As promised, since my blog reached over 250 GFC followers before the end of my 1st Blogoversary celebration, I am giving away a $5 Amazon.com gift card! THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR FOLLOWING!!!
To enter, all you have to do is follow this blog via GFC, complete the mandatory entries and then complete whichever extra entries you want in the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway ends on March 31st at 11:59p.m. (e.s.t.).
HAPPY BLOGAVERSARY, MEGAN!!! I know you love ALL things Irish, so I thought it might be appropriate to give you and your readers a sneak peek at my upcoming book, A Love Surrendered, which is the final installment in the saga of the O'Connors, the most PASSIONATE Irish family you will find in Christian Romance! In this scene, the hero--twenty-five-year-old Steven O'Connor--reluctantly drives the heroine Annie Kennedy and her little sister Glory home, hoping to distance himself from this sweet seventeen-year-old who he feels is too “innocent” to get involved with the likes of him.
Signaling a turn, Steven eased onto her street, gliding the car up to the curb in front of Aunt Eleanor's house. He coasted into park before he slipped her a slow grin, allowing the engine to rumble along with the chuckle in his throat. “You make me sound like an ogre, Miss Kennedy.”
“Nope, just a hard-nosed arm of the law whom I'm scared to cross.”
“Good,” he said with a jut of his brow, “then my work here is done.” Fisting his door handle, he glanced down at the angel drooling on his leg and smiled. “Come on, you little piece of heaven,” he whispered. He slipped his hands beneath her fragile arms and draped her over his shoulder before easing out of the car. A smile nudged when her arms curled around his neck, and the scent of Ivory soap and bubble gum caused a sudden ache in his heart. He opened Annie's door and helped her out, and in the flash of a moment, longing invaded his chest. The touch of her hand, the weight of Glory on his shoulder, and he almost felt whole again, as if he deserved the happiness of a good woman, one who would give him children to love …
“Thank you,” Annie whispered, reaching to take Glory.
“No,” he said, unable to resist burying his head in her sweet mass of curls. “I don't mind.” Lump in his throat, he kissed her cheek and followed Annie up the steps.
“I can't thank you enough for bringing us home,” Annie said, slipping her key in the door. She pushed it ajar, then turned and held her arms out for Glory, her smile warm. “You're a very lucky man, Steven O'Connor, to have the kind of family you do.”
He paused, her statement taking him by surprise, as did the realization she was right, something he'd come to learn the hard way when his father almost died. He'd taken his family for granted before that … but never again.
Her smile tipped into a soft grin. “Or maybe 'blessed' would be a better word.”
It was his turn to smile. “That's certainly what my sisters would say, especially Faith. Come on, munchkin,” he whispered in Glory's ear, “time for bed." Gently dislodging Glory's fingers, he leaned forward to pass her to Annie.
“No …” she groaned, her sweet, little voice groggy with sleep as her arms inched back to his neck. “I don't want you to go …”
He paused, his head tucked against hers as emotion thickened his throat.
Annie tugged at her sister. “Glory, Steven has to go home and we have to go to bed ...”
“B-but will I see you a-again?” she said with a whimper.
He swallowed hard. “Sure, kiddo, anytime you want.” His gaze flicked to Annie and back, and suddenly his hopes for distance seemed to be fading.
“We'll see,” Annie said, voice and hold adamant as she tried to pull Glory away.
“Okie-dokie.” Glory loosened her grip, then patted a fat, little palm to his cheek. “You're itchy,” she said with a giggle, then deposited a sweet, tiny kiss on his mouth. “G'night, Steven.”
“G'night, Glory.” He tapped her nose before Annie managed to pry her away.
“Thanks again,” Annie said, inching through the door with Glory in her arms.
“Wait! Aren't you going to kiss her too?” Glory spun around, eyes wide with the innocence of a little girl who had no earthly idea what she was asking him to do.
He blinked, noting the expanse of Annie's eyes.
“Glory, no--” she whispered, turning ten kinds of pale.
“Please?” The little troublemaker stared at him with those wide eyes of an angel.
Heart thudding, he did the only thing he knew to do--he kissed Annie right on the tip of her nose. Clearing his throat, he stepped back. “Well, good-night, ladies.”
“No, silly,” Glory said, “like this …” She demonstrated with a sweet little peck on her sister's lips as if he were too stupid to understand, then tilted her head. “See? It's easy.”
Too easy, he thought with a trip of his pulse. Way, way too easy …
“Stop it, Glory, Steven doesn't want to--”
“Sure I do,” he whispered, his words shocking him as much as Annie. Gaze holding hers, he slowly leaned in, close enough to see the long sweep of her lashes, the pale gold in eyes so green, he felt like he was in Oz, about to be granted a wish. He heard the soft hitch of her breath when she stopped breathing because it coincided with the halt of air in his own lungs. Cupping her face in his hand, his eyelids sheathed closed at the touch of her lips--soft, supple and just a hint of peppermint from the candy she'd offered him in the car. It was meant to be no more than a peck like Glory had given him, but somehow his mouth wanted to linger and explore … He stepped in close, body grazing hers and Glory's till they were one. A little-girl giggle broke the trance, and Annie's lips curved beneath his.
“His whiskers are itchy, aren't they, Annie?” Glory asked, patting his face once again. “Kinda makes you wiggly all over, doesn't it?”
Annie's eyes glowed as she caressed her own cheek. “Very wiggly,” she whispered.
“Well,” Steven said quickly with a clear of his throat. He chucked Glory beneath her dimpled chin. “I suppose that's enough kisses for one night, wouldn't you say, kiddo?”
“No!” Glory giggled with a thrust of her chin.
He hiked a brow. “You know what? You are going to be trouble when you grow up, little girl.” Tapping a finger to her chin, he slid Annie a smile and winked. “Just like your sister.”
“I know.” She looped an arm around Annie with a pixie smile. “G'night, Steven.”
“G'night, Glory.” His eyes trailed to Annie and he nodded. “Annie.” Without another word, he loped to the car, his thoughts as warm as the summer night. He slipped into the front seat with a faint smile and turned the ignition before shifting into gear with a tentative sigh. His gaze lighted on the passenger seat where Annie had been and something warm and deep and full of hope expanded in his chest till he thought he couldn't breathe.
“You're a very lucky man, Steven O'Connor,” she had said.
Fingers clenched tight on the stick, he downshifted hard, all warmth dissipating the farther he rumbled away from her street. Exhaling slowly, his lips inched into a sad smile.
Don't I wish.
Thanks, Megan, for allowing me to be a part of your blogaversary celebration, and I wish you many more years of blogging fun! To celebrate, I will give away a signed copy of any of my books, including A Love Surrendered. Just leave a comment telling me WHICH is your favorite O'Connor book and why. And if you haven't read any, that's okay too--just let me know, and if you win, I will make sure you get the first book in the series. GOOD LUCK!!
I LOVE to hear from reader friends, so they can feel free to contact me through my website at http://www.julielessman.com, either by sending an e-mail via my site or by signing up for my newsletter at http://www.julielessman.com/sign-up-for-newsletter/. My newsletter is chock-full of fun info on my books and there's always a contest featuring signed book giveaways. Also, I have a cool feature on my website called “Journal Jots” (http://www.julielessman.com/journal-jots1/), which is a very laid-back, Friday journal to my reader friends that would give your readers an idea as to my relaxed style of writing. Then finally, I can be found daily at The Seekers blog (http://seekerville.blogspot.com/), a group blog devoted to encouraging and helping aspiring writers on the road to publication.
Hugs,
Julie
ABOUT JULIE:
Julie Lessman is an award-winning author whose tagline of “Passion With a Purpose” underscores her intense passion for both God and romance. Winner of the 2009 American Christian Fiction Writers Debut Author of the Year and Holt Medallion Awards of Merit for Best First Book and Long Inspirational, Julie is also the recipient of 13 Romance Writers of America awards and was voted by readers as “Borders Best of 2009 So Far: Your Favorite Fiction.” Chosen as #1 Romance Fiction Author of the Year in the Family Fiction magazine 2011 Readers Choice Awards, Julie was also awarded #1 Series of the Year in that same poll and #3 Author of the Year, #5 Novel of the Year and #4 Historical Fiction Author of the year.
Julie resides in Missouri with her husband, daughter, son and daughter-in-law and new granddaughter, and is the author of “The Daughters of Boston” series, which includes A Passion Most Pure, A Passion Redeemed, and A Passion Denied. Her “Winds of Change” series features A Hope Undaunted, which ranked #5 on Booklist's Top 10 Inspirational Fiction for 2010 and is followed by her most recent release, A Heart Revealed. You can contact Julie through her website at www.julielessman.com.
GIVEAWAY:
Julie has graciously offered to give away a signed copy of any of her books, including A Love Surrendered! To enter, all you have to do is follow this blog in at least one way, complete the mandatory entry and then complete whichever extra entries you want in the Rafflecopter form below.Giveaway is open internationally!
Kathleen, welcome to Hardcover Feedback! Thank you SO much for being a part of my 1st Blogoversary Celebration! Would you tell us a little about yourself? I'm the author of over forty novels as well as several nonfiction titles. I've won multiple awards and have more than one million books in print.
What or who made the biggest influence on you wanting to become a writer? First my parents bought a set of Encyclopedia Britannicas then my paternal grandfather gifted me with a dictionary at the age of ten. That was just the beginning of my love of words. What was the first book you ever wrote about and was it ever published? The first book I wrote was not published, though I used the research to much later write three other novels that were: Beloved Castaway, Beloved Captive, and Beloved Counterfeit.
Do you have any writing habits that people might find unusual? Is anything really unusual about a writer? LOL! I like to have a candle burning when I write and there needs to be copious amounts of iced tea or Diet Dr Pepper around.
Do you have a favorite character or one that is especially close to your heart? Sam from Major League Dad is a direct copy of my son Jacob, so I'd have to say that guy captured my heart most of all.
What is the best gift you have ever received and who gave it to you? Is it corny to say salvation? It's a free gift from the Lord that I base everything else on.
What is something that you have always wanted to do, but just haven't gotten around to it yet? The Bucket List grows almost daily, so there are a whole bunch of good answers to this question. If pressed to choose one, I'd have to say that I'm looking forward to the day when I can buy my husband a tractor and a pile of dirt. Don't ask.
What is your all-time favorite book? The Bible.
Other than yourself, who is your favorite author? I'd have to go with the One who wrote the Bible.
If a TV show was based on your life, what would the theme song be and why? Theme from the Brady Bunch? Cheaper by the Dozen?
What do you like to do in your spare time? I love to read or put the top down on my red Mini Cooper and drive-or ride along while my husband does the driving.
Are you an early bird or a night owl? Night owl, definitely.
What is your favorite TV show and/or movie? I'm loving a bunch of shows right now: Castle, Downton Abbey, Big Bang Theory. As for movies, the best one I've seen lately is the new version of True Grit.
If you had the opportunity to go anywhere you wanted, at anytime in history, where would you go and why? I think I'd pick a random day sometime in early 1975. My husband knows why.
Thank you so much Kathleen for being on Hardcover Feedback!
GIVEAWAY:
Kathleen has graciously offered to give away a copy of her book The Inconvenient Marriage of Charlotte Beck! To enter, all you have to do is follow this blog in at least one way, complete the mandatory entry and then complete whichever extra entries you want in the Rafflecopter form below.Giveaway is open to US residents only!
Susan, welcome to Hardcover Feedback! Thank you SO much for being a part of my 1st Blogoversary Celebration! Would you tell us a little about yourself? I'm a SoCal native and the middle daughter of three girls. I've always loved to write. Even before I could write, I was making up poems out loud, or so says my mother. I was in community journalism for ten years, but I think I've found my wheelhouse in novel-writing. I am the leader/moderator of a local writer's group, a pastor’s wife and the mother of four young adults. When I'm not writing, I direct the Small Groups and Connection Ministries program at The Church at Rancho Bernardo in San Diego. I love history, travel, snobby coffee, great books, and long walks on an uncrowded beach.
What or who made the biggest influence on you wanting to become a writer? My dad is a writer, my adult daughter is a writer and I'm a writer, so I'm inclined to believe the writing itch is a DNA thing. It shows up in my family without any of us pounding it into each other. My parents encouraged me to pursue my passions and gifting. If I had had the itch to be a ballet dancer, they would have encouraged me to give it my best shot. That is the best kind of influence a kid can have when they are dreaming of their adult career - the courage to go after those dreams.
What was the first book you ever wrote about and was it ever published? The first book I wrote was when I was eight and it was called A Bout Patsy Miller. No joke. I wrote the title in crayon just like that. And it will never see the light of publishing day. I have it hidden. All joking aside, my first real novel was Why the Sky is Blue. I wrote it in 2002 and it was published in 2004.
Do you have any writing habits that people might find unusual? I don't like there to be any music of any kind when I am writing, not even movie soundtrack music, which many of writer friends can't write without. I like to plot my books on a yellow-lined pad with a mechanical pencil. I suppose those quirks might be unusual to some. But they don't seem so unusual to me now that they are part of the fabric of my writing life.
Do you have a favorite character or one that is especially close to your heart? My characters all have a special place in my heart, after the book is done and published and I've had some time away from them. When I first finish a book I can't wait to send them packing to Disneyland so they will leave me alone for awhile. They are like house guests who outstay their welcome. But I think Lauren in The Shape of Mercy is the character who comes to mind as the one most close to me. I am not like her, and yet I am. I am not a daughter of privilege and I don't have the same flaws and virtues she has, but I saw in her my own proclivity to judge people. We are all little judges when it comes to how we see people. Many times we make those judgments based on fear and what the crowd says. Fear is a poor tutor and the crowd is very often wrong.
What is the best gift you have ever received and who gave it to you? If we are talking material gifts, I can't think of anything that is that precious to me; that is, precious to the exclusion of everything else. The best non-material gifts I ever received were and are my four kids - who are now all young adults. And God gave me those! With help from the hubby, of course.
What is something that you have always wanted to do, but just haven't gotten around to it yet? Gulp. Finish my college degree. I really, really want to. There's always something else to fund. Right now, it's my kids' college educations. Some day, though... What is your all-time favorite book? So not a fair question. I love so many books. And as my perspective on life and aging changes, so do my all-time favorites. Let's just go with "Go, Dog, Go" by the amazing P. D. Eastman. Still a favorite after all these years.
Other than yourself, who is your favorite author? I am happy to say I am not my favorite author!! I love Kate Morton and Geraldine Brooks. They are divinely talented writers.
If a TV show was based on your life, what would the theme song be and why? How about that Charlie Brown theme song by Vince Guaraldi? Lots of happy piano notes, some syncopated beats, brushes on the snares. It's happy and chic and a little off and not too serious.
What do you like to do in your spare time? I hear spare time is cool stuff! Just kidding. Sort of. Life is very busy but I like to travel, taste new food and cultures, take in concerts and plays, and be with my family. Are you an early bird or a night owl? Yes. I am not even kidding. I like both. I can do both. Just not at the same time.
What is your favorite TV show and/or movie? Favorite movie is You've Got Mail. Favorite TV show at this moment is Smash. It just started. But I loved the premier.
If you had the opportunity to go anywhere you wanted, at anytime in history, where would you go and why? Egypt at the turn of the 20th century. It was still safe to go to Egypt then and yet not so far back in time that we didn't have conveniences like steam engines and screens and aspirin. I've always wanted to see The Valley of the Kings and the pyramids.
You are given an unlimited budget to plan your ultimate party. Please describe it (i.e. Where would it take place? Who would be on the guest list? What would be on the menu? Would there be a theme? etc.). Let's say Santorini Island with Greek food of course and the theme is Greek!
What are you currently working on? I am working on a book called The Girl in The Glass which will release in the fall of 2012 year with WaterBrook. Part of it is set in Florence, Italy – one of my favorite places. I have a young travel book editor headed there for lots of compelling reasons, one of which is to meet a woman who claims she is the last of Medici and that the great paintings and statues talk to her.
Where can people connect with you online? www.susanmeissner.com is my web home. @SusanMeissner is my Twitter handle and my Facebook page is also just my name. I love hearing from readers. The email is on the contact page on my website.
Thank you so much Susan for being on Hardcover Feedback! Thanks for having me!
GIVEAWAY:
Susan has graciously offered to give away a copy of her book A Sound Among the Trees!To enter, all you have to do is follow this blog in at least one way, complete the mandatory entry and then complete whichever extra entries you want in the Rafflecopter form below.Open to US and Canada ONLY!
Marta, welcome to Hardcover Feedback! Thank you SO much for being a part of my 1st Blogoversary Celebration! Would you tell us a little about yourself? I’m a lifelong resident of rural Pennsylvania, and I’m from a Pennsylvania Dutch background, so that has led me to write the Amish fiction I’m writing now. My husband and I live in the century-and-a-half-old farmhouse in a central Pennsylvania valley where we raised our three children. They’re grown now and have given us six delightful grandchildren—one of my favorite topics of conversation. We enjoy traveling, gardening, especially having those grandkids come to visit!
What or who made the biggest influence on you wanting to become a writer? When I was eight, I read my first Nancy Drew book, The Secret in the Old Clock. Most little girls finish that book and want to be Nancy. I finished it and wanted to be the person who created that great story! Life happened, I grew up, married, had another career, but the desire to write never left, and I hope it never will.
What was the first book you ever wrote about and was it ever published? My first book was a young adult mystery, Mystery at Winter Lodge, which was published by Crestwood House. There was the Nancy Drew influence, you see! But I eventually realized that I was more at home writing for adults.
Do you have any writing habits that people might find unusual? I’ve always said I can write anywhere. That might be a slight exaggeration, but I’ve written a chapter while sitting in a crowded airport waiting for an overdue flight and sketched out a scene while walking in the woods. I find long road trips especially productive—my husband drives while I write, and I can disappear into the story and come out only when we arrive at our destination.
Do you have a favorite character or one that is especially close to your heart? One favorite is Anna, who is a reckless, rebellious teenager in Leah’s Choice and grows into a woman willing to sacrifice everything for her child in Anna’s Return. I also loved William Brand, who appeared as a minor character in several Pleasant Valley books and finally got his own love in the upcoming Hannah’s Joy.
What is the best gift you have ever received and who gave it to you? The engagement ring I’m wearing—it was a Christmas present, it was a complete surprise, and even more amazing, my husband picked it out himself!
What is something that you have always wanted to do, but just haven't gotten around to it yet? I mentioned that my husband and I enjoy traveling, and I’ve always wanted to do a river cruise. Maybe next year!
What is your all-time favorite book? Little Women. I fell in love with it as a child, and I find it just as meaningful as an adult.
Other than yourself, who is your favorite author? I’m a huge Agatha Christie fan, and I’ve read all of her books a number of times. I love visiting in the world she created.
What do you like to do in your spare time? What spare time? Seriously, I don’t think any working writer has much of that, but I enjoy baking and sewing. And reading, of course. My husband gave me a Kindle Fire for my birthday, and I love the ease with which I can read on it, especially when my eyes are tired after a day at the computer.
Are you an early bird or a night owl? I normally get up early, and I like to get my writing stint accomplished early in the day. I save afternoons for all of the other things that are related to a writing career, and I’m usually in bed by ten.
What is your favorite TV show and/or movie? We recently watched “The Help” and I found it very moving. I rarely miss PBS Masterpiece and Masterpiece Mystery.
If you had the opportunity to go anywhere you wanted, at anytime in history, where would you go and why? I’d love to visit Charles Dickens’ London, but I probably wouldn’t enjoy living there!
You are given an unlimited budget to plan your ultimate party. Please describe it (i.e. Where would it take place? Who would be on the guest list? What would be on the menu? Would there be a theme? etc.). I’m not much of a party person. For me, the best gathering would be husband, kids, and grandkids in a place we’d all enjoy.
What are you currently working on? I’m writing the first book in a new Amish romantic suspense trilogy for HQN Books. The first book, Home by Dark, will be out in February of 2013.
Where can people connect with you online? You can find me at www.martaperry.com, Marta Perry Books on Facebook, www.booksbymartaperry.blogspot.com and e-mail me at marta@martaperry.com. I’ll be happy to send a signed bookmark and my Pennsylvania Dutch recipe brochure to any reader who emails me with his or her address.
Thank you so much Marta for being on Hardcover Feedback!
GIVEAWAY:
Marta Perry has graciously offered to give away a copy of her book Vanish in Plain Sight! To enter, all you have to do is follow this blog in at least one way, complete the mandatory entry and then complete whichever extra entries you want in the Rafflecopter form below.Open to US and Canada ONLY!
Cheryl, welcome to Hardcover Feedback! Thank you SO much for being a part of my 1st Blogoversary Celebration! What or who made the biggest influence on you wanting to become a writer?
Reading books as a child nourished my desire to become a writer. During summer vacations I mourned the loss of the school library. I wrote my own stories, drew the covers and stapled them into little books.
What was the first book you ever wrote about and was it ever published?
The first book I ever wrote was titled The Rebel and it was undeserving of publication. I was 14 and I wrote about a teenage gang. How embarrassing, but I guess I put a dot on the learning curve.
Do you have any writing habits that people might find unusual?
I don't turn around three times before sitting in my chair or don my writing cap or anything. Sitting in the chair is the biggest hurdle. Fingers to keyboard next. If I do that, words come. I do clean my office and my desk between each project, but I wouldn't call that unusual.
Do you have a favorite character or one that is especially close to your heart?
I really love Joshua McBride in Saint or Sinner. He was a man redeemed of his past and focused on the future. I also have a special fondness for Tye Hatcher in Joe's Wife. An underdog with a heat of gold.
What is the best gift you have ever received and who gave it to you?
Best gifts ever are my ten grandchildren, and my four children gave them to me. I never knew how wonderful it would be to have that special bond. They possess my heart.
What is something that you have always wanted to do, but just haven't gotten around to it yet?
I always have a craft in the planning, so I have boxes and totes of materials for windchimes and jewelry and all sort of different things. I just never get around to actually doing the projects!
What is your all-time favorite book?
All time favorite book is a tough decision, but after some thought I have to go with Twice Loved by LaVryle Spencer. Rye Dalton is my favorite hero of all time. Now that is romance at its finest.
Other than yourself, who is your favorite author?
A favorite author is just as difficult. I love everything LaVyrle Spencer ever wrote, so I have to go with her.
If a TV show was based on your life, what would the theme song be and why?
You ask difficult questions. I'm going to go with can't Buy Me Love. I've had little and I've had a lot, and none of it means a thing without the people you love. When our kids were little we didn't go out to eat, but we cashed in aluminum cans to go to the movies on Friday night. My favorite times with my grandkids are usually spent hiking through the woods or going for a walk.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I love movies, so whenever I can sneak in an hour or two I watch a movie. An old one, a new one, I don't care. I have favorites I watch over and over, and they inspire me.
Are you an early bird or a night owl?
I am definitely a night owl. I have to force myself to go to bed, and I've always been this way. My husband is the early bird. I'm often just going to bed when he's getting up to head out for work. It's always been my philosophy that sleep is a waste of time and I'll get a lot of it after I die, but I'm trying to correct that thinking so I can stay healthier.
What is your favorite TV show and/or movie?
My favorite TV show was ER for many years, and some some odd reason it's now Gray's Anatomy. I don't think it's the medical stuff; it's the character interaction and the fast pace. I also enjoy Bones and I never miss American Idol - and yes I vote.
If you had the opportunity to go anywhere you wanted, at anytime in history, where would you go and why?
If I had the opportunity to go somewhere in history, I think I'd be in the crowd when Jesus preached the sermon on the mount. I think hearing Him would be pretty cool.
You are given an unlimited budget to plan your ultimate party. Please describe it (i.e. Where would it take place? Who would be on the guest list? What would be on the menu? Would there be a theme? etc.).
My ultimate party would be a beautiful tea party, with eclectic cups and saucers and beautiful dishes. I would invite all my friends and we'd spend an entire summer afternoon under the shade of tall old trees, drinking tea and eating scones and cakes.
What are you currently working on?
I have several projects in the works right now. I am having rights reverted to four of my very first books, so those are in the process of becoming digital releases, but it's a lot of work. I'm excited that the stories will have a second life with new readers. I've also been working on a non-fiction project that has been challenging, but for which I have big plans. I have a proposal in for a historical and a couple more nearly ready.
Where can people connect with you online? Readers can find me online at a variety of places:
Thank you so much Cheryl for being on Hardcover Feedback!
GIVEAWAY:
Cherylhas graciously offered to give away a copy of her new book The Wedding Journey! If the winner is in the US they may choose a printed book or an e-book. If the winner is NOT in the US, then they would receive an e-book.
To enter, all you have to do is follow this blog in at least one way, complete the mandatory entry and then complete whichever extra entries you want in the Rafflecopter form below.Giveaway is open internationally!
Elizabeth, welcome to Hardcover Feedback! Thank you SO much for being a part of my 1st Blogoversary Celebration! What was the first book you ever wrote about and was it ever published? Yup. I dashed my first book off in a couple of months, had a ton of offers, then picked the best. (Cough). Actually, my first three manuscripts are under my bed and will NEVER be allowed to escape into the world. I think manuscripts four and five were pretty good…..but they were contemporary romances, and no one was interested. It was manuscript number six that finally hit, and became The Lady of Bolton Hill. I am actually grateful for the warm-up books. Looking back, most of them suffer from typical newbie writer problems. I am grateful I was able to go through those growing pains in private!
Do you have a favorite character or one that is especially close to your heart? I suppose that would be Bane, the young villain from my first novel, The Lady of Bolton Hill. One tip for writers: when you need a character to fill a particular role (villain, best friend, business rival, etc.) never go for the obvious. I needed a villain for The Lady of Bolton Hill, and the first image that sprang to mind was a big, brutish criminal who scares children and kicks cats…. so I rejected the obvious and went for the complete opposite. I made Bane an angelically gorgeous and recklessly charming teenager who is already well on his way to a life of crime. His wicked charm made him a lot more frightening. Readers seem to agree….and still fell in love with him even though he needed a good swift kick in the pants. I’ve gotten more fan mail about Bane than everyone else combined.
What is the best gift you have ever received and who gave it to you? A college education…provided by my parents. I don’t think I fully appreciated the magnitude of that gift until I grew up a little more and learned to understand the huge financial sacrifices my parents took on my behalf…..as well as the launching pad that college gave me. That was a biggie!
Other than yourself, who is your favorite author? Sorry, Megan….impossible to answer! I go through phases. Right now I am wildly devoted to Karen Marie Moning’s Fever series. This is romantic urban fantasy (and definitely not G-rated, for those who prefer to stick to the Inspirational stuff.) I love it because of the sparking dialog and the crackling tension between the heroine and the mysterious Jericho Barrons. In recent years I’ve been through Ken Follett binges, devoured Francine Rivers, and will buy anything by Lisa Klaypas…..but I don’t think I’ll ever be able to pick a favorite.
If a TV show was based on your life, what would the theme song be and why? Can I say Paperback Writer? It’s so cliché, but that’s where I am at these days!
Are you an early bird or a night owl? My husband and I both get up around 4am, and are both zonked on the couch by 9pm. We’re early birds!
What is your favorite TV show and/or movie? This is really bad…..but I like Cops. I work around 50 hours per week at my day job, then I put in another 10 or 20 writing. I just don’t have the mental energy for anything too demanding, and somehow, at the end of a busy, stressful, and exhausting day…..I just love zoning out in front of Cops, which I think is probably the TV-equivalent of salty junk-food.
You are given an unlimited budget to plan your ultimate party. Please describe it (i.e. Where would it take place? Who would be on the guest list? What would be on the menu? Would there be a theme? etc.). My husband and I are dull, dull homebodies, so it would probably be only about ten or fifteen close friends and family in our backyard (which I must confess has a really terrific view of the Florida countryside). We’d have good bread, cheese, and a couple bottles of nice wine. Bill says that one of the reasons he married me is that I’m easy to please. I suppose that’s true!
What are you currently working on? You remember that character ‘Bane’ I spoke of at the beginning of this interview? I am pleased to announce that he is all grown up and ready to star in a book of his own. It took me a while to come up with a heroine as strong and interesting as Bane, and yet still come across as highly sympathetic. Against the Tide is an entirely a stand-alone book, so readers will be able to hop right in, even if they didn’t read The Lady of Bolton Hill. Look for it in October of 2012.
Where can people connect with you online? I blog at http://elizabethcamden.com/blog where I ramble on about things related to the romance genre, the publishing world, and because I am a librarian by day, I can’t help but post pictures of mouth-watering libraries. I hope you’ll swing by!
Thank you so much Elizabeth for being on Hardcover Feedback!
GIVEAWAY:
Elizabeth has graciously offered to give away a copy of either The Lady of Bolton Hill or The Rose of Winslow Street - winner's choice!! To enter, complete the mandatory entries and then whichever extra entries you want in the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway is open to the US ONLY!
As promised, since my blog reached over 250 GFC followers before the end of my 1st Blogoversary celebration, I am giving away a $5 Amazon.com gift card! THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR FOLLOWING!!!
HAPPY BLOGAVERSARY, MEGAN!!! I know you love ALL things Irish, so I thought it might be appropriate to give you and your readers a sneak peek at my upcoming book, A Love Surrendered, which is the final installment in the saga of the O'Connors, the most PASSIONATE Irish family you will find in Christian Romance! In this scene, the hero--twenty-five-year-old Steven O'Connor--reluctantly drives the heroine Annie Kennedy and her little sister Glory home, hoping to distance himself from this sweet seventeen-year-old who he feels is too “innocent” to get involved with the likes of him.
Thanks, Megan, for allowing me to be a part of your blogaversary celebration, and I wish you many more years of blogging fun! To celebrate, I will give away a signed copy of any of my books, including A Love Surrendered. Just leave a comment telling me WHICH is your favorite O'Connor book and why. And if you haven't read any, that's okay too--just let me know, and if you win, I will make sure you get the first book in the series. GOOD LUCK!!
Do you have a favorite character or one that is especially close to your heart?
What is your all-time favorite book?
Susan, welcome to Hardcover Feedback! Thank you SO much for being a part of my 1st Blogoversary Celebration! Would you tell us a little about yourself?
What was the first book you ever wrote about and was it ever published?
Marta, welcome to Hardcover Feedback! Thank you SO much for being a part of my 1st Blogoversary Celebration! Would you tell us a little about yourself?
What or who made the biggest influence on you wanting to become a writer?
Do you have a favorite character or one that is especially close to your heart? 
What is your favorite TV show and/or movie?
What is your all-time favorite book?
If a TV show was based on your life, what would the theme song be and why?
What do you like to do in your spare time?
What is your favorite TV show and/or movie?
Elizabeth, welcome to Hardcover Feedback! Thank you SO much for being a part of my 1st Blogoversary Celebration! What was the first book you ever wrote about and was it ever published?
A college education…provided by my parents. I don’t think I fully appreciated the magnitude of that gift until I grew up a little more and learned to understand the huge financial sacrifices my parents took on my behalf…..as well as the launching pad that college gave me. That was a biggie!
If a TV show was based on your life, what would the theme song be and why?
