Krakow (When Calls the Heart) as Amy. She would fit perfectly.

One last question, do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?  #1 Pray like crazy for inspiration and God’s anointing on your work. #2 Learn to write by writing, reading craft books, and attending writers conferences. #3 Find great editors and beta readers. #4 Repeat step #1.

Thank you, Heather. It was a pleasure to have you on our blog.

Now we got a surprise for y’all! Comment below for your chance to win a kindle version of her novella Hang your heart on Christmas!  (I loved it!) Winner will be announced here on December 19^th.

~ Lucy