 Death at Thorburn Hall by Julianna Deering -- Amateur sleuth Drew Farthering and his wife Madeline travel to Scotland for the 1935 British Open, but instead of a relaxing holiday, they find murder, mystery, and international intrigue. (Historical Mystery from Bethany House [Baker]) Waiting for His Return by Carrie Turansky -- The daughter of a wealthy Tennessee doctor falls in love with an injured artist-correspondent on assignment to cover the battles near Union occupied Nashville. (Historical Mystery from Flowing Stream Books) Guilty Blood by Rick Acker -- A desperate mother tries to prove her son's innocence, but shadowy forces want to keep him in jail--and kill him there. (Legal Thriller from Waterfall Press) An Unexpected Legacy by Amy R. Anguish -- When Chad Manning introduces himself to Jessica Garcia at her favorite smoothie shop, it's like he stepped out of one of her romance novels. But as she tentatively walks into a relationship with this man of her dreams, secrets from their past threaten to shatter their already fragile bond. Chad and Jessica must struggle to figure out if their relationship has a chance or if there is nothing between them but a love of smoothies. (Romantic Suspense from Tulpen Publishing) Christmas Double Cross by Jodie Bailey -- Undercover Texas Ranger Colter Blackthorn’s convinced Danielle Segovia is really a wanted criminal—until she’s nearly kidnapped right in front of him. Now Colter must keep her out of the clutches of the notorious drug cartel leader whose traitor sister is a dead ringer for Danielle. The drug czar wants the drugs he thinks the pretty shop owner stole from him. And with the younger brother Danielle is raising dragged into the crosshairs, Colt has to find a way to protect them both. But a showdown at Christmas—with Danielle as bait—may be the only way to make sure they all survive the holidays. (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired [Harlequin]) The House on Foster Hill by Jaime Jo Wright -- Kaine Prescott is no stranger to death. When her husband died two years ago, her pleas for further investigation into his suspicious death fell on deaf ears. In desperate need of a fresh start, Kaine purchases an old house sight unseen in her grandfather's Wisconsin hometown. But one look at the eerie, abandoned house immediately leaves her questioning her rash decision. And when the house's dark history comes back with a vengeance, Kaine is forced to face the terrifying realization she has nowhere left to hide. A century earlier, the house on Foster Hill holds nothing but painful memories for Ivy Thorpe. When an unidentified woman is found dead on the property, Ivy is compelled to discover her identity. Ivy's search leads her into dangerous waters and, even as she works together with a man from her past, can she unravel the mystery before any other lives--including her own--are lost? (Romantic Suspense from Bethany House [Baker])
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From Vannetta: Deep Shadows is the first book in my upcoming Remnant Series. It’s a significant change from the Amish books I’ve previously published. Today I wanted to talk to you about dystopian fiction, and the appeal of this genre. If you’re alive and reading on planet Earth, you recognize the crazy popularity of dystopian fiction and our preoccupation – even as people of faith – with end of the world scenarios. I have been a fan for many years. When I read a dystopian book, I ask myself
And faith is an important component of this genre, which caused me to wonder- where is God in dystopian fiction? How do we talk about God when the world is falling down around our ears? How do we NOT talk about Him in this scenario? These are questions we ask ourselves as we read dystopian fiction. Unlike apocalyptic tales, which bring images of Revelation, four horsemen, messengers of God and last days, dystopian books represent a transition from a near-perfect work to a vastly imperfect one. My passion for this genre is a result of my life experience.
I’ve taught high school and college classes for 15 years, and during that time I’ve taught teenaged boys who could take apart and re-assemble a computer in a matter of hours. And I’ve taught teenaged girls who can shoot and field dress a deer. Those teens, their parents, you and I sense that we’ve reached an over dependence on technology, a tipping of the scales, and we wonder what will happen if things dramatically shift the other way. At its heart, that’s what a dystopian series is – a balance of the scales in the other direction, a what if scenario. It is always first and foremost a story about relationships and how they survive or crumble when what we’ve feared, as a society, occurs. And lastly, for me, it’s always a story of faith and hope. Read my review of Deep Shadows Vannetta Chapman and I are not related, at least as far as I know.  I had the honor, and the fun, of attending the Bring Home a Cowboy Book Launch/ Birthday Party, where many of Gloria's family, friends, and fans gathered to celebrate.
  I want to welcome Gloria Doty, an amazing author of both fiction and non-fiction. I met Gloria a few years ago while planning a trip to a writer’s conference. Gloria is a woman of God, has a great sense of humor, and is a dear friend. So, let's get on with the interview so you can get to know her. Lynne: I just finished your debut romance novel with a western flare, Bring Home a Cowboy. Before we get into that, let’s talk about you. When did you know you were going to be a writer? Gloria: I think I may have subconsciously known when I was very young but that was never a career option that I can remember. I think my choices when I was in high school were: teacher, nurse, stewardess (flight attendant now) or secretary. I don’t believe I knew anyone who was a writer, so I ppprrrobably didn’t think it was a possibility. Lynne: How did you decide to write your first novel? Gloria: I attended a luncheon as a guest of a friend (you). The speaker said several things that made me think I could possibly write a fiction novel. Although I had written and published a non-fiction book about my daughter and collaborated with my sister to write a book of flower devotions, the thought of a fiction romance novel never entered my head before that day. Lynne: I can attest to how quickly you put that thought into action and brought it to completion. Who are your writing influences? Gloria: I don’t know how to answer that, exactly. I enjoy a lot of different types of writing. This will sound silly, but as a child, I would go to the library every Saturday in the summer and bring home an armload of books; Grimm’s fairy tales, horse stories, Little Women and some that were probably too intense for my age. I remember a story about Nazi prisoners that haunted me for years. I have always liked the Little House on the Prairie books. There was something about her writing that pulled me into the stories and her experiences. Lynne: How do you get your story ideas? Gloria: They seem to find me instead of me finding them. I am a constant observer of people and conversations and ‘life.’ I don’t believe there are any stories that haven’t already been written; we just put a different slant on them with our own experiences. Lynne: In your Cowboy series, are the main characters anything like you or someone you know? Gloria: Yes, I believe they are. I didn’t consciously model them after someone but I guess some characteristics come through even if we don’t realize it. I have had many people tell me they see me in Lucy and in retrospect, I believe she is a lot like me; with the exception of being wealthy. LOL Lynne: I was one of those who saw you in Lucy. What is your favorite thing about her? Gloria: Lucy is a strong woman and I like strong women. She is independent, intelligent and not afraid to speak her mind, take charge of a situation or take chances. And still she is also vulnerable and emotional. Lynne: What is your favorite thing about Lucy’s love interest, Cal? Gloria: Honestly, I love everything about Cal. I wish I could find a Cal. He is handsome, of course, but he is also a good Christian man with character and ethics. He has survived a lot of life but is still willing to give his heart and all of his love to Lucy. He is the calm to her storm. Lynne: What message would you like readers to take away from Bring a Cowboy Home? Gloria: I would like the readers to realize it is never too late to find love, no matter your age. I also want them to see that prayer is an integral part of a marriage and every aspect of our lives. Lynne: What’s next in your writing career? Gloria: I have the next two books in this series to be published in the next few months, hopefully. I am working on a novel about a relationship where the woman is quite a few years older than the man. The relationship is also based on lies and deception. Enjoy this excerpt from Chapter one of Bring Home a Cowboy. “Jerry observed the woman sitting next to him. She was dressed impeccably; business attire, he assumed. She wore lots of jewelry; not the cheap, imitation stuff, he noticed; but the real thing. Despite several rings, he also noticed there was no wedding band. If he had to guess her age, he would say she was in her late fifties; although he was a horrible judge of age. She wore her medium length dark hair pulled into a clip at the nape of her neck. There were a few streaks of gray in it, which obviously didn’t bother her as it did most of the women he knew. She struck him as a self-confident, comfortable in her own skin kind of woman.” Gloria Doty has 5 children and 13 grandchildren, one dog and two cats. She does freelance writing as well as contributing to a quarterly devotional. She writes from her home in Fort Wayne, IN. Read my review of Bring Home a Cowboy. You might also be interested in her two non-fiction books. (These links will take you to BellaOnline.com/Christian Living) Not Different Enough A Bouquet of Devotions The contest is now over. Thank you for your support. Click here to see the book launch party, drawing, and the winning name. |
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