LAND OF MY DREAMS TAKES READERS TO SCOTLAND

Land of My Dreams

by Norma Gail

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE: Christian romance

Norma Gail will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.

Norma Gail has graciously granted an interview I know you'll enjoy. 

Share with readers about your life:

I grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico with three younger sisters and over 20 first cousins, aunts, uncles, and we gathered at my grandparents’ house every Sunday afternoon. Built during WWII, I think the builder saved money on the foundation by using a concrete swimming pool as the basement. However, the house only took up about half the pool, leaving a big concrete hole in back with huge steps leading into it. It provided a safe place for little kids so they couldn’t wander into the irrigation ditch that ran alongside. It had a spooky old basement where the older cousins took delight in scaring those of us who were younger.

Norma Gail's extended family at her grandparents' old home

Every other summer we visited family who lived in Idaho, near Yellowstone, and in Montana near Glacier Park. We camped, hiked, fished, went swimming, and waterskiing. It was a perfect childhood.

I have been a bookworm from the moment I learned to read. No one ever wanted me on their team for anything, except possibly spelling. During the summer, my mom constantly had to send me outside because I sneaked in and sat in my favorite chair with a book. I sometimes took my book and crawled under the overhang of a large climbing rosebush where I could escape detection for a while.

I have been married to my very best friend and the love of my life for 40 years. We have two adult children and a daughter-in-law. 

Dirk and Norma Gail's family

Who are your favorite authors and favorite genres?

I love classic literature! I still read books that everyone else in school hated, Charles Dickens, the Brontë sisters, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Mark Twain, and Louisa May Alcott. We visited The House of Seven Gables in Salem, Massachusetts a couple of years ago and found it fascinating. I love romance and romantic suspense, either historical or contemporary. Some of my favorite Christian authors are Susan May Warren, Dani Pettrey, Liz Curtis Higgs, and Michael Phillips.  

What’s your favorite way to relax and recharge?

Reading is probably number one. I led women’s Bible studies for 21 years, and individual study is still one of my favorite things. I love researching my family history, and have gone back 14 generations on one side. We live in the mountains, but we also love to vacation in mountains, especially with one of our Jeeps and some 4x4 trails.

Do you have a favorite quote that sums up how you feel about life?

The quote that means the most to me came from my own book, LAND OF MY DREAMS, perhaps because it sums up a truth I have experienced in my own life.

“Sometimes the greatest blessings come when you leave the familiar behind and take a step of faith.”

How long have you been writing?

I have been writing since I learned to write. I have always made up stories and poems, most of which still exist in a box that was buried somewhere in the attic when we moved. I didn’t write much when my kids were growing up. I was too busy being a homeschool and soccer mom. When the kids left home and I ended up in a wheelchair with a broken foot, I began to write my first novel. That was in 2008 and I have enough ideas in my head to last the rest of my life.

Where do you prefer to write? Do you need quiet, music, solitude? PC or laptop?

I prefer the songs of birds, squeaking of squirrels, and trickling of the fountain in the yard to music when I am writing. However, there are times when I need to increase the emotion I experience in order to write well. Then I find the songs on the playlist I have created for that particular project and play it to help me delve deeper into the mood. I love taking my laptop out on the patio and writing outside. 

View from Norma's desk
(I'd never get any writing done for
staring out the window) 

Are you a plotter or a pantster?

I am a total pantster who is sometimes forced into plotting to make the conflict come in the right places and ensure that the events are in the best possible order. I love sitting down at the computer and letting ideas flow.

Do you use real events or persons in your stories or as an inspiration for stories?

I often choose actors to help me visualize my characters. One of my favorites came from a woman I saw in the grocery store in the small mountain town where I shop. I have a historical trilogy floating around in my mind and real family stories, as well as photos of my ancestors, which hang above my desk, are the inspiration for that.

Do you set daily writing goals? Word count? Number of chapters? Do you get a chance to write every day?

I am a rather undisciplined writer. The daily goals I set have more to do with getting household chores and shopping done, along with minor details like fixing meals. If the ideas are coming, I’m writing. I have been known on occasion, to be in my pajamas at the computer with no lights on and no dinner fixed when it’s time for my husband to arrive from work. I usually manage to get dressed before he gets home, but it’s no secret.

What do you hope your writing brings to readers?

I want my readers get so caught up in the story that they can’t put it down. I also hope to show my readers how God works through the circumstances of our lives to reveal His love and care and direct our steps. I want my books to draw readers closer to God.

What long-term plans do you have for your career?

I am working on the sequel to LAND OF MY DREAMS. It’s taking longer than I intended because life gets in the way sometimes. I am writing a romantic novella, which I hope ends up being part of an anthology with other members of a blog group. I have the historic trilogy I mentioned earlier. It is based on real-life stories of my pioneer ancestors. There is no shortage of ideas. 

No, there is never a shortage of ideas. The shortage is time to write them.What advice would you give to unpublished authors?

Attend writer’s conferences. Network with other writers. Have critique partners. Learn your craft. Don’t automatically assume that because a couple of friends or family members liked your story that it is good enough for publication. Start a blog and grow a platform, a group of people who read your blog, authors on Facebook and other social media, who will help promote your book. Have your book professionally edited before you submit to a publisher or agent and take their advice. Don’t assume you have the next bestseller.

Poster promoting LAND OF MY DREAMS

Share a fun fact readers wouldn’t know about you.

I love Jeeps. We have owned 6 over the years and there are two in our garage now. I have health problems that prevent me from taking long hikes but I can go places I could never walk to on 4x4 trails. If there is a sheer drop off on one side of the road and it’s impossible to see beyond the front of the Jeep, the more I love the challenge. I drive; my husband rides and reads signs and maps. One time, we topped the 13,000-foot high Imogene Pass in Colorado as a thunderstorm hit. On the downhill side, we came upon two women hiking toward the summit in spite of the storm. They were quite amazed to discover I was the driver.

Norma Gail's children and husband Dirk
at Imogene Pass, Colorado

Share something about you that would surprise or shock readers.

I was an RN on a 64-bed orthopaedic unit. One Sunday, when I was charge nurse, I refused to take an order from the medical director of the hospital. I felt it would not be in the best interest of my patient. He insisted he would have my job, but instead, they placed him on a leave of absence and I kept my job.

Is your book a series? If so, how long? Family saga, other?

LAND OF MY DREAMS is an approximately 400 page contemporary inspirational romance. The sequel is in progress. It is a romantic suspense with the same characters as the first book. I don’t have a contract for it yet, but I do have an invitation to submit it to the publisher. 

Can you give readers a blurb about LAND OF MY DREAMS?

Alone and betrayed, American professor, Bonny Bryant longs for a haven of peace. She accepts a position at a small Christian college in Fort William, Scotland, craving escape from her painful past. The passionate love which develops when she meets fellow professor and sheep farmer, Kieran MacDonell, is something she never anticipated.

Kieran harbors a deep anger toward God in the face of his own devastating grief. When Bonny’s former fiancé reenters her life, Kieran’s loneliness draws him to a former student.

How will Bonny decide between her rivals? Can they set aside the past to make way for a future, or will it drive them apart?

LAND OF MY DREAMS spans the distance between New Mexico’s high desert mountains and the misty Scottish Highlands with a timeless story of overwhelming grief, undying love, and compelling faith.

How about an excerpt of LAND OF MY DREAMS?

Misty’s hooves slogged through the mud and wet grass as fast as Bonny could make her go. Four days of heavy rain left everything dreich and drookit. The gray clouds hung low and heavy. The snow had begun. Heavy, wet flakes, sticking to the ground as the temperature dropped. A blustering wind raced across the pasture, rippling the grass and heather in its wake. The sheep turned their backs to the impending storm.

She stopped, wondering which trail he followed, when a gunshot sounded from due north. Stifling her fear, she headed up a hill where they had seen the old stag a week ago. Within a mile, she saw blood in the fresh snow and the signs of a large man dragging himself.

“Kieran! Kieran! Where are you?” She began to call his name, frantically, the shotgun ready in case the poacher still lurked in the area.

She stopped to listening, hoping, hardly daring to breathe.

The mist-shrouded hills were silent. The snow fell harder now, and she knew that soon any tracks would be covered. She walked further up the trail where they had spotted the stag a few days ago.

At last, she heard a weak voice calling her name. Rounding a thick stand of trees, she saw him lying in the snow at the end of a trail of blood.

“For once I’m thankful you don’t follow orders.” His voice sounded weak, punctuated by quick, shallow breaths. “It’s in my abdomen, love. I grazed his leg as I fell to the ground. He scared Storm away and headed east on an ATV toward the A87. I need help fast.”

Running to his side, she unzipped his coat and opened his shirt to see the wound, her stomach turning as she realized how much blood he had lost. “Don’t you die on me, Kieran MacDonell. We have a wedding in four weeks and nothing will stop me from marrying you this time.” She ran to her saddlebags for the first aid kit.

“Can you ride?” She noted the ashen gray of his skin. He was shivering, whether from pain, shock, or cold, she wasn’t sure. If only she had remembered a blanket.

He shook his head. “I can’t get up. I used my strength shoutin’ to get your attention. How did you find me?”

Bonny tore open the packages of gauze and pressed them against the wound, propping him against the rock to wrap an ace bandage around him. “When I reached the big rock where the trail splits, I heard a shot and began looking in this direction. I followed the trail we were on the other day. I’m going to bring Misty over and see if we can get you up on her back.”

“I shot into the air—I think I’m going to pass out.”

He felt stronger after she urged him to take deep breaths. With her help and a large stick for a cane, they succeeded in getting him up on a large rock, enabling him to drag himself onto Misty’s back.

“Hold onto my saddle horn. You’ll be grateful for my Western saddle.” Bonny took the reins and led Misty back toward the house. With his strength ebbing fast, his eyes were sunken, his stare blank, and he had trouble staying on the horse.

“Honey, we’re getting close, hold on tight.” When he made no sound, she turned, horrified to see him lying forward on Misty’s neck. What would I do if he fell off?

Bonny exhaled with relief when the house came in sight with the constable’s car in front. “Call for the rescue helicopter. He’s been shot in the abdomen.”

One constable came running to help as the other got on the radio. By the time the copter arrived, Kieran was unresponsive, his breathing shallow. The constable took over putting pressure on the wound after Bonny packed it with as much sterile gauze as Maggie and Eleanor had. She didn’t know how much blood someone could lose and still live, but he must have reached a critical point.

Is there anything else you’d like readers to know about you?

My husband and I spent our 30^th wedding anniversary in Scotland. From the moment the plane landed, I felt as if I belonged. I did not begin the book for two years, but the dream that sparked the story came while we were researching and preparing for our trip. I have Scottish ancestry from three sides of the family and my love of all things Scottish was sparked by a note in a family tree indicating my heritage when I was very young. We stood at the Loch Garry overlook for a total of about 15 minutes, marveling at the amazing likeness of its shape to a map of Scotland. Had I known it would become the setting for a book, I would have spent much longer. My dream is to return and sit on the porch of a guesthouse, watching the place where I have spent so much time in my dreams.

Dirk and Norma in Scotland on their 30th anniversary

Book Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Land-My-Dreams-Norma-Gail/dp/1941103170

Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas Bookstore: http://store.lpcbooks.com/product/land-of-my-dreams/

 Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/land-of-my-dreams-norma-gail/1119606864?ean=9781941103173

LAND OF MY DREAMS will be $0.99 during the tour.

   

Norma  Gail, Author

Norma Gail is the author of the contemporary Christian romance, Land of My Dreams. A women’s Bible study leader for over 21 years, her devotionals and poetry have appeared at ChristianDevotions.us, the Stitches Thru Time blog, and in “The Secret Place.” She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, and the New Mexico Christian Novelists. Norma is a former RN who lives in the mountains of New Mexico with her husband of 40 years. They have two adult children.

Connect with Norma:

Website: www.normagail.org

Amazon Author page: http://www.amazon.com/Norma-Gail/e/B00ILHXBAK/

Book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQbZIoC_JSE

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorNormaGail

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+NormaGailwrites

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/normagailth/boards/ 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7874459
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/Norma_Gail

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/norma-gail-thurston-holtman/42/71a/3b2

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION:

Norma Gail will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

INTERVIEW WITH B. J. SCOTT, AUTHOR

Readers, our guest today is B. J. Scott, writer of Celtic novels. B.J. is talking about her new release, HIGHLAND QUEST, her life, her other books, and her virtual blog tour with Goddess Fish Tours.

Caroline: Please tell us something about growing up?

BJ: The oldest of three children, I was born in Welland, Ontario, Canada, a small town about half hour from Niagara Falls.  As was common in the day, I was married after high school and have a son and a daughter, both grown with families of their own. Sadly things did not go as planned and we divorced after fifteen years. However, I met my current husband a few years later and we are very happy living in our century old home in a small town on Lake Erie with our four dogs and one cat. While I loved to read and dabbled in writing, I would have been considered a jock since sports were a big part of my life. I was on pretty well every school team, volleyball, gymnastics, soccer, field hockey, badminton, track and field, cheerleading. The only one I did not do was basketball. Too short lol.

Caroline: Who are your favorite authors and favorite genres?

BJ: There are so many authors I admire.  I always enjoy a good Nora Roberts trilogy.  I love Julie Garwood and Dianna Gabaldon’s work. While I do enjoy a good contemporary, romantic suspense or paranormal ghost story, historical romance is my all time favorite.

Caroline: You named three of my favorite authors. What’s your favorite way to relax and recharge?

BJ: I enjoy reading, a variety of handcrafts, antiquing and camping.

Caroline: Reading and antiquing are hobbies for me, I used to do handcrafts, but count me out on camping. It's La Quinta Inn for me. ☺ How long have you been writing?

BJ: I have always been one to jot down stories and to keep a diary, but started to write in earnest about twelve years ago. I took some creative writing classes at College and the teacher suggested I try writing a story for Harlequin. I worked on a variety of stories, but put it aside for a while when real life became too demanding. About three years ago the bug hit and I started writing again.

Caroline: Where do you prefer to write? Do you need quiet, music, solitude? PC or laptop?

BJ: Because I work full time as a child care provider for special needs children, and have a small business on the side, I find I need to write when and where I can. If I have my choice it would be in the easy chair, beside the fireplace with the TV on in the background. I don’t like to work in total silence. I have a net-book and take it with me where ever I go. Not one to sit at the PC for hours at a time but do use it occasionally for my writing.

Caroline: I can’t imagine when you find time to write. Are you a plotter or a panzer?

BJ: I am a little of both. I usually have a storyline planned and know how I want the story to unfold but don’t always write a book in order and it changes often. Nothing is set in stone and sometimes the finished product does not even resemble the outline.

Caroline: Perhaps you’re a plotzer. ☺Do you use real events or persons in your stories or as an inspiration for stories?

BJ: I write historicals and often they are centered on historic events so have some characters from history in my books. My main characters are always fictitious.

Caroline: I imagine you don’t, but I always ask if my guests set daily writing goals?

BJ: Setting a goal with my busy life would be impossible. I am also one who must have the muse talking to me in order to write. That means there are days I do not write a single word and other when I write from the minute I get up to the time I go to bed.

Caroline: What do you hope your writing brings to readers?

BJ: If my story provides a few minutes of enjoyment or escape from stress or problems then my goal is met.

Caroline: What long-term plans do you have for your career?

BJ: I would love to be able to write full time, but right now that is not in the cards. A lottery win or a great contract would make a huge difference ;)

Caroline: I do write full time, but I still wouldn’t mind a lottery win. Since I never buy a ticket, that’s not likely to happen. Would you like to tell us what you’re working on now.

BJ: HIGHLAND LEGACY is the first of the series. I am currently working on the third book in the series. HIGHLAND HOMECOMING takes up where HIGHLAND QUEST leaves off. The focus is on Alasdair, the oldest brother and least likely to fall in love or take a bride. But when he finds an unconscious woman on the beach, he has no choice but to care for her, causing him to question his chosen path.

First of the HIGHLAND trilogy,
still available

Caroline: What advice would you give to unpublished authors?

BJ: Write what you love and know. Write often and don’t give up your dream. Use rejection or critiques to your advantage in order to hone your craft.

Caroline: What interesting facts did you find when researching HIGHLAND QUEST?

BJ: I am a history buff so anything I learn about Scottish history is of interest. But one area I found fascinating was about the Highlanders’ strong belief in magic, spirits and superstitions. Their entire culture revolved around it and one aspect I found very intriguing was the gift of second sight. In my book, Fallon, the heroin has the gift, but considers the ability to see the death of friends and family in advance a curse.

Caroline: My Scot-Irish grandmother had “the sight,” which she called a curse for that reason. What made you want to write about the Highlands?

BJ: Scottish historicals are my all time favorite books to read. I am fascinated by anything Celtic or Scottish and having a Scottish, Irish, and English ancestry, it seems a logical choice. While I have never been to Scotland, it is on the top of my bucket list.

Caroline: So this is a series, but how many books will there be?

BJ: As mentioned in an earlier question, HIGHLAND QUEST is the second book in a series of three. It focuses on three brothers, Connor, Bryce and Alasdair Fraser, all very different in their personalities and their outlook on life, but they share a fierce family bond and dedication to king and country.  While it is a series, each book is written in a way that they can stand alone. I give just enough details in each that a reader can read them in any order and not be confused or lost. Right now there are three books in the series. Two already published and the third a work in progress. There is the possibility that the saga can continue later with the children of the characters in the first three books.

Caroline: Sounds inviting. How about a blurb?

BJ: Here it is:

HIGHLAND QUEST BLURB

No longer content in the shadows of his older brothers and on a quest to find his destiny, Bryce Fraser's chosen path is fraught with danger, passion, and decisions. Can his unspoken love for spirited, beguiling Fallon be triumphant in a time of war and uncertainty, or will they both fall prey to the devious plans of a traitorous laird from a rival clan?

Caroline: And how about an excerpt for readers?

BJ: Here you go:

HIGHLAND QUEST EXCERPT

Loch Ryan, Scotland, 1307

“Wa . . . water,” Bryce mumbled, but there was no one there to listen.

 His throat was parched and he ran his tongue over dry, cracked lips, but his action offered no relief. An entire loch lay only a few feet away, but he couldn’t muster the strength to drag himself to the bank and quench his thirst.

“Cold . . . so cold.”

 Despite the sun beating down on him, he’d swear he was encased in ice. His life’s blood seeped from his wounds, soaking the ground beneath him. He tried to raise his head, but the excruciating pain radiating across his chest stole his breath away.

Was this what it felt like to die? If so, he prayed the Almighty would be merciful and take him now.

Bryce moaned, a shift in his position bringing on another nauseating wave of agony. He sucked in a short, sharp, gulp of air and stretched his arm out as far as he could, his fingers grappling in the dirt.

If only I could reach my sword. 

Beads of perspiration dampened his brow. As the strength slowly drained from his body, drawing a simple breath became more difficult. The end grew near. No time to make amends for sins of the past, and he had committed his share.

Regrets? He had those, too. “Fallon.” He whispered her name then heaved a ragged sigh.

HIGHLAND QUEST BUY LINKS  

Amazon http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AQKYPU0  
Soul Mate Publishing http://www.soulmatepublishing.com/highland-quest/  
Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/highland-quest-bj-scott/1114002946?ean=2940016110769&isbn=2940016110769
Kobo  http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Highland-Quest/book-3h45k9pPxkaA9JX__x0mRw/page1.html?s=W28tjCmTwESL-eKO_pW68A&r=1 

Caroline: HIGHLAND QUEST sounds not only like a great book, but the trilogy sounds fascinating. Best wishes to you, B.J., for your writing and for lots of sales.

AUTHOR B. J. SCOTT BIO

B. J. Scott, Author

With a passion for historical romance, history in general, and anything Celtic, B.J. always has an exciting work in progress. Each story offers a blend of romance, adventure, suspense, and, where appropriate, a dab of comic relief. Carefully researched historical facts are woven into each manuscript, providing a backdrop from which steamy romance, gripping plots, and vivid characters—dashing alpha heroes and resourceful, beguiling heroines you can’t help but admire—spring to life. A member of RWA, World Romance Writers, Celtic Hearts Romance Writers, and Savvy Authors, B.J. also writes contemporary, paranormal, time travel, and romantic suspense.

C.S. Lewis first captivated B. J.’s imagination in the fourth grade, and her desire to write sprang from there. Following a career in nursing and child and youth work, B.J. married her knight-in-shining-armor, and he whisked her away to his castle by the sea. In reality, they share their century-old home in a small Canadian town on the shore of Lake Erie with three dogs and a cat. When she is not working at her childcare job, on her small business, or writing, you will find her reading, camping, or antique hunting.

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/authorbjscott
Website:   http://www.authorbjscott.com/
Blog:   http://authorbjscott.wordpress.com/


Thanks for stopping by!

GENEVIEVE GRAHAM AND SOUND OF THE HEART

Readers, today Genevieve Graham is my guest as part of Black Lion Tours. Genevieve Graham graduated from the University of Toronto in 1986 with a Bachelor of Music in Performance (playing oboe). While on a ski vacation in Alberta she met a really cute guy in the chairlift line-up and they skied together for two days. After the second day she decided she had to have him ... permanently. The couple (now husband & wife) subsequently moved to Calgary and brought two beautiful and talented daughters into the world. They have recently settled in a small, peaceful town in Nova Scotia and are loving their quiet life.​
Writing became an essential part of Genevieve's life a few years ago, when she began to write her debut novel, UNDER THE SAME SKY. Her second book, SOUND OF THE HEART was released on May 1, 2012.

Genevieve Graham, Author

TOUR GIVEAWAY!

$35 Amazon Gift Card. Readers may leave a blog post comment, but the winner will be chosen from the Rafflecopter, so you’ll need to enter your info. 

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/9d9ae923/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway

INTERVIEW WITH GENEVIEVE GRAHAM

Caroline: Meeting your husband sounds romantic, but readers will want to know more. Where did you grow up?

Genevieve: I grew up in Toronto, the elder of two daughters, and the one with the least sense of responsibility. I was kind of an outsider, a kind of overweight, striped-polyester wearing, happy girl who specialized in collecting underdogs and abandoned items. Seriously. Not only did I befriend the newest and least popular kids, but I used to walk home after elementary school and drag home any Christmas trees people were done with. I felt so sorry for them I thought they needed a home. My parents put up with it until I had about fifteen in the front yard. Then I think they were very relieved when the garbage men came to pick them up.

My older daughter, Emily, seems to have inherited that weird kind of thing: for a couple of years when she was about seven or so, she picked up any bits and pieces she could find on the side of the road, like bottle caps, plastic buttons, interesting twigs, and incorporate them into what she called "Cork People", making tiny cork statues that she customized and gave to friends. Cute, but I'm really glad that phase is over! Too many little pieces around!

When we were young, my parents had my sister and me signed up for skiing, tennis, skating, and baseball, but I only ever excelled at skiing and tennis. I liked skiing because it was a solo activity, I think, and I loved going fast. That was before the days of mandatory helmet-wearing and the sensation of speeding down a mountain with wind tearing through my hair was such a rush! And I enjoyed tennis because it gave me a chance to really pound the ball, and my dad always seemed so proud when he could see his daughter was strong. My sister did well at everything: school, friends, cheerleading … but I never really felt envious. I was quite content in my own little world and a lot of that world existed within the pages of books.

I met the man I would eventually marry when I flew to Calgary in March of 1992, wanting to visit a girlfriend who was unhappy at having been transferred out there. She promised me a ski day, but when the day came, she had to work. I went alone, determined to sample the Rockies, and I met the most wonderful guy in one of the chairlift line-ups. We skiied together for two days, I moved to Calgary two months after that, and he and I were married the following February. Coming up on 20 years!

Our daughters are now 12 & 14, so we're into those tough hormonal years now. Our girls are both extremely artistic and outgoing. We're really fortunate because they adore each other and are their own best advocates. Our eldest has a real love for animals, and I hope she eventually follows that love into a career. Our baby can do just about anything. Her plan is to be a surgeon—who eventually cures cancer—while being a dancing, singing star on the side.

Caroline: Your daughters have ambitious, but worthy, dreams. Who are your favorite authors and favorite genres?

Diana Gabaldon is my idol and the reason I began to write in the first place. I love Historical Adventure written with intelligence and passion. I'm open to most genres, but I think I'm done with horror. Stephen King did me in when I was in my teens. Now I'm afraid of most shadows, as long as they're written well! I love the writing of Sara Donati, Penelope Williamson, and Jennifer Roberson, among others.

Caroline: I met Diana Gabaldon several years ago and thought she was the most intelligent author I’d ever met, yet she was so personable. What’s your favorite way to relax and recharge? Hobbies?

Genevieve: My family is my escape. I write and edit full-time (I started up an editing business and have been editing an average of two novels per month for the past two years), but when I'm done for the day I kick back with them, either sitting outside or watching movies, a cool glass of Pinot Grigio in my hand.

Caroline: My husband and I just shared a bottle of Pino Grigio. Do you have a favorite quote that sums up how you feel about life?

Genevieve: Well, I like a ton of quotes, but today this one appeals:
"Be yourself. Everyone else is taken."
- Oscar Wilde

Caroline: One of my favorites. ☺ How long have you been writing?

Genevieve: I didn't start writing until I was 42, and I had no idea I'd eventually become an author. So many people say they have always known that's what they wanted to do with their lives, and though I've always loved reading, I never imagined actually sitting down and putting a book together. That always seemed like something unreachable.

Caroline: Where do you prefer to write? Do you need quiet, music, solitude? PC or laptop?

Genevieve: I write on my beloved MacBook Pro, and I need quiet. That means no radio, no telephone, no people. Hard to find that, trust me!

Caroline: Ah, especially with teenagers in the house. Are you a plotter or a panzer?

Genevieve: Pantzer … trying really hard to incorporate Plotter mentality into what I do!

Caroline: Plotting really saved me. Do you use real events or persons in your stories or as an inspiration for stories?

Genevieve: Yes. I love studying history and watching my characters go about their lives in that setting, but for me it really helps to have some kind of a real event to anchor the place in time. My first two novels came from the Battle of Culloden in 1746. The one I recently finished revolves around WW1 and the Halifax Explosion in 1917. I haven't incorporated real people yet, but never say never!

Caroline: Do you set daily writing goals? Word count? Number of chapters? Do you get a chance to write every day?

Genevieve: I write every day, but often that is with editing for other people. I dream of a day when writing for myself pays enough bills to make it possible to dedicate myself full-time to writing. As a pantzer, and also as a researcher, I don't set those kinds of goals because I have no idea how far my research will allow me to go on any given day.

Caroline: What do you hope your writing brings to readers?

Genevieve: I don't want my writing to bring them anything—I want it to take them away! I want to help them escape every day routines and travel to a time and place they've only ever imagined.

Caroline: What long-term plans do you have for your career?

Genevieve: My series books are parallel stories, so they tell different stories happening simultaneously. I would like to finish a fourth book in the series, then maybe complete it with a fifth, which would take place later in the time period, tying all four earlier stories together. I have another series of four I'd like to write (I've written the first but it needs a lot of work!), and I have a few stand-alones both written and planned. It seems I can't stop writing!

Caroline: Readers love series, so that should serve you well. Would you like to tell us what you’re working on now?

Genevieve: I've just finished a WW1 romance telling the story of a Nova Scotia lobsterman who not only survives the war, but also lives through the Halifax Explosion. It's a love story, and it's also a look inside what it might have taken to live through such a tumultuous time in such a poor part of this country. I hope to have news to share on that book soon.

As I said, I'm also working on the fourth book in the "Under the Same Sky" series. Just like the first three books, it will be a Historical Adventure, and I see 18th century pirates in my heroine's future …

Caroline: Let me know when that book is out. I’m sure readers would love to see it featured here. What advice would you give to unpublished authors?

Genevieve: Write for yourself. Write for the love of writing, and don't even think about publishing until you are completely done.

Too many people these days get frustrated at the sheer improbability of being picked up by a major publisher, and because of the ease of self-publishing they end up writing quantity instead of quality. When you have written and rewritten, then edited three more times, then printed it out and marked it in red twice more, find yourself an editor. Make this book the best it can possibly be. Then you'll know that every word matters. That way, whether you end up with a traditional publishing contract or decide to self-publish, you can be proud of your work.

Caroline: Tell us a fun fact readers wouldn’t know about you.

Genevieve: We have seven "exotic" chickens, and I absolutely adore them!

Caroline: My neighbor has some exotic chickens and they are gorgeous. What is something about you that would surprise or shock readers?

Genevieve: I have a Bachelor of Music Degree in Performance, and yet … speaking in front of an audience scares me silly. You'd think I would have gotten over that.

Caroline: Is your book a series? If so, how long? Family saga, other?

Genevieve: SOUND OF THE HEART is the second book in my (so-far) three book series, and they're all considered "companion novels". The first is UNDER THE SAME SKY, and the third (which will be published in Aug/Sept 2013) is OUT OF THE SHADOWS. The books are connected by family members, but their stories are all independent. That means they can be read in any order. The fourth is in the works.

Caroline: Tell us something you learned researching your book that surprised/interested you.

Genevieve: While researching for SOUND OF THE HEART, I learned about the existence of White Slavery, a subject most history books seem to want to avoid. Beginning in the 1600s, hundreds of thousands of white slaves were transported from Great Britain and Europe to the colonies, and I'm not even talking about the many indentured servants who were also sent across to serve others. White slaves were treated as badly as their black counterparts—and often worse—and they were cheaper to buy (in most cases) because they were more disposable. The slaves were mostly put to work in the plantation fields, and while the African slaves were used to the heat, the ones from across the Atlantic couldn't handle it, and often died from the exposure.

I don't shy away from those ugly facts in my books. If they happened, we should know about them, I think. It's yet another horrible black mark in our history, but it would be wrong for us not to acknowledge it.

Caroline: I’m glad you are bringing up the subject of those white slaves. Not many people know about them. Can you give readers a blurb about your book?

SOUND OF THE HEART SYNOPSIS 

From Genevieve Graham, author of UNDER THE SAME SKY, comes a sweeping romantic historical novel of one man’s strange gift and dangerous battles…

      Dougal MacDonnell, a fierce warrior from the Highlands of Scotland, is able to hear the thoughts of other men and dream how the future will unfold. Devastated by the loss of his family during the Battle of Culloden in 1746, he fosters a deep hatred for the English. But when Glenna, the love of his life and a Scottish outlaw, is captured and shipped overseas, Dougal is forced to join an English army made of vanquished Scots. Now fighting on the side of his sworn enemies, he embarks on a journey that will take him across the seas to the colonies. There he will risk everything for the chance to find his true love.

Caroline: Beautiful and romantic cover. Makes me want to step into the scene. How about an excerpt?

Genevieve: Certainly:

SOUND OF THE HEART EXCERPT

Dougal’s cheek still lay in the mud when he woke. He kept his eyes closed, wanting to cry, but lacking the strength. He was tired, always tired these days, but Dougal had never been a man to admit to that. He was frozen and half-starved, as they all were. That weakness had contributed to a lot of the killings today.
Before they'd even stepped onto the frozen marshes of Culloden Moor, Dougal had known the Scots would suffer. He hadn’t needed one of his damn dreams to tell him this battle would not go well. He and the other Highlanders had marched and practically starved for the past two months, and their plaids had been poor protection from the miserable late winter. None of the crofters they had passed on their travels had food to share. The whole of the Highlands was suffering. The men had gone down to London, up to Culloden, back and forth in the miserable winter and spring months, completely at the whim of their chiefs and Prince Charles himself.
Damn Prince Charles. Dougal had pride in his people, sure. But to throw thousands of them away just so one man could settle his well-dressed arse on a throne? Useless. Unforgivable. And if Dougal ever saw Charles, he'd tell him so to his bonny wee face.
“Hey,” he heard from his right side a few feet away. “Help me, man.”
Dougal consulted the stabbing pain in his neck before twisting to see the source of the voice. The man lay nearby and looked to be about the same age as he, with a dark complexion and straggling brown hair pasted to his face. Dougal didn't remember having seen him before, but there had been so many of them it wasn't too much of a surprise. What was one man out of thousands?
“Aye, sir. How do ye fare?” Dougal asked.
“Och, I've the most terrible itch on my nose. Ye dinna think ye could help me a wee bit wi' that, could ye?”
Dougal stared at the man, whose expression was dead serious. For a moment, Dougal was speechless, then he burst into laughter, feeling his lip split with the effort and his head pound in renewed agony. His laughter was an unexpected sound, and a few others glanced over to see what was up.
Still laughing, Dougal said, “We're the lot of us trussed like turkeys, probably set to be hangit, an' ye're fashed about a wee itch on yer nose?”
“Aye, I am,” the man replied indignantly. “I canna reach it.”
“No, I dinna suppose ye can,” Dougal said, trying to stem his laughter. “An' how am I to manage it then?”
“I've no idea. But 'twould be a blessin' if ye'd figure it out.”
Dougal snorted, then, with a flick of one black eyebrow, agreed to try. He rolled to his right side and used his heels to shove his own body, bit by bit, closer to the man. When he was a foot away, he spoke again.
“Ye'll have to do the rest, man. Bring yer damn neb here,” he said. “I canna reach farther.” He wiggled his swollen fingers in illustration. They tingled with strangled circulation from within their rough bindings.
He heard the shuffling of a body behind his, then felt the strange pressure of the man's nose moving against his fingers. Dougal couldn't help himself. He started to giggle. The man behind him moaned with relief.
“Ye're a godsend, man,” he said. “That was killin' me.”
“That was killin' ye? Well, if that's all, then ye're better than most of us. That is one of the strangest things I've ever been asked to do,” Dougal said, still smiling. “All done?”
“Aye, I am. Thanks very much.”
The men rolled onto their stomachs, though Dougal would have greatly preferred to lie on his back. If only their hands had been tied in front. The man beside Dougal gave him a friendly smile and what would have to suffice for a nod.
“John Wallace,” he said. “Yer servant, sir.”
Dougal returned the smile. “Dougal MacDonnell. Good to meet ye as well.”

Caroline: Oh, that brings back the eerie feeling I had when I visited Culloden Moor. Where can readers find your books?

BUY LINKS

Amazon.com:  http://www.amazon.com/Sound-Heart-Genevieve-Graham/dp/0425247341/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347975008&sr=8-1&keywords=sound+of+the+heart

Amazon.ca:  http://www.amazon.ca/Sound-Heart-Genevieve-Graham/dp/0425247341/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347975361&sr=8-1

Amazon.co.uk:  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sound-Heart-Genevieve-Graham/dp/0425247341/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1347975394&sr=8-2

Barnes & Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sound-of-the-heart-genevieve-graham/1104879013?ean=9780425247341

Chapters http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Sound-of-the-Heart-Genevieve-Graham/9780425247341-item.html?ikwid=sound+of+the+heart&ikwsec=Home

Also available in e-books

Caroline: How can readers learn more about you?

MORE ABOUT GENEVIEVE

Genevieve: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GenevieveGrahamAuthor
Website: www.GenevieveGraham.com
Blog: www.GenevieveGraham.com/Whats-Going-On.html
Twitter: GenGrahamAuthor

Caroline: Is there anything else you’d like readers to know about you?

NEWSLETTERS!

Genevieve: Please sign up for my monthly e-newsletters at www.GenevieveGraham.com

Caroline: And for mine, too! To sign up for mine, click on the white square on the sidebar, the one with many of my covers in a circle. That will take you to a form, which you fill out and submit. Then you’ll recive a verification email. Click and you’re signed up for prizes, contests, and to learn of new releases.

REST OF GENEVIEVE'S TOUR

Dec 11 - Bunny's Reviews/review and interview

Dec 13 - Bookworm Lisa/review and guest post

Dec 18 - Promiscuous Diva/guest post

​Dec 18 (2nd stop) - Books, Books, the Magical Fruit/interview

Dec 18 (3rd stop)- Journey with Books/review

Dec 21 - Black Lion Tour Blog/wrap-up

Thanks for stopping by!

DIANA COSBY'S FOOD BANK CHALLENGE

3rd International Food Bank Food Drive Challenge
By Diana Cosby

Diana Cosby, Author

It's the holidays again, an emotion-filled time where it seems there are not enough hours in each day to fit everything in, not to mention dealing with the struggling economy.  But, in this time of financial challenges, I ask each of you to please consider one more stop on your crazy to do list, that of making a donation to a local food bank.  Your donation can be a dollar, a can of corn, whatever you can give.  Anything you can offer to those with nothing is a gift they didn't have.

I volunteer for Habitat For Humanity, and something amazing happens when you allow a person a flicker of hope, that somehow, incredibly, even a stranger understands that at times life shoves us on a road we never asked for.

In 2010 in addition to my personal donation to my local food bank, I decided to start a Food Bank Challenge.  Except, it wonderfully got out of hand.  Once I posted The Food Bank Challenge on my Facebook page and my Facebook fan page, people from across the U.S. began donating to their local food banks.  Then, my Facebook pages received posts of donations from Canada — the Food Bank Challenge went international!  In 2011, donations for the International Food Bank Food Challenge were made in the USA, Canada, Australia, & Indonesia.  And you know what, this is truly a blessing.  In this venture, we all win.  Gifts from the heart do that, they fill you, remind you there is good in the world, and that you can make a positive as profound difference in others lives.

How it works:  Starting on the 1st of November, when you donate to a local food bank, post on my Facebook page or Facebook Fan page, (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Diana-Cosby-Romance-Author/150109024636?ref=ts), beneath the daily International Food Bank Challenge post, add your donation along with your name and contact information.  On December 5th I will use www.random.org to draw from all of the names I received of people who donated. The winner will receive an autographed set of the MacGruder brother series to date; HIS CAPTIVE, HIS WOMAN, HIS CONQUEST, and HIS DESTINY.  Also, a copy of the BORN TO BITE, a Highland vampire anthology featuring Hannah Howell, Erica Ridley, and myself.   I will sign the set, and then send them priority to whoever you want to make a personal holiday present.

***For this blog:  If you post on this blog that you donated to a local food bank and contact info, you’ll be entered in the drawing.

2012 International Food Bank Challenge – Goal:  1000 donations.

Diana and a male model prove
reading is sexy. Ah, the up side
of being a romance author!

I wish each of you a wonderful holiday season.  May your every dream come true!

Diana Cosby, AGC(AW), USN Ret.
International Best-Selling Author of the MacGruder Brothers series
Highland vampire anthology
www.dianacosby.com

Thanks for stopping by!

REVIEW OF GALLAGHER'S PRIDE

MK McClintock lives in Montana, and her writing brings the state to life for readers. Set in 1882 Scotland and Montana Territory, GALLAGHER’S PRIDE is a book I enjoyed and recommend.

Brenna Cameron is on a quest for answers. She’s come from her home in Scotland to Montana for a confrontation with the grandfather she hadn’t realized existed until her father’s death. From letters she found, she knows Nathan Hunter disowned her mother, Rebecca, but not why. Rebecca was a lovely, gentle person very much in love with Brenna’s father. After her death, there was only Brenna and her father, a comfortably well-off man. But now he’s died and Brenna is alone. Why would Nathan Hunter have ceased any contact with his daughter, never contacted his granddaughter?

As she arrives in Briarwood, Montana Territory, Brenna immediately encounters a rough man, Bradford James. James works for Nathan Hunter, but makes it clear he intends to take liberties with her person. Fortunately, Gabriel and Ethan Gallagher intercede and take her to their ranch, which adjoins Nathan Hunter’s. The Gallagher’s have a running feud with Hunter and Ethan has vowed to get revenge for all the malicious mischief Hunter and his cowboys have executed at the Gallagher family’s expense.

I never give spoilers in my reviews, so you’ll have to read GALLAGHER’S PRIDE to discover the book’s outcome. I will say that the book is filled with adventure and big surprises. I thought the editing was a little rough in that jumping back and forth made it episodic at first, and there were a couple of plot points I would have done differently. All in all, though, it's a very enjoyable read that anyone who likes historical romance or westerns will love. And there are cowboys! Another plus is that this book is suitable for all ages.There is some violence, but actually, it’s less violent than many YA books. I’m looking forward to the entire family saga.

The buy link at Amazon is:
http://www.amazon.com/Gallaghers-Pride-Gallagher-Series-ebook/dp/B006ZOSVFG/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1343174802&sr=1-1&keywords=mk+mcclintock+gallagher+series

Author MK McClintock

For more information on MK McClintock and her other books, please see her gorgeous site at http://www.mkmcclintock.com/#!home/mainPage or her blog at http://mkmcclintock.blogspot.com/

Thanks for stopping by!