The Moses Conspiracy

Review:

When Ellie Zimmerman and her son are involved in a terrorist attack on a field trip in Washington D.C., they have no idea that they will be pulled into the middle of a terrifying, life-threatening investigation into an enemy who is a shadow at best. Upon her return home, her husband John sees the attack as the continuation of a diabolical plan to rid the earth of as many Christians as possible.

How can this group of people in a small Christian town keep the plan from continuing on a larger scale? Susan Reinhardt takes us a journey of faith and terror for Christians in the future that is far too real and close to home. With characters who will grip your heart with compassion and fear for their situation, The Moses Conspiracy will have you turning the pages to see how a community can come together to fight an enemy much greater than they are, but far less powerful than the God who is with them in the battle.

This is a riveting book taking us forward to the year 2025 with real events that could be headlines for our country someday.

Links for the book:

Amazon   http://tinyurl.com/m7c5kl5

Barnes & Noble - http://tinyurl.com/nc7vw3g

Kobobooks - http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/the-moses-conspiracy-a-novel

About the Author:

Susan J. Reinhardt's publishing credits include her novels, The Moses Conspiracy and The Scent of Fear, as well as devotionals, short articles, and contributions to anthologies. She is a member of

American Christian Fiction Writers.

A widow, daughter, step-mom, and active church member, Susan resides in Pennsylvania. When not writing, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, collecting coupons, gardening, and finding small treasures in antique shops.

Susan is giving away an e-copy of the book this week. Leave a comment below today then come back tomorrow for another chance and read about how this series came into being with Susan. Winner will be announced on Thursday, April 3.

Annoying legal disclaimer: drawings void where prohibited by law; open only to U.S. residents; the odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. No purchase is necessary and only one entry per post. Winner will be selected and announced on Thursday, April 3. You must be 18 or older to enter. Remember to leave your email address for contacting you in case of win.

Cassie Haddon

Interview with Cassie Haddon

Cassie Haddon is the beautiful heroine of Love's Sweet Beginnings. Let's find out more about her and her story.

1.      How would you describe yourself to others?

Probably “dutiful daughter,” although I’m not sure what you mean by your question. Describe my appearance? Auburn hair, green eyes, not very tall. My background? Born into leisure in Mississippi, but all that changed because of the War and my beloved father’s death.

2.      How do you want others to see you?

I want to be seen as useful! There’s more to me than the useless Southern belle that everyone assumes I am.

3.      What is the most interesting thing about you?

 I’m smart, determined, and capable. I wish someone would give me a chance to prove it.

4.      What things are of most importance to you?

 Honoring my mother is most important, although Mother is not a “thing.” My friendship with Faith Saxon and Rosemary Stewart keeps me grounded. I don’t know how I’d survive without their caring and counsel.

5.      What type of man do you want to marry, or do you want to marry at all?

 After my fiancé was killed, I stopped thinking about a man to marry. The War took so many young men that a girl my age is already an old maid. I would love to be married, of course, but my husband would have to be willing to care for my mother.

6.      How do face disappointments in your life?

 Honestly? I try to learn from them, but sometimes it takes me a while.

7.      What type of things do you like to do for fun or entertainment?

 I do love to read, and enjoy walks in the park or visits to Pioneer Lake. The most fun I have is spending time with Faith or Rosemary.

8.      Do you have any hobbies or special skills?

 I’m accomplished at the piano, I’ve learned to create beautiful patterns in lace, and have a good background in classic literature. Special skills? Not really. I wish I knew how to do something that would help me earn a living.

9.      What is your main goal in life?

What do you hope to accomplish? I so want to be seen as a useful person, one who honors God in all she does!

10.  If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

 I wish I’d paid more attention to the management of my father’s estate before we lost everything. I just went along as though my life would never change, then “poof,” nothing was ever the same again.

Thank you, Cassie. It's been nice learning more about you, and you did very well for yourself with your pie baking.

ANN SHOREY has been a story collector for most of her life, and has been a full-time writer for over twenty years. Her writing has appeared in Chicken Soup for the Grandma’s Soul, and in the Adams Media Cup of Comfort series. She made her fiction debut with The Edge of Light, Book One in the At Home in Beldon Grove series, which released in January 2009. The final book in the series, The Dawn of a Dream, released in April, 2011. Her latest, the Sisters at Heart series, debuted in January, 2012, with Where Wildflowers Bloom. The third book in that series, Love’s Sweet Beginning, released in February of 2014. She’s tempted to thank Peet’s coffee and Dove chocolates when she writes the acknowledgments for her books.

            When she’s not writing, she teaches classes on historical research, story arc, and other fiction fundamentals at regional conferences. She lives with her husband in southern Oregon.

Ann loves to hear from her readers, and may be contacted through her website, www.annshorey.com, which also contains her blog, http://annshorey.blogspot.com/ or find her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/AnnShorey.

Find out more about this lovely heroine in Ann Shorey's book. Answer the question below and your name will be entered for a free copy of Ann's book. Be sure to leave your contact information so we can inform you if you win. Subscribing to this blog or already being a follower will earn you one extra entry.

If your family lost everything, what skills would you use to get back on your feet?

Annoying legal disclaimer: drawings void where prohibited by law; open only to U.S. residents; the odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. No purchase is necessary and only one entry per post. Winner will be selected next week-end and posted here on Monday, March 31. You must be 18 or older to enter. Remember to leave your email address for contacting you in case of win.

Shorey Book Review

Before I introduce Ann and her book, the winner of last week's Miralee Ferrell book is Theresa Kay Lam. Congratulations.

Love’s Sweet Beginning

When her father’s brother forces Cassie Haddon and her mother to leave his home in St. Louis, they have to place to go except in search of another uncle, Rand Carter. The last Mrs. Haddon had heard, her brother worked for the railroad near Noble Springs. When they discover Rand isn’t there, they have no other choice than to accept the hospitality of Cassie’s friends in town, Elijah and Rosemary Stewart. At age twenty-five, Cassie is desperate to find a way to make a living for herself and her mother and ends up at a restaurant in town owned by grocer, Jacob West.

Watching Cassie grow from a bumbling young woman waiting on miners and cleaning up after them to a talented pie maker is both humorous and heartwarming. As the relationship between Cassie and Jacob grows, the situation with her mother grows in tension. How the relationship between Cassie and Jacob progresses is a story of how love can bud then come to full bloom when God is in control. With characters you grow to love, this is a story that will keep you turning the pages to see how Jacob and Cassie can resolve their differences.

ANN SHOREY has been a story collector for most of her life, and has been a full-time writer for over twenty years. Her writing has appeared in Chicken Soup for the Grandma’s Soul, and in the Adams Media Cup of Comfort series. She made her fiction debut with The Edge of Light, Book One in the At Home in Beldon Grove series, which released in January 2009. The final book in the series, The Dawn of a Dream, released in April, 2011. Her latest, the Sisters at Heart series, debuted in January, 2012, with Where Wildflowers Bloom. The third book in that series, Love’s Sweet Beginning, released in February of 2014. She’s tempted to thank Peet’s coffee and Dove chocolates when she writes the acknowledgments for her books.

          

When she’s not writing, she teaches classes on historical research, story arc, and other fiction fundamentals at regional conferences. She lives with her husband in southern Oregon.

Ann loves to hear from her readers, and may be contacted through her website, www.annshorey.com, which also contains her blog, http://annshorey.blogspot.com/ or find her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/AnnShorey.

For a free copy of Ann's book, leave a comment below then join us again tomorrow for an interview with Cassie, heroine of the novel. Subscribing to my blog will earn you an extra entry as well as an extra entry for those who do subscribe. Remember to leave your email address for contacting you in case of win.

Annoying legal disclaimer: drawings void where prohibited by law; open only to U.S. residents; the odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. No purchase is necessary and only one entry per post. Winner will be selected next week-end and posted here on Monday, March 30. You must be 18 or older to enter. 

Miralee Ferrell and Wishing on Buttercups

Today Miralee is here to tell us more about her latest release and upcoming news.

Wishing on Buttercups

I’m so excited about the release of Wishing on Buttercups. All of the books in this series contain a strong romance as well as a distinct women’s fiction thread, as they each deal with a variety of issues women today can relate to. For Beth Roberts, it’s the fact that she carries scars—both physically and emotionally—and believes that anyone who knows her background wouldn’t love her—especially not a man.

Beth has hidden away so much pain and confusion all her life, but when she meets Jeffery Tucker, that begins to change. I loved digging deep and discovering what it would take to bring these two together. I hope you’ll discover for yourself why the reviewer with Romantic Times Magazine said about Wishing on Buttercups; “The second book in the wonderful Love Blossoms in Oregon series has charming, caring characters who want to keep their secrets buried. Ferrell is a talented writer who gives readers what they have come to expect in a historical novel, plus some surprises for them to discover.”

Wishing on Buttercups is my eighth novel, and revisits the characters readers met and loved in book one, Blowing on Dandelions, with two more to follow in my Love Blossoms in Oregon series. I’ve been fortunate to visit every town where my books have been set except for Sundance, WY. 

My trip to Baker City, Oregon, was no exception. I have a friend who moved to this picturesque small city nestled between the Wallowa and Elkhorn Mountains. She escorted me to businesses, pointing out buildings that had been erected in the late 1800s, and introduced me to locals who had family extending back almost to the town’s inception.

Often when on these research trips, I find little known facts that turn into interesting story plots, or I’m able to create true-to-life scenes using events that happened during my specific time period. It’s even better when I can discover and use a famous person who lived in the town at that time, as I did in my book set in Tombstone, when Doc Holliday showed up at a saloon.

I included more than one true event in Wishing on Buttercups. One was a humorous episode with a paint can, based on an incident that happened in my own family history. The other incorporated the historical setting of the town, which is only a mile from the Oregon Trail, an important detail that ties in closely to one of Beth’s secrets.       

Something that took us by surprise, located just across the road from our motel, was an old Chinese cemetery. Before visiting Baker City, I didn’t realize the town had contained a sizeable Chinese population who were brought in to work the mines. It included a one-to-two block section built specifically for the workers and their families. That aspect of the story isn’t included in this book, but I’m currently working on a spin-off novella that will release March 1 in eBook format only, which includes these hard-working people. That book will follow Pastor Seth, who readers met in Blowing on Dandelions, and will introduce a new character, Julia McKenzie. I hope you’ll consider trying this series, if you haven’t already!

Miralee Ferrell is a speaker, accredited counselor, and former ACFW chapter president who has published multiple contemporary and historical romance novels since starting to write in 2005. She enjoys horseback riding, gardening, and family gatherings around their eleven-acre property in Washington State’s beautiful Columbia River Gorge. Miralee has had eight books release, both in women’s contemporary fiction and historical fiction, with another 5 under contract. She’s an award-winning author of Western fiction, and her newest release, Wishing on Buttercups, is the second in a series set in Baker City, Oregon, 1880s. 

Interact with Miralee:

Website:  www.miraleeferrell.com

Facebook Author page:  www.facebook.com/miraleeferrell

To be in the drawing for a copy of this book, answer the question below in your comment. Be sure to include your email address so we can contact you in case you win. 

Question: In reading a historical novel, what makes the difference for you in considering it to be an excellent, good, fair or poor book?

Annoying legal disclaimer: drawings void where prohibited by law; open only to U.S. residents; the odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. No purchase is necessary and only one entry per post. 

Winner will be selected next week-end and posted here on Monday, March 24. You must be 18 or older to enter. Remember to leave your email address for contacting you in case of win. Followers earn an extra entry.

Miralee Ferrell

Wishing on Buttercups

This week Miralee Ferrell is in the spotlight. The winner of last week's Marriage by Arrangement is Jackie McNutt. Congratulations.

In Wishing on Buttercups, Miralee Ferrell once again brings her characters to life on a stage filled with wonderful secondary characters who will make you laugh as well as want to kick their shins. Beth Roberts is scarred both physically and emotionally as she copes with the mystery of her past and why she was abandoned as a child. When Jeffrey Tucker shows an interest in her, she is hesitant to let him into her life until she discovers they have a bond in their talents. He writes stories, she draws pictures and one editor sees the potential in both. While she draws the illustrations to go with his story, her feelings for him grow, but the uncertainties of her past and a failed love relationship keep her from fully opening her heart to Jeffrey who is desperately trying to make a name for himself outside of his father’s realm of influence. When the past merges with the present, the future becomes brighter as Beth discovers that what she is on the outside with the scars is nothing when true love wraps itself around her heart. 

This is the sequel to Blowing on Dandelions, and is a DON'T MISS story set in the town of Baker City, Oregon in the year 1880.

Miralee is offering a copy of this book to some lucky reader. Please leave a comment below along with your email address to be eligible for the win. Then drop back later this week and read more about Miralee and her book. If you are a follower, you will have one extra entry.

Annoying legal disclaimer: drawings void where prohibited by law; open only to U.S. residents; the odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. No purchase is necessary and only one entry per post. Winner will be selected next week-end and posted here on Monday, March 24. You must be 18 or older to enter. Remember to leave your email address for contacting you in case of win.

Marriage by Arrangement

Interview with Anne Greene

Welcome to Anne who is here to tell us more about Marriage by Arrangement. 

Anne Greene here: Today, I’d like to tell you a bit about my latest release, a Scottish historical romance, Marriage By Arrangement. Here’s a taste.

A marriage covenant. A great secret. An impossible choice. Why does a handsome Duke stoop to marry a mere Lady? Are the whispered stories about him true? With his shadowy past, what secret does he hide?

Lady Cailin MacMurry marries the Fifth Duke of Avondale, honoring the arranged marriage her parents ordered to protect their castle and lands during the strife of war. But Avondale’s shadowy past and strange disappearances threaten their union. Every change of clothes transforms him into a different man. Can Cailin discover his secret, or must she arrange Avondale’s accidental death to rid the castle of danger and to protect her unborn child?

Readers will care about the Fifth Duke of Avondale because he is a tormented man. The Duke fights to overcome his demons, and the love of a good woman brings him healing. Any person who suffered a traumatic event will find help within these pages. Lady Cailin brings to life that bad things do happen to good people, and she struggles to understand why.

Here’s a sampling of what reviewers said: Marriage by Arrangement is an emotional page turner. The message of faith is woven seamlessly throughout and shows faith can bring people through the toughest trials. I had a hard time putting the book down. There are surprising twists. I didn’t want the story to end. The ending was great, but I didn’t want to leave the characters. Delightful to learn how people in the past lived in different parts of the world. The story was so well-written, I finished it in one day.

Back to why I wrote Marriage By Arrangement. I visited Scotland for three weeks and fell in love with the people, their land, their music, and their history. After visiting the battlefield at Culloden I knew I had to write their story. The battlefield lays out grave-markers where entire clans fell, from the oldest warrior to the youngest boy. This battle was the turning point in Scottish history and ended the clan system, outlawed the bagpipe, and Clan tartans. The English murdered the wounded men lying on the battlefield. The wounded who escaped the battle were hunted down and hung or sent to The Colonies as slaves. The English destroyed the Highland way of life. Still, in all this turmoil love bloomed. Marriage By Arrangement is a love story set in terrible times. It’s not a violent story, it’s a true love story that I hope the reader will not be able to forget.  

Readers can find me online and view my travel pictures and art work at http://www.AnneGreeneAuthor.com. - Visit me at http://www.anneswritingupdates.blogspot.com for information on writing an award-winning novel. Talk with me on twitter at @TheAnneGreene. Visit my Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/AnneWGreeneAuthor. I dearly love to talk with my readers. 

Finally, I have a question I’d like to ask. How do you like to visit with your favorite author? Her website? Her blog? Her twitter? Her facebook? Her newsletter? I would love to know.

Anne is giving away a copy of her book to some lucky reader who answers the question and leaves a comment about the book. 

Annoying legal disclaimer: drawings void where prohibited by law; open only to U.S. residents; the odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. No purchase is necessary and only one entry per post. Winner will be selected next week-end and posted here on Monday, February 17. You must be 18 or older to enter. Remember to leave your email address for contacting you in case of win.

A Marriage by Arrangement

Before we find out about this book, the winner of Darlene Franklin's book is Chris Granville. Congratulations.

A Journey of Faith

Anne Greene has captured the spirit of Scotland at war with England in 1746 in her book, Marriage by Arrangement. When Cailin marries Duke Avondale of England, she gives him her heart, but finds that although he is charming, tender and loving in the bedroom, he completely ignores her in public. Dark secrets cloud his mind and send him off in the night and early morning to activities about which Cailin can only guess. This is a historical, suspenseful, romantic tale of an unlikely match between two young people on whose shoulders rest the safety of the Lowland Scots. With war all around and Avondale haunted by the things he’s seen and agreed to, Cailin finds herself bearing his child and hiding his secrets. As she begins to learn more about what haunts him, she leads him to new strength through faith in God. Ann has created a setting and characters in a time when one’s life was not one’s own and loyalty to the king was paramount for survival. I’m not usually a fan of this time frame in history, but this one captured my heart and I loved it. I think you will, too.

ANNE GREENE delights in writing about wounded heroes and gutsy heroines. Her second novel, a Scottish historical, Masquerade Marriage, won three prestigious book awards. The sequel Marriage By Arrangement released November, 2013.  A Texas Christmas Mystery also won awards. Anne’s highest hope is that her stories transport the reader to awesome new worlds and touch hearts to seek a deeper spiritual relationship with the Lord Jesus. Anne makes her home in McKinney, Texas. Tim LaHaye led her to the Lord when she was twenty-one and Chuck Swindoll is her Pastor. Anne loves to talk with her readers. View Anne’s books, travel pictures and art work at http://www.AnneGreeneAuthor.com. Buy Anne’s books at http://www.PelicanBookGroup.com. Or at http://www.Amazon.com. Visit http://www.anneswritingupdates.blogspot.com for information on writing an award-winning novel. Talk with Anne on twitter at @TheAnneGreene. Visit Anne’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/AnneWGreeneAuthor. 

Anne is giving away a copy of her book to some lucky reader who leaves a comment about the book below. Then come back for more about Anne and her books for another opportunity for the book. 

Annoying legal disclaimer: drawings void where prohibited by law; open only to U.S. residents; the odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. No purchase is necessary and only one entry per post. Winner will be selected next week-end and posted here on Monday, February 17. You must be 18 or older to enter. Remember to leave your email address for contacting you in case of win.

Interview

Getting to Know Darlene Franklin

Tell us about your epiphany moment when you decided you were going to seriously pursue writing and eventually publication.

In the months following my separation from my husband, God kept showing verses after verses that gave me comfort and courage. One day I picked up a pen and wrote a devotional about one of those verses. From that day on, I was driven to write. Over the years, my passion switched to fiction, but I have always written.

Which of your books (published or upcoming) has been the most fun for you to write and which character is your favorite? Why?

The same book can be named for both parts of your question: A Bride’s Rogue in Roma, Texas. Character is “Old Obie,” a minor character who has a surprising secret. I loved learning more steamboats; writing about a gambling charmer of a gambler was fun; and pilot Old Obie was both sad and wise at the same time.

Which character in your new release most interested you while you wrote? Why?

My heroine’s oldest daughter, Betty, drew me in. A senior in high school, Betty grew into adulthood early because of the war. She could have settled for a fun final year and dorm life at college; instead, she fought for her right to fight the war. (World War II)

How do you choose the settings for your stories?

Sometimes the settings choose me. My Maple Notch series began with an opportunity to write three historical books set in the state of Vermont. Texas is a popular state among readers, so I’ve written several books set in Texas.
Other times, I get more choice. I set Calico Brides in Kansas because I wanted a prairie setting and I loved the alliteration of “Calico, Kansas.” I’ve lived a long time in both Oklahoma and Colorado, so I have written several books set in those locations as well.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

One of the more unusual things was a trip I made by bus—from Mexico City to Maine. I had a lot of fun on that trip.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.

My son gave me a Nook reader for my last birthday. In my search for inexpensive books, I subscribed to a daily email of free-and-99 cent books. Categories? I started with my favorites, mystery/thrillers and romance. From there I went to women’s fiction and sci-fi/fantasy. Recently I also added memoirs and general nonfiction. I’ve acquired 45 books and counting . . .

What is something most people would not know about you?

I studied Latin for a year in high school. I loved it, but I loved Spanish more.

Are there spiritual themes you like to write about?

My tagline is “writing at the crossroads of love and grace.” I put my characters in situations where they deal with trauma like hurricanes and death or where they have difficult choices to make. My bottom line truth is that God is always there and He always loves them, no matter what.

What lesson is the Lord teaching you right now or recently taught you?  

I don’t know yet. . .I just know I’m not my usual self lately and people are telling me something’s wrong. Perhaps it’s a matter of trusting more, of claiming my own tagline for myself!

When is your next book due out and can you tell us about it?

Where can we find you on the internet?

Out this year already: Home front Dreams and New England Romance Collection.

http://darlenefranklinwrites.blogspot.com/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/darlene.franklin.3

Twitter: @darlenefranklin

Darlene is giving away a copy of her book, Homefront Dreams. Answer Darlene’s question and leave your email address for us to contact you in case of a win.

For those of you who have read my books before—what parts do you like the best?

For those who haven’t read my books before: Tell me about the Christian book which touched you the most—and describe how it affected you.

Thanks!

Annoying legal disclaimer: drawings void where prohibited by law; open only to U.S. residents; the odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. No purchase is necessary and only one entry per post. Winner will be selected next week-end and posted here on Monday, February 17. You must be 18 or older to enter. Remember to leave your email address for contacting you in case of win.

Homefront Dreams

A Story Set in WWII

Before we learn more about this book, the winner of last week's Permanent Resident at the Purse Table is Melanie Backus.

In Homefront Dreams, Darlene Franklin takes us back to the years following the attack on Pearl Harbor. Patriotism runs high and everyone wants to do their part. Clarinda Tuttle Finch is a war widow serving out her husband’s term as mayor of Maple Notch, Vermont. When she is re-elected, her opponent, high school principal Ralph Quincy Gilley, doesn’t hold a grudge but pitches in to help her in any way he can except to keep the girl’s school open. The school has been in the family since Clarinda’s grandmother started it in the late 19^th century. Enrollment is down, and the faculty is growing older and really needs to close. As Clarinda and Ralph work together, the attraction between them grows, but can they resolve their differences and find a solution for the problems facing their town because of the war? With characters who will touch your heart in situations faced by so many of our loved ones during those early years of war, Darlene has crafted a story that is both heart-warming and nostalgic, but also heart-rending as the people of Maple Notch face the realities of a world war.  

Blurb for the Book:

CLARINDA FINCH HATES CHANGE.

As the newly elected mayor of Maple Notch, the war widow must lead her town through the dark days of World War II. But where she finds comfort in tradition, the town council insists on trying new ways of handling the homefront challenges. Her most untraditional opponent? Councilman Ralph Quincy. 

High school principal Ralph never expected to become a friend to Clarinda and her family. But as she spars with him over the war effort, the smart, spirited mayor is the most compelling woman he's ever known. Can they put aside their differences and fight for both their town and a future together?

Darlene Franklin’s greatest claim to fame is that she writes full-time from a nursing home. She lives in Oklahoma, near her son and his family, and continues her interests in playing the piano and singing, books, good fellowship, and reality TV in addition to writing. She is an active member of Oklahoma City Christian Fiction Writers, American Christian Fiction Writers, and the Christian Authors Network. She has written twenty-seven books, been published in twenty more, and has written more than 200 devotionals. Her historical fiction ranges from the Revolutionary War to World War II, from Texas to Vermont. You can find Darlene online elsewhere at http://darlenehfranklinwrites.blogspot.com/, http://mydailynibble.blogspot.com/ and https://www.facebook.com/darlene.franklin.3 .

Leave a comment with your answer to the question: Do you have any memories from WWII from your parents or grandparents? Share with us.

Darlene will be giving away of copy of this book to a lucky reader at the end of the week. Be sure to leave your email address so we can contact you if you win.

Annoying legal disclaimer: drawings void where prohibited by law; open only to U.S. residents; the odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. No purchase is necessary and only one entry per post. Winner will be selected next week-end and posted here on Monday, February 17. You must be 18 or older to enter. Remember to leave your email address for contacting you in case of win.